Let's Go Explore {CSI Case File No. 209}

We have a super-fun new Case File open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration.

Here is my page:

These photos were taken during Tracee's first visit. We went on a trip to the Chesapeake Bay for a crab feast, and after we were done, we went exploring the bay. We read about this lovely lighthouse and went in search of it. The lighthouse was way out in the middle of the bay, so it didn't really show up well in our photographs (you can see the chevron arrows pointing at it), so I found a picture on the internet to show what it really looks like.

Clues I used: Evidence - I managed to use all the clues; Testimony - 3-line poem (I wrote a haiku) and inspiration word explore.

I used this sketch from My Creative Sketches as my starting point. Tracee and I both scrapped the same pictures and used the same sketch (and obviously the same Case File clues). You'll have to check out her page. So cool how our pages turned out so different!

Here are some details. The compass and geotag cut files are from The Cut Shoppe. The "explore" word is a cut file from the Silhouette shop. My background paper is by BasicGrey, which I used for the tone-on-tone clue) I have SO much BasicGrey paper and always forget to use it, so I decided to split up my collections and file the papers in with my other papers, by color. The textured circles were made with a Prima stencil and texture paste. My haiku poem is a little lame, but tells about how the lighthouse was so faraway we could barely see it, but the place were at, St. Thomas Point, was a lovely place, so it made the trip all the worthwhile. (We drove and drove through a somewhat creepy, wooded dirt road to get there.)

I've got lots of clues in the layers on this photo--stripes, polka dots, scallops on the wave border (by K&Co.), fabric, nautical elements--that paper in the very back has waves--it's by Authentique. The teal paper, which really does match the palette in real life is by Little Yellow Bicycle. I've got wood chevrons (for the wood clue) pointing to the lighthouse, which is really just a speck. Tracee altered that photo black and white and left the lighthouse in color (you can see a tiny bit of blue sky surrounding it. I've got a banner dangling (for my dangle something clue), and also for the banner in the sketch. I've got a metal brad that also serves as a nautical element.

That clip (for my clip clue) is ancient--by Rebecca Sower's Attic Collection. Anyone remember those? I've also got nautical print paper (little red anchors--that paper is by Authentique, from a 6 x 6 pad). For my string clue, I tucked an old 7Gypsies walnut stained tag into the layers, and you can see I have some puffy fish stickers for my fish clue.

You'll have to come see

Let's Go Explore {CSI Case File No. 209}

We have a super-fun new Case File open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration.

Here is my page:

These photos were taken during Tracee's first visit. We went on a trip to the Chesapeake Bay for a crab feast, and after we were done, we went exploring the bay. We read about this lovely lighthouse and went in search of it. The lighthouse was way out in the middle of the bay, so it didn't really show up well in our photographs (you can see the chevron arrows pointing at it), so I found a picture on the internet to show what it really looks like.

Clues I used: Evidence - I managed to use all the clues; Testimony - 3-line poem (I wrote a haiku) and inspiration word explore.

I used this sketch from My Creative Sketches as my starting point. Tracee and I both scrapped the same pictures and used the same sketch (and obviously the same Case File clues). You'll have to check out her page. So cool how our pages turned out so different!

Here are some details. The compass and geotag cut files are from The Cut Shoppe. The "explore" word is a cut file from the Silhouette shop. My background paper is by BasicGrey, which I used for the tone-on-tone clue) I have SO much BasicGrey paper and always forget to use it, so I decided to split up my collections and file the papers in with my other papers, by color. The textured circles were made with a Prima stencil and texture paste. My haiku poem is a little lame, but tells about how the lighthouse was so faraway we could barely see it, but the place were at, St. Thomas Point, was a lovely place, so it made the trip all the worthwhile. (We drove and drove through a somewhat creepy, wooded dirt road to get there.)

I've got lots of clues in the layers on this photo--stripes, polka dots, scallops on the wave border (by K&Co.), fabric, nautical elements--that paper in the very back has waves--it's by Authentique. The teal paper, which really does match the palette in real life is by Little Yellow Bicycle. I've got wood chevrons (for the wood clue) pointing to the lighthouse, which is really just a speck. Tracee altered that photo black and white and left the lighthouse in color (you can see a tiny bit of blue sky surrounding it. I've got a banner dangling (for my dangle something clue), and also for the banner in the sketch. I've got a metal brad that also serves as a nautical element.

That clip (for my clip clue) is ancient--by Rebecca Sower's Attic Collection. Anyone remember those? I've also got nautical print paper (little red anchors--that paper is by Authentique, from a 6 x 6 pad). For my string clue, I tucked an old 7Gypsies walnut stained tag into the layers, and you can see I have some puffy fish stickers for my fish clue.

You'll have to come see

Let's Go Explore {CSI Case File No. 209}

We have a super-fun new Case File open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration.

Here is my page:

These photos were taken during Tracee's first visit. We went on a trip to the Chesapeake Bay for a crab feast, and after we were done, we went exploring the bay. We read about this lovely lighthouse and went in search of it. The lighthouse was way out in the middle of the bay, so it didn't really show up well in our photographs (you can see the chevron arrows pointing at it), so I found a picture on the internet to show what it really looks like.

Clues I used: Evidence - I managed to use all the clues; Testimony - 3-line poem (I wrote a haiku) and inspiration word explore.

I used this sketch from My Creative Sketches as my starting point. Tracee and I both scrapped the same pictures and used the same sketch (and obviously the same Case File clues). You'll have to check out her page. So cool how our pages turned out so different!

Here are some details. The compass and geotag cut files are from The Cut Shoppe. The "explore" word is a cut file from the Silhouette shop. My background paper is by BasicGrey, which I used for the tone-on-tone clue) I have SO much BasicGrey paper and always forget to use it, so I decided to split up my collections and file the papers in with my other papers, by color. The textured circles were made with a Prima stencil and texture paste. My haiku poem is a little lame, but tells about how the lighthouse was so faraway we could barely see it, but the place were at, St. Thomas Point, was a lovely place, so it made the trip all the worthwhile. (We drove and drove through a somewhat creepy, wooded dirt road to get there.)

I've got lots of clues in the layers on this photo--stripes, polka dots, scallops on the waves, fabric, nautical elements--that paper in the very back has waves--it's by Authentique. The teal paper, which really does match the palette in real life is by Little Yellow Bicycle. I've got wood chevrons (for the wood clue) pointing to the lighthouse, which is really just a speck. Tracee altered that photo black and white and left the lighthouse in color (you can see a tiny bit of blue sky surrounding it. I've got a banner dangling (for my dangle something clue), and also for the banner in the sketch. I've got a metal brad that also serves as a nautical element.

That clip (for my clip clue) is ancient--by Rebecca Sower's Attic Collection. Anyone remember those? I've also got nautical print paper (little red anchors--that paper is by Authentique, from a 6 x 6 pad). For my string clue, I tucked an old 7Gypsies walnut stained tag into the layers, and you can see I have some puffy fish stickers for my fish clue.

You'll have to come see

By the Bay Today {CSI Case File No. 190}

We've got a new Case File open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration:

Here's my page. Clues I used... Evidence: stripes, solid background, bird, nautical element, heart, stars, rub-ons, stamps, scallops, wood; Testimony: Write a haiku, inspiration word call, hand-drawn journaling spots.

These photos were taken during Tracee's first visit with me.

We've been having crazy weather here in Maryland, and when I had to photograph my page, there was over three feet of snow on the ground, so I only got to photograph my page. I couldn't get any closeups because I usually have to sit on the ground for that. But to talk about some details, I just cropped some spots from my layout.

Those are some super-duper old brads I used, and I even used an eyelet in the anchor! Always happy to use up some of my old stash. The scalloped frames are real old too--by Making Memories. That crackle washi tape is by Little B. The crackles are silver. Don't you hate how hard it is to photograph metallics?

I recently took all my brads out of their packaging and organized them by color, which makes it so easy to find a brad to match and also helps me to use up ones that I've had forever. Here's a look at how I organized them. I bought a few sheets of foam core board and cut them into pieces that would fit into these stackable drawer units I have. You can see those if you look at the photos of my scrap room. Then I poked holes in the board with my embossing stylus and suck them in. I love organizing things ROYGBIV!

I also recently organized a lot of my embellishments by color, which you can see here. Makes it so easy to match up colors.  I decided to write a haiku. Originally I was going to draw a label or tag and put the whole poem on it, but I couldn't find a spot for it, so I just cut strips and drew some sketchy lines around them. I wrote a haiku, and originally the first line had the inspiration word "call" in it, but I decided to change it and use "beckoned," which is a synonym, so it still meets that clue, in my opinion!

I always forget to use the gazillions of sequins I have, but I remembered this time, and I thought they were perfect for this page. I used the packaging watercolor technique with blue watercolors and lime Heidi Swapp ColorShine mists for the background and then did some stamping using a stamp from Denim Tampons. I found some green stars in an old package of American Crafts rub-ons. I recently reorganized my rub-ons too, so I find I'm using them more.

The Studio Calio Tweet served double duty for the wood and bird Evidence clues. The picture of Tracee was originally oriented the other way, but to meet the design I had in mind, I flipped the photo before printing it. Papers I used are by Authentique (gray stars), My Mind's Eye (teal stripe and the green dot--really old Kaleidoscope collection).

I hope you'll come play with us. We have eleven sponsors this month, a couple of whom are offering prizes for two players. That means almost everyone whose layouts are chosen as favorites will win a prize! Come check out the details here.

Walk This Way {CSI Case File No. 149}

We've got a new Case File open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration.

Tracee and I decided to make pages from our summer together. Here's mine. Clues I used...Evidence: stars, stripes, buttons, polka dots, use heat, mixed media background, birds, wood. Testimony: Inspiration Word: Friendship.

Here are some details. I don't know why I've got this phantom white ring on my closeup pictures. Dang it! Anyway. Little Studio Calico Tweets that I adore. Stamp is by Simple Stories. I used American Crafts Zing embossing powder.

The little heart speech bubble, which didn't turn out is by My Mind's Eye. The letter stickers are BasicGrey, and the wood arrows are also Studio Calico. That stencil in the Background was made with texture paste and acrylic paint and a stencil from The Crafter's Workshop. Grid stamp is by Kaiser Kraft.

I used a bunch of old paper scraps to match the colors. The Friends stamp is by Kaiser Kraft.

More wood by Studio Calico. The Good Times is an old Label Tulip stamp.

Love This {CSI Case File No. 111}

When I make up the Case Files, occasionally I ask myself "What Was I thinking?" This was the case with this week's Case File. I wasn't sure I was going to have a very easy time with this palette.

But Tracee and I found the perfect picture to go with this palette, and I wound up loving it! We worked with the same PageDrafts sketch:

Even though we both used the same colors, pictures, sketch, and clues, our pages came out so different.

Here's my page:

and Tracee's page:

Clues I used...Evidence: polka dots, drips, animal accents, wood, stickers, border punch, sprinkles, 3 of something, cone shapes. Testimony: Inspo words--giggle, friends, enjoy.

Here are some details. I dug out some ANCIENT papers for this one. The text paper is by Dream Street. The orange polka dots, multi-colored dots, stripes, and harlequin papaers are by Making Memories. The background paper is by Echo Park, as is the crossword paper.

I used lots of different stamps in the background, including some bu American Crafts, Evalicious, Teresa Collins, and Kaiser Craft. The circles in the background were made with texture paste mixed with acrylic paint and a stencil by The Crafter's Workshop.

So, I was layering everything and felt like it was going okay, but then I had do do the background stuff. I picked up the layers and had to arrange them again. Then I decided to add more stuff in the background, so I picked up the layers. After doing this umpteen times, I was so annoyed that I decided to just staple the papers down once I got them arranged again. I wished I could use my Tiny Attacher, but it doesn't have a long enough reach, so I settled for gold staples.

The title was made with my Silhouette Cameo. I used some old Fontwerks labels on my page.

My journaling is on the back because of course I didn't have enough space after cramming all that junk on my page. Here's what it says:

I'm so privileged to have this special friendship with Tracee. I adore this picture. It perfectly captures how much fun we have together, laughing our bums off over just about everything. Our time together was one huge giggle fest, and it was awesome being with a friend that made me feel like a kid, even though we're both pushing fifty at the time. Neither one of us can remember exactly why we were laughing so hard that our faces turned bright red and I almost peed myself, but this picture epitomizes why I enjoy her company so much.

Happy Mess {CSI Case File No. 108}

Case File No. 108 is open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration.

I'm back with another installment of Tracee and Debbi's Excellent Adventures. Tracee and I made a page this week using the same Case File, the same Creative Scrappers sketch, and the same picture. Tracee's page is far better than mine, but I enjoyed making the page and remembering our times in my scrap room. 

Clues I used...Evidence: mixed media background, bird, newsprint, music element, hearts, flowers, border punch, rub-ons, stamps, and pen work--all of them! Testimony: Journaling strips, document about art.

Here's the sketch I used:

I've got no close-ups this week because the weather has been crummy. There's snow all over my deck. Sigh. Ready for spring to come!

You Know...You Are Seriously Awesome {CSI Case File No. 107}

Case File No. 107 is open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration. What a fun Case File this is!

I used a fun selfie from when Tracee was visiting last summer to make my page. Clues I used...Evidence: flair, clouds, hearts, raindrops, wet medium, long title, stripes; Testimony: Compliment Day, inspo word know, awesome

I used the current sketch at ScrapFriends. I seriously love their sketches!

Here are some details. I cut all these frames out on my Silhouette Cameo. I just plopped a rectangle inside another rectangle. I screwed up here. I had intended to put three tiny brads (from the Evidence list) as an ellipsis after "you know," but I totally forgot and it's been frigid and snowy outside, so I couldn't get a photograph after adding them. So you'll just have to imagine the dot...dot...dot there, LOL.

Not the best photo in the world--we both look really funny here--but I love this picture because it's the first picture we took, it's in my scrap room, and we're laughing ourselves silly, which we commonly do.

To make the background, I just dabbed some wadded up wax paper onto an ink pad and smushed it around on the background and sprinkled some pink and black mist around. Then I used a Glitz Design roller stamp and hand drew some stars, hearts, and raindrops. I made the clouds by tracing around some clouds in a messy fashion.

I was going to journal some compliments about my Tracee, but then I found these My Mind's Eye stickers in the perfect color that had some of my favorite attributes about my good friend.

The title was cut out with the Silhouette Cameo.

You'll have to come see what the design team and guest designers made with this palette. Some seriously awesome stuff there!