Memory Makers with Crystal Jeffrey Rieger

Thank You Card

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:21:05 GMT

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

My daughter, Harper, is staying at a friend's cottage this weekend so we sent along a little thank-you gift and included this card with it.

(Supplies: Papers by Jillibean Soup / Flair by American Crafts / Textured Impressions, Frame and Border Frame by Sizzix)

I made sure to die cut the cream cardstock first and then run it through my Big Shot with the embossing folder so that the embossing wouldn't flatten out.

Patterned Paper with Die Cuts

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:58:15 GMT

I love creating a patterned paper with dies cut. Take a look at this...

(Supplies: Patterned Paper by 7Gypsies, Ribbon by American Crafts, Stamp and Punch by Fiskars, Black Foam Squares and Adhesive Sheets by Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Die Cut Border and Flower die by Sizzix)

To get this look I used an adhesive sheet on the back of some paper and then ran it through my Big Shot with this die. By applying the adhesive sheet to the paper before I cut I am sure to get edge-to-edge coverage and don't need to worry about applying adhesive to the teeny-tiny parts of the die cut.

Pretty easy way to create some stunning patterned paper for cards or scrapbook pages.

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com>

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Quick & Easy Door Hanger

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:09:59 GMT

Here is a fun and easy craft to make (or to make with your kidlets) using scrapbook supplies.

(Supplies: Patterned Paper & Chipboard Pieces by Cosmo Cricket, Vinyl Letters by American Crafts, Letter Stickers by Making Memories, Heart Rhinestones)

It is made from thin chipboard and covered with patterned paper. A circle larger than the door knob was cut at the top and then the piece was decorated.

The ruffle around the opening was made with two strips of patterned paper about 1" wide and folding it into box pleats. I used Helmar's liquid Craft Glue to hold the pleats in place. (This stuff is great because there is no water in the adhesive so it doesn't leak through or warp your paper - and it is nice and strong.)

The label behind Harper's name is lifted with black foam squares to give the piece some dimension.

It probably took 15 minutes to make this from start to finish, only used one sheet of double sided paper and it adds a nice touch to the door to Harper's room.

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

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Give Me Some Feedback?

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:46:52 GMT

As you know I have been working on this...

My new site for online scrapbook classes.

I am loading classes and getting ready but I thought I would ask and see what type of classes YOU want to see/take.

Let me know by posting here on the blog.

Thanks - C :)

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com>

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Another Scrapbook Page

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:08:50 GMT

It is nice to be scrapbooking again. Just to sit and relax on a summer day with my favorite hobby and scrap the day away. (OK - maybe I don't get the whole day but a few hours here and there are lovely!)

I made this page yesterday using some photos of Magnus from last February.

(Supplies: Text paper by Scenic Route / Grid paper by Sassafras Lass / Zig Zag paper by American Crafts / Letters by Arctic Frog / Buttons by Fancy Pants /Dies by Spellbinders)

I love these photos of Magnus. He is always dressing up as one person or another and the doctor costume is one of my faves.

I outlined the letters with a thin black pen so that they would stand out from the busy background - worked like a charm!

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

Trying to Capture Them Accurately

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:37:45 GMT

When you have a 'tween it is hard sometimes to capture them accurately on your scrapbook pages. I mean who want to capture the mood swings and the sass talk? LOL

I created this fun page to capture my daughter accurately but in a fun way (so she will not roll her eyes when she sees it).

(Supplies: Patterned Paper, Letters, Felt Flower, Journaling Tag by American Crafts / Chipboard Hearts, Journaling Tag by Heidi Grace)

She smiled when she saw it - with no eye rolling what-so-ever.

Lately whenever I am finished a layout I try to create a card with the leftovers on my desk before I clean it up. It has been great way to use up my scraps and to build up a nice little pile of cards ready for ever occasion. Here is what I made after I created the above page.

(Additional Supplies: Paper Butterflies by American Crafts / Border Punch, Circle Punch by Fiskars

Love the simplicity of this one and love how my Fiskars punch, well, punched it up a notch.

(sorry for the bad joke but I couldn't resist!)

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

Sad Good-bye

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:18:43 GMT

Yesterday my copies of the last issue of Memory Makers arrived.

Even thought I have been prepared for it for awhile it still made me sad. I have read and been part of Memory Makers for a long time. The last issue seems so final.

So it is with a sad good-bye that I end this chapter. I will savor this last issue for awhile.

Here are my pages from this month's column.

And here is this month's color palette (great for fall layouts).

If you make something with this palette make sure to show me. I love to see what you make. :)

(In addition to my Color Swatch column I also have a DIY wedding quiz in the issue - be sure to check it out.)

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com>

What is the CRAZIEST item in your craft space?

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:11:28 GMT

That is NOT scrapbook/craft related?

I posted this question yesterday at Two Peas and there have been tons of responses so I thought I would ask it here. It has been hilarious reading some of the craziest or strangest things that end up in our crafting areas.

The answer for me is my wedding dress - not in a box but on display on a mannequin. Basically I figure I have the space right now so why tuck it away to never be viewed.

Plus, I really like the dress - and I only got to wear it once!

Can you see it tucked over there behind my Accucut machine (use for making class kits) and past all the kidlet mess? (That table you see in the forefront of the picture is the kidlet crafting table that I added to the center of the room so the kids would have a place to craft without me needing to clear my desk all the time.)

(Do you see the "window" in my craft room? It was left (glass removed) when the addition was put on the house and I can see the kitchen through it. Love this feature. I have another one to the right that looks down into the family room. I can overhear the kidlets making trouble this way!)

So here it is - the full view of my dress.

Please remember to ignore the horrible wallpaper in my crafty space! We are in a rental and it came with the place. :( I so want to change it to something soothing and solid colored...

And of course I need to give you a detail shot cause I just love this dress. Did I mention that I only got to wear it once?????

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That is my veil wrapped around the top. It needed to be put to good use too.

So that is my strange thing in my craft space. I have read others having washing machines and dryers (cause there craft space is in the laundry room) or cardboard cut-out and other funny objects.

What is yours? Leave me a comment (and a link to photos if possible). I would love to see. :)

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

Quick page for a quick moment...

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:07:02 GMT

Hope everyone out there had a great weekend. :) I spent the weekend with my nose in a book (loved, loved this book), lounging by the "pool". LOL

I have another page to share today. I dug into my stash for this one - some paper from Prima from 2006 or 2007(?) and the last labels from a package of Martha Stewart labels. (Don't you just love finishing a package of embellishements off?)

To enhance the background I stamped this stamp randomly over the paper with some of this yellow paint.

(Foam letters are by American Crafts. Ribbon by Basic Grey.)

Pretty quick to put together - I like to keep things pretty simple for a quick moment in time like this.

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

Improving Photos with Photoshop Actions

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:26:17 GMT

As mentioned yesterday I have been creating again. To clear off my desk I decided to finish up some pages that I have had "almost" done for awhile (they just needed journaling).

I love the way this one turned out.

It is kind of hard to see the details so here are some up close photos.

The stars were created by die cutting the shape with this star and then running it through my Big Shot with this Texturz plate (some are lifted off the page with black 3D foam squares).

(The title letters are by Cosmo Cricket and the journaling tag is by Cherry Arte.)

Do you like how the photos look? It was pretty easy to get this look using these Photoshop Actions. I love using PS Actions to improve less than stellar photos. This is what the photo looked like before I ran the PS Action.

The colors were all over the place and it lacked focus. By running the PS Actions I love how instantly you focus on the kidlets and how it adds a dreamy quality to it.

Today I am working on Magnus' album again.

I printed off all the photos I need and I started arranging things on the album pages.

The row of photos that you see above the album are for the back sides of the pages. I spent a few minutes moving around embellishments so that I could be sure that the items were evenly spread through the album. Next I started adhering things down (some of the embellishment placement changes as I was adhering).

Today I will finish up the journaling on it and figure out how I want to bind it all together and then it will be finished! :)

Note: My blog address is changing so please update your bookmarks - blog.crystaljrieger.com

An Album for Magnus

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:12:36 GMT

I am back from the Summer Craft and Hobby Show in Orlando, of course, (it was great to see everyone - thanks for stopping by and saying hello!) and I am now trying to get back into the routine of things again. Whenever I go away I come back tired and in need of cuddles from my kidlets. A few days pass and then I am itching to be creating again.

But sometimes it is hard to get back into to the routine (and drag myself away from the cuddles).

For the last few days I have been creating and getting things on track again. Some things created were for assignments and some things were just for me. It is a balance that I always try to keep to make sure that I never feel like scrapbooking is "work". For the "just for me" scrapbooking I started a mini album for Magnus. Not an album about Magnus but an album that is for him (to keep in his room). It is part a decoration but it is meant for him to handle and look at and enjoy. Of course it features his favorite subject - himself! LOL

I am not done it but I thought I would show you my progress (+ the mess I have created while working - as you know I am not the neatest of people!)

It is going to be an accordion album - made with some chipboard sheets and this die from Sizzix. I covered the chipboard with adhesive sheets and then placed the paper over the adhesive before die cutting so that the paper would stick edge to edge (and I would have no sanding or cutting with a craft knife). Love how fast this is to get a beautifully covered album using album dies from Sizzix.

I am using a paper collection that I have been saving for awhile now - Lil Man by Cosmo Cricket. I fell in love with this paper line that is SO perfect for boys and have been waiting until I had some time to really enjoy using it.

I have the chipboard embellishments laid out but non of them are stuck down. I just couldn't resist taking them out of their packing before I printed photos. :)

Now I am currently laying on the floor of my craft room editing photos.This mini album for Magnus will consist only of photos of him making funny faces. He loves to make faces whenever he catches me snapping his photo (and then view them on my camera screen after) so I know he will enjoy an album showing these faces off. Since this will be an accordion album that can be stood up we will place it on his window sill (he has deeply set in windows in his room) and he can enjoy it and play with it as much as he wants.

When I print off all these photos I plan to print duplicates so that I can make a scrapbook page documenting his funny face trick so I do not need to worry if his little mini album stands the test of time. I want him to be able to freely enjoy it without me having to tell him to be super careful with it. I just know that at some point it will used to make a fort for his Star Wars figurines and the battles they have and I am perfectly OK with this. :)

Hopefully I will have more to share on this album soon. Happy Crafting everyone!

1,036 miles

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:55:10 GMT

That is the miles I travelled today. My plane ticket says so. :)

I am here in Orlando, Fl for the Craft and Hobby Show and all the new releases from our favorite scrapbook companies. :) Can't wait to see it all in person.

I am working at the Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L booth - hosting make n takes. If you are at the show drop by and say hello - booth #1143.

Can't wait to see you! :)

Chattanooga, Tn

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:09:41 GMT

I am prepping to leave for CHA early tomorrow but I thought I would let you know that the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Chattanooga, TN is now open for registration.

Show dates - Sept 25-26, 2009

I will be teaching lots of classes there and I hope to see some faces from last year (and some new ones too). I will get a schedule of my classes posted later today.

CHA Sneeks

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:29:55 GMT

As we all gear up for next week's Craft and Hobby Association show I have been looking through all the sneek peaks of the new releases that companies have been showing.

As I find them I thought I would compile a linky-list for you all to check out.

In alphabetical order...

3 Bugs in a Rug

7 Gypsies

Adorn It

Advantus - Tim Holtz

American Crafts - Albums & Elements, Blue Skies, I Heart You, Junior, Merrymint, Stamping, Thickers

Bella Blvd - Collections, Colors, Stamps/Embellishments

Bo Bunny - Boo Crew, Delilah, Flutter Butter & Kitchen Spice , St Nick, Tis the Season & Gypsy

Clear Scraps

Crafter's Workshop

Crate Paper - Bliss, Cottage, North Pole, Season

Creative Imaginations - Birthday Surprise, Boo, Christmas in the Kitchen, Goulies, Harvest Moon, Hip Hip Hooray, Holiday Collections, Mistletoe & Hollyberry, One Big Adventure, Sledding Hill, Tinsel Town, Trip & Travel, Wicked, Winter Magic, Winter Wonderland, Zack & Zoe

Cosmo Cricket

Dream Street - Merry & Bright, Nature`s Poetry, Sam, Superstition, Urban Ink

EK Success

Fancy Pants

Fiskars

GCD Studios - Morning Glory, Party It Up, Sunny Days, Vintage Boy

Glitz Design

Graphic 45 - Christmas Past, Domestic Goddess, Renaissance Faire, TransAtlantique + Pads

Hambly

Imaginisce - i-Top tool, Polar Expressions, Spooky Town

Jenni Bowlin

Jillibean Soup - Alphabet Soup, Calendar Tags, Christmas Soup, Lentil, Number Tags, Soup Staples, Stamps, Talk Soup, Wooden Buttons & Twill

Kaisercraft - Child's Play, Duchess, Loire Valley, Offshore, Pack & Store, Pennyroyale, Pina Colada

KI Memories

Lily Bee

Making Memories - peek 1, peek 2, Slice

Maya Road - Chipboard Albums, Embellishments & Chipboard Albums, Kraft Items & Minis, Maya Mist & Stamps, Sheers & Pins

Momenta

My Little Shoebox

My Little Yellow Bicycle - 25 Days of Christmas, Album Embellishments, Autumn Bliss, Sweet Love, Trick or Treat

My Mind`s Eye - Halloween & Christmas, Lucky Me & Whirlybird, Ooh La La, Round and Round & Stomp

Pebbles Inc.

Piggy Tales

Pink Paislee - Amber Road, Mistletoe & Co, Twilight

Prima - peek 1, peek 2, peek 3, peek 4

Quickutz - Letterpress

Ranger

Reminisce - Autumn Forest, Halloween Collection, Safari, Santa`s Workshop

Sassafras Lass - Amplify, Felties, Monstrosity, Sweet Marmalade

Scribble Scrabble

Shabby Green Door

Sizzix

TaDa Creative Studios

Technique Tuesday

Teresa Collins

Webster`s Pages

Will add more as I find them. :) If you know one that I missed let me know.

The Reason I've Been a MIA Crafter

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:38:39 GMT

I know I haven't been posting as much lately but there is a reason. I've been busy with a new project of mine.

This is what is taking up all my crafty time.

I have been working on my new website that is going to host my scrapbook classes. :) I am pretty excited about this new endeavor but it is taking up a lot of my time right now so please bear with me. I promise to be back to my crafty self soon.

More details coming soon!

Which One is Your Fave? {baby shower invites}

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:44:58 GMT

I am making shower invites for a friend of mine so I made up a few samples to give her a choice. These are the three that I showed her (based on an original design that she liked).
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Which one is your fave?

Choice 1

Choice 2

Option 3

To create the embossing I used my Big Shot with the baby themed Textured Impressions (this one and this one). Love these - especially when I know I am going to need to make a lot of something.

(Want to see another baby shower invite I made recently? click here)

Quickie Updates

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:46:03 GMT

Don't forget that I am on Twitter now - if I don't have time to blog I am updating there. :)

Hope everyone is have a great summer day today!

Scrapbooking in the Great Outdoors

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:13:53 GMT

My kidlets are at day camp and my hubby is there as well - teaching - so I am trying something new today. It is an extremely gorgeous day - warm but not hot (we are having a cool summer) and there is a slight breeze. I kind of feel like I am missing out on all the good weather this summer (I hate winter!) so I grabbed the scrapbook page I am working on and headed to my front porch.

It is so awesome t be outside crafting!

I have to admit I am totally spoiled because the house we are living in right now has the most amazing covered porch. Here is one corner of it - where I am working today.

See that big window? That is my craft room. If I need anything it is just a quick pop through the front door and into my room to grab whatever I want.

I am loving this outdoor crafting thing!

Hope you are having as good a day as I am! :)

An Old Fave

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:43:24 GMT

Yesterday I spent the day snuggling my new nephew so my sister could take a shower and get some rest. (We know how hard those two things are to get when you have a newborn!) There is nothing quite like a tiny baby snuggled up on your chest - I was in baby heaven!
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So today I thought I would show you a favorite page I made quite some time ago since I haven't had a chance to finish up those pages I started the other day. This was a page I made for my Color Swatch column in Memory Makers and it appeared in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue.
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These are some of my favorite photos of Magnus playing in the snow - one of the many reasons this is a favorite page.

To create the black matting around the photos I added it to the pictures before I printed it - you could get the same effect with black cardstock also. I love how this looks against the black and white photos. I must remember to do this again sometime soon.

I am now off to do some work - hope you all are having a great day!

It feels good...

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:09:29 GMT

to be sitting and scrapping today. I feel like it has been forever (really only a few weeks). I've done a few things here and there but not any real, sit-down-and-glue-paper-to-paper-just-for-fun-kinda-scrapping.

It all started yesterday really. I played hookie yesterday and didn't do a thing. Nothing, nadda, zip, zilch. Just buried my nose in a book. Forgot to each lunch, didn't check emails, didn't do dishes and definitely didn't do any laundry. I really just read all day. And I felt gulity the whole time even though the kids and my husband were out for the day. That was what made it so awesome. The slightly guilty feeling - it made me feel as if I was getting away with something, lol. I needed it though. It has been crazy lately with all the travelling and trying to keep up with my other creative commitments.

Today I couldn't wait to get into my scraproom. I made myself do the chores I skipped yesterday first but now I am busy creating away. It is nice to feel all charged up again. Here is the first page I made - appropriately about my daughter who has also turned into a bookworm.

Just a simple page using only cardstock, some foam letter letters and some rub-ons.

Foam letters and letter rub-ons are by American Crafts.

To make the decorative border I used some scalloped cardstock and then took a 1/2" hole punch and punched the circles.

It is just a simple page to document my daughter's sudden love of reading this summer. :)

More pages soon.