Bella Blvd Studio Blog: Monday Morning Challenge: Focus On The Square

Happy Monday everyone! Starting today we are getting back to a normal blogging schedule, after four full weeks of CHA reveals and sharing. Except, what you're going to see is a bit of a "new" normal blogging schedule. We are excited to be working in some new features throughout the month, as well as tweaking a few of our favorite features you've seen in the past.

Today kicks off our first Monday Morning Challenge feature! Each Monday we will offer up a challenge, and share with you our designers take on that challenge. Today we are focusing on the square. Whether it's square elements, square embellishments, or square photos, we challenged our designers to focus on the square as they created their layouts and cards.

"Art Instagram", by Leanne Allinson.

I love Instagram for sharing my photos with family and friends and I especially love that I can share my children's artwork online without having to email each item separately, to each individual grandparent! This layout is inspired by the Instagram process and documents my son's favorite piece of artwork to date. I have included hidden journaling beneath the main photo, but to find the story you need to follow the arrows! The "Art Instagram" label/title has been created by trimming down one of the All American: Just Write Journaling Stickers, to fit my size page. I've fussy cut the heart image from the All American: Borders & Cute Cuts patterned paper and added alpha stickers as the finishing touch.

Supplies:
Spring Flings & Easter Things: Mom's Bouquet; All American: Borders & Cute Cuts, United We Stand, Just Write Journaling, Alpha+Bits; Sand & Surf: Cling Stamps; Freestyle Sophisticates: Freestyle Pickle Juice, Freestyle Banana; High Five Alpha Stickers: Black-White, Pink-Red; Sophisticates: Miniatures Card Sentiments; Ciao Chip Elements: Borders, Clouds, Essentials Asparagus & Pickle Juice; Sienna Chipboard Alphas: Pickle Juice

“Hello Beach”, by Gina Lideros.

The new Snapshots collection by Bella Blvd was perfect for my recent photos that I took of the kids at Santa Cruz beach. When I first started this assignment, I laid out several small Instagram photos spread all over my page. This layout took on several changes and I ultimately decided to go for a cleaner look with 1 large focal point photo and a two smaller Instagram photos. For a fun look I added text to my photos before printing them and added a cardstock polaroid die-cut from the Snapshots collection to my large photo.

Supplies:
Snapshots: Daily Details, Pajama Day, Free Time, Hurry Up, Rise & Shine, Tabs, Paper Pieces; Daily Chevies: Gulf Arrows, Pickle Juice Arrows; Feathers: Bell Pepper, Ice; Button Market: Fruit Punch, Masculine Mix

“Life Is Sweeter” card, by Shellye McDaniel.

After cutting two different sizes of squares, I cut each set into triangles and then pieced them back together with alternating patterns! I die-cut one of the journal card sentiments into a square and added it with foam dots. Because the journal card included a cluster of strawberries, I decided to keep with that motif and created a cute crochet heart strawberry. Just add cut out leaves, a stem and small pearls.

Supplies:
Play Date: Today Is Beautiful, Chasing Rainbows, Daily Details, Alpha+Bits; Crochet Hearts: McIntosh

“You Captured My Heart” card, by Shellye McDaniel.

I used one of the borders from the Borders paper as the focus for this card. I cut four 1.75" tiles and layered them onto a mat of patterned paper. Two of the squares were added with foam dots, which gave a nice 3-D effect. I cut the tabs sticker into a square and added it to the center point of the design.

Supplies:
Snapshots: Pajama Day, Borders, Tabs, Captions; High Five Alpha Stickers: Gulf; Button Market: Gulf Squares; Designer Tape: Pickle Juice Stripe