This layout was done by Erin M. She was at the crop on Saturday and she spent almost the entire night on this one (she will never hear the end of this one!!)....ever the perfectionist she is...It paid off. It is very cute and I am glad she submitted her layout! Thanks for sharing Erin!!
Jennifer
Ok the crop went great! As usual it was way too short (or maybe it just seemed that way because we were all catching up and, um, eating!) and it was a blast. There is always something funny going on...we were in tears at some points of the evening from laughing so hard. Gotta love it!
So if you read before, my goal was to finish 5 pages. Ok I didn't exactly do 5 (ok I would have if I did not have to wait forever for my collages to print..or so I say)...I did four and I am completely happy with that. I was prepared and I also wrote out Nathan's thank you notes for his bday party too. So I got enough done to feel like I accomplished more than a layout!!
So here they are....this is from our First official family vacation to Upper Michigan (which is beautiful) in 2006 (yes, I am very behind!)
Ah yes, we went downstream on our way out, so we have to come upstream on our way back...we didn't do that again, needless to say!
This was one of our last fun days on our beach. Everyone had such a good time!
This was our walk every morning from the house we rented to our beach. It was beautiful! Yes, I need to finish the journaling...argh!!
One of my fav pictures of Nathan on the beach. He is such a ham and I cannot get over how LITTLE he was and we thought he was so BIG!!! I want to add something little to the top, but have not figured out what yet...will do that!
So that was my night. It was fun and I came home and watched a little of our new Dish whatever TV. Which the boys had fun watching while I was gone!!
Never got around to organizing my scrap closet. Soon. Very Soon. Ever notice when you come home from a crop you are in a total scrapbooking mode?
Til later!
Jen
Since it is spring (oh and I actually have extra time on my hands, imagine that!) I decided to change the look of the blog. Fun stuff! If you want to see anything new (other than more posts), let me know, I will be happy to add it in! Just email me!
And I have been working on a new post. I thought I could whip it up and post it, but I have been working on it for THREE days! It is about organizing your stuff. Spring cleaning stuff. Plus, because I do not have a actual scrap-room right now, I wanted to give those who also do not have one some tips to help keep their hobby going...not in the closet...Hopefully I will post it today...I should, really.
I am going cropping this weekend with a bunch of friends and I am very excited. It should be great! Which reminds me, I have to start preparing so when I get there I can get 5 pages done. That is my goal that I have to do in order to feel productive. five (Nathan would hold up five fingers here)...the only trouble I am having is actually leaving the boys. Other than the obvious that I love them and like to spend time with them there is another reason. See we had gotten rid of our cable for the winter. Trying to save roughly $700.00 per year towards our new house. $700 is $700 ($58 a month...crazy isn't it?). We made it almost a year and I finally cracked. I need cable. I miss my shows (TLC, DH, A&E, Food Network, DIY; you know the important ones). I have been bugging Jason to get our cable back...especially the day of the storm. He was reluctant because if we do end up selling the house, he did not want the contract. In comes Monday afternoon. I sent my dear husband to Sam's Club to pick up dinner because I did not do my usual Sunday shopping (it was the Easter I was not prepared for, opps!).
Around 5:00 I get a phone call. 'I am at Sam's club and the TV I want is on sale, what do you think?' Well I have no preference to a TV so I leave that up to him, but we have been saving as much as possible and a TV really is not what I had intended for that money. Then he quickly adds 'and we can get cable.' Seriously, I think a light in my head went on and my brains went out the window. "really?" I ask. "yup" was the quick reply. And without so much
as blinking, I said yes. Maybe this is how I got married...lol...(kidding).
So we are now getting our new Dish on Saturday and I cannot wait to dive into my tv shows I have been missing for a year....but scrapbooking prevails and some much needed time with the girls is going to be fun AND productive (yes to make my "goal" I am going early before they all get there!).
Ok will work on my organizing post more and hopefully post it by 5pm tonight... :)
Jennifer
Some days I think I gave birth to a comedian (scrapbooking stuff is below if you would like to skip). The kid needs a microphone... And when we do manage to get the camcorder (i think that might be the 1990's version of the word) out he stops and makes funny faces in the camera. Hmph. But yesterday he must have been exceptionally "high" on candy (oh how I remember when he was born I said he will NOT eat candy or cake and he WILL eat all of his veggies...mom, you need a chair because I have a feeling you will not stop laughing at me any time soon) and he wanted to watch his DVD in the car (you know, the one my husband "had" to buy). But being of the female species and missing him all day, I wanted to know how his day was. So I started with my questions. It went a bit like this:
"Nathan, what did you do at school today?"
Silence.
"Did you color?"
More silence.
"Did you eat?"
a tiny "yeah...."
Then out of no where came this:
"I am not talking anymore mom. I want to watch my DVD"
Ahhh already a true young man. He would rather watch tv than talk. If I am not mistaken, the DVD had power failure for the rest of the car ride home (today too). And you know what? Nate talked the whole time. Of course not directly to me (why would he want to answer my questions...he he he), but he babbled about his day and about this and that and about the world outside. Funny, huh?
Scrapbooking:
If you are like me you do not have a specific room for scrapbooking...when we move I will have one, but right now the basement is a playroom and computer room and all of the bedrooms are being used. My scrap stuff lives in the closet :( and it takes major effort to get everything out and ready to work. Then it tends to sit there. For a week or so until I decide to clean it up and haul it back to its sad place in the closet.
I have been thinking about the sad state of affairs of all of my precious stuff and wondering what I can do about it. The pressing question about all of this: How can I get more scrapbooking done without having to pull EVERYTHING out. A bonus to doing this stuff would be when I go to a crop, I am ready and don't have to drag everything with me. Being prepared.
We will start with the easy stuff first:
Digital Aspects
I use Photoshop Elements and Microsoft Picture Manager (this comes with your Microsoft package). We have our computer set up with a black and white laser printer (yes another of my husbands "awesome" finds...). So I am going to move my Epson scanner/color printer down by the computer setup in the basement. That way when I want to print a picture it is easier and less hassle...I don't have to drag that thing out! It is already there (I am already scrapping more!). Plus I am with Nathan in his playroom...BONUS!! Note to self:wipe scanner bed for fingerprints before scanning when scanner is in this location :)
Albums:
Finished or work in progresses should be stored on the bookshelf...at least that is where I am going to move them. This way, they are available and out in the open. So what if one is not done yet (last time I checked not all of the home improvement projects are done...), scrapbooking to me is about progress, not how many albums I can pump out. If it was I would be in BIIIIGGG trouble :) So maybe if my albums are out I will be inclined to drag one out and work on it. Plus it will give me a nice visual of what is available and what needs to be done and a sense of accomplishment on what is already done. Plus I don't need to drag out every one when I go to a crop.
Cutting machines
This is a little harder. I have a Cricut and a few cartridges. They live in the box. in the closet. On the top shelf. Not so fun to pull out (I do though). I think the only thing I can do with this stuff is leave it there and make sure it is more accessible. Read: nothing on top or below it. This way when I do pull it down, 50 things do not fall out on top pf my head.
I am also going to put my All My Memories tabletop - spinning tote (that I LOVE) up there.
Papers/Stickers
I swear by the Cropper Hopper for most of my papers. I need to get a few more (from Pat Catan's of course) to be as organized as I like. Then I will line the floor with them (will find another spot for my actual totes). I will line the floor with this.
For stickers I also use the Cropper Hopper sleeves (do not know if this is the technical name for them)...but I am going to try out the file folders I posted about last week.
Now I am going to get a bit creative. As of right now I have my papers/stickers/dicut machines/printer organized. What I now need to do is assemble this in the closet in a LOW COST fashion (we are hopefully moving soon so the next house I will upgrade to a full-fledged scrapbook room). Just because my husband gets the new TV and Blue ray (see post before this one to see my lack of judgement) doesn't mean I get to go blow money (at least I get my cable back!!!)...besides, I am creative, right? I should be able to do this. So what I am going to do is use a old wire shoe rack for my embellishments. I know it is in the basement feeling quite lonely. I am going to to put it in the closet and put jars of embellishments (the canning jars and various other sizes you can find at Pat Catan's for WAAAYYY less then some of the other ones) on the wire shoe rack. I will also put tools (such as the BIG BITE for $34.99 at Pat Catan's) on the the bottom rack.
Anything that I have not used in a year is going in a scrapbooking box. I will make a detailed list what is in there and store that in the basement by my bags.
As for my magazines, I am going to buy the magazine storage boxes and put them in there on the top shelf. Ok I am going to do this over the weekend. I will take a picture and post it here on Monday...
For all of you who do not have a scrapbook room, send me your pictures how you creatively store your supplies so you can easily get to them....I will post it along with mine.
For those of you fortunate enough to have a scrapbook room, send me your pictures to post to give all of us an idea how to make our room....when we get the chance.... :)
Happy organizing!
Jennifer
And I did not spit on the cake, YEAH!!
I want candy!
the fav present of the day - the guitar (ripped jeans part of the cowboy gear he refused wear)
So let's get to scrapbooking! YEAH!!! In Pat Catan's there are a whole new bunch of $1.00 Stamps!!! YEAH!!!!
They are called Lil' Stamps by Inque boutique. They are easy to use. There are about 96 different kinds of stamps available. I am only showing you a sampling....
An assortment
Close up view of a few
What you get in each package - directions, stamps you punch out, foam mat (this works great!), and a square backing (so you can store your stamps without wiping off the sticky part)
You still use your clear mounting block - makes for easy positioning! Place the foam mat under the surface for a great looking stamp (you get ALL the details!). Oh and By the way, those ink pads are $1.00 each too!!!!
There you have it!
This is how you store them. Put the white backing on the sticky side and store it!
Happy Stamping!!!
Jennifer
YEAH!!! I still think it looks a bit like winter out there...but I am hoping for a fast spring because Nathan just wants to go outside and play with his friends!! This spring/summer should be fun because he is old enough to really ride his trike and do fun things (like the slip n slide...which I informed my husband that will be my first outdoor purchase for him....heck with the flowers!). I cannot wait to open all of the doors and windows to get some fresh air in the house too! At least the birdies are singing!
I have a few more new products that are going to be in the store!
First I want to tell you that the Crop-A-Dile BIG BITE is now in the stores! YEAH! Guess how much?? $34.97!!! DOUBLE YEAH!!! (I am thinking everywhere else you will find it for $39.99...)
I have to say, I LOVED this product! It is a bit heavy and awkward at first, but after I got the hang of it, I was punching and setting eyelets like mad!!! I like it better than the original because it can be used for WAY more things (I always thought the original was way too constrictive in its uses)....Plus the BIG BITE is strong. I would recommend this to anyone who does not want to be hammering at the crop table!!!
So if getting organized is your plan, Pat Catan's should be your stop!!! Pick up our complete line of organizers and get to your next crop ready to scrap!!!!
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Book
Picture Frame
Chipboard Shapes
Embellishments (brads)
Hey everyone!! Wasn't it such a beautiful day today? I feel completely recharged by the sun and the birds outside. I will try not to dwell that tomorrow is going to be a day of sleet...or snow...focus on the present...Haven't paid attention to the weather. Trying to stay in the positive 61* and sunny mode!
There are lots of Rub-Ons and Embellishments available! There are also shimmery papers! So hurry in and get yours for the holidays (can you believe it is almost Easter already??!!).
Enjoy the Sun and the nice weather! I sure am!
Jennifer
