Buzz and Bloom

Celebrate - by Lexi Bridges

I had yet to use some of my Buzz and Bloom stash on a card and since it seems to be the time of year of graduations, weddings and babies I decided having an extra one on hand would be a good idea! 

 I have been getting lots of handpicked bouquets by one certain 4 year old so I thought using the CB Fancy Pansy was the perfect fit. I misted the chipboard using a metallic orange color to compliment the colors in the patterned paper and layered some of the elements on top of one another for a dimensional effect. Now I have a pretty handmade card all set to deliver!

Use some Buzz and Bloom chipboard on a card and share your results!

Have a beautiful day!

Lexi

Random - by Lexi Bridges

Loving the idea of a challenge based on little known facts. Such as...I hate the end cheese on a block of cheese. It is all wrinkle-y and weirds me out. THESE are the things inquiring minds wanna know about, right? ;)

 I had never scrapped a page without a photo and really enjoyed the process. Created the title in CB  Vette Alphabet - Uppercase, painted and outlined with a pen and kept the whole "random" theme going by just using bits and pieces that I had readily available. Very fun to use up some scrappy stash.

 

 I have been wanting to mist and mask the CB Head Start-Bubbles-Mini for a while now and really loved the effect. I outlined some circles and filled a few with embellies. Again random, but I think it fits. ;) 

 

So what are your little know facts? Do share! 

Have a beautiful day!

Lexi

Scrapping Process - Right Now - by Lexi Bridges

Inspiration. 

I don't know about you, but somedays I tend to find it everywhere! Sometimes the products or pictures I have in front of me help guide the process and other times it is something one of my little boys has said. And then of course there are blogs and magazines to guide the way. So many choices! :) I recently came across a great magazine ad for a women's boutique that had a big flower design on the left side of the page. I tucked it away for a time when I needed some inspiration...

BIngo! Although my flower image is made up of several images, the idea came from the ad and was a great springboard for the layout. 

The CB Vette Alphabet Lower Case is the perfect font in my mind. Here I painted it yellow, roughed it up and then outlined with a pen. And is any Spring layout complete without a CB Butterflies? I think not ;)

Keep your eyes open for inspiration friends--it's everywhere!

Lexi 

Color Combo - Brotherly Love - by Lexi Bridges

When the design team was presented this color combo challenge I was excited and immediately knew the direction I wanted to go. Don't you just love it when a project practically creates itself? And then you actually love the outcome--bonus! 

 I love these CB - Slide Show-Negatives! I painted the frame white and then a happy accident occurred... while adding a sticker to the frame I decided I wanted it in a different place and it took off some of the paint when removed. I really liked that look better and repeated the sticker placing and removing to get a few more rough spots. Yea for happy accidents! :)

I placed two of the same picture in the frames and then in the third frame I added some patterned paper to back it up and embellished a green misted heart button from the CB - Buttons set. Check out the "woodgrain" alpha! It may come as a surprise ;), but I love woodgrain and lots of companies have came out with chipboard alphas that look like wood. How about making your own super cheap? All I did was cover the CB - Vette Alphabet - Upper Case in woodgrain contact paper(adore this classic font). Since contact paper is essentially a big sticker it easily stuck to the chipboard and was a breeze to cut! Then you have the rest of the alpha sheet to do the same or alter another way. 

Have fun creating and be share and spread the Buzz and Bloom LOVE ;)

Lexi

Picnic Day- by Lexi Bridges

The design team was asked to share their favorite technique. It would come as no surprise, I'm sure, that my favorite would be misting chipboard to create a background element and then using the chipboard piece. Let me show you on this layout about our first picnic of the season:

 It is probably a no brainer, but if you lay down your fabulous new CB Wildflowers chipboard and mist over it you can get a beautiful flat image full of detail.

I have kept a box that some products were delivered in as my misting box. It contains all the messy ink and  allows my paper and projects to lay flat while misting. I cut apart the chipboard element, again getting more use out of just one product. This way I could have the same element on each side framing the photo. I backed the open space of the flower with patterned paper.

 Again with the CB Butterflies! Is it too obvious I can't get enough?! Here I cut squares of patterned paper and glued them to the shapes before using a file set to shape the paper into the grooves.

I tried something a bit different with the CB Vette Alphabet-Lowercase  alphabet, using fabric writing paint. I kinda liked the "cloud-like" subtle swirl effect it gave them, perfect for a sunny day outside layout. 

And finally, where to put that journaling? I put it as a pull out behind the picture and in front the of FAB Patch Work-The George (avocado).

So there you have it! Several ideas here, but my favorite still has to be the simple misting technique...although my fellow design team members are inspiring me to stretch myself :) Have you tried any new ideas lately?

Have a beautiful day-

L

Vintage Banner- by Lexi Bridges

Banners seem to be everywhere these days and that is fine by me. I love them. Maybe it's because they remind me of a party. Maybe it's because you can make one for any occasion... and use a mix of products while doing so. In any case, I had lots of fun digging in my crafty stash to create this:

Now of course I will hang this, probably in my scrap room, but it is crazy difficult to get a decent picture while of it hanging so I laid it down for a more detailed photo.

I used the CB Banner Flags as the base. There are holes for the cord to go through, but I preferred to run it along the back.  Some vintage goodies used here include an old floral sheet, early reader book page, hymnal sheet, doily and button pack.

I am loving all the different shapes and designs in the CB Butterflies set! On these two flags I covered the small one with patterned paper and the larger one with spray ink. 

More vintagey goodness and a green misted butterfly. I think that simple "lovely" flag is my favorite :)

This butterfly is the grandaddy of them all--check out the detail! I can already tell I will be needed more of these butterflies to add to my stash. They can go with anything ;)

Have a beautiful day!
Lexi 

Winter '09 - by Lexi Bridges

Hello Hello!

One of my favorite embellishments to add to a scrapping project has to be buttons...and sewing and misting and brads and...CB Buttons!! So I was super excited that buttons were a part of the new release. Several shapes come on a sheet, but I choose to just use the classic, round shape.

 

Here on this winter layout I wanted the doily cut outs to resemble snowflakes. I also wanted to keep the overall feel muted in soft minty colors with just a smidge of red for the season. To give the layout some snowy sparkle I misted the CB Buttons with a silvery, iridescent color and added them to the "snowflakes" with some red and white striped baker's twine. Easy peasy ;)

 

Let us know how you are loving and using the new products.

Enjoy your day!

Lexi

Something New - by Lexi Bridges

Hello crafty people!

This past fall my *not so little anymore* boy started preschool. It goes so fast! I snapped this pic as we were pulling out of the drive the first day of school. Technically, the picture is far from perfect, but this momma loves it :) And once I saw some of the fun Buzz and Bloom products in my design team box I knew this perfectly imperfect photo needed to be scrapped.

 

I love using chipboard as a mask. LOVE!! And you totally get double duty out of your product because you can use it as a mask and then finally reuse it as a page element. Buzz and Bloom chipboard is thick so it can withstand several paint/ink coats. More bang for your buck, right? ;)

Here I used CB Beaded Curtain and CB Retro Vine-Large as masks and then embellished with stitching, brads, bits of patterned paper and my journaling. I used the FAB Hall of Frame-Avocado as a tab (love those hearts on the side!) under my photo and left a CB-Retro Leaves raw with a peek of paper showing through.

Those imperfect photos need scrapped too ;)

Have a wonderful week!

Lexi

Just Because - by Lexi Bridges

We have a saying at our house..."If you have to ask for flowers, it doesn't make them as special." Sometimes getting flowers "just because" is the most perfect reason, don't you think? I had to document (of course!) this past week when my husband unexpectedly brought home some flowers. Brownie points ;)

 Here I used CB Retro Vines-Large  as a mask before cutting the leafy loops apart and painting with gesso. I then added CB Retro Leaves which I painted aqua. This funky fabric flower is made using DEN Patchwork Yankee Doodle-Indigo.

I painted the CB Shelby Alphabet-Lowercase in the same aqua paint and on the inside of my "leaves" with this paper flower added the backside of FAB Writer's Block-The George-Blush.

 

Don't be afraid to reinvent your scrapping products to suit your need! It could be the extra little something that sets your project apart ;)

Have a beautiful day!

Lexi

Owl Always Love You - by Lexi Bridges

Hello there all you crafty people.

I'm super excited to be joining Buzz and Bloom for 2010! 

Here's a little project to get us geared up for the day of love :)

Whoooo wouldn't want this little guy greeting you on February 14th?

I plan to perch him, or her ;) by my boys' valentine mailboxes as a sweet surprise that morning. We all love owls around here and hear them both day and night where we live so this is quite the appropriate decoration. 

I misted the CB 3D What A Hoot - Small before covering with punched 1/2 and 3/4 inch paper circles. This is a great way to mix lines while using up those scraps we all have. I added the date with CB Shelby Alphabet - Countdown that has a bit of glitter sparkle glued on. Some of the open spaces are backed by pink cupcakes liners...kinda hard to see, but I thought it went with the theme :)

This project would be so easy to create for any holiday or celebration, by just altering the paper used. 

So how about you..have you created any Valentine's day projects using Buzz and Bloom? We would love to see!

Have a beautiful day!

Lexi