Shimmerz Paints: February Color Kitz & Process Video!

Hi Friends!

Welcome back for a new month of color LOVE!!!!
I am so super excited to be sharing the amazing 

Shimmerz Paints February Color Kitz!

I mean, this kit will have your heart - quite literally! 

If you haven't seen the February Color Kitz, it looks like this....

I know, totally gor-jus, right?

All.the.hearts!!!!

The Shimmerz Paints Color Kitz: February 2020 Collection includes:

2 brand NEW & exclusive colors:

Pink Outside The Box Spritz - This color is a sweet pink with silver shimmer

and

Weakest Pink Shimmerz -  This color is a soft pink hue with shimmer mixed within.

PLUS 

My Bleeding Heart Coloringz

Blushing Bride Vibez

Spotlight White Inklingz

Pink Champange Creameez

AND

1 exclusive Valentine cut file created by Shimmerz Paints

1 teaspoon package of Chipboard Heart Pieces

1 set of "You Are Loved" Dotz

1 set of Gold Floss

Wow! SO much squeezed into this fabulous Color Kitz! 

***Shop the February 2020 Color Kitz HERE***

Here's what I created with these amazing products....

"Love You So!"

Oh my heart, indeed! Just look at those pretty pinks and reds! 

This would have to be one of the most beautiful color combinations of all time - SO good! 

& absolutely perfect for documenting my sweet girl with!

Here's a closer look.....

Hearts for the win!!!

I created this layout by spritzing & painting every color in the kit onto a small piece of watercolor paper. Once dry, I simply ran these papers through my die cutting machine with the Elle's Studio: Love You Lots metal die. I mixed and matched a few of the inset pieces, and layered smaller hearts over larger ones to create interest. 

I just LOVE how striking and effective this looks! 

Before adhering all.the.hearts to my white cardstock base, I decided to add a soft and subtle mixed media base. I took the new Pink Outside The Box Spritz and applied it across the center of the page using the packaging technique. I added lots of splatters and drips with My Bleeding Heart Coloringz & Blushing Bride Vibez too! So soft and pretty!

Next, I added my photograph, and glued down all the die-cut, painted paper hearts. I embellished with the chipboard heart pieces, as well as all 3 of the exclusive You Are Loved Dotz. I also hand stitched a few hearts using the golden floss (embroidery thread)! 

With so much pretty red and pink, I decided to use black and white embellishments from Elle's Studio January release to cut through the color and create balance. So striking!  

For finishing touches, I added both black and red ink stamped sentiments from the Elle's Studio: Love You Lots Stamp and a mix of both Red Rapture & Freezin' For A Reason sequins from Spiegelmom Scraps. Perfect! 

Simple, but really beautiful creating with the February Collection Color Kitz! 

To get all the details & how-to, please watch my process video HERE! 

https://youtu.be/wA_u-NdrIlo

Thanks so much for watching! I hope you feel inspired to get creating today! 

Please Note: All Shimmerz Paints Color Kitz releases are limited, so be sure to get yours HERE before they're sold out!

& don't forget,

**Type AMANDA in the comments section of your Shimmerz Paints store order & receive a FREE paint too! *** Yay!!!

Thanks so much for visiting! 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Unforgettable Fall Layout!

Hi Friends!

Welcome back for more Cocoa Vanilla Studio inspiration!

Today I am sharing my very first creation with the stunning new UNFORGETTABLE collection!

There are so many gorgeous papers and endless possibilities with this collection, and I wanted to showcase a few of them!

Here's what I created,

"Bloom & Grow" 

Oh wow! Isn't this just divine?!!

When I first saw the UNFORGETTABLE collection, I was immediately struck by the cleverness of Zoe Pearn - a floral collection that reflected both Spring & Fall! Florals and blooms to suit both hemispheres - sheer brilliance! I was also impressed by the whimsical & somewhat bohemian feel that UNFORGETTABLE evoked!

With Fall as my favorite season, I just had to create an Autumnal page for my sweet girl! Here's a closer look for you....

Gosh it's so pretty!!!

For that warm & outdoorsy feel, I used the lovely CV-UF008 NATURAL BEAUTY woodgrain pattern paper as my layout base. Next I added the two large concentric hearts to the center of the page. The larger heart is a beautiful vermilion floral pattern paper from the reverse side of CV-UF005 LACEWING. Did I mention it had my heart swooning?! Such a rich and elegant pattern design - LOVE!!! The smaller heart is cut from simple white cardstock. With a 'clean' white base, attention is drawn immediately to my photograph - perfect!

I positioned my darling daughter's picture onto a base of 3 x 4 note cards which I cut from pattern paper, CV-UF004 PRETTY BITS, and then glued the layers to the center of the page. For the embellishments tucked in and around my photo, I started with 3 larger fussy cut butterflies. These were also cut from the CV-UF004 LOVELY BITS paper (& yes, I used two sheets of this paper so that I could keep to my color scheme). Next I added that fabulous FLAIR BUTTON love this, & the two DIE CUT EPHEMERA pieces. And lastly, the CLEAR STICKER leaves tucked under the layers, and that super sweet butterfly to the bottom of the cluster. That smaller butterfly, and the others that you spy on my page, were all fussy cut from pattern paper CV-005 LACEWING - that paper may be my number one pick from this collection! SO incredibly beautiful!

Here's a closer view of the photo cluster details....

Simply stunning!

As you travel around the layout, you'll notice all the LACEWING fussy cut butterflies either tucked in or on the hearts. I include DIE CUT EPHEMERA blooms, foliage & even an arrow or two for added interest. CLEAR STICKERS also adorn the embellishment clusters and enhance the heart design.

The new FOAM TITLE STICKERS were the perfect go-to option for my layout title. The swirly font is super pretty, and the black foam is really striking on the woodgrain paper. I am also impressed with how easily they were to remove from the packaging, and to apply to my project. A new favorite product to the Cocoa Vanilla Studio range!

I arranged the 'grow' part of my title at the base of my layout, and adorned it with a couple of leafy fronds from the DIE CUT EPHEMERA pack...

Those FOAM TITLE STICKERS are really somethin'!

So many beautiful papers and embellishments!

For a finished look, I scattered a few white ENAMEL DOTS throughout the design.

Volia!

Simple, Timeless & Beautiful.

The new UNFORGETTABLE collection is breathtakingly gorgeous & will suit whichever season your documenting!

I hope my Fall themed page has inspired you!

Thanks so much for visiting,

til next time,

Happy Arty Days,

Amanda xo

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Loving Every Second Layout & Process Video

Hi Cocoa Vanilla Studio Friends!

 I am so excited to be sharing my take on this week's CVS design team fussy cutting theme!

I just love fussy cutting and the new HAPPINESS collection has so many perfect papers to snip away at! 

But enough chatter, here's my layout for today....

"Loving Every Second"

Sigh! Isn't this just divine?!!

Those fussy cut blooms from the CV-HA001 BOTANICAL BLISS paper are errrything! And I just adore this indigo, white, peach & blue color scheme - so, so pretty!

Here's a better look at my layout....

Swoon! Florals, butterflies, pretty colors and a giant heart - what could be more perfect for scrapbooking my two darlings?!

That indigo base paper is the reverse side of CV-HA001 BOTANICAL BLISS & just happens to be my favourite colour! So striking and it teams perfectly with the crisp white cardstock, and beautiful peach florals. Speaking of white cardstock, I trimmed mine to 11 inches square, and stitched it to that gorgeous indigo base paper. I layered the cardstock with the heart cut file, which I mounted with foam tape to create gentle texture & dimension. The heart cut file is actually the large die cut from the LARGE DIE CUT & BACKING KIT. Such an easy way to incorporate a cut file look without needing a digital cutting system! (and even better, you'll still have the beautiful backing paper left over for a future layout -  so win, win!)

Next, I layered fussy cut florals from the CV-HA001 BOTANICAL BLISS paper onto the large die cut. You'll also spy some fussy cut butterflies from CV-HA008 BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL. Gorgeous!!!

There are also some sweet ACCESSORY STICKER & DIE CUT EPHEMERA butterflies and blooms too!

But it's that sweet framed photo in the center of the heart that really makes my layout!

I love making my photos the 'hero' of my page. Ultimately, that's why I scrapbook. Recording those precious memories & telling our stories is so important. I used a DIE CUT EPHEMERA wreath to frame my photo, and then foam mounted it over the central layer of fussy cut and DIE CUT EPHEMERA florals. 

My title is also from the DIE CUT EPHEMERA pack, and positioned to the bottom left of the framed photograph. Beautiful!

 I embellished the page with sequins from my stash of our 2015 LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL collection. (I *may* have been hoarding these pretties) For finishing touches, I applied the typewriter font journal stickers from the ACCCESSORY STICKERS sheet. Perfect!

Simple.Classic.Beautiful!

Fussy cutting is definitely 'a must do' with the HAPPINESS collection!

If you want to see how this lovely layout came together, please watch my process video here...

Thanks so much for watching!

I hope my video inspired you to get fussy cutting with your favorite Cocoa Vanilla Studio papers!

til next time,

Happy Arty Days,

Amanda xo 

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Happiness Is Rainbows & Butterflies!

Hi Creatives!

Welcome back for more Cocoa Vanilla Studio inspiration!

Today I'm sharing another bright & beautiful scrapbook layout with the gorgeous Happiness collection!

"Lovely"

Sigh! So lovely, indeed! 

All the rainbows & butterflies for the win!

I just adore the rainbow stripe pattern paper, CV-HA003 GOOD VIBES & it has totally inspired the color scheme for this fun and playful page! I use GOOD VIBES as my layout base, then machine stitch an 11" x 11" sheet of white cardstock over it. By only revealing the 'edges' of this paper it's bright colors aren't too intense & don't distract you from my photo.

Here's a closer look.....

Beautiful!

You'll also notice that I align the fussy cut butterflies from paper CV-HA008 BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL, with the colored stripes on the base paper. Everything in rainbow order - just the way I like it!  I center my photograph, and arrange the butterflies so that they are also forming a heart. I embellish the base of the heart with that cute DIE CUT EPHEMERA tassel & layered heart/butterfly. Cute!

Speaking of layered butterflies, I feature a few more of them in my design...

Two are ACCESSORY STICKERS that are positioned over the fussy cut BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL butterflies, and the other is a larger butterfly fussy cut from the CV-HA006 LITTLE THINGS pattern paper.

I have positioned this larger butterfly so it is peaking out from beneath the top of my photo, and have layered it with two DIE CUT EPHEMERA hearts. This acts as a focal point and really draws your eye into my sweet girl's photo! I also adorn the side of her photo with that So Fun FLAIR BUTTON. Love it!

To the bottom left hand side of my layout, I create a smaller ephemera embellishment cluster - including my DIE CUT CARDSTOCK TITLE, Lovely. I foam mount this title for added dimension & impact. Perfect!

For finishing touches, I add watercolor dots and use color coordinating DIE CUT EPHEMERA & CLEAR STICKERS around the rainbow heart!

And there you have it!

Rainbows, fussy cutting & butterflies - what more could you want?! ;)

I hope you're feeling inspired to get creating with the Happiness collection! 

It really is a whole lot of sunshine & rainbows to create with!

Thanks so much for visiting,

til next time,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

The Cut Shoppe: All Heart

Hi Everyone! 

Welcome back for more super fun, digital cut file inspiration!

Today I am sharing a cute & sweet layout of my two darlings with 

The Cut Shoppe's,  All Heart file....

"Here Together"

Isn't this adorable?!!

I have combined the All Heart file with the beautiful Pinkfresh Studio: Everyday Musings collection. So bright & beautiful! A really cute & fun page! & those colors just scream Spring! 

The All Heart cut file is one of my all-time favorites! 

Here's a closer look at it....

Such a fabulous design! & you can never have too many hearts! 

Get the All Heart digital cut file from The Cut Shoppe HERE.

Here's a few close up shots of my layout....

Those hearts are really something! 

Loving the mixed colored alphas over the red ones - so fun!  

I layered my sweet framed photo through the center of the design, and embellished it with a few stickers. You'll notice that I kinda filled the hearts in rainbow order, so to draw more attention to my photo, I only used blue embellishments. So striking!

The All Hearts file is ALL kinds of awesomeness! 

I hope my layout has inspired you to use it too! 

Get the All Heart cut file from The Cut Shoppe HERE

Thanks so much for visiting, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

The Cut Shoppe: Tic Tac XO - I Like You Lots!

Hi Happy Arty Days Friends!

Welcome back for more digital cut file inspiration with my latest creation for The Cut Shoppe! 

Today I am sharing more of the love theme for February!

What can I say, I love all the heart day things!

Here's my layout of my two darlings being very sweet together,

"I Like You Lots"

Nawww! SO adorable!

I have featured the awesome Tic Tac XO cut file & combined it with the Crate Paper: Main Squeeze and La la Love lines. Super sweet!

That Tic Tac XO digital cut file is all kinds of awesomeness!

Here's a closer look at it...

Such a fun design - LOVE!!!

Grab the Tic Tac XO cut file from The Cut Shoppe HERE.

I've cut it with Main Squeeze pattern paper, Spark, and machine stitched the grid lines onto the white cardstock base.

I just adore the tiny hearts pattern paper! Perfect for this larger designed background cut file!

I 'fill' the empty squares of the design with chipboard & ephemera pieces,

and layer my photo onto the heart center.

Lots of pretty heart embellishments adorn my central photo! You'll spy chipboard, glitter, stickers, die cut ephemera and even puffy sticker hearts embellishing this cluster. Love it! 

SO super adorable! 

Those smiley heart faces are perfect for my happy two, & are just the cutest! 

I like you lots, indeed! 

Such a darling layout for my two cherubs! 

I hope you liked my layout, & feel inspired to use the Tic Tac XO cut file in your love theme projects! 

Get this fabulous file from The Cut Shoppe HERE.

Thanks so much for visiting, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Altenew Live Your Dream Scrapbook Collection Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

Hi Friends! 

Welcome to the Happy Arty Days blog! 

I'm so super excited to be participating in the 

Altenew Live Your Dream 

Scrapbook Collection Release Blog Hop! 

If you've just arrived here from the incredibly talented Sandra (mojosanti) Dietrich's  blog, 

then you're in the right place! 

If not, or you're feeling a lil uncertain,

here's the list of blog hop participants list to help you find your way! 

Start here----> Altenew Scrapbook Blog

Paige Evans

Enza Gudor

Kathleen Graumüller

Jen Schow

Zinia Redo

Bea Valint

Raquel Bowman

Sandra Dietrich

You are here---> Amanda Baldwin

Maryam Perez

Svitlana Shayevich

Missy Whidden

Altenew Card Blog

Nathalie DeSousa

Kymona Tracey

Patricia Roebuck

Lydia Evans

Terhi Koskinen

Lilith Eeckels

Meghann Andrew

Reiko Tsuchida

Flóra Mónika Farkas

Virginia Lu

Kim Jeffress

Elsie Robinson

Laurie Willison

Kelly Janes

Erum Tasneem

As you can see, we have quite the line up of inspiration for you!

If you haven't already seen the gorgeous new Live Your Dream collection, 

 you're going to gasp at it's beauty! 

Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful....

** Shop the Live Your Dream collection HERE **

To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 6 lucky winners!

Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or Altenew Scrapbook Blog by 2/28/2019 for a chance to win. 6 winners will be announced on the Altenew blogs on 3/3/2019.

Altenew have also very generously offered a $30 gift certificate to one lucky person who leaves a comment on this blog! The winner for this prize will announced on 2/28/2019 on this blog! Yay!

Good luck!

With the formalities out of the way, let's move on to the pretty craft things!

Here's my layout, 

"Live Your Dream"

Sigh! Totally swoon worthy! 

A beautiful collection to scrapbook my darling ballerina with! 

Here's a closer look.....

Live Your Dream Supplies: 12 x 12 Paper Set, Chipboard Stickers, Die Cut Embellishments, Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Wood Epoxy Buttons. 

So very beautiful! 

Live Your Dream is such a pretty and elegant collection! 

Despite all the bold and bright fuchsia pinks & oranges, I was instantly drawn to those dreamy blues and indigo! I couldn't resist a monochromatic layout to showcase these pretty papers! 

I have a lots of gorgeous pictures and a bonus layout below, 

but first, 

Please watch my short process video for this lovely layout HERE

I hope you enjoyed my video & will subscribe to my channel! :) 

Here's some more dreamy close ups for you ......

Those chipboard hearts  & wood epoxy buttons are really something!!! 

Who would've thought that chipboard stickers could be so elegant?!! 

SO dreamy!

The puffy alphabet stickers connect the black from the base pattern paper, and unify my design. 

Absolutely gorgeous!

Live Your Dream is all.kinds.of.beautiful!!!

And, here's a bonus super quick, clean & simple layout with Live Your Dream too....

"Love This Life"

Live Your Dream Supplies: 12 x 12 Paper Set, Chipboard Stickers, & Die Cut Embellishments. 

Isn't this sweet?! 

Live Your Dream is such a delight to create with! 

Whether you want beautiful, elegant pages, or a contemporary, minimalist look Live Your Dream is errrrrrrrything! 

Here's a couple close-ups before I send you hopping to the next blog!

How fabulous is that blue striped watercolor paper?! Stunning!

Simple. Beautiful. 

Love it!

I hope you are just as excited with this new Altenew collection as I am! 

REMEMBER: Leave a comment on this post to go in the draw to win an Altenew $30 Gift Certificate. The Winner will be announced on this blog on 02/28/2019. 

Thanks so much for visiting! 

Time to send you hopping onto the amazing Maryam Perez's blog HERE! 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo