More Birthday Challenges

This week Lori really kept the challenges coming.  It is not only fun, but very inspiring.  For some reason the challenges get me started and then I have a lot of fun scrapping.

I am also back at work on my Ali Edwards class at Big Picture Scrapbooking (Yesterday and Today).  Even though the class officially ends this week, I have been very behind.  I went through and made sure that I had downloaded everything, and that I looked to see what weeks really made the most sense for me to complete.  I completed week 12 this week, and started on week 11.  Week 11 requires a week's worth of self-portraits, which is why I couldn't finish it this weekend!  Anyway, there are a couple more weeks that I want to complete, and then I will be done (for me). 

Final score: Weeks completed: 7 Weeks not completed: 4 Weeks in progress: 1

I was reflecting that I really did learn a lot through the class, and in many ways it has changed my scrapbooking far beyond the actual lessons.  I'm allowing myself some flexibility in my scrapbooks (different types of pages, page protectors and organization).  This is fun, invigorating and actually makes the albums more interesting.  I'm still trying to figure out how to make it all work, but at least I'm trying something different.

Okay, so here is my work from this week.

First, the Ali Edwards work.  Week 12 was all about ephemera.  I had this bag of things that I had saved from our Turkey trip, and I thought that this was just about perfect.  I hadn't really known what do with this stuff.  So, I took a divided page protectors, journaling blocks from Ali Edwards, and created something totally new.  I've never done this before, so it also works for the Apron Strings Designs Birthday Challenge #14: Today, do something new to you on your layout:  mists, paint, sewing, decoupage ;), chipboard, hand cutting, building your own embellishments, etc..  I'm still trying to fit it into my album, and I have a plan!  I have a couple more spreads to finish, so now I can work around this.  I think that I may try this idea on a regular basis, and have a divided page protector in every album, holding random stuff from the time covered.  We'll see...

Yesterday & Today: Week 12: Stuff

Second, I felt like scrapping some Christmas photos, and was inspired by some things I saw from some of the other designers.  For Challenge 15: Today create a layout using at least three different patterned papers. I went a little crazy and used about 6 different patterned papers.  I love how it turned out!  The patterned papers make up the strip on the left, the journaling block, the circles and the decorations.  I used some of the strategies that I learned from Nic Howard in her class that I took in the fall.

Finally, for Challenge #17: Today, incorporate a box, or block, on your layout.  I used this beautiful paper from Fancy Pants (Tradition).  I hadn't really known how to use the tree, which I loved.  However, I really like how this turned out.  I was pleased with the effect of cutting the edge of the tree and tucking the square underneath.

I'm not sure how much I will be able to get done next week.  My MIL comes into town and I'm sure that we will be busy together.

Thanks for stopping by!

More Challenges at the Birthday Party

Once again Apron Strings Designs kept me inspired and challenged with their birthday party on their blog.  I was super excited to see that I even won a prize last week!  But the best prize is having time to scrap and create.

My first creation, for Birthday Party Day #12: For your layout today, use at least four 1-2" strips of paper; no flames required was actually a birthday card (with flames!).  I make the background with 5 strips of paper.  I really like how it turned out.  The cake stamp is from {The Stamps of Life}. I have already used this set a ton, and it fun for making birthday cards.

My second creation was for Birthday Party Day #13 Today, use the following sketch from Sketchy Thursdays (love this site) on at least two layouts and I had a lot of fun with this one.  I am still waiting for a photo for the left side (from the birthday boy's mom), but I really wanted to work on this layout.

Finally, I combined my work from my class at Big Picture Classes (Yesterday and Today with Ali Edwards) with Birthday Party Day #11 Today create a layout using 6 or more photos - the more the merrier, right?  :)  I've been a bit behind, but I completed this layout for week 9.  This is a day in my life!  It was fun, and interesting, and I think that I will do something like this once a year or so.  It is a nice addition to what I usually scrap about.

So, that about covers it...I can't wait to see what Lori throws at us this week!

The Birthday Party Continues!

It was a rainy weekend here, and it made for some good scrapping time.  I was inspired by the challenges at Apron Strings Designs...as I mentioned, it is their 6th birthday!  During the week I wrote down the challenges, and then I used that as a starting off point for my creating.

My first project was based on challenge #6: Your challenge for today create a layout using banners.  I have been seeing a lot of banners in layouts, both online and in magazines, but I haven't really done any myself.  I decided to use this challenge for my title page.  I used "banners4all" from the {Stamps of Life} and "funky4lowabc".  I really like how it turned out.

Next, I started with the idea of challenge #9: Today add a bit of chaos to your page by putting something on an angle.  As I worked on the right hand page, I was suddenly completing challenge #5: Today incorporate scrapbook's version of Sprinkles:  Use at least 10 Buttons or Brads or, dare I say, Eyelets on your layout. I hadn't used eyelets in years!  But, it was fun to pound away (I don't have a crop-a-dial).  Here they are together.  This is from our trip to Turkey, and it was fun to look over these photos again.  I actually used a lot of different types of techniques on the right hand side, and after awhile I just wanted to be done.  But, I do like how it turned out.  I especially like the waves on the bottom of the left hand page.

I am trying to get to know my new cricut machine.  I still often have to cut things twice to get the right size.  BUT, I'm loving the letters and using paper to make the letters.  I can see that I might have to start collecting cartridges!

Have a great week :)

Happy Birthday Apron Strings!

This weekend I had a little bit of time on Sunday to dive into my scrapbook stuff.  It felt great!  It was nice to just have a few hours to create and look through all of my things.


At the same time, my favorite kit club, Apron Strings Designs had a number of challenges on their blog in celebration of their sixth birthday!  Wow!  Six years!  Way to go Apron Strings.  It's hard to keep a small business going, and Lori does an incredible job; every month is even better than the previous month and I get to try lots of new things.


So, I chose two challenges that I thought I would be able to get done in the time that I had.  First, I took on challenge #3: "make your journaling more than an afterthought." I knew the perfect layout!  I wanted to write about Big Picture Classes, and all of the fun I have been having.  For this layout I started with my journaling, rather than a photo.  I never do that!  Thanks for the challenge to get me going. Here is my layout.

Journaling Challenge

Second, I took on challenge #2: sketch challenge.  I love Becky Fleck, and her sketches at Page Maps.  Here is the sketch:

And, here is my take. I had a lot of fun, and it the photos brought back wonderful memories from a long weekend in November.

Challenge #2: Sketch Challenge

Did I mention that I have a new Cricut???  That will have to be on another post :) 

Some Updates from Yesterday and Today

I haven't had a chance to update my blog in quite awhile.  Work was crazy busy, and then we went on vacation!

Right before I left for vacation, I worked on a LO for Ali Edward's class, Yesterday and Today at Big Picture Classes.  I almost finished it, but not quite!  So, I had to wait until I got home to scan it and complete the last bits.

This LO is from week 7: "This week we are continuing our focus on telling stories that link the past and the present. We are making connections that make the invisible threads of our lives visible."

Story of Two Friends: Week 7

I'm happy with this LO because I went back through lots of old photos to find four photos taken with my good friend from high school Laurie.  We had just seen each other at Christmas, and we have been trying to rebuild our friendship.  This LO allowed me to recognize the past and the future.

When I got back from vacation I jumped back into class, with the week 8 lesson on perspective and mindfulness.  I had to find 11 photos about me.  I did cheat and add one of my cat, but it made sense.  I went back over left-over photos that I hadn't scrapped, or photos that I hadn't used yet, and I really had fun with the process.  It took a lot longer than I had expected, mainly because there were so many little parts.  I'm happy with how it turned out.

Week 8: Perspective

I had mentioned earlier that I was trying digital LOs.  Well, I got my prints back from Persnickety Prints, and while the quality of the printing was excellent, I wasn't in love with the flat aspect of the digital LOs.  I think that some hybrid scrapping here and there will be good, but overall, I think that I'm a paper scrapper.

Thanks for stopping by!

First Week of Creative Retreat

I'm so enjoying (already) Creative Retreat with May Flaum.  She is generous, inspiring and never makes you feel guilty.  I am really using her class as inspiration, and trying to keep on with my scrapbooking.  It is fun to try new things, and see a different style.

This weekend I didn't have a ton of time for scrapping, but I am still making progress.  First, I created this layout, inspired by one in Creative Retreat.  I didn't know what to do with all of these photos of food from Turkey, but now they are in the album!  My DH came by and said that he loved it!  And, he was excited to have it in the album.  We really loved the food :)

Eating our way through Turkey

I also worked on some cards for this week, and prepared a layout about Christmas using a template for a holiday mini book from Big Picture Classes, created by Kayce Rehn.  This is something different for me, so I am excited to see how it turns out.  It is going to be in a 12 x 12 page protector with 6x4 openings.  One side will be a photo and the other will be from the template.  I think that it will be fun.  Working with Ali Edwards, in her class, is helping me to see that my books can be a combination of many different things.  I like how freeing that is, as well as inspiring.  It opens up a whole new world. 

Holiday Mini Book Images

Speaking of my other class, Yesterday and Today, I have totally fallen behind.  But, I'm about to change all of that as soon as I'm done with this post.  I have to see what is there for this week and get to work.  I might have some time this week, even, as DH has a lot of night meetings.  Cereal for dinner and time to scrap?  Maybe!

Finally, I was super excited to send off all of my 12x12 digital pages to Persnickety Prints.  They are having a big sale right now, and it is the perfect time to order.  These will be my first ever digital pages...so excited to see what they look like when they arrive.

Camono Craft Hideaway

Last weekend I had the luxurious and wonderful chance to go away and scrapbook all weekend.  I left work early on Friday, which was lovely and made for an extra long weekend.  I picked up Deborah and we headed for the Camano Craft Hideaway. 

We spent the weekend with six other folks who I did not know...but I do now!  We already signed up for next year.  Really, do I have to wait a year???  Here we are at the end of the weekend.

The happy (and color coordinated) scrappers.

While I was there, I worked on our photos from Turkey.  At first I was totally overwhelmed by the sheer number of photos.  I was trying to squeeze them into 10 layouts.  Why, you ask? I don't know!  It was just some rule that I made up in my mind.  When I let go of my silly rule, it all went much better.  Here are the layouts that I completed (those of you who know the itinerary will see that some pages are missing.  Yes.  I still have some work to do.).

Istanbul

Aya Sofia and Blue Mosque

Topkapi Palace

Bosphorus Cruise

Izmir with the Georgers

Road Trips with R & G

Ah...Sirince

Karabarun

Deborah and I also worked on creating an "Inspiration Journal" for our next Big Picture Class: Creative Retreat.  I'm super excite because I am taking it with Deborah and Denise.  This is our virtual scrapbook retreat.  I just have to make some time for it.

Inspiration Journals

Finally, I spent this weekend unpacking, reorganizing and moving all of my layouts into their correct album.  I finished a title page and an end page and this layout for my favorite Apron Strings Designs.  This was based on this sketch, and is of the party we had before the Dyettes moved to HK. 

Goodbye Dyettes

All in all, a productive weekend.

A long weekend of catching up

This weekend, with the extra day, I was finally able to clear off my scrapping desk and the piles around me.  There are still some piles, but they are much more organized!  I am also preparing for a weekend away scrapping with my friend (yay) so this was a good time to get ready so that I will get a ton done.  So excited!

I found some memorabilia from a trip in 2007 that I had lost for the past three years!  I was so excited.  I knew that I had these things, so I never finished this album.  Let me tell you, it felt GREAT.  Now that is all taken care of.  Plus, it was fun to revisit our trip to Japan. 

I also made about 8 cards and got them ready to mail.  That was an achievement as well.  But, doesn't it feel good when you do something that you know you should do and that someone else will appreciate?

I was able to file and sort through a number of photos, and I am beginning to organize some of my older photos in different ways.  I'm thinking about the kinds of pages I want to make sure to finish (and start) that are important to my story.

I think that I am inspired to do this because of the class I am taking with Ali Edwards.  It really forces you (in a good way) to go down memory lane and question what is really important.  I have had a lot of fun looking at old photos, remembering good memories and taking the time to write some stories down.  This week the prompt was for six childhood memories.  While it is hard to pick 6, I let the photos do the talking, and just went with the photos that called out to me.  In one case, I wrote a story without a photo; I'm proud of myself for doing that, because it is a good story about me.

Here is my layout.  I am still going digital with this class, and I will be so curious to see how these print up!  I'm going to send a batch to be printed as the shipping is the biggest cost.  If I can be patient, I will wait until the class is over.  However...I don't know if I can be that patient!

Thanks for stopping by, I'm enjoying sharing with you.

Weekend Updates

This weekend I had a little time to work on my scrapping projects.  It was a big weekend; the first weekend with a LO from Yesterday and Today with Ali Edwards, and Apron Strings Designs was busy with a Blog Hop and they announced their new Sous Chefs (Design Team).  I had high hopes that I would get a lot done...

Well, I did complete the LO for my class. After a lot of thinking I decided to do this class digitally.  I may still change my mind, but for now I'm going to try this technique.  As I have to scan in most of the photos anyway, this will just streamline everything.  It is a steep learning curve!  Thanks to Jessica Sprauge, I do know a few things, and it is good to practice.

So, here is my title page for this series of LOs about Yesterday and Today.  I managed to get a photo from when I was a baby, my 8th grade graduation, high school, college and today on the side bar.  I was three in the main photo.  It was a lot of fun going through the photos I do have (still missing between 5-10 years old).  I am listening to Ali and trying to go with my gut and use the photos that move me in some way.

For Apron Strings Designs I finished Blog Hop Challenge #3: use pink, orange and lime in a LO.  These were the perfect colors for the day at the fair with Quinn.  These photos are so cute!!!

I'm trying to keep up with the classes, and I look forward to learning more as I go.

New Classes!

I'm starting of 2011 with three new classes.  I'm sure that this will keep me busy...

I'll start last year in 2010.  On the 30th of December I started Yesterday and Today with Ali Edwards through Big Picture Classes.  It is a real treat to spend 12 weeks with Ali.  She is inspiring, creative and so thoughtful.  I know that I will enjoy the message boards as well.  The first activity is introspective, about thinking of 12 stories that you want to tell about yourself (or your family, depending upon the focus of your album).  I've done the brainstorming, but I haven't narrowed it down yet.

The other activity was to go through past LOs and look to see what you liked and didn't like, so as to think about what you want to create during this class.  Overall, I was pleased that I liked all of my old albums (started in 2003).  Many are simple, but I am happy with the story that they tell.  Overall, I am most disappointed when I did not journal, or tell the whole story.  So, my focus will be on telling the whole story for this class.

In preparation for Ali's class (which will incorporate some digital elements) I am taking two classes with Jessica Sprague.  One is on digital scrapbooking, Up and Running, and one is on editing photos, Photo Editing: Good to Great Workflow (which I figure will be useful in the long run).  I am not planning to go digi...love the paper too much...but it is good to have enough of an understanding of digital processes to use the different elements Ali will provide.

So far, in the digital scrapbooking class I have gotten through the first three lessons.  I have created a number of digital layouts, but I haven't really spent a lot of time on my own.  I don't really want to go all digi, so I'm just trying to learn and work through a few things.

Here are some of my projects.  First, I uses a quick page to create this little layout about my niece Quinn.

Next, I practiced some of the same techniques and created this page about my brother.

For lesson two, I had to practice more techniques, and I created this page about my DH.  Not in love with the photos (I may switch them out before I print).

In lesson three I created a page that I actually like.  I think that I will do something fun with this for those included.  Not sure what yet!

I don't have anything specific to show for the photo editing class, but I think that it will be useful.  I'm getting a little bit more comfortable with Elements, and I can see how it can be quite powerful.

Wrapping up "Colour! Or is it Color?"

I can't believe that it has been almost a month since I last posted.  Time has been flying by so quickly.  I did manage to finish almost everything for my first class at Big Picture Classes.

The next color in the rainbow was purple...indigo...violet.  I like purple, and I feel like I often wear purple, but when I went through my photos, I had a hard time finding something that really highlighted the color.  In the end, I went with a soft purple: my niece's shirt.  I do like the feeling of this, and was happy with the final project.

The Build It project for purple was fairly simple, and I spread it out of two pages. 

I was inspired by a LO in the gallery to go for a deep, dark purple and focus on the elegant feeling of purple.  I scrapped the formal photos from our cruise in February.  I really like the feeling of how it turned out. I even stitched, layered, stamped, and rolled the edges of the paper to create dimension.

The last week of the class was on neutrals. I thought that this would be so easy. Ha!  I spent one whole evening, scrapping with dear friend Deborah, just completing the color cards for black and white.  I was really feeling stuck and uninspired.  I think that I like color a lot, and found all of the color cards much easier to complete.  However, when they I finally finished, I did like the feeling.

There was one last Built It exercise for the class, and this is the one that I did not complete.  I felt like I did learn all of the techniques and I got a lot out of the experience.  I've already signed up for the next class that I am going to take...with Ali Edwards.  It looks great.  Check it out here.

Update on my Big Picture Class

I have been having the best time in my class with Nic Howard.  I think that this is the best $ I've spent in a long time.  A lot of enjoyment for the expense.  I really think you should check out Big Picture Classes!

Since I last posted I made my way through the green lesson and the blue lesson.  I think that the blue layout is my most favorite layout of all time (at least until the next one!).  I really struggled with the green layout, mainly because I didn't have the right kind of photos (vertical).  In the end, I think that it is OK.

So, let me share.  Here are my color cards for green (the Alhambra in Granada, Spain)

 and blue (photo of Aegean Sea in Karabarun, Turkey):

And, here is the sketch for the green LO:

Followed by my take on the inspiration.  I'm still trying to layer and challenge myself to do different sorts of things (isn't that the point of a class?).  Here I wet and rolled the edges of my paper to give it dimension. I also turned it into a two-page spread.

Now, here is the LO for the blue lesson:

 And, my take. 

This is inspired by G and is a tribute to him and our time together.  We really miss him.

Thanks for reading!

Meeting Stephanie!

This weekend was a very busy one.  First, my dad and step-mom arrived from California on Thursday.  I got to show them the school and they were able to meet a lot of the teachers.

The next day we woke up and went to test drive the new Nissan Leaf.  It was a full experience, with education and driving.  I really liked it, overall, and am seriously considering a purchase.  I seem to be pretty far down the list, so it could be awhile.  Here I am with my family before driving:

Getting ready to DRIVE!

After all of that excitement, we went and visited DH's school.  I was blown away by all of the improvements.

Saturday, I woke up and got ready for the CKC convention.  I was so excited.  Almost like a kid before Christmas.  The whole family was laughing at me.  I went and picked up D and we immediately missed our other D.

Checking in for our class!

Our first stop was the Embellish It! Class with Shelby.  She didn't disappoint.

Then, on to the highlight of my day...meeting Stephanie Barnard.  The Stamps of Life booth looked pretty in pink, and her DH was lovely.  I had make a serious purchase, and then I signed the Club Member board.  Here we are together:

Me and Stephanie at the Stamps of Life Booth

Stephanie, thanks for this wonderful company!  You've made a complete addict out of me!  Thanks for taking the time to go on the road and give us the opportunity to meet you.

Now I just have to meet Lori from Apron Strings Designs and I will have met my scrapbooking favorites!