Scrapbooking Retreat Layouts

This last weekend, I got to go to a scrapbooking retreat- it was a lot of fun, and I was able to get a lot accomplished (for me ;) ) It was great to be able to focus solely on scrapping and not have to get stuff out, then put it away. Everyone had their own 8 foot table to work on and we could leave our supplies out the whole time. We scrapped into the late hours and woke up early to scrap some more! Crazy productive and TIRED! Anyhow, I was able to use a sewing machine on some of my layouts for the first time- I usually hand stitch- which doesn't leave the option of zip zagging really- so I tried it with the machine, and my oh my, that's fun! If you have the opportunity to go to a scrapbooking getaway, I recommend going, and having a friend along to make it more fun :)

Card Making day for MOPS

All of these designs, just for the record, are not mine- I used the basic layout of everything based on pictures of cards I'd saved to my computer from the Internet.... The cards themselves were made by me, and I picked out the papers and ribbon, etc. On the first card- I used a punch to make the little flowers and used self adhesive bling to go in the middle of them.

The stamped image on this card was a Stampin Up stamp- with the two images that work together. ( I don't know what the 'official' term for it is). I normally would have added some inking around the edges ( and I actually did on the first card- I pre inked all of them because I couldn't handle it), but since this is a project being done by over 50 ladies, adding a step like that means adding a lot of ink pads and such, and I didn't want to go that route this time with this craft. Not everyone likes that look anyway, so, they got the basic.

This one is my favorite, I think. I love the aqua color, and the stamp, and the embossing, and and and.... I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the basic white card, and then all the ladies had to do was put it together. It amazed me how many different ways they changed things up, and they all looked great! Again, I used the same small punch and bling for the flower. I definitely want to make more cards like this one. If you have a Cuttlebug, I highly recommend using it if you like to make cards, it adds such a nice look to it every time.

We Are Family- Make your own Photo Display

Part two of " I did it!!" This is another project that I started many months ago, and just finished now. The reaaallllly sad part is that it took me that long to figure out the lettering for it. I knew what I wanted it to say, and I tried different fonts with the Cricut, and it just wasn't working for me. I was determined to finish it this weekend. I ended up using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, and just doing it like this, nothing fancy. I created this by cutting a piece of 1 x 4 x 6 down to a length that would work for my 4 small picture frames that I purchased on clearance. The frames were originally an orangey stained color, but fortunately, real wood- so I just sanded by hand. That took a while, but I'm glad that I did- that would really bug me to have an orange color come through when I was distressing later. I was then able to paint all the wood with a base coat of dark brown, and then a top coat of a vintage white/cream. When it was all dry, I just sanded around the edges a bit until I was happy with the look. ( I tend to be a "less is more" kind of gal with distressing) I attached the frames with eye screws. I nailed a hanger in the back of the main board, and it is hung by that for the support. I attached some ribbon to the back and nailed it higher up the wall to give the impression that it was being hung by the ribbon. I wonder if it would be too much to add little ribbon "ties" where the eye screws are... that look could go either way, couldn't it? Hmmmm.... Anyhow, it's not perfect, but I'm happy for putting something together like this, I've never tried doing that before. You could do this with any piece of wood and frames, could be super cute, I recommend trying it!

Count Your Blessings Wood Decor- Craft Warehouse project

I did it! I finally finished this after having it sitting for months half done. I bought this at Craft Warehouse- for a steal- $5! Their project idea was for a chore chart, but I wanted to go with this instead. I numbered the frames and will place pictures of my children and of my husband and I together in one- counting my blessings :) I painted the base color brown, let it dry, then used Americana brand Weathered Wood Crackling Medium. My top coat was a nice off white/cream color. I sanded a little bit around the edges, not too much though. I think I will at some point change out the twine with some nice dark brown ribbon and add a ribbon hanger. I think I will like it better that way. I used my Cricut to cut out lettering and the numbers. I love the song with "count your blessings" . "Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done." Amen.

Fun with a 2 x 4- Fall Wood Blocks

I've been itching to make some Fall blocks for a while now, and finally painted some of my 2x4x4 blocks in Fall-ish colors to make it happen. I sat brainstorming words or phrases that emboddied the Fall feeling to me (took a while...don't you hate it when you know that they're right there but can't think of words when you actually want them?) The first set I painted with a base coat of dark brown, then after it dried, painted a nice dark orangey color - I actually didn't have the right color in my paint stash, so I combined a couple of colors.. who knew that neon orange with a brick red would create this pretty dark pumpkinny color? The second set, I painted with various colors that reminded me of the leaves turning color this time of year. I was able to use supplies that I already have, always a plus! I then sanded away to distress the blocks, for once I'm actually pleased with how it turned out. And I didn't even CRACKLE anything, quite rare.. though they would be pretty crackled instead. As an aside, I used my Cricut (the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge- using a combination of the Tall Ball, Roly Poly, and regular font to change the look up)

Comments and Suggestions box

This is just one of those random posts about something kind of crafty that I did. No big thing, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. This started as a plain white box with a lid- one that you'd put a gift in and wrap up. I was asked to "prettify" it for our MOPS group- (if you want info. on MOPS- here's my plug again : check out www.mops.org ) I cut a hole in the middle of the lid- trying to get it centered was tricky- it's not completely in the middle, but "gut genug"- good enough! I glued paper to the front, then wrapped the edges around, working carefully to make it neat. I only had one piece of paper for the bottom, and I knew that if I had the paper all the way to the top, it would get mangled when we put the top back on over and over. My solution: I traced the sides out, then used my corner edge rounder to make a scalloped edge, and glued it as high as the bottom of the lid when placed on the box. It actually worked pretty well. I used a sponge ink pad to shade the white part of the box that would show when the lid was taken off, so it didn't stand out. Last part was cutting the letters out of Cricut vinyl- using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. I added a few token flowers just to add some dimension and then placed small colored rhinestones along the sides. (Main reason for this is that I didn't have any ribbon that matched right at home, grr... but I think it's nice enough.) Consider it "prettified".

Saturday Market

This was my one and only attempt at a Saturday Market this year. I joined in with my in-laws in Tillamook- they sold polished rocks that they've gathered from Oregon beaches. I tried a few different things to sell: signs- made with paint, crackling medium, and Cricut vinyl lettering.

These were some of my favorite- I tried sets of words and phrases- with 3 two by four by 4 inch cuts of wood. Some I just painted with a base and top coat (contrasting) then distressed, others I used crackling medium. I then cut out the lettering with my Cricut.

I also tried these little easel frames (mentioned with the original idea and link to the owner of the idea in a previous links) with paper Mod Podged on and sanded around the edges. I did paint around the edges and backs of the wood first with a coordinating paint color, then added ribbon.

Here's a "group" shot. Right behind the signs are some roughly 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 blocks of wood, decorated in the same way as the easels. I cut up a 2x6 to make those. I like them because they can fit a bigger picture on them. I made almost $50 at the market, not too bad I suppose- sure beats a kick in the teeth! :)