Lens

Birthday minibook

I hadn't scrapbooked any of the pictures from my daughter's birthday in May and decided to do a minibook instead of layouts.  There really aren't any profound stories to tell about the day that can't be told by looking at the pictures.  I just wanted to present the pictures in a fun way -- so this format seemed perfect.  I used 4x6 pictures, which pretty much filled up the pages.  I used a copy of the invitation text as "journaling" inside the front cover and then just added an appropriate word sticker to each page.  

The minibook is from Doodlebug, the papers and dimensional stickers are Pink Paislee "Soiree," and the word stickers are Cosmo Cricket. [I sincerely wish I owned a Crop-o-dile (sp?) so I could have adhered everything and then punched the holes.]

How can it be time for back-to-school cards already?

I've got a tradition of making back-to-school cards for my daughter, my nieces, and my nephew.  This year we've got a 4th grader, a kindergartner, and three second graders.  

All supplies on this card are American Crafts: Thickers, Flair button, and Everyday paper line.  

The paper is from Imaginisce's Scooter's Vacation line from last year.  The ruler was stamped with a Girl's Paperie stamp on Cosmo Cricket paper and covered with Glossy Accents.  The letters are Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type (the black ones) and Making Memories (the white ones.)  

This is a variation on the first card: American Crafts paper and Thickers.  The only difference is the slight difference in the size of the card (first piece of paper adhered crooked, so had to use another piece, slightly smaller) and the use of Diamond Stickles to glitter the "2" on the patterned paper.

This card features Cosmo Cricket paper (Girl Friday line), Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type letters (the yellow ones) and Making Memories chipboard letters (PitterPatter). I would have liked to spell out kindergarten all with the MM letters, but there wasn't room!  

The third variant on this theme -- the only difference is in the colors of Thickers used.  I glittered another "2" on the paper for this card, too.  

Hope anyone reading is having a relaxing and crafty Sunday.  What are you working on?

~ Laura

Postcard minibook

We get postcards once or twice a year from traveling friends and I always enjoy seeing pictures and hearing descriptions of places I've never visited.  I kept the cards, but they were stored away and I rarely looked at them again.  I decided to make a simple minibook on a binder ring to keep the postcards in!  That makes it easy to add new ones when they arrive.  (I really need a crop-a-dile -- I wanted to use stiff cardboard for the cover, but my regular hole punch wouldn't punch through it.  Currently the cover is just cardstock, until I get a better tool!)

June acquisitions

This is a continuing series, showing what I added to my supplies in a given month.  I do it as much for a memory aid as anything else, to remind me what I've got on hand that might not be in plain sight. 

I was excited to see Glimmer Mist at my Hobby Lobby -- first time I've seen this product in a local store. I've wanted the Hero Arts hydrangea stamp for ages -- one of my favorite flowers and this stamp is so detailed.  The American Crafts rub-ons were a bargain find -- I don't use rub-ons very often.  The arrow punch was a bargain find, too, at a store called Tuesday Morning.  I'd never been in it before, but someone online mentioned occasionally finding treasures there.  I think it's hit or miss.  There are some Tim Holtz Harlequin embossed grungeboard letters there that I may go back and acquire -- the package is $7.99 and the original price of the item was $19.99.  

A Tag, inspired by a Tim Holtz technique

I attempted to emulate this technique and was only partially successful. . . except that my only goal was to try something new -- therefore I am deeming it a complete success.  ha, ha

The point was to stamp with distress ink and then add Perfect Pearls powder to it.  I did that with the butterfly in the lower left corner, but the ink ran and when I patted it with a paper towel, most of the Perfect Pearls got picked up, too.  So, try, try again!  I stamped the words, and added the PP, but didn't add water and all was well.  They look super shiny.  I stamped a bunch of other things and misted the whole thing with shimmery gold mist.  

Unconventional source for embellishments?

My daughter is a big Hello Kitty fan and loved this pair of pajamas.  We seem to no longer have the top, only the bottoms, so rather than donate them, I decided to use dies and my Cuttlebug to make some cloth flowers to use on a future layout.  It was a little difficult to center HK's face in the center of the flower, but I'm happy with how they came out. 

Here to give you a lift | Card

[Supplies: Hero Arts blank card; patterned paper from Cosmo Cricket (Earth Love and Material Girl lines); stamps and buttons from Papertrey Ink, Ranger Jet Black archival ink]

I'm pretty happy with this card, except that I didn't notice I'd stamped the sentiment crookedly until after it was adhered with pop dots.  Oh, well!