Finished for the new arrival

I totally forgot to upload my tiny pic so you gals know it's me posting. Hahaha! That's my bad. See, what happened is, sometimes if I want to post about an image I have stored in my Flickr account, I just compose the blog entry through Flickr, with the help of internet magic. That means no ability to upload pictures until after the fact...and I totally forgot. But hey, it's me, okay? So you know. Nichole with an H. Rawr.


baby bits and pieces
Originally uploaded by soleclaw23.

Wow, so I made this like, before September and I'm only just getting around to adding it to the blog!

In August my sister-in-law called me to create a collage for her new sister-in-law (her husband's new little sister...yes they're really young!).

She wanted something similar to the collage I created back in Boston with Sharon...remember the buttons with the silhouette of E, Sha? Well, my SIL saw it and loved it, but had a few requests.

It had to be pastel. They knew it was a girl, though she didn't quite know what colors were in the room. So just make it girly.

It had to incorporate Precious Moments somehow. They love PM.

It had to have her birth info - date, size, name - plus a spot for the mother to add a picture.

I had been eyeballing the latest "bits and pieces" collages by some of my friends on flickr and knew immediately that was the format I would go with.

This is the finished result! I had tons of baby girl themed things that I didn't use for Eleana (I definitely overshopped in preparation for my little one) that were perfect for this project.

I'm told the baby's mom loved it so much she hung it in her living room instead of the baby's room so everyone could see it. It makes me so happy that I made someone happy by making a simple gift.

Nichole P.

scraplifting squealer

Hi ladies! Nichole here. I think I need to clear something up here. I guess some of you don't fully read the posts (Sharon the skimmer) which leads you to assume that everything I post is of my design. It's not! I'm an addicted scraplifter! Much like a shoplifter, I see a page design I like, I take it! To be honest, I'm struggling with my creativity. Designing pages is something I'm working on. I don't feel as a scrapbooker or as an artist that design the page is my strong point. If I want to go anywhere I need to begin designing things on my own.

Until then, if you see something like this:

Or if I use the word "INSPIRATION" I'm hinting that I copied the design of another page. I like to give credit where credit is due, which is why I display the originals when I can. Pictured above is an example of a dyptic photo mosaic I created with my Flickr.com account. The yellow page on the left is by the lovely and very talented Mikaela2005 on Flickr. The green page is my recreation of that, using a photo of my husband.

So, in my latest post proof Nicole commented she liked both of my pages. Only the first page is mine. I explain that within the post, but y'all skim when you read. The second page is by the lovely Rita, whom I met through Scrapologie.com. You can view the original as she posted it here.

Does that clear some things up a bit? I hope so!

Extreme Makeover (altered house project)

Posted by the oh so beautiful and talented Ms. Sharon

I used to merchandise at a local scrapbooking store. Meaning I'd take incoming product and create dazzling displays. After a bagel and strong cuppa Joe I'd create my magic, then step back and watch the customers' adrenaline surge. Sometimes narrowly ducking the swarm - like bees drawn to honey.

The best part of my job was creating eye-catching, sometimes eclectic visuals. The reward? Watching the line sell. Or rather, upsell. Not just the specialty paper, which the store was becoming known for. But for the accessories that went along with it. I liked to coordinate little hints to help "guide" the customers. And most often, it gloriously worked.

...With the exception of these darn little cardboard houses. They arrived before Christmas, and I was given the challenge by my boss to alter one and merchandise it accordingly. So. I set out with a simple design using buttons from the Creative Cafe (cross merchandising) then used Diamond glaze and chipboard for the windows and door.

.

No one took the bait. I think my mistake was not making it more "interactive". See how my daugther's reaction was to open the door?

AND SO, in comes the line from Love, Elsie. As much as I adore her whimsical designs, it wasn't a big seller. Our demographic is more conservative. So I offered to take the above house and reinvent it to help sell the line and - once again - try to move those darn cardboard houses.

I altered it mostly using the paper from the line. The windows are stickers that come with the line. I used my "Doodling for Papercrafts" book to embellish the lettering. My white SIGNO pen is my current fav tool of choice.

You'll notice I made an explosion album in the center. I had to use THREE magnets on each side to keep it closed and not frighten the customer, should they open the door and peek inside! Inside, I used the coordinating papers and rub-ons. Click on them to enlarge the details. There's so much you can do with this line! I boxed in and highlighted certain words to make "captions" for the pictures. For an extra touch, I made the chimney and used the paper from the line for the heart smoke stack. Enjoy!

I am a gift giver, I just can't help it!

Above I used my old stash of papers from way back in the day of Michaels and AC MOORE, you know long before the Dream was a thought. The BG chipboard circle is covered in BG PP. The ribbon is doodlebug designs. The flowers are Prima Mini Me. Title is made with the Cricut font ALL MIXED UP. The brad is I believe Karen Foster halloween pumpkin.

Below is K&Co papers. Glitter is was already on the green paper and the purple web paper. The skull paper did not have glitter so I added some to the eyes with Stickles and to the bones as well with stickles. I AM A STICKLES JUNKIE! Again Bats are Karen Foster Brads. The letters are from my old stash of Making Memories letter stickers. I used my CM Circle cutter for the circle pics.



The Pirate Page is all Karen Foster Rub ons, I had a blast using them. And Bazzill paper. These pages are 9X9.

I have a really bad habbit of always buying things for people when I see something that I think suits them just because or making people a little something instead of buying things. For each memeber of my family and extended family, (my nana was one of 14 kids) I make a special little something for birthdays, wedding showers, baby showers. Although I really enjoy making my gifts because they come from the heart and I too would rather have something made for me instead of store bought, I tend to get frustrated because everytime I turn around it's an event of some sort. I feel like I am using all my scrappy scrapbook time making presents for people and not scrapping a lot of my own daughter and husband and I. lol.

Well, just wanted to share that tid bit of information with you ladies. After all this is not only a hobby for us ladies, it is an obsession, a passion and of course THERAPY!

Above are a few pages from the books I have been working on for my cousin and her daughter. The Pirate page is my all time fav from the two books I am doing for them and all I used were Karen Foster Rub Ons and Bazzill paper. Thanks for taking a peak.

PS - Everyones picture in Black and White looks FANTASTIC!

Talk to you all soon!

Nicole

Here to from "Why is it Brown?"

Well, the next post is by the talented Nichole P. Scroll down further please until you see my shining face. There's a short story and then the acrylic album. I know some of you would like to make one. Let me know and I'll plan a nighty-night for it!

Best,
Sha

Proof

Hey ladies!

I managed to go to another crop at Picutre to Page on Friday. It was really fun, and there were a couple new gals there for me to talk to. This means, as usual, I only finished one page.



I've been sitting on the plans for this for a couple of months now. I had everything I needed, including the picture, except for the paper. I knew I needed a soft and sweet floral, but all my florals were so loud and bright, not right for this page at all.

This problem was solved when I realized I was sitting in the seat closest to the My Mind's Eye Tres Jolie paper rack. Wow! This perfect piece of paper was staring me down the whole time! I just love the vintage wallpaper feel of it...it is truly tres jolie!

Well, and having everything is only half true. When I got to the crop I realized I didn't bring any flowers with me (except for the small Jolee's flowers), and had to borrow these larger flowers from a fellow cropper. Wasn't that sweet?

I can't take full credit for the design for this page. I saw a page from a fellow Scrapologie member that I had to emulate. It's so lovely, and I knew it would be the perfect concept for this sweet picture I have of Eleana.

INSPIRATION:



I didn't realize until just now that my title is phrased differently from the original. There are many differences between mine and hers, of course I had to make it my own. I had trouble with the title and knowing where to put it...and I regret writing the rest of my title so far away from the word "proof."

Instead of fabric wings I used black rub-ons topped with stickles. The flowers I used were prima, plus Jolee's, I used some American Crafts buttons, a few brads from MM (fuzzy brown brads and shiny gemstone brads) and the pink buttons are MM as well. Annnd Thickers for the title. I love that shade of brown.

My color inspiration of purple and brown came from a mini toon on Nickelodeon. The one with the two clay blogs that laugh and play tricks on each other. The title came up as 'purple and brown' and I had a total ah-ha! moment.

Birthday Present for Grandmaw

Posted by Me, Me, Me!!! The above post was not me, it was Ms. Nichole P. (hey, nice rhyme!)

```````````````````````````````````````````````

It's 4:00pm. My husband says, "Hey - when we visit my Dad tomorrow, let's also bring up a birthday cake for Mom."

Crap-a-doodle. With everything going on with Pop, we forgot about my MIL's birthday. "Oh! (insert DING for bright idea) And I'll also make something!"

...here we go...

So we set off to Home Depot for some crafty fixins.

5:00 pm phone rings.

"Where are you?" It's my friend at The Dream crop shop. I was supposed to be there already.

"Uh. Buying scrapwood. And purple paint - for my kitchen...."

"WHAT? You're painting your kitchen PURPLE?"

"Yeah, it was a spontaneous decision. I was on the loo looking through a Pottery Barn catalogue..."

"Are you coming tonight or not?" my friend is getting impatient.

"I'm coming right now."

6:30pm.

Still at Home Depot. Looking at cabinetry for a whole new kitchen.

I initially set out to buy scrapwood for an altered project for my MIL's birthday. Then got sidetracked buying purple paint. Then came across a kitchen to die for. I wanted it right then and there. Impule, impulse, impulse.....

Well. I'll tell you what impulse got me. It got me 1 hungry daugther, 1 tired husband, and 1 daughter-in-law minus a present for her MIL.

6:30pm.

Heading home with a car smelling like McDonalds (none for me, thanks - I hold out for PB&J at home) and a trunk-load of scrapwood.

6:45pm.

Upon entering the house, husband informs me he won't be able to cut and sand the scrap wood for my project in time for me to meet up with friends at The Dream.

6:46pm. Panic.

7:00pm Turn scrap room upsidedown trying to find the perfect project. Finally decide on an old standby -- the good 'ol acrylic album.

7:05 Printing pictures

7:10 Printing pictures

7:15 Still printing pictures

7:20 Jesus H. I should get a job a photo mat. Still printing pictues.

7:30 Arrive alive at The Dream.

7:35 Talk with other croppers

8:00 Shop

8:30 Talk more with other croppers

9:00 - midnight Talk, eat, talk, talk, talk, etc., etc.

12:45 Come home with only TWO pages to show for myself.

~ I will say one thing though - I won a raffle to get a goodie out of the gift bin. And got a book o' letter rub-ons, which I used on the name tags, below.

The next day 9am
Bolt upright and finish book. Husband says we're to be at MIL's house by noon for lunch.

11:30 Phone rings. I'm sitting at kitchen table in my boxers. ATG tape all over. MIL asks if we're almost there. Uh. not quite. Heh heh. "We haven't left yet because I'm making, no, finishing your birthday present?"

Well. At least it softened the blow. I tell her we're leaving in half an hour.

12:05 I hate the last page, rip it to shreds and redo it. Husband reminds me we were supposed to be there already.

12:30 Shower.

1:00 Take entire project in car and finish bling and rub-ons on the ride up. Using every last second to pimp out each page. I devote a page to each granchild and then to her own children. That way, everyone including the kids can enjoy browsing through it.

1:30 Put gift in MIL's hands. She loves it. Wipe sweat off brow. I am redeemed for another year.

Enjoy (below!)