"Hello, My Friend" Friendship card

I have been very neglectful of this blog, P. Lynne Designs for quite a while.  The reason? I have been doing other things that do not have to do with THIS BLOG. When you have plans to change the platform (Wordpress) on all of your blogs, then run into a number of problems, you tend to get discouraged, and that has been me lately.

Instead of getting into this funk, including having a recent client, who turned out to be a scammer, I decided to go full steam ahead on what I have, and along the way make lemons into a beautiful pitcher of lemonade.  

So, for this first post in a very long time (2 months), I decided to do a small swap with someone.  In the past (and hopefully in the future) I have been in swaps hosted by Tmika P, AKA Swapdaworld.  She has a YouTube channel, and for most of the year, once a month, she host a swap, where you make, for example, a loaded envelope for a group of 4 people, 5 if you include the host (which I usually do), 6 if you want to make one for yourself (which I do not).  Making swaps is a good way to expand your creativity, and you usually get some nice goodies on top of that too because everyone always includes a goodie bag with the swap it (it is not required, but you’ll feel bad if you do not)

Tmika’s requirements are simple.  Follow the instructions, have crafty videos on your YouTube channel, and you have not flaked in any of the previous swaps. 

The swap I was involved in for this month was not hosted by Tmika, but a person from a Facebook group, Scrap of Color.  It was a card swap, and I had to make a friendship/sisterhood card.  The instructions were simple, make the card, and send it to your partner.  It was a two-person swap.  I have not done one in years.

Time to see the card:

Photo By P. Lynne Designs © 2019

This card was made with a pre-made green blank card.  The corner pieces were paper from DCWV’s paper stack Maps, Text, and Ledgers stack.  I believe this was the last thing I bought at the Scrapbook Expo held in Columbus back in March.  I finally got to use a couple of pieces.  Instead of cutting it with my Cricut Maker, I freehand cutting the corners.  I did the same for the inside as well.

I took a doily and placed in the center of the card, followed by a butterfly from the same ephemera pack that the doily was in.  I stamped, “Hello My friend”, which is a stamp from The Stamps of Life.com. The stamp pack is called Picnic2stamp.  The ink is a Colorbox Pigment ink.  I usually stamp all my sentiments with Tim Holtz’s Distress ink in a Black Soot.

The inside of the card:

Photo By P. Lynne Designs © 2019

I decided to go for a simple flat inside.  I did the same thing, only without the doily, and I put a saying, “I am Thankful for You”. Nothing fancy.

Incidentally, I received my card from my partner, and she put a doily on her card too, LOL.

Well, that is it.  Short and sweet.  I will be doing more of these tutorials/showing of the card I make in a future blog.  Be on the lookout for:

• Fall cards
• Harvest cards
• Thanksgiving cards (October (Canada) and November (United States))
• Things for my trip I make for the kids

And many others, including I, hope the launch of my website and update on my Etsy shop.

Until then, happy Labor Day Weekend.

New Project: Mini book

I have been a busy woman this week.  I made a mini book that was truly a mini book.  It is now in the hands of the person who won it.
A couple hours ago, I was suppose to tell you about the mini book, but I was very sleepy and took a nap.  I had a very long morning, that started at the crack of dawn.  I woke this morning, and me, my mom, and my cousin Tamah went to my annual Horizon of Hope luncheon in Nashport, Ohio. As always, it was a beautiful event.  My upline's central team was the host.  In addition to me giving my mini book to be auctioned off, I also donated a Travel cup with 3 sample bags of coffee, and a lunch bag.  You can read the rest of the story here:
Making this mini is so simple, and you can bind it with a machine, such as a Bind it all or Cinch.  Start off with two covered chipboard pieces.  I covered them in DCWV's Black Current.  Cover them the best you know how.  If you need help with this step, you can always turn to You Tube for help. The keyword phrase is"how to make mini book covers from chipboard" or whatever you want to call it.
Once you are finished covering the chipboard covers, set them aside.   Next work on your pages.  You will be creating a pocket page for each one, and I used:

• 6- 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of black cardstock-cut down to 8 1/2 x 9"
• Assorted patterned pieces of paper to cover the insides of the page and to make tags.  Again I used DCWV's Black current.

Start by cutting down your cardstock with a paper cutter.  if you do not have one, you can use an cutting knife and ruler.  if you do the later, put down a self healing mat so you do not mark up your working surface.   Once you do that, you can began by scoring your cardstock.  Tip for beginners, scoring helps the cardstock have a little give (flexibility) to the paper.  This prevents it from tearing when folding it.  Use a score board for it, or if you do not have one, you can use a paper cutter with a scoring blade on it.  Your first score line will be on the 9" side and you want to score at 4 1/2".  flip you paper so that line is horizontal, and you want to score on the 8 1/2 side at 2 1/2".  Next fold at the score lines.  You want to fold up when folding, and crease with the scoring tool or bone folder.  do the one one the 9" side first and then the 8 1/2 side. set a side.
This next part is optional, but I think it will make a prettier book.  Measure for pocket pages your patterned paper.  you may want to leave a 1/8" space for the top and two sides.  You do not need to allow for the bottom as it will be on the inside.  Cover the outer part of the pocket page the same way.  Then decorate the page. Once you have all of that in place, you may bind it.  You can bind it with a machine as I said from the beginning.  You can also put notebook rings on it by just punching two holes on the sides.  You are all finished except the decorating part.   You can put tags in the pockets.  For this book, it is 12 total pages. You can make as many as you like.

I hope my winner enjoys her book and I hope you enjoy making yours.

Have a blessed weekend






Products used in this project:

My last Mini book-Tag Book

I am having a happy day.  I just looked at my Facebook page, MDN Creates, and I have 14 people like it this week.  Thank you, Thank you.  This is a start.   Well, this is my last book for a while, and my most troublesome.  The reason, I have never made a tag book before.  I have made a mini book with tags in it, but not at total tag book.   I hope Sandra likes it.  Here we go...

First off, I want to apologize for the pictures looking blurry.  I guess my phone decided to make it a laughable day yesterday (or I do not know clean a camera lens).  The paper like is from DCWV (who else?) This time it is the Performance paper stack.  I was not sure about this stack at first, until I did this first tag.  Then I thought, " I could make this work"  If I could not do it, I was just going to make cards out of it, that all.  the clear letters spell out,  "Music", and all of the tags were edged with Tim Holtz distressed ink, Rusty Hinge. (yes the same one I used on the Mariposa book)

Just so you know, there are 10 tags, 20 pages, and bonded with the Cinch binding tool.  All of the mats came from the Naturals 6x6 paper stack.  All about the same, except a few touches here and there.  Nothing fancy, except what DCWV did for the paper.  Each tag does have gold organza ribbon on it.  This particular page has three flat-back pearls on it.  I got them at Joanne's (although I have found someone who sells them in their shop on Etsy).  

This page is one of two I have a Prima flower on it.  I know, it looks a little big, but I like them big, and it does not overwhelm the page.  This particular flower tells the user what color page is coming up.  it is simple, yet stately.

No, I did not goof up in the binding of the book to put a matted page for the cover.  I thought about it long and hard. ( there is a violin page that looks like the piano cover page in the middle).  I wanted to be unusual here, and have the last page (and cover ) be ether a journaling spot or a photo opportunity for Sandra in place whatever she feels like here, instead of calling it a cover.  So it is a completed book.



I have more (yes I did manage to finally make a mockery out of my phone and email account, and downloaded all of the tag photos to my hard drive. Revenge is sweet in this case (giggle) )
I hope you enjoyed this book.  I may show some more of this tag book in future posts.  Have a great afternoon, and God Bless You.

The Second Mini book

Hello-

I am going to make this short and sweet, just like the book I am going to show you.  This one is for Ragina.  I am sleepy, so here we go. (Note:  Even though I selected all of them, my phone only sends what is big enough to fit in the file.)

The materials used were Chipboard, white paper bags (sewn with three holes) Sorry I did not do it, but I know of a person who does it and sells them on Ebay and Etsy.  I will have to try it, because I do have a sewing machine.) The entire book was decorated with DCWV Mariposa line.  It seems lately I have gravitated towards DCWV.   I guess I am making up for loss time with this brand.  I am normally not a coral girl, but I wanted to try something new and different, and I am starting to like coral.  I will tell you one thing:  Nothing will ever take me away from my pink.  I am a pink girl to the day I die, LOL.  After all, it does go with my skin color.  I bond the album with three notebook rings.

This tag you see above, I distressed with Tim Holtz's distress ink Rusty Hinge, and what you see here is part of paper (I have three more tags like this.  I added the ribbon

I fussy cut out the birdcage, and placed it on pop dots.   The tag you see in the background, I used a regular bought tag, glimmer misted it in three different colors and used a tag that came as part of whole 12 x12 paper page.  What you do not see is another tag under it, and I used a brad to hold it together.  my partner can use it to hold a small wallet-size picture or journal with it.   You can also see the three rings.

 This is the tag up close.

And this is the tag underneath the first one.  The whole page that I used on all the tags has a lot of bling to it.  You cannot tell by the picture.

This is a frame from something I received a long time ago, but I was not able to place it anywhere until now.  Again the tip is to use leftovers or things you cannot use yourself.

With this page, I decided to do a little Cricuting (if there is such a term) This means I pulled out one of my Cricut machines and Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More Cartridge for this one.   I made a library pocket, and the little owl came from the sticker pack from the dollar bin at Joanne's.  decorated it with pearls from Recollections.  I got it when I was frantically seeking the Natural 8 x8 paper (ending up with the 12x12).  I added it at the last minute.

   This is the back cover (the front did not make the cut (my phone's fault).  I distressed the muslin (from the same piece as the one in the other mini book)






Well that is it.  I hope enjoyed seeing my album.  I am getting sleepy, so I will show you the last one later.  Good Night.  Until tomorrow.

The first Mini book...done

I am finished with my first mini book. If you can recall a few posts back, I stated that I was in a swap, and I had to finish 3 books. They are a 4x4 book (not so 4x4, more of a 6x6), a pocket mini, and a tag book. Well, here is the pocket mini. I hope my partner PJ will like it. So let me show you around, OK?
I have to love the cover.  It is similar to the last cover I made in October, except, I have muslin under the burlap.   The whole book was made with the DCWV line, Natural, and this is the first time I have made a book with a whole paper line.  I need to to that all the time.  It saves money, and the headache of matching.  This is my personal opinion on the matter.  Anyway, back to the cover.   I used the Tim Holtz ribbon collection and added some Recollections peals in the middle of the roses, which are on top of some stretchy lace.  I left the cover blank for the user to put whatever she wanted on the cover (if it was a non-scrapbooker I would, and still should of had a book plate on the cover.  The front and back covers are mad out of chipboard.  the base of the mini book is a paper bag book.  I attached the front of paper bag to the cover, and likewise with the back cover in the same style similar to the person on Follow the Paper Trail.

Next page: (Ok, I realize that I cannot show you everything about this album, because in the process of sending , or I did not take a picture of some of my pages, a few pictures got eaten up in cyberspace.)

 This is page 5 (sideways to show the quote):  There is a pocket here (I took the tag out (one of the photos that are missing and out there is Cyberspace), and here you can see the stretchy ribbon from Tim Holtz, which is under the rose ribbon on the front cover.  This is also a photo spot for my partner.  The quote says "He who has hope, has everything." Tip:  If you do not have a sentiment stamp like this, you can always Google search it. (or whichever search engine site you use).

This is another photo mat, and this time, I used the rose by itself with white pearls from Martha Stewart crafts.

This is one of 5 tags I made.  The way I made it was to cut one of the 12 x12 sheets down to 6 x9, cut in half again.  I placed double-sided tape (scor tape)placed on one side.  Next, I took a piece of the same paper to make a top tab, and placed it on top of the double sided tape, the placed the other piece on top of the tab, even the tag out, and then rounded the corners. 



These were some of the highlights of the album.  Sorry I did not show you more like last time.  I am almost finished with the mini 4x4 (excuse me, mini 6x6) and I will get some good pictures from that one.  See you in a few.