Christmas In July with TAC

You're Invited!

All weekend I'll be sharing Christmas in July projects featuring The Angel Company's new Reece Soar With It Collection.

This invitation incorporates one of the new holiday sets: Joy of Christmas and the Celebration Invitation set I used on my bunco calendar. I used TAC's brown cardstock, which is so rich and sturdy and the new Antique Copper Hardware. Both of these items will go with almost every paper collection. They are MUST HAVES! For ribbon, I used both the Reece Ribbons and the Neutral Twill ribbon pack. That is so fun to stamp on! Did you notice I used my Palette Burnt Umber to stamp "Party Party Party". You can stamp on metal, wood and even glass with Palette. Just hit it with your embossing gun to set it.

Get a Jump on the Holidays!

Grab all your holiday papercrafting supplies now and stay tuned for more inspiration for gifts and greetings you'll treasure. Are you on my Specials & Events mailing list? Get signed up in the column on the right. I'll be offering a special Holiday Bundle for my subscribers!

Reece Bunco Fridge Calendar

Do you have an event that you look forward to every month? Well, aside from my scrapbooking and crafty get-togethers, I look so forward to Bunco! It's Mom's night out to just have fun!

You can make your own fridge calendar with chipboard, cardstock and The Angel Company's new Reece Soar With It Collection. It would also be great for kids' sports schedules. If you'd like to print calendar sheets, GO HERE for a free program. You can also make fun invitations with the new Celebration Invitation set. Heather's got a cute sample here. This set was given as an award at TAC's recent Seminar. If you have a sample with this fun set, leave a comment with a link to your creation. There are countless things you can do with it! Below is a peek at the fun from our last Bunco night. (I hope you gals don't mind --- or is it "what happens at Bunco stays at Bunco?" Oops. )

Right Size Photos for every Scrapbook Layout

Here's the last of the Willoughby designs I did for the new TAC Inspiration Book. It's a 6x9, which is a fun size, and if you follow my blog, you know I love to scrapbook in a variety of sizes. I especially love making mini scrapbooks.

People often ask me about how I get all the different sizes of photos for my layouts. I'm the kind of person who gets up really close with my camera, so inevitably, faces fill right up a 4x6 print. Some services offer a wallet size, but I'm too thrifty to pay more for prints.

That's when I discovered Shutterfly's free "Studio" software. Download it here. It organizes and enhances your photos like other programs, but the Collage function is really great. You pick a template and just drag and drop pictures into it. When you export the collage as a jpeg it can be printed with your other regular prints. I use the 4x6 template most of the time, so it costs the same as regular pictures.

You can add titles to the collages as well, so I use them for my family blog and even holiday cards. If you've been timid about trying digital scrapbooking, these collages might be a good compromise. I've made little books entirely out of 4x6 collages. They are fast and fun! Check out my Easter one here and my Oblinski books here.

Drop me a line if you have questions or leave a comment with a link to your favorite mini book or scrapbook layout.

All Supplies from The Angel Company: Willoughby paper and cardstock, Willoughby Ribbon, Antique Copper Hardware, Palette Burnt Umber ink, Stamp Sets: Artsy Elements, Decorative Corners.

Mitered and Decorative Corners

This Willoughby project from the new Inspiration Book is one of those canvas stampable frames that I covered with paper and stamped with the new Decorative Corners set (one of my new favorites.)

I also used the tags and coordinating ribbon that come with the Willoughby paper.

To find out how I made those mitered corners, see this post: Family Photo Frame

This technique could be used on anything, from cards to scrapbook pages. Add some pop dots and a little acetate and you've got a great frame embellishment for the front of a mini book.

PS- That's my son, Jack, during a hike in Vail last Fall. To see what 0ther adventures we've been up to, check out The303Griffiths.

Embellish with the Bind It All

One of my favorite layouts that I designed for The Angel Company's new Inspiration Book features my daughter Katelyn and the new Willoughby collection. What a great combination.

I added the punched detail on the left with my Bind It All and knotted ribbon through the holes. I love finding new ways to use my tools. This all-in-one punches holes as well as applies the binding wire to make the handiest books, like the one that is currently featured on the TAC web site. (While you're there, register to win some Toodle Loo paper!)

You can also make that notebook paper look, like the detail on this page by snipping away a little bit at the edge with scissors. It's such a fun look, and just another way you can use this cool tool!

You can get your Bind It All for HALF PRICE by having a workshop with TAC. A $100 order qualifies as a workshop, so you can show a catalog to a few friends and have an instant party! In addition to getting an item at half price, you recieve a free Hostess Set and as the hostess all your items are 20% off! Email me to get your catalog or to place an order today.

Willoughby Abundance Journal

I am in love with Willoughby. Do I sound like a Jane Austen Character? Actually, it's one of TAC's new paper collections. I would love to wallpaper my world in Willoughby.

This is a project I designed for the new Fall and Winter Inspiration Book and I had my friend Debbie Rivers in mind. She writes the most inspirational blog for TAC, Simply Inspired. You'll love Debbie's uplifting messages, one of which is abundance. She encourages us to find abundance in our daily lives, and I marvel sometimes at how many blessings I have.

It started out as a plain journal with a velvety cover; the kind you would find at a greeting card store. It was fun to add flourishes from Artsy Elements right on the cover with Palette Burnt Umber and Cognac ink (you can stamp on ANYTHING with that stuff) and I even decorated some of the pages. That new swirl on the corners is Decorative Corners, another of my new faves.

CD Photo Cube (Tutorial)

I don't think I've ever been more excited about a project. This photo cube is made out of CD cases! Isn't that neat? I made one for myself and I gave one today as a gift swap at our Club Med Luncheon (managers/executives/directors) at TAC's annual seminar in Wichita, Kansas. (I'm also getting an exclusive sneak peek at the new 2008 Fall/Winter Catalogue!)

I bet you can't wait to see how to make this cutie, so I made you a video tutorial. (Scoll down to view.) It's a fun project. You'll want to make a bunch of these for gifts! (If you make one, leave a link on my Cube Carnival!)

Post a comment or send me an email if you have any questions.

Amberley Grace and Miss Moxie paper collections are from The Angel Company

Measurements:
For the Base:
1 8"x 8" cardstock (scored at 7" and 7 1/2" on all four sides -- or 1/2" and 1" in from each edge)
1 6"x 6" cardstock (to add stability to the base)

For the sides:
4 4 5/8" x 5 3/4"(scored at 5 1/2")
(embellishments can be any size you choose.)
If you have trouble accessing the video, CLICK HERE or go see the original inspiration for this project at John Wiks's Instructable.

Embossed Leather Journal

Who says embossing powder is only for paper? I found this leather journal to give my husband for Father's Day and I wanted to make it more special; more personal. I also wanted it to be subtle and classy. I used Versamark ink and Transcendence embossing powder to add his initials and a flourish from TAC's Flourish stamp set. This shiny raised look is so much fun--it's like magic. If you've never tried embossing, you should!

The basic steps to embossing are as follows: (click the photos below to enlarge.) 1. Load up with ink and stamp image. 2. Sprinkle image with powder (for some applications, I like sprinkling right from the bottle.) 3. Shake off powder (I shake mine into an empty stamp container and the same powder can be used over and over.) 4. If necessary, use an artists brush to sweep away extra powder. 5. Heat image with an ebossing gun, moving around until the whole image is shiny and raised.

I also like Transcence powder the best (and I think The Angel Company is the only one who has it) because you can use this powder with any kind of ink! If I had decided to give the initials more depth, I could use my favorite Burnt Umber Palette ink and the same powder would work. This gives you the ability to match the color of your project, because even dye based inks would work. It comes in a large bottle and it lasts forever. I've been stamping for five years, I use it a lot and I still have the same bottle!

Well, tomorrow I'm off to Kansas to see the new catalogue and attend our annual seminar. Keep an eye out for some sneak peeks . . . .

Take Time for You One Sheet Box

My friend had her baby! His name is Lucas and I can't wait to bring them some little goodies. I made them a freezer dinner and the little notecards I posted last week. I also have a gift for the baby and a little something to remind Tiff to take some time for herself. She is such a giving person. She deserves a little time to light some candles, soak her feet and relax!

If a couple of these projects look familiar, I showed a sneak peek of them from my spring stamp camp. (I still have some of this Mulberry Meadow [discontinued and out of stock] paper if you need some.) The basic instructions for the one sheet box are here. To make this larger size, you use a 12x12 sheet and score it on one side at 4" and 8", then on the other side at 4.5" and 7.5". I also made this little topper from a 2"x4" piece of cardstock. I cut a scalloped edge with scissors and scored it at 1" and 1.5". Of course, the Scor-Pal is very handy for this. (If you've never checked out Scor-Pal.com, they have tips and sample projects in there online magazine. Be on the lookout for the June/July issue. I'll have a project tutorial there.)

Pocket Folder Card Keeper

My friend Tiff will have a baby boy any minute, and along with some other little goodies, I'll bring her this little card keeper. I made it with a white pocket folder (Oriental Trading) and decorated it with Gentle Beginnings DP from TAC. There's a little pad of paper and pencil for her to jot down gifts she receives and anything she needs to write a thank you for. The cards were super simple (and semi-homemade). I got them at the Dollar Spot and added a quick sentiment (Ordinary Greetings), some ribbon and my favorite little sweet pea. This set, Special Delivery, was discontinued last year, but it has always been my favorite. I used it for my own announcements and thank you's when I had Liliana. Isn't this the greatest little gift that you could give anyone just by changing the colors and cards inside? Below is a quick tutorial:


Supplies: pocket folder, designer paper, notecards, scallop and circle punches, scallop scissors, Scor-Pal, ribbon (Click on photos to enlarge.)



1. Make two score lines, about 1/4" apart just above the pockets of your folder. (You will have to open the folder and flip and turn it around to continue the lines across both sides of the folder. Having the pockets face up will help you determine the line placement, but having them face down will help to score the paper on the proper side to ensure clean creases. Did you know it's best to score on the side that will eventually be the outside of the fold? This is especially helpful to know for patterned or white core paper.)



2. Cut along the score line closest to the pockets as well as the center fold of the folder.



3. Fold the remaining flap down to determine length and make an additional score line where you will want to trim this flap. The score line is decorative as well as being a handy guide line for cutting a scalloped edge on the flap.



4. Use punches to make cut-outs on pockets and to decorate the front flap. Add a ribbon to hold the card keeper closed.


PS: Some of you have been checking in to see my studio re-do (which is still in progress. I guess it's like what they say about a garden. It's never really "done".) Anyway, the latest step in my makeover is to work on the lighting. I'd like to do all my photos for tutorials in my studio, but the light is not the best. For this round, I placed my Ott-Light right near my Scor-Pal (see photo below) but it's still not the greatest light. For the detail project shots, I still rely on bringing the object to a window with bright, indirect light. Can't beat good old sunshine!