It's begining to look a lot like Christmas, Santa's List Stitched Mini Album by Cheri Piles

I am just in the mood, I can't wait to put up the tree and deck the halls. However I WILL WAIT to first celebrate Thanksgiving. I wanted to share with you this fun little mini using the Santa's List Stitched notebook, I had so much fun making it!!

I wanted to share with you this fun little mini using the Santa's List Stitched notebook, I had so much fun making it!! I have loved creating and altering these little stitched notebooks!! On the cover I used embellishments from the die cut sheet, chipboard and the now hard to find sequins. 

 This is the inside cover, the December is from the note cards sheet and I used another die cut "Christmas Wishlist". On Page one, I used the largest gift bag with the Santa on it and added photo corners to the bottom corners. I made the tag inside the gift bag from the "Santa" glittered paper. A few more die cuts, stickers and sequins finish up the page.

On this one, I created pocket pages from the "snowflakes" paper (side b) then adhered them to the pages. I layered the pockets with the sentiment from the "Ledger" paper. 

The "postcard" paper is so much fun, you can get a lot of use from it, as you can see the part I cut out on the left takes up the entire page. I added a snowflake border strip, folded the end over to show snowflakes on each sided, trimmed the end off to fit on the page and the overlapping snowflake becomes a "tab" on the page. On the opposite page I layered the back side of the "snowflakes" paper, another cute gift bag and tag, then I added a library card and the chipboard month.  Layers, layers and more layers, I just love it!!

 Here is another page with pocket pages stuffed with tags made from the papers from the collection. On the right, I used another one of the envelopes and added a notecard. I layered the large chipboard snowflake over it and topped it with the "25" from the sticker sheet.

I agree, it's the most wonderful time of year, everything just seems so magical!! 

Earlier I used part of this same sheet, and I'm using it again, I love how you don't need to add anything to it really!!  I had a left over mini album from another project and it fit perfectly on the  right side page. I love being able to add items to these books that will give you EXTRA pages!!

This is the last page, I thought the sentiment with Santa was a great way to end the book!

I have shared now a few examples of what you can create with the stitched notebooks, I love how you can add to them to create more pages, or just decorate them all up or keep them simply stated to create a journal book. I hope I have inspired you to create something fun and unique of your own!

~Cheri

My blog: http://cherinspirations.blogspot.com/

Yvonne Blair and Cheri Piles Product Challenge using Memories Collection, the Assignment: Day Planners!

We decided to have a product challenge with two of the design team members using the Memories Collection. We wanted to show that although both are using the same product they can be so different based on your personal style. Both projects look so great!

PROJECT #1: CHERI PILES

Hey everyone! I was so excited to be a part of this challenge! I loved the idea of going up against one of my team mates to share and hopefully inspire you! I loved that Yvonne and I have created calendar/day planners using the same collection - MEMORIES, but each of our projects are very uniquely different! 

To create my book, I used the stitched notebook and file folders to create my base pages.

Each month/page I created a pocket using the decorative papers cut on a slight angle. I cut small doilies in half (from my stash!) then added them to the fronts of each of the pockets. For the "TABS" I used the filmstrip paper from the collection, I cut it into a strip then cut the numbers as I needed them for each month!! I think it looks so cool!!

I created Journal cards from the papers in the collections and added some manila tags so I can jot down notes as I need. I love texture and paint so yes, I did paint all of the edges of everything! I love how the bright white paint looks with this book!

To add the file folders from the collection, I cut them to fit the height then using washi tape as my adhesive I binded them to the stitched notebook. You can see how the filmstrip washi tape overlays the seam of the April page and the file folder I added. 

I love the pocket envelopes in the collections and I added one to the back of the file folder.

I loved decorating the manila tags with layers from the embellishments. 

Here is where I added another file folder, again using washi tape.

I added the largest envelope to the back page, this will be a great spot to save important receipts, etc. 

Thank you so much for looking!! I hope you are inspired by our product challenge today!

PROJECT # 2: YVONNE BLAIR

Hey everyone!  I was so excited to be a part of this little challenge.  So fun, I have been on the hunt for the perfect planner, looking everywhere really, and finally realized I was going to have to make my own. 

I really need something to help me keep my self focused and organized, wink.  

I wanted it to be very practical, one that I could really use and of course I wanted it to be pretty too, wink.  

So here is my take on this challenge.  

I started with a notebook that I found at Office Depot.  I liked that it had the fabric around the spirals.

The only touchy part was that my binding machines didn't line up with the binding.  I really wanted to use this so I decided to punch the holes individually with my crop-a-dile.  

Then I made a slit in each hole on the left side and now it will load and unload from the spiral. 

I wasn't sure at first, but I actually really like that I can pull the pages in and out if I need to.

 Here is the inside cover and my "dash board" so to speak.  Lovely little post it notes and flags to use throughout my day planner. I wanted to have a place to have a few of my favorites pics of the moment.  So, I cut a baseball card holder down and applied Decorative Tape to make it easier to punch the edge with the crop-a-dile.  I also covered the inside front cover and pocket.  Added a printout on important numbers to have just in case. 

 This is the front page of the monthly calendar section.  A year in a glance.  

Each month is printed as a two page layout.  I need bigger boxes to write in (not known for small handwriting, lol), places to write notes and what not.  The little "remember this" pennant circle is a handmade magnetic clip.  I just punched out the "remember this" with a 1 1/2" punch, adhered that to a piece of border strip.  Attached magnets to both sides and this clip will work now throughout the whole planner as my page marker.  

 Here is a little peak at the categories I felt I needed to include.  

Love the fact that everything is going to be in one spot! 

 Well, there you have it.  I hope you enjoyed my take on the day planner challenge! 

I am really excited to have this planner to start 2014 with.  I think I am going to add in the last half of this year.  I don't really think I can wait to use it! 

Have a great day and I will be back tomorrow with another fun little project! 

Hope to see you then.

I printed out the calendars from here.  

We hope this has inspired you to create. Have a happy monday everybody!

Hello from Arizona!

Hi everyone...Julie here, checking in from sunny Arizona. :)  

Our family is on a little vacation.  We're hoping for lots of sunshine, a baseball game, & plan to visit the Grand Canyon.  That's my take on lucky for today. ;)

When Teresa came out with her little notebooks...I knew the Far & Away one would make a great travel journal.  It's the perfect size for my purse too. :)

I love the book by itself...but I added a few little things...a piece of Arizona map paper, a glitter border strip, the pennant, the wood veneer arrow...a little calendar page...and Thickers for the title.   I didn't want it to be TOO bulky, as it would be coming in and out of my purse a lot.

Here's the first page.  The 'go see do' stamp I made with my TC Stampmaker.  I used washi tape on the edges of all the papers.

The inner pages all have the same basic idea.  An arrow stamp with what day it is...followed by the actual date stamped underneath it.  (With some cute doo dads on top.)
I spritzed my pages with some gold mist...but if you're not the misty type...you could totally do without it.

I used one of the envelopes for a pocket...for receipts and ephemera from the trip.

I had to remind myself to leave room for writing. ;)

I used a little of the He Said, She Said line as well.  (LOVE that one!)

The word/phrase strips by the date are cut from the Word Label paper.

I confess, when I saw the big black airplane on the die-cut sheet, I thought "What in the world am I going to do with that?!"  :)  It's perfect for the back page of my book...when we all fly home. 

Have a great day...hopefully I am filling this little book up with all kinds of good stuff!  (Wish I could put some sunshine inside...)

my blog :)

Graduation fun featuring Memories by Yvonne Blair

Hi everyone, Yvonne here to share some graduation pre-planning. 

I cannot believe this day is here.  My baby is graduating in two and a half months!  I wish I could stay in denial, but alas I cannot.

As of this past weekend we (my daughter and I) sat down and had Graduation "meetings." WINK. 

We discussed what she wanted to do to celebrate.  

We have decided to have her party at home. 

She is definitely a homebody.  So it will be fun to have a laid back, low key party.

She designed the invitations.  They came out so cute.  I will share later on my personal blog. 

I felt like we needed some help to keep the party on track, so I created this fun Graduation Binder.  

It will hold all of our important info, lists, addresses and whatever else we feel as though we need to help the day be a success and as stress-free as possible. 

 I also thought is would be a great idea for her to have a little book she could carry with her to write down her feelings, a place to put pictures of her friends and all the things she will be doing during grad week. 

The seniors get out a week before the underclassmen but the have a full schedule of practices, awards and baccalaureate.  What better way to do that then the stitched notebooks Teresa added in to her new lines.  These little babies are awesome!  I just decorated the cover and added a schedule punch out to the first page to keep her on track.  She LOVES it!

 And I absolutely know we will need many Thank you cards.  I love that these turned out 

elegant and classy thanks to Teresa's timeless designs in the Memories collection!

Here is a little closer peek.  The "thank you very much" is popped with foam tape and we added pearls from the Christmas Cottage line.  Love it.  Bre's favorite color is Tiffany Blue and this is her little Thank you all wrapped up!  

Hope you enjoyed a little peek into our Pre-Graduation party planning.  I'm sure there will be much more to share later.  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week!  Until next time. 

If you would like to visit my blog click here.