smashbook

I call my smash book my happy book. I use it as my project life book and I started in January 2012 after losing some special people in my life. I felt that I needed to record more everyday simple things from taking a picture of my toes after a pedicure, super bowl food layout to saving memorabilia from a play.  I actually completely filled one in 2012 and I am on my second one. I can't be confined to the every week of project life or the little pockets. When I think of it I snap a picture and put it in. I use Kerry Bradford templates, photoshop elements to re size pictures and recently found the pic stitch app for my iphone. I haven't posted any of these pictures in a while. These are pages I did on Tuesday night. I did cover up one picture I do not want to show. I recently saw a new brand of smashbook type book in Michaels. I forget the name. I think I like it because it is notebook style to add pages... Maybe when this one is full I will try that brand. We will see. I like the no fancy rules. No pressure for the perfect layout. Just building memories.

hexagons gone bad

okay the bottom image was my first attempt at this card. I thought I could leave out the little end pieces and it would work! Uh NO! I used ink that had to dry before handling and it took over an hour probably to stamp the pieces and YUCK... Last night I thought, what if I put the little side pieces in, then it will work.. Uh NO! hours on these cards and I don't like either. I believe I know what the problem is now. instead of using 6 hexagon spaces with 5 stamped colors, I needed to use 5 stamped colors with no 6th solid showing through and it would work.. Not tonight, another time. Live and learn right? Yes Karen its only paper!

last note cards

2 more flower note cards

found images

I found several create a garden images that I had stamped during "Sandy" when my mom stayed here that I never made up into note cards. This evening I made them all up into note cards and I will post a couple images a day over the next couple of days. That stamp set was the BEST investment.

I went to AC on Friday overnight for a workshop. Never even got to a casino. I did a little shopping at the outlets before coming home. Had a girl friends night last night that was fun.

Today was church, errands, cooking dinner for us and my mom (She still is not feeling good) and filling cock pot for tomorrow. I cut all the pieces for my last 2 page layout of my Christmas pictures but I put it all in a folder to have something to work on Thursday night. I did one page in my smash book but I need to print pictures from this weekend in AC to have it completely up to date.

I also worked on stamping a card that took okay more than an hour. Then the ink I used had to dry, before assembly and it is, to say the least LESS than impressive... I will post that picture and my criticism of what when wrong in a future post. Live and learn and yes Karen...It's only paper.

Dorky cc2 valentine finished

I cut the cc2 pieces for these last night when I just needed to unwind for a few. Tonight I just had a few minutes to put it together into a card. I'm one of those people who don't like half done projects on my desk! Going to an overnight workshop tomorrow night. My dog will have to snuggle down with my daughter!! lol... He doesn't sleep in my bed (he is too big. He did for a while but I kicked him out he takes up too much room! ) but he has a dog bed in my room. Plus I hated dog hair in my bed! YUCK! When I painted my room last spring and got all new bedding it was time to relocate him to a dog bed.

stressed

I was feeling a little stressed today after work. Run, run, bad news phone call. Make appointments. Pick up things for appointments. Stress and be non productive. Deliver dinner to mom. 45 minutes free before attending a board meeting tonight.. Ahhhhh cut, glue and stickle a few cc2 images to make into dorky Valentine cards! YEAH! To be completed in the future!

last post for a while.

I know I will not be in my craft room for a few days. I have meetings, meetings, meetings every day this week. I'm supposed to go away this coming weekend for winter leadership to Atlantic City but with the snow forecast for Friday it will be a wait and see. Hey, Sandy wiped out the NJEA convention I am not ruling any act of nature out!
This is another Chinese new year card. This is for my brother and SIL. I loved the embossing on this one and the picture does not do it justice because I had such a hard time with the lighting with the metallic finish showing a glare. I like that it is the little couple representing my brother and SIL...

I used the pagoda embossing folder for the layer and the stampin up gifts from the orient stamps my friend Karen gave me for this card.

CC2 Valentine

I think the images on the new CC2 cartridge are just so cute! The bee is attached with an action wobble.

The year of the snake!

I always make a chinese new year card for my niece Jenna. I had a hard time finding a snake image that I liked. Nadda on all my cricut cartridges. I then went to the silhouette store and found this snake with the Harry Potter images. Its called slitherin. I used my Tim Holtz distress pads to make the white layer a little smoky. The inside just says Happy New Year!

Another Valentine card

This card was a free download from the silhouette blog. Love it. I used the same papers as in the Hello Kitties cards. The papertrey ink paper is really heavy. The first time I cut the base I had to poke out some of the hearts and had a few rough edges so I recut and did double but and it was perfect!

I was on another crafting tear last night. I finished another 2 page Christmas layout. I haven't posted any of my holiday layouts. When I get the chance I will. I've kind of decided I keep spending too much time looking for inspiration and I need to stick to the simple scrapbook style that suits me. Minimal embellishments all about the pictures. Some of the layouts you see are simply works of art that I greatly admire but it's just not my style and trying to be something I'm not has inhibited my creative flow. So for now... back to the basics.

last of the 3 hello kitties

I used an action wobble on this one also.

Another Hello Kitty Valentine

I used the same paper products as listed on the previous post. It's a little plain but I think I make up for it by using an action wobble on this hello kitty.

Never ending sick girl

I've been the never ending sick girl. Its like going on 5 weeks now?? I have been to the doctor 3 times and am on my 4th medication and I think we might have the ticket now. It all started with a sinus infection that hung around long enough to trigger my asthma and this week the fluid in my ears turned to two middle ear infections with bulging drums that were killing me and chest x-rays for pneumonia. Yuck!
I missed a day and a half of work and read 3 books since Saturday!

I cut 3 Hello Kitties at 2 1/2" last night and took them to scrapbooking to make into cards tonight. I used authentic lovely collection paper for the pattern and papertrey ink ribbon and card base. Here is the first one I made. When I got it home I think the straight line down the center could have used softening with a border punch but that's what happens when you aren't home and don't have all your supplies.

Movie night

My high school friends keep talking about an old fashion movie night where we all get together and put on PJ's and maybe even have a sleep over at one of our houses. This card is inspired by that. I hope to come up with 2 more similar cards in the near future  and then send out the invites for the movie night.

I am completely caught up on my happy book with the pictures up to last Saturday. I finished my Thanksgiving layouts and tonight did a 2 page layout of Christmas. I have 2 more 2 page layouts and Christmas pictures will be caught up. yay! Next I have to tackle Valentine Cards.

unmounting stamps

After searching the net I am more confused then ever because there seems to be a bunch of different kinds of mounting foam. How do you know what is the best quality and will last. Sometimes the internet just gives too much information.

Stamps

So how do people store them so they know what they have. My way is terrible. Two drawers with them stuffed in. I'm gonna play around with some organization tonight. I also want to unmount my wooden stamps. Where is the cheapest place to get mounting foam and cd cases??? Hmmmm!!!!!

sympathy card

I used the Papertrey ink Rosie Posie stamp set to create this card along with the stampin up close as a memory stamp set. I got several new border punches for Christmas from my SIL so you should be seeing them in my cards and layouts. I worked on my happy book yesterday. Those pages are just for me so no pictures. I also worked on cutting some CC2 images to finish up scrapping my Thanksgiving layouts. I have all my Christmas pictures printed and ready to go so I need to get cracking on those layouts... I'm taking tonight off to get some reading done and relax. I had a horrible night of coughing last night so didn't get much sleep. I have to say I have never had a bug like this before. This sinus thing is a killer...

Sunday

I have the house undecorated this weekend and I took my computer in the shop. They made it run faster for now but it is running at the top of its ram and it is time to upgrade. I think the external backup not running right due to that :-( Always something right?

I used the Papertrey ink Rosie Posie stamp set to create the hexagon paper and the creative memories hexagon punch. The thank you is from MCT tiny tags.

Happy New Year!!!

I got up early and drove 40 minutes to my sons apartment to help him get his new 3D TV up to the second floor. WOW they are amazing. I never saw a 3D TV before. He got the TV from his sister and father for Christmas and got a 3D blue ray from his uncle for it also. He is SET!

When I got home I played with my happy hexagons again... I will need to change this up but it has been fun. I made birthday cards for my twin brothers who turn 60 on the 9th.

I used papertry ink dye ink and memento inks for the various colors.