The Constant Scrapper

If I'm not scrapbooking I'm thinking about scrapbooking!

My Mind's Eye

First Communion 1975

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This 2-page, 8-photo scrapbook layout documents my First Communion in 1975.

Phil and I made our First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 3, 1975—40 years ago today!

I remember so much about that special day. My mom made my beautiful dress. Fr. Francis Curran, our pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Willoughby, celebrated the Mass. And I was so happy that all our relatives came for our big day.

Product/technique notes

I used patterned papers from the My Mind’s Eye “stella & rose » gertie” collection and cut a title with my Silhouette. With all the patterns plus eight photos, I decided to keep this design simple.

Wine bottle tag tutorial

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TisTheSeasonWineTags1_Daquila-Pardo

We have some Christmas parties to attend this weekend, so I thought I would try my hand at making some wine tags to adorn the bottles we took along. Here’s a tutorial based on what I learned while creating mine.

Tutorial

  1. Cut base paper (I used cardstock, but it would look quite nice with patterned paper as well) to 3 x 10 inches.
  2. Score base paper at 3 inches.
  3. Cut patterned paper to 2.75 x 9.75 inches.
  4. Don’t score the patterned paper yet; you want to wait until it’s lined up properly on the base paper so you know exactly where it needs to be folded. But I do recommend scoring a second time so that your project folds crisply. I’ll tell you when.
  5. Notch the bottom of the patterned paper into a banner shape.
  6. Lay the patterned paper on the base paper and cut the matching notch into the base paper.
  7. Flip the base paper over and find the center of the 3-inch section by lightly drawing an X from corner to corner. This will ensure that you punch your bottle neck opening in the right spot.
  8. At this point, because I use adhesive that isn’t hard to pull up, I adhered the two papers together so that I could punch them at the same time. Then I used a 1.25-inch circle punch to create the bottle neck opening.
  9. Carefully pull up the patterned paper from the base paper and line up a 1.5-inch circle punch around the original hole to create the double ring effect. Glue the two papers back together.
  10. Now put the project back on your scoring board and score again at 3 inches.
  11. Have fun embellishing your wine tags!
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Closeup shot of the left tag

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Closeup shot of the right tag

Product/technique notes

I created both of these tags using past years’ My Mind’s Eye Christmas collections—”Festive” on the left tag and “Be Merry” on the right one. I loved how they turned out! And I’m entering them in the MME December challenge to make small gifts/stocking stuffers.

Three of my many blessings

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My Mind’s Eye has issued a challenge to create a page about gratitude, and I am certainly grateful for these three women.

Friends are such a blessing.

I met these women when I became an officer in the Ladies’ Club at church last year. Luanne, Debbie and Janet are just the nicest, most loving people, and I’m happy to count them as friends.

Product/technique notes

I created this page using products from the My Mind’s Eye “Indie Chic,” “Quite Contrary,” “Now and Then: Dorothy,” “Follow Your Heart” and “Vintage Nostalgia” collections. I created the title work on my Silhouette and followed this sketch from Paper Issues.
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Our shared graduation party

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What a big day high school graduation is in the life of a teenager...and his/her parents!

My younger brother and I went to school together. And by that I mean that we started first grade on the same day in 1973 and graduated high school on the same day in 1985. In fact, we started and graduated college on the same days as well, but that’s a story for another day. We essentially attended school as twins, even though we’re 13.5 months apart in age (because Phil started a year early).

So of course we celebrated our graduation party together. Mom and Dad put together a lovely fête in our Willoughby, Ohio, back yard and invited our friends and relatives. The top photo is of Dad, me, Mom and Phil. The bottom photo includes our grandparents on Mom’s side (seated), our Uncle Earl and Aunt Mary Lou, our Nana on Dad’s side and our Aunt Rose.

Product/technique notes

I created this layout to participate in the Scrap & Play challenge #9. The patterned papers are from a K&Co Amy Bulter pad and the journaling card, stickers and washi tape are from My Mind’s Eye’s “Now & Then: Dorothy” collection. I cut the title on my Silhouette, and the border punches are by Martha Stewart and Fiskars.
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You lift me up

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My mother-in-law took this adorable photo of her daughter, Thyia, long before I knew either of them. But it reminds me how fun they could be.

What a cute picture of a moment that all girls have been through—celebrating our first bra. This is my sister-in-law, Thyia, being silly for the camera some time in the mid- to late-80s.

Product/technique notes

I used bright patterned papers from an older My Mind’s Eye collection and embellishments from BasicGrey.