Punch Art Christmas Cards - Cute chick

An oldie, but still a goodie.

The hanging ornaments are kinda fitting for this year's Christmas theme what with all the string ornaments around the place. 

:o)

A Scrap Quiz - What's your scrap history? Part 5

Previous scrapping history posts have discussed how I started scrapbooking and all the different types of scrapping I've tried.

At this point we're around 2007 ish.

Now, I don't know when it was, but I know I went on a scrapping hiatus for about a year at some point. 

I was frustrated with having to keep up all the time. 


I was completely overwhelmed with the photo developing part! I was getting them done for mini albums, the holiday album, chrono albums - gosh, I remember how confusing it was.

I'd come home with so many photos for so many things and in so many sizes. All that organising took so much effort...too much and I flicked it eventually.

I know I stopped making mini albums in 2009. It might've been halfway through 2008. 

I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened.

I think they had just run their course with me pretty much.

I wanted to simplify things and just concentrate on our everyday photos. They were where my heart was.

I wasn't happy with my process though - there was definitely no output.

I see myself as a lifelong scrapbooker.

A lifelong photo and story organiser.

I am a scrapbooker, yes.

I am a lifelong scrapbooker more like it.

So, no output for a year.

I hoped an answer would come, so I just left it.

One day (and I've blogged about this before), I saw an open album using divided page protectors in a photo that Ali Edwards put on her blog and all of a sudden the penny dropped.

"I need my stuff out where I can see it."

You can read the story here...

After that - it all started happening.

I was getting so much done and I was standing up - amazing.

Before the penny dropped, in an effort to change things up and find a solution, I bought Project Life by Becky Higgins.

It was going to be my introduction to scrapping using a pre-made kit, divided page protectors and a three ring binder (something I'd always avoided)....and hopefully the solution I needed.

(Project Life started out as a photo-a-day project, but it's evolved into more than that. It's a whole system that you can buy and use however you want. My intention was to just use it with my photos as I took them and got them developed).

While I waited for Project Life to arrive...

I kept scrapping the old way to use up the albums I already had...

(Yep, that's an 8 1/2 x 11" page protector in a 12 x 12 album. Ah la Ali Edwards too. She mixes all the different sizes.)

...which led me to my new way.


My old way of scrapping?

• Post bound albums
• Photos developed in lots of sizes
• Full sized page protectors
• White backgrounds (the ones that came in the album)
• Some colour with patterned paper and bits
• Fairly flat - no buttons or whatnots. 
• Chronological order
• I sat and scrapped at the dining table (or other location)
• I scrapped in bunches a lot more - 2 or 3 times a year for days or weeks at a time
• I did mini albums, chrono scrapping, other 12 x12 albums, gift albums etc etc all at the same time and got very confused!

My new way of scrapping?

• Three ring binders (we'll be friends for life)
• Photos developed in 4 x 6
• Photos chopped from 4 x 6 if I want them smaller
• Some larger photos, but not many. 
• Divided page protectors - all sizes, all brands including Project Life
• Colour with patterned paper and bits
• Fairly flat - no buttons really
• Chronological order
• Standing up at my cabinet in the living room (I'm now one of those ladies who scraps in what they call shared spaces).
• I scrap more often. 
• I do just my chrono photos now. I don't do any other mini albums, 12 x 12 ones or anything like that. 
• Actually not true, I do do the occasional other thing, but it pretty much goes all into the one book (except trips). I really like that. 
• Trips will be in divided page protector albums too from now on, but separate from the chrono pages. I like to be able to pull a trip album off the shelf and look through it. 
• I like December Daily albums. I'll do them for as long as I want to. If I don't want to, I won't. 

In my next post I'm going to have a look at the three DD albums I've done and then after that show you some pages in my current chrono album. 

Back soon!

A Scrap Quiz - What's your scrapping process?

Well...sometimes the hardest part is actually going and standing at the cabinet. 

After that it's usually easy. 

One.

I grab some photos from the box where I keep them in chronological order. This is where I put them after I get them developed.

You can see some typed journalling there already. On that day (whatever it was) I typed out the journalling and just stuck it in the box next to the relevant photos, so it'd be all ready to stick in when I got to it.

I scrap in chronological order.

I sometimes add different stories and connections in that chronological sequence.

Two.

I grab some paper from the paper section. Full sheets above.

Scraps in the drawer here.

I cut a piece to 4 x 6 (or choose one from the pile already cut at the front. Some are patterned paper, some are lined paper if I just want to journal the story and nothing else).

Three. 

I grab a journalling card to stick to the 4 x 6 piece of paper.

Or I grab a decorative bit if I want that.

I seem to grab a lot of things.

Four. 

I choose some stickers for a title if I want to add it with stickers.

Five. 

I type my journalling with Grandma's typewriter and enjoy the clickity clackity sound.

Or I write it by hand.

Or I type it on the computer and print it out and slip it behind the 4 x 6 title piece.

(Sometimes I sit at the computer and write the journalling for a stack of photos, cut the bits up and put them in the photo box ready to go)

The result is something like this.

Like any good choose-your-own-adventure-book, the process changes and the outcome changes, but the experience is always the same.

That is, worth it.

:o)

A Scrap Quiz - What's your scrap history? Part 4

Back with Part 4 today.

Scrapping history topics covered so far - 12 x 12 chrono scrapping, other 12 x 12 scrapping, mini albums, albums made from scratch and then I started taking notice of

2 up albums as per Stacy Julian (also known as Photo Album Scrapbooking)


because they seemed like such a simple option. 

On the DVDs I mentioned previously, Stacy showed lots of different types of albums and mini albums. I'm sure she showed her famous 2 ups there.

Or it might've been in one of her books, or from Simple Scrapbooks magazine, but I definitely got the idea from her.

Edited to add: Look what I found in the Nov/Dec 2008 Simple Scrapbooks magazine?

Yep, that's an album done by Stacy. I remember the tags sticking out and ribbons and bits.

Same ad, but with the special issue they were advertising.

Here are some of my 2 up albums.

I made this one in 2005. 


I must've seen Stacy's 2 ups in those DVDs that I saw at the beginning of 2005 in order to have made it then. 


It's all a blur sometimes :o) - when I did this and started that. 

Two up albums are essentially pre-made albums that you buy at Myer or wherever you like. I like the ones without the journalling strips.

This album is one about fun days out. It's nice to look back on and see the things Andrew and I did as a couple, with family and with friends.

Above and below are two family ones.

Here's a Holiday Highlights album that I started around 2006, 2007.

It's ongoing, even to this day (the Days Out one is full).

I get four (or so) extra photos developed from holidays we've had and stick them in here...

with typed journalling right on the photos.

It's al la Ali Edwards. I saw a 2 up album she did like this and knew I wanted to do the same with this particular album.

All these photos are in the chrono albums, so it doesn't bother me that there's writing on them. It's about the photos and the memories together as a holiday theme.

I like this album, it's fun to flick through. It starts with our honeymoon back in 1996 and is ongoing like I said.

Need to do a couple more pages in it - the last ones I did were from 2009.

Still got more scrap history to show you!

This is a ten year process we're looking at here, hope you're sticking with me. Bless you if you are.

:o)

PS. A Scrap Quiz is a series I'm doing on the old blog-o. You can check out my other A Scrap Quiz posts on the right sidebar there.

Punch Art Christmas Cards - Cute Chick with tag

:o)

A little story - The hunt

Being the candy cane/peppermint = red and white nut that she is...

(American Crafts Hollyday line)

(October Afternoon Holiday Style) 

(American Crafts Elf stickers - I want these!)

Goldilocks (that's me) was immediately drawn to these decorations when she saw them in the catalogue...

Oooo, look at the red and white striped balls, she thought.

And the candy canes.

And the red Ho Ho decs - cute.

She poured over the page looking at all the fun things.

"I'm going to check them out," she said and ripped the page out of the catalogue and put it on her handbag so she'd see it when she left the house next time.

A couple of days later she made her way to Target to check out the decs.

She could feel the anticipation building and was hopeful they had what she wanted.

She found the Christmas section...

....and looked around...

...and looked around again...

She was disappointed.

There was nothing.

They had nothing from the catalogue.

Why don't they have anything? she thought.

Big sigh.

She left.

She ate chicken.

She mentioned the dilemma to Prince Charming, but he had no advice. She even saw the head of Target on  telly and silently asked her why she didn't have the decs in her stores when they were in the catalogue.

She checked online, but nothing.

Far out.

Meanwhile Goldilocks went to Myer to check out their Christmas section.

She discovered that if she bought three or more things, they were 30% off. She bought three or more things and was happy.

She even got some red and white striped balls!

The horizontal ones.

At 30% off.

Happy.

Still though, she liked the wavy red and white striped balls in the catalogue and wanted to check them out in real life.

Four days later she was at the shops again doing errands and she decided to run (not run, get serious, go... go) into Target again to see if any new stuff had come in.

Again, she looked.

Again, she found nothing.

On a whim, she decided to go to Big W to check out their stuff.

Off she went. She drove.

She found the Christmas section.

She was intrigued.

She looked.

She found the candy canes from the picture....

....then it dawned on her.

She'd ripped the page out of the Big W catalogue, not the Target catalogue. 

She rolled her eyes at herself.

She looked left.

She looked right.

She shrugged.

I'm here now, she thought, good for me.

She didn't get the candy canes from the catalogue - they were a bit chunky for her liking.

She didn't find any wavy striped candy cane balls either.

Or horizontal striped ones.

All the other savvy Christmas shoppers beat her to them...

She didn't find any red Ho decorations - only a lonely white one that was a bit beat up.

She did find some other plastic candy canes that she liked though.

And some red jingle bells, a bear and a Joy word.

Nice.

And as she left the store, she silently apologised to Mrs Target for thinking she'd been false advertising.

:o)

Punch Art Christmas Cards - Have you been good?

Hello, yes. 

Big presents please!

:o)

A Scrap Quiz - What's your scrap history? Part 3

I'm still talking about my scrap history today.

So far I've talked about my chronological albums, mini albums and other 12 x 12 albums.

The whole process to get to where I am today has been interesting, for sure.

Previously I showed the albums I made from scratch....

Here are a couple of pages from inside them...

And the back inside cover.

I bought the posts and page protectors separately and then covered chipboard as per the lovely Trish's instructions with Bazzill.

The reason I made them was because I had to.

Two of Andrew's favourite things are four wheel driving and fishing. I made him a double-sided album about both. One side was the Fishing side and the back cover was actually the 4WDing side. A double album.

It was bound with rings and pretty hard to handle. It didn't feel finished and it was hard to hold while looking at it.

I left it because I didn't know what to do about it until I saw the video on the now defunct internet scrapbooking show that I used to watch at the time. I can't remember the name of the show unfortunately.

Trish made albums from scratch and I knew instantly that I would make two for Andrew's albums.

They turned out beautifully...really easy (well, easy enough) to do when you know how.

Guess what??

I've found the show on You Tube! I don't know if all of the shows they did are there, but there seems to be a lot. Trish is the lady with the short dark hair, she's lovely.

The show's called TV Weekly - check it out. Might be some good Christmas projects on there.

And I just scrolled through and found the actual album making video - oh fab.

Here it is - Post Bound Album.

It's worth checking out just for the 'wow, I could actually make that' factor.

Looks like they've put all their shows on You Tube for people to enjoy. I'm definitely going to check some of them out again - they're professional people from the instructors to the actual production of the program - it's good.

Well, there you go. A nice blast from the past for me.

And a link to something cool for you.

Good one. 

PS. Still more coming with the scrap history question. Gotta get up to the present day!

PPS. A Scrap Quiz is a series that you can check out on the right sidebar there. Enjoy.

Small Christmas tree at PC

I've done a craft tree for the last two years, but this year has been all about the decorations, so I decided to keep my tree simple this year.

It's little.

I found it at Spotlight for 5 dollars and decorated it with some decorations I already had as well as a few  new ones.

I also added the white fizz glitter. Last year's tree didn't have any glitter at all.

I plan to make another for Andrew (using decs I have already) for work. He likes having something on his desk.

Anyway, just wanted to show you!

Can see three of the Holiday Tags ornaments here. When doing smaller ornaments like these I use five layers rather than the standard eight.

A Holiday Tags ornament again.

Lots of fun things to make - rosettes, pinwheels, 3D ornaments.

Very cute.

Enjoy!

Started any Christmas crafting yet??

Close ups of the Christmas decorations at PC

Here they are! 

I didn't get all of them, but tried to get a variety. 

I was on a ladder while taking the photos!

Cottage Cutz die with white fizz glitter. 

Sizzix die - Ornament #2

Sizzix die - Ornaments #3 (there are two ornaments on the die)

Cottage Cutz die with Martha Stewart glitter

Sizzix die - Ornaments #3 (second of the two ornaments)

It looks a little squished unfortunately.

Spellbinders Holiday Tags

Sullivans blue Bauble punch.

Sizzix die - Ornament, Round 3D.

This one comes in two parts and you slot them together. 

Rings made using Curvy Cutter - they're a little warped because I glued them. Should've taped them. Rats. 

Sullivans pink star in the middle. 

Curvy Cutter again. 

Jingle bells from Spotlight. 

Sullivans pink tree. 

Sizzix die - Clear scallop circle. 

Sizzix die - Ornament #2.

Felt from Spotlight. 

Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornaments

While I was over there I found these too...

Spellbinders 2010 Heirloom Ornaments. 

I've made one decoration with it so far. Want to do more, particularly the biggest one.

Oh yes, both the ornament sets and the Holiday Tags are limited edition sets according to the Spellbinders website, so if you want them, grab them.

Curvy Cutter Oval templates. 

Pink Star punch from Sullivans.

Pink Star punch from Sullivans. 

Cut acetate with it and put clear glitter on one side. Was going to glitter both sides, but it didn't need it. 

New Sizzix die - Flower #2. 

It's one of the new ones that comes with a matching embossing folder. Nice. 

Foam ball and shard glitter from Photo Continental. 

Blue Tree punch from Sullivans. 

Want to use the Pink Tree to make the same thing. 

Not sure what size circle this is. Doesn't matter - any size works. Bigger wreath, bigger circle. 

Sizzix die - Ornament #2. 

Small tree wreath - blue tree punch from Sullivans. 

Was trying to get a pick of the long one with all the shapes on it. 

There's also a long one there with just stars on it. 

Well, that's it for the decs. Hope you liked them and if you're in the area, check 'em out. There are lots of brands of dies at PC that you can use to do the same thing. It's all fun. 

Thought I'd finish with these two pics again - you can see that I just mixed and matched all the decs and had fun with it. 

Hope you do too!

I'm ready to start making some of my own now - looking forward to it!