master"PIECES" of my LIFE

present

my one little word for 2011.  i started this a few years back with the wonderful ali edwards.  you can read more about it here.  i usually scrapbook it at the onset of the year and the fact that it's almost april & i'm just getting to it now is due to not procrastination (one of my haunting habits) or because i am not as committed to it but quite the contrary.  the reason i'm getting to it now is two fold~ ONE) i've been very conscious to be present in my life so other things have taken a back seat (like scrapping my one little word for the year) TWO) shimelle's 1st prompt for my {blogging for scrapbookers} class suggested a scrapbook page for my purpose or goal for the class and this seemed like the appropriate project for me.

PRESENT

there's different suggestions on the level of complexity for our posts in class and for those who could not scrapbook or include photos or whatever, an image of our work space was sufficient.  and although the idea of simplicity appealed to me....this did not.....

quite unacceptable really.  yes, that's my work space, hence why getting work done is a bit of a problem.  regardless, shimelle still inspired me & i cranked out my layout (on my kitchen table).  now i feel the need to really be present in this class as well as my life so hope to clean up this mess and enjoy some blogging and scrapping and new friendships that understand all this madness.   

and i might add that finding a picture of myself was a rather difficult task so not only do i plan to be present in life in general but also in our family's photo log that chronicles our life.  luckily our kids are starting to grab the camera too now that they are getting older & sebastian took this picture of me.  love that boy!

you can read about my other little words here, here,  & here.

blogging class

so i just started a new class called blogging for scrapbookers by shimelle laine.  i'm excited to learn the cool techie stuff 'cuz i've been wanted to redecorate this space for awhile but code and the instructional stuff that go with it usually make my head spin to the point of frustration that i simply give up.  i don't have enough time to simply make posts let alone all that tech stuff that can be such a drag & suck so many endless hours out of your day sometimes (most times in my case) to no avail.  

i'm also excited for inspirational and motivational prompts to be a better blog poster AND scrapbooker.  now that i've moved away from teaching my workshops i'm really looking forward to get back to scrapbooking for pure personal enjoyment.

my girlfriend evalyn took this class last time & i was really bummed i wasn't on board so i'm glad shimelle is rerunning the class.  i believe shimelle is also planning on a follow up class beyond this one which if i can stay on task the first segment i hope to also participate in.  hopefully i'll have much more to share...

october workshop - mirror image

in this workshop we learn how to use a layout sketch and then reverse it or invert it or flip it in order to use it over and over again.  i got the inspiration for this workshop from donna downey's book "a photos-first approach to designing layouts".  It's a great idea book and i've been inspired by it over and over again.  it's one of the books i go to time and time again.  the funny part is that it's a fairly basic concept, yet it totally sparks creativity for me every time.

anyway, here's the 2page 12x12 layout.  basically the left & right pages are mirror images of each other design-wise BUT not exactly identical.

here's the 1 page 12x12 layout.  this layout is divided by the bobunny tulle rosettes (super cute btw); the top & bottom are mirror images of each other just simply inverted from left to right.  although that's not exactly what someone will think when they look at this layout, it will be pleasing to the eye because of the symmetry.  make sense?

kit includes:

• my minds eye market street 12x12 paper theme set
• american crafts card stock - kraft
• bobunny rose trim - white
• jenni bowlin studio label stickers- black
• want 2 scrap pearls - black
• tim holtz tape - symphony

necessary additional tools:

• several punches
• various stamps & inks

workshop is scheduled for this thursday, october 28th in my home @ 7:30pm like always.

that's all she wrote.  

theme kits

remember this post?  so i've been able to bring the monthly theme kits to date with sneak peeks.  as soon as i get my order from scrapbookpictures.com, which should be any day now, i'll be able to get to work on kit samples.  take a peak....

october spooktacular kit~

september hall pass kit~

august summertime kit~

july patriotic kit~

create something today!

waaaaay behind.....

so i'm absurdly behind schedule with my monthly theme kits for my scrapbooking club members.  i just finished the june samples that were "father's day" themed.  remember the sneak peek here?  yeah, it was a looooong time ago.

anyway here's the 2page layout~

and the 1page layout~

 

 

although i created "father's day" layouts with this kit and it is on the masculine side it can be used for many different purposes.

and just for funsies i also created the complimentary page to the one page layout,  it can be completed with the kit plus a few extra tidbits.

hopefully i can bring july, august & september up to speed quickly.  i have the ideas for supplies & kits & layouts, etc. i just need 12 more hours in each day and a pair of additional hands.

celebrate ~ capture ~ create 

new catalogs have arrived!

memoryworks has done it again!  the fall release is super and gets some creative goodness flowing.  i can't wait to start making some fun seasonal projects, but like always the lists of ideas going through my head will long outlast my production.  that's ok though.  i rather have too many ideas rather than not enough.  nobody likes to be all dressed up with nowhere to go.

here are some of my favorites this time around.

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

some collegiate goodness for all those back to school projects and minis.  these theme sets have coordinating minibooks, rub-ons, brads, chipboard, journaling notes.....and much much more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

halloween happiness spookiness.  fun, Fun, FUN.  while my kids are in the process of deciding what to be for halloween (lexi has changed her mind a gazillion- that's right gazillion- times) i'm deciding what to include & create in my halloween theme kit.....stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ho - ho - ho!  love me a vintage christmas.  love me a vintage anything, for those who know me well, so these are right up my alley.  how beautiful is that trim?  you can add that to so many different projects and instantly transform it.  can't wait......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i know it seems like a long time away, but aren't these gorgeous valentine's day inspired sets?  like i said, since i'm a vintage kind of gal i could really use these for so many different types of layouts; for my darling daughter, for my anniversary, for my garden, for my home, for my life in general....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

these aren't seasonal or thematic just plain old fun!  i absolutely {{{LUV them}}} and can't wait to play.  and if this isn't enough to get my gears running....

  

 

 

 

how about these beauties?  once again, add these to any project and you instantly have fabulous!  i'm ready to play.  AND this is just the tip of the iceberg.  to see my entire catalog offering go here.

i'll have my new catalogs next week if you would like to get your pretty little hands on one.  

celebrate ~ capture ~ create 

august workshop ~ vellum

posting for recording purposes rather than informational purposes since it's september.  

last week we played with vellum using it to journal, create a frame, anchor a title, & form florette embellishments.  we used a ton of techniques on vellum from: printing, punching, inking, tearing, crumpling, distressing and more.  as usual we created two 12x12 layouts.

a 2 page layout.

here we used clear vellum to journal including the title, using the computer.  we also created the florettes by layering vellum pieces in different colors and sizes, which we punched, crumpled and inked before we adhered the staggered sizes on top of each other. 

a 1 page layout

on this layout we used clear vellum to create a frame around the pictures.  we ripped, distressed, inked and stamped the frame.  we also stamped the title on a vellum piece with a punched scallop border.  

vellum is a great way to create depth since it's sheer quality allows the background image to still shine through adding dimension.  it follows the trend for sheer & transparent elements.

vellum's greatest quality is also it's challenge.  regular adhesive shows through vellum so unconventional methods to adhere are used.  i recommend brads, eyelets, grommets, staples, ribbon or string.  you can also use decorative items over the vellum to hide glue dots or other adhesive underneath as i did with the journaling panel above.  i used glue dots underneath the 2 pearls on top left corner and underneath the florette on bottom right.

hope you have a creative day!

 

summertime workshops {june & july}

july workshop ~ abc, 123

in july's workshop we learned creative uses for our many alpha numerals we all accumulate.  alpha #s come in a ton of different formats from stickers to chipboard to acetate to metal to grunge board to stamps to....you get the picture. and it's fun to mix and match and to alter.

in the 2 page layout (above) we used a wheel # stamp, and chipboard numerals, and list format journaling with a {top ten list} title.  top anything lists always make for fun layouts.  i chose to write about the top ten things the kids are saying right now.  although some of the things make me cringe right now, i know when i look back 1 year, 10 years, etc. from now they'll bring a smile to my face.

for the 1 page layout (below) i used an entire alphabet hiliting my family, which can be adapted to family, life, situations etc.  i'm often asked how i come up with my creative ideas and layout sketches, which is based on things i read, layouts i see in publication & galleries, life i experience and a myriad  of other sources.  it's basically my sensory inspiration and from that i create.  not this time.  this particular layout is a total scrap lift (which i highly encourage btw) from elizabeth kartchner.  this layout was featured in her "52 more scrapbooking challenges" book, which i highly recommend.  it's very inspiring.  as you can see it inspired this layout and i love my take on it.

 

june workshop ~ button up!

for june we focused on uses with buttons, which also come in a variety of materials from plastic to chipboard to metal to mother of pearl, etc.

in the 2 page layout (above) we used buttons to create a page corner, a decorative border and focal picture accent.  as you can see, i like to mix and match shapes, sizes, color, etc.  not only is it fun but it's easier to use what you have in your stash.

in the 1 page layout (below) we used buttons to create a frame around the focal picture.  i love this technique; just keep in mind that you will need many, Many, MANY buttons & it does add some considerable weight to your layout.  fun none the less.  

hope you're having a creative summer!

business update

technique based workshop~

may's workshop focused on using 4x6 photos in layouts only; no cropping involved.  this tends to make for quicker, simpler & cleaner layouts.  we created a 2-page 12x12 layout and a 1-page 12x12 layout.

 

 

theme kits~

april's kit was a {spring} theme.  here are the kit samples.

 

 

 may's theme is kit {mamarazzi} in honor of mother's day.  here's the sneak peek:

 

june's theme kit is {father's day/masculine}.  here's the sneak peek:

 
samples for both may and june coming shortly.  i know i'm a little behind schedule, but i've started to make more handmade items and they are monopolizing my time at the moment. 

wares for sale~

 
framed burlap cork memo boards.

    
distressed & embellished 5x7 picture frames.

  

magnet boards are 12 x 18 and come w/ embellished magnets.  there's more to come & i hope to set-up an etsy shop over the summer. 

thanks for looking.
   

april workshop ~ chipboard

april's technique workshop focuses on chipboard.  we will use decorated chipboard embellishemnts, raw chipboard elements and a raw slab of chipboard.  we will use different tools & supplies from paint, sandpaper, ink to punches & more to alter and decorate these different levels of chipboard.  as usual we will create 2 layouts.

a 2 page 12x12 layout~

 

and a 1 page 12x12 layout~

 

although my workshops are all technique driven this one also has a {theme} associated with it. {WELCOME HOME}  the paper theme pack & embellishments dictated that and i always think it's good to document things besides the kids' milestones, holidays, & special events. 

workshop will be held next thursday, april 29th at 7:30pm in my home.

kit includes~

• teresa collins welcome home paper theme set
• teresa collins welcome home chipboard elements
• american crafts cardstock ~ white
• maya road mini chipboard ~ houses
• creative imaginations narratives film strip
• maya road trinket pins ~ leaf brown & turquoise