Spam Can Planter

Here is a cute way to dress up your empty Spam cans!  I wrapped it in a paper scrap I had, punched a few flowers, added a few rhinestones, some perennials & there you have it, a gift for my BFF!

It also makes a darn cute pencil holder!

Recipe Accordion File

I made this a little while ago to hold some recipes I was going to get at a cookie swap.  I know that there are a lot of accordion files out there, this is my take one one.  I am sorry, I don't remember where I got the papers, they are older ones I had in my stash!  It uses envelopes, and has a simple ribbon closure.

I wrote up some directions and you can find them on Splitcoaststampers.  Scroll down to the 5th post by GrammaM (that's me) and click on the "RecipeAccordionFile.pdf".

Have fun and stay crafty!

Using Up My Scrap Stash Again!

I had some more of the October Afternoon paper scraps lying around and wanted to use some more up.  I also had some awesome images from Heartwarming Vintage, and decided they needed to go together.  I created this card folder, with a ribbon closure. The glittered flowers are from Heidi Grace.  It's a simple folder, take an 8 1/2 x 11" paper, score on the long side at 5 1/2" and on one short side at 6 1/4.  This will create a folder.  I cut out a wedge to make the pockets fold easier.  I set eyelets to hold the outside of the pockets and threaded ribbon through them.

Inside view of the folder.  I made 8 cards total.

 The inside captions are, from left to right:  Blank inside, "If we are what we eat, I'm fast, easy and cheap!"

"I don't rise and shine until noon!" and (front) "I love a man..." (inside) with dishpan hands"

"Let's do lunch" and "Presto - dinners done!"

"What's a nice girl like me doing in a place like this?" and "Complaints to the cook can be hazardous to your health"

Stay crafty, my friends!

7 Gypsies Portfolio

These are great Naked portfolios from 7 Gypsies. 

I distressed mine with Stazon ink and used a combo of Cosmo Cricket paper and Graphic 45.

I added all sorts of vintage ephemera from my Grandmothers closet!  Old photos and military letters.

This would make a great gift for a family member!

Scrapbooking Life Events

I just so happened to have my camera with me when I took my youngest to get ice cream.  She was adamant on doing it all by herself.  I quickly grabbed my Canon & captured this defining moment!

Scalloped Circle Punch Icecream Cone

Break out the Cuttlebug & emboss those scalloped circles, layer & Voila!  Instant icecream cone!  We also embossed the back ground & used the lines on our Scor-pal to create the waffle cone.

Purse Mini Album

I made this purse mini album being inspired by the ustream class given by Laura at The Paper Trail.  She has some awesome ideas!   I used October Afternoon papers from "The Thrift Shop" line.  The charm and the flowers were in my stash.  I did a magnetic closure on the top of the purse, and used ribbon for handles.

Here is the purse open.  She shows how to make the inside so that you can put all of your necessities in your purse.  Each inside piece also has a pocket for your things.

 Here are my "keys" (the back of the tags can hold pictures), my "sunglasses",  my "lipstick" (which features a removable "tag"), and my compact, it opens to reveal more places for pictures.  I decorated with rhinestones, ribbons, flowers and buttons.

The "wallet" and the "cell phone", closed...

and open.  The "credit cards" come out for places to put pictures or journaling.

So, then putting my creative juices together, added to Laura's "stick of gum" (the "gum" is removable for pictures) in the lower left corner, I added a "date book" that has four inner pages and a pencil to write with.  I also usually have a candy or two, so I made one of those as well, ready for a couple more pictures.

Thanks for looking!  What's in your purse?

Recycled CD Album

I made this for my Showcase #7 submission on Audrey's blog, Cute and Some.

And this is what I did...

I took two old CD's and lightly sanded them to make the paper adhere better.

I applied the glue stick to each side, placed paper and trimmed the edges.  I covered both the front and back.

I went to my trusty Cricut and had it cut out 8 circles, a little smaller than CD's, at 4 1/2".  Since this wasn't double sided paper, I cut 8, adhered them back to back to make 4 pages.  This is the leftover papers from my purse project, from October Afternoon.  I inked all the edges of the covers ad the pages.

I punched holes with my Crop-a-Dile, set eyelets, and used a book ring to bind.  Then I tied ribbon to the ring to decorate.  The  flowers on the front are from K&Company.  The  images are from Heartwarming Vintage, buttons are Making Memories.

Closeup.  The lady is saying "Always with a smile."  Yep, that's me in the kitchen!  HA!
I think I am going to put some kitchen notes in it and hang it on my fridge.  Thanks for looking!

Thank you cards from scraps!

Talk about recycling!  I had left over strips of lovely papers from my recycled envelope book, and I CAN'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY!  (How many of us are like that?!)  But, what to do with them?  I came up with these cards to send to my surgeon and his office and surgical center staff to thank them for the wonderful care I received recently.  The left and right flowers are made from scraps of ribbon, and the center flower was cut from my Cricut.  It is also leftover from the envelope project!  I embossed the words "Thank You" with my Cuttlebug, and matted them on cardstock.  Simple and elegant, and I used up those precious leftovers!

Its Your Day

Patterned paper:  Prima & K&co. Solid card stock: American Crafts.  Number brads: Around the Block.  Punch:.McGill.  Letter stamps: Amuse.  Adhesive: Beacon 3in1.  Misc: Embroidery floss.

Best Wishes

Creative way to use those circle punches!  Here we punched out multiple sizes of circles & used deckle scissors to make the perimeter a little more interesting!  In the center is textured Grunge board punched in the shape of buttons.   Best Wishes!

Double Page 12x12 layout

Rock, Paper, Scissors!

Layout created using vintage Basic Grey=Infuse & Technique Tuesday Diecut Tiles.

Final Installment in the Recycled Envelope Book Tutorial!

*See May 11th posting for part 1 of series
Now you should have all of your pages covered and inked, the binding done, and the tags made and inked.  This is a view of my pages.  You will see that I was running out of paper, so some of the tags are "pieced" together (see the one on the right of the picture).  I think it gave it a cool look.  And, I didn't waste any paper!

Just another view of the tags.

Various ribbons in greens were tied to the binding...see how pretty it looks when you use the O-wires!  The "C" and "K" are chipboard from K-Ology.  The butterfly is a punch that I have, from Paper Shapers.  I cut out three for each butterfly, layered two (adhering only the "body" of the butterfly), lifting the top butterflies wings to give dimension, and the third punch I cut off the wings, using the body in a contrasting color.  I added rhinestones to the body. The flower, leaves, and flourish are cut from my Cricut.  I used the cartridges Gypsy Wanderings, Sentimentals, Storybook, and Tie the Knot for my embellishments and tags.  I used a lot of Smootch Spritz in silver also for added sparkle!

Another page, I have another flourish punch I used behind the blue flower, and stamen stems from Michael's.  I had flowers from Making Memories that matched the paper line on the right page, with buttons as well.  The peacock feather and leaves, and the blue flower were cut from the Cricut cartridges.

I had bling, sorry, I didn't have the package!, more flourishes from the Cricut.  The lower right corner are felt flowers with rhinestone centers.

The flowers were from another punch, from Fiskars.  Another butterfly.  I enhanced the wings with a glitter pen.

Some more flowers and feathers and bling!

Pretty, huh?  I tried to leave a little space for some small pictures.  I didn't decorate the tags at all, because of bulk.  Bigger pictures and journaling will go on the tags.

The back of the book.  It had to be decorated too!

I sure hope that you liked the book and the tutorial.  PLEASE...if you use my tutorial to make one for yourself, won't you please let me know.  I would love to see the results of your fantastic creativity!!

Stay crafty, my friends,
Michelle

Recycled Envelope Mini Book, Part Deux

So now, you should have all of your pages made.  The picture just gives another shot of the orientation of your book.

Ink the edges of your envelope.  The papers will cover the entire envelope, but it helps to "hide" the edges of envelope.

Ok, now choose your papers and cover.  I used a glue stick, use whatever adhesive works for you.  Go to just the edge of the pocket on the top, and on the right side...

Turn it over, and cut off the remaining paper.

Cut a strip of paper for the "tag" part of your project.  I cut it a little wider than required, and slipped it inside of the pocket a bit.

Once the other side is also covered in the same manner, ink all of the edges again.

Do this for all of your envelopes.  Oh, by the way, the papers were from Making Memories.

The next step is to bind your project.  Do it however you want.  I used my bind it all because it is one of the coolest toys in my craft room and I LOVE IT!  You can tie all kinds of pretty things the spine of your book when you are done.  It is a lovely thing!

I then measured the pockets and cut tags accordingly.  You need one of these for every page you made.  These tags went into the middle pocket...

These tags, cut from my Cricut (I love this toy also!!), are for the pockets on the front and back of the envelope pages, so you need two for every page you made.  I love these papers, blue and green are my favorite colors.

Ink the edges of your tags.

Tomorrow...Part three...embellishing!