Hey Mickey

A clear vase sits on my scrap desk, ready to hold all those little "tear strips" that I cut off the ends of my patterned papers. It had become crammed full lately, bursting with colorful 12-inch strips. I needed to put some to use, so this is what I did:

As you can see, the vase is still quite full! But at least I've made a dent. 

After weaving about four dozen of those colorful pieces, I cut a Mickey shape from cardstock and backed it with my woven matt of tear strips. Pen stitching and real stitching were added on top, along with a double matted photo from our family's trip to see the mouse.

A smattering of mist,

a Thickers chipboard title,

and a cluster of embellishments (leftovers from past Scraptastic kits) finishes it off. 

I have a few more ideas that might help me pare down that vase of strips, and I can't wait to try some of them out! 

Do you save "tear strips"? If not, and you want to try out this technique, you can always cut your own strips from patterned papers. 

Cut File Winner!

Thanks to all who participated in The Cut Shoppe's Feel The Love blog hop and left such sweet comments here on my blog. As promised, I'm back to announce the winner of the "X to the O" cut file, the one I used to create the layout below:

A random number generator chose comment #23:

 Congratulations! Please email thecutshoppe@yahoo.com to receive your free cut file.

The Cut Shoppe Feel The Love Blog Hop

Welcome to The Cut Shoppe Feel The Love Blog Hop!

Can you imagine? I scrapped a beach vacation photo with a Valentine's themed cut file and shades of pink! But hey, why not!? I LOVE going to the beach, and I LOVE the people that go with me. I think that makes it totally appropriate. ;)

The X To The O cut file from The Cut Shoppe was perfect backdrop for my page:

There are so many ways to use this cut file. I chose to cut it out of white cardstock and layer over a pale mint paper with silver polka dots. Then I backed only the X's, using various patterns in pink. The journal cards and a couple of the papers are from Dear Lizzy. Puffy stickers are from the Pinkfresh Studio Christmas Wishes collection...whatever goes!

Now, what's a blog hop without a prize?! Comment below by Feb. 15th for a chance to win the X To The O file that I used to create my layout. Here's the scoop on what else you can win:

GIVEAWAY #1:  Each Designer participating in the Hop, is giving away one Cut File.  Make sure you visit each Blog and leave a comment for the chance to win.  Winners will be announced on the Designer's Blog on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, so make sure you check back on their Blogs to see if you're a Winner!  

GIVEAWAY #2:  You can win 14 of your favorite cut files, just by commenting throughout the Hop.  Leave a comment on each Blog, starting with The Cut Shoppe Blog, for the chance to win.  One Winner will be chosen from all of the Blog comments, and announced on The Cut Shoppe Blog on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16th.  The Winner will be able to choose 14 cut file sets from The Cut Shoppe Etsy store! 

If you haven't already, check out the free file download and discount code on The Cut Shoppe blog where everybody wins! 

Comment on the blogs below to be entered into drawings for additional Valentine-themed cut files from The Cut Shoppe. Here's the hop list, top to bottom:

The Cut Shoppe 

Katrina Hunt  

Aimee Maddern  

Allie Stewart  

Jennifer Haggerty  

Missy Whidden 

Michelle Wedertz 

Laura Mooney  

Madeline Fox---You Are HERE!

Thanks for visiting. All winners will be announced February 16th. 

Treasure Today

Today, I'm sharing another page with the Just A Girl kit from Scraptastic. I didn't consider myself a fan of yellow, and don't think I own a single piece of clothing in the color, but every time I use it for a scrapbook page, I love the results.

I've used four different patterned papers to build up the page, then thinly matted my photo in black:

Shiny black chipboard Thickers and a script acetate word from Heidi Swapp combine for my title, which is highlighted by transparent gems from the Scraptastic kit.

Isn't it a happy page?! 

Together

Today I'm sharing a beach page with the Just A Girl kits from Scraptastic. It was super easy to assemble; I didn't even need to think up a separate title! Following the tilt of the printed background sheet, I added patterned paper squares, row of stars from the kit's exclusive cut file, and a tear strip cut in three. After adding a few simple embellishments, I called it done. ;)

Soon I'll be working with Scraptastic's Gale Song kit and add-on. Here's a peek at the main kit:

Pretty greens, yes?!

T-Town

For the past four years we've made numerous trips to Tuscaloosa while my middle son was enrolled at the University of Alabama. He graduated last spring, so this page is sort of a swan song for those long, long rides back and forth from home. If only it weren't so far away from New Orleans, with just pine trees in between!

We did enjoy the little bit of time we spent in town during our jaunts to pick-up or drop-off. The campus was beautiful, the downtown quaint. One of our favorite eateries, Glory Bound, has the most delicious hummus and a wall full of painted guitars. One such piece of art, emblazoned with the words "Sweet Home Alabama", became the inspiration for the colorful layout below:

The Half Hearted 12X12 cut file from The Cut Shoppe Etsy store was used in creating the page:

I loved leafing through my patterned paper stash for colorful scraps. Equally fun was sifting through my embellishments for coordinating bits and pieces. Several colorful embellishments were added to the hearts in two separate clusters, one at the upper right:

 And one at the bottom left:

It was a bit of work to gather and put this page together, but totally worth the time and effort!