CSI Challenge: Case File No.256!

Hi Everyone! 

Welcome back for more Cocoa Vanilla Studio inspiration,

 as we collaborate with the awesome team at

Color.Stories.Inspiration

Cocoa Vanilla Studio are the sponsors for CSI for the month of June, 

& we just couldn't wait to play along with their super fun challenges! 

Here's what the newest  CSI Case File 

- No.256 - 

looks like.....

Such a cool case to solve! 

Here's my take on it....

"Epic" 

SO.much.FUN!!!!

I have been inspired by the colors, and circles within the image as well as the sense of adventure! 

You'll spy a mix of the You Rock collection with our newest line, Boys Rule!

That awesome cut file is called Geo Globe and is from The Cut Shoppe! 

You can see all the close ups and read all the details on this layout on the Cocoa Vanilla Studio blog from the 27th June. 

Until then,  I encourage you to visit the CSI blog HERE 

for more inspiration & to play along too! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Paper Issues: June: Put It On An Angle

Hi Everyone!

Welcome back for more Paper Issues awesomeness with my take on the 

Put It On An Angle challenge!



As the name suggests, this challenge is all about featuring a visual angle on your layout!
So super fun and easy to play along with; even the slightest tilt counts!

I couldn't wait to get creating for this!

Here's what I came up with to inspire you....

"Lovely" 

She's truly lovely at any angle! 

Sigh! Such a pretty page for my sweet girl!

You'll spy the beautiful Maggie Holmes Flouirsh collection, as well as Nuvo Drops in Bubblegum Pink and Gold, and that divine  6x6 Stencil from Carta Bella. 

Let's take a closer look......

So many gorgeous details, layers and pretty embellishments! 

I even machine stitched and stamped on this layout too! 

I am especially loving the vellum ephemera pieces, including my title Lovely. 

Seriously, you can hardly even tell it's vellum! So beautifully designed!

And while we're looking so closely, take a peak at those Nuvo Drops! 

Enamel dots for years! Absolutely loving them! 

I now need a bottle in every color - SO good! 

You'll also spy lots of pretty Die Cut Epemera pieces tucked in and around my angled photo cluster. 

Beneath it all is that fabulous gold stamped stencil, which I also applied on an angle to keep my design cohesive and easy to look at. 

All those Flourish pretties!!! 

And there you have it! 

My very feminine and pretty take on the Put It On An Angle challenge! 

I can't wait to see what you'll create! 

Need supplies before you get started?

Visit the Paper Issues store HERE 

*** Code AMANDA will always save you $$$ at checkout ***

Thanks so much for visiting today! 

Be sure to play along with all our super fun challenges in the 

Paper Issues Friends & Fans Facebook group HERE 

Hope I've inspired you to get creative today!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Cherished Moments

Hi Everyone! 

Today I am finally sharing my layout for the Cocoa Vanilla Studio team up with CSI  - Color.Stories.Inspiration challenge blog!

If you haven't already read, Cocoa Vanilla Studio is sponsoring CSI for the month of June!

 Yay!

 So be sure to play along with the challenge to go in the draw to win an awesome Cocoa Vanilla Studio prize!

Here's what the challenge looks like....

Isn't this sweet?!

 As soon as I saw that image, I immediately thought of our gorgeous Bohemian Dream collection! I was also inspired by the ballerina, white background and those sparkles too!

Let's see how I solved the case! 

Here's what I created...

"You Are Amazing"

Beautiful, cherished moments indeed! Oh so pretty!

One of her first ever ballet performances; she was so magical!

I have used a Paige Evans cut file from the Silhouette Store, and backed it with some of my all time favourite Cocoa Vanilla Studio papers. I've positioned my photo and supporting layers in the center, keeping it as the focal point of my design. 

I tend to do this a lot. I believe that my layouts should always enhance my memories & photograph/s, not steal away from them.

 Let's take a closer look at it all....

How precious!

You'll spy that I have l created lots of pretty layers beneath my darling photograph, using up scraps from the 6 x 6 PAPER PAD, and even a left over 3 x 4" card from pattern paper CV-BD004 BEAUTIFUL MESS. I've also tucked in an ACCESSORY STICKER or three, and embellished my photo with DIE CUT EPHEMERA.  So pretty! Sparkle & Shine! 

If you look closely, you'll also spy those tiny star sparkles - they're actually left over sequins from her gorgeous tutu! Adding even the tiniest memorabilia element to a layout makes it super special for the recipient. I know my daughter will love this small but meaningful detail!

Here's a closer look at the top of that photo cluster, and those pretty pattern papers.....

Gorgeousness! 

I love the mix of patterns and the varying tones of blues and purples that I've used to back the cut file with. That divine polka dot outer layer is the reverse side of pattern paper CV-B001 ABUNDANT, and it's safe to say that it is an absolute favourite of mine!

Travelling towards the center, the next layer or ring of pattern papers is CV-BD002 GYPSY HEART. This paler blue softens the overall base appearance and adds a gentle touch. You'll also spy a little journaling in the top left hand corner, using a cut out word from pattern paper CV-BD006 BOHO BITS, CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKER, & even some of those sweet typewriter font ACCESSORY STICKERS. A few carefully chosen words that best describe this cherished moment! Love it!

The pattern paper in the center of the cut file is the B side of CV-BD005 DREAMER, & is all kinds of purple prettiness!

Below my photograph I include a sweet sentiment, Live A Colourful Life, from the ACCESSORY STICKERS. I also use ACCESSORY STICKERS, CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKERS  and even a fussy cut word from pattern paper, CV-BD006 BOHO BITS to continue journaling this special moment. To keep my design balanced, I apply these items to the bottom right hand side of my layout. Here's a last look for you.......

Oh so stunning!

I hope the 'clean' look not only compliments the challenge image, but enhances her youth and innocence too! Such a beautiful memory of my sweet girl!

And there you have it! 

That's how I solved the case (with a big help from the gorgeous Bohemian Dream) this month at Color.Stories.Inspiration! Be sure to play along and share your beautiful projects! You could just win an amazing prize ;) 

Thanks so much for visiting today,

til next time,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Pebbles: Documenting Summer - Patio Party Style!

Hi Creative Friends!

Welcome back to the Happy Arty Days blog!

 Today I am sharing the Pebbles love, and a little tutorial on how I am documenting our Summer memories with the gorgeous Patio Party collection from Jen Hadfield!

 It's no secret that I am an enormous fan of Jen's designs, and Patio Party has my heart! 

All those bright colors just scream Summer FUN!

Here's what I've created for today's post.....

"Hello Sunshine"

Oh isn't this sweet for Summer?!! 

Hearts, tropical colors, flamingos and pretty blooms! 

Summer Lovin' at it's best! 

And better still, it's really easy for you to recreate!

Here's how....

To get started you'll need pattern paper, Citrus Sweet (reverse side, with the stripes) , white cardstock, Patio Party Thickers,  and a heart cut file or die cut. 

The one I've used today is called Hello Hearts from The Cut Shoppe (get it HERE) , but you could even fussy cut your own hearts out. 

You'll also need pattern paper Panels, and the 6 x 6 Paper Pad.

Trim your white cardstock to 11" x 11" and attach to that gorgeous striped paper. 

The stripes on the reverse side of Citrus Sweet are so bright and just give me that happy Summer vibe!

Back your heart cut file with papers from the 6x6 Paper Pad, and the pattern paper called Panels.

 It's important to include the woodgrain paper, as it compliments the Patio Party Thickers and creates balance on the page.

Glue your paper pieced cut file to the center of you layout, and then position the Thickers title into place - as shown above.

 As I am documenting a Summer memory of my darling girl, Hello Sunshine was a perfect title choice. However, if this doesn't suit your needs, don't worry! There are so many other words and title options in this set of Thickers I'm sure you'll find something that works best!

Now it's time to prepare your Summer photograph! 

For this layout, I've used a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" photo. 

Using papers from the 6 x 6 Paper Pad, I trim two patterns to 2 3/4" x 3 3/4", and layer them beneath my photograph. 

I attach a flamingo and blooms ephemera, before adhering it to my page.

Time to have some fun with embellishing! 

I start by adding that Best Day Ever Wood Sticker to the top left hand side of my page, and popping a 6 x 12 Accent Stickers bloom beneath it. I also create a few embellishment clusters around my photo, using Ephemera, Accent Stickers and Dimensional Stickers. I add 2 more flamingos, to adorn the Sunshine element of my title, and a few more blooms scattered on my hearts. Oh, and don't forget those 3 super cute buzzy bee stickers - So cute!

If you love a really 'clean' layout, then this is complete! 

But if you just need a lil more pop color for your Summer themes, then see below....

With a fine brush & steady hand, apply hot pink watercolor to your layout focal points.  

Add a few splatters for good measure! 

I even added a few tiny droplets of that sky blue to balance the colors in my design.

And there you  have it! Summer memories beautifully documented with Patio Party!

Here's a few close ups for you....

Such a gorgeous color scheme! And those flamingos are just perfection!

Loving that woodgrain element, especially with the pops of hot pink!

I just adore the blooms in that embellishment cluster!

SO very beautiful!

I hope I have inspired you to start documenting your favorite Summer moments too!

Thanks so much for visiting today!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Pebbles Supplies Featured:

732868 Citrus Sweet

732963 Panels

733777 Patio Party Thickers

733775 6 x 6 Paper Pad

733779 Dimensional Stickers Flowers

733778 Wood Stickers

733782 Ephemera

733781 6 x 12 Accent Stickers

Elle's Studio: June Kit & New Releases!

Hi Everyone! 

Welcome back!

I absolutely LOVE reveal day at Elle's Studio & today's 

 June Kit and New Releases are all kinds of awesome! 

***Shop ALL the Elle's Studio new releases HERE***

Here's what the June Kit looks like....

Bright, bold and Summer-tastic! Loving it! 

And the Add Ons are equally as desirable.....

Yessss! How awesome is it all!?!!

And as you'll spy on the clear stamp, 

 we've teamed up with Geralyn Sy from In A Creative Bubble for this month's kit! Yay!

Could it get any cooler for Summer?! 

I couldn't wait to get creating with our new kit and embellishments!

I've created two layouts to share with you for today's reveal, here's the first one....

"Fun In The Sun Shine"

Wow! 

Its no secret that I love playing with color, but the Summer brights in the new 6 x 6 Shine Paper Stack truly called to me! So gorgeous! 

I mounted my sweet photograph onto the rainbow stripe 6 x 4 card from the kit, and then created the other layers with the Shine Paper Pack. I also embellished my photo with some of the Die Cuts. 

I've also used a color block trim down the sides of my page, incorporating the 3 x 4 cards, Labels, Die Cuts, Let's Relax Stamp, and a few embellishments from our Noteworthy collection. 

Here's a close up....

How fabulous are the Let's Relax Stamps?!!! LOVING them! 

They are seriously Cool with a capital C!

Let's take a closer look at the rest of my page.....

Just look at that title!!!

I've combined the Fun In The Sun Hello Happy Puffy Words with that colorful Shine Acrylic, and I've trailed the Bright Hand Drawn Acrylic Hearts through the center of it all! 

It's so impressive!   

Loving the addition of the sun Die Cut and the fussy cut clouds! Super fun and playful! 

Gor-jus!!!

For my second layout, I have gone for a cooler color scheme and created an 8.5 x 11 layout....

"Hello Summer"

OH! I love this! 

I have been so inspired by our pocket page team members, that I couldn't resist giving it a go - AJ style!

 I machine stitched that divine 6 x 4 mint chevron card onto my cardstock base, to create an instant pocket! I've filled it with stamped & journalled cards about this special moment and our Summer memories....

Love!

And how good is that Summer Vibes stamping?! 

I said it before, and I'll say it again, the Let's Relax Stamp set is fabulous! 

And speaking of fabulous, the Summer Wood Veneer Frames are just amazing! 

The warmth of the veneer adds balance to this otherwise cool page. 

I have positioned my Hello Summer frame onto the front of the pocket, to ensure it makes my photo the feature of my layout!

My subtitle (You Are Awesome) is created from the Hello Happy Puffy Words, and wraps itself around the pocket. I just adore the white on white look - so crisp! 

I embellish with Labels, Die Cuts, and yes another of the Let's Relax Stamps!

You'll also spy Puffy and Epoxy Stickers from the Noteworthy collection. 

Can't Get Enough Of This, indeed! 

June is all about documenting those Summer memories - I hope I have inspired you to do so! 

Shop ALL the Elle's Studio New Releases HERE

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I'll be back a lil later in the month with more Elle's Studio inspiration!

til then ,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Elle's Studio: Stashbusting the May Kit & Add-ons!

Hi Everyone! 

Today I am sharing how I use up the left overs of my Elle's Studio kits! 

Stashbust, kill your kit - call it what you want! 

The point is to use it all & be creative while we wait for our next kit to arrive!

The May Kit was an absolute stunner, and I made some truly pretty pages from it. 

But now what???

When I looked at what I had left over as a whole, there wasn't a commonality between anything!

I had a few 3 x 4 cards & one 4 x 6 card, and some Die Cuts left from the exclusive May Kit. 

I also had remnants of the Puffy Hearts & Play All Day Phrase Stickers, some of the Labels, as well as the Hazel Stamp!

 I had a bit of this and bit of that.... until I grouped everything by color!

Here's what I came up with.....

"Weekend"

How fun is this?!! 

Inspired by party banners, I decided to suspend my color blocked scraps together! 

I used some baker's twine & ink from my personal stash, but otherwise everything else is from the May Kit and Add Ons.  

Here's a closer look for you....

How did I get SO many pieces?

Lots of clever cutting from the May Kit 3x4 cards.

I used the negatives from the May Kit Die Cuts as a stencil and drew the hearts, stars and tabs on the left over 3 x 4 cards. I then fussy cut them out to reveal 'more' embellishments than I actually had on hand. 

 

While I had my trusty scissors handy, I also fussy cut the arrows from the 3 x 4 card that featured 5 arrows on it, as well as the left over labels. I also trimmed up the 4 x 6 card into smaller squares to matte beneath my photo. 

 I added the Play All Day Phrase Stickers to many of these embellishments, and then strung them along the twine in color blocks. 

To keep the design more cohesive, I kept the color blocks in rainbow order. 

Tip: Having analogous colors together is more orderly and pleasing on the eye!

To strengthen the color block feature, I repeat stamped the plus sign symbol from the Hazel Stamp. I stamped at varying angles to create a confetti appearance, and used coordinating inks. This stamping works beautifully with the banner design, and brings it all together!  

I position some of the Puffy Hearts onto the twine, and scatter others around the banner in their color block. 

To ensure my photo is the true hero of my layout, I place it in the center of my final banner. 

And there you have it! 

Kill your kit with a lil creative fussy cutting, stamping and color blocking! 

Hope this inspires you to use up the last of your May Kit! 

Thanks so much for visiting, 

til next time

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Shimmerz Paints: More New Colors FUN!

Hi Creative Friends!

Welcome back for more Shimmerz Paints inspiration! 

Today I am shining the spotlight on our gorgeous new Shimmerz colors!

These colors are perfect for documenting those Summer memories with!

  Here's what I've created with them today....

"Together"  

Oh, isn't this pretty?!! 

Gorgeous, shimmering colors & fussy cut blooms = Summer perfection! 

Loving this pretty combination!

Here's a closer look for you...

I've combined my Shimmerz colors with Dear Lizzy's Stay Colorful line and the

 Let's Go free cut file from Paper Issues. 

You'll spy Shimmerz in the following colors:

Pink-O-De Mayo

Going Peach Side

Limoncello

It's Mint To Be

Pool Me Close

Magenta

 I used these shimmering delights to create that gorgeous mixed media base......

You'll see that I start by penciling just inside where my cut file will be positioned. 

This really just guides me on where to apply the color. 

Next, I take the fabulous Limoncello and apply it around the Let's Go free cut file shape using the packaging technique. 

I smear a little of the Magenta & Going Peach Side into the Limoncello, while it's still wet. 

I love how these complimentary colors interact!

I splatter all these colors, plus Pink-O-De Mayo around the cut file shape then dry it all off before adding It's Mint To Be and Pool Me Closer. 

I just love how this turns out! 

The vibrancy and shimmer in these colors is aaaah-mazing! Love, love, LOVE!

The rest of my layout is a mix of embellishments and fussy cut flowers. 

I mount my cut file and photo onto a thick layer of cardboard to really make it pop and stand out on the page. 

I even hand stitch the cut file heart with hand colored twine! 

So, so gorgeous! 

Such a beautiful Summer moment to document too! 

My title is a Puffy Sticker from the Elle's Studio Family Fun collection. Isn't it divine?!

Just look at all that shimmery goodness !!! 

No matter which way you look at it, these new Shimmerz colors are to die for!

I hope my layout today has inspired you to try our newest Shimmerz colors! 

You can get yours in the Shimmerz Paints store HERE

& REMEMBER: Type AMANDA in the comments section of your order to receive a FREE paint! 

Yay for freebies! 

Thanks so much for visiting today! 

I really hope you enjoyed seeing my project! 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo