‘Tis the Season…. for babies and brides!

Need a quick, but lovely baby shower or bridal shower gift? Create a door hanger for the little one’s nursery or the bride’s new home using the new Chic Bebe line from Teresa Collins.

To create the baby version you’ll need:

- One page from a shaped chipboard album, (such as the new Melody Ross Chipboard albums we now carry). I used one from the Maya Road Artistic Scroll album (now on Clearance)

- Chic Bebe Girl Chipboard Elements (or check out the Chic Bebe Boy line)

- Tattered Angels glimmer mist & Glimmer Screen: I used Viva Pink from the Heidi Swapp Glimmer Mist collection and the medium sized Decorative Corners Glitter Screen. OR, you could just cover the chipboard shape with coordinating patterned paper, like the Chic Bebe Girl Theme Set

- One Yard of Ribbon: I used the Chic Bebe Girl ribbon

- Jenni Bowlin Embellished Butterflies: I used one of the Pink Butterflies.

- ZVA Jewels (I used Mini-Lines and cut them to fit the oval frame shape)

- Sticker letters (I used Doodlebug and Making Memories tiny alphas)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. I used Glimmer Mist and a gllmmer screen to create the background on my chipboard piece. Lay the glimmer screen on top of your chipboard shape and spray all over (the Ranger craft mat is wonderfully easy to clean with a paper towel after you’re done spraying...) Remove the screen.

2. Once dry (only a few minutes), use your Crop-a-dile to punch a second hole for the ribbon hanger (if you’re using a chipboard album piece, there is probably already one hole). Set eyelets in holes for a finished look.

3. Add photo of the baby behind the black frame (from the Chic Bebe Girl Chipboard Elements), or if you don’t have one, add cardstock and only place adhesive on the bottom and sides of frame when adhering to the background, so a photo can be added later.

4. Add sticker letters, jeweled embellishments and chipboard pieces, as desired. I used pop dots to layer them. I used Glossy Accents to add shine to the Making Memories Tiny Alphas (now on clearance!) - and to help them stay secure over time.

5. Tie ribbon through eyelets to create hanger. Punch hole in a chipboard word and tie on hanger using small string or ribbon to create a charm.

You could use the Mr. & Mrs. line (these are the chipboard elements):

or Welcome Home line

to create a version for a bridal shower or to welcome a new neighbor to their new home. Just add a photo of the happy couple or you could add a quote or bible verse instead of a photo in the frame.

Happy Creating!

American Crafts: Dear Lizzy Video

We wanted to share with you a video American Crafts sent out today via e-mail. It is a darling fabric flower that you will adore making.

American Crafts: Dear Lizzy Fabric Paper Demo


American Crafts products

American Crafts: Fabric Paper - Garden Galla
'

American Crafts: Fabric Paper - Apricot Afternoon


Contact your personal MemoryWorks Independent Consultant or contact a consultant nearest you to purchase these products today!

Get to know our new cardstock!

Have you tried the new official cardstock of MemoryWorks? American Crafts cardstock is sturdy, has a great texture and color palette, and is sure to become your go-to paper!

I spent a few minutes experimenting with some American Crafts cardstock to see how some of my most-used techniques would work with it. Here are my results:

TEXTURE : This cardstock has a great linen texture! This texture is very versatile - it looks fun and carefree with bright colors and cute embellishments, and also can look subdued and elegant with soft colors and flowers. Check it out:

PAINT: It only took a few swipes of paint to get great saturation and coverage. Apply lightly or with a dry brush to keep a two-tone textured look, or apply a little thicker for full-coverage. The paper didn't warp, bleed or stretch, so you could very easily customize your paper with paint!

JOURNALING PEN: I have occasionally come across textured paper that was very hard to write on...this paper isn't one of them! I didn't need to re-write my letters or fill in any missed lines. However, if you want an even smoother writing surface, just flip the paper over - very smooth, but still appears slightly textured.
CHALK: Chalk looks awesome on this cardstock! Chalk doesn't skim off the top or crumble - it sticks where it is supposed to and rubs right into the texture. Chalk really brings out the linen texture - nice!
STAMPS: This cardstock accepts ink well, but maintains the integrity of the texture - I found that you can press a stamp in harder to get a deeper saturation (top of robot's head) or use a regular touch and see some texture (robot body):
INK: Linen texture looks GREAT inked! You can work it deep into the grooves, or lightly over the top - looks polished either way!
DISTRESSED: I distressed the top edge of this square with an edge distresser and some sand paper. Sanding the AC cardstock is effortless - the texture just sands right down, no chunks of paper peeling up with the sandpaper!
CROPPING: Despite the strong embossed texture, this cardstock cuts like a dream! Sharp edges, no tearing or splitting...do whatever you need to, your paper can take it!
TEARING: Rip with the grain (example: top edge of square below) for a well-controlled, subtle tear. Pull against the grain (left edge) for a more dramatic tear, which separates the layers of the paper, but doesn't cause lots of runaway rips and bits of paper.



I am so impressed with this cardstock, and I know you'll love it, too! Give it a try...you'll be hooked!

Birthday Portfolio Album

Tired of the traditional album? Want a new twist on a mini? Try making this versatile portfolio album...you can make it in a variety of sizes and themes. You only need a few basic supplies and little bit of creativity!

Basic Supply List:

2 sheets of double sided cardstock

Fiskars scalloped circle punch

Fiskars Threading Water edge punch

Adhesive and pop dots

5 envelopes (envelope size will determine album size)

Supplies I used:

Pink Paislee 365 degree Theme Set and Die Cuts

Tim Holtz Sepia Distress Ink

Fiskars Wishes All Around Stamp Set

Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type

I designed my album around a small envelope (4" x 3 1/4")

Here we go!

Gather your supplies:

2 sheets double sided cardstock

5 envelopes

Measure for your album cover based on the envelope size.

You want to leave a larger gap above your portfolio.

I cut mine at 10" x 4 1/2".

Score at 2" and 6.5"

Set your envelope in the center and fold around

creating a matchbook style album...but not quite!

Cut a piece of your same cardstock at 2" x 4/5".

Edge using the Fiskars Threading Water Punch.

Adhere to right front inside album cover,

leaving the decorative edge sticking out as shown below.

Now we need a method to keep our album closed.

You could use a velcro closure, a magnet closure, or a band.

I chose to do a band to be able to embellish it, as this is a

birthday party album.

Making a band is easy...watch this.

Cut a strip of coordinating cardstock

to 3" x 10".

Fold around your album, making it snug, but loose enough

to be able to slide on and off.

Then embellish it!

Front of band...

and the back...

Now, let's get to work on the inside of the album...what fun this is!

Gather your envelopes and push all the flaps inside.

Apply adhesive to the flap side of the envelopes

and adhere them together (unlike sides together).

when you finish adhering all the envelopes together, center

them in your album leaving a larger space at the top.

Here's a top view...

Cute little pockets, now all they need are inserts!

Cut your insert to be 1/4" smaller than your envelope size.

Mine are 3 3/4" x 3 1/2".

I used paper that had a "natural" journaling site on the back!

Next we'll need to punch out our insert tabs.

I used the Fiskar's scalloped cirle punch coupled with

the Fiskars Wishes All Around Stamp Set.

Punch!

Stamp!

Attach!

(I used staples!)

Here's the inserts in your portfolio!

Add your pictures and journaling!

Now all you need to do is embellish your album!

Here's mine!

I had a great time making this project

and you will too!

Creative Friday - Teresa Collins Album

This month I have created the Inspiration projects for the MemoryWorks website! I got to work with the Teresa Collins: Welcome Home theme set and matching embellishments and stamps. These papers are so rich in color and thick to the touch.

The project I'm sharing is the entire album that I created using the Teresa Collins: Chipboard Album Cover - Welcome Home (you can view the cover on the MemoryWorks website). I used multiple medias of paper for this album, including pattern paper, cardstock and transparencies.
I featured photos of my boyfriend Matt and I. These chipboard albums are a little larger then 6" x 12", I cut all my pages to 6" x 12". The album pack comes with 5 rings to bind it together. I punched my holes using the We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-dile.

There is no place like home, I truly believe that. Home to me is where Matt, my family and friends are. Where is your home?

Springtime is your Time to Shine!

There's something about the sun shining in the spring...after the duldrums of winter - the grey skies and muddy snow... It's time to shine!

If your layouts and paper-crafting projects are in need of a little shine, check out the new Spring MemoryWorks 2010 Catalog! It's full of ways to help your scrapbooking projects shine...

From the ZVA Bling

to Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

to Stickles!

I love how easy (and non-messy) it is to add some shine to paper-crafting projects these days. Scrapbooking manufacturers are coming up with so many innovative ways to get the sheen and shine onto our pages!

I created this layout to celebrate my little "flower fairy" using lots of "bling":

Products used:

-Creative Imaginations Fairy Princess Theme Set

-Creative Imaginations: Creative Cafe felt butterflies

-ZVA Creative: Curly Q Flourish (cut into pieces to add

-Ranger: Stickles (Crystal) (accented the patterend paper and on felt butterflies)

-Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (used on photo matte to add sheen behind photo)

-Fiskars border punch: Apron Lace

-Making Memories: Tiny Alphas

-Ranger: Glossy Accents (on alphas)

Non-MW:

-Heidi Swapp Journaling spot

-My Mind's Eye 4x6 Transparency (you could use one of the ones from our Simple Stories kit!)

-American Crafts Thickers

I finished the layout, but felt it was lacking something... I added the ZVA Creative jewels and it really made a huge difference! It's amazing how much visual impact these can have on your projects!

Use them to "dot your I's":

Use them as "feathers" on a bird:

Make your own photo corners (you can cut the mini-line's, or other designs to make whatever shapes you want - you don't have to use them as-is!) and/or use them as flower centers:

So many uses - and lots of ways to make your pages shine!