Advent Calendar!

Merry Christmas! 

Today is the first day of our very first family Advent celebration, and I kicked it off with this Advent countdown calendar box!  (Check out the Christmas them challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles!)

 I covered this Karen Foster Peek-A-Box with a Christmas paper collection by Making Memories, Sizzix Big Shot and sizzlits dies, American Crafts thickers, Close To My Heart distressing ink, various buttons, Glue Dots, gingham ribbon, bling and punches!

 

 Details!  The kits included numeral stickers, so I accented with black distress ink.

 

 I popped out the red in the paper with glittered hearts, to symbolize the love of God for us.

I chose "joy" for my cover to emphasize the Bible verse in Luke 2:10-11,

 ^"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

I hope you'll enter the Christmas theme challenge at

Scrapping Everyday Miracles!

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #120: Invitation

Welcome to my Guest Designer sample for 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #120: Invitations

 

I chose to create an invitation to a New Years Celebration!

I decided to also embellish a matching envelope, and to create my invitation completely with items I already had in my stash!

 

I cut a flower shape with the Cricut and the Cherry Limeade cart.  Next, I  popped up our reindeer with foam dots. Ribbon strips were added using the Xyron 150!

I love square cards, so that is what I wanted as my final project result.

The reindeer ansterls and hooves are adorned with Stickles, as well as every-other scallop on the main card.  Alternating scallops are pierced with tiny brads!

 

 

I dotted Stickles all around the square cardstock on the tiniest polka dots of the pattern.

I also added Stickles around the edge of my die-cut shape made with the Sizzix machine.

 

 These 4 strips of green cardstock are the details of my party, and I placed them loosely in the envelope, so they tumble out upon opening!

I used these supplies and tools to create my invitation:

Archivers Yours Truly Chartreuse blank scallop notes & envelopes  (6 years old?)

Scenic Route paper, Grafton, Kennedy Street (4 years old)

My Minds Eye Quite Contrary Little Boy Blue "Little Man Growing Up" (2 yearsold)

Bo Bunny Noteworthy Blitzen reindeer die cut (2 years)

Stickles in Cinnamon (2 years old)

Martha Stewart ribbon (2 years old)

Basic Grey Brads (3 years old)

Stazon Timber Brown Ink (2 years old)

CTMH Playful Lowercase stamp set (5 years old)

Zig journaling pen (1 year old)

Cricut Cherry Limeade cartridge (2 years old)

Sizzix Sizzlets Decorative Label Set #4 (1 year old)

Xyron 150 Sticker Maker (5 years old)

Foam dots

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Hop over to 4 Crafty Chicks and get in on some challenges!

"boy" layout for 4 Crafty Chicks & Quick Quotes

I created this layout using the Quick Quotes Friday Challenge 20 Sketch for inspiration!

I included a quote about boys by Robert Powell on the 3 tags in the top right corner.  I also used the Powder Puff Chalking Ink Mocha Mama around the whole edge of my gold cardstock, and brushed the ink all over the surface of the chipboard tags!



4 Crafty Chicks 4CCC-111 Tag You're It challenge

 

I used 3 identical chipboard tags, that I trimmed into banners and brushed with Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks Mocha Mama. I was thrilled to participate in this challenge because I pulled out my little box of blank tags, and used these 3 that I have had for maybe 7 years?  Yay for using my stash!

 

To create this layout I used these supplies and tools:

•  Bazzill Cardstock
• Simple Stories Year-O-Graphy collection
• Jenni Bowlin calendar tags
• The Paper Studio chipboard alphas
• Jillibean Soup green burlap twine
• October Afternoon font stickers
• Quick Quotes Powderpuff Chalking ink
• American Crafts metal photo brads
• Prima distressing tool
• Spellbinders square scalloped die
• Sizzix Big Shot
• green ribbon and tags from my stash



Pool Boy: A Layout for Scrapping Everyday Miracles

I love to mix patterns, and variations on the same pattern!  For example, on my layout I have 2 sizes of polka dot paper in similar shades with white.  I also used red and white diagonal striped paper with hints of tone-on-tone green and blue diagnoal striped sail boat embellishments.  I also added some squares of grid/graph pattern to compliment my base grid patterned paper.

This photo shows my title, made from individual letter stickers.  I often overlap my font stickers to give them the appearance they would have in a word processed setting, especially if I am running low on room!  I chose this bright lime green as a contrast to the red, and a s a pop of color!

This detail photo shows my very favorite technique to use to add dimension and character to my layouts - edge distressing with a coarse grit sanding block!

And finally, this angled shot of my photo framing shows the multi-layered dimensional effect I created with foam pop up dots, and the leftover "negative" pieces of paper from diecutting squares with my Sizzix Big Shot!  I love to use scraps!  

The June Sketch Challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles
Check out this blog for challenges, inspiration, praise and purpose!

<3 Roberta



For this layout I used:

*base blue cardstock from DCWV Brights stack

*Classic Red textured cardstock from Recollections

*Weathered red wood paper from My Mind's Eye: On The Bright Side collection

*bright aqua large polka dot paper from My Mind's Eye: Lime Twist collection

*red/white striped paper, light aqua polka dot paper, green alphabet stickers, sailboat element stickers from echo park: Little Boy collection

*sailboat button from American Crafts Flair

*sailboat sticker from American Crafts Remarks sticker book 

*Basic Grey brads

*Square punch by Marvy Uchida

Please go enter my giveaway!