Inspired by. . . .

Betsy Veldman's little fabric tag album made with Paper Trey Ink's Button Boutique.

Here is her original post:

     http://scrapbookgirl.typepad.com/paper_scissors_and_superh/2011/02/button-boutique.html



And here is my take on her fabulous idea:

I used Mary Engelbreit fabrics I have had for some time.  Several years ago I took a class with some friends and we made quilts.  I made a "cherry" quilt with Mary Engelbreit fabrics.  So I made a little album featuring the friends in the class sewing away.  (I won't post their pictures, but the little wallet size pictures are on the other "pages" of the fabric album.)

Here are another couple of pages:

I had "sew" much fun putting this little album together!  I also cut my buttons (all Paper Trey Ink) from coaster board, felt, and paper.  I love the button card die as well, and all the stamping options for it on the Button Boutique stamp set.  I cut the dress form using Tim Holtz' mini die.  Making this album was so meaningful for me, re-visiting my old friends while scrapbooking them!  And such a cute project!

It's about that time of year. . .

when I start thinking about Christmas.  I have been playing around with my Accucut Christmas tree flip album die--not really happy with my efforts so far, but I've been practicing.  Here is what I have so far:

This is the outside of the tree album.  I wish I had put the red tinsel trim actually on the edge of the scallops.  What was I thinking?  And I sewed the jingle bells onto ribbon and then hot glued the ribbon at the edge of a scallop.  Not a good idea!  I need to wire these on and punch holes in the scallop edges so they will actually jingle.  Also needed:  lots more bling.  I used a lot of K and Company pre-made diecuts for embellishment.

My major gripe with this album is that it is really too small for pictures, and I think that is the whole point of an album!  So I have really thought hard about how to add pictures.  This page shows how I put a Tim Holtz Sizzix ornament die to good use as a photo frame.

And the inside of this largest page shows a mini album I inserted to hold more pictures.  The red mini album is about 3" x 3" and is just folded pages that will flip so I can add pictures.  Then the album is just glued onto the page.  The previous page shows a green pocket that holds red tags for more pictures and journaling.  I have a few other ideas up my sleeve for how to continue to add space for pictures while keeping the whole album highly embellished, like a Christmas tree!

Winter Wonderland snowflake

This is one of the pages in my newest chipboard album called "Winter Wonderland".  It is a pocket page that holds four large tags.  Each tag acts as a mat for a 4" x 6" photo.  I put little snowflake brads in the hole of each tag.  The focus point on the page is the large decorative snowflake on the pocket itself.  I cut the pocket and tags from the Cricut Mini books cartridge using Craft Room, where I was able to enlarge them to suit my book.  I also cut the decorative snowflake using Cricut, from the Anna Griffin Winter Wonderland cartridge.  I love this cartridge!  I bought the universal overlay to use with it, since it is a newer cartridge that does not come with an overlay.  Also, the instruction book is very much smaller, and I find it a lot easier to read than the older format, especially for layering images.  I layered blue and white cardstock to make the snowflake, which is Option 26 on the cartridge.  I did not use Craft Room for this project--I just set my size to 3" and all four layered images cut beautifully and layered perfectly to make the snowflake.  I did add a small glitter brad to the center of the snowflake before adhering it to the outside of the pocket.  I know it is nowhere near to snow here, but I do think snow may soon be coming to parts of the country.  I had fun making this page of the book.  The whole mini book is nearly complete--it is a flip album with 6 pages front and back.  I used the blue and brown Magenta paper throughout, supplemented with blue, white, and brown Bazzill cardstock.  Lots of deer and snowflakes!

Time After Time

The last event of Stamp a Faire this year was called "Time After Time".  This was a challenge posing the concept of taking a card you had made years ago and re-making it to appear more "timely" or for whatever reason.
     I did not have the "time" to enter this challenge during the event, but the challenge was posed to me just the same.  Here is the first card I made years ago, featuring a cute little elephant stamp from Stampendous and a portion of a stamp featuring a balloon:

There are a couple of things wrong with this card:
     1. The background, while a pretty pink, is too stark and empty.
     2. I used a non-waterproof ink stamping the paper-pieced elephants, and the ink ran with the adhesive I used.
     3. I had originally glued beads for the eyes of the elephants.  The adhesive did not hold the beads properly and they all fell off, leaving an ugly mess of adhesive behind.

On the other hand, there are a couple of things right with the card:
     1. The paper piecing is attractive and neatly done, except for the unfortunate adhesive.
     2. The balloons are popped up, giving some dimension to the card.

So here is my re-make:

I decided to use a texture folder to add some dimension to my overall background.

I kept the balloons popped up, and I like the paper peicing, even though I had to use different prints.  I changed the yarn to baker's twine (a more timely choice).  But the main difference is in my choice of ink.  This time I used a waterproof ink!  Live and learn!  BTW, you can't really see in the scanned image above, but the piece is mounted on a pink card.  Also, this time I omitted the beads for eyes.  I do know this is going to a little girl, but I don't know how old she is--I don't want her choking on the beads in case they inadvertently get removed!

Products used:  elephant stamp (Stampendous, balloon stamp (All Night Media)--neither of these are still available, baker's twine, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Stampin' Up Cardstock, The Paper Studio cardstock, various scrapbook papers (unknown), Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Zig Two Way glue pen, Glossy Accents, dimensional adhesive

Re-discovering Brass Stencils

When I participated in Stamp a faire this last weekend, I re-discovered some toys I had previously put away:  my brass stencils!  So I dragged all of these out, including my light box, and had a little fun.  Here is the first card I made, using the faux ceramic tile technique:

This vase is stenciled onto light blue cardstock, with the diamond accent stencil adding pattern.  It took me a long time to figure out what to do, since I had not done this technique in a long while.  And I can't find my video from Dreamweaver Stencils.  I had a very good video showing all the steps, but I don't know where I put it.
    But I persevered, and I think the results are quite lovely.  The Hero Arts greenery stamp is stamped with Bamboo Leaves Memento ink over the diamond stencil.  I sponged clear embossing ink over the top of the vase and heat embossed with clear powder.  That step really made the blue of the paper pop.  (In a day or two, when I am finished with another card using the same technique, I'll show again this lovely light blue paper.)
   I used the vase stencil to make a background "frame" for the image using a tiny print scrapbook paper.  What do you think about the duck?  Should I lose it?  I am undecided.  I think the card needs something there, but I am not sure about the proportion of the duck.
         Here is a list of the supplies I used:  green Hero Arts notecard, green print from Basic Grey 6" Kioshi pad, Dreamweaver vase and diamond pattern stencil, Dreamweaver regular embossing paste,  light table, Hero Arts Exotic Bloom (H5424), Memento Bamboo Leaves ink, Colorbox Top Boss clear embossing ink, Toybox duck rubber stamp with Memento black ink on white card, Copic markers,
        This card looks cool in tone and peaceful.  I am thinking I might make some wall art from the stencils in this same manner.