Pre-made mini file folder album for Mothers Day by Cheri Piles using the new collection Urban Market

I have to say I'm pretty excited for Mothers Day this year! I wanted to have an album ready to go as soon as possible and this new collection will be perfect with my photos I'll be taking. YAY, I'm sooooo Excited!! We are going to spend the day at the ocean, flying kites, brunch, beach combing and maybe some whale watching. Seriously, excited here!!

I wanted to share today how you can create a STUNNING album by creating your embellishments from just this sheet of paper, yes!! This album I created was based around this sheet, it's called "COLLAGE" paper. 

Here I am showing you how I carefully cut all of them apart, just take your time and cut above and below each design working from the top of the page then work your way right to left using your paper trimmer. 

I also used the "Glittered circles" paper and cut the sheet into rows then trimmed them to match my pages heights. For the base of my album I used the "File Folders" so it went together quickly with just a few additions. I added the circles to the edges where I would be putting the binding. This also gives the book a consistent sparkly look!

I love all of the sparkle glitter paper in this collection so I did add one extra page to my book - I cut the "Damask" glitter paper 11x7 and folded it in the center to create the page. Since this book is for ME I really wanted a little more glitter... You can never go wrong with too much glitter, just saying!!

I absolutely love the big foam squares in the Teresa Collins Xyron adhesive kit and here I am showing you what I believe is KEY when creating your own embellishments - use foam squares to give depth and draw the eyes to your pieces.

For a little something different I added a few photo overlays to my book as clear pages, I love LOVE love how this book is going to look with all of my beach pictures!! I created all of my photo mats a 1/4" bigger than what I will print them.

I think this file folder on the right is my most favorite page!! It is sooo pretty with the circles and the "LOVE THIS" that is raised with the foam dots and is overhanging the pages edge. I added a few sequins here and there and the new wood grain sequins were the right touch for this page!

I added another photo overlay where my picture will go, it will be perfect once the photo is in place and "Happiness" is EXACTLY how I feel about this book!!

Here is a close up of the overlay and I am drawing your eye to it with by adding the extra sequin.

I wish all you moms out there a very happy Mothers day coming up and hope your are inspired to create a little mini book to celebrate your day!! This new collection Urban Market was just the right papers and colors to celebrate our little mini trip!

~Cheri

My Blog: www.cherinspirations.com

Yvonne Blair and Cheri Piles Product Challenge using Memories Collection, the Assignment: Day Planners!

We decided to have a product challenge with two of the design team members using the Memories Collection. We wanted to show that although both are using the same product they can be so different based on your personal style. Both projects look so great!

PROJECT #1: CHERI PILES

Hey everyone! I was so excited to be a part of this challenge! I loved the idea of going up against one of my team mates to share and hopefully inspire you! I loved that Yvonne and I have created calendar/day planners using the same collection - MEMORIES, but each of our projects are very uniquely different! 

To create my book, I used the stitched notebook and file folders to create my base pages.

Each month/page I created a pocket using the decorative papers cut on a slight angle. I cut small doilies in half (from my stash!) then added them to the fronts of each of the pockets. For the "TABS" I used the filmstrip paper from the collection, I cut it into a strip then cut the numbers as I needed them for each month!! I think it looks so cool!!

I created Journal cards from the papers in the collections and added some manila tags so I can jot down notes as I need. I love texture and paint so yes, I did paint all of the edges of everything! I love how the bright white paint looks with this book!

To add the file folders from the collection, I cut them to fit the height then using washi tape as my adhesive I binded them to the stitched notebook. You can see how the filmstrip washi tape overlays the seam of the April page and the file folder I added. 

I love the pocket envelopes in the collections and I added one to the back of the file folder.

I loved decorating the manila tags with layers from the embellishments. 

Here is where I added another file folder, again using washi tape.

I added the largest envelope to the back page, this will be a great spot to save important receipts, etc. 

Thank you so much for looking!! I hope you are inspired by our product challenge today!

PROJECT # 2: YVONNE BLAIR

Hey everyone!  I was so excited to be a part of this little challenge.  So fun, I have been on the hunt for the perfect planner, looking everywhere really, and finally realized I was going to have to make my own. 

I really need something to help me keep my self focused and organized, wink.  

I wanted it to be very practical, one that I could really use and of course I wanted it to be pretty too, wink.  

So here is my take on this challenge.  

I started with a notebook that I found at Office Depot.  I liked that it had the fabric around the spirals.

The only touchy part was that my binding machines didn't line up with the binding.  I really wanted to use this so I decided to punch the holes individually with my crop-a-dile.  

Then I made a slit in each hole on the left side and now it will load and unload from the spiral. 

I wasn't sure at first, but I actually really like that I can pull the pages in and out if I need to.

 Here is the inside cover and my "dash board" so to speak.  Lovely little post it notes and flags to use throughout my day planner. I wanted to have a place to have a few of my favorites pics of the moment.  So, I cut a baseball card holder down and applied Decorative Tape to make it easier to punch the edge with the crop-a-dile.  I also covered the inside front cover and pocket.  Added a printout on important numbers to have just in case. 

 This is the front page of the monthly calendar section.  A year in a glance.  

Each month is printed as a two page layout.  I need bigger boxes to write in (not known for small handwriting, lol), places to write notes and what not.  The little "remember this" pennant circle is a handmade magnetic clip.  I just punched out the "remember this" with a 1 1/2" punch, adhered that to a piece of border strip.  Attached magnets to both sides and this clip will work now throughout the whole planner as my page marker.  

 Here is a little peak at the categories I felt I needed to include.  

Love the fact that everything is going to be in one spot! 

 Well, there you have it.  I hope you enjoyed my take on the day planner challenge! 

I am really excited to have this planner to start 2014 with.  I think I am going to add in the last half of this year.  I don't really think I can wait to use it! 

Have a great day and I will be back tomorrow with another fun little project! 

Hope to see you then.

I printed out the calendars from here.  

We hope this has inspired you to create. Have a happy monday everybody!

Guest Designer Erin Yamabe

We are so excited to have Erin on the blog today as a guest designer! 

Erin Yamabe has been a lover of paper and glue ever since she can remember! She is married and has two sweet and sassy little girls, who are the main subjects of her work. Her days are filled with field trips, room Mom events, running, spin classes, and taking care of her daughters. And she enjoys having her crafty time in the evenings. Her work can be seen in several scrapbooking magazines, at CHA, on Scrapbook Soup, and on QVC UK. She enjoys teaching at her LSS, and is very happy to be guest designing for Teresa Collins this month!

Love This - I love to layer, and found the garland die cuts perfect to add some dimension without too much bulk.  I found the darling epoxy brads to be the perfect center for the pinwheel and I absolutely love the enamel dots, they are everywhere!  I used some of the darling little stamps on one of the notecard sized papers that I cut out.

You are loved card - The base of the card is her beautiful floral stamp from her He Said She Said stamps.  I love the packaging her products come in, so I used a border punch on one of the pieces above the stamps, and another to matte the sentiment with.  How cute are those garlands she has, and yes...more enamel dots!

For You card - I decorated one of her premade envelopes.  For the sentiment, I stamped onto the packaging and cut it to fit into one of the smaller envelopes.

This is our story file folder mini album:I absolutely love her file folders, and knew I wanted to create something fun and a little different!  So, this mini album was born, once I paired it with my cousin's recent wedding photos!  The cover has her lovely floral stamp, a doily and a heart diecut from Sizzix.  Her die cut flowers layered perfectly in here!

This Moment layout: After I sanded the embossed cardstock, I embossed her floral stamp with some distress ink.  Added in some fussy cutting with those darling arrow/banners she has to create a pattern underneath the photos.  And just love those diecut flowers and the pretty touches they add in with the enamel dots!

Thanks for having me!

Erin http://erinyamabe.com/

Thank you so much Erin! Please stop by Erin's blog {HERE} to see more of her work!

No. 16 Mini Album by Dedra Long

Hi everyone! I wanted to share a mini album today featuring a mix of the Memories and Stationery Noted Collections. This binder clipboard album was perfect for documenting Shelby's 16th birthday.

I still love the file folders that come with every collection. This one from the Stationery Noted collection became the base of my cover page. Super fun! Oh, and product packaging is so cute these days, don't be afraid to use it when you like it.

We handmade all of her invitations and I had her fill them all out in her handwriting. I know my handwriting has changed since I was 16 and I think she will love seeing her invitations when she is my age. Enamel dots....be still my heart! Who thought this little embellishment could be so awesome!

I'm going to be completely honest here, every time we see a new collection from Teresa I can't wait to see the stamps she designed. It is my most favorite thing. I gotta get better at embossing with stamps like Keisha.

I had her friends write notes to her (the notes turned out to be mini novels).

I loved that this album turned out to be a little more interactive using file folders, pockets and envelopes to hold extra photos and to incorporate memorabilia as well.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!

Hope your "hump" day is fabulous.