Baby's First Baby Gift

WHEW! It has been a crazy couple of weeks so I haven't had much time to blog (unfortunately!). I'm still working on that whole idea of making the effort to blog everyday but I hate to blog if I don't have any pictures of my work to show you! I know, I know, Its something I'm working on ;)

Anywho, today I'm going to be showing you what I've recently worked on for a couple of my friends who are expecting. Here it is:

I, in no way, intend for this to take the place of a baby book but I think it would be nice to have "in addition to" a baby book. This is just a little file folder type box with a card to record each of baby's firsts and a spot for the date as well as spaces for them to record anything that the parent would like to remember about that particular first. Mom and Dad could also store some things inside of this folder such as hospital bracelets, hand and foot prints from the hospital, pictures, etc. 

Best of all, this is cute enough that it could be stored on a shelf in baby's room so that it can be pulled out easily at any point to reflect upon their baby's firsts. 

I gave one to each of my expecting friends along with a gift from each of their registries and they absolutely loved it. You could also just give this gift alone with a card or send it in a gift basket along with some other things! 

I always try to include something handmade in any gift I give as it seems to be a little more special for the person receiving it. Whether it be a simple handmade card or a gift that is totally handmade, I challenge you to include a special handmade item in any gift you give...It truly is the thought that counts!

Love,

   ScrapGoddess

Vacation Album Complete!

I was finally able to finish the Vacation Album this weekend using The Paper Iris Beginner's Template Album and I'm very happy with how it all came out!

So, go pick up this set of templates, sit down with a cold drink and get to working! You'll be glad you did!

Not quite done BUT...

Today, I'm going to jump in and talk a bit about what I'm doing with The Paper Iris template album. First of all, let me say, these templates are sold for beginners but man, the possibilities of what can be done with them! In my opinion, a beginner could buy these sets and never need another set of templates for months! 

You can put photos where journaling is and put journaling where photos are, you can flip these templates around, divide them into 1 page layouts and put them together differently than they already are to make DIFFERENT 2 page layouts...the possibilities are endless and at $3.50 for the set....YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT! I've been trying many different things with these templates and I will make sure to document each one so that you can do it yourself but heres the first one:

As I'm sure most of you know, this is hybrid scrapbooking. Now, go easy on me as this album is NOT completed but I wanted to go through this process and document the steps so that anyone that doesn't know how to do this can! 

Hybrid is basically combining digiscrapping with paper scrapbooking. It can be as little as making a digital element in word or as big as making your whole layout in Photoshop and adding in paper bits around it all.

What I've done here is started with my templates from The Paper Iris. In Photoshop, I opened the templates, added my photos and journaling, and printed them out to the size I needed (I needed a 8x8 so I went into photoshop, opened my template, went to the toolbar and selected Image-Resize-Image Size). If you are a beginner and don't know how to get pictures and journaling into the templates, my suggestion would be to check out this awesome tutorial from The Paper Iris in which she outlines how to put photos in her templates as well as add digital elements to the template. Its great! Click Here

After printing the templates out, its really as easy as adding paper and a few embellishments and your good to go! 

Now, I tend to be an "assembly line" scrapbooker. When I have an album I want to do like this, I like to get a pattern and complete it that way. I like to make all of the digital templates, then print all of the digital templates out, then put paper behind them and put them all in the album, then add all the embellishments. 

Some scrapbookers like to go page by page and create. I've found thats just not for me. My most important goal when I scrapbook is getting my story out and doing so in a creative fashion. I'm not looking to bedazzle every page but I do want to put my mark on it.

I've also found that I like simple, clean pages and I hope to accomplish that look as I finish this album. I'll be working on this album for the next few days and finishing it up. Look for it very soon to see the finished product of what you can do with The Paper Iris template and a little bit of paper! Also, look for more ideas with what you can do with this template package..I am far from done with it.

Until then, head over to her site and check out her Template Bonanza! You'll be glad you did! 

ScrapGoddess

I have a surprise...

Its been a REALLY crazy day here...I'm slowly trying to get my house in order and under control.

Three people live here--me, my husband, and my daughter Kyla...you would think 30 people live here! I've been cleaning up after everyone ever since we got back from our vacation...Time to pick up your own crap people!!! :)

So, I'm leaving you with a couple of things today. First, a hint as to what I'm going to do with that amazing template album I scored from The Paper Iris

Heres your hint:

I've either totally given it away already or your still lost! Or, maybe you THINK you know what I'm going to do with it but your not 100% sure. You will see shortly! I'm working on it right now (I'm about halfway through being finished) and once its complete I'll show you that AND a couple of other things that her templates are good for!

The last thing for today: I thought I'd show you a better picture of what the plate is at the top of my blog:

I saw this idea in several places...a Stampin' Up consultant had done a class making a plate along these same lines and I've also seen this idea on several forums (I'm sorry I don't remember EXACTLY where I got it from! I'll be sure to remember next time so I can give the proper people credit!) I hope to be able to show you all how to make your own very soon! 

ScrapGoddess

Look at what I picked up today...

I got it from here:

The Paper Iris

If you haven't checked out her blog and store yet, YOU MUST!!! She is hosting a HUGE Template Bonanza! Heres how it works:

1. She's been posting a free double page template every day and will continue doing this until July 4th. (**The template album pictured is NOT part of the freebies...I bought this but there are equally cool templates that shes giving away!**)

2. HURRY! Because after the first 100 downloads, the template link will be pulled, and the template will be posted for sale at a later date as part of a set.

Its as simple as that! So jump on over to her blog and Check it all out!

The ScrapGoddess

**Watch my blog for all of the amazing things I'm about to show that you can do with this Scrap Simple album set!!! 

Here it is....

In all of its glory, here is my first blog post! I've been meaning to start a blog for a while now but I never actually DO it. Not this time...I'm actually at a point in my life where I feel like I can take on a blog and here it is! 

As this is my first blog, I would like for you to know what to expect so, here it is. On this blog, you can expect to see:

1. Tutorials 

2. LOADS of pictures of me, my family, my projects, my life...everything and anything goes!

3. Digital Layouts that I've created and links and information on how YOU can get the supplies to create an even better layout!

4. Tons of encouragement and helpful hints for many projects

I'll be starting bright and early tomorrow so I hope to see you here!

ScrapGoddess