I scrap because it make ME happy!

So often I get the question asking why I decided to start doing paper scrapbook layouts, considering that I don't have children, don't have a legacy to leave to anyone, especially since I've been doing digital scrapbooking for over 7 years. While it's true that I don't have adorable baby pictures, or pictures of events I want to remember years from now, my every day moments are just as important to scrapbook. I recently read an article by a woman who is obviously wise beyond her years who addressed the issue of creating scrapbooks for yourself. Not your children, your family, but you. And it really resonated with me. So I decided that instead of scrapbooking my fave photos of my dog, or my cats, or my husband, it was time I showed up on the page, and not feel guilty about it.

This weekend, I did just that, and I scrapped a large 4X6 headshot of myself. Yikes! Seeing my face, that large, staring back at me from the page was intimidating. I thought others might think it vain to use this photo. But I did it anyway. And I love it! Really love it!

And of course, since I had the stencils and modelling paste out, I couldn't resist creating an art journal page on a 12 inch piece of cardstock. I love how it turned out, given that I didn't bring a lot of my art journalling materials with me to the crop.

I guess what I'm saying in this post, is that sometimes, even if you DO have children and family that you share your scrapbooks with, do a few pages every now and then that are just for you. It's very liberating, and gives you permission to try things that you've never done, without worrying about having the pages judged by others.

Now, I know I promised you photos of the mixed media journal I did at the Prima workshop, but I'm going to reserve posting them just yet. I still want to finish up the cover, and complete the journal before I post more about it.

Have an amazing weekend everyone and for those of you that are in the path of Frankenstorm, stay safe!!

Serious fun this weekend with Prima!

This weekend was such great fun! Some wild and crazy women got together at Auntie Em's Scrapbook and Beading shop in Cornwall, Ontario for a fun-filled weekend with Cari Fennell. I have to say that personally I make it my mission to attend each and every Prima workshop that is within my area if I can. They have some of the best educators for scrapbooking and mixed media. Cari is a special treat though, throwing her own flavour and excitement into every class.

We worked with the gorgeous Firefly collection from Prima, and I had no doubt that I would love that class on Saturday. I have a love of all these soft and dreamy, especially watercolour-like papers. If you haven't seen this collection, you have to see it in person. No pictures I've seen online do it justice. We worked on two layouts on Saturday, and for the first time, I scrapbooked layouts without pictures. Eeek! Totally out of my comfort zone, since I usually work with picture first, and then select my papers, embellies, etc. But they did turn out quite wonderfully I think. Here are the layouts, waiting for just the right pictures.

I was in flower cluster heaven! A picture should cover the cut journal scalloped card.

Yummy layers!

I admit to being bow challenged.

Such juicy layers!

Even though I have been scrapbooking for a while, I learned so much in this course. Use those beautiful journal cards to create more dimension on your page. Cut them up and use them on the edges of your layouts for a little cluster yumminess. I also learned that no matter how ugly your bows are (and mine are definitely lacking in romance), your layouts can still be beautiful.

I cannot wait to find the right pictures for these layouts!

I'll be back later this week to share more from the weekend, including the Donna Downey Mixed Media canvas journal we worked on, so stay tuned. There was plenty of madness, and a whole lot of fun this weekend at Emma's. I'm looking forward to more.

Sometimes the weekend doesn't get off to a great start

I should have known enough to leave the housework alone on Friday, given that I was home sick and not feeling well at all. I had to do the dishes because, well, they didn't get done because I wasn't up to it. So why did I think I'd be up to it on Friday? I chalk it up to a lapse in judgement, stupidity. No, I wasn't running with scissors! I'm a crafter, yes, but I know better than that.

The lack of judgement came when I decided to wash the knives. Three soaked paper towels and an emergency phone call to hubby minutes later, and I was on my way to the hospital to get stitches in my thumb. I'm right-handed, and yes, that's my right thumb. It's going to be an interesting week. (On a positive note, I got treated by a doctor right away at the hospital when we were expecting a huge wait time.)

So what did I decide to do this morning, after feeling sorry for myself (of course) Friday night and Saturday? I did an art journal page. I haven't art journalled in what seems like forever, and this seemed like a good occasion.

The stitches are supposed to stay in for 7-10 days, which means I'll still have them when I go to Auntie Em's Scrapbooking store in Cornwall next weekend. By then I should be able to hold things properly without too much difficulty. I'm looking forward to next weekend...Prima workshops with Cari and having no more pain in my hand.

So next time you do the dishes, be careful with those knives people. You never know when one might decide to flip up and getcha!

Look who'll be rocking the sketches!

I can't help but be excited about this news. I told you that it would be coming and now I can reveal all....hmmm, reveal. Sound familiar? Like a Creative Scrappers Sketch Reveal maybe?

I am so excited about this news! The new Creative Scrappers team will be rocking new sketches from the new sketch designers and I'm one of them! Wow! I really never thought I'd have seen this one coming. But I met some great friends who encouraged me to apply to the call, and much to my surprise this group of women with mad skills will be using my sketches! Be sure to head over to the Creative Scrappers blog so that you can check out their blogs and congratulate them!

Go on! Layer It!

This week wasn't your typical work week. I got great news, upgraded my iPhone, and had a short work week, but the work week seemed to go on forever.

First off, my creative life has taken on a life of its own, and I'm thankful for that. Not only was I recently added to the Creative Scrappers team, but this week, I discovered much to my delight, that I'm one of the newest members of the design team at Tina's Scrapbooking Creations. I'm so looking forward to working with a local group of talented scrappers. We all bring something different to the table and I'm looking forward to learning more from these gals.

And, much to my delight, I'll be combining my two passions, teaching and art journaling, at Tina's store. My first class, called Layer It! Mixed Media Canvas, is open for registrations for the November 21st class. Those of you that know me understand just how exciting this is for me...primarily because I love to share my process when I create. And I have a real passion for teaching as well. Watching students when they have that "ah ha!" moment makes all the work worth it. So register for the class. Registration is limited and that means more discussion and feedback so that we both enjoy the class. It's only $30 and you'll walk away with your own mixed media canvas that you'll be proud to show off.

Other classes will follow, including an introduction to art journaling course.

So this week had its ups...and its downs. I didn't expect this week to be that difficult. But generally speaking, aren't the weeks before long weekends longer than we think? And with all this positive news I was itching to get home and be creative! Well, with that in mind, you can imagine how long my week was, because not only is it a 3-day weekend this week, but it was my first week back to work after vacation. Originally I thought it would be good timing, but it was truly a "semaine des quatre jeudi", or in English a "week of four Thursdays". But now the weekend is here, and I'm ready to get journaling, creating, and completing my travel journal/scrapbook.

There's lots more news to come very shortly on my blog, but I can't tell you just yet. Aren't I a terrible tease?!

I hope that you have a great weekend, no matter how long it is, and enjoy every single moment of it!

Crop & Create Ottawa was an incredible experience

Friday morning after arriving home from our vacation at the cottage, I sat down to my laptop as usual and perused the usual...Facebook, Google Reader. I thought about how lovely our vacation was, and how even though I packed up some scrapbook and art journal materials, I hardly did anything creative while up there.

And then I got a notification for a group I'm in. It had a new post, and I checked it out right away. I was thrilled to read that the owner of Loonie 4 scrapbooking was looking for someone to take her spot at Crop & Create in Ottawa, and it started that day! She was offering it to the first person who replied, and I had to say, I scooped that baby up so quick! The owner contacted me right away to arrange the transfer of registration.

I had only found out about Crop & Create coming to Ottawa in August, and it was already sold out. So this opportunity to go was such a nice surprise! I cannot say enough about the owner's generosity in giving this wonderful gift! It just goes to show that women in the scrapbooking community are truly a reflection of the best qualities we possess. I contacted my friends to let them know I'd be there. It turned out that we were taking a class together too, and we got to sit together for the cropping on Saturday.

Here are a few layouts that I did during my adventure this weekend:

This layout was created for one of the challenges

I love using Fall pictures for warm layouts

My fave layout from the weekend

Learning from Vicki, Kelly and Catherine was a real pleasure. I learned so many techniques, such as tissue encasing, tape binding, and making an adorable fridge magnet from a Maya Road bottle cap and sticker sheets. (Catherine it truly was the best make & take EVER!)

I really hope that they come back to Ottawa again in the near future. It won't be the last time I go to an event they've organized. The location was ideal, and the organizing team had everything running so seamlessly that we quite often forgot about how much work went into it all. If you get a chance to attend a Crop & Create, take it! You will not regret it, and you'll be hooked and waiting for the next event.

Time to unwind...and news!

I'm ready. So ready to take a vacation with my husband away from the hustle and bustle of my job, the city, life. We are both eager to spend some real time together to enjoy each other's company and get out into nature. Just thinking about it brought my mind back to a hike we did together not all that long ago. So I scrapped it as my submission for this week's The Color Room layout. Here's the palette:

I love that he doesn't mind having pages with his photos surrounded by flowers. He's rugged but sentimental I guess.

And have you heard the news? I'm the new blog coordinator for Creative Scrappers. It's such a thrill to be working with these talented ladies. Mad skills I tell you. Mad. I'm sure going to enjoy soaking in all the inspiration!

So while I am away, I'll definitely be bringing my art journal materials with me, some scrapbook supplies too, and I'll be letting loose the creativity that is locked up inside me right now. I'm quite sure that I'll have several more nature-inspired layouts coming.

Hope you have an amazing week!

I scraplifted... myself! Digital to Paper

I used to think that I would never scrapbook using paper. Digitally I could resize photos and crop them in an instant. I could resize elements to fit the layout. I could layer and shadow and make anything look realistic. But there is one thing that I learned today that I never understood until today. Despite being able to create a layout that looks virtually like a paper layout, it was not as satisfying as creating the same layout with paper.

Oh sure, I wish I had an abundance of items on hand to almost replicate what I did digitally, but the accomplishment I feel after having spent time looking through my stash for the right paper, the right spray, the perfect elements, well it's awesome. I sat down and looked at what I had in front of me, and I used what I had on hand, and what I didn't, I manage to improvise. And I love the final product.

Here's the original layout done about a year ago, digitally using Photoshop CS3:

It was definitely a challenge making this layout using a variety of elements from different designers and trying to get a cohesive feeling from it. I really loves the final product. That's why I decided to scraplift it. And here's the result (click the photo for a larger image):

I loved working with the leaf skeletons and the different flowers, and ribbons. I had a lot of fun, winding that rope through the title as well. I had done it digitally before but this was a first for paper.

It's not an exact replica obviously. I took a two photo layout and made it one photo. I changed the title location. I used slightly different colours. But I love it. I'm definitely going to put this one in a shadow box and frame it. I love this photo, and remembering the day and how perfect the light was.

I really hope you think about scraplifting yourself and seeing how you can change something up, especially if your style has changed over the years.

Hope you had a good weekend, and stay tuned for more fun later this week!

A simply lovely gift tag!

I have a lovely quick project to show off today. I've loved working with Scrap'n with Flair's September kit featuring A Ladies' Diary by Graphics 45. It's perfectly vintage and feminine.

This weekend I made a quick tag using the papers and some beautiful flowers from I am Roses. I made a video of the process so that you can play along.

Here's the final product:

I'm definitely loving these tags! They are quick elegant gifts for friends, or decorations for my craft room.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Mini wallet album - fast and great for gifts!

Happy Sunday everyone! I've been having some fun working a little project that would be quick and easy, and make a great gift for co-workers or friends. It's a mini wallet album that holds no less than 13 journal tags or photo mattes and uses one sheet of 12X12 paper to make the wallet. Super simple!

I learned how to make this by watching a video from Stephanie (With a Grin) on You Tube. She did a fabulous job of showing off just how pretty you can make these, so I decided to give it a shot. I created the wallet using supplies from the Scrap'n with Flair September kit  which features Graphic 45's A Ladies' Diary, and a few extras I had in my stash. This mini looks gorgeous using simple pieces of paper, tags and stickers.

The mini wallet album closed up using some ribbon for a closure

The front holds 3 tags for journaling or photos

Behind the tags is a larger tag for photos or journaling

When you open up the wallet, you find two pretty pages

One with a pretty little tag

And a larger journal tag with photo matte on back sitting in a pocket behind

And the other pretty page with its journal tag and photo matte

Inside the side pouch are two pretty photo mattes/journal tags

And in the other side pouch are also two pretty tags for photos or journaling

The back of the wallet has a place for three pretty tags

One of the pretty tags in the back pocket

I can see that making these mini wallet albums could end up being quite addicting. You should definitely try it out!

Did you like this little project? Have questions about it? Let me know in the comments and I'll give you the answers you are looking for.

Have a great weekend and we'll see you again soon with another fun project!

A new mini art journal - a ladies' diary

I have a confession to make. Every since I was a kid, I've been addicted to all things small. Anything and everything miniature got my attention, what little there was of it. Mini-books were no exception. I had to have every kind of small notebook there was around, including my own small diary complete with lock and key. I never wrote in that diary. Well, okay, I wrote a few entries. But I can actually remember as a young child being drawn to small notebooks. Things to scribble in, draw in, or just hold.

So it's no wonder really that I've got more than half a dozen art journals on the go, or ready to go, and a couple of home-made smash-like books. I love them all! None of them go wasted. Each has its purpose.

And so what did I make today with my kit from Scrap'n with Flair? You got it! A notebook, art journal, junk journal - whatever you want to call it. This one is a little less than 6 inches square.

This month's kit features A Ladies' Diary from Graphic 45. Now I know why they call G45 "crack" for fussy cutters. It's the kind of paper that you don't want to waste a single piece of. The designs are beautiful and classic with their dusty rose, cream and teal. Beautiful soft vintage papers. So of course, I had to get out my detail scissors so that I could fussy cut out the title of my new journal. And I kept all the little individual bits of paper left over from making the journal. Including some wonderful little accent cut-outs like the ones that adorn the front cover. Then I used Glossy Accents to hit the small dogwood flowers in the large image and the title. I also put some on the gentleman's corsage for dimension.

I love how the lady on the right is looking at the couple. 

I had ordered my Cinch book binding tool a while back but today I used it for the first time and love it! So easy to work with. So I made up this art journal with various papers, some watercolour paper, some ephemera (which I can tear out to use on a layout), some music sheet paper, maps, book paper, scrapbook paper, kraft paper. In all there are probably well over 100 pages. I cannot wait to use this little beauty. I think it will be a combo art journal/idea book. You'll undoubtedly see layouts in it from time to time on my blog.

Now given that it's the long weekend, you might not see the kit on the store website yet, but it will be there and you will want to pick it up.

Twice as nice

A few posts back, I told you about my scrapping day at Auntie Em's in Cornwall. When I went to the crop, I really didn't have a few select photos to choose from to scrapbook. I had quite a few prints with me from our latest trip to Quebec. I had already scrapped one, but I thought I'd pull out a couple more that I liked and make a more elaborate page with them.

Only once I got home did I realize that I had already scrapped one of the photos with the same Prima Song Bird collection. At first I thought "Doh!" but then I realized that I guess that says that I really love that photo, and cherish that moment. So it's not a foible after all. It's just twice as nice.

Have you ever made more than one layout using the same photo? On purpose? What were your reasons?

What a lovely evening, spent reminiscing

It's been a gloriously quiet night here at home so far. I don't think I can remember a night this quiet in our neighbourhood in a long time. It got me to thinking about some of the simple things in life, like a beautiful sunset, the songs of the crickets, and a sweet song that I used to sing to my niece when she was a baby.

It's a wonderful tune by Natalie Merchant that I heard once on a talk show. I instantly fell in love with it -- its simplicity, its melody, its whimsy. I bought the children's CD and listened to that song over and over. And when my niece was born, it was the first lullaby I ever sang to her.

I hope one day to teach her the song so that she can sing it to a special little girl as well.

Here are the lyrics:

I once loved a sailor, once a sailor loved me,
But he was not a sailor, who sailed on the wide blue sea
He sailed in an airship, sailed like a bird on the wind
And every evening at midnight, he would come to my window and sing:

Come take a trip in my airship, come sail away to the stars.
We'll travel to Venus, we'll sail away to Mars.
Noone will see while we’re kissing, noone will know as we swoon.
So come take a trip in my airship, and we’ll visit the man in the moon.

One night sailing a-way from the clouds
We passed through the milky white way.
While idly drifting and watching the crowds
he asked if I’d name the day.
Just by the dipper I gave him my heart. 
The sun shone on our honeymoon.
We swore to each other we never would part
And we’d teach all the babies this tune:

Come take a trip in my airship, come sail away to the stars.
We'll travel to Venus, we'll sail away to Mars.
Noone will see while we’re kissing, noone will know as we swoon.
So come take a trip in my airship, and we’ll visit the man in the moon.


Have a listen, and have a great weekend!

Weekend fun...I need another weekend to recoup

Who knew that scrapbooking all day could be so tiring? I certainly didn't. But I will tell you, it was totally worth the 1.5 hr drive, and the Sunday to rest and recover. Visiting Auntie Em's Scrapbooking store in Cornwall was the most fun I have had in a long time. It was a blast! And I got so much done, both projects and learning. 

Prima was sponsoring this crop and provided a beautiful goodie bag for our donation. And I did most of my projects using what I got from that bag of scrapbooking goodness. 

Of course I had to bring a notebook with me to alter. So I used the Prima Annalee paper we got, as well as just a few of the flowers, some Prima crystals, and lace.

Altered Composition Notebook

 And of course, I had to try my hand at a tag. This one uses Prima's Songbird stamp and Prima flowers, as well as Annalee paper that I distressed on the edges.

Art tag

 Then I pulled out some of the Moulin Rouge papers, and more flowers to scrap my dog Nanouk. He's so photogenic!

And last but not least, I used another Annalee paper and fussy cut my husband and I out of a picture that had a busy background, and did a layout of our latest trip to Quebec. Gotta love the Starbucks at the Chateau Frontenac!

I also did a layout using the Song bird collection of papers, flowers, alphas, etc. that I brought to the crop. I'll show that one off a little later.

I'm so glad that I attended the crop because I found a wonderful store (somewhat local) and met some amazing ladies that day. It was a long day but so worth it in the end!

Oh so romantic Quebec!

This past week I had printed off a few photos at Costco with the intention of actually scrapbooking them, rather than be satisfied with only digital copies of the pictures, and some digital layouts. And I really wanted to scrapbook our last visit to Quebec with my husband's father. He took some really nice photographs of us, which we rarely get, and it was high time to have something of the two of us on paper.

I really like this photograph of the two of us, ready to head out on another day, our last in Quebec, just inside the walls. There were tons of potted flowers hanging from the walls, and old lamps and buildings. It just oozes romance in Quebec. Hence the title of the page.

I used the Song Bird collection from Prima, primarily because it's so soft and romantic, and I happened to stock up on it when it was released. I love the colour scheme and the delicate patterns.

 The only thing that I'm not thrilled with is that Costco doesn't print small prints. The smallest print size is 4X6 inches. That's okay, but I have to consider how I'm going to crop the photo afterwards. So I printed this one off my inkjet printer at home instead.

I'd really like to work with some Instagram photos and some of the cute sizes, like 3X3 inches, with a small polaroid-like frame. I'm on the hunt for an online company that does it.

The bottom cluster. I had to use a bit of pink!

Do you scrapbook romantic pictures? Do you frame them, or just keep them in an album? And if you know of an online print company that prints odd-sized photos and ships to Canada, I'd really love to hear about them.

Have an amazing Sunday and I hope you all have a great week ahead of you!

Get the mojo back with a quick project!

Had those days when you feel like you've lost your creative mojo? Boy have I! Here's a little project I did, just to get me going again. Have you ever considered doing something as simple as altering a notebook? This notebook was created for a swap I recently took part in.

A simple notebook altered with scrapbook paper and
clusters of elements 

closeup of the top cluster. I adore the little butterflies!

Detail of the bottom cluster

I primarily used the Plumeria line for this altered project. It is part of the July kit and add-on from Scrap'n with Flair. You may still be able to get one if they have a couple in stock. And of course I had to use a lot of Prima flowers. Love them!

So when your mojo has run away, bring it back running with a quick altered notebook project.

Photogenic: Loving Nanouk

How could I not scrapbook this gorgeous photo of our photogenic Nanouk. He makes every page more beautiful!

Using Scrap'n with Flair's July kit: Basic Grey Plumeria, Prima flowers
pebbles, crystals, and button and I am Roses flowers.

Hope you are enjoying an amazing long weekend!