Quick Little Mini Album

Tim Holtz is hosting a Tattered Florals Challenge and I am knee deep into making flowers to enter.  The challenge runs until March 22 and the only rule is you MUST use the Alterations Tattered Florals die.  That's it!  Tim and his team will pick 5 winners who will each win a $100 Tim Holtz Prize Package and you know I wanna win.

Good News/Bad News:

• Bad: Even though I have spent two long sessions in the studio playing with flowers made from fabrics (chiffon, organza, tule, burlap, satin, silk velvet & the coolest metallic) as well as paper (Grunge, chipboard, & book pages) and colored the flowers with Distress Stains, Glimmer Mist and Color Shine sprays, Distress Stains,  Distress Inks and Distress Paints.. I'm Distressed cuz I haven't had any EUREKA moments yet.
• Good: I have learned some new and interesting ways to layer the petals that will be perfect for B's wedding projects. 

Tim made fun and funky pins using Distress Paints in fresh spring colors giving them such a playful quality.  

Source: Tim Holtz

He asked several of his favorite artists to play along and of course they stepped up and made some pretty amazing items.  Paula at 2 Gypsy Girls made a happy piece she put in a fabulous YELLOW frame that is just perfect for spring.  

Source: Paula Cheney 2 Gypsy Girls 

Jim at The Gentleman Crafter went Steam Punk making his flowers from metal and adding clocks and gears for his project.  

Source: Jim Hankins The Gentleman Crafter 

Tammy Tutterow really blew me away with her millinery flowers.  She used several Distress products to get a great vintage look on her petals.  She used the flowers to decorate a straw hat that her darling daughter is wearing for the blog photo.  

Source: Tammy Tutterow @TammyTutterow.com

All four have posted very thorough, step-by-step, photo tutorials.  Tammy and Jim are each giving away a Tattered Floral die- all you have to do is leave a comment on either or both blogs (use the links above) before midnight March 22nd; each will draw a random winner on the 23rd.

As for my flowers….I hope to have something to show tomorrow.  When I got tired of fighting the flowers, I worked on my version of the March tag for Tim's 12 Tags of 2013.  I have it almost completed- just need to get the metal flowers-or a substitute since I am not sure I have the flowers- and then photograph it, run it through Photoshop, blah blah blah.

I do have a cute little album to share that I made a few weeks ago.  

Like the Memory Album I posted last week, this project started as a digital file from Lori Whitlock.  The Accordion Fold Binding Mini Album is available here for $2.99.

I didn't mention this before, but I use Sure Cuts A Lot aka SCAL2 in order to be able to use my Cricut Expression with digital files like this. Unfortunately, SCAL is no longer able to sell a version for use with Cricut products.  Cricut does have a Mini Books cartridge available as a physical cartridge or a digital download (you can order either one from the link).  Of course, if you have one of the other cutting machines, you can use SCAL; read all about it here.

I didn't photograph every page because they are just simple undecorated pages, but you can see there are several different pages in the book.  The digital file included an envelope with a large tag and the scalloped border page.  Of course, it is up to the artist to decide how many of each page to cut…this is the beauty of digital files.

One of my favorite 101 Ideas projects
Source: 101 Ideas

The paper I used is from Heidi Swapp's Sugar Chic collection. The Dream Sticker is a super old Making Memories definition sticker from the dark ages.  Bright pink polka dot Washi tape and a strip of rhinestones complete the cover.  

Finally, I did want to mention that Michael's is now selling Heidi Swapp products and for those of use without a local scrapbook store. I can only say "YAY".  Heidi is celebrating with 101 Ideas; her ideas are always fun and she has made it so easy that it is worth checking out.  All of the "101 Ideas" are posted to one specific page on her website meaning no searching through endless blog posts to find them.  From now until May 26, pop on over to 101 Ideas to find a new daily "Project Inspiration" with instructions.  So far Team Swapp has posted layouts, cards, mini albums, Memory Files, garlands, and home decor; really something for everyone.


That's all for today….my "short posts" always end up "not short posts" as in "really wordy posts"…I have issues.  Sorry…that's all I can say.

Laters Baby…..