i scraplifted, because seriously. LOOK at this sketch!

hey hey, chickens!

are you a member of the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} Facebook community?
there's, like, a TON of inspiration and we're bringing challenges and free files and fun left and right.

we have a new sketch for you, created with inspiration from the talented Steph Buice, and intended to drum up some mojo for everyone!  because seriously, how can you NOT be inspired by this one?

 

i LOVE the diamond shape, and i love the bits and pieces, and i couldn't wait to jump on this one!

here's my page, with the diamond slightly off-center and my own twist on the sketch:

so, the story with this one...  me and my girl Janice.  photo taken in a club in Buffalo when we didn't have phones with flip screens so you could see what you were shooting.  you pretty much turned a camera around and clicked, hoping something would turn out.  :)  yeah...  not so much in our case!

i used mostly I Am from Simple Stories, plus some ephemera from Crate Paper and Fancy Pants - there happens to be a TON of all of these in the Paper Issues shop right now, with awesome new arrivals from Simple Stories!

zoom to silliness:

LOVE this sketch.  care to join in?  CLICK HERE and play! 
oh, and HOLY WOW, there's a ton of new stuff in the Paper Issues shop.  grab it using this:

Sketchy Saturday at Paper Issues!

hey there, chickens!  it's SATURDAY!  i'm in Canada right now, taking care of business (there's still SO much to do for my Dad's estate and getting the house ready to sell), but welcome to a Sketchy Saturday, on the Paper Issues blog!

we've got awesome sketches for both scrappy pages and cards today, and while i've been doing a LOT of scrapbooking, today i'm going the card route because i knew i HAD to use this paper and saw the speech bubble in my mind.  the card practically made itself while i was sleeping!

here's my card, featuring the gorgeous Pinkfresh Studio paper, a label (cut in two) from the Fancy Pants Office Suite collection, the speech bubble die-cut from this fun Jen Hadfield set for Pebbles, and sentiment from Snarky Stamps (it's two of the sets mashed together):

i went for a pretty LITERAL translation for the sketch, but there's a lot you can do with it!  rotate it, flip it, change the shapes, as long as we can see the sketch!

and here's the layout sketch:

want to play along?  want to win this:

CLICK HERE and join us!  i promise you'll be RIDICULOUSLY inspired by the Paper Issues Creative Team and what they've done with BOTH sketches, in case your mojo just ain't goin'!  have fun!

a sketchy Saturday CARD for Paper Issues today!

hey there, chickens!

you know we do this thing at Paper Issues where we throw down a sketch and ask you to make something based on it, yeah?  well this month, our girl Jennifer Chapin has whipped up a sketch that I LOVED in a serious way and totally challenged myself because it's totes outside of my comfort zone.  GRIDS.  i don't do 'em.  i struggle with boundaries and symmetry for the most part, so when i saw the March sketch, i knew i had to jump in.

so.  in all its griddy goodness, here's my card, featuring some disguised goodies from the February Swag Bag (the March one is coming - stay tuned, or grab a subscription so you don't miss any!):

YES.  grid.  but i transformed it into a card, because that's what you do with sketches!  you use them as a starting point for your crafty endeavour, and you go to town.  here's the sketch for you to try on for size:

well?  fab, right?  if you get in on this sketchy action, link up your project by March 20th and you might be the lucky winner of a $10 gift certificate to the Paper Issues store!  annnnnd, you know you can get lots of awesome stuff for $10, right?  but it goes even further when you use this:

that might come in handy when you stock up on some of the brand new Bella Blvd stuff that's just arrived... 

you've got a really nice pear...

i can't take credit for that, but it totes made me lullz so i had to use it to get your attention.  ;)

i've got a card today that is all cute and kawaii and part of our Valentine's inspiration week at the Some Odd Girl blog.  that's right, i made something.  AGAIN.

this one's by special request for a most awesome co-worker, and i hope she likes it!  i used a retired Some Odd Girl digi called Anjou - you can grab the clear stamp version in our Fruit Salad set and make even MORE cutery, because there are more fruits and punny sentiments (right up my alley!).  voila!

because nothing says "I love the SH!T out of you" like happy, smiling fruit!  right?  i also used the awesome Gold Foil Doilies from the Odds & Ends section of the Some Odd Girl shop, because they're seriously HOT.  and because GOLD FOIL.

annnnnnd, it's Valentine's inspo ALL WEEK, so you really should CLICK HERE to see what we're on about.  the Odd Girls are ON FIRE!

i also used the sweet card sketch from the Paper Issues Sketchy Saturday...

rotated it clockwise ninety degrees and busted out my February Swag Bag (it sold out, because they always do, but you REEEEEALLY should just get the 6-month subscription so you don't miss out - click HERE, and don't forget to use my code ORANGE for 20% off your whole purchase!)  for more inspiration from the Paper Issues Creative Team, you should check this out.  they rocked it all, as they do, and if they can inspire this girl to step out of her crafty funk, they'll inspire you, too. 

and that's it for today.  i have an exam to study for on Thursday, so i may be scarce around these parts, but i'm feeling the mojo starting to return and i am SO relieved and grateful to those who gave me the push i needed.  now to sort through the rest of the chaos...  annnnnnd FORWARD, MARCH!

a smidge of inspiration

got this HUGE and totally generous and sweet package of goodies from the lovely Aimee Maddern a few weeks back, just because, and i have been picking out bits and pieces here and there.  i sat on this page for literally the last 10 days and just couldn't bring it together, and i'm sure it was just the lack of mojo, but it was really starting to get on my nerves.  i am FULL of creativity, dadgummit, and it was high time i kicked this slump in the rump.

today, i saw the sketch at Paper Issues for their Sketchy Saturday feature, and that sealed the deal.  WOOT!  mojo spotted!  i had the elements, everything was ready, but the placement just needed a push.  tweaked it, adhered away, and i am FINALLY happy with this flippin' page.

the majority of the elements are from Pretty Little Studio - all of the papers, the folder tabs, the number stickers and the year die-cuts (i just altered them with ink and mist to make them work for my page)...  the star flair is from Toni From Designs, the "hello" die is from Lawn Fawn (the "love" die is a new fave of mine, but they keep selling out!), some orange Thickers, and i believe the arrows are from Studio Calico. 

have i mentioned how much i love my Dymo label makers?  seriously.  coloured tapes.  different fonts.  subtle.  old school perfection.

ZOOM:

one more:

and here's the awesome Paper Issues sketch that helped me bring it all together, once and for all:

WHEW.  i am so relieved - i was really beginning to wonder if it might be time to start packing up the crafties and throwing in the towel altogether.  but nope.  now i want to use the card sketch to make a commissioned card for a co-worker.  yep, i'm feeling INSPIRED.  and it's about freaking time.

how you doin'?