Personalized Wall Monograms

I did these two Wall Monograms as gifts to my daughters for Christmas. I purchased the Monogram letters at Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago for 50% off... and then freehand doodled in pencil and then traced my doodles with a fine tipped sharpie marker and colored them in with a combination of gel pens and colored sharpie markers...

Happy Mail!

I got Happy Mail yesterday from Stacy Julian!!! I was so excited to get home and open up the package when I got home from work this morning! There was a set of these absolutely cool quote post cards; 2 Making Memories mini albums; a BPS mouse pad; a THINK BIG pencil; an "A" monogram stamp from ki memories; and a mini album, a ribbon stack and set of soft charms from the "NOEL" line of Love, Elsie (and I just ADORE Elsie's line of paper and embellishments!) AND there was a personal note in the box from Stacy!!! It just made my whole day... It's been quite a month... I got an e-mail from Ali Edwards and now a note from Stacy Julian!!

Scrapbook Starter

Another project from the classes I've been taking over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I can't express enough how cool these online classes are, if you get a chance, give one a try, you won't regret it! I used Elsie Flannigan paper and embellishments, some Close to My Heart Window charms, clothes pins and cork board. Is this not too cool for words?

Mini Gable Boxes

Mom and I spent Saturday night cutting 144 of these out with a Sizzix die cut and we got about 75 of them put together to use as mint boxes for my brother's wedding in 3 weeks... It's hard to believe that the wedding is only 3 weeks away!! I found this paper at the Scrapnook in Fargo... it's made by EK Success. I told my future Sister-in-law it was fate that we use it because she is Esther and my brother is Korey... EK...lol... the colors and patterns matched the wedding invite PERFECTLY!!

A Photo Everyday Challenge

As you all know, I'm taking some classes over at Big Picture Scrapbooking (I highly recommend them... they are challenging and informative and I've gotten some incredible inspiration over there). In my email inbox on Thursday last week was a special "extra" challenge from one of my teachers Lisa Damrosch... she challenged each of us to take a photo everyday in December. I started a new blog to record my journey thru December (and hopefully beyond) to meet this challenge. If you would like to check it out, just hop over to A Photo Everyday and take a look at my photos so far.

Happy Scrapping!
Alicia P.

Winter Wonderland

What a differance just a day or two makes. We got hit yesterday with a heck of a snowstorm that left us with 8+ inches of snow on the ground! I took this picture this morning leaving the Armed Forces Reserve Center... Don't you just love the fresh unmarked snow glistening in the sun?

Travel Journal

I created this travel journal for my daughter before she left for a 3 week trip to Europe this past summer with People to People Student Ambassadors. I used 6 x 9 manila envelopes as the base of the album so that she would have an envelope to stash memorabilia in each day of her trip. The paper is Vintage Travel made by Close To My Heart and I used various other embellishments. I had it spiral bound at my local OfficeMax.




Here are a couple pictures of my daughter and the group she was travelling with. According to her it was an "amazing" trip and was worth all the hard work to get her there...

It's begining to look alot like Christmas...

Ok... so maybe it's just starting to look/feel like Winter... we had our first sub-zero day of the season yesterday... today is an improvement... I believe it was 16 degrees out when I left work this morning... it's supposed to stay in the 20's most of the day with lots of wind and snow...

10 ATC's from an 8.5 x 11 sheet of Cardstock

Here is a template that shows how to cut your cardstock to get 10 - 2.5 x 3.5 size ATC's out of 1 - 8.5 x 11 sheet!! Just click on the photo to get a larger version. Enjoy!!!

Matchbox mini ATC album

I've been having a blast making these out of my scraps!! I've included the template and the matchbox will hold 3.5 x 2.5 ATC cards... You can make the box from 1 sheet of 8.5 x 11 cardstock and decorate with your scraps!!! This picture is of FOUR of the matchboxes stacked... Aren't they just FUN!!



Click on the template picture for a bigger photo... Feel free to use the template on your own projects, share with your friends, but please don't sell the template...

Art Journal

I found these cool Mead comp books at OfficeMax... the top half of the sheet is quad ruled and the bottom half is lined. Perfect for an Art Journal... I've been saving it but came across this incredibly awesome paper by Elsie Flannigan and couldn't resist using it to create this Art Journal... now... I just need to come up with some cool projects for the INSIDE!!!

Monogram Ornaments

Another cool idea from Ali Edward's Blog Monogram Christmas ornaments. I made these for my Brother Korey & his Fiance' Esther they are getting married on New Year's Eve. I used American Crafts Rub-on letters, Bazzill Rub-ons and Rhinestones and 2007 ribbon from Ribbon Trends... I picked up the heart shaped glass ornaments at Michaels...

Flip Book Class

Photos of the Christmas Flip Book I will be teaching at the Scrapnook on Monday Dec 3rd... class is from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. There are still spots open if you want to join in!! Just stop by or give them a call:

2301 South University Dr. Fargo, ND (701)293-3699
Store Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5 & Sun 12-5

Hope to see you there!!
Alicia P.

Another Christmas Project

I made this cute advent calendar in my class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and just think it's adorable... I used a line of BoBunny Christmas Papers with coordinating stickers, some round tags and velcro dots along with a document frame I picked up at Wal-Mart. I attached the spare number tags to the back of the frame using velcro dots...

Only 33 more days until Christmas!!

Hope everyone has a feastive Thanksgiving! - Alicia P.

Christmas?

Ok... so I've jumped on the Christmas bandwagon and have started on my Christmas gifts. Here is the Christmas planner I made this weekend to help me keep everything organized:

The paper is Hollydays from CTMH... The font is a Sizzix die cut and the holly leaves are a Quikutz die cut. The ribbon is from Michaels.

It's begining to look alot like Christmas...

Alicia P.

Amazing Women

I'm taking a couple of really cool online scrapbooking classes over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. One of them is called Amazing Women and I wanted to share with you the cover of my "My Book" Journal created for this class. I found this paper at my local Scrapbook store and just knew it was going to be perfect for this project.

Happy Scrapping!

Alicia P.

Ali Edwards "Life Artist"

I have to post today... and I'm going to try and post more often... I know I've said it before... but this time I'm going to make an effort to try and post something on this blog at least once a week.

Now... I have to tell everyone I picked up Ali Edward's new book "Life Artist" yesterday... and read it already... not just browsed thru it to look at all the incredible ideas, but really read it... couldn't put it down... read all the journalling in the page samples... read it cover to cover...

I HAVE to recommend this book to everyone... it is a MUST own with incredible ideas, wonderful inspiration and terrific advice... Makes you just want to sit down with your papers, scissors and glue for the next 48 hours and create, write and tell yourself "IT'S OK"...

Thank you Ali for such a wonderful addition to my Library...

Alicia P.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Sorry for being spotty on here again lately... I'm actually writing to tell you I'm going on a mini vacation of sorts... My youngest daughter leaves on July 23rd for Europe and My little sister is getting married on July 28th... so I'm probably not going to be able to find time to update again until the end of the month... but look out... I have some AWESOME ideas for you starting in August....

Stay Tuned.....

Alicia P.

Weekend Challenge

Hope everyone had an awesome 4th of July! I spent it playing 18 holes of golf with hubby and friends, then headed out to my mom's for a family picnic and fireworks fun...

I received this challange yesterday via e-mail from one of the scrapbooking groups I'm a member of and thought it was such an interesting challange, I would share it here:

Find two pictures of yourself, one from when you were very young and one recent one. The journaling can be lengthy or short but should reflect the phrase, "You've come a long way, Baby!" Use your favorite colors.

On your mark, get set, GOOOOOO!!!

E-mail your layout to me and receive some "blog bling" to scrapbook with via snail mail from me!!

Technique Tuesday

Cracked Glass Technique
Supplies: VersaMark Ink Pad; Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) or Clear Embossing Powder; Dye Ink; Image Stamp(s); Cardstock; and a Heat Gun

Step 1: Stamp image on cardstock
Step 2: Add color to image as needed
Step 3: Either Apply VersaMark over the entire piece of cardstock
Step 4: Place your cardstock either into a craft tray or on a sheet of copy paper and pour the UTEE over it.
Step 5: Heat powder with the heat gun until melted
Step 6: While the UTEE is still hot, add more powder over the cardstock. If the UTEE has cooled, just reheat or apply another layer of VersaMark before adding the UTEE.
Step 7: Heat again until melted
Step 8: Repeat steps 6 & 7 until you have a smooth layer over the entire image.
Step 9: After heating the last layer of UTEE, put the cardstock in the freezer for a couple minutes. The cardstock will look warped when you take it out of the freezer, but no worries...
Step 10: Bend cardstock carefully until the UTEE cracks. Continue bending in different areas of the image until you like how it looks.

If you'd like the cracks to show more, sponge a dark colored ink over the entire image. The ink gets into the cracks. Wipe the image with a paper towel to pick up the ink that doesn't seep into the cracks.

Fireworks

I love to take photos of fireworks... only 1 out of about 100 ever come out clear and cool looking but this photo from the 4th of July 2005 is one of those that I enjoy looking at... I was able to get photos of my kids playing with sparklers that year, probably the last year I'll ever get photos of my now teenagers doing something they feel is so "childish"... I sure miss the days when they were in grade school...now they just want to blow things up!

Independence Coaster Frame

This is a coaster frame made using 4" square coasters (If I remember correctly there were Smirnoff Ice coasters). The paper and stickers are from Close To My Heart "Independence" line. I also used Silver Hinges, Colonial White brads and Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon. I used the Close To My Heart's "Playful Lowercase" stamp set to stamp "USA".

I thought it was a cute patriotic project to share this week!!

Enjoy!
Alicia P.

Weekend Challenge

I don't know about you... but I very seldom scrapbook anything about myself... I scrapbook my husband's Army career (he gets to go to all those unique and interesting places), I scrapbook my kids (who have grown to HATE my camera), and my extended family (who are starting to wonder if I will ever come out from behind the camera and join the party). I am starting to scrapbook about myself... pages with pictures and pages without.

Here is my first challange for all of you out there. Create a scrapbook page titled "21 Things to do in My Lifetime" use photos/pictures of the things you want to do. It can be either a single page layout or a double page layout.

Email a photo of your page(s) to me and I will post them here on Tuesday evening... Everyone that emails me a photo of their page to me will get a special prize from me.

Happy Scrapping,
Alicia P.

Sorry

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile... been busy!! Got sick for a week, husband got sent to Arizona for SW Border work with the Nat'l Guard, kids needed transport to and from summer school AND I was still juggling shifts at work. Well, today is the first day of summer for me... NO MORE SHIFTS until late Aug/early Sept!!! YIPEE.

Thought I would share my most recent project. My youngest daughter is leaving for Europe as part of the People to People Student Ambassadors program, so I put together this 6 x 9 envelope album for her to take along... I'm only going to post a couple pictures as it is 21 pages long (one envelope/page per day of her trip).

I used Close To My Hearts Vintage Travel Level 2 Paper Pack and Black Cardstock for this project. I used various embellishments and rub-on's.

Card of the Week

• Stamp Set: Wonderful Charms by Close To My Heart
• Paper: Sweet Harmony by Close To My Heart

Tuesday's Technique

Basic Chipboard Covering

Supplies: Chipboard, Sanding Block or Sand Paper, White Glue, Paint Brush (usable with glue), Pencil, Hobby Blade, Cutting Mat, and Scissors.

• Start by flipping the paper over and trace the desired chipboard piece backwards.
• After tracing around the chipboard, start to cut it out. If your piece has any center cutouts, cut those out first with the hobby blade. Finish by cutting around the traced image.
• You now have a cut-out paper duplicate of your chipboard piece. Note that the cut out piece is slightly bigger than the chipboard.
• Apply glue to the chipboard using the paintbrush to smooth it out.
• Adhere the chipboard to the paper - let it dry.
• Sand along the edges to give it that finished, distressed look. Nail files of about 100 grit work great for getting into the corners.
• Embellish and add to your scrapbook page or card.

6x6 Mother's Day Gift Album Workshop

Join us for scrapbooking fun as we create eight 6" x 6" layouts featuring your photos. Perfect for mother's day, you'll love working with the coordinating stamps, as well as ribbon, paper flowers and brads and buttons. Scrapbook your memories of your Mother under the tutelage of an expert - great for beginners to seasoned pros!

Where: Great Bend Fire Hall, Great Bend, North Dakota
When: Saturday, April 21st
Time: 10:00 a.m. until we're done (I'll be providing a light lunch)
What to bring: Paper trimmer, scissors, adhesive, pop dots
Price: $15.00

Come early, stay late... bring your projects and stay to crop the day away!

RSVP by April 19th: akporter@rrt.net