Happy August, CSI Investigators! We're excited to bring you a new month of fun and inspiring challenges and lots of beautiful inspiration.
For this first reveal, we'll be sharing inspiration for our first Case File. On the 15th, we'll be sharing inspiration for our second Case File.
PRIZES
CSI has been running our challenges for 11 years, since 2012, and our savings have dwindled over the years, so we no longer have the ability to provide a monthly gift certificate, but we do have enough to give away a prize every 4 months this year, so we'll be awarding a $20 (U.S. dollars) gift certificate to your favorite online craft store (must take Paypal) to one lucky player according to the following schedule--so the more you play, the more chances you'll have.
CSI has been running our challenges for 11 years, since 2012, and our savings have dwindled over the years, so we no longer have the ability to provide a monthly gift certificate, but we do have enough to give away a prize every 4 months this year, so we'll be awarding a $20 (U.S. dollars) gift certificate to your favorite online craft store (must take Paypal) to one lucky player according to the following schedule--so the more you play, the more chances you'll have.
January - April Case Files will be awarded on or after May 4
May - August Case Files will be awarded in on or after September 4
October - December Case Files will be awarded on or after next January 4
You will see the customary due date on the Case Files because I'll check those for guest designers, but feel free to go back and play with Case Files that have expired. As long as they're in the albums by the May, September, and January dates listed above, you'll be eligible for the prize.
We'll also be inviting some players whose work catches our eye to serve as Guest Detectives along the way.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We're excited to welcome a new Detective to our team! Wendy Rasbach's bold, eye-catching, unique style is sure to inspire you! Please give Wendy a warm CSI welcome!
Here's a bit about Wendy, in her own words: Hello, everyone! My name is Wendy, and I live in a small town in western Michigan. I’ve been married to my husband, Jon, for over 25 years, and we have two daughters, Paige (20) and Erin (18). This fall I’ll be experiencing an empty nest for the first time, so I’m working to fill that void with lots of creating! I’m also a third grade teacher, and we do have a beloved dog named Maxwell, so I plan to stay very busy.
My scrapping journey began in 2005 with a blank spiral notebook, a bunch of zoo pictures, some animal stickers, and colorful markers to make a memory book for my daughter, and I was hooked! Today I scrap 12x12 exclusively, and I’ve added just a few more materials to my stash. 
I’m thrilled to be joining the CSI team, and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead! For more of my work, my IG is @wrasbach58 I wish you all happy creating!
I’m thrilled to be joining the CSI team, and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead! For more of my work, my IG is @wrasbach58 I wish you all happy creating!GUEST DETECTIVES
This month, we're have two guest designers. Their work caught our eye in the CSI gallery.
First up, we have Heidi Moniz.
Here are a few words from Heidi: Hi everyone! My name is Heidi and I live in Orange County in sunny Southern California. I live with my husband and 2 kitties Jupiter and Europa.
I started scrapbooking almost 20 years ago when it was offered as an elective at my high school (can you believe it?!) and I haven’t stopped since. My favorite way to create a page is to start with a sketch and a color palette and then pull everything from my stash in those colors. I never know what I’ll end up using on a layout. I have lots of hobbies like yoga, reading books and video games, but I love the creative outlet that scrapbooking provides me. It allows me to connect with my memories on a more meaningful level than just scrolling through my phone.
I started scrapbooking almost 20 years ago when it was offered as an elective at my high school (can you believe it?!) and I haven’t stopped since. My favorite way to create a page is to start with a sketch and a color palette and then pull everything from my stash in those colors. I never know what I’ll end up using on a layout. I have lots of hobbies like yoga, reading books and video games, but I love the creative outlet that scrapbooking provides me. It allows me to connect with my memories on a more meaningful level than just scrolling through my phone.
Here's how Jessica solved the second August Case File: This layout was for case file 417 and I was inspired by the following: stripes, woodgrain,nautical-themed items, boat, buttons, envelopes, fish/seashells/seagulls, put most of my elements in an envelope.
Next up, we have Jessica Navarro.
Here are a few words from Jessica. Hello to all my scrappy friends, my name is Jessica Navarro and I’m super excited to be a Guest Detective for CSI this month! I’m an Sr. Vice President/Electrical Engineer at an amazing firm designing hospitals by day and a wife/mama by night. I’ve been married to a wonderful man for over 14 years that completely supports my craft obsession. He even encourages me to purchase crafty supplies – stay back, he’s mine! I’m a mommy to a super intelligent and independent 11 year old, who is officially the most photographed child in the world; seriously, it’s a documented fact. I’ve been scrapbooking for almost 30 years and I love using challenges, like CSI, to push my creative limits and to use more of my overflowing stash. Come check out more of my crafty layouts on my blog at: scraplifterdesigns.blogspot.com or on IG @jessicanavarro75.
Here's how Jessica solved the second August Case File: Case File #417 called to me from the sea! During our recent vacation to Maine, we spent a lot of time on boat excursions; including a harbor cruise as the sunset on the 4th of July. We were lucky enough to see a juvenile humpback whale surface and wrapped up the cruise with amazing fireworks over the ocean. Since this was a boat excursion, I loved the idea of writing my journaling as an itinerary and used that as my Testimony. The colors immediately reminded me of the Simple Stories Simple Vintage Vintage Seas line, so I solved the case using the color scheme: medium/light blue, navy, and rusty red. For my evidence I used striped ribbon, woodgrain tiny arrows, nautical-themed ephemera and stickers, a paper with a lighthouse for my background, a notecard with a boat (and my photos are of us on the boat), a life preserver in the banner at the top, and a couple of foam hearts. I created die-cut waves and added nuvo jewel drops to the tops to give them shiny whitecaps. Additionally, I stamped my journaling lines and the itinerary times, I put a little photo of the cresting humpback in a window up in my banner, I used ink splatters on my background, I used enamel dots for circles, seagull stickers, and chipboard whales. I had a lot of pictures I wanted to document on this page so I stretched it to a double page layout. I love to include lots of photos on my layouts and this case was the perfect inspiration! I can’t wait to see how you solve this fun seaworthy case!
Supplies used on my layout: Simple Stories Simple Vintage Vintage Seas paper, ephemera stickers, labels, tabs, foam stickers and enamel dots; Elle's Studio stamps; Tim Holtz distress oxides speckled egg and faded jeans; Quickutz wave die; Nuvo jewel drops sea breeze and steel blue; CTMH wood arrows; and misc. ribbon from my stash.
Supplies used on my layout: Simple Stories Simple Vintage Vintage Seas paper, ephemera stickers, labels, tabs, foam stickers and enamel dots; Elle's Studio stamps; Tim Holtz distress oxides speckled egg and faded jeans; Quickutz wave die; Nuvo jewel drops sea breeze and steel blue; CTMH wood arrows; and misc. ribbon from my stash.
CASE FILES
In the USA, lots of families head to the beach in August for one last summer hurrah before school starts, so that's what we're celebrating with our Case Files this month. As always, you don't have to scrap these topics. 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: Juney B Design
Image credit: Pinterest
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.
INSPIRATION
And now, are you ready for some serious inspiration? A reminder of our first Case File...
CSI DETECTIVES
Here's what our design team created with this month's first Case File. We will share creations for our other Case File on the 15th of the month.
CASE FILE CLUES
Choose as many or as few as you are inspired to use! You don't have to use all of the categories of clues. Use what inspires you, or challenge yourself to use as many clues as you can. Or just use the image to inspire you as you wish!
Testimony Link: August Prompts
Testimony Link: Get Write Down to It
We trust we've provided enough clues for you to solve the Cases! You have until September 4, 2023, to solve both cases. We can't wait to see what you'll create! Upload your creations in our Facebook Group (album links in sidebar).
