Challenge #60: What Was I Thinking!?!

 Happy Tuesday, Users!

Use It Tuesday is here every two weeks for the purpose of helping you use your stash. I'm sure our Design Team are not the only ones who have too much craft stuff hidden away here and there. There are probably a few products (or pictures?) in your craft stash that have been there for quite awhile.
And every time you look at it you think...
Why did I buy that ?
Why did I buy that many!!
Or, WHY did I let my friends take pictures when I did THAT!

Pull 'em out, time to Use them. This week we're playing
What Was I Thinking!!

***REMEMBER: All of our challenges call for you to use your hoarded supplies! A challenge requirement is to tell us in your post what you used!***

We're looking to see your lapse in logic on our Use It Tuesday site using Inlinkz by noon EST on Friday August 2, 2013. No blog? No problem! Just use keyword USE060 when uploading to an online gallery and leave us a direct link so we can find your creation. (Linking tips are at the bottom of the post!)

Please make sure to mention you are playing along with a Use It Tuesday challenge (a link is great too!) so we know you are participating.

As always, one lucky participant will be randomly chosen to be a featured guest designer in an upcoming challenge!

Let's check out the great things our Design Team regret:

Brenshevia bought this paper pack about 2 years ago, finding it adorable. But then just couldn't find the right mojo needed to make it work for her projects. She finally tackled it today, along with some three year old pictures of her grandson. What a cutie pie!

 Tracy decided to document her various bad hairstyles of the 80's and 90's. She also used up some supplies that have been in her collection for over 5 years - both the patterned paper and the glitter star. Lookin' sharp, Tracy!

Rachel tackled the teabag folding technique trying to make a layout she admired. It didn't come out quite the same, but it did give her an opportunity to use some papers and embellishments from her stash. Also hoarded? The pictures which are of her son whose now in his 20's. 

Tammy rocked the flocking!!! This flock has been hiding in her stash for awhile, but has always seemed to difficult, clunky and messy to use. After a bit of research on the internet, she was able to make it look fantastic and wants to use it all the time! Is that chick adorable? Awesome job, Tammy!

Jessica A didn't appreciate this "Big Attitude" title, feeling it had a strong negative connotation. But, she found a way to make it work positively with this weeks layout. She also used border strips and paper clips that are over 4 years old and re-stashed from here mom's craft room.

Valentina got a great deal on this set of patterned papers and stickers several years ago. It was an impulse purchase and they then sat in the bottom of her closet, unused. Thinking they looked a bit "old fashioned", she added a modern tough with some handwritten journaling. More pictures can be found on her blog!

  
Becky has a couple of "What Was I Thinking" things going on in this layout. First of all, the silly faces with her mother. Second, she maybe got a bit overexcited about this Doodlebug collection and now has more of it than she probably needs. There aren't too many themes that go with pineapple and pear paper. The doily is also re-purposed from an event earlier this year and the candy dots and border stickers are a few years old.

Jessica B started punching hearts for her project and then about halfway through, wondered what she was thinking! The love sticker is about three years old, as is the picture frame she used for this project.

And Nicole picked up these Graphic 45 metal embellishments in one of her shopping trips and then couldn't figure out why, since she usually avoids both vintage and dimensional embellishments. All of the papers in the layout are also over a year old.

And our Guest Designer with us this challenge is Lizzie R, who won our Bring on the Sunshine challenge. When she heard our theme for this challenge, she pulled out her Xyron Design Runner. It was a great deal 5 years ago, but she was reminded how difficult it can be to use! She used it on this challenge to print out the quotes and escape curve.

Now, go Use It!!

Tips for linking:

• On your blog, once you publish your post, click on "View Blog". Then copy the URL and paste that into the Inlinkz address field.
• No blog? Easy enough! Save your creation in your online gallery. Once it has been published, click on the exact project you want linked. Once it is up in your browser, copy the URL and paste that into the Inlinkz address field below. If you don't use any online galleries, you can use Sami's SP Gallery, registration is free and easy!

Challenge #59: Winners!!!

Another two weeks have FLOWN by and we arrive on the doorstep of another challenge. That means today is Winners Post day!! 

 

The Inlinz froggy searched high and low and finally chose a deserving Jane Willis as our next Guest Design Team member. Jane has had these butterfly shaped cards in her stash for awhile and finally found the inspiration to use them. 

Congrats, Jane! We hope to see you soon as a Guest Designer on a future challenge.

And, here are our picks for this weeks Top 2 honor.

What could be more representative of a birthday than Birthday Candles. And Beth C put 10 glittery candle creations on her beautiful birthday card, plus used up some buttons from an old sweater. We loved it!

And Charity Hotrum made this gorgeous layout. At first glance, it doesn't seem like a birthday themed layout, but Charity documented a visit with family on her birthday. Can you believe the trim is upholstery material and is over 8 years old!?!

 

Congratulations to you both. Here is the Top 2 Pick badge for your blog.

Thanks for playing!!

See you Tuesday for another opportunity to Use It!!

Challenge #59: Birthdays!!

 Happy Tuesday, Users!

On Sunday we announced our brand new Design Team for the next six months. They're anxious to get going, so without further delay, I introduce our next challenge...
BIRTHDAYS!!

Our challenge schedule this year was a bit too late for the North American patriotic celebrations this year, so we thought birthdays would be an appropriate enough topic. Plus, don't you always need birthday cards?

***REMEMBER: All of our challenges call for you to use your hoarded supplies! A challenge requirement is to tell us in your post what you used!***

We're looking to see your bright and sunny entries on our Use It Tuesday site using Inlinkz by noon EST on Friday July 19, 2013. No blog? No problem! Just use keyword USE059 when uploading to an online gallery and leave us a direct link so we can find your creation. (Linking tips are at the bottom of the post!)

Please make sure to mention you are playing along with a Use It Tuesday challenge (a link is great too!) so we know you are participating.

As always, one lucky participant will be randomly chosen to be a featured guest designer in an upcoming challenge!

Alright, are you ready to see what our new Design Team created for you this week? Here we go!

Tracy is up first with her beautiful birthday layout. Tracy found duplicates of some paper in her stash, probably a shopping phase in the early 2000's. She also used a 6-year-old title sticker and some Martha Stewart Crafts stickers that are probably about as old.

Jessica A made some adorable little party favors for us. The ribbon is 4 years old and the stop signs were cut from paper that is over a year old. Plus, the little car crayons were made from re-purposed crayons! How cool is that?!?

Rachel used an old stamp set she got free from a magazine and some old papers. She also unearthed her paper piecing templates and played with them for the first time in ages! Don't you love that silver edging?

Valentina made this super sweet handbag album. Pictured here is the amazing inside, but you can swing by her blog and check out the outside too. She used some Echo Park papers she received from a friend last year and forgot about, plus some pictures from her birthday brunch last year. 

Becky purchased this "Peacock Lane" collection by Bo Bunny when it first came out last year. The black alphabet layers have also been in her stash for almost three years. 

Brenshevia used her Bella Blvd "Birthday Girl" collection for this layout, which has been in her stash since last Fall. She HAD to have it for her granddaugther's birthday photos and then only made one layout with it before letting it sit...but it's back! And looking gorgeous.

Jessica B bought this paper three years ago to scrapbook her daughter's first birthday pictures...layout #1 completed! Hopefully she'll find the time and stashed supplies to scrap some more!

Tammy has had the star paper in her collection for several years and the charms are also a piece of ancient stash, approaching 7-years-old. She also used a Cricut cartridge that's been around for a while...almost as long as those pictures of her little cutie, who has now celebrated three more birthdays since these were taken.

And it was a real gift to have our guest designer, Elizabeth, with us this week!!  She made this layout with all her scraps and you know how old the Make A Wish sign is??  It would get 10 candles!  Thank you Elizabeth!  We loved having you!

Now, go Use It!!

Tips for linking:

• On your blog, once you publish your post, click on "View Blog". Then copy the URL and paste that into the Inlinkz address field.
• No blog? Easy enough! Save your creation in your online gallery. Once it has been published, click on the exact project you want linked. Once it is up in your browser, copy the URL and paste that into the Inlinkz address field below. If you don't use any online galleries, you can use Sami's SP Gallery, registration is free and easy!

Challenge #58 Winners...and a New Design Team!

Not quite as many projects to admire this week. We can only hope that everyone is out enjoying the sunshine! Those that did play, thank you very much for your time and your beautiful creations.

Inlinkz chose Lizzie R as our winner this week. Can you believe Lizzie used paper that is almost a decade old? It was one of the first paper pads she bought when she started scrapbooking. Way to go, Lizzie!

Lizzie, congratulations and thanks for playing. We hope to see you again soon as a Guest Designer for an upcoming challenge. Please feel free to add this badge to your blog.

And, here are our "sunshiny" picks for Design Team Top 2 this challenge!

Chris V with her adorable card. She used ribbons, twine and a sentiment sticker all from her stash of hoarded goods.

And Deborah Johnson with her sweet layout using mists that are over a year old and paper so old that she doesn't even know what brand it is anymore!

Thank you for brightening our week with your projects. Feel free to add the Top 2 Pick badge for your blog, ladies. Congratulations and thanks for playing!!

And, last challenge marked the sunset on one Design Team term, as the sun rises on another! We're happy to announce our Term 5 team. Once again, you'll be happy to find a few familiar faces and a few new faces to show us their talent over the next six months.

First of all, last term Use It Tuesday launched our Facebook presence. We're excited to connect with you in a new way, but also stepping into unfamiliar territory. Returning to help us with this tremdendous task is Stephanie, our new Social Media Goddess.

My names is Stephanie, and I live in New Mexico. I am a mom to three kids - a 5 year old girl, a 3 year old boy, and an almost 2 yo girl. My days are filled with keeping them happy and safe, teaching online classes for our local community college, trying to keep the house presentable, and crafting! I have always liked to craft, but I really got into scrapbooking three years ago. Before then, my "stash" could fit in roughly a 1ft by 1ft by 1ft container - including most of my tools. Now, just my 12x12 papers take up more than that! So, I am here to use my stash and help others find creative ways to stop hoarding and CREATE!

 

Returning to Use It Tuesday for another term is...

Tammy

I'm excited to be back again for another term on the UIT Design Team. I am a hoarder. If they ever did a Hoarders episode for scrapbookers, I would be on it!  I have lots and lots of stuff and never seem to use it up. It's in shelves, on shelves, on the floor, in the desk, under the stairs, pretty much every possible place I can cram it into. It is just never ending. I love being on this DT because it forces me to find and use what I know I have! I live in Calgary, Alberta Canada (just down the highway from Heather ;) ) and I do both scrapbooking and cardmaking. I am also a SMASHer and have about 3 SMASH books on the go right now. My favorite subject is my 4 yr old son. I love surfing the net for scrappy ideas and also watching YouTube. When I am not crafting I enjoy going to movies, camping, traveling and reading.

Nicole

Hello! I'm Nicole, a single gal living in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I'm anything but a morning person; therefore, you'll find me craftHello! I'm Nicole, a single gal living in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I'm anything but a morning person; therefore, you'll find me crafting late at night with coffee in hand. I fell in love with card making and scrapbooking 4 years ago after taking a job designing for a paper arts store; however, I've always had a desire to create. Documenting the details of life is my main goal, and I have a passion to share that with others. I'm so excited to begin another term with Use It Tuesday, using all the goodies I have hoarded over the years! I hope to inspire you to do the same!
  
Tracy

Hey! My name is Tracy and I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. I am a newly wed to my talented husband Sean (a band teacher) and stepmother to 2 beautiful teenage girls, Zoe and Margaret. So you'll find us somewhere between highland dance classes, piano lessons or volleyball practice through the week. Rounding out our little family is our crazy pooch Kya. Aside from paper crafting I am a classical musician playing the french horn, I love to kayak and with the family we love to watch movies and geocache. I've been a paper crafter for about 14 years. Although I do a little of everything, I LOVE to scrapbook. I am excited to be a part of the Use it Tuesday design team, as I hope it will force me to dig deeper into my stash. What I love to collect most? Paper and flowers!

And joining us for the first time this term will be...

Becky

I am thrilled to be joining the Use it Tuesday team! I live in Southern California with my high-school sweetheart turned husband. We recently adopted a dachshund who has become the center of my scrappy inspiration. When I am not scrapping pictures of our furbaby, I work on making a dent on our wedding album (even though it's been two years already, oops!). I mainly enjoy creating 12x12 layouts although I'll make a card or altered item once in awhile. Besides being crafty, I enjoy reading, surfing the web for new creative ideas, and occasionally watching junk t.v. (I'll admit it!). Looking forward to digging into my ever growing stash and finally using it!

Brenshevia

I am the mother of 2 young adult children and the grandmother of 3 toddlers ages 5, 3 and 9 months.  They are the primary subjects of my pages. On rare occasions I have been known to actually scrap my children from time to time lol but mostly its the grandbabies.  I have been scrapping since 2007 and it is my favorite way to relax and unwind.  Some people need Calgon to take them away, well I need scrapping! I have been published several times so that was awesome.  I love clean and simple but I also love shabby chic so I tend to do a mixture of both sometimes. Thank you for allowing me to share my journey through pictures with you.

Jessica A

Confession, I'm a crafter. ;)  Now that we have that out of the way, I guess I should say that I am actually a scrapbooking fiend and typically my subjects are my 4-year-old and 2-year old sons. Most of those projects get linked up on my blog so I can enter them into various online challenges - one of my favorites was always Use It Tuesday because they encouraged me to find ways to bust through my stash. I hope I can help you find inspiration in the same way now that I'm on the team! As for other hobbies, well, I make cards and sometimes do some altered art. Oh? Non-paper crafts? That's a little harder. The hubs, and I have an on-again-off-again relationship with road running. We watch a lot of movies and love eating out. And when I can sneak a second I enjoy long soaks in bubble bath with a good book.

Jessica B

Hello my name is Jessica B. I have been married for eight years to an amazing, loving and supportive husband.  We have two beautiful daughters, a four year old and one year old.   We currently live in the Northern Virginia/DC area.  We have only lived here a couple short years and are still exploring the area.  We love being tourist on the weekends. It also gives me a lot of things to scrap about.  During the day, I work full time as an interior designer.  I am usually a night owl and scrap late after my babies have gone to bed.  Though 12x12 layouts are my first love, I do dabble in altered items, mini books and project life.  I started scrapbooking in high school when I returned from a mission trip.  After I created that first album there was no turning back, I was hooked.  I am looking forward to using up my stash of hoarded supplies on the Use It Tuesday design team.  My stash is taking over multiple closets and cabinets.   

Rachel

Hi to you all! I am a crafter first then a cook and cleaner. LOL. I am married to Ralph and we have 2 grown up children: a son Matthew, 26 who is still at home and Aimee, who is 24 and lives in Cardiff  I run  Blossom Cards and Gifts from home and teach card making classes and I also do demos and card party's I like all sorts of crafting, but I like doing shaped cards most of all. I also enjoy scrapbooking. I have been a crafter most of my life. Happy crafting to you all.

Valentina 

Hi Everyone, I'm Valentina and I live in a small city in Italy. I’ve always loved hobby and crafts and when I discovered cardmaking in 2011 it was love the first sight! I found not only a world of wonderful papers, creativity, techniques and ideas, but also a virtual community of REAL friends. I filled a closet with materials that claim to be used, but I always say I've not enough! It's easy to find excuses for a bit more of shopping! When I'm not crafting I love to cook for my husband and my friends and we love to watch food entertainment tv shows. I also have a real passion for makeup, cosmetics and nail art and love Youtube tutorials to learn the makeup artists secrets.

And, Heather will remain as our Design Team Coordinator...

I'm back!! I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with my husband, our young daughter and two always entertaining cats. I focus on card-making, which I've been into since 2008, but, occasionally I'll spread my crafty wings and dabble in other things, such as 3D projects, digital scrapbooking, or sewing. Thanks to the arrival of my daughter, traditional scrapbooking now makes its way into my projects now and then. These days, my biggest challenges are using my quickly accumulating stash and finding time to get into my craft room with a toddler in the house. Wish me luck!

That's it for today. Come back Tuesday, July 8th, for our first challenge of the new term.
The Design Team is keyed up and ready to go!!