A Life full of Scrap

Are you Aware?

This is a recent layout that I created using the FABULOUS October Kit from the Scrapbook Nook. There were some people who told me I shouldn't post it because of the photo. Frankly, I don't see anything wrong with the photo. I am covered up and there isn't anything revealing. But there are still some who will say different. And that is okay. Scrapbooking is an artform and this is the way I chose to express my art. I am really happy with this layout. It is one of my favorites by far. And with this being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought it was fitting. Breast Cancer affects so many people. Nobody is safe from it. Anyone can get it. Even men can get it, albeit rare, they can still get it. It is a very devistating disease. There is no cure and the only way you can beat it is by early detection. I am one of those people who knows when something different is going on. I am very aware of my body, I do self-exams and I go see my doctor on a regular basis. So I know that if I ever were to get this, I would know and take immediate action. But it still scares me. I love my hair, and hey I like my boobs too. I wouldn't want to deal with shaving my head or having my boobs surgically removed. But if it happens, it happens. There is no way I can stop it. The only thing I can do is be aware of it. 

Are you aware?  

Donna Downey and Me

Totally forgot to post our photo in the previous post. She is so darn cute.

Donna Downey Class

This class was so much fun. I wasn't going to be able to take it beacuse of the price. I saved up for a few paydays and was able to take it. I have never taken a celeb class, mainly because of the price. They are expensive. But after taking this one, it was so worth it. I had the best time ever. Donna Downey is so fun and down to Earth. She was so personable with us before the class, talking about things she has done and what not. I got meet her at CKC-Charlotte and it was cool that she remembered me and what we talked about. I am sure she has talked to a lot of people since then and it was great that she recalled who I was and what we talked about. 

She was teaching 4 different classes this weekend and I decided on the Bloom Album class. I had only seen photos of the album we were going to make and was impressed. When I got there I was blown away. What fabulous stuff. I loved seeing and feeling what I was going to be making. The album is a 6x12 inch book and you make it out of cardboard. Cool right? Yes I did know that you could use cardboard in scrapbooking but honestly have never thought to make the type of album we were about to make. It is a cascading album and features an acryllic cover. Also we got to work with a discontinued Hambly Screen Print. I really like this particular screen print too. It is the Dandilion screen print. Cannot believe they discontinued it. 

So we get into the class and she is telling us what measurements to cut our cardboard in. Then we get down and dirty. We covered 4 of the pages with this way cool fabric. Who knew that red, yellow, celery green and turquoise were cool colors to use together. We used this molding paste that works GREAT on fabrics. It doesn't bleed through the fabric, doesn't warp it and you get NO BUBBLES!!! The store ran out of the molding paste so I have to wait to get some. They have it on order though which is cool.

The fabric was so fun to work with. I am loving distressed edges and fraying the fabric just gave it an awesome look. Also she showed me a way to get "better" distressed edges. DUH...with scissors. I have both the Heidi Swapp and Making Memories edge distressor and have to say, I could NEVER get the type of edges I got with those that I got with scissors. DUH DUH DUH.

We got to cover the other pages with some cool Luxe and Prima paper. I was just loving the colors or this album. Then she pulled out the Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels. We got to use the Butterfly screen with Patina. BEAUTIFUL STUFF. I am slowly becoming addicted to Glimmer Mist. If you haven't used it, try some for sure.

After we got the book put together it was time to work on the cover. Her sample book was "Bloom" but we could put any title on the book. She gave us a full sheet of red felt Prima letters. I wanted to do a book of my boys so my title was "My Boys". For the "O" I used a cute Prima flower and button. She also did the same with the word Bloom.

So because my camera got splashed by Shamu, I didn't have any photos. I am planning to take some nice photos of the boys for this album. I also was able to snag an extra kit. I am going to make another one for my mom for Christmas. Going to title it "My G-Son's" and she can put photos of all her grandsons because that is all she has. No girls. LOL.

She showed us this one technique to make stems for flowers. You take a strip of cardstock, wet it down with water and twist it into a stem. Looks soooooo COOL. Here is a sample of what it looks like.

Such a SIMPLE technique! And you can do it out of scraps too. I honestly had never seen the technique so it was neat to see how it was done. What a great way to use up them Prima Flowers. Lord knows we all have a TON of them right?

But I have to say I had the greatest time. It wasn't a HUGE class, which I loved and there was plenty of one on one time with her and such. Today I stopped by the store to pick up a couple things and I talked to Bill, her husband, and he invited me to become a teacher's assistant at her big event in May 2009. All I have to do is email him and he will hook me up. SO COOL! All I would have to do is get myself there and pay for my hotel. I can do that!

When I get my album done I will post photos.

Publishing TOOT!!!

 Last week, emails went out for submission requests for Cards Magazine's March 2009 issue. I submitted 2 cards. One for the flowers call and one for the thinking of you call. The email came Wednesday afternoon. The email came on my blackberry and I had to keep looking at the email to see if it was the real thing. The first request was for the flower card. I was so excited. I had used Magistical Memories chipboard on that one and I really wanted that one to get picked up. I didn't much think anything else about the other one. I had never had more than 1 request at a time. But then about 10 minutes later my phone alerts me again about an email. So I check it. Same email subject, so I think that they have double sent the original email. So I start up my computer and there was a second email with a different request. HOLY SMOKES!!! Never has this happened before in my life. And I haven't been published in print since Feb 2007 in Scrapbook Trends. This month I did get a layout published in an online E-zine. But I have been trying since my last in print publication for another one. It has been a LONG year and a half. But I am so excited that my dry-spell is over.

Yesterday I sent out my cards. I sent them out priority because I was supposed to send them out by the 18th, but with my trip to Florida I was gone on the 18th. I did do delivery confirmation so it should be there by tomorrow or Saturday. The email said things had to be there by October 31st or it would not be published. So I will make it in there for sure.

I won't stop with this pub, that's for sure. I love getting that email request. It drives you to do more and more. Also I think that if I want to get published more I will have to create new stuff created for those calls. Especially if I want to make it into Scrapbooks Etc. or Creating Keepsakes. I did submit a layout never seen before to CK for the Fresh Face call. But didn't hear anything back. So I will probably find a call that fits that layout that I submitted. I do have a layout right now in the works that I am going to submit for sure. It is a double page with lots of photos, so hopefully that will catch someone's eye.

So excited as I said before. I cannot wait to see my cards in print.

Flashback Layout

  Even though I don't remember ever getting this picture taken, I really had fun creating this layout. This photo was taken in 1980. This is my brother and I taking our yearly Santa Photo. Thanks mom for taking us so that we could be able to look back on it later. I have to laugh at the outfit I am wearing. And those shoes. And I really haven't changed much in the face. I have always had that baby looking face. When I showed the layout to Allister, he was convinced it was him in the photo. Yea, with the pigtails and all right? But hey he doesn't know. I thought it was cute though. I used the newly released Making Memories FaLaLa Collection. And also used the NEW Magistical Memories Holly Frame. I love their chipboard so much. I covered it with papers from the FaLaLa Collection and then stitched the frame with French Vanilla Bazzill Floss. I was having a hard time with this layout because I didn't know what to put for the title. And the glitter letters were giving me a hard time because of the lack of vowels you get in the package. It only came with two or three "A's". What can you do with only 3 A's? So I opened up the embellishment box and these cute labels were in there. So I searched through them and decided on the title Christmas Memories. I put the others on the side of the photo and put a few on pop dots for more dimension. Thanks for looking!

Scrap Within Reach

 Have y'all seen this new company? I just recently heard about it by way of Pub Calls. They debuted at CHA Summer 2008 and they have a wonderful line of products. I am dying over the Elliot Collection. As a mom of 2 boys, this collection is perfect for me. I love the distressed look of the papers too. Such fun stuff. The Cottage Collection is way cute too.

So I see the DT call over at Pub Calls and I check it out. Go to the website and just fell in love with their stuff. I was so bummed though because with DT calls like this, I like to get my hands on the product and create something with that product to show them what I can do with their collections. With the DT call deadline being Wednesday the 15th that is pretty much impossible. So I submitted a few layouts for different manufacturers I have created with. I really hope that doesn't knock down my chances of getting on the Design Team.

I really like the fact that this is a brand new company. I have been submitting for different Design Teams and I know that they are looking for whoever is a good fit for them. I just really hope that they like my work and give me the chance.

It will be exciting to see who makes the team. No doubt there will be some Peas going out for it. Best of luck ladies. I am sure we will see some toots in the Pub when the list comes out. Oh gosh I hope I am on that list.

If you haven't seen their collections, click the logo to go to their website.

It Does Feel Good to Purge

This is the good kind of purging, because I have been binging the scrapbooking supplies for a LONG TIME! I buy and buy and buy and don't use. So I have WAY too much stuff. You know how it goes...you see all those yummy things that come out from CHA and Memory Trends and when it comes out you have to get your hands on it because it is the newest thing.

Well...since I had discovered the local scrapbooking yards sales, I purge quite a bit now. This is what my table looked like today...

I cleared out a 3-drawer organizer that was FULL of chipboard letters. I had them all organized under each letter and number. Ask me when was the last time I actually pulled a letter out of the drawers. Come on ask me.

Needless to say, it has probably been since I put the letters in there. Not good. So I bagged them all up and they went into the Yard Sale boxes. Since I don't use them, why hang onto them?

I never knew purging could feel so liberating. It feels good to look at the sell pile and see dollars rather than "stuff". My room is getting cleaner by the minute. I know a lot of y'all are waiting for those photos. I promise I am getting to them. It seems that when I finish cleaning, I take on another purging project and then the room is cluttered again. I have freed up more space by taking things out of their packaging. I had a few packages of the Fancy Pants felt, and after seeing a layout about a person putting them in a basket, I thought it was perfect. I can see what shapes I have and they are tucked away nicely in a drawer...well two drawers but hey at least they are off the floor.

I purged my papers. I now have another box FULL of paper. Not cardstock...that I will always hold onto. You can never have enough cardstock. But there were some papers that I knew I just wouldn't scrap with. Some papers I have full collections of. So I am sure they will find a good home with someone new. And of course I will take home dollar bills and not "stuff".

My stuff is more organized now. I labeled all my plastic shoeboxes that didn't have labels on them. All my stickers, rub-ons and sticker letters are filed away neatly and labeled. It wasn't only fun doing it, in the end I felt accomplished.

I know that some people say that "unless I can see it, I wont use it" but that doesn't work for me. If I had everything out to where I could see it, it would overwhelm me and I probably wouldn't scrapbook. I just have too much stuff to go that route. And I pretty much know what I have. I do go through my stuff about every 2-3 weeks and get rid of more stuff. So I am constantly looking at what I have. And sometimes just doing that will give me a kick start to something creative.

Also starting this week I will be trying something new. Sarah, a gal from the Nook, came up with this idea that is just pure genius. You basically make "kits" out of your own scrapbook supplies. I think it is so darn clever. Since I do design for 2 different kit clubs, I have grown accustomed to the whole kit concept. A lot of my scrapbooking is done from kits. I seem to get more done by going that route. So I am going to try a few of them. I will pretty much "shop" from my own supply and create kits and scrap with those. If it works, GREAT! If it doesn't, then at least I will know that I tried something new.

After I am all done with organizing and purging my stuff, I will have to go onto organizing my photos. (insert shocked look here) This is honestly something that just intimidates me to the fullest. Mainly because I don't really know which way I want to organize them. I have bought a couple books on this topic. Right now I really like Stacey Julians method. So I might try that out and see if it works out. I need to go through all my photo CD's and print photos that I want to scrap and then file the other photos on my external HD.

So until then, I am enjoying the feeling of what purging feels like. Because this is the type of purging that is doing me a lot of good.

C'est la Vie...tmrw is another day

Add another check under the "no" column for me. No happy email for me from Dream Street. *shrugging shoulders*

I really don't know what these teams are looking for. I don't know if I am saying the wrong things in my application or what. I just don't know.

I know that one day it will be my turn, but it is just hard to hear (or not hear LOL) another 'no'.

So I have to hope that I get the chance to be a Guest Designer. But until then here are the other two projects that I submitted for the call.

  This layout was created using another FABULOUS Amy Teets line. I love her stuff. She is such a super sweet gal too.

This is Allister at my mom and dad's house during the summer. He loved playing with this puzzle. My mom would help him with the names of the states. Some of the ways the states came out was just too funny. Utah ended up coming as "E-tah". When I drove back to VA after driving the boys out to CA, my mom would point to the states that I would be driving through. Since we are a military family we travel a lot. I am thankful that my kids have gotten to see so much of the United States before the age of 10. They have both made cross country trips, both been to both oceans and dipped their toes in them, both have been to New York City, Washington DC and many other places. I never miss an opportunity to take them places. And ask anybody...I would rather drive than fly. Yes it takes longer, but you see so much more stuff along the way.

This was a card that I made using the collection designed by Natalie B. It is so fun and cute. I used the To:/From: paper to make the envelope and then added the striped paper to the back and scalloped the edge. I cut out the stamps on the postage stamp paper and popped them out on pop dots for added dimension. Distressed the paper on the card and then added some faux stitching. On the front of the envelope where the To: spot is I used American Crafts Felt Thickers to address it to "my luv".

I really had fun making these two projects and then also the other Dream Street layout (Ragazza Bella) I made after I had submitted my application. I have to wonder now if I should had submitted that layout rather than the card. I know I shouldn't second guess myself. But I just cannot help but wonder what my applications are lacking. People keep telling me that my layouts are good, but after each no you have to start to wonder. I realize that this industry is very competitive because there are just so many scrapbookers out there, but it doesn't make it any easier. I have some friends that don't care to be on a design team and do care if they are ever published or not. And that is okay. But I have tasted both and when you experience it and have fun while doing it, you want to keep doing it. But there have been times when I have asked myself, "do you really want to keep doing this to yourself?" My answer is always "YES"! Because I never know what it will be my turn and I am sure it will be one day. But if I don't try I will never make it. It took me 3 times of submitting to get on the Nook Design Team. And I have to say that I am so proud that I kept at it because it is such a joy to be a part of.

So until that day comes I will keep on trying. There are a few DT's that I am going out for. Magistical Memories is one of them. I tried out once before but I didn't make it, but I am back to try it again. I love their chipboard and the message board is very fun. Very welcoming. I have been playing with their chipboard lately and have been having a BLAST with it. So we shall see. They are doing a DT call in 2 parts. The first part is the application. Then they will pick 20 people to move on. Those 20 people will get a pkg from Magistical Memories to create with and then they will pick the winners from the 20 who moved on. If I make it to the Top 20 that will be so cool in and of itself. But yeah I am not going to lie....I would love to be on this team. Their chipboard is just so flipping CUTE!

Hope you are inspired by the above projects. I am hoping I get a Guest spot email in the next few days. :)