Smilebox fun!

Ok so I have discovered a new fun way to waste away the day. Smilebox is a great site that allows you to make super easy scrapbooks to send to everyone via email. With a subscription you can print them and add your own music. They are too easy and too much fun. So while I am on my free subscription I thought I would get the most out of it. Enjoy the pictures of our Smokey Mountain vacation this past summer with my parents. It was a great trip.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Thanksgiving was so much fun. Here is the smilebox that I made to remember all the fun we had! Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Glitter Disaster

Well, this morning took an unexpected turn. I have a large wooden embellishment center in my scrapbook room that my darling husand made me. On it I have various size and shape jars filled with buttons and ribbons, accents and several little containers. In one of these little containers is glitter and this container dropped from the third shelf to my desk that is covered with my card workshop projects. Anyway, the glitter exploded EVERYWHERE! It was a mess! I never realized how hard it was to get rid of glitter!

First, in a glitter emergency scrape as much as you can into your craft tray with a paint brush.
Next, shake and tap off all the papers, stamps, blocks, versa matte etc... and brush it into the craft tray. Then, get out the vacuum cleaner and use your edging tool to vacuum it all up! (FYI the dusting tool doesn't work ) Anyway, I think I will be finding glitter forever in my space and on me! I even had to empty out my tool caddy and vacuum it too along with my chair! I am telling you keep your glitter low, very low so it can't fall!

That goes to show that buying cheap glitter comes with it's downfalls... the lids don't stay on! I will be sticking with CTMH prisma glitter from now on, because the jars close tight!

Green glasses

Every where I look everyone is talking about green, especially my husband as he helped his company get LEED certified for building products. (a project he was proud of at YKK) Every building magazine has the word Green on the cover. Well, in our house I am the recycling nazi. Just ask my kids! But that is not the only time I am in a recycling frame of mind, everytime I go to throw something away I think about if it can be used in a special way, especially, if I think it can go on a scrapbook page. I have trained my husband to ask before he throws anything away that he thinks I can use on a page or a project with the kids. He thinks of ways of using things in ways I never thought of before!

I find things even cleaning out my kids pockets and in the lint trap of the dryer! I find pieces of chains, buttons, and landyards. Before I toss things in the kitchen can I wonder if I can alter it for a gift or paper crafting project. For example, I love JARS! They hold ribbon, markers, embellishments and those buttons I pulled from the dryer! I don't think I can have too many jars. Turn one into a votive holder and decorate it with paper and ribbon....

I know you think I am a packrat, but I am not! I do save movie stubs, tickets to shows etc. to put in my scrapbooks, but the trash , it goes in the trash. My family also knows that I love to throw things away! I hate clutter... only the useful stuff may stay.

Here are 5 ways you can go green with your scrapbooks!

1. Save your scraps and use them to make cards for friends when you need one (don't spend $5 on a piece of paper that only fills the land fill, make one they will treasure and put in their scrapbook!)

2. Jot your note on a sticky note before you send a handmade card so your friend that doesn't scrapbook can reuse the card for another friend.

3. Foam sheets sent in packages can be used for a stamp pad with Acrylic Stamps or for paper quilting in your scrapbook. Don't throw it away!

4.Use empty embellishment tubes or ribbon round containers to decorate and fill with treats for a little gift. My kids love when I do that !

5. Trade your unwanted scrapbook supplies with a friend or donate to a school or girls club in your area for use as craft supplies!

I hope you start looking at things through green glasses.... it will make this world a better place for our kids!