Lynda's Den

It's a bit past the 25th...less than 4 months until Christmas!  I want things to go smooth for me and my family...people actually getting presents sent to them in the mail, and me having things done before the last minute!  Every year it's the same thing...me wanting to do it, but it never getting finished!  So, this year...things are being done DIFFERENT!  I am looking at what I have right now, without having to spend money......I have a few things I can start with.....  Your challenge for the week is to put all of your Christmas theme related items together to look at what you can do, and make your lists!  Paper in Christmas themes and colors Solid paper to match Ribbon Sizzix die cut machine and dies Rubber stamps Computer for saying....or??? Templates Cards and envelopes Cricut machine for basic shapes Out of that list, I can make my own Christmas cards...mini albums for each of my family members to showcase Christmas in their way...  A few ye...

The Cricut machines are wonderful...easy to use, and can be very cost effective...depending on what you use them for!  Here are some of the projects I have made using the machines...some are easy projects, and others are a bit more time consuming, but all of them have been fun to make!     These are the two sets of cards, with the folder they go into below.   Made with the George and Basic Shapes cartridge.     This is actually a 12 x 12 layout that is going to be a framed page...  The right side showes the fun side, underneath is hidden journaling, that will be thoughts about my marriage.  The top cream part will be a picture of my husband and I together!    The flowers I used were made from the Wall Decor and More cartridge!  This is a photo matt, that will have 3 pictures of my dad mowing the lawn when I was younger!  It shows the hard work my dad did on the lawn, and also my mom's garden!  I am still...

This is my All About Me title page...  I used a photo that wasn't as good as I'd like it to be, cut into 12 "pieces", with the Colluzzle alphabet for the title itself.  I used rubber stamps to create a few things that are "me", using fun colors of wheat, cream and blue!  Creating your "All About ME" album is a bit different than creating your family album.  You get to use colors that YOU like, things that YOU want...titles that are fitting for YOU and not the "family".  It is also a fun way to scrapbook if you are single, being able to showcase decisions, things you love to do, and basically "who" you are for when you do get married or have kids, or just as a way to leave for future generations to see.    I used this album as a therapy tool, and am so glad I found the Book of Me by Angie Pedersen...She helped me to see a new way of creating books...it isn't just about my family, it's about me too...my memories, my th...

No regrets...things I do not regret doing in my life...some people call me crazy, but I am who I am...  Layouts are more than just pictures on a page.  This was used for therapy more than anything...things in my lifetime that I never regretted doing!    The layout was simple to finish, using cardstock, Sizzix die cuts, photos...and a bunch of journalling!  On the top left is a photo of my husband and his children...one thing I do not regret doing!  Blending 8 kids has proved to be horrible, but it is also one of the best things we have done.  When you have multiple ex's involved, blending of children, and problems...well, as hard as it is I still to this day do not regret meeting Del!  Scrapbooking and making cards is another "no regret..", photo on the bottom!  I love to create and share with others...  Scrapbooking kept me alive where others in my life were treating me bad.  When you have family and ex's going after you, ...

School Time It’s back to school time everywhere…or close to it! As I look back on each school year for my kids, I would have liked to have done things differently. I would do an album each year, with fun information such as the teachers name, students name, school name and city, fun dates they had each year…you get the idea! Mini albums are easy to do, and this idea…well you can use a page kit and add some extra’s to it, or create your own page kit! Start to gather the following supplies, and let’s get started on a fun album to showcase your child’s school year! Supplies 5 sheets cardstock or patterned paper cut into 6 x 6 sheets Paper to match above for matting Embellishments such as die cuts or stickers Black marker R ibbon for side Tag die cuts Directions: Step one: Take 5 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock or patterned paper and cut into 6 x 6 sheets. The will be the background to your project. You should have 20 sheets of paper by the time you are done. Step two: L...

This is one of those layouts that just turned out...  The picture I used was of me in the airport the summer before 9/11 happened.  In retrospect, I would have used this picture for how I felt about 9/11 happening, and how things were before...but, I can't change that now can I!  Instead, it was used on my AAM album...words and thoughts describing who I am... I used items from a few different things: rub on alpha stickers, stickers left over from other things, and a bit of my own handwriting!  I added a sheet of paper that I hadn't used on other projects, and the photo we discussed!  I might decide to get this photo rescanned and printed out...for use later on!  I challenge you to look at your photos a different way....before you scrapbook them the first time!  Lynda Jeffs Memories in Tyme

Christmas does not have to be expensive for people...take these altered notebooks for example.  You can pick up a notebook on sale at just about any office place, Walmart, or $1 store right now...  Look back on the archives for directions on how to make them!  I also like to add a bookmark (also see below for directions on how to make), a pen, and a book or gift certificate to go with it and you are done!  Each person could get a different book, depending on what it is they like, or might be going through personally!  If you go to http://www.simplystacie.net/ you will find great books in just about every topic you can imagine done by her team of book reviewers!                                                  ...

There are days that the creativity just goes down the drain.....nothing comes out of this brain...and then I have to understand that I have fibromyalgia...which doesn't help matters at all!  It also doesn't help when you have the same stuff to "create" with!   So, here are a few suggestions to twist things up a bit...and create things with what you have around!  Paper piecing patterns can make really fun one of a kind embellishments for the items you are making.  Learn to pick a few up in different styles that you can work easily with.  Learn to use die cuts in different ways as well, and with different themes too...such as a present die cut for birthdays, Christmas, or weddings too!   Stickers, when paired with die cuts, make a one of a kind embellishment for your projects.   Learn to use one or two things from a sticker sheet or pack of die cuts to stretch the stickers further.  I use punches or certain die cut...