St Patrick's Day Box

A really old sample that has never been shared on my blog!

I made this for a stamping class years ago. 

All supplies used were from Stampin' Up!

I've not made anything new, crafty for some time.

Spending my free time working on photo albums still!

Blog Candy at Black Shadow Creations

A long time blogging buddy of mine is having a "blog candy" give away for her 7 Year Blogiversary!

Click below to read the simple rules. The candy itself is a surprise ;) While you are there, take a look around at her various projects and read her sometimes witty, sometimes sentimental but always fun to read posts.

https://blackshadowcreations.blogspot.com/2018/02/happy-7-year-blogiversary.html








(Sorry, Margaret, I meant to publish this a couple of weeks ago!)

Photo Album Project Progress

There haven't been many crafty posts so far this year because I've been busy working on putting 20+ years worth of photos into albums!

I started out making some scrapbook pages and cute journaling cards, but that was taking too much time. I've switched gears to trying to make sure each photo has been scanned and have dates noted on the backs (many still are not....) then putting them into pocket photo albums. I'm leaving index cards as place holders where I want to go back in to add journaling or maybe some fun "scrappy"cards.

Why am I not journaling as I am inserting the photos ? Because I want to add stamped images, etc to the cards before writing on them and that is taking too much time right now. I had a deadline of getting all of the photos into albums then emptying out the storage unit so it could be removed by the end of April. We need the space freed up to make a workstation for my daughter when she moves back home at that time. Slowly but surely I am getting there!

I started this massive project around the beginning of the new year when I learned she would be coming back home. I've made great progress (not counting the lack of journaling), I am now starting work on photos from 2010 ! There are still lots of extra photos to be done (trips, individual albums for pets, etc) in addition to all of the photos through 2017.

Labeling the sides:
I searched and searched for some sort of  easy to use spine label clip for the sides of the scrapbooks.
Close To My Heart sells a set of two narrow clips for just under $5. I ruled those out because it was going to be too expensive and they appeared to be too small.
I found a style I liked and after hunting them down, found out they were discontinued.
I then saw a google image linked to pinterest using mini binder clips and metal rim tags.
The site the original image was linked to is no longer up, but the used with permission image that was the google results/pinterest image is found at https://thedailydigi.com/2010/01/19/un-chronologically-organizing-my-albums/

I had some metal rim tags and black polka dot ribbon in stock , so I bought some mini binder clips and made labels on the computer using Photoshop Elements. They were printed out onto card stock then paper punched out with a 1 3/8" circle punch. I attached the punched out labels with heavy duty double stick tape.


I recently spent a day making spine labels for the albums completed so far.
Below are a few.

I don't know how well they will hold up, but after searching and searching for spine clip labels, I decided this was going to be the best option. It's not like the albums will be opened on a regular basis anyway, so they should be fine. If not, they are easy enough to make ;)

The next step is to make and print out labels for the front of the albums (where a photo would go) that list the main events photographed in that particular album. Some albums don't have this front window, so I'll just print a sheet to put inside the front cover.

I also made CDs of the digital images in each album and inserted them in the backs of the albums.
A few I need to make envelopes for to do this, but the Recollections brand Trevor style album has built in pockets (and the photo frame fronts). I really like these albums and will be buying more to have in stock for the future.

Thanks for looking =)

Bathroom Decor Redo

before

after

before

after

March 1st, time for a new anything crafty goes challenge at

Love To Craft ! 

The above projects are some items I redid for a recent

"remodel" of our bathroom. I changed colors of the 

towels, drapes, shower curtain and rug so I 

wanted to change the colors on these items, too.

No sense in buying new knick knacks when these

were still perfectly fine ;) 

The wood candle pedestal was bought from a craft

booth many years ago and the 8" square box frame

was a clearance item after Valentine's Day

from Target, bought about a dozen years ago. 

The frame originally had a large red heart

made of flowers in it (click here to see what I did with that).

I bought the frame for the purpose of ripping out the heart and

reusing the frame in the bathroom. I glued a scrap of denim

in it then hot glued dried florals and ribbon on it. 

It worked with the once navy blue/denim bathroom.

To redo it, I simply ripped it all apart then taped in an image

I found (and altered) that was printed onto card stock.

(Original artist Deb Strain)

I printed it out three times then cut out a couple parts of the bath tub,

glued to chipboard then glued on top of the base image

to create some dimension.  I also added glitter to the bubbles ! 

I happen to have a vintage pedestal tub in the bathroom,

so this image was perfect !

As for the candle pedestal redo:

I made a pattern by rubbing my fingers along the edges

of the wood star cutout on light weight paper.

I then cut the star out with scissors

and marked the front side.

I had to flip the pattern over the trace it

so there would be no lines on the front

of the card stock piece when I cut it out. 

Checking the pattern, looks good

TIP: If you are going to corrugate something,

it will "shrink"! I thought about this as I was making it,

wondering how much the size or shape would be altered. 

Yep, too much so I had to redo it the way it should have been 

done in the first place. Duh !

This time I traced onto the already corrugated card stock. 

pattern flipped over, then carefully cut it out.

That did the trick ! 

Lots of double stick tape on the back of the star shape.

Adhered in place over the cut out wood shape.

I then added die cut words from black card stock. 

Yes, I would have rather had real tin,

and no, I don't think the card stock on either project

will last very long in a humid bathroom.

They will look cute for a while,

then when they do fall apart, 

I get to come up with another idea ;) 

Thanks for looking ! 

Visit the rest of the design team members
for more inspiring ideas:

https://aocreations.blogspot.com/ https://crafty-stamper.blogspot.co.uk/ https://craftyhazelnut.blogspot.co.uk/ https://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/ https://irena-s-design.blogspot.com/ https://lovetoscrap2.com/ https://loriannie670.blogspot.com/ https://groovyquail.blogspot.co.uk/ https://pippapblog.wordpress.com/ http://loosestitchesandunraveledthreads.blogspot.com/ https://feistycrafter.blogspot.com/

Exponent Birthday Card

A birthday card I recently made for my nephew who turned 17.

Basic idea was taken from this image that popped up on a google search.

https://www.iapetus.co.uk/teenagers-arithmetic-badge-birthday-card-age-14.ir

I created the numerical circle and inside greeting with My Memories Suite

on my computer then printed it out.

The circle was cut out then layered under a metal rim tag frame.

It is mounted with pop dots on top of an embosssed numbers background.

Glued to a white card that I printed on the inside.

Thanks for looking =) 

Grrrrrrrrrrr

So it was just brought to my attention today that someone on etsy was selling one of my digital images I posted on my blog. Makes me rethink, yet again, my sharing. I've had issues off and on over the years, but this one really burns me because the person took my exact image and was selling it. Simply put white over my "watermark" and added whatever text her customers wanted.  I'll be redoing watermarks on my digital images and making them smaller. I have emailed her and asked that she please remove the listing.  Sigh...........

Scrappin' Pt 2

I've been hard at it , trying to repair old photo album pages 

(note: hole reinforcements don't work, but thin strips of Gorilla tape are working so far!) 

and redo the photo placements on every page. This involved removing all of the photos, then replacing them leaving spaces for journaling cards.

There were four large albums that needed to be redone.

The above photo shows all of the albums I completed in January

(minus the journaling) ! 

Approximately 6 years worth of photos

of babies and toddlers (not nearly enough photos). 

I started making cute journaling and filler cards 

(those will be shared at a late date as a design team project)

to insert as I was placing the photos.

I soon decided that was taking too much time.

I need to get the photos into albums

so the large wooden storage unit can be removed by May 1st

to make room for my daughter moving back home.

See that row of photo boxes on the top of the storage unit

in the above photo ? They are crammed full of photos

and there are nearly as many stored elsewhere on the unit

in addition to empty albums. 

Her moving back home is just what I needed

to get started on this long put off project ;) 

A couple of just for fun photos today:

I've been hearing dozens and dozens of crows

cawing the past several days nearby, but not within view.

On this particualr day, they were much louder - 

and much closer ! 

There were close to 70 out there

in the field and trees (yes, I counted all the little

black dots I could see on my original size digital photo). 

After taking the above photo I noticed a speck soaring 

high in the sky. Zooming in as best I could before it was out of sight,

and taken through wavy 115+ year old window glass,

I can see what that speck was:

A mature bald eagle ! 

Really neat to see one this close to the house.

They move downriver as it freezes,

so they are not seen here year round . 

Shadow Or Not?

When I wrote the flip flap album post for today, I didn't think about it being groundhog day.
So you have a bonus, just for fun post today !

When it is single digit temperaures outside

you take photos of the paper punch groundhog and whether or not 

it sees it's shadow inside :) 

Yes, most definitely a shadow this year which means

six more weeks of winter (according to the old Pennsylvania Dutch superstition) ! 

Details on how I made the paper punch groundhog here
http://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/2015/02/groundhog-day-2015-six-more-weeks-of.html

Flip Flap Album

This is such an old project, 

made years before I started the blog.

I recently came across it again which 

inspired the mini flip flap album

(greeting card sized)

I shared yesterday. 

All supplies used were from Stampin' Up!
Measurements:
Chipboard cover  7 1/2"   x   4 1/2"
Designer paper cut slightly larger to wrap around the edges
Flaps   4" wide   x   3 1/2" tall
Spine   7 1/2" long   x  7 1/4" tall scored every 3/4"




Instructions to something very similar can be found here:
https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/mini_album/

Mini Flip Flap Album

Today I'm sharing a "flip flap" type of mini album

(greeting card sized!)

for the Love To Craft Challenge Blog.

All supplies used came from Stampin' Up! years ago.

The front and back outside covers are  5 1/4"  x  4 1/4"

The inside cover linings are 5 1/4"  x  4"

The red squares are  3 3/4"

The black rectangles are  1"  x 3 3/4"

The spine is  4" wide  x  5 1/4" tall
and scored every 1/4"


To make the pages "flip flap",
be sure to glue one to each side of the
scored mountain folded spine.
All the top pieces on one side,
all the bottom pieces on the opposite.
My sample has the red pieces glued to
the back side of the folds,
the black pieces glued to the fronts.

I didn't make a photo tutorial for this project, but here is a link to something very similar:

https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/mini_album/

You have all month to create and share

any family friendly craft project with us. 

Thanks for looking :) 

Visit the rest of the design team members
for more inspiring ideas:

https://aocreations.blogspot.com/ https://crafty-stamper.blogspot.co.uk/ https://craftyhazelnut.blogspot.co.uk/ https://craftysahmiam.blogspot.com/ https://irena-s-design.blogspot.com/ https://lovetoscrap2.com/ https://loriannie670.blogspot.com/ https://groovyquail.blogspot.co.uk/ https://pippapblog.wordpress.com/ http://loosestitchesandunraveledthreads.blogspot.com/ https://feistycrafter.blogspot.com/