Altered Shortbread Cookie Tin

Hi Everyone!! Gosh, I haven't made anything for this site for almost a week! Sorry about that. . .I've been busy working on a few things which have taken me away from my scrappy projects. Since I'm here. . .let's chit-chat! LOL! While I was altering this shortbread cookie tin, I was thinking about my blogging and crafting activities. Not many of my "real life" non-crafting friends and family in Hawaii are aware that I blog. It's almost like a secret activity that I do . . .

About six months after I started my blog, I had mentioned to a close friend that I crafted and blogged several times a week and sometimes daily since I became a SAHM and I've made a few "blogging" friends online. . .and she laughed and said "really?, how cute!" and I asked her what she meant by "cute" because it didn't really sound very "flattering"!! LOL! She said. . ."I never knew you to be the type. . .you know, the house wifey type that craft and blogged". I said "it's fun. . .you should at least try blogging " (she's not the crafty sort).

She then said "oh, no. . .I don't have the time to do thaaaaaaaat" (she works full time and likes to do outdoor activities). It almost sounded as if she was saying that I had a lot of time on my hands and I'm like some sort of bored housewife or something!! LOL!

Since then I decided that I won't really talk about it to others who don't craft or blog . .they probably wouldn't be able to relate or even understand the concept of blogging anyway.

Anyway. . now to my altered tin container. This was previously a shortbread cookie tin. I adhered designer paper on to the tin and decorated it with an eyelet lace, beads, and scrapbook embellishments. I think I'm going to give this tin box to my daughter. . .baby blue and brown is her favorite color.

Initially I wasn't going to add the lace but I saw it in a container and I think I bought it like 3 or 4 years ago so I decided to use it. How sad that it has been sitting in container for that long! LOL!

I added the photo of my daughter using the "K&CO" metal/decorative frame.

Anyway. . hope y'all have a fabulous Thursday!!

Project Details:

Paper: My Minds Eye

Accessories: CTMH Just Blooms, Prima Flowers, One-heart one-mind jumbo brad, K&CO frame, strand beads, Eyelet Lace

Scor-Pal Christmas Magazine - CD Holder/Mini Album

Hi Everyone!! Gosh, I haven't posted on this blog for a while now. I've been so busy with life and I've only had time to post on my Stampin Inspirations blog site. I hope after the holidays, I'll find more time to create "scrappy" projects. This site has no "rubber stamping" cards and projects and it's primarily where I post scrapbook projects, scrappy cards, and other non-stamping related projects.

In the mean time, I just wanted to share this project that I had initially created for my Stampin Inspirations Club site but had submitted for the Scor-pal Christmas Magazine Be sure to stop by and check out the fun projects that you can create with the Scor-pal. You can find the tutorial of this CD Holder/Mini Album at Scor-pal's website: Click Here. It's a really easy and fun project that you can create as a gift for friends and family, not only for Christmas, but through out the year. I think it's great to give to family especially if you want to share photos of your new baby. It's a great party favor as well. . .that is, I think so. . .:) To learn more about Scor-pal, click on the button below:

This is the case opened up and it's a mini album/CD case. It's a fun way to share your photos with family.

The cardstock, papers, and embellishments for this project are all from the "I Wish - Simply Scrappin' Kit' . This kit comes with everything you need to create several scrapbook pages, mini albums, and cards. I really love the design of the designer paper in this kit. The size of the CD case is 5 x 5".

I decided to keep the design simple because I wanted to finish this project quickly. You can create this project in an hour because all the stickers are already cut out and ready to stick on your project.




The color combo for this project is "Real Red", "Old Olive" and "Chocolate Chip". Such a pretty color combo.

The picture to the left is of me and my husband.






As you can see, there are a lot of pages to add lots of pictures.




Anyway, if you decide to try out this project, let me know what you think!! Hope you like it!!




















Project Details:

Stamp set: Snow Swirl, A Holly, Jolly Christmas
Papers: I Wish Simply Scrappin Kit, Textured Real Red, Old Olive cardstock from the kit.
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive
Accessories: Designer button, Alpine, CD, CD label, Scallop Edge Punch

CD Envelope 5x5" Pocket Purse Album

Hi Everyone!! Here is a CD Envelope 5x5" Pocket Purse Album that I created yesterday. it was such a fun project. . .rarely do I want to make more than one of something but I think I'm going to make more of these puppies. Did you know that you can create your own album designs by just doing a little bit of math? I mean, the concept behind most mini album is the same but you don't need instructions to create your own albums.

When I create my own mini albums. . .I take in the measurement of the album size and the size of the card stock. I then do a bit of addition by measuring each part of the album such as the "score measurement", the album cover size, and add each part. For example, if you're going to create a box, remember that a box usually have 4 sides and each sides have to measure the same. You then measure the size of the box bottom or top. . .add the total up and if it fits the size of your card stock, you can easily make a box without a template. The same goes with a mini album. It's basically the same concept. If your card stock is too small, you just need to adhere additional cardstock so that you can create an album or box that fits your needs.

Anyway. . .enough of my blabbering. As you can see the album looks like a purse. I didn't decorate it too heavily because I just wanted to finish it up. I think the embellished Prima flower and the designer paper were sufficient.

Here is the inside of the card using CD Envelopes for the pockets. The pictures of are of my kids with their cousins. I have so many pictures stored on my computer, it's not even funny. I think 80% of my files on my computer are pictures. I sometimes worry that my computer will crash one day and all my digital photos will be lost forever. I know I should back them up CDs and I plan to do that one day soon.

Here is the page insert pulled out of the pocket. I made another similar album using Stampin Up products on my Stampin Inspirations Club Site if you care to check it out.

This is the album with the inserts removed out of their pockets. I plan to journal the pages when I have more time to do it.

Anyway. . .tonight is CSI night so I just wanted to get a few projects posted on my blog tonight. I've been such a slacker lately with my blog posting and blurfing. I'm sorry I haven't stopped by and said hello for a while but I'll be back to my normal routine soon.

Hope y'all have a wonderful Friday!!

4x4 Mini Tri-fold Album

Hi Everyone! Here is the tutorial on the 4x4 Mini Tri-Fold Album that I promised to create. Like yesterday's mini album, this project was inspired by Jana of 2 Worlds mini tri-fold album. I decided to create a "larger" version of the album with a few modifications. Her tutorial includes acetate while my album do not. Click here for Jana's version. I'm in the process of creating a written version of this tutorial for those who are on dial up or have slow Internet service. Gosh, are people still using dial up? Isn't it a bit archaic to have dial up these days! LOL! I've been using cable since 1996 so dial up seems a bit primitive to me!

The actual size of the album with the tags are 4 x 5". Without the tags, the album & pockets measure 4 x 4". I finally worked on a "video" tutorial. Argghh, it was painful. I haven't been creating video tutorials because my computer is running so sluggish that it can't handle super large files like videos. Luckily, today my computer behaved. Wish it would behave all the time.

Anyway, here is the album opened up to the first panel. I decided to do a bit of journaling. I, again, messed up on my journaling. I forgot to proofread it and realized that my brain was thinking faster than my typing. LOL! I decided to leave it as is because well, it's part of who I am. . .my brain is always churning where the rest of me can't keep up. Ha!

This is the album with the panels opened up and the tags inside the pockets.

Rather than using ribbons for the tags, I, again, used prima flowers. I love primas. . .I can't get enough of them!! They are sooooo pretty.

Do you see the buttons? Well, they are the buttons that Mel of Mel Stampz sent me a few weeks ago. I love the buttons that she sent me. I'm big on buttons right now and she sent me a whole bunch! Whoohoo! Thanks Mel. . .


Okay, here are the tags out of their pockets!! The tags measure 3 1/4 x 5".




The pictures on the tags are of my daughter when she and her cousin were 5 and 6 years old. Gosh, they are so cute. They used to be really close but since we've moved to California, well they've grown apart somewhat. It's a little sad.














Awww, this is my favorite photo of them together. This picture says it all! They really were that close. . . .like sisters.
















This picture was taken on my daughter's first trip to Disneyland. Sadly, I couldn't experience the trip with her because I was in college and couldn't take the time off. Luckily, she had her cousin to enjoy Disneyland!!

Anyway, check out the tutorial! Tell me what you think!

Album details:

Paper: K&Co, SU Certainly Celery
Accessories: Prima Inc. buttons from Mel, K&Co stickers, Basic, Basic Ribbon.

Dream Word Scrapbook Album

Hi Everyone! This is my very first "word" album. Oooh, I love these word albums. . .I've always wanted to create one but I thought it would be too much work but wow, it's so not true. It's actually quite easy to make. This word album is "Dream" by S.E. I.

This album is very personal to me because it highlights a very monumental moment in my life. . .my college graduation. I can't even begin to tell you the journey it took to get my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. I started college soon after high school but I was so ill focused that I really couldn't get my footing when it came to a strict college curriculum. I wanted to work because I needed money so I decided to attend school part-time. Then a few tumultuous events occurred in my life and I decided to attend college here in California. Unfortunately, I really got home sick so I returned home and attended community college instead.


My father (I was adopted by my grandfather as a child) passed away when I was 20 years old and well, that really put me into a tailspin so I took a break from school. Then I got married, had my daughter. . .only when my daughter was 2 years old (she's 17 now), I decided to return to school and obtain my Bachelor's Degree.

Boy, it was tough because I worked part-time, went to school full-time and was a mother and wife at the same time. But I was 100% committed and nothing could stop me once I really committed myself to finishing college.


It took 5 1/2 years to finish up a 4 year degree but it was the best 5 1/2 years of my life. It was tough but gosh, it was so nice to be surrounded by people who were ambitious, smart, and had the same goals that I had.

I'm proud to say I graduated with honors. . .American Scholar, National Honor Society (Golden Key), and Nursing Honor Society. Whoohoo! Who would believe. . .me . . .Miss Ill-Focused. . . that was the irony of it all. I swear, my family refused to take me seriously until they actually saw me graduate. LOL!!



My grandmother, who adopted me as a child, was able to see me graduate and that was the proudest moment of my life. She had always wondered if I ever would graduate. She was so happy for me. My grandmother passed away 3 years ago but looking at this photo of my grandmother brings back such happy memories.

This picture is my nursing school classmates. We went through tough times together and it was so nice to have gone through the experience with them from the beginning.

We all were accepted into nursing school our sophomore year and graduated together. UH accepted their nursing students in their sophomore rather than the traditional junior year. The track allowed us to incorporate our core requirements along with the upper division nursing courses to spread it out and free our summers up.

I'm still good friends with a few of my nursing classmates. I haven't seen a few of them since graduating from college but once in awhile I would hear about them through the grapevine.

This picture was taken after the graduation ceremony and my family met me afterwards to congratulate me. This moment was a dream come true, hence, the mini album "dream".

Just a few details on the album:

Paper: K&Co designer paper

Accessories: Making Memories metal words, Deja View Prima Flowers, JoAnn brads, JoAnn Vellum Quotes, K&Co tags, American Craft Elements ribbon, Organdy ribbon, JoAnn metal rim round tag

Mini Album

Hi Everyone! Okay, I am in love with this mini album project. . .why? Well. . .because it's so dang easy to make! I mean SERIOUSLY! Not only is it easy, the project is so cute! Jana at "2 Worlds" have tons of tutorials on mini albums and such. I've always wanted to try all the different mini album tutorials on her blog but I just haven't had the time to try them out and my stuff were scattered all over the place that it was too exhausting to work on projects other than cards. It took longer to look for the materials than to actually make the projects! LOL!

Now that my craft room is cleaned up and organized. . . .well, finding stuff that I need to create a project is now so easy to do.

I created this mini album for my husband. I'm going to give it to him for our anniversary at the end of the month. I'm planning to create more of them and send them out to friends. I hope they like them.

Be sure to stop by Jana's site and check out her awesome tutorials!!! I plan to try out her other mini album tutorials. . .so, don't be surprised to see a bunch of mini albums in the coming week!! Thanks Jana for the tutorials. . .keep up the great work!!

Here is a close up of the layered prima flowers. Isn't it pretty?

Project details:

Paper: DCWV Luxury designer paper

Accessories: Deja View Prima flowers, Target brads, Making Memories Petite Signage

Mini 5.5 x 5.5" Album/Card

Hi Everyone! This is a mini album/card I created as a kit for my club. It can be a card if you don't want to add a picture. It's not an accordion style album but depending on the closure, it can be an accordion style. With this particular album, it opens like a regular flip page.

I created a similar album/card on Stampin Inspirations with a "clip closure" rather than "ribbon closure" and that album opens accordion style. You can check it out by clicking here.

I used CTMH Life Delights Level 2 Paper Kit which is really pretty paper kit. If you are interested in this paper kit, stop by my CTMH website located to the right side bar of my blog. I used a Sizzix flower die to create the flowers.

It's just a fun album that you can treat like a card and send to a loved one.



Here is the album opened up. It's just pictures of me and my husband. I think I'm going to give it to him for Father's Day although the design is more feminine. He doesn't care about the design anyway. He likes receiving my card creations but unfortunately, I don't give them to him often enough.

Hope everyone have a wonderful day!!

Hanging Flower Frame

Hi Everyone!! Good afternoon to y'all! This is a hanging flower frame that I created my stamp and scrapbooking club as a kit that I sent to the members. It's a simple scrappy project using a flower template located here.

It's really quite simple to create. All you need to do is print the template, resize the template to your desired size, trace it on your cardstock and designer paper and cut the flowers out. You then add your picture and place the flowers on a round chipboard coaster. Before placing the flower, be sure to add a long ribbon running down vertically. Glue the flowers in place, punch a small hole on the topmost coaster and tie a ribbon for hanging. That's it.


This is a close up of the flower frame. I don't know if you recall but I had created these flower frames in the past but I did not create a "hanging" one. This version, the frames are smaller. The past version was larger and I had mounted the frame on a large round plant cork board to create a "plaque" instead a hanging frame.

Anyway, this is a picture of my daughter when she was a little girl. She was in a ballet for several years and this was one of her costumes for a show that they did. I absolutely love the costumes that they wore.

I used the Close to My Heart "Silhouette Level 2 Paper Packet" for this project. It's such a pretty paper kit. You can find it on website and you can purchase it online as well . . .visit my Close to My heart website . . .the link is located on my right sidebar.

Tutorial - Simple Goody Bag Holder

Click Here for the Tutorial

Hi Everybody! Yesterday I promised to post a tutorial on the goody bag holder that I created for my daughter (see the previous post). Well, I finally finished it. In the middle of my taking the pictures for the tutorial, my camera ran out of batteries so I had to wait for it to recharge. Well, I got it done! Whoohoo!

This goody bag holder is like. . .way simple. I call it the 5 minutes goody bag because you can actually create this bag holder in 5 minutes. It's that simple.

I have to make 50 of these goody bags for my daughter who wanted to give the Key Club members (she's the treasurer) Valentines goody bags. I've made 35 so far. I'm going to finish up the 50 today because she'll be handing them out tomorrow.

Anyway, try out the tutorial and tell me what you think! Have a great day everyone!!

Scrapbook Layout #4 - Close - Good Times

Good Morning Everybody! Hey this is my 4th 12 x 12 layout I ever made. I'm rather proud of it because I think it turned out better than I expected. I've started scrapbooking recently (a few months) and I'm beginning to feel a little better about it. I've always been intimidated by scrapbooking 12 x 12 layouts because I just felt it took too much work and that I always thought "how the heck do I fill up such a large piece of paper?". LOL.

As I make more of them, I feel a little better and I'm actually faster in making them now. This only took me a little over an hour to create. Having a sketch really helped. The designer paper I used came from the Close to My Heart - My Reflections Scrapbook Kit -

Good Times. I love the pretty colors in this kit and the patterns are pretty cute.

I used that "visual triangle" rule for scrapbooking. Honestly, I never thought there were any rules for scrapbooking. See. . .that's how much I know about this stuff. I thought you could just put things together in any fashion that made you feel good. I still don't understand all these crazy scrapbooking rules . . .it just seem so technical if you ask me. Why can't you just slap things on? Isn't it more artistic to not follow any rules? You know . . .your own gut feeling, your own inspirations rather than following the "visual triangle", "the rule of threes", "setting the mood", and all of those other technical stuff that makes for a great scrapbook layout! Sheesh, I always thought that you just stuck embellishments where they look like they would fit nicely or where ever there's space and stuff like that!! LOL! Sometimes when I look at other people layouts. . .there seem to be no "rules" being followed. . .even the "pro" scrapbookers. . .they just look pretty randomly laid out to me.

Anyway. . .if you take a look at my layout and focus on the silver brads at the left corner, the silver brads at the lower right of my page and the mini tag at the upper right. . .well that's a visual triangle. This particular visual triangle suppose to bring my journaling into focus. I have at least 3 visual triangles. Can you spot them? Okay. . .for the scrapbookers out there in the know. . .is there a limit on the amount of visual triangles you are allowed to have on a page? Just curious if there was a limit.

Until later, folks!!!

3D Flower Template - Serendipity Kit and Photo Plaque

Hi Everybody! Here are photo plaques I created. The flowers were created using a template I found online: Click Here for the templates and instructions. If you drop by my Stampin Inspirations blog site, I also made cards using this flower template. I'm in the process of making a mini album using the template which I'll post when I'm done.

I bought this cork mat at Lowes which cost about a $1.50. It's a fabulous board to decorate and use as a plaque to attach a photo and hang on the wall. The measurement of the cork mat is 8 inches and the largest flower of my project measures 7.5 inches so it's a fairly large plaque.

I took the flower project and glued it on to the cork mat and I'm planning to hang it on to my wall in my craft room.

This is the finished project at a side angle. It's very 3D looking. I love it.

I made a whole bunch of these flower projects. I still need to buy a few more cork mats to attach my flower projects. I'm still debating whether I should create the mini albums and attachin these flower projects or attach them to the cork mat.

This pictures shows the ones I made for my kids.

I used DCWV Nursery Designer papers. The papers are very thick, almost cardstock quality and is glittered or has a 3D texture. Very, very pretty papers.

This picture is of my cats China and Dori. I used DCWV Pet Stack. This paper is to die for especially if you have pets and would like to create scrapbook layouts or projects for your pet pictures. The papers like the nursery stack are very thick and are glittered or have a 3D texture.

This is my lovely sweet buddy Dori. She is the sweetest cat, so affectionate and so loving. I never thought I could love a cat but Dori is unique. She loves to hug us. She literally wraps her paws around our tummy or lap. I love Dori like I would a human family member. I love all my pets the same way but Dori is the special one.

These are pictures of my dogs, Dakota and Phoenix. Dakota is very sneaky. . .Phoenix is a very kind hearted dog. Again, I used the DCWV Pet Stack for the flowers.