A Big Cub Scout Giggle

I love this page.....I Love Love this photo. This picture is my brother when he was about 7 years old, I think.I hate that a lot of these older pictures dont have dates on them...Even the year would be a big help!! 

I chose this photo and the yellow tissue paper behind it to go together and the rest just kind of fell into place. I started layering papers from the Amy Tangerine Daybook and journaling cards from Echo Parks Memos Collection and once I started I figured I would just pull everything I have in these colors and throw it on there. 

This layout just set itself up for some hidden journaling...I used a Dear Lizzy tag and rolled some of the tissue paper up and used it like raffia.

I actually had to start over on this page because the yellow mist went on a little heavy on the first page and turned the background into a solid yellow. I didn't really want to use the Swiss Dot background for this one but hey, gotta roll with the punches right?!?

Since I am so big on black lettering and this layout has no black anywhere else I decided that in order to pull the color into other parts of the layout i would use the asterisks that come with the letters as an embellishment of sorts. I think it helps to draw the eye around the page. I did the same thing with the Splish Splash layout.

He was so very happy!! He was always very jovial as a child. So there it is the Most Layered Layout I have ever done! I think it turned out well especially since I moved those papers around for 2 hrs. before I had it looking right!!

So thats it from me tonight-Until Next Time-"Stay Crafty, My Friends"

~Ashley Crafty~

And The Waffler Waffles No More

I have a really bad habit of putting things down and not being able to leave them alone. I call it waffling, I waffle on a lot of things. I guess you could call me indecisive. I will move and embellishment back and forth on my page 30 times before finally deciding to stick it down. 

When I can't figure out where I want to start with a layout I sort my scraps and 9 times out of 10 a color scheme will present itself to me. So I decided I was going to use those scraps and create a layout and no matter what I was not allowed to pick anything up and move it to another spot once I thought it looked okay!! 

I pulled out my mat and my camera and told myself that I had to finish the layout before I was done cooking dinner. (Luckily I scrap in my Living Room which is right off of my kitchen) I am amazed at how quickly I was able to finish this page when I didn't "waffle"!

(Please excuse the photos, I over-processed them so you couldn't see how badly out of focus they were)

I put together this collage as a reminder to myself to just stick it down!! There will always be more paper, more stickers, more embellishments and more photos to scrap!! (If I ever get my camera back)

Close up of Step 6

So this layout was completed in 45 minutes and that is a miracle for me as it can take me up to 6 hrs. to do one layout!!

If you have trouble like me with over thinking every little thing leave me a comment and let me know what it is that you do to speed yourself along.

Until Next Time "Stay Crafty, My Friends"

~Ashley Crafty~

Splish Splash-Taking a Bath

I am back with another layout....My favorite layout. For the time being anyway. I have always loved this photo...It captures my brothers 7 yr. old attitude so well! Wasn't he just the cutest!!

I love this green grid pattern by October Afternoon and I knew I wanted to use kraft accents. That's where the Simple Stories came in! Soft greens, mellow yellows, kraft and black I love this color scheme.

Does anyone else remember "Splish-Splash, I was taking a bath" . There was an episode of Americas Funniest Home Videos when I was about 7 that had a little boy playing in the tub and singing that song. For some reason it has always stuck with me. Plus I like using song lyrics for titles!! :) 

I really love this layout and the colors are more vibrant in person. So that's it from me today...So until next time "Stay Crafty, My Friends" 

~Ashley Crafty~

Preview of Layouts to Come

I finally got some pictures that are worthy of sharing! My Sister-in-law let me borrow her camera. I will be so glad when I get the battery for my camera in!! I dropped in today to give a preview of the layouts I have ready to post over the next week. Splish Splash is one of my favorites EVER!! 

I am finally getting somewhere with these photos from me and my brothers childhood! I will be back with more tomorrow!

Gulf Coast Kit Challenge

I am back with  a challenge for featuring my Conterfeit Kit "Gulf Coast". To see my post on the counterfeit kit click HERE.

For today's challenge "Instant Shine" I actually have two prompts for you.

Prompt #1) Use a Polaroid/Instant frame on your page/project. (either handmade or bought)

AND

Prompt #2) Use Sequins somewhere on your page. 

Sequins are one of the hottest new "trends" right now so I say "Use it before you stash it". I know how it works for me, I will buy them, admire them, love them and then store them..but as far as using them well you know how that goes! :) 

So here is my project for "Instant Shine".

The only thing that wasn't in my kit is the Laugh Sticker @ the bottom of the Polaroid frame. 

If your not big on mists or splatters than sequins can be used to get the look without the mess! 

This layout is one of the first that I have mixed Thickers on. So that's the challenge "Instant Shine". Come back here and leave me a comment if you complete this challenge and be sure to leave a link to your project as I would love to see them. 

Until next time..."Stay Crafty, My Friends" 

~Ashley Crafty~

My Counterfeit Kit and DIY Glitter Tape

I decide to take on the challenge of creating a counterfeit kit thanks to the inspiration over at Counterfeit Kit Challenge. I spent about an hour Sunday looking through the many great kits from several Kit clubs and settled on a great kit from Noel Mignon called Hayride

I love this kit but my main reason behind choosing it has to do with those mismatched October Afternoon Alphas. I have had them in my "stash" for some time now and have never been able to use them...despite trying several times.

I have named my kit Gulf Coast because of the turn it took once I started pulling papers. Please forgive the photos (I had to take them with my phone...My camera is due back from being repaired any day now!!) So without further ado: Gulf Coast. 

Gulf Coast Embellishments

I started with the letter stickers and wood veneers (pictured below) as those were the things that stood out the most to me but from there things took a turn! hehe

wood veneers

The bones of the kit are the same--Very "Sticker-Centric" and around 20 sheets of paper but the colors are my own. Since this is an older kit I gave mine a bit of an update with some more "trendy" items. (Read-Sequins and Handmade Polaroid Frames) I also threw in the hand-cut hearts in place of the canvas butterflies which come in to play for my challenge (but more on that in a minute). 

Gulf Coast Papers (and more Embellies!!) 

I pulled my colors from that OA Sticker Sheet because I saw that as the one piece that tied Noel's kit together. As for the contents of my kit...Here goes:

Papers:  Cardstock: Light Green and Orange by Colorbok, Teal by Recollections, Grey Textured Cardstock by Bazzill-Two Scoops, and Kraft by Amy Tangerine Ready Set Go. 6x6 Papers: 2 6x6 Dear Lizzy Fifth and Frolic Papers, 6 6x6 Amy Tangerine Ready Set Go Papers. 12x12 Pattern Papers: My Minds Eye-The Sweetest Thing-Lavender "The Best", My Minds Eye-The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine "Together" and "Happy", Studio Calico-Sundrifter-"Wildflowers", "Meadowland", "Dreamweaver", "In Love", "Seafoam", and "Set Sail", Pink Paislee-Cottage Farms "Basket" and Amy Tangerine-Ready, Set, Go "Get Cozy"

Embellishments: Studio Calico- Ampersand Mask, Pink Paislee-Soiree Wood Veneers, Dear Lizzy-Flag and Label Stickers, Smash-Pocket, Kaiser Craft- Yellow Report Pockets, My Minds Eye-The Sweetest Thing- Tiny Word Stickers "About Me", My Minds Eye-Collectible Label Stickers-Memorable "Note", 3 Dear Lizzy-Lucky Charm Tags, 2 Echo Park Journaling Cards, 2 MAMBI Journaling Cards, Darice-Silver Washi Tape, Studio Calico Wood Veneers "Chevrons, Triangles and Butterflies", Evalicious-Happy Stamp, Handmade Glitter Tape , Handmade Poloroid Frames and Hand Cut Paper Hearts 

Brads: 2 Crate Paper Story Teller, 8 My Minds Eye-The Sweetest Thing and 4 Dear Lizzy X-mas Rose Brads. 

Letter Stickers: Amy Tangerine-Tile Thickers-Blue/Teal, American Crafts-Remarks "French Toast", American Crafts-Thickers "Notarized", October Afternoon-Mini Market "Pink and Black", October Afternoon-Farmhouse 12x12 "Found Alphas.

As for the Glitter Tape-I have taken the "Red Line Tape" or "Terrifically Tacky Tape" and laid it out across white  paper. Peel off the backing and apply glitter. Then cut them down to size.

So simple and so much cheaper than the rolls of glitter tape with 4 yards for $3.00. So that is it for my first Counterfeit Kit. I will be back tomorrow with a challenge for you. (Hint: it has something to do with paper hearts) So until tomorrow-Stay Crafty My Friends!!

~Ashley Crafty~

The Bubble Boy of Summer

This layout is another summer one. Can you tell that I am so, so, so ready for the warn weather. Shorts, Flip-Flops and Lazy days by the Pool can not came soon enough. But enough about my Summer Envy. This Picture was taken by me in July of 2002, I came out of the room and my brother was standing there blowing bubbles...Have you ever seen something and just know that it is a moment you need to capture on film?? Still to this day it is one of my favorite Jacob Pictures (That and the one from Splish Splash which I will be photographing in the coming week...hopefully)

I am not big on the big Anchor trend...while I do think it is a versatile shape I can not for the life of me put it on a page that is not about the beach or boating, even swimming would do but I thought it worked well here. (of course this is a beach photo).

The Good Ol' Cabana Inn. That place was like a second home to us in the summer...Oh, how I miss the beach!!

The Squirrel and Cheese story will have to wait for another day I'm sorry to say. Again I did my journaling on Vellum because I am just terrified to destroy my pages with a spelling error. I think I need to work on that.

As for the Materials: The background paper is an older October Afternoon Paper, the Yellow Wood-grain is an Amy Tangerine and the Orange Paper and White Tile Letters are both from Echo Park Paper Co. This and That. The Thickers were given to me so I don't know exactly who they are from, and of course the Today and Anchor are both from the Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Line.

That is all from me tonight but Chloe wishes you all a Great Week!!!

That is her Have a Great Week Face!!!