SOS February Book Cover Challenge - "Beaches"

It is February already - and time for the next BOOK Inspired Stash Challenge from Scrap Our Stash!
I have to say, at first I thought this was going to be difficult, and I was a little confused as to what to do for this challenge, but that is what makes it a Challenge right!!

Here are the rules:
Using the left page, or book cover, as your inspiration, create a layout and include 2 or more HEARTS ( it's February, so of course Hearts are involved!!)

I have to admit, while I love Dr. Seuss, and have ready many of his books to my (now grown up) sons, I have never read this one.  Looking at the picture, I could have chosen the White, Blue, Black, Red color scheme, or a photo of a Moose! or maybe a big banner, or antlers, or a hat, or even just something related to hearts ("Big-Hearted Moose").... really, so many possibilities!  - I hope your mind is running in a bunch of directions right now, as to how you are going to interpret it, and that you will play along with us!  Click on the SCRAP OUR STASH Blog for all the details, deadlines and PRIZE INFO!!

I decided to use the shrubs or foliage at the bottom of the book-cover, and the starburst effect behind antlers as my inspiration, as they reminded me of a photo / selfie that I took while on vacation 

this last October, at Beaches in Turks and Caicos!  Here is my layout:

I've had this intricate Basic Grey "Jovial" Die Cut in my stash from FOREVER!!  I thought it would be perfect to use it in this layout, as it has lots of foliage and an awesome color combo too!.  ( Are you as sad as me that Basic Grey has announced they are closing their paper crafting operations :-( )


I used lots of paper embellishments from the Simple Stories Summer Vibes collection -that I inked and matted on cardstock - here are some close ups of all the bits and pieces I used:

There were lizards everywhere at the resort!  I took this little chipboard one, colored him with Peacock Feathers Distress stain, then inked him with some Pearl paint, and then inked him with Twisted Citron Distress Stain. When that was done, I glazed him with Dimensional Magic.

Here we are sitting on the beach in the HOT sun, sipping on some adult beverages!  Let me tell you, this was our first trip to an "all inclusive resort" and it certainly won't be our last!  You can also see some of the paper embellies I used, along with enamel dots, and 2 wooden hearts that I inked with Distress stains, and then glazed with Dimensional Magic.

I made this "Beaches" title from a piece of the note paper that they gave us in the room at the resort. After cutting it out, and matting it - I glazed over the letters and pop dotted it on the layout.  You can also see 2 more hearts that were stained and glazed.

Here are a few more embellies, and you can see what I mean by the selfie in the center, with the palm tree "hat" or the starburst behind my head, kind of like the book cover.  The photo on the bottom left was one of our favorite spots to hang out by the swim-up bar!!

Here you can see where the die cut background is actually "pop-dotted" on the vanilla cardstock base, some enamel dots, and the wooden hearts inked with Distress Stains and then glazed.

A few more paper embellies that are added with pop dots in this corner of the layout.


Thanks for stopping by - I hope you will play along with us on this FUN Challenge over a the Scrap Our Stash Blog!! - Would love it if you took a minute to say Hi, now that you are here!

ITEMS USED:
Basic Grey "Jovial" Die Cut
BoBunny Avocado Dot
Simple Stories "Summer Vibes"
  Bits and Pieces
  Enamel Dots
  6x12 Elements
  Pop Fizz
  6x8 and 2x2 Elements
Dimensional Magic
Ranger Distress Stain - Twisted Citron, Rusty Hinge, Ripe Persimmon, Peeled Paint, Evergreen Bough

December Challenge YOUrself Blog - "We Are Family"

Happy December Everyone!  Can you believe we are at the end of 2015?!  My how this year has flown by!  All the more reason to document it with a layout that includes YOU and your Family too!

That is the added challenge to this month's SKETCH Challenge over at the Challenge YOUrself Blog.
Use the sketch below, and be sure to include YOU and your FAMILY in your photo, and you could WIN a PRIZE too!  Please Click HERE to check out all the Challenge Details / Rules, after you are done reading below.

I love this awesome sketch!

The photo I wanted to use was not square, so I thought it would work best to turn the sketch clockwise, or one turn to the right, so that I could add more/wider patterned papers from the top and bottom of it, since those sides were longer.


I had so much fun using the Simple Stories "Summer Vibes" collection for my November DT Layout for Scrap Our Stash, and since I had another photo from our "Get Away" to Turks and Caicos, I thought I would continue to use that same collection, and make a complimenting page to that layout.  (You can view the first page HERE!)


Here is my Design Team Inspiration for this month's SKETCH and Challenge from The Challenge YOUrself Blog!:

This is a photo of my husband and I, along with his 2 brothers, and our 2 sister-in-laws, who we vacationed with.  To say that we had a FUN time would be an UNDERSTATEMENT!!  This was our first trip to an "all inclusive" resort - and hopefully, it won't be our last!!  We had an AMAZING time laughing together, and created memories that we will cherish and laugh about for many years. 

Here are some close ups for you:

I also decided to "pop" my photo, and include a place to insert a journaling card, with a few memories about our trip.

Hop on over the the Challenge YOUrself Blog for all the details and PRIZE info!!  Hoping you will play along with us this month!!
Thanks for stopping by - wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Very Happy Holiday Season!  ((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Simple Stories Summer Vibes:
#6351 - Shine On
#6307 - #Selfie
#6304 - Just Beachy
#6308 - Pop Fizz
Bits and Pieces
Enamel Dots

Tim Holtz Kraft Resist Paper Stash

Petaloo Flowers - Darjeeling Collection "Teastained Spice"
Ranger Distress Stains and Inks: Peacock Feathers / Ripe Persimmon / Fossilized Amber / Vintage Photo
Royal Coat Dimensional Magic
Wink of Stella - Clear and White Glitter Brush
Sequins / Wooden Hearts
Washi Tape

November's Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge "Get Away"

Hello my Scrappy Friends!!   Another FUN Sketch and Challenge from Scrap Our Stash is up on the SOS Blog and I can't wait to share it with you!!  Just take a look at this month's awesome Sketch along with the added BINGO Board Challenge below as we hope to kick it up a notch for you, and really get you to use your STASH this month!!

Just use the sketch as your guide, and ALSO select ONE Line of Elements, either up and down, side to side or diagonally, to include in your layout. Full details and PRIZE Info can be found on the  

SCRAP OUR STASH Blog!

I call my layout "Get Away"

For the Bingo Challenge, I selected the "G" Column for my layout - Wood, Sequins, Leaves, Kraft, and Flair ( I LOVE FLAIR!) I decided to flip the Sketch one turn towards the right, or clockwise. I'm not really sure why.... I just thought it would work better for the layout I had planned.  We were blessed to have had the chance to spend a week in Paradise - aka - Beaches -  Turks and Caicos Resort, with my husbands' brothers and sister-in-laws in October.  It was a well needed and true "Get Away" from it all - filled with sunshine, food, laughter and lots of frozen mojitos!

Here is my Design Team Inspiration layout for you:

I wanted to use up some of the DELICIOUS Simple Stories "Summer Vibes" Collection, that has been calling to me ever since I bought it at my Local Scrapbook Store www.shopthedoo.com ! 

Speaking of "KRAFT" paper....

This is how I started my base.  

I used a piece of Tim Holtz Kraft Resist paper, and inked the edges with Ranger Distress Stains, and a foam applicator - just around the edges. I used Peacock Feathers around the top, and Ripe Persimmon on the bottom, to match the Simple Stories base I was going to put on top of it after tearing.

Here you can see the torn, inked edges, with the inked kraft paper showing through. I LOVE this technique!  You can also see few of the "BINGO" embellishments in this photo too! ( Kraft, Sequins, Leaves and Wood )

I also had this AWESOME custom die cut, made by my good friend "Mama Doodle" from Scrap-a-Doodle Doo at www.shopthedoo.com  It has a kraft paper base.  I used Distress Stains, and Wink of Stella glitter brushes, in clear and white, to highlight and accent the details on the die cut title to give it a little more dimension.  You can also see the last item from the Bingo Challenge "Flair" in this photo as well.

Here are a few more close ups for you...

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will join us at Scrap Our Stash for this Sketch and Bingo Challenge!  Check out all the details and PRIZE Info on the SOS BLOG, and come get Scrappy with it!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Stash Items used:
Simple Stories Summer Vibes:
#6351 - Shine On
#6307 - #Selfie
#6304 - Just Beachy
#6308 - Pop Fizz
Bits and Pieces
Enamel Dots

Tim Holtz Kraft Resist Paper Stash
Fancy Pants Making Waves - Sunny Days "Flair"
Heidi Swapp Wood Veneer "Get Away"
Petaloo Flowers - Darjeeling Collection "Teastained Spice"
Ranger Distress Stains: Peacock Feathers / Ripe Persimmon / Fossilized Amber / Vintage Photo
Royal Coat Dimensional Magic
Wink of Stella - Clear and White Glitter Brush
Sequins / Wooden Hearts
Washi Tape
Turks and Caicos Custom Die Cut from www.shopthedoo.com