Crop Till You Drop~Lawton, OK

Each year our local scrapbook store "Scrapbook N Such" has a Crop in Lawton and it helps out a local charity in need.  This year was my SECOND one to attend and had planned on attending with my cousin Vicki.  However, last minute family illness kept her from attending and I had thought about cancelling; I didn't really want to go alone.  I decided to invite one of the girls I know at work to go who is a student at the college I work at, not knowing how it would go I was a little nervous. 

That night, I spent getting all my scrapbook supplies and totes and tools together and organized.  They had been shoved int he closet for months and had not been touched.  I didn't have anywhere to display my tools and work on stuff and hated getting it out and then having to put it back up.  So it just stayed stored away.... I got excited while pulling everything out!  It was a little overwhelming because I didn't know what to and not to pack.  So, I did the next best thing..... I PACKED IT ALL!  My youngest son Dustin helped me pack it all neatly in the car and my trunk was full.  I had to put a few items in the back seat of my Mustang. 

The next morning, my scrapbook buddy arrived "ON TIME" and she wanted to know if we thought we'd have enough room in the car.  I asked her how many bags and she said two.  PERFECT, Just enough space.  I giggled as she pulled her totes out and her husband said:  "Babe, why don't you girls take me home and you can take the SUV".  I giggled and said she don't have nothing on me and we have enough room.  I opened the trunk to display what I had packed and I though she was gonna fall over.  She was a newby at this and had not had time to collect as much crap as I had. 

CAR PACKED, Stop at Starbucks and off we go to LAWTON!

Needless to say the day was a hit with my new scrapbook partner and she was hooked.  I think she spent most of the day at the little shop at the crop buying "this and that" to add to her scrapbook supplies and tool collection.  When we got back home that night, I told her husband; "IT'S NOT MY FAULT". 

Below are the items I accomplised at the crop....

Christmas Gift's to Cherish

During Thanksgiving, my sister in law and I had the priveledge of attending a "Photo Tile Board" making class at our local scrapbook store.  We had such a great time and the boards turned out so awesome, I decided to make a few for Christmas gifts.

A very dear friend of mine lost her mom not to long ago and I thought this would be the perfect gift for her.  Since I didn't have any photos of her mom, I had to ask for them and let her know what I was doing ahead.  However, it's been a wonderful project and while I was making her's, I made another one for my sister....

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THIS PROJECT:

1- PHOTO TILE BOARD
1 8 oz Box -EnviroTex Lite pour on High Gloss Finish (enough for two boards)
Paint of your choice to match photos
9- 4x4 photos of your choice (NOTE:  must measure exactly or slightly smaller to ensure proper outcome)
3-High Quailty Sponge Brushes
1- small paint brush
2 large heavy duty drinking straws (the ones from sonic are perfect)
4 small dixie cups (used to prop under board while pouring mixture on boards)
piece of cardboard or a plastic trash bag to put under project while working on it
2 plastic cups
wooden popsickle stick (to use to stir acrylic mixture)

First, thing to do is paint the outter edges of your board.  Choose a coordinating color to match your photos.  This particular project that I am working on is a 12 x 12 board and it had 9- 4x4 squares.  When choosing your photos make sure to cut them exactly 4 x 4.  If they are a little smaller that is ok, but if they are larger, it will not work.  The extra that hangs over will allow for air pockets to get under the photos and they will not adhere to the board and it will create a huge mess.

Next you need to paint in between each of the squares.  This step is time consuming and a little difficult.  You need to have a small paint brush for this step.  (NOTE:  Do not paint the entire square as sometimes the paint will bleed through the photos depending on the paper used on the photo.)  I have also painted the back of both of the above boards to add a more finished touch.  Once finished you can either attach a hanger or display in a plate stand that sits on the cabinet.  You may have to do two coats, especially if using black.  The board soaks the paint in and you have to make sure you don't leave any bare spots.  For the paint, I use Making Memories Scrapbooking paint since it is acid free and can be used with photos.

Once you have selected your photos and cut them to the correct measurement it's time to glue them to the board.  I used Hodge Podge to glue my photos down.  Make sure you cover the entire area with glue so no air pockets can create a space for the acrylic mixture to get into.  Once you glue the photos down, rub lightly to assure a secure fit.  (NOTE:  Make sure to fit the photos to the square exactly before applying the glue.

Once you have all the photos secure, then you need to mix the acrylic coat together.  The EnviroTex Lite comes in an 8 oz box (larger amounts available).  This box comes with two bottles and the box will coat two boards as long as you measure exactly 4 oz (2 oz of each bottle out per board).  This is were you will use the two plastic cups.  Pour the mixture into the first cup and stir well. Try not to fold the mixture when stiring as it creates bubbles.  There will already be bubbles, but don't need to create more.  After two minutes, pour mix into the second cup using the popsicle stick to scrap the sides well and then continue stiring for another two minutes.  Once you have finished mixing the mixture it's time to pour.  Start at one of the outside corners about 1/4 of an inch from the outside edge and pour clock wise till you end up in the center.  With your spounge brush, lightly spread the mixture to the edges to create an even coat all over the surface. 

Next, take your sponge brush and with slightly firm pressure, begin running it lenght wise through the small cracks of the board to clear the acrylic mixture out of the cracks.  (this is what will create the tile look when it is dry)  As you get close to the end of each row, use the bruch to catch what falls and spread over the edges.  You will have to do this process a few times until the mixture begins to set and does not fall into the cracks. 

Once the above process is completed and the spaces between the photos are clear... then you have to start clearing all the bubbles away. With your straw begin blowing at an angle towards the edges to get ride of all the bubbles. (NOTE: Change straws frequently as siliva will build up in the straw and you DO NOT want it to get into the acrylic coat)! Ever so often after you get all the bubbles out, go back and check to see if any have appeared. Once the acrylic coat begins to set, place a fan on the board and put on low. Do not set it right on top. This will just help in aiding in the dry time. Let board set for 24-48 hours to assure that is totally dry.

This board is created for my friend Gini over at Ginisology

In Memory of Her Mother

 Elfriede Haf~Serafin

 21 March 1933 Augsburg, Germany  to 21 July 2010 Torrance, CA

SNOW DAYS

March 2009~ Oklahoma City, OK

This was the board I created during in the class at Thanksgiving.

Wow!  We had so much fun playing in the snow.  What great memories!

Created by: Me aka Robin I

(note: photo is not best due to glare from the camera on the acrylic finish

"A Day of Fun"

created by: Me aka Robin I

Spent the day with my sister and  nephew playing at Lake Texhoma.

I so loved how these photos turned out with the green shirt and green

grass and his RED hair. 

Made this as a Christmas Present for my sister

PILE IT ON 3D CONTEST....

Photo has been removed for Publication
April 2011
Scrapbook.com Publication

Three Dimensional Challenge

This photo is very special to me...My Aunt had come home to visit for the summer from New York and it was a great summer.  The photo was taken July 1984.  We are on my grandmother's front porch and included in the photo is my baby sister, my father, my grandmother and my Aunt.  I used a lot of different items in this from Prima Flowers, to chipboard, to florishes, to Glimmer Mist to create the 3D effect....I have to say thus far, it is probably one of my favorites. 

How it all got started....

I guess before I get started in all this hoop-la, I out to start with a story and how all this scrapbooking craze for me got started. In October 2007 my cousing came down from Michigan and brought several items for me. The First was two scrapbooks that she had created for me about my Faleris Family and "My Bridge" that for years seemed like a childhood fantasy that I had dreamed up.

During her visit she and I began a book of her trip to Texas and she began to teach me how to scrapbook. While here in Texas, I took them to Oklahoma City and showed them some sites. My future sister in law was very gracious to take the day off to show my family around town and at the end of the day she had a suprise for me. She had went to a Scrapbook Garage sale at her local scrapbook shop in town the weekend prior. While there, she ran across a steal on a Creative Memories Bag and called her brother and told him he was buying it for me. Along with the bag, was a BoyScout Album for my son who is in scouts for me to scrap, some papers and odds and ends. She laughs because she said I looked at her like..."How will I ever fill this up"! Well, it is; along with several other bags. To say the least, it's addicting....