SOCIAL MEDIA

Transparency Mini Book

8.31.2008
Transparency Album

This was a book that I made for a class that I taught at my local scrapbook store this summer. Really love it and it was pretty easy to assemble as well. The base of the book (the pages) are actually just chipboard pieces that I cut to size and I adhered patterned papers and stickers to them to jazz them up a bit.

Transparency Album

Throughout the album I included some regular envelopes by attaching them to some of the pages for special hidden journaling that I did on the Narratives, Antique Heart Journaler's Notebook.

Transparency Album

I also included several of the 4 x 6 Narratives, Antique Frames Transparency Sheets throughout the album. They are pre-printed with some decorative borders and I thought they added a bit of interest when placed over my photos.

Transparency Album

You will notice that some of the actual pages of the album are photos. I simply created these by adhering two photos together, used a corner rounder punch for the four edges and then I sanded the edges of my pictures for a bit of a distressed look.

Transparency Album

The papers that I used were either from the Basic Grey, Sugared and Archaic Collection or the Narratives, Antique Cream Collection by Creative Imaginations. I loved using the Narratives for some of my papers because I could then journal right on them as they include some ledger-type looking papers.

Transparency Album

You'll notice that I also used some of the phrase stickers from the Narratives Collection, (love those!).

Transparency Album (pocket)

I created a pocket for either some additional photos to hide in, or for some more personal journaling. It would be cute to do some machine stitching on the pocket as well.

Transparency Album

The music note paper is by Creative Imaginations and is part of Marah Johnson's, Harmony Collection...

Transparency Album

For the theme of this project I chose photos from last Christmas, but I think that the theme could very well vary, as the colors and patterns are pretty neutral.

Transparency Album

Such a fun Christmas at home.

Transparency Album

I painted the edges of all the pages with Making Memories acrylic scrapbook paint. I do this a lot and find that it makes the pages seem a bit more finished for some reason.

Transparency Album

Scrappy News!

8.28.2008
After working with Scrapcakes (an online kit club) for two months we got the notice today that the owner, Maria has decided to close the doors of her scrapbook store as well as her online store as she and her husband are moving to Minnesota. While I'm bummed of course that I will no longer be working with her, I am excited for her and her family and wish them the best of luck on their new venture together!

And for some awesome, exciting, fan-tab-u-lous (yes, I make up words!) news I am so thrilled to share that I've been asked to join the design team for Scrapbook Circle! I'm really actually quite pumped about this opportunity as their kits are just incredible and totally my taste and they also offer add-ons and project kits (how awesome is that?). The messege board is super fun and easy to navigate and the gals on the boards are so supportive and just a pleasure to be around. Stop on over and join in on the fun if you feel so inclined! We'd love the company!

I officially start my term designing with them in October, but I just have to share their September kit Vintage Flair with you all right now as it's so vibrant and bright and making me oh, so happy!

sckit

Happy (and excited) Hearts!

8.26.2008

Lots of exciting changes happening around here these days. I was thinking that I would be looking forward to the break that the change of seasons usually brings, as in the past that meant that I slowed down and quit working part-time at my lss and would resume my role as SAHM to Zoey. This year is a tad bit different though (I am discovering) as she is starting Pre-K next week! So we've been busy school shopping (she and I had so much fun doing this together!), and planning an in-home visit with her new teacher, getting ready to attend her Pre-K Open House (where we'll get to meet her classmates and Zoey will have a chance to familiarize herself with the classroom again - we visited last year too). So far, everyone is excited about this new adventure here. We've been playing a lot at the school playground so that she's used to the area and the equipment...I'm feeling really good about our choice of schools too...there are a ton of Pre-K programs here and we ended up choosing a private Christian based school program that has considerably less students and does some pretty neat things with the kids that are more hands on based and child led. I also like the fact that she will only be attending three mornings a week...I'm not quite ready to let her go totally and be thrown into the system fully yet. I want to savor the time that I have left with her as I know that this is such a special time that we've been afforded together. We've truly been blessed. Zoey is also starting Pre Ballet next month and that will meet once a week and I have to order all her stuff for that and get everything in line with her instructor as well. MOP's is also starting soon and while this is something I look forward to, it does require some planning on my part as I am the Creative Coordinator and am responsible for the craft projects monthly. I was talking with Ethan and shared that staying at home sometimes feels like more work than working full time did! He agreed (he was home with Zoey all summer while I worked part-time so has an inkling of what I mean by this!). But I must say that this has been the most rewarding work that I've ever had the opportunity to be a part of and since I love to be busy, it works with me and who I am as a person perfectly!

The above layout I created for a challenge on another site and thought that it was fitting to share it in this post as our hearts really are happy. I'm so glad that Zoey and I have had this opportunity to be at home together. It's been something pretty darn special and while there have been numerous sacrifices, they've all been minimal in the end.

Journal Pages and a Song...

8.22.2008


For my above journal pages I used the prompt of "Goodbye" and "Hello" for my starting off points....

We rented the movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (this is actually our second time renting the video, truth be told) and we have watched it twice now in the past two days...perhaps we should break down and buy it. I love it. Ethan loves it. Zoey loves it. I love the messege, I love the characters and I love the soundtrack to it as well. It's the kind of movie that just makes you feel good and you find yourself smiling when you're even just thinking about it.

Here is one of my favorite songs from the movie:


And the lyrics:

Don’t be shy
Just let your feelings roll on by
Don’t wear fear or nobody will know you’re there
Just lift your head
And let your feelings out instead
Now, don’t be shy, Just let your feeling roll on by On by …
You know love is better than a song

Love is where all of us belong
So don’t be shy
Just let your feelings roll on by
Don’t wear fear
Or nobody will know you’re there
You’re there …
Don’t be shy

Just let your feelings roll on by
Don’t wear fear
Or nobody will know you’re there
Just lift your head, And let your feelings out instead
And don’t be shy, Just let your feeling roll on by
On by …

Narratives *Love*

8.20.2008


One of my all time favorite collections, ever...by any company is the Narratives Collection by Karen Russell. I love the text that is sometimes thrown in, the ledger papers, and all the classic florals, let alone all the fun color combinations. On this layout I mixed in some of the Bloom Collection along with some of the older (but still classic) Collections.



To create the butterflies I used (you guessed it!) my Cuttlebug machine, butterfly die and three different patterned embossing folders and then I painted the butterflies using acrylic paint by Making Memories.



The letters above was a project that I did for the product catalog this summer and to alter them I used the Blue Bell Collection of patterned papers and embellishments. The letters are by Creative Imaginations as well and are the Laura ABC Chipboard Letters (part of the Bare Elements product line).

Journal Pages to Share...

8.15.2008
here are two more pages that I recently finished up. I'm really enjoying painting the background of my pages so far with this journal. It provides a nice base for all my little additions, and my friend Nat will be pleased to hear that I went out a bought a brayer the other day and now am just itching to use it! Both of these are pretty minimal, but they have their stong points I think.



My idea for the one with all the little squares was that they were to serve as little quilt squares...clustered "together." Anyways...hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Outdoor Art Projects...

Yesterday Zoey and I loaded up our art supplies and took them outside. We searched for some little bits of nature (pinecones, leaves, tree bark, etc) and incorporated them into our art projects as well. I had brought out some of her magazines and we cut out some animal pictures and then glued them on to some of her pages. I got the idea for these "Messy Books" from Emily's article here. It was fun to do something that we normally do and to just change the scenery up a bit. Made it more exciting. I think that Zoey liked packing up all the things that we may have "needed" for the project outside (she kept throwing more and more things in the basket) more than we needed for actually working on her projects, but hey...the important thing was that we both did enjoy ourselves.



Here are some of her works of art:



And, like mother like daughter:



hopefully I'll be able to share some Zoey photos with you all soon as well!

The Start of a Journal...

8.12.2008
Finding the need to have a little something, or some place, to be creative in every day. Something that's just mine, where I can reflect and pour out whatever it is that may be. Figured this little blank journal by 7gypsies would be just the thing. No stress. No rules. Just a place to play in, that's how I'm thinking of it anyways.

Started out with a blank spiral bound book and very carefully opened up the binding and took out all the pages. The idea is that I'll work on a page here and there (hopefully one a day) and then once finished I'll insert all the pages back into my book. Here are my first two pages that I've created within the last couple of days.



The thing that I love about these impromptou little books is that there are no rules to follow. They can just be me. My story. Even if it is just the briefest of glimpses.

I'm using several different points for the inspiration of these pages. Some are interesting blogs or websites that I've discovered, books, music lyrics, photography, images, how I'm feeling at the particular moment or the desire to try a new technique or even to use a certain product. To test it out a bit...this is the perfect playground for that as well. Do you have any favorite inspirational sites that you would be willing to share? If so, I'd love to check them out and add them to my list!

I Have to Admit...

8.11.2008

(and for the record, I am not a huge fan of die-cut machines) that I am really enjoying my Cuttlebug. I got it late last Winter and have just now pulled it out again and started playing with it and really seeing what it all is that I can do with it. A couple of reasons that I love it so much:
  • it's size - small and portable, doesn't take up too much space, but you still are able to make some pretty awesome sized cuts

  • how easy it is to use - you simply fold down the sides and it suctions itself to your worktable for use with the cutting mats (which you simply just roll through the machine)

  • purchase of machine is inclusive - along with the purchase, you get all that is needed to start creating right off the bat (cutting mats)

  • affordable - I found the machine for less than $80 (it may be even cheaper now) and the dies and embossing plates are affordable too

  • the coolness factor - there are so many die-cutting machines out there it seems these days and when it comes down to it, I like the style of the dies and the embossing plates that are available through the Cuttlebug brand-name. I'm not into too many "cutesy" dies and while Cuttlebug does offer some that would fit into that category, they offer some pretty darn classy ones as well

I'm especially loving these butterfly embossing plates and die right now...


and the Swiss Dots embossing folder...

Narratives Easel Albums (by Karen Russell)...

8.08.2008
are starting to ship and are even available for purchase already in some places! These albums (which were one of the super hot items at CHA this year) are a mix of scalloped transparencies, frames, journaling cards and pockets with a built in easel on the back.

Be sure to check them out at the places listed below as these are going to go fast!

A Million Memories
Create My Keepsake
Right At Home Scrapbooking (easels are listed on the side-bar on the right)



And, I thought that I would share an inspirational quote that my friend Cheryl shared on her blog today:

"Much of the stress that people feel does not come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they started."

I know that this rings true for me sometimes and that I constantly have to pull myself back and deal with the task that is directly in front of me so that I can keep moving forward, or sometimes I even just have to re-evaluate my list of "tasks" and perhaps have to cross one of two off the list completely.

If you are willing, share a goal or something that motivates you in her comments section here and you will be entered to win an awesome RAK of goodies from Creative Imaginations! Good luck!

Making Me Smile...

8.04.2008
I've been listening to this song by Noah and the Whale over and over and over the past few days...and Zoey does the cutest little moves to it while looking at herself in the mirror. It's like a mini shake-shake dance and we'll do our best to get it on film, but even imagining her doing it makes me smile.



This past weekend was the annual MOPS retreat. I always look forward to attending and getting to have a bit of time with friends and getting things lined up for the upcoming year. Friday evening we had a bonfire and just spent time together enjoying a bit of wine and sharing stories and then Saturday was spent working on the agenda for the fall and winter semester. Really am excited for MOPS to start up again (Zoey is too!). I'm gathering ideas for the monthly craft projects that I'm in charge of and have some ideas for some speakers to come in as well. Hoping that I can get everything in order within the next few weeks.

My Dad had an opening for his show at the Fine Line Gallery in St. Charles over the weekend and while I am sad that I had to miss it, I am so happy to hear that it went well. I am so proud of him. Not only is he an amazing artist but he is an even more amazing person, friend and father. If as his daughter I can walk through each day with an ounce of his insight and care, then I will be living a good life.

Yesterday Zoey and I spent the afternoon out at Life Springs and explored what treasures there were to be found at Black Market Antiques...love this place so much and I love the couple that runs it even more. They are our (Ethan and I) age and have succumbed to the struggle of living one's dream and dare I say that they are doing it beautifully. I found some little treasures (as I always do)...this time I walked out with an old milk glass cake stand, some vintage fabric swatches and trims, a beautiful floral tin that was made in England and an interesting stainless steel wire basket. Makes me feel good to buy used and to have something in hand that has seen a past that is unknown to me.








A couple of books that are on my "To Buy When I Have Extra Fun Money" is Art Journals & Creative Healing by Sharon Soneff and Keeping the House by Ellen Baker.


Last but not least on my list of little things making me happy is getting to see WALL-E with Zoey at the movie theatre on a rainy afternoon several days ago. Great movie, great company and some great snacks (gummi bears and buttered popcorn!).