Front Porch Kits Feature and Giveaway

Introducing Front Porch Kits!  This Kit Club is like no other....you will find no strings attached, no contracts or other commitments. Items in the kits are hand picked including some expected and not so expected goodies! Our FP Kits are always unique and will appeal not only to Scrappers but all you Craft Enthusiasts as well.  

I got to work with the June Kit:  One Sunny Day.  This kit is built around a delightful color palette and is filled with unique textures and embellishments that's sure to brighten even the cloudiest of days.  As I was working with it I was cringing cutting into some of the paper because the colors were just so fabulous!  One Sunny Day is full of creative potential!!!  It was full of texture of all types...fabric, canvas, textured cardstock, mesh, flowers, and more.  The picture below shows the contents but can't do the textures justice :).  

Also included in the Front Porch Kit is a cd-rom with projects on it to help you get started.  I created one  project from that and enjoyed the inspiration provided by the others. There is also a feature on that cd-rom that shows you how to build a flower.  I kept seeing this flower on their inspiration projects so I was excited when I figured out it was the one I got to build.  I'm going to show you one of their examples because it's better than mine :).

 Inspiration is also in incredible supply on their website gallery.  There are gobs of projects and close ups to fuel your creativity.   Here's what I created with One Sunny Day:

 I used some of the fabric to create rolled flowers (first time ever!)  I also used some of the yarn to create the smaller flowers that mimic the rolled ones.  This paper from My Minds Eye and Crate Paper is gorgeous and I had to find a way to use as much of it as possible :)

This family tree wall hanging was based on a project from their cd-rom.  The corrugated cardboard actually came from the box they sent the kit in.  The tree die-cut is a special feature in this kit as well.

 Some more of that paper...I fussy cut it to show off the flowers from it.

I used some more of the fabric to create the yellow flower.  The blue flower is from their build a flower template...I bent it a little too much.  Again I refer you to theirs up above, because it looks just marvelous!

This layout showcases all that texture...mesh, blue netting trim, flowers, buttons...As you can see I barely used patterned paper!

Would you like to get your hands on a Front Porch Kit?  You can find their website here.  Today you can also enter for a chance to win your own.  Here's what you need to do:

1) Make sure you are a follower here and leave us a comment telling us which Front Porch Kit is your favorite.

2) For a second entry become a follower on their blog and let us know you did.

Deadline for entry is July 8th.

-Christine

  

Red, White, and Blue Layouts

Welcome to another fun-filled day of layouts!  Here's our patriotic tribute to the 4th of July by celebrating the colors red, white, and blue in layouts.  These 10 layouts will leaving you "ooohing" and "aaahing" for more just like those fireworks...

Practical Scrapper Samantha

Practical Scrapper Sandi

Challenge Me Tuesday: Bingo Cards

I'm not sure how the phenomenon of bingo cards for scrapbooking came about; I've never seen an actual bingo card used on a layout. Popularized by Jenni Bowlin Studio, now you can find bingo cards in a variety of themes, sizes, colors and styles by several companies such as My Mind's Eye and Maya Road. There are also stamps, embossing folders, and customizable digital downloads available like these freebies from the Frugal Crafter.

Here is a great selection of examples from both our readers and design team:

 Practical Scrapper Samantha

  Practical Scrapper Brenda

Practical Scrapper Erin

Practical Scrapper Christine

 Practical Scrapper Fern

JJ Sobey

Irit Shalom

Please join us next week in our challenge featuring bows. Whether they are itty bitty, or big and bold, we want to see how you are using bows on your cards and layouts. Send us a link to your project at practicalscrapperslaouts@gmail.com, we'll publish our favorites here next week.

Happy Scrapping!

**Designer projects are not always linked in our posts, but you can always find their blogs in our sidebar or in the staff tab**

Red, White, and Blue Cards

In one week from today it will be the 4th of July and we will celebrate our country's (here in the USA) Independence Day. To get you that patriotic spirit we thought we'd kick off this week with our call for red, white, and blue. Take a look out our card submissions from readers and design team members...

Practical Scrapper Jayma

Julia S

Frugal Finds: Masking tape, Packing Tape, Electrical Tape, and Scotch Tape on Papercrafting Projects

Last month we brought you projects made with coffee filters, this month your fearless leaders here at Practical Scrappers are bringing you projects made with tape. Our only rule for each other is that it couldn't be "made for scrapbooking/decorative tape." I really (really really) got into this one...there were so many fun possibilities. While none of us dove into duck tape (can you blame us?)...we tackled all the other major household varieties. Best of all we used them in ways that are kinda unexpected. Before you read the captions, take a look at the pictures and see if you can figure out where the tape is!

Christine wrangled and twisted long pieces of masking tape and made them into little rosettes.

Erin used long strips of scotch tape to cover the entire surface of her black cardstock base, trapping small punched shapes and sequins underneath. She then burnished the surface with a bone folder, rubbing gently around all the little shapes. After adhering her photos, she discovered that the slick surface just begged to be doodled on with a silver pen, and pearl pen, and was fun to stamp on as well.

Fabulous Finds Friday June 24th

People have been busy out there this week!  My reader list was was longer than usual.  I enjoyed bouncing around and checking things out, here's the favorites that I found from this week along with a few sent in by our designers.  Today is my 11th Anniversary with my wonderful hubby...so I picked 11 to share with you!  If you would like me to check out your blog, leave me a link here and I will add it to my reader!
Love Note
Laugh
Changing Pictures to Coloring Sheets
Watermelons
Favorite Toys
Warm Thoughts
Sunshine Borders Card
3 Together
Scrapbook Decor
Love & Cuddles
Birthday Celebration

Enjoy your weekend!
-Christine

June Sketch Reveal, and July Sketches!

Now that June is nearing it's end, it's time to show you what our designers and readers have created using this month's sketches! If you didn't have a chance to play along, or to send in your projects, check out July's sketches at the end of this post, or in the sidebar.

Practical Scrapper Jannike

Practical Scrapper Sandi

Practical Scrapper Carolina

Layouts With Stamping

It's Wednesday which means it's our layout day! Today we highlight the same topic we did on Monday, stamping. There are so many things you can do with stamps on your layouts from creating your own background paper, to making embellishments, or even adding the look of some texture. Our favorites from the submissions we received touch on some of those areas and a few more genius ideas, too!

Practical Scrapper Sarah create some of her own designer cardstock by stamping with her Martha Stewart inks and her little camera image. She then creased her papers and sanded over them the create her own look.

Audrey Yeager created her kraft cardstock background by stamping with 5 or so different stamps, her VersaMark, some light black ink, as well as her Ranger white paint dauber. Doesn't this background look AMAZING? I've never thought about stamping with a Versa on kraft paper, but I am definitely inspired to do it now!

Challenge Me Tuesday: Pop dots ( 3D foam spacers)

I think we would all agree that paper is fun! Fun, full of colour, pattern, and possibilities.


What it may often be lacking however is dimension. Enter foam spacers. Foam spacers, or pop dots, can bring a flat project from drab to dynamite by adding a bit of height and interest. Try layering stickers in various heights on a layout or card, using spacers to highlight a photo, or to create a sense of depth in a scene.

Adhesives that add dimension come in a myriad of forms and sizes. Helmar has now come out with a liquid "pop-dot" called Scrap Dots, EK Success makes many sizes of 3D Dots made of foam, as does All Night Media. Glue Dots Pop Up Dots, are thick adhesive dots that give dimension. I have used leftover foam letter stickers cut into segments on projects in a pinch, and stacked several foam squares on occasion to give loads of height.  

Here are some reader and design team examples of great ways to take projects to new heights!

Practical Scrapper Carolina

Practical Scrapper Kylie

Practical Scrapper Claude

Practical Scrapper Erin

 

Noemi Prive

Aymee Gandy

Irit Shalom

Thanks to everyone who played along, and shared their creations with us.
**Next week we're featuring Bingo cards and paraphanalia.
Send us your projects featuring bingo style cards, bingo markers or chips to practicalscrapperslayouts(at)gmail.com

Cards With Stamping

This topic of stamping covers such a wide range of possibilities, and today's projects do just that; cover a variety of techniques, tools to stamp with, and materials to stamp on. One thing is for sure, you are definitely going to be grabbing those ink pads and stamps when you are done looking at our top ten from this call!

Practical Scrapper Fern's stamped image and coloring stand out on this card from her choice of colors and pattern paper.

Check out this adorable You are my Sunshine card that Kristie Maynard created.  She stamped her image on a dryer sheet and colored with water color crayons--how original!!

Fabulous Finds Friday: June 17th

Another week and another set of awesome projects out there.  Here's the list of my favorites for this week!  Enjoy!

I Wish Everyday

Beautiful Soul

Shades

When One Door Closes

Dad You Rock

Ready, Set, Go

You're Too Kind

One Layer Card

Lovin' Life

Memory Maker

Life is Nice

Sunshine

Have a Marvelous Weekend!

Lots of Blue

It's time for our monthly color feature and this month we challenged you to use lots of the color blue.  Check out all these fun projects - next months feature color is revealed at the bottom!

Practical Scrapper Michelle create this adorable cover of a story that her daughter is writing for her son.  To see the inside pages check out her blog you can find it on the side bar!

Practical Scrapper Carolina

Disney Layouts

Welcome to the magical world of Disney--day two! Monday we shared with you some Disney cards. Today, we are going to share all that "Mouseketeer" fun in layouts from both our design team and favorite reader submissions. For me, I could share probably about 55%-60% of all the layouts I've ever accomplished today, and that's no foolin'. After a high school trip, spring break trip, honeymoon, and two family vacations there it would be hard for my albums not to be mostly Disney! If you've got a great Disney layout that you didn't get a chance to send in, please share a link in our comments. I still have 343 pictures to scrap from our 2009-10 trip and am always looking for more Disney inspiration!

Practical Scrapper Kerri

Jody Thompson

Practical Scrapper Caroline

Challenge Me Tuesday: Cork

ETA** Next week-  We want to see foam spacers and pop dots! Send your projects to Practicalscrapperslayouts(at)gmail(dot)com before Tuesday June 21st.

I love the look and texture of cork on a card or layout. There is something neutral and natural about cork, similar to kraft paper, that just seems to go with everything. My first experimentation with cork and papercrafting came when I found some adhesive cork feet at the dollar store. The small disks had smooth edges, and were slightly larger than a quarter. They were perfect to stamp and decorate. Now, most scrapbook stores and craft stores carry sheets or rolls of adhesive cork, as well as embellishments from companies such as Pink Paislee and Magenta Style. 

While I have had some issues finding the right settings on my Cricut to cut the sheets without tearing and crumbling ( I wouldn't rule out a dull blade), I have had great success cutting with steel rule dies, and with my edge punches. If you're looking for something new to play with, I highly suggest cork. It can be stamped, misted, inked, doodled, painted, cut, torn, sewn, punched and oh- remember all those pretty pins you've been collecting? What better material to stick them in!

Here are some fun projects featuring cork: 

 Practical Scrapper Michelle has played up the natural, masculine aspect of cork here, pairing it with kraft colored cardstock and newsprint pattern.

Practical Scrapper Erin:  Just to show that cork can have a fun side if you let it. I used Sizzix dies to cut the dinosaurs. The natural cork contrasts with the bright primary colors.

Disney Cards

Practical Scrapper Christine created this Phineas & Ferb card.  Check out Phineas' hair made of bakers twine.

A sweet Daisy and Donald Duck card created by Practical Scrapper Brenda B

Practical Scrapper Kerri create this cute Lightening McQueen card using her Gypsy.

Who doesn't love Tigger?  Here's Practical Scrapper Brenda B's card starring him.

Practical Scrapper Fern created this cute Minnie Mouse card

Now this one is not a card, but Practical Scrapper Kerri wanted to share this great Disney gift bag and tag that she create using her SCAL to cut the bag and tag and her Cuttlebug to emboss with the Cinderella die and embossing folder combo.

If you are interested in checking out a darling Disney Paper Bag Album...we have a link to one from all the way back to the second month of our existence!

We'll see you later in the week with some Disney Layouts!

**Designer projects are not always linked in our posts, but you can always find their blogs in our sidebar or in the staff tab**