a bag of chips

Winners, winners!

Sorry about being a day late on this post, but here are the two winners of the two (very heavy) boxes of scrap goodies. I picked numbers 39 (my age) and 50 (hubby's age) and those gals are:

So sad to simple go, was my all time fav. Love to hear you talk about the fog, i miss it.

Posted by: Viki Powell | January 19, 2009 at 09:43 PM

Thanks for the update on Simple. I've enjoyed your layouts and the emphasis on photography and design.

Posted by: Karen | January 19, 2009 at 05:10 PM

Congrats, ladies!  Send me an email (there's a link under my photo) and I'll get them out in the mail later in the week.  And thanks for such a great turn out for my little giveaway - awesome!

In the meantime, I'm off to CHA and I'll be back on Wednesday with the happs.

Stay tuned!

Another BPS layout!

Another layout created for my BPS (Big Picture Scrapbooking) class with Elizabeth Dillow. In this layout, my photo used perspective to reveal Nadia's larger-than-life personality, and her love for sliding.  (BTW, that slide - her most favorite toy in our yard - was a freebie from a neighbor. Gotta love that!!!)

This layout is actually 12 x 12 and the blue paper has a scalloped edge, but, as much as I love my Artisan 800 printer/fax/canner/copier, it doesn't do 12 x 12. Good thing most of my layouts are 12 x 12. On this layout I used a KI Memories butterfly, puffy baby stickers from Making Memories, a journaling spot by Heidi Swapp, letter stickers from American Crafts, and various patterned papers.

As I mentioned before, this is my first BPS class, and I'm really enjoying the process. And even though I'm not in an actual classroom with real people sitting next to me, I still have the feeling of being part of a group. As someone who scraps until 1:00 am alone in my chilly garage/scrap studio/spider haven, not feeling lonely is a good thing.

Have you taken a BPS class? Which one did you take and how did you like it?

And don't forget to leave a comment on my previous post for a chance at two boxes of scrap goods!

So now what?

Thanks for all your comments and support of Simple Scrapbooks. I am determined to keep living and scrapping and creating using what I've learned from ALL of the folks at Simple. If you need a dose of scrapping simply and focusing on photos, you know you can find me here. And all my Simple besties with blogs (see links on your right---->) I'm certain will continue to provide inspiration as well. And hopefully we'll all be able to contribute here and there at CK once the transition is complete. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

And wow, after a pretty massive purging of my scrap crap supplies, I've got way more than will fit in the two boxes heading to the winners a few posts back. As a matter of fact, I've got to additional boxes full of new and gently used stuff. If you're a US resident, leave a comment below and you'll be in the running.

I'll leave you with two kinda freaky photos I took a few weeks ago during some really heavy fog in my hood. I was on my way out at night - BY MYSELF (can I get a WOOHOO! from you moms out there - you know what a treat a night off can be with no kids fighting, crying or begging for gum or having to pee every five minutes...but I digress) and I grabbed my camera as I headed out the door. As I passed the athletic park down the street, I was intrigued by the filtered light and shadows the fog had created. I love stepping out of my photo box now and then - for better or worse:

Both of these were shot in monochrome on my 5D with my 24-70L lens. I sharpened and added some grain for effect. They feel very "Friday the 13th" meets "Bad News Bears".

Dugout shot: manual mode, ISO 3200, 1/15 SS (handheld), f2.8

Light pole: manual mode, ISO 3200, 1/40 SS (handheld), f2.8

Don't forget to leave a comment if you wanna win some goodies. I'll pick a winner on Friday night!

Sad news.

They say that all good things come to an end, but it's no less shocking when it actually happens. This is the news I referred to in my previous post. For those of us who have been faithful readers and for the editorial board alumni, this is heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. I'm so honored and thankful to have played a tiny role in this fabulous magazine, one of the first scrapbooking magazines I ever bought. 

I'm curious to see how CK evolves to appeal to more Simple readers, but I know one thing for sure: Simple will live on in my heart and in my pages well beyond June 2009.

Today I'm praying for Stacy Julian, founder of Simple Scrapbooks magazine, and for the kind, creative and inspirational staff who put so much of their hearts and souls into their work.  Thank you so, so much.

I *heart* Simple.

Big Picture Scrapbooking!

I'm taking my first-ever Big Picture Scrapbooking class right now. It's taught by my friend and Simple Scrapbooks author Elizabeth Dillow, and the class is Red Letter Days which ties in with her book. "The Scrapbooker's Almanac" is one of my favorite scrappy books and I'm so glad I chose to take this class. I mentioned in a previous post that doing more personal scrapbooking is on my goals list for 2009, and I think a BPS class is a smashing way to help accomplish that goal, don't you?

Here's the layout I did today for Week 1 of Red Letter Days:

The idea is to be inspired and create according to cues or suggestions. For this week's layout, I took my cue from Page 21 of the Almanac which features "Universal Letter Writing Week" which is the second week in January. Granted, I'm a week late, but that's alright.  Last week also happened to include the first binky-free day in five years, so I wrote my letter to the binky. Oh, sweet binkies. I'll miss you.

I have some news to share later, so I'll be back soon.

Scrap stash faves.

It seems that there are things in my scrappy stash that I use over and over again. Whether that drives people crazy to see those same things on my layouts time and time again is, well, too bad. With three kids and two functioning brain cells, it's become necessary for me to reach for the things that I love and that work well with my style. Here are a few of those things:

American Crafts Roosevelt letter stickers - probably my first hard-core scrappin' love:

But really, anything from American Crafts' sticker and Thickers line are a must-have.

These Doodlebug Paper Frills are a go-to for most of my layouts. Cute, colorful, fun:

Brads are a great way for me to add some colorful accents on my pages without a whole lot of fuss.  I usually use a paper piercer to punch my paper - no more worrying about long-reach punches. Brads come in all sizes, colors and shapes, and even come felted and glittered. These are from Basic Grey:

I also love small journaling stickers. I use them for bits of info, like a date or place. These are by 7Gypsies and are finally available again. I just bought 20 of them. You know, just in case:

 

Here is a brand new layout featuring some awesome AC stickers, my own homemade Frill using a scrap strip of paper and my Stampin' Up! scallop-edge punch (which is also hereby added as another of my faves) a smattering of brads, and a chunk cut from a "Love, Elsie" chipboard  frame. The label sticker here is from Fontwerks. The photo of my crazy kid who lost his other front tooth on, get this, Christmas Eve:

What are your favorite-must-have-can't-scrap-without items? I'd love to know!

December Daily wrap-up (sort of)

Nothing like finishing up a December project in the middle of January. And I'm technically still not done with it, just a few last pages and finishing touches to go. Below are days 11 thru 19 and a project post-mortem (gosh, that sounds really morbid):

So, that's what I've got to share at this point. The rest of the album will be our Disneyland trip, Christmas Eve and Christmas. If I can wrap up the album tomorrow I'll share the rest of it here next week.

I really love this project, documenting a very special but hectic time of year. It's a great way to stay a bit grounded in what the holidays is all about, rather than allowing myself to get carried away by the rush and madness of shopping and travel and wrapping and meals and Christmas programs at three different schools. I really love how my album turned out, but there are some things I plan to do differently for the next one:

Rather than the 4 x 6, two-page days, I may go to a 6 x 6 or even 8 x 8 format next time and dedicate a page a day. More room for journaling and for larger or multiple photos. 

Simplify. I love how colorful and different most of my pages are, but it might be easier if I follow a more consistent design from page to page. 

Do more design work up front during the initial making of the album, like including the journaling space or a mat for photos. This will save time in putting together each daily page.

Anyway, I'm very glad I did this project and that it's very nearly done, even if it's three weeks or so late. Better late than never seems to be my approach to things a little bit too often. (Hmmm. Maybe I need to add a post script to my resolutions list.)

I'm still planning on my "A Week in the Life" project for each month this year. At the end of the year I'd love to see a stack of albums twelve-high to browse through. My week will be January 18 thru the 24th. Anyone willing to join me? If so, leave me a post below!

I'll be back on Monday with a post about the my favorite scrapbooking supplies.

Winners!

Yes, you read that correctly. I decided to pick two winners to receive a box of goodies. And here they are!

my biggest scrapbooking resolution is to just do it. every page doesn't have to be mag worthy. just keep going.

i have a goal of 80 pages before i'm allowed to buy any more scrapbooking stuff... so i'd better get cracking!

Posted by: Alissa | January 06, 2009 at 05:55 PM

found you just today via the Simple blog...my new resolution is to not let the scale deteremine the day I want to have. Up or down, emotion up or down...cannot do it anymore!! 
I would simply love some scrap goodies and cannot wait to read more of your blog!

Posted by: Misty Coats | January 07, 2009 at 02:35 PM

Congrats Misty and Alissa! Send me an email (the link is under my photo) with your mailing address and I'll get your boxes out next week. 

I loved reading everyone's scrapbooking resolutions and love that we've all included art, journaling and documenting our lives in our goals for the year. If any of you are interested in keeping up with each other and our progress toward our scrapping goals, I'd love it! 

I'll be back tomorrow with the last of my December Daily album and some more fun stuff.

Happy Friday, and thanks to everyone for participating!

Scrapbooking.

On my list of things to do more of this year is scrapbooking. I've done lots of it lately for Simple - which I have loved doing - but, aside from my December Daily album (which is still being worked on), my non-assignment srapbooking has been very limited.  I miss it. Scrapping just to scrap, creating just for fun.

So, in honor of my resolution, here is something I made this morning using my new favorite photo of Aidan:

I would also like to give away a box of purged scrap and stamping goodies! Since getting organized is also on my list of resolutions, purging and rearranging my supplies is the first thing I need to do. If you are a US resident and could use some new and slightly used scrap stuff, leave a comment below with your scrapbooking resolutions and I'll pick a winner on Friday night.

More later!

Happy New Year!

Here I am! (I'm waving.)

Yes, time got away from me the last two weeks or so. I have catching up to do on so many things, including my December Daily album. I did find it a bit tougher to keep up with the last few days before Christmas when holiday panic settles in and all you want to do is take a few valium and crawl into bed with a heating pad and a book.

Here's some of what we did the last few weeks:

We took the kids to Disneyland for two days Christmas week. It was very, very chilly by this wussy Californian's standards, but the crowds were pretty light and the park looked fantastic. The fireworks behind the spectacularly lit iconic princess castle were phenominal, and after the fireworks it "snowed" in the form bubbles blown from towers all around the square. It was really great and it was a treat for Makena and for my inner four-year-old princess. The holiday parade was cheesy in the way only Disneyland can put on a parade, but it was tons of fun for the kids. And those two days at Disneyland were our Christmas gift to them. Well worth the time, money and effort for us all.

The kids made out like bandits at Christmas between my folks and Santa and I'll spare you the photos of the wrapping paper and ribbon carnage around our tree. The hits were the new Razor scooters Santa brought The Bigs, a spin-art kit from my best bud Kelly, the Thunderbirds DVDs scored by Aidan, a toy saxophone from Gaga for Makena, and a dump truck for my tough-girl Nadia. 

For our Christmas dinner, I cooked my first turkey. Ever. I bought a jar of brining stuff at my local health-food store and let it soak for about a day. And it was delish!!! I impressed myself that I pulled it off and it didn't make anyone sick. I even made some tasty homemade cranberry sauce. I think I'll make a turkey a few times a year, now that I know I can do it and that it was actually quite easy. Yeehaw!

On Monday the kids and I finally got the chance to go to San Diego's New Children's Museum. They had a great time...

...and we are now officially members and can go all the time now. Except Wednesdays when they're closed.

And for the last five days we've been in my beloved Carpinteria. Braving some more chilly weather (remember, all you Minnesotans, that I'm a wussy California girl when it comes to "cold") to enjoy some rock and shell hunting on the beach, some fun at the Santa Barbara Mission and along State Street, and basically just hanging out with my family. It was very nice.

So, we're back in town, it's 2009 and I've got some things I still need to catch up on. I'll hopefully be back tomorrow with another post.

In the meantime, many (belated) blessings for a prosperous and healthy 2009!