Have I TOAD you lately that I love you?

A few weeks ago I posted about not knowing whether or not I was going to continue with Stampin' Up! or not. I had not met my quarterly minimum so far and was contemplating just fading away. It wouldn't be all that bad. Afterall, when I first signed up almost 9 years ago all I wanted was to supplement my new stamping addiction. (I now have an entire closet stuffed with stamps!) I quickly learned how fun and rewarding it was to teach others to love my hobby too. I have gone through ups and downs with Stampin' Up and now I found myself at yet another crossroad. Many of you answered the call and placed orders to help me meet my goal...unfortnately it wasn't quite enough. I was still about $100 away...so I really thought this was it. However, I don't like to give up. I still see so much potential. I was torn. So, this afternoon, I bit the bullet and spent my own $$$ which will keep me active for another quarter!

I just really wanted to say thank you to all of you who placed orders for me this month. It really means a lot that you are willing to help me in this capacity. I still love to create with my stamps and can't wait to show you more ideas.

Alyssa "puffy hearts" comments!!!

I almost feel like I'm signing your yearbook! Toni told me the other day that you want to do the invitations for the shower which will be awesome!!! I almost peed my pants! I know you'll do an awesome job! Can't wait to get together to start planning everything!

How to print on paper scraps

Today, I thought I would share a way you can print on smaller pieces of paper. First, measure the area where you want your journal block to go. Next type then print out your journaling onto plain paper. This will be your guide, so you can line it up and get your scrap piece all centered. Using removable adhesive such as hermafix/dotto tape, place the paper you're using for the layout directly over the guide page. It can be helpful to hold it up to a window so the light shines through and you can see if it's all lined up straight. Now place the paper back into the printer. Do a test first to make sure you know which direction the paper needs to be (ie face up or down etc.) then print and presto...your journaling will be perfectly printed on your scrap piece as shown here:

Project for my Girls Night Out on Saturday

Here is an altered fruit cup (ours will be filled with hot cocoa mix) and card for tomorrow's Girls Night Out. All paper, stamps, ribbon and ink are Stampin' Up! I used the "love's me" paper from the winter mini catalog. Love that paper!

Carson's Card

I just learned that a boy from Zander's preschool has cancer. I found out while making a reminder call about tomorrow's field trip to the library. (I didn't know he dropped out in November.) It makes me so sad to hear things like this...I hope this card will brighten his day.

Stamps, watercolors, ink and paper are all Stampin' Up!

faithbooking

I just came across a thread on 2 peas that was discussing faithbooking (scrapbooking your faith, kind of like a prayer journal of sorts). Every week there will be a new challenge to scrap. This week's was "what's your favorite verse?"

For once, I decided I wanted to make my own "stuff" instead of using patterned paper and embellishments, I water colored this heart and did my own calligraphy and journaling. This was a stretch for me, cause I like things to be, well perfect!

I haven't thought about calligraphy for 10 years or so, but I just found my pen (not the kind with the interchangeable nibs, but a felt tipped pen) and wanted to give it a whirl. I didn't take time to draw out lines and I didn't worry if they weren't spaced right. I just wanted to create something for the sake of creating. I water colored the heart and stippled it in, wrote out my verse, and tore around the whole design and presto...my own unique creation.

It was kind of different scrapbooking without photos. I think I like how it turned out, but I'm not sure if I want to continue this challenge with 12x12 pages. I may just go out and get a smaller journal that I can write more in. I dunno, what do you think?

Great deal on Albums!

This past Saturday I was out shopping at Big Lots for some organizing stuff when I came across this shelf with a sign that said $1 and up. There was scrapooking stuff so I stopped dead in my tracks. I found a whole shelf of albums for $7 each. I bought these made by Studio K which I know normally sell for $30 or more. I also got 2 denim albums for Zander and Hayden. They have cute jeans pocket on the front and were also only $7. I couldn't believe it. I also found refill packages of 6x6 page protectors for $1...so I bought all of them (10)!!! It was my lucky day. I was looking for a special album to put our Christmas pages in and this red one is just perfect. I love the little hinge closure/clasp thingy. The nex photo is from a post by Elana on the 2 peas message board. She was showing how she organizes her albums and then labels them so she can see from a glance which album is which. Someone had asked if we like to buy all one color/brand of album to store our pages in. Most people said they use all different colors, sizes and styles, but I thought this idea was an excellent one no matter if you have multiple colors or all one color.

How I got started with scrapbooking

I can't remember exactly when I got started scrapbooking. I know it was well before it became the hobby that it is now. I don't even think it was called scrapbooking. I think they were just referred to as photo albums back then.

Anyway, my earliest memory of designing page layouts was when I was in 5th or 6th grade. As subscribers to the Disney Channel, we received a Disney magazine which I would cut up and glue onto printer paper and make into a book.

Then in 1987, when I was in 8th grade I got a camera! My life was never the same. I took photos and documented everything around me. Once on a youth group camping trip I took photos and was asked to make up a bulletin board of the event. I included captions and funny sayings from the trip. Then after they had been on display for a while I took them down and put them in a photo album. You know, the "magnetic cling" type that we now know are harmful!

In 1993, I went to Disneyland for the first time as a college student and wanted to remember all the fun I had. Back then there were no cute background papers, or die cuts or embellishments like we have now. Instead I drew my own, cut them out and used wrapping paper for backgrounds. (I'm sure these are not acid free!)


Only a few years later, my mom was watching AM Northwest and a women on the show was talking about this new hobby of preserving memories in acid free albums. She was giving workshops at her home, so we decided to go. Come to find out she was a Creative Memories consultant. I worked on my first "real" scrapbook page at her workshop. I wish I could find it...it's so cheesy with my photos cut in the shape of hearts and then random stickers placed everywhere.

Fast forward to the year 2001. I had just given birth to my very first baby. We had photos coming out of our ears. My friend Bekki invited me to go shopping at Scrapbook Sanctuary. Up until this point I had never set foot in a scrapbook store. Once inside I knew I was in trouble...stickers, diecuts and the cutest paper filled the store. I took my time and looked at everything, placing things in my basket as I went. When I checked out I think my total was around $20 or so and I remember thinking...I hope I don't get in trouble w/ DH!!! This is funny looking back, cause I can easily spend 2-3 times that now.

So, that's how I got started. Now I am a scrapbooker for life. I have a room dedicated to storing all my paper, embellishments, photos, and crafty tools. I wake up thinking about it and try to work on pages each day if possible. I love all the new scrapbooking supplies that are out now and I love the creative outlet scrapbooking provides for me, but the biggest motivation for me to scrapbook is when I look back at all the memories of my kids and know that these moments in time will be preserved for a very long time.

Inside Scrapbooking

I think someone is making fun of us!

Bitten by the Bug

This week I have been working on getting my scrap room a tad more organized. I got most of it done, now I just have to find homes for all the surface clutter. I'm sure it would have been done by now if it didn't snow, but having the kids home from school all week and a big yard filled with snow was a huge distraction.

Tonight, my sister-in-law Tami came over. She has just been bitten by the scrapbooking bug and is in the early stages of paper collecting and embellishment organizing. Pretty soon she will move on to the hoarding stage and the frivolous purchase stage and the I just gotta get my fix stage!!! All kidding aside we had a great time tonight scrapbooking and looking through the plethora of books on scrapbooking she checked out from the library. I am so excited to have someone nearby who loves scrapbooking as much as I do. Scrapbooking is just so much a part of me and the way I think it's been hard not really having someone to share it with on a regular basis.

We both got a fair amount done. Once I get some more journaling done, I will post photos here...until then, here is a Christmas photo of my nakie baby boy...hope you enjoy!

Santa Baby

Who can resist a nakie baby. Hayden was such a trooper while I shot these photos...a little bag of gummy fruit snacks makes photo shoots like these so much easier! (notice, he is eating as the photo is being taken! Whatever works, right?)

Patterned paper by Adornit (Carolee's creations) "Christmas Frost"
Red cardstock, bookplate and brads by Stampin' Up!
Ribbon, bought at Big Lots

Free Stamps!

A couple months ago, it came to my attention that the posibility of going inactive with Stampin' Up! would be likely if I don't get any orders. Well now it is only a matter of weeks, so I would like to repeat my email here for those of you who may not have read it already:

Just wanted to let you know about our current annual Sell-a-Bration promotion. For every $50 you spend. Stampin' Up! will give you a free stamp set (or scrapbook kit). To view the limited edition Sell-a-bration sets, click on this link.

I also wanted to let everyone know that I am in danger of going inactive as a demonstrator at the end of January. If you have any stamping or scrapbooking needs, I would appreciate your business. I have enjoyed being a demonstrator for almost 9 years and would love to continue working with you. In order to make it easier for you, I will pay for your shipping on all qualifying Sell-a-bration orders of $50 or more that you call/email by January 26. If you don't have a current catalog, you can view it on-line at www.stampinup.com.

It has been a pleasure sharing my love of stamping and scrapbooking with you and I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!

I have declared this room to be a disaster zone:

My scraproom has seen better days for sure. Right now it is to the point where it's hard to be productive. This past weekend I started the yucky process of organizing this space and although I have gotten a lot done, there still is so much more that needs to be done.

I am a cluttery crafter. I can't seem to get away from it. I'm sure I must in some small (or not so small) way struggle with OCD. I always have lots of projects going at the same time. Some are lucky to get finished, while others I can work on and totally ignore everything else around me (ie housework) until they are done. I also don't feel completely comfortable if my surroundings are all picked up like my husband would like. Granted, this mess of a room is not acceptable to me either, but in some ways I need to be a little messy when I am creating. For me, it's all part of the process of experimenting with different things. I can't just try one thing and say "oh that's not right, I'll put it all back and try another." Oh, no...I leave it all out where it's handy until I have layers of stuff; piles and piles of glorious creativity...until one day I can't seem to see my workspace anymore (or the floor for that matter!) Now you know why craft rooms were "invented!"

I feel like I'm scatter-brained a lot of the time, but it's actually worse if everything is put away. I swear I have a harder time finding things if I can't see them. My husband who is the neat one in this family is always loosing his wallet (and car keys etc.) but not me...most of the time I know exactly which pile to search under to find what I need.

Here is a link to a discussion about being messy that I found pretty interesting.

Glamour Girl

I just love how Natalie wants to be just like mommy...I think I may have to give her a little advice on the proper way to apply make-up though!

Another Poll

I've been in an organizing mood lately, and my scraproom really needed some help (I'll post photos tomorrow), so I polled the ladies at 2 peas who shared their wisdom on organizing magazines. Click on poll to read the feedback or take part in the poll. (you may have to scroll up to see the poll.)

Blog Watch

Check out Ali Edwards' blog. There is post with lots of cool photos of her husband who was just sworn in as a State Representative (in Oregon!!!). I think the photos are down on the page a few posts.

I was up late last night on 2 peas and came across this blog: Life of a Scrapper Husband

Dinner to Go menu

This past Wednesday, I made this menu to go along with the dinner I prepared for some friends who just a baby. On the back I posted some instructions for heating the food back up.

Cardstock is Stampin' Up! and the stickers I found at the dollar tree. Peas in a pod...gotta love 'em!

Beauty and the Beast

Wow, it's been a whole week since I have posted anything. I have been real busy working on pages and hope to post some more soon.

Don't worry about this title...I don't have self esteem issues. But it just seemed like such a fitting description for the way I felt that day. Here I am out shopping with no makeup on and I didn't bother to do much to my hair (back then I was a mother of only one and this was VERY RARE for me.) Then of all people to run into, but the very beautiful and very made up Miss America! Let's just say that I was feeling a bit frumpy anyway, but the contrast says it all.

Anyway, I was shopping at A Joy Forever when I came across this gorgeous paper that I knew would be so perfect for this layout. (I used it on the top half). I wanted the LO to have a medieval manuscript look to it and this was so perfect. I don't know if you can tell by the photo, but it's really sparkly.

Text is in an Old English font and reads:
Once Upon a Time in the far away land of Gresham lived a beautiful young woman named Katie Harmon who was chosen fairest of them all . She was crowned and proclaimed to be Miss America in the year 2002. One day Katie returned to the Gap, the merchant where she once peddled clothing. It just so happened that on that very same day a woman named Alyssa, from a nearby town, came to inquire about an Easter dress for the fair baby Natalie. Alyssa noticed other townsfolk were having their photographs taken with Miss America. Afterall, it isn’t everyday you get to meet such a gem. Alyssa was torn because she had left her little villiage without adourning herself in a suitable manner. After setting her vanity asside, Alyssa walked up to Katie and introduced herself. She was kindhearted and after a quick photograph, Alyssa continued on her way. The Endv

Paper: (top half) Die cuts with a view "Enchanted Paisley from their "once upon a time" line,
bottom Karen Foster Designs "Outdoor Brown,"
Title: I printed it from my printer then cut it out and embellished with red glitter from Stampin' Up!
Book Plate and brads: Stampin' Up!
Paisleys were cut out from the "Enchanted Paisley" paper
Green Organza Ribbon is from Joann's Fabric
Crown: was cut freehand out of gold cardstock and then I used gemstones from Oriental Trading Co.

Looky, looky...come see what I got

I didn't get any scrapbook layouts done today, but I did go to Craft Warehouse. I went in for one piece of Basic Grey patterned paper, but then I found these 12x12 trays. They were half off. When I saw them a couple years ago I thought they were a good idea, but with one huge design flaw. They were way too far apart from one tray to the next. If these were designed to store 12x12 scrapbook paper, you would have to have 2" of a particular color or patterned paper for each tray. Seems a bit much to me. Instead, I store all my paper in clear 12x12 magazine type binders (the paper is stored vertically) which have tabed dividers so I can separate the different colors.
Anyway, I bought these trays to store all my layouts that still in progress or are waiting to find a home in an album. This way they won't get lost on my desk (a very scary place at times). I have a tray for each kid, a tray for vacations and a tray for everything else.

You better not pout...

I always thought it was weird when I saw other scrapbookers dedicate a layout to photo shoot out takes, but now that I have these photos, I couldn't resist. Unfortunately, you almost don't even notice the finished product. I was sweating bullets trying to get all three kids to cooperate at the same time. I just love the irony...the word JOY and the expressions on Haydens face.

Patterned paper: Creative Imaginations. Solid paper: Stampin' Up

My gift from Natalie

I just wanted to brag on my daughter. She made this flower at our neighbor's house and gave it to me for Christmas. She is becoming very crafty! It's hard to tell in the photo, but this flower stands just shy of 3 feet tall. (the white box is there to brace it so it doen't fall over.) She told me she made it pink because that is my favorite color. She also cut out a pink and green humming bird for the center. Didn't she do a great job? Okay, I'm done gushing now. Thanks for indulging this proud mama.

Embelishment Sneeze

This is the second time in a month that I have spilled all my embelishments all over the floor. The first time it was all my buttons and beads. Like I really need another mess to clean up after! So much for keeping everything tidy in this organizer. It's no good at all if you forget to close the latches.

Cowboy party: little buckaroos

Here are all the phots from the "photo booth" at Zander's cowboy birthday. I had them printed at wallet size so they would all fit on the page. (sorry for the glare on the right side of the page)

Wood background paper: Karen Foster

The results are in...

Earlier today I was rearranging my layouts in an album and realized some of the pages might be better suited in a different album (like the Nature page posted below). I was curious to see how other scrapbookers organized their pages, so I created this poll at 2 peas. Here are the results as of almost 9 pm:

After giving it some thought, I have decided to start individual albums for each kid. I'll include their birthdays and any other page that is all about them. This just seems to make sense to me. If anyone reading this has any insight, I would love to hear it...is anyone still reading this blog?

Look deep into Nature...

This is my first layout of the new year. I would love to do at least one page per day this next year...I'm gonna try. I was just so excited to get a space cleared off in my scrap room to be able to work on this page.

The photo doesn't do this layout justice. This picture of Natalie was taken this past fall. If you can't see from the photo, she is holding a very fuzzy caterpillar. It is such a sweet photo, and I looks even better since it was converted to sepia.

Patterned papers: Stampin' Up! and daisy D; Butterfly: Paper House; Saying: My Mind's Eye. Ribbon and bookplate: Stampin' Up!; Flowers: prima.