Have one or two unwanted photos?

Wondered what to do with them?  Me too.  Until now ...

Probably in the last six to 12 months I've started having my photos printed at Harvey Norman rather than printing them myself.  I'm not the type who fills my camera card and then heads down to the local photo shop to download the card and have all my photos printed at one time.  I only print those I plan to scrap, and pretty much only on an as needs basis.  Before having them printed away from home I only ever used to print the exact photo(s) I needed in the exact size I needed, when I needed them.  Now though, I often find myself having more photos than necessary printed.  Whether it be that I end up not using all the photos on a particular layout or I didn't know what size I'd want to scrap with so I had the photo printed in multiple sizes and then didn't use them all, whatever the case I'm ending up with unwanted photos.

I don't know about you but I just can't bring myself to throw photos out.  Is it because of some throwback from the past where photos were sacrilegious (so to speak) because of their rarity to most?  Is it because I don't like waste?  Or is it plain old sentimentality ... how could I possibly throw a photo of one of my beloved doogles in the trash?  Because of this 'issue' shall we call it, I find myself offloading these photos onto GB.  But what's he supposed to do with them LOL?!!!  He doesn't scrap (obviously!) and if I'm honest, GB loves that I scrap but doesn't really get the whole 'cottage-y' thing.  If I did everything in a clean, graphic style he'd probably be happy.  But I digress ...

It occurred to me back in (dare I admit it?!) the middle of last year that with my 'big daddy' Big Shot Pro and one of its fabulous dies (Album w/Tabs) ...

... I could make him an album to pop the photos he chooses to keep in.  Yes the ones he doesn't want get thrown out.  :(  I thought the album might make a great little surprise for GB's birthday in September, then for Christmas; failing those occasions I then turned my attention to our wedding anniversary in January.  Well let's just say better late than never because its March and finally I've made his album.  But wait there's more.  I made not one, but two, plus I let him on the 'secret' and so he got have to some input.  His input went along the lines of plain cardstock, dates and places, and no flowers.  LOL okay so I added the 'no flowers' bit myself but every now and then I'd threaten to add a flower and I'd just get this  'look'.  He also got to name the albums.

This is the first album ...

Yep LOL, quite a bit different to the Sizzix example.  But this was for my man and GB is not a butterfly and bows kind of dude!!  I've decided I don't mind the 'cleanness' of this album.  To be honest, I rather like it.  Could there be a 'KISS' scrapper lurking somewhere deep inside me??  I used some very heavy, black, book board to die-cut the album and Stampin' Up! Kraft cardstock (I'm pretty sure the Kraft colour was replaced by Crumb Cake) to make the pages, the title and accents (like the eyelets).  So you can get an idea of how plain GB wanted the album here is a sample of the pages ...

We decided to create two albums so Geoff could split the photos of Hayley and Max from the more general photos.  2 dogs is a fabulous little album and given that we are soon to lose Max, will be a wonderful little thing for him to have up in his study to pick up from time to time to sit with, and remember.  Plus although GB's not big on words, and therefore journaling, there's deliberately not a lot of space for him to write and write and write, but just enough for him to add a few words if he chooses.  The second album is called gb's v.1 ...

The "v.1" is for volume one because I'm not planning on stopping scrapping any time soon so I'm sure there will be a plethora of spare photos to come in the future.  This album follows much the same format as 2 dogs but has been created with Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla cardstock instead of Kraft.  Again, the pages have been kept very plain ...

Never in a million years would I have thought to make GB an album in which to keep the spare photos that keep flooding his way.  He is so not a scrapbooking kinda guy.  But by making his albums very plain and simple, and almost masculine like, I've solved the problem of my unwanted photos, made something special (this was one of March's special projects) for GB, and in the process have put a smile on GB's dial.  A girl's gotta be happy with that right?

So the next time you're sorting through your photos and find yourself with a stack which you no longer need or want, stop and have a think of those around you.  There may just be someone in your life for whom you could create an appropriate mini album to pop these photos into.  You never know who's day you might make.

BTW these little albums measure 5 and 1/8" at their widest point and 6" high and the font I've used is "Diesel" ...  a cookie cutter alpha by Quickutz.

More favourites

When my world is falling apart, I find myself unable to sit inactive staring into space or to curl up under my doonah and let the days merge into one.  Not because of any sense of fighting spirit but because its in the quiet the demons are at their loudest.  However as my world continues to darken, finding the motivation to do something, anything, is becoming increasingly difficult.  Thank god for scrapbooking as a form of occupational therapy.

Being physically unable to do many 'domestic' things, and those things I am still able to do, and do do, not needing to be done on a daily basis, rules out consuming my time with domestic goddess tasks.  Not being independently mobile sees me at home most of the time, so I can't pop out for a few hours to go down to the local shops or visit a friend.  Speaking of friends, I can't bring myself to have contact with them for fear of the bubbling turmoil of desperation in the pit of my stomach spewing forth.  I so desperately need to keep it contained.

As it is, Magoo now needs constant company.  Last Saturday his rear, right leg 'gave in' on him (so to speak) and he is now struggling with his walking.  When he falls down, he sometimes can't get up.  So he needs me here with him.  He's very sad too.  Which is heart-breaking, but I understand the need for the silent company of someone who loves you when you feel sad.  I understand he needs more cuddles than usual at the moment.  I'm willingly giving them to him.  We're also taking him to the vet later this morning to discuss this latest development in his health.  Deep in our hearts GB and I know what will be happening very soon but right now are holding on to the slimmest, desperate sliver of hope that our vet is able to do something to help, even though she told GB this past weekend on the phone that there is nothing more she can do.  We're not ready to let go of Magoo.  We acknowledge that we'll never be ready to say good bye.  But we know we need to do the right thing for him, so at today's appointment we'll be discussing quality of life issues.  He will be coming home with us though.   Today is not the day.

So whilst Magoo is asleep in his bed by my side in my studio, I am 'making' myself scrap.  It passes the time of day.  It occupies my time.  I may not be creating anything particularly spectacular and, in fact, are holding off from scrapping special photos because I really don't want to ruin them if you know what I mean.  But I can potter.  The 2011 Weekly Favourites Challenge at ScrapChat is a good form of pottering, as is one of the 'special projects' I was hoping to complete this month.

Speaking of the 2011 Weekly Favourites Challenge here are my weeks 10 and 11.  I hope they speak for themselves because, quite frankly, I've run out of words ...

Week 10 ... favourite scrapping supply

die-cutting equipment used: Big Shot Pro and Big Shot

dies used: Sizzix Big Shot Pro die - Heart, Ribbon; Sizzix Sizzlits border dies - Flowers, and Dots & Scallops; Sizzix Originals dies - Bird, Sparrow and Paper Sculpting, Daisy; Big Shot Thick Cuts alpha dies - GoSlim

Week 11 ... favourite country

Until next time ...

Telling the story

An integral part of scrapbooking for me, in addition to capturing a memory or moment, has always been about telling the story behind the photo.  Sometimes I tell the story with the photos alone, using journaling, or creatively with the elements I use on the page.  Often a combination of the three.

I guess the story telling aspect is important to me because of memories I have from helping my father with family history research.  We had all these photos, and although many of them (fortunately and unusually) had names and/or dates on the back of them, we had no idea of the story behind them.  (PS:  A lot of them didn't too!)  Unless the date was of significance, how were we to know that everyone was gathered for Great Aunt Charlotte's 50th birthday party?  Oh and my family were fortunate to have cameras and or access to studio portraiture going back for a very long time, so there is a wealth of photos, just not a wealth of stories to go with them.

The way I see it, when the generations of my family who follow me look through my albums, I'd rather they not be as bamboozled as my father and I were and simply look at photos with names and dates (if they are lucky).  I'd like them to know why the photo was taken and, even more importantly, why I chose to scrap it.  I am sure any family historians reading this will agree with me on the importance of telling the story.

To celebrate Halloween last year, a friend of mine Lucy (hi Mumm!!) set those of us at ScrapChat a challenge to create a layout using only orange and black (possibly my least favourite colour combination of all time ... to put it mildly), a black cat, a broom and for it to be spooky related.  Ordinarily the orange and black requirement would see me saying 'thanks, but no thanks'.  But not this time.  I had a story to tell ...

Quite a few years earlier GB, Hayley, Max and I were all nearly locked in overnight at Melbourne General Cemetery one gloomy winter's evening.  I had always wanted to scrap the fabulously gloomy photos we took that late afternoon but for oh so many reasons, had never before done so.  This challenge presented the perfect opportunity.  For whom did the bells toll? is the layout I created ...

products used: way too many to mention but I can say lots and lots of 7Gypsies, some Tattered Angels, Tim Holtz, Little Yellow Bicycle, K&Company, Prima, Jenni Bowlin, and a touch of Smiggles thrown in for good measure

For this layout, in addition to the photos, I relied heavily on the elements used, as well as a significant portion of 'poetic license' to tell my story.  I used the journaling in two different ways ... one as a background piece of paper ... the bits that can be read 'whet the appetite' for more (I hope LOL) and for those who are curious enough, the journaling has been hidden behind that piece of paper and can be removed with the tabs from the right to be read in full.  Because the story really was worthy of telling a good tale (LOL), I chose to 'amp' it up several notches and presented it (as best I could) in an old-fashioned newspaper style format.  In the end, despite a significant loss of mojo after building our new home, I was really happy that I had managed to convey the tone of the overall story.

Not all photos have such elaborate stories behind them, but honestly I encourage you, whenever you can, even if its on the back of the layout (similarly to how our predecessors used to write on the back of photos), tell the story ...

PS:  Meanwhile, here's the scoop ...

8.5x11?

Nope I don't think this size is for me.

Mid November last year I created the following layout for a challenge and (amongst other criteria) it had to be 8.5x11 (thanks Maz!!).

I didn't think it would be such problem.  The main reason I've stuck with 12x12 layouts is simply because that's the size of my albums.  Yes I know I can still store an 8.5x11 in a 12x12 album but I thought it would just look, well weird.  Plus I've really developed a passion for the '2up' photos you can have printed at Harvey Norman where two photos of equal size are printed on one 4x6 photo (each photo is a little smaller than 2x3).  So why, when I've gone to a smaller size photo to either fit more on a 12x12 or to create more white space, would I want to go smaller??

Well this challenge required that I did and can you believe that I went larger with my photo?!?!  I know ... completely nuts ... well not entirely as it suited the theme of my subject!  As it turned out I was really happy with the result ... could I possibly become an 8.5x11 scrapper???

As it turns out the answer was a resounding no.  Less than 24 hours later, using a sheet of 12x12 kraft cardstock and my sewing machine, this is what happened ...

products used include the Basic Grey Offbeat collection

It turned out I just couldn't stand the 8.5x11 staring me in the face any longer!!  Am I happier with this finished layout?  Yes.  Will I make the switch to 8.5x11 layouts?  No.  Well never say never (apparently) so maybe ... one day ...

PS:  BTW another of the challenge criteria was to use lots of journaling.  It may appear that I haven't but that kraft envelope sticking out from above my large photo matt contains the journaling ... yet another of my epic tales which would have required a double layout if it was to be easily read; plus the story was a little 'daggy' and personal and so I wanted to keep it private ...

Waste not want not

I'm sure I've been abducted by aliens which is kind of ironic given I don't believe in them LOL!  But seriously this once freakishly neat, clean up after every project, scrapper has become a sloth.  Well by my usual standards anyway!!  Four days ago (I know I know I know LOL) I created a layout What's in a name.  Today though is when I've got around to sorting out the mess I made.  That's four days and three cards ago LOL!!!

So anyway I'm tidying up my craft desk in preparation for one of those 'special projects' on my to do list when I come across all these off-cuts of patterned paper from when I created the layout What's in a name.  Gone are the days when I keep every last little scrap of cardstock and patterned paper.  I mean let's be realistic, who has the space to store it all?  What I've been doing instead is turning them into something usable like punched shapes for cards or journaling spots for future layouts or decorative borders for who knows what.  Yes I most likely will end up with a large container full of this type of stuff which I'll never use but who knows, there may be someone out there who will.

Today though it seemed infinitely easier simply to make up a couple of cards than to drag out my punches and dies, and so I did.  As I was making them in between other tasks (boring domestic stuff) it does mean that the 'special project' has been put on hold but that's okay because I hope to tackle it tomorrow, maybe ...

These are the two cards I made ...

products used include various off-cuts of patterned paper from the Crate Paper Bliss Collection and Darkroom Door Full Bloom Collection, Queen & Co Brads, Fiskars' threading water border punch, sewing machine and thread, and the following Sizzix Sizzlits dies: Flourish #9 and #10, Label, Ornate #3 and #4, Label, Oval #3, Hello Kitty Phrase, Hello Kitty, and Stampin' Up! Floral Fusion

I think I'll try this again next time I have a reasonable amount of off-cuts from a project which aren't really enough to do anything 'substantial' with ...

Mid March Madness ... where I'm at

Back at the beginning of March I questioned my sanity in respect of the amount of scrapping I wanted to achieve this month.  This is where I'm at  ...

• finish the cover of my Favourites Journal (I started that a few days ago) - check!
• February's colour challenge at ScrapChat (everything is on my desk waiting to go) - check!
• Manda's now overdue CJ page (theme ... handmade) - check!
• week #8 (favourite room) for my Favourites Journal - check!

Plus ...

• weeks #9 through to #12 inclusive for my Favourites Journal
• week # 9 - check!
• week #10 - theme - favourite scrapping supply - should be a cinch
• week #11 - not known
• week #12 - not known
• the ScrapChat colour challenge
• the ScrapChat sketch challenge - layout
• the ScrapChat sketch challenge - card - check!
• 'Pud's' CJ page (theme ... five)
• 527 stick pins for a swap (okay so I exaggerate 'just a little' LOL) - check!

Plus three special projects, two of which I've had simmering on the back burner in my mind for ages now (one for well over a year [I know!] and the other since September last year) ...

Not bad so far considering we're only half way through the month wouldn't you agree??  I think I'll be pushing it to complete the three 'special' projects but where there's a will there's a way ... or so I've heard.  I have been a bit inspired by some of the challenges 'out there' though so who knows where I'll end up.

Whilst I'm here, this is the card I made for the ScrapChat March card sketch challenge ...

together with a copy of the stunning "Little Book of Sketches" sketch ...

plus two additional cards I had to make because the papers (MME Stella and Rose 'Mabel') were so beautiful and inspiring to work with (plus I had some off-cuts!) ...

Products used in creating all three cards include: MME Stella and Rose 'Mabel' papers 6x6 pad, Stampin' Up! kraft cardstock, Tim Holtz Distres Inks Broken China and Spiced Marmalade, Grungepaper and chipboard, Sizzix Paper Sculpting Daisy, Sizzix Flower Layers #4, Sizzix Flower Power #2, Sizzix Ovals, Scallop #3, Big Shot Thick Cuts Ovals, MLS mini alphabet stickers, various Stampin' Up! punches including Two-Step Owl, Scallop Edge Border, Heart to Heart, Two-Step Bird, and Scallop Trim Border ... and weren't they all worth it?!

If you've got it ...

... use it!  Have you ever created a layout and thought "yep, I really like this one"?  Well why not create a sketch from your layout and file it away for future reference ... perhaps for the next time you are stumped for an idea or your mojo has left the reservation?

I'm super lucky to have an awesome friend who totally rocks the digi world ... heh Kylie ('K') of {Yillup Designs}.  I'm also really fortunate that K is very generous with her time.  So occasionally, when I've created something I particularly like, I'll email K a photograph of my layout and ask her ever so very nicely to create a digital sketch for me, and 'voila' she does!

This is one such layout which I created for Kaiser (as a guest designer back in March 2010 ... OMG was that really 12 months ago?!?!?!?!!!!!) using their stunning Peachy Keen collection ...

which K digitally turned into a sketch for me ...

from which I created this layout (I 'flipped' the sketch to suit the orientation of my photo) ...

Products used include Sizzix Scallops, Giant, Sizzix Vine w/Leaves, Sizzix Circle, Scallop, Sizzix/Tim Holtz Styled Labels, Sizzix/Tim Holtz Tattered Florals, Quickutz 12" border die Damask, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Shabby Shutters, Old Paper, Tattered Rose, and Antique Linen, Tim Holtz Color Wash Lettuce, various punches, stamps, crochet and wool-felting accessories, and Darkroom Door Bloom collection patterned papers together with Crate Paper Bliss collection patterned papers, oh and one of my handmade stick pins (made for Leanne's swap)

This layout came together like a breeze.  Because sketches are so easy to work with, I love them; but I also love to create my own original work, so this was a perfect blend of the two.  Seriously, next time you create a layout you are particularly pleased with, consider creating a sketch from it for future reference.  It worked for me!

Sunday's child is full of grace ...

Sunday's Alz is spick and span ...

How many of you are diligent when it comes to housework?  Honestly?  How many of you are diligent about keeping your scrapping space in order?  Honestly?  Come on ... really truly pinky swear???

Hi my name is Alz and I am an Orderly Organisation Obsessive.  Ask anyone who has been to my place to scrap about how well things are organised.  Ask GB what a difficult time I have 'cleaning up' after someone who has been scrapping at my place and using my stash.  In case you were wondering, no LOL I don't have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  It's just that everything has a place and in its place it shall/should be.

I've always been 'into' organisation.  In fact it might as well be my second name.  These days though, its become more and more important for me if I'm to use my stash to the best of my (and its) ability.  So everything which has been unpacked has a place and is clearly labelled.  Like is stored with like.  If everything was just stored away, even like with like, but not labelled I'd have a devil of a time remembering (a) what I had and (b) where it was stored.  My MS has slowly eaten away at some grey matter integral to memory.  As a result I heavily rely on visual prompts.  So if I'm to remember that I have stamps, and to use them, I need them stored and labelled in such a way that they're easy for me to access.

Similarly, for products that are stored 'like with like', I need to have them grouped and/or catalogued.  I have just recently catalogued all my die-cutting equipment.  Actually nope that's a lie.  I'm yet to catalogue my Cuttlebug dies and embossing folders.  Anyway an image of all my dies is on my Mac, which is not only great for house inventory purposes, but it also helps me to clearly see what I've got in the way of, say, Bigz dies.  I now need to create a catalogue which splits the dies into 'type' categories like flourishes, birds, flowers, etc, which will make life even easier.  It may seem complicated and time consuming but it won't be, as the hard yakka has already been done.  The images of the dies are already there on my Mac.

When I recently culled and sorted my clear acrylic stamps I sorted them into the following groups and stored them accordingly:

• Travel, Love and Sport
• Robots, Aliens and Monsters
• Journaling and Borders
• Alphabets and MM (Making Memories) Magnetic sets
• Card sentiments and Christmas
• Quotes, Sayings and Words
• Birds and Butterflies etc
• Botanicals and Flourishes etc
• Page elements (eg, architecture, arrows and photo corners etc)
• Foam stamps and Acrylic blocks

This may seem a little (or a lot) 'Over The Top' to some of you but I have had a plethora of clear acrylic stamps ready and waiting to be used for a looooong time, but have never used them.  Why?  Because most of the time I didn't know what I had or where to find it.  Now I do.  Now I've rectified that situation I can, and do, incorporate stamping into my paper crafting.

Sure it's taking me a little while to get used to, but just yesterday I used three journaling stamps when creating a layout.  Incidentally, by referring to my die-cutting catalogue, I also used five Sizzix dies and a Quickutz die.  Whilst I'm at it I'll make mention of the the four Tim Holtz Distress Inks I used.  "Distress Inks?" I hear you question LOL.

I'm a total Tim Holtz junkie and have all of his Distress Inks, Embossing Powders, Distress Crackle Paints, Alcohol Inks, yahda yahda yayda.  They are all tucked away in their appropriate, purpose-built Tim Holtz containers.  They are all labelled on the outside as to their contents.  However I am no longer able to remember, for example, which colours make up the original versus the second release of Distress Inks nor what the colours even are.  Seriously, I love and use all the colours of my Distress Inks (that's just a quick justification for having them all LOL!) but if I want a green ink I don't want to have to get out both storage tins and all the greens and sample them all to make a decision on what to use.  Likewise for his other products.  It's too time-consuming and I'm a slow scrapper at the best of times.  The answer?  Sample charts ...

I cannot recommend sample charts for any and all products you have, highly enough.  You don't need to have a complete range of a particular product for a sample chart.  In addition to my Tim Holtz Distress Inks I have a large number of other, mixed brand ink pads from my card making days.  I intend (one of these days ... like the Cuttlebug dies I guess and [LOL] organising my die-cutting catalogue by 'type') to make a sample chart of those too.  I still use them so they are still relevant.  I'll probably end up doing something similar with my paints.  My punches I don't need to worry so much about because for the most part they are Stampin' Up! punches and having the Stampin' Up! catalogue, well I already have a sample chart.

Are you getting the 'gist'?  Organising your stash and keeping your scrap place clean (we'll address that some other Sunday!) makes scrapping enormously easier.  It helps you make the most of your stash, you know, really get your monies worth, and prevents you from doubling up on products that can do the same thing or are the same thing (as the case may be!).

cardstock and left it to dry, or I used a VersaMark ink pad to press directly onto cardstock and then heat embossed the Embossing Powders.  When it came to the Distress Crackle Paints I simply painted an area large enough for the size punch I knew I was going to use to punch out my sample.  Incidentally, I used a 1.0" circle punch for my samples.  "Why the 1.0"?" I hear you say?  Because it fit easily in my Xyron 150 and so enabled me to turn my samples into quick and easy to use stickers.  Now seriously ... how easy is something like that to do ... really?

Okay, well I'm off to use my Distress Inks sample chart to figure out which inks will work best with the new MME Stella Rose collection (Spiced Marmalade is looking good for starters) which I'm about to make a card with ... oh that and have breakfast too.  Wishing you all a peaceful Sunday ...

More weekly favourites

The themes for weeks eight and nine of the 2011 Weekly Favourites Journal Challenge at ScrapChat really threw me.  Week eight's challenge was to scrap your favourite room.  Week nine's challenge was to scrap your favourite time waster.  Uh-oh.

Week 8 - Favourite Room

My favourite room should have been a cinch.  Really.  We've only been living in our newly built home for a little over six months.  Honestly, I have favourite rooms in our new house ... as you would hope!  In fact my favourite room in the house is our lounge room (as opposed to the open plan 'living room').  It is a beautiful room which reminds us a little of our old period home in Brunswick, perhaps because we have a gas 'fire-log' heater in the lounge and at Brunswick we had open fireplaces?  Maybe because it is 'our' room.  LOL that sound so strange yes?  The whole house is 'our' house but this room has just two chairs ... gorgeous leather, modern looking recliners ... a very large, vintage Tibetan drum for a coffee table, an enormous red feather African headdress hanging above the 'fire', a Buddha wall hanging from Bhutan, an old children's rocking chair from when GB was a toddler, antique cabinets from China, and more.  Oh and last but not least, this room has one of my gorgeous Yhi ceiling pendants by Brian Steendyk.  Seriously this room is stunning.  It is a tranquil room.  Everyone who has ever relaxed in one of the recliners in that room has loved it.  I love it.  The only problem was that I couldn't photograph it because right now all those beautiful things are gone, the room is empty.  Without all those 'things' its lost its tranquility, its soul I guess you could say.  'Come again' I hear you say, 'empty?'.

Several weeks ago when Melbourne had some serious freak storms come through, our house was hit pretty bad on the west side.  Although a new build, as a result of the combined ferocity of the winds and the angle at which the rain hit our house, we flooded.  Compared to the loss of life, and damage and destruction mother nature is leaving in her wake wherever she stomps her feet, we are blessed.  We are still in our home.  We still have our roof.  We are safe.  We are simply waiting for our flooring, plasterboard, light fittings, etc to be replaced.

So if I couldn't scrap my favourite room what could I scrap?  Then I remembered our laundry at our old home in Brunswick, and how that laundry was the 'bane' of my life for a good 15 years or more.  Which caused me to stop and think about just how much I love our new laundry.  Which prompted me to stop and remember how excited I was every time we came out to the new house during construction and how I would stand in what would become the laundry and just wordlessly turn around in delight picturing what was going to be my 'dream' laundry.  What a relief ... I had a new favourite room to scrap.  But again I had no photos and the current state of the laundry was really not something I wanted to share.  You know the saying along the lines of 'not airing your dirty laundry in public' LOL?!  Well needless to say I was not going to share the current state of our laundry!  But I had photos of our old laundry from the day we locked up our home in Brunswick for the final time.  I also had the elevation plans of my new laundry.  Add the two together with some crisp, white fabric to represent bleached and starched ironing and I had a page in my Journal for week eight ...

BTW I didn't really use many products when creating this page but must mention the fabulous arrows are a Sizzix die, Arrows #2, and the perfect sized hearts are from the Stampin' Up Heart to Heart punch.

Week 9 - Favourite Time Waster

Tell me ... what does someone who almost compulsively multi-tasks every minute of their day do to waste time?  Let me tell you ... nothing!!!!!!!!!  I cannot abide wasting time.  If other people want to do it that's their choice.  But for me, wasting time goes against everything I try to do to be as efficient as I possibly can.  I don't waste time!  Everything I do, LOL even relaxing, has a purpose ie, relaxing!!  This was not a challenge LOL this was seriously big time 'freak Alz out bait'!!!!  Time spent online has a purpose ... whether that be shopping, researching, social networking, or whatever!  Time spent scrapping is, for me, a version of occupational therapy.  Time spent watching TV is relaxing, entertaining, informative.  The only thing I could think of that 'some' might possibly consider wasting time was colouring.  Doodling.  Drawing.  'Some' might think that a 42 year old sitting down and colouring when her laundry is in such a state she can't photograph it to share (LOL) is wasting her time.  I disagree.  For me, colouring, doodling and drawing are types of occupational therapy.  Finally, I had an 'angle' from which to approach week nine's challenge.  Colouring, doodling, drawing ... occupational therapy?  Call it what you want ...

Products used include "The Crafter's Workshop Template" (Daisy Cluster), Sizzix/Tim Holtz Paper Rosette die, Sizzix Dots & Scallops die, Stampin' Up! scallop circle punch, Carolee's Creations AdornIt Sleek White Alphas, and various colouring pencils and pens.  Oh and a brad (LOL).

The background was originally a piece of pale blue 12x12 Bazzill which was fairly marked and faded in places.  Using the leftovers of a spray mist I had made up, and the TCW template I created a faint patterned background on the cardstock.  After diligently drawing around all the outlined daisies, I coloured them in with various coloured pencils I borrowed from a girlfriend (I was away at a retreat).  I used an aqua brush to soften the colouring lines and I used a white pen to add highlights.  Finally I coloured the external border of the template in black and again used an aqua brush to soften the colouring lines.  Did creating my own background with this technique take a lot of time?  Yes!!!  Did some of the girls on the retreat think I had completely lost the plot?  Yes.  But it was enjoyable and relaxing, and something I could stop and come back to.  And I created it at a time when I was feeling a little anxious, out of my depth and like a fish out of water.  So it served a purpose ... it gave me something to do (an occupation) and it helped me to relax (therapy).

Oh and did I mention that taking the time out to sit down and colour like we did when we were children, is fun???

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a technical hitch ... LOL ... please excuse me whilst I test something with this post ... stay tuned ... BRB ... it worked!!!!!

Stick pins swap

I love to add little items of interest to my scrapbooking projects and cards.  I'm also the type of person who likes to touch things.  I definitely get the whole 'attention to detail' thing.  I love 'elegance';  I love 'fun';  I love 'quirky'.  I love stick pins!  They are perfect for (literally LOL) sticking anywhere.  They can add a whole new dimension to a project or be the final finishing touch that was required.  Oh and using them on cards ... well don't get me started LOL!  Don't you love it when you receive a handmade card that has you reaching out to 'touch' bits??  Over the past 12 months or so as they have grown in popularity I must have purchased dozens of them.  Okay so that's an out and out lie LOL ... more like hundreds of them!!!!  Why oh why it did never occur to me to make my own?!?!  I could have saved a small fortune!

Thank you Leanne (hi Leababy!) for having the brilliant light bulb moment to make your own stick pins. Thank you for sending some to me with a gorgeous RAK that totally did everything (and then some) RAKs are intended to do!  Thank you for suggesting we have a stick pin swap over at ScrapChat.  LOL I wonder ... were you prepared for the 948 groups you have signed on to sort and send?!?!?!!!!

I've had an enormous amount of fun making these tiny little treasures.  GB has been the sweetest of sweethearts popping out to Spotlight not once, but twice (!!), for me and then ringing me with the 'low down' on pins LOL!  He truly is an angel.  I've discovered my favourite pins for making stick pins ... Birth extra long quilting pins and Birch wig pins.  I loved the length of the quilting pins and the size of the pin head was perfect.  Although the wig pins were a little more difficult to work with given they are a thicker pin, and shorter, I love their fun, quirky look.

All up I've made 80 stick pins.  They were quick and easy.  Apart from needing to purchase some pins they weren't expensive to make either.  All of the beads I used came from either my 'previous crafting lives' stash (we all have one of those don't we??) or from the 'too good a bargain to pass up/I'll use these one day' stash (LOL) or, finally, the 'upcycled' stash where anything and everything that can be salvaged from something before it is turfed, is stored.

I'm yet to sort them into groups for the swap itself, but here are my finished stick pins ...

Products used include: a variety of Ribtex and other beads, Maya Road trinket pins,

a variety of Birch pins, and pom poms (had to have some fun texture in there!)

2011 Weekly Favourites Journal

I have finally covered the journal I am using for my weekly favourites challenge at ScrapChat.  I'm both relieved and thrilled.  Relieved because I'm not a huge fan of unfinished projects lying around, and this was one.  (Okay I confess, one of about 73!!!)  At the same time I'm not the type of scrapper who can just 'rush' something.  I wanted the cover of my journal to have a certain 'look'.  I wanted it to represent everything about what it was and then some.  Plus I'd never, ever covered a journal before.  Well not of this variety anyways.

For this year long challenge I've used a Winsor & Newton Visual Arts Diary ... you know the ones with a kind of shiny, but not smooth, textured surface.  I knew I didn't want to take the binding apart because personally that just doesn't work for me.  I knew what I wanted to cover the journal with, but had no idea what types of adhesives would work best.  I knew I wanted to add texture.  I had a vague idea of a 'title', but when I say vague I really do mean vague.  So, frustratingly (because I have just wanted to get it done and move on LOL) my thoughts for the cover of my journal have been simmering on the back burner in my mind.  And then inspiration struck in the form of a journal GB received from Carers Victoria ...

Isn't this just about the coolest journal ever?  I mean seriously?  Teal is my favourite colour at the moment so it instantly grabbed my attention.  Then the series of words down the left margin jumped out at me.  It was brilliant.  I loved it!  Suddenly I knew exactly how I wanted my journal cover to look ...

Because I love texture and textiles (I'm a real 'touchy feely' kinda gal LOL) my journal had to be covered with lots of texture.  So I chose a stunning SEI flocked paper, and added some truly sublime Chatterbox velvet ribbon from their artsylicious range, and Maya Road pom pom trim (possibly my favourite trim of all time).  I continued the texture with foam.  American Craft Thickers in foam.  Did I mention foam?  Oh how I love foam.  I've no idea what it is about the texture of foam; maybe its soft, squishiness (?); but I love it.  Using the Carers Victoria journal for inspiration I added some words on the left margin and then the year in the bottom right hand corner.  A very simple, graphic-like design, but one which speaks volumes and I love it!!  Thanks Carers Victoria for the inspiration ...

American Craft Thickers used include: daiquiri, giggles, latte and rockabye

It's a fine line between being creative and just plain mad

Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast,

or of one thing too exclusively.

~ Voltaire (French writer, satirist and philosopher 1694-1778)

Okay so I love to create.  I have to do something creative every day or I'd quite simply become stark, raving mad.  Bonkers.  Luckily for me I have the luxury of time to be creative.  Unluckily some might say because that 'time' comes at the cost of having MS ... but then that's a matter of perspective I guess.  But am I just plain mad?  "Why?" I hear you ask?  Because this is the 'to do' list I've created (pardon the pun!) for being creative this month ...

• finish the cover of my Favourites Journal (I started that a few days ago)
• February's colour challenge at ScrapChat (everything is on my desk waiting to go)
• Manda's now overdue CJ page (theme ... handmade)
• week #8 (favourite room) for my Favourites Journal

Plus ...

• weeks #9 through to #12 inclusive for my Favourites Journal
• the ScrapChat colour challenge
• the ScrapChat sketch challenge - layout
• the ScrapChat sketch challenge - card
• 'Pud's' CJ page (theme ... five)
• 527 stick pins for a swap (okay so I exaggerate 'just a little' LOL)

Plus three special projects, two of which I've had simmering on the back burner in my mind for ages now (one for well over a year [I know!] and the other since September last year) ...

Plus any other challenges I stumble across along the way and find immediately inspiring.

Yep mad it is!!!  Well I suppose March does have 31 days ...

PS:  At least I'll have a lot to share here!!!!!

Scrap yourself ... truly, madly, deeply

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror, gasped with horror, and then run 500 miles in the other direction all because of a bad hair day???  I have.  Correction LOL ... I do!!!

Nearly my entire life I have had short hair.  I loved having short hair.  It was so 'manageable' ... quick and easy to style, fun and funky (or elegant if I wanted it to be), cool in summer, fabulous for wearing scarves in winter, cheap on the shampoo and conditioner.  I loved it!

Several years ago, for reasons which escape me now however, I started to grow it long.  Really long.  I think the more GB loved it the longer I grew it.  Eventually my long hair became 'manageable'.  In fact to my utmost surprise it became more manageable than the shorter hair had ever been.  All I had to do was put it up in a ponytail or my 'version' of a bun (picture a 100 years old, barely holding itself together, bird's nest LOL) if I couldn't be bothered getting out the hair straightener.  I didn't have to wash it every day.  In fact often it would look better the next day ... perhaps because it was flatter and smoother from being slept on?  Whereas with short hair, the constant 'bed heads' necessitated constant washing and styling.  It was more expensive on the shampoo and conditioner because obviously there was a lot more hair to wash, but I didn't have to go to the hairdresser every six weeks to have my style maintained.  All in all I grew to love my long hair.  The longer it grew, the more GB loved it.  The more GB loved it, the more I loved it.  My hair was beautiful.

Eventually, sadly, it had to go.  As the extreme MS heat intolerance worsened and my wrist and hand problems continued to deteriorate, suddenly what had been surprisingly 'manageable' became high maintenance and entirely impractical.  So ... around September last year I went from this ...

     

to this ...

OMG!!!  What was I thinking?!?!?!?!?!?!  Clearly it seemed a good idea at the time but later it felt as though I had had something amputated.  Although nearly six months later (where has that time gone??) I'm still struggling with having lost all that hair.  Until it was gone I had no idea how much emotion I had invested in those lovely, long locks.  The long hair had become my one last 'vanity' and without it I was lost, almost bereft.

So along I'm plodding, trying to come to terms with my new short hair, when a scrapping buddy of mine (hi Manda!) sets a challenge at ScrapChat to "choose two different scrapbook styles and complete a 'mash-up' layout on a topic of your choice".  I love a good challenge and this was a goooooooood challenge.  I've no idea now what I particularly wanted to scrap about, but I remember I needed/wanted a current self-portrait photo.  So out came the camera.  But before starting to take shots I thought I'd see how I was 'doing' in the mirror ... did my hair need brushing, for instance?  Talk about ROFL!!!!  Did my hair need brushing???  It was beyond salvaging.  What to do?  What to do?  This was sooooooooo typical of my hair at that time.  Bad hair day after bad hair day.  I remember being so disheartened.  I remember telling myself that I needed to move past these long/short hair issues (literally ... it was only hair and would grow back) and I remember feeling the need to express all of this. To get it out so to speak.

If I was the journal writing type I most likely would have written about my 'despairing' state (LOL) in a journal.   But I've never really been able 'commit' to writing in a journal.  I've tried.  I have hundreds of half started journals in a box somewhere in the garage waiting to be sorted through.  I can start a journal tomorrow (or today) just as quickly as the next person.  But seeing it through to the last page and starting another volume ... no can do.  Mind numbing.  It's just not for me.  I'd much rather spend the time creating.  I'd much rather express myself creatively.  I feel I can say more on a 12x12 page layout about how I'm feeling than I could in an entire volume of journals.  So I did.

I took a self-portrait photo, bad hair day and all.  I scrapped that photo and I shared it publicly.  In the process I gave myself the permission to have a bad (in this instance LOL, hair) day.  In the process of creating the layout I accepted that some days just weren't going to be great days, or even good days, but that those days weren't going to be the be all and end all.  In the process of creating the layout I resolved something.

So, the next time you have a bad hair day, burn dinner, get nothing done, feel at a loss, receive some bad/sad news or just generally feel down and out, why not scrap about it?  It may just be the answer for turning around how you're feeling about something and help you to put whatever it is into perspective.  I know it did for me.  Hugs ...

BTW I was inspired to create a 'mash-up' of Leanne Stamatellos' block/clean KISS journaling style with Louise Nelson's grunge/seemingly effortlessly thrown together/mish mash on kraft style.  Please note these are only my perceptions of their styles from a certain time in their scrapping lives.  Products used include Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry range, and a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz stamp 'spills & splatters' ("embrace imperfection")... could it have been any more appropriate??!?!