White Elephant Christmas Party Gift

My work always does a white elephant gift exchange for the office Christmas party. I purchased some jam while in Norway and created a box to hold them. I used October Afternoon on the inside and Graphic 45 on the outside. Decorated with Cricut and M's purchases. I really liked how it turned out and wanted to share. Thanks for looking.

This is the back of the box.  The front has a flap that drops down.  I fussy cut each representation of the 12 days of Christmas.

Side view

This is the front when the lid is taken off.  

The front of the box with the lid on.  I cut Merry Christmas and the Holly using my Cricut Explore.

2017 Tulip Time River Cruise with Paris

Hello again,

I have completed my journal for the River Boat Cruise in March of 2017.  The first three days we are in Paris, which is one of my favorite cities.  I have already contacted our favorite restaurant for reservations.  A little early but don't want to miss out.  We chose not to do any of the optional excursions since we have already been to all that are offered.  Just plan to hang out around the city, go all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower this time, and eat wonderful food.  Will probably go over to the market street to buy our pate, cheese, bread, and pastries.  Jackie wants to visit the Louvre so we'll show her how to get there on the Metro.

Anyway, I have digressed.  This post is all about my journal.  I hope you like it and get some inspiration.  Thanks for looking.

I used some chipboard covers that I've had lying around for ages.  Using the Graphic 45 City Scapes 8 x 8 pack, I cut out the Eiffel Tower and an Emerson quote strip.  I also attached some lace.

The inside cover is always about the flight.  Using Graphic 45 City Scapes paper and tags, I created a small pocket to insert my journaling card.  The next page is adorned with Cricut cutouts and bling.

These two pages are covered with Graphic 45 City scares paper and tags.  I just needed some journaling cards for our days in Paris.

On our fourth day, we head out to Amsterdam to catch our river boat with a stop in Brussels Belgium.  We will be visiting the Atomium from the 1958 World Fair.  Looks rather interesting.  I printed off a picture of the Amsterdam canals with tulips in the foreground to use as my journaling card.

Our first stop will be Nijmegen Belgium. Known as the oldest town in the Netherlands.  The next day, our stop is in Antwerp Belgium.  Antwerp is known for its diamond trade.  After a city tour, the rest of the day is at leisure.  I thought their flag in Antwerp was unique, so I created it in Cricut, flattened, then printed.

Can't wait to shop in the Grote Market in Ghent.  In the afternoon, we will be going to Bruges.  The card on the left is a picture I printed of Bruges to use as my journaling card.  The next day will be at the Deltaworks.  It was created after 1800 people lost their lives in one horrific flood.  Again, I used a picture of the area to create my journaling card.

Our itinerary states that we will be overnight in Rotterdam.  If at all possible, we plan to disembark to take a look at the city.  Our last day will be split between the windmills of Kinderdijk and the tulip gardens of Keukenhof.  I used the Cricut to cut out the windmills.

I found the logo for Keukenhof on the internet and created an .svg.  With a little modifying, I created my own version just for my journal.  The journaling card and pocket were created with Cricut.  The inside cover of the back of the journal is for my airplane ride home.

This is the back of the book.

Travel Journals

Hello everyone.  It's been a long time since I've posted.  We have been busy traveling and enjoying life.  Last year was Greece, this year we've been to Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.  In September, we're going to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.  During our last trip, we met this amazing woman, Lorraine, who loves to travel as much, if not more, than we do.  She is going to accompany us (and Jackie) on our trip next year.  We will be flying to Paris, then taking a tour bus to Brussels, Belgium.  Then we will continue to Amsterdam to board a river boat for cruising.  This trip is all about seeing the Tulips in the Netherlands.  I'm always excited about traveling and look forward to the trips we have planned.  I always make myself a journal to keep track of all the wonderful things we see and do.  Jackie likes to write but always makes a digital scrapbook of her trips.  So for our trip next year, I decided to make journals for Jackie and Lorraine.  I have included the two journals and will post mine when I get it completed.  Hope you enjoy!  Thanks for looking.

The front and back are made from book covers I purchased years ago.  The binding is paper that looks like leather after you stress it.

The inside of the first book.  It's just white cardstock to write on.

This book started out as a file folder mini book but I didn't like the way it turned out.  I started over and now I really like the look.

The inside of the Tulip Time journal.  Again, white cardstock to write on.

Wedding Invites and Travel Journal

I offered to make Leonore's wedding invites for the renewal ceremony.  She was thrilled with them and I have received a few compliments from recipients.  Leonore and her husband are going to Costa Rica for their honeymoon.  She adores my journals so I decided to make her one.  She really likes the eclectic look.  It's a 6 X 8 portfolio all handmade.  I included quite a few journal/picture cards as well as a waterfall for pics.  I know she will be delighted.  I hope you enjoy the photos.

Using my laser printer and the Minc, I made the celebrate in purple.  I cut the tags out with Cricut, embossed the green tag, and attached a LOVE charm.

Close up view of embossed tag with charm.

Coat of Arms printed from computer, fussy cut, and adhered.  The month and year are cut from Cricut and adhered.

Inside the portfolio. This page opens up to more pic/journal cards.  It is magnetized to stay together.

This is the back portion of the portfolio.  I placed a waterfall for pics and topped it with a pic/journal card.

This is the inside section.  Two areas to hold pic/journal cards and the bottom flap is magnetized.

Top flap of inside section.  I used my envelop maker to create an envelop for ephemera.

Journal for Croatia & Slovenia for Jackie

Jackie is going with Don and I next year to Croatia & Slovenia.  Once again, I made her journal to write in.  She keeps track of her pics for the site or day and notes.  She takes all her info and makes digital scrapbooks with them.  These journals are so easy and quick to put together.  They remind me of the old Golden Books I read as a child.  Hope you enjoy!

I used the flags of the Country and in Croatia, each City.  I used vinyl on the edge not realizing it wouldn't stick to material.  I ended up putting Glossy Accents over it to keep them in place.

Inside the front cover.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo on each page.  I used several stamps throughout the journal to emulate it looking old.

Another Christmas Market Journal

My sister-in-law Diane is going with her sister Jackie to Germany and Austria in November to visit the Christmas Markets.  Jackie journals quite a bit while traveling but Diane said she doesn't journal as much.  This is the journal I made for her.  Hope you like it.  Thanks for looking.

This is the front of the journal.  I used a postcard, added Wink of Stella, and Glossy Accents.  I trimmed it in some ribbon.

Used some stickers from MME and October Afternoon.

These were Stamps of Life stamps and I used Wink of Stella on the holly.

Another Stamps of Life stamp with Wink of Stella.

Stamps of Life stamps and Wink of Stella.

Another October Afternoon sticker.

Christmas Markets in Germany & Austria Journal

My Sister-in-Law Jackie likes to journal and keep track of what pics she took each day or at each site visited.  So I like to make her a journal to keep the info in.  Its not very elaborate but she always seems to enjoy them.  Jackie and her sister are going to Germany and Austria in November to see the Christmas Markets.  This is the journal I made for her to take.  Hope you enjoy it.

This is the front cover.  I used a page from Graphic 45 then highlighted some of the images with Wink of Stella.  I also used Glossy Accents on the stockings and words.  The binding is material added on with scor-tape.

Using fussy cuts and stamps.

Stamps of Life stamp colored in with Wink of Stella.

Stamps of Life stamp.

Stamps purchased from HSN.

Fussy cut and personal stamp.