Loving this sketch…

From Page Maps:

I used Crate Paper’s Farmhouse collection for my page.  For whatever reason, I saw this collection as soon as I saw the sketch. 



I used Gesso and a template from Crafter’s Workshop to create the white vines.  LOVE the effect!  Julie Winks introduced me to this template in her Layered Layouts class, and I couldn’t wait to use it.  I’m sure this is the first of many times. 
Thanks for coming by,
~Alyssa~

Sketch Contest!

Hi all!  Just wanted to let you know that there are 2 contests happening at Your Scrapbook Stash right now!

Contest #1- sketch contest

Contest #2- large photos contest

With Studio Calico and Authentique up for grabs, you won’t want to miss out on these! 

Happy creating!

~Alyssa~

It was a great summer…

I can’t believe it’s over!  Fall is here, and the nights are getting colder.  I thought it would be a good idea to get some of those summer photos in a mini album before NEXT summer. 

I created this album with a Punky Sprouts album, and a mix of Pink Paislee and Crate Papers (mostly) with some October Afternoon stickers, and other little bits and pieces.  I was going for eclectic and colorful. 

Now, there is one problem.  The last page.  I want to do some kind of journaling here, but I have no idea how to do it.  Handwriting?  Type and glue it in?  How do I make a full page of journaling eclectic enough to jive with the rest of the album?  Might have to look back at the Jazzy Journaling class from Tessa Buys for some ideas!

Thanks for taking a peek!

~Alyssa~

I told you I was crazy…

Last week I posted this on my Facebook page:

Alyssa McGrew

Attempting one of those 1002-questionable-will-I-be-able-to pull-it-off-layouts. If I can pull it off, it will be awesome!

Like · · 07 October at 16:59

So, here’s the story.  I had a dream, one of those half-asleep crazy ideas that comes every now and then and makes me want to try something new and off the wall.  In this case, the idea was to document my family’s candy preferences on a candy-store-display type of layout.  Sounds simple, right?

I took the family to the gas station and let them chose a candy item… you can see the confusion on the kids faces, as this so rarely happens.

After they had make their choices, I took the wrappers off myself so they’d be in one piece, then scanned everyone’s wrappers,  I edited them in Photoshop to make them the right size.

Then I built this layout, using lots of Hambly products (love those jars!) and some other items from my scrap drawer. 

One thing I would change?  Work with the scans of the wrappers to make them more saturated.  But over all, I’m pretty pleased and think it’s a darn cool layout.

What do you think?  Do you take those crazy ideas and actually make them happen?  How do they usually turn out?  I’d love to hear!    Thanks for coming by,

~Alyssa~

Elijah!!

I recently got a new template from Crafter's Workshop. This particular one was called Leaf Frame, designed by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer (who, by the way, is a very fun gal I had the pleasure of meeting in Chicago this summer).  This layout was my first experiment with it.

I placed the template on some cardstock scraps, and brushed molding paste over the top.  I let the leaves dry, them misted them and let the molding paste work as a resist.  Such a fun technique.  I think I will be using this template often!

Here's how the leaves (and the layout) turned out:

So much FUN!  You'll be seeing these leaves on lots of my future projects- I guarantee it.  :)
~Alyssa~

It's That Time of Year

It's actually not the type of project I usually do, but I've had this idea floating around in my head for a while, and it was time to get it out.  I used a 12x12 canvas and Prima leaves to create this canvas (now hanging beside the back door):

Nothing to it, really, but sometimes simple is beautiful.  Thanks for taking a peek,
~Alyssa~

They Went Up a Mountain...

While at a park recently, my children spotted what seemed to them to be a huge hill.  It was a decent size, and the local sledding hill, but hardly a mountain.  Still, it took a bit of persuasion to convince them to trek to the top.  Once they made it, however, they came running down, and went straight up again, feeling as though they had conquered.   I titled this layout "They ran up a mountain and came down a hill," both in reference to an older movie I loved and the fact that once they had conquered, their perspective completely changed (kind of true to everyday life, isn't it?).

I (once again) used Crate Paper's "Portrait" collection for this layout. :)  Thanks for coming by!

~Alyssa~

Chilin' on a Sunday

Sunday afternoon is often just a resting, chilling out time at our house.  I used last week's TCR palette to create this layout:

I'm a little late in posting, but what a great palette!  I really enjoyed this one.  Thanks for the inspiration, TCR!

Come Create a Creative Carry-All!

My newest class at Miss Art's Papercrafting School in now available!  You can take this class for just $5, or check out the other subscription levels for other options, and more classes.  :)  Here's a little peek at the class:

Class Description:

• e

Do you tote a phone that browses your favorite blog while it irons your clothes? Do you carry a device with more books on it than the Library of Congress? Our fast paced tech savvy world allows us to easily take everything with us, which begs the question “is the manner in which we leave things behind keeping pace?” In her 201 class “Creative Carry-All,” Alyssa McGrew will teach you how to make scrapbook that allows you to journal as you journey through life. Fourteen videos focus on creating a chipboard covered, elastic closed, and screw bound living log that fits easily in most purses. Alyssa will share her secrets for using Photoshop to make patterned paper and custom silhouettes from pictures of your loved ones. Three different book cover styles are demoed, as well as, binding your Creative Carry-All, making pocket pages, mini file folders and stamped ribbon. Leaving a legacy of seized moments will become instantly easier on 10/1/11


See you in class!
~Alyssa~