Here's a cute project that I did with a Tutorial/Kit from Laura Denison's Following the Paper Trail. She did a series of Bird Houses (yeah if you know me at all - you know that I am a freak when it comes to bird houses - love them) I really liked the May project. And I can post this because I know my MIL doesn't follow my blog and this is her Christmas present - Oh yeah!!

 

 

 

 

It's a GIRL baby album -

This album was just mailed to a life long friend - her daughter just had a baby girl! This is my friend's 1st grandbaby :)  I used a line of paper from Melissa Francis - not sure of the name since it came in a grabbag purchase. The ribbons are all Melissa Francis with the expection of the dark pink on the front cover tag (it is from my thrift store stash) The flowers and butterflies are from Melissa Francis & Recollections and (it is hard to see in the picture) I used gesso on the tag on the front cover and then ink it (and all the pages and tags) with Tim Holtz's Distress Stain - Spun Sugar. And I used Donna S's Glitter Dust on the diecuts (Spellbinders).  The chain closure is a clearance item from the beading section at Michael's and the alpha & heart charms are from the beading dept at Hobby Lobby. The pink & white baby carriage charm I ordered off of Ebay (it was just too cute to pass up and matched the album perfectly!!)  The charms on the spine are from Hobby Lobby as well. I used Kathi Orta's Build A Page tutorial to create the album foundation pages as well as the "hidden spine" - love that whole concept!! There are 12 pages (as I made 2 of each of the 6 BAP pages) so the album is really thick (If I remember correctly the spine is 2.5 inches wide) but there is so much "real estate" in the album that some of the pages have space for 5 pictures. I had so much fun making this since I have 3 boys and could never use pink on my stuff!!

 

 

 

 

File Folder Album for Lindsey (AKA Miss Missouri High School)

Here's a few pixs of an album I made for a sweet young lady that is the current Miss Missouri High School Queen. She is an amazing young lady that has such a beautiful soul.  I wanted to make a album that wasn't quite so "chunky" and that had a ton of pockets and places for pictures.  I used Blue Awning from K&Company paper, Prima flowers and Hug Snug seam binding through out on the tags. (Also used some vintage lace that I bought at a local thrift store as tag toppers) The diecut on the last page is from Heartfelt Creations.

Black Dog Farm Album (for my friend Barbara)

Here's a album I made a few months back for a very special friend - She is an "East Coast" transplant that has taken on the task of remodeling an older farm house on some acreage that she and her husband purchased in a small town in KS.  She is such an inspiration to me and from the first time I met her (which was actually through business) I really felt like I had met someone who understood alot of things I want to accomplish in my everyday life. She now has chickens (for her own eggs), Honey bees (for her own honey) and a garden this past season that is amazing!  What a wonderful life she is creating - I must admit that I do miss seeing her as often as I wanted since she lives a few hours away now but I think about her everyday!  I try to "repurpose" in every way possible and she & I both love old "stuff".  She and her husband are remodeling and reusing as much of the original wood, doors, and windows in unique ways in their house. I wanted to make her a smallish flip album for her to display her "before and after" photos.  I used "Daisy D's" paper - not sure of the theme but it has such rich colors and the theme was definitely "Country".  I also used an album pattern from Laura Denison (from "Follow the Paper Trail") which uses envelopes and cards and her magical "hidden hinge".  I took these picture before I added the title to the front "Black Dog Farm"  and also had an "Established" date. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the reasons I scrap :)

Change happens everyday.  And though all my friends have been warning me about "empty nest" it really does seem to sneak up on each of us.  School is back in session and with the two oldest boys away at college it has really sunk in that my "baby" is just that - my last...  I know he is loving being the "only" child even though it is only for his Senior year.  Come May 2013 he will graduate and like the other two move onto college.  How exciting for him and us! But the house is already more quiet than I have been use to in the past - but I also realize I have more free time and therefore I am going to try to scrap more.  Not just LOs but I am going to perfect my skills in making journals from scratch. Build them from chipboard and paper into keepsakes to share with others.  I wanted to share a picture of my "baby" (he has never been "small" as he was 10lb 2oz at birth) but he will forever be my baby.   

Handmade Album - Zoom (Allen's Hot Rods)

I finished up this album featuring the fantastic cars my brother in law -Allen gives "birth" to - It is truly is a birth process - I see this rusty ole buckets sitting in his shop and then I will either see pictures or get to see in person the fantastic transformations that he makes.  My boys are not around cars much so they don't have much to say about cars until they see "Uncle Honey's Hot Rods"  The pictures don't do justice to the real thing. I researched advertisements from every year on each car and made embellishments that matched to the year. The tabs on each page give the year of the car and the envelope has a piece of cardstock that allows all the details of the car to be written in and has room for extra pictures of before, during and after the transformation to be stored.  The cover is actually metal which allowed me to make magnets from some Tim Holz stamps and the facing page is an ad from a 1932 Sear's catalog for Craftsman Power Tools which I distressed with ink before gluing it down.  And yes those little "mini" petal cars you see in the photos were made by Allen as well for his Grandson Matthew and his Granddaughter Stella. 

Farewell Miss Art's!

Such sad news... Miss Art's is closing - Loved having spent several months soaking up all the creative inspiration from the wonderful guests teaching amazing techniques.  Lisa Valentine & Julie Winks both teach in such a unique manner and I have begun following both thru their blogs but I have to admit I got spoiled being able to log on and get inspiration from not only the teachers but the other members.  I hope Alisha has plans to move on to bigger and better scrapbooking adventures because she is such a great instructor as well.