Dream Big

Hello friends! I'm hoping that everyone who celebrates Christmas is winding up their  preparations! Today, I am sharing a layout that I just finished for the CSI Design Team. 

Here is how I solved the Case:

Scene: All five colors used
Evidence: Christmas elements, deer or other animal, frame, tie something, flowers
Testimony: I used the inspiration word, "dreaming"

Liz named her moose Maurice and decorated him with red Christmas balls and a top hat! His antlers are approximately 79" wide! He is huge and dominates the room he is in. 

Techniques used are paper layering, paper tearing, inking, stamping, stenciling, heat embossing, spritzing and lots of paint splattering. 

Liz dreamed big and that's what she got...a very big moose! 

Products

Blue Fern Studios

Paper: Vintage Christmas 2, Let it Snow, 
            Wanderlust, Road Trip
            Frolic, Adorn
            Love Story, Concerto
Chipboard: Dangle Flake, The Optimist Word Set
Embossing Powder: Santa's suit
Flowers:
            Homespun Blooms, Memories Blooms
Stamp: Jingle Bells
Seedlings: Meadow

Other Products

Prima Art Stones, Mini Art Stones

Ranger Emboss It Dabber

Recollections tiny roses

The Crafters Workshop stencil

The journaling reads, "Elizabeth has been dreaming of having a moose head for many years.

A friend she has known since junior high, has lived in Alaska for some time now told her that he found a taxidermied moose at a garage sale.

Her friend had the moose shipped down to "the lower forty eight" and it arrived at Liz's home just in time for 'Christmoose'!"

Merry Christmas

Hello scrappy friends! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! This is my latest layout for the CSI Design Team! 

Here is how I solved Case File 267

The Scene: All five colors were used
Evidence: Plaid, Christmas Elements, Stars,
     Animals, Snowflakes/winter elements, Stamps
Testimony: Document something about the
     holidays

For this layout I added a little bit of die cutting. They were done from white cardstock, then used a little spray adhesive to adhere a bit of sparkly glass glitter.

Products:

Blur Fern Studios

     Paper: Vintage Christmas, Wonderland and 

          Christmas Cards

          Frolic, Adorn

     Chipboard: Winter Deer, Winter Sleigh

     Embossing Powder: Azure, Pearl and Ruby

     Seedlings: Meadow

     Stamps: Jingle Bells

The Crafters Workshop Stencil

Prima 3-D Matte Gel and flowers

Ranger Emboss It Dabber

The journaling reads, "What happy times these were for all of us! You two were excited to see what Santa would bring to you. Our little boy and girl were adorable and everyone loved you!"

Thanks to everyone who stops by and leaves a comment! 

Explore Santa Fe, New Mexico

Hello friends and fellow paper crafters! My husband and I just returned from a fun and refreshing road trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. We had planned a trip to Ireland, but Mother was "under the weather". Thankfully, she is doing fine now, but we cancelled our trip to the "Emerald Isle". As soon as we knew that she was back to her normal activities and not needing assistance, we decided to return to Santa Fe for a one week getaway before all the hubbub of Christmas hits us, and we had a ball!

Case File 266 at Color Stories Inspiration inspired me with its colors and the architecture in Santa Fe seemed perfect inspiration as well. Always enjoying a challenge and this one hit the spot!

Here is how I solved the case:

The Scene: All five colors were used.
The Evidence: Geometric patterns, Birds,
     Flowers
The Testimony: Write a random list about your subject.

Dimension is always used in my scrapbooking. What a joy it is to truly make elements come off the background! 

In this photo, use of texture, especially in the background can be seen.

Another technique frequently used in my work is paint splattering. Layering also makes the picture seem to come off the page! 

More 3-D and texture here. Gotta love it!

Products

Blue Fern Studios
     Paper: Heartland, XOXO
          Heartland, Love Notes
          Timeless, Papillons
     Chipboard: Blooming Flourish
          Checker Bits
          Wanderlust Words
     Embossing Powder: Poinsettia, Starry Night
     Seedlings: Mustard
     Flowers: Memories Blooms
          Happy Blooms, Spring Florals
     Stamps: Widgets and Journey

Prima
     Art Stones
     Mini Art Stones
     3D Matte Gel

Ranger
      Emboss It Dabber

DecoArt Snow Writer
Twinklets Diamond Dust
From My Stash: Glass Beads

   

The journaling reads, 

"Love Santa Fe 

Back at the Ranch

Silver Jewelry

Art Galleries

Cold Nights

Friendly Place

Turquoise Jewewlry

Spicy Cuisine

Sunny Days

Fine Dinning

Shopping

Snow

Native

Pueblo

Adobe"

Thanks especially to all my sweet friends who leave a comment! 

Beauty

Hello happy scrappy and blog friends! What a blessing that it has stopped raining in north Texas! We thought for a while we were going to float away! Today, I'm sharing with you,  Case File  #265 for CSI (Color Stories Inspiration).

Here is how I solved the case:

The Scene: I used all five colors.
Evidence: Frames, flowers, something
      transparent, metal, something shiny, gold and
      silver accents
Testimony: I framed my journaling.

Here, you can see all the layers, paper tearing, painting, use of a template, and tons of beautiful embellishments! 

Two of the sources of beauty and joy in my life are my adult children. I know that my son is more handsome, but he is a wonderful son and has a good heart. To me, that is beautiful. 

Products:

Blue Fern Studios Paper
     Love Story, Amazing Heart
     Timeless, Main Street
     In the Mood, Pensive

Blue Fern Studios Embossing Powder, Pink Dust 
     and Iridescent Grey

Blue Fern Studios Stamp, Widgets

Petaloo, Burlap Blossoms, pink

Prima, 3-D Matte Gel and gold gear, Art Stones          and Mini Art Stones

Ranger,  Emboss It Stamper, metal quotation and
      tiny metal gears

Renea Bouquets, tiny flowers

The Crafter's Workshop, 6" X  6" stencil

From my stash: 

     beads, chipboard of unknown make, film strip

My journaling reads, "One of my favorite poems is about beauty. Beauty of the heart and soul. I believe it applies to men, women, boys and girls. Follow this heartfelt poem by Audrey Hepburn for a happy and fulfilled life."

Ms. Hepburn's poem reads as follows:

Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. 

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. 

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. 

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it 

     once a day. 

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone. 

People, even more than things, have to be restored, 

     renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never

     throw out anybody.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one 

     at the end of your arm. 

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two 

     hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping

     others. 

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the 

     figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. 

The beauty of a woman is sseen in her eyes, because that 

     is the doorway to her heart, the place where love 

     resides. 

True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. 

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she 

     shows. 

And the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years. 

Thank you to everyone who leaves a comment! 

Hushed

Hello friends! I'm back with a layout for Color Stories Inspiration AKA: CSI. I absolutely had to use this picture of our daughter because it is so rare to not see her smiling or laughing. If you get a chance to play along, please do so. I love the challenge of solving the case!

One of the items listed on the evidence list is "something metal". When cropping this photo I almost cropped it out, but not completely! It is a little bow hanging from the large white rose on the right. 

Here is how I solved this case file:

Scheme: All five colors used
Evidence: metal, buttons, lots of layers. I counted
      six! 
Testimony: Prompt Idea - Hidden Journaling

Another item on the evidence list is buttons. I used a vintage button, and it looks like a small cameo. It can be seen at about 10 o'clock from the large white rose, closest to the viewer. 

Here you can see the paint splatters that were added last. 

Priducts:

Blue Fern Studios Papers*
     Vintage Christmas, Magical
     Vintage Christmas 2, Holiday Cards
     Vintage Christmas 2, Let it Snow
Blue Fern Studios Chipboard:
     Berry Frame
     Serenity, Calm, Hushed
Blue Fern Studios Embossing Powders
     Snow, Ruby, Summer Breeze
Blue Fern Studios Seedlings
     Glass
Blue Fern Studios Stamp, Jingle Bells
Michaels: small white flowers
Prima: Large white roses, 3-D Matte Gel
Ranger Emboss It Dabber
Reneabouquets, Etsy
     Beautiful Beads, Teal
From my Stash:
     Beads and Sequins
     Embroidery Thread
     Glitter
     Metal Bow
     Vintage Button
     Vintage Velvet Flowers

* All papers were purchased from Renee Bouquets on Etsy 

Above, you can see the stamping, embossing, tearing and bead work.

Regarding the hidden journaling, I have created the collage above to show how I managed this. I love to tell the story about the photo, but prefer to not have the journaling written on the front of the layout. In virtually all of my work, I create a pocket on the back of the layout using a library pocket or an envelope. In either case I cut areas off of the top so it can be glued close to the top and back  of the layout and the journaling card can be almost completely hidden with only the top seen peeking out from behind the LO, begging the viewer to pull it out, hold it and read it.  I have always loved interactive scrapbooking! 

The journaling reads, "Hushed is a word you will never hear from me to describe Liz. She is known by her family and friends to be the 'life of the party'. This is probably the only photo of her looking hushed!"

Thanks to EVERYONE who leaves a comment! 

Family

Hello my scrappy friends! Today I'm sharing my latest layout for the Color Stories Inspiration. Design Team. Come play along with us on this wonderful challenge. We would love to have you join us!

This layout is dedicated to Leslie Kamm, owner of Blue Fern Studios, for her dedication to family. God bless you Leslie. 

Here is how I solved this case file:

Scheme: All five colors used
Evidence: Leaves, stamps, Ink
Testimony: Prompt Idea - List Love

Using seedlings is a fun way to enhance most anything on a layout. They may be applied to chipboard, paper, flowers, or most anything, really. 

Techniques used are three dimensional work, texturizing, fussy cutting, layering, painting, heat embossing, and stamping. 

Products

     Blue Fern Studios

          Paper - In the mood, Peaceful

          Chipboard - Butterfly Family, Butterfly 
               Friends

          Embossing Powder - Pink Dust, Blood
               Orange, Coral, Green Ivory

          Flowers - Happy Roses, Apricot Blooms, 
               Apricot Blooms, Heartland Blooms

          Stamps - Fleur Wallpaper

          Seedlings - Meadow, Glass

     Prima

          

          3-D Matte Gel

          Art Stones

   

     Ranger Emboss - It Dabber

     The Crafter's Workshop - Stencil

     From my stash:

           Glass beads

           Modeling Paste

My family is everything to me and makes me happy. Hack and I have been married for forty four years and support each other in many ways. We met while we were students at TCU and he later earned his MBA from Texas A&M University, Commerce.  He is the love of my life and we are devoted to each other. 

I love my children for all they have accomplished, but most of all for the good and responsible people they have become. They have happy, fulfilling lives and enjoy their family and friends! Lee is our firstborn and earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Texas. He works for Patterson Dental and lives here in the DFW area, where he has an active social life. Liz also lives here in the DFW area and earned her Bachelor of Political Science from Texas Tech University. I think Liz was the original “party animal” with dozens of funny stories to tell and a wonderful sense of humor, she is always the life of the party. She works for EMSI. 

Mother keeps us all in line and sets high expectations. She is a spry 97 years young and lives in her beautiful home and still drives. She is very independent.