Retirement has created a challenge addict, which takes up a fair amount of my time. Thanks to innovative and creative ideas from many Design Teams, my daughter, and my friends. Challenges gave me a jump-start on many of my cards and turns on my creativity to come up with my own unique designs. Started a unique Double Trouble Challenge and took on partnership of Try a Sketch on Saturday. If you like what you see, please sign up on the right sidebar and consider "following" me.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Monday, December 29, 2014
Family Crafting History - My Dad
Papercrafting of course has been going on forever. In fact, my dad use to do scrapbook pages on vacations that he and my mom took. We are searching for the one book that we still have and will post it at a later time to show the advancements made in papercrafting.
My dad's occupation was creating and designing wax candles and items for Glen Manufacturing Candle Company, which was located in Buffalo, NY, but no longer exists. Some of the older scrappers, like myself, may remember the wax red lips, white teeth and black mustaches that you could wear and then chew on while the flavor lasted. Or you may remember the little wax soda/pop bottles filled with a very sugary syrup in a small cardboard 6-Pack container like regular sized bottled soda/pop came in. Or the wax harmonicas that actually worked, and again a flavorable chewing wax. Neighbors from all over use to Trick or Treat at our home knowing that they would get one of these items...sometimes they never even got put in their bags.
Before his retirement he was responsible for designing some of the early Avon candles. I only have a couple items from the past, but my memories of his adventures are plentiful. You may remember a wax bunny that contained chocolate on the inside, and you would peel off the wax and have some pretty good chocolate inside...those were in our Easter basket every year and never lasted long, nor did it look like a bunny any longer. The picture below is only the plaster model for that particular chocolate wax bunny.
Another item however not manufactured for other consumers, but designed by my dad, was an Easter Bunny Egg Holder and this was on the breakfast table every Easter morning until we left home and it was given to each of his children. I still bring it out each year and put it on display.
My Dad channeled some of his creativity to me and then I to my daughter. (See Next Post)
My dad's occupation was creating and designing wax candles and items for Glen Manufacturing Candle Company, which was located in Buffalo, NY, but no longer exists. Some of the older scrappers, like myself, may remember the wax red lips, white teeth and black mustaches that you could wear and then chew on while the flavor lasted. Or you may remember the little wax soda/pop bottles filled with a very sugary syrup in a small cardboard 6-Pack container like regular sized bottled soda/pop came in. Or the wax harmonicas that actually worked, and again a flavorable chewing wax. Neighbors from all over use to Trick or Treat at our home knowing that they would get one of these items...sometimes they never even got put in their bags.
Before his retirement he was responsible for designing some of the early Avon candles. I only have a couple items from the past, but my memories of his adventures are plentiful. You may remember a wax bunny that contained chocolate on the inside, and you would peel off the wax and have some pretty good chocolate inside...those were in our Easter basket every year and never lasted long, nor did it look like a bunny any longer. The picture below is only the plaster model for that particular chocolate wax bunny.
Another item however not manufactured for other consumers, but designed by my dad, was an Easter Bunny Egg Holder and this was on the breakfast table every Easter morning until we left home and it was given to each of his children. I still bring it out each year and put it on display.
My Dad channeled some of his creativity to me and then I to my daughter. (See Next Post)
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Creative Memories - Journey in Scrapbooking
Creative Memories Photo Album: The start of Mother/Daughter journey in creating photo album pages, unlike the plastic sheets you stored photos in, was first experienced in attending a Creative Memories Party somewhere around 1998. So we started taking apart the Photo Books and creating 12"x12" scrapbook pages from some of the more current photos. In fact in a garage sale last year I gave away some Creative Memories Scrapbook Refill Pages, (almost vintage) that didn't show any aging, which says a lot for the quality of Creative Memories products.
Book Binders: Then we changed from Creative Memories Photo Albums to 8 1/2"x11" Albums and went to regular Book Binders. It was less expensive and my daughter had hundreds and hundreds of pictures of her family that she wanted to scrapbook. We were very careful in selecting acid free papers, cardstock, stickers and embellishments so the photos did not break down and cause yellowing and deterioration on photos and pages over time. As you will see later all my scrapbook pages were done approximately 15 years ago and there was no deterioriation or yellowing. Just last year, I packed up most all of my scrapbooking materials and gave to a friend for one of her nieces. I only kept behind CTMH products, our new venture.
Close to My Heart: In 2006 my daughter attended a CTMH gathering and after she worked with their products she decided that she wanted to become a Consultant. Back to 12"x12" scrapbook pages and she moved a lot of her 8 1/2"x11" album pages into a 12"x12" page. At that time, I went a different direction...moved to Arizona, and continued my full time employment from home. Since then she has moved out to Arizona and I have again picked up on papercrafting, more in cards than scrapbook pages. And now just recently getting into sketch challenges. Haven't won any recognition yet, but with each one I gain more experience in my interpretations and I will some day have a sticker on my blog for one of these challenges. I even took one of my Old Scrapbook pages and made it into a 12"x12" which you will see later in My History tab.
I have my daughter (now my mentor) critique some of my work and ask her suggestions on whether it needs anything more...and she's very gracious and kind and often says "you don't need anything, it's beautiful". Click on bzscrapper66 and see some of the very creative and beautiful papercrafting she has done with CTMH products. Now, my daughter is sharing her creativity with me.
Book Binders: Then we changed from Creative Memories Photo Albums to 8 1/2"x11" Albums and went to regular Book Binders. It was less expensive and my daughter had hundreds and hundreds of pictures of her family that she wanted to scrapbook. We were very careful in selecting acid free papers, cardstock, stickers and embellishments so the photos did not break down and cause yellowing and deterioration on photos and pages over time. As you will see later all my scrapbook pages were done approximately 15 years ago and there was no deterioriation or yellowing. Just last year, I packed up most all of my scrapbooking materials and gave to a friend for one of her nieces. I only kept behind CTMH products, our new venture.
Close to My Heart: In 2006 my daughter attended a CTMH gathering and after she worked with their products she decided that she wanted to become a Consultant. Back to 12"x12" scrapbook pages and she moved a lot of her 8 1/2"x11" album pages into a 12"x12" page. At that time, I went a different direction...moved to Arizona, and continued my full time employment from home. Since then she has moved out to Arizona and I have again picked up on papercrafting, more in cards than scrapbook pages. And now just recently getting into sketch challenges. Haven't won any recognition yet, but with each one I gain more experience in my interpretations and I will some day have a sticker on my blog for one of these challenges. I even took one of my Old Scrapbook pages and made it into a 12"x12" which you will see later in My History tab.
I have my daughter (now my mentor) critique some of my work and ask her suggestions on whether it needs anything more...and she's very gracious and kind and often says "you don't need anything, it's beautiful". Click on bzscrapper66 and see some of the very creative and beautiful papercrafting she has done with CTMH products. Now, my daughter is sharing her creativity with me.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Cricut / Cuttlebug - What's that?
DIE CUTS:
1999 : There was no such thing known as Cuttlebug or Cricut at this time. Our Die-cuts were made from tracing a stencil, and then cutting the design with a scissors. How much
Thursday, December 25, 2014
WOW - Big Bean Bag Without the Beans
WOW...Big Bean Bag. This was a 2'x2' Square Bean Bag Seating that my favorite oldest son wanted me to make for him. He didn't want it filled with regular beans; but something that would be more solid and bounce back. I got the Bean Bag cover and lining made and wrapped it up for Christmas. After deciding what he wanted it stuffed with, I ordered shredded polyurethane stuffing which came in a package that I wasn't sure if it would fill the whole square. It was about 12" diameter (14#) which would have meant I needed four to fill. However, it was compacted so solidly that when the wrapping was taken off it amazingly filled the square. My son is very pleased with the size and match to his furniture.
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And who knows maybe it will be a bed for his pal Thurman.
Monday, December 22, 2014
2014 Christmas - Bean Bags for Daughter
(3) Bean Bags (large, medium and small) I made for my daughter and son-in-law for Christmas 2014.
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