After All These Years

Stocking Stuffers

I've decided that Santa is filling stockings this year. Although Amelia is too little to understand the concept, I'm sure she'll know it's special to wake up and have a fun stocking filled with new bits and pieces to discover. And thanks to a great post (or comments) on Ali Edwards' blog, I have HEAPS of ideas for kids and adults so I thought I'd share.

• Socks
• Lip balm
• Magazines
• Torch
• Playing cards
• Toothbrush
• Pencils, pens, crayons etc
• Tree ornament
• Lollies/bubble gum
• Chocolate
• Car wash supplies
• Calendar
• Photo frame
• Nail polish
• Stationery items - tape, stapler, erasers, post it notes etc
• Scratchies
• Golf balls/tees
• Toiletries - especially travel sized
• Bubble bath
• Pyjamas
• Hat
• Underwear
• Glow sticks
• Coffee or flavoured tea
• Key rings
• Hankies
• Cd - especially custom mixes
• Homemade coupon book - to stay up late etc
• Lotion
• Candles
• Seeds/bulbs
• Gift cards
• Bookmark
• Travel games
• Fun band aids
• Hair clips
• Stickers
• Small reading light
• Money - especially coins for piggy bank
• Disposable camera
• Puzzle book - sudoku etc
• Boxer shorts
• Crazy straws
• Tickets - to sporting events, theme parks etc
• Apron
• Kitchen/baking tools - cookie cutters etc
• Matchbox car
• Batteries
• Joke gifts - whoopee cushions, fake moustaches etc
• USB stick
• Magnets
• Bubbles
• Raincoat
• Book
• Finger paint
• Lego
• Pretty cupcake papers
• Headphones
• Special mug/cup
• Pez dispenser
• Yo yo
• Things
• Tic tacs
• Wallet
• Chalk
• Nail file
• Lunch box
• Small bouncy balls
• Sunscreen

I know I'll be referring to this list for many years to come!

Photo Christmas Ornament

Hi all! Sorry for the long pause between posts . . . been busy working and such and not having much "creative" time. I have however had a chance to make a photo ornament for the tree this year. (You may remember last year I decided to make one each year with a current photo of Amelia - to look back at over the years).

This year's ornament was inspired by Annette (Blossie's) of course.

One thing I also love about doing this is that each year's ornament reflects my current style (read obsessions) at the time. For instance, this year is all about Distress Crackle Paint, Distress Stickles and lovely organza ribbon.

I can't believe how much she's grown this year. And she's saying more words each day! This week so far she says "leep" (= sleep), "amaaa" (= grandma), "mat" (= uncle matthew) and "tink" (= stink) all of which she wasn't saying last week!

Off to make some Christmas cards now!

December Daily Album Pt 2

Pages 13 - 25. I will probably add more pages in some of these days. These are the days when we have parties etc.

 
Day 13 is an envelope - there may be tickets to go in there! Days 14 + 15 are kraft cardstock with a punched edge.

 
More stamping detail on these. Day 17 is a die cut paper from Making Memories.

 
Day 20 is a page that folds out for more room.

 
These pages are using up more bits and pieces from my stash - paper scraps, die cuts etc.

 

Day 25 is a chipboard frame sprayed with Glimmer Mist. Room for lots of photos.

Hope my album has inpired someone out there!

December Daily Album

Pages 1 to 12 today.  For my album I wanted a mix of old and new products, a mix of bright and muted colours and a mix of page sizes, textures and edges. I also knew that I would put more effort into some pages and keep some super simple. I'm taking (another) leaf from Ali Edwards and will be focusing on photos + words.

Page 1 is a small paper bag with a tag in it. I punched a hole at the top of the bag. There are several pages similar to page 2. It's simply double sided paper (Bo Bunny dots) with some stamped detail.

 

Using patterned paper and embellishments from my stash is always good :)

 

Pages 8 + 9 are made from a file folder from a pack of Heidi Swapp rub ons.

 

Page 10 is a trusty old journaling paper from Making Memories. Page 12 is simply two manilla tags. Love that I can add ribbon to the tags.

Back with more soon!

We're Back!

Well, Amelia and I went up to Calliope (near Gladstone) to visit rellies for a few days. What a disaster! We drove up with Mum and Dad and she was surprisingly good during the car ride . . . when we got there it all turned sour! She developed a raging fever so we ended up at the doctors the next day.

Turns out she had a bad case of tonsillitis so the next couple of days were spent trying to get her fever down, get her medicine in her and keep her happy which was HARD! She was just so miserable and sick that she didn't even get to go outside exploring much - which was the whole reason we went in the first place!

We ended up coming home a day earlier and she's (finally) doing better . . . so am I! I didn't get much sleep that's for sure! And can you believe I TOOK NO PHOTOS! I was so busy just trying to stop her crying that a photo opportunity never presented itself.

So we're staying home for a while!

I do have a photo to share - the playroom after painting (still needs all the finishing touches of course!)

 

I wanted this room to be bright and airy so it's mostly white. I used blackboard paint on a section of the wall to the left. That's a splash of aqua on the far wall (will look nice with the pink accessories). Still have a little work to do in there but the hardest work is done!

 

Ps: I should finally be free of computer and camera issues which should mean more frequent blog posts!

Calendar Idea

Here is one of the many gifts I'm making this Christmas. I'm telling you , for quick and easy gifts, check out the range of wooden items from Kaisercraft. I happen to know that Blossie's has quite a large range including this calendar and a couple of others.

 

This took me about an hour to make and most of that hour was spent watching paint dry!  (I have to paint the edges of my chipboard and wood pieces - I don't like any raw edges showing).

All the paper and carstock that I used on this project was from my scraps stash. Add a few letters, a flower and some ribbon and it's done!

Are you sick of this photo of Amelia yet?

Christmas Tags

I'm back! You know, it's a wonderful idea to make all these Christmas presents but boy - it's taking up LOTS of time!

Similar to the photo ornament I made for our Christmas tree this year, I've made two more for the grandparents. These ones will be used as gift tags also as I'll tie them on their presents.

The frames were cut using the Slice machine and I cut the matching plain shape (ie scallop square NOTscallop square frame) for the back of the tag. I've also cut a smaller shape in cardstock for the back of the tag to write on.

 

On the red tag above, the flowers and leaves have been dry brushed with a little Manila paint to give them the same distressed feel as the paper.

 

On the blue tag above, the flourish is from the Slice and the Collections chipboard birdie is painted and then covered in Stickles.

This time I've also strengthened the hole that the ribbon is tied through with eyelets - two down, about a thousand to go!

"First Christmas" Album Part 3

Here's what we're up to:

 

On the right, I've used a transparency frame from My Mind's Eye as a page. I've added rub ons to spell family and it's where I intend to put our family photo. I MUST remember to get someone to take one of us on Christmas day.

 

The next page is a paper from a Making Memories little journaling book. I love these and can't wait to get my hands on the new Paperie ones. I digress.

I thought this page would be perfect for listing Amelia's gifts. And aren't those little glitter alphabet stickers cute? Again, Making Memories.

 

I'm quite big on having the backs of pages looking nice too. On the back of the journaling paper, I cut a semi circle out of cardstock and added a couple of trees.

 

On the left I've used an old definition sticker. The right page is another envelope.

 

I love the scallop edge on the envelope flap. Might do that on some cards I send out! 

.

.

Well, that's the album! I hope you got a few ideas that you can use in your scrapbooking or other projects!

"First Christmas" Album Part 2

Ok, today we're up to this page.

 

A simple page on the left and the Memories page is another transparency with a punched scallop edge. The letters are rub ons and I actually covered the whole page in glitter glaze. Hard to tell in photos but I like the effect!

The beauty of this album also is that I can add more pages if I need to.

 

The left page is the first pocket page to include any memorabilia that I may collect. It's simply a square envelope! But I can add words, journaling or photos to it.

The page to the right is cut from a printed transparency (a scrap that I had in my stash). The frame is cut using the Slice.

 

On the left page is another frame cut using the Slice. I've left the top un-taped so I can fit a photo in later.

 

These pages are fun! I love the star trail on the left page. It's a Fancy Pants stamp and of course I added Stickles to the stars!

 

So you can see from this photo that the Dec 25 page is actually just the scallop circle! I also placed one on the back for journaling. They are Jenni Bowlin. Ooh I love using up items from my stash!

The tree and red swirl on the right page are die cuts.

 

Another couple of simple pages. The page on the right though has a little window punched out of it! I used my circle punch for the window, my scallop circle punch as well for the patterned paper frame around the window and there is a piece of transparency in the window so I could add those little epoxy stickers.

Here's the other side.

.

. 

Baby is waking up - tomorrow I'll share the last few pages!

"First Christmas" Album Part 1

So today I'll show you some of the pages of the mini album I made for Amelia's first Christmas. Some of the pages are simple, some are more elaborate.

First, back to the cover.

   

As I said in my previous post, the album is a 6" by 6" binder album from Bo Bunny. I covered it in patterned paper and added ribbon and letters. The star is cut from felt, sewn around and buttons added in the centre (an idea I saw somewhere).

 

Here's a close up of the spine around which I tied more ribbon, added a tag with her initial and the silver jingle bells which I found at The Reject Shop.

 

Inside the album, the first page is a tag that I cut out of Bazzil. I intend to write a bit of a dedication/my Christmas wish on there.

 

Next is a page to precede the photos of Amelia's first Christmas tree. (BTW, I love the photo that Jennifer McGuire scrapped holding her son, looking at the tree. I might have to do that.) I could add journaling to this page or small photos or just leave it as it is.

The pages of my album are Bazzill Bling cardstock that I've taped back to back so the good side shows on each page. I intend to use front and back.  

 

More simple pages for photos of the tree and decorations. The trees are cut from My Mind's Eye patterned paper and the journal block is from the coordinating die cut sheet of which I used the WHOLE sheet in this album! Oh - except for the snowmen.

 

The page on the left has just been stamped with Brilliance ink. The Meeting Santa page is actually a transparency with Stickles around the edge to define it. Hard to see in photos.

That might do for today . . . don't want to overload you all! More tomorrow!