Actually made a Halloween layout!

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

One of my very first digi layouts!

Layouts!

Nemo and Friends layout

A layout from our 2006 visit to Epcot

Nothing to it but to do it!

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"

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!

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

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

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....

... 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

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

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!