More classwork featuring layouts of the 70's and 80's

Still loving this Shimelle sketch class - start with a sketch. As those of you who are following along know, I am doing the class at my own pace and out of order and it feels really good. Giving yourself permission to adjust or pick your own speed is such a gift. Here are my layouts for sketches #6 and #10 plus a little something of my own design.  

As I have been working on the Wyoming Trek Album (Girl Scout trip in the 80's) I have also pulled out the photo boxes from the 70's and 80's and grabbed a few photos to work with. I do love a good current project, but mixing in the older photos is so enjoyable. My kids find it hilarious and my mom and brother enjoy seeing photos from the "family archives" get a little attention.  

First up - two more layouts for the Trek Album. Both with the same sketch but they will be far enough apart in the album that it won't matter.  

I have been saving these three photos since I first saw sketch #10. I am also pleased to say that I used an entire sheet of Jenni Bowlin Studio red border stickers on this layout. Talk about satisfying! Currently, struggling with what to do with the creme and brown letter stickers that won't stay stuck down. Gotta fix that before I get this page in the album. 

Here are four random photos my mother took one evening. Such a sweet window into our life. It reminds me of my time when my kiddos were little. Love that you can see the pack n play and the baby gate in the pictures plus all of the cool 70's decor.   

For this last layout, I used supplies I had gathered for the July recipe from the For the Love of Homemade Kits on Redefined Creative. It really helped me use some older supplies and things I would not have normally put together. I have been working on several pages made with the supplies from this kit. Those will post soon. I did not take a photo of the kit before I started using it - but I pulled a lot of things and have been working away. Giving myself permission to pull out other things if I need them, but have been focusing on using what is on the table. It is has been really fun and has cost me nothing!

How to get started again

Let’s go back to a few weeks ago - just want to share the process of restarting for anyone who needs this encouragement. After getting a wild hair and making the layout featured in the last post, I decided it was time to get back to scrapping. So I searched my calendar for a way to make it happen. I found an upcoming weekend when my kids would be with their dad and I didn’t have massive commitments. I pondered going away for a retreat, but couldn’t justify the drive to even the closet one I could find - about 7 hours there and back plus packing and unpacking time - so I settled for an at home retreat. I will say, it wasn't the most effective weekend, I got distracted at home - errands, laundry, drop by visits, cooking - you know the drill - there’s always something, but I will also say I got started and that was worth it.

Step one was to clean up the space and make it workable for the weekend. I am lucky enough to have an office/craft space, but it was a mess. I don’t know about you, but I have several landing spots for memorabilia and things that need to be filed or kept so I decided to start there. I sorted out things that could easily get tossed, filed or categorized. Then I put up two large folding tables that I purchased at Sam’s - lifetime brand 6ft tables that fold in half for storage and also have three height adjustments (I like the standing height). And then I starting pulling things out - all of the unused kits I had piled up, half finished layouts from when I had to quickly store the contents of this room before having the floor replaced last December (yes it’s been 10 months since I touched a layout!) and anything else I found. I then sorted supplies, utilizing the dining room table and was ready to scrap. 

I was lucky enough to have some partially completed layouts as a jumping off point, which means I had very few decisions to make and could get back to adhering paper to paper and adding embellishments - which is my favorite part. After a few of these got done I was already feeling like I was back to my crafty self so I started making new layout selections. Personally, I don’t mind having several layouts going at the same time at different stages so I can pay attention to my energy levels and do what works for my current state. 

So there you have it. That’s how I got back at this craft that I’ve loved for nearly 30 years. Here are the partially completed layouts that were the first to get completed. I will be back with more layouts that just needed to be photographed and then the newest ones after that. 

Happy crafting! 

Choose Happy - this was a selfie from an event that I went to where a mentor of mine was being honored.  I decided to take advantage of a fairly good photo to keep my positive self talk going.

I will admit that my daughter is currently in 7th grade, but this layout was too cute not to finish.  The teapot is a mother's day card from her to me.  Yes, I saved the place cards and no, I am not ashamed.

Dress up holiday parties make for the best pages!  Three generations captured here.  I had already fussy cut these flowers but found an entire package of daises that went perfectly - yes, I used all of them - cause why not?

Concert time!  I took a ton of photos at this concert and I am so glad I did.  The layout was a little boring when I started, but a package of stars, some words and way to many clear accent stickers later, it was feeling a lot more festive.    

Here's a close up of the word and sticker fun.  I tucked those paint mark stickers all over the place and I love them - I had no idea how I was going to use them before this layout got restarted. 

Another confession, I stuffed some confetti from the show in my pocket and yes, it is on the layout, again, don't care. 

This layout was complete - only needed to be adhered and journaled.  And then I found butterflies and all was right with the world.

I struggled with this layout some - but once I just gave up and started sticking things down it worked.  Funny how when you make a commitment and then start working around whatever you committed to things seem to just work, 

So there you have it.  Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to share what you are working on or a layout that has you stuck.  

Simple Scrapper Guest Designer - me!

I'm guest designing for Simple Scrapper for the next few months (Eek! So excited). 

Here are the pages I made with the sketches and the prompt this month.  If you need inspiration, order, grounding, and an awesome community, you should totally check out Simper Scrapper.  It is inexpensive and the owner, Jennifer Wilson, makes sure you get an incredible amount of content and value out of the membership.  There are monthly sketches and prompts which really help to get you thinking and scrapping.  There is a monthly book club, free classes each quarter, monthly chats (during the day AND at night) and so much more.  The magazine "Spark" is free this month as a way to show folks what Simple Scrapper is all about.  

Hope you enjoyed.  I better get going on the ones for September.  I am having such fun!

The Spring Round Up

Conferences, rodeo and spring crazy kept me busy for the first part of the year, but I did manage to scrap - I just completely forgot to photograph and post things.  Most of these pages are made with various late 2015 and early 2016 Cocoa Daisy kits.  Here we go!

This takes inspiration from Irit Landgraf and her wonderful ability to gather colors on a page.  Its a great way to use embellishments based on color instead of the theme or the actual words.  Happy New Year!  

Since I save the program and such from the annual Girl Scout luncheon (I was a table honoree) I decided to document it, even though there are really no photos.  I wonder why the scrappbooking industry shies away from kelly green . . . .

I was able to stick to my plan of using this super old stamp on a layout (the oval messy ring) by thinking of it as a condensation ring.  I also got a chance to use those cute wood veneer glasses since they sort of went with my sunglasses!  I really struggle with the word sticker sheets - anyone else?  I got one on this page, I need to figure out a way to use more of those since they always come in the kits!

I actually ordered a photo from the rodeo photographer to include on this page since it is the only one that captured the whole grand entry wagon.  I included on of our passes that we had to wear so that gave me the year and the rodeo logo.  Those amazing big letters just screamed "Grand" entry!

So there you have it, what I was doing in the spring.  I just wrapped up a layout about my first Girl Scout Brownie troop investiture way back in 1982.  I know I am jumping around in the decades a lot, but I am just going with it and trying to be super flexible as long as I am making things that make me happy!  I really need to complete the refresh exercise about the projects I have and map out a better plan to concentrate on something . . .

I Needed a Refresh and I Got it!

Refresh - I needed one, desperately.

I'm a member of the Simple Scrapper community -I read the emails, I'm active some on the FB group and even applied for a design position (which resulted in a guest designer spot for August, September and October!) but I've been off my scrapbooking game for a few months.

Insert Refresh - a class offered quarterly by Simple Scrapper. If you are a member, its free with your membership.  If you aren't, you can pay to take it.  I wasn't able to participate in the last session or two but the summer session came at the right time for me and it has been so helpful in getting me back on track.

I cleaned up my space and go back to the basics of stories and photos - along with some pretty things mixed in - and I couldn't be happier!

Here are two of the pages I made in the seven day class using various activities and prompts offered as part of the class.

This is a little something I put together as I was getting ready for the class to begin.  I am trying to use up my Cocoa Daisy Kits as they have piled up a bit.  So I just gave myself permission to unkit them and just grab whatever works.

Hope you all have a great week!  I got up early this morning and made five homemade cards (mainly because the chaos in my house from a water leak if making me feel out of control).  Who knows what's next - I don't care as long as it doesn't involve insulation or drywall!

Catching Up and Taking Stock

Funny how life is so cyclical.  As I look over this blog, I see a lull every conference season, spikes over certain periods and some down right scrap binges during other times. I have to remember, I'm a mom, I'm a Girl Scout leader, I'm a fundraiser with two roles at a major university, I'm a constant volunteer, and I need to sleep some time!  

So here are a few pages I have created between attending and presenting at two conferences in two different states and being a Rookie Rodeo volunteer (and all of that other stuff mentioned above!).  

Supplies are almost all from my lonely and neglected Cocoa Daisy kits that have lots more pages left in them than I have had time to make these days - but don't worry, I feel a binge coming on!

So back to high school again - I knew that patterned paper sheet was going to end up on a two page spread somehow and this is how.  

Sometimes you just scrap the bad, poorly lit, flash on the backs of heads pictures, cause they are all that you've got.  Who cares - they were too fun not to add and they tell the story of the process of becoming a member and signing the book, shaking hands with the principal and all of that.

Here is the complete spread.  I added some doilies, chipboard, stickers and enamel dots and called it done.  It is a tad plain but I think the 90's clothes carry it off well!

These two random photos taken by my mother were never meant to capture the phone but rather me and the long chats with my boyfriends in the living room, but I saw a story.  My kids will never know the struggle of being tethered to a phone jack by an incredibly long cord - it's something to giggle over now.

RODEO!  This was my first event with the Poultry Auction Committee - our gala!  Such fun.  

And back to high school (see the full circle - even in this blog post).  I only have these two photos from Anchor Club but wanted to record my participation in this service organization with a friend that I have always admired.  We were a fun "A-Team." This paper just fit with the colors and who knew that summer themed cork arrows would turn out to be the perfect embellishment for a page about a high school club.

And finally, a little photo booth happiness - cause photo strips are always happy.

I blinked and it's December!

How did that happen??  It is December 1 - already?

First up - in scrappy news here are two I have finished.  You can clearly see that I was diving back into my random photos to scrap box as these are from three decades apart. These four random images of my daddy and his dog Phaedra were first in the pile and, with that little fox in mind, this page used some scraps and some more fussy cutting from that pretty floral paper int he Cocoa Daisy kit.

Next up is a long overdue page to add to Jarad's firefighter album that I stared when he first joined HFD.  This is his "big" promotion ceremony to EO that happened in 2009.  These pages are hard - gotta keep them manly but I like them pretty at the same time.  I am kinda over the fire related paper and such but for fun I may pull some of that stash out and try to use it sparingly to keep the flavor of the book.  I still need to add to this - more photos need to be printed first.  He was just promoted to Jr. Captain so I need to get that in the book too.

I have about three pages that are almost finished that still need to be added and - wait for it - 6 weeks of Project Life that I completed over Thanksgiving break to add to.  I am now only 5 weeks behind!  I am totally gonna catch up.  (happy dance)

Update - here is one of the now completed pages -

And in non scrappy news:

I made cinnamon rolls from scratch - they were slap your momma good. Found the recipe on Sally's Baking Addiction - it is the overnight roll recipe.  I can't recommend it enough. The kids would agree.

We spend Friday decorating our house and then Saturday doing my mothers.  She was all smiles to have everything done and the boxes put away.  Yes, I asked them to pose for a post decorating photo.  They are so good to me.

Then we celebrated Jarad's birthday with a little brownie sunday fun. He and Wyatt watched the Texans and we played a game of Wits and Wagers together - fun game - I think we have many more rounds in our future.

And of course - Peppermint has returned!!!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Merry Christmas!

October Round Up

Oh, October, my love/hate relationship with the fall begins with you.  I love the holidays, the sweater weather (though we don't really have that so much in Houston, till February) and the family traditions.  I hate the rush, the projects, the constant struggle to stay on top of things in the fall with work, school, kids, scouts, dance, soccer, etc.  Six months worth of activities, parties, projects, and volunteer work all wrapped into 31 days - days that contain less and less daylight each evening.  But then you give me that pumpkin patch grin and I cave, loving you more each year.  Really, there should be a 12 step program for this.  There was less scrapping in October than September, but it still happened so I am calling that a success.  Here's the round up - which includes a challenge win over on the Cocoa Daisy Blog - oh October, you get me every time.

This was made my my Cocoa Daisy October Kit with pictures from that day at the pumpkin patch.  Love the fox stamp and those leaves fussy cut from patterned paper.  Fall fabulous colors.  

Next up - you know those pages that linger and linger unfinished until something just clicks?  This is one of those.  After the Simper Scrapper Stash Bash earlier this summer, I was cleaning through supplies and pulled out these ancient plastic flowers, sassafras branding strip and what I have left of the Love, Elsie papers and then it just clicked that I had these two random photos waiting to be scrapped and it came together quickly.  Makes me wonder if the stash kit plan shouldn't be used more to target supplies and use them. Hmmmm, need to give that more thought.  

Here's another that has been idling for some time.  And somehow little bits and pieces of leftovers found their way to this patterned paper that had been used for a circle cut out.  It is kinda plain but at the same time doesn't feel like it needs anything.  

To what is currently sitting on my desk. I had intended on a page about what is happening right now and then right now just started happening.  Guess I better get back to that. . . .

Workspace Wednesday - what I've been up to . . .

So today marks the last day of my thirties. Tomorrow (Lord willing) I turn 40.

Whew. Deep breaths. Ok, I'm good.

To celebrate - the hubby planned a little party this weekend. Here's a hint - think 80's birthday party.  That post will follow next week.

In the meantime - here's what I have been up to when I haven't been sorting, starring and editing nearly 1000 photos from our Greece trip - I have over 5000 (don't judge, there were a lot of cameras and people on that two week trip!).  They arrived last night and I have managed to get them sorted by date - remind me why photos can't arrive from the printer in the same order that I had them on my desktop????  Anyway, the four day retreat is next week and I am sooooooo ready.

First up - a little warm up with some older supplies I was forcing myself to use. This came together quickly. Those metal circles are finally all used up. Yeah!  I seem to be on a bit of a monochromatic theme the last month or so (more later in this post).

And back to the 1989 Girl Scout Trip to Wyoming book. Here is the progress:

Made fast work of this with the help of a pocket page and the travel collection from Shimelle.

And more from the other side of the pocket:

One of y all time fav photos. All I can say is "Jill - you rock!"

Popped these two photos on this layout that was mostly done from the mixed media class I took from Nicole Harper at CKC last month.

I had fun with this one - got to layer lots of stuff!  Here's a close up.

Yes, I cut up that pretty sheet of paper to emphasis the going, going, going, gone theme. I think it worked as I intended.  Yet again, monochromatic.  

And just for fun - a few tags with the most recent Cocoa Daisy kit stamps. I cannot take the credit - while I came up with the design, Elsie did most of the stamping.

Ok - off to see what else I can get done before I pack up for the retreat.