July Challenge

He Loves Reading by Tere

Design Team Member Tere submitted this layout for the July Brad / Eyelet Challenge. She said, Besides the brads I used a combination of the rest of a kit from 2008 and the rest of different themed school papers/embellishments, I got a long time ago to make a mini book.

I also used the Scrap Our Stash sketch Challenge #2"

Now, it's your turn to take the Challenge - just complete a project using either/or brads or eyelets and send a picture along with a brief description to Scrappinpsycho@live.com. You could be chosen to be on the September Guest Design Team. Check out all the details below in July Challenge.

Scrap Our Stash - Blog Hop Winners

Our first SOS Blog Hop was a great success. The design team had some great posts and everyone had a great time hopping from one blog to the other. The winner of the Follower Blog Candy is Kath - please send your mailing address to scrappinpsycho@live.com.

The Grand Prize winner is... Amie Reker.

Thanks to all who became followers, left comments and participated in the hop.

It's not too late to take the July Brad / Eyelet Challenge. See all the details below.

Christmas in July Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Scrap Our Stash Christmas in July Blog Hop. This is your first stop. You will be linked to 14 of our Design Team member's blogs. You will want to visit all 14 blogs in order to determine the secret phrase and be eligible for the Scrap Our Stash Grand Prize.

Along your way you will find that each blog will have a special Christmas type project to share and many will be offering blog candy. Each blog will also provide a word in the secret phrase. If you visit all the blogs in the order given - you will have the complete phrase. Send an email to scrappinpsycho@live.com with the secret phrase (all words must be in the correct order). All entries must be rec'd by 8:00 PM Central Time, Sunday, July 25th. At the conclusion of the blog hop - a lucky winner will be drawn from all the correct phrases, and will be awarded the GRAND PRIZE, an assorted array of Scrapbooking supplies from several of our Design Team Members.

Sign up to be a follower at Scrap Our Stash and your name will be placed in a drawing for a surprise package of Blog Candy.

So become a follower and hop on over to Joni's Stuff.

If you should get lost along the way - come back here.

Also, check back on Monday, July 26th - all prizes will be announced here! And while your here - why not take the July Challenge - details below.

July Challenge

Design Team Member Rachel created this layout for the July Brad / Eyelet Challenge. She said, this layout is about the traditional July 4th celebration that I participate in each year. I looked EVERYWHERE for brads in my stash,but didn't find any! I resigned that I wouldn't have any, so I substituted buttons for brads for this challenge and used them in the center of my flowers. When I was looking for my cutting blade to cut the 2 pages apart, I found some brads so I added them to the upper right corner to add some extra detail! Thanks for this challenge!

Now it's your turn to accept the challenge - maybe the challenge will be to find those brads or eyelets, like Rachel. Send a picture and brief description of your project to scrappinpsycho@live.com . We will post it to the blog - and you could be chosen as a Guest Design Team member for September. See all the details in the July Challenge post.

Don't miss the Christmas in July Blog Hop. See all the details below.

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Who doesn't love Christmas? But once Thanksgiving comes - so does all the hectic preparations for Christmas. Who has time for Scrapbooking in December?

Scrap Our Stash will be sponsoring a Christmas in July Blog Hop! It will be from July 22nd - July 25th. Many of the Design Team and Guest Design Team members are preparing a special "Christmas" type post for you to visit on their personal blogs, and many of the blogs will also be offering blog candy for comments and/or following. There will also be a prize awarded for the Scrap Our Stash Christmas in July Blog Hop Contest.

This will be a fun filled weekend you won't want to miss. Mark your calendars now - and watch Scrap Our Stash for further information.

July Challenge

Design Team member Laurie submitted this layout for the July Brad / Eyelet Challenge. She said, "This layout is about last Valentine's Day. I made heart shaped pancakes for my DH as a surprise. I've had the layout finished for a little while, but knew it was missing just a little bit more decor somehow. The July challenge came to the rescue as I really got to use my stash with these Making Memories heart shaped brads. I have had these forever! Now I feel happy about the final layout result.

Now it's your turn to take the challenge. Send a picture and brief description of your completed brad / eyelet project to scrappinpsycho@live.com . You could be chosen for our September Guest Design team member. See all the details in July Challenge below.

Don't miss our Christmas in July Blog Hop. See all the details below.

July Challenge

Recipe Cards by Kimmarie


Kimmarie submitted these recipe cards for the July Brad / Eyelet Challenge. She said, "I am hosting a Recipe Card swap over at CK Club and I decided to use brads on them. I love doing swaps. I am sharing my recipe cards with all the peeps here at SOS because I thought it would be nice to post something other than a layout to show that you can use brads on anything. The recipe cards measure 4 x 6 inches. There were no other specifics in the altering. I also stitched on the front bottom of the cards to add some more dimension. The paper I used was Chatterbox. I have been hoarding this paper for years and finally decided it was time to use it. I think the papers are perfect for the recipe cards. Next project I will be using eyelets. I have so many and haven't used them in a very long while. I actually have 3 types of tools to set them with, so I will be playing alot this month.

When was the last time you used brads or eyelets? Get creative and share your projects with us. Email your completed project to scrappinpsycho@live.com and Kathy will post it on our blog. You could be chosen for the September Guest Design Team. See all the details in July Challenge below.

Also, you won't want to miss our upcoming Christmas in July Blog Hop. See all the details below.

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 2

Sweet by Mandy

Reader Mandy submitted this layout for the Scrap Our Stash Sketch 2 Challenge. She said, "This was a fun sketch. The journaling in the first circle says "I made The Pioneer Woman's from-scratch cinnamon rolls one morning for work, and you got so excited! When I gave you a pan for work, you said "tell your friends thanks for experimenting on me!" and the journaling in the second circle says "We made such a huge mess making the cinnamon rolls, and I had to go to work without cleaning it up. When I got home, I found out you cleaned the whole kitchen for me! I literally said 'God bless you Jack!' out loud." Mandy has also posted her layout on HER BLOG

$$Frugal Friday Tip$$

Use a Magazine Ad as your patterned paper by Kathy

What better way to get cute patterned paper for your layout - then for free from a magazine ad. I loved this paper kit that was advertised in a Hobby Lobby Scrapbooking magazine. So, I just cut all the pieces out in squares, rounded the corners, inked them - and I had my page. Even the mat behind the photo and the photo turn are cut from the ad.

I actually liked this paper so much - that I ended up buying the package.

What can you make from a magazine ad? We'd love for you to share it with us.

Do you have a frugal tip you'd like to share? Just email a picture and description to Scrappinpsycho@live.com. You could be featured as our next Frugal Friday Tip!

July Challange

Hair cut Time by Joni

Design Team Member Joni submitted this layout for the July Brad / Eyelet Challenge.

Now it's your turn - send a picture and description to scrappinpsycho@live.com . You could be chosen to be on our September Guest Design Team. See all the details in the July Challenge below.

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 2 & July Challenge

Cake... yum by Kimmarie

Design team member Kimmarie said, "I had fun working with this sketch. I am making my daughter a graduation album in an 8 x 8 size so this sketch was a little bit of a challenge. I almost fit it all in. The supplies I used were TPC Studio Hats Off paper pack, Stampin Up Blue pattern papers, eyelets that came with my crop-a-dile, Stazon Ink, Making Memories alpha stickers and misc flowers.

I was able to do the sketch and throw in 4 eyelets to use for July's brads and eyelets challenge. My 10 year old daughter also scrapped with me and she did a graduation 8 x 8 layout as well and used square brads. We had such a nice time together. Do you ever scrap with your children? I do, but it takes away from the time I want to make something so I only scrap with them when I know that I can give them my attention. While Victoria scrapped, I played with stamps, embossing, glitter and flocking... No matter how many times I try, I cannot get the embossing done just right. I loved flocking. Anyway, enjoy the time you have with them. Take time to try our second sketch and July's challenge to use brads or eyelets. When you are done with your creation, send it to scrappinpsycho@live.com and Kathy will post your creation on our blog.

Thanks,
--
Kimmarie

July Challenge

You Complete Us by Amy
Design Team Member Amy submitted this layout for the July Brad/Eyelet Challenge. She said, " i chose to dig down to the depths of my stash of buttons, brads and eyelets. :) Some of those are over 10 years old! I used the Bazzill In Stitchz cardstock and instead of stitching i put button, brads, snaps and eyelets in the holes. Part of my title is also attached with a brad as well.

Amy

How about taking the challenge? Just complete a project using Brads or Eyelets and email a picture along with a brief description to scrappinpsycho@live.com . You could be chosen to be on our September Guest Design Team. Check out all the details in July Challenge below.

June Prize Winner

And the winner is!!!!!

Angie!

Congratulations! Please email your mailing address to: scrappinpsycho@live.com

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 2

Design Team Member Stephanie submitted this layout for the Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 2. She Said, "I'm back to my old tricks again, doing layouts years after the event happened. I may have guessed on the year based on the clothes and the color of Ryan's ring (His engagement ring was silver and his wedding ring is gold. I'm pretty sure that ring is silver!) Also, I know that I missed the parade in 2008, and that I haven't printed the 2009 or 2010 photos! It's either 2007 or 2006 and I'm pretty sure we were all underage in 2006 and the other photos I have involve lots of booze! As you can guess St. Pat's is a HUGE street party here in Butte, America. It makes sense because Butte is a Irish-Catholic mining town. :) For this layout I used MME's Totally Girl stack, Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, WMS stamps, copper ink, and emerald perfect pearls to pull it all together. I love the button in the middle of my handmade shamrock, it kind of holds the whole layout together! I can't wait for the next sketch and I hope you play along too!

July Challenge

Paris by Libeeti
Reader Libeeti submitted this layout for the July Brad/Eyelet Challenge. She said, "Here is my submission for the July challenge.
The photos were taken in Paris, on a tour I've had there 13 years ago.
I've used a key shaped brad on the cover of the 'envelope', a round brads on the photos and a heart shaped brad on the bluish dp.
Thnak you for a lovely challenge!
I'm so happy I found your blog.
Hugs,
Libeeti

Now it's your turn to take the challenge. Just submit a picture of your project and a brief description to scrappinpsycho@live.com. Your submission will be posted to the blog and you could be chosen to be on our September Guest Design Team. See all the details in July Challenge below.

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 2

Design Team Member Monica submitted this layout for the Scrap Our Stash Challenge 2. She said, "I really enjoyed using this sketch! I love creating pages with more than just one photo so this was perfect for me. I decided to use 3 pictures since they were hard to crop. In place of the fourth picture I put some journaling. I always have to have journaling, to me it's really important to document what the pictures are about. These pictures are of my son and neice in their Halloween pj's that my sister-in-law bought them both! Loved the pictures of the two of them"!

Take the Sketch Challenge - details are on the sidebar!

$$Frugal Friday Tip$$

Here is Ren-Yi's contribution for the July brad/eyelet challenge & Frugal Friday tip (all in one). She said, "When I saw the theme to the next SOS challenge, I was coming up with usual way I use eyelets and brads: center of flowers, adding a few in a row to add extra bling, adding them to ribbon, etc. But I wanted to do something different. So here I was going "Think Think Think" like Pooh bear. So while crafting on a different project, which included cutting out a cloud, I had my a-hah moment. Clouds are like "thought bubbles," which require little bubbles, but little bubbles remind me of "air bubbles," which led to fishies swimming. Totally logical, right? ;) Here are a couple of fun, *planned* elements to the card:
* Embossed the kraft card stock and inked the raised parts with a stamp pad (a technique I spied off on the very talented blog of Claire from Waltzingmouse Stamps) to create water and waves
* Used wavy ribbon to represent water waves, which also breaks the area of embossed and non-embossed card stock up well.
* Used Swiss Dots Bazzill paper since "bubbles and dots" where kind of a theme.
* Frugal Friday Tip: Use your existing sentiments to make a better & punnier one. If you recognized the font or sentiment, you are probably thinking Papertrey Ink's Mega Mixed Messages. But if you don't recall a "Best Fishes" sentiments in the set, I say "Look otherwise!" *wink wink* "Father" and "Wishes" in "Best Wishes" are of the same font type and same font size. So yep, through masking and careful placement of the stamp, one can create a new sentiment. Tada! This does not always work, but always look for opportunities. Remember this card? I isolated the "N" from a sentiment that ends with an "N" (e.g. "Good Man" or "Have Fun") to write out "Well Done 'N Good Luck." Gotta get as much mileage out of your stamps, right?
And then there are the usual unplanned mistakes and how to "recover" hack:
* Used a Crop-A-Dile to punch out the holes and fasten the eyelets. Does anyone ever remember there is a guard? Duh. I had already glued down Mr. Fishy and the holes to punch out the air bubbles were absolutely no where near Mr. Fishy. Oops. So i had to relocate Mr. Fishy a little more to the left. Good thing when I adhere I don't push and attach everything down, until everything is placed where I want it.
* Mr. Fishy was drawn as a sketch on the scrap piece in an inked pen (my pencil was hijacked!), only he was too large. Oops. No big deal, turn the card stock around and start again ;) My Recycling 101, #1 Rule: if there is an "Oops", use the other side ;)
* So, remember the Frugal Friday tip? My third "Oops" and "I should have practiced." Sometimes concepts are just better in theory and need to be tested out first. The "F" was placed significantly lower, and it was not recoverable. Which brings me to my My Recycling, Rule #2: Cover up. So, now you can guess why there is a sentiment matted onto Swiss Dotted Bazzill paper. Shhh - don't tell anyone, it'll be our secret, yes?
* After (to my absolute relief) of kinda nailing my punny sentiment, I realized it stamped the sentiment crooked but cut out the card stock straight. Duh. Sigh. Groan. I was planning on aligning the matted sentiment parallel to the edge of the card, but it was so obviously crooked. So, if you tilt the sentiment in the direction it was crookedly stamped (in my case, i stamped it slanting upward and I tilted the whole matted sentiment upward), it's less noticeable. So you'll keep that secret, too, right?
Hope some of these hacks were helpful. Do you have other creative brad and eyelet uses? If so, bring 'em on before July 31st. A guest design spot is at stake, and let me tell you I had a ball with these ladies. Thanks SOS for a chance to play with ya'll and be a July Guest Designer."

July Challenge

Mother and Daughter by Wendy
Design Team Member Wendy submitted this layout for the the July Brad/Eyelet Challenge. This is what she said, "I love brads but really do not care for eyelets at all. Using them to trim a scalloped border, like in this layout, has become my favorite way to use up some of my stash. I thought about adding more, maybe some ribbon along the top, but decided that it really looks just fine as is. I hope you join us in the challenge this month!"

See all the details below in July Challenge.

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 2

Tiwanaku by Rachel

Here is Design Team Member Rachel's take on the Scrap Our Stash Sketch 2. She said, "I loved how it called for so many pictures! Thanks for the inspiration"!!!

Now it's your turn to take the Challenge. Check out all the details in the sidebar.

July Challenge

Remember by Brittney
Design Team Member Brittney submitted this layout for the July "Brad/Eyelet" Challenge.

She said, "Can you believe that I don't have one eyelet (and I've never even owned one)! However, I do have brads - and loads of them. For this layout, I used a total of 12 mini white brads."

Do you have any brads or eyelets? Why not complete the challenge and submit your project for a chance to become a Guest Design Team Member. See all the details below in July Challenge.

July Challenge

My Mad Martian Maker by Christy

Guest Design Team Member Christy submitted this layout for the the July Brad/Eyelet Challenge.

Here is her description:
My son recieved a Martian Maker toy as a gift. I really wanted to make the colors of the toy pop...so I chose a black background. I chose the Sassafrass patterned paper because it reminded me of stars. it also had a retro feel that reminded me of the "my favorite Martian" show. I chose green ribbon from Cosmo Cricket's Jack's world collection as a border. I wanted a space theme, So I used chipboard stickers from K and Company. I made the stars myself. Flat stars would have worked fine, but I really wanted to add dimension. I had just viewed a tutorial about making folded stars on the Scrapbook and cards Today blog. I added brads to one of the stars as an accent.

TIP:
when doing this, make sure your the tabs on your brads are not pointed at a crease...they will poke through if you aren't careful. To adhere the stars to my page in such a way that they would not get crushed, I glued pieces of cotton balls inside of them. I cut the title on my cricut using CK's Jolly Elf font. I love using brads on a LO. They are such an easy way to add a little dimension and interest to your layouts.
--

Now it's your turn to take the July Brad/Eyelet Challenge. See all the details below in July Challenge.

$$Frugal Friday Tip$$

No More Dirty Dog - by Joni

Design Team Member Joni submitted this layout in which she used her Frugal Friday Tip re: dried out paint.

$$Frugal Friday Tip$$

Dried out paint by Joni








So, tell me if this has ever happened to you?....
You search through your paints....looking for the perfect color to match your layout.....you find it...the perfect color.... So you open up the bottle AND.........the paint is a clumpy mess!!! This has happened more than once to me...and I was just throwing away the bottle of paint. Then I realized I was throwing $$ right in the trash. So here is what I do now!!!

Perfect color paint -- Actually opened the seal on a brand new bottle (ok, never opened but I may have had it a few years)


Yep, it's all dried out...this paint actually has some moisture in it...(some I've found to be even more dried out).


I dig some out using the non-brush end of a paint brush & spread it onto my item (chipboard in this case)


I wipe it all around with my finger (yep, finger painting....and I don't mind getting dirty!!)


Now here's the important step:
Put a layer of Diamond Glaze or other clear adhesive over it (this will keep the dry paint from flaking off.



This little piece was only for the background behind the little doggie so he wasn't floating off my layout.