The Inspired Scrapper

Happy New Year! By Susan Tutt

Wow I can't believe it is 2010!  January is the start of a new year full of promise, hope and new adventures.  It is also a time to reflect of the happenings of a year gone by, 2009.  I love going through pictures of the previous year to relive of the great memories we have created as well as everyday life.

Each year I create a layout showcasing pictures that summarize the past year.  This is my layout for 2009.

There are not a lot of photos on this layout but each one represents a fond memory from 2009.  This month create a layout documenting your favorite memories from 2009.

I wish you all a Happy New Year full of good health with lots of new memories to scrapbook!

supplies:  Bazzill c/s, Pink Paislee pp, Heidi Swapp date stamp, title and numbers Cricut Expressions, scallop punch fiskars.

A Holiday Layout by Sonja McLean

The team at The Inspired Scrapper wishes you a very safe and happy Christmas! See you in the New Year:)

 

Supplies: KI Memories lace cardstock, Scenic Route chipboard stickers, Quickutz alphabet die, Basic Grey pp.

Twas The Night Before Christmas...by Jillian Lewarne

...and all through THIS house...LOTS of little creatures are stirring! I've got my sister and her family here from Seattle - I'm hosting Christmas dinner tonight, on the 24th, for my side of the family - the 'Scandinavian' way like my mom's family did.  It's busy and happy and boisterous and I love it! However, there is still a lot of 'behind the scenes' stuff to do once the kids are finally asleep.  It's become a tradition for my husband and I to be up until about 4 a.m. every Christmas doing all the wrapping, etc.  It's not necessarily a tradition I want to continue, and year after year I plan on doing things differently 'next' Christmas.  One thing I did manage to do differently this year is actually follow through on making a number of gifts. 

This is a card set that I made for a family member.  I got the initial idea in a class I took with Photo Express at the most recent Crop For Kids in Abbotsford, BC. In that class, we used a pre-made book that we decorated.  This book I designed myself and it was fairly easy to make using my handy dandy Zutter.  This book contains a page and pocket for each month.  On the pocket is a journalling space where birthdays, anniversaries, or other important dates can be noted.  I've made 12 cards, each with an envelope, so there is a card per pocket per month.  Each pocket has room for several cards, but for the sake of this gift, I've kept it to 12 in total. 

 
I consider this the gift that keeps on giving - I can make cards sets to be added for Easter, Mother's Day, birthday, hostess gift, etc.  and keep the recipient in cards in perpetuity!

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

 

On the 10th day of Christmas.........by Debby Visser

Recycled and reused old Christmas decorations.

This year I offered to do the table decorations for our large family Christmas dinner.  When we all attend, we have almost 100 people, all starting from one set of Grandparents. 

We set up 8 - 10 tables with 2 - 3 kids tables, as well as a few decorations around the room.  I needed a cost effective way to decorate, so I hit the second hand stores and found all my supplies. 

I bought bags of old unloved but beautiful Christmas balls for $1.00 and under!  I found bags of beautiful ribbon for .75 cents, bags of pine cones in all sorts of colours for .50 cents, trims, strings of beads and more, all at a steal!  And I even found the dishes that I used to put them on, for .25 cents each!

Here is what I created with all my found goodies:
I made 10 of these, all different colours and styles for the tables.  I first put a small mirror down then one of these with a candle and then surrounded them with cedar branches, I cut from my yard, and then randomly put other Christmas balls and pine cones in amongst the cedar branches.  I of course forgot to take a picture of the finished center piece! lol

These next ones I created to sit on the food tables.  They sort of resemble angels.

So think twice before tossing those old decorations!!  Reuse them and find new ways to love them again. 

At the end of the night, all these decorations found new homes to go to and be loved!

Merry Christmas!
Debby
  
  
  

On the ninth day of Christmas.... by Leigh Penner

 

Just wanted to share a Christmas ornament that I made using a Maya Road chipboard house as a base. I covered it with cardstock & patterned paper, stamped & heat embossed on it and stitched it in place.
I also heat embossed the stamped image of the key, cut it out and tied it on with some crochet cotton and added some lace trim.

 

Supplies used: Maya Road chipboard house, Bazzill cardstock, Fancy Pants patterned paper, Pink Paislee stamps. Trim: unknown.

Technical Difficulties:(

A few posts are missing...please bear with me as I try to recover them. Thanks, Sonja.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas...by Sonja McLean

Jenni Bowlin small die-cut papers (4x4) are the perfect size for Christmas tags and ornaments. And because you get lots per packages, there's no need to hoard them:)

Here are a couple of examples...

Christmas Tag Supplies: Making Memories patterned paper, Jenni Bowlin die-cut paper, Crate Paper stickers, Heidi Swapp black bling, Tim Holtz stamp (background Santa).

 
Santa Photo Ornament Supplies: Maya Road snowflake (run through an embossing plate before inking), Making Memories flowers, Jenni Bowlin die-cut paper and tag, Heidi Swapp black bling.

On The Seventh Day Of Christmas...By Susan Tutt

Only 5 more days until Christmas!  If you are like me, you are looking for creative ways to package your gifts that don't take a lot of time to make.  I designed this gift card that can hold a cd, gift cards or a family photo.  The possibilities are endless.

 I have created this card/gift holder out of a 6 x 9 1/2" envelope that can be found at any office supply store.   Just fold over the closed end of the envelope to meet with the flap, cover with patterned paper and some embellishment and there you have it,  a great little gift holder that will fit into a 6 x 6" envelope.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...by Virginia Wong

Do you leave your gift wrapping to the last possible moment? I do and I like mach-speed wrapping ideas that look like a million bucks! Here is how I am wrapping some of my gifts this year!

 
With some burlap in my fabric stash, I sewed several burlap bags. Then I inserted my gift, tied the bag with some ribbon, picked a die cut from my stash, added a rub on and finished off the package with some greenery from my front porch display!

Start to finish...10 minutes! 

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...by Virginia Wong

This Christmas, my dining table will be a place of sharing, laughter and togetherness. Every year I like to add something unique and special to each place setting. This year, I am adding place cards with a special Christmas wish for each individual.

Here are the placecards. Inside the placecard is my personal wish for them.

Supplies: Bazzill cardstock, My Minds Eye pattern paper, American Crafts alpha, Dazzlers flower and stitching.