Debbie's Mini Album

Today's blog post comes courtesy of my dear friend, Debbie Cordes. Debbie is the sister of our former WIP DT member, Tina Zarlenga. Love these gals. Love that they make me laugh at each and every crop and/or gathering. Love that they are amazing daughters to their mom. Love that they're always there, to lend a hand, or cheer me on, or to help someone who needs it. They are beautiful women, and I'm blessed to have them in my life.

Debbie's oldest son, Shawn Cordes, recently competed in Los Angeles at the NCAA Division III men's track 4x100 team, representing Baldwin Wallace College.  She wanted to document this special event, and created a mini book to showcase their trip and his awards.

Shawn is a sophomore, and has already been so successful!  We're proud to know

an All-American athlete.  He has worked so hard...

Debbie, her husband, and her other son would'nt have missed going for the world.

Here are a few of the finished pages, using the Father's Day mini album kit.  I just love what she did with all the die cuts and elements!

Thanks for sharing your beautiful keepsake with us today, Debbie!!  And Shawn, keep up the great work!!  We'll be watching you!!

Enjoy your day!!

more July WIP

Hello lovely ladies... Jamie here with another look at the July WIP.

The scalloped die cut paper was very whimsical and full of color. I had a photo that matched just that feel...my aunt visiting and all the great-nieces vying for attention around the camera. The color of the yard and their t-shirts seemed a great match for the Little Yellow Bicycle paper.  The Bella Blvd pattern paper was a great compliment to the tiny patterns of the die cut paper with that fabulous chevron print and sweet, colorful clouds. I love how the two combined so well.

Notice how the chevron paper is trimmed to a file tab?  This layout includes an interactive part that includes hidden journaling and an additional photo underneath. I love interactive stuff.
A couple more things...the Smash tape from a few kits back worked into this layout seamlessly...and how could I resist the Amy Tangering rosettes? Adorable. All this worked into a very fun and lighthearted layout. Totally summer in feel.

Here is a peak underneath. And don't forget to cut up those adorable insta frames from the Sweet Day paper by Echo Park. The frames are a great match up to all the color of the other patterns. Cut them up and play.

So how are you using the die cut paper? Hope you are making the most of your summer photos and making those layouts fun and whimsical.

Muslin Flowers

Taking a Break...

Going to take a few days off to enjoy the rest of the week celebrating with family who are visiting from out of town.  Be back in a few!

Happy Independence Day!!

Enjoy your holiday!!

celebrating july 4th

July 4th greetings to you all... This holiday is a big event in our neighborhood. In fact, we celebrate with a block party. In year's past we have had quite the time of it including an array of fireworks. Those have been banned this summer, due to the high fire alert... but that will not stop us from gathering and celebrating.

We invite the neighbors and friends from across town to meet in front of 8958 Kingston Heath for the evening. This started about seven years ago with just a few neighbors. Every year it gains more attention and every year we can't wait to make it happen.

Everyone brings food! We set up tables and tables and tables of food... last year it even included the most clever snack contest judged by the kiddos. That was a hoot!

My oldest daughter is hostess to a decorated bike parade. She had them lined up last year by age and size and they put on quite the show for us. She is already organizing this year's.

And of course there are flags and decorations everywhere... and if you know me, that includes inside and out.

Last year we even added a few minutes to make sure we gave proper observance to the holiday that this is... and that is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth. Thanks for letting me share a little of what goes on in our neighborhood. Here is to hoping you have family and friends together on Wednesday and enjoy a beautiful time of celebrating.

sunshine mini

 Hello there! Jamie here loving the papers and elements that are part of the July2012 Work In Progress kit. This kit lends itself so perfect to a mini album celebrating the sunshine in your life.
I wanted to share my take on the idea. But warning...this is a photo heavy post...
To start I used some craft plastic as my cover. The kit comes with a 4x6 acrylic sheet that is perfect for this too.  An AmyTangering Flourette was added to the cover along with the die cut cloud an butterfly. I used the gorgeous "you are my sunshine" mini poster as the secondary cover.

 This book is full of some new to me techniques I have been playing with lately. And I wanted to share them with you. The inside cover is covered with some cardstock from my stash. I sewed in another mini poster along with the date with the JilliBean Soup letters. The 4x6 journal card from Simple stories made for a perfect title page. The little 'sunshine' that this mini is about is the baby.

 The die cute frames called my name and told me to fill them with confetti and frame them up. So that is what I did with the bird frame. I used more of my stashed craft plastic to encase some confetti.
The next page is a glassine bag, also from my stash, but embellished with letter stickers and pattern paper from the kit. It will house little this and thats from our summer adventures around town.

On this page

Sunshine Mini

 Hello there! Jamie here loving the papers and elements that are part of the July2012 Work In Progress kit. This kit lends itself so perfect to a mini album celebrating the sunshine in your life.
I wanted to share my take on the idea. But warning...this is a photo heavy post...
To start I used some craft plastic as my cover. The kit comes with a 4x6 acrylic sheet that is perfect for this too.  An AmyTangering Flourette was added to the cover along with the die cut cloud and butterfly. I used the gorgeous "you are my sunshine" mini poster as the secondary cover.

 This book is full of some new to me techniques I have been playing with lately. And I wanted to share them with you. The inside cover is covered with some cardstock from my stash. I sewed in another mini poster along with the date with the JilliBean Soup letters. The 4x6 journal card from Simple stories made for a perfect title page. The little 'sunshine' that this mini is about is that almost two year old baby of mine, Sawyer.

 The die cute frames called my name and told me to fill them with confetti and frame them up. So that is what I did with the bird frame. I used more of my stashed craft plastic to encase some confetti.
The next page is a glassine bag, also from my stash, but embellished with letter stickers and pattern paper from the kit. It will house little this and thats from our summer adventures around town.

So much of this book is made up of simply layering pattern paper to make homes for photos and journal spots. Here I added a coin envelope from an earlier WIP kit. I trimmed the frame from the EP Sweet Polaroid paper to make a place for journaling. I just love the envelope to house little what nots or additional journaling.

More paper layering. I love the negative that a die cut creates. I used a negative heart piece and sewed on pattern paper and can tuck a tag in behind the heart.
The book paper envelope was a little idea I picked up from Maggie Holmes.

More photos. More layering. And a chevron tag I found at a boutique that is home to a tag that will be the journaling piece for this little cowboys story.

The 4x6 Simple Stories journaling tags are adorable. They are found here in the mini about every other page. They hardly even need any extra embellishment. They can stand alone so perfectly.
The shipping tags on the opposite page are held together by a piece of pattern paper on the other side.  Just adhere the tags to the paper and then trim around and punch holes in the tag. And don't you just adore that camera die cut?

You can see the pattern paper placement on this side of the tags.
One of the scalloped die cuts was used here for a journaling spot. It was misted and punched and added right into the book. I like how the pattern paper peeks out from under the butterfly negative.

More Simple Stories 4x6 journaling card with only a label and letter stickers.

Like I said, those little die cut frames were begging me for some confetti. I made a pocket from a glassine bag and sewed it around the edges. It's just a simple little embellie that makes me smile.

Here is the other side. See the washi tape...that is covering up where I accidently cut the pocket after all was sewn. Well, I was not going to waste it...so washi came to save the day.

Grabbed that bingo card from a previous kit as I loved the sentiment and really wanted to punch a heart in the die cut heart and make my own embellishment from it.

Are you still with me? You have almost made it to the end.
 Made a little framed pocket on the left side to hold a journaling tag. I used adhesive on only the three sides leaving the top open. The tag can now slip in and out. This book is full of many interactive aspects that I love so much. The possiblities are endless.

As I get to the end of the mini, there are not photos in place yet. But summer is not over and there will be plenty to add as we go along. I like the feeling that this is an open book and I can continue to fill it in.

Last page for now. Thank you so much for sharing this book with me. If you have any questions about it I would love to answer them.