Winner of My 1Year Anniversary Blog Candy!!!

And the winner is.............Jessica she said "I can't narrow is down-so I'm gonna tell you a few...and so many great ideas for organizing & saving money on scrappin supplies! Congrats Jessica from Paper Tales as soon as you email me your mailing address - I will get your blog candy out to you. my email is debbiebakk@comcast.net

I will be added a few more items to the above blog candy for Jessica. Well I wanted to Thank all of you who have visited my Frugal Fridays blog from time to time- which I have been posting every week for 1 year and Ihave truly enjoyed sharing alot of my tips whether it be saving money-saving time or organizing ideas. But, I am going to take a break for awhile and start coming up with some more ideas and just posting them from time to time- so I hope you stop and check out my blog once in awhile and say Hi. If you see a great tip that you like -let me know- I always love money saving and organization tips and tools. Happy Scrappin!

We are Family

Here is my take for Sketches in Thyme #45 and finally I'ts one of my layouts for my scrapbook- since I've already done 4 other similar ones for all of my kids books.

I thought this sketch was interesting it reminded me of an envelope- so I had to give it a try a little different and I like how it turned out for my book. I started with a lavendar shimmer cardstock and stamped with a large wood word saying in a lavendar ink all over background. Used a purple floral design by lily beedesign, and some cardstock for mat of photos. Made the banner by stamping with Hero Arts flag stamp in lavendar and then heat embossed in black the letters for the title "We are Family"then added a teal/white twine to them. other marterials used were distressing tool, 3 silk bows with pearls, colored paper flowers with rhinestones, and teal ribbon on the photos.

Just Married

Here is a 2 page layout I did the tonight- its a sketch from Sketchy Thursdays last week- but I didn't get it done ontime for the challenge but I thought I would post it anyway. My life has been a little preoccupied with some personal events going on and haven't had much time to scrap. I used The Paper Studio- Boho Chic, My Minds Eye and white and lavendar cardstock for the papers. Stamped the butterflies on paper and cut them out and colored them with Glittering gel ink, cut out the flourishes from felt emboss designer scrap papers, Webster Pages for the journal spots, Cricut cut for the title. Other embellies used were:K &Company border strip,felt ribbon,Maya Road calendar,inks,sequions, sticker rhinestones(prisms), and aMaking Memories cloth brad button. This 2 page layout is for my Son Eric's scrapbook-he is the one in the black suit- "blondie"

Live Love Laugh- DT layout

Simple but sweet- just like my hubby....this is my take on the sketch over at Frosted Designs- Sketch Along Tuedays #13 designed by Debbie (not me the other Debbie) which was a wonderful one to work with. I kept this layout simple because it represents my hubby so well- the simplier the better is his motto, and  so I titled it  "Live-Love and Laugh".

Materials used were: Papers by Memory Box and Amanda Blu & Co., black and white cardstock. Title and frame cut from Cricut cartridges Home Accents along with my Gypsy (I love my Gypsy-can't live without her) K&Company sticker glitter swirls and a border strip (on left) and chalked the background of frame in a soft grey. Embellishments and bling used:  Stickles, black rhinestone, prism look stickers, a decorative brad and plain white Prima flowers sprayed lightly with Tattered Angel Mists in 3 colors and some white paper with rhinestones  flowers from my stash. I then added a few black dots with a marker to the middle flower to spruce it up a bit.

Did I mention this is my husband's favorite color BLUE so this is a monocromatic layout , I doodled or drew black stitch lines around the inside border and the butterflies are cut from a K&Compnay border strip and added on with pop dots 

So glad you stopped by to see my layout today and hopefully you to will give this sketch challenge a try and enter for some wonderful prizes from our April sponsor Sweet Peach Crop Shop over at Frosted Designs, be sure to check out the Friday weekly challenges also.

The Paper Variety Challenge

Here is my take for the challenge ovear at The Paper Variety this week. Another photo of my daughter and her boyfriend at my cousin's wedding a few years back. I pulled out the peach colors of her dress in the paper choices and hand cut out some flowers and adding stickles for some bling.

Reflect

Here is my take for the May Guest Design Team Challenge at Sketchy Thursdays...they asked you to get a bit artistic with this sketch of theirs this month. And that I did. I started with a piece of grey textured cardstock and a few colors of acrylic paint (4) and painted my own background design. Then I stamped in white paint the little starburst circles over the painted area. Then with some large clear Alpha stamps I added the title to the bottom and outlined with a maroon marker.

 I handmade the accordian flowers and added two punched cirles with a stamped image to the top of them. I also painted a white mat on the photo and a few journal spots - I'm really happy how this page turned out for my son's scrapbook-no flowers -so to say for his page. Just some paint that looks like it is reflecting off of the photo.

Welcome to Frugal Fridays #50

Well another week has gone by and the weather is getting a bit nicer -It actually feels a little like Spring! This weeks Frugal Friday tip is all about INKS...and we probably have alot of those in our scrapbook room/stash. But sometimes it hard to determine which is the right ink to use on the surface we are working with. So I will give you a quick little reference list on all the different Inks.

Chalks: use on paper it dries with a soft look and great for inking edges, and shorter drying time.
Pigment: use on thicker paper for a clean image and stays wet longer. also good to apply powder for heat embossing, available in a variety of vibrant colors.
Solvent: use on slick surfaces or under wet media and leaves a crisp image. Great to use on photos, transparencies and acrylic. And will not bleed when the wet medium is brushed over stamped image (Staz-On)
VersaMark: is a clear ink to use then brush powder or
                                                                 chalks to have the image appear. A tone on tone                  
                                                                 look on darker papers and ideal for heat embossing also.
                                                                 Distress: dye-based-dries quickly and gives an antique look
                                                                 great for inking edges and accents.
                                                                 Dye:  Available in a wide array of colors-dries quickly and less
                                                                 likely to smear and cannot be heat embossed.

I found this reference sheet which is in my top photo in one of my Archiver flyers and found it to be very helpful in choosing the right inks with my projects. So I taped it up where I can easily go to it for reference. Also its a good idea to store your inks upside down to keep the ink at the surface of the pad for best stamping. And after stamping, clean your stamps quickly by wiping it with a them with a baby wipe.

Be sure to enter your comment on your favorite tip from any of my Frugal Friday  to have the chance to win my 1 year Anniversary BLOG CANDY.  See my side bar (top) for the original posting of this blog candy and enter by April 27th to be in on the drawing....the blog candy is picked by YOU. I will be adding to my candy during the next two weeks as I read your comments on which was your favorite - and if I am able -depending on top I will add these items to the BLOG CANDY- so why not check this out today.

 To see all my Frugal Friday posts - go to my labels

layout titled "SHINE"

This is another wonderful sketch #151 from Creative Scrappers that I did as soon as they posted it on Sunday- I knew right away what photos to use- and this layout is for my son who is dressed in the maroon shirt- so guess what colors of papers I pulled out?  Your right Maroon- misc papers from my stash with no company name- so they are pretty old but worked well with these photos.

 I also handmade the accordian flowers added some 2 toned teal and white twine on them and then made a matching banner with the titled "Shine" on the punched out circle with pop dots. I stamped in Distress Ink- victorian velvet some circle do-dad looking shapes all over the background and hand drew stitch lines all around the border of layout. The new Challenge over at Frosted Designs this Friday  is to do a project with hand made embellishments- so I will be adding this to the DT inspiration projects. Be sure to go check out Frosted Designs for all there wonderful challenges and the upcoming Blog Hop on May 6-8th.

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Let's Capture These Sketches #76

 Don't ya just love all the purple flowers in this layout- I do. And I love when I get all my four children together and can take photos of them having a great time together- great memories for me and them.I pulled out the color purple since this is for my daughter's scrapbook who is in the lavendar dress-and the colors in the photo.
This sketch over at Let's Capture these Sketches #76 was perfect for my one vertical picture.  Papers used were:  DCWV textured lavendar cardstock, Crate Paper- lilac floral- 2 sided (teal), Webster Pages vellum die cuts, and purple cardstock which I chalked with white to tone it down a bit and then used a Recollections border punch around it.
I used another Recollections xxx border punch around the 12 x 12 layout, silk flowers from a store bought bunch -seperated and added purple stickles to the center of them. Lavendar ribbon, K & Company border strip swirls inked moss green and green glitter added, and a few K&Company white and pink sticker flowers-then last added some misc puffy sticker butterflies. I forgot to journal on this before I took a pic of it the other day- so I'll have to go back and do that this week.
 I titled this layout "Family Love" which was cut from a Webster Page vellum die cut- I put at the top left corner of photo.

Beautiful Girls- my 2 daughters and cousin

I just loved how this page turned out and I used the sketch from Sketchabilities #44. And titled it "Beautiful Girls" which they all are. Taken at a family wedding in 2005 my 2 daughters and my cousin(middle picture) who was one of the bridesmaids, the bride and groom with the bridesmaids (left pic) and of course the beautiful Bride with her father (right circle photo) They all looked so lovely on this beautiful July day.

 Materials used: K&Company papers, Distress Inks- victorian velvet, Thickers for title, Inkadinkado swirls stamps in black ink ,rhinestones, chipboard from stash, Martha Stewart markers, white course glitter on top of handmade flowers, Recollections border punch, white satin ribbon, and white & green cardstock for mats and leaves.

I made the flowers from paper towels which I cut with my cuttlebug and used Tattered Angel mists on and dipped them in course white glitter and added a pearl to center. hand cut the leaves and inked and drew stems on them. This was the perfect sketch for these photos that I worked on this weekend- I was scrapping away on these wedding photos.

The Scrappiest challenge "Cherish"

Another simple but nice layout I did this weekend for my daughters book( she is the one dressed in the lavendar dress). I used Deja Views purple floral background, The Paper Studio grey with swirls and My Mind's Eye paper and for cut out flowers. Martha Stewart border punch, lilac ink, chipboard for title "Cherish" from my stash and pop dots. So I will be applying this to Sassy Lil Sketches this week for their sketch challenge.

Special Moments

Sassy Lil Sketches has this great 3 picture sketch to work with this week and since I have so many of the same pictures that I'm working with for all 4 of my kids albums this is working great for me to get alot of scrapping done this weekend.

This was a fairly simple layout and I used up some of my scraps and some older chipboard pieces in my stash. I used a textured lavendar cardstock and inked the edges in lilac, added some thin lavendar ribbon and then used my Cuttlebug to cut and emboss the butterflies- with a few added rhinestones and some Stickles in purple.

Twisted Sketches #95

The other day I posted a layout for Creative Scrappers #150 and this is the 2nd page of the two page layout I did, but used the sketch from Twisted Sketches#95 and used all the same papers and embellishments and it turned out very nice for my daughter's scrapbook ( the one in the lavendar dress) You will be seeing alot of the same photos- because I have 5 books that I will be doing layouts for- but love all the sketch challenges out there- so they will be all different.

 I will be also applying this layout too Scrapbookers Anonymous for using more than 23 eyelets which there is 31 on this page and Practical Scrappers for using a decorative pin which I have 2 here that I made with some decorative purple and teal beads that I had to go with the color scheme.

 Materials used were: Papers by Paper Pizazz, Autumn Aubergine, Memory Box, Mmably Screen print. K&Company border strips, eyelets, twine, variety of silk flowers, Stickles in 4 colors, brads, chalks, distressing tool by TH, Staz-On ink, stamps, Karen Foster's scrappers floss in lime green ,decorative edger scissors.  and 2 decorative pins.

Welcome to Frugal Fridays #49

     Well it's finally getting a bit warmer outside here- it's been a long winter and I'm looking forward to some spring days ahead.
 My quick little tip for the week is to use the front covers of your paper stacks, instead of just throwing them away.
     I don't know about you, but I have about 20 or more of these paper stacks and they all look so pretty, which is what gets my attention in the store to buy them (paper addiction). So why not use them also when your doing your layouts or cards. You can use punches to make small embellishments such as flowers or buttons, or even just cut out the squares as they are on the covers. Some of them actually are like templates that you can use- example is the snowflake or the floral cut out. If you dont use them for there decorative aspects...another use is to use the front & back covers as table covers when you stamp or use glitter or whatever to keep your area clean from messes. These covers are usually a bit thicker like a then chipboard so they have a bit of dimension and some are even embossed which is great for using as embellishments. So go look thru your paper stacks and see whats hiding- that you can re-use and be creative with your projects.
     I will be having some blog candy posted on my blog today also- so be sure to check it out and leave a comment in the next two weeks- about which was one of your favorite Frugal Fridays ( that I have posted in the past 50 weeks) and have a chance to win some of my handmade doiley flowers that seemed to be a big hit when I posted them a few weeks ago. Enjoy the spring weather!!!

Live in full color

Here is my take on the sketch over at Creative Scrappers #150- wow ( I remember the first sketch I did was #99) I just love and look forward to there sketch challenges weekly. I will also be applying this to Scrapbookers Anonymous to use your eyelet stash up and on this page there is 31 of them in blue and lavendar. This photo is of my family when we attended my cousins wedding back in 2005 in Kenosha at the Park Gardens on Lake Michigan and it was a beautiful sunny day.

 It's hard to tell but I used an screen print overlay on the top half and attachedthe eyelets on top and on the bottom but more eyelets and tied turquoise twine in between them- also made two decorative pins which are on the left side of the page with some more twine tied in bows on them

 Materials used were: Papers bys Paper Pizazz, Autumn Aubergine, Memory Box, And Mambly screen print acetate. K&Company border strips, blue and lavendar eyelets, twine, variety of silk flowers, button eyelets, stamps for journal tag and title, Staz-On black ink, Stickles in Diamond-Cotton Candy-purple-  and teal. Some Scrappers Floss by Karen Foster in lime green and my two handmade Decorative pins with blue and purple beads.

We never Walk Alone

     Our two lovable-adorable Eskies are by our side all the time-especially if we go for a walk they just love it and so do we. These photos were taken on my Mother's property ( on a mountain top in the Ozarks) in Arkansas when we went to visit her at Thanksgiving in 2010.
     This is my DT layout for sketch #12 designed by Diana at Sketch Along Tuesdays at Frosted Designs. I used Basic Grey paper for the green floral background and laid a screen print over that by Mambly which has little brown dots and a floral print on the top half. Making Memories, Basic Grey and misc papers for the rest. Inks in browns, teal blue, moss green for distressing and Staz-On black for stamping swirl flourishes on the acetate. Crimped some paper for the border and K&Company sticker border in brown. The butterflies that are fluttering across the top of the page and few scattered at the bottom half  were cut from a K&Company border strip and added with pop dots.

I stamped the title on with Staz-On ink black then used acrylic white paint and a very fine brush and painted over the top of the stamped letter for my title "We never Walk Alone". Then my large floral embellishment- I crocheted 2 floral like doilies in tan and green and added 3 buttons and thread then stuck two decorative pins in the center and glued on with Yes paste.
     I just love the colors in this  layout- they go so well with the fall colors in the photos. So stop on by Frosted Designs for the new sketch and check out our sponsor for the month of April - Sweet Peach Crop Shop and give this sketch a try and lets us see what you create and link by April 18th.

Think your seeing double-Same photo different sketch-

Here is another layout using the same photo as yesterday of my daughter and my cousin- but this sketch is from Sketchy Thursday and this page is for my scrapbook. I used all the same papers by My Mind's Eye, K&Company white cardstock and a dark blue grey cardstock for background.

     Also a K&Company border strip, decorative edge scissors, red lacey ribbon, floral punches, 4 gold circle do-dads and 37 gold and cream eyelets, which will qualify this layout for the challenge in April at Scrapbookers Anonymous to use 23 or more eyelets on a project/layout this month. If you look closely I have placed 27 them all around the photo, in the 3 flower embellishments, and 7 of them in cream on the journal tag. I used pop dots to raise the photo for more dimension which doesn't show well in these pics. So, again this layout will be applied toward Sketchy Thursdays and Scrapbookers Anonymous this week.   Thought this was a great challenge to get out our stash and put them to good use-which otherwise would be forgotten.  

My Cousin- layout #149 Creative Scrappers

Here is my take for the sketch #149 at Creative Scrappers this week. It's a photo of my oldest daughter and my first cousin Daniel in uniform- which makes them 2nd cousins- yet there are the same age. My cousin in in his uniform while standing up in his sister's wedding in 2005 and he looked so handsome. I'm so glad I took this photo-but  wish I had taken some more with other family members.
                                                         
 I used My Mind's Ey , K&Company papers, brown and white cardstock. Ttitle used gold letter brads, machine stitched around full page and on the patchwork squares and on striped paper, decorative circle brads, made a journal spot in top left corner and inked edges, added a metal plate for Daniels name and tied on decorative fibers.

Bling, Bling and more Bling!!!

 I had so much fun making these cute picture frames for my son's girlfriend a few weeks ago - she's was crowned  "Queen" Miss Antioch and she wanted me to come up with a few cute little gifts to give to the Jr. Miss and Little Miss Antioch at a ceremony. So I thought that pink and bling was just right for this project. I bought the wooden frames at Micheal's for a $1.00 each and painted them in a bright pink-with a few scattered dots of light pink and white.























click on for enlargement

  Then with misc scraps that I found which had pink& white colors -I stamped with 5 different designs of flowers in black ink and them cut them all out individually (which took a bit of time to do) then glued them on in no certain pattern and added stickles all over them and a few rhinestones in the middle of the smaller flowers . The other few embellies that I added to the frame were some stamps that I found of a -high heel,  purse and the state of Illinois and cut them out add placed on frame. The Title- Queen and the Crowns were Cricut cuts and added  a red heart gem & rhinestones and a bit of more bling with Stickles.

 There is so much bling on these that if the light hits it right  it is blinding!!! It was hard to take pictures with out the glare-but I finally managed-but it doesn't show off that well - But the girls just loved them. These were so inexpensive to make and I used alot of my scraps up-it waas just a little bit of my time-but well worth it.

The challenge over at Frosted Designs this week is...BLING...so this is so easy to do. Let's see what you can come up with and enter for some fabulous prizes this week.

Welcome to Frugal Fridays #48

Distressing -that's what it's all about! The popular technique to do on a layout or a paper project is to do lots of distressing and its easy to do. And you probably have alot of tools right in your home right now. Does your husband have some sandpaper in the garage? Do you have an emory board in your bathroom drawer? Well that is a great start...some other items could be that old wire brush to scrap of the grill with- or that steel wool might work pretty good also. My husband was a carpentar (now retired) but had several of these 3M sanding blocks left over in the garage and I snatched them up, and of course there is the Tim Holtz's distressing tool which can be purchased for about $7.00.  But, all these other items work just as well and are fairly cheap to purchase if you don't already have them. And don't forget the simple ways of distressing with inks, and sprays. So have fun distressing those layouts this week and I'll see you next friday for one of my last Frugal Friday tips and possibly some blog candy to win also.     Happy April Fool's Day!!!!