Outgoing Pocket Letters

I think so far this has been my favorite pocket letter to make.  The theme was "Shiny and Bright" and was to feature the Metallic Trend.  This was a swap we created in our Pocket Letter Inspiration and Ideas Facebook group.

 It's a little difficult to catch the metallic elements on camera.

 I stayed with a gold and white theme on this letter and no particular brand.  If it was gold/white - I threw it in.

 

This next pocket letter was yet another Heidi Swapp Theme.  I think I've been involved in about 8 Heidi Swapp Themed letters now.

 I chose to use Heidi's Dreamy collection for this letter, mixed with a few foils and vintage Heidi.

 and yet another Heidi Swapp theme letter.  This one features mostly September Skies collection with a bit of vintage Heidi thrown in as well.

 

Outgoing Pocket Letters!

Yes, I may be just a tad bit addicted to this craze called Pocket Letters!

 I've been making, sending and receiving pocket letters almost every weekend.

 This is one that went out last week to a sweet member of our Facebook Group "Pocket Letter Inspiration and Ideas".

 

This is part of the same swap as the one above.  We did a 3-way swap, meaning we each made two letters and each received two letters.  So Fun!  Our theme was happy.  It could be colors that make you happy, words that make you happy, or whatever happy means to you.

 

I use a combination of colors, words and quotes that make me happy.  

Of course you know, Heidi Swapp Products make me happy.... so there you have it!  Join us for inspiration and ideas and a few swaps!

You Color My Life Beautiful Scrapbook Layout with Cricut Explore

 Many of you know I became a grandma (or Lolli) a month ago today.  This is my sweet grandson, Ace.

I had so much fun creating this layout.  It's been a long time since I've had new photos to scrap and this little man was just the inspiration I needed to get back into the craftroom and try something different.   I cut the title out of watercolor paper using my Cricut Explore.

Here's a video of this layout.  I encourage you to try the watercolor paper on the Cricut.  LOVE IT!

Merry Christmas Card

Hello there and Welcome to my Very First Christmas Card of the Season and my Very First Cricut Christmas Card

this card was made using the Winter Wonderland Image set as well as the Heidi Swapp Christmas Collection from Winter 2013.

Thanks for stoppng by!

Seriously... Kerri Bradford and Heidi Swapp Layout.

I had so much fun creating this layout.  It wasn't for a design team and it wasn't for any kind of assignment, I just had a chance to play and try out some new products, stencils and techniques that I've had mulling around in my mind for awhile.

I love the Kerri Bradford Cut files.  I own several but always forget to use them.

And of course, you know I had to get the new Heidi Swapp/Becky Higgins Project life kits.  I am not a Project Lifer (yet anyways), so I wanted to find another way to use the fun 3x4 cards included in the core kits as well as some of the embellishments from the gold kit. 

Believe in Yourself Layout

I saw this cut file by Heidi Swapp "Believe in yourself' and I just knew I needed to do a layout featuring my sweet daughter, Ashlea.

I used mostly Heidi Swapp products and a few Maggie Holmes. 

to my daughter,

Ashlea, you are so inspiring.  You amaze me every single day by your strength, your continued faith and the fact you smile through it all.  I wish you could see yourself through my eyes and the eyes of others.  You are a beautiful, talented, sweet  young woman, girlfriend, daughter and sister.  I know you will be an amazing mother one day.    You, my dear Ashlea, make me so proud to be your mother and I love that I can also call you my best friend.   Love you!  .... mom

Epiphany Crafts and Hello Summer Layout featuring Heidi Swapp Favorite Things - Hybrid Layout

It's June already!  Can you believe it?  June brings summertime activities and lots of sunshine and warm days!  Which brings me to my project for the day.

Just the other day my son was outside trying to teach my golden retriever the "retrieving" part of fetch.  You would think it comes naturally, right?  Nope... she wants to fetch it, then have you chase her to get it back.  I caught this shot of him patiently working with her "Drop it" command.

I knew it was the perfect photo for my summer fun layout.

The Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Round 25 was just what I needed to add some flair buttons to my layout.  You can see above I added five flair buttons.  I also used the newly released Heidi Swapp Digital Collection called "favorite things".  Even though it's digital, I printed and cut all of the elements out using my Silhouette Cameo to create a hybrid layout.  I have the actual products, but being the hoarder I am, I just can't bear to use them...   what if I run out?!!?! 

Begin with a blank 12 x 12 paper in white.  Add watercolors to match your papers.  Using a die cut machine cut a circled background sized so that the circles are approximately 1".  Begin layering embellishments and photos.  Using the Shape Studio Round 25 tool and bubblecaps make several flair buttons to coordinate.  Place them randomly in the circle background.  Add your title and you're finished.

Products Used:
Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Round 25 Tool and Bubble Caps
Heidi Swapp Favorite Things Digital Collection
Heidi Swapp enamel dots
Silhouette Cameo


Enjoy your summer!

Love Your Selfie

Have you been playing along with Heidi Swapp's Love Your Selfie Challenge?  Check it out on Heidi's blog.  Basically, she's challenging people who are usually behind the camera to get in front of the camera and capture you!  The real you!  I have to admit... I do make sure I am in photos.  I learned when I lost my mother several years ago, the value of being in the photos.  I inherited boxes and boxes of photos and my mother was in maybe a dozen or less.  Most of the photos she was in were when she was younger, before she had kids.  They were not the mom I knew and loved.  She was very vain, never wanted her wrinkles to show, self conscience about her round cheeks, and little button nose... I thought she was beautiful!  I wish I had photos to show you the mom I remember.  Which brings me to my point.  I really don't have a problem getting into the photos... BUT.. I do know photoshop and am quite guilty of editing a wrinkle or five out, smoothing my aging skin, or fixing a blemish.  That is what this is all about.  Embracing your self, just as you were intended to be.  My kids won't notice the wrinkle on my forehead just above my nose, they won't care that my hair looks flat or that I have wrinkles under my eyes.  They will see me, Mom, the one who was there for them when they needed me, the one who taught them to ride a bike, or bake a cake.  So... get in front of the camera.  Take the photos!  It is so important and I think it's just wonderful that Heidi has been encouraging the journey.  It really is important!

By the way, I used Heidi Swapp's Digital Dreamy Collection for the layout above.

Happy National Scrapbooking Day - Heidi Swapp Classes

Are you playing along with Big Picture Classes 10K challenge?  The challenge is to get 10,000 layouts posted with the hashtag "#NSD10K" today.  So fun!   I made a couple of cards, and only 1 layout.

This layout celebrates the classes I took taught by Heidi Swapp just last week.

Have you ever taken one of Heidi's classes?  If you haven't you should!  There is not only a ton of creative, awesome Heidi ideas jammed into the class, but a heartfelt message as well.  I've taken a total of 5 classes (2 different 2-day sessions) and walked away inspired to be a better person after each class.

One of the things I love about Heidi's classes is being surrounded by other Heidi groupies.  I've come to know quite a few of fellow fans through social media.  At this particular class I had the honor of meeting a few of the girls I've met through InstaGram.   Jill (who lives just a few miles from me) and Laura.  I made another friend, Joyce who I got to know in class.  It seems to me that Heidi has some of the sweetest, genuine and fun fans!  I'm sure you see sweet Maggie in the photos too.  She and Sara were so helpful and fun.  Donella was another friend that we made last year at another Heidi Class.  She is so sweet.   I also got to meet several other girls, but didn't get  a chance to get photos -   We were super busy trying to take in all of Heidi's amazing ideas.

So, keep an eye out for a Heidi class near you.  It's worth the drive, I promise you!  Oh.. and don't forget papertowel... you're going to use a lot of it!!  :)  It ain't easy making "Pretty Stuff".

Two Toned Glitter Butterfly with Stencils and Icraft Adhesive Sheets

 Hello there!  I created this two toned glitter butterfly using Heidi Swapp's new 3 part stencils (available at Michaels) and Thermoweb Icraft Adhesive Sheets.

 It's super simple and really has a wow factor when you see it in person. 

You can see more on the Thermoweb blog including this video tutorial:

Hello Today Collection by Heidi Swapp now at Michaels!

 Hello there! 
I was happy to find that my Michaels FINALLY go the new part of the Hello Today collection by Heidi Swapp, and even better... it was 50% off!  What girl doesn't love a sale?

I whipped up this card/envelope shortly after I got home with all of my goodies.  This color scheme is out of my comfort zone, but I really love it and enjoyed playing with the navy/kraft combo.  Why don't I ever think of mixing those.  I wear navy and kacki a lot,  I just never think about it in my crafts.

I used a die cut (from my Silhouette) for the hello.  I stamped the die cut with Versa Mark, then stamped it with Heidi's Navy inkpad, with a final coat of clear embossing powder.  I love that the color is a perfect match to the pattern papers.

Just a little note, the new Heidi Swapp products aren't out in the middle aisle at Michaels.  They are right in the sticker aisle and there should be a whole Heidi Swapp shrine right in the middle of all the other stickers.  I swear I heard angels singing when I spotted it. 

Thanks for stopping by.... as Heidi always says, it's time to "Make Pretty Stuff".

Today I played.

 Today was the first time in a long time, that I just created.  No assignments, no objective, no particular project in mind.  I just opened up some papers, embellishments, ribbon and glitter and I just played.

Sometimes, I think we forget to just create.  No worries about right or wrong.  No idea which direction we are going, just sit down and see what happens.

Today, I played.

Heidi Swapp / Epiphany Crafts - Insta Christmas Mini Album

   

Hello!  I am so excited to show this fun and interactive Album I made for my Epiphany Crafts Project Featuring Heidi Swapp.  Yes, that's right.. this is Heidi Swapp week over at Epiphany Crafts!

I made this album to house all those Christmas IPhone photos I plan to take as well as a few favorites from recent Christmases past.

 

I made this album with a hard back book I bought at the Dollar Store.  I simply removed all of the inside pages and then added an extension on the back flap to make a magnetic closure.  Check out Heidi Swapp's My Craft Channel Tutorial for instructions on the magnetic closure.  I followed the exact same procedure except I used an actual book cover instead of chipboard.

 

The photo above shows the layers and layers of inside pages.  I used an Epiphany Crafts Round 25 tool, epoxy and charm to make the cute "Joy to the World chain inside.  Heidi's Believe  6 x 6 collection has so many fun pages that fit perfectly with the Round 25 tool

 

I'll flip though a couple of pages for you.  There are lots of blank pages and places for journaling and future photos.  It will be so easy to just pop the photos in as I get them developed.

 

 

That's a good look at most of the pages, if you'd like to see the album in it's entirety, check out my YouTube Video

Thanks for looking!  Have a great day!!!