Sunday Scrappies

Posted on May 18, 2010 by so simply good

I am trying so hard to give myself Sunday's off. It's something I desperately need physcially… emotionally… spiritually… creatively… and it's really the one afternoon a week I can scrapbook. This makes three Sunday's straight that I've had creative time, and it feels so good.

First, 3 more layouts using that awesome Studio Calico goodness:

I've ended up using those photos from our Valentine's shoot a whole lot, but they're perfect for more moment/personality type layouts. The title pocket holds photos of more of Hanna's projects that she made in her online class.

Love those K and Co flowers. And look – I even used a stamp! I tend to be rather stamp challenged =)

Another one using those Valentine's photos. Again, though, it was just perfect for capturing some thoughts about this past year (and I typed the journaling directly on the photo before sending it to the printer). Still not 100% sure how I feel about the red brads, but I've changed them out half a dozen times and they're the ones I'm happiest with.

Again, all from the Studio Calico kit with the exception of the butterflies.

Yep – more from that same shoot and the Studio Calico kit (plus a few random stickers). And the colors don't look so wonky in real life – I've got to focus on getting better photos of my layouts since we can't find drivers to update my ancient scanner to Windows 7.

So totally happy with the way this one turned out! One of those capturing the personality type layouts.

And a two pager using some October Afternoon of Hanna's birthday party:

Hello, white space! Simple, fun, and I'm kind of obsessed with those funky, handcut, distressed flowers right now. I'm also really happy with the "bones" of the layout (based on a Pagemaps sketch). It's one I can certainly see myself using over and over.

10 layouts in the last 3 weeks – that's more than I got done in all of 2009! The only issue is that I now have several hundred layouts to get into albums. Remember when I took them all out of the post-bound albums last year? That project has been a little bit…er…a whole lot stalled. I've got to get working on it again soon!

Scrappy Loves

Posted on May 12, 2010 by so simply good

So…I've got about a half dozen "serious" blog posts I've been meaning to write, but for now…more scrappy loves:

The newish This to That adhesives from American crafts. I have the dots and the strips, and am loving them both. The dots remind me of Hermafix before EK Success bought them out years ago and ruined them.

Another new love: Scrapbook & Cards Today. I let all of my magazine subscriptions go about a year ago. I'm just not finding them inspiring enough to rationalize the money spent on them. It seems like there's more inspiration in online galleries…so I'm totally loving a magazine that you can get in print, but also online (as well as their entire back catalog). They also have a rather fab blog that I'm enjoying. It's nice to sit down when I have a few minutes to peruse and find something new.

They also feature lots of the scrappers I find most inspiring…this layout is based on a Kelly Goree layout from their Winter '09 issue:

I used some of the goodies I ordered from Studio Calico (which made putting a layout together just as easy as I'd hoped it would). And I have no idea why all the photos are so different in shade in the photo. I'm not too great at photographing layouts – I've always used my scanner, but haven't been able to find drivers to run it with Windows 7.

A few details:

Wonky flowers, ric rac, glittery brads, scalloped edges….yep, it's a big love!

Another layout I'm liking and didn't photograph too well:

I *think* the general layout for this one is from another issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today, but I didn't jot the name of the designer. Bad!

Love it, though, and will definitely be using this design over and over – perfect for things like swimming that I tend to have hundreds of pictures of and that we do over and over and over.

And look:

a little paper piecing =)

One more layout, though I'm not really feeling this one:

Too, too busy. I debated starting over, but you know what? It's done and the memory is recorded. I'm good with it. I'm reminded again, though, that I just don't scrapbook a lot of our cooler weather memories. Our albums tend to be filled with more outdoor, summery ones.

Whew…two weeks in a row of scrapping some of our own photos! This could get to be a habit =)

I did it, I did it, I did it…yeah!

Posted on May 3, 2010 by so simply good

I did it, I did it, I did it…yeah!, she said in her very best Dora the Horror voice.

It's been a long time since I scrapbooked.

Which sounds fairly ridiculous considering I work on something every day…piecings, layouts, borders…but those are for clients.

I think it's been pretty close to a year since I scrapbooked any memories of my own.

My children have actually been complaining about it.

About two weeks ago, I started editing some photos, printing out sketches and making plans. I'd hoped to spend all day Saturday scrapping, but that didn't happen. I did end up having a bit of free time yesterday afternoon and I took advantage of it!

Here's what I got done:

My favorite of the afternoon, although it photographed a bit odd. And totally not where I'd planned to go with it – it was supposed to be a 2 pager,with a few more photos. I like this better.

And I love, love, love the October Afternoon stuff, but especially the new Thrift Shop line. I just ordered one piece of each paper, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to save up a bit for another order!

Just a little blurry detail shot:

Another favorite, this one using Doodlebug:

The colors are a little off in the photograph, but how fun is that paper! And the newish Jack & Jill stickers…I'm in love. I will most definitely be needing more!

Another detail – stitching, Prima flowers – so cute =)

And my least favorite of the afternoon…although I do still like it quite a bit, I wanted to go a different direction and didn't have the supplies I needed.

October Afternoon's Go Fly a Kite line…gorgeous. With Scenic Route gone, I think they're going to be my new go-to line. My original vision for this was to machine stitch some brown lines on the green polka dot paper and tie the buttons on top (which makes perfect sense in my head). I couldn't find any green thread, though, so this is okay. If I can find my brown embroidery floss, I think I'll tie the buttons off with that and I think that might make me a little happier.

I've got photos and sketches for another dozen layouts – now to find some more time to play!

A few of my favorite things…

Posted on April 28, 2010 by so simply good

It's been a while since I shared some of the things I'm loving right now…

Is anyone else watching Justified on FX? Tom and I are completely obsessed. He started watching it because Timothy Olyphant was in Deadwood, one of his other favorites (he's also from Modesto – go figure!). I started watching it because it's based on an Elmore Leonard short story and I was intrigued. Now, we're completely hooked and the show just gets better each week.
My new old iced tea pitcher. I shared this photo on my Sunday gratitude this week. I found it at the Hen's Nest while killing some time last week and it reminded me so much of Gram that I just had to have it. It's sort of a rosy pink and it's been continuoulsly in use since I brought it home. It makes me happy.

Scrappy Loves…It's been nearly a year since I last scrapbooked any of our own photos and I've got such a need right now to scrap. Scrapbookpictures.com is having a printing sale until the end of the month -I've already placed one order, and I'm frantically editing and cropping to get another placed before the 30th. I'm editing with a stack of Becky Fleck's Page Maps on my lap, matching photos to sketches and making a master list. I also placed a tiny order of the Fly A Kite line from October Afternoon to help me get inspired. If everything arrives when it should, I'm hoping to spend Saturday scrapping!
More scrappy loves…I've also been a bit obsessed with Studio Calico for the last few months. It seems like so many of my favorite scrappy bloggers are on their design team, and I've been drooling over their layouts. I placed a teensy order this morning, but I'd really love to get a subscription. I know I'm very much a scrapbooker who is inspired by new product and new photos. That little monthly boost of inspiration a monthly kit offers would be lovely.
I know I've mentioned That Mitchell and Webb Look on here before, but BBCAmerica is running a new season and I think it's their funniest ever. Like most British comedy, it's not for everyone but I love it. Mr. Darcy the freestyle disco champ and the post-event game show…brilliant! And of course, our favorite Sir Digby Chicken Caeser is back =)
New music…I think Tom and Hanna found Poema a month or so ago on a hardcore website Tom frequents (although they are most definitely not a hardcore group). Hanna immediately fell in love with them. Sort of acoustic-indie, they're truly lovely. Reminds me a bit of the Blank Daisies.
Walking…I've been walking for the last 3 weeks, at least six days a week. I'd love to get back up to about an hour a day, but my schedule simply won't allow it right now. I started out with 15 minutes and am up to about 30, and feeling better every single day. I loaded some of my favorite worship music onto my MP3 player, and have already started craving the peace and focus it brings me each morning.
I*heart* Steig Larsson…I picked up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo to read on the plane when I went to California last month and devoured it. Came home and snagged The Girl Who Played With Fire and devoured it too. Hopped on Amazon to order The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and realized it doesn't come out until the end of May…and that the author passed away shortly after completing the series. I just about cried! It's been a long, long time since I've become this obsessed with a series of books. They're not the fastest paced, but they are some of the best crafted reads I've ever enjoyed. I think I've got enough Swag Bucks to pre-order the new one =)

Time to get this morning going…what are you loving right now?

Tag Archives: October Afternoon

Sunday Scrappies

Scrappy Loves

I did it, I did it, I did it…yeah!

A few of my favorite things…

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