Inspiration!

I am often asked where I get my inspiration from. Besides many places on this internet, I find a lot of my inspiration from Magazines. Not just papercrafting magazines, but magazines in general. Pottery Barn, Oprah are a few that I like to browse. I love getting color ideas from magazines as well design ideas. Recently I was browsing the latest addition of Simple Scrapbooks and found a layout by Donna Downey that I really liked. The following layout was totally inspired by her creativity. I love how Donna always has a fresh look on her layouts and they are kept simple.

I've really been in a chalk mood lately and love using chalk with the Doodle This set. This set screams for my chalks!!!! Can you hear them??? There are quite a few little fun techniques I used on this layout. First, I cut up that beautiful designer paper into squares and then triangles to make a mosiac look going down the side of my layout. I love this Petals and Paisley Designer Paper. Are you hoarding or using it? Start cutting it up!!! It is begging to be used. Next, one of my new favorite embellishments to use are the clear buttons. I like these buttons because you can make any button you wish. You can stamp on these buttons using stazon on as well. Quite cute! I took the clear buttons and adhered with crystal effects and adhered a Fresh Favorites button with linen thread on top of the clear button. I gave the edges of my mosiac a little doodling by hand to make the squares pop a little more. The next fun technique I did was the good Ole' KISSING technique. Your stamps need love too. I took the Big Deal Alphabet and inked my Doodle This stamp in Black Craft ink. I placed the letter stamps on top of the Doodle stamp and then stamped my paper. To make the letters pop a little more I traced around them in black and tempting turquoise markers. I also stamped my twill in Black Craft ink using the doodle stamp. Oh what fun this added to a plain piece of twill. Lastly, I brought the screaming chalk out and used it softly around the doodles I stamped at the top and bottom of the layout. I truly love the softness it brings to this layout. Thanks to Donna Downey for the great inspiration she always brings and the simplicity she always brings to scrapbooking! How about trying some of these fun techniques on a card as well??

So once again, pull out all the fun tools you have and start playing. That is what playing with paper is all about. Having fun. We have all these great tools... we just need to use them. Do you have a neglected tool? I challenge you to pull it out, dust the cob webs off and play. I will challenge myself to pull out a stamp set that hasn't felt the love and a tool that needs a hug too. Look for something with the paper crimper soon!

Well, it is Tuesday. That means something else in my house has been neglected and it is time to clean. Where is the housekeeper when I need her????? Maybe, just maybe I will find inspiration from cleaning. Ha! Tootles!