A 12x12 layout & heart frame starring My Mind's Eye Unforgettable

Hello again...I'm back with my final February Remember When design team projects! :)

This time around I have a 12x12 layout and a altered heart frame using My Mind's Eye Unforgettable collection.

As always I'm layering, painting, distressing, embossing, popping up etc...be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the post.

"Professional Me" 12x12 layout
As I looked through all the paper and embellishments I received with this paper line I realize that it would of been great if I had a family that had daily duties etc. to scrapbook which got me thinking...let's do a layout of the professional me! Thankfully since I joined Instagram I take pictures of all kinds of things including stuff at work. I dug through my Instagram album on Facebook and found several pictures that would work. I knew I wanted to use a headshot I had taken for work, as the main focus. I realized I had more photos than I though and wanted to use all the ones I pulled down from FB so I decided to do a collage of the pictures around the main picture.

I then chose the background paper and quickly decided that I wanted to use the honeycomb paper in one of the corners with some honeycombs popped up. Ok, for someone who isn't a big fan of washi tape, I've been using it a lot...hahaha...well since I was given washi tape I need to use it! Which is what I did down the left surrounding a strip of design paper.

Now to embellish the layout, my favorite part! I decide to fussy cut out the days of the week with the exception of Saturday and Sunday and run them down the left of the page with some journaling cards. I needed a title but what type of letters and how big?!?!? Well because I have to use what RW customers can buy in the store I always go to Thickers. As I grabbed all my Thickers I realize I didn't really have the color I wanted to use so I would have to paint, ink or stain some white ones. Which is what I did to the foam and canvas Thickers. Before I stained them I realized hey...what if I try to stamp them! So I did and I think they look awesome!

Something you can't see on the picture but can see on the video is the stamped honeycomb in the lower right. That is because I used clear embossing powder to get an accent in the lower right corner. I love this technique!

Supplies: 
MME Collectable Unforgettable paper: Firsts Fresh Paper, You are Charm Paper, Story Journal Paper & Story Tale Paper
MME Collectable Unforgettable embellishments: Story Journal Card, Decorative tape, Firsts Decorative Stickers
Tim Holtz: Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Broken China Distress Stain, Stampers Anonymous Mixed Media Honeycomb Stamp
Misc: Ranger clear embossing powder; Thickers Dolce Fabric Letters and Rockabye Foam Letters

Techniques distress inked, distress stained, pop up, layering, embossing, fussy cutting, journaling

"You & I" KaiserCraft altered heart frame
Part of our design team duties is to create a "gift" item such as a card, tag, frames etc. I like to do mini albums, altered items or use the dies that create a bag or something out of the ordinary. So when I saw the new KaiserCraft craft wood items I knew I had to do one of them! I chose the heart frame, although all the other ones such as the fence with a butterfly are items I plan on buying to alter. The heart frame was so much fun to alter! I painted, stenciled, covered with paper and washi tape, stamped and layered it up.

I first painted it with some Tim Holtz Broken China and Walnut Stain Distress Paint. I then used the Prima cracked pavement stencil and added some Tim Holtz Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint. Add some paper and embellishments from the line to create the below.

I decided to feature my godson (who is also my nephew) in the frame. It is something I wanted to keep for myself so who better to put in it than my godson, Hayden? The event we were at was a special one, it was a dinner at the Stinking Rose here in Los Angeles for his 18th birthday. He picked the place, that kid has some great taste buds! I can't believe he is 18!

Here is how I like to think of him...lol

Circa 1995, he's about 5 or 6 months old and I'm 19!

And now he towers over me...

He's 18 and I'm 37...sigh...I feel old...lol

And finally the final altered heart frame...

Supplies:
Tim Holtz: Distress Paint - Broken China, Walnut Stain, Rock Candy Crackle Paint; Distress Ink - Walnut Stain; Stampers Anonymous Mixed Media CMS 125
Prima Cracked Stencil
KaiserCraft craft wood heart frame
My Mind's Eye Unforgettable Paper: Today Moment Paper, today Remember Paper, You Are Chevron Paper, Today Happiness Cheerful Paper
My Mind's Eye Unforgettable Embellishments: Happiness Decorative Buttons, You Are Die Cut Chipboard, First Enamel Dots, You Are Tiny Word Stickers, Today Decorative Pins, Firsts Decorative Stickers, Happiness Decorative Brads, Decorative tape
Misc: Bakers Twine, Seam Binding

Techniques: paint, crackle paint, filing, distress ink, layering, pop up, fussy cutting, stamping, journaing

Before you leave...watch the video with more on how I created these projects!


So there you have it two more projects, crafting has definitely kept me from jumping off a cliff the last three months with me not working and looking for a job! I am thankful each time I sit down to create that I found this hobby! Until next time...be creative!

A little of this, a little of that and a finished project!

Hello My Crafty Friends!

I hope this post finds everyone in a creative, productive state of mind! I have certainly been a busy little bee! I have been reorganizing my crafty area and now I finally feel like I have it all set up after 9 months of living in my current apartment! I made things a little more accessible so that I will actually use the oodles of stuff I have such as my stamps! Here is a picture of my crafty corner in my little (and I mean little) apartment. One of these days I'll post a video showing a little closer everything that is on the shelves! :)

I live in a large studio and my crafting stuff takes up about half of my apartment! These shelves are full of supplies including paper, tools, embellishments, trims etc. I have two other shelves that hold finished projects, filled albums and stuff to alter or get filled. In the below sneak peak video for G45 project you'll see that my selves are on the other side of my desk.

As I was organizing and cleaning I realized my bin of unfinished projects was starting to over flow and I couldn't close it anymore. So I created a challenge for myself to get as many projects done in a month as I can. But I have to finish at least get the project I pull out of the bin on camera each month, anything extra is a bonus for myself...lol! The February challenge is due March 12 and I am happy to say that I am ahead of the game. I will most likely post a video soon and start on another project!

While doing all of the above I managed to take a infamous Remember When Nicole class using Authnetique's Lovely collection. It was an awesome box that holds three mini albums. It was all about love but the three mini's were called "Who I love", "What I love" and "Why I love me". I thought they were great ideas for the mini albums because it isn't completely focused on being in a relationship or having to put pictures of you and your significant other...especially if you aren't in a relationship. Here are a few pictures of the box and covers of the mini albums.

This is the box the mini albums sit in...super cute! 

Three mini album covers and box.

For January's Remember When design project I received the new Graphic45 French Country Collection with a Farm House Paper Co. mini album. Check out the video of me showing you the paper line before I started the project...


I have to admit I was a little worried about this project because although I love G45, sometimes if I am not in the right mind frame it is hard for me to get anything going. I also have to admit that I was not fond of this paper line when I saw it at CHA because I couldn't imagine using it since it had roosters on it. But then karma came around to kick me in the booty and I was assigned it for January. Our design team leader, Stephanie, had said that I'm good with G45 and mini albums. Thanks to Patty, who works at RW...she suggested a cook book, so off I went to create. The Farm House mini chipboard album is awesome but I felt like the pages were never going to end, it had 8 pages equaling 16 pages plus the covers! BUT I "survived" and I am pretty impressed and proud of myself with what I came up with...lol.  Be sure to watch the below YouTube video for a list of products used and some more description on what I did to each page.

Here are pictures of the pages...

Lots of fussy cutting when I create with G45. You can't tell on the picture but I used Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint, Rocky Candy over the sunflowers. I deco pauge the roosters down the side of the album and the journal card. 

Prima flowers to the right. The rooster and edges of the journal card are crackled painted. 

Used the Tim Holtz Glassine Paper, I used the honeycomb embossing folder and distress inked it with Walnut Stain. More Prima flowers to the right.

Created a shadow box effect using chipboard layered underneath the pattern paper. The background paper and below pocket was crated using the the technique explained in this video http://youtu.be/bzxfYHGhmdk

Lots of layering here...used a Tim Holtz stamp and Walnut Stain distress embossing powder at the bottom.

In the next several pictures I used corrugated paper which I painted on.

My desk is plenty busy with a second "Dream" wall coat hanger for a friend, two "A Year in Review...2012" project life kinda albums using Simple Stories Snap collection, RW's February DT projects using the latest from My Mind's Eye and BoBunny, Donna Downey February Canvas workshop, projects from the unfinished bin and I need to start a baby girl's first 12 months 12x12 album! To see progress of all these projects follow me on any of the social networking sites...just click on any (or all of) the buttons to the right! :)

Until next time...be creative!

Technical difficulties...

Time Warner/Road Runner decided to crap out on me as my video of the winners announced was uploading! Posting from my iPhone on 3G. I am hoping the Internet will work in the morning! I need to go to bed now...

I announced winners earlier on the post below! I also posted a teaser on youtube! Congrats again to Jeanette & Crafty Jo!

Nighty Nite!