Basic Grey Ambrosia Pumpkin Patch Layout

After seeing my pumpkin patch pictures, I was really excited to create a layout for them. First, I thought about using some of Reminisce's sparkly Halloween paper. But when I put the pictures on it, I just wasn't inspired. Then I caught a glimpse of our new Basic Grey Ambrosia. I thought the oranges in my pictures just cried out for the variety of oranges showcased in the Ambrosia papers. I printed my photos in 5 x 7 and wallet size at Costco and used 8 different Ambrosia papers on this page. I cut simple rectangles and arranged them around my pictures. Then I used the Cricut at the store to cut the swirl design from one of the papers. And to finish off my page, I used black vinyl Thickers letters.

Now I've got to get to work on the other half of this double-page spread. I'll use the same background paper, Clementine, and I have about 8 more wallets that I plan to put on the page. For my layouts, I like to get everything together and then take some time to mull over all my ideas. This is probably why my projects take a while to materialize, but I enjoy the design process so much, I'm not bothered by it at all. I know that once I finish the layout, it will be something I love. I'll be sure to post the other half as soon as the inspiration for the design comes to me! :)

My Reminisce Creations! #3

I wanted to create a project that my daughter can add to and make her own. I started with Reminisce's Making the Grade Collection papers and stickers for Grades 1, 2 & 3. I used a 4 x 4" cube and painted all of the sides with black acrylic paint. I mounted corner-rounded squares on each side, using two squares from each grade paper, one of each side showing. I placed Delaney's 1st grade photo on the 1st grade side and let her choose stickers that showed what she liked best in first grade. I'm so excited to see what she chooses for her 2nd grade side, the photos will be here any day!

My Reminisce Creations! #2

I couldn't believe how wonderful the Reminisce's Girly Girl Collection matched Delaney's personality. She's a little diva and the sparkly pink paper is just right with her little ballerina costume! I used the as many of the Girly Girl papers as I could fit along with some World Win Cardstock, teal vellum tags and American Craft Ribbons.

My Reminisce Creations! #1

This is one of my favorite layouts. I used Reminisce's Shades of Autumn Collection along with some bronze brads, World Win Cardstock & American Craft Ribbon. I love using pattern in my layouts, so this paper was perfect!

So Many Blogs, So Little Time...

Hi there! I'm sitting at gymnastics now, hoping to send out the Whimzee's newsletter before my battery runs out...we'll see! I just started the new blog for the store. Twila & I are so excited to get it started & hear what everyone has to say and what ideas they have to share. While I was working the other day, a very nice customer came in & shared a ton of blog addresses with me. It's so fun to check them all out. There's one drawback though, I just can't stop! The last few nights I've been up way too late watching the Olympics & surfing the net. I do want to share a couple blog's though. Ali Edwards's is the essential scrapbookers blog, don't miss it! http://aliedwards.typepad.com/ (Ali's got awesome ideas, writes great books & loves Twila's favorite adhesive...)

Also check out this one, Nichole Heady is the Designer & a co-owner of Papertrey Ink, her blog is full of ideas (for both scrapbooks & cards). In this entry, she uses the Adirondack Acrylic Paint Daubers we have in the store to create a mini-album. I was excited to see this one since I wasn't sure how to use the Daubers.

http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2007/11/3.html


PS- I got kicked off the wifi at the gym, my battery was down to 14% & I was typing while holding a squirming Jake in one hand...so I figured these were all signs that I should finish this at home! :)

My Latest Experiment in Papercrafting

I wanted to share my latest project with you. I created this clock from a Colorbok kit I purchased a while ago at Tuesday Morning. I wasn't too excited about the papers that came with it. They were very old fashioned and not too colorful. So I looked through my huge collection of scrapbooking papers and came up with this Anna Griffin print. It looked nice and seemed perfect for my mom's sewing room. I gave the clock to her as a birthday present last weekend. She loved it! Instead of the one photo shown in the sample, I used two photos, one of my kids and one of my nephew. It will be nice for her to be able to look at it & see all of her grandchildren. The kit came with the clock and its parts and also the ribbon, rub ons and embellishments. I was especially happy with how the photos turned out. I am a beginner using Photoshop, but after a few hours I figured it out. I finally got the result I was looking for, aged, with a canvas like texture. Now I can't wait for another chance to try out what I learned on this project.

Great Vacation!

Our beach vacation was wonderful! The weather was very nice which is great for the Oregon Coast! We stayed at the Surfsand Resort in Cannon Beach. I think it's the very best place to stay at the coast, with children anyway. Without your kids, do try to stay at the Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach. The Stephanie is owned by the same company as the Surfsand and it's a great place to spend a special weekend, like your anniversary. But now that we have kids, we've moved to the Surfsand for our beach getaways. In addition to being a great place for kids, they take dogs. So if you've got a pooch who loves to swim in the ocean this is your place! Delaney calls it "our beach." She found 5 sand dollars this trip and was so excited. We've never been able to find any in Cannon Beach before. I've got a bunch of pictures on my parenting blog at http://www.pregnancyplanet.net/community/blogs/posts/LaneynJakesMom

In case you want to check them out, here are the links for the Surfsand and the Stephanie Inn.

http://www.surfsand.com/

http://www.stephanie-inn.com/

Keeping up with the times...

Well, I've gotten so many requests from my friends that I'm setting up a facebook page tonight. I guess I finally decided to keep up with the times! I'm surprised how many people I know already have a page. Maybe this way I'll know what some of the people I saw at my 20th reunion are doing. That will be cool! If I'd done this a few weeks ago, I might even have recognized some of them! I'm hoping to be able to keep up with all these new internet projects I'm taking on!

I've still got to get my pictures for the Whimzee's newsletter into the computer so I can work on it on our beach trip this weekend. I guess that's just another project to put on tomorrow's list!

Off to bed on my 38th Birthday...

I'm off to bed, but just thought I'd say I had a great birthday today. It was nice spending the evening at home with Dave, Laney & Jake. They made me a beautiful birthday cake, chocolate....lot's of sprinkles! Thanks! Gotta go get a little sleep before little Jake wakes up wanting a snack during the night.

I did make it to Whimzee's today to work on my newsletter for next week, took some pictures and made a list of articles. Some cool new merchandise came in. I love the black, silver & red foil castle paper from Creative Imaginations, makes me want to do another Disneyland book. I'll find some links tomorrow.

Thanks to my family & friends for making my birthday a wonderful day! :)

Up with Jake...

Just got up to give the little guy his pacifier! Boy, he's been fussy this week! Just started feeding him real food and the rice cereal seems to have gotten him all riled up... We spent the first 3 nights with him fussing all night and we sure are tired now! He seemed to do better with the bananas, but today it was pears & oatmeal. Maybe I shouldn't have tried two new things in one day.... We'll just have to see how it goes, we've got the 6 month Dr. appt. this week, so I'll ask her! Off to get some sleep! :)

Just one more thing....Basic Grey Euphoria

Oh, and today when I was finishing the Whimzee's newsletter, I came across all these cool layouts in the Basic Grey Gallery. They use the Euphoria collection which recently arrived in the store. But what I really like about looking at layouts is that I can "scrap-lift" them to use with my photos & other papers. I do love Euphoria, especially the "Cool" paper, it looks like the designs I used to make as a kid with my spirograph! Basic Grey really does have some of the best paper designs out there, so check it out!

http://www.basicgrey.com/catalog/idea_gallery.php?cPath=88

Not a Blog Virgin Anymore...

I've always been a bit of a writer. I've been thinking of starting a blog for a while now. Between my jobs designing the Whimzee's newsletter and being a mom, I think I've got a lot to say. I love to check out all things new in the scrapbooking world and this will give me a place to share all I find with anyone who's interested. There isn't as much room in the newsletter as I'd like to include cool links to new projects I'd like to start. Of course, being a mom doesn't give me a lot of time for cool projects, but that's beside the point! It's kind of like shopping, it doesn't hurt (cost anything, take any time...) to look! And as far as being a mom, I sure don't run short on funny material in that department. Just try having the youngest baby (6 months) at your 20 year class reunion! And I don't know if anyone else might have accomplished that last feat with a 7 year split between kids! I'm sure there is someone else out there, who hears, "oh...a 6 month old and a 7 year old...and they're you're only two?" So if you're interested in scrapbooking and mom humor, check back....it's always a kick to laugh at other people's misery....it sure makes you feel better!