Still alive and kicking

and crafting like a fiend :)  I have really neglected both my blog and the blogs I follow lately and for that I apologize.  I have not had time to post or to check in on many of you.  I do try to check in, but don't always leave comments.  Just wanted you to know I am still here and to show you what I have been working on.  Maybe I should do each project in a different post...  can you handle that many posts from me in one day?  I hope so :)

First up is the mini album I made for my sister.  On my side of the family, there are 7 children and our families, so we always draw names - the adults draw and the children 20 and under draw.  This year we decided the gifts would either be handmade or a limit of $5.  Well, that was easy for me - handmade is my preference :)  So my sister and her hubby have their first grandchild and I thought this would be cute for her to put pictures in of their grand-daughter.

This album is called a "stack the deck mini" created by Laura from Follow the Paper Trail.  If I did this correctly, you can find the link here.  When I saw this album, I knew it was the one I wanted to make for my sister.  It is made with plain every day envelopes and you make a binding with fins on it that fit into the envelopes.  It is totally amazing and I plan to make lots more!  So far, it is probably one of my favorite designs for an album.  The crocheted doily is from a bunch I won as blog candy  from Ger at Little Snippets.  Isn't it gorgeous?!  The crocheted flower I also won from a blog hop, but this time from Sue at Scrapping Suzie QTT.  These ladies are so creative!  I can crochet, but nothing like this - usually just big bulky things like scarves or afghans.  All of of the crinkled ribbon used in this album, I believe, is from 3 Girl Jam.  The DP is Pink Paislee Snow Day.  The ribbons and card stock are from my stash.  Here some of the pages in the book.

This pages has 2 tags in the little pocket I created.  Plus the tags that are in the envelope.

Each envelope has 2 tags in it, either folded over the edge like these 2 pages or plain tag that pull out, so she has lots of room to put pictures.  

 
This gorgeous lace - both of these is from a bunch of lace that I swapped with Donna from Red Apple Junction.  She had too much lace (can that be possible?) and wanted to swap for some die cuts.  I have her cuts all ready to mail out, just have to get to the post office!
 
This is the last two pages.  I forgot to take a picture but I closed the album with a lobster claw that goes from the back to the front with those little charms on the front.  This was a technique I learned from Kathy Orta from the Paper Phenomenon.

Okay, that is it for that album.  I hope my sis loves it as much as I do :)

God Bless,
Becky