Paper Issues: September Try It Tuesday

Hi Creative Friends!

It's time for another super fun and kinda messy edition of Paper Issues

I just love how much you are all embracing this challenge and giving it a good ole fashioned go!
So without further ado,
 I'm spinning you right round, as we go in circles for September!

 Use any mediums to create circles on your project!
Here's a few ideas to get you started....

Suggested Ideas: 
*print circles from jar lids, & paper rolls that have been dipped in paint/ink
*use a stencil
*use the FREE Wonky Circle Burst cut file as a template
*stamp small circles with pencil eraser tips in your ink pads
*spray mists inside circular tubes (or paper rolls)
*print with bubble wrap 

*draw circles in pen

*add droplets to create circles

The possibilites are endless, just make sure you have fun!!!

Here's what I have created this month, 

"Celebrate Today"

Isn't this pretty?!!

So many gorgeous elements and details here!

I have used Maggie Homes' Carousel collection, and even used that polka dot paper, Kaleidoscope, to enhance the circles look! 

I've used Shimmerz Dazzlerz in Tutti Frutti  with a circles and dots stencil, and then added splats and drips from Shimmerz Spritz in Cotton Candy , as well as printed a circle or 2 from a container lid too! 

You'll also spy those pretty (circle) button embellishments, from the Ephemera Die Cuts pack in this collection too! 

And lots of luscious layering beneath my photograph!

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

Just look at that Shimmer-y goodness! Circles never looked so pretty!

Printed dot delight here!

Mint, pink, black & white are such a beautiful combination!

There's even dotty goodness on that chipboard bow! 

Divine! 

Hope I've inspired you to get messy and enjoy some circular fun this month!

See what the rest of our amazing team has created for this challenge here

I can't wait to see all your beautiful creations for this challenge! 

 Add your projects to the September Challenge album in our Paper Issues {friends & fans} facebook group here.
Enter as many new projects as you like by October 1st, 

our winners will be announced October 2nd.

Need supplies before you start?!

Visit the Paper Issues store here

& REMEMBER: Use my code AMANDA & you'll save 20% off! Yay!!!

Shopping at Shimmerz Paints?

 *Quote my name, AMANDA, in the comments section of your order and they'll send you a product gift with your order*  Yay! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Paper Issues: September Pinspire Me

Hi Lovelies!

Welcome back for another edition of Paper Issues' mood board challenge; 

Pinspire Me

This month's pinspiration board is really cute n fun!

Here's what we're drawing from....

Back to School Cool!!! (& all the colours of the rainbow too!)

Love it!

Here's my take on it....

"ABC Happy Adventure"

Isn't this super fun?!!

I've been stashbusting my Crate Paper Maggie Holmes' collections: Chasing Dreams & Gather to create this scrapbook layout. 

The bunting-like alphabet letters are fussy cut from pattern paper Happy Place, and then stitched into position. I just love how this looks! Combined with my sweet 1st day of school photo, it really brings  that 'back to school' feel to life! The globe and book stickers add to the education vibe perfectly.

So very sweet!!!

I've also been really inspired by the colours, and in particular the yellow, aqua, pink and blue. La la love that mixed media background - it's made from a few of my new favorite Shimmerz Paints products! SO awesome!

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

Nawww! These two are so cute together!

Happy adventure, indeed! 

That pretty pink frame is actually a chipboard sticker from Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Love Always collection - doesn't it coordinate beautifully?!! 

Speaking of chipboard stickers, how sweet are the yellow hearts, sentiment & blooms?! Like sunshine, so happy and bright!!!

And oh, that Shimmerz background......

And there you have it!

My interpretation of this month's Pinspire Me challenge!

Hope I have given you a few ideas for playing along this month.

See more from our inspiring team here

Need scrapbook supplies before you start?

Visit the Paper Issues store here

& REMEMBER: Use my code AMANDA & you'll also receive 20% off your total spend!

Need Shimmerz Paints?

Visit the Retail Store here

& use my code AMANDA in the comments section of the order 

& they'll send you a little extra somethin'. ( Not valid with any other discounts)

So totally got you covered for all your crafty needs ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days,
Amanda xo 

Pinkfresh Studio: All About the Blues!!!

Hi Everyone!

I am super excited to be inspiring you all to use the blues in the latest Pinkfresh Studio collections! Whether it's the whimsical Escape The Ordinary, or the edgy Boys Fort collection Pinkfresh Studio has a blue for every occasion ;)

Did I mention that blue is my favourite colour? LOL.

I am always inspired by the varieties of blues in collections & how I can incorporate them into different color schemes and designs.

But enough chatter, let's start with something  very girly and pretty....

"Doer. Dreamer. Believer"

Oh swoon!!!

Isn't this the prettiest?!!!

As soon as I saw the gorgeous pattern paper, WANDER, I knew I had to make a feature of it! The diagonal design is such a striking one, and layering that diagonal paper edge with my sweet photograph and those LAYERED TAGS balanced it perfectly! Speaking of balance, this blue needed a little warmth to it - so I introduced the peachy pink tones and gold foil embellishments for added impact. 

The mixed media element really adds that wow factor, and supports this pretty color palette.
I have used the stunning Shimmerz Paints: Paste-eez in Peach Fuzz and applied it over a mandala stencil. Before removing the stencil, I also added a light spritz of Vibez in Pop Art Pink for a little more interest. Those stunning blue ink droplets are Shimmerz Paints: Spritz in Blue Sapphire - so pretty! As it is a feminine page, I have also featured the STITCHED HEARTS, and embellishments featuring butterflies & blooms! So girly and gorgeous!

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

Aren't those PUFFY STICKERS just divine?!! I love the watercolor prints, and the matte finish adds a level of sophistication to them. Very cool! 

The gold foil accents on both the LAYERED TAGS and GOLDEN FOILED WOOD ALPHAS continue that 'classy' feel as they add a grown up approach to bling. The tag with the XO inspired my use of the alphas, and added another layer to my design process.

The PHRASE STICKERS were totally on point when it came it adding sentiments to my layout, and described my Miss perfectly!

Those tags are so awesome! I originally intended to use them for card making, but they're just so good that I had to make a feature of them on this layout! La la LOVE them! And to think, all this inspiration and intention from one beautiful blue patterned paper! Loving the blues in Escape The Ordinary!

My next 'blue' layout is with the masucline Boys Fort collection,

"Hero"

How grungy and bold is this cool kid layout?!!

An entirely different look and feel to the previous layout, and yet still drawing on blue! 

This time, my layout design was inspired by the awesome FABRIC PENNANTS. Such a cool embellishment, and coordinating perfectly with my photo direction & the triangle designs in Boys Fort too! 

I rotated pattern paper THUMBS UP so that the triangles were all aligned, and resembled arrows to direct your eye across my page. There were coordinating triangle DIE CUTS that I also added to support this look. 

I mounted my photograph on layers of 6 x 6 PAPER PACK papers, and again drew on both shades of blues and triangles. To add more 'edge' and masculinity to my layout, I created the mixed media background, using texture & bold brush strokes that also travel across the page. 
Instead of gesso, I have used Shimmerz Paints: Acri-Tonez: 3 Sheets 2 The Wind and applied it with a palette knife. Once dry, I painted those gorgeous brush strokes with Spritz: Sapphire (yes, I think this Shimmerz Paints colour may be a new fave of mine!)
Here's a closer look for you.....

So cool!

Lots of awesome embellishments here too - the SCREEN PRINTED WOOD STICKERS are a new favourite of mine! And they compliment the WOOD BUTTON STICKERS so well! I also featured my lil boy's initial in the MINI ALPHA STICKERS for extra fun! Speaking of sticker fun, how about those masculine PHRASE STICKERS?!! These stickers are so bold and strong, and just perfect for any boy or man in your life!

Let's hear it for the Boys!

This collection is really striking and packs a punch! LOVE it for my cool boy!

And there you have it! 

Two very different collections, two very different looks but both featuring beautiful blues!

I hope both my layouts have inspired you today!

Thanks so much for stopping by, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Paper Issues: September Notable Quotable

Hi Lovelies!

Welcome back for more Paper Issues fun with the September edition of 

Always such a fun challenge, & this month's quote is really sweet! 

We LOVE books in our home, so this quote is perfect inspiration for my memory keeping albums!

Here's what I have created, 

"Good Book"

Isn't this fun?!!

I have used the Pink Paislee, Paige Taylor Evan's Oh My Heart collection, as I had that cute book paper still in my stash just waiting to be used! As you can see, I fussy cut all the books, and have created a double circle design with them. 

I repeat stitched the books into place, and layered the inner circle with my photo cluster. 

And seriously, how cute is my Mister A for awesome? 

He had been playing a little too quiet, 

so I snuck up on him expecting to find trouble - only to discover that he was sitting on our bed reading Charlie & Lola books! 

So adorable that I had to snap the moment!

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

The chipboard stickers in this line are super sweet, and I just had to embellish my layout with them. Loving those reading glasses especially!

And how about that sentiment sticker, all you need is a good book! Perfection!

So awesome!

I should add that the cute puffy hearts, 

and that mini bow on the fox tail 

are from Amy Tangerine's Hustle & Heart colleciton 

So super cute!!!

Need Pink Paislee, Amy Tangerine & more?

Visit the Paper Issues store here

& REMEMBER: Use my code AMANDA & you'll save 20% off too!

Looking for more Notable Quotable inspiration?

See what the rest of our talented team has created here

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I hope my layout has inspired you to get creating too!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Paper Issues: September Working Title!

Hi Happy Arty Days Friends & Fans!

Welcome back for a new round of Paper Issues

Before we get started on the September edition of Working Title,
I just wanted to say how inspired y'all make me feel!
When I see your projects in the challenge albums I am in total awe!
So ThankYOU for participating and keeping our challenges fun, and fabulous!

Speaking of fun, you're going to love how we're working our titles this month;

we're heading somewhere over the RAINBOW!
So sing me a rainbow & play along!

 You can interpret how you wish, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
*use a rainbow of alphas to create your title
*use the word 'rainbow' in your title
*position your title in a rainbow shape
*place your title over a rainbow
*use the rainbow cut file (Magic Spring Unicorn) with your title

I really loved creating for this challenge - here's what I came up with.....

"Live Your Dreams"

Oh this makes me happy!!!

In case you hadn't already guessed it, 

my daughter dreams of being a professional ballerina, so this page is a special one for her 

'journey album' !

I've used a mix of Pink Paislee's Summer Lights and Paige Evans Oh My Heart collections, as well as the Magic Spring Unicorn cut file from the Paper Issues store. 

Let's get a closer look at my title....

Isn't this striking?!! 

I have used a rainbow of Thickers to form my title, and curved it around the rainbow cut file for maximum impact!

I love the result! 

I have also featured a sub title on my layout too.....

The reason for sharing my sub title with you is because it was a chipboard phrase sticker, love your laugh, that I cut with my trusty scissors to better fit my page. 

Yep! Cutting up phrases to create titles (or sub titles) is also a nifty idea to use up that stash!

Anyways, enough chatter! 

I hope you like my layout today & will play along!

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

Need supplies before you get started?

Use my code AMANDA & you'll save 20% off every.single.time you shop! Yay!

Looking for more inspiration?

See more Working Title creations on the Paper Issues blog here

We HEART all things paper, & LOVE to make new friends, 

so please stop by and say hi! 

You'll find Paper Issues all over the Web:

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Store

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Thanks so much for stopping by today!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Paper Issues: September Take 5 Tuesday!

Hi Creative Friends!

Welcome back for more Paper Issues awesomeness with the September edition of 

Take 5 Tuesday!

This challenge is always so much fun! 

Here's this month's list for you to Take 5 from.....

Awesome!

So many fabulous possibilities here, I may have used more than 5 again, lol!

Here's  my layout, 

"Adventure Boy"

Wow! Fall / Autumn is my favourite time of year for taking photographs and you can see why!

I've used the beautiful new Creekside collection from 1Canoe2 for this striking page!

From the list you'll spy: gold, brown, leaves, patterned paper, cardstock, & stitching.

Who would've thought that fussy cut roses could work so well on a boy layout?!! 

I just love the colour palette here!

Those gorgeous fussy cut roses are from pattern paper,

Midnight Roses, and I just love the golden hues!

Gold is a real feature throughout this stunning collection - just check out those 

gold foil Thickers, & 6 x 12 stickers.....

Totally divine!!!

To maintain a lil masculinity to my layout, I have backed my cardstock with pattern paper, Night Sky, and really drawn on the pale blue and indigo coloured embellishments. Stars are also a bit of a feature to this sweet page!

You'll also spy that I used zig zag stitching to compliment the constellation patterns. Super cool!

I just love how this turned out!

Feeling like you might NEED this awesome 1Canoe2 collection too?

Get yours in the Paper Issues store here

& REMEMBER: Use my code AMANDA & you'll save 20% off your total spend!

Looking for more inspirational ideas for this challenge?

Check out what the rest of our awesome team has created here

Thanks so very much for stopping by today!

I hope my creating has inspired you!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days,

Amanda xo

Paper Issues: September Sketchy Saturday

Hi Happy Arty Days Friends!

Welcome back for more Paper Issues awesomeness with this month's edition of

We've changed things up a lil at Paper Issues this term, 

and the awesome Ann Tamimi is now our sketch creator! 

I love everything Ann creates and her first sketch for us is no exception!

Check it out....

How cool is this?!! 

I couldn't wait to play along! 

Here's my layout, 

"So Fun"

Super fun, indeed!

I have used the gorgeous Maggie Holmes Carousel line, and that super cute photo of my two on the carousel. Love it! 

So many gorgeous papers and embellishments in this line! 

Let's take a closer look at a few of them....

It's all about the stickers!!! 

Chipboard, 6 x 12, Puffy and my new favourites Enamel Pin Stickers!

The enamel pins are a really awesome addition to the Crate Paper lines, and I am LOVING them! That yellow heart is just adorable!

Here's another view of more of those sweet stickers..... 

(the chipboard flag is another fave of mine)

So gorgeous!

And let's not forget the super sweet ephemera! 

Check out that ticket booth, and carousel Zebra below....

Cuteness overload!!! La la LOVE the new Maggie Holmes Carousel collection!

Need this new line too?

Get yours in the Paper Issues store here

& REMEMBER: Use code AMANDA & you'll save 20% off your total spend! Yay!

Want to see what the rest of our talented team has created with this sketch?

Visit the Paper Issues blog here

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo