A Little Swagger~

These are 2 layouts that I created at The Cutting Garden crop on the weekend. They are both created with the Fancy Pants collection called Swagger. Such a great patterned paper and embellishment line for the men in your life.

The corrugated cardboard looking paper is also by Fancy Pants.

The letter stickers on both layouts are by Thickers. The Swagger collection is available at The Cutting Garden.

Getting in Some Garden Time~

Over the weekend I was able to attend a crop at The Cutting Garden. As always it was a ton of fun, spending much of it laughing with old friends and new. I must say, I wasn't as productive as I have been in the past, but it just might be that I was spending too much time laughing and chatting!

This is a layout that I didn't create at the crop, but one based on The Cutting Garden's April layout sketch. The patterned papers are by one of my fav's Teresa Collins, her He Said, She Said Collection (also available at The Cutting Garden).

Buttons are from Buttons Galore & More.

The sketch that my layout was based on.

It's for the Birds~

Buttons Galore & More thought it would be a fun to have a Spring Challenge between the Button Bevy (the Buttons Galore Design Team). In one of our glorious boxes of goodies, each of us got a different little bird house. It was up to us to decorate these sweet little bird homes. I love a good challenge. Being as I am mainly a paper crafter, I stuck with what I know. After painting the house white, I covered nearly the whole thing with different patterned papers by Teresa Collins, her Memories Collection, which I adore.

The bulk of my buttons were used to shingle the roof. Just like shingling an actual house I started at the bottom and used a fast drying liquid glue to adhere them. Then worked my way up.

Products Used:

• Orange Buttons~ Buttons Galore & More
• Teresa Collins~ Memories Collection Patterned Paper
• Martha Stewart Crafts Heart Punch
• Mini Glue Dots
• Teal Mini Gems

Check out the Buttons Galore & More blog to see links to the other designers' blogs and all the info on how to vote for your favorite. There are prizes to be won. For a chance to win, participate and vote!
Here are links to some of the other designers' posts:
Holly- Ribbons and Glue
Mai- Creando con Detalles
Angie- The Country Chic Cottage
Allie- My Card Party
Jen- 100 Directions

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed our crafty little bird homes.

Fair Skies~

A simple blog post before I head to Halifax for a fun filled crop at the Cutting Garden!! This is a layout that I created using the Fair Skies Collection by Farmhouse Paper Company. I have had this photo printed and ready to scrapbook for a very long time. A photo of my Dad and I a couple of years back. I wanted to find the right papers to accent it. The  buttons are from Buttons Galore.

Then I thought I would also share these sweet and simple Thank You cards that I made for Maureen to give to her amazing nursing staff, thanking them for their superior care!

Christmas Layouts in April...Why Not~

A simple post with three recent layouts all with a Christmas theme. There is no rhyme or reason to what I like to scrapbook and when. I have always found that if you work on what you feel like, rather than working chronologically, that you will enjoy the process more. If you make yourself stick to an order of sorts, it may start feeling like work rather than a hobby you are meant to enjoy.

This first layout is created using My Minds Eye, Lost and Found Collection.

The other 2 layouts are created using Basic Grey's, Wassail Collection.

Cosmetic Mirror Turned Home Decor~

While wandering the aisles one day at my local dollar store, I came across this vintage styled cosmetic mirror. Right away I knew that I could make it into a pretty home decor project. When my Sydney scrapbookers heard about my plans, they insisted on making it a class and all went out and picked up the mirrors for themselves. Here are a few more images of the finished project, front and back.

Patterned papers and coordinating embellishments are by Kaisercraft.

Challenge #54: Flowers for Mom~

This time around at Use It Tuesday the challenge was to use flowers or something with a Mom or Mother's Day theme. For me, flowers normally don't stick around that long. I use them all the time, so it wasn't that challenging. So I went for a Mom theme and pulled out some letter and number stickers that I have had for about 6 years or more. The blue letter stickers were no longer sticky, they were so old.

Check out what the rest of the design team came up with at Use It Tuesday! Can't wait to see what you create for the challenge!

DIY Shop~

Today's post showcases two layouts that I created using Crate Paper's DIY Shop Collection of patterned papers and coordinating sticker embellishments. The papers vintage styles were perfect for a rustic beach layout and to nicely accent the photos of our favorite funky cafe in the Magdalen Islands.

The additional letter stickers are by EK Success and Making Memories. The tattered trim is by Maya Road.

Vintage Bliss~

Just a sweet little layout for an actual Spring-like day here on the east coast. The patterned papers and coordinating sticker embellishments are from the Vintage Bliss Collection by Simple Stories. The half circle border around the entire layout is created using a 1.5" circle punch. The sweet little buttons are from Buttons Galore & More and the mini doilies are by Prima.

You can find the Vintage Bliss Collection at The Cutting Garden.

Cashmere Dame~

I was a fan of this line of patterned papers from Glitz Designs from the moment I spotted it. As some of you may know out there I am a hugs fan of classic pin-ups and 50's art and design. So I snatched up what I could of the line from The Cutting Garden. THEN the fabulous Shelley hooked me up with an extra class kit using the same line, Cashmere Dame, which included some of the super hip embellishments, as well as more of the paper! At the time I had no idea what I would even use the paper for, but I had to have it. Turns out, our photo booth images from our wedding worked out great!

All the images on these layouts were taken by the very talented Wonkyeye Photography!

Yellow and Grey~

When we started to organize a baby shower for Lisa I knew that I wanted to take care of creating most of the decor. Here are a few images of what I came up with.

If you want to know more about how to create some of my decor check out my post over at Buttons Galore & More!

Seashore Memories~

Today's layout features a photo of Sean and his Mom enjoying time by the ocean at Cavendish Beach. I adore the photo and so happy to find the perfect paper line to compliment it!

The patterned papers and canvas embellishments are from Close To My Heart, the Tommy Collection.

Cropping with the Ladybugs~

I am so very excited as always to be cropping at the end of this month at The Cutting Garden with the ladybugs! April 26-28th they are having an intimate crop weekend right in the store, so if you're in the neighborhood...stop by and say hi!

During my time at the Garden that weekend I will be teaching one layout class. So if you are attending the crop and would like to create this layout with me, just let Kim know at the store.

The layout is created using Authentique's Strong Collection and lots of other bits and pieces I had in my stash of goodies. Including one pair of old Reitmans Comfort Fit Jeans.

Hope to see you there!

Sweet and Simple Layout~

This is a layout that I did while at the recent Gadget Girls crop. I would have to say it was one of my favourites that I did all weekend. I just thought it was so simple in concept.

The sweet patterned papers are by American Crafts, Dear Lizzy Neapolitan Collection. I also used my Martha Stewart Crafts heart punch, and of course the 2 3/4" circle punch by EK Success.

Liebster Award~

I have been nominated for the Liebster Award!

It was so nice to have been nominated by a fellow maritime crafter Debbie. Be sure to pop by her blog to check out what she has been creating at Scraps From a Broad.

What is the Liebster Award?  

  This award was designed to promote blogs which have less than 200 followers. Once the award is accepted, the idea is to pay it forward to five other blogs you enjoy, encouraging others to visit, leave comments, and hopefully follow. 

To accept the award: 

  Thank the person who gave it to you and link back to their blog. Post the award on your blog. Give the award to five other bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Write a comment on their blog letting them know they have been nominated.

My five blogs of inspiration, in no particular order:

1. Danielle: Pics and Cheesecake. Danielle is on the Use It Tuesday design team with me. I love her style when she creates and use of colour. She calls the Netherlands home.

2. Lisa: Crafting Cottage. Lisa is a maritime crafter that I have met through our favourite scrapbooking/card making supply store, The Cutting Garden. Lisa has a very ornate style and loves to create whenever she can.

3. Shelly: The Card Crypt. Shelly too calls the maritimes home. Not only am I fan of what she creates when crafting, I am a huge fan of her personality. If Shelly is around, you are going to have a good time.

4. Sherri: Faith and Scrap Happiness. Sherri is also on the Use It Tuesday design team with me. She loves to scrapbook and I am a huge fan of her style. She has over 200 followers, but I still want you to check out her blog :)

5. Lisa~ Lisa's Creations. Lisa also calls Nova Scotia home. Her love for crafting means our paths cross from time to time. Check out her beautiful work!

Renew~

These are 2 layouts that I created using the Renew Collection by Authentique. Normally these are colours that I don't always use together, but in the end I really liked how they turned out.

I loved that some of the coordinating embellishments were puzzle pieces.

The letter stickers in the first layout are by Thickers- Sketchbook.

The flowers on the second layout are from Prima's Engraver Collection.

Challenge #53: Sticky Situation

It's that time again for Use It Tuesday's bi-weekly challenge. This time around the challenge was to use stickers or rub-ons from your stash of goodies. This one was easy for me. Back in my EK Success/Martha Stewart Crafts days, I got sent every sticker they made! So many Jolee's Boutique stickers, I could have covered my entire house with. Over the years I have given most away, but still had a stash of ones I could not let go of.

So here is my sample layout using the Koala Jolee's stickers that I have had for at least 5 years, maybe more.

Other products used in this layout were:

Lori Whitlock's This & That Collection by Echo Park

Martha Stewart Crafts Heart Punch

1 3/4", 1 1/8", 1 1/4" Circle Punches

2" Scallop Circle Punch

Buttons by Buttons Galore

Thickers Letter Stickers

EK Success Label Stickers

So if you have some spare time in the next couple of weeks, and like most of us you have some stickers laying around your craft area? Come play along at Use It Tuesday!

Zipper Flowers~

So I will admit, I have been collecting zippers for some time now. Not quite a zipper hoarder, but I have my fair share. One evening I just had the urge to break out the glue gun and lose all signs of a fingerprint from my right index finger. I made some zipper flowers.

Some I left without something in the middle, others I added buttons or zipper pulls.

This is a layout I created over the weekend while at a crop. The patterned papers are by Crate Paper, the DIY Shop Collection. The coordinating sticker embellishments are from the same collection.

Gadget Girls Glory~

This past weekend I attended my 3rd Gadget Girls crop weekend. As always I had a fabulous time with friends old and new!

Photo from the Fall 2012 Gadget Girls Crop in Truro

The Gadget Girls are at it again, already getting geared up for their Fall Mega Crop on October 4th-6th in Truro at the Glengarry.

There will be 150 croppers, games, prizes, a massage therapist, manicures & pedicures and so much more! If that was not enough for ya, Canadian Scrapbooker is going to be there all day Saturday! Check out the information sheet below for all the details!

Oh and I will be teaching 2 classes that weekend as well...YAY!

Now if you want to be a part of the fun, I would register soon. It is more than half sold out at this point! Hope to see you there!

All the information and updates can be found on their FaceBook event page as well, here.

Feeling Square~

Both of these layouts are based on the same design. I like to show from time to time that using the same layout design, but changing the patterned papers that you use can change the look all together. The blocked layout is a great way to use multiple photos on one layout, providing you can crop your photos down to that size.

The first layout is created using Teresa Collin's, Memories Collection.

The second layout is created using Basic Grey's, PB&J Collection.

Buttons are from Buttons Galore.