Girls Night Out

In April I started frequenting Scrap Freak, a great community of creative, positive, and friendly scrappers.  The challenges and classes are so much fun!  Well, May got away from me, so I didn't have the chance to play along :(.  However, I was asked to make a layout for the May online class, and I'd love to share it with you now, end of the month and all.

These are my two youngest sisters, Caitlin and Elizabeth.  They have a great group of friends to hang out with, and this photo is of one of their girls' nights. 

The challenge from my particular portion of the class was to upcycle something.  I had a dress that I loved to wear but had to retire because it got washed with a pen and ended up with ink smears all over it.  I stashed it in my scrap room for some future, unknown use, where it got paint on it somehow.  So what to do?  Make flowers out of it, of course! 

I made rolled fabric flowers and yo-yo's and added lots of blingy brads.  I love the way this turned out - young, fun, and colorful - just like my sisters :).

If you haven't visited Scrap Freak before, it's worth a peek.  I'm planning to have perfect attendance in June!  Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

A Family is Forever

I believe this with every ounce of my being - a family is forever.  In March 2008, our little family visited the Sacramento LDS Temple.  The sun was setting and I was able to capture these images of our shadows cast on the temple walls.  Our family has added one more shadow since then, so I hope to return soon and take a similar photo of all of us.

I based this layout on another fantastic Sketchy Thursdays sketch, and added the trim for a challenge over at Scrapfreak.  I wanted to play with a technique I read about a few weeks ago, so I got a little messy attaching a piece of a sewing pattern as my background.  A little watered-down glue and a paintbrush was all it took, and I really like the result.

I've got a couple of really busy days ahead, so if you don't hear from me soon, don't worry!  I'm just being a typical mom and Etsy shop owner :).  Have a great day! Tessa

5 Things, Right Now

This is a new record for me - four challenges wrapped up in one layout!  I had three sick little boys this last weekend and yesterday, so when the hubby gave me a little time last night to play, I did my best to combine challenges that I wanted to accomplish.

First, this layout is based on the current sketch at Sketchy Thursdays.  I can see myself using this one again and again :).  Next, I based my journaling on the prompt from Who's That Girl.  I hope it's okay that I wasn't super specific with my answers.  Next week I am planning on doing Ali Edward's a Week in the Life project, so I figure I'll get really detailed in that (and yes, I know that's going on this week, but my camera got left at my brother's house and it just wasn't going to work out).

Third, Scrapping the Music found its way into my layout.  I was designing my layout with the lyrics to the current song nearby, and one particular line caught my attention - "living ever after, happily."  I knew that had to be my #5.  Fourth, I used Prima flowers for one of the April embellishment challenges over at Scrapfreak.

Phew!  I really like it, even though it is a departure from my usual scrapping.  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I'm soaking up sunshine today (rain is in the forecast).  I hope you get to enjoy some, too :).  Happy Tuesday! Tessa

Bridesmaids and Sisters

Unfortunately, I just didn't have the time this week to devote to the Spring Challenge Blog Hop that I wanted to.  I did manage to complete one challenge (besides the one for STP that I already had done as a DT member) for Sketchy Thursdays.

Materials Used: cardstock - Best Occasions; paint - Plaid; mist - Tattered Angels; papers, thickers, and fabric paper - American Crafts; buttons - Buttons Galore; thread - DMC; pen - Micron.

I loved the sketch and hope to find time to use it again soon!  I used Dear Lizzy goodies that I got from the Scrapbook Circle April Kit.  FYI - You'll see some other yummy Dear Lizzy in the upcoming Scrapbook Chicks kit, too :).  The flowers are made from the fabric paper - I just removed the adhesive backing and it creased beautifully.  You can find a tutorial for this kind of flower by my friend, Anna, here.

I also used paint and a new glimmer mist, Star Fish, to create my background (check off another embellishment challenge at Scrapfreak).  I took the swirly line motif from the Dear Lizzy "puddle play" paper and stitched it to frame out my photo space.

If you have some Dear Lizzy that you're looking to use, join in on the challenge at the American Crafts blog.  Use at least two items from the line on a layout or card, and you could win a big selection of Dear Lizzy yumminess!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!  Tessa

2nd Chance Challenge - Funny Boy

First, I want to clarify - my son does NOT pick his nose.  He's 11.5 months old and only just discovering his nose :).  With that said, here is my layout for the 2nd chance challenge at Sketchy Thursdays. 

My friend Christie, owner of Scrapbook Chicks, recently challenged herself to do a layout in 15 minutes.  I can't do that, so I set a more realistic goal for myself of 30 minutes.  Not counting the time it took for my mist to dry (picked the kids up from school during that), this took me a little over 20 minutes.  I kept it really simple, and although it may not be as detailed as some of my other layouts, I still really like this one.  I mean, come on, isn't that picture enough?

One of the current embellishment challenges at Scrapfreak is to use alpha stickers.  This masking technique is one of my favorites right now.  You simply lightly apply alpha stickers where you'd like, mist, blot and/or let dry, then carefully remove the stickers.  I like to trace the inside of the letters for added definition.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a WONDERFUL weekend!  Tessa

Love to the Soul

There's a new challenge up at Scrap That Poetry!  The poem is "April" by John Greenleaf Whittier.  The line that spoke to me reads: "The life of the spring-time, the life of the whole, And, as sun to the sleeping earth, love to the soul ."  Spring is love to the soul - I shake off my winter blues, I find new hope in new life, and everything just feels better.  I chose to do my layout about my first spring here in Wyoming, and how spring comes much later here than back home in California.  The photo is of the tree in my yard, just now beginning to bud.

I used papers and embellies from the March and April Scrapbook Circle kits and followed through with a challenge from Scrapfreak to use a combination of monochromatic papers.  I made my little flower embellies by layering scalloped circles, circles, flower punches of vintage paper, and buttons. 

I love how the yellow crackle paint is a big contrast to the blue, blue skies of the photo (which isn't so dark in real life).

I hope you can join us for this challenge!  I loved seeing all the new participants we had last week.  Head on over to STP to see the other DT gals' work, as well as Heidi's Guest Designer layout (fabulous!).  And don't forget - the Spring Challenge Blog Hop is going on over there, too!

Happy Thursday! Tessa

Accessorizing...

The current prompt over at Who's That Girl is about your most distinguishing feature.  I've worn glasses since the 6th grade and am legally blind without them.  I got contacts in high school, which I loved, but about 5 years ago something happened to one of my eyes.  It could have been an infection, it could have been an injury - we don't know.  Three doctors and four types of medication and steroids later, my only option was going back to my glasses.  They couldn't figure out what was going on, so now I wait until the right time for lasik surgery - assuming I'm a good candidate for that.  It's been so long since I've worn contacts that people don't remember what I look like without glasses.  I think these lenses are my most distinguishing feature.

I used the sketch at Sketchy Thursdays and added a little flower center bling to the layout in response to an embellishment challenge at Scrapfreak.  I used some Dear Lizzy paper that I got from the April Scrapbook Circle kit, and American Crafts ribbons that I got from Scrapbook Steals.

I was looking at the Precocious Paper Facebook Fanpage today and found a fan photo from Derinda of Emma Lee's Boutique.  She is one of my favorite customers, and she makes the most adorable hair accessories from my flowers.  Isn't this cute?

Thanks for stopping by.  I really appreciate your comments.  Each one is like a little ray of sunshine in my day.  Happy Wednesday!  Tessa