100% Farm Fresh

This summer I've been challenging myself to shop my stash & use up my scraps more.  In the 14 or so years I've been scrapping, I've accumulated quite a bit. It's been a fun challenge, and I've been super productive in the past few weeks. 

I made this layout of my kiddos at the fair in record time, using mostly scraps.  I started with the blue & yellow striped Chatterbox paper and built my page from there.

100% Farm Fresh Layout:

Details:

Patterned paper: Chatterbox (blue striped); neutral text paper - unknown
Cardstock: Core'dinations
Stamps: Crafty Secrets - Down on the Farm set
Die Cuts: October Afternoon - Flower Sack - Woodland Park collection
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink - Vintage Photo & Tea Dye
Accessories: sanding block - Core'dinations; twill - Stampin' Up; vintage buttons - courtesy of my antique dealer father (thanks, Dad!); embroidery floss - DMC

Wishing you a lovely Thursday!

Hugs,
Marcy

Bunny Love

Do you ever get stuck on a layout because you love the pictures so much that you're afraid you won't do them justice?  Scrapper's block ensues. 

When I get scrapper's block, I try not to push it.  I just put the layout aside until inspiration hits.  That's what happened with this layout.  I matted and adhered all of the photos at a crop retreat, but when I brought it home to embellish - I got stuck.  Inspiration hit when I purchased some embellies from October Afternoon's Woodland Park collection.  It has these sweet little bunnies in it.  Although my layout didn't have any blue in it, I was able to incorporate some in my doodling & journaling as well as the swirl from Anna Griffin to tie it all together. 

Bunny Love Layout - page one:

Details:
Patterned paper: DCWV - Nana's Nursery
Cardstock: Bazzill & Core'dinations
Glitter letter stickers & swirl: Anna Griffin
Other embellishments: October Afternoon - Woodland Park

Bunny Love Layout - page two:

Details: 

Patterned paper: DCWV - Nana's Nursery
Cardstock: Bazzill & Core'dinations
Journaling tag: Anna Griffin

Other embellishments: October Afternoon - Woodland Park
Marker: Stampin' Up!
Foam dimensionals: Darice

Have a great Monday!

Hugs,
Marcy

Crafty Secrets Thank You Cards

After all these years, I am still in (big "L") LOVE with my Crafty Secrets stamps.  They are such a fabulous company, and Sandy, the owner, works really hard to bring her customers fantastic products.

They've developed a wonderful line of digital images on CDs.  As soon as I'm able, I'm going to invest in a decent printer, so I can play with them.  In the meantime, I am very content with my CS Clear Art Stamps, Creative Scraps, and Image & Journal Notes booklets.  If you love their stuff as much as I do, make sure to stop by their new online store.  They're having a sale!

Here are a couple of cards I made recently using Crafty Secrets stamps.

A thank you card for my daughter's teacher:

Details:
Stamps: Crafty Secrets - Story of Me set; Stampin' Up - Apothecary Art (sentiment)
Patterned paper: October Afternoon - text paper; Making Memories (background papers, bookplate, & frame)
Cardstock: Gina K Designs (ivory)
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink - Tea Dye
Markers: Copic Sketch
Brads: Making Memories


This card is for a family friend, who surprised us with an amazing watercolor portrait of my daughter.  Shannon is on the archery team at school.  So Lisa painted her in a medieval Ireland setting shooting a longbow.  My heart leaped when I saw it.

Details:
Stamps: Crafty Secrets - All Dolled Up set; Stampin' Up! - Friendly Phrases (sentiment)
Patterned Paper: K&Company - Carolyn Gavin
Cardstock: Core'dinations (red & yellow); Gina K Designs (ivory)
Ink: Ranger - Adirondack Ink - Espresso & Distress Ink - Tea Dye
Die Cuts: October Afternoon - Sidewalks
Ribbon: Stampin' Up

Thank YOU for stopping by today!

Hugs,
Marcy

Get Well Swing Card

Our school secretary had surgery last week, and she's in for an 8-week or so recovery at home now.  Hope this card helps bring some cheer to her day.

This is the first time I've made a card using Green Sneaker's Action Card Templates.  Splitcoast Stampers has been showing them as a featured product lately. So far, I love them!  They are fairly simple & easy to use, and if you have trouble following the written directions, they have great instructional videos on YouTube.

Here's the front of my card:

And here's the inside part of the swing panel:

Details:
Stamps: Crafty Secrets - Feeling Yucky stamp set
Patterned paper: BoBunny Press
Cardstock: Core'dinations (yellow) & Gina K Designs (white)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Markers: Copic Sketch
Accessories: ribbon - Stampin' Up!; vintage button; floss - DMC; chalk - Pebbles Inc.; glitter glue - Stickles - Waterfall

Thanks for stopping by today!

Hugs,
Marcy

Teacher's Pet

My 10-year-old daughter definitely has a way with animals.  Typically shy with people, she is never timid around four-legged, furry critters.  So when her teacher announced that they were getting a class pet, Shannon immediately volunteered to help take care him.  I'm so thankful that her teacher snapped this picture of Shannon & Freddy, the class guinea pig.

Details:

Cricut cartridge: Four Legged Friends (I know; it's a hamster.  It's the closest thing I had to a guinea pig.)
Patterned paper: Carolyn Gavin - K&Company
Cardstock: Coredinations; Bazzill (light blue)
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink - Faded Jeans
Chalk: Pebbles Inc.
Brads: Making Memories
Letter Stickers: Chatterbox

Shannon doesn't know it yet, but Freddy's coming to stay with us for a week at the end of the month, while her teacher is away.  Then the balance of power will have shifted at our house.  There will be more four-legged creatures in residence than two-legged ones.  Good thing it's only for a week! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,
Marcy

School Picture Layouts

Boy, oh boy - this school year just flew by!  We had such a crazy, busy year with lots of school projects, teacher changes, a new class pet, archery team, a class play, and the annual auction.  It was really fun, but I think we're all ready for the slower pace of summer. 

I've been making the most of my free time already.  It's nice to be in the craft room without a specific project that has to be done.  Last week I spent a lot of time scrapping and watching mercytiara's process videos on YouTube.  I just love her style, and her narrated videos are so inspirational.  If you haven't discovered her yet, go check her out - she's fabulous!

So here are a couple layouts I made of my kids' school photos.  Shannon's is less school themed because it's more about her being at that funny, transitional tween age.  I liked incorporating the butterflies in hers.  They symbolize change, and I think, the triumph of successfully coming through that awkward stage. 

Shannon's 4th Grade Layout:

Details:
Ha!  Looking back on this, I think just about everything I used was K&Company - the patterned paper, the butterflies, the phrases, the post card, except for:
Lace Screen Print Border - Hambly Studios
Cafe Au Lait Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels
Chalk Ink - Martha Stewart
Marker - Sharpie
Vintage-style Brad - Stampin' Up
Foam Dimensionals - Darice


Ronan's 2nd Grade Layout:

Details:

Patterned paper & red tag: Foofala
Stamps: See D's
Washi tape: Recollections
Journaling tag: Jenni Bowlin
Cardstock - K&Company
Brad - Making Memories
Ink - Black Soot - Ranger Distress Ink
Marker - Stampin' Up!


Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,
Marcy