Embellishment Box Swap

I may have mentioned that I just love Instagram and YouTube for inspiration. Recently I've been seeing embellishment box swaps, especially on Tamika's Scrap Da World YouTube channel. Imagine my excitement when one of the members of Scraps of Color decided to host a swap.

My swap partner said her favorite colors were red, black, and white. She also said that she was planning to work on an album for her newphew. I used these as my main search criteria for the goodies I added to by box.

I bought two kinds of boxes from Dollar Tree and decided to use the larger one. The boxes can be found in the beauty and automotive sections of the store.

I filled the box with items from my stash, JoAnn, Tuesday Morning, and Michael's.  I included a bottle of Tim Holtz distress ink in red which allowed me to add wooden embellishments that my partner could alter. I added metal clips in various shapes, assorted trims, beads, metal and paper flowers, as well as assorted tags.

My box had to include two handmade items.  I created a mix of sequins specifically for my swap partner and put it in a Queen & Co bottle. I used my fuse tool to create two shaker tags filled with sequins and tied to large tassles. 

I decorated the outside edge of the box lid with red rose lace.  I decorated the lower edge with black lace.  Both laces were from my stash.  I used the We R Memories Keeper Nesting Daisy Dies to create a flower for the lid.  I added a Teresa Collins large black rhinstone to the center and placed it on a white doily.

I had so much fun making this box. I am pretty certain this will be the first of several swaps I do this year.

Penguin Park Shaker Heart

I love using YouTube and Instagram for inspiration.  There are lots of times that I see a layout and I think that there may be a technique, color scheme, or idea that I'll try in the future. Every once in a while something will just capture me and I have to use it right away. That was the case with the cut file that I used on my latest layout, Penguin Park.

I saw this cut file in a video created by Kelly Barron (https://youtu.be/EJcjQQqNV38).  As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to use it and that I wanted to put a shaker in the center heart.  I also wanted to participate in the International Scrapbook Day challenges being hosted by Shimelle Laine and Scrapbook Generation which meant incorporating a rainbow in some way.

I downloaded the cut file (https://citrustwistkits.com/collections/digital-files/products/nsd-2018-cut-file-radiant-heart-free-may-2018-designed-by-nathalie-desousa) and used my Silhouette Cameo 3 to cut it on white smooth cardstock. I used the default settings for textured cardstock.

I backed the cut file with a variety of papers from the American Craft Shimelle Box of Crayons collection, one of which is a paper including small rainbows.  I auditioned a lot of papers for my background trying to find the right color without being too busy.  I decided to use Bazzille Glow as my background so that it did not compete with the heart.

I backed the entire heart on white craft foam and cut out the center heart. I didn't want to hunt for my acetate and I knew that I had ephemara packing nearby so I grabbed that and cut a square for my shaker window.

I love that I was able to recycle something that I may have previously thrown away. I filled my shaker with three mixes from Queen & Co. I closed the shaker with a small piece of the same white cardstock that the heart was cut from.

I finished the layout with half an inch of the Make Something paper from the collection. I added cardstock stickers and ephemera also from the collection. I added a few colored hearts from Pinkfresh Studio Mix 2 and Recollection themed stickers. I wrote my journaling at the bottom and included the date.

I love to scrapbook everyday moments. This cut file and collection emphasize the joy my children had in spending time at the park with their father. I love how this layout turned out.

I have a couple more pictures to show two embellishment areas on the page.  Please leave a comment if you have any questions about products or techniques.

Fall and the Silhouette Pix Scan

From the time I took the picture of my younger children in a pile of leaves, I knew that I wanted to duplicate that feel in the layout I would eventually make.  I picked the Echo Park A Perfect Autumn collection because I loved the unexpected addition of the light blue. 

I usually don't mind fussy cutting, but the thought of fussy cutting twenty or more leaves was just too much to consider.  I decided it was the perfect time to try my Silhouette Pix Scan which I purchased several months ago, but had never used.  The Pix Scan has an area that is 8 1/2" by 11" so I started with cutting my page down to this size and putting it in the scan area on the sheet making sure to keep the paper inside the registration marks.

 I downloaded the software from the Google Play Store to my Android smart phone.  When you open the application, you get information on taking a picture.  The picture should be taken with the mat flat and in natural or good lighting and without any shadows.

Once the picture is taken in the app, you'll receive a processing message.  I'll admit that I must have taken the picture ten times because I kept getting an error message.  I decided to lift the paper and move it on the mat to see if that would help.  Only then did I realize that there was a clear cover sheet on the mat.  I removed the clear cover, took the picture again, and it worked great.  Once the picture has been processed, you'll have the opportunity to review the trace area and the trace lines which look just like the trace lines you see in Silhouette Design Studio.

Once the trace looked good, I loaded the mat to my Cameo and sent the job to the machine.  The Cameo uses the registration marks to line up the paper cut out the image.  The cuts weren't perfect, but I thought they were really good and I was happy with the time it saved me.

I used Bazzill French Vanilla as my background paper.  I splatted Gold Heidi Swapp Color Shine and Tim Holtz Antiqued Bronze Distress Mica Spray all over the background.  I used my Silhouette again to cut a tree and some additional leaves from a Hobby Lobby Paper Studios gold foiled tree print paper as well as other papers from the A Perfect Autumn collection.  The cut file is the Just Nick Bare Tree.

 I used my ATG add a row of adhesive at a time along the bottom of my page and then added leaves in rows that tapered as they went up to mimic the look of a leaf pile.  I matted my pictures on the same papers to make them cohesive, but left space between them on the final mat so I could add my title between the one large photo.  I added stickers and chipboard from the A Perfect Autumn collection.  I also used matte gold embroidery floss to stitch a swirling line along the left edge of page.  This gives a sense of movement to the leaves and they look like they are falling onto the leaf pile.

I finished up using the roller stamp from on of the Paige Evans collections to add the chevron detail in bronze ink around the page along with another roller stamp to add the date and the words Fun Day.

I really hope you enjoyed this layout and please let me know if you have any questions about the products I used or the Silhouette Pix Scan.

Scraplift Hop with Craft Bunker of Ignorance

I've been a great fan of Irit Landgraf for quite some time.  I watched her YouTube videos for quite a while before becoming aware of her Facebook group, Craft Bunker of Ignorance.  Since joining, I've enjoyed the different posts and discussions that have taken place there.  I've found many other crafters to follow on YouTube and Instagram.

When the opportunity for another blog hop came up and the theme was scraplifting, I just had to jump right in.  Another one of my favorite scrapbookers is Elsie Robinson. I think her pages are so elaborate and whimsical and look like works of art.  I decided that this blog hop was just the encouragement that I needed to try something different and to stretch my abilities.  I must say that I think I did an ok job.

Elsie's Layout

My scrap lift

The original layout uses Pink Paislee Paige Evan's Pick Me Up collection.  My layout is also using Pink Paislee Paige Evans, but I am using the Turn the Page collection.  I started by adding iridescent gel medium to my background with a star stencil. 

I then used Paige's stars wreath which I purchased from the Silhouette Design Studio.  I backed the stars with different pages from the collection.  I adhered the cut file with small foam squares because I love the shadows and dimension I get.  I matted my photo with scraps and placed the bottom of the photo flat while popping up the top of the photo.  This allows you to see my daughter's feet off the floor and reinforce the feeling of flight in line with the title.

I used a punch for two smaller clouds and another cut file for two larger clouds. While I know how to sew, I really don't have the patience to sew on clothing or layouts.  I purchased a poke needle from Hobby Lobby thinking that I would save time and be more willing to sew.  I'm pretty certain it took me just as long as a regular needle would have and it did not give me the precision I hoped for.  I'm still pleased that I gave it a try though and, overall, I think it looks fine.  I added three of the clouds with foam squares for more dimension on the page.

I finished up the layout with stickers, chipboard, diecuts, Thickers, and a charm all from the Turn the Page collection.  The final step was to add iridescent sequins.  Again, I'm really pleased with the overall page and I'm really happy that I tried several new things such as scraplifting, sewing on my pages, and gel medium.

Please check out the Craft Bunker of Ignorance group on Facebook and visit the other wonderful creations.

Alyssa Hurzeler
Janet Fritz
Jennifer Gagne
Lisa Kingston
Orange Gearle
Christy Harriman
Lyne Schnable-Blodgett
Lisa PotsieFighter
Heather King
Laura Rumble

Resurrection Weekend

This weekend is Easter weekend.  My family and I will be celebrating the resurrection of Christ and his blessings in our lives.  For months I've been debating resuming my blog.  It seemed fitting somehow to resurrect my blog this holiday weekend.

Where have I been?  Five years ago I put up a post about renewed vigor and diligence for my blog.  That was funny because God had other plans for our family.  We were new foster parents and we took a placement of a new born baby girl.  A month later, her 17 month old brother was placed with us.  At the time, our bio children were 10 and 11 years old so it was quite an adjustment to have small children in our lives.  That adjustment didn't leave time for scrapbooking and it definitely didn't leave time for blogging.

Fast forward two and a half years and those two placements became permanent family members.  After years of court hearings, foster team meetings, children's division visits, and all of the other time commitments needed to be a part of the foster system, I decided I would take a breather and get back into scrapbooking.  

During my days I am an IT analyst.  So around the time we exited the foster parent system, I started working on a system implementation that required nearly monthly travel to the Los Angeles, CA metropolitan area.  I committed to scrapbooking, but, again, my blog was set aside so I could focus on work and family.

I continued to scrapbook through the years and that continues to be a place of mental refuge and joy for me.  I've been pretty consistent about posting my pages to Instagram for the last year so please stop by and check there for inspiration (Christa Stokes IG).

I am resuming my efforts to blog, but this time I'm not going to promise a set schedule of posting because that seems to be the trigger for me taking on a life changing challenge.  Suffice it say, I plan to post layouts, techniques, tutorials, and giveaways.  I hope you'll join me as I resume documenting the memories that are sacred for me and my family.

Christa

January Winner

January's winner is Felisa Montee.  Congratulations!!!!  Your prize will go out shortly.

Everyone else, check back later today for February's giveaway.

New Year, New Vigor, New Giveaway

It's a new year and I start by letting my blog hang in limbo.  I must admit I was really disheartened by the lack of response to my giveaways at the end of the year so I stopped putting them up.  Well, that time is over and now I'm back on track.  I spent the end of the year focusing on my personal scrapbooking and it has re-energized me.  I absolutely LOVE scrapbooking and I know that I love it despite how many people follow my blog, buy my product, or accept my freebies.  So, with the new year I have a new vigor to post even if I'm the only one who ever sees it.  I post out of my LOVE of scrapbooking and the peace that it brings me.

So having said all of that, I'm going to continue my giveaways in 2013.  At the start of each month I'll create a post with that month's giveaway.  January starts the year with a free album including completed pages.  That's right, I am giving away a completed 20 page album.  All you need to do is post a comment and you're eligible to win.  Comments must be posted by noon CST January 31st.  A winner will be selected using random.org and I will post the winner's name the afternoon of January 31st.

I am participating in an event at Colorful Creations and I created this layout of my absolutely beautiful daughter, not that I'm biased.  I loved this paper from the moment I saw it so I am pleased that I got to use it.  If you haven't stopped by before, check out Colorful Creations and join in some of their challenges or view their sketches.