lindaalbrecht

Dog Days of Summer post and Giveaway!

Wow... has it really been that long since I posted here...APRIL????  No idea where the time goes.  I promise that I have not been lazy and just sitting around doing nothing ;-)  It's been hot hot here again for the past couple of days.  I'm tired of air conditioning and closed windows.  Fall, where are you because these hot summer days are getting old?!?!


This little pumpkin has a small part in distracting me from blogland.

He is almost 6 months old already!  I can hardly stand how much fun he is and he amazes me every time I see him.


One with his mama...

You can see more photos on my Facebook wall...check out my albums for more of my photography sessions (another reason I've been so busyand time has slipped away on me!) 
https://www.facebook.com/linda.albrecht.7


There was the Summer CHA show too in July that kept me swamped with paper crafts.  Here are a couple of Maya Road projects from that time.



^^ There's my little distraction again! :-)

You can see more photos of the above project on the Maya Road Blog HERE.  Loved making this sparkly little project for their booth in Chicago. 


I also made a couple of projects for sale as kits.  You can go to The Scrappy Gourmet for this mini album information.

It's loaded with product... trims, patterned papers, buttons, giant patterned rhinestone accents, chipboard, epoxy and stickers all added to a wood Pink Paislee album.  Lots of fun.

Then there is a 3 page layout set that they named "Color me Pretty" over at Frost it Pink.  They are full of embellishments all layered up with product from Cosmo Cricket.


So summer is almost over... the days are seeming hot and long and I am ready for fall anytime with it's cooler days and nights.  School starts in one week here in my hometown and we always seem to have one last hot spell.  Always.  My youngest, Cort is in 9th grade this year....another sign that time keeps slipping away. Here's a couple of late spring photos...

 



Thanks so much for stopping by!  I know it's been too long to expect anyone to remember me and my blog so I want to have a GIVE AWAY to celebrate my first post in 3 months.  Who wants to win the completed album above that is for sale at The Scrappy Gourmet?  Yep, no photos, just the completed pages for you to fill up with your own memories.  Post a comment here for a chance, then tell your friends on your own blog or on your Facebook page and let me know for a 2nd chance! 

Love to all,
Linda

Mikarose giveaway winner and paper creations!

Hello!!   I am sooooo behind here to post the Mikarose giveaway winner... with hosting Easter dinner and the death of an Aunt and Uncle last week, I have been overwhelmed.  But I am here now and ready to share some stuff and announce the winner of the $50 gift certificate to Mikarose.

First, a project for Glue Arts....


The assignment was to use the Glue Arts "Raisen's", a dimensional square adhesive.  I used the Raisen's to make most of the flowers that I then adhered with hot glue to the paper lantern.  I had picked up a 3 piece set of the white paper lanterns at Hobby Lobby on sale last fall and knew that I wanted to embellish them with something someday. 

I used some old book paper, white tissue paper, some Martha Stewart Wedding flowers and Melissa Frances blue Crepe Paper and Pearl embellishments to make the flowers.  The flowers were cut using AccuCut dies.


Over at the Glue Art blog you can see how I layered my flower pieces with the Raisen's.  You can also comment for a chance to win your own Raisen's!

I also forgot to share an Easter card that I put together for Glue Arts so here that is...

I love spring with all of it's flowers, birds and pretty colors.  Supplies here are BasicGrey (paper, brads and chipboard leaves), Pink Paislee (paper, butterfly gem and bird diecut) and a few miscellaneous trims.


My photos above were all edited with Kim Klassen Textures.


Now for the best part... the winner of the Mikarose $50 goft certificate is...
APRIL G !!!!!  Her comment drawn is below.

I pinned an item: http://pinterest.com/pin/201465783300768524/
Posted by: April G | March 28, 2012 at 07:58 PM

April, I will be emailing you and letting Mikarose know that you have won.  Thanks so much to everyone for the comments and for checking out Mikarose.com and an extra BIG thanks to Mikarose for hosting this wonderful giveaway.  Thank you, thank you!

Hope to see you all soon,  Linda

 

Fabric Eggs and Mikarose Giveaway!!

Hello blog friends!  Thanks for stopping by today... it's beautiful here in Minnesota.  A little bit cooler than the 80 degrees that we had a little over a week or ago, but things are greening up and the birds are chirping away.  They're busy in the bird houses around our yard... fluffing up their nests and getting ready for new life.

Did I tell you that a new little life has come into our family recently?  Our sweet baby Riley David arrived on March 8 and he is so adorable and precious.  I always like spring babies because they seem to just go along with what nature has happening.  All of my children are spring babies, so maybe I am biased ;-)

Here is our sweet angel...

Isn't he amazing?!?! :-)


I have a project to share today that I made for the GlueArts blog.  This weeks theme is Spring Fabric crafts.  Many of the Gluegirls actually "sewed" their fabric projects, but I opted for something quicker.  Not because I can't sew... I love to sew... but because I am so behind and so busy right now. 



I wrapped a big paper mache egg with strips of muslin fabric and lightly sprayed on a color mist... actually I added 2 colors, one a pale green and the other a golden color to add some distressing. 





I wrapped the egg in some old cotton lace and tied a bow at the top then hot glued some embellishments around the bow.


Details will be on the Glue Arts blog on the 30th.  Remember to go to their blog to leave a comment for a chance to win something.  They are always giving away their adhesives and many times even other scrapbooking supplies. 



Now for another awesome giveaway!  Mikarose is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one of my lucky blog readers..  They have beautiful clothes and a new accessory line of necklaces that my daughter in law would love to wear.  I need to send her there to shop!  

 
Their prices are so reasonable!  If you haven't shopped there you will be pleasantly surprised at their selections and cost.  One of my favorite dresses on their site is only $59.99!  It's called "Sophie" and you can find it HERE.
 
So, here are the rules and how to enter to win the $50 gift certificate:
(This offer is open to US and Canadian residents only-- thank you!)

Comment here on my blog -- on this post (required.)

For additional entries to win-- 
"Like" them on Facebook
Post about this giveaway on your own blog
Post about the giveaway on Facebook page with a link to Mikarose.com.
"Pin" them on Pinterest
Follow them on Twitter 

This contest will be open through March 7.  I will notify the winner via email and will announce it here on the blog too shortly after the 7th.  Good luck everyone!!


Linda :-) 

Little bird...

"A little bird has chosen his shelter.  Above it are the stars and the deep heaven of the worlds.  Yet he is rocking himself to sleep without caring for tomorrow's lodging, calmly clinging to his little twig and leaving God to think for him."   Martin Luther



I love birds and they seem to inspire me quite often in my creating.  So sweet, so fragile and yet so strong.  Inspired by them once again and by a new snow that has fallen in our almost snowless winter I made this "Snowbird Shadow Box" for the Glue Arts Blog.

My little bird is made from a styrofoam body that I painted white then glitter up with clear glitter and mica flakes.  The twig was cut from my back yard and sprinkled with more glitter and mica flakes and a few sparkly sequins.  The "snow" is Sno-Tex paste.


The sponsored products for this Glue Arts project are from Little Yellow Bicycle (the blue papers, white paper trim and Clear Glitter shapes.


I layered one of the Clear Cut glitter snowflakes onto a Melissa Frances Resin snowflake which added pretty dimension to the corner of the shadow box.



I cut some additional trim from old music paper which I layered onto chipboard using a Tim Holtz Die.  The silver sparkle is tinsel trim.

Little snowbird also sits on some strips of the music paper that he gathered for his nest.  I love how birds are so good at recycling! :-)  If you've ever been able to look closely at a bird's nest, they are very resourceful about building a comfy place to rest.  It's amazing what they find.  My sister, who has several horses, has found nests made completely of horse hair and a friend found a nest in her yard that had a few strands of what appeared to be her own long blonde hairs.  So sweet to find such treasures.

If you have a chance to visit the Glue Arts blog you will find plenty of late winter inspiration from the design team using Little Yellow Bicycle and Glue Arts adhesives.  Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win on their giveaways.

My last post promised a giveaway and that will go to JeanFB | February 13, 2012 at 08:52 PM
Please email me with your mailing information so that I can send off your prize.  Thanks to everyone else that left a kind comment... I appreciate you all.



Have  you all discovered Pinterest ?  Crazy how much time can be spent over there, but wow, the inspiration is amazing.  Here is a beautiful photo taken with what looks like a metal bird ornament hung on a branch...


http://pinterest.com/pin/238268636505277627/

More birds that I pinned was this...


http://pinterest.com/pin/238268636505469589/  Silly little birds.... just adorable for a mobile in a kids room.

Well, I am off to bed..... 

"There's a little bird somebody sent down to the earth to live on the wind.  Blowing on the wind, she sleeps on the wind, this little bird... little bird."

Linda

Glue Arts & Studio Calico

Hello!  Thanks for stopping in.  I have a new project made for the Glue Arts Blog that was sponsored by  Studio Calico.  It should be up on the blog with simple instructions on 1/26.
I call it the "Lovely Abode" pin cushion container.  It's made from a metal gift/storage can that you can find at a craft store.


Lots of fun product in their "Field Guide" kit... some BasicGrey paper and brads, Studio Calico papers and tag & some little Sassafras Lass chipboard butterflies.  


Of course I used some Crackle paint on the "windows" by Ranger-- Clear Rock Candy.  My obsession as of late! ;-)

Lots of hand embroidered accents and wool felt from "Sweet Emma Jeans" Etsy shop.  Check out her shop... and her adorable felt baby shoes.  My future grandchild will be getting some of those someday!

The pin cushion is topped off with a Vintage Raspberry Bead & some Maya Road Trinket pins, because every project should be embellished with a trinket pin or two.  ;-) :-)

Thanks Studio Calico for the fun product and Glue Arts for all of the adhesive that it takes to make a project like this!

Linda

Thank-Full

It's November...yikes!  Hard to believe, but it's fun to see the season's change.  There is always something to be amazed at when you really look at Mother Nature.

I have a simple, little shabby project that will be on the Glue Arts blog tomorrow.  The sponsored manufacturer is "Die Cuts With a View", or DCWV as scrapbookers know them.  This project uses their Lady Couture Paper Stack with Gloss. 


There will be a supply list and some simple instructions up with more photos tomorrow at the Glue Arts blog.  I tried to capture the glossy embossiness of the papers, but it was hard! ;-)



Those chipboard pieces that I used for the project are from Maya Road.  Individual pieces from a couple of their Albums(Keyhole & Home.)  I have to say that if it had not been for the Maya Road chipboard, I was lost on what to make..., so thank you Maya Road for your wonderful product.  Love it all!

The wire trim is made from 20 gauge black wire.  I looped it around a finger then cut to add to the backside of the chipboard with Glue Arts hot glue gun.  I always jab my fingers and end up bleeding when I work with wire, but I think that the effect was worth it.

I want to share a couple of photos of my son, Cole's wedding.  He married the sweetest girl.  We love them both so much!


As you can see, it was very casual... an outdoor ceremony by the lake at Camp Patterson with the reception and dance to follow.  It was lovely and sweet and created a bunch of happiness all around.


I made all of the decorations and the bouquets.  I had a special friend who helped so so much with the flowers too, making the boutineers and helping my sister and another friend with vases for the tables that consisted of zinnia's, dahlia's, billy balls, and cabbage roses.

I bought large lanterns for months and painted them white and distressed them up.  I made fabric pennant banners for the ceiling in the lodge where the dance was held and for the ceremony site and miscellaneous other places.  It was so fun!




They lit sparklers and exited the ceremony to the Johnny Cash song, "Ring of Fire"...  "Love is a burning thing... and it makes a firey ring..."  It was so cute and again, fun!  Their love truly is like a burning ring of fire in so many ways. 

Okay... more creating going on here tonight.  I figure as long as the mess is out I will work on my next assignment.  If you have time to check back in next week, I will be back and I think that it's time for a give away too.  Thanks for stopping by and see you next week!

Linda