First Grade with CDD...

Welcome to the CDD Mini Stamp & Die Release Blog Hop.  All stamps are in the CDD Shop and now available for purchase.

You may purchase stamps HERE.

I created a layout that will showcase some of my son's first grade pictures! His teacher was always sending me snapshots of him as they did various activities in class. He also reads on a 5th grade level so this cute little book-worm will be the perfect fit to journal about that accomplishment!

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These apples are the perfect size for cards AND layouts...sooooo cute!

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I used the scissors to represent the hole in the "D"...I also added silver Winks of Stella but you can't really see it in my picture.

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And...this little book worm is one of my favorite images! I used liquid glass to add some shine to his glasses. I decided to stamp the rulers and cut them out then staple them together using some mini-staples...what doesn't scream "school" more than staples! All my images were colored using ShinHan Alcohol Markers (I'm still getting used to coloring with markers and shading)...

Here are the release specials for you :

1. Use Code: July to receive 10% off your entire order. Sale starts on 8/7 and ends 8/11 10pm MST.

2. You will receive 1 free bag of sequins for every $20 spent. Just leave a comment with your order and it will be added in. Ends 8/11 10pm MST.

  

Here's a look at the FREEBIE you can grab just for hopping, commenting and following all of our blogs! You can email craftindesertdivas@gmail.com to request it. You must comment and follow each blog in this hop in order to get the free file.

Thanks for stopping by...I truly enjoy reading all of your comments! Your next stop is the super talented Nanne...you will be amazed at her project!

Chalk It Up Club Layouts...

Chalk It Up probably is one of my favorite of ALL TIME paper packets from CTMH!!!  The colors are divine and the chalkboard-type pages are so trendy right now BUT will also be trendy in years to come when my little ones are going through their scrapbooks reliving the memories that will be put on these pages!

Each month I meet with some local gals and we do some layouts.  Last month we worked on Chalk It Up and they were sooooo happy with the way these turned out!  And...2 of the ladies don't even have school-age children but these pages are versatile enough for them to use them for other thing!

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Here are some close-ups using the Chalk It Up Complements...they are dimensional elements (chipboard for you non-CTMH readers)...the big circle was the negative space left over from one of the DE's...I cut around it and used as an open circle!

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The image below is a close-up of the stamp set that comes with the Chalk It Up WOTG...I've used this stamp on several other projects and I LOVE how easy it is to stamp in different colors, cut out the images and pop-dot them using Thin 3D-Foam Tape...

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Here is the other layout...

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I cut the doodle B&T so that the word "NICE" would show and added the arrows so whatever picture I put in there will reflect back to this thought...

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Other Chalk It Up Complements

Thanks for stopping by!

If you're local and would like to know more about out monthly get-togethers, let me know in the comments!

If you're out of town and would like to know how you can purchase this kit and make your own, leave me your name and contact information and I'll get with ya!

Die-Cut Team 5th Anniversary Blog Hop...

Welcome to the Stuck on U Sketches (SOUS) 5th Anniversary Blog Hop!  To celebrate this month, each Team will be having a hop and today is the Die-Cut Team Blog Hop! Our blog hop runs for 5 days, starting today.  You will have until Tuesday, September 23rd at midnight EST to leave your comments, follow the blogs and play along.

If you have come from Katie's Blog, you're on the right track! Just keep hopping around 'till you've seen all the blogs, including the main SOUS Blog!

Here's what is up for grabs...you will need to complete the hop by visiting EACH blog, commenting and following EACH blog, including the SOUS Blog!  Once you've completed the hop, you'll be eligible to win this prize from Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbon (which I'm a NEW Design Team Member for!!!)!

Also...if you JOIN in ANY of our challenges this month, you will then be eligible for one of our 2 Grand Prizes! The more challenges and projects you share, the more chance to win!

We'd like to warmly thank Fancy Pants Designs and Zeus and Zoe for their kind and generous sponsorship!

http://www.fancypantsdesigns.com/

http://zeusandzoe.blogspot.com

REMEMBER to make sure you are also following SOUS! Please finish at SOUS to let us know you have completed the hop and followed all the gals!

Let us know if you are following me on Pinterest and Instagram for EXTRA CHANCES to win!

ALL winners (grand prizes and blog hop winners) from this month will be announced on Friday, October 10th!!!

Now...let's get on to the FUN STUFF!!!

This week's Die-Cut Challenge is Geometric Shapes...

And...here is what I made...

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I guess you can see that the geometric shape I chose is a CIRCLE!  There's also some other geometric shapes on there.  Here are some close-ups of the circles...some were cut using CTMH Cricut Artbooking and some were cut using an Ali Edwards cut file.  I threw in some sequins and mini staples...LOVE embellishing!

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I threw in some For Always PML Cards and some My Crush in the Pink stuff as well as the #30YearsOfHappy stamp set (LOVE that thing!!!)

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And...a closeup of this sweet picture!  A few days after Christmas, the table we use for serving everyone was still up so our two youngest kids crawled under the table and had the BEST TIME!!! These are their sweet little legs sticking out from under the table...

Your next stop is Leah's Blog...

Remember to leave a comment here as well as all the other Die-Cut girls AND follow my blog if you're not already a follower (link to do that is on the right side-bar).  You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for some EXTRA POINTS!!! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Kindergarten Smile with SOUS...

This week's Die-Cut Challenge over at SOUS is "Class is In"...to me, that means anything school related!

I have a bad habit of ordering school pictures then putting them on the bar and forgetting to give them out...anyone else?!?!  I cleaned off the pile of stuff that has been moved from the bar to my scrapbook table to my sewing table back to my scrapbook table and found these portraits from last year. 

Here's my "Class is in" layout using one of the school portraits...

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I used cuts from Miss Kate Cuttables (Kindergarten & the number border) and some from the CTMH Cricut Cartridges (shaped frame and stars)...the Kindergarten title is pop-dotted using Thin 3D-Foam Tape.

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Even though the Paper Packet I used is a retired one from CTMH, the "I like seeing you SMILE" is a NEW Chalk It Up PML card...I just LOVE that CTMH exclusive colors mesh well with each other.

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And...that top left corner needed something so I used the NEW Chevron Border Punch...I love how you can see through it...just need to make sure the layout that will be behind it in the Album will "match" the color scheme of the layout...a scrapbooker's problems...lol

Thanks for stopping by!  Don't forget to check out the other Die-Cut DT Members' blogs and see what classy project they have to share.

And...don't forget to play along and link up your own "Class is in" project to the SOUS Blog!!!

SG Blog Hop - Hipster...

Welcome to the Scrapbook Generation Blog Hop for September. If this is your first stop, you might like to start at the Scrapbook Generation blog and then hop through each link.

I chose to use a sketch from one of the newest bundles...you get five 2-page layouts for under $3...I love the straight lines of this layout.  Check out all their downloads {{{here}}}.

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Here's the left layout...

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I used some retired Irisistibilities inked in Lagoon Ink for a frame for my Base & Bling Free Thinker sticker.  I also added my Mini Calendar Stamp...at only $2.95, this stamp set is gettin' in work!  By adding some Gold Sequins and a little tiny red enamel heart to mark the date the photos were taken, some much needed bling was added!

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I used the Chalk It Up WOTG stamp set to add the "Life is Good" sentiment...and the Gold Shimmer Trim brings out the metallic glasses!

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Another Irisistible frame inked in Lagoon Ink...another Base & Bling Free Thinker sticker (the red polka-dot pennant) and some more Gold Sequins to carry the theme over to the right page.

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The chose to use some retired Later Sk8r B&T (you can still get the PML cards here) and some of the Paper Fundamentals Cardstock (Basic Colors) to add some pattern without taking away from the photos.

You can find the SG sketches in their books and as downloads in the SG store, and there is a free one every month in case you wanted to try it out. Next on the hop is (enter the next blog in the list here, last person link back to SG), leave a comment on each blog and one lucky commenter will receive a free sketch bundle of their choice from the store.

The winner will be drawn on Monday, September 8th which leaves you one week to leave a comment. 

Your next stop is Cicily's Blog...make sure you hop to everyone's blog and comment for your chance to win!!!

Later Sk8r also happens to be my FAVORITE color combo...Pear and Lagoon...and since this layout adds Black, White Daisy & a little bit of red, it's the PERFECT color combo!  H2H's Challenge this week is to scrapbook with your favorite color combo...what's yours!

Inspired by a Book - H2H...

This week at H2H, we are still keeping with this month's theme of "Inspired by"....and this week, it comes in the form of a BOOK!!!

As you can probably see...the DT has varying takes on this challenge!!!

My inspiration comes from {{{this book}}} pinned to my Mini-Album Board...

I bought the svg but in the end, I really wanted to use CTMH's Chalk It Up PML Cards Since CTMH has an AWESOME deal this month (see the very end of my post) so I came up with my own template and cut it by hand (templates are at the end of this post).  I used the Chalk It Up WOTG and the Chalk It Up Complements to embellish!

Here are a BUNCH of close-ups...make sure you look at all the pull-outs and details...

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Pages 1 & 2

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This is one of the 2" x 3" PML Cards...already prompted with Class Schedule...so, I just filled it in then created a pull-out to name the teachers and room #'s...

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Pages 3 & 4

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Pages 5 & 6

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This PML card is actually from the Laughing Lola PML Kit...LOVE that I can combine Kits and it still looks like they go together!

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Here's a close-up of the 4x6 Chalk It Up PML Cards that I used for pull outs...

Ok...as promised here is the cutting diagram for the mini-album...

This is the outside cover...it's a little larger so when folded the inside pages won't still out.

Here's the inside pages...

Then decorate with 3-7/8" x 5-5/8" B&T and add as many embellishments as you'd like.  Don't forget the PML Card for the pull-outs...you might have to cut them down just a tad so they won't stick out of the pockets!

DON'T FORGET during the month of August, you can get any package of Memory Protectors for only $3 with ANY Picture My Life Kit purchase!

Thanks for stopping by...don't forget to make your own "Inspired by a BOOK" project using CTMH products and link up to our H2H Challenge before the end of the month!