2 wedding layouts + why I love UTEE

Good morning friends! I hope you have enjoyed your week so far! I know I've been enjoying this cooler weather we've had, it finally feels like Christmas is around the corner in Alabama! But this time next year I'll be in Portland, Oregon and I'll probably be dying for some warmer sunny days! LOL! I wanted to share a few layouts I did earlier this week for my sister's wedding album. I already gave her the album thinking it was complete, then realized that I had a few more pics and about 5 more pages to do!! So I finished them as soon as I could and shipped everything to her in a big box along with her bday gift, her bday was Dec 11th. I  forgot to take pictures of the other 3 layouts I did of some of her honeymoon pics in Virginia Beach, which makes me sad cause they were so cute!!! Oh well, here are the ones I did take pics of, I did a simpler style of scrapping cause I was in such a time crunch, but I still am really happy with how they turned out:

I also wanted to share a quick 'tute' about heat embossing. This has become my favorite technique lately. I have been using UTEE or 'ultra thick embossing enamel' but of course embossing powder comes in several different colors, even scented! What I like about UTEE is that it's thicker, and it's clear, so you can stamp your image in black or a color, then clean your stamp and cover it with TOP boss or another clear embossing ink, then go over it again with that. Next sprinkle on some UTEE and heat it! You can even double heat it for an even cooler look. I recently bought a clear embossing ink daubber, which is super easy to use if you aren't stamping, but wanting to cover a larger surface. By heat embossing some old chipboard shapes or stickers, it creates a cool new shiny embellishment for your page or project! I have even experimented with coloring my stamps with Tim Holtz distress markers as ink along with other colors to get each part of the stamp in different colors, then heat embossed it! Way cool, right?? Next for Christmas I want some colored embossing powder and more stamps!!!! Here are some step by steps on how I heat embossed some old chipboard shapes and gave them new life:

1. Choose your items, could be a thicker sticker, chipboard, or even cardstock shape.

2. Next, cover it with clear embossing ink, making sure to be very generous with the coverage!

3. Working quickly, cover your object with UTEE or other embossing powder.

4. Next, pull out your heat gun and give it some heat! You can lightly heat it for a more varied look or heat it longer and the little beads will melt together and make an overall enameled look.

Cool right? Well I will definatley be doing more experimenting, especially once I get more embossing powder and stuff for Christmas! So stay tuned for more craftiness!! I love this time of year! Happy weekend, Y'all~ VV

stuck?! sketches CT application {wish me luck}

Good afternoon everyone out there in crafty blog land and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I am super happy today because I'm off work for most of the day, and I was able to complete an LO for the Stuck?! Sketches CT Winter 2012 team. I always find that I am more inspired the more and more I scrapbook and the more and more I surf online and look at everyone's gorgeous blogs! Last night for instance, I was just hopping around to all of my favs, like usual, and I saw a tutorial at The Paper Variety on how to make paper lace! Super cute...plan to use that technique later today as I hope to get back in the craft room after I put up the rest of these Christmas decorations. Well, on to the main topic of today's post, I am applying for the Creative Team at Stuck?!. It will be my second time applying for any sort of design team, and I know I have to get myself out there if I expect to expand into the crafting world. So I'm going for it. Wish me luck!

This is the sketch they asked us to use as inspo for an LO:

And this is what I came up with:

 And here are some closies: 

 I used prima flowers, vintage buttons, brads, stickles, smooch spritz, and Tim Holtz distress stain to give everything an aged look.

 on the other side I did a smaller cluster with a wonderful Purple Pumpkin button, a flower, and another button. 

 this is my favorite shot!

I am off to submit this for the Winter 2012 CT! Wish me luck! Then it's time to finish packing away the Christmas decor,get out the Mardi Gras decor :) finish cleaning up, and hopefully a few hours in the craft room before I have to go in for inventory tonight at the store. I think an iced chai latte is calling my name before this day is over!! Until next time scrappy frandz:) Peace y'all~ VV

Supplies List:

background paper and paper strip-unknown from stash

cream leaf paper- Making Memories Autumn Splendor collection

fuzzy-cut clear acetate lace-Anna Griffin

brown glitter flourishes- Recollections

paper flowers- various Prima collections

Tim Holtz distress stain- vintage photo, antique linen and tea dye

Tim Holtz distress stickles- scattered straw

dark brown cat eye-Colorbox chalk ink

Fleur de Lis large brad- Oriental Trading Co.

med tan fabric button- Purple Pumpkin Crafts

pearl brads, chipboard sentiment, flower center-from stash

Creative Memories frosted splits & Glossy Accents liquid glass

photo glue stic, tape runner, large Zots

dark brown Zig Writer

tender moments. {stuck?! sketches 12/15 challenge}

hi everyone. I am feeling very accomplished today because not only did I get caught up a bit at the store today but I also was able to return/exchange some items J picked out for me at Michael's AND I also managed to finish this layout tonight in just under 2 hours! Let's face it...he did pretty well on all my xmas gifts actually, but in telling him I wanted lots of T!m Holtz stuff, he coincidentally got 2 things that I already have. It's cool though, cause I was able to switch them out for much needed refills on adhesive, a new T!m Holtz paper distresser, and a few sheets of basic grey paper. Why oh WHY don't they just carry the paper packs?! I mean seriously... you'll go in there sometimes and see a few sheets here and there of different lines, but never any complete BG collection packs. I am starting to become a paper snob I guess and I am obsessed with all their new lines right now. 

Ok, on to the challenge! I am submitting this LO for the Stuck?! Sketches Dec. 15th challenge.
This was the original sketch:

                                            

and this is what I came up with:  picture with flash

 picture without a flash...you can't see the colors as well but you get a better idea of the textures going on.

 another overview of the entire LO. for the basis of my page I used corrugate cardboard leftover from some packaging and on top of that I added 2 different patterned papers and then of course lots of embellies!!

 close up of the glass-slide title I did. used some sticker letters, stuck them altogether, used redline to tape them to the back of a glass slide. Sprayed over letters with smooch spritz in gold glow and caramel mocha for that aged look. then topped it with another glass slide and some gold foil metal tape. I liked the look of leaving the ends unfinished, so I did. the other part of the title is some pink rub ons.

 for the flower and hearts cluster, I used several Prima flowers that I sprayed and inked along with some flower stickers I had in my stash. To make them all kind of go together I funked them up with lots of TH distress stain in vintage photo and smooch spritz in gold glow and vanilla shimmer.

 Another close up of the top of the LO, foil stamped chipboard covered in TH distress stain.

 A side view: and my favorite view of the whole LO...here at the bottom.

I think it's so important to document these special moments. Especially for me, no longer having my Peepaw around, it's photos like these that really capture his kind, sweet spirit and the best of him, which is how I will always remember him. This was the first time I think he got to hold Ezra, technically his step-great-grandson. It was just an awesome moment, you can see little Ez just looking up at the twinkling in Peepaw's eye. <3

Well that is it for tonite folks! I really need to get to bed...early shift tomorrow. 

Until next time, peace y'all~VV

Supplies List:

12x 12 corrugated cardboard from scrapbook packaging

long paper strip-K&Company 'Jubilee Pink Postage'

square text paper- T!m Holtz Ideaology 'Lost and Found' paper stash

T!m Holtz distress stain in vintage photo

T!m Holtz paper distresser tool

clear/velluim ivory lace paper- Anna Griffin

flowers-Prima 'brown' and 'north country' collection

beige crystal heart- Prima 'say it with crystals'

crinkled paper sticker- Pebbles

glass slides/foil metal tape- Oriental Trading Co.

Smooch Spritz-caramel mocha, vanilla shimmer, and gold glow

foil-stamped chipboard sentiments- 'The sweet life' by colorbok

wooden heart- Pink Paislee woodshop letters

red rose enamel embellishment- Purple Pumpkin Crafts
pink rub-on letters Me&My Big Ideas

heart stickers, vintage buttons& H letter sticker- my stash

adhesives used: redline tape, pop dots, glue stick, tape runner

& Creative Memories frosted splits