Grab Bag!

While cleaning my crap room, I found this pattern that I'd printed out a while ago.  I have a lot of printed out patterns and instructions for making mini albums and projects like that but I keep most of them together in a binder so I can grab the whole thing and look through it.
The pattern is from All People Quilt and I obviously thought it was cute when I found it the first time. :)  It's a pretty quick and easy bag to put together and I think it's neat that it gets held a little differently than your average bag.

 I found this fabric for the outside as a remnant at Hobby Lobby and it was only a little over $3.  I already had the black fabric for the lining and used a little leftover quilt batting for the padding so it was a pretty cheap bag!  I also had the flower already (got that at Hobby Lobby too) and thought it made a cute addition to the bag.

This is what it looks like when it's open and plain.  The long handle slips through the short handle and you carry it by the loop that sticks through.  It has six little pockets on the inside too. 

I actually made this bag to take with me this weekend.  I'm actually going out of town...to CHA!!  WOOHOO!  I am so excited that I get to go to the show.  I'll be doing make and takes in the Xyron booth and helping in the Xyron classes, but I'll have a break every day to go look around and drool on everything.  I'm taking my camera, but not my computer so you'll have to wait until Tuesday to see the pictures because I don't come back until late Monday night.  I'm leaving Friday morning and I'm totally geeking out about it.  If there's a booth or product you want to see, let me know!  I'll try to do some pictures and videos from my phone as well and they'll upload to my regular Facebook profile. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Travel Journal

I'm a little under the weather today, but I wanted to share my altered journal.  It's up today over at the Glue Arts blog.  After I went to the quilt show in Houston I thought it could be nice to have something that I use to take notes about the places I visit (especially because I don't always get to blog right away).

Supplies:


Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro with High Tac refill

Glue Arts Extreme Adhesive Squares

Girls Paperie On Holiday Papers, Letter, Word and Shape stickers

Blank journal

Paper trimmer

Scissors

Stapler

Brown ink pad and sponge

Nail File

Ribbons

Scalloped paper to use as template

Edge distresser

Bone Folder


1. Trim papers to fit the front and back outside and inside covers of the journal. Ink the edges of all papers with the ink pad and sponge and attach two of them to the outside covers using the Glue Glider Pro with High Tac refill and the Glue Arts Extreme Adhesive squares in the corners.
For the inside covers, add a smaller piece of paper to the larger paper to be used as a pocket for holding small paper memorabilia. Run adhesive around the bottom and sides of the smaller paper and attach to the larger paper to attach the pocket. Add staples for decoration.

Use the Glue Glider Pro and the Extreme Adhesive Squares to attach these pockets to the inside covers.

2. Use a scalloped circle of paper as a template to cut out a scalloped circle to use on the front of the journal. Cut out the shape and trim to the size that you'll need for the book. Ink the edges with the ink pad and sponge and attach it to the book with the Glue Glider Pro.

3. Cut circles out of the papers and distress the edges of each.
Ink the edges of the circles with the sponge in the same way that you've done the other papers. Dab the sponge on the ink pad and swirl it around the edges of the paper for an aged look.
Attach the circles to the journal front along with some inked scrap paper strips using the Glue Arts Extreme Adhesive Squares.

4. Choose letter stickers for the title and other stickers for accents for the journal front. Use the nail file to rough up the edges so the stickers can be inked. Attach the stickers to the journal front.

5. Use more scrap paper to make two small tags to hang from the spine. Ink the tags and add more inked stickers to them. Attach them to the spine with some ribbon or twine.

6. Fold long strips of paper in half and attach to a few pages in the journal for reinforced dividers. Use a bone folder to get a crisp edge and attach as many as desired to the pages using the Glue Glider Pro. For tabs on these dividers, fold inked stickers in half and attach to the page edges.

7. Tie additional ribbons to the journal binding and trim the ends.
TIP: To add extra interest and dimension on your layouts and projects, use a combination of the Perma-Tac adhesive on some pieces, then use the U-Cut it foam on others, layering more than one thickness of the foam to lift some things higher off the page.

Have a great weekend!

Layouts!

There was a crop this weekend at Scrap Chicks and I got to play along for a bit!  It's been so long since I just scrapped for fun and for myself that I really enjoyed it.  I get to do so few layouts anymore and my albums are pretty sad and neglected.

This was a sketch challenge (I love sketches when I am fresh out of mojo)

I used a Sassy Lil Sketch for this one, and it was a recipe challenge.  Three patterned papers, chipboard, handmade journaling spot, 7 round elements.

This challenge was a lot of fun.  We were told what to do with the layout step by step without actually being shown a picture of the layout we were lifting from.  I think it's my favorite.

Wintertime Fun!

This week at Glue Arts the sponsor is Echo Park, and these winter time papers are so fun!  I love the blue and red combo especially.  I actually wanted to put them in my guest room for a little project (and I still just might)!
I decided to take the pictures from my parents' cabin and scrap a mini album of my kids playing in the snow.

I also decorated the front of my album.

Thanks for stopping by!

More gifts!

I didn't share these because one of them wasn't actually done until the day after Christmas :) Oops! Sometimes things just get a little too crazy around here and those extra projects fall to the side.

I made these as gifts for a couple of people. I bought the actual scarves at the quilt show I went to in Houston. They say that they're cashmere, and who knows if that's true or not. They are very soft and pretty so that's what counts. I picked up some of the thicker embroidery threads and added stitches I saw in a little book I picked up for $2 at Half Price Books.

These are the result! (please forgive the cell phone pictures)

This one I made for a friend.  It didn't take too long and I think the leaves are pretty.  The one in the book also had little sequins on it, but I didn't think they'd stay on very well so I just did the leaves.

This is the one I did for my mom.  It took longer, and the lines were difficult because when you're sewing in a hoop it's hard to see whether you're keeping the stitches straight or not.

Anyway, these were pretty easy and quick to make and I think they're great gifts.  I know I'd appreciate getting something that's useful and pretty and it's nice to know that someone spent time making something just for you.

Ooo la la! A video post!

Hopefully the video works.  This is my first post like this :)
My new birthday cell phone has video camera on it and I can upload directly to Qik to share the vids.  So I thought that rather than just trying to explain to you why I can't seem to get anything done, I'd show you what my room looks like right now.  I'm working to try to reorganize and move things around, but I haven't touched this room yet.  It's ugly.  It makes me want to do anything BUT scrap.  I miss being creative every day so I'm trying to get things truly organized and under control.
And now...THE MESS!