Quickly and the Authentique Colour Challenge

Good day! I am once again using Authentique's 'Peaceful' to create this design of Rich and Max.

I used "Warmth" as my background paper and added bits and pieces of "Chill" and "Frost" on this Pagemaps sketch.

I love the colour combination of cream, olive and black. The cute chipboard letters from Bo Bunny really give me title that pops off the page.

I hope you'll find time to play along with Authentique every month. Until next time, keep doing what you love.

Peace and "Peaceful"

 On the first Saturday of the month Authentique releases two sketches on their blog. This month, I used both the layout sketch and the card sketch to do some creating with the Peaceful line.

This cute card uses a black cardstock base (Stampin UP!) and the papers 'Frost' and 'Solitude' from Authentique.

I used an embossing folder on the green pennant piece and inked the edges black. The accordian flower has a punched edge and the peaceful swan at its centre is from K&Company.

I hope that this card will someday bring someone some comfort during a difficult time. Thank you for stopping by and until next time, keep doing what you love.

Some "Enchanted" cards

Hello! Today I wanted  to share the last of my creations using the Enchanted line from Authentique.
Here are two little cards I made using the little bits and pieces left over and these great patterns really made it easy. The sticker sheet has so many great captions and quotes. This one really inspired me and I created a layout and this card with the same title!

For the second card I cut a spider using a Silhouette spider and added some googlie eye to give him character. I was very honoured when Two Scrapbook Friends want to release the card as a kit in the store!

Have a spookily delicious weekend! Do a bit of Halloween creating in your space and until next time, keep doing what you love!

You Sparkle

I love working with Authentique. I know I keep saying but I really do! I created this design as part of my design team kit for Two Scrapbook Friends. I thought it was the perfect paper line to showcase this little diva photo of my Dolly.

I used some torn edges and added ribbon and washi tape too.

I liked to frame up and ground my title which is comprised of some Thickers and a title I ran through my Xyron sticker maker.

This little cluster of buttons and stars really added some meaning to my title and focused attention on my photo.

I hope this little design inspires you to create something sparkly! Until next time, keep doing what you love!

BIg Halloween Grins!

Good Morning bloggy friends! Halloween is around the corner! Today I wanted to share with you a design I made for Two Scrapbook Friends using more of the Authentique Enchanted line!

Using several layered pieces I created a frame and rounded some corners. The cream piece of patterned paper and the orange hounds-tooth balance each other and the black cardstock allows the main photo to pop. I cut the pumpkins from a Silhouette pattern and added bits and pieces from the sticker sheet from this pack. But cutting them from patterned paper the little Halloween script adds a little 'something'. The big orange letters are Thickers and the font is one of my favs!

I hope your Halloween thoughts are ghoulishly happy ones! Until next time, keep doing what you love!

A Sketch at Two Scrapbook Friends

Hello friends! I wanted to share with you a sketch I created based on the Bliss layout I posted here early in October. There is a new sketch every Wednesday at Two Scrapbook Friends. I hope you'll stop by and be inspired every week!

Here is the layout again:

Be inspired! I would love it if you comment here and leave me a link to your sketch inspired design.
Until next time, keep doing what you love.

You Put a Spell on Me!

Halloween is around the corner and manufacturers have been producing some of the best holiday lines. For those of you who know me well my favourite papers these days are those by Authentique. Recently my friends at Two Scrapbook Friends gifted  me with the Enchanted line.

Now, you should know I am not a huge Halloween scrapbooker. But this line wasn't just limited to Halloween! I used it to create several layouts that I will share with you this week.

Here's the first: I had this great photo of Adriane on her way to school in grade 2. She was happy and joyful and her smile so sincere.

I really like Authentique's classic patterns and show cased how well they all go together here. I also included a bit of Washi in a polka dot (polka dot polka dot polka dot AFRO!..sorry, couldn't resist).

The first and last part of the journalling is done via my Print Shop program and I added the "SPELL" afterwards with a great font from the Silhouette.

Thanks for stopping by, and until next time: keep doing what you love!

Fabulous Four

I haven't been very 'bloggy' lately what with the fall rush of school events, and getting back into the swing of things. But while I was away in Disney, I challenged my friends at Two Scrapbook Friends to create a design using these three colours: Goldenrod, Teal and Grey.
Here's the inspiration:

Here's my design using Authentique's Curiosity line, it has those great golds and teals and grey..which really inspires me. The photo is of us after Max's 13th birthday. I chose to use the black white as my photo choice because we weren't very colour co-ordinated..and you guys know how THAT can mess with your mojo!

I used some sequins to create a heart that matched the colours of this line perfectly. I am thrilled with how it turned out! I also inked the Tim Holtz letters an added some Glossy Accents. The letters actually had a robin's egg patter on them when they dried.

I hope you will give this challenge a try too. Thanks for stopping by and until next time: do what YOU love!

Inspiration Elevator #3: What Do You Believe?

You may recall from last month's challenge that the purpose of this challenge group was 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. We love to have new faces join us on our journey and this month we welcome a new guest designer to join us.  Please join me in welcoming Denise Morrison. Denise's blog is aptly name "Life is Yummy" and so is her art!

This month our challenger was the very talented Ann Jobes. Her challenge to us is as follows:

This month's challenge is a journalling prompt. I realize some of us do not journal much on our pages, and if we're truthful, we mostly scrapbook for ourselves - it gives us joy, a creative outlet, etc. But we do hope that someone is going to page through these albums sometime in the future, right? For this month's challenge, I'd like you to think about some of those values or beliefs that are important to you.

There is no "right way" to do this. Spend some time thinking about this. It's your chance to share with future generations something that is important to you and makes you who you are. Take some time to collect some verses, quotes or sayings that speak to your soul. Choose one that you think is a "life verse" - something that really communicates the essence of you.

Use whatever photo(s) you think will suit your message. Enjoy putting a meaningful page together using your favourite techniques, style, papers - whatever makes it "you".

I know this is going to be difficult. I'm asking you to reverse your process and put the message first when we so often put our message/journalling last, as an afterthought, if at all.

Another great challenge, which of course, was super challenging! I thought about this challenge for a long long time. Not because I don't believe in anything or I couldn't think of a saying or title to represent my belief system, but because there were so MANY! Ann and I chatted about this quite a bit and she and I agreed that we would probably need many many many layouts to cover off the tenants of our belief system.

I chose to with "Find Your Joy". I really believe strongly that choosing to find happiness in every day, in all you do, makes life worth living.

This photo of Adriane shows such a crazy grin. When she was younger, the loved the swings, being outside and she always embraced each and every moment. She was so capable of finding her joy.  The Fancy Pants Hopscotch line worked perfectly to convey such summery joy.

I added my journalling on a hidden tab under the photo.Which helped me get the design as I wanted it.

 I hope you will stop by and see what the designers on this adventure have created:

Ann Jobes

Cathy Harper

Sue Sykes

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

Christa Uttley

Laura Whitaker

Audrey Yeager

Lisa Moen

Laurel Seabrook

Denise Morrison, Guest Designer

 We would love to see what you are inspired to create. Add your comment below with a link, I will be sure to drop by and say hello.

Until next time, keep doing what you love to do.

Christa

Autumn Colours Blog Hop with Two Scrapbook Friends

Are you craving design inspiration for your Fall and Thanksgiving projects?  The Design Team at Two Scrapbook Friends, plus some special friends, have been busy putting together some amazing paper crafting projects that are sure to kick start your Fall creativity. 

To see all the great projects, begin the hop at the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog and travel from blog to blog.  If you comment on each blog, you will qualify to be in a draw for a special prize from Two Scrapbook Friends! Also, you will find a RED HIGHLIGHTED word on each blog which will make a phrase at the end of the Blog Hop! Once you have completed the hop to all our designers blogs, leave a comment on the Two Scrapbook Friends blog and email the phrase to us and we will enter your name for a second chance to win!

The hop will remain open from October 4th to October 8th at midnight (EST). Winners will be announced on October 10th on the Two Scrapbook Friends' Blog. So, be sure to stop back at the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog and check to see if you are the winner of a fabulous prize!

So remember, in order to be entered to win:
1. Leave a comment on all the blogs as you go and then go back to the Two Scrapbook Friends blog and leave a final comment there.
2. To have a second chance to win, keep track of the HIGHLIGHTED WORDS from each blog and email the phrase to 2friends@execulink.com. Put "Blog Contest" in your subject line.
3. Check back at the Two Scrapbook Friends blog on October 10th to see if you are the winner. (Winners will not be contacted personally.)

Be sure to stop be each on the following blogs, leave a comment and keep track of the secret word!

Two Scrapbook Friends

Carolyn

Ann

Christa

Jan

Amanda

Lynn

Sharlene

Jayne

Shelby

Joanne

I created a design using Little Yellow Bicycle's fall line from 2011. It had a quote that I totally loved.

" Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.~Emily Bronte"

This quote needed just the right photos and I found these three of Max when he was about 3 years old. These pictures still make me laugh and smile 10 years later! I like the balanced horizontal design for these photos and added visual interest with a large chipboard piece, buttons and twine. It's these little bits that ARE my favourite parts of a layout.

 I pulled the title "bliss" out of the quote and it really does represent his joy at playing in the leaves..(if you could just see my hubby's face ..he doesn't look quite so blissful at having to re-rake all the leaves!)

The final touches of a little bird and a chipboard bracket draw the eye to the focal point photo.

I hope you will stop by all the inspiring blogs and fall in love with FALL!
Until next time, kep doing what you love to do!