Well I was going to scrapbook last night, but first I thought I would file away the layouts I’ve been scraping lately. I guess I was in denial about how much space I had left in my albums and how many layouts I’ve done lately (lately is relative, but I did have about 50 in a pile!). My scrapbooks are a disaster, I didn’t quite finish the library of memories class at Big Picture Scrapbooking, so I never made the rest of the title pages I need to be more organized. I’m out of page protectors and albums, so I’m off to order some (while trying not to put to many other things in my cart!).
Meanwhile I thought I would share this awesome quilt my mother in law brought back from Florida when she was there caring for her dad.
I believe this was one of the last quilts that her grandma (lovingly called “granny” by all) quilted. She is still alive, but is nearly blind. The cool thing is this is a cheater print!
One of the coolest I’ve ever seen for sure. All hand quilted.
I hope you can see the pattern of quilting on the fun back, Kathy says she did all her quilts in this pattern. The whole quilt is so so soft, I don’t know what kind of fabric the back is (but Abby I think it might be flannelette that you often speak of!).
The quilt is bringing Kathy much comfort after the passing of her dad, I love how handmade things can do that.
Have any handmade items brought you comfort in times of loss? I just found out my dear friend’s grandma passed away and want to put something together for her.
Fill in the Blank
When I was pregnant I thought an easy fill in the blank type of scrapbook was in order. Too bad it took me over a year to get those blanks filled in! I did work on it a little bit, but I pulled out all my prints from her first year to try and fill in the rest of the blanks. I still need to journal a bit, but almost done!
The year in review. Thanks for being born in January Tutu, that made it easy!
The first holidays pages are all similar to this.
And I filled out the first of five birthday pages.
I also put the pictures into the calendar I got and the pre-made baby book.
Both from Hallmark. It feels good to get that stuff mostly done. I think I’ll bring the books up to our bedroom and fill in the details little by little before bed each night. I get too distracted to do that anywhere else. I also did a few just for fun layouts. Well all scrapbooking is for fun, isn’t it?
Using one of the embellishments Sarah and I made, and some other stuff I’ve had out for a while.
I love this one. See that cute little crocheted flower? Sarah’s mom made us those, so sweet.
Hope your weekend was as filled with crafting, or at lease something fun! Don’t forget if you want to sign up for the swap today is the last day.
Less words, more photos
Apparently I’ve gotten a little too wordy, at least with my swap post. So here I temp you to join mostly with photos.
Sarah and I had an embellishment making get together that was so much fun! We brought together all our punches, flowers, scraps, doo dads and went to town.
First we got inky and messy with my stamps. I want to go through my photos and make a list of titles and words to stamp and do them all at once like this. I like the idea of having a stock pile of stamped journaling blocks too.
Some of Sarah’s embellishments. Go to her blog for details, including how her sweet mom made us those tiny crocheted hearts!
And some of mine. The two cards accidentally got some glimmer mist on them. Mmmm I was late to the glimmer mist game, but now, watch out!
And I was going to post this last night, but got distracted by all the fun supplies out, so I scrapped instead:
I got a tiny attacher and I am in love with it (used on the heart). Also I totally forgot I had that quickutz punch to make these: { } (what are those called?). I love them! The title is cut out of an old grammar flip book (a big one).
Sarah brought over an old children’s dictionary that the swing page is from.
Wait what does this all have to do with the swap? Well we were thinking that making embellishments might be a fun little thing to put in your packages. I know I could have stolen all of the ones Sarah made! So don’t forget to sign up, because the last day to do so is Sunday the 23rd. Details on this post.
A couple of unrelated things: does this font look super tiny to you? I think I screwed something up on my computer, at least I’m hoping it’s just my computer, and not the blog in general.
Have any of you with young ones traveled alone with out your significant other, just with your children? When you came back did they have any significant other fear? Tuesday is acting crazy around Bj and I think it might be because she is mad they were apart for so long. While we were in Vermont she listened to him talk and put her head on my chest and was at peace, but now that we are home she doesn’t want to cuddle with him like usual. It’s breaking my heart! Ideas, thoughts?
Home
We are home. I miss the little tiny baby (and you too Ceara!)
More soon, diving back into real life!
ric-rac love.
Hi, it’s Sarah again. I’m back to show you a couple fun things I did with ric-rac the other day. I LOVE ric-rac! I’m not really sure what it is about it – maybe it’s the squiggle, the bright happy colors or that it’s a fun mix of both vintage and new. But I just love it! You can do so much with it!
First, I’ll apologize for not having any “during/tutorial” photos. I didn’t even think about it while I was making the stuff (DUH!). So you’ll have to settle for finished products and a few fun links 🙂
Project 1: I have this little denim tote bag that i usually take with me to the library. I decided to take the small ric-rac flower idea (like the orange on in my last post) and make it using this jumbo ric-rac. I honestly had no idea how to do it, or what I was doing really, but I just threaded in and out along the bottom on the ric-rac until it resembled a flower. Then, I sewed a fun vintage button in the middle and stitched it to my bag. I love it!
Project 2: I decided that I should look into some ric-rac flower tutorials online a little bit. I found this one and I just love it – it’s adorable! I decided to try it using this smaller ric-rac. I thought it might make a great embellishment for a card or scrapbook page.
I didn’t use the hot glue gun to finish the back like the tutorial suggested, since it’s for an embellishment I figured it didn’t need it. I simply stuck a brad through the center and through the punched scallop circle. (No need for glue since the back is covered by the paper.) A cluster of these would look so cute on a scrapbook page and this one is definitely going to be on a card.
Project 3: I’ve recently switched to cloth napkins. I was buying paper towels all the time and it’s so much waste. So, a month or so ago I picked up a pack of cloth napkins at Target. I decided that while the green color was fun, they needed a little sprucing up!
I didn’t have matching thread so I decided white would be a fun contrast. This took me less than 10 mintues (and I sew slowly). Super quick and super fun!
I also found a few other fun ideas for ric-rac in my search for inspiration:
I really liked these dahlias (I’d put a sweet little button in the center instead of pompoms). This is a cute way to spruce up an apron. (I see plain gingham ones like this at estate sales often.) I really like this apron idea! And these are pajama pant cuffs, but my mom used this cute technique to trim some kitchen curtains she made me.
You can do so many fun things with ric-rac!
I may be back with one more post before Amber returns…but just in case time gets away from me, thanks for visiting me here! And thank you Amber for the fabulous ribbons and asking me to be a guest blogger! It was so fun!
ric-rac and silk…oh my!
Hi! It’s Sarah!
Amber asked me to do a guest post or two while she’s away visiting her dear friend Ceara and snuggling Ceara’s sweet new baby boy. She also graciously sent me a package of two of my favorite Ribbon Jar products – RIC RAC and SILK! So, I thought I would show you a few things I’ve made with them!
First, remember this photo that she showed in her last post?
She sent them to me and they are beautiful!
I took a few of the plaid silk flowers, along with the orange ric-rac flower and added vintage buttons from my stash to their centers.
I thought they would look really sweet on a card:
On the third card, I used both ric-rac flower and silk.
I love gathering the silk and stitching over it, but my sewing machine needed a new bobbin and I didn’t feel like winding one. So instead, I used glue dots! It worked great and I think I like the non-stitched look even better!
Here’s a look at all three cards together:
I’m looking forward to playing with the new ric-rac soon. It’s a new brand that she just started carrying so I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. Check it out:
One thing I can tell you is it’s so soft and the colors are rich and beautiful! My photo does not do it justice, it’s really quite lovely. I can’t wait to create with it!
Also, I’d love to see what people have made with ribbon from the ribbon jar or just ric-rac in general…link me in the comments if you have something to share! I’m always looking for craft inspiration!
I’ll be back with more projects to share in a day or two!
Leaving on a Jet Plane
But I do know when I’ll be back again… Next week! That’s right Tuesday and I are headed to go see my lovely friend Ceara and her new baby! I am so excited and also a little scared. Which is probably why I spent a good portion of the day turning this Goodwill find:
Into a busy baby kit.
This wallet has 21 pockets. It ought to keep her busy:
I was going to have a nice post all made about about these:
and our awesome new ric-rac. But I ran out of time. So I sent a sampling to Sarah and she is going to do a guest post, or two!
And thank you again for all the kind words about my album. Seriously I have the best readers, those comments made my day!
Now wish me luck on this cross-country red eye with my teething toddler!
Week in the Life—The Album is done!
Oh my goodness, I did it! I finished my album for the Week in the Life project (April 19th-25th) and I could not be happier. Bj has already spent time pouring over it and also deemed it a success, yeah! What a snapshot of our lives. Here are almost all the pages (a few have cute naked picture of Tuesday that I didn’t want to share). I added the products below the pages, but a lot are repeats, so if you don’t see something look back at the beginning.
Kolo album I had in my stash, using included page protectors and slide film page protectors (also in my stash from art school days).
Intro page has paper from my (now gone) spring fling kit, a doodlebug velvet brad, labels from Two Girlz Stuff, stamps are magnetic poetry, 7 gypsies, and PSX.
I have two types of pages. The white pages are general routine pages and the light blue/slide pages are the actual day pages. Kikkerland paperclip, Savvy Stamps heart target, medium folk heart punch and velvet flocked paper (I also used the small and large in this album, as well as some other heart punch from my friend Sarah, I think it was a Stampin Up?), Gothic Lower (lrg) stamps by Postmodern Design (used through out), Martha doily punch.
I have blurred some things out, only the quick and easy way in lightroom by over/under exposing. 🙂 Jenni Bowlin ticket.
Technique Tuesday and Hero Arts stamps, Making Memories staple.
The missing pages here are about getting clean (baths/showers) and the nap.
Missing pages are the other side of this slide page (talking about how in Oregon we don’t have to pump our own gas, among other things) and a routine page about the potty/diapers/elimination communication.
Piece of KI Memories paper.
There you have it. Pretty minimal in terms of embellishment. But in my opinion it has to be with 294 photos! I just used a heart on each of the routine pages and the initial circles on the slide pages.
And I just can’t thank Ali enough for the inspiration!
Official: It’s on… details of the swap!
This is the “oh my gosh can you believe it she’s actually coming through with that swap” post!
Like I’ve mentioned Sarah is going to be my co-captain on this Super Crafty Swap because I have so many fun ideas for it I thought I might need a little help! Here is the basic premise of the swap:
1. you sign up and fill out a questionnaire (questions include what type of crafts you do, favorites, blog, address, etc.)
2. we match you with the most perfect partner (we hope! We are going to do a blind match, but not random, to try and align the craft types as much as possible)
3. you get your match and it is a secret!
4. you start filling your large flat rate priority mailbox full of goodies FROM YOUR STASH. And some other things not totaling more than $10.
5. you send your package and your partner screams with joy upon it’s arrival.
6. you get your package from someone else and you scream with joy, then email me so I can enter your partner into the drawing (just a nice incentive to get people to send on time).
Simple right?
Here’s the thing about the super cool crafty swap. It’s not just for scrapbookers, paper crafters and card makers. And it’s not just for knitters, spinners, bead lovers, crocheters, gymnasts, or general artist types. It’s for all those people and more! It’s so fun to have a big group of people who have many (or at least a few) crafty interests. But as long as you embrace craft you’ll love this swap. That’s because so many wonderful crafts can be mixed and matched. I do it all the time and it is fun! I’m going to make up a little example story so you can see how this might work.
So let’s say that Ann gets matched with Zoe. Ann likes to make cards and also knits and does a little embroidery on the side. Zoe likes to scrapbook. Sometimes she dabbles in sewing. So Ann does have some stuff that would be fun for Zoe that is easy to see, like paper and stickers, and all that loveliness. But Ann can also knit Zoe little flowers for her pages. She can make Zoe little tiny pieces of embroidery art that Zoe could use for a project. She could also riffle through her old books and pull out some funny illustrations. Maybe she has enough of a stash of embroidery stuff to make up Zoe a little kit. Also Ann starts reading Zoe’s blog and sees that she loves candy. So she spends part of her $10 on some candy, she also gets Zoe some cool new paper and a new journalling pen since Zoe writes her journaling on every layout with an American Crafts Pigment Pro. Ann also knows things about Zoe like her favorite color is purple, and (obviously) her initial so since Ann doesn’t like purple as much, and her name doesn’t start with a Z she picks out some fun purple stuff from her stash and throws that in there. She also goes through her alphabet embellishments and makes a neat little bag of Zs. And since Ann is so nice she wraps everything up with clever little tags. Meanwhile Zoe is making up her own box for her partner (who is someone different).
The thing about this swap is that it is stuff from your stash but that doesn’t mean it has to be weird old things that wouldn’t quite suit the other person. Keep your partner in mind when going through your stash. If you come across a pile of things you can no longer use, and that doesn’t suit your partner’s interest, I urge you to donate it. One awesome group to donate to is the person in charge of “lifebooks” at your local social service office (here is a link to each states main office). This is what I did recently and it was so appreciated by the woman who heads this program in my town. I think this way you can get rid of stuff that really could be holding you back and give to a great cause.
Sarah and I plan to have some great examples and projects to go in your boxes, so be on the look out.
So want to join? Let’s go over the requirements:
-Must have an active blog or very active flickr account (so that your buddy can find out all about you! an active blogs posts at least once a week on average, a very active flickr account posts more than that and is inclusive of all your crafty endeavors) If it’s private that’s ok, only your buddy will get the login info.
-Must fill out questionnaire by May 24th.
-Be willing to send one large flat rate priority mail box by June 20th full of goodies (total cost of postage: $14.50, you can also spend up to $10 on your buddy).
-Be in the US or have an APO/FPO/DPO address and access to a large flat rate priority box (sorry I just can’t figure out how it would all work internationally for this round).
-Be awesome, don’t worry you already are if you’re reading this!
We are going to accept sign ups until May 23rd, or until we reach 50 participants. If you want to sign up email [email protected] and Sarah or I will send you back a confirmation that you got in, followed by a questionnaire (we’re still perfecting it right now) to fill out and return to us by May 24th.
If you have any questions leave them on this post and either I or Sarah will answer them in the comments section to keep all the information together, thanks!
The pretty pictures are from a package I finally put together for the winner of the tree age guessing contest. Emily check your mailbox in a few days!
Hi, it’s me again :)
Hey, my name is Amber and I like to blog intensively for a couple weeks then disappear for days at a time, how rude of me! We have been busy with lots of wonderful things and some not so wonderful things. Those not so wonderful things are called molars and Tuesday has at least three that I can feel, and more that look very close to erupting, it has my happy little muffin bursting into tears for no other reason than pain and that breaks my heart! I took all the advice, except for triangle toothbrushes, I can’t find those. But I did just order a few more teethers. I’m trying to get psyched up for our cross-country (mama and baby only) plane trip. We’re also rocking the amber teething necklace, frozen washcloths, teething tablets, lots of nursing, distraction, and eating soothing things. Anything else?
Lots of good things have been going on as well:
My sweetie turned 28 yesterday. Last weekend we went to his parents to celebrate (which was the longest car ride in history, poor Tuesday). As you can see I brought up my scrapbooking supplies, but I did stop long enough to sing happy birthday 🙂 It was great to see my in-laws at home, as my mother in law has been in Florida caring for her parents for months (a trip that was supposed to last weeks). Tuesday was happy to get lots of Nana and Pops time in.
I was happy to get a little shopping in with Kathy. We went to a super sale at Old Navy and I got four, yes FOUR pairs of pants. I have been in this weird in between, two pounds from pre-pregnancy weight but my hips are all different now phase and it has been hard to find clothes. I would wear skirts everyday but I get so cold and long ones look crazy weird on this shorty. Anyway I totally scored there. And Bj got to get lots of bubble tea which made him exceedingly happy.
At home again I’ve been looking at the window at this:
(out the front)
back and more back:
It makes me so happy! The yard looks positively gigantic to me now with all the overgrown yuckiness gone (see the before here). I’m even making a category for my yard because I hope it is going to be a much bigger part of our lives. We decided to have all the grass and everything pulled so that we didn’t have to use chemicals to kill it and I’m so glad! Fresh start, yeah!
The other thing taking my time, besides daydreaming about summer days in the yard, is my Week in the Life project. Hmm maybe I should make a category for that too… Still not done, but I’m working on it.
Title page.
My “start” page. We had a crazy night that first night (early, early Monday morning) and I got the iphone notes app out so I could record it all. My ink is smudgy. I can never wait for it to dry and when I use the heat gun it gets crinkly. I must be doing something wrong. I’m such a bad stamper, my stamps are a wreck!
Most of my pages look like this with place holders for the stamping I did last night:
Verbs!
Days of the week.
Okay I am not going to be back until I have my swap post all ready to go. Sarah agreed to be co-captian with me and we are so excited. We are trying to decide what to cap it at, last time I had 19 I think, but I think it’s going to be even cooler this time, we have lots of good ideas so watch out for it!
