Just a quickie

I'm immersing myself in actual scrapbooking this weekend (now don't faint, please!)! Yes, scrapbooking with my scrapbooking supplies - who knew. Anyways, hanging out at the Ice Cream Social online crop at Scrapperie. Most of the challenges are for actual scrapbook pages so I'm going to try to get some done. Of course, I've already finished the ONE challenge for an altered item so I'll share, lol!

I had cats when I was younger and one of them liked going on jaunts in the backyard on a leash. Sooo, I picked up one for Max. Now understand, while my cat spends all his waking hours (all two per day, maybe?) running from window to window meowing and fretting. He has escaped maybe 3 times and seriously freaks out for some reason when he gets outside. Yes, my kitty is terrified of the outside world that fascinates him as long as he's safely inside. So no, the leash was NOT a successful experiment. But it was sitting here...so I decided to alter it. And make a hanger so I could hang it up permanently. The hanger went MUCH quicker than the leash itself - probably only 10-15 minutes of hands on time. Bo Bunny paper, Prima flowers, glittery brads from Making Memories, and glittery chipboard letters from Scrapworks. I used the Crop-a-dile to punch the holes and set the eyelets in the leash. I wish I'd not put them so cose together (aka there were WAY too many, lol, and the Crop-a-dile is not comfortable for me with that much use at once). Also, if you want to eyelet a leash, try a leather one instead. This woven thing did NOT like holes being punched in it (frayed all over the place - the back is a disaster, lol).

I think Max needs a new collar. Hmmmm...

It started out as yet another attempt at the Ali Edwards butterfly collage...

It really did. I've been meaning to make a version of Ali's project ever since I bookmarked it back in February, lol! I had gotten the Martha Stewart punch AFTER the first time I tried this (with the circles here). After doing some playing, I found that I really loved this punch layered with a bit of folding to the top butterfly to give it dimension. So I made a pile of them without particularly counting or anything. I used several double-sided sheets of Cosmo Cricket from the Gretel line. Yes, sigh, I DID think about applying for the DT position and picked up a few more pieces of Cosmo Cricket last time I was in Champaign, but in the end decided I probably didn't have enough of their newer stuff to stand a chance so decided against it after all. Anyways. After I had all these cute little butterflies, I thought it might be cute to do their centers in glitter. So out came the Scribbles. Then I was in love with the sparkle so added some more to the edges of the wings.

I was finally ready to make my collage. I had an 8x8" shadow box frame from EK I wanted to use for this. I tried it on white. Eh. Tried it on various colors from the Gretel line. Eh. I give up. That collage just doesn't seem to be in the cards for me, lol! So instead I just started to play with the design of the paper I liked best for this and remembered a picture I had of my son and his dad (one of our last outings as a family, come to think of it) and thought it would be just perfect. I plan on giving it to my son's grandma - it includes most of her favorite things - her grandson, her son, and loads of GLITTER, lol! Yes, more glitter on the background as well as some bits of Glossy Accents. A few more butterflies on the frame itself and voila - ready for Grandma's enjoyment! I still have about a dozen more completed butterflies and am almost done with another project using two. I'll share it later! LOVING how it is coming out though!

Here is the frame opened (it opens from the front like a book) to keep the glare off.



This is a closeup of the upper left corner.


This is an extreme closeup of one of the butterflies.


Closeup of the butterflies on the frame itself.


And a bad shot of the whole project. Sorry - had the excess help of a seven year old bouncing through the room while I was trying to do this!

Seaside Nest for Rent

I apologize for the underlining, I have no idea how I made it do that or how to un-do it! Anyone experienced with Blogger who can tell me how to fix this?

I picked up this little truck birdhouse from Michael's for my son. I had him pick out the papers and he decided on these beachy papers from Creative Imaginations. Probably not what I would have done with a truck, but he seems to like it! I thought the little "mobile home" effect was rather cute though!

Little Boy's Treasure Box

This was in the May issue of Scrapbook News + Review. It's a recipe box I altered to make a little treasure box for my son, who is continually starting up new "collections". I used the Cogsmo line from Cosmo Cricket, which I think is just such a fun line! I also used an old Making Memories ribbon slide with some ribbon poking out from the sides. Not much to it - it went pretty fast and I think it currently holds excess lego pieces...

Welcome Sign

See this in the July issue of Scrapbook News + Review~
I made this for my front porch. I got one of these little unfinished scroll plaques at Walmart (hey, it's the only craft supplier left in town...how pathetic is that!). This Fountain Blu paper from Zsiage's Vintered line is still one of my favorites - I just love it! Anyways, it just so happens that the Tim Holtz color Frayed Burlap matches PERFECTLY. So I used the crackle paint on the sides of the plaque and on all the chipboard pieces. The chipboard letters are 1.5" Monica font from Zsiage and the little scrolls and the flower center are also from Zsiage. The flower is from Prima, with a punched flower from the Fountain Blu paper on top. All in all, a pretty easy project - even with drying time I probably only spent a couple of hours on it. Click on the picture to see a better view of the way the crackle paint looks on the chipboard. :)

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Scrapbook News + Review calls and news!

Are you tired of me yet today? LOL! I know this is the third post today and I promise the last (although I have one set up for tomorrow morning...) but I just wanted to share some of the happenings over at Scrapbook News + Review. First of all, if you haven't checked this new e-zine out yet, you're totally missing out! I am working with some amazing talent and each issue gets better and better (and if you subscribe, you get all back issues as well so you won't miss a thing!). I've just taken over the Altered and Home Dec section and coming in August will be having some really cool changes to the section. I'll be posting the calls for that issue shortly (trying to get the July issue calls closed first!). In the meantime, we're always looking for talented paper artists - scrapbookers, stampers, altered artist, cardmakers, send them in!

July calls:

Call Guidelines

Please submit your pages with the following guidelines:

• Pages only (unless specified) -- no altered projects, mini albums or home decor
• Of any size
• Can be traditional, hybrid or digital (please specify)
• No restrictions on whether it has been posted to an online gallery, blog, etc., but we respectfully request that you take them down when requested for publication.

Submit to subs@scrapbooknewsandreview.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Deadline: June 30, 2008

Call Descriptions

By Style

In each issue of Scrapbook News & Review, we'll feature scrapbook pages by style and skill level. As a chance to see as many styles and genres as possible, for this call only, we will not restrict the amount of submissions per scrapbooker. In fact, we would prefer to see at least 3 to 5 layouts per scrapbooker in order to give us an idea of how well defined your style is.

We're currently looking for pages and projects of any size or subject. It must be a clearly defined style, i.e. clean and simple, modern and graphic, shabby chic, classic, freestyle, eclectic, etc. Please include the style category you feel best describes your work.

Military

We're looking for pages and projects of any size that reflect and honor our soldiers. Whether a veteran or on active duty, we want layouts that showcase everything from uniforms and training camps to life on base and in foreign countries.

American ME

Or Canadian, or French or Dutch. Patriotism is alive and well and Scrapbook News & Review. Show us how deep your roots grow! We're looking for pages that reflect your national heritage, culture, and traditions.

No Place Like Home

Ah, home sweet home. Tell us all about yours. We're looking for layouts that reflect your hometown, your birthplace or even where you�d love to live someday! Show us how much you love your home!

Textiles

If you tend to reach for soft embellishments such as fabric, ribbon, felt and trim, we want to see your layouts! Show us the creative ways you use textiles on your pages.

Monochromatic Pages

Choose a color and complete a page using a monochromatic scheme with that color. It may be a simple approach but we bet the results are spectacular!

Retro Shapes & Pages

It's retro baby! Retro chic that is. We're dying to see your pages that showcase things from the past � tie-dyed shirts, poodle skirts, old cars, you name it, we want to see it. Add some fun retro shapes and you have magic in the waiting.

Style Departure

If you have a style and stick to it, we dare you to try something new. With Style Departure, we want two pages -- one that shows your usual style in action and one that is dramatically different from your typical status quo.

Altered Art, Mini Books & Home Decor

Mini Albums

American/Canadian/French Me/Etc, Military or Designers Choice

Altered Art/Home Decor

Designers Choice

I hope everyone will submit - can't wait to see all the fabulous projects you come up with!! I'll catch you up with the latest calls for August in another couple of weeks, including the first calls for the revamped Altered/Home Dec section (yea, I'm a little excited about the plans I've made for this!)!

Happy Mail!

Gosh I love happy mail days! Today definitely fit the bill! I got an awesome blog RAK package from Stephanie! Just LOOK at all the yummy goodies she sent me! I really need to get my son to bed on time tonight because I am totally going to do some stamping with these stamps! Soooo in love with them all! And look! 6x6 square envies - I think she's been reading my mind (or my posts at SNR, lol) that I never do anything but standard sizes because of the envelope issue (as in I just can't bring myself to make them, lol)! But I'm a big fan of the 6x6 size of anything so I'm excited to have a way to do cards that size too now. And speaking of cards, those packs of pre-made (my favorite) cards at the bottom of the picture? The texture is AMAZING! Not sure the brand (packaging doesn't say), but they're gorgeous!


She sent this gorgous card along with the package - it's amazing! Ok, see all the stripes? Each one is placed separately and I'm just beyond impressed because everything is lined up so perfectly I had to look close to even be sure they WERE done in strips like that!


And I REALLY want one of these custom stamps now! Is that just the cutest thing!!! Her name and blog addy - LOVE this (it was stamped on the back of the card).


If you haven't been to Stef's blog, it's definitely a must-see! She does incredible cards - lots of stamping and sketches! Eye candy just about every day so definitely worth getting the feed (have I mentioned i LOVE how up-to-date I'm staying on my blog feeds now that I'm on Firefox?).

Daisy Birdhouse

Remember the frame I made a while back using the daisy paper from Imaginesence? I came across the scraps from that paper and realized I had enough to do up a little birdhouse to match.

The small design really worked well with my tiny birdhouses! The reverse side made a perfect roof as well. I went a little nuts again with the Scribbles, dotting everything in sight. I also pulled out some chipboard flowers from American Crafts (dotted with Scribbles, lol) and some Rhinestone elements from Heidi Swapp I got in the card kit from Memories from the Attic (I won this from a drawing on Scrapscene!).

Totally simple and totally makes me smile!

Some more cards

Yea, I had a weekend where I was working on cards for Scrapbook News + Review and just couldn't stop! I think I ended up with 18 cards that weekend, I'm just not positive where they all went, lol! There are probably some in the pile on my dining room table (it's scary...) so I'll try to dig for them later. But here are a few of them anyways.

Patterned papers - Zsiage. Stickles - Ranger. Stamp - Hero Arts. Ribbon - Ribbon FX. Other - pop up adhesive by 3L.

Patterned papers - Summer Picnic Blossom and Summer Picnic Stitched Stripe from the Shabby Princess Collection by Bo Bunny. Cardstock - Bazzill. Foam letters - American Crafts. Flowers - Making Memories. Brad - Making Memories. Flower shaped brads - Making Memories. White Souffle Pen - Sakura.

Patterned paper - My Mind's Eye. Flowers - Hobby Lobby. Stamp - unknown. Rubon - Making Memories. Flower bling - Heidi Swapp. Ink - Ranger. Glossy accents - Ranger. Chipboard oval - Creekbank Creations.

Some new cards

I know, I've been a bad blogger this past week or so! With school out it's just been much harder to sit down at the computer for extended periods of time...already getting the "Mommy, I'm bored - play with me", lol! We're finally starting t settle down into more of a routine though and I've been planning lots of projects for Michael to do his own arts and crafts. So instead of that guilty feeling whenever I work on MY stuff, I get to share the time enjoying creating WITH him. It's a great thing, knowing my son enjoys getting crafty with mommy!

I have tons of things I've been working on the past few months to share as soon as I can get them all photographed and written up so stay tuned! To start, here are a couple of the cards I sat down and made recently (LOTS more, but most are for upcoming issues of Scrapbook News + Review!). Both were done with the Starr Brights II collection (designed by Jen Starr) from Zsiage. I have to admit - when I first saw this line I wondered how I would ever create anything with it! Totally out of my element (hello, I'm SCARED of orange, lol!). When I sat down with it to make the Scrap-O-Dex for my mom, I found myself falling in love with the line. Pulling out my Xacto knife opened up a whole new world for me with just this one sheet of paper (Dutch Garden). Taking that busy, busy sheet and pulling out elements one or two at a time gives sooooo much to work with!



This first card uses a background of Peony paper and just a few elements cut from the Dutch Garden paper. I cannot stress enough how much easier it is to make detailed cuts like this on a glass mat rather than a self-healing one! I used Zsiage chipboard letters (1.5" Monica font) covered in Frosted Lace Stickles from Ranger and added the Stickles also to anything white in the cutout pieces. Except for drying time, the card still only took about a half hour, with a lot of that time spent just rearranging the pieces until I liked the arrangement.



This next one used the Dutch Garden paper as the background, with a few elements from the Lida paper. I used my Making Memories ribbon slot punch to make the slots to run the strip of paper through. The chipboard letters are Zsiage again, in 1.5" Prim and Proper font. I covered them and also edged different elements using a Sakura glaze pen. It wasn't until it dried that I discovered how different of a purple it turned out though. I also used an Xacto to cut int the patterned paper to slide the smaller element right into the design.

Don't think you can use an Xacto knife? I promise - get a glass mat (or make one - I use a piece of glass I've covered the edges of with electrical tape!) and just play. You will NOT regret honing this skill once you find all the things you can do with it! All your patterned papers will take on a whole new meaning when you can cut big or small elements out to change things up. I am probably the only paper crafter in the world who has not yet given in to the home die cut machine craze, but having discovered the versatility my simple Xacto knife gives me I'm still not tempted! Oh! And one more tip - this is not the place to skimp on blades. Buy them in bulk (you can get 50 or 100 packs at most craft stores - check the drafting aisles) whenever you have a coupon to burn. I change my blades OFTEN. It really makes a difference to have a super sharp blade.

Teacher Gift Birdhouse

Well, today was the last day of 1st grade for my son, Michael! He's been ready for his 6-week summer break for about a month now, lol!

I had originally planned on making another frame for Michael's teacher, similar to the one I made for his kindergarten teacher last year (here), but Michael insisted that I do a birdhouse for her instead (I've got him addicted too, lol!). Since his school loops their teachers two years in a row, I can always make her a frame next year.

So I asked him what her favorite color was - of course he didn't know, but he did say she wore red a lot. Sooo, I picked out a couple of coordinating papers from My Mind's Eye's Tres Jolie line that featured a pretty shade of red. The manila paint from Making Memories happened to go nicely, so I used that for my base. I wanted to keep it fairly simple, so the only decoration I used was the Prima flowers, with dimensional paint from PSX for the centers. I just kept looking at those x's and decided some understated bling was in order, so used a clear glitter pen from Sakura for the centers there. Just the right amount of sparkle!

On a funny note...the Beacon's 3-in-1 glue I use has a tendency to occasionally bubble. Usually it's easily noticeable and quick to just pop with a needle tool or my fingernail. However when i attached the birds to this one, apparently I didn't notice a bubble. It wasn't until I went to photograph it zoomed in that I saw the hardened bubble...yup, right under the top bird's rump! It was comical, but I decided my son's poor teacher didn't need to see the birdie doing it's thing, lol! So there's a little excess clear glue under there, but at least it's no longer a big obvious (how did I not see it??) bubble anymore!

Rubon Booklet Storage

I altered this little wooden gift bag to hold my rubon books from Making Memories. This keeps them neat and tidy because it fits them perfectly! I matched it to the alcohol ink carrier I had made and both are featured in my new article at Scrapbooking.com Magazine in the brand new June issue. All the items used are the same as for the ink carrier and still, between the two projects, I think I still came in under $10 in supplies!