Salvage Crafting

Last January my parents purchased a few display model kitchens from a some home improvement stores. One of the things they purchased was a sales center that included 48 cabinet door samples in a variety of colors and styles. The store has finally uninstalled the displaye so Lance and I spent yesterday and today helping my parents collect and load their assorted cabinetry pieces.

I have become the lucky recipient of the door samples. Much to Lance's dismay I am the proud new owner of 96 assorted cabinet doors. Some of them are really quite cool, and while I've got some ideas for them already swirling around in my head, I'm interested to hear yours. So leave a post and let me know what fun ideas you have to save these from a dumpster and turn them into art!

Ut-oh, the card supply is low...

In my house my husband is the one who remembers birthdays and anniversaries. He's also wonderfully dilligent about sending cards for said occassions. If you've been to a Hallmark store lately, you've probably been just as shocked as I at the price of cards, $3-$4-$5 each! Whoa! When did it get so expensive to share a greeting or best wishes? So, after a few too many raised eyebrows from me about his card "budget" I found myself on the hook to keep a supply of cards at the ready. (I did try to get him to make his own cards, but after last year's birthday card embarrassment, I won't be making that mistake again!)

Well, today we had a little problem... the card well was running a little dry and we had a wedding to go to. We were running a little behind (as usual) and Lance came upstairs with a series of card headlines to choose from, none of which were wedding appropriate (sorry Tim & Tarica!). So today, instead of doing layouts, it looks like I'll be restocking the card supply. In case you are finding yourself in a similar bind, here's a card to get your creative juices flowing:

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Hello fellow scrappers! Are you celebrating NSD with some creative fun today? Post a link back and share your scrappy goodness!

Mission Organization: Tackle the Albums & Pages

I've come to a realization... my scrap world is in chaos. I have supplies all over the place. Completed pages in an assortment of albums. Memorabilia scattered here and there.

It's time to reign it all in!

So I'm starting with my albums.

I've finally found albums that I like (and that match) so I've been pulling all of my layouts out of an assortment of albums collected in the last 9-10 years. As I've been tediously pulling out layouts and putting them into their new homes, I've noticed a few things...

1. 2004 seems to be my most "complete" year. Coincidentally, this is the last time that my stash was of a manageable size, and it's the year prior to the year I started working at my LSS.
2. I was really good at placing photos on the pages, but I never told the story. Heck, I was lucky if I even labeled the people in the photo or put the date on the layout.
3. I really want to go back and "redo" a few layouts, but I'm promising myself that I will resist the urge. (I did, however, allow myself to "enhance" a few layouts with some additional pen work or journaling.)
4. I'm actually kind of glad that I didn't get much scrapbooking done. The supplies available to me today are going to make it much easier to create pages that are much more my "style."
5. Above all else, when I scrapbook I need to TELL THE STORY! Pictures aren't actually enough.
6. Simplify. The clean, graphic layouts are by far my favorite. Will I win any design awards for these simple pages? Probably not, but more importantly they appeal to my biggest critic -me!
7. I am an event scrapbooker. Not one single layout is the "everyday."
8. Even without kids, I have plenty to document in my scrapbooks. *wink*
9. It's OK to use different background papers. They don't all have to match!
10. I need to get organized so I can get back to the fun part, creating.

Detailing Your Diecuts...

Have a die cutting machine, but feel like your die cuts are boring? Don't know what to do with your diecuts? Make them uniquely yours with the tips below.

1. Age with distress inks.
2. Use your fingers or a paper distresser to rough up the edges. Add a little more distress ink to highlight the roughed up areas.
3. Add stamped details. (If your stamp is too big, stamp off the edges over another sheet of paper, or use sticky notes to mask the area you don't want stamped.
4. Layer or group multiple diecuts.
5. Add glitter or flock.
6. Draw doodle borders ...solid lines, dotted lines, faux stitching marks, daisy chains and more.
7. Add texture by embossing or running through a paper crimper.
8. Highlight your embossed pattern by inking the embossing die before you run it through. You'll emboss and ink all in one pass.
9. Make them shine by embossing with embossing powder
10. Make them fuzzy with flock.
11. Stitch by hand or with a machine.
12. Decorate with bling.

Tools on Tuesdays: Epic 6

Ever wondered about this die cutting machine from QuicKutz? Here's a quick overview of what it cuts and how.

QuicKutz Dies (2x2, 2x4, 4x8, 12" and cookie cutter)
-Light Gray Cutting Platform + Clear Cutting Mat

Cuttlebug Dies, Sizzix Sizzlets Dies, Spellbinders Dies
-Dark Gray Embossing & Cutting Platform

Steel Rule Dies (i.e. Sizzix, New Tim Holtz Dies, AccuCut)
-Two Cutting Mats + Die
--To cut: place a cutting mat on the bottom layer, then the steel rule die face up, then cutting medium (paper, felt, thin chipboard, etc.), then another cutting mat.

QuicKutz A2, Cuttlebug, Sizzix Embossing Folders
-Dark Gray Embossing & Cutting Platform
--To emboss: Open embossing folder & place surface to emboss on the inside, close the folder and align embossing pattern as desired, place on the dark gray cutting platform, add cutting mat and roll through.
--Tip: if you want to highlight your embossed surface, apply ink to the die before placing the cutting medium in the die.


Cutting through QuicKutz 4x12 adhesive chipboard
-"shim" die with a piece of paper under it (about the thickness of the packaging insert that shows what the die looks like)
-layer pattern paper on one side of the double-sided adhesive QuicKutz Chipboard
-use light gray cutting platform and clear cutting mat
-will have to crank it through more slowly and it will be a little harder, but don't force it

Cutting through Felt
-Sandwich Cuttlebug or Sizzlets die and felt on Dark Gray Embossing & Cutting Platform with Clear Cutting Mat

A sketch, brought to you by popular demand....

As requested, here's a jpg sketch of the "hoarfrost" layout for your scraplifting enjoyment.

Click to bigify and then right click to save it to your computer. I scaled it down to easily print on a sheet of paper or a 4" x 6" index card.

Enjoy!

Note: This full-size JPG is scaled to 25% of original size.