THANK YOU SOLDIERS.

To all of those, past, present and future (and their families) who have served and defended our country and our FREEDOM....

THANK YOU!

YOU ARE MY HEROES.

ARTHUR ELLSWORTH HANNAM, USAAF

I MISS YOU DAD!

6 years in the U.S. Army Air Force

Served in Tinian in the Mariana Islands of the South Pacific and was a mechanic for the B-29s, including the Enola Gay.

730th Engineering Squadron

359th Service Group

May 1, 1918 - May 22, 2001     

 God Bless the servicemen and servicewomen whose sacrifices I cannot begin to imagine.

 
 

OKLAHOMA TORNADO RELIEF CAMPAIGN

Just a quick post tonight. I have just found out that Close to My Heart has a special campaign going on right now to help the Oklahoma tornado victims and their families. They have been in my prayers so very much.

Here is their email sent out today to the consultants:

"The tornado in Oklahoma has had a devastating effect and Close To My Heart wants to help. To aid relief efforts, Close To My Heart is making a new Autumn/Winter 2013 stamp set, A True Thank You ($2.95 retail), available immediately and will donate 100% of the profits from sales of the set from May 23 through June 30 to the American Red Cross."

 Here's the darling stamp:

By ordering this stamp, you will be doing a little bit to help out the Oklahoma tornado victims and their families.  Go to my online store here to purchase this stamp. The cost is $2.95.  I think this is really admirable that this company is stepping forward to help in this way.  They are so awesome!  This is another reason I'm glad to be part of this great company.
 
 

SPRING IS SPEAKING TO ME!

For some reason, I just can't get enough of flowers right now!  I guess it's the warmer weather. I want to SEE all of them!

I wish there were more flowers to see here in La Pine, Oregon, but it's a late spring, so I'm going to have to go back to my cache of photos from springs gone by.

Beautiful blossom from my Pink Dogwood tree up in Washington state! I'm very partial to Dogwoods! Do you know why?

My sweet pink Rhododendron from my last home in Washington State.

Of course, birds are so much a part of Spring! This is a pretty Tree Swallow that has chosen to gift us with a nest of babies in the little birdhouse right outside our front door!

I am going to do more "bird watching" and bird photography this year!

Not flowers but this old photo that I took along the Oregon coast spoke to me today.

Gardening is truly an art form and so good for my soul!

I am one of those people who NEED flowers in their lives!

HAPPY SPRING, WARM WEATHER AND GARDENING!

(Note:  All content © PINK PAPER COTTAGE. Please do not copy, use or print my photos and images without linking to this blog and my name. These are my own personal photos. Thank you!)

 
 

SHORT VIDEO - GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING!

National Scrapbooking Month Video

Close To My Heart is celebrating National Scrapbooking Month with the unique Dream Pop paper packet at a bargain price (only available during May). Watch the video to get your creative juices flowing! 

(Note: to watch this video, you need to go to my blog by clicking on my blog name at the top of this email).

This video will get you excited about this gorgeous DOUBLE paper pack! Yours for $10.00 when you place a $35 order on my website here.  

HAVE FUN!


 

MINI TAG MERRY-G0-ROUND ALBUM TUTORIAL - PART I

As promised, here is Part I of my tutorial for this DARLING and fun mini tag album that I found on YouTube a couple of weeks ago. I LOVE MINI ALBUMS!  It is made using only 1 piece of 12x12 paper!  I watched the tutorial from Paperkitz. Here is the link to her tutorial. It's nicely done and easy to follow, but I thought a written guide would also be nice.

I did a little sample tag album (below in gold) to show how it's done, so that is what I'll cover today, the basics of putting it together. 

 THIS IS MY PINK ALBUM I'M PLAYING WITH BUT NOT DONE YET.

Here is the basic cutting diagram. Use a heavy cardstock or kraft paper. You get 6 tags and the 6 inch piece will be the binding which is cut down to 6 x 5-1/2".

These 3x6 inch pieces are your tags, or you can buy precut tags of this size for this particular 3x6  album. Once you learn how to make this album of this size, then you can cut or buy different sizes of tags and make any size album you want. Here is what the cut pieces look like:

You will be scoring the 6 x 5-1/2" piece for the binding.

To make your tags:

Cut off each tip, about 1/4" from tip inward.

After cutting one tip off, use it as a pattern for the other tip so that they will be even.

  

For the binding, score the 6" x 5-1/2" square at every 1/2". Put the 6" edge along the top of your score board.

Once it's scored, accordian fold it tightly and press hard and bone fold your creases.

It will look like this - this is your binding.

If you decorate each tag, front and back, BEFORE you put the binding on (like I did below), then the binding does show on the left page.  As shown below, the 1/2" binding covers the inside left page of the album.  If you decorate each tag afterwards, then the binding is covered up.

If you want to add pockets or belly bands, then put those on your tags BEFORE adding the binding.

I'll show how to make pockets and belly bands in part II of this tutorial.

If you are distressing your tags, I would suggest distressing each before you add the binding. 

You can also make an album with 2-sided heavy duty cardstock and use pretty prints. Then you don't have to add another piece of paper on top of the tag, which is what I did with this pink booklet.  In the Paterkitz video, she did a basic album using white cardstock, and then decorated each page by making smaller tags of print papers and gluing the papers to each side of the tag.

OK.. now to add the binding. This is the fun and neat part!

Lay out your accordian folded binding as shown below, with the ends facing UP (below):

You will start gluing each tag from RIGHT to left. Start on the right flap that is pointing up, and put glue or score tape (or use your ATV gun) to glue along the far right flap. Then place a tag on top of the flap as shown below. Abut the tag right next to the score line but not over it.

See where the flap is underneath this first tag. BE SURE THE BOTTOMS ARE LINED UP.

I really like SCOTCH Quick Drying Tacky Glue for gluing.  You need a good strong tape or glue. This quick dry glue does not pucker the paper and dries really fast.  If you don't want to mess with glue, use the red tape or score tape that comes in rolls for a really strong hold. Your Tombo adhesives will not hold the booklet together as it is not strong enough.

You will be placing each tag in the VALLEY of the accordian folds. Glue the RIGHT side of the valley that is to the LEFT of the tag you just placed:

and then place the next tag, being careful to line up along the bottom and place it right next to the score fold in the valley (see below):

See how the next tag is placed? line up the bottoms of the tags and binding.

 Now continue placing each tag as described above. It should look like this as you add the tags:

Remember, you are working from right to left.  When you place the last tag on the far left valley, there will be a loose flap on the far left sticking up (below). Glue or tape that flap and press it down onto that last tag that you just glued down.

Here is what it looks like after you glue that top flap down.

Now press the entire booklet flat, like this and burnish with your finger or bone folder all of the 1/2" bindings that you glued or taped.

You have one more step to finish the binding.  You will notice that the back side of the booklet is still floppy and open. You want to glue together the remaining accordian folds. Stand the booklet up with the accordian folds pulled apart. Top of tags should be to your right (see below). Now put glue or tape on either side of each valley fold so that when you squish the book together, all of those folds will get pulled together. You only need to glue one side but if you do both, that's OK. It is hard to explain it here, but just picture in your head that you want all of these folds to be stuck together!

When you're done, squish the folds together, and hold and press down, hold and press down, until it has adhered.  I put something heavy on top for a few minutes to be sure it sticks really well.

I liked using the Scotch Quick Drying glue here as you can kind of spread it along the outer folds and it acts like a binding.  It dries clear so you can't even see it.

Now you can lay your album down and it opens up like this (below) or you can stand it up like a Merry-Go-Round!  Neat huh?

 

At this point, you can punch the tops of the tags.  If you have a Crop-A-Dile punch, you can punch all 6 tags at once.  I punched about 1/2" down from the top of the tag and centered the hole.

If you've used design papers, then your album is almost done! All you have to do is add embellishments, lace, ribbons, stamps, etc.  My pink album shown at the top of this post used my Close to My Heart Chantilly papers for the actual tags. For my gold booklet, I'll have to cut some pretty papers and glue them on each side of the tags. I'll probably cut some smaller tag shapes to use.

See my Part II tutorial coming soon, and I will show you how to add pockets, belly bands, photo flaps and mini booklets to put inside your pockets.  And I'll (hopefully) show you my finished pink book!

I hope you have fun with this! I LOVE it and plan to make many more. Email me if you have any questions, or make a comment and I will respond.

FREE PJ PARTY ON MAY 30TH! Big Picture Classes.

I HAD SO MUCH FUN at the NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY EVENT at BIG PICTURE CLASSES on May 4th, that I have signed up for their next FREE event.  Even MORE exciting?  This pajama party is sponsored by CLOSE TO MY HEART!  Read the details below.

This just in from Close to My Heart!

It's a Pajama Party!

Close To My Heart is teaming up with Big Picture Classes to bring you a live webcast with step-by-step instructions for making this Happy Thoughts kraft container. The FREE webcast will air Thursday, May 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (PDT) or 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm (MDT), etc. depending on your time zone. During the presentation, you’ll learn to make several projects from a variety of sponsors, including Close To My Heart’s Happy Thoughts kraft container, as the presenter walks you through the steps.   

During the Pajama Party, Close to My Heart is providing an exclusive project taught by Stacy Julian along with amazing prizes and giveaways offered throughout the evening. Get to know Close to My Heart better here.

Watch the Pajama Party by yourself, with other Consultants, or with your friends for a fun crafting pajama party. Anyone with an Internet connection can watch! and it's right in the comfort of your home!

The Pajama Party class will be available for FREE at BigPictureClasses.com on May 30. If you would like to interact on the message board, participate in live chat, post to the gallery, download handouts, or enter any contests, you will need to log in to the Pajama Party “classroom” by creating a free account on the Big Picture Classes website. (below is a photo from their website. Just click on "Pajama Party" in top toolbar on THEIR website (not below) and you can register - so easy! and it's FREE for this class). I think there is also a short video from Stacy Julian that you can watch once you are on their website.

How to Party With Us
Visit this page on Pajama Party night to watch for free, and we'll keep you company while you work on your latest projects from whatever class you're currently taking. You can also complete our Featured Project, chat with us live, complete fun creative challenges, and enter to win prizes-but only if you register for our private Pajama Party classroom and community. 

Here's what Stacy Julian says about this kraft container project:

 
What's in a Pajama Party? Six fun-filled, inspiration-filled, and prize-filled segments:

• Popcorn Bowl + Popcorn Poll
• Teachers' Tip Trio
• Partner Project
• Guest Pajamas
• Under the Covers
• Partner Project Finale

 NOTE:  I'm not sure what the other five segments have, but I assume they are also free.

*********************************************************************************

All of the above information was taken from the Big Picture Classes website.  I had never joined in on a "web class" before May 4th, but it was really fun! The National Scrapbooking Day Event was 10 hours of challenges! I did 8 of them and posted them on the gallery as I went along. I'm planning on doing a blog post on those challenges as they were tons of fun and now I'm hooked!  Each time I posted a project in their gallery, I was entered to win a prize.  It looks like this PJ party class is the same as it mentions lots of prizes!  What a fun way to win scrapbooking and crafting supplies!

Note: After you sign up, and log in, go to the right hand side of the website and click on "My Classes" to find this class that you have registered for.  I had a hard time figuring out, at first, where to go to actually find the free class (last May 4th) that I had registered for.
  
I thought of making little kraft container kits for this class, but wouldn't have time to order the supplies, get them, make the kits and then mail them to you!...... but........... YOU still have time to order the little kraft container(s) and any other supplies you want. They are $3.95 each, item Z1833.  Or, you can just use ANY sheet of B&T (printed paper) and coordinating accessories that you already have on hand to complete a CUSTOM TO YOU version.  If you don't have stamp sets, you can hand-write on a tag that you cut out yourself or buy at your local craft store.

It's all for THE FUN of these online classes!  The little kraft container project also has 52 awesome downloadable creativity starters to go inside. 

That is what is so fun about these classes! You always learn some new tidbit of information, or get free items or downloads.  You will also "meet" some super talented ladies.

Sorry this was so long, but just HAD to tell you about this PJ Party.

HOPE TO "SEE" YOU THERE!

 

 

HELPFUL INFORMATION

Although I seem to concentrate mostly on card making, did you know that our scrapbooking products are so great and versatile that you can do layouts that don’t require stamping? You don’t have to apply ink to our paper to have gorgeous and fun scrapbook layouts! 

Take a look at the Surfs Up collection for an example.

JUST LOVE THIS CRAZY WONKY PAPER WITH WAVES!

Here is the "Especially Creative Level 2" scrapbook layout using Surfs Up featured on pg 52 of the current Idea Book. 

It is created with just the paper pack and the Surfs Up My Stickease. No stamping! You could also add some cute little buttons, pinwheels or rosettes from the Surfs Up Assortment if you wanted to.

The following pictures are the My Stickease embellishments used:

Look on each page carefully and you'll see that most of the My Stickease were used on both pages. No stamping!  There are some little journaling strips in the top picture of the My Stickease that are probably handwritten.  I think the only thing extra that was used on the first page layout was some of our Bakers Twine Paradise Assortment. That always adds a nice little touch.

The little strips around the edges, that look like washi tape are actually little My Stickease embellishments!  I had to look hard for this one! I thought they had actually used washi tape.

**** AND NOW HERE I GET CARRIED AWAY****

I know I'm getting carried away, but...........

1.  DID YOU ALSO KNOW that on the top of the page that follows the introductory page for each paper's pictures and stamp sets, etc. there are some little colored boxes suggesting the different colors of inks and solid cardstocks to use? Yup..... this is very helpful!  (see page 51 of the Idea Book, at the top left for Surf's Up color boxes).

2.  And remember.... we have 40 colors of solid card stocks to match the design papers in each paper pack.  For example, according to the little color boxes, solid colors to use with Surfs Up would be chocolate, crystal blue, ponderosa pine, sorbet, and honey.  The Surf's Up Gold and Surf's Up Teal are specialty colors ONLY included in this particular paper pack.  

3.  Most paper packs have a few "specialty" papers that are not one of our 40 colors that you can purchase separately.

4.  Each paper pack features two packs of My Stickease which are either stickers, chipboard, canvas shapes or foil, which you can purchase separately. On the back of each My Stickease pack, there are additional layout suggestions!

5.  For your future information, each paper packet displayed in the Idea Book shows a Level 1 (using our Studio J digital scrapbooking software only), Level 2 (using only paper and embellishments) and Level 3 (using papers, embellishments and stamping) layout.   The level of the layout is shown in the lower right hand corner of each layout in a burgundy circle.

I'm sorry this got so long but as I started writing, I thought of all of these things that non-consultants probably do not know!  

And thanks to Lalia at Crafty Lalia for the ideas I got from her April 11, 2013 blog post about Later Sk8r layouts and the no stamping process!

Have fun!
 .