One card two ways

Hello its just a quick post today. I wanted to show you that stamps can be a good investment if you like to make cards. I used the same stamp set and card sketch to make two very different cards. One is Christmas and the other is birthday. I changed the colors and they look totally different.

Supplies used: October Afternoon paper, Three bugs in rug paper, Pink Persimmon scotty dogs stamps, Papertrey ink Mega mixed messages stamps. Cardstock, jewels, and brads from stash.

Ok so awhile back I showed a layout I made with a scaloped boarder. I said I would post how it was made.

So your corner rounder typicaly just snips off the end of your paper.

Well if you gently pull off the guide you can use the corner rounder to do an edge

The trick is to start at the end of the paper and leave just a little space you clip the paper all along and make sure to keep the space.

When your all done you get a great scalloped boarder.

Here it is on a little card. I hope you like it. If you have questions please ask. Thanks

I wanted to help make some cards for the troops they asked for non-discript cards that could be sent. I used some scraps to make a card I thought might masculine enough for guy to use. I used the cuttle bug embossing folder to make the background and then I inked it all over.

I did it!

I did it I learned to stitch and thread on my sewing machine!.. this is my first little try. My husband found me a video that showed me how to thread my machine and then it was off to try it on cardstock. I love the way this card looks.
One little tip if you are not sure about your threading skills then assemble the elements separate of the card then glue it on the front of the card base.

Supplies used: Patterned paper- October afternoon Cardstock- Bazzel Embelishment-Around the block

A little gift.

This is a template I made up for my sweet sister-in-laws birthday. The template is a timeless template from papertrey ink. So cute! I don't have any tips for today but I thought you might enjoy the project. I filled it up with the label wrapped chocolates and a gift card. If you still havent found Papertrey products check it out, a stampers dream!


Supplies used: Cardstock- bazzil Stamps- Papertrey everyday button bits, Vintage Labels & Limitless Labels Patterned paper- Bella Blvd Buttons-Rusty Pickle Flowers- from my stash Die cuts- nestibillitys labels 1.

Gypsy play

This is my first attempt at playing with my gypsy, I welded the letters in the title. I must say their is a Major learning curve with the gypsy. The more I play with it the better I like it though. Do you have an gypsy questions? Did you get the gypsy? Do you like it? I know I have used my cricut more just playing with the gypsy then I have in a long time.

Supplies used: Patterned paper, journaling stickers: sassafrass lass Monkey embellishment: Maya road Brads from my stash.

Going green for Halloween

Hello again,
I made a Halloween card because I had these Hero Arts stamps that I just had to have and I have never used them. I don't typically send Halloween cards but who could resist some cutie owl goodness.
Today's tip is to use packaging to create accents or background paper. In this card I used the paper that came with the lasting impressions template/paper pack. It looks cute with this card and its one less thing for the landfill. Sometimes scrapbook product packaging is as cute as the product inside.

Another quick card

I love embossing folders I used the same folder to emboss both the yellow and blue then I layer the two pieces over the top of each other being careful to line up the design. I used papertreys button bits set to make the cute bird and sentiment. I love the way the card turned out. So simple and easy.

Corner rounder or scalloped boarder?

First I would like to apologize that the picture makes me look a bit crazy. However its important to scrapbook pictures of yourself once in a while. This is just a quick layout but what I wanted to show you was the scalloped boarder at the top. I made this with my corner rounder. I will post a tutorial of how to do this soon. I really think that the Ek Success corner rounder is one of the best purchases in a punch. It is pretty inexpensive and it will round your corners and give you a scalloped edge.

A quick stamp tip

I used my copics to color the stamped image and try to get some dimension in the topiary. After the card was all put together I thought the image needed a bit more, I found the ribbon in my stash and added the bow.

Tip: bend your clear stamps around the block to stamp inside a circle.

Teacher Card

With the scraps from my "back to school" layout I made a quick card while I had everything out. It was very easy to use the scraps and grab some stamps for a quick "hello teacher". I had my son write a note to his teacher about the things he was looking forward too for the year.

Tip: When you finish a page use your leftovers to make a quick card before cleaning up. This way you will have a nice stash of cards to choose from. Plus you already have all of the matching embellishment's out and ready to go.

Supplies Used: Card stock, from my stash. Patterned Paper, ki memories School Days. Stamps, papertrey ink, Limitless Labels and Mega mixed messages. Apple sticker, unknown.

Back to School

I create a book for my cute son for each year highlighting all of his major events. He doesn't know about the books so I think they will be a nice surprise when he gets older and I give them too him. His yearly books are all 8x8. I enjoy the smaller format as his books are really a highlight of his year. The back to school page is one of the last but I always have fun using the cute supplies I can find.

Tip: the "sixth grade" sticker on this layout was backed with paper that didnt match my layout. I pulled it appart and added my own foam adhesive. Dont think that you have to use stickers as they come you can find lots of ways to embelish them.

Supplies Used: k.i. memories, School days paper. Reminisce, making the grade stickers. Card stock, from my stash.

Just a quick card.

This is a simple card I made using some scraps and a cute stamp. The tip here is if you want to make a simple card look amazing try using flocked paper and some jewel's. This card took minutes and I hope it will be special to the recipient.

Rockstar

Who's kids aren't playing this game these days? I had these cute 4x6 pics and I wanted to put together a page to honer the cute rock stars. If you spend any time looking through magazines you know that people who are way more talented then I am use photo editing programs to change sizes and print them in lots of different sizes. I am still trying to figure out photo shop elements so most of my pictures get printed out in 4x6. Don't be afraid to use those 4x6 pictures they can still look great!
I also used some Halloween theamed papers I had been holding on too. I hate it when paper is almost too cute to use.
Today's Tip: use holiday paper on non holiday layouts.
Bonus Tip: cover naked chipboard with matching paper to add easy matching embellishments and dimension.

I run my paper through the Xyron. If you don't have one you could use a wet glue and let it dry for at least 4 hours. I put the paper on the chipboard and trim with my Fiskars fingertip craft knife. I usually ink around the edges a little bit and call it good.

Supplies used: Cardstock Prisim, Paper- Making Memories, rockstar sign- My Mind's Eye.

Quick and easy gift.

I needed a quick birthday gift for a friend so I made a little set of cards and put them in a cute box. I often make 3x3 cards when I don't have the inspiration to make anything else or if I have quite a few scraps. I have box holding all of these little cards and they are perfect for a quick note to a friend or family member or I love to use them with gifts. I get the envelopes from a friend who sells stampin' up. I had everything in my stash and I had a thoughtful gift in no time.

I am going to make a few of these just to have on hand for giving.

First cut your base card stock to 3x6.

Score at the 3" mark to make the card base.

Use your stash to layer paper and embellishments for the cards.

For the box:

I used a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper and scored it at 3 1/2" at 3 3/4" at 7 1/4 at 7 3/4 Cut your paper at 8 3/4. then cut your paper 4" . Now your paper should be 8 3/4 by 4". You will trim out a the corners and glue using score tape. To see a great template check out this post: http://aaronsbooth32.blogspot.com/2009/07/3x3-card-set-and-template.html

I made mine much smaller but it will help you get the idea. before you glue everything together make sure you punch out a circle or design in the front.

Supplies used: Craft card stock from LSS, stickers from Micheal's, cloud 9 gel stitch's , button and ribbon from stash, DCWV green stack paper and chipboard.

OK first let me say I am sorry that the photo is not that great. I really need to invest in a photo tent but they cost quite a little bit. So alas we will need to make this work. Do you have any photo tips for projects I can use?

Anyhow this layout was so fun to make. I loved the look of die cut paper but I really have a tough time cutting it up and using. Typically I use just a bit of patterned paper so It was a little bit of a stretch to use the whole sheet. I love the look of layers and ribbon with flowers. I feel like this page looks great without looking overcrowded almost like a postage stamp.

The tip for today is not a new one and its not my idea, I picked it up somewhere along the scraping way: Follow the rule of 3. I have 3 groups of flowers in 3 sets. I also made sure that the flowers were attached to something, meaning they are not floating in the middle of the page somewhere. It adds balance and interest without making the page look too busy.

Supllies used: American crafts thickers, All other making memories.

Mini book for photos

Hi again just a quick post to share how I plan to save some of my favorite vacation photos. I got the girlfriends club kit and fell head over hills for the cardboard. It also included several sheets of fancy pants summer soiree but one of the sheets was a set of journal cards. It screamed make me into a mini book at me so who was I to deny the paper. Check out http://thegirlfriendsclub.typepad.com/ to find out more about the kit. Also there is a video on the blog that will show you how to make this flower that is so cute! I love the book its so shabby and cute.

Quick Layout and a tip

I so fell in love with this paper from little yellow bicycle. Its hard to see in the picture but there are brads and twine that track all of the stops on the trip. Some matting and a journal card and this was a pretty quick layout. A quick tip: If you have some journaling stamps when you have time cut your scrap card stock into circles and squares and stamp them, put them in a baggie and you will have them ready for layouts or to take to a crop!

The Girlfriends Club

Hello All,

Sorry I have been kind of a slacker between school, work, birthday and life I haven't been as diligent as i should have. But I have a super cute layout for you today. OK maybe my layout is not so cute but, the possibilities with this kit definitely are. Oh and sorry for the bad picture its been rainy here all day and its hard to get good light.

Be sure to check out http://thegirlfriendsclub.typepad.com/ For tons of inspiration and more fun ideas!

Mothers Day gift for $10 and some stash!

Sorry scrappy friends, school and work is bringing me down. Today’s post is about scraping off the page. I know in these tough times its hard to buy things that aren’t necessities like art. This is where our scrappy supplies come in, no maybe I have just seen too much HGTV but you can make some great pieces to put on the wall.
If you keep your eyes out you can buy a stretched canvas for about $10. The canvas I used is a 13x13 but any size will work.
I found (from my stash) a piece of paper I thought would look good with the décor, I recommend something that is not to bold but has a subtle texture.
Use mod podge or watered down Elmer’s cover the canvas in a thin layer and add the paper.
When the glue is dry trace your photo with a pencil.
Stamp flourishes in random around where your photo will go. Don’t forget to stamp under where your photo will go will flourish’s peaking out, it will look more natural.
I also chose to apply rubons to my photo I then glued the photo down and used a thin layer of mod podge to cover the entire piece.

I gave this to a friend of mine as a house warming gift. The only thing I had to buy was the canvas. I think this would make a super mothers day gift.

Fast and Easy

So this is a quick nugget set I made for my work's craft/ bake sale. Its amazing how fast everything came together, the whole project took just a few minutes to compleate. I think that it is a wonderful little gift and could be used for so many other occasions. The end of school is just around the corner...

I used the limitless labels set from papertrey ink as well as their white labels and nuget tin. The ink and mothers day setement are from Close to my heart. The little tag is a Fiskars squeeze punch and the elastic cord is from stampin up.

So you wanna be a scraper?

I get asked a lot “what do I need to buy to start scrapbooking?”
This is a list of must have items:
· A paper trimmer : (don’t spend a ton of money here, one about 10 bucks, that accommodates 12” paper with a pull out ruler will be fine for a beginner) If you decide that scraping or any type of paper crafting is right for you then you can invest more in a fiskars rotary trimmer.

· Cardstock: Don’t buy the multi color combo pack, you will end up with wonky colors you won’t use. Buy a few sheets of each Black, White, Craft, Cream and your favorite color for me it’s usually red or blue. When you start to do more then you can buy colors for a specific project, don’t buy cardstock just to stock up.

· A set of alphabet stamps: I don’t recommend buying letter stickers unless you have a particular project in mind a large (about 2”) and a small (1/2”) set of alphabet stamps will give you a lot more mileage in the beginning. Please get clear or acrylic stamps so you can see your words I promise this will save you so much frustration.

· A high quality black and brown inkpad.

· An acrylic block large enough to accommodate your largest alphabet stamp

· Scissors: You can’t go wrong with fiskars soft touch micro-tipped scissors. These baby’s are spring loaded so you won’t fill fatigue.

· Adhesive: Something important to remember here is that you need the right type of adhesive for each thing you are trying to glue down. You will need a dry adhesive like Tombo Mono rollers. You will need a wet adhesive like designers dry clear. You will also need glue dots mini.

· A sketch book or magazine. My personal collection includes Page Maps, all of Close to My Hearts books and best of Becky Higgins. The importance of a sketch book is to give you a starting point. After you have a sense of what you like and don’t like you might not use these as much.

This is the most basic list of what you need to get started. Now don’t get me wrong, there are tons of other things you will want but STOP! If you don’t know where on a particular project it will go don’t buy it. If you are a beginner you will be upset that you have stuff just sitting around and this hobby can grow overwhelming.

Did I forget anything? Leave a comment…

This is only a test...

Here I am everyone, this is my entry into the blogging world. What to expect: 1-2 posts per week, lots of scrappy and stamping advice. Fantastic links for shopping. Cute (or ugly) pics of my projects. And very likely some crazy rambling from good old me.