{ Gift Scrapbook 6 }

I'm not really in a talkative mood today, so here is your sixth installment.

Enjoy!

{ Gift Scrapbook 5 }

I think that everything I make has a bit of SU's "Chocolate Chip" in it. Something about black, and even grey, is a bit harsh to me, so I usually go with brown. Well, this project is no different! The new Basic Grey is the "neutral" color included in this pack, but since I don't have any paper in that color, I used the Chocolate in a couple places. I think it looks really nice with the Olive and Guava in this layout. Speaking of olives, guavas and chocolate, I'm hungry! hahaha

Enjoy!

{ Gift Scrapbook 4 }

This layout was my husband's favorite. Funny, because it is not one of my favorites. I mean, don't get me wrong, I really like it, but I think it is lacking in the color department. I tried to fit another color or two in this layout, especially since all the others have at least 3 colors, but when I tried, nothing looked right! I figured that it was better to stick with simple and pretty than to try too hard doing something fancy and make it ugly! I go through that with cards sometimes too. Like, I feel like they are missing something, but I stick with simple. Now that I think about it, I do it with my clothes too ... hahaha. Maybe that just IS my style! *wink*

Enjoy!

{ Gift Scrapbook 3 }

Oh, I just love this kit! I think that there is something that is so elegant and sophisticated about it. These papers are just so luxurious! I hope that they keep this kit in the new Catalog! And how adorable are those half pearls from the Pretties Kit? I can see myself using those A LOT!

Enjoy!

{ Gift Scrapbook 2 }

Here is pages 2 & 3 of the album. Pretty straight forward here ... but please note that BEAUTIFUL hat pin on the right. I bought the Pretties kit especially to use for this project, and I've got to tell you, it is SO much better than I could have imagined! I just adore all the pretty little pieces, but I have to admit that the hat pins are my favorite. They are just TOO pretty! It was hard to force myself to use one, ya know, rather than hoarding them as all us crafters tend to do! But, I told myself it is only 1 out of 10 and I can always buy more!

Well ... at least, I hope!

Enjoy!

{ Gift Scrapbook 1 }

Well, I guess I'm going to do another marathon grouping share! My MIL birthday is later this week, so I've been working on an 8x8 scrapbook. She does bridal alterations for a living, so I thought it might be nice for her to fill this with their pictures to show to potential clients or to show them while they wait. Well, that's what I thought, but she may want to use it for something else!

I must admit that I'm not much of scrapbooker. I have a still-not-completed album that I was making of hubby and my courtship days, I have yet to even THINK about our wedding album, and I have purchased, but not yet started (nearly a year later) a scrapbook for my niece. I should say that all the above mentioned albums are to be 12x12. Although I like that size best for the amount of space it offers for pictures, I must admit that a space that large intimidates me! Keep in mind that I usually work with a space of 4.5x5.5, so when you nearly triple that, it can be very intimidating. I like it all in theory just fine, but in reality, it is just so hard! Do any other card makers out there feel like that? Well, anyway, I think the 8x8 size is less intimidating, and with only one nice big focal image, it makes designing layouts a little easier for me.

Anyway, on to the album! I'm not going to post details on the bottom because you would see all the same things over and over. So, I'll list it right here once - I used the "Secret Garden" Simply Scrappin' Kit from SU! for the bulk of this album, I supplimented with the Pretties Kit, plain silver brads, various SU! ribbon, some extra textured paper from SU!, a few sheets of SU's Au Chocolate retired paper, a few sheets from the Groovy Guava Prints Designer Paper, and some of the new velvet and vellum flowers from Papertrey. The few stamped words (on the tags) were from Fancy Flexible Phrases (retired). I have to admit that it is so much more elegant and beautiful than I had thought. There was a lot of buzz over on SCS when the prices of the SS Kits when from $12.95 to $19.95. I have to say that there are NO complaints from me! The double sided paper is GREAT. I was able to use 1 sheet for two layouts - I just decorated both sides of one sheet! And the textured paper is oh so yummy and luxurious. I love it! This kit also goes quite nicely with our Pretties Kit, also very elegant and sophisticated. Oh, and as a bonus, I thought I'd show you the cover of this album - how perfect is it? I found it at Michael's and it is EXACTLY the same as SU's old olive! Plus, I think that the pattern on goes with the SS Kit very well.

{ New Toy }

I got a new toy! And, it's not even a stamping related one! My father surprised me and sent me an iPod Nano! I was very surprised. He sent me a silver one, but I had to take it and exchange it for a red one. Red is, after all, my favorite color! Plus, part of the proceeds go to AIDS research, so it is an all around win-win situation! :D I have to admit that I didn't want one at all, but I am starting to become quite fond of this little thing. I just wasn't into the whole iPod thing, my husband has one and I could use it whenever I wanted, but I just never did. I think the appeal of this new version is the video. I like being able to have pictures on there to whip out and show people. It's mostly filled with pictures of my adorable little niece! Oh, she is just TOO cute!

Anyway, I made an observation when looking at the colors. I mean, I knew that I wanted red, but I had to check the others out too, and you know what? Apple is using SU! colors! Yes! I'm serious. This new model's "red" isn't a true red like the previous one (and I know because my hubby got that one). The previous red Nano was a yummy metallic red. This one is more pinky-purple - it's a dead-on match to SU!'s Purely Pomegranate (so much so that I named it that!)!! Their blue is SU!'s recently retired Cool Caribbean, their green is SU's long retired Mint Melody, and of course, their black is SU! Basic Black and their silver matches SU's Encore Silver ink pad! So, I guess SU! is really keeping up with the times, or are the color fads following SU!? *wink*

{ Well, Hello There! }

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been working on 2 gifts and an order, so I've been stamping, just not sharing! I tried posting something yesterday, but Blogger was on the fritz so I wasn't able to, and of course, it's working now, but I don't have the photo on this computer. Oh well, I'll post either again later tonight or tomorrow. Until then ...

{ MANmade Card }

OHMIGOSH!!! This is TOO funny. You must check it out! I was rolling with laughter so badly that I had to pause it a couple times!

Click here.

{ More Luggage Tags }

I had a request to make some name luggage tags like the one that I made for my niece (seen here). Let me tell you, it was so hard to resist the urge to cover the top with ribbons. I just love the look the ribbons add, but I kept reminding myself that I had to keep them masculine.

I made the striped ones on top first. I really wanted something sophisticated and understated. I think these are more grown-up than cute, but I think that's what I like about them - that they're simple.

Anyway, while searching through my HUGE paper stash for good patterns to use, I came across the one used in the jungle ones and thought it would be *perfect* with SU's Wild About You set. And whadda know, I think I was right! The paper is a bunch of fern leaves in different colors/angles. I thought it made good jungle leaves, but my sister and husband thought it looked like camouflage, so I guess either way, it works! I am really happy with how all of these turned out, but I must admit that the jungle ones are my favorite. They're just so whimsical and cute!

Oh, and do you see the oval "ground" stamp under the lion? I read on SCS once that someone (sorry I can't remember who you are to give you credit) took some extra thin rubber off of the foam (mine was left over from my Big Blossom stamp), punched it out with her small oval punch , then mounted it on EZ mount. Quick and CHEAP "ground" stamp! :D Yea! I loved it so much that I did one with my small oval and one with my large oval punches. Now, if you decide to do this, do so at your own risk. I doubt the punches were designed to punch rubber, but I was willing to try it and my results were good, but I can't guarantee that yours will be equally successful. I definitely had to sharpen the punch with some aluminum foil after and lube it up a bit with wax paper. I've thought about doing my scalloped punches, too, but I'm a bit scared. Anyway, I think the small oval was so perfect for this little lion.

Enjoy!