Merry Little Christmas Mini-Album (Post #2 for today!)

This Christmas our family is going to do something a little different - instead of the kiddos getting masses of toys under the tree from Santa, we'll be celebrating the 12 days of Christmas and each day, we'll honor a different person or family that has touched our lives. I wanted to create something special to document our first go at this type of celebration, and here's what I came up with:

This altered Maya Road binder with envelopes with Cosmo Cricket papers

This chipboard album was awesome - it had four tabbed dividers and four adorable, old-fashioned little envelopes (though I only used one for this album). It was really easy to make and I just loved the vintage charm of the Cosmo Cricket papers.

This page also uses the Making Memories Apron Lace border punch

I also used a little Bazzill cardstock, Tim Hotlz Distress Ink, Pink Paislee papers, Making Memories charms and ribbon, Close To My Heart hardware, stamps and brads, and some Stampin' Up ribbon and hat pin.

To clean up the holes for the chipboard inserts and any rough edges, I used my Crop-o-Dile and Basic Grey Precision Files and Tim Hotlz sanding block.

Almost everything from this album can be purchased at my online shop at AC Bailey Designs, where we have FREE SHIPPING next Tuesday, December 1st (and the first of every month) with orders over $35! If you have more questions or would like dimensions for this album, please feel free to email me at jasafras98@yahoo.com.

Same Shape, Different Sizes challenge at Frosted Designs

Our challenge this week at Frosted Designs was to use the same shape in many different sizes, so I created this square card with little square mats of many different papers from Cosmo Cricket and Pink Paislee. It was so quick and easy, but I totally love how it came out. Hello... bulk Christmas cards! Maybe I'll actually send some out this year!
Be sure to check out all of the other fabulous work from the talented Frosted Designs girls - their work is amazing!!!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

Hi friends!
I wanted to take a quick minute to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! May this day bring you plenty of delicious food, great company and time to reflect on what you're thankful for!
Be safe! Sending some turkey day love your way,
Jessica

Stitched challenge layout

Hi friends!
Here's my challenge layout for Practical Scrappers this week. We were supposed to create a project using stitching. Since I can't sew a straight line to save my life, I totally cheated! This is created using pre-stitched pages from Basic Grey that I've had in my stash for several years. I added a few flowers, cut out my monograms from the Cricut Don Juan cartridge (love that one) and it's all set to go. The ribbon is also stitched, but it came that way too.
Hope you check out all of the other great projects, and starting today, there are TONS of amazing Christmas projects to inspire you, too!
Thanks for stopping by!

Weekend Crop at Practical Scrappers! (Post #2 today!)

Join the fun this weekend at the Practical Scrappers forum for an awesome weekend crop! The ladies have some really fun challenges posted and RAKs up for grabs, plus a grand prize filled with Christmas scrappy goodness - you don't want to miss out!!!

Here's a quick peek at the challenge list:

#1 - Early Bird Special

#2 - Feast or Football

#3 - Black or Bling

#4 - Holiday Card Blitz

#5 - Bingo

#6 - Gift of Plastic

#7 - It's a Date

#8 - Storing up for Winter

Glitz Design Sketch Challenge

Hidden Potential Challenge

Intriqued? Me too! I can't wait to play, but I've got a house to clean first *sigh.* See you this weekend over at Practical Scrappers!

Tear it up! Frosted Designs challenge layout (with a little tip)

Hello all! Happy Friday! I hope this finds you well! I'm in a great mood today - I had a girl's night out with some close friends last night at a really yummy restaurant so I'm still all full & happy from that. It was also a work thing, but all the delicious food both at the restaurant and the 50 appetizers I ate before hand more than made up for any boring work talk. LOL. Actually, it was really interesting, but anyhow...
I'm also skipping work today so I can go see New Moon at lunch with my book club friend. Yeah!!! I'm so excited I feel like a teenager!!!
And finally, back to the real reason at hand - this week's challenge at Frosted Designs was a fun one - we were supposed to use paper tearing in our project. I used to do paper tearing on everything, but it's been quite a while since I've used this technique. I don't have any of the fancy, $10 paper tearing tools, but I have an even better suggestion! I use a wet Q-tip to trace a line or pattern on my paper that I want torn, which makes tearing quick and easy and "clean." Usually one swipe of a wet Q-tip works on flimsier papers and it takes a few swipes for thicker cardstock. Voila! A tip that costs about 1 cent!
For this layout, I used my Q-tip trick to trace a bracket shape for my title block, as well as the straight lines for the rest of the tears.
This layout was completely from my stash of scraps - The ribbon and most of the papers are from Close To My Heart (forever ago!), the actual layout piece itself, which is from Provo Craft, the flowers are a mixture of Making Memories, K & CO. and Petalloo, and bling is from everywhere! The title is from EK Success glittery foam letters.
Thanks for looking and be sure to check out the rest of the talented team over at Frosted Designs!

Get your paint on! Practical Scrappers magnetic board project!

Our challenge this week over at Frosted Designs was to create a project using acrylic paint. What fun! I love getting my paint on - particularly when my six year old daughter isn't there to "help" me! LOL!

Here's a pretty cute and relatively easy holiday gift idea.

I picked up a magnetic sign from Target's dollar spot a few months back - not because I liked the sign particularly, but because I thought I'd one day, eventually, alter it.

I used the Perfect Day papers from CTMH, as well as CTMH Just Blooms, Create-A-Shade Pearl Paint, CTMH Rub-Ons, a little bling & Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip Ribbon. I love how it turned out!

I painted one of the huge Just Blooms flowers with the pearl paint, then ink distressed another in matching ink and painted over that, too. I thought about making it as a gift, but it's another of those projects that I'm not sure I'll part with.

Bling-tastical!

I don't know about you, but I love me some bling on a layout! Especially blingy flourishes - totally a fave. And glitter - particularly when I don't have to apply it and create a huge sparkly mess.

Our challenge over at Frosted Designs this week is to create a layout featuring bling in any way, shape or form. I used Meg's awesome sketch below, which is definitely one I'll hang onto and use again and again (even though I can't cut a straight line to save my life. It's all good!)

My layout features Bazzill Cardstock, My Mind's Eye In Bloom papers, Petalloo Dazzlers, Zva Bling Flourish, American Crafts glittered Thickers (10% off this week at AC Bailey, by the way!), Tim Holtz ink and an American Crafts journaling stamp.

Remember to check out all of the other talented designers over at Frosted Designs - seriously amazing work over there!

P.S. Don't forget about my November contest with AC Bailey Designs. Place an order by clicking on any of the product links above or shop generally by clicking here for a chance to win weekly prizes and a grand prize gift basket filled with lots of awesomeness!!!

The big 4-0!

A friend of mine recently asked me to do a clear album for her hubby's 40th birthday. Since she's one of my favorite people, I readily agreed! She gave me creative freedom on the design, so I went with a sort-of sporty over-the-hill-ish type theme.

Here's how it turned out:

This used a Clear Scraps acrylic album, some Bazzill cardstock, a Jenni Bowlin bingo card, some Close To My Heart papers, letter stickers, button & chipboard; EK Success foam letter stickers, Making Memories star brads, chipboard, metal word & letter stickers, a little bit of Stampin' Up ribbon, Doodlebug letter stickers and Zip Dry Adhesive.

Speaking of adhesives, here's my take on the Zip Dry Adhesive:

Overall, I rate it an "A".

It is, overall, pretty clear and great for clear projects like this acryilc album. It held tight for all of the embellies I used here, from the transparency frame (on the page with the big striped star - I added it to the corners of the frame) - to the ribbon and button - to the metal word tags on the front of the album. It is definitely more visible on darker papers - not working with this glue before this album there were a few places I had to add some extra things to hide the slight mess on the reverse side. On paper, if you don't stick it down to your project right away it kind of got to that weird semi-sticky glue phase - kind of like what free samples are stuck to in the mail? Do you know what I mean - a little rubber cementy? But, it was easy to rub this off and start fresh. I really didn't need to use a lot of the glue itself. The applicator tip was awesome and stayed pretty clear. It's a little odorous - kind of like a light spray paint/super glue smell. But overall, it did a great job.

With any clear project, I advise trying your best to hide your adhesives with photos, papers or embellies on the opposite side of the project.

Butterfly kisses

I love that song Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle - it makes me cry every time I hear that daddy singing about his little girl. You never realize how fast kiddos grow until you have them yourself.
My layout for Practical Scrappers this week features a picture that I know one day far too soon I'll look back on and automatically think of that song. It also features our challenge this week - white-core or color-core cardstock. I featured the white-core cardstock in both tearing and sanding. For the butterflies, I used laid my white-core cardstock onto my stamp - these two in particular from Close To My Heart's Butterfly Wings stamp set, then I sanded the paper down to showcase the stamp in a whole new way.
This layout uses paper, stamps and cardstock from Close To My Heart; Making Memories flowers & bling brads; Colorbok bling swirl and EK Success glittery foam letters. I also used some Stampin' Up pop dots and a white gel pen.

Getting a little color - challenge that is!

Time sort of got away from me this week, so I missed posting my project for Frosted Designs on Friday. What a slacker, right?! =p


Anywho, our challenge was to create a project using only brown, teal and orange. This is definitely not a color palatte I would normally use together, but I must say I totally dig it! It's earthy and fall-y without being overtly so. It's almost lucious!
This card was created using Stampin' Up cardstock & pop dots, Close to My Heart inks, My Mind's Eye scalloped border strip, Fiskars clear stamps and Kaisercrafts bling.

Tales from the ribbon obsessed - part two! Practical Scrappers challenge

Sometimes a project just comes together - don't you just love when that happens?

This card, for example, came to me in a dream. Literally - I had a dream about drawing a little whimsical fairy and specifically what to do with the ribbon. (Yeah, I know I'm a bit of a dork!)
I woke up and sketched my little fairy girl out. She looks a little like my Sophie-girl, "fairy rolls"(that's what we call little mini buns on the top of her head) and all. After I traced my pencil drawing in black permanent marker, I colored her in using my Stampin' Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons and added some Ranger Stickles to her wings. I let her dry for a few hours (my layer of Stickles was pretty heavy, I think!) I trimmed her out to finish the card.
For the ribbon, I took a slim strip of card stock and poked 10 holes in it right down the center. I added a coordinated colored brad to to the center of a strip about 5" or so of organza ribbon and fastened that to my card stock. Once everything was laid out, I tied a knot around the brad so my knots would be perfect and stay really nicely. Only after all of the ribbon was tied did this strip get glued to my card.
In addition to the supplies above, this uses some dry-embossed Bazzill card stock in Oopsy Daisy Princess and some Close To My Heart patterned paper, stamps, ink and ribbon.
Have you checked out Practical Scrappers lately? There's some very amazing work over there!

Want a great excuse to get some holiday crafting done?!

THERE ARE STILL 5 SPOTS OPEN FOR THE SANTA'S WORKSHOP CROP!

Talk about a great chance to get all of those holiday cards and gifts out of the way - or take a breather for yourself before the craziness really begins! This 'close to home' retreat is being held at the Silt Fire Station starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 through 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 and best of all - it's only $80 for all of your food and up to $40 in awesome gifting workshops! (Since this is a local event, lodging is not included.) If you are interseted, please let me know ASAP! Registration fees are due no later than Friday November 6!

To register, please e-mail me at jasafras98@yahoo.com.

Santa's Workshop Crop Registration:

Crop fee is $80 and includes all meals, two small create & takes and plenty of space to create! You’ll also receive up to $40 worth of FREE gifting workshops by signing up below.

You must sign up for your workshops at time of registration in order to guarantee adequate product for all workshop guests!

Here are the list of available workshops to participate in:

Candice's Workshops:
____ Scrapbooking Workshop - $9
____ Candle Workshop - $7
____ Homemade Bath Salts Workshop - $5

Jessica's Workshops:
____ Altered Bo Bunny Cascading Album - $15 (Includes album, 1/2 paper packet, Bazzillcardstock & coordinating ebellishments)
____ Set of Clear Ornaments Class - $7 (Includes 3 clear acrylic ornaments and one clear glass ball ornament & all supplies to alter and decorate)
____ Set of 5 Cards & Gift Box - $12 (Includes Bazzill cardstock for the card bases & box, envelopes, 1/2 paper packet, coordinating ribbons & embellishments, plus your own pack of rhinestones & tube of Ranger Stickles that you get to keep for other projects)

You can pick up to $40 worth of workshops for FREE! Any diference over $40 will be due at time of registration. For instance, if you want to take all of the classes, you will owe $15 above the $80 registration fee, brining you total due to $95.

Tales from the Ribbon Obsessed... part 1 (Practical Scrappers challenge)

Hi. My name is Jessica, and I *sigh* am addicted to ribbons.
Sad, I know. But really, it's true.
I have cases and drawers and baskets and jars full of ribbons.
When I saw what my challenge would be this week for Practical Scrappers - to use three or more ribbons on a project - I was thrilled. Until I couldn't decide how best to use three different ribbons. Seriously, I don't know where my brain went!
Finally, after digging through my massive collection, I came up with this:

A sweet layout of my sweet niece using four sweet ribbons. Plus it uses my favorite color combination - brown and pink - so I'm one happy girl!
The gingham and crochet ribbon is from Making Memories, the pink satin ribbon is from Target's wedding aisle and the brown polka dot satin is Offray. This also uses random scrap papers, brads, ink and card stock from Close To My Heart, a hat pin and some American Crafts Thickers.
To get the perfect knot in the center of the flower, I stuck a brad through the center of the flat piece of ribbon, the flower and the card stock and set the brad. Then, I simply tied a knot over the brad and everything is staying nicely in place.
Be sure to head over to Practical Scrappers and check out their awesome new lineup of designers and some of the oldies and goodies (like me!) too! The work over there is AMAZING!

Free Shipping TODAY!

The first day of every month always brings free shipping over at AC Bailey Designs with all orders over $35 or more!

There's tons of new stuff in the store including great products for Christmas (and awesome stocking stuffers, too!!!)

Orders are usually shipped pretty quickly - you'll likely get them in 7-10 days, at most.

Just enter code "FREE" at check out!

Plus, you'll be entered into my great contest for a chance to win some awesome scrap goodies, too!

Happy shopping!