Layout of the Week #43- Scrapbooking Using Magazines

     For the last two Layouts of the Week, I've used stuff that I've received in the mail (you can see here and here). Today I'm going to clip bits and pieces out of a magazine to use on my layout. This is not archivally safe, but feel free tp spray it with Archival Mist. I figure it will be all right in my scrapbooks for many years, so I'm okay with it. I enjoy incorporating out of the ordinary items onto my layouts.

     Here's the layout we're going to create. 

The letters in the title and the word strips in the upper right hand corner came out of a magazine.

 

You'll need:

one piece of 12" x 12" paper for the background

one piece of 12"x12" coordinating cardstock

two strips of pattern paper measuring 1/2" x 12" and 1"x 12"

magazine for cutting up

paper trimmer

pen for journaling

 scissors

adhesive

 

 

Trim the cardstock into one strip measuring 5" x 8 1/4" and one 5" square.

Take the square and cut it in half so you have two triangles. We'll only use one triangle.

 

Center the strip vertically in the center of the paper along the bottom edge. Then adhere the triangle on top of it so you have a really big arrow (or a tall skinny house!).

 

Place your photos below the triangle. You can use three 4"x6" photos or trim them down like I did to fit more.

My photos weren't zoomed in well, so I had a lot of excess to trim.

 

Now place your two strips of pattern paper below the photos- first place your 1/2"x 12", then your 1"x12"strip.

 

Go through the magazines and cut out letters to make your title. If you don't like the idea of using scraps from a magazine, you could use regular letter stickers for this.

Adhere them along the bottom strip of pattern paper.

 

Now write your journaling along the point of the arrow.

I added a couple of word strips to the right hand corner- these were words that I cut out of the magazines that I thought went with my layout.

 

     I decided to use a large arrow because my layout is about a jumping on a trampoline. You could also use it for other themes like growing up, bringing grades up, or use it for a family themed layout and use the arrow as a tall, skinny house!

 

     I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. I do a Layout of the Week every Wednesday. Feel free to stop by and give it a whirl! I intend for the layout to be simple and easy to follow. I also encourage you to use supplies you all ready have rather than having to go out and buy something new. If I'm using an item you don't have, replace it with something else. I intend for my tutorials to be generic enough that you can use them for any topic or theme. I'm hoping this feature helps you to get some of your photos scrapbooked and to use up supplies that you have.
    
If there is some topic that I haven't covered that you'd like to see, please leave me a comment letting me know. If I'm not explaining it well enough, please let me know.
    
Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

The Lord lives!

Blessed be my Rock!

Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Psalm 18:46

This post is linked to Shabby Creek Cottage.

Recipe of the Week #53- Pumpkin Spice Muffins

 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin

3 eggs

1/4 cup of water

 

Mix all ingredients together. Place in muffin tins. Cover with streusel topping.

 

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

 

Mix flour and sugar together, then cut in butter.

Place a couple of spoonfuls on the top of each muffin.

Bake 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

 

 

Well, I don't know if this is the wrong time for pumpkin flavored treats, but in my house a tasty muffin is great at any time of the year! I wasn't sure if my boys would eat these, but they wound up loving them! We'll be making these quite a bit.

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 50:6

 

This post is linked to My Girlish Whims.

 

 



Framed!

     I am always on the lookout for cute ways to display photos. So I dug in my stash of frames, pulled one out and made something that I've been wanting to make for awhile.

 

That's just two pieces of jute tied to the frame and clothespins holding the photos.

Can you get any simpler than that?

 

I've made frames and placed chickenwire in the center which is darling, too, but I really like how this turned out.

 

If you'd like to make one of these, all it takes is:

a large frame

jute

four nails

hammer

optional: spray paint

 

Start by spray painting your frame whatever color you like. Once it's dry, you need to decide where you want your nails. To do this, I got out some 4"x6" photos and eyeballed it so I could make sure that I would have enough room to hang them both vertically and horizontally.

Then hammer the first set of nails across from each other. My top row is about 2-3" from the top of the frame opening.

Then place your second set of nails- about 6-6 1/2" below the other set.

Now tie on some jute.

Ta-da! How cute will your photos look on a frame like this?!

 

If you like this idea, you can look here and here for other ideas for displaying photos.

 

You can go here to see the cute clothespins that I altered to use with this frame.

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;

Your right hand has held me up,

Your gentleness has made me great.

Psalm 18:35

 



This post is linked to Today's Creative Blog, Craft-O-Maniac, Skip to My Lou, Making the World Cuter, and Between Naps on the Porch.

Darling Altered Clothespins

     Wow- it is hard to believe that we're already in February! Where does the time go?

     I've got a quick and easy project to show you today. . .

 

altered clothespins!

 

All you need to make these are:

clothespins

hot glue gun

a few strips of lace

 

Glue the lace to the top of the clothespins.

That's all.

Aren't they cute?

 

You can use these for lots of things from holding photos on a frame with chicken wire, or to hold bunting onto twine, or even as magnets on your fridge door.

 

 

 

     Come back on Monday and I'll show you what I did with them!

 

     Have a fantastic weekend! Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

 

Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.

Psalm 17:5

 

This post is linked to Happy Hour Projects, My Repurposed Life, and Too Much Time On My Hands.

 

 

 

 

 

Thrifty Thursday #53

     This week, I stopped into a thrift store that I don't often go to. It's not for lack of trying on my part, because I stop by, it just isn't open very often. This day it happened to be open. The fellow running the store told me that due to poor management, the store is closing. No real surprise there, huh?

      He also told me that he was open to making deals. So when I saw this lovely frame, I asked how much he wanted for it. He said $5. In my mind, that wasn't making a deal. I set the frame down. I think he could tell by the look on my face that I never pay $5 for a frame- not even a big one and this one was an 8"x10". So he said that he'd throw in four books- with the frame for $5. I still wasn't on board. Then I thought about how this poor guy is just trying to sell what he can before he loses his lease. So I agreed.

     Good thing this frame is beautiful!!

 

 

I love the woodwork on it. It will look fantastic spray painted a pretty color.

 

 

I had already picked up these two books which is why he made the offer that he did.

The book on the left was published in 1933. Honey Bunch- Her First Big Adventure. Isn't it cute? I think it may become a scrapbook.

The book on the right I picked up just because I like how it looked (and because I needed four books). It was published in 1905. I probably won't cut this guy up.

 

 

My final two book choices were these:

The Secretary's Handbook published in 1954 because you can never go wrong with an old handbook of any kind

and

Ferdinand which I got because I had never read it before. It's a really cute story. I'm going to read it to my boys even though they're going to think they're too old for it.

 

     I am actually going to miss this thrift store. Even though I didn't shop there much, when I did, I always found good stuff.

 

     Good luck to you and your thrifting adventures this week. Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

I will sing to the Lord, because

He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13:6

 

This post is linked to 52 Mantles, Apron Thrift Girl, and Junkin' Joe.

 

Layout of the Week #42- Using Junk Mail

     Last week I showed you how you could use an envelope that you received in the mail on your layout. This week we'll incorporate bits and pieces of junk mail. Usually, I just quickly sort through my mail, most of which ends up in my recycling pile. As I sift through it, it seems a waste that I don't even read most of it. Before trashing it this week, I actually went though it for this project.

Here's the layout we'll be creating.

When I plan the theme for layout of the week, I intend for you to be able to use products that you already have rather than having to go out and buy them. And who doesn't get junk mail?

 

 

To create this layout, you'll need:

one 12"x12" piece of pattern paper or cardstock for the background

letter stickers for the title

several pieces of junk mail

themed stickers for whatever you're scrapping (optional)

adhesive

paper trimmer

 

 

To begin, you need to cut between 36-38 1" squares from your junk mail (I ended up using 37 one inch squares). 

If you have a 1" square punch, that will work great. If not, you'll have to use your paper trimmer which is what I did. This is a good step to do while watching TV. I cut mine out while the kids did silent work at school (we home school).

Ink the edges if you'd like.

 

Now lay them out in the shape of a heart slightly overlapping . It's best to lay them out before gluing to make sure you get the look you want. You can lightly draw a heart on the background in pencil if that makes it easier. It doesn't have to be perfect though. Mine isn't. :)

Once you get them the way you want them, glue them down.

The junk mail gives it a very eclectic look. I trimmed all sorts of things-if you look, you'll see the ATandT logo, a hamburger, a street map, the inside of a privacy envelope, and even a couple "No Postage Needed If Mailed In The United States."

 

Now place your photo or photos on the right side of the heart. Mine are lined up with the center of the heart. I trimmed two 4"x6" photos. You could do that, too, or use a vertical 4"x6" or 5"x7" photo.

 

Place the title to the left of the photos about midway down the background inside the heart.

I used larger script letters and small tile stickers which I though mimicked the tiles of junk mail.

 

Add your journaling below the title. I wrote right on the background paper.

Optional: Then place a couple of your themed stickers. I put three word stickers at the bottom left corner and one tag sticker overlapping the photos.

 

And now we're done! Hope you like it! It's a little something different, I think.

 

    For my Layout of the Week series, I try to come up with simple layouts using directions that are easy to follow. I usually post a tutorial every Wednesday. If you have gotten into a scrapbooking slump or simply just fallen behind, try my tutorial. You could complete one page a week!

     Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:15-16

    
This post is linked to Shabby Creek Cottage and Embracing Change.

Recipe of the Week #52- Pizza Stuffed Shells

Pizza Stuffed Shells

1 lb beef
garlic salt
1 jar pizza sauce
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
12 large pasta shells
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Brown beef. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Drain grease. Add about 1/2 -3/4 cup pizza sauce. Add cream cheese. Cover and simmer until cheese is melted.
Set aside and allow to fully cool.
While beef is cooking, cook pasta shells.
Pour enough pizza sauce to cover bottom of 9"x13" dish. Stuff each shell with meat mixture. Place shells in baking dish and cover the tops of shells with the rest of the pizza sauce.
Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle cheese on top. Bake another 10 minutes.

This is a modified version of the taco stuffed shells I made here. I thought, if taco meat tastes good in these shells, pizza meat would be awesome! And it is! I usually stick to a recipe and make few if any alterations. This is one time when I went off the beaten track and discovered something great:)

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

It is better to put trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man.

Psalm 118:8

 

 

This post is linked to Today's Creative Blog and Tip Junkie.