Happy New Year!

I have been blessed this year with the opportunity to purchase our local scrapbooking store that was at risk of closure. I have made many new friends, have had many great laughs and have helped many have success with their own creations.  It has been a great year!  Thinking about the New Year brought about some ideas for a new project (one of many actually) which I will share today:

I used a large paper mache cone,  covered it with Queen & Co. paper from there Formal line, added a chipboard clock face from Unique pages, some flowers cut with my Sizzix die and Big shot, lots of Melissa Frances glass glitter, some wired tinsel ribbon and ribbon ties.

Thank you all for your support this past year.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year!

Carol

The outside is just as important....

I have always believed presentation is everything.  For that reason I created these small gift boxes.

I used 2 pieces of 12x12 paper, twine and a small craft tag.  These boxes are great for gift certificate giving.  They are available at www.papermermaids.com

Graphic 45 Holiday tag challenge.

This is such a busy time of the year but also an exciting time for all of us that like to create special things for those we love.  I decided to take some time out to create a tag for the Graphic 45 holiday tag challenge http://g45papers.typepad.com/graphic45/2011/12/holiday-gift-tag-challenge.html#entries

I made my tag out of black chip board measuring 4x6.  I covered the tag with the Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium paper and embellished with both the Christmas Emporium paper as well as some of the Christmas Past collection paper.  The edges were distressed with Tim Holtz distress ink black soot, embellished with pine cones made from Tim's tattered pine cone die, a button, several bells and some Simplicity crocheted ribbon.  There are also several elements from the G45 chipboard Tags 1, a sweet butterfly charm attached with a small safety pin.  Topped of with a piece of gold metallic tulle and twine and plenty of Ranger Rock Candy Distress stickles.   My favorite element on this tag is the gold tone Merry Christmas sentiment vintage finding that belonged to my late mother-in-law Jane Hall.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Holiday Magic

This mini (6x12) book was created for a class at my store Paper Mermaids.  I love these colors and the glitter.  Making this book has fired up my holiday spirit!

Family Christmas Card

I don't usually send out many Christmas cards but my husband has several old high school and college friends he likes to keep in touch with using Christmas cards.  He also includes one of those long letters with the events of last year (You know what I'm talking about).  This year I created our card.... since we bought a scrapbook and stamping store this year thought I'd better not send store bought ones.  Using Graphic 45 paper I made the base with some distressing rips with a little May Arts ribbon peeking through.  All the edges were inked with Tim Holtz Gathered Twig distressing ink.  I then cut out the bird using my Big Shot and the Sizzix Bird #2 die then embossed with the embossing folder that was included, inked and attached. I  added some rock candy distress Stickels, a Queen and Co. pearl then sprayed with Tattered Angels gold metallic Glimmer Mist.

and inside

simple but nice.

Vintage Christmas layout

This two page layout was created for a class at my store, Paper Mermaids, in December.  When I asked my group what type of look they would like for their Christmas theme layout I was asked for something with a vintage feel.  I hope I captured a look they will like with the Bo Bunny paper, Simplicity ribbon and Queen and Co. pearls I used.

I am having so much fun helping this group of ladies get inspired and I am impressed with what they do with their layouts to make them their own.

Another use for paper.

A customer of mine, Sue, came into my store Paper Mermaids the other day to buy paper to make a origami paper box.  She offered to show me how.  Here it is!

It was fun and I can't wait to make more.  I used 16 6x6 sheets of origami paper.  Any size paper can be used but it needs to be light weight not card stock.  Happy Crafting,

Believe!

Being relatively new to the retail business it is hard to adjust to thinking about Christmas so early in the year.  When I received samples of the Bo Bunny Father Christmas paper line 2011 in my store I became inspired to create this altered canvas(8 inch by 11 inch) titled Believe.  This canvas will be a project offered in my store as a class in November.

Halloween Mini Album

Last Friday night I taught a Halloween mini album class at my store Paper Mermaids.  We had a great time creating, sharing stories and laughs.  Can't wait for next months class!   Here is my book: 

Rembering a mans love for his wife.

Starting this blog has for some reason brought back some memories from my past.  I had worked for several years in the mid to late 90's as a hospice nurse.  The challenges were to numerous to count and the rewards which at times seemed so small felt like golden stars from heaven  whose warm rays were comforting.  Late one night, I received a call that one of my patients was actively dying,  Her primary care giver was her elderly spouse.  He was responsible to keep her comfortable and medicated from pain.  It was dark and the crisp evening desert air gave me a chill as I rang their door bell.  The elderly spouse answered the door and escorted me to the bedroom where the body of his lifeless wife lie. He pulled from the dresser top a note book, a journal of sorts.  Numerous entries such as times care had been provided, meals and drink offered and pain medication administered.  The last entry stated:  1135pm Leila is gone!  This inexpensive notebook filled with paper was this mans first step in his healing and grieving the death of his beloved Leila.

Paper is powerful!

A New Experience!

I have never blogged before, but now I am a blogger! As the owner of a small brick and mortar scrapbook store on the beautiful central Oregon coast I plan to share my experiences as a store owner and also my paper-craft creations.  Could there be a better place to scrapbook then in Newport Oregon, fresh ocean air and the sound of seagulls squawking to there mates.  A little piece of heaven I always say and add that to scrapbooking with friends.... now that's heaven!