Wish Big -- The Paper Variety Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge

It is time for another challenge over at The Paper Variety and it is one of my favorites --

Tic-Tac-Toe

There are sooooo many possibilities to create a project with this challenge.  I decided to go right through the middle and create a card with a spring theme and use 2 border punches.

I had so much fun adding all kinds of details to this card and I embossed the clouds with my cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.  I just love the look and texture it gives my project.  I used this sketch from Card Positioning Systems:

We have an awesome sponsor this week at The Paper Variety:

Crop Chocolate has the most awesome deals and I must confess to doing more that a little shopping with them on a couple of occasions.  The service is perfect, with quick shipping. So what are you waiting for??? Pick a row to inspire you, get busy and link up a project.  I cannot wait to see what you create.  And good luck!

The Paper Variety February 15th Challenge

The Paper Variety (my favorite challenge blog) has another really fun challenge....a photo inspiration challenge.  Here is the photo to take your inspiration from:

You can be inspired by the colors, the theme, the title, the couple....so much inspiration in this photo that I decided to go with all of the above!  Here is my layout:

I went with the colors green and russet (from Amy Adams' beautiful hair color) and used the movie title for part of my title.  I used a photo with my husband and I in much the same position as the couple on the movie poster.  I enlarged a photo that I took of a caricature drawing that my hubs and I had done a couple of years ago at Universal Studios.  I really like how Dave turned out but somehow I think I ended up looking like Sally Struthers?!  Anyhoo....I used this awesome sketch from Artful Delight:

And of course there is an awesome prize for the randomly chosen winner of this challenge.  Apron Strings Designs has generously donated this prize:

They have awesome kits and you can check them out right HERE.

You have two weeks to complete this challenge and your time begins NOW!

Edited 2/3/15 to add:  I am linking this oldie blog post but one of my favorite layouts to Paper Issues current issue -- Perfect Pairings.  I am so grateful for my husband Dave....our marriage is definitely is the "perfect pairing".

The Paper Variety Feb. 1st Sketch Challenge

Our February challenge at The Paper Variety is a sketch challenge and isn't it a beauty?  Our own Abby created this sketch just for The Paper Variety and all of us on the design team have really enjoyed working with it.  Here is my layout:

I went "shopping" in my own scraproom and found these great papers from Jillibean Soup that were perfect for the pictures of my grandson Jake, his Dad and Grandpa.  They are all lovers of winter weather and live in a stretch of northwest Indiana commonly referred as the "snowbelt".  You can tell they are really enjoying themselves in these pictures.

Not only do we have great challenges at The Paper Variety, we also have awesome PRIZES and sponsors.  We have a new sponsor this time -- My Scraps and More and Tammy has provided this awesome prize:

Awesome, isn't it?  And I spy Authentique....one of my new favorite paper companies!

I also was inspired by the current Friday recipe challenge at Frosted Designs while creating this layout.  The challenge was to use:

3 patterned papers (check)

2 buttons (check)

one word title (check)

There is also a cool challenge this week over at Lasting Memories called Trashin' Our Layouts that I wanted to enter.  See the cool kraft journaling tag in the upper right corner of my page?  I cut that from the package of the Jolee's snowflakes that I used on this layout.  Then I embellished it with snowflakes and buttons.  Here is a picture of it before I cut it out:

I love that more and more manufacturers are encouraging the recycling of their packaging.  This time instead of trashin' the package, I trashed my layout!

You have two weeks to create and link up your project at The Paper Variety....you can get all the details HERE.