This time I am bringing you the Beyond Grey challenge. A little bit of

Source: thecakeblog.com via Stefanie on Pinterest

I have been seeing this trend pop up on pinterest a lot lately. Cake decorating, home decor and in fashion, but not much in the crafting world.  Plus, I think it is a good project for using up little bits and pieces that seem to hang around forever, like buttons, scraps of paper or ribbon.  I am obsessed with using up as much of my stash as possible lately.  I think it would look with washi too, because it is translucent and can be layered. 

This challenge is Sponsored by:

So play with us if u want to win a fabulous "50 dirhams voucher"
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Pretty paper studio ,
successfully run by our very own previous DT member 

NEELU !

I made an ombre backdrop and added it to the center of a layout for my project.

I kept the title black for contrast. I had to turn the v's upside down to make the a's, but I think it turned out pretty well.

I painted some yellow ombre stripes with my new watercolor set and then punched out circles and butterflies.  I added a few buttons and stickers for dimension and texture. 

Supply List: target watercolor set and watercolor paper, butterfly punch, circle punch, assorted buttons, resin flower, chipboard butterflies, mistable butterflies, MME chipboard, woodgrain patterned paper, taxi and sunshine mister hueys, and black foam thickers.

It is a relatively simple concept, easy to achieve, but with striking results.  I hope you'll play along!


Link up here before July 14th:

Project Life - Hello Summer

My kids are staying with my parents this week and Ryan is away on business, so I had a lot of time to play.  I thought I would share some more of the process.  I printed out a lot of digi OSD files and created some sil cuts to go along with them on the cameo. 

 I'm not doing anything fancy, so I just make a collage in picasa of a few favorite cards.

 I open the file in my silhouette and draw some rounded 4x3 rectangles around the cards.

You can see a little better if I move it over.  I layer over some digi ribbons and a Saturday tab.

 Here are the cards out of the printer and cameo.

 Love how they pop right out.

I skipped reg marks, so this didn't line up perfectly, but it still looks cool.

I added my own text to this card.   I used this font (it's free, just click for the link):

I start to pull my pictures together.  I have a lot of 4x4 instagrams printed so I use a design C page protector.
I decided I needed to do a full page with these cute days of the week flags from Lauren.
 

 I just open the .png files in my Studio software and move all the files to one page.

I use the trace feature to cut out the outline of the flags.  Of course I hate to waste space on a sheet of cardstock, so I weld a couple squares with the words hello summer to fit in one of my 4x4 squares.  I thought it would be a nice way to mark the first (real) day of summer. The font I used here is (also free):

Fresh from the cameo. Love these colors.  These look good without the cameo too and were designed to layer easily on your digi pages.

 I also printed out this little embellishment and had my machine die cut a one inch circle around it to fit a bubble cap.  Homemade flair :)

I start working on the left side first. Cut up my pictures and find a place for that little flair.



This little picture is perfect to slip under this banner.  Nandini loved playing ball at the park on Saturday night. 

 I want to journal on this card, so I paint some white distress ink over the middle.  Just enough so you can still the cute background pattern around the edges.

I add my only stamp of the week and an elle's studio circle tidbit.

I love these new red flocked thickers, another day of the week flag and some journaling.  I use some little letter stickers to add the date (trying to use up all those numbers!).

I type a little and write a little to fill out a week in the review type card.  Still getting the hang of my new typewriter.  I use the other half of the paperclips from the previous week.

Hmm...don't really like that dark blue accordion sticker.  It is clashing with the bright orange in the middle.  And the neon pink washi is a little too much.

The dark blue is switched out for light blue and red.  And some wood veneers, camera and arrows, find their way on to the page as well.

I shifted the washi tape behind the die cut around a little so less of the neon tape is showing.  Even Heidi Swapp recommends using them sparingly on the back of the package.

This page came together a lot faster.  After looking at it originally, I added paper clips to match the left side.  I trimmed the regular photos down to 3.75x3.75 and backed it with a square of PB&J patterned paper.  I had gotten a whole stack together to choose from, but really liked the unity and simplicity of using the same paper throughout.


I rubbed teal chalk ink around the edges.  I love that little pop of color and use this color a lot.  It is not super crisp for letters, but it is great for backgrounds and edges like this.

 A little summer lovin' cutout added.  This water table drives me a little crazy, because Avinash always gets soaked but it is too hot to worry about now.

I typed my journaling on some martha stewart stickers. Somehow the thing punched out the center of the Os.  Interesting..

My new old typewriter, proudly displayed next to my washi collection.

 

 

 And, here is the scene after I finished everything up.  Oh my.  Note the cute new bowls from Anthro (on sale!) holding my tools and supplies.  I have a bowl for pre-made journaling cards and die cuts too.  Also, the precariously perched coffee in an Elvis mug.  Luckily I am really good at speed cleaning and it only takes me about five minutes to put everything away.


This week I used my silhouette a lot and my stamps barely at all.  Feels easier to do one or the other, not both each week. Having pre-made die cuts handy would also help.  Next time I'll make more at a time.
I'm also trying to journal about more than what is visible in the photo and dig a little deeper.  I'm not sure how far I got, but I think leaving out the obvious details helps. Finally, I am loving my new typewriter.  I just lightly put stickers on a piece of scrap paper and roll them in place.  My husband found a good deal for the typewriter on ebay.  So, even if you don't go thrifting or antiquing you can still get one!


Linked up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday. The PL kit I am using is the Clementine kit. Thank you so much to everyone in this wonderful community. I love all the feedback and looking at everything people do each week. It definitely keeps me motivated. And, please, link me up to any of your inspiring pages this week as well in the comments! I try my best to visit each one, and I'm always happy that I do!

Project Life - local

I did another one page spread this week. I wanted to balance out last week and be able to do a two page spread for the next week. We went to this new place called Local Foods alot and went to the new dinosaur exhibit at the Science Museum and ended up walking through the butterfly sanctuary as well.  Some things like storytime at the library and swimming at the Y didn't seem camera-worthy and didn't make it into the album.  I did include two funny quotes from Avinash, even though technically one was from the previous week. 

I kept it super simple and cut up one page of patterned paper, added a few day of the week stamps and some fun lemmy card printables from one story down. 

Overall, things look a little flat without any thickers or titles, but at least it gels well with last week.

We started watching a lot of dinosaur train after this visit to the science museum and went back again two days later. 

I made one more top ten list of our usual lunch spots, even though it was mostly one place this week. 

I have no idea where Avinash got the idea that we ripped our fur off with our teeth.  Too many trips to the threading salon with me?

We have been trying to emphasize the fun of playing the game over winning (since he is such a sore loser and winner these days), but I still pretty amazed when he told me not to say maybe and we won the next game of bingo at the museum.

Supply List: dear lizzy numbers paper, JBS Days of the Week Stamps, neon tapes, little birdie SC stamp set, Elle's Studio lil snippets, one story down journaling cards, Martha Stewart circle tag and label stickers, target washi and paper clips.

Linked up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday. The PL kit I am using is the Clementine kit. Thank you so much to everyone in this wonderful community. I love all the feedback and looking at everything people do each week. It definitely keeps me motivated. And, please, link me up to any of your inspiring pages this week as well in the comments! I try my best to visit each one, and I'm always happy that I do!

Kitchen Table Rainy Day Crafts

We have had a lot of rainy days here.  Full on downpours that keep us inside for inordinate amounts of time. Not that being outside in the heat is any more bearable, but at least we can manage to walk to a museum or something.

Love how when we're out of cereal, a trip to Target also yields new project supplies for me and Avi.  He really loved the block party kit.  I was so happy when he asked to paint first thing in the morning (instead of the usual TV obsession, breakfast is always an afterthought). And, yes, I use old Studio Calico boxes to help keep (some of the) paint from going everywhere.  I am so on the ball with this recycling thing.

I claimed the watercolor set as my own.  But, Avi got to help.

 I put some letter stickers on the blocks and let him paint.  Peeled them off when they were almost dry and got this effect.  I may have done Nandini's block for her.  It isn't perfect, but I like it!

The Privet House stuff from the new Target Shops was on sale too, so I got this cute tray and votive holders.  Had to scrub a lot of dried paint off the table before I took these pictures.  We live in a two bedroom apartment, so there is no dining room but I still wanted to share on Kelly's summer home tour today so I took a few more pictures around the kitchen table.

A row of canvases that tell the story of the Ramayan we had made for our long wall.

I got most of this stuff at Target too.  The red felt bag is from the dollar spot and holds the bibs.  The peacock tray is from Macy's.  I saw similar farm produce containers at Anthropologie, but couldn't justify the price tag (I want to say over 20?).  Then I saw these for way way cheaper at Target.  Score! Probably wouldn't have bought them if I didn't see them at Anthro first though, ha. And now I have something pretty to keep tomatoes or fruit in.  

Don't worry all of the mess is cleverly hidden.