February Scrapbooking: Multipurpose Pages

These are the pages that we will be making at my monthly Scrapbooking Class. This month I created pages that can be used for a whole variety of occasions. Because I don't know which pictures I'll be using for these pages, I haven't put titles on 2 of them. This first layout is was made with Regal Rose background paper, Pink Pirouette, Bashful Blue, and Chocolate Chip cardstocks. The patterned paper is from Making Memories...it's so pretty with glitter covered polka dots.

The next layout can be used as a year in review layout because it includes mats for 12 photos, 1 for each month. This patterned paper is made by American Crafts and the leaves are stamped with the set "All Through the Year," which is a retired set, that I just can't give up because it is so versatile for scrapbooking. I used Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, and Baja Breeze cardstocks. Embellishments included Chocolate Chip ribbon (of course) and a brown flower button from the Stampin' Up! Button Latte collection.

This third layout uses some new textured patterned papers from Stampin' Up! called "Sweet Slumber." These papers are quite luxurious due to their thickness and texture. I pulled out my "True Friend" stamp set to add some extra graphics to the pages. I used my Top Note die for a little journaling spot. The colors used here are So Saffron, Ridinghood Red, Baja Breeze, and Sahara Sand.

February Classy Cards: Flower Embellies

I've changed the name of monthly card class to Classy Cards, because we may not be focusing on a particular technique each month, we may just explore new tools or just try to make something really pretty! This month all the colors seemed to revolve around the theme of Flower embellishments.

This first card uses the new Heart-to-Heart punch to create a flower. I arranged 8 of the large narrow hearts to create a 3-dimensional flower. The center is embellished with a corduroy button.

Stamps: Warm words
Inks: chocolate chip
Papers: Bella Rose DS paper, Riding hood Red, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Ticket corner punch, Heart to Heart punch, Chocolate Chip corduroy button,
Note: I sponged the edges of the flower with chocolate chip ink to take away the white edges of the punched hearts.

This very 3-dimensional card is likely not going to be sent in an envelope because the folded flower embellishment sticks up quite a bit from the base of the card. To create this card I used the technique described in year's Sale-a-Bration Catalog. I used a 12 inch x 1 inch strip of patterned paper, and scored it every 1/4 inch along its length. I then folded along each score line in opposing directions, like an accordion. I adhered the two ends together to make an accordion circle and then pushed one of the edges towards the center, flattening the flower in the process. I found that pushing the center of the flower into pop up glue dots helped to keep the flower in the proper shape. I put another glue dot on top of the flower and then adhered a small circle of cardstock and then a flower button.

Stamps: Sincere Salutations
Inks: White Craft
Papers: Urban Garden DS paper, Basic Gray, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Basic Gray Satin ribbon, Top Note Die, Button Latte, Circle punches


This third project is a new card design that I've never tried before. The base of the card is square (4.25 x 4.25 inches), and the Top Note focal image extends beyond the the top of the card. Again, I used the Top Note die here, I apologie...it's my new toy!

Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Paisley
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose
Papers: So Saffron, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Accessories: Patterned Ribbon (American Crafts), Top Note Die, Cutter Kit, Boho Blossoms punch, Flower Brad
Notes: I trimmed the edge off of the White Top Note Die Cut along the stitch lines and then used the Cutter Kit roughening tool to roughen the edges. The Paisley background stamp was used on the Regal Rose paper with Regal Rose ink.

Cute Mini Photo Album

As some of you may know, I am a volleyball coach in addition to all the other roles that I play in my life. It's so funny because my volleyball world and papercrafting world rarely collide, only when I make gifts for some of the girls that I coach. I made a few of these mini-photo albums as prizes for a fun tournament that I coordinated as a change of pace to our regular practice schedule. I showed them the prizes and they were so surprised..."Coach, you made these?"...they really don't know too much about my papercrafting addictions. It was fun to see them get excited about winning these.

Stamps: Best Friends Alphabet Upper
Inks: Pacific Point
Papers: Pacific Point, White, Bashfule Blue
Accessories: Cricut Cartridges (Sports Mania and Making the Grade), Bashful Blue and White Grosgrain ribbon, silver cord, Mini Photo album with removable cover inserts

Last Layout for 2008

After my last crop I had all of 2008 completed except for a couple of layouts from Christmas. I just finished the last layout! I have a few things to say about this layout.

• Firstly, this is a perfect example of how you can still use those little scraps of patterned paper that you have laying around. Many of my layouts use very little patterned paper because I design them for my classes and have to spread a few sheets of paper across 4-6 sets of layouts. That was not the case for this layout, I just had a lot of photos to fit in and the patterned paper that inspired the color scheme was a little too busy for my taste to use as the background.
• Secondly, this is a very unusual color scheme for me. The patterned paper that I used came from a kit that I purchased through StoryTellers Club. This is a club that I have been buying from for the past several months. I haven't mentioned it on this blog yet, perhaps because I usually use Stampin' Up! products. But with the expansion of my business, I've been doing a lot more scrapbooking and I've found the need to have an even wider variety of papers at my fingertips. If you decide to check out StoryTellers Club and sign up for their kits, let them know that I sent you (they'll give me a little discount on my monthly kit).
• Thirdly, those are stickers on my layout (vermont)! I haven't use stickers on a layout in years!!!

Stamps: None
Inks: White Signo Gel Pen
Paper: Reindeer paper (Storytellers), Taken with Teal textured, Bravo Burgundy, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Alphabet Stickers (Storytellers), white grosgrain ribbon

Valentine for a friend

This is a quick little valentine card that I made up to send to a friend that I think needs a little "pick-me-up." I need to do this more often. Almost a year ago in my role as "Sunshine Coordinator" for my local MOMS Club, I would send little "Random Acts of Kindness" cards to the club members randomly to just brighten their day. When I resigned from that position, I told myself that I would try to continue the "RAKs" for my friends and family members. Unfortunately, I have not been very faithful in doing this. I hope you will all join me in trying to brighten someone's day this week by sharing our creative gifts and sending a little note to a friend or loved one. We all now what a wonderful surprise it is to get a hand-made card in the mail.

Stamps: none - I actually used some old rub-ons for this!
Inks: Chocolate Chip
Papers: Kraft, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DS Paper
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Twill Ribbon, Heart to Heart Punch, Rubons (last year's Sale-A-Bration rub-ons, can't remember name)
Note: I sponged chocolate chip ink to the strip of pink pirouette and the edges of all the little hearts.

Love the Top Note Die!

OK, I finally caved and bought the Top Note Bigz die from Stamin' Up! and Sizzix. I must admit, I already have the Cuttlebug, so I have not invested in the Sizzix Big Shot (yet). The Big Shot does seem more versatile, but for now I'm getting by with my Cuttlebug. I hesitated getting the Top Note die because I wasn't sure it would work in my Cuttlebug. I decided to risk it since I had heard that others had been able to make it work. I am so excited that it works in my Cuttlebug with 2 "B" plates.

I love how the die cut leaves a stitched look around the edge of the shape, it's so pretty and it really dresses up a simple project, like this Thank You card that I made. I can't wait to explore more ways to use this die...I've seen lots of ideas out there for bag toppers, envelopes, etc.

By the way, if you haven't invested in a die-cutting/embossing system yet, this is a great time to invest in the Big Shot because during Sale-A-Bration, you get free products with every $50 you spend! With all the new dies and embossing templates available, it's hard to resist.

Here's the recipe for the card above:
Stamps: Pocket Silouettes
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Craft White
Papers: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, White, Baja Breeze, and patterned paper from the Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin' Kit
Accessories: Tan gingham ribbon, Cutter Kit, Top Note Die
Note: I roughed up the edges of the focal image with the roughening tool on the cutter kit. I also sponged the edges of the patterned paper with Chocolate Chip ink.

Grandma & Grandpa Scrapbook Pages

I have a couple of more layouts for sale in my Etsy Store. I just love the colors for this grandma page: Bravo Burgundy and Old Olive. The next layout is a Grandfather page using very masculine elements...something I don't do too often!

The text on the Grandma page is "Grandma means love" and
"Grandmas are for stories about things of long ago.
Grandmas are for carin about all the things you know.
Grandmas are for rocking you and singing you to sleep.
Grandmas are for giving you nice memories to keep.
Grandmas are for kjnowing all the things you're dreaming of.
But, most of all, Grandmas are for love."

The text for this Grandpa page includes "You put the 'grand' in Grandpa" and a definition of Grandfather
"Grandfather: 1. a kind-hearted man that shares the wisdom of his years 2. A man one turns to for guidance and advice 3. One who is infinitely patient, understanding, and kind 4. A man who is always needed, greatly admired, and loved very, very much i.e. Grandpa"

Simple Stamp-a-Stack

These are the simple cards that we made in my recent Stamp-A-Stack. Everyone had the opportunity to make 4 of each of these cards, using various greetings to create an assortment of cards. I tried to use patterned paper as much as possible because it makes simple cards look fancy with little effort.

Stamps: Close as a Memory, Short & Sweet
Inks: Basic Gray, Ridinghood Red
Papers: Bella Rose, Ridinghood Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Accessories: White grosgrain ribbon, scallop edge punch

Stamps: Pocket Sillouettes
Inks: Night of Navy
Papers: Kiwi Kiss, Night of Navy, Urban Garden DS Paper, Whisper White
Accessories: Navy grosgrain, Cutter Kit
Note: The cutter kit was used to roughen the edges of the white focal image

Stamps: Big Bold Birthday
Inks: Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango
Papers: Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Accessories: Dimensionals, Bashful Blue Grosgrain

Mia's First Day

Here's a page that I made to demonstrate the "Make & Take" project at the crop I'm hosting this weekend. It's a layout of the few pictures that I took of Mia on her first day back at preschool. I used papers from a new Simply Scrappin Kit called "Sunshine Garden". I love these kits so much...they come with so much patterned paper and stickers you can make so much with them compared to other kits on the market. They are perfect for a coordinating album or series of pages.

Stamps: Big Deal Alphabet, Best Friends Alphabet Lower, One of a Kind
Inks: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze
Papers: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Sunshine Garden DS papers from Kit
Accessories: 1" Double Stitched Baja Breeze ribbon, Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Boho Blossoms punch, Green rhinestone brad, Scallop edge punch
Note: Subtle flowers are stamped across the bottom of the page with So Saffron ink