Purple Dragon

Sorry for the absence - looking like posts may be sporadic this week too.   Family health just has to take precedence over punching and blogging. 

Hubby got back in the country and took his turn playing nurse so I did get to spend some time at home and jumped on the punches, because that is what makes me happy.  But don't expect tutorials this week because making those does NOT make me happy and we have enough unhappy this week as is.  I will be happy to answer specific questions.
Here is one of the things I worked on.

Mentioned my 'dragon days' in my Knight in Shining Armor post (which made me want to make a dragon) - I'm thinking this little guy looks a lot friendlier than I act on those days.

If you think this guy is cute then you need to go check out this guy - and this guy (who was inspired by the first one) absolutely the cutest punch dragons I could ever imagine!  I hesitated to even try a dragon because I knew I couldn't match them. So Clever and Amazing!

Not sure what project I'll use this beast on... but that really doesn't matter - it made me happy just to make him!

Back to nursing duty tonight. 

Raggedy Together

Had this punched ready to go but no funny comments, sorry. 

We are having a small parental health crisis so I'm scheduling this to post while I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to be three places at once.

I'll be back as soon as I can. 

Shiny Knight in Amour

Yesterday I showed you a Knight in Shining Armor.

Today I give you a Shiny Knight in Amour...

(groan)

Hey, I warned you about my sense of humor a long time ago. 

And the knight is shiny in real life (clear embossing).  Maybe I should add some glitter?  I can hear my sideline Eileen saying "yes, it needs glitter".

This will be going to a friend who has reentered the 'dating world' and is kissing toads again.

This is the sentiment I'm using...

You don't need a Knight in Shining Armor;

A Shiny Knight in Amour will be fine

I just hope he....

Treats you like a Queen!

I hope to make a chess piece queen from punches to go on the inside (maybe a pop up?) but I haven't done it yet - I have time before Valentines Day.

Knight in Shining Armor

He is my Knight in Shining Armor!

I made this for hubby because most days this feels true...

Of course there are a  few rare days when I want to harm him.  (That would be on my dragon days)

But I am showing you in case you can use it for a Valentine for your sweetie.

Here is the outside of the card...

Very Manly

And here is the inside of the card:

Pretty clever, huh?

And here is the sentiment from the retired NEW in mini catalog rub-on set Chat Room

He will be in full agreement...

(insert eye roll or smirk here)

Really, he is pretty wonderful (safe to admit without him getting a big head, he is out of town, too busy to read this)

I'm not doing a full tutorial on the card but I will show you this photo to help you with the Knight

Part of a 1.75 circle  - stamp with the new solid stripes set from the mini

For visor - take an ORNAMENT punch (no longer for sale) hole - re-punch a little bit above the hole to get this shape - You could just cut this by hand if you didn't take my advice and buy the ornament punch.  Draw lines by hand and add glitter

1 inch hole, punch around it with the wide oval, use the 1 inch circle to snip in both sides at the neck

large oval - stamp with Canvas (retired) to look like chain metal. (stamping pretty subtle, can easily be skipped)

I think you can do the face on your own.

The castle door was stamped with Wood-grain background and sponged heavily.  I got the oval shape for the door by tracing my scotch tape dispenser (like I did with the apron recipe holder).  Spiral punch for castle top.  Stonework done freehand (sloppily)

Three Stooges

Do you (or did you) have TV shows that your kids can't watch?

What am I asking?  OF COURSE you have shows your kids can't watch - I can't even watch some of what is on the tube.

My Mom had it easier back in the old days.  She only had to monitor four channels and they weren't even on 24 hours a day.  The Star Spangled Banner played around midnight and then all you could see was fuzz. (yes, I am older than dirt)

Still, Mom managed to find one show that was offensive to her - a local guy named Icky Twerp who introduced the Three Stooges to us on Channel 11 KTVT - he had a show called Slam Bang Theater - (oh the details I can remember!).  We were not allowed to watch.  Well honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to watch but because she was against it - that is exactly what I wanted to see! (Normal kid, huh?)  We watched at the neighbors every chance we got.

Hadn't thought of that in years but it came rushing back when I got an email request from Debby McGillivray late last week saying "My son was looking through all your punched artwork and fell in love. He wants to know if you could do Larry, Moe and Curly from the Three Stooges. He said if anyone can come up with punched ones it would be you".  Her son is 22. 

Girls, I thought the only thing I ever made that a 22 year old guy would care to look at was my 21 year old daughter. (grin)  If this young man cared enough to look at my punch stuff then I sure as heck am gonna punch him some Stooges!

It was harder than I thought - they had so many wild facial expressions!  I hope this captures some of what Debby's son wanted.  It was fun trying.

Moe and Larry - wide oval heads

Curly's head- 1.75 circle

Moe's hair - 1.75 circle

Curly's hair - sponged on

Larry's hair - scallop ovals, re-punched to make smaller

Moe's nose - small Heart to Heart with bumps cut off

Curly's nose - 1/2 inch circle then snipped straight on both sides angling just a little to be smaller on the top

Larry's nose - leaf from Two Step Bird

All eyes are white and black standard hole punch offset so you can see a bit of the white

All eyebrows are slot punch - Moe, cut in half - Curly cut in half again

All mouths are standard hole punch - cut for Larry and Curly

Curly's ears are small Heart to Heart

Now I need to ask my Mom what was "so awful" about the Three Stooges...

Love can sneak up from BEHIND

Doesn’t this rear view of Cupid just CRACK you up? (pun intended)

I grin every time I look at it.

The New Year baby got me thinking I could make Cupid. I started him while playing at my upline’s house but couldn’t remember what kind of hair Cupid had so Jenifer googled some images – lots to choose from –and it turns out Cupid can have lots of different hair styles.

However, one image had Cupid from behind.... So, of course, I had to try a version of that and well, it is all I hoped for.

Not that I spend a lot of time hoping to see cracks, but you know what I mean. The jokes and “suggestions” were flying around the room but I decided to keep this rated PG.

Body is wide oval reinserted into the butterfly punch - insert it from the opening so just one end of the oval is in the side of the butterfly – punch to get his rear cheeks. Then use the mat from the mat pack and an embossing tool to define the crack, add a little pink chalk to define his rear

Legs and arm are like the New Year Baby.

Butterfly wings - Iridescent Ice on the wings (suggested by my ‘glitter queen’ sideline, Eileen)

Snowflake and Heart to Heart for arrows

Word window for quiver

Scallop oval - re-punched to make smaller for hair

The first one I made didn't have the shiny wings or the chalk defined butt cheeks - and I positioned his legs a little differently - here they are side by side

I think I like the one on the left better for the leg out and the arrows spread - and the one on the right for the shiny wings and chalked rear.  Even using punches, nothing ever comes out looking EXACTLY alike.

Are any of you in the Valentine round of the HotSwappingMamas group?  This will be one of the 3D elements I make - sorry, one less surprise for you when your swaps arrive.

Dwarfs still on pause - I will get back to them but I am on Valentine mode for a few days.  Got to get these ideas out to you if you are going to have time to use them!

Cold then Cozy

First, a little proof that it is COLD here in North Texas

We haven't had precipitation since Wednesday

but I found this icicle on our house Saturday afternoon.

  Brrr....

Now something cozy and warm....

My friend, Jan, gave me this battery operated candle for Christmas - LOVE IT - you don't have to worry about an open flame but still get a great cozy glow and a delicious scent. I started to decorate this for a different project but liked the gingerbread man better than what I planned - and with the heart shaped cheeks I say the gingerbread man still works for Valentines!

Cold Birds on a Branch

Dwarfs on pause while I share something else.

I was catching up on reading some of the bazillion blogs I like to look at and POOF!  I HAD to make this card. 

The inspiration came from here - Kendra in Tuscon posts lots of fabulous pictures for inspiration on Wednesdays and I have earmarked many of them to come back to "someday" but this one just shouted PUNCHES - make this right now before it is the middle of summer and totally inappropriate! 

My card is not a direct "reenactment" of the t-shirt but I didn't stray too far.  The fourth bird is on the inside. 

Reminds me of our family  - Dad and Mom at home, one little chick about to hop off that branch and one that is basically gone.  I sure am proud of the little chicks I have raised!

But if this really represented our family, I'd have to be the short fatter bird... (scrunched up face here)

I am excited about the holly leaves because I figured out how to make them from punches without having to draw the lines - just my two little paws, the paper and the wide oval punch!  Problem is... I can't really teach it to you with just photos since I need both hands to do it.  If only I knew how to do videos...  and if only I had a tripod....

Learning to do video and learning to put it on the blog is on my list of things to do this year.  Hopefully before we start making Christmas items again, I'll figure it out.

More White Beards - Get your Grump On

For my "get well basket" project using Grumpy, I decided to include some pain reliever 'for when you are feeling Grumpy'.  I picked up a little sample size pack at the drugstore check out and cleverly attached it to a little card like this:

A slot punch and ribbon - a very low tech solution.

Used red sticky strip to secure this flap to the card base

See photo below:

Here is the scoop on making Grumpy...

Click to see the photo larger and read the words

Chocolate Chip - wide oval (not the large oval shown in the photo), HOLE from a large oval punched with a wide oval to get the hat edge

Blush Blossom - 1 inch circle, leaf from Two Step Bird, Small Oval

White - two Scallop Oval, re-punch one of them as shown, smallest heart from Heart to Heart

Black - two standard hole punch, HOLE from narrow heart in Heart to Heart -->>  move punch up from the hole and punch to get the narrow sliver for eyebrows, toss the black heart and scrap shown in the photo

Sponge Bravo Burgundy ink around the nose

Place the black of the eye at the TOP of the heart - add white highlight with gel pen

Layer beard parts as shown

Almost assembled but gosh, he doesn't look Grumpy yet!  That is because the EYEBROWS are the key to his personality.

 NOW he is grumpy!

Nose is popped up on a dimensional.

I like Grumpy - he may be my fave of the punched dwarfs - I just don't want to look or act like him.  But I guess keeping those eyebrows plucked would make anyone grumpy.  (grin)

More White Beards - Just what the Doc ordered

Woo hoo!  Back to PUNCH ART today!

I know some of you were disappointed that the blog focus wasn't punch stuff the past few days - but giving you all that scrapbook yakking (a class I had already prepared for something else) gave me

• time to spend with college girl (she left yesterday afternoon)
• AND gave me time to work up some new punch stuff,
• AND hopefully helped the three of you who actually read through ALL those words!

This dwarf project is moving slowly, not because I don't WANT to show you, but because my "cleverness"  only relates to punching stuff NOT finishing projects.

I finally came up with a way to use Doc.  (Remember, I'm trying to use the dwarfs in unique ways to make a "get well" basket...)

What do you think?  Will that work? Oh, who cares! - you just came for the tutorial anyway, right? (grin)

Here is a "how to" for Doc.

• More Mustard - full heart (trimmed with scissors) and large oval HOLE punched with wide oval
• Blush Blossom - 1 inch circle, 1/2 inch circle, small oval
• Basic Black - two standard hole punch
• Vellum, sponged with bashful blue - two standard hole punch
• White - smallest heart in Heart to Heart

Click on the photo in order to read the words

Add pen marks for folds on hat, eyebrows, glasses "ear pieces"

MAKE SURE you get your black eyes CLOSE (as in overlapping) because the glasses will go on the outside of the black parts.  Add white highlight with gel pen.

I sponged just a little bravo burgundy on the top of his nose.

To attach the glasses - I rolled up a mini glue dot and stuck that wad at the bottom of his eyes - so your glasses are just attached at the very bottom of the 'lens'.  This glue wad will show a little bit now but will be covered by his cheeks and nose.

I drew on a smile but it is not noticeable with the nose attached so you can skip that if you want.

 

You might notice my "fold" lines are a bit thick on the right Doc - I opened the wrong end of my stampin' write journal pen.  Oops!

I have "ideas" for most of the dwarfs - I just have to execute them. (Execute: To perform or carry out what is required  i.e., make the projects NOT execute- as in kill the dwarfs).

But I need HELP on one.  I'm struggling with a way to use Bashful in the basket.  The best I've got so far is putting him on a card and saying "Don't be Bashful, call me if you need anything".   Any better ideas out there? 

Get a Ton Done - Part 4 - Secret Weapon

First - before I bore you with more scrapbook talk, I want to share a punch project that was emailed to me Monday.  Valarie Williams in Kansas said I had inspired her to play with her punches - well, I'm really proud of that because look what she did!  She came up with this darling sock monkey...

Isn't he fabulous?  Great job Valarie and I really appreciate you sharing this.  Ladies, you can use him on a scrapbook page now that Santa time is over or just remove his hat and use him for anything you like.  Punches!  Gotta love them!!!!


Now back to the final installment of Get a Ton Done...
Today I reveal my 'secret weapon' for productive organized scrapping- it won't be a surprise (or a secret) to many of you card makers, but I found that many scrappers don't use it.  The secret weapon is SKETCHES.  That's right, they aren't just for card making!

I take several books/folders of sketchers and layout ideas with me.  They are great inspiration when my pages seem to all look the same or I need a starting point.  And BOY! do my sketch books get borrowed at crops!   I always meet someone at a crop who has never used sketches.

I tear sketches and photos of layouts I like from my scrapbook magazines and glue/tape them in a spiral notebook before I pass on/recycle the magazine.  I also regularly print sketch ideas from various web sites.

Of course you know me - I don't like to use things "as is" so I am apt to alter the sketch - flip it, add to it, change it, etc. but sketches give me a place to start - they narrow my choices and that frees me to get started and not have to try every possibility before I adhere my elements to my page. 

And yes, it is OK to tear up your scrapbook magazines.  It is just paper.  Why keep all those ads for products the stores don't even carry anymore? 

I had SHELVES of magazines and whittled them down to one huge file folder and I'm working on getting that down to a couple of spiral notebooks - just keeping the stuff that really appeals to me. 

I accomplished this by taking a stack and giving myself a deadline.  I had until X day to weed through the magazines and then I had to recycle them.  Then I'd do another stack with another deadline. 

I confess I kept a few magazines intact as a record of the early scrapping styles and a couple of my favorites but the rest are gone and HONEST, I don't miss them at all!  I can get plenty of ideas from current magazines and blogs - I don't need to dig through magazines from 6 (or ten) years ago.

If you really get into pre-planning your scrapping, you can select your sketches ahead of time too.  (Not just take the sketch idea books with you.) This would really make the most of your cropping time.  As you are reviewing your photos and picking your paper and embellishments, you could also be choosing a potential sketch for your layout.

I know after reading this mess for the last few days, it sounds like a lot of work but by planning in little bits of time it will add up to GETTING a TON DONE when you actually sit down to scrap!

Here are some sketch links:

http://pagemaps.com/
http://sketchesbytamara.blogspot.com/
http://www.scrapsuzy.typepad.com/sketches/
http://www.scrap-maps.com/
http://sosketchy.blogspot.com/

There are MANY more available, but SU says it is naughty for me to link you to any site that sells something other that SU, so look around and see what you can find to get you going on your 2010 scrapping!

Have fun!!

A Moment of Silence for the Ornament Punch

And now we will have a moment of silence for the beloved ornament punch which has been retired by the powers that rule at Stampin' Up! headquarters ...









I will be wearing black today and possibly a black arm band for the rest of the month as I mourn the fact that you can't buy her anymore. I can't believe she is gone....

Making the acorn from the ornament punch is really what got this blog going as a punch art factory. Never fear - I only have one more day to yak about Get a Ton Done and then I'll get back to the dwarfs (and other punch stuff)

But I must share a punch item today using my beloved punch - before I move her from the place of honor in the top right hand desk drawer - to the plastic drawer of retired punches.

Yes, it's her... The Inspiration Fairy!

Notice the punch on her wand.

Your own Inspiration fairy may look different - but this is mine.  If you see her, whisper in her ear to fly to Utah and inspire those folks at headquarters to bring back the ornament punch next fall.

By the way, my retired punch drawer is still easy access.  I will not stop using the ornament punch - I already have another idea using it for Valentines.  I sure hope you bought yours!

Get a Ton Done - Part 3 - Packing

Packing is an art.  Hubby travels internationally for business and can pack and leave at the drop of a hat for just about any climate or condition.  If I go on a trip I make lists and try on clothes and shop and make a huge production of packing - all because I don't do it frequently.

Since I have learned to scrap away from home, let me give you some packing tips...

You have your photos and paper ready to roll because you are all pre-planned right?  But you need more than that.  Here are my suggestions:

1) Basic Tools

• Paper Trimmer, scissors
• Adhesive (I take tape runner, glue pen and glue dots)
• Ind pads/markers/stamp cleaner - you should have a good idea what colors to pack since you have your paper chosen - you DON'T need to take them all - REALLY, I PROMISE.
• Grid paper - or scratch paper to stamp/sponge on
• Punches - take basics (borders, circles, ovals, word window)  it is doubtful you will be creating elaborate punch art away from home
• Post it notes - for documenting things you need to "add" when you get home

2) Tools YOU regularly use - for me they include

• paper piercer, mat pack
• crop-a-dile, hole punch
• dimensionals
• bone folder
• ruler
• pencil
• sponges/daubers
• distressing tool

3) Generic Embellishments (again, you know your basic colors from your planning)

• ribbon/fiber
• eyelets/brads/buttons
• basic paper (extra neutrals and extra colors for the "themes" that you are using - all I ever use is the extra neutrals but I find other ladies "borrowing" so I take a bit just to be helpful)
• large and small alphabet stamps (and I take rub ons - I use a lot of alphabet rub-ons for my titles)

4) Specific Items

• Stamp sets you noted you might need
• themed alphabet stamps that match your layout topics

5) Take a file folder and large zip-lock to store your extra paper and scraps so that you can easily return them to their "home" when you are done.  IMPORTANT - I didn't do this my first crop and was frustrated as the extra paper and scrap paper piled up around me.

6) What if you forget something?

• Usually if you forget something, SOMEONE has one you can borrow or trade for
• If you can't borrow and you MUST have it, use a post it note to document your idea, set the layout aside and finish it when you get home.

YOU DON"T NEED:
If you don't "usually" use ribbon, don't take any of it - you can always make a note and add it later. If you are a ribbon addict, take it.  Same for eyelets, brads, etc.  Think about your style and only take things you OFTEN use.  You do not need everything in your stash!

Another layout from my 80 page weekend.  This is the house we rented at Martha's Vineyard.  (paper from my stash -not SU) - You can see my 80 pages were not extremely complicated - but the photos and stories are now organized, nicely displayed and ready for viewing - not hidden in my computer.

ALERT!!!!!! WARNING!!!!!!! PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!

Today is the last day to order the ornament punch - it will not be available tomorrow.  Call your demo RIGHT NOW!   I have showed you so so so many ways to use that punch.  Surely you have it already!?!?!  But if you don't, today is the last day!!!!!!!!!

Get a Ton Done - Part 2 - Plan

Planning is the most important part of getting a TON DONE with your scrapping - PLAN PLAN PLAN.

For years, I just sat down, thumbed through photos decided which to scrap, pulled out every possible combo of paper since I am a visual scrapper and have to SEE it to know if it works or not.  Then I'd think of a title and decide how to do it - then I'd move the photos and embellishments (if I had any) around to make things work, then I'd decide I needed something else, or try another background paper or crop some more - and then I'd realize I had  not left space for journaling.  I'd use up all my time and not have a thing adhered to my layout.

What I learned is to PLAN before I left on my retreat - PLAN before my friend comes over to scrap with me - PLAN before that precious nap time (applies to you - not me - hubby and I are the ones that take naps at this house)  There are lots of things you can do AWAY from your scrapping area, while you watch TV or wait at the doctors or in the car pool line -and all this planning will make your scrapping time more productive.

1) Once you know your subject (yesterday's post) - GATHER YOUR PHOTOS.  Yes, that means get the digital ones printed - if you LOVE a photo, go ahead and get a 5x7 but for most photos stick with the 4x6 size.

2) When you have your photos together, SORT THEM INTO POSSIBLE LAYOUTS.  This doesn't mean you HAVE to use all the photos on your layout, or that you can't later split them up into two or more layouts but get them sorted into approximately what you would use on a layout.

(Did you notice that both of these steps can be done anytime? and anywhere? - not during your precious scrapping time)

3) PICK SOME POSSIBLE PAPER for each of these layouts.  I look at my photos considering:

• colors in the photo
• colors and style that support my theme, topic, story
• focal point of the layout

Using these as inspiration choose at least

• one piece of 12x12 pattern paper (I usually choose more, I know my style and I am rarely happy with a layout unless it has a least a tiny pit of pattern paper - if it isn't your style, skip it)
• 2 sheets of 12x12 cardstock (I am more likely to choose 4 sheets - 2 each of different colors)
• a few sheets of coordinating 8 1/2  x 11 cardstock

Lay these papers in a 12x12 box with the photos on top of the paper chosen.  (I regularly scrap 12x12 layouts - if you do something smaller you obviously will have different paper requirements)

I repeat this for each layout, stacking on top of the previous.

If I have no paper in my stash that will work, I order some, or (gasp!) go to a store and buy some, or trade with a friend.

Sorting the photos and selecting the paper is one stopping point in your plan if you are rushed for time, but if you start your planning early, you can still do more.

4) Go back and look through your prepared stacks

• add any pre made embellishments from your stash that coordinate
• note any stamp-sets that coordinate (snowflakes if you are doing winter layouts, etc.)
• jot down title ideas - prepare in advance if possible
• get enlargements printed if you need them
• think about your journaling, pre-type your journaling if it is detailed or you just want it typed
• you can reprint it later if you decide you need it bigger/smaller/shaped differently or on different paper but at least you have it written
• you can use hidden journaling if you plan for it as you start your layout

5) Repeat step 4 as often as you like

You can go back through these stacks as many times as you wish or have time for - the more you look at your photos - the more time your inspiration fairy has to work on your brain.

Now your planning is complete.  Even if you are not going on a long crop, if you have this preparation done you can make the most of each little window of scrapping time at home.  Your photos, paper and embellishments are ready to roll and you can be very productive.

I have found the more I go through a stack of photos for planning purposes, the more they stay on my mind and as I visit blogs or look though magazines, I will spot ideas that I can use on my specific layouts.  I will find myself in line at the bank and the "perfect" title idea will come to mind because I was just thumbing through my photo/paper stacks the day before.  Using this "method" lets you make progress on your layouts before you actually sit down to scrap.

And in 99% of the cases I stick with the paper I originally chose during the planning.  Occasionally something new will appear on my doorstep from Mr. Brown and I have to make a switch in paper but almost always I can sit down with stuff I planned 4 months ago and get busy.

Here is a page I did very quickly at a scrapping retreat because the page elements I used were prepared - they came from a swap I had done.

I cannot tell you who made this title or chipboard star because I did this page before I was a blogger and did not make note of the stampers I swapped with that month.  They came from the Yahoo group HotSwappingMamas.  If you recognize them as yours, please let me know so I can give you credit.  They were just perfect for this beach shot from Martha's Vineyard - I just added paper, brads, fiber and photo.

If you are into this... come back tomorrow for my suggestions on packing for away from home scrapping.

If you aren't into this...  Here is a little punch project from my past to reward you for scrolling down this far:

Get a Ton Done - Part 1 - Decision

Yeah, I know you come here to see punch stuff.  And I promise, I will get back to the dwarfs and some new stuff that is percolating in my brain.  But since so many of us turn to thoughts of ORGANIZATION with the start of the new year I wanted to share something with you.

I'm going to share some tips on getting your scrapbooking done in a way you might not have considered.

Most of us work on one page at a time - some work quickly and steadily to scrap their precious memories - some spend days creating artistic masterpieces and love doing it -  but some of us labor for hours and/or days on layouts and want to get more done with less frustraton. 

I want to share with you a class I developed in 2009 after I finished 80 pages in less than 48 hours on a scrapbook retreat.  (Yes, I typed those numbers correctly, 80 pages in one weekend retreat)

And while this is geared for going away for a scrap retreat, the ideas will still work wonderfully for your long term scrapping at home. 

If you don't scrapbook and don't care to start, take a few days off from the blog (or maybe not, I might sneak in a punch share or two during all the yakking)

Here is an outline of the class
1) Go with a group where you don't know everyone - you won't visit as much. (I'm not kidding)
2) Plan, plan, plan
3) Pack the right things
4) Use Ellen's Secret Weapon

Since I can't help you with #1, my focus will be to help you plan and pack.

Here is the basic decision to make:
Choose ahead of time what you are going to work on.  It is easier to work on a "theme" or two, like Christmas pictures or vacation, or a pet album, or your own childhood, than to just grab a lot of random photos.

By limiting your subjects, you limit the supplies you need to take.  If you are working on your vacation to Disney, you won't need your Christmas stickers or your formal alphabet stamps.  If you are working on your parent's anniversary album you probably won't need your pirate stuff but you might need your vintage stamps.

If you insist on scrapping chronologically and use an album where you must do each page IN ORDER then you will have a harder time packing because you will need to take more, but the planning ideas still apply.

Tune in tomorrow for my tips and ideas on PLANNING

Here is one of my layouts from my productive retreat:

I used a combination of rub-ons (not SU)  for my title quote which was the perfect summation of our Spring Break in Hawaii one year.  Oh and just to be perfect clear that is NOT me in the bikini.  That is college girl who as the time was High School girl. 

Welcome 2010!

Happy New Year!

I hope 2010 is a wonderful joyous year for you. 

May you you find everything you need and a few of the things you want. 

May the sun shine bright for you, unless you really like snow and then I hope flakes fill your life.

I realize that unless you are scrapbooking a New Year event this comes a little late for you to use.  However, you might save the idea for next year or you might need to make a baby without the hat and banner so here is a tutorial.  (See me trying to start the year as a helpful blogger?)

You need these punches:

Blush blossom:

two 1.25 circle punches
two medium hearts from Heart to Heart
one large heart from Heart to Heart
two small hearts from Heart to Heart
one standard hole punch

White: 

one Small Heart (new, available Jan 5)
scrap with large oval punched on the edge

Black: 

two standard hole punch

Chocolate Chip (or other hair color):

scrap with standard hole punched from the corner

Insert the two medium (wide) hearts into a 1/2 inch circle punch - this is making the legs/feet

Punch the 1/2 inch circle punch around the hole in the chocolate chip paper to get a curl - turn you punch over and look at what you are punching

Punch a 1 3/8 circle punch over the oval hole in the white scrap to get a moon shape

Cut the large narrow heart in half as show below...

Take the white moon shaped diaper and slip it into a circle punch just a tiny bit to punch two leg openings

The punch pieces shown below are what you will need for assembly...

Here is a RARE photo - I am letting you see the back of one of my creations - so you can see the assembly - very easy but looks messy since I ran out of mini glue dots and used another type from my stash.  Can't wait until my order gets here with a HUGE supply of mini glue dots!

Almost done

Add pen/marker mouth and navel

If  you need the hat directions:

start with a scrap of black shaped like this, a small oval hole in blue paper and a large black oval.

Slip the wide end of your black scrap into an oval punch (insert from the center of the punch - just putting one edge in)  to round the top of your hat,

Punch an oval offset from your hole to get a blue curved strip

Below you see the hat forming

snip off the excess hat band

Add some highlights if you want and you have a new years baby

If you want the banner I showed at the top of this entry - it is cut freehand - sorry, SU only gives me a certain number of punches to work with. 

I'm trying for Helpful Teacher not Miracle Worker....

I think he is pretty cute and I hope you can find a way to use him.