Sneak Peek: Just Two Midwest Girls' September Challenge!

Just Two Midwest Girls released our September challenge! Check it out and make sure to play along! If you linked your August project, the winner is announced in the above post too. See my full project at Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenges.

xoxo,

Heather

Wall Art Project: How-To (Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge)

Happy Hump Day! Yesterday, I was up on the Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge blog giving ya'll a closer look at this super cute wall part project for the August challenge! I figured I'd share it here on my blog too.

Reading the challenge launch post, I was kind of scrambling to finish, let alone, start this challenge. I definitely did not give myself enough time for all my grandiose plans, again, which I discussed in the post linked above. Even though my original plan(s) were not the turn out, I still love my wall art piece.

I have seriously been obsessed (borderline unhealthy) with this Coastal Cabana color from Stampin' UP! Like, I don't think there's been a project recently in which I HAVEN'T used this color. I'm constantly gravitating to it.

Anyways, when picking the color scheme for my wall art, I was trying to think of to whom I would gift this. It's a perfect "print" for a nursery or child's room. And of course, I thought of my best friend's son, who's still pretty brand new. Blue and gray it was!

Using my Silhouette Cameo, I die cut the letters of the alphabet using the Coastal Cabana cardstock and Smokey Slate cardstock, also by Stampin' UP! I used the Aharoni font and made each letter about an inch in height. The alphabet was typed in one text box, so I could resize the letters as one item, making everything proportional. I die cut a super cute Echo Park heart I found in the Silhouette Online Store. This was die cut in Coastal Cabana at a slightly larger size to highlight it as the focus piece.

I cut a piece of white cardstock-I believe it's the Bazzil white orange peel cardstock-to 7.5" x 9.5". I adhered the letters, alphabetically (obviously) paying close attention to the layout of the I (heart) U focus. You obviously want this in a diagonal layout. I replaced the "O" with the heart. I then cut a piece of Coastal Cabana cardstock to 8" x 10", mounting the white piece of cardstock on top.

And there you have it! Super simple and easy. This project would make a great baby shower gift. Just plop this guy in a frame and voila!

Make sure to play along with us over on the Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge blog this month. Show us how you're using all those letters! Challenge details can be found here!

xoxo,
Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls August Challenge Launch!

**Love for the Weekend post will up tomorrow, Saturday, August 2nd.**

I'm revealing my project for the August Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge! Go check it out and make sure to play along! 

xoxo,
Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls July Scrap Challenge: Sneak Peak!

Head on over to Just Two Midwest Girls to see July's scrap challenge as well as my full layout! Every month we have a new challenge as well as a I prize. Check it out and play along!

xoxo,

Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls June Challenge Sneak Peak!

Kelly and I are up over at the Just Two Midwest Girls blog with our June Challenge! Make sure to check out my full project over there! There's a lovely prize too, so make sure to play along.

I'll be revealing more of this full project and other related projects on my blog Monday, so make sure to come back then.

xoxo,

Heather

P.S.-Come check out the Just Two Midwest Girls Pinterest board filled with our projects, YOUR projects, and everything the inspires our scrap challenges!

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge Has Moved!

**If you are trying to read the new challenge post over on Just Two Midwest Girls, something isn't working right.  Kelly and I are trying to fix it and will let you know when everything is up and running again!**

There have been some great things going on with Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenges!  After much planning and talking, Kelly and I decided that Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenges needed it's own blog.  Kelly has been hard at work setting this blog up.  Come check us out here!  

Now, our challenge today and all future challenges will be hosted on the Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenges blog.  

Here's just a little sneak peak of my project for our very special National Scrapbook Day challenge!

Go check out my full project and Kelly's project on the new blog!  Also, we have a very special prize to along along with this epic scrapbooking weekend!

xoxo,
Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge: Quotables!

Welcome back to another monthly Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge!  Before we dive into April's challenge, let's announce the winner for March!  March was all about getting sketchy.  And the winner is Heather Adams! Go check out Heather's project on her blog.  Heather, please email me your mailing address at heather.sweet12@gmail.com so I can get your lovely prizes into your craft room!  And, just a little reminder, this was the prize up for grabs:

Okay, now to get on to this month's challenge.  For my birthday, Kelly sent me a mixed media spiral notebook, clear gesso, and a mini mister...because she is sweet, thoughtful, and awesome!  

When Kelly and I first met as pen pals, we wrote about how we both wanted to start art journaling.  Well, a year later, Kelly put our creative dreams into action!  When she sent me this lovely birthday package, she had a note in there that said something about just diving right in.  I thought our challenge this month would be the perfect starting point to my art journal:  creating with an inspirational quote.

My first ever art journal page!  I can't even begin to tell you guys how much fun I had when creating this page.  It really is freeing to just get messy.  Besides the perfectionist side of me freaking out about art journaling, another aspect I will have a difficult time with is not using dimensional elements as much.  But, I can use layers, lots and lots of layers!

I thought this quote, from Mary Oliver, would be a great way to start my art journaling journey.  If you can't tell, I'm also trying to dabble with calligraphy, but I need to practice and get better with my flourishes.  

So, this month's challenge is to use any quote as an inspiration to your creativity.  Create anything!  It doesn't have to be an art journal page.  It could be a layout, a card, canvas art, anything!  Kelly and I want to see what quotes are inspiring you creatively!

How to Play Along

1. Create a new project inspired by a quote you love.
2. Link your project to my comments section on this post OR Kelly's comments section on her post OR onto our facebook page, which can be found in my side bar.
3. Link up your project by 8 PM CST Thursday, May 1st for a chance to win this month's prize.

April's Prize

A Teresa Collins Memorabilia Collection Kit is up for grabs!

Coming Soon

Kelly and I will be creating a Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge blog!  We were thinking that hosting a challenge on two blogs may be confusing and a barrier to participation, so we thought creating a scrap challenge blog would be a great solution.  We will be working on the new blog this month and will launch it with our May challenge. 

What this Means  All of the Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenges will be hosted on the new blog.  You can still read about our projects on our respective blogs, but anything having to do with Just Two Midwest Girls will be linked back to that blog.  We will still have our facebook page.  When playing along with us, you can link your project to just one blog, without having to scroll through blog posts to find the scrap challenge post.

Okay, now hop on over to Kelly's blog to see how she was quotably inspired!  And don't forget to play along!  You just may win (insert prize)!

xoxo,

Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge Reminder and a Giveaway Winner

**Practical Scrappers Ombre post is below**

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I have a couple things on the agenda today.

1) Just Two Midwest Girls current scrap challenge is still going on!  This month's current challenge is this sketch...

The challenge runs until 8pm Thursday, April 3rd.  There's still plenty of time to play along!  Everyone that links up their take on our challenge has the opportunity to win these...

Tiny Word Stickers from Studio Calico's Wanderlust collection; Wood Dots from My Mind's Eye Record It! Splendid collection;  Gold Glitter Enamel Dots from Studio Calico's Essential line

So, show Kelly and me what you've done with this sketch!

--AND--

2)  Last Thursday, Practical Scrappers had a "scrap your stash" blog hop.  You can find what I made using my stash here.  I was giving away a prize and the winner is...**drum roll please**...JENNIFER HAGGERTY!  Congratulations Jennifer!  Please email me at heather(dot)sweet12(at)gmail(dot)com to talk logistics, shipping, etc.

Okay, that is it for me today.  Make sure to come by tomorrow for another Practical Scrappers project!

xoxo,
Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge: Gettin' Sketchy!

Hello everyone!  Kelly and I are back with another Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge!  We've been on a little bit of a hiatus, but that's because we're trying to figure out a better schedule in order to give everyone a chance to play along.  As of this challenge, we're going monthly.  We will post each challenge on the first Friday of the month.  Then, you all will have a month to get scrappy with us!  Also, our types of prizes will be changing.  We're going to be giving away actual products now, sprinkled in with gift cards to various online scrappy retailers.  

Speaking of prizes...here is the winner of our previous color challenge:  Jen!  Jen, please email Kelly.  Find her contact info on her blog.  She has won a Fancy Pants Blissful Blizzard 6x6 Paper Pad.  Come check out her project here.

For this month, Kelly and I are creating a layout with a sketch.  I love sketches.  They are a great way to get inspired.  I use them a lot when I'm trying to get my creative mojo flowing.  I also use them when I have a lot of kits piling up, like now.  

Here's my take on the sketch Kelly pulled from the Scrapbook and Cards Today calendar.  It's the sketch for March, how appropriate!

I used my Studio Calico Copper Mountain (January 2014) scrapbook kit.  This is the first project I've made with this.  And I only used this kit, minus the Project Life cards, the washi tape, small strips of paper and the jute.  

This layout is not nearly as embellished as many of my other layouts.  Which I honestly don't really like.  You all know me, I love embellishments.  The Studio Calico kits don't come with much embellishments, which I don't like either.  And these are colors I don't scrap with very often, so I didn't have too many embellishments from my stash.  So, it's a very un-embellished layout with lots of paper.

This is obviously about my cat, Darwin.  One of his pet names (pun intended!) is kitten baby, which is ironic because that was his name in the shelter when I adopted him; well, it was Baby, but you know what I mean.  I just had a few random pictures of Darwin that I thought went perfectly with the sketch.  

I've had Darwin since August 2007, right when I began my junior year of undergrad.  I adopted him from the Champaign County Humane Society.  I just moved into my apartment on the edge of campus.  I was living alone, so I knew I needed company.  Together, Darwin and I have moved 4 times:  back to my parents' house after graduation, into Michael's house, to St. Louis for grad school, and then back home with Michael.  I know he's a cat, but I literally could not imagine my adult life without him. 

He has such a personality.  And he's extremely social for a cat.  There's a little flair button in between those two smaller photos at the top of the layout.  It says "you can't tell me what to do."  That is so my cat!  It's like he knows what he can and can't do, but he'll do anything anyway and look at you like, "you can't tell me no."

I remember when I brought him home, he was only 4 or 5 months at the time. I still hadn't picked a new name for him.  I wanted it to be clever.  One night, I was sitting at my desk in my bedroom writing a paper, studying, or something and I looked over at my bookshelf.  On it, I had a couple of those books in the Darwin Awards series.  That's when it hit me, to name my kitten Darwin!  And it's clever because I was an anthropology major in undergrad, so perfect.  

Enough about my love story with my cat...Here's how you can play along.  Create a layout with this sketch!  Or, if you have a completed layout similar to this sketch, go ahead and link it up!

1. Link your project in my comments section on this post.
2. OR link your project in Kelly's comments section on her post.
3. OR link it up to our Facebook page

Remember, this does not have to be a new project if you already have a layout with a similar design.  Those of you who play along have the chance to win a prize!  This month's prize:  

Studio Calico's Essential Enamel Dots in Gold

***AND***

Studio Calico's Wanderlust Tiny Word Stickers

So, come play along with us!  Show us what you've made with this sketch.  You just may win those coveted gold enamel dots and oh-so-popular tiny word stickers!  The challenge ends at 8pm CST on Thursday, April 3rd!

Now, go check out Kelly's blog!  She is also working with a kit to create a layout using this sketch.  And, don't forget to link up your projects!

xoxo,

Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge Reminder!

Kelly and I are dropping in today to remind you that our current Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge is still open!  In case you missed it, it's a color challenge using the beautiful colors above.  Click on the link to go to the original post and share your project.  And just a reminder: 

• Your project can be a current or previously created project.
• It can be a layout, mini album, card, anything!
• You can link up to either mine or Kelly's blogs or our Facebook page!
• We are giving away a 6x6 Fancy Pants paper pad to the winner!

{photo taken by Jen}

We also wanted to feature one of our entries for the challenge.  This layout was created by our fabulous friend Jen about the excitement of arriving at Disney.  I love how she took this winter-inspired color palette and used it on a warmer weather page!  Looking at Jen's layout reminds me that I need to start scrapping my Disney World honeymoon...  Make sure you hop on over to her blog and leave her some love!

You have until Thursday, March 6th at 8:00 p.m. to link up your challenge.  Can't wait to see what you create!

xoxo,

Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge: Color, Color, Color!

 

**If you're looking for my Pinterest Crafting post, it is the post below this!

Happy Weekend Everyone!  I'm definitely looking forward my 3-day weekend as I'll be scrapping all day Monday!  So, Kelly and I are back today with another Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge!  For the Valentine card challenge winner, check out Kelly's blog!

For this round, we thought we'd play around with a color palette.  We see them all over Pinterest.  We're starting to see them as inspirational starting pieces in the papercrafting world.  We see them all over!  Kelly and I picked a palette that has a winter-y feel to it, even though both of us are completely over this weather.  

Here is the palette we worked with for this challenge.  Aren't the colors just gorgeous?  I will admit though, as I was putting together a kit for this challenge, it was difficult for me to find those colors in my stash.  I'm not much of a darker color, monotone grayish blue scrapper.  

I wanted to put together a kit to make this process a little easier.  I took my time pulling these colors from my stash in papers, journaling cards, stickers, alphas, embellishments, etc.  I even pulled out some pieces from my November 2013 Citrus Twist scrapbook kit (which at this moment I still hadn't killed).  I cut some winter berries from white cardstock with my Cameo (not shown in photo).  And I even picked a sketch.  There were a couple things I wanted to use on this layout:  a winter-y photo and Project Life/journaling cards (because I have tons and need to start using them).  This is the first time I've ever pulled my own kit together.  I wanted to have everything in one place because I knew I'd be working on this layout off and on; I didn't want to have to put everything away after each time and then possibly forget what I had pulled out previously.

Citrus Twist Kits Sunday Sketch: 1.26.14

  Here's the sketch I chose to work with based on that semi-photo collage of my sister and I posing for the camera in the snow.

Sister Shenanigans

 And here is my completed layout!  I apologize for the lighting.  I took these photos in the evening a couple nights ago.  I didn't finish it the previous weekend so I could take advantage of some natural light.  I worked mostly with that blue and the reds in the color palette.  I didn't have soft enough grays for my liking in my stash.  Also, I didn't embellish as much on this layout as I usually do.  I didn't have too many embellishments in this color scheme and I also wanted to stick strictly with my kit.  I didn't dive into any of my stash after I started putting this layout together.  What I picked out a couple weeks before was what I was going to work with.

My background wood plank paper and the blue paper is from Dear Lizzy's Polka Dot Party.  All the other papers are from Glitz Designs' Finley collection.  The kraft cardstock is from scrap bucket, the kraft pocket is from a We R Memory Keepers' journaling cards kit, and the journaling cards are Project Life Midnight Edition.  I plan to write my journaling on the white and gray polka dot card tucked in that pocket.

I'm not really happy with how those winter berries turned out.  One, the image didn't cut very well because of its delicate nature and because I didn't adjust the settings to make it cut slower.  I was cutting these berries with scrap white paper.  I cut a few of them a couple times before I realized I need to change my settings.  And by then, I ran out of big enough white scraps; I didn't want to cut into a new sheet.  Anyways, I knew I wanted to watercolor them, but the brown on the branch didn't blend well enough with the red berries.  Oh well, I just need to practice my watercoloring technique.  I probably should have used watercolor paper...

 This layout came together really quickly.  I feel like the base of my pages come together really quickly these days, but the title and embellishment sometimes give me a difficult time.  The embellishment on this page definitely gave me a difficult time.  I didn't have much to work with, so I just had to put a few word stickers down and sprinkle some sequins and call it a day.

Okay, now it's your turn to play with these colors!  

Details

1. link up your project, new or old, to this post in the comments section OR in the comments section on Kelly's blog OR onto our Facebook page--link in my side bar
2. those that play along are entered to win a 6"x6" paper pad from Fancy Pants Blissful Blizzard collection; the colors just go so well with this challenge!
   
3. Challenge ends at 8pm CST on Thursday, February 27th--MY BIRTHDAY!

We hope that you guys come play along with us!  We can't wait to see what you make!  Now, go check out Kelly's blog.  I think she made another one of her wonderful mini albums!

xoxo,

Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge: Be My Valentine!

Welcome back to another scrap challenge!  Our last challenge, scrap your goals, was won by Mandi!  She submitted her layout on our Facebook page (link found in my sidebar).  Take a look at her layout here.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner.  Kelly and I thought that with the day of love being just two weeks away, we thought we'd share some Valentine's Day cards.  Kelly was nice enough to send me half of the Carta Bella's Devoted collection that she won in a giveaway last year.  Now, those of you that have played with Carta Bella products before know how absolutely gorgeous their colors are.  I love how saturated the paper is and just adore the thick and textured patterned paper.

I unfortunately didn't get to play with this collection too much, but I did put together a few cards with the products.  Right now, I've been in a very simple card design mood, probably because I've been making a ton of Valentine's cards.

This envelope card didn't turn out how I envisioned in my head.  I should have stamped a sentiment inside instead of using stickers.

This is my favorite card I made with this collection.  It's a cute little mini card!  I've had this simple idea in my head for awhile and it was quick to make.  If you need to make a ton of cards, you can easily translate this into a larger size with larger hearts and there you go.

I made the envelope with a patterned paper from the Carta Bella line.  Everything else was from my Valentine's haul I did a few weeks ago.  My sister (as the social chair of her sorority) needed some cards to give to other fraternities and sororities on her campus.  I used this card design for the sororities.

So, there are all the cards I made with this collection so far.  I wish I had a little more time to play with the collection.  Play along with us!  Link up your Valentine's cards!  They can be new cards or past ones.  You can link your cards to my comments section below, in Kelly's comments section, or on our Facebook page!  Those that enter have a chance to win a $5 gift card to Two Peas in a Bucket.  You have until Thursday, February 13th at 8pm CST to play along!

Now, go check out Kelly's blog to see what she made!

xoxo,
Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge: Scrap Your Goals!

Welcome back everyone!  Kelly and I saw some awesome December albums for our last challenge.  Our winner is Amanda! Please contact Kelly about your prize. Check out Amanda's amazing album here.  Thank you to everyone who linked up their albums.  Please continue to play along with us!

Whoa, have these two weeks just flown by!  Kelly and I are back with a fun new challenge that's perfect for the beginning of a new year.  Today, we're bringing you our projects where we scrap our goals!

2014 Intentions by Ali Edwards

This layout, by Ali Edwards, was our inspiration piece.  This layout and the Ali Edwards' story can be found here in the Winter 2013 issue of Scrapbooking and Cards Today (this is a free online magazine, by the way!).  Her story begins on page 53.

This challenge was a perfect way for me to scrap about my One Little Word.  I honestly didn't have any intention of doing a layout like this, but it just went perfectly with some of the January prompts for Ali's workshop.

I was going through my stack of patterned paper and cardstock a week or so ago.  I started matching up some papers for a project I had in mind (more on that in another post).  The combination of this large confetti circle patterned paper from Glitz Design's Wild & Free collection with this lime green cardstock was meant to be.  I just couldn't stop thinking about how fun and bright and ME these papers were, so I knew I had to use them for this challenge.

I mounted the patterned paper onto the green cardstock and brought in this white chevron arrow heads on a pink background patterned paper from Dear Lizzy's Polka Dot Party line.  I used this paper for strips at the top and bottom of the layout, as well as for a mat behind my picture.

I took this picture last week while at work.  I wanted a recent photo of me, but I didn't have a good one, so I had to take a work selfie.  And because the lighting sucked and I knew what colors I'd use for this layout, I toned the photo down by making it black and white.

For the layers behind my photo, I used some of the lime green cardstock, scraps from another Glitz Design Wild & Free paper (black hearts on a white background), the Dear Lizzy pink patterned paper, a glassine bag, and I believe a gray patterned paper also from the Wild & Free collection.  I have been loving this stack of patterned paper behind a photo.  

The "2014" is Dear Lizzy Thickers and the word "intentions" is cut out from the same lime green paper using my Cameo.  I just used a font on my computer (I think it was Honey Script).  

 Before this layout even started, I knew I wanted to use those big numbers from the Heidi Swapp Mixed Company Ephemera Pack (this came in the November 2013 Citrus Twist main scrapbook kit).  I wanted this to be in a list format.  As the layout was coming together, I really wanted those circles on the patterned paper to be my journaling spots.  That's how I figured out where to space my numbers.  I ran a neon pink highlighter around the edges of each number to make them pop against the background.  Before, the numbers we just getting lost.  

As I mentioned earlier, this journaling comes from Ali Edwards' One Little Word January prompts.  I used the four areas of my life to focus on intentions for this year:  physical, emotional, creative, and in my relationships.  Then I wrote some overall intentions for each focus area.  It's amazing all the ways I have been inviting my OLW into my life, just by embracing it and taking opportunities to think about and make it mine.

I embellished with some washi tape from one of the MME Cut & Paste lines;  the silver glitter tape Kelly got me for Christmas!; brads, enamel dots, and buttons from the MME Cut & Paste Adorbs collection; word stickers from the MME Cut & Paste Flair collection; and star and arrow Two Peas in a Bucket exclusive paper clips.

I can't tell you how much I love this layout.  I think I'm going to hang it up on my bulletin board in my scrap room so I can see it everyday.  

So, now it's your turn!  Come play along with us and scrap your goals!  It doesn't have to be a new project.  It doesn't have to be related to new year's resolutions or goals.  It doesn't have to be a layout.  Maybe you created a journal to document your personal goals from any areas of your life.  It can be ANYTHING!  We just love seeing your projects!  

Link your project in my comments section on this post, in Kelly's comments section on her blog, or onto our Facebook page (this can be found in my side bar!). You have until Thursday, January 30 at 8pm CST to show us how you're scrapping your goals.  Those that play along could win a $5 gift card to Two Peas in a Bucket.

Don't forget to like our Facebook page!  Now, head on over to Kelly's blog to see how she scrapped her goals.  Looking forward to seeing your projects!

xoxo,
Heather

Part II of my Christmas 2013 Album

Happy Sunday lovely readers!  As I mentioned in my Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge post, I would post Part II of my Christmas album this weekend.  I have photos below of the Journal Your Christmas prompts #20-25 scrapped in my album.

Prompt #20

This prompt is all about a gift given to someone special.  My journaling will go on the tag(s) in the glassine envelope.  My pictures for the majority of my album do not correspond with my journaling.  I'm just including a photo for each prompt that I had taken throughout the month.  Darwin was my "trimming the tree" partner this year when I was decorating.  All he did was hang out in the tree box...great helper.

Prompt #21

 This page is about the reality of my December 21st; what my house looked like, what my day looked like.  That picture is not what my house looked like on the 21st!  I didn't even wrap any gifts until the 23rd!

Prompt #22

The journaling for this prompt will be about the things that make me smile, give me warm fuzzies during Christmas.  All the kindness, gratitude, and giving that comes with the holiday season.

Prompt #23

This prompt was assigned to December 23rd, or Christmas Eve Eve (that's what we call it).  I'll be journaling about some of our family traditions we do getting ready for the big day.

Prompt #24

Christmas Eve's prompt talks about why I love Christmas.  I made a vellum pocket to hold tags for my journaling.  That paper from Glitz Designs Hello December Line, the paper that says "what I love the most about Christmas," was perfect for this prompt.

Prompt #25

Christmas Day was definitely a two-page spread.  I had so much I wanted to include, that I'll have to include a smaller insert just for my journaling.

If you want to see more detailed photos of my Christmas Album:  Part II, check out my gallery at 2Peas.  Also, Kelly and I are hosting a challenge all about December/Christmas albums.  Details can be found here.  Those that play along could win a $5 gift certificate to Two Peas in a Bucket!

I hope to have my Christmas journal completely done by the end of January.  I have 14 more prompts/layouts to scrap and a few layouts to "touch up."  I'm getting to the point where I just want this album to be done!  If I didn't have a few other projects to complete for future blog posts and Valentine's cards to make, I'd work on this album until it was finished!  

Have a wonderful Sunday!  Stay warm and safe if you're in my area and the northeastern part of the country.  See you all again on Monday.

xoxo,
Heather