Board Book to Scrapbook

I was inspired by someone on Craftster forum talking about making scrapbooks from board books. I decided to try it. Miss K had a book that had a little music button but the battery died but instead of just dying and no longer plays it died making a noise that is enough to drive a momma nuts so I pulled it off the book and decided to try and make a scrapbook.

The first thing you need to do is sand the pages a bit so the glue will stick.Then comes the point of gluing paper onto the book. I used some 8x8 paper that I had. I did learn that you need to leave some room so the pages will turn.
I then decorated the book. I used various pictures of the grandchildren from Easter including a picture of the momma with a baby bump.
Mom received it and loved it. She said she is going to look for bargain board books. This could be addicting.

Stocking up my card box

I needed to stock up my card box with some birthday cards. I got the inspiration for this card from Julie. I was told by a friend to always decorate the card so I did it by just punching a square and now I have a fun summery birthday card.

These are so simple but I think so cute. I love the green and pink ribbon. I love using ribbon that I find. The "Happy Birthday" paper I have had for too long and so it is time to use it.
Now I am ready for some birthdays. It is nice having them in my box so when I am busy and forget which often seems to happen I have a card ready.

It's beginning to look like

Christmas gift tags. I know it is only April well, now May but I decided after last year's rush in wrapping gifts and needing to quick find or make name tags that I was going to start early this year. I just cut some small pieces of paper and then used my various Christmas stamps - snowflakes on kraft paper, candy cane, Christmas balls, mittens, stars, and holly. I have one "to/from" stamp that I have had for years but it worked. They are finished and put away with the wrapping paper.

Next I am going to make some more stockings but I do have a few other projects that will need to be done before that.

The Blues - Variatations on a Theme

I saw something similar to this on someone's blog. Sorry, I can't remember and if it was your blog, thank you for the idea.

The other year at a yard sale someone was selling some scrapbook supplies. They had tried and decided it wasn't for them. I reaped the benefits. I had the paper sitting in my cabinet and decided I really need to use it. I have been trying to do more of that - using things I have. I pulled out one piece of each of the blue patterns and decided to just cut and see what I could make.

Here is a simple Happy Birthday card. My corner punch died as I was doing this. It was sad but our hero came to the rescue and was able to buy one at the stationary store when he went out to workout.A bit square. I stamped Happy birthday inside and I have a nice birthday card.
This one looks like a circus.
This is my favourite creation and I love it so I decided to make a few more to have on hand. Doesn't it just look like a baby boy. The onsie stamp is a recent purchase and I love it. I embossed it and then it was easy to cut it out.
There are the variations on The Blues.

Why I make cards.

Here are just two reasons why I make cards. The selection that we find here is enough reason to start making your own.

Here is a foldout house. It has Chinese writing and a cake with candles so it must be a birthday card.This is my favourite reason to make cards. The little man with his mouth wide open riding an elephant and picking apples. Yes, that looks like a birthday card -- right. The sign in the elephant's mouth might say "happy birthday".

I took the Challenge

Well, I guess it really was a tutorial on doodling and not a challenge. Daring Carmakers gave this tutorial. Here is my starting place.

I like doodling on paper and so I thought it would be fun. The samples they had a change in look. I think I didn't have bright enough paper. I also know that there are some parts of life that I like to be nice and neat and I think my cards is one of those areas. Here is the end product.

It works as a card but I am not rushing out to make more until I have some more circle punches and some bold paper.

Mother's Day Cards

I love spring, the flowers, the warmth (well, we went right to summer last week), the newness of life. Mother's Day cards are just so much fun to do. Pretty paper, a cute stamp, some ribbon and a nice card.

I tried something new. I sewed this pocket. I cute the paper in 4.25" strip and then folded and cut a small part off one side. The stamping was simple but I did emboss it so it has a nice look. (I found my heat it when I was home and brought it back. I have a 110V converter so I use it with that). I did use pop dots to make it stick out a bit.

I had a yard of the yellow ribbon but used most of it so it might be time for a trip to the fabric area.

Happy Birthday Penguins

These are all ready to celebrate. This time it is Jacob's 7th birthday. Were did the years go? I remember baking his first birthday cake.

I did it.

My friend told me about a sign that she saw at a craft show. It said, "I know you can but will you?" Good point.

I received a card at Christmas that was a pull-out tag. It was not a homemade card but I decided that I could make it and look I did!

This is my first attempt. I learned some lessons -- cut and measure carefully. When I was home I bought Glue Lines which made it easy to attach the pocket. This was just a "let's try it and see what happens". I did write a short note and send it to a friend.

This is my 2nd one and it was so much easier becuase I was careful in measuring and cutting. This one I stamped the tag and had a cute birthday card.
So "yes, I can and I did it." Oh, so many fun things that can be done with this concept.

Calendar to note cards

I love paper - note cards, pads of paper, notebooks, scrapbook paper, scrap paper. Years ago this was a Laura Ashley calendar. I remember buying it at a little Laura Ashley store on the island where I lived but that was back in my single days. I have kept the paper enjoying the pictures. Now I am using it as note cards but just had to take a picture to remember this.
I love the colours and the collections of things used but now it is time to use it. Time to write a letter.

Happy Valentine's Day

I enjoy making cards, most of them are very basic compared to many of the things that I see but I have fun being creative and it does save money. I decided that I wanted to include pictures just so I remember the cards and maybe over time I will see trends or improvements in my card making.

Well, the card that you see here is not mine but Miss K's. She did "sign" her name inside.

Paper and photos

two of my favourite things. I had fun this year using some of my photos and creating some notecards for gifts. These were special for my mom and grandmother. The flowers were all from my parent's yard.

I also just sat down with my computer and picked som Asia pictures and gave those to a friend here.

Gift Bags

Last week was the Mom's group Christmas tea. This event is the only time that we have a craft or activity for the mom's. I guess someone thought I was creative and so I was asked to come up with an idea.

I thought about a few things and even tried to make the folded star ball ornament but decided that was too labour intensive and had too much instructions. I asked for some suggestions on a forum and someone suggested gift bags.

I put a few samples together and then took supplies and everyone was very creative. It was fun to see what they put together.

I think it was a fun time and it did fulfill the desire for something easy, without lots of instructions, could be done in 30 minutes or so and something that everyone could use.

Now I have three gift bags. I need to find some gifts to put in the bags.

Happy Thanksgiving

Here are some simple and pretty Happy Thanksgiving cards I made to send greetings to those far and away.I used some of the ribbon from the garment district. I love shopping for ribbon there especially now that I have organized it and know what I have.

Making Memories

Last week Bo went traveled to where we used to live. He need to pick-up some papers. I wanted to send some Miss K pictures to our dear friend there. I am really enjoying doing small books and so I decided to make a small scrapbook for her. It was one big long piece of paper. One side was pictures from the past year. and the other side were pictures from the first 2 years of her life.




I enjoyed making it and I know Auntie LL is enjoying having it in her office to show various friends that visit her.

Travel Swap

The scrapbook group that I am part of meets once a month and we often have a swap. April's theme is travel. I had some time this afternoon and wanted to see what I could create. I was pleasedwith the outcome. I started with a pocket envelope, then stamped a world map using the watermark pad and then used my fun travel stamps around the edges and then added some hint of colour with my chalks.

I made 12. I think that should be enough for the swap.

I used some

Remember the paper that I had cut from the calendar. I used some of it when I did Miss K's first trip across the border. It was so fun to use it. I also used some on a family page that I did.

I'm so Happy

They are finished! Yeah! Our scrapbook group meets once a month and has a swap where each person makes a something to swap. This month's theme is Chinese New Year and I think because of that everyone wanted to get in on the receiving. We all have a need for Chinese embellishments.

This was a pretty basic thing considering I bought the double happiness and then just glued it on using my Xyron and then threaded the ribbon through.


I will try to post a picture of what I receive. Now I am ready to do some Asian pages especially as I have my calendar paper.

New Scrapbook Paper

We had a beautiful Chinese calendar that we were given last year. In the middle are various verses. I just couldn't threw it away. Here is a picture of the 2007 calendar. Hopefully I will be able to wait until July when I can start cutting this one apart.
I had tried earlier this week to order some Asian scrapbook paper from an online supplier and was disappointed that their website wasn't working espcially since I had a 15 percent coupon that was valid until the 31st. I then remembered the calendar and so I cut the pieces into various strips to make borders and all kinds of things.

Now I am ready to scrap our last trip.