Take What You Need

Inspired by this photo, posted on the Momastery Facebook Page:

Take What You Need

(Click on the image below for a larger size that can be printed 8 1/2 x 11.)

What a Difference a Day Makes | Pinterest Inspired

It's probably no secret that I am a fan of fonts, so naturally, when I saw this loveliness on Pinterest, I saved it away for future reference - uh, future craftiness!

Source: etsy.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I love  making things as gifts, and so I got to work adapting this idea for a friend of mine who had a birthday yesterday. Here's how hers turned out (with details on how I put this together below!):

The frame you are seeing in the image above is a digitally-added frame. I picked up a super-cute frame in this red color, because it would match her decor. 

On to fonts (of COURSE!) I used three fonts in this project, all of which are available as free downloads. The large numbers are JF Ringmaster, the script font for the names is Pacifico (a recent addition to my collection!) and the line "what a difference..." is Santa's Sleigh.

At first, I was going to simply copy the black-and-white look from the original Pin, adding red as the accent color to match the frame. But then I had a better idea: using more colors to add interest. So I turned to one of my favorite online tools - kuler from adobe. I searched for color palettes including red and when I found Japanese Garden, I knew it was perfect for this project. With kuler, you can search for, create, alter and download color swatches for Photoshop/Photoshop Elements. I use it all the time when creating projects like this. If you create a free account, you can save swatches as well. (The link to Japanese Garden goes to my copy of the swatch, not the original, which, sadly, I can no longer find to give credit.)

In kuler, you can view the color makeup of any swatch, so if you don't have Photoshop, you can still use these swatches in other programs. In this view, you can see my original swatch and all the colors. Here is also where you can play with the various colors and adjust them if you want to make changes to the swatch. 

To put together the finished look you see here, I altered the tan/yellowish color in the middle of the swatch, mostly by lightening it a bit. I wanted my background to be fairly light, but still have contrast to the white letters.

In the large letters, this font is normally not filled, so your background color will show through. I filled in the main part of each letter with the white from the swatch, and then the small swirls and dots with the aqua color. I LOVED the end result, and my friend loved it, too, and that's the best part! Success!

Fruits of the Spirit

I made this a couple years ago as a gift for someone. I designed it as a 5x7, then printed it out and framed it. She LOVES it and it is still on display at her home. Yay! I love making goodies like this to give away!

Here's my design:

Here is the finished framed project:

Fonts:

Love - itsadzoke

Joy - Pharmacy MMX

Peace - Telegrafico

Patience - Cursive Standard

Kindness - Pupcat

Goodness - Rockwell

Faithfulness - MTF Skinny Jones

Gentleness - Lobster 1.4

Self-Control - Champagne & Limousines

Birthday Card | Quick Print Hybrid

This is another card I made to be easily printed at home. This one is a birthday card for someone I work with who does the IT work. (You know this guy, he's the one you call with the words "Help me, please!")

This card is one of the reasons I try to add interesting things to my scrap stash. This computer doodle is from a kit called "Techno Girl" by Pixel Gypsy (kit now retired). Originally it had a heart in the middle of the screen, but I photoshopped a swatch of grey paper from the kit on to the screen and added the words to make a simple custom birthday card.

CREDITS: Techno Girl by Pixel Gypsy (retired)
FONT: Miserably Lose from Kevin and Amanda

Thank You Card | Quick Print Hybrid

Sometimes I just need a card QUICK, so I design something that can be easily printed at home and comes out of the printer ready to send. Many hybrid cards I design with the intention of embellishing them by cutting extra pieces, adding buttons or ribbon, etc. But I don't always have time for that. The best part about these cards is that I can save the design and use it again and again.

I've made a couple of these recently, and will share them this week. This one is a simple Thank You note. To make this design, I used the font Pass the Chex from Kevin and Amanda, and also a free arrow shape built into Photoshop. Add some color, print, and it's done. Easy!

(Card finished size is 5.5" x 4.25".)

Altered Composition Book | Hybrid

I recently created a Library Lending Journal by altering a Composition book. I created a new custom cover and presented the finished project as a birthday gift.

Here's a small picture of the finished project, but you can see all the supplies and pictures of the process to create the book over on The Hybrid Chick blog!

Mother's Day Gift Certificate | May 2012 (Freebie link)

At risk of making everyone jealous (or maybe just everyone's mom?) I thought I'd post the Gift Certificate I put together for my mom. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm getting a pedicure, too! And thanks to digi-scrapping, I whipped out a cute homemade gift certificate to make gift-giving easy and cute. Ta-daaaa!!!! 

Here's the best part: I snagged the kit for this completely FREE over at MScraps. You can too! And while you're there, check out all the great freebies in their store!

"bee Happy" Card | May 2012 (and Freebie Link!)

I scrapped! And I love the bright, sunny yellow in this card, and the super-trendy yellow/gray combination. This is made with a kit called "Bee Happy" by Danielle Engebretson designs. I actually saw a paper card made with this general layout on Pinterest, and made a digi design based on it.

So not only did I scrap, but I created a template for this card design, and it is available for FREE on the The Hybrid Chick blog for their May Card Challenge. Head over there to grab the template!

4 pictures 6 ways

A few weeks ago, I took some photos of my tiny new nephew. Among the good ones, the smaller percentage of the "All" than the ones I recycled, was this series of four shots that I know I want to scrap (the ones on the right):

iNSD fun!

I've already spent too much time shopping and wishing to spend much time writing about InterNational Scrapbook Day, but I'll share a few tips!

Font Friday: itsadzoke

itsa what? In the category of fonts that are awesome, but have crazy names, is itsadzoke. I was looking back through my Font Friday posts, and I couldn't believe I hadn't posted about this one. I have seen this font in use before, an I'm pretty sure it's one that Stampin' Up as used before. Being a font finder, I tracked this one down at dafont.com!

Happy Birthday, Princess Card | March 2012

Last but not least, a Happy Birthday card for my sweet sister-in-law:

This was made using the In My World mini kit by Captivated Visions, available at Scrap Orchard.

You make the impossible look easy Card | March 2012

I couldn't resist this adorable flying pig, so as I was thinking about what to do with it, the expression came to me: "You make the impossible look easy!"

This was made using the In My World mini kit by Captivated Visions, available at Scrap Orchard.

Keep Calm & Carry On Card | March 2012

When I saw this adorable hand-sketched crown in a scrapbook kit, I knew there was just one thing to be done with it - Keep Calm and Carry On:

This is from the In My World mini kit by Captivated Visions, available at Scrap Orchard.

Freebie Friday | Journal Cards

Woo-hoo! Did someone say freebies?!??!? So the grand plan to "start blogging again" includes an idea to have at  least giveaway a month, on a Friday. Because it's more fun if the blog post is alliterative, right? ("Freebie Monday" doesn't quite sound the same, although... it might make Mondays better!)

Red Cups | November 2011

If there is anything better than a cup of St*rbucks coffee, it's St*rbucks coffee in a red cup. If there's anything better than that, it's enjoying that cup of coffee with a friend!

And really, that's all I need to say about this page. Except that I can't wait until my next cup of coffee with my friend Rachael!

Oh, my neglected blog!

I spent some quality time with my blog today. My very, very neglected blog! I found I have lots of scrap pages to post! For a long time, I've been wanting to create and share some freebies on the blog as well, and I have started to get organized to do that. I actually have a bunch of little things I've created, and I just need to get them ready to upload on the blog for sharing!

My goal is to start posting again at least once a week on Fridays and always have something fun to share, either picking up my "Font Fridays" theme, or posting a "Friday Freebie." First freebie coming this Friday! In between, I'll be trying to post projects as I create them, and probably doing some catch up posting on projects I've created over the last several months.

If you're still reading - thanks!

Gift for Hudson | April 2012

Like I posted last, when I created a co-worker baby gift for baby Rylan, I have created another welcome baby gift for baby Hudson (and his family.) These are really fun to make and people LOVE them!

Gift for Rylan | January 2012

This is just one reason why I love digi scrapping. My co-worker had a baby a couple weeks ago, and emailed this photo around the office announcing the baby's birth. Photo + digi supplies + picture frame = one customized, personalized baby gift. What's not to love?

i.am.Rebecca.Jean | Photo from Easter 1981

Yay! I scrapped! I actually spent real dollars for a year-long scrap class called "Project: Love, Me 2012" for a couple reasons. One of which was to get some inspiration for scrapping, and the other was so that I would actually scrap something. This is my first page for the class.

Journaling:

i.am.rebecca.jean

Origin: “Rebecca” is Hebrew, meaning “to bind.” Rebekah of the Bible was “a maiden of beauty, modesty and kindness.” “Jean” is Hebrew and means“God is gracious.”

Rebecca is not a family name, but Jean was a nickname of my mom’s.

Like most kids, I often imagined myself with different names, but no longer: I love my name. I like that it’s from the Bible, and that it is a strong name with rich history. I enjoy my nickname, “Rebo,” but... don’t call me Becky!

Click here to read credits for the products used in this page.