Good Times Here - Seaside

Now that school has started and I'm back into a 'somewhat' regular routine, I have more time to work on scrapbook layouts.  Here's one I made to capture a few of the many beach photos I have in my photo stash just waiting to go into an album.

This layout features the Seaside Workshops on the Go stamp and paper.  I added texture and dimension with inked edges, layered papers, a bit of burlap mesh (from Michael's, I think) and foam dots behind a few elements.

The Seaside Workshop on the Go kit (G1089) includes:
1 – My Reflections™ Seaside Paper Packet (X7192B)
1 – My Acrylix® Seaside Workshop Stamp Set (D-size)
2 – Cardstock Sheets (1 Colonial White, 1 Pear)
1 – Seaside Assortment (Z3014)
1 – Aqua Dots (Z1853)
1 – Instructional Brochure
Featured Colors: Desert Sand, Glacier, Pear, Sorbet, Colonial White

Start with a story - photos optional

Sometimes I hear a story or see something on TV that inspires me to create a scrapbook page.  I don't always have an appropriate picture.  Usually, I can find something on the internet that will serve as an illustration for my story, but sometimes the story alone is enough.  Today I was in the room while my husband was watching an episode of American Pickers.  The guys were looking at an old phone booth and it got me thinking about the phone in my house when I was a child. 

Do you remember a phone like this?

 

We had a rotary dial phone, hard wired and hanging on the wall, near the kitchen of our house.  We only had one phone in the house. If we weren't home, there was no answering machine.  I can remember as a child learning how to use the phone making sure to spin the number all the way around before releasing the dial and then hearing the click-click-click-click as in spun back to position.  I can remember when I was a little older sitting on a hard chair near the kitchen talking to my friend.

What do you remember about your first phone?  What story do you want to record about the evolution of technology and the way we communicate today?  Do you still have a land line?  Take a picture of your phone (fixed, cordless, mobile) because it will likely be 'old fashioned' before you know it.

 

May is National Scrapbooking Month

I love May!  Spring is here and the weather is turning warmer . . . finally.  AND it's National Scrapbooking Month which means I can spend more time scrapbooking and feel completely justified!

Close To My Heart has a great offer this month to help you celebrate and create beautiful spring scrapbook pages. 

During National Scrapbooking Month in May, you can get the Free to Be Me paper collection for just $5 with your qualifying purchase of $50. The paper collection features exclusive printed cardstocks, vellums, and B&T Duos™ and, with a retail value of $11.95, is a fantastic deal for products you can’t get anywhere else. Plus, with your $50 qualifying purchase, you will also qualify for the May Stamp of the Month for an additional $5 (retail value $17.95)! This means May is the perfect month to double up on promotions, getting the paper collection for $5 and the May Stamp of the Month for $5—that is a savings of nearly $20! So make sure to get your Free to Be Me paper collection in May for just $5 and let your creativity take flight!

Dates: Offer valid May 1, 2014 (9:00 MDT) – May 31, 2014 (11:59 pm MDT). 

Free to Be Me paper collection Contents
• 6 – Free to Be Me B&T Duos™ Papers
• 2 – UV-Coated, Designed Teal Cardstock Sheets

• 2 – UV-Coated, Designed Red Cardstock Sheets

• 2 – UV-Coated, Designed Gold Cardstock Sheets
• 1 – White Feather Print Vellum Sheet

• 1 – Gold Foil Polka-dot Print Vellum Sheet

Featured colors: Gold, Mint, Peach, Red, Teal, Tan,White Daisy

Conserving Cardstock

I learned a great trick recently for making efficient use of my cardstock.  When you are using cardstock as a "base layer" for a scrapbook page, cut out the inside of the paper and use it for other embellishments or on another project.

In this example, I used Chocolate cardstock as my background, but before I adhered the rest of the layout to the Chocolate, I cut out a 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch square from the middle of each paper. (which leaves 1/2" showing around the edge and 1" underneath)  I used those pieces to cut all the photo mats that you see on the rest of this layout. 

I also cut the Olive, Indian Corn Blue, and Colonial White cardstock into appropriate sizes and strips before I added them to the page rather than "layering".  This helped reduce the thickness of my finished layout and saved paper!

Here's what the back looks like (but nobody will see it once it's in the album).

I used 2 sheets of Chocolate, 1 Colonial White, 1 Olive and 1 Indian Corn Blue for this layout and had plenty of scraps left over for other projects.

 

Stamping Technique:

I found the Zipline sticker sheet while I was attending a scrapbooking convention.  (Stamping Station: Zip Line) I knew I wanted to use it for these pictures.  I decided to use the gorgeous Close To My Heart cardstock colors for this layout to match the colors in the stickers. While the colors matched perfectly, it still  looked a little bit plain to me so I used a background stamp (D1544 Distressed Backgrounds) to give the layout a little texture. I randomly stamped the design around the edges of the paper in a contrasting (but coordinating) color.

Use sponge daubers to colorize a stamp

Here's a way to use sponge daubers to colorize your stamped images.  Instead of pressing the stamp into just one color ink, use sponge daubers to apply color to specific sections of your stamp.  The stamped image takes on a whole new look!

Here's January's Stamp of the Month (2014), Cross Stitch Wishes.  I used Chocolate, Olive, Garden Green, and Smoothie inks on this stamp to make it look hand stitched.  No masking required.

Sponge Daubers        Z726    $3.95  (3 pack)
Daubers Foam Insert  Z1897  $14.95  (holds 60 daubers)
Small Organizer        Z4138   $12.95  (Dauber foam insert fits inside)

Let's get organized

I always take some time in January after the holidays are over to organize something.  It seems like a good time to do it since things are quiet and it’s too cold to go outside (at least where I live).  Getting my craft supplies in order helps me to be more productive and creative when I go into my craft space.  Here are some great options from Close To My Heart that will organize your stuff either at home or at a crop.  [Organization Products]
Organizers
Oh, these are my new FAVORITES!  They can hold everything since the dividers are removable and you can configure the inside whatever way works best for you.
 

The Organizer comes in three sizes: 
Small Organizer (14½" × 10½"× 2")         Z4138        $12.95        
Medium Organizer (14½" × 10½" × 5")    Z4139        $16.95
Large Organizer (14½" × 10½" × 7½")     Z4140        $22.95

The Small size works great for embellishments or you can customize it with one of four foam inserts to hold sponge daubers, craft boxes, Pigment Inks, or My Acrylix® blocks.

Inserts for Small Organizer
Daubers Foam Insert (holds 60 daubers)        Z1897    $14.95
Pigment Inks Foam Insert (holds 40 inks)      Z1898    $14.95
Craft Boxes Foam Insert (holds 12 boxes )     Z4140    $ 8.95
My Acrylix® Blocks Foam Insert                     Z4141    $ 8.95
 
The Medium holds so much it’s shocking.  Here’s an example of what’s in mine.  

The lid has some height so you can even lay things across the inside of the box and the lid will close over it.  I put my stamp scrubber, ruler and longer blocks in here just fine.  

The compartments are designed to hold Ink Pads comfortably.  Since the container is clear, you can easily see the color labels.  I use my Medium organizer when I go to a crop.  It holds everything I need in one convenient container.

The large organizer holds 40 stamp sets (yes – FORTY!).  It’s huge!  I learned a little trick from another consultant – if you turn some stamp sets sideways (left and right, so all the flaps aren’t in the same direction) you can squeeze in a few more.  (I have 51 stamp sets in this organizer.)

All of these organizers are wide enough to hold your cutter across the top and still close.

I hope you have as much fun getting organized as I do.  Get a couple of great Organizers and get started today!