Go Crop Yourself!

Recently I was looking back through all my albums and all the scrapbook pages I've done and it became quite obvious to me that mostly what I do is about my kids.  I am sure I am not alone in that discovery.  My kids mean everything to me and are always the most fun pictures or memories to capture.  Aside from my scrapbooks, I also have utilized the triangular wall created by the staircase in my living room as a sort of framed collage of family photos.  There are alot of kids on that wall too.  Not many of my mom or my mother in law, because, like me, they are usually the ones capturing the memories.

I've seen many others do layouts that capture the things that are important to them, their top ten favorite things or moments in time that they can pinpoint as make or break decisions in their life.  But I'm not one for journaling.  Still, the idea of doing a layout that was just me, was, although a bit narcissistic, intriguing all the same.

Simultaneously, my husband got a new camera and would learn about a technique and jump to try it out, me being the most available model.  However, his timing was usually inopportune...I was in the middle of something, wearing "around the house comfy clothes" that aren't necessarily flattering, no makeup, wild hair, preoccupied expressions on my face, all combined with bad lighting and busy backgrounds too distracting for a good photo.  In short, most of those pictures were deleted at my insistance!  He started taking online tutorials and I told him if he wants to practice, he needs to give me 'notice' so I can clean myself up for decent photos.

Every once in a while I am thrown a set of unrelated things and try to make something of them.  One day we were at Walmart (honestly, it's a rare occurance, but sometimes it's the only place that has what you're looking for) and were walking through several aisles of clearance.  I stumbled upong a packet of quilting squares is a totally cute yellow, black and grey set of patterns.  I don't quilt.  Frankly if it can't be done in a day, it doesn't happen.  But...I did think of making something.  *Ding* went that lighbulb of creativity and suddenly I HAD to have those quilting squares.  The next day I went to Kohls and got a plain grey v-neck t-shirt.  An idea was formulating!  Then my Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers Sizzix die arrived in the mail and I just knew what I had to do!

A quick trip to JoAnn's for some double faced interfacing and some buttons in various sizes in black, grey & yellow and I was ready.  First I ironed the interfacing to the squares then ironed them together, to make double sided squares of fabric.  Next, I used the Tim Holtz die and my Cutlebug to cut out all the flowers. 

{Did you know you could cut fabric using your Cuttlebug, Sizzix, etc?  Fabric, Felt, whatever!  Simply figure out which set of cutting plates you need to roll your die through the machine.  Place your die, cutting side UP, then place your fabric over the die, put a piece of scrapbook paper (I usually use scraps) over the fabric, then your top cutting plate and roll on!  And as the French say, 'Et Voila'!  I keep the paper cuts in a box for future use, along with any unused fabric cuts.}

I arranged the flowers on the t-shirt to cascade down from my left shoulder and pinned then into place until I sewed them in place using the buttons.  I left the petals of the flowers loose, and only secured the centers.  I also had a little Sizzix Bumble Bee die and cut a little Bumble Bee out too.  I placed him on the shoulder and secured him, leaving his wings loose.  I used some black thread and embroidered a little bumble bee trail and added a few more bumble bee trails here and there on the shirt as well.  It turned out kinda cute, I think.

I needed a picture of the shirt to post and decided that since hubby could use the photo practice, we'd kill two birds with one stone!  We picked a beautiful day and went to a local park and he took al sorts of pictures.  Remarkably, I was happy with most of them!  So happy, I decided to do an "All About Me" layout using them. 


This is the resulting t-shirt.



Then I selected a number of pictures from the set of photos he took; some I printed in the collage format, so they were smaller and a couple I left at 4x6.  I looked through my stash and found a set of old papers from American Crafts called "Moda Bella".  They were all in yellow and grey.  The scalloped paper was originally only grey and white and I took a sharpie marker in yellow to add color to the centers of the flowers.  I used an EK Success embossing punch to make the scallops.  I pulled a couple of sheets of Bazill Basics swiss dot in "Black Cow" to use as the foundation.  On another trip to JoAnn's I found rag ribbon that matched the fabric, so used that to embellish the circle! I used Recollections glittery buttons and crystals in the centers of the flowers and the black crystal flourishes are also from Recollections. The "K" is my first name monogram and I used my Storybook cricut cartridge to cut it out of a piece of silvery grey cardstock.  The felt bird was in my stash from some clearance rack find a couple of years ago. And of course, the flowers I used, were left over from the t-shirt, plus some little yellow felt blossoms from Recollections.



2 Page Layout



Detail of left side of layout



Detail of right side of layout

 Now my challenge to everyone is to go out and create a layout of you, that captures you.  It doesn't have to be a two page layout or multiple pictures (I just couldn't choose one!).  Make it a layout about you, doing something you love...playing with your kids or crafting or whatever.  Someday someone further down your family tree will be looking through your albums wondering where all the pictures of you are!

I know I usually ends my posts this way, but this time I really mean it... until next time... Go Crop Yourself!!

Artistic Personal Challenge

Happy New Year!  Finally, at last, a minute to post!  It has been a busy holiday season!  I had all sorts of craft projects jump up and surprise me this year (or was it last year?).  

It started in November, when my aunt asked me to make 30 place card gifts for her bridge club.  Off to Michael's and we bought 30 3" clay pots, which I spray painted gold.  We got garland which I cut apart and used the pieces to make wreathes around the rim of each pot, then wove holiday ribbon through the garland.  I added a bow and a silk poinsettia to each and filled them with foil wrapped candies.  Apparently they were quite the hit.

Then my 15 year old son signed me up to make 2 "blank" scrapbooks for his chorus' Silent Auction.  Within a week, I managed to fill 2 8" albums with "blank" pages.  That is a roaring speed for me, as during an 11 hour crop, I typically might almost finish one 12" page. Have I mentioned...I work full-time outside of the home, so this cropping was done in the evenings after work?

Yeah, ok, I do chat...alot...during a crop and it does slow me down, but I also usually do very detailed pages with lots of embellishments on them.  I painstakingly choose just the right papers to match the colors and feel of the photos, and then labor over the design and finally embellish, taking time to pick just the right things.

Friends Are Our Chosen Family
Here is one of those detailed layouts that take me hours to complete.
The hardest part was finding papers to coordinate with the layout;
then deciding on a design for 2 photos.  I really like using only one
 photo per layout, so I matted the two photos into one space, as if
they were one 5x7 photo.  P.S.  I love these fabric Prima flowers!

California PoppiesAnother layout that took me a long time.  I know, It doesn't seem
like it should, but t did.  Picking the papers was more difficult than you
may think.  The colors are a bit "off".  I inked the chipboard flourishes
to match, using a couple of different inks.  The photo seems to
wash out some of the color, so some details disappear.  Papers and
bumblebee are all by K&Co.  The flowers are from Prima.  The rhinestone
and pearl flourishes are from Recollections. 

I've never done a "blank" album before, so this was my personal challenge.  I usually have pictures to work around.  On one hand, it made it easier to just choose a color scheme and a theme and go from there.  I did still labor over which papers to use on a given layout, and how to sparingly embellish with impact.  It was a challenge that took me longer at first, but then I kind of got into the swing of things.  By the 2nd album, I was seriously short on time (thank goodness for "work at home" days ;-) ), so I used alot of the same layout designs, so I wouldn't have to think so long about it.

The first album is "A Gift of Music".  I used my Cricut cartridge Quarter Note for most of the embellishments and titles.  Te cartridge proved to be quite inspiring for this project!

The Gift of Music
I stitched the music notes and added red paper to fill them in.  The title is from the Cricut Quarter Note cartridge.  I used a combination of polka dot and music note paper, accented by a deep red.  The ribbon detail is actually a red satin ribbon with a red organsy ribbon tied in a knot.

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks
The polka dot flowers seemed to fit perfectly with this design.  I had a red polka dot fabric covered brad, but just one, so used it on the left flower.  I repeated the red ribbon I used across both pages as a bow in the center of the bigger flower.  The music notes are from a Cuttlebug die and edged them with black felt tip pen.  It is hard to see, but the white paper under the music notes is embossed.  I used my Cuttlebug music staff embossing envelope to create it.

Musically InclinedA simple design, but the papers make it pop.  The white paper is a white card stock with embossed swirls, so there is visual interest which is not captured in the photo.  The red scallops are from the same Fiskars scallop edge punch, but the one on the bottom is just tucked under father to hide the dot detail.  Connecting the red and white papers is a sparkly black ribbon.

I Got The Music In Me
The title is formed using Thickers chipboard letters.  I added clear rhinestones to the letters to give it "oomph".  I also used solid red ribbons, then tied knots using red organdy ribbon.  I also used the organdy ribbon as centers for the flowers.  Rhinestone flourishes add sparkle to the finished pages.

Make a Joyful Noise
I hand-stitched the black scallops around the edge of the pages.  The title I created using several different Cricut font cartridges.  The whole title is cut in black, but I used silver Stickles to highlight the joyful.  It took several layers and lots of time for each layer to dry between applications so the paper wouldn't warp.  The grey bar at the bottom is actually a silver cardstock detailed with a Martha Stewart corner punch.  The unique flowers are metallic stickers from Recollections, and the black rhinestone flourishes really help bring joy to the page.

Music To My Ears
The Quarter Note cartridge from Cricut produced the title and Treble Clef.  Note the red rhinestone to dot the "i".  I am glad t worked - because I lost the dot for the "i"!!  The little music notes are "trash" from my music edge punch.  I saved them to be used again.  The photo squares are from a Sizzix die.  I think between the title and the red polka dots, this layout makes me think of Minnie Mouse!  Perhaps the new owners of the album will fill the layout with pictures or playing music of singing at Disney!

Music Soothes The Soul
The title comes from a sticker that I adhered to a piece of red paper and inked the edges in black.  When I placed it on the layout, I popped it up with a couple of foam squares.  The white paper has music words on it.  The flower on the right is centered with a little sequin flower.  Black rhinestone flourishes complete the layout.

Hear The Music
Another simple layout.  The red paper is textured swiss dot dot paper.  The music notes are an edge punch from EK Success and punched out of silver metallic card stock and backed in black.  The title is from the Cricut Quarter Note cartridge, cut in black with a silver shadow.  The photo frames are mylar "journaling transparencies" with black ink details from Recollections.  The silver music notes are "trash" from the punch above, and detailed with clear rhinestones.  I added a rhinestone flourish with a black ribbon, an the stripes at the bottom are two different ribbons (grey/black stripes and a black satin ribbon). 

A Night To Remember
The title is from a musical sticker collection.  I cut the red "doily" using a Fiskars circle punch.  The white paper has an embossed swirl to add detail; it is trimmed by polka dotted ribbon, a rub-on black flourish, red flower and music notes from Jolee's (I think).  More ribbon, flowers and rub-on flourishes accent the bottom right corner.  The red paper is finished with a Martha Stewart edge punch.

Take a Bow
 The roses and title are from Quarter Note.  The roses are cut from red glitter paper and it really pops, but the photo doesn't convey it.   I also edged the black stems with a silver gel pen to give them definition.   The trim on the right page, bottom pics, is also red glitter paper.  I outlined the red glitter paper images and words with a thin black felt tip pen.  I also use a red velvet ribbon on the left page, and black rhinestones.

"In Memory Everything Seems To Happen To Music" {Tennessee Williams}
The title is a rubber stamp I have, stamped onto distressed red paper, and it's edges are inked in black.  It is then matted on white, then black paper to give it "importance".  When placed,  used foam squares to pop it up.  The red paper is a distressed music patter.  I tok plain white paper and stamped flourishes in black ink, then detailed the flourishes using clear rhinestone flourishes.   added music notes and little black flowers, along with a ribbon.  The top right corner is folded to reveal black paper and more rhinestones.

Well, that was the first album for the Silent Auction.  I was quite happy with the results, and my son was thrilled.  It did sell at the Silent Auction, but there wasn't a hot bidding war on it.  I put the price at $50 to cover (most of) the supplies.  I am just glad it sold and went to someone who will hopefully appreciate it!  Personal challenge met.  Have you had a personal artistic challenge?  If so, please share by entering a comment!

I will post again with the second album.  The theme for the second album was his school's mascot - the Wildcats. Check back to see what I did with that!  Talk about school spirit!  Until then...go crop yourself!