C'est La Vie mini album

Happy Sunday! I just woke up from a two hour nap - I fell asleep at my craft table...with the way our house is right now, it's the only place I can actually feel comfortable...it's like a big comfy armchair to me:)

As I mentioned the other night, I have some pics of a mini album that I did - the inspiration came from the Prima YT channel...Frank Garcia and designer, Jodie Lee, had taped a class about making this 6x6 album that looked so super easy, I had to try it! 

Here are some of the supplies used:

I did a minimal amount of stamping, using the Established Elegance set and Feeling Sentimental from Stampin' Up! I also used some of the flatback rhinestones, pearls and paper doilies from Stampin' Up! and some flowers from Prima. I had made some purchases from a couple of stores off of Zibbets (Shabby Scraps and Shabby Beautiful) and got some of the most fabulous flowers from them and put them to use in this album.

       Chipboard was used for the pages - 6 pieces total cut at 6x6 - and, the hinge system is just Kraft cardstock cut at 3x6 and scored at 1 1/2" and adhered to the pages to make an accordion like album - super super easy! It also allows you to embellish it as much or as little as you want...love it! I also used Tim Holtz's Tattered Floral die to cut out some flowers using my scraps from the album to embellish the front, along with some brown tulle I picked up from a local fabric shop - it's not the first album I made, but, it was the easiest and since I was able to use only half of a 12x12 sheet of designer paper per every two pages, pretty darn economical it was, too!

I had purchased some Prima Paper, both from online and locally, and, am planning the next albums...Prima is like the Holy Grail of paper crafting to me....every time I open a paper pad to look at the designs, I swear I hear angels sing!

Thanks for letting me share with you and I hope you all have a great night!

Aloha!

Crazy life I lead....

It's been ages, hasn't it?? This isn't so much of a crafty post, more of a what's been going on post.

Things are pretty hectic right now...my oldest graduated from high school and we are currently in the what do I do with my life now? stage. 

My second son finished elementary school and we are now in the pre-teen stage...whatever that is...puberty and middle school - here we come!!!

And my youngest...well, as long as he has something to eat and his iPod, he's fine.

And, through all of this...hubby decides he wants to renovate the house...yep, the whole bloody house...he couldn't wait until after my sons graduation and his party to do it...he started it a week before his graduation - I was trying to cook for the party in a disaster zone...so not fun!!!

Yes, renovations are still going on...remember the movie The Money Pit?? And, the part where Tom Hanks just starts laughing hysterically?? Yep - that's me...

On a happier note, something to share with you

Here is my son and I on his big day...I'm so proud of him!

I've been working on some stuff...I found a new passion..mini albums!! And a whole bunch of other stuff that I've been working on...can't wait to show you everything!

Have a great night!

New year, new goals...

Happy New Year to one and all...may 2013 be an awesome year for you...
First things first...happy birthday, Mikey!!! Mikey is my awesome younger brother and he turns 41 today...rock on, brother:)!!!
I had to hope to post before Christmas, but, quite frankly, I was exhausted...wedding, craft fairs, holidays...I was a wreck. So, for once, I took my husband's advice and took a little time to just relax.
Yeah, that was good for a couple of days...then, I got tired of trying to relax and went back to my crazy schedule...good times...
Anyway...when I do craft fairs, I am usually concentrating on gift giving ideas and forget how much fun it is to just sit down and make cards. So, that's what I did today.

I finally got to play with this stamp that I got from SU! and I love it! Hello, Doily is the name of the stamp and it is pretty big, too...the card on the left is done in Pretty in Pink and Melon Mambo. I stamped the image in Early Espresso and used a clear embossing powder and then took a sponge dauber to it with Blushing Bride ink - I think that color is discontinued. I layered two paper daisies to the middle of  the image and added a pink pearl to it.
The card on the right was simpler...just stamped in black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder and added a large pearl to the middle and some smaller ones around the image. I stamped the quote on the pink card direct to the front and used the curly label punch for the other. I used the Petite Pairs stamp set for the wording.
I've got a couple of more cards to work on and, hopefully, I can get those posted by the end of the week.
Oh yeah...did I make any resolutions for the new year? Nope...I set goals...I have a better chance of accomplishing it...I hope...first one...get rid of the belly I gained from all of the holiday pigging out I did!
Goodnight, all!

Altered states...

After Monday's post, I had a crafter's block. What is that? It's like writer's block...I couldn't focus and I just couldn't find my groove. It took me three days to finish notepads that I could usually finish in one or two days. So, I went shopping. Not clothes or shoe shopping...I went to a scrapbooking store and walked around and just breathed and took it all in. Forty five minutes later, near broke but happy, I went to Home Depot next and  breathed it all in again. And, found my groove again. I picked up some wood for a project, metal shingles for magnet boards and oohed and ahhed over tool chests (not for my husband, but, for me).
So, tonight, I altered stuff - clipboards, specifically .

The top board has 2 pockets to slip notes in and the bottom is more like a message board - I adhered some cork to it and added some post it notes and a calendar.

These are two different projects - the black zebra print is a cookie sheet magnet board and the one on the right is a clipboard with a cork piece and some metal shingle that was cut in half  to use as a magnet board. I also glued some magnets to the back of some mini clips that I had from SU! and put that on the board too.

I also altered some DVD cases from SU! I decorated it with some DSP and embellished the front and on the inside included a notepad, pen and a monthly planner. The middle is actually a two pocket folder that I made for it.

Well, these are some of the items that I've got going on for my little craft sale on Saturday...got a few more pics coming up later today...have a great Friday!

Monday came too soon....

Well, my 4 day weekend came to an end with me having to go back to work today...it was a good day, though, so, it wasn't a complete bust.
The family and I were pretty busy the last few days...cooking, Thanksgiving dinner with my family, dinner with Hubby's family on Saturday, etc. - never a dull moment with us. So, whatever chance I had to sit at my table to do stuff, I used that time wisely...or, tried to...
I take part in a few craft fairs at about this time of year...typically, from October to now, I would have done about 4 already. This year, I could only do three, though, due to my niece getting married and all of us helping with the wedding. So, I had an Aha! Moment and thought...well, I have all these things made, why not do something with them? So, my Holiday Craft Sale was created...
If there is anyone reading this and you live on O'ahu, I will be holding a sale at my home on Dec.1 from 9 am to 3 pm. If interested, please email me and I will send you a copy of the flyer.
I'll be posting pics through out the week of some of the items that will be available and there will also be some supplies available, too. Hope you can make it!
So, this is part of what I did this past weekend...

This is just some of the designs I did...the total amount I did so far is about 55...wish I did more...

I hope to get more done tomorrow and will post those pics, too. For now, have a great night and hopefully, that piece of candy I ate before I got into bed doesn't give me nightmares.

Aloha!

Nancy 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I have a lot to be thankful for...my husband and kids, a job, being able to get out of bed every morning...life is good!
So, I'm on a 4 day weekend (yay!) and I couldn't wait to finish work yesterday so that I could come home and make stuff - I'm not a big fan of Black Friday shopping (spending my Friday with a bunch of crazed shoppers is NOT my idea of  a good time), so, instead, I will find peace and serenity in my craft room (aka the garage) and make things.

I found these notebooks in a dollar bin at the local craft store - 5 pads for a $1...score! And, being the hoarder that I am, I bought whatever they had left - 16 packs, I think.

So, I took the stack apart and came up with these little goodies...**if you're sidetracked by the view of my phone in text mode, it's just my brother and I talking about family dinner tonight :)

The one on the left is a magnet calendar and notepad using lavender card stock and washi paper; the stamped image is from Sister Designs...love that line. The project on the right is a little clipboard I made with a binder clip and paper from Bo Bunny's Serenity line. The base for both is chipboard.

This is a 5x7 acrylic frame pad holder; the Hello Kitty was cut out using my Cricut.

And two altered notepads
The Hello Kitty paper is from Sandy Lion and the other is from My Little Shoebox.

I apologize for the state of my pics...I used my IPad...and I'm still trying to get used to uploading images and stuff.

Well, dinner hour has been pushed up so I now have to shove the ham in the oven earlier than planned...and, the craft store is open today, too, so, we're gonna have to head over there for some supplies. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!!

Enjoying an awesome sunny day in Hawai'i Nei...
Nancy

First blog post....

Well, I've done it...I've started a blog. A little scary and intimidating, considering that as the household tech geek my answer to any computer issue is to press the control alt delete buttons.
So, if anyone is reading this (hopefully), please bear with me as I tackle this new adventure in the same way that I do most things...without thinking it through:)
Starting off, I am a full time Admin Assistant for a local trucking company and a chauffeur, cook, housekeeper, peacekeeper, wife....the list goes on. I have three sons- affectionally known as My Three Stooges - that are 17, 11 and 8 years old. I have been happily married to my awesome hubby for  9 years and in going with the whole stooge theme, he is equally affectionally known as Schlep.
I come from a family of 8- four boys, four girls - and in the grand scheme of things, I am known as number 7. In a family that large, sharing was big thing growing up...food, the bathroom, pillows...everything. But, as we all got older, we've learned to appreciate all that our parents gave to us and taught us...and, we all try to instill the same things that we learned to our children.
Anyway, back to the crafting thing...my mom was the biggest inspiration for me; she loved to make things...Christmas ornaments, jewelry, sewn items...she was awesome. She could make something out of anything...and, it turned out fabulous. I know for a fact that if she was still here, she would be sitting at a table right next to me and we would be making something together.
I love crafting...nothing makes me feel better than making something. It truly is my happy place. I enjoy paper crafting the most, although I love to make jewelry, too. And, altering stuff is another passion for me, too.
On that note...I have some pics that I need to upload and will start posting projects by tomorrow...if the Stooges behave...good night and have an awesome day tomorrow!