Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Sketchy Funday?



When I saw the Sketchy Thursdays sketch this week with all those circles, I immediately thought of the setting sun. And I knew I wanted to use my new Martha Stewart Glitter to bring those circles to life. I just love the way colors sparkle on a black background. My photo is of a favorite sunset viewing spot in Indialantic Florida (recently in the running for Most Romantic City in the USA - vote here).

I had a bit of a mishap gluing the circles to my page. I was using Scotch Scrapbookers Glue which has really great hold, but the top fell off and the glue smeared all over the bottom of my page. I'll never be able to enter the page into a contest with that glob on there, but I will still cherish it in my own album. And because I love the
 black and the bling, I'm challenging you to show me your own Black and Bling on Creative Scrapbooking Divas.
Come on over to my Funday Monday Challenge to play along!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Making a Mosaic Hybrid page.


I love creating mosaic pages and - with the help of Mosaic Moments Grid Paper - I find it so fun and easy to do. I guess you could call this a hybrid page as I sized my own photos, printed my own journaling and combined them with patterned paper enhanced with a little stitching. It was quick and easy to do and proves that most anything used on Grid Paper produces such a pretty effect.

I chose a patterned paper that matched the background of my main photo. This one is from DCWV glitter stack. I love how the color pops off the Black Grid Paper. You can trim your patterned paper into squares with either the Paper Shapers 1” Square Punch or, as I did, cut the entire sheet by placing it on the Mosaic Moments Self-healing 14X14 Cutting Mat and cutting along the lines with the Fiskars Craft Knife. Once you have your squares cut, adhere your main photo directly into the center of the grid and fill in the page with the patterned paper squares, leaving room for the corner photos.
To bring even more focus to the main photo, I decided to stitch a daisy chain around the photo.
I used a Bazzill In Stitch’z template to create a circle centered around my main photo. Simply place the template over the photo and tape it in place with masking tape.

If you would like to read my tutorial on exactly how to do this, check out Design Each Moment for the details.

And to purchase your own Grid Paper and other fun mosaic tools visit SnapNCrop.
I would love to see your Mosaics, so reply with a link and I'll leave you some love!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Funday Monday Challenge and a Blog Hop Winner!


Funday Monday is in full swing at CSD! Those of you familiar with the challenge from MAF will be happy to know I've moved it over to Creative Scrapbooking Divas!  This month, there are two Funday Monday challenges and an RAK for one lucky person who submits to both challenges. This week we are focusing on Winter.
I know many of you have had some ferocious winter weather this year - either piles of snow, or frozen crops. Are you documenting your winter in photos? For the Funday Monday challenge, show me how you are spending your winter - show me your snowmen, your favorite fuzzy sweaters, your steaming bowls of hot soup or your ski trips. It's a Winter Wonderland!
 
For my page, I documented last year's New Year's Day trip up the fabulous Mt. Fuji in Japan. I live quite close to Fuji though my daily view is blocked by the Tanzawa mountain range. Either mountain view is breathtaking to me, but driving up the majestic Fuji was such an awesome way to begin the New Year. It was really not that chilly, though there was snow. It was the first time I had seen snow in many years as we don't get much snow in our area.
 
This was the perfect chance for me to use some snowflake embellies I had gathered! The title is made with Heidi Swapp Ghost letters, backed with foil paper and sprayed with Glimmer Mist. I really like the effect I got.
 
I know you have a couple of tricks up your scrappy sleeves, so show me your winter photos- post them at the Funday Monday Challenge at CSDivas for your chance at an RAK. 
 
Now let's get on to the winner of CSDivas' Blog Hop. My challenge was to create a slider on your LO. If you missed the hop but still want to give it a try, the tutorial is posted below. Meanwhile, help me in congratulating PaperDiva on her fun page - Gettin' My Choo Choo On! That little train makes the perfect sliding element, don't you agree?

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Siding through CSDivas' Blog Hop!






Welcome to Creative Scrapbooking Divas' first Blog Hop! Thank you for joining us as we celebrate the launch of our new site by taking you on a journey through the blogs of each of the site’s creators.

We will each give you a prompt for a challenge or perhaps a scrappy tip so that you can get to know us better. Post a comment so we know you have stopped by and then go on to the next blog. Those who finish the hop will be entered into a drawing for a chance at a great prize.
Once you make it through this hop you will then be linked back to the Blog Hop thread at CSDivas where you post your blog hop creations. I always recommend posting your LOs in your own gallery at CSDivas as well. While you are here, take a look around at the groups, discussions, tutorials, and challenges already in place. Our site is so Divalicious!!



I'm a very traditional scrapbooker, meaning that I don't often make cards or altered items. For me, scrapbooking is all about getting my photos into albums to share with future generations. Sometimes I make digital pages, often I make hybrid pages and always I look for new ways to make my page fun for the person viewing it.
So what could be more fun than an interactive element? On my Up Before the Birds page, I have a sliding bird element that moves sideways across the page to bring the page a little fun. So today, I'm going to tell you how to make a slider on your page.

1. Cut a slit in a peice of cardstock where you would like the slider to go. I cut my slit two inches in from the edge on either side.
2. Choose a sticker or a die cut or make a tag to use as your sliding element.

3. Cut a strip of cardstock approximately one inch wide that is 3 times the height of your sliding element. Center it on the back of your die cut so that the strip sticks out above and below your element and adhere it.



4. Fold each side in so that they meet in the middle and then fold them back again. Refer to photo.



It will then look like this from the front:

5. Feed the slider through the slit as shown. Glue your cardstock onto your LO placing the glue only along the edges so your slider has room to move.


On the back, it will look like this:


6. To make your slider work when your page is in your album, first remove the slider and put your page into  the page protector. Now cut a slit in the page protector right over the slit in your LO, then feed the slider in from the top of the page protector.
It's as easy as that! Here are two more pages where I used a slider. I love the Tug of War people and the limo on the prom page.


















Now hop on over to SheShe's blog to see what is next! I hope you had fun - see you at Creative Scrapbooking Divas! Each week I host a Funday Monday challenge and I would love to have you play along. Check back at CSDivas tomorrow to see my newest challenge. And if you are interested in being on our DT, check my post below.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Design Team Call!




Creative Scrapbooking Divas is excited to announce the launch of its great new inspirational Ning site. If you are looking for the recognition you know you deserve, answer our call for 4 new Design Team Divas. You must be able to commit to a 6 month term.


The call is open from Jan 17 – 31 and we will be announcing our new design team on our site on Feb 7.

So Who are we looking for?

• Someone who is willing to dedicate time to our site by being active in the forums, commenting in the gallery, welcoming newer members, wishing Happy Birthdays and spreading good cheer on a regular basis.

• Someone who endeavors to inspire by hosting one challenge per month and offering a small RAK to the winner of their challenge and by posting tutorials or tips from time to time.

• Someone who can respect deadlines and is a good team player.

• Someone who will help promote our site and upload their work in the gallery for inspiration on a weekly basis.

What’s in it for you?

• Each month One Dt member will be spotlighted and receive a prize pack from a site administrator.

• Bio and headshot posted on the site recognizing you as a Scrapbooking DT Diva

How do I apply?

Email the following to Okispice@hotmail.com

• Full name, email and mailing address

• Your take on the sketch below.

• A link to your blog

• A link to your online gallery

• A short bio including why you are a Scrapbooking Diva.
Register as a user on the CSDivas site and RSVP to the DT Call.

*** Please Note***

This call is open only to USA residents and APO/FPO at this time.

Monday, January 11, 2010

New Divalicious Site and Design Team Search!



We are celebrating the pre-launch of our new divalicious site Creative Scrapbooking Divas!
Come join our Pre-launch party and let your creative juices flow...


PRE-LAUNCH PARTY - Tuesday January 12, 2010, 7pm EST)



- Join Creative Scrapbooking Divas, introduce yourself and add CSD Badge to your blog Challenge.

- Invite a friend to join Challenge.

- Valentine Card Challenge

 - Diva Layout Challenge

- A GREAT Tutorial

- a FUN Make and Take

- A great announcement...

Save the date and prepare yourself for lots of fun and chatting...
Be sure to watch here for our DT search too!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

I'm a Sketchy Thursdays Fav!


I love working with Sketchy Thursdays sketches and am so excited to be chosen as a Fav this week! Each week the sketches are so wonderful to work with. Check them out and get inspired. There is always a great prize up for grabs with links to their sponsors. Here is the sketch for next week - i can't wait to see all the different interpretations!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Happy 1st Birthday to If It's Groovy!

If It's Groovy is celebrating our first birthday in a big way!
Each Design Team Member is hosting their own challenge and giveaway and we are inviting you to hop through and play along. We are each offering a wonderful RAK, so there is plenty of chances to win. As you complete each challenge, go back to If It's Groovy to see where to go next and play along in the Bingo challenge there.

For my challenge I would like you to create a scrabpook page that includes a Birthday Card on it.
My inspiration comes from a few years back. It was my hubby's 50th birthday and I had all his friends and family send the cards to me. I took each card and created a scrapbook page that included the card and photos or messages from the sender. The book was a great way to show my husband how blessed he is with friends and is a great keepsake that he looks at to this day. Once you glue your card to the page, simply slip your LO into the page protector then trim around three sides of the card so that the card can be opened and read. I also made a pocket page for extra cards that came in later. If you want to make a pocket page, that will count towards my challenge also!

I've got a few samples shown below to inspire you.





Once you create your page, use the Mr. Linky tool (in the sidebar on the right) to submit your completed challenge projects to me. I want to be able to come look at your LO and ooh and ahh!! and enter you into the drawing for a great prize packet of Japanese scrapbook goodies.


Make sure your include the URL for the LO and your name. Or, simply email a picture of your page to me at okispice@hotmail.com

Once you are done, hop on back to If It's Groovy to see what else inspires you.
Our challenge runs Jan 4 - 30.