One Two Three Snap! - Imaginisce - and some happy mail!

Last Wednesday my "Good Dog" layout was up on Imaginisce's blog! It goes without saying that I used a photo of my dog Jippie: 

Lots of machine stitching on this page, but oh how I need a new machine... nearly ruined my page! (and you should see the back of the paper, lol!). 

I've created some coordinating brads for my page using the I-Top. Wanna see how easy it was to make them?? 

Step 1: Choose a size for your punches and brads. I used the 16 mm (small) and the 22 mm (medium).

Step 2: Place the punched out paper shape on top of the shell (I always use a glue dot to keep my paper shape in place, but you don’t have to) and place them on your tool.

Step 3: Squeeze your tool and release:

Step 4: Fold the paper tabs inside the shell.

Step 5: Place the brad base in the tool and squeeze until you hear a popping sound which means the brad clicked together.

And that’s it. Now you have the perfect – coordinating – brads!!

Thank you so much for letting me share! Hope you found this helpful, if you have any questions just let me know! 

Supplies Used: Imaginisce (Good Dog: patterned paper, sticker stackers, chipboard stickers; Childhood Memories: ABC stickers; Brad Daddies). Other Supplies used: Bazzill cardstock, Studio Calico: cork embellishments. Tools: Imaginisce I-Top tool, Silhouette Cameo, Aigger sewing machine

If you want to see more fun Imaginisce projects from the other designers using their favorite Imaginisce tools, please visit Imaginisce's blog!!

Then when I got home today, I had TWO packages waiting for me! One package contained issue 75 of Scrapbook Magazine UK in which I was published: 

I was asked to create a layout for the "Scraplift Challenge": a layout for the readers to lift. I used Doodlebug's Take Note collection and stamps from Unity Stamps Company. 

And the other happy mail, was a box with my DT goodies from Pretty Little Studio!! I've unpacked it for you .... Isn't this awesome?!!! Feels like Christmas! 

Okay this was it for today! Thanks for stopping by my blog!! Really appreciating it! 

Hugs,

Pretty Little Studio Introduction!!!

Today my introduction is up on Pretty Little Studio's brand new blog!!! I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am to be part of Melissa Ross' new team! Her products are so so super cute!

Here's a layout I made with her Nature Walk collection: 

The photo was taken the morning Manon returned from her "back to nature" vacation in the Ardennes (no electicity, no phone (!), no running water, no showers ....) in July. She went there with a group of unknown boys and girls of the same age and came home with lots of new found friends! She had had such a good time, that she'd rather go back and stay a while longer! 

This PLS collection was exactly what this photo needed! I scrapped the photo the minute we arrived home! Manon jumped under the shower and slept for about 24 hours and I scrapped! (no, not for 24 hours, lol). 

  

And I've got some good news for you too ... If you leave a comment on Pretty Little Studio's blog with my introduction blogpost you can win this set of Nature Walk tags! (you don't have to become a follower, or anything, just comment!) 

Thanks everyone for visiting my blog today! Hope to visit yours too asap!! 

Hugs,

* PAPER ISSUES & THE TWINERY BLOG HOP*

Welcome to Paper Issues' newest theme AND blog hop!  You should have arrived here from Martha Bonneau's blog.  If this is your first stop, be sure to head over to Paper Issues to start at the beginning!

Our theme is * "X" Marks The Spot * ...and I am so excited to say that the sponsor of our issue is The Twinery!

I was so happy that I was asked to join in this hop as I just LOVE using twine on both my layouts and my cards. For today I created this card, using "Blossom" twine from The Twinery for my "X"s:

The papers and stickers are an old collection from ADORNit: "Pink Hoot". 

I'm sure you'll be wanting to know what this issues' prize is! Well .... The Twinery is giving away a 'Solid Twine Sampler Pack' which has a value of $30!!! Now, who wouldn't want to win that!!

As I'm last on the hop, your next stop is the Paper Issues Blog.

Just in case you got lost during the hop I'm including the order of the hop below. Be sure to hop along to each person's blog and then stop by The Twinery's blog and leave some love to all!

Becki
Lesley
Lisa
Mary Jo
Martha
Monique - YOU'RE HERE!

Also make sure you:
* Like The Twinery on Facebook {tell them we sent you}
* Like Paper Issues on Facebook
* Leave a comment on everyone's blog.

This is it! Thank you so much for hopping with us today and good luck to you all!!

Hugs,

Holiday Photos - La France!

Okay, it took me a little longer than expected, but here're a few photos of our holiday in France last month:

The first week we rented a little house in a holiday resort in Le Montan. The resort had many swimming pools and slides, which the kids loved!! What I loved most were the surroundings with the endless lavender fields!

There was lots to do at the resort itself (swimming, mini golf, zumba lessons, karaoke (no I didn't join in, lol), but in the neighbourhood there was lots to do as well. We visited little villages like Pont St Esprit and Villiers and we went to a crocodile farm: 

I just love these little French villages!!! 

Then the next week we went to the address we always go to when we're in France: Cardet! 

I've been coming here for about 38 years now and the kids since they've been born! We love the camping site, the river Gardon, the villages (Anduze, St. Jean du Gard, Sommieres) and the little markets. And every year I buy a couple of these French dishes (the orange ones in the photo) and have acquired quite a lot over the years! 

We also love going to the beach in Carnon and having lunch at Le Lézard. 

All in all we had a great holiday and for the kids the two weeks were definitely too short!! I on the other hand, didn't mind going home as I missed scrapping a lot! (although I brought some scrapping stuff with me - and used it!!) 

Thanks for taking the time to have a look! Hope you enjoyed the photos. 

Hugs,

Animal Art - Imaginisce

For Imaginisce we were asked to create a "Kids Craft" project and when I wanted to get started I had a hard time deciding what to create! I had so many ideas! The idea I liked best was to create book marks for my 3 kids, but when I asked my 8 year old son for advice he insisted I’d create this animal for him! So of course I gave in and created this animal for him to play with.

Just in case you're wondering how I made him, I'm including the instructions for you: 

1. Cover a few empty toilet paper rolls with cardstock. 

2. Choose 4 different sheets of patterned paper (I used Imaginisce’s Outdoor Adventure) and cut 4 strips of 6” x 1 ¼ “, depending on the size of your paper rolls of course. 

3. Use “fringe” scissors on all 4 strips to create “hairs” for your animal and adhere to the paper roll. Punch holes in front and back of the paper rolls and use twine to tie the rolls together. Not too tight as the animal needs space to bend.  

4. Use your I-Top tool and medium sized brads (22 mm)  to create the eyes. 

5. Add pupils and feelers and you’re ready.

Supplies: Imaginsce (Outdoor Adventure): patterned paper; Brad daddies (medium). Other supplies: cardstock: Bazzill Basics; pupils/feeler/twine: misc. Tools: I-Top and paper punch: Imaginisce; Tiny Attacher: Tim Holtz; Fringe Scissors: Martha Stewart.

Easy right?! If you want to see the other designers' Kids Crafts projects, hop over to Imaginisce's blog! And while you're there check out the new September sketch challenge! The sketch is really awesome!! 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I'm hoping I'll have some time today to visit all your blogs to see what you've been up to these last couple of weeks!! 

Hugs,

Don't Worry Be Happy - Pretty Little Studio

Sorry for being absent for soooo long, but I think you guessed it ... we were on holiday! And although I love being away for the summer holidays I'm always so glad to be back! I'll post a few pics tomorrow, but for now I'm going to try to catch up on scrappy projects. Let me start with the layout I created for my August guest design spot over at Pretty Little Studio.

I was asked to do the "OOTB" challenge ... this turned out to be a real challenge as I couldn't even translate "OOTB"!! I decided to admit that I had no clue and just ask what it meant .... I'm sure you all know what it means, but I was happy that Lisa told me it meant "Out Of The Box" challenge! Lol! Pretty obvious now that I know ... why didn't I think of that!? 

This was the photo I was given: 

and this is what I made: 

I don’t know about you, but I find inspiration in many things and often it isn’t always obvious that a certain photo was the trigger for a certain project. And I think you may think that about the project I created for this OOTB photo challenge. Looking at the photo the first impression was “sand/beach” and that got me thinking about beach layouts, then I noticed the flip-flops and I thought maybe I’ll create a card in the shape of a flip-flop, but in the end it was the expression “don’t worry, be happy” that stayed with me and which was the inspiration for this cute little project. It’s a wooden bird house, which I decorated with the “Nature Walk” collection. 

I have a soft spot for owls and over the years I’ve collected quite a few. (The big ceramic owl in the garden is the latest addition.) So when I saw the cute owl diecut I just had to use it for my project! Isn’t he adorable?

I sooooooooo love all the Pretty Little Studio products and am so happy to be joining their team as of today!! Have you visited the PLS website already? Here's a link in case you want to check it out.

Thanks for stopping by and I'm hoping you'll be back later this week for one of my other projects (or my holiday pics!).

Hugs,