Holiday Pinterest Inspiration

Lisa and Wendi are up with us today to share a couple of Pinterest inspired holiday projects!  Come check out their fun creations!

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Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson used this holiday decor for inspiration on the title work of her layout

 
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Lisa Peeples was inspired by the simplicity of this painted canvas to create her own version to add as a background piece for her decorated mantle. What caught her eyes was the subtle texture brought into the background through the different shading in the red. (Due to bad weather I was unable to get great light for the picture. Check my blog later in the day for updated photos with hopefully no glare!)

Get Ready For Some Football!

Hey there! Practical Scrapper Lisa here to bring you today's post.Fall feels like many things to people... crisp air, changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes. One of the things I look forward to in the fall is football. Yes, I am a true football mom. I blame it on my oldest who has lived, breathed and eaten football since before he could hold one in his hands. From early on has talked our ears off recalling every play from every game he watched, memorizing and quoting stats that I wasn't even sure they kept and waiting for the day he could be on the field playing the game he loved for himself.  You can imagine I have tons of pictures of him playing on all of his different teams from flag football to the JV high school team he is currently on. I love sitting and scrapping those photos because being on the field is one of the places he is at his happiest.

Here is the latest layout I have finished of my boy. This was last season, his first in high school. I was able to use some of my massive stash for this layout which made me happy. I did get to use a little bit of new though. See those cool hashtags? Perfect for a high school boy, right? I'm sharing a little more on my blog about where those came from. I think I've discovered a new fave.

I would be remiss if I didn't share a little flashback of some of the early days of tackle football. These are some oldies but goodies that I dug up.

Goodness, he looks so little in that last layout. That was his first year of tackle back when he was only 10. He has grown so much in that time and yet I still have to admit that I cringe when he takes a big hit until he stands up and runs back towards the huddle. I sat watching him yesterday, snapping pictures of him and his team and even though it was cold outside, perfect football weather, I was warm inside seeing him happy on the field. I think I'll print some of this years photos this week and dig in.

Happy Fall!

Lisa

Using Stencils

We've come a long way since the days of using alphabet stencils on poster board to create school projects.  Today's stencils come in all shapes and sizes.  And if we can't find the stencil we want, we are making our own!  Let's see what crafty uses the Practical Scrappers On Trend Team has found for stencils:

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat created her own stencil from a Some Odd Girl cut file.  She then used her stencil to make the background of this card.

Practical Scrapper Malika used a Studio Calico stencil and two colors of Mister Huey ink to make her background on this layout.

Practical Scrapper Charissa used a Studio Calico stencil and her colored pencils to create part of her background before building the layout with Glitz Design's Finnley Collection.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used white gesso with a Studio Calico bubble stencil on the corners of her layout. She then inked over the gesso with a Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad after it dried to make the pattern stand out.

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee used a stencil and a black marker to doodle an additional pattern around her photo on this layout.

Getting Artsy Craftsy with Gesso!

Today, the Practical Scrappers On Trend team is here to show you that Gesso isn't used only on canvases anymore.  What is Gesso (correctly pronounced "jesso")?  Well, it is traditionally used by artists to prime their canvases before painting.  It brushes on like acrylic paint and dries to a hard, slightly textured consistency, which prevents paints from soaking into the canvas.  Gesso can also be used to create a modelling (also called molding) paste, which is exactly what it sounds like - a paste that can be molded or modelled into shapes and textures.  Scrapbookers have discovered and love it because it allows us to use painting and mixed media techniques directly on our layouts.  Want some examples for inspiration? You are in luck - just keep scrolling down...

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson used a mask with her gesso to create the brick look on the blue papers on this layout.  She also used gesso on the chevron to create an ombre look to it.

Practical Scrapper Julie used a mask and modeling paste to add dimension to her layout. She then used Faber-Castell gelatos to add color to her background.

Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink used a Heidi Swapp mask and thick layers of modeling paste. After the modeling paste dried, she added PanPastel to the hearts to give them touches of color.

 

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used gesso to create a painted background frame for her photo. She lightly pressed embossing folders into the gesso to give a slight pattern to it.

 

Practical Scrapper Marcia Dehn-Nix used modeling paste and a brick stencil to create dimension on this vintage layout of her grandparents. Gesso was also used around the photo and over this kraft clock to suit the color scheme better.

Practical Scrapper Cathy used a Heidi Swapp mask and modeling paste to create dimension and  more interest on her layout. Modeling paste is above the hearts and on the little black layer of paper behind the tag!

Practical Scrapper Charissa used gesso to paint a photo mat for her photos, softening the bright yellow Glitz Designs patterned paper. She also painted in the stamped arrows above her title with gesso, again to soften the yellow of the patterned paper.

Back to School Layouts

It's that time again - in the U.S., children everywhere are starting school or counting down their last days of summer freedom.  And as they head off to school with their new backpacks and stories of "what I did this summer," we moms are rejoicing at the few hours of quiet and sanity that has returned to our homes.  Or maybe we are trying not to cry as our little one starts their very first day of school.  Either way - at Practical Scrappers, it means we are digging out our school-themed papers, printing out our Instagram photos, and showing off our Back-to-School layouts, like these:

 

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson used an older Crate Paper school line on this page of her son.

 

Practical Scrapper Becci used her crafty supplies to make these back-to-school gifts.

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat has a pocket layout to hold all the important papers from 2nd Grade.

Practical Scrapper Nicole Laha stamped these back to school images on patterned paper and layered them onto the front of her card.

Practical Scrapper Julie used an alphabetic letter mask from Kesi'Art and paper reinforcements to go with the theme.

Practical Scrapper Lanette used her scrappy scraps and old stickers from her stash to make this fun school days layout.

 

Practical Scrapper Malika used Chic Tags new Schoolhouse line to create this first day of school layout.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used an old Bo Bunny line and some cork board stickers to scrap her son's fifth grade photos.

 

 

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee used Crate Paper's Portrait Collection for this layout that has a hidden journaling card containing a quiz of her 8th Grader's current favorites.

Sunbursts

It's a fact - we love the sun.  We love spending time outside on a sunny day.  We love to take pictures when the sun's lighting is just right.  And, now, we love to add sunshine to our cards and scrapbook layouts!  Put on your sunglasses and come see how our On Trend Team has interpreted the popular trend of adding sunbursts to a project.

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson created a sunburst out of pattern paper and added stitching across the rays for texture

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat created a sunburst using the Silhouette and backed the negative space with pattern paper.

Practical Scrapper Cathy created a layered sunburst with the Bazzill Sweetwater Lucy's Crab Shack line!

Practical Scrapper Malika made a summery card with a Silhouette cut sunburst and an Epiphany Crafts epoxy.

Practical Scrapper Lanette covered her whole layout with a burst pattern.

Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink made a sunburst pattern for the background and handstitched all the pieces together. She chose her photo for the dreamy effect created by the shining sun.  

Practical Scrapper Nicole Laha cut sun rays freehand from patterned paper and adhered them behind her summer photos.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used fun sunbursts to make a cover for her journal she created to record her crafty ideas and sketches.

Practical Scrapper Kerri created her sunburst with Crate Paper's Emma's Shoppe Collection.   She inked the edges of the pink/red sunbursts to highlight them.

Practical Scrapper Marcia Dehn-Nix used a Sunburst only on the top half of her layout and used stitching and sequins to accent it.

 Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee used patterened paper from Pretty Little Studio's Nature Walk Collection to create her fall-themed sunburst that she accented with stitching, paper feathers, hearts, buttons, and sequins.

Negative Space Layouts

Have you ever said or heard someone say, "don't be so negative?"  Well, guess what?  With scrapbooking, you can be as negative as you want - and it's a good thing!  In fact, it's another hot trend.  Check out these negative space layouts by our On Trend team - I am positive they will put a smile on your face and give your creativity a jump start!

 

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat used a Some Odd Girl Circle with Arrows Cut File and had lots of negative space with the arrows.

Practical Scrapper Cathy created her negative space layout with a Fancy Pant's Silhouette File and Fancy Pant's Good Life collection (and photos of the cutest little fisherman ever!)

Practical Scrapper Charissa used a Silhouette Cameo cut file and backed the negative space with a variety of patterned papers from Carta Bella's Hello Again collection.

Practical Scrapper Malika used her Silhouette to make subtitles for her layout. Instead of gluing each little letter down she used the negative and backed the strip of patterned paper with black card stock.

Practical Scrapper Marcia Dehn-Nix created a negative space title and backed it with pattern paper.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples fussy cut some of the arrows out of her paper and placed embellishments inside. She also used chipboard pieces and backed the negative space with paper to create her title piece and little heart at the top.

July Layout Sketch

If you love Layout Sketches, you are going to really love this one by Liz!  It was so much fun to play with.  We hope that you agree!

 

Practical Scrapper Lisa Moen

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson

Practical Scrappers Liz

Practical Scrapper Deborah

Practical Scrapper Jennifer Haggerty

Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink

Practical Scrapper Julie

Practical Scrapper Alison

Practical Scrapper Lucy

Practical Scrapper Dawn Rene

Practical Scrapper Charissa

Practical Scrapper Kristy

Practical Scrapper Kim Ryden

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples

 

 

If you would like to play along with us this month, we would love to see what you create!  Just link up in the comments below or add your layout to our facebook page.  Can't wait to see what you come up with!