WELCOME SEPTEMBER!

WELCOME SEPTEMBER! Yes it is true, there is a little bite in the air which can only mean one thing....September is here. I have spent the last two months watching kids slowly get out of bed everyday, but now it is almost time for the craziness of school days to start again. I love this time of the year. I have always thought that I was born in August just so I could be around to enjoy the fall. I LOVE the fall. Everything from cool nights to pumpkins and mums at every turn. I was made for the fall, it inspires me in so many ways.

So here is some of my recent inspirations. I love collage. The layering, the way different images play off one another, I have become totally obsessed. It has this great french market kind of feel that I long to see in real life and I will someday. But for now I will keep creating it.

And hydrangeas have entered my personal gardens in a big way this summer. I added some along the side of the house that are so beautiful. I added a bunch of them to a wreath in the family room that looks terrific.

So what do you think of my new prints. They go along with a bunch of other that can be seen HERE

I have been building a large grouping lately. They have been inspired too by the fact that I want prints for my house that I am just not seeing out there and these Vintage Book Page prints are really a passion of mine.

Well it is time to get the big kids up. The local County Fair started yesterday and they both have jobs there again this year so they need to get to work. Hope you all enjoy my creations and I would love to here what you think!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

WHAT'S NEW FOR THE NEW YEAR?

Oh how I LOVE PAPER! I know, I know, it is not real and I am not supposed to love it. But don't hate me but I do. So I am looking to bring these papers into every corner of my life and give you all ideas on how to do the same.

I made these for some of the gals in my life for Christmas. In fact once I started, I just couldn't stop. They are made with some of the vintage papers that I carry at Brambleberry Lane. I have many that are made and ready to be ordered. There is a fabulous one made from a vintage book that my daughter picked up for me at a antique store.

Then there is the music one that my parents ran into some old music sheets down south last winter.

Then there is the big bangle that I made out of some great 7 Gypsies paper I had in my stash of fun. They are all top coated so they can be worn for any fun and funky event. I will list the pictures of the ones I made for my sister and her girls once I get pictures. The black origami paper that I used for hers is FABULOUS.

Next are my many Fleur de Li's sticker sets in many fun and bright colors. I am chomping my way from one paper to another to find something for everyone!

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SCRATCH THAT............

OK, so I thought I ordered the little ones...but I was wrong. I got the big ones. So everyone of these little boxes on these TOTALLY AWESOME PRINTER TRAYS Measures 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. The total over all size is about 12 1/4 x 15 approx. That is with the handle on the top added in.

And how about this handle? What a great way to hang this printers tray. Now I am sure they could have just added one of those key whole cutouts on the back to hang it. But this really adds a lot to the look.

Now there are 12 rectangles in all for you to fill so isn't' that great. As you see I am playing with all of the fun things I can do. Playing with a Christmas theme right now. The great thing about my clear stamps, I can lay them out where I am thinking about using them before I even stamp with them. Plus I can try a bunch of different possibilities before I settle on what I would like to go with.

Now here are some quick ideas. There are 12 places so you could do a little calendar work. That would be so simple. Or you could change the theme with the seasons. Why not use poster putty to hold in your ATC's and little treasures instead of glue. That way you can use the same printers tray over and over to change when ever you feel like. Oh I know, here is a great one. How about hanging it in your home and filling it with your child's class picture and maybe a little memento every year. Or a graduation gift. So many things that you can do with this one. I am glad I messed up and ordered the big ones.

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Happy World Card Day Everyone!

Yeah, she doesn't look like she is celebrating world card day with a happy face on now does she? I am having a ball with the fun daily addition of autumn themed ATC's. I know that this eerie witch may not agree but it is true. She kind of looks like one of my teachers growing up. She has a puss on if you know what I mean. The older women would always say that to you. "What do you have a puss on for"? I think this witch fell on her broom stick. Yes I am laughing at myself right now!

Any who, just a bunch of simple layering hopefully gives you some great ideas on things to create for your own ATC rounder this fall season. Be back with more ideas!

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First of Many Halloween Posts for October!

Hi all! So I am working on my fall rounder for my ATC's. Now I say fall because I want to fill it up with now to Turkey Day! I know you are wondering where the witch went that left her shoe. I added the liquid glass to the shoe. It gave a great patten leather look to the shoe. Then I added the great little pearl stickers to give the look of a real decorated shoe. Oh yeah, she is one stylin witchy woman!

You can really see the depth of the Liquid glass in this picture.

Well I hope this gives you a idea or two for the layering fun of ATC's/ACEO'S. You can not imagine how many things are out there that you can put together to make a fun little piece of art!

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Anyone can feel like a artist after putting together a Artist Trading Card. Here is my Thursday Trading Card for all the world to see. It is such great fun, as I have said before, in a short amount of time to have a great little finished piece. You can mix and match themes and colors and come up with so many great ideas. I love to layer. I like to layer colors, embellishments, papers and inks. Using items that are printed as well as stamped makes for a great combo. Or try using just a single item in a paper. For instance the flowers behind his head. They are cut out of a 12 by 12 and inked on the edges to pop! I added some crackle medium for the lines in the leaf and there is all sorts of fun techniques going on here. Put together all of those things you already know how to do and then add something new you haven't tried and you will love the results!

Well back to creating and to all of the fun of mommy hood.

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

ATC/ACEO ROUNDER DIVIDERS FOR THE SEASONS!

Oh how I love creating ACEO/ATC's. So as I am getting ready to fill a new rounder of fun things that I have created, I realized they all pretty much go by the seasons. So that is why I made these four dividers. I love to tell a story with one little ATC. Many people pass thru here and are able to take a quick look at what we are up to rather then 12 pictures of how cute the baby is riding his bike. Or Morgan in the play, just one will do to tell her story. A photo on front and a little journaling on back and bing bam boom it is all done.

The reason for the seasons really stems from the colors of paper used to document the time of year as well as the event attended. I have mixed a combination of die cut letters, stamped and hand written letters. As much as I hate my own hand writing, it is not so much for me. It is for that person 2 or 3 generations from now that get a peek into who their relative was. I know, I know how much you truly don't like your own hand writing. But down the road it will be a way for another generation to feel a bit of attachment to the past. Example time...My grandfather(my dads father) built the field stone fireplace in the home I grew up in with his own two hands. There was a piece of one of those stones that was out and I have kept it with me ever since we moved. It sits here on top of my computer screen. This is a man that passed away before I was born, but I have something I know for sure he laid is hands on. Connection is important I think. And a strong family is built on connections. Isn't this why we scrapbook in the first place, so we can connect with our pasts. So from my rock to your memories, always leave at least some journaling for the future generations to enjoy.

When ever I create dividers for my rounders, I like to make them a little bigger then the normal 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. So what I do is start with the 2.5 x 3.5 as a base and then add to it to plump it up. The SPRING 09 card I added a orange card stock to and then fringed it with scissors to give dimension.

The SUMMER one I added rounded corners to the back layer and stamped the letters on curves.

FALL is my favorite time of year. I love, love, love the colorsof autumn so I kept it simple so they would shine and layered multiple solid colored textured cardstock. With this one I used my FAV Souffle pen in white to mark the season.

And finished this all up with WINTER. Lots of glitter here. I love doing snowflakes in blues and whites. But here I did snowflakes with some more of the traditional Christmas colors to account for the winter as well as the holiday.

Anywho, just some fun ways to make your ATC/ACEO rounder flow as well as being able to sort out the year!

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SKULL STICKERS...HAVE I LOST IT?

I know they are not my style...on the outside. You know yourself in ways that others just don't see. I know that I drive my SUV with my four (most of the time) well mannered children, and walk into my center hall colonial. Oh what a nice pretty picture. But inside I am a leather wearing, bike driving mama that longs for a tattoo at 38 years old just to do something wild and youthful. Okay,okay....we all know that I probably won't get that tattoo for fear of a news report coming out the next day that the tattoo parlor I went to has been using needles more then once. And that I will never hear the end of it from my very proper mother, who will remind me that Martha Stewart is a hard working woman with no tattoos. Like my mom knows that info. No, I won't get that tattoo, but boy I want to. So instead I made these stickers. Yes I hear myself talking. How did I jump from tattoos to stickers. Please, if you knew me in real life, you could see how I make that leap. But I love fun and I think these are. Come on, skulls on pink paper screams girly, well wild girly, but still the word girly is in there.

Then I turn and jump into one of my most requested stickers. My new Fleur DE lis line. They are perfect for anything from a well appointed seal on a letter to a old friend. A addition to your wedding albums or the closure for invitations. I love these because they can be used for both male and female items. Many times, we only have things that are girly and pretty but these can really be used for both. They are set on a great creamy paper that you will enjoy.

Well the day has just begun and it is time for me to travel the blogs and see what else is happening on-line. Next these little friends of mine that are all on vacation this week are going to be looking for my full attention so have a great day, and remember...

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!

(maybe add some skulls and be wild!)

Ad's Are a Great Jumping Off Point!

I, as you know, love the entire ACEO/ATC process. Making little works of art is so appealing to me. I love old images and the hunt for new ones is always a great challenge. There are so many great papers out there you can use but a little something different is always a great challenge to locate. I have created two sets of 10 each. As always they measure 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. Plus you will see them come out really tiny as well this week. These aren't only great as a background but won't they be fun to add dimension!

Also you will see my new product line called "TABLE SCRAPS". They will be different groups of products like a sampler pack. There will be chipboard, journal tags, stickers, stamps. Plus I shop a lot so you will see a great mixture of "this and that" as a added surprise. A great mix of items that will be perfect for you to try or to start out someone else on the road to creating. You always here people say..."I don't know where to start". With these packs you can start them out and a new passion will be born. The "TABLE SCRAPS" will also include ACEO/ATC groupings as well as TAG making SCRAPS. Stay tuned!

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Fun New Products on The Lane!

Here is my latest thought in ATC's. I want to do the year in ATC highlights. I am creating a set of months of the year as the base for you to then add a 2.5 x 3.5 ATC to. The base cards measure 2 3/4's x 3.5 so when they are on the rounder you can quickly turn to the month you are looking for. Kind of like file tabs. Let me know what you think of them. I am always trying to come up with more fun things for you guys to ATC with!

So a bunch of these great little chipboard buttons have arrived here at Brambleberry Lane. They come in RED, ORANGE AND GREEN/BLUE. I have already sold out of the brown choice but I am trying to get more. I will let you know if I do. What I think would be great is to add these to fabric flowers or to paper ones and really add great dimension to a card, tag or page!

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What do you Mean, You've Never ATC'ed

Artist Trading Cards (ATC'S)are all the rage! They are little works of art. They are pocket sized collages that are just waiting for your creative side to come out. Many moons ago when I started teaching scrapbooking classes I thought that these larger 12 x 12 pages where too much for some people to fill. Your just starting out and you have to come up with a idea that fills that entire page. That is a lot. ATC's are a great alternative to getting your art on! Say you have a idea and you really just want to make something. These 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 little guys are the perfect fit.

So I have started creating blanks for people to just jump in and go to work on. I think you will love the feeling of getting something done quick and easy. Please ask if you have nay questions about these. I am going to start posting a weekly ATC that I have created so check back @ the end of each week for your weekly dose of mini creations!

CREATE SOMETHING FABULOUS TODAY!!!