I managed to get everything photographed last night. The lighting isn't the best, but I think it's sufficient to see the projects. Remember to double click on the photos that you want to see in more detail.
The first card here is the Christmas card that I sent out. Since I first started using a rubber stamp, 21 years ago, this is my first batch of homemade Christmas cards. Its a good thing I started making them in Sept or they wouldn't have gotten done. I brought them to my scrapbooking club that month, then came home and finished them the following Saturday, while listening to a Christmas book on tape. That helped me feel the spirit of the holidays! Then I finally wrote and sent them in mid Nov. The Cricut created the holly leaves, and I used a punch on the Kraft cardstock left edge and Red glitter glue for the berries. Every thing on this card except for the twisted twine is Close To My Heart because its what I stock the most. However, I heard that in the upcoming catalog, being released tomorrow to Consultants, Feb 1 to customers, that they are now carrying this twine.
This is the thank you card I just started yesterday. I used a Diamond Stickles glitter glue to give this otherwise flat card some dimension. It's made by Ranger in NJ. I usually let it sit overnight to harden. Again, I used the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge to cut out this shape, and used CTMH's coordinating snowflakes set, which I won for free, to double stamp - note the two different shades of blue - and glittered it in the obvious places. Love the added shine and sparkle to the snowflake.For an inexpensive little product, selling for less than $3, it sure makes a big difference.
Then because I am trying to keep things simple, I just stamped a Thanks in the same dark blue that I used on the dots of the snowflake, and am calling it done. I thought of adding a ribbon, and think that would be a nice touch for hand delivered cards, but need to keep the majority of the cards flat for mailing.
This is the big project I started in late September, after the cards were done. Most of these pages were done in 15 - 45 minute increments until last night when I spent an hour adding a few embellishments. I decided that if I could have a monthly double page spread already done, then just add additional photographs in a page protector that has 6 - 4x6 openings, and is double sided, I'd be able to spend more time quilting this year. . . a girl only has so much time, you know?
The rules I set for myself, were to try a new style with each month, use the same font for each month, and only use what I already had on my shelf. Nothing new was bought to make these. I used papers and products from many companies but mostly CTMH since that's where I can get the best bargains. The only new papers I have bought recently were for my son's mission. They were from a company called October Afternoon. Love their product lines! I am really far behind on my children's albums, so when I am in the mood for scrapbooking, I'll be working on their books this year and the mission album is ongoing. However, its essential to me that I keep up on my own books so I know how to put theirs in chronological order and I can copy the journaling almost verbatim.
Stacy Julian, at Big Picture Scrapbooking, is doing a class called Twelve. I don't really know what its all about, but I read its using 12 different techniques and making monthly pages too, so I think its fun that we're thinking along the same lines. Becky Higgins from Project Life also has simplified her books dramatically, and doesn't really use this traditional way of scrapbooking anymore. Hers is mostly the page protectors with bits and pieces for titles and journaling. I like the idea of simplifying books, but still want to use the beautiful things I do have and let my creative juices flow, so here it is. Let the new year begin!
This is exclusively CTMH, even using the same Snowflake stamp set I used on the cards above. Love the color palette here and had fun trying the folded paper technique in the lower left corner. Lots of Cricut die cuts here too. That has been the best tool to make my scrapbooking faster and easier!
The fun products here that I wanted to incorporate were the transparent overlay, the rub-ons, and the transparent musical tape by Tim Holtz. I contemplated different ribbons, and went with ric-rac, for its playfulness, knowing LittleBuddy's birthday will be celebrated a few days before Valentines, so I didn't want this page to be too feminine, but more fun. Papers are BoBunny and K&Co. The heart paper clip is from Staples and the rub-ons from 7 Gypsies.Only the polka dot ribbon, black and kraft paper are CTMH. Buttons unknown. I keep them by color in glass jars, so I have no idea which manufacturer made them.
Since I know we're going to California in March, I created this page to reflect the sand and sun and a little Disney pattern is going on too. I will most likely fill in the circles with either Disney embellishments or small photos of happy faces, so this page is not fully ready yet, but will save me a lot of work after my trip.Most of this is CTMH except for the paper punches, which are Fiskars and EK Success.
A very feminine page here. I realized I don't do a lot of these, but I loved this color palette and wanted to play. This is another month exclusively using CTMH product.
These papers and flowers come from a MyMind's Eye kit that I've had for several years now, and just keep using bits and pieces up. With MyGirl's birthday, Mother's Day, and attendance at a quilt show coming up, I wanted it to be fun, flowery, and happy.
Again, playing with ric-rac only this one is big and thick. Its held on by colored Target staples. Loved the butterfly paper from October Afternoon, and the die cut and patterned paper, I believe from Crate Paper. Can't exactly remember, but loved them, and felt they all popped nicely on CTMH retired Ocean cardstock.
This Fanfare paper from CTMH I have used over and over, from the reunion, to last year's 4th of July pages, but I added some Elemental papers to change things up too, and the Jenni Bowlin Bingo card just makes me smile. Summer is always a time of fun and games, and lots to celebrate.
This month just really eluded me. Its definitely more feminine that I probably would want here, with all of our outdoor activities and since school here starts in Aug., I really should have used Sept's pages here instead, but I wanted it to feel like ice cold lemonade and soft breezes, so here it is. Something about the damask and the birdcage, just called out to me! They are from the retired Recollections store I loved in MD. Occasionally I still see their things at Michael's, but far less selection. If the month comes and my photos don't at all work with this, then I can make a new page and save this one for another year or a special more girly page I want to make. I use only repositionable glue on my pages, allowing me to change dates and move things any time as needed.
This is all CTMH's Typeset paper packet and canvas stickease. Loved the great variety and masculine color. Since Littlebuddy is the only one I really have school pictures for, this seemed great for him and his happenings. Its also Mike's b-day and looks masculine enough for him.
This page needs more embellishments, and Franky very well may not be here in the future, but something needs to be over there, and I just haven't decided for sure, so for now, he's here.Its a mix of very old CTMH papers, more transparent newsprint stickers from Tim Holtz and a tag from Staples. There are a few metallic CTMH products, but its lacking a great visual focal point. . . will be working on that come Oct.
This page was actually a CTMH kit I bought last year. I've made minor alterations, but I loved the chipboard that allows you to stamp on it and it holds the color around the raised lettering for "celebrate." Love that stuff! Since there's a lot of celebrating that month with Thanksgiving and my birthday, I thought I could get away with the subtitle as well as the pink.
This is all CTMH papers, from the Believe paper pack, with embellishments being silver edged brads from BoBunny's Christmas collection of a couple years ago and a random sampling of buttons I found. The blue polka dot ribbon is from Offray. I really do miss living close to that outlet. Every time I use a piece of bargain ribbon from there, I know it'll cost me ten times to replace it again. It does make me happy, though, when I find pieces in my stash that match colors of product I have from other places. Somehow this seems pretty coordinated in spite of the fact three different companies are represented.
So, there you have a year in the life, ready for photos. The page layup designs were inspired by CTMH books, Page Maps website, and my own imagination. Its always the right thing to give credit where it is due, but I can't always remember where ideas came from, so please forgive me if I've incorporated something into my pages and the original creator was forgotten. Feel free to copy anything here as well, just add that you got the idea from my blog here. Thanks!
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