Where has the year gone???

This year has flown by and been full of so many changes. Since my schedule and free time have seriously been trimmed to nothing, I decided to use some gift money to treat myself to something I've been wanting to do for a while...subscribe to Studio Calico. I just love their exclusive items and the way they put their kits together.

I debated about it for literally months and decided it would save me time in the long run, since I can just pull a kit and go with it when I have a spare 30 minutes.

I'd love to splurge on other items but am taking it slowly. Here are a few of their fabulous shop items that are on my wish list:

1. Documentary line (sadly I have none) & Elementary
2. Applejack & lunchtray Mr. Huey
3. Stamps: natalee, Noah, Jett, addy sentiment
4. Napa Valley kit
5. Jenni Bowlin inks (esp malted milk & chewing gum)
6. Sewing notions
7. Wood veneer stars

I'm sure I'll slowly build up if they dont sell out. :)

Hopefully I'll have some new things to share soon. I made wreaths for Christmas and will share a pic soon!

Have a Happy New Year!

How to create the "border punched" look

One of my scrapbook addictions has become butterfly punches and border or edger punches.  Many people are still waiting on THIS popular postage stamp border punch to be in stock in stores and online.  I checked my local Joann's and found the whole section of new Fiskars border punches to be empty, so no luck there.

Since my list of scrappy "wants" seems to be ever growing AND the store was out of the punch I wanted to try, I used supplies I had on had to create the same effect of two of the punches I'd been eyeing. 

Here's how:

I used a medium weight patterned paper (Pink Paislee to be exact) and a small circle punch I think I got in the dollar spot somewhere a few years back.  I did look at Joann's when I was there and saw THIS small circle punch that I think would help to create the same effect for $3.99.

I was really impressed with the end effect (although my punch is a bit difficult to punch with heavier papers) and think it looks almost exactly like the speciality paper I used on THIS page.

Next, I used the same circle punch and my corner rounder with the guard taken off to recreate the look of THIS new punch that my friend Angie posted about HERE.

By popping off the plastic gurard and flipping the punch backwards, you are able to line up the punch with the previous punched area to create a continuous scalloped edge.

Then, I lined the circle punch up in the center of each scallop and punched a hole.

The end effect does closely resemble the EK Success large slimline edger punch that retails for $17.99 at my Michael's store.

I realize this punch could be easily reacreated as well.  Since it was the last one at my store (on sale) and I had been wanting it for a while, I decided it should come home with me.  I can't wait to use it.

This pic is of the goodies I picked up yesterday on my little shopping excursion (all on sale or with coupons of course)...I can't wait to create something with them. 

Granted, the punches I posted about are far from necessity, but I really do love the look of them and the extra "umph" it gives my creations.  Who knew that a tiny circle punch and a border punch could have so many individual and combined uses?  After recreating these, I plan on looking around my "studio" and seeing what else I can think of to use differently.  Had I actually bought the punches I wanted at full price, they would have been well over $30 but I now have a similar look for FREE by using what I had on hand.  Pretty nifty, huh?  What do you think?  Do you want to see more tutorials on recreating popular border punch looks?

Friday Facts and Faves....

Finally my computer is up and running again.  I was
having major withdrawals, since I can only do
so much online on my phone. 
Isn't it funny how much we grow to depend
on things that seemed
so far fetched not that long ago?

I remember thinking when I was little about
how totally COOL it would

be to have a phone in your car.  Now I have
one in my purse that is a mini

computer/camera/gps/gameboy/ and on and on and on.

1. I have the bestest hubby in the world, hand down.

2. Recently my treat of choice has been
McDonald's iced vanilla coffee
(not quite starbucks, but satisfying
without breaking the bank).

3. Yesterday I realized I don't think I've picked
up my camera to take

any pics (besides on my phone) in the l
ast month.....seriously?

4. I totally scored when I hit a scrapbook sale
today pretty hard.  I've been

on a giddy scrappy high all stinkin' day.

5. So excited to see my family this weekend....
I've missed them and missed my
scrapping buddies.

6. Went to my 2nd (or 3rd maybe) ever crop
at the end of last month and made

some nice new friends.  Hoping to scrap
again with them soon.

7. Summer stinks.  It's too H-O-T!
I'm ready for FALL!

Like NOW!

8. My little one told me I was beautiful tonight.
 Made my heart melt.

9. I. wore. a. dress. to. dinner. tonight. 

Yep.....me.

I did. 

10.  Ever wonder what locusts are saying to
each other when they call
back and forth?  They are yelling,
"We are here, we are here, we are here,"
in their little Who voices so all the other l
ocusts know where they are. :)

Hope you have a great weekend and
get your scrap on! Thanks for stopping by!

PS....anyone know how to change the settings in
blogger so I can email back

ppl who leave comments? TIA!

American Crafts D-ring Albums...where have you been all my life?

Remember THIS post yesterday about how I had a huge pile of layouts stacked up and that I once said I could NEVER imagine myself doing it?  I counted them.  Guess how many there were?  52.  Crazy, huh?  That's like a layout a week for a year. 

I decided to drag out a couple of new albums to somewhat "categorize" my pages and managed to put up all but 15 of them.  Of those, most just need a date or journaling and a couple just need to be reworked so I can stand to look at them.  Hopefully they will be ready for the albums soon.

When deciding on which albums to use, I pulled out an American Crafts Modern D-ring Album and...

Oh. My. Stinkin'. Word!

Really?  Why haven't I tried these before now?  I got this little 12x12 number at Tuesday Morning quite a while back for $6.99 I think and it's almost full now: 

I'll start by saying, the raw edge is not my fave, but I love what THIS lady did with her album using Cosmo Cricket's Mr. Campy collection.  THIS album is really cute as well and may be more along the lines of what I might do with some Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday:

*(note: this is not my album)*

I have to say that the album seems to hold SO much more.  Since my pages have grown to be a lot bulkier than the way I used to scrap, the reinforced page protectors seem to easily accomodate the lumpy pages well.  I noticed my K and Company albums weren't holding up so great, and their brand of page protectors seemed to be ripping mostly at the tops. 

I also love that AC makes divided page protectors for speedy scrapping as well as variety within albums.  Who said 12x12 albums should ONLY contain 12x12 pages? ;)  Don't be afraid to think outside the box and mix in a little 8x8, 8 1/2 x 11, or 6x12 page into your album.

Hopefully I can find some more of the AC albums at Tuesday Morning, but if not, Hobby Lobby has several to choose from including this one (at 50% off quite often): 

I also have 2 12x12 Making Memories Passport D-ring Albums to use for my vacation pages and an 8 1/2 x 11 one that I hope work as great as these do.

What kind of albums do you like best?  If you find that you like the D-ring best, did you switch over all of your old ones or just only put your new creations into them?

Never say never...

Wanna know what that pic is besides a big mess? 

Yep, you guessed it. 

A stack of scrapbook pages.  People used to amaze me by saying they had iris containers full of pages or stacks of them waiting to go in albums. 

I never understood why they didn't put them away...

until now. 

A couple of mine need journaling or a date or some glossy accents to make sure something is stuck down. I have several empty albums, I just need to commit to one and load it up. 

Decisions, decisions.

After spending the morning cleaning up my scrappy corner a bit, I feel ready to tackle these last minute completions and then plan to add them to albums.  Wish me luck! 

Soooo....are you a stacker or do you put them away after finishing?

I'm thinking about seeing if I have one of those tiny, long shelves that has the little notch in it where I can prop up recent layouts and change them out periodically. 

What do you think?

Junkin' Finds...and a nippy dog

Over a month ago, I contacted someone on craigslist who said she had some craft items she was clearing out and I asked about pictures & pricing.  I had since forgotten about the email until I finally received a response last weekend.  I talked with the lady and set up a time to dig through her stash,

and this is what I came home with:

Love the old air mail letter box and aren't those images on these items awesome?

I'm not quite sure what I'll be using these hooks, eyelets, loops, and snaps for, but the packaging just amazing on them that I couldn't pass them up. 

Buttons on the original, vintage cards.  Aren't they lovely?  I love how weathered and worn some of them are.  The little envelopes held odd buttons, but I mostly got them because I liked how they looked, too.

Lots of little trinkets, beads, sequins, and other goodies she "made" me take with me.

And this picture, along with the others below, contains my favorite things of the batch.  Look at those pearl pins and buttons.  The tin needs a coat of something on it so it won't rub paint off my hands every time I open it, but I'm keeping it the same way I found it other than that.

I love the little button I found, and I think it looks almost exactly like the little green buttons in the new Girls' Paperie Christmas line HERE.  Don't you agree?  I wish I had a whole slew of them.

See the weathering on the air mail letter box?  What about the sweet little Judy Lee pin box?  A little old lady I used to work with called me "Judy" every time I saw her.  My nametag clearly said "Abby" on it, but I would just smile and tell her hello every time.  I'm thinking the black coat hook would be a unique closure for a mini album of some sort.

Another close-up of buttons...Loving the little clear ones with the silver edge. 

Now onto the nippy dog.  The lady had a little dog that was on a leash that managed to not only bite my leg, but also my hand.  It didn't break the skin, but it hurt like heck.  I'll just say between the price and the dog bites, I feel like I had to fight for this junkin' haul, lol!  What do you think?  Anything you think is just FABULOUS?  I may be putting some of these goodies in my Etsy shop soon.  I'll let you know if I do.

I'd also love to hear what THIS LADY, who cringes at the word "button," thinks of my haul. ;)

Oh my!

Between road trips and the holiday, I have been a bad blogger!  It has been SO hot here, and I pretty much hate hot weather.  I'm more of a fall, winter, spring sorta gal.  I was lucky enough to have a block of creative time and created a couple of layouts, but mostly I taught my little sister and her friend how to make handmade flowers and cards.  I think they are addicted to papercrafting now.

Since I think most blog posts without pics are useless, here is a picture of some of my new punches.  I picked them up on a few different trips to TJ Maxx and Marshalls.  Judging by the color, I think they originally came from Walmart.  Since I had been wanting some of them for a while, I snagged them at a great price.  When it comes to punches (or cute paper or ribbon or Thickers or....), I have little self-control.  What supply do you have a hard time passing up?