Friday, March 31, 2017

Love Today | Fancy Pants Family & Co. with The Cut Shoppe

Hello there!

Happy Friday everyone!  Do you like ice cream?  Well, it's my favorite!  And it must be chocolate of course (it wasn't hard to come up with my blog name, let's just say!).  A few weeks ago, we went to a new burger place and I tried a chocolate stout shake.  

Oh. My. YUM.  

So good, y'all!  My hubby snapped a few photos and when I saw them I knew I wanted to use my new stash of Fancy Pants Designs Family & Co with the vibrant colors!  I also used Let Them Eat Pie from The Cut Shoppe.




I traced, enlarged, and then cut the "Love" pie cut file from AC textured cardstock on my Cameo.  I backed it with Family & Co papers and set it aside.  Next, I offset the outside of the pie circle by .175 and snapped periods around the circle using a similar technique I showed last May.  I then sent this to my Cameo on a fresh piece of cardstock.  Once the holes were cut, I backstitched my circle using black floss and then put the Love pie cut file inside the stitched circle.

To complete the title, I used black foam "Today" from Amy Tan "Today" Thickers - such fun texture!  I used some cute sequins from Spiegelmom Scraps called "Believe in You". They're a perfect match with a punched heart and the colors in the collection!



For the top 3 pieces of my pie, I used 6x6 papers from Family & Co.  The one on the right with the writing had highlighted phrases in the wrong spot, so I simply cut out those two phrases and glued them over the plain phrases.  



I used 3 asterisks from the Family & Co alpha pack as well as some other goodies from Maya Road, Crate Paper, Bella Blvd, and Webster's Pages.

I cut a large heart from the black hearts paper to mat the photo in the top left.



I tucked a little journaling tag behind the bottom left photo.



And there you have my second layout with hand stitching on it - it's such a fun technique, and I hope I've inspired you to try it.

Have a super weekend (with some ice cream of course!).

Chocolate hugs,
Majken

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

{When It's Cold Out But You Want to Swim} Scrapbook & Cards Today sketch

Howdy y'all!  Happy spring to you.  I'm here today to share a layout that's a little bit winter, a little bit summer.  This is my sweet niece Sophie.  Back in November, she decided she wanted to swim and put on her bathing suit and her winter hat and gloves - because it was November. Adorable!  I think we've all been there.  :)

I am using a sketch from Scrapbook & Cards Today I saw in the Winter 2016 magazine and some Crate Paper Cute Girl and Snow & Cocoa as well as Maggie Holmes Bloom.  



The first thing I did was create a cut file inspired by a pattern on one of my papers I had laying around!  I cut it out onto a 6 x 12 piece of white cardstock using my Cameo and then adhered it to the striped paper.  And because I love to sew on my layouts, I sewed around some of the "petals".  And I used some large enamel dots as the centers.




To create my title, I cut out "When it's cold out but you want to" using Thirsty font - it's such a fun font!  I used Dear Lizzy Ooh La La Thickers to create "Swim".



All the fun elements and layers on the photo make me happy - like that cute penguin! And that Maya Road tulle flower from last year's SCT kit was a perfect change of texture.



I used two dies to cut a scalloped circle and the notebook page.  And sewing adds such wonderful texture...I rarely skip sewing on a layout!



Here's the sketch I used.  I tailored my layout for one photo since that's all I had to document.



Thanks for visiting with me today!  I hope you have a great spring!

Majken

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Forever - Using Negative Die Cuts & Fancy Pants Designs Sweet Nothings

Hello lovely scrappy chocoholics!

Today I'm sharing a layout I shared the other day on Instagram.  I'd love you to follow me there if you aren't already!  I created a layout using the negative cut from this lovely Valentine/date night layout, also using Fancy Pants Designs' Sweet Nothings collection - it's so pretty!  I created a background of hearts cut file using a Scrapbook & Cards Today cut file from Feb. 2016.

Here is the full layout.  Please pardon the shadows - I popped up those hearts and you can't get away from photography shadows when you do that.  :)


 Isn't it fun?  I adore hearts...I remember filling up pages of notebook paper in junior high (and into college) with them.  I loved doodling them!

Scrappy tip:  When I cut out the original cut file, I used the cut file as a template for where to place the inside of the hearts to make sure they were centered.  You may not be able to tell in the photo above, but there's black cardstock under the Sweet Nothings hearts.  I wasn't yet sure how I was going to use it, so I went ahead and placed them with the original cut file as my guide.

I love sewing on my layouts, so when I cut the new hearts out I lightly scored them in the center and adhered them to the black hearts underneath.  Then I zig zag stitched down the center and pulled each side of the hearts up.  Here are some close ups.


 I love those puffy stickers in the collection too!



I tucked a tag behind the photo, which I printed out using my HP Sprocket pocket printer...it's so fun to use, and I didn't even need to use adhesive since each photo is backed with it already!



That's all for today!  I hope you enjoy using your negative die cuts.

Here is the cut file I used to create my background.


Enjoy your week!  

Majken



Friday, March 10, 2017

Everyday, Important Good Stuff - Creative Scrappers March sketch reveal with scrappy tip

Hello crafty friends!

Today I'm on the Creative Scrappers blog sharing a layout for sketch 304.  I am highlighting my adventure into starting my bullet journal, and I'm using Simple Stories Posh collection since I also use some of the Posh planner items my bullet journal.


One of the best ways to create the squares in the sketch was to pull out my 6x6 paper pad.  I chose patterns with different variety:  a floral, some arrows, a solid light pink with polka dots, and a dark blue with polka dots.  

Scrappy tip:  something I learned in a quilting class I took is to squint at the fabrics (in this case, papers) and if you see a lot of contrast, that's good. If the papers are too similar in tone, pattern, colors, then see what else you can substitute for a good mix.

Once I chose my papers and decided where to place them, I trimmed them to save what wouldn't show.  Most non-rotary trimmers are great for trimming out centers or angled cuts.  In the blue paper below, you can see I trimmed a 4x4 piece from the bottom.  You'll never know it's missing!  I did the same for all the pieces behind the pink polka dot one that is in front.



Here's the layout again, and I opted to photograph it with a background setup as well.  I usually don't but wanted to test this technique out. 


Here are some close-ups.  You can see the distressed edges of the 6x6 papers as well as the stitching.  I love those enamel dots, bits & pieces, and decorative brads.  I printed my photos using my new HP Sprocket pocket printer.



Journal strips, the pencil and that "Shine" ephemera piece...fun!


I created a little banner by trimming the journaling tags from one of the 6x6 papers, sewing, and then adding some more bits and pieces.  There's Winston, the Simple Stories doggie, on a brad!


Don't forget to create your own rendition using sketch 304 and post to the CS InLinkz and share with us on Facebook and Instagram using #creatingwithsketches and #cssketch304.


Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend!

Majken