The front cover...Marking an occasion...

The "traditional prima styling" front cover of my first complete envelope mini hinge album pictured below with the traditional fake bling... 

My re-measured Hidden Hinge (Kathy Orta) in 1/2 inch...

Now it's meaning Kathy Orta larger file folder systems have and feature a 3/8 inch hinge system. I have formerly made three envelope mini's as gifts. I did not use this hinge system on any of those. The only one I tried with the 1/4 inch Kathy Orta Hidden Hinge seemed, bulky, flimsy, and the pages did not lay well, and it definitely did not work well with thinner or flimsier envelopes. I have been working on another envelope mini in a black envelope format with a sturdier, and more flexible 1/2 inch hinge. I found the half inch hinge stronger, essentially nicer to work with, and I also found a heavier weight envelope worked better when attaching to the hinge as opposed to the traditional thinner Michaels black envelope mini's. With the 1/2 inch hinges it also seemed to lay better/flatter. The bottom  picture is of the unfinished mini and laying flat at the center like the stack the deck is supposed too but I have not attempted the stack the deck. Although, I think the 1/2 inch hinges make a difference, and to be honest I am not fond of the hinge system at all. I 'm still not fond of envelope mini's. I only used a 4 3/8 x 6 1/4 envelopes. When I get a chance in the future I would like to find a larger black envelope and try it again. I still have a few pages that need paper, and it needs a cover.

Glitter Text graphic

Glitter Text graphic: Glitter-Graphics.com is the place with more than a million graphics in every category that matters

Marbled Paper Artist Gail Gorske Etsy's (gigigoods)

I have found a talented Artist who creates handmade and fun paper art. I have seen marbled papers over the years. I have already made the purchases of primarily "art marbled music sheet paper", am highly impressed, highly recommend her papers as singular art pieces, and even for your own art projects. I plan on going back for more delicious handmade gorgeous.

Gail Gorske's Etsy gigigoods profile:

http://www.etsy.com/people/gigigoods

December Daily Lap Book...The Bait and Switch of False Archival Art Teachers

Allot of stay at home moms have no experience or education in the Arts, archival Arts, and start their own business's to take advantage of your pocket. This project is an example, not worth the effort, the money, or the time. Just because they have children does not mean you should be sympathetic to them.

December Daily!

Lap Book Part 1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_P4TlkD7mA

Lap Book Part 2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dYkcHurLfE

Lap Book Part 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kG7o4017Aw

Lap Book Part 4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkr1CYkj2Fw

I was given a few file folders in the mail as I do not keep them, use them, and I am not paying for them.

So I made the first tutorial attempt to show you how bad this tutorial really is. I know others have tutorials on this exact same principle.

I measured the center, and she does not even take the time to do this but claims she is making it easier for you. If you really want and need a Lap Book then follow the instructions for yourself. I already gave mine a scored 3/16 expansion on both sides and with a stack of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper you can see how it does not close properly and mine does not even include any insertions. This is not a practical item for true organization and in my opinion serves no purpose.

Just recall that you have to pay $200 to start to be in her kit club. I also do not see the value in this. I fyou have money to waste and blow then buy all means buy into it.

Save your paper, and your money on a salesmen who does not even work or teach in archival. If you want your other memorable projects to last please take the time to research archival products.

I am sure that a PH Neutral pen will reveal allot on lighter non archival papers like file folders.

Hidden Hinge (Kathy Orta) or Stack the Deck (Folowing the Paper Trail)

There is questions as to where the "hidden design" came from but everyone makes their mini's differently.

In the first picture you can see my first attempt with small envelopes and I found it an obnoxious system. I have seen others. I am also not fond of the talking down to her "friends". In one of Kathy's recent comments she stated she hated matting. Hear or should I state here is your solution. I forgot to show how thick it is without the chip board covers at approx. 4 inches high with 12 hinges. It is my personal opinion if she is so bright as she claims to be. She can make an album out of paper without envelopes or paper bags. Another one of industry jokes.

Here are several pictures making an album that lays flat without the so called hinges and only using 9 12 x 12 papers and x press it tape. Of course I can create other designs depending on the paper design and "pockets" I want. This one measures a thickness of 1 1/4 inches, a height of 10 inches and a width of 6 inches.

Graphic 45 a Tropical Travelogue Island Jewel.

I have made more progress on my Hybrid of Graphic 45 and K and Company. I am still waiting on the 8 x 8 Tropical Travelogue paper pads and forgot to add that I ordered a few of the 12 x 12's that already came in as accents to the Album. I immediately starting playing with them to see what I could come up with. In this instance I am only highlighting a few elements from 2 of the 12 x 12 Tropical Travelogue #4500400 and Seaside Holiday #4500406. If you are familiar with the company or the papers you will know that both papers have a duplicate image. The photography below shows how I altered both of them to be different. The one on the left is fussy cutting and emphasizing her hair which is from the Seaside Holiday paper (Escape) and the one to the right is fussy cutting and emphasizing her hair band and using the Tropical Travelogue paper (An Island Jewel). I also used a scrap of K and Company "Travel" paper on the back of Tropical Travelogue paper (An Island Jewel)  The giant yellow flower was purely accidental and comes from the DCWV Vintage Stack. I have not added more of the tropical flowers and will decide that later on Tropical Travelogue paper (An Island Jewel). I am thinking of highlighting her on the front cover. I used the blue paper as a border for the Tropical Travelogue (An Island Jewel). I think it comes from the same DCWV Vintage Stack, and is not technically solid blue. I stamped the blue with one of my stamps but you can just use a matching blue card stock. The script stamp only has 2000 Stampin Up on it, and is likely retired. I did not use the frame stamp or the Tropical Palm Frond (feather) yet but I am thinking of including the frame for matting purposes again on 8 x 8's, and the Tropical Palm Frond (feather)  in arrangement/s but the feathers only go in one direction. The script stamp, and frame did not work well with the Newer Ranger Peacock and Concord distressed ink pads, and I had to stamp multiple times with the script, and frame to get the desired affect. It served it's purpose, I won't be purchasing the distressed inks anymore, and you can incorporate other designs from your own stamp collection or other stamp collections to get a desired effectual textural backdrop. The Tropical Palm Frond (feather) came out beautifully, and I only needed to stamp them once with both colors. The Concord was the accent color over the Peacock. The decorative frame just states Magenta, and is also likely retired. The Tropical Palm Frond (feather) stamp states Tropical Palm Frond #3629F Bar Code #717855036299 has a CE/purple dot and is made by Delta Rubber Stampede and I cannot currently read the date. Sometimes you can get retired stamps on EBAY or ETSY. Example: Search large script! I have approx. 4 different kinds of scripts in my stamp collection, and this is the largest of them measuring approx. 5 x 6.

Acrylic Dabbers...

First, I am admittedly not a fan of acrylics and understand the "crafters" desire and my desire to have products that work, are non toxic, and easy to work with. Usually I will only try a new line of products in metallics or a striking color that attracts my eye. It gives me a true indication of what the rest of the line of products will be like as too not waste too much money. So a while back I decided I would only try the Ranger metallic acrylic dabbers set in gold, silver, and copper. In the photo it is obvious the daubers where manufactured improperly and the pads on the dabbers are thin and wear quickly. I do not like the look of gold or the silver and you can tell I have not used the silver as much. I do like the color of the copper but based on the dabber not working properly and unless you plan on opening the top and painting with it. In essence I would not purchase this product again or recommend anyone else purchasing it.

Puzzled!!

After I woke this morning I feel into the wall and a table by the door; which was not a surprise to me based on medical. I had thought the items that feel on the floor where broken and shattered until I realized the only thing that feel and broke apart was my heart puzzle.

If I have all of the pieces I will be putting it back together again.

G 45 as in Graphic 45 Products

I use to teach archival scrapbooking methods, when inspiration strikes and I like challenges. I have an admitted passion, and addiction to paper...

One of those popular industry paper crafting lines is Graphic 45 and known to many in the Scrapbooking industry. I will be highlighting projects in the future, explaining my frustrations with the various paper lines, the industry, and this is a sneak peak on one of the collections that I am combining with three other collections. This album project that is an attempted gift for June that will feature: Graphic 45 8 x 8 on the boardwalk (two 8 x 8 paper pads), Graphic 45 8 x 8 tropical travelogue (two 8 x 8 paper pads) and two Tim Coffey one being the 12 x 12 TC Travel Designer Paper Pad and the other being the 12 x 12' TC Travel - Voyage TC. I have also purchased and already had other various embellishments for this project. Some being the newer Tim Coffey, Jolee's boutique, etc.

My first frustration came after making this as it is not complete yet. Graphic 45 is a heavier paper with a unique feel too it. It has a beautiful matte finish. However, you really need to be careful on how easy it is to tear especially when folded. I am working on the solution for this. I personally back up allot of paper with additional paper or heavy paper scraps when making a dimensional piece that will be handled to give it structure and I know one you tuber paper artist likes to only use a multi matte medium from Claudia Helmuth. I have tried other matte mediums, but not this one as of yet, and I waiting on the tester bottles to see how well this works and holds up.

In the two photo's below you will see how I laid the original paper pieces over the top and then removed them to show the original design and how it looks after I got ahold of it to create a collage affect on the paper. I have added a list of the actual names of the papers used for this unfinished album spread of one of the 8 x 8 on the boardwalk.

If you like the design of the 8 x 8 you can convert this into a 12 x 12 page spread.

1. 2 full 8 x 8 sheets of Summer Crush double sided sheets. I used the red bottle caps to back up the written boardwalk.
2. 1 partial 8 x 8 Bathing Beauties double sided sheet. I used a few of the female photo images and saving the rest for another project page or pages.
3. 1 partial 8 x 8 Coney Island double sided sheet. I used the one female image in the bathing suite and saving the rest for another project page or pages.
4. 1 partial 8 x 8 By the Beautiful Sea double sided sheet. I used a few of the right corner advertisements photo images and saving the rest for another project pages or pages.

Snow Glitter

There are many brands of glitter out on the market and the most famous in generations past was and still is "german" glass glitter. Maybe, I will get lucky to afford all of those gorgeous $9.00 a jar bottles in the future. Which in all reality for someone like me on a budget is expensive.

In this instance to correlate with the Alene's Snow paints which I have found to be the best on the market and I wanted a snow glitter. I decided on three products to create that glitter.

I used one pack of winter snows glitter from Martha Stewart with six small vials in the package, one dry glitter "clear rock candy distressed glitter" from Ranger, and another well known glitter called Twinklets diamond dust. Then I poured each one of the jars into a repurposed preserve jar and shock it to blend well. I should add the dry glitter looks about half the size of the diamond dust. The result is beautiful and exactly what I am looking for in regards to snow projects.

Although many of these products can be found in various places. I purchased all three trough two different etsy sellers.

I say if you cannot find the color you need like paint mix it for yourself. My apologies on the bad lighting that I am used to working in.