Sketchy Thursday at Scraptastic Club

Hey my blog readers! So glad you're here again! Today is Sketchy Thursday at Scraptastic Club and I quickly want to share the layout I created for Susan Stringfellow's sketch.

I chose photos of our long weekend in Venice, Italy, last November and I used the January "Just A Girl" kit and add-on again: 

It's not a color combination I would normally choose, but that's what I love about using kits, you have to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. I really like the result.

And this is the sketch we're using, isn't it absolutely fabulous?! If your want to see what the other designers created with the sketch, then hop over to Scraptastic's blog!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a happy scrappy day!

Hugs,

Monique

Hello Jippie | Scraptastic Club January kit

Today I've been playing with the January kit from Scraptastic Club "Just A Girl" and add-on. Last year our Cocker Spaniel, Jippie, passed away and I had this photo of her (from way back when she was only a few months old) lying on my desk, waiting to be scrapped. I figured now was the time! 

Aren't the colors and patterns just right for this photo? 

Those Heidi Swapp acetate words are my favorites in this kit!! 

Love the Becky Higgins Project Life Chipboard Stickers (Everyday Edition): 

And these are the photos of "Just A Girl" kit and add-on. If you want to see a list of the contents just click on the name: 

Just A Girl kit:

Just A Girl Add-On:

Thank you so much for taking a peek! Next Thursday I'll share another layout created with this kit.  

By the way, last week I created a Facebook page just for my crafty efforts. So if you're not my friend on facebook, but you would like to follow me in my crafty pursuits, then hop over to my "Creating Non-Sense" Facebook page and just click "like" and you're all set. 

Thanks again and have a great day!! 

Hugs,

Monique

Ocean Journey | Pretty Little Studio

Hi everyone! On Pretty Little Studio's blog we're featuring arrows and because I just love the colorful arrows from the Treasure Island collection I went with that collection. The photos I used are from our vacation in California – one of our most favorite vacations – and although it’s been almost six years ago I still love to scrap those photos. We went sailing in San Diego and thus perfect for the Treasure Island collection.

For this layout I didn’t use a whole lot of patterned papers, but way more embellishments. I started with the two horizontal strips of paper and placed my photos on top. Next I just started adding little cards, die-cuts, stickers etc until I thought I had enough (I always have to take care not to add too much and make a mess of it, lol). With the arrows I tried to emphasize the pointing arms in the little photo.

Although there wasn’t a cloud in the sky that day, I thought it was still fun to add these fun colorful die-cut clouds. And of course I just had to add a flair button somewhere too. I’m a huge fan of flairs buttons!

I also needed a bit of gold, like these vellum stickers. They are hard to take a photo of, but I think I succeeded. The anchor in the photo above is also gold, but that’s much harder to see.

PLS products used: Treasure Island collection: paper: Rogue Beach, Smooth Sailing; Flair Button: Discover Treasure; Die-cuts: Arrow Adventure, Pirate Cove, Faraway Frames, Out To Sea Clouds; Garland Flags: Under The Sea Paper Ribbons; Journaling & Pocket Cards: Boardwalk Bookmark, Set Sail 3×4; Stickers: Adventure Vellum Gold, Gold Treasure Flags; Cut-Outs: 1″ Pirate Tags, Sail Away Mini Bingo, Let’s Go Phrase Strips, Sea Shore Note Strips; Word Art: Waves.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today!! 

Hugs,

Monique

Treasure Hunt | Imaginisce

Hi everyone! Today I've got a layout up on Imaginisce's blog created with the brand new "Parrrty Me Hearty" collection. I am so happy with this collection! It's just perfect for lots of photos from both my boys and my girl and it's also perfect for many different occasions like summer, beach, pool, birthday parties, etc. And just the occasions where you take many pics!

I chose photos of my youngest son together with one of his friends. His friend's parents own one of those little beach houses you can see in the background of the largest photo and last summer my son joined them quite a few times to their little house on the beach. Together with his friend he dug tunnels for hours on end! When they were asked what they were doing, they said they were searching for treasures, lol.  So that had to be scrapped! 

Aren't all the papers and embellishments just perfect for photos like these?! I also love the Thickers that belong to this collection. And isn't that angry parrot super cute? He makes me smile. 

The diagonal text strips I added to my page are cut from the bottom of the patterned papers. They come in lots of different colors and with different texts and are the perfect finishing touch for any layout! And how about those puffy stickers?! So awesome!

As we're also featuring hand written journaling on our pages, so I included a couple of lines about the who/where/when. Most of the times I include details like these, but I find it really hard to write more than the obvious facts.

Supplies:

Imaginisce: patterned paper, die-cuts, stickers, puffy stickers (Parrrty Me Hearty). American Crafts: cardstock, Thickers.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Can't wait to learn what you think of the new releases!! Have a fabulous day!

Monique

Pretty Little Studio January Sketch Challenge!

This morning I realized that I haven't shared Pretty Little Studio's January sketch yet! I created a Christmas layout using the Merry & Bright collection. I love this collection so much, I want to use it for all my projects! The bright non-traditional colors are right up my alley! I also adore all the clear sheets and clear words that are included in this collection. In this case I used one of the clear words for my title.

So here's my page: 

And this is the fabulous January sketch:

Here are a few close-ups of my page. So loving the clear stickers:

And how adorable is the elf?

I machine stitched the circle and adhered bits and pieces on top, like these number tags and sequins.

PLS products used: Merry & Bright collection: paper: Balsam Pine, Warm & Cozy, Cinnamon Sticks, Trifle, Berry Wreath, Sleigh Ride Arrows, Marshmallows, Vintage Ornaments; Die-Cuts: Christmas Town 4″, Fir Tree mini, Toy Elf mini; Number Tags: Fruit Cake; Clear Word: Good Times; Flair: Be Jolly; Stickers: December Joy Words, Christmas Word Flags; Cut-Apart: Mini Word Wishes; Confetti: Starry Night Mix.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today and I hope you’ll give this sketch a try too! Just leave a link to your project in the comments of the applicable PLS blog post. Contest Ends January 31, 2016. One person will be chosen to win a $5 coupon to the Pretty Little Studio shop. 

xoxo

Monique

Doodlebug Shadow Box and Layout

Good morning peeps! Yesterday my winter projects were up on Doodlebug's blog and today I'm sharing them here too. I used the fabulous Polar Pals collection, which super cute and has the most amazing colors! It's a pity it isn't snowing more where I live, because I could create tons of layouts with this collection, but I did find some snow photos from two years ago, which were still waiting to be scrapped.

But first let me start with this project that didn't need any photos: a little shadow box featuring an igloo and some of the cute cardstock stickers. 

The igloo was created using a quarter of a styrofoam ball, which I then covered in little punched circles measuring 3/4" and which came from a sheet of chevron sugar coated cardstock. I adhered them with little pins. 

The stickers of the little girl and boy and the snowman, dog and penguin came from a sheet of icons stickers. First I made them un-sticky so I could place them this way and that, before deciding where I would adhere them.  

For the background I chose a sheet of paper with a more matted color and adhered lots of word stickers along the side and a few sprinkles on the snowflakes (which you don't see very well in the photos).

And here's the layout I created: my daughter and the girl she always "babysits" and her father ice skating on the little pond at the end of our street. We don't have too many days where we can ice skate or throw snowballs, so days like these are special and have to be scrapped! 

For the snowflake background I used one of Doodlebug's stickers, which I traced and cut with my Silhouette Cameo. Next I covered them all with lots of the fun stickers in this collection. 

And of course I just had to include one of the 3D Doodle-Pops: isn't this snowman super cute?!

And how about these "winter snowflakes shape sprinkles"? I adore them!

Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me share my Doodlebug Polar Pals projects with you. Have a fab day!

Hugs,

Monique

Imaginisce January Sketch Challenge!! - Hi London!

Hi everyone! Have you seen that Imaginisce has reinstalled the monthly sketch challenge?! I'm so happy about this, as I LOVE sketch challenges!! And even better is that Laura Whitaker will design the sketches. If you aren't familiar with Laura's sketches, you should definitely visit her blog "Stuck?! Sketches" when you have the time. 

So here's what I made for the January sketch challenge, using Imaginisce's Happy Traveler collection and photos from our recent trip to London:

And this is the sketch we're using, isn't it fun?

A couple of close-ups:

The Happy Traveler collection is one of my favorite collections and I could use it over and over again!

So, if you have a little bit of Imaginisce stuff lying around the house, why not join us? Here are the ...

CHALLENGE RULES:

1. Use this sketch as inspiration to create any type of project (layout, card, home decor, altered item)

2. You must use at least 75% Imaginisce product on your project.

3.  Post your entry on the relevant Imaginisce blog post with a link to your creation OR send us an email (imaginiscedt1@gmail.com) with the Subject: January Challenge & attach picture of your project .

THE PRIZE:

A collection pack of "Parrrty Me Hearty"!!!!!

Submit your entries no later than Friday, January 29th, 2016.

Winner will be announced on Monay, February 1st, 2016 - when we share the next monthly challenge.

Can't wait to see what you'll do!! 

Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me share! 

Hugs,

Monique

Scraptastic Club Pinterest Monday

Today it's Jana's and my turn on the Scraptastic Club blog with a Pinterest inspired layout. Here's my layout, created the December "All I Want For Christmas Is You" kit and add-on:

And this is the Pinterest pin we (Jana & I) were inspired by. I love pie charts and have used them before as inspiration for other projects. In the pin the pie chart is more “wonky”, but as I’m not a wonky person, my circle is much “neater”.

Here are a few close-ups of all the yummie embellishments in the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” kit and add-on:

How I adore Fancy Pants’ “Wish Season” like that puffy deer sticker and the woodgrain puffy alpha stickers:

Just as awesome are the puffy alpha stickers from Seven Paper:

And I’m a huge fan of all the Scraptastic Club exclusives, like this wood veneer Christmas tree:

If you want to see Jana's take on this Pinterest pin then hop over to Scraptastic's blog to have a look! 

Thank you so much for stopping by today! 

Hugs,

Monique

Instagram Giveaway!!

Yay! I reached 1,000 followers on Instagram!! To celebrate I'm giving away this Unity Stamp Set:

If you want a chance to win, just follow me and like this photo on Instagram! 

You've got until January 15.

Good luck! 

Simply Straws

First of all, if I haven't wished you a very happy and healthy 2016 as yet, then I want to do it now! Wishing you all the best in the New Year and I hope we'll "see" a lot of each other! 

A while ago I created these 4 layouts for the "Simply Straws" feature in Scrapbook Magazine UK and never got around to post them here as well. The idea was to show readers how they can use simple paper drinking straws on their pages, by altering & cutting them to create super embellishments.

And here's what I did:

A Doodlebug layout using their pixies for straws:

Supplies used: patterned paper, velvet crushed cardstock, die-cuts, stickers, pixies (straws), flair button: Doodlebug Design; cardstock: Bazzill Basics; bows: Studio Calico; stamping ink: Ranger; stamp: Trodat; sewing machine: Aigger.

For the other three layouts I used simple paper drinking straws, like you buy them in any store. 

A layout using Imaginisce: 

Supplies used: patterned paper, buttons: Imaginisce; cardstock: Bazzill Basics; Thickers: American Crafts; paper straws: Talking Tables (yellow), Bercadeau (red, blue); wood veneer: Scraptastic Club; color mists: Studio Calico; twine: Ledent; stamping ink: Ranger; stamp: Trodat (date), Maggie Holmes (hearts); sewing machine: Aigger.

A layout using Jillibean Soup: 

Supplies used: patterned paper, die-cuts, (letter)stickers, wood veneers, paper straws (green): Jillibean Soup; cardstock: American Crafts; paper straws: Talking Tables (pink, yellow), Bercadeau (blue, red), The Masonjars Company (purple, lilac); stamping ink: Ranger; stamp: Trodat; Tiny Attacher: Tim Holtz. 

And last but not least, an American Crafts (Shimelle) layout: 

Supplies used: patterned paper, stickers, die-cuts, stamp: Shimelle American Crafts; cardstock: Bazzill Basics; Thickers: American Crafts; paper straws: Ginger Bay (gold), Talking Tables (yellow); flair: A Flair For Buttons; cork arrow: Fancy Pants; twine: The Twinery; color mists: Studio Calico (black), Prima Marketing (gold); stamping ink: Ranger; stamp: Trodat, Scraptastic Club; Tiny Attacher: Tim Holtz.

Sadly enough this is another scrapbook magazine that closed down in 2015. I've been lucky enough to be on their design team for quite some time and was really sad when I got the word it had to go. I'm one of those dinosaurs who still prefers a paper magazine over a digital one, even though I've come to love those too. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and wishing you a great day! 

Hugs,

Monique