Slow Down Go Around

Which comes first, the hobby or life?  Obviously, life wins every time.  Slow down yet again.

I'm still struggling through the self-designed mini-album.  One agonizing page at a time.  It's not as bad as that, I'm having fun in the creating, but find it amazing how much still remains a challenge.  Especially the mechanical aspects.  If I could ever commit to a dedicated Crop group, there would be an explosion of creativity and skills from which to draw.

I'm hoping for the luxury of creating a few designed albums before the end of the year... particularly those on YouTube I still drool over.  Over the past several weeks the complete Tropical Travelogue and Le Cirque collection pieces have filtered into the house.  I was surprised today when finding the Le Cirque 8x8 pad; something never expected!  Several weeks ago I posted a link to a YouTube video featuring a flip-flap album created from the Le Cirque collection.  With the 12x12 pad in hand I thought to pull together the measurement to get the album started.  Of course, in the manner all too familiar now, the album was built using the 8x8 pad.  Naturally.  The 12x12 could have been used, but when completely unfolded, would measure 36 inches long and over 24 high.  The problem with these proportions become abundantly clear.  A mega mini???  Purpose defeated.

It's taken awhile to decide where and to whom the albums will ultimately go.  I plan to make a childhood scrapbook for each of the boys, and one each for my sister and one brother.  Insofar as these gifts go, each will be copied versions of other albums.  The total lack of self-generated creativity will always work against my favour; yet, it's possible that, in time, it may all click together some day. 

G45 came out with a line of pigment inks that takes the guess work out of  colour coordination decisions.  That's very exciting news for partially colour-blind individuals!  In the latest haul I bought two of the five available colours, and will buy the other three over the next month.

The Mister celebrated his birthday this week and I created a stunning tag instead of the usual card.  As soon as the weather clears, and the pain isn't as crippling, I hope to photograph and post it here.  Again, there were several unanticipated mechanical problems, but was able to overcome them without great interruption.  This was the first full size tag I've created and was very pleased with the results.  See?  Some of this may eventually rub off into real creativity.

I hope to get a real jump on the Tropical Travelogue project this week.  The plan is to create one page from a tutorial and one from my own creativity.  That's the plan... now to make it a reality.

Productivity

Little Darlings Page Element

 I've decided the best approach to each page design is to treat each element going onto a page as a mini-mini page layout.  For example: one page cut out is backed with a coordinating paper, both the bottom paper and the cut out inked, lace applied to the back of the cutout image, and apply an even smaller element inked and Stickled.  A simple 2.5x3.5 image comes out as a 5.5x4.25 micro page consisting of six layers.  This doesn't count the four to seven layers the embellishment will be mounted upon. However, it turned out  looking rather professional, or at least pretty good.
__________________________

There was a special father-daughter soccer game this evening.  We brought along the camera to capture a few unique elements since this year's soccer album needed a few more photos  Everything went well until the very last moments of game play.  The star of the show was running full out chasing the ball before it went out of play.  Very close to this area was a mom also taking pictures of the game.  Predictably, it turned into a disaster.  Before anyone could take corrective action, Miss J ran into the lady on the ground.  Almost.  The lady had a small dog, leased, sitting directly in front of her, and it being fully conscious of the mayhem about to take place jumped up and attacked.  The Miss ended up with multiple and deep bite marks on her thigh and lower leg.  These quickly turned into a very ugly blue mixed with red blood.  I've never seen her cry over an injury before, but this incident caused large wet tears to well. 

Fortunately for all, the dog is fully vaccinated and current with all other required shots as well registered with the, but will still be sequestered in the pound for ten days due to asinine city policy .  What is wrong with that picture?  I was spitting mad that despite following all the rules the family has to be separated from the family pet, and to add insult to injury (so to speak), must pay impounding fees.  The lady was generous enough to allow a picture of the dog and its victim.  That will be a great page to scrap... when animals attack.

Tomorrow we run down to the doctor's office for a tetanus shot.  At any rate, the team won the game at 2-0.

Word

Word of the day:

im·pro·vise

verb (used with object)

1. 

to compose and perform or deliver without previous preparations; extemporize: to improvise an acceptance speech 

2.

to compose, play, recite, or sing (verse, music, etc.) on the spur of the moment. 

3.

 to make, provide, or arrange from whatever materials are readily available:  We improvised a dinner from yeterday's leftovers. make, provide, or arrange from whatever materials are readily available: 

Slow Go

No pictures, not even a real update.  And, not a whole lot of time creating.

Skill development.  Lots to say about it.  I became quite adept at using the ATG only to learn this wasn't the best long-term adhesive.  Then I learned to use both the red sticky and score tapes.  A huge step up, but it still took time to become proficient.  I've since learned wet glue tops all the others.  How hard could it be to learn to use a better medium?  Well, a whole lot.  It isn't working for me.  Practice makes perfect, yes, but I want to do something rather than perfecting a skill.  So, maybe the next project will involve glue but for this album the best it's going to get is the score tape.  I really want to get through the Little Darlings album.  There's so much more to do than to stay stuck on one project for what seems forever; although I'm having a blast putting it together.  This is the fun part, right?

I might get to make a few new friends.  A lady and her daughter (or perhaps just the daughter?) have recently gotten into scrapbooking and the mister offered to allow me to show off some of the tools of the trade and perhaps share a couple tips picked up along the way.  This could be the greatest!  The more the merrier.

Got the Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue paper today.  My bad, it was only published this year.  Why, then, is it so hard buying the collection from one source?  Mysteries of our universe.

Improbable

Page with flip out card on left

 As improbable as it might seem, I worked out several technical issues and now back on track on the page order.  Also improbable, I completed the first page.  Nothing's been glued down, but there's no work remaining to complete the page.  At least that's what I think today.  As pretty as it is, it seems as if "something" is missing.  No worries, loads of time to think this through.
 



Because I changed my mind about the album dimensions, I can't firmly grasp how the above page will sit on the inside cover.  There may be room to add an ivory pleated trim between the book board and paper.  Another reason for not gluing the components to the page at this time is because it's probably 100 times more difficult; that, and if it can be done, I haven't seen anyone do it.

Next... an absolute final commitment to the 8.5x8.5 page size.  Either later this evening when there's more time, or tomorrow, I plan to cut the base paper for the first page.  It's with that extra added one-half inch that the certificate, that cause so much grief, can snugly fit.

The I am Roses package arrived today.  Oh, my!  These are going to be fun with a capital F.  The time has arrived where I can no longer ignore the (b)looming flower storage problem.  From incorporating flower use only a couple of months ago, the inventory is accumulating as quickly as weeds grow.  That's not including the dozens of flowers I've cut from off the Cricut.  Guess it's back into the room with the rolling bins.  Although... a $25 wall lateral wire shelf would go a long way in solving this problem without taking up floor space.  TBD.

It's total defeat in collecting the full Once Upon a Springtime collection.  What's on hand should be enough to do everything I bought it for.  I saw another Graphic 45 collection, Le Cirque since retired that peaked my interest, but thought much older then the Once Upon and, as these things go for me, figured completely unobtainable.  Not so fast!  I got my hands on both the 12x12 and 8x8 paper pads, and some of the other pieces in the collection.  I could not be more pleased.  Finally, as budgeted, I bought the full Tropical Travelogue collection, but from several places; all now on the way to the house.

While browsing through YouTube the other day I ran across a mini-album design, with tutorial, that's a must for several future albums.  The link for the YouTube video.

Technical Issues

I didn't think this would go nearly as smoothly as hoped.  Good thing.

I've finally committed to an 8.5x8.5 inch page size and a 9x9 cover. I wanted to allow generous space for the many 5x7 photos; this size does it.  There were several binding options available and in the end decided to use the Bind-it-All.  There's less chance of error, still presents very well, and frees me from also learning a complicated binding method.  Maybe later, but there's probably too much going on for a novice anyway.


The inside cover of the album was to feature a 5x7 of my parents wedding, followed with a facing page containing the hospital certificate of birth.  This plan fell at first stroke.  The certificate size is 8.5x6.5.  There's zero wiggle room for the document on the 8x8 page.  The only way this will fit is if it's placed on either the front or back cover page, which will be just large enough to make it work.  It's disappointing, but there will be jigs in the chronology.  It could be worse.  So it was back to the drawing table.

Layout with Colour!

All designs until today existed on plain printer paper.  I pulled out the designer paper loosely arranged the elements of the first page, and - whoa!  This is very, very nice, indeed.

For the wedding page, I deviated from the Little Darlings paper and pulled out a few pages of the Le Romantique.  It seems the two work well together, or at least won't clash. Pretty, huh?

I filmed, but have not uploaded tonight's YouTube video.  Perhaps tomorrow afternoon.  We had some very serious girl time today, it's been an insane week.

YouTube Fame!

It's about time!  I posted my first ever video on YouTube.  I'm famous now.  Just like every other person on Earth. Not to give away too terribly much, wanting to keep my audience in nail biting suspense, but the video involved ants.  Yes, ants.  How's that for a YouTube howdy doo?

Before the creating begins in the morning, I thought it appropriate to demonstrate why creating this album at this time is entirely appropriate.

The Original Baby Book, c. 1962

Back Cover

Front Cover

Binding

 













This is a disaster.  Easier to replace than restore.

Ready! Set!...

Every single item needed for the Little Darlings mini is within reach.  The last of the coordinated supplies came in today.  This is it... beginning Thursday morning it gets done, one page at a time.

The Tim Holtz Tattered Rose distress ink was not what I expected.  It's as flesh coloured as it gets.  I'd expected a stronger hint of rose or coral; be that as it may, it still functions as planned.  Although, if the either the Worn Lipstick or Moss Green happened to fall into my shopping buggy, I wouldn't take issue.

(Should anyone with two days of artistic training ever happen upon this site, they must forgive the misapplied terms because every application will be wrong.)

Ivory and brown are the two base colours that will be used throughout.  I'm not crazy about using the Vintage Photo ink colour for distressing as most scrappers seem, because while it presents a lovely brown, it always comes out looking overly dark for my tastes, and despite all attempts I can't get it to tone down.  In most cases I prefer working with the Tea Dye, but this has redder tones and might clash with this paper.  A compromise may exist between the two, but I haven't found it yet and probably won't in the distressed lines.

I'm positively itching to get started on this mini, but there are several firm commitments between picking up the scissors/glue/inks and the starting bell tomorrow.  Just to be sure, I went through all the page templates drawn up last month and still love every detail.  

Even at this late hour I haven't fully committed to the final overall size.  The decision to modify the book to the 8x8 size was based upon an abundance of that sized quality book board on hand.  There are nine 5x7 photos included in the album and I fear that the 8x8 size may turn out to be a smidgen too small.  The photos are the originals from almost 100 years ago, or about half that, so cutting them down isn't an option I'm comfortable with.  And, making re-sized copies of the photos defeats the purpose of creating a safe place to permanently store them, which is exactly why the mini is being created!  It's a historical preservation effort.  A curiosity happened today as I reviewed the photos going in the Little Darlings album.  On the back of one photo my mother had written, "My little darling."  So very fitting.  

The idea of documenting the album's construction still appeals.  Each day I plan to post pictures of the work accomplished.  Maybe, just maybe, it will all come together nicely enough to want to show it off when victims visit the house ;)

Look for pictures beginning Thursday night!

__________________

Through sheer determined effort, I discovered my worst fear: the Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue is slowly fading out of publication.  There's still time to gather everything I'd like to have, so there's no panic involved, but it's getting harder to hit one store and find an entire collection intact... a little here, a little there.  Unfortunately, this interrupts my budgeting plans as it's probably best to accumulate it quickly before it becomes a complete hit or miss endeavor.  As is the case in the Once Upon a Springtime collection.  What a nightmare!

Skill Development

The Lindy's Stamp Gang Nantucket Starburst colour shot set arrived today.  Yeah!  Unfortunately, the weather affected me so badly I couldn't even twist a top loose, let alone fill the container with water and begin to play.  I learned the other day this particular collection isn't about glitz; rather, the soft shimmer.  This is perfect for the purposes intended.  Next batch will be all about the glimmer and glitz.  Hopefully the weather and extreme temperature changes won't keep me from enjoying the little things in life tomorrow and I can find time to play with the colours.  At least the temperatures will be a bit more bearable throughout the weekend.

It may take another three weeks before the first I am Roses package arrives as they originate and ship from Taiwan.  In the meantime I've began playing with the Flower Shoppe Cricut Cartridge.  Though the flowers come out pretty, there was "something" missing.  After watching a few videos I believe that missing something is my fear of manipulating the paper overly much once cut and inked, which took the potential of something great into amateurish attempts.  There's at least twenty pounds of paper in this room - excluding the premium papers - and I'm still too stingy to let loose and have fun with new creations.  Perhaps this is common to new crafters, but probably has more to do with my more conservative nature.  I've watched a few videos specific to the cartridge and learn more each time.  It's a shame there's no group in the area specific to Cricut. 

The function of every tool in the Cricut tool kit was readily apparent except for the spoon looking thingy.  I finally found a use for it!  Having lost the embossing tool purchased in the earliest days of card making, getting the flowers to soften and curl was a bit of a challenge.  This Cricut tool and a variety of metal crochet hook sizes does a great job.  The spoon tool (for lack of a better description) works especially well for petal embossing in the sizes I'll most use.

The box of scrapbooking goodies came in much earlier than anticipated.  I immediately passed most of the materials to my sister after she got to play with some of the stamps and inks.  She's been scrapbooking for a much longer time than I, and makes stunning pages, but has never incorporated stamping into her designs.  Now hooked on the concept, I donated most of the stamps and inks that came in to encourage her new skills.  But not all!  Some were much too precious to let go.  In the end, we fairly well split the box down the middle.

On to more skill sets and advancing in others!

Learning by Mistake

What a week.  Seems as if every project is somewhere up in the air... or in the mail again.

Got the photos.  When building the travel mini I designed everything to accommodate 4x6 photos, although there were a few pages designed with smaller mats.  I realized there would be many, many pictures to include and adjusted for that.  What I'm learning in putting the final touches on the album is that my matting skills have everything left to improve.  For example, in one booklet alone I punched an eye out - totally avoidable - placed photos in such a way the booklet requires constant turning to view the pictures, and as cute as the booklet is, the photos still needed an additional mat, which of course I didn't allow for.  It's still okay because the approach to this album was to treat this as a learning experience.  That certainly happened!  The next "solo" designed album will mark a dramatic advancement of skills.

While watching the daily subscription YouTube videos, I ran across someone very excited about a find at TJ Maxx getting in a huge variety of EK Success punches for $3.99 each.  That is something to get excited about.  I couldn't get to the Maxx until yesterday and it initially appeared as if all the punches I'd hoped to find already sold.  It wasn't a total loss as I managed to find one EK Success Halloween punch and a bonus Martha Stewart Halloween Punch Around the Page set for only $8.00.

I learned an surprising fact about EK Success punches. (This also includes Martha Stewart as EK Success manufactures these as well.)  They come with absolutely no guarantee, implied or otherwise.  And when calling customer support, they all but told me: too bad in just about those words.  It's a shame there's no alternative punch companies out there that back their products.  Perhaps Fiskars, but would have to look.

I've been a very good scrapper and chained myself to a strict budget; because I've realized it's not a good policy to buy something just because I "might" need it someday - sales or not.  (I must admit that I'm still working on that "chained" part :) 

So... today I finally bought a couple packs of I am Roses and doing the happy dance for it. The flower inventory is still very limited, so I've decided that for the next couple of allowances to add a few packs each time.  

It's very fortunate we live so close to the national Tattered Angel's warehouse as bottles and sprays can cost as little as $3.00 a bottle; fortunate because my investment for glittery sprays and paints has been minimal.  After watching so many videos, it's obvious Lindy's Stamp Gang's various forms of micas are far superior to Tattered Angels.  I'm buying my first four-bottle set that happens to marry up with several Graphic 45 collections already on hand.  Between I am Roses and LSG, I'm going to have a blast over the next few weeks learning new techniques.  Like the I am Roses, I also plan to slowly build the LSG spray/paint inventory.

For fear of retiring the collection I'm hoping to buy Graphic 45's Travel Travelogue in the 12x12 and 8x8 pads.  If the collection proves to be a fairly new, then I'll just sit on this week's allowance until a good sell comes along.  I wonder if there's a place where you can go to learn when a collection came out and approximately how long the sets stay in publication.

Great, great news!!  I misunderstood what the seller was offering with the partial 8x8 pad Once Upon a Springtime paper, but now accidentally own TEN face pages of the collection.  However (squeals of joy) I located a company that had the postcard page for 70c each, and had them in stock!!!  Four of these should arrive any day now.  That leaves the tag page to locate, and should I desire, the chipboard frames.

The post here is too long, but in the next day or so I'll share a project I'm coordinating. 

Buttons and Bows

Everything ordered this past week arrived.  Except the photos.  However, whether through procrastination or perfection, I decided to change the page base to a rich brown instead of the black.  The black just seems too "heavy" if that makes any sense.  And it's not like the black will never be used, oh, far from that.


I've kept myself busy with fussy cutting and making paper embellishments.  Not too bad for a first go of it.  I'm not nearly as done as will probably be needed for the mini, but it's a start.

I'm particularly proud of my hand-crafted bows.  

A nice variety of 3

But the tiny pearl bow is awesomely cute!

Too cute!

Oh!  Oh!  Oh!

I almost forgot!  I'm still short the postcard and tag page to complete the Once Upon a time collection, BUT!  I did find an 8x8 pad!  And one of the cuter stamp sets.  Amazing.  I still believe the postcard page will be found.  (Actually, I did find it, but the guy wanted $3.85 for the one page and almost $5.00 for shipping.  I not stoo-pid! Just patient.)

Jinx

I'm telling ya, there's a jinx on me this month.  The seller who had the elusive last two pages of the Once Upon a Springtime collection emailed me this morning and stated, "Unfortunately, one of the patterns you ordered..."  Blah, blah.  Okay, so now I'm down to needing one page, but all is not lost.  I now have four copies of the most important page of the pad, so that's fine.  I'll get the last page. I always do... eventually. The project isn't even due to begin until at least after Christmas, so no biggie.  A little headache to sit on top of a larger one.

Not a very productive day today on any level.  There was a little accident that involved bones, mass blood, and pain, so everything stopped to attend to this little matter.  I did manage to watch a few tutorial videos between annoying yelps of pain.  Maybe life will continue tomorrow?

Two steps forward, one step back still equals progress. 

DId It

Yes!

Finally.  It all comes together, even better than hoped.

I spent hours yesterday trying to buy a few select items and ran up against wall after wall of "not currently in stock" and paying $5.00 or more for each shipping charge, adding up to over $20.00 for less than $15.00 worth of product.

I started out the day with a positive attitude.  After about an hour of searching the wheels began to grind down... again.  Time to take a break.  I set back out after the house quieted, not really expecting results.  And then, jackpot!!!

Scor-Tape.  Bingo!
Flying off the shelf Prima mask.  Gotcha!
Photo corners.  Done deal!

I am tickled pink.  But... the best was yet to come.  I've lusted after a Graphic 45 collection called "Once Upon a Springtime" that I believe retired about the time I came into the craft. Through sheer perseverance I managed to collect the tag, frames and sticker pages, and all but two of the pages from the12x12 paper pad. Tonight I found the two pages, they are ordered, and mine all mine!  I've resigned all hope of finding the full 8x8 pad.  Notwithstanding, this is the absolute BEST.  Now(!) all the Prima flowers, lace and crystals I've been hoarding will have a place to call home.  Right after I finish the other three albums in line.  Poo.  The important thing is having the set together when time comes.  I think to buy another safe to keep my most treasured papers protected in the event of a fire; either that, or find a place to stash that other junk taking up valuable safe space:  birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, etc  ;P

The next Graphic 45 quest is the Olde Curiosity Shoppe line.  It's newer and hardly a challenge to find.  Just that money thing, which always gets in the way of fun.  This will be the September allowance.

I still can't figure out why the big hobby stores aren't carrying Scor-Tape.  And why I haven't heard about it until now?  The red sticky tape meets all demands, but gets to be down right expensive at $3.00 for five yards.  The Scor-Tape does the exact same thing, but for a few dimes more buys twenty-seven yards.  Every album created so far has cost over $10.00 in tape alone.  Throw in the-up front paper investment and a few embellishments... and one of these books costs almost $35.00 to create - of course I still mess up a whole bunch in the process.  What was it I read a few months ago?  Scrapbooking is the art of spending $20.00 decorating a ten-cent photo... too funny.

So.

I've finished the full mock-up of the next album and decided the binding.  Or so I thought until watching a new batch of YouTube videos.  There are quite a few out there that use greeting card size pull-outs for pictures.  Not a bad idea, actually; most of the fun of the mini's is the interaction, and it also provides a quick way out of figuring where to put the 5x7's collected over the years.

I'm content.  There's enough work laid out now to last until Christmas.  It's going to be a fun three months.

File Folders

I am on the threshold of beginning the Graphic 45 Little Darlings mini. 

I'm using plain manilla file folders as the page base.  Until today, I'd forgotten this was the original plan, and it got stuck in my mind that I need to take a trip to JoAnn's  to buy some pretty, glimmery, heavier weight card stock before beginning.  Up until now, I built all my minis pages on medium-heavy weight card stock.  I've thought to use chipboard from cereal boxes, but this seems too "coarse" for a baby's album.  Perhaps this would best be used on future albums where children will handle. 

I know the file folder concept for scrapbooking is very popular right now; these and the memory file box Heidi Swapp's claim to fame - among her other incredible ideas.  I have a couple sets of some patterned file folders, but I'm not ready to commit to a project using these.  Good grief, there's only so much a novice can handle!  Instead, the file folders I plan to use in this project is due solely to their strength. 

When committing to the baby album, I gathered all the papers, embellishments, pictures, ribbons, etc I could possibly think to use in the creation and put it all together in a box.  Today I stumbled upon several videos demonstrating how to begin a project.  I was dead on.  Now I'm left with figuring out what doesn't belong!

I've made an actual size mock up of the album using printer paper.  This is going to save a ton of designer paper I surely would have cut incorrectly.  There's only the front and back covers and four pages designed so far, and I'm fairly confident there should be at least one more page, if not two.  The binding style also remains yet undetermined.

My mother did fill in a baby album for the first few years of my life, but it was very much hit or miss.  Fifty years later, the book is actually beginning to crumble.  I'm at a loss as how best to preserve her work.  There are several options available.  I could scan all the images and print them to include into the updated version; however, in doing so, it's all but guaranteed the original will continue deterioration.  I could cut up the book, deacidfy the pages and use the cut portions on small journaling tags.  I'm not entirely sure, but I think her notes to be so scarce as to not worry about cutting one side and cutting into another entry on the other.  Either way, the original book is not going to last much longer, so it's a choice between two evils.  I'm leaning toward the second option now that it's spelled out.  Now to find a store willing to order Krylon's de-acidfication spray.  None of the stores do at present, but I'm betting if they put it on their shelves, it would fly off the shelves.

Scrap-lifted

This layout is one I virtually lifted from the page of another artist, NMscrapper.  The paper was on hand (or maybe I ordered the paper after seeing the original layout) and a store accidentally sent me the chipboard pieces - really! - and I immediately knew which photo belonged on my version.

Adaptation of original layout featuring my mother, 1953

Scraplifted from NMscrappy, posted on Scrapbook.com

I'll readily admit the original looks far better than mine.  (Better photography, to begin with!)  But the similarities are striking.

I was particularly proud of the pleated flowers I made from scratch... my first.  I recently bought a Cricut cartridge, Flower Shoppe, that handily allows me to create the yellow roses found on NMScrappy's page.  I'm still working with the cartridge, but this demonstrates the progression of skill acquisition over time.  Today, I would have copied the yellow roses and applied them to the LO.

I created this layout when cutting very pretty paper still seemed rather sinful.  I learned after this paper could and should be cut, which cracked the barrier that kept me from opening the virgin G45 stacks.  Although I loved the paper line, Printery, I didn't realize it came from Prima Marketing.  Had I, I probably never would have used it.  It's just good that it did.... plus, I still have more of the paper to hoarde.

Lots to Cover & So Many Photos

We're back from vacation and there's much to cover in this post.

Crafty Secrets & Cricut Haul

EDIT:  Picture Revised.  The original photo posted reference a haul from last week.  This photo was the one intended for this area.  Apologies from the author.

 Several items ordered before we left arrived in the mail today.  I referenced a vintage stamp, paper, postcard company a post or two back, the order shown to the left.  The order was a sampling of some of the many products available and not surprisingly, was happier with some items more than others.  The various stamp sets are perfectly suited for several projects I'm due to begin in the coming weeks.  The little boy alpha stickers will quickly disappear.  The postage card/journaling tags will slowly find secret spots as other projects evolve.  I'm not sure how much the baby book chipboard stickers and chipboard pieces will actually end up in the Graphic 45 Little Darlings mini-album I begin work on this month, but with product in hand I'm now certain the colours match perfectly.  This was more luck than anything else. The Flower Shoppe cartridge from Cricut also arrived and this one will save over $100 within a day of work.  These cartridge offers endless dimensional flower combinations that, for under $20, cost about the same as one standard punch of this type.  My deepest regrets, EK Success. 

Butterfly, Turtle & Potbelly Pig charms

Dinosaur charms

Along side the need for a quick buildup of paper and fabric scrapbooking flowers, I've also found my charms collection miserably lacking. 

Charms are used extensively to decorate the outside binding of mini-albums; a charm bracelet for a book, as it were.  During each major phase of the vacation I bought several charming (ahem) charms representing that event; and, other pieces I thought might come into use down the road.  The dinosaur charms are precious!  I plan to use these within the Texas vacation mini as tag danglies.  I'll post pictures of how they're used once put into pace.  The cute little pot bellied pig will be seen again in the upcoming mini album project using the Graphic 45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe paper collection.  Unfortunately, the gift shop at the Japanese Gardens didn't have a koi charm of any sort, which was a major disappointment... the quest will continue.

July 27th, 2012

 I couldn't resist posting one of my favourite photos of Martin feeding the koi during our visit to the gardens. The fish practically climb out of the water for their kibbles.  The little guy's mouth is wide open waiting for him to drop in the pellet.  Is this a great shot or what?  I love it!

Next are the photos of the book's layout almost naked, before attaching the vacation photos and other memorabilia inside.  I've flipped at a breakneck speed through most of the pictures we took and can already tell I'm going to add a few more pages to the album.  I suspected this would be the case, and planned accordingly, but waited until knowing exactly what we had before committing to the work.  (See post: TP & Thinking, June 26th, 2012) Those, of course, aren't represented in this showing because they are still locked in my head and scattered throughout various parts of the scrapbooking room.

Front Cover

Inside Front Cover

Japanese Garden Pages

Museum Pages - Info Bundled, Ready to mount

Self-descriptive

Family Photos & Small Pocket Page

Flip Page Details

Glen Rose - With Back Inside Cover

 ( How nice it would be to quickly figure out how to neatly arrange the photos, but this is a first and it's late! :D  

Oh, well)

I'm particularly proud of this mini-album because, although I've learned many of the techniques from other great scrappers, the layout, paper combinations, and design are 100% mine... no scrap-lifting involved.

School starts back this week so I'll have many hours each day to devote undivided attention to several upcoming mini-album projects.  The baby book, the boy's younger years, and two identical copied-to-the-letter Old Curiosity Shoppe albums - one for here and one as a Christmas gift.  The album I plan to shamelessly copy - not once but twice - is shown on YouTube here.  Almost needless to say, but said, is that all the paper lines will come from various Graphic 45 collections.  Does the company sell stock?  If so, buying in could prove a solid investment.

I promised to cover a whole bunch.  Delivered, with a smile.  Blessings!

PS... The vacation was positively awesome.  We had a blast.

Card & Haul

I'm finishing the second created card of the year.  It's for my brother, and boy did all sorts of inspiration take hold on this one.  It's not just a card, but also a little note pad should he ever choose to use it as such. 

Face

 

Inside with working notepad and assorted vintage tickets

Envelope

 

 I went shopping yesterday making the usual circuit.  I found all sorts of good stuff!  The associate store had recently restocked their hobby aisle, and most of the stuff I picked out ranged between 25 cents up to $1.00.  Nothing more than that for a very generous bag to bring home.  The best find was a spool of Tinkerbell ribbon, which was more of a strand of tiny green rhinestones mounted on a gossamer ribbon not much wider than the rhinestones.  It took my breath away.  HL had a few steals, the best of which included a Madonna Christmas stamp I've had my eyes on for awhile (reduced from $11 down to $3.50) and a chain of square metal jewelry charms, also deeply discounted.  I found a large, delicate flourish stamp set at TM that will be used at every opportunity.

July 23rd Haul

The prize of the week:   I found a box of deeply etched resin roses that I couldn't figure what possible function these could serve until pulling one out of the packaging.  They were bulletin board tacks.  The packaging leads me to believe these were meant to be sold as individual pieces, maybe a dollar each?  The outside box original price listed at $11.00.  TM reduced them to $3.00.  Because three were missing, the manager reduced it all to $2.40.  This was theft, I say!  My plans for the tacks are to cut down the tack portion and use the top as a closure button for a mini-album.  Or even, how about... using some as very pretty bulletin board tacks until using or selling them for scrapbooking purposes.

Resin Tacks

Flowers & Style

This is the first post about flowers and scrapbooking.  The reason is quite simple; except for the few occasions I've used paper flowers - in very limited quantities - on a scrapbook page, I haven't seen a need from them.  There's a dimensional aspect that I figured would fail when used in a traditional, sheet protected 12x12 album-bound book.  

For the past couple of months when doing the scrapbook store run I've began picking up a package or two of assembled flowers when found on sale.  They aren't cheap.  Last week, TM had a sale on Prima Flowers (the industry standard) which reduced the $4.00 packages down to 99c each.  Talk about building a rapid inventory! 


Though I'm not quite sure where to start, I'm fascinated by the flowers made by I am Roses. You get a big bang for each buck there, and they are truly lovely.  They have a huge assortment of flower types, sizes and colours, and priced very reasonably.  Except that I have to restock on some very basic supplies, I would order enough to sample and play around with.


The big box craft stores all carry silk flowers, which they regularly have 50% sales.  This is an area to pay more attention, especially the bridal section.


And in no way least, there's virtually an unlimited range of paper flowers created with the Cricut.  I've watched scores of YouTube video demonstrating techniques of creating beautiful flowers I never would have thought possible.


Primarily through the warehouse sales, I've built a reasonable collection of Tattered Angels sprays and glimmer paints.  These consistently put out stunning effects, but they really need to figure out a better spray system.  I've yet to complete a project without having the sprayer clog.  Everywhere I turned I kept hearing about Lindy's Stamp Gang, a direct competitor of Tattered Angels.  I watched several videos from both the manufacturer and independent reviews, and I'm convinced this line definitely has a place in my growing spray paint/mist collection.  Lots of them!  The mention of the sprays and mists while posting about flowers is because these play such an important role in colouring flowers... and so much more.


The white flowers at the lower right corner are some left over from a wedding several years ago.  Cheap, cheap, cheap.  The coloured flowers are the same set but with a stingy application of differently coloured Tattered Angel's mist sprays.

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It's taken awhile to figure this out, but I do have a "style".  It is the colours and images predominate between 1910-1960.  Yes, that's a sizable range, but these are the colours I love working with best.  G45 probably helped with that, but it holds true across all paper lines and graphics.  When I heard yesterday about an online store, CraftySecrets.com carrying vintage papers, postcards, and images; I had to go check it out.  Using incredible ultra-human restraint, I left the site with only a large stamp set (perfect for the G45 On the Boardwalk line!!) and 32 page postcard collection, and two booklet sets.  Yes, all from the 1930-60's.  And as it happened, they had a sale in place.  I will go back to "visit" again, some time soon.  Oh, yes, life is good!


Then, as if the gummy karma worms weren't helping along most wonderfully, today I found a blog site here called The Graphics Fairy LLC, with free(!) vintage images... thousands of them.  Too good to be true.


On a sadder note, one of my all-time punches got damaged somehow.  The question becomes:  do I go out and buy another, or do I go with a similar punch? This is really discouraging; having to buy something a bit pricey twice.

Order from Nothing

Gosh, it's been almost 18 months now that I've began scrapbooking.  How far I've come!


How easy it is to forget the process of building skills and inventory along this path.  I've asked fellow crafters how? and when? and what order?  Then get the vaguest of answers.  How great it would be to keep a running commentary about how to build a workable inventory so that the general list could be shared with others just starting out. An attempt.

1. Paper, paper, paper.  Buy in pads, the quickest way to build a diverse inventory.  Buy card stock and paper, because you will learn there is a huge difference in function.  Buy paper only when on sale, preferably at 50% off or more.  Don't buy anything you don't like... the paper will be pushed to the back and a year later you'll still not like it.  (There are exceptions to this last part, but they are rare and few.)
2. Stickers.  The simplest and less costly embellishment.  Take advantage of sales, again, never at full price.  When buying for a specific layout, and the stickers are on sale, pick up at least another package you'll probably use (or that you think pretty) so you don't end up running to the store and paying full price during the next project.
3. Begin to build an inventory of "must have" tools.  A paper trimmer is absolutely essential.  Designate common household items such as rulers, and coloured pens as scrapbooking ONLY.  It's no fun having to track down equipment every time you want to sit and scrapbook, especially when time is a factor.
4. Invest in mixed batch of adhesive types.  A tape runner, acid free liquid glues, and sticky dots go very far.  Purchase the expense applicators such as an ATG gun only after comfortable knowing you will stick with the hobby.
5.  Stamps & Inks.  Whenever possible, buy stamp sets over a single wooden stamp, for several reasons.  Individual wood stamps take up more space, are generally very occasion/function specific and offer no variety to the occasion.  The same "Happy Birthday" stamp gets old very quickly.  Begin an ink inventory beginning with very basic colours, blacks, reds, green and blue.  Pick up a different colour at every opportunity.
6. Punches.  Begin with a circle punch, the most basic.  There are so many punch systems and types, any direction after that is best left to the user.

That sums up the very basics of inventory building.


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This hobby is still very thrilling, exciting and new.  There's so much to learn and so many ways to express thoughts and feelings.  Each day I sit down in anticipation of what can be learned or accomplished. 

TP & Thinking

Finished the inside cover of the mini-album celebrated yesterday.  Yeah!

I saw somewhere (surely on YouTube) someone planning on a vacation and creating an album in advance of the trip to journal and stuff memorabilia/other scrapbooking materials inside as the vacation progressed.  Hmmm, I think.  Very organized.  Without even knowing I'd already "thought" about the concept, the mister came in the room all excited one evening after seeing someone mention a way of keeping all the maps, receipts, and other travel information organized and at easy reach throughout a trip.  His method included sheet protectors with all relevant information contained inside each page protector that could be moved back and forth within a notebook as needed.  That really got me to thinking.  Hmmm (with emphasis this time)  We're going on a week-long vacation next month, with as close to a planned agenda for each day as I care to get.

This force me to put down the boy's childhood album... again. 

In anticipation of this trip, and with these new ideas floating about, today I began putting together a custom made mini with lots of pockets, sheet protectors, journaling spots, and assembling this in such a fashion as described, using a little bit of each method that best suit our needs.  All will be temporarily bound so that each page can be arranged and rearranged, or in case something unexpected comes along during the adventure.  Since we roughly know all the major spots we're hitting, it's easy enough to put a loosely themed page together for the event.  This is pure genius at work.  By the time we get back, all I'll have to do is select the postcards, receipts, tickets, etc, and the order the pictures we like, mount them, and finish binding the album.  That simple!  No need to fret about compiling an album after the event... and a good way as to not procrastinate the project into 2016, or thereabouts.  What a lifesaver!

Pictures of this work of wonders to follow.

Lots of Smiling

Well.


(With a huge grin on my face...)


I did it!!!  I designed my very first mini-album cover.  And it ain't half bad. 

The Beginning

Of course, there's the back and everything else left to be done, but for most of that it's all laid out either on paper or in this rattling marble up here.  

I sound a little excited yet?  Oh, I am.  Everything I've created before this was fairly copied stitch by stitch, page by page.  At least in my case, this is the way it works.  So I've taken all the lessons learned thus far (many, many) and apply them to one of the most special items I'll ever own... beautifully presented photos of the wonders of life; childhood, raising children, love, babies, and everything special imaginable.  But this - this - is the first mini coming straight out of my heart, into my head, and preserved in paper for decades to come. 


Graphic 45 has several new lines of paper coming out to be revealed over the next few weeks.  Too early to buy, but not to early to slobber over, either.  I now possess the ABC Primer, Playtimes Past, Little Darlings, A Proper Gentleman, Communique, Botanicabelle, Fashionista, and most of the On the Boardwalk and Le Romantique lines.  I plan to get the latest Halloween Happy Haunting, and the newest - Nutcracker Sweet - lines in the next month or so.  G45 will release their other newest lines, so I'll probably want those as well.  Though I'll happily cut it, it's still enough to just flip through the papers and admire the colours and images.  So far as I'm concerned, it would take some really special type of paper pack to entice me into purchasing a different line.  

Who could resist working with Christmas scrapbooking pages such as these?

I, for one, can not and shall not resist at all.  Too bad I just finished the 2012 Christmas mini a couple of weeks ago!  Maybe for a Christmas past?  My fingers already itch.

Gone Too Far

Taking a break from working on the most recent mini-album, I got to thinking...

What about a scrapbook filled with photos of all my scrapbook pages? 

Where does it end???  LOL

New Haul

In an incredible feat of restraint, I made the full scrapbooking run yesterday... and spent only my $80.00 weekly allowance.  Yes, a show of pure restraint.


I would have done much better had TM had not had another two G45 retailer sets out for sell.  There were four more pages from the "On the Boardwalk" collection, and the first four of the "Le Romantique" set.  {My mind begins spinning thinking about how certain elements of the "Proper Gentleman" and the "Le Romantique" collections could/will work together for a wedding, early relationship, or Valentine's Day album.}   Other than a tin of metal hinges, bookplates, and sliders picked up, now that I know how much I'll use these in other projects, that concluded the TM experience.

We had to run to the local TM to purchase three battery operated, personal misting fans. If we are to camp in Texas at the end of July, and we are, wet is absolutely essential.

Hobby Lobby has ribbon 1/2 priced this week.  Four new rolls.  A Sizzix keyhole with key die, regularly priced at $20.00, mine at $7.00. It took almost three albums to realize I was using Tim Holtz,'s Tea Dye instead of Vintage Photo ink.  I kept wondering why my shading came out differently from the examples... well, beginning this next album, that's fixed, because now I own both.  I added one gorgeous golden Prima flower package to the growing floral collection.


The TJ Maxx was a total bust this trip, but that's the nature of discount versus craft stores.


JoAnne's wasn't much better.  Every item I went in for was already sold out.  Not the black StazOn die I've finally committed to using.  Not the 12x12 paper storage drawers.  And not the paper pad I needed to refill.  

There had been many, many numerous clearance items marked down as much as 80%, but it was as if someone had taken a buggy and cleared every rack of every single item.  I'll certainly stock up on certain items, and pick up an extra or two of something I know can be traded or sold, or wipe a shelf out knowing it will be immediately replaced (TM) but whoever did this did so with the mind of absolute selfishness, without regard for others.  It covered every item in the store, across every crafting row to just be a happenstance run of hundreds of buyers.  If I figure out who's doing this, I'll cruelly mark their eBay site as the NWA greedy gut; because if this should show up on eBay it will be marked up by at least 60%.  

We did, however, find a couple of reusable/dishwasher-safe, plastic screw topped Coke bottle to carry drinks in the car during the next few months. 


Internet haul.  I finally managed to find and purchase three magnet sets.  The company I'd purchased from last week refunded my money two days later and informed me the items were temporarily out of stock.  No way!!  As of yesterday, they were still waiting.  That's now remedied.  And, Kiwi Lane Designs has another of their great 2-3 day sales, so I purchased another template set.  These come in so handy it's difficult to imagine putting together a project without them.  Call this one set 4 of the series.

Not strictly considered scrapbook materials, but closely related, were a pair of gold earrings at Sears - they were on sale; however, not included in the $80.00 earlier stated.  Nickle-plated and inferior metals have been causing all sorts of problems lately.  Reckon it will take a while... and many more sales... to rebuild a suitable earring collection again.

This and a major clothes shopping spree for the Miss mad for a very fun, and very long, day of hitting the stores.

Playing with Denim

My helper and I tore up a pair of smaller sized bluejeans, among many other materials, to make all sorts of clothing for Bear, a muchly loved "baby."  At the end, there was still a small basket filled with bluejeans scraps.  Since I'm in the midst of creating a little boy's mini, denim might come in right handy for the project.  Before today I'd cut strips of the material as "ribbons" for Martin's ABC Primer mini;  but that was the limit of my experimentation with denim and scrapping.


Pulling out a couple of items/tools close by I first attached a scrap onto a piece of chipboard, and brayed it tightly down to dry. Once relatively dried, I ran the chipboard/material through the Cuttlebug with very impressive results.  Finally, I used the Big Bite to punch a small hole in one corner and then set an eyelet.  Wa-la!  Instant tag.  This has huge potential!  If denim worked this nicely, there's no end to adaptation possibilities.

Denim applied to rough-cut chipboard

The question remains as to what process will best keep the material from fraying.

I haven't taken photos of a denim related experiment yet.  One would think by looking at others work, flowers are as key to scrapbooking as paper.  Flowers have their place, but not so much on more masculine pages.  I've cut circles out of the material at 1/2 to 1/4 inch decreasing increments and stacked the pile to make lollipop flowers. The stacks can be as simple as 2 layers glued upon one another or as many as the creator wants to apply. Apply a proportional button or other embellishment to the center, and wow-za! Not-so-feminine flower embellishments.  The next chance to sit down and play again, my great helper and I will cut circles out of a contrasting fabric and build the floral embellishment with layers of a daintier material sandwiched between the denim. 

Pictures forthcoming.  Also included with be Bear's new fashion wardrobe!

Fiskars

Fiskars, usually a very reliable brand, puts out a series of decorative photo corner punches.


These are the singularly absolute worst punches a person can own.  

1. The buyer is left to guess how much mat allowance to properly fit the photo
2. Getting the exact corner alignment is a matter of  hope, the guides are impossible to see
3. The punch can not be turned over in order to remedy the second point
4. It takes standing over the punch to depress the lever, which explains the third point

I own so many of their craft products, but I have to rate this one: 1 on a scale of 1 to 100




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On a slightly different note, 2 of 4 layouts completed!

Yeah, the whole photography issue.