December is HERE! Project #1

I'm going to try really hard. I mean REALLY hard to post 12 projects before Christmas. Christmas projects to help you find the energy and blessings of Advent.

Day 1: Last year, I made an Advent calendar tree. I bought these little wood boxes from Oriental Trading Company. After many hours of sanding to get all of the doors to fit, I painted them, and then distressed them with sand paper. I created a structure that will allow all of the doors to slide open so the kids can pull out the slip of paper with the Advent activity for the day and the chocolate. Then, I pulled out my stash of stickers, ribbon, brads, and Christmas goodies to decorate each box. It's already become a favorite tradition.

If It's Groovy--my DT swan song

I have had a blast being part of the If It's Groovy DT. It was my first DT and will always have a special place in my crafty heart. I've decided to take a break from the DT and focus on my home and some self-paced projects. This is a project I did called "Inspired Every Day-by the Everyday". I'm hoping to make this a regular series for my blog, so here is hoping that this is the first of many "everyday inspirations".

Inspired Every Day

There have been times where my desk has become a pile of “s-crap”. For months. Yes, months. Sure, I can go to the internet or look through my pages of ideas that I’ve ripped out of magazines, but what has helped me re-fuel is to look at the “everyday”. After all, isn’t that why we scrapbook? Save some time, save your money. Look around you. What can you find to inspire you? A cereal box? A bible verse? A pair of shoes? A shower curtain?

While we may have wonderful memories from vacations, weddings, and graduations, “everyday” is where we spend most of our time. And, sometimes it’s not enough to see those memories in scrapbook form. We need to let our creative juices pour out into other things…our jewelry, paintings, walls, gardens, furniture. After all, we are not just scrapbookers. We are artists.

This is the first in a series of articles to get you inspired every day, by the everyday. And I’m hoping to inspire you to make your creative juices pour out.

My first source of inspiration? My bathroom tile. I hate it. Wait, HATE is such a strong word. I really, really, really, really do not like my bathroom tile. I look at it and it screams 1966! It’s cream colored with light brown flecks (which look like freckles) and every so often there is unique tile that really screams 1966! It looks like… gear shaped snowflakes?! And while I really, really, really, really do not like it in my bathroom, I’ve used it as a source of inspiration for a scrapbook page.

Here is a picture of my tile (I told you, 1966!!!)


Here is the page that it inspired. Headline: Ugly tile inspires A Whole New World. I cut square cardstock “tiles” and fleck painted them by putting brown paint on an old toothbrush and rubbing it against a piece of plastic. After they were dry, I ran the squares through a Cuttlebug embossing folder (Swiss dots). I used Spellbinder nesting dies and Sizzix snowflake dies and assorted punches to re-create that “unique” tile design.

Right now, go look at your bathroom tile. Go. Right now, I’ll wait…Hopefully, yours is newer than 1966. But ugly or not, let it inspire your next scrapbook page. And, come back and show us your tile inspired art.

Be inspired every day, by the everyday.

A purpose under heaven (and in heaven too)

Every dog has a purpose. Indy's was to teach, love, and lick... not necessarily in that order. I just finished reading "A Dog's Purpose" by W. Bruce Cameron. As I read, I reflected on the passing of our first "baby". She taught us a lot and gave us the practice we needed to have 4 kids. We will always love you Indy!

INDY January 11, 1996-October 27,2010

She also taught us to perservere. And it is in that mind-set, that we couldn't be a 1 dog household for very long. We welcome with love...Axel

He is a "mutt" with some obvious shepherd and lab traits. He has brought joy to our house as our new fur-baby.

Did you know, in addition to everything else they eat, puppies eat into "scrap time"? It's been tough to get anything done around here, especially Christmas cards! But, I've gotten a few layouts done to share.

I used this precious photo for a "Liftateer" layout over at Fiskateers.

This layout was inspired by Gerry van Gent's "Just a Boy" LO from August over at Scrapbook Challenges. I loved all of the stitching she did around her page so I used it too!


This is from Sketch 224 at Scrapbook Challenges.

This one is a Kelly "original". I tried a new technique for me on the right page...back-stitching with ribbon. I like the effect.

And, if this one look familiar, it's because I already posted it back in October. But, this week it is a "gallery gem" over at Scrapbook Challenges. Thanks to Ana for choosing my layout to showcase!

I'll be back soon with a paper-piecing technique and my Christmas cards (I hope).

Got gum? I have Halloween gum wrappers!

I have a love for monsters. Not only the 4 I have at home (just kidding--I love you kids), but silly, goonie-looking not so scary monsters. They've shown up here on these gum wrapper treats. I cut these monsters out of some creep-a-licious paper from Reminisce. Trick or Treat? Definitely a treat!

Pink and Orange DO go together

As a special October Breast Cancer Awareness Month challenge, Tami, one of the leads at Fiskateers, had a few of us working on a secret project...create something highlighting the colors Pink and Orange. I threw a little Halloween fun in too, and I created a bracelet and earrings by stamping and coloring on Shrink Plastic (like Shrinky Dinks). And let me tell you, it sure is fun to shrink the plastic with a heat gun...then I don't have to press my nose so close to the oven door to watch it shrivel (hee-hee).

Here is a little photo tutorial on my creations.

-I cut sheets of shrink plastic (like Shrinky Dinks) into approximately 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares and 1 1/2" x 2" rectangles using my Fiskars bypass trimmer (the one with a guillotine-like blade).
-Using black Stazon ink, I stamped some Halloween images onto the "rough" side of the plastic sheets. I found it very difficult and slippery to try and stamp on the shiny side. Note that due to the texture of the plastic sheet, the images did bleed a bit. So, it would best to choose images that are simple and have less detail.
-Once the ink dried, I colored them with colored pencils (again, on the "rough" side).
-Using the piercing tool from my Fiskars Tool Taxi, I held down each shape as I shrunk it with my heat embossing gun (remember to do this on a heat resistant surface).
-Once they were shrunk and cooled, I used my Fiskars Craft Drill to drill a hole in each piece.
-2 important SIDENOTES: Make sure you put a piece of wood under your project while you are drilling. And, I did try punching a hole in the plastic before shrinking... But, since the hole shrinks too, I was having difficulty with the control I had over the size and placement and decided to use the drill instead.
-I added some jump rings (note to self: buy some bigger jump rings) and beads to some flex-wire and head pins and oooh-laa-laa, I have some fun and funky jewelry for October!

Now, you MUST check out the fabulous VIDEO that Tami put together to highlight all of the pink and orange projects. I'm proud to be a Fiskateer!

NOT Lost in Translation

Over on the If It's Groovy blog, we were given a challenge to translate a phrase and create a layout with it. Here is my project...

Nothing fancy, because this time it is all about the precious picture of my daughter and our dog, Basso. Just using up some scraps of dog-themed paper and stickers on this irridescent pink patterned paper, some paper crimping, a title, and I'm done. I am a font fiend, and I love searching sites for free font downloads. I also have to give kudos to this website that I used to convert my title, www.freetranslation.com. I do not speak any foreign languages, but I can conjugate Latin verbs and decipher vocabulary (how useful is that?). My highschool Latin teacher would be so proud...semper ubi sub ubi (always wear underwear).

Pick-a Pick-a Pumpkin from the pile...and a "banner" Halloween

I made these pumpkins about 5 years ago, and even though they get squished into a plastic bin for storage after Halloween every year, they've held up very well. Except a few have gotten their "stem" pulled out by a Golden Retriever I know that likes to chew on sticks (we should have named him "Chip").

They are "sew" easy...I thought I would share them with you.

I start by using a bowl or template to draw a circle on some material, and then cut out the circle (I like to use pinking shears to avoid the un-ravelling edge).

I take a needle and thread and do a quick running stitch (in, out, in,out) all of the way around the edge. No need to be perfect here...no one will see your stitches.

I add a little "filling", pull the thread, add a stick for a stem, and tie it up.

I add some ribbon scraps for leaves/vines. After I've made a few pumpkins, in all different patterns, I take 3 or 4 and hot glue them together.

I've made my own pumpkin patch for a fall display in the family room and around the flower centerpiece on the dining room table. Let me see your pumpkin patch!

Fall is in the air, literally, in the air, hanging between rooms...I made this 2-sided Halloween banner for a challenge over in Fiskateerland a few weeks ago. I hung it up and was happy, but it just needed something more. I decided to tie on some scraps of fabric cut into strips, and now it is complete!