More Scrapbook Pages

Two-Page "Sisters" Layout 
If you're here for Technique Tuesday, please scroll down one post.
I'm slowly getting my pages photographed, and up on the blog.  Here's one of my favorite two page layouts of the weekend crop I attended a couple of weeks ago.  It's a "sisters" layout, featuring, of course, the loves of my life, my granddaughters.  Keeley just turned six, and Kennedy is 4 months now!!  Time sure does fly by quickly!  Click on each page to see details larger.

 I used some older Basic Grey papers....just love the colors!  For the large "S" by sisters, I covered a chipboard letter with the blue Basic Grey paper, then distressed the edges, and added a ribbon with heart shaped paper clip.
I'll be back with more.  Until then, enjoy your evening!

Blessings,
lynda

Technique Tuesday - Paper Napkin Background Paper

Making your own patterned paper for your card
 
I'm reaching really far back to an old technique for today's post.  I taught this class at my store at least ten years ago!!  It's using a paper napkin to create patterned paper.  Here's the card I made from mine, followed by how to do it:

Now for the tutorial:

• Start with a pretty party napkin.  I thought this one was a really great one to use for a background.

• Most decorative party napkins are two-ply.  You need to separate the layers, and you will be using the top layer (the part with the design). 

• Make a "sandwich" using the napkin, a piece of plastic wrap (any brand) cut to at least the size of the napkin, and finishing with a piece of card stock. 

• Using an iron on medium high setting, no steam, press the "sandwich" until the plastic melts, fusing the napkin to the card stock. 

Here's what it looks like from the back 

• Use the "patterned paper" you just made as a base for your card!  Just cut it to fit on whatever size card you are making.  This one is an A2 card.  That's it!  Here's what it looks like after mounting it to an A2 card, and before I finished making the card from it.

And here it is finished:

I cut a couple of the flowers from parts of the napkin I didn't use for the card front to overlap the verse panel.  I added highlights with the Stardust clear gel pen for a little sparkle (click the images to see closer).  A little distressing, and pretty bow finishes it off. 
The stamps are from Our Daily Bread.  The Spellbinder's template is exclusive to ODB, and can be purchased through their website individually, or as a bundle (bundled together with stamps).
I have entered this card in the Our Daily Bread challenge this week, which is to use a frame on your card.  Check out the challenge and other Design Team entries on the ODB blog here . 
Thanks for stopping by.
Blessings,

lynda

Technique Tuesday - Faux Embossing

I was wandering around over on Splitcoaststampers, and came across this video by Beate Johns.  This technique is so easy, and yields a look that looks like embossing.  We won't be using any embossing powder, however, to make these cards.  All you need is some white ink (I used white ColorBox pigment ink), a stamp positioner, and some dye ink, and a stamp!
Here is a link to Beate's video http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/3dstamping/ .
The first part of this link shows a step-by-step in pictures, then if you scroll down, you will see the video capsule.  You're going to love this!
Here are a couple of cards I made with this 3-D embossing technique:

I

I made this thank you card for a the  Card Patterns Sketch 107 Challenge HERE .  This is the sketch:

Close-Up of 3-D embossed look

Close-up of embossed look

Hope you enjoyed this technique, and will give it a try.  It is fun, and only requires a few materials.

I promised another scrapbook layout, so here is one I did at the crop (click images to see closer):

Double page layout Kennedy's Christening

That's it for tonight.  Bedtime for me!!  Hope you're enjoying this first week of spring!

Blessings,
lynda

 

Another Two-Page Scrapbook Layout

Forgive me for posting a Christmas layout.  I know, I know....you don't want to think about winter any more than I do.  But I had to get these pics scrapbooked!  This is a two page layout I did of the girls in their Christmas pj's:

You can click on the pages to see the details up closer. 
I'm working on their Christmas dresses page right now, and should have that up shortly. 

See you tomorrow with a new Technique Tuesday!

Blessings,
lynda

New Two Page Scrapbook Layout

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!  And a lovely day it was, albeit a bit cold.  But the SUN was shining!! In Rochester, NY, when the sun is shining, it's a good day!

I spent the day today stamping with a friend, and finished another two scrapbook pages. We had a good time, with lots of laughs, as usual.  And I cooked a corned beef brisket with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. The smell was making us so hungry and driving us mad all afternoon.  I couldn't wait till dinner, but it was worth the wait.  Phyllis, you should have stayed...it was yummy!!

So, I told you I'd be back with a posting of a couple of my pages.  I've had a busy week, training a new girl at work, and had to work extra hours this week, then busy at home with "stuff," so I'm finally getting around to taking some pictures and getting them up.  Well, two pictures, anyways. The rest will follow soon.
The subject of this first one is our newest granddaughter, Keeley Grace, on the day she was born. These pics were taken two hours after she entered the world, and the first and second day.  It's a double page layout.  

Here are some of the details:

Embossed panel

Vellum over lettering for soft look

Journaling

die cut label, photo corners and crystal swirls

Photo on tag, brad, crystals, and safety pin

That's it for tonight!  I'll be back with more pics. Right now, I'm heading to the couch to cuddle with hubby before going to bed EARLY tonight! Be back tomorrow with more for ya!
Blessings,
lynda

Technique Tuesday - Stamping with neutral colors

This week's technique is inspired by a challenge over on the Flourishes Blog .   Their Time For Neutral Beauty challenge is to make a card using no colors, just neutrals. This is difficult for me, as I love COLOR!  But, hey, that's why they call it a challenge, right?

So, here's my card.  I invite you to play along with this challenge here on the Flourishes blog.  

I chose some Ranger Distress inks in old paper, brushed corduroy, and frayed burlap.
I began with watercolor paper and a light wash of old paper ink.  Next, I stamped the script stamp with the same color.

For the main image of the flowers, I rubbed the three colors of distress inks onto my craft mat, close together, but not touching.  Then I inked the stamp by tapping it into the areas of ink on my craft mat. I spritzed the stamp with water, then stamped it onto the background.

I added the triangle rows and the swirl stamps to give the card an artsy collage feel, then distressed the edges, mounted it onto some white textured card stock, and tore the edge.  I stamped the triangles and thank you on the bottom, added the ribbon and flowers, and some pearls to finish the card.  All stamps are Penny Black.

This challenge is open until March 31st, so get out your neutrals and come on over and play!

I was away at a scrapbook crop over the weekend.  We had a fun and energized three days of scrapping, sharing, laughing, and more scrapping.  I will share some of my pages later this week, so check back.  And I kind of enjoyed making a neutral card, so I just may try another one of these for teh challenge, as well.

Blessings,

lynda

Craft Room Under Construction

Just a quick post to let you know that my craft room is undergoing a transformation and is under construction, so today's Technique Tuesday is postponed.  Things are looking good, and it's almost done, so I should be able to get back to work after I return from the weekend's crop I'm attending from Friday through Sunday.
I will post when I return, and Technique Tuesday will return next week.
Enjoy your week.
Blessings,
lynda

Technique Tuesday - Using Those Scraps Up/Simple Card

I just can't make myself use that gorgeous paper!

How many times have you thought this to yourself?  I know I'm not the only one, because I've seen you in the forums, complaining about the same thing!  I have even said it out loud!  Yes, I'm guilty!  I have hoards of papers that the thought of cutting into gives me palpitations.  Yet, there it sits, pristine and lovely. I think part of it is knowing that once I cut into it, the left over pieces will not be large enough to use for anything else, and then they will have to go into the *gasp* dreaded scrap pile. 

With the help of my friend, Arlene, I am starting to realize that 1) I have way, way, way too much paper; 2) I will never live long enough to use it all (even if I used a sheet a day for the rest of my life; and 3) It does no one any good just sitting in my craft room.  So, I have begun the process of "weeding out" my scraps and other items taking up space in my work room.  This is a horrendously difficult thing for me.  Being from the baby boomer era, we were always taught to not waste things, and to use every bit of something, and to save (remember the 'eat everything on your plate' philosophy?).

Nonetheless, recently, several bags of itty bitty scraps left my room to take up space in someone else's work area. Some went into a craft box for Keeley to play with when she stamps with Nana (me), some went to a donation box, and some even went into the recycling bin.  I know, I know, the horror of it.  Hubby even had to put some in our neighbor's bin so that ours weren't so full after I cleaned and sorted my room!  I reasoned that even if I wanted to use those scraps, I would never be able to find them in the huge piles they were in.  My once unruly stash of cards stock is finally all neatly sorted by color, each color having it's own bin in those 24 slot paper bins (I have six of them). In each color category, the scraps that I did keep are on top of the full sheets, thereby allowing me to use those before cutting into a new sheet when I just need a piece, and enables me to find them when I need them.  Loving life!

My patterned paper, however, is a different story.  I did organize that better, and can now put my hands on just about any pattern/manufacturer I need, BUT, I haven't been able to part with my scraps as readily as I did my card stock itty-bitties!  It's just so pretty!  I am starting, however, and I'm a determined person once I start something.  Again, it goes back to that 'don't throw anything out/use it all or save it for a rainy day' mindset I like to blame on my parents.  Hey, ya gotta blame someone!  But, just as we are now learning that telling your child to 'eat everything on your plate' is not necessarily a good thing (can lead to overeating, obesity, yadda, yadda), I feel the 'save it for a rainy day' philosophy is highly overrated.  And the older more mature I become, the more I lean to the 'use it, use it now' way of thinking.  So, look out pretty paper scraps, HERE I COME. 

Now that I've had my ranting, here's today's card.  Someone actually asked me to write about ideas for using scraps, really.  I will have more in the future, but for now, here's a card made with scraps left from one of my favorite papers.  Don't you just love that Asian paper and the yummy gold crinkled paper? 
The pocket is actually a piece of gold pp that I cut into a rectangle, then cut a 'v' shape for the pocket bottom, then folded under the top, sides, and bottom, and adhered it to my card stock panel.  I lined the panel with my gold leafing pen to carry out the gold from the pocket.  Before attaching my 'pocket,' I wrapped some gold cording with some flower punches woven through around it.
The 'handkerchief' sticking out from the pocket is from one of my most beloved pieces of pp.  It's actually two scraps, which I trimmed so they were rectangular, then folded them to resemble a folded hanky.  I tucked them into the 'pocket' for a simple and easy card.  NOW, to make myself give it away...that's something else I have to work on!

Now, I'm off to my dining room table, where I have piles of patterned papers, photos, and several scrapbook layout sketches I worked on over the weekend.  My goal is to get all the sketches matched up with papers and their respective pictures, package them up into individual layout folders,  then head upstairs to my craft room to select some embellishments, ribbons, etc. to each one, and pack them up to take on my weekend crop in a couple of weeks. 
Definitely will NOT be done in time for dinner.  Hopefully WILL be done by Friday evening, as my sweet little granddaughter, Keeley is coming to spend the weekend with Nana and Papa.  I can't wait!  Our daughter and son-in-law, and Keeley's little sister Kennedy will be coming on Sunday to get Keeley and to celebrate my 40th-ish birthday.  Faith doesn't want me to cook, but I don't want her to have to cook either, so I've decided I really want a big bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken!  I haven't had that in ages, and the thought of it has me salivating! We'll get all the fixins, some wine, a cake, coffee, and I'll be happy. 
I know, I'm just a party animal!

Blessings,
lynda