Paper Bead Bracelets

Michele over at the Scrap Shoppe is holding a monthly “Craft Your Stash” challenge. The challenge for March was to craft something from your most abundant stash. I wanted to challenge myself to make something I have not made before so I selected paper and beads from my stash to make two bracelets from paper beads. They are not perfect but they will be added to my jewelry collection and I had fun trying something new! Hop over to the Scrap Shoppe to check the challenge for this month.

Click here for my paper bead tutorial.  

 

Tracey

Monogram Wreath & Notebook

Hello everyone I hope you are having a good week. I cannot wait to share with you what I am currently working on so I will have it posted to the blog this weekend but I thought for now I would share with you a couple of projects I completed prior to starting my blog. The first is the wreath I currently have on my door (I need to find time to make one for Spring/Summer) that was inspired by the wreath Michele made over at the Scrap Shoppe.

The second thing I wanted to share with you is the notebook I decorated for Jessicia when she started college. I just took a regular spiral notebook, scrapbook paper, and embellishments. I did use a lot more adhesive than normal as I knew she would put it to the test.

Tracey

Do You SMASH?

After organizing my closet last weekend I decided it was time to organize all the craft ideas I have gathered from magazines (not my CK magazines), project sheets from craft stores, idea books, etc. I had purchased a SMASH book by K & Company so I thought it would be a great place to store all the project ideas and the book has pages where I can create my project to-do list. By using the SMASH book I was able to go from this:

 to this…

It was a lot of fun using the SMASH book and the accessories you can purchase like the cute pockets, tabs, and stamp – with the combined pen and glue you have everything you need. I did add a few of my own embellishments but with the pages ready to go you do not have to do a lot of work and still have a finished project that is cute, easy, and fun. Here are a few pages in my book.

Do you SMASH or is it on your project to-do list? The SMASH blog has some really cute ideas and I am now thinking of doing a SMASH “Year in Review” so I have a record of all the events that took place this year.

Happy SMASHing! :)

Tracey

Weekend Project: Scrap Room – Closet Makeover

The closet in my scrap room has needed some attention for a while but I could not get motivated to get it organized. After trying to find something the other day I determined it was time to organize my poor closet. I have to admit I am ashamed to share the before photos but I have a feeling we all have that dreaded drawer (or closet) we really don’t want someone to see and I think it will help you appreciate the after pictures. J

Here we go…

From these pictures you can tell things were stacked on top of stacks and the organized drawers were not even organized as I had starting putting whatever needed to go somewhere in a drawer. The first thing I had to do was start dragging everything out of the closet – why is it you always have to make a bigger mess to get organized?

One of the first things I did was organize my fabric and made mini bolts for my fabric which you can find over at the Scrap Shoppe. Ahh now I can finally see the fabric I have.

I also decided to take two boxes I had to use for storage. The first one I covered with paper I found in my stash and the second I covered with DCWV Decorative Trim and Tape (this was the first time I used this and I am a fan).

I found some great bins at Target that I used for the majority of my other items that I placed on shelves I purchased from Lowes (I should have checked prices Target has them for less).

Are you ready!!!!!

After two days this is what my closet looks like now!

1 – This basket holds the cleaning products for my computer, photo paper, CDs, etc.

2 – This box holds all the pink & brown ribbons from the baby shower

3 – Well about this bin – this is the home of future projects

4 – This holds items like newspaper articles, event tickets, etc. to include in future scrapbooks

5 – Ok, maybe I have two areas for future products not including what is on my desk (shhh)

6 – A home for my totes instead of them being stacked on top of each other

7 – This file holder is home for my felt

8 – This is the Huggies box I covered with paper and now holds my decorating ribbons

9 – My fabric all nice and neat

10 – These smaller bins are perfect for my paint brushes

11 – I used a plastic basket for my paints

12 – My yarn is all in one place

13 – Another small bin for my knitting looms

14 – Oh yes the lace bin (I got lucky and was able to catch a fabric store that was closing)

15 – All things cross-stitching can be found here

16 – Misc – here is where all the odd and ins are now instead of just being placed where ever

Here are a few more pictures that are close up.

 

I also bought this cute over the door hook for some of my bags.

I’m so glad this project is over and I can enjoy some of the things I found while I was cleaning, I will share my Scrap Room with you in a later post. I hope everyone had a great weekend.
Tracey

Crocheted Baby Blankets

I wanted to share two of the baby blankets I have made for two very special people in my life. Someone taught me how to crochet by making cotton dishrags. I have taught myself how to read crochet patterns and I have also watched videos online, so I will be the first to admit I am not a professional by any standards but it is still something I enjoy doing. There is nothing like seeing a little one wrapped in something you made with love.

This is the first blanket I made and it was for our first grandbaby.

The pattern for this blanket can be found at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-baubles-baby-blanket

I made a second blanket and just realized I do not have any pictures (it is very odd for the picture queen not to have a picture). J

The third blanket I made was for Brooklyn our recent addition to the family.

For this blanket I combined two patterns. The pattern for the blanket can be located at http://www.knitting-n-crochet.com/baby-blanket-crochet-patterns.html . When doing the border I followed the pattern located at http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2007/04/free_pattern.html  this pattern makes a little ruffle around the edge of the blanket.  

Baby Shower Decorations

After starting my blog and posting my “About Me” I was in a mad dash to finish all my crafty ideas for Brooklyn’s baby shower. After the baby shower I had three weeks to plan for a surprise birthday party (more to come) so I am finally ready for my first post. I am new at this so be patient with me. :)

I was very excited when Jordan and Ashley decided to go with Pink and Brown for Brooklyn’s room, so I automatically started thinking of things I could make for the baby shower that could also be used in her room.

For the diaper cake I used one box of size 2 diapers, baby powder, and a bottle for the center. I selected three coordinating fabrics to wrap around the outside of each tier and then used coordinating ribbon for the center of each fabric. My sister and I made 50 different flowers using pink and brown felt and fabric used around the tiers. The two larger flowers (white and pink) are headbands. I lined the top of each layer with pink tulle so I could glue the flowers to the cake without destroying the diapers. (I thought I would never get myself unstuck from the tulle.) I then made a bow with pink and brown ribbon for the topper.

These started as boxed chipboard letters that I painted brown and then covered with pink and brown paper. I then decided to try something new so I made the layered flowers by burning the edges and then added pearl accents.

Last year I co-hosted a baby shower with my friend Michele from the Scrap Shoppe where she made this adorable frame (but in blue) so I decided to make my own version for the mommy to be. 

My 1st Banner – I really had a lot of fun making this banner. I used my Silhouette to cut the banner, doilies, and letters. I went around the edge of each banner piece and the doilies with brown ink and ran lace around the edge to give them a vintage look. For the letters I used a glue pen and fine glitter around the edge of the letters to add a little sparkle. To separate the words I cut two extra doilies and then layered flowers. I then used a ribbon I had used on the diaper cake to tie it all together. Ta Dah!

Using my newly learned technique to make layered flowers, some rolled tulle and a doily I purchased I made this cute corsage for the mommy to be.

I made Words of Wisdom cards for everyone to share their wisdom for the parents to be and made this cute little book so they would all be in one place for them to be able to refer back to when needed.

I made these cute diaper and burp clothe cupcakes following the tutorial over at the Scrap Shoppe. Michele made these for the baby shower we co-hosted and I thought they were just adorable.

I made this diaper wreath to hang on the door when everyone entered the shower, but after the shower I had 50 handmade flowers and this wreath needed a little something extra if it was going to be in Brooklyn’s room so I decided to take some of the flowers I had on the diaper cake to spruce up this wreath and this is what I came up with….

Well I have officially finished my first blog post. I hope you find inspiration through some of My CreativiT.