Colour Challenge by Jo West

eeeks, I apologize for getting on here so late ... sometimes sharing a computer with a full time student really limits my time to post ...

I loved this month's colour challenge ... any time and orange is put together with a colour from the blue tones everything just seems to pop!   could be because they are they are opposite on the colour wheel ...

and speaking of wheels ... or just big round things ... I love this picture of my daughter at Granville Island this summer ... as usual she has inserted herself into the art ...   It just made one big bold statement so i didn't want to overdo the layout with lots of patterned paper.  Instead I used small strips of paper cut from scraps and glimmer mist to take away from the highly graphic nature of the strips and the photo.  The embellishments are home made .... I used Tim Holtz fragments, covered with glossy accents, glitter and then sheer shiny fabric ... the little flower is from felt and has a small felted ball in the centre ... the flower was a breeze to make!

Do try this colour combination, it really is delicious and you can see just how gorgeous and multi purpose it is in the layouts  and cards below by Carrie, Debbie & Erica!  They have absolutely rocked this challenge and we hope you will too!!!

Link up with our colour challenge here...

Oh my goodness...Erica, Debby, Cari, and Jo have all knocked it out of the park on this challenge!! I literally felt my blood start pumping faster when I saw their creations! I am definitely inspired, and I know you have to be too! Share your inspired projects with us here!! Leave a comment on this post letting us know where to find you!

Colour Challenge by Erica Perkins

As you can see the colour challenge for this month is GORGEOUS! and none of us were slow to jump on this challenge. Fall is my favourite season. I love the colours this season brings us, bright blue skies with crisp air that rustles through the deep reds, oranges and golds of the turning leaves. It's sweater weather. It's when we turn up the heat with our cooking. It's the season that gets us to cuddle up in front of fireplaces again, not quite wanting the furnace to kick in yet.

Cari and Debby worked there magic with this challenge, and I especially adore how Cari used the photo collage as inspiration for how she would lay out her own photos on her page.

I took the colours and made a couple of very simple cards.

Supplies used: premade cards: Michael's; patterned paper: Imaginisce and Scenic Route; stamps: Stampin' up; ribbon: misc.

Then I pulled out some of my fav new papers and created this layout as well.

Supplies used: cardstock: Bazzil; patterned paper: Imaginisce; stamps: Stampin' Up; ribbon: Marth Stewart.

I can't wait to see what you do with this challenge...the colours, the design, it's up to you. Just make sure to link us up on where to find you as you never know when we'll be giving away more goodies.

Color Challenge by Debby Visser

Using the same colour inspiration as Cari posted below, I created this:



I LOVED this colour combination, white, cream, burnt orange, mustard, browns, teal, aqua............gorgeous!!
I used my sweet new puppy as my subject. And she fit this colour combo so well with her wonderful chocolate colour.

I hope you find some time to play with this combo, I would love to see what part of this inspires you! And don't forget to share with us!

Supplies:
Collage Press, Stampin Up, Basic Grey, American Crafts, Scenic Route, Prima, Bazzill.

Color Challenge by Cari Locken

Hi there everyone!

Well, after taking the summer off from being around here it's great to be back!! I hope that you've all starting settling into school/work routines again. I've been trying to get used to having all 3 of my kids in school now and I must admit it's been a huge change. I've enjoyed some quiet hours and have had some time to scrapbook as well.

I sometimes find it hard to get back into the groove or find that I lack inspiration. I have found the perfect place to get inspiration is from sketches and color challenges.

This particular picture below was my color challenge.

I decided to use the layout of the photos as part of my actual design. The colors were just so gorgeous that I used those as well.

Supplies used: Imaginisce (Birthday Bash papers & rub-ons), Core'dinations Cardstock, button (My Little Bit of Whimsy), Fiskars border punches

Hope you have a chance to play along with this awesome challenge!

Have a great weekend!

We Have A Winner!

Good afternoon! Happy 'Hump' Day - that wonderful time of the week where we turn the corner from being still close to Monday to closer to Friday! A perfect day to announce a prize winner! I put together the names of all the people who left comments and/or participated in challenges over the summer, and the name that I drew is 'kimosabescraps'! Congratulations! Please send us your mailing info and we will send off a humble yet happy little prize package. Thanks for visiting us!

Tag Card Challenge ~ Jo West

I love, love love making cards ... so I am thrilled that The Inspired Scrapper is now bringing you card challenges as well!  I hope to inspire you as well as gain inspiration from all you card makers out there.  This weeks challenge is to incorporate a tag ... any type of tag, into your card.  For this challenge I made 3 cards, all using different types of tags.

The tag as the sentiment.

For this super quick, like literally 5 minute card, I used a beautiful vintage inspired tag by Cavallini & Co.  I adhered a flower embellishment with a brad, and attached it to the card front with pop dots.  Simple and effective ... perfect for those little card emergencies we all have now and then ... I find it hand to keep a variety of pre-made tags around just for emergencies!

Tag as the main focal point.

I love looking at all of the beautiful digital art that is available online for purchase.  This tag is made by Land of Enchantment on Etsy ... all I had to do here is print and cut.  I went a little further and inked the edges heavier, and used a bit of glossy accents and glitter on the flowers, and then added a few embellishments of my own.  Again, another relatively easy card.

Tags as an accent.

Sometimes you just want to add a little something extra to that card you are making, without having to go to a great deal of time, effort or expense.  I used a little butterfly tag to do just that.  I simply grabbed a scrap piece of paper, punched out the tag, and stamped a butterfly on it ... although you cant see it in the photo it hangs by a tiny bit of bakers twine, and gives this card a victorian feel.  So easy to do...

So ... Tag ... your it!  Give tags a chance and use one on your next card project!

*NEW* - Card Challenges on Mondays!

Hello, good morning, Happy Monday! As I write this, I am sitting at my computer desk looking out of my upstairs stairwell windows, and let me tell you - it is a very grey, very rainy day in my little neck of the woods!

I interpret this kind of weather to be perfect weather for fixing myself a pot of tea and settling in for some paper play time! (While still juggling the schedules and demands/needs of a preschooler, a gradeschooler, and a highschooler!). But nevermind that, it's doable, right?!

Here at The Inspired Scrapper, we have decided to start posting card challenges every second Monday, with the hope that we can eventually step it up and host a challenge every Monday.

So, without further ado - our inaugural Monday Card Challenge is - Tag It!! Incorporate a tag (or tags!) into a card.

Chriss has provided an amazing example where, not only did she design a card using a tag, but the tag itself actually separates from the card and becomes a bookmark! Very cool idea - a gift and a card all in one! Imagine somebody's pleasure when finding this in their mailbox instead of just the usual flyers and bills?

My card sample is very straightforward and simple. Using a favorite Sizzix die and my handy, dandy Cuttlebug, I cut two different sizes of tags and stacked them, using foam tape in between the two tags to separate and differentiate the layers a little bit. I kept the card very simple with a lot of 'white space' - something I don't usually do. And - that's it! Sometimes going simpler is hard for me - I struggle with the feeling that I have to add more - more layers, more colours, more patterns...more something. I am going to force myself to leave this card as-is by writing a short note to a friend and popping it straight into the mail - no time to think about it! And, for my friend - 'happy mail' arriving in a few days for no reason except to say, 'Hi! I like you!'. I'm sure that she will be so busy smiling that she won't stop to critique my creative touches (or lack thereof!).



Care to join us in our 'Tag It' challenge? Leave a comment letting us know where to go to see your card(s) - we're looking forward to it!!

'Bye for now,
Jillian.

Tag Card Challenge by Chriss Hird

What a wet soggy Monday morning! Mondays should be sunny, with birds singing and the smell of fresh cut grass wafting along with the light breeze...wouldn't that be a nice way to start each week? But, back to reality, we do live in BC, so we're kind of used to soggy, right? So let's embrace it! These kind of days are perfect for pulling out your scraps to make a quick card or two. Cards are a great project for during the week because they can be quick and simple. You can also incorporate a card and little gift in one, like I did here. A card that uses a tag shape just says bookmark to me - I can't help it, my brain must just be pre-programmed to think that! (And I'm not even a huge reader!) Here it is:


The removable tag is the bookmark. There was another reason I decided to turn the tag into a bookmark as well. I don't know about you, but sometimes I have troubles parting with my creations, especially cards. I feel like I've put so much work into them, and chances are many will get thrown out after a week or so - ouch, right?! This way, the main part of the card, the part with all the hard work (and love) put into it is kept AND used! What a concept!


So on a dreary, rainy day like today, I hope you are able to find some time, a quiet moment, to make a card, read a book and listen to the raindrops! (And of course, as I finish typing this, the sun comes streaming in my window...you gotta love BC!!)

Autumn Is In The Air! Challenge Link...

While I'm not quite ready to close the door on summer, and in this part of the world, summer hasn't quite closed the door on us, it's still safe to say that autumn is in the air! It's such a lovely time of year, isn't it? And can you say photo ops?! What does Autumn bring out in your creativity?

Please scroll down to see what Jo, Karen, and Chriss have created for your viewing pleasure! And please, share yours with us!

Fall is in the air - Jo West

For me, fall is all about change ... a change in climate, bringing in a sweet coolness that ends summer.  A change in routine as we kiss the lazy days of summer goodbye and start back to school or work ... a change in the scenery as the leaves slowly start to turn ... a change in wardrobe as we guard against chills, a change in the offerings at the local farmers market ....  change touches us all in the fall ...

With that in mind a created a fall layout ... not about change ... but by changing (or altering as we say in the paper craft world) almost everything used in this layout.

I loved the scalloped paper by WRMK but I wasn't a fan of the centre ... so i changed it by cutting out the centre.  The tag title ... was a tag but it was quite large so i cut it up and saved the rest of the tag for use on another project.

The flowers .... just a paper bag, some inexpensive lace, a brad and a die cut machine.

The metal dragonfly ... was just a little rusted dragonfly ... I changed it's appearance with paint and glimmer mist ... it still retains it's vintage appeal only now it looks like it has a patina.

So join us in this challenge ... Fall is truly in the air ... what can you create to celebrate Fall .... and what can you "change"?

Fall in Pixie Hollow by Karen Thind

I love fall!  I love the crisp air, the cooler weather and the beauty of the changing leaves. 
For this challenge I was inspired to scrap pictures from Pixie Hollow in Disneyland that was transformed into a Fall Revelry to match the theme of the second Tinkerbell movie.   In a household of little girls, it was a big deal to see the seasons change in Pixie Hollow and also to meet Terrence, Tinkerbell's friend.

Supplies : Best pp, Basic Grey pp, Artsylicious chipboard letters, Martha Stewart Punch

This layout looked vastly different yesterday, as a finishing touch I tried to add a bit of pixie dust and unfortunately things went wrong! Way wrong! So I ended up changing both the background papers and the design a bit..I guess pixie dust is best to be left for fairies ;)

Hope you are inspired to create by the fall challenge, and we would love for you to share your creations!

tfl

Autumn is in the Air - Chriss Hird

Well, I don't know about you, but this first full week back at school, and all the extra-ciricular activities that come with this time of year, have really wiped me out! If I didn't understand the term "Mom's Taxi" before, I certainly do now!!! I just need to know - where do I go to get a meter installed in my vehicle? I think that should be an option when buying a car!

I did manage to scrap a couple pages though! Autumn is my absolute favourite time of year. I love the crispness of the autumn air, the bustle of getting ready for school (most days!), cozying up in my favourite sweater and seeing the leaves change to the beautiful crimson shades of Fall! Oh, and did I mention the fabulous seasonal patterned papers?!

I know many of you have probably seen, and maybe even added to your stash, the sweet new Apple Cider line from Imaginisce. How have I come to this conclusion? Because I went back to my fave LSS today to pick up a few more sheets and guess what - SOLD OUT! And its no wonder, they're so darn cute!

I wanted to show how you can create lovely LO's using only the patterned paper. Sure, all the embellishments are fabulous, but they can get pretty pricey too. So if you love a particular line, try using embellishments you have at home, or even create your own!

This layout is my favourite, yet if you look at it, its rather simple. Besides paper, all I've used is a tag and chipboard lettering. I'm fortunate enough to have a Sizzix alpha set, so I cut out my own title, painted it, and then ran it through my Cuttlebug Argyle embossing folder. The result is easy, inexpensive and cute!


This second page has a few more additions, but not many. I stamped my title with my Stampin' Up Woodgrain background stamp - that's it! The acorns are from...you guessed it! My Cricut! (By now, you should all know how much I love the Cricut! LOL!) A couple flowers and some buttons completes the page.


So if you find yourself at your favourite scap shop with only a few dollars to spend, get that perfect paper and take it home knowing that you can create something beautiful and stay within your budget! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Friday, September 10th Challenge - Focus On Family

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family" - Anthony Brandt

This challenge is open for you to interpret any way you see fit! Virginia and Debby have both provided wonderful layouts/projects - pure eye candy! Now YOU show us your stuff!



Happy Scrapping!
Jillian.

Focus on Family by Virginia Wong

The challenge this week was Focus on Family. I found the challenge quite intriguing because the primary reason I started scrapbooking was to capture the stories of my family. This challenge made be examine how I scrapbooked. I questioned if I really was capturing the stories of my family's lives...and if I was, was I only capturing a sliver of the truth?

To find out, I did something that I haven't done in a very very long time; that is, go through my finished scrapbook albums. It was fun. My girls and I spent an afternoon looking through the albums, laughing and asking questions about the stories. It was fun, deliciously fun! But...my youngest noticed that I didn't have enough stories about her Grandpas and Grandmas...and she was right! To rectify my oversight, I whipped up a layout highlighting a photo that I have had for a long time.

Here is a layout of my father-in-law, the girls' Grandpa and his family when he was a little boy.

Supplies:  Graphic45 (pattern papers, die cut stickers, chipboard buttons, alphas, envelopes); Close to my Heart (black cardstock); twine (source unknown)

Well, I could not stop there! I did a layout of each girl from last summer - one of a happy moment and one of a very challenging parent moment!

Supplies:  Bazzill (cardstock); Cosmo Cricket (pattern paper, die border stickers, die cut stickers); American Crafts (alphas); Prima (gem parentheses)

Supplies:  Bazzill (cardstock); October Afternoon (pattern paper, die cut stickers, die cut journal spot); American Crafts (alphas); Copic (spica pen for journaling)

Thanks for letting me share a bit of my family! I hope you will take a moment to reflect on your family and share a family layout with me.

Focus on Family by Debby Visser

This week our challenge was to focus on the family.
I have to admit, I have been so focused on the family, I have not had time to 'scrapbook' a new page for this challenge. But I have lots of older projects to share with you. Some you may have seen others might be new to you.
I am not going to list all the supplies and techniques I used, but if you want to know anything at all, just leave a comment and I will answer you :)
I hope they inspire you and get you scrapbooking your family :)
Thanks for stopping by!

Back To School Challenge By Chriss Hird

"Its the most wonderful time of the year!" I can hear the commercial in my head now! We've had a lovely summer, but by this time both my kids and myself are ready for structure again. They can't wait to get back to school, soccer, dance and all other scheduled events that September brings!

So my eldest daughter is off to Grade Four this year! She's no longer a Primary, but an Intermediate now! She's very excited, and one of the things she's looking forward to is her new array of school supplies. Gone are the crayons and paint discs, in with the calculators and math sets! Oh, and of course...BINDERS!


But of course she doesn't want just an ordinary blue or red binder. No! She needs fancy binders! I so understand this need, I think its a girl thing! So off I go to Walmart to buy her binders, only to find they cost anywhere between $10 - $20...EACH! Um, yeah...I don't think so. So whats a penny-pinching, scrappy mama to do? That's right, she's now got custom made fancy binders!

I so enjoyed making these for her, I kinda want one for myself now! Again, I pulled out my trusty Cricut to make the cute images and titles. This one uses the Once Upon A Princess cartridge.

Isn't she cute?! I used Bazzil Basics Swiss Dot Cardstock, My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary Collection, Maya Road Ribbon, in addition to some miscellaneous ribbon, and Queen & Co. buttons.


These sweet BFF's are my fave! They're so adorable! Cricut's Create-A-Critter cartridge provides you with these little cuties, plus many many more.

This binder also uses My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary paper in addition to October Afternoon's Hometown Line. So last year, I know, but it totally works! I added a little bling..and presto!

The backs of the binders are personalized with a little message for my daughter.


...and of course the close-up...


So if you don't really want to spend the big bucks but are prepared to spend a little time, you can create fabulous, unique school supplies for your kids too. I hope I've inspired you to pull out your stash and send a little something special along in the backpacks this September!

Back To School Challenge By Susan Tutt

Well, today all of my children are back to school and the house is quiet.......maybe a little too quiet. Is that possible? This morning was filled with the hustle bustle of making breakfasts, lunches and picking the perfect outfit for the first day. Every year I document this exciting first day of school with lots of photos.

This week my challenge was to create a back to school layout.

I love using school supplies on my back to school layouts!

This is an exciting time of year where our children are off to experience new adventures, meet new friends and learn, learn, learn! Create a layout documenting your childs first day of school! I can't wait to see what you create.