MLSS December Sketch Challenge "Great Escape"

Hello my scrappy friends - I've been part of the Design Team for the My Little Scrapbook Store (MLSS) for some time now, and want to tell you about their current challenge, and online crops.  MLSS is a home-based and online business run by the super sweet Michelle Desiena and is based in New Jersey.  Michelle and her daughter Carrie use to vend their products at weekend crop events in the area, but since Covid happened, they have increased their online presence and have been holding virtual crops and challenges, as well as virtual sales.  

They even have a fun Family Bingo Night event, where you can purchase $3.00 Bingo cards that are emailed to you, and you can play 5 or 6 games of live Bingo with them and have a chance to win either a store gift card or an Amazon gift card. The next one is on January 8th.  They are lots of fun and many people look forward to playing as a family - it's been a great diversion during these crazy times!

 I decided to play along with the December Sketch Challenge.  They hold a once a month challenge and the randomly selected winner gets a $10 gift card to their online store.  They also hold online weekend crops with a bunch of challenges for you to play along with - and many of us on the Design Team host YouTube or Facebook Live events for some of the challenges too! Here is the link to the Facebook Event page for the next weekend virtual crop - Winter Wonderland Online Crop - being held on Jan 29, 30, 31st.  You can also view recorded past live events from previous crops for your inspiration too. All challenge winners receive a $10 My Little Scrapbook Store gift card/credit and are randomly drawn. You have 1 month to complete any or all of the challenges. - It's lots of fun, and I hope you consider joining us.

Here is the December Sketch:

And here is my take on it.  I used papers and stickers from the Simple Stories "Simple Vintage Great Escape" Collection from MLSS 

- I LOVE this collection. I actually bought (2) of the 11 piece sets!

It is perfect to use for our Covid Vacation Escape - where we rented this beautiful log home in Upstate NY in November - instead of going our a cruise to Bermuda, that we had planned. I did some fussy cutting and added both wood and shiny sequins for embellishments. 

Here are some close ups for you:

I love the banner stickers.  I put baby powder on the back of them, so they were no longer sticky and I then used 3D foam tape to raise them up and give them more dimension.

I inked the edges of the wooden embellishments using Ranger Distress Ink
and used a Nuvo brush to apply it.

I like to include my journaling on a tag that I tuck behind one of the photos on my page.
I use 3D foam tape to make a "pocket" where I can slide it in. 

I used one of the 4x4 Element Cards and cut it down to make the tag for journaling.

This is the back of the journaling card. You can also see the splatters of Nuvo Sparkle Spray and the Distress Oxide Sprays I used on the background at top of the layout. This was fun - you just open the bottle and tap the nozzle so the spray creates a splatter effect when it falls from the end of the tube.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope I've inspired you to join in on some of the fun over at the MLSS Facebook Page.

I wish you and your families a very HAPPY and HEALTHY 2021.

Be Well, Stay Safe and Wear a Mask please!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

PS - I'd love it if you would comment and let me know where you are from, or how you found my Blog :-)

Items used:

Simple Stories - "Simple Vintage Great Escape" Collection -

  - 4x4 Elements, Let's Explore, Time for Adventure, Banner Cardstock Stickers

Wink of Stella Clear glitter brush - on the butterflies

Kaisercraft Wood Flourishes - Little Words and Paisley

Nuvo Sparkle Spray - Peacock Plume

Distress Oxide Spray - Twisted Citron and Peacock Feathers

Distress Ink - Vintage Photo

Sequins and Twine

December SOS "Biscotti" Sketch Challenge and Farewell - for now!

Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and this will be my last post as a member of the Scrap Our Stash Design Team.  I am so grateful to have been a part of this talented bunch of ladies for the last 5 years!!  I can't believe it has been that long, and I've enjoyed every minute and every layout I've been challenged to create - think about that - 2 layouts / month, x 12 months, x 5 years  = 120 layouts!!  ( There are actually 123 layouts in the Scrap Our Stash label on my blog!!) OH MY!

While I have so enjoyed the creative journey with SOS, I felt it was time for me to step down for a bit. Working from home seems to offer me less free time - not sure why that is... but I know I am blessed to still be working and working from home in these unprecedented times! I'm still going to "get scrappy with it" and continue on with my other design teams, but I felt the need to cut back for now. I hope you will continue to follow my scrappy posts, and also play along with all the talented designers on the Scrap Our Stash Blog. You may see me join in once in a while too!

That being said - this last layout is bittersweet, as it is a reminder of our Friends Bakefest from last year. Due to Covid, and wanting to be safe, there is no Bakefest this year, but we will have to pick 2 days next year to make up for it!!! 

(Maybe Christmas Cookies in July - we can only hope!)

 Here is the sketch I used for my inspiration - I also had to include Holiday Paper, and a Glittery or Sparkling embellishment:

Here is my layout for your inspiration:

Thanks again for stopping by!  I hope you will play along with us on this month's challenge at the Scrap Our Stash Blog, and I wish you and your families a very HAPPY and HEALTHY Holiday Season, please take care, stay safe, wear your mask, and be well!  ((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Simple Stories - Winter Farmhouse Collection: 4x4 Elements, 2x2 Elements, 4x6 Elements, Feelin' Frosty, Frosty Mornings, Winter Days, Chipboard Stickers

Heidi Swapp - Glitter Letter Stickers

Ranger Distress Stains: Fired Brick, Tarnished Brass, Forest Moss

Little Birdie Flowers - Beaded Micro Petals -Vintage, Meadow Red 12 pc

Petaloo Textured Elements - Burlap Flowers -Ivory

Nuvo Crystal and Vintage Drops

Challenge YOUrself #84 -Anything Goes! "#BlissedOut "

Hi everyone - Happy December!!!! 

Can you believe this CRAZY year is coming to an end??  I want to wish you and your families the happiest and healthiest Holiday Season - and send prayers that we will all get safely through the upcoming months until we can all be safely vaccinated.

To help you escape a bit, we the Challenge YOUrself Blog is sending and "Anything Goes" Challenge your way!  You can make a page about anything you like, just as long as you include a photo with YOU in the frame!

I decided to use 2 photos that I took, and then played around with in an App - to give them a cool effect. I took them one chilly morning this fall, while enjoying coffee by the fire pit on our deck, under our gazebo, and one later that evening, while enjoying a glass of wine.

If you are looking for "me" in one of the photos - you can see my hand holding my wine glass in the bottom one - so if you are camera shy and want to play along - as long as some of "YOU" is in your photo - you can join in our challenge!

Here are some close ups for you:

I had lots of fun fussy cutting out the flowers on this beautiful paper! The collection is and old one from My Minds Eye, Market Street Collection "Nob Hill" - I just LOVE the colors!!

I added dimension to some of the flowers and leaves with Nuvo Crystal Drips, and threw in a few gold sequins here and there too!

I love to add a pocket behind one of my photos and include journaling on the back of it.

And sometimes you mess up on that journaling - so you have to add a little washi tape to "decorate" the tag! LOL!!

Thank you for stopping by!  I again wish you the Happiest of Holidays, and only GOOD things for all of us in 2021! It's gotta be better than 2020!!  Stay Safe, Be Well and PLEASE Wear a Mask!
((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items Used:

My Minds Eye -Market Street Collection "Nob Hill" 

Glimmer Paper, Streamer Paper, Stripes Paper, Fields and Stache Paper - Label Stickers, Chipboard Buttons

Ranger Distress Stains - Mustard Seed, Tarnished Brass, Ripe Persimmon, Black Soot, Mowed Lawn

Nuvo Crystal Drops - Ebony Black, Simply White, Autumn Red,

Nuvo Vintage Drops - Yellow Brick Rd, Regency Green

Thickers "Be Bright"

Sequins and Washi Tape

Give THANKS take 5 Challenge for My Little Scrapbook Store

 Hi Everyone - I want to share a layout I made for the My Little Scrapbook Store's Monthly Challenge!

This month the challenge was to use an item associated with the word THANKS. They challenged you to incorporate the following items in your layout :

Here is my entry for the challenge:

Something "New" - is the base page from the Reminisce "Great Britain" Collection I've had forever and have never used or opened! I am so happy with how it worked for this fun challenge!

Here are 2 of the challenge items: Tag, and Stamping (the date) 

Here is the back of the tag with the "K" challenge -handwritten journaling.

I used the word "Hello" for the H challenge. The arrow is chipboard that I stained to match the blues and oranges in the base page - and it points to Westminster Abbey, where the photos were taken.

I used a strip of Acetate Film Strip from the Kaisercraft "Let's Go" Collection that I purchased from MLSS!

Thanks for stopping by!  Be Well, Stay Safe and Wear Your Masks!
((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Reminisce - Great Britain Collection - "Westminster"

Kaisercraft - Let's Go Collection - "Cities" "Bag Tags" "Fly Away Acetate"

Ranger Distress Stains - Ripe Persimmon, Blue Print Sketch, Hickory Smoke, Tarnished Brass.

Nuvo Crystal Drops - Auburn Pearl, Simply White, Navy Blue

Distress Oxide Stain - Speckled Egg

FIbers and Thickers

Scrap Our Stash December Challenge "Masks are Cool"

 Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a safe, healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!  These are very scary times and we cut down on our guests to just our immediate family.  I really hope everyone else did too, so we can stop the spread of this virus.

This month's challenge at the Scrap Our Stash Blog is very appropriate for these times, and gives you a chance to document life during these unprecedented times!  Show us your masks!

Here is my Design Team Layout for your inspiration for this challenge. We took a drive to a Zinnia field one day in September with my parents. It was our first time there and it was so beautiful. We hope to make this a yearly adventure.

Here are some close ups for you:

I had fun using gesso, paint, Ranger Distress Stains, Wink of Stella glitter brushes and Nuvo Drops on this beautiful piece of chipboard.

I hope I've inspired you to play along with us at the Scrap Our Stash Blog this month - Please head on over to the SOS Blog for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team, and check out the challenge rules and prize details too!

((HUGS)) and best wishes ~ Sherri

#wearamask  #staysafe

Items used:

My Minds Eye - Confettie Surprise "Girlfriends" and Polka Dots/Pink Paper

BoBunny Back to Basics - Keylime

Simple Stories - Summer Vibes - Deep Blue Sea, #Selfie, Bloom Stickers

Photo Play -Thinking of you "Be Brave"

Heidi Swapp -American crafts 1st Ave Thickers

Nuvo Glitter Drops - Yellow Bird and Pink Champagne 

Nuvo Crystal Drops - Ripened Pumpkin

Dusty Attic Chipboard

Distress Paint - Twisted Citron

Distress Stains - Carved Pumpkin, Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron

November Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge "Main Squeeze"

Hello everyone!  It is time for this month's Sketch Challenge from the Scrap Our Stash Blog!

This month we ask you to include CHIPBOARD 

and WATERCOLOR Patterned Paper in your layout too!

 This month I decided to use photos from our October 2019 37th Anniversary Cruise to Bermuda onboard the Norwegian "Escape" and just LOVED using the Cocoa Vanilla "Daydream" collection that I purchased from the My Little Scrapbook Store.

*I've also entered this layout in the My Little Scrapbook Store Oct/Nov Crop Challenge #5 "Mixed Media" Challenge.

For the Challenge - the base is a pre-printed watercolor design from the Vicki Boutin "Let's Wander" Paper pad. The chipboard pieces are from a 49 and Market "Happy Moments" Chipboard, by Dusty Attic -I used the circle and 2 sprays of leaves.  I inked them with 

Ranger Distress Oxide Ink - Speckled Egg 

Here are some close ups for you:

Here you can see the splatters I made using Glimmer Mist, Nuvo Sparkle Spray and
Ranger Distress Oxide Spray (colors below)

I love this title - and knew I wanted to use it when I saw 

the yellow in my wonderful hubby's shirt!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope I've inspired you to play along with me and the rest of the Amazing Design Team at the Scrap Our Stash Blog - Please check out all their wonderful layouts and find out the Prize Info and Contest Rules by Clicking on the LINK!

#StaySafe, #BeWell, #WearAMask

(((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Coco Vanilla "Daydream" Collection: Accessory Stickers, Puffy Hearts, Diecut Ephemera. Papers: All a Flutter, Garden Variety, Happy Place, Sun Shower, Stepping Stones

49 and Market Happy Moments Chipboard

Nuvo Crystal Drops: Bottle Green, Simply White, Auburn Pearl

Nuvo Vintage Drops: Yellow Brick Road

Ranger Distress Oxide Ink and Spray - Speckled Egg

Ranger Distress Stains - Weathered Wood, Victorian Velvet, Mustard Seed

Nuvo Sparkle Spray - Peacock Plume

Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist - Golden Orange

Thickers "Be Bright"

Challenge Yourself Blog #83 "Greatest Moments"

Hi everyone,

It is time for the November Challenge at the 

Challenge YOUrself Blog! 

This month's challenge prompt is "Home for the Holidays!" 

and it can be any Holiday that you celebrate 
- as long as YOU are in one of the photos!

We were cleaning out our basement a few weeks ago and 

I came across a box of photos and I knew I wanted to scrap this memory!

Christmas 1994! Our Nick was 5 1/2 yrs old and our Jake was an infant, just 3 months old and still sleeping.  Nick woke up that morning with 2 front teeth, and by the time all of those presents were unwrapped, he lost one!

When I saw his purple shirt, I knew that BoBunny's Altitude Collection would be perfect! I've been saving bits and pieces of what I have left in my "stash" and was so happy to be able to use it to scrap this special memory!  

I fussy cut some of the snowflakes from the papers in the collection

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope I've inspired you to play along with us at the 

Challenge YOUrself Blog!

Please stop by the blog and check out all the other inspiration from the rest of the Design Team, and see the Challenge Rules and PRIZE info too!

Stay safe and be well!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:
BoBunny Altitude Collection - Cold Snap, Polar, Bundled, and Buttons
American Craft Wood Veneer "Bits" Snowflakes
Ranger Distress Stains - Picket Fence, Dusty Concord, Evergreen Bough
Fibers, Sequins, Brads
Wink of Stella - Clear glimmer brush
Picket Fence Paper Glaze "Snowdrop White" on the snowflakes

Scrap Our Stash November "Incredibly Grateful" Challenge

 Hi everyone!! Happy November!!   I love this month's challenge, as these days we all need to look inside and see what is really important in our lives and think about what we are truly thankful for.

  I hope you can join us at the Scrap Our Stash Blog - 

and are inspired by this challenge!

I am so happy to share my layout with all of you this month. The photos are from a day trip we took with my parents down the shore. We are blessed to live next door to them, and have them as our best friends too!  I used the phrase Incredibly Grateful, because I am - and added a doily to the lower left of the layout as well.

Here are some close ups for you:

I hope I've inspired you to play along with us at the Scrap Our Stash Blog this month! Please try to find some YOU time this month - it is so important to take care of ourselves while we are so busy taking care of others!

Stay safe and be well!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Vicki Boutin "Let's Wander" Collection -

12 x 12 papers and Embellishments

Doily

Thread

Jillibean Soup Mini Alpha's - B'day Bisque

American Crafts Thickers - Truly Grateful

Ranger Distress Stains - Rusty Hinge, Mustard Seed, Picket Fence

Ranger Distress Inks - Rusty Hinge - on Doily

Nuvo Crystal Drops - Caribbean Ocean, Simply White

Nuvo Vintage Drops - Yellow Brick Road

Scrap Our Stash October Sketch Challenge "BOO!"

 Hi everyone - it is time to share the October Sketch Challenge from the Scrap Our Stash Blog!  This month the rest of the Design Team and I challenge you to use our sketch as your inspiration and be sure to include FALL or HALLOWEEN patterned paper and - Mixed Alphas.

I don't have many Halloween photos, and thinking back as to why, I guess it is because I love Halloween and I am usually too busy enjoying the moments, 

and having fun instead of taking pictures!
It also seems that I do not have much Halloween stuff in my stash so this too was a challenge for me! But, I was able to find these precious photos of my sons from 1996 and thought they would work perfectly for the challenge.
I decided to rotate the sketch one turn to the left to accommodate my vertical 4x6 photos and cropped the 3rd photo I had to make it fit.
I hope you like it!

Since Halloween paper is in short supply in my stash - I made the background paper by dabbing different color Ranger Distress Stains on a plastic bag that paper collections come in and then spritzing it with some water - and then laying the white cardstock down on it and letting it get "kissed" with color!  I really like how it turned out. I only had a small amount of that purple patterned paper -so those are small pieces that I tuck under the papers behind it - and the strip of the little bats was less than 12" long so it too was cut and pieced to fit.  I sure did use my "stash" on this layout!

I also used 2 different kinds of Alphas - one yellow and one purple for that part of the challenge!

My oldest son Nick who was 7 1/2 at the time, was a character from Goosebumps - we bought the mask and I painted the skeleton on a sweatsuit for him
- including a creepy heart and some creepy bugs!!

My youngest son Jake was 2 and made the cutest Batman!

Here are a few close ups for you:

I created a tag and made a pocket with 3D foam tape behind the bottom photo, so that I could include journaling about the photos and my memories.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Please be sure to check out the Scrap Our Stash Blog for complete Challenge and Prize info - Check out lots more inspiration from our other designers - and Link up your layout!! I hope you can play along with us this month and I can't wait to see what you create!

Stay Safe and Be Well and PLEASE WEAR A MASK!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Fisker - Heidi Grace Designs "Halloween Spiders"

Bazzill Basic Paper - Arsenic & Lace, and Countdown

Ranger Distress Stains: Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, Black Soot, Picket Fence

Thickers: Sunny and Fantastic

Jolee's Boutique -Glitter Spiders

Tattered Angels Raven Glimmer Mist

Smooch Spritz

Doodle Bug Design Chunky Brads "Spooky Town"