2011 October | ScrapMatters Blog

Archive for October, 2011

The Grand Theft Layout Challenge – 10/19/2011 – amy!

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Hi everyone, Simona here back from vacation and ready to pick a brand new gallery for you to take inspiration! So without further ado welcome to this week’s Grand Theft Layout Challenge!
Today’s choice is amy! She’s a long time friend in the digiscrap world and she recently joined the fun here at ScrapMatters (finally!) so why not her?
As usual your challenge this week is to browse amy!‘s gallery, find a layout you like and come back here with both the page you picked and the page you scrapped!

This is my own pick:

And my take on it:

Credits: Fall Delight: Sweet Deal by LDrag Designs

And there’s more from the super talented CT ladies!

Becca (Becca236) picked:

And made her own:

Credits: Falling for Pumpkins by Haynay Designs

Tracy (sunshinetk) choose:

And scrapped:

Credits: Imagination Mega Collection by Stolen Moments & Flergs

Chel lifted:

And her own version:

Credits: Ooky Spooky and A Little More Ooky Spooky both by Band Geek Designs

And last but not least Trina (tjscraps) took inspiration from:

And created:

Credits: Bikes and Trikes – Grungy Papers, Bikes and Trikes – Patterned Papers, Bikes and Trikes – Elements and Bikes and Trikes – Graffiti all by Dream Big Designs

———–

The rules!

-You will receive one point for posting in this thread & in the Grand Theft Layout Challenge gallery. You can receive one additional point for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your post. And at the end of the month you’ll be entered into a random drawing that could earn you some bonus points!

-You have until the end of October to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.

-Remember no double dipping… your layout must be unique to this challenge.

-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but remember your SM gallery must contain at least 50% SM product beginning July 8, 2011.

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Tuesday Template 10/18

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Melissa (yzerbear19) here with today’s Tuesday Template. I had planned to post this earlier, but ended up babysitting my adorable niece for a few hours after work. I am so super exited to be hosting a template challenge and the template I created was inspired by a layout of my niece.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Check out these inspiring, awesome layouts from the Creative Team:

By navaja77

By cinna;398642

By melanie3boys

By fonnetta

By Leandi

I can’t wait to see what you all create! Enjoy!

Tags: Tuesday Template
Posted in ScrapMatters | 1 Comment »

Another Manic Monday 10/17/11

Monday, October 17th, 2011

It’s “just another Manic Monday” at ScrapMatters.com!!! Monday ONLY!! Select items for $2 or 50% off!! Visit theScrapMatters Shop for more details!!

*Manic Monday sales go into the shop early Monday morning and will “disappear” around midnight! HURRY! What are you waiting for!?! *

Boo Bash by WM squared Designs:

Persephone by Jen Graham

Snapshots Of Life

Halloween Time, Oh My! by Jady Day Studio

Summer Skies by Down This Road Designs

MicroPAT Textures v1 by geniaBeana

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Layout & Project of the Month – September 2011

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

The final voting has taken place and I’m pleased to announce the following as the overall winners for the month of September:

September LOTM: Fix You by Ramona the Pest

September POTM: Leash Holder by NikkiFB

Congratulations to these two ladies!! Here are their gallery submissions once again:

Fix You by Ramona the Pest:

Leash Holder by NikkiFB:

Tags: layout of the week, project of the week
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Sunday Spotlight – Vivienne and Vanessa of ViVa Artistry

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

This week we have TWO Interviews to share with our ScrapMatters members!! First up we have Vivienne and Vanessa of ViVa Artistry that are guesting at SM this month and we have Cheri of Dream Big Designs!! So, grab some coffee and get to know these fabulous designers a little better! =)

1. Your screen name? Your real name?

Unica: Vanessa

Vivie: Vivienne

2. What is your main job/career?

Vanessa: SAHM
Vivienne: Marketing/Writing

3. Are you married/children/pets?
Vanessa: married, 4 girls (8, 5 and 1 yo twins), 2 cats, 3 fish and a shrimp

Vivienne: married, 2 girls (12 and 15 years old)

4. Where is home for you?

Vanessa: Florida though I’m originally from Brazil
Vivienne: Denmark (Europe) but American from Southern California

5. What are your 3 favorite foods?

Vanessa: steak, beef green curry and brazilian style strogonoff
Vivienne: Fried rice, Indian (any), roasted corn on the cob

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Vanessa: coconut with chocolate
Vivienne: Chocolate/Peanut Butter or Baskin Robbins’ Tax Crunch

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Vanessa: salty then sweet then salty again…
Vivienne: salty and sour (vinegar chips, yummy!)

8. Beverage of choice?
Vanessa: green tea
Vivienne: black coffee

9. What’s your least favorite food?

Vanessa: watermelon and bell peppers
Vivienne: Boller i karry (Danish giant pork meatballs swimming in curry sauce)

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use?

Vanessa: Mac. Photoshop and Illustrator CS3
Vivienne: PC, Photoshop CS3, Inkscape, ArtRage

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?

Vivienne: My background is in traditional scrapbooking, doing it almost my whole life but I went thru CM phase, Stampin Up, etc. Our family moved to Japan in 2006 and there were no scrap supplies and I was looking online and there it was digital…duh! I had worked with Photoshop at work and had done all my journaling and printed it but never did layouts in it. Found Vanessa on one of the forums and there ya go!

12. What was your 1st LO about?

Vanessa: Alissa’s (my oldest) birth.
Vivienne: my girls…ROFL ROFL…I deleted a lot of my first layouts…I have my first ones for Christina Renee from when I was on her CT…

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?

Vanessa: Reading… I could spend hours at it and forget about the rest of the world.

Vivienne: Are you you ready? Reading, writing, sewing clothes, papercrafting, jewelry/beading, embroidery, quilling, battenburg lacemaking, ribbon embroidery, crochet, and cooking.

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?

Vanessa: These days finding the time…
Vivienne: So many ways to layout a page!!! which way is best????

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?

Vanessa: I would love to take some deep sea diving lessons, skydiving is also on my “after the kids are grown” list.

Vivienne: Fly a plane (hey, cool, I’ll take Vanessa skydiving and STAY in the plane).

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?

Vanessa: not big on TV right now… love movies though… among my favorites would be “The Godfather I & II”, “The Devil’s Advocate”, “The Usual Suspects” and “Mary Poppins”

Vivienne: TV: Bones, Castle, Big Bang Theory, CSI Las Vegas, the Killing (both danish and american versions), Modern Family, Babylon 5

Movies: Blade Runner, 5th Element, Memoirs of a Geisha

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?

Vanessa: anywhere, anyway… whatever I can figure out at the time with the dynamics of the house.

Vivienne: Dining room table in view of TV (for when I’m doing boring work), very quiet, no music, curtains drawn to keep sun out!

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?

Vanessa: a flower and a nice brush.
Vivienne: Paper and Paper

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?

Vanessa: I really, really dislike talking on the phone
Vivienne: I hate vacuuming

20. When did you start designing?

Vanessa and Vivienne: About 3 years ago (October 2008)

21. How would you describe your design style?

Artistic. A bit vintage, a bit altered, a bit graphic…

22. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation?

Mostly the art world. We love to look for different art styles, medium, etc. We also love to find inspiration in different cultures and eras.

23. Which of your kits showcases your style the most?

Probably Misfit. It has a little bit of everything we stand for there.

24. What is your favorite color scheme to design with?

Clear brights… all over the spectrum.

25. Favorite kit you’ve designed?

Vanessa: Vogue and Otaku
Vivienne: Otaku and Misfit

You can find their guest store at ScrapMatters right HERE! Thanks ladies for guesting and for letting us get a sneak peek into the ViVa Artistry duo!! You ladies make a great team! =)

Lisa (kelseyll)

Tags: Sunday Spotlight
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Sunday Spotlight – Cheri of Dream Big Designs

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

1. Your screen name? Your real name?
It is the same for both; Cheri
And my Design name is Dream Big Designs.

2. What is your main job/career?
My first and foremost important job is a Mom. I am raising three kiddos and I always try to put that first. The other job I have is I am Cake Decorator. I have decorated cakes for 10 years and still do it as a side job.
3. Are you married/children/pets?
I have been married for almost 10 years. I have 3 kids, and as far as pets I would love to have a cat, dog, horse, lizard, bird and guinea pig. But right now we only have fish. (My little family is too allergic to animal hair.)
4. Where is home for you?
Right now, home is in Syracuse Utah. But I will always consider Portland Oregon my home also.
5. What are your 3 favorite foods?
Spaghetti, Milk and Brownies
6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Chocolate Chip Mint
7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Salty
8. Beverage of choice?
Ice Water
9. What’s your least favorite food?
Sweet Potatoes
10. PC or Mac? What program do you use?
PC. I use PSE and CS5.
11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?
I have been digi scrapping for 4 years and started designing soon after that. I had my second child and wanted a way to preserve their memories without the mess. My neighbour gave me a quick lesson on PSE and I found some freebies and tutorials online and took off from there.
12. What was your 1st LO about?
I scrapped our Family Easter Picture. I think it turned out ok for my first page ever….

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?
I LOVE to read Paranormal Romance! I also love to run, hike, waterski, ride horses, and do random crafts.
14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?
Time! I always want to do more. It is good that I can get faster, cause I don’t think I would be able to keep up with everything I want to get done. Speaking of….let’s cruise through these questions so I can get back to scrapping. Tee hee.
15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?
Photography. My DH is way better at it than I am, but I always seem to be the one with the camera.
16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
I really don’t watch too much TV. I really love to watch romance movies, but I would rather be at my computer than in front of the TV. Always!!!
17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
Kids are asleep, house is cleaned and quiet. I have a nice mug of hot chocolate and I am bright eyed and the creative juices are always flowing……Bwahahahh. Yeah Right! I normally have a bit of bills, trash, and coupons on my computer desk. My desk is in the kitchen (main area of the house) so people are always running around yelling, crashing, crying. Chaos. And normally I try to zone out 20 minutes here and there to my little paradise called my PC.
18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?
Splatters and a killer Alpha.
19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
I can wiggle my ears. Yep, like a dog.
20. When did you start designing? What is your favorite product that you’ve designed?
I started designing in April of 2008. My favorite product is Smarty Pants. I adore school kits and this one tops my favorites.

21. How would you describe your design style?
I like to make my items look paper pieced together. And I love grungy with a bit of childishness. (is that a word?)
22. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation?
Everywhere. My kids, hubby, driving, reading, TV, and my dreams. Believe it or not, I dream a LOT about my scrapbook kits. I get a lot of my ideas from my dreams.
23. Which of your kits showcases you style the most?
I would have to say Harbor Bay. I love creating little characters and this has a bit of everything in it.

24. What is your favorite color scheme to design with?
I love boy colors. Rich Oranges, Bold Blues, Limy Greens.
25. Favorite kit you’ve designed?

My favorite is always the latest kit I have created. But right now I am most proud of A Charming Party. (My princess kit.) I just adore all the little princesses.

Thanks for letting us get to know you better, Cheri! Be sure to check out her whole store HERE!

Debby (debbysrose)

Tags: Sunday Spotlight
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Layout of the Week – October 16th

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Here is my choice for LOTW. That has to be one of the cutest baby pictures I have ever seen and I love how she has repeated it, especially the little one hanging in the scale. The background paper she chose, while a solid color it has so much texture and variation it adds so much interest to the layout without taking away from the photos. The element choices and placement are just perfect.

Congrats to candacesoon for this beautiful hybrid project!

Please leave her some love by clicking on the image above!

Debby (debbysrose)

Tags: layout of the week
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Project of the Week – October 16th

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Here is my POTW choice this week. I just realized the layout and project are with the same kit, guess I was in a baby boy frame of mind this week!

This little keepsake album is just the cutest thing! I wish I could make it. I just love the ribbon and bow and the flowers she added on. There is so much detail in this project. It definitely says “baby boy”! Congrats to loucee for this beautiful hybrid project!

Please leave her some love by clicking on the image above!

Debby (debbysrose)

Tags: project of the week
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Saturday Special 10/15/11 – Simple Defog

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

Good morning Scrappers!! It’s Cyndi and I’m here to bring you your next challenge. This is going to be a sweet and simple Saturday Special. I have an easy fix for that foggy look we sometimes get on our pics when we use a digital camera.

I am using Photoshop CS3.

Open your pic.
Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask
I use these settings as a start and adjust till it looks right…
Amount: 20%
Radius: 60 pixels
Threshold: 0 levels

And then adjust the sliders until it looks natural. That’s it. Now scrap a layout with those sharp, crisp pics and earn a point toward your Matter of Scrap totals.

Easy peasy…. now for some inspiration

from me

using the brand new Shabby Black & White by Elise’s Pieces Designs

from Sarah

using the new Haunted Hallow collab by Inspirations from Day & Plum Dumpling Designs

from Tanya

using her very own new kit Burly & Brawny by Crossbone Cuts and One Love Templates V.1

from Michelle

using Shabby Black & White by Elise’s Pieces Designs

Challenge reminders:
-You will receive one point for posting in this thread & in the Saturday Special Gallery(. You can receive an additional point for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your post. And at the end of the month you’ll be entered into a random drawing that could earn you some bonus points!

-You have until the end of October to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.

-Remember no double dipping…your layout must be unique to this challenge.

-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but remember your SM gallery must contain at least 50% SM product beginning July 8, 2011.

Posted in ScrapMatters | No Comments »