Envelope Memory Book

Happy 4th of July!

The month of July is extremely busy for my family - lots of celebrating to do! It's my darling daughter's birthday (just turned 13!), my dad's birthday (same day as daughters), my brother's birthday AND my hubby and I got married on July 4th, 1992 in Las Vegas - YUP - Las Vegas!

He's mentioned a few times over the last several months that "we're coming up on our 15th anniversary." He keeps better track of these things than I do - YUP - that's hard to believe, but true! LOL! Being the procrastinator that I am - YUP - that's me! I found a few pictures of the two of us - that was hard to do too - make sure you have someone take your picture from time to time - I'm always the one behind the lens and not in front of it! Anyhoo - so I found the pictures tonight - ran them to Walgreens to scan and print - they are wonderful - 10 minutes and they were done!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

So..............this is the gift I came up with. It was easier than shopping and a lot more fun! It's called a WOW Envelope Memory Book and they are REALLY EASY TO MAKE! I used some old envelopes that I had in stock - Bravo Burgundy, Brocade Blue, More Mustard cardstock. I clear embossed on the inside with the retired Artifacts stamp set - boy oh boy, am I going to miss demonstrating this beauty! I had this set in my used stamp sale last weekend - but at the last minute I pulled it back - it's a keeper! Ok - back to the issue at hand....I also used Treehouse Designer Paper - also retired - aghhhhhhhhhhh - I never use this stuff when I can demonstrate it - you know, don't want to waste it - I might need it for a class.... I used some of my Hodgepodge Hardware - always saving that too.....the "years" are stamped with a retired letter set - couldn't part with that either! They're stamped with Brocade Blue craft ink and clear embossed. It's hard to see, but the number "15" is chipboard. I stamped with my Letterpress Alphabet Numbers on some leftover pieces of chipboard, inked it up in the Brocade Blue craft ink and clear embossed it too. It looks like porcelien (sp?). I LOVE CHIPBOARD - I don't really know why I keep saving it for that day that never materializes! I have the Simon Lower pack of chipboard, but those letters/numbers were bigger than I wanted for this project AND my daugher's 13th birthday party is this weekend, so I have a spectacular project lined up for her...I'll probably be making that at midnight Friday night too!!!! Once the numbers were stamped - I cut them out with a hobby knife. It wasn't too hard - little putzy.

Here's the inside of the Memory Book. I used the words from the Sell-A-Bration stamp set Happy Harmony - I thought they were fitting. It's really hard to make a card like this when you're not a "mushy" type! LOL!

Here's the back - pretty simple. I layered the front and back with Treehouse Designer paper on Bravo Burgundy cardstock. I used some of the words from the NEW catty stamp sets. Lovin' those!

Here are photos of each page individually.

Here's a picture of us on our wedding day - yeh, back in 1992.

Then I happened to find one from 1999. I looked pretty good in this one! I don't photograph well - you know how some people are very photogenic - well....I'M NOT ONE OF THEM!!!!

Here we are on a beach in Cancun - that was a GREAT vacation. All inclusive is the only way to go!!!!

And last, but not least, 2006 took us back to Las Vegas for his National Convention. We had a GREAT time here too. He spent all day in meetings and I......well I slept in, laid by the pool, went shopping (I LOVE M&M World!), laid by the pool, painted my nails, laid by the pool - did I say laid by the pool???? LOL It was VERY relaxing for me and if you're a married person...you know that's what's important!!! LOL If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

This Memory Book makes a great little keepsake - I'm going to make several for the kids that went on our family fishing vacation. I always take tons of pictures and I think my nieces and nephew would love to have a book like this with pictures of our camping trip. It would also make a GREAT birthday card for someone close or a great reminder for your "girls weekend shopping trip" - go through those old albums and take your photos to a store that has a scanner. We NEVER cut up the originals!

Have fun with your stamping and scrapbooking and make something that will matter to someone special! Rather chatty tonight - wasn't I? Time to go to bed!

Have a WONDERFUL 4th of July - be safe!