Mini Gulf

I can't believe it, but I did it.  During the college move out a few weeks ago, to get the huge hide-a-bed couch out of my creative space... I actually had to clean up some piles of 'crafty' stuff that have been sitting around since we moved in about 6(?) years ago.

I came upon a cute super size vellum envelope filled with pictures and scrap stuff from our 2002 trip to Gulf Shores Alabama.  I think I was going to make a scrap book page.  Instead....

... with the help of tutorial I made a mini album from "Following the Paper Trail".... the covers are out of chip board and patterned paper line the inside pages with pockets and flaps and special pull out sections, and then added the photos and other 'things' I had saved.

I still love to cut up brochures and maps and travel guides as the 'scrap' stuff  that I add to my pages.  One, it keeps me on the frugal side and two, I love to see old receipts and dated tickets (that's what really helps to bring back the memories).  Now that's what I'm talking real scrap book stuff!!!

This is a small mini album.  About 6 pages with room for about 12 'cropped' photos.  In all these years of creating whimsical cards... and scrap books.... and other paper crafting goodness... this week I actually finished an entire mini album.  Pictures and all!!!

It's not just about ideas, it's about making ideas happen.

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Flower Power

It is so fun just to sit back in my creative studio (ha ha) and make 2-4" circles out of a poly mix of material, slit them into quarters and then the fun part is to melt the edges with a candle flame to get the crinkly petal look.  I stitch the layers together up through the centers and then add a fun big button or bead in the middle.

They add such a pretty touch to any of the the thicker paper crafts I make.  Here is a sample of a mini scrap book.  I made this small 6"x 6" book with momochromatic colors using white, grey and black paper and embellishment.  Love how it turned out.

Details Matter

I'm having fun LEARNING something new every day (or trying to find that!) These made from scratch mini scrap books have been quite a challenge to re-cReate,  (following tutorials from Laura at Following the Paper Trail) but they are interesting, especially when it comes down to the details.

All the little elements put together to cReate the whole cover.  Hand cut and stitched Silk flowers with warped edges from a lit tea candle and a pretty little pearl cradled in the middle of all that fluffiness, 1/4" scored one inch strips of crisp paper that when fanned with a little coaxing turn into lolly pop circle flowers, add a coordinating button on top for the center. Cute dangles of beads and charms and wire works make for something that swings unexpected when the book is picked up.

Clips hold tiny messages and butterflies and flowers look best with a little stickles of glitter glue on their wings and petals.  And this is just the beginning of these cute mini scrap books... there is more when you open the first page...

We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us ~ Joseph Campbell

Charmed Heart

wow!  Look at that mix of textures!  Smooth bejewelled charm, ripped ribbon, fuzzy fiber, wickedly looped wire, punched paper.... part of the front cover to one of my recently completed mini scrapbook albums.

Pinks, reds and purples... must be a book from the heart!!

The flower punch is a new one I got from EK Success.... that was the item I got at J's 2 weeks ago that had a bright orange clearance sticker on it and the cashier rung it up full price.... I had to go back in the store after checking my receipt, realizing the mistake and then waiting in line to get a refund. 

Anyhow, it not only is a cute punch, but it creates a strip of the flowers together, like a ribbon.  So on this mini, I used it to hide or create the spaces to hold mini tags.

If you are a Green Bay Packer fan, you know that our football season is over.  They were certainly fun to watch.  Now my Sunday's have been freed up!

We took Bubba to the bus stop yesterday, he got back 'home' to Iowa last night at about 6:45pm.  Miss him already!  But he is in a great place.... growing up! (like we want him too) MLK(no FuN MaiL...) day, Sissy is off of school.... maybe we'll be back to normal tomorrow.... hope to LEARN a bit more about creating in my ART Journal, oh yes... need to tell my blog about the passport... stay tuned!

 Making mini scrapbooks.... these are so much fun and they take time and planning.  I love using my leftovers to create a fantastic page with different do-dads to see and interactive pockets to pull whimsy tags from. We'll call this one a shabby chic with lacey ribbon a fabric flower and some pearlized buttons. You can see a bit of corrugated cardboard, a paper rose bud and a flower pick or pin that is holding 3 little tags and an embossed button with what looks to be a butterfly?

Here's a side view A: because I think it's cool picture to take a close up of all the textures. B: always practicing my picture taking.  This mini is for sale.... not sure what a reasonable price would be for it.  Have any ideas?  Please, please leave me a comment... does the comment section work?????? The size is approximately 4-1/2"H x 6-1/2" W... room for little photos, or a journaling book to jot your favorite quotes.

No snow yet!  It's the big talk around here.... a December without snow!  Yes it's odd, but then the complaints will start flying the first day we get 2".  It's global warming.

Supposed to be a 'warm' weekend... perfect for taking down all the outdoor decor and getting on with the new year!

The answer to yesterday's question....the college boy was picked to go on stage with Blue Man Group!

Supreme Gift

What is the old saying... it's better to give than to receive? 

I was so excited about this little gift box.  I truly believe, NOW, that I work so much better under pressure.  I up-cycled the gift box.  Not a very good view here, but it was like half a cereal box that I just formed and glued Christmas patterned paper around.  Then I stuffed the box with some cre8tive greetings!!  A twelve variety pack of cards from a Christmas note to a get well card, to a thank you to a Zindorf specialty note.

On the sides of the gift box I made these 'super' cute tags from Laura at Following the paper trail.  That girl has some very intering and unique ideas.  It's fun to capture her ideas and then make it with what I have on hand.  The tags are interactive, so there is the black base, but then there are pockets on both sides that house other smaller tags, and all the cards match with the same themed paper.  And then cute ribbon bows 'tie' them all together but also make the box look fluffy on full on top.

And then finally, in the back of the box is this bright and cheery mini scrapbook.  Although and of course I love making cards... putting together these mini scrapbooks is ultimate fun. 

It is the challenge for me now to create all the different embellishments.. the tabs, the tags, the pockets, the flowers, the clip the ribbon.

So this ultimate supreme gift went to my husbands awesome WORK SPOUSE.  Have you heard that term?  It could be a Hollywood thing.  But my husbands Admin. Assistant sees him more than I do, and feels the stresses of his job ... more than I do!!!  So she is his work spouse (without benefits) once I got the idea and thought of this gift, I was like a mad woman on a cre8tive frenzy.  I had so many ideas, I was working up a sweat, my work area was getting smaller and smaller and there were more scraps on the floor than in the garbage can.  Finished....I stuck it in his car so he wouldn't forget to take it to work.... da, da da......... she took a few days of vacation .... early.... so he wasn't able to give it to her.  Boo hoo!! Deep breath.  It's the thought..... oh well!

What can I cre8te for you!!

It Takes Guts

Inside the bluesy mini scrapbook I showed you yesterday, are 6 envelopes decorated with pretty snowfall patterned paper.  Each envelope is cut so that there is a separate tag inside for journaling or a cute winter photo.  (I just make the mini scrapbooks, I don't fill it with photos or journaling, or scraps from an event)

I kept the snowflake theme throughout the book.  This is my favorite Martha Stewart punch.

I had fun trying to 'work' the embellishments.  That's one thing in mini scrapbook making that I have difficulty with.  Since I don't purchase the parts and pieces, it's making the embellishment items look like they are unique and that they belong, have a purpose for enlightenment on the page. 

Made lots of mini tags in blues and craft paper brown.  Added white ink smudge marks to the edges. It gives this book a slight grunge look, which is a good thing.

Love this patterned paper by Bo-Bunny.  It comes in a 6"x6" pack, all with designer coordinating colors, so you really don't have to think, all the pages match.  The circle lolly with the 4 snowflakes is actually on a clip that can be removed.  I like creating fun beaded charms with all my left over beads, it adds a great dangle.  Below the beads are a few more layered tags to give dimension to the front cover.  The ribbon is seam binding tape that I learned accepts Glimmer Mist.  So, you can make the white ribbon ANY color of the rainbow and more, if you purchase ALL the colors.  I just happened to have a blue... that worked out perfectly.

Went to a job interview yesterday.  I was not nervous at all.  I feel I've been to so many, but it was the first time I was in a group interview.  Two managers and 5 potential employees, all in one room.  They asked us questions and went around the room waiting for each one of us to give our take on what we would do in a situation.  Hmmm, do I feel good about it....? I don't really know what to think.... Stay tuned to see what happens!

Having the Blues

 Using a mish mash of different techniques and styles I created  a unique one of a kind Christmas gift for a friend and her two daughters, all things match in hues of blue.

Above are two personalized gift card holders. They are about 2-1/2"H x 4"W.  I have a lot of the very large chip board letters laying in my stash so I added some of the patterned paper, roughed the edges and then inked them.  Added them to the top of the white inked tag and topped that on the gift card holder.  I Glimmer misted the white ribbon so that it would coordinate with the blue color scheme.  Topped each letter with the perfect Martha Stewart snowflake punch. The gift card holders close together with velcro.

 When I make a mini scrap book after I use directions fro Following the Paper Trail with Laura, I have gotten in the habit of making  a matching card from the left over scraps.  That way, if I give the mini scrap book as a gift, I don't have to scramble to find a similar card.... one already matches from the scraps.  A snowman who has the blues. You've seen this snowman in a recent post.

Front cover view of the 'stacked' mini album.  I'll show the guts on another post.  I really love how all the elements came out on this mini made with small envelopes.   Topped with ribbons and bows, snowflakes an lolly flowers, tulle and beaded charms and a whole lot of inking going on.

So this is really a gift with a mix, but everything matches.  Gotta love that!  And it's made with a whole lotta loving going on!!!