New Matchbook Album

Two weeks ago, as I was drifting off to sleep, I suddenly thought of a great project for my grandaughter-by-proxy, Hannah.  No, not for her to do, although it would be easy enough for a seven year old to put together.

No, this was for me to do for her.  You see, her birthday is in July.  The poor kid has never been in one place long enough to make friends, much less have a party with all of them.  She is, however unlike me, a social butterfly and is dying to have a birthday party.  I told her she needed to get all her friends addresses and phone numbers so when summer came we could get those invites out.  Well, that's easy to say to a seven year old, but without the tools - where does one start?

So, as I was drifting off to la-la land and not really getting there, I began wishing for a cigarette - totally smoke free for over two years now, but still crave, especially on sleepless nights - when I thought of matches, which made me think of matchbook, which made me think of my Cricut, which made me think that I could super-size the matchbook option and make an autograph album!

The mind DOES work in mysterious ways!

Well, I cut one out but it was way too small, so I just crafted one out of a strip of 6" x 12" peice of cardstock.  I used Blossoms & Butterfies by DCWV.  I ended up cutting the pages for it out of textured cardstock and then punching them with an office page puncher.  I used a hand punch to put holes in the album cardstock because the other puncher wouldn't put them where I wanted them. 

I then used some pink and green ribbon from Oriental Trading Co. to hold the autograph paper in the album.  After some refolding, I ended up with a pretty cool little album. 

I thought of adding some embellishments and some glitter glue, but I think she'll want to make it her own.  I was also wondering how I'm going to get complete addresses from seven year olds, but I'm hoping the teacher will help her with that.  Oh well, mema can't think of everything!

I hope you like my project. I'm going to do a few more for her and her brother for the sports they're playing this summer.  They'll have something to show their friends in the fall - kind of like a brag book!  I'll post those as I get them done.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on crafting!  As always, comments are most welcome!

Sorry So Long!

Good morning cyber friends!

It's been awhile since I posted and I have to say that it's not because I didn't want to, it's because I've been so busy!  It seems lately that everyone wants/needs some part of my free time and I've been overwhelmed.  I'm also planning to take a moment this weekend to just scrap!  Last night I put together some photos that I'm sending off to the printer to get me motivated to start a new album and to work on some that are in-progress.

That said, I have a couple projects to show you.  One is a thank you card that I made for a friend of my boyfriend's who sent me all her scrapbooking supplies.  It was a hobby she thought she'd like to get into and then decided it wasn't for her.  She ended up sending me a load of paper, stickers, and some markers.  I think the kids will have a ball with it and there's some that I've kept for myself, but I neglected to send her a thank you and I've been kicking myself for a month now to get one out to her.  Sooooo, the other night I made myself make one.  I cut out and put together a flower pot of cardstock and then used Tim Holtz distress ink to make it look textured.  The stems are cut from textured paper and I used a Fiskars flower punch and layered the flowers and used a coordinating brad for the center.  I also used a gold stamp pad to ink the edge of the card.  Here's how it came out.  The thank you is actually written on the inside because I couldn't figure out where to put it on the front.

My next project is a two page LO for the kid's album.  I'm doing Christmas right now.  I had to skip Halloween because I don't have the right paper and it's driving me crazy!  I'm still looking and will hopefully have some soon!  I have no idea who the paper is by but it's from a StoryTeller's Club kit (http://www.storytellersclub.com/).  If you're looking for a kit club I loved that one!  I joined it the year I quit smoking.  The way it worked (in my head) was that I would spend my smoke money on scrapbooking.  I used the Winter Woodlands Cricut cartridge for the lettering.  Now, I just found out that it had a font option.  I've had that cartridge for a year now!  It really helps if you read the booklet that comes with it! The pictures are matted on coordinating cardstock, and I used some of the embellishments that came with the kit.



I don't know why it won't insert the correct way! Sorry for having to look sideways!



It's funny, but I am enjoying these children so much.  I know I've said it before, but everything with them is a first.  This was the first time that they met Santa.  If they ever did before they can't remember, and I feel so honored to be a part of their lives.

Saturday night we took Gaige to a dance recital.  He sat through the whole thing, all three hours of it, and he didn't get fidgety until the end.  He asked what the kids names were, what the next song was, was it ok to point at them when asking questions about them.  It was just amazing his interest in them.  I asked him if he'd like to take lessons and he said yes.  I'd like to do this for him, and his sister as well, only I have a feeling his dad won't allow it.  Lessons start up again in August or September and I'm going to look into it.  Maybe if his dad realizes that it's hip-hop and not ballet he'll let him go.  I have to say- he seemed to like it all, including the ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop.

Well, I'm running on and on, so I'll stop here.  I hope you enjoyed the projects.  This weekend is the Hero Blog Hop which I have my project all ready to show.  I hope you'll stop in and check it out.  I may have a small giveaway too, so be sure to hop in!

As always, comments are always welcome!  Happy scrapping!

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!

Post Hop Drop Down

So it's the day after the weekend long hop and we're back again to no comments.  That's ok because I feel like writing and sharing.  I worked on a birthday card for my mom last night - her birthday is today and I couldn't post it last night just in case she took a look at my blog.  It was highly unlikely but I didn't want to ruin the element of surprise. 

I knew I wanted a flower on my card but I wasn't sure of the design so I went back to the hop and looked at http://polkacabana.wordpress.com/author/polkacabana/ because I had seen a lovely ladybug card that I kind of wanted to copy.  I didn't but I tried to tie in part of what she did.  If you haven't been to Jeannie's site go check it out - she's awesome!

The Project:
The paper is Colorbok and the flower is random cardstock that I wet down and molded.  I popped a nice pearl in the middle to add some class.  I brushed it with a dark blue stamp pad along the edges for depth. 
Here's what I came up with:

I also downloaded some great fonts from http://www.clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/ and used the CK Andie font.  I thought it looked really cool.  I also stamped it with this cute little hummingbird stamp that I picked up at Joann's for a song.  I hardly stamp - I just can't get into it.  My boyfriend picked up a bunch of them at a yard sale last year for me.  Not sure I'm going to keep them.  They may become a RAK in the future when I get my new craft area.

Well, I hope you enjoy the card.  I had a really good time making it and my mom liked it so I guess I did good.

On a different note, I took my seedlings outside today for a little while to weather them.  Here you can see the way I transported them back into the house - on a silver platter!  Nothings too good for my future food!

Art Journal Part 1

   My Fiskateer friends are at it again! Cheryl, one of the fabulous Fiskateer leads, has posted an idea that she wanted to share with the rest of us.  It was to create an art journal, and although I don't know what it's all about yet, I decided to try it.

 Tonight I created the cover.  I used a blank 7gypsies book and covered the front with pretty pink card stock.  I love pink! It's my favorite color this year! I bordered the cover on one side with a border punchout by Colorbok, Nocturne collection. I really like the black on pink, and yes, I know it's very 80's, but those were my years! 

(Did I tell you I love listening to 80's and 90's music while I create?)

   I used the limited edition Fiskars Flower punch to create my own embellishment that just pops out at the bottom of the cover.  I punched out three different colored flowers, secured them together with a purple Colorbok brad, bent the flowers up and glued it to the book with Aleene's tacky glue.  That's the first glue that I've used that holds like, well, glue.  LOL!

   Last but not least I wanted my journal's title to stand out.  I wrote on black paper with my white Galaxy marker, cut out each word, traced the edge with the same marker, and glued it to the front.  I'm really pleased with the way it looks!  I can't wait for the next step!