Can’t believe that Valentine’s season is upon us. I am working on a few different projects. So far, I got ten cards done. How cool is that? Now to complete my black and white project! I really want it done and shipped to my dad and my sisters in time for his surgery, so they can have a piece of us with them although I can’t make it. Sigh. I’m so loving the black and white thing, but I’ve found a lot of vibrant and soft colors for Spring. I can part with the black and whiteness around then. Here’s one of my cards. It’s nice and simple.
I really like the look of black and white right now. It’s so crisp and simple. I am in the planning stages of at least two upcoming projects that have a strong monochromatic theme. Stay tuned.
I had all of these ribbons, eyelets and embellishments and I 
wound up not using them. At all. Maybe I’ll save them for the next birthday or layout. I liked the idea of the B for my sister’s birthday card (her name starts with B), then I used the corners (which are also from Technique Tuesday). I have a few layouts in mind. Maybe I’ll get to use those embellishments yet. I have my eyes on a couple of tools (rubbing my hands together). Too bad there aren’t any anniversaries, birthdays, or mommy holidays coming up.
I’m working out all kinds of new strategies for my scrapbooking and crafting time for the Spring and Summer season. I have three big projects for Spring Summer (in addition to my ongoing work in our family scrapbook). The first is a mini book of photos for the kids for my Mom for Mother’s Day. Then there is a scrapbook for the Family Reunion. It is going to be a clear book this year. You know, an opportunity for me to play with new stuff. The last one I did was this huge 12×12 with a beautiful leather cover. I think that this layout is going to be smaller, but you never know. I could get inspired. Maybe.
Word for the year. I had chosen it ages ago, but my word for the year is Restoration. The vast majority of days I’m definitely heading in that direction, which is an awesome thing for me and a resolution of any sort.
Last month, I did a lot with felt. I challenged myself to make cards for different family and friends thanking them for their parts in my life. The first week of March is going to be spent sending the last of them off, but I am so proud that I completed this task. I worked with paper, cardstock, ribbon, my trusty pink quickutz squeeze, stamps, and a bit of felt. I also sewed a felt book based on some ideas I got from Ali Edwards’ blog for my hubby for Valentine’s Day. A couple of my cards had self adhesive felt (the white and black and red and the pink, blue and white – Queen & Co.) on them as well. I like the look of and texture of the felt, not to mention the way they can be manipulated on layouts and cards. I think that March is going to be scrapbook layout catch up month. One thing I really want to explore with that will be the whole lace cardstock thing. I’m toying with the idea of sewing on some layouts, but I’ll just have to see how it works out.
I have a few projects waiting for final touches. Most of my final touches are in transit because I ordered them online. Next year, I’ll just order season specific embellishments and paper ahead of time because the hunt for Valentine’s trimmings have been ridiculous. I wanted to make cute little cards for my hubby, sisters, parents, kids, and oh.my.goodness. I couldn’t even find red felt in some places at the end of January. I did manage to make a cute little valentine book for my hubby. Once again, I’m waiting for the final touches. They are about a state away, so maybe I’ll get them tomorrow. I wait and I dream. LOL.
I got this new stamp that I think I’m going to incorporate into Valentine’s and birthdays. I really like the little holes. It looks a bit old fashioned circusy, but I really like it. I think it can be incorporated into an old fashioned or eclectic look. Here is what I’ve done so far with the b mine stamp, a little work with red, pink and blue cardstock and some experimental stuff with inks and markers and ribbon. (Technique Tuesday stamps) I usually take different ideas, experiment and put cards and layouts together. I’ll post up the final card once it is complete. The funny thing about it is, that I was really digging the light blue and a couple of weeks later I got a paper crafting magazine with guess what? Light Blue Valentine’s Day cards. Maybe my tastes don’t run as eclectic as I thought. Is that good news?
Another thing I thought I would play with was some of my quickutz lettering. At first I considered using my heart die cut, but I’m not so sure that particular heart goes with the design of the stamp. I really like the holes in the letters (the mine is tiny, but it has em too)
I had no idea that this was out! It was launched today at midnight. The only way I found out about it was I was sitting in the family room flipping channels when suddenly I saw it. They were setting eyelets on aluminum buckets. I’m not sure I really need it since I dont do too much setting of eyelets in the center of a page, and a major selling point is the six inch range. It basically can punch to the center of the page, which affords a lot more flexibility when designing a 12×12 page. I really want to see one in action (and perhaps find a lower price, one that comes with its own case like my original crop a dile perhaps?) before I even seriously consider wrapping my mind around the purchase. Looks interesting though.
I just realized that I’ve been scrapbooking (and putting effort into it) for about eight years. I made my first scrapbook in college (which was more than eight years ago), but the first time I did conscious layouts and stuff was when my in-laws visited us from India. I wanted to give them something they could look at and remember their grandkids and my husband and the things that we did while they were with us. It turned out pretty nice, but I have learned a lot about scrapping since then. Never mind that I’m a hard core embellishment junkie. LOLOL. I’m in recovery. Really. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The last project I finished was yet another scrapbook that I created for my mother in law. I made this one out of a wooden cigar box. I took a class at the local store back before it 
closed, but I brought the stuff from the class into this project. Here are some photos of the original scrapbook on which that one is based. I filled it with the blessings of my life. It was pretty easy to make, I drilled holes in the box and did 6×6 pages and the little studdy things that hold em in place.
I can only usually see the flaws in my work, but I think that my work has evolved. Here’s to more evolution. Papers. Heidi Grace (fiskars), Cigar boxes available at most craft stores, metal embellishments by making memories, quotes by DCWV, cover letters on bazzill paper using quickutz (Paige font, heart cutout) paint chips from any old store that mixes paint. I did a bit of hand journaling since this is my own personal book.
I’m scrapping again. Once I finish my latest project, I’ll post pics. However, I thought I’d write about my favorite tool. The crop a dile!!! I know everybody and their mama has probably written about it, but last night I was doing page layouts from some of our fall outings and it is SO GREAT!!! I mean, anything that allows you to set eyelets, snaps, metal embellishments with the effort of a hole punch… I want to thank the person who invented this personally. My life has been changed folks. lolol. I think I’ll get that ribbon pressing iron next. Or maybe one of those electronic die cutting tools. or… LOLOL.
