It's a Guy thing

I decided to make a book mark for my son.  Everyone at my house has been on a reading kick lately.  That's probably why I haven't posted anything here lately!  I needed to add something for today's post over at the Scrapalicious blog though and decided...it's time to make a bookmark!

I used some of the yummy Teresa Collins paper for the marker.  Doesn't it look just like an old library card in a book?  The image is from Mo Manning and the stickers are BoBunny Press.  Kinda cool for a guy thing.

Hope you enjoy!  I also hope you come and join my giveaway!  Looking for some new friends around here.  Follow the links...invite your friends...we'll have a BBQ! (well, maybe not that...)

Grandma's Brag Book

Hi again.  I made a sweet little "Brag Book" to carry around in my purse.  It's filled with cute pictures of my grand-daughter and I thought I would let you all take a peek!  I found an online tutorial on how to build these awesome little things but I have lost the link so I will try and layout the steps and dimensions here and I made a short 40 second video that demonstrates what it looks like.

To build the book here is what you need:

1-Double-sided patterned paper  4.25"x 12"

3-Solid paper 4"x12" (1 piece of 12 x12 paper works perfectly)

Score patterned paper at 1", 6.5"; 7"

Score 1 solid piece at 5.5"; 9.75" (trim paper at 9.75" score line)

Score remaining pieces at 4.25"; 8.5"

Taking Patterned paper fold at all creases.  At 1" crease insert large end of solid paper and fasten with brads.

Take 2nd piece of solid paper and glue to equal sized flap at end of attached solid piece.

Take 3rd solid piece and glue larger end onto shorter end (will not match up size wise)

Accordian fold pages down until they tuck into album.  Refer to video to see how this should look.

If there are enough questions or interest I can film a tutorial on this if needed.



New Mini Album

I thought I would share the latest mini album I made this evening.  I have made this one quite a few times and if you are interested in trying your hand at it, the link to a video tutorial is above in my links.  I also have a flower tutorial on how to make the ruffled flower sporting the front of this mini.

These are part of a design team showing over at Scrapalicious USA.  I hope you check it out and join us in our latest challenge!!

I love the papers I used.  They are from Teresa Collins and I bought mine here.

Love, love, love it!  I hope you will too.

Please take a moment and check out my giveaway.  Linkage at the top right hand corner of this page.  You won't want to miss out!  I hope you will take a moment and join!

Quilling!

I have always wanted to try my hand at quilling but really had no idea if it was something I would be able to get into...or...find enough uses for.  My local Archivers is having a make and take card (free) this weekend where we can try our hand at this fun little craft.  Yesterday was a day off so I treated myself to a trip down there and I tried it out.  The birdie card below is the one I made at the store.  The other 2 are ones I tried later on back at home.

I don't know...they aren't too bad for a first try?

Hey...don't forget to put yourself in the drawing for the loot I am giving away.  See the link at the top right of the page for all the details!!

Something Other than A Card for A Change!

Please Be Sure To Enter My Give Away! ------->

I decided it was about time I made something that was other than a card or scrapbook layout.  The Challenge at Scrapalicious USA for this month is to do exactly that.  A couple years ago I was at Walmart and spied some really cheap plastic clocks.  Cheap as in $3 a piece.  I decided to pick up a couple because the possibilities seemed there to make them a little special if I ever got around to it.  (Impulse shopping-of course!)  This is what they basically looked like.  I say "basically" because I just realized yesterday they were 2 very different designs.

Like I said...basic!

The other night I got to brainstorming what I could do to turn this into something really special.  The 1st thing I had to do was try and take the thing apart.  I thought I would actually break it but luckily it eventually came apart by prying the plastic faceplate off.  Then I removed the hands from the front and the paper circle with the numbers on it.  I was left with the shell of the clock and my own imagination.

I knew I wanted to use the cool new Teresa Collins Paper I received from Scrapalicious USA this month.  After I inked it up with Tim Holtz distress inks in "Tea Dye", "Vintage Photo" and "Old Paper" I was very happy with old world look I wanted.  To give it even more interest I added a Teresa Collins Chipboard Element to the center.  Not to be outdone I knew I wasn't quite finished and added some Black Hot Rocks with my I-Rock Tool! (all items available now at Scrapalicious USA!)  I am so glad I came up with the idea to add Roman Numerals instead of regular numbers.  I used a very cool Cricut Cart that I think is highly underated.  It is the "Stamped" cart.  The font is very unique and worked perfect for what I was trying to achieve.

I also dug through some supplies I had on hand and found a brand new tube of a nifty product called "Rub 'N Buff" that I picked up at Hobby Lobby and rubbed it into the clock to give it that nice gold tone.

I simply put the clock back together and sat it on a cast iron stand I had and am very happy with how it turned out!  What do you think?

Okay, now what is your creativity going to make for our challenge?  Pop on over to the Scrapalicious USA Blog for more inspiration and join along!

A New Giveaway and Other Random things to Share!

Please Read to the Bottom to find out about my latest GIVEAWAY!!

I thought I would share with you a card I made using my I-Rock from Imaginisce. Lately I have been finding all sorts of new uses with it. I made this card to share recently over at the Scrapalicious USA blog post yesterday and thought I would share it here as well.  If you follow the link there are more details about how the card was constructed and the materials used.

If you are a fan or follower of the Scrapalicious Challenges, be sure to pop on over there this Saturday as we will present a new one. Our format over there has changed a little bit are now sharing daily blog posts by each Design Team member and 1 monthly challenge. We would love to have you join us!

Also, I will be sharing a brand new project on Saturday over there (and here of course) and would be really glad to have you pop over and check it out.

  GIVE-AWAY NEWS

It seems like my blog has been a little lonely lately for new friends and followers.  I have decided it is time to get things moving over here again and about the only thing that seems to motivate is to give something away!  And who doesn't love a giveaway?  We have had our share over here at Heartstring Designs and I think it must be about time to get cracking on another one!  So...without further ado...Here are the details!!

I am shooting for 700 followers. 

If I can hit that mark I will give away all the goodies you see below to one random person who:

1. Leaves a comment on this blog post AFTER becoming a new follower of this blog. 
2. If you are already a follower then you can leave a comment and tell me so and you will also be eligible. 

If by some chance we shoot over 700 followers I will either add more goodies to this pile OR I will make a 2nd giveaway so everyone will then have an extra chance to win a prize. 

There is one more way you can increase your chances....place a link on your blog talking about this giveaway and come back over here and tell me in another comment that you did. Whew...That's about it!  Now start spreading the word!!  And thank you everyone for following along with me this past year and a half..it's been so much fun!

Contents:

Assorted Bazzil Card Stock and Designer Papers

Assorted Ribbon

Handcrafted flowers

Random Prima Flowers

Square Chipboard Coasters

Zutter Wire and Album Covers

Assorted Rhinestones

Prima Pearls

Kaiser Kraft Stamp Set