All Paper Arts

Almost every summer we try to make it to Concerts in the Gardens as a family event. We usually try to go a day or so before July 4th. This year we are suppose to go tonight. Tonight’s performance by the Fort Worth Symphony is the 1812 Overture. Towards the end of the show they will do fireworks. The girls and I usually start standing in line before 5 p.m.. Then my husband meets us after he gets off of work. It is great fun. We pack lots of food and lots and lots of water. We bring games we can play while sitting on the blankets. We usually always go with friends. There are two reasons I say we are suppose to go. The first reason is because I just found out yesterday that my friend who I have been making all the baby stuff for is going to be delivering a month early. This means sometime today. The second reason is because we have been having extremely unseasonable weather this year. It has rained and rained. It is probable that it will rain today. So instead of it being extremely hot like it is most years we are looking at a possible washed out mess. In any rate whether we go or we don’t we will be making memories today and remembering our past years at the concerts. This page is from several years ago 5 to be exact. It is the first page of a double page layout I made. My dream is to someday have all of our July 4th scrapbook pages in one album. Okay now I need to get off my tush and start getting ready in case my friend calls and says she needs me. Remember to make some memories this weekend.

Concerts in the Gardens, Fort Worth Symphony, Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Scrapbooking, 4th of July

Here is another paper that I stamped. My girls really love this one. Click on small image for a larger view.

rubber stamping, paper making, stampin’ up, card making, scrapbooking

Do you ever go through your paper stash looking for that perfect piece of paper? Oddly enough even being the paper hoarder that I am I still have those times where I can’t find anything. I will have an idea in my head of exactly what I need yet nothing in my stash. So today I am showing you a piece of paper I stamped to be my own scrapbook paper.
The Tools:
A rolling stamp
Stick Stamps
Ink Pad
Zig Pens
Blank White Cardstock
The great thing about stamping your own paper is there really is no wrong or right. Anything goes because it is your own creation.

stamping your own paper, scrapbooking, card making, rubber stamps, stampin’ up, zig markers

Yesterday, I briefly mentioned a dress I made for my oldest daughters First Communion last year. Here is a part of a two page layout I did. I would have posted the whole layout but their are several pictures with other children recieving communion so for privacy rights this is all I am posting. If you want to know more about the layout I can post a drawn layout. What I really wanted you to see was the dress.
The Story: When my oldest daughter had her First Communion I had this brilliant idea I would make her dress. I wanted to make one that she could wear and then her sisters could wear and then could be passed down to the next generations. I picked a more elaborate dress then I would usually try because I thought I was going to have someone help me. Well that didn’t work out so it was up to me in the final hours to do things I had never really done before. Like adding a long zipper to a dress and one made out of formal material at that. Oh and adding button holes to organza. Okay I cheated on the button holes. It was for a little over jacket that buttoned in the back very Doris Day looking. So I sewed the buttons all the way through and then put a hook and eye at the top so instead of unbuttoning she just slipped it over her head. Nobody was the wiser so I guess I did a good job. My husband was around when all this was going on and wanted to know when the dress was going to be done. So you would have thought after it was all over and done with he would understand the passing on of the dress. Nope, instead he told me I should make each girl their own dress to pass on to their own children. IS HE INSANE???? Well after a dear friend whom I looked up to told me she thought he was probably right. I decided to do make two more. Oh well atleast I’ll I have a year or two between the one this year and then my youngests.

sewing, scrapbooking, first Communion dresses, first communion veil, first communion

Earlier today I wrote about the ribbon package I got a Joann’s. Here are a few more great deals I found that day. Almost all of the current CK (Creating Keepsakes) scrapbook materials were on clearance. All of these embellishments were 50 - 97 cents. I also got two CK tape runners for 97 cents each and refill rolls for 50 cents each. I should have bought more then 4 refills but the way I look at it even if they won’t sale the tape runner any more for as little as I spent on it, it was worth it. It would have cost me more to buy the disposable runners or double sided tape.

Creating Keepsakes, Joann’s, scrapbooking, card making, tape runner

Last Friday I took my girls to Joann’s to find materials for their “Little Girl Card Party”. Wow! What a mistake they were having a huge sale and had even more stuff marked down. I was good. Well pretty good. One of my favorite finds was a package full of sliver and white ribbons and adhesive embellishments. The whole bag was marked down to $4.95. There are Holy Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation ribbons to Wedding Shower, Wedding, Anniversary, and Baby Shower ribbons. Several are multiples which is great for either card making or I can even make several of the same pages for different clients or to sale. Of course I might have to keep some First Communion ribbons because this year is my 7 year olds turn. Which means I will be frantic in a few months trying to make her dress.

baby shower, wedding shower, card making, scrapbooking, Joann’s, ribbon, scrapbooking embellishments

Hi Friends,

I am back. I apologize for my absence last week. I thought for sure I was going to have plenty of energy to make a post every night so you would have something fresh to read everyday. Boy what was I thinking? The week of camp is over. Birthdays are out of the way, well besides my dear moms which is Friday. So now I am ready to release my creative juices once again. I have been in paper arts withdrawal.
Until I post some of my own creations here are a few cards my girls made at a “Little Girls” card party this past weekend. Each of my girls designed their own card all I did was buy the materials.
This is the card designed by my 5 year old.
My 7 year olds design.
My as of yesterday 9 year olds design. I am not sure if it is because her birthday is so close to July 4th or if she is just really patriotic but she always loves anything stars and stripes.

card making, card making party, scrapbooking, rubber stamping, crafts for kids

I just got home, it is about 3:30 in the afternoon and I realized that I have not made a post this week. I am so sorry. I have been leaving for camp every morning at 7 and when I get home it usually is late in the evening and I am on overload. So this week I am going to give you some sites that either my friends or I like to check out. Todays site is www.splitcoaststampers.com.

This is great site for ideas for paper art projects. Most of these are going to be rubber stamp related. You have to register to be able to look at the gallery but I think it is worth it. You can also sign up to get their weekly newsletter.

rubber stamps, split coast stampers, paper arts, all paper arts

Several years ago, five as a matter of fact. We had a western party for my now almost 9 year olds birthday. This week I have been searching for some ideas for decorations for the camp next week which is as luck would have it western themed. A lot of what I am coming up with are ideas I used those many years ago. Plus some new ones and even a few that aren’t mine.
I just added this picture because I found it sitting on my desk this morning. My husband had brought me the pictures he has had on his desk to update and this was one of them. We handed everybody a bandana to wear at the party. We had boots with flowers in them as centerpieces (note the two sets on the bottom of the picture). The howdy sign could have been so much better if I had made it sooner then 10 minutes before the party.
An idea I found in a catalog the other day was getting hula hoops and wrapping them with black or brown crepe paper to make wagon wheels. A sizzix star die can be used for a multiple of uses from sheriff badge name tags to a thanks y’all tag for a favor bag. I also like to use them as danglers hanging from a group of balloons tied together with curly ribbon and then hung from the ceiling or chandeliers. Tomorrow is decorating day for our camp. Although I stepped up to director this year I just couldn’t give up being in charge of decorations as well. I mean really aren’t most decorations a lot of paper? I can’t wait to show you pictures of some finished items. We have plenty of volunteers to help take my sketches and make them a reality.

I needed to look at this card my mom designed several times today. I am in the middle of getting ready for a camp next week. I am the director this year and have been running around all day. My kids are worn out and I am worn out. For over two months the voicemail for the camp has only had a handful of calls. Since this Monday I am sure it is up to almost 100 calls.
Now that I am home I am looking at this card an imagining I am surfing in a blue ocean somewhere. Never mind that I have never surfed. In my little day dream I am excellent at it. As a matter of fact I am really hanging ten!

Here is one sample of a cigar box I am altering. I am in the middle of making two at the same time. These were originally going to hold a years worth of handmade cards for teachers gifts. Unfortunately due to my waiting to long and the humidity they weren’t going to be done in time. It is probably for the better because now I can add all the extra touches I had started thinking of while working on these. This is the very rough very first step. I am several steps away. I will keep posting the progress. I am using a cardboard cigar box.

altered art, cigar box, paper arts, handmade cards, teacher gifts

Yesterday was our card party for June. I wanted to do a card with a theme for our current season or upcoming season. Of course here in the U.S. the next big holiday is July 4th. In our house July 4th is a big deal. Actually, it is my husbands all time favorite holiday. Everyone in the house gets a new 4th of July outfit every year. We usually start off our celebrations by going to Concerts in the Park a day or two before. This is a great tradition we missed last year. We pack a cooler with great picnic foods and drag it with us, sit on the lawn, play games, and then listen to the concert and wait for the finale the fireworks show. Then usually each year we get invited to at least three parties for more celebrating. If they are all close we try to make all of them. Sometimes we find ourselves going to friends ranch almost two hours away. It is an all day and almost all night thing but we have great fun. Especially the girls this is their opportunity to just explore the outdoors all day long with no worries.

Fourth of July, card making, Concerts in the Garden

U.F.Os
I was reading a post the other day at gettingcrafty. Jummy was talking about projects that she hasn’t finished. Man do I know that feeling. I have tons of U.F.O.’s around my house. Unfinished Objects that is. From a purple linen sundress I made for myself last summer that is still waiting for a hem to a pair of jeans that we are turning into a skirt for one of my girls. Then there are the boxes I need to decorate to put greeting cards in for end of the year teachers’ gifts. Of course I still have a few more pages for the mini baby album to the handmade banners I am making for shower decorations. So I guess instead of sitting here writing about it I should get on the ball and make some things so I can post them for you to see soon. Okay I’ll get to those right after I take out the trash, do some laundry, vacuum, help my five year old, call the local community college about going back to school, go to a volunteer appreciation reception, pick the girls up from school, make dinner, and so on and so on. No wonder why we have so many U.F.O’s in our lives.

I am still working on the mini baby album. Here is a double page layout. The left page has just the tiniest bit covered by the right page in order to scan the whole thing. I think you can still get the idea. The baby ingredients were a set of four stickers. The ribbon can be used to just kind of slip special pictures or other memorabilia. click for larger image

Here is the first scrapbook page for the mini baby album I am making. Since I had made the invitations to the shower in papers that matched my friends nursery I decided to keep the theme going with the album. The pages are left blank so she can add pictures herself. Also many of the pages are very simple so my friend can come back and add special embellishments when she adds the pictures. She is an avid scrapbooker as well.

This is the second page I have made. My friend can either add a picture of her or rather her expanding belly or she can simply write in some of the things she craved most.