Cosmo's Flueriste Comes Outta da Stash!

Too many ideas for the amount of time I have to scrap! This is one of those layouts that has been in my head for a year. The catalyst to finally get it scrapped was a word challenge at A Cherry On Top to use the word "book" in your layout.

This layout is about the very first time Abby brought a chapter book home from school to read. The teachers were doing their best to find challenging books that were age appropriate. Abby was so used to breezing through her reading assignments, and she was not happy about having to bring a chapter book home. She didn't have to read the entire book in one evening, but just the image of all those words on ONE page set her off. ;-)

She lay on the couch, this way and that. Feet up on the back, then on the side rest, squirming every which way. Because of this I chose to use my Hangin' Around owl chipboard shape by Magistical Memories in an upside down position.

Rather than paint this chipboard shape I chose to color almost the entire piece with heat embossing. I happened to have my embossing powder case set out from a previous project, so I figured "why not!". I used embossing ink markers to wet certain areas, sprinkled with chosen color, and heat set. For the branch I simply used Ranger Distress Stickles, and for the body I cut the patterned paper design sample off the Cosmo Cricket Fleuriste crafting kit packaging. It just seemed appropriate to have an alphabet covered owl for a layout about reading. The googly eyes by BoBunny were perfect - reminded me of Abby's eyes the day she brought a chapter book home, rolling her eyes, and asking, "Do I have to read all this!!?"


Again, since embossing powders were out I chose to heat emboss Cosmo's blackboard letters. I chose to emboss a lighter pink on top of a burgundy color. I used Making Memories glitter stickers for the word "chapter" and used my white Signo pen to create drop shadows.

I punched circles and placed along a border strip. On these smaller circles I wrote some key information so that Abby's achievement as an accelerated reader might be remembered through the years.

Cosmo Crickets journaling cards always offer ample room if you tend to write a lot, as I do. This one in particular was the perfect choice in creating a layout about reading a story.


To this day Abby loves to read, including chapter books. She loves Magic Treehouse and has recently discovered the fun in reading Junie B Jones. She is even using her wonderful imagination to write her very own stories, using a stapler to make a "book". I am quite impressed with her story writing and ideas already - I really do think this little girl of ours is going to have a story that continues on, and on, and on...

No Turning Back with The Boyfriend!

Let's do some scrapping with Cosmo Cricket's The Boyfriend collection! I love this line - it's perfect for my game lovin' almost teen boy, and yes, I even see layouts of our daughter with this line. I picked up the crafting kit a while ago, but this has been my first chance to delve into it.

What I really like about this layout is the double meaning in the title, "No Turning Back". Sure, it ties in with my journaling...but what it really means is that on the first day of school Kyle was so grown up he would not even LOOK at me so I could get his picture. Sure, he had to get hoofin' to school so he wouldn't be late, but he could have at least let his mom take a picture on his first day of middle school. They grow up too fast! (LOL)

Last week Kristen, from Cosmo, sent me a package of goodies to make up for a little oversight in an order I had placed.(Thanks Kristen!) "The Boyfriend" crafting kit was included - and I was thrilled to now have a double supply of this line!


Because I now had two journaling card sheets, I could cut into the sneaker design and use it as an embellishment/sub-title holder using Pink Paislee letter stickers. I love the back side of the sneaker journaling card as well, so I could cut without guilt knowing I had a spare.

When I cropped this photo I realized there was plenty of street to be had. Rather than bring the boys down and have lots of air, I chose to raise them up and use the road as a surface for "writing" down my journaling.


Have you scrapped any back to school photos yet? I highly recommend creating some pages, or a back-to-school mini album with The Boyfriend. Picking up a crafting kit, and grab some extras of your favorites - it will make you feel guiltless when you cut into your paper. (LOL)

Congrats Julia and Diecutlady!! (update 7/27)

FYI for everyone checking - both Julia and diecutlady have given me their contact info - so the prizes are doled out. Hope to have more RAKs in the future - thanks again for playing!
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You are the new winners of the Cosmo Cricket prize giveaways - and so sorry to the gals first chosen who did not leave me contact information, or respond to my e-mail notifications after more than a week.

Julia- hope you come back to see this as I am unable to contact you as well. I'd like to give everyone a bit of advice - if you are planning to sign up for blog contests and giveaways, I highly recommend you fill out your blogger profile. At the very least provide a contact email in it so you can be notified of a win.

If I do not hear from Julia (I know of one I can ask) within a week - looks like I will be drawing yet another winner for the Early Bird Crafting Kit! (LOL)

Diecutlady will receive the chipboard alpha and Mr.Campy rub-ons. Congrats!

Shari -Where Are You???

Ok...the clock is ticking for Shari. If I do not hear from her by noon on Saturday (central time) a new winner will be chosen for the Early Bird crafting kit. Shari even included her email and it has not bounced back. Being that it is summer, I suspect she is on vacation or such. Won't she be bummed if she misses her prize!

I sent another priority e-mail - and if I don't hear from her by Sat. night a new winner will be posted. Good luck to you all if that happens!

Granted, I said by the weekend - but I really want Shari to have one more shot at her "grand prize".

However, as stated, a new winner was drawn for the chipboard alpha/Mr. Campy Rub-on combo (SORRY Angie from Ohio)........diecutlady who posted in the "cards" thread. Congrats!

Prize Winners Please Come Forward!

I have been waiting to hear from the prize winners for my giveaway, and it turns out I am still waiting. However, I don't want to keep everyone in suspense. I will post the current winners here, however, for several I have no way to contact or send them their prize.

If I don't hear from the winners by the weekend I will redraw and the prize packages will be awarded to others.

Winner of the Early Bird Crafting Kit is Shari - congrats Shari! I am waiting to find out where Shari lives, and if she is out of U.S. or Canada a new winner will be chosen.

Winner of the Cosmo Cricket chipboard, and Mr. Campy rub-ons is Angie from Ohio - I have no way to contact her a well.

Winner of the ribbon pack is Parker & Emma's Mom - Jennifer will be receiving her ribbon this week.

On the Colorfully Creating blog Sylgise from Pennsylvania won the mini album.

Congratulations everyone! I really want to thank you all for stopping in for a visit. Please come back again!

Winner will be posted Saturday

Hi all - I really want to thank so many for stopping by to check out my new blog. I really appreciate it. I am actually thrilled to see I have followers- to be honest, I almost did not put that blogger feature on my page as I feared no one would follow, and how would that look? (LOL)

I haven't gone through all the comments yet. I am going to beg my hubby to let me sit at the computer Saturday morning, while he makes breakfast, to finish up going through comments and have the drawing.

I do have a winner for the mini album posted on Colorfully Creating - my other blog, however. It is sylgise - congratulations! I clicked on her link and I cannot find a way to email her, BUT I did notice she has this blog listed in her profile as "blogs I follow" - how sweet! Of course I am hoping she will see a feed for an update and read this to learn that she won. Click on my profile and send me an email so I can mail out your album!

Be sure to keep an eye on Colorfully Creating for projects created using products for another mfr. on my Dream Team list. I just finished 2 cards and 2 layouts that I will be sharing soon, and as always, offering tips and technique ideas.

"Scraps" A Card

Recently I have gotten into a routine...scrap a layout, USE the SCRAPS and make a card. So here is a simple card made with leftovers from Halfway Cafe. I spritzed the top half of the patterned paper with a mixture of Ranger "Stream" Alcohol Ink mixed with Perfect Pearls in white and water. It was just the right shade of blue to add shimmer to this card, which of course you won't see too well on the web.

I had actually cut out three large stars for the previous layout, and ended up using one. So I figured I may as well make cards, mounting the star on chipboard, cutting it out and faux stitching around the edge. I placed an "Army" gromlet by Karen Foster in the center of the star. The ribbon is from the Cogsmo collection, and stapled for added interest.

I intended to send this card to a young lady I know of in Iraq - but do cards pass through metal detectors? I am wondering if I should make a third (afterall, I have one more star remaining) and leave off the metal embellishments. If anyone knows if metal embellishments hinder a card getting to our troops please let me know!

Be sure to comment anywhere on this entire blog - preferably on your favorite project so I can learn what people want to see - and you will be entered in a drawing for one of several prizes. The deadline is midnight, July 15. Visit this thread for details and prizes.

July 4th Memories with Halfway Cafe

There is not a whole lot of Halfway Cafe remaining in my stash, but I love this particular Cosmo Cricket line for patriotic themed layouts. To round out "Here Comes Trouble" I used four lines of Cosmo Cricket - can you pick out the collections used?

I took a trip down memory lane with these old photos of Kyle celebrating his first Independence Day. He was 9 months old at the time, and had just learned to walk. This boy never crawled - he was simply "up and at it" from the get go. I love the mischievious look in his eyes - he was quite proud of toddling over to the cooler on the deck to see what was inside.


The cardstock sticker from Lil' Man made for a perfect title. I mounted it on chipboard, cut around it and outlined with a red marker for a little pop. As is usual - I used foam 3D adhesive on the backside to lift it off the page.

Do you recognize the circle shaped pattern paper? It is also from Lil Man, but I dry brushed strokes of twill and Stoneware blue paint on it. Although the color match was great for Halfway Cafe, I could not use such a clean design with a distressed look paper without "messing it up" a bit. Because the Stoneware blue was close, but not a perfect match to Halfway Cafe, I drybrushed a bit on the vertical piece as well - the color really makes everything pull together with the background Bazzill blue cardstock used.


The large star is cut out from Halfway Cafe patterned paper, mounted on chipboard pretty much like the title. I punched holes in the center and brought ribbon through to tie off.
I used a Magistical Memories star frame, and added little kraft star stickers by Jillibean for the ACOT trend challenge of using kraft this month. I simply outlined the frame with red marker as well. I also journaled on this frame - first time I have done that- I have used the Starlicious frame often.

You may or may not recognize the ribbons used in this layout as being from the Cogsmo line - I love how Cosmo Cricket collections often coordinate with one another. I swiped a little brown ink on the ribbons to tie in with the distressed look of Halfway Cafe.

Last, and least... a couple of strips from Jitterbug. I admit, these pieces are there simply because they were on my table from pulling out my Cosmo stash. I saw them, realized the colors worked, distressed the edges and stapled it down. It just adds a little more fun to the otherwise rather plain area of this layout.

DON'T FORGETS...
-To go rummaging through your Cosmo collections to see which older papers may go with your new ones. You may be pleasantly surprised!

-To participate in the July Contest at Magistical Memories. All you need to do is create a layout with the colors red, white and blue, but not limited to, have a patriotic theme, and use some chipboard - like the example I have shown here today.

-To leave a comment on your favorite project in this entire blog by midnight July 15 for a chance at Cosmo Cricket products - see thread below.

- Stop by Colorfully Creating - sharing photos from our holiday here.

Happy scrapping your Independence Day photos!

Celebrating this blog with a giveaway!

It's all put together - pretty much. There is always some fine tuning to be done, but in the past 10 days or so I have added a lot of content to this new blog in order to showcase my Cosmo Cricket creations. Now, how does anyone find this, unless they frequented my other blog?

I began this post on June 23 with this thread, explaining why I decided to make a Cosmo Cricket dedicated blog.

Yesterday I patted myself on the back for learning how to create widgets with clickable images for MBs, to direct people here and to Colorfully Creating. I know one good way to introduce a site is to have a giveaway.

This morning I went to the LSS and picked up an Early Bird crafting kit to giveaway. I also have a package of Get Happy ribbons, and a third prize pack containing Buck-Naked Alpha Buttons with Mr. Campy rub-ons.
Package #1 (U.S. and Canada only)

Package #2


Package #3


Because of the large package postage, the Early Bird Crafting kit is eligible for residents of the U.S. and Canada. However, everyone is eligible to play along for the ribbon package, as well as the chipboard alpha with rub-ons.

All I am asking you to do, is scroll through the many projects I have posted here and leave a comment on the thread sharing the project you like most. No need to post back here! I will be going through all the threads to add comments to the random drawing. Be sure to check the bottom and click on "older posts" for all posts created in June. For the card thread, just tell me which card is your favorite.

Posts up to midnight on July 15 are eligible for the drawing. I know by then the Cosmo Cricket Design Team will have long been announced - sounds like they are flying through those entries! Whatever the outcome, and I am certainly not expecting this blog to put me there, I plan to continue creating with one of my favorite manufacturing lines and sharing projects with you. I hope you will subscribe to the feed that allows you to receive updates of when I share a new project. Good luck to you if you tried out for the team as well, and good luck in the giveaway, and thanks for finding Cosmo Cricket Creations!

Be sure to tell me who you are, with contact info (it's difficult to track down anonymous participants!) - if you have a blogger account and are logged in it automatically links me to you.

Now I need to stock up on dark chocolate to deal with the butterflies, knowing Julie and the CC gang are so close to narrowing down the field.

Conversation Starter - Cosmo Spinner Card

It was time to get this project out of my mind and into the real world - "What's On Your Mind?" is one of about 12 mini album ideas that I have posted on the fuse box with a magnet. (yep, a big ol' attractive fuse box is on the wall smack dab in front of the chair I sit in while creating - I tried to make it pretty with extra photos, and useful as well - with my creative TO DO list as well as my "dream team" list.)

The idea began with Magistical Memories "Gears" chipboard album. As soon as it arrived I knew the Cogsmo papers in my stash were perfect! THEN Cosmo Cricket introduced spinner cards!! This product took my mini album up a level, from "oh, that's a cute album" to "oh, can we sit down and play with the album?!"

If you have a child nearing the teen-age years, you may have noticed a lapse in one-on-one conversation between parent and child. I remember age 3, where Kyle talked non-stop, asked the question "Why..." and "What..." over and over again. Then there were the early years of elementary, he would come home from school and eagerly share his day. Now that he is going into 6th grade, we are more likely to get an "uh uhh" or "a huh".



Kyle already thinks this album is cool, and we haven't played it yet. Because I wanted the spinner card to be functional for actual interaction, I didn't add any patterned papers to the front as I wanted the arrow to spin freely. The idea is to use the questions on the inside pages as starters, spin for an answer, and get a good laugh. It will help reduce the stress acquired through the day, and make having a real conversation with your teen more approachable.

I loved adding additional gears with Cogsmo die-cut shapes, smaller Magisitcal gears, and of course Tim Holtz Idea-ology.

Here are the inside pages with ideas of the questions you might include in your album.


I looked through photos and was thrilled to find ones that worked for the questions we might ask our son about after a day at school.

These two photos were from a photo shot - Kyle being melodramatic - I promised him I would use them some day!

The last question will give me a chance to learn if anything is bothering our son. Because we have been spinning for answers and lightened the mood, I think the "What's On Your Mind?" album will be a valuable "tool" for our parent/child relationship, go beyond the typical answers and get to "what's really on your mind."

Granted, I create a lot more layouts than mini albums. I can whip out layouts in no time, but I must admit, when I finish a mini album it becomes a little treasure, and I have checked one more off my to do list. I hope you like the concept shared here, and perhaps consider making one of your own if you have a child who is a bit on the quiet side.

Sneak Peek

Thought I would share a teaser tonight, of what I hope is a project completed tomorrow! It is totally fun, using a spinner card, Cogsmo, Magistical Memories "Gears" album; and it is functional - it could save a relationship between parents and teen-agers!

Hello Julie and the rest of the Cosmo gang (whomever clilcks to check out my submission link). Seeing as I was probably one of the last to email my application, I am hoping that you are all busy hopping on other blogs while I finish this project. (LOL)

If not...well, you will miss out on a fun mini album, but I hope you will find plenty of other eye candy here, and a reason to come for a second look.

Early Bird

I was excited to get my hands on an Early Bird Crafting Kit. "This Girl Loves to Sing" was created prior to the scrapbook store receiving the Ready Set Chip. I would have loved to have had the little chipboard music notes for this layout, but instead made use of a Magistical Memories note, left in raw color, but coated with sparkle mod podge and a touch of red Stickles.

The fun idea in this layout was creating "cherry" embellishments with red buttons and red floss. Hot tip - use a small hole punch to create a hole under the location of a button, and under the location where the cut out leaves will be adhered. I simply guided the floss through with my fingers, and used magic tape to secure the floss to the backside of the layout. Super quick!

"Taste Tester" is a Christmas layout created with Early Bird. The greens and reds in the collection, plus all the fun shapes and such with a baking them, make Early Bird great for scrapping family recipes, and family time in the kitchen.


I wanted to share another example of how cardstock stickers can be used as a part of the journaling block. The first layout I created using this technique, "Long-Time Friends", was picked up by Creating Keepsakes for October. The journaling in "Taste Tester" is a bit different in style, but it is the same concept. It is an interesting way of journaling "outside the box".


To cover the Magistical Memories chipboard tree, below, I used paper cut from the Crafting Kit packaging. Again, be sure to utilize the retail info sheet and take advantage of the mini print versions of papers within the kit.


Before you leave today, I want to direct you to my good friend, Lisa Fadulto's blog - where she is hosting an awesome giveaway. Please be sure to come back and see other fun Cosmo Cricket projects I have shared. I hope you will be inspired to play with your own stash of Cosmo!

Snorkel

Snorkel is a fun collection to use for a variety of summer projects - from pool party invitations to layouts - this could be my very favorite Cosmo Cricket collection of all time. I love bright colors!


To create the title I used a die-cut from the collection, American Crafts Thickers coated with Stickles, and a few "water action" shapes from Snorkel Ready Set Chip. I coated the shapes with sparkle mod podge, although it is hard to see it in the photo. I will point out that the journal card is from Early Bird, again, one more example of how collections often coordinate with one another for vast possibilities.

BTW, for fun on this layout I used a pencil eraser, dabbed in VersaMark ink, to dot the background cardstock. I sprinkled clear UTEE on top and heat set -for a fun look of water droplets on the page.


"Summer '03", a 6x6 mini album was very fast to put together, and is perfect for all those summer 4x6 photos that you love, but don't necessarily want to devote a layout to.

Here are samples of some of the inside pages. This album can be created in its entirety in two hours!





On July 7 I will be doing a version of the same album for the Middleton Public Library at 6:30 p.m. The mini album class is free,and is only one hour! The only thing different between this album and the one above is the use of Snorkel chipboard shapes in my personal album. We did not have a budget to use Ready Set Chip shapes in a class of 20. In place of the whale I used a Magistical Memories Seahorse - with a fun painting technique that I will be teaching as well. (If you sign up don't wear Sunday's best!) I also designed my own title block in Photoshop that I could step out and punch twenty times.

As of this posting there were two spots remaining. Call now for a deal - an 8 page album in an hour for zero the cost!

Girl Friday

Girl Friday is a versatile line. It is beautiful to use with sweet photos of our daughter blowing bubbles in her Easter dress.




Girl Friday also lends itself to a fun layout - this one about me (and this insane passion of mine to create daily - every day!)



Cosmo's retail strip inspired this grouping of "embellishments" on my page. I love the shape of their logo and cut it out. I then began looking through my garbage, etc. to see what other labels I might glean.


Finally, I just had fun in Photoshop with this photo - lovin' the wild look with a Magistical Memories tiara.

My Last Pub with Memory Makers

I was so bummed to learn that Memory Makers would cease publication. For the past four years I have enjoyed working with Patty, Beth and a number of the wonderful editors at the magazine.

Seeing my last traditional layout in the Scrapbooking Idea Gallery 2009 (which has been on newstands for more than a month now) was a bittersweet moment.

Originally created as a Hall of Fame entry - I had a eureka moment spotting Sculpey Clay in my stash. I molded a couple of footholds, used a sharp tool to make a hole, and baked the pieces. I then fastened them to the layout with a screw brad. Each foothold appears to be holding up a photo - this layout was a blast to create!

Hello Sunshine

A few more layouts using Hello Sunshine. Others were posted further down below in the blog posts. (Look for Beautiful Girl and my very first post in this blog, Little Miss Sunshine) The photos in Grow are simply precious, and I wanted to really "do it up" when it came to creating a layout. I was thrilled that it won the Cosmo contest at Scrap4Life some time ago. Here are close ups of some details. I love using Cosmo's blackboard!



In "Rain, Rain Go Away" I love the black paper with green dots raining down, or at least that is the vision I had. We had SO MUCH rain that spring - flooding was happening everywhere. Fortunately our home is situated on a hill, so we can enjoy the rainfall without worry.

As you may notice, papers included are also from the Get Happy line. I really love both of these bright Cosmo Cricket lines.