Sticky Note Holders - 3 Sets

I made 3 sets of Sticky Note Holders with my photos on the front.  You can check out the process in this blog post.

Here is the green set.  I chose the red poppy, a yellow warbler, a beetle and a red wing black bird for this set.

The designer card stock has very little pattern.

I did have enough leftovers to punch my tabs from the same card stock.

The folds did produce white places because it is white core card stock.  Nothing I could do about that.

I could have used solid card stock but that is not the look I wanted.

Here's the pink set.

The pink cosmos, the dahlia, rose and poppy in the bottom right hand corner.

It would have been best if I photographed these before I put the celloband and tag but that is the way it goes.  Too late do it otherwise.

The cellophane band ensures that the sticky note pad stays in the holder until it heads home with a customer. 

It also provided a great place to tuck the tag with information and credits to the back.

The blue set features a dandelion (Salisfy), alium, a tree swallow chick, and mooks hood.

The info tag was printed and cut to 2.75 so it fit nicely in the back of the holder.  I strung it through the tab so that it would stay with the not e holder until it headed some with the customer.

By tucking it between the cello band and the holder it stays nicely out of the way.

 

Cards - Exchange

My August exchange cards are ready!

Again, I am using 4x4 inch photos from my 4x6 photo calendars.

I believe this is a strawberry flower with morning dew.  I would have taken it at the Community Garden.

I chose a Handsome Hunter card base.  

I cut a Stampin Up Lattice die in white.  I adhered it behind the flower photo allowing only a portion of it to show on the bottom.  

I added small yellow handmade paper flowers, white flower sequins and black tiny brads on the intersections of the die cut.

I then adhered this layer to the front of the card base, added a quarter sheet insert on the right hand panel and a white envelope.

Excellent.

My next card features a Queen Anne Lace flower which I would have taken in Ontario when visiting my sister.

The colors on this one were warmer so I chose a white card base.

I cut the SU Lattice die from a warm green textured card stock.  I split the diecut in two and placed one half on top and bottom of the photo.  The diecut was taped to the back of the photo then the layer was adhered to the card front.

The photo needed a bit of something so I used my fine black marker and added a dash frame all the way around the photo.

The photo has been trimmed to about 3.5 inches square.

I added a white quarter sheet insert and a white envelope and it is ready!

2022 Reunion Photo Booklet for Mom

Every time we have a big family reunion on Mom's side of the family I prepare a set of the semi formal photos taken during the event.

On recent reunions I have been the official family photographer so that works out well.

This year was no different.  This was the first one since the start of the COVID pandemic and the numbers were smaller than usual.

I had prepared the photos and ordered the prints in the 5x7 format.  I was not able to make the holder this year because my stuff is in storage.  Thankfully, my sister agreed to make the black 8.5 x 8.5 inch holder with the Zutter binding at the top.  Thanks Sis for helping out with this project. 

I quickly created this front cover showing my nieces trailer that Mom stayed in this summer while she was at reunion.  The canola field on the right looks a bit wonky but such is life.

I hand wrote all the documentation for the 12 photos in the folder.  With a 5x7 in landscape orientation I had a 2 inch strip of white card stock to write out the names of those in the photo.  

Mom & Dad's family had the most family members in attendance - I believe we were 20 people. Mom, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Several of Mom's siblings have passed. We had family members from 8 of the 14 siblings. Some live out of province and travel is difficult. 

I created a bit of a label for the back page.

Some of the pages only had a couple of people in the photo.

Mom is the 3rd oldest of the original family and we are pretty committed to attend as long as we can.

Mom appreciates being able sit with the book and look at her people.  When I gave it to her on Friday she recognized every one and knew which of her siblings families they belonged to.

I hope it brings her comfort in the days to come to remember being there with her family and siblings.

Recently at My Place

We had a great BBQ on Sunday as a fund raiser to send kids to music camp.

The spread of food was wonderful.  The salads were delicious with great variety.

The meat in forms of burgers and hot dogs was well done.

As you can see I had a plate full which was delicious.

I finished this book last week.  I did not connect as much with this one as I do with the One Thousand Gifts.  We are all broken in some way and how we use that to connect with others serves us well.

I borrowed it from a friend a while back.

I returned it this week with a few Nifty Note cards as a thank you.

I found this DVD series of all 4 seasons at the second hand store a while ago.  I have seen some of the shows on PBS TV several years ago but did not get to watch it in an orderly fashion.

I absolutely loved this shows.  The story is set in 1860s. The main character Laura Timmins raised in the poor hamlet of Larkrise moves to the post office in the market town of Candleford.  She works for her mother's cousin Dorcas Lane who has inherited the post office from her father. It is very unusual for women to own businesses in this time.  There is a couple of sister who own a dress making shop in Candleford as well.
 
It included stories of love, heart ache, being responsible, working hard, learning big and little life lessons.

I have been to the wetlands often.

In the top left is a Red Neck Grebe, a Barn Swallow on the right top.

This little bird with fuzzy edges I believe is a fledgling Robin.  It sat very very still and I think it was scared stiff.  I hope it got the courage to move.

The American White Pelicans are also at the Beaumaris Lake in the north end.  I heard someone saw a Loon there.





This is one of the images I prepared for the Macro Monday Challenge - Hand Tool.  I am starting to be able create a bokeh background regularly.  This my jewelry wire cutters with a bit of gold wire.



I am sharing with Mosaic Monday #87 hosted by Maggie at Normandy Life.

Mersad who hosts Thru My Lens #147 at Mersad Photography.

Share Your Cup - This Week

I added a glass red apple to my collection of glass fruit in my table center piece.  I find amazing how when you start looking for certain things you find them.  Was I walking passed them before?  Likely.

You can see my bowl of fruit here.

I had put a small LED light on my shopping list.  Sometimes when I am doing photography I need some in fill lighting.  The 100 and 60 watt lights I have for the house are too much.  I wanted it with a magnet or clip so I could position it as needed.  This one as a flexible arm as well so I am good to go!

It is a Merangue Crookneck 3-LED Bulb Book Worm Light worth over $10 new and at the rummage sale on the weekend the price was .50 with a set of batteries. It's uses AA batteries so I can use my regular rechargeable AA batteries.

I've used it already and it works well.

I have purchased a 100% polyester shower curtain liner to replace the PVC liner I had been using.  I found out that PVC is toxic and bad for you.  My sister indicated she used a 100% polyester one which gets laundered regularly.  Well, that makes sense!
I have always used a clear plastic liner and a sheer outside curtain so I can see when I am in the shower.  I was concerned a white polyester one would make it too dark.  Well it doesn't. 
Some curtains have weights in the hem to keep it from flopping around and letting water on your floor.  This one did not so I just DIYed a solution.  I sewed 3 little pockets and placed stainless steel washers in them.  The washers don't rust and I left the top open so I can just removed them to wash the curtain.
I bought new hooks as well which make it easier to remove the liner to wash it.  I've had a burgundy outside curtain for a long time.  After the experience with the kitchen cupboards, I decided to replace the dark one with a lighter one.  I love this one.  It is elegant, sheer, and helps make the room much brighter.
Sharing with Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson who hosts Share Your Cup #244

Simple Sentiments Box

I made another set of Simple Sentiments.  This time it was a box I am donating for an auction taking place soon.

I included several different greetings as well a no greeting one.  Thanks so Much, Just a Note, Thinking of You, Hello, and no greeting.

The graphics and frames from the The Graphics Fairy.

This set features my photos from my photo calendars.  They have been trimmed from the calendar sheets and adhered to the card front above the greeting/graphic. A great re use idea.

Simple Sentiments

These are a new level of card I am producing.  It is a note card with a layer adhered to the front.  For this set it is one of my 4x4 inch photos I used for my photo calendars.  This is one way to reuse the photo once the calendar page has expired. 

The 4x6 calendar page was cut with one of the dies from the Sizzix Squares Thinlits which cuts at 3.75 inches square which is perfect. The sentiment is color printed on white card stock in Smoky Slate.

The set is 6 cards with envelopes with sentiments one might need without much notice.  Get Well Soon, Sympathy, a simple thanks, Thinking of You or plain card with no sentiment.


They are simply packaged in a cellophane portfolio so 4 of the 6 cards a visible.   An insert is enclosed with product information.

Card Club - Jan - Masculine HB

This card was designed around a photo from last year's calendar. I chose a blue card onto which I printed my plank board background in black. I cut the 4" photo with the Stampin Up Deco Label Framelits.  I then cut a black one of the same size.  I cut the black one in half and glued the halves to the back of the photo die cut offset on the left and right hand side. I adhered this to the top of the card.  I designed a circle greeting in blue and black.  I punched it with a 1" circle punch.  It was mounted on a black ribbon slider cut with a Cuttlebug die.  I used white seam binding, strung the ribbon slider onto it and placed near the bottom of the card.  I placed a slot in the fold, pulled the end through and taped it to the inside of the card. I wrapped the right hand end to the inside of the cad and taped it down.

Photo - Royal Tyrell Musuem - 25th Anniversary

I took a trip to Drumheller this week specifically to visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum. I've been visiting this area of Alberta for years and I've visited the museum at least 4 times. The museum celebrated their 25th Anniversary in 2010.   It is never a disappointment but this visit was excellent.  They have added an education centre, a garden, programs, more hands on exhibits, some fun stuff and some exhibits feature mirrors which I thought was an excellent addition!
The top photo is the great Tyrannosaurus Rex found in southwestern Alberta by 2 teens fishing.  Insects in cased in amber, a fern from the Cretaceous Garden, underwater creatures from the Burgess Shale made 12 times larger than their actual size.  The Mosasaur was a marine reptile like a crocodile that lived in the Bearpaw Sea which was an inland sea that spread from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico during the Cretaceous Period, essentially splitting North America in half. Taking the photo was difficult as the area was darken as in underwater.  The Stegosaurus rounds out the set of photos in the bottom right.

Photos - Trip to Drumheller

I took a trip to southern Alberta this week, mostly to see the Royal Tyrell Museum - more about that in the next post. I chose not to travel on the QEII and took the smaller highways to Drumheller.  What a pleasant drive!  The sun is shining, the water holes are full reflecting the blue sky, the birds are swimming and I totally enjoyed the day!  It was hot so I'm glad I got an early start.

I love the top left shot which is cresting the hill on Highway 56 and all of a sudden you are in a different world. The swan was in Camrose on Mirror Lake.  The wind turbines were near Torrington, AB on Highway 27. The grain harvesting was in full force in this area.  The train was in Stettler.  The patio is at the McDougall Lane Bed and Breakfast.  Great place.

Is that a bone in the mud in the background? See just above Drumheller, I think so.  I did not see it when I took the picture but there it is!

Calendar - Damask Gift Calendar for Christmas Giving

I up-cycled this Damask calendar with all you need to quickly finish the calendar.  I added decorative photo corners cut with the Cricut and the Picturesque Cartridge.  I've cut them from metallic and pearl card stock.  I've combined
the silver and gold,
the white and blue and
the copper and black.
I then added enough mounting squares to adhere the photos and the corners.  Ready to go!  Just add your pictures.  The kids, the trip, the celebration, the anniversary, the wedding pictures or anything else you can think of or what to remember!  See my calendar page for further details.

Cards - Nifty Notes 2

Here's the other 2 sets of the note cards I made over the weekend to help me fill some smaller envelopes I had.  These are too small to mail so they would work best when you need a card to give someone personally or to include in a gift or parcel.  These are the Sewing and Encouraging sets.  I know a lot of quilters who would appreciate being able to give a card with their interests expressed on the front.  The vintage images are from Graphics Fairy.  Check out Karen's collection of images from old books.

The other set is designed to give to those we know who are going through a tough time and need to know that someone is thinking about them and they are not alone.  These are designed with my own photos.  These have been placed on my Ready 2 Give tab.

Calendar Project - 2012

I've been working on a calendar project.  A calendar which would hold 4x6 photos or artwork.  This calendar has metallic accents in the form of silver, gold and copper flourishes.  I've selected some of my photos from last year to put into it.  It's still a work in progress that I hope to perfect for the Christmas gift giving season.

Card - Digitial - Flower Trio

I designed this card from 3 flower photos. They were reduced in size and had a distressed frame applied to them.  I did tweak the colors a little bit to have them all in the warm tones.  I added a gradient fill that started with a similar color and faded to white at the top.  I added the sentiment in a complimentary shade of green.  It works!

Photo - Muttart Conservatory

I took my last trip to the Muttart Conservatory for 2011.  It was set up for the Snow Queen with blue glittered poinsettias in the feature pavilion. It was pretty quiet so an excellent opportunity to wander with out too much distraction. The number of orchids was super.  I got several really great shots.  I've put together a collage of images.  The dusty plum poinsettias were really nice.  The snowflake was on some silver giftwrapped boxes in the sleigh but with reflections it looked blue.  The top pic is some fuzzy looking leaves in macro.  The pics on the right is are orchids I think.  A couple of good hours just shooting pics, enjoying the temperatures of the pavilions and relaxing a little bit.

Photo - Vacation Pics

Here's a few shots from my summer. I was up early one morning and took this great sunrise with the pine tree in silhouette, Queen Anne lace against a dark sky (we nearly got wet), a swan on Lake Ontario with a great reflection, the Canada Flag in late evening, a punched tin lantern at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough and the dew on the car as we were leaving at 6:30 am for a day of photo taking (now that the life of a photographer). We were trying to avoid the heat of the day and the harshness of the midday light.

I spent time with my sister and we took lots of pictures, make lots of cards, chatted and walked most days. It was very good!

Scrapbook Layout - Garden

Three of us had a Scrapbook day last week. Good company, good food and good time. We had lots of room and I got 3 2-page layouts completed. Here's pics from my visit to the Leg Grounds and the memorial garden. The fountains, flowers and foliage are all covered. My favorite is the Lily of the Valley.

Photo - Spring Flowers

I took a few hours off on Sunday afternoon and headed to the Muttart Conservatory for some picture taking. It was a great afternoon. The spring flowers were in the Feature Pyramid. They had tulips in several colors, daffodils and paperwhites, lilies just in time for Easter. I took about 300 pics. I took of few and created the collage posted here. I wandered the grounds some with a temperature of 15C.

Card Club - December - Photo Acetate

This card features a flower photo printed on a laser transparency. I used my own photos and selected ones with good contrast so when they were printed in black and white there would be clear areas for the watercolored paper to show through. Having a few dark areas gives you places to put your adhesive to keep the acetate in place. The acetate is trimmed to the edge of the photo then the watercolor paper is trimmed to the same edge. The lacy strip at the top was made with the MS Arches border punch. I added some coordinating silk flowers attached with a mini brad.

Photo Calendars

I created some photo calendars this year for Christmas gifts. I had decided that I would like to make a calendar with barn pictures so I spent a couple of days on my vacation travelling the highways and back roads of Ontario scouting out barns and other interesting buildings. Ontario barns are quite different than Alberta barns. They generally have stone foundations.
The garden calendar has a few closeups of flowers and garden ornaments like statues and water ponds. I really liked the shot of the door on the front of the calendar. That shot was a Parkwood Estate in Oshawa. This gave me the opportunity to use my Zutter Bind It All machine to install the o-wire binding at the top. I used MS Publisher for the layout. I'm happy with how they turned out.