A New Springtime

National Letter Writing Month 2016

  My love for letter writing began as a young girl when I used to receive letters from my Great Aunt Sadie. She would write to me about nature and the wildlife she saw scampering about her yard near her tiny cedar-shake cottage. It was as if I had my very own personal Beatrix Potter.

These special letters also cultivated an appreciation of stationery. The feel of the paper and the pretty designs are always beckoning me! I like to make my own simple cards and envelopes.

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  Making cards can be a very rewarding and relaxing process. The supplies I use are:
  
• card stock
• glue sticks
• washi tape
• stickers
• rubber stamps
• ink pads
• tape
• sharpie fine point markers

The possible choices to create cards and envelopes are endless. The scrapbook and paper craft arts have really grown over the years.

Stationery does not have to be handmade either. There are so many pretty and amazing cards nowadays. They do not have to be expensive either. There are a lot of quality and affordable and attractive choices at craft and dollar stores. It is not the price but the sentiment of receiving a handwritten letter that makes another person's feel special!

I think it is special to make a simple package of goodies and tuck them into the card as well. It can be some snippets of twine, some inked tags, samples of washi and a sticker or two. Vellum sheets taped on either side make a nice envelope to hold the ephemera.

Letter writing can be a joy and an inspiration to others. It is a beautiful way to give something of ourselves. It is an art and a culture to share and pass on to future generations. Happy letter Writing!!

 

 

 

Bo Bunny Boardwalk

Using these Bo Bunny Boardwalk themed pages has been a great experience, the kit  I used was from Scrapbook Cove from Debbie Lukacs. These are two great resources for some quality scrapbook supplies. The paper pad is Pacific Cove by Craft Smith a Michael's find.

 

 

Beachy Layout

 

I used the above layout off of the internet as a guide to make my own similar page. I like the way it turned out, it will be a great addition to out Summer 2015 Memory Album!

Pictures Tell A Story

These are one one of my favorite sets of pictures because they tell a special story. My youngest daughter and I read this library book called, " Mama Built a Little Nest".

 The boo told about how a cuckoo bird will lay its egg in another bird's nest so that the other bird's will raise it.

The next day we noticed a bird's nest in a wreath on our front porch and in it were 2 light blue eggs and one speckled brown egg, It was just like the story in the book!

A New Way to Scrap

The other day I was at the craft store and I saw some cute wooden boards covered with scrapbook paper and had a bulldog clip to hold the picture onto the board. I thought it was a great way to display pictures so I created my own version.

This paper pad called Flutterblossom went perfect with the pictures I had of my girls that I took in the spring. I used a cereal box for the backing and covered it with scrapbook paper to finish it off. I used a paintbrush and covered the photo and front pieces with Modge Podge to give it some stiffness.

To finish the project I used one of the bulldog clips and secured it on with tape from my tape gun. The last step was to put a piece of ric-rac through the clip  to hang it up with.

Instead of putting these pictures in a scrapbook, I wanted to hang them up to be able to see and enjoy them for a while. When I get tired of the picture I can attach the whole layout onto a piece of 12X12  scrapbook paper and in the book it can go.

 

 

Scapbook Area Organization

Reorganizing my scrapbook area is something that takes place about three times a year.

I found these great jars and labels at the dollar tree and knew they would make my space look a lot neater.

The plastic drawers contain my 12 x 12 paper. the white bins hold current pictures I want to use, wood stamps in the middle and paper embellishments in the container on the right. Next shelf: two green bins hold older photos. Bottom shelf: two green pull out bins hold extra empty containers.

This is the entire space I use to do my scrapbooking and sewing. It is not that big but when organized, it is very efficient.

This shelf holds sewing supplies, small finished and unfinished scrapbooks, paints, and my kiddos sensory bins.

Labeling makes everything so much easier to find and return to its proper place.

A bit of pretty decor and some family photos finsh of the space and make it a pleasant place to work in!

 

 

Fun Photo Displays

I have been seeing wonderful ways to display photos in the stores lately. I wanted to buy a couple of different ones but when I looked at the prices, I just could not see myself paying what they were asking. Some were as high as $20 for one display.

 

I decided to make my own version and for less than $8, I was able to make 4 displays. Supplies:

• 4 very thin wooden plaques Michael's $1 ea.
• 1  small bottle of acrylic paint
• 2 bulldog clips Wal Mart $1.88 for 2
• scrapbook paper
• 2 mini clothespins
• glue stick

 

Trace scrapbook paper to fit your plaque, cover it with glue and adhere paper, frame out picture if you wish with coordinating paper, solid or print. Use the bulldog clip to attach picture. Done!

Next, paint your plaque, let dry. Sand if desired. hot glue the mini clothespin to the top. Attach ribbon or ric rac with a stapler or glue to the back. Clip picture on plaque using clothes pin. Done!

What is nice about these is that the pictures can be changed and depending on the scrapbook paper used to frame out the picture, it can have a whole new look! Head over to the linky party: Frugal Friday at Shabby Nest!

 

 

Small Scrapbook Area Organization

Over the break, I had a chance to change and organize my scrapbook area. I moved my December Daily project over to the side and put my new Hiedi Swapp journal in the main are of my desk.

I swapped out the two Christmas buckets for some gold ones I had gotten on clearance at Michael's. I use these for my Sharpie markers.

After Christmas, I got these plastic drawer organizer. I really needed it because I had no place to sort out my 12x12 paper pads. I put about 3 pads in each drawer and labeled each drawer with the name of each collection.

Here is my small but very organized and efficient area! I also have a tall bookcase behind the chair to hold photo boxes used to organize my stickers and other embellishments.

Here is a close-up of the drawer organizers.

Here is my Dec. Daily which is halfway done I have to print off the pictures of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Christmas break. So that is on hold for now until this weekend.

On this shelf, I have some finished albums and a couple of unfinished summer vacation albums. I pick those up and work on them every now and then.

 The bottom shelf holds my profect life boxes and some paper pads I do not really use to often because the quality of the paper is not good at all.

Under my desk I have a few more drawer organizers for scraps and card stock 6x6 plain and patterened.

That is it for my little scrapbook area. It is not very big but it works!

Paper Pack Eye Candy

I was pretty excited to see these great $5 paper pads at Michael's. I have never been a fan of shiny gold foil but for some reason this year my taste has changed. maybe it is because it is mixed in with such pretty pastels and patterns.

Gold foil houndstooth a great is so elegant, it is a great combination here.

These posies are sprinkled with gold foil sprigs and are so sweet and delicate!

This picture really doesn't do any justice to this paper. It has a soft minty green back ground making it very fresh feeling.

Another one that was difficult to capture but I like the saying and the color is actually a pale aqua color! This is a great saying for the new year!

These are gold foil words. I think these scan be cut apart into strips and placed on a scrapbook page or in my journal! I can't wait to use them on a page for either one. I hope you enjoyed so these wonderful papers!

My Heidi Swapp Journal

My favorite Christmas gift was my Heidi Swapp journal! It was so awesome to get at this time of year because it allowed me to jot down my entire Christmas experience while it was still fresh in my head.

My son played with his favorite gifts, Matchbox cars while I "played" with my journal!

With the gift card I my husband got me for Christmas I went to Michael's and got...

this Heidi Swapp paper pack. I am really enjoying this color palette right now. I think is is very soothing and gives me a sense of peace.

These packages were on sale $3.33 ea. I thought they went well with my journal packet above.

I picked up this sweet lil' set for $5. So exciting a whopping 80% off! I am not sure what I will put in it yet but I will come up with something when the time is right.

This Heidi Swapp planner was the one I had really wanted before Christmas but I didn't get it. When I looked for it on the shelf it was no where to be found. I was a bit bummed but resigned to the fact that I got some other really great things. Then, oh my goodness, as I went into the back of the store clearance section, it was sitting there on the shelf!! I got so happy, I started praising the Lord and thanking Him for this gift! I felt like He had saved it just for me! And on top of that it was also 80% off!

This is the pretty journal I got on Christmas day and I am so thrilled with being able to write in it each day. It helps me appreciate who I am and focus on the good life I have been given.

I am so into these stickers as well right now, I love the simple handwriting style and the array of colors as well!