Wednesday, August 31, 2011

'Twas the Night Before LOAD



Twas the Night Before LOAD
'Twas the night before LOAD
When all thru the house
Not a layout was made not even a tag!
The patterned papers were filed by color and theme
in hopes that St. Lain would prompt us to use them in a scene.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds. NOT!
While visions of gluedots, chipboard and bling danced in my head.
And daddy scouraging for food
and I pouring soup from a can
had just explained to him (for the umpteenth million time)
"NO DINNER DURING LOAD!"
When out on the monitor there arose such a "ping"
I sprang from my bed to see what Lain's prompt would bring!
Away to the computer, I flew like a flash
Typed in my password and took a quick look at my stash!
The glitter sparkled, and chipboard beckoned
giving way to ribbons, brads and tools.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a welcome email from Big Picture Classes and Lain, so dear!
With a great teacher, so lively and quick (darn those 30 min challenges)
I knew in a moment it must be St. Lain!
More rapid than eagles, her scisoors they cut,
and she smiled and cheered and called them by name.
Now Org9nzer, now Charlotte Van Wyk and Wendydz,
Now Stfne, rkokes and Natam
On Cassie Lu! ON CKgreen!
On Danielle from NL and KimberlyAnn
On kmjohnson, schaapje and ChristieI
On Purpletinkerbell and Lisa M!
To your scrapping tables!
To your Cutters!
Now choose, cut and tape you all!
As the glue drys before the layout is through,
Add some journaling, an embellisment or two!
So upload those layouts!
To the computers they flew,
With a Layout a Day completed. YOOHOO!!
And then, in  a twinkling I heard in my head,
Lain say, "You did it! You did it! But you are not through."
Twenty Five more days
there is nothing to dread!
Keep going and ya'll will create a total of 26 spreads!
But I heard her exclaim as she drifted out of sight,
"HAPPY LOAD to all and to all a good night!"

Ha!  I am sure someone else has done this and better, but I am having some fun!  Can't Wait!  Best of Luck to all!!! Lisa M.

 A little view of my scraproom before "the cleaning"!  Ready to scrap away!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

My Scrappin' Style

I am currently taking LOAD, Layout A Day, with Laine Ehmann at Big Picture Classes. For the past 9 weeks we have been "getting into shape" for our 26 layout marathon. Starting September, 1, 2011, we will make a layout a day. This week, Laine challenged each of us to identify our scrapbooking style. And of course, I thought, "what style? I don't have a particular style. I "SCRAPLIFT" everyone else's style". But per our homework, I watched Stacy Julian's video,(let's see if I can enter the link) Stacy Julian's Video reviewed my recently created LOs, and made a list of similar creative trends within my layouts. So without further ado, here is my current style:

1. Hand Journal
2.Use multiple pics
3. Up until May (past 3 months), double page LOs (Lain, May and Nic are breaking me of this habit)
4. 4x6 photos (hand crop on occasion)
5. Use colored CS as background
5.5 INK the edges, use tattered angels spray ink on background+
6. Use a sketch/challenge as a starting point
7. Lots of pre-made/make n take kits, in past 3 months: more kits w/ PP, embellishments etc all together
8. Lots of Prima flowers/embellishments
9. No B&W photos
10. Titles are an after-thought

then, I realized I forgot (which I added after #5) inking (edges)/spritzing (tattered angels)

I also saw I am trying a lot of new techniques and mimicking artists' styles (saw lots of Nic, May and Lain) This was a very interesting homework assignment. IT was very enlightening. Still thinking about what my HW LO will be, but I can't wait to find out! Thanks for making me "think and observe" Lain!

So, the challenge is to now see if I can truly make a layout a day for 26 days, starting on Thursday! Wish me luck! Part of our homework assigment was to create a layout based on our newly identified scrapbooking style. So below is the page I crated and submitted.  It is of the CN tower in Toronto, Canada.  It is the tallest tower in the world.


P.S.  I am so freaking excited that I finally figured out how to add a link to a video or someone's blog!  Yahoo.  Hope I don't forget!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Billie's Shower: Bride-Elect of Alex Mutz

Last weekend, Walker & I traveled to Texas to help with the shower of the bride elect of my cousin! Billie's shower was wonderful! Many thanks to Aunt Sharon, who organized and orchestrated the event! Kudos to Aunt Sharon! I went to cart supplies, set up and of course provide my unneeded opinion! You have to love family, who still loves you after an event! Below are several pictures from the shower! And of course you will see them in a Layout soon enough or maybe a little later! Here we go!


The Bride Elect, Billie, and her attendants! So Young and Pretty!


Mother of the Bride, Bride Elect and Mother of the Groom...Don't they look lovely!


Many thanks to those hostesses! Especially Aunt Sharon!


The Beautiful Bride Elect of Alex Mutz! Billie is holding her "Faux Bouquet" to be used for the rehearsal.


If you know me, you know I had to give her a Christmas ornament! IT had a wedding cake on it (and I think) an itty bitty bride and groom on top! Can't wait for the wedding! It will be tons of fun! Stay tuned!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

4x6 Love: Niagra Falls + 7 pictures

Each month over at Two Peas in a Bucket, Shimelle Laine hosts a free class called 4x6 Love. Each month she demonstrates how to put a certain number of pictures on a layout. July was the 7th month in our year; hence you had to incorporate 7 pictures in your layout using the design she demonstrates! I love this class because many times she has "interactive" or "hidden" pictures! Below are examples of the layout I made using Shimelle's July design!

Front page

opening the hidden pictures

revealing the pictures below

and finally unveiling the rest of the pictures and the hidden journaling



St. Joseph Graduation

Below is a Layout of Kelsey Dillard, my neice and Goddaughter, at her graduation. I used a sketch from ScrapHappy and the design challenge from Shimelle's crop weekend (see link to right): 3 is a magic number. where I would normally have a cluster of 3, I challenged myself to create a line from journal tag diagonally down right to the main star: Kelsey in her graduation cap & gown! I used some purple and (gold) yellow flowers, the color of St. Joe Eagles! Congratulations Kelsey! I will post more of her graduation and my cousin Mitchell!


Half Page Sketch

As one of Shimelle's Challenges for her on-line crop weekend. She asked us to only scrap on 1/2 of the page! The pieces for this layout just came together ASAP!

I was actually at a weekend crop with my friend when I designed this page. It is her birthday we celebrated in the pictures (which I had on hand to scrap). She showed me some patterned paper with stick figure girls holding hands with words "best friends" printed over the entire sheet of paper.
In that fun, silly mocking tone, my friend said, "Look, I got this paper just for us!"

I, the ever "up to date" on texting accronyms (ha), replied, "Aww..yes, you are my BBF!" We both stared at each other with a puzzled look, "BBF's isn't right! Silly! It's BFFs, Best Friends Forever!
Then at the same time we started laughing and stated, "Big Bosom Friends! Yes! That is us!!"

So the page was born. A picture of us at her birthday party, where we were making fun of our large bosoms, papers of hot pink, lime green and black and some fun embellishments made this page easy to make! What fun!

Shimelle's Sketch of the Week

Shimelle Lane posts a weekly sketch on her blog . This past week she included the sketch as part of her weekend crop challenges. It was the perfect sketch to help me get all those 380 pictures I took of our trip to the Niagra Falls area! Ms. Shimelle based her sketch on the design of a postcard! I used "travel" style pages on a creme cardstock. I also used a postage stamp journal stamp on the lower left corner along with a sticker stamp top left above the picture and premade chipboard stamp to the right of the picture. Well here is my take on her sketch!




Friday, August 12, 2011

Why I am Proud to be a Scrapbooker!

First, I am VERY excited about this weekend. I am actually going to a crop 4 hours away, but I am bringing my computer to share the Shimelle 3 day cropping love (see post below this one: Pretty Papers or click on Shimelle to the right) with whomever is interested! So this is just the icing on the cupcake!

Why am I proud to be a scrapbooker?: because I am actively capturing the daily and significant events of our lives and documenting them in a memorable and creative way! This is not my mother's 1960 scrapbook (which is cool by the way). But her scrapbooks lack the "story". Unless she explains the Memorabilia, I am lost. I can only guess at what is going on, how she felt and why this was so important to her. I am proud that my son and hopefully, his future children will be able to look through the scrapbooks I created, with a little awe and interest, and without a narrator!

paper: pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}: Proud to be a scrapbooker :: Giveaway

paper: pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}: Proud to be a scrapbooker :: Giveaway

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

10 Things

10 Things I like about trying something new: like participating in "10 THings"

1. If I don't like it, I can say "I tried it and I don't like it" and never have to eat, say, or do it again!

2. I actually sometimes find something NEW I LIKE: Yellow Squash & Zucchini I never ate yellow squash and zucchini before I was pregnant! Now I have(or had) a garden full of it! YUM!!!!

3. I can become enlightened, more knowledgeable about the obscure or the norm.

4. I overcome a sense of "fear" or rejection, such as participating in "10 Things" without adding any pictures and allowing someone to come visit my blog when I KNOW I need to take Shimelle's Blog class (and haven't yet) to improve my blog! (I will soon!) I am doing this on the fly because I just NEED to participate to overcome the fear of critique.

5. I become proud of myself for attempting something new, when so many others might shy away! I feel a sense of accomplishment and uniqueness!

6. I become stronger! When I try something new and "LIVE THROUGH IT" like quitting my job to be a stay at home mom, I feel empowered!

7. It gives me bragging rights! Nananana! I did it and you didn't! (I do try to keep the taunting to myself! Might lose some friends if I don't)

8. Goals are accomplished! This may be something crossed off my life bucket list or daily to do list.

9. You can meet new friends with a new activity in common!

10. It can be just plain FUN!!! TRY SOMETHING NEW TODAY!!!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to be better prepared next month! (I know Shimelle gave us a reminder yesterday...)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Eight is Great! Hidden Journaling

Below are pictures of my hidden journaling layout regarding Walker's 8th year of life. This was challenge issued by Let's Scrap! (see button to right; takes you right there) I am glad I tried it! I like how it turned out! First image shows the photo flap of this one page layout.
Second image shows the photo flap being lifted to reveal additional photos and the hidden journaling. Used all Basic Grey from 3+ years ago.


This image is the photo flap completely open revealing additional pictures and my hidden journaling which is a letter to Walker reminding him of his activities, personality and milestones during second grade/being 8.
Last image is of the journaling; hopefully you can read it if you are interested.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

My Craft Channel: My Craft Channel reveals Stamping Show

My Craft Channel: My Craft Channel reveals Stamping Show: "We are sad to think we only have 3 more Cricuts to giveaway this week and then our promotion is over. But we're happy to giveaway another C..."

Monday, August 1, 2011

Happy Anniversary - 13 Years

Wow I can't believe it has been thirteen years since Chet & I said "I Do"! It feels like it was yesterday! Long white dress, 105 degrees outside, the flowers, the mass, the vows, "THE KISS", Cake to heavy to have all layers on display, ran out of wine 2x, the candy bouquet toss, dacha dacha, dancing till after midnight! What fun!!

According, to Etiquette by Ms. Post, the 13th Anniversary present is "Lace". How do you give LACE to a Farmer? A farmer who just walked in covered from head to toe in grease, dirt, and sweat! (He's never so sexier as he is covered in work! Something primal about that look!) Ok back to the LACE present. Well, how do you give a man lace for an anniversary present? Here is what I came up with! My true first attempt at Tim Holtz' kraft resist with distress inks. I sprayed it with Tattered Angels pearl mist. I stamped LOVE in brick red and embossed it on the card too. I also stamped Forever on the ticket. I used a Prima flower. The picture is a little shiny. I am still learning my way around stamps, inks, etc. But I am happy with how it turned out! AND I accomplished my task: give Lace as a gift!!




The last picture is what I put on the bottom right inside part of the card. This is part of the kraft resist piece I tore off on the front. I stamped Love b/ could not see so I outlined the stamp w/ Red Stickles. Waste not want not...(Didn't think anyone would want to read what I wrote him.) I am happy with how it turned out. Now let's see if dinner will be...Cooking at home! Got the table set with China & Crystal...