Hawaii Mini Album

   Before the new year starts, I wanted to share this mini album I made for my sister Irene, and her boyfriend John. John's back home visiting family in Ireland, so wasn't able to see this yet. Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family! If it wasn't for you John, I'd probably still be pestering Irene for these photos. Lol!
   I made this album from their recent trip to Hawaii from brown paper bags, using rafia to bind it. Here's the cover.

Here's the first 2 pages. I used my Cricut (Life is a beach) cartridge to make the lettering, bamboo, and palm tree. I used real sand and glue to cover the island.

Pages 3 and 4. Using the same cartridge, I cut the palm fronds.

Pages 4 and 5.

Pages 6 and 7. Thanks to Flying Unicorn for the white flowers! I won them from a challenge there a few months ago.

Pages 8 and 9. I was at this same beach when I was just 14. I can't wait to go back with my husband!

Pages 10 and 11.

A close-up of the tiki masks I cut with my Cricut. Also using (Life is a beach) cartridge.

Pages 12 and 13. More Cricut cut outs.

I made the flowers using my Serenity Blooms Tutorial. I just inked the orange onto white paper first.

Pages 14 and 15.

Pages 16 and 17.

The end! Have a safe and Happy New Year's Eve!!!

Mom's Mini Album

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I was so happy to get a few inches of snow on Christmas night! I went to my parents on Christmas Eve, and gave my mom this mini album that I made from paper bags and some very old Bo Bunny papers. I just LOVE the button on the cover, which is an old one I inherited from my Great Grandmother! I've just been waiting for the perfect project for it. I still have a few more of them too. I glued some velcro under it to use as a closure.

The pictures are from my parents trip to Las Vegas and to visit my Mom's Dad for her birthday. They stayed in Vegas with my brother and his son, who's on the right. Isn't he a cutie?

They ate at a Mexican restaurant for her birthday, and not in Mexico. Lol! Behind the flower cut-out on the left I stamped her age.

I used some lace, flowers, and buttons to do these pages of my Mom and Grandpa, who I miss dearly!!!

These are the last 2 pages of the album.

Here's the back. Mom loved it!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Drea

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my scrappy friends, followers, and fans! Thank you so much for your support!

Winter Fun 2009

Lately, I've been a busy little elf working on some Christmas presents for family. I'm still hoping to finish them in time, but this little round mini album was the first project I started the season with. I made this for my youngest brother, his wife, and 2 boys. Since I already gave it to them yesterday, I thought I'd share it with you. I used some older Bo Bunny papers (Tis the season), which I still LOVE! The whole album is made from round chipboard, which was another first for me.

I wasn't sure how to lay out my papers since I've never done a round album before. I probably should've made it so you can see the 2 pages together when opened but that's not how I did it. Next time I will though!

My son Logan and his 2 cousins standing in line waiting to see Santa.

Of course I had to do some hand-stitching!

SO easy to just make a bow with ribbon and call it a present!

I had so much fun working with circles and these festive papers! Thanks for stopping by! Happy Holidays!

Holiday Magic~The Paper Mixing Bowl

It's reveal time again for the design team at the Paper Mixing Bowl! If you haven't checked it out yet, you should come take a look and join in the fun! We've just added 7 new talented designers to the team, and I'm looking forward to working with them. The December challenge is up and we are scrap cooking some Christmas Pudding, using the main ingredients for a bowl full of cherries (red, snow white, and evergreen). Here's my take, using photos of my son when he was just 4 years old.

Here's the recipe.

These are the utensils I used:

*Stick a bow on it-On my ornaments

*Use metallic elements- I used silver as an accent

*Stamping/embossing-I embossed the edges of the tops of my ornaments, and stamped and embossed my son's name and the year.

*Buttons, baubles, and bells (oh my)- I got buttons and baubles, but no bells. (Oh well)

Directions:

I journaled about a favorite holiday tradition, using the journalling prompts magic and tradition.

I did a lot of stitching on here, using red, green, and white for the twist this month for the December Sewing Challenge that I host @ Scrapbook.com.The outside border was hand-stitched using my twisted stitching technique, which in my opinion looks the best using red and white embroidery thread to mimic a candy cane.The rest of the stitching was done by machine, including my tree, which I topped with a masked star, using distress ink and stickles for some sparkle. 

I have lots of Christmas projects I'm currently working on, and can't wait to share them with you! Have a fabulous weekend!!! 

Christmas Eve

I made this for the Little Yellow Bicycle Challenge at Scrapbook.com using these beautiful papers (25 Days of Christmas) that I've been hoarding for the last couple of years. It felt good to finally put a dent in them, and I still have a lot left.This is a photo I took of my little sister Irene and my Grandma Norton. I'm also using this as an example for the November Sewing Challenge that I host @ Scrapbook.com, with the twist of doing hand-stitching. I hand-stitched the red border and green blanket stitch.

I painted some of the edges of my papers gold and silver. All the papers are from Little Yellow Bicycle, except for the silver border outside of the green blanket stitching, and the black cardstock on the very bottom layer. I got the greenery at Michael's, and the red flowers from a RAK from Funtooolas. Thanks Cindy! I still have one more. 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Drea

Where flowers bloom, so does hope

I made this as a gift for my Mother-in-law, who recently lost her sister. I took these photos of her garden during our last visit to her in 2010. I'm hoping she doesn't read my blog, since I still have to send it to her. I'm entering this into quite a few challenges.
Itty Bitty Challenge for Flying Unicorn
ABC Challenge at Scrapbook.com
P-Piecework-I made a quilt using up some scraps
Q-Quote "Where flowers bloom, so does hope." Author Lady Bird Johnson
R-Ribbon-I used ribbon that I tied in the corners.
S-Sewing-I machine stitched the quilt
November Multi Pic Challenge at Scrapbook.com
I used 13 photos.

Here's a close-up of the stitching.

I made all the roses using Gabrielle Pollaco's 3D Rose tutorial. Thanks for looking!

Reno, Nevada

Happy Saturday!  I just wanted to share my latest LO with you done for a challenge at Flying Unicorn. The challenge is all about where you live, which gave me the perfect chance to finally use up my Reno paper that I bought years before even living here.

I made the tent from a scallop trimmer and cardstock, which I scored and folded down.

Here's some close-ups of the journaling.

Thanks for taking a peek! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Snowy Woodland Flower and Leaf Tutorial for the Paper Mixing Bowl

I had so much fun working on the November recipe for the Paper Mixing Bowl! Here's my take on mashed potatoes and gravy.

Here's a look at the recipe.

From the utensils I used:
*Neutrals (white, brown, black, kraft)
*recycled elements- the cardboard which I covered with Gesso and Diamond dust.
*Elements from nature-The tree and flowers
*Use a stencil/mask/template-I used a Tattered Angels stencil to make the tree with Gesso and glitter.
*Use fibers-I LOVE using fibers on my pages and using them in different ways! After the Gesso and glitter dried on my tree, I glued down some white fibers to give it even more dimension. But I didn't stop there. I also added it to my flowers which I'll be showing you how to make.

From the directions I journaled about something I am thankful for, and about nature and the outdoors.

Now onto the tutorial. This is the snowy version of my Woodland Flower and Leaf Tutorial.

While first experimenting with this flower I made a glittery blingy one, but it didn't work for the LO I was working on. But I knew right away it would work for this snowy page. So gather your supplies. In addition to white cardstock and brown ink, you'll also need some Gesso, glitter or Diamond Dust, a popsicle stick, bling, and this white fiber I bought at Michael's. 

Follow all the steps of my Woodland Flower Tutorial, inking both sides of your flower, and curling the petals up after wetting.

Once dry, apply Gesso using your popsicle stick onto the white parts of your petals. Immediately cover with glitter or Diamond Dust while the Gesso is still wet. Then shake off the excess and add it back to your bottle.

To make the centers, I snipped off about 6 small strads of the white fiber and glued it into the middle of the smallest flower. Then I added my bling on top.

After gluing all the layers together your flower should look like this.

To make the leaves refer back to my Woodland Tutorial but ink your leaves with gathered twigs and brushed corduroy.

After creating the veins with a stylus, ink them and the edges of your leaf with walnut stain.

Wet them with water and dry with your heat gun. You don't have to use your heat gun but it gives a nice curl to your leaves if you do.

Now cover parts of your leaf with Gesso and immediately add glitter or Diamond Dust.

Assemble your leaves under your flower and your done. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial as much as I enjoyed making it!