Monday's ATC's

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure, three ATC's I created between this morning and this afternoon. I love them!

All were made using stamps from Paperbag Studios and inspiration came from the book Rubber Stamped Artist Trading Cards a Twitty Jill Publication. I love all her books and own all but one I think!

Whatcha think? Be sure to leave me a comment or two :)

What fun!

I was invited to a class tonight held by a friend I met during a Crafters Basement sale earilier this yearand I had a ball. I was excited about going because of seeing Kelly again, but also because it meant getting out of the house and meeting new people. I already knew a few that go to her classes so this was a chance to meet even more, especially one that Kelly knew I would love.

Turns out Gayl has the same love I do for anything old, for ATCs, for tons of stuff. We have so much in common that it threw both of us for a loop. We chatted all night while we made our notebooks. :) I had so much fun and am so glad I decided to venture out of the house for a few hours. I so need to do that more often, when the drugs allow me that is :)

Anyway, we covered composition books tonight and I brought my own paper and embellishments. I wanted to use some of the things I had gotten in my monthly kit from Scrapbook Obsessions (the link to this WONDERFUL store is to the right). Of course it was Bo Bunny paper and had that feel and look I love so much, that it wasn't hard not to use it!

The notebook above is what came out of my evening of fun :) How could you create something this pretty and call it work?

To be honest with you I took the layout of the papers from an already made layout including in the coordinating 6x6 paper pad I got with my kit. I just didn't allow for the space for the picture. Once again it goes to prove you can use layouts, pictures anything you want, for anything.

It was very easy to make the notebook and here's how we did it.

1. Take a black and white composition book from Wal-mart or anywhere you happen to find them. They're usually located in the school aisle and have a black binding along the edge. Regular spaced notebook paper is bound inside.

2. Decide on what kind of scrapbook you want to use, coordinate the colors and choose at least two. The girls tonight had patterned paper on the bottom and coordinating cardstock on the top. Coordinating ribbon divided the two. The backside of the notebook had the same papers but was reversed.

3. I laid out my paper against the edges of the book covering the inside covers with plain cardstock. The girls folded their papers over the edge and then put colored cardstock down covering the folded paper. I used paper adhesive, really a tape runner, once I got laid out the pieces of paper in the manner I wanted them, making sure to trim any excess paper from the edges. The thin red paper you see dividing the different patterns is Bazill cardstock trimmed into thin strips. I chose to use paper instead of ribbons just to make sure it laid nicely.

4. Once you have the paper the way you want it, slop a ton of Modge Podge on top of it! LOL Seriously, take a foam brush and paint the Modge Podge all over the book making sure to pay close attention to any folds, any loose paper and any edges. It goes on white but dries clear (and quickly I might add) and adheres the paper in place forever. It also adds a protective element to your book and water will not ruin it.

5. After the Modge Podge dries, add an embellishment elements you want to use. Anything is game and it's up to your imagination. The flower on my book was glued down with a tape runner and the chipboard letters where adhered by adding Modge Podge to the backs of each letter. Modge Podge is also a wonderful glue! Every thing used on my book comes from the Bo Bunny Anna Sophia collection with the exception of the chipboard letters which are Cosmo Cricket. The memories clip is from the Narratives collection of Karen Russell with Creative Imaginations.

6. Cover the embellishments with another coat of Modge Podge and let dry. You're done. Easy huh? Total cost for the project was under $5 and can be used for anything you want. Even note from classes at school - or scrapbook stores.

You can make these notebooks as simple or as elaborate as you want. It's up to you. It takes about an hour and a half to make the book, not counting drying time. They make wonderful last minute gifts and can be used for anything at all. Last year I made several as Christmas gifts for my neice and nephew and have made several for thank you gifts. You can also stamp on the front of the book (if you have plain cardstock where the image will show) as well.

Whew...

So, after letting two months pass on here without posting, I couldn't wait to get my pictures of up my last two projects. I'll be uploading some scrapbook pages I've done recently here real soon, within the next few days at least.

Things have been wild around the house with Jerry going TDY for a week, me going through higher pain levels for some odd reason, increasing the Fentayl patch amount, getting diagnosised - finally - with diabetes (I knew it was coming from the way all my numbers were looking the past few years, and I had several risk factors that made me more prone to get it) and learning how to eat healthy, wisely and in a manner that kept my blood sugar numbers down, working in the garden and finally getting into an exercise routine around here and a half a dozen other things that crept up day to day.

At least it's calmed down now which is a good thing. It's time I started to look after me. I've given many years to my family and it's time to quit putting me to the back or to the bottom of the list. I've had another birthday since I last posted and that birthday really made me sit up and take a look at myself. I'm 52 now and am leading the life I've always wanted to live. If I don't do something about my health overall, I won't be here long to enjoy it. That and I decided I wanted a little pampering. So, for my birthday present to myself I spent the day at a local spa. :) I had my first facial, got a pedicure and had my nails done. A few days prior to that I got my hair highlighted and cut, the beginning of the new me.

I've worked out a schedule of sorts for the things I need to do around the house, and have alloted plenty of studio time. I kept thinking why did I spent 2 months getting it just the way I wanted if I wasn't going to spend time in here creating? That and I had all these wonderful stamps and supplies that it was about time I started using them up. Either that or sell them.

Which btw, I had a garage sale the first of the month and got rid of quite a few extra scrapping and stamping supplies. What didn't sell went to a friends house and was included in her three day sale. I got rid of even more! Both of those sales were what paid for my haircut/hairlighting and day at the spa. Even trade if you ask me! LOL

The dogs also made their yearly trip to the vet where we discovered both were a tad overweight. Kanasas was a pound and a half over weight (Give me a break! But then again it shows on him since he is so little!) and Rascal was four pounds over weight. So we have taken to the streets the three of us and walk at least a mile daily. We're up to a mile and a half actually and they love it. All I have to do is mention the word Walk and they are at the door ready to go! Gotta love their enthusiasm!

So, what's next to come out of my studio? Well I'm working on a huge journal from Bo Bunny Press, I've got a lunch box I'm making for a gift, I've got cards to make for a ton of upcoming birthdays, and have an altered book to put together. All that in addition to working on scrapbooks for my grandchildren. I have four huge 12x12 ones for my daughter that she will inhert when I pass, and am doing 8x8 albums for the grandkids. Oh....Allora called me Nanna the other day!!!! She also called Jerry Papaw - all without prompting! I love that little monkey so much and wish with tons of wishes she was closer so I could be a grandmother to her.

More than that I wish my daughter had a child, then I could really be a grandmother instead of the only step grandmother in the family and at the bottom of the list when it comes to the three grandmothers she has. sighh. Oh well I'm not complaining at all. Maybe one day Jessica will have a baby. I know her dad would love to be a grandpa...very much so!

So, there you have the highlights of the last few months. Scroll down and take a peek at my first Round Robin Altered Book and a Sewing box I made from a hatbox shaped lunchbox. Let me know what you think!

Altered Book Part 2

These are pages my fellow group members did. Aren't they just awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!

My First Altered Book Round Robin

I was very excited this month to get back my first round robin - with an altered book being the star!

I chose In the Dog House for my theme and glued and painted the page edges before sending it out. Six other artists in the group worked on my book and had examples to go by to give them ideas.
The pictures you see here are pages I did, along with the sign in page made with dog bones :-}/ I had so much fun working in everyone elses' book, I could hardly wait to see what they had done with mine. As I explained in the instructions, In the Dog House could be taken so may ways, and I left it up to their imagination as to how they wanted to work their pages.
The next post, or couple of posts, will show the work from the other talented ladies. They did some AWESOME work and I'm so proud to have an example of their work in my collection.
I'll cherish this book forever :)
Once I got it back I covered it in paw themed scrapbook paper just like I did all those years in school covering text books. Then I added a few embellishments to the front and called it good. I love it and it's proudly on display in my studio. Now to finish up the other altered book/tip-in I particpated in!

New Sewing Box

I don't know where June and July went, but went they did! All I know is I was busy as heck doing this and that and for some reason my studio stayed empty - except for the few times I was in here organizing or cleaning - for the upteenth time.

Anyway, I finally did something for me, a sewing kit from one of the hatbox lunch boxes from Provo Craft. Considering I've done at least a dozen of these lunchbox this was one was snap to do. It's the first time I've done a hatbox one though, and loved the challenge.

I covered it with scrapbook paper I have had on hand forever that contains a sewing theme of sorts. I decorated it with both rubons, buttons, charms and other embellishements I had laying around - in addition to stamped images that were cut out and applied.

I took several rubons and put them on white cardstock, then I cut them out and pop dotted a few of them to the top of the lunchbox so they would stand out and give it some depth. The spool of thread was one of the rubons I did that with. I also stamped several images, cut them out and either laid them flat to the box or used pop dots to add depth along the sides of the box.

Right now it houses my misc. sewing items like needles for my sewing machine, thread I used to make curtains with, a thimble and bobbins loaded with different colors of thread.

I love it and can't wait to display it in my family room. No one will know what's in it, except me :)