Pop Top Jeans

Geesh, these pictures are wonky and I can't get them fixed.  I created this pop top jean can to be a wrap for my nephews Birthday gift.  I took a pop top can of pineapple and instead of using the pop top to open the can, I used a special can opener that cuts it from the side (I got mine at Wal-Mart, Pampered Chef has one too) so that it would leave the pop top in place for my nephew to open his gift.  I used the contents for a dump salad, yummy!!!  I  peeled off the label and ran the can and lid through the dishwasher.  I covered the can using a piece of denim patterned paper.  I cut a piece of brown cardstock for my belt and set some eyelets for the belt holes.  I used a think piece of metal and cut it into a square, I punched the center out with another square and adhered it.  I cut stips of the denim paper and adhered them to make belt loops.  I cut out two pockets and outlined them with white gel pen.  I stamped one of the words from SU!'s Flexible Phrases on red using versamark and then embossed it with White Detail EP.  I cut it out into a rectangle shape and left a long tab to adhere to my pocket (Levi style).

Next comes the magic:  I put his gift into the can, ran a thin bead of superglue around the edge of the lid and quickly placed it on the can.  Looking at it, you couldn't even tell it had been opened.  I decorated the pop ring with some ribbon and sent it on its way.  My nephew thought I was magic when he opened his present...I'm thinking I may do some of these again this holiday season to keep prying fingers away and it's a great way to hide a gift card, the recipient will have NO clue what it is.

Thanks for looking and have a stamp happy day...I have missed ya!!!

Arctic Stamp Queen

Don't give up...please

Hello my stampin' friends...I am sorry that I have been such a bad blogger.  I truly am.  I haven't stamped in  a couple of months, some days I miss it and others not so much.  I'm trying to take control of my life again and trying to figure out what normal is for me, I haven't felt normal in SOOO long, I have no idea what that is.  Lately, I just haven't been up to to putting on the "show".  I have so little energy that what I do have needs to be reserved for my children for now, they have been deprived of a healthy momma for a long time.

The only creative thing that I have done is to dabble a little in digital scrapbooking.  I made two pages and had them printed at Costco since they had decent prices.  I am waiting for my mom to bring them to me when she visits this month so that I can see if I want to go that route for my scrapbooking.  I really like how they look on my computer,  but am concerned that they will look off when they are printed.   She says they look great, so I am hopeful.  Here's one:

 
and the other, I call this one Valdez Bums:

My family got me a laptop for my Birthday and I have been learning Photoshop (great tutorials on About.com) and downloading digi freebies.  I feel like I could keep up on my scrapbooking more if I were to go this route.  Again, I am unsure of how it will look when printed.  I am imagining that it will kind of be like the holiday photos you can have done at the photo places, but a lot of those look kind of cheesy to me.  Thats why I am only doing a little until I can see the printed picture.  So here you go...what do you think?  I'd love comments and thoughts on scrapbooking, both traditional as well as digital.  If I like the printouts then I will plunge full on into this, even thinking about asking for a Wacom tablet (bamboo pad) for Christmas.  Thoughts?  anyone???