Remember The Little Things Layout!

I'm sharing this layout over at the Scrapendipity Way Of Life blog today - it's one of my favourite pics of me with my littlest baby girl - now 4 years old!

I used the January Sketchy Challenge sketch from the Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine website. This is such an amazing Canadian magazine, so full of inspiration!

I used a combination of papers to make this layout. I've been trying to mix up my collections lately when creating layouts. The background paper is from Bella Blvd and then I have strips from MME, Kaisercraft, and Shimelle. The journaling cards, lace, charm and butterfly stickers are from the Kaisercraft kit that Selena sold over the summer from the Scrapendipity truck.

I used some papers behind my photo that I haven't really been loving, but they worked great as layering papers!

I've been liking my brads, but have been cutting the backs off them and using foam dots to stick them on my pages so I don't have to push them through!

Thanks so much for joining me today! I hope you are enjoying your new year so far. I've been having a lot of fun watching Periscope and YouTube to see all the fun new things coming out at CHA! Can't wait to hear what Selena will be ordering in!!

Linked to: 

Pile It On - #99 Your First Initial (K for Kaisercraft)

Lasting Memories Scrapbooking - AG with theme New Beginnings (baby)

Use Your Stuff - #206 Brads

Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday

Word Art Wednesday - AG

CSM - January Sketchy Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - New! (baby)
DL Art - Thankful Thursday January Linky Challenge

PDE Linky Party - AG!

Pretty Cute Stamps - January 2016 New Release Blog Hop!

Thanks so much for joining us for the January 2016 New Release Blog Hop, where we are all sharing projects featuring the new stamps this month that are now available in the Pretty Cute Stamps Store.

If you came from the Pretty Cute Stamps blog, you are in the right place. If you just stumbled across this post and would like to start from the beginning, please visit the Pretty Cute Stamps Blog. 

For my project for the hop, I've used the Happy Hour Faces stamp set to create these three cute cards! I just couldn't stop at one!!

I coloured my images with Prismacolor Markers and popped them up with foam dots on a Basic Grey journaling card from the Highline collection.

These fabulous images with their mix and match faces and super cute sentiments just make me smile! Who wouldn't want to receive these for any occasion?!!

Here's a close up of this awesome stamp set!!

Happy Hour Faces 

Blog Candy!! There is a $15 Gift Certificate to the PCS Store available to win! All you need to do is:

1) Follow and comment on each of the blogs. 

2) For extra chances to win you can LIKE Pretty Cute Stamps on Facebook and/or sign up for the Pretty Cute Stamps mailing list. (Leave an extra comment for each on the Pretty Cute Stamps blog as your entry)

A random winner will be chosen on Monday January 11, 2016.

Be sure to check the Pretty Cute Stamps Store to pick up your favorite sets - the New Releases will be on sale through January 12, 2016, and you can save even more by purchasing the  January 2016 Stamp Bundle! You can also pick up the SVG outlines for each of these stamps at the store!!

 January 2016 New Releases 

There is also a FREEBIE cut file available for today only at the Pretty Cute Stamps blog!

Now, you can head over to the next stop on the hop- Dawn's Blog!

If you get lost along the way, here's the lineup!

Lisa: http://prettycutestampsblog.blogspot.com/

Karla: http://creative-love-affair.blogspot.ca/ (that's me!)

Dawn: http://www.dawnmercedes.blogspot.com/

Amber: http://sew-ink.blogspot.com/

Debbie: http://debbiedee.blogspot.com/

Larissa: http://muffinsandlace.com/

Amy: http://aocreations.blogspot.com/

Melissa: http://8ers.blogspot.com/

Jen: http://www.livelifecreateart.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for joining me today! Don't forget to leave your comment for a chance to win :)

Linked to:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - New! (stamp release)
DL Art - Thankful Thursday January Linky Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Something New (stamp release)

PDE Linky Party - AG!

Crazy Bird Valentine!

I was so busy over Christmas I just didn't get to use these adorable Crazy Birds on any Christmas cards! So, I was so happy to see they have some sweet Valentine accessories!

For the background I used some Tim Holtz seasonal paper from my stash. After I cut the square piece with the Valentine words I used Versamark around the edges and added some glittery red embossing powder. It has some gold flecks in it - perfect to coordinate with the gold trim I added behind the red border. A couple days ago I used a new Cracked embossing folder that my sister gave me for my birthday; well this NEW Checkerboard folder was also in the package and I used it on the red Coredinations paper - lightly sanding the top to distress it.

I stamped my Tim Holtz Crazy Bird stamp on watercolor paper and used Distress Markers to colour him and his box of chocolates in using lots of pinks and reds. For the bow I used some gold Perfect Pearls with water added and a bit of Stickles in the center to coordinate with the other gold touches on my page. I carefully cut his wing and used some pop dots to make it look like he was holding the heart box.

Inside, I used two of the TH sentiments that match the Crazy Bird stamps and used the Perfect Pearls again to colour in my hearts.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you're having a great week. Be sure to come back tomorrow for a fun blog hop celebrating the Pretty Cute Stamps January New Releases - there will be a FREEBIE cut file and a chance to win a PCS gift certificate!

Linked to:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - New! (checkerboard embossing folder)
DL Art - Thankful Thursday January Linky Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Something New (checkerboard embossing folder)

PDE Linky Party - AG!

Mojo Monday - Sketch 429

Pretty Cute Stamps January Sneak Peek!

I sure hope everyone is having a great January! I always feel glad to have a little more free time to myself after the busyness of Christmas! And, I'm always excited to see the new releases from Pretty Cute Stamps!!

This month I get to give you a sneak peek of the Happy Hour Sentiments stamp set! There are so many awesome sentiments - so perfect for any occasion! 

I used my Cricut Explore to cut this tri-fold card and design this wine gift tag. I layered the wine bottle and glasses cuts on both projects and then stamped the sentiments from the Happy Hour Sentiments stamp set. For the red stamps I first dabbed my stamp into Versamark and then into Red Distress Ink before stamping on my papers. I then added Crystal embossing powder to add a shimmery dimension to my stamps.

I used the wine glass, stamped with Versamark and sprinkled with Crystal embossing powder around the frame of my card to add a subtle detail. My silver Wink Of Stella pen was perfect to add some silver shininess to the black wine glasses and scrolls on the bottle diecuts.

I easily masked the sentiment 'You + Me = Girls' Night' (love it!!) to fit into my frame and added a handcut banner. 

If you'd like to make your own project using this Cricut Explore file, I've saved it in Design Space! Here's the link - Wine Tag and Card. It will be all ready for you to cut and add the stamping (you can pick up this stamp set on Friday at the PCS Store!)

To coordinate with our Happy Hour theme Lisa has provided this sweet Bartender FREEBIE cut file - free today only! You can download it through the links on the PCS blog.

Thanks so much for joining me today! I loved creating this project and can't wait to give it to a friend for her birthday! Be sure to stop by the Pretty Cute Stamps blog to check out what all the other Design Team members have to show you for the January sneak peeks. I'll be back Friday with a look at the complete stamp sets and another project to show you!

Linked to:
Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday
Use Your Stuff - #205 Tags
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - New!
DL Art - Thankful Thursday January Linky Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Something New
613 Avenue Create - AG

Crafting From The Heart - AG 

PDE Linky Party - AG!

Mini Distress Ink Pad Watercolour Technique!

The kids are back to school and our routines are back to normal, though we all enjoyed Christmas holidays very much! I finally got a little time to sit down and play and try out a new watercolouring technique that I saw in a magazine.

I started by cutting my watercolour paper to 4 x 5.25" to fit on an A2 card with a bit of a border. Then I got out my Distress Mini Ink pads. I don't have a lot of the minis - I just started buying them last year with the new colour releases each month. I must say I really love them though. They're great to take along to a class and I just love the little tin holder. I chose 3 colours that I wanted to use together- Crushed Olive, Twisted Citron and Blueprint Sketch, and lightly pressed them onto the watercolour paper. After I finished putting my ink down I went back with a water brush and coloured over each individual block of colour to give the watercoloured appearance.  I used some grey Archival ink to lightly stamp some Dylusions flowers over top of the background and then stamped a Dylusions border stamp around the edge- lightly adding some colour by scribbling on an acrylic block with a coordinating blue Distress Marker. 

For my tag, I stamped a Prima Doll by Julie Nutting and the Eiffel Tower on watercolour paper and watercoloured the images in with Distress Markers. I added some hand drawn lines around the edge and layered the tag on a piece of blue cardstock. A bit of Stickles adds some shimmer. 

Inside, I used the Bonjour sentiment in this Prima set to stamp my greeting and added some watercolouring with the markers again. 

Thanks so much for joining me today! Be sure to check out the Scrapendipity Way Of Life blog for lots more inspiration, some Canadian Shopping, and if you're local to the Calgary Area some awesome in person classes!

DL Art - Thankful Thursday January Linky Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Something New
613 Avenue Create - AG

Crafting From The Heart - AG 

PDE Linky Party - AG!

FCCB #267 - Something New!

 Happy Monday and welcome to another Monday challenge!

Challenge #267-Something New
Make a project about or with something new, and explain if it isn't clear!

This Weeks Sponsor

Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons

To qualify for the prize, be sure to use at least 1 Cricut cut on your project and if it's not obvious, let us know what cartridge you used. If you use a Cricut Explore machine, at least one cut must be from the Cricut catalog of images. If it isn't a card, you will get two entries into the drawing!

For my project this week I made a fun winter card using the Jolly Holiday Cricut cartridge for the sentiment and mittens and the PPPR (our sponsor!!) snowman cookie cut from the cute Christmas Cookies Cutting Files and snowflake cut from the Winter Wonderland Cutting Files. It was my birthday last week and my sister and I went out for lunch and then she gave my some fun gifts - one of which was this very cool Cracked Tim Holtz embossing folder! I just had to try it as a background on this wintery card. After I embossed on white paper I used a bit of light blue Distress Ink to add a bit of colour to it.

I've been trying to use up things in my stash and this hot cocoa brad is definitely cute! I cut off the prongs and used a foam dot to add it to my card. 

This cute snowman cookie makes me smile!

Inside, I used the outline of the snowman cookie diecut as a stencil and sponged on white ink. Then, I used a sentiment and snowflake stamps from the Pretty Cute Stamps Warm Fuzzies stamp set. They are the sister company to our sponsor, Pretty Paper Pretty Ribbons!

Thanks so much for joining me today! I hope you had a lovely new year and are looking forward to positive things for 2016! Don't forget to stop by the Fantabulous Cricut blog to see what our other Design Team members have come up with for this challenge, and definitely check out the PPPR store and their fun blog too - they have a freebie every Friday available for the week!

Linked to:

613 Avenue Create - AG

Crafting From The Heart - AG

DL Art - Thankful  Thursday January Linkup

PDE Linky Party - AG!

Scrapping Everyday Miracles - January Challenge!

I can't believe it! The whirlwind of December is behind us! We had an awesome Christmas, but sometimes trying to fit in all those things in one month can be a little tiring. I had a lovely holiday, and now I'm looking forward to the new year and having a little more me time ;)

It's time again now for the challenge over at the Scrapping Everyday Miracles blog, and this month I am doing the sketch layout challenge. I actually turned the sketch on its side to do my layout. That's the great thing about sketches - you can use them as a starting point and go from there! I had an extra 3x4 photo of my girls on the day they visited Santa and I had gotten a little gift from a Christmas Tag class I went to which was these beautiful Graphic 45 postcards/journaling cards. I love the colours in them and they worked perfectly for layering.

I cut the Santa Hat with my Cricut Explore and used another Cricut diecut - the holly leaves and berries to layer in the corner. I added some Glossy Accents on to the berries and then sprinkled on some glitter while it was still wet. I cut the prongs off this sweet Christmas tree brad and added it to the center of the snowflake with a foam dot.

I dug through my stash of Christmas papers to find this pretty woodgrain paper that have some silver snowflakes along with the printed colours. I thought it worked perfectly with the Merry Christmas diecut that someone had given me in some Happy Mail!

I was just so happy with the candy cane outfits I found for the girls this year - and of course these were what they had to wear for their special visit!

Here's a look at the layout sketch this month - 

Don't forget we also have a card sketch and bible verse to challenge you as well! You have all month to enter - just visit the Scrapping Everyday Miracles blog to enter your project on the January 1st blog post link up.

Thanks so much for joining me today! I hope you had a lovely holiday and very Happy New Year!

Linked to:
DL Art - Thankful Thursday January Linky Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - AG Christmas
CHNC - Christmas Challenge Extra January Link up

613 Avenue Create - AG

CHNC Patterned Paper Challenge - January Link Up

Crafting From The Heart - AG 

PDE Linky Party - AG!