Saturday, September 17, 2011

Need ideas for my house shaped mini book!!!

Here is what I have gotten together so far. You may remember the envelopes that we got folded at my first Mixed Media group of women who meet at Crafts N Stuff store. It has been 4 weeks since that first meeting, and I haven't come up with much. The biggest idea I have it to make a book that reflects how my Grandma Dora, my Mom, and I are alike.

My Grandma was a farmer/nursery woman, cook,seamstress,quilter, had deep faith in God.
Mom loves being outside in her yard, sewing, quilting,and my husband says we are both hardheaded...hmmm...can you imagine.....
I and my grandma both picked out the same dishes, we both like growing vegetables with flowers, to drink coffee out of a glass mug, PLUS, I have some letters that my grandma wrote...one to my Mom which talks about me and my son, and one that she wrote to me, which I would slip into a pocket in the book.

I picked up the house shaped back and front covers that one of the members husbands made for me.

AND...I have found these cute country items at Micheals the other night. Micheals sells these cute cut out thin peices of wood in different shapes...kind of a more filagree look. They are plain wood. I asked my daughter to color it with our new collection of Copic markers, and it turned out really pretty. I think I will seal it with something to preserve the color.

Then the cut package of roosters and little cute bits, and a journal that has a front cover I would like to use in the book somewhere.

Anyway...I need ideas for what to do. I am not a scapbooker. I have to cover the envelope pages with paper of some sort...and you know me...I am wanting to use my homemade paper mostly...which I think I will for the basic pages...then comes embellishing. I don't own a cricut, or any of the cutting machines...but would prefer to make my own embellishments...like this flower I made out of a newspaper, etc.

If you guys know of any online tutorials for any good ideas, can you tell me??? I will let you see what I get done today after class, OK???
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12 comments:

  1. Bobbie LynnSaturday, September 17, 2011

    Hi Julie,

    First, gather your photos and other items, letters or cards. Then figure out what order you want your photos. You can do in section each family member, maybe. Don't work about embellishments. For me, embellishments are the last thing for me. They are the tiniest touch to a layout but do not make it the most important. The photos and letters are the most important and that is what you want to see when you look at an album. I think some people get too wrapped up in all the embellishments, because each paper line has them, and they feel they have to use them all. Hand made flowers like the one you did are perfect and you can journal about those hand made items also in your book. I think you did a fabulous job on the handmade flower.

    I think you need to find a table and keep you book and photo out so you can work on your book when you get a moment. Lay out your photos on the pages and see how many you can get on the pages, and then look at your papers and see what papers goes with the photos and then when that is done then maybe look at embellishing. Remember the more embellishments the book maybe become too bulky. I will look up a website and send it to you.
    Have fun with it. Pockets are great for keeping the letters in.

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  2. Bobbie LynnSaturday, September 17, 2011

    Hi again Julie,
    Here is one youtube channel that I really like and she is very organized in her tutorials. Here is one video that shows how she gets her items ready. Please do not feel that you have to go a buy a lot of items in order to put a mini album ready. The items I have, have been accumulated over the past 15 years. Start off slow. This craft can become overwhelming.
    I hope this helps.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/desdichaedo#p/u/24/CbXsyInxM78

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  3. young-eclectic-encountersSaturday, September 17, 2011

    Love the paper flower. One thing you can try is to get some printable sticker paper (Avery makes it) at Wal-Mart (maybe) or at Office Max. Use Picasa (photo editing freeware from google) to make a collage Then print, cut, and apply. Maybe I should do a video or blog with instructions. That way you can add your photos or use scanned older photos of your mother and grandmother. If you have any questions go to my blog or e-mail me at johninayoung@yahoo.com. Also since sewing and quilting are part of your heritage use gel medium to apply fabric instead of paper to your envelopes. You could even do a patchwork design.
    Johnina :D

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  4. RohrerbotSaturday, September 17, 2011

    I love design ideas. There seems to be a general consensus among the 3 of you....gardening and other artsy type endevours. I don't know how many pages you have to use, but I have an idea to connect you three. If you have pics of the your mom and grandma...along with yourself, find things that the three of you are all doing similiarly...like gardening. Now if you need to be artsy, you can individually cut the pics or put a background piece behind each pic...for example, you could make a succulent plant behind your pic and with your grandma, use one of her favorite veggies she liked to grow in the garden. For example, my grandma love cherry tomatoes and my Grandpa loved Sweet Williams. I find those pics and either cut a background to put behind the pic or press the flower, etc....but just make sure every page has the same feel. Every page can be different....but each page should be unique. My mother and sisters/sister in laws scrapbook and I listen but do not participate:)

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  5. Lisa at GreenbowSaturday, September 17, 2011

    You could use pictures of flowers and veggies cut from magazines. I don't know any fancy paper work. I can't wait to see what all you put in your book. You could make copies of your letters written by your Grandmother and picutres of you and your son at the time she wrote them, glue them onto the pages too.

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  6. soulbrushSaturday, September 17, 2011

    my mind is blank on ideas right now, but I like what you're doing!

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  7. TeriSaturday, September 17, 2011

    Wow, you've already done so many cute things Julie. Just follow your heart for the rest.

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  8. Dandelion and DaisySaturday, September 17, 2011

    Sounds like you have some great ideas already for your book. It's great that you have homemade paper to add and looks like you've found some cute embelishments you're on your way. Go on line and look under altered books or altered art, I think those are what you are looking for....more creative and original and less expensive ideas. Have fun with it.

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  9. abbySaturday, September 17, 2011

    Hi Julie...Thank you for visiting my blog !!! You have so many beautiful projects ! Visit again anytime !
    Blessings
    Abby

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  10. Bobbie LynnMonday, September 19, 2011

    Thank you Julie and you hope you had a wonderful day too.
    Blessings,
    Bobbie Lynn

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  11. JudiMonday, September 19, 2011

    Hi Julie *hugs*
    Well you have such great comments with ideas here and I'm sure you are going to come up with something great! You can do it you know. I too am not a scrapbook person so I don't have those kinds of "juices" running or ideas I don't think. You are very artistic and I know that when you start it is all going to just grow into a wonderful, memory book of 3 generations of lovely ladies.

    I can't wait to see what you come up with. I hope the ideas will spark up a first start and you'll be on your way.

    Happy happy day.
    Judi

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  12. walk2writeTuesday, September 20, 2011

    I've always been fond of those pop-up books. Maybe some sort of origami effect? I'm not very crafty so I wouldn't know how to do it. Just an idea. I love your project. It's inspiring me to do something special for my mom's upcoming birthday or maybe for Christmas.

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