1, 2, 3 SKETCH! My Memory File...

Today I'm sharing a project that appeared on Heidi Swapp's blog last week...

This was so much fun. Jennifer Evans created a super-fun sketch designed specifically for Memory Files and both Lindsay Bateman and I were to create a File based on this sketch...first, here's the sketch we used...

And here's my version...

I had so much fun with this assignment. I really do love using sketches…especially if I’m running low on creativity. I don’t always follow a sketch EXACTLY, but they sure do give me ideas from which to start a project.

To start, I grabbed 2 different full-size Memory Files…one of the Vintage Chic collection and one from the Sugar Chic collection. I decided to use a black & white photo for the front of my Memory File…I just love how the blacks and white from the photo coordinate so well with the Color Shine (Tropicana Teal, Mint Green, Tinsel & Black Velvet) I wanted to use. Right around Christmastime I made a couple little wallets using white fabric that I copied Heidi Swapp paper graphics onto. I had some of this fabric left over, so I cut out some pieces and sewed it to the front of my File (those are the turquoise and white chevrons you see…from the Sugar Chic Sparkle paper/fabric).

I matted my photo with a scrap of Color Magic paper (already sprayed with Tinsel Color Shine) and some wax paper (big surprise). Then I sprayed a Color Magic Note with Tinsel Color Shine, cut it in half and tucked one piece under each side of my photo.

I cut some banners from Heidi Swapp packaging and layered them with a little arrow sticker (So Happy Together) from the Black & White Buzz Words and a Color Magic Arrow. I sprayed the arrow with both Mint Green and Tropicana Teal Color Shine…and together, they make the most lovely turquoise! The “fabulous friends” graphic is from the Jessica Sprague/Heidi Swapp {Mo}tography class…

My inside front cover is adorned with some Color Magic Banner Delights sprayed with Black Velvet (short section) and Tinsel (longer section) (I am sooooo happy these are back!!!), a Colorful Instaframe, a Vintage Chic Note and some Epoxy Alpha Stickers…

And, on the opposite page I used a page from a Fotostack as the background for my photo. I let it hang off the bottom of my page and used a “like” rub-on from the the Colorful Instaframes on the tab. Another Vintage Chic Note and a Mini Instaframe make up the little “frame” that holds Heidi’s name.

Chipboard Stickers (“fun” and the arrow in the circle) as well as a Color Magic Arrow are affixed to another black & white photo. And up on top of the page another Color Magic Banner Delight (sprayed with Tinsel), a Vintage Chic File Tab Sticker, a Paper Banner, a Definition Sticker and an Epoxy Sticker (sparkle) round out the embellishments.

My next page features the inside of my second Memory File. On the left side of the page (Jen’s side), I used a Color Magic Album Tab as the mat for my upper photo, sprayed some Trimmings Seam Binding with Tinsel Color Shine, and tied it around the top two holes of the album page. I cut off the bottom of another Memory File that had the same shape as the file I used and glued it just above the bottom of the page (sooooo much easier that trying to cut a piece of paper to fit over the pattern…).

Another Vintage Chic Note contains my journaling and a Sugar Chic Pennant and Definition Sticker express the “sparkle” sentiment. A Black Velvet-misted Color Magic Heart encircles the word “greatness” on the back of the tab hanging below the bottom of the file.

For “Lindsay’s page,” I used another page of a Fotostack as the mat for my photos…a Mini Instaframe, an Epoxy Sticker (SO SWEET arrow) and a Definition Sticker (adorable) are used to embellish sweet Lindsay’s sweet face. I tucked a Color Magic Note (sprayed with Black Velvet) behind the black & white photo of Jen & Lindsay, and used a Mint Green-misted Color Magic Arrow to point out the journaling on the page.

Finally, I stamped a length of Color Magic Scallop Ribbon with the line of arrows from the Clear Stamps and StazOn Ink in Jet Black (thanks so much for the inspiration, Jen & Heidi!). When that dried, I sprayed the ribbon with Tropicana Teal Color Shine and glued it to the page. I took a Banner Cluster, removed the “love” sentiment from the front and stuck it over the top of the ribbon. I have to tell you, the more I use these Banner Clusters, the more I love them.

Then I added a little green Chipboard Sticker arrow and a “like” rub-on from the Colorful Instaframes.

For my “Kim page” I used black & white photos, so that I didn’t have a lot of color competing with the cheetah pattern on the Memory File.

I cut a Vintage Chic Mini Memory File in half and used it as the mat for my photos on this page. 2 more Vintage Chic Notes (one for my journaling & one tucked behind my photos), some Color Magic Banner Delights (sprayed with Mint Green Color Shine), a couple Mini File Tab Stickers, a little Paper Banner, and a Color Magic Arrow (misted with Black Velvet) provide all the embellishment on this page.

The final page of my Memory File features 2 of my very favorite photos. I matted the black & white photo of Heidi and Jamie with a 4″x8″ Jumbo Tag (one of my favorite Michaels’ products!). I sprayed the tag with Black Velvet and tied a little piece of tulle to the top. The “best DAY ever” graphic is from the {Mo}tography class, and the “love” cutout is the sentiment I removed from the Banner Cluster on Lindsay’s page. I added both a regular-sized File Tab Sticker & a Mini File Tab Sticker to the tab on the back page of the File, and yet another Vintage Chic Note holds the journaling for the page. To finish off the page I sprayed a Color Magic Paper Pennant with Tinsel Color Shine and tucked it behind the “bestDAYever” arrow.

My final step in creating this file was to bind the two files together. To begin, I closed both folders (one inside the other) and arranged them together the way I wanted them to look from the outside. Then I punched 3 holes along the spine (making sure to include both folders when I punched). I grabbed a length of industrial string, and, starting with the middle hole, threaded the string through both folders, around to the other two holes and ended with both ends of the string on the inside of the files…again in the middle hole. I finished the binding off with a knot and then a bow.