The Old, The New and Other Cool Stuff

It's embarrassing to admit last year's December Daily album remains unfinished.  Journaling is not my strong suit and this is the only element remaining to complete.  I've firmly committed to completing one page each day until finished.  Four remain.  Baby steps.

Another project completed (tonight, yee-haw) is indexing all the stamps.  Most would still consider me a rookie, but stamping over 200 stamps by category is not child's play.  Now when out shopping, I'll think twice about buying 15 sets at a time.  I will not get behind again.  Once they come into the house they won't be put away until they've been stamped into their corresponding page.

I bought the 4x6 Fiskars Easy Stamp Press before beginning the task. 

 I can no longer imagine stamping without this tool.  From the beginning stamping has always been hit-or-miss, mostly miss, and as such created dread when a project included stamping  This allowed me to become a pro overnight.  Stamps have no choice but to comply with equally applied pressure.  For the first time I can stamp a clean, crisp image every time.  This rates as high as review scales go.  A definite must for both beginning scrappers and pros alike.

This vacation's mini remains in the conception phase.  I've selected all the photos, which go out to print tomorrow and I've committed to the size (8x8) and using the Fair Skies collection.  Now to get motivated.

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.

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.

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!

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.)

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.

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.

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.

Boing, Boing, Busy

That whole stamping category process continues.  The first day I knocked out about 100 stamps, since then only a few packs at a time.  Slowly, but surely.  This will curb my appetite for large random stamp purchases.  (Boy, oh boy, what a meager set with such limited range, or so I know now going through the process!)

Today's focus was working with the Miss on a Father's Day card.  Her ability grows.

I've virtually copied and completed two different types of mini albums, step-by-step. It's a long-standing threat, but it's time to break away from the masters at YouTube and develop my own style.  And, in my fashion, design not one, but three, all at the same time.  

Graphic 45's Playtimes Past is a charming collection.  I don't mind cutting the paper any longer, but I only had a 12x12 inch pad.  Not so much room for error.  I found another 12x12 during one of the more recent excursions for only $7.00.  Mine! Now there's back up, not so much nail biting.  There's no getting around the fact that G45 fashions its lines with women in mind.  They do publish more masculine lines - and do a marvelous job - but even then many of the details scream feminine.  The Playtimes Past is a very fair mixture for both sexes.  I want the more masculine pages used for a carefully selected collection of my boys childhood pictures.  That leaves about 1/2 of the paper unused.  However!!  When I begin making pages for them, I can begin designing the feminine pages for my sister's girls; using the same page styles, but frilly it up a bit, more ribbon and sparkles, etc.  So two MA's for the work of one.  Not a bad idea.


The third will be a no-frills summer camp mini.  I've selected a Tim Holtz Retro Grunge paper pad for the project.  A little dark, perhaps, for a girl's summer album, but I'm sure this will fit her to a Tee.  I think to pattern this after the wallet-style just completed for this coming Christmas photos, with major modifications since we're only looking at less than 25 shots.

First though, I must pull together a couple (four or five) regular 12x12 layouts.  There's a very gratifying feeling when completing projects.  LO's only take a day or so and therefore seems as if I'm accomplishing much more than when compiling a single mini.  Perspective. 


In less than 10 minutes I pulled together the first LO.  Add paper and embellishments, and it's a done deal.

Our only snow 2012

Persistence

Persistence pays, but oh boy at what a cost!! 

I've decided mini-albums fit our lifestyle better than the 12x12 inch layouts.  Everything has a place and purpose, so I'll never totally abandon the larger version; perhaps the "best of the very best" annual album, or something along those lines.  From now on, most of my creative energy will go into the mini's.

With that thought in mind, I've come to the solid conviction made-from-scratch mini's are probably best left to professionals. I hate, (scorn, despise, revolt, etc) putting out inferior products.  There are allowances for skills not yet mastered, but not by much.  There has to be an exponential learning curve to scrapbooking skills, but more rational people would try to master one before going on to the next.  Not I, heavens no!  I want to master it all in one horse pill sized, gagging swallow.  


If there's a mistake to be made, almost corrected, and the same mistake made again, I'll do it every time; hands down.  Subsequently, a weekend project for most will take the weekend and the following week - and that's if I'm lucky.  It can be so very discouraging.  Fortunately, persistence runs in my DNA or this hobby would have been abandoned months ago.


At present I'm learning everything possible about book binding.  There are as many techniques as skilled crafters out there, but a couple of methods keep popping up as the most reasonable and flexible.  Maybe, if I can calm my butt down, I'll get reasonable skilled at this.  But not today.  Oh, no, not when this skill was critical to the project.  In common fashion, I'll have to put the project aside for a few days and practice this new skill until proficient.  That's why the weekend project takes ten or more days to complete.  Every project taken on has a whole new area of discovery, and learning.


On a more positive note, I've mastered a few skills; which makes a significant advancement for timely project completion.  (Down from three weeks to ten days.)


I've discussed adhesives before.  It comes as a surprise to learn there's more to learn.  When using the highest quality adhesives, there are tricks to make a tighter bond.  Burnishing goes a very long with with tape adhesives, and the brayer does a great job with wet glues.  The demands on adhesives are taken to new heights with all the moving and swing parts of the mini.  This was yet another hard learned lesson.


It's no secret I'm totally smitten with Graphic 45 papers.  I kept running into BoBunny projects and couldn't resist picking up a pack at one of my last hauls.  The colours are very soothing and even the brighter packs have a subtle tinting.  I simply can't wait to tear into this first package!  Someone special on my list will receive a very, very nice Christmas present this year.


It's possible I forget to post the adapted shoe organizer photo.

Most stamps & some punches

Just for kicks I decided to begin hanging some of my favourite embellishments on the 6x2 cork board running along the desks back panel.  I've only just started, but it's way too cute not to share.

Embellishments!

Take a Breath

There's been such a flurry of activity lately is seems almost impossible to sit down and get anything done.  Not true, I've finished four 12x12 layouts, got the new organizer in place and well stocked, and have accomplished quite a series of hauls.  

Most everything revolves around an incredible discovery at TM.  They had retail packs (24 each) of almost then entire "A Proper Gentleman" collection.  Martin actually stumbled across this treasure, bought two packs, and made the mistake of telling me they had stacks of other G45 retail packs in different designs.  At the end of the quest I have twelve full 12x12 pads of this collection, minus two pages... for less than what a single pad would have cost.  Profit time!!!  We were also able to pick up almost half the "On the Boardwalk" collection in retail packs.  I think we've exhausted the bonanza.  There were arm fulls of book board, but I stopped at six sets.   They had Tim Holtz Grunge Paper sets, retailed at $40; I paid $8.  Finally, a 5 inch Xyron.  A couple of adorable embellishments and the run ended there.

I decided to hit JoAnn's because we were in town it's rare we make it that far south. Phew!  Almost all paper crafting supplies are 50% off this week, plus a coupon in the paper allows an extra 10% off from the total purchase.  60% savings?!  Heck, yeah!!  I managed some control and walked out of the store with only two large bags.  A wider variety of adhesives, the first alcohol inks, specialty paper, and yes a Crop-A-Dile II (Big Bite).

The stamps, ink, paper, embellishments, etc never quit coming in; however, it's hard to imagine any other tool needed to carry on this business.  Maybe a Zutter Cutter for the extra weight chipboard?  Maybe, but not a necessity. 

I'm attempting to design my first, original mini-album.  It's sketched out, roughly, but I'm finding it hard to cut that first page; there seems to be so little room for error, which, in itself, is an error.  How, besides looking amateurish, can a person go wrong with G45?  For sure it won't be the best album I'll ever create, and will quickly prove true, but it's all part of this glorious process called creative expression.

Finishing Touches & Adhesive Lessons

I've gotten a bit of scrapbook work done in the new craft room during the last week, and there's no comparing the before and after differences.  Any kinks have now been worked out to all satisfaction!  Now, having said that...

During the weekend of transition, my loving husband wanted to put in a new system for punch storage.  NO!  I couldn't take another thought of more arranging.  He wasted no time today to rectify this and went out and purchased/assembled the adapted wooden shoe storage unit.  It's more than adequate to store my entire, extremely limited, punch inventory, with plenty of room to spare.  Tomorrow this system goes into place with minimum disruption.  He also bought and put in place an additional unit to organize the laser printer, printer paper reams, with an additional small shelf area for quick mailing supply access.  After completing this last small task, there will be no more talk of reorganizing for months, perhaps even years; however, the flesh is weak.

Miracles of miracles, the mini-album is 99.9% complete.  One major mistake made in the beginning was punching holes in the book board (homemade) before tearing a single page out of the pad.  In all fairness, the video never mentioned the need, and as a novice, I didn't realize how important this would be until much too late.  So the book was finished, sans holes.  No problem, we'd drill small holes into the completed covers and make up hole reinforcements to cover the blemishes.  No problem.  Except!  The front cover came out exactly as prescribed; the back, no so much.  The holes were drilled on the wrong side.  I'm so disheartened at the moment.  There doesn't seem to be a viable solution, unless crying counts.  A solution does exist.  I just don't know what that might be as of now.  So much fussy cutting on the back, no more paper to replace it with; blah, blah.  Inspiration will come, hopefully soon.  Regardless, this is a lesson that will never be forgotten.  That's part of the learning experience; but at such a great cost.  *moan*


I learned a great deal during the construction.  Yes, the greatest error was the holes; but less dramatically was adhesive function.  LO's tend to be very forgiving, no moving parts, no stresses, and the page protectors contain/protect whatever might come loose.  Conversely, mini-albums with all their pockets and tags, pages turning, etc, demand a higher degree of adhesive mastery.  

I learned:

1.  Murphy's Law applies to scrapbooking in general and adhesives specifically
2. Zip Dry paper glue means paper-on-paper 
3. ATG glue buckles under stress/movement
4. You get what you pay for; super strong double-sided red tape pays for itself in reduced frustration levels, measured in seconds
5. Glue dots are woosies
6.  Wet glue does not include Elmer's School glue
7. All glues take longer to set than expected, except when attaching large pieces onto pages within a precise 1/4 inch border, in which case, at that very moment, all glue becomes instantaneously and irreparably bonded to paper
8. There exists a substantial "bite" difference between the textured and smooth sides of paper
9. It's highly recommend not to Superglue your tongue to the lips, and keep in mind some glues are highly flammable (especially important if interested in keeping eyebrows nice and smooth)  *kidding folks! except for the Superglue part*

In the midst of placing the new unit upon the desk tomorrow I hope to put the finishing touches to a LO, long in the coming.  

Remember:  that which does not destroy us, makes us stronger!

Mother's Day Present

My husband found a steal for a complete professional desk set.  Mother's Day, I'll be sitting in a room with coordinating furniture with tons of table top space.  And reorganizing yet again.


Tonight and tomorrow night we'll be breaking down the craft room down to walls and carpeting.  I wish we could paint the room before the furniture gets set up Saturday morning; however, there's a limit to available energy on such short notice.  There won't be a pen or pair of scissors in proper place during the transition, and probably for a week after that.  This is the mother of all reorganization efforts.


The new work surfaces is muchly appreciated, but the bookcase is the crowning touch.  Finally!  A place to store all the completed LO books (how quickly they all add up!) and yet another shelf or two to store essential supplies without going into the closet multiple times each day.


I'm a little excited about all of this!

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The Kiwi Lane Designs templates came in on Wednesday and they're perfect for the Little Darlings album once I begin.  The ABC Primer is almost complete, it's still the more advanced techniques that consume most setbacks.  Since I feel I'm still not ready to design a book on my own, I've found two YouTube videos using only the 12x12 Graphic 45 paper packs conveniently already on hand.  No detailed instructions for these, but at this point I'll be able to assemble what is shown without instruction.

I've studied Graphic 45 even further and realize how very easy it is to look at a page and instinctively know how a page works best; background or as a complimentary layer to build upon.  This may very well bleed over into other company's patterned paper sets, and if so, I've finally "got" it; if not, back to the drawing table  Once this organizational nightmare is over, I'll put the theory to the test.

Not all Goes as Planned

Feeling much better now, thank you.  There's still no clue as to what happened.

Much to my amazement, there are areas in life where paper, though decorative, doesn't enhance.  The coloured pencil container - previously coffee container - came out splendidly.  So, using great leaps of imagination and motivation, decided to decorate a few other recycled coffee tins.

{Before going forward with the story, it's necessary to note my husband is a closet garage hoarder.  Only the garage.  He'll come back and say it's my fault... blah, blah, blah.  It most certainly is not.  It's that I finally gave up trying to organize the area, only to find it totally junked up weeks later; wasted effort.}

Finding a particular item inside the garage is a daunting task.  Not quite impossible, but we've lost 16x8x7 tents in there.  I'll give credit and say he has a loose system of grouping like items in a particular part of the garage.  He loves my homemade fire starters for BBQ and camping.  He said he'd run out recently, and could I make some more?

This is where the story gets crazy.  Why, we'll never know, but I decided to melt the paraffin so it would store neatly in three cans (first duh).  Task finally completed, I  though it would be nice to paper the exterior of the can to serve as a visual cue in the virtual wasteland.  It finally hit me!  Getting the paraffin out of the coffee cans would require heat... lots of it.  Not so good for paper.  What a total and complete flop.  Live and learn!  Is that funny, or not?

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For my baby pictures mini-album, I'm currently studying every aspect of what makes a page work, or not.  Since the album cover and pages will be created from cereal boxes, you can only imagine the intense labour required.  From scratch!  I only hope it begins to come together before the end of the year.

I gathered my baby pictures from all sorts of stashed areas yesterday, then decided which pictures to use.  A huge task in and of itself.  Now I have a good idea what size pockets to create.  That's it so far.

The inspiration for all of this comes from a video from YouTube, from a user calling herself, Monkeydreamz1. Everything she does are pieces of art.   Of course, I'll need to make many, many adjustments, beginning with painting the pages pastels instead of the bold black she (appropriately) uses in this video.  I'm still looking forward to the project; but maybe because I haven't done anything but find pictures and collect chipboard, no labour as yet.

Stuff

My husband began a new diabetic medication, though while not insulin, does require two injections each day.  He handles the morning dose just fine, but not so much with the pre-dinner shot.

I've decided to venture beyond scrapbooking proper and make a cute little 9x9 framed page to hopefully prompt his memory before dinner.  Going all out, I'm working with colours and sizes never used before.  It should do the trick; if not as a visual reminder, then as new splash of colour in a very monochromatic kitchen.

When I first began using the Cricut I counted a well-cut image miraculous. I stayed very, very basic with the cuts, and came to the point of frustration where I almost decided to sell the kit and kaboodle. Time and practice has refined enough to get the image I want every time.  There's enough confidence to now have fun and play around.  And... I no longer fear cutting the pattern on 15 different pages to get the results desired.  The differences between the first successful cuts and what's put out today is remarkable!  While still plenty of room to improve, it ain't half bad.

A Cricut Rooster

Thus far, I've given the mini-albums a mile-wide divide between them and me.  No way, never going to happen!  (That pesky word: never)  Finally, at long last, I saw one of these, putting to great use the beautiful Graphic 45 paper.  To put it simply, I was awestruck.  This is what scrapbooking is all about!

Graphic 45 Mini Album  at YouTube.  I am going to shamelessly copy every little detail demonstrated in the video.  I'll practice all the different techniques on less expensive paper, so maybe there will be two in the end... maybe three or twenty before getting it right?

During a total mental meltdown last night, I created a list of all the scrapbook paper/card stock packs.  The list includes the manufacturer, size, dominate colours, coordinating accessories on hand, and special features such as maps, stamps, tickets, etc.  There were almost 50 packs accumulated thus far... this is on the frightening side of paper obsession.  This list does not include single patterned, themed papers, or special bonuses like vellum and transparencies.  There must be a totally different approach to the 7 inch stack of primarily unsorted paper.  Perhaps tomorrow I'll inventory the paper kits on hand; another 5 inch stack I've lost the ability to instantly recall.  Stamps will have to follow at some point soon; just trying to think of the most effective way to accomplish/organize the system.

It doesn't get any simpler than this, but the dowel rod was finally hung in the closet (amazing dead space remains!) with three evenly spaced curtain rod support screws.  Most ribbons fit on the rod, but a couple more spools will necessitate another row.

I ordered my first Cricut Cartridge since December.  It was on the list and at the right price.  What's up with eBay charging as much, or more, for these cartridges as can be bought in stores?  I wouldn't have nearly the collection if most of these were bought at (usually) less than $20.

At long last, I want to offer praise to our Lord Jesus for answering a prayer thought unanswerable.  Well, I knew He would!  The answer came in the form of yet another miracle, but my God always does it in style.  Thank you so very much, eternal praise for your faithfulness.