Key to my Heart layout

This coming weekend I'm going to be working at the Novi, Michigan Megameet, a scrapbooking and stamping expo with over 75 vendors showing off and selling their wares. At the Close to my Heart booth we will be selling page, album and card kits that are out of this world! I made up a bunch of them myself including this one below. Thanks to Laura C. for reminding me that it's time to put up another tutorial!

Since I had to send my actual pages ahead to the Megameet I will be estimating sizes below but that doesn't matter as you should always alter directions to fit your own photos. Key to my Heart paper was always one of my favorites. Unfortunately Close to my Heart only had it out for one month as a special. I scooped up a lot of it but it's gone now, goes to show you don't let your favorites get away. The colors are sorbet, juniper, creme brulee and tulip. You may ink distress all edges with juniper ink.

I'm big on dry embossing for cards and I use it occasionally for my layouts too. Because I was using a lot of cardstock on this layout and I love, love, love texture, I decided to actually dry emboss the whole 12 x 12 base page. You can too but taking your dry embossing tool and the groove in your trimmer to make a raised line on your paper. I made mine into 1" squares and then sanded them to show off the white core of our cardstock.

Add a two inch by twelve inch strip of matching pattern paper flush with the bottom of the page.

Directly above that strip choose another pattern paper, cut it two inches by twelve inches and glue it down flush with edges.

At the top take another pattern paper or match one of the papers that you've already used and cut it one inch by twelve inches. Glue it down 1/2 inch from the top keeping edges flush.

Cut a five by seven inch mat out of juniper cardstock. Dry emboss lines in it one inch apart and sand. Cut off the opposite corners with corner rounder. Add it to the page two inches from the top of page and one inch from left hand side.

Add five by four inch pattern paper mat to the right of the other mat keeping it on the same embossed line, about 1/2 inch from juniper mat and right hand side of the page.

On page two emboss your background as mentioned on page one. Glue down a two inch by twelve inch patterned paper strip vertically on the right hand side of the page keeping it flush with edges.

Cut another pattern piece two inches by twelve inches and attach next to first piece.

Cut another pattern paper (or use the same one as your first) seven by two inches and attach to the left bottom of the 12 x 12 page.

Add juniper cardstock strip cut one by twelve inch and attach directly to the left of the first two pieces keeping edges flush.

Cut seven by five juniper cardstock piece, dry emboss lines one inch apart and sand. Add to 12 x 12 base page horizontally about 1/2 inch from top, flush with the left side as shown.

Cut two three by three inch pieces out of pattern paper and glue centered under the juniper mat about a 1/2 inch down and 1/4 inch apart.

Add three by one inch title piece out of sorbet cardstock. Stamp it with the title of your choice. I used the Key to my Heart stamp set to title my page "Captured Memories." Add it about 1 1/2 inches from right hand side of page onto the second strip up from the bottom.

Add one of our pretty little butterflies from our Just Blooms spring blossom set to the upper left of the juniper mat.

Cut two four by four inch sorbet cardstock squares and cut off the corners with a rounder. Add them 1 1/2 inches down from the top of page, 1/2 inch from the right hand side of page. Have about 1/8 of an inch apart from each other. Add and layer the spring blossom flowers of your choice with a tulip brad in the center. Glue it just right of the bottom center of the page.

Attach three juniper brads just under the first of the pattern paper mats.

That's it, you're ready for pictures. Enjoy and come visit us at the megameet!

Key to my Heart Album

This is the last day to buy this paper and it's only $5.00 for a pack of 22 sheets. If I haven't told you enough, this is my favorite paper and I know if you buy some in the clearance sale today you will love it plus you can't beat that price.

Here's my website where you can get it today. http://barbraotten.myctmh.com

I've bought 11 packs of it myself. To show it off here's an album I made to send out to my relatives in California.

How to alter a notebook

Remember yesterday how I told you all that I take pictures as I process through my papercraft, card or layout? These things don't always go smoothly so I end up taking a lot of photos and then editing later. Today I decided to show all my pictures and the process of altering this notebook to show you that it's totally okay to change your mind halfway through just like I do. I've altered one of these particular notebooks before, they are cheap, $1.00, and I found them at Michael's in their dollar section. They measure approximately 5 by 7 inches.

To decorate this one I used Key to my Heart paper, my absolute favorite, in fact, I bought six packages from the clearance sale (see right sidebar) and am considering buying more before they run out.

For the background cut colonial white cardstock paper 4 1/4 by 6 1/2. Cut the pattern paper 4 by 6 1/4. Distress both pieces with juniper ink.

Cut another pattern paper 6 1/4 by 1 1/2 inches. Distress. Attach two large pieces together then add the strip 1/2 inch from outside mat on the left.

Cut another piece of colonial white cardstock 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 and a matching pattern paper mat 2 1/2 by 2 1/2. Stamp a flower from the Tickled Pink stamp set on a scrap piece of paper in juniper ink then cut it out. Add it to the center of the small mats and attach at a diagonal to the notebook about 1 inch down from the top.

Stamp a small flower center in tulip ink and cut out then attach to the middle of the flower.

Stamp another small design inside the flower circle in juniper ink and you're done. But I wasn't. I studied the almost finished product and completely changed my mind, not liking the center flower at all. I felt like the juniper flower didn't stand out enough and the tulip center was too bright especially since their wasn't much of the tulip coloring in the background paper to make it "fit." I tore the whole middle flower off.

Instead I took out a second set of stamps, Endless Friendship. I used the flowers from that and stamped them in sorbet and the centers in juniper then cut them out. Add the three flowers to the center of the small mat and let them overlap. Take the "so happy" stamp from the Tickled Pink stamp set and stamp it in juniper then cut it out closely around the letters. Add it to the bottom of the notebook. Add a couple of sorbet colored ribbons to the top and bottom bindings and it looks so much better. These are completely low cost but wonderful little stocking stuffers or small gifts for that mail carrier who goes out of her way to give you good customer service or the secretary at your church who always has a smile on her face, you know who I mean, make them feel appreciated.