All Occasions Mini Album

Hellooooooo everyone!

It has been awhile!! I sure did missed y'all too.  Like many others I have been battling cold like symptoms since November that finally gave way to the FLU (from hell)!  I am finally starting to feel a little better (hold me up Holy Ghost).  Still with a hard cough and congestion and sneezing but I have to say...much better than before.  Whether you are in the healthcare industry or not, we tend to ignor or not give enough credit to how (what we think) is a simple/common cold can take a horrible turn for the worst.  Please everyone, give this flu bug it's credit! It is here and it will take you down.   Ok, you have been warned; now on to the show. 

So, obviously not a lot of paper crafting for the last 2 months.  But now I am starting to do a little more.  It is great being able to get back to the stamp lab! Still tiring easily but enjoying whatever time I can devote to my paper and fleurs! Today, I want to share a mini album I did that uses the hidden hinge binding system.  Y'all let me just say, between my Imagine, Expression, Pazzles, Grand Calibur, Big Shot, Gypsy and Cuddle Bug, the hidden hinge binding system, and some Score Tape; I may not ever buy another chipboard album again!!!!!  I have found the Mt Everest of mini albums!  The hidden hinge binding system that I used was created by Kathy Orta from Paper Phenomenon .  This woman is a paper crafting genius!!! Love her!!!!!! OMGosh, if you have not gone to the site, YOU MUST! She is just insanely talented.  Now, y'all know my mind will not allow me to pay for anything it thinks we can figure out on our own? We'll, this lil' honey Kathy Orta got my dollars without hesitation! She has definitely earned the H-T-D (Hott To Def) award! (translation: extremely good).  Ooh wee- I love her work and I know you will too.  I want to thank of course my PC-BBF (paper crafting BFF) Lesia for introducing me to Kathy's work.  After you check out Paper Phenomenon don't forget to hop over to Memas Crafts you know she always has some kick-butt challenge going on.  I believe she just recently gave away $50.00 to the on-line store of your choice.  Unfortunately; I'm never eligible for the prizes, so I will have to live through y'all.  When you go to her site don't forget to sign-in because she gives away  awesome prizes at the end of the year for the person who visits the site the most . Okay, okay I'm back on course now- about the mini album...
I used the London Market 12 x 12 paper pack like Kathy did in her tutorial, black card stock, medium weight chipboard, Tyvek envelopes, WOC flowers and pink heart crystals, flat back pearls, the flat felt scalloped ribbon from our local specialty craft store the Crafty Scrapper , shouts out to my friends over there!! Hey Ladies Buggs (waving, like the Beverly Hillbillies).  The dress form is a laser cut from the Crafty Scrapper also, I believe it is by Scrap FX. The frame is from the $1.50 bin at Michael's. I used Vintage Photo distress ink for all my edges.  And because, I wanted all my mats and pockets covered on both sides it took about 2- 12 x 12 London Market paper packs.  Covering both side is optional.  The Tyvek can be found at your local office supply store (Staples, Office Max, Office Depot).  It come in different sizes and I believe it comes in black and white.  The black is extremely hard to find, so I just used white.  Tyvek will help to hold your album together (as it will get handled a lot) and minimizes cracking.  The level of cracking as with all mini albums depends on the paper manufacturer. ALL paper cracks, some more than others.  Depending on your project, cracking paper can add character and distinction to the finished project. I will be entering my mini album in the Lady Bug Crafts "Anything But Card Challenge" also,  they are having a DT call, see details on the blog.  I will also enter the album in the Oozak "Anything Goes Challenge #10 with Pink and Bling and as luck would have it, they too are having a DT call.  They are looking for designers and guest designers so be sure to check out the challenge.  I think I would like to try my hand at guest designing- wish me luck. And we can never leave out the Outlawz Paper Ala Mode Anything Goes Challenge . The challenge runs from Jan 26th to Feb 1st, so there is still time to get in those fabulous projects.   Okay, guess what; I found or rather someone suggested another challenge for me to enter my mini album into.  This challenge is over at my good friend Chana's blog. The blog is Nicely Done Designs.  This challenge is about show her the mini!  The winner will receive some pretty cool gifts, one of which is an 8 x 8 GRAPHIC 45 paper pack of your choice!!!!! Now, you know I just had to hurry my hot little fingers over there and share my love.  Chana is also my team captain on the 613 Avenue Create Blog .  Come check us out and join in the neighborhood fun...  I tell you, that woman is busier than a one legged man in a butt-kickin' contest!    Well, this is a long post to start off the new year.  I'll be back soon with more goodies but until then have a great night and an even better tomorrow--Hugs from me.

 

Hidden Hinge Binding System

This is 1 of 2 -3 panel pull out mats



 



Monochromatic Neutral

First let me say... Thank you, our mighty God and Father for another opportunity to get it right...Hold me up Holy Ghost!
Since I don't have to work today, I thought I would stay up and browse around for new techniques.  There is so much out there and one site leads to another and another and another.  I am easily off track (Cardmaker's ADD).  Today, this was not a bad thing because I found a challenge I could make a quick card for over at  Come and Get It Challenges.  The theme for the challenge is Monochrome.  My creation looks like a wedding card to me but I guess it could be for any occasion.  The paper is from an old DCWV 12 x12 paper pack I've had for as long as I've been scrapbooking and cardmaking and the plain CS is from my stash.   You know you have grown in your trade, when your imagination allows you to go back to your beginning supplies and create amazing paper crafts for today.  I often go through some of my older patterned papers and say to myself -what the heck was I thinking when I bought that paper?! And of course you always by 2 pcs of the CS/paper if it's 12 x 12 or 3 pcs of 8 x 11.  So, since I've been cardmaking for about 4 years, that should give you some idea of how much of that "what was I thinking paper" I've accumulated.  The other supplies I used were Die-namics dies Fancy Flourish and small rose; Stampin' UP! Framelits Labels; Quickutz Leaves die (one of my favorite dies); Kaisercraft pearls, and a pearl brad from Recollections (Michael's brand). I'm glad I was up for the challenge (lol).  Chat soon.

 

 

 

Hugz from Me



Vintage, Gesso, and Embossing

Howdy Everyone,
    I am back again with a really quick card I just finished.  In this card I used some Gesso.  I've seen it used all around and it really makes the cards and projects look really good.  The card stock I used is a really pale vanilla, so I'm not sure how well you'll be able to see the Gesso on the card.  I also used some embossing and a back ground stamp to make my pattern paper.  The roses where left overs from a previous project, the stems were made from a Magnolia die.  I used the Nestabilities Floral and Classic Ovals Lg, Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Stampin' UP! Modern Label and Window punches, and the black ribbon and paper are from my stash.   I love trying new techniques and it's even better when I do a test card and it comes out good enough that I think it can be shared with all of you.  The picture is a apart of a gift picture collage sheet from Pion Design .  I named the little baby Merry, because she looks just like my friends baby girl Merry Isabel; what a little cutie.  I even tried my hand at making a little staging (yeah... that will be something I need to watch many tutorials about, lol). Before I go, I want to thank all of the challenge host/hostess.  Being on a DT, I have truly come to understand the tremendous amount of time and effort that you put into hosting the challenges, recruiting sponsors, coming up with themes and everything else that you do.  Please know that you are greatly appreciated.

 

 

Challenges:

Challenges 4 Everybody Challenge #6 Anything Goes

Eclectic Ellapu Challenge #4 It’s A Vintage Thing

Gingerloft Challenge GL51 No Coloring Allowed

Mema's Crafts November Anything Goes

 

Hugz from Me

 

 





Magic Card

Okay here is part two of today's post. This time I created a "Magic Card". The original card was done by Marianne Skjelstad. She has a written tutorial on her blog. However, if you are not one for following written tutorials, you can also see a video tutorial done by Tracy MacDonald. Both tutorials are very easy to follow.  Oh yeah, this was also my first attempt at using Tim Holtz Distress markers. I think I need more practice but it's okay for a first attempt (at least I think so).  I am not big on glitter but the glitter really brought out the wings.  The stamp I used is called Child of Healing from Crafts and Me . The rest of the supply list will follow after the pix.  Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy my enchanted creation (lol).   Chat soon.

Supplies
Patterned Paper/CS: The Paper Company-Ivory Parchment; Prima- Fairy Belle Collection (12 x 12 Aquarelle)
Dies: Nestabilities- Floral Ovals, Elegant Posts, Classic Ovals Lg; Sizzix-Bird #5,
Punches: Martha Stewart- Doily Lace and Rose Leaf
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress-Vintage Photo, Distress Markers, Copics
Flowers: WOC
Other: Stampin' UP! -Diamond Dust
Sentiment: The Holy Bible-Matthew 19:14 and Charles Dickens

My Time To Craft Challenge #195 Pink & Brown
Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge #36 Cream Plus Two
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog All That Glitters
The Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Challenge #122
Desert Islands Crafts Challenge  Challenge #41 Floppy Latte Designs; Pick 3 (My card has Vintage, Patterned Paper, and a sentiment)
Memas Crafts November Anything Goes
One Crazy Stamper Anything Goes
Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #164 Thankfulness or Prayer (Colossians 1:3-5)

Hugz from Me





 

Lattice Box

Hello Mon Amis,
    I have some awesome news that I want to share with all my friends.  First, I got top 3 on Fashionable Stamping Challenges, thank you to everyone over at FSC. I also want to share with everyone that I did a 5K today!  I walked most of it but I was able to run in 3 little stints.  I think I could have run more, had not the Lactic Acid started building in my muscles and the oxygen exchange was greatly dimensioned in my lungs.

And the good news just keeps coming...
    I created two projects to share with you today.   I'll have to do this in two post otherwise this could go on for a while.  My first project is a lattice box that I created using a tutorial from one of the Magnolia Ink Magazines.  I believe the gal that made the box had a winter/christmas/it's cold outside type theme going.  I on the other hand had this beautiful Prima Paper called "Fairy Flora" (more summery/fall), it's from the Fairy Flora Collection ( #841720).  I ordered the paper from Scrapbook.com.  If you do not have the Maggie Magazine, you can e-mail me for the dimensions.  The catch is that the dimensions are in centimeters.  Believe me, it is easier to do it in centimeters.  I have not found many cutters that have both inches and centimeters. I have been using Cutterpede cutters since I started scrapbooking and stamping about 5 years ago.  I like that they come with different blades and a smaller cutter (even though both are portable).  I will list the other supplies at the bottom of the post. I plan to enter this little lattice box in the Anything But A Card challenge and the challenge over at the Outlawz Paper Ala Mode Challenge .   

Side View

Top

 

 

Supplies:

 

Patterned Paper/CS: Tim Holtz (Fire Brick Red), Prima Paper-Fairy Flora

Dies: Magnolia Old Swedish Lace; Cheery Lynn Designs A2 Frame; Cricut Cartridge (the eyelet cut around the box top and bottom, and Nestabilities Marvelous Squares.



Inks: Tim Holtz Vintage Photo
Flowers: WOC and Petaloo leaves

Me