Putting a kit to rest with a goodnight kiss

Today I realized there is almost less than one month left until I leave for the sunny waters of the Western Caribbean with my bestie on a scrapbooking cruise... !!! Some of the excitement is finally being allowed to express itself in my compulsive mind list making and various other mental pre packings that I love to indulge in before a big trip.  Hot topics in my head today include clothing, scrapbook tools, and what I want to create while traveling to Cozumel, Belize City, and the Honduras on board the Navigator of the Seas.

My friend and I signed up for this cruise about a year and a half ago, so looking forward to going and having it swiftly approach is throwing me for a loop! Happily, I've developed some systems this last year that will make it easy to know what's important for me to have along. Number one is a great travelling companion. Granted, she may not read a map with confidence that it will produce great driving directions, but my DF has a youthful energy that matches my own. There will be a lot of days when our cheeks will hurt not just from endless buffet munching but all of the laughs shared. We'll be snorkeling and zip lining off shore- scrapable adventures await!

As you can see by this picture, I've made myself quite at home with a few supplies and photos on my tv tray. With just one solid cardstock, and a few patterns and die cuts, I was able to put my February 2014 Embellish It kit to rest and created two pages in a few hours. Since all five pictures used were taken the same day, I scrapped directly to the back of my layout once it was complete, for twice the use from my beloved papers!

Working in my living room late nights (watched the entire Sons of Anarchy only to be left hanging in its gut wrenchingly wrong ending) has taught me which tools I reach for over and over again: my paper trimmer, long handled scissors, adhesive. I can do pretty much anything with whats around with those items! Next comes corner rounder, precision scissors, foam adhesive, glue dots, chalk ink. Standard embellishments include baker's twine and bling! I love 12x12 sticker sheets, they have alphabets and phrases and icons what more can you want? Patterned papers, and cardstock optional. I have never been at a loss for materials on which to scrap when the desire rises.

Now, how to decide which photos to bring along... do I need an album? My kits will be packed in the sleeves...and oh yea, clothes! I found two bikini bottoms and tops that should mix and match well that I can feel confident in, and then fortunately a friend of mine gifted me shorts and blouses that will be perfect for the balmy weather. I chose my ensemble pieces much like I do when building a kit; a few coordinating shades of solids and patterns that coordinate well with embellishments that can be used multiple times :-) I will bring no clothing that needs ironing, so I can smoosh it all in there along with my allowed bottle of wine. Can we say no corking fee?!
Our cruise package is being put together by Gail and Sheri over at Cruise One out of Florida. They are so kind to speak with and hosted a fun giveaway last year which I happen to have won. So, I already have a little cruise-related paraphernalia in stock! As I mentioned, there will be a scrapbooking space available 24-7 for us to set up in, and classes with a favorite teacher of ours, Embellish It!'s Shelby Dredge! She puts together beautiful kits full of plenty of the products I love. I've been looking forward to spending more time with her, especially since interviewing her for one of the last editions of Die Cut Crazy late last year.
Thanks for stopping by today, and let me know- have you taken a cruise and thought later about what you didn't need to bring? Always wanted to go on a cruise and never had the time, money, partner etc? Leave me a comment and then go make something... a boat related theme to your project scores bonus points!

Back in the Backyard -Crafting!

Little Photo Sesh Outside the Library

Once the weather in Western Washington decides to get summery, it is so hard to stay indoors. Even going to the library is a reluctant venture, because we just love getting all that delicious vitamin D!

Oh yeah, this is the Life!

A crafty gal like me won't let the call of the great outdoors get in the way of creating every day, so I just move outside to the backyard :-) Rainier has gotten pretty mobile with her supplies as well and its a real joy to be whipping up projects in a creative frenzy together.
Here's a chance for you to craft with me,

Congrats, Grads! #PHSalumni

I had such a great time creating that elegant looking card with common junk drawer paraphenilia. If you've got the inclination, a search on instagram (see my social media icons to the right) for #DCCrestlye will bring you some interesting imagery.
Graduation is just around the corner for many... think back on how you might have felt at a similiar time of accomplishment in your life, and channel that energy into a thoughtful, handmade gesture for someone.
If you're looking for some new or inspiring ways to use your die- cuts, check out the latest edition of DieCutCrazy, a digital source of delight!
I hope you enjoyed my video, and go rummaging about for your own  re purposeful items-
Now....
Get Crafty!




PS It has been some time since I was able to put up a movie on YouTube...hit that subscribe button and you'll see my latest uploads upon sign in :-) Suscribe to this blog and follow along on all my (published) CraftWithAnna-dventures!

Toilet Paper Vertical Mini Album

I made this darling little min album for my Aunt Jody, who very kindly sent me some beautiful clothes last week. They fit perfectly and made me feel so glamourous- a description Ive always thought fit her in the three decades Ive known her :-)

Jody has this soft spoken, demureness but she is quick with her quips too! Her hair is always blown to perfection and my Uncle must have known early on what a knock out he'd have for a life partner!

I filled the album with pics I gleaned off facebook of my cousins and their families. I know it will be an egg-stra special reminder of my love and appreciation for the thoughtfulness of her gifts to me.

Happy Easter to Friends and Family who found their way here today- "He is risen! Alleluia" :-D

Wait! Don't throw that away?

I admit, I have a problem throwing away little bits of pretty paper. So I'm not surprised that I was inspired to create my own version of enamel dots with this tiny punched circle from a cricut cut tag I used.

It doesn't look like much, but you wouldn't believe how proud I am of this little shiny dot and it's friends!


They were really easy to make, I just  added a blob of Close To My Heart's Liquid Glass to the top and let it dry overnight on a shred of wax paper. I wanted to be sure it was really dry before I touched it because sometimes I get over eager and ruin things!


This isn't a project I would necessarily recommend, as it was a tad tricky getting the paper to come off the glue tip without spreading sticky all over the place, but it was fun, and now I know how to make a very coordinated little blingie for any layout that "needs" it. And since you bothered stopping by today, now you do too!

Be Still My Heart!

Well in the first year or two of having my blog, I would have thought nothing of a week or two between posts, but now that I'm in the habit of sharing my life with THE WORLD, I actually felt bad for not having put anything up on here since Valentine's! Sorry, world, I know how interested and disappointed you must have been!
All joking aside, I've been terribly busy and had to (gasp) put my crafting on the back table this last month as I pursued the direct selling business sides of my life. On top of that, I was finally able to replace my phone's cracked screen- if you saw it you thought it was horrible and unsafe and remarkable that it would still work. When you replace your phone and all of the pictures were saved on the phone, guess where they stay?! Great lesson in downloading though :-)
I did create quite a few scrapbook pages in the last couple of weeks and I was really inspired to try some new things with my "letter stickers and paper" product challenge. Surprisingly inspired, actually. I had forgotten how easy it can be to simply build on top of a plain background for instance, or how a subtle texture like embossed polka dots can take that plain background to a whole new level of fun!
and my dear little Letter stickers, how I love thee! I love to mix and match your fonts, I love to create letters that I'm lacking out of letters that I won't use i.e. a 'g' turns into an 's' with a simple snip of the scissors, I love to use as many of you as I can to build extremely long titles. My pages were sometimes on the receiving end of no less than five different brands, types, and colors of tiny alphas! So that's something I'll be continuing to play with. Side note: my fixation with filled in letters seems to be waning slightly. But only slightly.

To start of my March on a bright and positive note, guess who is learning to craft by osmosis?! Little Sunday has demonstrated both stamping, with a scrap paper beneath her project for surface protection, as well as sponging edges, glue sticking, sticker application, and tape runner use. All in the last week, and completely unprovoked by me. YESSS! Another successful conversion hahah!

I love the sound of crying to craft in the morning...

So now, on to my March product of the month to work with (drumroll, please)


Stamps!


Check out the new issue of Die Cut Crazy, and may be the creative forces be with you!