Paper Angel Crafts

I wish it would snow...

I'm sure I'll regret this in a month or so, but right now I really wish it would snow!  Where we live in Upstate New York, we normally would have had several big snows by now, but it was nearly 60 degrees today! 

Meantime, while I am waiting for snow, I am still preparing for Christmas.  I wanted to share a couple of little recipe books I made.

Last year I started experimenting with sewing cardstock on my sewing machine, and the idea for this little book was born.

I picked up one of those little plastic covered photo albums at the Dollar Store, the ones that hold 4 x 6 pictures.  I constructed a cover by stitching two sheets of cardstock together, then cutting a slit in the middle of the inside piece so I could insert the covers of the album.  Then I just took out the little pieces of cardboard in each photo sleeve, and replaced it with cute recipe cards I found in the dollar bin at Michael's.

Lastly, I decorated the covers with stickers, chipboard, buttons and other bits & pieces I had laying around.  Really simple, and makes a great little gift. 

Hopefully it will snow this week...

Oh So Shabby Christmas

I'm such a softy for anything Shabby, and this little tag book was so fun to make!  The book is made out of one sheet of cardstock cut and folded to make eight pages with pockets.  I found the directions online, if I can find that page (I didn't bookmark it!) I will post it. 

 

Each page has a little pocket with a coordinating tag tucked in.  This would make a great hostess gift...the tags can be used to mark Christmas gifts or hung as ornaments on the tree.

Or better yet, you could turn it into a little photo album by attaching small photos to each of the tags.

At our papercrafting class last week, I was encouraging the ladies to think outside the box when it comes to Christmas crafts.  The papers you use don't necessarily need to be "Christmas" papers.  This project was done with papers from K&Co. Life's Journey, Charlotte and Bailey collections.  The colors are light green and pink, but with the right embellishments, they still say "Christmas"!

The round medallions decorating some of the pages are cutouts from the Making Memories "Mistletoe" paper pad.  The vintage images are from digital collage sheets I buy on Etsy.com.

Family Christmas Past

We had a great class on Saturday.  The ladies enjoyed learning the "art" of making Tussies and took supplies to make more at home.  (There never seems to be enough time in class, with the socializing, the eating, and the crafting!)  It never ceases to amaze me how much I enjoy watching everyone work on their projects.  I always come away with some new idea learned from the students!  I definitely  "get" as much as I "give"!

Looking forward to the Vintage Christmas Card class coming up, I have been working on a bunch of samples. 

I love using vintage photos, and this one is actually a copy of a family photo.  It is my father (on the right) and my uncle, taken in the early 1940's.  I scanned the photo then printed it on white cardstock.  I then inked the edges with brown ink, and lighly dragged the ink pad over the photo to "age" it.

This card features a picture of my father, my uncle and my great-grandfather.  I can't wait to surprise my dad with this card at Christmas!

 

Resolutions...

Resolutions are usually reserved for New Year's.  I'm starting early.

I've been meaning for a while to take the plunge into the blog pool, and now I've finally done it.  Paper Angel Craft Retreats is off and running.  We hosted several fabulous retreats this fall, and look forward to the Holiday Paper Crafting classes coming up this month. 

This blog will give me the opportunity to share projects I'm working on, glimpses into my hectic life, and random thoughts about everyday things.  Right now, I am really focused on Christmas.  It is the "most wonderful time of the year"!

As you get to know me, you'll learn that I am obsessed with two things...vintage images, and patterned paper.  I find vintage Santas irresistible. 

I have been working on these Victorian Tussies, we have a class this weekend, and I want to have a lot of examples to show.

More to come!