This One's A Keeper

WARNING: Photo Heavy Post!

Thanks to Prima's Ustream channel I learned how to make a journal book by watching an online class led by Steff Miller over and over and over again. 'That is a cool idea' I thought and proceeded to make one for myself (or for a friend as it turns out). The original journal is 7.5" by 3.5" but mine is 6" by 3.5". The original was also made with 12x12 double-sided patterned paper but, of course me being me, mine was made with 6x6 single-sided papers as well. Makes it more difficult for sure. If you had 4 12x12 pieces of double-sided papers you could whip this up fairly quickly:

It's a little bit gorgeous isn't it? The large sparkly green flower is from Prima - part of my gift parcel from Mrs Frizz (I told you it was heading this way). The base paper for the album is by K&Co. The die cuts are Spellbinders and the journal card is from Making Memories. I purposely placed the journal card on the front cover so that the fold-around covers the second line on the journal card but still shows the first line, which stands alone.  I've added journal cards from Bella! and Websters Pages inside the album and popped a few extras in the back.

I've used PicFrame to compile the inside pages together into one picture to reduce the photo content. It may look like I have doubled up on pictures but it show the pages with and without the added journal cards. Here's the inside Pages: 

Here's the back page:

Amazing what you can do with a little time, paper and border punches isn't it? The border trim on the envelope is a bit I cut off the side of the journal card placed on the front cover. The colours and designs didn't work on the front but they certainly work here. I had to make the envelope by hand as I don't have an envelope die. I emailed a friend for help and she sent me links of the dies she has in her stash - love friends like that! Her dies didn't match my size requirements but the pictures gave me the basic design to try and have a go myself. For once my try-out actually worked out really well! :)

For my personal challenge of using items from my stash I have used here:
* an eyelet I bought for European Travel scrapping
* stamp sets x2 - new and unused
* Tim Holtz ink in a colour I thought I would never use again (from a class kit)
* Snot ribbon - which wasn't long enough but because I had two I had enough to use one for each side
* Journaling cards - new and unused
* DCWV cardstock sticker - new and unsed.
* K&Co paper pad - used before but definitely been around a while.

As I started to put this journal together I thought of a friend of mine who just happens to be having a birthday soon. I don't make a lot of gifts anymore as I have to carefully weigh my time and effort with the recipients enjoyment. The friend I am thinking of will truly enjoy the journal and will treasure the fact that I made it for her and the time & effort put into it. Just in case I have also bought her a present too! I see myself making a few more of these journals as it was really easy to put together and look fantastic even if I do say so myself. Basically, this little item is a keeper even though I am giving it away.

This little beauty is going to be entered in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes
http://www.simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/simon-says-anything-goes.html
I know I posted mine a few days before this challenge opened but I needed to post it on my blog before their next challenge went up in order to make a deadline for another challenge. (which I didn't win btw - it's not about the winning; it's the joy of creating)

Thanksgiving!

Our friends in USA are celebrating Thanksgiving this week and I am getting in on the action! Sadly, not by partaking of a thanksgiving feast complete with pumpkin pie, but by joining in two Simon Says Stamp challenges. The theme is thanksgiving/thank you - no kidding! Here's my card:

I love using clear accents and acrylic. Wanna know where I got the acetate for this one? It's the flat part from Spellbinder's packaging. Total truth. No wasting here and I'm helping the environment (until the recipient throws this card out but seriously, who would!). I embossed the acetate with a new-to-me Sizzix embossing folder. The stamps and matching die are from My Favourite Things. Now, you have heard me announce my preference for rubber stamps before because acrylic stamps just don't stamp as clearly. Well, I have to say the MFT stamps ink up beautifully every time from the very first time with no priming. Total Truth (I think that's today's new catch phrase).

I love the typewriter; it is quite large so it was perfect for this card. I reverse die cut the typewriter for the inside to cover the backside of the one used on the front. I also cut another typewriter to use on the inside to say Thank You and leave room for the handwritten message. I ended up stamping the inside typewriter image on a whim because the front one looked faint enough to write over. I really should stop following my whims as it ended up darker than the one on the front! I told you the MFT stamps work brilliantly, e-ve-ry time.  I don't just randomly say Total Truth without meaning it you know. I'm sure you can still write over it with a dark pen and still see the message - or I might 'gift' it so it becomes someone else's problem :)

Do you think someone has been playing with the photo processing software/apps on their phone? Did you not even notice? I did stick with the ol' blue carpet background though. Can't advance to far too fast you know.

Here's the link to the SSS challenge: http://www.simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/simon-says-thanksgiving-thank-you.html

I'm also entering it in the SSS and Show challenge which has the same theme of Thank You (how convenient!): http://www.simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/challenge-thank-you.html


Finally, one last Total Truth for you: I am totally, without a doubt, sick of making cards! Total Truth! Ugh, time to make a layout but cards are easier to commit to and finish within challenge deadlines and life deadlines. All is not lost though people, I am working on a journal book for a friend for her birthday courtesy of Prima UStream channel. More stuff used from my stash and a handmade gift to boot. Some of Mrs Frizz sparkle will go on it too. Pictures to follow (as long as this friend doesn't read the blog).

Materials: DCWV cardstock, Quickutz Chipboard, MFT die and stamp set (typewriter and Thank You), Stampin' Up! stamp (gratitude),  Sizzix Embossing Folder, Tim Holtz Distress Ink + Marker , Stazon Ink.

She's At It Again!

Yup, I'm at it again. I'm trying to win a really cool prize. This one is even cooler than the previous shares. I mean, this is huge. One word: Prima Art Venture. Calm down, calm down. Stop the squealing and jumping up and down ladies. Breathe.

Here's the details as far as I know them: Jan 18-20
Leeza Gibbons plus 6 of Prima's educators including, wait for it, the awesome and local, Nic Howard! (Heidi Swapp is on the list too FYI). We so lucky!

Calm down, I mean it ladies! Just wait until I give you the link to Nic's site so you can enter too. Good luck to us all :)

http://nichoward.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/11/artventure-giveaway.html

Thanks Nic for the chance to win a day with you all. I tell ya, once this link is up and running I'm off to do some jumping, squealing and researching too.

(I just realised that this is not a NZ event, it is in California. Just a little FYI before the NZ ladies get too excited by my post)

The Mullet Card

Remember the mullet haircuts of the 80's? Business in the front, party in the back. I've decided that the card I've made for a couple of challenges is a mullet card. Why? Well, it is elegant in the front and completely the opposite on the inside. Why? I hear you ask. The recipient of this card is elegant, refined and gracious. When I use the word grace in any form I mean it's full capacity and this lady is gracious and graceful. We are very different personalities and she decided to 'adopt' me as her sister many years ago and I, in turn, have 'adopted' her daughter as my little sister. I don't know how she has remained so faithful when I am not refined, elegant or graceful. I'm hoping a little bit of her has rubbed off on me over the past years. (You will have to wait and see what the party bit is)

A Blog Named Hero had instructions for creating embossed lines on card fronts using your scoring board. It is a simple, yet elegant technique that I wanted to give a go. I'm not sure if you can see it but it is definitely a keeper technique. The doily is from a card technique trial that went horribly wrong; I mean didn't quite work out as planned. It is quite stiff and a little shiny now after a few layers of modge podge but nothing says elegance like doily so on it went. As usual I did not have a plan in mind when I started other than it had to have something-I-am-not-telling-you-yet and the scoring plus a punch to fit the theme for A Blog Named Hero. The something-I-am-not-revealing-yet fits the theme for Southern Girls Challenge blog.

Here's the business side of the mullet card:

Elegant right? I'm sure there was a challenge using pearls somewhere so if I can find it again I will submit it there too - doesn't matter that there is only one pearl right? Actually, it was a purple jewel at first then I thought a pearl might look better. Off to the Bling container in my stash I went (I know, sounding too organised with the Bling container - it won't happen regularly I promise). The pieces in the centre of the doily were going to be punches but it didn't look right. They are reeeeeeeally old pieces from my stash. That's more older items used - yay! I've decided that the sheets/packages that they came from are really not going to be used so I might start a collection to donate to hospice. They will be fun for the kids there I am sure. I would rather things be used than sit there.

I think you can see the 2 scored lines near the edges which was the scoring technique I mentioned. Bonus: the lines are debossed on the inside of the card making a natural frame for that side too.  I also had enough for-thought to make a 1/8" spine for my card so that it would accommodate the something-I -am-about-to reveal. Are you ready?

Remember the chickies? Here's the last one. For those of you new to the site chickies have a history between me and this wonderful lady's daughter (the one I 'adopted' as my little sister). I decided that my friend needed the last one on her Get Well Soon type card. The chickie side - with punch out speech bubble for the Southern Girl's Challenge- is the party part of the mullet card. Don't you agree? Totally opposite to the front. I did try to bring back the elegance on the part where I write my note with the washi tape - new to me from Freckled Fawn. Truth be told, and I usually admit, I mean tell you the truth, it covered extra score lines. You see, I did have the for-thought to score in a spine but at 1/4"not 1/8' as previously stated. It ended up being just that much too big. I re-scored it but this friend is a do-things-right, especially for other people, kind of person (I told you we were opposites). I grabbed some washi tape and that's how the colour scheme became purple and teal. Another truth: the purple card is from the afore mentioned technique gone wrong card. I may be a hoarder, but I'm not a waster of my supplies people!

Here's the info for the challenges I am entering this card in:

A Blog Named Hero: Challenge #15 The Ol' 1-2 Punch-  use punch outs or die-cuts (speech bubble)
BTW the speech bubble was punched out twice and glued together to give it some depth and strength.
http://ablognamedhero.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/challenge-15-ol-1-2-punch.html

Southern Girl's Challenge: #56 Animal Crackers - have an animal on it
Chickies count as animals right? Even if they are on the inside and not on the front.
http://southerngirlschallenge.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/56-animal-crackers.html

One card, two challenges - not bad in my book. But please, nobody tell/show Miss 3. I mean it people! If she sees that this card is purple she will want it as purple is her thing. I've just remembered so are chickies! Her #2 birthday cake was a ducky. I must get this mullet card in the mail and out of the country asap.

Thank You Mrs Frizz

Mrs Frizz had a giveaway on her blog because it was her birthday. Hmmm, perhaps I should've kept that to myself in case any of you get ideas. I was lucky to win. It turns out I was more than lucky because when the parcel arrived I was surprised at how much she sent me! I was expecting a card or two that she had made and a few left overs from projects that she had made - there was not one scrap in there I tell you. It was chocka with unopened packages of Prima flowers and bling and Kaisercraft wood veneers. There was even a recently released Kaisercraft stamp set. I was blown away, just blown away I tell you. I will get to the picture of the goodies but first I will show you how gorgeously she had packaged it - very Mrs Frizz style I must say.

Isn't that gorgeous? Of course I set the trims and lace aside for another project. No wastage here. I've never actually seen the white feathery kind before so I look forward to reusing it elsewhere. I've just realised that the purple tissue will be perfect for wrapping things for Miss 3 who still loves all things purple. Thank goodness her mummy, the BFF, gave me a purple inkpad recently because the one single purple marker I had has been getting a work out over the last few years on all her cards. I digress so as promised, here is the picture of the contents. Be prepared to ohhh and ahhhh.

Some of the items, like the Prima swirls and flowers, are things I had seen, admired and drooled over but not purchased because of the cost. What a lucky, lucky girl am I. I was reflecting on this the other day as it has been a really challenging year for me this year. I won't go into detail but I've never had a year quite like it. Even though I have struggled and had my whole world turned upside down at times, some amazingly lucky things have also happened for me. Like winning this prize and a few others this year. I chose to look at the positive and believe you choose your attitude no matter what the situation. Thanks Mrs Frizz for being a positive moment this year and for brightening my day.

Mrs Frizz is on the contributing team for Kaisercraft and has her own blog. I am inspired by her work both on her blog and the Kaisercraft one. Here's the link for her blog because you know I like to give credit and thanks where it is due: http://frisbys.blogspot.co.nz/

Thanks Mrs Frizz, you made my day :)