Arrr Matey, It's a Pirate Halloween

Check out my post today over on the Cutters Creek blog!  It gives lot of details on this cute layout:

 

Additional items used not listed on the CC blog entry:

• Martha Stewart Drippy Goo punch
• Stampin' Up! Notebook Edge punch
• My Mind's Eye pattern papers from The Spider's Web line (thanks to Kelly Deal @ Flowers to Flourishes for this great paper pack!)
• Daisy D's red polka dot paper from Baby Boy pack
• pirate stamps are from Close To My Heart, discontinued
• I-rock and gold nailheads, Imaginisce

Summer Flashback

Summer may be over, but most of us still have plenty of pictures to scrap. (Mine are from 2006!)  So here's a little Summer flashback to help you out!

I used a few tricks to get as many pictures as possible all in one place, but if you have fewer, this main layout is easy to replicate.  Some of my papers are discontinued, but you'll want to substitute what matches your photos.

My Cricut cuts are made with Everyday Paper Dolls, Paper Doll Dress Up and Life Is A Beach, and I inked the edges of all the cardstock pieces with matching ink to add depth.  I created the title using the alphabet on Life Is A Beach and my Gypsy to weld it all together.  The elephant is from p. 75 of EPD, and his water spray is multiple cuts of the raindrops on p. 42.  The sun is from p.40 of EPD, and the water and grass are both from p. 77.

But wait, there's more!  Here's a simple way to get a few more pictures on your page:

An accordion fold mini album is a great way to add a few more pictures.  I simply cut a strip of CS the width of my photos, and scored it the same size.  There are several ways to keep your album closed on your page, the easiest of which is just using a photo turn or large brad to slide an edge under.  I chose to use a D-ring type closure, like we all had on our belts in the 70's.  Be sure to cut away the sheet protector around the mini-album so it can be opened.

But wait, there's even more!  I had a LOT of pictures, so I added some Flip Flaps sheet protectors to my layout:

 Note: I haven't added my journaling yet (it sometimes takes a while for me!), so that's what the blank places are for.  The palm trees are cut from p. 42 of PDDU.  As an alternative, there are a couple more on LIAB, I just liked this one best for this LO.  The octopus border is from p.54 of LIAB.

Supplies from Cutters Creek:

• Cricut Expression
• Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge
• Life Is A Beach cartridge
• Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge

Supplies from Close To My Heart:

• cardstock & matching inks
• White Daisy mini-medley
• Spring Blossom mini-medley
• White Daisy Ribbon
• 12" Flip Flaps assortment

First Day of School Layout

This is my project over at the Cutters Creek blog today.  There are several design team members, so be sure to head over there and see what everyone else is up to!

Call me strange, but I just love the first day of school!  To me, it always feels more like a new year than New Year's Day does.  I've always loved the smell of new clothes and new school supplies, and the hint of Fall to come (my favorite season).  I also love seeing the changes in my kids from year to year, so this was an especially fun layout for me.

I notice it's a little hard to see in the photo, but that American Crafts glitter paper really makes this layout pop.  And by creating a visual triangle with my glitter paper, it's very pleasing to the eye.  You can get SO many projects from each sheet of this fabulous paper since it's so eye-catching. 

My super cute title and paper pieced school are cut with my Cricut using the Locker Talk cartridge.  If you scrap kids or grandkids, this cartridge is a must-have!  There is everything from preschool to high school, playground to driver's license on here and you are sure to get your money's worth from it.  The title is cut at 3.25" and the school is cut at 2.5".  The extra apples were cut using the layer from the title, at 2.5", and I hand cut the leaves to match.

I also used the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge to create the scalloped photo border, using my Gypsy to get it sized the way I wanted.  I used the same technique along with Everyday Paper Dolls to create my walking trail using the Blackout feature with the road design.  Combining pieces from different cartridges is a great way to personalize your designs.  My kids walk to school for the first few years, and we use the walking trail behind our house to get there.  Years down the road, it will jog their memories of walking to school by adding this feature to my layout even though it isn't in this set of pictures.  Think about these types of things when planning your cuts, and don't feel you have to stick with what's included in a single cartridge.

The patterned paper & CS is from my stash.

Items available at Cutters Creek:

• Cricut Expression
• Cricut Gypsy
• Locker Talk Cartridge
• Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge
• American Crafts Glitter Paper, Rouge