Rian's Scrapbook Pages

Hi Everybody, Here are some scrapbook pages I made of my niece, Rian. I initially made these pages to enter them into a class contest for Stampin Up, but I didn't win :( Oh well, better luck next time right? Anyway, I used 2 stamp sets for all three pages and 1 photo for all three pages. The stamp sets are Friend 24-7 and Lovely Letters. I also used my punches for layering the letters. You can use the same layouts and place different pictures instead of the same one like I did. This page to the left uses Basic Black, So Saffron, and Basic Gray. I think this is the one I like most. I generally don't use these colors together, especially the Pale Plum color. I mean I really don't use Pale Plum at all and I thought the combination turned out well. I also, rarely use Bordering Blue which is what I used here, along with Summer Sun and Pacific Point. I really love these stamp sets together. Drop me a comment and let me know what you think!

Mom's House Rocks Mini Book

Okay,

Here is another mini! I tried to make it into the shape of a house. What do you think? Does it look much like a house? Anyway, I was at my friend Leah's and we were talking about how much we love mini books! I told her I was going to go home last night and get started on a mini book shaped like a house and while I did start it last night, I didn't finish it until this morning. Of course I was trying to think of a good title for my mini and I had these little letter stamps; this is what I came up with. The reason the first letters are on green is because I messed up and stamped tocks instead of rocks! I didn't want to have to start over because I already had the cover made! That is the great thing about stamping, if you ever mess up you can fix it! Check out the rest of the book!

I used the oval punch to create the door and a brad for the door knob.

Here I decided to use some more patterned paper. I tried to make the kids look like boys since that is what I have.

This page is actually after the one below. Also, some more use of patterned paper.

Can you see the little head I punched out with the circle punch?

Here is the back cover! One more with one more little boy. So if you have time, leave a comment and let me know what you think. By the way...Leah...this one is for you :)

KWerner Color Challenge #43

Hi Everyone,

Originally I wasn't going to participate in this weeks color challenge. I got together with a friend from church on Thursay and we came up with a design for a bridal shower invite. When we had first had a conversation, we were going to make a sample of the bridal show card and then used the rest of our time to make cards for our personnal use. Unfortunately the shower card took longer than I had anticipated and we never got around to making cards for us! I was feeling bad about that so I took some supplies to work last night (yes, that is the graveyard shift on the weekends) I have to do something to keep me awake :) I decorated this can and there is a story that goes with that too! The can is actually a coffee can! We get these at work all the time and everyone was just throwing them away. Well one day I decided that the next can that is thrown out I would just take it home instead and see if I could do something wtih it! Well I guess someone else had the same idea and they beat me to the can! I was a little miffed over this! Not to worry though...the next can was saved for me and this is what I came up with for Mj. It just so happens that the colors are the same color combination that Kristina posted for her challenge. This was so not planned. I just worked with what I had and didn't realize until later that I could post this pic for the challenge! Anyhow... I decorated the can and then made a bunch of cards to go inside and also provided her with envelopes! I love this Cheap Talk set from Stampin Up! I made several different types of cards but here are just a few.

This card, I suppose can probably fit the just because category. The sentiment reads, you've got a friend in me.

I also made several Happy Birthday cards. You can never have to many of those!

Here is another Happy Birthday Card!

Another, "You've got a friend in me card." I did make some thank you cards and thinking of you cards too! I just didn't want my post to be to long so I left some photos out! Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Set of Cards with a Clear Altered Box

Hi All,

I have been trying to post this project since last week! For some reason I was having trouble posting the photos in the order that I wanted them to be in. I finally gave up and just decided to post however it would take the format! So...here is a set of cards that I made for my Secret Sister. They were fairly simple to make. I used maybe half a sheet of patterned paper and ribbon of course! I stamped a different sentiment on each card. As you'll notice on the card to the left, it is Happy Birthday

This next card says Hugs and Kisses, I'm not sure if you can see the sentiment very clearly. This card would make a great card for any occasion. The sentiment is pretty basic. I usually don't stamp anything on the inside of my cards because I prefer to right out my thoughts to whomever I'm giving a card too. Of course you can never have to many thank you cards. I never seem to have enough of them! Now here is the box! I went out and bought a die for my die cutting machine. It came in this box. I had originally thrown it out in my little garbage can located at my craft table. It took a couple of days, but I kept wondering if I could do something with it. I finally decided to give it a try and rescued the box from the garbage! This is what I ended up with! The cards match and I thought it turned out well! So think twice before throwing out those clear plastic boxes! Drop me a comment and let me know what you think!

Valentine Mail Boxes

Hi Everyone, This is a belated post. I decorated these mailboxes for Valentine's day for my co-workers. I had these mail boxes sitting in a plastic bin for over a year. Sometimes it just works out like that. I have some other things that have been sitting in my bin for a little longer than that, until I decide to use them. I can't wait until Christmas! I have some stuff that is just waiting to be given at Christmas time! Sick, I know! Do you think it's curable? The first photo is of the 4 mail boxes I decorated. I still have 2 left; maybe next year? the second photo is a side view of the mail box. I used my heart to heart punch for the cut out hearts and attached them with foam tape. The paper is the Candy Cane Lane paper by the way. I used the Love Ya Bunches stamp set to decorate the front of the box, which you'll see in the third picture below. I stuffed the inside with candy. All in all, I think they turned out well. What do you think?

KWerner Color Challenge #42

Hi Everyone,

Here is another color challenge card created for Kristina's blog. I love the color choices and I happen to love this set too! I believe the set is called Trendy Trees (from SU). The sentiment comes in the set. I used the Polka Dot background stamp. I thought it worked well with the trees. Of course I'm always up for making something that is easy to put together! I used my square punches and layered them. Quick and easy! Let me know what you think...leave a comment!

Decorated Jar - Treat Holder

I happened to be snooping around some dollar bins and found these jars. I snatched up every single one of them and this is the first one I decorated. I thought it would be great to stuff with some candy or any other treat that you can think of! I used my oval punches for the sentiment because, although you can't see it very clearly, on the front of the jar there is an almost flattened oval shape where I placed the oval punches. I think it worked perfectly. On the lid of the jar, I used the scallop punch along with one circle punch. When I actually use the jar, depending on the occasion, I'll layer a smaller circle on top, stamped with a sentiment, whether it be, Happy Birthday, Thank You or Just Because! I did place the "For You" sentiment on both sides of the jar. Let me know what you think and leave a comment!

KWerner Color Challenge #41

I love making Valenine's Day cards! Honestly, this card has some of my favorite colors to work with. I usually don't drag out the embossing powder because when I first started stamping, that was pretty much all I used. In fact I used it so much I got sick of it. But once in a while I am tempted to use it. The hearts are embossed with silver powder. I really love this set too! Kristina really chooses some great color combinations! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

KWerner Color Challenge #40

Okay, time for another color challenge from Kristina Werner. Don't you just love these colors? I love this Neighborhood wheel too! Not really a whole lot to share about this card. I did use the scallop edge punch, and both oval punches. I also used stampin up markers to color the houses. This card is great to give to a new neighbor. I think I may use these colors again for another project! Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. Enjoy!

Shaped Flower Mini Book

Okay, remember I told you I was inspired? Well this is what it led too. I have had a die cutter for years. I drag it out once and a while when I feel the need to or when I feel it is being neglected. In this case however, it was because I was inspired. I don't own the Big Shot yet, but I do own one of the old Sizzix die cutters. I didn't have any chipboard handy, so I used left over coasters; they worked perfectly! The paper I used to cover the flowers is the Candy Cane Lane paper. This little book was really easy to put together! I cut the coasters with the die cutter

and I cut the patterned paper with the die cutter as well. I used the circle punch for the flower middle and I made sure that I mounted it on foam tape (you can also use dimensionals). The reason I did this was because when you cut the flower, it has a hole in the middle. I wanted it covered. I used my crop a dial to punch a hole through the flowers to insert the ring. So, going with my theme of the last few posts, use what you have! I used my die cutter, which had been collecting dust, and my left over coasters! The die actually matches one that is in the Stampin Up catalog, but I don't know the name of it.

Now, on to finishing one more mini book! I've been talking about this for a while, I just need to take a few more pictures! I also plan to cover some valentine mail boxes and decorate them. Stay tuned! Let me know what you think. By the way, I figured out how to include all my pictures on one post. I should have realized how to do this earlier...duh! Life is so much easier with just one post!

Card of the Week Blog

Everyone visiting my site, if you get a chance, pop on over to the Card of the Week blog (http://www.cardoftheweek.com/). Susanna posted a link to my mini books but if you click on the links to some of the other mini books, there is really some amazing work there. So...no time to waste, check it out now :) I'm in love with the shaped mini book and the valentine star book. Wow! I'm think I may go and create my own shaped mini book! So chop, chop, time to get inspired :)

Circles Anyone?

Call me crazy...literally! I signed up for a secret sister swap and the poor thing is still waiting for me to send her stuff. Okay, so I'm a little busy! Not to worry though. I created this little circle mini just for her! I bought this alphabet set a few years ago, it is from CTMH and this is the first time I've used it! You'll start to see a pattern developing here pretty quick. The buttons on the next photo came in an embellishment kit that I bought over a year ago. Do you see that chipboard arrow? I bought that particular chipboard family over two years ago. I'm not really a shopaholic. Maybe buy is the wrong word. The alphabet stamp I received by using my credit towards the catalog because I had a catalog party, so I didn't actually pay for it. The chipboard was bought with a gift certificate for a scrapbooking store, that I received for my birthday almost two years ago, so all I really bought was the embellishment kit and that was at 40% off. Honestly, I try to buy as little as possible. I do save all my scrap ribbon too! I take that back, the chipboard I received from another swap I did over a year ago, yes it was another secret sister swap! But there is some chipboard in this little mini book that I bought with my gift certificate. So like I said before, let's

use what we have. It does become challenging! I start to think, "But what if I run out?" Isn't that lame? When am I ever going to run out of things? I think that I probably have to much. Don't get me wrong, I am not discouraging you to buy things! I'm thinking...use what you have and then buy when you've run out of a lot of it :) So enough on the buying...are we done with buying sprees for a little while, now that you've had your lecture from Stephanie? (smile) I used browns, blues and greens for this mini because my Secret Sister has a preference for those colors. I'm thinking that I'm going to have a hard time parting with this, so I'm going to make one for

myself. I've got one more mini album to post, but it will have to wait. I want to post it when I've filled it with pictures. The hard part is trying to get my kids to want to take pictures, they detest it and hide from the camera when it is out. But will I let a small thing like teen stubborness get in my way? I think not...I've been using dirty tricks such as bribes :) to get them to pose for me! Yes, I'll resort to this when I am on a mission. I'm happy to say that my mission is almost accomplished! Now let me know what you think of my Circle Mini Book. Leave a comment!

Circles Anyone? (part 2)

I wish I could fit more than 5 pictures onto one post. Oh well...here is the last picture of the back cover. By the time I got to the back I was just ready to be done but I think it turned out. What do you think?

Valentine's Day Mini Book

I completed this book last week after I was so itching for my Candy Cane Lane paper to come. I wanted to kiss the floor the UPS lady walks on, when my paper finally arrived. For those of you who are aware, Stampin' Up has had back orders galore because of the holidays and the demand for the Love You Much Bundle. But, at last, it finally arrived. The first photo is the front cover. I didn't do much as far as stamping any sentiments throughout the book, because I may be giving this away and I wanted the person receiving this to embellish the book the way they wanted to. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a symmetrical scrapper. I like everything clean and lined up precisely. I'm working on that though! I really love the whole shabby chic look but it is hard to create shabby chic without all the embellishing, so although this isn't quite shabby chic for me, it is my attempt at it. What do you think? I think I need some improvement. I'm also trying to improve my picture taking. Would you believe that I just found the setting on my camera that allows me to take pictures in direct light from my lamp. Am I making sense? I do most of my projects throughout the day and by the time I'm done, it is dark already and I'm taking pictures by the lamp on my table. My pictures haven't been coming out all that great s0 I started fooling around with my camera today! I've had it for over a year and didn't know that I could switch the setting to indicate artificial light! Duh!! Anyway...I hope you see an improvement, it's noticeable to me! Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Part 2 is below, which is the rest of the book!

Valentine's Day Mini Book Part 2

Here are the rest of the pictures. I couldn't fit them all onto one post. If anyone was ever in any doubt as to what my favorite embellishment is, well by look at this first photo, you've probably guessed it is ribbon. I love...love...love ribbon. It is relatively inexpensive and goes a long way. If you look closely, you'll see a pink striped ribbon, let me tell you, I have had this ribbon for ages, okay maybe only a year but I couldn't stand looking at it anymore, which is why I had to use it! Very little stamping done on any of these pages but I think I truly love the Candy Cane Lane paper, by Stampin' Up. I also have lots of these rings that I bought a while back and got tired of those sitting around all the time, so I took advantage of them to hold my mini book together. Are you spotting a trend here? I am really trying to use what I have on hand. I know everyone is probably feeling the money crunch right now, I for one am watching my pennies! So I have resolved to stop hording supplies and just use them. You know that Nike catch phrase "Just Do It?" Well mine has become..."Just Use It!" I challenge all of you to use your supplies and if your getting tired of all the projects that are piling up because you are using what you have, here is another tip for you, give them away! The persons receiving your gifts will be absolutely thrilled. I guarantee it!