Fabulous Folds

Stampin' Up's 'Loves Me' Designer Series Double Sided Paper, provides an easy starting point to create beautiful cards with ease. Teamed with the beautiful 'Flirty' Ribbon Originals and the 'Lots of Thoughts' Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set, I was able to create 5 card designs that showcase basic folding techniques to add dimension to your cards, such as pleating and fold backs.

I am looking forward to sharing these samples at workshops during January and February and would be happy to share the instructions with you if you would like to make them at home. Alternately, I will be starting 2008 classes soon, so keep posted for the class schedule.

The Imaginative Mind

On Christmas Eve, our family took Grandma Beth out for breakfast at Sirromet. Although it was the day before Christmas Day, we had Christmas Crakers, made of course with Stampin' Up's beautiful Designer Series Paper. Including the crackers I made for Christmas Day, I made 21 of these Mini Masterpieces and although they were a lot of work, they were well worth the effort. Filling each persons crackers with personally chosen items really was wonderful, and were in fact a present in themselves. Making so many means that I have the formula 'down pat' for next year, although, I may not wait that long! A good friend of mine has pointed out that crackers are great at any time of year and why not make birthday crackers.

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Anyway, as you can see from the photograph, the artistic merit of the cracker was not on my 5 year old son's mind. Benjamin quickly turned his emptied cracker into a telescope! How imaginative and wonderful.

I can do that!

Make these 8 (4 each of 2 designs) beautifully simple cards using only 4 x A4 pieces of coloured Stampin' Up! Cardstock (2 x Chocolate Chip and 2 x Pretty in Pink) and 1 1/2 A4 sheets of Stampin' Up! Whisper White Cardstock.

Simply stamp all over the Whisper White Cardstock, using the Big Pieces and Little Pieces Sets; in So Saffron, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip. Cut the full sheet of A4 into 4 equal rectangles 148 x 105mm. Cut the half sheet into 4 equal 50 x 148mm strips.

Cut 2 A4 sheets of Chocolate Chip Cardstock in half to create 4 cards. Fold each card to form the card and then tear the front two thirds of the card away, making sure not to discard it.

Secure White Organdy Ribbon around the upper section of the card as pictured and then adhere the stamped rectangle under the flap, thereby hiding the ends of the ribbon.

Complete the look by stamping 'thankyou' from Wonderful Words Stamp Set in the bottom right hand corner of the card in Chocolate Chip Ink.

To complete the matching set of cards, simply cut 2 Pretty in Pink A4 sheets in half to create 4 cards. Adhere the leftover Chocolate Chip 'ripped' section across the card as pictured. Complete the look by adhering the stamped strips across the brown cardstock and stamp 'thankyou' with the same set. Additional extras may be added, such as the clear button, simply adhered with a mini glue dot over one of the flowers to create texture and interest.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990 - 2007

Simple alterations to the 'process' of this card will result in a completely different look. Instead of 'stamping out' the entire sheet of A4 Whisper White, try cutting it into 4 first. Then you can compose your design elements, so that they do not appear randomly.

Mini Album Continues

'Because I am 4, who needs a reason to dress up'

By now you will have realised that there is another theme throughout this album and that is the journalling. Journalling can be a real stumbling block and when you are making an entire album in a few days, steamlining your journalling can help. Each of my pages starts with the statement 'Because I am 4' and this statement is finished with the featured photos in mind.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990 - 2007

'Because I am 4, I like to experiment tasting lemons'

Lucky I caught this shot on camera, because I don't think Ben will be doing this anytime soon! I remember going to Primary School with a boy who regularly sucked lemons and he was a bit weird! So glad Ben decided the taste did not live up to his expectations! Notice in this double page that I have used the spiral punch in the top left and bottom right edges to draw your eyes diagonally accross the page.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990 - 2007

'Because I am 4, I am super cute'

'Because I am 4, I pick up every stick I find'

So, not every page must be a double page. Colourwise, I thought these 2 pages compatible so have paired them up. Note to self - next album, I think I will use black ink for the alphabet stramps in the little grey boxes cut with the Fiskars mini square punch. You can actually see them in real life with grey on grey - something to think about.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990 - 2007

More Mini Album Pages

'Because I am 4, there are many advantages, like standing very close in quoits'

Stampin' Write Markers are very useful when you only wish to ink a portion of a stamp. The word 'because' was taken from the 'Just Because' stamp from the Simple Sayings 11 Stamp Set.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990-2007

'Because I am 4, I want to do everything just like my dad'

Decorating a tag is an excellent way to vary design features and accents in your pages. Tags are a fun way to experiment with different ideas and techniques.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990-2007

'Because I am 4, Life is a Beach'

Try cutting out letters with the convex square punch. This is a really easy way to put your letters where you want them. Adhering these letters with Stampin' Dimensions adds depth and texture to your page.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990-2007

The Mini Album Tour Begins

'Because I am 4,

I am happy having more candles than my age'

This is the first double page of my mini album. Expect to see alphabet stamps used throughout the album. Alphabet Stamps are an excellent way to add titles and journalling because you never run out of popular letters and you can colour coordinate the letters.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990-2007

'Because I am 4, I am big and tough and small and gentle'

This mini album is 8 x 8 inches in size and you will be beginning to see a formula emerge. Having a structure or formula for your mini album will not only tie the project together, but will also make it easier to complete. My basic furmula for the layout was to start with a 'basic black' mat of 8 x 8 inches and also 2 central mats cut from 'Confetti White' ans 'Going Gray'. I then added one colour that complimented the photograph, between the black and the two central mats.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990-2007

'Because I am 4, I'm not old enough to know how lucky I am to be Australian'

Stamps are also a great way to add elements, such as the stars, that tie in with the photograph. You will also be noticing another theme running through the album, which is the use of the new Spiral Punch from the Spring Mini Catalogue. It is wonderful and so easy to use, creating an interesting visual border.

Images © Stampin' Up! 1990-2007

'Mini Themed Scrapbooking Album' Series

Well I am back after being struck down with the dreaded flu. However, I have not been totally inactive whilst recovering, keeping busy working on a special album for my son Benjamin, who recently had his 5th birthday. I love scrapbooking, however, I often hear how people are dismayed that it is a never ending task that they never seem to get finished and it is just something else they stress about because they are falling behind. The answer to this problem is to make mini albums by concentrating on chunks of time, events or themes. This way you have the satisfaction of completing a defined project. Making a 'mini themed album' also encourages you to use only the most relevant photographs - there is after all, no need to scrapbook every photograph that you take! Over the next 2 weeks I will take you on a tour of this album, sharing tips and techniques about how you can make your own album.