Show N' Tell Sunday by Sue

Welcome to the Before and After edition of Show and Tell Sunday! I've completed a minor rearranging of my craft space to create a better work flow. Here are the results.

Before - my main work space had tools within easy reach, but most of my Slice stuff was stowed away and a pain to pull out in the middle of making a layout. A major creativity bummer, and an expensive tool was gathering dust. Unacceptable! 

After - not only are my must-have scrapping supplies and tools in this area, I relocated some items to make room for a.......

Slice Station - now everything is out and ready to go! Just looking at this new work station is inspiring me. I've used it already and it's so much easier.

Before - embellishments sorted by color and stored in ten containers, mostly leftover odds and ends from kits. Lots of fun to look at, but not getting much use. I think in color, but tend to look for embellishments by type or size. It's just time to admit that. 

After - a seriously paired down embellishment center, no longer sorted by color (gasp). Ten containers reduced to six!

Disclaimer: these are not ALL the embellishments in my stash. Not even close. I scrap by manufacturer and keep coordinating embellishments with the paper line.

Pairing down and re-grouping my embellishments freed up four containers for my stamp sets! Now I don't have to get up and rummage around my scrap room to find a stamp for a layout or card. I'm reaching for these more often.

Before - three containers filled with leftover brads, buttons, odds and ends that I rarely used. Again, they look good but most of these are pretty old and just don't fit the way I'm scrapping these days.

After - down to one container of buttons I will use!

Before - bulletin board used as inspiration and ideas for layouts. Looks good, but I was constantly re-working this space more than I was using it. Most of these pages eventually ended up in the trash.

After - bulletin board is now used to hang scrap paper, lists of what I want to scrap, how-to articles. It's more of an information center, right above my main work area.

Ideas from magazines, sketches and design inspiration now have a separate station at the end of my L-shaped desk and on my bookshelf that you can see in the background. Close to my main space, but not in the way. Have you done any tweaking to your craft space lately?

March Dust It off Challenge by Christy

Design Team Member Christy said:
When the " Dust It Off" March challenge was announced at Scrap Our Stash, I started rummaging through my stuff wondering what item I should dust off. Should it be the heat embossing tool that I rarely use? How about finally getting out my sewing machine? It has been sitting in my closet unused for years and I have always wanted to try sewing on paper. How about those stacks of snaps? I really had wanted them in so many colors and have used so few. As I continued to shuffle and organize my things, I came across a stack of old magazines, many of them dated all the way back to 2007. That's when a realization hit me. I always like to bookmark pages I want to scraplift. Yet...when was the last time I had done just that.
   Often times, a new magazine comes out, I get excited to read it and so I file the old one away to use later. The same goes with on-line inspiration. I see a page at a website or gallery and save it in an idea file on my computer. I just never go back and use the ideas I have gathered. So I decided that for this challenge, the first thing I would do, before dusting off my tools and supplies, would be to dust off some of my inspiration.
   My first choice came from the February/March 2008 edition of Scrapbooks ETC. It's " one more page you can put together in a flash".


Fancy Pants papers, stickers and border
Creative Memories alphabet
Making Memories tiny type alphas

 I really like these simple 15 minute style pages. The basic design bones are right there...just add photos and embellies and you are done., literally, in a flash. Making quick pages like this is helping me learn to spend less time choosing supplies. I make decisive, quick decisions and am able to scrap faster.
quick tip: If you have older sticker or alphas, update them with glossy accents(or similar product). Glossy accents is a clear adhesive. When you layer it over an older sticker or even a paper die cut shape, you can create those more modern epoxy looking stickers that so many of us love. On the page above, I dusted off some 8 plus year old Creative Memories alphabet stickers and added glossy accents to the top.
 For my second page, I chose to dust off some Internet inspiration. I am sorry to say that I do not know who made this wonderful page. I have had it for at least a few months in my computer file. Whoever you are...thank you for this gorgeous page to inspire me:

Now here is my take:


Cosmo cricket papers, border stickers and die cut
October Afternoon papers, rub on alphas and "made with love" sticker
Bic Mark it in woodsy brown

I chose to hand stitch versus machine stitch. I should have dusted off my sewing machine but I was a bit too lazy to drag it out of the closet. I used my 3-D adhesive to add a little pop to some of my fussy cut elements. Quick tip: the words Cherry Pie  in the title are actually the name of the paper. I often look at the strips with the paper name to see if I can use them on a page somewhere. I hate throwing anything out. In this case, they were exactly what was needed in the title.

Now, I invite you to dust off not just tools or supplies, but the things that inspire you. Share your projects with us here at Scrap Our Stash!  See all the details HERE!
Be sure to scroll down - there is always something new at Scrap Our Stash.

Pagerize Joni by Margaret

Reader Margaret submitted this layout for the Pagerize This Challenge.  She said:

I rarely work in single page layouts so I copied the layout and expanded it. I used line stickers from my stash (circa1998) that I bought when I first started scrapping. Using those stickers finished off my supply. Nice to clean them out of my stash. The stickers are Mrs. Grossman's bought from a CM consultant.
It was great to scrap these pics from 1993. To my delight the color was still bright despite being stored away in a box for 18 years. I created the pages at Kathy's Friday night scrap that she hosts at her house each week.
Thanks for giving me inspiration.
Margaret Lewis

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Theresa

Reader Theresa submitted this layout for the March Dust it Off Challenge. She said:

Hi.

This was fun. I dusted off and used an older die cut piece of paper I’ve been hoarding.

It’s so cute with the black flocked edge.


Thanks for the challenge.
Theresa
http://chatty-scrapper.blogspot.com/

Now it's your turn to take the March Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Helena

Future Guest Design Team Member Helena submitted this layout for the Pagerize This Challenge. She said:
This is my page for Joni's Pagerize challenge. I love grids so this
challenge was right up my alley.
Instead of using only one photo I used 8 photos in a grid formation and then
sewed around all the photos.
The paper is an oldie but goodie from Scenic Route. I used misting, stamping and inking on the background. I also used Tim Holtz's rosette die and another die which might be a sizzix die. On the leaf die I used Glimmer Glam and on the birdie on the background paper some Glimmer Glaze. The journaling is written on a Prima packaging paper.

I enjoyed this challenge very much.
Helena

Now it's your turn to take the Pagerize This Challege - hurry the challenge ends at midnight today. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Helen

Reader Helen submitted this layout for the Pagerize This Challenge. She said:

Here is my layout for " Pagerize This Challenge #7" at Scrap our Stash!! Love this idea!!!

I used white cs and scraps of pp I had in my stash!! I made the flowers and added some rub-on stitching and buttons!!What a great challenge!!!!!!!


Helen Hollinger!

Now it's your turn to take the Pagerize This Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Faye

Guest Design Team Member Faye submitted this mini album for the March Dust it Off Challenge. She said:

For this challenge, I decided to make a mini album. I have not done one in forever!!!! This is actually a gift for my best friend. Here is a sample of what it looked like.

Now it's your turn to take the March Dust it Off Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Tamara

Design Team Member Tamara submitted this layout for the Pagerize This Challenge #7.  She said:
Here is my Pagerize This Challenge.  I am still working on my dust off project!! I used DCWV paper and added the Stampin up! corderoy buttons along with all these Sandylion stickers that were a perfect fit for this layout! The trim I think is Making Memories.

Tamara
 http://scrappinsmiles-myblog.blogspot.com/

Now it's your turn to take the Pagerize This Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

$$Frugal Friday Tip by Tracy

Here is the photo of the tip that should be opened and a photo of it opened

Design Team Member Tracy submitted this Frugal Friday Tip. She said:

I use and love Mono tombo multi use adhesive but can't always get it. So when my Walmart had Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky glue on clearance/sale for 50 cents I picked up several bottles. I then thought that the real reason that I loved the Mono tombo is because of the tip options. I then opened the large tip side and filled the empty mono bottle with the Aleene's glue.


Now I have the same quality of glue, dries clear as well, sticks alot faster and I still have that small tip to be able to use to glue down diecuts that are super tiny.

Do you have a frugal tip to share. Just send your tip along with a picture to scrappinpsycho@live.com. You could be a future Frugal Friday Tip.


Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Colleen

Reader Colleen submitted this layout for the March Dust it Off Challenge. She said:

I have had this roll of tape for a long time and was always going to use it, just never got around to it.

Now it's your turn to take the March Dust it Off Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Joan

Design Team Member Joan submitted this layout for the March Dust it Off Challenge.  She said:

I used my Revolution die cutting machine to cut out the animal heads and the letters. (I haven't been cutting letters out lately, as I now use a lot of Thickers on my pages). I used up scraps of cardstock and patterned paper that I've had for quite awhile!

Joan Liddle

Now it's your turn to take the March Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Helen

Reader Helen submitted this altered tray for the March Dust it Off Challenge. She said:

Thanks so much for the push I needed to finish this altered tray for my hubby!

It was suppose to be for Christmas, but he will now get it for his birthday!!

I used a 7 Gypsies paint tray, some Tim Holtz pp, and odds and ends from my DH's workshop!!
Thanks for taking a peek!!
Helen Hollinger

Now it's your turn to take the March Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Danielle

Guest Design Team Member Danielle submitted this layout for the March Dust it Off Challenge. She said:

I decided to use the dreaded Cricut machine. lol… I have had the Cricut Expression, Design Studio, and SCAL for over a year now, but I hated using that thing. This challenge gave me an excuse to sit and learn how to actually make the most of it.


On the layout, “What I like About you”, I designed and cut the title using SCAL and the Cricut Expression. While I like the way it came out, I am still not completely sold on the wonders of this little machine. I am not a techno girl so I think that has a lot to do with it, but since this challenge, I have been trying to use it more.

Now it's your turn to take the March Dust it Off Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Wendy Crowe

Reader Wendy submitted this layout for the Pagerize This Challenge. She said:

I wanted to try to do something different with Joni's layout, but I absolutely LOVED the design! I have had these Disney papers forever and I finally found a great way to use them. I cut out the sections that I needed and then used markers to make a few extras lines to follow the same design. The title was made with Basic Grey letters that were colored in with markers. And the adorabel Mickey and Minnie sticker set finally has a home outside of the bottom of the drawer! Thanks for the great inspiration!

Now it's your turn to take the Pagerize This Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Denise

Design Team Member Denise said:

March's Dust it off Challenge was such a stash buster for me.  Love it!  I decided to dust off my fibers.  I used a ton of them with my project to make bookmarks for my son's class.  I got the idea from volunteering during his class' library time and watching the kids go nuts over new bookmarks.  

I used my Cricut machine to cut out the bookmarks (Plantin Schoolbook), the letters Read (Plantin Schoolbook), and the boy and girl reading a book images (A Child's Year).  I laminated them to make them more sturdy and last longer.  Then I added an eyelet. I used some fibers I had on hand and added some beads for a little bling.  It took me a while to make 24 of these, but the reactions of the kids made it so worth it.  As soon as it was time for them to get them, I got mobbed!  LOL.  

Now it's your turn to dust off a tool, a technique, a supply, or project and use it! See all the details on the March Challenge HERE!

Be sure to scroll down - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Christy

Design Team Member Christy submitted this layout for the Pagerize This Challenge.  She said:

When I saw Joni's page, I really loved the hand sewn grids and the diagonal layout of her design. As I perused my photos, I decided this photo of my husband and son in front of the Cat in the Hat ride at Islands of Adventure would be perfect for such a fun page. I also immediately grabbed my Echo Park summertime papers. I thought the fun, bright colors were a perfect match for a page about the Cat in the Hat.

As I worked on the page, I realized that I was not digging a grid design with this photo. I wanted it to be a little less structured, so I substituted the hand stitched, streamer like lines.  I dusted off some white tags and stars. The chipboard star and the die cut red and yellow stars are so old I don't know who makes them. I think I bought the die cuts when my son was 2 years old! Eight years hidden in my stash! That is way too long to not be used!

Theme park photos sometimes mean that strangers get into your shot...no matter how hard you try! I hid the extra people with some strategically placed journal strips.


Now it's your turn.  See all the details on how you can take the Pagerize This Challenge HERE.   And why not dust off a technique or a few supplies while you are at it and take the March Dust it Off Challenge. We can't wait to see your projects!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Joni

Anyone have a FASTENATOR??  What the heck is a FASTENATOR??  Well, it's a tool that "staples" these large "bars" instead of staples... and yes, you have to buy the bars too...different colors, different designs....oh my!!
So this was all the rage a few years back....  and of course I got one.  And I used it a few times... and now it's sitting on a shelf, collecting dust...(sound familiar anyone??).....
So, here's a pic of the tool.. and all the packages of those "bars" that I purchased... (some on clearance at BIG LOTS)...   

and after doing this layout, I remember why it got dusty.  It's kinda hard to "line-up" exactly where the bar/staple is going to go. 
So, I had fun and decided to just "go with it".. and ended up using this as a pretty large part of my design!!  Here is what I ended up with!!

Now it's your turn to take the March Challenge.  See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Karen

Design Team Member Karen submitted this layout for the Pagerize This #7 Challenge.  She said:

Here is my attempt at Pagerizing Joni. I loved Joni's grids on the corners of the page and I wanted to make them the main feature of the LO- I drew out my grid (yes its drawn not stitched) and then started looking for bits to fill up the grid.  As I tried to work out a color scheme I decided I would go for a rainbow effect down the page, choosing different shapes and embellishments to fill the gaps.
Nancy started school yesterday (Monday 28th of February) and as a scrapbooker I had to take my camera with me to record her every step.  She posed outside the school with her brothers and I took this random shot of her as she was just about to walk in. This LO is called "Your life Has Become More Colourful" as her life is changing so much as of yesterday.  School is going to open up so much to her.
Hope you like it!
Karen

Now it's your turn to take the Pagerize This Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Tiffany

Reader Tiffany submitted this layout for the March Dust it Off Challenge. She said:


Hi there!
Attached is my layout, "Shine" to be submitted for your March challenge. I dusted off some blue fiber and a metal-edged star tag from my stash from the good-old-days!


Thanks for the fun challenge, you guys always have something fun and inspirational! =)

Tiffany Call
The Painted Frog Scrapbooking and Craft Workshops, Handpainted Murals
Check out my portfolio! http://bkfastattiffanys.blogspot.com

Now it's your turn to take the March Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

$$Frugal Friday Tip - by Mary Pat

 Hi Everyone,
It's me, Mary Pat, and I am here today with a Frugal Friday Tip.  Hooray!!!!  Well I like to use every drop of paper and embellie that I buy.  I save it all, and I end up using all of it too!  When I have just odds and ends I end up making card sets with it to give as hostess gifts or just because gifts.  Well, I had just used up the last drop of my Imaginisce Birthday Bash line and was making some cards with all the scraps when it dawned on me.  You know the colored backing that the embellishments come on?  Well Imaginisce also prints their pattern on it.  Here is a terrible picture of what I am talking about.

Well, I need a red cardstock to punch some scalloped circles for my base.  I was just about to throw this away when I thought--hey let's use this for my base. So I took the backing and punched it with my punch and got this.

You can see in the above circle the pattern that is on the cardstock.  So I used this as my base and made this card set from my leftover rub ons and these fun scalloped circles.

So always remember to look around and see what things you can use to save a bit of $$$.  You never know what you will find. 

Hope you can use my tip someday.

Do you have a frugal tip you'd like to share?  Or an example of a project you completed using one of the Frugal Friday Tips? 

Just email a picture (if possible) and your tip to scrappinpsycho@live.com .  Your tip could be featured as a future Frugal Friday Tip. 

Be sure to scroll down - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

Pagerize Joni by Linda

Former Guest Design Team Member Linda submitted her take on the Pagerize This Challenge #7. 

She used the following
Products:
Adorn It! designer paper
Sticker letters from stash (leftovers from several different sheets)
Making Memories epoxy embellishment
Panasonic label maker
Sewing machine and thread.

Now it's your turn to take the Pagerize This Challenge.  See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust it Off Challenge by Helena

Future April Guest Design Team Member Helena submitted this layout for the March "Dust it Off" Challenge. She said:

On this layout I'm finding it hard to find something NEW: the cardstock as well as the patterned paper (My Mind's Eye - Penny Lane) is at least 2 to 3 years old, the snowflake stamps
are from Technique Tuesday and those too are old. And what about Heidi Swapp's mask letters? Those go way back at least 4 or 5 years as well as the technique of using them with acrylic paints.
Even the photos are OLD!! They are of Andrea when he was only 1 back in 1999. He's now 13.

So I guess I qualify for this challenge, LOL!

-- Helenamy blog http://scrap4all.typepad.com/scrappassion/

Now it's your turn to take the March Challenge. See all the details HERE!

Be sure to scroll down the page - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.

March Dust It Off Challenge - Stacy H-W

Design Team Member Stacy said:

When I heard the theme of the March Dust it off Challenge I wasn't sure which of my scrappy things that were gathering dust I would be using, but then the other DT members were talking about their Fastenators. And how they never use them.


I asked what is a Fastenator? And got a quick reply that it was a stapler that uses special staples....well guess what....


I HAVE ONE OF THOSE! LOL


I just didn't know it was called a Fastenator. And guess what else??? It has been stuck away in a container just gathering dust FOREVER.

Soooooo, here is my March layout using the Fastenator!!! LOL


I used a Sassy Lil Sketches February Sketch as my starting off point and some sweet pictures of my dd trying on her Uncle's hat. She sure thought she was hot stuff!! ha


I used We R Memory Keepers paper - Be My Valentine - Love Letters, Affectionately Yours, Love Birds and Irresistible.


I also used some Making Memories heart shaped glitter clears, lime green Fastenator staples, a Colorbok layered title, a vinyl American Crafts thicker that I inked and layered on a KCK chipboard piece. I pulled some buttons and bakers twine from my stash too. And ended with my favorite thing....crystal stickles!


So there you go...my take on the March challenge. Now, where is yours??

See all the details of the March Challenge HERE!

Be sure to scroll down - Scrap Our Stash posts something new everyday.