Wow, it’s October already!  This year is flying by!  Cathy here with a little project to help you out at Halloween.  Ever end up with plans the night of Halloween and you’re not able to be home to give out the candy?  Or maybe you want to escort your little characters as they trick or treat their way through the neighborhood and just need a helping hand for a bit.  Believe it or not, your craft and digi supplies can come to the rescue!

You can create a sweet sign to leave out with your stash of goodies. This way you get to enjoy your other plans, the Halloween visitors still get their treats and your house doesn’t get tricked, hopefully!

This is a fairly simple project. All that you’ll need is a picture frame, some printing paper and your favorite Halloween themed digital kit.  Lucky for you, the Mix-a-kit series at ScrapMatters for October has some great Halloween themed items.  You can pick and choose the portions of the kit that suit you best.  I used Frightful – The Patterns, Frightful – The Extras (by WM Squared Designs); Scary Elegance – Paper Pack (by Haynay Designs); Shabby Solids - October Mix (by GeniaBeana); Haunted House Elements, Haunted House Alpha (by Dream Big Designs), Purple Monster Alpha (by Amy Stoffel)

I found an old picture frame that was not being used and painted it black. It is an 8.5″x11″ frame which I turned on its side.  I designed my sign in Photoshop.  I printed it out on Red River Canvas paper.  Just popped it into the frame and I’m all set.

Perhaps the creepy eyes “watching” will keep the kids from taking all the candy!  I used a brush to create smoky clouds to help accentuate some of the design.

Believe it or not, I’ve had to leave a bowl of candy on the porch for the trick or treaters to help themselves in the past. I thought they would empty the bowl in no time. But I actually had leftover!  Hope you have a crafty and Happy Halloween!

Hello, It’s Cathy here to host the It’s In The Cards Challenge for 09/22/2011. I’ve got a fairly simple card template that you can dress up to your liking! I took this template and created a gatefold card as my sample. Here’s a preview of the template and sample:

Download the template here or on the linked image above.

And here’s a close up look at my sample:

My sample card was made using Chocolate Frosted Snowflakes by Stolen Moments.  Here are some great samples made up by our awesome creative team.

Tracy made this adorable daisy card using Denim and Daisies - Papers and Elements by Jenn Labre.

Sarah used My Magical Place Add-On Kit and My Magical Place: Add On Alpha by Haynay Designs to make this magical birthday card.  The Mickey silhouettes were a participation prize that she got at another site.

Tamara used  Funky Lane by Sugary Fancy and the all over bracket punch by Martha Stewart to create her cute card.

OK here’s a review of the challenge rules:

Remember that September is double points month!!

-You will receive two points for posting in the “It’s in the Cards Challenge 9/22/2011″ thread and in the “It’s in the Cards” gallery
-You can receive an additional 2 points for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your post. So I can give you the correct credits!
-You have until the end of September to complete this challenge for MOS points.
-Remember no double dipping – your layout must be unique to this challenge.
-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but we love it when you do!

I hope you’ll join us for this challenge! Happy creating!

~Cathy~

Good Day.  Welcome to this edition of ScrapMatters Home Matters.  September tends to be a typically challenging month for those with children returning to school and this September has been particularly challenging for me personally.  My daughter starts kindergarten and I’m not sure which one of us it’s harder on – me or her.

To help me with this big change, I want to make sure that Emma knows that her Daddy and I are thinking about her by including a little note in (or on) her lunch bag.  While I’d like to think that these notes will be cherished for 100 years, I’m more of a realist and didn’t print these to be reused.

Before I dive into my hybrid projects, I like to gather my supplies.  So lets see, I need a ruler, a lunch bag, some ribbon, printing paper and my favorite digital kit.  Today my kit inspiration comes from the new Make-A-Kit series that the design team creates monthly!

Check out these from CrossBone Cuts Schooled – The Elements, Schooled – The Patterns and Schooled – Dots & Solids.

I measured the paper lunch bag to find that a best fit for the bag would be a 4” x 4” square.  I opened my scrap program (PSE 6) and created a document 4.25” x 4.25”.  This way when I got to print on my 8.5” x 11”, I can have 2 bag labels side by side.  When I go to print, my print menu screen will allow me to scale my project to print within the bounds of the printer’s parameters (takes the guess work out of making sure it’s correctly sized to begin with).

If you would like to preserve your note cards, you could print on a heavier paper like a cardstock (though you may find the colors to be muted) and seal it with Mod Podge or even laminate your cards.

Thanks for tuning in to my segment of Home Matters.  If you’d like to include a little something special to brighten your bagged lunches, you can also check out A Time to Learn: Note Cards by Stolen Moments and explore.learn.grow. Printables: lunch box notes by Simply J Studio and Sahlin Studio.  Hope that inspired you to take a printable look at your digi stash!

Hi Everyone! Cathy here with an interactive card for this “It’s in the Cards Challenge”. There is a window and a dial so that you can change up what display’s on the front of the card. I’ve included instructions in the download file.

Here is a preview of the file and a sample card.

My sample was made using the ScrapMatters Design Team Collaborative kit “Cupcakes and Candles”

Here you can see a different item showing through the display window:

Download the template HERE.

Let’s get a look at some other samples made up by our awesome creative team.

From Carina using Footloose and Fancy Scatters by Graham Like the Cracker and the Rainbows and Butterflies kit by WM Squared Designs and Graham Like the Cracker. I love the little birdie peaking through the window.

If I got this card I’d be intrigued to find out what else I could see when I turn the dial!!

Karen has created this very colorful and fun vacation greeting. She used Heat Wave: Beach Fun by Band Geek Designs I just love all the sweet treats that are hidden in the window.

Rebecca used the wonderful ScrapMatters Design Team Collab kit Tropical Float to create this ultra happy celebration card. Check out the spirits awaiting the recipient on her card!

Look at this wonderful creation by Sarah. She used Just Peachy by GeniaBeana Scraps. I just love how she changed up the template to use the window to display her sentiment!

The card that Tracy made is such a sweet way to celebrate a special anniversary. I just love all the sweet hearts! She used A Dreamy Day by The Design Girl.

Here’s a review of the challenge rules:

-You will receive one point for posting in this thread and in the “It’s in the Cards” gallery
-You can receive an additional point for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your post.
- since this challenge is starting so late in the month, it will run through August. At the end of July or August (depending on when your project was posted) you’ll be entered into a random drawing that could earn you some bonus points!
-You have until the end of August to complete this challenge for MOS points.
-Remember no double dipping – your layout must be unique to this challenge.
-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but we love it when you do!

I hope you’ll join us for this challenge! Happy creating!

When Cristina asked me if I would like to take this month‘s Hybrid Corner I gladly agreed, because I absolutely needed to get started on my vacation planner if it was supposed to be useful for the planning process of our summer vacation at all. And it was a good thing I did! Life is so busy at the moment, that I had to put in some nightshifts to get it done for today.

To justify the investment into my Bind-It-All I made my planner from scratch, but if you do not have the tools or want a quicker project you can just as well take spiral notebooks apart to decorate the covers and to add a few custom pages/dividers, and put it back together after. Or you could use a ring binder and decorate the front, or bind your book with binding rings or even ribbon.

So, let’s get started. I first searched a kit that I wanted to use and found Jady Day Studio’s wonderful new travel kit: Summertime Fun – On Travel . I just love the vintage feel to this kit.

The next step was to figure out the size I wanted my planner to be so I knew what the right size of my canvas for the covers would be. – I chose international size A5 which is about half a legal size page. And this is what my digital cover looks like.

I copied this image onto a new blank A4 (~ legal size) canvas to print.

On the back cover you can see the shadowed part in the middle. That’s the actual cover. The extra width is to wrap the cover paper around my chipboard. I shadowed the actual cover part so I could better see the boundaries of my cover for the placement of embellies and such. It would be good to remember to take the shadows out before printing, though. (*cough cough) Fortunately they are not really visible on the finished project.
One thing to remember is that the canvas for the back cover needs to be decorated on the opposite side from the cover page. On the cover the binding will be on the left, and on the back cover it will be on the right side.
But I also just now realized that I actually flipped the document over for the back cover and did not renew the background paper so the printing is now a mirror image *lol* . What is the saying, a few mistakes make a project more charming?

After printing my cover sheets, I sanded the edges of my chipboard so the edges would be a little smoother in the hope that the wrapped paper will not break so easily at those edges, positioned my chipboard on the printed cover sheets and adhered it with Modpodge.
I then cut the corners off, put strong sticky tape on the edges of the printed sheet and wrapped the paper around to the back…

…decorated it with a strip of another of the kit’s papers, and covered the inside with a piece of matching cardstock.

The same with the back cover

I then printed some extra pages that I scored and folded down the middle of the long side to use as dividers.
And I also made two pocket dividers to store receipts, tickets and other stuff you collect during trips. To make these I also printed on whole sheet of paper that I scored down the middle. But instead of just sticking the two sides together like with the divider pages I glued one strip of paper between the fold to close the bottom of the pocket.

Then I took a longer strip that I punched with a border punch, put sticky tape right next to the punched edge and aligned this with the edge of the pocket page. That way the pocket will be wider than if you just glue shut along the edge, and will also stick out a bit so that it can be used as a section divider as well.

I alreaday designed the inside pages for last year’s book, and I was quite happy with that book, so this part was easy as I just needed to print out some more of them. Two of the inside pages fit on one sheet of my printer paper and I printed double sided. The headers of the pages are: To Do, Shopping List, Packing List, The Trip (to journal about the long drive there, things to remember, and as reference for next year’s trip – good or bad rest stops etc ), This was Week…(the part where I journal about our activities etc.), Addresses, Notes, and some pages without header for anything that comes up unplanned.
On the picture the printed pages are already cut in half.

Here’s all the divider and pocket pages. For the second pocket page I used a paper that I love from Wendy’s (WM[squared]) travel kit The Great Escape. I also punched three tabs for the divider pages

Now that I had prepared all the parts needed for the book I could start the assembly. As I already said I bound my book with my bind-it-all. What I also like about this way of binding it is that I can store the pen inside the rings and always have it with my book.
And this is my finished vacation planner and journal. I have some extra papers and elements printed so I can add some more embellishments later on if I want to. A diary is a work in progress and that also goes for the decorations, right?

And some images of the inside pages

As you can see we already started using it.

It is really fun to have and use your own custom made vacation planner/diary and I hope you enjoyed my tutorial today.

Karen (bydelstorp)

I hope everyone is ready for another It’s in the Cards template challenge. The template I have for you today is based off of my Father’s Day card for this year.  You can grab the template here!

And here are some great examples by the SM Creative Team.  Check out the amazing variety here!

Made by myself (Abhall76) using Capture a Memory and SMD Font: Kylie Anne (International) by Stolen Moments.

Made by Melanie (scrappymelly) with Amy Stoffel’s *new* Be Vibrant.

Made by Cathy (Scrappycath) using LDrag Designs Just Arrived.

Made by Karen (bydelstorp) using June Mix a Kit, Hello Sunshine Prints from the Design Girl, Summer Lovin’ Subtle print plains from Kim B, sun from Good Ol’ Summertime WA from Plum Dumpling Designs, the ship is from My History – Extras by WM squared. The ribbon is from Stampin Up and the sentiment stamp from Inkadinkado.

Made by Tanya (TanyaH666) using Black & Blue collab by Stolen Moments and Plum Dumpling Designs.

Can you believe that it is June already? Where is this year going? Hey there everyone, Cathy here to host the June 2011 Getting Hybrid Challenge. This month I thought it would be fun to help get people involved in hybrid crafting by challenging you to make flowers. You can make any type of flower that you want, from simple to extravagant.

There are so many options for how to make hybrid flowers to go with your scrapbook pages, cards and other crafts. With the use of digital papers, the possibilities are endless! You can simply print out some digi papers and use your flower punches to create blossoms. You can make use of some of the hybrid helpers we have in the shop as templates for fussy cutting or cutting with your electronic cutter.

These flower templates by Krisi’s Kreations are a great place to start. The set includes files types that you can use right in your digital designs, or for cutting with a machine or by hand!

I’m going to share a tutorial for creating some beautiful paper roses. For my project I’m using Summer Lovin’ Prints by Kim B and Summer Breeze by Jennifer Labre. They are both part of the June Mix-a-Kit which is on sale through June 7!!

You’ll need to cut 3 6-petal flowers for each rose that you are making. The Sizzix Flower Layer #5 die works great for this. It includes a large and small flower die so you can make 2 different sized roses.

You will need to snip between each petal to allow for curling the petals into shape. You will also need to cut the first flower one time, straight between 2 petals all the way to the center. The second flower you will cut on either side of one petal into the center and separate that petal. Save it, you will be using it. With the third flower, you will cut to the center on either side of 2 petals and separate the double petal. Save this too, you’ll be using it.

You should have what is pictured above for each rose that you are going to create.

Once you have your flower parts cut, ink the edges. Since I am using digital papers that I printed, I also inked the backs.

With the first flower (slit cut to center), place some Glossy Accents glue on one petal at the slit that was cut to the center. Manipulate the petal on the other side of the slit to cover over the glued petal, creating a cone shape with the flower as you do this. Use a paper clip to hold this in place to allow the glue to dry. Repeat this process with the remaining 2 flowers, creating a cone shape and gluing the overlapping petals. Secure with paper clips while you wait for the glue to dry.

Take the double petal cut from flower #3. Curl the petal to the left toward the back of the flower piece. Carefully curl the flat side in toward the curled petal. Curl it tightly creating a center petal for the rose. Pinch it together with your fingers and glue. Hold it together to allow the glue to set momentarily. Sticky fingers are a good sign of hybrid crafty goodness!

Take the single petal that was cut from flower #2. Curl each side of the petal in towards the center as shown above.

Curl the petals back on each of the cone shaped flower pieces. I like to use the handle of a small paint brush to do this. For the larger petals I can use the thicker part of the handle, and for the smaller petals, I can use the thinner part. You can also snip a small piece from the tip of each cone. You may need to snip slightly more on the 2 smaller cone pieces to help them set into the rose as you assemble it.

After you’ve curled your petals, begin to assemble the rose. Start with the largest cone piece and then insert the medium one inside it. I turn it so that the petals are a bit offset. Place some Glossy Accents into the center of the cone to glue in place. Repeat with the third cone piece nesting it inside the rose and gluing in place. Then take your 2 center petal pieces and set as the center of your rose. I have no magic suggestions here, I play with it until I like the way it looks. Sometimes I have to snip a bit more off the bottom of these pieces in order for them to sit down in the rose the way I want them.

Now comes even more fun! You can dress up your flowers. I sprayed mine with some Tatter Angels Bronze Mist. Then I added some glitter to the edges of the petals for extra bling. Some Stickles glitter glue in the center of one of the roses added a little pizazz!

I used the roses on a picture frame that I had covered in paper from the Summer Lovin Prints pack. Here is a closer look at the flowers:

I’m showing these flowers on a finished project, but you don’t have to for this challenge. You can just make some flowers and share them!

Here are some wonderful samples that our talented Creative Team made for you:

Look at this stunning cake that LeAnn made. I think the cake is gorgeous on it’s own! Then she added a beautiful rolled rose bouquet, amazing! She used Kim Brodelet’s Roche kit. The little white flowers are simply cut-outs of elements from Kim’s kit. (Special thank you to Mari Koegelenberg for the rolled flower template).

Tracy made these brilliant flowers by printing out a bunch of the digi flowers from Jennifer Labre’s Sunkissed: Sunset. She then layers them to create these beauties!

She used them to decorate a card. Isn’t that sweet?

Melanie created this bouquet using papers and flowers from It’s Midnight by WM[squared] and GeniaBeana Scraps. I see a few different types of flowers in there, some print and cut from the kit, some rolled and some using the scrunch technique. She adhered them to the lid for a mason jar. Would that make a super cute gift package?

Tamara made this flower using the April Mix a Kit, a paper flower and some ribbon. The perfect addition to her super sweet project!

This flower by Karen is just so cute! She combined a few techniques to create it from the Mix a Kit April: Footloose and Fancy Papers by Graham Like The Cracker, Springy – the Elements by Wm squared, Carefree Solids paperpack by Kim B, Sprung patterns by Stolen Moments

Wow, that’s a whole bouquet of blooming creation!!! I hope we’ve planted the seeds and have you wanting to let your hybrid skills blossom! (you saw all those puns coming, didn’t you??

OK so here’s the scoop on the challenge:

-You will receive one point for posting a photo of your finished flower/s in the Getting Hybrid Gallery and then linking it up to the Getting Hybrid Forum thread HERE . You can receive an additional point for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your forum post to help me give you the correct credits. 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 June to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.
-Remember no double dipping…your project must be unique to this challenge.
-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but we love it when you do!

And don’t forget, you don’t have to use your flowers on a completed project, but we would sure love to see it if you do!

So, let’s fill the gallery with some beautiful flowers!!!

I am really excited to host this months last hybrid challenge. It is my very first template and I hope you like it.

I am giving you two download links. One will be for a 5×7 inch template and the second one for the international A6 format that I made my sample with.

Here’s the template:

Download 5×7 template from 4shared

Download A6 template from 4 shared

I made my card using My History, My History – Extras, and My History – Bonus Alpha from WMsquared. My dad is a big fan of old cars, so I thought this might be perfect.

Our wonderful CT ladies have been really busy, so I have loads of wonderful inspiration to show you.

Sarah (sporte91) made this gorgeous card using  A Little Sunset by Jeanine DeOre.

Isn’t this flower just fabulous?

Sylvia (SylviaB) used the May Mix a Kit sets ‘Shabby Elegance Alpha’ by Whimpy Chompers Design and ‘Silver Lining ~ The Papers’ by Jeannine DeOre for her lovely card. That patterned paper is so beautiful and when I grow up I want my bows to look like hers.

Ami (steami) wanted to get a head start on her christmas post and made this totally cute card. LOVE that snowman and her idea of getting started early. Maybe my cards would actually get sent out if I had them done in  time.

She used Doodle Me Christmas by Erica Zane.

I love the folded flower and fun elements in Tamara’s (tsmspt) card. She used What’s Cooking? from Erica Zane

Tracy’s (sunshinetk) card is pure elegance, so beautiful. I love the colors and patterns she used and that big layered flower. She used Timeless Elegance by KimB.

LuAnn (wildblueeyez) used Haynay Designs’ Into Spring kit for her totally cute card. The sweet sentiment in that whimsical font is just perfect with that fun little bug with its shimmering wings.

Amanda (Abhall76) used Bug Catcher by Chelle’s Creations for her cute card. I love that big glittery firefly – perfect for the sentiment.

Just look at the fun scene quietangelsb created  and the fun sentiment. I am a sucker for blue and all things maritime. I love to go sailing, but I get awfully seasick pretty often – I guess you could call me slightly masochistic. *lol*

She used Harbor Bay and SOS- Harbor Bay Add -on by Dream Big Designs as well as Stampy Alpha v1 by Geniabeana Designs.

And last, but absolutely not least, Cathy (scrappycath) made this awesome pick-me-up card. Just look at that ribbon flower! And I love how she used Oh Snap and the coordinating Wordart from WM Squared Designs for her sentiment.

Wow, that was a long post, and I hope you’re feeling inspired enough to join us here in the forum. I can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with using  my template!

And here’s the fine print:

-You will receive one point for posting a photo of your completed card in this thread and in the It’s in the Cards 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 May to complete this challenge for May’s MOS points or wait to post in June for June’s MOS points!

-Remember no double dipping…your photo and/or card must be unique to this challenge.

-You don’t have to use ScrapMatters products, but we love it when you do!

Hi there! Melanie here to host this installment of It’s in the Cards! I’m so excited to be hosting this challenge as my first ever challenge as a CT member. So let’s not waste any time and get to the template!

And here’s some more inspiration from our fabulous CT!

From Tracy using Only The Sky Is The Limit by Amy Stoffel

From LeAnn using Boys’ Treasures by Andilynn Designs (from Andrea’s 2011 iNSD Grab Bag)

From Ami using Don’t Bug Me by Erica Zane

From Karen using Just Married by LDrag Designs (part of Lina’s 2011 iNSD Grab Bag)

From Jennifer using Sunkissed: Sunrise by Jennifer Labre Designs

From Sharon using iScream by Plum Dumpling Designs

From Sarah using Wonderful Tonight by Jady Day Studio and Julie Billingsley

Challenge reminders:
-You will receive one point for posting a link to your project in the It’s In The Cards 5/12 thread & in the It’s In the Cards 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 May to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.

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

-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but we love it when you do!