whatever is a secret...

I have a secret...actually, it's more of a tip.  I'll share it  at the end (this is really my way of  making sure you look at my whole post--hee hee). 

Quick and easy layout here... I used the other We R Memory Keepers Lucky 8 punch that I received for my birthday...this one creates a large circle shape and the punch is called Tatted Doily (it's my favorite). I love being able to create large, shaped, die-cut paper out of any paper I own. These Lucky 8 punches are so cool!  If you missed my first post about the other shape I have, click here.




There is a secret journaling tag behind the top photo, but that is still not my secret.






Here is the secret...the blue, pink, orange plaid paper that I used for my background frame.  I didn't "waste" the whole sheet of paper as my background.

Here is my tip...
as you can see in this photo above, using a ruler, I framed out the edge of the paper (1 inch on all sides).  I cut out the center square and just used the frame as my background.  This way I still have a 10" x 10" sheet of this paper. 

Here is what the layout looks like from the back.

This a great "trick" for paper you love dearly and don't want to part with. Do you have any of those?

Here is another secret...I do.

~ Kelly

whatever is a surprise...

Laser cut paper is SO pretty, but so expensive. So, I rarely buy it, and then when I do, I try to save it for something special. It's silly, I know, but I bet I'm not the only one who is saving a pretty paper (or 2 or 3 or 12) for some "special" occasion.

Enter, a possible solution...

My mom surprised me with two new LUCKY 8 punches from We R Memory Keepers for my birthday. Actually, she is a HSN-aholic, and ordered them not really expecting them to be so big and heavy. She told me she had ordered some punches, but was going to send them back if I didn't want them. When I saw them, I swooned.  I had been secretly wanting to see, try, and buy these.  It was kismet. They became my birthday present!

The one that I used on this layout and card is called Lace Kerchief (I'll save the other one for another post). With 8 or less punches, I got the look of laser cut and shaped paper with paper I already had. For the layout about "my track star",  I used just the outer cut on a 12x12 sheet of cardstock.  I made a punch in each corner, then flipped the paper over and punched the opposite four corners.  For the card, I used both the inner and outer cut combined on a 7x7 sheet (no need to flip for this size, just four quick punches and I was done). 

 Now, if I'm going to be picky (which I have a tendency to do), my only complaint is that I would have liked a crisper cut on my paper.  I used a cardstock with a slight woven texture from American Crafts for both the layout and the card, and I can see some fray on both.  Can I live with it?  Yes.  Should it happen? I don't think so. 

Is it worth it to be able to create all of these paper shapes from a few punches?...I think yes.  Is it a good birthday surprise?...I think yes.  I'd like to hear your review if you've tried the Lucky 8 punches, and do you have a favorite?


~Kelly

Whatever is sparkly...

It's spring, and spring means blooming flowers, tree buds, and riding bikes.  This layout (created mostly with  papers from We R Memory Keepers and other bits and pieces from my stash) is part of my project to keep up with Smitha Katti's Quilt Block of the Month over on the Fiskars site.  This is quilt block #3, and stay tuned for quilt block #4 coming at you tomorrow!  I know you are freaking out right now that I may have a new blog post 2 days in a row...so am I.