Back to Scrapbooking

I’ve been working on what I love … home decor, upcycling and mixed-media, but I still found time to do what I love most — scrapbooking. Here are a few of the pages I completed from my recent trip to the Upper Peninsula. The page above is of the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay, Michigan. This is the site of the murder the story and movie, “Anatomy of a Murder,” was based on. We were the only ones in the bar and the self-proclaimed town drunk, and bartender, filled our heads with all sorts of details about the murder and the filming of the movie. It’s a really cool place — and is currently for sale, if you’re interested in owning a piece of history in a very small town.

I was excited to finally use this paper collection from Bo Bunny … I’ve been holding onto it for at least three years! We camped on the shores of Lake Superior.

Two of the trails we explored … one was all boardwalk. The other was through a sandy woods along the lake. It used to be a beach. There was something really strange about being in a forest and hearing the waves lap along the shore! By the way, if you know what this lichen or fungus or whatever it is in these photos, please tell me. It is beautiful! I spent an hour online, but couldn’t identify it. It seemed to occur only in areas that had recently burned.

A highlight of our trip … this was the cutest Sasquatch I have ever had the privilege to meet. The sculpture was extremely well done.

We found this pottery in Marquette. I fell in love. We talked to one of the artists for quite some time and she let me take a few photos. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on a piece of pottery!

This one uses a flip page from Close to My Heart …

Here’s the open flap. The paper is from a new Bo Bunny collection … I love the foiled vellum deer and bear!

 

Mega-Flakes for Mega-Fun

I’ve been playing … I recently discovered IndigoBlu, a stamping company from Great Britain. One of the products they offer is Mega-Flakes, a jar of multi-colored leafing. I realize leafing is nothing new, but I have never tried it before. However, when I saw these colors from IndigoBlu, I HAD to try it.

 

There are two ways to use this product … either with glue or with double-sided adhesive. Not wanting to buy another adhesive, I initially tried the two I already had … Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and Best Glue Ever. The Art Glitter glue dried before I covered the entire surface with the flakes. The Best Glue Ever left everything sticky. So, I ordered the FlitterGlu made by IndigoBlu and designed to use with the flakes. It is an amazing glue.

Simply squeeze a bit onto a sponge (I used one of the Distress Ink Blending foams) and use a plastic knife to work the glue into the sponge. Then wipe it on a die cut or rubber stamp (stamp the image onto paper and then wash your stamp if using a stamp) and then cover with flakes. The glue remains tacky forever — even a few days, so you do not have to hurry to cover it with the flakes. Push the flakes into the adhesive and then use a Scoochy Sponge or stencil brush to brush away the excess, which you pour right back into your jar. This is the technique I used to cover the chipboard hot-air balloon at the top.

You can also use double-sided adhesive. Cut your cardstock slightly bigger than the die you are cutting (I used a die from Tim Holtz). Cut a piece of double-sided adhesive the same size (I used the new transparent sheets from Elizabeth Craft Designs. They are as strong as Scor-Tape, but the backing is much thinner so it cuts nicely with dies) Peel off one side of the protective backing from adhesive and attach it to the cardstock. Run it through the die-cutting machine. Peel off the other piece of backing and cover with flakes. Use the Scoochy Sponge or a stencil brush to take off the excess and that’s it. Super easy! And I love how you don’t see the lines between the flakes … just an amazing mix of smooth color.

Here’s the page I created using these new products and techniques …

What do you think?

I have all of these products for sale in my store … click on the tab at the top to check them out.

 

Snowflake Kisses

When I saw this stamp set from Close to My Heart, I knew I had to have it. Fortunately, I had a private Copic class coming and the girls asked me to do a card with a snowman, so I could justify buying it!

I used Moxxie papers on the card and used Copic markers to color both the snowmen and the wooden snowflake.

After coloring, I used a ZIG Wink of Stella glitter pen to add a bit of sparkle to the snow. I love these pens because you can color over Copic markers without any problems.

Here’s the inside of the card …

Now it’s your turn … Scrap It Girl’s monthly challenge for January is to use something with a snowflake on it. It can be anything … a scrapbook page, a card, mixed-media art … anything.

Create and post it here before the end of the month and you could win some fantastic prizes! Good luck!!

Snowy Cards

I love winter … wait …  before you throw snowballs at me, let me explain … I love all of the seasons. I enjoy the changing views out my window. And I always enjoy those first few snowfalls of winter, when the sun shines and the sky is blue and everything is white and sparkly and beautiful.

Yes, soon I will be complaining about the cold, but for the moment, I am enjoying winter.

Which leads me to this month’s card for my card swap … our theme was winter and we were also asked to make a tag this time.

I used Stampin’ Up cardstock and patterned paper, Close To My Heart stamp (on the tag) and glitter paper, Sizzix tag die, Tim Holtz snowflake die, Memory Box sentiment, cork ribbon from Michael’s, twine from Prima and, my favorite part, an embossing folder from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

What do you think of this creation?

 

Birthday Card in a Box

My baby girl turned 21 on Monday.

I wanted to celebrate with something a little more special than just a simple card. So, I made her a card in a box.

I got the directions/measurements for making the box from Amanda Sevall Designs. Click here to get the directions.

I used leftover paper to cover the box. I added an anchor die cut and anchor washi tape because she anchors are special to her (they remind her of her brother who is in the Navy).

I stamped 21 with a Close To My Heart stamp set and then used a circle punch to cut them out. The Happy Birthday stamp is from Just Rite; the flowers and leaves are McGill punches; the feathers are from Bella Blvd.; the flourishes are from a Sizzix die and the heart is from Linnie Blooms.

 

Published: Cricut Magazine

I’m off to a scrapbooking retreat hosted by my friend Linda Neff .

We’ve been going to Sunset Shores in Clare, MI for some time now. It’s an old-fashioned resort on a lake with cabins. The basement of the main house has been turned into a great scrapbooking (or any other crafting) room. And Vivian, the owner, is an amazing cook. She makes incredible meals from scratch using locally grown foods.  The food is so good, I’ve told my husband that he needs to go with me just to eat!

Anyhow, this time Linda has set up a special retreat. We’ll be making a mini-album, a window and an ornament. It’s going to be a great time filled with good friends and good food.

But, before I go, I wanted to share some exciting news.

I was published in June’s Cricut Magazine!

I had two cards published this time … both using the Cricut cartridge from Close To My Heart.

 

on page 76-77 and

on page 64-65

The company mixed up the tips for the two cards, so the tip on page 64 actually goes with the card on 76, but it’s wonderful to be published!

See you next week with pictures of the projects I made.

 

 

Mama’s Baby Chicken

I love my chickens. They are so much fun to watch.

When I learned of a twine contest at the online store A Cherry On Top, I knew my new barnyard friends would be a perfect match.

This page features my most unique chicken. She reminds me of an owl. My husband says she looks like a chicken hawk. But we bonded the first evening we brought her home and I immediately began calling her “Mama’s Baby.” The name stuck since chickens seem to be rather difficult to name.

Here’s the page I created showing Mama’s Baby at just a few days old:

Click on the image for a larger view …

The paper is from Creative Imaginations & October Afternoon; cardstock: American Crafts; Twine: May Arts; metal embellishments, charm & black #2: Tim Holtz; cork #2: CTMH; other: Distress Ink, vintage images

In the bottom corner, I created a tag and then wrapped it in twine. Then I used one of the vintage images to make a charm, which I pinned with a key to the tag.

And, along the left side, I used twine as a bit of an accent on both the numbers and the top of the page.

I also inked the area around the  letters after I attached them to the page. I thought it made them stand out and provided a bit more definition.

What do you think?

Birthday in a Tube

My daughter Korie turned 19 the other day.

With our current situation, a large birthday celebration was not an option. Even though the day was low-key and her gift small, I still wanted it to be a special day for her. After all, it is the day that celebrates her entry into the world — a day I anticipated for over a year.

So, I decided to get a little creative and this is what I came up with:

I started with a clear tube and rolled bills in all different directions and placed them inside.

Then, I used my Art Philosophy Cricut Cartride and Stamp Set from Close to My Heart to make the cupcake. I used Distress Ink and Distress Stickles to “spice” it up a bit.

Finally, I added a bit of twine from My Mind’s Eye and an eyelet and tied it to the bottle. Simple, but much better than handing someone a wad of cash, don’t you think?

And here’s my beautiful daughter on her 19th birthday:

Sparkly Valentines

Everybody loves to receive valentines.

The best ones have a little sparkle and come with a little treat.

I created this one to be simple enough that you could easily make enough for an entire class (or let the kids make them) — but interactive enough to make it stand out.

I started with a little white bag that I’ve been carrying around for years. I don’t remember where I got it from originally.

I added a piece of Bo Bunny paper to the front and then used my Big Shot to cut out a heart and foldable strip from QuicKutz/Lifestyle Crafts.

I used Close To My Heart alphabet stamps to stamp the sentiment on the inside and another stamp from CTMH to stamp the Happy. (It was part of a Happy Birthday stamp, but I only inked the happy portion).

For the heart, I spread a bit of Designer Dries Clear Adhesive with my finger and then covered it in Pink Azalea Ultrafine Transparent Glitter 147. When dry, I adhered it to the front of the folded strip. Then, using Designer Dries Clear Adhesive again, I attached the strip and the string (from My Mind’s Eye) to the bag. Tying the string into a small bow keeps the strip closed and invites people to untie it and read the sentiment inside.

I tucked three Smarties into the bag, but you could put in a sucker, a few Hershey’s Kisses, or any wrapped candy.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Gift idea

One thing I love about scrapbooking is that the supplies come in handy throughout my life.

Yes, I have been known to hem my daughter’s dance pants with red tape and to fix my husband’s camera with a Glue Dot.

But, I also use my supplies to make gifts.

This year, I decided to try making something new: Citrus Body Scrub. I got the recipe from “The Chew”.

And, although I searched several stores, I couldn’t find a cute jar that was appropriate for the shower at an affordable price. So, I bought small Glad containers and made large tags to add a bit of style to my homemade gift.

I used the Sizzix Tag & Bookplates Die by Tim Holtz and cut the tags out of vintage Heidi Grace paper. Then, I stamped (Close to My Heart) on leftover cardstock, added Distress Ink and some fibers and there you have it! I used a Removable Glue Dot to adhere the tag to the top of the container, so it’s easily removed for use.

It’s quick and easy, but I’m sure my friends will appreciate the love that went into this gift.