My Scrapbooking Blog

Supplies used: Composition notebook, Cricut Create-a-Critter cartridge, CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, CTMH Gypsy cardstock, CTMH Grey Wool cardstock (retired), CTMH Grey Flannel cardstock (retired), CTMH Baby Pink cardstock (retired), CTMH Circle Around stamp set (retired), and unknown rhinestones from my stash.

My daughter had THREE birthday invitations this week!  This means that this is one of a few altered notebooks that I will be making.  I’m sure glad I dug through the clearance a couple weeks ago and picked up some extras.  Back-to-school time is when I usually stock up.  I’d be even smarter if I made them ahead of time but we usually make them specific to a what the birthday girl likes.

The Create-a-Critter cartridge has some super cute animals on it but I have to admit it makes me frustrated because I am so used to the Close to My Heart cartridges with marked keypads in the booklet, so much easier to find the images!

I’ve been doing a fair share of random stamping lately.  I really have a hard time settling with plain paper anymore. 🙂  I stamped the purple cardstock wtih the same color ink for a tone-on-tone look that adds a fun pattern.

My tips for random stamping:
1. choose 3 stamps (one large, one medium, one small)
2. start with the largest stamp, stamping in a somewhat triangular pattern
3. fill in with the medium and then the small stamp

Important key: Make sure when you stamp that you have a scrap paper underneath and stamp over the edge of your paper.  This will make it look like real patterned paper. And try not to think about it, it’s supposed to be random! 🙂

Here’s the back:

I usually do the back in the same main patterned paper as the front or if I only have one sheet of that paper then I will choose a coordinating color of cardstock.

Books I’d like to read and movies I’d like to see.  I will wait and fill this out at the end of the year.

We want to go to Walt Disney World this year for a vacation.

I make birthday and anniversary cards for my family and try to send them out at the beginning of each month.  I also make calendars as Christmas gifts.  Here is my checklist for these things as well as some other things I would like to get done like backup my photos.

Oh blah, cleaning…it looks so simple on paper, sure takes me a lot more time than looking at it!

Once-a-year and twice-a-year cleaning checklists.  These won’t be so bad because they don’t need to be done as often but makes me feel good when I do them. 🙂

This is where I will keep new recipes that I have tried throughout the year that are keepers.

Recipes I want to try.  Obviously need to come up with some but I have to wait to fill this out or I will want to do them right away.

A place for more new recipes with a focus on quick and easy meals.  With so many activities for the kids are evenings can get quite chaotic.

This page I’ve left as is to add motivational quotes and notes to self throughout the year.

Back inside cover.  This is a pocket where I plan to store printed recipes that I want to try.  Note that there is a place for the marker/glue pen that comes with the book.  This will be great to have with it at all times because it will get used a lot throughout the year.  I did a lot of writing in this book and pen has lasted well.  I love the fine tip and how smooth it writes!

This concludes the showing of my SMASHBOOK.  I hope you have enjoyed it.  Once again I want to send a big shout out and thank you to Crafter Mania and EK Success for this awesome kit!  I can’t wait to start using my completed book!  If you are just tuning in, you can see the other parts of this by scrolling down or going to the following posts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

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Update 1/29/13: I am disappointed that Crafter Mania decided to not use my book as planned and never informed me.  I spent many hours on this project and was not reimbursed as per our agreement.  I was also looking forward to using my smashbook this year and still have not received it back as promised.  I will not do business with them again and do not recommend them.

Update 2/15/13: Received my smashbook. 🙂