Neith"s Crafty Creations - image created with Club Scrap DigiDeluxe Refresh and Serengeti Kits

Friday, May 30, 2008

Kids At Play: 5 Layouts!

Wow, this week has been family fun catch-up time for us! I'm working on some brand new layouts to post and some domino jewelry that I just need to photograph/scan... But, for now, here are a few of my favorite layouts from the recent Club Scrap Chat PSL ALSB Scramble Challenge! These are part of that batch of 40 ALSB layouts that I made in under two days, talk about speed scrapping! You've got to love how the ALSB instructions can make you a super producer!

Walls Turned Sideways Are Bridges

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB #7; Bridges 2/08 - Light Brown Print, Dark Brown Plain, Sr Stickers; Bistro 7/07 - Tangerine Plain; Wings 7/06 - Apricot Plain;
Ranger: Adirondack Ink Pads - Espresso, Ginger;

Confession time here... I was so excited to finally scrap this favorite photo that I began trimming it as soon as it printed. Yes, that meant that the ink wasn't dry and I made a big fat palm print on the photo! But, I saved it with a strategically placed matted sticker! What is that saying, there are no mistakes, only unexpected opportunities!

Uatchet's First Bike

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB# 17; Fizz 1/08 - Dark Pink Plain, Light Pink 8.5x11 Print, White Plain, Black Tags;
Stewart Superior: Palette Ink Pad - Noir Black;
Personal Stash: Shaped Brads, Fiber;

This was Uatchet's very first ride on her very first bike! It was a huge chore to find one short enough for my very undersized twins, but what a bonus to have a "baby seat" just like on Mom & Dad's bikes!

Turtle Rides with Cousin Emily

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB #13; Be Still 9/07 - Brown Plain; Refresh 2/07 - Dark Green Plain; Surf's Up! 7/06 - CSt Light Green 8.5x11 Print, Light Green Plain, Crest o' the Wave Cut Outs; English Garden 5/04 - UM Font;
Ranger: Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy;

I let the colors of the turtle and wooden floors dictate the color palette for this kit... and of course felt the urge to include a wave print from the Surf's Up! 7/06 kit!

The Perfect Chair

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB # 20; A Study in Red 1/08 - Grey Text Weight Plain; Bistro 7/08 - Khaki Plain; Simply Beautiful 5/07 - Translucent Print, Tan Plain, Tan GTG Die Cuts; Old South 7/02 - Tea Cup 8.5x11 Print;

Who knew that sitting on your identical twin's upside down bottom would make a perfect chair? Well, it also makes for giggles and topples! Who knows what inspired Uatchet to start sitting on Nekhebet!

Anyhow, this is another example of letting the colors in the photo dictate the papers that you use! I love the faded rug that is beneath them and used it as my inspiration, choosing muted colors and floral/vintage designs.

Retail Therapy

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB #14; Hometown Retreat 2007 - Light Green Ladies Print, Dark Blue Print; Farmer's Market 10/06 - Pumpkin Plain;
Scrapbook Takeout: Tell Your Story 3/08 - 7Gypsies Rubbings Fortunes The Story;

The girls are starting to be a part of my parent's business and are learning to work the registers and even inflate balloons! I still can't believe how many mylar balloons Nekhebet inflated that first time!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! Today my kids marched with their Scout groups in our town's annual Memorial Day Parade and ceremonies... plus I have some layouts and cards to share with you from past holidays, elections, military service, and more!

Memorial Day/Fourth of July Squash Book

Club Scrap: Freedom 2003 - Flag Print;
Ranger: Distress Ink Pad - Tea Dye;
Vintage Ephemera;

The kids and I made a series of these little Squash Books and sent them, with other gifts, to the Army soldiers that we adopted the last time that my brother was serving in Iraq.

My Brother, The Soldier

Club Scrap Digital 1/08 A Study in Red papers, tags, and ribbons with altered hues; Font Gardens FG William computer font;
Layout is my take on Bistro's Sr ALSB Layout #1.

Journaling reads: January, 2008
Chris has only just returned to Iraq for a second tour of duty. From this photo it seems perfectly clear that the front infantry is where he has wanted to be all along. I may never understand, but it is what he wants.


Club Scrap: Surf's Up 7/06 - UM Stamp; Mosaic Twist 1/05 - Blue; Freedom 2003 - Red;
Vintage Ephemera;
Personal Stash - Fabric Flower, Mini Brad, White Ink Pad;

National Monuments (as recreated by 4th graders)

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB #7; Farmer's Market 11/06 - Leaf; Freedom 2003 - Flag Print , Blue Print, Red Print;
Sticker;

These recreations of National Monuments were created by my son's 4th grade class!

Flag Retirement CeremonyFlag Retirement Ceremony

Flag Retirement Ceremony

Flag Retirement Ceremony

Club Scrap: Crafter Retreat 07 - ALSB Scramble; Academy 8/07 - Brown Plain, Tan 8.5x11 Print; Interior Designs 11/05 - Right Companion Stair Print on Brown; Collections 6/06 - UM Font; Poetic 9/03 - Blue Plain;
Ranger: Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in Gold;

We happened upon this Flag Retirement Ceremony being given by an Eagle Scout candidate in Lynch Park. It was an amazing ceremony filled with history about our flag, beautiful music tied in, and a large Flag Retirement Ceremony for the town.
Fireflowers (left)Fireflowers (right)

Fireflowers (left

Fireflowers (right)

Club Scrap: Sparkle 12/07 - UM Stamps; Time & Space 12/04 - ALSB #9 & 10, Gold Plain, Star White Galaxy Print; It's a Boy/It's a Girl 2006 - UM Font;
Ranger: Archival Ink Pad - Grape;

Tripods, delayed photos, and long shutter exposures are your friends if you want to capture shots of a fireworks display! Or, call them Fireflowers, like the Korean translation for fireworks! :)

Liberty Card by Neith

Club Scrap: Down To Earth 4/05 - Lt Green; County Fair 7/04 - Green; Workbench 8/05 - Green; Unknown - Dark Green; Americana 2001 - Stencil;
Tsukineko: Brilliance - Pearlescent Ivy, Rocket Red, Galaxy Gold;
Stippling through a stencil;

Visiting the Statue of Liberty (left)Visiting the Statue of Liberty (right)

Visiting the Statue of Liberty (left)

Visiting the Statue of Liberty (right)

Club Scrap: Crafter Retreat 07 - ALSB Scramble; Poetic 9/03 - Brown Print, Brown Plain, Blue Plain; Heritage II 6/00 - Journaling Stencil;
Scrapbook Takeout: Clearly Speaking 7/07 - Hambly Screen Prints Rub-Ons in Vintage Motifs Black;
Stewart Superior: Memories Ink Pad in
Art Print Brown;
Zig: Millennium Pen in Pure Black;

Unfortunately, when we visited the Statue of Liberty, they weren't releasing tickets to climb up inside of her... but the kids were still in awe!
Face of a Nation

Club Scrap: PSL ALSB #8; Freedom 2003 - Flag Print , Blue Print, Red Print;
Making Memories: Alphabet Rub-Ons - Heidi Small White;

We saw this amazing display when we visited Ellis Island. At first glimpse it's just a representation of our flag, but as you pass it it transforms into photographs of Americans from all walks of life.


Vote 2004 LeftVote 2004 Right

Vote 2004 Left


Vote 2004 Right
Club Scrap: A Study in Red 1/08 - Dark Red Plain; Sparkle 12/07 - Blue Metallic Plain; English Garden 5/04 - Library Pocket Stencil; Freedom 2003 - Blue Print, Red Print, Translucent 8.5x11 Foil Print;
Scrapbook Takeout: Adventures in Altering 8/07 - Chipboard Numbers;
American Crafts: Pigment Pro Marker - Blue;

At the time of the last presidential election, my kids were very revved up about voting from both their parents and their school! They saw everyone out holding election signs and wanted to be a part of it, especially when they saw people parking at town hall to pick kids up from school and not voting earlier in the year... So we made up very impartial signs and they got permission to hold them in front of town hall to remind people to vote, even with kids in tow! I think my kids have only missed going to the polls with us once in their lives!


Club Scrap: A Study in Red 1/08 - Dark Red Plain; Sparkle 12/07 - Blue Metallic Plain; Freedom 2003 - White Print, Translucent 8.5x11 Foil Print;

During high school, our Governor was running for President and came by a youth center where I served on the board. The photo is of him with our two exchange students! I'm sorry that this layout scanned so poorly, but it's chock full of metallic and foil finishes that don't like my scanner!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Love Is In the Air: Cards, Envelopes, FFC ALSB Kits, & Digital Layouts

In honor of my little brother's 1 week wedding anniversary today and my older sister's 1 month wedding anniversary 10 days ago, today's post is all about love!

Wedding Rings


Club Scrap: Body & Soul 5/08 Digital Kit - Fbr13; Generations 4/08 Digital Kit - DPaper05, DPaper10; A Study in Red 1/08 Digital Kit - CS02, CS07, CS09; From the Heart 2008 Digital Kit - Tag30, Xtra28, Xtra29; Fiber; After 5 2008 Online Digital Event - Jac Carney's Jr Class Tutorial;

Here's a close up of the custom shadow created from the tutorial and also with the top layer getting a Bevel effect!

Detailed View

There are two more love related FFC Exclusive ALSB kits. The Love ALSB Kit features the now extinct FFC Host Reward Line from last year, remixed into a set of 6 ALSB pages and a slew of surprise goodies to embellish your creations with. (They all include a 12x12 sticker sheet with plenty of left over images, but the goodies vary from tags and ribbon to alphabet stickers and fibers or Glimmer Mist, and who knows what else might surprise you as your bonus!) The From The Heart ALSB Kit contains all of the papers, tags, and embellishments that you need to make the 10 ALSB Layouts from the original Club Scrap kit, but slims things down a little by not including the stamp, cards, Scrap Rap or stencil... saving you a little money while still leaving you with plenty of extra tags and embellishments to adorn several more layouts and cards!

The Love FFC ALSB Kit makes a wonderful gift for a wedding, anniversary, etc! Please click on each image to see a larger version in the same new window!

Love FFC ALSB #1 Love FFC ALSB #2 Love FFC ALSB #3

Love FFC ALSB #4 Love FFC ALSB #5 Love FFC ALSB #6


I actually used the From the Heart ALSB pages and a coordinating album as an initial wedding gift for my brother! He's currently serving with the Army in Iraq but is on his 2 weeks leave right now, so they had a very small wedding and will have a larger celebration and ceremony when he returns... at that point they'll actually have wedding colors to play with!

Here are the 10 layouts that the From the Heart FFC ALSB Kit will create and all of the leftover goodies! Please click on each to open them in a single new window! In addition to the kit supplies I used Club Scrap's From the Heart 2008 Stencil, Ranger's Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad in Pitch Black, Ranger's Distress Ink Pad in Vintage Photo, and Stewart Superior's To You With Love Red Memories Chalk Ink Pad;

From the Heart FFC ALSB #1 From the Heart FFC ALSB #2 From the Heart FFC ALSB #3

From the Heart FFC ALSB #4 From the Heart FFC ALSB #5 From the Heart FFC ALSB #6

From the Heart FFC ALSB #7 From the Heart FFC ALSB #8 From the Heart FFC ALSB #9

From the Heart FFC ALSB Remnant Tags and Cut Outs From the Heart FFC ALSB #10 From the Heart FFC ALSB Remnant Embellishments and Fibers


From the Heart 2008 - Love's Journey Card


This card uses the original From the Heart 2008 Kit's Wood Mounted Stamp and Greetings To Go Card along with the optional unmounted Borders and Backgrounds stamps, plus a Tag and Brads from the ALSB remnants. For ink I used the Stewart Superior Palette Noir Black Ink Pad and Loew-Cornell Aqua Crayon Sticks with my Niji Waterbrush.

From the Heart 2008 - Cherub Window Card


Club Scrap: From the Heart 2008 - Greetings to Go Card and Panel, UM B&B Stamps, Heart Shaped Paperclip; Generatios 4/08 - CSt WM Stamp; Wings 7/05 - Lt Blue;
Leow-Cornell: Aqua Crayon Sticks;
Niji - Waterbrush;
Ranger: Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad - Pitch Black;
Staples - Transparency;

I just loved filling the open window in this card with a transparency! I also adore how the new Ranger Pigment Ink Pads can stamp and air dry on transparencies! (I also used the same pad with the stencil for the ALSB layouts and it goes on with a little Cut 'n' Dry Foam or the Ranger Ink Applicator Tool like a dream and cleans up quickly with water, leaving no trace on your tools but a gorgeous matte finish on your projects!) I painted the backside of the transparency with my watercolor crayons and it pops on the light background while looking very cool on the transparency when you have the card open!

Learn more cool Watercolor Crayon & Pencil techniques in Tricia Morris's Artist Incognito Webisode at TVWeekly!
From the Heart Digital Envelope Label


Have you ever painted with your DigiPapers? You don't need to have intense fine art skills when you have Club Scrap's great artwork to color in! Simply create a layered image using one or more of the Transparencies on top layers, then in layers beneath them, use the Paintbrush tool to color in the images, one color per layer. Pick from all of your great textured Club Scrap DigiCardstock to Copy and select the color in the corresponding layer (use Ctrl and click on the thumbnail for that layer in the Layer Window to see the "marching ants" around everything in that layer) and you can either work right on top of the layer or in a new layer, then use Edit >> Paste Into Selection to fill the painted areas with the textured DigiCardstock! And voila! You have a cross between painting with paper and paper piecing... all in a digital format!

This Valentine's Day envelope design uses From the Heart's HeartTran08.png and HeartTran13.png along with DigiCardstock from Collections 6/06, Interior Designs 11/06, Rhapsody 3/07, and Simply Beautiful 5/07.

From The Heart Digital Envelope Label Detail