Plant kindness and love - taken from the Authentique Paper blog

I hope I'm allowed to 'borrow' in this manner - I NEED to be able to do this in future!! I've done a sample petal, and I'm hooked! I have lots of patterned paper that these will be awesome for! Borrowed exactly as written from their awesome blog:

I've got a step-by-step tutorial prepared for you! Beware though, these flowers are time consuming and addicting to make! I didn't count, but I think it took me 30-40 flowers to fill this bouquet (and a lot of paper)... each one took about 20 minutes to make.

First you will need to cut your paper. For the small flowers I used 3x3 pieces (the 6x6 pads come in handy for this!) for the larger pieces I used the 12x12 sheets and cut them into 4x4 pieces. You will need 5 pieces of wither 3x3 or 4x4 to make one flower.

Fold paper in half to make a triangle. Make sure that the pattern side that you want your flower to be is the side showing.

Fold the two end pieces up to make a diamond shape, make sure all of you creases are firm. You may need to use a bone folder for this part.

Take the two top pieces and fold them back to meet the sides (I can't really think of how to explain to do this... so I will show another picture below)

This is what you should have now.

Now take and flatten out the top two pieces so they look like this.

Fold the little flaps back and crease, then tuck them inside.

Fold the two outside pieces on the crease that already exists and bring the two sides to meet, you will have a sort of cone shape that looks like this.

Glue the inside pieces together using hot glue (I used a high heat setting) then clamp them for a few minutes so the glue can get a firm bond.

Repeat these steps until you have all five petals.

Now glue the petals together, again using hot glue, make sure you hold each piece for a few minutes until the glue has set or the flower will fall apart and you will have glue gunk everywhere.

Before you add the last piece, if you are making a bouquet, I would suggest bamboo skewers. I added one in right before adding the last petal to the flower. Then I topped it off with a matching button.

Authentique: Gathering Collection- 6x6 bundle, 12x12 sheets, Headlines
Really Reasonable Ribbon: Sheer Iridescent Peach, Copper Glitz Ribbon
Assorted Buttons
Bamboo Skewers
Styrofoam Ball

My Day Off

This was a very fun Wednesday. While Katy, Houston and surrounding areas were belted with rain and wind (and tornadoes) Jesse & I scrapped the day away. Managed to get an entire cute little 7x7 album done, ready for putting photos and journaling. Very pleased with today, laughing, coffee, scrapping, relaxing. Awesome!

Martha Stewart-ish!

I've had a very 'homemade, crafty, cooky' kind of day. Laundry, a given for a Monday!

Made a birthday scrapbook layout for Benjamin's upcoming big day (that goes with the one I made yesterday), (photos to come) made a pear coffee cake which turned out way better than I expected LOL!!

Tasty too. Then embarked on my first ever homemade pea soup. It was super thick and had a lot of flavor.

Really impressed myself! Wonder what tomorrow will bring, or if my domestic kick will take a day off :)

Continuing on :)

The Simple Stories blog hop was so much fun. Thank you to everyone who commented on my post, and said such kind things about my mini book. Very sweet of you all, and I feel very inspired to continue and get it finished.

My next project is going to be quite different. I've had this book that I just HAD to have from Archivers, called Journaling Solutions. It is marked at $19.99, but it is worth it! (And I used a coupon haha!)

I journal a lot, as I feel that is just as important as the photo to tell the story, and sometimes more so. I am using this amazing book to create an album of interviews, stories and favorite comments or funny sayings that come out of the kids' mouths. It will be ongoing, and hopefully not finished for years to come, but I have kick started it with an interview I found with the kids on Sept 26/11. They laughed when I read it back to them, and seeing as my husband travels so much, they are things he would otherwise miss out on.

This album will be 95% written, with the odd photo, likely 2x2 of the kids here and there. I am very excited about it, and will post updates from time to time as I get pages completed. I plan on using one journaling pen (black) and lots of colorful paper to accent, with a plain white background page to make it easy to doodle around. Here's hoping it turns out the way I see it in my head :)

Facebook Fan Blog Hop 2012 with Simple Stories

Congratulations! You are officially part of the first ever, most fabulous Facebook Fan Blog Hop 2012 with Simple Stories! Here's what you need to do:

Hop along the blogging trail, to each of the blogs/sites listed below. Please leave a comment HERE and on each of the blogs you visit, including the Simple Stories blog - it will be worth your while; you will see some awesome projects with Simple Stories goodies! Hint hint: prizes to score, winners chosen from your comments! Woohoo!

For my project, I have been working on something that will likely be my favorite album that I've ever made. My little son, only 4, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on Sept 12, 2011. The worst news a mother ever wants to hear is that not only is your baby sick, but that it is something that will not go away. I made a not-quite mini album to record the journey from discovery to coping, and it has hidden pockets and journaling spots everywhere! As soon as I decidedI would do this, the Simple Stories Destinations paper collection came to mind as the perfect supply to use.

For a truly different type of Destination, take a look:

Book cover is simply chipboard with beautiful pattern paper and embellishments.

first pages:

Each page has a full size slit in the outer edge, which holds a 4x6 photo mat, or journal tag, or accordian fold letter. Tons of real estate in this book!

Second set of pages, flaps closed:

Each of the flaps also has the side slit, so they have hidden tags as well.

With flaps open:

Still a few pages to go before I'm done. It's a very emotional project for me, so I'm taking my time. Look how beautiful this paper is!

I am so proud of not only my son, and this project, but for me actually scrapping this. My son is so young, he won't remember the how or when or why. This is a gift for him. He's an amazing little boy, and I hope he will see through this just how special he is to us, and just how far we will go to keep him safe and well and loved.

So hop on, everyone! Enjoy, and have fun! Here's your path:

BLOG HOP SCHEDULE:

1) Simple Stories
www.simple-stories.com

2) Martha Saenz
http://www.welcometomarthaworld.blogspot.com

3) Simple Stories design team member, Kim Holmes http://www.theholmescrew.blogspot.com

4) Amanda Albright
http://www.asquared.typepad.com

5) Cindy Pittman - YOU ARE HERE!
http://www.scrapixie.blogspot.com

6) Simple Stories design team member, Emily Pitts
http://www.emilypitts.blogspot.com

7) Sara O’Shea knittingprose.com
http://www.knittingprose.com

8) Simple Stories design team member, Allison Landy
http://www.scrapsrfun.typepad.com

9) Kate Blue
http://www.Kateblue.blogspot.com

10) Simple Stories design team member, Wendy Morris
http://scrapnspire.blogspot.com

11) Naomi Armenta
http://www.snipitytweetwhispers.blogspot.com

12) Michelle Brekke
http://www.wildnkrazie.blogspot.com

13) Simple Stories design team member, Liz Qualman
http://www.lizqualman.blogspot.com

Triple Sweet

I admit, at Christmas time this year I cheated. I mailed out store bought cards. Horrible huh? And to be truly honest? I was at Walmart yesterday and found 4 boxes of cards that I got dirt cheap that I'm going to use for the upcoming year. :)

I cannot bring myself to spend $5-7 on a birthday card. For anyone. Do you realize the amount of scrappy supplies that would cover in a month / year? No, no, no.

I am in need of a birthday card for a little cutie today. And I know I'll need a birthday card for my own little munchkin in less than 2 weeks, and then Valentine's day... Oh the crafting never stops :) So. The two that say 'Sweet' are for little one's birthdays, and the third I'll give hubby when he comes home from his latest work-on-the-road stint. Love the blue / brown combination!

Celebrating a milestone

My best friend from 'back home', Sherry, will soon be celebrating her youngest little person's first birthday. I can't believe I've been away so long that she's had another entire person! We were lucky to meet him in Aug of last year, on a super-quick trip back. This is cutie patootie Ronan, and Sherry:

I've made a scrappy book, out of a children's tabbed board book that I picked up for a dollar from Garden Ridge. Covering the pages with yummy paper, covering the spine with ribbon, and adding some photo mats and a few embellishments was all it took to make this kid's book into a baby's first year memory book. I'm sending it to Sherry for Ronan, hopefully for a photo per month of his first year, easily visually documenting his growth through his first year. I so wish I could be there to experience the birthday cake first hand, he will have a blast!



I hope she likes it!

Pretty Storage

Long before I was a scrapbooker, I was a great believer in my Daytimer. Not a computerized one, no PDA, no online calendar, but a real, paper in hand scheduler. When I discovered scrapbooking almost 11 years ago (wow!) it became even more important to me. As all of us crafty folks know, journaling on your pages and books is so important. You also know that we are all behind LOL! My way for making that 'ok' is by keeping my daytimer updated daily with anything I may want to journal about.

Now comes my project for today. It turned into a little more than I'd planned. I wanted to make a storage solution for my daytimer pages from last year. I refer back to them often, so I wanted it cute so it could be out and not tucked away, and something simple. I use a 2 page per day system (plus adding in all the school reminders, notices, tickets, etc. that go along with daily life) so my daytimer is awfully chunky, too much for the silver rings. This is what I came up with:

Simple closure:

Ribbon binding:

Easy to read label:

The only thing I may add will be a small date tab hanging from the spine on the ribbon.

Now... to get onto the previous months / years! It will be a work in process :)

The new and big scrappy committment!

I've been busy in my scrappy room this week, and I'm happy to say that at this moment, not only is my project life 365 up to date (and all being done in Simple Stories goodies):



>>>check out www.simplestories@typepad.com if you like this idea, they have lots of inspiration!<<<

I am also working on something else that even if I say... it's awesome :) Not time to reveal just yet, but it is a very personal journey that is extremely emotional to me, and I've found just the way to document it. Stay tuned for the reveal (Jan 20th, to be exact.)

We went to our very first gymnastics meet with our friends yesterday, and witnessed amazing skills! Miss D (who hasn't competed in 4 years due to injury, and had major surgery just 5 months ago) competed in four events: Floor, Beam, Uneven Bars and balance beam, and she received medals in all: 3 first place, 1 second place, as well as All around first for her division. Amazing. Such pride from her friends, family, and herself, and so deserved. Very honored to have been able to witness. (And her mom used the little record keeping book I made her, cool!)

Happy Scrappy New Year!

I've made a New Year's Resolution (well a few of them, but this one I hope most of all sticks!) I am going to post my projects and layouts more consistently, to keep track of everything I've done, and what I've given to whom.

First up for the year is a set of Mommy / Daughter mini pads. Decorated simply, to make it easy to tuck into purse or gym bag, these little things are quick and easy, and very cute! Embellished with ribbon, stickers, and pretty paper, they are a cute way to keep track of meets and scores and practices, and a cinch to add in a 4x6 photo here and there.

Mommy's book:


Yes, I hand-wrote the words on 50 index cards, 25 for each. Think I will stamp them next go-round, it may be quicker...

Daughter's book: