Happy Fourth of July!!

Hope this finds you happy and healthy this Independence Day!! Be safe out there!

Project Organization Post #1

So I have been trying to get my craft area organized for AGES now. Always an uphill battle, right?

I decided to start small after seeing krussellstudio's YouTube video. I love the simplicity of this mini and was able to make my own in a couple of afternoons.

I used a paper pad that I have been hoarding forever called Whirly Bird by My Mind's Eye. Love this paper. The colors are fantastic and it made a fun, colorful book for my dies. All I did was fold my 12 x 12 papers in half and sandwiched a piece of kraft paper in between for a little extra support.

More hoarding confessions? Those Stampin' Up jumbo brads. They stopped selling them (WHY????) and I love them.

I used my felt letters for the title and I found that I had run out of the letter e. So I made one from a c and a piece that tore off another when I was too rough with it. It looks okay. If this was a gift for someone then I would have figured out something else to use but since this is for my personal use, and just for my dies to boot, they'll work just fine. I lightly brushed over the felt with my Walnut Stain distress ink.

With my scraps, I created this card (x4). I had little slivers of paper left from trying to get that perfect sized page and together, with some tulle and Walnut Stain distress ink, they make an adorable (and easy) card.

Hope this finds you happy and healthy.

Kill the Paper Pack Challenge

Laura (at YT: Lauraluvslace) is hosting a challenge on her channel that's sole purpose is to use a paper pack (or kit). I love this idea!! As a former paper hoarder, I have decided that life is too short not to use those gorgeous papers. Here's a look at that stash that I have to choose from...

And that's not the only place...

Yes, that's under my desk as well. Yikes! "Hello, my name is Alycia, and I hoard paper." Well, not anymore!

Head over to Laura's YouTube to check out all the details. I hope you will join me. I will not be able to participate in the "real" challenge, as I will not be at home to scrap during most of it, but I'm looking forward to doing it anyway. I'll just be a couple of weeks behind. Thanks, Laura, for this awesome idea and chance to slim down the collection.

I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

"Good Dog" Mini Album

So, Shiloh isn't always "good" but she takes such great care of us. She scares the beegeebees out of anyone who comes to the door; her version of keeping us safe. She is a constant companion and always wants to be where we are. She is so faithful. She wouldn't sleep in her bed in our room while Husband and I were in the hospital. I think she knew something was wrong because, even when he's late or out of town, she will sleep in there with me. I could go on and on but I won't. I'll just say that she's an awesome dog and we love her so very much.

First night at home and where she still sleeps today. 

This mini has been a LONG time coming. I found this paper, TPC Studio's Paws and Claws Dog, many moons ago at Tuesday morning (I think). I knew immediately that I wanted to make a "Shiloh" album.

Only later did I find the perfect chipboard album. It was meant to be a beehive but all I saw was a fire hydrant, and the perfect book coming together. You can watch the video HERE.

I traced the chipboard outline on my papers and cut them out by hand. Once I had adhered everything down, I roughed up the edges with a nail file and then inked all of them in Walnut Stain distress ink.

For the cover, I used my go to chipboard letters that I have had forever and have a TON of. Of course, when I go to spell out "good dog" in the orange, I have no options for all upper or all lower because I don't have a complete set in either. Oh well! I just mixed them up and then distressed them. :) I LOVE how the title turned out and that sweet touch of whimsy, just like our Shiloh.

For her picture, I cut five kraft circles from my circle punch with a patterned piece layered on top. I cut Shiloh's picture with my Stampin' Up 1 3/8 inch circle punch to mat it inside. Her tiara is punched from an old Martha Stewart punch I found on sale years ago. (I thought I would use it for the girls' minis but Shiloh got it first.) I did the same layering to bring some dimension and topped it with patterned paper. I applied Crackle Accents all over for more detail.

I wanted to add as many photos and as much journaling as I could to this mini album. On the first page, I popped up one of my favorite pictures of her and the journaling spot slides out from underneath. For even more journaling room, I folded the paper in half. The pull is punched and layered using my small and large Stampin' Up tag punches. I Crackle Accent-ed the paw on the patterned paper.

On the next page, I tried something I haven't done in a long time; I used a magnet closure. Forgot how fun and cool those are to use. Again, I slipped the journaling spot behind the matted photos.

*open*

 I made a pull out for five pictures and a journaling spot and tied with orange hemp cord. Used a mini lunch bag as a pocket to hold photos that I wanted to include but not display. A memo clip holds the sack shut. I matted a photo on the outside.

*Special heart jewel from Regan*

I created a pocket for photos and journaling from a longer photo that I backed on kraft cardstock. I popped up the photo on the next page and slipped more photos and a journaling spot underneath.

I fussy cut the dog house out of the papers and, after backing it on kraft cardstock, covered it with glossy accents. Once dry, I added the 'dog' brad that I had cut the prongs off of. The next page, I made a library pocket and matted with patterned paper. I popped it up and added even more pictures beneath.

The back is plain and simple. I added Shiloh's old tags with a trinket pin back here because they didn't look good on the front. I don't like it much so I'll be playing with other options.

That's my "Good Dog" mini album! Hope you enjoyed it.

I was able to create a kit out of my left overs. You can find that at my Zibbet shop by clicking the link to the right. :) You can also check out the video HERE.

Hope this finds you happy and healthy!

Pals Mini Album

I made this mini album from the Baby Saurus envelope kit by Little Yellow Bicycle. I have had it awhile because, when I bought it Archivers, I didn't notice that the chipboard covers were WAY too small for the envelopes. Realizing it was too late to return them to the store, I set the too-small covers to the side, made my own, and finished the mini. I made this for our cousin in Wisconsin that we visit every summer. Thought it would be fun to put pictures of his toys or him and his toys or him and friends (or us!) or really whatever. I didn't do a whole lot of embellishing (or really any embellishing) because I didn't want there to be little pieces possibly coming off and into little hands.

I did, however, paint and distress the letters for the title. Still not sure if I like them. First I covered them in a custom orange I mixed from acrylic paints. That was too bright and didn't match like I wanted in to. So I added brown paint with my finger in small swipes. They still needed something so I repeated the step with Antique Gold Rub'N'Buff. Wiped off as much as I could and there is the final product.

I also created the title layers with some left over Stampin' Up Simply Stampin' Kit (that I have no idea what the name was) scraps. Roughed them up a little by carefully crumpling and then smoothing out. I also only adhered them in the center so that the ends would stand up from the cover a bit. I punched five ovals from kraft cardstock, along with one from the scraps of design paper and glued them together, creating a little dimension.

I inked the hole reinforcers (came with the kit) with Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint Distress Inks.

Thanks for stopping in! Hope this finds you happy and healthy.

Glitter Ribbon Fun

So I was perusing the aisles of Tuesday Morning earlier today and I found the most beautiful glitter ribbon from American Crafts. The set has 15 rolls of different colored ribbon, four feet each. My pictures don't even begin to do the colors and sparkle justice.

Great neutrals and colors. I made this card with a rainbow mix of the ribbon.

Thanks for checking in! Hope this finds you happy and healthy!

End of Year School Gifts

I found this idea on Pinterest and another mommy helped me carry it out. I did the editing and coloring and she got the kids to thumbprint the tree. We had a small mishap the day we were going to give it to her (last day of school) and ended up having to cut it off at the bottom, hence the ribbon. The teacher's name and school info has been "X"ed out.

Sorry for the editing but it must be done :)

I found a "bare tree" clip art from the internet and printed it on white cardstock. Then I colored it with my Copic markers. The students used Stampin Up's Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, and Old Olive inks to create the leaves with their thumbprints. The print at the bottom is the teacher's name, school, grade, and year. The ribbon was not originally there but my friend had an accident and bled on the cardstock, so we had to do some surgery. Next time I will pay closer attention to the size of the tree as it was hard to fit the page into a standard frame and the kids' had to print their thumbs several times (which they didn't have an issue with :)).

I also made this bookmark for the teachers from me. It has a poem that goes along with those colored beads. This was my first attempt at bookmarks and can I just say "EASY"? Holy cow, they went together fast. My new go to gift.

I don't know where I originally got this ribbon; I've been hoarding it for awhile. I found this idea on Pinterest and knew that I wanted to try one myself. I found the ribbon clasps, which I have never used before, at Joanns, where I was actually looking for metal bookmarks. You know the ones that have the thin part that slip into the book and then the other side hangs out over the binding? No? This was also the first time using crimping beads. Man, is there a learning curve to those! Finally figured them out and I'm really happy with the outcome.

P brought some gifts to her little classmates as she will not be returning to her little preschool. We made a memory game and a note that said, "Thanks for the MEMORYs." These are really great for throwing in your purse and pulling out at appointments or waiting rooms. Time consuming project but worth it. A Pinterest find.

I ordered one inch wooden tiles from Michaels and needed twenty for each tin. The tins are the ones for wedding favors, found in the wedding aisle at Michaels; they have round and square. I punched all the papers, white for all the tiles and pairs of colors for the other side. I used plain white cardstock and all the colors are Stampin' Up. I modpodged the circles onto the tiles and then went over the whole thing again. Took lots of time but I think they will hold up well for some years.

Not pictured is the gift from the kids. A Michaels plastic paint can filled with M&M's and the poem I'm sure all of us has seen on Pinterest. But if not, you can see it HERE. (Pretty much the same as with the bookmark with some personal changes made.)  Also not pictured are the notecards I made E's teacher. Bummed about that; they were so cute!

Hope this finds you happy and healthy. :)