Button Giveaway at Noel Mignon

Right now Noel is having a giveaway for these darling Tessa Ann Buttons! But you only have until tomorrow to enter. Go HERE to the Blog Post to find out how to get your name in the hat!



ETA: The kit sold out in 5 minutes. WOW! Congrats to the lucky shoppers! ;)

Also, if you missed out on the Seaside Cottage kit, Noel has put together a similar Limited Edition kit called Cabot Cove. But there are only TWO available. Go HERE to see more photos and to snag one up before they are gone .



Have a lovely weekend!
Jana

And the Winner Is . . .

And the winner of the Express the Moment drawing is . . .





Allison Cope!!! WooooOOooHOOoooOOOOo!!!





CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Please email your address to me at jana{dot}eubank{at}gmail.com and I will get your information to Kim at Express the Moment . :)

Thank you again, Kim and everyone at Express the Moment , for having me as a Guest Designer this month!!! I had a wonderful time! :D

Pink Paislee + Burlap

Today was my turn for the Thursday Trends post on the Pink Paislee blog . One trend I see popping up everywhere is BURLAP.

While I'm not about to don a scratchy skirt (ouch!) or purchase a grainsack couch, I can join in on this fun trend by adding a bit of burlap to my pages. :)



I used the beautiful, Bayberry Cottage collection to scrap this page of my husband walking on the beach with our children. I love the way the burlap contributes to the beach-y, casual feeling I was going for.




The flowers were created by pleating the Teal Artisan tape into a circle and then glueing it to a punched cardstock circle base. And you know what I can't get enough of? Those beautiful, faceted Bella Brads . LOVE the way they catch the light!



Thanks for coming by today, Friends!
See you again soon!

My Cute Stamps DT and Cuttlebug Challenge #72

ETA: I just saw an announcement on the My Cute Stamps blog that Moxie Fab World is hosting a challenge and giving away TWELVE of My Cute Stamps stampsets!!! WOW!!!! I thought you'd want to know about that! ;) Good luck!!!

Check it out!!!! (Read the announcement here.)I made it! I'm a My Cute Stamps Design Team member!!! :D :D :D Eeeeek!!!! I can hardly believe that I get to design with these cute stamps each month . . . you know I've been collecting them like crazy . . . and now to represent them?!!! What a treat!!!



Thanks for letting me share! :D :D :D

This week on the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog for Be Inspired #72 we were challenged to create a wall-hanging of some sort. I decided that our mantel needed some holiday cheer and made this St. Patrick's inspired banner. :) (Click images to view larger.)



I used my Silhouette to cut out a template for the banner shape. The houndstooth backgrounds are actually cut from file folders I picked up at the dollar spot at Michael's before Christmas.



I backed them with scalloped green cardstock banner shapes and then used my Silhouette to cut out the "LUCKY" letters. I embossed them with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. Finally I added simple embellishments of white paper flowers and green gems. The sparkly shamrocks are from Michael's as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

You're Invited to a Blog Crawl!

Bella Blvd, Jillibean Soup and Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker are teaming up for this exciting event! Set yourself a reminder for Friday, March 5th and then check out these companies blogs on that date for more details.

There will be 3 large product package giveaways from each company, as well as Handmade Giveaways from 45+ designers! Including one from me! :D

I hope to see you there! :)

Adding Depth and Detail to Your Pages with Shimmerz Paints

Today I thought I'd show you how I used Shimmerz Paints and Spray Inks to add a bit of depth to the page I showed you yesterday.



Page created with the Noel Mignon Seaside Cottage kit.

By the way, did you see that Noel is now carrying the ENTIRE Shimmerz line in her store!!!! ***THUD!!*** I think I have died and gone to heaven! Hehehehe!

As I was building my page, I decided that my background needed some sprucing up. Here is what it looked like BEFORE *Please excuse the nighttime photos.*



And here is what is looked like AFTER. It's amazing how much depth you can add to a background just by pulling out your paints and mists!



I used the Weatherd Wood Crackle Paint from the kit to add a "frame" around the patterned paper layer and then spritzed the background with Shimmerz Snow Storm Vibez for a whitewashed, shimmery feel. But that's not all! I also added drips of Shimmerz Cotton Candy Spritz (pink). I love the distressed and soft feeling it adds!






I also used Shimmerz Paints to add some color to my chipboard pieces on this page.

The Prima letters are cream and were feeling washed out on my page. I decided to add a little color to them with Pink Shimmerz Paint . (The Pink Shimmerz paint was included in the Noel Mignon Paper Doll kit, but you can also purchase it in the Noel Mignon Online Store.) First I sanded them lightly to rough up the coating on the letters and then I painted them. While the paint was wet I sprinkled clear craft glitter over them. Finally, I sealed them with a Matte Finish Spray. I LOVE how they turned out. A little shabby, a little distressed, but full of beautiful sparkle!



The "love" chipboard piece is from the Noel Mignon Object of My Affection kit. I wanted it to match the Prima chipboard letters, so here is what I did.

First, I gave the chipboard piece a base coat of white acrylic paint.



Next, I used a script stamp (this one is by 7 Gypsies) and black ink to add a little pattern. I then misted it with Treasured Hymn Spritz by Shimmerz to make it off-white like the Prima letters. I could stop here if I wanted it to look like the original chipboard letters.




But I continued on with the Pink Shimmerz Paint and glitter to make it match the letters on my page.





And here is how the final piece looks! :)



What are you scrapping this week?

Easter with the Noel Mignon Seaside Cottage Kit

The Noel Mignon Seaside Cottage kit has quickly become a new favorite of mine. Love the soft colors and shabby feel! I thought it would be the perfect kit to do an Easter page with. Here are my four cuties all spruced up last year. :)

Sometimes I begin a page with a sketch I've drawn out before hand, sometimes I use an interior picture or color palette inspire me, and sometimes I just let the products do the talking. :) For this design, I began with the Webster's Page striped patterned paper with the preprinted decorative frame.



I cut the paper into a wide strip and decided to arrange my photo over it so that the frame was peeking out from underneath. I planned on adding my journaling or title to this space later on.



I usually begin a page from "front-to-back" so to speak. I find the paper or products that look best with my photo or convey the feeling I want the layout to have.

The photo looks lonely so I started to build layers behind it to give it more presence. A pink patterned paper frame around the photo and then another patterned paper layer behind the photo and Webster's strip to tie them together. Now it looks like this.



The background was looking plain and boring to me. So I pulled off the layers to add some paint and spray ink. I used Snow Storm Vibez and Cotton Candy Spritz by Shimmerz spritzed on the background. And then Weathered Wood Tim Holtz Crackle Paint to add a "frame" around the photo block.

I also added stitching to the previous polka dot patterned paper layer (I always stitch my layers individually, so I can still move them around if I'd like.) and then mounted that layer onto a piece of pink patterned paper.



Much better! :)



I was feeling good about it, so I decided to add my title and a few embellishments around the preprinted frame. The floral die cut underneath the title helps to ground it, as well as add a bit of solid color to that side of the page.


I wanted to bring the feeling of the fancy frame over to the left side of the page, so I added the Melissa Frances dimensional photo corner to the top left corner of my photo.

I also felt like I needed to create a visual triangle on this page with the pink color happening in the floral embellishment, photo matte, and title . . . so I added the pink label to the right of the photo. I like to add a few embellishments to "floating" pieces like that so they feel "held down" by something. Here I used a cameo embellishment and pebble sticker.

My page felt good, but it *needed* one more thing. After looking at it awhile, I decided that the blue felt too "heavy" to me. I wanted a lighter feeling to this page. I tucked in a few pieces of Lace Hambly Transparency and it did the trick!

Wah-lah! I'm done.

Added a bit of journaling and now I am ready to slip it into my album. :)

Here is an accompanying sketch for my sketch fans! ;)



Check back tomorrow for details on how I used Shimmerz Paints on the background and chipboard pieces on this page. :)

New Sketch Blog

First off, THANK YOU!!!! for taking the time to tell me what you would like to see more of here on my blog. I LOVED each and every one of your suggestions and am excited to implement them! Thank you for your compliments and friendship. :) I have the BEST blog-readers around! Mmmmwah! ;)

I loved reading what you had to say and have already started to work! You will soon be seeing more sketches, layouts, step-by-step pictures and explanations of my pages, tips, and tutorials. I will also share with you how I start a page and where I gain inspiration from. I will work on making these regular features here so that we can continue to inspire each other. :)

First off, I spent the weekend collecting my sketches together on their very own blog. :) I hope it will be resource you will enjoy.



<--------------------------------------------Over on the left you will see a new link that will take you there. :)

I will regularly add sketches of my pages as I complete them. I labelled and organized the posts so you will be able to find them by the number of photos.

Also, I have created PDF's of my sketches so you can download them and add them to your folders. Look for the download links in the side bar. :) I hope you like them! I will continue to make new PDF's available as I create more sketches! :) I will be sure to announce the new PDF's here on this blog so you won't miss a thing.

I hope you'll check it out! :D :D :D

Later on this morning, I will be adding a Step-By-Step of my most recent Noel Mignon page. Come by again later and tell me what you think.

Have a great day!
Jana

Express the Moment February Guest Designer

This month I was honored to be the Guest Designer at Express the Moment. Not only did I have a chance to try out Express the Moment's kits, but SO DO YOU!!! Kim Rose, the owner, has generously offered up a chance to win a ETM kit here on my blog!

Here is what you need to do . . . Leave a comment on this post telling me what you'd like to see more of on my blog (sketches, step-by-steps, technique tutorials, pages, projects, etc?) or ask me a question by Midnight MST, February 24th. I will draw a winner on Thursday, February 25th. :) I will do my best to address your requests and answer your questions in the coming months. Sound good?! :)

I played with the February 2010 kit featuring beautiful BoBunny papers. The great thing about Kim's kits are not only do you get a collection of beautifully coordinated products all ready to go . . . she also provides you with several ideas to start using your new kit right away! Inside the kit I found a page full of ideas and suggestions as well as four pages of sketches. How great is that?! :) Just open your box, and SCRAP! :)

Here are the three layouts and card that I created with the Feburary 2010 Kit.






If you would like to get your hands on one of these darling kits, make it quick! There are only a few left!!! But wait, you can also find all the 2009 kits ON SALE here. Who doesn't like a sale?!!! Right?!!! :)



Be sure to check out Kim's blog. She is having a fun contest with her recipe kits for ANOTHER chance to win! WooHOOOO!

Thank you, Kim, for having me this month! You are such a sweetheart and it has been a pleasure getting to know you and your business.

Express the Moment
Express the Moment 2009 Kit Sale
Express the Moment Blog

Cuttlebug Challenge Blog

This week at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog for Be Inspired *71 we were challenged to incorporate stitching into our project. Stitching is one of my favorite ways to add personality to a page.



For this page, I used Cosmo Cricket paper and chipboard pieces. I embossed the plain colored chipboard buttons and then sanded them lightly to give them a little personality.

The first day of school was a hard one for my youngest daughter this year because it meant that all her summer playmates wouldn't be home during the day anymore. Just look at that pouty lip on her face! LOL! Don't worry . . . she started Preschool a few weeks later and has adjusted just fine. ;)

Tip & Technique: Origami Flowers

I have pretty much been a paper nerd my entire life. :) My parents own a copy & print shop which meant paper & ink were regular terms at my house growing up. One year my parents gave me a set of Origami Books for my birthday.



While cleaning out a cupboard last week, I came across them and remembered how much fun they were. I thumbed through the pages again and to my delight I found instructions on making an origami flower. As a scrapbooker, I KNEW I had to try it right away. Hehehehe!

Here are the instructions (click to enlarge and print):




And here is my resulting page. :)



I used the Brand New Noel Mignon SEASIDE COTTAGE kit (Just TWO left!!!) for this page. Seriously!! What a fun kit! I created the flowers from the lighter weight 7 Gypsies paper. It's fun to have the two-different patterns show. :) I used my pinking shears to cut two circles from the pink seersucker fabric and the Jenni Bowlin Vintage-Style Buttons as flower centers. Swoon!!!




I used the doilie from the kit as a mask and then misted my background paper with Shimmerz Bed of Roses Spritz and Hot Fudge Vibez. I also used Pixie Dust Blingz by Shimmerz Paints on the title letters to make them sparkle. :)



A little backstory about the title on this page. As most parents do, I have little nicknames for my kids. Not only individually, but in groups. I call my two older children "The Olders" . . . "Hey, Olders, go and get your homework done!" And my two little ones "The Girls" or "The Littles." I also have a name for my youngest and oldest . . . they are "My Bookends" because they come first and last. :)

I snapped a picture of these two in the car one day while we were on vacation and this page was born. :)