Budget-friendly scrapbooking

This day and age being budget-conscience is a must!

So thank you Creating Keepsakes for this new special issue!

I got to make a layout for this issue.
The deal was that I could only use a paper pack and 1 set of stickers to make a layout.
Well I could use the basics: adhesive, cardstock, scissors, trimmer & a pen.

Other than the basics, though, it was only a paper pack and a set of stickers for me!

And this is what I came up with...

(as seen in the Budget-Friendly Scrapbooking special issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine, copyright creative crafts group, posted with prior permission from publisher)

I cut the flowers, borders, photo corners, and leaves for the flowers out of the same pack of KI Memories patterned paper.
Then the stickers I used were American Crafts foam glitter Thickers.
I used them for my title and used some of the extra punctuation (periods) as centers for some of the flowers.

A little bit of product went a long way!
*****
Now go leave a comment on this post over on the CK blog for a chance
to win your own copy of Budget-Friendly Scrapbooking!

And happy hump day!!
:)
gretchen

Black tank top

Yesterday was my day to put up a challenge on the KI blog.

The challenge is to scrap an outfit!
It can be an outfit of yours or a favorite outfit of a child or an outfit you have your eye on...whatever.
Just scrap it!
I pulled out some of the new Hot Date line & scrapped about the handy black tank top that I have basically worn all summer long!

Those black letters in the title are the fabulous, normally white/graph print Hip Chip letters that I love so much.
But the white just didn't look right on this layout.
So I changed them.
I peeled the printed layer off of each chipboard letter to expose the raw chipboard underneath and then colored them black with a Sharpie.
Easy!
{i did the same thing on this layout}
I've also used ink and paint on the raw chipboard.
The Sharpie is my new thing.
I make much less of a mess!
:)
OK so if you scrap an outfit, make sure to link it up on the KI blog so we can see it and leave you some love!
:)

New challenge!

After a little summer hiatus, the challenge blog over at Noel Mignon is back up & active!

And the new challenge is very appropriate:
What did you do on your summer vacation??

Scrap it!

I did some fun stuff this summer,

but I also did a lot of running!

So I scrapped about it...

{I grabbed the cardstock & brads from my stash but everything else is from the Noel Mignon Salt Water Taffy kit!}

I kept this layout pretty simple since the pictures are so busy & colorful.

And that is a sun rub-on over the "summer" in my title & a cute watermelon border underneath!

I am still on a banner kick and I thought I would spice this one up a little bit by mixing the Lily Bee flag stickers in with the Sassafras border sticker.

*****

Join us & scrap about your summer!
Link up your layouts here.

*****
Happy Monday!
:)

gretchen

Anybody scrapping this weekend??

Need a sketch to get you going??
How about this one!

I used that sketch to help me make this layout with the August kit from Midnight Rooster.

Now go get your scrap on!
:)
Happy weekend!!

gretchen

Anybody want this?? (SOLD!)

As I was cleaning out my scrap room this week I came across a big ole flat rate box full of stuff.

But it is already sealed and I don't have any idea what it is.

I have a feeling it is a giveaway that someone never claimed.

So does anybody want it??

If anybody emails me at gretchenmcelveen at yahoo dot com

and is willing to paypal me $10 for shipping I will send it out ASAP.
I have to go to the post office in the morning anyway!

Let me know!
:)

gretchen

While it's hot

Get it while it's hot!
Or at least get it while it is still available!!

It's the September kit from Noel Mignon!
And it is up for pre-order TODAY!!

You can see even more sneaks of this kit here!
*****
Noel is offering a great special this month too!
She is giving you free shipping if you buy 2 kits (any 2 kits, not necessarily 2 of the same kit) AND on all U.S. orders over $100 !
All you have to do is use the "pick up" option when you check out and the free shipping is yours!
Happy shopping!!
:)
gretchen

Check this out!

It is Back to School Week over on the Bella Blvd blog!

And I have a layout up over there!

This layout is a combination of Bella Blvd's school line called Midterm and the fun new Making the Team line!

You know those aren't my kids, right??!
Those handsome boys belong to Brittney who is too busy running around saving the world to scrapbook these days!

Check out the Bella Blvd blog to see more great stuff during Back to School Week!!

:)
Happy day!!
gretchen

Goof ball

Did yall know that I am married to a comedian??!
Oh yeah, he thinks he is soooo funny goofing up all my pictures!!

Doesn't he know his face is going to stay that way if he keeps making faces like that??!
:)

I used the Mary Ellen kit from Noel Mignon to make this layout.
And I totally ripped off the star idea from this layout by Maggie Holmes in the September issue of Creating Keepsakes.

Have yall seen the sneaks of the newest kit Noel is working on??

This one is called "Study Hall".

Doesn't it look fabulous??

Check out this thread to see even more sneaks for this new kit.
It goes up for preorder on August 25th!!
:)
Happy Monday!!
gretchen

*NOLA*

Have you seen the September issue
of Creating Keepakes yet?
Take a look in the CK Sketches section and you will find this layout!

(as seen in the September issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine, copyright creative crafts group, posted with prior permission from publisher)

This one is about the surprise road trip we took my brother David on for his 30th birthday.

He thought everybody was just going to play golf for a few hours.

And he ended up in New Orleans for a couple of days!
Oh how gullible he is!
He should have known my husband would never let me play golf where anyone could see me!
{yes i am that bad}
:)
Happy weekend yall!
Any surprise road trips planned??
:)
gretchen

I am loving making stuff with the NEW KI releases!
And I have discovered that the fabulous Hot Date line is not just for your lovey-dovey projects!
No way!
It is super cute for baby stuff too!

I have to go to a baby shower for a friend this weekend and I need a card to take with me.
{baby stores stress me out so i usually always go the gift card route!}

Hot Date to the rescue!
I used some of the new 3x3 pockets along with the Hot Date patterned papers, Puffies, & a couple of brads to make this card.

I have said it before & I will say it again...the 3x3 pockets are perfect for gift cards!
And now I am all set for the shower!
SWEET!!
:)
gretchen

Spilling the beans

I get to be a part of this for the next year!

I am so excited!

I was floored to get "the email" and after a few days it has finally sunk in!

YIPPEEE!!
:)

Here is one of the layouts I submitted for the call using the Pebbles Floral Lane line...

This is Lee & I on the cruise we took this past June.
(yeah, the same cruise from the layout in my previous post)
Contrary to popular belief I don't always wear tennis shoes!
:)

Thanks for letting me brag a little bit!
gretchen

No. 2

Yeah, that is the title of this layout.

Probably not my best choice for a title.

But I didn't realize that until I started typing up a blog post about this page!

So typical.
Anywhoooooo, this layout is not about poo, but instead about the 2nd cruise we went on this past June.
Lee heard recently that you get some kind of special VIP status after you have cruised with Carnival for 10 times.
Now he is on a mission to see how fast we can get to 10!

So I figure I will make a layout like this for each cruise we go on.

It'll just have the who, what, when, where of each trip
and I can always do another layout or 2 with all the other pictures & details of the cruise.

So anybody want to go on a cruise??!

I used the Salt Water Taffy kit from Noel Mignon to make this one.

{there are still a couple left}

I pulled the Thickers out of the Jump & Jive kit because they matched a bit better &

I added a bit of bling from my stash.

Also I employed the crafty hands of Virginia to do the fun doodling on this layout!

She added the perfect touch to the page!
Thanks Virg!

Happy Monday yall!
:)
gretchen

Let's Ride!!

That's the new theme over at Paper Issues!

"Let's Ride!"

Interpretation is up to you.
Make cards, layouts, altered items...anything!
If you used paper, you are in!

For example, here's a layout from a little bit ago using My Little Shoebox where I cut out cars from a sheet of patterned paper to go along with the theme of the page.

And here is a layout I did a while back about my messy car!
:)

The layout might be a little old, but don't worry, my car & all its messiness is still the same!
:)
So if you have a project to match the theme, link it up over at Paper Issues!

This particular theme is running through August 27 so you have plenty of time to join in the fun!
(and I plan on making something new for this one!)
Happy Sunday!
:)
gretchen

more Good Folk!

I can't get enough of the new stuff from KI!
especially this line...

Here's a simple card
I made with it...

It makes me think of Fall!

Bring on Fall!

Cooler temps and football??
yes please!!

:)
Happy Friday yall!
gretchen

{i tried to make a little rhyme there. did you see that??!}

more Midnight Rooster

I made a couple more things with the August kit from Midnight Rooster!!

Supplies: Patterned paper (American Crafts, Crate Paper, Cosmo Cricket), Sticker (Crate Paper), Fabric tape (Studio Calico)
*****
And here is one more card...

****
REMOVED

FOR

PUBLICATION
****

Supplies: Patterned paper (Crate Paper, Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye),
Wooden alphabet (Studio Calico), Stickers (October Afternoon), Flower embellishment (Maya Road)
*****

Don't forget to check out the Midnight Rooster site and check out the August kit!
:)
gretchen

Birthday cards!

Good morning!!

I've got a couple of big birthdays coming up soon
(my husband's and my mother-in-law's)

so I decided to get a jump on some cards using my

Salt Water Taffy kit from Noel Mignon!
To save time I basically created the same card twice.
I just made one a little girly and one more boy-ish!

Here is the girly one...

And still using my Salt Water Taffy kit, I made
this one a little more masculine...

2 birthday cards done in less than 45 minutes!

sweeeeeeet!!
:)

Happy day!
gretchen

Midnight Rooster REVEAL!!

The August kit is up for sale at Midnight Rooster!
I looooove this kit!
The colors in this kit are very soft & warm and there is a fun mix of different manufacturers included!
If we hadn't been out of town all last week I probably could have knocked out a few more layouts!
*****

I made this one about my sister-in-law
acting like total tourists while we were in Cozumel!

Supplies: Patterned paper (American Crafts, My Mind's Eye, Sassafras, Studio Calico), Wooden alphabet (Studio Calico), Stickers (Crate Paper)
Brads & bling from my stash
*****
There is always a piece of fabric in each Midnight Rooster kit.
Usually I just set it to the side & forget about it.

But I got crazy this time and decided to use it!
:)

I got so crazy that I used the fabric just as it came in the kit as a background for my picture.
I used it just like it was patterned paper!

Crazy!
:)

Supplies: Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, Sassafras), Wooden alphabet (Studio Calico), Sticker (Crate Paper), Flower embellishments (Maya Road), cardstock, fabric, thread
*****

This last layout is kind of funny to me.
I snapped these pictures of Lee one day when I caught him standing outside in the pouring rain for no apparent reason.
I started to make fun of him but he said he was just testing out a new rain jacket he bought.

I guess I can let that slide!
I never really intended to scrap the pictures but when I saw this raindrop paper from American Crafts I decided it might be a story worth telling!

Supplies: Patterned paper (American Crafts, Echo Park,
My Mind's Eye), Stickers (Crate Paper)
*****
Alrighty!
Those are the layouts I have made with the August kit!
{so far}
Head over to Midnight Rooster and pick up a kit for yourself!
:)
gretchen

Midnight Rooster sneaks!!

The August kit at Midnight Rooster goes up for sale tomorrow!!
You don't want to miss this one!!

Tomorrow is the big reveal and then you can purchase your kit!
Be sure to check out the Midnight Rooster site for all the details!

And I will be sharing all my layouts here tomorrow too!
:)
gretchen

FYI (today only!!)

free 8x10 at Walgreens!

today only!
use code "FREE"

I've already submitted my order!
:)
happy Sunday to me!

(and you of course!)

just popping in...

...to say HI!

I made this one with my Salt Water Taffy kit from Noel Mignon!
Supplies: Patterned paper (Echo Park, My Mind's Eye), Border sticker (Sassafras), Alphabet (American Crafts), buttons

:)
Hope you are having a great week!
gretchen

A fish story

I came across this old layout as I was trying to better organize pictures on my computer the other day.

I made this layout back in 2008 and I am pretty sure I have never shared it.
So I am sharing it now.
{mostly because I am quite proud of my cute paper-pieced Nemo}
And here is the story...
Lee has a salt water aquarium.
I say Lee has one because he does all the work.
I do nothing but look at the pretty fish.

That aquarium is all him!

He will keep a few fish in there at a time.
Most die after a few months and he replaces them with something else pretty for me to look at.

And then there are the 2 clown fishies.
(the "Nemo" fish!)
I am not kidding you when I say those suckers are almost 9 years old!
He got them right around the time we got married 8.5 years ago.
They even survived the move from our apartment to our house about 7 years ago.
Seriously these fish might out live us!
I thought they were old in 2008!
It is half way through 2011 and they are still swimming!

This layout is basically about how any of the neighborhood kids that come by
(mostly likely trying to sell me something that of course I do not need but will buy anyway because they are just too cute)

always yell
"Hey, look! It's Nemo!"

every time they see the aquarium.

And they will probably continue to do this for years on end since these fish will not die!
:)
Happy day!!
gretchen

Sketchy sketchy

Good morning good people!
I've got a layout to share!
I submitted this one recently to Creating Keepsakes based on a sketch for their CK Sketches column.
Because you are seeing it here, it obviously did not picked up for the magazine.
But that's OK!
I really like this one!
The title of this one is "Misner Family Affair" but the "Misner" doesn't show up real well here because I used silver glitter stickers and apparently my scanner doesn't like them.
All these pictures are from my brother's wedding this past March.
That was the first time (ever, I think!) all of the Misners had been together complete with spouses, kids, etc.

Good times!

Supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye); Ribbon (Making Memories); Silver glitter stickers (Making Memories); Chipboard alpha (Basic Grey); Heart punch (The Paper Studio); Brads (American Crafts)

Alrighty!
There you have it...a reject layout!!

haha!
Just kidding!
I really like this one & it looks great in an album!
:)

gretchen