Happy Memorial Day and welcome to a new Member Monday. Here to share her selection with us is Karen Grunberg. She chose this layout by Lori Gentile.
"This Mother Sees You" by Lori Gentile
Leave Lori some love on this post and be sure to visit her AMM gallery for more inspiration.
Just as a side note, our regularly scheduled blogging will resume after the design team call.
I am so excited to introduce you to our June Guest Designer, Cheryl Ametewee! Over a month ago, I was chatting with Rachel and told her I was in search of some fresh faces and talent to be our Guest Designers. She directed me to the blog of this fantastic designer she followed. I clicked on Cheryl's blog and was so impressed. Her photography of her little ones was so inspiring and I really just loved her style. So I was super excited when she agreed to be our guest designer this month. Look for her creations with the June kit coming soon. In the meantime, have a look below at some samples of her work and read her little bio to get to know her better.
Get To Know Cheryl!
Hi! i'm Cheryl Ametewee and I'm so excited to be the guest designer for AMM this month! I am a stay at home mama to 2 little lovies who we like to call londerpants (19 months) and gracie*belle (3 months) and wife to Nate, my Ghana born prince. We live in DC in an apartment that is always in the middle of some kind of art project...from scrapbooking, to painting, to jewelry designing, there is very rarely a day that goes by when I don't do some kind of art. I currently design for Jenni Bowlin and you can find me on my blog at www.cherylmanz.typepad.com. I am also founder of a new handmade art blog that will go live on June first...come check us out at www.cartwheelsinmymind.com. :)
This layout Cheryl created just for our blog announcement! I love the gorgeous and vibrant color!
"XO"
"Cherish First Home"
"I Love You Gracie"
Have a peek at our June kit below. This is only a portion of all the fab goodies packed into this kit. It includes new Jenni Bowlin, Webster's, October Afternoon and more. You won't want to miss out on this "Summer Breeze". Look for the full reveal on the 1st. You can sign up for a kit subscription here.
Congratulations to our May Design Team Challenge winner. Larissa, the hostess of this challenge selected the layout below by Guiseppa Gubler, also known as "seppa" on the boards. Congrats. Guiseppa will win a $10.00 AMM store gift certificate as well as a selection of vintage trims to be shipped with her order.
Look for the June sketch and challenge coming June 1st!
Who doesn't have a mess of buttons hoarded in jars in their scrap space? I know I have a ton of buttons. During our National Scrapbook Day Crop, Rachel showed us 7, yes 7 different techniques for creating some handmade flowers for your projects using materials you probably already have lying around. Here is just one of her techniques for using up your button stash. You know you will always find more buttons to hoard to replace them.
Happy Member Monday blog readers! This week's Layout of the Week was chosen by Staci Taylor. She chose the layout below by Tara Orr.
"Wedded Bliss" by Tara Orr
How about getting to know Tara a little better. Read on for a little interview Staci had with Tara.
1. Can you explain the process you used to design this layout? I guess the main inspiration for the project was drawn from the photo itself. I wanted to keep it soft and romantic so I chose the softer peaches and neutral colours that would compliment her skin tone. I fell in love with the die cut from Anna Griffin and knew it was meant for a wedding layout. Lots of layering and distressing of the papers helped to tie in with the whole shabby chic feel.
2. Do you have a favorite color combination to use when scrapping? Hmmm, I don't have a favourite colour combo per se, I tend to be drawn more to the actual paper itself - its pattern, colour, texture, etc. If I totally fall in love with a particular patterned paper I try to match complimentary papers to it and then photos as well. I do tend to be drawn to the more 'washed out' and 'worn' looking types of papers with a comfy sort of feel. Definitely a rustic/vintage kind gal.
3. What is a scrappy item that you could not live without? I love to add flowers to my layouts and really enjoy fussy cutting certain elements within patterned papers but the one item I simply could not do without is my edge scraper - JUST LOVE IT!
4. You mentioned that your layout was a gift for your brother and sister-in-law. What was their reaction when you gave it to them? My sister in law seemed quite pleased with the layout saying, "Wow, you should charge people for this kind of thing - it's so beautiful." (Wouldn't that be nice eh?). My brother in law gave the typical guy response of, "Yea, its nice." ... Um, yea - you're welcome (LOL).
Thanks for the inspiration ladies. Leave Tara some love on this post of on her layout in the gallery by clicking the layout title above.
These rolled ribbon and fabric flowers are so popular right now. During our National Scrapbook Day Crop Staci Taylor showed us how to make some from ribbon we all probably have stashed away somewhere.
*The following tutorial was featured on the message boards during our NSD Crop.
All you need is a thicker ribbon (mine is 1.5 inches thick) and a needle and some thread.
Measure your ribbon out to about 24 inches long for a medium sized flower. I call the technique for these flowers "twist and roll." You will be twisting the ribbon first and then rolling it up. So, to start, take a corner of your ribbon and begin twisting it:
Did you know that many manufacturers often sponsor your AMM design team with product to create inspiring layouts and projects? Recently the design team was sponsored with product from all three of the newest Cosmo Cricket lines revealed at CHA in January.
One of the great things about kits are all the little leftovers. These leftovers are great for card making as Tonya shows us with these fantastic cards. In addition, you already saw the super cute cards that our guest designer, Anabelle O'Malley made.
Tonya said she was channeling her inner Stacy Cohen with the crocheting on this happy birthday card.
I love the stacked Lily Bee chipboard pieces on this blank any occasion card.
I adore the color combination on this thank you card.
This one is just too adorable. Tonya also used up some older kit items with that American Crafts chipboard frame.
