The Thing I Dread Most

...is scrapping a 'Girl' page. 

I HATE it, but I love my niece, so I do it.

'Dancer'

This is my absolutely adorable niece, Lanna-Bellie...the BEST niece in the world!

{She is reading my blog and I am going over to watch her later today...

and I want it to be a good day, so bear with me.}
I just love this photo, tutus are just so darn cute.
Unfortunately, she no longer dances...unless you count in the livingroom
with her crazy brothers.

I apologize for the 'squished' scan {above},

below are two close-ups.

*Includes
Core'dinations Cardstock- Pink
Crate Paper- Restoration Collection & Emma's Shoppe
My Mind's Eye-Stella&Rose Collection & Title {'Simply Beautiful'}
Thickers- Bumble {'dancer'}
Flowers- from Lan's Tutu {I removed them}

Thanks for taking a look.
Jasmine

HomeMade Ribbon Rings

Okay, so maybe I'm a little behind on the times, but I have just discovered Ribbon Rings (http://www.ribbonrings.com/). Anyway, I was browsing the net and came across a picture of a beautiful scrapbooking room...and there they were. These wonderfully, organized strands of ribbon.  So I found the product and thought, I have to have those...or better yet, I have to figure out a way to make those.  So here is what I came up with. 

*You Will Need:

Binder Rings (Staples- although, I would check your local dollarstore first)

Name Tag/Badge Holders or Sport Card Protectors (Wal-Mart- again, check your local dollarstore)

Utility Knife, Cutting Board & Hole Punch

Step#1

Cut off the pre-cut holes on the Name Tag/Badge Holder (discard)

You want to be left with 2"(h) of doubled plastic.

Step#2

Cut the remaining 2"(h)x3.5"(w) piece of plastic in half with your Utility Knife. 

(Leaving you with two pieces measuring 2"(h)x1.75"(w))

Step#3

Using your Hole Punch, make a hole at the 'top' of each piece of plastic.

(My 'top' is on the seamed edge of the plastic, my hope is that keeping the plastic doubled will make it stronger.)

Step#4

Take your Utility Knife and cut 3 slits, horizontally, in each piece of plastic (1@1.5", 1@1" and 1@.5") 

(do NOT cut through the sides, your ribbon will go through these silts.)

Step#5

Thread your ribbon through the piece of plastic and hook onto Binder Ring.

(now find some place to hang)

And your done.

Sorry for the horrible drawings...

If you have any questions, please ask.  I hope I have done an okay job of explaining this.

Have a GREAT DAY!

Jasmine

 

A Lion At The Beach

These are my two nephews, Braden & Zachie.  We are lucky enough to live between two lakes, so quite often in the summer you will find us at the beach. (My sister is a school teacher, so with the summers "off ", this works out quite well.) On this particular day, Braden, wouldn't take his lion towel off...you see this way he didn't have to wear a hat and the towel blew like a cape in the wind.  

For this layout I cut the photo matting out of a file folder, ran the edges through glue (MS Permanent) and then through sand. (from our local beach)

* Other Materials Include:

My Mind's Eye - Stella&Rose; Hattie Remember Roses

My Mind's Eye- Sticker, Tags & Brads

Core'dinations Cardstock - Blues

Unity Stamp- Distressed Dots

Tim Holtz- Distress Ink(s); Chipped Sapphire, Weathered Paint

Thickers- Jewelry Box, Chestnut ('LION')

Thanks for taking a look, any feedback is appreciated!

Jasmine 

The Joker and the Queen of Hearts

I haven't posted in a few days, I apologize.  I would LOVE to blame it on Easter and family, but I would be lying...I have been in a bit of a funk.
This layout took everything I had...not because it is so fantastic (haha), but because I have currently lost my creativity...and I am doing everything I can to find it. 

In the last three or four days I have started, yelled at, and shoved aside over seven, yes SEVEN, layouts.  So getting this one done and actually finding it 'blogable' is no small task.

This is my oldest nephew, Braden, and his Great-Grandma (my Grandma), Agnes.  I find it absolutely hilarious how they interact.  My Grandmother is from Belgium and speaks with a thick accent. While most adults have a hard time understanding her, Braden understands her perfectly.  They talk, laugh and carry-on like the oldest of friends.  Such a sweet and special bond.    

* Crate Paper- Samantha Collection; SnapDragon
Crate Paper- Emma's Shoppe; Inventory, Playhouse
Crate Paper- Toy Box Collection; Build
Crate Paper- Heart Brad
Core'dinations Cardstock- red heart (handcut)
Thickers- Jewelry Box Alphabet (chestnut brown)
Tim Holtz-Distress Ink- Scattered Straw
Tim Holtz- Scalloped Die (coca-cola can)
Memento Ink-Rhubarb Stalk
Playing Cards

Thanks for stopping by.

Jasmine 



I Am So Excited!

Earlier this month Scrap It Forward (http://scrapitforward.blogspot.com/)
held a contest in honour of Earth Day.  You had to 'use a little bit of the old and a

little bit of the new together.'  In other words, alter an object. 
So I entered my altered Candy Tin and Baking Pan (see 'Sweets Anyone?')
...and guess what?  I WON!! 

I am so excited...I just had to share.

Thank you Christine & the Scrap It Forward Team.

Be sure to check out their blog for many more exciting challenges and ideas.

Thanks for reading,

Jasmine

Mondays are for Mom

Hard to believe that it's Monday...again.  As I have said before, every Monday I will be posting a card that my Ma has crafted throughout the week. 

This week's card is a very cute 'Congratulations, You had a Boy Card'. 

The card is 6"x6" and contains:

Heidi Grace Designs - Designer Paper

Mo's Digital Pencil- 'Love It' Digital Stamp

Copic Markers - Assorted Colours

Embossed Cardstock, Sticker, Brads & Ribbon from 'stash'

Thank for looking & I hope everyone had wonderful Easter.

'Hippity, Hoppity Easter's On Its Way'

I love Easter, it is one of my favourite holidays.  I think it must be because I associate it a fresh new start...and the lilacs will be blooming soon, I LOVE lilacs.  Everyone seems to have an extra 'Spring' in their step this time of year, looking dapper, dressed in their 'Easter Best' (I would show you what my Ma used to do to my sister and I, but that would be embarrasing). For the last few years my extended family (on my dad's side) gets together to celebrate.

(outside of carton-1/2 dozen)

This means, kids, lots of kids (about 30, give or take...fingers crossed for take).  So in order to keep them busy, I decided that this year we would do a simple craft using egg cartons (keeping in mind that Earth Day is on the 22nd- reuse, reduce, recycle).  I have started to created little 'kits', using up some of my scraps, which include all of the parts they will need to construct this creation, hopefully for the most part, without adult supervision. 

(Inside Top - Quote from 'Easter Parade')

(Inside Egg Cups- Rolled Paper Flowers & Assorted Easter Candy)

My thought is that they could gift it to their Mom, Dad...or someone special. 

Now if only I had started sooner.

Wish me luck...and have a Wonderful Easter.

Sweets Anyone?

Today I decided I wanted to do something a little different...so I altered an old candy tin.

Poor thing had been sitting in my scrap room, collecting dust for some time now, begging for a makeover.  So with a little My Mind's Eye paper (&brad), raffia and a {little} dab of hot glue...SUCCESS! Just like new! (Better, if I do say so myself.)

This second project was done a few weeks ago.  It was so much FUN, I just had to share.

(**All credit for this project goes to Melissa at Bursts of Creativity**)

http://burstsofcreativity.blogspot.com/2011/02/muffin-tin-wall-hanging.html

I found this baking pan while antiquing with a friend...I knew it still had some life left in it, so I bought it.

Then I ran across Melissa's Muffin Tin on her {EXCELLENT} Blog, and knew it was destiny.  It was surprisingly more challenging than I thought it would be...but in the end, I think, was worth it.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Why So Coy, Boy?

This is my oldest nephew, Braden...and he is the furthest thing from shy.

  A story.  When Braden was about 3 years of age I took him on the train.  We had about an hour to kill while waiting for our connecting train...well, he decided to pass the time by 'hitting on" on a university student. He went over to the empty seat beside her and filled her in on all of his exciting adventures with 'Buck-O', his stuffed, blue dog & faithful sidekick.  I could see them the whole time and the girl assured me that 'he was fine.' They talked until our train came (yes, the whole 'about an hour'). Later, I asked him why he had done that, to which he replied, "She was pretty, I asked her for her digits (phone number), but she said I was too young."   So you can see why a day like the one pictured above is completely out of the ordinary.  For a moment we wondered why he was being so bashful, but then we decided to enjoy the peace and quiet...which is when he decided to go back to being his normal, crazy self.

Enjoy your day!

*( My Mind's Eye, Tim Holtz, Thickers)

Mondays are for Mom

Every Monday I will be posting one of my Ma's beautiful cards.

This week's card was supposed to be for the Weekly Challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil, but

poor Ma was a little 'under the weather' and didn't get it completed on time.

'How Does Your Garden Grow?'

(Nancy P.)

Digital Stamp - Mo Manning (http://digitalpenciltoo.com/)

Copic Markers- assorted colours  

Printed Paper & Die Cuts - Kaiser Crafts- Tea At Elsie's Collection

Cardstock- Brazzill Basics

Brad- Making Memories

Quite often the cards are left blank, this way the proper tag can be added. (ie, Thinking of You, Get Well Soon, etc)

Thanks for stopping by.

It's A Process

...and it normally starts with a picture.

After that I decide what colour scheme I want to go with and what cardstock I to use for the back (in this case My Mind's Eye Stell&Rose, 'Hattie' "Remember" Roses).  I cut it down to size (8.5x8.5) and then I sketch.  Now, let me warn you, this isn't always pretty.

Yikes!

I pull out every scrap of paper that I have that will match the chosen colour scheme. (EVERYONE) Then I weed those down to the papers I will use...and can fit. I pull out embellishments, think of my title, and hand write any journaling. (It's a thing, I have to write it first- even this, I hand-wrote it first.)

Now the fun can begin, cutting, laying it all out, distressing, laying it all out, inking, laying it all out, typing my jounaling, laying it out...getting the picture... I know, it's odd. Finally after laying it out about 10-20 more times, I can stick it all down. (I operate under 'measure fifteen hundred times; cut once.') And after about 5-6 hours (from start to finish)...

Voila! The finished product!

Phew, I'm tired.

Thanks for looking.

There's Always Something New to Learn

...especially when it comes to Scrapbooking.

I love misting sprays, I feel they kick my pages up a notch. I found I was buying quite a few and going through those rather quickly...so when I heard about making Misting Sprays on the Scrapbook.com forum, I quickly went about finding a 'recipe' at SplitCoastStampers.com and am now addicted to making every colour under the sun.

Directions:

1. Mini Mister Bottle- fill 3/4 full with water.

2. Add a small amount of Perfect Pearls (I use the tip of a letter opener to do this)

3. Add a few drops of Re-Inker, until you get your desired colour. (or try plain, old Club House liquid food colouring)

Now shake it up really good...and you're done.

I decided to make 'Recipe Cards' for each colour made. (typed the amount and colour of each 'ingredient', plus gave the card a little spritz of the colour.) This way I can recreate any of the colours.  For the $10 that I paid for materials, I think I should get approximately 20 bottles of spray. (give or take)

If you have any ideas or suggestions for making your own supplies, embellishments or ANYTHING scrapbook related...share the wealth...

Thanks for looking.

His Inner Calvin and Hobbes

Zachie LOVES having his picture taken. Before you can get the lens off the camera, he is posing & smiling. So when I asked him if he would make these faces, based on Calvin and Hobbes, his answer was 'Say Cheese!'

When I was younger, my Ma would make the family go on all day, out of town shopping trips.  As a child I was sure she was trying to kill me by death of shopping- I hated it (things have since changed). My step-dad, Dan, shared my views on shopping, so together we would head off  to the bookstore.  He would buy a Calvin and Hobbes comic book, we would park ourselves on a mall bench and read it (and laugh) together.  Funny, isn't it, how something I HATED so much as a child has turned out to be one of my fondest memories.



(*Layout includes: My Minds Eye - Countdown to Christmas, Tim Holtz- Barn Door, Hello Luscious- Raddish, Core'dinations Cardstock)

The {Perfectly Bizarre} Tim Burton Experience

Back in March I was lucky enough to see the Tim Burton Exhibit in Toronto. (Thanks to my Ma and Step-dad...Great Christmas present, thank you) What a creative genius...to have such an imagination.  Unfortunately, we were not able to take pictures inside the gallery, so I took what I could outside.

 I wish I could describe in words the amazing pieces of work that were on display, but words just can't describe it.

The Thrill of the Hunt...

There is something extremely satisfying about thinking of and then finding that perfect 'non-scrapbooking' related item that will work so well on a layout (LO).  I love digging around at antique markets, thrift stores and yardsales, always looking for that item that will take your LO to the next level. Here are some of my recent finds.   

The skate and the netting all come from the local thrift store...I just cut them down to size.

The black around the edges (and some up the middle) is hockey tape.

The jean pocket is from an old jacket of mine...I love this look.

Sand from our local beach.

(around the edges of the brown & circle)

The ruler is a section of a 'folding yardstick' (really neat in and of itself).

Great find at a yardsale.

Happy Hunting.

My FIRST post...

I have gone back and forth for some time now about starting a blog.  Well, the time has come, so here I go.  I have been doing a layout for My Mind's Eye {MME} Challenge#22 'April Showers'. I thought about what a blessing and a curse this April has been.  A blessing in that, after the rain comes warmth...and a curse in that I have a white dog, who LOVES to dig.  She goes outside spotless and comes in COVERED in mud.  I try to get mad at her, but she is just so darn cute.