Make Mine Stamps

Creative Sketches: Anything Goes!

And I'll admit that I didn't check to see if we had a sketch.  In my mind, if anything goes, it is my liberty to take creative license and I did!  Here's a scrapbooking simple project that is super easy and something you could easily carry in your purse or briefcase.

Isn't it absolutely amazing?  What?  You can't see how cute this is????  Well, let's show you the opened up version.....

 

Wait for it......

 

 

Ta Dah!

Better?  It's a photo wallet scrapbook that will hold three to six pictures and journaling.  The envelopes protect the pictures and you can even decorate the outside of the envelopes if you choose, giving you at least three more photo or journaling options.  The top and bottom pictures show the cards inside the envelope.  The middle picture actually shows the insert pulled out and as we all know, every insert has two sides!

Super easy and super efficient.  I'm giving this one away to a new mom for a quick and easy brag book.  What do you think?  What could you use this for?

Tomorrow is Blogger's Challenge and I'm hopeful I'll get something stamped.  'Til then, have a fabulous Thursday!  And remember to check out the other designers at www.creative-sketches.com  Blessings to you and yours!

 

It's Really Easy....

Sometimes you see something and you think, "WOW!  That must really be difficult to make."  So instead of giving it a try, you pass it by.  Well, here's one of the items I'm including in my auction package this week and it really is super easy.  In fact, this one was created in less than two hours.  Wouldn't this make a nice gift for someone celebrating a memorable birthday?  And really...aren't they all memorable?

I'm going to share several pictures here and then I'll give you some simple instructions.

This is a paper bag album and if you can fold paper bags, you've got it made!  My personal hint to you would be to create base pages for every page you put in your book.  Then, when you have the entire page completed, adhere it to your page.  This will make it much easier and there will be no "mistakes."  Plus, paper bags are fairly flimsy and you don't want brads or whatever you use actually pushing through the pages.  Much, much easier to add these items to a base page and then adhere it as one page to your paper bag.  This is more like the "grouping feature" if you are working digitally. 

You can make this type of scrapbook in so many ways and with as many, or as few, pages as you wish.  Think of it this way:  When you fold a bag, you have four pages -- a cover, a back cover and two inside pages.  For each bag you add, you are creating four more pages.  So if you want an eight page book (including your cover and back page), you need only two bags.  Plus, I love using the inside of the bags for mementos, journaling or whatever floats YOUR boat.  Here are some more of the pages.

Here are pages 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6 (center pages showing binding).  Click on any of the pictures and they will enlarge.

These are pages 7 and 8, 9 and 10 and the back cover.  Again, if you click on any of these pages, they will enlarge.

Keep in mind that you can bind this type of scrapbook in any way you choose.  I've used the Crop-A-Dile and ribbon, but you could just as easily use jump rings, a Bind It All, or staples. If you choose staples, cover the staples with a piece of cardstock wrapped around your book and then put your Cover and Back Cover Base Pages over the piece of cardstock that covers your binding to ensure it doesn't come off.  I've done these many ways and no matter what -- they are all just as cute and just as much appreciated.

See how I've used the bag openings to hold journaling pieces?  These pieces are large enough to hold pictures, cards that people have given you, tickets or just whatever you desire to keep with the memento of this special event.  Because I've made this one a birthday scrapbook, it would be nice if you asked all of those people who attended the big event to sign one of these sheets and make a comment to the Birthday Person!  As I always say, you are only limited by your imagination.

When I put these books together myself, I alternate the bag openings, just to give the book visual interest, but you can have all the open ends on one side of the book as well if you choose.  And because the pages really aren't that big, you don't need a great volume of Designer Series Papers to make these books. 

If you have any questions about paper bag scrapbooks, ask away and I'll be happy to answer.  Just drop me an email and be sure to put "Paper Bag Scrapbooks" as the title so I can find your question right away.  This particular book was made with the Celebrations Designer Series Paper, along with the solids and ribbons that match. 

Hope your Easter was blessed and that you got to spend it with family and friends!  Praise God for our Risen Lord!  And thanks for stopping -- I appreciate you and your comments!

 

It's A...SCRAPBOOK!

I'm teaching a scrapbooking class at the local library on January 22 and I want to have several options to show the teens who will be in the class.  We are actually making a paperbag book, but I thought this would be a fun option to show them as an alternative for a special event or for a friend with whom they want to share some pictures.

This is how the scrapbook, made of three envelopes adhered together, looks closed.  You can close this with ribbon, but I chose to use flat velcro instead because it is sturdy and much easier to work with!

The paper is retired Island Oasis and I chose it because I want to get rid of it and because I wanted bright and vibrant colors.  I've decided that some of this paper needs to move on...NOW!  Because I didn't choose to buy the stamp set that coordinated with this paper (I'm not really into Palm Trees and beaches!), I chose to use the dots and stripes, which I love.

Here are some other shots of the scrapbook.

This shows the scrapbook open and you can see the journaling inserts (these could also be used for photos) and there is room behind the inserts for memorabilia (ticket stubs, etc.).  Here's a smaller pictures of the inserts on top of the DSP.

There is plenty of room for journaling or for photos or a combination of both.  You're only limited by your imagination!

 

 

 

 

Here is a photo of the actual outside of the scrapbook.  Sorry these are so scattered, but you will get the picture!

Hopefully you can see the possibilities.  I've got a theory about scrapbooking classes that I always follow.  I never finish the book because when I do, people only see that as the possibility.  However, if I leave it as it is here, they start to see what they could use this for and how they could embellish THEIR book.  This is supposed to give them an idea...not a template they must follow.  I always learn something with every class I teach and I'm certain these teens will blow my mind!

See you tomorrow!  What will I find to create today?

 

FINITO! It's Finally Finished!

I've been working on my Jolly Holiday Scrapbooking class for a couple of weeks.  I finally finished the pages and mounted the book.  I've had several requests for the instructions and I'll be posting them to the demo website in a week or two.  I want to make certain they are correct before I toss them out there!

Here are the pictures!

This is the book laid out on one side.

 

 

Here's the other side.

And here are the pictures of how the book will look while on display.  It will look fabulous on my mantle!

These are the first four pages on one side.  The other four pages are on the other side (yeah, like you couldn't figure that out, right?)!

Do you see those cute little packages on that page? 

It's late and I'm glad to be finished, already prepped and ready for Becky's class and Wipeout is on.  I'm off to watch!  Have a fabulous evening and an incredible, blessed Wednesday!

Christmas? Getting Ready!

I'm still working on embellishing those last Jolly Holiday scrapbook pages for my November class.  I've got more projects "working" than I've ever had going at one time and it is making me a bit nuts.  I need a full day off to myself to get some things "accomplished".  By that, I mean no one who needs me to fix them a meal, launder clothes, etc.  I'm sure most of you who are moms and wives totally get what I mean.  I don't have to eat when I'm in the creative zone and sometimes, I forget about being thirsty too!

Here are a couple more of the simple scrapbook pages I've been working on.  These pages are all created with Jolly Holiday DSP (which I am so loving!).

Have I mentioned that I love Cherry Cobbler in the new color palette?  It seems to me that I go to this color more and more often -- so often, in fact, that there are colors I haven't even tried even though I have all the new colors, brads, buttons, etc.  I'm "color addicted" right now!

When Thom looked at these, he wasn't impressed...until I explained that the Very Vanilla pieces are photo mats.  He loved the red tab, but didn't quite get journaling.  So, we have a Cherry Cobbler base, with two squares of the striped DSP and two squares of the circle DSP.  The circles are Cherry Cobbler on Very Vanilla, but those yummy stripes contain Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla and Old Olive.  I've embellished with an Old Olive Satin Ribbon (ribbon addicted!) and I used the new Trims Die in the Big Shot for the Cherry Cobbler trim on the photo mat on the left (n0t available until September - benefit of being a demo!).  I adore this die and can see myself using it often -- scrapbooking pages, cards and fabric projects alike because there are several different trim styles on the one die.

This base is Very Vanilla but I've used a panel of Cherry Cobbler and a panel of the circled DSP.  Once again, I used photo mats of Very Vanilla.  The top mat is flat to the paper and attached with Old Olive brads. 

The bottom mat is popped with dimensionals and the journaling mat is located beneath this mat.  I love doing this because it makes my scrapbook pages interactive.  In order to read the story, you must pull the tab up and out.

Remember also that this particular project is being designed for an eight-page accordion book and will NOT be put into an album.  I want people to SEE it, touch it, ask for the stories and adore it.  When it is in plain view, it is definitely a conversation starter because it instantly draws your attention to the "book". 

Isn't that small Old Olive polka dotted tab darling?  I truly enjoy scrapbooking with this paper -- the options are endless!  And I can guarantee that everyone who takes this class will end up with their own "original" book -- no two will be alike.  Although I always start with the same basic template (I'm a simple woman!), no two books look alike.  I listen to the what the paper tells me and I go from there.

I've got a really long day ahead of me once I'm done at work.  I need to prepare for Becky's workshop and I need to finish the last three pages.  They are put together but aren't finished (embellished) and I'm telling myself there will be no sleep until these last three pages are DONE.

Enjoy your Tuesday!  Make it God-filled and glorious!

  

Jolly Holiday Scrapbooking Continued

I'm almost done with all eight pages.  I wasn't able to work as long as I wanted yesterday because my hands are silently protesting and begging for a rest -- I listen to my hands and when they complain, I give them rest.

Here are a couple more pages I've completed.

I love this gentle stripe in the Jolly Holiday DSP!  It's soft but still has color to work with and it is also very easy to look at -- my eyesight is such that I wear bi-focals and when things are to glaring or too busy, it actually hurts my eyes to focus.  This stripe is just so calm that I adore it!

I started with the gentle strip, added an Old Olive strip to which I had added a Cherry Cobbler scalloped strip and then finished with the Old Olive dotted paper (again, a personal favorite!).  

One of the things I like to show people who scrap is that stamping can be a big addition to a scrapbook.  And since these pages don't go in page protectors, it is easy to add dimension -- as much as I want.  Here, I've stamped a couple of images from the new Holiday Mini set, Bells & Boughs.  I watercolored with blender pens using Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler, then cut the images out.  Both are added to panels of Very Vanilla with dimensionals.  I used Crystal Effects on the berries on the top swag.  The top panel is 4 1/4 x 6 1/4 and will hold a 4 x 6 picture with plenty of room to spare.  The bottom is a 3 1/4 x 5 1/4 panel and can be either journaling or another picture.  If you choose to add a picture to this panel, you can add a journaling page underneath the top photo as it is added to the page with dimensionals. 

Notice the Cherry Cobbler diecut, Swirls and Scribbles?  I would have liked to have added another swirl, but just didn't feel like the page could handle it.

I so wanted to add lettering cut with the Big Shot to the bottom of this page, but decided against it in the ease of time.  In a class setting, that would take forever -- stamping is much easier and that made my decision that much simpler as well.

This page is designed for a full family picture which could actually be 5 x 7 or even larger.  The bottom of the page is a pocket which can be used or not.  A picture can be slid under the torn paper, but it can also be adhered to the Cherry Cobbler mat if you so desire. Notice how I've used different sides of the paper and it makes it appear that I'm using lots of different patterns -- the glories of double sided paper with everything matching -- the beauty of Stampin' Up!  I didn't have to go out looking for different pieces of DSP, my inks all match, my ribbons all match and I'm a happy camper -- saved time and money by shopping from my seat and not my feet!

Tomorrow is Blogger's Challenge and we've got a Birthday Theme.  I'll have to come up with something tonight but I'm up to it!  See you then -- God Bless!

Jolly Holiday Scrapbooking

I'm doing a scrapbook class at Zane State in December and the gentleman who is in charge of sign-ups and promotion has asked for pictures.  That means...GET ON IT!  I am a scrapper who always uses scrapmaps because I love the ease of a system.  Even though I may use the same "page maps" each time I scrap, I can turn them in all directions, I change up the embellishments using the paper as my guide and everything always looks different.  I love this system of scrapping and always give instructions that include making a key for your paper, using a cutting guide and ideas for embellishments with regard to your subject.

This is one of the simpler pages I've put together, but I'm not certain it is done.  I might do some random stamping using a Versamark pad for watermark, but once all the other pages are somewhat completed with their embellishments, I'll step back and take a look to see what it might need, if anything.  There are eight "pages" to the book and they all measure 9 x 9.

This is an Old Olive base with a strip of one of the stripes in the Jolly Holiday paper pack across the page.  The photo mat is in Cherry Cobbler and measures 6 1/4 x 4 1/4 for to hold a 4 x 6 picture.  The journaling is done underneath the photo and you can see the Very Vanilla journaling square with the Old Olive tab.  I added three ornaments that I stamped and punched out with the Ornament Punch.  I used gold cording to make it appear as if they were hanging and the top ornament is popped up with dimensionals.  The second ornament in Cherry Cobbler is double popped and the gold embossed JOY is flat to the page. 

I love the new trims that can be diecut with the new die for the Big Shot!  I almost added some to this page and decided to wait to see if it needs something later.  Once I have all eight of the pages completed and laid out, I will add them to a boardbook that is designed to be displayed and not put into an album.  After all, once you've done the pages, why put them away so they have to be "pulled out" to be seen?  Your children will love to see pictures of themselves up and around all the time and when your guests pull this off a shelf to view it, your children will come running to explain all about the pictures.  Works every time!

Thanks for checking in today and I'll see you tomorrow!  Have a blessed Wednesday!

Small Purse - 3D Scrapbook

Last year, when I attended convention, Annette, another demo in the same line I am in, gifted me with a scrapbook purse.  It was the absolute cutest thing and I determined then that I would learn how to make it.  It was much easier than I thought and I didn't even have to tear it apart to figure it out.  Many demos will see something they like, tear it apart and create a template.  I always think that is risky for me becuase if I can't make it work, I don't even have the original!

Here's the purse closed up:

I have since added an embellishment to the front, but I was waiting for the embellishments to dry (I had to add a little bling to them!).  My impatient spirit wanted to get the picture taken when I had the opportunity. 

This purse was made using the Cottage Wall scraps of paper I had left and I absolutely love it.  The Cottage Wall paper was gorgeous, but wait until you see how Stampin' Up! has reworked the same patterns -- you will adore it!

So, here's the purse opened and ready to embellish with pictures of whatever events or people who float your boat!

It is all a matter of folds.  As you can see, I didn't have to stamp much here -- because I had to make so many for a swap, I did try to keep it really simple, while using most of the scraps of paper that I had available to me.    

When you see it from the outside, you certainly don't expect this when you open it.  Remember that you can click on any picture and it will enlarge.

Thom asked me to work longer hours this week and as a result of my preparation for the swaps I am participating in, I didn't get to Blogger's Challenge.  That is two weeks in a row and that is not something I'm proud of.  So, look for me to definitely get something ready for Blogger's Challenge next week.  I think I'll start it on Saturday to make certain it gets done!

Have a fabulous weekend and stay cool!  God Bless You!

Senior Moments...For Graduation

Andy's school colors are Green, Black and White.  That brings back so many memories of cheers I've sat through, yelled through and jumped up and down to during football and basketball games.  Those days are over, my friend.  Now, if we ever decide to attend any of Findlay University's games, their colors are Orange and Black and they are the Oilers.  (Can you say Halloween?  I guess I'm not over that decision yet, would you say?)

Here's the first layout I did when I started working on Andy's sporting memories for Graduation.

I'm creating another accordion album because I like those best.  I am using Glorious Green and I think I have plenty to work with.  Whatever I have is what I am using, and I'll also liberally use Black and White.  My focus is on the colors, as well as using stars of all sizes and colors.  This layout was an easy one to do and I used the Big Shot to cut the letters.  These are Quickutz letters I purchased way back thinking I would someday use them and that day has finally come.  My first intention was to use my Coluzzle because I have the shadowed alphas, but they were actually a bit too big.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this page.  I'm not really including the team photos, but will put them in a book for him so he can remember who was on his team.  The people who will be visiting after graduation are more interested in Andy than in his team.  At least I hope they are more interested in Andy....

He has scrapbooks I created for his Junior High years and for his senior year, the cheerleaders created scrapbooks for Football and Basketball.  I donated scads and oodles of supplies but I've never seen the book -- I'm sure he has it stuffed in a drawer somewhere, but that is a boy for you.  I'd love to see it and am hopeful I can talk his father into bringing it to graduation so we can all see what it looks like.

Tomorrow is Blogger's Challenge and it is a color challenge.  I thought it was a hard one until I sat down to create and it came to me immediately.  Can't wait for you to see it.  I used a sketch challenge as well -- killing two birds with one stone.  Now I feel efficient!

Have a great Thursday!  Let me know if there is a way I can help you!

What? Pregnant...! Part Two

Today, I'm sharing the last four pages of the scrapbook I made for Andy's teacher, Karen.  I sent this off to her today and she'll receive it tomorrow.  I do hope she loves this book as much as I do -- the colors are fabulous and it looks so "boy-ish" to me.  That is the problem with creating something like this for someone else -- you put so much love and heart into it, and you just want them to feel it too!

Remember, you can click on any of the pages and they will enlarge so you can see the details.  I used small safety pins, rub ons, made shakers, etc. for this book and I can't wait for her to see it. 

Here is a picture of the book put together as a Z fold accordion book. 

 

There are plenty of journaling opportunities as well and I hope she is able to find them all!  I thought about putting post it notes on the pages to let her know what went where, but then again, perhaps she will want something totally different and I'm going to let her do with this book as she will.  I would love to see it with the pictures though!  Baby Boy isn't due until May and Andy is graduating at the end of May.  Reality is that unless she sends me pictures, I'll never see this book completed.  Oh well.....I can always make one for my own grandchildren, should I be so lucky when the time is right.  It isn't right now....not for about 10 years...so patiently I will wait! 

How about this for an omen?  Today is my 48th birthday and I woke up with two new zits!  What a gift!

See you tomorrow with a grunge card -- it happened by accident.  The only thing I didn't do was stomp on it!

God Bless!