storage for my paper projects...come take a look!

11 November 2011

Friends with (bandwagon and stash-busting) Flair Friday!

Hey there -- happy Friday!

Since it's Friday, it must be Friends with Flair Friday over at Unity -- be sure to stop over and see today's great deal and all the other bloggers participating.

First, the card. Yes, I've finally joined the hexagon bandwagon. Have you noticed how they're popping up all over in the paper world? I can appreciate geometry and all, but I didn't have any hexagon punches or dies, and I wasn't really sure I wanted to invest dough in yet another bulky tool...and then I saw this tutorial over on the Cosmo Cricket blog using a quilter's template -- and about $5 later, I'm in business. Here I used the smallest size, but I can make hexagons up to 5.5" -- think of the scrapping possibilities! Anyway, take a peek:

I think this is the earliest I've ever gotten my Unity KoM! In celebration, I immediately got that cute cardinals-and-holly image inked up (with some markers), along with the pretty snowflake bg. To go along with it, I used a sentiment from the September kit. Close-up time!


The snowflakes are much clearer here, and you can see that I blasted the thing with some shimmer. Pretty! The "bow" is just some ribbon that I stuck in a brad before popping it through the card front. Easy!

Second, the stash-buster {Warning: there's no Unity in the rest of the post, so if you need to hop along, you won't hurt my feelings ;)}. All the hexagon papers up there are leftovers from my Big Fun Christmas Project this year -- a mini-album made entirely from my favorite holiday goodies, the papers and embellishments and other bits that I've saved hoarded over the years. I also have a vague memory of seeing someone make an album out of a Little Golden book, and I just couldn't resist it! {That idea is pre-Pinterest, so I no longer remember where I saw it. Does anyone else remember seeing such a thing in blogland? If so, let me know so I can give credit, eh? Thanks!}

Alrighty, then, here's the stash I've used:
Ooh, pretty! The top photo are the fronts, the bottom are the flip sides. I cut a couple dozen sheets down to about 6.5x7.5" to fit inside a Little Golden book I picked up at a used bookstore -- it's definitely one I remember owning, though, so that makes it funner :). I broke out my long-neglected Crop-a-Dile Big Bite to punch holes through the whole stack at once. Man, that made an exciting noise ;).

Here's how I turned the book into an album cover:
A little fancy box-cutter work, a pair of pliers (and then wirecutters) for staple removal, some Crop-a-dile work, and I was in business! Luckily, Little Golden books are very cheaply assembled, so it wasn't exactly hard work disassembling one. Here's the whole thing put together:
...and there's my messy grid pad underneath it ;). Since I did my initial assembly, I've added some extras -- envelopes, tags, etc. My favorite thing? With the exception of just a couple papers (namely the reindeer Hambly transparency and the Amy Tangerine fabric paper you can see up above [from Scrappy Chic, of course!]), everything else is at least a year old, and several papers go way, way back. I've kept them because I love them, but now I'm using what I love, and that's even better. I'll keep you posted as I add to the album (especially once I start adding photos!). I wish I could say it'll be a December Daily, but I'm not exactly that disciplined...so it'll probably just cover the whole season in bits and pieces, more Smash Book style, perhaps. I can't wait!

Anyway, thanks for hanging in there through a shockingly long post! Anyone else out there have a Big Fun Christmas Project planned? Let me know about it below.

Hop along, and enjoy your weekend!

26 comments:

Emily (stampingout on SCS) said...

Your card is gorgeous and I LOVE that you are re-purposing that Golden Book! LOVE it. :)

Anne Tussing said...

Love your hexagons!! The Golden Book remake is adorable!

Kary said...

Hi Angela! Wow, you've got your Nov KOM? That's super!! Your card is beautiful - I love the hexagons and the ribbon treatment is awesome. Great card! Great job too with the mini album. I don't have any projects planned except to finish my Christmas cards! Have a great weekend!!

Houses Built of Cards said...

Lucky you getting the KOTM already! Can't wait to get my hands on mine!!! LOVE your card - and great job on the book!!!

housesbuiltofcards@gmail.com
www.housesbuiltofcards.blogspot.com

Sarah said...

Love the repurposing of the book-- sooo fabulous.

michib said...

Beautiful card - love the 'bow' - was wanting to do bows on my christmas cards, but wasn't looking forward to having to try to tie them - thanks for the 'cheater' lesson.

Jingle said...

Your card is SO pretty! I absolutely love this!

Crystal said...

Really cute card, those hexagons are a great way to add some fun PP's!

Jocelyn Olson said...

Oh my goodness...I am loving your book! That is the coolest idea (I haven't seen it anywhere else in blogland--sorry I can't help). But the way you used up some hoarded papers to make something you can look at again and again is really cool! The card is so fab, too! I jumped on the hex bandwagon, but you are so much smarter to buy the quilter's grid. Love the little birds!!

Liz Michaud said...

Ahh I just got nostalgic...I loved my little golden books. What every happend to them?

Sorry back to your post :) Your book is so cool and doesn't it feel great using up paper you love on a great project?

Love your card too - the hexs are so clean and graphic!

Have a great weekend :)

Linda Beeson said...

I so love the hexagon shape, it adds such a neat look, love your card and wow on that little album with the old book!

jennifer mitten said...

I love your card!! Congratulations on using your stash. I am a paper hoarder and am finally trying to take the plunge and cut into my dps.

Ruby said...

Great card and we all need to get into our stash and do something creative. Thanks for inspiration.

Linda said...

that card very cute. I love the colors.

Joy said...

Lovely Christmas cards! Thanks for sharing!

sharon g said...

Great card. I like the quilt area is so cute with the birds!

Lindsey said...

1) I had that Golden book at the library, in the Kindergarten bin! Thanks for the flashback!
2) If you HAVE to cut up a book :P this is a brilliant way to repurpose it.
3) The card is beautiful. I love the oh-so-trendy hexagons, and your smart/frugal way to create them.
4) I'm not even a subscriber, and I'm impressed at how early you got your KOM! Lucky you!
5) Ribbon+brad bow = genius!

Jen W. said...

Now that looks like the kind of bow I can handle! Love it! I will so be stealing that idea. The hexagons are oh-so-trendy and I love the sparkle on the tag.

Your Christmas book is fabulous - it may be the only way I ever use up any patterned paper!

Roslyn said...

Love the use of stamps on this. Looking forward to getting my November KOTM!

Anonymous said...

gorgeous!!!

Joni M said...

I LOVE the card, and the project is WONDERFUL! Great job!

Marilyn Nimmo said...

Great card. LOVE your mini album. I am also using papers that I had been saving because I loved them.

Emily Keaton said...

LOVE the hexagons--what a sweet Christmas card!! But your Golden Book mini album is a SUPER idea!! Wow, I've never really been tempted by mini albums, but I think you've just won me over. :)

Jen M said...

Love your card and the mini album is going to be totally fab!

Sue Althouse said...

Yes, a December Daily intimidates me, but I love your approach! Also love the eye candy, great stash!

Emily Leiphart said...

OMG! First, I'm jealous that you already have your KOM and second, I LOVE the hexagons so thanks for the tutorial. Your upcycled book with new papers is gorgeous! What a great idea. Now I KNOW I have to get a Crop-a-Dile. :P