Holiday fun

OOh all these holiday kits are so cute and fun, I can't stop making things with them!

Here is my latest: a hybrid I made using a combo of Holly Jolly Holiday by Chelle's Creations, my latest Black Friday purchase: Santa's Workshop by Trixie Scraps and
Snow Fun Bundle by Sherry Ferguson Designs BTW, this bundle includes Snow Fun the Flakes that you can buy on its own. I have use that sooo many times. Its a great way to tie a whole page together. So versatile.

Its kinda hard to see but these are individually wrapped candy canes.

Special Thanks to my wonderful husband who helped me hand cut each of these little elves and other elements.

Cyber Monday Freebie on Simply Kelly Designs

Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow, pop on over to Simply Kelly Design's blog for a freebie. Who doesn't like a freebie?
Check it out...here is a preview

Sometimes You Have a Block (part 2)

Finally, I'm back with the rest of that post. So the layout I was blocking on, ended up being really cute. It was Simply Kelly Designs' Circle of Memories Template.

I have problems with clutter (I know, you'd never know to look at my desk, huh?) on a layout and I don't know how to clean up a multi-photo template, so it always takes me soooo much longer. That plus all the stuff weighing on me, I just couldn't wrap my head around this. Then we took my son to this 'nature' talk thing with the Monmouth Park system and the photos were just made for the layout so I searched for an artsy-craftsy kit. Then I thought I'd play around and made Kelly's circle into a Turtle ... and it all just came together. Whew!


I used Sherry Ferguson's kit Creative Minds

Turtle Time


Here is the template by Simply Kelly Designs




and the Creative Minds kit by Sherry Ferguson

I Scrap for iScrap

I just couldn't resist typing that. :)

As I mentioned last week, I started on a new CT team for a really cool lady and her store, iScrap. She has a very clean, grown-up style. Here are a couple of pages I made using her Big World Template (which said it was quick pages, but I was able to totally manipulate) and This Moment kit, both on sale now at Mscraps.

Being Boys



Pop Pop's Garden

(and, yes, I see the typo, now -- I just gotta go back in and fix it. )


iScrap has some really beautiful work. Here are the kits:
Big World Quickpage (I know it says Quickpage, but I totally manipulated the pages in Photoshop)



This Moment



And after going back into her store, I'm wondering if I was supposed to use the Big World Kit or the Templates, so, here is the Kit... I'm going to go back and do a layout with it, just in case. lol

Snow Club using Holly Jolly Holiday kit

I feel like its been awhile since I posted a layout, so, here they come....

Using Chelle's Creations' Holly Jolly Holiday... an UBER cute kit - even if I only have a boy, I'm still happy with the layouts I created using this.

Snow Club was shot this past Feb. during one of the many blizzards that hit us.

I loved using the kit and it was perfect since the girls all had such colorful snowsuits.

Snow Club
Credits: All from Holly Jolly Holiday by Chelle's Creations

There is a facing page to this that I created using Simply Kelly Design's upcoming Christmas template, but its not released, yet, so I'll have to wait to post that. I love the way it came out, so I'm excited to post it. BTW, Kelly has everything in her store 30% off until Dec. 2. Go check it out!

Here is Chelle's kit:

And just as cute, CT member Kassie created a really adorable blogwear kit for her (now on sale at ScrapMatters for Black Friday/Cyber Monday)

Blog-torial

I'm thinking of starting something new. Not new to the world in general, but new to me and this blog; a series of tutorials. Recently, I've been getting queries about how to start digi-scrapping from my non-design friends (who are nonetheless very creative). It made me think back (yes 'back' for me is only a few months ago - but that's why its so fresh in my mind) to when I first started digi-scrapping and being involved with the community of amazing women who share this obsession with me.

There was so much to learn and there seemed to be a language and rules that I didn't understand. It was almost like joining a new school in your Jr. year. Everyone else had settled in and had their groove and their little circle. I was posting things that, now, surely sounded like I was either a dope or ON dope. But, who knew? and no one told me otherwise.

I've never been shy so I tend to jump right in - maybe make mistakes, and get over them. But everyone isn't the same. Some would like a little more guidance. So I thought I'd lend the wisdom of my 4 months to those who might be just starting out. I'm looking at tapping into some of my online veteran scrapping friends to help out in areas I lack. So it should be fun, informative and if nothing else, have some examples that may shed some light or inspire you.

Stay tuned for my Newbie Blog-torial - I'm loosely calling it Digi-scrapping 101.

::: gulp ::: I posted so I really have to do this!

Gotta Pixel LOTD!

Whoo hoo, Jenn just called to tell me that I got Layout of the Day at Gotta Pixel. I don't know how she knows these things, but I'm thrilled she does. So, off I go to their site, and sure enough, right on their blog, right above the Daily download featureing Sherry Ferguson's Giving Thanks (the Designer Spotlight) ... is my Thomas the Tank Engine layout!

I used Simply Kelly Design's 7 photo layered template and Spinky Dink Scrap's Little Engineer Kit.

Here is a grab of the page:

Sometimes you have a block

I had a few CT committments this week. Some were real deadlines and some, I just wanted to get some samples up for my designers. I got most of them done (I'll upload those after this post) and then I blanked out. No matter what I did, I didn't like it.

Designers count on you to make layouts for them to promote their kits, templates, designs, etc. So, when you toss up a haphazard layout or worse... can't seem to get it done - it really lets them down. So, I really try to do something that I'm not only proud of but also something that showcases as much of their supplies as possible. Also, your work posts in their galleries, so its up there for posterity and represents your body of work.

I think it was that I have this 2011 calendar that I want to complete and its looming over my head. I've done one... maybe 2... pages. I gotta get moving on it.

So, here is my one single calendar page:

December 2011

Credits
Calendar Bottom Templates Dotted by Graham Like the Cracker


Ho Ho Ho by Chelle's Creations
Stitch Me Up Dated Neutrals , Doodles Border It, Doodles Frame Mat It by Chelle's Creations

Newsie’s Alpha by Chelle's Creations

Sherry Ferguson Designs - Featured Designer on Gotta Pixel

Sherry Ferguson is a great designer and a really cool chick over at Gotta Pixel. And this week, she is the featured designer. Check out her storea and her new bundle - 30% off!

Snow Bundle - 30% off!

I'll try to get a preview to show you soon!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Somehow, I hear that character from one of the Christmas claymation movies in my head when I write that title. lol (I only wish I could describe him better so you'd hear it, too. lol)

I started this blog to chart my progress and have a running gallery of my pages and work. But I've gotten so into the layouts themselves and in the communities of the scrapping sites, that I've neglected this blog.

Aside from a few random posts and uploads of a few pages, I haven't kepts up with my online scrapping journal at all. So, here are the cliff notes of what's been going on:

I am now on 4 Creative Teams (CTs):

Ing Lim's iScrap over at MScraps - love her philosphy (if thats what you call it) about her team, she's uber laid back, and I love her designs. They are sooo my tastes, right out of the box. This is brand new, so I haven't done much with her, yet, but I just downloaded the new kits. Beautiful. If I were to describe her style I would say Modern Elegant. (now that I write that... I am neither modern nor elegant, so its odd that her work speaks to me so much! lol)

Chelle's Creations (November Guest) at ScrapMatters- She has got great stuff. I mean GREAT. And she keeps a very active forum, which has to be her influence because she is active on there, too. The women on her team all seem to know each other as if they do in real life. Her's feels very much like a 'scrap-circle' (I made up that term - but hopefully, you know what I mean; much like a quilting bee where they all sit around, stitch and chat). Being on her team has a lot of responsibilities and they really help me stretch. This was the first CT I applied for. I got accepted as a guest and I've been waiting for months for Nov. to arrive. This is the only CT I share with Jenn - so its extra fun for me.

If I were to describe Chelle's stash, I'd have to say: Complete. She has tons of elements, tons of papers, her word art is one of the best I've seen. She literally has something for everyone.

on a side note, I'm hoping she asks me to stay on. I really love her store but I really love being part of her team. There's a lot going on and everyone is sooo helpful and friendly.


Sherry Ferguson Designs at Gotta Pixel is my first 'big store' designer. Sherry is a laid back designer with something for everyone. Her kits are really nice and versatile. I found I could use one kit in a variety of layouts and you wouldn't know I didn't have different kits. Her color palettes are really well thought out and tie together really well. Her elements are really fun. She has a lot of great patterned papers and her doodles are super cute.

I would describe Sherry's store as the place anyone can go. She has lots of different kits but they are chock full of stuff: Lots of papers, lots of elements, etc. You never worry that there won't be enough to do a LO. You'll get plenty.

Simply Kelly Designs is run by Kelly Hedgepeth. I'm cyber friends with Kelly so I have lots to say about her. I read her blog faithfully because I just find her so interesting - example, she just went to NASA for a tweet-up. I love that she has such varied interests and lives such a full life. She is new to designing and I met her via Owl Tree Studios. When she started her store over at Digital Design Den, I didn't have any expectations, but I guess I thought she'd do kits mostly. She has turned into one of my favorite template designers. She's done some 2-pagers (in the design world, we call them 'spreads') that I LOVE and have recommended over and over.

Kelly is a very clean designer. Her work is uncluttered and simple- even her elegant kits are just that, simple. Maybe she chose her name intentionally.?? ;)

one side note here: The people at Digital Design Den are some of the friendliest people I've met in the scrapping world so far; surprisingly welcoming and seem so genuine. (I'm a jaded NYer now, I suppose).

The two teams I've said good-bye to are Owl Tree Studios and Le Pengouin Designs. Owl Tree Studios is a new store and I felt lucky to be a part of the start-up. Tiffany is a little powerhouse - I'm in awe of what she's doing at her age. I don't think I ever got it together enough when I was in my early 20s to start an endeavor like she has. I left because the CT format was changing and I didn't think I could keep up with the requirements. I didn't want to stay on and feel like I was scrambling and I was also having problems with the site hanging, then crashing - which made it really hard to participate in the discussions and view things. Which always made me feel like I was lagging behind. I found out later it was a browser issue. Who knew.

As for Adi at Le Pengouin Designs, she is a super lovely lady with a LOT going on and a few hurdles that she has to jump, so she's closed her store for a bit. I was not with her as long as her other CTs but she seems like a great girl and I hope she gets everything settled.

So, that's it. That's my CT tally and the synopsis of what they're like/about.

I'm vowing to keep this blog up better. You heard it hear first.;)

SALE SALE SALE

Check out Kelly's stuff while its hot and cheap. (that didn't sound good - but you know what I mean).

She has some really fun templates - now $1
The rest of her store is 40% off.

That's a LOT to be thankful for.

Go now and take advantage of her Thankful Sale, just in time for your holiday memories.

.

And a Blog hop, too... Follow them for some free Christmast stash! You can start here at Kelly's blog for Simply Kelly Designs.

Teamwork

While my blog was in duplicating overload, I'd joined Sherry Ferguson's CT. She sells over at Gotta Pixel and has come up with some really fun designs. She will be a featured designer this month, around Nov. 15th.

I'm not exactly sure what that means, yet. But I'm sure I'll learn. :)

Here is a layout I did with her grab bag (kit link not available, yet) using Le Penguoin Design's Lots of Papers template.

TEAMWORK

CREDITS
Template: Lots of Papers by Le Pengouin Designs
Kit: Giving Thanks by Sherry Ferguson Designs
Font: Lindsey Pro
Alpha: Stitched Puff Felt Alpha by Jada Collectibles
Edge: Six Pack Edges by E. Hansen
Dusty Bear String Stitches