Scrap our Stash Frugal Friday tip: stamping with found items

Stamping is something I would like to do more of. However, being on a limited budget means I can only add to my stamp collection slowly. I also like recycling, so I am always on the lookout for items that I can re-use. I buy glue sticks for my son in bulk. After he used up the last one, I realized that part of the packaging would be perfect for a background stamp. It had a black stand to which all of the sticks were attached.

I used a little red paint, and stamped directly onto the paper. I love the effect it produced. Ink could also easily have been used with it. I splattered some red paint on the page as well. I also was able to use some leftovers on this page. I had some chipboard circles left over from a minibook project and some thin strips of papers from my DCWV green stack and Stampin up paper pack. For added effect, I used pens on these for a simple accent, though it's a little hard to see in the photo. The simple pen borders give new life to old scraps.

The colors I chose were based on the Tortuga rum cake sign. These are sold here in Nassau. I was recently in a challenge about scrapping local foods. I had never thought about that before. I realized it could be very important. Places change, even if we don't move around a lot. My Dad still lives in the town where I grew up, but a lot of the favorite places we ate are out of business. On the flip side, it could just be nice to record a restaurant and see it recorded in our albums as a family tradition years later.Especially if it's a place you and your family frequents. Anyhow, I am on a mission to scrapbook local treats and foods that we eat while living here. I just need to get DH on board so we can go eat some conch down at the fish fry. Local foods and family recipes have become one of my many projects to complete. They may take a little time, but I do also hope to scrap some of my grandmother's recipes.

I hope you'll take the frugal Friday challenge or get "that" project scrapped. You can submit them to Scrap Our Stash.                                                                                                                                        

Scrap Our Stash October challenge- That Project!

We all have them...projects that need to be finished. I personally have a list of them. I think that is because I take WAY too many photos. I just love photos though...so I refuse to stop. I love looking back on my son and my husband...enjoying all of the moments. Especially since, sometimes, little details slip my mind. So, here I sat, with all of my projects, trying to decide which was the one I was going to work on today. There is my wedding album, honeymoon album, the 2008 photos, current pictures(because, I try to keep up), and childhood photos( both from DH and I). I finally settled upon some photos from our trip to Vail in 2008.

  Dh was lucky enough to have to go to a conference there. This meant my son and I could tag along b/c hotel, rental car and DH's expenses were covered. We were so excited! I had seen snow, but never this much and this was my son's first time. We were told how lucky we were...it usually doesn't snow that much during the time of year we went. And here was this beautiful winter wonderland. My son was ecstatic! I captured these photos our first evening out. I had bought a ton of different winter theme papers to scrap them, but in the end, I chose to let the beauty of the photos accent the papers. To keep it simple, I stitched across some Ms. Elizabeth's stickers by hand. I did accent the photos with silver colorbox ink.

I love the simple and elegant effect. I was inspired by a friend of mine ( Erika H) and her "nature" layout over at Club CK. I am also happy to finally be using up the stash I bought to scrap these pages over 2 years ago! So, now I'm off to work on some more pages... Don't forget to work on projects you need to complete and post them at Scrap Our Stash!

Halloween Bonanza

  If you don't know by now, I love Halloween. I love the costumes, the trick or treating, carving pumpkins...well everything! Sadly, I am WAY behind in documenting the photos that go along with this holiday. So, with many recent challenges focusing on this spooky holiday, I took the opportunity to use some of my new BG Eerie paper to get those photos onto paper.

Let's Scrap sketch 10-13-10

Pumpkin carving is a favorite family pastime, so I wanted a fun, pumpkin theme page. Add to that the fun of incorporating your senses into the page...for carving pumpkins is a very touch based experience. Orange Cardstock set the mood and I loved the textured feel of the embossed felt pumpkin trim from Recollections Autumn collection. To add to the sense of touch, I used Chatterbox corduroy brads to hold twine and handmade felt banners. I found the poem on-line,printed and stamped a tree onto the background, then used colorbox inks in chestnut roan, olive and creamy brown to mimic the tones in the BG paper. I did the same with the title. Hand stitching added a warm cozy feel while i-rock jewels and orange peel stickles added a little glitz to the pumpkin stamp.

To scrap the trick or treat fun, I used Eerie papers over a DCWV purple Cardstock base. This is a hybrid page. I used a printed title from CLUB CK which I fussy cut and distressed with colorbox inks. I also distressed a prima flower with black ink, then added an Eerie brad for the center. This was the first page I had made with my new I-rock. I love how easy it is to put on jewels. The trim is from my local fabric store. I have been finding some great deals on trims and lace there.

completed for Sketches for All Sketch-a-thon

I love how the many challenges out there get me in the mood to scrap. There's a ton of Halloween challenges right now from the Halloween party at Sketches for All, Workout #30 at Scrap fit, to the Halloween/Fall challenge at Frosted.  Also, don't forget to submit to Scrap and Stamp Saturday if you use a stamp on your page. So go on out there...find challenges, make pages!