XOXO Challenge #36: The Stashiest Challenge!

Stashiest? Yes. I said that. And if you're saying "HEY! You already posted an XOXO challenge for the month!" Yes, I did, but we are going to start posting a SECOND layout to inspire you from now on. Yay!

So back to my awesome made up word: this time we want to see how you use your old supplies, a.k.a. stash. We all have one, and if you've been doing this for a long time, well...your stash is probably suffocating you (I know mine is!) That's why I loved this challenge! When you start using kits and collection packs, you have everything you need right there. Everything matches, and it becomes super easy to throw a layout together in record time. However, what about all of the other stuff you have? Show us a layout that uses up your stash for a chance to be a guest designer (which you totally want, because we are totally awesome and fun to hang out with in our super-secret Facebook group!)

*drum roll* Here is mine, a long overdue picture-less layout for Patryk's album recording his stats at 9 months old:

 I started with this fun Sassafrass Apple Jack paper that I've had for over a year. All the patterned papers come from this collection, as well as the journal box. From there, I added quite a bit of randomness from every single square inch of my stash.

 The star strip came from the paper itself, cut away from the bottom, and above it I adhered a piece of Colorbok printed twill (3 years old). I thought the rub on, a DCWV doodle from about 4 years ago, was a good addition.

 The title is small, printed with my Dymo label writer I have had since the late 90's, on red tape.

 I had painted up this Stuff2Scrap chipboard with red acrylic paint over a year ago, but decided it didn't fit with the layout I had intended it for. It's been sitting on my desk ever since, and I figured it was time to use it! Above it is a Christy Tomlinson She Art rubon I bought a year ago but hadn't used yet.

 On the Sassafrass journal spot I used a combination of Jillibean (the numbers), Stickabilities (Scrabble tile stickers from around 2000), and Cosmo Cricket alphas, as well as some MME tickets leftovers from a kit purchased last year.

 If you remember Magic Mesh, you've been scrapping a long time...and I have a lot of it. Here is some red Magic Mesh (surprisingly still sticky after 11 years!) and some Magic Scraps Coastal Netting adhered with Recollections brads (and the netting is just as old as the Magic Mesh!) The saying is from a DCWV vellum quote stack and the "bigger" sticker is from American Traditional Designs (now Momenta.) It might be hard to see, but there are more DCWV doodle rub ons, stars, on top of the mesh. The saying is stapled to the page, and random staples are added to the Coastal Netting.

 MM Charmed Enamel for the blue circle, Recollections yellow brad, and a metal hangar I've had for a long time.

 Don't you just love that coastal netting?

 The checklist is an MME The Sweetest Thing die cut, another kit leftover, and the rub on is another She Art beauty. They are both on top of a Rusty Pickle (another awesome manufacturer from back in the day) file folder, also featuring staples.

The word "treasure" is a 7 Gypsies rub on.

Do you like it? I love picture-less layouts as they really allow you to get creative with your stash, as well as use up a lot of it! Do you do picture-less layouts? Will you try them now that you see how fun they are?

Head over to True XOXO to see what the other awesome designers have come up with, and don't forget to play along for your chance to guest design for us!

xoxo
Khristen

DVC#45: Anything Goes!

Good morning, I hope your week has gone well. I am pleased to say that I am prepared to host Thanksgiving, and done shopping for two of the kids' birthdays, both occuring the week after Thanksgiving. Yay me! Now I can focus on Christmas!

Anyway, it's time for another Dream Valley Challenge. Anything goes for this one, just make something and link it up for your chance at winning a gift certificate for £10.00 to:

The design team really rocked it this time around, be sure to head over to Dream Valley Challenges and see what they've all done for this challenge.

Here's what I did, of course a Christmas card (because I am trying to get it all done ahead of time this year, so unlike me, a procrastinator at heart.)

I just love this Humphrey stamp from Crafter's Companion! Colored her up with my Spectrum Noir markers to match the fun Bella Blvd. Merry & Bright papers. I thought the sentiment would be nice as a big banner across the top, and both the banner and the image are mounted with adhesive squares for dimension.

Don't forget to play along for your chance at the prize by linking up to this post.

Have a great day!

xoxo

Khristen

A great way to start the day...

...is with this post! I hope you are all enjoying the week thus far. After a half day of school for the kids Monday followed by having Tuesday off, I was quite ready for them to go back today! For some reason, the school takes these days and devotes them to parent teacher conferences. But let's think about this: first, we had two days off for Hurricane Sandy at the beginning of the month, then yesterday for P/T conferences, the kids get next Monday off for Veterans' Day, then three days the following week for Thanksgiving....do kids every attend school anymore? I don't remember getting all of these days off when I was a kid! That's what made the snow day so wonderful (which I fear we'll be getting a lot of this year, so I predict we are in school well into June. Ugh.)

So today, after completing a couple of writing assignments, I will be planting my butt at the craft table! I have made a large amount of Christmas cards for my own friends and family, so I think it's time to make some things for the shop and craft fairs! Boxed Christmas cards, potty charts, gift albums...I am quite motivated and inspired to do all of these things. The housework can wait, inspiration is fleeting!

Here are a few cards I would like to share with you, all made a few days ago.

I have been trying to use up my stash to make room for next year's crafty goodness (can you say "giveaway" soon? Yeah, I'll be giving a lot of it away so stay tuned!) This card features AC Dear Lizzy Neapolitan on a pearlescent paper from Crafter's Companion. The sentiment is Birthday Wishes from the new Mulberry Woods Everyday line. I took some AC Beach house paper flowers, stacked them up, and held them together with an AC jewel brad. Fruit Punch Stickles and Spectrum Noir marker for the edge around the banner were just what I needed to finish this off!

 This one was kind of fun. I have had this image printed out ready to color for quite some time, Stamp It Australia - Feather Script. After coloring it up with my Spectrum Noir pens, I covered a base in homemade mist made with Flamingo Pearl Ex powder, water, and a touch of water based glue to hold it on the paper. Love the subtle shimmer! Used some Echo Park Playful to mount the image, and an assortment of washis behind the mat. That's it! Let the image do the talking on this one :) The sentiment is Toreads - Sky. It was a little too plain for my tastes, so I added some Fruit Punch and Patina Stickles.

 More pearlescent paper from Crafter's Companion, along with two Stamp It Australia stamps from the holiday collection: Love, Joy, Peace and Tree Whirl. Lily Bee Merry & Bright Paper, ruffled ribbon from Reasonable Ribbon, some Tim Holtz distress ink along with AC Cranberry ink to recreate that awesome burgandy color, and silver Liquid Pearls to compliment the card base.

 A nice non-traditional Christmas card using MME Miss Caroline wood plank paper. I love this color combo so much! Paintbox Poppets - Winter Pastime image and sentiment, colored with Spectrum Noir pens. The mat was inked up with SEI chalk box ink. MME twine behind the sentiment, which is affixed with foam squares for dimension.

 Finally, I colored up this cute Humphrey stamp and paired it with Carta Bella Merry & Bright paper (my new favorite color combination for Christmas! So bright and fun!) Both the image and banner with sentiment are adhered with foam squares.

 Ok, there they are! Hope you like them, now I'm off to make fun cards for the shop. Watch for them later on.

xoxo
Khristen

XOXO #35: Timeline Challenge!

Good morning! An early post for your reading pleasure...

It's time for another XOXO challenge, and this month we were asked to not only follow a sketch...

...we were asked to use Facebook's new Timeline layout as inspiration. The sketch screams Timeline, doesn't it? Whether you love it or hate it, Timeline inspires some pretty rockstar layouts. Just head over to the XOXO blog if you want proof...the team rocked it this month!

Here's what I came up with:

 I pulled from my Scraptastic Hall Pass kit once again, love the Studio Calico Yearbook line! Added a piece of crochet ribbon under the patterned paper for some fun.

 In keeping with the little "About Me" box on Facebook under the profile picture, I chose this little file folder sticker in the kit. To mirror the different lines of text in that section on Facebook, I put the file folder tab stickers to work, finishing it off with some twine around the edge of the file folder. See that little Elle's Studio banner? LOVE these little guys!

 Just like the boxes on Timeline, you  know, "Photos" "Likes" "Apps" etc...I thought I would separate the words out under the pictures (which are, in fact, some of my faves from our vacation that year.)

So...inspired? Use the sketch, don't use the sketch...just show us your Facebook inspired pages! Head over here to check the rest of the team's work, and hope to see you play along!!

xoxo

Khristen