5 x 7 Dog Scrapbook Album

I finally decided to try a ring bound album with eyelets protecting the holes in the pages.  I like this look on the albums I check out but, boy, I am disastrous with eyelets! [I've definitely got to abandon that binding system when the last of my eyelets are gone.]

I started this album with the intention of donating it to the Speaking of Dogs fall online auction. I thought I had lots of time to finish it, but then the Accucut Craft GrandeMark challenge snuck up on me [with a much earlier deadline that I remember last year!]. I like this challenge because it makes me find more ways to use my dies!

So, for the base of this album, I used a 5x7 inch pocket card. Every pocket has a large photo mat that will fit a standard print 4 inches by 6 inches here in Canada) without any trimming needed. Same for the backs of the pages and, on the fronts of the pockets, a little trimming it needed or a 3x5 inch photo will fit just fine.

I put my original die cut dog on the front.

Another of my original die cut designs is the bone.  It's really simple: two hearts and a rectangle welded together. I cut this big one and I also put a couple smaller ones in the album.

I coloured this stamped out dog with my Copic alcohol markers.

I made this dog house on my electronic cutter too. I designed two houses: a 2 storey and a bungalow.  All I did to make it in to a dog house was welded an oval on for the door and cut it off at the bottom.

I recorded a video for this album showing all the rest of the pages [about 5 times]. I outline all the Accucut Craft dies I used in there.  I will upload it another day, because I am limited in the uploads per week that I can do.

I need to make another album to list for animal charity in my Etsy hand made card shop.  I was going to make another dog one but I started realizing how many cat people I know.  So, I decided to make a cat album. Once I made that decision, I realized I don't have a lot of cat embellishments. Well, that meant, I just had to make some.  I already had a die cut fish (which I made for a "Birthday Fishes" card). I also already have a die cut cat, but it's very cartoon-ish.  So, I made a kitty cat silhouette die cut.  STAY TUNED to see it in a future unveiling!

(If you already like my die cut dog, I have some available in my shops!)

Bunny Birthday Card

In the spirit of Easter, I thought I would post this bunny birthday card I made for my sister.  Her birthday is in early April, she loves all manner of animals and she was born in the year of the Rabbit, so I thought it was appropriate for her.

I designed this die cut rabbit on my Boss Kut Gazelle. It was the first step towards designing my custom dog die cut. I cut it out of Bazzill Swiss Dot cardstock. Polka dotted cardstock is so simple but always so cute!

The doily is a Lifestyles Crafts die I got on sale at Michaels Craft Store.  Lifestyle Crafts was previously Quickutz and, more recently, purchased by We R Memory Keepers. We R Memory Keepers needs to re-brand the packaging, so there was a whole stand of 4x4 Lifestyle Crafts dies on sale at Michaels a while back and I picked up a few!

TIP: The sentiment is a machination of stamps.  I used an alphabet stamp by Studio G that I bought at Michaels for cheap to spell "Hoppy" and then I used a "Happy Birthday" stamp from Close to My Heart for the Birthday part. I put tape over the "Happy" part so that only the word "Birthday" would receive ink. I learned this tip from my Close to My Heart consultant, Sheri Ballantyne.

I composed a little poem for the inside too. My sister really liked it. I used papers from a Recollections paper pad I bought at Michaels.  Paper pads are on my "no buy" list, but I really liked how well coordinated this pad was, so I caved and now I feel obligated to use it up!  Do you ever have those days? I think half the fun of any hobby is accumulating all the goodies that go with it!

HOPPY EASTER to everyone too.

Hand Made Travel Organizer #1

Here is my first attempt at a travel organizer using my Accucut Craft dies. I can't recall what sparked this idea but I've been obsessing over it for some time. I used 5 Accucut Craft dies (or pieces thereof) on this travel wallet.

Right here on the cover, you see two dies: the Theme Album die to make the curved closure flap and the Buttons die as part of the closure functionality.

The first set of pages has an acetate envelope and a cardstock envelope.  The acetate was especially difficult to work with. Both envelopes close with velcro.  If I am putting credit cards in this thing, then I don't want them sitting next to strong magnets!

The back pages hold the credit cards.  Again, I used acetate and it was was a real pain.  Sure, I think it looks snazzy but it was so hard to accomplish!  Each acetate flap is attached to the bottom of a credit card sleeve and tucks in to the sleeve below it.  The credit card sleeves are individually hinged. I used two Accucut Craft dies to make these sleeves: a jacket card that makes the "V" shape and another die for the the envelope flaps.

I stuffed this file folder (also made with an Accucut Craft die) into a small pocket.  I intended it to hold receipts when traveling for business.

To see this organizer in action and get the names of the dies, you can watch my first travel organizer reveal video on my Vimeo Channel.

Hand made birthday cards I received

It was my birthday last month.  I got a couple of hand made cards that my step-mother, Maria, made. She made one for my sister to give me and one from herself and my dad.  Maria goes to Stampin' Up! classes where they sometimes scrapbook, sometimes make cards.  She's done a wonderful job on these:

This one would make for a lovely spring card too - what with the wood embossing and image from nature. I think Maria did an excellent job colouring the bird!  (I didn't ask, but my guess would be watercolour markers.) (Click the image for a larger view, so you can see all the embossing and shading.)

This one is bright, celebratory and gender neutral!  It would make a great birthday card for anyone! I think this one has a very graphic art style.

I was thrilled to get some hand made cards for my birthday!  They certainly add a touch of extra specialness to the occasion.