Project Life Layout

I've been hearing a lot about Becky Higgen's Project Life lately.  The little I new about it, I really didn't think it was for me.  I love the creative process of making a layout and picking out premade coordinating cards and sliding them into pockets takes most of the creativeness out of it.  But then I attended a demo at Craft Warehouse during one of their scrap club meetings and let me tell you, my outlook changed.  Jeanean Brown did an excellent demonstration of how basic Project Life can be and how you can incorporate the creative aspects of scrapbooking to make quick and easy layouts. 

 

Each month for club we are given a challenge to create a page using at least a piece of everything provided.  This month's challenge was to create a Project Life layout.  Everyone received one page protector, a Project Life pen and five cards (we got to choose our own).  Here's my very first Project Life layout.

 

 

 

I selected cards from two different kits and I added a variety of things to the different cards.  The top left, I added ribbon, brads and pins.  The pink flowers on the left middle section is a rub-on.  I added acrylic flowers to the "Love This" card and the butterflies are actually attached to the outside of the page protector.  I really enjoyed creating this spread and I love how quickly it all came together.  It helped that I had pictures that worked with the paper. 

 

Thanks for looking!

Father's Day Frame

I know that this is a bit late for Father's Day but I still want to share it with you.  I actually gave my husband an 8 x 10 collage print for Father's Day and told him that his gift was going to be something made with the photos.  My youngest daughter's birthday falls the week before Father's Day so any crafting gifts get set aside until after the party and I simply didn't have time to make anything in time.  However, I do think it was worth the wait for him, Here's what I made.

 

 

I found these photos on the computer that my hubby had secretly taken with our daughters.  I loved them and knew I had to do something with them.  I ordered a collage print with 8 photos, 4 with each daughter, but only used 6 photos on the frame.  I used a Tim Holtz Distress Stain on the wood frame and covered the inside with patterned paper.  I matted each photo with brown cardstock, the two larger photos are flat on the paper, the other 4 are attached with pop up adhesive. 

 

 

While searching my stash for suitable embellishments, I came across a coiled paper clip.  It was perfect, so I stole some extra paper clips from my hubby's office, and bonus, I found that yellow rubber band just lying around coiled up like that so I used that for a punch of color.  Perfect for a more masculine frame.

 

Supplies Used

Unfinished wood frame - Sierra Pacific Crafts (Craft Warehouse)

Patterned Paper - October Afternoon

Cardstock - American Crafts

Distress Stain

Chipboard letters - Thickers (American Crafts)

Embellishments

Adhesive / pop up adhesive

 

 

Don't forget your chance to win a project life mini kit, click here.

 

 

Thanks for looking

 

Heidi Swapp Memory File Folder - Part 3

Today I'm sharing my final Heidi Swapp memory file folder mini album.  I really enjoyed with this product and trying some new to me techniques along the way.  Now I have the fun of adding photos and journaling.

 

For the front cover, I used the orange mat piece I trimmed off a photo frame that we used on the original memory file from the class.  It offers a nice pop of color on this cover.  Layer a tag and a flower over it.  Then I used the color magic paper and a Chromatix pen from American Crafts in Evergreen 3.  The banner shape piece was left over from our class so it was already cut.  Then I layered with a piece from Heidi Swapp trimmings and applied heat to the trim and the pink flower of the same material.  When you heat it the edges curl up.

 

The first page on the inside is a card made in the card class that I took from Jennifer Evans at Craft Warehouse.  I love taking classes from Jen, she is an amazing talent.  Lots of layers going on the front of this card. 

 

Here's the inside of the card.  There was a little handmade banner that was orignally to be on this piece, but I saved it and used as an accent in s different folder.

 

I love this small file folder and the pop of yellow off of it.  Again the yellow piece is trimmed off the back of a photo frame.  Add a tag and a few embellishments and it's photo ready.  The bracket shape at the top is made from fussy cutting around the excess color on one of the label stickers. 

For the inside of the small file I used one piece of patterned paper, one tag, a couple scraps  and a few embellishments.  I love that you can trim these decorative tags in so many ways to use in so many ways. 

 

On the back of the small file I used the "negative" side of the die cut banner.  Meaning the banner here is the result of using the piece left after removing the die cut banner.  This is a great way to get as much use out of your product as possibl. 

 

Here's the last page, again I used a small file folder and folded in thirds to fit the larger file.  On the front is some fussy cut chevron pattern and heart stickers. 

On the inside I used more tags, and emellishments as well as scraps of paper.  I love how all these turned out and have enjoyed sharing them with you.  Hopefully you have enjoyed them too.  Check back soon for another project.

Thanks for looking ~ Michelle

Heidi Swapp Memory File Folder - Part 2

Here's a peek at the second of three Memory File Folder mini albums I made recently using product from Heidi Swapp.

 

This cover is a more simple than the last one and utilizes a tag that is cut in half to use in more than one spot.  I fussy cut the chevron pattern strip and attached the flower with a coordinating brad made with my I-top tool from Imaginisce.  The other element I used on this album is the bracket, for this I fussy cut around the extra pattern around the file tab stickers.  Just cut around the outside of the pattern, peel and stick.

 

 

On the inside I trimmed down a small file and scored it on the top and bottom so it met in the middle.  On the outside is a piece of Heidi Swapp banner trim.  This stuff is hard to describe, it's not traditional paper and when you use a heat tool on it you get the curled up fringe.  Fun to play with!

 

On the inside of the card I used more fussy cut pieces from the sticker sheets.  It adds interest and makes the most of your supplies.

 

The front of the smaller file within the larger file is pretty simple.  The tag is open on top so the chevron piece can slide out.  The flower is the same material as the banner, when you apply heat the petals curl up.  Be careful with the heat though, some of mine curled a bit more than I wanted.

 

 

This page is really simple, I trimmed a piece of patterned paper to fit the inside of the small file.  Added a trimmed label for a bracket under the words Beautiful Songs and attached the envelope with the LOVE note card in it.

 

 

This page uses the Heidi Swapp's Color Magic paper.  I chose to use a black ink to add a little punch and standout among all the color.  Then I topped that with the crinkle fringe banner.

 

For the back of the small file I trimmed the side of a tag and flipped it upside down.  Then I added a flower and coordinating brad and added some heat to crinkle the petals. 

 

 

Then I made another mini flip album for this file too. 

 

 

That's all for this one.  Thanks for looking ~ Michelle

Heidi Swapp Memory File Folders - Part 1

Awhile back I had the opportunity to take a class from the wonderful Jennifer Evans.  In the class we received supplies to create our own Heidi Swapp Memory File mini album.  My mom joined me and we loved it so much we purchased supplies to create more of our own.  As with most of the items I purchase it sat there waiting for me to create something with it.  Then in February, Jennifer offered another class, this time we made three cards, using the same line of paper and accessories as the memory files we made in October.  This inspired me to get working on mine and knock a project of my list of things to do. 

I made three files in addition to the original we made in class.  Today I will be sharing the first of these with you. 

I started by sewing the smaller file inside the larger file.  This was a challenge since I'm not a sewer.  Once that was done I started work on the cover.  For this cover I used a Spellbinders Rose Creatioins flower die.  Each flower has a brad for the center, for the larger brads I used my I-top tool to make coordinating brads.  Then I simply layered the flowers over and around the tag and added the word sticker delight. I used my fingers to pinch the petals up to add some dimension.

 

This is the first page on the inside.  I trimmed down a small file to fit the inside and topped it with one of the three cards we made in Jennifer Evans' class.

 

This is the inside what you see when you open that small file.  So you can add photos to the inside of the file and to the inside of the card. 

 

Here I covered some chipboard banner pieces from Maya Roads with patterned paper.  Attach some embroidery floss to the back and tie some knots between each banner piece and you have a fun coordinating banner.

 

On the next page I used the extra top piece to the pocket card that we made in the card class.  I didn't want to waste it so I used it on this page.  It is a bottem less pocket, so you could attach something or slide something through it.

 

And here's the pocket card.  This particular card is not my design but it makes a great addition to this file album.  Jennifer Evans made this one for us to make it class, but she got the idea from the talented Jamie Pate who is on the Heidi Swapp media team with Jennifer. 

 

 

 

Here's a glimps of the inside of the pocket card.

 

 

Back side of the small file insert.  I used all scraps on this page, with the exception of the scallop border and the epoxy stickers.

 

The original memory file we created in our class contained an insert that had some plastic sleeves in them and multiple tiered layers to add photos and journaling to.  Definately a great way to add a lot in a small space.  I loved the idea but only found one pattern available, so I picked up some 12 x 12 sheets and made my own with the use of a couple tools. 

 

All you need to make a tiered insert like this is a paper trimmer, a scoring tool, a decorative border punch and a strong adhesive like scor-tape.

 

This is one of three memory files I created, stay tuned for the others soon.

 

Thanks for looking ~ Michelle