Teasers

I started this post a week ago (at least) and it got filed in drafts while I took photos (to tease you with) and so uh, here we go....

My "FATHER" album (see below) got me uberinspired and I have since started making two more...and have plans more another 3 since I have the chipboard for another three!

Can't have father, without mother...
I called my dad asking him if he knew where childhood photos of my mum could be found...he said, "good luck!" There is a tote at their house I will be taking with me next time I visit (next month - woo hooo!) so photos for this creation I am working on will have to wait, but the base, she's a done! I opted to use the Heidi Grace A Little Bird's Tale line and am theme'n my mum's album "A Little Bird's Tale" (I like the play on words). My hope is that I can get a collection of photos from my mum's childhood into the album...and hopefully a recent pic too!

Next, I decided that our sweet chicken kitty (I call her this because she is a chicken, with fur...a scaredy cat) did not have enough representation in the family scrap pile, so using the Cloud 9 kitty collection (I picked up a page pack at Target) I started on the base for her book.

I have HG Baby line...it's just asking to be scrapped!!! But, three kids, 1 set of paper...can I do it? yes I can! :D Since I am on such a board book/mini book kick, and discovered some awesome old family photos, I thought it would be fun to create a family baby book with pics of all the relatives (ok, some...all would be a novel!). I am going to mix the album up alternating chipboard bases from the HG chipboard stickers and clear plastic. This will add a fun new dimension...and creating clear is sooo much fun!

Inspiration Found!

So, I've been lacking on the craftiness lately...I mean really, what kind of crafty blog is this without any crafting going on? Well, I found inspiration the other day from a guest blogger on the Fiskateers board, which kick-started by craftiness...and for the last couple days I have been immersed in creating a mini album using the HG chipboard as a base, and I went one step further and turned the package into a front and back cover, too. (Warning...photo intense :))

My favorite photo!
A happy accident...my grandfather superimposed over my father as a teen.

This mini album was created with lots of HG goodies: We Are Family paper line, chipboard, rub-ons, alphabet stickers & chipboard, signature hearts (like raindots), Cloud 9 epoxy quotes, We r MemoryKeepers Eyelets (and Cropadile), Fiskars Vine corner/border punch and Threading Water & Leave it to Weaver border punches, lots of foam dots, ribbons, buttons and chalk ink.

This was sooo much fun...and I am already planning my next...I love being able to "recycle" my packaging, especially into something so memorable! Thanks for looking!

Kids Say the Darnest Things...

Here I am...crafting (finally)...listening to the kids talk in the other room when a cartoon came on...

Sterling (9): I've never hear of this show...
Rowan (13): Oh, it's old, ask mom. She used to watch it when she was a girl...
Sterling: Mom's always been a girl.

LOL

With 3 kids...these moments are plenty...but I couldn't resist sharing this one!

***here's another...I was just sorting through some photos (with the hopes of scrapping tomorrow) and found pics of my daughter's first "real" hair cut...I was getting so annoyed with how her hair would just fall in her face, that I decided it was time to chop it. I took her in the bathroom, combed her hair and cut. Once finished, she stood up, looked in the mirror and said, "I got hair like Willy Wonka now!" LOL (At this moment in time - 1 month ago - Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was her favorite movie) Personally, even tho Johnny is pretty cute, I think Aoife is much cuter ;)

I closed my eyes and 3 weeks past!

OMG!!! 3 weeks have past since my last post...what the heck happened?!

I am on the computer often enough (too often really!) but I have not managed to visit my own blog until now...2/3 kids are at the movies...leaving me with the one who is self sufficient, therefore, I can have a little "me" time (I really should be doing geography homework though as it is due today...but it will wait for a few minutes while I visit with you!)

As a crafter and earth-lover combined, when I stumble across products that are created with the environment in mind, I get pretty excited :) There are a few scrap companies that make recycled paper (such as PiggyTales and TimeFies...both who I assisted at CKC Portland) and I would love to see more get on this bandwagon!

So anyway, April 22 is just around the corner...which means that there is extra enviro-talk going on right now...which is kinda funny because I have been thinking alot (NOTE: spelling is Canadian, EHabout environmental issues lately, especially relating to my educational/career goals...

I know exactly what I want to do, but well, there is just not enough of me to do all I want to do! :) Ideally, I will be publishing books, paper, magazines (eventually)...and as every day my concern about the environment and environmental issues increases, I know that I will not be just any publisher...I do not want to further contribute to the cycle of excess waste, clear-cutting and pollution (of all sorts), so I find myself researching environmental issues relating to publishing...and I had my AH-HA moment! :) Publishing books with vegetable or soy based inks on 100% post consumer recycled paper. Yes, a grandiose goal, but I know I will get there...sooner or later! (Let's hope sooner than later ;))

A couple months ago I learned that my previous education was not transferable to a US college because I went to a private institution...so me going back to school was actually like I was starting over...SIGH! But...now, as I am reconsidering just how I go about reaching my goals, I realize that maybe it was a good thing that I am having to stay in school longer than anticipated because now I am looking at getting a degree in Environmental Engineering, too!

Well, homework calls...and I need to clean my table since my camera has gone MIA and I think its buried somewhere around here! Hopefully, I will be back later with some crafty goodness to share as I have a few new projects in progress! Woo hooo! :)

Garden Girl...My Rules - Fiskars Tools

When I saw this kit at Paper Zone, I couldn't resist! It is SEI Doodley Doo Girl. It is just so cute! It came with an assortment of double sided papers (I hated not being able to use both sides at the same time!), as well as card stock stickers/tags/frames, card stock sticker letters (2 styles - LOVE THESE THINGS!!!) and a sheet of velvet paper (I haven't had the heart to cut into this one yet!) The cardstock is DCWV...two tones of green, two tones of a dusty purple/mauve.

Close up of the embellishment details...flowers held on by silver brads.

For journalling, I hand cut leaves (with my trusty Fiskars scissors) and wrote different adjectives to describe my daughter.

Two Pages Together.

Left Page.

Right Page.

I love scallops...so to make the frame, I used my Fiskars USE and scallop template. It is so easy, and pretty darn quick once you get the hang of it. I love it! I use it all the time...and don't know how I ever lived without it!

Thanks for looking!

Sketch #2

This is my take on Fiskateers Round-Up Sketch #2.

These are the first photos I have printed off on my HP Photo Printer...not too shabby! :)

Heidi Grace Rub-Ons from the Harvest Row Collection to accent the top of the page. DCVW Card Stock and pumpkin patterned paper. Making Memories pumpkin brads (so glad I finally got to use them...they are so cute!)

Thanks for looking!

the {W}RIGHT men

I have had this photo of my eldest son, father and grandfather for years...probably about 8. It has followed me around, never getting put into the stacks of other photos, but rather, always mixed in with my note books or papers. The poor photo has been shuffled here and there, just begging for some attention - an envelope to keep it safe, or a frame to show it off...well, I finally did one step better and scrapped it! :)

It sat matted for some time, and it was not until I got a little push with a "finish those projects" challenge, that I actually completed a layout for this baby. I am so glad I did! I absolutely LOVE how it turned out and I can't wait to show it off! I emailed it to my dad this morning :)

Solid cardstock is DCVW. Patterned paper and embellishments (minus black ribbon) are all Heidi Grace from the Maple Crest Ct. line. It is a great line, I was just not sure where to go with all the goodies...chipboard, cardstock stickers, rub-ons, flowers...finally, something spoke to me and they all came together! I antiqued all the edges, used white pen for part of the title, and did some of my own doodles to accent the rub-ons used. The background is orange, although it looks like it has a pink hue to it in the photo. The colors are all very soft...and I just love it (did I say that already?)

Thanks for looking!!!