High school graduation

I guess I thought that I didn't focus on sending out invitations then graduation would stop looming over me but alas all it has gotten me is a frenzy to get the invitations MADE and in the mail ASAP. I hope to have them all finished and in the mail by Saturday. I guess that is a good a way as any to spend National Scrapbooking Day. I've got a prototype almost finished and I don't have to make too many so it should get done.
Still can't believe my "baby" is about to graduate from high school. There are days when I secretly look forward to having all the kids grown and self sufficient but then there are more days when just the thought of not having them here is heart wrenching. I try to fool myself into believing that things won't be that different but I know that they will. Having a couple of kids out of the house already, I'm well aware just how different things will be. But I'm thankful that we've been able to forge into them good qualities such as kindness, compassion and the ability to love deeply and I know these qualities will always stay with them.
Just my little thought for the day :)

SLIDER CARD

I've long admired all the wonderful slider cards as well as pop up cards but getting easily confused as I do, I thought those creations were out of my ability. I am happy to announce, however, that "I", yes I, can mark that accomplishment off my bucket list. I made a sample card first just to test the feasibility of the task (for me) and when it was a success I was so excited that I went through the entire house showing the husband and kids lol.
I owe all my success to a video I found on youtube and I'll post that link at the end of this post just in case any of you guys want to make your own slider card to give to that special person. I made my card for a very special friend who's been feeling a little down and I wanted to cheer her up if just for a moment.

For the bumblebee paper piecing on the front of the card I used an svg file I had on my computer and I really don't recall where I downloaded it from, other than it was a free file.  I do find a lot of incredible files from the Craft Edge website and this file quite possibly could have come from there.

I'll place a list of supplies that I used at the bottom of this post.

Also, to note, I used ribbon to make the slide rather than the plastic bag used in the video.

Thanks for taking a look and come back soon!

SUPPLIES:

cardstock-DCWV as well as basic white cs from office supply

department from Wal-Mart

ribbon for slide

Microsoft Word OR stamps

EK Success flower punch

water color paints for filling in the stamp/clipart

Mod Podge

Fairydust glitter

rhinestone

googly eyes

scallop punch (I used as a base for the paper piecing)

red line double sided tape

And the link to the video that I found to be the best and easiest to follow:

SLIDER CARD TUTORIAL

Scrapbooking trends

So I was doing some straightening of my scrap/craft corner and I have a whole stack of magazines I've collected over the years and can't seem to make myself part with. I swear, for somebody who dislikes clutter as much as I do, you'd think I'd be willing to part with more stuff. But one of the magazines which caught my eye was MEMORY MAKERS "Scrapbooking Top 50" dated March 2004.
Looking through the magazine for no telling how many times, I was struck at how much the scrapbook industry has evolved over the years. I started scrapbooking in 2003, so not so very long before this magazine was printed. Those things listed in the magazine are the things that were trendy and popular when I started out. I've seen a lot of trends come and go over the past 10 years--some I bought into and some I could never grasp. For example--I absolutely adore the shabby chic look but I have never been able to achieve it. My style is a little cleaner no matter how much I try to mimic the shabby chic style--it just doesn't work for me personally.

I won't list the entire 50 things but a few of the trends were:
1. copper
2. Bazzill monochromatic papers
3. tiles
4. labels
5. micro beads
6. Quickutz
7. vintage typewriter letters
8. slide mounts
9. hardware store finds
10. alphabet stamps
11. decorative metal clips
12. mini frames
13. dictionary definitions
14. tag art
15. walnut ink

Now how is that for a trip down memory lane? I have used all those except the Quickutz, which I never invested in. I actually still use a lot of those same items/techniques in my scrapbooking today.
Maybe for my next layout I'll dig out those slide mounts I have stashed away :)

I hope you enjoyed the post and that it inspires you to go dig into your scrapbook supplies and create a beautiful layout to be passed on to your loved ones.
Have a great day and happy scrapping!

Chalkboard cabinets--don't be afraid!!

Oh yes it did! That tiny spark ignited and exploded lol...I got the itch on friday as I was performing one of my most hated "chores" of cleaning up underneath the kitchen sink. It seems that a conglomeration of "junk" accumulates under there lol. Anyway--as I was doing that I was thinking of all the chalkboard projects I've seen over the last few months and I thought to myself "hmmm I should do that somewhere here in the kitchen..." And so began the process :)
I didn't mention it to Tim--not because he'd say no but because I knew how skeptical he'd be lol. Hey--that's what I am telling myself so let's just go with that ok??? So early Saturday morning I got up and went to walmart--I have a love/hate relationship with that store. Sadly, in the paint department they didn't have anything "chalkboard" other than spray paint and I certainly wasn't inclined to remove the cabinets and taking them outside for spray painting--ain't nobody got time fo' dat.
I had my grandson with me and he was getting restless but I decided to just run back to the craft department (what's left of it) and just see what was there. It must have been divine intervention because I found ONE 4 oz. bottle of FolkArt acrylic chalkboard paint!
I decided on painting the fronts of the pantry cabinet doors and I love it!
I can never seem to remember to take "before" photos until I've actually started a project but eventually I'll get there lol. SO here are some photos of the process....

NOTE: I did some research online before I started and here are the tips I found most helpful. 

1. Obviously clean your surface prior to painting.

2. Paint one coat and let dry for at least an hour before painting the second coat.

3.Alternate brush strokes with each coat of paint--eg: if you paint the first layer up and down then paint the second coat side to side.

4. Let the paint "cure" for 24 hours before writing on it.

That one 4 oz. bottle painted 3 coats on each of my cabinets so it doesn't take a lot. The bottle was $5

And so it occurs to me to wonder

Today I had an unexpected day off from work and I've piddled around all day accomplishing very very little. Of course that's pretty par for the course for any day but I feel a teensy bit less guilty about it today. But as I was performing one of my least favorite chores it occurred to me that I wonder if I'm the only person who vacuums their ceilings? Am I a complete weirdo? Ok, yes, I am a weirdo lol but seriously--- I get little cobwebby <<---and is that a word because spell check didn't say it wasn't---anyway, I get these little cobwebby dustbunny thingamabobbers all over the ceiling...mostly around where the ceiling fan blades rotate. And sometimes I don't even notice them and sometimes I look up there and it totally disgusts me. Now, I am NO clean freak by any stretch of the imagination but I can't stand those things. So I vacuum them off with the hose attachment. And as easy as it is to see them when you're sitting there--it's just as hard to see them when you start vacuuming them lol. 
Yeah...nothing creative or even interesting there right? LOL
Sorry!!
I've still not been in the mood for anything creative--just really a combination of things. I do have a couple ideas brewing in the ol' noggin' though so be sure and check back soon...you never know when inspiration might strike ;)

No I haven't disappeared ;)

Whew...I guess I haven't been updating much as of late--it started out when I got the creeping crud (that's what my Mama use to call every cold, flu, virus or other miscellaneous ailment). That knocked me out of commission for at least a week as it was a huge butt kicker. I'm feeling much better and almost completely over it. Unfortunately, after I got over it, Chris caught it--poor guy.

The fact is that I just haven't been feeling very crafty 0.o
I did finish a couple of layouts and have one on my desk about halfway complete. I feel that I need to get reconnected to my scrapbooking as that is the only true legacy I will leave behind to my children and grandchildren.

The weather (YES, I'm talking about the weather LOL)...has been so psychotic recently--Mother Nature is definitely having some sort of spasms. Hopefully, she gets her medication straightened out soon.

Counting down the days until spring break. I am pretty sure I will get some crafting accomplished during the break so be sure and check back!!

In the meantime, here's the one layout I did recently that I photographed.

altered wooden circle

The "collage wall" in my living room is an on-going project for me and I add and take away from it periodically. I'm searching for just the perfect feel. I had picked up several of the wood plaques in different shapes from Michael's forever ago--story of my life, right? So anyway, I decided I few days ago I wanted to do a small monogram for just this one spot on that wall...I decided on the circle because I felt like it was the most aesthetically pleasing. I also had already decided on painting it black simply because I thought that spot warranted it.
I made the roses using my EK Success small retro punch from Bazzill cardstock, the leaves are from www.wildorchidcrafts.com, I used a sticker for the "R" and the string pearl I have in my stash.
The bling around the edge I got from ebay--you can google "hot melt gems" and you'll get tons of results in lots of colors. You can use your I-Rock tool to heat the gems but I have a different tool (same thing, but electric and I don't remember the name--also from ebay LOL). And that's about it I think...if you have any questions, be sure and ask and I will do my best to answer.

I've been down with a cold so I didn't feel like getting too crafty but this was just enough to appease the desire to create :)
Have a great day guys and come back soon!

I also mod podged the entire thing after the paint was dry and before adding the embellishments and gems.

Glitter, glitter...everywhere GLITTER!

I've been working on some butterflies to add to my bedroom wall today. I've had them in my head for weeks and decided to get them created today--or at least started. I don't know if it's just me but I can't work with glitter without having a happy feeling :) It's messy and impossible to contain but I love it!

So what are you waiting for? Get in your craft rooms and dig into your glitter stash!!