Sam the Wonder Lab by Candice Windham

Sam the Wonder Lab Scrapbook Page

Designed by Candice Windham

We recently had to say goodbye to our all-time favorite pet, Sam the Wonder Lab. 

Sam was a stray who showed up at our door one Sunday morning in the summer of 1998. He was mangy, covered in fleas and had a bad ear infection. He went to our neighbor’s home first, but the neighbor’s wife said, “Howard, you don’t need a dog. I’ll put some food on Candice’s porch and she’ll keep him. Then you can pet him anytime you want.”

Once we got him to the vet, he quit scratching…but then started chewing: shrubs, cross ties from around our garden and Larry’s fishing boat, including gas lines, electrical wires, the interior carpeting and two life jackets. I thought Sam was going to lose his life that day, but he ran to Larry, wagged his tail with that big floppy tongue hanging out, and Larry’s heart melted.

I wanted to save my Facebook post about Sam and all the comments from my Facebook friends, so this page includes two pockets for hidden journaling. I didn’t add any excess embellishments because I wanted Sam to be the focus and I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

Here’s how I did it:

Supplies:

KellyCraft™ Get-It-Straight™ Laser Square

KellyCraft™ Multi-Mat Docking Station

Card Stock. three 12” X 12” sheets, double-side (Graphic 45)

Rust Brown Card Stock , 8” x 8” (Bazzill)

Tan Card Stock 7 ½” x 7” (Bazzill)

White cardstock, three sheets (Stampin’ Up!®)

Score Tape, ½”, double-stick

Distress Ink, Walnut Stain (Tim Holtz for Ranger, Inc.)

Sponge

Paper Trimmer

Computer and Printer

White Computer Paper

Instructions:

Print the title block on plain white paper. Cut a piece of printed card stock slightly larger than the title block and tape it over the words. Run the page back through your printer to print the words on the printed card stock.

Tip: Use a light box or tape your white page to a sunny window to line up the card stock. It is only necessary to tape the leading edge of the card stock. If you get it a little off-center, just trim it a little more.

Cut the following from the printed card stock. Vary the prints and turn them in different ways to add interest to the page, such as the horizontally striped paper on the vertically striped background paper.

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Printed Card Stock: 3” x 6 ¼” and 2 ¾” x 6” (two different prints)

4” x 11 ½” and 3 ¾” x 11 ¼” (two different prints)

7 ¾” x 7 ¾” 

12” x 12”

Sponge the edges of all photos and card stock with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Place the KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square in the KellyCraft Multi-Mat Docking Station. Place the 12” x 12” piece of card stock with the top of the sheet to the left on the KellyCraft Multi-Mat Docking Station and use the magnets to hold it in place. Attach the 4” x 11 ½” sheet of card stock ½” from the top (actually left side) and centered from side to side (actually top to bottom) with Scor-Tape. Center the 3 ¾” x 11 ¼” sheet of card stock on the first and secure it with Scor-Tape.

Turn the page so that the top of the page is lined up correctly on the KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square and  KellyCraft Multi-Mat Docking Station.

Rotate the paper on the KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square and KellyCraft Multi-Mat Docking Station so that the top of the page is in the proper place. Attach the top and bottom photos, lining them up about 1/8” from the top and bottom, then attach the center photo between the two.

Place the title block mat in place about ¼” from the bottom of the page and adhere with Scor-Tape.

Place Scor-Tape along three sides of the 8” card stock.

Place Scor-Tape on three sides of the 7 ¾” piece of printed card stock and adhere the sheets together, using the KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square and  KellyCraft Multi-Mat Docking Station  to center the pieces.

Attach the photo to the two layers with Score-Tape and use the KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square and  KellyCraft Multi-Mat Docking Station. Be sure that the two pockets without tape are at the top of the page.

Trim the journaling page and mount it to the tan cardstock, leaving

the top margin large enough to write the name and extend out of the larger pocket.

Fold the pages of the Facebook Friends’ Comments and slip them into the smaller pocket. If the pages are fat, press the edges with a bone folder to slim them down a bit.

That’s it. It took me longer to find and print out my Facebook pages than it did to create the page itself. Of course I was blubbering the whole time I was looking for photos and re-reading all the comments from my sweet friends.

Sam was the best dog ever, and now generations of my family will know all about him through my scrapbooks. 

Sleep in peace, dear Sam.