Burlap & Buttercups Blog

Cabin Fever

2012-03-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! Just dropping in on a gorgeous day to share a layout that I created with our March kit and add-ons. This was an appropriate photo for me to scrap today, since it's beautiful outside ~ just like it was a couple weeks ago when these photos were taken. With its diamond pattern, a sheet of the BasicGrey paper included in the March kit was just crying out to be made into a kite. Here's the finished product:

I used the Maya Road chipboard clouds as a mask.

Check out the fun embellishments from BasicGrey, American Crafts, My Mind's Eye, and Jenni Bowlin!

Love those Petaloo butterflies!

Well, speaking of cabin fever, I've really got to get myself and my kiddos outside to enjoy these warm temps and sunny skies! Thanks for dropping by, friends, and have a wonderful weekend!

~Rachel

Friday Challenge!

2012-03-09T04:51:00.025-08:00

Hello everyone! Cassie here to share this Friday's challenge with you. Now this may or may not be a tough challenge for you, but for me it DEFINITELY was! I challenge you to make a scrapbook layout about something BESIDES your kids (tough right?). I almost exclusively scrapbook pictures of my son, Charlie, so this week I chose to scrap some photos of my husband and I at my holiday party....I think this is the 2nd layout of the two of us I've made in over a year. Now that won't do, so I'm glad that I got some motivation to do something different!

This layout was made using the AWESOME March kit, which I've been having lots of fun playing with the past few days!

So the challenge is: Make a layout that doesn't focus on your kids (or grandkids, etc....fur babies allowed hehe)

Here are the details for this month's challenges: You're playing for a $15 gift certificate to Burlap & Buttercups. You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month.) Any supplies can be used. To participate, simply enter a comment in the "Comments" section of our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Wait 5 Minutes

2012-03-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't quite get around to scrapping with my March kit last night as I had hoped, but I do have a layout I created recently that I thought I'd share. For this page I used a combination of our February Burlap Sack kit and the October kit. Given the theme of Colorado's ever-changing weather on a day-to-day (and even moment-by-moment!) basis, I thought using the two different kits really worked well.

The two photos on the layout were taken one day apart in October. One day it was a glorious fall day, and the next we were in the middle of a full-blown snowstorm. Yup, sometimes it snows here in October! :)

OK, one last thing before I leave. We're close to reaching our goal of 200 blog followers, so keep those entries coming for a chance to win this Page Maps 2 book by Becky Fleck:

Since you're all being so patient, though, as we approach that magic number I've decided that Saturday, March 17th will be the deadline for submitting your entries. You can see the submission rules here.

Thanks to all of you who have already entered to win, and thanks so much for stopping by today. Come back tomorrow for a challenge hosted by our very own Cassie Cyr!

~Rachel

Guest Designer & A Winner!

2012-03-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to be introducing you to our Guest Designer for March. It's been a few months since we've invited a Guest Designer to join us, but I'm delighted to start up this aspect of Burlap & Buttercups again. It's such fun to feature a talented new designer each month ... in addition to our own amazing Design Team, of course!

This month, I'm truly honored that Suzanne Spokus has agreed to serve as our Guest Designer. I've been in love with her work since I first stopped by her blog, and I can't wait to see what she does with our March kit and add-ons! In the meantime, here's a little more about Suzanne:

Hi! I'm Suzanne of Scrap With Suzy. I've been married to my wonderful hubby, Dave, for 3 years and counting. We live in Pennsylvania with our 5 year old high-maintance puggle, Jax. We are "expecting" to adopt this year :) Until our family expands, I'll keep teaching my lively class of 26 first graders. I really love it - hard to believe my first class are going to be in high school next year! :) I started scrapbooking in 2006, just 2 weeks before I met my hubby Dave. I had returned from a week in Hawaii and determined to document my trip in photos, memorabilia and stories. So glad I was "bitten by the bug" because I have all our memories in albums from the first date to present. Pretty neat! My favorite subjects of course are family and friends, children in our lives, and our travels. I'm so excited to work with Rachel and the rest of the Burlap and Buttercups team this month! Thanks for having me. I look forward to (hopefully!) inspiring you as much as I have been inspired by their kits and projects.

I hope you'll join me in giving Suzanne a very warm welcome ... and be sure to stop by her blog for some amazing inspiration!

Before signing off, I'd like to announce the winner of our February challenges and, thus, the recipient of a $15 gift certificate to use at Burlap & Buttercups. Our latest randomly chosen winner is ...

Kelly G!!!

Congrats, Kelly! If you'll shoot me an email at info@burlapandbuttercups.com, I'll send you your GC. :) Thanks to everyone for playing along with our challenges. I always love seeing the great designs and different interpretations of our Design Team's prompts.

Another challenge is headed your way Friday and (if I can get my act together tonight and get a little scrapping done) a layout tomorrow. Have a wonderful day!

~Rachel

Friday Challenge - Stitched Words

2012-03-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday to all!! I've got a new challenge for you.....just in case you have some free time to scrap this weekend! And get another chance to win a fabulous prize!!

My challenge to you is going to require you to get your needle and thread out. Don't fret though!! This was so easy!! Maybe a little time consuming but I LOVE the outcome and I think you will too! My challenge to you is to sew a word in your title. As you can see here in my layout I chose to sew the word "Smile".

The first step is to jump on your computer and find a font that you want to use and then print it out in the size you need. Lay it on your layout and start poking holes along the letters. I chose to make holes about every 1/8th of an inch to make my curves look curvy and not boxy. Then, start stitching!

After I stitched my word, I wanted to add a butterfly and thought that making it look like the butterfly had created the word would be so cute. Loved it!! Here's a close up of the finished product!!

I hope you give it a try! And I'd love to see if you do but as always, I know you'll link me up here because.......

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Aimee

The March Kit is Now Up For Sale!

2012-03-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted to present you with our March kit and add-on, which are now available for sale! We have a lovely assortment of Amy Tangerine, BasicGrey, Maya Road, My Mind's Eye, Petaloo, and more! I'm loving the bright, vibrant colors and luscious embellishments in this kit ~ especially at a time when so many of us are starting to get a raging case of spring fever!

I'll be bringing you some layouts created with this kit in the coming days, and our Gallery will be revealed on the 15th. Meanwhile, member kits will be shipped on Monday! As always, I'm looking forward to seeing all your masterpieces. :)

~Rachel

Last Day of Sneaks Before the Reveal!

2012-02-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

I'd like to bring you a few more sneak peeks of our March kit, which will be revealed tomorrow! My kit is sitting here at my desk, and I'm itching to start playing with it. So here are a couple more shots of this lovely and colorful kit:

The main kit

The add-on kit

And in case you missed it, here's another glimpse of the main kit that I posted on Facebook yesterday:

I'm dying to show you the whole thing! Good thing I've only got one more day to wait. :)

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

~Rachel

February Sketch Challenge with a Twist Winner

2012-02-28T13:44:00.000-08:00

Mary Pat here with you today to bring you the winner of the February Sketch Challenge with a Twist. All the layouts were really awesome and it was really hard to pick a winner, but I can only pick one. So the February winner is Sheila.

Please email your information to Rachel and we will get your wonderful prize out to you!

I want to thank everyone who participated in this month's challenge. Be sure to check back next month for another sketch challenge! See you then!
-mp

March Sneaks, Part 1

2012-02-27T14:17:00.001-08:00

As promised, I'm bringing you your first sneak peek of our March kit, which will be unveiled on Thursday. This kit will incorporate some lovely bright colors to help us chase away those March blues as we await spring!

Great way to welcome spring, huh? :) I'll bring you a few more glimpses over the next couple of days leading up to the big reveal!

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

~Rachel

Friday Border Challenge

2012-02-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or is everyone else addicted to border punches? Chances are, you have more than a few border punches with your name on them (I have more than few of them myself)! This week's challenge is to layer 3 or more borders in your LO - whether they were punched out, die-cut or ready-made.

Tutorial: Sunburst state map (DIY wall decor)

2012-02-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! It is Nathalie here today sharing a photo tutorial of the wall hanging I created after I fell in love with this print on Etsy. I decided to try and make my own version with the February kit, and here is the result:

You can do it for any state (or country) and with any papers you like!
Supplies:
- 2 sheets of cardstock (one for the sunbursts, one for the background)
- 1 sheet of patterned paper
- 1 small scrap of paper for the heart
- a printer to print the map
- scissors or craft knife
- a pencil
- a ruler
- one pop dot
- a frame

1/ First, I found the outline of the state to California. The US50.com has printable outlines of all the states. I printed mine slightly smaller on printer paper so that it will fit into my matted frame (5x7), my map ended up being roughly 6.5x4 inches:

2/ Cut a heart (either by hand, with a punch or die-cutting machine) that will go where your city/home is then, with a pencil and a ruler, draw sunbursts starting from the heart. You might have to play a little with your design until you are happy with it:

3/ Cut out the whole state (I realize it will be easier for some state than others!):

4/ Then cut each individual sunburst (I was careful to put them back in their original order). Also notice that I didn't worry too much about the part under the heart as it will be covered by it in the end.

5/ Take each sunburst, one at a time, and temporarily glue them to the cardstock or the patterned paper (alternating them) in order to trace them and cut them (then discard the printer paper):

6/ Here they are, all cut out and placed back in their original spots on top of the cardstock I selected for my background:

7/ Glue them tightly close to each other to form the original map. Place the heart on a pop dot and adhere:

8/ Place in a frame and voila!

As always, if you give this tutorial a try and have any questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comment section. Have fun!

The Perfect Bubble

2012-02-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

Good morning! If you haven't seen Mary Pat's Sketch Challenge yet, be sure to take a look! She's brought us yet another great sketch this month, and over the weekend I used it to create the layout below. I flipped the sketch so that it wouldn't look like my son was blowing his bubble off the edge of the page. :)

Here's the sketch:

And here's my take on the sketch:

I hope you'll take part in Mary Pat's sketch challenge ~ and be sure to check out our "Current Challenges" sidebar to see the rest of the challenges we have going on. Thanks to all of you who have already submitted entries. I always love seeing your creations!

Stay tuned this week ... we have a tutorial coming to you from Nathalie, a challenge on Friday, and some sneaks of our March kit! (Woo hoo!) A special thanks to Angie Gutshall, who designed the bulk of our February kit. She did an amazing job, and the kit is now sold out! (And be sure to check out Angie's new blog design ~ it's awesome!)

Hope you all are having a wonderful week. See you again soon!

~Rachel

February Sketch Challenge with a Twist!

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All,
Mary Pat here with you today to bring you February's sketch challenge with a twist. This month's sketch is a multi photo sketch.

Here is my take on the sketch

Now the twist is to use some twine on your layout. I used twine on my buttons.

I really loved working with the February kit . The papers were just amazing. I loved the color combinations.

So do you want to see some more inspiration from the Burlap and Buttercups awesome and amazing Design Team? Let's take a look.

First up we have Angie.

Next we have Cassie

I always love to see all the different interpretations of the sketch by our artists!

So now do you want to know what you are playing for this month? Well I think you are going to love it. You will receive a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, some butterfly embellishments and also a pack of American Crafts Thickers!

Oh, does that look good! Here is how you can enter the sketch challenge. Make a layout using this month's sketch and include some twine. Place a link on today's post. You do not need to have the kit to enter or win. Have your link in before February 27th. I will post the winner on February 28th.

I can't wait to see all of your projects. I will be stopping by your posts to see your amazing work!

Remember to have fun! I hope everyone has a wonderful and crafty day!
-mp

New Friday Challenge

2012-02-17T05:16:00.001-08:00

Happy Friday to all of you!! Anyone going to scrap today? Well if you are how about a challenge to get you started?!

I'm not a card maker but I have really enjoyed making them lately. So my challenge is make a card. Simple right?! I think so. Here are 2 I made with the Burlap & Buttercups February kit.

A Winter Swim

2012-02-16T05:15:00.000-08:00

When I saw the new sketch over at Elle's Studio I knew I had to play along. This sketch so cute and fun! I also used the new Burlap & Buttercups February kit. If your thinking of getting this kit you better act quickly there is only one left!!

February Gallery Reveal!

2012-02-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

As the Design Team's February layouts, cards and projects have been coming in, I've been dying to share these amazing creations with you! They've outdone themselves once again, so I hope you'll go check out our Idea Gallery for some great ideas on ways to use your February kit and add-ons. Meanwhile, I'd like to show you a sampling of the kind of creative genius you'll find over at our Gallery! :)

Aimee Kidd

Angie Gutshall

Cassie Cyr

Mary Pat Siehl

Nathalie Leonelli

I could go on and on about all of the things I love about each and every one of these designs, but there are far too many elements to name! So I'll just let you all pore over them and come up with the things you like best!

As always, thanks for dropping by ~ and thanks to my wonderful Design Team for another month of extraordinary work!

~Rachel

Saw it. Loved it. Scraplifted it.

2012-02-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

I was browsing this blog post over at the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog (and drooling a little over all the new CHA lines and displays), when I spotted a layout that I fell in love with. So I decided to try my hand at something similar, using one of my favorite photos of my daughter modeling a new hat she was so proud of. Here's the finished product:

Everything except the little heart in the word "love" came from our February kit and add-ons. I love that this kit has some pretty feminine touches as well as a number of blues, teals, grays and other shades perfect for more boyish pages.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! See you again soon!

~Rachel

What's Your Style?

2012-02-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

I'm here with another challenge for you: I want to know what your scrapbooking style is!

For this challenge, I created a layout using these photos of my oldest son. He's growing like a weed, and I want to capture those moments when I can still see a hint of the little boy in him. (Those moments are growing fewer and farther between!)

(Sorry about the picture quality on this layout ~ I was racing to get it done and the light wasn't that great when I snapped a picture of it.) Anyway, for this page I used supplies primarily from our February kit and add-ons. It really showcases my tendency to use fairly symmetrical designs and whimsical touches. I aspire to use more white space on my pages, but every time I do I feel the need to fill it with something! :)

So ... what's your style? Distressed, traditional, shabby chic, whimsical? Do you love bright colors or opt for lighter shades? Do you use lots of embellishments or stick with clean, simple pages? I want to see you create a project that demonstrates your "signature style"!

Thanks for dropping in, everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!

~Rachel

Everyday Moments

2012-02-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm just dropping in to share a beautiful layout created by Mary Pat Siehl, our Sketch Artist and a member of our Design Team. Mary Pat used the recently revealed February kit and add-ons for this kit, and I absolutely love not only her design, but her combination of patterned paper, the misting, and those adorable butterflies flitting up the page!

Such loveliness! I just had to provide you with this sneak peek of our Gallery, which will be revealed on the 15th. I'm looking forward to showing you the rest of our Design Team's projects!

Have a great day, friends!

~Rachel

February Reveal!

2012-02-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm a few days late on this ... but taking care of some sick kiddos took up the majority of my weekend! Better late than never, right? ;)

Anyway, I know most of you will have seen our February kit and add-ons already. If you haven't, you've come to the right place! This one is going fast, friends. The add-on kit sold out within a few hours of going live, and I only have ONE main kit left. So if you want it, you'd better grab it soon!

Here's our add-on kit, which, as I mentioned, is already sold out:

In addition, we've released a brand new Burlap Sack kit! As you can see, this is a winter-themed kit full of snowy goodness:

You can get all the details on these kits by visiting our website. And once I get my family healthy again, I'll be sharing some more layouts with you. Also, check back for our Design Team Gallery on the 15th!

One more thing before I sign off: our giveaway is still going on, so be sure to check out this post and get your comments in for a chance to win this fabulous prize:

We're well on our way to our goal of reaching 200 followers. Once we get there, I'm sending this lovely prize out to one of you!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope everyone had a great Super Bowl weekend (if you're into that sort of thing!) :) and that the week ahead will be a wonderful one for you. Blessings!

~Rachel

2012-02-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday to all!! Have you all gotten a look at the new February kit yet?!?! Isn’t it gorgeous?!?! Just got my kit in the mail today and I am thrilled to get to dig into it! But all that aside, I’m here today to give you today’s challenge. Not sure why but the first thing that really jumped out at me from the January kit are the 2 sheets of Basic Grey Picadilly, the really pretty and vibrant flowery orange piece and the soft frilly blue one. I finally realized that these two are complimentary color so I guess that’s why I was so drawn to them. So that’s my challenge to you! Create a layout, card, or anything that suits your fancy using those 2 yummy colors.

For my first sample, I wanted to make to sure to use one of those sweet and adorable coat hangers!! So I found a dress template online, cut it out, and attached my coat hanger to make this card.

For this layout, I chose the blue and orange to be the main colors.

Sneak Peek Layouts

2012-02-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

I actually got to scrap last night ~ woo hoo! So I wanted to share a layout I created with our February kit and add-ons (which will be revealed tomorrow), as well as a couple of layouts made with the supplies from our brand spanking new Burlap Sack kit, which will also go live tomorrow.

I don't know about you all, but sometimes I come across a photo of one of my kids when they were younger, and I get so nostalgic I can't help but scrap it. This was one of those pics. :) All supplies except the peach ribbon and white cardstock come from our February kit and add-ons.

And here are the two layouts I made with the Burlap Sack kit:

Love that picture of my older son. Can you tell he was approaching hypothermia?! :) He didn't mind in the least. For him, as long as there's snow life is good.

Thanks for checking in! Be sure to come back tomorrow for our kit reveals!

Oh! I almost forgot to announce the winner of our January challenges! I entered a long list of names into Random.org (I'm so excited to have so many of you participating in our challenges!), and it came back with the name ...

antenucci!!! (Wendy played along with several of our challenges ~ be sure to stop by her blog to check out her work here.)

Congrats, Wendy! I'll e-mail you your GC ~ happy shopping!

~Rachel

It's Almost That Time Again!

2012-02-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

Yep, our February kits will be revealed on Friday ... and I just can't wait! I've shared a few sneaks with you here, but now that I have all the supplies in my hot little hands I thought I'd offer you a couple more peeks:

I'm hoping to get up a sneak layout tomorrow, because now that I have this whole kit in front of me there's no way I'm going to be able to resist playing with it tonight! Members, since the 5th falls on a Sunday these kits will be headed your way Monday, the 6th. And for the rest of you, I hope you'll get 'em while you can! :)

Also, please do keep spreading the word about the giveaway we have going on. I'm having so much fun with this Page Maps 2 book. (You didn't think I'd be able to give one away without getting one for myself, did you?!)

Before I go, I've got to show you this amazing layout Ria Mojica created with our January kit and add-ons. Oh my goodness gracious, can you believe how stunning this page is?!

As always, I appreciate you taking the time to drop in and see what we're up to. I'll be back tomorrow with a layout or two ~ as well as the winner of our January challenges! ~ and DT member Aimee Kidd will have another challenge for you on Friday. Fun stuff ahead, friends, so come see us again soon!

~Rachel

January Sketch Challenge with a Twist Winner!!!

2012-01-30T04:21:00.000-08:00

Wow! You all really rocked the sketch challenge this month. I just loved visiting everyone's blog or gallery to see your wonderful layouts. I wish I could give everyone a prize but I only have one to give. So therefore the winner of the January Sketch challenge goes to:

Michelle at Scrappy Bookworm.

Great job! Love everything! Hope you enjoy your wonderful prize package!

Join me next month (February 20th) for the next sketch challenge with a twist!

Hope you all have a crafty day!
-mp

February Sneaks!!

2012-01-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

You've all been waiting so patiently for the sneaks of our February kit and add-on ... and I have good news. Your wait it finally over! I do have to issue one disclaimer, though: I feel these sneak peeks are somewhat incomplete given that I'm still waiting on one box of goodies, many of which make up the lovely splashes of rose and pink that are part of this month's kit. This kit is going be perfect for everyday shots, but it's also going to work great for those of you inclined to create a card for your sweetie or a Valentine layout about someone you love. Once that last box arrives in the next few days, I'll give you a few more glimpses. ;)

Meanwhile, feast your eyes on these!

I'm so excited to dig into my own kit, which means I'm watching my doorstep like a hawk for that last box! :) I'll show you more when it arrives.

Remember to get your challenge submissions in before the end of the month, and if you haven't seen the fantastic giveaway we're hosting, be sure to check it out here.

Thanks for dropping by ~ have a lovely weekend!

~Rachel

January challenge #4: Something masculine

2012-01-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hi there! It's me, Nathalie, here today to offer you the last of the January challenges. Remember, you have until the end of the month to participate in any or all of them (and you can find them all listed in the right side bar). My challenge for you today is to create something masculine, a page about your son, father, husband, a card or a gift for your Valentine... anything as long as it is manly :)

As an example I created this card, with the January kit (now sold out!!!), totally inspired by the little clothes hanger included in the kit and this card by Amber found via Pinterest:

Now here are the details for this month's challenges: You're playing for a $15 gift certificate to Burlap & Buttercups. You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month.) Any supplies can be used. To participate, simply enter a comment in the "Comments" section of our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

PS: And don't forget, the giveaway in the previous post is still open!

Giveaway!!

2012-01-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hello, my scrappy friends! I've been so excited to see more and more of you taking part in our challenges, interacting on our blog, and dropping by our Facebook page. To celebrate, once we hit 200 blog followers I'd like to give away a copy of the second volume of Becky Fleck's Page Maps sketch book!

I love the sketches and inspiration in this book, and it's so handy having it at your fingertips when you're sitting down to scrap. So this lovely giveaway is for all of you who love sketches as much as I do!

One lucky winner will receive this book once we hit that magic 200 number! All current followers will automatically have their name entered once in the random drawing. Here are a few other quick and easy ways to have your name entered in the drawing even more times:

1. Simply start following our blog!
2. Leave a comment letting us know you're a Facebook follower.
3. Leave a comment letting us know you posted the link to this giveaway on your own Facebook page.

As you can see, it's possible to have your name entered as many as three times ~ those are some nice odds!

Thanks for stopping by ~ I can't wait to send this book out to one of you! :)

~Rachel

Birthday book step-by-step tutorial

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

EDITED: I have to apologize because I had a wrong measurement in Step 1!!! Your 12 pages should be 5.75x12 to start with before you score and fold them!!! I am very sorry for the mistake (discovered thanks to Liz) hopefully it is not too late!

Hello Burlap & Buttercups fans! It's Nathalie here today to share with you how I created a Birthday book (and card holder) using the fabulous January kit and add-on:

(you can see more pictures of it in the January Gallery)

Supplies:

- a minimum of seven 12"x12" sheets of patterned paper

- sewing machine (or thin and strong double sided tape)

- seven 8.5"x11" sheets of light colored cardstock to print on

- printer

- the two following sticker sheets from Simple Stories Year-o-graphy line (included in the kit and add-on this month):

- alphas for the cover

- a binding machine+coils or rings

1/ First, you need to cut 12 pieces of paper measuring 5.75"wide by 12"tall:

2/ Score them all 4" from the bottom and fold over:

3/ Sew one side of each page to start creating a pocket,

the other side will be held closed by the binding:

(I guess an alternative would be to use thin strips of double-sided tape or even staples!)

4/ Right click to save and then print the two .pdf files I created for you below onto 8.5x11 sheets of plain cardstock:

5/ Cut along the dotted lines and adhere each month on each page (on the sides without pockets of course):

6/ Decorate each month with your stickers and leftovers from the kit

(advice: be careful that the number of days for each month is the correct one BEFORE applying the stickers!;):

7/ For the covers, cut two pieces of cardstock to 5.75" wide by 8"high.

To decorate the front, I used a strip of stripped patterned paper measuring 1.25"x8" and a main piece measuring 4.5x7.75, added slightly inked alphas, punched border and a sticker.

8/ I then used my Bind-It-All and 3/4" black coils to bind everything together. You now have a place to keep track of all the birthdays and a pocket behind each month to add cards and envelopes:

I hope you are feeling inspired to give this project a try! And whether or not you use the Burlap & Buttercups kit, make sure to show us your version!

PS: I will be answering any questions you might have in the comment section.

New Burlap Sack Sneaks

2012-01-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right: we are preparing to unveil another Burlap Sack kit here at Burlap & Buttercups. This one is for all of you who love snow, are buried up to your eyebrows in snow, enjoy snow sports, have children who play in the snow every chance they get ... you get the idea! That's the beauty of these themed kits we've recently introduced ~ they allow us to zero in on a particular season, holiday or activity that may be special to some of us. And living here in Colorado, may I just say that I have enough snow photos to fill several albums! :)

Although this newest Burlap Sack kit was initially planned for a mid-month release sometime in January, it's now going to be released alongside our February main kit. This will give subscribers the chance to add it to their order ~ if it happens to strike their fancy! ~ for no additional shipping cost. So hang in there with me for another week-and-a-half, and this kit will be up for grabs!

Here are some glimpses of the kit:

I have some favorite pics of my sweet girl when she was just a wee tot playing in the snow, and this kit was perfect for those shots! So here are a few sneaks of that layout:

I'll be back soon with some sneaks of our February kit, and the reveal of both the main kit and the Burlap Sack kit is right around the corner. Woo hoo! So stay in touch! :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend ... I hope you're able to squeeze in some crafty endeavors!

~Rachel

Challenge #3: Year in Review

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hi B&B Readers! It's Cassie here to share this weeks challenge :D My challenge for you is to make a Year in Review type page, album, calendar, whatever you please-- just make it about 2011! I always forget to do this in January and by the time I remember I wanted to do it (usually in July....) I've forgotten half the details I wanted to include. So let's get it out of the way now, shall we?

Here's my take using the January kit (and yes, I really did become addicted to cheese this year haha)

January Gallery

2012-01-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days since I've had a chance to share a blog post with you all. Does life feel crazy these days to anyone but me? :) I've got a few minutes of quiet here now, though, and I just can't wait any longer to show you some of the amazing creations our Design Team prepared with our January kit. I've chosen one project from each DT member, but please go check out the rest of their masterpieces over at our Idea Gallery! There's some fantastic inspiration there.

In addition to these beautiful layouts, you can find some incredible mini-albums over in the Gallery. (And be sure to stop by on Monday, when Nathalie will share a tutorial for her Birthday Book. (Let me tell you: you are going to want to make one of those!)

I hope you've all been having a wonderful week and have some fun plans for the weekend. As always, thanks for dropping by!

~Rachel

January Sketch Challenge with a Twist

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Mary Pat here to bring you a new Sketch Challenge with a Twist. Here is a look at the sketch.

The Twist--Add a bit of distressing or tearing to your layout! I love this technique! Here is my take.

Here is some more sketch inspiration for your from our amazing Design Team. First up Cassie:

I love how she used all the wonderful butterflies.

Next up is Nathalie:

I love how Nathalie used the calendar as her background piece and I just love Bing Bang Theory!

Next we have Aimee:

Oh I love this misting on this layout!

I just love seeing how everyone has their own take on the sketch! I can't wait to visit all your blogs to see what you all come up with!!

So do you want to know what you are going to be playing for this month? A wonderful prize package of Crate Paper border stips, some fun embellishments from MME (love love that twine!) and some fun flowers. What a prize package this month! Thanks Rachel!!

So you have till January 29th to enter. I will reveal the winner on January 30th! So let's get started - remember you don't have to have the January kit to play! Remember to post a link here in the comment section to enter!

Challenge #2 Banners

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy January!! Hope everyone had a great holiday! We sure did!

This week my challenge is for you to use banners on your page. It can be any kind from hand made to premade. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Here is my layout using the January kit:

Here are the details for this month's challenges: You're playing for a $15 gift certificate to Burlap & Buttercups. You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month.) Any supplies can be used. To participate, simply enter a comment in the "Comments" section of our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Our First Challenge of 2012!

2012-01-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

OK, so I don't know about you all, but every time we start putting away the Christmas decorations and diving into a new year, I get the organization bug. I can't stop thinking of new ways to simplify my life, catch up on projects, and find better ways of storing all of the stuff that seems to keep accumulating ... and don't even get me started on my annual resolution to catch up on my layouts! (Like that's going to happen anytime soon!) =)

It's with all of this in mind that I decided to stray a bit and introduce a challenge designed to help us all get our scrap spaces organized! I'm always excited to find new ways to rein in my stash ... and while I don't have a cozy little cottage in our backyard dedicated to my scrapbooking addiction, =) (or even an entire room, for that matter!), I have managed to claim a corner of our basement and make it my own. The room doubles as my office and the kiddos' homeschool room ~ and I love that I can hang out with my kids while I work and create.

Anyway, I thought I'd show you a few glimpses of my favorite organization solutions. These are not anything revolutionary, but they're the things that have most helped get the clutter under control. Now I'd love to show you my whole scrap space, but seeing my mess is not going to inspire anyone! Or maybe it would inspire you to feel less guilty about your own mess! ;)

So here you go ~ a few of the organization ideas that have come in very handy for me:

This is one of my favorite things: storage cubes from Walmart and racks that help me know at a glance what paper I have. Behind the cabinet doors are magazines, a sketch notebook, and more paper sorted by manufacturer lines.

It tends to take me quite a while to get my completed layouts in albums, which means they used to sit in a tray collecting dust (literally!). Now, thanks to this cute box from Hobby Lobby, I can keep them tucked away and dust-free until I get around to storing them more permanently.

When Archivers was selling these Making Memories paints for $1.99 a pop, I went a little crazy! An inexpensive spice shelf from Walmart keeps them within reach ... and adds a little extra color to my space.

LOVE this idea!! I'm sure you've all seen this on various websites, but I've got to tell you: once I bought these hardware drawers and used them to stash brads, buttons, flocking, alphabet stamps, chipboard, and various other embellishments, I was absolutely amazed at how much storage space I was able to save with this simple and cheap solution.

I was thrilled when I got the chance to take over this pine armoir, formerly a TV cabinet. It holds a TON of stuff, included my Cricut and cartridges, my rather large supply of Stampin' Up stamps, and even some of my ribbon, which I keep on a spring-loaded curtain rod. The drawers hold even more odds and ends, and behind the doors below is my sewing machine and a big container of fabric. (Yup, I occasionally sew, too ... in all my free time!) =)

OK, so it's your turn! I want to see how you keep your stash under control! Here are the details for this month's challenges: You're playing for a $15 gift certificate to Burlap & Buttercups. You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month.) Any supplies can be used. To participate, simply enter a comment in the "Comments" section of our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project ... or, in this case, photos of your organization suggestions!

I'm really excited to see some fantastic storage ideas from you all! Thanks for stopping in today!

~Rachel

A Winner!!

2012-01-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

Hi, all! OK, I've been waiting with bated breath to see who would be the lucky winner of the Martha Stewart score board ... and today's the day! It's almost like extending Christmas, since I get to send this great tool to some lucky scrapper! So without further ado ~ and thanks, as usual, to Random.org ~ I'm delighted to announce the winner of our December challenges:

Michelle!

Michelle submitted a couple of beautiful cards in response to Design Team member Aimee Kidd's challenge to create Christmas cards using non-traditional colors. Here are Michelle's cards:

Fabulous, Michelle ~ and congratulations! I'll get your prize in the mail to you!

Before signing up, just a quick heads up that our January main kit and add-on kits are already going fast. So if you've been eyeing them, you might want to grab one before they're gone!

Happy Wednesday, everyone. Thanks for stopping by!

~Rachel

January Reveal!!

2012-01-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, everyone! As we kick off another new year, I'm quite excited to introduce our January kit and add-ons. This one was built around the gorgeous Funday Kraft collection from My Mind's Eye ~ in addition to the trendy kraft pages, I've added many splashes of color and worked in, among other things, the Year.O.Graphy line from Simple Stories.

OK, so as a kit club owner, I'm guessing it's somewhat of a faux pas to highlight the same manufacturer two months in a row (remember the Simple Stories from our December kit?). But I just couldn't help myself! Year.O.Graphy is absolutely stunning ~ and so appropriate for projects at the start of a new year. And I just love the full sheet of stickers Simple Stories includes with each line ... so, between Burlap & Buttercups' main kit and add-on kit, we're bringing you TWO full, 12x12" sheets of stickers! These sheets are packed with adorable embellishments, and I can't wait to see what you all do with them!

Anyway, I'll be quiet now and show you the new kits. ;)

MAIN KIT

ADD-ON KIT

My wonderful Design Team is plugging away at their projects with this kit, so be sure to check back mid-month to see what they've done. And remember that new subscribers receive a discounted price on our newly released Burlap Sack kit, along with no additional shipping charge when it's shipped with the main kit.

Tomorrow I'll be announcing the winner of our December challenges ~ and the lucky winner of a Martha Stewart score board! ~ so stay tuned. Thanks for dropping by, friends, and have a great day!

~Rachel

The Winner for the December Sketch Challenge!

2011-12-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,
WOW did you all make it really tough this month on picking a winner! The entries were just amazing! I just love to see every one's take on the sketch. I really wish I could pick more than one winner! but there can be only one. So without further ado......

The winner is Sheila! Here is a look at her amazing layout.

I love the color combo with the grey and splashed of blue and yellow! Great job!

Thanks again everyone for playing along with us this month! I will be back next month (the third Monday of January) for another sketch challenge with a twist!

Have a great day and Happy New Years!
Mary Pat

January Sneaks

2011-12-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! I can't even believe another year is right around the corner, but I guess I say that every year. =) I hope you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to a wonderful 2012.

I had intended to get these sneaks up yesterday, but life happens, as they say! So here I am to share with you a few peeks of our upcoming kit (which I'm in love with!). Here are some glimpses of our main kit:

And here are a few peeks at our add-on kit:

Nice, huh? =) I'm thinking we could be seeing lots of amazing calendars, year-in-review pages and albums, Christmas LOs you didn't quite get to in December, and anything else you can think of! This kit is so versatile, the possibilities are truly endless.

I'll be back on the 3rd with the full reveal. Until then, have a fantastic and safe New Year celebration!

~Rachel

Christmas Cards

2011-12-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Burlap & Buttercups!!! We hope you have a great day enjoying family and hope you get a little scrappy present under that tree :) Today I wanted to take the time to share a couple of cards I made using the New Burlap Sack kit. If you haven't gotten yours head over HERE and grab one before there gone!

This one I used some Little Yellow Bicycle with a little Crate Paper Tag.

This one is using Crate Paper with the cute Little Yellow Bicycle Chipboard bow piece.

This card is mainly LYB and Crate Paper alphas.

Gift Card Holder

2011-12-22T04:03:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! Everyone ready for Christmas?! I'm as ready as I can be lol. I love this time of year with all the pretty lights, trees decorated, and of course the occasional present. And I know I find it easier to give gift cards to those who have everything and need nothing (KWIM?) So I wanted to take this time to show you a fun way to make your Gift Cards look more personal. I used the very fun Burlap Sack Kit. Let me just say this is my favorite Christmas kit yet!

First I took the packaging that the Little Yellow Bicycle Chipboard came it. And I rounded up some candy and my gift cards.

First, I opened up the plastic container and measure the back for my paper. I then adhered the paper to the back flap.

Then I took my candy and gift cards and adhered them to the paper. I just put a little to hold them in place.

And here is my finished project. I used the rub ons on the outside and made a gift tag. And there you go a fun gift card holder. **Notice how some of the rub ons are white and some are red. Well, I opened the lid and put some on the inside and they came through white and then closed the lid and put them on the outside and it came through red.**

Thanks so much for stopping by!

December Sketch Challenge with a Twist

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,
Mary Pat here to bring you this month's sketch challenge with a twist. So let's get to it. Here is a look at the sketch we will be using.

Now the twist is to include some type of sparkle--this can be glitter , bling, or maybe even some shimmering mists.

Here is my take.

I added some sparkle with some glimmer mists and there was some glitter on my MME tags.

Do you need a little more inspiration? Let's take a look at what the AMAZING design team did.

First up we have Cassie:

Love how she added the stamped images of the ornaments at the top!

And next we have Nathalie's layout.

Love how she added the sparkle with the glitter thickers!

Do you want to know what you are playing for? Rachel has picked out a wonderful prize package this month.

Isn't this awesome?

All you have to do to enter this challenge is post a photo of your layout in the comment section on this post by December 29th. I will pick the winner and announce it on December 30th. So what are you waiting for? Let's get crafting! I can't wait to visit all your blogs and see all of your wonderful pages!

Burlap Sack Kits Now for Sale!!

2011-12-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend before Christmas, everyone! I've really been looking forward to introducing our debut Burlap Sack kit ... and at last it's here!

Doesn't that just make you want to curl up by the fire with some hot cocoa and watch It's a Wonderful Life? =) I really love this kit. It's packed with great papers and embellishments, and just wait until you see what Aimee Kidd and Angie Gutshall did with it!

Aimee Kidd

Angie Gutshall

Aimee Kidd

Angie Gutshall

Aimee Kidd

Angie Gutshall

Aimee Kidd

Such amazing layouts and projects, ladies ~ thanks for all your hard work on those!

I also want to let you all know that, due to the holidays, I've decided to give my Design Team a break from hosting our weekly challenges on Friday, the 23rd and Friday, the 30th. We'll be back with more challenges in January ~ and don't miss Mary Pat's sketch challenge this coming Monday, the 19th. In the meantime, be sure to submit your challenge entries for our two December challenges (click on the two links under "Current Challenges" in the sidebar) for a chance to win a Martha Stewart Scoring Board!

Hope everyone enjoys all of the hustle and bustle of this last week leading up to Christmas!

~Rachel

December weekly challenge #2: We love tutorials!

2011-12-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy a good online tutorial, don't you? Hello, this is Nathalie, I am here today to offer you the second (and last challenge) of the month. My challenge is to use an online tutorial of your choice to create an ornament or Holiday home decor. Be sure to share a link to the tutorial you used when you enter this challenge (after all, we might want to give a try too!).

Here is my example created with the December kit and add-on:

and I used this tutorial by the Lovely Residence blog (with a few twists of my own).

Here are the details (and amazing prize) for this month's challenges:
You're playing for a Martha Stewart Scoring Board (see picture below)! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month!) Any supplies can be used, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project.

We can not wait to see your creations!

December Gallery Reveal

2011-12-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

Our December Idea Gallery has gone live, and wait until you see what our Design Team did with our December kit and add-ons! We've got some fantastic layouts for you, along with some beautiful Christmas cards and a few amazing home decor projects. Check out a few of the beauties you'll find over in our Gallery:

Nathalie Leonelli

Mary Pat Siehl

Cassie Cyr

Nathalie Leonelli

I'm so loving everything our DT did with this kit, and I think I may just have to squeeze in the time to scraplift Nathalie's little Christmas village ~ utter cuteness!!

Once Ria receives her kit I'll show you what she did with it, and Angie and Aimee have been plugging away at their layouts for our debut Burlap Sack kit ... so more fun things on the very near horizon!

Thanks for dropping by today. Happy Thursday to you all!

~Rachel

Introducing ... Burlap Sack Kits!

2011-12-14T12:22:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to let you know about this new product that will be hitting the Burlap & Buttercups store shortly. Every so often as I'm selecting items that will go in a particular month's kit, there are so many wonderful products on the market that I can't seem to narrow it down. That was the case this month, as I came across the sophistocated, vintage-style products that make up our December kit and add-ons, but also fell in love with some of the more traditional reds and greens and whimsical embellishments offered by manufacturers like Little Yellow Bicycle, Crate Paper and October Afternoon.

Thus, the Burlap Sack kit was born! This kit will have slightly fewer papers and embellishments than our main kit (which means it will also be available for a lower price), but it will be just as carefully compiled as our monthly kits. I'll be providing more details as soon as this exciting new offering hits our website, alongside some fantastic layouts by DT members Angie Gutshall and Aimee Kidd.

Meanwhile, I just can't help myself ... I've got to show you some sneaks of this adorable, Christmas-themed kit:

Cute, right? The embellishments in each of our Burlap Sack kits will be packed in a genuine burlap sack (I've got to stay on theme, after all!). I love these little bags ~ they give a great, homespun feel to gifts or home decor items.

I'll be back soon for the full unveiling of our Burlap Sack kits! Meanwhile, I hope you're all enjoying a wonderful holiday season!

~Rachel

Gallery Sneak Peek

2011-12-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

Right around the middle of the month our Design Team starts sending me their layouts and projects with the current month's kit ~ and I have to say that this is one of the best parts of this business, especially when you have a Design Team as fantastic as ours!

Cassie Cyr has been busy creating with our December kit and add-ons, and I'm blown away by what she did! I'm going to keep you in suspense on most of her work until our Gallery reveal on the 15th, but in the meantime, I can't resist showing you this amazing wreath she created:

Isn't that just beautiful?! I love the touches of buttons at the centers of the stars, along with the gold star and "December 25" embellishment she used at the top of the wreath. And her combination of patterned papers makes this such a sophistocated home decor project.

I hope we've been able to inspire you today, and that you'll share some of the home decor projects you're creating to make your home festive this Christmas season!

Be sure to check back soon, when I'll unveil an exciting new product that will soon be available for purchase at the Burlap and Buttercups website.

Have a great evening!

~Rachel

December Reveal ... and a Challenge Winner!!

2011-12-05T13:12:00.000-08:00

It's about that time to show you our latest kit in all its Christmas glory. This month we're bringing you a lovely assortment of LilyBee Designs, Echo Park, Simple Stories, Maya Road, American Crafts, and much, much more! Here's the main kit:

And here's our add-on kit:

I found out at the last minute that the My Mind's Eye die-cut sheet shown above has a typo on one of the stickers (thanks for the heads up about that, Court!). So we may just have to host a challenge to see who can spot the error and do something creative with the sticker to "fix" it so it can still be used on a layout! =)

Before signing off, I'd like to announce the winner of our November challenges. Kudos to our Design Team for the great inspiration they include in each challenge, and thanks so much to everyone who took part! There were such beautiful projects from all of our participants ... and one of the most fun things I do each month is discover who the winner is! My heart always goes pitter-patter when I hit the "randomize" button on Random.org. =)

This month, the winner is:

Carrie!! (Carrie, I'll email you your GC.)

Congratulations, Carrie! And to everyone else, I hope you'll keep participating in our challenges each week. (Keep an eye on the "Current Challenges" heading over on the right.) It's so much fun to see what you do with our DT's creative prompts, and this month, as a special Christmas treat, you're playing for a Martha Stewart Scoring Board! Because of the holidays, we'll only be doing three of our Friday challenges this month, (in addition to Mary Pat's sketch challenge on the 19th), so be sure to get in on the action while you can!

Thanks for dropping by, everyone! Hope you're having a wonderful week and enjoying the beauty and wonder of this special season.

~Rachel

November Sketch with a Twist Winner!

2011-12-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday!
I hope everyone is having a good and crafty weekend. I am just popping in to let you know the winner of the November Sketch with a Twist Challenge. We had some really great layouts this month and I want to thank you all for entering this month's challenge. I wish everyone could win but unfortunately on one can win. So without further ado-

Michele you are the winner of the challenge. Here is a look at Michele's layout!

What a fantastic layout. Love how you used 2 photos and added all the embellishments! Great Job!

Please send Rachel your email address to claim your awesome cardstock prize!

Join me every 3rd Monday of the month for a new challenge. This month's challenge will appear on December 19th. Hope to see you all then! Thanks!
-mp

December weekly challenge #1: Christmas cards

2011-12-02T06:27:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!!

It's Aimee here with the 1st challenge of December and my very 1st challenge here at Burlap & Buttercups and I'm so excited!! For my challenge, I'm gonna try to get you thinking outside the box....make a Christmas card without using any of the traditional colors. No red, no green. I used a couple of sheets of the yellow paper from the November kit along with some black cardstock to make this card. I also used a couple of techniques to embellish it such as using some gold embossing powder to give the snowflakes some pop.

So for your challenge, I want you to make a Christmas card that doesn't use any red or green and to choose one of the following techniques to make your card.

- wet embossing

- stamping

- misting

- stitching

- altering letters or

- border punch

Now it's your turn!
You're playing for a Martha Stewart Scoring Board (see picture below)! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month!) Any supplies can be used, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. Now let's see what you can come up with!

December Sneaks!

2011-12-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

Since this month's kit is being revealed a few days later than usual (probably on the 5th), I wanted to share a few sneak peeks to whet your appetite for more! The December kit is full of the colors and textures you'd expect to see during the Christmas season, and I can't wait to see how everyone uses these supplies to preserve their holiday memories.

Here are few glimpses of both the main kit and add-ons (though you'll have to check back for the full reveal to find out which is which!):

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for Aimee's challenge ... trust me when I say that you won't want to miss it!

~Rachel

Ria's November Layouts

2011-11-30T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hello, friends! I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful start to the Christmas season. With the reveal of our December kit just around the corner, I'm delighted to show you a few more samples of what can be done with our November kit. (Psst ... I only have ONE November kit left!) One of our Design Team members, Ria Mojica, waits patiently every month for her kit to arrive in the Philippines. Her amazing layouts are always worth the wait, though, and I'm so excited to show you her latest work!

This is the layout Ria created with Mary Pat's sketch (for our November Sketch Challenge, go here).

I always love the gorgeous details and colors Ria includes in her layouts ~ it's been a pleasure sharing her most recent creations with you!

Have a great day, everyone, and be sure to check out our December kit when it hits our website. It's possible the reveal will happen on the 2nd or, at the latest, the 5th ... but all member kits will be shipped on the 5th, as usual!

~Rachel

Black Friday Sale!!

2011-11-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! Did you all have a nice Thanksgiving. Ours was great, and now we're on to my absolute favorite time of year! In honor of the Christmas season and the busiest shopping day of the year, I'm reducing prices of past kits even more!! Sale prices are as followed:

June 2011 main kit: $12.50

July 2011 main kit: $12.50

July 2011 add-on kit: $5.00

August 2011 add-on kit: $5.00

These prices will be reflected in your shopping cart when you add them, and keep in mind that this sale will only go through Sunday, November 27th at 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time. I'll be keeping a close eye on orders today, but if we receive additional orders after a particular item has sold out, those final items will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. I'll contact anyone whose order arrived after we'd already sold out ... but no worries, your card is not actually charged until I enter it manually.

Have a wonderful day, everyone! Happy shopping! =)

~Rachel

November Sketch Challenge with a Twist

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone, Mary Pat here to bring you November's Sketch Challenge with a Twist. I don't know about you but aren't you really having fun with this month's kit? Boy, I am! So how about we play a bit with it. Here is a look at the sketch we will use for the challenge.

The Twist: This month you need to use at least 2 punches (border punch, circle punch etc) and or die cuts.

Here is my take on the sketch.

I used 2 different border punches on the layout.

Let's take a look at some more inspiration from the Amazing Design Team!

Nathalie Leonelli:

Don't you just love how she added all the stars!

Guest Design Team Member Carrie Labani:

Cassie Cyr:

Aimee Kidd:

Love how Aimee turned the photo horizontally. I love when you make the sketch your own!

Angie Gutshall:

Burlap and Buttercups has so much talent. I just love seeing everyone's work!

Want to see what you are playing for?

You will recieve 4-25 sheet packs of cardstock 8x8 from the paper studio. Yes, that is right 100 sheets of cardstock. How awesome is that?

So let's get started. Place a link here in the comment section on this post to your page. Since Thanksgiving is this week you have a couple extra days to submit your project. All challenges are due December 2nd and I will announce the winner on December 3rd. So let's get scrapping! I can't wait to visit all your blogs!

Remember you don't have to have the kit to play along.

-mp

November Weekly Challenge #3: Yellow and Gray

2011-11-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! It's Cassie here for my first ever B&B Challenge Post! Wahoo :D Have you gotten your November kit yet?? It is dreamy, I had a great time playing with it! One of the main reasons I was drawn to this kit was the beautiful yellows and grays. This color combo is so "in" right now: in scrapbooking, interior design, clothing, I see it everywhere and I just looooove it. So my challenge is a color challenge: use a yellow and gray color scheme for your project! A perfect challenge for those of you that have bought the November kit already

Here's my take (the layout is about my son getting his nebulizer treatments, we call them his "nebs" hehe!)

You're playing for a $15 GC to the Burlap & Buttercups store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month!) Any supplies can be used, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project.

Can't wait to see everybody's yellow/gray projects!

-Cassie

Altering Your Alphas

2011-11-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday! Today I wanted to share a quick tip! I love those wooden alphas that are in the kit this month. There are so many ways to alter them.

I took the washi tape that was in the add on and layered on the alpha. Then I flipped it over and cut the extra off. And there you go you have an altered alpha. See easy peasy!

And another tip I wanted to share it. Don't throw way those stripes on the bottem you never know when you can use them. I cut the word off and layered the stripes behind the picture.

Here is my layout:

Hope I inspired you today!

How to make a Z-fold Card

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love to make cards almost as much as scrapbook pages but I seem to run out of card ideas faster than I can come up with them. I learned this one the other day and just had to share. It is now my go to card design…..at least until I find another fun idea.

Cut a piece of cardstock 12”x 5.5”
Score it at the 2, 4, 8, and 10 inch mark.
Cut a cream or white piece of cardstock into 3 pieces: 1-3.75”x 5.25”/ 2-1.75”x 5.25”
Cut a piece of patterned paper into 2 pieces 1.5”x 5”
Cut another piece of coordinating patterned paper into 3 pieces: 2-1.5”x 2”, 3.75”x 2”
Fold your card so that the sides make a “z”
Glue your cardstock and side pieces as shown
Next glue your one of your small side pieces near the bottom. Fold your card in to line up the middle one and the last side one. That way they are even all the way across your card.
Cut or make a flower or other large embellishment to add to the left side of your card
Cut a piece of ribbon approximately 24” long. Glue it to the left side at the 14-16” mark
Adhere your large embellishment over it.
Add a greeting to the inside of your card
Fold it together and tie with ribbon.

My example using the B&B November kit!

November Idea Gallery!!

2011-11-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting for this moment ... because the layouts, cards and projects our Design Team created with the November kit and add-ons are just phenomenal!! You'll want to make sure to check out the entire Idea Gallery ... but, in the meantime, I'd like to show off a few of the layouts. =)

How gorgeous are those?! And here are the incredible layouts and projects our November Guest Designer, Carrie Labani, created:

Check out this beautiful mini-album (which I am SO wanting to scraplift!):

Thanks for stopping by today, everyone, and don't forgot to swing by our Idea Gallery for tons more inspiration! Also, keep a close eye on our blog over the next several days for a special guest post by Carrie Labani, a tutorial by Design Team member Angie Gutshall, Cassie Cyr's very first challenge as a member of the B&B Design Team, and last but certainly not least, a sketch challenge by Mary Pat Siehl a week from today!

~Rachel

November weekly challenge #2: Let's scraplift!

2011-11-11T11:43:00.001-08:00

Hello, it's Nathalie here and I hope you are taking photos today to create a memorable page appropriately titled 11/11/11 or a page about what you were doing today at 11:11am (don't worry if you missed it, you always have 11:11pm)! I did make a 10/10/10 page last year and you can see below what I was busy finishing at 11:11 this morning :) OK, back to the subject of this post: our weekly challenge!

My challenge for you is to scraplift a layout you love! You can find your inspiration on your Pinterest board like I did, or on one of the blogs you follow, or even in a magazine... The only thing is that you have to link us or share a photo giving full credit to the original scrapper.

Here is my example:

Supplies: November and October Burlap & Buttercups kits,

buttons and lined paper from my stash.

I scraplifted the super talented Hannah from Young and Crafty. Here is her original page:

Now it's your turn!

Our Little Tumbler

2011-11-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

As the reveal of our November Idea Gallery approaches, I'm having so much fun seeing the incredible designs that are arriving from our Design Team extraordinaire. Angie Gutshall just finished her layouts ~ and wow!! Each and every one is amazing! So how can I help but offer you a peek? =)

Check out that beautiful cluster of patterned paper, circles and alpha stickers, the adorable Polaroid-style photos, and the gold mist! Great job with the November kit, Angie! (Be sure to visit our Idea Gallery on the 15th, when all of our Design Team's November layouts will be revealed.)

Keep in mind that in addition to just a few November kits left, we also have a killer sale on some of our previous kits and add-ons. We've sold out of a few items, so get yours while you can!

Thanks for stopping by today! Check back tomorrow for a new challenge presented by Nathalie!

~Rachel

Sneak Peek Layout

2011-11-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Before I dive into my day, I thought I'd drop in quickly and show you one of the layouts B&B Design Team member Nathalie Leonelli created with our November kit and add-ons. I absolutely love this page ~ the patterned paper and embellishments work so well with those great photos. And how awesome are the rosettes Nathalie created?!

So there's some inspiration to start your day! I'll be back with more sneak peek layouts soon as we approach the reveal of our November Idea Gallery on the 15th. Meanwhile, if you're interested in the November kit, you may want to hurry and snatch yours up because they're almost gone!

Have a blessed day, everyone. =)

~Rachel

Our November Guest Designer ... and a Challenge Winner!

2011-11-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

It's a new week, and I can't wait any longer to introduce you to our Guest Designer for the month of November. Carrie Labani is a very talented scrapbooker and sketch artist, and if you're not already familiar with her work, I do hope you'll stop by her blog. Not only is there a wealth of inspiration there through her amazing layouts, but she also offers fantastic sketches to keep you well stocked with ideas! Needless to say, I was delighted when Carrie agreed to serve as our Guest Designer this month, and I can't wait to feature her layouts in our Idea Gallery when it's updated on the 15th with our Design Team's creations using our November kit and add-ons!

Meanwhile, here's a little more about Carrie:

I am a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful little girls who is addicted to all things crafty. I love to scrapbook (of course), sew, bake, take photos and anything that helps express my creative side. I am obsessed with mini books and am always making them aside from my normal 12x12 layouts. They have begun to take over my house and I am constantly finding more places to stash these cute little albums. I have been scrapping for 11 years and every year I continue to learn new techniques and discover new great products that I love! I don’t scrapbook in chronological order but whatever inspires me at the moment. I almost always start with a sketch to get me going or create one myself. I recently started posting sketches on my blog which you can check out here: www.carrieoncrafts.com. What I love best about scrapbooking is just sitting down at the end of the day to create with a bag of peanut butter M&M’s!!!

I hope you'll join me in giving Carrie a warm welcome, and be sure to check back for her November layouts soon! Carrie has also agreed to author a guest post on the Burlap & Buttercups blog this month, so stay tuned for that as well!

Before I head on my way, I'd like to thank everyone who took part in our challenges throughout the month of October. And the winner is (as always, using Random.org) ... Wendy!! And here is Wendy's adorable project, which she submitted as part of Angie Gutshall's "Frame It" challenge:

Congratulations, Wendy! If you'll send me an email at info@burlapandbuttercups.com, I'll get your gift certificate to you!

Thanks for dropping by, friends, and have a lovely day. =)

~Rachel

November Challenge #1

2011-11-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday! I have a wonderful day off and I plan to scrap!! What are you up to on this first Sat. in November?

Sorry this post is a day late I went out on a date with my hubby last night to see the movie Courageous! This was such an awesome movie and highly recommend it!!

So now on to me challenge: I want to see you use sticker! Yes, go dig out those stickers that are piling up and USE THEM!!

Here is my layout using the gorgeous November kit (which btw is almost sold out so go grab yours!)

Close ups!
Love the Basic Grey sticker sheet that is included! I used 6 total on this layout!

I took the banner stickers and put them all on the top and stitched on the top.

I want to also want to share a little tip with you. I like to use the packaging to mount my stickers on and then cut around them. It makes it easier to move them around till you get them were you want them. And it makes it easier to put the pop up dots under them.

You're playing for a $15 GC to the Burlap & Buttercups store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month!) Any supplies can be used, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. Now let's see what you can come up with!

November Reveal!!

2011-11-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Happy November, everyone! I hope you had a great Halloween. We had wonderful weather here in Colorado Springs, so my kids had a blast dressed as Robin Hood, Charlotte (from Charlotte's Web), and a princess. And now, believe it or not, we're buckling down for more snow!

But that's OK, because I'm going to be quite happy holed up with our November kit and add-ons! We've got a gorgeous assortment of Authentique, My Mind's Eye, Pink Paislee, BasicGrey, 7Gypsies, and MORE!!

MAIN KIT:

ADD-ON KIT:

I cannot WAIT to see what our Design Team does with this kit. There are so many wonderful papers and embellishments, and the various shades of teal, grey, blue, brown, gold, and yellow offer so many possibilities for breath-taking layouts. So keep your eye out for our November Idea Gallery in just a couple of weeks!

Also, if you like what you see, be sure to get your orders in soon ~ last month we sold out very quickly.

Thanks for looking, and have a wonderful day!

~Rachel

And the Winner of the October Sketch Challenge with a Twist Is........

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

I want to thank everyone for entering the sketch challenge this month. I always love to see how everyone interprets a sketch using their own style. I must say you all blew me away! I hope you can all play along with us next month as well.

This month's winner is Antenucci! Antenucci please contact Rachel for you fabulous prize package. I think you are going to love all the things included!

Here is Antenucci's layout:

Again thanks to everyone, and I hope to see you back here on the 3rd Monday of November.
See you all then!

Last Challenge for October!

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, it's Ria Mojica here again for the end of the month challenge! My challenge this week is to "Scrap at an Angle"...any angle except 90degrees, that is...

The October kit is probably my favorite Fall themed kit of all time because it has some happy blues and reds along with the traditional warm golden fall colors. For someone who lives in a place that doesn't have "Fall", this is a big deal...haha!

SALE!!!

2011-10-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hello from snowy Colorado! (Yes, we sometimes get snow before Halloween.) =) So, because summer is quite clearly over ~ at least in my neck of the woods ~ I thought it was time to give you all an opportunity to scrap all those remaining summer photos by offering some killer deals on our leftover June, July and August kits. (This will also give me a little more room for all my new inventory!)

You are not going to want to miss this sale, folks! I'm discounting 45 percent off our main kits, and roughly a third off our add-on kits. Seriously!! This kind of sale is not going to come along very often, so take advantage of it while you can!

In addition, I'm offering current customers an additional 5 percent off their purchases of any sale items (I'll discount it when I process the payments) ... and, while supplies last, new subscribers will receive a FREE mystery grab bag!!

Here are the sale items:

JUNE 2011 MAIN KIT ($18.00):

JUNE KIT CONTENTS:

Patterned Paper - 12x12" Double-Sided (1 sheet of each):

BasicGrey Blissful

BasicGrey Raspberry Syrup

BasicGrey Inviting

BasicGrey Yumberry

BasicGrey Rosemary

BasicGrey Honeyed

My Mind's Eye "You & Me" Ornamental

My Mind's Eye "Mother" Ledger

My Mind's Eye "Memories" Woven Die-Cut Paper

American Crafts Fluttery

Bazzill Cardstock - 12x12" (one sheet of each):

Irish Eyes

Sugar Cookie

Lagoon

Butter

Pirouette

Embellishments:

Crate Paper Phrase Stickers (Emma's Shoppe)

Thickers, Merry (Spinach)

1 package BasicGrey Fabric Bloomers

1 package Jenni Bowlin vellum butterflies, yellow

3 Maya Road chipboard scalloped frames, assorted sizes & styles

BasicGrey brads, assorted sizes and colors

5 Maya Road leaf pins, green

Ribbon/Trim:

1 yard American Crafts velvet scalloped trim, yellow

1 yard Jillibean Soup twine, green

1 yard Jillibean Soup twine, blue

JUNE 2011 ADD-ON KIT ($8.50):

JUNE ADD-ON CONTENTS:

1 bottle Maya Mist in Raspberry Pink
7 Gypsies Gypsy Tags, assorted styles
October Afternoon alpha stickers, Cupcake (chocolate)
BasicGrey's Hello Luscious Sticker Titles
5 Crate Paper Sew Brads, assorted sizes and styles

JULY 2011 MAIN KIT ($18.00):

JULY KIT CONTENTS:

Patterned Paper - 12x12" Double-Sided (1 sheet of each):

Echo Park - Big Stripes
Echo Park - Big Dots
Echo Park - Fish
Echo Park - Umbrellas
Echo Park - Big Waves
Jillibean Soup - Sprig of Mint
Jillibean Soup - Orange Juice
Jillibean Soup - Yellow Bell Pepper
Pink Paislee - Fruit Stand
My Mind's Eye - Fly a Kite "Everyday" Alpha Paper
My Mind's Eye - Out of the Blue "Smile" Float Paper
My Mind's Eye - Fly a Kite "Genuine" Sky Paper

Bazzill Cardstock - 12x12" (1 sheet of each):

Tropical Breeze
Precious
Mango
White
Sea Glass

Embellishments:

October Afternoon Mini Market alpha stickers - cream & red
American Crafts vinyl Thickers - Sprinkles
1 package Kaisercraft pearls - Latte
1/2 package Petaloo Flora Doodles - red & orange
1 package American Crafts Delights - Sunshine
1 sheet Jillibean Soup Watermelon Gazpacho Soup Pea Pod Parts
2 My Mind's Eye die-cut titles
1 package Jenni Bowlin chipboard banners
1 sheet Jenni Bowlin banner stickers

Ribbon/Trim:

1 yard reversible striped ribbon - blue w/ light blue

JULY 2011 ADD-ON KIT ($8.50):

JULY ADD-ON CONTENTS:

1 sheet Echo Park Splash Elements stickers
5 Doodlebug Designs buttons - Swimming Pool (assorted sizes)
5 Doodlebug Designs buttons - Tangerine (assorted sizes)
1 package Maya Road chipboard scrolls
1 bottle Doodlebug Designs Sugar Glitter - Bumblebee

AUGUST 2011 MAIN KIT ($18.00):

AUGUST KIT CONTENTS:

Patterned Paper - 12x12" Double-Sided (1 sheet of each):

Simple Stories Simple Pleasures
Simple Stories Hello Sunshine
Simple Stories 100% Summer Fun
Lily Bee Villa
Lily Bee Sun Soaked
Pebbles Dandy
Pebbles Tickled Pink
Pebbles Thanks a Bunch
Fancy Pants Cards
Fancy Pants High Tide
Fancy Pants Sand Dollar
Bella BLVD Sophisticates, Banana

Bazzill Cardstock - 12x12" (1 sheet of each):

Ruby Red
Kraft
Parakeet
Straw
Sea Salt

Embellishments:

Bella BLVD Sophisticates alphas, Mustard & Apricot
Simple Stories Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers
Little Yellow Bicycle canvas stickers, Words
2 Pebbles felt embellishments
1/2 package Prima Whisper Reflections flowers
3 Pebbles fabric-covered brads
6 Kaisercraft white paper flowers, assorted sizes
1/3 package Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Bling Bling
2 Little Yellow Bicycle canvas borders, assorted styles
Pebbles Floral Lane ABC stickers
Little Yellow Bicycle 6x6" decorative-edge cardstock

Ribbon/Trim:

1 yard May Arts pink scalloped trim
1 yard May Arts ivory crinkly trim

AUGUST 2011 ADD-ON KIT ($8.50):

AUGUST ADD-ON CONTENTS:

Cosmo Cricket cardstock stickers (Odds & Ends)

Pink Paislee Cushies alphas, Meringue

1 yard May Arts plaid ruffle, yellow/white

1 package InkadinkaClings, butterflies

1 bottle Ranger alcohol ink, Juniper

Take advantage of this great sale while we still have a few remaining summer kits in stock!! (Our flat $7.50 shipping rate applies to sale orders within the U.S.; for international orders, actual shipping charges apply.)

Happy shopping, everyone! And if you're anywhere near me, stay warm! =)

~Rachel

Ria's October Layouts

2011-10-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

The international postal service was a bit slow this month, which means Ria Mojica received her October kit and add-ons late ~ but, as usual, she was able to whip together some gorgeous layouts in no time flat! Check out these beautiful designs:

Simply stunning. I always love seeing what you do with the kits each month, Ria! Be sure to check out our Idea Gallery, where the rest of our amazing October layouts are featured!

~Rachel

Gallery Reveal!

2011-10-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share with you a few glimpses of our October Idea Gallery, which was just revealed on our website yesterday. The Design Team did a phenomenal job showcasing our October kit and add-ons, which are a celebration of the fall season we all know and love! Our October kits are already sold out, but we have just a few add-on kits left ~ the main kits went really fast, so be sure to get in your orders for our November kits early! They'll be up for sale on November 1st.

Meanwhile, I'm going to show you a layout from each of our Design Team members (except for Ria Mojica, whose designs will be featured here on the blog shortly, and Aimee Kidd and Cassie Cyr, whose first month "on the job" with the B&B kits will be next month!).

Angie Gutshall:

Mary Pat Siehl:

Nathalie Leonelli:

And here are the beautiful projects our October guest designer, Lisa Wilkinson, created with our October kit:

Amazing, right? I hope you'll go to our Idea Gallery to see the rest! And stay tuned for some sneak peeks of our November kits, coming soon!

~Rachel

October Sketch Challenge with a Twist

2011-10-17T04:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!
Mary Pat here to bring this month's Sketch Challenge with a Twist. Is everyone loving their kits? I know it is truly amazing and this challenge is perfect to use many of the contents of the kit.
Here is the sketch:

And now for the twist-- You must use at least two different manufacturers on the layout. Here is my take on the sketch.

For this layout I used Jillibean Soup, Bella Blvd, Crate Paper and Little Yellow Bicycle. I just had to use them all. It is so fun to mix and match all the lines.

The Design Team members have also given us some awesome inspiration.

Here is Angie's take on the sketch.

Nathlie

Pssst ... Rachel here, sneaking in Ria's sketch layout after the fact! =)

So let's get to it! Please put a link on this blog post to enter the challenge. Remember you do not have to have a kit to play along. So let's get scrappin' You have till October 29th to enter this challenge and I will announce the winner on October 30th! So do you want to know what you are playing for? Take a look at this!

Wow! Some awesome fall stickers from K& Co., Colorbox ink, and the cutest kraft tags! What an awesome prize package!
I can't wait to see what you have created using the sketch and twist.
-mp

October weekly challenge #2: 1,2,3 and 4!

2011-10-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

Good morning Burlap & Buttercups fans! Nathalie here today to offer you the second challenge of October: it's a 1, 2, 3 challenge. I challenge you to create a project (page, home decor, card) which includes:
1 piece of fabric or burlap
2 leaves
3 types of alphas in your title
and if you want to make it a bit harder:
4 circles

Here is my example using the October kit:

Click on photo to enlarge

The details:

We can't wait to see what you create!

How Hard Can It Be?

2011-10-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

Nathalie, I hope you don't mind ... but I really must share this amazing layout. Our October Idea Gallery doesn't go live for a few more days, but it's been so fun seeing my Design Team's incredible work rolling in that I've been sharing a couple sneaks. (Be sure to check out this one, too ... and this one!)

Anyway, Nathalie Leonelli created this layout with our October kit and add-ons:

I'm loving this! Nathalie did such an amazing job. There's so much to say about this page, but I'll stop gushing and let you just drool over it for a moment. =)

Hope everyone's week is off to a wonderful start! Thanks for dropping by!

~Rachel

October Challenge #1 Frame It

2011-10-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

Today your challenge is to "Frame" Your work. Make a layout to frame and hang in your house. I used the beautiful fall October kit from Burlap and Buttercups. I just love Fall!!

You're playing for a $15 GC to the Burlap & Buttercups store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. (And remember: You have the entire month to participate in any of the challenges introduced within that calendar month!) Any supplies can be used, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. Now let's see what you can come up with!

Winner of our September Challenges!

2011-10-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! I'm just dropping in quickly to announce the winner of our September challenges. We had fantastic challenges last month, and there were so many great entries in response. Thanks so much to all who participated! And the winner (with a little help from Random.org) is.........

Mia Castrillo!!!

Congratulations, Mia! If you'll send me an e-mail at info@burlapandbuttercups.com, I'll get your gift certificate to you. Thanks again for playing everyone ~ and be sure to join us again for another round of challenges this month!

~Rachel

Meet Our New Design Team Members!

2011-10-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to write this post, but in many ways it's a hard one, too ~ because I just can't begin to tell you what a tough decision it was to narrow down the piles of amazing submissions I received to just two applicants. I feel like I've gotten to know many of you through the blog world, Facebook, etc., and if only I could have opened up about 50 or 100 new spots on our Design Team, I would have! (Hubby wasn't going for that idea, though.) =)

Anyway, I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the beautiful work you all sent and the incredible talent that was represented in each submission, and I'm so honored by the desire you expressed to be part of our team. That meant so much to me! And please, please, apply again the next time we have a Design Team call!!

Now on to business. After narrowing down the stacks again (and again and again), agonizing over the applications, seeking feedback from a friend, and then paring down the list some more, I was left with two candidates. (Although I had originally planned to offer only one spot, it was just too darned hard.) =) So without further ado, meet the newest additions to Burlap & Buttercups' Design Team:

Cassandra Cyr

Aimee Kidd

Cassie's and Aimee's work really caught my eye, and I kept coming back to them. I know you'll love getting to know them and seeing their inspiring work, too, so be sure to head to their blogs and check it out! And don't miss the unveiling of their first series of Burlap & Buttercups layouts in our Idea Gallery on November 15th!

Please join me in extending a very warm welcome and a big congratulations to Cassie and Aimee!! Thanks again to all of you who applied ~ I hope to see your work again soon!

~Rachel

Sneak Peek Layout

2011-10-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope you're all having a great week and enjoying some lovely fall weather. Every morning when I wake up there are a few more golden leaves lying on our front lawn and the trees are a few shades brighter. What a beautiful time of year.

I'd like to share a layout that one of our Design Team members created with our October kit and add-ons. Although our Idea Gallery won't be updated with the October designs until the 15th, this should give you a preview of the kinds of things you'll be seeing! Check out this amazing layout Angie Gutshall created:

I love everything about this design, from the way she set up her title, to the sweet journaling, to the row of Polaroid-style photos across the top of her page. And all the little touches of embellishments add so much to this adorable page! Here are a few close-ups:

Great job, Angie ~ as always! =)

And to all of you who are waiting so patiently for the announcement about the results of our DT call, that's coming tomorrow ~ so watch for it! I do apologize for postponing it, but I wanted to give myself enough time to make a very hard decision. And I hadn't expected the flood of applications I received! So next time I'll know to give myself a few additional days!

Have a wonderful day, and thanks for dropping by. See you tomorrow!

~Rachel

Our Guest Designer for October!

2011-10-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited for you to meet our October Guest Designer, although I know some of you already know her and adore her work as much as I do! I was thrilled when Lisa Wilkinson agreed to create some things with our October kit ~ it's amazing what she can do with a few sheets of paper and some embellishments!

Here's a little bit more about Lisa:

My name is Lisa Wilkinson. I live in Tamworth, NH. I am married to the love of my life and have 5 amazing children from ages 3-12. I have been scrapbooking for about a dozen years and have been addicted ever since I started. I am an everyday scrapper. I scrap everyday things every day. I love to keep it simple, yet add my own unique touches and embellishing to make the pages truly my own. I love to scrapbook to create something lasting, something that will help me remember all the memories we have created as a family and all the beauty that is around me. I create to help inspire others, to use what they have, remember what they have been given, and write it all down before we all forget. When I am not scrapping you can find me home schooling, organizing, or enjoying all the nature outside my door.

I currently design for Epiphany Crafts, Paper Trunk, Little Red Scrapbook, and Birds of a Feather. I have also designed for Sweet Peach Crop Shop, Scraptacular, Scrapbook Sussies (closed) and Queen Scraps (closed).

And to give you a little taste of what's to come when our Idea Gallery gets updated on the 15th with all of our Design Team's October projects, here's something Lisa created with our latest kit and add-ons:

I am completely smitten with this page! Everything comes together so beautifully to enhance Lisa's theme and to draw the eye to the sweet photos of her daughter ~ and how much are you loving the way she used the burlap?!

Please give Lisa a big welcome. Lisa, it's such a privilege having you on board this month!

~Rachel

World Card Making Day

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know that yesterday was World Card Making Day? I don't know about you but I love making cards with all my leftover scraps. I don't like anything to go to waste especially when it is beautiful pattern paper. So when all I have are scraps I make a card.

So in honor of this special day I thought it would be fun to have a *bonus* card sketch for everyone. This is NOT a challenge. It is just something fun!

Here is a sketch that I made for World Card Making Day.

Here is my take using my scraps from the awesome September Kit.

I simply layered a couple of my October Afternoon 5 and Dime scraps along with a Basic Grey scrap. I then added a cut tag from my stash and I was done!

We would love to see your cards using the above sketch. You can post your cards on our Facebook page or here on the blog. I can't wait to see what you all create! Remember have fun!
-mp

A Stitch in Time...

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's Ria here again and here's the last challenge for September....incorporate some stitching in your project...by hand or machine...cover the whole LO or just a touch to accent your page...

Here's my LO for this challenge...

You have until next week to join this last challenge for September...hope you can join in on the fun!

Introducing our October Kit!

2011-09-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

I've been itching for the reveal on this one, folks. There is so much great stuff packed in our October kit, and the add-on includes, among other things, a full 12x12 burlap page for your scrapping pleasure. (How could I not?!) Besides that, we've got Crate Paper's Farmhouse collection (which has the most beautiful colors and patterns), Jillibean Soup's Apple Cheddar line, Bella BLVD's Finally Fall, Little Yellow Bicycle's Hello Fall ... and it doesn't end there! Check out, for instance, those adorable mini clothes pins from Pebbles ~ I can hardly wait to see what everyone does with those cute little things!

So without further ado, here's our October main kit:

And the add-on:

Doesn't that just get you in the mood for apple cider and a visit to the pumpkin patch? =) I'd also like to announce a change to our Gallery updates. In an effort to give the Design Team a little more breathing room for working on their layouts, our Gallery will now be updated on the 15th each month. So watch for that in just a couple of week! I know you won't be disappointed!

And speaking of our DT, be sure to get your applications in today by 11:59 p.m. (Mountain Time). I'm up to my eyeballs in absolutely wonderful submissions ... so going through them all more carefully and making a painfully difficult decision will be my weekend project! =) It's been so fun seeing such amazing talent and getting to know so many of you through your blogs and bios. And, as I've mentioned before, I'm honored you want to be part of B&B!

One last thing, and then I'll stop blabbing: Because I had to cut Mary Pat's blog post short (which she just posted this morning ~ sorry, friend!), I want to make sure and reiterate that the winner of Mary Pat's September sketch challenge is Jennaroo! So, Jennaroo, be sure to send me an email at info@burlapandbuttercups.com and include your mailing address so I can get your prize to you!

Thanks for bearing with me through a longer-than-usual post. Have a great weekend, everyone!

~Rachel

Sketch with a Twist Winner

2011-09-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Wow!! I was so impressed with all the talent using the September sketch. Thank you so much for all of you who participated. I really enjoyed coming to all your blogs and seeing your work. It was a really tough decision this month. So without further ado- The winner for the month of September is...........

Jennaroo!!!!!

Jennaroo please email us and send us your mailing address so that we can get your Jillibean Soup prize package out to you!

Once again, thanks to all of the participants. I hope you will stop back again on the 3rd Monday of every month to play along with us! See you then! -mp

Friday Challenge: Rub-ons!!

2011-09-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! I'm delighted to be bringing you this week's challenge ~ though I must admit that I'm taking the easy way out and capitalizing on the hard work a couple of my DT members have already done! =) Because my hubby has been off most of this week and we've been insanely busy with household projects, alas, very little scrapping has happened. But I'm dying to dig into my October kit (which will be revealed on the 30th), so maybe I'll get some crafting done this weekend!

In the meantime, here's your newest B&B challenge: rub-ons!! I love rub-ons and the endless possibilities for using them, and there's a lovely sheet of 7Gypsies rub-ons in our September add-on kit. So I'd like to showcase two beautiful layouts featured in our Idea Gallery that incorporated rub-ons, and then challenge you to do something fun with any of the rub-ons you have in your own stash!

The following layouts were created by Ria Mojica and Angie Gutshall, respectively ~ check out how the rub-ons they used enhance their layouts in such a beautiful way!

~Rachel

October Sneaks!!

2011-09-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share some sneaks from our October kits, though I had a hard time snapping shots that do justice to this kit. Autumn is, hands down, my favorite time of year ~ so choosing products for the October kit was a blast, especially with all of the incredible new lines out there! Our upcoming kit is full of colors reminiscent of the many beautiful fall hues: reds, oranges, greens, yellows, and rich browns.

So without further ado, here are a few glimpses of our upcoming kit:

My kit is sitting here at my craft desk, ready for me to dig into, and I can hardly wait! I already have layout ideas swimming around in my head, and every time I look out the window and see a tinge of yellow on the aspen trees, I'm even more excited to get started with my fall scrapping!

Hope you've enjoyed these sneaks! I'll be back again soon!

~Rachel

Sketch Challenge with a Twist- September

2011-09-19T04:01:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Is everyone ready for this month's sketch challenge with a twist? I hope so!! I think you all are going to love it. So here is the sketch:

One of my favorite things to do on my layouts is to incorporate sewing! There are so many fun ways to do this on layouts these days. There is the traditional sewing machine, using faux stitching with your gel pens and the new sew easy tool (which I think is way cool!). So the twist for this month is to use this sketch and to incorporate some sewing on your layout. Pretty fun! Right?

Here is what I came up with.

I used my sewing machine to create the circle. I went around 2 times crossing over at times. I love that effect. I know you are probably thinking the pictures look Halloween but this picture is actually of my son playing in the back yard this summer. I bought him a face painting kit and he and his friends love to have their face painted and run around.

So I can't wait to see what you do with this month's challenge! Please post a link under the comment section before September 29th. I will post the winner on Friday September 30th!

So do you want to know what you are playing for? You could win a this absolutely fabulous kit from Jillibean Soup! It has everything you need to make some awesome pages! I love the twine that is included!

So let's get started! Remember you don't have to have a kit to participate! So get crafting and post your link on this comment page!
-mp

September Weekly Challenge #2: Make it and gift it!

2011-09-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Burlap & Buttercups friends! Nathalie here today to offer you the second challenge of the month.
I just loved the Simple Stories Elementary sticker sheet in the September kit and it totally inspired me to create this gift set of hand sanitizer and card given on the first day of school to my son's new teacher:

Click to enlarge

So my challenge for you is to create a gift for someone. That's it! Obviously, it doesn't have to be a teacher's gift, it could be for anybody really! Hey, you can even start working on your Christmas giving list!! Brag book for Grandma, calendar for uncle Dave, altered frame for Dad.... the possibilities are endless! Just make something nice for somebody! :)

You are playing for a $15 GC to the Burlap & Buttercups store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. Any supplies can be used in the challenges, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. Now let's see what you can come up with!

A Sketch Challenge from Sketchy Thursdays!

2011-09-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hi! This will be a quick post to alert you to a fun challenge opportunity. Though Friday is our usual challenge day here at Burlap & Buttercups (along with our monthly sketch challenge by our very own Sketch Artist, Mary Pat Siehl), you really need to check out the amazing sketch posted over at Sketchy Thursdays today. Burlap & Buttercups is this week's sponsor for Sketchy Thursdays, who is working in partnership with ScrapFIT to bring you a sketch and a "friendship" prompt for your layout entries. Inspiring combination, huh? I hope you'll head over to Sketchy Thursdays and ScrapFIT to take part!

Before signing off, I want to thank everyone who has already submitted applications for our Design Team Call. Wow ... and WOW!!! I am simply astounded at the entries I've received, and I'm truly honored that so many talented ladies have expressed an interest in joining our team. =)

Here's to a happy Thursday! Don't forget to check back tomorrow, when Nathalie Leonelli will bring you another challenge to keep those creative juices flowing!

~Rachel

September Challenge #1 Blocks

2011-09-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! I have your new Friday Challenge for you. Can you believe it is September?! I have 2 kiddos going to school now. It seems like just yesterday they were playing with blocks at home. Time flies when your having fun! Speaking of blocks that is my challenge for you. I want to see a block look on your layout.

This is my 4 at the park. With 4 you can never get everyone to smile. I just love the papers in the September kit and want to stand out. I machine stitched around the outside.

My kids love to say "cheese" and Noah started to say "cheese and cracker". Love the stickers from Simple Stories.

Here I took the cute little tickets and put the rubons on them. Love those little things!

Now let's see what you can come up with. You are playing for a $15 GC to the Burlap & Buttercup store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. Any supplies can be used in the challenges, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Design Team Call!

2011-09-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

That's right: We have an opening our Design Team! It's so much fun for me to receive submissions, as it gives me a chance to see amazing work and get acquainted with fellow scrappers ... so I'm really looking forward to hearing from many prospective B&B DT members!

Here are the details:

Burlap & Buttercups is looking for a talented designer who can create a minimum of four layouts each month using the Burlap & Buttercups kit supplies. This position will begin with the November 2011 kit. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

~have an active blog and be willing to post a link to the B&B site on your blog
~be willing to post one scheduled challenge per month on your personal blog as well as B&B's blog introducing the challenge, and be willing to share comments about participants' entries
~"like" the B&B Facebook page and follow our blog, serving as an active participant in our "Comments" area
~complete at least one post on your personal blog each month which showcases the designs you completed using B&B's kit supplies
~post B&B's kit reveals on your personal blog

Here's what we can offer our new DT member:

~a free main kit and add-on kit each month
~at least two weeks to complete your projects
~a featured spot on the B&B blog, where we'll highlight your sketches and layouts
~your bio and photo on our blog, along with a link to your own blog
~a wonderful opportunity to work with a talented team of designers and get to know others who share a passion for scrapbooking!

We're welcoming all applicants within the United States, and ask that you send:

~at least three samples of your original work
~a brief bio
~a list of any previous and current design teams
~your mailing address
~links to any websites or blogs where your work is featured, as well as the link to your personal blog

Please send me an e-mail at info@burlapandbuttercups.com, and include "Design Team Application" in the subject line. This call ends September 30, 2011, at 11:59 MST, and we'll announce our selection October 3, 2011.

Can't wait for those submissions to start rolling in! =)

~Rachel

Introducing our September Guest Designer

2011-09-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Now that our September kit has been revealed, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Carmen Pauls Orthner, who is our Guest Designer for the month of September. I know you'll enjoy Carmen's work as much as I do, so I thought I'd share the beautiful cards and layouts she's created thus far with our September kit. But first, here's a little more about Carmen:

My name is Carmen Pauls Orthner. I live in La Ronge, a small northern (think pine forests, bedrock and vast lakes) town in Saskatchewan, Canada, with Bryan, my husband of 13 years and our miracle baby girl Sara Emily, who was born on February 22, 2010 and is now a very rambunctious, talkative toddler. Professionally, I am trained as a journalist, and have worked full-time both in print and in radio. I have had my own business, Pen for Hire, for just over 7 years, which has given me opportunities to tackle everything from field research for a non-fiction book to screenwriting. In addition to living in a semi-exotic location, I have travelled in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, the Caribbean and the U.S., as well as across Canada, with many photos and stories left to document. I started scrapbooking in 1997, after an assignment for my internship at a city newspaper sent me to a Creative Memories consultants' gathering. After interviewing CM founder Rhonda Anderson and learning about the hobby's potential for combining photos, words and art in one place, I was hooked. I've been documenting my stories “big picture style” since before Stacy Julian introduced the idea – I've never figured out how to scrapbook just the “who what where” or do anything chronologically, preferring to focus either on an aspect of the experience that intrigued me. True to my journalistic roots, I'm always looking for a different angle on the story, and I almost always start with a title – it's like a headline to draw the reader/viewer in. I also especially like to scrapbook about themes from my life, such as a long-time habit of going out for Sunday brunch, or use a layout as a sort of visual diary entry to reflect on an idea. I've really appreciated the opportunity to guest design for Burlap & Buttercups this month, and hope you enjoy/get some ideas from my projects. You can find me on-line at Willow Traders (as “northcarmen”), and (when I remember to update!) on my blog at www.carmenpaulsorthner.com.

And now for Carmen's projects:

Journaling:

Jake likes things that are big: the Mack truck he drives for Saskatchewan Highways, moose (especially when sighted through the scope of his shotgun, or sizzling on his BBQ), Irish wolfhounds, firefighter gear, vast freshwater lakes, the entire oeuvre of the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader trivia books, and the distance between his club and the spot where his ball has just landed on the green.

Janelle likes things that are small. If it is mini (whether books or dollhouses, teddy bears or clothes), she will fall head over heels. She shortens people's names, never lets a mess grow, and has a gift for handling all the smallest details -- whether delivering birthday cards on time, prepping for teaching her office ed course, or unpacking every box in her new house.

And now they have two children: a girl named Quinn and a boy named Theo. She is older. He is younger. She is a sensitive girly girl who likes princesses. He is a rough and tumble boy who likes loud trucks. He was a mellow, quiet baby. She always had to be where the action was. They called her Bird. They called him Tank. Their family is complete. And now matter how old the Senga children get, their size will always be ... just right.

Here's an adorable layout featuring an interview Carmen conducted with her husband:

Carmen also added a couple of lovely cards into her mix:

And here's a beautiful two-page layout. I love how Carmen cut out the design on the patterned paper on the left side of the page! (Be sure to click on this one to get a larger view!)

It's been such a pleasure helping you become acquainted with Carmen and her wonderful creations. I hope you'll drop by her blog time and again to see what she's working on!

Before signing off, I'd like to announce the winner of our August challenges. Thanks so much to those of you who participated and came up with such fantastic interpretations of the challenges shared by our Design Team! I used Random.org to draw a name ~ and that name is ...

Carrie!!!

Congratulations, Carrie! I'll send you an email with your GC to use at B&B's store. =)

Hope you all enjoy a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

~Rachel

September Reveal!

2011-09-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hi, friends! I just arrived home from the East Coast last night ~ and much as the kids and I enjoyed our time with my parents, it's always good to return home and get settled back into some semblance of a routine! And I arrived just in the nick of time to show you our September kit and add-ons!

The supplies in this kit would be perfect for so many differents types of layouts ~ from the more obvious back-to-school pages to a wide range of other projects, cards and layouts as well. Our very talented Design Team did a fantastic job showcasing a variety of creations. Be sure to drop by our Idea Gallery to see their masterpieces!

Anyway, I'll stop blabbing now and show you the kit. =) Here it is:

And let's not forget the add-ons:

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you'll come back and visit tomorrow, when I'll introduce this month's Guest Designer. Have a wonderful day!

~Rachel

And The Winner Is.......

2011-08-31T05:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Mary Pat here to bring you the winner of the August Sketch Challenge with a Twist Winner. Can I have a drum roll please..............

The Winner is Marie!!!!!

Marie, I loved how you used your brads! Great Job!

Marie please Rachel and she will get your fantastic prize out to you!!

I will be back September 19th to bring you the next Sketch Challenge with a Twist. This one is going to be a touch harder for the twist! but it is going to be fun!

See you all then!

Monthly Sketch Challenge with a Twist Reminder

2011-08-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hi there,
Mary Pat here! I am just popping in to remind you that the deadline to enter the monthly sketch challenge with a twist is tomorrow (Tuesday) at midnight. I will announce the winner on Wednesday. Here are your guidelines:

Use this sketch

AND you must incorporate some buttons or brads somewhere on the layout! Now how easy is that.

You don't have to have a kit to play along. So let's get scrapping! When you are done Please post a link in the comment section to this post HERE before midnight tomorrow (Tuesday) and I will announce the winner of a fun prize package!

Make Waves!

2011-08-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! It's Ria Mojica here again hosting this week's challenge. I know summer has wound down for many of you but I'm sure you still have some summer photos waiting to be scrapped -- I still have a ton! One of the fun things to do with pool or beach LOs is to "make waves".

You can create your own waves using different materials and techniques. For my LO I used a combination of crumpled/inked/distressed papers and pleated and ruffled ribbons to add texture.

Now let's see what you can come up with. You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. Any supplies can be used in the challenges, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply enter a comment on our Challenge post, including a link to your newly created project. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

September Sneak Peeks!

2011-08-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Hi, friends! I'm up to my eyeballs with laundry and packing for our trip to Cape Cod tomorrow (yea!), but I can't leave without offering you some sneaks of our upcoming kit. There are so many great colors, textures and embellishments in this kit ~ it would be great for scrapping those back-to-school shots, pictures of hubbies or sons, scenery photos, or even an ultra-sophistocated page about yourself! (Because I don't know about you, but that's something I just don't remember to work into my scrapbooking. My kids are going to be looking through their albums one day asking, "Hey, Mom, where were you?") =)

So here are a few glimpses; the first three are close-ups to show you some of the details, and the last one provides a better look at many of the papers and embellishments (though, keep in mind, not all!) and the way they work together. So without further ado, here they are:

I'd love to hear what you think! Meanwhile, I'm going to continue with our half-filled suitcases, never-ending laundry and travel checklists. Atlantic Ocean, here we come! =) Have a great week, everyone.

~Rachel

Shapes Challenge, Courtesty of Practical Scrappers

2011-08-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends! I hope everyone has had a great week and that you're looking forward to the coming weekend. I'm hosting our Friday challenge today, which is inspired by the amazing layouts that Christine, over at Practical Scrappers, created with our August kit. Several of her layouts and projects included an ingenious use of shapes, such as circles turned into squares, chevrons, hearts, and butterflies:

Aren't those just adorable?! Check out Christine's great use of shapes to take her "wow factor" up another notch. And here's another beauty:

What little girl wouldn't want that hanging in her room?! I know mine would!

So here's your challenge for this week: Use shapes in a unique way! And here at the details of our challenge:

You're playing for a $15 gift certificate to use over at the Burlap & Buttercups store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. Any supplies can be used in the challenges, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply link your newly created project below. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Thanks for dropping by today! Happy Friday!

~Rachel

Monthly Sketch Challenge with a Twist

2011-08-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Are you ready for some sketch fun? I don't know about you but I LOVE sketches. They really jump start my mojo. Every third Monday of the month I will be here to introduce a new sketch challenge. Now this challenge will always have a fun little twist just to spice it up a bit. On the last day of the month I will post the winner of the challenge. So are you ready?????? Let's get started with the fun!

Here is this month's sketch for the challenge:

Now here is the twist. For my first challenge I am starting off really easy so that everyone can enter the challenge and have fun! You must incorporate buttons and brads. How easy is that! I love buttons and brads and they add a bit of dimension to your project. Here is my take on the sketch.

I added buttons and brads to the centers of my circles.

Don't forget that when working with a sketch if you don't have a vertical picture don't be afraid to change it up --use two horizontal pictures instead. You can also flip the sketch. The ideas are endless.

So once you are done with the challenge please post a link to it in the comment section here on this post. You have until August 30th to link it up here. On August 31st I will announce the winner here on the blog.

Do you want to know what you are playing for???? You could win this prize package featuring a clear set of stamps, martha stewart tape, a fun making memories alphabet. Wow what a fun prize. Here is the picture.

So come on and let's get started!!! Can't wait to see what you create!

-mp

Friday Challenge #2 Mixed Alphas

2011-08-12T07:07:00.001-07:00

Good Morning! I was on vacation last week and had so much fun! Anyone else take one yet? So of course, I came home a got to scrapping those beach pictures.

My challenge for you this week is to use a least 3 different alphas. The August Burlap & Buttercups kit is perfect for this since there are 3 different alpha sheets included. The one sheet alone has 4 different fonts! Remember you don't have to use a B&B kit ;)

Here is some of our beach pictures:

You're playing for a $15 gift certificate to use over at the Burlap & Buttercups store! You can take on just one challenge per month, or you can participate every week to increase your chances of winning our giveaway. Any supplies can be used in the challenges, but those who use a kit purchased from Burlap & Buttercups will have their names entered twice. In other words, use a B&B kit each and every week during a month that has four Fridays, and your name will be entered into our drawing eight times. To participate, simply link your newly created project below. We can't wait to see what you come up with!