My Year in Tags

So I was working on the make 'n take for the TNT scrapbook club I lead at Ever After Scrapbooks and I realized I'm missing a great opportunity to post some great tips 'n techniques...
You see, I've decided that each month's make 'n take for 2009 will be a tag since tags are small enough to complete in 15-20 minutes and are a great embellishment to be added to our paper crafting projects.

Even though I'm getting a bit of a late start, I will add the January tag to this post with a supply list and short description of how it was completed. I did post about the February tag and will link both of these posts to my "Year in Tags" sidebar.

January Tag:
Products used:

Glimmer Mist (Cranberry and Patina)
Picket Fence Crackle Paint
Staz-on Ink (teal blue and black)
Snowflakes (took apart a snowflake garland from the local dollar store)
"Thinking of You" rubber stamp from my stash

Directions:

• Lay a few snowflakes on the tag and spray Cranberry Glimmer Mist on tag
• Remove snowflake "masks" and dry tag with craft heat tool
• Spray Patina Glimmer mist on tag (it's important to dry each glimmer mist layer individually so that the colors won't "blend"
• Apply a bit of crackle paint across bottom of tag, let dry
• Press one snowflake in Teal Blue Staz-on Ink
• Layer another snowflake on top and adhere with a brad
• Add Sentiment (Thinking of You) with Staz on Ink

There, you have it:)

Enjoy!

Frugal Scrapper Tips 'n Techniques #3

Whew, I can't believe it's already Wednesday again! I hope you all had a great week!

This week, I have decided to share a technique I have been doing for a while. When I have shared it with friends it has been popular, so I thought I should post it as a Frugal Scrapper Tips 'n Techniques post.

I started this technique by dusting off some of my old tools and supplies that hadn't been used in a while...my tag punch and my eyelets.

I found I was making alot of mini scrapbooks and wanted to add tabs to the pages for added interest.

I started by buying self adhesive tabs and while I liked them, I knew there had to be a way to make them myself. I first considerd purchasing a file tab punch, but my frugalness got in the way...then I thought...hey, I could make "tabs" with my old faithful tag punch and eyelets!

Not only are these tabs really easy to make but the eyelets make great fastners (as I found that sometimes the adhesive tabs come loose after lots of handling). These tabs are definitely NOT going anywhere, lol.

On these tabs, I added some letter stamps (also dusted off from my stash of old tools). I really like how they turned out:)

If you don't have an old tag punch, a tag diecut would work just as well. If you want to be REALLY frugal, I'm sure you could also make your own tag (or "tab") with just cardstock scraps and scissors, too:)

Enjoy:)

Lori McCausland

Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire:)

Frugal Scrapper Tips 'n Techniques #2

I'm very excited to share this mini album and 2nd Frugal Scrapper Tips 'n Techniques segment for several reasons:

First of all, this mini ablum was made using the February kit for the TNT Tips 'n Techniques club I lead at Ever After Scrapbooks.

Secondly, I used some really awesome techniques to create this album. I shared one of the techniques with you all last week in my 1st "Frugal Scrapper Tips 'n Techniques" post. This week I will share another "frugal" technique used to create this mini album.

Thirdly, it qualifies as a "Just the Trash and my Stash" since the rubbermaid shelf liner I used is "just trash", lol. This piece of shelf liner was rescued from the trash and has been in my "stash" for about 10 years just waiting for the perfect project.

This is actually the last page in the album and best depicts this technique.

I started with a plain light aqua piece of card stock.

Using part of a Sandy Lion Laser Cut 12 x 12 diecut as a mask, I applied suede Glimmer Mist to the page.

I then took an old rubbermaid shelf liner (you know, the ones that are skid resistent and have random holes in them), applied some lgt green acrylic paint and pressed it down over the glimmer mist.

I re-applied acrylic paint, using an aqua shade this time, pressing over the previous layer.

I was very excited at the dimension the "layers" added to this page. The best part is that the shelf liner can just be cleaned off with warm water so it can be re-used for your next project.

For the link to pictures of the entire mini album, click here. You may notice that I used the rubbermaid shelf liner technique on most of the pages (some just partial impressions). It helped pull the album together and gave it a nice flow.

Once you give this technique a try, leave me a comment with a link to your project. I'd love to see it:)

Lori McCausland

Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire:)

February Dine-O-Mite Recipe Challenge

Hello fellow scrappers:)

It's time to release the newest Dine-O-Mite Recipe. I've had lots of fun working on this recipe and can't wait to see your visions:)

Click below for a direct link to the recipe:

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp23/frugalscrapperphotos/TNT%20DINE-O-MITE%20Recipes/Slide1.jpg

Remember to have a "blast" and leave a comment with a link to your completed recipe:)

P.S. The deadline for this recipe is March 10, 2009. I will post my reveal by March 11th.

January's Dine-O-Mite Recipe Reveal

Wow, this seems like it was a long time coming...here is "my vision" of the TNT Dine-O-Mite Recipe Challenge issued in January 2009.

For my take on the recipe, I used BasicGrey's Bittersweet line, Prima's Say it In Crystals, some beads and ribbon from my stash, and best of all....my cricut for cutting the outline on the beige cardshock. I outlined the design with a pink souffle pen to give it more pizazz. I also added some "homemade" flowers to finish it off.

This layout was such fun and was great inspiration for the January Recipe.

The February recipe will be posted tomorrow. I look forward to seeing your take on it:)

Enjoy:)

Dine-O-Mite Recipe Reveal Change for February

For those of you who follow the Dine-O-Mite Recipe reveal, there is a minor change for this month. Since I am out of town this week and have changed the date of my February TNT meeting to February 17th, the reveal will be posted by February 18th.

In March we will be back to the regular schedule.

Sorry for the delay...look at it this way, now you have an extra week to post your vision of the challenged issued in January (see side bar for link to January's recipe). Remember, once I have at least 8 comments with a link to the completed recipe (in a given month), I will do a random draw for a most wonderful RAK:)

Frugal Scrapper's Tips 'n Techniques #1

I'm sure you are aware by now that I LOVE to recycle items for use in my paper crafting. With this in mind, I have ended up with a huge amount of buttons from old shirts being discarded...the problem...they are ALL white!

Now I know I could just use the white buttons to decorate my pages, but since I also LOVE to alter items, I was thrilled to discover I could change the color of my buttons with alcohol inks, WHOO HOO!!!!!

On the button shown, I used a Tim Holtz alcohol ink applicator, added a few drops of "lettuce" alcohol ink to the felt and dabbed it on the button. Since the alcohol ink spreads so well, the button was covered with just a few dabs. I also dabbed the color around the sides of the button.

I then added a few drops of "stream" alcohol ink to the applicator, let it dry a bit and dabbed it over the button. By letting the ink dry on the applicator a bit first, I was able to get the spotted effect as shown.

It is best to add the light color first so that it holds its color better.

I also find myself using rhinestones on my projects and have wondered why the rhinestones are not readily available in colors...most that I find are clear...lucky for me, I have found that this technique also works on rhinestones. As shown, I added the same colors of alcohol ink to clear rhinestones and got similar results.

On the rhinestones, I did add the "stream" alcohol ink first, so you may notice when I added the "lettuce", the color appears a bit darker than it did on the button.

I really like the effect on both items. Since Alcohol inks are perfect for use on non-porous surfaces, this technique also works on brads, acrylic, glass, etc.

Thinking about a start to something FRUGAL to share:)

O.k...I'm sitting here in what should be COLD Pennsylvania since, ya know, it IS winter, lol...and it's actually been nice here!

The weather people are actually predicting 60 plus degree temperatures tomorrow...did I say it's winter here:)?

It seems I left my home in "normally sunny" southern California just in a nick of time...it's been raining...and I hear from my husband REALLY raining...pretty much since I left last Friday...now we've been living in southern California for almost 4 years...and if we total ALL the rain we've had in those 4 years, it may just measure up to the amount of rain that has fallen in the last few days!

Since I USED to have this kind of curse my family used to tease me about, I think it must finally be officially over:) It USED to always rain when I went on vacation.....but HA, it's not raining right now in "sunny" Pennsylvania...well it's not really sunny right now, but it's certainly not raining either...AND it's going to be in the 60's tomorrow...in February...in Pennsylvania:)

Now, if you're still with me...yes this is primarily a frugal scrapping blog:)...AND my "thinking" does involve frugal scrapping:) Actually for those of you still reading this post, I want to THANK YOU for doing so! I have been very blessed with many visitors AND have found my blog is actually a link from many of your blogs...I'm SO glad to know there are other frugal scrappers out there AND I don't want to disappoint:)

Because...you know..."in these times"...(I got the preceding saying from my local KUSI morning news guy)...

It's really important to be FRUGAL and even more important to keep SCRAPBOOKING and PAPERCRAFTING...what an awesome time to get out the pic's from vacations/memorable events/everyday life past and relive those memories as we scrap them. Let us spend time with family and friends AND reminisce...and journal...and create...and just get happy...I've found that it IS cheaper than taking yet another vacation "in these times", AND I don't feel guilty about not scrapping all these pic's from events past AND I do have the time to do it:)

Oops, it seems I went off on another tangent...are you still there? If so, thanks even more:) Now to the good stuff...I want to start a NEW topic on my blog...one that will have a side bar section of it's own that concentrates on the frugal tips 'n techniques I have learned and want to share...

Now I know you've probably used some of these techniques in the past and if so, use this section as a reminder...hopefully, I will also surprise you with some that will make you think "Hey, why didn't I think of that?", lol. I know I still have those moments when I come across a tip or technique I didn't think of...

WHEN my post is about a technique that did come out my little ole head, I will post it as such...now it doesn't mean that someone else hasn't also come up with it, it just means that I didn't surf the web and find it:) I know that great minds think alike, lol, so if I post an idea as my own that you've seen already, just consider it a "great minds think alike" moment...go on, just go with me on this:)

Because...for those of you who already know me...I am VERY honest!!! With that being said, I WILL sometimes post frugal ideas I HAVE found on the web AND WILL give credit where credit is due (by stating such AND adding a link to that idea when possible). Since I KNOW that I am not the only creatively frugal person out there, AND I occasionally have creative blocks, and I know it's NOT necessary to recreate the wheel, lol, I look forward to giving kudos to those that share my passion for frugal scrapbooking when I add their ideas to this list.

These posts will be separate from the "Just the Trash and my Stash" section and will be limited to one technique at a time (for those that are wondering:)

They will be weekly posts...short and sweet...(unlike this one, of course:)...and will hopefully be FRUGALLY INSPIRING...The first post will be tomorrow, February 11, 2009:)

Feel free to leave comments if you have any frugal ideas you would like to share or questions on how to do something frugally:)

Forever Frugal...

Lori McCausland
Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire

Word Strip Mini Album

I spent some time this weekend re-organizing my photo files on my computer and came across this mini album I made a while back (I think it was last summer). It has some really great ideas, so I thought I would share it with everyone. I hope you enjoy viewing it as much as I enjoyed creating it:)

On the front cover, I used a sheet of paper covered in word strips including some really cute quotes. I also used some stamps, ribbon, flowers and a snap from my stash. I especially love how the wooden flourish turned out.

Above is a really great top view of the album with a sneek peak of the pages inside. Most of the pages were made by covering chipboard with patterned paper/card stock. You will see that I also included two pages using a transparency that I folded in half:)

Above and below are a few of the pages included in this mini album. For a complete view of the album, click on this link: http://s394.photobucket.com/albums/pp23/frugalscrapperphotos/Word%20Strips%20Mini%20Album/


To be in line with my "frugal scrapping" style, I have included some "frugalness", lol. The black strips as shown above are the strips attached to photo corners. I cut them away from the photo corners and was going to "toss" them, but realized they could be used to accent the pages...there are just no limits to the "trash" this Frugal Scrapper will use:)

Enjoy!

Fabric, embossing, and inks, oh my!

Welcome to my newest "Just the trash and my Stash" project created especially for you by the Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire:)

Supplies (Trash):
White cotton button down shirt
Buttons from old clothing
Ribbon scraps
Tags tossed by old company

Supplies (Stash):
Various Color Box Chalk inkers (I used three colors)
2 Stamps of your choice
Embossing folder (I used a Cuttlebug folder)
Embroidery Floss
Glossy accents (used for adhesive)
Stickles

Instructions:

• Cut fabric to cover tag
• Run tag through xyron
• Cover tag with fabric
• Stamp fabric with chalk inks
• Emboss tag with embossing folder
• Gently rub Chalk ink over embossed surfaces to add definition
• Ink edges of tag
• Add buttons and ribbon loop
• Gently rub stickles on embossed areas to add some sparkle

Finished tag:

I love the shabby chic, antiquey look of this tag. I would be great on a vintage page, a beach page, an heirloom page, family page, etc. It would also look great as an accent on altered art...hmmmm, I may have to give that a try:)

You may see this tag on a completed project in the near future....hmmmm...those creative thoughts are just jumping around in my brain right now, lol.

Enjoy, and remember to scrap responsibly (and green:)

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire