Not So Happy Holiday

It took my son three years of screaming at Santa before he wasn't scared of the big guy in the red suit. Then Lily came along and we had to start all over! Here's the evidence of this year's Santa freak-out... we're holding out for a tear-free 2015 visit!

I created this for the brand new issue over at Paper Issues, Making it Merry, with the awesome Get Happy collection from our sponsor, Gossamer Blue.

This holiday line from Gossamer Blue is pure fun! A lot more fun than Lily was having with Santa!

We want to see you Making it Merry: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, handmade gifts, gift ideas, ornaments, holiday decor, how you celebrate the holidays, holiday traditions, holiday menu, traditional foods, decorating the tree, lighting the menorah/kinara, cookie baking, gingerbread houses, things that make you happy, or use Gossamer Blue products.

Link up and LINK BACK to Paper Issues  by January 4th to be eligible to win Gossamer Blue's main December kit!.  Link up as much as you like, both old and new! You could even be featured on the Paper Issues blog or social media.

#HappyAlways

Hey everyone... Jess here today with a card/gift card holder that fits right in with the latest issue at Paper Issues: What the #@!$%&. Hashtags are huge right now and I thought it would be fun to hit my Christmas card with one... just for kicks and giggles.

I used Gossamer Blue's Get Happy line and, yep, it made me happy! I love the super cute blocky #Happy wood pieces combined with the scripty Always from Crate Paper.

And the coolest part of this card is the little envelope on the front that can hold a gift card. I love giving gift cards when I can make it more personal and special by wrapping it up with my own special touches. And, come on... a Target gift card makes anyone #HappyAlways.

You still have time to link up by December 21st for a chance to win three packs of flair from our sponsor, Feed Your Craft! We want to your stuff!

And while you're shopping this month don't forget to spoil yourself in the Paper Issues shop with 20% off everything using code "scrapgoo".

December PageMaps!

Happy December, everyone!

You know what the first of every month brings, right?  New PageMaps sketches! And this month I am proud to be among my fellow Paper Issues designers with example layouts that coordinate with the monthly sketches. 

Here was my PageMap:

And here's my layout, featuring Pink Paislee's Merry & Bright collection:

I could not have asked for a better sketch to work with! I always love how fast my layouts come together when I use a sketch.

Make sure you check out the December PageMaps and all of the Paper Issues designers' examples this month!

Witchin' You a Happy Halloween

Oooh we're SO close to my favorite holiday: Halloween! And Paper Issues is celebrating in style with the new Witchin' You a Happy Halloween issue starting today and running through November 9th. Link up: witches, costumes, anything having to do with Halloween, spooky stories, use spook-tacular embellishments, spider webs, create a spooky background maybe using mesh, a stencil, border punches or cheesecloth, document happy times or things that make you happy (chocolate, coffee concoction, family), all about you pages, use SRM products (stickers, borders, bags, etc.)

I created these fun treat bags with products from this issue's sponsor, SRM Stickers! I used kraft bags, round Halloween stickers and many strips of sentiment stickers.The paper is from Simple Stories.

I'm pretty sure my kids' little friends will love these fun bags filled with chocolate covered pretzels, candy, stickers, tattoos, and a bouncy ball. 

Link up and LINK BACK to Paper Issues to be eligible to win a goodie bag of SRM products.  Link up as much as you like, both old and new! You could even be featured on the Paper Issues blog or social media.  Come on... I know you have Halloween projects up your sleeves!

Adding a Little Dazzle!

Hey everyone!  I'm wrapping up a week long swap between Fancy Pants Designs and Add a Little Dazzle today and we'd love to see you visit.

Here's just part of my project, using the Fancy Pants True Friend collection and an embossed metal sheet from Add a Little Dazzle. These things are cool!

Stop on by the blogs and leave a comment to win prizes at BOTH stops!

You're Sew Cute, You Keep Me In Stitches

It's time for a brand new issue at Paper Issues and this time we're joining up with one of my favorites: May Arts! You really can never have enough ribbon, am I right??

May Arts generously sent me some trims to work with and I created this fall banner to decorate my fireplace:

 

The paper is Crate Paper DIY Shop and it has that neutral rustic look that coordinates perfectly with the lace and other trims I chose and gives the project that autumnal look.

I cut the pennants with my Silhouette, stitched the lace around the tops of them, and strung the handmade tassels between them. 

Now it's your turn to get in on this issue! You could be the super lucky winner of four entire rolls of May Arts ribbon... are you drooling yet?

Link up projects with sewing/stitching of all kinds, floss, thread, twine, ribbon, fabric, anything that says cute to you, use buttons, sewing machine, babies, jokes, anything that makes you laugh, funny things kids say, or anything using May Arts.

Link up and link back to Paper Issues between now and October 12th to be eligible to win. Feel free to link up as many times as you'd like. If you're inspired to create something new, that's great, but feel free to share your older creations as well. Oldies are goodies too!

Say Cheese!

It's the start of a brand spankin' new issue at Paper Issues and this time we're partnered up with Maya Road to "Say Cheese!" for a full two weeks of fun.

Several of us got to play with Maya Road goodies... acrylics, chipboard, fun clips, tags... to create projects that feature cameras, favorite photos, Polaroids, etc.

 

I used some Crate Paper for this, plus lots of mist, paint, and Maya Road swag.  

Mmmm, layers of goodness!!

Head on over to Paper Issues to link up a project for your chance to win some Maya Road goodies of your very own.  Use a favorite photo, camera embellishments, "say cheese" as a title, cheesy smiles, Polaroid frames, Instagram/Polaroid/vintage photos, silly things kids say, or use Maya Road products.

***Please link your project(s) back to Paper Issues in some way to be eligible for the prize.***

Your project may even be featured on the Paper Issues Facebook page, Instagram, Pinterest and/or on the Paper Issues blog.

Buckets of Fun

Last week on the Fancy Pants blog we had a ton of fun swapping with the crew at Tombow using their cool pencils and the Fancy Pants chalk products in perfect harmony. 

I wrapped up the week with these super fun buckets of treats that are all set for our vacation in a few weeks.  I wanted a cute way to both welcome the kids to the vacation house and to offer activities and treats to occupy them while their parents unpacked.

The buckets and everything in them were inexpensive but packed!  Each one includes a beach ball, bubbles, two pieces of sidewalk chalk, a juice pouch, applesauce, raisins, a dried fruit strip and Goldfish crackers.

Each bucket had a sweet little chalk tag with their name on it… it makes me want to eat up the whole dang bucket! Check out more photos and details on the Fancy Pants Designs blog!

I’m linking this up to the Paper Issues Gettin' the Scoop on the Sweet Days of Summer issue and YOU should be linking up too!  You could win the Summer Squeeze collection from Bella Blvd.!

                                                

Fancy Pants and Taylored Expressions

Head on over to the Fancy Pants Designs blog this week for three days of collaboration with the stamps and dies of Taylored Expressions!

We’re giving away some killer prize packs and showing off how we’ve mixed the latest Fancy Pants collections with some really fun stamps and metal dies.  Check out my cards today (and more from team member Laurel and the gals at Taylored Expressions!):

Mr. Cool

It’s a rare thing these days when my four year old cooperates enough for me to take photos of him! Smiles and everything! I love this photo set and used the app “Photo Grid” to make a collage of these shots for one cohesive collage on this page.

I used a pretty linear approach for this page using Pink Paislee’s Pen Pals collection combined with bits of their Hello Sunshine.  I love the masculine colors that perfectly coordinate with the photos.

I offset all those sharp lines with a cool double row of circles that I cut on the Cameo and stitched down.  They pop and ya gotta love circles for the guys.

Check out what I had to say about the “Photo Grid” app on the Pink Paislee blog!

I’m linking this up to Paper Issues newest issue “The World is a Circle” and YOU should be linking up too!  This round is sponsored by the awesome company, Ruby Rock-It and they’ve offered up a super generous prize pack for a lucky linker.  Link up your round stuff, travel pages, or anything else you can think of that fits the theme.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

When I saw there would be a pet related issue at Paper Issues I had to get in on some of that! We're totally crazy cat people in this house, with three hilarious orange guys that think they run the house.  Simple Stories generously sponsored the issue and I got to work with their Sn@p line of adorable cat themed products.

I layered lots of the cards, using both a-sides and b-sides because some of these patterns are just too fun.  I love the whimsical but not overly cutesy look of this line.

I added stitching and pen detail, twine, and some fun wood veneer circles. 

Please join us at Paper Issues until the 25th with YOUR "It's Raining Cats and Dogs" themed projects!  Link up pets, critters of all kinds, a trip to the zoo, safari, an animal-themed birthday party, rain, spring time, umbrella embellishments, singing in the rain, something using Simple Stories products, and anything else you think fits the theme in some way. 

There will be THREE prizes for this issue: one winner for posting a dog-themed project, one for a cat-themed project and one winner who posts something other than a pet-related project. The prize is a package of Sn@p Insta-squares & Pieces and a package of Sn@p stickers from either the cat, dog or summer set!! 

Get linkin'!!!

NSD with Fancy Pants Designs!

Hi there Fancy Pants fans! Thanks for joining us today for the 2014 National Scrapbooking Day blog hop. If you arrived here without first visiting the Fancy Pants Designs blog please head there and see what this is all about. 

I'm showing you a couple of cards today. Even if you can't take the time for a full page you can at least whip up a card or two to celebrate the day.

Both of these are "welcome baby" cards for some special pregnant friends:

What does the fox say?  He says he loves you! The fox was cut on my Cameo and the paper is all from the As You Wish collection.

And here a couple of sweet elephants, also cut on the Cameo.  This paper is from the Be Different collection and that balloon is from the ephemera set... so cute!

Please keep on hopping with us! Here's the full list of blogs:


Fancy Pants Designs
Jodi Sanford
Jess Mutty (you are here!)
Diana Fisher
Jenny Evans
Laurel Seabrook
Cathy Harper
Beatriz Jennings
Anna Kossakovskaya
Kim Watson
Fancy Pants Designs

Leave a comment here (and on each participant's blog) to be entered to win THIS awesome prize!  Don't forget to go back to the Fancy Pants Designs blog at the end to let them know you've finished!

Hello Sunshine!

It just so happens that the current Paper Issues issue has the same name as my favorite new Pink Paislee collection: Hello Sunshine!  How conveeeeeeenient!

I was up at the Pink Paislee blog this weekend featuring this Pinterest inspired project with a printable birthday interview and coordinating traditional page.

This line is SO MUCH fun and just brings a smile to my face! You can see more details on the Pink Paislee blog!

And YOU should be linking up your sunshiney layouts and projects over at Paper Issues too! You could win *five* sets of flair from Panda Eight Designs!

                                                            

And don’t forget that you can get 20% off everything, every day in the Paper Issues store with code SCRAPGOO. 

Count Your Lucky Stars!

It’s new issue day at Paper Issues and this round we’re planning to Count Your Lucky Stars!  The theme is open to your interpretation and could include projects for St. Patrick's Day, someone you're star struck over, movie stars, astrology, astronomy, use stars on your page, counting on someone or something, chance encounters, fortune cookies, or anything else you can relate!

Our generous sponsor for this issue is Lori Whitlock and if you link up your project you could win a $25 GC to the Lori Whitlock store!

I used her fun star cluster cut file on this layout:



I have stars all over the place on this sucker… it certainly qualifies for counting my lucky stars! I also used a bunch of As You Wish from Fancy Pants Designs.  I love this collection. 



You can see the awesome star cluster Lori Whitlock cut file I used here… boom! Starsplosion!



Have you checked out the Paper Issues swag bags yet??  It’s super fun to get an inexpensive collection of all sorts of ephemera and embellishments each month!  I used a whole bunch of the March Swag Bag on my layout today:



So link up your stuff!  You know you wanna!

Be.Loved.

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day!  As usual I was down to the wire getting all our treats prepared but it happened. This year I used the Be.Loved. collection from Fancy Pants Designs in all my valentine creations.  It’s so cute and I love that there are more colors than red and pink to dress up this holiday. 

First up, the preschooler treats: these are s’more bags with graham crackers, Hershey bar, and heart shaped marshmallow Peeps!

                     

I used the Cameo to cut the little s’mores out.  They’re so adorable I want to eat them. 

Next, our teacher gift is one of those $1 reusable Starbucks cups with a pretty valentine sleeve and tag.

                     

                       

We filled it up with a Starbucks card and chocolate.

                     

And finally a sweet card for my love bird:

                    

I love the new foil papers from Fancy Pants! This is the red here in the background and I have already cruised through a bunch of the silver and gold. They cut like buttah in the Cameo!

                   

My coffee cup is as filled up with love as I am this week and I am linking it up to the Fill ‘er Up issue at Paper Issues! You can still link your projects up until the 16th and be entered to win a $20 gift card to the store!

Don’t forget you can ALWAYS get 20% off everything in the PI store with my code SCRAPGOO!

                                                           

Hanging Valentine Heart

Happy Valentine week!  Ok, ok… I know it’s only one day but seriously I think the crafty mamas feel me on it seeming like a week after all the treat-making and valentine-creating we have to do!

Today I’m sharing this Valentine treat pouch on the Pink Paislee blog.  I talk about how special it is for me to be able to do crafty projects with my kids (although Lily isn’t quite old enough yet) and how hard it is for me to let go of perfection.  My boy was super proud of his confetti work on our valentine for Daddy!

Check out all the details over at Pink Paislee!

And don’t forget to link up your “Fill ‘er Up!” projects like this one on the Paper Issues blog before the 16th!  One lucky linker will win a $20 PI gift card.  Get the details here!
                                                        

Scrapbook Generations Inaugural Issue!

It’s no secret that the publishing world has been a little harsh on paper craft related mags in the past few years.  Luckily, we have really talented people picking up the reins and creating some truly inspiring online magazines like the NEW Scrapbook Generations CREATE!

The Fancy Pants design team had the pleasure of getting to work with four sketches for this issue, myself included.  You’re going to love these sketches for everything from layouts to tags to cards.

CREATE is a free monthly digital magazine published by Scrapbook Generation, a scrapbook store in Springfield, MO. The first issue, 223 pages, launched this week in conjunction with the opening of Scrapbook Generation's expanded, full-service online store.  While it focuses on sketches, the magazine covers other topics of interest to scrapbookers and cardmakers, like mini-albums, journaling, techniques, and more. There is also a readers gallery and a call for submissions for the March issue.

Welcome 2014!

I am so excited to share that I will be remaining on the Pink Paislee design team for 2014! If that isn’t a great way to ring in the new year I don’t know what is!

 

You won’t want to miss a single moment of inspiration, fun, and giveaways so make sure you are following Pink Paislee on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!

I’ve also seen all of the ridiculously FUN new collections coming out at the CHA show in a few weeks and you are not going to want to skip all the full reveals starting on the 6th!