My Favorite Layouts of 2016

Hello, Friends! I can't believe it's already time for my favorite layouts of the year! This year was an absolute whirlwind and I'm hoping 2017 is a little more calm. :) My scrapbooking came to a screeching halt, with the move and house renovation, but I did manage to come up with my 10 Ten Faves of the year.

Now that things have settled down, I'm looking forward to creating again. Wishing you all a blessed 2017!

The Heart of the Home (Kitchen Renovation)

The holidays are upon us and I'm thrilled to be finished with our kitchen renovation! Today's post is just a quick before and after. We took out a wall and fireplace between the kitchen and great room to create an open floor plan. As you can see, it was quite the construction zone and I almost lost my sanity trying to live here through the process.

Now we have a bright, cozy kitchen to enjoy. I've been inspired to cook, bake, and don't even mind cleaning the kitchen now. My favorite thing is when the family gathers around the island for chats or just to keep me company while I'm working.

Feeling grateful and blessed beyond measure - I'm ready to settle in to our new space and make lots of memories. Happy Holidays! ♥

House Renovation (Dining Area)

Hello, Friends! It's been ages since I've blogged because life has been crazy (and exciting) with a house renovation. I thought I would share some before and after photos of rooms, as we complete them. We bought a house mid-August and started renovating immediately. We loved the house, but needed to open up a couple of rooms to make it work for our family. We tore down walls between the kitchen and great room and between the kitchen and dining room. We love big, eat-in kitchens because everyone always wants to hang out there. This photo shows the space during the tear-out phase. If you know me at all, you know I don't do well with chaos, so this is not my favorite stage of the process.

This is the space now. The wall color is my new favorite - It's so fresh and pretty and it just makes me happy! (Benjamin Moore North Shore Green #456) Since the kitchen and dining area are one space, we also painted the kitchen the same color.

We are thrilled with the end result. It's warm, cozy, and inviting. This (and my craftroom) are the only 2 rooms completely finished, so that's where I tend to hang out. The kitchen will be completed next week and we're hoping the great room will be finished shortly after that. We are beyond ready to get back to our "normal" lives and kick back and enjoy the holidays.

Happy Labor Day from a Happy Camper!

Hello, Friends and Happy Labor Day to my fellow Americans! Although it appears from by blog that I have dropped off the planet, that is not the case. We moved to a new house last week and needless to say, life has been a bit cRaZy! Today I am thrilled to be a guest designer for The Cut Shoppe blog! Cut files are such a great way to add impact to your layouts. Ashley creates the most fabulous and versatile cut files; be sure to stop by her shop! Here is a little snippet of my layout on the blog today.

Thank you, Ashley, for this opportunity! I'm hoping to get my craft room set up in the next couple of days... I'm getting the urge to be creative!

Coming Full Circle

Many years ago, I signed up for Shimelle's class, "Blogging for Scrapbookers 2", and it gave me the tools I needed to develop my blog... I even created my first YouTube video for that class. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone but it was so worth it in the end. I also participated in her "Journal Your Christmas" class starting in 2010, and I've completed a December album every year since then. Her "Pretty Paper" class taught me to use product while I love it and quit hoarding it for the perfect layout. As you can see, Shimelle has been a great influence in my scrapbooking journey and I thank her for that.

Fast forward many years and I am a Guest Designer on Shimelle's blog!!! I was lucky enough to get to pick my date and subject so I chose stars and July 4th (of course!) Click here to see the post and layout.

It's an honor (and a bit surreal) to be able to design for someone that has had so much impact on my creative journey. Thank you, Shimelle, for your inspiration and this opportunity. I've definitely come full circle and it's a great feeling! ♥

Inspired by Nature - Challenged by Paper

For the past month, I've taken many photographs of nature's beauty (mostly flowers), because the blooms and colors have been so breathtaking.

Last week, Melissa from Clique Kits, challenged us (Clique Kits Facebook group) to use the bold and beautiful Fancy Pants Attwell floral patterned paper. Although I love the paper, it's tough to use as a background because of the scale of the flowers and the explosion of color.

In my opinion, the best way to showcase patterns like this is to fussy-cut the flowers. That way, you get the effect of the big blooms without it taking away from your photos. I cut a few flowers out and played around with the composition until I was happy with it. Bold titles cut from these types of papers is another great way to let the paper shine- I'm thrilled with the impact it gives. I used a strip of photos so that your eye would still be drawn to the photos.

This is now my new favorite layout! ;) My advice is to take photos!!! Eventually inspiration or a challenge will come along and you'll be ready for it! Thanks for stopping by my blog! ♥

Bloom Where You Are Planted

When I saw Hip Kit Club's May kit, I was smitten and had to have it. Computer photos don't do it justice; it's absolutely gorgeous and I was instantly inspired to create with it. This year has been a year of learning to be still, learning how to handle things that are out of my control, and most importantly, learning how to thrive under those circumstances. It wasn't easy (at first), but once I "let go" my attitude shifted and I started focusing on things that bring me joy. This layout represents this little chapter in my life.

May's cut files (designed by Ashley H.) were the perfect starting point for my layout. I cut the bloom cut file from the She Blooms paper and also from Bazzill ombre' cardstock. For the background, I created a cut file with the phrase "Where you are planted", and used it as a stencil with Ranger Texture Paste. I love the light and airy look of it. I layered the bloom cut file with some of the die cuts from HKC's exclusives and some She Blooms chipboard. I really love the end result of this layout and I love the reminder, to myself, to focus on good things and something wonderful can happen.

Thanks for stopping by today - I hope you've been inspired to bloom where you are planted! ♥

"Inspiration Exists" So Get Busy!

Hello, friends! I know it appears that I have been doing nothing lately, but that is not the case! My Design Team term has ended and although I was a bit bummed (initially), I decided to delve back into creating art. You know that famous quote by Picasso that says "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" - I have found that to be the absolute truth!

A few months ago, I kept fighting the urge to take an online class from D. Downey. I've been to her studio for workshops a couple of times and loved every second of it, but I couldn't hit "buy" on the class. The deadline to purchase the class passed and I felt such a sense of sadness, like I was supposed to be taking it. I humbly reached out to them and begged to be let in the class and they agreed! I soaked that class up, like a sponge, and started painting. Would you believe that I already sold a large canvas? I'm still pinching myself. Lots of babbling and rambling to announce that I'm reopening my Etsy shop!

Of course, I have continued to scrap but I'm excited to see where this path leads! Thanks for sticking with me and I promise to have something scrap related here very soon! ♥

Mood Board Mixed Media

It's Pinspire Me Monday at Paper Issues. I was instantly smitten with the image of the beautiful flowers on the mood board. To see the stunning mood board, check out the Paper Issues blog. I thought it would be fun to do a mixed-media project and the Bella Blvd. Illustrated Faith (She Blooms) patterned paper was perfect for the project! I had an old canvas lying around that was never finished so I grabbed it and put a coat of gesso on it. I fussy-cut several flowers and hand-cut stems, leaves, and the vase. I played around with flower placement until I was happy and took a quick photo with my phone for reference.

I pulled out acrylic paints and started layering paint on top of the flowers to make them pop and add dimension to the piece. I wanted to keep the clean, fresh look of the inspiration image, so I didn't get too messy with it. I absolutely love the end result. I decided to hand it on my craft room door because it makes me happy!

As you can see, I also painted on the sides and wrapped some flowers & leaves around the edge. It's a fun, little detail that I love to add, especially if the canvas will be seen from the side. I adore this paper so much that I also created a layout with it! It will be on the Paper Issues blog in a couple of weeks. Lots of fun things happening at Paper Issues... ISpywithPI started a few days ago. Be sure to join the FB group and share all your gorgeous spring photos. You'll definitely be inspired to scrap and more importantly, have beautiful photos to jump-start your mojo!

Into The Woods with PI

It's New Issue Monday at Paper Issues. This month's issue is "Into The Woods", which encompasses many fun themes: wood veneer, camping, outdoors, woodland creatures, etc. I chose some photos from my daughter's week at camp last year. I started with the new, fabulous Cocoa Vanilla Totally Rad collection. The embellishment pack has wood veneer, acetate stars, and a blue and white twine that I love. The patterned paper (Say What) is the perfect neutral for the colorful elements on the layout.

I colored some of the wood veneer with Distress markers so that the wood-grain would still show. To adhere the acetate elements, I used Ranger's Multi Medium Matte. The colored tags are from Fancy Pants Attwell collection. I love the blue and green color combination; it reminds me of summer days! To see more lovely inspiration for this issue, be sure to check out the Paper Issues blog here. There's still quite a bit of Cocoa Vanilla in the shop - grab it while you can! For 20% off your entire purchase, use discount code, "sherry20".

Sugar & Spice

Today is Product Spotlight at Paper Issues blog and we are working with the gorgeous Pink Paislee C'est La Vie collection. I was inspired by the soft pink, black, and white color combination and found the perfect photo to use with it.

I love the dotted circles on the paper but wanted to add some dimension, so I used a circle punch and popped them up on foam. Lately, I can't complete a layout with hearts, so I punched some small hearts and scattered them over the layout. The puffy stickers from the collection are beautiful and added a touch of hot pink and softness to the layout.

Be sure to check out Pink Paislee in the Paper Issure store... Use discount code, sherry20, to save 20% on your entire purchase. Thank you for stopping by my blog; have a lovely day!

Peeps Love

It's time for Round 2 of Em-brace World Peeps at Paper Issues. I couldn't resist doing a layout about Peeps Easter candy. Peeps are an Easter tradition in my kids' baskets and I created a collage of photos from various years.

The yellow polka dot paper (Amy Tangerine Sun & Moon) was the starting point because I knew it would bring out the color of the Peeps in the photos. I created a Peeps cut file for my Silhouette and used Wink of Stella glitter brush pen to add sparkle to the die cuts. For the top/bottom borders, I used Dear Lizzy (Beachy Betsy) patterned paper because of the soft, pastel colors. The Crate Paper wood veneer was painted with Distress Inks and a watercolor brush to keep the colors soft. Distress Ink was also used to color the May Arts scalloped ribbon.

To see more fabulous inspiration, click here. Be sure to share your projects in the Paper Issues (Friends & Fans) Facebook group.

Mood Board Inspiration

Do you love mood board inspiration as much as I do? Today, at Paper Issues, the February mood board is up and it's gorgeous! When Mary-Ann first posted it, I gasped and was instantly inspired by the colorful, whimsical hearts on the bottom right.

Since I knew I was be adding several mixed media layers, I started with Strathmore Acrylic paper, 246 lb. To keep it from warping, I taped it down to a board and also added a layer of gesso to prep the paper. For color inspiration, I used a photo of my cat, sitting on my lap in my craft room. I grabbed several paints, stencils (The Crafter's Workshop & Heidi Swapp), rub-ons, waterproof pens, stamps, and started playing.

At one point, I couldn't decide if I loved or hated it, but I kept pressing on and I'm so glad I did. Since the background is so busy, I matted the photo with patterned paper (Shimelle) and used the glassine bag from my Paper Issues Swag Bag. The Amy Tangerine foam Thickers were perfect for the layout but too white and clean, so I got messy and altered them. For the finishing touches, I added the ribbon clip from the January Swag Bag and the wooden arrow/heart from Crate Paper's Hello, Love collection.

I had such a blast getting dirty with this mood board! Although my scrap style is typically clean and photo-focused, it's fun to let loose and mix it up from time to time. I hope you're as inspired by this beautiful board as I was. Be sure to add your creations to the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} Facebook page - you may win a store gift certificate! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. To see more Pinspire Me creations by the Paper Issues DT, click here. Wishing you a lovely, creative day!

Our Everlasting Love

Today's spotlight, at Paper Issues, is the gorgeous Hello, Love collection by Crate Paper. My husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary a couple of years ago and I thought it would be fun to do a layout showing a photo from the wedding and our milestone anniversary. I started with the sweet, scattered hearts patterned paper as the background for my layout. The b-side of the paper is a black & white stripe which I softened with a piece of vellum over it.

With a few pieces of ephemera, the alphas, and a couple of things from my stash, the layout was complete. We are getting ready to celebrate our 32nd anniversary... Wow, those years flew by quickly, it's been quite the adventure. :) This collection was just re-stocked in the Paper Issues store, be sure to use the discount code, "sherry20" to get 20% off your entire purchase! To see more lovely inspiration, stop by the Paper Issues blog.

Love Is In The Air At Paper Issues

Today is the new issue at Paper Issues and the theme is, "Showered with Love". This encompasses so many fun things to jump-start creativity: Hearts, Baby, Showers, Rain, etc - as you can see, lots to choose from. This month we are fortunate to be teaming up with The Ribbon Resource (May Arts Ribbon retail store) and I received a bag full of beautiful ribbons to use on my projects. I love the ribbon so much, I completed two projects!

For the first layout, I drew dots on white cardstock to form a large heart. I then poked large holes in the paper (with my Crop-A-Dile) and wove the ribbon through all the holes to create a heart-shaped outline. I used Studio Calico Seven Paper as a mat for my layout. The black & white hearts compliment the ribbon. Once I put my square photo in the heart, I knew I wanted to fill the negative space with different sizes, textures, and colors of hearts. I used Crate Paper Hello Love and Maggie Holmes Shine chipboard and stickers. I also dug out heart-shaped enamel dots to add a different texture to the layout. The title came to me as I was filling the heart and the black foam Thickers (Shimelle) were the perfect match.

For the second project, I started with Bazzill's new ombre' cardstock and Lawn Fawn's Stitched Heart Dies to create a banner. I also used a mix of patterned papers to cut out additional hearts to string along the banner.

To see more inspiration, be sure to stop by the Paper Issues blog here. Be sure to share your projects in the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} Facebook group for a chance to win PI gift certificates. The Paper Issues shop is loaded with new, hot-off-the-press CHA goodies, be sure to check it out. Use discount code, "Sherry20" for 20% off your entire purchase!

Winner, Winner!!!

Thank you all for entering the planner giveaway! I put all the names in a bowl and had my daughter draw for me... The winner is Laura Cushman!!! Congratulations, Laura; I'll be contacting you for your address!

Simplified Planner Giveaway **Giveaway Closed**

Hello, friends! As a thank you to my YouTube subscribers, I am giving away a 2016 Simplified Planner by Emily Ley. If you would like to be entered in the drawing, please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and leave a comment on the video. The winner will be announced here, Wednesday evening, 1/20/16.

Getting Sketchy - Cherish

Hello, friends! It's Sketch Saturday with Paper Issues! This fab sketch was created by Amy Coose for Paper Issues.

Here is my take on the sketch:

Since this layout is for my December album, I switched it to 8.5x11. I started with Pinkfresh Studio's Christmas Wishes collection and layered scraps behind the photo. I altered the Amy Tangerine foam Thickers with paint, inks, and pens. Although I loved the white, I thought it would be fun to mix it up a bit. Since I used the wood-grained Christmas tree, I wanted to add a few more wooden elements to the layout.

Sketches are such a fun and easy way to get your mojo running! I'd love to see what you create, be sure to share in the Sketchy Saturday challenge thread. Thanks for stopping by, have a lovely weekend!