Life's Trivialities

Facets of Summer

I am SO not good at photographing layouts with white or cream backgrounds or that have shimmery, delicious gold embellishments... Sigh... But there you have it, the facets of Mia's summer; popsicles, watermelon, swimming, playdates, and reading. On her Kindle to be specific. Mind you, it doesn't matter what it is, she's read it.

It's hard to believe that summer will be drawing to an end in a few weeks and the kids will be going back to school. We still have until September in our neck of the woods but it will be here before you know it. It's been a relatively cool summer here in Virginia, thank God!

Just a quick share today. I really don't know that you need to see anymore bad pictures of my layout! It is my goal to figure out who to capture gold better. After all, it is a hot trend that I have been using a lot lately!

 

The Twinery & Serendipity Stamps Blog Hop

Welcome to the Twinery and Serendipity Stamps blog hop! This is day two of the hop. There was a great day of inspiration yesterday with another day to come. You should have come my way via Cathy's blog. If you haven't worked your way here from her blog, please begin at the Serendipity Stamps blog and work your way here and see the amazing projects designers from both teams have to share with you along the way. In order to be eligible for prizes, please comment on every blog along the way!

I created a birthday card using a die and complimentary stamp from Serendipity Stamps and Twinery's bakers twine.

The loopy parts of the sentiment "happy" which were cut using a die from Serendipity Stamps were fun to interlock. I think it would be fun to create a birthday layout and create a border of interlocked "happy" sentiments similar to a Barrel of Monkey's chain! 

The Twinery twine wrapped behind a brad and tied together is an oldie but a goodie, creates a fun border for your cards or layouts. I have done this on a layout to create a "divider" between the top and bottom of the page. It would also be fun on a pocket page and you could use the twine "line" to tuck emphera that you're saving, like a movie ticket, behind.

Prizes!! We have prizes! After all, what would a hop be without a prize, right?!

The Twinery is giving away a Solid Sampler Pack valued at $48. Please make sure you read all the rules over at the Twinery blog for details on the how's and where abouts of winning.

Serendipity Stamps is giving away a $20 gift certificate. Details are on the Seredndipity blog.

Today's hop order is as follows;

Serendipity Stamps 

The Twinery

Tifany DeGough

Anya Schrier  

Rebecca VanDeMark

Vickie Zimmer    

Stacey Schafer

Julie Warner 

Melyssa Connolly

Karen Amidon

Melania Deasy

Cathy Weber

Suzanna Lee

I am the end of the road for today but don't fret as there is another day of goodness yet to come!! Return tomorrow to the Serendipity Stamps or Twinery blogs for another day of inspiration!

Thanks for stopping in today!

The Perfect Day / The Twinery

I'm had a layout up over at The Twinery the other day which I'd like to share with you today using THE most amazing baker's twine known to the crafting kind!

Did you see the weaving?! That's how I created the top right border? Woven twine and patterned paper! Pretty nifty little touch, don't you think? I close colors that compliments my layout and would stand out against the yellow background paper and created a simple weave with the three lengths of Twinery twine and three strips of patterned paper. The longer lengths of twine were adhered to the patterned paper with liquid glue and secured to the back of the layout. I creates and interesting visual and border to my large photo.

The colors from Bella Blvd's Summer Squeeze collection are the perfect compliment to a swiming picture! The yellow pop for the bright sun, the blue of the water and the green for team color and lane lines! I woven in the border sticker as well.

If a straight line of twine is what you are looking for, it’s dead easy. Use a scrap piece of paper to run a line of liquid adhesive down the length of the straight edge then butt up the twine to the edge of the paper, on top of the glue.

Are you tired yet of the swiming pictures?! LOL!! There are going to plenty, what can I say? Don't worry if they all look the same to you, they do me too. If it weren't for the dates that I label each pic with when they print, I'd never be able to tell one meet from another...

The Twinery & Poppystamps Blog Hop

Welcome to the The Twinery and Poppy Stamps Blog Hop! Today is day one of a three day hop so be sure to visit either The Twinery blog or Poppystamps blog again on Friday and Saturday for more great inspiration. You should have arrived here via Melyssa's blog, if not, be sure to head over to The Twinery's blog and work your way here.

I created two cards to share with you today; Thinking of You using the butterfly and it's shadow as well as the flowers above the sentiment from Poppystamps along with The Twinery twine and more general, encouragement card with just the butterfly and Twinery twine.

I double cut the flower border, once in pink and once in green. I fussy cut the pink cardstock leaving me with a handful of flowers that I then glued on top of the green "unscathed" cut. The butterfly is made up of a vellum layer from the "shadow die, the pink detail cut butterfly die and twine for the "trail" and antennae.

I really love the clean cuts of Poppystamp dies! They are so details yet the cut comes away so cleanly from the die!

Here's today's full hop order should you need some assitance (it's kind of like the arrows pointing you in a million directions, don't you think?! LOL)

The Twinery - http://thetwinery.com/blog

Poppystamps - http://poppystamps.typepad. com/

Jaclyn Miller - http://designsbyjax.blogspot. com/

Chunyuan Wu - http://dahliamemories. blogspot.com/search/label/ PoppyStamp      

Jamie Cripps - http://jamielanedesigns. blogspot.com/

Lezlye Lauterbach - http://lezlyes.blogspot.com/ search/label/Poppystamps          

Stacey Schafer - http://stampinwithstacey. blogspot.com/

Jean Manis - http://jeanmanis.com/category/ poppystamps/                    

Melyssa Connolly - http://www.fantastink. blogspot.com/

Suzanna Lee - http://www.lifestrivialities. typepad.com/

Diane Barney - http://charmingly-creative. blogspot.com/search/label/ Poppystamps         

Jennifer Cuthbertson - http://www.jencuthbertson. blogspot.com/

Katarina Damm-Blomberg - http://krumeluran.wordpress. com/

 

Poppystamps will be giving away Frozen Flakes and Elsa Butterfly Branch dies ($26.50 retail value). Be sure to stop by their blog for details on how to eligible to win this fantastic prize!

 

The Twinery is giving away a Metallic Twine Sampler (retail value $32). Be sure to stop by The Twinery blog for details on winning this fantastic prize!

 

From here, you are hopping on to Diane's blog! Thanks for stopping by to visit me today!

The Twiney & Chic Tags Blog Hop, Day 2

AND

Welcome to Day 2 of The Twinery and Chic Tags blog hop! What an incredible pairing! Designers from both teams shared projects with us yesterday and there are more great projects today too demonstrating how wonderfully Twinery's bakers twine compliments Chic Tags products!

You should have arrived here from Jennie's blog. If not, start at the Chic Tags blog and work your way back here!

This layout was created using the Cloud 9 collection by Chic Tags and some of The Twinery's stunning solid baker's twine (Marigold, Pink Sorbet and Caribbean) which are the perfect complimentary colors!

Chic Tags was so generous with the product they sent us from the Cloud 9 collection! I used bits and pieces of the fabulous tags, wood veneers, gold tags, clips, flair and rub ons every where! Combine that with The Twinery's twine and it's heaven on a layout! Thread the twine through the wood veneers for some dangly fun or stitch a title, it's all good!

There are prizes from both companies so make sure you have left comments on all the blogs you visited today!!

The Twinery will be giving away a Solid Sampler Pack (a $45 value!) to one lucky winner. Full details for prize eligibilitly can be found on The Twinery blog!  The deadline for commenting is Friday, July 11th and the winner will be announced on The Twinery/Chic Tags blogs on Sunday, July 13th.

In case you get lost along the way, here's the full hop order for today. I'm the caboose, closing things up for the day and the hop!

Chic Tags - http://blog.chictags.com/

The Twinery - http://thetwinery.com/blog

Amy Coose - http://www.amycoose.blogspot.com

Tifany DeGough - http://www.inkblotsbytrd.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Haggerty - http://livethemoment-jen.blogspot.com

Christine Meyer - http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com/

Mandy Kay Starner - http://www.heyheymandykay.com

Jennifer Cuthbertson - http://www.jencuthbertson.blogspot.com/

Jennie McGarvey - http://jenniemcgarvey.typepad.com

Suzanna Lee - http://www.lifestrivialities.typepad.com/

Thanks so much for joining us today and I hop you were inspired by all the wonderful projects! Don't forget to check back at the Chic Tags and The Twinery blogs to see if you were a lucky winner!!

Layouts in June issue of Create

Create magazine, a FREE (yes! free!) online magazine published by Scrapbook Generations has some of the most inspirational scrapbooking and cardmaking content I have come across! There are sketches, articles, layouts galore, a tutorial and all kinds of crafting goodness. A few weeks ago the June issue with released along with two of my layouts.

First up, on pages 198-199 is a double page spread I created using vellum and Bella Blvd based on amazing two page sketch.

Michael replaced my broken waterproof camera for me recently and we got some really fun pictures while at Aquatica for Spring Break. The colors were perfect with these Bella Blvd papers that I mixed and matched across old and new collections - as I do!

A modified cut file cut using my Silhouette made the perfect waves for us to frolic and swim amongst!

A mix of patterned paper and washi make for fun banners at the top of your page.

And another two page spread can be found on pages 218-219 that I created based on the one page sketch. When you have more photos than the sketch calls for but like the sketch, just S T R E T C H it out! LOL!

This Pebbles collection, Birthday Wishes, is RIGHT up my alley! Those of you who know me and follow my work know that bright colors are what I create with best. THIS was designed for me! And for this birthday girl! I do believe this young lady has had many birthday layouts featured on the blog lately. Well here's another to accompany the collection!

Twinery bakers twine is the perfect compliment to these balloons! The pop of black grounds all the color a bit as well.

Some more Twinery twine on the button that comes from the collection which I used to dress up the pennant. Love those little confetti like stars! So festive!

Oh! the things one can do with foam adhesive! And stickles! Each of the candles (there are seven for her seventh birthday!) has a dab of Stickles to make the flames sparkle, as they did on her cake!

Now to do something with all the pictures from this years birthday!! We had a friends party this year and weren't at home. It's tougher to get pictures of kids you aren't all that familiar with and in lightening you don't really now. But they did turn out! And the girls had a good time, that's the most important part!

The Twinery and Top Dog Dies Blog Hop / Corner Die Flower Tutorial

Welcome!! Another fabulous day and a great day for a hop don't you think? Today is the third and final day of The Twinery and Top Dog Dies Blog Hop.

You should have hopped here from Amy's blog, if not, be sure to begin the hop HERE and work your way back here. Designers from both teams have projects created using baker's twine and dies from Top Dog Dies to wow you!

Before you get your twine in a tangle or die over those dies, let me share my wears!

I have a party "set up" to share with you today. Miss Mia will be turning 8 in a few short weeks and we are planning her birthday party. I thought the laural lace border die and decorative corner dies were perfectly suited to a name card and flowers for a napkin ring. And of course, Twinery baker's twine are the perfect compliment!

Here's a little step by step photo tutorial should you want to create your own flowers;

1. Gather your supplies

2. Cut five "petals" using the corner die by Top Dog Dies and slightly over lap each one to create the flower base.

3. Cut one flower using the Mini Flower die by Top Dog Dies for the flower center, applying a glue dot to the back of the flower.

4.  Begin to twist your Twinery bakers twine to the create the twine petals on the back of the small flower using the glue dot to secure the twine.

5.  Keep wrapping until you have five petals.

6.  Tie a knot in the center to secure the twine. Snip edges. Apply another glue dot to the center.

7.  Adhere top flower to base petals.

8.  Bling it up with bling for a flower center.

Because every birthday girl wants to feel special, I made Mia a friendship bracelet from Twinery twine, some braiding and a button. Simple! Super simple!

Top Dog Dies was incredibly generous when they sent their product for this cross promotion and they sent me the Baby on Board Die Set as well! I created this little tid bit with that collection and once again used the border and corner dies for "support". A little solid and twisted bakers twine from the Twinery wrapped things up nicely, don't you think?

Follow the list below and hop along the blogs to see fabulous projects by both design teams. The Twinery is giving away a $25 sampler pack of twine to those who comment along the hop. Top Dog Dies is giving away $50 in exclusive wafer-thin dies to one lucky winner.

Top Dog Dies

The Twinery

Monika Wright

Amy Crockett

Suzanna Lee <---- You are HERE!

Jeanne Jachna

Stacey Schafer

Jennifer Cuthbertson

Thanks for stopping by and hopping along with these two amazing companies! I hope I've inspired you and you've found a new way to use baker's twine and dies. Don't forget that to be eligible for The Twinery prize, you need to comment on each blogger's blog, we all like a little love! After you leave a comment, hop on over to Jeanne's blog! I'm sure she's got something amazing to share with you!

 

 

Happy Easter Card / Imaginisce Welcome Spring

Another Easter card from me! I'm up on the Imaginisce blog today with a card that I created using the Welcome Spring collection. Definitely one of my all time favorite Imaginisce collections! Though... Now that I think about it, I probably say that with each collection they release.

I seem to have a bit of a thing for designing on the diagonal lately. It's unusual for me but it's working. Not a complex card at all, none of mine are. They tend to be very clean and simple my cards do. Given that I'm not much of a card maker, clean and simple is the easiest thing for me to manage.

Doesn't that little bunny with her arms wide open just call to have a banner in her hands? I thought she did. As they weren't spread wide enough for Happy Easter, "happy" had to do and Easter had to go elsewhere. The happy seemed appropriate; happy in a grass field of flowers! The iRock and some Hot Rocks make the perfect flower centers for these stamped flowers.

And, of course, some Twinery twine! A shot of yellow above to match that below. Love the hot pink and blue combination.

A less anglutated look at my little bunny friend and her banner.

Easter!! Just around the corner! I'm ready. Ready as I'll ever be... Are you ready?

Meeting Baby Boy Layout / Pebbles and Stuck?!

Friday!! The kids are at school and I'm perched in my happy, scrappy place with Eric and Kathy (Chicagoland radio station) streaming and my coffee in hand! Life is good! Social media is great for some things but it's also made me acutely aware of the tragedies of young lives lost long before their time "should" be up... I am trying, key word there, to be more appreciative of all that I have and the blessing of each day with my friends and family. You just never know what tomorrow holds.

Stuck?! Sketches has some great sketches! If you are ever looking for something to push the mojo or a great sketch challenge, be sure to check them out. I used the March 15th sketch and the Special Delivery collection from Pebbles to come up with this layout.

Once again, as with all baby pictures of Nikolas, I had to reach back into the depths of my photo storage for these picture of him meeting his Great Grandma, Michael's maternal grandmother. We took him on his first airplane flight out to California to meet her (we lived in Chicago at the time).

I added the stars to the sketch. That wide open space in the clouds just begged to be turned into a starry night. My original plan had been to distress the opening left by the stars cut out from the background paper. It was the wrong look for this layout however.

The Twinery twine! The Flax twine is a perfect compliment to the grey-brown shades found in the Special Delivery collection and the hues of the black and white pictures I used.

Ugh... I hate my handwriting. But it's mine. It's something I think the kids will appreciate when they are older. While in England for my Gran's services and going through her house, seeing her handwriting was comforting. It was something from her, something she created. It's those personal touches that you crave when a lived one passes on.

Do you write on your layouts? Do you like your handwriting?

The Twinery 2014 Design Team

I have some long harboured news to share with you today! I have a new addition to my sidebar, more amazing product to add to my supply and thus a new design team that I am proud to be joining! I have been selected to join The Twinery 2014 design team!!! I am absolutely honored as just about every layout, card or project I create has some Twinery twine on it. Need some twine? I have Twinery twine! You can have some too! Read on to find out how!

I created this today to share with you as I made my announcement, featuring the use of THE Twinery twine! Showcasing the twine with a Rainbow Loom layout was the first thing that came to mind and an absolute no brainer that the chain stitch, which very much resembles the bracelets, would be necessary.

The Twinery twine solid's in rainbow colors are a perfect match to the Pebbles Inc patterned papers that I used for the vertical rainbow I created. Pre-punching the cardstock made the chain stitching a simple task as I sat watching the kids play.

If you look back on my layouts, there is many a button with a pretty ribbon bow using Twinery twine for the added "umpf" to kick it up a notch!

Be sure to check out the store HERE. The Twinery twine is truly, before I was invited to join this amazing group, the only twine I have used in the past year really. It is sturdy and holds up well to the use and abuse of handstitching. The colors remain vibrate and there is such a wide variety to choose from, you will not be disappointed.

I would like to share some of my excitment about the The Twinery with you today by offering a little giveaway! I have two packs of mini bundles to give away; Blossom, Charcoal and Honeydew are in the first pack and Denim, Buttercream and Stone are in the second pack with 15 yards of twine per mini bundle. It's easy to win by

• leaving a comment here sharing what Twinery projects you would like to see in the next year

• liking my scrappy FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/SuzannaScraps

I will use random.org to select a random winner with comments closing at 10pm EST Sunday, March 16, 2014 and the winner announced on Monday, March 17, 2014.

Please welcome the other amazing designers who will be sharing their talents through out the year!

Denise Hahn
http://www.inmyblueroom.blogspot.com/

Jen Cuthbertson
http://www.jencuthbertson.blogspot.com/

Christine Meyer
http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com/

Rebecca Grecco
http://hugsarefun.com/

DoBea Alberts
www.plumpoppystudio.com/blog

Rebecca VanDeMark
http://www.caravansonnet.com

Andrew Roberts
http://downundercrafter.blogspot.com.au/

Melyssa Connolly
http://www.fantastink.blogspot.com/

Suzanna Lee
http://www.lifestrivialities.typepad.com/

Tobi Crawford
http://tobicrawford.blogspot.ca/

Jeanne Jachna
http://akeptlife.blogspot.com/search/label/Poppystamps

Stacey Schafer
http://stampinwithstacey.blogspot.com/

Anita Mulcahey
http://happypapercrafthappenings.blogspot.com/

Melania Deasy
http://melaniadeasy.blogspot.com/

Katarina Damm-Blomberg
http://krumeluran.wordpress.com/

Returning Designers for 2014

Monika Wright - Sr Designer
http://iloveitallwithmonikawright.com/

Jamie Cripps - Sr Designer
http://jamielanedesigns.blogspot.com/

Ashley Bores - Sr Designer
http://heartmadelife.com/

Amy Crockett
http://www.scrappingmommy.com/

Tifany DeGough
http://inkblotsbytrd.blogspot.com/

Jaclyn Miller
http://designsbyjax.blogspot.com/

What a great year it is going to be with The Twinery! I've got Twinery, have you?! Thanks for sharing me news with me today!