Snow Fun - GDT CSI 379

Hello there and happy Monday! Some weeks ago I shared a layout for CSI 378 (link) and today I'm sharing a layout for the Case File 379. The reason I'm sharing these is because of the CSI birthday celebration. All past detectives have been invited back for January as CSI challenge is celebrating its 10th birthday. 

Case File 379 is about snow, hot beverages and winter fun. I decided to use an older Instax photo I had taken several years ago. In it, my two daughters are sliding with a sledge in my parent's yard. The journaling reads, freely translated: "After the outing, all red-cheeked, a warm drink was the thing." From the Testimony part I used mainly "Document something about winter" but also the Inspiration words could apply them being "play", "snuggle" and "warm".

Like with the previous CSI layout, I followed my habit when I was in the CSI team - use as many Evidence pieces as possible. You can see the list below the next photo. I think the patterns such as dots and stripes are quite visible as well as string and staples. But "use heat" might need some explaining as well as trees, and that wooden item has a fun story. For the heat I used the heat tool to dry the mediums in the background. The trees are in the background - white on white. They are created using Modeling paste through a Tim Holtz stencil with a fir tree pattern. 

The wooden item, on the other hand, is a little key chain charm I made in a science center some time ago. There was an exhibition about wood there and one of the things you could do and experiment, was to use an industrial laser to pattern a piece of wood so you could go home with a self-made key chain charm! I've been hoarding it for a while now and this page seemed the perfect place to use it.

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a nice week!

Evidence: dots, stripes, wood, snowflakes, trees, winter-themed elements, mug, tea item, use heat, string, staples, chevron arrows, die cuts, watercolor in the background, sprinkle something

Testimony: Document something about winter / Inspiration words: play, snuggle, warm

Materials: P13 Paper Products, American Crafts, Korttipaja, Tim Holtz, Prima Marketing, Ranger

Comin' Up 40 - GDT CSI 378

Hello there and happy new year 2022! Let's hope it's going to be the best one yet! I'm starting the year with something fun, a little trip down the memory lane. 

Back in the past, from November 2012 to May 2014 to be precise, I was a member of the CSI design team. It's a scrapbooking challenge by Debbi Tehrani. The challenge has a Case File with scene, evidence, topic and color scheme. Then you make a scrapbooking layout using the Case File as your inspiration. And there's an abundance of it! 

This January CSI is celebrating its 10th birthday and past members, retired detectives, were invited to take part to the cases. Of course I jumped to the opportunity as I remember how fun it was to tackle the Case Files! So, during the January I'm participating to the two challenges - this Case File 378 and the other January one, Case File 379. If you want to take part or read more about the challenge, here's the link to the January Case File reveal (link).

I'm turning 40 this year. It feels a bit strange, that number, but otherwise I'm OK with it. Like I wrote in the journaling, I don't feel one bit like 40 but I guess that's how it's supposed to be. On the other hand, I have no idea how it should feel. 

To emphasize the theme of 4 and 0, I used these numbers in the layout. Like there's the four od spades peeking behind the photo and both 4 and 0 stamped to the background. I used the challenge and Case File in the traditional way, checking the stated Evidence and Testimony as that was the way the Case Files were used back in the day. Nowadays you can draw the inspiration more freely, if you like, but there's the Evidence and Testimony still evolved should you want more precise inspiration.

When doing the DT layouts back in the day, I usually tried to incorporate as many of the Evidence as I could. It was a fun game for me and sparked new inspiration usually. So, this time wasn't any different. I tried to incorporate many of the Evidence things to the page. I listed the ones I used below, if you want to read. 

Thank you for stopping by today! Stay safe and wishing you a wonderful first full week of 2022!

Evidence: solid papers, floral pattern, textured paper, hearts, numbers, clocks, circles, cards, gold, flowers, stencils

Topic: Document a birthday

Materials: A.B.Studio, Lawn Fawn, Prima Marketing, Sinelli, American Crafts, Ranger, Carabelle Studio, Gummiapan

More - GDT CSI #254

Hi there! So sorry for the absence again! I'm working like a crazy person and even though I have projects to share and blog, I can't seem to find the time to write the posts! I need a secretary! 

But I managed to type something to share this layout I did as a guest designer for CSI challenge as Mixed Up magazine (link) people are guesting there. You can see the current challenge here (link) and the Rules to participate here (link). 

I used to be a CSI detective, part pf the design team, so doing this page as well as the previous one (link) was a trip down the memory lane. Back in the day, solving of the challenge required the use of all the colors, one idea from the Testimony and at least three (or was it even five) from the Evidence section. I usually had fun and tried to add as many as possible from the Evidence section. But nowadays the challenge is much more free so don't get intimidated! 

I did this layout "old school", like the previous page, and used all the colors of the Case File, several pieces of Evidence and a topic from Testimony. My jumping off point for the page was the topic from the Testimony as I documented something about reading. I so wish I'd had more than 24 hours in a day to do fun things! I used to read a lot but nowadays I'm ashamed how little I manage to read. In a way the reading "challenges" for the Inspired By (link) were really good as then I forced myself to find time to read. Before I devoured a book a day but now it's more like a book a month... Although I read regularly to the kids! I also tried to include the presentation part of the Testimony, as I wrote my journaling running across a label.

From the Evidence I included florals, flowers, labels and bling as well as puffy stickers, book pages and washi tape. I guess these are easy to spot, but gold embellishments and especially vintage elements might be harder. I'm not sure if a title is embellishment, but that was the inspiration for the golden, sparkly Thickers. And the vintage part, there's an old button hiding near the photo.

Underneath you can find the Case File and all the things I used from it. Thank you for stopping by and have a great day!

The scene: light warm gray (labels), ballerina pink (paint), light cherry red (rose), black (doodles), buttery yellow (background)

Evidence: floral pattern (patterned paper), flowers, labels (stickers), bling, puffy stickers, book pages, gold embellishments (Thickers), washi tape, vintage elements (vintage button)

Testimony: topic (document something about reading), presentation (put your journaling on a label)

Materials: Prima Marketing, 7 Dots Studio, American Crafts, Sannin Helmi

Thank you - GDT CSI #253

HI there! This is not only a special post for me but also a special layout. The page is made to the new CSI challenge (link), Case File 253. You can see the Case File also below. If you are new to CSI, you  might first want to take a look at their blog, to the "Rules" section (link). Way back I was also a member of the CSI team and then I wrote a post how to participate. As the rules have now changed, there's more ways than one to participate, but you still might find this really old post helpful (link) if you want to follow my footsteps. 

For this Case File I chose to go with the topic inspiration of the Testimony and document my gratitude for this lovely lady in the picture. It was amazing to be asked to her team. That's the special topic I wrote about earlier. The other special thing about the page is that it's a sort of trip down the memory lane as I used to be in the challenge's design team. Also for that reason I wanted to solve it the way I used to do these challenges - pick at least one from Testimony and as many as I could from Evidence and use all the colors, too. 

On top of the already mentioned, I also used two other Testimony inspirations as I wrote my journaling by hand and also used "beginnings" and "creative" to document my topic. I guess the colors are quite easy to see except maybe the turquoise which can be found from the watercolor on the background.

From the Evidence I included solid cardstock both in background and leaf details, stripes in patterned paper, wonky dots, die cuts, hand drawn details and metals in embellishments. I also included paint and circles as I did a mixed media inspired background which I adore doing! If you want to see more about the elements or rather, where they are, please see a list below as I wrote explanations there.

Thank you for stopping by today! Have a splendid day! 

Ps. There's a new competition at Sizzix with a possibility to win Essential bundle! It's open to all except USA and Canada, so go and join here (link). 

Scene: navy blue (washi tape), turquoise (watercolor), white (background), marigold (alpha stickers), pear green (leaves) 

Evidence: solid background, solid cardstock (leaves), stripes (patterned paper), wonky dots (doodled), die cuts (leaves), washi tape, leaves, hand-drawn elements, paint (watercolor and gesso), circles (stamped), metal (embellishments)

Testimony: topic (document something about your creative hobby), presentation (handwrite your journaling), inspiration words (beginnings, creative, piece)

Materials: Prima Marketing, A Flair for Buttons, Sizzix, American Crafts, Ranger, Teippitarha

Grateful - GDT CSI 222

Hello there! Look what I found in my drafts! A big oopsie! I thought I had already published this as this layout is for a challenge that was in January at CSI... Well, better later than ever, right? 

I chose as my topic from the prompt idea - what I'm grateful for. The picture is an older one, but the three points I jotted down were the ones I thought first when making the page. The first point is my family and friends, second point my work and colleagues and the third this wonderful hobby. 

The palette just screamed to go for a monochromatic, grey scale page! I added the red as accents here and there and the pale blue in the form of the letters. Otherwise I kept to the grey scale using watercolors and pencil on the background as well as some stamping.

Jewels, stars, stamps are quite visible, but the decorative border and glitter might be harder. The borders are in the stickers I used and the glitter inside the crystals I used. Floral patterns are found on the patterned paper I used - a bit stylized florals, maybe, but florals none the less. Chevron pattern is on the flair button I used. The hardest to spot may be the "stickers with people" - to be honest, it's more "sticker with a person" in my case as I cut the others away! It's on the right bottom corner.

Thank you for stopping by today and sorry for the delay!

Colors: grey (background), black (patterned papers, media), pale blue (letter stickers), white (patterned paper), red (enamel dots, crystals)

Evidence: floral patterns, chevron (flair), jewels, stars, decorative border, stamps, sticker with people, glitter (inside the jewels)

Testimony: prompt idea - what are you grateful for?

Materials: 7 Dots Studio, Prima Marketing, A Flair for Buttons

Change - CSI 221

Hello and happy Saturday! Are you having a creative weekend? I was working today, but tomorrow I will have a creative day, too. Can't wait, really! 

If you have a creative drive but are looking for a spark or inspiration, here's something to get you started. January is a birthday month for CSI and the challenge site is celebrating by asking all the retired detectives to join the fun as well. So the Major Case File 221 is bursting with inspiration (link)! Naturally there's the inspiring Case File itself, then the DT's awesome work but now there's also the retired detectives's contributions. 

You can see the Case File as well as the sketch above for this challenge. I gathered underneath in the list for me things I used from the Evidence and the Testimony. All the colors are there - the apple green maybe the hardest to spot, it's in the flair button. 

For my Testimony I chose the topic option and documented a birthday. Or actually the journaling is about two birthdays and how much my daughter changed in between them. When she turned five, she wanted to be a princess, Elsa but when she turned six her favorite piece of garment was a skeleton hoodie. Something changed drastically in the year! Like she turned from a childish toddler to a bigger kid. 

I used several elements from the Evidence part. There's tiny dots in the washi tape I used, there's triangles both hand drawn and in the banners, there's the banners with the string. The Evidence also said to use different colored letter stickers but as I only had white ones with this font, I colored one of the stickers myself with a marker. There's also some stamped details and enamel dots, but you can see it all from the list below.

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Colors: ivory (background), turquoise (paint), pink (patterned papers, washi), apple green (flair), brown (stickers)

Evidence: tiny dots (washi), triangles (banner, doodled), banners, string, use different colored letter stickers (colored them myself), stamped phrases, circles (stamped), enamel dots

Testimony: topic - document a birthday

Materials: 7 Dots Studio, Prima Marketing, A Flair for Buttons, Teippitarha, Ranger, American Crafts

Favorite room - Scrap FX / CSI 213

Hello hello hello! Today it's the last Sunday sharing something special. ScrapFX sponsoring the CSI challenge site and some of the DT is playing along! Oh boy, it was exciting to crack the case again!

For those of you who don't know CSI is a scrapbooking challenge site where there's a "case" in each challenge. There's a color palette to use, then some details (in the form of "Evidence") and also some ideas to spark your story, so the journaling on the page ("Testimony"). 

If you'd like to join in, I did a "how to" post (link) way, way back in 2013 when I was part of the challenge design team. There's also this handy post (link) in the challenge site itself to help you to get going.

I chose as the topic of my page "favorite room and why" from the Can Teach prompts. Although I do like our apartment very much, the living room is my favorite. It's central, you can see most of our apartment from that and my "studio" is also in our living room. If you'd like a peek, here's an older post I did about my space (link).

All the colors are in there, white in the doily, yellow in the background paper, orange in the embellishments and patterned papers, green in the apple stickers ad blue in the crystals. Most of the Evidence I used are easy to spot, but I did explain each one in the list below. Leaves might be the hardest to spot - they are in the patterned paper under the photo. 

Have a pleasant Sunday and great start to the new week! 

Materials from Scrap FX:

Words of Wisdom stencil

Funky Alphabet

Funky Flower Buttons

Microbes

Scheme: white - doily ; yellow - background ; orange - patterned paper ; green - stickers ; blue - crystals

Evidence: numbers - background design ; math symbols - drawn plus signs ; fruit - apple stickers ; flowers - stamped ; leaves - paper design ; triangle - patterned paper piece ; vellum - vellum bag ; ribbon-cut shape - sticker ; scallops - doily

Testimony: Can Teach prompt - favorite room and why

Materials: Scrap FX, Prima Marketing, Ranger, A Flair for Buttons, 7 Dots Studio

Words - Scrap FX / CSI 212

Happy Sunday! Today it's the second Sunday with CSI! ScrapFX sponsoring the CSI challenge site and some of the DT is playing along! 

For those of you who don't know CSI is a scrapbooking challenge site where there's a "case" in each challenge. There's a color palette to use, then some details (in the form of "Evidence") and also some ideas to spark your story, so the journaling on the page ("Testimony"). 

If you'd like to join in, I did a "how to" post (link) way, way back in 2013 when I was part of the challenge design team. There's also this handy post (link) in the challenge site itself to help you to get going.

Here you can see how I cracked the Case 212. As the topic and for the journaling part I used the option "List prompts". From the site I found an idea that resonated with me immediately - "words that are hard to spell". Me and my husband have a bunch of words in everyday use that have been originally created that way - as a spelling mistake. It might have been autocorrect or just spell mistake, but somehow the word has bee so cute that it has started to live a life of its own. Unfortunately sharing those words in English is not possible as it's connected to the language. 

Like with the first Scrap FX guest page a week ago, I again listed the Evidence I used underneath the Case File a bit further down in the post. I also included the colors in there. Most of the colors are easy to spot, but the pink might cause some trouble. It's in the tiny hearts and pearls I used to decorate the page.

Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a lovely start to the new week!

Materials from Scrap FX:

Botanical stencil

Funky Alphabet

#pets

Lots of Love

Scheme: white - background ; pale blue - watercolor on the background ; blue - stenciling and canvas ; pink - hearts ; brown - patterned papers 

Evidence: solid background ; flowers - stenciling ; spiral punch ; clips ; label ; staples 

Testimony: List prompts - words that are hard to spell

Materials: ScrapFX, Elizabeth Craft Designs, Prima Marketing, 7 Dots Studio, Wow Embossing Powder, Ranger, Fiskars, A Flair for Buttons

Jacket - Scrap FX / CSI 211

Hello hello hello! Today I have something special to share and continue sharing two other Sundays as well. It's ScrapFX sponsoring the CSI challenge site and some of the DT is playing along! Oh boy, it was exciting to crack the case again!

For those of you who don't know CSI is a scrapbooking challenge site where there's a "case" in each challenge. There's a color palette to use, then some details (in the form of "Evidence") and also some ideas to spark your story, so the journaling on the page ("Testimony"). 

If you'd like to join in, I did a "how to" post (link) way, way back in 2013 when I was part of the challenge design team. There's also this handy post (link) in the challenge site itself to help you to get going.

At the top of the post you can see my take on the CSI Case File 211, which includes also a sketch. I included elements from the sketch to my page but went with just one photo. 

For the story part I was inspired by the "Fill in the Blank" site's "Item of clothing I can't throw away". This item is my beloved faux leather jacket. The coating of the fabric is started to rip off in parts of the jacket but still I don't bear myself to throw it away. It's so nice, so cool and just the right shape and size. 

All of the colors of the palette are there. Red, white and teal are easy to spot, but maybe the pale blue and yellow are harder. The picture above shows them both - pale blue in the frame underneath the photo and yellow both in the tiny flowers of the frame and in the stenciled piece under the photo. 

Same with the "Evidence" part - I assume stripes, doily, tags, string and chipboards are easy to spot but maybe a couple more need some pointing out. For that reason I've included the Evidence I used underneath the Case File and also added a line to explain it if it's not really clear. 

Although you need only to use just three of the "Evidence", I always thought it was fun to add as many as possible. Usually it was rather easy because everything goes so well together or you can use so much artistic freedom in the interpretation of the item in the "Evidence" list.

Thank you for your visit! Have a great start to the new week!

Products from Scrap FX:

Circular Shawl stencil

House and Home stamp

Filmstrips transparency

Mini Tea Sets

#boystuff

Seeing Stars

Scheme: pale blue - frame under the photo ; yellow - stenciled detail under the photo ; white - big paper strip ; red - background ; teal - tag

Evidence: stripes - background ; text print - stamped details ; fabric - resist fabric ; doily ; teacup - chippie ; tags ; string ; stack something - paper layers ; scallops - doily ; chipboard

Testimony: Fill in the Blank - Item of clothing I can't throw away 

Materials: Scrap FX, Prima Marketing, 7 Dots Studio, A Flair for Buttons, Sharpie, Ranger, American Crafts, We R Memory Keepers