Thursday 25 August 2011

My Smash Book!

Smash Book 3
Oh my …… you might have seen the comment Carole left in the chat box yesterday …. Carole look what you have made me do?
smash_book__79620_stdsmash
I’d never heard of a Smash Book, so naturally, I had to have a look to see what it was all about ……
“So, what do you Smash? Well, it doesn’t have to be a life event, just the special little moments and mementos of your day—some of that stuff in your junk drawer, for example. A snapshot, a ticket stub from that movie you loved, a newspaper clipping, a magazine snippet, a cardboard coaster from a favourite restaurant, your child’s first crayon doodle…get the idea? Smash it, jot a note or add a caption sticker, and go!”
http://scrapbookobsession.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/memory-works-smash-book-by-k-company/
The film on YouTube got me hooked straightaway. I knew I wanted one but soon discovered that any shop in the UK that did have them was now out of stock …. There was one on e-bay, but it was orange …. and I just don’t do orange!!!  However as I  looked into the whole thing more I came round to thinking nice idea, but some of the pre printed pages in the books just  weren’t me …..
Smash Book
…… then I remembered a heavy, really old fashioned type folder I had bought at a car boot for 20p, still with the original paper in, much more my style … old and shabby (…. some would say chic!) which measures 9.25ins x 6.5ins ….. well, after that I was on a roll.
I needed to make some pages first and wanting to keep  with the shabby style I decided to use a Cosmo Cricket kit I had from QVC years ago …. but had hardly done anything with, the papers and embellishments were perfect.
I used the original file paper as a template to make the 8in  x 5.5ins pages. My mind was racing now …. I found some old Kraft tags and pockets, they too were embellished, punched and added to the file, as were some 12 x 12 papers from the Papermania Kraft basics set, which I also cut in various sizes as well as ordinary kraft paper.
Papermania Kraft Basics PackPapermania Kraft Basics Pack 1
My desk was such a mess as I thought of more and more things that I could use!
Smash Book 1
I was unsure about what to do with the cover, then decided to go the whole hog and embellish that too …… (see top picture)
Smash Book 4
I’ve wanted to do something like this for ages but just never had quite the right sort of inspiration.
Smash Book 5
I’m always  cutting things out of magazines, but they get stuffed in a book or in a drawer and are then lost and the idea/inspiration I had is gone! Now I am on my way….. on a sort of journaling journey.
Smash Book 6
I am going to have a look through my drawers now as I have quite a few bits of journaling paraphernalia squirreled away.
Smash Book 8
But with the money I have saved by making my own book  I can now treat myself to a few choice K & Co Smash Book bits.
Smash Book 7
Thank you Carole for inspiring me to get started, and having an afternoon fiddle farting when I should have been cleaning the lounge!

7 comments:

misteejay said...

Much more productive than cleaning the lounge LOL

You have certainly been busy Helen - fabulous book.

Toni xx

Bumblebee said...

wow, that looks amazing! I'm hoping to start a journal class soon. I have all the stuff, just need to set aside some time to get started, and then I think I'll be on a roll!

Angie said...

Now that is what a smash book should be ....well in my opinion ... not bought ready for action ...but finding odds and ends to make one ...after all they are holding odds and ends of your memories and thoughts.

camcraft said...

Oh Helen .. that is just amazing. I cannot wait to see as it progresses. You certainly have pulled every stop in putting together everything you had to hand .. so creative and thrifty at the same time. I so love your book and your creativety. It was a crafty friend that gave me the heads up of the SMASH book. She is celebrating her 50th this yr. and is about to embark on a special trip to the USA and this is how she then told us about how she was going to journal that trip in her SMASH book.
I am going to put together some bits together for my youngest DD as a Christmas gift so she can create her own SMASH book to log her journey of buying her first home.
Carole x

marc said...

Great that you made your own and look at all the bits you have, dont forget plastic food containers packet make great pages to your have such fun big love marc

Suze Bain said...

Had a quick look over at the link. Don't think I'd buy a pre-made one, much more fun and much more individual to make your own. Have a 'smashing' time filling it up! xx

Clairebears said...

Oh what a brilliant idea - I have seen them about and would really like to have a go now as you have inspired me. Thank you.

Love Clairebears x