Garden Album

Oi! It's been awhile since posting on my blog. Life is coming at me fast--classes are starting, so there are still catechists to ring in, classes to set up, students to be assigned, and general back-to-school stuff! Son is still looking for work, daughter needs to work on summer reading assignments for accelerated L.A. class, and hubby is fighting to keep his job.
No wonder I scrap and craft! It's such a stress-reliever, almost as good as a massage. I weould have said cheaper too, but not in my case! LOL
My lovely friend Carol offered to swap a tool for one of my albums, and another friend had wanted to see what I did with my pages, so I'm showing the front cover and a few pages. I satarted with a chipboard book. I liked the cutouts on the cover and a few pages. I am terrible with identifying papers, embellies, images,etc., that's why I'll never be published, can't give credit where credit is due. The most difficult part of this cover was the title. I just couldn't find an alpha combo I liked. I was bound and determined to use the stash I already had in my craft room.
I wanted a bookplate so that my gift to my friend would be a rmemebrance for years to come, and I had received this journal box from a swap on Scrapbooking & More Yahoo Group.

I am not usually a pink, flourish-y dainty type of scrapper. I like to mix a little funk, a little grunge, into my creations. I tried to blend funky and dainty on some of the pages.

My only regret is not coloring and using more stamped images. There are some really cool images to use with the garden theme. This one is a Ketto girl from Stamping Bella, a stamped gift from another friend. This is why I love crafting and being in groups and blogging. You meet so many gifted, generous people who become your friends, not having even met them in person!