Celebrating

Hi there and happy Friday! 

I've got another layout to share using the Beach Blvd kit from Noel Mignon.

This is a bright, summer-y kit, but I've managed to pull off 2 wedding layouts with it! 

This layout is all about the makeshift bridal shower we had at work for my friend Melody. 

This is the same shower that almost got us all fired because we did not get it "approved" first. 

Oh lordy!

That's another story for another day!
:)

But here is the layout that I hope you "approve" of!

Here are a couple close up shots...

I reeeeeally love the cute Basic Grey candy buttons!

Of course, I still love brads so certainly I would also love these!

Every now and then I like to go a little vertical with my titles.

:)

OK that's all I've got!

Thanks for stopping by today!

:)

and TGIF!
gretchen

Blogging at CK + GIVEAWAY

You can catch me over on the CK blog today!

Here's a little sneak of the layout I have up over there...

And you know what blogging over at CK means, right??!

It means that if you go over there and leave me a comment on that post, I will put your name in a hat for a chance to win some loot from me!

Just come back to this post and tell me you left a comment and I will pick a winner sometime this weekend.
{oh who am I kidding, it will probably be Sunday night!}

Thanks for your comments y'all!

:)

gretchen

July/August

The July/August issue

of Creating Keepsakes is on sale now!

{Gah, I just love this cover!}

*****
You can win a copy of this cool issue if you go leave a comment on {this post} over on the CK blog!

And I will be back later to share a couple layouts I have in this issue.

:)

gretchen

Shaped cards!!

Today is all about "shaped" cards over on the Bella Blvd blog. 

So I made a couple...

:)

I used one of the new Mini 8 Punches from We R Memory Keepers to create this shaped card out of kraft cardstock. 

Then I combined a bunch of different chipboard and stickers to decorate it. 

For the sentiment on the card, I actually cut the "Thinking of You" sticker in half...I just didn't think it fit right in its original form! 

OK I probably cheated a little bit on this "shaped" card! 

:) 

I dug deep into my cardstock stash and found a 6"x12" piece of black scalloped cardstock from Bazzill 

(do they even make these anymore??). 

I cut it down to 6"x10" and folded it in half to make this card. Hey "scalloped" is "shaped", right??! 

Then I decorated the card with lots of pink and black from Bella Blvd's "Engaged at Last" line to make it very girly! 

Be sure to check out the Bella Blog for other {and more interesting} shaped cards!

TGIF!!
:)

gretchen

Pinwheel love

Hey there! 

I've been playing with my Beach Blvd kit from Noel Mignon and I've got some cards to share!

{ok i feel like that line was super cheesy but i am drinking wine and sometimes that happens. wine & cheese...get it??! warning: there is probably more cheese to follow.}

I love the fun & cheerful pinwheels from Crate Paper that come in this kit.

In fact I made these cards with the sole purpose of using the pinwheels!

The design of these cards is pretty similar. 

I do this a lot on my cards. 

I will use the same basic design and just change the papers and embellishments...I can make more cards in less time using that strategy!

I cut up this sheet of Crate Paper {also in the Beach Blvd kit} to use as part of the background for each card.

I made sure the pinwheels were front and center.

And VOILA!

 2 cards for ya!

Thanks for stopping by blog today!

Have an awesome day!

:)

gretchen

Tuesday Inspiration

Hey!

We did something fun over on the Bella Blvd blog today!
Several of us got to make something inspired by this piece:

I really love the colors, flowers, and even the flagged border (which is probably not even supposed to be the "inspirational" part of the piece!) on the right side of the inspiration piece. 

So I made this card...

On this card I hand cut lots of little flowers to create a border under the large "hello" sentiment. 

Then I used several scraps of paper to create a random flagged border underneath the flowers. 

I used mostly pinks, greens, and yellows/oranges like in the inspiration piece but I threw in a little blue also!

Still inspired by the colors, flowers, and flagged border on the inspiration piece, I used just 1 large flower on this next card and created a flagged border behind it. 

I used a pretty subtle background paper so that the brightly colored patterned paper would stand out better. 

That's all I've got!

But check out all the cool stuff on the Bella blog too!

:)

Happy day!

gretchen

Love her

Good morning!

I've got another layout to share using the fabulous Beach Blvd kit from Noel Mignon!

This one is all about our sweet dog who {unfortunately} we are watching get older and more fragile on what seems like a weekly basis. 

But we love her and will continue to enjoy her as long as she is around!

Don't you just love this hearted paper??!

This kit also came with a similar blue sheet that I used on this layout {here}.

I couldn't wait to use this pink/yellow sheet too!

****

Here are a couple of close up shots of the page...

That's all I've got!

Thanks for stopping by today!

And be sure to check out the Noel Mignon Members Facebook page for all kinds of inspiration and come chat with us!

:)

Have a great day!

gretchen

Another good one!

Well CK has gone and done it again!

They are giving away some of my favorite stuff!

Y'all know that My Mind's Eye has always been up there as one of my favorite scrapbooking manufacturers.

And now they are giving away some of the newest MME products over on the CK blog!

So go leave a comment on {this post} over there for a chance to win all this!

All this loot is from the new Collectable collection from MME.

**swoon**

OK go leave a comment and win!

:)

gretchen

Do you like surprises??

If you do, you might be interested in this fun giveaway over on the CK blog!

They are giving away 1 mystery box of loot!

I have no idea what's inside but, hey, free stuff can't be bad!!

:)

So go leave a comment on {this post} over on the CK blog for a chance to win!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

:)

gretchen

Well this is fun!

Guess who was asked back on the team over at Noel Mignon??
THIS GIRL!!
BOOM!!
Oh how I have missed her delicious kits!!
:)
*****
I got the newest Noel Mignon kit (Beach Blvd) this past weekend and of course I couldn't wait to dig in and make something.

And since June is such a big month for weddings, I thought I would use this summer-y kit to make a sweet wedding layout.

My friend Melody got married this past April. 
I had a few pics from the wedding printed out polaroid-style at Persnickety Prints and I have been looking forward to scrapping them!

I got really doodle-y on this layout! 
It was pretty fun!

I originally learned this doodle-y border technique from Virginia. 
I was scrapping with her once and watched her haphazardly doodle a swirly scalloped border on patterned paper and then cut it out. 
Genius! 
And now I copy that idea all the time! 
:)

One more close up...I love the look of the polaroids!

So there you go! 

It's a wedding layout with the summer-y kit from Noel Mignon!

Have an awesome Friday folks!!

:)

gretchen

Cards on Thursdays: Gift card holders

It's "Cards on Thursdays" over on the Bella Blvd blog.
Today it is all about gift card holders.
And I've made a couple to share!
For this first card I wanted the gift card holder to be on the front of the card to leave lots of room to write on the inside.

I cut the blue pocket out of a sheet from the Sophisticates line and punched a 1/2 circle in the top to create a tab.

I adhered the pocket to the front of the card with adhesive only around the sides & the bottom so a gift card will fit right inside.

On this next card I decorated the front and then created a pocket on the inside to hold a gift card.

I've combined the All American line from Bella Blvd with some pieces from the Baby Boy line to make an easy baby card/gift (it's never a bad idea to have some of these on hand!).

The blues and grays in these 2 different lines coordinate very well!

And then I used a bit of bling to add more red to the card.

:)
Happy day!

gretchen

Great giveaway!!

Creating Keepsakes is giving away some of the new "All American" line from Bella Blvd!

This is the line I used on all of these cards. 

I love it!

See all the red??
Yep! 

Love!

So go to {this post} over on the CK blog for a chance to win!

Happy Saturday!

:)
gretchen