Dahlia Folding - Video and Card

A while back I couldn't wait to share a card that I made when I learned a new technique call Dahlia Folding. Okay, maybe the technique is not new but it was new to me and once I started folding I could not stop. I made 20 cards before I decided to learn how to do more with paper folding. In my search I also found tea bag folding which is for another day.

Today is all about the Dahlia Folding. Several of my friends asked me to teach them how to do this simple technique and I did. Then I thought that if so many of my scrap booking friends wanted to learn how to do this that there were others out there that also would like to learn.

Which that sent me into "video mode." So today I am sharing a video on the Dahlia Folding and a new card as well as the link to one of my past blogs so you can see more.

First the Video:



I hope that helps you learn how to do this simple but elegant technique.

You can use those rosettes (medallions) on cards or layouts or for other accents like on a gift bag.

Here is one of my cards:



And if you would like to see more of my Dahlia Folding refer back to my March 7 blog post. (http://brenda62052.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-just-love-learning-something-new.html)

I hope everyone tries this fast, fun, and great way to use up scrap paper technique.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Late May - Happy Graduation

The excitement is in the air as my future daughter-in-law graduates from college. She is now a teacher.

So my hat is off to her and I'm sending her my sincere CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

She is such a sweet girl and is so good for my son. I love her like she is my own daughter.

Also this month my own daughter, Breanna, is graduating from middle school. We never had a graduation when going from one school to another but they do now. Times have changed.

Congrats to Breanna as well.

With these graduations comes card making. I reached for some of my older dies to make these cards and then some new ones to make perfect squares.

The front of the card:



Inside of the card:



Of course the card isn't what they will be looking at - it is what I tucked inside the cards. (Let's just say they will be seeing a little green.)

Don't think that you always have to have a brand new die to make a card or lay-out. Reach for some of those older dies and make them come alive again.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Another CCD Has Come To An End

Each year I teach a PSR/CCD class. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a Catholic religion class for public school children. I teach the Kindergarten age students. My class meets every Wednesday following school and last an hour each session. We meet for 21 weeks.

This year I handed the reigns over to my then 13 year old daughter. There was two reasons for this change. First, I am trying to get her use to volunteering her time and second, she has to gear up to have a place to do her community service hours for a government class in high school over the next 3 years.

Because of Bree's age, she had to be supervised at all times, so I supervised but Bree prepared the lessons, practiced the lessons, and then taught the children, cleaned up any messes. She did a wonderful job and earned the praise of being the youngest volunteer to teach a PSR/CCD class.

Each year I do a lay-out for my Kindergartners. I try to incorporate one or more of the Bible Stories or lessons into my lay-out.

Because there are so few religious scrapbooking items this is always a challenge for me but somehow I always manage to come up with something for these special children who have touched my heart.

When I was ready to do this lay-out the QuicKutz Anime had just been released and that little monkey just jumped out at me! I knew that I had to use him for this class of little boys. So I went back through our lessons and decided on the golden rule with a twist and below you will see the results of my labors.







In order to make the monkey's arms cover the eyes, ears, mouth, etc. I cut the shape out and then cut off his arms and repositioned them to fit my needs.

So my challenge to you is to take a shape that may not necessarily be perfect for your theme and adapt it to fit what your vision is.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

What Makes Each Of Us Unique

We are each so unique and my daughter is one of a kind. I love taking her photographs and scrapping them because the photos say so much about her. If you give a teenage girl a camera you never know what pictures they are going to take. With my daughter most of the pictures are of herself. She takes time to set up a tripod and sets the camera on timer mode and she may take 50 pictures before she gets one that she likes.

And then behind every saying there is a story. One of my daughter's friends was always telling her how unique she is. One day after school I found a little corner of a piece of paper in Bree's bag that said, "In a room full of squares, you're a triangle." I don't know if her friend thought up this saying or if she saw it somewhere and copied it but I loved it. It described Bree to a "T" because Bree is always trying to be different from the other girls that she goes to school with.

I changes that saying just a little bit and made it into the title of the lay-out for some of my daughter's self portraits.







That title paired with the QuicKutz Square Birds and then one changed slightly so it was a triangle fit perfectly onto this lay-out for her.

Nothing makes my day more than to see what pictures she has taken so that I can have something unique and different on her pages.

So today's challenge is "dare to be different." Find a new use for a die or just tweak it to be that little something special that you need.

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

Little Gifts From Recycled Items

I love to keep the little tins that embellishments come in and try to think of new ways to recycle them. Around Easter I was tinkering with different ideas and came up with a little candy box from a "window" tin that I bought silk flowers in. I love this little tin and decided to make my mom a little something for Mother's Day.

I took Hershey Nuggets with Toffee Chips and covered each candy with Springtime looking papers. In this case the Basic Grey Oh Baby line.

After choosing my papers and covering the candy I noticed that the wrappers on the candies were gold foil and my tin was silver. So I grabbed my Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks and turned the box green to match the greens in my papers.

Now here is a trick... I wanted the candy to be centered in the window of the tin and I wanted to be generous with the candy but there was no way to put 3 rows of these candies in this tin. I didn't want the candies to move around in the tin so I fabricated a "cradle" with the same cardstock.



A few die cut flowers and leaves for the top, just in one corner of the box and I recycled the tin into a wonderful sweet gift for my mom.

The tin can then be used for a little jewelry box if you or they take the time to line it with a little velour or velvet. In my case I get a call that the box is empty and she would like to have some more candy.

Here are a few pictures of the finish tin:









I hope that you will each take the time to look in your stash of saved tins and containers and try to recycle or re-purpose something.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Happy Scrappin' ! ! !

Brenda

A Quick Update

I wanted to update all of you and let you know that I will be back to blogging later this week.

My dad lost his battle to cancer on May 11, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. We were preparing to bring him home on Hospice when he passed.

Wake was on May 14 and his burial on May 15.

I am taking a few more days for myself and to make sure family matters are handled and then I will be back.

Thank you all for you patience.