Amy Tangerine and Night Fall-American Crafts Love!

I can honestly say I have not been this excited about a paper line for quite some time! And I am NOT done! Nope. I WILL be back to creating with these. Cuz there the best I have sen from American Crafts, and they were already a favorite!!

First off, Amy Tan - AKA Amy Tangerine. I was lucky enough to meet her a few years back and and I got to meet her again at CHA this summer. Like her shirts weren't cute enough, her scrapbooking line is FAB-U-LOUS! OK, I feeling a little stalker-ish. But I have been scrapbooking for the store and designing for some time, and I really appreciate product that DOES excite me enough to inspire me create on my own! So there ya have it!

So this is what I did:

This LO I do love, but realized when I uploaded the pictures that I only took one full shot of this, so I have to retake this, cuz I didn't have any back-ups, and there is a bit of blur. Bummer.
(I'd do it now, but this layout lives at the store as a display for now!)
I did the layout, then added the felt camera when they came into stock after they were initially backordered. Perfect finish to the layout, if you ask me!!
This layout is just something simple I put with this photo... a photo that reminds me that even if I don't know what I am doing, I need to try. I might be pleasantly surprised, or even get to do a whole other direction just by trying... so there.
This mini book was completely for me... though it does live at the store right now (and we are now sold out on these awesome little journals/minis!) It isn't finished, but I did start it the day I bought the album. I just love it. I love how the from pictures layered on the cover turned out. And love the contents I get to work with to begin with! I will have just as much fun finishing this album, I am sure.
...lift the clear cover (see the wave coming on the beach in this first picture) and you see what was hidden when the cover is closed:
My sand writing. :)
And just a peek below here of how much I have done in the book so far...
Aren't all the pages fun?? Amy. You rock!
I was kinda lovin' the feather paper for the seagull story within my book!

On to Night Fall. I don't usually get too crazy excited about Halloween lines. So many lines ahve witches and icky things I am just not gonna use. But this line by AC is FAB again! I LOVE the hint of turquoise-y blue! This is the layout I have done so far. There will be more in the future, darn it!
I {heart} clouds. This paper. Yum. The felt cloud embellishment. Double yum! Alrighty! Thanks for stoppin'!
I am on the upswing regarding finding time for what makes ME happy. I mean, my family makes me VERY happy, but I need something that is for ME. And for ME creating makes me happy too. And I feel like I need that outlet. It isn't always the best, but it makes me feel pretty darn good, creating. So here's to more of THAT!

Color outside of the box (literally).

OK, TODAY I saw this post...
http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/2011/08/you-knew-i-was-going-to-make-one.html

I don't even remember how it is I came across it! She mentioned seeing these crayon canvas all over Pinterest. I didn't even have to go look! I saw hers and I went WILD with the prospect of doing one of these! So much so, I headed out with Cora to go to the store to get supplies before I had to pick up the boys!

So here we go...
I got the big box of 64 ( or is it 68??) ANYWAY, take out the black, brown, silver and white.
Then, go to work making them a rainbow. I did it on the floor so I could make sure it was the right length to fit my canvas.

(CLICK ANY PICTURE TO SEE LARGER-sorry though-the music will restart each time.)
I got these canvas at Walmart. 2 for $7 something.
(I also got smaller canvas boards too. 3 for like $5!)

My Helper!
My not so helpful one (for this project)... but man he's cute! :)
But he made me this, so I forgive him. :)
OK... sorry. Got off track there.

I could NOT find my cordless Imaginisce glue gun! So I used Fabric Tac. I thought it would hold up better to the heat. I bet 3-in-1 would work too. But Fabric Tac dries really fast! I am not a patient person/crafter! :)

OH-and make sure you do some of this, while creating! LOL!
Now this is a picture of the second canvas at this stage. I didn't get one like this of the first time around.
So, even though Meg said a hairdryer, I was a doubter. :) That hairdryer in her the picture could be one of those wallpaper scrapping dryers! But I was wrong. It was just a hairdryer! It REALLY works!!
The papers get soak-y and the crayons start to drip, then run! Now watch how you dryer blows and where in the stream it gets the hottest! If you keep it close and just move it a big, you can get some pretty straight down streams. But move it around willy nilly, and you get some FUN splatters and slashes! Have fun!
...and it doesn't take long to REALLY get the wax thick and running down nicely! Keep in mind, if the canvas is leaning too far back, it won't run as far down! (So if you have a "helper" be sure to keep an eye on the angle.)
So... when I saw the post earlier today, I immediately started to conjure up some ideas! Part of the reason I was so excited about trying it out!
Glitter, and "titles"!

I MIGHT have a few extra of these laying around here... (cough)
Martha Stewart glitter with it's "shaker" tops is PERFECT!!
I decided that the melting crayon would hold letters nicely...
OK, it was a messier prospect than I had considered. But keep in mind, it is easy enough to heat it up and add stuff. (Keep some Q-tips around to remove soft wax when it goes somewhere on a letter you don't want it to!)
Next, I added glitter. The first time, I added it after the fact (sprinkled, then heated to "fix" it). The second time, I threw it in as we were melting.Here is the glitter the best I could capture close up :
(Got some on the actual crayons too!)
In addition, I thought the letters were too darn plain (uhhhh). So I added some glue to the tops and glittered different colors!
Here is the end result!
And here is the title of my second canvas! (Before I added rhinestones and crystals).
(This is going to a fabulous teacher friend of mine! :) Hope ya like it Mrs. D!)
And the full canvas! (Can't get the contrast just right in the picture...)So TRY IT! Inexpensive, and FUN! Think of all the great things you could add too! I want to try to "mask" the letters (place them down, melt, then left them up to they canvas is blank where they were. Not sure if it will work, but hey, it'll be fun to try!)

This is the BEST time to get crayons! Clearance from Back to School sales!!

If you saw this and were inspired to do one, PLEASE link me up! I would love to see!!

Geek is Chic! (Imaginisce New Release!)

Imaginisce does it again... they have released another line-and this time for school!
Good timing!

This line is pretty cute.
If you are about getting your pages done, grab a sketch book, and go to town with this line! There are even tones of pre-printed titles in this line!

So here is my take!

For this LO, I used the "Punch All Over the Page" (I think that's right?) to make star "confetti".
I have seen lots of adhesive used-modge podge for lots of "confetti"... but I only had a few, so I just used my glue stick. Fun easy way to add a touch of fun!
For this one, I kept it simple. I love this picture... I can remember what it felt like to walk up for your first day of school! Excitement with a little bitter sweet that summer is over.
And try not to fall over... this card is inspired by my friend Megan Klauer. Used her card as a sketch for MY card! Thanks Megan! :)

Thanks for stoppin' by! Be sure to hit the Imaginisce blog for a chance to win some "Geek is Chic" for yourself! AND to see all the FABULOUS layouts and projects by the design team!!

Come back tomorrow-I created with my new favorite line!! Amy Tangerine by American Craft! LOVE!!
See ya tomorrow!

I {heart} Faces Photo Challenge! (Pet Week)

Hey, why not, right?
Thought I would throw my hat in! Love this picture of our cat Ashton!
(Asherton Peabody. Ash-hole when he is in trouble. :) )
He wasn't the kitten we initially picked... but as the kittens got bigger, that adorable smudge face and AWESOME (though sometimes frustrating) personality came out! He is one of the most friendly cats I have ever had... and I have had a few cats in my day!

ANYWAY, there it my challenge photo for I {Heart} Faces!!
(click for larger)

Scrappinista Scrapbooking Club layouts...

I love our club! Gives us the chance to use some of the newest product, AND being as it is a class in the store, we get to share with people IRL! Layouts, technique, sketches... we aren't afraid new things in club!

And thank goodness for this deadline each month that forces me to create! I mean that! If I wasn't doing club, I wouldn't get a chance to STOP and create!

This month is a Melody Ross line from GCD. And BONUS, Megan Klauer GD this month!! We love Megan at Scrapaganza!!

Let me start with the not-so-easy-for-Penny 2 pager! I had some fun with this one.
I started with a basic sketch from an Allison Davis sketch book (Book 1)...
...and added mist and some actual sketching...

That first flower on the left, was from a seed packet I was given for Mother's Day from Gabriel as part of a basket he made at school for me! So glad I planted it!

For this layout, I thought this paper was the best to highlight myself and this wonderful women that I love SOOO much! I might be one of a few women that love their MIL this much, but I do! I have no idea what I would do without her!
I used packaging on this one! I punched 2 inch holes in the paper, then backed it with that yummy green pattern of the embellishment packaging! I also framed part of the picture with that same sheet of packaging!
Next... boys and flowers. I use flowers with my boys. Yes I do! :) Love the flocked flowers on the bottom of this sheet. I added punched and pop dotted centers-some with chipboard embellishment too!
Thanks so much for stopping! If you are local, you might just want to check out SCC! The Scrapbooking club where you will actually create something, not just buy a kit! :) Gotta love sitting down to create! We all need more time for that!!