WOW!! I love & appreciate this!!!

I received from Dawn-Marie!!!! Woot...thanks, girlfriend!!!

Pop-Up House Mini Album with Directions, Patterns, & How it came to be...

Thank you so much for checking out this adorable album I made by using an actual children's book as a template. If you have any questions regarding the directions or measurements, please feel free to contact me. The meteric measurements are available using a converter calculator found on Google Search. I will plan to add them in future templates.

This is the Pop-up House Book that I created. The cover, front and back, is from a recyled book cover that I decoupaged following Jann at WhatYouMakeIt1's YouTube Channel. You can watch the details of the book and the directions in upcoming videos on my YouTube Channel.

This is the book that I had planned to take a part and use it since I only paid $.20 for it at a thrift store, but once I saw what in great shap it was in...I decided to copy and donate the book to Children's Rehabilitation Service (follow the link in the right margin for more information).

This book also has a surprise element that I incorporated into my own mini scrapbook album...it is a pop up book and each page section has a different shaped pop up...that is what I also added to my mini album. =)

This is the template for the pages that go inside the book. Cut on the fold of your paper. Cut one for each page section of your book.

This is the template for the pop up portion of the mini album. Cut one for each page section of your book.

The template cut out. The dashes are the fold line for the pop up book. The triangles are the bottom of the page are the supports for the pop up of your book.

I used a hole punch to make a marker point so that I could easily fold the pop up supports without making the fold line on my paper.

This is my envelope measurements for the envelope. I didn't measure and mark all my envelopes, I simply added them to the back of the pages and cut the top off usinig the page edge as my guide. However, to make my first envelopes the measurements helped tremendously.

Although I recycled a book cover for my mini album, I still cut it a little larger than my actual book. So, if you wish to make your album using chipboard, then cut it a little larger than your page. I also cut the cover to my mini after I put the pages together.

The envelopes are added to the backside of each page section using double sided adhesive.

However, see the next photo to understand why I would add the pop up section before the envelopes. I apologize for not doing so in this guide.

I found that if I had added the pop up portion before putting the envelopes down, I wouldn't have had the edges of the pop up supports catching on the tags inserted from the sides. Keep following the directions and this should make sense.

At this point, I used my decorative scissors to create the desired edging for the pop up I wanted to create for this page section.

Add the double sided tape to the top, inside edge, and the bottom. Leave the page outside edge without tape because you will create an additional slot for a tag by leaving it open. Then you will attach the envelop with the next page and continue to the end. The last two pages will look like this and will be added to the inside of the front cover and the back cover. On mine you will see on the video that I added a pocket to the front and back. I plan to open mine into a circle to display for our open house when our forever remodeling/building is completed on our house.

On this project I used the be loved paper kit by My Mine's Eye...

I should have the YouTube video posted by Monday morning...

Thank you!! Please contact me if you have any question regarding this album.

Love, Blessings, &{{{Hugs}}},

Rita

TSB March 2010 Crop Challenge Entries

Welcome to the TSB 80s Theme Crop Party...

The ultimate online cropping event with the following challenges...

Rainbow Bright using primary colors red, orange, green, blue, violet with white, grey, & black...

This layout contains one of my favorite elements of nature, butterflies, and several elements of embellishments. The border is three strips in white, grey, and black with a flower punch runner on the inside using a Martha Stewart punch. Then I took the letter b in chipboard and added hearts from the sizzix butterfly diecut to line the letter. The butterflies are from the same diecut, Glimmer Misted with Marshmallow. The red of the challenge is in the paper along with green and violet. Then I finished the design with bling and brushing the butterflies and the letter with Mod Podge Gloss-Lustre. The brightness of this design just made me smile. =)

Stamp with Bleach

This was indeed a challenge for me since I am highly allergic to bleach. I wanted to add a photo for Kathryn, our host who is totally the most. LOL. However, my husband offered to help since he was more concerned with a trip to the hospital. =)  In this layout, I took the green cardstock and stamped bleach image and run it through the Big Shot using the Top Note Diecut. Then I attached it to the yellow paper and used the flower punch from Martha Stewart then added an envelope to the back, creating a pocket. The tag is double sided and distressed with Tim Hotlz Walnut Stain and fibers added to the end. The feather and the silver buttons add a completed touch to this page. Also, I Glimmer Misted the backgroun paper with Graphite.

Transformers

I loved making this page the most I think of all the challenges. I took the grey background and glimmer misted it with Graphite and then used the Medallion stamp from Stampin Up and black embossing powder to create the design. Then I made a pocket using a black piece of cardstock with a gold embossed Medallion stamped on the edge. The tags were made with the same papers and topped with a crown diecut to each side attached with a glue dot. Then I topped off the page with both silver/gold bling. This page totally pops!! =)

About Eating

All I could think about was the macaroni & cheese paper I have had forever! I don't remember where or when I bought it but knowing that my sons loved Rachel Ray's recipe for homemade macaroni cheese! I first placed the imaged paper on the bottom then added the black trimmed border, again, using the Martha Stewart flower punch, at the top and bottom of the page. The black bird, leaves, and swirls are images on top of a acetate page that I secured to the mini page with fibers that I ran on the side and secured to the back. This was stepping outside the box for me even though it is a simple page. I loved the results.

Using Crumpled/Scrunchy Paper

All I could think of was flowers and then I drifted to thinking of how forward I am looking to the spring time of the year which led to thoughts of gardening. =) Therefore, I picked the theme Seed, for by this we are creating through nature our complete existence in this life's path.

Pretty in Pink

OMGosh...I totally love pink, but...whew wee, this was enough to put me over the edge. ((Just kidding))  I got the ribbon diecut from Sizzix while it was on their clearance list so that I could make ribbons in purple for seizure awareness since we have two sons with seizures. However, it came as a set with a large ribbon diecut and a small diecut then an embossing templet too. I used them on this page. I have no idea where I got this large flower but it fit perfectly for this page. I took the green leaf off and used it on the "Seed" layout since I could only use pink for this challenge. I added a ribbon emblishment and a pink paper clip to the page as well. This was so much fun!!

I really enjoy the monthly crops with TSB and Kathryn. It is a respite from my busy life of being a wife, mother and caregiver. God blessed the day this group came into my life and I have explored and created elements that fit my personality and certainly push me out of my comfort zone and creative box. I love that the most and I see that I am a stronger artist as a result.

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

Rita

Something Blue in Creativity and in Emotion

"Something Blue" for my swap partner Micki!!

Marriage is an awesome union of reflection, romance, renewal, and rewards, but it helps if love is part of the total picture even though over time it won’t sustain a couple unless there is much more. Time builds the relationship into one.  So making a mini-scrapbook album for my partner Micki wasn’t a chore at all. When she mentioned her son was getting married, I thought of “Something Blue” as my theme. Then my imagination just flowed.

Since December, I have battled every aspect of the cold season. Medication wasn’t working because my body had built a resistance to them. Then my doctor gave me a different medication that seems to be working well just in time for my asthma to kick in. However, I haven’t let these become excuses in my work. I simply put my calendar and journal beside me, sewn to the hip, if you will, and as the ideas came, I wrote about them, drew various ideas and marked my calendar with work order of ideas for each day.

I thought about this and as an artist, I find inspiration in so many different places that I need to make my calendar and journal a very important part of my identity. So, I add clips of fabric, patterned paper that I have enjoyed working with and notes throughout. God has opened my eyes to so many possibilities and resources to use in my work.

So, my challenge to you is this….keep a tablet (journal) and a calendar for one month. Write, draw, regardless of the possibility your idea could come to pass, clip news and magazine articles, etc and place them in your tablet. Then at the month’s end, write me about it, send me photos and links to your videos. I can’t wait for God to open up the opportunity for creativity in YOUR life….There are so many treasured elements that will spring from something so simple as a mini-scrapbook album. =)

This is a charm I inlcuded inside the "Something Blue" mini-album. I used a charm and added a piece of hymnal music, added some blue string, and a clip of the paper I used in the album. She can add this charm to her holiday Christmas tree, hang from her Bridal Bible or to leave inside the album as an added element.

This is the "Something Blue Bracelet" I added to the mini album for the bride to wear if she liked to reflect the old adage "Something Blue, something old, something new..." I made this will glass beads, blue pearl beads and a glass charm. Then I added a sterling silver heart shaped toggle for the closure. It is light weight and very pretty. I crossed the mediums with my paper and beading arts and love every moment of it!

The oval element with rhinestons and pink pearls is from an earring that I had in my recycle stash. I just cut the backing off the earring and added it to the Tim Holtz swival chain. Perfect touch for "Something SOOOOO Blue!"

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},
Rita

Rubber Stamped Quilted Wall Hangings....

"Ol' Blue" Wall Hanging

"Daisy" Wall Hanging

This past weekend was an amzing time of creativity.  I wanted to incorporate a couple of the mediums that I enjoy working with into one project I was very pleased with my first attempt but was very excited by the time I finished the second. In "Daisy" I have added rubber stamping, sewing, quilting, fabric, Glimmer Mist, and recycling old wash cloths and towels. In "Ol' Blue" I followed the same outline of mediums but added Stickles to the stamped images. Photography just doesn't do justice on either wall handing. The glitter element is so beautiful! I hope you enjoy these two productions from my studio.  Looking forward to a beautiful weekend.

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

Rita