Confessions and Obsessions of a Paper Crafter

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Don't Know What the H$#@ I Got....

It's true.... I have a lot of stuff.  And when I'm out shopping, sometimes I'm not sure exactly what I have, and what I don't.  So I have created this little book to take care of that.

The paper I used was Basic Grey's Curio, which included the sticker sheet.  Unlike G45, this line doesn't have a lot pages you can fussy cut from, so the stickers were very useful.  I haven't shown all the pages, but you get the idea.  The size is 5 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches.  It's big enough for lists, but not too big to carry around.

The title page is flat.  There are no frilly flowers or sticking up items.  This is because this book is meant to be USED.  It's purpose in life is to go in my purse, and come into stores with me, not to sit on a shelf and look pretty.  There is an elastic cord attached to the back cover that flips around and holds the pages closed.

Inside, I created the pages for lists from a computer program (nothing fancy, just the one that came with the computer.)  I set the page to "landscape", and created 2 columns.  The lined paper was easily made with the underscore key.  I printed the lines on both sides of the paper.  Then I just had to cut the papers in half.

For every section, I made a title page.  Again, no bulky embellisments allowed!  The titles were made on the computer, and then stamped with a border (Basic Grey).

The book is bound with a Bind-it-All, and 5/8 inch coils. 

What is really amazing about this book is that it's FINISHED.  Not all my projects turn out that way.  This weekend I'm going to an all day crop, which I'm very excited about.  I'm hoping that Mexico book can finally be put to bed, so I can start on something else!!

Until next time...
(I'm seriously getting annoyed with Blogger and the difficutly I have in placing pictures. I guess I should just feel lucky today that these pictures aren't sideways!)










                          

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Another Birthday Card

 It has been a long time since my last post, and I wish I had a great excuse, like I was touring through Europe, or I was busy reconstructing my garden as it was going to be in a national magazine, or some other facinating thing.  Truth is, I just haven't been doing too much lately.

But thank goodness for birthdays (as long as they're not mine!), they spur me on to create SOMETHING.  This card was made for my mother's cousin, on the occasion of her 90th birthday.  Even at that grand age, she still loves her garden and enjoys working in it.

The stamp is from Stampendous, "Botanical Daffodil", and is coloured with Copics.  The paper is from My Minds Eye (see, I do use other paper than G45!)   I made it a gatefold card, because I always wanted to try to make one.  I may not make another anytime soon, and these are the reasons:

Reason #1 - you have to make the card on the large size.  This means that ordinary envelopes don't work, and you have to find extra large ones so it can fit.  This card is 6" X 6".

Reason #2 - The card is heavy, with all those layers of cardstock and paper.  If you are just tucking it into a gift, it's no big deal.  However posting it by mail means it costs twice as much to send as a regular card.  Not that I mind, but it's annoying to have to stand in line at the post office to be measured and weighed (the card, not me!)

EXCITING NEWS - well, I am almost finished my Mexico album from 2010.  The only problem is it barely closes.  Once again, layering papers is the culprit.  I've started cutting out the backs of the mats to make the pages lay flatter.  Also no thick or heavy embellishments.  I may have to re-do a few pages so the book will actually close.

Until next time.....