August Case Files - Mid-month Inspiration | Deadline: September 4

We're back to share more inspiration for our August challenges, this time for our second August Case File and for our stash-busting Cold Case.

Don't forget, all three of our challenges are open until the 4th of the next month. If you haven't yet played with our first challenge, be sure to check out the inspiration here.

SPONSORS 

This month, we have six generous sponsors donating prizes! Click here to read more about our sponsors and the prizes they are donating. Winners will be selected randomly from all of our players, with a few exceptions where sponsors have asked us to choose from certain geographic regions.

CASE FILES 

It's our tradition at CSI to dedicate August Case Files to travel, and we didn't want to let this pandemic get in the way of that! Draw your own inspiration from The Scene on the Case File, or you can use the traditional clues, which can be found at the bottom of this blog post.

 Image Credit: Cool Flat Lay

Image Credit: Nastia Sleptsova

Image Credit: Mariana Pereyra

The traditional CSI clues can be found on our Facebook page in the first entry under the album. Just click on the Case File images above. They are also posted at the bottom of this reveal.

To submit your layouts, click on the Case Files in our sidebar, which will bring you to the individual albums in our Facebook group.

GUEST DESIGNERS

We're honored to have some members of the CUT to YOU and 2Crafty design teams joining us as Guest Detectives this month! You are sure to be inspired by their beautiful work!

Also, we've got a team of Special Investigators joining us as guest designers. We've invited our players whose work caught our eye and were placed Under Surveillance to join us this month.

INSPIRATION 

And now, are you ready for some serious inspiration? Here's what our design team and guest designers created with Case File No. 328. 

Here's how the talented team members of the 2Crafty Design Team solved the Case:

How Sabrina solved the Case: For this case I used the proposed color chart, some stripes, circles, a summer theme, butterflies, circular elements and some flairs.

I used the following 2Crafty chipboards:

Lattice Leaves [m00589]

Dotted Doily Frame [fr0134]

Charlotte Flowers [m00852]

Chunk Dandelion [m00853]

Amelia Frame [fr0133]

Fine Words Set 1 [m00656]

We're excited to bring you a team of Special Investigators, chosen from our CSI players. You can read about these ladies in our first reveal.


Kathy McElfresh 

How Kathy solved the Case: I was inspired by the beachy-themed elements, the butterfly, circular elements like the float and the anchor medallion. The photos are my granddaughter carrying noodles, apparently across a bridge to the water but it’s really a wall mural by the tile stores at the hotel!

Jean Marmo

How Jean solved the Case: I had an idea which just did not pan out so I went in a different direction inspired by the colors. Sadly it is not water related. I was inspired by this photo of my granddaughter driving around in her car which made me think of her adventurous spirit.  I have stripes and  many circular elements such as brads and dots.

Michelle Mattie

How Michelle solved the Case: From the evidence elements I used plain card stock, summer or beach themed elements, circular elements, sunglasses, and signs. From the testimony elements I choose the topic of documenting a visit to a body of water and the word relax from the inspiration words.

Heather Bellanger

How Heather solved the Case: So much inspiration in this case! A visit to the beach (we pretend that the muddy Louisiana lake water is the "beach"). I normally scrapbook one page layouts, but both of my daughters brought a group of friends. One group took horizontal photos and the other group took vertical photos. So what's a mom to do? Make coordinating pages, of course! The "drink bottle" clue immediately made me think of the orange soda bottle and sunglasses from Vicki Boutin. I found an older paper pad in my stash - Simple Stories "You are Here" and I fussy cut plenty of the embellishments (especially the flowers). I used a free cut file from Paper Issues for the sun in the background. I think of two page layouts like eyebrows - they should be sisters, not twins! This mindset has made it much more fun!

The CSI design team masterfully cracked the Case. Use the links in our sidebar to visit our team's blogs to find out how we cracked the Case.

And here is how we all solved the Cold Case (our stash-busting challenge).

Our Special Investigators solved the case:

Kathy McElfresh 

How Kathy solved the Case: I LOVE the bohemian vibe of this image and I even chose a photo that reflected that in the mural. I used very little paper but what I did use is from Graphic 45 Bohemian Bazaar and I paired that with lots of older stamps and a doodled London Eye with a mandala rub-on. I used a white rub-on over my distress oxide mixed media canvas. A few doodled butterflies among doodled music notes and die-cut butterflies and bugs and I think I’ve conveyed the fun and vibrancy of the park on that beautiful day.

Jean Marmo

How Jean solved the Case: Case #329 is all about the love – Sibling Love My three year old granddaughter adores her baby brother and is always showing him with  hugs and kisses.  used one of the oldest Webster Pages paper there is filling the rainbow with flowers. I added rub ons, flowers, hearts and butterflies.

Michelle Mattie

How Michelle solved the Case: For this cold case I was able to use a collection from My Mind’s Eye from 2014. From the product clues I used diamond, dots and stripes. I also used metal accents and hot air balloons. From the design clues I created banners, used tearing, stitched a pattern and went wild with mixed media.

Heather Bellanger

How Heather solved the Case:  When I read the clues, “older items” kept coming up. As Mardi Gras fans, it’s difficult to find things that are specifically made for Mardi Gras year after year, so all of my embellishments are “curated” ie: old, random bits and pieces that somehow get placed together. Recently I tried out a new technique for including multiple pictures on a layout while keeping the focus on one main photo. I created an 8x8 collage in Shutterfly. Next time I would choose a larger collage, but I’m happy with this turnout. Besides lots of old embellishments, I used a metal crown along with oxide ink and a Creative Embellishments stencil for the background. I stitched on the background with purple thread and I fussy cut the beads out of a very busy piece of paper - just for a little accent. I found the title in the free Paper Issues cut files. Now off to replenish my purple, green and gold stash for the 2019 season!

And here is how the CSI Detectives cracked the Cold Case:

CASE FILE CLUES 

Choose as many or as few as you are inspired to use! 

Testimony Link - Daydreaming on Paper

Testimony Link - August Prompts

We trust we've provided enough clues for you to solve the Cases! You have until Friday, September 4, 2020, to solve this case. We can't wait to see what you'll create! Upload your creations in our Facebook Group (album links in sidebar).