Planning the New Year

Back again to show another project sure to help with organization. The best part about this project is that it's super easy and it will serve for an entire year!

Materials Used: SEI Spooks collection, Bazzill cardstock, Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine

I created a fun and simple calendar that also serves as wall art and a picture frame. To create this calendar, I printed out the 2012 calendar, punched hearts of different sizes, cut a business card holder pocket and sewed them all to the page. I then finished it off with the 2012 stickers and slipped in a picture of my friend and I to personalize it. It's a simple enough of a project where you can even mass produce these to give to friends as a lovely handmade gift that helps them stay organized all year round too!

Hope you like this idea and be sure to check out the SEI blog for more inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!
- KRAFTY pearl

Welcome to the Hambly Design Team Blog Hop!

 Hi there and welcome to the Hambly Design Team Blog Hop!

We'd like to introduce you to the new design team members through a blog hop (and giveaway). Visit all 16 designer's blogs, where you can read a little bit about each member and see a project and/or tip about Hambly products. Leave a comment on each of their blog hop posts, then go to the Hambly Blog and leave comment. On Dec. 19th 2011 at 12 noon PST we will randomly pick and announce the winners on the Hambly Blog.

10 Random Facts About Me:

1. I was born and raised in NYC, and I can't imagine living anywhere else.
2. I have a bad habit of collecting handbags, shoes, and everything in between.
3. I am a bit of a reality junkie and I have an appreciation for bad acting.
4. I have a weakness for strawberry ice cream.
5. Like many, I love to travel and experience different cultures.
6. I love to make and design all kinds of things including jewelry, ceramics, and letterpress.
7. I started scrapbooking seriously in 2003 investing in lots of paper, stamps and inks, etc.
8. My scrapbooking style is a bit contemporary, a bit whimsical, and a bit crafty.
9. I really enjoy scrapbooking the simple everyday moments that inspire me, not just the big events.
10. I love scrapbooking because I get to recreate a moment in time, preserve it, remember it, and share it.

For this blog hop, I thought I'd share my December Daily foundation using Hambly overlays and pattern papers. I am slipping in daily Fuji Instax pictures, creating "photo booth" style photos, as well as snippets of lists and journaling in this album to show the progression of December. So I'll definitely be back in January to share my final album, photos, journaling, further embellishing and more!

Materials Used: Hambly Overlays: Lattice, Woodgrain, Mini Brocade; Hambly Pattern Papers: Brocade Blossom, Lattice; Hambly Rub-ons: Holiday Reindeer, Banners & Pennants; Stick-It Glimmer Stars, Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine, sequins, white tissue paper, mini sheet protectors, various doilies

Here's a closer look and some tips!

Tip: Pre-sew embellishments on pages to make the process of daily documenting easier!

One of the reasons I usually fall of the wagon with daily scrapbooking albums is because I simply don't have time to embellish a page a day. So as you can see above, I have pre-sewn some white tissue paper to paper so I can very easily just slip a photo behind the top ruffle, and the page is practically complete.

Tip: A simple rub-on put on a clear sheet protector instantly dresses up and display any collection of cards or gift tags.

I tend to collect cards and gift tags so I like to include them in my December Daily. Instead of punching holes in them and directly adding them in to the album as a page, I tend to like the look of them being preserved. So I like to use sheet protectors where I can just simply throw in cards and gift tags collected.

Tip: Sew a clear transparency to the back of a Hambly overlay to create more pocket space!
One can never use enough pockets especially in the December Daily for quick and easy storage. With the pattern overlays, the pockets are beautiful and ready to give any album a layered look. Love!

Hope you like my take on the December Daily and don't forget to visit the entire Hambly design team's blogs, leave a comment on each of their blog hop posts, then go back to the Hambly Blog and leave a comment. Details above! Hambly design team's blogs:

Angela Gutshall PA
Corrie Jones GA
Felicitas Klink Germany
Iris Babao Uy Philippines
Janna Werner Germany
Jaz Lee Soo Hui Singapore
Jennifer Rzasa MA
Karine Cazenave France
Kirsty Neale UK 
Leeann Pearce Australia
Leah Farquharson FL
Maisa Mendonça Brazil
Marie Ramirez CA
Mou Saha FL
Paige Evans CA
Pearl Lui NY {You are here!}

Thanks for stopping by!
- KRAFTY pearl

Staying Organized in December

I find it particularly hard to keep it all together in December, largely due to all the events, gift buying, and new year planning. Don't get me wrong, it's my favorite time of year. Lots of tying up loose ends as well as beginning new plans and resolutions. So the remainder of December's projects will be things crafted to help me stay organized through the end of the year. I'll let you know how I do with my newly crafted organization tools come January. :)

If you're like me, you have tons of post-it notes floating everywhere with all kinds of lists that are always at the wrong places when you need them. Welp, my solution this year is to keep a pocket organizer just for the last two months of the year when all the hustle and bustle occurs.

Materials Used: SEI Holiday Cheer, White Elegance collections; Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine, circle punches

Inside there's a November and December calendar, a lists of various to-do's, a place to collect coupons and slip in anything else such as receipts from gift purchases, etc.

To create the organizer, I sewed three 5 1/2 x 8 sheet protectors together. The third sheet protector was sewn in half. I then cut a slit in the middle of the pockets for coupon and receipt storage. (Yep, that's a Michael's coupon.)

So far this system has proven to work quite well for me. The best part about this is that once this year completes, I have all of my lists and plans all stored and documented in one place. And, next year, I'll be able to look at all of my lists from this year.

Hope you like this idea and be sure to check out the SEI blog for more inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!
- KRAFTY pearl

December already?

I can't believe we're already 6 days into December! I've got a fun ornament tutorial to share today and it's coming just in time for tree decorating!

I really love the perception of depth and layers. That's one of the many reasons I'm so thrilled to be on the Hambly design team because I love all of the overlays and how they can easily transform any project and provide a clear yet layered look. I made some ornaments using that same design element that you can only get by using Hambly overlays.

You'll need:

• Hambly Lattice overlay
• Glass ornaments
• Circle die
  
• Die-cut machine
• Sequins

Directions:
1. Cut circles from the overlay using a circle die and die-cut machine
2. Remove the top of the glass ornament, slip the circle overlay into the ornament by rolling it up. Use a pair of long thin needle nose pliers to straighten the overlay if necessary.

3. Sprinkle some sequins in and close the ornament top. Voila! Make a few more and you've got yourself all the ornaments you'll need for this holiday season!

Hope you enjoyed today's tutorial and my first project as an official Hambly design team member. Don't forget to check out the Hambly blog for more inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!
- KRAFTY pearl