Practical Scrappers/Scraptown Lady Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to the PRACTICAL SCRAPPERS and SCRAPTOWN LADY Blog Hop!  We thought it would be fun to combine forces and share projects with you that have our design teams’ takes on one of the hottest scrapbooking trends around:  Project Life. 

Whether you are a “Project Lifer,” are interested in Project Life, or just want to find out ways to use all those fantastic Project Life types of products and ideas on your own projects, we have a hop FULL of inspiration and creativity! 

We’ve got a fabulous prize, too - a $25 gift certificate to Scraptown Lady’s shop, which is stocked with awesome scrapbooking supplies!  What do you have to do to be entered in the drawing?  It’s easy! 

1.      Be a follower of Practical Scrappers; and

2.      Be a follower of Scraptown Lady; and

3.      Visit all the blogs, starting with Practical Scrappers and ending with Scraptown Lady, and leave a comment at each blog along the way.  

We will be hopping until Sunday, June 30^th, at 11:59 p.m. CST.  The grand prize winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 2^nd! 

I don't really do Project Life, but I do love the journaling cards that are the main stay of Project Life.  I love to layer them on cards and layouts.  I have tons and tons of them downloaded from the Silhouette store.  And of course, lots of companies are including them in their collections, so I combined the two...Silhouette journaling cards and Authentique journaling cards, creating the layout below.  I love how this turned out and again thank you to Leah for always sharing her precious kiddos with me.  Isn't this a wonderful photograph?  So sweet!

I design for both Practical Scrappers and Scraptown Lady...yep, I am a lucky duck! I used the gorgeous Seasons: Summer from Authentique which is available from the Scraptown Lady Store, just click to here to order and save 20%...Authentique Seasons Summer Collection.

I would love to have you follow me and leave a comment, and that puts you in the running for a prize from me...I will draw a winner on Tuesday also and get a prize shipped out right a way to you if you are the lucky winner!  Here's what you can win!  

Forgive the glare on the products, just a bit too sunny..but I have some goodies from Maya Road...a trinket cube, scalloped mini triangle banners, a beehive mini album and a wellies album~so much from Maya Road.

Thanks for stopping by the hop and your next stop is my amazingly talented friend Rhonda!

If you get lost along the way, just check the complete list below to get you hopping in the right direction:

Practical Scrappers: http://www.practicalscrappers.com/

Christine Freet Meyer: http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com/

Erin Morehouse-Kislingbury: http://girlpaperscissors.blogspot.com/

Charissa Miller:  http://www.akihasmommascraps.com/

Nicole Laha: http://www.shezigzags.blogspot.com/

Claude Campeau: http://www.imzadi481.blogspot.ca/

Lanette Erickson: http://stacksofscraps.blogspot.com/

Malika Kelly: http://www.malikakelly.blogspot.com/

Danielle de Konink: http://picsandcheesecake.blogspot.nl/

Lisa Peeples: http://www.snappinandscrappin.blogspot.com/

Mary Pat Siehl: http://siehledwithakiss.blogspot.com/

Wendi Robinson: http://scrappydayinparadise.blogspot.com/

Julie Comeau: http://lepetitmondedeglamotte.blogspot.ca/

Kim Ryden: http://www.rydenkim.blogspot.com/

Ruth Bonser: http://scrapmachine.com/

Krissy Clark McKee: http://krissyclarkmckee.blogspot.com/

Marcia Dehn-Nix: http://onescrapatatime-bymumsie.blogspot.com/

Cathy Harper: http://www.alteredplayground.blogspot.com (you are here)

Rhonda Van Ginkel: http://snapwhiz.blogspot.com/

Scraptown Lady:  http://scrap-town-lady.blogspot.com/

Don't forget to like Scraptown Lady on Facebook

America the Beautiful...Authentique Pride

I am hosting the Scraptown Lady Blog today. Hope all of you are gearing up for the 4th of July..picnics, camping, vacation...you name it.  Summer is in full swing and America's Birthday is just around the corner.  This new line from Authentique is perfect for all of this holiday's events!  Pride is gorgeous...gorgeous colors, the perfect amount of distressing and of course the amazing weight and texture of their paper.

I really didn't have any great 4th of July pictures to scrap....my fireworks pictures just never seem to turn out.  So when I was scrolling though my saved pictures on my computer, I came across this picture of my best friend's little guy at Harney Peak in South Dakota...I instantly knew I wanted to use this photo because it truly is America the Beautiful when you get to the top and can see forever.  His cheeks are flushed and he is tired...but he is so proud that he made it to the top.  The view is simply amazing.  Makes me miss home so very much!

I had lots of fun layering Authentique papers and all the fun dies that Scraptown Lady carries.  She has an amazing selection of dies..you just have to stop by to see! You can find the link to the store below where I have listed the ingredients for this layout! I love the look of those stacked stars from My Favorite Things. All of it just fell together and creates a fun tribute to America and Hayden's conquering of Harney Peak!

Thanks for stopping by the Scraptown Lady blog today and have a safe 4th of July holiday!

Scraptown Lady Ingredients:

Authentique Pride Dignity

Authentique Pride Independence

Authentique Pride Unified

Authentique Pride Components

MFT Die-Namics Stacking Stars

MFT Die-Namics Star Stax

Die-Versions Star Tag

Want 2 scrap pearls Red

want 2 scrap pearls LeCreme

other ingredients:

Sequins, machine stitching, Baker's Twine, buttons, mini clothes pin

More Summer to Cards to share!

Just a couple more cards to share with you..these were created with Simple Stories Summer Fresh!  Such a great line!  And I can't wait to create with the new Simple Stories I (Heart) Summer!

Hope you are having a fantastic fun filled weekend!

Summer Cards with EP's Hello Summer

Happy First Day of Summer!  I am so glad that warmer weather is finally here, it's been a very long gloomy spring here! 

 So tired of rain and mud.

Celebrating the arrival of Summer today with some cards created with one of my very favorite collections from 

Echo Park..Hello Summer!

Enjoy your day and thank you for stopping by!

Tiny Dancer with Kaisercraft Marigold

I have a layout up on the Scraptown Lady Blog today with a gorgeous collection from Kaisercraft...Marigold.  I had the perfect photos from Raini's dance recital.  She danced to Elton John's Crocodile Rock and if you look closely you can see tiny crocodile teeth of her sleeves.  Too Cute!  This collection worked perfectly with these photos of our Tiny Dancer!

Stop by the Scraptown Lady store and check out all the gorgeous Kaisercraft collections she has and her awesome selections of dies!  You won't be disappointed!

Scraptown Lady Supplies

Kaisercraft Marigold Amber

Kaisercraft Marigold Lemon

Kaisercraft Marigold Citron

Kaisercraft Marigold Honey

Kaisercraft Marigold Mustard

Kaisercraft pearls

Basic Grey Lucille chipboard stickers

MFT Die-Namics-FlancyFlourish

MFT Die-Namics Large Fancy Flourish

My Favorite Thing Rolled Rose Medium

MFT Die-Namics Large Rolled Rose

other supplies

paper doily

machine stiching, felt flower, prima flower, floss, letter stickers, Silhouette Cameo

IE Reveal #14 Then & Now

You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow. You can view all of the challenges on my blog by clicking here or check our our new Inspiration Elevator Blog, here.

This month's challenge is issued by the super talented, Sue Sykes. Here's what she had to say in her very own words:

"I have all of my parents' photos stored at my place.  Shortly after I began scrapbooking,  my mom and I spent hours removing her photos from those dreadful magnetic albums and documenting dates on the back of them all.  So I will often sift through them and marvel at how much things change - and yet, they also seem to stay the same.

This month, I'd like to challenge you all to create a comparison layout or project - THEN and NOW.  It can be any topic; just document the parallels and differences between an event/person/place from the past and a modern likeness.  REMEMBER TO JOURNAL!! :)

Can't wait to see what you all create!"

Honestly, this challenge kind of stumped me.  I just didn't know what to do, so much has changed in the last couple of years that I had lots of ideas.  I finally decided on staying true to me, I just don't enjoying doing heritage pages and such.  

The layout is about the 11 years of friendship between our daughter and our wonderful German Shorthair Pointer, Hogan!  They have been best buds since the day we brought Hogan home, the two photos of her are on the very first day.

Eleven years later and they are still the best of friends and I know it weighs heavy on my daughter's mind that one day her precious pooch will be gone!

The journaling is tucked away on the tag underneath the bottom right photo!  As for the layout, just lots of layering and trying to break out of my rut of always using kraft or white card stock!  Not sure if I like it or not..hey, but it's a change!

For 11 years now, you two have been the best of friends. Hogan is aging and she has her good days and her bad days...sometimes she is super grouchy.  But you always make sure to spend some time with her every single day.  

She loves you so very much and you adore her.  

 I hope you will stop by and see what our designers on this adventure have created:

• Sue Sykes

Lisa Moen

Christa Uttley

Cathy Harper

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

Laurel Seabrook

Jodi Wilton

Michelle Hernandez

Ann Jobes

Laura Whitaker

Celebrating Father's Day

Celebrating Father's Day!

Hi!  I am hosting the Scraptown Lady Blog today.  This week we celebrate Father's Day and I am pretty sure I have the world's greatest Dad, a wonderful husbandand an amazing son (who just became a Dad this year) that all deserves lots of praise and recognition for a job well done.

I have two cards to share with you today, one with Graphic 45 papers and embellishments and the other with FarmHouse Paper Company papers and embellishments. Both are very simple cards, just lots of layers!

Scraptown Lady Ingredients
Graphic 45 Building Blocks
Graphic 45 Calico Kids
Graphic 45 The 3 R's
Graphic 45Ladies DiaryTags 1
Basic Grey Lucille chipboard stickers
Kaisercraft Sparklets Daffodil
Snug Hug Lite Beige
MFT-DieNamic Fishtail Flags STAX

And next up, a fun card with lots of layers using FarmHouse Paper Company goodness!

Scraptown Lady Ingredients:

Market Square Barber Shop

Market Square Penny Bunny

Market Square Take a Stroll

Market Square Emporium Chipboard

Barber Shop chipboard

Market Square Sticker Sheets

MFT-DieNamic Fishtai lFlags STAX

Other ingredients:

Sizzix Tim Holtz Large Rosette Die

Bella Blvd. Washi tape and Sandylion Washi Tape

Machine Stitching, Twine and A Zig Pen

Nautical Trends

I hope everyone had a great weekend...we did, as my parents came to visit for the weekend.  Their first trip to see us since we moved.  It was wonderful to have them here!

I have a layout up on the Practical Scrappers Blog today with the 

On Trend team!  Today it is all about the Nautical Trend.  Make sure to stop by and be inspired by all the gorgeous layouts!

I had lots of fun with this one and you don't have to boating or ocean pictures to join in the trend.  This picture of summer fun with Kimber running through the sprinklers works perfectly.  Her swimsuit reminded my of nautical so I just embellished with an anchor and a lot of fun!  Love it and love the joy on her little face!

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Monday!
Linking To Paper Issues: In the Navy

Reach For the Stars

Welcome to the June Moxxie Muse-A-Palooza Blog Hop! This month one lucky follower will win the entire Reach for the Stars collection! You'll be over the moon and out of this world for this adorable collection designed for your little space cadets. Whether playing with a favorite toy, turning a shipping box into a spaceship, or watching a classic movie, pics of your little rocketman (or rocketwoman!) will go perfectly with this collection! It just doesn't get any cuter than this!

For a chance to win, hop through all ten participating blogs, check out all the spectacular creations of each Moxxie Muse, and leave a comment for each one of them. Comments close at midnight CST on Tuesday, June 11th. The winner will be announced Wednesday on the Moxxie Blog. International fans are welcome to play along if they agree to pay shipping in the event they win.

My project for the blog hop is just a fun layout with this adorable line and look, it even works perfectly for a little girl!  Yesterday was her birthday and she is a star!  

Happy Birthday Miss Caysee!

Lots of layering, some machine stitching, white pen work and a die cut title complete this little super star's page!

Let's blast off! Remember to leave your comments along the way for your chance to win the Reach for the Stars collection!

Got Moxxie

Susie Bentz

Cathy Harper

Michelle James

Rebecca Price

Misty Rushlow

Mary Pat Siehl

Dana Tatar

Rhonda Van Ginkel

Ange Weisbeck

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Sharing May Publications!

So fun to share my magazine publications with you!  Here are May's publications in Cards!

Two for Mother's Day!

 And one for Graduation!

Hope you are having a wonderful creative day!

Hello Sunshine!

Hello Sunshine!

I am hosting the Moxxie blog today.  I just have a fun simple page with Moxxie Wee One's Collection to share with you.  This is one of my favorite lines to work with. I love the colors and the patterns so much.  It is adorable, so that makes it a breeze to create layouts and cards!

I used my Silhouette Cameo to die cut the sun burst out of the Sleep Tight patterned paper.  Then I backed the patterned paper with yellow card stock and added a bit of white pen work.  I trimmed the Sleep Tight patterned paper down to 11 3/4x 11 3/4 and matted it on Wee One's Watch Me Grow patterned paper.  You can see just a hit of that beautiful blue coming through!  Next I added a die cut title, machine stitching, a couple of sequins, and a bit of twine.  Told you it was an easy, simple layout.   Yet, I love it!  The page focuses on the sweet wee one and he is adorable!

Thanks for joining us at Moxxie today!

Moxxie supplies:

Wee One's Sleep Tight

Wee One's Watch Me Grow

Basic Grey Fun!

Hi! I am hosting the Scrap Town Lady Blog today. I have a two page layout with Basic Grey's Lucille to share with you. I have to admit when I first saw this collection and even when I started working with it, I was not crazy about it. Just didn't feel like me, but I took the challenge and played. Guess what? I love how these layouts turned out...I had the perfect photos of a friend's little girl and they worked splendidly with this line. I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave this line a whirl. I challenge you to a try a line that's not your style and see what you come up with...chances are you will fall in love with it!

 Scraptown Lady Supplies
BG Lucille Alphabet BG Lucille chipboard stickers
BG Lucille Element Stickers
BG Lucille Gather
BG Lucille Overblouse
BG LucillePinIt
BG Lucille Pleat
BG Lucille Seams
BG Lucille Wrap Dress
BasicGreyLucilleStichedBrads
BasicGreyLucilleWoodenButtons
BasicGreyLucillewovenlabels
 BasicGreyLucilleCapri 
MFT Die-Namics LMiniRoyalRose
 MFT Flower leaf Trio
MFT Die-NamicButtonBorder
 MFT Die-Namics-FlancyFlourish
 MFT SentimentalFlourish
 MFT-DieNamicFishtailFlagsSTAX
 MFT Die-NamicsLargeFancyFlourish

 other supplies: White Bazzill Card Stock, Vellum, kraft card stock, Prima flowers, machine stitching

I created a super quick card too, with left over supplies and here's a quick bonus tip...the MFT Die-namics Button border makes the perfect scalloped edge border. I used it on my card and on the second page of my layout. I cut several button borders when I first started creating because I wasn't sure what I wanted quite yet. So after I had what I needed, I just layered the button border behind my papers and I had the cutest scalloped border. Love that...two for one~ Thanks for stopping by!

On Trend...Pie Charts

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and is all set for a creative week.  I have a layout up at 

Practical Scrappers with yummy pie charts!  Love this trend right now and there are some gorgeous examples on the Practical Scrapper's Blog today.

Here's mine:

I know it's a bit girly for a boy page, especially for these two high energy, all boy brothers...but I wanted to convey the softness and sweetness of the photo.  I love it and thank you to Leah for once again sharing these little guys with me!  I adore these photos!  (more to come)! 

Thanks for stopping by!