Thanks for the Memories

Vintage Christmas

2011-12-06T13:46:00.002-05:00

I am in love love love with Danielle Thompson's "55 Days of Vintage Christmas" over on her blog. She has such a great retro style!

The images of vintage Christmas ads, ornaments, Advent calendars, and more will get you in the mood for Christmas and they'll make you nostalgic for Christmases past. For example, this picture from her site is awesome because we had those plastic candles at our house when I was growing up!

Head on over to her blog and enjoy the retro goodness!

New blog and new projects

2011-11-15T10:20:00.001-05:00

Before we get to my newest projects, I just wanted to let everyone know that I have started a new blog. It is more of a "personal" blog about little ol' me, without all the crafts. So if you want to hear about me -- and frankly, who doesn't? -- head on over to A Staggering Work of Absurdity. To get your craft fix, I will continue to post my crafty stuff here on this blog!

Now on with the show!

Today, my latest layout is featured over at the Basically Bare blog. This layout is all about my awesome friend Twhyla. She is the sports gal in my life. She is all about Braves baseball and Colts football, and she's not afraid to get out there and play a sport herself. Here she is playing on a kickball league!

Patterned paper: The Paper Studio, Teresa Collins
Cardstock: Archivers, WinWorld
Chipboard embellishments: Basically Bare
Stickers: Making Memories
Tickets: SEI
Ink: ColorBox Fluid Chalk Ink in Charcoal and Alabaster, Krylon silver leafing pen

Doctor Who geek craft

2011-09-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

For my second design team project over at Basically Bare, I decided to show off my geekiness. In case you were unaware, I am a big old nerd. One of the nerdiest things that I like is British sci-fi TV shows, the mack daddy of them all being Doctor Who (click here for more info about the show).

I first watched Doctor Who back in the late 1980's on PBS with Tom Baker as the Doctor. As a kid the show was confusing but I loved the concept and the terrible special effects! Now as an adult, I'm totally entranced by the storylines and the characters (and the same terrible special effects!). The show is now on its 11th Doctor, but Tom Baker still holds a special place in my heart as "my first Doctor." I included a ribbon to pay homage to Baker's multi-colored scarf!

I was so excited to make this little wall hanging featuring a TARDIS (the Doctor's special time-travel machine that is an old British police box) that I made by hand. I had so much fun making it and am so pleased at how it turned out.

Materials used:

Paper -- DCWV, Reminisce
Chipboard -- BoBunny
Embellishments -- Basically Bare chipboard gears, The Paper Studio clock face, Tim Holtz metal washers, Recollections clear "dew drop", KI Memories ribbon
Stickers -- Making Memories, My Little Shoebox
Ink -- ColorBox Fluid Chalk Ink in "Charcoal"
Adhesive -- Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Glue Dots, GlueArts

Basically Bare design project

2011-09-08T09:33:00.000-04:00

Today my first Basically Bare design team project is up on the blog!

It's a thank you card featuring the chipboard spool from the "Sew Vintage" embellishment set. I really like the vintage feel to the card!

My next Basically Bare DT project will be posted on the 16th so stay tuned!

You're gonna shine!

2011-09-06T11:28:00.002-04:00

This is my latest DT project for Better Living Through Scrapbooking. Since a new school year has begun, our challenge is to create a layout using a school picture.

This layout is almost like a letter to my eight-year-old self. I want to tell her that she'll get past the hurts, the disappointments, and the sadness that comes with growing up. She'll grown into those teeth (eventually!). She's going to find love, happiness, and passion for life. Don't worry, kid, you're gonna shine!

Another exciting announcement!

2011-08-23T19:26:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a while since I blogged. There's so much to tell! Since I last blogged 2 months ago, I have lost 13 pounds and had knee surgery... but those stories will have to wait. What I really want to tell you about is my new gig as a design team member for Basically Bare!

I am so delighted to join the DT for this wonderful company! As you may have seen in a previous post, Basically Bare makes really cool alterable items for paper crafting. It is a fairly new company, but their products made a HUGE splash at Summer CHA. Basically Bare products are now being sold all over the U.S. and in several other countries! I am thrilled to share my projects using Basically Bare products beginning on the blog in September. In the meantime, please stop by the blog and look at all of the fantastic projects that the other designers have made.

Warning: Lifestyle Change Ahead

2011-07-13T14:34:00.001-04:00

If you have looked at any of my layouts, then you know that I am a chubby girl. Unfortunately, I have been a chubby girl for the majority of my life. In middle school, I was called all sorts of things by some terribly mean boys. Maybe this fat roll had something to do with it:

Me circa 1985. Nice stomach.

Nothing changed much in high school. Still much bigger than all my friends. Thankfully I don't have any pictures on hand to show. However, I must say that I am less embarrassed about my weight than my really really really big hair. College was more of the same... way bigger than anyone else I knew.

As an adult, I have lost weight several times. My best efforts were back in 1998-1999 and then again a couple of years ago when I lost 40 lbs. But it always came back. I could never wrap my mind around the idea of "healthy living" vs. "diet". I could only see "diet" as a temporary thing. Then came turning 35. I began putting on weight in weird places that I had never worried about before. I've always had a lower stomach "pooch", but this upper stomach muffin top thing? That's new. Horrible fat pouch above my elbow? I had only previously seen those on old ladies. My knees hurt, my hips hurt, and I was miserable.

Me with my friend Twhyla and Atlanta Braves relief pitcher
(and 2011 All-Star!) Jonny Venters in 2010


See the terrible upper stomach fat roll? GROSS!

So about a month ago, I came to the realization that I needed help. I knew I couldn't lose weight on my own so I joined Weight Watchers. It's a great plan with lots of great success stories. The best part is that they promote a healthy lifestyle vs. "a diet". Then this week I did something even more incredible: I joined Curves. Me, the most anti-exercise person EVER, working out at least 3 times a week? Who would have thought?

I promise to keep y'all updated on my weight loss/lifestyle change as I go along. With about 80 pounds to lose, it's going to take a while. And who knows? This may be some great scrapbook material!

It's MY week at Scrapping Shoebox!

2011-06-18T16:49:00.000-04:00

I am proud to be the newest member of the Scrapping Shoebox design team and I am totally psyched because it is MY WEEK! Yep, I get to post anything scrap-related so today I posted a very summer-y layout.

You can read about the materials I used and check out other coolness over at Scrapping Shoebox. Come back this week for more goodies from me!

June Challenge #1 @ BLTS

2011-06-14T11:15:00.000-04:00

The first of the June challenges is up over at Better Living Through Scrapbooking. I loved this challenge because I got to do a layout about one of my favorite activities: sleeping!

The prize for this month is fantastic! The winner of this month's challenge contest gets $25 to spend at the Basically Bare store.... What? You don't know Basically Bare? You're going to love them!

Basically Bare is a new company that specializes in making "alterable items for paper artisans" (that's their tagline... cute huh?). These alterable items are wonderful embellishments and albums that are designed for you to make them your very own. The products come "plain" and are made of corrugated cardboard, felt, acrylic, chipboard, or canvas. Then you can paint them, dye them, ink them, sand them, or do whatever you want to them! The bird in my layout is a Basically Bare felt bird that I inked with regular chalk ink. Below is an example of the felt birds as they come.

(In full disclosure mode, I did receive free samples from Basically Bare to use in my DT projects. However, I was under no obligation to write about them here on my blog. I just am because I really like the products! I also like the fact that all of Basically Bare's products are made in the USA.)

So head on over to Better Living Through Scrapbooking and see what you can do with the challenge. We would love to see your work!

Exciting "official" news!

2011-06-06T12:37:00.000-04:00

Back in April, I told you that I was going to be the guest designer for the month over at Scrapping Shoebox. For my tutorial, I showed you how to make a cute little mini-album using just one sheet of 12"X12" paper (which I still think is one of the coolest things ever!).

Well, I am happy to announce that the owner of the site liked it so much that I was asked to join the design team full-time! I've known for a while but wanted to wait until it was "official". I am so honored to be part of this site and to be representing the US (the site is based in Australia).

If you haven't visited Scrapping Shoebox, what are you waiting for? Every week, there will be Tuesday Tips and a new project from each DT member. It's a great little site that I am sure you will love.

Another exciting piece of news is that I have been asked to stay on as a DT member at Better Living Through Scrapbooking. This is great for me because I love the site and I love my fellow DT members. Beth and Jamie are so talented and make such wonderful projects. So stop by BLTS and participate in our monthly challenges. There are great prizes each month; this month's prize is a $25 gift certificate to Basically Bare (they make really cool alterable items from cardboard, felt, etc.).

Finally I send out a big "thank you" to each and every one of you reading this. You have all been so great in supporting me as I pursue my dream of working in the crafting industry. Your comments and cheers have meant so much to me. Sometimes it is hard to "toot my own horn",so to speak, when it comes to accomplishments; however, I have learned that it really is OK to be proud of yourself when you do something well. Thank you for allowing me to do that here on this blog (and in your Twitter feeds, and in your Facebook feeds, and your emails....)!

Hot fun in the summertime

2011-06-04T15:03:00.000-04:00

I don't know about where you are, but here in Georgia, it is crazy hot! Nothing but 90+ degree days for the last couple of weeks makes it hard to do anything but sit inside & enjoy the air conditioning. However, I have ventured out for some fun lately.

In May, I went to an Atlanta Braves double-header....

... the NHRA Southern Nationals (and got my picture made with my favorite driver, Tony Schumacher)...

... and a Native American Pow Wow!

Isn't she so stinkin' adorable?

What have you been up to lately?

No mojo + weeklong migraine = no blogging!

2011-05-31T14:14:00.000-04:00

This month has been tough. I have had no desire to be crafty. Absolutely none. Is it the weather (around here it's at least 90 degrees every day)? Is it my terrible ADHD kicking into overdrive? Whatever the case, I have done nothing!

Add to that the fact that I have had a migraine for a WEEK and you've got one lazy blogger!

June will be better! I have made a promise to myself that I will get my mojo back this month!

New mini-album tutorial

2011-05-02T17:18:00.000-04:00

The wonderful website Scrapping Shoebox has posted my tutorial today. In it, I show you how to make a mini-album with just one sheet of 12"X12" paper! I think the project is really cute and it is sooooo easy (and it would make a great brag book for moms or grandmas for Mother's Day -- hint, hint!).

So head on over to Scrapping Shoebox for the full step-by-step project instructions. If you like it, leave a comment!

YEE HAW! It's the April Roundup!

2011-04-30T11:36:00.001-04:00

I was inspired the other day by a visit to Katie the Scrapbook Lady. Her site has all sorts of great ideas and I loved this one. It's "The Monthly Roundup" where you "roundup" the memories of your month! This makes it much easier to go back to do journaling for your pages later; it's also cool to see just what you did all month!

What books and/or magazines did I read this month? I read issues of Scrapbooks Etc., Creating Keepsakes, All You, and the AAA travel magazine. I read lots of books including Bossypants by Tina Fey, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith, and Left Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson.
What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month? The most memorable things I watched were Michael Scott's goodbye in The Office, the Royal Wedding (of course!), and lots of baseball.
What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends? Went to Opening Day for the Atlanta Braves, eating lunch w/my friend Kerry and dinner w/my friend Twhyla, helping my friend Lauren unpack all of her craft crap after a move, going to an all-day crop, having my niece Ashley visiting, a Spring Fling Party (on one of the coldest days of the month!)
What gifts did I give and/or receive? Lauren gave me sooooo much craft stuff like a Yudu machine, paper, TONS of adhesive, and more clear acrylic than I can use in a lifetime! Twhyla gave me a cool t-shirt that says "Scrappers are acid-free"
What special or unusual purchases did I make? A UTEE melting pot!
What illnesses or health concerns did I have? A few days of sniffles due to pollen
What were my accomplishments this month? See my April 7th post! I also got some more cool news that I can't share quite yet.....
What were my disappointments this month? Not being chosen as a DT member on a site
How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals) Very well (again see my April 7th post!)
Anything else noteworthy to include? Some of the deadliest storms ever hit the South on April 27. Numerous tornadoes hit places all over MS, AL, and GA (including my hometown).

April is my month!

2011-04-07T11:40:00.000-04:00

All sorts of exciting things are happening to me this month!

I am now a published scrapbooker! I have a layout in this quarter's issue of "Stamping, Stationery, and Scrapbooking." You can find the issue at all Hobby Lobby stores now.
I am the guest designer of the month at "Scrapping Shoebox", an Australian website. Right now, my bio and a little Q&A are posted on the site; a tutorial will come later in the month.
I am also the guest designer of the month on a Greek website called "Scrapbooking in Greece." I have a folded flower tutorial posted there that is so cute! There is a "translate" widget on the site so you can read it in English (however, the translation sounds wonky, of course!)

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Using patterned papers effectively

2011-03-29T13:31:00.002-04:00

Are you sometimes intimidated by certain scrapbook papers? Do you like the color or pattern but you think,"Wow, that's a little "busy"? No worries! The key to using patterned papers is to use in moderation.

In my early days of scrapbooking, I would use just one sheet of patterned paper as a background, no matter how bright or busy it was; now looking back, I see that my pictures were overwhelmed by the papers. I have learned that by pairing patterned papers with solid cardstock or with a related but smaller/cleaner pattern, I can use the "busiest" papers around, yet still have my photos be the focus.

A great example of a company that has wild patterned paper is Sassafras Lass. I love their paper and embellishments. It makes my heart sing to look at them. However, I know that I have to use their products in a different way so that my layouts are not overwhelmed. Here's one of my favorite layouts that I made using Sassafras products:

By using a black background and by using the papers as borders and accents, I was able to still get the fun, whimsical look, but my photos are still front and center.

Another company that I love is American Crafts. They too have some awesome papers that may need a little tweaking.

If I had used an entire sheet of the stripes, my pictures would have been lost. However, by breaking up the stripes with some solid cardstock, I was able to still get the fun pattern but without all of the clutter.

For more examples of patterned paper layouts, go to my "Gallery" page here on the blog!

So don't be afraid of those wild papers! Just use them in moderation and you will have a layout that you are proud of!

Wonderful Wednesdays #2

2011-03-23T14:25:00.001-04:00

Today's "Wonderful Wednesday" site is not a scrapbooking or paper crafting site, but a photography site. The photographer, Irina Werning, has taken old photos of regular people and had the subjects re-enact the photos. The concept is so sweet and beautiful and she has done such a good job with recreating the original poses.

This would be a fantastic idea for a scrapbook page, don't you think? Find a picture of yourself as a kid, and then see if you can recreate it now!

New look

2011-03-17T14:11:00.000-04:00

The blog has a new look! I decided to embrace simplicity and make my blog a little more open. Hope you like it!

(Thanks to Yummy Lolly for the template!)

"Hoppy Easter" card tutorial

2011-03-10T09:08:00.000-05:00

Since Easter is quickly approaching, I thought I would share this card and how to make it with y'all! I think that the little 3-D bunny just makes this card adorable. Hope you like it!

(Fair warning -- I am more of an "eyeballer" when it comes to crafting so I don't include many exact measurements in my tutorials.)

Materials needed:

8 1/2"X11" cardstock or pre-made card base (any color)
white cardstock at least 5"X4"
various colors of cardstock scraps (for sun, bunny, grass, accent piece, and lettering)
Bunny stamp
Cricut "All Mixed Up" cartridge
Pens in various bright spring colors
black fine-tipped pen
Glitter Glue such as Stickles
Adhesives (your choice) as well as 3-D foam "pop dots'
fine-tipped scissors

How to:

Start with the card base. If you do not have a pre-made card base, cut a piece of 8 1/2" X 11" cardstock in half (5.5"X8.5"), then fold that in half.
Ink edges of white cardstock if desired. Attach white cardstock piece to front of the card to make the background.
Cut narrow strips of card stock to go across the width of the entire card. Place strips with one on top of the other and adhere. Then place stitching over the seam where the two pieces meet. I know that some people like to sew on their projects, either by sewing machine or hand-stitching, but I am terrible at it so I just draw my stitches with a black pen!
Cut very narrow strip of green paper for the "grass" to the width of the white background. Then with the fine-tipped scissors, cut notches or fringe into the top of the strip to look like grass.
Stamp your bunny image onto a scrap piece of white cardstock. Since my bunny stamp was just the cute little backside, I didn't have to color him in, but if your stamp is a more-detailed bunny you may want to color it in with pens or Copic markers.
Using fine-tipped scissors, cut around the stamped image. Then using the 3-D foam dots, attach the cut-out bunny to the card so that he is standing on the grass.
Cut a circle and small rectangles out of yellow cardstock for the sun. I did mine free-hand so it would have a more whimsical look. Adhere sun and rays to corner of card and then cover with Stickles (I used clear "diamond" Stickles).
Using the "All Mixed Up" cartridge for Cricut (set at 1"), cut out the words "Hoppy Easter". Adhere to card using a fine-tipped glue pen like a Zig 2-way.
Get ready to doodle! Hand-doodled little flowers, the "hopping" dashes, and outline the grass using various gel pens.
Now enjoy your Easter card!

Materials I used:

Card base -- Die Cuts with a View

Patterned paper -- The Paper Studio (from Hobby Lobby)

Cardstock -- unknown

Letters -- Cricut "All Mixed Up" cartridge

Stamp -- Stampabilities (from Hobby Lobby)

Ink -- ColorBox Cat's Eye Fluid Chalk Ink in Blue Lagoon, Autumn Leaves Stampology in Onyx

Pens -- Sakura Glaze and Gelly Roll, Zig Millennium Writer

Adhesives -- Glue Arts Perma-Tac, EKSuccess 3-D Dots, Zig 2-Way Glue

Glitter -- Stickles by Ranger

Wonderful Wednesdays #1

2011-03-09T10:27:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, a church in my town had a summer program called "Wonderful Wednesdays" where kids would come in each Wednesday and play games and do crafts with other kids. It was at Wonderful Wednesdays that I learned how to make a stamp with a potato (did you ever do that?) and make "stained glass" with tissue paper.

In honor of my early crafting days at Wonderful Wednesdays, I am going to begin my own Wonderful Wednesdays series here on my blog. Each Wednesday, I will feature one or two blogs that demonstrate different paper crafting techniques, have cool layouts, or are just pretty... well, wonderful!.

For the very first Wonderful Wednesday, I am featuring Amarilys's Little Corner. I found her website after she left a comment here on my blog, and I was so impressed with her layouts! Her work features lots of fussy cutting (which I am often just too lazy to do!) and girly elements like flowers and butterflies. She also has lots of great page and card sketches.

So please head on over to her blog and show her some love!

Happy Wednesday to all!

The story behind the layout

2011-03-07T10:00:00.002-05:00

Too often in scrapbooking, we document only the good events. But how many of us have only good days? So today over on Better Living Through Scrapbooking, the design team girls (including yours truly) reveal some layouts about the things that didn't go as we had planned.

*One note about this layout. I know that most people see this picture and think, "What could be so terrible about going on a great vacation in the Caribbean? Are you that spoiled?" NO! As you see in my journaling, it was the fact that my plans were changed that led to this layout.

One of the elements that we were challenged to use this time was hidden journaling. The journaling on my layout is behind the picture so you have to lift the picture to see it. Since you can't do that on the site, you can read it here:

I admit it. I am a travel planning junkie. I plan every single little detail on every trip that we take. Where to stay, what to do, even where to eat are all things that figure out months in advance, and our cruise was no different. I had our entire day in Cozumel all taken care of. We had never been there before so I was kind of excited about it. I was even going to try helmet diving (a big deal for someone who is afraid of water)!

Then came the swine flu.

It hit Mexico first just a couple of weeks before our cruise. This was an illness of epic proportions and Cozumel was soon a hot-bed of disease. Of course, all of the cruise lines stopped going to Mexico and we were told (just days before the cruise) that we would be going to Nassau, Bahamas instead. All that planning down the toilet. All that work planning our trip was just wasted and I was completely thrown for a loop. Messing up my travel plans is guaranteed to totally ruin my day. I didn't want to go to the Bahamas. I had heard from many people that it wasn't that great. Boy, were they right. We were not impressed and I was still bitter about having my plans foiled. Oh well, at least we can say "Been there, done that". Maybe on our next cruise, it won't be during a flu epidemic!

So if you haven't seen the layouts from the other design team girls, go check them out. Maybe it will inspire you to scrap a not-so-perfect event!

I'm going international!

2011-03-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

I've known about this for a few weeks now, but it is now official so I can share with you:

I'm going international!!!

I am proud to announce that I will be the guest contributor on not one, but two scrapbooking websites based in other countries. In April, I will be featured at ScrapGreece (a Greek website) and Scrapping Shoebox (out of Australia). I will be sharing some brand-new layouts and tutorials on both sites.

I am pretty excited about this opportunity because it opens up my work to a much bigger audience. It will also be fun to see how my tutorials translate into Greek! And don't worry if you can't read Greek; the ScrapGreece site has a handy translator function!

Now this news has nothing to do with the post from yesterday. I never heard anything so I will just sigh and move forward. As you can see, I have other opportunities to keep me busy!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

I need a serious dose of patience!

2011-03-03T11:28:00.002-05:00

If you all remember, my "one little word" for 2011 is BRAVE. I decided that this was the year to go big or go home. So in that vein, I have been actively pursuing my dream of being on a design team. I've been sending out submissions like a crazy woman.

But do you know what the worst part is? The waiting. Waiting for the email or call that you had what someone was looking for. Waiting to hear if your art is deemed "worthy". Waiting to see if this is the day that you are one step closer to your dream.

As those who know me can attest, I pretty much stink at waiting. Patience is definitely not my gift. I try every day to cultivate it, but most of the time, I fail miserably (I could never be a vulture, just waiting around till something dies! I'd have to go kill it myself!). I have to constantly remind myself that my life is not subject to my time line; it works on God's time line.

So today, I wait for an announcement that is supposed to come and try to be patient. If it is meant to be, it will happen. If not, then I move on and try again...but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

JOURNALING PROMPT: Are you a patient person? If so, how did you become that way? If not, do you want to change?

New card design

2011-02-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

A little confession: I love to make cards, but I never send any of them out! They are always so cute that I want to keep them all to myself like little works of art. Does anyone else do this?

One thing that is great about making cards is that you can use products that are cute but you never knew how to use them before on a layout. For example, I have some really cute French-themed Creative Imaginations paper and stickers that I won at a crop. I never had an opportunity to use them on any layout so I thought, "What about using them on a card?"

Well, here's the new card I just made using the products and I think it's pretty adorable! Plus I got to "shop my stash" and not buy a single thing to make it.

Supplies used--

Card base: Die Cuts with a View

Patterned papers and dress form sticker: Creative Imaginations

Letter stickers: Sticko

Flowers: Heidi Grace for Fiskars and Prima

Adhesive pearl: unknown

Adhesives: Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro PermaTac and Mini Adhesive Squares, EK Success Pop Dots

Ink: ColorBox Chalk Ink (Charcoal)

New "Better Living Through Scrapbooking" post is up!

2011-02-21T11:44:00.000-05:00

My latest design team layout is up today on Better Living Through Scrapbooking!

Our challenge this time was to create a layout without words... no title, no journaling, nothing! I was totally apprehensive about how it would turn out since I always include at least a title on my layouts, but once I began working on it, it wasn't too bad. It really allowed the picture to be the focus, and it made me want to kick up the photo a notch so I experimented with making the pic black and white with just one little part left in color.

So head on over to the site and look at all of the design team's layouts. All of the my fellow team members are so talented and have such different styles so I am sure you will find something that will inspire you. And remember that if you enter your layouts in the February challenges, you will be entered to win a gift certificate from Queen Kat Stamps!

A free font for you

2011-02-20T14:46:00.000-05:00

I changed the look of my blog a few weeks back. If you look at the sidebars, you will see the headings of each section (as well as my blog button) have a nice little handwritten font. Well guess what? That font is my handwriting and I want to share it with all of you!

I love using my computer to do my journaling for scrapbook pages, but I like the idea of having things in my own handwriting, so this is the best of both worlds!

Just click on the link below and download my handwriting for free (scroll to the bottom of the page to the button that says "Download Now with Filefactory Basic"). Then you can install the font to your computer and use my font! Hope you like it!

Lorrie's Hand

February challenge is up!

2011-02-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

The new February challenge is up at Better Living Through Scrapbooking! Our fearless leader, Elizabeth, will be posting each of the design team's responses to the challenge throughout the day so you can see our takes on winter.

I want to encourage everyone to come join us for this month's first challenge. If you post a layout, you have a chance to win a $20 gift certificate from Queen Kat Designs Stamp Co.

If you have never looked at the QKD site, you are missing out. There are some adorable stamps over there!


Adorable stamps from QKD! Very SQUEE-licious!

So head on over to Better Living Through Scrapbooking and get inspired!

Review of "CHA Live" with Scrapbook Royalty

2011-02-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

As you may or may not know, it is one of my big dreams to actually go to a CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) show. The thought of all of those scrapping companies and all of that new stuff just makes my heart go pitter-patter, but so far I have not been able to attend one. Just when I was feeling sad about missing CHA Winter 2011, I read about being able to watch it LIVE with Scrapbook Royalty!

So what is Scrapbook Royalty? Scrapbook Royalty is a volunteer-run non-profit organization (now under the umbrella of CharityWings.org) that helps crafters raise money for various causes. The group hosts and sponsors scrapbooking events all over the country to raise money for charities such as Susan G. Komen, American Heart Association, Boys and Girls Clubs, Autism Speaks, and more. The CHA Live event raised money for Crops of Luv, a charity that makes scrapbooks for terminally-ill children who have been granted wishes through groups such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This year, Elena Etcheverry (founder of Scrapbook Royalty) and her team of talented ladies took on the daunting task of broadcasting live from CHA for all of us who couldn't attend the event. For three-and-a-half days, Elena did interviews with vendors and crafting "celebrities", ran all over the floor to show cool booths and products, and had fantastic make-and-takes that we could do at home (at-home participants got a BIG goody box with TONS of product!). We got to "chat" with other participants, ask questions to the vendors, and enjoy CHA without the hurting feet! There were minor technological glitches related to the site that was being used for the chat room, but Elena's enthusiasm and the opportunity to see so much of CHA more than made up for it.

I am so glad that I was able to be a part of this event. It was great to "virtually attend" CHA and the new products and websites that I learned about will keep my wallet empty well into the year! I can't say enough good things about Elena and all of the wonderful volunteers at Scrapbook Royalty for their time, dedication, and enthusiasm for this event.

Also thanks to Nikki Sivils, Flower Soft, Unity Stamps, Westcott, Clear Snap, Bazzill, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Prima Marketing, Faber Castell, Maya Road, Mod Podge, and Copic Markers for donating products included in the "swag bag".

P.S. All of the vendors that Elena spoke with were more than happy to donate some of their products for eBay auctions to further benefit Crops of Luv. So head on over to eBay (Seller name: princesslanie) and bid on the cool things that are being auctioned for a great cause.

Busy, busy, busy!

2011-02-01T21:39:00.000-05:00

Hello lovies! Just wanted to stop in and let y'all know that I haven't forgotten about my lovely readers.

I have been busy as a little beaver this past week. I watched CHA Live via the Internet thanks to Scrapbook Royalty (and it was FANTASTIC! I'll blog more about that this week.), I began my new job, and I've been applying to some more design teams and magazine calls!

Can't wait to fill everyone in on all that's going on!

Journaling prompt --- A favorite item of clothing

2011-01-25T22:06:00.001-05:00

Do you remember a favorite item of clothing from your childhood?

I have a phenomenal memory so I can recall lots of clothes and shoes that I loved as a child. In kindergarten, I had a pair of cowboy boots that I loved. I wore them on picture day with a pair of khaki pants so I could "look like JR" (yes, from Dallas!). I had a t-shirt in 3rd grade that was aqua and white that said "I love rock n' roll" on the front. In 5th grade, I had a pink sweatshirt with scottie dogs on it... and I think it was Swatch or Esprit or some other very 80's brand.

But these shoes are right up there in my memory:

They were house shoes with Snow White heads on the front. Oh, how I loved those shoes! They were pink and fuzzy, and the Snow White head smelled soooo good like plastic baby dolls. I remember wearing them until they got holes in the bottoms and in the toe where my big toe poked through. Just looking at these pictures brings back great memories of that Christmas and how it felt to be a little 3-year-old girl!

So think about your favorite clothing item from your childhood and make a scrapbook page about it. Don't have a picture of you in the item? That's OK. You can always include a picture of you from that same time period, or you can just not use a picture at all and focus on the journaling itself. Either way, it will be a great page to have fun with!

I would love to see your work so upload your page to your blog, Photobucket, or some other gallery and send me the link!

Huge giveaway from Simple Scrapper!

2011-01-25T11:53:00.000-05:00

The Simple Scrapper is having a fantastic giveaway on her blog. She is giving away a 1 year subscription to Simple Pages / Simple Projects (a $96 value)!

Simple Pages/Simple Projects is a wonderful product designed for busy scrapbookers. Each collection (released monthly) includes instructions for a project, .PSD templates that can be used as templates or as sketches, and a sheet of "story starters." While you can purchase each collection individually or as a 6-month subscription, Simple Scrapper is giving away all 12 collections!

Besides the great giveaway, the Simple Scrapper website has all sorts of wonderful tips about things such as digital photography, organization, and time management. So go check them out and tell them I sent you, then enter this giveaway for yourself!

Big blog giveaway!

2011-01-19T15:13:00.000-05:00

Jamie, the lovely lady over at My Tiny Little Corner of the World, is having a huge giveaway on her blog!

She is giving away 84 sheets of paper from 7Gypsies and GCD Studios! And she just *might* throw in some Ranger and Prima goods as well!

Just go to her blog (which, besides the giveaway, has tons of great tutorials on making cards, ATCs, and other paper goodies), become a blog follower, post back on your blog/website, and leave a comment. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Here's the link: http://mytinylittlecorneroftheworld.blogspot.com

Good luck!

New Cosmo Cricket collections... and a favor to ask my dear readers!

2011-01-17T13:05:00.002-05:00

I adore Cosmo Cricket. The people behind Cosmo Cricket (Julie, Eric, and Lindsay) are so sweet and lovely. Their collections are always so retro and fun and cute as can be. Well, they have outdone themselves this time with their new collections debuting at CHA in a couple of weeks. Just look at these!


"Social Club"

"Upcycle" (my personal favorite!)


"Salt Air"

Aren't those just the cutest? So go here to see all of the pictures of the papers and other goodies up close!

Now for the favor to ask all of you....

The same lovely people at Cosmo Cricket are doing something really cool. They are giving away these collections to some lucky people and one of the ways involves you! While winning this stuff would be great, this would be even better:

"And, the final way to win is to be nominated by your friends and family as one awesome person who would make a great addition to our design team. The top 10 people nominated will be featured here on our blog for you to vote on again. The winner of that vote will become the newest addition to our team for at least 6 months and they will also receive tons of Cosmo Cricket goodies including the new lines."

That's where you come in! You know you want me to be on the Cosmo Cricket design team. You know that it would be just too cool for school. Think of how popular you would be if you could say to your friends, "Hey! My friend Lorrie is on the Cosmo Cricket design team!" You would be making folks jealous left and right. So go on over to their blog and leave them a comment nominating ME! Or go to their Facebook page and nominate ME! Or go to Twitter and nominate ME! Or go to your email and send them a message nominating ME! OR DO ALL OF THE ABOVE!!! Only the top 10 nominees are in the running so vote early and vote often!

(Seriously though, it would be an awesome opportunity so I would be so honored if you would nominate me.)

Hugs and smooches to y'all!

CHA Winter 2011

2011-01-15T11:34:00.002-05:00

The CHA Winter 2011 Conference and Trade Show is coming up!

CHA is where the newest crafting products and lines are debuted. Just thinking about all of that crafty goodness in one place makes me giddy!

You'll be giddy too when you look at some of the CHA sneak peeks. The wonderful Nancy Nally, publisher and editor of Scrapbook Update, has gathered a list of some of the many companies and the lines they will be debuting at CHA. You can see them here. Thanks, Nancy!

After looking at all of the sneak peeks, I can see some definite trends for the new lines:

Vintage/retro - Lots of papers and embellishments that look straight out of the 1920's-1950's (with a couple of 70's thrown in!)
Circus/carnival (mostly vintage/retro) - Just as long as we don't have to see lots of clowns. Clowns eat people.
Pastel/muted colors

All of the new lines are wonderful. I can honestly say that I didn't see a dud in the bunch (and believe me, I have seen some duds in past CHA releases!). However, these are the things that stood out to me:

GCD Studios: Melody Ross "Soul Food" -- OK, this one comes with a disclaimer... I love everything that Melody Ross does. She could poop in a bag, put a little vintage bird on it, and I would buy it. Seriously. But even if I didn't have an overwhelming "scrap crush" on her, I would still love this collection. The colors and the retro ladies take me back to the late 70's, sitting in Calico Corner and looking at sewing pattern books with my mom. (That's a true story -- Calico Corner was our local fabric store & I loved going in there as a kid, just looking at patterns!)

Echo Park Paper: "For the Record" -- Love love love this line. I would buy it for that vintage typewriter alone.

Sassafras: "Paper Crush" -- Sassafras Lass (I can't help it... that used to be their name and I will always call them that!) can do no wrong in my book. Their papers and embellishments just make me happy. Love the border strips on the edge of the papers. Love the 2-sided paper (but it makes it hard to choose what side I want to use). And the little chubby cannon firing hearts made me say SQUEE!

Webster's Pages: "Spring Market" -- Oh. My. Goodness. This collection makes me want to plant a garden and make homemade jam. No lie. And the fabric flowers? Shut up. I am dying over here.

So what are your favorites? See anything that you will just have to buy when it hits the stores? What collections make you want to run the other way?

How you like me now?

2011-01-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with this page lately and learning how to make my own blog elements. I made all of the little sidebar titles (like Archives, Blogroll, Links, etc.) and I made my header! I also learned how to add a signature line to my posts and added a blog button so that people can share my site.

Yep, I am a total dork.

So what do you think of the new layout and new elements?

First design team layout is up!

2011-01-10T13:17:00.000-05:00

My very first layout for Better Living through Scrapbooking is up! It's a "mid-week inspiration" for the first January challenge about New Year's resolutions. I loved this challenge because it made me break out of my comfort zone -- I used paint (on something besides chipboard!) and I even did a little hand-sewing! I really like the results and I hope you do too.

And if you ever have any questions about a product or technique I have used, please feel free to leave a comment on the site or ask me here in my comments!

I did it!

2011-01-07T10:36:00.004-05:00

It is "official" so I can now announce:

I have been chosen as a design team member for
Better Living through Scrapbooking!

I am so excited to be a part of this site! Better Living is still a fairly new site so I feel like I am getting in on the ground floor of something big. I can't wait to challenge myself to try new things and share them with the readers!

So what led me to this wonderful experience? (Warning: long story to follow!)

I decided at the end of 2010 that my one little word for 2011 was "brave". Too often, I have let opportunities pass me by because I was afraid of something -- afraid of success, afraid of failure, afraid of even trying. That little voice in the back of my head saying, "What if you aren't good enough?" was often a bit too loud and it kept me from pursuing my dreams.

I have had several scrapbooking goals for several years now, namely to be on a design team and to have my work published in a magazine. However, though my friends and family have always complimented my work, I never thought it was "good enough" to be put out in public. I gathered up all of my courage and applied to one design team last year and was not chosen. I was devastated. My worst fears were confirmed. I wasn't "good enough."

In the last couple of months of 2010, I was getting quite depressed. I had no job (despite sending out numerous resumes and applications) and I was stuck in a rut. Then a wonderful thing happened: I took an online class called "Inspiration Everywhere" from the wonderfully talented Jessica Sprague. In this class, we made an art journal. Now that may not sound like a big deal, but for me it was. I sometimes have a hard time thinking "outside the box". I am a rule follower and don't want to rock the boat. I never considered myself an artist, so why would I need an art journal? Hesitantly, I bought my supplies and went to work.

Almost as soon as I began to work on it, I began to feel free. There were no rules. There was no plan to follow. I could use whatever materials I wanted. I could draw or write anything. No one was going to judge my efforts; it was all for me. So what if I "messed up"? I could rip it out and start over! It was there and then that I decided I liked this feeling of freedom. It was then that I felt brave.

The best part of the art journal was one of the first things that I put in it. On the dedication page, I dedicated my book to my inner artist. Up until that point, I never even knew I had an inner artist. I then found a sticker (from the lovely folks at 7Gypsies) with a quote from someone named Brian Andreas that said, "For a long time, she flew only when she thought no one else was watching." Wow. Just wow. My life in a nutshell.

After playing with my art journal and jumping headfirst out of my comfort zone, I decided that my goal for 2011 was to be brave. I would make no resolutions about losing weight or cleaning house more or any of the many other resolutions I had made in the past. I resolved to be brave. If I could stand up and be brave, everything else would fall into place. After all, it was my fear that kept me from succeeding at my resolutions before.

So I did it. I applied for a job that I knew would be difficult to get. The little voice said, "You aren't qualified for that," but I did it anyway. Guess what? I got the job (more on that later!).

I then gathered my best scrapbook layouts to submit to a design team call. The little voice said, "These are not as good as everyone else's layouts. Why would they choose you?" Guess what? I sent in my application and I was chosen.

I then made a few things for a call for magazine publication. The little voice said, "Do you really think these are good enough to put in a magazine?" Guess what? I sent them in anyway. I don't know if I'll be chosen or not, but at least I tried. That was more than I have done before.

Most of us, especially women, have feelings if inadequacy. We never think that we are "enough" and we let fear of rejection or ridicule control us. If you are one of the scared girls, the not-good-enough girls, the sidelines girls, stand up and be counted. Stand up and be brave. You can do it. You never know how it may change your life.

My word for 2011: brave

2011-01-06T15:54:00.001-05:00

Free page sketches

2011-01-06T12:52:00.001-05:00

I love using page sketches. While I can often come up with a layout on my own, sometimes I need a little creative kick in the pants. That's where sketches come in.

I recently found this website and the sketches are FANTASTIC! The artist's name is Allison Davis and she shares not only free sketches, but also variations on those sketches. Last year, she did "Sketch Week" each week (that must have been hard!), but now she is changing to "Sketch Month"; however, all of her previous designs will still be available in her archives. Allison also has another sketch site called "Sketch Support" and it features lots of card sketches as well as layout designs.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention some other sketch sites that I enjoy:
Page Maps
4X6 Photo Sketch Blog
Get It Scrapped!
Scrapbooks Etc.

So get out there and scraplift something!

All I want for Christmas is a job.

2010-12-20T12:28:00.002-05:00

Only 5 more days until Christmas! Why is it that Christmas comes on the same day each year, yet I am still never quite ready for it?

This year's Christmas is a little harder than Christmases past. You see, this year I am out of work like so many other people in this country.

I worked at my last job for five years and I enjoyed what I did. However, the longer I was there, the less valued I began to feel. I took on all sorts of new challenges willingly, but I rarely heard a "thank you" or a "we appreciate all you do". That's all I wanted. Not a raise (though a raise would have been nice since I had not had a raise in over 3 years), not a bonus, nothing but a kind word of thanks. I never got it. In fact, I often got "the shaft", such as having hours/students taken away from me and given to a new hire. The final straw came when I was replaced with no warning and no explanation as the teacher of the SAT prep class that I had taught for three years. I decided that it was time for me to move on so I gave my notice. Not once did my supervisor ask me why I was leaving, nor did she ask what she could do to make me stay. I had so many mixed emotions. I was happy to be moving on, scared that I was leaving my comfort zone, and sad that I didn't seem to be missed at a place I had called home for 5 years.

People told me that I was crazy to leave my job without another one lined up. I thought that they were crazy and I would have no problem finding a new job. Boy, was I wrong. I have sent in resumes and applications to so many places that I have lost count.

I will be the first to admit that we are not destitute without my job. My husband has a good job and we still have a roof over our heads and food on the table. That's more than a lot of people have right now. However, it's getting harder to get by. My credit card bills (which are huge since I racked up a huge amount of debt in my younger, stupider days) keep coming in, and my student loan payments keep coming due so it's becoming more difficult to keep up with those and still pay for everyday things too.

So we may not have as many gifts under the tree this year. That's OK. We may not have money to travel as much as we once did. That's OK too. What we do have are wonderfully supportive friends and family. I also have the chance to see this as an opportunity for growth. I am now free to persue other interests and bigger and better jobs that I couldn't before. I have time off for the holiday season so I can enjoy my friends and family without worrying about going to work.

I will say that a job opportunity has come about, but it is still in the early stages so I don't want to jinx it. But keep your fingers crossed for me!

Free printable calendar/planner!

2010-12-10T15:12:00.001-05:00

I found the most adorable printable planner and I just had to share it with y'all!

I am a planner junkie... I could spend all day in a Franklin Covey store. However, as we all know, planners and refills are pretty expensive so I often look for free printables to use as refills for my planner. Much to my delight, I found this little bundle of goodness! Not only does it have beautifully designed calendar pages, but it also has pages for notes, shopping lists, scrapbook page planning, and projects.

Many, many thanks to Brenda Arnall for sharing her talents with us!

Free class at Big Picture Classes!

2010-12-10T14:58:00.001-05:00

Right now, over on Big Picture Classes, you can sign up for a free class called "Embrace Imperfection". It begins in February and lasts 2 weeks. It is taught by Karen Grunberg and it sounds like just the thing for those of us who think our pictures and/or layouts have to be "perfect".

Many thanks to Stacy Julian and BPC for this freebie!

P.S. This is not the only free class at BPC. There are several other self-paced classes (meaning that you can do them on your own time) that are completely free!

P.P.S. If you are a pet lover, enroll in a BPC class called "Celebrating Our Pets". The cost is only $10 and 100% of the proceeds are being donated to the ASPCA! So you not only get a cool class but you are helping a worthy cause as well.

Time keeps on slipping...

2010-12-09T11:58:00.000-05:00

After yet another long blogging hiatus, I am back. Let's get this party started!

ScrapFest is next week!

2010-09-10T21:21:00.001-04:00

I am super excited because in just a few short days, I will be headed to Minnesota to go to ScrapFest!

If you have never heard of ScrapFest, or have never attended, you are missing out on an awesome experience. It's held every year at the Mall of America and it's put on by Archiver's. There are tons of make and take booths and loads of classes. My friend Kerry and I went last year and it was unbelieveable!

There is so much to see and do that you have to go with a definite game plan in mind. Kerry and I have a real commando-attack style when it comes to ScrapFest. We get there on Thursday and check in for our badges ASAP. Then Friday is spent standing in line for make and takes ALL DAY. Yes, we really do that all day long! We do it on Friday b/c the lines are much shorter; if you wait till Saturday, you are in trouble! Last year, we made something at almost every booth. That way, the only booths we had to revisit were the booths that were doing different projects each day. Then Saturday and Sunday are spent taking classes. This year I am taking 5 classes (Basic Grey, Tim Holtz, The Girls' Paperie, American Crafts, and Reminisce). I can't wait to get my hands on all of the goodness that comes from these classes!

I'll be tweeting about our adventures as they happen so follow me on Twitter if you want the fun scoop on all that is ScrapFest!

Ella Publishing design team call

2010-08-31T16:35:00.000-04:00

The folks over at Ella Publishing are looking for a new design team!

What? You say you don't know Ella Publishing? Well, you should! They publish all sorts of really cute and really helpful eBooks about scrapbooking. They have books about finding time to scrap, how to use up your stash, and more. The best part? These books are downloads (so that you can save them on your computer) and they are sooo much cheaper and environmentally friendly than buying a regular book.

However, they are not just a publisher. They also have great tips, challenges, and lots of technique tutorials.

So head on over to Ella Publishing and see if you've got what it takes to try out for their team! I am!

Great FREE Photoshop patterns

2010-08-31T16:21:00.000-04:00

I just love Twitter because I often learn things there I wouldn't have known about otherwise. Today's fabulous "Twitter find" is this website post featuring 2000 FREE Photoshop patterns. Yep, that's right -- FREE! There are lots of designs, from cute to grungy to sophisticated, so there is sure to be something for every digi-scrapper out there!

Thanks to Ranger Ink for the link!

I am still alive... I swear!

2010-07-16T21:52:00.000-04:00

So someone called me on the fact that I have neglected my blog. She said, "Girl, you haven't blogged since NOVEMBER!" I didn't believe it... and then I looked at my poor little blog. She was right. I have just left my sweet little blog out here, all alone for months.

Well, no more! I am back with a vengeance (HA!). Seriously, I promise to update in the next few days what has been going on with me for the last several months, and I will tell y'all about upcoming adventures, such as ScrapFest!

So what do you scrap?

2009-11-06T10:58:00.000-05:00

"So what do you scrap then?"

I had a fellow scrapbooker ask me this at a crop once. This came right after I said that I was not married and had no children.

So you can only scrap if you are married and have kids? Wow. They didn't give me that memo at the very first Creative Memories party I went to.

That was many years ago. Now I am married. However, I still don't have kids.

Guess what? Someone said to me not too long ago, "I don't know how you do it. If I didn't have kids, I'd have nothing to scrap!"

Oh man. I'm breaking all the scrapbooking rules here, aren't I?

I scrap my life. Yep, my life. I celebrate me. The people that I love. The things that are important to me.

I have a great husband and we have a blast together. I scrap that.

I have awesome friends that I love to be around. I scrap that.

I like some really cool things and go really cool places. I scrap that.

I am a pretty awesome person. I scrap that.

You don't have to be a certain thing to be a scrapper. You don't have to be married, straight, have kids, be young, be old, whatever. Just BE yourself... and go scrap that.

Why do I scrapbook?

2009-11-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

I've been pondering this a lot lately.

I began thinking about it back in the spring. I was lucky enough to take a class (in person!) from Jessica Sprague (see earlier post). Then that evening, she delivered a key note speech in which she had us all to think about why we scrapbook.

Here's what I have come up with so far:

I scrapbook because I want to celebrate my life. I have a story to tell.

I want people to know that I was here. That I mattered. That I laughed, cried, loved, lost, triumphed, and failed.

I want to give myself a chance to play and explore. As adults, we don't get that chance very often.

I want to have a safe place where I don't have to follow any rules.

I want to leave my legacy.

So tell me... why do you scrapbook?

FREE class by Jessica Sprague!

2009-11-01T21:56:00.001-05:00

I just love Jessica Sprague. I really do. She is so sweet and really loves to bring digital scrapbooking to the masses. At a scrap weekend I attended, she gave a speech about "Why I Scrapbook" that brought me and the whole room to tears. She is all about helping you share your stories. I bought Photoshop Elements 7 and am now doing more digi and hybrid scrapbooking because of her.

So imagine my giddiness when I saw on her site that she is doing a FREE CLASS! Yes, you read that right, FREE! This class is called "Holidays in Hand" and it's all about capturing the memories of the holidays. Not a digi-scrapper? NO PROBLEM! This class is for everyone.

Yes, it says that the class runs from Nov. 16-23, but don't let that scare you. You don't have to sign in and do stuff every day. You can do it in your own time. That's another good thing about Jessica's classes -- once you register on her site, the classes you take are yours forever so you can go back to them as many times as you need.

Registration begins Nov. 2. Go sign up... you won't be disappointed!

Actually made a Halloween layout!

2009-10-26T18:01:00.000-04:00

I never make Halloween layouts. In fact, I bought the paper and embellishments (all from Imaginisce... it's their really cute "Spooky Town" collection) with the intention of doing something totally different with it. However, I took these pictures of my jack-o-lanterns yesterday and the pictures were just too cute not to scrap.

In other news, I found out today that I have been taken off the schedule for the month of November at my job. This is not good, what with Christmas coming up as well as the added expense of some plumbing issues at my house. Talk about scary... Halloween has nothing on me right now!

Digi-layout

2009-10-22T20:50:00.000-04:00

One of my very first digi layouts!

Layouts!

2009-10-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

Nemo and Friends layout

2009-10-22T20:44:00.000-04:00

A layout from our 2006 visit to Epcot

Nothing to it but to do it!

2009-10-22T13:39:00.000-04:00

I'm getting off my butt and making it happen, y'all.

I'm applying to some design teams.

Do they pay anything? No.
Will it be fun? I hope.
Will it be able to help me share my love of scrapbooking with the world? Definitely.

So wish me luck. Let's see if I can make something happen!

Decline of the scrapbooking "business"

2009-10-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

A new post over at Scrapbook Update got me thinking about scrapbooking and its "decline".

Why do you think that the industry has seen a downturn? Is it strictly due to the economy or are there other factors?

Besides the economy, I think that another reason for a decline in scrapbooking purchases has to do with saturation of the market.

Paper lines have all begun to look the same. How many companies need to make paper with owls/woodland animals/cherries/birds on it?

Then you have companies like Hambly Studios... pretty, high-quality products that are different, but too "far out" for most scrapbookers to use. How many things can you use chandeliers and vintage bird cages on?

Then we have a million tools that all do the same thing. Corner chompers, paper gators, round-it-all... whatever you call it, it's still a corner rounder. Just because you color something pink and give it a cute name doesn't make it "new and impoved".

My personal vote for scrapbooking's "jump the shark" moment (and if you don't know what jumping the shark is, look here)? Fiskars Rock Paper Trimmer.

So tell me what you think. Do you think that the scrapbooking business is dead?

I'm a guest blogger!

2009-10-16T21:43:00.001-04:00

Go check out Nancy Nally's wonderful blog Scrapbook Update. Her blog covers the "business side" of the craft/scrapbooking industry. Today's post is by none other than ME!!!

Thanks to Nancy for gving me the opportunity to blog for her!!!!

Guest blogger

2009-10-12T20:58:00.002-04:00

Ok, kids, keep you fingers crossed for me. I just sent Nancy Nally a message about being a guest blogger on Scrapbook Update. I love that site so I would love to do that!!!!

2 really cute websites

2009-10-09T17:55:00.000-04:00

Came across two websites today... one is for vinyl wall art and the other for acrylic stamps.

I don't need wall art so much, but it's their car decals that I want!!!

And how adorable are these stamps?

Not scrap related in any way....

2009-10-09T16:03:00.000-04:00

... but I just had to share this! I've been laughing at this for three days now on Facebook!

T-Pain and Autotune Obama

Stacy Julian's new blog

2009-10-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

Stacy Julian, former Simple Scrapbooks editor, has a new website!

I love Stacy Julian! Her book, Photo Freedom, has helped me to get over the idea that every single photo that I have ever taken must be put into a scrapbook.

So go check out her new site and blog... the bright colors alone will cheer you up!

Directions for the folded paper basket

2009-10-01T13:22:00.000-04:00

I've had some people ask me how to make the folded paper basket that was the KI Memories make and take from ScrapFest.

I warn you now, however... I suck at writing directions. The spatial part of my brain and the verbal part of my brain have only met in passing and are by no means close friends. So if you think that a lobotomized monkey could write the directions better, you are so right.

1. Take 1 12" X 12" piece of cardstock or patterned paper (the heavier weight, the better). If you want the inside of your basket to be pretty as well, use a paper that has a pattern on both sides or attach another piece of patterned paper to the backside.

2. Tri-fold the paper length-wise, making a crease at 4" and at 8". Then rotate the paper and tri-fold again. This will leave you with 9 visible "squares" on your paper.

3. Take 1 corner "square" and fold it so diagonally so that the two outside corners of your "square" meet.

4. Repeat for the remaining three corners.

5. Now flatten the paper back out to a flat 12" X 12". Turn the paper over and add embellishments to the unfolded areas. These will be the sides of the basket.

6. Finally refold the corners so that they all meet in the middle. Hole punch a hole in each and run a ribbon through.

Now you can use the basket to hold yummy goodies!!!!

Does any of that make sense? If not, that's why I included the pictures. If you still can't get it, then get a kid to help you. They can always figure this stuff out faster than I can.

And how tacky is it that the best surface I had available to take pictures on was a folding chair? That is a sure sign that I need to clean off my scrap table!

Being frisked... scrapper style!

2009-09-29T21:16:00.000-04:00

Yep, that's me getting frisked at the Atlanta airport on my way to ScrapFest. I had emptied my pockets and taken off my shoes like a good little passenger, but I set the machine off twice so the guard gives out the call for "female pat-down assistance" and I have to step into the little glass cubicle of shame.

Enter the TSA lady.

She begins our exchange by saying, "Do you KNOW why you set off the machine today?" Um, no. I'm just as surprised as you are, to be honest. So then the fun begins with both "THE WAND" and the physical pat-down. The physical pat-down includes having to roll down the waistband of my jeans (huh?) and standing like, well, like you see above.

Now of course all of this strikes me as very funny. The situation is kind of absurd and I have a nervous laugh response anyway (anyone who knows me knows that I laugh at terribly inappropriate times, like when people are CHOKING, but I digress). So what happens? I am laughing... THE WHOLE TIME! Needless to say, the TSA lady is not amused and probably thinks that I am deranged as well as being a suspicious character.

But what makes it ever funnier? The fact that Kerry is there taking pictures of the whole thing. Only a scrapbooker would think to take pictures of this event. I was so proud of her for doing this for me since I figured that if I yelled out, "Hey Kerry, take some pictures for the scrapbook", I would have been escorted out of the cubicle of shame into a much more sinister room where cameras are discouraged.

So that's how our trip began. Ten minutes into our trip and we were already causing a scene. It was great.

Oh yeah, and the thing that was setting off the metal detector? The underwire in my bra. I kid you not.

And I won't even get into the frisking I got at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. Let's just say that I though that TSA lady owed me at least dinner after it was over.

2009-09-28T21:45:00.002-04:00

OK, so the pictures are upside-down. So sue me... I'm tired. Anyhoo, this is the project from Teresa Collins Designs using the "Friendship" collection. It was put together using the DreamKutz and Bind-It-All machines as well as the acrylic BIA covers from Zutter.

Our favorite projects of the weekend were the notebooks from Reminisce. Their products from their "Halloween Collection 2009", "Autumn Forest", and "Christmastime" collections made plain spiral-bound notebooks into the cutest notebooks ever!

2009-09-28T21:35:00.003-04:00

A photo pocket tag from The Paper Company (TPC) Studio using their "Time to Travel" collection (they also have some directions for other cute mini projects on their site).

A super-fun little project from KI Memories... a Halloween goody "basket" made from a single sheet of 12X12 paper and embellished with their cute epoxy Halloween stickers and ribbon!

2009-09-28T21:27:00.002-04:00

12X12 layout from Me and My Big Ideas... very cute!

Card from Making Memories using the Slice machine and their "Wedding" collection Blossoms

A fun card from Imaginisce featuring their "Let's Roll" collection (great for boy pages!) and using their new I-Top Brad Maker. The brad maker was easier to use than I expected and you can make brads from paper, fabric, pictures, etc!

2009-09-28T21:14:00.002-04:00

Great gift card holder/birthday card from Karen Foster Designs. The ribbon is attached to a "slider" (made from a small piece of paper and a brad -- how clever!) that holds the gift card!

A really cute baby card from Hambly Studios made from a transparency! The envelope looks like a fancy lined envelope, but it's really just got a piece of patterned paper attached to the inside!

Card from Doodlebug Design featuring their Crushed Velvet brads and
Chunky Sugar Coating glitter.

2009-09-28T21:07:00.002-04:00

"Hey Pumpkin" card from Cosmo Cricket

"Smile" card from Cosmo Cricket

"You Melt My Heart" card from Cosmo Cricket

Butterfly card from Me and My Big Ideas using their "Soft Spoken" embellishments

2009-09-28T20:51:00.004-04:00

Christmas accordian mini-album from BoBunny, made from 1 sheet of 12X12 paper!

BoBunny's Halloween accordian mini-album

12X12 layout from Creativity Inc. using Stampology inks,

Autumn Leaves papers, and Scrap Metal embellishment.

Card from American Crafts using their Zing! embossing powder and Flair embellishment

2009-09-28T20:36:00.007-04:00

Set of 3 Basic Grey cards featuring the new "Indian Summer" line of products

ScrapFest 2009 make and takes

2009-09-28T20:34:00.003-04:00

My friend Kerry and I though that people may want to see some pictures of the various make-and-take projects offered this year at ScrapFest so I'll be posting pics of everything that we did.

Some vendors had one project all weekend, while others had a different project each day. All of the projects took about 6 minutes or less and are super-easy to recreate at home! Happy crafting!

And lots of love and kudos to Kerry for providing the pictures! I'm too lazy to take them, plus the deer on my Reminisce notebook project had an unfortunate accident in which he lost his butt).

$10 coupon from Lettering Delights

2009-09-27T11:13:00.003-04:00

Just a heads up to all those who love cool fonts:

Lettering Delights is running a promo right now -- become their fan on Facebook and you get a coupon code for $10 off any of their products!

They have wonderful fonts, graphics, and printables that are all very inexpensive anyway, but then $10 off makes it even better!

Once you are a fan, the code can be found on their Facebook page (or "wall").

This offer expires September 30 so you have to hurry!

Another new template

2009-09-26T22:18:00.002-04:00

As proud as I was of the last template I had here on my blog (since I actually installed it without putting my foot through the monitor AND I put my own text and pictures in the header!), I have to admit it was a little... well, busy. "Busy" as in "Sweet Jesus, my eyes. MY EYES!"

So I have gone back to my old tried and true blog template. Simple and much easier on the old peepers. Thanks to suckmylolly.com who provided it!

Scenic Route closing!

2009-09-25T22:42:00.003-04:00

Why, Scenic Route, why?!

I bought your products religiously. Your die-cut arrows are to die for. Your papers are always so cute and versatile. I was cleaning up my paper explosion... I mean, paper stash... just today and saw some of your papers and thought, "How cute is that?"

Now you go and tell me you are CLOSING?! Say it ain't so.

Break ups are just too hard.

ScrapFest 2009

2009-09-24T13:46:00.001-04:00

THE GOOD:

1. Location -- The Mall of America is unbelieveable! Over 500 stores AND an amusement park inside? Sign me up! While walking around that behemoth got old by Sunday, it really was a great place for Scrapfest.

2. The vendors/make-and-takes -- There was a great selection of vendors at ScrapFest. My favorites, Basic Grey and Cosmo Cricket, were right next to each other and their make and takes were so cute and quick. Also big props to Reminisce... those ladies had it going on! Their make and take notebook was by far the cutest project there and they were so well-organized.

3. The Archiver's staff -- I never saw anyone who worked for Archiver's without a smile on their face the whole weekend. Whether in the store, at the Savings Spot, or helping out with a class, these ladies were on top of their game the entire time. Great job, y'all!

4. The classes -- My friend Kerry and I took 6 classes and they were all great! We especially liked the Basic Grey card class lead by Layle Koncar. But the most awesome "woo hoo moment" was by far when, at the end of our Fiskars class, Stephenie Purl Hamen gave away ALL of the Fiskars punches, stamps, and stamp presses we had used (because it was the last class of the weekend and she didn't want to cart all that stuff back with her)! I sure love me some swag!

THE BAD:

1. The location of some classes/vendor booths -- I felt really sorry for Kelly Purkey from American Crafts. The class we took from her was in the "Sears Court" and it was LOUD! Even with a microphone, we had trouble hearing her (but she and her class were awesome). Also the ladies from Moxxie were right beside the Rainforest Cafe... the loud "thunderstorm" every 15 minutes really is annoying after a while (however, their flower project was BEYOND ADORABLE!).

2. The crops -- We heard that the crops were great but we didn't sign up for any b/c they were quite expensive. However, we heard that all the attendees (except for the crop sponsored by Sizzix) got lots of swag so I guess it evens out.

3. The class length -- Each class only lasted 45 minutes. That is definitely NOT long enough.

4. The lines at the booths -- The longest that we waited in line for anything was about 45 minutes. However, we heard that at one point, the line for the Little Yellow Bicycle booth was approaching a THREE HOUR wait time. Um, no. No 1 page layout, no matter how cute or free, is worth that.

THE UGLY:

1. Back to back classes -- Only having 15 minutes to walk from class to class really sucked, especially when your class was on the mythical 4th floor. No one told us that you had to take an elevator (not escalator) to the 4th floor. We were beginning to think that it was like Platform 9 3/4 and that we would have to run through a wall to get there (if you don't get that reference, read Harry Potter!).

2. Running out of make-and-takes -- The Little Yellow Bicycle booth proved to be one of the most popular, so much so that on Thursday they ran out of the super-cute layout they were doing. They replaced it with a Halloween banner. Yuck... which leads me to #3.

3. Halloween -- I do not have kids so Halloween lines of product do nothing for me. And you can't tell me that even people with kids have enough Halloween pictures to consitute soooo much Halloween stuff. It seemed like tons of the make-and-takes were Halloween-related. I'll bet that the "Halloween-is-Satan's-holiday" people were freaking out everywhere they looked.

RESULTS:

In all, I LOVED ScrapFest! I loved it so much so that I am planning on going again next year, Lord willing. While the Minnesota accent grated on my nerves after a minute ("Can I put that in a BEG for ya?"), the whole experience was great.

Now if I can just get a job with a crafting company so that I can be working there next year......

Totally revamping the blog!

2009-08-31T20:46:00.000-04:00

I know it has been ages since I posted anything, but I was tired of the old blog and wanted something totally new. I'm in the process of doing a complete make-over of the blog so bear with me!