Jodi's Title Prompt Challenge: LUCKY

I got to play with my November Kit again for this title prompt challenge! Your challenge: to create a layout using the title "LUCKY" or to have the word "LUCKY" somewhere in your title! There are so many things that I think I am "lucky" to have... my husband... is one of the major ones!! We defeated all odds to meet each other on a cruise ship... and we happened to live in opposite ends of the world... I am so grateful and lucky to have my soulmate!

I would love to see your layouts of something you are lucky for!

Anna's Make-N-Take :)

I've had a few requests to do an accordian flower tutorial this month, so today's your lucky day :) This kind of flower is easy to make & once you get the hang of it, you'll want to make lots & lots. Let's get started shall we??


Step 1: Cut 2 strips of paper 12 inches long by 1 inch wide. You'll want to choose heavier paper for this project. Papers that have a busy pattern work best because they hide the joining seams better.

Step 2: Start folding you paper, accordian style, until you've folded one whole strip of paper. The picture below shows you how to start this.


Step 3: Now that you are done folding the first strip of paper, it is time to start folding the 2nd strip. You'll want to make sure they join the right way. If the end fold on the first strip faces up, then take your 2nd piece, put it over that. Then continue folding the 2nd strip in the same fashion as the first.

See how they join?? :)

Step 4: It's time to glue the ends together, forming an accordian circle. You'll want to use a super sticky clear adhesive for this. I use Crystal Effects from Stampin' Up!. Your regular tape runner will not work!! So join your strips together, glue & let it dry.

Step 5: While you're waiting for that to dry, you need to cut out a cardstock or thin chipboard circle. I save cardstock sheets that come with paper packs. You could even cut a circle out of a cereal box if you want. You will want to make sure your circle is smaller than your flower will be. The circle photographed below is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Step 6: Glue up your circle using the same glue you used for the above steps. I put it on nice & thick so it will adhere to the folds of the flower really well. Don't put it too close to the edge or else you'll have a gluey mess to clean up :(

Step 7: Here comes the tricky part. Get your flower and start gathering it together and try to lay it "flat" (or facing upward - it's not really flat because it's an accordian, see?). This might take a few tries. Your paper will naturally want to spring back to its original shape which is in step 4. No worries. Just keep gathering & working everything to the center. Then hold it all down with your finger once everything is in place. Here's what your almost-done-flower should look like:

Step 8: Now it's time to glue the circle to the back. Carefully pick up your flower & center it on the glued circle. Again, this takes practice. When you pick up your flower, it will want to spring out of shape. I try to keep one finger on the center, and then put both hands around the sides to hold it all together. Once it's on the glued circle, you can adjust each pleat to make them an even distance from eachother. Hold your flower down while it is drying. This might take a couple of minutes. Don't let go till it's dry!!

See how pretty your glued down flower is?? But it's lookin' kinda plain. Let's add something to the middle :)

Step 9: Pretty up the center of your flower with a button or brad (or whatever cute thing your heart desires). I glue on my centers using the same glue I used for the above steps.

Are you hooked?? I am! I love making these flowers. I made a few more just for fun. I hope you enjoyed my little tutorial. I can't wait to see what flowers you come up with!!

I want to see what flowers ya'll come up with. Post your lovelies in the gallery so we can all see your fabulous work!!

--Anna

A color challenge for you!

My color challenge for you is to use these colors on a card or layout. So how did I come up with these particular colors you ask? My inspiration was the lovely SO November kit!

I just loved the November Pink Paislee kit. So much so I couldn't let any of it go to waste!

Do remember the Prima flowers and swirls in the kit? Of course you do, how can you forget those! When I was taking them out of the package I pulled out the colored inserts as well, took off the product and made my layouts. When I was cleaning my scrap space I was about to throw those out when something caught my eye. I noticed the design on them was really pretty and couldn't bear throwing them away. So this card was born!

I used the Prima packaging and flowers left over from the Amber Road paper. You may remember those butterflies too, those are from the Jenni Bowlin/ Graphic 45 kit. The colors looked a little drab so I used the dark pink button from my stash to give it a splash of color.

Please upload your finished projects to the SO gallery because we would love to see them!

November Photo CHallenge: Creative Props

I bet a lot of you, like myself, are starting to think about Christmas card pictures. EEK! it is already that time!!

I know a lot of us have smaller children, some don't, but I thought it would be fun to do a challenge with creative props.

I photograph younger children all the time, so having FUN props for them is awesome because it not only gets a cute picture, but it helps to keep their attention and keep them still. And although older children may follow directions of sitting still and smiling, it is still fun to get creative with your props;)

SO here are a few recent examples to get ya thinking, I would LOVE to see what ideas you have!! ( i realize some of these are not at all Christmas card worthy, but they are just examples to get you thinking outside the box)

If you keep your eyes open, you can really find some cool props for very inexpensive. I found this AWESOME chair at the flea market. It came this way, but I also bought a similar, plain one, that I am going to paint and refinish the cushion for a similar idea. I LOVE to look for cheap chairs for photo sessions and paint and fix them up. SUPER cheap and easy way to "dress Up" a picture.

This parasol was also an amazing find at the flea market. It only cost 2 dollars and kept this girl's attention. I took pictures with it and her older sister as well and I got some great shots of her "frolicking" around with it just having a grand ol' time acting girly.


And THIS, one of my fav finds EVER, was 10 dollars at an antique store. This worked SOOO well because what little kid DOESN"T want to sit STILL and play on a piano? I got some great genuine smiles with this prop.


Other popular ideas are different toys, lollipops or candy canes, tutus for girls etc.

Sometimes I think a lot of people make the mistake of trying to "force" their kids into sitting still on the fireplace or something for the Christmas card and that rarely ever works.

Thinking of fun props to use for your session will really enhance the experience for all involved!

I REALLY want to see what you all can think of!!! Have fun!

GD Mette November Reveal!

Look at the BEAUTIFUL work Mette created with the November kit! LOVE IT!!

Jodi's November Reveal!

I was so excited to see what this month's kit was, and even more excited when I finally got to play with it! The hardest part was choosing the pictures to go with it, because I had so many fall photos that would could with this amazing paper line!!! Here is the first layout I created:

This picture was taken at the pumpkin farm... we were waiting to go on the hayride, and it became a perfect spot for a photo! I don't usually a lot of "me"... but I love how this turned out! The add-on Prima Fleurs were the perfect embellie to this layout!!

Here is my next layout:


This was also taken at the pumpkin farm in the HAY BAIL jumping area! both my kids had such a ball there! It was hard to get them out! Jordan ended up covered in Hay.. but it was well worth it!

I also made three cards for my reveal! This kit was perfect for making your fall cards! Here is what I came up with:





I also have one more layout to share with you... but you have to wait for that one... it will be revealed for my title prompt challenge! so until then.... HAVE a GREAT WEEKEND!

Anna's November Reveal

The November kit is sooooo lovely. I love all the Pink Paislee papers (thick & double-sided - how can you go wrong??)!! And Heather gave us the most fabulous Prima flowers to work with this month. I LOVE THEM!! Okay, so I really love the kit. But who wouldn't?? It's perfect for scrapping all those fall photos or even summer wedding pics. Or family photos or making cards....you get the idea. The papers are just so pretty. Here's what I came up with this month. Enjoy!

I used all of my flowers on this LO of my bro-in-law & his cute new wife. I love the journaling cards because you can put the title on one of them to really make it stick out. And the buttons Heather made add just the right amount of pretty to the page:


And then I decided to do a 2 pager. I typically don't do these, but my hubby & I went to New Orleans in September & I wanted to scrap all my photos & not do 10 layouts of the trip. So I kept it simple, yet pretty using the reds & blacks from the kit. I ordered the fabric shape add-on from the SO Shop because that same symbol is found EVERYWHERE in New Orleans. It was perfect for this LO. Oh, & I can't say enough about the chipboard letters. I want them in every color!


Still having lots of goodies to play with, I decided to make a card for a friend of mine. The buttons in the kit are super cool & add just the right amount of nostalgia to this project. And there are those pretty buttons & chipboard again :D


Happy November :D
--Anna

November Guest Designer!!

The VERY Talented Mette Kallander is November's Guest Designer!

I have loved her work from the very beginning! I can't wait to see what she does with November's kit. I asked her a few questions and here are her answers:

1. How long have you been scrapping? I have been scrapping since Jan 2007, and I have loved it from moment one!

2. Who are your three favorite manufacturers? I love Pink Paisee, My Mind´s Eye and Bo Bunny

3. What three items do you tend to use the most on your pages? Except from papers... :) Buttons, flowers and rubons

4. Who are your main scrapping subjects? My family = myself, my husband and my wonderful kids

5. Where do you draw most of your inspiration from? From scrappy magazines. I love Scrapbook Trends.

6. If only allowed to scrap with 4 items (ie pp, chipboard, etc) for the rest of your life, what would they be?? Patterned papers, rubons, flowers and buttons... But it would be soooo hard!!!!! I love to have much decorations on my pages! :)

7. What's your favorite food to snack on while scrapping? Just a cup of tea or if I scrap in the weekend evening - a glass of red wine! :)

8. DO you have background noise going on while you scrap? If so, what? I often have the TV on... I don´t watch it, but I like to have som noise around my while scrapping.

9. What's your favorite thread on SO? The Scuttlebutt

10. What's your favorite part about SO?? All the friendly ladies. It feels like home!

There you have it! Please congratulate her and look forward to seeing her work posted in the next few days!

Ronda's Sketch Challenge

Happy Thursday!!!
Here is my sketch and LO example for the month!
Sketches are such an easy way to get pages done quick! I challenge you to take this sketch and flip it, flop it and change it to fit your needs! Can't wait to see what you do with it!!!

Autumn Beauty- I used Basic Grey Indian Summer papers, and Prima flowers, and other misc. items.

Below is what Guest Desinger Mette did with the sketch! Just fabulous!

Have a great day!!

~Ronda

Ronda's November DT Reveal

Good Morning, girls!!!
I'm so excited about this months kit!! It has to be one of my FAVORITES ever!!
I LOVE fall, and I LOVE the colors in this kit! The good thing about this kit, is it is versatile. You don't have to use it for fall photos, everyday photos will work too!
Falling For You-
I actually played off of the word "fall" in this one, to go with the theme. I absolutley LOOOVE the Prima flowers that were included in this kit! Can't get enough of them!

Me & You, Us-
These were quick snapshots DH and I took while on our cruise last week! We hardly ever have pics together, so I scrap them when we do. The handmade buttons that Heather included in the kit are just adorable!

Thanks-Card
I added the letters and used the bling from last months kit to complete this card

I cannot wait to see what you do with your kit!!

Have a great day, ladies! :)

~Ronda

Sarah's November Reveal

Hello and happy November! Can you believe it's November already? Crazy how fast time flies. I took my daughter to the park for a photo shoot in September and couldn't believe the photos were two months old already. When I got the November kit I knew it would be perfect for those photos and I love how these projects turned out. How could you go wrong with this kit though? The colors are awesome and I love the prima embellishments. And those Pink Paislee chip stickers? I am seriously getting those in every color available!

These pics are of my husband and daughter. They just melt my heart and remind me how lucky I am to have both of them. I cut out the flowers from the Pink Paislee paper to create a border. It actually took a lot less time than it looks because most of the flowers are connected. I also cut the prima flourish to better fit my layout and cut out one of the journaling tags. I added some ribbon and small letters from my stash to finish the layout.

The photo on this layout cracks me up! My dd is always smiling, laughing and being silly. Seriously I think I must have the happiest baby ever! She was in mid laugh when I took this picture. I made the flower from some of the left over paper and one of the cool buttons from the kit.

I had a lot of cut flowers left over from first layout so I used them on this frame. I bought the frame for a dollar at the dollar store (it is plain wood), painted it black, added the patterned paper, paper flowers and prima flowers. I love how it turned out!

Have a great November and I can't wait to see your projects with the kit!

December Guest Designer Contest

Simply Obsessed December Guest Designer Contest

Due: November 15, 2009

We'd like to see your layout include a title, photo(s) and journaling. Layouts will be judged by the public and our design team. The winning layout will earn a spot on our team for the month of December, and this Guest Designer will get to work with one of our monthly kits.

Rules of our Guest Designer Contest:

1. One (1) layout entry per person.

2. Entry must use the following critiera:

Since the holidays are a time of giving, being with those you love and being Thankful. We would like you to create a LO

* using the word “Gift” in your title
*include a family photo letting it be the main focus

3. Your layout must be NEWLY CREATED for this contest and not posted elsewhere during the contest period. After the contest is over, you can post your creation wherever you'd like.

4. Deadline for entries is November 15th, midnight EST. All voting will be done by November 21st.

5. All entries must be e-mailed to simplyobsessed@yahoo.com by November 15th midnight EST. All entries will be posted on the website for public and Design Team voting on November 16th. The more votes the more chances to win the Guest Design Team spot!

6. Due to increased international shipping times and our tight due dates, we are no longer able to accept international submissions for our Guest Designer Contest, with the exception of Canadian entries. Canadian entries ARE still being accepted. If you are not physically located in the continental United States or Canada, we cannot accept your submission.

7. You must not have been a Guest Design Team Member here at Simply Obsessed in the last six months. If it's been over that time period, feel free to enter again.

8. Being active on the message board while the contest is going.

If you're chosen as a Guest Designer for Simply Obsessed:

1. You'll be contacted via a private message, and you'll be required to accept the position within 3 days of notification.

2. Your photo and bio will be featured on our blog and we will need these within a few days of your acceptance.

3. You'll receive the December kit and will be required to complete at least 2 layouts and 1 project (altered piece, card, etc.) with the kit. These must be uploaded to the sent to Simply Obsessed via e-mail by December 6th.

4. You will also be required to make a LO based on a sketch by one of the Design Team members and also write an article – all to be posted on the blog.

5. You will have a week of posting the Questions for the day on the message board.

6. We love getting to know you and so do our members. You'll participate in the forums by posting a minimum of 5 times a week.

Have fun and can't wait to see all the entries!
Heather

Hi there!! Abbie's Reveal

HELLLLOOOOO!!!

I hope you all are recovering from Halloween alright;D

I LOVE this VERY fallish kit that Heather put together!! It was PERFECT for the halloween pictures I took this weekend. First the parade we went to that morning. I NEVER do 2 pagers, but I love all these photos:

My my kid and furkid in their costumes:
and i LOVE these prima flowers included in the kit!!!! Made just a sweet card to give to a friend:
THANKS for looking!! Come back tomorrow for more inspiration from another talented SO gal!!