Happy Thanks Giving! I am thankful today for my family's health, which is not 100% at the moment, but pretty close. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here but I wish we did, the roots of the celebration have nothing to do with any country but America, but the idea of having a day to be thankful is great. We get caught up on our daily lives and sometimes forget we should be grateful every day!  But I digress.

Christmas is fast approaching and I would like to share our Advent Calendar with you, here is the template I created last year:

Some people like to have the "remaining days" till Christmas in the Advent Calendar, some people like to just mark the days off like a normal calendar, both versions are available in this template.

Ready in 3 easy steps:

1. Open up the template in Photoshop and add your favourite papers and elements.

2. Print out your project. You can use photographic paper if you are adhering it to cardboard or a wood base, or nowadays there is magnetic adhesive and magnetic paper available if you want to put this up on the fridge or magnetic board.

3. Assemble your tree and have fun counting the days till Christmas.

Optional

1. Print another copy of your numbers to pop them up. You can use a 1" circle punch to punch out the numbers.

2. Print circle elements or pattern paper and punch them out with the 1 inch punch. Use Glu Tack or any non permanent/re-positional adhesive to adhere these on top of your numbers.

Instead of crossing off each day, you can just remove the top layer, this way you can recycle the project and use it over and over again :)

Here is the finished tree:

Ribbons and brad from Making Memories, transparent diecut star from Fancy Pants:

Digital papers and elements are from a retired kit by Michelle Coleman.

Happy Scrapping! In the mean time I am taking it easy with the kids, now that every one is over the flu we need some healing rest. But I will be back on Sunday with the Pencil Lines template ;)

xoxo

From my first CD album I thought about this calendar. Didn't have time to put it together last year, but this year I was determined! and I loooove how it turned out. This one is mine I am not giving it away :)

I already explained how to put together a CD album, and the CD calendar is the same. The difference is that you make two holes at the top (two to help it balance and stand on its own, but not necessary, one is ok too).  Just to make this a complete post about the CD calendar, lets go through the step by step once again.

Step by Step

Step 1. Create your page digitally using the template. Just clip your favourite photos and papers to the shapes provided. Alternatively you can use quickpages:

I should mention I created hole guides for the printed project, but only on the front layouts. I did it so I didn't have to align the holes in the back layouts (I only had holes on the cover, feb, apr, jun, aug, oct, dec layouts) Makes sense?

Step 2. Print the finished layouts on glossy photo paper, you can fit two on a letter/A4 sheet.

Step 3. Cut them out. The template is the exact shape and size for CDs. I might add that, if you want you can use other round albums (chipboard) or cut out cardboard for a grungier look (I have seen it done, looks cool!).

Step 4. If possible scratch the CD surface with sandpaper to make it less "smooth", and add mod podge or chosen adhesive.  Adhere front and back layouts to each CD making sure both sides are facing up.

Step 5. Punch holes with the crop a dile or using a drill. You do have to do one at a time so you can either create hole guides, as I mentioned above, mark with a pencil or use the previous layout as a guide to the next. Whatever you find easier. You can also have only one hole, which takes away the need to align the holes.

 Step 6. Embellish your calendar with real embellishments such as buttons and flowers. Lastly add the rings to the top (I recommend not adding ribbons as that makes it hard to flip from month to month)

Here is my finished calendar:

Buttons by Doodlebug designs, papers are my part on the Summer's Dawn collab with TaylorMade designs. The "real" embellishments are a must for me, but you can just have it all digitally embellished.

Once again the photos didn't come out right, but you get the idea. The white text is not that hard to read and March & April photos are not that pink, who wants to come visit and see this little project in person? ;)

I have one more calendar to show you, but only after I announce my new collab, can you guess who I am collaborating with?

{warning: image heavy post, but great hybrid ideas}

Remember when you were a child looking forward to that big box with pretty wrapping paper and a big bow on top. As we grow up our interests change and size is not as important, teens and adults have a very different view of Christmas. Some teens would rather get a bit of money to do whatever they like. For some adults the gifts are not even important anymore, it is the thought that counts. So, with that in mind, how to wrap money? or a gift card? or a thoughtful message? I have two new templates that might give you some ideas not only for this Christmas, but for gift giving in general.

These templates are easy to put together but are not the most intuitive thing in the world. So, lets have a quick step by step for each:

Gift Card holder Step by Step

Step 1. Clip your favourite paper to the template base. You can also add elements and word art. Remember the template is only for the outside design.

Step 2. Print your card holder into matte paper. I suggest you select one of your favourite papers and print on the back of the design, but it is no problem if you decide to leave it white.

Step 3. Cut the design, and score with a scoring tool or blunt knife to make folding easier.

There are four folds in the design, you will fold all of them "outward" except the third one which you should fold "inwards".

Step 4. Now add adhesive to the fold like in this image. Don't add adhesive to the whole fold, just around it, the area without adhesive is where your gift card is going to go.

Step 5. Once the little flap for the gift card is glued together, turn it around and make a little cut in the middle of it, just enough for you to slide your card in.

Step 6. Your gift card holder is ready. Now you have the option "round the corners" if you have a corner rounder punch:

and decorate it with real embellishments, I kept mine simple, closing it with a clip from Fancy Pants and adding Making Memories alpha stickers. Here is my finished little gift card holder created with the Simple Pleasures kit:

Get the whole concept? It is hard to see on the photos. You can also close it with a ribbon or a sticker, give as it is or put it in an envelope. There is so much room to be creative with these templates.

Paper Wallet Step by Step

On to the next one, the paper wallet template turned out soo much better than I imagined. I love it and already made a couple for my kids to play with. It is quick and easy to put together.

Step 1. Very similar to the Card holder, clip your favourite papers to the template shapes. I have kept it simple but each of the parts is a different shape so you can have different papers if you want.

Step 2. Print and cut out the design. You can print both sides or leave the inside white.

Step 3. Score with a scoring tool or blunt knife to make folding easier.

Step 4. Add adhesive to the "flaps" and close your paper wallet like this:

Step 5. Your wallet is ready. You can embellish it or use as it is. I have decided to round the corners on mine, and use Velcro to open and close the tab.

Velcro is easy to find on craft stores that sell sewing and quilting materials. The ones I bought are self adhesive dots that I cut in half to fit my little wallet.

On this project I used my Leaves paper pack and added some fun cardstock alphabet stickers from Love Elsie.  Here is my finished wallet ready for some money ;)

*********************************************************************************************

Here is what guest CT Melinda did with these templates and designs by Microferk, Saxon Holt and Jan Hosford (from scrapbook-elements.com):

Great isn't it? Who wouldn't like to get one of those for Christmas??? I think even the kids would love it!

Cathy also played with the templates, look at her gorgeous creations, one card holder and two wallets:

Cathy used my Leaves paper pack, the imagination alpha and the Love Fall collab with Lili as well as those adorable doodles by Nancy Kubo. I just looove that she put some photos in the wallet for her daughter Sofia and the button is just the perfect touch, so cute!

That's a LOT of photos for one post, hope it inspires you, I had a lot of fun with it :)

xoxo

Well, I did the 2009 version, I loved it, and off course I had to make another one :) This time I used my 4x6 calendar template:

Here is a step by step:

Step 1. Create your layouts digitally using by clipping your favourite photos and digital papers to the shapes provided in the template. For this project I have used my Simple Pleasures collab with One Bright Spot.

Double sided layouts: I am doing the back and front layouts this year. That means when I turn my cover around I will have January on the back. So, instead of 13 pages I will have only 7. The template comes with a couple of layouts, I "flipped" them before adding my photos, paper and calendar stamps. To flip your layout in Photoshop you have to go to Image > Rotate Canvas > Flip canvas horizontally. In Photoshop Elements you have to make sure you select all layers and go to Image > Rotate > Flip Horizontal. You have to do this to make sure your cut outs align, but no need to do it if you are only using the basic version with no cut outs.

Step 2. Print out your layouts.

A little note about printing. This template is sized 4x6 so you can send the layouts to be printed somewhere else if you don't have a printer or what to print lots. However, make sure your prints will not be resized. If you can take the photos yourself to the Bureau you can look into their software and downsize the image back inside the borders. A lot of places that do printing have automatic sets to make sure you don't have white space in your photos, which becomes a problem when you want to print something smaller, it gets enlarged. That has happened to me so I ended up re-printing the project at home. I can still use the prints from the Bureau, I will show you in a minute what I did with them.

Step 3. Start cuting your layouts to shape, but just the sides and top part, do the bottom cut out AFTER you glue back and front pages together to make sure they will line up. Double sided tape or a snail type adhesive dispenser should be enough. After adhering back and front layouts, you can trim away any excess and do the cut out.

Step 4. Punch the holes. If you have a crop a dile you can punch all holes at once. I have NOT printed my layouts with the hole guide because I find it easier to just punch the holes with the crop a dile. But if you dont have one and needs to use a hand held circle punch or a normal paper punch it is much easier if you print your layouts with the white hole guides included in the template.

Step 5. Create the stand. Just cut a strip of sturdy cardboard and make a triangle to the size of your calendar. (you can check step 4 and 5 of my 2009 Mini Calendar for more photos)

Step 6. Punch the holes for the cardboard stand. You can use one of your layouts as a guide to where you should be punching the holes, so you can keep your calendar centered in the stand.

Step 7. Last step, totally optional but my favourite part, is to add embellishments to your mini calendar. I love Doodlebug buttons and I like adding Chipboard letters (American Crafts thickers) to my cover pages. Here is the finished project:

mmm, I should lat you know this is soooo much cuter in person ;) The colours are a bit off in the photos.

Now, as I mentioned, I had problems printing this project in the Bureau, so I couldn't use them in the "layered" project because they were the wrong size, but it is still cute and going to be displayed. Hubby says he is taking it to work, we are using an acrylic frame to display each layout month by month:

I guess you can also put them on the fridge or in a corkboard. They are just too cute, need to be displayed :)

Hope you like this hybrid feature and feel inspired to make one for yourself or as a gift. I have two more calendars to post, so watch this space ;)

xoxo 

Last year I made a mini calendar for the September'08 Issue of the Digital Artist Magazine. It turned out beautifully! The calendar sits next to my computer and I adore looking at it, I am sad it is almost over. I have already started work on a new project, but for those that didn't try this one last year, I have updated the calendar and am selling the template with 50% off the regular price, I have done the same to last years' CD Calendar:

Mini Hybrid Calendar Step by Step

Step 1. Create your calendar pages digitally using the templates, just add photos and papers and "clip" to provided layers.

I have printed mine on double sided matte paper and included a simple design on the back, just to make the pages pretty when turned:

Step 3. Recycle a cardboard box (I have used a diaper box). Peel of any packaging or covering sheet to show a little of the corrugated board underneath (optional).

Step 4. Fold the piece of cardboard into a triangle and secure with double sided tape.

Step 5. Punch holes through the top. You can do them all at once if you have a crop-a-dile, or if one is not available, mark the hole placement and do one hole at the time.

Step 6. Embellish your pages (optional, but oh so fun!)

All done! Easy Peasy, right? :)

Notes:
•    When creating your digital pages, don’t forget to include a plain paper or "paint" under your text to improve readability, especially when using patterned paper.
•    As mentioned, I have printed this project on double sided matte paper so there is print on both sides of the calendar page.
•    I do not recommend the addition of ribbons to the rings of this project because it would make it too hard to flip the pages every month (it would look cute though hehe).
•    The biggest advantage of doing this digitally is that you can create a couple of different albums to give to family and friends without having to do each design by hand from scratch.

Digital supplies
Hybrid Scrapbooking Magic no.10 - Mini calendar
Chasing Rainbows kit by Michelle Coleman
Fonts are Augie and Peach Fuzz.

Physical supplies:
Double sided matte paper by Epson.
Chipboard alpha by American Crafts.
Flower, pearl and rhinestones by Kaisercraft.
Buttons and frost ribbon by Doodlebugs Designs.
Green ribbon by Love, Elsie.

I hope you have enjoyed this mini calendar and little step by step. Now I will get back to working on a new version of this cutie :)

Watch this space for new calendar templates and the free calendar stamps, coming on Tuesday.

xoxo

I have a two in one step by step for you today.  Ever found yourself with a couple of scrapbook pages and wondering how to keep them all together? Ever stressed about whether to staple or stitch a project? Well, pamphlet stitch is a quick and simple way of putting minibooks together and in this tutorial you will see how to do it using ribbon.

You will need to have a couple of things in hand:

• A printer and heavy weight paper. Preferably something that can be printed on both sides like double sided matte paper.
• Eyelet setter and hammer. Alternatively you can use a hole punch with a long reach or the Big Bite (crop a dile)
• You will also need Ribbon, adhesive (double sided tape), scoring tool, and your favourite photos.
• Lastly, since this is a hybrid project, you will need digital papers to print out.

Step by Step

Step 1. Print six (6) 3x2 photos. These can be printed on 6x4 paper, two at a time. If you are taking the time to digitally transform the two 3x2 photos to fit into the one 6x4 format, maybe you can also take the opportunity to add some brushes/ embellishments and text directly into the photos.

Step 2. Print an A4 sheet of double sided matte paper with your favorite digital papers on both sides. I have added a scallop to the design, you can have a collage of papers, there are many possibilities, I am just keeping it simple to show you how it is done.

Step 3. Cut your printed A4 Sheet in two 5x8 pieces and fold them in half (flatten them with a scoring tool). Layer the two sheets like a book.

Step 4. Cut your photos and stick them in the centre of each page.

Step 5. Add a front and back cover to your book. You can create them digitally or using the pattern paper you have printed. I have also used a piece of an acetate like material to protect my book.

Step 6. Cut a long length of ribbon (around 20 inches) to do a pamphlet stitch to bind your book together.

mmm but how do I do a pamphlet stitch?

The Pamphlet stitch

Step 1. Using a hole punch or Big Bite, make 3 holes in the centre of your book like in the image.

Step 2. Insert ribbon in the middle hole starting from outside of the book, ribbon end is now inside the book.

Step 3. Insert ribbon on the third hole for it to go back outside.

Step 4. Insert ribbon on the first hole (inserting ribbon in the inside of the book).

Step 5. Insert ribbon on the middle hole (for it to go back outside).

Step 6. Now you should have the two ends outside, making sure you have one end in each side of the ribbon going through the middle of the book, make a knot.

Step 7. You can cut the excess ribbon or finish it off with a bow.

I know it LOOKS complicated, but it really is straight forward. 

Enjoy your brag book :) Here are a couple more shots of my finished project:

Digital Supplies: A little bird told me - Designs by Lili. Font is LMS Dear mom - Lisa Sisneros.

Hope you enjoyed this one :) See you next time!

*note on the previous post I had posted the wrong size video, it is fixed now*

Looks like I haven't done a hybrid feature in a little while, and I have so many projects I still want to share, including reposting some that were lost with the old blog.  Just really lacking time right now, specially with a week like this were Lucas was sick at home and I was trying to finish some designs for next week. Talking about next week, I have a friendly reminder :) If you like freebies, sign up for my newsletter! hehehe

We have a sale at Little Dreamer Designs this weekend - 25% to 35% discount, pretty darn good if I dare say so myself. So I quickly put up my contribution to the daily digi Snapping and Scrapping Collaboration. If you missed that amazing kit now you can get my part at the LDD shoppe. It is a mini camera wallet album template which includes a bonus mini kit. I decided to take the opportunity to post the step by step photos that I saved from when I put it together ;)

My cute little mini camera wallet album fits on the palm of my hand and has my favourite photos of Matty, working on one for Lucas but I want another shape for him :)

The step by step is pretty straight forward with a couple of details to keep in mind. First work on your template digitally:

Add your photos and you can choose between having an album with just black and white frames or with coloured frames. The template has both so please remember to turn whichever you don't want off, as you will end up black outlines in your print out if you don't turn it off.

Print out your album in a letter size or A4 paper, back and front will fit on the same page:

Separate back and front and cut around the front side but just the extremes of the back, glue both together and fold:

Doing it this way, you can cut all pages at the same time so they are uniform:

The frame is thick enough, so you can cut in a little if you don't have the back and front 100% aligned, but I like things "perfectly imperfect", it adds to the handmade feel ;)

Here is the finished project:

dang cute :) Hope you like playing with it, I love having this in my wallet now.

My CT member Cathy Pascual also created one for her girls, this photo just about melted my heart!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lastly, if you are into hybrid and into Halloween... you are going to love this:

also one of the latest additions to the shoppe that is 35% off!!! But check out all the goodies at discount, the shoppe doesn't always display the discount but you can see them in the cart! bargains :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

I did another test video the other day. Testing to make it perfect for when I film my classes :) Almost there, at least now I have the right angle.I created the page for the Fancy Pants blog. Here is the video:

Here is my page:

It is really hard to show on the photos how cool this glitter cuts are, you get a better idea here:

and I love this "saying":

Thanks for stopping by!

I have a sick little munchkin at home that won't let me do anything, so, I am worried about next week, won't have any new project to post LOL but it is good to spend time with Lucas, we don't have much one on one time, we always have company. I just wish he didn't take after me and was so stubborn ;)

Hope you are having a lovely week!

I have an amazing announcement! I have been invited by Renee Pearson, former editor of the Digital Scrapbooking Magazine, to join her, Tiffany Tillman and Anna Aspnes teaching at Reneepearson.com. Here is my instructor page and later this year we will start offering classes in hybrid scrapbooking.

While my classes are not up, you gotta go and register. We are having a HUGE promotional week full of freebies and giveaways, in fact, it is not huge, it is super colossal as we decided to call it. There will be chats with all the instructors as well as Cathy Zielske and Ali Edwards. Join me for a chat on Sunday 13th, at 8PM Eastern Time.

Be sure to enter the Super Colossal Grand Prize giveaway of an Epson Stylus Photo R1900 printer, Needless to say I use Epson for all my hybrid adventures and I am stoked they are sponsoring the event. There are many more giveaways and the DAILY goodie bag with FIVE 5 kits each, plus discounts, and more. Everything listed here (after you register).

Hi everyone, here I am with another hybrid feature :) When I posted the envelope album last week I surfed a bit through the Scrapartist forums and realised my post with the step by step tin album is not easily accessible anymore AND all the images are broken (don't get me started about flickr again), so I decided to post it here :)

Round tins, square tins, any kind. You can buy them from your favourite scrapbooking store or recycle one from home. Chips tin, mint tins, tea tins, they are everywhere (I would avoid the sardine ones though LOL) Here is the step by step:

1.As mentioned above, buy any kind of tin from your nearest Scrapbook store or you can recycle one (I used an empty mint tin). Scratch the tin using sanding paper so the acrylic paint will adhere to it.

2.Paint with acrylic paint and let it dry. Use something to seal the paint. I used the glitter mod podge Set it aside to dry.

3.Create the pages side by side digitally, including backing papers. The size will depend on what tin you have, measure it with a ruler and make your pages a little smaller to fit inside your tin. Mine fit in one A4 sheet. Print the pages and cut them:

4.Score them with a scoring tool or a non pointy knife

5. Cut the back papers individually (this is optional, you don't even need backing papers) Another optional: round the corners of your accordion album and of your backing paper.

6. Embellish your pages. You can use buttons and ribbons. You can also staple things or sew/stitch on your pages with no fear because you have the backing paper to cover the back of your project. AFTER you finish embellishing, add the backing paper to the back of your pages:

7. Now you just have to embellish the top or side of your tin, again, this depends on what kind of tin you use. It is nice to embellish around the round tins, this is hard with the square ones that are too low. You can also create a cover digitally and add buttons and ribbons to it, like I did here:

Digital credits:
Urban letters Alpha by Lili (retired)
Pop Paperset by Nancie Rowe Janitz
Font is SquarePegROB

Physical materials:
Ribbons from Love Elsie Jack+Abbie Collection
Buttons by Doodlebug (various packs)
Paint by Kaisercraft
Glitter Mod Podge.

I have posted another hybrid tin here, and I have made this specific project into to a template available here.  Hope you like this step by step :)

**************************************************************************************************

It is Friday night here and I spent the day with Matty at home, he was supposed to be sick but didn't look sick to me hehehe poor thing was sleepy though, so I guess it was good we didn't send him to school. He gave us a big scare yesterday when I went to pick him up and me and his teacher had to look for him for 10 minutes. We were freaked out! Turns out he was sleeping under the "tent" at the kindy room. He was supposed to be in the reading room. Anyway, it was a big scare and something I hope never happens again.

Yesterday I took photos of my friend's 3 week old bub. I am in awe, she is soooo cute!!! Promise to get some photos up as soon as I show them to the happy momma.

xoxo