Too Cool For School Layout

I have been holding this layout back for a while. It took hours to create, and tracking down retired items to pull it together.

This is one of those layouts that is way cuter in person. I stamped each of those buildings and fussy cut them. Every 3rd one is popped up with 3d foam tape for added interest. The title is from the retired Chalk It Up workshop on the go, and the back to school sentiment is from a long-retired stamp set I've had forever. The paper is retired Laughing Lola with the Thistle glitter cardstock we sold until last year, I believe. I hope they will bring this item back.

So, the layout was totally inspired by my daughter's dress we bought from Gymboree a few years ago. It was the first time I even bought the shoes to match. Can you guess? Yup. Thistle purple glitter shoes. Eek! The dress had this skyline design on it and of course the minute I purchased the dress, I had to track down that retired Cityscape stamp set. Sometimes, you just have to.... Definitely a case of "I hope my husband doesn't sell my craft supplies for what I told him I spent". Haha.

This was the first photo shoot we ever did on our front porch on the first day of school. My daughter was going into first grade. She was so little.

Sometimes, you just gotta have fun when crafting and not be in such a hurry. It's cheaper than therapy, as they say. ;)

Happy crafting!

Casandra

Charlotte Pages

Last year, Charlotte was prettiest girl on the block at Close To My Heart. It was my first experience with the new Workshops Your Way kit. They took over the much-beloved Workshops on the Go, which included a coordinating stamp set. At the time, while I loved the new collections, I wasn't sure I was ready to let go of my WOTG kits. But with time, or lack thereof on my part, I grew to love them.

The first page was inspired by artwork on the Close To My Heart website. Seeing those diamonds, and the stitching, I just had to recreate it.

The bottom layout was created from an Imagine sketch. When I saw that pretty PML card, I began looking for sketches that would utilize it as a title. I haven't put pictures on this one yet. It would have been perfect with my daughter's Easter pictures last year, but I have special plans for those photos. I am sure I have pictures that I haven't printed yet that will work, but in the meantime, on to the next paper collection.

P.S. I created other layouts with this kit. Somehow, I never got around to posting them all. Hope you like them. It's a wish that Close To My Heart will make this soft sorbet color the 2017 color of the year. I love that color and you see it everywhere these days.

Happy crafting!

Casandra

Baby Album Layout 11

If you own a Make It From Your Heart pattern book, you may have recognized this layout. 

I should have taken a close-up of the title and stars; I used our clear shimmer brush to add sparkle to both. It is quite subtle, but adds just the right touch of sparkle, almost a pearl-like finish.

We are only on Month 7 here, so we still have a ways to go. Thanks for following  along.

Happy Crafting!

Casandra

Baby Album Layout 2

I'm back again today with layout #2 from Baby Lauren's album. It's actually the last layout I created for my niece's book.

Recipe:
Paper: Hello Lovely, Whimsy Fundamentals, Charlotte, Juniper CS, Sea Glass CS, Whisper CS, White Daisy CS (CTMH), DCWV patterned paper
Stamp: Baby Zoo
Ink: Slate (CTMH)
Tools: Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Glue Pen, Art Philosophy, Artiste, Artistry (CTMH), Cricut Explore Air
Other: Gold Fundamental Assortment, Whimsy Fundamental Stickers, 3d Foam Tape, White Embroidery Floss (CTMH)

I used an Allison Davis sketch from the Simple Stories blog. The idea for this layout is for all those pictures taken with visitors and family within the first days of birth. With 9 photo spots, it should be plenty. I stamped name, date, height, weight, and parents on the journal lines. Easy peasy for mama.

This layout also has lots of texture and dimension. My sister-in-law uses the phrase "Our Miracle" whenever she talks about Lauren. I knew it needed to have a place in her baby book. 

Come back tomorrow for another layout using the Hello Lovely paper collection.

Casandra

NBUS9 Valentine Card

Good morning. I hope that I can continue to inspire you. I have been finding time, mostly on the weekends, to craft.

Today, I would like to share with you a Valentine's Day card I created as a proto-type for my daughter's class. However, the response in her words: "Mom, we did cats last year." Sigh. Cats are so last year. 8 years old....

Recipe:

Paper: Happy Times (retired), Slate CS, White Daisy CS, Blush CS (retired), Hollyhock CS (retired), Whisper CS (CTMH)

Stamp: Friendly Pets (retired) (CTMH)

Ink: Black (Memento)

Tools: Cricut Art Philosophy, Cricut Create A Critter, Micro-Tip Scissors, Glue Pen (CTMH)

Other: 3d Foam Tape (CTMH)

I have not used this cat image before, but thought it would be fun to combine a cricut cut with a stamped sentiment. I also just cut into that patterned paper with the gold foil print.

It's probably just as well that she declined this as her classroom cards; it would have been terribly time consuming. 

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1) NBUS #9 Challenge (Never Before Used Stuff)

2) Heart 2 Heart "Round and Round" Challenge

3) Between the Folds 38B - Love Theme Challenge

4) Shopping Our Stash SOS#287 Challenge -All That Glitters is Gold

Thank you for stopping by. Have a great day.

Casandra