Better Late Than Never!!!

Hello all again!

I'm late, but back with another new case from CSI : Color, Stories Inspiration!! This case opened up on December 15, and will remain open until the end of December. The lovely Scene for this Case File was found on decorating website House of Four.

Let's take a closer look at Case #268!

Here's a look at the freestyle case prompts :

And the traditional case file and clues :

EVIDENCE

Wood background
Plaid
Christmas/holiday elements
Deer/antlers or other animal
Frames
Car
Mason jar
Wood
Buckles
Chalkboard elements
Circles
Tie something
Vintage elements
Ribbon
Trees/greenery
Metal
Poinsettia/other flowers
Light bulbs

TESTIMONY (JOURNALING IDEAS)

Topic: Document something about the holidays
Prompt Idea: Choose a Christmas prompt.
Presentation: Frame your journaling.
Writing Format: Use a song lyric as part of your journaling.
Inspiration Words: dreaming, merry, know

THE SCHEME (RBG Codes)

247.244.239 – cream
171.181.131 – olive green
207.96.102 – red
102.101.106 – dark gray, charcoal
159.122.95 – tawny brown/ peanut brown

And here's what I made with it:

About 5 years ago, I solved a different CSI case that started a new Christmas tradition in my family. That was Case #150 and you can find that File HERE on Pinterest. Now every year before we open gifts, we take a Christmas #selfie. The topic clue prompted this layout, documenting 5 years of selfies. I've left space for the 5th picture and I'll post the layout with the last photo on it after Christmas is done. I'm still not sure how big the photo will be or where I'll be putting it on the layout, but it will be fun to complete this page.

Here's how I solved this case :

COLOURS

All of the colours are there. There's a tiny bit of blue added, but only because it was in the background of my patterned paper that I chose for this layout.

EVIDENCE

Christmas elements
Deer
Car (truck)
Wood
Circles
Tie something (the little bow around the deer's neck)
Vintage elements (the patterned paper has a vintage feel)
Ribbon
Trees/greenery (again, the patterned paper)
Poinsettia
Frame

TESTIMONY

The TOPIC clue "Document something about the holidays" inspired the layout this time.

Journaling

Five years ago we started a new tradition thanks to a CSI challenge back in 2014.
Now before we open gifts on Christmas Day, we get together and take the annual Christmas #selfie.
Someday soon, there will be more faces in the picture.
I am so glad that we’ve kept up with it.
Love you all, so very much

11.24.2018

Here's a closer look at this layout :

Here's my little reindeer - He's actually a sticker that I popped up off the page. It was my sisters idea to tie the little twine bow around his neck and I just love how it looks!!

The wooden "Polaroid" frame made the perfect spot to highlight this little vintage girl from my patterned paper. I added the red phrase sticker to finish it off. Also here you can see that I've stamped the year using Staz-On right on the corners of the photos.

Here's my journaling spot. I've used the RGB codes provided to get the right shade of red for the #selfie word. Backing the journaling block in red gives me a triangle of red around the page. This technique helps keep your eyes moving around the layout.

I love singing this song at Christmas. So when I saw it in one of my patterned papers, I made sure to include it! There's actually four different papers here - The Santa / doily paper is one, the song strip is another, I fussy cut the truck out of a Thanksgiving (fall) themed paper, and the phrase strips are from some really old Scenic Route papers I had in my scraps stash.

This circle was punched from another patterned paper - the "5" represents 2 things. Five years of selfies, and also five people in our family. Also here you can see that I've added in my hashtag with wooden letters from Studio Calico.

And, finally here's a look from the bottom of the layout up at the title layers. I love, LOVE, LOVE layering and try to have some on every layout that I make!

Thanks for popping by and checking out my page today!

Don't forget, if you play with this case and link up over at CSI using the Mr. Linky tool on the right-hand side, you'll be entered into the draw for prizes from our awesome sponsors pictured above!!

I can't wait to see how you solve this case!

Through Thick and Thin

Hello again!

I'm back with another awesome case from CSI : Color, Stories, Inspiration! This one is so bright, cheerful and super inspiring as well!

The cool image from this month's second Case File was found on decorating website DoceObra.

Here's a look at the freestyle case prompts :

And the traditional case file and clues :

EVIDENCE

Geometric patterns
Bricks
Embossed or textured paper
Stars
Hearts
Birds (or other animals)
Frames
Clock
Puffy stickers
Telephone or other gadget
Flowers
Phrase sticker
Bottle or jar
Mimic the boxed shelving as a design element
Fabric
Dangle something
Add something (or many things) completely unexpected to your page.

TESTIMONY (JOURNALING IDEAS)

Topic: Document something you do every day.
Prompt Idea: It’s Thanksgiving month. Thank something unexpected. Check this out for ideas of what I mean.
Presentation: Display your journaling in a frame or on a shelf-of-sorts with some other decorative elements.
Writing Format: Write a list of random things about your subject.
Inspiration Words: vibrant, quirky, unexpected

THE SCHEME

252.225.30 – bright yellow
21.173.178 – right between aqua and turquoise
205.73.24 – in between orange and red
248.250.249 – white
30.23.17 – black

And here's what I made with it this time :

I LOVED these bright colours this time, and that boxed shelving inspired me to make all the boxes you see here. I wanted to make kind of a "teenage boy-ish" layout and I loved these pictures of my son and nephew taken at my parents 45th wedding anniversary weekend, so this is the result of mixing those 2 ideas together.

Here's how I solved the case :

COLOURS

All the colours are there with the addition of a little bit of green, pulled from the pillows in the inspiration photo.

EVIDENCE

Geometric patterns
Bricks
Stars
Hearts
Frames
Puffy stickers
Other gadget (camera)
Phrase sticker (in the title)
Mimic the boxed shelving as a design element
Add something unexpected to your page

TESTIMONY

I used the WRITING FORMAT clue this time : "Write a list of random things about your subject" inspired the journaling this time.

Journaling

the two of you were born exactly 4 months apart - Ethan on August 10th and Tyler on December 10th

you both have 2 middle names that are in memory of very special people

you both have an older sister

you are both very “punny”
(like super annoyingly so)

you are both gamers

random snapchats - enough said.

you are both sneaky and mischievous and we love you both SO very much

As always, here's some close ups of my page :

First, just a quick look at one of the boxes that I created for the middle section of the page. I used some 140 pound Vicki Boutin Foundations paper to create each box. I just cut random sizes and then scored each edge at 5/8ths. Then I folded up the edges, cutting out triangle pieces out of the corners. Then I used double sided tape around all of the edges to "stick" the boxes together. Finally I used thin pieces of lighter weight black cardstock around the outside edges to finish them off. Each box has a different black and white patterned paper in it.

I wanted to show you how very 3D this layout actually is! There are 5 (that's right, FIVE!!) layers of foam tape holding the smallest photo up over the boxes! Maybe it's too high, but I LOVE how it looks!

A closer look at my title work - I used rub on letters for the word "cousins", and the "through thick and thin" is a phrase sticker that fit perfectly with the theme of the page. I was inspired to make the rainbow of colours underneath the title by another crafter on Vicki Boutin's Mixed Media Community over on Facebook. I simply cut the acetate cover of the foundations paper to size, and glued it down! Simple, but striking!!

A closer look at some of the boxes.

And finally, here's where I hid the journaling. The "so much fun" tab can be used to lift the top layer up. In addition to my list, I printed some more pictures of my son and nephew together throughout the years. It's been so fun watching them grow up together!

Don't forget, if you play with this case and link up over at CSI using the Mr. Linky tool on the right-hand side, you'll be entered into the draw for prizes from our awesome sponsors pictured above!!

Thanks for popping by and checking out my page today!
I can't wait to see how you solve this case!!!

This is the Good Stuff!!

Hello Friends!

It's a new month & a new month means a new Case is ready over at CSI : Color, Stories, Inspiration!! If this is your first time here, and you want a little more information about this awesome challenge, you can go HERE.

The beautiful image from this case file was found over at the Home Goods Blog.

Here's the freestyle case prompts :

And the traditional Case File and Clues :

EVIDENCE

Stripes
Checker pattern
Frames
Flower
Cat or other animal
Book pages/text print
Label
Something transparent
Arrows
Metal
Puffy stickers
Black and white photos
Triangles
Something shiny
Use both gold and silver accents
Glitter
Rub-ons

TESTIMONY (JOURNALING IDEAS)

Topic: Document something about home
Prompt Idea: Choose one of these 100 random questions.
Presentation: Frame your journaling
Writing Format: Write a 6-word memoir
Inspiration Words: epic, fabulous, vogue

THE SCHEME

228.160.175 -carnation pink
246.214.225 – pale pink
255.255.255 - bright white
209.205.199 – light gray
16.14.25 - black


And here's what I created with it this time :

As soon as I saw this colour combo, it made me think of my oldest daughters best friend who loves pink. This year they are separated because of distance for school, so I made this page for my daughter to document some sweet words written to her by her friend.

Here's how I solved this Case :

COLOURS

I used a slightly different shade of the darkest pink, and added in some green, simply because it gave me a chance to use the ephemera from Vicki Boutin's new collection which I am totally in love with. The rest of the colours are there. Also, I really loved being able to use tons of gold on this layout, since it's still my favorite metallic colour!

EVIDENCE

Stripes
Frames
Flower
Other Animal (bird)
Text print
Label
Something Transparent
Arrows
Metal
Triangles
Something Shiny

TESTIMONY

The INSPIRATION WORD "Vouge" inspired this layout. The journaling is taken directly from a very sweet post written by my daughters best friend about her, but I won't be sharing the journaling here, since it's private.

Here's some closeups of my page:

Here's a closer look at my title work. Using some pieces from Vicki Boutin's Field Notes Ephemera packs made this easy and pretty!







This is the little ephemera cluster on the bottom right hand of the page. Once again, all of the pieces are from the Field Notes collection. I LOVED this little bird - he's my favorite piece out of the pack. Here also you can see the gold triangle washi tape, which was inspired by the gold triangle pieces on the wall of the case photo.

This is at the top left of the page. I actually cut the scalloped ephemera piece that says "Choose to Shine" in half, using the other piece at the bottom right of the page. Adding in the small gold ball trim gave this cluster just the right finishing touch.

Here's a look at where I hid the journaling. I created a little pocket on the left hand side and used an ephemera piece as the tab to be able to pull it out. When I typed out the post for my daughter, the original piece used a heart emoticon at the end. To represent that I used a small gold heart brad instead.

And finally, a closer look at the right hand side of the layout. Here you can see all my layers, and especially the shiny gold polka dotted paper that was my favorite on this page. The little tag and gold arrow bring your eye to the photo, and emphasize the subject of the layout.

Don't forget, if you play with this case and link up over at CSI using the Mr. Linky tool on the right-hand side, you'll be entered into the draw for prizes from our awesome sponsors pictured above!!

Thanks for popping by and checking out my page today!
I can't wait to see how you solve this case!!!

My Favorite Reads

I'm back with another brand new case from CSI : Color, Stories, Inspiration today!


October is National Book month, so this case inspiration image fits right along with that! Let's have a look at Case #264.

Here's the freestyle case prompts :

And the traditional Case File and Clues :

EVIDENCE

Distressed solid background (e.g., old BasicGrey solids)
Plaid, check, or grid pattern
Book pages or text print
Metal
Book plates
Dog (or other animal)
Fabric or felt
Buttons
Jar or food elements
Puffy stickers
Light bulb
Distressing
Ink the edges
A container of some sort—envelope, pocket, or something you think up
Lots of layers


TESTIMONY (JOURNALING IDEAS)

Topic: Document something about books or reading
Prompt Idea: Choose a prompt from here.
Presentation: Hidden journaling
Writing Format: Write your journaling as a confession.
Inspiration Words: hide, secret, intriguing


THE SCHEME (RGB Codes)

198.198.194 – light gray
255.255.255 – white
100.162.159 – teal
179.211.232 – pale ice blue
131.45.54 – garnet red


And, here's what I made with it this time :

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read. I read every night before bed, usually fiction, with some dystopian (utopian) and a bit of fantasy thrown in for good measure. I made this page to document my very favorite series, two of which I own. I'd like to invest in the third someday, but for now, I have them all on my Dad's E-Reader and I enjoy them that way. I read each of these series at least once a year, and will often pre-order the newest books so they arrive at my door on the release dates.

Here's how I solved this Case :

COLOURS

All of the colours are there, with a little bit of gold thrown in to accent. I am starting to dabble a bit with mixed media and am enjoying experimenting with it on my pages. I love gold so I used a little gold texture paste (Vicki Boutin) through some stencils (Vicki Boutin and Tim Holtz) to achieve this look.

EVIDENCE

Check Pattern (on the label above the top photo)
Text Print
Metal
Felt
Puffy stickers
Buttons

TESTIMONY

I used three different clues this time - The TOPIC clue inspired the subject of the page, and the PRESENTATION and INSPIRATION WORD "hide" inspired my journaling treatment

Journaling

I love, love, LOVE to read. For as long as I can remember, I’ve ended each day reading something.

I love the feel of a book in my hand, and have never owned an e-Reader or tablet, or even really thought about getting one. Then about one month ago, my mother gifted me my father’s e-Reader. It’s such a special gift, as he also shared my love of reading. We would often be able to find him in his chair in the living room, reading a book or some sort. I like that I can put it in my purse and carry hundreds of books around with me wherever I go.

I quite often borrow books from the library, and at one point was a member of a small book club that was started by a few women from my church. I like reading many different styles of books, but in particular I like fiction, with a little bit of dystopian fantasy thrown in.

At the present moment, I have 3 favorite authors, with a fourth rapidly growing on me. All of these series were introduced to me by my sister, who reads even more than I do.

First, and for many, many years, I love reading books by Diana Gabaldon. Currently, she is writing Book #9 in the Outlander Series. And, yes, the books are being made into a television show, currently in Season 3. No, I am not watching it. I find the show too far removed from the loveliness that is the books. My sister and I even went on a tour of Scotland that was based on the books!! I am SO in love with Jamie and Claire’s love and life story.

Second, I love reading books by Deborah Harkness. My favorite series is The All Souls Trilogy. An interesting mix of real history, fantasy and romance with some vampires, witches and demons thrown into the mix. Sounds weird but the books are SO well written, that I find myself drawn in every time I sit down with one. I read this series at least once, if not twice a year. These books are also being made into a television show, which I have not attempted to watch yet.

Third, I love reading books by Anne Bishop. In particular, I love her The Others Series, and the spin off from that - Lake Silence. These books are a dystopian fantasy, with a little romance thrown in. Her writing is incredible. I could read this series over and over and over again.

And lastly, my newest series - The St. Mary’s Chronicles - written by Jodi Taylor. These books are funny, fast paced, and action filled, and I’m really enjoying reading them. Thankfully, there seems to be quite a few, so I’ll be able to be reading them for quite a while.

Here's some closeups of my page. I will say that the weather here in Ontario has been quite dull for the last few weeks, and so that's reflected in the darkness of some of these photos :

Here's how you access the journaling hidden behind the blue section of the page. Admittedly, it looks a little sloppy when you pull the pictures on the front back, but that's mostly because when I scrapbook I "go with the flow". I rarely ever plan a page ahead of time and go with whatever I think works. So, I didn't plan to make the back of the photos pretty at all. The floral paper clip is what I intended to be used to pull back the first flap with the half circle punched space (see the first photo) for the top flap. To the left of both of these photos, you can see that I cut my tag in half, with the intent of having it look like a bit like a bookmark when the flaps are closed.

Here's my title work a little closer. The pre-printed "My Favorite" part is from Vicki Boutin's new "Field Notes" collection and it had the right colour of light blue for the page plus the beginnings of the title. I then added some felt letter stickers to finish the words. I liked how the top part looks like it was ripped out of a book, so I crumpled the top edge to add a distressed look. Some sticker circles, gold sequins, ribbon, enamel dots and a sticker button finished off the title.

Here's a couple closeups of my gold glaze and red ink splatters. I'm loving how they turned out on this page!

And finally, a closer look at the journaling under the flaps.

Don't forget, if you play with this case and link up over at CSI using the Mr. Linky tool on the right-hand side, you'll be entered into the draw for prizes from our awesome sponsors pictured above!!

Thanks for popping by and checking out my page today!
I can't wait to see how you solve this case!!!

Always Thankful

It's October!! My favorite month of the year for more than one reason.
First, it's my anniversary month - this year we celebrate 21!
The trees are changing colour - it's so beautiful, and still usually decent weather.
And, it's Thanksgiving (at least in Canada). While I don't really care much about "celebrating" this "holiday" it does mean that we get together as families and eat lots of yummy food. I like food!!

A new month also means a new Case over at CSI : Color Stories, Inspiration!! This month we teamed up with PageMaps to create our layouts & I was SUPER excited to do it! I've used PageMaps sketches off and on in the past, and they always give me a creative boost when I'm feeling uninspired.

Let's take a look at Case #263.

Here's the freestyle case prompts:

And, the traditional Case File and Clues:

EVIDENCE

Textured paper
Woodgrain paper
Book pages/ text print
Bookplates
Flowers, leaves, branches
Apples (or other fruit)
Fall-themed elements
Jars
Wood veneer
Metal
Twine
Numbers
Frames
Lace
Bird (or other animal)
Something woven
Create your page in a grid design
Distressing

TESTIMONY (JOURNALING IDEAS)

Topic: Document something about autumn
Prompt Idea: Choose an October prompt.
Presentation: put your journaling in a frame.
Writing Format: Write a list of 9 things about your topic.
Inspiration Words: season, golden, colorful

THE SCHEME (RGB Codes)

164.162.137 – khaki green
234.136.47 – orange
230.230.230 – pale gray
228.210.146 – flax yellow
48.41.22 – dark, dark brown, almost black


And here's what I made with it this time :

And my sketch from PageMaps (which I loved!!) :

You can see that I stuck pretty close to the sketch. Since October is Thanksgiving, I created this page documenting how thankful I am for my family. The pictures are from my parents 45th Anniversary which we celebrated in 2016. A little more than one year after these photos were taken, my Dad passed away. They are so special to me.

Here's how I solved this Case :

COLOURS

All the colours are there with the addition of a little red, since it was in the patterned papers that I chose to use.

EVIDENCE

Textured paper (the yellow cardstock is a Swiss Dot)
Flowers & Leaves
Fall themed elements
Wood veneer (title letters)
Metal
Twine
Lace
Something woven

TESTIMONY

I used the Topic clue this time, and made a "Thanksgiving" page about my family.

Journaling

little did we know that one short year later the pictures would be changing.
so very glad that we made the time to gather and acknowledge your forty-five years of happy marriage.
thank you for providing a loving example of what a marriage is supposed to be.
i'm always grateful for the uniqueness that every family member brings with them.
always so much love. september 03 2018

Here's a few closeups of my page:

Here's my title block a little closer. The patterned paper had multicolour lines of arrows already, so I decided to cut in between the lines and use them to help create my "weaving". I used a lace tape and wove it in and out of the rows of paper. I really like how it came out! Then I built my title up from there. The whole title block and the main photo are popped up off the page.

This is one of my favorite pictures of my parents together. I chose to give it another mat, and pop it up to give it a bit more presence on the right hand side of the page. Also here you can just see that I trimmed around the pumpkin on the tag and popped it up underneath as well.

This is the the little row of tags and flags above the title block. I actually don't use tags like this very often, but I do like how these turned out! I like how a sketch can push you out of your comfort zone, even just a little bit.

And finally, a closer look at the journaling. Once again, I used the RGB codes provided to get the perfect shade of brown for the type.

Don't forget, if you play with this case and link up over at CSI using the Mr. Linky tool on the right-hand side, you'll be entered into the draw for prizes from our awesome sponsors pictured above!!

Thanks for popping by and checking out my page today!
I can't wait to see how you solve this case!!!