KWernerDesignBlog: Scrapbooking

Hi all!

I'm back from California and it a super fun trip! Not only was CHA amazing and inspiring, but Disneyland was a blast, too. The lines were super short. We even rode on Pirates of the Caribbean, walked off, and then walked right back on! It was awesome!

We were thoroughly drenched on Splash Mountain. I have never gotten SO wet on that ride. I have a little video after we got off the ride that I'll post hopefully tomorrow night.

I was at CHA for work, so I don't have any photos from that (except for my Paris Hilton sighting!), but hopefully Jen will have some photos up soon that I can point you to. :)

Anyway, a new Designer Garden went up at TwoPeas today, so I wanted to share my two digital scrap pages with you. :) Here they are...

(BTW, Marisa... forgive me for using the photo of you. I just love it (and you!) so much).

NOTE: Yes, there was a typo earlier in the first page. That's the joy of digital scrapbooking--you can fix a typo! :)

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(c) Two Peas in a Bucket

(c) Two Peas in a Bucket

Happy New Year, everyone! I wish you only the best in 2009!

Along with it being the beginning of the year, it's the first day of the month. That means there's a new Designer Garden over at Two Peas in a Bucket. Here my two contributions (click on the images to be taken to the page at TwoPeas with all supplies listed):

Man, I have a lot of catching up to do!

As I mentioned in my Color Inspiration Challenge post this week, I've been feeling a bit under the weather, but with some extra sleep, I think I'm shaking whatever it was off. Of course, here I am staying up late to post this, but... whatever. ;)

Anyway, Monday was the 15th so that means there was a new Garden up at TwoPeas. The seasonal theme for this month was Christmas and this is the 8x8 digital page I created for it. More Christmas photos. Love! :)

Click here to see the page over at TwoPeas with all the supplies used.

I've recently sort of switched to all digital scrapbooking. Strange for me because I was so against it even just 6 months ago. I think all I needed to see was some really cool examples of digital scrapbooking. Speaking of, I absolutely love this month's Guest Garden Girl elizzylee. She has a very calm style that I really respond to. Great use of negative space. Ahhh....

:)

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In other random things I've forgotten to share, here are some calendars that my awesome roommate Jen made. She made them a while ago, but I'm a bum and forgot to show you all their awesome-ness. :)

Yes, I share a craft room/office with her. And yes, it is amazing. :)

I know that a bunch of you were wondering if I was going to post calendars like I did last year, but I've just been too busy. But Jen made these last year for our co-workers and worked them up again for 2009, so I figured I'd point ya'll in the direction of her blog. Perfect idea for last minute gifts since you can print them out at home.

EDITED TO ADD: Just noticed that she'll be posting blank ones (great for customizing with stamping or whatnot) tomorrow, so watch for those! :)

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And yet another truly random thing... I'm currently obsessed with my new digital cutter, the Quickutz Silhouette. Oh. My. Word. I love this little thing.

The Merry Christmas block in the photo above was one of the first things I created in Illustrator and had it cut. (Their software doesn't work on Macs, but there's a plug-in to use with Adobe Illustrator--my favorite program ever so it was right up my alley.) Sweet, huh?! I was so excited!

Will this replace my Making Memories Slice? Probably. It just cuts so much better. Gets sharper corners and it's just overall amazing. I just might sell my Slice sometime soon. I'll let ya'll know if I do. It's still a good little cutter, but I just love being able to create things in Illustrator and cut it out on my Silhouette.

For those with Macs, and who also have Silhouettes, here's a little video I made showing how to merge letters and send it to the Silhouette. I was chatting with the TwoPeas Garden Girls and some of them were wondering how I made the Merry Christmas block. So here ya go...

I've had a few things go up at Two Peas over the last few days, and I just realized I hadn't updated my blog with them, so here they are. I made card for a community challenge (to stamp on patterned paper), and then two digital scrapbook pages from the most recent Designer Garden release... (Click on the images to go to each page at TwoPeas)...

Ooo! With all the rushing around this weekend, I nearly forgot to send ya'll over to TwoPeas to see the newly refreshed Designer Garden with new projects from the Garden Girls. Here's my layout...

Just a heads up to make your way over to Two Peas for the new garden the that was uploaded just yesterday. :)

Here are my two projects:

Hi everyone!

For this week's Finally Friday video I decided to add to my scrapbook journal. :) Just a quick page that I pulled together--mostly just because I loved this photo and wanted to get it in my scrapbook journal as quick as possible. I'm sure you all have photos like that, too, right?

(You can see more photos and a supply list over here).

Anyhow, you might recognize the flower on this layout. It's the rest of the Prima flower from my MACM video last week! The full-size flower definitely is in better proportion on a larger page as opposed to a card. Plus! I got to use the flower on two different projects!

So, enjoy this week's video and as usual, you can view it in higher quality by clicking here and then on "watch in high quality" below the video. :)

Hi all!

On the 1st and 15th of the each month, the Garden over at Two Peas is all new with projects from the Garden Girls. That means, today is my second GG release! :)

Below are my projects that I created for the Garden (click on each photo to go to the TwoPeas page with info and supplies). And let me tell you, that little reindeer card... oh, my word! I love the little glitter-fied nose. LOVE it! Anyway, enjoy! And be sure to check out the other projects over at the Garden.

BTW, there's a new Garden up at TwoPeas... My first pages are there. :) Click here to see the latest Garden projects.

Here are mine:

(copyright Two Peas in a Bucket)

(copyright Two Peas in a Bucket)

Hi all! So many great entries to the Color Challenge this week. You guys did so well! :)

As for my entry, I've been feeling the need to add some more pages to my 8x8 journal scrapbook. I haven't made a page in a long LONG time so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Anyway, enjoy and here are the selections this week:

TOP TEN


TEN RANDOMLY SELECTED

Summer 2008 - Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, and Pink Pirouette card stock, Regal Rose ink, School Days rubons, Simple Serif Mini Alphabet, Regal Rose marker; Scenic Route patterned paper arrow; Bazzill scalloped card stock.

You all might remember the album I made a while back. I promised to show you all how I covered it and I finally had a chance to sit down and record it. :)

Please excuse the randomness of the video! :) I had no idea how I wanted to decorate the album, so I totally changed my mind mid-stream and had to improvise a bit to get it the way I wanted it. But it all turned out in the end.

The album is by Secret Scrapper, which was started by my cousin Mandy. She's the cutest girl you've ever seen and I love her to death. When I we were in Vegas last February I asked if she could make me an album like this and she said yes! So, I'm not sure if it's at her online store yet, but I'm pretty sure she'll be selling this exact album soon. Right, Mandy? ;)

I'll be sure to let you all know when you can buy one, too!

Anyway, on to the photos and video! Enjoy!

Hi all!

I hope all you scrapbookers out there had a great National Scrapbooking Day. Me, I hung out at home and did more organizing. :)

But I also covered this album! Over the next few days, I'm going to be sharing this album with you. Well, just the cover and a few pages from it, actually. My cousin Mandy of Secret Scrapper Products sent it to me to decorate.

Isn't that paper delicious!? It's from the Fancy Pants About a Boy line. The little graphic designer in me loves paper like that. And the fact that it's so boy-ish? It's perfect for an album about my nephews (who are adorable, btw).

Anyway, this album is as sturdy as can be. Man, it's made out of some strong materials, which would be good for my nephews and their little hands. Mandy gave me some ideas on how to paint it or decorate it, but I liked the raw look of the MDF (I think that's what it is?) so I didn't paint the letters. I also wanted the edges to look more finished, so I wrapped the corners carefully.

Here's a look at a corner and the inside. I have another album that she sent me, so when I cover that one, I'll make a video so that ya'll can see how I did it.

Self Portraits - Black card stock: Bazzill; Kraft card stock and flower: Stampin' Up!; scalloped card, envelope, long card, date sticker, small brad, chipboard arrow: Lisa Bearnson Kit of the Month; ribbon: Love Elsie for KI Memories; alphabet stickers and large brad: American Crafts; fonts: Rosewood and Avenir.

Hi all! This is another page that I made while I was in Vegas a couple weekends ago. :)

@ the slc airport - Pattered paper: Scenic Route; felt and chipboard letters: American Crafts; ribbon: Love Elsie; Pretty in Pink craft ink: Stampin' Up!

Another page for my 8x8 scrapbook journal, this time featuring the girls I work with. We actually have one more on our team now (hey Venessa!) but, believe it or not, this is the only picture I have of any of us. I better remedy that so I can scrapbook a page with all of us. :)

Product Design - Grid patterned paper: Scenic Route; "I love art" patterned paper: Love Elsie; chipboard letters: American Crafts.

Hi all! Just another 8x8 page for my scrapbook journal. :)

Hi all! these pages were actually created a couple weeks ago. For the past couple years, we've given my mom a scrapbook calendar for Christmas. Anyhow, these are my three pages this year. :)

Be sure to click on them to see them bigger.

Gotta run... I'm making Kathy's breadsticks again. Hopefully they'll turn out even better than the first time I made them (which was pretty good, but not quite like Kathy makes them). :)

Halloween - Basic Black card stock, white gel pen, paper piercer and template: Stampin' Up!; chipboard letters: American Crafts; random ribbon from Target gift wrapping aisle; patterned paper: Scenic Route.

Nana's Kids - Pen, Felt and foam letters: American Crafts; patterned paper: Scenic Route.

Playing Games - Small brads, Whisper White and Basic Gray card stock: Stampin' Up!; ribbon, flowers, vinyl letters, rubons, large brad: American Crafts.

Yay for digital scrapbooking!

Have any of you tried digital scrapbooking, or maybe hybrid (a combination of both digital and traditional paper scrapbooking)? In some instances it reminds me of what I do all day at work since I'm a graphic designer, but then again... I get to create what I want, so that makes it fun!

By no means am I a pure digital scrapbooker now. I just really liked trying it out. It was quick and easy, and then I didn't have to photograph it after I was done. One less step! :)

Anyhow, this layout is all about my boss at work. She really is that funny and it's all the time. Love her to death!

Naps - Created in Adobe CS3 (Illustrator and Photoshop). Digital elements: Bedazzles Neutrals paper by Tracy Robinson; Verde Digital Kit by Anne Langpap (branch), and sadly I don't remember the fonts. I'll have to look at the original file.

Hi all! I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful! Currently, I'm still enjoying the rest of the weekend since I don't have to work until Monday. I {heart} four day weekends!

Today I've been working on my club projects for the month, but unfortunately I left my camera bag (which had all of my cameras in it) at my brother's house yesterday. I could use my phone to take a pictures, but I'm sure it wouldn't look too good. So, until I have a chance to take a picture of the project (recipe box), here's some things to keep you busy.

First of all, here's a layout I made a couple days ago and didn't have a chance to photograph. I took pictures with my phone for these since it was pretty straight forward and simple. Since it was with a phone (yikes!), you may not be able to read the journaling, so I've typed it out below.

Anyway, this is another page for my scrapbook journal (heavy on the journal). Just a page to get out some thought about Christmas music:

"It usually starts in July--something about that month, I guess. One morning, I wake up & I just have to listen to Christmas music. Ella, Céline, Josh... I have to hear all the holiday songs. This obsession carries on far longer than is healthy, I'm sure. But who cares! That's what earphones are for. Admit it. You listen to it on Halloween, too."

What about you? When do you started listening to holiday music?

Some other tidbits: Check out some new and not-so-new projects over at Two Peas:

Rebecca Trump's scrap cubes
Cute thankful layout from Amy Grendell
Jennifer Johner's button trees
Holiday Countdown Calendar from Carrie Owens
Flower Card Set from Jennifer McGuire

Seriously - Kraft card stock, Simple Serif Mini Alphabet, Cranberry Crisp ink: Stampin' Up!; chipboard letters, felt shapes: American Crafts; button: craft supply.

Do you ever feel like all you ever do is count things? That numbers rule too much of your life? 1, 2, 3, 4.

Tonight I made a simple journal page for my 8x8 journal album (click small image to see it larger). Nothing special. During the stress of getting things done before the trip to NY this weekend, I get a little overwhelmed. Just reminding myself to step back and just breathe.

Do you need a reminder, too?

Hi all! Some of you asked for a tutorial on how to make the origami box in my last entry. Here it is!

You will need:

- 11-1/2" x 11-1/2" piece of patterned paper (this will be the top of the box)
- 11" x 11" piece of patterned paper (the bottom of the box)
- 2" x 11" piece of card stock (scored at 1-1/4", 3-5/16", 7-1/2", and 9-5/8"
- 2 pieces of ribbon cut to approx. 12"

And on to the instructions:

So besides the AC box (still gasping!), I have another box in my craft room. It's a box I made last night and didn't have a chance to upload. Just a simple origami box made out of Charbon Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up!, and a little Old Olive wide grosgain. :)

I'll have to make some cards to go inside, huh?

I've also been tagged by an awesome real-life and online friend Colleen. Here are 7 facts unknown facts about me:

1. I once hide from my grandparents in a closet in my room. Actually saw them walk into the room, but just stood in the closet and held my breath. What if they would have found me, standing in my bedroom closet in the dark? CRAZY! It was a long long time ago and there's a hilarious story behind why I was doing it! Don't tease me!

2. I drive a silver Mazda3 named Maggie.

3. I once planned a six-day trip to New York City over Thanksgiving and only spent $700 for the entire trip (including airfare, hotel, food, and 3 Broadway shows). Yep, I'm a thrifty traveler.

4. I go through fingernail painting phases. Generally my nails are always short, but every once in a while I'll grow them out and start painting them. Then I'll remember what a hassle it is to make sure they look nice and I'll cut them and go back to short nails. :)

5. I have over 83GB of music and videos on my computer... Music/movie obsessed? No, just iTunes Music Store obsessed.

6. Every once in a while, I'll read a cheesy romance novel. Nothing trashy, but a good light read is a great escape. :)

7. Guilty pleasure TV? Gossip Girl. I admit it. I didn't want to like it, but I kinda do. Speaking of, it starts in 10 minutes. Gotta go...

I received my very last (*sniff sniff) package from American Crafts today. I was expecting just some Thickers since they were mistakenly left out of our boxes a while ago, but not all this! WOW! American Crafts is so generous! Especially to the outgoing members of the design team.

Thanks, Sarah and all you AC peeps! All of this will be put to good use. :)

(Yes, a scrapbook page! Can't you believe it! I haven't scrapped in SO long!)

Every September, my SU! upline holds a large training in St. George. Last year was my first opportunity to go and I'd only been a demonstrator for one month! This year I'll be going but with a bit more experience. :)

This weekend is the training and I should have started planning sooner! Not only is the get-together like a mini Convention, but there are contests as well! Last year I didn't know about the contests until I was there and almost entered a scrapbook one until I found out that I couldn't keep my entry. Hm. Well, okay.

So this time I wanted to plan ahead and possibly re-create a layout to enter into the contest. No such luck! I don't have time! I spent a long time last night and a then tonight when I got home, fretting over this little page. I just couldn't figure out how I wanted it!

Over all, I'm happy with how it turned out, though. :) What do you think? I don't think I can part with this one, even if I were to win a contest.

2nd Grader - All supplies from Stampin' Up! Polka Dots and Petals, Simple Serif Mini Alphabet, and Typeset Numbers sets; Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Kraft, Taken with Teal, Rose Red, and Whisper White card stock; Chocolate Chip and Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pads; VersaMark; Chocolate Chip and Taken with Teal markers; On Board Lots of Letters; Winter White detail embossing powder; Sherbet Ribbon Originals; paper piercer and mat; uni-ball Signo gel pen; Metal Edge tag.

Hi all! It's been a whirlwind few days here in Minnesota! We spent two days at ScrapFest and let me tell you--I'm exhausted!

This is how ScrapFest works:

There are about 35 different vendors who have make and take booths set up in the corridors of the Mall of America. Literally in the middle of the hallways! So you can imagine how crowded it can get on a Friday and Saturday afternoon with a bunch of crazy scrappin' ladies, each with a large tote wheeling behind them. Not to mention the regular shoppers! ;)

I had a chance to stop by the Stampendous booth and meet Taylor very briefly. I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy. I was all, "Hi, Taylor! Heather invited me to dinner with you guys tonight!" The look on her face was something to the affect of, "Umm... Do I know you?" Seriously, though, she was really nice, and the project they had planned for us at the booth was super cute!

Unfortunately I didn't make it to dinner that night with the SCS ladies. My sister and I got held up at the mall a bit later than we anticipated and by the time we got to Southdale Mall (where we were supposed to meet them), it was pretty late. I figured they'd be gone by then so we went to dinner elsewhere, but I just got an email from Heather and apparently they were at the restaurant until 10:00! Oh, well--I'll have to meet them some other time I guess. :)

As for the classes at ScrapFest, the "classrooms" are set up in larger areas of the mall (i.e. the open areas outside department stores), and also a couple classrooms on the top floor of the mall where they have meeting rooms

Various scrapbook manufacturers provide course material and instructors for each class.

We went to an awesome class sponsored by Hero Arts and taught by Jennifer McGuire (watch for some cards inspired by the class--I can't wait to get home and make some).

We also went to a class sponsored by Heidi Swapp that was all about different techniques. I got to try using a mask with Acrylic Paint--so cool! I will have to try it at home when I have lots of time to let the paint dry. Let just say I was glad the Archiver's people had baby wipes on hand. :)

Each class cost about $20, and not only do you get all the materials for the items you makes in class, but you get to take home lots of extra product, too! American Crafts was the most generous of the all the classes we took.

While I was at the AC class, Kelly Purkey ran over to my table and said hello. Hi Kelly!

Anyway, I had a lot of fun at ScrapFest (except for all the waiting in lines to make the make and takes). The lines were excessively long today, but weren't as bad yesterday. We won't be there tomorrow (I fly back to Salt Lake tomorrow), but I bet they'll be equally as busy.

So, tomorrow I'll update ya'll with some of the photos I took while I was in Minnesota. I have quite a few of my nieces and nephews that are just too cute not to share. :)

Some of you might remember the file folder book Taylor made a while back (see it here). I loved it so much I tried to make one of my own... except I adapted it to be smaller and use less patterned paper. Easier and quicker to make. :)

I'm planning for my stamp club girls to make this file folder tag book this month, and then possibly recycling it for a class in October. One of my hostesses requested a class, so she'll be hosting and doing all the inviting, including showing photos of the tag book around to generate some interest. Hopefully this is along the lines of what she was thinking of for the class. Her only requirement was that it cost less than $5 to make.

I'll post scoring and cutting instructions tomorrow. :)

BTW, I'm off to Minnesota tomorrow to visit my sister and go to ScrapFest! Super excited! I'll be posting updates while I'm there, though.

today is my official last day of being on the American Crafts Design Team. :( I decided not to pursue another year--just too much going on, ya know? But it was so AWESOME while it lasted!

Just have to give a shout out to Sarah, the best design team manager a girl could ask for. Plus--BONUS!--she's super cool!

Shout outs to all my ACDT sisters as well!

That is all. Off to eat some Café Rio. :)

Well, I made it home from Denver! It was a wild ride at Convention and definitely a tiring one, too. But so worth it! I feel motivated and ready to step up my business.

Just a couple ideas that I picked up that I want to try:

- Monthly Classes. The topic will change each month (i.e. designing simple cards using patterned paper, or watercoloring).
- Monthly "Stamps By Mail" Kits - This is to reach customers that have moved away or who I don't see regularly.
- National Card Making Day - Sort of a stamp camp where attendees will make over 20 holiday cards and a decorative box using Simply Scrappin' kits.

Before going to the Awards Night on Saturday, we (the roommates and I) brainstormed some big ideas in order to achieve our goal of earning the incentive trip in 2009 - a trip to Hawaii! I'd love to go to the Hawaii and these are just a few of the ways I will get there. :)

Now let's look at the swap I made for my Convention roommates. I made this 5x5 book before leaving for Denver and I haven't had a chance to fill in all the journaling, but here are some shots of the book:

I've started an 8x8 album that will sort of be a journal for me. :)

Mostly lots of writing and reflecting. Here's the start of what I hope will be a really cool project:

What I [heart] about... - Card stock: Bazzill; patterned paper and pens: American Crafts; stamps (Jumbo Outline Alphabet) stamping ink (Chocolate Chip and Soft Sky) and blender pen: Stampin' Up!

Kate (8x8) - Cardstock: Bazzill; patterned paper: American Crafts and Stampin' Up!; ribbon: American Crafts; foam letters: American Crafts.

Hi all! I've had a couple of really good mail days! I received my Stampin' Up! demonstrator order on Wednesday (I ordered some things from the July 2007 catalog that are available to demonstrators now). And yesterday I received my order from amillionlittlethings.com, including my new KI Memories 4x4 felt album. I just love it. A Million Little Things has only a few of the albums left (click here).

Anyway, here's the album and then the page. I also made a small 3x3 card using some of the same products and the new Stampin' Up! punch box (the three little flowers).

At the Zoo, 1987 - Card stock: Bazzill and NEW! Stampin' Up! Purely Pomegranate card stock; patterned paper: 7Gypsies; ribbon: SEI; strip of yellow scallops: Doodlebug; stamps, stamping ink, flower punch, and rhinestone brad: Stampin' Up!

Hi Friend - Typeset Alphabet Lower, Background Basics, and Three For You stamp sets (Stampin' Up!); Purely Pomegranate and Pumpkin Pie cards stock (SU!); patterned paper (7Gypsies); yellow strip of scallops (Doodlebug); circle punches (SU!), light pink grosgrain (SU!).

Cloey - Card stock: Bazzill Bling; patterned paper, eyelets, alphabet stickers: American Crafts; ribbon: SEI; chipboard, stamping ink (used to paint chipboard): Stampin' Up!; button: craft supply.

(Sorry about the glare in the first photo -- The Bazzill Bling card stock truly has a shimmer to it).

I came home from work early today because my back has been hurting the last couple of days. Just taking it easy. Tried to stay in bed with a heating pad, but after a couple hours (not with the heating pad on the entire time, obviousy) I couldn't take it anymore. Had to get up, start the laundry, and while the clothes were washing, I made a quick layout using the photos of my niece that I took a couple weeks ago.

She's such a cutie! And I'm seriously so surprised she actually looked at the camera. I don't see her very often so she's a bit shy around me. Hopefully that will change. Actually, I know that will change. She's a little social butterfly with everyone else. I just need to make it a point to be around more. :)

Anyhow, I'm loving the chipboard flower on this layout. So much fun to make. And the red button is actually a spare button from a red peacoat that I own. I LOVE that coat so that makes this layout even more special.

Oh... my... gosh. Why didn't anyone tell me that I spelled popsicle wrong on my page in the last entry? Hello! Maybe I can disguise it somehow...

I've always loved Laura Kurz's style and thought I'd try something of her's for the challenge this week. My page actually turned out much different than the one I was basing it off of, but I still like it. :)

Inspiration: Laura Kurz's 1947

@ the Zoo - Card stock: Stampin' Up!; stamps: Stampin' Up! and Fontwerks; stamping ink: Stampin' Up!; pen: American Crafts.

Generally a lot of my scrapbook pages are quite thick. Between foam tape (or SU! Dimensionals) and ribbon and brads they can get a bit bulky. For some reason, this one is very... flat. I guess that's the word. It's simple and I wanted to keep it that way.

Edited to add: This isn't the response to the Challenge from yesterday. Just a page I made a couple weeks ago and hadn't posted yet. :)

Enjoy!

Sisters - Patterned paper: Scenic Route, Sassafrass Lass and American Crafts; stickers: Scenic Route; Brads: American Crafts.

Not quite the 15th yet, but I made a birthday page this morning anyway. :)

25 Years Ago - Patterned paper: Scenic Route and Sassafrass Lass; patterned paper, stickers, rubons, and pen: American Crafts; date stamp: 7Gypsies; stamping ink, glitter, and chipboard: Stampin' Up!;

I finally finished designing the second book for my monthly stamp club. I cut it a bit close (club is tomorrow night), but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Once again, tutorial on creating the basic book is found here.

Me @ Twenty-Four Mini Pocket Book - All supplies from Stampin' Up!: Well Worn Alphabet, Rough Edges Alphabet, Stamp of Authenticity, Genuine Articles, and Background Sampler stamp sets; Cool Carribean, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, and Old Olive card stock; Cool Carribean, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, and Old Olive classic ink; various punches; silver brads; red gingham ribbon; clear button.

I decided to make the mini pocket books for my monthly stamp club this month. I've given each person the option of the theme for their book: My Mom is the Best Because... or All About Me.

There are four journaling tags in the book so I've created a journaling prompts worksheet for them to use either before they come or while their making their books. Hopefully, that will enable them to go home with a completed book. See the worksheet here.

I made the mom book last night and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I just hope that it won't take too long to make. It wasn't too long when I made it, but I wasn't having to share supplies, ya know? I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

Also, how do all you SU! demonstrators feel about using retired product? There just isn't the right ribbon for this project unless I use the Flirty ribbon from the Winter Mini Catalog (which is no longer). I have enough for everyone to complete the project, but they will not be able to order it. Granted, nearly every one of them ordered it back during the sales period when it was available so they could go home and use it. But, how do you feel about that?

My Mom Mini Pocket Book - All supplies from Stampin' Up!: Big Blooms, Polka Dots & Paisleys, Typeset Alphabet, and Background Sample stamp sets; Regal Rose, So Saffron, Cool Carribean, and Raken with Teal classic ink; Old Olive and Naturals White card stock; Petals and Paisleys Designer Series Paper; Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker; Flirty Ribbon Originals; Corner Rounder and Ticket Corner Punches; silver brads; Coluzzle; Light Pink Stampin' Emboss Powder; clear button.

Yesterday at the SLC Regional Training, Carrie Cudney presented a pop culture book she made. This is my take on her album but in a smaller size. Instructions below.

Pop Culture Mini Pocket Book Supplies - Patterned paper and chipboard pieces (Scenic Route); stamps and stamping ink (Stampin' Up!); brads and pens (American Crafts); ribbon (Stampin' Up! and American Crafts).

INSTRUCTIONS - Mini Pocket book

Gather your supplies:

1 sheet 12x12 patterned paper
Alternate piece of patterned paper (6x 2-1/4)
Sticky Strip
1-1/4" circle punch
stapler
bone folder (for scoring)
brads

After making the basic shape of the mini book, make tags that fit inside each pocket. :)

Hard day at work today. Frustrated. Hitting a mental block. Writers get writer's block--designers just get crappy designs and have to keeping trying until they get it right.

First time really "journaling" (as in like a diary) on a scrapbook page. Oddly, I feel better now. Call it my mental pep talk. Whatever.

Supplies - Cardstock, stamping ink, brown lined pattered paper, embossing powder: Stampin' Up!; alpha stamps: Fontwerks; floral patterned paper: MME; brads, foam apostraphe, pen: American Crafts; circle stamp with lines: 7Gypsies.

So I finally saw a copy of the April 2007 issue of Scrapbook Trends. :) My star book mini album is featured in it and it got 5 WHOLE PAGES! WOW! I was so surprised! I'm a bit dissappointed at how dark the photos are, but it still looks really good. Things just looks so different in person, ya know?

(see a glimpse of the album here)

Anyway, go out there are grab yourself a copy!

In celebration of my mini album being in a magazine, I am giving away a $10 iTunes gift certificate (via email). Leave a comment and I'll draw a name tomorrow night at 7:00 pm. Yeah!

NOTE for Mac users: For some reason the commenting is freaking out and saying that you're not signed in even when you are. If this happens, go to the web address at the top of the screen and take out the "www". Press enter and scroll down to the comments section. See if that works. :)

EDITED: I almost forgot! Two months after you have a card appear in Card Magazine, you can post it on the internet again. That means I can now share these two cards. Both were in the February 2007 issue...

(Photo of card removed for publication)

I have received numerous emails asking about my views and preference on others using my creations as inspiration (i.e. scraplifting, CASEing). I have added a small box to the left column addressing the issue. You can read my full answer to the question by clicking on "more info" in the box, or clicking here.

I went to my very first crop last night. It was at an Archiver's near my sister's home. We got there a bit after 5:00 and stayed the entire time until 11:00. It was a very quick six hours! It hardly seemed that long--maybe only 3 hours tops. But we really were there that long. :)

It was an amazingly productive evening for me. Four pages and three cards. Enjoy!

I'm been so busy the last couple days. I am going to visit my sister in Minnesota in less than a week and I have a few SU! workshops between now and then to prep for, so I've been running around feeling all stressed. :) Oh, well.

Anyway, since I've been so busy and haven't had a change to make anything, I thought I'd share something I made last summer for my dad for Father's Day. It was a super easy to make thing and I loved how it turned out.

I'm not sure where I got the mat. I think it may have been a part of a book I was decorating, but I didn't need the extra page. Hmm... Anyhow, here are the supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey); alphabet stamps (Fontwerks); heart stamp and chocolate ribbon (Stampin' Up!); striped ribbon (Strano Designs); gel pen (Uniball Signo Gel Pen).

Journaling: "I'm bored." "Nice to meet you, Bored." I swear, I'm becoming my mother. She always used to say that and I promised myself I never would. Oh, well.

Hi all! It's been a few days since I checked in but only because I've been super busy!

Anyway, here's the latest creation. It's a small gift for my manager at work. I recently changed departments and have already moved cubicles, but I had yet to make her a small gift. Tomorrow is my sort of "goodbye" lunch, so I thought I better get it in gear and make something!

Supplies - All supplies are from American Crafts, except for the lined paper (Heidi Swapp journaling spot), the textured card stock (Bazzill), and the wood clip (Peg photo clip from Nexxt--I bought a set of two at Archivers).

I also made a scrapbook page using most of the same supplies. :)

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to invite any and all of you to a Stampin' Up! Stamp Camp that I'm helping to prepare! It will be happening on Saturday, February 3 in Sandy, Utah.

Cost: $25 ($10 will go toward an order that day)
You will make 5 different projects. All supplies are provided and are pre-designed, pre-cut, and pre-scored.

If anyone is interested in attending, please email me and I will send you more information. :)

The five projects we will be doing (I only designed the first one--the other four are from other demonstrators in my group):

You will make just one of these:

NOTE:Instruction for the candy bar slider can be found here. :)

As promised, here are the projects I made last night at my workshop...

So, this link is currently circulating among the American Craft gals... (prepare to wet your pants):

New American Crafts! (Winter '07)

Oh, the goodness! I have never been more excited and grateful to be on the design team--I get to work with this stuff extensively! Wahoo!

In other AC news, I met Sarah Champion and a couple more AC people last Friday. Sarah invited me to a "Nacho Party" at her friend's house. It was SUPER fun! It was like being at a party with all the cool kids--everyone was just so funny and great to be around.

I now have most of my blog all figured out... still trying to make an archive of just entry titles. I've also created new photo galleries using the coolest Movable Type templates. Check out the galleries.

I've been on an organizing kick recently, wanting to organize my craft space. I basically have a whole room to myself (my office). Today I focused on paper and card stock.

I found a great website for office supplies, M.O. Inc. I actually first saw M.O. in the 2005 Communication Arts Design Annual and just had to look them up. Awesome looking supplies! Well designed and useful.

So when I had the urge to organize, I knew where to go! I just love their hanging file folders and file folders. The file folders are a very thick card stock, not like the usual manila folders. And then the tabs! The plastic tabs for the hanging file folders are great! The labels they give you are perfect to wrap around the three sides of the tabs. I put the names of the colors on the top and the color family on the front surface (see photo below).

The way I'm organizing all my SU! card stock:

- By color: three colors per folder. I'll keep scraps and about 10 full sheets of each color. All leftovers (and those that don't fit) will go in my vertical paper storage.

- By color family.

I can't wait to fill these folders up!

Just a quick update with my latest page.

Imagine what my sister was thinking when she saw her son like this! Luckily, she saw the humor in it and grabbed a camera. Otherwise I never would have believed her!

And yes, that's printer ink! A whole cartridge (just in case you ever wondered about wearing it). :)

UPDATE: The photos of this page are removed for publication.

Tomorrow, I'm handing off the CD of photos I took on Sunday of my step-brother and his family. Thought it might be a good time to try out the CD sleeve pattern that was featured in the September Stampin' Success (the magazine for SU! demonstrators). Totally fun!

I will for sure be making more of these. Can we say Christmas compilation CDs? Heck, yeah!

Hi everyone! I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! For me, I stayed home and me and my mom hosted the family this year. Thankfully it was just my sister, her kids, and my brother and sister-in-law.

Before dinner, we played Speed Scrabble, which might be my new favorite game. My cousin Erin taught it to me when we were visiting them at the cabin last summer. Totally fun!

For some reason, I do not like the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, so my mom was too sweet to make ham and cheesy potatoes just for me. :) It was a very yummy dinner!

Anyhow, here's the latest creation. I tried my hand at faux metal. It was actually rather easy to make. See full instructions here.

UPDATE: The photos of the scrapbook page page are removed for publication.

UPDATE: This starbook appeared in the April issue of Scrapbook Trends.

Hi all! For those that aren't familiar with them, this is a starbook. The pages fan out similar to an accordion book, but stand up and form a star when looking from above. Super fun to make, but do take quite a bit of time.

Supplies: All paper is American Crafts from their Play series, ribbon and buttons (AC), chipboard stars and circle (Technique Tuesday), chipboard frame (Fancy Pants), stamps (Stampin' Up!), stamping ink (SU!), embossing powder (SU!), white cardstock (SU!)

Download the instructions here (PDF).

Well, I'm back from Virginia! It was a great trip and one that I'll remember for a long time. It was awesome to hang out with my aunt and uncle. They live in Arizona, so I've never been able to just be around them for an extended period of time.

This week was a whirlwind of catching up at work (not entirely caught up, actually), and trying to find time to sit down and do some paper crafting. I put through my demonstrator pre-order of the new SU! product coming out in December and received in Monday night and didn't have a change to even touch it until Friday. Isn't that awful?! The paper and stamps were just sitting on my drawing table, screaming at me, "COME PLAY WITH US!!!" and I couldn't until four days later.

Anyhow, once I broke them out, I went on a bit of a frenzy and made lots of things. Here we go... (see next post for the starbook).

Hi all! I've spent most of the week organizing my scrap room (more like a corner in my office). My stamping and scrapping things were taking over the room! And with the addition of the new goodies from American Crafts, I needed to do something about it.

I found some awesome 12x12 drawers at Target. I bought a unit with 7 drawers and then another to go on top with an additional 3 drawers. It's the perfect size for all my scrapping things! The only things that I don't have in the drawers is my Stampin' Up! stash, including all the stamps. I'm trying to keep them separate so that when I go to prepare for workshops I don't get non-SU things mixed in. I don't think I would, but you never know. :)

So the new AC -- ahh!! The girls on the design team know how excited I was to come home and see the box on my porch! I sent them a thoroughly ridiculous email describing the wonderfulness that is Sarah and the other AC goddesses. Those sweet girls spent an entire day packing boxes for us. They are such wonderful people and I am so blessed to be associated with them. :)

Such a beautiful box. Full of goodness. And yumminess.

I've spent most the weekend (except for going to see a preview screening of Flicka--very good, BTW) playing with my new AC. Sigh. I love it. I especially love the Thickers.

Anyhow, here are some new creations. All should be new to you, but half are ones that I made a while ago that were submitted to magazines and didn't make the cut (boohoo!). Most of what I made this weekend resides in the "reserved to submit to magazines" category. Sorry 'bout that. Hopefully ya'll see it soon--in the magazines! Or maybe they'll resurface here next month.

Enjoy!

Seven years ago, there was a Hanes Her Way commercial that aired on television. It was of women in underwear and t-shirts running around in golden wheat fields, with the sun streaming over them at sunset, and they were generally looking happy. The best music was playing in the background, though. I had to know who was singing that song!!

So I emailed Hanes. :)

And they answered something like this: "The song is I've Got the World on a String by Ella Fitzgerald."

Ever since then, I've loved Ella! The best recording that I've found of that song is from Ella: The Legendary Decca Recordings (Box Set). Well, after borrowing the entire set from the public library multiple times over the years, I finally downloaded the entire thing from iTunes (have I mentioned how much I love iTunes?).

Oh, my ears are happy today. So happy, I finally finished the layout below. It's been sitting on my scrap desk for nearly a week, waiting to be finished. It's still not exactly what I wanted, but I like it. :)

Enjoy!

Generally speaking, graphic design calls for the designer to step back and denounce all authorship. In contrast, when one scrapbooks it is for a purely selfish and self-sustaining motivation. Instead of sending scrapbook pages out to line the back of benches or handing our work over to a large press and letting the pressmen glue and trim and stamp, we cushion our pages in protective albums and keep them close to our homes, on shelves that allow us to touch and feel the original. It is ours.

Is this what draws graphic designers to the scrapbooking?

Over the past two decades design has been pushed out of print shops and into everything that is digital. Designers are locked behind computers. Is this why designers are drawn to scrapbooking? Their fingers crave the feel of actual paper, actual substance? Is there a joyful challenge in creating with finite materials, ones that cannot be corrected with “undo” or “replace”?

For years I avoided scrapbooking, even questioned those who did scrapbook, because in my high and mighty designer mind I thought, “Why would I ever do that? I can do it so much faster on a computer.”

And yet, here I am.

Am I here because I enjoy the craft? Am I here because I want to hold onto something I've designed and call it my own? Or is it because I long to step from behind the computer and still be able to create something meaningful?

Chris Pullman writes, “Someone who becomes a successful painter or sculptor or performance artist is likely to be a person who derives their energy and intellectual satisfaction from solving problems that come from inside themselves. In contrast, someone who ends up as a successful designer is probably a person whose energy and intellectual satisfaction comes from solving someone else's problems… Throughout one's professional life, the key decision is: Which problems will you use your skill to help solve?”

If what Pullman says is true, I believe that I scrapbook because it allows me to solve my own problems, but in a way that encourages the use of my artistic/design skills.

So, basically, I scrapbook because I've got problems. And they need to be solved. Yeah, that's it. :)

Why do you scrapbook?

Well, I'm back from the whirlwind trip to St. George. It was a lot of fun, but for some reason I'm incredibly tired. I didn't stay up incredibly late or get up early, I just... I don't know. I'm worn out.

Weird.

We had a bit of down time on Saturday night so I scrapped with Erica (my SU! upline). She brought some scrap things, but I didn't, so I used her stuff and made a page for her. :)

After stamping all day at the training, we were excited to use some non-SU! stuff. I mean, we love SU!, but we also love a lot of other things, too. :)

Here are the results:

Supplies: Patterned paper: PaperWerx, Creative Imaginations, and Chatterbox; card stock: National Card Stock; stickers and brad: American Crafts; decorative trim: Wal-Mart; library card; staples.

This one is totally going on my desk at work. It's too small for my usual 12x12 scrapbook. :)

Supplies - All supplies are from Stampin' Up! except for the 8 and 0. They're from Fontwerks.

Okay, how many posts can I blog today?
Here's what the aftermath looks like on my drawing table (Christmas gift from years ago that finally has a home in my scrap room):

And did I say how much I love this stamp set:

Perennial Favorites rocks! I could use that little leaf everywhere!

Final counts for this weekend (unless I do one more layout (which I'm sorely tempted to do): 5 scrapbook pages, 9 cards.

Hello!--two layouts in one afternoon! I'm totally rockin' the old photos today. While I was cleaning out my mom's office closet last week, I found a box of old photos. I was so excited! I've been working on scanning all of them so I can use them in my scrapbook.

So much of my scrapbook right now is just my nieces and nephews, but I really want to make an album that's just about me--what it was like while I growing up, trips that I've been on, and just everyday things. A true book about me. :) The last couple pages I'm scrapped will go in this album. I'm so excited. Thinking about scrapbooking in this new light has rejuvenated my eagerness to create.

Supplies - Cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon, brads: American Crafts; large buttons: Bazzill Basics; alpha stamps, line stamp, stamping ink, black pen: Stampin' Up!

Hi all! I'm still working my way out from under boxes, but had a chance to visit Paper Creations this morning and buy some goodies. :) I just had to try them out when I got home. I was feeling a little off, possible scrapper's block, but I feel like I'm back on track with this layout. It's much more my style.

Just seeing this layout makes me all choked up. My brother truly is the most amazing friend. He's always been there for me, and this photo proves it. I'm only four-years-old in it. In fact, it's my fourth birthday and I just received the big wheel bike I'm riding on in the photo. He walked behind me to make sure I was okay. :)

Supplies - Patterned paper, brads: American Crafts; scalloped cardstock: Bazzill Basics; lighter patterned paper, rub-on: MME Bohemia; navy card stock, black pen, stamps and stamping ink: Stampin' Up!