I'm So Cool!!!

I am actually thinking of doing a series on the reasons I'm so cool.  Seriously!  What in the world could actually make me think this and why in the world would I be so egotistical to think of scrapbooking about it?!!  Well, quite frankly, you're probably pretty damn cool too - especially if you're over 45!!! Let me tell you a wee tale...

A few weeks ago I was sitting on a mattress on the floor of a tiny room with no door.  On my 39" flat-screen TV was a movie that I love to watch about once a year (remember, my memory goes fast so I can actually watch it every week and forget parts of it!).  While sitting there that evening, a boy of 18 walked through our front door and glanced in to say 'hey' on his way back to GiGi's room. He stopped and exclaimed, "NONNA, What are you watching?!!"  "Alien." was the reply from the mattress.  "Oh my God, that's a classic!" the boy said, never taking eyes from the screen.  "Really. I've loved this movie ever since the first time I saw it in the theater with my brother and my boyfriend." I commented nonchalantly.  "Oh my God Nonna, you are so cool!" and the boy walked away.

I've thought about this exchange several times since it first occurred, and have actually started counting the ways in which I am 'So Cool'.  For instance: seeing Jaws, Alien, Star Wars, etc. in the theater when they came out; seeing The Who with Keith Moon at the first concert ever played at the Pontiac Silverdome; having one of my best friends become NFL Rookie of the Year in 1979; watching the first moon walk on television; owning all the greats - The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, Hendrix, The Doors, Aerosmith, etc. - on vinyl LPs as well as owning 45 records.  The list goes on and on... and little did I know that however cool I knew I was at the time, these same things would make me 'So Cool' at the age of 53.

Then the list transforms; it becomes the list of things I have lived through - the things I have seen and done.  There are the movies, the LPs, etc. but there are also small things.  Remembering our first dishwasher; first microwave; TV with no cable; going from rotary-dial to push-button to portable telephones; working in a room set at about 45 degrees with a room-size computer and now sitting on a mattress typing into a little thing.  I remember leaded-gas.  I remember 10-cent Cokes in a glass bottles from a machine.  I remember thinking that Get Smart shoe-phone was ludicrous (well, okay, it really was) but now I'm looking at watch-phones for Christmas.  And I remember cutting out stories regarding the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and pasting them onto construction paper in a notebook.
How blessed I am to have lived through the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and into the new millennium! What glorious decades I've experienced!  Having lived through so many little and huge experiences in these 50 years - that does make me So Cool.  Wow! Bob Dylan was right when he said in the 60s 'times they are achangin'!  I grew up part-time in my grandparents house, so things hadn't changed so much between my moms time and mine - with the exception of indoor plumbing.  But my grandchildren, who've had cellphones most of their young lives and can't imagine growing up without the Disney channel or DVD players, have no idea (except that I did force them to watch Apollo 13 and pay special attention to the knobs and buttons in the space capsule and explain how we went to the moon before the microwave oven or MTV was invented).

So that's all this little post is about...a great big WOOHOO for all of you who are SO COOL!!! And it's not about living so long (lol!) - but a reminder of what a wondrous life we have led so far.  Each of the past five decades have brought such wondrous changes to the average way of life.  Even if we had never left the house, our lives would still be incredible.  Remember that everyday! Make a list, share it with someone - whether it's "Remember when..." or "Did you know that...".  And walk around from here on out with that attitude "I'm Sooo Cool" because, whether or not anyone else really knows how very much or what makes you that way, you truly are!

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

P.S.  This might make a great Christmas gift... maybe a mini-book for yourself or someone else.  I always think that scrapbooking is a gift: not only when it pays tribute to the recipient, but also when it gives those close to you information about yourself that may help them to know you better.

"What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pale in comparison to what lies within you." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy December!!! (and Boy/Friends)

Well, here we are in December...how did that happen???  Black Friday is behind us and the many sponsored programs to document your December are among us.  I must admit that if I were to choose one it would be Shimelle's, but then I can't figure out how that works. So I have opted to not take on that expense for something that I surely won't be able to complete.  Like Project Life, I cannot imagine sitting in the house as remotely interesting...what to document - that I watched I Robot twice today and then paid bills online???  But then again, I do own more than a share of PL cards...ah, addictions!  I know that most everyone else does a version, and I am truly admire you all.

However, Rukristin's monthly email did start me thinking about some December items I want to put in my scrapbooks.  I love her emails, and she has become inspirational in my thought processes if nothing else.  She is sticking in some 'Currently' sticky notes throughout her December documentation - I love Currently's and do them in my journal thoughout the year - what a fab idea!  Also, she brought up the traditions, specifically non-traditional type traditions, which reminded me that I definitely want to document the few that we have and even the intermittent ones (like the fact that I love making cookies but that doesn't always work out) and how all have transgressed over the years.  
But then lets remember, this from the person that didn't cook Christmas dinner last year (OMG!!!) nor have I scrapped last year's Christmas pix (WHAT????).

One other word my fellow HP fanatics...Rukristin is also doing a book club event this month (utilizing a Facebook page) with the re-reading of the Harry Potter saga and discussions regarding the stories.  How fun does that sound??? Everyone is invited and what better way to end a stressful day than a chat with like-minded Harry-ophiles {made up word}.

Well, for good measure I'm going to throw in a few layouts I did over the past few months. There are a few boy layouts I have done of JC lately and a couple of GiGi with friends (using Shimelle of course).

This one uses Pebbles as the background with Bella Blvd Max camo and OA chevrons and an old PP gray dot mat.  (I really like the starry background because he always goes into the garage at night to get his fishing gear ready for the next morning.)  Blue Fern chipboard colored with Distress Paint provides the title.

The background is BB and the mat is Echo park - pretty good match!  (And thanks to allscrapbooksteals.com for the free orange tape!) I'm actually doing this a second time with a photo of his dish for our family album.

Okay, I'll admit it...when I saw this Echo Park mini-kit, I knew I had to have it and I knew what it would be used for.  It's kind of busy with all the patterns but geez, we're talking video games!!! 

Thank  you Shimelle & Maggie Holmes for making life beautiful.  Oh, and Pebbles with all the glorious gold foiled paper& thickers!

More of those bows! This time I used two different papers (6x6 is best I find) to make contrast looking bows.  Although I used almost the same exact items and design for these layouts (they go into different albums), they look so different due to the background - the kraft really masculates {made up word} the pretty stuff.

Well, back to the real world.  I hope this finds everyone well and scrappy.  Take care of yourselves!

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

“To be an artist means never to avert one's eyes.” - Akira Kurosawa

Weak Days, Birthdays, & Schooldays with HomeMade Shimelle

It's Thursday. It's Thursday. It's Thursday.  I have to repeat this to myself because so many weeks go by and I have no clue what day it is at any given time.  Our days are measured by doctor's appointments and, as appropriate, getting kids to and from school.  It's easier during this time of year due to that very fact...except on weeks like this where GiGi missed Monday and the week started on Tuesday; and yet, this week seemed so long that Wednesday felt like Friday.  It's odd how your sense of time changes when you don't work; or when you really can't remember if something happened last week or yesterday as it all seems the same.  I don't like it.  This passing of time makes it feel like your life is passing by and you're not even noticing. And yet, it doesn't really pass - sometimes it feels like the same day with a nice pajama nap in the midst.  It's when days-on-end pass in this manner (what I call 'weak days') that time passes without notice.  Truly, September and October passed and I don't think I knew the date more than 4 times...and, when you stop knowing what the date is, time stops passing.  I think sometimes that's how my blog sits unwritten for so long.  I have entire posts written in my head but by the time I get to the computer, hours/days/weeks have passed without notice and I can't really remember what I wanted to say.  I used to keep notes on my phone, but would forget they were there!  Another thing about this matter of time-passage is that when one day runs into another, you don't realize you're not getting anything accomplished.  For instance, I've been watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel for a couple of weeks (it's really one of my favorite things to do! even the same movies over and over - especially A Dog Named Christmas). but by watching movies hour after hour (or Kitchen Nightmare reruns, or whatever) it feels like "I'll get up and scrapbook after the movie's over" but, because I watch movie after movie, the movie is never over! I know that doesn't make sense unless you've lived it, but it's kind of like eating a whole box of cookies when the intention was only eating 3 out of the box.
What it comes down to is that I miss the structure of going to work everyday.  When I started this blog I had every intention of it being a job.  I would scrapbook and then blog at least 5 days a week. If my diseases flaired, it would be one thing; but there would be 5 days per week of productivity.  I have failed miserably.  And every night that I go to bed without having accomplished anything that day, makes it easier to do nothing the next day.  This lack of productivity and accomplishment adds to any and all other Depression factors and the vicious cycle begins.  I know there are women who are SAHMs that don't have these problems because their lives are so full of obligations, friends and a sense of importance. But I also think that I can't be the only one who has ever been forced out of a work environment into just a state of existence of which we're just not suited.  When I worked, I worked very very hard...the primary force behind all that working was simply this: I liked the sense of importance and accomplishment.  So I am preparing my New Years Resolution early... to accomplish a sense of importance.
Now, truth be told, I completely believe that scrapbooking is extremely important.  This is another matter that can totally depress me... but that's for another discussion.  What is for this discussion, is the fact that I find everything I need in scrapbooking - a sense of importance, accomplishment and creative outlet for stress.  However, understanding what scrapbooking means to me is shared by very few people in my life...actually GiGi has about at 90% understanding, Starr about 75% and my mom about 1%.  Since my mom's 'bread ain't baked', she is the main deterrent in my scrapbooking.  She completely thinks its a waste of time and money; I suppose she thinks it's so much better to sit and watch mindless TV all day as that costs virtually nothing.  While I absolutely love my mom, unfortunately I have surpassed ambivalence and gone on to antagonistic due to this issue, resulting in an attitude of it's easier to just not do it than deal with explaining it for the 1,000th time.  But, because I have a pretty good attitude about being awaken at 1:00 in the morning to deal with her anxiety attacks and changing my dad's Depends after not making it to the loo in time, I have decided that Scrapbooking is about to become a priority in my life.  I can't be a good person for anyone (exemplified by how unbearable I am becoming to live with) if I'm not living a life I feel good about.
So, I'm thinking it will probably take a few weeks to retrain myself and that's why I'm starting now to work on my New Years Resolution.  And gosh knows that I need to retrain myself! But if I can create a new work ethic as far as scrapbooking, that will surely bleed over onto my blogging.  It's a no-brainer.  Besides, the first of the year is coming up and that means my purchasing power will increase a bit (in lieu of the current no-spend situation due to modeling competition, birthdays and Christmas) and I may expand my horizons in the paper area.
But as it is, I'm still absolutely infatuated with the AC Shimelle collection.  As you are aware, I have at least 6-8 ongoing subjects comprising 18 albums.  What that means is that I can create layout after layout of the same papers and never ever will it look monotonous or duplicated.  No one ever goes through every single album in one sitting! And really, how wonderful that I can continue to use the same supplies over and over until I get totally sick of them!!!
Today, I've got several layouts to show you.  First, it's two sets of layouts - the same birthday pics created two ways: one layout created with AC Shimelle, the other with Pebbles HomeMade. The layouts are of my mom and my birthdays this year and one each will go into our annual family album and the other into individual albums.  As you know, I do this alot, but this is the ultimate demonstration:

Thickers; Tags/Stickers/Flowers: CP Maggie Holmes; Enamel Dots; Everything Else: AC Shimelle

Resin: Fancy Pants; Pinwheel: Crate Paper; Stickers & Bow: CP Maggie Holmes; Tag & Bag: Hobby Lobby; Twine & Straw: Doodlebug; Stamp: Amy Tangerine; Enamel Dots; Everything Else: Pebbles HomeMade

Thickers; Flowers, Tags: Maggie Holmes; Glitter Tape: Pebbles; Everything Else: Shimelle

Thickers; Flair, Bow, Sticker: Maggie Holmes; Resin: Fancy Pants; Wood: Studio Calico; Everything Else: Pebbles HomeMade

If I love a collection - like MH Flea Market, Pebbles HomeMade, AC Shimelle - I try to purchase the Project Life Mini Kits. I don't know why...I don't Project Life at all, though if I really had a life I certainly would...there's just something about the convenience and beauty of the title and journaling cards that make the collection complete. Well, the Shimelle PL kit, "Lovely" and the HomeMade kit, "Dazzle", each have the best cards to include embossing, glitter and foil (as shown above).

Next, three layouts for Back-to-School.  There's something about school layouts that I always want to have globes and numbers involved...just one more of those freakish things about me.  These three layouts will be divided into the Annual Family Album, GiGi's Album and JCs Album:

These two layouts are made primarily with Simple Stories with Crate Paper number vellum and a few other things by Paper Studio, Studio Calico with October Afternoon and 2Ps flair.

This one is primarily Shimelle to include the die used to create the globe. The flair is 2Ps Exclusives and say 'punch today in the face', 'but first let me take a selfie', 'every damn day' (the 2x2 wood veneer version of these sayings are in GiGis SS Snap Album). The stickers are Maggie Holmes, Pebbles and Jillibean. Everything else is Shimelle!

Okay, I'm just going to admit it...GiGi's Back-to-School layout is one of my faves as far as just looking at it in person.  I don't know what it is - always love bits of shininess, the pink/raspberry/aqua color scheme is my fave, the super-simplistic composition makes everything pop - but truly, there's just something so pleasing to my eye and mind when I look at this layout that took all of 15 minutes to throw together.  You just never know what's going to do it for you, do you?!!

You probably are very aware of the brands of evey.single.bit. that's on the layouts, but in the event you're wondering about something I missed naming, just ask.
And I just want to say, that I am so honored that you've brought me into your lives.  Thank you for giving me this gift and understanding my shortcomings.  I am so very fortunate.
Now I hope you're all well and have been living the scrappy life!

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

PS. Tonight's quote refers to writing; but, I feel this way about any creative outlet.  Specifically, I feel this way about scrapbooking.  Would I die if I never scrapbook again, probably not - but my life would only be a 'half-life'.

“Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write." - Rainer Maria Rilke

Babies, depression, my hoard and a bit of Shimelle

I am not offering excuses for my extended leave of absence.  But needless to say, 01 September came and went as did October and most of November.  Many things have happened in our household since that last post, but nothing too dramatic or out-of-the-ordinary.  I will say that I'm so happy to see you on #Instagram!!! It's been especially fun following in the adventures of @hikercynthia as she tours state parks along the east coast and into the midwest; and sharing in sightseeing with @furrypig while she was on vacation and on the coast of my obsessed-over UK as well as being a bit envious of the wine and cake.

I did finally get my scrap area moved into my dad's office as well as a place to lay my head and watch TV.  This actually started a downward-spiral of my mood; and, honestly, that unexpected catalyst to my bi-polar issues had a great deal to do my inability to get anything done.  While the room is bright and Hairy Pawter loves it, it definitely is not ideal for a loner with privacy priorities (mom has always said that I am the most private person she knows) and wishes only to be left alone.  Let's face it, I rather enjoy the fact that I can hole up in an RV or even a room and not see anyone for a few days/weeks - especially when I'm not feeling up-to-par or am trying to get into my own little world of scrappiness.  Well, guess what?! This room is right next to the front door, across the foyer from the kitchen, very open close to the living room... and it has no doors!!! It seems that not only do I get to hear every conversation in the house, but also that no one has a qualm about randomly (and frequently) stopping in the doorway to engage me - regardless of what I'm doing or how I feel.  I really, really hate this.  It has not only kicked in my depression but has caused me to feel some animosity toward everyone... especially in view of the fact that they often 'don't feel good' and retire behind the closed door of their respective rooms, but I am not allowed to have the luxury of feeling unwell.  If this sounds like whining, it is.  But as a caregiver I feel that I have no option but endure the situation, which not only causes me more grief, but also guilt over these horrid emotions.  My motto has always been 'it is what it is' but these days that comes with 'heavy sigh' and sometimes tears.  

Anyway, I have occasionally scrapped throughout the past few months (and used a BUNCH of AC Shimelle).  In addition to those layouts, I have also been working on some Simple Stories Snap albums for GiGi that I am entitling 'High School Chronicles' with one for each summer and each school year from 2013-2017.  These are great for all those photos she takes during the day or at school events that are not going into her 'annual album' (which is already full without Oct-Dec!) or are an expansion of those events.  Getting the photos printed in various sizes takes a little more work, but not really as I have found that developers often warp photos into their standard printing sizes (i.e., a square photo is 'made to fit' a 4x5.5" paper) so I have taken to editting them all onto 4x6 layers in PhotoShop before sending them anywhere to be printed in any case.

One of the things I have scrapbooked over the past couple of months are some baby photos of my brother and my daughter.  While I really enjoy scrapping baby photos and especially want to get them all done, the layouts of my daughter put me into a rather dismal funk after a bit - so much so that my depression deepened, I wasn't sleeping well and my MS flaired.  You see, there are long stories about how we really try to do what's very best for our children - especially as single parents - made even more complicated when our children are diagnosed with chronic illnesses.  These photos brought a serious case of the 'if only's' and I had to stop scrapping those for a while.  Maybe that is very much a part of my 'scraperapy'... not to just keep the depression, anxiety and stress at bay, but to make me think about the stories that have created the life we are living.  I know that when I scrap photos of my grandparents, there is a bit of melancholy in the process; and so it goes that there would be the tinges of regret and what-ifs when scrapping photos of Starr.  Therefore, I am putting those photos back in the box...maybe I will pull them out and do a few at a time - or maybe I will find a time and place that I can be alone and work on them. But right now, I cannot continue to do more as long as I have to 'function as normal'.
Well, here they are - some of those baby layouts - created with both hoarded supplies as well as new ones. One thing, I do always add a least one star to each of my daughter's layouts...it's her name, it's her thing. Also, I always use original photos once I've scanned them.  (These layout photos are exceptionally bad, I know.  I really can't tell you why they're so fuzzy; maybe a slight tremor or just bad eyesight. But I've taken them four times and each is as bad as the last..if I quit I will never blog again and truly I miss it.  I'm asking Santa for a tripod just for this purpose so maybe the new year will bring lovely layouts - keep your fingers crossed!).

A little Shimelle on a cardstock background with both Shimelle and Dear Lizzy dies to accompany the Maggie Holmes, October Afternoon and Studio Calico embellishments & HS ColorShine.

These are almost all hoarded supplies - with the exception of the Dear Lizzy dies and journaling card. The fabric and glitter papers are both DCWV.

Shimelle, Maggie Holmes & ColorShine working great with 'years & years' old embossed cardstock, vellum and chipboard letters. (wish I could find more of this embossed cardstock!!).

More Shimelle!  The glitter paper is Pebbles HomeMade, the 'ribbon' diecut is Maggie Holmes and the stars are SC with some ColorShine in Blush.  These DL Fox Thickers are my all time faves and I think I have them in every color available...the font is perfect!

And as we know, it's awesome for boys too!!!  And I am in love with all the shades ColorShine is available in.... they're perfect!!!!!

These layouts make me snicker...that stiped strip of paper being on both is just plain bizarre.  I created these layouts at two totally different times possibly weeks apart and wasn't aware that both had those strips until I took the photos today.

While these layouts will be spread among two albums, I'm sure I could fill up a complete album with Shimelle and never have two layouts the same. So many other lines have embellishments, etc. that coordinate with these papers that I never run out of possibilities; but my faves are all Maggie Holmes and Pebbles HomeMade.  And there are so many more layouts to come... remember: there are at least 5 other on-going albums to fill!!!  Oh, and the fact that a new collection is most probably on the way to be debuted at CHA! Can I hear a great big WOOOOHOOOO?!!! 

Unfortunately, to be quite honest, I haven't fallen in love with anything else lately - actually in a long time.  Other than the summer lines (due to all the beach photos), for everyday scrapping things have become hit or miss.  While I didn't like DL PDP, I loved DL Daydreamer.  Loved the first two MH lines, but not so much Styleboard. (Embellishments are always the exception to this, the embellishments I usually just love.)  So I have become much more cautious with my purchasing power, buying a 6x6 pad to preview before jumping head-first into the entire paper collection.  That being said, I have found quite a few of the new MH Open Book to love, and quite a few to ignore...but all the embellishments are spot-on in my book. And I keep looking at DL Serendipity but can't quite commit yet...I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

Well, as it's taken me about 7 hours to write this little blurb, I'm closing it out now.  I hope to do this again tomorrow with more exceptionally bad layout photos...we'll see.  I hope each of you is wallowing in scrappiness! I hope to actually get online tonight or tomorrow (computers been in shop, and then I really can't blog and then go blog-hopping all in the same day).  I miss you all! But again, am so happy with seeing you in action on #instagram!  

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

“Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” - walt disney

We Interrupt this Hiatus for a Brief Observation(s)...

Yes, I am still officially on hiatus until Monday, 1 September.  I hope to be a bit more settled by then, but who knows.  I have gotten about everything scrapalicious moved into it's new home, but there are several things still needed so that I can get things put away properly (brackets, drawers, etc.).  It's very, very small in here with wall-to-wall-to-wall furniture.  But there are also huge windows and it's making all the difference.

I just had to break in and make a couple of observations while I was thinking about it.  First, I am hoping to rework this blog a bit when I get started back up.  I have a few ideas and am researching if any of them will be feasible.  I am so serious about wanting to scrap and blog Mon-Fri; but as we all know, life gets in the way sometimes...be it kids, vacation or illness.  So I will settle for 3 days a week and at the very least once a week in times of duress.  Also, I am seriously hoping to share a kind of system to my scrapbooking.  Which leads me to this question:  If the scrap-police came to your door and told you to purge all but seven (7) colors from your paper stash, what seven colors would you keep? (Do not include black, white, kraft, gold or silver)

In other news, I have been sort of taking (actually reading through via email on my phone) a 27-week Organization Class through Scrapbook.com. I just read through Week 4 and it was all about paper storage which in turn reminded me of a conversation at ACOT last month regarding how people store their supplies. A popular answer was 'by color: ROYGBIV'.  While I admit that the way I store items is probably very different from the way anyone else does, and also that it's understandable that people store by color, I don't really understand the ROYGBIV situation.  I mean, that's not even the basic pack of 8 Crayolas.  So a few questions regarding this theory need to be address:

• What about Gold, Silver, Black, White, Brown and Grey?
• How many people own Indigo (I certainly don't)?
• Where is pink and aqua in this equasion (I mean really, Indigo but no aqua)?

If you have the answer to any or all of these questions, please speak up!

I must say that I do have four categories that are stored by color:  Flowers, Thickers, Cardstock and Tape; but they are not stored in the ROYGBIV sort of way:

Flowers are sorted into five jars:  blue/aqua/green, pink/purple, off-white, yellow/orange/brown, black/white/red.  I know that sounds odd, but it's actually quite pleasing to my eye.
Thickers - aaaah - are stored in three drawers: 1) pink, purple, red, aqua, blue, green, yellow (I only have one pack of purple so I used it to separate the pink & red)... 2) DIY, black&white, grey, black, white, brown (neutrals)... 3) gold and silver (bling!)
Cardstock has it's own bin and is sorted like this: kraft, white, black, grey, brown, pink, aqua, blue, mint green, lime green, coral, red, yellow, orange, other greens and purple. (I really don't think I own any Indigo)
Tape is stored in a 7-slot divider in a drawer (2 slots (Left & Right) per roll with one long roll across back): R1L = black & white; R1R = aqua & blue; R2L = silver, gray, gold; R2R = pink; R3L = Green; R3R = Multicolor; R4 = Purple, Yellow, Orange and Red

Now you may look at these lists and the way I store things and think to yourself, "WHAT???? That makes no sense whatsoever!" But really it does, much more than ROYGBIV! Because, primarily I do not own any Indigo!, rarely scrap in Orange and almost never in Purple(Violet????).  Really the way I sort by color is very much related to the question I asked earlier regarding those seven colors you'd keep because my seven colors are:  Pink, Aqua, Navy, Mint Green, Lime Green, Coral and Yellow (it was a very close call between red and yellow, but it's summer right now so I chose yellow).  If these are my favorite colors to scrapbook with then they are most certainly the ones I scrap with most often...so why wouldn't my storage reflect that?  Of course, this system isn't for everyone, but it is certainly something to think about.  I mean really, Indigo??!!!

Okay, so here's the one and only layout I have done in 3+ weeks.  It is the Shimelle layout...WOOHOO! While I sit most of my layouts around to check out every once in a while and make sure I like it okay before putting it away into an album, I actually still have this one sitting where I can look at it all the time. LOL! It's not my scrapbooking that's got me looking at this one, it's the lovely papers and embellies. OH MY!  It was really hard to get this one started: not only had it been so long that I didn't know where to start, but I also had a case of intimidation...what if my layout wasn't good enough to do justice to my new Shimelle collection? But I got over it of course, and cut right into four pieces of paper and started gluing them to a fifth. Now I can't wait to do it again!

The 'love', teal and banner stickers are from the new Jen Hadfield's Home*Made by Pebbles.  The flair, label, roses and label stickers are from Maggie Holmes Flea Market.  The foil & glitter papers I picked up at Hobby Lobby but noticed they are carried online by either AC, Pebbles or WRMK; and the heart punches are by EK Success & Martha Stewart.  Everything else including the Thickers, 'lovely' die and pen is American Crafts Shimelle.

Oh, I did finally get my awesomeness from that last 2Ps order with the exception that one item was missing, but of course they refunded the money for that.  The entire order was made up of the 2Ps exclusives - basically just wood and flair - imagine that!!!  Also, mentioning that I am signed up for the last class that Shimelle did back in January; so maybe I can get started with that some time in September.

Okay, that's all today.  So now, what are your 7 colors? Let me know, it's for future use.  Hope all are well and having awesome times on your Road Trips.

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

P.S. Yes, I have a real issue with Indigo...maybe I had an Indigo nightmare at some point..but moreover, it's just ridiculous.  And yes, I really did know that ROYGBIV are the colors of the rainbow; but seriously, real scrappiness is not all about rainbows.
P.S.S. Check out www.allscrapbooksteals.com for some shopping goodness (but don't buy everything up before I put in my Sep order!).  I love these peoples.


“Dance above the surface of the world. Let your thoughts lift you into creativity that is not hampered by opinion.”  - Red Haircrow

A Little More Something Something...

OMG!!! I want to get all scrappy!!!  Don't you hate when you have that 'I wish I could scrap' feeling taking over your being?! I don't mean the 'I wish I'd feel like scrapping' - like when I'm laid up in bed all puny.  Nor that 'I wish I wanted to scrap' - like when you've lost your mojo.  No, I mean the OMG I WANT TO SCRAP!!! but I can't because our house looks like a tornado has hit it and I can't even find my scrappy space.
It has finally happened...I have started the process of turning my dad's office into my room and moving out of GiGi's room.  It has just become so unfair that she cannot even have guest over - not in this town.  Here, where it blows my mind the homes her friends have (and I'll admit it's not just size, but the fact that they're always spotless...but then they don't live with my mom!).  Many of her friends have rooms the size of our Master.  It's not the size though... it's the fact that at 15, she spends hours and hours in either the bathroom or her walk-in closet (off mom's bathroom) in order to find an ounce of privacy.  That doesn't seem fair to me in any way, shape or form.  Fifteen is a serious time in a girls life - a serious time requiring some measure of privacy.  And also, 53 is a serious time in a Nonna's life...a time when guilt-free privacy is definitely desired.  But then, at 84 it's really not too much to ask for a man to have an office in one's own home; and, that's why this move has been postponed so long... it's been the hardest project we've ever undertaken on an emotional level.
However, I should say that's it's a long hard process physically as well.  This is not a very big house, made all the smaller with all the people (and animals!) packed into it.  When you're changing rooms up like we are, everything has to go somewhere in the meantime - so there are boxes and boxes and boxes in the living room, boxes and boxes in the office and boxes and crap all over the bedroom.  And, unfortunately, with the MS, only so much physical stuff gets done per day - and some days none at all - as it's only me doing anything... which kinda pisses me off since I have to work with other peoples stuff before mine ever even gets touched.  Anyway, it is what it is and I'm doing the best I can; but certainly not fast enough for GiGi and especially not for me.  I NEED TO GET SCRAPPY!  Besides, I got a notice that my Shimelle 6x6 pad is on it's way and I'm just waiting for the other items to hit the store so that I can get the notice saying they're on their way as well.  Also, I did place one last order with 2Ps for some of the exclusives - that was on 7/3 and now I have no way of knowing if and when I will ever get my stuff...it was sizable so this may end up in a roadtrip to Wisconsin and some jail time if I don't hear something soon!  But at any rate, I'd really like to have my space put together before my stuff comes in so that I may put it away properly.  Okay, so that's what I'm doing right now and I'll update you when I have something to update.
In the meantime, I have submitted some layouts to the Challenges at ACOT and thought I'd post those here real quick.

Of course I did three (yes, 3) Independence Day layouts for the various albums - and of course they all used the same supplies; but what's the odds that someone will look through those 3 albums at the same time?  And really, so happy about all those albums right now...now that all my extra Indp Day supplies won't be used up on school projects.  So honestly, I used practically every single themed item I purchased this year - I don't think I've ever done that before!  All are made using mostly Pebbles with just a little Simple Stories thrown in (as well as that Studio Calico wood)

And then our Father's Day layout was red/white/blue as well since my dad's a disabled vet, retired Army Col and retired government worker.  This was Pebbles and Crate Paper plus some ooollllddd stuff by Making Memories (and those super-cute Crate Paper Thickers).

And then various layouts using Bella Blvd:

Some Dear Lizzy for GiGi's modeling audition (she did fab and now has an agent!) and her grandmas (that's my mom on bottom!):

American Crafts, BoBunny, Simple Stories:

Echo Park & Bella Blvd :

and My Minds Eye with Pink Paislee chipboard showing how all the guys in the house are outnumbered (4 girls vs 2 guys people-wise plus 4 females vs 2 males inside pet-wise):

So that's what I've been doing - that's what I am doing.  I see Furry-Pig is on holiday (via Instagram) and hope she is having a blast.  Hopefully sometime this week I can get on the computer for more than 5 minutes.  If you haven't checked out A Cherry On Top, do it... the new Shimelle is expected at any minute but I'm not sure if they're still taking pre-orders (and don't forget to tell them I sent you).  Also, new Challenges & games will be starting by the end of the week (I've won a couple already - it's totally random!).  Plus, they have great discounts and the turn-around hasn't been beaten by anyone else yet!  Okay, just trying to help you get your crafty on!  Oh, and a big WooHoo! goes out to whoever at 2Ps decided they'd let us keep our old Glitter Girl videos, they are still on YouTube!!!  Really, now I must go through some files now...yck!

Stay Safe and Scrap On!!!

P.S.  If you haven't seen the Book Thief, see it!

“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.”  - Rollo May

Sneak Peek...

I had mentioned in a previous post that I am so excited about GiGi's album this year.  It has become my favorite album ever.  I am mixing all types of page protectors to try to create a cohesive (I hope) yet dimensional album. I started the album during my dry spell, when I wasn't caught up on my blogs or videos. But I had seen how Shimelle had done a few divided protectors into her albums and loved it, so I'm running with it.  There is no order in my album other than chronology, so each time you turn the page you don't know what you'll find - 2 12x12; a 12x12 & 4x4 protector 2-page layout; an 8x10 divided protector; whatever.  I think it makes the album really interesting and fun.  Anyway, here's a few of the layouts that involve other than just 12x12s. (Of course, all through the album this year the journaling is left blank for GiGi to fill in.)

First up - the front pages:

The first page is an 8x10 photo on a piece of MH Flea Market vellum cut to size for an 8.5x11 protector.  I kept the embellishments to a minimum - a chipboard typewriter and camera on pop-dots, to let the vellum show through, emphasize the photo, and chose those items as a statement of what the book was about - photos and stories.  When you open that page, the next page on show is the original title page.  I love this photo of GiGi playing guitar on the beach, wanted the layout to just be a summary of her personality and her life.  I did make sure when I added the 8.5x11 page that the title and year were still on show.  I love that vellum on top of the cloud paper and that you can just barely see thru the vellum to what lies below.

A 2-page layout:

A two-page layout using a 4x4 protector.-I used DL Daydreamer for the papers and the coordinating Project Life cards which I cut down to size then used the Project Life corner rounder to redo the cut side. 

Another 2-pager using the back of the previous page protector:

This is using a combination of MH Flea Market, CP Fourteen, and PL Love mini-kit.  The center row is vellum, so I'm still thinking about that - it will eventually have something behind the vellum just haven't decided yet - but I'm not really worried about it because I know it will eventually get done.

Then between the Mardi Gras layout and a 12x12 beach layout, I stuck in a page of 2.5x3.5 photos of GiGi with friends at the beach.  It just works out better than doing a layout about friends that she likes hanging out with but are either shown in another big layout or she's just school-friends with.  And I am absolutely fine with it between the big bright layout as, surprisingly, you actually focus just on that 8x10 protector and not what's around it.

These are from a small Echo Park journaling card pack - love all the manufacturers and pack-sizes that title/journaling cards come in!  

Well that gets us through February!! As always, I'm really open to suggestions regarding all my layouts, so bring it on! I'm going to try to go scrap now...

I hope you are all so scrappy.  Check out Cynthia's new Tim-Tag...it is amazing!!!  Take care of yourselves and I'll be back later.

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

“Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.” - Karl Lagerfeld