One Sketch...Many Layouts (30 in all!) And a WINNER!!!

AND THE WINNER IS.....

Corey!!!! Hey Hey Miss Corey! You won my ribbon raffle. I will send you some goodies this week girl. Same address?

And now to some scrapping goodness.

A SIMPLE SKETCH

I have been putting off doing the kids school pages for years now. I have been gathering up school photos each year...along with the class photo in the hopes of getting them all in albums by the time the kids were in college. What a laugh that is.

Well, I finally got off my butt and put some pages together. Helen and I went again to "A Time For Memories" in Grafton, MA for the scrap pink crop. I told myself I was going to get these pages done and not come home with any left over to scrap. Well, I did it. 30 pages in all and now the kids are caught up. Untill this years photos came home in backpacks last week...oh well!

How I made this easy and doable was using one sketch and a stack of papers and embellies that I had collected in one box. I stopped myself from using anything else. Some examples are below along with the sketch that I used.

This was a fantatic way to get things done and I mean A LOT of things done in a short period of time. Limiting myself to just one bin of product made the whole process work up quick and with low stress. I would suggest that you find a sketch you like, gather up some products and just limit yourselft to what you have. Don't keep buying more supplies and putting it off. It can get so out of hand that the task is just too daunting to want to tackle.

I am so happy I got these done. Now I can move on to tackling my next pile and bin of STUFF!!! And I am really happy about that.

New Ribbon Belt in Velvet and a PRIZE

Yes, I have been at it again. This is another ribbon belt that I have made. This time I used some velvet and chinelle ribbon I picked up when I was out with Alice, Laurie and Jen a few weeks ago. I also added some brown bias binding to this one to cover the ends of the ribbon. I could not really just zig zag stitch down the side of this one due to the ribbon that I used. So instead I stitched on some binding tape and I think it did the trick.

The belt buckle is made of plastic and I just love it. It matches the green crushed velvet ribbon perfectly. All in all I think this one came out great. I am still working on some diffent ways of putting this together but so far so good.


Just a little shot of my ribbon scraps before I started. In fact this time around I did not use scraps. It took about 10 yards of ribbon and I have a lot left over. Not enough for another belt but I sure could use the scraps along with some other ribbon to make another...which I think I may just do that.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Oh, and for the prize. Leave me a comment here and tell me what you have done this week that is crafty and I will pull a name on Monday and send you out some yummy ribbon so you can start making your own belt.

RIBBON BELTS and a funsie for my Mom

So, I have been very busy for the past few weeks. I had some K aren Foster work to do for their October release....very cool new papers and embellishment coming out this month from KF.

I have also been working on a calendar class for Ink About It, in Westford MA. I'm not done yet so no photos right now. I will be teaching this class in early December. If you live in MA you should come and take my class for sure.

More about my busy crafting adventures the past few weeks. I saw this really neat belt made from ribbon scraps. Leslie posted it at SBO and I fell in love. Seeing that I have more Strano Ribbon that I know what to do with I decided to make one. When Jen Strano, on of my SB friends, saw the belt a few days later she went nuts and send me a box with another 3lbs of ribbon scraps in it. You may think 3 lbs is no big deal but when you are talking ribbon scraps it is an AMAZING gift to receive. When I opened the box ribbon came oozing out...now that's a package you want to get in the mail.

So, here is my belt and the one I just finished for one of Jen's daughters. Jen....btw, you never sent the measurements so I just went for it. I think it will fit. Gail tried it on and all was good on her end. Don't they look like such good buds?

These belts make me so happy. They just are so bright and colorful....mmmmmm yummmy!!

And below is the bag I just finished for my Mom. It is using the Amy Butler Sling bag pattern. My mom is always buying me fabric to make things so I thought it was time for me to use it up and create something with it. I hope she likes it...you are seeing it before her. WEll, if she came to my blog maybe she would see it first.

Got to run. I am teaching the paperbag album from yesterday to Grant's class at 2pm. Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween to all!

Halloween Paper Bag Album

So, it is Halloween season and every time I have a 3rd grader I teach his or her class how to make this cute little paper bag book during the halloween party. It is a fun project for the kids and they all seem to enjoy the process of making it. We finish up with a class photo I send around to all the kids so they can pop it in thier album.

I have included a short how to below just in case you want to whip one up with the kiddos.

Supplies:

2 regular size lunch bags

1 sheet of 12x12 Halloween paper

Scraps of cardstock in fun Halloween colors

2 small brads

(2) 12 inch pieces of ribbon or twine....or yarn

Misc. stickers.

Hole punch

Adhesive

Halloween punchs or die cutting machine

Fold the two paper bags in half to form a book. Punch two small holes in the spine and bind your book with the two brads. Cut 12 x 12 pp in (9) 4 inch squares. Attach these to the cover and inside pages of the book. Die cut of make two tags and attach the ribbon to them. The tags can be placed inside the open ends of the paper bag. Die cut or punch out Halloween shapes and attach to the pages. Attach stickers where desired.

I created my title in MS Word with some clip art and a spooky font.

NOTE: I got the fun pumpkin tag from a free digi kit download. But being the doofus that I am I can't for the life of me remember where I got it. So, to whoever created it...thanks! If I figure it out I will make sure to give credit where it is due. All of my die cuts are were cut on the Cricut using the "Wild Card" cartridge. Thanks also to Helen for the stickers. Man does she have a stash of Halloween crap!

Thanks for looking ladies...have a great one.

365 October 19, 2009

10-19-09 We had snow yesterday and last night at about 7pm Gail decided to make a snowman. Poor little guy needs his face washed.

10-18-09 Gail and I did the Diabetes walk with Gail's friend Liz and her family. It was cold and snowing. The three mile walk was cut short to 1.5 miles. Liz is the little girl in the middle.

10-17-09 Some of the wine waiting to be drank at our wine tasting on Saturday night.

10-16-09 The kids and I went to the pumpkin painting party at thier new school tonight. This is Grant and his friend Maya.

10-15-09 So, do you think I need gas soon. This tank lasted me almost 3.5 weeks. That is pretty good.

10-14-09 Our first snow fall...well snow sprinkle might sound better.

10-13-09 We got the area that camper parks on leveled this week. Here is the truck delivering the gravel for the spot.

Well, that is it for me. Have a great week!

365....really long!

I have been slacking again in my 365. I am doing pretty good about taking the photos but not about uploading them. So, this one is a long one for sure.

10-12-09 The makings of an apple crisp while we were camping this weekend. OMGosh is was awesome. I will post our recipe (Jen and I) soon....well maybe soon!

10-11-09 Grant got the "Best Effort" game ball today at his game. He was double teamed on every play but still managed some great tackels.

10-10-09 Some shots of the kids while we were apple picking. The orchard is also a tree farm.

10-09-09 Yup...here is Ace tied up while camping. Does he look bummed or what?

10-08-09 We scottered to and from school today. Grant's new buddy Ryan came with us.

10-07-09 No walking to school today, it was raining. Here the boys are running to catch the bus.

10-05-09 I grew this pumpkin and 4 more big ones this summer. I am so proud of myself.

10-04-09 I little wrap up after today's game.

10-03-09 Grady started CCD today and this is the picture he colored in of Jesus. He will bring it to church and someone will take it home and pray for his all year as he prepares for First Communion.

10-02-09 The kids with my Mom at her Quilt Show. She belongs to the Proper Bostonian Quilt Guild in Boston. My mom and Grandmother made this quilt for my Auntie Pickles. My grandmother embroidered all the white squares with beach embellishments. This hangs in my Aunt's beach house.

10-01-09 A little ice cream treat tonight.

09-30-09 Missed this day.

09-29-09 Spelling test prep

Missed 09/28-09-25 OOPS!
09-24-09 Here is Grant with his friend Anna playing in the loft.

09-23-09 Grady's self portrait that sits outside his classroom.

09-22-09 Curriculum night at Grady's school today...this is his desk and the letter he wrote to me.

09-21-09 A trip to the farmers market.

09-20-09 Some tile samples for our backsplash in the kitchen.

09-19-09 These little foam guys are going to be, hopefully, wrapped about chocolate bars for the boys to give out to thier friends. Ya, lets see if that happens.

09-18-09 A little jousting at the church fair.

09-17-09 Day one of the St. Mary's church fair.

09-16-09 Finally found all my mini albums and have them displayed in my dining room.

09-15-09 Curriculm night at Grant's school. His teacher is obsessed with shoes and this sits in the classroom. Can't wait to shop for her during the holidays.

09-13-09 Grady got to participate in the coin toss at todays game.

09-12-09 Jr. Mite Gold Homecoming Celebration was today...rainy but lots of fun for the boys.

09-11-09 Grampa came to visit today. Daddy made pizza and we all hung out.

09-10-09 Love this tree in Prospect Park where I take Ace walking.

09-09-09 This is Ace's peeing pole Gregg put in his "Poop In The Woods" area in the back yard. Ace is being trained to poop and pee in only one spot in our yard.

Wowza...this was a long one for sure. Glad you came by to take a peak.

Karen Foster Holiday Card Class

You have to check out my friend Alice Golden's blog today and also yesterday's entry. She is posting the new Holiday Card Class she just taught at Scrap Fest for Karen Foster Design. Come and check it out and make sure to leave a comment and you can win some cool KF supplies.