Splendor Layout Class !

OH we really had fun last Thursday... exchanging ideas... working from a kit and template together, using the new irresistables chipboard ! see brackets and flowers... they look embossed but are just coloured in with marker. Jen, Erika, and Michelle did a wonderful job on their Splendor projects.

I love all the "white space" in this layout design. It looks so clean.

I found the perfect pictures to fit in with this unique "quilted" layout. The squares are only 2 1/2". The small photos were taken with a colour filter, so they only highlight the colours yellow, light blue and green, against black and white. I love the effect.

The main picture was taken by the Observer on my daughters first night at work! She started the night of the third annual ArtWalk restaurant tour. Ironically, she was hired at the Treehouse on the day I was going there for lunch with a friend, and , I taught the young man working with her at London Road School. I am picking Mo's brain for recipes... the House Lemonade rocks for sure as does the Asian Noodle Salad and the Veggie Pizza. If you want to see them on Facebook, here is the link.

http://www.facebook.com/stephanie.kerlovich#!/treehouseballs?ref=ts

Clear scalloped card

Chipboard circle,

Papers,

Clear textured stickers

Clear scallop card :

Close to my Heart

paper ornament:

K and Company

(thanks Julia)

New Clear Cards

I now have the Summer 2010 idea book . The Clear Cards are my NEW FAVE . They really create a visual impact like nothing else.The whole idea for me is to produce intrigue . I get excited deciding what to reveal, by creating areas that overlap and partially cover the card . I made sure that what went on the front of the card was smaller than the inside of the card, so that some of the papers from the inside show . I used K and Company ornaments (thanks Julia!) on both cards alongwith papers from Key to my Heart.

The ribbon and button embellishment "float" alongside the image on the front of the card. To get this look, I punched holes in the clear card and wove ribbon through the holes. I added buttons with liquid glass.

The textured stickers from Close to my Heart also "float" over edges and between layers because of their clear background.

The cards are 4 1/2 inches scallop round , or square, and come with transparent cello envelopes!

Stylin' then and now

Vintage stickease and papers... in the hoard! are getting put to excellent use here in the Studio.

I still LOVE the look of these pert dresses. The long pink one is a bridal card and the short black and white one is a birthday card. The third silhouette of the girl is a friendship card!

I also put the cuttlebug to good use, as well as my sentiment stamps, and baby pink textured cardstock . The dresses and flowers feature bitty sparkles and clear sparkles , from Close to my Heart.

Growing Older Gracefully

Phew. A long hiatus with no posts in March!

I was back to work on creating layouts this past week, and finished 3 quite quickly that I will share here on the blog.

The first is called:

Grow Deeper as you Grow Older...

I interpret that to mean, be spiritual, and always remain True to your inner self.

And I like the image the words create, that of a tree growing deeper and stronger roots the older it grows.

I turned 50 in October, which was cause for celebration. I know myself better than ever before, and in spite of that, like myself very much! (humour)

It is a new period in my life, which brings strength of conviction, clarity, and even more passion than ever. I am so proud of my family and all that we have done together.

I started this beautiful fall layout back in October 09 as a class that I taught, using the Grace workshop on the go from Close to my Heart. I earmarked it to use for my 50th birthday layout. I had over 35 guests at my birthday, held at the Brights Grove Golf Club (aka Crabbies) and narrowing the photos down for a 2 page layout was difficult. I couldn't decide just how to do it, until I selected a sepia 5x7 of myself for the left hand photo. Then I was able to print lots of 2x3 photos of everyone there and put them into 4x6 flip flap photo protectors, on top of the page protector. Problem solved.

The embellishments are clear buttons backed with Grace floral paper, and metal edge anchors in autumn colours. I used a tiny bit of very arty Japanese paper in an eggplant colour, that I tore, and it really looks great with the golden yellow , rust and teal blue.

Serenity

Welcome March, Spring, Time of rebirth.

New peaceful music has been added to the blog, for your pleasure. The choices are becoming more spiritual.

I was so inspired by K D Lang singing Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen at the Olympics.

Also , Blackbird , by the Beatles, who sing "take these sunken eyes and learn to see"...

We can all heal and arise , change and deal with reality in dignity.

The Serenity cards are for my boyfriends Mom who runs a charitable home for alcoholic men in London. She has given her entire life to helping others in need.

I recycled a plastic envelope from Shoppers Drug Mart . It has a tab closure hidden underneath the paper strip. It holds a double row of standard size cards perfectly.

I made 10 cards of 5 different designs using the Grace paper pack. It is so rich and elegant.

All supplies are Close to my Heart.

Piece of Cake

This lovely cake is one of 6 included in the February stamp of the month. It looks so dimensional pop dotted onto the embossed cardstock. If you look closely, you can see just a little Its a Party Random Stamping on the Moonstruck background and texture paper . It was enough to make a celebratory backdrop with punch for the beautiful tiered cake! I used watermelon, citrus leaf and ocean ctmh markers to colour in the cake, and light green rhinestone flowers and white daisy organdy ribbon to finish off the look! All products are Close to my Heart.