Don't leave anything alone ;P

Why leave something alone when you can spend 2 minutes to alter it and make it better?

Natalie here :) I can't leave anything alone when I think I can make it prettier, more organized, more functional, or original for me.

This is short and sweet, and doesn't really need any instruction.

I found a little calender/planner at JoAnn's for .50 cents... (I bought 3 cause I had this idea instantly.) (They also had lots of great buttons on clearance/discontinued... might be worth knowing.)

I removed the puppy planner from it's clear plastic cover (like a check book cover) and I used double sided tape to attach beautiful paper over the puppies. (I have a thing for green)

I then trimmed the paper neatly and slid the new planner back into the plastic cover.

Big difference, and now I want to use it!

Plus... I don't like my stuff to have words on the front telling me what it is. Ya I might need that information when I'm looking to buy it, but from that point after... I know what it is.

Happy Altering :P

Blog Hop #2!

Hey everyone! We're having another inspirational blog hop today! C'mon and join in on the fun! You're sure to come away inspired to create something today!

Okay, here's the hopping order and the links:

1. Dee www.adashofdee.blogspot.com
2. Sheri (Fink) http://www.finkshappenings.blogspot.com
3. Library Bunny http://thumpster73.blogspot.com
4. ICutthescrap http://icutthescrap.blogspot.com/
5. Megan (Stampin’ Meg) http://www.peacockpaperie.blogspot.com/
6. Karen (Kpinsonat) http://www.fishingforscraps.blogspot.com/
7. Natalie http://www.getscatty.blogspot.com
8. Andrea http://imlivinonscraps.blogspot.com/
9. Charlene www.scrappinchar.blogspot.com
10. Tara http://purpleprincesstara.blogspot.com/
11. Teri http://terisplace.wordpress.com
12. Robyn www.herebygrace.typepad.com

*Be sure to leave comments because there's lots of candy involved! Hugs and see you there!

Outta This Funk Blog Hop!

Hello funkettes, we would like to welcome you to our blog hop! We have lots of people participating, and would love you to "Blop" on over and give us all a visit! Here is a little secret- if you leave a comment on every single person's blog involved in the hop, there will be a drawing for a nice little RAK! And if you are the only one that left a comment on every persons blog-- then there will only be one name in the hat huh? ;D I know some of the other gals are offering their own RAK's, so be sure and visit.
We want to share all the talent we have on our "ning" site, so everyone in the hop has posted a little eye candy to give you some inspiration, and hopefully a few ideas on some things you can incorporate into your own works of art. So without further adu we are sending you to Chris's Blog to start you off. Happy "blopping"! http://www.thoughtswithchris.blogspot.com/


If in your travels you find someone that forgot to post their hop, you can come here and find the next person in line. (just highlight, copy and paste the url in yoru browser) that way you can get to everyone. Have fun!

1. Chris: http://www.thoughtswithchris.blogspot.com/
2. Dee: http://www.adashofdee.blogspot.com/
3. Meg: http://peacockpaperie.blogspot.com/
4. Jen: http://scrappingnichols.blogspot.com
5. Nancy: http://anothermdcrabbie.blogspot.com/
6. Ashjoy: http://1Ashjoyl.blogspot.com
7. Sara (Library Bunny): http://thumpster73.blogspot.com
8. Teri: http://terisplace.wordpress.com
9. Joy: http://www.joyhager.blogspot.com/
10. Suzanne: http://whatsinalousyananut.blogspot.com/
11. Andrea: http://imlivinonscraps.blogspot.com/
12. Charlene: http://scrappinchar.blogspot.com
13. Karen: http://www.fishingforscraps.blogspot.com/
14. Wendy: http://www.paperinkandsmiles.blogspot.com/
15. Shellie: http://shellieh98.blogspot.com
16. icutthescrap: http://icutthescrap.blogspot.com/
17. Brenda: http://www.brendasscrappyblog.blogspot.com/
18. Becki: http://ckmommy.blogspot.com/
19. Sheri: http://www.finkshappenings.blogspot.com/
20. Sally Lynn: http://www.inkyheart.typepad.com
21. Tara: http://purpleprincesstara.blogspot.com/
22. Heather: http://heathercarpenter-organizedchaos.blogspot.com
23. Natalie: http://getscatty.blogspot.com/
24. Regina: http://www.reginaeaster.blogspot.com/
25. Robyn: http://www.herebygrace.typepad.com

Photo Albums Revisited

Hello, Natalie here. I have a fun idea that gets an event scrapped without all the time and expense... with just as much fun. This is great for those of us that want to accomplish more than we should expect to... I might just be doing this more and more since I find it so enjoyable.


Ever given a photo album by someone who knows you love photography and scrapbooking? I have. I used to get disappointed; thinking, what a shame I won't be using this... but now I see it as a fun project with just enough challenge to excite. Sure opening them you just see 4x6 slots looking very uninspiring, but since so many people print 4x6 photos, and it's easy to have them done quickly, this is a no-brainer for many people, but it felt like a light bulb moment for me :)

I started by deciding what was going into my photo album, and made me a mini title page. This took like 10 minutes! That's a die cut fish I had left over from a fishing page I did at a crop. (not my die)

Then I stuck in some photos, and cut some paper to fit.

I had a few photos I'd printed at home, and one 4x6, stuck in a piece of BG to journal on later, and moved right along.

While a passenger in the car, I wrote up some details about fishing on some 3x5 cards and scrap paper, these I will type up later and print them. If I hadn't been in a moving car I could have just written it to use. When I print it up, I will either matt it on scrapbook paper, or print it to cut out at 4x6.

It's crazy how fast an album builds when you're slotting photos into place, and leaving slots to tell the story. I have 2 events I'm still trying to finish large scrapbooks for... now I'm wishing I'd started them this way... I'd be done by now.

The big plus for me doing it this way -I'm not compelled to find ways to embellish each page.

~That's so liberating!

Maybe try this the next time you want to scrap an event and feel you have no time for it :)

Calendar Gift Bag

Jen here! I just wanted to share this bag that I made for my girlfriend's birthday. I just loved being able to personalize it with her birthdate...that was the first thing she noticed when I gave it to her! LOL!!!! I filled it up with some small cardmaking supplies. The bag was made with my cricut and I got the calendar stamp from The Cutting Cafe.

Just Frame It!

Have you ever used a frame on your cards and layouts? If you haven't I strongly suggest you do. It adds such texture and interest to your photos! Shellie issued this challenge to our guest designers. The challenge was to use a frame on a project. Here are some projects our guest designers have done using frames that I'm sure will inspire you!

Megan Peacock

Sara Repinski

Robyn Weatherspoon

Natalie GowardHave a wonderful week!

Quick Valentine Gift Idea

Just sharing a quick and easy last-minute Valentine's Day gift idea! Create a candle wrap with cardstock and patterned papers... Embellish with stickers, flowers, brads, rub-ons (whatever your little heart desires) and voila...quick and cute gift for your loved ones!

Check out the BoBunny Blog for more ideas!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hugs,

Dee

A little something

Morning everyone!!

Here's a little paper bag I created and used a stamped saying for the embellishment on the front.  It could be filled with a little gift or some baked goodies.

So easy & so fun to make!!  A great little valentine's project too.

Have a great day!!!

Cari

Another stamped card

Hi y'all!
Teri here.
Here's my take on the challenge to make something with a stamp or two.
The images are from HappyLittleStamps.etsy.com. The papers are from Making Memories and Crate Paper.
Have a great day!

Stamping Two Ways

Jen here...I love this new face stamp I bought recently. I keep trying to find more ways to use it. So here's two uses I've come up with... on an ATC for my background and over patterned paper for this card.

Here's mine

Wonderful job ladies! so inspiring. :D Here's mine. I used stamping ink to color the butterfly, then I stamped the design on it. Then I covered it in glitter. I also used a thanks alot stamp. The circle sentiment is a rubon. tfl.

Stamping Anyone?

Since we have such wonderful guest designers we're trying to challenge them in as many ways as possible! This assignment comes from the amazing Teri Anderson! Now, we all know how Teri loves stamping, so show her what you've got!

Here is the assignment: Complete a layout, card, or altered item where you use stamps!

Suzanne Austin

Kristy Cox

Meghan Peacock

Danni Reid

Sara Repinski

Robyn Weatherspoon

Absolutely gorgeous work ladies! I know there are a lot of people who are intimidated my using stamps, but after seeing these beautiful creations you've got to at least give it a try!

I don't know about you, but I'm inspired!

Color Challenge!

Hey everyone! Robyn here! I decided to give our guest designers a color challenge to see what amazing projects they could come up with sticking to the same color palette! Well, they definitely rose to the challenge! All I asked for them to do was to create a layout, card, or altered item using this color combination: So check out these fabulous projects!

Danni Reid

Kristy Cox

Sara Repinski

Toni Boucha

Meghan Peacock

Suzanne Austin

Natalie Goward

Robyn Weatherspoon
What did I tell you? Fabulous, right? I loved these colors so much I did it too! How about you? Have you ever done any color challenges? If so, link us up so we can be inspired by you!

Getting Myself out of my own Funk!

I hadn't scrapped a layout in months...since September to be exact! I've been in a card making mode and couldn't seem to scrap a layout for the life of me. It was definitely a creative block! It took some doing, but after being inspired by a New Year's Cropping Challenge, I managed to pull this layout out of me. This was for a sketch challenge over at Creative Xpress. Sometimes just forcing yourself to do something helps you get past your scrapping block.