"Mommy Loves Hats"

It's true.  I adore hats and luckily my girls do too.  I created this mini album in response to a challenge on the Show Us Your Stuff blog, a challenge blog all about handmade things.  I really love challenge blogs because they push me to do something outside the box.  Here is what I came up with for this month's challenge.

"Mommy Loves Hats" 

Supplies:  Paper, Die Cuts, Stickers (My Little Shoebox), Letters (My Little Shoebox, Jenni Bowlin, Pink Paislee), Ribbon & Pearls (Michaels), Deer Button (Purple Pumpkin Crafts), Crochet Flower (Abbie Torroll), Chipboard (Basic Grey), Buttons (Creative Café, Dollar Store), Fuzzy Trim (Dollar Store)

There are several handmade items throughout the book, some made by yours truly and others I've purchased.  The cute little deer button you see is one of Purple Pumpkin's designs.  I discovered them awhile ago but just recently made my first purchase.  LOVE their stuff.

The second handmade item on the book is the pearl and ribbon trim you see on the dress and on the spine.  This one I made and I couldn't be more proud of myself.  My daughter has a necklace fashioned similiarly to what you see here so I decided to try my own version for scrapbooking.  I am hooked.  I am already dreaming up different colour combinations to make.

To recreate the look, you will need ribbon, coordinating pearls, a needle and thread. That's it.

Pinch the ribbon, put a stitch through it to hold it in place and then add a pearl.  Repeat until you have desired length.  That's it, that's all.  It's really is that simple.

It really didn't take long to make and the results were really worth it.  At least I think so.  Grin. :)

I  also made the hat on the front cover.  I had the cover finished and when I looked at it a few hours later the title read to me "Mommy loves BATS" at a quick glance.  BATS!?!  Oh dear.  I decided perhaps I should add a hat in case there was any confusion as to whether or not Mommy loves hat or bats.  I printed some clip art from the computer and paper pieced the hat together with bits of patterned paper.

Here's a peek at the inside pages:

This is where the sketch and other challenge requirements come into play.  I had to use a number in the title and the following sketch, in addition to a handmade embellishment.

This gorgeous crocheted flower was made by the same woman who made the knit hats in the book, Abbie from Heart Smiles.  I had to save this beautiful bloom she used to package the hats in.  It seemed fitting to add it to this book.

I'm thinking I'll probably be a Grandmother before I ever get to this goal, but I'm throwing it out there just the same.

So there it is.  My love of hats in photos.  Thanks so much for visiting and thanks also goes out to the ladies at Show Us Your Stuff for the fun challenge.

One more thing before I sign off.  If you want a chance to WIN your own handmade embellishments by Purple Pumpkin, check out their blog.  Here's a photo of the prize.

Cheers!

Santa Baby

Before I do anything else I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to Kristine Davidson for the blog makeover.  Didn't she do a fantastic job?  If you want to see more of her work, be sure to check out her site for a long list of blogs she has decorated. 

Another bit of news before I dive back into Christmas pages is a blog spotlight on the Clear Scraps blog.  They have a crown album giveaway on now and they have featured one of my albums.  Be sure to take a moment and check it out.  They have all kinds of giveaways on the go with CHA just around the corner.

"Santa Baby"

Supplies:  Paper (American Crafts), Letters (American Crafts, Websters Pages), Bling (Glitz Designs, Teresa Collings), Chipboard (Riff Raff), Baker's Twine (Martha Stewart), Border Punches (Martha Stewart & EK Success), Trim (Pink Paislee), Cardstock (Bazzill)

I have been wanting to make a circular page now for awhile and finally took the time to do it this week.  I just love this Dear Lizzy Christmas line.  You saw some of the sheets from this line used in my last post.  Isn't it fun how the same line can be used to create two completely different moods?

Here is a detail shot of my spray painted chipboard.  This is a prime example of why I love the spray paint so much. I have tried on more than once occasion to paint shapes with this level of detail and everytime, no matter how careful I am, I get paint down the sides and in the grooves and the pieces just loose some of their pizzazz. 

Krylon to the rescue.

The one I use is similar to this product. The only difference is that mine is a primer.  I actually bought it to spray cookie sheets before altering them.  I'm sure any number of spray paints will do just fine but to give you all a better idea of what I have been talking about all this time, I wanted to share this photo.  Thanks to my girlfriends for asking me about this.  Sometimes I forget that you all can't see inside my mind as I type these posts.  If ever there is anything you wonder about, PLEASE ask.  I really do appreciate knowing if something is not clear.

That's all for today.  We've got a busy morning of skating and camera shopping today.  Enjoy your weekend and thanks for visiting.

EDITED TO ADD:

Look for this page in the Winter, 2011 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond Magazine.

Buy Things You Love

I have a motto I try to follow when it comes to shopping - buy things I love.  When I decorated my house, that was my motto and while it took a long time to finish, I'm happy with the end result because I love all the individual pieces that work together as a whole.  In scrapbooking it is the same.  I sometimes buy things I love that I have absolutely NO idea how or when I will use them but those are the pieces I hold onto and eventually that perfect project comes along.  And when it does, I usually love the page too.  The snowflake die cut on this page is one of those things I love that finally found a perfect home on this page.  The design is based on the December sketch on the Upsy Daisy blog.  Be sure to take a moment to cruise on over there for more beautiful, seasonal projects from the design team.

'"Your First Winter"

Supplies:  Paper, Brad (Upsy Daisy Designs), Die Cut (Creative Imaginations), Chipboard (Riff Raff), Pearls (Prima), Letters (Basic Grey, American Crafts), Crepe Paper & Acrylic (Tattered Angels), Sticker (Jenni Bowlin)

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Design Tip:  My new favourite chipboard technique is to spray paint it white.  Even if I plan to ink it afterwards, a white base coat really makes the colours richer and less muddy from the kraft colour of the chipboard.  Another thing I like about the spray paint, besides not having a brush to clean, is the even coverage on the chipboard.  There is never any excess paint on the edges this way, nor are there any brush marks.  On this snowflake, I kept it white and added little bits of rock candy stickles for sparkle and dimension.
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Before I sign off for today, I must show you another die cut that I love but have NO idea how or when I will use it.  This little beauty is from the Free Spirit line by My Little Yellow Bicycle.

So now I'm going to ask you...what little treasures are you holding onto in your scrapbook stash??

Three

Supplies:  Paper (Prima, Girl's Paperie, Creative Imaginations), Chipboard (Inque Boutique, Magistical Memories), Flower (Bazzill), Leaves (Prima), Pearls (Zva Creative), Doily (Little Yellow Bicycle), Ribbon (Making Memories), Letter Beads (Dollarama), Custom Epoxy & Buttons (Epiphany Crafts), Bingo Card & Ticket (Jenni Bowlin)

Design Notes:  The ribbon flower was super simple to make.  Just loop a length of ribbon back and forth until you have the desired number of petals and then put a stitch through the center to hold it.  No bulky knots on this one. :)  This way it is easily topped with another flower.

I used my Epiphany Crafts shape tools and created three different and unique custom shapes on this page.  The epoxy heart above was made with a Hambly transparency.  If you check the previous photo, you will notice a custom heart button.  Below is another custom epoxy, this time made with specialty paper.  The embossed design and shimmer shows right through the epoxy and makes a one of a kind embellishment for my page.  You can see it better if you click on the image to enlarge it.

I journaled around the perimeter of the shaped paper a bunch of different little tidbits about my daughter at the age of three.

Next up, I've got some Best Creation work to show you using their beautiful fall line so be on the lookout for that.  Until next time, have a wonderful day!

Life's Most Precious Gifts

Supplies: Paper & Die Cuts (Upsy Daisy Designs), Lace Flowers (Jolees), Butterfly Stem (Recollections), Letters (American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, Websters Pages), Trim (Websters Pages)

Today's page is design work for Upsy Daisy Designs featuring their new line "Home Sweet Home".  As much as I hate to admit it (I saw red leaves today!?!), fall is on the way and this line will be perfect for all those beautiful fall photos.  In the meantime, here is a page of my baby girl and her Great Grammie.

Detail shots:

Journaling Reads: Write it on your heart that the ones you love are life's most precious gifts.

Today's Design Tip:  As many of you know, I adore shaped paper and can't bear to part with even a little piece of it.  When cutting piece off my shaped paper, I oftentimes will use them on the same page like I did here.  I offset the scallop to the left and had a small piece of it that was leftover, so I found a place for it on the right side of the photo.  This way I've added another little detail on my page and used the little piece that would otherwise be thrown out. 

For more examples, check out these pages:

-P.S. I Love You

-Look at that hair

-Read With Me

-Puppy Love

Thanks for stopping by!

It's Official!

Today is my first official post as a design team member of Upsy Daisy Designs.  Take a moment and check it out.

"Cheese"

Supplies: Paper (Upsy Daisy Designs), Bingo Card (Jenni Bowlin), Bird, Flowers & Trim (Prima), Floss (Karen Foster), Letters (Momenta), Shaped Paper (Little Yellow Bicycle), Brads (Bo Bunny), Misc. Buttons

Today's Design Tip: 

Jazz up your banner with some doodled scallops and by looping floss in and around the banner.  To keep the loops in place, attach with a needle and thread in the same colour.

I raised the polka dot paper with black craft foam and then tucked a series of flower petals along the top.  The center of each flower was then glittered with Stickles.

Journaling Reads:  Everyday you ask to hold your sister and each time you ask if this would make a nice photo.  My reply...."Say, Cheese!"

Have you seen the peeks of their new releases?? 

Which one is your favourite?

Make a Wish

Supplies:  Paper (Bo Bunny), Transparency (Creative Café), Trim (Websters Pages), Artisan Tape (Pink Paislee), Chipboard (Riff Raff), Pearls (Prima), Flower (Petaloo), Letters (October Afternoon)

Pink and green make such a wonderful colour pairing, especially for little girl pages.  Add some purple to the mix and I'm sold.  This line is Bo Bunny's Jazmyne line and I absolutely love it.  "You make my heart SMILE" and "Another Day in Paradise" also use paper from this line.

Today's Design Tip: 

Don't be afraid to cut up your crystal and pearl swirls to suit the size and scale of your page.  I think this the second or third page I've used pieces of this one mauve swirl on.  If you need to cool off on this hot, sunny day, take a peek at bits of the same mauve swirl used on "Look at That".

And just in case you missed the obscene amount of trim on this page, here it is again.  Websters Pages really outdid themselves with their trims last season.

That's all for today.  Happy Monday.

Another Day in Paradise

Supplies: Paper (Bo Bunny), Glitter Cut (Fancy Pants), Trims (Websters Pages, Maya Roads), Letters (October Afternoon, Pink Paislee), Sparklers (Websters Pages), Bling (Prima)

Photo Credit:  Jenny Bosien (THANKS)

 

It really doesn't get any better than this rose trim by Websters. No matter what I do to it, it pops right back up and looks perfect everytime.

Today's Tip: 

Jazz up a scallop border with liquid pearls.  Notice how I added a grouping of dots every so often around the entire permieter of the scallop paper.  For another example, check out THIS POST.  This stuff is inexpensive and will stick to most any surface.

On that note, I'll sign off for today.  Hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday weekend.  My girls are pumped about the festivities here tomorrow. I even bought all three of them identical outfits.  I can hardly believe it myself.  I always wondered why my mother would do such a thing.  LOL  Guess now I know.

Cheers,

Tracey

you make my heart SMILE

Supplies:  Paper (Creative Imaginations, Bo Bunny, Crate), Chipboard (Magistical Memories), Letters (Basic Grey, American Crafts), Crystals (Prima), Button (Making Memories)

I used two of my new favourite fonts on this page.  The mini ones are by Basic Great and are FABULOUS.  The other is the fabric covered, cursive style, chipboard font by American Crafts.  How can you not LOVE this one?  I will definitely be on the lookout for more of both of these.

Both pieces of chipboard on the page are by Magistical Memories.  Aren't they gorgeous pieces??

Today's Tip:

When adhering mutiple layers of paper and cardstock onto a layout, I like to use my sewing machine to ensure that everything stays in place.  On this page, I glued my paper down and then added a couple of quick lines of stitching in opposite corners following the pattern in the paper.  Look closely at the detail shots for the stitching.  There will be no corners curling on this page now.

Have a wonderful Friday and thanks, as always, for stopping by.

EDITED TO ADD:

Look for this page in the January, 2011 issue of Scrapbook Trends.

Jump into Summer Blog Hop

Welcome to the Jump into Summer Blog Hop with myStamp BOX and our preferred product partners (Helmar, PK Glitz and Kiki Art).


If you have just happened upon my blog today, you may want to head to the start of the blog hop, the myStamp BOX blog.

Here is our Summer Blog Hop schedule just in case you missed anyone:
myStamp BOX Blog www.mystampbox.com/blog
Virginie http://www.lescrapdenovalen.canalblog.com/
Tracey http://www.tailoredpages.blogspot.com/  <---- You are here.
Cherie http://www.cherie-inked.blogspot.com/
Helmar Adhesives http://helmarusa.typepad.com/blog/
Jing-Jing http://thislittleartofmine.blogspot.com/
Jolene http://www.jolenejohnston.blogspot.com/
Monique http://moniquesscrapbook.blogspot.com/
Eva http://www.evascrap.blogspot.com/
PK Glitz http://www.pkglitz.com/blog/
Ellen http://www.closeyourears.blogspot.com/
Maryfrances http://maryfrancesfabbri.blogspot.com/
Gudrun http://www.papirbloggen.blogspot.com/
Lynda http://positive-force.blogspot.com/
Jill http://www.fromthefarm-jill.blogspot.com/
Kiki Art http://www.kiki-art.com/blog_en/
Agata http://underconstruction-agata.blogspot.com/
Ally http://www.yourmemoriescanada.blogspot.com/
back to the myStamp BOX blog

The challenge for this Blog Hop was to take anything that makes you think of Summer and create a project that fits the theme.
You participate in the blog hop by leaving a comment on each and every participating myStamp BOX designer's blog and all out partner companies' blogs as well. You have a chance to win a set of stamps sets! Our partner companies will offer up a prize as well. So leave a comment on all the blog posts and then return to the mSB blog and tell us what you favourite project was along the way for a chance to win! Have fun!

"Sprinkler Fun"

Supplies:  Paper (Crate Paper), Die Cut (We Are Memory Keepers), Stamps (myStamp BOX), Flowers (Prima), Glitter (PK Glitz), Letters (American Crafts), Pearls (Prima, Kaisercrafts), Trim (Webster's Pages), Border Punches (EK Success), Adhesive (Helmar)

Nothing says summer like sprinklers and bold, bright colours.  I chose to highlight two stamp sets on this page:  Colorful Companions and Floating Leaves since butterflies and beautiful green leaves make summer (and scrapbook pages) so visually pleasing.

I love using stamps to enhance clusters of embellishments on my pages.  Making stamped images 3D really gives them that extra pop.  Helmar's Zapdots work great for popping my leaves off the page. 

Today's Tip:  Create your own custom glittered water droplets

To carry the sprinkler theme throughout my entire page, I decided to give the page the illusion of a giant sprinkler.  This was easily accomplished with a few simple steps and a little time.

Materials:

-Double sided tape

-Water Droplet Punch (EK Success)

-PK Glitz Glitter (Desert Sand)

-Scrap Paper

-Helmar's Zapdots (foam mounting squares)

Steps:

-Place a strip of double sided tape onto the scrap paper.

-Punch out water droplets along tape line.  Turn punch over to be sure punch is lined up correctly.

-Remove adhesive backing and dip droplet into glitter.  Shake off excess.

-Adhere to page using Helmar's Zapdots.

This same technqiue could be used for any punch you have in your collection.  I'm thinking glittered flowers and butterflies.  How fun.

Now hop on over to Cherie's Blog for more summery inspiration. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Priceless

Supplies: All Supplies Scrap Within Reach except Glitter Cut (Fancy Pants), Mini Letters (Jenni Bowlin), Border Punch (EK Success), Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)

Some photos just beg to be scrapbooked and these are a prime example.  Scrap Within Reach makes some really fantastic masculine lines of paper that I am just thrilled to have used here.  I combined the new Cambridge line of paper with the die cut from the Industrial Park line.  Rub-ons and stickers from the Industrial Park and Urban Garden lines round out the page. 

Design Details:

To adhere the glitter cut, I decided to use staples in a criss cross pattern to mimic the x's seen on the background paper.

The letter stickers in the title were actually square.  To change the shape, I stuck them to scrap paper and used a circle punch to punch them out again. All I had to do was add some adhesive and a little ink to the edges.

Today's Tip:  DIY Banner

Cut out a series of triangles all in the same size.  Line them up and adhere to page.  Add a stitch between each triangle along the top to give the illusion of string holding the banner together.  Add bow details to each end.  Top the banner with letters or other embellishments.

Border Details:

Next to my trimmer, border punches are among my most used tools.  Though it isn't immeditately evident, I layered rows of punched paper in the same tone to give my page some texture.  Check out the detail shot below:

So there you have it.  An all girl page made with masculine themed paper.  It doesn't hurt that my girls can go from the princess dresses to the mud pile without even a second thought!