Let It Snow | CSI + Paper Issues Free File Free-for-All Challenge

It's been forever (well, a month) since I've had any time to post on my blog. I'm contemplating giving this up because I just can't seem to find time to write blog posts these days. Maybe I'll just post pictures and closeups with not too much text. If there's anybody still reading my blog and if you have any questions about the products I used or anything, just send me a message through Facebook.

So here's a page I made for one of the December Case Files at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration. I love Paper Issues, and I really miss being on their design team, so I play along with them as much as I'm able to do. For this layout I used one of their free cut files (Polka Dot Wreath) and also one of their sketches.

Here are the Case File and Clues. I'll leave it up to you to see which clues I used. I always try to use as many as possible. 

Here are some closeups. I primarily used American Crafts Sweater Weather collection from a couple of years ago, plus some odds and ends from my stash.

Fabulous Together | Paper Issues Free File Free for All Challenge

I had a little extra time last weekend, so I took advantage and played in a couple of Paper Issues challenges. Here's one I made for the Free File Free for All Challenge.

Here's the awesome cut file I used, called Wonky Pie Charts:

Here are some details. I used Simple Stories, Oh Happy Day!, which I've had for a while but never cracked open. Such a delightful collection that I thought was perfect for this photo of my friend and her beautiful daughters. I always like to add brads and found some fun ones in my stash to match my page.

Love the whimsy of these Florence alphabets by Bella Blvd. 

And the pink polka dot letters are also by Bella Blvd, from the Illustrated Faith collection. So cute!

How cute is that owl brad?

Our Bubble | Bramble Fox

I made this page for Bramble Fox using the gorgeous translucent bubble Perspextives from the September Fox Box. These pics of my friends kids in the bath were the perfect pictures! And then when I was telling my friend about the page I was making and trying to figure out a title, she told me that she always says, "I just want to keep my kids in a bubble."

I love all Bramble Fox Perspextives, but my favorite ones are the translucent ones.

I started with a Vicki Boutin mixed media paper and stamped the bubbles. The cut file is a free one from Paper Issues called Bubbles. I dug through my paper scraps and backed the bubbles with different patterns, many of which are pretty old. I stitched the big central bubble with embroidery floss. I also dug through my blue embellishment drawer and found these old photo corners and some old sparkly and pearly brads as well as some old K&Co word stickers.

I backed the bubble Perspextive piece with white paper because I wanted it to stand out. 

I was delighted to find this blue OMG chipboard circle which just made me laugh when I put it on this photo! To finish off my layout, I added some blue Nuvo drops to some of the bubbles.

I highly recommend the Fox Box subscription. You get three packs of Perspextives, which gives you a nice assortment of pieces to work with, as well as an exclusive design only available in the Fox Box. Plus you get a discount on everything in the shop. Here's a look at the September Fox Box:

You Shine Bright | Paper Issues Monochromatic Fanatic Challenge

I'm up on the Paper Issues blog today. Here's my post:

Hey, everyone! I'm so excited to share a layout I made for the Monochromatic Fanatic challenge. I've been making layouts to give to each of my 29 fourth grade students.

Besides the yellow on the Monochromatic moodboard, I also drew inspiration from the bees, the flowers, the twine, and the lemon slices.

When I saw that the challenge was yellow,  I immediately thought of the Sunburst Background free cut file. I love this kind of cut file because I can use up some of my paper scraps. All of the patterned papers on my layout came from my scrap drawers.

I love this challenge because it gets me digging through my stash to discover things I might have forgotten about, like these little bee stickers I've had in my stash forever. I might never have thought of using them if it hadn't been for the moodboard!

I added some lemon slices cut from an old Jillibean Soup patterned paper, inspired by the moodboard.

To add some more interest to the sun rays, I applied Nuvo Drops. I just love those things! So much fun and so much cheaper than enamel dots, and you can make them in any size you want!

I hope you'll give this challenge a try. The yellow is so bright and cheery, and creating this layout made me so happy! As I said, a cut file is a great way to use a bunch of scraps, and Paper Issues has HUNDREDS of FREE cut files. You're sure to find the perfect one for any topic you want to scrap. While you're checking out the cut files, stop by the shop and see all the new goodies. Please use my discount code, Debbi (no e on the end), and you'll get 20% off everything, no expiration date!

You Mean the World to Me | Paper Issues Spring Crop

Last weekend, Paper Issues held their spring crop. Challenges are open until midnight April 5, so you still have this weekend to play. Here is my layout and the challenge I played in:

When I saw the circle theme, I thought of this awesome free Paper Issues globe cut file called It's a Beautiful World.

Here are some details. My starting point was the globe, and I decided I'd back it with a map print.  The muted colors of the map I chose led me to use a cream background I found in an October Afternoon travel collection 8 x 8 pad. The title was a natural one to use. I love mixing up different alphabets in my titles. The red felt ones have been in my stash forever. I decided a wood veneer geotag would be the perfect thing to add to the O.

I keep my travel-themed embellishments in a drawer together and found this cute chipboard airplane from Simple Stories Travel Notes collection. It wasn't showing up very well on the cream-colored background, so I backed it with red. I added some clouds I fussy cut out of a pattterned paper by My Little Shoebox. I lifted all of these elements up on pop dots. The globe is also mounted on pop dots for added dimension.

I found a few flair badges that worked with the colors. That red paper behind the grid paper is from Cosmo Cricket's Joy Ride collection that's been hanging out  in my travel paper folder for far too long.

Before I stuck everything down, I did some stamping and splattering with watercolors in the background.The chipboard Vespa and passport are from the same sheet as the airplane. I added a few more odds and ends and called my layout done!

I hope you'll come join our challenges. We have SCADS of them--you're sure to find a few that strike your fancy. AND there's a $50 gift certificate up for grabs!

You should stop by the Paper Issues shop, check out all the new goodies, and please use my code, Debbi (no e on the end), and you'll get 20% off your entire order!

4th Grade All-Star | Paper Issues Spring Crop - Spring Fling

Hey, scrappy friends! I hope you come join our Spring Crop at Paper Issues for all the fun challenge we have going on this weekend. We've got a musical theme, and all of our challenges are named after a song. Here's the challenge I created and the page I made.

I made another page for one of my 29 students. I scraplifted myself from this layout I made in 2018.

I used the awesome Star Background free cut file from Paper Issues.

Here are some details. I backed the stars with papers from the  Fancy Pants Be Different 6 x 6 paper pad.

I love mixing fonts for titles. The 4th is super old Doodlebug letters, the black chipboard are by BasicGrey, and the red felt letters are really old Thickers. I ran out of A's so I turned d's into As by trimming off the leg, and I was out of R's so I made one from an M. I snuck a wood veneer heart in place of a hyphen. I always put a heart somewhere on my pages I give as gifts.

Those old Studio Calico wood veneer hearts were so perfect to go with this paper and fit perfectly on top of the solid stars. The speech bubble is also an old Studio Calico wood veneer. Enamel dots finished off my page.

I hope you'll come join our challenges. We have SCADS of them--you're sure to find a few that strike your fancy. AND there's a $50 gift certificate up for grabs!

There are so many beautiful cut files over at Paper Issues for free. While you're at the store, check out all the new goodies, and please use my code, Debbi (no e on the end), and you'll get 20% off your entire order!

You Rock | Paper Issues Spring Crop - You Lift Me Up Challenge

Hey, scrappy friends! I hope you come join our Spring Crop at Paper Issues for all the fun challenge we have going on this weekend. We've got a musical theme, and all of our challenges are named after a song. Here's the challenge I created and the page I made.

I made another page for one of my students. I'm making them to give as gifts to each of my 29 kids.

Here's the layout to lift for this challenge:

Here are some details. I used the awesome filmstrip from the Life in Pictures FREE cut file from Paper Issues. Since I only had one photo, I used elements fussy cut from a paper from the Field Trip collection by Shimelle to fill the frames.

I dug through my frame drawers and found two old frames that matched the colors. The teal one is by Crate Paper and the green one is by Making Memories. The word stickers are also old, from my stash.

I was re-arranging some supplies the other day and came across these large raw chipboard letters I've had FOREVER. I think I haven't used them because they're so big for my 8 x 8 pages, but I took them out of the drawer, and I've decided I'm going to try to use them up as fast as I can, so you'll be seeing them on some more layouts in the near future. I coated them with black embossing powder. And of course the O's are always perfect for adding something to the center.

I mounted the fussy-cut elements with pop dots to give my layout added dimension, and of course I couldn't resist adding googly eyes to the robots and dinosaur.

I hope you'll come join our challenges. We have SCADS of them--you're sure to find a few that strike your fancy. AND there's a $50 gift certificate up for grabs!

There are so many beautiful cut files over at Paper Issues for free. While you're at the store, check out all the new goodies, and please use my code, Debbi (no e on the end), and you'll get 20% off your entire order!