So many cards ...

I think that most of us find it difficult to fit scrapping time in once the weather turns nice (not that this year has been the best ... but still) and the school year comes to an end. 

Sometimes a little card helps to keep the creative juices flowing and takes very little time to complete.  Have a gander at all of the wonderful cards that the design team have created with the June kits ...

From Julia ...

 ... a sweet little All Occasion card with beautiful rolled flowers ...

From Mandy ... a shaped birthday card ...

 ... and a simple little card that could be used for a house warming ...

Lesley creates a card suitable for a crafty friend (making excellent use of the 7 Gypsies rub-ons that come with the "I Swear" kit) and even decorates the envelope to match ...

 Sarah banged out three bright and fun cards ...

 I love the banner made from stamped tickets ...

Using a die cut title as your main sentiment cuts down on your time and creates a striking focal point ...

It's kind of a crummy day here today.  Go make cards :)

It's here ...

The Summer Issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today is now available! 

 

Be sure to check out page 56 for Sarah Webb's "Full on Giggle Puss" layout using Up The Street's Resort Town kit :)

* On Holidays *

Up The Street will be closed

from Friday, July 1st

until Friday, July 8th

Sarah's Layouts

I knew that the "Lazy Days" kit would suit Sarah's style perfectly.  She also added the Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers and a piece of the Crate Portait paper from the "I Swear" kit.

Love, love, love adding Glossy Accents to different elements.  Especially a water themed page.  Just look at the difference a quick layer of the Glossy Accents finished the "summer" sticker. 

I really haven't fallen for the banner trend myself, so I was excited to see how Sarah used one of the little banner stickers as a little accent here.

Another fun, whimsical page with a bit of machine stitching around the edges to nicely frame the layout.

A great cluster of stickers and bits.  And more of the banner stickers used in a non-traditional way.

More Glossy Accents on a die cut title.

LOVE the balloons in the photos.  Although there are so many beautiful items on the page, your eye still goes right for the photos.  Just perfect.

Visit the Gallery to see more of the Design Team's work or Sarah's blog for other great projects

An Accidental Scraplift

You know how you get finished a layout and think, "That looks awfully familiar"?  That's what happened this weekend after I completed my layout (see end of post).  I was going through the June gallery and realized how similar it was to Mandy's "Summer Fun" layout.  Same paper strip down the left-hand side, same photo placement ... even a Silhouette-cut photo matte. 

I guess there are enough differences that they don't look completely identical.  Mandy used the fun woodgrain paper for her background and hand-cut some elements from the Simple Stories patterned paper to create a banner title ...

 She added a few shipping tags for journaling and the date ... 

And I love how she used the Basic Grey alphabet stickers for this random journaling so it actually becomes a subtle embellishment.

 Mine is super simple with very few added elements.

I don't use very much plain cardstock and the green looked a little "flat" so I used a Sizzix folder to create a bit of dimension.

So thanks Mandy for the inspiration.  Even if it wasn't intentional, I guess you've snuck your way into my subconscious :)

Visit the June Gallery to see some other inspiring work done with the June kits.

"She Calls Me Ginger"

Today I wanted to share one of Lesley's layouts using the "I Swear" kit.  The kit itself has a few wedding elements mixed in, but clearly can be used for much more.

Lesley is also a member of the Spellbinders design team and I am learning so many little tricks from her.  What she has done with this layout is so clever (especially if you're a frugal scrapper and like to get the most out of your paper).  She has folded her background paper in half and run it through her Spellbinders Grand Calibur with one of the Creative Book Pages dies.  Not only does she create a photo matte, with a postage stamp border, that is twice the size you would normally get, but she flipped her photo matte and stuck it right back into the hole it left when it was cut.  That's right ... one sheet of patterned paper creates her entire background.  Pure Genius.  Of course, she then "wastes" copious amounts of paper creating her gorgeous layered flowers, but that's neither here nor there ;)

Her flowers have also been created by using a Spellbinders die and then sprayed with some Shimmerz spritz called Shimmeringz (Heavy Metal) for shimmer.

The "I Swear" kit  also contains some 7 Gypsies rub-ons which are perfect little accents for these papers.  I used to use rub-ons on everything and really haven't even thought about them the last little while.  It was sort of a happy little accident that both sides of this month's kits each include rub-ons.

Visit Lesley's blog and the Up The Street Gallery for more inspiration.

Every month, I look at what the design team has created with the kits and I have a bit of a surreal reaction ... I have a difficult time believing that this incredibly talented group of women is actually working with my kits.  There is absolutely no way to pick a favorite and I never know where to start.  This layout from Julia Stainton is so adorable.

Julia worked with the "Lazy Days" kit this month and added the Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers.

There are just so many details to take in, such as the subtle stamping of white on kraft in the upper corner.  A great way to fill in an empty space without taking focus away from the photos.  

 And I always love a little Dymo tape ...

Visit the Gallery to see more of these wonderful creations!

Turkeyfest, Under the Moon, Face of Hope

A bit of info for anyone local that is planning on attending Strathroy's Turkeyfest this weekend ...

Click on the images to view larger.

June Kits!

Hello Everyone!  The June kits are up on the website and ready to roll.  As usual, we have two sides to choose from with very different looks.
"I Swear" features papers from Webster's Pages Ladies & Gents and Crate Paper Portrait.
 

With enough bits to make some gorgeous wedding layouts and cards, but you won't be limited to just wedding themed projects.

American Crafts Thickers, Pink Paislee chalkboard stickers and die cut flowers in three colours (cut from Bazzill Bling cardstock).

A Zva Crystal embellishment and Crate accent stickers.

7 Gypsies rub-ons and Maya Road crystal trinket pins.

"Lazy Days" contains My Mind's Eye Lime Twist and Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer.  This kit is so bright and fun.  The Simple Stories papers are just darling.

There are also papers from Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe and Studio Calico State Fair.

Adorable little journaling cards from MME, chipboard houses and butterflies from Maya Road and a few book rings in case you want to make a mini album using the Bazzill board.

Basic Grey Hello Lucious micro mono stickers, Studio Calico stickers and rubons.

With a choice of the following WRMK stamps ...

The Gallery is already filled with some wonderful projects, but there are many more to come.

Store Closed Today

Morning Everyone :)  Just wanted to leave a quick note that the store won't be open today.  I'm going into the school to help with one of the class projects and am unsure whether it will take the whole day.  There's a chance that I'll be finished early enough to pop in for a few hours in the afternoon, but I don't want to say for sure.