Lennart 84

My grandfather turned 84 this year and I made him a birthday card. He loves classy things and gold so I made sure to add a lot of that and some bling

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Mothers day 2015

I made a card for my dear mother on mother’s day, we celebrate it a bit later than in the US and UK (still in May tho, I just forgot to update my blog a bit, hehe). I did some browsing on pinterest for inspiration and ended up with a combination of two cards. The text says “Well done mom”

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Storage Sunday – Packing for a scrapbooking crop

Sunday again and its time for another Storage Sunday and this week I will continue with the same theme as last week. I’m a bit tired today after the scrapbooking crop yesterday and today’s biking and walking with my dad, brother, niece and her mother. It was a lovely day with lots of sunshine! The scrapbooking crop was amazing and so much more fun than I expected (I’m usually unable to create and get anything done at our smaller crops) and I managed to make three (THREE!) layouts, almost four! I was just as amazed as my friends when we were ready to pack up and go home again. We spent almost 11 hours at the fair! I think half time was spent shopping and eating but hey, how could we resist shopping when the area was filled with stores and pretty things?

Anyway, back to topic! I was not really as organized and well prepared as Jennie, but thanks to her packing list I did not forget anything essential. My plan was to work on an album and maybe make some simple birthday cards using only the things I brought (a few paper pads, a selection of stamps and some white card bases). When I’m going to a crop I always bring more than I use because I don’t know what I’m going to make or feel like doing. Sometimes I just want to sit and color for a few hours, sometimes I crochet and sometimes I make cards. I recently discovered that I manage to create most when I have everything planned ahead, like the card base and layout set for my Christmas cards or as for this album where I have all pages sketched out and the base paper decided. I just needed my project box with the coordinating paper I already selected and the box of matching decorations and washi tape. I also believe it is easier to make choices when the selection of options are more limited.

Except from the paper and decorations I also need some tools and adhesives;

  • Quick glue
  • Scissors
  • Pens and pencils
  • Foam tape and squares, double sided tape, glue dots and a tape roller plus refill
  • Cutting tools
  • Metal ruler (almost forgot it!)
  • Alphabet stickers
  • Border stickers (I will never get rid of these)

I brought some things only for the card making (just in case)

  • Mists and sprays
  • Punches
  • Ink pad
  • Acrylic blocks
  • Bone folder
  • Stickles
  • Paper pads
  • Card bases
  • Stamps

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imageI also brought a case to bring the finished pages home in, I would never have thought about this if it wasn’t for Jennie’s packing list! So clever!

This is, for me, a light packing for a one day crop. I was so happy it all fit in my dramaten (bag on wheels sort of thing), it was very full but I was able to close it! Unfortunately I did not leave any room for shopping so I had a harder time to get home than to get there but I managed, happy and exhausted! For next time I will not bring things to make “just in case” rather just decide exactly what I am going to create and follow that. It was a very good thing to plan ahead and have the layouts and paper sorted out. I will also make more room for shopping and, in worst case, just buy anything that I might have forgotten. Since the shopping spree got a bit out of hands I will try to limit my pre-fair shopping and go bananas during the fair instead, it was so much fun!

That’s it for me, I’m exhausted and in need of some beauty sleep. I will share my haul in the next haul post (in early May) and later on some pictures of the album I’m working on, I just need to finish it.

Leon 6

My cousin Leon turned six in April and I made him a card for his birthday. I got inspired by some cards and crafts on Pinterest and made this. He was very happy! I think I should come up with another theme for next year, his cards all look the same year after year ;) I also put a note inside the card saying that he could remove the heads and wear on a keychain.

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Dad 54

My dad turned 54 this year and he got this card on his birthday. My dad used to work as a card mechanic and he drove a car like this one when I was a baby, so it was fun being able to make a card that personal for him! The patterned papers are from the Dapper Dan collection by Glitz.

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Easter crafting with kids, or just one

This weekend I invited my almost 6 year old cousin to come crafting with me and he was so excited! When it was time to go home his mother asked him if he has had enough of crafting for a while now but he said no, he wanted to keep crafting!
I was very impressed by his creativity and focus. I think he made about ten figures and one card!

I have a special basket for all the crafting material I let him use or purchase especially for him, things that are suited for kids, mostly complete kits. I must say that Panduro is very good at this! I found a few Easter kits on sale at both Panduro and Slöjd-detaljer so I got away pretty cheap this year!

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This was all that fit in the basket before we started crafting. I don’t usually keep the pens, pencils or brushes in the basket.
I also use a wax table cloth to protect my oiled oak table from any spilled paint or glue.

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Leon in the middle of gluing punched stars on his card. In the front you can see most of the figures he made all by himself, I just helped holding them while drying.

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For the next time I think I will buy more wadding eggs and other shapes, some googly eyes and wood buttons. These are the supplies he use the most and seem to have most fun with (except for my punches). I already have enough pipe cleaners, feathers and sequins to last a lifetime in case he want to decorate a bit extra.

Next time I feel like clearing out unused stuff from my stash (that would actually be the first time ever) I will simply add it to the magic kids crafting basket. I realized that he does not, whatsoever, see my things the same way I do. He said “you have sooooo much crafting stuff!” and yet he’s just seen a teeny tiny part of it all, *snickers*.