Nothing Wishy About Washi!

I adore Washi Tape! It is just so easy and fun to play with and there are so many different ways that you can use it on your cards or layouts. I made a couple of cards recently using washi tape and I love how they turned out.

For the first one, I created a sun element using washi tape, a cardstock circle and a button.

I also used the tape to create a banner pattern at the bottom of the card. This worked really well with the chipboard banner pieces I used.

Then I tried a new technique for creating flowers with washi tape.

I started with a circle that I punched out of cardstock. Then I started adding the washi tape along the outer edge of the circle, pleating it as I followed the circle shape.

I created the flower centers by simply adding washi tape to cardstock and punching out different size circles.

The washi tape, chipboard and Happiness Is banner are all from MME, The Sweetest Thing collection.

For more great ideas check out this post on the Two Scrapbook Friends blog! Then pick up some washi tape and have fun creating!!

Little Red Wagon #148

Today's challenge at Little Red Wagon is all about numbers! Judy wants us to use a number(s) on our project. This was a fun challenge and I had the perfect paper for it!

This numbered pattern paper by MME was the perfect background for my card and then I created a fun little element cluster using coordinating pattern paper.

We hope you join in the fun this week and link up your numbers project at Little Red Wagon! Be sure to check what the rest of the Girlfriends created using numbers. You are sure to be inspired :)

Little Red Wagon #147

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon is brought to us by Tammy and it is all about recycling any household item on our project. It can be any item you wouldn't normally find in your favourite paper crafting store or aisle.

I looked around my house and the only thing I could find was an old, damaged paperback that I had put aside thinking I might be able to use the pages for scrapbooking one day. With back-to-school being right around the corner, I thought how perfect it would be to include a page from the book on a school themed card!

I worked with an adorable digi image from Tiddly Inks called SchoolGirl and I used my Copic markers plus a little paper piecing on her skirt.

The papers are from Authentique and I finished off my card with a bit of stitching, a clip and some twine.

I hope you join in the fun this week! Hop on over to Little Red Wagon to see what the other Girlfriends created - I am sure you will be inspired!

Inspiration Elevator - August 2012

You may recall from last month's challenge that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow.

This month our challenger is the very talented Lisa Moen. Lisa, like most of us, doesn't always take the "perfect" photos. In fact, sometimes, the imperfect is all you have to tell your story. This month Lisa challenged us to use those imperfect photos to tell a story. Here's what she had to say about her challenge:

"I was digging through some old 1980's photos the other day and realized how bad some of the pictures were. Cameras have come a LONG way since then!

I have lots of pictures I haven't scrapped because they were/are poor quality pictures and I am sure you have pictures like that too. So let's dig out those blurry, bad pictures and tell the story behind them! My challenge to you this month is to use a bad photo and journal about it."

This was a tough challenge for me! I will often delete my bad or blurry photos, assuming that I will never use them. But I did find a special photo of Mr. B and myself from a few years ago. We were visiting Mackinaw City, Michigan and before we left for the day, we stopped by the lake shore to take a photo. The sun was setting and the fog was rolling in and it was almost impossible to get a good picture. It was such a wonderful day though, that I decided to keep the picture and now I am glad that I did!

Here is my layout:

I had fun creating a multi-layered background, using a variety of papers. I also added an accordion heart that I created using this tutorial from Jayne Morgan.

A paper doily seemed to work well with the feel of the papers and photo...

...and some washi tape was the perfect addition to my layered design.

A fun little cluster along the top border gave the page balance and there you have it! A page with a blurry photo that I actually like!

Here's the list of my IE friends, who have been working all month to create gorgeous and inspiring designs. I do hope you'll pop by each of their blogs to see what they have created and perhaps take a moment to leave a comment for them.

Ann Jobes

Audrey Yeager

Cathy Harper

Christa Uttley

Joanne Burton

Laura Whitaker

Laurel Seabrook

Lisa Moen

Lisa Spiegel

Sue Sykes

If you would like to take on this month's challenge, please do so! Just leave a link in the comment section below and I will be sure to take a look :)

Little Red Wagon #146

This week at Little Red Wagon we were challenged by Jan to create a card with an animal on it.

I decided to use this cute little kitty digi image that I colored with my Copic markers. I kept the card really simple and I did not put a sentiment on it as I am not sure what occasion I will use it for.

Why not join us at Little Red Wagon this week? Just make something with an animal on it and link it up! We would love to see what you create :)

Scrapbooking Olympics!

We have been having lots of fun at the Two Scrapbook Friends Forum! While the London 2012 Summer Olympics have been taking place, we have been having our own Olympic Challenges - scrapbook style!

Each of the Design Team members, plus Carolyn and I, have been issuing Olympic related challenges to our scrapbook friends. Plus we have been having some fun with Olympic games!

My first challenge is to create something with chevrons on it. The chevron pattern represents the highs and lows that the athletes experience as they compete. Here is my inspiration layout.

Then my second challenge is to do something water themed. Swimming is one of my favourite summer Olympic sports, so a water-themed challenge seemed perfect.

I created this layout using a photo of my son from a couple of years ago when we were in Myrtle Beach. He is a true beach bum - totally enjoying the beach each and every day that we were there.

I you haven't been to the Two Scrapbook Friends Forum in a while, it is not too late to join in the fun! Check it out and give the challenges a try. We have some prizes up for grabs and at the very least you will get a couple of layouts done for your album :)

Have a great weekend ~

Little Red Wagon #145

Happy Wednesday to everyone! It is my turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon this week and I decided watermelon would be the perfect challenge!

I know that Watermelon might seem like an odd challenge, but it is the middle of summer and it is the perfect time of year to enjoy this yummy fruit and there are so many cute things you can create with watermelon as a theme! And who doesn't love watermelon?

This is a card that I created as inspiration.

I colored a sweet digi image from Whimsie Doodles and made a summer card for someone special :)

I hope you decide to play along this week and get creative with watermelon! Please link up your project at Little Red Wagon and be sure to visit the other girlfriends to see what they created.

Launch Day Giveaway!

Courtney Walsh is the author of "A Sweethaven Summer" - a great novel about childhood friends reconnecting years later and piecing together their memories from the past with the help of a scrapbook.

Courtney has also just released her second novel, "A Sweethaven Homecoming", and she is offering a fabulous Launch Day Giveaway!

Courtney is not only an author, but she is a scrapbooker as well! So she has also published two scrapbooking related books, "Scrapbooking Your Faith" and "The Busy Scrapper". The best part is that she is offering a giveaway that includes all of her books! (Specially wrapped in happiness and sealed with love.)

She is also including a few extra items in her package!

What an awesome giveaway! All you have to do is go to Courtney's Blog and comment for a chance to win.

And if I don't win, I hope you do :)