Paper Trimmer Scrap

Moving On

2009-09-11T09:54:00.000-06:00

After a summer hiatus I realised it was becoming too difficult to fit two blogs into my busy life so, for now, I've decided for now to combine my creative exploits with the rest of my families exploits over on
KAGS Life. - Why don't you follow me there?

Mothers!

2009-05-12T11:43:00.006-06:00

I made these mini albums for Mothers Day.

Mothers Day in the UK is earlier in the year - in March. I really have to have my stuff together to remember that now.

However I made these for Canadian Mother's Day and showed guests at recent gatherings and hostess clubs how to make it.

Just a quick 3 pager - but there's room to add a couple more. And, yes, I did cut out all those tiny flowers by hand.

I used this very same template to make some wedding invitations with a lovely turquoise blue and dark brown cardstock and a damask style stamp. I didn't take any pictures before the bride to be wandered off with it to show her fiance. I'm sure I'll see it again soon and I'll take pictures then.

Blocks of Colour

2009-04-19T16:53:00.003-06:00

I've been asked about the colour blocking thing again - so I thought I'd post the story so far.

I took the class with Jill Hildebrand at Saskatchewan Scraps. Jill's the kind of girl who likes to do this fast - really fast and use papers, any papers that really don't go together.

That's when the magic happens; you put all these scary patterns together - not really worrying about it and you end up with something that just works - in a very small amount of time. Which is great for a procrastinator like me. Have a look and see what you think.

I love doing this so much now that I've set up a colour blocking folder. All the pattern scraps go in there and lots of the old stash that really, let's face it, I'm never going to use. That's all I need. Actually that's all I allow myself to use - which speeds things up no end.

I'm going through all the old storage albums (LOM style) scrapbooking all the old pictures this way. I'm getting lots done, the stories are going on paper and I feel like I'm doing something to reduce the ever growing pile of photo's. Gotta love that!

Every now and then I come across some photo's that I want to do a bit more with. So then I flick through my new inspiration binder (that's thanks to Wendy Smedleys Organised & Inspired class at BPS) and I'm off and away.

Scrapbook Saturdays

2009-04-05T14:21:00.005-06:00

Another successful Scrapbooking Saturday - in more ways than one.

I can't imagine how many pages were completed yesterday - some people seem to work like they're powered by steam.

We tried an entirely random potluck for lunch and we didn't get 15 desserts!! AND we had enough yummy food left over for supper too. So, thank you to everyone who participated!

It's great being able to put enough tables out that we can all sit down and eat together -catching up with old friends & building new friendships whilst we scrapbook.
The other great thing about that was being able to do some scrapbooking myself!

Usually at any event like this I am really unable to focus on anything.
That was until I took Jill Hildebrants colour blocking class a few weeks ago - now I'm flying! Six pages of colour blocking AND a regular funky page too.

I decided to use colour blocking as a way of getting through LOADS of scrapbooking fast. Which means getting heaps of older photos out of the storage albums and into my Library of Memories. Whilst going through the 1999/2000 storage album I even found two possible mini albums - and I have at least one photo album ready to use!

Here's one table of very busy ladies. One of their number was insistant that she was not scrapbooking, merely sticking photo's in albums. This lady even inspired her friend with a cool idea for a scrapbook page but STILL insisted that she's not scrapbooking. Like we live on the dark side! One day. One day soon, she'll try a stamp or a piece of patterned paper. I know she will.

There's just two more dates left for this season. May 9th (the weekend after the yard sale) and June 13th - this one will go until midnight! If you want to come join us send me an email!

Giving It Away to.......

2009-03-26T12:27:00.002-06:00

Thanks to everyone who left a comment and a title suggestion.

I loved them all but I couldn't resist the movie reference so neatly combined with my daughters blog name! Now why didn't I think of that?
Saucy expect a package of treasure to be arriving shortly.

Giving It Away - help needed

2009-03-24T14:47:00.003-06:00

Last month when I came out of hiding the blog was at 6276 hits. It's gone up by 700-odd since then. So I think we should have a little celebration.
Can you help me?
This layout is one I started at the weekend.
It's finished apart from a title and no matter how much I play around with words I just can't get something that grabs me.
Do you have any ideas?
Post me a title in the comments or just stop by and say hi - there's another package of trash to treasure waiting to be sent out.

All SKrapped Out

2009-03-22T10:45:00.008-06:00

Don't you just hate LONG line ups! Had the mission for coffee been just for me I would not have joined the line. However, there were six others depending on a succesful mission.

I arrived at the Saskatchewan Scraps event with just enough time to deliver the coffees and bring in my laundry basket of supplies before our first class with the wonderful Jill Hildebrand.
The class today was colour blocking. Had to giggle to myself and share with my friends - half the papers in the kit were from Close To My Heart!

In just over an hour I put together to scrapbook pages. Amazing what you can do when you only have a certain number of supplies and not an endless choice!

There's always a table decorating competition at Saskatchewan Scraps. You may remember that at the last event - we won for our Night Owl pyjama party.

This year we arrived in our vintage housewife aprons, used vintage dressmaking patterns for our table cloth - along with confections made from paper.
On display we had lots of vintage finds and notes about proper behaviour for the 50's housewife.

Although we are probably one of the noisiest tables when it comes to standing up and showing off our creations we all scrabble to hide and not be the one to speak. Thankfully Mel is always there to ensure our entry is the winner.

Yes, thanks to Mel, once again we walked away with the table decorating crown - and the goody bags! The girls are already whispering and plotting our next entry!

In the afternoon we all took Allison Orthoner's photography class. What an amazing woman. Allison de-coded the man made instructions of camera gobbledy gook and gave ous some wonderful visual cue's - including bright blue speedos.

I know, they're not bright blue, but even though this is Simon Le Bon - you still wouldn't want this lurking in the background of your photo - or any other distracting image!

After the class it was time for a practical. We all chose a spot and were challenged to take 5 very different pictures.
This is one of my favourites.

But I also caught these guys in my sights
Tammi's nylons were a constant source of entertainment luckily she always takes the ribbing with good humour.

Thanks Leica for another great event. You are such an inspiration to us all. How you manage to organize a fab event like this and do all the other stuff you do as well as take care of your very busy family is beyond me. Thanks for bringing it all together right here in Saskatoon. Thanks also to Leica's Mum Gwen for all the delicious food and refreshments. Mmmm! Loved that curried chicken too!
These events are just great for the scrapbookers soul and I can't wait for the next one (hint hint!)

Inspired Brad Storage

2009-03-17T15:10:00.003-06:00

The other day I was browsing the galleries for the Big Picture class I'm on (ok, one of the classes I'm signed up for!) When I came across this really cool idea for storing and displaying brads. This rainbow arrangement of brads, put together by an obviously very creative mind, is just what I needed.

The other day I came across a pack of four cork tiles in the 75% off bin at my local grocery store. Now I had no excuse not to have a go at creating my own display.

My eyes have gone a little screwy from putting it all together - but I love this really useful piece of art - and best of all I can just pick it up and take it to a crop - like Leica's one coming up this weekend!
I think I will display it there on the plate rack too!

You know what I am amazed by - just how few red brads I have. I wonder if that's because I use so many - or never think to buy red?

Defining Moments

2009-03-08T12:07:00.003-06:00

Things are changing around here. I'm trying to adjust to some new routines - and probably causing more chaos in the process. I haven't had as much time to scrapbook this week that's for sure. This is one that I finished last week.
Can you tell I'm trying to use my new found colour choices of blue and red? I can't resist a bit of orange either.

So, this afternoon, I'm sitting at the table with my son, making a number line with some brightly coloured beads when he decides to inform me that he knows what puberty is!

You know those moments when you've just taken a sip of tea and the snort of laughter sends that drink up the nasal passage? Yep. That was me.

I had to ask. I needed to know what this new phenomonen meant to him. It's good. Really good. So good I actually reached for a pen and some paper to make sure it's remembered forever. Ready?

Puberty is when you fall in love with someone and then kill them.

I guess all those raging hormones could induce some overwhelming feelings - but I think he has the wrong end of the stick.

Maybe it was a moment of temporary (in)sanitary?

Anonymous Scrappers

2009-03-08T11:55:00.002-06:00

Another sucessful Simply Scrapbooking event. Someone suggested we should name our day as Scrapbookers Anonymous - and I guess for all the inspiration and learning each & everyone brings to our "meetings" it's kind of fitting.
What do you think?

Yesterday saw a 50% increase in attendees on the first event in February. I can't wait to see what happens for the next one, April 4th. Early registration is available now.

We Have A Winner

2009-03-07T08:32:00.000-06:00

Do you know how many little happy dances I did as the comments on my post went up one by one - and I now have 15 followers! I'm no longer the billy no mates of the blog world. Thank you.

So, Tamara, if you would like to email me here kr8inkaren@hotmail.com I can get a bag of treasured trash on it's way to you!

Karma in Beige

2009-03-06T16:28:00.002-06:00

Last week as part of the Organised & Inspired class we were given a few sheets of questions. I finally picked up the sheets and set about answering some of the questions.

"How much did you pay for your first car" prompted a conversation with my husband, remembering our first cars & driving tests.

I was 19 when I finally passed my driving test - 3rd time lucky right? Each time I took the test I went to a different testing centre. Southgate, Winchmore Hill and finally, Chingford.
I purchased my first car a few days later. A 1977 Ford Escort Popular, in a colour that has since been nicknamed (by my nearest & dearest) as hearing aid beige. I paid roughly 400 Pounds (GB).
I nervously drove that car home. After all this was my first time driving unaccompanied. I learnt to drive in that car. It got scratches and dings. I drove all over in that little car. I moved house in that little car. I had a couple of years of very happy driving in that car.

The end of the Escort came one evening while driving home. An oncoming vehicle turning right (we're in the UK remember) hit me. Another driver stopped, and gave me his details as a witness straight away. For many reasons (which could be a story for another day) I never pursued the claim. Instead I upped the bank loan and bought the Volvo.

However, I never forgot the driver who stopped to help and offered support.

Now how about this.

Just this morning after dropping my two at school I witnessed a vehicle collision. One driver had failed to observe the yield sign and collided with the another vehicle who had right of way.

I stopped. I made sure the appropriate driver had my details. He was only a young guy on his way to school and was very obviously shaken by the incident.

Luckily neither driver was hurt.

There was a lot more damage to both vehicles than there ever was to my first car.
I now feel like the good deed that was given to me all those years ago has been returned.

But how weird is that? I better be careful what memories I recall tonight.

Here's the layout that I was inspired to make.
(Looking at it now the text looks a bit wonky. Maybe it's the angle I took the photo at trying to avoid the harsh mid afternoon sunlight!)
I love how simple this page is, it's not loaded down with product - but it's still me.

Giving It Away

2009-03-04T19:49:00.005-06:00

You know, I put the blog followers thing up the other day. I'm feeling really lonely:(
There's plenty of you lurkers that come by here.
I need you to come out of the proverbial closet.

Leave me a comment. Introduce yourself .
Then sign yourself up to be a follower of this blog. (You need to click that button over there - to the right) If I get 10 followers (see I'm not ambitious) by the weekend I'll be entering each and every one of you in a draw.

I think this weeks draw will be a package of kindness. You know I'm (now) a believer in moving out the stuff I no longer use, or have never used for that matter. It needs a good home, someone who'll appreciate newer, FREE, supplies.

It could be you.

I might even throw in some unopened packets of something. Something scrapbook related - get your minds out of the gutter.

What have you got to loose?

Comment. Follow this blog.

Make me happy - and I could be doing the same for you.

Just Chillin"!!

2009-03-02T12:07:00.005-06:00

Here's another quick one.
This is one half of a Page Maps design. I've recently used this same design two or three times. Whatever works, right?

It's the beginning of a new month too - which means that the new Page Maps are up GO HERE to see them and download the PDF.

I just got a new design card for my Slice in the mail from JustCr8. And that's where I'm going right note to play with "Noteworthy". I am thinking I might need that new design card on the Slice website - Just Chillin'. Which one's your favourite?

Oh that is just so funny, just as I was about to publish this post I realised I hadn't given it a title. So then I thought "Just Chillin" would be pretty cool - to go with the page and the design card - then I got shmwacked on the side of the head with the realisation that the paper I used for the layout is also called - yep, you guessed it - Just Chillin'!

Also, I'm thinking up some kind of give away, this week. Not sure of the details right now - or even what it might be - but we all like to get something for free, right?

Octopus

2009-02-26T18:08:00.003-06:00

I actually emailed a picture of this to a friend earlier today - I wasn't sure if it was worthy of putting on here - it totally felt like I was just playing and having fun.
I mostly wanted to try making those funky flowers that seem to be everywhere right now.

The sun was an afterthought. I keep thinking that maybe it looks like an octopus? Have to say I saw the Daydream paper in a different light whilst creating this! And that little green piece behind the last toadstall in not meant to be there - but didn't realise until after I took the picture - and now the sun is in the wrong place!

I would love to hear what YOU think to this one.

Twenty Four Hours

2009-02-24T22:35:00.015-06:00

Last summer we took a road trip to Drumheller, Alberta in between visitors. We had just 24 hours to spend in the dinosaur town. It takes a good 5 hours to drive each way.
When we got back, of course along with all the happy memories I had LOTS of pictures. After sifting, paring down and printing I had just over 90 pictures I wanted to use. Too many for one scrapbook page. Not enough to dedicate to one album.

I decided to try Photo Album scrapbooking. Something Stacy Julian had introduced us to in the Library of Memories class.

Just a simple $3 slip - in photo album from WalMart remove the cheesy front (slip in) cover & replace with your own fitting cover.

an introduction page (another first for me)

and we're off

see how I had no trouble at all "letting go" cutting photo's to fit in each slip in slot.

I chose about four colours that I thought worked with the theme and feel of Drumheller

I used the same stamps sets all the way through. There was no re-inventing the wheel with every turn of the page.

In the journalling spots I stamped a time for each location we stopped at - to emphasize that 24 hour theme.

I even slipped in some pictures and didn't feel the need to run any narrative

I cut and slipped in the map for the Royal Tyrell attaching the extending parts to cardstock

and this to the flip side.

I even slipped our entry ticket in behind this page.

The only picture I didn't take here was of the poor woman walking around with her dressed tucked into her underwear :0 (The dress was a bit odd anyway...& I couldn't decide if it was part of the design - and get this the rest of her family - who were walking behind her did nothing either. )

Anyhow, this photo album scrapbook is probably the fastest thing I've ever put together and I love it.

And I still can't believe we did all that in 24 hours!

Total lift

2009-02-23T14:40:00.002-06:00

So this one is a total lift.

But I have to tell you this much, when I saw this layout by Elizabeth Kartchner in Creating Keepsakes January 2009, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

From the paper, to the story.

Everything just clicked into place.

I always thought that I looked through magazines, sometimes tagged the ones I liked and then placed that magazine in it's chronological place in a magazine file and forgot about it.

Then, thanks to the Organized & Inspired class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and the freedom it's given me to actually cut....those bad boys....up I've been revisiting all those back issues and going oh yeah that totally reminds me of a story I want to tell.

So I cut it out and slap it in my inspiration binder (which is now two binders - but that's because of all the magazines I had let me tell you!)

Did I tell you already how much I love those Inspiration Binders? Except I think I might be getting addicted to cutting up magazines now, need....... to buy more........ to cut them up.

Birthday Spinner

2009-02-21T20:12:00.003-06:00

The Warman Mafia were here for their monthly card/splurge/hostess club. I found this spinning card on Split Coast Stampers and used the Daydream paper pack.

I used some more of those Stickles too. My most used colours (that are not really colours) are Star Dust and Diamond. One has a blue irridescent tone to it and the other is more golden. Both are sparkling sensations.
A little bit of dental floss is all you need to get this card spinning. The dental floss I used here is cherry flavoured and therefore pink - but it goes well - don't you think?

We also made this box in a bag. Another stolen idea from Split Coast Stampers. I used my new SLICE to make the star on the front of the card.

You can also probably also see some more use of those sparkly stickles and my other favourite new toy (which takes a back seat to the slice) the threading water punch from Fiskars.

Luckily I had some double sided tape I had acquired at the last Saskatoon Crop n Cruise - and it definately came in handy for both projects.

Do you also notice the lovely little charm bracelet in the pictures? I didn't make this one.

It was a Valentines gift from the very lovely Saucy and her darling daughter Loopy. Actually we scored twice - one for me and one for my own little darling Daisy.

Saucy is just the craftiest person I know and would surely give Martha a run for her money (& product line). I like to think of her as our very own Pioneer Woman without the calf nuts.

So Inspired

2009-02-19T18:26:00.004-06:00

You already know I'm a BIG, huge fan of Big Picture Scrapbooking, right? I'm always taking a class, spouting all the wonderful knowledge that I gain under the guidance of the likes of Stacy Julian or Cathy Zielske.

Currently I'm enrolled in Get Organised & Inspired with Wendy Smedley.

My new path of enlightenment involves this:

an ever growing pile of magazine cut outs.

Part of the class suggests clipping the layouts and themes from magazines that inspire you.
I was very very reluctant to do this. And yet somehow I picked up my scissors and began to clip without a backward glance. One magazine down and I was hooked. Several magazines down and my binder was beginning to take shape.

One thing I have learned? I have a love of blue and red - it can be almost any shade of blue or red but I love in particular a shade of blue I've come to call Tiffany blue and the red? Cherry red. It makes me happy.

I thought at first I would have to, no need, to have very structured sections within this binder, but I have even managed to let go of that.

I started out sticking everything to white cardstock - and soon got tired of that. Now I simply rip the store lists and other "white" pages from the magazines and stick my clippings to them instead!

Now, whenever I look through this binder (or it may very soon end up as several binders) I am just itching and tingling and bursting with ideas and can't wait to go to my room and play!

Now, please excuse me, I need to go through Simple Scrapbooks 2008!

Get Creative

2009-02-12T08:20:00.003-06:00

Good Morning Science Trek. You guys are going to have so much fun this afternoon creating some scrapbook pages! Ms Chan & I thought you'd like to see some artwork to give you a few ideas - so I thought I'd quickly give you a few links for places I like to go for inspiration!

Kelli Crowe is really fun - you can see a gallery HERE

Vicki Boutin is Canadian and her work is lots of fun too go HERE

Leica Forrest is fun and she's right here in Saskatoon - go HERE

Sassfrass is a product line - they have some great stuff on their blog HERE

One more is Pencil Lines - they publish a sketch - and layouts using that sketch you can see them HERE

Page Maps works along the same premise - look HERE

Have fun browsing all these wonderful galleries and we'll get really creative this afternoon! I have to tell you last year when I came in to work with Science Trek it was the boys who really impressed me with their creativity!

Phew!

2009-02-09T19:47:00.004-06:00

and then she rested. That's exactly what I did yesterday. SSS was ( I think, I hope) a success. Thank you to everyone who came. What a wonderful bunch of ladies to try out on. Everyone got along really well, lots of creativity floating around and ideas bouncing off each other and best of all - lots done!
The food disappeared - I guess that's a good thing. I'll make more chocolate chip shortbread and purchase even more liquorice allsorts for next time!

I really enjoyed visiting with everyone - and I could still join in the chatter from the kitchen - so I didn't miss a thing!

Next one is March 7th - so email me or leave a comment now and get your spot reserved early.

I began working on my inspiration binder when I had a chance to sit down throughout the day.

This is an idea from my latest Big Picture class - Organised & Inspired with Wendy Smedley. I really wasn't sure about cutting up my huge magazine collection - but you know what?

I'm loving it.

Just had to breathe, and let go. It is ok to cut the magazines up. So I started with CK for 2008.

I've noticed I have a bit of a thing for all the really fun layouts - not so much for the blocky stuff - and I have a big thing for blue and red - doesn't matter what shade but I'm all over it!

Already I can flick through this burgeoning bundle of collected scraps and feel inspired by everything I see.

Now, can I cut through Canadian Scrapbooker?

Simple Saturday Scrapbooking Dawns

2009-02-06T20:13:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is the very first "big" scrapbooking event that I've organized.
I think I mentioned that earlier this week. Just about 12 hours to go until kick off and the gates open. I'm really excited and quite nervous. Am I ready?

Of course not.

That would not be me.

I have lists! Lists on paper & lists in my head and as the time ticks away my thoughts are going faster and faster.

I wanted these monthly crops just to be a place where like minded friends new & old could come, hang out and get some good crafting time in.

Us girls we need that time.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Meantime I have my Art4Kids class to run. Tonight's early classes ( I have three classes back to back, K & G1, then G2 to G4 and then G5+) heard the story "Snowmen At Night" by Caralyn Buehner. We have previously been working on perspective - so we paid special attention to the size of each snowman layer. Then we used some colours to suggest light and shade adding definition to the shape, before adding some details like scarves, mitts and the like.
Now I just have to make sure I have everything I need for tomorrow - including the kitchen sink!

Kit Lift

2009-02-05T20:52:00.003-06:00

Just before Christmas Vicki Boutin was selling some of her class kits over at her blog. I love VB's style - everything she does is just filled with fun and energy.
Anyway, I was very lucky to recieve some (like 5 kits I think) as gifts on Christmas morning (I wonder how that happened!!). One of the kits was called That's My Boy. I've already put that layout together - but I loved it so much I wanted to do it again. This is my take on that kit using (mostly) CTMH products.

This is the paper pack called Stardust. I've had to re-order this pack for my personal stash already - because I love it - all of it - so much!
You can see I've picked out some of the planet rings with Star Dust Stickles and added some green stickles on the dots too.

The strip to the right of the page is from one of the VB kits's that I got - I think it is Sassafrass.

The green star, number 3 and "enjoy" were all cut using my lovely new Slice.

I am so happy I bought it!

You Rock

2009-02-04T22:20:00.007-06:00

I may have taken an extended hiatus from blogging - but that doesn't mean I wasn't working away at little paper delights like this.
It's a pop up card using the new Emporium paper pack from CTMH and the new MyAcrylix stamp set You Rock.

This is the card that everyone can choose to make at the first, upcoming, Simple Scrapbooking Saturday, that I have organized.

The first one is this coming Saturday - so I'm making lists on paper and in my head of everything I need to do and remember to bring!

We're going to try something new too. You know how one person's trash is another persons treasure? I'm encouraging all attendees to bring their unwanted, unused, I bought it on a whim supplies to swap and trade among us. Hopefully, we'll all get a great deal - and a new stash to take home!

I've booked four dates so far, trying to keep to the first Saturday of each month.

The Saturdays are February 7th, March 7th, April 4th and May 9th.

If you're from around here and would like to get some good scrapbooking time in, come and join us. Email me for the details.

Here's another valentines card I pulled together. The girls in my splurge club got to make this one.

Paper is from the CTMH paper pack That's Amore. The stamps are from the February Word Puzzle and a little bit of my new favourite stickles flavour - Diamond.

I put together this 6x6 for a recent gathering.

When all inspiration failed me and the tantrums were starting I looked no further than the cover of the new Idea Book.I used one stamp set Boutique Borders (another new one!) four times on this minature layout - trying to get the same look without the use of all the embellishments. Can you spot all four?

Christmas Craftiness

2008-11-19T19:28:00.001-06:00

You know the holidays are coming when
the house is covered in Prisma Glitter and quite a few other projects too.

Like this tray I bought at Dollarama - along with some red acrylic paint. A few scraps of paper and a stamp set later, I have a lovely tray for the season.
Of course I couldn't resist trying out the white StazOn ink on another of those Dollarama jars either.

Then there's this papercrafted pine cone. I found on here with some step by step instructions. I found 2.5 inch styrofoam balls at Dollarama - 8 in a package too!

How about another gate-fold card? I wondered if I used a couple of circles and the scallop edge of a corner rounder I might be able to make something that looks like a wreath. It's not too bad.

Here's the inside

I picked up a tip from the Stamp Goddess - mixing liquid glass & red re-inker - but then I also added in some pearly create a shade paint - just because it's like making mud pies and you have to play!
Here's another set of Christmas cards too.

I'm hoping to put together a couple of sessions for Christmas cards & paper crafting. If you'd like to join us, leave a comment!

Alfresco Cards

2008-11-05T19:07:00.000-06:00

Just a quick card post tonight. I was inspired to use the stamp set Alfresco, with a gate fold card I'd seen on SplitCoast Stampers.

Despite having to use at least three stamped images for each card I loved the way it turned out and ended up making it with a few different colour combo's.

NABLOPOMO

2008-11-05T10:02:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to let everyone who stops by know that this month, November, I am taking part in NaBloPoMo - but all of my posts are on my other blog KAGS Life. I will try to post anything creative here too - but for the most part I will be over there.

Christmas Cards #1

2008-11-05T10:00:00.000-06:00

Tonight, was the last meeting this term, for one of my card clubs. Because I've been working away at Christmas cards, I gave them a little taster of what will be, the upcoming Christmas card workshops.

(And thanks to yesterdays musiquarium, the soundtrack in my scrappy room has been Take That! I've been singing away down there to all their CD's reminiscing - ok & a little bit of dancing!)

I've posted before pictures of the mess I make whilst I'm in the midst of working.
It gets cleaned up eventually.
Usually about 5 minutes before the group arrives.

I always pre-cut all the pieces for my groups. Then they can just have fun with the techniques, the stamping and adding the embellishments.
I just need to come up with two more cards to go with these and then we'll have round one of a Christmas card workshop.

Craftiness

2008-10-22T16:30:00.001-06:00

Last night I had a new hostess group over for some craftiness. These guys will be putting together a scrapbook page and a card once a month. Last night I had a bit of a Halloween theme going on.

Reflections - Sampler, pieced

This layout is a favourite from the Reflections book - I guess with all those straight lines Cathy Zielske would be proud of me. I had them all getting in some heat embossing practice. The black works great with all the halloween stamps. My black embossing powder accidentally got some sparkly powder mixed in awhile ago, not that I'm complaining.

We also made this card, that I spotted on the artboard at CTMH. We made all the eyes from embossing an owl stamp and cutting around the eyes.

This one was last weeks class. I came up with this idea from an advertisement in the back of a scrapbooking magazine.
I knew Jenn & Tammi would love this - and I thought it would be a good display page. I'm planning to stick it to a 12x12 canvas.

Today was a little windy for taking pictures of scrapbook pages outside - and a couple of times this happened.

Now, what would I possibly want with reels of zebra-ish print ribbon?

Major Creating Going On Here!

2008-10-16T17:28:00.001-06:00

Today was a bit of a catch up day for me - doing some jobs that have been on my to do list for a while - some for a very long while.

This stack of cards were made for school a request that was made - I can't say how long ago. When someone says "when you have time" there is no deadline. That doesn't work for me! The card design is from the Close To My Heart Originals card program
Next up these great underwear cards.

Now don't go thinking I'm the original designer of these - far from it. I got the idea from Stamp Owl where you'll also find the template that I used to make these.

I've have had lots of fun making a multi tude of bra & panties. They're great to send to your girl friends to say "thanks for the support" or maybe "you give me a lift"
But this is Breast Cancer awareness month too - wouldn't it be a great way to remind your girlfriends to pay a bit more attention to their boobs?

Great fun shading in the cleavage too - on both cards!!!!

Next, thanks to a little inspiration from Saucy and Jenn with their Dollarama finds and some unused StazOn in my stash I had the blinding flash of inspiration to create these jars.

So far I've delivered three today filled with yummy chocolate chip shortbread.

I think I'll be sending the Hallowe'en ones' to school for Daisy & Doodlebugs classrooms - filled with candy rather than the chocolate chip shortbread.

Now, I have to go and figure out my order for Shelley at Word To The Wall. I had a party here last week and thanks to everyone who came I have loads of writing for my walls to choose from.
I think I'm going to get this one. I thought I could put this one above my hall of fame in my scrap space and maybe I'll put this this one on the tile I get for hosting the party.

Design Your Life

2008-10-02T13:35:00.002-06:00

Today sees the start of a new class at Big Picture Scrapbooking - Design Your Life with Cathy Zielske. I just managed to finish the pre class layout - just a few hours after the class started....not bad for me.
And yes that big lollipop says 40 sucks - but really, does it?

Hello Monday

2008-09-29T10:46:00.000-06:00

Here I am back from a quick weekend trip to Edmonton with some girlfriends. It's amazing how much faster we the journey seems to go when there's no kids in the vehicle! It's also so much easier to spend ALOT of time in IKEA without the little darlings too.
I bought this huge canvas print called "Westminster Bridge" - it's a foggy, black & white featuring a London taxi cab and a routemaster bus in all it's red glory - fitting perfectly with our family room - and of course there is that connection with our old home too. I think the Doodlebug has a black cab and a red bus up in his room...I might borrow them for a shelf down here. Then all I'll need is an old telephone box!

Cathy Zielske has another gove away over on her blog today - so I'm off to leave a comment in the hopes of winning this one. I've signed up for Design Your Life - Cathy's three month long class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. It starts this Thursday. I so want to get with the program and stick with this one. I've been waiting all year for Cathy's class.
Tomorrow see's the end of 30 Days hath September a class that Stacy Julian has been teaching as part of Have More Fun at BPS - and Jenn, I'm sorry, I totally bombed on this one. Hope you did better than me!
Ali Edwards is coaching us all along documenting "A Week in the Life". I think a week is much more managelble for someone with a little more attention than a goldfish (that would be me) so I might try that.

Celebrating Friendship

2008-09-26T12:26:00.003-06:00

Miss Daisy's friends really enjoy coming over for a papercrafting party. This year they were all excited for more (do you know how excited a gaggle of girls at this age can be?).

Remember the invitations we made at the weekend. Each invited guest had to bring their invitations with them - so they could be used as part of the scrapbook page.
Martha Stewart's butterfly punch sure comes in handy concealing the girls identities. It's a 9x9 scrapbook page. Daisy's own album is just that size - so hers will fit in there perfectly.

They also decorated these pots. I've been collecting empty hot chocolate pots forever. I knew they would come in handy one day.
I think the girls were more exicted for the pots than the scrapbook page!

Yesterday, Cathy Zielske, was offering up tickets to CKC in St. Paul, MN. I know we're nowhere near there - but I figured it was worth a try. I added in my comments the story of my writing buddy & I, in the hope that would seal the deal.
Sadly, we didn't win - but I think CZ herself was over here last night checking out the blog, well someone from St Paul was - and she did that earlier this year when I one prizes on her blog. Remember? (You can see it here)

Invited?

2008-09-22T13:37:00.002-06:00

It's Miss Nina's 11th birthday this week. The invitations went to school this morning.

Don't they look just a bit like cupcakes?
They're tiny too - just two & half inches high and three and a half wide. I used a pattern from the new Originals program.
I had the most trouble trying to tie those ribbon bows.
The cupcake stamp itself is on a much bigger stamp - so I just had to exclude the bits I didn't want.
The Fastenator staples were on sale on my last visit to the local scrapbook store - and the Nina insisted we use them for her birthday invites.

There was a shot of the inside of the invitation but you don't really need to know my telephone number and address.

Last year we had a scrappy party - and it was very successful - so of course it's back by popular demand (or maybe it should just read that it was demanded!!)
I'll let you know what we get up to!

Hang It Up!

2008-08-23T16:48:00.002-06:00

In the new issue of Simple there's a few ideas for displaying finished layouts. Among them is the idea of hanging your finished pages from a curtain rod. Well guess who's been ahead of the game for the last six months then?

I manage to get around 12 layouts along this strip and now as I finish another layout then one has to come down and be put into one of my new Library albums.

I love the little shelf too. It's just wide enough to display cards and mini albums. It's like a mini gallery as you take the stairs down to the basemant and walk towards my scrapbook room at the end.

Oh look, there's that mini album I made the other day too. My room always manages to look clean and tidy just before guests come over. Any other time - it's a complete mess!

Play the Day Away

2008-08-22T09:05:00.004-06:00

Have More Fun @ Big Picture is definately having an influence on me...I CAN just go and pick out some papers and put the pictures down with the story and BE DONE.

I originally posted these pictures on KAGSLife last summer - not long after we'd moved into our new house.

Having More fun

2008-08-21T15:55:00.004-06:00

This mini - album was real quick and easy to make - I'm trying so hard to be all about the mini albums and photo album scrapbooking right now.
Stacy is a big believer in relieving the back log of photos by creating photo album scrapbooks and mini albums.
Did you get your copy of the Simple Scrapbooks Mini Albums in an Evening?

This one may have taken me a little longer than an evening - but not by much and only because I only really get 2 hours max to myself in an evening right now.
I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

What do you think?

I used the S from his name to prompt the tabbed sections. I will journal on the little pull outs about those topics.

Four girls came here Tuesday night and made one each. As always I love watching how each one turns out just a bit different as everyone puts their own twist on the original.

All Summer Long - Fabulous

2008-08-20T09:43:00.001-06:00

I seem to be on a girly trip this week. Here's another Miss Daisy layout, again, I pulled photo's from different times & places - from the category drawers I now use thanks to the LOM class.

I then created this one - in honor of the Daisy's first ever concert.
I'm currently signed up for Have More Fun at Big Picture - and the don't worry about it - just go and do it attitude of having more fun is just where I am right now. that's just what I did with this one - pulled a sheet from that Rock Star paper pack (is it DCWV?) and slapped the pictures down. Really, this only took half an hour - and I am really happy with it.

Call Me Kylie

2008-08-18T09:31:00.002-06:00

Miss Nina has always been so proud of her pretty little derriere - and not afraid to shake it in the face of anyone close enough to appreciate it!

I managed to combine her special "talent" with the story of how I wanted to call her Daisy but wasn't allowed!

Crack Me Up

2008-08-16T09:14:00.000-06:00

These here are more pictures taken on the same day as THESE .
Since participating in LOM earlier this year I haven't felt such a great need to put all the photo's from one event on the same layout.

In fact, with the pictures that I took that day, I have already created at least 3 layouts focusing on different things.

Anyhow, this layout, like the other one is also inspired by a Vicki Boutin layout that appeared in a spring edition of Scrapbooks etc.

I used three different paper packs from CTMH, loads of liquid glass and sparkley things (including my all time favourite - prisma glitter).

Ready to Use

2008-08-15T21:33:00.001-06:00

What do you do with all those thin strips of cardstock?
You wanna know what I do?

Ready made journalling strips of course.
You know I love to use them and I love having them ready to go. White Daisy, Colonial White, Bamboo - I keep them all.

Pool Party Anyone?

2008-08-14T16:57:00.005-06:00

How about this for the perfect pool party invitation? I was inspired by these instructions on SplitcoastStampers.

I found that I didn't have too much that would assist me in making pool themed cards - so I came up with making a swim ring out of cardstock - thanks go to my trusty coluzzle circle cutter, cardstock in fresh pool colours and sponge daubers that do such a great job at adding depth to a project.

Following the swim ring idea the kids then got an inflatable each to take home - rather than a candy filled treat bag!

2008-07-30T22:10:00.004-06:00

I just posted this picture on my other blog HERE.

I am so happy to have found Tracy Joy and her beautiful camera bags. In fact, I think I could be starting a trend, right here in Saskatoon.
Kari is waiting for hers to arrive. It won't be long before Tami feels the need and then Jenn's got a birthday coming up pretty soon too.
I love messenger bags - can't be doing with anything that has to be constantly hoisted back up the shoulder - and I knew I wanted to be hands free while out and about with a camera and still have room to store a drink and a snack for at least a child!
Here's my Kristine bag today - loaded with a camera, "the big lens" a wallet, keys and my creative planner - oh and I found a Lego Star Wars clone head in there too!

Add this to your list.

2008-07-28T07:27:00.003-06:00

One to look at today. I discovered this Saucy while reading over at Leica's blog. Since the very first day I've been hooked. There's always something going on, some fab ideas - all wrapped up with a good sense of humor. You should go there now and enjoy. Really.

Doodle inspiration

2008-07-27T08:54:00.003-06:00

Mum sent Georgina this cute little top from Next (still love that store - so wish there was one here). It's so cute.

I couldn't resist taking little detail pictures too

and this one on the side of the hood.

Isn't it just perfect fir little girls? Couldn't you just use that design for a doodle on a girlie scrapbook page?

Randomness

2008-07-25T09:07:00.002-06:00

This is what happens when you use several - or maybe a few more than that stamps and some black ink to create a random stamped paper. I love doing this. I always start with the largest stamp and place it a few times (randomly) across the paper, then I go down to a slightly smaller image and give it some more. The most engrossing fun comes with the smallest stamp you can find and trying to find another gap to fit it into. Somewhere in the middle of creating this you come to a point when you think - ugh this is not going to work breathe, relax, keep going - it'll look great - I promise.

With this one there was really no point in creating a pattern because I was about to cut it up!

I used it to create these cards.

The girls arrived for Card Club and loved what they saw - thinking the patterned paper was just that. Ha ha - I can't just make cards - there has to be some sort of hard work involved!

Hey, isn't there some new paper out that you can doodle and colour in? Save the bother and make your own! I think I might just sit down and colour one in with some pencils - just for fun - what do you think?

When your taking pictures with your dSLR do you mess with the focusing- I do - I try & make things look like what I see - withut my contact lenses in - you know - just for fun.

These random stamped papers really mess your eyes up - look! My brain (& I) get all confused and don't know whether or not to focus - and I can't remember if I'm wearing eye wear!

Hello!

2008-07-23T17:35:00.003-06:00

Long time, no hear, I know I know. Having no computer for awhile there really put me of my stride - and then I just lost the bloggin' mojo. Espcially for this blog. Have to create something, have to take pictures, load them up - you know how it is. I wouldn't mind, but it's not like I haven't been creating, and I take pictures and upload them almost on a daily basis. Just ....need to ......concentrate!

Here's another quick birthday card I made for a boy. Apparently it went down a storm with the party go-ers - so that's a good sign!

I have loads more to show and share - so I'll be back soon.

Slight Technical Hitch

2008-06-19T22:12:00.002-06:00

Our computer died - about two weeks ago - just after the last post. So we've been wandering round in no mans land - with no place to contact the outside world.

Until now. We're back - and services will resume as normal shortly.

With the death of the computer we lost everything - there's a lesson to be learned in saving pictures to disc on a regular basis! We also have no email addresses - so email me - kr8inkaren@hotmail.com to be put back (or added to) my address book.

Our House

2008-06-06T14:40:00.002-06:00

well, flat, actually.
It's week 11 over on the Library of Memories class - and this week Stacy has challenged us to produce layouts for the "Places We Go" section of out libraries.

Stacy's request was for one photo and jotting down handwritten memories - still trying to work on getting it done in fifteen minutes though!
I really enjoyed re-capturing the memories of those times. I might even be inspired to make another page about this, our first home.

Dirty Boy.

2008-05-31T15:47:00.000-06:00

Another Spencer story to tell, another page for the Spencer section in the All About Us album!

This was last summer - and I guess counts as event scrappin'. The original story was posted here.
I am loving this new Sasparilla paper pack - it has some of my very favourite colours in it Desert Sand, Twilight and Barn Red. Perfect for a dirty little boy!

Mapped

2008-05-30T15:30:00.001-06:00

Page Maps was definately a source of inspiration last week. My friend Kari, had left me the new book to thumb through. Which also had me going back through the archives of the website too. Now, I can't remember which pages came from the book and which came from the website.

It may be lazy - but sometimes I definately need that starter to help me along the way!

Here's another Spencer layout using a Page Maps sketch.

I have already scrapped last summer's trip to Thunder Bay in a mini album and these pictures were duplicates.
So, I pulled them from various places in my category drawers and made a page that hightlights Spencers love of Roller Coasters - which he did not get from me! Both of these pages will go in the All About Us album in the Spencer section.

I still have mor of these roller coaster pictures left over - I think I will store some and add to them over the years - and maybe make another page when he's older - should he still be a thrill seeker!

Here's a Couple

2008-05-29T15:07:00.005-06:00

While I may not have been here, I was still here.

Paying attention to my Library of Memories classes (as of today we're up to Lesson 10).
I'm still catching up on making section pages - like this one here for "Together You 2" in the All About Us album - pages about Georgina & Spencer, together and the relationship they share.

Whilst I may not be up to speed on section pages I am certainly loving the filing system of the category drawers - and how I can pull pictures from one spot highlighting an aspect of someone's personality.

Like this one here, of Spencer.

While I was putting together a layout for a gathering using the Reflections book (still LOVE that book)I was able to pull all these pictures from different times, (different years, even) that all show that special smile of his, in no time at all.

Gotta love that.

Excuses!

2008-05-16T20:06:00.004-06:00

Don't get excited, I haven't exactly been productive this week! Monday there I was happily working away on Elsa's challenge, listening to the radio - as I always do - with Mel C of Spice Girls fame in the studio - and the announcer said - caller #9 gets to come into the studio to meet Mel! Well who do you think won that one? Yep, yours truly. They gave me 10 minutes to be there...with passes for three friends. But who do you think I could find at a moments notice? Everyone I know is either an at home Mum or day care provider or working! I pulled my daughter out of school - (had to do that!) and took a reluctant friend. You can see a picture on my other blog.

Wednesday I decided it was time to reclaim my home. I love having fun working on my creativer pursuits - but meantime something else has to suffer - and house work is, I confess, very low on my list of priorities. Two days it took me to spring clean the c**p out of this place. I was tired, aching and sore by the time I'd finished - but my spirits were lifted at having a clean, tidy, organised home once more. Now I can breathe in here.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is a day to spend with a couple of friends scrapbooking ALL DAY LONG -bliss.
As week speak my DH is putting up drapery rods in the basement for me to hang finished layouts from. How lucky am I to have the whole basement dedicated to scrapbooking!

Have a happy, scrappy long weekend!

2008-05-11T21:20:00.004-06:00

I would like you to meet Elsa.
Like Me, Elsa is not of this province - although, unlike me, she is Canadian!

Earlier today I asked Elsa if she would like to come up with a challenge for this blog. And just as she rose to the challenge of posting her previous layout on the CTMH artboard (& she's getting loads of praise for it there, too, let me tell ya) she accepted this challenge and was back as fast Speed Racer! So, without further ado - here's what Elsa has to say:-

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms, Grandmas, Step-Moms and Moms-to-be! Karen issued me a challenge to get my creative juices flowing. I have been feeling slightly inadequate in my abilities to be a (CTMH) consultant and just feeling generally overwhelmed with the everyday demands of life. I remember feeling that way back in the deepest, darkest, coldest days of winter here in Saskatchewan. It was my first winter you see, I moved here in October from the mild west-coast of BC.

Anyways...that got me thinking about a page I had created at that time that really lifted my spirits up. It got me to focus on the aspects of my life I was grateful for instead of dwelling on the negative. Perception is everything they say!

So my challenge for you is to think of 10 things you are grateful for. It could be the smallest thing like favorite slippers or the big things like having healthy, happy children....whatever YOU are grateful for. Use papers you love, funky embellishments you have always wanted to use and try a layout you saw and really like....heck make your own layout as you go! (My layout idea came from the Jan/Feb 08 issue of Simple Scrapbooks magazine) Make this all about you...live it up girlfriends, it's our day today!!

I'm off to come up with something myself. Now, Can you do it?

Happy Mothers Day

2008-05-11T13:02:00.005-06:00

My new friend, Elsa, who has been worrying so much about her scrap art being "worthy" (don't get me started on that topic!!) yesterday had a wonderful moment, with her children and in her scrapbook room.

I think this scrapbook page is beautiful. The page itself, the photograph and of course the journalling - (W)right from the heart - and that's just where it gets you too.
Now, between you and me, I have given Elsa a challenge - she has to go and post this on an artboard somewhere.

Do you think she can?

Free Spirited Artwork!

2008-05-09T16:16:00.005-06:00

Now, when I first saw this paper I was scared - really scared. It's so bright and the colours almost seem to clash (well, to me anyway!)The main colours are a vibrant purple, pink and blue.
Then, as I was flicking through my storage binders last night, I came across these pictures of my two and their adventures with markers (I wonder if we've read that Robert Munsch book Purple Green & Yellow too many times!)

Somehow, combining these pictures and these papers worked.
I'll be filing this one in my new LOM in the All About Us section under "Siblings Forever" - it's a working title!

Now - this is what you have to do - go find some scary paper - away from your regular comfort zone - whether that's going for a bright heavy pattern or toning it down to some real soft pastels (something else that I can't work with!) if you have boys then try and work a traditional girl colour in there - or maybe some flowers. You know what I mean. BUT.......

Can you do it?

That Grin Factor

2008-05-08T16:31:00.007-06:00

These ideas and challenges are coming thick and fast - so enjoy it while you can. You just never know when I'll runout of steam! I'm telling ya - this LOM class has freed me in a way that I just didn't think possible!
So next, I'm thinking about telling a story about someone in your life. Just go grab a picture - it doesn't neccessarily have to be a picture of them in the act of whatever story you are going to tell - just a picture of them. Now create a page and tell us something about their personality.

I've told this story about my husband many times - and he really does this - when we're driving around town, when we're on a road trip, he'll even do this when he's at work driving his truck.
You know what, even if he was in a vehicle with someone he didn't know very well, I'm pretty sure he'd still do it - the passenger just wouldn't be aware of it!
It's a part of who he is. So, this will go in my new LOM, in the All About Us album, filed under Andy.

Now, Can You Do It?

More Cards in VERY bright colours!

2008-05-07T18:23:00.002-06:00

Card club ran last night. We used very simple formats (from the CTMH origianls program) to create these cards.
I LOVE these basic card designs and I use them over and over again when I quickly need to produce a good looking card.
Just by switiching paper and stamps each time creates a whole new set of cards to fit a theme or sentiment in no time at all.
For someone like me who makes cards the day they become due this plan is perfect!

2008-05-07T12:25:00.004-06:00

Last night's card clubs made cards with these colours and stamps.
I went down this morning to clean up and got distracted...and made this!
The colour combo is growing on me - as is this stamp set. I thought I had enough flower sets.....obviously not!

I was cruising past Leica Forrest's blog last night - and discovered that a Crop & Cruise is coming through Saskatoon on October 25th - MY BIRTHDAY - so you better go there now and get yourself signed up for more information - wouldn't want to miss out on this!

Up next...

2008-05-06T08:47:00.003-06:00

This time (if your'e playing along) I'm thinking about those pictures you take when you go somewhere and take a picture of the sign or the food or something else that "adds" to the story. How many times when you're scrapping do you actually use them? Anything like me I often don't even print them! So, go to your photo stash, find a picture with not a human sould in it, just inanimate objects and tell the story.

Can you do it?

Here's mine. Using these primary colours was a bit of a departure for me..but it had to be done!

I think this will go in my LOM under the all about Spencer tab.

May Madness

2008-05-01T19:50:00.006-06:00

It's the beginning of National Scrapbooking Month - something that has grown up around National Scrapbook Day - which is this Saturday, May 3rd.

I've now come to a point in the LOM class where we can just pull photographs and scrapbook as inspiration strikes. I'm still trying to get my mojo back on that one. The head has been in the sand for far too long.

Anyhow, back in January, when everyone was doing the lets scrapbook everyday for a month resolution/challenge thing I just wasn't ready.
I'm not entirely sure I am now.

Even every other day would be good.

Begining to talk myself out of it again......

So, what about just go, go and pull out 4 pictures from one event & scrap a one page layout - quick, tonight. Add a link in the comments section - or just email it over to me.

Can you do it?

Here's mine - ok - & I used one more picture...
I've been looking at these photo's from Grandma's last visit for a while now - I knew I wanted to do something with them - but the story to tell ...apart from the usual (slow Karen voice here) we went to the mini golf and had lots of fun ....kind of story. So I think I'll put this in the People We Love album - filed under Grandma.

Here's another layout from Jenn
I always love her stuff - she's so freestylin'!

I've been scrappin...

2008-04-29T18:49:00.010-06:00

I had a happy Sunday, doin' some scrappin' just for me! Feels like ages since I last did that. I LOVE Vicki Boutin - everypage she does inspires me - some I love so much I have to just scraplift entirely.
Like this page - Vicki's original is in the current issue of Scrapbooks etc

This one just happened and came together so quickly (a feat in itself for me!!) It's the first time I've used this paper pack the colours work so well with the photographs - I can't stop looking at it.

Here's a card I made the other day - a basic stick the papers down, a bit of stamping & it's done, kind of card. No techniques to report. So simple and quick to put together. Haven't done one of those in a while either!

Then there was just one more tri-fold card - my friends daugther is just as horse mad as my own Grade 5 girl.

Only just remembered to take these pictures before sealing it in an envelope.

Butterfly Tri Fold Card

2008-04-23T11:24:00.012-06:00

I don't like to start each every post with "it's been a while" - you know how it is - life gets busy and you just have to do what you can to make it through. It would probably help if I was a little more organised - but I find that it's easier for me to do what needs to be done on the day it's due!
Now the art class has finished for the season that's one less thing to do (& note to self for next term - spend the summer working on the projects!)

I'm still loving my Library of Memories class. I posted the KAGS title page to the class gallery and was so happy when I sw that Stacy Julian herself had posted a comment on it! (picture me doing my happy dance!)

Here's another version of the tri-fold card. I love how pretty this one is.

I've made so many of these and supervised the making of many more - I still think it's a real simple card to make and the possibilities are endless!

I'll be in trouble though - this one should have been in the mail a while ago!

(Photo) Freedom

2008-04-07T19:39:00.003-06:00

Still working my way through my Library of Memories class - but man am I enjoying it. This is the greatest evidence so far.
My photos are sorted, they are slowly being tri-aged into the category drawers and I was able to pull together the pictures I needed for the title page to my "All About Us" album very quickly.
Getting the job done is now becoming far more important than agonizing for hours over just one page.
This little baby came together in just over an hour - like a breath of fresh air.
I'm finding my Photo Freedom.

New storage.

2008-04-05T20:11:00.002-06:00

I got this Making Memories Embellishment Centre from Michaels the other day. With a 50% off coupon and $$$ in gift cards it was time to buy this cubby - for small change!

Still playing with it, moving stuff around - and of course it prompted a bit of a spring clean too.

I was surfing over at Jennifer Johner's blog the other day - snooping through her studio pictures and loved how she had this big wire basket filled with ribbon so I copied........ - love these wire baskets from Superstore - I also use them to store all my CTMH Acrylic Stamps.

Sneak Peak

2008-04-01T10:51:00.001-06:00

One of the cards for the April card clubbers.
That's all you're getting for now. Not even an inside shot!

2008-03-25T10:35:00.010-06:00

Finally I finished my least common layout from Lesson 2 of LOM. Going though the albums and labelling them really was the easy part. I think I made the scrapbooking part harder than it needed to be by not stopping to think ..... .... about what I was doing (pretty normal for me!).
I put pictures of my very special pen-friend & I together from every visit we've ever had - the first in 1987 the most recent in 2007 - but then I still had to answer why. Why what? Why we're such good friends? Why we're still friends? Why she inspires me to be a better person?
Lesson learned - have the story in my head first. It was so hard - I wanted to write the WHOLE story of how Leanne & I became friends and where we are at now in our friendship - and I had to stop myself, over & over again.

The story of Leanne & I will, I am sure be a HUGE section in my new Library of Memories albums - under People We Love and in Places We Go. I could probably even squeeze out a few Things we Do too!

I've never worked so hard on getting the journalling right - but I'm glad I did.

Lesson 4 will be up in 2 days time - so now I had better go get busy completing the tasks from Lesson 3!

2008-03-14T13:47:00.006-06:00

Lesson Two of the Library of Memories class requires us to go through all our completed layouts (in or out of albums) and label them.
The Library of Memories system incorporates album titles of All About Us, People We Love, Places We Go & Things We Do.In tagging these layouts it stands out loud and clear what we are scrapbbooking and more importantly what we are not scrapbooking.
People We Love (which includes our extended family and our friends) is the section I tend to gloss over - rather a lot actually.
Funny looking back at the old stuff with a clearer view from before I was too bothered about how a layout looked - but the photo and journalling memories were there - even if the page was only decorated with a strip a triangle and a "sneeze" of stickers.
When I started scrap booking (2004) back in the UK, we didn't have a computer, and there were no scrap booking magazines (unlike now). My sole source of inspiration was Creative Memories (& yes, it is ok to mention the words). Now, here I am with a scrapbook magazine addiction, overwhelmed by all the diferent styles and trying desperatley hard to make a page meaningful - by how it looks - that what it's really about has been lost.

Time to make amends. I LOVE this class. I knew it was the right thing for me to do and I will succeed.

Liquid Applique as a Lamb!

2008-03-13T22:00:00.008-06:00

I made these wiper (as in windshield wiper I guess) cards last week.
They are a set of four - although only two (so far) have made it up to have their pictures taken - and rather hurriedly at that - Easter is next weekend after all and these cards need to travel half way round the world!

I had only previously thought of Liquid Applique in terms of winter and snow - until last week when I had "a moment". We had fun with the card club girls creating these - playing with the LA - one poor lamb had his wool in rows instead of curls and swirls - to which I commented how it looked like an old ladies perm!!!

The other Easter card I manage to make is this little chick all "egg cited" about his extra large egg!

The kids made their teachers Easter cards today and loved using the LA to make their lambs - Spencer was fascinated watching as it bubbled and puffed up!

Another blank

2008-03-05T22:00:00.004-06:00

this is another blank - still no picture to complete it. I have to confess that this is a complete scraplift from a Maggie Holmes layout published in Memory Makers January 2008 edition (pp86). Right down to the subject - "sometimes I wish.........."

At the moment I am having too much fun pulling photos from all their hiding places and organising them Stacy style.
Tomorrow sees the beginning of week two in the Library of Memories classroom - with a chat on Saturday morning - can't wait for that.
I've printed all the photos from 2007 that I would like to scrapbook and I'm working through 2006 - I'm just about ready to hit Costco with the next installment. The girls up there are getting to know me!

The best thing so far? I finally bought myself a kitchen timer - (ok, so it's a nice sleek, black KitchenAid one!!)and I set it for 15 minutes to get me through a task. Right now I know it takes 8 minutes to flat iron my hair (Time left over!) and 10 minutes to put orders in bags and staple the orer form to the front! This little timer is so much fun! Focused on the task at hand for just 15 minutes - stuff is getting done! (And I'm not stopping off at the computer to daydream for half an hour!)

Scrapbook Saturday this weekend - and it's a 9am until midnight session. Better get organised for that one then....

All About Me - Life List

2008-03-01T12:02:00.005-06:00

This is a layout I put together for the All About Me girls - as you can see - I still haven't put the pictures onto mine.
The chocolate (CTMH) brown cardstock is meant for a collage of pictures to represent a persons Life List. The note book paper is plain colonial white (CTMH) cardstock stamped with journalling jots and some flourishes from the doodle aplphabet.
You can see Tammi's version here

It's a rare sight

2008-02-27T17:22:00.005-06:00

well, here in my house anyway. I haven't printed a single picture in over two years (can you believe that!) Since joining the digital revolution it's become all to easy to enjoy the instant gratification of downloading those JPEGs, enjoying the images on the computer screen, then moving on.

This little pile of 309 photographs represents January to June of last year. I'm working on the folder for the October to December 2007 and then that's another six months of pictures I'll be taking to the printers.

Tomorrow, begins the rest of my scrapbooking life. Tomorrow 12 weeks of Library of Memories classes starts over at Big Picture Scrapbooking.
It's going to help me organize ALL my photo's and memorabillia so that I can use them in different ways and make connections with them that would not happen with chronological scrapbooking. It's what I've been waiting for since I read Big Picture.

You know, Ali (Edwards) has been inspired by Stacy, Cathy (Zielske) too. If it works for them it has to work for me!
Time to breathe and enjoy this hobby again without the constraints of chronological scrapbooking.

2008-02-26T09:15:00.005-06:00

Two more from the pile. This one is from (nearly) three years ago. There are so many pictures of our visits to the train museum - I think I'll have to make a mini "places we go" album just for this place. I've actually stopped taking pictures of us over there instead opting for close ups of the wheels, tracks, engines and anything else the smells even faintly of "railroad"!
This next one is from Spencer's very first day going to pre-school. The colours on the side of the school are just gorgeous - and there's loads of trees too - which are showing there best fall colours as we return to school each year.

I also just noticed that both of these pages use a paper from the CTMH "It's A Guy Thing" pack. This paper pack is SO much better in the hand than it appears in the Idea Book. The spot & the stripe in the 2nd one are not CTMH though - but I love how it all works together.

2008-02-24T17:40:00.005-06:00

Big sigh...the house is cleaned of red marker and we're at the end of a week long school break. Finally I've had five minutes to take pictures of some of the recent stuff I've been working on.
Now the question is, should I just post one at a time - or give you it all in one big long blog rush.....
Here's one that I kept going back to over the last few weeks, painting some more chipboard adding and moving bits around. I love playing with the re-inkers and create a shade paint! The pearl base was just perfect for this layout.

This one is from the same paper pack (CTMH's Good Times) it uses from the right hand page of Classical Look from Imagine also next months Create & Take.

Not only is the paper pack the same for both of these - I just noticed I random stamped the sweet leaf cardstock with the Star Struck stamp set in both too!

A different kind of art......

2008-02-15T09:19:00.003-06:00

take a look at this
I think the toilet seat portrait gives you a BIG clue as to the perpertrator - and believe me this is NOT all of the damage either.
It's taken me two days to find the Red Permanent Marker that created this artwork and roughly two days for the perp and the rest of his family to clean it up. Thank goodness for Magic Erasers is all I can say!

I have been very busy not cleaning - creating my own kind of art - just haven't gotten around to taking pic's and posting. The day will come.

Cards for February

2008-02-06T13:01:00.001-06:00

These easy to make criss cross cards have a love & romance theme running throught them - a valentine, an anniversary card, an appreciaiton card for a friend.
These simple, non fussy cards were a big hit last night. Everyone went home with some great cards to add to their collection.

All the cards have a coloured random stamped background when you remove the insert.

All materials used were from Close To My Heart. Colours are Black & Cranberry, Blush, Bamboo and Twilight. The paper is from Serendipity. Stamp sets are Soul Mates, Make It Count, Friendship Word Puzzle & February Word Puzzle.

Creative somethings!

2008-02-04T11:44:00.000-06:00

Last nights project a mini scrapbook page - perfect for a valentines picture!

An all CTMH product production!! Textured Cardstock in Barn Red, Silhouette Paper, Soul Mates Word Puzzle stamp set Red Sparkles and ribbon and a large black MyAccessoires concho. The black heart & words are heat embossed (yep even CTMH black embossing powder!)Red heart is stamped on the reverse side of the Barn Red textured cardstock.

A couple more Spencer pages finished.

Hard to believe these pictures are nearly three years old already. Taken during our first Spring & Summer here in Canada!

Creative Mess!

2008-02-02T21:09:00.000-06:00

I've been sick the last few days...some bug I caught from my little guy. Even the box of goodies that arrived from CZ wasn't enough to inspire me (away from the sick sofa where Spencer & I have been watching back to back movies!)

In between movies and naps I read and read the read some more Photo Freedom the new Stacy Julian book - I am inspired, filled with creative passion ready to go tackle my own personal journal to a Library of Memories.

I also read Cathy Zielske's Clean & Simple part 2 - love it. I love her slice of life style of scrapbooking. This is where I want to go.

Late this afternoon, filled with a good dose of Motrin I managed to make it down the 5 stairs to my basement scraproom. I was met by this mess:
Lets take a closer look at that shall we?

How can anyONE make that much mess....when they haven't been in the room for like 5 days?!
I am a messy scrapper, that much is true. When I'm in full swing I just pull stuff out and pile it on top of ...the pile. Very rarely do I clean up when I'm finished. I'm a clean up before I begin again kind of girl.

This particular pile is also overloaded by that bumper pile of goodies from my winnings as well as a rather substantial delivery of CTMH products too.

All the new arrivals just got carted downstairs and dumped right in the first available spot.
I haven't sniffed a brand new acrylic stamp set, opened a new package of patterned paper and re-stacked it (have to do this, always!) or even tried out that new Versamat.

Lots to catch up on then..............

Get a load of this....

2008-01-30T20:21:00.000-06:00

Look what I got today! WOW.
Yep my prize WINNINGS from last week. What a great stash. Did I tell you Cathy (yeah, like BFF!!) also put a copy of her own book in there too? She signed it....

ok, I admit, I asked her to!
I was not expecting this huge pile of goodies - but I sure will enjoy them...(might just have to display them at look at them for a while).

Most importantly the main prize was this.
The new, long awaited book from Stacy Julian. Can't wait to get started & implementing the LOM into my scrapbooking life!

A little something.....

2008-01-27T11:15:00.000-06:00

I needed to create somehting quick to go in the mail with a package - so I came up with this. I put some Colonial White cardstock on the back for my message. I think this has to go down as being the fastest thing I've ever created - from no inspiration to finished in about 20 minutes flat!

Sweet Leaf and Blush textured cardstocks, Just blooms Big Pinks, Sweet Leaf Sassy Strand and a Bubblegum (coloured not flavoured) button.

Looking at it now I guess I could have pulled the sassy strand down a bit to the bottom left corner...too late now!

It's me!

2008-01-24T21:23:00.000-06:00

Go HERE . The crazy, lucky person who won that book ....is ME!
How much of a silly happy dance am I doing right now?!
Thank you Cathy Z for having this book up for grabs...and for making me the WINNER!
I've just sent her a gushy email thanking her and probably saying far too much - but hey - it's not every day you're a WINNER!
Not only am I getting a copy of Stacy's new book - but also some scrapbook goodies too! I'm the WINNER!
Ok, have to go calm down now..let's have a cup of tea.

Speed Demon

2008-01-24T13:00:00.000-06:00

Here's another layout that I started at Karis - nearly TWO WEEKS ago - finally completed.

Adding the embellishments and stuff is so hard for me. I get really scared when it comes to committing to anything "extra" - too much not enough - does it look like a "sneeze" is it "right"?
All CTMH products (except the stars) Vineyard Berry cardstock; Just Chillin' patterned paper strips; Just Chillin' Level 2 My Stickease; Desert Sand and Breeze cardstocks (circles & strips;)Create a Shade pearl paint coloured with Desert Sand re-inker (on the arrows) & misc. stars.

In case you haven't heard Stacy Julian has a new book coming out called Photo Freedom and all over the scrapbooking blog world copies of this book are being given away. Like here, here and here. Just by leaving a comment you are in with a chance of owning one! So I've been brave and actually left comments - and now I'm feeling all brazen and smart because I've actually dared to leave a comment - rather than typing in the comment box and then deleting it!

My secret weapon

2008-01-23T22:04:00.000-06:00

Still no new layouts to post - I just need to wait for better light in the morning and then I can get a better picture of at least one finished layout.
There's another one up here nearly done - I'm trying to think of the perfect title for it. I spent last night brainstorming with Andy, while surfing two peas, and other scrapbook sites, then cornered the kids this morning before school and then spent more time staring at it when I got home this afternoon. I'll get there.....eventually!
While I was taking pictures yesterday my secret weapon was out and open it's the Creative Planner from We R Memory Keepers. I first saw it on Stacy Julian's blog before Christmas 2006 and just knew that I needed one too - even though my life is nowhere near as busy as hers - but I can still dream of being as creative and as organized as she - right?
So I shopped around the LSS's here in town - they hadn't even heard of it - let alone stocked it - so I ended up ordering and shipping one in.

This planner is admired by all that see it from friends and acquaintances even my hairdresser was drooling. I just love all the pages that come with it from the creative sketch section to the shopping lists - one for scrapbooking needs and one for what's more important - groceries.

(Love this picture - see still playing with the aperture and f/stops!)

But it's the day timer that keeps me on track. I don't often get a chance to fill the time slots with appointments but the to do list on the side is what keeps me focused. I list everything I would like to accomplish through the day - yep right down to making beds and supper - because if I don't supper will still be in the freezer at 5pm!

I may not be a super organised business woman - or scrapbooking mega star - but I can still collect information and .............(day)dream!

By jove I think I've got it.....

2008-01-22T17:53:00.000-06:00

Now I'm getting really smart!
For those of you who don't quite get it - here's what I am trying to do -by using an aperture setting on the camera I can adjust the amount of picture that is in focus - so check the backgrounds - one will be blurred and the other will have more of the picture in focus!
And I am so glad that it took Jenn a while to get it too - now I don't feel such a fool on my own!

From this:

to this.

From this:

to this.

From this:

to this

I'm now like a (mad) woman possessed seing oportunities to use that low f/stop wherever I can!

My first manual photo's!

2008-01-21T22:17:00.000-06:00

I got the camera of my dreams for my birthday - the Nikon D40x - I'd been lusting after it for so long - and quite honestly I have just been happy to play with all the automatic modes on it and enjoy the sharpness of the pictures it takes.
Then the others (Tammi & Jenn) got their Nikon's for Christmas and Kari already had her Rebel and were begining to talk in f/stop, ISO shutter speed language I just do not understand!
I remember as a child my Dad trying to teach me how to use his manual camera back then - but I just didn't get it - I think I have had a mental block ever since!
Anyhow, Kari posted to her blog a link to Two Peas Photo Course - week one on her blog - and I thought I'd give it a go - step by step - basic - how hard can it be? Yeah right - this is me we're dealing with!
I read the whole pdf over & over and couldn't even figure out how to adjust the aperture! The f/stop number kept changing when I adjusted the zoom ring - but I knew that wasn't right!
Then a genius happened to cross my path - in the form of Andy's friend Matt. Turns out he was given a photography course in the British Army - for surveilance purposes! Completely not expecting that!
He picked up the PDF & understood it, he read through my camera's instruction book and understood it! Yesterday afternoon we spent ages going over camera functions and playing with stuff I didn't even know it did.
I was and am still slow to get it.
This afternoon I thought I'd give the exercise from week one a try - focus on something and adjust the aperture and watch the background blur or come into focus depending on the f/stop. So, by now I had figured out how to adjust the aperture using the screen and the dial on the side - thinking "I can do this" I opened the back door, bracing myself against the windchill, I focused on the planters on the deck and played.
It didn't quite work like the instructions described. Disappointed, I put the camera away and sulked in my scrapbook room. Then tonight, I had a revelation! What if the thing I focused on was right in the foreground - maybe that's what they meant - TA-DA it worked!
These one's were taken inside so the lighting isn't the best for this exercise - but I had adjusted the ISO a little bit (hark at me now!)and the best thing was Georgina's shirt! I made her stay in the background because it really helped play up the results! (She took some convincing that I wasn't taking pictures of her!)

So this one is taken with a low f/stop (around 5)

This one was taken with a medium range f/stop (around 11)

And here we are with a high f/stop - maybe not as sharp as it could be on Georgina's brightly coloured shirt - but I think that's due to the slower shutter speed.

I now have a smirk the cheshire cat would be proud of - and I am ready to play some more tomorrow! I just hope the bloody windchill dies down!

A quick update

2008-01-19T10:22:00.000-06:00

See this is why I don't make New Years Resolutions - they fall by the wayside far too quickly. I do want to keep regularly posting on here though - and I will.

The hold up? I guess it's 'fess up time - I went to Karis scrapbook saturday last week and managed to do 5 or 6 layouts....except I didn't do the journalling...and on e layout in particular needed something "more". I bought it home and started working on it - two days later I had ripped it apart and started again. Still couldn't get it right.. so now I have banished it to the far corner of my scrap table and I'm refusing to look at it for a few days.
That one page has taken up all my time, wasted my time. I'm ready to move on though -and the remaining layouts should be a piece of cake, a walk in the park compared to this last one!

I've just finished and emailed a very late January newsletter. If you didn't get your email me! The Card and All About Me clubs will be starting up in February -if you want to join in the fun you'll have to contact me about that too! (I think my email address is linked on the profile page - I still can't figure out how to get it in the text here!

Taking this morning nice and slow - last night I was out at the Michael Buble concert. He is very yummy - so I think I might go to my (scrap) room and put his CD on for awhile.......

Random circles.........

2008-01-11T10:52:00.000-06:00

going around and around. This little purse came out of a Christmas Cracker over the holiday period. Just as I was thinking about moving it to the great File 13 I looked again and loved the circles and the colours and wondered if I could use it to create a little something.
It actually focused me on producing a scrapbook page. Something I haven't done in a while. I took the little purse quite literally with the colours and the circles and I reallt am having trouble with the random-ness of the circles - I want to add more to even it up all the way round - but that's not what being a kid in the summer is about is it?

All the cardstock used is CTMH - Clover Meadow, Kiwi and Chocolate and Textured Sunflower (and it's reverse) and their matching inks. The stamp set used is Free Spirit - the Stamp of the Month from August last year. The Concho's are CTMH and some of the brads and sparkles.

I'd love to see what someone else would do with the original inspiration....

EDITED Jan 14th I love this from Aspergertopia

Things I Love..............

2008-01-09T13:32:00.001-06:00

Books & Magazines - can't get enough of them.
A while ago Creating Keepsakes online had a Thanksgiving week sale on their publications. My stash arrived!
I'm in heaven.
Like a dog with two tails I'm going round and round in circles from one to the other and back again.
I've wanted the Heidi book forever and at $29 US kept walking away from it - until the sale & I picked it up for $10 US - when the Canadian dollar was sailing high - good deal!
But just because I had some new books on order - doesn't stop me buying the magazines too - here's my current stash
I flick through them, I take them up to bed and read them, then they make it down to the treadmill and there they keep me entertained while I (try) to run.
They are my guilty pleasure.
I can almost feel Andy's eyes roll as another one sneeks it's way into the house. Sometimes I even put a new issue at the bottom of the pile hoping that it goes unnoticed - for a while. Not that he really minds - he knows how much I love this crazy little scrapbooking thing - and he loves it too.
Gotta love all the inspiration contained in all these books and magazines!

I did start creating a little something last night and that's where I am going right now - to try and finish it - with a little inspiration after flicking through Elsie!

2008-01-08T13:03:00.000-06:00

Here's the little something I created for today's post.

This is an all Close To My Heart product creation - I have so much product (being a consultant that uses all her commission to buy MORE stash) but I need to use it rather than hoarding it!
The paper pack is called Life Delights. It's beautiful. I used Chocolate cardstock and some textured Blush cardstock.(as well as matching Chocolate & Blush Inks). I used Playful Flourishes and Delight in Everything stamp sets. All the brads, button and sparkle are CTMH product too.

Last night I went out for supper with Jenn, Kari and Tammi and I mentioned that I was thinking of starting up the challenges on here again. Nothing too taxing - just to get us thinking outside the box. This morning while I was running I had all sorts of creative thoughts keeping me entertained as I slogged away at it. Actually it worked as I ran my first session of 20 minutes running non stop in like - forever!

I've already gathered some rough notes on topics to cover and taken a couple of pictures of things that could be a colour/layout style challenge. I might try it out myself this afternoon - if I get the chance!

Saturday we're scrapping the day away at Kari's house can't wait for that either.

2008-01-07T11:07:00.000-06:00

I created a little something!
This card is for my husband's aunt who will be 70 and then some this month! I used the Close To My Heart Creative Basics kit Silhouette Collection from the NEW Idea Book (it comes with 8 sheets of the stripe & 8 of the pattern plus 8 yards of the black ribbon)I mixed in some Hollyhock cardstock (& ink)watercoloured the ribbon around the hat and the flowers - the flower on the hat is sat on a pop dot with a black brad through it I also pop dotted the top flower in the bottom right corner. I used a Stamp of the Month from December '06 - Youthfull Heart - never thought I'd ever use that stamp set and here I did! I also used some Liquid Glass on the ribbon around the hat to give it a bit of dimension.
I didn't really have a plan for the card - it just evolved & you know I'm not one to go the traditional route. I think I like how it turned out. All I knew was that it had to be an upright card - as I had already stamped the back with the Handmade by stamp!!
What I like even more about making your own cards is making them to suit the person you're sending them to - and this does the job perfectly.

2008-01-04T13:42:00.000-06:00

Part of my create something everyday posts - here are some cards I've been working on. I could be really smart here and post one a day - but that would be cheating myself too. If you have a birthday coming up this month maybe you shouldn't be looking for now. (You know who you are!)
First up, a wedding anniversary card - for my husband. Afterward I wished I had been brave and tried a blue instead of pink - but at the time I just couldn't envision it!

Anyhow, hubby was happy that I did remember our anniversary after all and loved the card!

Here are the two (so far) January birthday cards.

This one is for a friend. Her favourite colour is Yellow. Yep, this is the girl who made us wear yellow bridesmaids dresses! A pink card would go straight in the garbage can - if I ws brave enough to send her one coloured pink!
This one uses the CTMH paper pack "Caprice" - which I love and use often. The flower is from the CTMH stamp set that came in the From Me To You card making promotion. Chocolate brads and Sweet Leaf Sassy Strands hold down the "For You" tag.

This one is for my friends husband - I was trying to stay away from the more "traditional" male card looking thing it's supposed to be a bit playful - the card shows his birth date (on the clock) and his age - just to rub it in that he is older than me!!
I love this new CTMH paper pack "Good Times". I also used a new CTMH stamp set - Count On It and an arrow from the new Dimensional Elements (actually, because I am cheap I didn't use the chipboard arrow from this set, I traced it onto chocolate cardstock, lightly sponged the edges with chocolate ink and set it on the card with pop dots. The Happy Birthday is from the From Me To You stamp set (as mentioned above). I think I could do more to finish this one - but not sure what. Can you help?

I still have two more January cards to make - better go get busy!

2008-01-04T13:30:00.000-06:00

I am up for a challenge - but a layout a day seems WAY too much for a daydreaming procrastinator like me. I am going to try and create a little something everyday - and if that little something happens to be a layout - all well and good!
I went straight to work the other day - I thought I would finish up a layout I did a while ago - you can see it here at the bottom of the list. It just wasn't "done". So I re-worked it. Now I am really happy with it. What do you think?

I used the CTMH Best Friends Forever paper pack, Twilight cardstock, the new Friendship Word Puzzle stamp set and lots of brads in matching colours - some CTMH some Making Memories - I'm sure you can tell which are from where. All the journalling is handwritten including the title and the pop dotted highlighted words they are lightly sponged with either CTMH Hollyhock of Goldrush inks. "Friends" is hand cut from a MS Word font - that I can't for the life of me recall the name of (even though it was only last night!!)

Big Picture Challenge

2008-01-02T10:08:00.000-06:00

I was just doing my daily blog surf and over at Becky Higgins she mentioned her challenge to complete a layout a day through January. Hmmm - brave woman I thought - then - well, I would like to do that too - and I discoved that it comes from this FREE workshop over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I've just downloaded my challenge and had a quick look through the gallery - there are 19 pages of layouts already! Anyone here up for the challenge? I better get busy and do 2 layouts before I fall too far behind!

2007-12-26T15:29:00.000-06:00

My last Christmas post for another year!
The last few days of last week (before Christmas) I was desperately trying to finish teacher gifts and get a last few cards made.
These boxes could have been a bit more elaborate - but time and not my thing are my two excuses!

I really enjoyed making the cards and was ready to go another round and make more - but the clock ticking toward midnight and another long to-do list for the next day was enought to make me STOP!

Both teachers loved their gifts - and for that, regardless of the fact that I know I could have done better, I am happy!

Here's the last batch of cards. This simple easy one:

And these, which went to all 3 Grandparents with a wish for a good wind to get them to the UK before Christmas Day! The irignal idea for these came from the very talented Mommy Scraps, a fellow CTMH consultant, who entered this blog candy challenge. I love this card sketch and will definately use it some more!
(The snowmen are from CTMH's hugely popular November Stamp of the Month "Snow Friends" and combinations of Petal and Crystal Blue cardstock for the 6x6 cards, Desert Sand and Outdoor Denim for the smaller cards. Also used winter cozy sassy strands and Snowflake buttons on the 6x6's too)

Holiday Wishes

2007-12-18T11:34:00.000-06:00

Made this layout to incorporate the Origami Christmas tree. Lots of gold embossing - to add to the Christmas feel. I also embossed the star on top of the tree - it was originally green. Now I'm getting the hang of it I love embossing - and how versatile it is!
This is for the hostess club party tonight. I've cut some with a cranberry cardstock base (like this one) and others with ponderossa pine. The presesnts are up on pop dots and I used the red and green stickles on the present ribbons.

2007-12-06T20:12:00.000-06:00

I made this for a friend - back in October - to say "thank-you". I had quickly taken pictures of it before flying out the door (as usual) and then had shortly afterward received the gift of my new camera - and these pictures had been left, forgotten, on the old camera's memory card!
I used a Presidents Choice tea bag box.

I used some old CM paper - as it was the brightest I had - (and this friend loves bright colours)
along with a CTMH stamp set (from the September card kit), sparkles and prisma glitter to embellish.

And I've been hoarding empty tea bag boxes ever since!

What I've been up to lately.....

2007-11-25T13:39:00.000-06:00

These were all created using the Caprice paper pack from Close To My Heart

The intention with the 9x9 page and card are to show how one sketch can create a myriad of pages and cards.

This one still needs a spot of journalling - when I get 5 minutes!

I have made or been involved in the making of so many cards recently that when it came to creating something for last nights gathering I couldn't face the thought of another card. So I created this. The snowman is from this months stamp of the month from Close To My Heart - it's called Snow Friends and it's very cute.

This next 2 pager was created with the help of Imagine from Close To My Heart - it's very hard to believe that time has passed so quickly that these photo's are now 17 years old!

This is the right hand page:

and then this is the third page - with the magazine cover.

These are NOT pictures of Spencer - they are in fact pictures of toddler me - thanks for that haircut Mum!

This is my re-newed favourite paper pack - it's called Best Friends Forever - love the orange, blue and pink together.

Here's another layout with the same paper pack thanks also need to go to Vicki Boutin for the inspiration!

This one was inspired by a page in the current edition of Scrapbooks etc (my favourite scrapbook magazine)
Time to re-order this paper pack I think!

FINALLY - Christmas Cards

2007-10-06T15:29:00.001-06:00

Here they are - Set #1 Holiday Blocks and Set #2 Snow Friends

Both sets of cards are fairly easy to make (honest!!) I followed patterns set out in CTMH's Originals program - and then made them mine! As you can see Iam not overly decorative with the ribbon and doodads! However both sets are very sparkly -lots of prisma glitter and embossing. Both sets also use my new favourite colour card stock - Desert Sand!
Holiday Blocks uses more traditional colours - with a modern twist, the Snow Friends set is slightly more labour intensive - but still lots of fun to make.

The workshop dates so far are SATURDAY - October 13th, October 20th and November 3rd.
Holiday Blocks cards will be made in the mornings and Snow Friends will be made in the afternoons.
Starting this early in the season means further dates can be added if required.

You will need to decide on the mulitples of each set of 5 cards you wish to make. Each set of 5 cards will cost you $5.00 - this covers all of the supplies.

Registration is open immediately - book early as places on each date are limited. Payment should be made as soon after registration as possible - to reserve your supplies and spot!
Register by phone or email at the usual places.

If you have a group of 4 or more friends that you would like to work with a private party can be arranged!
I really enjoyed making both sets of cards and I'm sure you will too.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

It's My Party....

2007-09-17T21:53:00.000-06:00

This weekend I was kept busy making the invitations to Georgina's birthday. I have seen some examples of a criss cross card floating around here and there and thought I'd give it a go. I took Georgina to Michaels at the weekend to choose some paper - and the RockStar paper pack was on sale - luckily it also went quite well with chocolate, twilight and kiwi cardstocks from Close To My Heart. I also used their (CTMH's) Playful Flourishes stamp set on the actual invitation. I am posting them here - which obviously means I'm quite proud of them (otherwise I wouldn't share!!!)

The "G" was my first attempt at embossing - EVER! I totally loved it - and can't wait to have another session!

Card # 6, 7 & 8

2007-09-17T21:44:00.000-06:00

Oops - I have been lazy - well - more like life just got in the way of my creativity - (man!) Hopefully I am back on track again now and there will be some very swift catching up going on!
Here are cards 6, 7 & 8 in the meantime: