Firsts!

Hello there! I'm back to share a project that was one of the reasons I haven't blogged for a couple of weeks--my first paper bag mini album! Actually, I made a mini album for a friend two years ago, but it didn't start out as an album. It started out as an accordion fold card. But, it just kept getting bigger until I had to start calling it an album. The album I have today actually started out as an album, from the get-go. And, as another first, for me, I've made a short video of the album so you can see it in all it's glory! (The idea of having to edit a dozen photos was not appealing to me at all--learning to make a video was WAY easier!) ;D

I've never wanted to make mini albums, mainly because I don't scrapbook, and mini albums seem a lot like scrapbooking, to me. But, over the summer, my DD spent the night at a friend's house for the first time, and then had that friend spend the night with her, for the first time, also, and after taking a lot of pictures to document the milestones, I needed a place to put them. So, I made an album for my DD and another for her friend.

For my DD's album, I also made a slipcase. I used two bookbinding books to learn to do it:

Bookbinding: The Classic Arts and Crafts Manual by Douglas Cockerell

Book Art Studio Handbook by Stacie Dolin and Amy Lapidow

Click here to view video in YouTube.

Okay, here's my very first action-packed video! I debated speaking in the video, but being that I'm a Southerner and have the drawl to prove it, in the end I decided that some upbeat music was a better way to go--at least for this one ;) Enjoy!

This is how I attached the ribbon pull on the spine of the album. If it gets dirty or worn, all I have to do is snip, run a new ribbon through the eyelets and button, and tie a couple of knots.

I didn't know much about any kind of mini album, so I started by watching dozens of YouTube videos. Kathy Orta and Jane at Velocityvette08 were the two people I came back to over and over. They make amazing projects, and I never got tired of watching them in action. I ended up creating my album very similar to Kathy's Vertical Paper Bag Album, making my album pages like she did, and attempting to use the same type binding. I couldn't find detailed instructions on the binding, so it may not be right, but it works, just the same. 

After seeing all the beautiful mini album jewelry people use on their mini albums, I just had to have a chunky charm for the spine of this one, so I learned to do that, too. YouTube to the rescue again! This time it was Butterbeescraps and her Charm Tutorials that helped me out.  

Here's a closer look at the tangle tags. I love how they turned out!

This project took me almost two weeks to make, since I had to keep stopping to watch YouTube for instruction and inspiration. The album is not nearly as ornate and fancy as most albums I've seen, but they turned out just perfect for two sweet 10-year old girls.

I'm still a cardmaker at heart, but I can hardly wait to make another mini album. This was a lot more fun than I ever expected it to be.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create Challenge #86: Anything Goes
The Corrosive Challenge #206 - "B" Unique: Button, Beads, Bags

~Hugs,

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Tiddly Inks DT Call!

I'm finally back to blogging! This has been a busy month for me, but August always is, with school starting again. But, I just HAD to get back in the groove because Tiddly Inks is having a DT Call! I took a DT break after Flourishes closed up shop, but Christy's images are so cute, I decided to throw my proverbial hat in the ring and see what happens. ;)

I just love images with little girls and their books. It always makes me think of my DD. This digital image, called School Girl, really is cute as a button, isn't she? I printed the image on Copic x-Press paper. She was so much fun to color with Copics, and I added some dots to her dress with a white paint marker. The layout came from the Viva la Verve August 2014 Week 1 sketch, and I followed their color challenge, too. The flowers and sentiment are Verve images that I colored, then fussy cut and rounded with a stylus. The floral strip on the gray dp is Washi tape, and you can't see it in the photo, but I used a clear Spica pen on the flower for a little sparkle.

On the inside, I used PTI dies to cut a few dp buttons, to coordinate with the sentiment on the front of the card. 

Well, I'm down to the wire on the DT Call, so I better pop over and get this baby entered! Thanks for stopping by today, and enjoy the rest of your week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Tiddly Inks DT Call
Viva la Verve August 2014 Week 1 Sketch Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Make it Sparkle
Freshly Brewed Challenge--August Challenge #1: Buttons
Paper Issues: Mix Tape with Hazel & Ruby

~Hugs,

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Nevermore

Have you tried Inka Gold Metallic Rubs yet? I think they've been around for awhile, but I just discovered them a few months ago, and I love them! They are fantastic for creating a metallic look on just about anything, and it's super easy to age or distress with "rust" or "oxidation," too!

This Halloween card started out with a Serendipity Owl die cut that has been sitting in a tray on my craft table for months. I had heat embossed it with silver embossing powder, and I really liked it, but couldn't decide what to do with it. When I got this steampunk clock die, the owl immediately came to mind. I colored the owl with Copic markers and touches of Inka Gold, then I lightly sanded it to let some of the silver sparkle through. It is backed with a piece of vellum, which I colored with Copics also. The vellum seemed too pristine for the aged owl once it was in place, so I spritzed the owl lightly with Black Marble Dylusions Ink Spray. It wiped easily from the owl, remaining just on the vellum. The background text is an Impression Obsession stamp called The Raven. It's the first half of the narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe. If you know the poem, there is a raven in it, who shows up right at midnight, who can talk. But, all he ever says is Nevermore. Creepy, right? Perfect for Halloween! And, how cool, that Graphic 45 has a Nevermore image in its Steampunk Spells pad! I used Inka Gold on a button, then tied a twine knot in it. The clock die cut is where I had fun with the Inka Gold.

I can't get over how fantastic this looks! I cut the clock face out of a dark brown cs, then used several colors of Inka Gold (colors listed below) randomly on it until I had a scorched metal look. I cut the clock hands from kraft cardstock and used less copper than on the clock face to help delineate it. It's put together with a copper brad.

On the inside, I tore the edge off a piece of My Mind's Eye dp, then continued the "scorched" look by inking the torn edge with Peeled Paint Distress Ink and Black Soot Ink. The sentiment, from a dollar bin Inkadinkado stamp set is stamped onto a pale yellow cs die cut (the wonky die cut in the Blueprints 15 Die-namics set). I colored the Halloween text with a Copic marker, and stamped the Haunted Tree stamp in the lower left corner.

And, that'll do it for me today! Thanks for stopping by!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Serendipity Stamps Challenge #33: Twine
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #69: For the Birds
613 Avenue Create #80: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

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Wedded Bliss

A friend is getting married next weekend, after having been separated from his fiance for over a year while she was finishing up a teaching contract in Alaska. She finally came back home a few weeks ago, and my friend is counting down the days until the big day. I'm so happy for them!

I decided to go with an all white card for this one. (Which made for some tough photo editing--I never did get it the right shade!) After misting several intricate die cuts with Perfect Pearl mist, I layered them, popping up two. I wish you could see the shimmer in the photo. Then, I tied a 3-loop bow with a sheer ribbon and glued it to the corner, along with a pretty metal heart charm.

I used a old Flourishes stamp set for the sentiments inside. The silhouette of the bride and groom is heat embossed with a pinkish-gold sparkly embossing powder. The other stamped images were stamped with Toffee Crunch Memento Ink, and aren't nearly as brown as they look in the photo. 

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a blissful day! ;)

~Hugs,

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Gardening Tools in Pencil

I used the Gardening Tools image on a card a few days ago, but I wanted to try coloring it with Prismacolor pencils, too. I love my Copics, but I have to say, this turned out much better in pencil. Of course, with Impression Obsession images, you can hardly go wrong in any medium. :D 

The entire image is colored with Prismacolor pencils. I added a black line around the image with a .01 Micron marker, and some clear Wink of Stella on the butterfly. And, I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch again, altering it just a bit by moving the image to the top of the card and adding the birthday tag (or is that a flag???) ;-) The birthday sentiment is embossed with black so it would show up on the busy paper it's on.

On the inside, I cut a few images from the Enchanted Garden paper and distressed the edges. The sentiment was stamped with Teal Zeal Memento ink and Pear Tart Ink, for a shadow effect.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Paper Shelter Challenge #165: Photo Inspiration
Mojo Monday #353
613 Avenue Create #79: Create Your Own Challenge (image, sentiment, embossing, flowers, paper punch)
Paper Issues: Gettin' the Scoop on the Sweet Days of Summer
Sugar Pea Designs SPD06: Anything Goes
Impression Obsession Challenge: Colors of Summer!
Chocolate, Coffee, & Cards Challenge #68: Summer Days

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