Better Living Through Scrapbooking

Welcome to the last BetterScrap challenge for the month of September! Yes, we know there is still another week in the month after this one but don’t worry – we have something fabulous in store for the crafting community. Be sure to check the Better Living Through Scrabooking blog later this week for news on the fun (and prizes!) we have planned just for you!

“Holiday paper challenge”

Use holiday-themed papers (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, 4th of July, etc.) to create a non-holiday themed page layout or mini album.

Choose at least two of the following prompts:
1. Use photos that are at least five years old.
2. Use punches or a die-cut machine to hand-make embellishments or letters out of patterned paper for your page.
3. Use pop-dots to give 3-D dimension to an element of your page.
4. Use numbers in the title of your page.
5. Use rubber or acrylic stamps somewhere on your page.

Deadline to enter September Challenge #4 (and all other September challenges) is midnight EST September 30th, 2010, so visit the Better Scraps blog to enter today!

For this challenge I selected patterned paper from the Graphic 45 “Christmas Past” collection that I adhered to Discount Cardstock “Natural Smooth 12×12″ cardstock to create the background for this layout of my oldest grandson wearing his #1 sandbox wellies (aka rubber boots).

I also opted to use all of the additions to the challenge with the exception of item 1., a five year old photo (this one was taken in May 2010).

I used my Cricut Expression with both the Freshly Picked and Plantin Schoolbook cartridges to create the title in patterned paper and several page embellishments, including the boots and spade. I popped the title, “Wellies” up with pop dots on it’s shadow that I cut from cardstock with the Cricut. I cut the number sign and the numeral “1″ twice and adhered them together with pop dots to create a 3-D effect. I also used pop dots to raise one boot, and the spade as well for some added dimension on the page.

The journal block is stamped using Stampabilities Journal with Brackets wooden stamp, that I stamped on to Rustic Cream paper and cut out by hand. I then wrote a simple little paragraph about Jack’s boots, “There are probably few little boys who get more pleasure and use out of just one pair of wellies as Jack.”

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: Discount Cardstock “Natural Smooth 80# 12×12, Sunflower 80# 12×12,” Papertrey Ink: “Simply Chartreuse, Rustic Cream, Orange Zest, Enchanted Evening, Harvest Gold, Terra Cotta Tile”; Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 “Christmas Past,” Sassafras: Apple Jack Wee Bundle; Stamps: Stampabilities “Journal with Brackets”; Ink: Memento “Black Tuxedo”; Embellishments: Basic Grey “Granola Chipboard”, My Little Shoebox “Carrot Juice Mini Alphabet Stickers”; Other Tools: Papertrey Ink “Med Scallop Die Cut”, Provo Craft “Cricut Expression, Freshly Picked cartridge, Plantin Schoolbook cartridge”; Pen: Copic “0.5 Multiliner”