Anniversary Album

Hi all,

My mother in law hasn't been keeping well for the last couple of days and was in a critical condition yesterday. Please do remember her in your prayers. She is recovering now but not yet fully well! :(

I wanted to share an anniversary album (envelope album measuring approximately 9" * 6") that I made on order for a friend's friend. She had seen some of my work and asked if I could make one for her to give her hubby on their anniversary. I am not really very good with albums but I've given this my very best shot. 

This is going to be a image heavy post!

PS: The page and album title are her own and she'll be adding the pictures later.

For the cover page, I used some gorgeous Hobby Ideas paper and a boat cut out from old denim (yeah, I am finally learning to recycle and reuse!). The album is intended for a person who sailed a great deal! :)

The themes for the pages denote moments in the couple's life so I won't elaborate on them here. This page is one of the most interesting ones, and here is a little video (my first ever!) showing how the pull tag works:

I got the video for this sliding mechanism on uTube - and I think this was it.

Here, I made a little easel card on one side and I've left space for journaling and a picture. I loved the tiny easel! :) I've used Pie Lane glitter strips here.

This acetate pull out tag with Eric Segal's Love Story cover on one side and journaling space on the other was an idea I got when she briefed me about them.

This page is for their kids (as is obvious)! and the little pocket on the left is for some memorabilia that she has saved for a long time. The pages flap open on both sides like this:

This page is for their sailing days together. I am so glad I have appropriate TH masks!! :) The sailor's cap/boat (not too sure what it looks like now :-p) is made from one of the pages of Love Story :D. The blue paper on the right is again recycled - it is from the bit of leftover wallpaper from my parents' home. Can you see the Pie Lane glitter balls on the right border? :)

The flappy folded part on the right was an idea I picked right out of a magazine. It landed in my lap yesterday and the moment I saw it, I knew I wanted to recreate. :) The gap in between is measured for a photograph.

This is one of my favorite bits of recycling. I recycled tape from an old audio cassette tape... not my idea of course... i tweaked a tutorial from here.

More journaling space apart from the pull out tags.

Another simple but favorite page.

The back cover... love this paper and I am really sad it is over :(

I was inspired by Laura of Following the Paper Trail and from Flickr galleries. But most of it came by on its own because my customer had some specific ideas in mind.

Hope you liked my attempts at making a full fledged album!

Ciao...

Smita

A quick project

Hi there people,

Oh yes, I am still around. I have been crafting a bit though I haven't had the time to blog... :D While I am working on a slightly big project (should be done by next week), here's what I just created...

We are going on a short break with Vineet's childhood friends tomorrow. I wanted to gift something to the wives (who are good friends of mine)... I started out thinking I would create favor bags and put in a little something for them but then decided against it and this is what I came up with:

These are altered notepads. Aren't they cute?! Since I want to give these off as a surprise, I couldn't ask them for pics and had to make do with what I could find on their Facebook pages ;-) I used my old favorite ribbon technique here :) The flower buttons were a gift from my sister-in-law. And the stinkin' cute paper is the amongst the last bits from my Heidi Grace pack (Donna sent these a couple of years ago :) ).

I also created a few tags for the kids' gifts.... they are just plain and simple labels layered with PP. :)

Ciao soon...

Hugs,
Smita

Shadow box card

A few days back a close friend asked me to make her a card (that will go from her son to her husband). She asked me to use a 4"*6" photograph and its bright background for the card. I haven't ever worked on a photo card I guess, except the layout that I made for DH last year. I wanted to make something special and different for her... and I had a window card in mind... 

But then I saw this card by Kavitha and did some tutorial searches... I finally came across what I really wanted on the Rubber Cafe Design Team blog. It was just what I needed.

The card's front view:

The inside:

Their favorite toys handcut and glittered with Pie Lane glitter and glitter balls :) :

PS: What's glitter doing on a masculine card, did you just ask?! Well, in India a little bit of glitter 'zaroori hota hai' (is essential...) ;-)

(oh and there are Pie Lane glitter strips peeping through too :) )
A view from the side:

It does look much neater IRL!! 

Thanks for the inspiration - Kavitha, Ujjwal (no recycling though :( ) and the Rubber Cafe.

Hugs,
Smita

Easy-peasy!

Hey there people!


I did some simple projects over the last few days... Here's a glimpse:

1) For my cards and crossword loving grandpa, I created a mini book with some French words that he keeps  calling me for :) {No, I am no expert but I can manage a good bit of French ;) , c'est tout!}

This project was inspired by the Moxie Fab World Card Play challenge and I used the tutorial from here. Mine is nowhere close but grandpa liked it :)

2) For my forgetful Mother-in-law, who keeps losing her mini telephone diary all the time, I created this:

This is quite a scrappy project and wholly inspired by Ujjwal. I used her tutorial of a recycled notebook and used an empty Cross pen box... It was very sturdy and matched my papers beautifully. The flower is a local buy (it is too cute IRL). And the alpha stickers are from Hobby Ideas. I added some ribbon on the binder rings and also a little note on the side for my MIL ;-) .

Submitting this for Lynn's recycle challenge at Yvonne's blog.

3) And for my crafty and adorable little boy, I made this:

A paper bag puppet, Pinnochio. He was to carry a story book character to school... I am not too keen on buying or giving him soft toys; and we decided we'd make our own character. He gave me some ideas for the nose and tips on the colors to use and then ran away! Poor Mamma was left behind crafting away and using all techniques she knew to make a decent puppet... he loved it :) and so did his teacher and friends ;-) 

I am loving crafting for my dear ones... have some more to stuff to make and give away to friends ;-)

Blog Award

I crafted today....hurray! :) Not a card but a paper bag Pinocchio (Aaryan needed it for school)... I'll share the picture later. not too great but I am happy.. I did have to cheat a bit and give him excuses for messing some things up though ;-) {psst. don't tell him I said this}

Thank you Juhi for this lovely award:

Q1) Name your favorite color?  Bright colors - current favorites are orange and yellow

Q2) Name your favorite song? Words by Boyzone and Yesterday by The Beatles

Q3) Name your favorite dessert? Hmmm... Macaroons, mousses, tiramisu (almost everything)

Q4) What worries you off at the moment? I have been worrying my head off about getting my home in order again. Loads of people around at the moment and I don't know how to start redoing...

Q5) Your favorite pet? Sorry but I am not an animal lover!

Q6) Black or White? White

Q7) Your biggest fear? What if DH stops loving me... :( {no, he assures me he won't}

Q8) Best feature? Don't know, but I like my eyes

Q9) Everyday attitude? Wish today is the best day of my life! :)

Q10) What is perfection?  Being a dependable daughter, a loved wife, a 4am friend-sister, an always-there-for-him Mom AND still being myself!

Q11) Guilty pleasure? Love to shop for clothes and accessories (craft shopping is zilch at the moment) and keep wanting more watches and bags!

Q12) When you're upset you? loads of things like - Cry, scream (at anyone in sight), cook, craft, read, blurf


I would like to pass this award on to:


Shalini
Donna
Ujjwal
Savitri
Juhi 
Tejal

Away from crafting for so long means...

.... that you will take hours to make one simple card! :D

But hey, I am back again with a little beauty:

Don't know if it qualifies for either, but I am submitting this card to:

1. Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger (Garden Glory)

2. Card Patterns Sketch # 131

A very simple card using some amazing things I bought a long time back. The metal embellishment in the middle is a local buy and so are the golden flower brads. I loved them and thought I'd use them on this card that I'll be sending to my sister-in-law, who is soon getting engaged. The beautiful green patterned paper was a 'Rakhi' gift from her this year ;-). The glitter paper is also a local buy from the Anupam store near my place.

The twine has a story to it though. My grandma was an excellent crafter... she embroidered gorgeous gorgeous sarees. She was passed on this lovely silken crochet thread from one of her family members. When she saw my developing interest in craft (before she passed away in Jan '09), she, in turn, passed it on to me, and asked me to use it well because it was a very very old spool. :) Today is only the second time I've used this shaded string... 

...dedicating this post to my granny!

Love,

Smita

Absence makes the heart fonder...

.... or so I am choosing to believe! :) I am hoping against hope that I have been missed in blogland.... haven't I, me dear blog buddies? :) Lol! I know this year has been terrible for my blogging (starting from April/May). Well, I couldn't help it most times - schoolwork for example!! I didn't even have access to a computer on most days. :( A new member in the family (OMG! No! I haven't had another baby :-p) has meant a lot of adjustment and extra work at home on my end. Finally, hubby decided I needed my own laptop to help preserve my sanity :) and here I am! Yes, I know you are happy for me {winks}.... thank you! ;-)

I haven't crafted since my last post though... :( I am hoping to try something this week. Please please please pray that I am here for good now!

Hugs,

Smita