paper: pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

With the holidays just around the corner, I’ve been thinking about handmade cards. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t send handmade cards to everyone on our list – it’s just too much and too stressful! But I do like to include them with special greetings to family members that we’re not able to see for the holidays. The time and effort are appreciated by them, so it makes every moment of the process that much more special.

One of my favorite things to do when working with scrapbooking supplies is make something unexpected from a simple supply. Things don’t have to be complicated to be beautiful! For this particular card that I assembled, I chose to look at the hugely popular banner piece a bit more closely. By simply turning it the other direction, I was able to make a set of simple, but pretty trees to be the centerpiece of this card!

A set of chipboard letter l’s became trunks…

and I was all ready to create!

Start by cutting a sheet of patterned paper down to 8.5×11, then fold in half width-wise.

Cut a coordinating paper to 8.25“x5.25”, round the corners if you’d like, stitch around the edge and ink the edges as well. Adhere to your base.

Cut a circle 3.75” wide, ink the edges and stitch.

Next I accordion folded a filter embellishment to go around the edge, but you could use anything from a doily to another sheet of coordinating patterned paper.

It took two for me to go all the way around the outside edge of my circle.

Apply rub-ons to the base of your card, and layer the circle with edging in the center. Adhere the christmas trees in the center.

Stamp a sentiment on a strip of paper. Clip to fit outside the edges of your circle, and fold to make a banner. Ink the edges. Mount on foam squares on your card.

Your challenge: Take inspiration from Leah’s card! Specifically in one of two ways: create a project with a circle design in the centre (of a card, a scrapbook page or another crafting project) OR create a project using your supplies in a different-than-expected way (like how Leah turned the banner upside down and added a letter to create Christmas trees). Take a picture of whatever you create and upload it to your blog or an online gallery. To enter, share a link to your project with the button below. Entries close at the end of Sunday the 20th of November. One randomly selected entry will win a $10 gift certificate to go shopping for scrapbooking supplies!

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About Leah…
I reside in the South Florida metro area with my husband and two sons. I’m a busy mama who loves to keep life creative through sewing, crafting, scrapbooking, etc. Check out my blog and etsy shop to see more!

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Yesterday’s early bird challenge asked you to share a link to a favourite Christmas project of your own… today, let’s widen the circle a bit. What idea have you seen that made you really want to make a certain project for Christmas? Today, share a link to somewhere out there in the big world of the internet! It can be something made by a friend or something you just stumbled upon while surfing!

To enter leave a comment (no widget box for this challenge) with a link to a Christmas project you have seen and loved! Easy. From all the links posted, one will be randomly chosen to win a $10 gift certificate to Two Peas to choose some new scrapping stash!

Be quick – this challenge ends tonight, not next weekend like the other challenges.

By the way, two things about leaving a comment here that might be helpful:
1. You need to press the preview button first, then submit. That solves 99% of troubles.
2. To make your link clickable, you can write it like this: "Text here":http://webaddresshere – and just leave one link so it doesn’t get flagged as spam. (But if you just want to paste the link in, that’s fine for this challenge – it just won’t be clickable. I’m fine with either!)

I hope you’re ready for a fun-filled crafty Sunday! I’ll be right back with our first tutorial post of the day!

Now… what link will you share?

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Aside from cutting pages to size, one other thing I find helpful to prepare in advance of Journal your Christmas is to create page numbers. If you intend to create daily entries in your album, then a set of numbers can help motivate you to keep those entries going and the number added to each page helps all the individual pages of the project come together as a whole. (If you take the option to make a few Christmas journal entries each year and build an album over several years, I don’t think page numbers make quite as much sense.)

I’ve created numbers in various styles over the years, but it was only this year in reviewing my past journals that I realised something: if my pages follow a similar format (all the same size, repeated colours, etc) then I like numbers that vary from day to day. If my pages are quite different (different sizes, a mix of page protectors), then I prefer the numbers to match throughout the project. Lightbulb moment!

Last year I used a variety of page protectors, all mixed with different sizes and lots of different pockets to fill. And I kept the numbers quite similar for each day. This video shows the process I used to make them.

This year, my pages are the same size and format each day, so I’m varying the style of the numbers. Tomorrow I’ll share a selection of those!

…and yes there will be a challenge for page numbers, so if these page numbers inspire you to start creating your numbers, then go right ahead! I’ll post the page number challenge with tomorrow’s post with option B for varied page numbers.

And this is me signing out from crafty Christmas for Saturday – but there’s an early morning giveaway on Sunday so don’t be a stranger! Thanks for joining me so far and I hope you’re having a fabulous weekend.

xlovesx

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Next up, I’m excited to share this gorgeous project from Corrie Jones! I’ll let Corrie show you how to make something like this, step by step! Enjoy.

I bought this window forever ago with the intent of decorating it for my studio. I was going to create a window for myself in that windowless room. Well, it sat and sat until now, when I decided that it would be the perfect canvas for a Christmas decor project for right in my family room. Of course, this really is a garland project, and that very tag garland can be used to decorate just about anything, it definitely does not have to be an old window.

I used a bunch of Christmas supplies I had here.

Gather a bunch of shipping tags of a size you like that will work in your space.

Spell out your holiday message.

Use your tag as a template to cut out patterned paper the correct size to cover your tag.

Cut out your patterned paper.

Cover your tag and punch a hole.

Here is the fun part. Decorate your tag. Add the first letter using pop dots. Have fun!!

Add a bit of darker patterned paper for some depth.

Step back and be happy with your small creation. And move on to the next one.

I like my tags all to be different, so here is the next one. Cover with patterned paper and use some washi tape as an accent.

Use a sewing machine to add some stitching.

Add some metal snowflakes. (These are just ideas to get you started. Create away! One tag for each letter!)

Here are all of them.

And what would a project using scrapbook paper be without some photos??

I now prepped my frame. I used my string and some tape to position where I wanted it all to be connected.

Sweetly ask someone who is good with a hammer to gentle add nails in your marked places and add your string. Knotting the string helps keep your lines in place even when the weight of the layers is different.

Now to make some snowflake garland. Punch out snowflake circles from various patterned papers.

Cut out around your snowflake.

Once you have a bunch of circles, you are ready.

Feed the snowflake circles through your sewing machine one after another.

Make ornaments our of the larger chipboard shapes. Leave the backing on the adhesive. Punch holes using a crop-a-dile.

Tie the string.

Now is the fun part. Decorating!!!

Be creative and have a fun time.

Your challenge: Get creative with tags! Big tags, small tags, plain tags, shopping tags…whatever you choose! Make something big, something small. Time to tag it up! Whatever you make, take a picture and upload it to your blog or a scrapbook page gallery. Leave a link to enter. Entries close at the end of Sunday the 20th of November. One lucky entry will be randomly chosen to win a $10 gift certificate to go shopping!

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About Corrie…
I am Corrie Jones. I happily design for American Crafts and Sketchy Thursdays. You can find me at my blog, or at American Crafts and Sketchy Thursdays.

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There is a very simple reason why the Christmas class around here is called Journal your Christmas, and that’s because it is the written element of the process that really makes this project worthwhile, in my opinion. That doesn’t mean you have to write at length (though you can) and it doesn’t mean you have to write by hand (though you can) and it doesn’t mean you have to draft and redraft until it’s perfect (though you can). It’s just the idea of thinking about a certain topic and taking a few moments to compose those thoughts in writing rather than running off, mid-thought, to the next hustle and bustle of the holidays.

With that in mind, I love to have elements in my journal that encourage me to write a bit more than just what will fit on the front of the page. So pockets are the perfect way to throw that in the mix. About ten of my pages will include pockets of some sort where additional writing (or other papers from the season) can be tucked away for safe keeping. Here are three easy techniques to prepare pocket pages in your Christmas journal!

Remember, these are just pages in progress and they will come to life throughout December. (Come to life? Really, Shimelle? It is paper you know. It’s not really going to become animate and walk in and ask for a cup of tea. Which is a good thing really because apparently I am quite terrible at making tea.) So there are no page numbers, titles or other themes yet. At this stage I just prepare a few types of pages that can then be used for any entry in the project. In terms of supplies, almost everything is from this kit I assembled earlier. Plus my three shades of cardstock (I’ve cut the pages and have a stack of off-cuts to put to use) and a few little extras I’ve mentioned specifically in each example.

Pocket #1 is a die cut journaling card (it’s by Lily Bee and in the kit) adhered on three sides but left open at the top. I’ll probably stitch this to pocket to the page, but I tend to save up my stitching then sew a big stack of pages in one session. I’ve added part of a sheet from the 6×6 Simple Stories paper set (also in the kit) with a ledger design so there is already paper ready and waiting for writing. (By the way, a few people have asked about that 6×6 pad as it’s currently sold out. If you are signed in and click the ‘request and notify me’ link, you’ll get an email as soon as it’s back in stock. I use that button a lot actually, and it’s way easier than constantly looking to see if something is back on the shelf.)

Pocket #2 I’ve used envelopes in every Christmas journal I’ve ever kept and I’m not stopping that tradition now. I use a mix of new envelopes and those that arrive in the post during December when Christmas cards start to arrive – especially if they have nice stamps! I love including our names and address written by our friends and family – there’s something very lovely when you pull a card from the letterbox and know who it’s from just by the handwriting, so I like that I can include that. But this page has a new envelope, ready to go. This was just a spare I had with a set of cardblanks (I always screw up at least one cardblank in the pack!) that I’ve glued to the page and topped with a border strip from the 6×6 paper pad. The patterned paper in the background is from the kit and the green border strip is from a roll of washi tape that I have been using so often lately that I don’t ever remove it from my desk! But that strip doesn’t need to be tape and could easily be replaced with a strip of paper.

As soon as I add an envelope, I add paper too! No excuses not to write that way. I have a giant stack of those journaling notebooks that Making Memories put out with every collection for quite a while, so I’ve pulled all the red, pink, green and cream pages and they are in my use-it-or-lose-it pile this Christmas. Whatever is left over in January will hit my donate box, as I’ve used these a lot over the years and I feel I will fall out of love with them soon. But for now, they are great for places to write!

Pocket #3 Sometimes it’s nice to have a pocket with some dimension so you can add more than a sheet or two of paper! I started this page with a 7×7 block of patterned paper (from the kit) and punched a border strip of cardstock (from the off-cuts pile) and added a bit of felt trim (this isn’t from the kit – any ribbon or fabric scrap would work or a border sticker). The journaling card in the middle of the page is cut from the 6×6 paper pad (the same as the other pages) and this time the pocket is adhered with foam tape to create the dimension. Use a roll of foam tape or a handful of pop dots to adhere the card on three sides, leaving the top open to hold whatever is needed. I’ve started with two labels cut from a Jenni Bowlin accessory sheet (from the kit) and I’ll probably add some real Christmas paper here too, like a tag from a present or part of a Christmas card.

Your challenge is to prepare a pocket for a Christmas page of your own! If you prefer to scrap some Christmas photos for your 12×12 albums, go for it with a completed page and a pocketful of writing. Or you can prepare pages ready for December! Whatever you make, take a picture and upload it to your blog or a scrapbook page gallery. Leave a link to enter. Entries close at the end of Sunday the 20th of November. One lucky entry will be randomly chosen to win a $10 gift certificate to go shopping!

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For our first tutorial today, I’m happy to welcome Pam Brown with a Christmas card project for you! Don’t miss you challenge at the end of this post!

I am pretty much at a loss when it comes to using patterned paper with big, bold prints. The best way for me to tackle them is to use them in small doses, or cut designs from them and use that as an embellishment. Here I cut the poinsettias out from a piece of patterned paper and used them as embellishments for my card.

Gather up your supplies. You will need a couple of sheets of patterned paper, make sure one has a floral print, or some kind of large print you can cut out, ribbon, a sentiment tag, and dimensional stickers (or whatever embellishments you would like!).

Create a card base measuring 5.5 inches wide and 4 inches high when folded. Trim one piece of patterned paper to measure 5.25 inches wide and 2 inches high, and the other to measure 5.25 inches wide and 1.75 inches high.

Adhere the strips of patterned paper to card base and stitch around the edges.

Cut 2 poinsettias (or other flowers) from patterned paper.

Add tag slightly off center to the right of the card. Tie ribbon through tag.

Add poinsettias cut from patterned paper, as well as a dimensional sticker and you are done!

Your challenge: Create a project with a design you have cut from patterned paper – like the poinsettias in Pam’s card. Take a picture and upload it to your blog or an online gallery, and share a link with the button below. Entries close at the end of next Sunday, the 20th of November. One randomly selected entry will win a $10 gift certificate to go shopping for scrapbook stash!

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About Pam…
My name is Pam Brown, and I live in Santa Rosa Beach, FL with my 2 kiddos and husband. I started scrapbooking after the birth of my daughter in 2005, and haven’t looked back since! I feel so lucky to design for American Crafts, Ormolu, and My Scrapbook Nook kits. I also enjoy photography, sewing, cooking, baking, and running. Please visit me at my blog and follow me on Pinterest.

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Here’s a very simple challenge for the early bird crowd! You don’t need to make a thing, but rather share something you have already made. Share a link to a favourite Christmas project you have made – whether it was this year or many years ago (just not something you have made this weekend).

From all the links posted, one will be randomly chosen to win a $10 gift certificate to Two Peas to choose some new scrapping stash!

Be quick – this challenge ends tonight, not next weekend like the other challenges. Now link us up and show off something you have made!

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Most of the projects this weekend are brand new, but there are a few favourites from earlier Christmases that I just had to bring out from the archives. Like this tag garland from last Christmas. I loved this garland – both having it hanging in our home and making several different versions with friends and in workshops. I love the idea of a tag Advent calendar or even keeping your Christmas journal on tags by decorating the front and writing on the back. I love how they can hang on the wall or the fireplace or the tree.

We’re making a new kind of garland with the JBS team this year. Each of us has made our own single piece for the garland, but we had to make them all without knowing what anyone else had chosen. And we’ve sent them off to Tennessee where they will be strung together as one full garland. My link in this year’s banner includes layered rub-ons and a bit of stamping.

See the banner come together at the JBS Inspiration blog.

Your challenge: well, make a garland of course! Whether it’s something you will hang on the wall or an accent on a page or a card, there has to be garland involved. Make it, take a picture and upload it to your blog or a page gallery. Then link it up with the button at the end of this post. Entries close at the end of next Sunday, the 20th of November. One randomly selected entry will win a prize pack of scrapbooking supplies!

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