Critter Challenge #161 - Buttons

This week over at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog we have a fun new challenge.  It just happens to be another of my favourite embellishments...  Buttons!!

I absolutely love buttons on a layout.. sometimes I tie a string through them - other times I leave them "naked".  In this layout I used my new Martha Stewart button punch, which has quickly become my most used punch.

Supplies: Pattern Paper - Simple Stories - Handmade Holiday

Cardstock - Bazzill for base and buttons

Stickles 

Twine - from my stash

Funny story about this paper - I told myself no new Christmas paper - as like many of you I am a paper hoarder, however, when I saw this line I just knew I had to have it.  It was perfect for these pictures.  This was a tradition that we started when the boys first arrived.  We all put our "first" decoration on the tree and then it is a free for all with the rest of the ornaments.  Some years we use the same ornament, other years we change it up.  This year we had our "extra" kid for the night that we decorated our tree, so he got to participate too.  The other thing that was different about this year - somehow I forgot to take a picture of the tree after we decorated it - so the picture of the tree was the picture Christmas Eve night - after the kids had gone to bed and "Santa" arrived.  We can't put presents under our tree until the night before because our Molly-Dog would eat them.  

Don't forget to head over to the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog and enter your creation for a chance to win from the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog's sponsors.

 

Welcome to another challenge over at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  This week we are challenging you to use one of my favourite embellishments.  Well, it is a favourite to collect at least.  I have many, many rolls of washi tape and I keep challenging myself to use them.  I was away this weekend and managed to pick up six more rolls of it!  Oops!!

Here is my layout.. now I know you can hardly see it, but the red polka dot strip is Bella Blvd. washi tape.  It is definitely my most used roll and I probably should have picked up another roll this weekend, but, I have several reds and thought maybe not having more would encourage me to use others.  :)

Product: 

Coredinations - the background is a piece of brown Cored'inations paper and the blue strip is the "slug" that I cut off and used the back side to border punch the paw prints (EK Success punch).

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - I used Vintage Photo to edge all of the paper and embellishments.

Bella Blvd - Tail Waggers & Cat Nappers Line - all (other) paper and embellishments came from that line.

Please make sure you check out the sponsors of the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  This week our sponsors are: 

Paper Makeup Stamps Click to go to their store, like their facebook page or to their blog.  

 Guylou's Inimitability Please check out their blog, store and make sure you like their facebook page.

Tim Holtz's April Inspired Tag

So..  we are on spring break... the kids are off.. I am off.. the weather is beautiful...  I should be outside, however, last night at 12:30 am..  I noticed that Tim Holtz had posted his April tag.  Now, I am BRAND new to the whole Tim Holtz world, but I've fallen fast and hard.  I've really been collecting things but haven't really started to use them, however last night I was so inspired I wanted to get working on it right away, however, I didn't have the distress paints... something I'd been "saving" for.  Well, it is a good thing I work for our local scrapbook store, and even better that I have a key (the store is closed Mondays) because I couldn't wait and first thing this morning I went and picked up some of the paints.  Sadly we were all sold out of the metallic distress paints, but I picked up what I could.  I already had the metallic distress stains at home and figured I'd be able to make something work.

Once home, and got a few things done around the house - it can't be all play (can it?!) I sat down and started creating.  Tim Holtz has done an amazing tutorial on how to get the fantastic patina look so I followed it as best as I could.  The big difference for me was using the paint without the metallic paints and then adding an extra step by adding the metallic stains.

I also didn't have the gorgeous dragonfly stamp - or really anything that allowed for me to stamp the image on the tag and then stamp on to the "clearly for art" (which I didn't have either).  So I chose the typewriter from one of his new sets and just stamped right onto some upcycled plastic - it was actually the cover from a set of Tim Holtz embossing folders that I had recently purchased.  I heated it to dry - just like he did - and it worked perfectly.

So, here is what I came up with...  I am so happy with how it worked!!

Supplies:
Distress Paint - vintage photo, peeled paint, salty ocean and broken china
Distress Stain - antiqued bronze, tarnished brass
Distress Ink - evergreen bough, broken china, vintage photo, peeled paint
Tissue Tape - Commute
Word Bands
Crinkle Ribbon
Stamp from Mini Blue Prints 4
Corners

Gears were from bead landing from Michael's
Brads were from my stash

Critter Sketch Challenge #157

I always love the sketch challenges at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog, I can always turn the card sketch into a scrapbook layout. 

"every dog needs a boy"

Supplies

Bazzill - Cardstock -Red, White, Blue (ric rac)

Echo Park - "Woof!"- Striped Patterned Paper (including the button), K9 & I Love My Dog Sticker

Bella Blvd. - Yellow Chevron Washi Tape

Glitz Design - Teeny Alpha White Type Stickers.

EK Success Ric Rac Punch

Martha Stewart Button Punch

Twine - it as bought bulk and unfortunately I don't know which company.

 Now I'm not 100% happy with my "wave", but it will just have to do!!

 Please use the following sketch for your creation this week!

This week's Critter Sketch Challenge is brought to you by the  following sponsors - please stop by and check them out.  

 Spectacular Printable - Make sure you pop by their Etsy shop,blog and facebook.  They have amazing images and some beautiful digital papers that are sure to please!

 

   

Paper Nest - please check out their shop, facebook, and their blog!  Super adorable images that I know you won't be able to resist!!

SKDigis is a new digi company that I think you are going to fall in love with. They have some super cute, fun images that are top of the line in quality.

Please check out their blog, facebook page, and shop website.

Welcome to my biweekly post for the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  

This week's challenge is twine!

I love twine and had a hard time deciding which project to show you.  I decided on my Tim Holtz Inspired tag.

Supplies 

Tim Holtz/Ranger

~ Distress Ink - Vintage Photo, Peeled Paint

~ Distress Stains in brushed pewter, antiqued bronze, tarnished brass

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Alterations

~ Gadget Gears - Bigz Die

Tim Holtz - Ideology/Advantus

~ Tissue Tape - Symphony

~ Christmas Muse Tokens

~ Film Strip Ribbon

~ Mini Paper Clips

~ Crinkle Ribbon - stained with ink and metallic stains

Twine was from my stash.

Not sure what the stamp is called as I borrowed it from my boss and she just gave it to me attached to the acrylic block.  I know it is a Tim Holtz/Stamper's Anonymous stamp - and I did google it but couldn't find it.

 Please check out the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog's wonderful sponsors.

Spectacular Printable.  
Go see their Etsy shop, blog and facebook.  

   

Paper Nest
Pop on by their shop, facebook, and their blog!

Welcome to my biweekly post for the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  

Can you believe we are in the last week of February - almost TWO months into this new year - I just can't believe how fast the time goes.

This weekend I went to a weekend long crop.  A group of girls get together, rent a hall and scrap our hearts out.  I started at 1:00 on Friday afternoon, went home around 2:00 am.  Unfortunately I woke up with a migraine on Saturday so I missed most of the day - but managed to get back at it around 3:00 and stayed until 1:00 am..  I could have stayed later, but my sister who usually works night shift hadn't really slept and was literally falling asleep at her table, so we went home.  We were back at it by 9:00 Sunday morning and were there until just after 2 pm.  It was so nice to just crop without any distractions from the kids, dog, hubby etc.

I was super productive.  I brought the majority of my unfinished products - you know the pages that need a title or journalling, or in my case many needed photos.  I only started (and finished) one page, BUT I did FINISH 72 pages.  No that isn't a typo.. SEVENTY TWO pages... the worst part - I still have a very large stack of unfinished pages.  I don't consider a page done until it is ready to go in the album and I have a lot of pages that I have created that I just don't have pictures to go on them yet.  Do you do that?  Or am I a rarity?

This week we were given a sketch to follow, and here is what I came up with.

This was my only, start to finish page I did this weekend.  Super simple but it does the trick!

Products: Patterned paper and title block - Simple Stories - Happy Day, Green base was a piece of My Mind's Eye, Wild Asparagus - love it when I can pick up patterned paper on clearance and use the flip side for my bases.

Please make sure you hop over to the Critter Sketch Challenge blog and enter your creation based on this sketch for your chance to win.

This week we are lucky to have THREE sponsors make sure you get your creation in for a great chance to win wonderful prizes from these three fabulous companies.

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More is proud to sponsor this challenge. Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More, a division of  I Did It Creations, was created and is owned by 

Robyn Weinrib.  Robyn offers a wonderful variety of digital stamps and digital papers, designed to meet the needs of all digital paper crafting addicts for every occasion.  

  

Please check out their blog and shop website.

Broken Box Stock is a fun, imaginative and unique clip art shop featuring hand-drawn stock illustrations, digital stamps and freebies to decorate your website, blog, etc.

You can check out their blog, facebook page, and shop website.

SKDigis is a new digi company that I think you are going to fall in love with. They have some super cute, fun images that are top of the line in quality.

Please check out their blog, facebook page, and shop website.

I am currently having technical difficulties - I have been on the phone all evening with our Internet Service Provider.  Unfortunately it seems like we need some new equipment and because tomorrow is a holiday it will not happen until late Tuesday afternoon.

It is really hard to not have the internet - it really is amazing how much we rely on it - scary really!

I will get this updated just as soon as possible.

I have used an adorable image from StampFairy.  Please make sure you come back to look!

Thank you for your patience.

Moira

Critter Sketch Challenge #149

Hard to believe it is the last week of January.  In the class I was teaching the other day - the kids noticed that it had been exactly one month since Christmas.  I pointed out to them that meant it was only 11 months UNTIL Christmas!  I need to get shopping..  my New Year's Resolution is to NOT be shopping for presents in December.  We by a the nieces and nephews (there are nine of them) gift cards so I figure I can buy one a month and it won't hurt come December.

On to this week's challenge at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  This week were given the challenge of using metal.  Well, right away I knew I had to try something new.  While I have been a fan for a long time, I have never really played with Tim Holtz's products.  I have used a few tools, love his ruler and sander - and his Vintage Photo Distress ink has been my go to distressing ink for a couple of years.  However that is where it stopped.  I work part time in our LSS and the owner does absolutely amazing Tim Holtz inspired tags.  I get asked all the time how they were created, but because I had never played with the stuff before I often couldn't answer the questions.  So in December I took part in one of her classes.  Well, let me tell you, I was HOOKED from the word 'go'...  so much that my husband bought me a Vagabond for Christmas.

Anyways...  I have quickly amassed enough product to allow me to play at home..  I've ordered a few more things and can't wait to see what else I can create with.

So..  here is my metallic tag.

I love that Tim's embossing folders emboss so deep - however I had to flatten this out as it tore up the felt that I was using to colour the foil with alcohol ink.

Supplies 

Tim Holtz/Ranger

~ Riveted Metal Embossing Folder

~ Alcohol Inks in Cloudy Blue, Ginger; and Slate

~ Distress Stains in brushed pewter, antiqued bronze, tarnished brass

~ Weathered Wood Distress ink on the stamp

Tim Holtz - Ideology/Advantus

~ Tissue Tape - Symphony

~ Word Bands

Ink Essentials/Ranger

~ Foil Tape Sheets (this is the coolest adhesive foil!)

Not sure what the stamp is called as I borrowed it from my boss and she just gave it to me attached to the acrylic block.  I know it is a Tim Holtz/Stamper's Anonymous stamp - and I did google it but couldn't find it.

Stampin Up - White Craft Ink - I need to get some Tim Holtz paint - the Stampin' Up ink was really hard to work with as it took FOREVER to dry!

Hemp ties from my stash.

Have you ever wanted to be a part of a Design Team?  Now is your chance - the Critter Sketch Design Blog is getting ready for its next term and is looking for new designers.  

Email Melanie at melaniebitting@gmail.com

Don't forget to enter your creation over at the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog  for your chance to win!!

Critter Sketch Challenge #147

Welcome to another week at the 

Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.

This week I am showing you yet another page of the album I put together for my friend's adorable baby girl.  I have put this as the final page of the album thinking that she will be able to put her first birthday picture on this page.

Here is the fabulous sketch from sketch artist Colleen Spangler.

Supplies - Cardstock - all from my stash - the background paper has an amazing pearlescent shimmer - which made it super hard to photograph!! Patterned paper and embellishments are all from Bella Blvd.'s "Baby Girl" line.  I also used Stickles to bling up the cupcakes.

Please make sure you head over to the 

Critter Sketch Challenge Blog and enter your interpretation of the sketch for your chance to win great prizes from our fabulous sponsors!