Correction - Pumpkin make-and-take and Basic Grey Layout is today!

There was a problem with the inventory needed for Misty's Make and Take layout, so TODAY, October 7, is the Basic Grey layout featured at Scrapbooks-Plus. So head on over today while they last!

Indian Summer and Pumpkins

Don't use all of those Indian Summer Stickers elements up just yet! If you came by Scrapbooks-Plus and did the Wednesday make and take, you most likely bought those Sticker Elements from Basic Grey's Indian Summer line. (If they were sold out when you got there, don't worry - there will be more in stock just in time for this next make and take).

Basic Grey has published these great one-page layout instructions featuring all of their newest papers. I have created a make-and-take element featured on a second page that I have designed to match. This Wednesday Misty has this really cute "Kiss the Cook" layout planned for our Wednesday Make and Take crowd. Next week on October 14, you'll find a Pumpkin element with a pumpkin layout to match! The make-and-take is a chipboard cut pumpkin (Accu-cut) that is hand-rubbed with gold wax (I did the rubbing!). You'll cover the element with Martha Stewart Fire Opal Glitter and top the stem with a burgundy organza bow. (and for those like Lydia who don't like glitter in her books, skip the glitter - the golden waxed chipboard will work beautifully without it!). The rest of the layout can be made right in the store - you'll just need some brown ink to color those to spell the title.

So save those element stickers - or pick up some more - and enjoy your Indian Summer in the pumpkin patch!

Autumn Leaves

You got to just love this new paper from Basic Grey called Indian Summer. The palette is so diverse you can make so many different styles of layouts from it. The line is filled with black browns, oranges, reds, pinks - including fushia!. This layout is featured this week at Scrapbooks-Plus as their Wednesday Make-and-Take two page layout combo. One of the pages in this layout was designed by Basic Grey. The instructions can be picked up at the store on Wednesday. Just be mindful that Basic Grey instructions often have errors, so I have identified those errors and corrected them for you. The second page is my design to compliment the first page. It includes the make-and-take (below). It is a small date tag (or you could journal on it - just not much!). The leaves were punched using three Martha Stewart leaf punches. You'll use a Krylon leafing pen to add the gold.

Make and Take - Mango Style!

Scrapbooks-Plus is celebrating their 9th anniversary in business the last week of August. In their celebration week, they have a variety of specials at the store, including special discounts on certain products - a different special each day - as well as daily make-and-takes, classes, and more. Tuesday August 28 is my day for a make-and-take; I'm also teaching my "Dog Days of Summer " class that night. The make-and-take that I designed is a simple tag, using Mango Luau paper from Bo Bunny and Doodlebug ribbon. The special discount on Tuesday is on all acrylic stamps in the store, so I've used an Imaginisce stamp on my tag - the flip flops - to a way to use stamps on projects.

To compliment the free make-and-take, I've designed a two page layout to show how to use tags as journaling block on layouts. I will put a few page kits for sale as well - complete with all the papers you'll need to complete the layout along with color instructions. The cool thing about this layout is how I got the LONG sticker title to be straight without having to draw a line on my background (something I HATE to do!!)

I used my Tim Holtz clear center ruler to attach the bottom half of the letters with the top half hanging off. This allowed me to line them all up (with no lines!). When I got them all on, I placed them where I wanted them on the layout and pressed them down. I then carefully (released the bottom half from the ruler) and pushed them down...perfectly straight!!

The Big Easy

A wedding in Lafayette, Louisiana this weekend gave my husband and I, along with a few of our good friends, the opportunity to party a little in the Big Easy. New Orleans is such a fun town. From Bourbon Street and the French Quarter to the garden district and the wonderful shopping, we had such a good time. Here we are after a HOT walk down Canal street to the Mississippi River for lunch (which would have been a lot cooler had we stayed at the hotel!).

I'm waiting for our friend Kinga to send all of her pictures of us out on Bourbon Street on Thursday night. Those photos should really be interesting!!!

Here's Kinga showing off one of those masks we saw along Canal Street for sale.

Of course the wedding two and a half hours away out in Cajun country along the Atchafayla Swamp, was a way different experience as well. (I have never seen a seven-tiered wedding cake before in my life!!)


It was a beautiful ceremony and a reception party like none I have been to before either. Quite the experience - a really good time with great food and ambiance.