A Passion For Home

Big Picture Scrapbooking & Jenni Bowlin...

As of 10pm EDT on June 29, we have named a winner - JennA.  Looking forward to joining you in Jenni Bowlin's class at Big Picture Scrapbooking.  Congratulations!!

A few days ago I posted about Jenni Bowlin's class at Big Picture Scrapbooking.  I'm very excited to be taking her class and would be even more excited if I had a friend to take it with me. 

Generosity abounds tonight as Big Picture Scrapbooking is offering free enrollment to one individual interested in taking Jenni Bowlin's Re-Purpose, Re-Think, Re-Invent class that begins on July 2.

Please post a comment if you are interested and the selection of a winner will be announced Monday evening, June 29. 

It will be fun to share this path to inspiration and into the creative mind of Jenni Bowlin.

Best of luck to you all.

Re-purpose, Re-think, Re-invent...

Seeking and absorbing inspiration is what I like to do.  It might explain the hours I spend online and perusing periodicals looking for something to hit an inspirational nerve.  I'm addicted to inspiration.  It feeds the adrenalin in my soul.

Like this photo:

See the architectural element above the lovely framed photo?

Just look at those lovely salvage pieces in the above photo.  What sexy curves they have. 

I know my friend, Pam, would love these antique shakers.  You can re-purpose them into glitter shakes.  Right, fellow crafters?

Oh my.  The physical features of the frame and lamps are truly speaking to me, loud and clear.  Hello there!  Wanna come home with me?

Add the name 'Jenni Bowlin' combined with these photos and you have an entirely inspiring recipe for re-purposing, re-thinking and re-inventing. 

Having just learned that she's teaching a class with Big Picture Scrapbooking on this very topic is enough to convince me to participate in her online class.  Not only am I seeking inspiration, but I'd love to learn what inspires her and how she interprets it into her crafts and scrapbooking. 

What makes you tick?  Me, why it's anything design-related.  More specifically, architectural elements.  I love shapes and curves.

Do you care to join me in some inspiration via Jenni Bowlin and Big Picture Scrapbooking?  Her class begins July 2.  And I will be there will bells on.  That is, shapely bells with lots of curves. 

Update:  You can enter to win enrollment into Jenni Bowlin's class here (by Monday evening, June 29).  Good luck!

Friends who enable & influence...

If I may, I'd like to first share a fundraiser on behalf of my friend, Marirosa.  She volunteers with the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep organization (NILMDTS).  It's a very heartfelt way for photographers to donate their skills and time to families where they find their newborn will not survive the world they just entered into.  The NILMDTS photographer/volunteer captures images of precious moments that parents in these situations have but only a little time with their newborn.  

 

By voting in the National Charity Model Search, each vote is $1 and raises money for the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep organization.  If you'd like to help, you may go to www.sandypucvotes.com and look for the Washington, D.C. region.

I'm always amazed by the stories Marirosa has shared concerning her experience with this organization.  It truly is heartbreaking.

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OK, I have 2 recommendations in the world of papercrafting tools:

The Wild Card Cricut Cartridge.  It started with one friend who recommended it and prompted many of us to seek it out.  And another friend referred us to ScrapbookPal.com where they offer free shipping for orders over $25 and have very competitive prices on Cricut cartridges, adhesive among many other tools and supplies.

Our orders were placed on a Friday and promptly received the cartridge on Monday.  Now that is service!

The cartridge creates a variety of cards in numerous sizes along with decorative envelopes.   I think I may have found my resource for holiday cards this year.

Note that you have the ability to use this cartridge on the Cricut up to a certain size, depending on the shape of the image.  The Cricut Expressions is able to accommodate larger size cards and envelopes.

The new Fiskars Premium Crafter's Trimmer.  Again, a friend's influence prompted a number of us to purchase one.  Actually, it was my best friend's mission and we jumped on the bandwagon.  I'm glad I did.

Features include a 6" wide deck base and the ability to lock the rail.  It's lightweight and is now designated as my portable trimmer.

 

It has a wire the blade runs against when trimming. 

 

And a lock for the bar so it doesn't flip open in your tote bag.

We actually found the trimmers at our local stamp store, Angela's yesterday and wiped them out of their stock in a matter of minutes.  Scrapbook.com has a great notification system that will email you when the product is in stock.  And trust me, my best friend has searched high and low for this trimmer locally and online. 

One more thing.  I just learned that Cathy Zielske is teaching a class at Big Picture Scrapbooking that involves one's use of Twitter and/or Facebook.  Truly, I am very intrigued by this class as there are many using some form of social networking.  It is definitely worth looking into.

Have I influenced enough? Look at it this way, I am circulating the information.  So pass it on! 

Etsy & Big Picture...

Shopping and browsing all the goods available on Etsy is a favorite pastime of mine.  Therefore, it is only appropriate that I share some gift ideas from talented crafters. 

Starting with Creative Thursday offering artwork that is suitable for adults and children.  And this print is currently my favorite.

AW Style Studio is all about handmade jewelry.  I do admire the hammered style and that is why I love this necklace.

Watercolors by Mary Ellen Golden is one of my favorite artists.  I own a couple prints that hang prominently in our powder room.

Say It With Letters offers all sorts of wooden shapes and letters.  I used one of their fancy schmancy letters as a design element for my sister's bridal shower last year. 

Claudine Hellmuth is a collage artist whose prints and original artwork provide a whimsical side to life. 

You can find more whimsical artwork at LadyBird Land by Allison Strine.  I made my first purchase just the other day and can't wait to receive my first piece.

If you admire fabric by Amy Butler and Heather Bailey, you will like Silly Jilly Boutique.  Her store includes camera straps and hats.

For the 2nd half of today's entry, I'd like reiterate that there are some great classes at Big Picture Scrapbooking in 2009.  Two classes I took this year are available again early next year - Library of Memories and Get Organized, Be Inspired.  I HIGHLY recommend both classes.

And I signed up for A Life Well Crafted that will begin very soon. 

There is also Elizabeth Dillow's Red Letter Days and May Flaum's Scrapbooking in Season. 

If the gift-giver is not sure which class to sign-up the recipient for, you can rely on gift certificates that are now available at Big Picture Scrapbooking.

The gift of creativity and learning new things is a valuable deed for the soul.  And as for Etsy, there's nothing like a handmade gift, even if it is made by someone else.

In my next entry, I will include last minute gift ideas as Christmas is, believe it or not, next week. Oh my!

Thank you...

There are many ways to express our gratitude.  By saying thank you to a gracious host, a kind gift-giver, a caring friend, a loving family member, a supportive spouse.  It never occurred to me to record what I am thankful for until I participated in Kolette Hall's class at Creative Escape a couple months ago.

And today, I am thankful for this site where I record thoughts, ideas and information-sharing.  It's like having lunch with my girlfriends and dishing about the latest and greatest in scrapbooking, admiring the new handbag a friend just purchased, where the latest sales and bargains can be found, and seeking ideas on what color paint to use in the powder room.  We feed off each other. 

That is exactly how I feel about this blog.  Having the opportunity to share what comes to mind on a particular day is extremely theraputic for me.  And I do love to dish about the latest and great in almost anything and everything.  Guess what I read in the latest issue of House Beautiful....or the new hair dryer I just purchased dries your hair so quickly.  You get my drift.  We speak the same language, so to speak.  ;)

If I hear of a sale where lingerie is 20% off, you will be the first to hear (if you didn't know already).  And Lord & Taylor is offering 25-30% off designer handbags.  Or did you see the room decorated by Candice Olson in the latest episode of Divine Design?  Where do you like to shop for home accessories...Pottery Barn...so do I!  Did you know that Ali Edwards is teaching a gratitude project on Big Picture Scrapbooking?  Now that I'm sure you've heard.

This is the sisterhood of scrapbooking, decorating and shopping.  And I am VERY THANKFUL to those who find this site of any interest.  Truly, I am grateful, very grateful.

Get Organized and Be Inspired 2009...

If you are in need of gift ideas for yourself that you'd like to share with family and friends, I'd like to make a recommendation, particularly if you are a scrapbooker.  My suggestion is enrollment into Wendy Smedley's class with Big Picture Scrapbooking titled Get Organized and Be Inspired 2009. 

I took this class earlier this year and it inspired me to revamp and organize my craft room.  (I share my experiences with Big Picture Scrapbooking here.) 

It is where I got the idea to create a box specifically for journaling supplies.

And to have a catch-all for new supply purchases.

It is where I was inspired to categorize and label drawers filled with supplies using stamps by Technique Tuesday that were made specifically for this class.

And using Wendy Smedley and Aby Garvey's book, The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker, as my guide.

I am thrilled to see that Wendy will be teaching this class again in '09.  Her approach to helping folks like us get organized was at a steady pace without feeling too overwhelmed.  It kept me motivated for the duration of the class. 

I haven't changed a thing in my craft room since I participated in the class.  My space has function and supplies are very easy to find.  I do not spend a lot of time searching for things. 

And now my space is conducive to crafting and being creative.  I have made peace with my little haven. 

Photo triage...

I am a BIG BIG fan of the Library of Memories system that Stacy Julian has introduced to us scrapbookers, either through Big Picture or her books (The Big Picture and Photo Freedom). 

Earlier this year, I organized various photos using the Library of Memories photo triage method.  Tonight, I decided I want to begin working on a special album about my guy and me.  It took me 2 seconds to gather the photos for this project simply by referring to the little box that houses this triage of photos and looking under the tab labeled 'US'. 

Some time ago I knew I wanted to work on an 'US' album, so that is when I began sorting photos into the triage of photos box.  It's such a timesaver.  I don't have to spend hours flipping through albums and photo images on CDs. 

While on the subject of Big Picture, A Life Well Crafted year-long project with Jason & Kolette Hall begins in January and I just learned that you can sign-up month-to-month.  I've just signed up for January and am ready for more creative inspiration from Kolette.  I plan to begin working on projects from her recent class, The Art of Giving Well, over the Thanksgiving holiday.  She included some very creative gift ideas and I've managed to find all the supplies needed for the projects.

And I am up-to-speed on printing assignments from Cathy Zielske's Design Your Life class.  That's a big step for me.  I usually do not keep up with the week-to-week assignments but do print each handout with the intention of working on them when I am able to do so.  My goal is to work on these assignments over the Christmas holiday.

I've got some BIG plans over the holidays.

A favor or two...

Our Stampin Up! consultant, Nancy, continually inspires us with crafty ideas.  So I am glad she finally began a blog to showcase her work.

And the crop we attended over the weekend, she created fabulous make 'n takes where I 'made' and 'took' a cute party favor.

A little halloween treat bag with my new favorite punch shape as a tag.

She also used the new Sizzix die-cut exclusive to Stampin Up! where we made a winter-themed tag.  This is where I fell in love with the new felt ribbon.  I wish it came in more than one color though.

On display at her table were various home decor-type projects, including a Christmas shadow box using their vinyl clings and patterned paper.  Nancy added battery operated lights and miniature ball ornaments and created a lovely piece of holiday decor.

I was also dazzled by her "business card"...

The inside contains a calendar and notepad.  All in the size of a matchbook.

The ideas are running through my head as to what I could do to customize these little projects into favors for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

So I have Nancy and the Giving Well class with Kolette at Big Picture Scrapbooking to inspire me this holiday season.  Now all I ask is that Santa grant my wish.  And that is the gift of time. 

The art of giving...

Right now my creative world is filled with online classes I've signed up for through Big Picture Scrapbooking.  I am playing catch-up with the photography class that began in July and preparing for Cathy Zielske's Design Your Life. 

I love to give gifts and after reading the description of Kolette Hall's upcoming class, Giving Well, I decided to enroll.  Creating the perfect gifts, holiday cards and tags sounds like a lot of fun to me.  And this is the class I need to motivate me to prepare for the holiday season. 

When I took Kolette's class last month at CE, I learned that she designs rubber stamps.  So I can only imagine the exclusive downloadable artwork she provides in her Giving Well class will be just as nice as her stamps.

And while I'm on the subject of Giving Well, feast your eyes on some pink greatness:

It's a pink Garmin GPS portable navigator.  If I didn't already have a navigation system, I'd place one of these cuties on my dashboard. 

Consider this a possible idea for your holiday wish list.  Merry Pink!

The Good Book...

There are a number of reasons why I enjoyed Kolette Hall's class at CE:

The techniques.  It's the little things like how to make a pocket using a brad and ribbon (with no adhesive).

Covering the front of the chipboard journal with patterned paper and carrying it over to a portion of the inside cover.  Conveniently, the raw edge of the cover is concealed with paper. 

It saves me a little time having to sand the edge of the patterned paper to smooth it out to the edge of the cover.  I do like to sand though, but not all the time.

The patterned paper is so cheerful (Blue Hill by Cosmo Cricket).

I added my own blue ribbon over the brown because I decided to use Glossy Accents to adhere the ribbon to the cover.  Hmmmm....I'm not as smart as I think I am because it seeped through the ribbon, giving it a wet look even after it dried.  So the blue ribbon covers my mistake. 

I think my sister is learning to not to take my advice as she had naively done so in this case. 

The purpose of this journal is to record things you are thankful for.  It is to motivate you to find the good that happens each day and jotting it down.  Only a sentence or two (which may be a relief to those who do not like to journal).  Kolette provided pre-made sheets for such record-keeping that can be kept in the pockets we created.

It was such a pleasure being in Kolette's class and getting the opportunity to meet her husband, Jason.  They are a happy spirited couple. 

Kolette & Jason will be teaching a year-long class at Big Picture Scrapbooking in 2009, A Well Crafted Life, which they touched on a bit.  Kolette even shared a sneak peek of one of the sample projects (a framed papercraft project for gift-giving). 

Once the class ended, I felt energized inside and motivated to complete my class project.  You can find the step-by-step instructions in the Creative Escape Idea Book at Scrapbook.com.

And I will begin my first journal entry today with being thankful for laughter.  Without it, I'd be sad.  So I had my cup-full of laughter today.

My perspective on layout design...

You do not have to be a graphic designer to scrapbook.  I do, though, envy the knowledge graphic designers have which enable them to position their layouts in a manner to which I strive to achieve.

There's harmony in their layouts.  And for those who do not have a background in graphic design yet achieve this, I'm again envious. 

There is freedom of expression in scrapbooking where there are no "rules" but for me, I want to prepare and present my layouts in a balanced fashion that pleases the eyes of myself as well as family and friends.

There are great resources to turn to, like Page Maps and Becky Higgins' Sketches.  Truly, they do help me.  I do not like to waste time and when I have no inspiration to work with, I stare at photos and blank pieces of cardstock wondering where to begin. 

There's a method to one's madness, and in the world of scrapbooking, I'd like to know how one gets from point A to point B when creating layouts. 

So I've decided to delve into the mind of Cathy Zielske who is teaching a class with Big Picture Scrapbooking called "Design Your Life".  Currently, my goal is to focus on the design of the layout and photos vs. embellishments and pretty things.  I want to get down to the basics.

For anyone new to scrapbooking, I don't want to make this hobby sound like it's harder than it really is.  It's an individual thing, an individual approach to the hobby and it is where I wish to expand my horizons. 

And when a hobby continually opens doors to knowledge and various levels of creativity, it's a good thing.  

I don't think I will be designing ads for Nordstrom or Target (but wouldn't that be a fun job), but I'd like to design the life I've lived thus far on paper.  Plain and simple.

Sunday's miscellany...

Tonight, I'm filing handouts from previous Big Picture Scrapbooking classes into pretty binders I purchased recently.  To be honest, I cannot recall whether I purchased them at Target or KMart.  Regardless, they are quite chic and darn cute.

And speaking of BPS, I understand Tena Sprenger's 52 card pick-up class has begun.  I took it last year where she introduces you to a variety of techniques.  She has expanded my horizons when it comes to techniques.  Also, Stacy's Have Fun class is open for enrollment.  And I do like to have fun.

This weekend also involved use of the slow cooker and a fabulous recipe for chili dogs (we used Hormel Chili with no beans and Nathan's Hot Dogs).  We've been eating them all weekend.  That's how good they are.

I'm also working on more blog entries regarding Time Savers.  As I try to work on organizing myself I thought I'd share my processes with you.

Have a great week!

Lovely albums...

It has been over a year and half since I began Library of Memories (aka Photo Freedom) and a goal of filing our photos into Pioneer albums.  I'm happy to share that just about every photo we own has been filed.

And I've begun the triage method using Memory Dock hinged photo boxes.  (I'm a big fan of hinges.)

I dedicated one box to People, Places & Things and the other box is for childhood photos.

We still have a few photos straggling but all-in-all I have begun to see the light.  I look forward to future crops with great anticipation.  This system truly builds the confidence I need toward scrapbooking. 

I'm sure there will be some fine-tuning along the way.  I'd like to say that I'm off to a great start.

Bringing order...

The never-ending goal of bringing order to our home involved more purging, putting away freshly laundered clothing and organizing photos the Photo Freedom way.

I just ordered more albums and hope to finish this up in a couple weeks. 

In my effort to purge, I added more items to the Virtual Garage Sale (note: it is now 2 pages).  I honestly believe that by the end of the year, I should have much less clutter in our home.  Typically, I would see this as an opportunity to shop for new things, but it has been an awakening for me.  I now give items I consider purchasing some serious thought.  Do I really need this?  Or when I purchase a home decor item, I need to know where it is going to go in our home rather than buying it because I like it.  There has to be a purpose for this item as well as a place for it.

Admittedly, I am a work-in-progress and no way near perfection but I try.

It certainly is a great feeling when you can cross some items off your to-do list. It was a Sunday with a purpose and a mission.  Both of which were accomplished today.

Changes...

Or I should say a combination of changes and updates going on right now.  I'm a creature of habit and I enjoy my comfort zone.  So when I get motivated to do something out of my comfort zone, it is gratifying.

I've had a .mac account for well over a year.  And until this weekend, I've used my aol account.  I finally converted.  What took me so long?  I dreaded having to move emails I've saved into folders from aol to .mac.  I did it after having stayed up way past my bedtime Saturday night.  And I'm relieved it's done. 

Another task is organizing my digital photos in iPhoto.  Following Stacy's Library of Memories philosophy on Big Picture, I am progressing very well.  And I've come to the conclusion that I need to take more photos.  Perhaps I will once I complete Photography 101. 

I've also filed more prints from 2004-2008 into Pioneer albums. 

I believe one of the reasons why I do not take as many photos as I used to is having to lug my digital SLR everywhere does not appeal to me.  BUT I refuse to buy a purse-size camera (although they are pretty darn cute) as I'm afraid it will deter me from using my SLR.  Such dilemmas.

I'm also working on the lighting issue in my craft room, which I hope will be complete by the weekend.  For the last 2 months I have been staring at Pottery Barn boxes.  Hope to share more on this over the weekend.

And I'm working on our guest room.  I finally purchased a bed frame which I hope will arrive this week.  Our guest room needs a lot of work.  The drywall is blemished with nail pops here and there and the corner where the ceiling and wall meet needs some patching.  To finish the look, we need to paint and add crown moulding.  I'd like to get this completed over the summer.

I could go on and on here but as I continue to type, I can feel the angst inside me as the "to-do" list grows.  When the day comes and I can check these items off the list will be the most celebrated feeling of gratification, which is what I look forward to the most.

Skill seekers...

Registration for Barbara Carroll's Photography 101 class with Big Picture opens tomorrow (Saturday) at 9am Pacific/12 noon Eastern.  I have been waiting for this class for a long time.  I missed the first two chances to take it and I certainly don't want to miss out again. 

I'm ready to learn and absorb anything I possibly can to get the most out of my digital SLR.  I want my photos to speak to me.

And learning about shutter speed, aperture, lighting and composition is what I desire.  I want to become a hobbyist who is knowledgeable about photography. 

I am one anxious student, eager to learn.

Anyone else planning to take the class?

Photography 101...

I am excited to hear that Big Picture's Photography 101 class with Barbara Carroll opens for enrollment on May 10.  I've missed out on the last 2 opportunities to enroll as the class filled up quickly. 

My camera is capable of many things but I lack knowledge and confidence to use it to it's fullest extent.  I want to be creative with photography. 
 
I want to take photos that capture the essence of the moment.  But first, it is imperative I learn how to use my digital SLR.

And if I can understand my camera better, it will open up my eyes to whole new world of photo-taking.

I am ready for this challenge. 

Drawer storage...

Making up my mind is a hard thing to do.  After trying a few ways to maximize storage within a cubby, I decided to go with storage drawers I ordered from The Container Store.

 

I'm content now.  Drawers are labeled and I'm feeling even more organized than I ever have.

I even designated a drawer for "scrap" photos or you could call them bad shots.   And the gracious comments are much appreciated from yesterday's post.  It is exciting to share something that might possibly be of interest to other hobbyists. 

Also, today is the last day of our Big Picture class with Wendy.  It has been such a motivator to accomplish as much as I have with my space.  Actually, I'm quite sad to see it end.  There's still a bit of work ahead of me, like the lighting issue I'm currently dealing with.  It will  soon be resolved though. 

Of course there will be more on that soon (I hope).

Happy weekend to you all.

Ink pads & acrylic stamps...

Stampin Up! and West Elm are making life good right now.

I'm crazy about the new ink caddy and pads from Stampin Up!  I stayed up till 1:30am on Friday night trying to put the caddy together and fill them with ink pads. 

And there's room for additional ink pads as I added the extender kit to the caddy.

I also moved my acrylic stamps that are stored in blank CD cases from my closet to the new canvas CD storage organizers I purchased from West Elm. 

Pretty much all my stamp supplies are now within an arm's reach from my workspace.

The flow of my craft room is evolving ever-so-nicely. 

Tomorrow, I hope to share additional canvas storage pieces I've added to my space. 

Have a great Wednesday!

Creative Options...

Embossing....I'm familiar with dry embossing but not too familiar with stamp embossing.  I do have the supplies for it though.  And after viewing Tim Holtz's blog with all the various mediums he demonstrates, I'm ready to play along at a moment's notice.

With this organization effort I am undergoing, I designated my Creative Options 2 tray box (it was our gift as an attendee at Scrapbowl last month) as the "Embossing & Glitter" box. 

I filled it with embossing powder, embossing ink, Perfect Pearls, Tidy Craft tray, Martha Stewart glitter and a heat tool.

And underneath the Tidy Crafts tray is a small collection of Distress embossing powder.  I do like the portability of these supplies as I sometimes like to do messy projects near the sink.

Before I gathered all the embossing and glitter supplies into this box, I had them stored in various areas of my craft room.  The embossing powders were in the closet, the heat gun was in the basket and the embossing ink was stored with the ink pads.

What I hope to gain by keeping supplies that work hand-in-hand together, such as this Embossing & Glitter box, is saving time.  And if I can save time searching for things in my craft room, that means I gain more time to play.  I'd rather scrapbook and stamp vs. being frantic and frustrated when I can't put my hands on what I'm looking for very quickly. 

Maybe, just maybe, I will begin to use what supplies I have vs. buying more.  Well, we'll see.  I shouldn't make promises I know I can't keep.  ;)

Tie one on...

Still playing, um..I mean organizing in the craft room and managed to tie bows on all the drawers of the Pottery Barn apothecary cabinet.  And so far, I am loving having all my embellies sorted by color.

And I discovered paper sorters at Target that fit very nicely underneath the smaller of the two baskets I purchased at Ikea. 

I felt like space was being wasted in those cubbies and sought out something in the stackable-storage category so I could rest the basket on top.  I've also ordered a couple of canvas storage drawers which I'll share more on very soon.

For now, I plan to store magazines and various stickers and rub-ons in the paper sorters.

Still trying to figure out the perfect spot for the sewing machine that I never use.  I want to use it but just never get around to it.  I hope by keeping it out with easy access, I will begin to use it more.

My guy asked me if this was a showcase for the sewing machine, knowing that I never use it (he knows my weaknesses).  I honestly have no idea where to put it, so for now, it will stay right here until I come up with a better solution.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's new Organized assignment with BPS & Wendy.  The class has been a great motivator for me.

Island of Love...

Many a crafter covets the project table, whether it's from Pottery Barn, Pier 1, Target, Grandin Road and so-on.  I'm one of those crafters.  Given all the changes my space has undertaken lately, I had to keep my budget at a reasonable level.  And after a lot of thought, research and opinions from friends, I decided on a cafe' style table as my project table or what I'd like to call my "Island of Love".  I say "Love" because most of what I craft when it comes to scrapbooking are of people I "Love".  And the cards I make are for people I "Love".

Another reason I chose a cafe' style table is because I wanted it to provide an open feel to my space.  The first glimpse you see in this room as you walk in is the table.  Having extra storage that most project tables offer would be nice but I feel I am gaining enough storage space from the bookcases (from Ikea and Pottery Barn).

I still love the project tables though.  And I have friends who have them in their space who are very happy.  Let me share with you other options for a project table aka Island of Love, for your consideration in the event you are shopping around for one.

My friend, Paula, uses a commercial-type stainless steel work table and loves it.  I found one similar to hers on Costco's website and it is very reasonable in price.  And it would be perfect for a garage or even a laundry room (oh how I dream of a laundry room large enough to accommodate a table to fold clothes).

If you've seen the book the Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker, you will have seen Renee Pearson's space.  She utilizes 2 bookcases and a butcher block countertop (from Ikea) as her project table. 

Have you seen Heather Bailey's space?  She has a lovely piece of furniture as an island in her room. 

There are various styles and types of kitchen islands available that could be used as project tables.  One thing to be aware of is knee space.  If you plan to sit at your project table, you want to have room for your knees. 

My best friend purchased a cafe' table with a leaf from Target (Carlyle Counter-Height Dining Table with Butterfly Leaf).  If I had not already purchased my table from Ikea, this would have been the table I'd purchase.  The idea of expanding the table appeals to me.  It gives you options....go small or go big.  Less workspace or more workspace.  Definitely a win-win situation.

If you decide to go the table route, check out Home Decorator's pub tables.  They have a nice selection as does Overstock.com.

One of my favorite things about my updated space is having options when it comes to workspace.  If I feel like standing while crafting, I have the cafe' table.  And if I feel like sitting, there's the trestle desk.  Also, if I make a mess at one workspace, I have the other to move to.

It's the best of both worlds.  :)

Hope your weekend is going well. 

Photo FREEdom...

When I had the opportunity to get my hands on a copy of Stacy Julian's book, Photo Freedom, last month at Scrapbowl, I did not hesitate to make my purchase.  This is knowing I had pre-ordered the book from CK Media, which happened to arrive today.

I do love Stacy's Library of Memories system in a very BIG way.  There is evidence of it's influence in my craft room, starting with the Pioneer albums (I am still sorting through photos to organize into these albums).

And the Memory Dock photo boxes for my photo triage.

The layouts that are organized into American Crafts albums by subject.

My cold storage is not so pretty right now.  I am working on it though.

And organization of my digital files on iPhoto are on my to-do list.

Suffice it to say that I have been influenced by the teachings of a person who is very passionate (and organized) about her hobby, just like us. 

So me, Student of Scrapbooking and Papercrafting, is offering one copy of the book, Photo Freedom, to anyone who reads this 'ol blog and leaves a comment starting now through tomorrow, Thursday, March 13 at 9pm Eastern Daylight Time.  I will share the winner's name shortly thereafter.  And if you prefer to remain anonymous, please leave whatever name/nickname you wish along with your correct email address at the prompt (your email address does not show up when you post a comment) so I can contact you.

It's all about sharing the inspiration.

Till then, good luck!!

Chipboard alphas & a nest...

Do you have an affinity for chipboard alphas?  Please tell me I'm not the only one.  I can't stop with just one set of alphabets in chipboard form.  Gotta have every shape and color that any LSS, online store or Michaels and AC Moore carries.

Last year, I invested in one of these great carry-all organizing totes made specifically for chipboard alphas from Across the Street.  Lazy Letters for lovely chipboard alphabet sets.

They are like large-size pill box organizers.

And when I have a set of alphas to add to the organizer, I open all the lids and begin tossing them into the appropriate container.

Given it's portability, I'd say this organizer is very crop-friendly.  :)

Now...I'd also like to share a kit I completed recently by Carol Wingert. 

It was truly an enjoyable kit to put together.

With Carol's detailed instructions, you cannot go wrong.

Chipboard is a fabulous canvas to work with.

Oh how I love the unexpected, like the bra extender. 

The last step is to add some photos and journaling.  I am one happy bird to now have a nest to embellish.

File cabinet...

In 2003, I was not a stamper.  I was a scrapbooker.  Today, I am a stamper (in addition to being a scrapbooker) and have been for the last couple years. 

My collection of stamps is modest.  And I've found the perfect piece of furniture (at Pottery Barn) to store my modest collection. 

Using these great stamps that Wendy Smedley created with Technique Tuesday for our organization class, I assigned and label each drawer accordingly.

In drawer #1, I have a wide-range of punches.

In drawer #2, there's chalk, acrylic blocks, and so forth.

Drawer #3 contains my modest collection of Stampin Up! stamps.

There's more stamps in Drawer #4.

And I have room to grow with my stamp collection with Drawer #5 pretty much empty.  For now, I've placed some miscellaneous items there.

My guy just asked me if I'm finished with this room yet.  I'm not sure how to respond as I've spent countless hours over the last couple weeks purging and organizing.  And you would think with all this effort I'd be finished by now. 

And my friend, Ashlie, asked me recently if I spend every night in my craft room.  It seems as though I have lately.  I'm not much of a TV-watcher, and if I'm in my craft room, I'm either attempting to get grasp as to where to put things, working on crafts, or I'm spending some time on my mac while listening to Sirius.

Inspired by talented interior designer, Chris Madden, I have created a Room of my Own.  :)

Baskets from cubbyland...

Included in a cubby of the bookcase is the all-essential cordless phone.  And I had it to place it here because the phone jack is just behind this section of the bookcase. 

The last 2 rows in the bookcase contain baskets in 2 sizes from Ikea, which I labeled in a previous post.  Here's a peek of what's inside:

Memorabilia (pretty much a catch-all right now too)

Adhesives that I organized using Jo Malone gift boxes for structure within the basket

Quickutz binders (I store shapes in the binders), Revolution fonts and cardstock pads specifically for the Quickutz

Tools are stored here such as a heat gun, label maker, Japanese screw punch, the Fastenater and a lighter (for lighting candles and tea lights)

In the larger baskets, I've stored mini albums of all shapes and sizes

Camera equipment (I included an Ott light just for the heck of it as I had no where else to put it for now)

The Xyron and anything Xyron-related goes in this basket

And this basket is designed for anything stamp-related, including mounting foam, Fiskars Easy Stamp Press and I threw in the Coluzzle templates just because there was no where else to place them right now

I dedicated the top of the bookcase to treasured pieces that include gifts from friends, cherished photos, art projects and a bit of home decor.

This completes the detailed journey through cubbyland the last several days.  I have a few additional things to share, which I plan to work on over the weekend, before I end this chapter in my ever-evolving craft room.  More to come.  Have a fabulous Friday!

Cubbies...

When I took Donna Downey's BPS class back in '06, she inspired me to organize my ribbon onto cardboard (I used 7 Gypsies Librarie 6X6 book boards - available for $1.39/pkg. at Joann.com).  This is one method I've stuck to ever since and love it.  I can see all of my ribbon at once. 

They are housed in CD storage containers I purchased from PB Teen a couple years ago.  And next to the ribbon containers are paper scraps that I've organized into the Cropper Hopper paper pouches and dividers.  Both scraps of patterned paper and cardstock are filed into these pouches by color.  I decided to combine both types of paper scraps into 2 pouches in order to save space.  We'll see how it goes.

In another cubby, I've stored a box that contains various size envelopes and cardmaking supplies. 

This container originally belonged to a set of travel guides.  When I saw how sturdy the box was and the divider in the middle, I knew it would serve a great storage for envelopes.

And the tool box is from Close to My Heart.  I couldn't resist this itty bitty storage container and was even more excited to learn that the goodies in the container were included.  All neat tools for distressing and painting.

There's also a cubby dedicated to buttons.  And from what you can tell from the photo, I do not have a lot.  I'm trying to cut-down on buttons.  It was getting a little out of control for a while here.

I do have a few buttons in the Embellishment Caddy from Stampin Up! and more in Frappucino bottles from Starbucks that a talented friend made for me.  But that's it.  I'm cut off from purchasing any more buttons.

Urns are a favorite of mine, so I placed several in a cubby to hold various types of brushes and other miscellaneous odds n' ends.

I've placed pens, pencils, scissors and such into the Pampered Chef tool turn-about I altered a while back.  Pairing it with the Stampin Up! markers (my very favorite) and Heidi Swapp colored pencils have made this cubby all about writing tools.

That's all I have to share from cubby-land tonight.  Enjoy your Thursday!

Stampin Up! and kits...

For cardmaking, I have a collection of Stampin Up! 8.5 x 11 cardstock that I've sorted by color family (Earth Elements, Rich Regals, etc.).  I also punched out Stampin Up! logos from handouts I received from my SU Rep. and adhered them to tags from Every Jot and Tittle.  Then glue-dotted them onto the bookcloth magazine holders.

I took Cropper Hopper dividers from their 8.5 x 11 paper holders and applied each of the color families I cut out of the SU catalog and taped them to each divider. 

The idea is to have the ability to identify the color I'm seeking by looking at the color chart on the divider.  Originally I had a notebook divider for each color and found that I was still having a little difficulty putting my hands on the color I was seeking right away.  There were so many tabs that it became quite cumbersome. 

On the same bookcase, I designated a pandan basket I purchased at Target last year as a home to the numerous kits I've purchased and/or subscribe to. 

Having alphabet stickers leftover from one of Carol Wingert's kits, I applied the word "kit" to a tag, again from Every Jot and Tittle and tied it to the basket.

And there's more kits in my possession.  What you see in the basket is not all that I own.  I have some packed away in my Making Memories Runway tote.

I like to take kits to crops, so keeping them in the tote saves me time.  I just grab and go.

I ran out of time tonight and didn't get to the organization of paper scraps.  Will share more tomorrow. 

Funny thing is I look forward to coming home each evening and spending a little time in this space and attempt to make it a crafter's haven.  Once it's complete, I'm not sure what I'm going to do.  Scrapbook?  Seriously? 

Dividers and details...

I took 30 minutes out of my evening tonight to organize the collection of patterned paper I've accumulated over the years.  And I've discovered that I do not have as much as I thought.  At least there is room for growth.  ;)

I used a combination of Cropper Hopper Dividers and Paper Pouches. 

The Lisa & Becky Hideaways I've had for some time now fit just right into the cubby (I used 3 - 3x7 hideaways and 3 - tool hideaways).

I've stored various writing tools...

dymo refills and staples...

and various chipboard shapes.

While we're talking cubbies, I decided to display a small collection of my crafting books along with my current BPS class assignments in the Anna Griffin binders.

Scrapbooking Life's Little Moments, A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking, A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper, Life Artist, Understanding Exposure, Photography for Scrapbookers, Photo Freedom, The Big Picture, Scrapbooking with Faye Morrow Bell, The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker, Designer Cards & Tags w/K&Co. and Best of Becky Higgins Sketches.

I placed a treasured gift (apothecary jar from PB) from dear friends on top of the bookcase and filled it with Prima flowers.  A little visual for practical reasons as well as for a decorative touch.

I also dedicated a square to include a decorative box (from another dear friend) that will house various bits of memorabilia as well as a colander filled with favorite stamps and a cube made by a very adorable and sassy friend for my 40th. 

My next task is organizing my scraps of paper and the numerous kits I've collected.  More on that tomorrow. 

It's so nice to have "company" along for the journey. 

Storage...

Would you believe me if I said I am nearly finished with my updated craft room? 

Placing items in it's proper location has been the goal today. 

Cardstock is organized by color:

and placed into Lisa & Becky vertical paper hideaways.  I love that you can get a peek of the contents through the circle cutout.

I've stored Cricut cartridges into damask photo storage boxes I found at Organize.com: 

My photo triage from Library of Memories (LOM) has a home in these photo boxes:

And pre-made cards are stored in the basket, ready for mailing.

Binders are labeled that contain layouts filed in a LOM fashion.

You can find the label holders (which clip onto the binder) from Close to my Heart. 

Each of the 3 suitcases contain:

Making Memories Simply Stated alpha rubons (yes an entire suitcase-full) and I designated the largest suitcase as my Journal Kit.  (For those taking the Organized class with BPS know what I'm talking about.)

And I found a great deal on lamps at the Pottery Barn outlet this weekend.

I'm getting there. 

Next on my list:  labeling dividers for the collection of patterned paper I've accumulated.  :)

Lean on me...

Still working hard on the craft room.  There are now 2 wall shelves from PB in this space.  I still have some arranging to do.  And I'm waiting on a file cabinet and should be finished very soon.   

I do have some lighting issues and hope to work those out soon. 

A new assignment from Wendy's BPS class is released tomorrow AND the Library of Memories class begins.  I have been reading Photo Freedom and am completely inspired by the processes Stacy shares.  I've begun drafting a list of tabs for the photo triage system and have more photos to file in my Pioneer albums.  It's all great stuff.

Tags & Tagged...

She never ceases to amaze me with her Photoshop abilities and presents to me a set of tags for my baskets.  With a damask background no less.  What more can a girl ask for.

I actually pulled out my handy-dandy nested circle Coluzzle template  to cut the tags which I printed on matte photo paper.  This new organization system is already paying off by the fact that I was able to find the swivel knife along with the template so quickly.

Life is good in the craft room right now. 

More on tags, this time in the form of the weblog kind.  Gabriela Delworth tagged me all the way from Canada.  How refreshing.  A different topic to share in this entry besides craft room organization.

Gabriela is an amazing designer and if I lived closer, I'd be spending a lot of time as a student of hers, learning how to make incredibly feminine paper crowns and how to tie a proper bow on a package among many other crafts.  Her blog is full of design wonderment.

As for the tag, here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So, here are the juicy details:

• I am a creature of habit.  Monday through Friday it's straight to work and back home.  I have been known to take the exit to home off the interstate when in fact I have a hair appointment after work and should be taking a different exit.  If you knew how bad the traffic can be in this area, you'd understand why I get so mad at myself when I do this.  And it happens often.  :(
• I dislike mushrooms.  The texture bothers me.  If they are chopped and I can't see them, well I guess what I do not know will not hurt me.
• There's no passion when it comes to cooking.  I'd rather eat out. 
• I do love my slow cooker though.  Getting up on a Sunday morning, throwing all the ingredients into the slow cooker, turn it on and set the timer, then go play in my craft room or tend to some home projects with my guy while dinner simmers all day.  Now that's an ideal Sunday. 
• I've probably mentioned this before but I have a strong passion for magazines, particularly home decor related.  This is to my guy's dismay and I drive my mother crazy when we're shopping and I drag her into every bookstore we pass.
• As I mentioned in #3, I like to eat out.  Whether it's trying a new restaurant, going to a favorite place, or getting something fast like Panera's chicken noodle soup.
• I collect Estee Lauder perfume solids and have done so for numerous years.  I'm not quite as into it now than I was about 6 or 7 years ago but I still love them.

The tagged 7 are:  Tammy, Paula, Marirosa, Korie, Pam, Jennifer & Ashlie (I haven't given up on you, Ash).  Our mutual interest in this great hobby called scrapbooking is what brought us together.  Amazing. 

Apothecary by color...

I am undertaking the reorganization of my embellishments.  They were organized by type of embellishment but in reading The Organized Scrapbooker, and again the great advice I received from friends, I've decided to organize them by color. 

This is turning out to be quite a task. And I am still purging items I've come across that have not been used in a very long time.

There's this handy-dandy apothecary wall cabinet I purchased some time ago from Pottery Barn (unfortunately it is no longer available) that I love.  First, I identified each drawer as to the color contents by tying corresponding ribbon on the handle. 

Next was the daunting task of separating everything by color and filing them in their respective drawers.  Note that I designated more than one drawer for certain colors, like black.

I even began separating my Prima flowers by color.  And I have quite a few jars left to go through.   Just think of the space I will gain by removing and recycling the glass jars.

What I've learned from Wendy's class thus far is that space planning is key.  I admit that I've made a few minor adjustments since my first draft.  The process is constantly evolving and seeing it on paper really helps.

I'm sure once I use this space for what it is intended, I will find further adjustments may be necessary.  I do feel that I'm on the right track though.  Tomorrow, I hope to begin labeling my baskets.  If you have any cute ideas, I'd love for you to share them.  :)

With a little help from my friends...

...and from my guy who patched numerous holes in my craft room this weekend.

It took one full day of clearing stuff out of my room. 

And this endeavor involved a trip to Ikea with my very great friend, Tammy.  Why if it weren't for her, I would not have selected such decorative pieces for my little space.

We spent our Saturday night scoping out every nook and cranny at Ikea.  Initially, my plan was to purchase the Expedit bookcase.  We then come across the Markor bookcase.  And Tammy is right, this piece has some character to it. 

I also wanted a project table where I can stand to scrapbook and work on papercrafts.  I visited Pier 1 where they had the project table, but decided I did not need the additional storage when it came to the bookcases on each side of the table.

The goal was to keep my space from looking too chunky, if you know what I mean.  Basically, I was looking for a simple, tall table with four legs.  Thank goodness Tammy and I scoped out every floor at Ikea because we discovered the Ensta dining table (can't find it online).  I think Tammy was just as excited as I was about this piece. 

So here I am sitting for the first time today (it's 9:30pm) and am not completely finished with this project.  I've got a couple additional pieces for this space on order.  And I'm still adjusting things around the room although I do have my space planning I worked on in advance. 

Once everything is in place, I intend to update my studio photo album.  I'm not sure if I can continue to refer to it as Studio Neoclassicism as I removed the pediment (not enough wall space).

I'm so glad to have the opportunity to take Wendy's class with BPS, very fortunate to have Paula's personal input and to have a great shopping partner.

 

A weekend mission...

I am moving along in Wendy Smedley's Big Picture class on organization.  I've purged, completed my space planning and am ready to begin moving everything out of my craft room tomorrow.  Yes, everything is coming out of my craft room.  I plan to return certain items to my room according to the space plan I've worked on.

Here are 2 BEFORE shots:

See all the visual clutter.  It's a nightmare.  My guy does not like to even look at this room much less spend any time in it with me.

Now, I must share that after all the thought and effort going into this project, I received an email notification from Scrapbook.com last night advising the new Crop-a-dile II Big Bite is in stock.  Well, let's see, I just purged a bunch of items from my space...do I really need this?  I consulted my space planning worksheet and discovered I have space for this new tool, so in the shopping cart it went. 

Wait, I see that the new Tim Holtz unmounted stamp case is now available.  I only have one set of Tim Holtz rubber stamps, do I need the organizer?  Will I buy more Tim Holtz rubber stamps?  I better get the organizer, just in case.  That makes 2 items in my shopping cart.

And, I've just begun ordering sets of ink pads from Nancy, our demonstrator with Stampin' Up!  My goal is to own the entire collection of ink pads, along with the caddy, in my space by summer.  I did include this piece in the planning of my space though.  ;) 

Am I getting off to a good start on my new space by buying more tools?  One challenge for me is if I want to try something new on the market, and if it's within budget, I will try it.  If it turns out to be something I haven't used in at least a year, it goes into the yard sale pile.  And thank goodness for the annual yard sale.  Those who shop at the yard sale each year are always in for a great deal.

Tool-sharing among friends is another great resource.  We borrow among our group of friends, particularly at crops.  If I do not have a particular Quickutz font, I know my friends will.  If they want a long stapler that will go to the center of their 12x12 cardstock, I will have it and am always happy to share it.

One of the great things about this hobby is there are so many options when it comes to scrapbooking and papercrafting products.  I believe this is where we have a tendency to get overwhelmed by the choices.  I'm working on thinking long and hard before I make a purchase.  And I think I did pretty good last weekend when we were among many vendors offering fabulous product at Scrapbowl. 

I am pretty siked about my organization project this weekend.  When I do things around the house that are productive and an end-result is involved, I get this great feeling of satisfaction.  And once everything is in it's place, it will be a fun place to scrapbook.

Pretty pictures...

That is what I always say when I mention my interest in learning about photography.  I want to take pretty pictures.  To develop an eye for photo-taking opportunities.  To have clear and crisp photos and photos that pop.  To get creative with my camera. 

These are all things I'd like to do with my digital SLR. 

If you are familiar with Allison Tyler Jones (her latest book is Expressions), you know she is a phenomenal photographer.  And lucky for us, she's teaching a class with Big Picture called Art That Happens to Be Your Life (enrollment is now open).  I'd love to take this class but there are some prerequisites that I do not meet.

One is that I do not know how to use my camera in manual mode.  And I do not know how to re-size photos.  Therefore, I will wait for Barbara Carroll's Photography 101 class to learn the basics before I jump into the creative part of photography.

If you are interested in Allison's class, take the Readiness Quiz.  This will determine if you are ready to take the class or not. 

And if you are not ready but still interested in learning more about photography, you can wait with me when enrollment opens for Photography 101.

Speaking of open enrollment, I understand that the Library of Memories class that Stacy Julian is teaching closes tomorrow.  I'm so excited to be repeating the class.  It's been a year now and I need to refresh myself on the process of this entire system.  My friend Marirosa read Stacy's new book, Photo Freedom, in its entirety last night and is now convinced this is the system for her. 

And if you have taken the Library of Memories class, please leave Marirosa some feedback on her blog with your insights on the class.  I know she'd appreciate it.

With photography, I hope to get beyond the "say cheese" stage very soon.  It's certainly a goal to strive for.

Classwork...

A weekend of scrapbooking has me completely exhausted.  I took 5 classes at Scrapbowl and am excited about my almost-complete projects. 

My first class was with Margie Romney-Aslett, the design queen behind Making Memories who guided us to create a stylish mini-album made of file folders we cut to size.  MM's 5th Avenue line was the icing on the cake.  Can I be honest here and say that this line was one of the reasons why I took the class.  My Fab Life never looked so chic.

Next, Donna Downey gave us confidence in our painting abilities by proving cardstock is the perfect canvas for art expression.  Included in the layout are cut-outs from dictionary pages, buttons and a felt heart.  Celebrate Life is represented on my layout with photos related to my family, friends and love of papercrafting. 

Stacy Julian taught me a process of creating a 6x6 album in a fashion that suits my time challenges.  And that is called Fast Track where cropping and placement of photos onto cardstock, followed by incorporating patterned paper and embellishments.

In this class, I decided to create an album dedicated to Gals & their hobbies. 

Stacy shared tips on how to color balance your 2 page layouts and cropping of photos.

I participated in a class with Shimelle Laine called Paper Patchwork that truly challenged my artistic boundaries.  With printing our photos onto cardstock, we created a mosaic of photos and various squares we painted using a variety of techniques.  My project is incomplete as I need to sew the squares together to create a collage wall-hanging.  I intend to share a photo once it's complete (hopefully soon).

Lastly, Fit to a Tee with Tia Bennett was a fun way to express myself, using an old and/or favorite t-shirt and stretching it onto a canvas.  My friends and family know of my love for Bon Jovi which made perfectly good sense to me to use a t-shirt from a recent concert for this project.  We also created a small album to tell the story behind the t-shirt and include any memorabilia associated with it. 

I've always admired Tia's alphabet stamps and asked her to write the title of my mini-album on the cover.

Also, attendees at the event were able to purchase Stacy's new book, Photo Freedom.  My friends know how much of a supporter I am of Library of Memories.  And this book is a great follow-up to The Big Picture.

And, my quality time with Paula has led me to work on revamping and reorganizing my craft room. I realize this is a never-ending task, but between Paula and Wendy's Organizing class at Big Picture, I am confident of the direction I'm headed in.  I'll share my progress and hope to begin the process soon.

I can't emphasize enough how much I enjoyed the opportunity to create, learn and play.  Although I was at the event with my friends, we hardly saw each other.  Whether I was in a class or they were, we managed to capture what few moments we had together and make the best of it.

And that we did.

One site leads to another...

I was browsing Design*Sponge's blog which led me to the Dose of Design blog which led me to Decorative Things where I found decorative things such as salad servers that come in a baroque pattern.  How about that!

Almost daily, I read Cathy Z.'s blog (who makes me giggle A LOT) which leads me to Dooce's, whose good storytelling and writing abilities are guaranteed to entertain you. 

When I go to Donna's site, I somehow end up on Rosie's site and am always intrigued by her videos.

I recall in 1993 when I first signed-on with AOL and obtained my first email address.  Never did I imagine it would lead to what the internet has become today.  To even have the ability to take a scrapbooking class online is amazing. 

Now I can't imagine it any other way.

Dreamkuts and my craft room...

I can't get organized in my craft room if I continue to buy more tools.  My space is very limited and I've been working diligently to get it in a functionable fashion with Wendy's help at Big Picture. 

I've longed for the Dreamkuts for some time now and decided to take the plunge and purchase one.  But where am I going to place it in my craft room? 

My mission is to clean up this room and try to differentiate what I use most often and what I hardly use (which will be set aside for the craft yard sale in April or donated).  It seems to be an ongoing dilemma in my lifelong hobby of papercrafts. 

Maybe, just maybe, I'll actually spend time scrapbooking instead of just puttering around my room.

Going global and get organized...

Have you seen Target's new global home decor line?  I found it hard to resist and came home with an artichoke and new Victoria Hagan votives.

Speaking of Victoria Hagan, I finally hung the mirror we purchased some time ago in the guest room.  We have not painted yet as I am still trying to decide on a color.

 

There are metallic paint swatches scattered on the nesting table that  are under consideration.  I'm having second thoughts on the metallic paint though.  I think I want to go a little more subtle on the wall color.  Still trying to decide.

And for getting organized, I completed an assignment from Wendy's Big Picture class.  The Barbara Barry fabric was purchased on eBay.  I'm so excited about that find.  It is definitely a complement to the theme of the binder.

It has been an enjoyable weekend.  I hope yours was the same. 

A library...

...in the works.

After taking Stacy's Library of Memories class with Big Picture last year, I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  The mountains of photos we possess are in the process of being organized as well as my layouts. 

Since the first day I began scrapbooking, it was never in chronological order.  And that is why I found Stacy's method so easy to work with.

I'm still working to organize our photos but the binders of layouts are all situated just the way I like it.  They just need to be labeled with those fabulous clips from See Jane Work.

I understand the label holders are no longer available at See Jane Work.  I found some fabulous ones online at Office Depot that are similar. I'm ordering some for myself.

Let me just say that I got a lot out of this class.  So much so, that I am taking it again (enrollment opens today).  It will motivate me to stay on top of this method of organization.  And it re-energizes me to scrapbook more often and gets the adrenaline pumping.  I also highly recommend Stacy's book, The Big Picture.

Binders and albums are available at Scrapbook.com.

Between Stacy and Wendy's classes, it's going to be a busy, productive and ORGANIZED first quarter. 

Motivate...

I strive for organization in every aspect of my life but I am not always successful.  The space where I spend many hours is the messiest - my craft room.  My one-and-only claims attacks of claustrophobia when he walks into this room.  That is when I remind him how necessary it is to expand my space.  ;)

Motivation is needed.  I believe that should be my one word for 2008 - motivate, just like Ali has hers.  In order to motivate myself to organize this favorite space of mine, I've enrolled in Wendy Smedley's Get Organized and Be Inspired class with Big Picture Scrapbooking.  It begins tomorrow.  Fabulous.  I'm anxious to get motivated and begin the process of cleaning this space and creating an environment that is less clutter and more function.

Goodbye procrastination (yep, that's me), hello motivation which equals results.  This I need in my life oh-so desperately. 

A BIG gift...

A gift to consider for a scrapbooker, papercrafter, even rubber stamper.  And you don't have to go to the store to buy it.  There's no need to wait for a package to arrive either.

Sign-up your hobbyist for a class with Big Picture Scrapbooking. 

I have taken quite a few classes with Big Picture and have been very pleased.  There are a multitude of workshops to choose from.   I am currently signed up for Wendy's upcoming Get Organized and Be Inspired class (one of my favorite topics).

Speaking of organization, stay tuned to the Coming Soon section as Stacy Julian will be teaching her Library of Memories class again in February.  I HIGHLY recommend it.  I'm anxious to sign-up for the Photography 101 class in March with Barbara Carroll (I missed out on the first two opportunities to register for this class...it's quite popular).

And if you like to read books, you should consider Tena's Read All About It class.

Emily is teaching a painting glass called Got Paint.  My best friend and I took a class taught by Emily at CKU in 2006 and were totally inspired by her free-spirted artistic abilities.  I have a collection of Matisse paints thanks to Emily.

All you need to do is register online, print the class description, roll it into a scroll, tie it with ribbon and stick it under the tree or in their stocking. 

If you are not familiar with Big Picture Scrapbooking, hit the banner image below and take a free class. 

I'm nearly finished with my holiday shopping.  How about you?

Jane, Jane, Jane...

...what a great song by Jefferson Starship, but that is not what this entry is about.  It's about a couple of great finds I received today from See Jane Work.

I'm so excited about this lovely binder.  So sophisticated and BIG.  I've collected quite a few handouts from BPS and this binder will be well-suited to store them and look pretty on my shelf.

And the clip-on label holder set is just what I needed for my layouts stored in American Crafts binders where I've begun labeling them according to what I learned from Stacy's Library of Memories class.

The clip just slides onto the binder.  It's as easy as that!  They come in black and white and unfortunately they are out of stock on both right now.

And I purchased a Medical Organizer.  Life can become complicated when you've misplaced an order a doctor wrote up for a routine test.  And you need that document in order to have the test.  Then the doctor charges you $10 to re-write the order.  We now have no excuse when it comes to keeping our medical papers in-tact and in one place.

I'm happy that things are taking shape around the house.  It's the little things in life that can make a difference. 

Show me your hand...

...and I'll show you mine.  Well, I'll go first.  Here are some incredibly creative ways to alter playing cards.  This was part of the Friday Night Extravaganza at CE.  Teachers from the previous year's event rotated coming to our meeting room, teaching us a technique or two in altering Heidi Swapp playing cards.  Each teacher selected a quote from the Ever Wonder book by Kobi Yamada and incorporated it into the card project.

As I'm working on these cards my mind keeps flipping back to Tena's 52 pick-up class at BPS.  I've got the assignments printed out, I just have yet to do them.  This extravaganza definitely got me siked to begin those projects!

Samples of these projects are included in the CE book.  That book is a chock-full of creative inspiration.

I'm left with souvenirs of creative moments spent with teachers who are all very creative themselves. 

Good people...

This event was about good people.  Good teachers, event planners, speakers, friends, acquaintances and the volunteers.  Definitely the volunteers.  There were 2 very nice ladies who were assigned to our group to assist us during each class.  They were like our den mother.  If we needed a baby wipe, they'd get one for us.  If we needed water, they'd get it for us.  If we needed a new piece of cardstock because we messed up, they got it for us.  I'm so disappointed that I didn't take a photo of these 2 ladies.  I was absorbed in the classes and did not take the time to get their names.  Shame on me.

The keynote speaker at the event was Allison Tyler Jones who is very real, encouraging, funny and shared amazing photographs throughout her presentation.  She also shared touching stories and uplifting quotes.  I immediately ordered the book she referred to: "What I Know Now:  Letters to My Younger Self".  I've read the first 2 chapters with letters by Madelaine Albright and Maya Angelou.  Very interesting perspectives in life, then and now. 

Allison is a talented photographer.  She mentioned how she likes to photograph kids before they reach their teens as they are more free with their emotions which makes them fun to photograph.   And Allison also has a book that I've owned for some time now and am enjoying revisiting it.  There's another book called "Designing with Photos".  Such an inspiration that lady is.

Also, it was announced at the event that Allison will be teaching a class with Big Picture next year.  I'm looking forward to hearing more about it.  I've got classes to catch up on this year, so I'm hoping for a snow blizzard or two this winter.  Having a day or two without getting out of your PJs would be welcome in my home!

And I have 2 CE projects remaining to share.  They are far from complete.  I plan to work on them tomorrow at the crop and post photos on Sunday (at least that is the plan).   Also, when I receive my kit from the Friday Night Extravaganza at the Event (it mistakenly ended up in my sister's luggage so she's mailing it to me), I will share some awesome creations from that night too.  They involve Heidi's playing cards. 

More to come very soon...

A student with many assignments...

I like to tell people that I am a student of scrapbooking and papercrafts.  I love to take classes and I love to learn new techniques, styles, and of course new product releases.  Inspiration is such a rush for me.

So to feed that rush, I am currently enrolled in 4 classes with Big Picture Scrapbooking.  Heidi, Carol, Lisa C. & Tena all are providing me with a great deal of inspiration.  In my time-challenged world, it is not easy to work on the classes as you go along with each week's assignment, or in Tena's case, each day (her 52 techniques are awesome...actually, I've printed up to 30 something). 

That brings me to the quality time I get to spend with my mac, printer and pretty binders from Target and Anna Griffin as I do a lot of printing and filing.  I have quite a collection going given the classes I have taken from BPS.  They are there for me when I need them, when I'm ready to play, when I feel like crafting.  I often have that urge to create but it doesn't always fit within my schedule.  There are some days I just want to lock myself in my craft room in order to complete a project.

I enjoyed Donna's classes last year as I jumped around to various projects that caught my eye.  And I'm a 1/4 of the way through my Library of Memories assignment that ended weeks ago.  I'm very excited about seeing that project to the end. 

The choice is mine.  Either feel overwhelmed by all the creative possibilities that surround me or have fun with it on my own time.  I'm going to choose to have fun with it on my own time.  It is with thanks to BPS for giving me that flexibility.

Now let's get to crafting.  :) 

Carol's creative world...

It started when I found her blog.  Then I discovered a book she co-wrote on Artful Memories.

I missed an opportunity for an up-close and in-person creative session with her at Creative Escape last year.

Her very elegant and classy Christmas album wowed me and I got the chance to purchase the kit and put it together.  I recently purchased her latest book she again co-wrote with the equally talented Tena.  Talk about the wow-factor.  Altered eyeglasses and accompanying case.....how incredibly neat.  We now have the opportunity for more inspiration via Big Picture Scrapbooking, where Carol will be teaching a class over the summer. 

And she is now coming to our hometown to personally inspire us at our LSS.  I'm very excited.  She's teaching one class on Friday, June 22 and two on Saturday, June 23.  Plus she is going to crop with us Saturday night.  What more can we ask for.   

I heard there is room for more.  And our LSS should be receiving some of the original samples of the class projects for an up-close review.   

I'm looking forward to the event, meeting Carol and adding a journal entry to my "Inspired By" album.  I was inspired by Carol Wingert today... 

Albums & journals...

Can I tell you how much I love Stacy's concept with her Library of Memories class (I understand it will be offered again next January)?  The project to revamp my photo storage and layout organization is just beginning.  I'm happy to report that I filed all of our 2005 printed photos into an album, waiting to be scrapbooked (well, not all of the photos will be scrapbooked).

It's a small step in the right direction and I'm just relieved that there are signs of progress.  There's still a long road ahead of me though.

I've also begun working on my Dream Home Journal.  The journal is broken down by rooms where you can list projects, colors, fabrics & swatches as well as sketches.  I decided to buy a second journal because I wanted to include every room in our home and I transferred the material I kept in my previous album into the new journals.

What pleasure I get from organizing all my thoughts and inspirations in one place when it comes to our home.  And every item in the book is adhered with repositionable adhesive.  You know, in case I change my mind about a color or accessory.

I now think I need some type of wedding organizer for my sister's wedding.  I'm having a blast preparing little details for the Big Day. 

And speaking of organizers, please visit my friend Amy to wish her well with her new endeavor.  The role is definitely fitting of her.  And I now have another magazine to add to my subscription pile.  :)

Purge, purge, purge...

Here's evidence that I have been purging like crazy.  Lots of scrapbooking supplies and tools. 

And since I am transitioning to Stacy's Library of Memories method of organizing photos, I am getting rid of lots of albums, most are new.

Embellishments are flowing out of my stash.  I am applying the same rule for clothing - if you haven't worn it in a year, time to get rid of it.  I haven't used these embellies in over a year, so it is time to share them with great creative minds who can make good use of these finds. 

After having revamped the way I organize several times, I am purging all sorts of organizational items I no longer use.

I have friends who are purging too and we will be making these goodies available for new homes at the Get Croppin Yard Sale next Sunday, April 29.

If you are in the area, we hope you will come check it out. 

Then, after the yard sale, I must begin organizing my photos.  What a mess!