SOC Altered Picture Frame Mini Album and Our Love Bug Introduction

Hi Everyone,

So with today being Thanksgiving I thought I would share with you a very special project. This one is dear to me because it reminds me how truly blessed I am.  I was diagnosed with PCOS a long time ago and was told that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant naturally. That I would need medical assistance if I ever want children.  Last Thanksgiving I found out that I was pregnant.  This Thanksgiving she is four (4) months young, beautiful and healthy; Praise God!!

Some months ago I went to perusing my local Michael's and saw this really pretty picture frame and instantly had a great idea to take the frame and make a mini album out of it, so I picked up a couple of frames.  I started this project and then I put it down again.  Not sure if it was the tiredness from pregnancy or the fussy cutting, or maybe it was a combination of the two. Whatever it was, I walked away from the project.

Then I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl and crafting came to a near standstill.  A few weeks ago I picked the project back up and was inspired once again and this time I finished it.

I love, love, love how this came out!!  Oh, and introducing the star in this album, our Lil' Love Bug, Rebekah...

Up close and personal...

The back of the album...

Just pull the ribbon to open the album...

 I might go back and spritz the flowers with a little Lindy's but otherwise I really like it. I have this frame hanging up at work on my cubicle/desk wall.  I attached black card stock to the frame and turned it into an accordion mini album.  I admit the 2x3 pics are a little dark because I printed them on the printer at work and couldn't adjust the settings, but I am going to print them through Walmart or Snapfish and then put them in.

There are many different options to choose for a hanging or put a stand on the back, but I chose the ribbon.

This project came out so well I can't wait to do it again.  So there you  have it.

I have never known such bliss as much as being a Mom.  I am truly blessed!!  Thanksgiving is so much more meaningful this year.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!

Kelli


What I used…
~Michael's $1.50 bin frame
~G45 Ladies Diary 6x6 pad
~Recollections Black Card Stock
~Ranger Black dabber paint
~Butterfly Punches
~Glossy Accents
~Straight pins
~Acrylic Beads
~Studio G Flat Back Pearls
~Trico Roses in Peach
~Recollections Roses in Ivory

Thanksgiving Traditions

 

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving Tradition? In my family we all hold hands and pray before the meal.  And love that there is always Turkey and Dressing and family from far and near. It would not be thanksgiving without my sister JoAnn’s Secret-To-A-Happy-Marriage yeast Rolls. We pour over the sale ads and plot our attack. We watch football, talk baseball and track (players in the family). We remember those we love who are no longer with us and give thanks for those who are.

But my favorite tradition is a crafty one. I try to mail out my Christmas cards on Black Friday. My friends tell me that my card is the first card they receive. Most years I make it. This year I have been working hard to meet my deadline. Here is what I have come up with so far.

I generally made multiples of each design but I won’t bore you with that.

close-up so many layers

This one is the tags I made:

And these are card components that I have not come up with the finished project for yet!

 

What crafty traditions do you have?

Wishing you a happy and safe Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you all!

 

In His Hands,

QP

The Trial and Error of my Burlap Wreath

I stared out with such excitement over this wreath and am very happy with the way it finally turned out. Although I did have a few bumps along the way. First I took to my favorite inspiration place Pinterest for a tutorial on making a burlap wreath and settled on this one: www.stonegableblog.com/2013/burlap-wreath tutorial. It seemed easy enough and didn't have as many steps as some others I've seen. After getting all my supplies together I was ready to get started.

Photo of my original supplies:

 

It was easier than I thought and was coming along pretty good...I decided that I wanted the entire wreath to be burlap and not use the mesh I had purchase. Well, wouldn't you know it, I ran out of burlap. I made a mad dash to Hobby Lobby to purchase more and there was none to be found, they even had it on sale for 50% off but all I found was 3 empty shelves and no burlap.

 

Photo of the half-finished wreath:



I then decided that I would check at Michaels the next day, luckily they had plenty of rolls but it cost $1.00 more (and not on sale) I did however use my 40% off coupon on one of the rolls. I purchased 2 rolls to be on the safe side but when I got back home it was not a match for the burlap I had already started with. So I had to un-do the old ribbon and start over with the new burlap...I was determined to get it done and up on my front door.

Photo of the finished wreath:

 

 

And here's the wreath hanging on my front door:

 

  

 

I really like how it turned out but don't think I'll take on any new projects for the up-coming holidays LOL.

 

I would love to hear about any new tutorials you've tried out lately or if you plan on trying one for future projects.

 

Have a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving everyone!

 

~Tena

Thanksgiving Pocket Journaling Cards

The holidays are quickly approaching.  Here in Maryland, we had our first snow of the season yesterday.  To help get into the spirit, I decided to create a few pocket journaling cards.  They are pre-sized at 4"x3" which should fit many of the pocket scrapbooking systems that have been so popular lately.  If you have yet to adopt that style of scrapbooking, the journaling cards can be used for both traditional and digital scrapbooking as well.

To download, just right click the thumbnail image below and save the PDF.  For a perfect fit, when printing do not "scale to fit media."

I hope you will enjoy these! (For personal, non-commercial use only)

 

Turkey Time...Gobble Gobble

Happy Monday Beautiful People!

Can you believe Thanksgiving is Thursday? Where did the time go? This is my favorite time of year. I love to take this day to really reflect on all the things my family and I have been blessed with. Even through the trials and tribulations of life, we still have something to be thankful for.

Another thing I love to do is cook! I will admit, I let the food, especially the turkey, be the decoration/centerpiece. I usually do not decorate for Thanksgiving. This year however, I felt compelled to do a little sumptin, sumptin J. I decided to dust of some of the unloved Cricut cartridges and do a small project.

First I used Wall Décor and More for the place card. I also used this cartridge for the font. I forgot there was a font on this cartridge! Anywho, I spelled my daughter’s name and centered the name on the card. Do not weld! Since it was kind of plain, I used some of my border embossing folders to embellish it a bit. Then I added a piece of pattern paper behind the name.

Next I added the flourished turkey and the “napkin” ring on the mat (it was an image on the cartridge that I made into a ring LOL) from the Thanksgiving cartridge. The ring was cut out of the same pattern paper that is on the place card (it matches my kitchen). Then I cut the turkey from another pattern from that same stack by DCWV.

I thought I would take this project one step further and make a napkin holder. I cut this image twice (without the hat) from the Create-a-Critter cartridge. I formed the box out of the pattern paper for stability.

Although the turkey will still take center stage, this project is sure to get a few smiles! I hope you enjoyed today’s project. What are your plans for the holiday?

From my family to yours, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! And don’t eat too much :-P Kenya~

Thankful...

Next week this time most of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. And just like most of you I have so much to be thankful for...my family, good health, great friends, a wonderful creative hobby that I enjoy and that I get to share with others.

So while decorating for Thanksgiving this year I made a frame for my mantel that simply says "Thankful" as a reminder of all the wonderful blessings I have. Sometimes it's not one big thing but a million little things that mean so much.

Thankful Frame by Tena Ellison. Supplies - Wood Frame, Acrylic Paint & Crackle Finish: Michaels;

Burlap Rose: Maya Road; Distress Ink: Ranger-Tim Holtz; Cricut & Base Camp cartridge; 

Molding Paste: Golden; Misc leaves, burlap, wheat.

I painted the wood frame with white acrylic paint then added a layer of crackle finish over it. I inked the painted and crackle finish with distress ink for a vintage look.

For the inside of the frame I added the word "Thankful" using a template I made by cutting the word out with my Cricut and Base Camp cartridge on plain cardstock. I used a light molding paste to form the word on burlap, let dry and added it to the frame. I then added my leaves, wheat and flower embellishments to complete the frame.

I think it's a great way to remember how much I have to be Thankful for.

Wishing everyone a Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Place Cards 2012

This year has been a rough one for a lot of families (mine included), which makes it an excellent time to take a moment to count our blessings.  Thanksgiving could not have come at a better time.  As we continue to hurdle over life's obstacles I hope we all will remember to be thankful for the opportunity for growth in every moment.

That said, is everyone is ready for the holiday season as it quickly approaches?  As for me, I don't have much to do since I will be dining as a guest.  But, I still could not resist the temptation to create a quick Thanksgiving digi-craft.  I put together a printable sheet of Thanksgiving place cards with a modern feel.

Feel free to click & print them out and use them on your table.

 

Source: Graphic icons from curbly.com

 

Be Thankful

Hope you all had a very nice Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for so many things, especially my family. We had a wonderful time cooking and hanging out together at home, so I was able to find time to create. 


In every issue of the e:Spire magazines we include a couple of digi stickers that I create especially for you. Digi stickers are not just for digital scrapbookers. They can be used by paper crafters as elements on  layouts or cards. They can also be used in home decor as I did here with the Thanksgiving sticker I created for the October/November issue.

Supplies: RIBBA Frame - IKEA; Digi Sticker: Be Thankful by Camille (www.scrapsofcolor.com)

For this project I simply printed the sticker on cardstock to fit the frame opening. 


If you haven't downloaded your FREE issue please do so. Make sure to also grab the free digi stickers found on page 12.


Happy Holidays and remember to be thankful for all of your blessings.


Camille

Thanks Giving

Hello everyone, Barb here. Can you believe we are standing on the threshold of Thanksgiving? I love this time of year. I love everything about it! The cool crisp weather, the scent of wood smoke fires in the evening, the beautiful Autumn sunsets, the distinctly Fall colors of pumpkin orange, faded green, rusty brown and butter yellow.

During this season of gratitude, why not send an ‘I am thankful for you’ card to the special people in your life. Not only would it be surprise, but it would also brighten someone’s day. I am a firm believer in telling people how they have influenced my life, or how much I appreciate them.  And what better way to spread a little love around than with a hand-crafted greeting card? 

Click to enlarge

Card Supplies: 

stamp sets: Holiday Best(Stampin’ Up!)

card stock: Vintage Cream(Papertrey Ink) Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango(Stampin' Up!) 

patterned paper: Traditions Floral Paisley(The Paper Studio)

ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink(Ranger)

accessories: Paisley embossing folder(Provo Craft), Filigree embossing powder(Papertrey Ink), Deckled Edge Rectangles(Spellbinders), ribbon(Memory Mare),Tiny Twinkles(Taylored Expressions)

 Creating “thankful for you” cards has become a tradition with me, something I work on all year. That way, I always have cards on hand when I need them. I know we all have our favorite holiday traditions…I am always curious about what everyone is doing. What is your most favorite Thanksgiving tradition?  Share with us!

My wish for each of you is that you have a warm, wonderful and memorable Thanksgiving. Enjoy your friends and family and of course the delicious food. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures, because we want to see your scrapbook pages later.

And make sure you carve out a little craft time to create something beautiful. Happy Thanksgiving!

So Thankful for YOU!

With Thanksgiving only a week away, I would like to take this time to say how thankful I am for being a member of the SOC design team and also how thankful we all are to have such wonderful readers and followers of the magazine and blog. It's hard to believe how quickly a year can go by when you're creating and sharing what you love doing.

Thankful card by Tena Ellison. Supplies - Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny;

Cardstock: Basic Grey Designer cardstock; Alphas: American Craft Thickers;

Leaf Punch: Marvy; Border Punch: EK Success; Ribbon: Hobby Lobby.

I have so much in my life to be thankful for...my family who's always been my biggest support fans, great friends and good health. I would also like to thank Tiare for giving me this chance to do something new and exciting with my scrapbooking skills again.

So if you haven't had a chance to check out the newest issue of the magazine yet, just click and download your copy today. It's free and always filled with lots of inspiration from sketches, digital designs, cards, altered art projects and more.

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving Place Card

Time is flying by! Can you believe Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away?!! For some people it can be a stressful time of the year, as they prepare to host lots of family and friends. For me, it is a time to re-unite with family. When I was younger it seemed that the whole family lived in one place (no more than 15 minutes apart). Now we all live in different states. So, the thought of Thanksgiving is anything but stressful it is exciting, filled with food, friends, family and fun!

Of course since I am not hosting Thanksgiving, there is no need to defrost any turkeys, shred any cheese for baked macaroni & cheese, clean and cut collard greens, peel and bake candied yams, or roll out any dough for pie. I have the luxury of just showing up! So, to help out all of those people who are hosting Thanksgiving dinner I offer my contribution to your table. I have attached a place card that you may print and cut out for the holiday.

Tips: Double click the image to download. Use heavy cardstock and fold the card in half to allow it to stand on its own. Also, if you print a large copy of the image you can use it as a place mat...at the kiddie table perhaps.

Gratitude Game and Giveaway

Happy Autumn, Ladies and Gentlemen! Autumn is one of my two favorite seasons! One of the main reasons why I love it is because of Thanksgiving! Of course, I'm grateful for my blessings and life experiences all year long, but the start of Autumn brings those things to the forefront for me. Last year I kept a gratitude journal for the entire month of November, and I'm making one this year too! I tried to "strongly encourage" my sons to keep one too, but that only lasted about a week! So, this year I tweaked my approach to getting them involved in recording their gratitude. Like most kiddos, my boys love games, especially when there is a prize involved! I decided to make a container to be placed in the family room (so it's always visible) that they can deposit a strip of paper with a gratitude statement each day.

 Supplies: Patterned Paper, Stickers, Chipboard: Crate Paper; 

Ribbon,Stamp: Maya Road; Ink:Jenni Bowlin; Embossing Powder: Tim Holtz

I recycled a chip container to be the deposit box. I used Mod Podge to secure the book paper and patterned paper to the container and then decorated it! I cut a hole in the lid of the container so that the slips of paper can be easily slipped in. Easy Peasy! The container is sitting on a table with a pad of paper and pen so that we can stop by anytime and drop a gratitude note it in the box! So, if your kiddos are motivated by competition or rewards like mine this is how I set up the "Gratitude Game" that we will play for the month of November (maybe longer):

1. Each person should deposit a gratitude statement into the box each day. I had to give my boys a limit for each day because my youngest son is a clever one and quickly thought that he would write a bunch in one day and fill up the drop box! So, I told them there was a max deposit of 3 per day and if they felt the need to document more then they should use a journal, too! Ha! Have to stay one step ahead of these kiddos!
2. At the end of the week we draw a random winner to win a little prize like a small toy, renting a movie, getting to have a later bedtime for a night, or getting to nix of a chore for a day.  My boys are  motivated by "winning" so I stress the point that the more entries they place in the container the more likely they are to win for the week! I love to hear the various things that we are all thankful for, so in addition to drawing a weekly winner, we read the sentiments aloud. It's a fun family activity that can generate great conversation at the dinner table. I'm keep the strips of paper and may make a mini album or tuck them in an envelope on a layout. I plan to make this a yearly tradition, and it will be fun to see how we change from year to year. I'm also thinking that we will take our Gratitude Game with us on Thanksgiving day! We will set it up at the door and have the guests write a statement and then at dinner of afterwards we can read everyone's gratitude statements and maybe do some random prize drawings there too!

Now... on to the GIVEAWAY!!!!!

A Grab bag of Studio Calico goodies!!!

I would love to see what Thanksgiving projects you have created recently. And, if you have not made any I would suggest making one of these little gratitude canisters because it's really easy and fun.. I didn't think of this until just this moment, but you could have each person in your family decorate a canister instead of having just one!  If you need a starting point check out page 12 of the current issue of Scraps of Color E:spire because Camille created a super cute digi that you can use an an element for your project! And, there are Thanksgiving layouts on page 28 to use as inspiration for creating a project, too.

To enter the giveaway leave a comment with a link to your new or recently created Thanksgiving or autumn project (altered art, card, layout, or anything else you create) and you are in the drawing to win these goodies! Easy as pie! 

And if you would like an additional entry blog and/or facebook (an additional entry for each one) about the giveaway and leave another comment with the link to your post!  


I will draw a winner on December 6 on my next SOC E:spire blog post, so you have plenty of time to get crafty! Again, thank you for reading and supporting Scraps of Color E:spire! I am so grateful for each of you!

***I can only ship within the USA.***