On the YSS blog...

It's my turn again on the YSS blog! Yesterday, this layout was featured with a cool misting technique:

Tomorrow, it's this little guy and a fun idea for your next set of cards!

You can get all the supplies you need, and all the tips and techniques HERE.

Make sure you share your creations with us (in the GALLERY) for a chance to be chosen as our feature member for an upcoming month! The DT each lifts the feature member, and the feature member also receives $10 in Stash Cash!

I know I have many talented readers, so get over there and upload for your chance to be picked!

Speaking of talented readers, I have been tagged by Choices. Choices, thanks for the tag. I don't pass them on, just as a matter of personal preference, but I am thrilled that you thought of me and read my blog. It made my day. :)

~Alyssa~

Mommy Goals

In March, I created this fun little mini for Couture Cardstock. I used the Silk Road Monochromatic Family and a Maya Road accordion album.

As a mother, I am constantly reminded of how easy it is to lose sight of what my job is, of what I want to teach my children. It's easy to get caught up in the 2,487 peanut butter sandwiches and the 4,869 dirty diapers and the 25,554.6 toys I have picked up. It's is hard to keep the end it sight. But one day, my children will be adults. This is my chance to give them the tools they will need to be successful in the lives they will choose for themselves. Yes, the diapers, meals, and toys are part of that, but there is more that I want to be teaching them.

So, I created this album as a reminder to myself. It lists the top 10 things I want to teach my children. Your top 10 might be completely different from mine, but I encourage you to make a list. Remind yourself. What is it that you are doing? What are your goals? Who do you want to be? I hope this album inspires you to record your goals, and work even harder to meet them, whatever they are.

Thanks for coming by!

~Alyssa~

A few more days...

Just a few more days to submit to the Couture Cardstock DT Call! Get those applications in now! :)

Couture Cardstock products are hand picked and tested by papercrafters. Our offering includes over 275 different colors and finishes.Couture Cardstock encourages crafters to use paper weighted specifically for the particular technique, project, at hand. Each of our papers are weighted (light, medium or heavy) and helpful project suggestions can be found in our item descriptions and design team member gallery. We have priced our inventory competitively and though you will feel like you are scouring the bargain bin, you will be enjoying our fashion forward cardstock from the comfort of your arm chair.

We are looking for 2 people to join our team: 1 layout designer, and 1 altered art designer.You are welcome to apply for both of these positions if you would like, but you must submit a separate application for each position, and you may only be chosen for one position. Applications will be accepted immediately, and must be received by April 1st.

Final decisions will be made by April 5th, and the new team members will be announced on April 7th.

This call is open to residents of the US and Canada.

Position Requirements:
4-6 projects per month. Project load might vary from time to time due to tradeshows and company needs.
2 blog posts per month
Willingness to submit to an editorial process.
Cheerful participation in all DT activities, promptness meeting deadlines, and strong communication skills.
Ideally, designers should own a digital craft cutter or die cut machine (Cricut, Silhouette, Big Shot, etc).

Compensation:
Design Team members will be compensated generously in products,both Couture Cardstock and partner manufacturer products.
Opportunities for incentives and promotion exist.

Please read the application requirements closely, as applications that are incomplete will not be considered.

Please provide the following info (all applicants):
Full contact info (name, address, phone, email)
Links to your galleries and personal blog
Please list past and current DT experience
Please tell us a little about yourself.
Why do you want to work for Couture Cardstock?

Layout Designers:
Please submit 3 layouts of your choice to both hkelley@couturecardstock.com and amcgrew@couturecardstock.com. One of these may be a previously created layout (show us your favorite work). The two additional projects should be new and remain unpublished or posted until the new DT is announced. All of the projects submitted should show us skill in transforming paper products like cardstock, vellum, mirrored paper and chipboard into works of art.

Altered Artists:
Please submit 3 altered items of your choice to both hkelley@couturecardstock.com and amcgrew@couturecardstock.com. One of these may be a previously created project (show us your favoritework). The two additional projects should be new and remain unpublished or posted until the new DT is announced. All of the projects submitted should show us skill in transforming paper products like cardstock, vellum, mirrored paper and chipboard into works of art.

200th post! and PageMaps layout!

This is my 200th post! Wow, amazing! I had no idea I was that close. :)

There is another Page Maps sketch contest going on... so I did it! The theme had to be "Appreciation" and the first thing I thought of was how my kids LOVE their food. The love every aspect of food: the meal planning, the shopping, the cooking, baking, and of course EATING. :) The photo is of them watching some puff pastry bake in the oven.

I moved the journaling and part of the title, and I am happy with what I came up with. I used Couture Cardstock, and Prima. :)

You can see the sketch HERE.

Thanks for stopping.

~Alyssa~

Today I am...

...kid free! YAY! It has been a long time since I had a day at home with no children! In the first hour I got so much cleaning one, and the second hour has been filled with computer work, blogging, editing photos, etc. It is so nice and quiet, I can actually hear the birds chirping! Next up: scrapping!

Just a few photos to share today of my men. I think I need to get my daughter back in front of the camera. I don't have many recent shots of her. Time for a photo shoot! :)

This is Elijah checking out my glimmer mist and masking. This is the early stages of a mini album that will soon be in the Couture Cardstock gallery.

Daddy and Elijah falling asleep on the couch. Would you guess it was only 7:30 pm? LOL
This is the newest thing that my children are doing to drive my crazy. The couch cushions never stay in the same spot for very long. Piling them all up and creating nests is the new favorite thing to do. :)
Thanks for stopping!

~Alyssa~

Prima Picks & a giveaway!

Green couldn't be more gorgeous! Check it out on the Prima BLOG.

Also, i always enjoy Pamela's BLOG, and this week she has some great giveaways going on. Check it out!

~Alyssa~

Coming soon...

Coming soon: A tutorial on making this flower:

Stay tuned!

~Alyssa~

Reflections

I love this photo of my daughter. I love how clearly you can see her reflection. I also like how this layout turned out, although it is a departure for me, since I don't use many pastels. This was made with Couture Cardstock and My Time Made Easy printables. It was on the Couture blogyesterday. TFL!

~Alyssa~

More Couture Cardstock

I just love Couture Cardstock. Have I said that before? ;) Working on this DT has been a challenge for me, since I am a patterned paper lover at heart and before joining the Couture Cardstock DT I rarely used cardstock at all beyond a few backgrounds.

But I have enjoyed this challenge, and I have learned a lot of new techniques, and really a whole new way of scrapping. I now think much more about taking the basics, like cardstock, and altering it to fit my needs, rather then spending so much time looking for something that someone else has created to place on my layout. Cardstock is a great starting point for just about any look!

Here are a few more layouts that I created for Couture Cardstock in February:

Make sure to check out the month long contest on the blog- there are lots of prizes!

~Alyssa~

DT Call for Couture Cardstock!

Find everything HERE. I hope you will give it a try!

Couture Cardstock DESIGN TEAM CALL

The Couture Cardstock family is growing and we want you to join our team of designers!

Couture Cardstock products are hand picked and tested by paper crafters. Our offering includes over 275 different colors and finishes. Couture Cardstock encourages crafters to use paper weighted specifically for the particular technique, project, or challenge at hand. Each of our papers are weighted (light, medium or heavy) and helpful project suggestions can be found in our item descriptions and design team member gallery. We have priced our inventory competitively and though you will feel like you are scouring the bargain bin, you will be enjoying our fashion forward cardstock from the comfort of your arm chair.

We are looking for 2 people to join our current team: 1 layout designer, and 1 altered art designer. You are welcome to apply for both of these positions as you like, but you must submit a separate application for each position, and you may only be chosen for one position. Applications will be accepted immediately, and must be received by April 1^st.

Final decisions will be made by April 5^th, and the new team will be announced on April 7^th.

This call is open to residents of the US and Canada.

Position Requirements:

• 4-6 projects per month. Project load might vary from time to time due to tradeshows and company needs.
• 2 blog posts per month
• Willingness to submit to an editorial process.
• Cheerful participation in all DT activities, promptness meeting deadlines, and strong communication skills.
• Ideally, designers should own a digital craft cutter or die cut machine (Cricut, Silhouette, Big Shot, etc).

Compensation:

• Design Team members will be compensated generously in products, both Couture Cardstock and partner manufacturer products.
• Opportunities for incentives and promotion exist.

Please read the application requirements closely, as applications that are incomplete will not be considered.

Please provide the following info (all applicants):

• Full contact info (name, address, phone, email)
• Links to your galleries and personal blog
• Please list past and current DT experience
• Please tell us a little about yourself.
• Why do you want to work for Couture Cardstock?

Layout Designers:

Please submit 3 layouts of your choice to both hkelley@couturecardstock.com and amcgrew@couturecardstock.com. One of these may be a previously created layout (show us your favorite work). The two additional projects should be new and remain unpublished or posted until the new DT is announced. All of the projects submitted should show us skill in transforming paper products like cardstock, vellum, mirrored paper and chipboard into works of art.

Altered Artists:

Please submit 3 altered items of your choice to both hkelley@couturecardstock.com and amcgrew@couturecardstock.com. One of these may be a previously created project (show us your favorite work). The two additional projects should be new and remain unpublished or posted until the new DT is announced. All of the projects submitted should show us skill in transforming paper products like cardstock, vellum, mirrored paper and chipboard into works of art.

Smile!

Just a fun layout I did today for Your Scrapbook Stash. I used the Cottage Collection from Crate Paper. I don't think I will ever get tired of this collection. But I am almost out of it, so the end is in sight. Sad.

There is another new challenge up on the Couture Cardstock blog today! Check it out HERE.

Thanks for stopping.

~Alyssa~

Huge Month-long Contest!

This contest is HUGE. A winner every day for all of march... PLUS a chance to win nearly 300 sheets of cardstock!

Check it out here:

http://www.couturecardstock.com/blog/sunset-and-contest-announcement

This layout is on the Couture blog today also! The photo was taken at my in-laws farm at sunset. So pretty! I used the Silk Road Monochromatic Family from Couture Cardstock. :)

Good luck!

~Alyssa~