Mojo Hunting

It happens to all of us every now and again- stuck in a rut, unsure where to begin. There are the usual remedies of scanning magazines or online galleries for inspiration, picking a favorite product or photo and letting it inspire you, or participating in a challenge. Sometimes the mojo just doesn't want to be found. You've spent hours sorting through photos, surfing the web, and (heaven forbid) hacking up your precious paper. Sometimes you just need to give it a rest or approach it from a different angle.

Here's an idea to get the ideas flowing.

If you are anything like me (I'm sure there has to be others out there?!) you have a collection of what I like to call "bits and pieces" lying around somewhere. Maybe they are thrown in a basket, piled in a drawer, still strewn across your workspace, or neatly filed away. You know, the tag from your kid's new shirt that you saved because it was cute, the letter stickers you pulled off your last layout because they didn't work, the buttons that never made it back to live with the rest of the button family. If you don't save things, and/or put everything back where it belongs, you can stop reading here. Go ahead and grab a selection of this stuff. Believe me, this is EXACTLY what you've been saving it for- go ahead and use it all!

I gathered up these things today from my stash:
2 ice cube trays full of do-dads
2 chinese food containers full of die cuts and bigger do-dads ( I use these as catch alls)
1 bucket full of scrap paper strips
some random paper scraps

The idea is to PLAY here, not to create an award winning layout. See how much of this you can get onto a layout. It will challenge you to use things you normally wouldn't, to put together new combinations of things, and if you're lucky, begin to open up some of the pathways in your creating brain for the mojo to creep back in. Don't stress about the finished product. there may only be parts of it you like in the end, but as long as it gets you creating again we're happy!

Here's how mine turned out. The only things I used that didn't come from the "junk" pile were some letter stickers and rub-on letters and a fresh sheet of cardstock for the base. I used the negative sheet from some diecut journaling spots, and flipped it over to use the white side. ( You can forget the supplies list for the rest LOL!)

Happy Mojo hunting!

Erin

Last of the cards

Unfortunately, they had to stop the CHA digi relay over at The Greeting Farm, due to the crazy amount of participants- the good news is everyone can now get the Digital Prince Ian for free here.

I promise this will be it for the card posts for a little while ( It's so out of character for me, but I've been enjoying it tremendously!)


Inside reads: I Love You

Materials
cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
pp: Doodlebug Design Inc.
Princess Anya Stamp- The Greeting Farm
Digi Prince Ian Stamp- The Greeting Farm
Memento Ink
Glitter: Doodlebug Design Inc.
Cricut Love 2010 cartridge
stickers: American Crafts
pens: Staedtler (gold)
coloured with Copic Markers

Cartridges to giveaway!

Amanda from Cricut Creations by AMKSCRAP is giving away 3 Christmas solutions cartridges!
what a great giveaway! her site is worth checking out as well for free or very reasonably priced cut files. ( I wish I had SCAL or DS!) Darn Mac!

Card Crazy!

Ok- here's my next card for the TGF digi relay.
Meet Toby the bear!
( don't worry I trimmed off that annoying little bit of paper on the left edge after I took the photo)


I can't wait to see what the next stamp we have to work with will be!

Materials
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
pp: American Crafts
ribbon: American Crafts
letter stickers: American Crafts, Adornit
Ink: Colorbox
Toby Digi Stamp: The Greeting Farm
Copic Markers

next relay round

Here's the next card I made for TGF relay. I whipped this one up a bit quickly, There are a few things I'd change if I made it again.

I just happened to have the Basic Grey cupcakes cut and on my desk from another project- I love how they ended up working on this card!

a pinch of happy

I had a really rough week last week, so I think it's time for a little fun.

Here's a card I did for a relay at The Greeting Farm
the digi Ian stamp is super cute!


Materials:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
PP: Cosmo Cricket, MME
DIGI Stamp: The Greeting Farm
Copics Markers
Chipboard: Cosmo Cricket
pebbles and dew drops: unknown
Stickles
Glossy Accents
font: My Own Topher

...and here's a layout I did during an all day crop with the girls. It was one of those layouts that just wasn't working, I ripped the paper removing some elements, and almost trashed it altogether. With some creative alterations, I think it finally came together ok.


Materials:
PP: Pebbles, SEI
Stickers: Pebbles
letter Stickers:Bo Bunny
Chipboard: American Crafts, Fancy Pants
Ink: Staz On
Glimmer Mist

Here's to a happier week!
Erin

New Winner!!!

Amy contacted me, and asked that I draw again for the prize for someone not on the Practical Scrappers DT- so thanks to sweet Amy, our new winner is...

#15
Lucinda!

Lucinda said...

Great project - looks like it was fun to put together!

Lucinda, please send me your address at girl.paper.scissors@hotmail.com, and I'll get your stamp in the mail!

We have a winner!

Thanks for participating in this week-end's blog hop with Practical Scrappers! I hope you had fun checking out all the great projects.
I drew a number using Random .org to decide the winner of Giga Watt ( The Stampin Bella Stamp set)

...and the winner is...
#5
Amy Heller said...
A-dorable!! Love it!

Congrats Amy! e-mail me with your address, and I'll send out your stamp set, along with a piece of EZ mount foam to mount them on. ( the stamps are rubber, but you can use them on an acrylic block once you put them on the EZ mount).

Blog Hop Stop!

You've made it here via Practical Scrappers Designer Blog Hop! I wanted to share something a little more special than just a layout with you today. I'm not sure who this is for yet, (I have 2 boys) but It was fun pulling out some pink!


The wreath shape and backing( Chipboard and PP) are both cut with the Cricut Accent Essentials cartridge. I used extra thick foam dots to stick them together. I then wove the wired satin ribbon through the holes, added a felt branch and flowers as well as the adorable Owl stamp from Stampin' Bella.

I am giving away a Stampin' Bella stamp as a prize for the blog hop and I am able to ship Internationally. In order to qualify you need to become a follower here and leave a comment on this post. I will announce the winner on Monday, January 25th so make sure to check back in! Isn't he cute?
You should have arrived here from Heidi's blog. YOUR NEXT STOP is Jamie's Blog. If this was your first stop head over to Practical Scrappers to start at the beginning of the hop. The designers are giving away some great prizes - you don't want to miss your chance!

Heat it up!

Your embossing powder that is!

I did this page for this weeks Practical Scrappers Embossing challenge, and wondered why it came together so easily and so quickly. I had a few Bo Bunny stamps that fit these photos, and decided I'd use those to emboss. The trick was, I had to plan it out! ( anyone who knows me knows that this is usually unheard of). I cheated a bit, by placing my photos where I wanted them, tracing a general outline, then lifting them off to stamp and emboss before adding them back on. ( You never want to try and heat emboss anywhere near a photo, unless the warped and melted look is what you're going for). So it was a plan as I go type layout. I got to try my new American Crafts embossing powder, and I honestly think it works better than most of the other powders I have. On the other hand, that could just be me trying to justify buying more AC powders when I already have a drawer full of other brands.


Materials used:
Cardstock: Scenic Route
Patterned paper: Sassafras Lass
Stamps: Bo Bunny
Ink: Colorbox pigment ink
Embossing powder: American Crafts
Stickers: Sassafras Lass
Journaling Spot: My little Yellow Bicycle
pen: AC Slick Writer
Birds: Maya Road

oh what fun!

Have I mentioned how much fun I have scrapbooking? Sometimes I get so involved in a project that I feel like a kid again making crafts. I get carried away, and the logical part of my brain stops censoring, and I'm free to have FUN.
This layout For the bling challenge at Practical Scrappers is all about fun!

I distressed the background papers using glimmer mist, and then sanded and inked the edges of the patterned paper. I pulled out and dusted off a parchment die for my sizzix machine, then inked and crumpled a few cuts to layer behind the photos. I then made my 3 year old eat some chocolate coins left over from his birthday party so that I could use the wrappers (some I flattened, others I wrapped around chipboard and cork to give them dimension). I also pulled out some long neglected embossing powder to make the key and heart shapes, then filled it all in with gems, brads, pearls, stickes and anything treasure-like from my stash. I also got a few charms from the $ store in there ( hey! I thought- may as well while I'm at it!).

The pitter patter of little feet...

Oh nothing like those little furry feet to turn me into a complete and utter mushball. Meet Winston, our week-end visitor ( he brought along his owners too!- brother-in-law Evan and sister-in-law to be Erin). This little pot bellied, wrinkled pile of velvet melted my heart instantly. It didn't help that both boys, AND our cat Edgar seemed to like him very much. ( ok Edgar merely showed a mild interest, but in cat terms that's LOVE baby! ) All I took away from our meeting was that:
1. Winston and our said family members are welcome at our house anytime.
2. I'm in desperate need of a puppy or a baby.

Just look at that face!!




AWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Buttons! buttons! everywhere!

When I first started scrapbooking, other than patterned paper, buttons were one of my main embellishments. I fell out of love with them for awhile, I guess due to my growing stash of supplies, and probably because I didn't see their full potential.
Buttons can go anywhere that any brad, gem or pearl can go, and they often lend a warmth and homeyness due to their initial purpose as garment closures.

Here are 2 layouts I did for this week's button challenge at Practical Scrappers. One shows how you can use buttons as a simple accent, and the other in true Erin style, shows how to go completely overboard with one supply! LOL!

not another layout!?

Nope! It's a card actually! I have decided to start using the stamps, inks and markers (not to mention training) that I've paid for.
This one is for a challenge at the Club Anya blog.

Goodnight 2009!

For the last few years we've rung in the new year with a cozy dinner party at home with our good friends and neighbors Claude and Vanessa. Each year the meal becomes more and more elaborate, and every time we recount the menu to someone, the tale just gets bigger and better. I plan on doing a layout about the meal this year ( as I plan to do every other year), so this post is just to show you a page about our kids. Nothing beats clean kids in cozy jammies, off to bed so that mommies and daddies can enjoy the last evening of 2009.


Materials used:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Coordinations
PP: American Crafts
letters: American Crafts
Foam: American Crafts
chipboard: American Crafts, Pebbles
rub-ons: American Crafts
tag and sticker: American Crafts
cuttlebug embossing folder
Pen: AC slick writter
Cricut cartridges: Accent Essentials, Plantin Schoolbook

A Few layouts

We're already 2 full days ( and a few hours) into 2010, and I feel like I've already messed it all up LOL! I had been planning on starting a photo a day challenge of some sort, and "forgot". I also conveniently forgot to make any sort of resolution this year. Maybe it's because both kids are sick, and I spent the morning at the clinic, or because I'm still worried about my crazy brother who decided it would be a good idea to have a snowmobile accident over the holidays. ( He had to have surgery to insert a metal rod and pins to repair a broken femur), but I'm not really feeling that 2010 has really given us a really fresh start. Can we get a redo?

Oh well- better just dive in headfirst then!
Here's a layout I did for last week's challenge at Practical Scrappers. I took a couple of pictures of this ( very large) woodpecker from my dinning room window. He didn't stay long, and I really didn't get great photos, but a little Photoshop went a long way.


Here's my last layout of 2009.
I had a blast working on this while on Skype with my buddy Claude. It's amazing- she left my house just before dinner, and we we're back to cropping later that evening through the magic of video as if she had never left ( ok she did complain that I couldn't make her a coffee, but maybe we'll find some sort of a solution for that).



I also had fun using my cricut on this one. I think it may just change my scrapbooking style up a little. I never would have thought of using American Crafts and Sassafras together like this before.

Hope you're all either keeping your resolutions so far, or are like me, and ditched them long before you ever had a chance to fail :)

Erin