Camping Under The Stars - Stash Bash Flair

Hello blogging friends!

I am participating with some other designers in the June Stash Bash. This month we are focusing on using our flair; tin pins, decorative brads, enamel dots, woodies. I had some camping flair from A Flair For Buttons so I decided to do a camping layout.

The digital cut file I used is a free cut file from the Paper Issues on-line store. I wanted to back it with some plaid paper in my stash from the Photo Play Paper Lakeside collection. 

I searched through my stash for camping embellishments and found these die cuts from the Imaginisce Happy Camper collection.

I also added some decorative brads from the Simple Stories Cabin Fever collection. This bear was perfect for a Northern Minnesota camping layout.

I wanted to set off the flair on a dark background and found this starry pattern paper from the Simple Stories Heart Simple Set. I cut out some semi-circles to frame the flair.

I like how the digital cut file frames my photo.

Here is the link to my process video. You can check out the other designer's Stash Bash YouTube videos too.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
~Marcia

Southern Favorites = Paper Issues

Hello blogging friends!

I am playing along with the Paper Issues Sketch Challenge today. Here is the sketch by the very talented Amy Coose ...

and here is my take using the Jen Hadfield Simple Life collection from Pebbles.

Our last night in Charleston we splurged and went to a fancy restaurant, Magnolias and I am so glad we did. It was outstanding!!!  I tried fried green tomatoes for the first time and absolutely loved them! I also had their shrimp and grits in a lobster sauce, WOW! so good. The Magnolias label is actually a photo I took of the sign outside and then fussy cut out. Other ephemera on this layout is from my stash. Here are some detailed shots....

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Enjoy the weekend!
~Marcia

Champagne Brunch Bridal Shower - Stash Bash YouTube Hop

Hello blogging friends!

Marcia here today with my second Stash Bash YouTube process video in our monthly series. Each month some of my scrappy friends and I choose one element in our stash and create scrapbook layout focusing on that item. This month it was gemstones, enamel dots, sequins ... I went with gemstones. I have been wanting to scrap my daughter's bridal shower pics for a while now. I really debated whether to scrap these photos at all since my daughter is now divorced. But I figured her ex is not in the photos, and it was a really fun day with family and friends. We had a champagne brunch with a Breakfast at Tiffany's theme ... so much fun. We asked guests to come dressed as Audrey Hepburn ... elegant black dresses with pearls and hats. I intend to turn this layout into a 2 pager I think. I used the gorgeous Metropolitan Girl collection from Carta Bella paper

 What do you think of that chandelier?  I used my Imaginisce i-rock and rhinestones to add bling. I love the way it turned out.

There is more bling at the bottom ... this gorgeous swirl from Want 2 Scrap.

I adore the vintage feel to this collection. It was perfect for the Breakfast at Tiffany's theme.

I used a silver metallic thread to add some stitching here. I love mixing fonts for my titles.

and my beautiful girl...

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Here is the YouTube video if you are interested in watching,,,

The Stash Bash hop order can be found in the description of this layout on YouTube.
~Marcia

Winter Front Porch Decor - Xyron

Hello blogging friends! Happy New Year!!

If you are hopping and looking for my Top 10 of 2015 plus a giveaway, click here or just scroll down to my last post.

I packed up my Christmas decor and thought my front porch looked a little bare. I dug out my old sled from when I was a kid and thought it needed some ice skates. I haven't ice skated in 15 years, so I don't have any skates. I decided to make some.... out of paper, a few brads, and my Xyron adhesive. Oh... and some pretty May Arts Ribbon for the laces. Now my front porch doesn't get good light ever, so I photographed my sled with the ice skates in my front yard. When on my porch, it is pretty well protected from the elements. This snow is here to stay until March or April.

Here is another close-up photo of the skates....

 Pretty cool hey! Let me show you have I created them ...

Supplies:
Bazzill cardstock in white and American Crafts cardstock in blue
DCWV blue glitter paper
May Arts Ribbon: white grosgrain and that pretty blue and white houndstooth
Imaginisce: Gems and Magi-cut Ribbon Cutter
16 Silver brads (8 per skate)
SVGcuts: Winter Wonderland digital cut file
Silhouette or other electronic machine that will cut SVGs
Xyron 9" Creative Station

Step 1.  Cut out the pieces from the Ice Skate digital file. I used a smooth white cardstock for my skate boot. For the blade, I used the blue cardstock and blue glitter paper. Because I wanted two skates, I cut out two of everything.

Step 2.  I ran the panel pieces through my Xyron 9" Creative Station and applied to their base pieces. 

Step 3.  Start assembling the skates. SVGcuts has a YouTube video assembly tutorial that you can watch. I would recommend watching first because it recommends that you lace up the skates before they are fully assembled. Which makes total sense, because trying to reach your hand inside after it is assembled would be darn near impossible.

Step 4. Continue assembly until you get to the sole of the skate.

Step 5.  Put the silver brads in the soles of the skates and adhere to bottom of skate. Once the sole is in place the skate blade piece will fit over the top of the brads.

Step 6.  With your May Arts Ribbon, tie a pretty bow. I use a Bowdabra Bow Maker for tying big bows. This ribbon has a wired edge, so I know it will hold its shape nicely.

Step 7.  One of my favorite tools is this Imaginisce Magi-cut Ribbon Cutter. It cuts and seals the edges, so the ribbon won't unravel or fray. It's so easy to use too. Just set the ribbon across the bed of the tool, close it, and press that button on top and hold for 5-10 seconds. The length of times depends on how thick the ribbon is. I sealed the ends of the skate laces as well as the edges of the houndstooth ribbon.

Step 8.  Attach the bow to the skate laces. I wanted one of my skates to hang higher than the other, so adjusted the laces accordingly. Add gems if you want to bling it up a bit.

Step 9.  These are pretty enough to hang all by themselves too :)  They look fabulous hanging from this old sled! I used the wire from tying my bow to attach the skates to the sled.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great 2016!!

~Marcia

Top 15 of 2015 and a Giveaway!

Hello blogging friends! It's that time of year again where I am reflecting upon my year.... what I loved, what didn't work out so well, so I can make those New Year's Resolutions.

Today, I am participating in a blog hop to showcase the top projects of several very talented designers. Here is the blog hop order so you can be sure not to miss any inspiration.

Blog Hop List 2015

Christine Meyer 

Mendi Yoshikawa 

Cathy Harper 

Nicole Nowosad 

Chantalle McDaniel 

Becki Adams 

Wendy Antenucci 

Jen Matott 

Katrina Hunt 

Michele Kovack 

Kelly Holbrook 

Rhonda Van Ginkel 

Jennie McGarvey 

Suzanna Lee 

Monique Liedtke 

Jennifer Haggerty 

Marcia Dehn Nix 

Rebecca Keppel

Kelly Jean Guzlas 

Melissa Elsner 

Shannon Morgan 

Juliana Michaels 

Audrey Yeager 

We have pooled our resources to offer one lucky blog hop participate an $80 (US Dollars) gift card to the on-line scrappy store of their choosing. This way my Aussie friends, or Russian friends, (or where ever you are from) can choose an on-line store in their country and not have to pay international shipping. To enter just leave a comment on each blog by 11:59 pm CST on January 3. In addition, I am giving away an Echo Park Teacher's Pet Kit (12 sheets of pattern paper plus 2 sticker sheets). To win, follow my blog and leave a comment telling me which project of mine is your favorite. I will announce the winner on Monday, January 4th. Good luck!

Grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

Yes, I know this was suppose to be the top 10 projects of 2015, but that is like asking me to pick which of my kids is my favorite. so ... Here are my top 15 projects according to Marcia. Yup, the ones I liked the most, in no particular order ....

1.  I LOVE these photos of my daughter and I (Thank you Amanda Plucker Photography). I used the February Clique Kit featuring the Dear Lizzy Serendipity collection. Those sequin vellum pockets and the splatters of ink make me swoon.

2. If you follow my blog you will have noticed that I had a love affair with box cards this year. This mailbox Valentine I made for Imaginisce with the Baby Mine collection and my Xyron adhesives was published in Scrapbook and Cards Today! I use a cut file from SVGcuts.

3.  My favorites list would not be complete without this Carousel Cupcake Holder! I created this using the Cocoa Vanilla Studios Sugar & Spice collection. I am the luckiest girl to be able to design with this Australian Scrapbook Manufacturer. You may think so too when you reach the end of my favorites list ;) You are going to see lots of Cocoa Vanilla Studios products! This is another SVGcuts file.

4.  The June Clique Kit was one of my favorite kits this past year featuring the Crate Paper Journey collection. It was so hard to choose a favorite layout that I created with this kit to include in my top 15! I used a gold metallic sketch pen in my Silhouette for this one. Lacey, from Clique Kits created that gorgeous background file. 

5.  Another Summer favorite was the Pink Paislee Atlas collection. Here I paired it with the On An Adventure JustNick Studios digital cut file. I wish I could say this photo was from my vacation, but sadly, no. My daughter Colette backpacked across Europe this past summer. This was one of her favorite places Hallstatt, Austria.

6.  Xyron and My Favorite Things Teamed up this past summer and I fell in love with these Penguins. I used some older Imaginisce papers from my stash for this and another SVGcuts file. And look.... I colored with my Copics !!! and I LOVED it!!!  Susan Opel even featured my pineapple on the My Favorite Things blog!

7.  Xyron and Top Dog Dies teamed up with Simple Stories this summer too. I was so excited to be able to play with the Summer Vibes collection. I created this layout using some fun JustNick Studios digital cut files....

8.  I really enjoyed the Imaginisce Heartland Farm collection too. I love gardening. I created this layout about starting my blueberry garden ...

9.  I swooned over the Pink Paislee Citrus Bliss collection this summer too. It was featured in the August Clique Kit. I used some JustNick Studios cut files with it here for this layout of my hubby posing with this Jamaican lady. This pic is about 25 years old ... did those pink shorts make you smile?

10.  I love this picture of my girls! I showcased it well, don't you think, using the September Clique Kit featuring the Cocoa Vanilla Studios Hello Lovely collection. I use a silver metallic sketch pen in my Silhouette to create those spirals from the Clique digital cut file.

11.  Life Is Beautiful by Cocoa Vanilla Studios was another fabulous collection. I just love the floral patterns that Zoe includes in her collections. I used some fabulous JustNick Studios cut files on this layout and went crazy stitching in circles.

12.  I scrapped lots of wedding photos this year.... Here is another wedding layout using the November Clique Kit featuring the We R Memory Keepers Wildflower collection. I modified the cut file, welding four of the squares together, and really love the Art Deco feel the layout has....

13.  Another box card from SVGcuts,,,, this time using the gorgeous Cocoa Vanilla Studios Tis The Season collection and my Xyron adhesives.

14.  Here is a layout I created with the same gorgeous collection, Tis The Season. Surprisingly, I used no cut files on this one!

15. I am currently playing with the new Fancy Pants Designs Happy Place collection in my January Clique Kit. I created the positive background with another JustNick Studios cut file, using it as a stencil for applying  some modeling paste. I love how this one turned out... my daughter with her dog. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. Do you have a favorite? Let me know which one of my projects you like best for a chance to win that Teacher's Pet prize or that $80 gift card.

Your next stop is the very talented Rebecca Keppel!

~Marcia