3 Inch mini Album

I recently found The Craft Weekly site and am in love with their 'Webisode' video tutorials. I made this little book by following the fantastic instructions given by Karen Thomas here. I bound it as a traditional book, but this fantastic way of putting these books together allows for accordian albums and photo cubes!

My little book is made from one sheet of single sided Stampin' Up! designer paper (from the rustic collection), 1 sheet of A4 Card in True Thyme and about 16 inches of Chocolate Grossgrain Ribbon. These are so simple to make and are very addictive.

ATC Swap for Field Training

We were lucky enough to have Field Training in Palmerston North last week. I decided to make ATC's for my swap using the polished stone technique. A tutorial for this great technique can be found here at Splitcoast.

I have simply mounted one of my ATC's on a piece of Brilliant Blue cardstock for a fun and friendly card.

I did two sheets of polished stone, one for the background and another for the jellyfishes head. I cut out his head and mounted it using Stampin Dimensionals.

• Stamps: Fishy Friends, Itty Bitty Backgrounds
• Card: Glossy White, Whisper White and Brilliant Blue
• Ink Pads: Stazon Black and Brilliant Blue (for sponging the edge of the card and stamping the background.
• Blue Polished Stone was done with Brilliant Blue, Tempting Turquoise and Encore Silver reinkers
• Green Polished Stone was done with Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore and Encore Silver Reinkers.
  

School Plays

My children were both in their school plays this year. Unfortunately the lighting and my distance from the stage didn't result in the best photos I have ever taken but I definitely wanted the occasions saved in my scrapbook so I decided to make quick and easy pages with minimal embellishments.

These pages were so quick to put together, I used a 12 x 12 piece of Brilliant Blue and Barely Banana, 2 A4 sheets of the same colour (I didn't trim them at all, I just attached them to the page with an even border on three sides - it is a bit hard to see in The Babes in Toyland one because the scanner I used isn't quite 12 inches wide), and 2 A4 sheets of Basic Black that I cut into quarters - it is so much more economical to cut 4 mats from one A4 sheet and crop the small amount needed to make them fit than to only get 2 mats from an A4 sheet and lots of scraps.

I hand drew the Truffular Trees on Only Orange, Yoyo Yellow and Glorious Green and covered them with dazzling diamonds. In the Babes in Toyland Layout I drew the elf shoe on Glorious Green and just cut it out.

The Lorax Title is actually a photo I took of the banner - I just cut each of the letters out and attached them to the layout. The Babes in Toyland title is done with my handy dandy Pure and Simple Alphabet Upper.

I have blacked out everyones faces except for my own children.




Devon was a Truffular Tree and a narrator in his schools version of The Lorax.

Natasha was a elf and kindly volunteered me to make 9 pairs of elf shoes in three different sizes. I don't quite know what this says about me but I had plenty of the right shade of green sweatshirting to make them. Thanks to the internet I found a pattern that I could adjust to fit everyone! By the time I had finished them everyone was used to me saying "Have I told you lately how much I hate elf shoes!".

Cracker Tutorial - Inch Measurements

I have worked out the inch measurements for the cracker tutorial, this is a very New Zealand cracker made with the new measurements :-)



If you use 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock the body of the cracker will be an inch shorter so I recommend using 12 x 12 cardstock or Double Sided Desisgner Paper. Substiture the following measurements for the metric ones in the main tutorial.

• Cut to 12 inches by 5 3/4 inches (14.5 cm).
• Score the long side at 5 5/16 of an inch (13.5cm).
• Score each short end at 2, 2 3/4 and 3 1/2 inches (5,7 and 9 cm).

These measurements will enable you to use the monster teeth template in the main tutorial.

Have a great day.
:-)

My First Tutorial - Christmas Cracker

Ok, I have decided to try and write a tutorial, I hope you can follow it!

I have converted the measurements to inches here

This pattern works really well with either A4 cardstock or 12 x12 Double Sided Designer Paper (you will get 2 crackers from each 12 x 12 sheet). I have used Very Vanilla cardstock for the cracker shown in the tutorial (double sided paper doesn't show up very well). On with the Tutorial then.

Cut a piece of A4 card down to 14.5 cm wide, stamp one side randomly with images of your choice (I have used Peaceful Wishes stamped in Cranberry Crisp, True Thyme and Basic Brown). Score on the unstamped side at 13.5cm on the long side, turn the card and from each short side score at 5cm, 7cm and 9cm, I have marked the score lines on the photo if you are more of a visual person (I definitely am).

Now fold the card into the centre on the 7cm score lines (the middle one of the three at each end) as shown in the photo.

Next you will need my "monster teeth" template. I couldn't work out how to put it here so I have uploaded it at Splitcoast Stampers here


When you print it ensure that page scaling is set to none, they have to be 13.5cm wide by 4cm deep. I print directly onto a contrasting colour of card to make my life easier. Using paper clips attach the monster teeth as shown, the piece on the left is the small score line.

Cut out the teeth using a pair of scissors. When you get to the tab piece on the left hand side cut towards the template at a 45 degree angle as shown. Repeat on the other end.

Open up the cracker and cut the top and bottom tabs at a 45 degree angle as shown.

Now put sticky strip the whole length of each of the tabs as shown (you don't want your cracker to pop open on its own!). I attached the belly band to the actual cracker before I assembled it. I cut a piece of Cranberry Crisp 13.5cm x 4cm and piece of Very Vanilla 13.5cm x 3cm. I stamped the Very Vanilla, then stuck the layer to the body of the cracker using sticky strip. Doing it now rather than later does make it quite stiff to fold!

Stick the middle section together first - it is really hard to reach into the middle from the outside (yes, that is the voice of experience talking!).

Place a cracker snap inside the cracker along with whatever other goodies will fit. Cut two pieces of 6mm wide grosgrain ribbon and tie around each end, trim and you are done!

If you have any problems following my directions please feel free to contact me.

Have a great day :-)