christmas table centerpeice

ok the holidays are over and i have 1 million new projects to talk about! all the gifts and layouts i've been working on - crafts and (drum roll please) the centerpiece for our christmas dinner table! i had fun making this - there was a lot to it.. but in the end completely worth it.. here's what i did.

i should mention macy (my sister in law) did help cut out all these flower petals! thanks macy!
first i determend the size of flower i wanted which was 6" so, i cut the largest flower petals (bottom layer of petals) 3" long so the finished flower would be 6" around.
then i/macy cut 6 each of all 3 sizes (per flower).

this is flower pre.. stickles glitter and pearl beads

turned out pretty good.. but for sure needed all the finishing touches!

then came the glitter - the funnest part - and the leaves i thought were much needed. i let them to dry on a cut open paper bag (from lush) :)

this is the stickles glitter i used.. love this stuff and have it in almost every color distressed and not!

after the glitter dried i poked a hole in the middle and drove these wired pearl beads (that where bought at michel's for a huge bunch for $5. and i use them all the time on "things" as accents.) down the center in clusters of 3. then attached a green wire to the back as a stem to hold the flower in the glass.

thought they turned out pretty good and i might make a couple little somethings to go with and display them in my scrapbook room as a full bouquet.

the green balls in the glass are styrofoam and where bought (a couple years ago) as a bunch of grape clusters at big lots. i normally put them in the christmas tree but this year they where being called for something else.

the center flower i thought needed a little more.. so i added a little pale green tulle cut into petals and dotted with glitter. note if you make these - be sure to dry the tulle on wax paper.. because it will stick to a paper bag!

thanks guys! and hope you try flowering too!!

hand cut fabric flowers

one of my latest favorite things is fabric in scrapbooking; it can be used in any way but a fun and easy way is hand cut flowers and over the thanksgiving holidays inbetween 2nd's and dear i say 3rds and beyound i cut flowers.

some Tulle fabric i thought would be a great layering flower.. add a huge button or even some jewles to the top layer!

here is some scrap leather and sueade i had from a differant project and some appholtery fabric left over from i don't even remember.. but i think it was cornice boards... and that would have been a good couple of years ago!

love the way a cheese cloth looks or just a simple muslin which by the way will hold dyes and inks really great!
they are super easy to make with any scrap of fabric if you have any flower shape just trace onto fabric with a pencil (on wrong side of fabric) with a dark fabric you should use either a white color pencil or a good trick is an old bar of soap that the edges have become "sharp" from so much usage.
trase out as many flowers as desired or fit onto the scrap and cut out with sharp fabric sissors! layer and use as your imagionation can create!

new supplies for christmas gifts (and some just for me!)

so here's my latest shopping spree - actually it's two shopping extravaganzas! how fun right! eirc even went along with me on a visit to the scrapbook shoppe we had loads of fun.. ok maybe i had loads of fun - but he liked seeing all the fishing papers and actually wanted to get them.. all of them! so here is my break down and evidence of all the shopping, most of it being for making christmas presents but some are thrown in there for me - super fun style!

the tim holtz.. well, everyone should ALWAYS be stocked in tim holtz but i do have one gift inperticular that i had in mind when buying these. the ribbion and flowers are totally me! love them things but i'm sure they'll sneek themselves into someones book somewhere.. the borders well, they are my newest answer for everything - a mistake an edging whatever! so i bought 12 colors and cut a load of borders from the accu-cut at ruban rouge they will com ein handy for sure! the cork is going to be amazing - can't say what i'm using it for and the grunge paper.. ok i have to admit i've never used it but i know its the time to try cause with what i'm making my mom this year.. its going to be perfect!

the borders up close! i'm so excited to start using them.. next to ribbion, inbetween papers.. oh how fun this scrap stuff can be!

this 7 gypsies tape is amazing i can't seem to ever get enough - again this is for my mom's gift along with the basic grey rub-ons! can't wait to even see this "book" myself! all the above stuff i got at ruban rouge.

this is the shopping spree that eric and i did together. the fabrics, batting and punches i got on sale at jo-anns (while eric was in aports athority)

i was so excited to fine this early bird collection at scrapbook shoppe! i've looked everywhere else!! so i of course got a couple pages of everything they had! the stand... well, you'll have to wait to find out more about that...

the eylets, pins and mini clear evenvelopes are for a baby book i'm making! can't wait to start that one after the holidays.. its going to be made out of fabric like and "old" baby book i had growing up.

this is the fabric i'll be using to make the base of the book; muslin, batting and tulle.. its going to be amazing fun!

this is the fishing stuff eric was so excited about and will start making our canada fishing trip (that we took back in may/june!) book after the holidays.

fishing stickers to go..

then there's pauls Marine book - you think i have enough projects going? - i need to give it to him next week at graduation.. and i'm NOT done yet! oh my oh my!

been wanting these punches for a while - they were 40% off at jo-anns and when there.. i had to splurg! makes things so much easyier!

ribbions! for fun and for the baby book.. this is fun stuff here people!

well i'll start posting finished projects soon! with all these new supplies.. i think they'll keep me busy for a while!

1st trip to the mangroves

the latest project that i can show was of alex's 1st fishing trip into the mangroves! he askes me to make him is own book and here it is.

i used all scraps making this book and was pretty impressed with the way it turned out considering -

alex caught several pinfish

the sheepshead fish i think is so beautiful

the long and lean lady fish

and a page where - he - is going to write all the vital information of the trip for later referance and memory!

all xmas, no pictures

unfortunately, all the scrap booking I've been doing lately are Christmas gifts so there's not much to show (before Christmas) of my time as of late - even the purchases i've made! which are fansatic i might say! there are so many great lines out right now. the websters ribbions are amazing i love them more then the pages themselves! i'm also, all about the cosmo cricket! love em' all of em'! when i get back to scraping for myself i will be using all of those! but for now it's the unamed and the unshown items all for gifts - so no you can't have a look until after the holidays.
but i will be posting other projects that i must finish (example paul's marine book which i sewed by hand!) before the holidays - we see him on the 11th of Dec so it will be done hopfully by the end of Nov.
talk soon and hopfully with pictures of fun stuff!

remember a couple posts ago eric brought home a "surprise" for me in the form of 2 punches and some paper - here's what i did with the first pad of paper. i was so inspired i cut the album out of chipboard by hand and started making the day he brought home the supplies.

don't know yet what pictures are going to live within this album but i love the feeling and look it creates even without pictures! the large wood button (flower center) was if i remember correctly purchased in england a few years back while on vacation there. the rest of the supplies are sei paper, random scraps and fun things i've purchased at ruben rouge, including these huge flowers that i adore!


side shot, standing up. the album is 6x6 - super mini (don't normally make em' this small)

awaiting its pictures this spread is one of my favorites.

love these quote tags that came out awhile ago by, my minds eye.

knowing that i don't create journaling very often i created this designated area for it under "happy" to insure that when the pictures are added so is the journaling.

this makes ME happy

this little flower was also a my minds eye die cut which i added glitter and inkessentials glossy accents to. love the way it turned out.

this wood embellishment (flower) i love. bought them while on vacation last year they are by kaiser and i love em'. there not cheep but i think are totally worth every penny with all the possibilities they offer.. you could paint, stain, spray ink or leave plain (which is what i did here) then tied a ribbon in the center and hung a tag on.

becoming a fast friend of the accu cut die cutting system this album contains a couple of them like the one above left the square scallop

"friends are made not born."

the left page here is two individual pieces of chipboard the small one is sized 2x6 and the larger with the vintage accu die cut is 4x6. i "laced" the two together like a corset with some beige and brown string.. loved the look this created! the flower on the opposing page is made of chip board and its back side (not shown) will be for extra journaling.

close up on the lacing effect. had so much fun making this mini album and can't wait till the right pictures are taken for it!

next is the k&company blue, grey and lime green paper & fabric album i'm so excited about it - its going to be like nothing i've made before.

dad & me

a new mini i've just finished of eric and alex, walking away. taking pictures of these guys has always been the biggest struggle - neither enjoy the vanity of taking a good shot - so my creative side kicked in and i took pictures of them walking hand in hand. these are some of my favorite shots of our favorite trips, vacations and outings.


the book still needs a set of brassed rings but i've had the darnedest time trying to find them. so i'm posting with only three rings of the wrong color.. but you get the idea..

surf fishing on the beach. one of the guys favorite things.

we had annual passes to the ZOO last year and we went almost every weekend! those frequent visits provided some great times and amazing shots!

annual passes are the answer to all scrapbookers problems.. if you don't get a good shot now, y'all get it next time!

the fall festival - (where we get our halloween and thanksgiving pumpkins) it's quickly becoming a fall family tradition.

our trip to the butterfly house - what a time!

not very often do i use tags or mini pages within a book (like i did here) but the idea is growing on me. it adds a great place for additional journaling, pictures or just fun space for a title.

its a simple book made wholly from scraps but its just the right amount of fun and masculine for the guys.