Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

It's our favorite day of the year - a HOLIDAY just for us paper crafters. What are YOU doing today? Attending a crop, scrapping from your room or maybe at work longing to be scrapping.

I thought I would send you some inspiration. We all know how popular banners and bunting are as trends in the scrapbooking industry. You see them all over the place - in graphics on the patterned paper, stickers and handmade with die cutting tools and scissors. What I have noticed, lately, is how diverse the banner has become. It is no longer a little row of flags anymore. They come in all shapes and sizes now and even as one singular pennant. I love it! Here is some eye candy for you. Please make sure to click the source links to take you to the blog or gallery home of each layout to leave some love for these designers.

I love this layout by Piradee and how she made the pennants huge as the background. 

:Source:

The following layout found on the JBS Mercantile blog, by Celeste, showcases how to use pennants instead of just regular rectangle shapes to add interest and pattern. Love how just snipping the ends that way can add such a cool element to the layout design.

:Source:

Our very own Stacey Michaud goes gaga for banners. I have unofficially dubbed her the banner queen. This layout is my all time fave of hers showcasing how to make a banner using other elements - not just the flag or pennant shape. Brilliant Stacey!

:Source:

And here is one from me. My layout is based off a sketch by Allison Davis. I wanted to try this new fangled way of using pennants on my layout. Love the way it turned out and how unexpected and interesting the pennant bottoms can be on a layout.

:Source:

How have you used banners and pennants on your layouts? I challenge you to think outside of the box! And if you are scrapbooking today, have so much fun! I also invite you to come join in a fun blog hop. Just head over to my blog and it will link you up with the other blogs. There are prizes too. :) 

love,

Melissa E.

We Love Lily Bee Design

Each year, as we roam the halls of CHA, the Lily Bee Design booth has become a perennial favorite. A few of us are die hard fans that look forward to the beautiful, classic designs that Kristen and her team create. They work beautifully for layering, using with your die cut machine and especially for clean and simple layouts. I thought I would share with you all a few creations I made using two of Lily Bee's brand new releases. They should all be arriving at a store near you if they haven't already. :)

First up is a layout and an altered canvas using Victoria Park. I love the slightly bold pastel colors mixed with the black. This collection was designed by Lily Bee design team member Julia Stainton. So beautiful!

Everytime I dig into the papers from Lily Bee, I begin to dream up ways to use them with my Silhouette Cameo. The flowers and black border at the bottom are shapes from the Silhouette. 

These were the first collections I've used that include the die cut bits. The banner on this layout uses them. And the little flower shapes in the bottom right of the layout are as well. So cute and add that perfect touch.

The pinwheel flower is also a Silhouette shape.

For this next layout I used the Handmade Collection. LOVE the colors and quilted elements included in this collection.

The flower and word 'memories' are cut with the Silhouette Cameo. Something that has become a fun new way to add texture is jute or twine doodling. Adds a perfect amount of whimsy, don't you think? 

Lily Bee Design has two more collections that were released for Spring/Summer. Head on over to their blog to view them and all the wonderful creations their new design team is creating!

hugs,
Melissa E.

Hello from CHA!

Hi everyone!

Melissa here blogging from Anaheim, California. It's Winter CHA 2012 and I am having a blast down here checking out all the beautiful new releases from manufacturers. This is my first Winter show. After being at the Summer show two times, it is weird for me to see Spring and Summer colors and patterns. I am so use to seeing collections for Fall and Winter. So this is quite the life for me right now. Being a sunny, warm place and viewing product that gives off a lovely warm vibe.

I thought I would share a few photos with you...

American Crafts has some beautiful new flowers to enhance their collections. Love the colors.  They also have new alcohol based markers that color and blend like the dream. The price point on these is very low. I believe they are about $.2.50 a marker. Don't quote me completely on that but they are going to be EXTREMELY affordable.

Crate Paper is always a hit for us. Storyteller is my favorite from them I think.

Loving the alpha sheets!

I cannot get over these frames. They are just beautiful and I see so many possibilities! Leave them raw, alter, frame a photo, do spots of patterned paper or journal inside.

Check out these new Tiny Text stickers from Cosmo Cricket! They are so perfect for the "Me" scrapper than I am. I need several sheets of each please. :)

I am in LOOOOOVE with all four new collections from Lily Bee. This is a must stop booth for me at these shows. These papers are a clean and simple scrappers dream. They are also perfect for creating handmade embellishments... you know... with the Cameo. :)

This is just a little taste into all that there is to see at the Winter show. You can find more photos on my blog - The Profound Brunette. There are more photos from Pink Paislee, My Minds Eye, Basic Grey, etc. More will be coming from Teresa Collins, Echo Park, Nikki Sivils and others. 

I've Got the Card Mojo

Hello everyone!

So this past week I have had a huge kick in the butt mojo spree in making cards. I went three days where I just couldn't stop. But I can't make layouts for the life of me. Have you gone through that before? And it was like everything was working. I had the right product and papers. I even used some sketches and the cards just oozed out. I love it when that happens!

Supplies: Paper: Pink Paislee, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Flower: Prima Marketing, Pearls: EK Success, Tool: Electronic Cutter: Silhouette SD

I love my Silhouette. It makes my cards look pretty and much more detailed. And the great thing is it only a few seconds to load the paper and have it cut. Card Making Tip: Need to whip out a card but seriously having a hard time figuring out how to make it pretty? Use your die cut machine (if you've got one!)  The Silhouette store has some beautiful, intricate card shapes that make it look like you spent hours on your cards.

Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Flower: Prima Marketing, Washi Tape: Hambly Studios, Ink: Versafine, Tool: Stamp: Hero Arts

For this card I used a sketch. But I also threw in another fun technique. Do you have Washi Tape in your stash? When I first got some, I had no idea what the heck to do with it. My mind could not fathom that there was something more to do with this product besides just use it as pretty tape. But check it out! Card Making Tip: Washi Tape is the perfect size to add fun, thin, patterned strips to your cards. Simply tear it off and adhere and you're done!

What other card making tips do you have your sleeve? I'd love to hear them! And if you are feeling the itch to make some cards, why not think about contributing to our current call for Card Corner? Use alphabet of any kind that is similar to Thickers or letter stickers on your card. It's for our October issue so holiday cards are the theme! Email your submissions to me at melissa [at] scrapstreet [dot] com by August 10. Can't wait to see what you send me and, you never know, your fabulous creation could end up in the best online magazine viewed by millions around the world. :)

Happy Card Making!

Melissa

Live from CHA Summer 2011

Hi friends!

Dora, Stacey, Robyn and myself are here in HOT, HUMID and beautiful Chicago! It's CHA Summer 2011 and we are thrilled to be reunited and walking the floor together. There are so many beautiful new products this year to see and we want to share with you our Top 5!

Here they are in random order...

1. Crate Paper

Those photos are all from the collection Random. Beautiful isn't it? I'm slightly in love with that bicycle chipboard piece. And the buttons... ooooh how I love Crate Paper buttons!!

2. October Afternoon

More beautiful buttons and that travel collection is adorable.

#3 Amy Tangerine

These photos just don't do it justice. This line is freaking ADORABLE and so versatile! All of us knew we could use the product on multiple projects. Forever... and ever.... and ever....

4. Lily Bee Design

Again... I apologize for these photos not doing the product justice. And I admit that I'm the one who went completely gaga over Lily Bee.  I have loved every single one of the releases ever since Lily Bee began. It could be the small patterns or the color combos or all of it. Simply gorgeous!

5. Webster's Pages

Every year there is always one or more collections from Webster's that we swoon over. For me it was the All About Me and the Winterfairy Tales. I'm always a fan of the trims and to top it all off Brandin O'Neill, the owner of Webster's, is a DOLL. She listens to her consumers and is one of the sweetest, most genuine people we've gotten a chance to network with.

And to top it all off, our very own Stacey is on the design team. Because of her awesome eye for design, she had us all sold on every single paper and embellishment by Webster's.

Phew! We are a tired bunch here in Chicago but what a fun couple of days it's been. Tomorrow we head out into the city for some fun shopping and site-seeing.

Thanks for swinging by,
Melissa