Whatever ends...

 

I started 2012 with this...

 

 

 

my first project of 2012.

 

My word for 2012..."whatever".

From here...

 

Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable;
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---

think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) 

This is what 2012 brought me...

 

Whatever you need to be inspired,

Whatever is frosty,

Whatever is a gift,

Whatever is counted,

Whatever blooms,

Whatever holds,

Whatever is in your heart,

Whatever is a valntin,

Whatever is loved,

Whatever is simple,

Whatever is cool,

Whatever fits in your arms,

Whatever is teeny tiny,

Whatever is twisted,

Whatever is green,

Whatever is for me,

Whatever hops,

Whatever is sent,

Whatever makes you giggle,

Whatever is blessed,

Whatever is sparkly,

Whatever is cold,

Whatever is sweet,

Whatever is a surprise,

Whatever is bright,

Whatever screams spring,

Whatever is a secret,

Whatever is resourceful,

Whatever is out of this world,

Whatever is read,

Whatever means a party,

Whatever is orange,

Whatever is my style,

Whatever is cherished,

Whatever is original,

Whatever is the best,

Whatever gives thanks,

Whatever is purple,

Whatever is funny,

Whatever is mastered,

Whatever is cold,

Whatever is lucky,

Whatever is my favorite,

Whatever is loud,

Whatever is sung,

Whatever is flowered,

Whatever is chosen,

Whatever I love and,

Whatever I don't,

Whatever is carried,

Whatever gets in the way,

Whatever is an experiment,

Whatever is a trend,

Whatever is a challenge,

Whatever is saved,

Whatever comes together,

Whatever is outside the lines,

Whatever is lifted,

Whatever changes,

Whatever makes you scream,

Whatever gets done,

Whatever is orange and black,

Whatever is busy,

Whatever is festive,

Whatever keeps the kids busy,

Whatever closes and opens,

Whatever is colorful,

Whatever is given, and

Whatever ends...

 

All of these, and more...are praiseworthy.

I was very happy with my word this year.

 

Here are just a few of my favorites this year...

 

 

 

 

And one more new project to end the year,

(just so you don't think I just coasted through December).

These are some watercolor tags.  I stamped the image with VersaInk and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I used Distress Inks to watercolor and then added some glitter glue and pearl centers.  They were so pretty I didn't want to give them away, but some lucky people did find them on their presents this year. 

So, tomorrow is 2013. 

I still haven't chosen a word,

but I still have 7 1/2 hours, right?

 

 

 

Have a wonderful last night of 2012 and a beautiful start to 2013.

~Kelly

Whatever is given...

Just a quick "note" to send you over to the Chicagoland Scrapbooker blog today.  The other design team members and I have some quick creations that will make great teacher gifts.

I gave some cute snowman notepads an extreme makeover by using layers, snowflake die cuts, brads, border punches, and ribbon to give them a home.  Here's a tip--cereal boxes are a great source of chipboard.

Hope you are in the home stretch of gifts you still need to make.  Hope you get to enjoy this special time of year.

~Kelly

Whatever is colorful...

 

Doodling has been upgraded to "Zentangling". So, I decided to take a plain journal (actually, I used a composition notebook---found for 25 cents in the Back to School clearance) and give it a makeover. On simple, white cardstock, I drew a letter/monogram in the center and squiggles out from it.

 

 

 

Let the zentangle patterns begin! I filled in each of the spaces with a different pattern. I recommend using a combination of bolder and simpler patterns so sections can still be distinguished from each other. Also, if you are going to have a central shape (like the "K" on my cover), it helps to give it a unique pattern so it will stand out from the others. As you can see, I didn't use circles/dots anywhere else except on the "K". Now, you could stop right here and glue this onto the cover of the plain journal. Along with a set of markers, this would be a great gift. The recipient can start coloring rght away!

 

 

But, I couldn't stop my self from coloring it all in! Using 2 different shades of the same color is all you need to add some dimension with shading. I glued my design onto the cover of the journal and then added tiny ripped strips of washi tape all around the edge. It finishes off the project and provides another level of adhesion. This would be a great gift for anyone. How about leaving it in the car as a place to zentangle while waiting in the carpool lane?

 

 

Now, head on over to Chicagoland Scrapbooker. 

This is just one of many journal ideas from the Design Team that you can see as Betsy starts her "Make It Mondays".  Great ideas that you can get done before the holidays are here!

 

 

~Kelly

Whatever closes and opens...

In the Sound of Music, Maria says, "Whenever God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window".  So, today's post is about doors closing and windows opening. 

Today, December 1st is the last issue of Scrapstreet.  I have been honored to be a part of the Scrapstreet Staff for just over a year---I certainly wish it had been longer.  My scrappy skills were stretched and tested, and as a result, they grew.  I owe Dora, and the other Scrapstreet editorial staff a great big THANK YOU.

Now, as for windows opening...you are looking at (well, actually, you are reading about) a member of the Design Team for Chicagoland Scrapbooker!  This is a real, touchable, readable, paper magazine.  You can find the latest issue at your local scrapbook store and you can read all about it here, and about me here.  I'll mostly be doing items for the website, but you'll see my creation on an upcoming cover.  Don't worry, you'll hear me screaming from the roof-tops so you won't miss it.

 

 

Starting Monday, you can find Christmas ideas right here and on the Chicagoland Scrapbooker site.  First week...journals!

~Kelly

 

Whatever keeps the kids busy...

Want to keep the kids out of the kitchen while you are preparing the Thanksgiving eats?  Take a little time today to create these Thanksgiving bingo placemats that I created for the Fiskateer site.  The kids will probably "attack" each relative as they walk through the door as they eagerly try to fill their placemats with the signatures of the relative who has a cat...the one whose favorite color is orange...who has won a race...who is afraid of spiders...who still has leaves to rake in their yard.  Create your own family facts and make this very simple paper placemat.  I printed the phrases on to the papers and then let the kids help punch and glue on the shapes.  It's a great way to use up scraps (and to inventory that collection of punches and dies you've been hoarding). 

 

Wishing you and your family a very thankful Thanksgiving!

 

~Kelly

 

 

 

Whatever is festive...

These two-sided turkey candle rings are highlighted over on the Fiskateer blog today...go take a peak!

~Kelly

Whatever is busy...

 

 

 

 

Fiskars Quilt Block of the Month #10



Busy...busy...busy...and what??!!
We are just entering the "busy season"? 
I've been in the busy season for awhile.
So, I've decided, "why not just embrace the "busy" and create "busy" layouts?"

Fiskars Quilt Block of the Month #9


I'm catching up on my Quilt Blocks of the Month with Smitha Katti over at the Fiskars site. While quilt blocks are great for piecing together fabulous backgrounds, using patterned paper can get them  looking a little "busy".  My solution?  Keep the embellishments to a minimum.  With these colorful pieced background blocks, I don't want my photos to get lost.  After all, we wouldn't be scrapbooking if we didn't have photos, right?

Fiskars Quilt Block of the Month #8

On these pages, I used solids (but textured) lettering for the titles. The solid colors are necessary so the title doesn't get lost on the page.  But, with a bit of dimension, (stencil/negative space on the first layout, burlap textured letters on the middle layout, and glitter-embossed letters on the bottom) I can still play with embellishing but balance it with the background. 

So, feeling busy?
Embrace it.

~Kelly

Whatever is orange (and black)...

 

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Fiskateers ORANGE Blog Hop!  If you are hopping along, you should have come from...
Divinity #6688 www.scrap-n-patch.blogspot.com

If you are joining us in the middle, go to www.fiskateers.com to start from the beginning.  Today, we are celebrating Fiskars' signature color, ORANGE.  Almost everyone is familiar with Fiskars' famous orange-handled scissors, but Fiskars makes so many other wonderful products for crafting, sewing, gardening, and more.  Each stop along our Blog Hop will feature different Fiskars' products with a big helping of ORANGE!

 

 

For my ORANGE project, I decided to make something a little scary!  Just a little scary for me too...I had never made a home decor collage project.  Although, all scrapbook pages are sort of a collage, and I'd created banners, this was different for me.  Lots of steps and layers were a bit intimidating, and I placed and re-placed and positioned and re-positioned all of the elements a zillion times before I started gluing.  I started by arranging (and re-arranging) an assortment of Halloween stamps onto my Fiskars stamp press as seen below.

 

 

Then, I stamped randomly on some white tissue paper using black Stazon ink.

 

 

I glued the tissue onto a thick sheet of cardstock.
Next, I started inking with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Stain...more randomness

I started punching and cutting...I spy with my little eye Fiskars Grandma's Doily, a small cloud (as clouds and ghosts), a small bare tree, and I used my Fiskars Ultra Shape Xpress to cut this tree from the Woodland Tree Template (the checkerboard-like, flocked paper is from My Mind's Eye).

Then the arranging and layer began (that part lasted a long time).  Finally gluing.

Thanks for stopping by...
Now, all fun blog hops have a few sur-prizes thrown in!  Leave a comment below, telling me one thing you want to create but never have yet.  I'll choose a winner on Monday who will receive some "happy mail".


For more information about Fiskars and the Fiskateer program, you can go to http://www.fiskateers.com/join/.

Now, along to my friend Maya #351 at www.mayadahan.blogspot.com,

she's the next blog on the hop.

 

~Kelly

whatever gets done...

 

 

 

 

 

I'm a woman of few words today.  Just some layouts that I got done on my scrappy day last Saturday.  I've re-joined the Liftateers of Fiskateers again (we are on Year 4), and so I am guaranteed to get at least one layout done each week (or in this case 3 done in one day).

~Kelly

whatever makes you scream

OK.  These fake, little, paper spiders are not going to make you scream.  But, they are perfect for donning these October birthday cards that I just sent out.  EEK!  Another birthday!

I stamped the background with white ink and a stamp from Tim Holtz mini-blueprint set.  I dry heat embossed to add some sparkle.  And do I know how to finish a card a what...?  Googly eyes!



Get ready for a party on Friday...

 

 

~Kelly