Banners, Banners...Everywhere!

For the Tuesday Tutorial this week over on the Hip 2B Square blog, Melanie shared her love of banners and several cute ways she has incorporated them into her layouts and cards. I'm right there with her & still love this banner trend!

Just go to Pinterest and search 'banners'...the banner inspiration is overwelming (and oh so joyful)!

Source: Pinterest (withtwocats.com)

Source: TheSweetOccasion.com

Source: BHLDN

Source: Pinterest (parishotelboutique.blogspot.com)

Our January Hip Kit included a package of the Wood Veneer Banners from Studio Calico. Here are a couple layouts I created using these banner pieces...

I really like how the wood veneer shapes add dimension to layouts and how versatile they are. I really like the look of them in their naked state, but you can also change them up a bit with paper or ink. On this layout I mixed it up...some natural wood, some covered in paper, some embellished with a button.

And for this layout, I added in some stickers, the photo, and that cute button card from Crate Paper for a big banner stitched down across the page.

My hubby gave me an Instax camera for my birthday in January, so I'm having a lot of fun shooting pictures with that...and love how the little photos look used in projects. Such a fun size!

Here's a layout I created with some of my recent Instax photos and the wood banner pieces...

I covered the banner pieces with patterned paper from the Hip Kit, sanded the edges & 'strung' the pieces up with bakers twine...

I adore this Amy Tangerine paper that was included in the kit...

On this card I used a couple of the natural wood banner pieces behind the blossom as an accent & to add a bit more dimension (not really a banner...but thought I'd share another way I used the banner pieces)...

Thanks for stopping by, friends. Wishing you a banner of a day!
xoBC

Coming Out of Hibernation

Is it spring yet?!?
Were you wondering when I was going to be coming out of hibernation?
I've missed you friends.
I can't believe how long it has been. Far too long. But I'm back! And the creative energy is flowing...

Since I haven't been here in so long, I'm not even sure where to begin! (Do you ever feel like that?!?)
For today, here are the cards that I created using the December Hip Kit (Yep, you read it right...December. We've got some catching up to do!)...

I love those October Afternoon Farmhouse Collection Flower Sack embellishments! I little bit of layering, some stitching & a splash of my favorite Mister Huey mists in Calico White and Dark Calico are all it took to create this quick & simple card!

I love Mister Huey...and I LOVE washi tape. So I was really excited to find the black & white dotted SMASH Tape included in this Hip Kit! 

I think this next card is just plain happy...just because. And it's in the mail and on its way to a sweet friend as I type.

Lots of fun patterns & colors in this kit...

Fun October Afternoon 5 & Dime Alpha stickers...

and the great Remarks stickers from the American Crafts Chap collection...

That's it for today...but stay tuned for more! I'm back for good!
xoBethany

Oh November...

...where have you gone? Can you believe that it is the final day of November 2011 and as of tomorrow, we'll officially be on the countdown to Christmas?!? Wowsa. Hoping with all my might that December doesn't go by quite as quickly. Wishful thinking? I like to think not.
So in honor of the last day of this very thankful month, here are a few fall themed cards and several layouts that I created with the October Hip Hit from Hip 2B Square...

Hope you all had a beautiful, creative month of November too...now let the December festivities and projects begin!
xoBC

Home Sweet Home

One of the things I'm most thankful about is the happy home I share with my fabulous husband and our big, hairy beastie, Miss Griffin. I created this mini album from the Hip 2B Square September Embellishment Kit in honor of our little home sweet home...

A bit of acrylic craft paint in bright, fun colors and some fun bits of patterned papers, chipboard, trims and miscellaneous embellishments was all it took to transform the naked chipboard album from Maya Road.

Now I just need to snap some photos of my favorite things around the house!

xoBC

Vintage suitcases...

...are one of my current obsessions. I had found these two at a local rummage sale last spring for the bargain price of $0.25 a piece! They were in perfect condition and the linings were impeccable...minus a little parfum de moth balls.

 One of my sweet friends gave me this little cutie that she found at Goodwill. Love the yellow!

Since I've had these sitting around for a while, I was so excited to stumble across this tutorial from Elsie over at A Beautiful Mess...and knew instantly that I wanted my lovely suitcases to get a makeover just like hers.

For my red suitcase I chose 'Farmdale Curio' - a fun retro dot fabric from The Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection, for the green one I chose a yummy Amy Butler retro peony print from her Soul Blossoms collection and for the wee yellow one, I chose the super cute 'Petunia' fabric from Josephine Kimberling's Just Dandy collection.

TaDa! Aren't they fun?! They make me happy.

It was a super easy project and I absolutely love how they turned out! Trouble is, now I'm addicted! Can't wait to get my hands on more suitcases...

xoBC