Happy Halloween!!

BOO! 

Here's a spooky Halloween frame using the "Blackened" technique!

For complete instructions and supply list see:

Framing Halloween Memories

Have a spooktacular day everyone!!

Mini Matchbox Books & Bookshelf

I wanted to post this yesterday but lots of birthday activities kept me away from home most of the day.  So here it is a day late.  

Matchbox Mini Albums - These are the size of a standard box of matches - approx. 2" x 1 1/2".

Cover - 

Cut a piece of cardstock 2"x 4 1/4"
Score at 1 1/2"; 2"; 3 1/2" and 4"

adhere the 1/4" flap to the inside of the 1 1/2" panel to create the box.

I made a double mat for the front of each box and added one of the mini literature postage stamp from the lite kit.

Mats are as follows -

Large mat 1 1/4"x 1 3/4"
Small mat 1" x 1 1/2"

Next the mini accordion albums -

Cover - 2 x 3 5/8"
Score at 1/8"; 1 5/8; 2"; 3 1/3"

Glue the (2) 1/8" flaps to the inside of the book.  

Inside accordion album -

Cut a strip of cardstock 2" x 12"

Score every 1 1/4"

Fold and adhere to the inside of the book cover.

Insert the book into the matchbox cover.

Repeat 11 more times!

And you'll end up with your own mini library!

Next - the book shelf!

Cut (2) pieces of book board 2" x 7 3/4" for the uprights;
cut (4) pieces of book board 1 3/4" x 3" for the shelves.

Glue the shelf pieces to the uprights with book binding glue. 

TIP: I held it all together with a pair of rubber bands while the glue dries.

Glue a piece of book board to the back of the shelves.

I used the Sizzix Pediments die (3 - glued together).
As luck would have it I just had to shave a small bit off of each end to get it to fit perfectly.

After all of the glue was dry all that's left is to paint it as desired.

Each shelf will hold 5 of the tiny books.

Hope you have fun if you give it a try!!

Club Scrap Literature Blog Hop

Welcome Everyone to October's Club Scrap Blog Hop!  If you have arrived from Tricia's amazing blog then you're in the right place!  This month we are featuring the Literature Kit and I must say that when I first received this kit I had an idea that I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pull off so let's see what you think...

Of course since the theme this month was literature I was thinking books but what type of book???  So I was sorting through some goodies I had laying around in my room, trying to get stuff put away when I came upon a glass jar full of matchbooks and matchboxes that my youngest son got in a box lot at an auction we went to long ago.  He didn't want them so he thought I might be able to do something with them at some point.  It did inspire me but not how you might think....

I made a mini bookcase filled with mini matchbook accordion albums!!  The book case was constructed from book board from assorted Book Board pieces and painted with DecoArt Elegant Finish Metallic Paint (Rich Espresso).  The top decorative piece was cut from chipboard using a Sizzix Die.  It stands less than 9" tall and is not quite 3.5" wide.

Each of the 12 matchbook mini albums was made in 2 pieces - the outside matchbook cover and the inside accordion album.  All of the supplies used (except the ink) was included in this month's kit.  I will share all of the dimensions and how to stuff tomorrow but these pics give you a bit better look at the little albums.

These little gems could be filled with journaled memories, mini photos or even bits of ephemera with a little story about why they are special to you.  Well, what do you think?  I normally give my creations away because I just can't keep everything but I had so much fun making this little book case I think I have to keep it...at least for a while.

Thanks for stopping by...

hope you are inspired to create today!

Your next stop on this fun filled hop is...

Julie

and if you get lost along the way

the complete list can be found here...

Club Scrap Literature Blog Hop

Have a great day friends!!

It's beginning to look alot like winter....

At least my cards are ;)

I thought I'd share a couple pages from the Winter issue of Rubber Stamp Madness which is in the mail or possibly even in your mailbox as I type this up!

Of course this is the Winter issue and I've got 2 chilly cards published in different sections of the magazine.  The first was a tree challenge...a creation which incorporated evergreens somewhere on the design.  

This card is a one layer masked card.  I started off by stamping the back door image (JFF Stamps), masked off the left side then stamped the snow covered pine tree.  It blended in nicely don't you think?  The image was then colored using both Memento Inks paired with a waterbrush and Memento Dual Tip Markers.

The second card was in their Winter Galleria...

This card was made using all Club Scrap images/papers.  It too was stamped then colored with Memento Dual Tip Markers and Inks.

As it happens I have an extra copy of this months magazine that I'd like to share with one of you...just post a comment telling us what your favorite part of winter is.  You have until 10-31-16 to post your comment to be entered to win!

Be sure to check out Rubber Stamp Madness and their newest issue today...

Altered Clipboard Organizer & Journal Gift Set Give Away!!

Welcome Friends!

I hope you're having a lovely day today.  If not I've got a great gift idea that might brighten up your day.  Because Christmas and the holidays are quickly approaching the Club Scrap Artist Team was asked to create a gift for this month's challenge!  I've altered many clipboards in the past but I've never made one into a little organizer station so I figured this was the perfect opportunity!  

I did create the organizer but then I still hadn't used a piece of cardstock I really wanted to so I created a companion journal to go with it!!  Both pieces are created using papers, stamps and embellishments from the Sunflower kit.

Here is a closer look at the organizer...

The top portion of the clipboard holds a 12 month calendar (for 2017) plus there are 2 clothespins that I decorated with a bit of the checkerboard print and a couple sunflowers.

The bottom half has a little pocket that holds note sheets plus a post-it note pad and a small cork board.  The thumbtacks were embellished with some of the pretty crystals that came in the kit as well.

And the accompanying journal has a really fun print on the front with a bit of stamping here and there...

and this on the inside cover.

I absolutely love the papers from the Sunflower kit and thought they would help make any gift beautiful.  What do you think?  Would you like to receive this as a gift.  I know after I finished it I had second thoughts about giving it away but I ordered more paper so I'll be making one for myself - LOL!!    

So, this Sunflower gift set is up for grabs!

All you have to do to be entered to win is comment below.

You have until 10-26-16 to post a comment to be entered to win!

Your next stop on the hop is....

Pam

If you get lost along the way you can find the complete list here...

Club Scrap October Artist Team Challenge

 Have a wonderful day friends!!

Embossing Folder Fun

 Have you played with your embossing folders recently?  This month's technique challenge on the Club Scrap Blog is Embossing Folders and I was so excited when I found out.  I love my embossing folders as there are so many fun ways to use them.  Today I have a couple cards with 2 of my favorite ways.

Of course the first is just plain old embossing but I added a little twist.  Have you ever embossed a particular photo or piece of pattern paper then chopped it all up into little pieces???  Well I did and I love it.  Yes, it takes a bit of time to reassemble it but it really makes for a stunning finished card....

For the first card I used a piece of pattern paper from the Literature kit.  It's a piece of a map from the story Treasure Island!  It was embossed then I cut it into 1 1/4" pieces.  I inked each piece with StazOn Spiced Chai then carefully reassembled so it still looked like a map.  I have in the past re-assembled the pieces in a mixed up order...this is really cool with a gelli plate print or an assortment of them.  It creates such a fun finished card.

The second card I made uses another of my favorite embossing techniques - one in which you ink up the embossing folder (either side) then run your paper through the machine.  I LOVE the impression it creates.  You have all of the texture and dimension of the embossing but you also have the added element of the distressed looking ink transfer.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  It was paired with papers from the Crewel & Unusual kit.  

It's your turn!  

Get those embossing folders out and play!

Imagine/Echo Park Mini Travel Album Winner!!!

The winner of the mini travel album is....

scrapfabulousOctober 8, 2016 at 3:24 PM

Oh man! I love this! Plus, that is my favorite saying "Not all who wander are lost"....feel like I have been wandering my whole life! ;)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

(Please e-mail me with your snail mail address)

October CS Card Sketch Challenge

Happy Day all...Cubbies WON!!!!

YEAH :)  Sorry, couldn't resist!

It was my turn to create a card sketch for the October Card Sketch Challenge on the Club Scrap Forum this month.  Well, you know I don't like to throw anything away so I always have LOADS of scrap paper in my stash.  I thought it would be fun to create a card to help use up some of those scraps and here's what I came up with....

Thanks to Julie I have a wicked cool professional looking sketch to share!!

And here are the cards I created!

Garden Shed Kit scraps + GS Digi Imagine + GA Stamps

Sunflower Kit Leftovers + Sunflower Stamps

Garden Shed Leftovers + GS Stamps & Creative License Sentiment Stamp

As you can see I cut different sizes of scrap for each card - this was to use up what I had leftover from other projects...some pieces larger, some small.  I also treated the seams differently as well - the first card was simply left as is, ric-rack was used on the 2nd and a left over border strip was trimmed down and used for the last card.  This is all about using what you have in your scrap basket.  It's nice to finally get some of those smaller bits used up.

Now it's your turn...do you keep your scraps?  

Do you USE those scraps???  

If you haven't in a while this is a great time to do so.

Stay inky my friends!

Supplies:

Clubscrap.com - Cardstock, Stamps, Digi Images, Embellishments

Imagine - Memento Dye Inks, VersaFine, Pico Embellishers

Make a Wish - CAS(E) this Sketch #193

I was playing around with the new Club Scrap kit - Literature - and decided to give a card sketch a try.  I used this weeks sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch #193 pictured below my card...

Isn't that rabbit the cutest thing!

Supplies:

ClubScrap.com - Cardstock, Pattern Paper, Stamps

Imagine - VersaFine - Black; Delicata - Bronze; Dark Brown; Memento Dual Tip Markers (to color the rabbit)

Giant Paper Cutter....

You all know how much I love vintage things.  Well, today I wanted to share a video I made of our vintage paper cutter in action.  This isn't like anything you've ever seen....this is a HUGE paper cutter...an industrial one that was originally manufactured for cutting paper and book board for the printing industry (maybe newspapers too - not sure on that).

It is a 1928 Chandler & Price Guillotine Cutter and weights over 2 tons.  The company that had previously owned it was bought out and the new owners were going to have it hauled off to the junk yard.  It wasn't something we HAD to have for our business but we couldn't let this unique piece of history be hauled off and melted down for the steel.  Dh bought it and we now use it to cut cardboard and industrial tissue paper (we use to package our screen printed items).  It still works like a charm and no more than we use it should last another 100 years.

I hope you enjoyed taking a look into the past as much as I enjoyed sharing it!

Oh and before I forget, the first operator was my DH - Eric and the second one was our youngest son Bob who also works for us.

Imagine & Echo Park Blog Hop

Welcome to the joint blog hop featuring Imagine and Echo Park!  

I am lucky enough to be able to bring you my creation using the Carta Bella set - Old World Traveler paired with some of my favorite Imagine products.  A mini Travel Wallet Accordion Album....

The papers and stamps in this set are so pretty that it was easy to create this album, everything works so well together it was virtually effortless.

I used a small velcro dot as the closure - once it's open....

Out pops this fun mini accordion album!

There is a place on each page both front and back for photos, memorabilia or journaling.

These are just a couple of the pages...

Thank you for stopping by - your next stop on the hop is Nadine Carlier. If you get lost along the way the complete list can be found below.

PRIZE Give-Away!!!

(Please limit your comments one to each blog.)

Be sure to take the time to visit and comment on all blog hop participants postings as both Imagine and Echo Park will each be giving away a fabulous holiday prize package to one lucky person who takes the time to comment.  Please see the Imagine and Echo Park Blogs for additional details.

  Remember you won't win if you don't enter!  

Echo Park Paper
Jana Eubank
Mary Prasad
Terre Fry
Kimberly Crawford
Alison Heikkila
Jennifer Vanderbeek
Wendy Sue Anderson
Roni Johnson
Nadine Carlier
Anya Lunchenko
Mark Melnick
Neva Cole
Becki Adams
Monica Edwards
Jowilna Nolte

Imagine

WAIT!!!!

Before you go....

Everyone who comments on my blog will also be entered to win the Travel Wallet I made as my own little thank you for stopping by! You don't have to do anything extra...just as long as I have a way to get in touch with you, you're set to go.  I will draw the lucky winners name next Friday 10-14-16.

Good Luck Friends...

Enjoy the rest of the Hop!

Supply List:

Imagine
Memento Dye Ink - Rhubarb Stalk, Desert Sand, Gray Flannel, Nautical Blue, Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black
VersaFine - Vintage Sepia
StazOn - Spiced Chia
irRESISTible Pico Embellisher - Bronze
irRESISTible Texture Spray - Bronze
Memento Dual Tip Marker - Rich Cocoa
Tear IT Tape!
Sponge Dauber

Echo Park - Carta Bella Old World Traveler
Old World Map 53002
3x3 Cards 53003
Globes 53004
Travel The World 53005
Postcards 53006
Tickets 53007
Journaling Cards 53008
Propeller Plane 53009
Border Strips 53010
3x4 Journaling Cards 53011
World Traveler 53012
Dear To Me 53013
Elements Stickers 53014
Adventure is Out There Stamp & Die Set 53044
Post Card Stamps 53042

Other -
Bazzill Basics Cardstock
Club Scrap - Ribbon
Velcro Dot Closure

Pastel Colored Embossing

Happy Thursday Everyone!

I hope you've all had a great week so far.  I wanted to share a fun technique that I was playing around with recently...Pastel Colored Embossing.

I've had a pile of black tags sitting on my desk for months now...I got them out for a reason but ended up using something else and just never got around to putting them away.  I got tired of seeing them sittin' there unloved so I decided to play!  I pulled out my VersaMark ink, White Embossing Powder and a few seasonal stamps.

I stamped and embossed a single image on each tag and LET IT COOL....  I typed that in caps because yes, initially I was so excited to get on with the coloring part that I started before the image was completely cooled off...  BAD IDEA!

So I re-stamped and re-embossed the tulips, let the image cool and started coloring with my Stabilo Pastel Pencils.  As you can see below in the larger photos I colored both the embossed image and the background (which shows up better in person).  

You can color with a single image or use multiple pastel pencils and blend them with your finger.  This is such a fun and forgiving color medium...if you don't like how it looks you can simply take an eraser and rub away the color!

(Stamp - Dark Room Door)

(Stamp - JFF Rubber Stamps)

(Stamp - JFF Rubber Stamps)

(Stamp - JFF Rubber Stamps)

(Sorry this image is blurry...the glitter really messed with my camera's auto focus.)

I went with the 4 Seasons theme because I simply cannot believe that it is October already.  I feel like I'm riding one of those high speed trains watching the year zoom by.    I love how the pastels really pop on the black tags...I'm ready to try some other experiments with them!

So, have you ever worked with black tags or cardstock and stamping?  If so, what technique did you use?  Please feel free to share...I'm sure we'd all like to give it a try!

Supplies:

Black Tags
Imagine - VersaMark, Embossing Powder - White
JFF Rubber Stamps - Tropical Sunset, Tree, Snow Covered Evergreen
Dark Room Door - Tulips
Glitter Glue

Crepe Factor - New Scrapbook Mystery!!

Fall is my favorite time of the year...not just because the temps fall and so do the leaves.

It's also time for a new scrapbook mystery by Laura Childs!!

Yes, that's right - the newest scrapbook mystery comes out today - Crepe Factor!  Carmela and Ava stumble into another murder investigation...well in this case the murder victim stumble upon them.  We meet up with our old friends at the winter festival where great food, drink and mayhem are on the menu.  Of course Carmela can't leave well enough alone once her boyfriend - Edgar Babcock - an esteemed detective with the NOLA police department takes over the investigation - especially when an old beau is involved!  

Travel with Carmela on an exciting ride through New Orleans foodie scene on this fun, fast paced adventure.   And you might even pick up a great recipe and a few crafty tips and ideas while you're at it. 

Get your copy today!

Laura Childs - Crepe Factor

Spider-ella Halloween Mask

Check out the fun mask I made recently....

I made it using StazOn Studio Glaze, Tulle and Glitter...

Check out the full tutorial here - 

Studio Glaze Halloween Mask

Halloween Challenge @JFF Rubber Stamps!

YES!!!  It's October and you know what that means....Halloween Season!  What fun, I love this time of year and as luck would have it the challenge over at Just For Fun Rubber Stamps IS Halloween!!!

If you'd like to join in the fun be sure to stop on over 

and share your Halloween creation!

The challenge is open all month long....

you might be the lucky winner of a JFF Rubber Stamps Gift Certificate.

Just For Fun Challenge - Halloween