Thirtysomething

Being in my 30s has never bothered me.  But I can tell you that when 40 comes, it will be challenging. Not necessarily because it's "old", but more so because I feel like I don't really have my life all figured out yet. And it feels like I'm starting to run out of time to start new things.

Anyway, this layout celebrates being 37 and looking great and not being 40 just yet! 

The paper is from Simple Stories (which I always LOVE) and also uses a My Mind's Eye name tag die cut. Something that's hard to see is that wherever the paper looked as if it was layering things on top of one another, I actually cut along these lines and arranged the paper so it was actually overlapping.  I liked that little extra bit of dimension it created. 

If you want to make your own custom calendar page, the Scrapbooking Studio has a great selection of these blank calendar pages with coordinating month and day sticker sheet.  Perfect for making calendars for holiday gift giving.

Indie Chic card

The name of this line is called "Indie Chic" (from My Mind's Eye) and I used the "waste strip" at the bottom of the page for the below card. I layered strips of paper and a border sticker on the card and then trimmed out the center of a journaling for the "frame". I also used the part of the large journaling card that got cut off when I adhered it to the Daisy kitty layout shown in a previous post.

Daisy, Daisy . . .

At the Sugar Grove Nature Center, where I volunteer, they have a sweet little kitty cat named Daisy who lives at the Nature Center.  She loves attention and once she came over and jumped up on the couch to sit next to me, which seems very friendly for a cat. 

For this layout, I cut down the chevron paper and matted it on a piece of grey cardstock.  Then I cut the garland trim that comes with this line down into randomly sized pieces and adhered it on the page. You can't tell from the picture, but the garland is connected by string and it looks like I actually sewed all those small circles onto the page! A picture of the garland trim in it's package is attached below the layout shots.  The rosette near the journaling card is from the Amy Tangerine line.  Letter stickers are from October Afternoon. I used those on a bunch of layouts this month. I think they are so cute and the orange seemed to match everything this month.  And of course it can all be found at The Scrapbooking Studio, which has all the best stuff! : )

The colors of this line would be perfect for any later summer-early fall pictures you have. 

More fun with the Amy Tangerine line

Also from the Amy Tangerine line is this fun layout I made to commemerate a class I recently took.  Everyone in the picture wore such colorful shirts, it ended up looking like it was planned to match the paper. 

The background may look like just a sheet of patterened paper, but I actually cut all those little circle clusters out of the patterned paper shown below the layout.  This is a good way to use elements of a really busy piece of paper, without completely overwhelming the layout.  The journaling boxes are cut out of a sheet of 12x12 paper that is covered with little boxes.  The black polka dot tape is from the Smash Book section of the store.  The letters are American Crafts.  Get it all at The Scrapbooking Studio!

What can you do with one sheet of paper? A LOT!

I made the cutest little mini book out of the Amy Tangerine line at The Scrapbooking Studio. It's made from just one sheet of paper (plus a little embellishing)!  Can you believe it?  Watch this video my friend found on YouTube that explains how to make it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-AAaGQwDB0.

I just love all the bright colors and fun patterns. Don't you? The journaling cards are cut out of a sheet of 12x12 patterned paper.  The letter stickers are October Afternoon.

Grandma's Cherry Cake

A couple of more projects made from Authentique's Carefree line for the Scrapbooking Studio's design team . . .  

The first is a recipe from my grandma of a cherry "cake" she used to make when I was a kid.  (It's very similar to the recipe on the Jiffy cake mix box called "Fruit Magic", which some of you may be familiar with.) 

I've been wanting to scrapbook this recipe for a while and hadn't found the right paper.  This vintage paper seemed just right for a recipe, because the diamond plaid reminds of the Better Homes and Gardens plaid cookbook and the lattice design reminds me of pie.  I created a pocket at the bottom of the page and tucked the recipe and a picture into the pocket.

Then I made a little card using the word confetti stickers from Authentique.  It says "so grateful for you my friend".  I cut the flowers out of the floral patterened paper and used a pearl brad on one of the centers.

Way back in 1951

I was flipping through an old photography book of my Dad's a few weeks ago and a little surprise fell out of the book.  It was a write up my Dad had done about a camera of his that he had purchased "way back in 1951": an Argus C-3.  It detailed all the different places his camera had gone with him: college, the army, his wedding/honeymoon, and the first baby pictures of yours truly.

I thought this was so neat, I decided to make a layout about the camera with notes from his write up.  I used Crate Paper's Story Teller line from The Scrapbooking Studio.  (I was inspired by a layout created by Crate Paper designer, Jaime Warren.)

I went a little crazy with my layering, but I was really liking the effect of using all the little journaling cards that come with this line.  I also used the new mistable canvas cameras from Studio Calico.  (So cute!)   It doesn't look quite this busy in person because you're missing the texture and depth of the layers.

Picnic anyone?

I'm super excited to share the altered project I made for this month's Scrapbooking Studio design team.  One of the lines I got was Authentique Carefree, which had a ton of cute picnic themed stickers and paper. 

The plaid paper below inspired me to make a little picnic scene.  I crinkled it gently and then smoothed it out to make it look like fabric and then I cut a fringe around the edge to make it look like a blanket. 

Then I made the little picnic basket from cardstock.  Mind you I have never taken a basket weaving class or anything like that. I just plunged ahead and hoped for the best.  I cut strips of paper in quarter inch strips, formed 6 or so concentric rounded corner rectangles and then wove strips in and out to make the basket weave.  Then I made a little lid and some handles and cut some trim up to make it look like a basket liner. 

Then I placed all the picnic related word stickers in a collage and added a couple flowers to balance the basket. 

It's not perfect by any means, but it is SO CUTE!!!!  : )

Wendy Vecchi Art Parts

If you're looking for unique embellishments, be sure to check out the huge selection of Wendy Vecchi Art Parts at The Scrapbooking Studio.  Below are two projects I made using these embies. 

The first Art Part is a very serious Victorian looking man.  With him, I made a wall hanging to remind myself not to take life so seriously.

The second Art Part is a darling flapper girl. I used copper Stickles to color her dress in and put a little flower sticker in her hair.  The die cut is a phone memo saying, "You are fabulous" with a date of "everyday".

Your Jar is Open

Twice I have had the opportunity to catch a monarch butterfly in it's caterpillar stage and watch it change into its chrysalis and hatch out a butterfly. It is an awesome experience, which I highly recommend!

I always have mixed emotions when it's time to let it go. On one hand I will miss my new little friend, but on the other hand it is exciting to set it free into the world. It reminds me of a passage from The Secret Life of Bees, when the little girl opens her jar of bees and says to them "Your Jar is Open". 

To take it to a human level, it's a reminder of the potential we have if we will only spread our wings and seek it out (deep right!?).  I find that idea very inspirational, which is why I made a layout with this quote and a picture of my 1st butterfly being set free. 

Almost everything is from the Ambrosia line by BoBunny and can be found at The Scrapbooking Studio.  Such summery colors, perfect for your summer adventures.

Such a Card

If you're a card maker, you should take a look at the Plumeria line by Basic Grey. The title sticker sheet has some great sentiments perfect for cards, including Just Because, Best Wishes, You are my Sunshine, Sweetheart, etc.  Below are a couple of the cards I made from this line, which they have at The Scrapbooking Studio. I just love the grey, orange, and teal colors.

On the top card, I raised the flower stickers with pop dots and put some Stickles on the flower.  Since I took the picture in the sunshine, you can see the glittery portions really well.  On the bottom card, I made a medallion with my paper scoring tool and cut a circular card using a Tupperware container to trace the circle onto my card stock.

Beyond Daffy

If Daffy the Duck is the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of ducks, I'd like to introduce you to some cool varieties of ducks we have in Central Illinois.  I didn't take the pictures on my layout, but I did see them all on a recent nature field trip.  From top to bottom are the Green Winged Teal, the American Wigeon, the Hooded Merganser (my favorite), and the Wood Duck.  This was the first time I had seen a couple of these, so it was pretty exciting.

I playfully titled this layout Duck Duck Merganser after the children's game Duck Duck Goose.  The paper and embies are from BoBunny and the letters are American Crafts, all found at the Scrapbooking Studio.

Simple Stories

I am a huge fan of the Simple Stories brand. The graphical nature of the design really appeals to me and it is so versatile.  The Scrapbooking Studio always carries a great selection of Simple Stories items.

Below are a card and a layout I made with the "Documented" line.  On the layout, I used the stickers to make a collage effect about the Sugar Grove Nature Center (at Funk's Grove).  At some point, I will add journaling on the postcard in the lower left hand corner. 

 

I also made a simple little wedding card by trimming out a design off one of the papers and adding the little man and woman stickers off the same sticker sheet. 

Couple of notes on the design: 

• I sewed some tulle to the front of the card to dress it up a little. 
• Then I pop dotted the scroll shaped paper to raise it a little off the card.
• And finally I outlined the man and woman in black marker to give them a little more oomph. 

Life is like a bicycle

"Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." Albert Einstein

Apparently May is National Bicycle Month.  I am not a bicycler myself, but wanted to pay homage to the month by sharing a bicycle card I had made a while back.  The bicycles were cut on my Cricut.

Also, there are some cute bicycle images in the new Simple Stories line (see lower right hand corner of this page for an example).

Trinkets, Charms and Chains

For my altered project for The Scrapbooking Studio this month, I made a super cute necklace!  Don't you just love the clever way the gals at the store came up with to display it?

Here are the supplies I used to create the necklace.  All found at the store!  (Thank you to Bobbi for leading me to the Tim Holtz chain.)

Totally bumming . . .

I found out yesterday that Scrapbooks etc. magazine is closing up shop.  I've been a subscriber for years and once even had the opportunity to visit their offices and meet the (now former) editor of the magazine (Melissa Inman, on the right).

Apparently the industry is surprised by this move.  Read more about it at Scrapbook Update.

And also a follow up article on the publishing industry itself.

For the birds

 

Super cute bird products highlighted over on the Scrapbook Trends blog today. I love that birds are still popping up in scrapbooking. Chirp chirp!

Hey Cupcake!

On the cover of the April Scrapbooks etc., are a plateful of colorful baker's twine cupcakes.  After seeing this, I just has to try one of my own.

 

The picture is kind of dark, but here is my cute little cupcake. (Actually it's not so little, it's kind of a jumbo cupcake.) 

I didn't take pictures of all the steps, but here is what I did:

1) Get a Styrofoam ball (I happened to have one on hand and it was kind of a large one, which is why my cupcake ended up jumbo). 

2) Cover Styrofoam ball with double stick tape (or redline tape would work well too).

3) Pop in a movie and settle in on the couch, because wrapping the twine takes a while.

4) Starting at the top, wrap twine around ball (about 3/4ths of the way down).

5) Create liner. It wouldn't fit in a standard cupcake liner, so I made my own by scoring and accordion folding some paper.  To make it taper at the bottom, I taped together every other pleat at the bottom.

6) Dig a small whole into the top with a craft knife for the candle.  Roll a piece of paper into a tube and stick into hole.  (In retrospect, I wish I had done a fatter tube, because the candle looks a little out of proportion.)  Cut pompon off of trim to use as the flame, attached to top of candle.

7) Push brads into top to create a sprinkle effect.

8) Set the cupcake into the liner to see if you've put the twine on far enough so that the Styrofoam doesn't show.  If not far enough, continue applying twine.  Also at this point you can see if you're going to have to cut the bottom off your Styrofoam ball if it sticks out of the bottom of your liner.

9) Once you're sure that your cupcake is ready: Put quick dry adhesive around the inside of the liner (about a quarter of the way up from the bottom) and carefully set the cupcake into the liner. Arrange cupcake so the candle is going straight up and then lightly, but firmly, press the liner against the cupcake to adhere.

All supplies, except the yellow pompon are from the Follow Your Heart line which can be found at The Scrapbooking Studio.

Music to my ears

My Aunt Janet is passionate about 3 things: travel, cats, and her music.  She plays the oboe in two different symphony groups and practices everyday (she even brings her oboe with her when she travels so she won't miss a day).  Whenever I see music related paper, I always think about making a scrapbook page about her.  And finally I did with the Follow your Heart line from My Mind's Eye.  The honeycomb design of this line had sheet music subtly woven in and I decided it was perfect for a picture from the Saratoga Symphony.

All the cute coordinating embies are in the Follow your Heart line except for the letters, which are from American Crafts.  All found at The Scrapbooking Studio.

Greetings

One of my assignments for this month's design team at The Scrapbooking Studio was the Teresa Collins Everyday Moments line. It has antiquey shades of yellow and blue and comes with some great die cuts and journaling blocks.  I supplemented the first card with some letter stickers from Authentique, which just happen to be in the same shades.

   

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy/Scrapbooking

I am currently reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The book is quirky, but quite humorous. (I choose books primarily by their titles and I have always been intrigued by that title.)

So anyway, tonight I happened to run across a class on Two Peas called Hitchhiker's Guide to Scrapbooking, which I think I might sign up for sometime if only for the title.  If you click on the link, you'll see some of the fab sample layouts by the teacher, Shimelle Laine.

Here is the description, in case it strikes a fancy with you too:

"Are you drowning in a sea of scrapbook supplies and a plethora of photos, but wish things just came together easily? Then The Hitchhiker's Guide to Scrapbooking is just what you need: your guide to life, the universe and pretty paper! Join Garden Girl Shimelle Laine for this self-paced workshop you can use any time. Over five chapters, she'll share forty-two brand new scrapbook pages and easy-to-follow advice on choosing supplies, designing pages, embellishing your work and writing your memories. Each chapter includes a printable PDF and coordinating video, plus the guide's bonus reference section includes sketches, supply lists and other handy hints. Designed for scrapping at home or at a crop, The Hitchhiker's Guide to Scrapbooking reminds you: Don't Panic - get crafting!"

Stack, Pile, Layer, Build

Paper Crafters Corner just did a whole week about layering on your scrapbook pages.  This is something I've been challenging myself to do more of lately because I really like how it looks. 

Here are some of the layering ideas and tutorials from Paper Crafter's Corner:
Layering Photo Tutorial
Layering Video Tutorial
More Tutorials

And below is one of the pages I did for the Scrapbooking Studio design team this month that incorporates some layering.  I used My Mind's Eye "Follow your Heart" line, which was so appropriate for this layout as it has to do with finding purpose in life.  Notice the darling chipboard clouds at the top from Studio Calico. Love those!

What has given you purpose and meaning in life? 

How to get published in paper crafting

 

I ran across a link to a free e-book about how to get published in papercrafting. 

Check it out at this blog called, "I'm Kayla Aimee and my Life is only Slightly Neurotic". What a funny name!  She must be related to me somehow.

Stupid owl

When they're not starring in Harry Potter movies, snowy owls spend summers in the most northern parts of the world and winters in Canada and similar latitudes. Every 3-4 years, they come further south and this was one of those years. 

To find one, you must drive around and scan fields and fence posts for a large white object. Definitely a challenge. After several fruitless searches and dozens of false alarms from white plastic bags, you begin referring to the formerly esteemed bird as "stupid owl".

But if you keep at it, you may just get lucky like we did and finally see one. I didn't take this picture, but this is the snowy owl we saw.  Not so stupid after all. Majestic, beautiful, and awe inspiring.  Probably a once in a lifetime experience and definitely worthy of a page in my scrapbook album.       

The beautiful glittered winter paper from BoBunny was perfect and the cute owls from Maya Road added a touch of whimsy. The photo mat is the packaging backing from the BB chipboard snowflakes.  All supplies from The Scrapbooking Studio. 

Magnetic Personality

No, I'm not talking about myself (ha ha). I'm talking about my Basic Grey magnetic board.  I took it to a crop a couple of weeks ago and I got a couple questions about it from fellow croppers. 

The board itself is magnetic and comes with a magnetic ruler and a handful of really strong magnets.  I think the primary purpose of the board is to be a cutting mat. But I don't use it for that.  I use it as a place to secure everything to my layout as I'm working on it.

I move things around a lot and I can't tell you how many pages I've ripped when I decided to move something to a different spot. So to be able to experiment with different placement of items without adhering them down is very handy.  Plus, I scrapbook sitting on the floor and it makes a nice work surface.

I don't think anywhere in town carries these anymore as they have been on the market for a while. But you can find them online.

Not your mother's JC Penney catalog

Have you seen the new snazzy JC Penney catalog design?  The photography and type treatments are very cool and dare I say, even inspiring!?  I've been cutting out things to put in my Smash book. And I will probably be ordering the outfit on page 13.

Valentine's projects

Valentine's Day is less than 2 weeks away.  Are you making anything special for your friends and family?  Here's a couple of projects to inspire you . . .  

The little box is made with my Cricut machine (Tags, Bags, Boxes and More).  The paper and die cuts are from My Mind's Eye.  Next, the card base is from Tim Holtz, which I sprayed with some pomegranate Maya Mist.  The chipoard and pins are from Maya Road.  I'm not sure which company made the awesome tulle trim, but you can find it all at The Scrapbooking Studio.

House Fire

If my house were ever to burn down and all my sentimental keepsakes, scrapbooks and such were to be destroyed, I would be devastated.  So needless to say, my house catching on fire is one of my worst fears.  Back in December, the house next door to me caught on fire and while it was contained to the basement, it was still a scary experience with smoke pouring out of the windows and several fire trucks, an ambulance and police cars there for hours.

I chose to scrapbook it because it is one of my worst fears and it happened so very close.  I used paper and supplies from my January design team assignment with The Scrapbooking Studio. The yellow and grey paper is from Authentique, as are the black letter stickers.  The little wooden houses are from Studio Calico.  They are so cute and were a perfect choice to add a little interest to the page without being "cutsey" for a serious topic. 

What are your worst fears and have you every documented them on a scrapbook page?