Sunday, November 16, 2008

Virtual Stamp Weekend Continues

Done with the Virtual Stamp Weekend. Now I have a total of 10 cards to use. I didn't have time for several challenges. I couldn't figure out the step-by-step instructions on one challenge. In any case, I USED tools I already had. However, I also discovered I was out of tape, so used a lot of glue. The glue was semidried out, but good enough for use, so even that got used.

I really love this liquid glue glitter. I wonder how it holds up inside vinyl pages. In other words, can I use it for scrapbooking? I'll have to check. The corrogated paper was also great and will definitely work in my scrapbooks.

Here are the remaining cards. Challenges included Floral Pink, Embossed Cameo, Something that Laces, and Falling Snow. All in all, I completed 9 of the 16 challenges for this weekend. Hope to be better organized next time to do more!
Pink floral Thank YouCameo Holiday Card

Congratulations CardSnow Fall
This last card is a shaker box. If you shake it, the sprinkles inside shake around. I hope to have a better photo when the sun returns. I like shaker cards and will have to make more of these. Now I have a reason to buy beads and sparklies!
Halloween Shaker box

I also did this card for a different challenge featuring a corner punch.
Thank You Card

Friday, November 14, 2008

Virtual Stamp Night

Tonight I'm participating in a 2 day Virtual Stamp Night at SplitCoastStampers.com. So far, 6 challenges, I've done 4. I had to skip one just because I could not think of a darn thing to make. I'm not sure what photo service to use to store my cards, so for now, it's Webshots. To see a larger card, just click on the photos.

This challenge asked you to make a card based on the cover art of the album of your favorite rock star. In high school, Alice Cooper was my favorite and "Welcome To My Nightmare" was so good, I STILL remember most of the words to the songs and I don't think I've heard it in 20 years. The card is paperpieced and stamped with snowflakes. In the snowflakes, I used Crystal Stickles which makes them all sparkle.
Snowman Sparkly
This challenge required that you use 3 copies of the same stamp. Finally used my Hero Thanksgiving set (bought 6 years ago!). I also used some dimensional flowers.
Thanksgiving Card
This challenge required that you make a feature removable. My wimpy interpretation, but it works. The invitation part is removable to change dates or make into a Thank you.
Holiday Invitation
Finally, this challenge requires that you use the Spotlight Technique. I only have a couple of stamps that work for this.
Winter Solstice

Tomorrow, there will be more challenges and I don't expect that I can do them all, but maybe half. Half the battle is figuring out a card that I can USE later.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Pens Die Young

I've been working on finishing some items, but discovered that many of my pens for scrapbooking have, alas, dried up. Ouch. That's a lot of money down the drain. Think I will have to rethink about having a wide selection. I hope to have some posts with photos soon!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Scrapping Ambitions

I've been scrapbooking since 1996 and in the past couple of years really slacked off. I have found blogging helps me complete projects in other crafts, so thought a scrapbooking blog might get me going. I didn't want to further confuse my other blogs, so this one is in a home of its own. I'm a traditional paper and tape scrapbooker - no metal parts, nothing to damage photos. I have no desire to do digital scrapbooking. I'm beginning to do some card making to have additional stuff to do with my punches and other supplies and need to soon get cracking on those Yuletide cards.

I would say that I have a clean style. Although I will have a lot of photos on the page, the page elements are fairly restricted. To get an idea of my style, here are some of the last pages I worked on (more than 2 years ago!). As you can see, they range from the elegant to the cutesy. My layout ideas come from a variety of sources, including online contests (where you get a sketch and make a page based on that sketch). I need to do more journaling than I do, but I do most of it by hand unless there is a lot to write. When I look at photos of long ago relatives, I am glad to see my grandmother's handwriting, not some computer generated font. I leave those to the titling. I will try to always include the tools information, but I never pay attention to the paper stuff other than whether it is paper, cardstock or vellum, sticker or paperpunch. So, I'm not going to be too helpful to you there.

The photos featured below are from a 2005 trip to Texas (just after the two hurricanes). I went to Sea World in San Antonio, a quilt show in Houston and a cowboy festival in Fort Worth. I finished the trip visiting caves along Interstate 10 as far west as Ozana. I love paperpiecing! See the last photo with the gator.

This was a basic layout featured in a Creative Memories Fast Layouts book.
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Online contest using a sketch. The star and hexagons are made from Creative Memories punches.
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I believe this was a sketch at an online site, but no longer remember. My photos wouldn't actually fit and it became part of the design element to offset the very dark information sign. Needs some journaling. It's just not enough to have an informational marker. Folks reading your book want to know why did you stop here or why did you like THIS place? Circle is from Creative Memories circle template.
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My own layout. Used Creative Memories specialty ruler to make the paper-pieced river.
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Bottom layout is closely copied from paperpiecing book. I didn't have the best placement for all the insects, but I'm still happy with it. Note: will update with name of book when I find it.
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