Sunday, November 4, 2007

Busy Weekend





Goodness!! I got a bunch of stuff done this weekend! After being sick, then my boys getting sick I just could not get back in the groove with stamping or scrapbooking! But I HAD to get things done for Novel Approach Design Team. So, the 3 Scrapbook Layouts are for the design team, and the journal is made from Stampin'Up! Products! I'm quite pleased! :)

The first layout is my favorite! I used the Technique Tuesday FUNdamental Rings to create all the circles. The chipboard circles are "naked" or "raw." I glued the pattern paper to the circles, cut the circles out with my craft knife, then use a sanding block to around the edges to smooth everything out. Chloe's Closet - Rawhide Collection (Lucky & Bandana) pattern paper. A White Gel pen was used to do the doodling along the edges. The font for the Title is CK Toddler and the journaling is CK Jot!

The second layout was so hard for me to do. It was the first one I started on, but I just could not get started on it. The best technique was the Faux Suede of the Caramel cardstock. I wrinkled, crumbles, and played with the cardstock until the two layers started to come apart. Then, I peeled the two parts away from each other, and used the "inside" of the cardstock as my backgroud.

The third layout was pretty simple I did to want to take away from the eyelets and scallops on the side. I changed my pictures to black and while and used Bo Bunny Double Dot Chipboard. for the letters. The did not have two "Y"'s so I just cut out the negative part. Then balanced out the layout by doing the same thing with the "W."

The journal is a gift for a friend, but I might use it for a class. I used the Cutie Pie Designer Series Paper from Stampin'Up! and the Doodle This stamp set. (I think this is my favorite set!) The ribbon is also from Stampin'Up! it is the Double Stitched Ribbon.

Have a great week! :)

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Harley's 1st Birthday



Our little cowboy's 1st Birthday!



































Friday, October 12, 2007

Learning Photoshop

I'm exploring the wonderful world of digital scrapbooking and playing with Photoshop 7.
I learned how to add my watermark!! Yeah!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Vacation

Dylan took vacation last week, but instead of going some where we just stayed home. We took the boys on several short day trips. I thought this calendar page would be a great idea to show all the things we did during our week. I used Stampin'Up! 1-3/8 square punch for all the pictures and journaling on the calendar page. The calendar paper and the letters "vacation" was from CherryArte princess collection. The 2007 journal tag was from daisyds Family Journal Tag Collection. The title "Dada's" was created using Creating Keepsakes Creative Lettering CD Font is Fun Boxes.












This is another layout I did for Novel Approaches Design Team. I used K & Company Small Wonders Boy Paper and Embossed Stickers. The font for the title was DC Make a Wish.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Thanks


Here is a card I did for my LSS design Team. The sparkles on the faux button (made by using a 1/16th punch twice side by side then punched out with a 1-1/4" circle punch) were created by me being impatient with my Crystal Effects. I wanted to create a bubble effect by I was getting tired of waiting for the Crystal Effects to dry and I decided to use my heat gun to speed up the process. Instead of creating the "bubble" look it created a sparkle look. I thought it was pretty cool looking so I duplicated the look with the circle under the word "Thanks". The ribbon was from May Arts, the word "Thanks" was created with my Cricut, the flowers were Primas Big Box Blooms. The base of the cards is a magnetic card from Petaloo.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Happy Birthday Hubby

It is my husband's birthday today ...so here are a few cards I made for him. I've been trying to start incorporating my scrapbook papers in my card making. For some reason I seem to stamp on cards and not use pattern paper. I love the look of pattern paper on cards, plus it makes the cards quick! Well, I better get back to getting things finished for my design team. I have a great scrapbook that I created that I will post soon! I think it is very unique!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Crop-A-Dile

I love my Crop-A-Dile! My husband actually said that it was my best scrapbooking investment I ever made. (He was tired of me waking him up in the middle of the night pounding my eyelets!) But the most exciting thing about the Crop-A-Dile is that Stampin'Up! now carries it! I knew that it made setting eyelets a breeze, but did you know it can emboss? This was something I learned at the Stampin'Up! Convention this year! Well, in case you threw away the important directions on the back of the Crop-A-Dile I will post them below:

TOP
A - 3/16 INCH EYELET SETTER - For all 3/16 inch standards and oversized eyelets
B - 1/8 INCH ROUND SNAP SETTER - Dish shaped for all 1/8 inch round standard snaps
C - 1/8 INCH EYELET SETTER - For all 1/8 inch standard and oversized eyelets
D - FLAT SETTER - For all oversized, miscellaneous and square shaped metal embellishments and snaps

BASE
1 - LARGE/EXTRA LARGE EYELET AND SNAP FLARE - For all 3/16 inch standard, oversized, and miscellaneous eyelets and snaps
2 - MEDIUM EYELET AND SNAP FLARE - For other non-standard, oversized, and miscellaneous eyelets and snaps
3 - SMALL EYELET AND SNAP FLARE - For all 1/8 inch standard, oversized, and miscellaneous eyelets and snaps
4 - CONE SHAPED FLARE - For snaps and eyelets where the eyelet tube is not completely hollow and for other miscellaneous cast metal eyelets and snap shapes.

The setting I use the most:
Standard Eyelets use: C - 3
Large Eyelets use: A - 1
Standards Snap use: B - 3
Emboss Small Circles: A - 1

Friday, August 10, 2007

Reverse Masking


Finally my love of office supplies and stamping are combined! This is a sample of reverse masking technique using post-it notes as a mask. You can find a great tutorial at SCS by Beate Johns. I used Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, and Close to Cocoa ink and paper. The Stampin'up! stamp sets are Doodle This, Label Classics, and Hugs and Wishes. I also use Gingham Light Blue ribbon. We will be creating this card at my next class on August 24th. Email me for more information regarding the class.


Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Embossing Resist

Here is a sample of one of the projects we did at my last stamping class. We did Embossing Resist with one of my new sets Barque Motifs from © Stampin'Up! You can find a great tutorial to this technique on splitcoaststampers.com by Beate Johns.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

1st Projects for Design Team

After being chosen to be on the Design Team for Novel Approach I was given some beautiful paper and accessories created by Basic Grey's Infuse line. I'm very excited about being on the Design Team, and can't wait to see what products I get to use next.

I also have less than a week before I go to Denver to the Stampin'Up! Convention.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Design Team


I'm excited! I was just announced as new member of a LSS (Novel Approach) Design Team. Here is the newsletter announcing it. Novel Approach is located in Friendswood, TX.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Mom, You will be so proud :)

I do not sew! (That is my mom's job) I wish I did sometimes - especially after it took me 10 mins to thread the needle even with the instruction book right in front of me. What you see is a before and after picture of our jogging stroller. It seems to have frayed, and just started falling apart the last couple days. Well, I tried calling the BabyTrend (will no luck or response back) I decided to take things in my own hands. I nice lady helped me at Hobby Lobby find the straps, and I purchased 2 yards. Now, I'm ready! It took me a while, but I took apart the old straps and figured out how to thread the new ones! Viola... 1 hour later ....it is safe for me to take my boys for a walk again! My mom will be so proud!

Now, I understand how people feel when they start to scrapbook. I was overwhelmed just trying to figure out how to thread the needle let alone the pressure of actually making something! The funny thing I have the sewing machine not for sewing material, but for scrapbooking!!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Father's Day Cards


Just a quick couple Father's Day Cards I did tonight. :)

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Samples of Retired Stamp Sets















Here are some samples of cards made out of Stampin'Up!'s retired stamp sets. I counted today...I have 53 stamp sets that are being retired! I'm definitely looking forward to the new catalog, so I can replace some of these sets.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

My Banner / Digital Scrapbooking

I have not had much experience with digital scrapbooking, but I think some of the pages are beautiful! I downloaded a free digital scrapbooking kit from www.creatingkeepsakes.com one day, and I finally had time to play with it today. I created my banner for my blog! It was a digital kit by Jessica Sprague called Echos of Asia.

I just checked www.creatingkeepsakes.com, and they have another free digital kit called Strawberry Lemonade by Jessica Sprague. Download your free copy today. I just did!

Baby Formula Cans


My youngest son is 7-1/2 months old, and we use formula in his cereal in the mornings. We just finished our first can of formula. I was just about to throw it away, and my husband said "You're not going to save that?" (Usually, I save everything, but with two little ones I just don't have enough room for it anymore) As I took a second look at the can I realized it was something that would be good to hold pencils, pens, or misc. items. After I decorated it, I was going to keep it for myself, but then I realized it was just too cute! I decided to give it to my hostess on Monday to say "Thank You" for hosting a party. I think the can came out pretty cute! So, now I have to find room for baby formula cans in my craft room!

Friday, June 8, 2007

Oh how times have changed

I look back to how I scrapbook a couple years ago verses how I scrapbook now! I sure have changed my style. I hardly ever used background paper, and only a little bit of coordinating pattern paper, a few embellishments, and my ugly handwriting. Now, I always have tons of cardstock, embellishments, ribbons, and journal by computer. (I know, I know you should journal in your own handwriting, but I just hate mine!!) Check out my then and now scrapbook pages.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Stamps / Magazine Storage


To hold my Scrapbooking and Stamping magazines I have colorful magazine holders from abcdistributing. I really don't have a creative way to store my stamps like some people have a dot system or organized by themes. I have mine stacked by size of storage box and the names of the stamp set is on facing out. It works for me! However, sadly, a bunch of these stamp sets are about to be retired this year!! I lost a bunch of stamp sets this time. Click here to view Stampin'Up!'s retired list for 2007.

Punches / Tools


I use clear over the door shoe organizers to hold most of my scrapbooking tools. The clear pockets make it very easy to find everything I need. I actually have 2 over the door organizers on each of my doors to my craft room. I purchased these from Target for $5.99 each!

Ink Storage


For my ink I purchased this wooden storage unit from www.kingdom.com. It is suppose to be for cassette tapes, but my Stampin'Up! ink pads fit perfectly in this unit.

Scissor / Paper Trimmer / Mat Storage




I was looking for a good way to keep all my scissors that I use all the time. I did not like keeping them in a cup because it would always tip over. I use a men's tie and belt rack to hold all my scissors. I have paper scissors, small scissors, material/wireless ribbon scissors, wired scissors, wire scissors, and my rubber/craft scissors.






For my thin paper trimmers and self-healing mats I have a old student chair pocket that I had leftover from when I was a teacher. These work great! I also have one on my chair that I keep my Stampin'Up! Catty close at hand.


Ribbon Storage


I'm addicted to buying ribbon, but the problem is I'm run out of room to store it. I have two ways that I store ribbon. The first is a wooden rack my father built for me (thanks Dad) and the other is the white wire shelves from ClosetMaid #8033. I have four of these white racks creating my Wall of Ribbon. On the bottom rack I have Large Packet Pal (Also from ClosetMaid # 3937) to hold ribbon on cardboard vs. spools. The wire racks was my newest addition to my craft room! I think I'm really going to love it!

Craft Room


It seems that most of my time is spent organizing my craft room instead of actually creating in my craft room. I am an office supply nerd and love to organize! BUT this is it! I'm done....It is time to start crafting, stamping, and scrapbooking. But first I wanted to share with you some pictures of my room and my storage ideas.