Oh Happy Day!

A good friend of mine got married last week.  So I spent the weekend making her a little wedding album/memory book using the new Tim Holtz Idea-ology Chronicle Worn Cover.  It's the new larger format and it worked beautifully along with the new clear page pockets!  I used paper from the new Crate Paper lines, Oh Darling and Studio Board, and a few sheets of Heidi Swapp Color Magic Resist paper for the pages.

Along with that I included anything and everything in my stash that related to love and happiness!   Inside there are photo pages, corner pockets, tabs, and tags.  I also added pockets inside the front and back covers for memorabilia.

This is probably the quickest that I've ever put anything together.  I'm normally a slow worker!  I bought the supplies on Saturday and finished the album around 10pm on Sunday.  I was really pleased with the result and so was the recipient!  I can't wait to use the worn cover to make another album!  Please forgive the quality of these photos...they were hastily taken the next morning in the office, under glaring flourescent lights, before I gave it to her.

The cover and all of the pages were distressed with Brushed Corduroy distress ink.  So many different products were used that I'll just list them here at the end.  If anyone has a specific question about a stamp or die just leave it in a comment and I'll let you know where the product came from.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Companies used: Idea-ology, Ranger, Crate Paper, Heidi Swapp, Melody Ross, Mama Elephant, Close to My Heart, Stampin' Up, Simon Says Stamp, My Favorite Things, Quickutz/Lifestyle Crafts, My Mind's Eye, Webster's Pages, K & Company, Lawn Fawn, Prima, Sizzix.

Hello Again!

I hope that all is well with all of you!  It's been a long time since I've posted.  Time just seems to slip away and I haven't quite figured out where it goes yet!  I did a much needed clean-out of  my craft room.  Donated bags and bags of goods and supplies to schools/churches and I still have way too much stuff.  But, like everything else, it's a work in progress.  I'm also doing a little remodeling...not built-in (I wish!)...but my brother-in-law helped me put together a new work table and I'm adding some bookcases from Ikea for storage.  I'll share photos once it all comes together but right now things are scattered about the room and the house.

In the midst of it all I managed to create this Apothecary Tag Book which I'll be teaching this Saturday, October 12, from 10am-2pm at Whim So Doodle in St. Petersburg, FL.

 

We'll be using some of the new Tim Holtz Halloween stamp sets including The Chemist and the new Halloween Blueprints.  The tags will cover techniques from both of Tim's Compendium of Curiosities books.  I believe there are still a few spots left in the class so if you live in the area I'd love to meet you!

Wish me luck as this is my first foray into teaching and I'm getting a little nervous about the whole thing.  As long as everyone has fun and learns something I'll consider it a success!!

Frilly and Funkie - Spruce it Up!

Hi Everyone! I'm here with my project for the Frilly and Funkie challenge hosted by Rebecca.  The theme for this challenge is Spruce it Up!  Rebecca's challenge to you is to take a look around your desk, or work space, and the things on it that you use to organize, communicate and run your life.  Think of calendars, birthday/anniversary planners, writing implements, checkbooks, iPads, index card files, cell phones, file folders, etc.  Then set yourself a challenge of making one of those Plain Jane items into something that makes you smile every time you use it!

I like to write things down.  I know that might be unusual in this hi-tech age we live in.  I have an iPhone 4S and I don't talk to Siri!  I don't dictate my shopping list to her!  I write it down.  Along with my craft ideas, craft supplies that I want to buy eventually, blog sites I want to visit, etc.  Because of this I end up using a lot of notepads and notebooks.  So I decided to personalize a composition book that I purchased at the dollar store.  I also found a package of 3 mini composition books at the dollar store.  Both sizes are perfect for this project!

I started with Ranger Inkssentials Manila cardstock.  I placed a sheet of cardstock on my craft sheet and misted it with water using the Ranger Mister.  Then I sprayed Dylusions in Squeezed Orange, Bubblegum Pink, Pure Sunshine and Lemon Zest.  I rolled the paper with a "kitchen roll" as Dyan would call it!  Then dried the paper with my heat tool.  Then I repeated the same steps with the second piece of cardstock.  You can use any method to create your background paper or even use printed scrapbook paper.

Next, open the composition book and place it over one piece of the paper you want to use as your background.  Line the edge of the paper up with the edge of the black spine and trace around the composition book with a pencil.  Repeat this step for the back cover.

I planned my stamp layout as I wanted to use Tim Holtz word stamps and wanted to be able to see all of the images.  You can also randomly stamp the background, going outside of the lines you've traced, and you'll end up with a collage background when the papers are trimmed to fit the book.  I laid out the cling stamps in an arrangement that I was pleased with.

The beauty of the cling stamps is that you can leave them all in place while you're stamping the layout.  I positioned each stamp in the corner of the stamping block so that I could stamp the image without removing the other stamps.

I stamped each image using Pitch Black Ranger Archival Ink.  Once the front cover was completely stamped I repeated the same step for the back cover.  Then I used a paper trimmer to trim the sheets along the pencil lines made when I traced each cover of the composition book.  Then I applied cold laminate to each sheet to protect the cover from spills and make it more durable.  Use scissors to hand trim the rounded corners along the pencil lines.

I like to add a decorative paper to the spine of the book.  You can leave it black, if that's your preference, but I used Ranger Inkssentials Matte Glue N Seal to add a piece of coordinating marble paper to the spine of my book.  Prior to gluing the paper to the spine I sanded the spine, and the cover of the book, with the Idea-ology Sanding Grip to remove the glossy finish.  This will help the papers fully adhere when I glue them to the book.

Allow the spine to dry.  Once dry use Glue N Seal to glue the front and back covers you created to the book.  Place a stack of larger heavier books on the book and leave it to dry.

And there you have it!  A super easy way to personalize an inexpensive composition book.  You can even take it a step further and put decorative paper on the inside of the front and back covers, add a pocket or envelope to the inside of the covers and even add an eyelet and ribbon for a closure.  Do anything you want to make it yours!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you'll play along with us at Frilly and Funkie by showing us what you spruced up!  

The following items that I used on my project can be found at The Funkie Junkie Boutique!  The boutique offers it's merchandise at a 20% discount from the typical retail price!  That's a great deal and you should check it out!!

Ranger Inkssentials Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Just Thoughts	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Good Thoughts	Ranger Ink - Inkssentials - Glue N Seal - Matte - 4 Ounces	Dyan Reaveley′s Dylusions Ink Spray - Squeezed Orange
Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black	Tim Holtz Ranger Idea-ology Sanding Grip	Dyan Reaveley′s Dylusions Ink Spray - Bubble Gum Pink	Dyan Reaveley′s Dylusions Ink Spray - Pure Sunshine	Dyan Reaveley′s Dylusions Ink Spray - Lemon Zest
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Stuff to Say	Ranger Inkssentials Mister Bottle

A New Tradition

Hi Everyone!  I'm here to share a Thanksgiving project that I've been working on.  Yes, I know it's past Thanksgiving but this has been a work in progress and still is!  I decided to start a new tradition this year by making a Thanksgiving memory book.  I started by making a small folder for everyone in my family.  I used the Sizzix Bigz XL Envelope/Pocket die and embossed it with the new Tim Holtz Sizzix Texture Fades Textured Leaves folder.  The pockets were distressed using TH Ranger Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy.  The embossed area was colored using TH Distress Ink in Fired Brick, Forest Moss, and Spiced Marmalade.  Then the pockets were sprayed with Ranger Perfect Pearls in Sunflower Sparkle.  I embellished each folder with leaves, acorns and a flourish cut with the TH Sizzix Movers & Shapers Mini Tattered Leaves, Mini Acorn and Mini Flourish.  Inside each pocket I tucked a tag and a stamped index card.

The pockets were handed out and I asked each person to do two things: 1) on the tag they had to write what they were thankful for; 2) on the index card they were to write down their Christmas wish list!  Here's what I ended up with...

Everyone was very excited to do this!  Adding the card for the Christmas wish list was a last minute idea.  I figured I better get those while I had everyone together!  A couple of them weren't complete.  My mom wrote "Whatever!" and my dad wrote "Lots of Hugs" which I thought was so cute!

So this past weekend I created the memory book to hold everyone's "Thankful" tags.

The book is an Accu-cut design cut from chipboard.  I used Bo-Bunny Apple Cider and Double Dots papers along with matching stickers and chipboard die cuts.  I added die cut TH Sizzix Mini Tattered Leaves and an Idea-ology Muse token to the cover.  The stamps are Unity.  The tags were put into TH Idea-ology Kraft Glassine pockets. I cut off the top flap and punched a half-circle notch using a circle punch.  I still have to add the pictures but I'm really pleased with how it turned out!  Everyone was interested to see what we were all thankful for.  I promised to bring the finished book to our next get together.  That will be week after next since all of our birthdays are between October and December!

I'm entering this at Frilly and Funkie where the challenge is Chipboard and Metal.  I'm also entering this at Simon Says Stamp and Show where the challenge is Thank You.

Getting Dylusional at Whimsodoodle

Last week I had the pleasure of taking some classes with Dyan Reaveley when she visited my local scrapbook store, Whimsodoodle, in St. Petersburg, Florida.  I was only able to take two classes but I had a great time and learned so much!  Dyan is a wonderful person and a great teacher!  I also had the pleasure of meeting Sue, who blogs at This Life.  I recognized her immediately from her blog photo!  We were able to sit together for the second class and she was so generous to share her newly purchased stencils with me!  Thanks Sue!  Hope to see you again soon!

 

Below are some photos from the classes.

 

Here's Dyan demonstrating her "Kitchen Roll" technique!

  

 My tag from the Down & Dirty Tag workshop.  The backside is below. 



 

 

 

 Here are some of the mop-up tags I made. Can you tell I like Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist?

 

 My very own Dylusions Creative Journal!!  Can't wait to get it inky!



Inky fingers...a badge of honor!

 

My Background Tag Journal.  I was so happy with the way it turned out and the way my spritzed ribbon turned out.  I can't bear to cut the ribbon into pieces so I think I'll use it to tie around the journal.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Now go make something!

Show and Tell

I thought I'd share a couple of things I made before I started blogging.  Most of what I create is given away but these were made with the intent to keep them.  The first is an accordion fold book containing old photos from my father's side of the family.  It contains pictures of my father, James, his brother, Herman, and sister, Susan, as well as his parents.  My grandmother was called Nana.  I never met my grandfather as he passed away before I was born.  The cover paper set the theme of birds and nests. My first initial, D, is on the brad in the center of the flower on the cover. The "T" on the back cover is the first letter of my maiden name, Turner. Many of the sayings were cut from pages of an old book.

The next is a scrapbook of my dachshund, Sweet William Luvomine, or Willie for short!  I made this while I was recuperating from hernia surgery.  I hauled all the supplies out to the couch and worked on a lap tray.  Should have taken a picture of that ~ NOT!!  I don't do much scrapbooking but I love making memory books.  I had bunch of cute pictures of when he was a puppy and had accumulated dog-themed papers, stickers, rub-ons and magazine clippings.  It was good to have something to work on and I love how it turned out!

The last item is a canvas.  This is actually a duplicate of one I made for someone who had lost a loved one to cancer.  I added a button, with a crystal accent, on this one but the original one had their loved one's initial in place of that.  The canvas was painted with a pale butter yellow acrylic paint.  I then wiped vaseline on certain areas and painted over that with light blue paint.  Once dry I wiped off the areas where the vaseline was and the blue paint came off to reveal the yellow underneath.  Then I dry-brushed the entire canvas with gesso. The images were stamped on tissue paper with archival ink and then applied with Paper Mod Podge.

Thanks for stopping by!