erin terrell clarkson [etc]

Victoria's Secret Card Share

Victoria's Secret? Yes, you read it right. I receive mail from VS all the time, and this cute coupon was one of the latest finds in my mailbox:

I loved the heart background, so I decided to re-use it by creating a multi-purpose card. I used a circle cutter to trim out the heart/puppy logo and backed the circle with yellow cardstock. I placed the heart paper on a bright orange background. The strip of green patterned paper serves double duty by adding a pop of color to the card and by covering the text along the bottom of the mailer:

I added a BasicGrey butterfly "gummie" to the yellow circle, then used an anywhere hole punch to add a flight path for the little critter:

For the final touch, I added the "hi" sentiment using foam alphabet stickers. You could add "thanks", "get well", or whatever sentiment best adapts the card to your needs.

It's always fun to create something new and useful, particularly when you're recycling at the same time!

Supplies:

White cardstock: click HERE to purchase from scrapbook.com

Yellow cardstock: click HERE to purchase from scrapbook.com

Orange cardstock: click HERE to purchase from scrapbook.com

BasicGrey Olivia Gummies (butterfly): click HERE to purchase from 2peas or HERE to purchase from scrapbook.com

Making Memories Anywhere Hole Punch: click HERE to purchase from scrapbook.com

Circle Cutter: click HERE to purchase from 2peas or HERE to purchase from scrapbook.com

Pink Paislee Foam Alphabet Stickers

Why I Love UN-DU

In my "Must-Have Scrapbook Stuff" section, I mention one particular item I cannot live without. Below I'm going to demonstrate why I love it so very much...

The product: UN-DU Adhesive Remover

The issue: USER ERROR (that would be me)

This is what I do: I apply rub-ons to a page, and then decide I don't like where I placed them. (I do this quite often, sadly - one would think I would learn from my mistakes.) I also place letter stickers and photos on my layouts, then determine they are in the wrong place or that something is "off" about them. At any rate, there's no need to redo an entire page - or even to live with poor placement of items on a page - when there is UN-DU in the house.

Step One: Silly me. I applied these rub-ons, and then immediately wanted to remove them (not that I didn't like them. I "xoxoxoxoxo" them. I just wanted them elsewhere on the page.):

Step Two: Douse the rub-ons with a generous splash of UN-DU.

 

Step 3: Apply tape over the rub-ons/wet area.

Step 4: Apply light pressure over the tape with a Popsicle stick or similar "fancy tool" of your liking.

 

Step 5: (This is the cool part.) Lift the tape and the rub-ons will lift right along with it! 

I wish I could take credit for this unbelievably useful tip, but I can only take credit for perfecting it through repeated use. My friend Toni Boucha deserves all the credit for introducing the technique to me. Thank you, Toni! Give it a try sometime, and you'll be thanking Toni, too.

To use UN-DU to soak stickers off of a page, the steps are even easier. Pour UN-DU over the stickers, then peel them off the page. Wait a few minutes for the UN-DU to dry, and you'll be able to re-use the stickers. You can do this on photos, on glass, or on pretty much anything. I even pour it on the cutting mat that covers my desktop, then wipe away all of the adhesive dots that accumulate there over time.

You can purchase it HERE, or find it in your local craft store (if I don't beat you to it).

Environmentally Friendly Paper

Before I go to bed each night, it's always nice to reflect back on my day and ask if I could have done anything differently. Mistakes? Wasted time? Not enough smiles? :o) No matter how small the issue, it's good to be aware of it and try to improve on things the next day. It's a change I've made in my life recently, and I find a positive attitude is truly one of the best assets you can have in life.

On that note, I wanted to highlight a company who is doing their part to make scrapbooking a more environmentally friendly activity: Wausau Paper

Normally, I don't think of paper (or scrapbooking, for that matter!) as eco-friendly. However, I recently received a press release from Wausau Paper regarding their Creative Collection. I was happy to read it is created with 30% recycled post-consumer fiber content and is sourced from a forest certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Why is that important? Because it means I can still use beautiful papers in my scrapbooks. And at the end of the day, I can rest easier knowing some office paper was recycled in order to preserve my photos and memories.

Here are a few tips on recycling during the holidays:

• Trim the fronts from holiday cards you've received during past years and use them to create gift tags for presents you're sending this year.
• Donate paper scraps or unused sheets of paper to a local school so kids can be crafty.
• Send a few handmade cards to close friends (using paper scraps, of course), then consider e-cards so you can spread even more holiday cheer!
• Speaking of kids, get them in the holiday spirit by having them create ornaments or garlands using paper scraps. A bonus -- it will keep the kids occupied for a while so busy moms can get things done!
• Check out this idea where I used a Christmas card as the starting point for one of my holiday layouts.
• Finally, because I feel the need to include a photo on my post, don't forget to check your mail to see if there are any catalogs you can recycle. I am going to use the cute bird on this catalog to create a gift tag:

 

If you have any great recycling tips for holiday items, I'd love to hear about them.

Christmas Card Details

Recycling is always worth the extra effort, and this card demonstrates an easy way to utilize paper scraps  to create a colorful holiday tree:

These cards are so simple to make, it's almost easier than going to the store to purchase them.

Trim various lengths of pink and and striped paper, each one a bit shorter than the last. Adhere them to the card to form a tree shape. A small rectangle of green cardstock works well as the tree base, and a yellow covered chipboard star is the perfect tree-topper. I added a rub-on sentiment to the front of each card, and my hand-written message will go on the back.

This card shows a similar idea, alternating a striped and patterned paper. I added the rub-on words "Peace on Earth" to the lower portion of the tree:

Finally, the card below is the easiest of the group. Trim a tree shape from a scrap of colorful patterned paper. Add a green base and the star tree topper, then complete the look with a rub-on sentiment to one side of the tree.

Scrapbooks etc. Page Share: Nov/Dec 2009 Issue

The Nov/Dec 2009 issue of Scrapbooks etc. has been out for quite a while, so it's about time I shared my contributions.

BTW, this is a fantastic way to recycle the beautiful Christmas/holiday cards that arrive in overwhelming abundance this time of year. I should do a teaser first and just show the card:

That jolly Santa was too adorable to toss in the trash, so...

I simply trimmed the front of the card and placed it on my layout as the main embellishment for the page. I trimmed the "Happy Holidays" sentiment from the card interior:

 

As seen in Scrapbooks etc. Nov/Dec 2009 issue (pg. 78). SOURCES  Cardstock: Bazzill Basics (cream color). Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs Summer Soiree (turquoise harlequin print on "JOY" letters). Font: 1942 Report. Stickers: Karen Foster Designs ("opening presents" sticker), Making Memories Shimmer Alpha.  Rub-ons: Fancy Pants Designs (red dotted line below journaling). Chipboard Alphabet  Letters: Making Memories. Ink: Colorbox (Cocoa)

Here is a detailed shot so you can get a better look:

I look back on this layout now and wish I'd done the photos in a warm sepia tone, but...eh. I'm not planning on changing it now! I like B&W, I just think I'd like sepia better. 

When I do Christmas layouts, I tend to like a fairly classic style. I enjoy looking back on them through the years without having too many distractions on the pages. A typewriter font for journaling, minimal embellishments, and lightly inked edges to tie everything together -- that's my basic go-to "style".

I also have a few holiday photography tips in the issue. Check out the Snapshot Savvy column beginning on page 62 and read about shooting fun Christmas photos like this one (it's in color in the magazine, not B&W):

Going Green: A Birthday Card

I've mentioned that, whenever possible, I like to make the most of the junk mail I tend to receive. I found this cute donation request from an art store recently, and knew I could reuse it.

 

(Just noticed the card above was upside down when I photographed it!)

I trimmed it a bit (there were donuts on the front and the interior of it), then added it to a piece of folded cardstock. I added a sticker, some ribbon, and brads...and this is the resulting card:

Probably one of the easiest cards ever.  There was a return address on the envelope, so I just added a birthday sticker to cover it. :o) 

Here is a close-up.

 

I had extra donut paper (from the interior of the donation request), so I trimmed it to fit a manila tag:

 

I added the leftover ribbon from the card, and now I have a tag I can add to a birthday gift next time Daisy has a last-minute party to attend.

A little Inspiration in the Mail

I don't know about you, but I seem to receive massive amounts of junk mail. OK, so maybe it isn't considered junk mail from the company sending it, but...I usually dump 50% of my daily mail straight into the recycle bin.

Lately, however, I've been challenging myself to create something useful out of some of the mail I'd normally dispose of. Just this week I received this cute mailing from Office Max, advertising back-to-school sales and specials:

 

Super cute, don't you think? Me, too.

I couldn't let it go to waste, and Daisy has a birthday party to attend this weekend, so...I used my circle punches on the envelope and whipped out a quick birthday card:

 

I meant to highlight the word "who" or make it say "whoooo" (as an owl would), but I printed the text so fast I forgot to even do that! Here's a detailed shot where you can see I added pop dots (adhesive) behind a few of the punched circles for dimension:

 

There you have it! A quick and easy way to recycle AND to avoid going shopping for a birthday card. :o)

SKETCH: Maddie

Another day, another sketch.

This is a layout I adore, mainly because of the cute little girl who stars in it. This layout appeared in the April 2009 issue of Scrapbooks etc. magazine. The article discussed ways to "go green" and reuse scraps from  packaging on your layouts. I trimmed mini print samples from artwork on the cover of a paper pack to use on my layout. I also punched a few butterfly shapes from clear acrylic packaging and painted them.

As seen in Scrapbooks etc. April 2009 issue (pg. 33). SOURCES:  Cardstock: American Crafts. Font: SP Chi Town. Product Packaging: Heidi Swapp (clear plastic), Fancy Pants Designs (patterned paper). Rub-ons: Doodlebug Design (journaling), Kaiser Craft ("a moment in time"). Punches: Marvy Uchida (circle), Martha Stewart Crafts (butterfly). Floss, paints, sandpaper: Making Memories.

This page works well as a sketch, because you can insert photos in place of a few extra patterned paper squares and really fit quite a lot of photos onto one page. Here is a detailed shot so you can see the painted butterflies and the stitching detail on them. I also sanded the edges of all of the patterned papers, the journaling, and my photos for a cool distressed appearance:

If you're interested in the sketch, here it is (and I'd love to be linked to anything you create with it!):

Download SKETCH (Maddie)