Family Bonding

kraft cardstock; bazzil, patterned paper; studio calico & making memories, border stickers; crate paper, clear stamps; studio calico & glitz design, paper flowers; prima, rhinestones/brads; making memories, paper lace ribbon; basic grey

Happy Monday!! Today is officially the first day back to the grind this year! Hopefully you all were able to have a relaxing yet wonderful Holiday season with your families.

Today I'd like to share my first LO of 2011. I worked on it Saturday night after a fun day out with the hubby and sister in-law in NYC.

This LO is of my mom and I, we went to the NJ Scrapbooking Expo together back in May 2008. This was my mom's first introduction to the scrapbooking industry and she LOVED IT! We both bought so many cools things and she discovered a new hobby! Little did we know that this "new hobby" of hers wouldn't really take off until this past November, when I introduced her to the December Daily project by Ali Edwards. Since then, she's been full speed ahead! Every week she's picking up some new supplies, becoming a scrapping addict like me!! I'm loving it, while I was visiting my family for a few days over the holidays, I helped her pick out some new organizing systems and we set them up together for her new crafting space in my old room. It was great bonding time and now I will also have a space to use when I'm there...perfect!

On this LO I used the Napa Valley kit from Studio Calico and the inspiration sketch came from one of Becky Fleck's  Nov. sketches (see below);

I loved using this kit, the papers are so colorful and coordinate so well! The stitching and layered border embellishments are my favorite part...

Studio Calico- December 2010

Metropolitan is here!!!! And this my friends, is why I LOVE the beginning of every month! I always get SO excited when my new kits arrive and this month is NO exception! I'm already thinking of new ideas and looking at all the goodies makes me want to create aaaaall the time! (If only...*sigh*)

METROPOLITAN;

Coordinates with the following:

Mists: Lunch Tray, Applejack, Sunshine, Calico White, Calico Cream, Dark Calico, Warm Calico, Classic Calico
Inks & Paints: Lemon Drops, Malted Milk, Brown Sugar, Stick Candy


Complete kit contents:

Cardstock:
Kraft (Bazzill)
Hazel (Bazzill)
Lima Bean (Bazzill)
Cinder (Bazzill)
Vanilla (American Crafts)


Patterned Paper:

Exclusive Designs - 2 papers (Sassafras)
Digits (Studio Calico)
Swatch (Studio Calico)
Perfect Embossed (Pebbles)
Lagoon Calendar (KI Memories)
Metropolis (Basic Grey)
Pattern Dot (Making Memories)
Ledger (Making Memories)


Embellishments:

Tiny Type - Yellow (Cosmo Cricket)
Parisian Anthology Tickets (Pink Paislee) 5 tickets
Ledger Envelopes (Making Memories) 3 envelopes
Shimmer Alpha - Silver (Making Memories)
Entwined Blooms Turkish Turquoise (Sassafras)
Green Grid Mixtape (American Crafts)
Weekdays Black Scribbles (KI Memories)
Velvet Pleated Ribbon - Cream (Maya Road) 1/2 yd
Crystal Star Pin (Maya Road TK1411) 2 pieces
Globe Stamp (Studio Calico)

Album Project

Supplies: Flowers- Prima; Letter Stickers- American Crafts (thickers); Rhinestone Flourishes- Prima; Rhinestones- My Mind's Eye; Transparency Papers- Hambly & Best Creation Inc.; Floral Patterned Paper- Basic Grey; Circles Patterned Paper- Hambly; Cardstock- DCWV (Matchmakers)

al·bum

[al-buhm]
–noun
1. a bound or loose-leaf book consisting of blank pages, pockets, envelopes, etc., for storing or displaying photographs, stamps, or the like, or for collecting autographs.
2. a printed book containing an anthology of writings, reproductions of photographs or artwork, musical compositions, etc.

Origin:

1645–55; 1955–60 for def. 2; < L: neut. sing. of albus white, i.e., a blank (tablet) painted white for writing on


Recently I've been working on a new project, a scrapbook for a friend documenting her trip to Florida with her boyfriend. The challenge is not to make it too feminine, since it's essentially for both of them as an anniversary gift. Of course I reviewed the supplies that I chose with them both before beginning and there were no complaints (see above), which is a good sign! I want it to be pretty, but not "girly" if there is such a thing, anyway, I'm working on it! Here's a preview of the first page...

I created photo corners out of buttons with embroidery thread wrapped around them.

Here I made the butterfly embellishments out of a stamped image, added color using colored pencils and used rhinestones for the body. 

I stitched the flying path for the butterflies using embroidery thread, following a swirl line that I sketched out by hand first. Also the sides of the ground paper is painted with Tim Holtz  Ranger distress crackle paint in tattered rose & distress ink in shabby shutters.

Supplies: Cardstock- DCWV (Matchmakers), Patterned Paper- Making Memories; Transparency Paper- Hambly; Letter Stickers- American Crafts; Crackle Paint- Ranger Tim Holtz; Distress Ink- Ranger Tim Holtz; Butterflies- Stamped Image; Embroidery Thread, Rhinestones & Buttons- Other

For the title, I cut out a decorative border from a Hambly transparency paper and then layered on thickers letter stickers by American Crafts.

I'm still working on this, and the deadline is fast approaching! Trying to prioritize and make sure everything gets done in time, the Holiday season sure keeps us busy! Thanks for stopping in & come back soon!

Super Sunday!

Hello All!

Hope you all are enjoying your SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!! Today I heard something interesting on tv regarding this very special day...they said that today has become an unofficial holiday, which seems to be true, since millions of people throw parties which usually last all day & all night (all in the name of football). So maybe it should be a holiday...and everyone should get Monday off right!?! (Yeah only if it were that easy). So the big question is...who are you guys rooting for?? I was originally in favor of the Colts...(only because the Patriots aren't playing) but I started feeling like I should be more in favor of the under dogs, the Saints not to mention all that New Orleans has been going through the last few years. So my fingers are crossed...GO SAINTS!

Anyway, moving on...lately I've been feeling like I need to do more scrapping. I haven't been creating layouts much, I've been focusing on the scrapframes more (which I love) but I need to continue creating memories for myself and my family, most importantly. Here is a new layout I created using a lot of elements from some of my many Studio Calico kits. This layout features my grandmother with her 2 great grandsons.

I added a lot of personal doodling to this page, which I don't normally do, but I like how it adds a more personal touch. I also added stitching (using a black micron pen) to make the edge of the die cut background paper and the letter stickers stand out on the page. It definitely gives a crafty feeling. Take a look...

Supplies; Solid Textured Cardstock: Studio Calico; Patterned Paper: October Afternoon; Brads: Studio Calico; Letter Stickers: All About Alpha-Making Memories; Die Cut Background Paper: Melissa Frances; Lace & Buttons (suppliers unknown)

I'm also SUPER excited because today my husband and I went to Ikea to get a work table for me so that I don't have to constantly have my crafts spread across the kitchen table! I chose something that was very economical and works great for my space! I'm LOVING IT!!! I will post some pictures of my area soon, once everything is straight and organized! I feel like the little space I've created in our 1 bedroom apartment is slowly taking shape and becoming my little crafting oasis!! Its definitely become a motivational boost for me! Yeay!

Do you have a neat crafting area that you are proud and happy to work in?? If so, send me a comment with the link so that I can check it out! I love to see where others get creative! Maybe your craft rooms or spaces will give me some inspiration to help me finish mine! I look forward to checking them out! :-)

Have a goodnight!

Scrapbooking Expo! (Somerset, NJ)

Today was quite an eventful Saturday, despite the fact that I was a little lazy this morning and didn't wake up until almost 11am!! Uggghhhhh! BUT, Chris and I went over to NJ for the Scrapbooking Expo (yes I forced him to go with me) and it was great, we had a good time together and he was actually interested in looking at most of the products and demos, which worked out for me! He was also very supportive, as always, and let me purchase whatever I wanted...which led to me getting some cool embellishments, some Cosmo Cricket and Melissa Frances Papers AND the Bosskut Gazelle personal die cutter!!

I'm SOOO excited because I've been wanting a die cutter forever, but I wanted something that I can hook up to my computer and cut whatever I've designed. I don't want to have to go through the extra expense of having to buy cartridges every time I need a new design or font. This cutter seems to be the perfect choice especially because I can use it along with my Adobe Illustrator, it will cut ANYTHING that I can draw, not to mention that we were able to get a pretty good deal on it too!! I can't wait to try it out!


I love going to these shows because I feel so inspired and ready to work afterward!! Hopefully I can get a few things accomplished soon that I can start sharing! 

Hope you all are having a great weekend so far!