Hi everyone! Are you ready for another Sketch Challenge from Liz Qualman? I hope so! This challenge starts NOW, and will run through the end of December - to give you plenty of time to work on it during the busy holidays!

Liz used the perfectly sporty Get Your Game On collection for her sketch - but you can use ANY of our Fall and Winter collections:  Head of the Class, Get Your Game On, Hello Fall!, Wonder & Wishes, or Winter Twig!

Here's Liz to tell you all about it ... and be sure to read to the bottom for details on how to enter!

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I love how the Get Your Game On collection provides four different sports to capture your memories.  Even though my son is not old enough to play sports competitively, he still likes to get outside and kick the ball around.  It was great to use the soccer papers and embellishments to capture this moment of my son and husband playing together.

I especially like the idea of how you can use the Get Your Game On collection for any sports related memories.  Wouldn't it be fun to use the papers and embellishments for a memory about tailgating with the "MVP" being the last person standing (if you know what I mean)?  The stars are the limit with this super fun collection.  Can't wait to see what some of you create with my sketch!

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Here's the sketch:

Here's the rules:

1.  You may use the sketch any way you please (turn it upside down or on its side, or use it as is).

2.  You must use at least 75% Little Yellow Bicycle product, from any of our current Fall or Winter collections [Head of the Class, Get Your Game On, Hello Fall!, Wonder & Wishes, and Winter Twig].

3.  Your work must be your own! ;)

Here's how to enter:

1. You may enter by posting your layout to LYB's Facebook Page - please post it in the Album titled "Fall/Winter Collection Sketch Challenge". 

2. If you're not a Facebook user, you still may enter, by emailing a photo of your entry to peg@cthruruler.com. Please include your mailing address - so we have it in case you win!

3.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Saturday, December 31, 2011.

Here's the fun part ... the prizes!

1.  Liz will select THREE finalists. All of the finalists will win a prize.

2.  We will post the finalists to our Facebook Page and Blog for you to VOTE on your favorites.

3.  You'll have a week to vote (one vote per person). Voting will end at midnight on Saturday, January 7, 2012.

4.  The grand prize winner will win $50 in LYB product. The runners up will each receive $25 in LYB product!

Sound good? OK everyone! Get creating!  

-Peg

[P.S. if you love sketches, be sure to follow the link to Liz's blog - she has tons of 'em!]

Hello folks! Thanks for your comments on our crazy fall storm. Believe it or not, it was in the high 60s here in CT today and most of the snow in my back yard is gone!

Today I have some more fantastic projects from our Head of the Class and Game On Cycling Teams to share with you! 

First is this adorable "Team Mom Scoreboard" from KimberlyRae Forde. Speaking as a team mom who is also a coach (pardon me while I brag that my U13 boys soccer team just won their league championship...even though our last game was snowed out ... ahem!) ... this is a MUST HAVE!!!

What a super gift for the coach, team manager, or team mom! Here are a few close ups!

Love this! For more inspiration from KimberlyRae, check out her blog by clicking this link!

Next up is Amanda Johnson, who made this adorable keeper for her daughter's kindergarten projects. So cool!

Here's Amanda to tell you how she made it:

My oldest daughter will be going off to kindergarten next year, and I wanted to make something bright and fun to store all of her papers and drawings in...the Head of the Class collection was absolutely perfect for this!!

Supply List:

Head of the Class Dimensional Pop-Up Stickers, Chipboard Shapes, Journaling Cards, Stick Pins, Mini Banners, Clear Cuts Shapes, and Patterned Papers.

Additional Supply List:

Acrylic Paint, Bakers Twine, Chipboard Portfolio

Here's the how-to:

Start by taking apart the portfolio so that you can measure the sides. Next select and cut your favorite Head of the Class patterned papers. Adhere and then sand all of your edges. (I used Modge Podge to adhere all of my papers.)

Next Choose your embellishments, and layer as desired. I chose to keep the embellishing on my project fairly simple, I know my daughter, and this will get opened and closed tons of times, this is also why I chose to only embellish on the bottom half of the portfolio.

Next put your portfolio back together. I chose to use the dimensional stickers for my closures instead of putting the originals back on.

Finally go through and paint all of your seams with a coat of acrylic paint and let dry.

This is a super easy project!! You can of course embellish more or less depending on the look you are hoping to achieve...I wanted mine to be functional and I also wanted to let the fabulous designs on the Head of the Class patterned papers stand out.

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What a great project. For more inspiration from Amanda, follow her blog by clicking this link!

Thanks Amanda and KimberlyRae for today's inspiration! Tomorrow we will be announcing the Cycling Teams for our Wonder & Wishes and Winter Twig collections. Have you submitted your work for consideration?

Have a great evening!

-Peg

Hello everyone and welcome to the fifth and final day of our fabulous blog swap with our friends over at The Twinery! I guess it's true what they say, all good things must come to an end. We are sad to see this week end. But hey ... before it does, I have a couple more projects to share with you from the Biker Chicks, prizes to give away (later today) ... and next week I'll be back with more inspiration from our wonderful Head of the Class, Get Your Game On, and Hello Fall! Cycling Teams!

So I promise ... the fun never ends here on the LYB blog!

Let's get to the projects!

First up is Biker Chick Tania Willis with a layout featuring the Hello Fall! collection and, of course, some baker's twine from The Twinery!

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The colorful bundle of twine in the assortment pack had me at hello!  The colors are so fun and playful and just the right shades of color.  For my “I Love Fall” layout, I wanted to play off the Fresh Verse Cardstock die cut that says “piles of smiles” and literally piled a bunch of snapshots in the middle of the page. 

From there, I started adding pops of color in clusters by layering several types of embellishments from the collection, then kicked it up a notch with the addition of the twine. I love that the twine is a playful twist of light and dark, as the white is twisted with a color.  It keeps the embellishment light and not too dense for the eye. Love that. 

For the next cluster, I layered Fresh Verse die cuts, a journaling tag, flowers from the layered flowers pack and a chipboard button from the Fabric Pieces.  Before adhering the button, I pulled off the foam dimensional tape and strung two layers of twine through the eyelets.

Lastly, I wanted a bold punch of color in the center of the layout to draw the eye to the photos first.  I just added several loops of twine to the felt flower, near the felt leaves to resemble another leaf on the flower. Such an easy addition that helps add more visual weight to the flower embellishment.

I want to give a HUGE thanks to The Twinery for the generous supply of twine that was sent for our team to complete these projects this week!

Tania

Supplies:

Lemondrop Baker’s Twine by The Twinery

Mandarin Baker’s Twine by Twinery Twine

Honeydew Baker’s Twine by Twinery Twine

HF – 104 Walnut Knit Paper

HF – 220 Fabric Favorites

HF – 140 Fresh Verse Cardstock Die-cuts

HF – 135 Favorite Pieces Cardstock Die-cuts

HF – 223 Felt Flowers

HF – 134 Journaling Cards

HF – 305 Paper Flower Kit

HF – 277 Stick Pins

HF – 308 Favorite Things Pocket

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Thanks Tania! Love this layout! And YOU can catch more ideas from Tania by following her blog ... just click this link right here to get there!

Next up - another layout from Liz!

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Naughty or Nice Page

Just a funny page of my daughter hamming it up for the camera.  It reminded me of how she is always thinking about what is going to be on her list for Santa and how hard she tries to "make it happen."  Adding pop dots to the cardstock stickers is a great way to give them dimension and accent the page.  I cannot help but tuck a decorative edged cardstock piece on all of my pages and the patterns on the Wonder & Wishes pices are lovely.

Wonder and Wishes Collection Materials:

WO-104 - Christmas Plaid/Dots on Green

WO-133 - 6" x 6" Decorative Edge double-sided textured cardstock with glitter accents (5 pieces)

WO-279 - Chipboard Shapes - with glitter accents (20 pieces)

WO-165 - Chipboard Stickers - Words - with debossing (16 pieces)

WO-276 - Corrugated Shapes (22 pieces)

WO-135 - Cardstock Stickers - Favorite Pieces - with glitter accents and matte foil (28 pieces) WO-140 - Cardstock Stickers - Fresh Verse - with debossing (28 pieces)

WO-197 - Jewel Stickers (96 pieces)

WO-219 - Flower Button Dots - layered with buttons

Twinery - Maraschino Twine 15 Yards

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Thanks Liz! Here's the link to Liz's blog too!

Now go on over to The Twinery's blog, to see what they've made for you today! As usual, don't forget to leave comments here, there and everywhere (LYB's Facebook Page, The Twinery's Facebook Page), for more chances to win! I will be choosing two winners of a LOVELY prize pack from our Hello Fall collection, plus a sampler pack from The Twinery!

Thanks for visiting and GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

-Peg

Hello all! It's Peg back again with two more inspiring projects from our Get Your Game On and Head of the Class Cycling Teams! And how about Jamie's projects yesterday? Pretty cool, huh?  If you missed it, be sure to go take a look! Everyone's talking about the Jamie's Crayon Collage. Amazing...

Today we're sharing Samantha Taylor's Get Your Game On Canvas Colorables and a layout from Rhonda Van Ginkel. Let's get right to it.

Samantha Taylor's Canvas Colorables

Hello! I so excited to share my project with you today. One of my favorite things about LYB is how amazing the embellishments are that go with a line. When I got Get Your Game On, I knew I wanted to find a way to used the fun Canvas Colorables and play with all the embellishments at the same time. I decided to make a trio of framed art for my son's bedroom wall.

If you're not someone who works a lot with canvas or altered art, have no fear: Game On Canvas Colorables are really easy to work with. I experimented a lot to find out what would work (and more importantly what wouldn't) and here's what I learned. Anything permanent (paint, paint pens, alcohol inks, mists, alcohol base markers (think Copics), even Sharpie Markers) seem to work really well. Anything not so permanent (water based inks and markers) tend not to work, as they don't dry completely or smear when touched.  The plus side to using Copics is that they cover very well, give nice bright colors, and allow the original print work on the canvas to show through.

If you're looking to do the same thing with a more antiqued look, I would suggest trying to sponge or brush on alcohol inks. Paints, paint pens, and Sharpies work well, but don't allow the underlying artwork to show through. If you're not sure if an ink will work, flip the canvas over and test it out on the back side first. 

I used Copic Markers to color the canvases, and then sponged on a very light shade of alcohol ink to add a bit of age to the canvases.

I especially concentrated the alcohol ink on the edges of the canvas and the figures of the players. If you're not terribly artistic when it comes to things like coloring and shading (and I'm one of those people who's not), this is still a really easy thing to do. There is a pre-printed shading on the canvases already. I just followed where the players were already shaded and enhanced it a bit.

After I colored my canvases, I layered them on an 8" x 10" piece of matching Game On paper. Then, I added embellishments (stickers, chipboard, and banners) to the paper and canvas. You can attach embellishments to the canvas really easily with a nice sticky adhesive like Glue Dots®. The artwork then went into an 8" x 10" shadowbox style frame.

I added more embellishments to the frame and glass.

I like adding embellishments to the outside and inside of a frame as a way to add extra depth and interest to the project.

Then all you need to do is find a wall to hang them on. My son is thrilled to have these for his room!

Supplies:

Frame - 3 - 8 x 10 shadowbox style frames

Canvases - Get Your Game On (Football, Baseball, Basketball)

Paper - Get Your Game On (Football Collage, Baseball Collage, Basketball Collage)

Accessories - Get Your Game On (Stickers Favorite Pieces (Basketball, Baseball, Football), Chipboard Shapes, Mini Banners (football)), Copic Markers, Alcohol Ink

Tools - Sponge Daubers

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Wow...love these Samantha! What young sports fan wouldn't want them for his room? I think they'd also look great in a rec room, or as a gift for a special coach. Thanks so much. You can follow Samantha's blog by clicking this link!

And now for Rhonda's "Spare Me" Layout!

I love how one designer can look at a collection and create something beautiful ... and then another designer can look at the same elements and see something completely different. I think that's one of the coolest things about this hobby!

So tell me ... how many of you look at the Head of the Class collection and think "sports"? I know I didn't, but check out Rhonda's layout!

Wow. Love it! Here's Rhonda!

I absolutely loved the Head of the Class collection!  The bright fun colors of the papers and classic design made this such a joy to work with!!!  Thank you so very much to Little Yellow Bicycle for the honor of designing for you.

The moment I saw the fun diamond shaped pattern paper with the number "10" in the headpin position, I knew I was going to turn this collection into a bowling page!  I always enjoy looking beyond the intent of a collection and try to use it in a different or unusual way.

For my project I had a series of three photos, but I didn't really want to crop them too much to compromise their composition.  The solution:  Create a built in flip book built on the page.  It was very simple, I just stitched the left side down.  I attached the bottom photo leaving a pocket to tuck in my Good Job journaling spot.

Keeping my banner theme for the page, I added a few horizontal banners into the main photo mat.  I created a few custom star buttons using the papers and my Epiphany Star 25 tool.  For my bowling ball and pin, I used my Cricut Expression and the Nifty Fifties cartridge.  A little glossy accents on the bowling ball was the finishing touch.

Thanks for coming along with me for a little cycling tour of my Spare Me! page today! 

~ Rhonda

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Thanks for joining us today! You can see more of Rhonda's work by clicking on this link to her blog!

I'll be back later this evening with the winners of my Sweet Summertime giveaway (finally, right?)...and we'll be inspiring you all weekend long with more Game On and Head of the Class projects. And all next week...blog swap with the Twinery! Woot!

-Peg

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I have posted - phew life passes so quickly sometimes. But we have so much creativity floating around over here I am positively overwhelmed!

And...well...you will be too when you see these absolutely amazingly creative projects!

I'm so pleased to present the work of our latest Cycling Team Member, Jamie Cripps. If you are not one of her MANY blog followers, you should be! She is a talented crafty woman!

First up ... a fun and totally cool twist on classroom art:

I am still trying to figure out how she cut those crayons so they would fit perfectly into the "M". Just wow. Here is another angle:

Next from Jamie, a simple, neat and handy teacher gift:

Are there any teachers who couldn't use a few extra pencils? Here's a peek at the top:

And finally, a layout:

A little detail:

Fabric stars layered over a Clear Cut shape makes for a fun title!

But my absolute favorite is how Jamie punched her daughter's name out of the Practice your ABC's paper and layered them for extra depth. What a great idea! 

Thanks so much to Cycling Team member Jamie Cripps for the inspiration!

And I'll be back tomorrow with more projects from the Cycling Team!

Oh, and by they way ... I still haven't announced the winners from our Sweet Summertime giveaway. I'll be doing that tomorrow too!

;)  Peg

Hello,

We're excited to share our first post from from our first ever Cycling Team Member Shellye McDaniel.  Get ready to pedal because Shellye is going to wow you with this Head of the Class Corkboard mini album. I believe you will mark this as a favorite Friday Find. 

The covers are made out of cork.  How cool is this? 

Cork?  Yes. The cork really makes the primary colors pop. Don't you think?

I love the primary ribbon that Shellye uses throughout the album...again, it's all in the detail.

Every page is like this...

A true work of art...

Each page holds special detail. The stitching finishes each page in such a smart way.

Many, many fun embellishments to work with. Chipboard paper clips, dimensional stickers, fabric favorites...  I really want to hold this album in my hands!

A close up for you.

With just the right amount of grunge for good measure.

Even the back cover is a masterpiece.

Here are the detailed instructions on how to create your very own Corkboard mini album.

Supplies:
Little Yellow Bicycle’s Head of the Class Clear Cuts Shapes, Stick Pins, Journaling Cards, Chipboard Shapes, Dimensional Pop-Up Stickers, Fabric Favorites, Canvas Stickers Mini Banners, Alphabet Stickers, Fresh Verse Stickers, Favorite Phrases Stickers and Patterned Papers

Other Supplies:  Ribbons, Baker’s twine, buttons, three loose-leaf rings and two 6x6 corkboard squares

Using a craft knife, trim both corkboard squares to 5”wide; reserve one of the 1” strips.  Dress the reserved piece of corkboard with Fabric Favorites “Ruler” sticker; cut to size.  Punch holes into all three corkboard pieces at 1”, 3” and 5” increments, leave at least a ¼” margin from the edge.  Adhere the ruler piece to the edge of the top corkboard sheet with a fast drying tacky glue (I use Aleene’s Quick Dry).

Incorporating your favorite cutting tool, cut six 4 ¾” W x 7 ½”H tags from selected Head of the Class Patterned Papers.  Embellish as desired before gluing the front/back pages together.  Be sure to line the pages up with the bottom of the corkboard pages before punching holes.  Add eyelets to page holes to ensure stability. 

Finally, insert the three loose-leaf rings through the holes and thread carefully through pages. It may be necessary to enlarge the holes of the corkboard to allow the rings to move freely.  Add ribbons to the rings if desired.

Please check out Shelley's Blog and let her know how much you appreciate her craftsmanship!  Welcome again Shellye to our first LYB Cycling team.  And thank you for sharing your talent with all of us.

Happy Friday!

Lori

Hi,

We are thrilled with the response and the entries we are getting for the "Cycling Team". If you aren't in on the scoop, be sure to like us here and get the details.  Also, see yesterday's post.

First and Foremost, check out Guest Designer, Lowri McNabb's blog, Paper Vine . Get ready to be lost into a world of inspiration. I'm always happier when I find a blog like Lowri's. I love to grab a cup of coffee and peruse through my favorite blogs as I start my day. I've got Paper Vine bookmarked.  Not only are Lowri's projects gorgeous, but they are doable. She really does make it look "oh so easy".  And, the best part is so many of her projects are FUNCTIONAL.   See. See. See.  Lowri has all of these Head of the Class goodies stepped out for you here.

I promised that I would help you to get to know Lowri better.  It's only fair that we all are friends....

Sit back and enjoy.

LYB Questions for Guest Designer – Lowri McNabb

What is your ‘go to’ embellishment?

I would have to say plain, die-cut chipboard pieces. You can paint, ink or stamp them, cover them with patterned paper, emboss them or all of the above!  I also have a weakness for glazed and fabric brads too..

Do you prefer cardstock or patterned paper?

Patterned paper mainly as I tend to draw inspiration for my projects from the prints themselves. It really depends on the weight of the paper/card as some paper projects  are better with thinner paper (those that need a lot of folding) and some are better with heavier weight cardstock. If using cardstock, I usually start with a white, cream or kraft base

What kind of music gets you in the scrappin’ mood?

When I am scrapping I tend to have DVD’s running on my computer - often favorites like British sit-coms I used to watch as  a kid or old James Bond movies. When I do listen to music you will hear me mainly listening and singing along to some 80’s rock or Kings of Leon

Do you like to go to crops or prefer to scrap alone?

I have always worked on my own – primarily due to my location meaning there is not anyone else within an hour or so in the evenings! I have been to a couple of crops, but I was so interested in what others were doing and chatting about products and new ideas that I didn’t get a single piece of work done. I am probably most people’s  worst nightmare at a crop! If you see me – you might want to take a seat the other side of the room…

What are your favorite types of projects—pages, mini albums, cards, altered projects, etc?

 I would call myself a papercrafter.  I very rarely do layouts and I prefer to use my photos to make mini albums and frames  -  I do however draw heaps of inspiration and ideas from the amazing layouts I see online.   I make a lot of altered items and beyond the page projects – usually as gifts and I also love to make custom stationary, party decorations and the occasional card-set.

Do you have a favorite scrapbooking snack?

Not really – depending on the time of day you are most likely to find an enormous  mug  of tea, Diet Coke or glass of wine sitting on my desk though…

Any unique tips or techniques you use?

I am always on the lookout for items to alter or use. I often look to dollar-stores, hardware stores and kitchen supplies for inspiration. I recently  packaged some gifts I made for Father’s Day (a mini album and a magnet set) in some gorgeous  old tobacco tins

Describe your biggest scrapbooking ‘mishap’?

No major mishaps spring to mind – if I make a mistake I just cover it with another piece of paper! I do get frustrated though when I get time to myself and feel so overwhelmed with the list of things I would like to do that I end up wasting it. With a young and active family, time on my own is a precious resource!

What are your favorite scrapbook magazines?

I really don’t buy many magazines – I find there is so much inspiration on manufacturers and designer blogs that usually I search for tutorials and ideas online.  

Do you have a favorite die cutting system?

I have a cuttlebug which I love to use with my slowly growing collection of Spellbinders.

Are you a morning bird or night owl?

I hate mornings but I have to get up each weekday at 5:45 to get to school on time (after I check my email, drink 3 cups of tea, make lunches etc) so I am definitely a night-time crafter.  

Computer or handwritten journaling?

I don’t do much journaling but I use my computer as a tool a lot in my papercrafting. I love to print onto patterned paper and tags and it’s invaluable for making stationary and other specialist items.

What is your favorite color (or colors) to use in your pages?

That’s a tough one! I find my work is very product driven, and I usually work with only one collection at a time – supplemented by some basics such as paint, stamps etc. I have mainly worked with very bold collections, but I am trying to incorporate more vintage themes now – whilst maintaining my clean style.  I always love green though!

How long does it typically take you to complete a project?

Anything from 2 hours to two weeks. I try to work on a project from start to finish and I usually find the last 10% of the project takes 50% of the time! If I am working on a project that includes photographs – choosing and editing them takes me ages – it’s something I am working on.

Do you use any tools that are not specifically designed for scrapbooking?

I use a few small woodworking tools (mainly files) and various grades of  sandpaper to sand and smooth my wooden projects before starting.  I also have a leather hole punch with various size tips to create holes in paper, card, fabric etc.  I have also made a couple of custom embossing folders with plastic ice cream container lids!

Do you scrap chronologically or out of order?

I tend to create projects according to need as I usually create my items as gifts with a specific recipient in mind

Sit down or stand up scrapbooker?

Sit down – I don’t usually get started until the kids are in bed – and by that time I need a good sit down!

Do you have a favorite quote?

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretsky

Are you a neat scrapbooker or is your space a mess?

I can’t even read this question with a straight face. I am horribly messy but luckily I have my own little room and when it’s really bad I just shut the door and nobody has to see it. When I cannot see any floor space, and can’t make any more by piling up some more junk – I figure it is time to clean up!

What is your best time or money saving tip?

Money saving – create custom albums by cutting cereal boxes into shapes using Spellbinders (or other dies)  and then cut patterned paper again to cover. I usually use 2 layers per page.

Time saving – not really a time saving tip but if you are sitting there and it’s just not working out  – give up and  try again tomorrow!

Do you have a favorite adhesive?

A few – depending on the project. Most of my  projects are fun items designed to be used or handled as opposed to preserved, so often I am more interested in an adhesive being good for its purpose rather than acid free. I use Spotlight Crafters Glue but I think Helmars Premium Craft would be an equivalent product in the US. I recently discovered Dodz too – they are super sticky, clear, dimensional adhesive blobs of glue – I love them!

Describe your style.

Clean and linear with a hint of retro if I can make it work!

 
Friday.

Have a great day.

Lori

Hi all,

We are so pleased to share with you our Guest Designer, Lowri McNabb.  Lowri lives on a vineyard in beautiful Marlbrough, New Zealand with her husband and young family.

She loves to do all types of papercraft and is currently Design Team / Blog Administrator and Marketing Manager for Artfull Crafts, a scrapbooking store in Timaru, New Zealand.

Tomorrow, we will help you get to know Lowri better with some fun Q&A's. You'll smile more as you get to know her...

Until then, I'd like to show off some of Lowri's creations that she has been working on with our latest back to school collection, Head of the Class.  Get ready to be inspired.

Here's Lowri:

Hi Everyone,

It’s a real honour to be here today creating with one of Little Yellow Bicycle’s latest collections –Head of the Class.  The LYB  products are a little hard to come by here in New Zealand so I was thrilled to open my pack and find superb quality heavy weight patterned paper and an amazing collection of matching embellishments.

This collection is packed with fun, bright prints, but also offers some more subtle patterns too.  My first projects have made use of these more subtle patterns and I have decorated a pencil box and desk tidy along with a few extra stationary items, all of which would be suitable for an older student or maybe even a teacher’s gift.

Pencil Box

This box started out as a ribbon dispenser. It comes flat packed as 6 raw wood pieces. I sanded and painted the edges red and then used an old graph paper stamp I had to decorate with white ink and mirror the grid pattern on some of the papers.

I then measured, cut and glued pieces of paper to cover all the panels before assembly.  I have mainly used the Ruler paper (HC-109) as it is such a fun print and reminded me of the old fashioned slide top ruler pencil boxes.

I have used the Back to School paper (HC-101) to decorate the top which again has some lovely ruler detail and also picks up some of the other primary colours used throughout the collection.

The stars on the sides are from the Fabric Favourites (HC-220) pack and just add a little texture and detail to the sides. I gently removed the dimensional adhesive from the ends, cut the strips to size and then used a mini glue dot on the back of each star to glue them down.

Pencil Holder

This again was a plain wooden piece that I painted and stamped like the Pencil Box. I have again used the Back to School paper (HC-101) as the base for the sides and on the front I have used these super-cute mini pencils from the Chipboard Shapes (HC-279) as well as the stars and numbers piece from the Fabric Favorites (HC-220)

You can see the box is stuffed with a few goodies!

Paperclips

These giant paperclips are so much fun. You can use them as bookmarks or just as clips for giant paper! I sandwiched the paperclip between one of the Dimensional Stickers (HC-195) and a piece of plain cardboard backed with paper that I cut to the same size. I used hot glue to bond them all together which makes them durable and easy to use.

Ruler & Pencils

This dollar store ruler suddenly becomes a lot more fun with a great sticker! I removed the sticker it came with and replaced it with this super-fun ruler sticker from the Favorite Pieces Cardstock Stickers (HC-135) I love looking for little fun ideas like this to give as extras with a gift – it makes it just that little bit more special. My son has to have all of his pencils marked at school so instead of trying to write his name in teeny tiny writing, I labelled them by wrapping coloured tape around the top. I have done the same here to create matching pencils for the pencil box. Such a simple idea but would add a lovely touch for a teacher.

Fold-Back Clips

Products Used
Patterned Papers:
Back To School (HC-101), Ruler (HC-109), various scraps from other papers

Embellishments: 
Cardstock Stickers - Favorite Pieces (HC-135), Cardstock Stickers  - Fresh Verse (HC-140), Dimensional Pop-Up Stickers (HC-195), Fabric Favorites (HC-220), Chipboard Stickers (HC-279)

I hope you have enjoyed these and I look forward to showing you some more projects next week. Please post a comment with any questions.Head of the Class

Hi friends! Hope you had a fantastic Labor Day weekend! For many of us here in the U.S., Labor Day means back-to-school (though some kids have been back for a while!)...

Have you seen the Head of the Class collection at your LSS yet? If not, watch for it because it's on its way!

Today, Biker Chick Tania Willis joins us with another awesome Training Reel video tutorial featuring this fun new collection from Little Yellow Bicycle.

These cards make a perfect "back to school" gift set for that special teacher, or can be enclosed with a teacher gift, sent to school to offer encouragement on testing days, or used as journaling cards on your layouts! So many things you can do with your cards! But first, ya gotta make em! So let's get to it!

Here's a peek at the whole set:

Now check out the Training Reel video tutorial - Tania will walk you through the steps to make the pencil-shaped card in the front!

I love how she used the paper crimper to make the eraser holder!

And now a few close ups of each of the cards:

10 Things I Love About School (have your student - or the entire class! - fill out the pencils for a super special card their teacher will cherish!)

Check out the downloadable pdf for a templated for this fantastic apple-shaped card!

Cutey-cute-cute Elmer's Glue bottle!

I especially love how Tania made the lead for the pencil tip (watch the video to find out)!

Get all of the instructions in this pdf:

Download Teacher Appreciation Cards Training Reel Instru.

Got extras? Here's a tip from Peg!

When you finish the cardset...save those extra stickers and embellishments to make "Lunch Box Notes" for your kids! For many years, I would use my scraps to make tiny cards to stick in the kids' lunches to let them know I was thinking about them throughout their day. You just need a tiny square of paper - or really any shape or size - and an unused embellishment or two - add a quick note - and you have a special card that will make their day.

One year, my daughter saved ALL of hers (she didn't tell me until she brought them home on the last day). Another year the owner of my LSS told me she had non-scrapbooking moms coming in to buy stickers and papers because their kids told them about my son's Lunch Box Notes and wanted some too! What a simple way to make a kids' day! Sadly, by about 6th grade, my kids had outgrown the Lunch Box Notes - guess they were too cool for them! Still, I sneak one in every now and then, and they still like the surprise! You're really never too old for a Lunch Box Note!

Make Your World a Little More Moxie Fab!

Finally one more quick shout out to our friend Cath Edvalson over at Moxie Fab World, who posted this wonderful blog about Head of the Class yesterday. If you missed it, just follow the link! Be sure to follow Cath's blog to keep up on all the Moxie Fab-ulosness!

That's it for now! We'll be back with another Training Reel next Monday - featuring the all new Get Your Game On collection!

Have a great day!

-Peg

Hello Friday,

Are you ready for some basic math?

Talented Tania Willis + Head of the Class = 2 great back to school layouts!  4 U.

I have to ask you, what could be cuter than a kindergartener in pig tails?  May I answer my own question? A kindergartener in pig tails with yellow polka dot bows. 

Go to Tania's blog and find basic instructions for these great back to school layouts. I think you'll find her blog encouraging. And honest.  I do. 

See the Learn and Discover journaling card behind the photo pocket on left side. Cool idea. Interactive. I like.

I appreciate the journaling on this page. I like what it says. I like knowing that we all have an opportunity to recognize and share the good things that we notice about our child's day.  

To note: My favorite journaling card in the collection is:  IF LOST, PLEASE CALL MY TEACHER. 

Be thinking about journaling prompts you might like to share for next week's Wednesday Challenge.

We'll be shipping Head of the Class next week. We are excited to get this out to you.   I so enjoyed reading your school memories on this weeks Wednesday challenge.   I laughed. I laughed out loud even.  I was sad reading some of them as well.  Looking back and pressing on is good. Thank you for sharing.  I'll announce winners on Wednesday along with new Wednesday challenge.

Have a great long weekend.

Lori

Hello Friends!

It's that time of year again ... Back-to-School! And you're going to love the new Head of the Class collection from LYB! Packed with primary colors, cool geometric patterns and a teeny bit of grunge - Head of the Class easily accommodates school-themed layouts and projects for students of all ages. (Follow the links above to preview the entire collection ... which you should begin to see at your LSS later next week!)

So...ask pretty much any kid what's their favorite subject, and odds are, they'll quickly reply "RECESS!" ... which is why this fun layout from Biker Chick Liz Qualman will make you AND the kids happy - and be a perfect back-to-school addition to your scrapbook!

You can put together this awesome layout by following Liz's Training Reel right here:

But wait! There's more! Full instructions, a few close-ups ... and a sketch! 

Just to get a closer look at the details. Liz mounted the "Recess" sticker and inked the edges with black. What a nice way to coordinate it with the "Best" banner!

Chipboard and a little bit of bling!

Want to make it your own? Liz added a sketch! Have fun! (And send us your creations!)

We hope you have fun with this layout and sketch! Click below to download the full instructions!

Download Best Recess Layout Instructions _2_

If you just can't get enough of Biker Chick Liz Qualman and her super sketches ... follow this link to her blog for more!

Be sure to come back next week for another Training Reel from Little Yellow Bicycle ... and good luck to all the kiddos with their new school adventures!

-Peg