Hawaiian Scrapbook More Pages

Once I get the last page posted tomorrow, I better get working on some more! Not that I mind. I have alot more time in the summer since I'm only working one day a week right now. I really want to sort through all my sb stuff and sell my embellishments that I am sick of. I'm sure it isn't cost efficient to sell some things in smaller lots, but I have many things I just don't want to look at anymore!
One idea I have is using old stickers for collage on containers that I am making to store some of my stuff. That is a great use for old stuff and since the containers were free, too, it's economical all the way around!

Get those themed albums done!

The thing about scrapbooking is you can squeeze in five minutes here and there and end up with completed pages, cards or projects. Of course these were all done on National Scrapbooking Day. What made them easy to complete and helped me get so many done is that I only took a few paper choices with me and I hade all of my memorabilia together in a large sized ziploc bag. I didnt' use alot of embellishments because I let my memorabilia be the embellishments fot the most part. Yes, I could have been alot fancier and artistic, but what would that have accomplished? Every page doesn't have to hang in the Louvre. Right!!! And now I get great satisfaction looking at my pages in my album at home, remembering the good times that I have been able to record so far.
I've just done too many theme albums not to learn a few lessons. First of all, don't keep those photos for a special occasion. Get them out and scrapbook them now. What are you waiting for? Focus on getting them scrapbooked. I'm not saying quantity over quality. I'm saying put them in albums now while your memories are still fresh and your journaling can include all those things you wanted to remember. If you hold on to those photos for too long, you forget things. If you want to use all your photos, use all your photos. I'm a great believer in scrapping what I have. I hate one picture pages. It doesn't mean I don't do them, I just prefer to tell stories with my albums. Similar pictures can tell stories. I mean, check out the Sunrise over Maui photos. (Frankly, they are much better in real life!!!) Similar photos, but imgages I wanted to save. Scrapbooked simply so as not to detract from the photographs, but duly recorded for posterity!!!
All I can tell you is 3 years after my Bahamas cruise, it is not fun to realize that album is not done. Yes, my CKU album is finished...that was lesson number one for me in the don't wait section. My Mexico cruise album is done. My dd's cheerleading album for 7th grade is done (8th grade is nearly done. I just got the last of the photographs). My Club Scrap 2005 album is done. But the one album that isn't finished is hanging over my head...the Bahamas cruise. I'm finishing that one after my Hawaiin vacation album. Otherwise, who is enjoying them? Certainly not my family yet!!!

Incorporating Memorabilia into your Scrapbook pages

As I have scrapbooked my Maui vacation, I have incorporated alot of memorablia I collected while I was over there. What is a pocket on this first page is actually the envelope the company sent our information in for the trip. I then used it to display our room key, a chocolate candy wrapper we got each night and the brochure his company sent us as well. At the very top is a tag off of something!

If you look through these pages you will see I have used maps, hotel glass coasters (those paper things with your water glasses), and even the label off of a beer bottle that my husbad dutifully pulled off. He is a scrapper's husband, he knows what is important!!!

Starting my Maui Scrapbook

National Scrapbook Day was a great opportunity to start my scrapbook of Maui from which Lou and I had just returned. He won President's Club with his company and that was their reward. So I'm sharing what I got done that day. I'm pretty pleased with it so far. This blogger page will only let me upload so many photos. So we will get a few on here each day...I haven't blogged in a while. I also have a little storeage container I made out of a Wyler's Lemonade container for my brushes to post this week. Who says you have to pay alot of money for scrapbook storeage. There are lots of free resources right in your home!

Watercolor stamping Card

So I was messing around today because I had to make some cards for some friends. I had bought some watercolor paper a while ago at Hobby Lobby and needed to use it.

I have some of those water color crayons. My dear friend, Nancy, sent me them in the mail. I have used them before, but with paint brushes to color in images. I found out you could color on your stamps with them, spray with water and stamp on water color paper. It doesn't work on regular paper because you need the absorbency in the water color paper. I like the fact you can use several colors and run them together.

Natch, I had to use my BG Color Me Silly Paper and coordinating Bazzil. I have used the hound out of that set since I got it. The colors coordinate with my dd's cheer uniform plus they work great with my recent photos from Maui! Those scrapbook pages will be posted here shortly.

I have to post these photos on my blog. I am obsessed with light and photography. I'm fascinated the way light affects objects and the play of light. I just LOVE the way the light is in these photographs. The challenge of shooting outdoors is just great. You can't control the light. I mean you can to some extent by choosing the time of day, but when it is right, it is right.

Lifetime Moments shopping sucks!

I guess I'm not doing so well on posting stuff every day to my web page here. I need to post the other tin I made. My Daisy D's Attic Heirlooms finally came today. I'm excited about that. Can't wait to play with it. Hopefully tonight.
I ordered my original order from Lifetime Moments. No lie: it took two weeks for them to tell me they were (1) mailing my package and (2) my Attic Heirlooms kit was not included. They were out. Now had I known that, I would have canceled the order for the other two sheets of paper. Lucky they didn't charge me shipping. That site is sorry. There is no excuse for that. I will continue to "use" them to see what is out there, but I will not order from them anymore.

My Vintage Rose Can

I have always loved this pattern paper, ever since I got it. I believe it is either AG or K&Co. You think I would know, but then I do have more than a few sheets of paper!!! I decided to use it to decorate this tin that held those rolled cookies with cream inside (no problem emptying the can!!).
I tore the paper and then mod podged it on. I used some CS cut outs from their Chocolate kit on several spots all the way around the can. I also had a sticker that had "LOVE" printed on it, so I cut it in half and put it on the can, too. You can't see it due to the poor quality of my photo. I was on my way out the door to Bunko. This can held my bunko prize. Anyway, the ribbon is glued down with red tacky tape and Martha Stewarts bow tying (SP???) technique was used to get such a nice bow.

My Foam Stamp Tin

I had some fun today finishing a scrapbook page that I had started the other day. I really wasn't happy with it then I saw something that inspired me. It was a lo somewhere and plus, I got some new foam stamps at Hobby Lobby on sale. Once I finished my lo, I realized I had to have a place to store those cool stamps. I cannot put them back in the package they come in, all in order. That would drive me nuts trying to get all those rectangular shapes in there and all lined up. So I altered a Cascade tin. It's terrific. My stamps fit in there perfectly. Best of all, I used scraps!!

The Card Bag

My husband's birthday was yesterday. I made this bag to put his cards in with his presents when I was setting the table. The idea for the bag came from a recent issue of Paper Crafts Magazine, which I love!!! I used an 81/2x11 sheet to make the bag (CS paper). I cut a piece of coordinating paper to decorate the front (AG). The twill is by Creek Bank and you can really use anything you want to make the handle. The sample in my mag had grossgrain ribbon. Then I just grabbed some embellishments and went to town!
When all is said and done, I will flatten this bag and use it with his cards on a scrapbook page about his birthday. Now how is that for killing two birds with one stone!

Birthday Card

I am sharing a birthday card I made recently with you, once again using my Quickie Card method. All papers are Anna Griffin and so is the shoe stamp. Ink is Ranger distress ink. I can't get enough of it. And would you believe I only just got Weathered Wood on Saturday? I still don't have lavender, but I will!!! When I was at the CS Retreat, they were out of the lavendar and they didn't have weathered wood. I didn't even know it existed until I discovered it on another website...

Valentine Cards

My dear friend, Nancy who lives in Florida, showed me a fabulous quickie way to knock out some cards using about 3 sheets of pattern paper and pre-cut cards. I made 8 Valentine cards the other day. This is just a sample. The chocolate cut-outs are from Feb. '05 Club Scrap Chocolate kit. The other paper is Anna Griffin. I'm not sure who made the stamp. One card I used my Ranger Distress Inks to age for something different. Inside they all have "Happy Valentine's Day" stamped in red.
I'm trying to keep up with my goal of posting something every day. I'm doing pretty good!
Yesterday and Saturday I spent a good bit of time organizing my scrap room. Hobby Lobby had a sale on their albums and storage containers so I bought a few and put all my pages away that I had been storing and sorted through some memorabilia and put that away. Very satisfying. It's getting better in there. There is hope for that room!!!
Finally, some dear friends, the Wallaces sent me a photograph of my Dad on the USS DeHaven because that ship is having a reunion and are putting together some stuff. He is second from the back holding the fishing pole!

Layouts done in 2006

All the layouts I'm sharing today were done in 2006. Actually at the recent weekend my two girlfriends and I spent at the beach doing nothing but cropping! These are quickie layouts to get my Mexico vacation album done. They are not fancy, but we went in 2004 and it was time to get them done and in the book. I finished it and my CKU WDW 2003 album that weekend! I'm so relieved! It's just that you get sick of seeing the same photos over and over and no one can enjoy them until they are in a book.
Well, actually the first layout was done in Dec or Nov of '05 with photos from my Club Scrap Retreat in August 05...

My Club Scrap Retreat project

This is just a sampling of the handstitched album I made after I got home from my Club Scrap 2005 Retreat last August. I started the album while I was there. We made the album itself on Thursday night with Terri Zwicker. I was so tired. I could hardly keep my eyes open!!! Then I started putting all my memorabilia that I collected into the album while I was there, during any spare time. When I got home, I added photographs. I have more photos to enter of my new friends, which I saved pages for. This is just all the "stuff"...I will be adding the rest of my CS retreat pics this weekend. Hope to post those on Monday!! WHEW! The box is a custom made box for the album that we made in class. I embellished the box with the stamps we got in our kit and with letters my friend, Jen, cut from her Wishblade for me. I had a lil too much to drink that night and I lost the "c"...so it says Club Srap...oh well!

My Blog Goal for 2006

Well, on one of the boards I frequent, they asked our scrapbooking goals for the year. I just have two because I don't think I could take anymore! Goal 1: Organize my godforsaken scrap room mess. I keep saying that, and I have made a tad bit of progress. Goal 2: Post on my blog the pages and projects I create. I made about 14 pages over the Christmas holidays, and I want to get those posted. I am going scrapping this weekend. I'm going to take my camera and photograph every page I do and get them posted when I get back. It's so easy now that I have my digital camera. I really have no excuse not to post them!

Boxes from 12x12 paper

Okay, here is some work I did over the holidays. Shame on me for not posting, but my electronic bonanza was not working and I couldn't get anything uploaded PLUS I just didn't have alot of time! These boxes are both made from ClubScrap paper. One is from their written word kit NOV 05 and one is from the Musical Interlude kit DEC 15. Each box uses 2 pieces of 12 x 12 paper. All you do is fold and glue for each piece. The bottom piece will be 1/4" smaller than the top. I inked the edges with the ink that was included with the particular kit. I also used a sticker from each kit. The purple box has some MM foam stamps on it too, to decorate the corners. While the are not fancy, they are boxes made from paper. I think they are totally cool! What to put in them! LOL!

Secondly I am posting my favorite pictures that I took over the holidays. My ds was fishing with my dd when the sun was going down. I love the colors of this time of day. They are so rich. I love the way the light is hitting him, the water, and his concentration as he baits his hook. The photo of my dd was taken when the sun was setting, thereby getting the lucsious gold tones. The angle of the photo had the light from behind making my dd's hair just glow. Yes, I should have used a fill flash, but we can't be perfect all the time!

Gifts Are Wrapped

My holiday gifts are wrapped down to the last stocking stuffer. What day is it? Oh, it is Nov.27th. Think how much time I have now to do other things besides finishing earning my $$ to pay for them. This was a cash only Christmas. Lots of fun and much more enjoyable than having to worry about paying it off. I recommend it highly!!
My Christmas job is at a local shop called Silver Impressions. They sell lots of jewelry and gift type items. The people there are super nice, and I have really been having a good time. I heard a rumor we get to buy one item at 50% off. Our normal discount is 25%. They want us to get something we really want for cost. Now, do I buy a gift, the sensible thing to do or do I buy that silver amethyst bracelet I really want. It's a tough call.
Oh, before I go...one last thing to make everyone sick: the house is decorated, too.

The Thanksgiving Apron

I bought some fabric last month to make Caitee and I matching aprons since we cook together on Thanksgiving. I made mine, but she wanted to make hers. Since she hadn't sewn before, I figured why not? She will enjoy it even more if she makes it herself. She didn't quite get it done in time for Thanksgiving. We had a few issues with needles breaking on the machine, and also, since she hadn't sewn before, she was a little slower than I was. Her apron is really turning out great. I'm sure when it is done, she will be very pleased with it! She got a little frustrated last night, but you know...Mommy Fix...and she was fine!
Here is a pic of my apron. It has penguins all over it. Caitee's favorite! I paid a little extra to get that fancy trim because it reminded me of snow. Since the penguins are playing in the snow, I thought it was fun.
I had to take this picture in the bathroom mirror in order to get myself since I was using my camera phone. The quality of the pic isn't that great, but you get the idea!

My Holiday Ornament

Okay, I know it isn't the greatest picture in the world, but you get the idea. Basic Gray Blitzen paper. This is my favorite pattern. I guess cuz it is FUN> You can't really see thw wire strung from the bottom or the word disc with JOY on it, but it is there if you really strain hard to look. All the edges of the ornament were covered in the krylon silver pen. I have got to make some more. Easy project. Big impact!

Holiday Gifts

Okay. I have two of these things made, which I have talked about in my previous post. I just had to put my pictures up. I had to take the photos with my cell phone because none of the other stuff I have is working right now. Oh technology! Ain't it great! Clear transparency goes across the space on the cover. This is sized to hold 4x6 photos. I really like this BG Blitzen paper and how this project turned out. I especially like how I used a different patterned paper for the spine to add some interest. I forgot to add ribbon, but I don't think this will need it as I kind of expect it to lie flat and be displayed. Maybe I think too much of my art!

This fabulous box was made by my friend, Jen Caputo, who has a fabulous website for all you stamping and scrapping enthusiasts. She made her box to fit A2 sized cards. I made one myself that will hold 4x6 photos. This is such a terrific craft and originated with Trish at ClubScrap. They always have such great ideas.
I would post mine, but my scanner isn't working and my PDA won't interface with my computer right now. I just don't have the time lately to fool with it and get it all working. Maybe later this week. I highly recommend making this terrific project. The box bottom is made out of a 12x12 piece of paper with 1" edges all the way around. The cover, spine and bottom are made from chipboard/mat board. I just think this is one way to get your non-scrapping friends to store their photos in a clever way! My box I made says Holiday pics and I made it with the Blitzen papers from BG. Next am making another one with SEI paper. I've already got it all cut out and ready to glue while I watch my shows on tv tonight.