Monthly Archives: January 2011

There are just never enough options when it comes to ideas for layouts, right? It’s kind of like shoes. Can you have too many options in your closet? I just don’t think so.

With that in mind…we’ve got a few more layouts for you to check out using the Little Black Dress Kit Club’s Sweet Bravery Kit from January. Hope you’ve been enjoying your kit so far and it you’re still looking for ideas…you’ve come to the perfect place.

From Jan Hobbins comes the Beautiful Brave Girl 12×12 Layout. I think that we sometimes forget that that “brave” little girl our mommy always told us about while we were growing up turned into an adult “girl” that’s just as brave. I love this tribute that Jan put together of her daughter that commemorates a brave career move. Since Jan’s daughter works in the fashion industry the My Mind’s Eye Dress Form paper was the perfect foundation for the layout. And, of course, the Melody Ross Homespun Chic inspiration cards from GCD Studios are the perfect accent alongside the Basic Grey POPS.

Future Readers 12×12 Layouts by Jan Hobbins is a great mix of paper designs. I particularly love her inclusion of the vintage pieces here: the flashcard, the mini book page behind the photo, the playing card, etc. And I love the edging that Jan tends to include in her layouts. Gorgeous!

This is the So Much Fun 12×12 Layout by Francine Clouden. We’ve all got our moments that are so much fun and one picture rarely does them justice, right? I love how Francine provided a series of photos here puzzle pieced perfectly to create a cohesive blog for her to embellish and journal (along the right side).

Here you can see closeup how Francine continued the “puzzle piece” look down below the photos into the block of paper shapes. I really like how well it all works together as a hole. And I like that she worked her bits of journaling in not just on the right side, but on one of the middle pieces of paper here in the closeup. The title is created using the Glitz Design Teeny pink alphas.

Here you can see the journaling and the inclusion of the adorable vintage look paper to finish off the “puzzle” of photos. The overall look is very streamlined and fun to look at. LOVE it!

One more January project coming your way soon!

Maybe I’m obsessive, but I like to keep a LOT of cards on hand. (Alright…I am obsessive. I have an entire drawer in my oversized antique desk dedicated to card and card “parts” storage, but we should move on since my obsessive nature probably isn’t as interesting as what’s to follow).

CARDS, CARDS, CARDS, CARDS, and more CARDS! We love them! And it’s SO fun when you can take a look around at what other scrappers are putting together and incorporate bits and pieces (or the whole darn look!) into cards that are on your scrap table at home.

That’s what we’re inviting you to do with the cards that have been sent in by the various members of the LBD design team this month using the Sweet Bravery Kit. Pick your favorite and tell us what you like about it!

Here we go…

Happy Birthday! This gorgeoug birthday card was created by LBD Design Team Member, Jan Hobbins. After studying this card (and the one following) from Jan I’ve finally been able to pinpoint exactly what it is about Jan’s work that always makes my jaw drop…precision. It’s something that is awe-inspiring to me because it’s not an element that would be applied to most of my work. And now that I’ve identified it…I might try to work on it. Maybe…if I’ve got the patience.

I love the Teeny Glitz Design pink alphas and I love the Basic Grey POPS butterfly (they’re gorgeous and add so much to a project). And I love Jan’s use of the Glitz Design dress form clear stamp in the middle of the caqrd. Jan’s work is always coming right off the page at you. It’s beautiful. Whoever gets this birthday card is definitely going to open it with a smile.

HELLO! Another fabulous option from Jan using the Sweet Bravery kit. I can’t get over the SO fun pink/white houndstooth tissue paper flower in the center. LOVE IT! You’ll also notice the Glitz Design Teeny Alphas again as well as the large sized scallopped edge on the bottom of the card, the simple, but intricate stitching along the borders of the different layers on the card and the pink Glitz Design Glitzer tucked under the top of the houndstooth flower. And, of course, the gold/pearl button embellishment setting the whole thing off there in the center of the flower. I’m smiling and I didn’t even get this card!

30-something! Such a memorable birthday and worth having a card all its own. As the card states…Amy Heller makes unique paper crafting look easy with projects such as this. She’s got layers (and I love that she added in a yellow based layer with all that pink), bits of Glitz Design Glitzers, bits of Melody Ross GCD Studios Homespun Chic inspiration cards, and the Glitz Design dress form clear stamp all coming together to generate the cohesive look of this fabulous card. If I ever decide to claim…thirty something I might think about incorporating this look into my party scheme, but I think I’ll stick at the tried and true 29th for a few more years.

And Francine Clouden sent Valentine’s wishes all the way from France! Happy Valentine’s Day! There’s no reason you can’t get ahead of the game by using your Sweet Bravery kit to jump the gun on your “Valentines!” I love that Francine bordered her mostly pink card with green/white houndstooth paper. You’ll also notice her use of the Basic Grey POPS (floral stickers), the Glitz Design Teeny Pink Alphas, and, of course, the variety of papers used in her layering and her cut outs.

Some greeting card project ideas using the Sweet Bravery kit have additional pictures available on Facebook! Check it out!

And as always…watch for more upcoming projects!

Amy Heller gave you plenty of opportunities to scraplift fantastic 12×12 layouts this month and she’s not finished yet! She must have really liked working with the Sweet Bravery Kit.

The What It’s All For 12×12 Layout by Amy Heller! This layout is full of fun ideas so check out the closeups!

LOVE Amy’s use of the vintage game piece from the miscellaneous vintage pieces bag (as well as the awesome gold button). You’ll also notice the Glitz Design Glitzers and Amy’s own cut outs adding to this cluster.

This is a closeup of the Basic Grey POPS! They add a lot to the page with very little effort.

Here you can see the great combination of colors and patterns in the layering for this page!

Here you should make sure to check out the title created with the Glitz Design Pink Teeny Alphas, the cream lace/pearl trim, and the combo of straight and zig zag stitching!

How many of you are off to CHA? Lots of new products coming out…I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands on some of them!

On Francine’s Flutter Love 12×12 Layout you’ll notice that she doesn’t overwork the page. I love that about Francine’s projects. It’s a talent, for sure! She doesn’t overwork them yet they look totally complete and gorgeous! Love Francine’s use of the wired pink pom pom trim to create an extra banner across the top left corner of her photo. And love that the banner was inspired from her picture.

Here’s a closeup of how fun the banner turned out. It not only looks fabulous, but it adds extra dimension to thepage. Accenting each piece Francine used miscellaneous pieces from the vintage extras bag in the Sweet Bravery kit: buttons, pearl drop, pink flower, etc.

Here’s a closeup of the 3-thick heart that Francine created. I like the mix of papers and love how it mimics the fluttering wings of the butterfly.

In this closeup you can see the Melody Ross GCD Studios Homespun Chic inspiration card that Francine applied to the bottom right corner. (And it’s accented with a pink button from the vintage extras bag from her Sweet Bravery kit).

Thanks for all the fun projects, Francine! Love them! Keep watching for more projects. The month isn’t over yet! More January projects will be coming soon.

Isn’t it amazing how much courage it can sometimes take just to get from one day to the next? Isn’t it even more amazing when you are sure you won’t be able to make it and somehow, someway you find the courage to get through something you never even imagined happening to you? That’s just a little bit of what this layout is all about.

This is Jan’s Courage 12×12 Layout. It immortalizes the courage it took her to get through the past year. As I told Jan I’m always appreciative of her amazingly beautiful layouts and projects and even more appreciative of the stories that they tell. So feel privileged…and check out Jan’s Courage.

Jan agreed with us that the Brave Girls club is amazingly inspiring we were so happy to hear that she loved the Sweet Bravery kit! This was so the perfect project for it. It shows bravery at its sweetest.