Summer Smooches Early Peeks!

I got a new shipment of fresh summery supplies, right on the tail end of a weekend at the beach!  I wanted to scrap this photo of my boys dipping their toes in the Gulf, and tell the story that my younger son told me this morning.  {I just love it when they get along!} These bright, cheerful patterns are just right for the beautiful blue water and sky.

I prefer a simple, scrappy design on most of my layouts, that are a little inky, but keep a lot of neutral space so that the photos really stand out.

The title on this layout is "Warm My Heart".  I used the Petite Pennants punch for the banner triangles, punched from the new DSP set, Summer Smooches.  I alternated rectangular banner pieces, they're 1-1/4" x 1", and stamped with a blossom image from the new Bright Blossoms stamp set, available June 1.  Before adhering the banner across the layout, I flipped the triangles over and used them as a mask with Shimmer Paint and a sponge to repeat the banner pattern between the large and smaller pictures.  I also used the Spritzing Tool to add some fine spritzes of Soft Suede. 


I sponged and added the tiniest bit of glitter to the title letters with a flat round paintbrush. 



I had a lot of scraps left on my table, so I made a card to match, inspired by the theme of the layout...my sweet boys helping each other and playing so nicely together {it's not always like that, lol}



It's a fairly clean and simple layout, but I added a quilled paper flower with (another new item!) a Summer Smooches Designer Fabric Brad.  The leaves are from the same stamp set, Bright Blossoms.



The flower adds a lot of dimension and texture to the card, with the wonderful fabric and bright patterns.


If you'd like to make one for yourself, it's super easy! I put together a little visual tutorial below.  It's just a strip of any DSP 12" x 3/4".  Thinner patterned paper works much better than cardstock.

 A couple of tips:  Stick a glue dot on the end of your piercing tool before beginning to wind it tightly onto the end.  Keep the "good side" in.  Use a glue dot here and there while rolling to help keep it from loosening, and one more when finished rolling.  Place it flat on your work surface, and gently fold the cut "petals outward, into a blossom.  Work them around a little.  Finally, press a large brad firmly into the center, and the petals will splay outward.  So easy!

I hope you've enjoyed my little project!  If you make a flower, please link up in the comments section, I'd love to see what you do!

P.S....I'm submitting this blog post as a "tryout" for my very favorite weekly challenge site, Hand Stamped Sentiments. I love that their challenges vary by theme, and they encourage scrapbooking and other projects, as well as greeting cards.  I highly recommend their challenges, even if you don't submit your own projects, for the wonderful inspiration you'll find by the team members and the bloggers that play along.   So...wish me luck! :D 

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika.