Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Stars and Strips, Buttons and Bows, still celebrating the 4th!

Hello everyone and happy mid-week day!
Yesterday we had such a fun afternoon. I set up the girls' pool and attached our big slide to it. And while they stayed busy, I surfed the blog world from my lifeguard chair. heehee! I love summer. ;) While surfing, I came across several of my favorite blog challenge sites as well as some fun new ones, and thought I would try my hand at it.
Here is an altered chipboard album that I plan on putting our recent 4th of July pics into:



Now, what in the world could this crazy concoction qualify for? teehee! So here it goes:

1) The Pink Elephant's stars and strips challenge. I love challenges like these that make me use up my small strips of cardstock and ribbon! This wonderful DP was a 10 cent find at GAS (can you believe I only bought one?!?!), and the star chipboard album is in the dollar bin at Michaels.

2) Our Creative Corner's latest challenge of red, white and blue (any shades of). Although it didn't have to be patriotic, this was the boost I needed to get my chipboard album done and I liked the Americana hues for all the pictures I took on Saturday.

3) Pile It On Challenge - to use 3 different embellis: buttons, ribbon, and tabs

4) ABC Challenge - U is for the USA (not sure if I made it in time but it was worth trying. ;))

5) 3 Clovers Designs- red white and blue, still celebrating which is always a fun thing!

6) The Next Level weekly challenge to use buttons and bows. I always think of more feminine cards using those but I thought this worked out well on my album. :D

And speaking of, I wanted to share a quick tut with you re: those matching buttons on my star album. Please don't be offended with this step by step tut, I am one of those crafters who needs to SEE what the tutorial is about otherwise I end up doing things wrong. LOL!


take a scrap piece of DP



punch 2 holes (either with a CAD, punch, whatever tool you have)

Now use the circle punch to cut around it
(doesn't it look like a sad face? lol!)



And this is what you get:


I know. Hold your applause. HAHA! JK! The buttons that I could have used looked too fussy and didn't blend well with that great distressed Americana DP so I decided to make my own and pop them up on dimensionals. It's so super easy and now I can have matching embellis at the punch of a button. ;)

Hope you all are having a super week so far, have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

*Love and Aloha*

16 comments:

NinaB said...

You crack me up. I love your tutorial, even if it's simple. Sometimes, I need them to be like that, or I get lost :-) Have a relaxing day!

Crystal said...

I love the tut..... Being a sub. teacher, I often get told that I over explain things. But working with children you have to be very specific. If you put it all out there you have no misunderstandings...lol Simple or hard...I think its a great tutorial...I never really thought to do that before and Ihave one of those 2 hole punches....Great star album.....!!!!!!!!!!!

~Denise Lynn~ said...

Great project and love your little paper button idea, it's great! Way to go on all those challenges. Thanks for joining in at Pile It On! ~Denise :)

Sheri Gilson said...

Wonderful job Joni! I love the album and seeing all your finds. I love July and seeing all the fun Stars & Stripe projects! :D

Carol said...

Great album! and the little button idea is fab...well done on combining all the challenges, and thanks for sharing with us at TPE :)

Hugs
Carol x

craftypagan said...

Great project! Love to see altered projects! Love that button too! Hope to see you again next week!Hugs Rowena-Pile it On dt

Melissa Craig said...

I love it! Fabulous job on the album and for incorporating so many challenges!! Love the tutorial, you crack me up.

raindropecho said...

This is a cute project! Wonderful job combining all the challenges. Thanks for joining us this week :D
- Ann @ Pile It On!

Anonymous said...

hi joni!
what a cute little mini album you got there!!!!

Thanks for playing with us at Pile It On!

-- dalis

Angie said...

Wow! Six challenges in one!!! Great album.

Tammy said...

Super cute. I'll have to try this!

Maureen said...

Wonderful album - love your custom buttons and congrats on combining so many challenges! Thanks for playing along with us at Pile It On!

Trudi said...

Ooo I love your little ablum! Your tut is great too! Thanks for playing along with us this week at TPE

by. Amy Schultz said...

Oh how fun! Now I want to make one :)

Amy --Pile It On DT

Vickilyn said...

Love it!!!

Thanks for playing with us at Pile It On! this week! Can't wait to see more from you in the weeks ahead!

~Vicki
PIO Owner

Unknown said...

Don't you just love a great deal?! I love what you did with your bargain :) Thanks for the tut. Thanks for creating with us at TPE!