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.

Sorry That I Haven't Updated My Blog

Recently there have been some life altering happenings in my family. I haven't been able to sweep and mop my floors and I have only been doing the very basics to get by.

As most of you who read my blog know my mom had a horrible car accident on February 21, 2009. She had to have extensive surgery to repair her severely crushed legs and badly broken clavicle bone. Mom's doctors has had her as a "non-weight bearing" patient because her legs have not healed enough to learn to walk again. However, on April 17, 2009 mom developed a blood clot and had to be hospitalized. Mom has returned to the rehab center but is on complete bed rest. She receives minimal therapy at this point. She goes back to see her orthopedic doctors on May 21, 2009.

Then on the same day (April 17) my dad was getting a routine blood transfusion and had a reaction to the blood products and ended up in the ER. Dad was admitted to the hospital but then transferred the next day to a hospital that was more equipped to serve his cancer needs. Dad was in ICU for several days and now has been moved to the Intermediate Care Wing where he remains. Dad is not doing well and has developed other complications. We are not sure when or even if dad will be able to return home.

Right now I am at a stand still and am running between the Rehab Center and the hospital and still trying to maintain a little normalcy for my family. I am doing my best to keep up with my chores and all the while caring for my parents cat and their home (things like mowing the grass.)

I am hoping to find a little time soon to sit at my scrap table and to up date my blog properly. I apologize for not keeping up with this but I am sure all of you understand.

Giving Encouragement

New dies, new projects, new thoughts...

The new March release dies are wonderful even though I've heard a lot of complaining about them. I think a lot of the negative comments are because people don't look at them with an open mind or that they are so closed minded that only their opinion matter. They try to sway everyone else into thinking that because they don't like them no one should.

I am on the other side of the fence on this one. These dies are different, unique, and full of possibilities. Each time I reach for them I see something else in them which also gives me a new idea for a lay-out, card, gift idea, or home project.

Today I am sharing a card that I used the QKs Rainbow, QK Sunburst, QK Sun, and QK Rainbow Font on (all of those are available at ScrapyLand.com.) On the inside of the card I printed my sentiment using a free downloaded font from DaFont.com called Billo.

Bright colors are there to cheer the recipient.



And on the inside words of encouragement:



Make some one's day and send them a card just to let them know that you are thinking of them or pulling for them. Just a simple hug in the form of a card can make all of the difference in some one's day!

Happy Scrappin' !!!

Brenda

For The Easter Table

If you need a few little last minute things to make for your Easter table just to brighten things up, try these!

Have mint/nuts cups and little place setting tags at each place setting. These take minutes to make and really will put a smile on everyone's face.










These take minutes to make and will add a little something special to your table.

Happy Scrappin' !!!

Brenda

Another Easter Gift Project

Have you ever had something in your scrap supplies call your name? Not just call your name but nag at you. Okay if you answered yes to that you are as crazy as I am! They always say you are crazy if you hear voices and no one is close by.

I had bought this awesome QuicKutz Exclusive Bunny Die from ScrapyLand.com. I could not wait to use it. When the mail arrived the Bunny laid on my scrapping table for close to two weeks and it called to me... but I had no pictures to scrap. So this little guy started screaming so loud that I had to find a project to do, and so I did.

I have 3 little boys that I teach religion to and I think that a special gift is in order for each of them for Easter. All 3 of the boys have learned the prayers and can recite them back to me. Each has completed assignments and if they weren't there for class because of illness or other reasons they made up the work missed. I think that earns them a gift.

Today is our last CCD lesson and my three Kindergarten students graduate. Along with their certificate of completion they will each get this as their gift:



It is a huge Hershey Cookies & Cream Candy Bar with a new cover made for it.

I don't just use my dies for scrapbooking lay-outs... I am always thinking of something to use them for to get more out of my investment. I hope this helps you look at your dies a little differently and think of new ways to use them.

Happy Scrappin' !!!

Brenda