It's A Girl!

Greetings Friends,

So how is everyone today on this beautiful March 1st day?  Staying creative I pray!

I have encountered so many new things this past week.  I have so much to share and not enough time to tell it all.  But isn't that the problem with all of us creative geniuses? <insert huge grin here>

A cousin of mine, well, really my sister's cousin, my sister and I have different mothers.  Anyway, my cousin's daughter had a little baby girl in October and I asked my cousin for some photos of the baby to make an album to surprise her daughter with.  So that is what I am going to share with you today.

Now remember the Mini Matchbook album from Laura of "Following the Paper Trail" that I did for the Spring challenge by Mary of "Cardz TV"?  Remember how much I loved the album?  Well I did another one this time in a baby theme.  I will post the link to the blogs of these two creative women below.

So here is the moment you have been waiting for. Dun, dun, dun!  The unveiling of the "It's A Girl" Mini Matchbook Album....

I really love how this came out.  It is not too busy.  I kept it on the conservative side because I am not completely confident on the mother's taste and style.  I had to create the swirl bling with the gem pieces I had because I didn't/don't have any swirls.  I used some silk flowers that I found at the $.99 store.  The gems, glitter letters and some of the velum stickers are from EK Success.  The patterned papers are a part of three different packs.  1) The Butterbean Baby Girl pack from Marcella by K&Company, 2) Brenda Walton Small Wonders Girl - Double Sided Mat Pad by K&Company, and 3) the Pastel Mat Stacks by Die Cuts with a View.  The card stock used is a pastel pack from Nicole.  The pacifier and white roses are by Trico.  The pacifier, roses and sheer white ribbon are also from the .99 store.  :D  Love those!  Some of these items can be purchased online.  Other items used are retired. :(

Here is the spine of the album.  I LOVE adding embellishments to the spines when I can.

Okay, let's go inside the album...

Isn't it Pretty?!  I just received the "Baby Stats" from the Grandmother, my Cousin, so I will print those out on some vellum and adhere that to the inside cover (on the green side).  Here is how I did the cards...

So Sweet!  The Titles are from "Me & My Big Ideas (MMBI)".  Unfortunately, these vellum stickers are discontinued, they are from 1999.  BUT, here is a great trick!!!  SCAN THEM then you print them out and use them over and over again.  This is really great for those stickers that aren't being produced.  Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of buying supplies when they are being produced.  Otherwise that is just bootlegging!  But these stickers are so old.  I checked the MMBI website first to buy these stickers, then I checked eBay, then all of my other sites that I go to.  Then I googled the stickers and still found nothing.  So don't say, "Kelli told me not to buy multiple supplies." That is not what I am saying at all.  :)  The tabs on the cards, the flower, heart and star, are cut with the cricut from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge on page 71 of the book.  I used Tall Ball>Shift>Tag at a 2" setting.

I Love these cards!  The daughter sentiment (left) is from the vellum Quote Stacks by Die Cuts With A View (DCWV).

So Cute.  The distressing on the left card is actually done with pastel chalks.  The reason: because I do not have any of those little ink ones.  And I figure, use what you got until you can get what you want, or need!  The vellum letters (left) are from Miss Elizabeth.  I propped the picture of the baby (right) with dimensional stickers.

Watch video about the materials used on YouTube

Hush now, sleeping in progress.  LOL!  I make myself laugh sometimes.  I think these are my favorites.  Mainly because I adore the pictures.  I had such a great time making this and I pray that the new Mom will like it as well.

So, feel free to let me know what you think, and if you have any ideas on how to make the next one better.  Thanks for spending some time with me.  I look forward to our next get together! :D

http://www.followingthepapertrail.blogspot.com/
http://www.cardztv.blogspot.com/

Spring Challenge - "Hello Spring"

Hello to you this day,

This is the first blog from Favorite Favors here on "My Favor8 (favorite) Blog."  I have decided to enter a contest that Mary from CardzTV is having.  The challenge is to create a card, layout or craft project that is all about spring.  So after lots of consideration, I decided to look through my many stacks of paper for inspiration.  I found it with my "Garden Party" pack from Making Memories.

With paper now in hand, I needed to decide what type of project will be made.  I saw a tutorial on Youtube from Laura @ Following The Paper Trail, on her Matchbook Mini Albums and I fell in love. This was the answer to my prayers.  A Matchbook Album became the order of the day.  So, here is my Spring version of Laura's Album for Mary at CardzTV.  My project is entitled "Hello Spring".

I used pastel purple cardstock and the Making Memories Garden Party set including their chipboard letters and dimensional glitter stickers.  I also used adhesive rhinestones from Marcella by K&Company and some adhesive butterfly rhinestones I found at the dollar store to embellish the cover.

The inside cards are a mix and match of papers from the Garden Party pack.  Since the patterned paper was printed single sided, I cut 24 sheets and glued two of them together to create the double side.  I carried the butterflies to the inside of the album with the green, blue, pink, and purple butterfly ribbon I got from Walmart.  The other ribbons, the solid and the circles I purchased from a dollar store as well.  I LOVE dollar store finds!

I even added a butterfly to the spine on the album.

And here is the back...

I really had a great time making this album.  I am so grateful for the challenge and the idea.  Thanks Mary and Laura!!

Feel free to leave comments and critiques but only if they are good.  ;D  No, I'm just kidding.  Criticism can be good.  It challenges us and helps us to grow and become better.  And I am all for becoming a better crafter, wife, entrepreneur, person!

Quote: "Nothing is a waste of time if it adds to the person you will become." ~Love Comes Softly


Link to Mary @ CardzTV: http://www.cardztv.blogspot.com/ 
Link to Laura's Matchbook Album: http://followingthepapertrail.blogspo...