Hey Santa.

We hope you had an amazing Christmas at your house! We did, and we're enjoying the week off school mostly in our pjs. :) Now that Christmas is over, it's not too early to start memory keeping. I find that while I'm still in the Christmas mood, layouts with a Christmas theme are easier to get started. So, why not give it a try?? Kelly Goree's adorable Hey, Santa layout should be a great jumping off place. I love the way she did the title, and the pictures are at such a fun angle. You can use her page set-up or her title or her overall design to get you started.




Supplies
October Afternoon Very Merry Papers
Fill the Stockings
Sing the Carols
Wrap the Presents
October Afternoon Very Merry Stickers, more stickers
October Afternoon Fly a Kite Stickers
Pink Paislee Chipboard alphabet
Other: cream and red cardstock, chalk ink, scallop border punch & snowflake punch, stickles

Thanks so much Kelly, we love your amazing layouts. Check out Kelly's blog for even more inspiration all year long! I'll be back soon with another beautiful project from Morag Cutts... and maybe I'll even get some scrapping done soon! Dana

Snow Wonder

Morag Cutts is back again with this adorable layout based on the AllyScraps December contest sketch. Love Morag's take on the sketch, isn't that snowflake border the absolute cutest?? :) Morag used the Echo Park Wintertime Collection, such beautiful paper and embellishments.





Here is our December contest sketch by Debbie Gaydos.



The prize for our contest this month is an awesome $20 gift certificate to the AllyScraps online store. Love prizes where you get to choose your own scrappy stuff.



Of course, there are a few rules for our sketch contest. Make your own layout using Debbie's awesome sketch as inspiration. You can flip it, turn it, mirror image it... just use the sketch to inspire your layout. Finish your project and e-mail the image (less than 500 kb please)to us by Wednesday, December 29th at midnight Eastern time. (A little extra time, since December is a busy month.) We will choose a winner soon after. Send your layout to allyscraps@gmail.com. Have fun and good luck.

Thanks Morag, love your layout. Check out Morag's blog for even more scrappy goodness.

From all of us at AllyScraps, we wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year! See you soon. Dana and Cathy

The Christmas Squirrel - a mini book.

Kelly Goree is back, with this adorable Maya Road mini book project. A Christmas tree that tells a story. The story of her family and the Christmas Squirrel. It's SO cute, and I love the memory that it preserves, a memory of several years.










Maya Road Christmas Tree Album
Echo Park Everybody Loves Christmas
Bright Stripes
Christmas Bells
Scallop Stripes
October Afternoon Very Merry Stickers
October Afternoon Alpha Stickers
Stickles - yellow, cotton candy, green, icicle
Other: cardstock, circle punch, scallop border punch, snowflake punch

Thank you so much Kelly for sharing this family mini book with us. Can't wait to see your next project!! Enjoy this crazy week ahead. :) Dana

Wintertime Stocking

We're so happy to have Morag Cutts back on the AllyScraps blog this month. Morag has been a special designer for with for several years, and we're always so happy to have her visit, especially when she brings us beautiful projects like this wintertime stocking.



Instructions
1. Create an stocking template and draw around twice (once in reverse)
2. Carefully stick edges together.
3. Make a pleated rosette using 1" of Red Swirls paper. Concertina fold every 1/10".
4. Top off stocking with striped paper, adding tiny bells to the points.
5. Add fluffy marabou and some candy canes.

Supplies
Echo Park Wintertime Collection:
Snow
Red Swirls
Stripes
Element Stickers

Thanks so much Morag, your stocking is lovely!! Check back over the weekend for a really gorgeous Christmas mini album from Kelly Goree and a beautiful layout from Morag based on Debbie's current sketch. Stay warm! Dana

A big AllyScraps welcome to Kelly Goree!

It's my pleasure to introduce Kelly Goree, a special guest on our blog this month. I have been a fan of Kelly's for years, and it is so nice to fine have her here at AllyScraps. Let's say hello and give a great big welcome to Kelly.




Kelly Goree lives in the beautiful horse country of Kentucky with her husband of 13 years and her three rambunctious boys. She was introduced to scrapbooking in early 2000 just after her oldest son was born and it quickly became a favorite hobby then all-out passion. She'll tell you if she's not out chasing her boys, you can find her scrapping!

Kelly is a full-time staff designer and instructor for BasicGrey where she is a driving force in designing work for classes, trade shows, catalogs, and special events. In 2006 she had the honor of being a Memory Makers Master and has over 500 published works that can been seen in the pages of Creating Keepsakes, Better Homes & Garden's Scrapbooks Etc., Scrapbook Trends, Paper Trends, Scrapbooking & Beyond and other scrapbooking and paper arts publications and books.

Here is Kelly's first project... what an awesome layout! Such a super design which draws your eye right to the photo. Super cute title, fun embellies and love that photo too.




Supplies
Echo Park Everybody Loves Christmas
Bright stripes
Scallop stripes
October Afternoon green alphabet stickers
October Afternoon Very Merry word stickers
October Afternoon Very Merry label stickers
We R Memory Keepers Merry January sewn cardstock
Maya Road Mist hydrangea blue
Other Supplies
Chipboard alphas, Scallop border punch & Circle punch, cardstock, white pen, Tattered Angels mist (marshmallow), Stickles

Thank you so much to Kelly Goree for sharing her awesome layout with us, and for inspiring us all month long! Have a great week, stay warm. Dana

Preserving your holiday memories.

I admit it, I have a hard time scrapping my Christmas photos. Maybe there are WAY too many, maybe the colors are choatic, maybe half are out of focus or badly framed. Not matter what the reason, I need to get busy preserving my holiday memories, so I have really keep my eyes open for great Christmasy layouts to "scraplift", to keep me moving through my HUGE pile of Christmas photos. This layout from Roree Rumph is number one on my list! Love it, I think I'll add my daughter's Santa letter right in that awesome envelope. :)



Instructions:
1. Cut the multi-dot patterned paper to 8 1/2 x 11". Distress the edges with a file.
2. Cut the blue patterned paper to 7 1/2 x 8 1/2". Distress the edges with a file, and adhere the panel to the center of the layout.
3. Cut two 7 1/2 x 1/2" strips from the green patterned paper with scallop-edged decorative scissors. Distress the edges with a file, and adhere the strips to the layout along the left and right edges of the blue patterned paper panel. Machine sew with a zigzag stitch and blue thread where the seams meet on the right side of the panel, if desired
4. Cut the pink patterned paper to 1 3/4 x 9 1/8". Distress the edges with a file. Adhere the panel at the left edge of the blue patterned paper panel (to overhang off the right edge). Machine sew with a zigzag stitch and blue thread where the seams meet on the left side of the panel, if desired.
5. Adhere the striped corner sticker and 2 x 3 3/4" photo at the upper left corner of the blue patterned paper panel.
6. Adhere the decorative envelope to the layout. Add border stickers to the top and bottom edges of the envelope. Apply the mixed alphabet stickers to the top of the envelope for the title. Apply the rub-on sentiment to the bottom of the envelope. Adhere blue gems to the decorative edge of the envelope. Remove the string, and add two strands of brown/white baker's twine to each enclosure. Tie a bow, and trim the ends.
7. Adhere the second 2 x 3 3/4" photo to the layout. The upper right corner will sit underneath the flap of the envelope.
8. Adhere the Santa sticker to the bottom left corner of the blue patterned paper panel.
9. Sew two green buttons onto the right side of the pink patterned paper panel with blue thread.
10. Add labels to the top and bottom of the layout, and add journaling.
11. Tie a small bow with the red ribbon, and adhere the bow to the larger label.




Supplies:
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection, Element Stickers
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection, Alpha Stickers
Maya Road Kraft Envelopes, Decorative
Maya Road Ribbon, Red Scallop Dot Ribbon
Jenni Bowlin Collection, Vintage Style Sew-On Buttons, Green
October Afternoon Fly A Kite Collection Label Stickers
Other supplies:
Blue gems, pen/marker, file, decorative scissors (small scallop), sewing needle, sewing machine, blue thread, bakers twine



Thank you so much to Roree Rumph for being such a big part of our November/December blog here at AllyScraps. Check out Roree's blog for lots more beautiful projects! We've invited Roree back of course, and you'll see her again very soon! :) Have a great weekend. Dana

A special way to present your gift.

Michelle Lanning is back with her final project for us this month. We are SO happy to have her here at AllyScraps, it was so much fun enjoying her awesome Christmas projects. :) Take a look at this adorable gift bag and card, super cute.



This is what Michelle has to say. "Hi there! Just wanted to share a fun and easy craft to do for those teacher gifts you may have. I always like using up my scraps and my old bags (because I save mine). This particular one was a valentine bag, but it was covered nicely with the Echo Park paper. I added some Christmas ribbon, (I stapled it on with a long armed stapler). I then added my daughter's teacher's name and had her sign it. I made a little card to go along with the gift bag. So cute and simple!"



Michelle used a gift bag from her stash, Christmas ribbon and paper from the Echo Park Merry Christmas collection.

I'm sure you'll want to keep checking in on Michelle Lanning's Blog to see what she's been up to. Hey, don't forget about our upcoming sketch contest. Here is Debbie's awesome contest sketch, and here is a link to the contest and rules.



Awesome prize too!! A $20 gift certificate to the AllyScraps online store.



Hope your holiday preparations are going well, and that you're finding a little time for scrapping too! See you soon. Dana

Have you made your Christmas cards yet??

If not, well we have some ideas for you. Roree Rumph is a master card maker, every card she makes is SO special! I'm sure that these 2 Christmas cards will inspire you to get busy and make your own. Roree also gives us amazing directions with every project, really helps us to recreate her beautiful cards.




Joy
1. Make a 5" square card from a coordinating cardstock.
2. Cover the card front with red patterned paper, and distress the edges with a file.
3. Cut the blue patterned paper to 4 1/4" square, and adhere the panel to the center of the card.
4. Cut four 1/4 x 4 1/4" strips from the green patterned paper, and scallop along one edge. Adhere the strips along the edges of the blue patterned paper panel.
5. Paint the two large chipboard snowflakes with white acrylic paint, multiple coats. On the last coat, while the paint is still wet, add glitter. Let dry. Layer and adhere the snowflakes to the center of the card.
6. Paint the joy chipboard with green acrylic paint, multiple coats, and let dry.
6. Lightly ink the chipboard gingerbread man with brown ink pad. Adhere rick rack at the hands and feet, attach brads for the eyes, dab red ink on the face with your fingertip for the cheeks, and pierce two holes in each cheek and thread with red embroidery thread for the mouth.
7. Punch a small hole in the gingerbread man's other hand and in the 'y' of the joy chipboard. Attach the joy chipboard to the gingerbread man with baker's twine, and adhere a red button to the center of the joy chipboard. Adhere the finished gingerbread man to the center of the snowflake chipboard.




Merry Christmas
1. Make a 5 3/4 x 4 1/4" card from a coordinating cardstock.
2. Cover the card front with red patterned paper, and distress the edges with a file.
3. Cut the green patterned paper to 5 1/4 x 3 3/4", distress the edges with a file, and apply the Merry Christmas stickers to the card, leaving about and 1/8" between the two. Wrap baker's twine around the card twice, and adhere the panel to the center of the card.
4. Cut two 1/4 x 3 3/4" strip from the blue patterned paper, and scallop along one edge. Adhere the strips along the top and bottom of the green patterned paper panel.
5. Paint the two small chipboard snowflakes with white acrylic paint, multiple coats. On the last coat, while the paint is still wet, add glitter. Let dry. Layer and adhere the snowflakes to the card. Thread the button with baker's twine, and tie a bow. Adhere the button to the center of the chipboard snowflake.



Supplies:
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection, Trim The Tree
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection, Journaling cards
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection, Borders
Echo Park Paper Everybody Loves Christmas Collection, Element Stickers
Maya Road - Chipboard Keychain, Christmas Words
Maya Road - Chipboard Keychain, Christmas Shapes
Melissa Frances Home For The Holidays Collection, Chipboard Snowflakes
Jenni Bowlin Collection - Vintage Style Sew-On Buttons, Red
Other supplies:
Cardstock, white and green acrylic paint, glitter, copper/brown brads, white rick rack, red embroidery thread, paper piercer, red and brown chalk ink, decorative scissors-scallop, file, hole punch-small, baker's twine

Thank you so much Roree! I'm sure that you'll want to check out Roree's blog, for lots more Christmasy inspiration. Still to come in December, more from Roree, Michelle Lanning, Morag Cutts and a brand new designer to AllyScraps. Be sure to check back soon. Dana

Ho Ho Home!

My Christmas came early this year when I received a fabulous kit from AllyScraps. 

Onto my project.  I've used Very Merry from October Afternoon to create a mini-album (thankfully, Cathy has restocked this fabulous collection).  I know many people are journalling their Christmas and this album would be a great way to do that. More pages can be easily added when needed.

I am going to add photos of our christmas spent at home. I love these Silver Foil Thickers - they are super shiny and perfect for holiday projects. You can also see the lovely stickers and sentiments found on the element sticker sheet. 

The Maya Road Velvet Blossom is a great accent (I have been after these for a long time).
As I would love to keep a note of our wish lists this year, I've created a tag for each of us featuring a sitcker or journal card.  I really ought to have a very BIG tag to fit all my 'wishes' on! The simple tag pocket is created by folding paper around the bottom of the page.

I've left spaces for my photos.  I have used one of the journalling tags as a photo mat (they're double-sided). On the right hand side, you can see a lovely Maya Road Kraft Purse Envelope. This will be great to store those little keepsakes. The cute candy Cane and house are from the element sticker sheet.

The reverse of the envelope features a journal card and one of those cute little gingerbread men from the sticker sheet.

As I'm adding my photos later, I've left plenty of space to add them in.  I imagine that I'll be able to print some off over the holiday period and have a happy time pasting them in.

It's a great idea to include some shaped pages in the album - keeps things interesting.

To make the Album:
Cut out 2 chipboard covers 6x6.  Cover with Story Hour paper.  Layer those fabulous stickers from the element sheet. Don't forget to put those gingerbread people on foam tape!
Page 1: Create a concertina rosette from Fill the Stockings.  Add sticker sentiment and ribbon.
Page 3: Cover background page with Bake the Cookies.  Trim 3" of Fill the Stockings folding over the bottom of the page.  Adhere to reverse to form a pocket.  Cover die-cut tags with various papers and stickers.  Make an extra long one for Mum's wish list!
Page 5:  Decorate a Maya Road Kraft Purse envelope with candy cane and die-cut snowflake.

Decorate remaining pages with various papers and stickers.  Leave plenty of space for photos if you are adding them later this month.  Punch 2 holes throughout the book and bind with book rings or ribbons.

Thanks for popping in.

December sketch contest!!

It's a super busy month, I know, and it's hard to find time to get much scrapping done. So, I'm going to make it easy for you... with this awesome sketch from our very own Debbie Gaydos. I think this would be perfect for a Christmas layout. PLUS, this is our December contest sketch, so that will be an extra incentive. :) Here's Debbie's sketch. Love it!



The prize, you ask?? As usual Cathy has given us an awesome one. A $20 gift certificate to AllyScraps, LOVE prizes where I get to pick out my own stuff. :)



Of course, there are a few rules for our sketch contest. Make a layout using Debbie's awesome sketch as inspiration. You can flip it, turn it, mirror image it... just use the sketch to inspire your layout. Finish your project and e-mail the image (less than 500 kb please)to us by Wednesday, December 29th at midnight Eastern time. (A little extra time, since December is a busy month.) We will choose a winner soon after. Send your layout to allyscraps@gmail.com. Have fun and good luck.

Be sure to check back soon to see more awesome projects from Roree Rumph, Michelle Lanning and our 2 fabulous December guest designers. Have a great weekend.

~ Dana

Vintage Christmas village.

Hi and Happy December. :) I just received an e-mail from Linda Albrecht with this gorgeous project, and I had to share it right away!! It's only December 1st, so you have plenty of time to get to work on these and have a set for your very own. They remind me of a Christmas wonderland.



Linda says, "These little vintage style houses are great on top of a box to use for holiday décor and gift giving. They are also a fun size to use for an ornament for your tree. The house patterns can be downloaded at the Victoria Magazine website. They take some time and a little patience, but are worth it in the end. You could also buy pre-made paper mache houses at a craft store."




Instructions:
1. Cut the house pieces from chipboard and patterned papers as desired.
2. Trace and cut out the square window shape onto the chipboard then cut out with an exacto knife.
3. Trace the shape of the window onto the matching patterned paper pieces that will be used for each house.
4. Cut the individual window panes from the patterned paper then adhere the house pieces together with hot glue.
5. Adhere the papers to the house, leaving the roof for the next step.
6. Adhere papers to the roof pieces then place the roofs onto the houses.
7. Fill in any cracks where the roofs and house meet with extra glue and sprinkle on clear glitter to hide any imperfections.
8. The house template pattern does not call for this, but I cut a piece of cardstock and patterned paper as a base for each house to sit on. Adhere the base to the house.
9. Adhere papers to boxes then adhere the houses to the top of the boxes.
10. Apply adhesive to the houses and boxes then sprinkle with clear glitter.
11. Apply additional adhesive to select areas to add Mica Flakes for a snow effect.
12. Add decorative pins or silver beads to the house peaks.
13. Apply white paint to the chipboard snowflakes, punch holes to add to snowflake effect then adhere Mica Flakes and rhinestones to them as desired.
14. Adhere the snowflakes to the back side of the houses and add any additional embellishments to the box tops as desired.
15. Adhere Sticker Shapes as shown. I pressed the sticky backside of the stickers into clear glitter first, then glued them to the house backs and large chipboard snowflakes.
16. Apply additional glitter and rhinestones to the sticker fronts as desired.
17. Poke a slit in the door to add a mini brad for the door handle.
18. Use hot glue to adhere silver pipe cleaners to the edge of the boxes.




Supplies:
Echo Park Life is Good, The Neighborhood
October Afternoon Very Merry, Fill the Stockings
October Afternoon Very Merry, Trim the Tree
Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly, Merry Berry
Webster’s Pages Waiting For Santa, Wrapping Paper
We R Memory Keepers Merry January, Flake
We R Memory Keepers Merry January, Slush
We R Memory Keepers Merry January, Twig
October Afternoon Very Merry Shape Stickers
Maya Road Chipboard Snowflake Coaster
Maya Road Trinket Pins, Crystals
Maya Road Vintage Crochet Trim- Baby Pom Pom
We R Memory Keepers Merry January Collection, Flocked Lace
Craft Supplies:
House templates downloaded from: http://magazine-directory.com/Victoria.htm
glitter, Mica Flakes, bottle brush trees, rhinestones, jingle bells, silver pipe cleaners, mini brads, plain chipboard



Thanks so much Linda, for your gorgeous work, your detailed instructions and your monthly inspiration! Looking forward to your next project, of course.

Hey, I almost forgot. YES, we are having a December sketch contest. Check back on Friday, when I'll post all the details. Have a great day. Dana

Merry Christmas cards from Michelle Lanning

Hi everyone! Michelle Lanning is back with 2 beautiful Christmas cards for you. Take a look and be impressed!



Merry Christmas Card
Echo Park Merry Christmas Collection Winter Wonderland (back)
Echo Park Merry Christmas Collection Element Stickers
thread, bling



White Christmas Card
Melissa Frances Home for the Holidays 6x6 paper pad
Melissa Frances Rub Ons (Vintage Transfers)
ribbon, plastic for ornament, bling and snowflake punch

Thanks so much Michelle!! Love these Christmas cards. Keep checking back this week, as we'll be featuring more projects by Linda Albrecht and Roree Rumph.

By the way, you might have heard this week that the AllyScraps store in Indiana will be closing soon. We're very sad, but want to let you know that the AllyScraps internet store will NOT be closing!! The internet store and the blog are going strong! Thanks for your support. :)

~ Dana