New Project - Sympathy Card

Ah, so today was the funeral.  I've been wracking my brain as to what I can do for my friend and I ended up making my macaroni & cheese and a gorgeous tossed salad.   I should've kept a photo of that because it was truly beautiful.  I dropped that off to her the other night, along with a note (on the back of a Michael's coupon - it was the only note paper in my purse!) to let her know that if she needed anything that all she had to do was call.  That was bothering me too.  Why didn't I know what she needed?  Why couldn't I just figure it out and do it? 

Last night I made her a sympathy card.  I did some research on line and looked up sympathy sentiments.  Then I headed over to the Fiskateer website gallery and looked for some inspiration, then set down to work.  I started with basic dark brown cardstock cut to 6" x 8" and folded it on the 4" line.  I was looking for muted colors, but pretty, and I ended up using this pad of papers by Colorbok that I picked up last fall.  I loved the colors in it but I haven't used it yet.  The description on the back of the pad says Earth Tone, but it's mainly blues and browns - both colors that are calming and subdued enough for a sympathy card.

I cut a 4" x 6" piece of blue glittered, flower patterned paper for the front and then just blue scroll for the inside.  I used polka dot brown paper to cap the fold and I used a Martha Stewart border punch to give it a little class.  I printed the sentiments I found on a stone look piece of cardstock so that it would pop on the card.  I used the Heritage Cricut cartridge to do the frame on the front of the card and the George cartridge for the inside.  The front frame ends had to be cut off so it would fit on the card but it worked out pretty well.  Last but not least I added Heidi Grace Designs flowers to the front.  They're brads but I ended up gluing them on with Aileene's Tacky Glue because I didn't want to punch them through.

On the back I added some scroll work from the Heritage cartridge with a piece of cardstock stating that it was me that made the card.

That said and done I gave my friend the card today.  I hope she likes it. She couldn't look at it there because she was trying to stay composed.  She's lost her mother.  But I'll be making another card for her soon, as her birthday is Sunday and she'll be celebrating that as well as Mother's Day with her own children.  I'm sure it will be a bittersweet day for her and I hope my card helps her along.

As for not knowing what to do - I spoke with her husband before I left and he told me.  Just be there.  Make the phone call.  Stop by unannounced.  Make plans and then tell her she'll be there.  Make her included now more than ever. 

This I will do.

So cyber friends - as always your comments are greatly appreciated.  I hope you like my card and if you do please let me know!

Be well!

Creating an Album with Unibind

Welcome back! I love it that you're here, and that you're checking out my page!

In September of 2010 I won a Unibind Photobook Creator (http://www.facebook.com/#!/PhotobookCreator ) in an on-line contest.  I was so excited! First to win something and then realizing that I won a real quality product!  After I won it I had to finish a challenge, which I did, and post it on-line for the world to vote in, which they did.  I didn't win more but that was ok.  Winning once was too cool anyway!  The thing is, I had the product but it sat.  And sat.  I was worried about what to do with it.  Would I mess it up?  I had received three books to bind with the Creator and I didn't want to mess it up.

And then inspiration hit!  I was in an old office that was being ripped apart.  There was some old, er... vintage, wall paper on the wall, and whala! the light bulb in my head went off.  I ripped off a good sized chunk, rolled it up, and brought it home.  There it sat, for a month at least, until I decided to see what I had.  It wasn't in the greatest shape, but I cleaned it up- both sides and layed it out to dry.

Once it was dry I measured out what I needed and then tried to find the areas that weren't ripped or faded out.  Once that was done I cut what I needed and set the rest of the paper aside.  At this point I have to say that I received some great advice from my friend Ken Oliver at http://kensworldinprogress.blogspot.com/ .  I wasn't sure how to put the paper on and Ken suggested I use a wash made of Aleene's Tacky Glue and water and to use material for the spine.  He suggested using material because eventually the wallpaper would crack and give out.  It was a great idea!

After gluing on the wallpaper it was time for a trip to Joann Fabrics.  I brought my book with me to test out the materials against the colors.  I brought home two cotton quilting squares. 

At this point I want to ask you a question - have you ever been in the material section of a store and just about coughed your lungs out?  I'm not allergic to anything that I know of but I thought I was going to die!  As soon as I got to the scrapping stuff I was fine!

Once I finally made my fabric choice I decided I had better sew the edges so it looked finished.  I did a spine and two squares for the inside of the album.  I used my grandmother's sewing machine.  Isn't it beautiful?  She picked it up at a yard sale and sewed everything with it, including pillow cases, which I still have a few of.  She never taught me to sew and you can definitely see that in these photos!

Once all the material was ready I started gluing it into the album.  I used the Aleene's Tacky Glue full strength and tacked it on.  It worked beautifully! 

Once everything was dry I cut some heritage paper that will hold some great old photos when I'm done.

So what do you think?  Pretty good for a first time, right?  I have to say it came out really good and very much like I had visualized.  As always, your comments are welcome and I love them so comment a lot!  

Oh yeah, what happened to the leftover wallpaper, you might ask.  Well, I kept it all.  Some of the pictures on the wallpaper I cut out and some of the paper I might use to make some vintage flowers and maybe an embellishment for the front of this baby.

Happy Scrapping friends!  Thanks for dropping by!

If you like crafting don't forget to take a visit to see Ken's projects at http://kensworldinprogress.blogspot.com/ !