It's Funday Monday at MAF!

It's been so hot lately here in Japan. I really miss my pool at home in Florida. Just looking at my pool photos makes me feel more refreshed. So, in honor of the fact that I love my pool, finish this sentence and make a layout for the Funday Monday challenge at Memories Always - Forever:

I love my …

What is the one thing you own that you really appreciate? Make a layout about something that you value -- a prized possession that you would really rather not do without -- something that you've either purchased or acquired: a piece of jewelry; a book; a home; a figurine; etc., and journal about why you love it. It’s OK to have people in your photos, but the journaling must be about the ‘thing.’

There is a twist to this challenge - your page must include the use of bubble wrap! That’s right, bubble wrap. Stamp with it, cut it into shapes, paint it or use it as a photo mat. The ideas are endless. (Follow my tutorial at the end of this blog post for bubble wrap ideas.) Then post the finished page to the gallery in Memories Always - Forever.

The winner of this challenge will win this set of 4 Winsome- Capri Foldable Fabric Baskets in Beige courtesy of our sponsor http://www.diningroomsdirect.com/.

This is a $50 value! Each fabric basket is a generous 9" H x 10.97" W x 10.06" D. These baskets offer an attractive way to store your scrapbook supplies.
Please check out our sponsor and their many other storage options and their beautiful Dining Room Furniture.

Contest ends on Aug 16 at midnight EST.

So onto the tutorial. You know you can create beautiful scrapbooking pages with all kinds of material and there are so many ways to decorate your scrapbook page with bubble wrap. I've listed 5 ways here:

1. The most simple way is to add it directly to your page. I cut some bubble wrap into strips and stapled the strips to my page. I used a Fastenater, but you could use any kind of stapler. Or you could stitch it, or glue it.

2. Stamp directly onto your page with it. First, take an ink pad and blot it all over the bubble wrap. Turn the bubble wrap over and stamp it directly onto your paper. Some people like to wrap the bubble wrap around a wooden or acrylic stamp block, but I find it is easy just to stamp the bubble wrap down on the paper. Brayer over it for a more smudgy effect. I cut my bubble wrap into shapes first, then inked them and stamped them onto my journaling block.

3. Heat Emboss with it. First, blot the bubble wrap with a VersaMark pad. Stamp the bubble wrap onto your paper, pour embossing powder on the image, tap off the excess powder and heat the image with a craft heat gun. This will give you lots of nice shine!

4. Cut the bubble wrap into shapes. I made a template which I drew freehand on scrap paper, then traced onto the bubble wrap. You can then paint your shapes, spray with glimmer mist, or both! Then add them as embellies to your page.

5. Color on the bubbles. Using some markers, color in the bubbles to make a shape, then stamp the bubble wrap on the paper to make your design.

Bubble wrap stamping is fun, easy and inexpensive. There is so much you can do and I can't wait to see what you come up with. And don't forget to show me your creations to win the awesome storage baskets from our sponsor!