Project: Name Card Holders for Your Holiday Dinner

Hello Scrappers--Sorry to have been away for so long, but I have been working on some major projects.  When I learned Mom would host Thanksgiving this year, I wanted to do a little something special for the table, so I searched for some ideas.  I came up with this little topiary, and it was pretty easy to do.  Here are some photos and steps in the process...

1) Start with a large or extra large daisy petal punch, some plain cardstock and a 6 x 6 double-sided paper pad like this one from MME.

2) The number of flower punchouts is determined by the size of your ball topiary--this one is 1.5 inches. I also cut some of the balls in half for the florist foam, used green stakes for the "branch" and then laid a little moss on top to cover the styrofoam.

3) Once you have your punched flowers, flip the edges up like this.

4) eesh--pardon my manicure in the above shot!  :)  Ok, now it is time to get your hot glue gun ready.  I use a cool shot--the burns aren't quite as easy to get with it.  I start at the bottom (or top really) and push pretty hard on the foam and squish the flowers together as tightly as possible.

5)  keep going until you have covered your foam ball with the flowers--the cut of the petals does look like a boxwood--such a classic topiary plant.  My mom loved these as we had one for each place setting and the guests could take them home.  I simply tied a little name tag to twine and attached it to the branch--sorry I didn't include the final picture of the table, but this gives you an idea of what it turned out like.

I thought I would share the whole process in case anyone was hosting some holiday dinners this December. :)  Thanks for stopping by!

Congrats to October Fabric and Challenge Winner Dawna

This month's Fabric and Trim Challenge Winner was my dear scrappy friend Dawna. You can check her out at sb.com here...http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/641373/view/3403529/-1.html.  A photo of her LO is below.  She is a gifted scrapper, and I am sure you will love looking at her gallery.

Dawna's prize this month is a "fat quarter" of black and creme toile fabric.  it is pictured below.  If you would like a chance to win it as well, please comment on this post and follow my blog.  If you do, I will put you in for a chance to win.  Thanks!

As for the November Challenge, it can be found here at sb.com. I hope you play along with us this month.


http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/1566611/post/new/#NEW   


As for the prize, I haven't yet decided, but I promise it will be good.  Happy Scrapping!

A Couple of Quilled Cards

Hi Scrap Fans--I recently purchased a quill, and I am trying to get the pressure of my rolls down.  Here are two cards I made with the rolled papers.  The rolls are pretty forgiving to work with, but the circle becomes more perfect if you have completely equal pressure while rolling.  The circle in the middle of the sun is purposefully off-center.  Thanks for stopping in at the blog. :)

I used the same tool with doilies on this card.  Because it has a slot on the end, you can easily roll practically any paper--the doilies tend to rip with too much pressure though.  I used small doilies and cut them in a circular pattern to create the flowers on the card below.

Exploring the CuttleBug--Majestic Mountains of Montana

Hi Scrap Fans--Recently I purchased a cuttlebug, and it is possibly the most low-tech and fun to use tool that I own (besides maybe my distresser).  The texture it adds to LOs is really awesome.  Recently I visited my brother in Montana, and I took some pretty cool pix of the mountain ranges out there (seven without sight of his home!!). 

I wanted to capture how massive and awesome they are, and so I went a little crazy on the LO pictured below.  I distressed everything, even going so far as to completely crumple the cardstock and then smooth it back out and then used various textured plates to help make the various mountains dimensional.

I then used artist's medium for the snow and mistable ribbon for the clouds.  Underneath near the pond, I used a comb and dragged it through paint in order to get the texture of the field.  I know it is an unusual LO, but I really like how it came out...plus, it was featured on scrapbook.com's home page.  Makes a girl feel good. :)  Thanks for popping over to my blog!

Don't Forget The Fundraising Crop in Medford Lakes This Sunday November 6

Hello Scrap Fans__

If you are in or close to the jersey area, please come out for a Fundraising Crop on November 6, 2011.  Doors will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and price of admission includes breakfast, coffee, snacks and beverages throughout the day as well as entry into the cash prizes for best LOs of the day!  In addition, we will have vendors there to help with any supplies you may want to pick up, and there will be a chinese auction for some awesome goody bags.  There will also be a giveaway every hour!  How can you stay away??  Entry is $20 per person for 6 foot table of scrapping space and access to a cricut expression and cuttle bug.

Are you a novice who is just beginning to explore this hobby?  We'll have experts milling around to offer advice and tips too!  Page kits will be available for those who need a little nudge in the right direction as well.  If the full day doesn't fit into your schedule, come out after 1 p.m., and we'll slash the price of entry--no lunch will be included, but you can come and scrap for only $12.

Address of Event is: Vaughan Hall  79 Tecumseh Trail Medford Lakes, NJ 08055 .  If you have any questions or comments, please email me or leave a comment here.  I hope to see you!!

Just One More Halloween LO

this was in response to a scraptastic club challenge--we had a recipe.  One of the items was a spooky picture, so I treated Kiernan to an art lesson.  Below are two Halloween cards made from scraps.  I am trying to get better at card-making.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

More Halloween Fun!

I learned that this page has also been featured on scrapbook.com as both "cute" and "funny."  I love these papers, and did a little experimenting with distress stain--also some goodies from Authentique.  This was Halloween last year--had to change my journal after I snapped the picture.  Thanks for looking!

Mind Your Mummy

Hello Scrap Fans--Well, I did create a non-picture Halloween LO for my 12 x 12 inch frame.  I love decorating for Halloween, so this will just join my stash.  Please send me any of your altered projects or non-picture Halloween decor--I would love to see them.  Happy Scrapping!

Hello Fellow Scrappers--October Fun

Hi All--I am trying to get inspiration for some October pages, and I find Kiernan's cutesy pix are not doing it for me.  When my scrappy friend Courtney mentioned a challenge without a photo, I started getting my creative juices flowing again.

So, that got me to thinking about altered projects as well.  Thus far, I haven't really had the courage to try any.  I have a few blocks I want to play with and also a chipboard album/box.  I hope to work with these this month and see about posting them.

Also--I am hosting the Fabric, Trim and Ribbon Challenge over at sb.com.  For details go here... http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/1565193/ The prize this month will be a fat quarter of black and cream toile by Calico Corners--it's a great quality materials for your crafting needs.  Please join me in the challenge.  Here is a little fabric inspiration...

Fabric Challenge--Final Hours

Hello All in Scrap Land--Just a few hours left to enter my first-ever challenge over at SB.com.  You can find details here...

http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/1564283/

Example:

But the only rule is that you use fabric in a LO in some way.  I will be asking for votes on October 1st and have offered five yoyo for your own scrapping or craft use to the winner.  I hope to offer the challenge again next month if we all enjoy it.  Thanks for checking in and look forward to seeing your entries!

This is my Take on Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Another page for Gram's book, but the first one of me--this is a wedding photo from 1998.  I have been practicing the medallions, and I wanted to use some yellow echo park papers--the blue I swept over a white embossed page after the title/journal  came to mind.

JWA Crop Event Hosted by Medford Lakes Junior Women's Auxiliary

THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO VENDORS AND SCRAPPERS ALIKE

Do you love to scrapbook or have you always wanted to try it?  Do you buy supplies and never have the time to sit down to use them?  Do you love getting together with friends?  Did you take any cute back to school or Halloween pictures?  Then the First Annual Fundraising Crop is THE event for you!  Come with your photos and supplies (or pick up a page kit for a nominal fee) and start scrapping!  For $25, you will get a table to scrap on Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., access to electricity for your own machine, breakfast, lunch, beverages and snacks all day...PLUS, $2 from each entry fee will be put into the pot for cash prizes!  If you love a challenge, then our prizes are perfect for you.  We will also be offering grab bags for Chinese auction.  If you come with a few dollars you may be able to pick up something from one of our vendors too!  Don’t delay--reserve space today!  Email or call Kelly Shoaf at kelly@sjareahomes.com or 609.351.2125 for reservations or more information.

Vendors:  6 foot table with 2 hairs is only $5 cash and $5 to $10 grab bag donation to our Chinese Auction.  Vendor hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the day of the event.  I wnat to limit to only one vendor per category to reduce duplication and competition.  Please email or message me for more info!  Thanks :)

Patriotic LO

Today being the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I was searching for the right material to use and do a fitting tribute for the day. I had a ton of bright, cool papers and some nice embellishments, but I wasn't grabbed by any of them.

I did find a picture of gram, her husband and my dad as a baby though...my grandfather was in uniform and had placed his hat on dad's head for the picture. While not directly related, I never knew my grandfather. I know he was a hero to my gram and my father and aunts too, and because I never had him in my life, I made a connection to the people who have an absence in their lives--through the tragedy of 9/11--or in all the ways we as human beings experience loss.

This may be a stretch, but it was my way of contemplating the anniversary. I will post the page tomorrow.

First Blog Post as a Scrapbooker

Well, I've done this for real estate news and local information, but this is my first time at a scrapbooking blog. I see so many of my friends who have one on sb.com, that I thought I should join (or hope to stand out from) the crowd!

First thing I want to work on is challenges...I'd like to host some of my own. I think using stitching and fabric will be a good start, as I really think those elements are great on a LO.

Hope to be back soon!