Bits & Pieces Paper Lab

I've started a new blog and I would love to have you join me over there. I'll be posting paper craft tutorials, die cutting projects and all kinds of paper loving goodness!

Bits & Pieces Paper Lab
 

Check out my first post : Watercolor Cut Out Cards

Thanks so much! ~Michelle

MME market street cards

You guys-how do the weeks and months pass so quickly? It's been nearly a month since I last shared a project, but it's been a busy one.

Today I wanted to share some cards I made with MME Market Street Collection for their June Challenge. I'm so in love with this collection! The June challenge is to use a sketch, and I decided to make three cards using different elements of the sketch.

I've been loving all of the watercolor ideas I've been seeing and I added a bit of a watercolor background to a few of them. Definitely something I need to practice. I found this really cool watercolor technique tutorial I want to give a try.

Supplies:

My Minds Eye Market Street

Bazzill Basics Cardstock

Watercolors

life lessons: hidden journaling ideas

I'm trying hard to be better at journaling. I sometimes feel like the journaling messes with the artistic balance of a page and I hate to "wreck" my page with the journaling. After recently looking back at some early pages I realize how precious the journaling is. I had completely forgotten that at three my daughter referred to her legs as "human legs" (as opposed to a mermaid tail.) She was slightly obsessed with Ariel.
I don't want to miss out on the memories just because my page is pretty without words, so I've been working on ways to hide my journaling so it is there, but not front and center. How do you deal with this? What are some good ideas to hide journaling? I'd love some new ideas.

For this layout I cut a background layer and vellum layer the same size of circle on my Pazzles, then printed my journaling and cut it to fit under the vellum. My original idea was that the words would show through the vellum, but then I got a little crazy with the paper layers. I stitched quickly across the top of the three layers to hold it all in place and make it easy to lift the flap and read.
The journaling is a letter to my kids about our recent move and their efforts to make new friends. It's a bit personal anyways, so I like that they can peek at it if they want to, but it is otherwise invisible.

Supplies:

Teresa Collins {He said/She Said}

My Minds Eye {Cut & Paste} Washi Tape

heidi swapp clothespin gift tags

Sometimes I get something in my head and just have to see it through. Is that weird? I had this can of dark pink Montana Spray Paint leftover from some projects in Anna's room and a bag of clothespins. I sprayed the clothespins hot pink for the fun of it and then decided to give them a purpose.

I pulled out my Heidi Swapp Color Shine sprays and some of the Color Magic papers and started spraying different colors together. Having just fallen so completely in love with the Stained Glass Butterflies Cutting Collection from Pazzles I added a few butterflies to the mix and cut out a few tags shapes.
I dug into my folder of Heidi Swapp scraps and added a few more accent pieces. These are really just a jumble of bits and pieces, but I liked how they turned out. I glued the tags to the pink clothespins and now I have gift tags that can be clipped right to a gift and reused by the recipient. Before I give them away, I might add a magnet to the back so they can be used of the fridge.

Supplies:
Pazzles Inspiration Cutter
Stained Glass Butterflies Cutting Collection
Heidi Swapp Color Shine
Heidi Swapp Color Magic Papers
Hug Snug Seam Tape

cut and paste washi tape cards

And a few more washi tape cards for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol Challenge.

The first is a fun father's day card. The suspenders are made of washi tape and the bow tie cutting file is from the latest Pazzles Craft Room project.

The second card is a sunshine made of washi tape. I simply cut out a circle and then ruffled washi tape in layers around the circle. I had an entire 12 x 12 sheet of that cloud paper and I have literally only scraps left. I've cut so many of those little clouds out by hand, but I just love them!
Hope you are all having a great week and have big fun plans for the weekend!
~Michelle

Supplies:

MME {Cut & Paste}

MME {Chalk Studio}

quilt inspired pieced washi card

I've have a bit of an obsession with quilts right now. I really want to make a quilt and I've been pouring over quilting books, but truthfully I'm just a little afraid to get started. So instead of venturing into unknown territory I decided to stick with what I know best and make a quilt inspired card for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol Washi Tape Challenge.

Here's the details on how I made it:

• I started with a 4" x 5" piece of white cardstock and laid 3 stripes of washi tape at an angle across the card.
• Next, I cut the card into 5 strips, 1" each, making sure to keep them in the same order as I cut them.

• I then switched places with 2 & 4 to give it a random look. I glued each of my pieces onto the card base and finished it off with a few embellishments.

I can't wait to try a few different ones!  I think these would make cool layout backgrounds as well. But really, I AM going to get brave and start a quilt! Any experienced quilters? Give me a little pep-talk will ya! What's a fairly dummy proof pattern to start with? 
~Michelle

Supplies:

MME Cut & Paste

MME Chalk Studio

christmas morning layout

So yesterday just happened to be a national holiday-National Scrapbook! This is one holiday I never forget and I always celebrate to the fullest potential! After early morning football, I made a trip to the scrapbook store to take advantage of the great sales. I was pumped and ready to spend, but I left with a $9.00 receipt. I'm not sure what's wrong with me. I'm in a DIY mood I guess because I kept thinking-I'll just make that.

 

 

I finished up this layout late last night. It's pictures from Christmas morning and I love the expressions on the kid's faces. Anna has the best expressions, because she is prepped for a dramatic moment caught on camera. She's such a little actress. Of course I managed to miss her dramatic performance on camera this year and just got normal pictures.

~Michelle

Supplies:

Echo Park Paper {Seasons Greetings}

Two Peas NSD Freebie [Camera}

MME Washi Tape

Studio G Stamps