Graphic 45 - Olde Curiosity Shoppe

Okay all my altered arts and steampunk friends - Graphic 45 has once gain come up with a collection of papers you will not be able to do without.  I'll be sure to post this to the Upstate Steampunk facebook page too because I know so many of you love to work with altered arts and scrapbooking.
Take a peek at the Graphic 45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe collection!  It's brilliant and fun. Charles Darwinish with a Victorian and steampunk angle. I can't wait to use this on a trunk I've had waiting, as well as one of those sectional trays.  Yippie!  Just the incentive I needed to try out some new concepts for a new year.

Happy Holidays Christmas mini album

 For a different approach to saving memories for Christmas 2011, I went for a contemporary/romantic design using Tim Holtz's wonderful technique of using an embossing folder in my Sizzix on recycled plastic packaging to givce it an icy look on the cover.  In addition I used his flower die cut to make the flower petals.  They are so much fun to make, so cost effective and the designs are unlimited.  I dabbed them with Ranger Distress inks. 

. As usual, I added a variety of photo mats, journaling spots, pockets and tags.
Throughout this chipboard album I included special accents, die cuts, fragments, and embellishments, including an ornament which opens into a photo mat, a gift which opens to photo mats and an envelop folder holder which offers five additional photo mats.

For some of the embellishments I made a chimney and a small bird and used the Tim Holtz die cuts of deer and tree which I purchased from Vintage Prims on Etsy.  The pr- made embellishments are from this years line from K and Company.
Tools and techniques were inspired by Tim Holtz, K and Company, Recollections, Martha Stewart, Perfect Pearls, Ranger Distress Inks and more. Embellishments include handmade flowers, handmade mulberry papers and tags, ribbons, chipboard elements, aux Swarvski crystals, Prima bling and embossed rubber stampings. Word sentiments add another facet to the album. This chipboard album measures 5 inches by 6 inches and the pages are bound by two metal rings accented with ribbons and handspun yarns. 

Christmas Tag Frenzy!

Now that I think I've finished making Christmas mini albums - (although one should never say never, right?) I've caught the Christmas tag frenzy from folks like Kard Crazy and Vintage Prims.  Here's an example of the ones I'm working on.  I'm trying to duplicate a few, but most of them will be one of a kind because of the added words, and other embellishments such as handmade paper, copper tape, die cuts and fragments.

I'm used the excuse today that I couldn't start the real baking until I the Chex Mix finishes baking.  And the excuse was so I could work on tags - shame on me!  But in addition to the ones I've made for mini albums, I  created a few more even as I was baking the the pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie and other goodies for Thanksgiving - tomorrow - hurray!!!

I used some Tim Holtz die cuts of the tree and deer, as well as his flags edge make die, Tim Holtz letters, musical paper,  and used Ranger Distress inks for most of the backgrounds, along with some other odds and ends from my stash and then tied them off with either pretty ribbon or my handpsun, hand dyed silk and wool yarns.