Merry the Day After Christmas

Hello everyone!!!!

Well I’m finally posting again after about a month.  My computer had a virus and was out of commission for awhile, plus life has thrown me a major curve ball and I am just trying to get through each day.  Ugh!!!  But….I did manage to get two Christmas layouts done with the awesome Keep Christmas kit from Things That Shine.  This amazing kit has everything you need to create a Christmas mini or some festive layouts like I did!  Here is my first layout titled The Best Gift:

My son (now age 12) penciled word “tree” for me to finish off my poem.

Details:

The greenery and Merry Merry are cuts from Things That Shine!  They come white and I just inked them up with some JBS seed packet ink.  I also layered the 6×6 papers patterned papers that come in the Keep Christmas kit behind the photos.  The bottom paper is actually vintage wrapping paper.  I love the graphic style and uniqueness of it!!

I layered items from the kit to create this one of kind embellishment to mark the date of these Christmas morning photos.

And now for layout #2 titled My Little Guy:

Another sampling of all the wonderful goodies from the Keep Christmas kit.

Details:

This Santa wood veneer is one of the many that come in the kit.  I dipped a brush in water then rubbed it over the same seed packet green ink pad and applied it to the wood veneer, which tops the layers of sparkle, twine, ribbon, and pre-sewn crate paper from the kit.  Love it!!!!!!

I used the wood veneer snow flakes as a stencil on the right side of the kraft paper, by spraying gold Color Shine mist over them.  Then I used three of the sprayed snow flakes on the layout.  I attached this tag from the kit with the included twine to use as part of my title.  I love this red dotted vellum from the kit I tucked behind more kit patterned paper and the photo.

I hope you enjoyed these layouts using photos from Christmas past.  It doesn’t have to Christmas to scrap Christmas, especially with Ashley’s amazing Keep Christmas kit from Things That Shine.

See ya all soon!!!!

xox, Evie

A Big Big Sale at Things That Shine

To kick of the shinest of seasons, Things That’s Shine is have an awesome sale.  25% off your entire purchase!!!!  Just use code SEASON25.

The sale STARTS NOW and runs through Monday, December 1st at 11:59 EST.

Here is just a sampling of shiney goodies from Things That Shine.

Just pop over to the Things That Shine shop and check out all that Ashley has to offer.  This sale is the perfect opportunity to stock up on some Christmas gifts for your scrappy crafty friends and treat yourself to some lovely unique embellishments that will make your pages and projects shine.

Have fun shopping!!!

🙂 Evie

Before You Read You Chewed

Hey everyone!  I have a new layout for you featuring items from the Things That Shine Fall Kits and Pops of Color.

I went down in size to 8.5 x 11 for this one.  I really enjoyed working in a smaller format.  My page is about my son’s love of reading that started when he was a baby and this size really feels like a page out of a story book.  My son is twelve now so I bet you’ve guessed I don’t scrap chronologically.  I usually scrapbook what I’m inspired to do; what I feel like scrapping.  I view all my many many photos as source material.  The thing I liked about scrapping this baby photo was the perspective I got just looking at this photo of my son chewing on a fabric book and thinking about how he has always loved books and how they are so very important to him.

Here is something totally fun I did.  I used the Electric Blue fine glitter from the Pop of Color in Electric Blue mixed it with Ranger glossy gel medium and pull it through a JBS stencil on the vintage book pages.  You can see in the full layout that I stacked these book pages from the Sweet Fox Teal & Twill kit horizontally behind the photo.  The 3 gold photo corners are included in the Leaves are Falling kit.

Isn’t this bear the cutest!  It is one of many little fall dimensional stickers that come in The Start of Something New kit.  The white tag with the strip of yellow at the bottom is from the Pop of Color in Neon Yellow.

On bottom half of this kraft tag from The Start of Something New kit I stacked these darling buttons from the Leaves are Falling Kit.  I love how the dots on the blue button relates back to the dots on the book in the photo.

I made a pattern with these neon yellow gems from the Pop of Color in Neon Yellow.  They really do “pop” layered on top of this muted aqua vintage ephemera.

I thought this “date taken” Maggie Holmes stamp was the perfect addition to the this layout, since the photo is older but the journaling includes current thoughts.  I just stamped it with JBS weather vane ink, cut it out, and attached it with an office supply paper clip.

Thank you so much for checking out my latest creation!!!  I’m truly grateful to be able to share it with you!  Visit Ashley’s Things That Shine shop for all the items you see here and many more lovely kits and bits.

See ya soon with more fun artsy stuff.

xox

 ****For more inspiration and fun things to look at you can follow me on Pinterest.****

In the Driver’s Seat

Hey everyone!!  Today I’m sharing a new baby layout made with various items from Things That Shine Kits and Bits.

For the background I layered and stitched down two different vellum dotted papers from MME over a sheet of patterned paper from Crate Paper’s Boys Rule collection.  Then I began adding bits and bobs from Ashley’s amazing Things That Shine store.

I used these blue alphas from BasicGrey to create the title and dotted the eye with a tiny gold star from the Things That Shine embellishment pack Pop of Color in Neon Pink.  I painted this Things That Shine die cut star label with light blue acrylic paint, tucked it under a piece of book page from the kit packaging and layered it over a wood veneer flag tag from the Leaves are Falling kit.

Here’s a fun layered embellishment I made with washi tape from Things That Shine, which Ashley sells by the foot.  I roughly cut out the FUN label and stuck that down as my base and began to layer on top.  I cut this little flag tag trimmed in light blue from another Things That Shine washi tape, then stuck it on a piece of white paper and then it cut out again.

I layered some of the book pages that Ashley uses in the kit packaging under the photo creating a bundle that I tied up with seam binding from the Leaves are Falling kit.

A cute tiny little light blue clothes pin from the Happy Day kit used to hold on a couple of stars.

And the little stars themselves.  The yellow star comes from the A Love story kit and the red star comes from the Pop of Color in Red embellishment pack.  You can find these gold foil mini tags sprinkled throughout Ashley’s kits and bits or you can purchase the tags in gold and silver by themselves.  They are just awesome for showcasing little items.

Visit Ashley Calder and the Things That Shine here and see what she has in store for you!  I know she has an amazing limited edition Halloween kit to scrap all those Halloween photos you just took or have taken in the past.  So go and check out that spooky goodness!!!

Thanks soooo much for stopping by and I’ll see ya soon!!!  🙂

****For more inspiration and fun things to look at you can follow me on Pinterest.****

 

 

A Bundled Up Baby

Hey guys!  I’m here today, bringing you a cozy Things That Shine layout using the Leaves are Falling kit.

Here’s my little guy, just 5 months old, all bundled up in his stroller and getting some fresh air.

This soft blue double bow was made from seam binding layered over a wood veneer flag tag and topped with a gold fabric leaf all from the kit.

Also in the kit are a beautiful array of soft blues and greenish doilies that I tucked behind the photo and embellishments.

I love this large label trimmed with aqua blue that comes in the kit.  It really sets off the photo from the background.  About the background…I used this blue floral paper from Crate Paper, but wanted to tone it down.  I tried layering a sheet of white tissue paper over it which is actually from the kit packaging (along with a beautiful ribbon and tag), which Ashley so neatly and beautifully wrapped up the contents of the kit in.  I stitched the tissue on in a quilt like manner and was pleasantly surprised with the blankety feel the background has.  I also used gold photo corners from the kit to finish off the layout.

You can get your own Leaves are Falling kit and other beautiful and unique kits and bits at Things That Shine.

Have a wonderfully creative day and I will see you back here soon!!!!  🙂

 

In the Studio…

Here’s what’s happening in the studio…

Working on a new collage, using iridescent punchelina, from the Happy Day kit, for a stencil,

using Things That Shine washi to create an embellishment,

drooling over more new art supplies (somebody stop me $$),

and re-reading another wonderful book.  I’m getting so much more out of it the second time around!

What’s happening in your studio??  I’d love to know!  Leave me a comment and/or a link to your blog so I can check it out.

Now go make something yummy, make something pretty, make something fabulous!!!  See ya back here at the beginning of next week for a new Things That Shine layout made with Ashley’s new Fall Kits.

****For more inspiration and fun things to look at you can follow me on Pinterest.****

 

In to Deep

Hey there everyone!!  I’m so glad you could stop by today, because I’m very excited to share another new collage with you.  In this collage I’ve included items from Ashley Calder’s shop Things That Shine and found items from my stash and a garage sale. I stared on a 9×12 piece of gessoed watercolor paper.  I began to build up the layers with watery washes of blue and gray acrylic paint, working my way to deeper and richer blues.  I collaged on a vintage math book page from the Back to School kit along with a page torn out of a shell book I recently purchased at a garage sale.  For added texture, color, and shine in the watery area, I applied Electric Blue fine glitter from the Pop of Color in Electric Blue Embellishment Pack with glossy gel medium. I altered this label holder with raw umber acrylic paint and stitched it to the paper with light blue embroidery floss from the Celebrate Summer kit. I hand drew this giant “2” on sketch paper, cut it out, and collaged it on and then added layers of blue paint and Electric Blue glitter on top. I wrote the word deep with a yellow Caran D’arche neocolor crayon.  I then took a liner brush and white acrylic paint and went over it.  Because it was written on top of the glitter it gives the word a sandy feel.  I created the number strip below by masking it off with drafting tape between layers of paint. A detailed look a layers and texture. And here you can see the color and texture of the Electric Blue glitter.  When the light catches it you can see a sparkle.  As in my last collage there in a little more of a greenish tint to this collage in real life.

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look at my latest creation.  I really appreciate your encouraging responses to my last collage!!!  I am loving this new artistic journey that I have embarked on and have another collage in the works.  Yay!!!

There is some exciting things happening at Things That Shine!  Click here to take a look at Ashley’s new site and shop. Now go get messy with paint, glitter, and other yummy stuff!!  If all goes as planned I’ll see ya at the end of this week for a new “In the Studio…”   🙂

***Linked up to Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes.

In the Studio…

Here’s what’s happening in the studio:

Supplies from JBS Mercantile and Things That Shine gathered for a new collage,

a layout in progress using “shiney” things,

more lovely goodies from Things That Shine,

and a bag of score….clearance paints from Aaron Brothers.

What’s happening in your studio??  I’d love to know!  Leave me a comment and/or a link to your blog so I can check it out.

Now go have fun playing in your studio, craft corner or on your dining table!!!  I’ll see ya back here at the beginning of next week with a new collage of watery blues.  🙂

****For more inspiration and fun things to look at you can follow me on Pinterest.****

Find Your Toes and Kick

Hey guys!!!  I’m here today to share with you a new layout made with Things That Shine Kits and Bits.  For this page I’m still back in baby land and I am enjoying being there.  I think my son kinda loves it too.

Here are some details:

Yummy Neon Yellow fine glitter from the Things That Shine Pop of Color Embellishment Pack in Neon Yellow.  I brushed on some thick strokes of matte gel medium and then sprinkled on the glitter.  After it dried, I used more gel medium to apply the title letters over the somewhat bumpy surface.

I painted this exclusive die cut ampersand from Things That Shine with Gold Color Shine mist.  Ashley sells wonderful cut file designs, but also sells die cuts for those of us that have yet to get a cutting machine.  I love they way the Color Shine mist goes on thicker and thinner in some places when brushed on.  It give the die cut a real painterly feel.

I layered this last part of the title over the photo and a yellow striped bag from the Back to School kit.  The beautiful gold photo corners are from the Leaves are Falling kit.

This yellow striped tag is also part of the Pop of Color Embellishment Pack in Neon Yellow.  I topped it with this fabric covered heart from the First Days of Summer kit and added a bit of wonky hand stitching with a few strands of white embroidery floss from the Celebrate Summer kit.

This floppy seam binding bow was part of the Leaves are Falling kit packaging.  I just left it as is and tore the tag down to make a place to hold the date.  Another bit of gold; this washi tape date label is also from Ashley’s Thing That Shine etsy shop.  Did you know Ashley sells washi tape by the foot in her shop.  She has an awesome array of colors and designs.  You should definitely go check it out!

You can probably tell that I am having a ton of fun with Ashley’s Thing That Shine kits.  Look here to see what suits your fancy.

Thanks soooooo much for stopping by today!  I’m planning on a new In the Studio post, so meet me here at the end of the week for that.

Go forth and make your world shiney!  🙂

 

 

In the Studio…

Here’s what’s happening in the studio:

A collage in the making-using a vintage book page from the Back to School kit from Things That Shine,

seam binding bows and a leaf of gold on a new layout-from the Leaves are Falling kit from Things That Shine,

garage sale finds-translation: new things to put in future projects(!),

and re-reading an old art school requirement.

What’s happening in your studio??  I’d love to know!  Leave me comment and/or a link to your blog so I can check it out.

Now go have some fun with paint, paper, and pretty things!!  Meet back here at the beginning of next week for a new layout made with Things That Shine Neon Yellow Glitter!!!  🙂

****For more inspiration and fun things to look at you can follow me on Pinterest.****