Dolly Varden

Yep!  That's what this little fish is called!  A Dolly Varden!  Not quite sure how it got its name but it's a pretty little fish with pink and white polka dots.  Someday I'll catch one and get a picture and talk about its colors.  But for this page I wanted to focus on the fish and my husband.  I used a challenge by Bev Code for Creative Inspiration's April Mini Crop to create a themed background. 
Steve caught just after we arrived on our new island home.  I used a Page Maps University cut file to create the big element and the journaling block.  Everything on this page is stash. The title is cut with my Silhouette using the Chunky Monkey font. 

Materials – Cardstock – Bazzill, Fancy Pants; Patterned Paper – Fancy Pants; Die Cut, Journaling Block – Page Maps University; Title – Chunky Monkey font cut on Silhouette; Stamps – Fiskars, Studio Calico, Creative Imaginations; Inks – Ranger Distress Mini, Ranger Distress, CTMH; Pens – Omni Gel, Sharpie; Washi Tape – My Mind’s Eye; Brads – Cosmo Cricket, BoBunny; Stencil – Crafter’s Workshop; Spray – Ranger Spray Stain   

I had great fun creating this page.  It's not really a style that I have done in the past but it's one that I really like and I think I'll be doing more of!  Plus I get to play with my Silhouette Cameo which is always fun!  :)  

I hope you enjoyed this page!  If so, please leave me a comment and tell me where you're from.  Happy Scrapping!

Sketches in Thyme and Creative Inspiration Mini Crop

Hi there!  It has been beautiful up here in Alaska lately.  But I've managed to scrap a little bit.  First up is a page I created for the April 1 Sketches in Thyme challenge which I combined with the Creative Inspirations Mini Crop challenge by Louise to back a die cut.  

This is the first good picture of a deer that I got once we moved to our island.  I used a Silhouette die cut and backed it with cardstock, outlined it with a pen and added some Stickles to the flower centers.  I embossed all the embellishments and inked them.  For the background I used a stencil and Glimmer Mist.  The sketch had the "arrows" pointing down but that didn't work for my design, so I put them on the side instead.

Materials – Sketch – April 1 Sketches in Thyme; Cardstock – Bazzil, Unknown; Die Cut – Silhouette; Embossing Folder – Elizabeth Craft Designs; Embossing Machine – Cuttlebug; Flowers – Prima; Stickles – Ranger; Pens – Recollections, Omni Gel; Glimmer Mists – Tattered Angels; Ink - CTMH

Next up is a page I created for a small class I taught.  I used Tracy's challenge to emboss (wet or dry) something.  The mat for my picture is embossed and inked. The picture is of my Steve coming through the trailer door when we were still sleeping in it.  (We started with a completely undeveloped lot here and for the first few months we lived in a cargo trailer with a lean-to attached!)  I wasn’t feeling well and he’d gone for a walk and came home with some wildflowers that he’d picked for me.  So sweet!  I love the little boy grin on his face!  LOL!

Materials – Cardstock – Bazzill; Patterned Paper, Washi Tape – My Mind’s Eye; Embossing Folder & Machine – Cuttlebug; Stamps – Creative Imaginations; Inks – CTMH; Bling – Queen & Co.; Flower – Prima; Brad - Unknown

There's still time to play along with all of these challenges if you'd like!  Be sure to check them out.  Happy Scrapping!!!

Creative Inspiration Mini Crop Challenge

Hello!  Every month the Creative Inspiration forum has a mini crop.  It starts around the 20th on a Friday and runs through the end of the month. Today is the first day for the April Mini Crop. I'm the Guest Design team member for April so I also have a challenge for everyone.  This month the theme is techniques. My challenge is to use something from nature (other than flowers) and fussy cut something on your project.  In my example I stamped and then cut out the title, all of the dragonflies and other bugs.  I even cut up the bling shape because I wanted it to spread out a bit.  

I can’t wait to see what you ladies create!  You have until the end of the month to qualify for the prize.  Thanks for playing and Happy Scrapping!

Sharing My Latest Projects

One thing about our new lifestyle is that it takes a lot of time and energy!  I find that I don't have much time for scrapping so I'm learning that I have to MAKE time for myself.  I've managed a few projects and I thought I'd share them today. 
First up is a layout based on a Let's Get Sketchy sketch and a challenge from Creative Inspiration to use a specific photo as inspiration.  I had great fun playing with this Graphic 45 paper.  This is a picture of me last year just before we arrived on our island.  We’d been to a friend’s small farm and he’d loaned me a hat and let us gather some chicken and duck eggs!

 

Next is a page that was inspired by a Lisa Schoepke layout and another challenge by Deb P from Creative Inspiration.  I really stepped out of my comfort zone with this one!  But I REALLY love how it turned out!  The picture is my youngest stepson in front of row after row of herring eggs on kelp hanging over lines in a pond last year.  I used a stencil and modeling paste for the background with 3 colors of Glimmer Mist and one color of Ranger Distress Stain.  I colored the title letters, star and arrow with Gelatos and the camera and date pieces with Glimmer Mist and a pen. 

 

And finally I'm the Guest Designer at Creative Inspiration this month!  This is the April 3rd layout sketch by Bev Code that we were given to use.

And this is my creation based on the sketch. I just LOVE my Kreaxions Circle Cutter!  Makes circles so EASY!  :)  The picture is of my Grandson Noah and a friend after a marathon in 2014.

That's enough sharing for today.  I hope you've enjoyed my projects!  

Check back again on Friday, April 21 because I'll have another Guest Designer project to share with you!  

Happy Scrapping!