Step-by-Step - Fitting a square peg into a round hole

This layout is all about quick and easy with two very basic shapes: circles and squares!

What you'll need:

• *2 pieces of cardstock (or solid patterned paper)
  *3 pieces of patterned paper
  *embellishments


• *pens


• *don't forget your TTT coaster!
  

And here's what you do!

1. Set aside cardstock as your background page. Cut three pieces of patterned paper into 6" squares and round edges.

2. Ink edges of patterned papers and arrange with photo on top. Do not adhere photo, but adhere papers in the middle only.

3. Remove photo. Cut a large circle from dark cardstock (mine was a scrap piece!) and layer over and under three patterned pieces.

4. Adhere photo, title and embellishments. Include lots of other circle- and square-shaped embellishments like a TTT coaser, buttons, rub-ons and tags. I even doodled circles and squares on the final layout.

Have fun mixing shapes on your next layout. Show us how creatively geometric you are on TTT's message board and User gallery!

Transparently yours, Lindsey

Summer Photo Ideas

So the sun is out and it's time to get those bright, fun, sunny PHOTOS! Here's just a few examples of fun things to capture in the upcoming months!

With Fourth of July right around the corner make sure to get a picture of the kids with a sparkler, their festive outfits, fireworks in the sky, the American Flag, fun desserts, etc.

Another fun idea is to have someone move their sparkler in a continuous circle while you take their picture. Set your shutter speed really low and stay really still or use a tripod and you will get a fun look like this:
Swimming shots are always a great addition to your scrapbook. Of course you need the typical shot of the kids jumping in the pool or floating around but some other fun ideas would be the look on their face after holding their breath under water, splashing each other, playing pool games, soaking wet kids, etc.
Also make sure catch a photo of that favorite summer food like watermelon, popsicles, icecream cones, trips to the zoo, days at the beach, sandcastles, places you visit, your favorite place to eat, those beautiful summer sunsets, yardwork, flowers, boating, etc!

It's Sketch Time

This month I thought why not make a sketch using up some of those 4x6 photos. I always seem to end up with 2 random photos from an event that I just love but have a hard time putting them together on a page. Here's a great new sketch to use up 2 of those 4x6's you have laying around!

The Sketch:


My Example:

Sketch and Sample LO

Hi Everyone!

I love sketches but honestly have trouble using them. I tend to want to do my own thing and even if I plan to use a sketch, I look at it once and then usually not again. So even when I use a sketch and want to credit it's use, I really wonder how much I've used it for inspiration. That being said, I did love the brand new Pagemaps sketch I chose to use to do this LO and do see components that match the sketch. Thanks Pagemaps for the inspiration. For all the TTT followers, I hope you like the sketch and the LO. Thanks for looking.





Thanks
JenC

Supply Project

Decorative Flowerpot Holder

I love having my scrap supplies easily accessible while I'm scrapping but I also want them to look nice sitting on my scrap table. So, I created supply holders using flowerpots. It's very inexpensive and looks great!

Materials:
flowerpot
patterned paper with large elements to cut
ribbon
alphabet stickers
buttons
adhesive
Mod Podge

Directions:
#1- cut large elements from patterned paper and adhere to your flowerpot with Mod Podge.

#2- adhere ribbon to the top of your flowerpot with glue dots and tie in a bow

#3- add buttons and title (If you add a title make sure to cover your letter stickers with Mod Podge as well. It helps them stick better!)

#3- fill your flowerpot with scrap goodies such as markers, scissors, paint brushes, etc.

My technique for title positioning

by Nathalie

You might already be doing this or something similar but I thought I would share here my “technique” for positioning my titles so that they look good, either in a curve, straight, or however else!

All you need is a clear cellophane wrapper that many of our papers and scrapping supplies come in and of course whatever alphas you want to use for your title/sentiment.

First, I put the cellophane on top of my layout in progress and then I stick, as lightly as possible, the alphas I want to use where I think I want them on the page. Thanks to the clear wrapper, I can have an idea of what it would look like BEFORE I actually stick them on the paper/photos.

And because my alphas are on the clear sheet, I can move my title/sentiment around by just moving the cellophane paper. In this case I did not like the result so all I had to do is reposition the alphas on my cellophane to find another look. Here I am “testing” another option:

As you can see in the final page below, I went with my second option. Once I like the look, all I have to do is transfer the alphas from the cellophane paper to my page and I know exactly where to start and position them in relation to the elements of my page.

I do this all the time! Here is another example with a card. I might check several positions before I find one I like.

I’d love to hear about it if you give it a try or if you have another technique to share for “perfect” titles!

Card Corner by Chrystal Riddell

Any time I need some card inspiration, I know I can always find a great card sketch to motivate me from Lucy Chesna at My Sketch World. She also creates page sketches, so check those out while you're there!

Be sure to bookmark her site at www.MySketchWorld.Blogspot.com

What a Catch!

It’s no secret that scrapping in July is one of my all-time favorite occurances! I adore the 4th of July celebrations – I try to hit as many as I can each year. We’re often either watching baseball or playing it, usually fit in a camping trip or two, and summer fun is in full effect around my house, 24/7! These were my inspirations in going to search TTT’s gallery for “Catches” this month – 4th of July, sports and summer fun! Ready?

1. While I completely urge you to go search ‘4th of July’ in the TTT gallery, I had to pick an oldie for my Independence Day inspirations. This layout by Jackie (funhockeymom) is one of my favorites –you really have to be brave and bold to combine stars, eyelets and waves on a layout!

4th of July in Philly by funhockeymom

By the way, come by the site – June had everyone madly ‘waving’ in the Use Your Kit Monthly contest!

2. Sports inspiration is next (as the ball game is blaring behind me on the tv!) Okay, I had to go with another oldie, but goodie! Christy aka ~christy~ brings tons of summer sports fun into the gallery. It was hard to pick just one of hers, but I had to go with a rare color combo – rare to see, great for summer – girl does bright and bold like no other! Christy’s summer sports work also reminded me, that with 1 T-ball game left in the season, I need to get down and dirty with that camera, sparing no field dust, dugout shot or game tradition!

SuperStar by ~Christy~

3. Summer outside makes me think of one thing first – water!! Pools, sprinklers, lakes, beaches – it all counts in July! Check out this brand new and simply adorable catch by dt gal Chrissy this month, using the June kit!

Joy by Chrissy

Thanks for catching my attention. For your chance at What a Catch!, post your layouts in the TTT User Gallery and visit us on the message board!

Transparently Yours, Lindsey

If you have not yet done a SEARCH in the TTT User Gallery via keywords, it’s must! Super easy and totally inspirational for whatever project you’re working on!

July Ideas

Happy July, Scrappers! July is naturally full of fun and fireworks, so let that be the inspiration on your layouts this month!

Colors:

• Red, white and blue, of course!


• Any combo of the above.


• Go Americana.


• Add spots of gold and silver with this month’s colors.


• Be brave, go with a rainbow effect – all colors in!

Shapes:

• Time to bring back out the star. No better month for it!


• Lots of circles – love those fireworks, the best!


• Flourishes or swirls – but instead of the traditional, go with the spray this month!

Photo ops:

• Kids all decked in red, white and blue.


• Will you watch fireworks or try to shoot them? Watch for tips on photographing fireworks at the site!


• Scrap your 4th of July plans and traditions.


• Summer fun is in full effect. If you’re in the warm climate this month, outside photos are a must!


• All stars! Summer sports!

Scrap topics:

• Go with independence. Have shots of kids or family doing things independently? Go with solo photos orsolo subjects.


• Be patriotic. Scrap something about your country.


• Are you summer or winter in July? Scrap the opposite!


• Christmas in July is always fun. Start your cards!


• Don’t forget your pets! After all, dog days were named after them!


• Summer school? Make it fun!


• All Stars! Scrap your athlete!


• July’s birthstone is Ruby – use lots of red rhinestones this month.


• July’s flower is the larkspur or water lily. Try the lily shape: not quite a circle, not quite a heart.


• Or combine the two!


• Horoscopes Cancer and Leo. More animals!

Whatever you pull out to commemorate July, do it with a sense of patriotism, family and a smile. :) Happy July!

Transparently Yours, Lindsey

Transparency LOs by the TTT Designers

Take a look at the great designs with Transparent Touches and Tags transparencies. These are all done by the TTT design team. Thanks for looking!

By Lindsey and Carrie:


By Nathalie and Jen:


By Chrissy and Chrystal:

July Kit #1 LOs

Take a look at the wonderful designs made by designers Lindsey and Chrissy with TTT kit #3 this month. You can see all the designs here in the galllery: http://www.transparenttouches.com/gallery/index.php?cat=46

Lindsey's LOs:


Chrissy's LOs:

July Kit #2 LOs

Take a look at what Jen and Carrie did with the TTT July kit#2 featuring Little Yellow Bicycle's Traveler line. You can see all the kit designs here at the TTT gallery: http://www.transparenttouches.com/gallery/index.php?cat=46

Jen's LOs:



Carrie's LOs: