It's January? Break Out the NEW Calendar! (Calendar Swap Pages)

Yes, I took a much needed break yesterday. I lounged around, checked in on Facebook a little, made a "boxed" dinner (Stove Top Stuffing ROCKS, btw...), watched some television, and read a little, too. (Oh yeah... and in all of that, I also hit up Walmart for some 75% off stuff...) After all, I had to recover from taking down and putting away all things holidays...

But, I'm coming back today! And... with something a little bit crafty, too.

I am in a couple of groups online. The Scrapbook_Bingo group on YahooGroups does swaps occasionally. This last time, we did a calendar swap. We each signed up for a particular month to put together a "Header Page" (you know... the one that goes at the "top" of each calendar month) and made 12 landscape-style layouts for it. We then sent them in and would get a full year's worth back! Woohoo! I just love assembly-line style...

This is what I got back:

January! (You already know it came from me... Don't you just love the cheery snowman?) For more information on this layout, click HERE.

February... the month of L.O.V.E.

 

March... the month of Leprechauns

 

A super cute list of dates and an adorable buttoned 4-leaf clover were added to complete it.

April brings RAIN SHOWERS... that make uh... FLOWERS!

And I just love the matting and felt flowers!

May(be)...
(NOT)

June... oh, so sweet!

a little more detail on those super CA-YOOT! lady bugs...

July... full of sparkle and patriotism!

August... is a good summer month.

September... School Days!

October (another one by yours truly!)... a Boo-tiful month!

Notes on October... this cutest paper was a pack at Big Lots... adorable and so fitting! The web was Stardust Gellyroll-penned for glitter effects. The Floating Ghosts are cut from the Paper Doll Dress-Up and pop-dotted at the eyes to keep them afloat in the air. 

And the webbing behind the mat is leftover Halloween "webs"... The font is Blackletter, which I thought I'd never use. But! I did, especially since it came for free with my Gypsy download. I added Red Stickles for the glitter-y blood effects... Boo!

 November... time for leaves to fall.

A closer look at the details... very nice falling leaves.

And these pumpkins are look so sweet... perfectly inked and irresistible.

December... a month for celebration and magic... just BELIEVE...

This layout is simple, yet... majestic. The tree just makes it that way!

The calendars were then bound with my friend's wonderful Cinch. Later... I customized calendar pages and printed them from KeepAndShare.com (which is a FREE site, so check it out!!! GET IT? FREE Printables!!!), and adhered them with my trusty friend... ATG! A quick hole, punched with my Crop-a-dile Big Bite (exactly in the center at the top of the pages), and Voila!

And so... I created two calendars, both of which were given as gifts, which I'm sure the recipients will cherish forever and ever, especially since they have to add their own photos... I'll show the glorious wrappings another day...

What type of calendar are YOU using for 2011? Get crafty! It'll make you want to use it more. (AND... fyi... these calendars CAN be used over and over again, by simply re-printing new years and placing them over the old... maybe update the photos a little bit, but hey! very economical!)

Oops! Here it is...

My last of my swaps that were turned in... or so I thought! I was cleaning off my scrap/dining room table and found my camera next to the package (yes, it was under a bunch of stuff!)... So I ran to the post office to send it off (long overdue!). Here is my take on the Christmas Blues/Silvers Title Topper...
I did this on a transparency. I am satisfied with the final product. It took FOREVER to get it semi-right. No matter what I read and tried... the transparency kept curling and melting, even with rotating heat. They ended up a little wavy, but I tried it over something, and was happy with the way it worked. Hopefully... everyone else will be, too!

This is a "Merry Christmas" and a tree trio (stamped twice) stamp done in metallic silver over bright blue streaks. Both colors were embossed.
The blue does not really show through the silver this much (in real life). Then I added a little Martha Stewart bling to give the impression of "stars".
To anyone on this swap... the blue cardstock (underneath) is just meant to hold it. You can cut the transparency down to whatever size you are scrapping and re-adjust the bling and the brads. The transparency can be put directly on/over your layout, allowing your layout colors, design, or whatever to show through.


Unfortunately, these pics don't really do it justice. But that's how it goes, when I'm pointing and shooting and not really worrying about the picture quality. So sorry...


Ok, so here's the blog of the day for Friday (since I just posted yesterday's)... THERE WERE GOOD TIMES, & SCRAPPY TIMES. This is done by another fellow Scrapbook Bingo member. She is HILARIOUS! She has a ton of wit and inspiration... no matter what she says... lol! Thanks, April for sharing your charm!

I seriously have got to work on tomorrow night's dinner (crock-potting it!) so I won't be cooking when I get home around 6 or 7'ish...

If there's something you'd like to see or read about... don't hesitate to let me know! Gotta go! Toodles for now! lisa

A Little Shake-Up Goes a Long Way!

So... after the earthquake, I decided to de-clutter.

I gave away approximately 70 children's books that Marissa had no interest in... Don't worry, she still has twice that!

I have been going through my craft and scrapbooking stuff, too. I sorted through the craft and scrapbooking things (that I had nearby) and categorized/organized them. I think I need bigger boxes! I also don't know what I was thinking way back when... I had all kinds of large cross-stitch projects to do. Yikes! So I gave away some of those, too...

Scrapbooking pretty much just got organized. This was actually my motivation, as I've signed up for some swaps and have got to get going! I took a semi-inventory and am doing some serious creative thinking. I've got some ideas, now should just sketch them through... I've already ordered some things I might need, to go along with the thoughts in my brain and what I've already got. A total of 52 cards (various groupings, 8 groups are of same item), 10 Christmas tags (to and from - all the same), and 6 Recipe Layouts for beverages (all the same) are needed by September 1st! (Please forgive me if you've participated in a swap and this sounds redundant to you... I've never done something like this.) Gotta get my groove on! I'm super excited!

I did stitch up a couple of mending projects that were sitting by my machine. I have got to get some navy thread in order to finish up two pairs of shorts (turning Dickies pants into shorts for hubby)!

Anyways... you can finally see my craft table... I mean dining room table, as the stuff is cleared off and put where it should be (for the most part). Don't worry, we don't usually eat there, we prefer the kitchen table. This took a whole 3 days (off and on)! I had a lot of stuff, and still do.

I get the girls back tomorrow, and next week will be totally hectic with registration, doctors, appointments, ortho appointments, and swimming. Ugh! What did I get myself into? Well, there's nothing like business to keep me from eating... here I go (lost 5 pounds this week!). Toodles for now! lisa