Can't Touch This - UIT Reveal

Our challenge over at Use It Tuesday is to use something that you have been afraid to touch - something you have been "saving" for the perfect time.  And we all know we have some of those in our stash!

I decided to use a mini album that I got over 2 years ago.  I got a set of three, and quickly used two for Christmas presents for my mom and MIL.  But the third I stashed away for the perfect use.  And the perfect use showed up recently!  My daughter is in a children's choir, and her age group is the Sparrows.  The bird on the cover was perfect for a mini album for their director from all of the kids.

I used my trusted Silhouette (which I haven't been using as much as I should because I also am "afraid" to waste the blade and mat) to cut out the "title" for the album.  And I used some hoarded ribbon to decorate the binder rings too.

Inside, each child gets a 2 page spread.  At the top, I am going to put pictures of them in their choir "uniform" matted on some layered papers.  And then their names are going on the right side.  On the bottom, I am putting a picture each child drew for their director.

At the end of the book I am going to add more pictures, but I haven't gotten the pictures printed just yet.  I hope she enjoys it!

Now it is your turn!  Pull out some of those "cant' touch this" items and create something!  Let us know what was hoarded, mention Use It Tuesday in your post, and link back up.  We can't wait to see what you make.

(I am entering this into the ScrapbookSteals MCM #25 - Layering)

January Layout using KLD DT Doodles

I finally got a chance to play along with the KLD DT Doodles!  Here is the great sketch I was working with:

I decided to use it for my January page in my 2013 album (see more information about it HERE).  I wasn't able to get one good photo of all three kids, but I got some cute ones anyways :)  I used a mix of Michael's Recollections Seasons 6x6 papers and MME Sweater Weather papers for this.

As for the templates used, I used Bracket 2T for the bracket shape below my son on the left page and Scallops mini 1A for the scallop shape on the right page.  Everything else was straight cuts on this one.

The page isn't fancy, but it is cute enough.  I didn't want anything really thick because my the end of the year the album is going to be huge anyways.  I plan on adding some words in white ink around the page at the end of the month  little pits of what we did, etc.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing my layout :)

MIni Mini Album/Card

 Earlier this week, Liz Chidester did a tutorial on MyLittleShoebox's blog about a mini album made from 1 8.5x11 piece of paper (and then decorated).  I knew I wanted to try it out, so I made the album.  Then I thought about what to use it for.  I have a ton of birthday cards to made,and I thought it would made a fun card!  But I knew it would be fairly thick, so I didn't want to mail it.  So I decided to make it for an almost 11 year old in our church that is just an amazing young lady!  She isn't into cute things anymore, and love horses and cowgirl-type things, so I decided to use MME Miss Caroline 6x6 papers for this.  Then I used MLS alphas throughout.  I decided to make it close, so I added two WRMK eyelets and a piece of random ribbon (I think it came from HobbyLobby) to finish it off (plus the standard HL brown pigment stamp around the edges).

Here is the cover with her initials on it:

Page 1: Devoted Daughter with Exodus 20:12 as the verse.

 Page 2: Caring Sister with 1 Thessalonians 5:11 as the verse.  I also used my new KiwiLane scallop templates on this one :)

 Page 3: Servant of God! with Galatians 6:9 as the verse.  Some how I lots the letter a along the way... I guess I will need to find a new one and put it back before I give it to her later this month :)

The back cover

Side view

I am entering this into two challenges.  The first is Scrapbook Steals Monday Craft Madness #7 - Think Mini!  This little album is definitely tiny!  Plus i used only 6x6 paper (which is the "tiny" variety) and a bunch of mini alphas.  The second is The Paper Girls Challenge #23 - Ledger Paper.  The front cover uses ledger paper as well as the tag on page 1.

2013 - Use It Tuesday Reveal

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Since Christmas falls on a fourth Tuesday this year, it is time for another Use It Tuesday reveal!  This time we are asking you to create something about 2013 (or 2012).  You could do something about your resolutions for the new year.  Or, you could make a card.  Or, you could do like a few of us on the design team and start a mini album/smash book for the new year.  As long as it has to do with the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013 AND you use your hoarded items in your project, it can count!  Just make sure to mention Use It Tuesday, what hoarded supplies you used, and then link back up with us!

This past year I did my best at Take 12 - taking 12 photos on the 12th of each month.  I really liked the push to take photos of the kids on the 12th, but by the end of the year I was tired of scrapping the pictures, remembering to take the photos, etc.  So, in 2013 I am going to do something different.  On the first Sunday fo the month (assuming I remember - if not as soon as I do), I am going to take a picture of my kids - hopefully together.  Then I am going to scrap them in a cute envelope mini album I made!  And since it is made out of envelopes, there is already a place to tuck in extra bits from  the month - pictures the kids drew, ticket stubs from places we went, etc.  I also want to record some sort of favorite each month - from colors, to shows to food.  

Here is the cover to my album:

And from the side:

From the front:

 From the top - notice the extra room for it to expand as I fill it full of fun stuff!

 And the inside:

Now for the hoarding part.  The envelopes are over 10 years old!  I bought a pack of these ones as a trial for our wedding invitations, but then I found other ones I liked better.  So, they have sat in a box and moved many times without being touched!  And the papers I used on the cover are MME Lush that I bought from Scrapbook Steals over a year ago.  I think I made one layout and used a tiny bit of paper for one other project in that year.  So, it was definitely time to pull it out and put it to use!  And of course I have a stash of Thickers I was happy to put to use on this as well.

As for the cover design, I took inspiration from the December sketch over at Artful Delight and from ScrapbookSteals Monday Craft Madness #5 (layering).

Now get crafting!  All submissions must be linked up by Thursday, January 3.  We can't wait to see what you create!

Use It Tuesday - Thankful!

When I saw that we were going to do a thankful challenge over at Use It Tuesday, I first thought about doing a layout.  But, I just wasn't sure what I would scrap.  I had done a gratitude layout back in April already, and since I live in the US, thanksgiving hadn't happened this year yet.  Then I thought about the 30 days of thankfulness that I see on Facebook every November.  I thought it would be a great project for my oldest (almost 5 and in kindergarten) this year.  And I knew that I could turn to her brother (almost 3) on days she just wasn't up for saying what she was thankful for.

With that, I decided to make a mini tag album.  I decide to go with 2x3 photos (printed 4 on a 4x6 print).  So, I made my tags 3x6in.  I have a bunch already cut out of some solid cardstock from my stash in a variety of fall colors.

I started with four of the "inside" pages from the first 6 days of the month (two of the days I had to stage pictures for still when I printed the pictures).  Here are those pages:

On this one, I used some KI Memories Love Elsie papers and embellishments that I have been hoarding for over a year.  And of course a hoarded number Thicker and some Webster's Pages trim to finish it off.

On this one I used some scraps from the fall wreathe I made recently.  The papers are definitely not hoarded (I bought them to make the wreathe back in October), but the Thicker 3 and twine are!

This one I used some VERY hoarded MME Abbey Road paper on.  I have had that paper for 2 years probably.  And of course another Thicker :)

This one is some more of the scraps from the wreathe.  But again, it has a hoarded Thicker number!

I also have 2 pages ready for pictures and finishing touches:

This one has some hoarded Webster's Pages papers on it, ready for a picture of my kids eating popcorn.

And another one with scraps from the wreathe ready for a picture of my daughter's stuffed animals.

Once I had those done, I got to work on the cover.

I again used a scrap from the wreathe, but this time I embellished with some hoarded felt embellishments (from Oriental Trading that I bought last year to push my order to free shipping) as well as a leaf that was left over from my fall ATCs.

And on all of these tags, I am using probably my most hoarded item in my stash - WRMK eyelets!  I thought I "HAD" to have a Crop-a-dile about two years ago.  And, unfortunately I have only used it a handful of times for eyelets.  I really should us it more!

Hopefully I will get this album done by the end of the year.  I will post pages as I get them done though.

Now, it is time for you to make something around the theme of thanks/thankful!  It could be a card, a layout, a mini album (or just the cover for now), or even decorations for Thanksgiving.  Once you get your project done, link it up to the Use It Tuesday blog so we can admire your work using hoarded items!

I am also entering this into the Paper Girls Challenge #19 - Thank You