Wednesday What's Up

Oh, there's some really cool things to share with you again today. I came across a really neat rain drop technique that is going to have to show up on one of my layouts one of these days. This technique obviously will be awesome for rainy day layouts, snowy day layouts (just change the droplets for snowflakes) or alligator tear drop layouts.

If you're big into sewing, and enjoy using sewing in your layouts, then this will be right up your alley. Stitch directly on your layout, and adhere brads at the end of the stitching to create rain falling from the sky. You can find the particular layout I'm referring to here.

Want to win a prize worth $130? A company called the Plaid Barn, is giving away 73 rolls of Washi Tape to one lucky entrant. Get your entry in. You don't want to miss out on such a fabulous opportunity!!

There is a lot of inspiration out there. All you need to do is look around you. There are also a lot of talented crafters and artists out there. One of my favorite blogs to follow is Kelly Fosters' All The Pretty Things. She shares a step-by-step tutorial today guiding you through how she makes her layouts. I love her style, though its too much work for me! Have a look- her work is gorgeous!

Calling all digi scrappers- Echo Park and Carta Bella have another One Buck Wednesday happening today, which means some of their digi kits are on sale for $1! Head over to their blogs to get all the deets!

Looking for a unique way to use up your scrap papers? Why not adhere them to a sheet of plain white card stock, run them through your die cut machine, and attach them as embellishments to your cards, layouts, or altered items? This is such a neat idea- head over to the Paper Crafts blog to see how Teri Anderson does it!

Love the look of the sunburst technique, but have a hard time wrapping your brain around how to do it, like me? Then you'll want to save this download for future use! Once again, Paper Crafts to the rescue!

And, one last item I forgot to post to yesterday's What's Up: Create your very own band aid box! Head over here for the tutorial. (You'll need to search for the February 17, 2011 blog post, or scroll down until you find it). She's also got some amazing cards on her blog, too. Browse through it- they're incredible!

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I found a new sketch tonight, and boy does it look awesome!!!! I can hardly wait to jump into this one! Unfortunately, I have a design team assignment that's due first, but once that's out of the way, watch out new sketch, cause here I come! You'll find it at Erin's blog here.

And, even though this project isn't scrapbooking related, I wanted to share it anyways. I know there's lots of mama's out there, and aunties, and this would make a perfect gift or toy for our kids to play with. Head over to FaveCrafts and have a look at this neat felt book!

Not much else to share tonight. Alls quiet on the home front. Happy Wednesday evening. The week is half over!

On a totally unrelated note, FINDING.DORY.

Need I say more?????????!!!!!!!!

Tuesday What's Up

Ok...the kids are downstairs watching the Berenstein bears...lets see how far into this post I get before I'm sabotaged!!!

Happy Tuesday, all! Its overcast and not the nicest here today, and I see that the Weather Network is calling for flurries over the next couple of days. I seriously hope not. The warm weather has been sooo great to lift ones spirits! Wouldn't you agree?!

The great finds out there today are super for lifting ones spirits, too! Check these out!

This is the ultimate dream of mine- and I've been seriously of doing this for the last six months, at least! Crop and CRUISE!!!! What is a Crop and Cruise? Pack all your scrapbooking goodies, some comfy clothes, your CAMERA, and scrap your way through a dreamy cruise. Of course, there'll be opportunities for some sight seeing and (obviously) picture taking. But, you get the best of both worlds- a getaway with nothing more than scrapbooking and crafting, if that's all you want to do. ON.A.CRUISE.LINER!!!!! Sounds fabulous, doesn't it? I know that Canadian Scrapbooker does one, and now I've just found out that Paper Crafts magazine also has a crop and cruise. Read all about it here. Who's in with me??

Fathers' Day is fast approaching, and soon it'll be time to be thinking about what to get/make for the Fathers in your life. There's a free E-book at FaveCrafts.com (blech- if you're interested) and a couple cute examples of great hand made Fathers Day gifts here for you to check out. I personally really like the wreath (but, its SOOO not Kyle). Have you come across any other hand made gifts to make for the Fathers/Mothers in your life? Feel free to share them!

Heidi Kelley, the author (and uber talented fellow scrapbooker) of an incredible blog that I follow shares this incredible Easter egg she made, and the instructions on how to re-create it yourself. I know the holiday is over, but I guarantee you'll be sorry if you miss out on the opportunity to make one for yourself. WOW!!!!

If you enjoy scrapbooking with the use of scrapbook kits, then you'll want to know (if you haven't heard already) that My Creative Scrapbooks April kit is now available. Head over to Izzy's blog to see sneak peeks of the projects she's made with the kit. On Friday, she'll have the full reveal. You won't want to miss out on that, either!!

Wow. Ever made a project using paper packaging- the plastic cup that holds buttons in it or brads, or other small type embellishments? Ever used other types of paper packaging to up cycle a unique project? I have not, as of yet, other than using bits and pieces of cardboard pieces of packaging as borders and paper elements on layouts. Melinda Spinks, over at the Jillibean blog today, shares how she made a candy holder using the plastic packaging portion of a Jillibean button package. Its truly awe-inspiring! I want to try it now!

And, speaking of up cycling and altering items, how about making over a guitar?! Ever thought of doing that??! I certainly haven't. But, this tutorial will blow your mind away! You'll find it here, at the Echo Park blog.

There's one last tutorial to share with you this morning- this time using alcohol ink and transparencies. This incredible tutorial shows you how to mimic the look of water. This technique is great for swimming or hot weather, or sports themed projects. Re-create the look by following the instructions you'll find here!

That's all for now! Phew! Got through it before the kids interrupted me. Whoo!

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There are some really simple and adorable crafts I found on Pinterest today that you should check out! You'll find everything I'm about to mention on my All Things Scrappy board over at Pinterest. What kinds of things will you find? Cute tags and embellishments, bookmarks made from the spines of old books, a denim journal cover, cute little 'you have a message' clothes pins (that when you open them up, says 'I love you' inside); if you like to crochet or want to learn, you'll find a tutorial on how to crochet using bakers twine; Paper Crafts magazine has some really fantastic downloads- from Easter to hey hot stuff to baby under construction. Check them out!

Lastly, I just happened upon this pin, and what this woman does with old books is simply and utterly a.maz.ing. You'll also find it under my All Things Scrappy board at Pinterest. Wow, if only I could be so talented!!

Thanks for dropping by! TTFN

CREATE- What's Up Sunday

What a wonderful Easter Sunday we had! As per tradition, we had waffles for breakfast (any time Kyle is home with us- which tends to be weekends- we have either pancakes or waffles), then the craziness started. LOL. I dived into making my homemade dinner rolls, the girls and I made pretty bracelets that the Easter bunny left for them, we picked at a small lunch, and had a giant supper filled with home made chicken cordon bleu, stuffing, mashed potatoes and coleslaw. THEN we splurged even further on a cake I made. Oi. I'm.So.Full. Pictures can be found on the FB page!

I've been trying to gather my thoughts most of the afternoon for this blog post. I'm still not sure I've got it together. There's a lot of things that I've got on my mind, and I think its all going to come out as one incoherent mess. I guess I'll just have to blunder ahead and see what happens.

I've been planning for some time now, an eventual layout about the penny being taken out of circulation, and the eventual dismissal of the nickel, as well. I've been waiting for an opportunity to snap a picture of the posters you'll see around in stores- IGA, Sobey's, the Dollar Store, etc. about the way cash purchases will be made, now that the penny is no longer. I finally had the opportunity yesterday when I brought the kids to the store for finger paints. I'm sure the cashier has never had a more strange request- and I'm so glad that I actually remembered to ask about taking a picture of the notice at her till- but I got it. Why is it so important to me to get a picture of something so inconsequential? Well, I'm flabbergasted and incredulous that the penny's been taken out of circulation. Is anyone else? And, I can't help but think to myself that in another 5 or 6 years, the girls are going to ask me what pennies are. They're going to ask because they won't know. They'll grow up in a penniless world. What an amazing opportunity to scrap about something they're eventually going to learn in Social in high school. I posted a Point to Ponder today on the FB page, and that's one of the things I was thinking of when I made that post.

The other inspiring topic to me is scrapbooking Ralph Klein's passing and the legacy he left behind in our beautiful province. He was hated by many and loved by equally as many; no one can argue he did tremendous things in our province- whether they agree with his strategy or not. The GST, his brainchild, took this province from a major deficit into the black, making it a very wealthy province. (Of course, among other factors that contributed to that, as well). Once again, its going to be something that the girls will only hear about in Social; it'll have no value or impact on their lives whatsoever. True, this happened in a completely different lifetime than theirs. I just hope that they come to understand that in the grand scheme of things, these changes weren't really all that long ago. It was something that eventually affected their mama's and daddy's lives, though at the time, we were little monsters ourselves.

Is any of this making sense, or am I just rambling? That's the way I feel...

I've had some feedback from some friends about having an eventual weekend crop away, and I'm ecstatic that there's some interest in it. I know that some of you have babies and are going to find it hard to commit to a weekend like this for a while. Its still sometimes hard to get away when your babies are toddlers! That's why I want to pose a small adjustment to this plan. I hadn't wanted to mention anything just yet, because I wasn't sure what sort of response I'd get, but I feel confident now that there will probably be interest further down the road, too. I've been thinking about planning a couple weekend crops per year; maybe early in the year, after Christmas and New Years is out of the way, and then again later on in the year, after Thanksgiving and before Christmas makes everyone nutso with all their planning and cooking. Having said that, I think I may plan an impromptu crop for sometime in the near future- either we'll do it here at my house, or if there's enough interest and enough people are able to attend, (and if its easier for people) I'll plan something for in the city, so those that have babies can still make it home at the end of the day. On the other hand, those mama's will have the freedom to decide when, during the day, they want to come out. Bring your littles with you. How does that sound? Feedback. Please!!

April is going to be a busy month for us, so it won't happen this month. Possibly sometime in May or June, I think will be best.

Are you curious to know what the secret tip is about sketches that I alluded to yesterday on the FB page ? I can finally share with you! I love this, because it helps break down, into steps, how to tackle creating a layout using a sketch that you find inspiring. Ready??

On page 80, in the most current (spring 2013) issue of Canadian Scrapbooker, is a 6 step method designed to help you figure out how to tackle that awesome sketch you want to scrap lift. It uses the letters of the word CREATE to guide your steps.

C- Choose your photos

Every person scrapbooks differently; some like to print out a bunch of photos using an online method of printing, such as Walmart, Snapfish, Costco, Apple, etc. Others (like me) prefer to print them at home. I personally like printing my photos because first, all my pictures are saved chronologically already on my computer (I have a Mac), so I don't need to worry about printing out a hundred at a time and finding a storage method to keep my photos. The older photos I have, pre-Mac, are saved in a Creative Memories accordion folder, which I'll one day get back to. Bah hah. Secondly, I like not having to wait for my pictures to either be mailed to me, or make a trip down to the store to pick them up. I can print them at will- also, I'll have already decided, as I'm looking through my pictures while I'm planning this layout, which ones I want to use and edit, and which ones I don't. It makes the process a little quicker, and there won't be as much planning ahead.

Another method I use to help keep my facts straight, and help me keep track of which pictures I want to scrapbook, and which are could be, but not necessary, is keeping a journal and jotting down what each picture that I want to scrap is about. I started doing this when I began Project 365 last year. Sometimes what I've written down is really vague, and I don't quite remember what it was I was getting at, so things change slightly, but that's ok.

You'll develop a method that works the best for you.

R- Review the Sketch

Look carefully at the sketch you're about to copy and ask yourself some basic questions before you plunge into creation mode. First, how many pictures are in the sketch? How many different patterned papers? Embellishments? There's a few things I've noticed myself asking when I look at a sketch: first, (like the step has just recommended) asking myself how many pictures are included in the sketch. If I have more pictures that I want to scrapbook than what's shown in the sketch, I try to find ways to make more space for those photos. Sometimes, its printing the photos smaller than what the sketch calls for; other times, its replacing some of the embellishments with a photo. Don't feel restricted to exactly what the sketch looks like. The sketch is only meant to be your starting line; its meant to be inspiration for you. You have the freedom to interpret it any which way you like. Always remember, there's no right or wrong way to scrapbook! Secondly, I ask myself if I really need the amount of embellishments that are shown in the sketch (or if there's a lack thereof, how many and where should they go?) If it feels too busy for me, but I still like the overall sketch, I put as many as suits my style. If there's none showing in the sketch, I still do the same thing.

You'll find that most of my layouts are based on a sketch I've seen or a layout I've admired. They are rarely exact replicas. Also, if you like a sketch so much, you decide to create another layout based on that sketch, you'll find that one will come out completely different from the other one you created using it. That's the beauty of using sketches.

E- Evaluate your color palette and paper choices

Just lately, I've gotten into this desire to create my layouts using color palettes I've found on Pinterest. Up until this point, I've been pulling colors from the pictures I'm scrapbooking to inspire my color palette. Sometimes, the pictures dictate best what colors are best. Whatever you find easiest, stick with. That means, I try and find card stock and patterned paper that are the same shades and tones, and I try to pair papers that coordinate and compliment each other. Sometimes that can be kind of hard, if you're using product from a bunch of different companies (which is something I do frequently). To simplify, try using papers and embellishments that come from the same manufacturer; more often than not, most of their lines will coordinate with one another, so you won't need to worry too much about matching.

A- Add embellishments

As I mentioned above, nothing is set in stone. Your copy of the sketch doesn't need to be an exact replica. So, when you're thinking about what embellishments you want to use, don't limit yourself to using flourishes or circles or diamonds because that's what you see in the sketch. Think about the theme of your layout, and try and embellish accordingly. Is your layout about halloween, like the one I just recently completed? Then, use skeletons, grave stones, haunted houses, cotton, the options are limitless.  If you don't have embellishments that fit that particular theme (like I did for halloween), then try to think creatively and outside the box. What can you do instead?

T- Try a Technique

There are so many different techniques out there to try, its hard to keep up with them all. Some you'll find really interesting, and you'll itch to try it out, and others just won't tickle your fancy at all. But, don't be afraid to try them. You might find you really like them! What are some of those techniques? Try acrylic paint, stencils, making your own flowers, crocheting directly onto your layout, stamping, distressing, aging, the list goes on. The texture and dimension it adds to your project will add yet another level of pride and interest.

E- Enjoy your layout, and SHARE!!! 

Don't ever feel like your layout isn't as good as someone elses'. We are all unique, we are all creative, and we all create in different ways. Our stories are different from everyone elses'. What's most important are the memories you've created, and the heritage you're creating for your children and their children. Be proud of who you are! Like I've mentioned before, the feedback you receive on the work you've created is addicting! Its part of the reason I've joined a forum at scrapbook.com. Its built up my confidence, believe it or not. So has creating using sketches. Sketches takes the guesswork out of where to put things and where to start. I find it an incredibly handy tool.

(I took the liberty of elaborating on the CREATE method using my own words; to find out how Kelly, the author of this article explained it, head to page 80 of the Spring 2013 issue of CS)

I know I had more news to share with you today, but since this post has wound up being quite the deep novel, I'm going to sign off for now, regroup, and share what I've forgotten or left out tomorrow.

I'm going to unwind now with some scrappy therapy! Enjoy your evening, friends, and thanks for dropping in! You mean the world to me!

OH- one last note- I find it incredibly interesting that both Mojo Monday and our new sketch challenge have fallen on the same day! How funky is that?! So, tomorrow, you'll find the card sketch I've made for our month long challenge, and the card I created using it posted to the timeline on FB.

Rules for our challenge:

Its pretty laid back. You can create whatever you want using this sketch. It can be a layout, smash book, journal page, card- whatever strikes your fancy. You have all month long to complete it. If more time allows, you may create and submit more than one project. At the end of the month, we'll vote for our most favorite project using that sketch, and the winner will be inducted into the Everyday Scrapbooker Hall of Fame. Easy Peasy! I hope you're able to play along!

My Weakness

OK, I admit it. I'm a sucker for anything scrappy. I'm so weak! I found some really awesome goodies, I just HAD to share! (Case in point)

So first off, for those of you that are scared of scrapbooking or feel overwhelmed by terms like layout, 12x12, two page spreads, etc, this might be of interest to you. Maybe you're scared of the financial investment scrapbooking is. And, true, it can be hefty. It can also be overwhelming. Where do you begin, where do you place things, are you even artistic enough to do it? The answer is yes, you can, and work from your heart! There's no right or wrong way to do things! ANything that spills from your heart onto a piece of paper, a quilting square, that scarf you're knitting, or the embroidery you're working on, is a masterpiece. Don't feel like you can't do it. Because truthfully, I think that's a cop out. You can do whatever you put your mind to.

Now that I've gotten off my soapbox, I have a really cool alternate path to the type of scrapbooking that you see me doing, and the projects that I typically share with you. This way of scrapbooking is actually new to me- I've only recently come across this method, and I think its ingenious. I don't know how else to put it. Its just plain in.gen.ious! Maybe its worth a shot, to gently ease yourself into a newfound and newly LOVED hobby!

Take your typical every day photo album. Take the inserts with two, four or more spaces for photos, and place as many or as little photos as you'd like into the sleeves. Either embellish on top of the plastic, right on the photo itself (in the negative spaces) or save some of the photo spaces for sheets of colored paper or patterned paper to dress up a little. The possibilities are endless!

I'm thinking of sharing this technique with my mom. She's convinced she can't do it. Well, now I'm armed with proof that SHE CAN!!!! And, so can you! Check this link out for a small visual of what I'm talking about. How simple and fabulous is that?!

Does it take a little bit of the apprehension out of you?

If scrapbooking seriously isn't your bag of beans, but some of the patterned paper you see you think would make fabulous fabric, maybe checking this out would be of interest to you. If you're a person that enjoys sewing. Or, why not combine the two- scrap a little AND sew using the same patterned paper you're in love with, but with the fabric version instead? I actually think its a pretty wild and smart notion, too. Some people's creativity just blows my mind!!

Here's a really fun way to add some texture and understated bling to the banner you're going to put on your next layout. This is so neat--must try!!!

Oooh! Have a look at these beautiful flowers, made by my friend MelissaW, over at Scrapbook.com. Sheer, incredible, enviable talent!

Lastly, I mentioned on my FB page that the next time you're out and about shopping up the local Dollarama or Dollar Store with more, you should check out the scrapbooking goodies in stock. Seriously, you should. I have to admit, I am incredibly impressed with the stock they are producing these days! I'll get a picture posted in the next couple of days of some of the goodies I picked up today, but who would have thought that they'd have wooden thread spools in varying sizes hanging on the shelf, or the new hot fad WASHI TAPE??! (Don't know what washi tape is? Essentially, its paper tape, but patterned and decorative and incredibly pretty. See here.) Moreover, I'm equally as impressed with the brand Sandy Lion. They are obviously doing what they can to keep up with the big manufacturing companies out there. Not only are they still producing the typical run of the mill stickers that kids have fun playing with, they are also beefing up their sticker arsenal with prettier, more decorative, variegated styles of stickers- that are GREAT for scrapbooking. Sandy Lion has WASHI TAPE! I picked two rolls up today, and I can hardly wait to try them out! (I also had to pick up some more acrylic paint. I love that stuff! I want one of every colour).

So, now that I got that out of my system, I can enjoy the rest of my weekend! Heh heh

It turns out Kyle's job tomorrow is now cancelled (for the time being), so we are planning dinner with just us and the kids. I'm going to make some delicious dinner buns that I found scouring Pinterest (thank you, Pinterest!!), and we're going to try a new chicken recipe out for supper. Apparently, we hit the grocery store too late on Easter-eve to buy a turkey breast. Meh, oh well! Chicken tastes just as good! I also got a cake made, with the kids help today, so we'll get that all iced up and ready to go tomorrow, too!

Now, the only question is yellow icing or green?!