Paper crafting {Goodness}

{Pics of our trip coming soon}

{If I don't stop coughing soon I am going to FREAK OUT}

{I updated the layers answer on the This Is Me Digi Layout}

{I got my much anticipated Threading Water border punch from Fiskars FINALLY!!! I went right to work punching papers and playing around with it.... }

{I found a WAY FREEKIN COOL new set of embossing folders and a die for the Cuttlebug - Build a Flower}

{I GOT TO PLAY}








Tuesday night I was up late finishing this "Family Favorites" Cook book project for my new sister in law, Jill, (Brent's brother, Jared, is getting hitched!) and made quite the mess! A few years back I started making this cookbook for some family and friends' bridal showers and weddings. I made one for myself ages ago and it's come in quite handy when budgeting for groceries, staying on budget, and planning meals. I think I have shared this idea of the cookbook (my original is way uglier... lol... and I'm gonna re do it and make MINE cute...) but I don't think I have shared it on the blog... this one's a new version of it and I think it's way cuter!!



You know sometimes when you're asked, "what's for dinner?" and you get stumped.... You've had tacos twice this week, spaghetti three times last week, and grilled cheese or mac n' yac several times this week.... OK, Ok, maybe YOU don't have these issues, but I sure do. LOL! Anyway... I keep blank 2 week menu planner forms in it and a list of all the meals we like to eat (which makes planning out the menu easier than pulling ideas out of your... crockpot), some of our favorite recipes (so I don't have to hunt through cookbooks), and other misc odds n ends that relate to making my life as a chef EASIER, TASTIER, AND ...well just mo bettah.

{Did I mention that I LOVE my Threading Waters punch??? *sigh*}




Supply List:
Paper Trimmer
Threading Water Border Punch - Fiskars
Patterned Paper - American Crafts,
Solid Textured Cardstock - Bazzill
Build-A-Flower Embossing Folders & Die Set - Provo Craft
Cuttlebug - Provo Craft
Foam Tabs - American Crafts
Pewter Brads & Photo Hangers- CTMH
Ribbon - American Crafts
Adhesive, misc buttons & ric rack

Happy Friday!!! Mini Calendar Art Share

This is the project from the sneak peek I posted yesterday. I am still searching for the perfect photo of Brent and Sadie to put on the inside left page above the paper strips and then it will be finished. I am thinking that I might have to hope for some nice weather tomorrow and take a photo of my two favorite people together. :)

Had some time to create while resting up and I made this little mini calendar using a free downloadable program from www.red-castle.com. The download took a few seconds and I opened the program and played around a bit to figure out the dimensions that I wanted for my calendar and then printed and cut out the calendar pages. I started with March 2008 and it goes through March of 2009.

I just LOVE this paper from Crate Paper and have another monogram project that I am working on to share later. It seems that I can't get enough of rhinestones, either... hehe!

Supplies Needed:
Bind It All Machine
Bind It All 1/2 OWires
4x4 Kraft Covers from BIA/Zutter
American Crafts Ribbon
Papertrey Ink Ribbon (5/8" pink grosgrain)
Maya Road Philadelphia (?) chipboard letter
Pink Rhinestones from Me & My Big Ideas
Double Sided Cardstock from Crate Paper (Twirl Collection)
Fruit Punch Stickles
Embroidery Thread
Paper Piercer & Needle
Adhesive
Liquid Glass (CTMH)

"Faux Chipboard" Mini Accordian Album {With Tutorial} Warning Dial Up Users... Gobs of Photos!

Hey friends! I woke up sick as a dog this morning and just feel like lying around sleeping all day, but I wanted to share this fun project with you. I survived my birthday on Sunday... woo hooo .. 34 years young! The cute pink mat you see under the project was one of my bday presents from my sweetheart! (I'll share the other later in the week when I get the pics off my camera.)

I am a guest designer over at Sweet n Sassy Stamps this month and this is "Faux Chipboard" Mini Accordian album is one of my projects! It was super fun to do and super, super easy!


This Sweet n' Sassy Adoption set does not limit itself to just adoption! It's perfect to use for FAMILY projects as well. This project is a mini "faux chipboard" album that I made to show off my sister's twins, Sidney & Isaac. My sister had a difficult time achieving and keeping a pregnancy, so when these two came along, it was a dream come true times two! If you're hankering for a chipboard feel album but don't have any chipboard on hand, here's an easy way to get the feel and weight of chipboard with regular cardstock!

For this project you will need: (I tried to make this simple... use what you have and order the stamps!)

*4 strips of 4x8 cardstock
*Misc coordinating patterned paper or cardstock (I used My Mind's Eye "Adore")
*Miscellaneous brads, photohangers, & embellishments (I used CTMH metals, *Doodlebug Designs Glitter)
*12" of coordinating ribbon
*Bazzill Basics Paper Flower
*Bonefolder, Paper Piercer, Craft Knife, Trimmer, Adhesive
*Two or more photos in B&W or Sepia

For the glittery center of the flower, I used a plain old button and covered it with Liquid Glass (CTMH) and then generously sprinkled Doodlebug Glitter all over the button and set it out to dry so that it would be ready to stick on when I was finished with the album. You may want to do the glitter part outside away from your "nice space" because you may end up COVERED in glitter :)

I left a blank piece of patterned cardstock on the back of the book for a little private journaling.

I've printed the instructions on the photos for easy following. If you have any questions, please email me at inkysmiles@gmail.com and I will be glad to help you with this project.

Now, read the tutorial and then get off the computer and start CREATING :)

Happy Halloween, Mr Mummy!

I am generallly soooo not into Halloween (this year I'm ok with the cutsie, silly stuff), but I saw this idea on a Bind It All group I belong to and had to copy it... she copied it from a post she saw on twopeasinabucket.com, too. LOL! Anyway... I finally sat down and decompressed a little bit with some crafting tonight before a meeting I had at my house for church stuff. (Big huge change coming in my life... details a little later, maybe tomorrow.)

This cute little guy is a 4x4" chipboard and cardstock book. I handcut 4" chipboard covers (my Bind It All covers are not here yet) and painted them with black paint, then covered with black cs (inside of covers) and white textured cs, torn and inked in black for the outside covers.



The eyes are just circles punched from cs. The "boo!" letters on the front are the coolest new thing... VELVET Thickers from American Crafts... I just picked them up on Friday from the American Crafts warehouse... SWEET STUFF!




The inside base pages are cardstock that I cut 3 7/8" square and then created pages on them with various cardstocks and embellishments. Mini books are so much fun and relatively fast to make once you decide on the paper combos.









Materials used:
Bind It All Machine - Zutter
5/8" Black Owire - Zutter
Chipboard - Graphix
White textured CS - Archiver's brand
Green, Purple & Black CS - CTMH
Misc patterned papers - CTMH "Happy Halloween" (retired) & American Crafts
Misc ribbons -American Crafts, CTMH, generic brand

White Galaxy Marker, Black Marker - American Crafts
Misc embellishments - CTMH
Click on photos for larger view.