Christmas Layout: Shimelle

One of the last challenges Shimelle posted on her Christmas Crafting Weekend was the sketch of the week but with a Christmas twist; make a Christmas themed layout!  Yahoo!  It was fun!  I now have a one page Christmas layout ready to go; just add pictures!  And on top of that, we used one of those pesky framed pieces of Pattern paper!  I never know what to do what those papers!  Aagh!  Well imagine Christmas pictures where these Niagara Falls pictures are located!  All the chipboard embellishments are from Crate Paper!  The framed pattern paper is sassafras!  These are not my typical Christmas colors, but I like the slanted tree against the pics and all the embellishments!  And yes I cut my paper incorrectly; hence the cut and re-tape together on upper left! It's a fun LO!  And this Christmas Crafting Weekend with Shimelle Laine has been incrediblly wonderful!!  Thanks so much Shimelle!

Make a gift tag!: Shimelle

Make a gift tag was the next challenge on Shimelle's Christmas Crafting Weekend!  Well, since many of my presents have to travel/be mailed for Christmas, I really like the old fashioned (1980's) sticker tags!  Peel and stick! Easy Peasy! BUT, I thought, "Tags would make great place setting cards, and if they wanted they could hang on the tree or toss!"  So, I made two place setting cards.  One for my mother and the other for Walker, that way if we decide not to use for place settings designations, then I can stick them on at least one present! Ha! I do plan to tie around the napkins at each place setting.  The glue on the green tag is disappointing!

Make a Tag!: Shimelle

Christmas Crafting Weekend , Shimelle Laine, is a blast!  Another challenge issued this weekend was to Tag it UP!  Make some tags!  Use them as a garland, on scrapbook page or just get crafty and make some!  I made three!  I am happy with how they turned out! I dry embossed, embossed with the heat gun, used ink and some old Christmas papers.  In addition, I used stickles on a "tag" I cut from a larger 12x12 piece of paper.  I also added some ribbon and flower embellishments!  Since I am happy with how they turned out, I plan to send to my ScrapHappy friends these 3 tags for our Holiday Tag Swap!  I hope they like them!

Round Center Card: Shimelle

Shimelle's next challenge on her Christmas Crafting Weekend blog was to create either a card or scrapbook page with a circle image as the center.  I chose to make a card and I went simple!  i used a giant chipboard embellishment "Ornament" as my center.  The holly pattern paper is so old, I have no idea who makes it.  I plan to add the sentiment "May your holly-days be Merry and Bright!"  I hope this meets the challenge.  I like the simplicity of it!  Love using up the scraps! 

Make a Pocket!: Shimelle

Shimelle's next challenge in her Christmas Crafting Weekend was to make a Christmas page with a pocket on it.  She gave us three examples.  So, the idea of actually making a 6x6 Christmas journal was sealed with this challenge.  I used BoBunny Christmas paper from days of gone as the 6x6 base and used a BoBunny sticker (from the same collection) as the pocket.  I adhered the sticker to white cardstock.  I think placed adhesive around the edge of the cardstock sticker to create the pocket.  I used a small lime green rectangle of cardstock for future journaling.  I placed another Bo bunny sticker to the top of the journal tag.  Positive is that the Bo bunny paper is double sided and I can use the other side of this for another journal day.

Create an embellishment from paper: Shimelle

Shimelle's Christmas Crafting Weekend has been a lot of fun!  The next challenge was to create an embellishment from an image you cut from a larger patterned paper.  The poinsettia card which was demonstrated was awesome!  My take on the challenge was to cut out some ornaments from a scrap 12x12 page of ornaments in a row.  I am loving that I am using up some old Christmas paper, embellishments and ribbon!  Here is my Make Your Own Embellishment card!  The paper is BoBunny, including the cut out ornaments (i think)  the Season's Greetings tag was a sticker (Creative Imaginations; Signature Collection) that I backed with cardstock and tied w/ red sheer ribbon.    I used a rub on "Happy holidays" (Little yellow bicycle) on the inside of the card.

Make A Banner/Garland: Shimelle

The next challenge in Shimelle's Christmas Crafting Weekend was to make a banner or garland.  Shimelle showed us some spectacular examples for the creating  a holiday garland made out of package tags which could hang anywhere in your home.  However, the Journal Your Christmas an online class with Shimelle has really taken hold in my head.  On the previous post, I found an album, 6x6 Christmas paper pack (Cosmo Cricket's Jolly by Golly) and 30 of the 36 page protectors I need to participate.  When I started thinking about this challenge, I knew that a tag garland is just not my type of home decor, but I loved the idea (which the first person who posted to this challenge gave me) was to create a garland on a scrapbook page.  So, I made the first page to my Journal Your Christmas album.  I already had a precut white glitter 6x6 page; so, I cut out a bunch of triangle from Christmas paper scraps (mostly Flair by Design & Bo Bunny) to make the "banner", used black glitter letters (memory makers) and fiber from Basic Grey to create the "rope".  I did include an epoxy Christmas tree eyelet (Making Memories) on the banner.  It is simple and to the point "Days of Christmas '11".  Here is my front title page for my Christmas Journal.

Show us your album: Shimelle

Shimelle's Christmas Crafting Weekend  is also to kick start her Journal Your Christmas class  For 36 days Shimelle is going to send you a photo and journal prompt regarding Christmas activities and traditions.  I have to say that the class sounds like a lot of fun and somewhat attainable.  I am very reluctant to start any type of crafting project during the month of December, especially since I am EXTREMELY behind in decorating my house for Christmas.  Yes!  I usually start before Halloween with the prep work.  This weekend I usually have my 100+ lighted village up and I am wrapping up all my 12 themed trees.  The weekend before Thanksgiving is dedicated to the additional decorations and the 12' family tree in the living room.  NOTHING is turned on until after Thanksgiving.  All outside decorations are put up the weekend after Thanksgiving Thursday.  Then I am done and I can enjoy the month of December with its endless parties, tv specials and travel.  NONE of the decorating is done and instead I am preparing for Christmas by contemplating having a Christmas Journal and playing along with Shimelle in December!   So,  I was going to skip this challenge, but then I found a 6x6 RED album with 30 page protectors and a Christmas paper pad of 36 6x6 papers!  I thought WOW! it's done for me.  So, I trimmed all the papers of their connector strip, reviewed Shimelle's 10 Things Blog post and I think I am going to have 1 6x6 photo next to one of the Christmas 6x6 PP, but then the other challenges came out and now I am unsure as to my plan.  But here is my Christmas 6x6 album/journal and all the papers in their 6x6 page protectors. I will still need to purchase 6 6x6 page protectors.

What will You Weave: Shimelle

Friday kicked off Shimelle's Shimelle's Christmas Crafting Weekend on her blog.  The first challenge issued was to create "woven" project.  The example shown was a Christmas Card!  Since it has been 6 weeks since I have scrapbooked and in my nature, I followed the example!  I absolutely love how this turned out.  The only issue is I forgot to measure my envelopes; so some of my cards are a bit  too big.  Oh Well, I will find something.  I used all of my Christmas paper scraps to make this card and Memory Makers Stamps for Joy & Ho HO HO blocks.  I had fun embossing.  Embossing is still pretty new to me; so I may have gone a bit overboard.Ha!  I also embossed a few snowflakes inside the card.  I did not put any sentiment inside.  I am unsure as to who will receive this card.   Here is my take on Challenge #1:  Weave.

Christmas Project from the Past

Shimelle Laine is having Christmas Crafting Weekend  and today's first prompt was to post a picture of  a Christmas Project from the Past!  I chose a two page Christmas page about all the events that happen during the month of December.  I believe I got this idea from Creative Keepsakes magazine in 1996.  I still love this layout and try to "reinvent it" each year.  

Shame on Me!!!

Wow!  It has been 6 weeks since I posted or uploaded any projects to my blog! Shame on Me!  I started a new position with my son's school St. Joseph Catholic Schools as Development Director.  I have learned a lot more about facebook. In addition, I have been writing a lot more press releases and taking pictures of the school activities plus starting an Annual Fund Campaign and resurrecting the Capital Campaign.  Whew!  I have just forgiven myself for not blogging or creating!  I have been creating in my new position and it has been just as rewarding!
Christmas Decorations are being decreased this year because of our 8 month old Blood Hound Puppy!  She is just too big, too rambunctious and just plain "bad" for me to risk putting out my village this year.  I am afraid she will destroy the main square of the North Pole Village with one swipe of her 2 foot long, 3 inch diameter whip, we call a tail! Also, with my new job, my energy has been focused on learning the ropes!  So, I am glad I have made the decision not decorate to the extent I normally do.  And that means this weekend, I am going to make my 3 tags for ScrapHappy and participate in Shimelle's Christmas Crafting Weekend!!!   I can't wait to see what I make!  Let's get started!