Amour in Paris

Today's layout is for a couple of different blogs. I created the layout with my Counterfeit Kit for April, Les Voyageurs. I used the April sketch from Die Cut With a View and I LOVED it!

This is the sketch I used from DCWV.

These are photos from Pont de l'Archeveche in Paris, in front of the Notre Dame. I loved the romantic idea of attaching a lock to the bridge to symbolize your love, and throwing away the key. They have since removed these bridges in Paris due to collapse, and they have taken measures to prevent this from happening again, so I have read online. But I am glad I did get to experience them while they lasted!

Here is my double page spread with a traditional layout & a Project Life pocket page.

So, ironically, I just read the new Studio Calico member challenge about how to turn a crafting accident into a happy one. And then I had the opportunity to do just that with this layout!

These sweet little white & gold letters from Studio Calico are running low and I needed to use the Q for an O. Well, when I cut off the tail, the inside of the Q looked a bit rougher than I'd like and some of the foil was rubbed off.

Well, luckily, I've been trying to use more textiles in my layouts. And I had already added sewing elements, so why not wrap the mistake in some embroidery thread?!

My FIL watches a lot of Bob Ross, and Mr. Ross loves to say, "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents." Well, I agree, at least in crafting!

Here are some details:

and a close up of the pocket page:

Supplies:
Solid Cardstock - DCWV Coral Couture
Pattern Cardstock - DCWV Vintage Lane
Doily - Recollections by Michaels
Staples - We are Memory Keepers
Lock & Key - JoAnns Craft Essentials
Letters - Studio Calico
Pocket Page cards - Me and My Big Ideas
Pocket Page transparencies - Project Life, September Skies

Thanks for looking!

A BEEyoutiful Day in Paris + a freebie!

Today I bring you a challenge entry for the Challenge YOUrself blog & the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog.

My Counterfeit Kit for April, Les Voyageurs, was made specifically for my Paris scrapbook. Well, it's quite convenient that I have many photos of myself from our Paris trip, so it fits quite well with the purpose of putting yourself in the photo at Challenge YOUrself. Also, this page ended up with so much shine & sparkle - it's definitely one of my favorites, as I love all things glitter. A page about yourself should include what you love! This month's theme is the Martina McBride song, "This one's for the girls." I was inspired by the lines, "Who dream with everything they have, All around the world." Paris was a dream come true, as well as other locations are for me, around the world!

I've been wanting to do a pinata shape, and a bee came to mind. I just ran with it and I'm really happy how it turned out!

My little beehive didn't show up as much as I would have liked, probably should have done black, but it was stuck down, so it's staying! I just adore that hexagonal washi I got a while back.

Here's a detail of my little buzzy bee. He was a little bit time consuming, but so cute & worth it!

I thought I would make a play on the title to go along with the theme of doing a page about me - and bees - haha I love a good pun!

This page was so much fun to create. I love that gold is all the rage these days - like honey! So, I've created a little svg file that can be used for pocket pages, or anything you desire. I used the free font WM Insects from Da Font.

Beehive Free Cut File

This is new territory for me, so please let me know if it doesn't work properly. Also, I would LOVE to see anything you create with this little cut file!! Leave me a comment, tag me on Instagram (@scrappinhappy), link back to this blog, whatever you prefer!

Supplies:
Cardstock - CraftSmith by Michaels
Gold Chevron paper - DCWV
Gold and Black gems - Hampton Art, Ki Memories
Gold letters - Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper
Gold Doilie - Recollections by Michaels

Thank you so much for looking & I hope you enjoy the cut file!

Bienvenue a Paris - a Counterfeit Kit Club page

Well I was going to save my Counterfeit Kit for April for this upcoming Saturday when I'm attending an all day crop, but I just couldn't wait! Once I decided how to use my kit, the ideas started flowing. Who am I to stop creativity?

So I created the entrance to Paris page for my scrapbook with my Counterfeit Kit, Les Voyageurs.

I mean, who could not love a city who welcomes you with a sunset like this?! Paris was always my dream vacation, and it came true in 2011 when my husband and I traveled to France, among Ireland and Spain. It was everything I had imagined (except maybe a bit more walking...), and we both LOVED the city. I definitely want to return and take my kids someday (Disneyland Paris, anyone?).

Here are a few details:

I used my Cricut to write the type on the cardstock. I then just clustered a few groupings of embellishments and cut a decorative border from my Cricut as background to the photo.

Supplies:
Grey cardstock - Craftsmith by Michaels
Patterned Cardstock & stamp by DCWV
Wood veneer by Heidi Swapp
Stamp by 7 Gypsys

Thanks for looking! Merci!

Les Voyageurs - My April Counterfeit Kit

Je m'appelle Natalie. That and a very few other phrases are all I took out of my 1 semester of French before I decided becoming a Spanish major would be more useful (it wasn't). However, my lack of knowledge of the language never diminished my love for the country or desire to travel it!

So this month's prompt over at The Counterfeit Kit Club blog was a kit called C'est Magnifique. At first, I thought, "Hmmm, this isn't my style." Then as I was writing my list of things I thought I had to include in the kit, I thought, "Hmmm, I could use photos of our trip to Paris!" and the deal was sealed. This kit took on a mind of its own & grew & I'm so excited to use it!

Here is the original kit inspiration:

I tried to pull out light papers with florals & vintage patterns. Obviously a little lace & the contrasting black embellishments. I had some perfect washi tape, and some clear stamps with just the right frills. I had these sweet little clear embellies that were architectural and perfect, and I got new crate paper ephemera that fit great with pinks and blacks. Obviously some flowers were in order, and I just received a great package from Rochelle Spears from the February Challenge and the prima flowers in it were spot on. I had some fun chipboard alphas with gold that fit and a whole page from a DCWV stack that included stamps and even an Eiffel Tower tag. Doilies and pearl stickers and Gold alphas, oh my!

Some details.

Ya'll, I even added in a chipboard banner to create! I've been meaning to make a banner to hang from a shelf in my half-bath, which is decorated with Paris items - hopefully this kit will get me into finally doing it!

I'm excited to step away from my family album a couple times this month and scrap a trip that will always be so special to me and my husband. Stay tuned for how I use my kit!

Thanks for looking & go play along!