NotLeftStanding

Design Diva's FaceBook Group OBG Blog Hop

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I know it's high time I dust off my blog here as it's been FOREVER since I got crafty. I've been so overwhelmed with a SERIOUS reorganization and purge of ALL my crafting supplies that until recently has been spread out between my bedroom, living room and god only knows where else.

I. Just. Couldn't. Function. Anymore.

Know what I mean? I'm still not done yet but I sure miss playing with paper and glue.

So today, I'm hopping along with the talented ladies of the Facebook DIVAs blogging group and forced myself to actually finish something! The theme of the hop is Oldies But Goodies (OBG). The rules are to create an item (card, scrapbook page, framed art, etc.) using at least 1 item in your supplies that you not used for 6 months or more. Join us every 3rd Wednesday each month for a blog hop.

You've arrived here from Maria's blog. If you've arrived here mistakenly and would like to begin at the very beginning, click on over to Carloyn's blog.

Here's my layout of my sweet little niece who is now almost 2 and half years old today but in this layout, this was her very first Thanksgiving with her extended family back in 2009.

I call this old school since I employed NONE of the trends of what's hot today, i.e. no banners, no cleverly placed mixture of strips of lace, patterned papers, border punched strips, etc. The funny thing is that I still like what I like. I can't tell you the last time I was able to reach all my embellishments that I've worked so hard on organizing into drawers and containers, all to be blocked by larger boxes stacked in front of them for years. Yes, I function really well in "organized" messes but I can't tell you how well I'm breathing now with all this space I've been creating for myself with this huge purge I'm undergoing.

I don't care that no one's using chipboard anymore, but I thought these little chipboard phrases were darling and the color was perfect to match with the Basic Grey Indian Summer floral print. Somehow I even found a glittery K & Co red chipboard "K" for my niece's name. I totally forgot about the Maya Road Sheers I used to love so dearly back in the day when they were all the rage. I decided to use one called "This month..." to document all of K's 6 month firsts.

Here's a detailed close up shot of my hand cutting. I still love doing that as it's a great way to tie in elements and color schemes of a page. Here I couldn't resist that vintage polka dot whispy flower from a Prima patterned paper to give this layout that features my baby niece a more decidedly feminine flair to it. I decided to add a few of those burgandy wine berry blossoms twiggy things from the BG Indian Summer patterned paper and layer it all on top of a felt Prima twig sticker I had laying around for hopefully a fall / autumn and yet girly feel.

Ha ha! What fun it was to pull out my mom's sewing machine to give it whirl!! I sewed the borders on the left side to give it some added texture. I can't thank my friend Kari enough for giving me her left over sienna ribbon that is so rich and silky. I thought it was perfect for this layout!

It feels soo good to be scrapping again. Maybe the next one I'll get with the program and employ lots of banners and textured strips of decorative media like everyone else is doing nowadays. But for now, it sure was fun playing with all my old toys that I've been stashing away as if I was going to take it all with me after this lifetime. ;-p

Thanks to my friends of the Design Diva's for getting me to actually take time to play and create.

Thanks for stopping by! Click on over to Angie's blog now.

"Treasure Always"
Paper: Bo Bunny, MM, Prima & BG Indian Summer PP's; Bazzil CS
Embellishments: Prima Felt Stalk & Flower; Maya Road Journaling Sheers; Lil Davis Small Chipboard Phrases; K&Co Chipboard Glitter Alpha; Misc Silk Ribbon from my friend Kari
Tools: Fiskars Border Punch; Sewing Machine

La-La Land Inspiration Monday {Lace, Pearls & Punches}

2011-06-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, Monday........I'll admit, Monday's aren't my favorite days but it's Inspiration Monday over on the La-La Land Crafts Blog again. :)

This week, I decided to play with Dress Up Marci since our challenge was to use Lace, Pearls and Punches. Isn't she just perfect for this?

You can get Dress Up Marci as a rubber stamp or as a digi-stamp at the La-La Land Crafts Shop.

Copics Used:
Skin: E00, E11, R20
Hair: W25, E31, E50
Hat & Dress: R81, R83, R85
Flower on Hat: Purple Prismacolor Pencils

Thanks for popping my blog and don't forget to check out the other DT creations over at the blog today and again on Friday.

Happy Monday Everyone!

"When I Grow Up, I Want to Be Just Like You"
Paper: Creative Imaginations IOX PP; Neenah Solar White 80# CS, Bazzil CS
Stamps: La-La Land Craft "Dress Up Marci"; Phrase is Verve
Accessories: Copic Markers, Spellbinders ?; SU Pop Dots; Prima Ribbon & Lace, Kaiser Pearls; Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch

From Our Hearts: Another 199 for Our Troops

2011-06-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Will my purging ever end? lol, it seems card fronts from my SU Demo Days are coming out of my ears. I'm tackling a new closet of boxes and I found another couple of ziplock bags worth of card fronts made back in the day when I was an Uber Hostess of SU Demo Only Swaps. That was many years ago and I no longer need my card fronts, so what a better way to make use of them than to donate them to a wonderful cause.

Will you believe I just counted 199 of these? Whoa!

I'm also sending along a good portion of non standard sized cards made and donated by my friend Marina F also for the FOH volunteers to salvage/alter into standard sized usable cards.

2011 Donations = 598

2010 Donations = 751

La-La Land Sports Collection Release Party Blog Hop

2011-06-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to La-La Land Sports Collection Release Blog Hop for the release of another super cute series of SIX new Marci and Luka stamps.

If you didn't just arrive from Jeanette’s Blog then be sure to head on back to the La-La Land Crafts Blog for the full details.

You'll want to leave a comment on every blog you visit along the way to be eligible to win a $25 Gift Certificate to our store.

I got to play with the new Soccer Luka stamp here with some Pink Paisley Bayberry Cottage PP's.

Copics Used:
Skin: E00, E11, R20
Hair: E25, E31, E50
Uniform: Y17, C3, C5, C7
Shoes: C3, C5, C7 & White Paint Pen

I'm a fan of sketches and really loved this one from Splitcoast so based my card layout on this SCS Card Sketch #322

Yes, I took a small liberty with the sketch. :) Now keep on hopping to see what Cindy has for you today, and be sure to comment on ALL the blogs for a chance to win the $25 Gift Certificate!

Good luck and enjoy the hop everyone!

"So Proud of You Little Man"
Paper: Pink Paisley Bayberry Cottage PP, Bazzil CS & Neenah Solar White 80# CS
Stamps: La-La Land Crafts Soccer Luca; Verve Phrase Stamps
Accessories: Copic Markers, Spellbinders Mega Labels #8; MFT Cloud Die

La-La Land Inspiration Monday {A Touch of Red}

2011-06-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

It's Inspiration Monday on the La-La Land Crafts Blog and this week the DT challenge is to add a Touch of Red.

Here's what I made this week using the Marci with Flower Pot which you can get as a rubber stamp or as a digi-stamp.

Copics Used:
Skin: E00, E11, R20
Hair: W25, E31, E50
Blue Jeans: B91, B95, B97
Top/Hair Band: Prisma Color Crimson Red
Shovel: C3, C5, C7

Thanks for popping my blog and don't forget to check out the other DT creations over at the blog today and again on Friday.

Happy Monday Everyone!

"Sunshine Radiates Warmth, Cheer & Happiness"
Size of Card: 5x7
Paper: Crate Paper PP & Neenah Solar White 80# CS
Stamps: La-La Land Crafts Marci with Flower Stamp
Embellishments: Misc Scalloped Wooden Heart Button, Twine; Crate Paper Frame & Printed Phrase
Accessories: Copic Markers, Spellbinders Labels One

La-La Land Inspiration Monday {Buttons And/Or Bows}

2011-06-06T02:14:00.000-07:00

It's Inspiration Monday on the La-La Land Crafts Blog and this week the DT challenge is to add Buttons and / or bows to our projects.

Here's what I made this week using the Marci Ballerina which you can get as a rubber stamp or as a digi-stamp.

Copics Used:

Hair: E39
Skin: E00, E11, R20
Tutu & Roses: R81, R85
Leaves: G14

Here's a different angle so you can see her pretty vintage ivory buttons that complement her dainty tutu. :) She's so soo cute!!

Thanks for popping my blog and don't forget to check out the other DT creations over at the blog today and again on Friday.

Happy Monday Everyone!

"I'm so Proud of Who You've Become"
Paper: BG Eva PP; Neenah Solar White 80# CS, Bazzil CS
Stamps: La-La Land Craft "Marci Ballerina"; Phrase is MFT
Accessories: Copic Markers, Spellbinders Ovals and Scalloped Ovals; Double Sided Tape; SU Pop Dots; Offray Ribbon, Maya Road Pins, Prima Flowers; Heidi Swapp and Michaels $1 Bin Bling; Misc Button

La-La Land Memorial Day Sale

2011-05-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

We decided to add something SWEET to your long Memorial Day weekend :-)

SALE, SALE, SALE!!!!

From now until Monday, May 30th when you enter a discount code MEMORIALDAY during your checkout, you can receive a 10% discount on all of the orders over $50.00!! Digis INCLUDED!!

Click HERE to go shopping!!

La-La Land Summer 2011 Release Party Blog Hop

2011-05-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to La-La Land Crafts Summer Time Collection Release Blog Hop! Today we are gearing up for summer with our new Design Team Members (me included!) and the release of SIX new Marci and Luka stamps, three each!

Yep!! That's a TOOT for me!! I’m so EXCITED that Irina has asked me to join her FABULOUS DT!!! I've loved Marci, especially, every since her inception last year and am tickled pink to be a part of this company.

If you didn't just arrive from Becca's blog, then be sure to head on back to the La-La Land Crafts Blog for the full details.

You'll want to leave a comment on every blog you visit along the way to be eligible to win one each of the 6 new stamps in the Summertime collection.

I'm so excited to be a part of the kick off for this release. How cute are all these new images?

I got to play with the adorable Summer Luka stamp and here's my 3D diorama card with Luka all suited up for a day out in the ocean with all his fishy friends using Scenic Route's Snorkel patterned papers.

Here's a detailed shot of Summer Luka with (what I hope are) the beginnings of a sunburn. :)

Copics Used:
Hair: YR20, YR21, E31
Skin: E00, E11, R20
Shorts: Prismacolor Crimson Red, 0 Blender
Turtle: G14, Y38
Flippers/Goggles: B02, B04

And here's a close up of the different layers of elements of my diorama scene card. Can you see the school of fish that I added? I really loved this Snorkel line and am finally glad I got to use it. I think they go great with Luka in his snorkel gear!

I followed the tutorial for this diorama card on SCS but altered the dimensions to fit my needs. Mainly, I wanted a large enough opening to expose the fishy designs on the CC Snorkel Paper to show through, so it had the dimensions were fitted around the #3 die of my Spellbinder Curved Rectangular die set. So I made mine taller with my opening portrait instead of landscape like most of the examples in the tutorial and gallery to accommodate the size of SB die. The dimensions of my card are 4.5" tall and 5" wide.

And speaking of Summer Luka in his snorkel gear, check him out:

Now keep on hopping to see what Cindy has for you today, and be sure to comment on ALL the blogs for a chance to win one these cuties!

Good luck and enjoy the hop, everyone!

"I wish, I wish to be a fish"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Snorkel PP; BG Lollipop PP; Neenah Solar White 80# CS
Stamps: La-La Land Craft "Summer Luka"
Accessories: Copic Markers, Spellbinders Curved Rectangles; Double Sided Tape; SU Pop Dots

Look Hula's Turning TWO??

2011-05-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Awww, my niece is 2 today. I remember meeting her in the hospital when she was just barely 30 minutes old and it freaked me out to see the nurse holding her underneath the faucent by just one armpit while giving her her first bath.

When my sis in law told me that she was planning on a luau theme, I came across this Anya stamp from The Greeting Farm and just thought it would be PERFECT for invitations!!

Unfortunately, I got a bit derailed in my personal life the first couple of months of the year and never got around to actually working on them. :((((

I finally dusted off my Copics and made this little hula girl inspired card. Her birthday luau was a blast this past weekend!

I'm proud of myself for shopping out of my own stash entirely for the making of this card, which is in keeping with my New Year's Resolution:

Obviously there was a reason why I was coveting SO MUCH Basic Grey Lollipop - remember THAT line? Because one day I was going to make cards for my niece! Lol! I loved it back then and I still love it now. These colors actually match the decor of her party. I drew in a few more bangs to make her look a bit more like my little niece. :)

I also was able to dig up some really pretty satin hem like ribbon in my stash from Making Memories. Remember these from back in the days? Again, I must use what I covet! The green bluish daiquiri was perfect for this card!

I was inspired by two challenges in the making of this card.

1) Verve April Week #2 Card Sketch

2) The Pink Elephant #100 "Favorite Color Combo, Polka Dots and Crinkle Ribbon" Challenge

I put this one together rather quickly since this is my first crafty project in awhile and thus I couldn't find A LOT of my tools, i.e. where is my CM corner rounder? So a lot of this was hand cut by just eye balling it. I had also lent out Big Shot so I was tracing a lot of my dies (Spellbinders and MFT) for some of the decorative accents. Ahhh, little girl is worth it! :)

Happy Birthday little girl!

"Look Hula's Turning 2?"
Paper: BG Lollipop PP, Bazzil CS & Neenah Solar White 80# CS
Stamps: The Greeting Farm "Sing" Hula Anya
Embellishments: MM Ribbon; Michaels Dollar Bin Bling & Heidi Swapp Bling;
Accessories: Copic Markers, Spellbinders Ovals; MFT Ric Rac Die

Copics Used:
Hair: C3, C5, C7, C9
Skin: E00, E11, R20
Ukelele: E25
Dress: B04, BG13
Flower: R20, R85

Design Diva's FaceBook Group OBG Blog Hop

2011-05-18T08:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Facebook DIVAs blogging group's Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop. The theme of the hop is Oldies But Goodies (OBG). The rules are to create an item (card, scrapbook page, framed art, etc.) using at least 1 item in your supplies that you not used for 6 months or more.

***Unfortunately, ladies, I'm running behind and will have my project up later on in the week. ***

You've arrived here from Sharri's blog

and will continue on to Heather's blog.

Thanks for stopping by! So sorry I'm running behind!

From Our Hearts: 133 Cards for our Troops for a Win-Win-Win!!

2011-05-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive folks, just spreading myself really thin physically with my pursuit of both power vinyasa and bikram hot yoga the past couple of months. I'm trying to regain some balance by not pushing myself so hard, but I do hate regressing when I take time off. At the same time, I don't think I can survive much more if I keep going 4-6 times per week like I have been doing, lol.

I'm thankful that I had scheduled a crafting day with my niece and her girl scout troop at the end of last year for the end of March because it literally served as a tether to pull me back into the paper crafting world. My niece and her friends earned the "Caring and Sharing" badge for assembling 133 cards for our troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. I'll be forwarding these Father's Day themed cards over to Martie at From Our Hearts as soon as my order of clear cellophane bags comes in from clear bags.

One thing I've learned from scrapping with my now 8 year old niece is to keep it simple and sweet so that they still have fun without making them feel like they were in a labor camp. In the end, I made card kits using up TONS of my stash and a greeting stamp from Verve.

Here's my niece and her baby sister assembling the card kits with her girl scout troop. :)

These girls and my nephew who decided to join his sisters definitely got seriously to work!

Yah!!! All finished!! Time for the Sharing and Caring part of the meeting and on their way to earn their new badge!! Thanks Girls!! You did a GOOD DEED!!

And *FINALLY* these cards were mailed by Auntie Ching on May 6th, hopefully in time for Martie and her volunteers to process and forward to our overseas troops in time for Father's Day.

Nothing but a Win-Win-Win for all involved.

WIN #1 - Chino Hills Girl Scout Troop #5114 - had a fun time earning their Caring and Sharing Badge

WIN #2 - From Our Hearts - receives a contribution of 133 Father's Day Cards

WIN #3 - Me!!I used up

78 sheets of old old OLD 12 x 12 patterned paper from
- Marks Paper
- KI
- SEI Be Bop
- Upsy Daisy

70 sheets of cardstock

35 sheets of white cardstock to line the inside of dark colored cards for card writing purposes
-----------

183 TOTAL sheets of paper!! <-----def was one of my new years' resolution, to use up and not buy!

Now why is my expedit shelf STILL heaving though?

2011 Donations = 399

2010 Donations = 751

From Our Hearts: 266 Cards for Our Troops

2011-05-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

I love the power of Facebook especially when it comes to spreading the word about a good deed and organization that I'm passionate about supporting.

I 've offered to collect any handmade cards and mail them off to From Our Hearts on their behalf.

Apparently, my friends do pay attention to my FB status' and have offered to donate their handmade cards too to From Our Hearts, which is a fully certified 501(c)(3) non profit that collects full cards in addition to card fronts to ship to our servicemen/women serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I want to acknowledge and thank my local crop organizer, Julia, who so kindly passed on my pet project to all those on her evite list.

At the recentJanuary crop, I did get to talk/meet several ladies who thought this too was a great way to use up their supplies and do a great thing at the same time, so hopefully, at future crops, there will be more donations. A huge thank you to both Tammy and Michelle for donating their combined 7 handmade cards.

Next up is Marina, the sister of one of my good friends who introduced us due to our shared crafty hobby. Marina apparently is an avid card maker, saw my posts no FB, and wanted to donate a stash of completed cards. I recently got together with her and her friends for a card making day and look what she donated?

Silly girl, she thinks there's about 80 cards. Her final tally? 259 cards!!

To help out Martie and her volunteers with their processing time, I've tried to help by:

Sending an itemized list of # of cards and theme types for their IRS reporting purposes

Packaging each folding card with a matching envelope and FOH label in a cello bag so that they'll be ready to go directly into their sorting bins upon arrival.

What a great start for 2011 so far!!

2011 Donations = 266
2010 Donations = 751

I urge you to take a look at From Our Hearts and see if you can donate too....cards, envelopes, clear envelopes or even paypal money to help them send those boxes of greeting cards to our troops. It's a small but heartfelt way to thank our troops for their service to our country.

{Everyone, I'm catching up on blogging (today is May 10th) and crafting. This post was supposed to have gone up at the end of January 2011.}

Yay!! I'm a "Sweet Five" @ By LORi's Designs

2011-01-26T14:25:00.000-08:00

Yay!! Thank you to Lori and her Design Team at By LORi Designs for choosing my card as one of your "Sweet Five" for the BLD1 Challenge. I didn't win the "Top Lollipop" but you sure have motivated me to keep on creating and playing along with your challenges.

Here's the card that won the honors:

Soo cool to have a toot so soon back into the game. Yay me!

Project Scrap Organization: Go for Broke! Clean Sweep Time

2011-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Do I want to start small or go for broke?

I'm going for broke!! Yes, I'm sick of my own excesses!! I've watched enough Clean Sweep and Oprah shows to know that the best way is to take everything out of the room and start from scratch. I boxed everything up without a care of what was inside. Goal, get it out! Sort later.

Then, one evening at a time, I'll tackle as many boxes as I can to sort to put all like items together because I need to see exactly how much of everything I really do have. In the past several months, Ive been especially enthused when I discovered several opportunities to sell off my belongings at scrap yard sales at local crop gatherings, etc. This past December, I think within two crops and a few ebay sales, I grossed approximately $174? Not bad for turning junk into cash!

Here's my process:

Take everything out of the room by putting everything in boxes.
Sort one box at a time into the following piles:

Keep: Put it with like items that already has a home
Donate: Put them in designated boxes for various charities. Mail/drop off to the charity within the same week.
Sell: Put them in designated boxes and devote any available down time to label and price the items for the next scrap sale opportunity.

This process, albeit it's just one blog posting, in actuality has taken me several months to complete. I wish I could take a week off from work to just concentrate on this. So I'm not following Wookiemouse's recommended process per se but using the method that works best for me with my time constraints. But I'd like to think I'm going for broke, just over a period of time.

Here's what the living room looks like now with everything taken out of my closets, lol. (You have no idea how embarrassed I am to share this.)

Yes, I need to get all of this stuff into ONE room. Think I can do it? I sure hope so!

NOTE: Follow along my organization journey every other Monday here on my Scrap Room Organization Page on my blog.

Design Divas Blog Hop with adorable "Avery"

2011-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm obviously on crafty overdrive this week as this is my 2nd card in a week! Eek! Call me an overachiever because this sweet ballerina card was inspired by a few challenges.

But the reason why I'm extra crafty this week is because I'm participating in a blog hop with a wonderful group of ladies, the Design Divas over at SplitCoast Stampers, who recently welcomed me into their group a few weeks ago. Join us every 3rd Wednesday each month for a blog hop. For January, our Oldies but Goodies Blog Hop's objective is to brush off our stamps that haven't been used for at least 6 months. Lol, in my case, that's super easy since that applies to most of my stash.

**BLOG HOP LOGISTICS**
You just came from Angie's blog.
Sue's Blog <-------This is where it all starts
Up Next -------> Go to Linda's blog.
Hopefully you've arrived on my blog from Angie's blog. If you didn't and arrived here first, then you will want to head on over to Sue's blog for the start of the hop. There are 30 of us participating. :) I'm #23, which is my lucky number. Yay!

Ok, so here's darling Avery in all her ballerina cuteness. Avery is a digital image designed by Lori Boyd, owner of By LoRi Designs, who I've been a fan of every since we were on the same Design Team with the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog a few years ago. Avery is part of Lori's Puddle Jumper series and she can be yours over at Claudia & Company.

The sentiment is from a, now retired, Verve set called Munchkin Phrases. And yep, I'm still obsessed with making do with the Cosmo Cricket DeLovely paper scraps my friend Gen gave me. Lol, I think I'm about done with it because it's all down to tiny little scraps now.

As previously mentioned, I'm killing 2 birds with 1 stone with this card:

BLD1 Color Challenge of Pinks, Greens, Blues over at By LoRi Designs requiring the use of one of her images.

Verve January Week #2 Card Sketch

As always, lol, I do take liberties with the challenges with my own interpretations.

I had fun coloring the image in with Copics. I don't have that many, as I've been buying colors very carefully and with purpose. My shading is getting better but my dream is to color "hair" as expertly as Lori and her DT's do.

Practice makes perfect. I just need to find my patience. :)

Ahh, it's been like a rushed baptism by fire all this week as I've quickly learned how to work with digital images (printing, ink drying, paper type, resizing), making rolled flowers (see my previous card post) and coloring with Copics all for the first time....in a looong time. Whew! Lol, but I'm smiling from ear to ear because I've definitely found my mojo along with feeling the joy about crafting again. :)

Now, off you go to Linda's blog. Thanks for visiting my blog and hope you come back soon. Toodles!

"Princess of Quite A Lot"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Delovely PP & Elements DieCuts; Joann's CS: Neenah Solar White 80# CS
Stamps:By Lori Designs "Avery" Puddle Jumper; Verve "Munchkin Phrases" Sentiments
Embellishments: Embellish-It Pink Satin Ribbon; Michaels Dollar Bin Bling;
Accessories: SB Mega 8; Copic Markers; SU Positively Pink Dye Ink; SU Curly Label, Designer Label & Med Oval Punches

Gettin' my Verve On!

2011-01-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

I've been a long time fan of Verve stamps and finally took the plunge last month during their end of the year sale when a good number of their stamps were 50% off and I had a coupon code for another 10% off. What a great way to use up the last of my ebay money.

Here's a quick card I made at my crop yesterday using the Cosmo Cricket's DeLovely line and this Verve Psalm 37:4 Plain Jane biblical verse stamp.

Here's the Viva La Verve sketch I used for my inspiration:

I obviously took liberty with some of the proportions of the panels in my interpretation. I "think" that's ok. :) I had a lot of fun with this one because I finally got to use my Rolled Rose and Rolled Flower Die-matics from My Favorite Things.

I've loved this DeLovely paperline when I saw it a couple of months ago, so I was very glad to take this packet of mostly small scraps and few large pieces from my friend Gen to see what I could make out of it. I thought it was a creative way to use all those itty bitty scraps I had with the MFT Die-namics. :)

Here's a look at my pretty pleated silver grey ribbon that I got from MFT :)

Hopefully, I'll have a few more finished items to share this coming week. Do check back this coming Wednesday as I'm participating in a blog hop with my Design Divas group.

"Delight Yourself in the Lord"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Delovely PP & Elements; Joann's CS
Stamps:Verve Psalm 37:4 Plain Jane
Embellishments: Pleated Grey Ribbon MFT; Heidi Swapp Bling; Maya Roads Pins
Accessories: CTMH Ocean Dye Ink; SB Labels 3 & Mega 8; MFT Rolled Rose & Rolled Flower Die-namics; Mini Scalloped Decorative Scissors

A Thanksgiving Layout

2011-01-11T14:43:00.000-08:00

True to my resolutions, I made myself finish this one off that's been in various stages of "finish" the past year.

The picture is from the previous Thanksgiving with my siblings/cousins and their respective kids.

I fell in love with one of the contents from one of the past monthly kits (from Studio Calico I think?) and was inspired to scrap, so I went out to buy a few pieces of patterned papers from BG Indian Summer, Prima and 7 Gyspies to create this layout.

What's cool is that I also incorporated the velvet embossed ric rac ribbon, on the bottom of the layout, from one of Urban Anthology's past kits that I remember shopping for in the Garment District in Downtown LA with UA owner Kari a few summers ago.

And here's what's making me smile from ear to ear because I'm meeting one of my New Year's Resolutions with this ----> I actually pulled out an old old OLD stamp set since I needed a small "Thanksgiving" phrase for the MM Vintage findings tag to complete my layout. Will you believe that's one of those MM magnetic stamp sets from way back in the days?

Here's a close up of the sentiment which was just EXACTLY what I needed:

As you can see, I really had fun mixing the Prima flowers with the K&Co Que Sera Sera dimensional phrase stickers.

The turquoise rolled flower was handmade from punching out old dictionary paper using the ever elusive 6 petal flower punch. I love how fragile the dictionary paper and thus how the flower feels. I ended up spritzing it with some Glimmer Mist in xxx color so that it would blend in nicely with my color scheme. As a final touch, I rubbed some gold glitter on the top edges by applying some Stickles.
Tee hee, the beaded wired flower was a left over from a package of K&Co embellishments from back in the day when I was making hair clippies for my baby niece.
The white leaf stems were donated to me by my sweet friend Eva when I eyed them in her stash. I believe she had cut them on her Silhouette. Anyhoo, I decided to leave them a stark white for the much needed contrast for a crisper look.

Along the top border, I borrowed my friend Karen's Martha Stewart Jumbo border punch to create the velvety brown eyelet band across the top and was able to incorporate an old marigold K&Co journaling frame for some added color contrast with the strip of BG Indian Summer pp.

I definitely had fun with this one and really am happy with how it came out. Here are some more detailed shots of the dimension including a fluttering butterfly I punched using one of my newest (at the time) MS punches.

Here are a few more detailed shots.

Thanks for looking!

"Family"
Paper: 7 Gypsies ? PP; Prima "Island Beauty" PP; Basic Grey Indian Summer "Acorn" PP; Bazzil CS
Embellishments: Basic Grey Indian Summer Sticker Elements; K&Co Que Sera Sera Stitched Adornment Dimensional Stickers & Beaded Flowers; Prima Flowers and Leaves; Misc Velvet Brown Embossed Ric Rac Trim; K&Co Journaling Frame; MM Vintage Findings Scalloped Oval Tag; Pink Paisley Alpha Stickers; "Antique Gold" Stickles; ?? Glimmer Mist
Accessories: MM Magnetic Word Stamps; St; Silohuette Dies; Marvy 6 Petal Flower Punch; Aleene's Tacky Glue; MS Butterfly & Floral Vine Deep Edge Border Punch

Project Scrap Organization: Brainstorming for the Perfect Space

2011-01-10T17:58:00.000-08:00

So as you can see, I obviously fell off the organizational bandwagon since I first blogged about participating in Wookiemouse’s challenge waaaaay back in June of 2009. In my defense though, I’ve been purging through all of my possessions, not just scrappy stuff, like mad as if I were planning on moving out of the country. In this past year and a half, I’ve found so many wonderful non-profit organizations that would allow me to have a more direct impact towards those in need while fulfilling my own need to purge.

Clothes the Deal: They collect professional career clothing to empower women from battered shelters by providing appropriate dress so they interview for professional level positions.

Sierra Club / Adventure 16 Skid Row Hike for the Homeless: We collect and distribute warm clothing, blankets, food, tarps etc at midnight in Downtown LA to people and shelters we encounter.

From Our Hearts: They collect fully handmade cards, including card fronts that they will convert, for our troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Flip Swap: Their objective is to renew the (cell phone) equipment's life-cycle by enabling the re-use or recycling of exhausted products in order to prevent congestion of eWaste in our landfills.

Of course, I’ve given TONS away to Goodwill and libraries too in addition to participating in several successful Scrap Yard Sales which has turned my junk into cash. Wheee! To quote one of Oprah’s shows, it’s absolutely amazing to create so much (head and emotional) space by clearing out so much clutter.

So, I’m back to my crafting space now that I have more room to function in, so I'm picking up where I left off from last year.

This is what annoys me the most:

Lack of table space – cluttered with lamp base, laptop, printer, etc. No room to really spread out papers/projects.
Lack of floor space due to #1
Frequently used items are not within arms reach
Although, most items have been sorted, categorized, in identical storage and labeled, they are not housed together. They are spread out over 3 separate rooms and 2 floors of the house: all like items are not upstairs in one place with me.
Not really using the Expedit for best efficiency. Out of 25 cubed spaces, I’m only using 7 of them for oft used items.
Not enough lighting.
Space Audit – Cluttered, no table/floor space, frequently used items are not within reach, and

So, this week, the challenge is to figure out why the areas I've previously identified are hindering your scrapping, and what to do about them.

** VERDICT ** I need to build my storage as such to achieve my goal of uncluttered space/room.

Here’s my “To Do” task list to tackle on the weekends based on the above observations:

Clear out all non essentials/boxes/clothes/furniture from the room/floor
Clear out closets and put in vertical Bonde shelving to put all cardstock, pp’s and monthly kits in there.
Make Expedit central area for most oft used items
Put all stamps in one area
Move in Ikea long desk
Determine WHAT my most frequently used items are? What items WOULD be used more if I made them more accessible?

As I envision my perfect space, what do I see?

Everything in One Room
Everything has a home and is in it's place
Everything is off the floor and table top surfaces are completely clear

In Summary, I need it to be functional for myself, all in one place, and less frustrating for the whole family.

I've put a lot of thought into how I create and my creating process.

I work best in an L shaped set up with the return to my right since I'm right handed. (I know this since my desk in the office is an L shape with the return to the left and it drives me crazy!! It's funny because I have two office chairs to my right which are serving as desks to hold my files / papers.) Then, behind me, I'd prefer for my Expedit Unit and my closet to form yet another L shape, so that when the two pieces are "put together," I'll have a perfectly square unit with all my oft used items within reach.

As much as I'd like to leave budget and space constraints out of this, I've mulled over my wants and constraints for several weeks. Here are my conclusions:

Perform an organization tote/furniture inventory
Determine which organization furniture to retire
Audit every single cube / drawer to see what’s in each one. Declutter it.

My Most Often Used Items:

Big Shot and accessories
Dies (Sizzix, QK, SB, etc) & Embossing Folders & 6x6 Books ------I need a Die Station!
Punches – I like them in Iris Carts – no dust!
Laptop
Photo Printer, Photo Paper and Plug
Alpha Stickers – especially Thickers, Tiny MM alphas & Glitter Stickers – these can go underneath my desk in the metal Container Store rolling boxes? I should have two.
Stamping stuff – inks, Stamping Acrylic Blocks, Baby Wipes
Journaling spots/Bling
Flowers (2 cubes)
Glitter/Buttons
Albums /Completed Page Storage

Items I'd use if they were MORE ACCESSIBLE:

My Printer
Cricut Machine
Sewing Machine
Patterned paper if it was more accessible
Chipboard Letters and anything else that’s on top of the dresser that hasn’t been within reach
All loose wood stamps need to be together one a book shelf.
Patterned Paper, Cardstock, Class and Monthly Kits

Yep, this process is sooooo darn overwhelming!!! Here's a picture of my half cleaned out closet on it's way to being transformed into having IKEA Bonde shelves installed. :)

I agree with Wookiemouse's next step which is to empty out the entire room in order to 1) further sort by 2) touching each item one time 3) to put them in their final homes, etc.

NOTE: Follow along my organization journey every other Monday here on my Scrap Room Organization Page on my blog.

Bloggy & Scrappy Resolutions for 2011

2011-01-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

Happy 1-1-11 Everyone!!

I've been skimming 2Peas lately and came across a thread about setting blogging resolutions in addition to scrapping ones which I thought was a fabulous topic!! Since I'm trying to return from a 1.5+ year hiatus, it's certainly good timing for me to make some specific goals to accomplish this coming year.

2011 Blogging Resolutions

1) Simplify the look and organize the content of my blog (3 to 2 columns, less graphics to reduce busy look, utilize "Pages" feature, etc.). DONE!!

2) Blog at least 1x per week - Eek! that means I need to actually create! lol

3) Learn how to create polished and professional video tutorials so I can showcase more technique and creative tutorials.

4) Create a proper light box so that I can showcase my work beautifully instead of photographing in my office underneath florescent lights which is my current method.

5) Schedule posts ahead of time on the weekends so I have time to take pics, photoshop them and draft/proof my posts.

6) Feature a biweekly organizational topic because that'll get me moving in the direction I want with my scrap area organization project.

Now that I'm no longer bound to DT deadlines, I really want to keep it simple so I can really enjoy my paper crafting hobby while maintaining a balance with my other interests, i.e. yoga, fooding, reading, movie going, spending time with friends and family, etc. in addition to more rest. As sacrilegious as it sounds, I'm not interested in living and breathing scrapping every moment of my free time.

2011 Scrapping Resolutions

1) Use as many of my stamps/stamp sets at least ONCE in 2011 or it gets purged by the end of the year.

2) Use as many of dies/punches/tools at least ONCE in 2011. Specifically, pull out my Cricut bug and figure out how to use it. The carts seem easy enough, but I really want to begin using SCAL formatted files. Is this a good time to mention that I've had my cricut for 2+ years and I've never used it?

3) Cut down in my existing patterned paper/cardstock stash.

I'm really looking forward to making as many cards as possible which will be an enjoyable way to use up my existing supplies (and accomplish #1-3 of my Scrapping Resolutions) to donate to From Our Hearts for which I've become quite fond of supporting.

4) Finish at least ONE of the altered book projects I've accumulated from various conventions/CKU, etc. type of events. (I'm cringing about this one as I type this, so I can tell this one will indeed be a challenge. Thankfully, I have 364 days to attempt this.)

5) Continue with my NO BUY policy which isn't that hard since I have pretty much accomplished this the past 2 years. (I'm so well stocked even in adhesives, lol, so I need no caveats.) However, this may prove difficult this year since I've just discovered My Favorite Things. I'm absolutely in love with their Pure Innocence and A La Modes stamps and their Die-namtic dies. I'll admit that I fell off the bandwagon recently and got a few items with some ebay money during their Black Friday and End of Year Sales. I haven't loved so much from one company in a long time since discovering Stampin' Up! almost 10 years ago which really says alot about MFT. :)

6) Participate in least 2 challenges per month as that'll get my mojo going as well as facilitate a return to interacting with existing and new friends in the scrapping community again. :)

Yep, it's definitely time to stop feeling overwhelmed and dealing with how much I have, i.e. purging, etc, and start actually ENJOYING my things by creating and playing again. :)

Coming from ground zero, and considering I'm a slow scrapper with a full time job where I work an average of 10+ hours per day with a 2.5-3 hour daily round trip commute, I think the above 12 resolutions will indeed be quite a challenge for me.

Hmm, 12 Resolutions for the next 12 months. Doable wouldn't you say?

I sure hope so!

From Our Hearts: Another 134 Cards for Our Troops

2010-12-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas holiday!!

I've been purging again and found yet more items to donate to From Our Hearts which is a fully certified 501(c)(3) non profit that collects full cards in addition to card fronts to ship to our servicemen/women serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Did I mention what a swap queen I was back in the day?

Here's a few of the full cards with coordinating envelopes swap I remember hosting using stickers only. These were done when stickers fell out of vogue and this was a creative way for all of us to "use up" our existing sticker stashes.

In total? 57 full cards & matching envelopes decorated with stickers!

Also, I found even more SU card fronts in yet another cubby. This should hopefully be it except for the shoebox-full I've held on to for continued personal inspiration.

In total? 77 SU card fronts! I got a little ambitious and decided to do some leg work to alleviate the workload of FOH's volunteers and converted as many as I could into full folding cards. I got all but 29 done which I'll be sending directly to Regina to finish off.

Yep, I'm mailing these babies out to Martie and Regina in Missouri and Kansas respectively before the postage rates go up on Jan 1st. Of course, I've sent along an itemized list of everything I'm sending for their IRS reporting purposes to help save them processing time. I also packaged each folding card with a matching envelope and FOH label in a cello bag so that they'll be ready to go directly into their sorting bins upon arrival.

Yay for another clean cubby for me!! And that's a total of 134 cards for our troops. Here's my running total for the year 2010 which totally warms my heart :)

2010 Donations = 751

SU Card Fronts: 616

Full SU Cards: 48

Non SU Cards: 87

Envelopes: 4500

From Our Hearts: Cards for Our Troops

2010-12-03T18:18:00.000-08:00

I'm in a huge PURGING mode so that I can finally organize the way I need to be in order to be fully functional. Else, it's such a pain to have to find and dig for things in order to get any project going. No wonder I have major scrappers' block!!

Guess what I found recently?

Card Fronts!!

Yes, lots of priority envelopes, ziplock bags, shopping bags and boxes of card fronts back from my swapping days from when I was a SU Demo (2000-2005). I was a swapping FIEND!!! and unfortunately, lol, I'm also a hoarder as I never had the heart to toss them.

I loved them for exchanging ideas on how to use various stamp sets, card layout ideas, color combinations and most of all to learn techniques. Each and every month, I had a few stamp clubs, in-home hostess parties and a crop I held in a hotel conference room back in my heyday, so it was wonderful to always have a slew of fresh card samples to share with my customers to inspire (and to spur on orders).

I wanted to donate these for a good cause especially since many of them were beautifully made. It truly would be a shame to just toss 'em. I was so glad when a kind lady by the name of Martie Shea answered my query on Splitcoast Stampers and I thus became aware of her amazing non-profit group called From Our Hearts which collects full cards as well as card fronts to ship to our servicemen and women serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Take a look at her blog and you'll see that they're quite organized with designated (and dedicated) volunteers who spend hours of their personal time to give back to those who are sacrificing their lives for our freedom and way of life. I'm very thankful that such a group exists and it warms my heart that I'm able to help.

So, here's what I'm sending to Martie and her non-profit From Our Hearts.....

I thought to make it easier on their volunteers by sorting and categorizing the card themes for them before I ship out so that's what I did at a crop I attended yesterday.

That's a total of 587 card fronts I'll be shipping to Martie's From Our Hearts Monday Morning. Here's my inventory sheet to make it easier for them for IRS reporting purposes. (Yep, they're legit!)

I'm also sending along these boxes of blank envelopes I found. 9 boxes of 500 envies each = 4500 envies!! Whoohoo!! They're a bit old so I hope they can still use them.

Martie, from my heart to yours, THANK YOU for all that you and your volunteers do!! I've read EVERY single post on your blog and have shed many a tears because I am so touched.

I urge you to take a look at From Our Hearts and see if you can donate too....cards, envelopes, clear envelopes or even paypal them money to help them send those boxes of greeting cards to our troops.

I'm Back ...with a Video Tutorial on 2 Step Stamping

2010-11-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

Yay! I'm feeling the mojo awakening in me to scrap again!! I've been going through all my stash in detail to get reacquainted with all "my pretties" and decided to purge a few things.

A relative of mine saw my listings and wanted this stamp set, so I decided to make a little video tutorial to show her how she could get the best out of this 2 Step Stamping set from Stampin' Up called "Terrific Tulips."

Bear with me, because this is my first video tutorial and I was holding the camera with my left hand - I'm right handed. This is the best I can do for now until I obtain the proper software for video editing.

Thanks for taking this set off my hands Sally. Enjoy!!

Baby Girl Turns ONE!!

2010-05-23T01:21:00.000-07:00

I was still in my creative hiatus in the fall when my sister in law asked if I could make / contribute to my niece's birthday party invitations. I *think* I may have offered to do it, but I just couldn't think of anything fabulous enough by the deadline so I fessed up by suggesting she go ahead and order the invitations. Yep, I had a massive creative block. In the end, i..e the week before her birthday banquet, I managed to dust off some Spellbinders, located my Big Shot and rummaged through all my old SU sets to come up with decorating her cupcake favor boxes for her guests. Yup, her parents, both grandmothers and I were die cutting, stamping, adhering several nights before her big party to assemble 120 of these favors!!

Here she is with one of her second cousins. Both look so pretty and girly. It's fun watching my family grow!

And here she is, in her second dress, with her parents in front of her big cake for the big moment when everyone's singing Happy Birthday. Tee Hee, the cake is bigger than she is!!

She's a precious little girl indeed!

"Cupcake Favor Chinese Take Out Boxes"
Paper: Solar White Crest; Bazzil Bling Diva & In The Pink
Embellishments: Clear Rhinestones on Pink Ribbon Flowers from Michaels' Bridal Section
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels 4 Dies; SU Rose Romance Dye Ink; SU "Yummy" Stamp Set; Glue Dots

Bloggy & Scrappy Resolutions for 2011

2010-01-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

Happy 1-1-11 Everyone!!

I've been skimming 2Peas lately and came across a thread about setting blogging resolutions in addition to scrapping ones which I thought was a fabulous topic!! Since I'm trying to return from a 1.5+ year hiatus, it's certainly good timing for me to make some specific goals to accomplish this coming year.

2011 Blogging Resolutions

1) Simplify the look and organize the content of my blog (3 to 2 columns, less graphics to reduce busy look, etc.). DONE!!

2) Blog at least 1x per week - Eek! that means I need to actually create! lol

3) Learn how to create polished and professional video tutorials so I can showcase more technique and creative tutorials.

4) Create a proper light box so that I can showcase my work beautifully instead of photographing in my office underneath florescent lights which is my current method.

5) Schedule posts ahead of time on the weekends so I have time to take pics, photoshop them and draft/proof my posts.

6) Feature a weekly organizational topic because that'll get me moving in the direction I want with my scrap area organization project.

Now that I'm no longer bound to deadlines, I really want to keep it simple so I can really enjoy my paper crafting hobby while maintaining a balance with my other interests, i.e. yoga, fooding, reading, moving going, spending time with friends and family, etc. in addition to more rest. As sacrilegious as it sounds, I'm not interesting in living and breathing scrapping every moment of my free time.

2011 Scrapping Resolutions

1) Use as many of my stamps/stamp sets at least ONCE in 2011 or it gets purged by the end of the year.

2) Use as many of dies/punches/tools at least ONCE in 2011. Specifically, pull out my Cricut bug and figure out how to use it. The carts seem easy enough, but I really want to begin using SCAL formatted files. Is this a good time to mention that I've had my cricut for 2+ years and I've never used it?

3) Cut down in my existing patterned paper/cardstock stash.

I'm really looking forward to making as many cards as possible which will be an enjoyable way to use up my existing supplies (and accomplish #1-3 of my Scrapping Resolutions) to donate to From Our Hearts which I have a passionate need to support.

4) Finish at least ONE of the altered book projects I've accumulated from various conventions/CKU, etc. type of events. (I'm cringing about this one as I type this, so I can tell this one will indeed be a challenge. Thankfully, I have 364 days to attempt this.)

5) Continue with my NO BUY policy which isn't that hard since I have pretty much accomplished this the past 2 years. (I'm so well stocked even in adhesives, lol, so I need no caveats.) However, this may prove difficult this year since I've just discovered My Favorite Things. I'm absolutely in love with their Pure Innocence and A La Modes stamps and their Die-namtic dies. I'll admit that I fell off the bandwagon recently and got a few items with some ebay money during their Black Friday and End of Year Sales. I haven't loved so much from one company in a long time since discovering Stampin' Up almost 10 years ago! That really says alot about MFT I think. :)

6) Participate in least 2 challenges per month as that'll get my mojo going as well as facilitate a return to interacting with existing and new friends in the scrapping community again. :)

Yep, it's definitely time to stop feeling overwhelmed and dealing with how much I have, i.e. purging, etc, and start actually ENJOYING my things by creating and playing again. :)

Coming from ground zero, and considering I'm a slow scrapper with a full time job where I work an average of 10+ hours per day with a 2.5-3 hour daily round trip commute, I think the above 12 resolutions will indeed be quite a challenge for me. Hmm, 12 Resolutions for the next 12 months. Doable wouldn't you say?

I sure hope so!

Baby Couture Hair Clippies

2009-11-14T23:57:00.001-08:00

My new baby niece has a lot of hair which begs to for some cute hair clippies. As I shop for them online and in person, I'm often amazed at the high prices I see them sell for especially when they look simple enough to make. So, this past weekend, I thought I'd give it a try with my existing stash and these are what I came up.

I got these red rhinestone buttons at Walmart and just cut the shanks off before I hot glued them on the ribbon covered barrette.

These pink rhinestone pretties came from the wedding favor section at Michaels. They came premade so all I had to do was hot glue these babies on as well.

This pair of red/orange and baby blue hydrangeas are Prima flowers adorned with K&Co beaded flower brads.

This blue one is one of my favs. I had some left over Maya Road Suede flowers from a My Scrapbook Nook monthly kit that was the perfect size.

I got these fabric tie dyed pink flowers from a local vendor at one of the past SB Expo's from many years past. Finally got to break these babies out and put them to use for a very worthy little girl.

And to think, all of those pretty little hair clippies were made out of these simple little aligator clips I bought for less than $3 at a beauty supply store....tee hee!

All handmade by her Auntie Ching who has a glue gun burn on her middle finger to prove it, lol! Wonder which ones Kylie's Mommy will like? I experimented with different styles, which was very fun. For the record, the clips are lined all the way around, including the inside, with ribbon so they don't accidently catch/snag pull on baby Kylie's hair.

Here's my cute little hair model......Awwww!

Tee Hee.....she's fun indeed! Not a bad way to break out of the creative slump I'm feeling, huh?

Found a little bit of mojo.....

2009-09-21T16:02:00.001-07:00

This past Thursday was my friend Jon's birthday and so we all got together on Saturday night at a lounge for some wine and then a pizza joint for their famed pizza and pasta.

I was signed up for a free crop at one of my local lss' earlier that day, so I threw a few things into the car with no real plans. Once there, I somehow got the mojo to create a masculine birthday card for Jon. I was inspired by a rawkin' layout on display using this Teen Angst paper line from We R Memory Keepers, and I just thought the rock out guitar vibe was a perfect fit for Jon's personality.

What do you think? Is it masculine enough? I couldn't help it at the end as I added that last thin border of polka dotted black ribbon at the top and finished it off by tying it off!

"They Say 38 is the new 18"
Paper: WRMK Teen Angst
Embellishments: WRMK Teen Angst Cardstock Stickers; May Arts Ribbons; Kaiser Bling; MM Journalling Spot Sticker; Creative Memories number stickers
Accessories: Spellbinders Pinking Edge Circle Dies; QK Lemonade Alpha Die

A Lily Bee Toot!

2009-09-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

Today during my lunch hour, a little birdie told me that they "think" they had spotted my work on the Lily Bee mfg blog. Go figure, here it is! How cool! Dang, this was like a million years ago for me.

It IS nice to be recognized, that's for sure. Thanks Lily Bee!

Project Scrap Organization: I'm an admitted Slob ... Gotta Get More Organized

2009-06-07T19:25:00.000-07:00

Ok...

... I'm stepping over piles of stuff again.
... I'm shimmying in between thigh high piles of stuff and furniture
... I can't scoot my chair all the way back or near my Expedit shelf or my closet behind me
... I can't find my QK banner die
... I can't find my SU scripty small sentiments that would have been amazing on a few past cards
... My flowers are in disarray and now other embellishments are slowly creeping into one of my main flower baskets.
... I'm lacking table space again. Why am I scrapping on just a teeny tiny corner of the table?
... I can't move when I'm sitting without knocking something over

Yeah, I'm a slob and its totally affecting my energy, my mojo, and my ability to function. Its time to get organized!

I just found one of the most amazing organizational challenges over at 2peas hosted by Wookiemouse. Check out her organizational challenge blog and I think you'll agree with me, that this chick has got it together. Wookiemouse, are you a professional organizer? You make alot of sense, and I'm on board!

So, first up, is to do a Space Audit.

Here's what works for me:

* Everything is generally well organized, meaning ALL like things are together in one container or general area. But it hasn't been maintained well due to lack of "housekeeping" in putting things back when I've used them.

Here are examples of what works well for me. Here are my journalling spots all filed neatly by Mfg, type and then by color in one of those half baskets from Ikea. Two of these half baskets fit perfectly into one of the cubes of my expedit.

Here's what it normally looks like with the bigger sheets of journalling spots that don't fit standing on its side in the basket, just laying on top, so they don't get crushed when the baskets are stacked on top of each other.

Here are all my bling, filed in the same manner that my journalling spots are stored. All flat packaging are filed by mfg, then by design type, then by color. Anything in larger containers that cannot be stored flat are on the side or on top. (lol, this is what prevents me from buying even more bling. I think I have enough to keep me going for a few lifetimes. This baby is packed pretty tight!)

And when these two half baskets are stacked on top of each other in one of the Expedit cubes spaces, this is what it looks like. I have it at arms reach to the right of me when I'm sitting down at my card table. Thankfully, these two baskets are always neat and organized. I love that its really easy to take with me to crops too. The contents are so tightly packed that nothing rarely ever falls out when in transit.

I've resigned to accepting these baskets as my FINAL storage solutions for my bling and journalling spots. That way, I don't buy anymore. I don't want to constantly be moving "up."

Other items that I like and work well for me: (as I spent hours in the past couple of years getting it like this.) I can post pictures of these items in a future posting.

* My stamps and inks are stored well in one place. Mounted are in Sterelite drawers or in Target document like boxes. Unmounted are all in CD cases in revolving CD tower or in Target document like boxes. Everything is labeled.
* My punches are all stored by type in Sterelite plastic drawers in the closet behind me.
* My chipboard alphas and shapes are all organized and stored in Ikea Fira drawers and in Ikea baskets in my Expedit.
* My alpha stickers are all stored in CH Sticker holders by Mfg (like all my Thickers are together), and some by theme (i.e. Romance), and some by type (all my glitter stickers regardless of mfg are together).
* All my dies are stored together. All Sizzix dies are in Target cubes (the 4 drawer unit), all my smaller dies are in utensil plastic holders inside the 3 drawer Sterelite units. My Revolution, Cookie Cutters and Spellbinders are all in QK Books and QK Magnetic Holders. I still have yet to label the latter.
* All my tools are stored in sterelite 3 drawer units and labeled. My oft used tools are sitting on my desk in my AMM tool tote on a plastic lazy susan. Both are portable when I want to attend a crop.
* All my embellishments (i.e. brads/eyelets, ribbons, glitter/stickles) are all in their respective Artbin type containers.
* All my flowers are sorted by color in embroidery floss containers, and the bigger blossoms are stored in a large glass cookie jar and/or cloth basket that fits into one of the Expedit cube spaces.
* All my rubons are also in either small containers or CH Sticker Holders by mfg type.
* All my cardstock is sorted by color and stored in CH Vertical Paper Holders
* All my patterned papers are sorted by mfg, then by line, in CH Vertical Paper Holders (the smaller thinner ones).
* All my unused class kits and monthly club kits are stored together, and in a large box. I keep all kits intact so that I can use them more efficiently. I reach here first before going into my general stash.

Here's what DOESN'T work for me:

* I scrap in my bedroom, so I only have half the space of the room. Therefore, I really need to make use of all the vertical wall space for organization, and thus have resorted to the 25 cubed Expedit shelf. I have alot stored in this unit.

From what I can see, I only regularly access the contents of 7 of the 25 cubes. Thankfully, those 7 cubes that I do access are all located within reach when I'm seated. So I really need to move the contents of the remaining 18 cubes into the closet or some place else, and move other items in that I've got in other rooms of the house.

* Table space is limited to a card table. I use this instead of a full 6 foot Ikea desk I got so that I have the option of putting it away when I'm not scrapping so that I'm not always living around my desk in my bedroom.

Due to the lack of table and night stand space, I sure can clutter up the surfaces really quickly so that I'm always scrapping around moisturizers, mail, etc. I don't have space for Ott light, my cricut machine (so it rarely gets used), my portable printer, my Big Shot machine. These are my most often used large items that I don't have a permanent space for, which is problematic.

* Dies and Cuttlebug embossing folders are clear across the room in the opposite end. I have to climb over furniture, etc to get to it, so I often do not use them. However, being on DT's and having assignments to complete, I then have all these drawers full of my die tools out of the drawers and sitting on my limited table space and or on the floor around me. That's what contributes to the table and floor clutter.

* I haven't been good with housekeeping of returning items back to their designated storage place once I'm done using them. Further contribution to the overall clutter.

Ok, this is embarrassing, but I'm going to post pictures of both my desk and my Expedit shelf with all the table and floor clutter.

So there you have it. My space needs assessment. I think I have some thinking to do obviously after I tidy up. Looking forward to the next weekly challenge assignment over on the Organizational Challenge Blog.

NOTE: Follow along my organization journey here on my Scrap Room Organization Page on my blog.

Well, I'll be darned ... a TOOT!

2009-06-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

I love the tactile feel of paper and glue, so I've been avoiding digital scrapping like the plague!! I already sit in front of a computer all day at work, so the last thing I want to do is to sit in front of a computer when I'm at home and concentrate, like really hard at doing something new like digital scrapping.

Well, its come time for me to create a little "Out for Publication" sign since not all publishers provide that for you. Can you tell I'm such a newbie at this pubbing thing? :)

So, I had some extra time today and in about an hour, I created this fun little sign.

Now, I've never done digital scrapping before. This was pretty easy I have to say. I went over to Shabby Princess because I remembered they offer free kits (thank you, thank you Shabby Princess for doing this!) and downloaded their Festival kit. About an hour later, voila!!

My newest toot that I wanted to share is that Scrapbook News & Review will be publishing one of my Spring themed cards I made for Embellish-Online using Prima and Basic Grey entitled "Let Your Dreams Take Flight." I can't share it here, again, because I have to take down all images until its time for publication in June. Those are the rules folks! And I'm thrilled.

Thanks for letting me share my good news! :)

A New Baby is a Perfect Match for Lily Bee Papers ~ Nook May Kit Projects

2009-06-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I've been remiss in updating my blog. I'm soooo happy to announce that my niece Kylie is finally here! She was born on Saturday, May 23rd. She's my immediate family's first grandchild so we're all very very excited!!

Here she is using the Nook's May monthly kit featuring the soft pallette of Lily Bee papers. I had this layout done for awhile and was just waiting for a picture to snap in!! Too bad she's in her baby carrier that has a brown lining, but then again, that ended up coordinating with the brown background with white birdie Lily Bee paper.

I did add in a few things from my stash like the eyelet fabric lace that my friend Yolanda gave me ( I think it was a group buy from one of our Downtown LA garment district shopping sprees), the pink Webster's ribbon trim and that super cute foam puffy alpha sticker set I found on sale at Joann's recently when I was shopping for High School Musical scrapping supplies for yet another niece's upcoming birthday album. That "Sweet" tag, the Calendar Month Raffle ticket and that round scalloped journaling spot, all from from Creative Mess, were the perfect finishing touches to this layout. I came so close to making a banner that I cut out of that pink swag the birdies are roosting on, but I couldn't find my new QK banner 2x2 die. Urgh!! Yes, I seriously need to clean! But at the time, I wasn't sure if my layout had room for it due to creating a layout that I had not yet have the photos for. So it goes!

This last layout I created from the Nook's May kit is of a really old picture of me from 2005. I decided to drive down to the Carlsbad Flowerbeds after hearing rave reviews about it forever! I'm glad I did as I enjoyed a very relaxing and introspective stroll on the grounds.

I hand cut long strips from that swirly olive green Lily Bee patterned paper to hand piece a funky frame for my picture. I wanted to grunge it up but decided to keep it clean which is more of a challenge for me, and I'm about trying different styles of scrapbooking right now.

I incorporated orange-y Prima flowers to bring out the orange in my picture, else everything else is from the Nook May Kit. Oh, and of course, I incorporated a journaling tag from the "List Journaling Jotters Set" from Creative Mess. I laid it on top of a double-sided Lily Bee paper just to tie it in better with the top portion of the layout. I finished it off by reaching into my stash, like WAAaaay back, by using this My Minds Eye "Simply Beautiful" pre-fab die cut. The colors and font perfectly tie in.

I'll be back soon with some projects featuring goodies from the Nook's June kit that is just brimming with tons of Cosmo Cricket Early Bird goodness!! Scroll down immediately below this blog post to see it in its full glory!! You HAVE to get one by clicking here to order yours today before it sells out!

"Sweet Baby Girl"
Paper: Lily Bee "Three Little Birds" PP
Embellishments: Lily Bee "3 Little Birds" Frame Die Cuts; Maya Road Corduroy Flowers; MM Milk Chocolate "Piper" alpha Chipboard; Sandy Lion Girl Foam Alpha Stickers; Misc Eyelet Lace & Silk Fabric Flower; Button from Nook Kit; Webster's Pink Trim; Creative Chaos "Plain Jenns," "Calendar Raffle Ticket" and "Bright White Valentines" Journaling Spots
Accessories: SU Scalloped Border Punch

"Simply Beautiful...California Poppies"
Paper: Lily Bee "Three Little Birds" PP
Embellishments: Lily Bee "3 Little Birds" Frame Die Cuts; MM Milk Chocolate "Piper" alpha Chipboard; Prima Flowers; MME "Flirty Little Secrets" Title Chipboard; Creative Chaos "List Journaling Jotters Set of 6" Spots
Accessories: n/a

Sumthin' Bout Summertime Blog Hop & Contest ~ Embellish-Online June 1 thru 3rd

2009-05-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

You are cordially invited to the first ever Embellish-It.com Blog Hop!

We wanted to kick off summer in a big way so come along and get inspired, play a little game and enter to win an American Crafts Prize Package & a Stampavie Stamp!

How to Play:

Hop along from Blog to Blog in the order given below. Each blog stop will provide one letter to a mystery word. At the end of the hop on June 3rd, unscramble all the letters to figure out the mystery word, and post your guess in our forum in the specified post below.

On June 1st start right here at the Embellish-It.com Blog, then head to the IT-Girls blogs in this order:

Christine

Cindy

Danni

On June 2nd head to

Julie

Kim

Michelle

On June 3rd head to

Lee

Suzy

The Hop ends at the EI Forum on this post where you can unscramble the letters and post your guess word!

One winner will receive a prize package consisting of a Stampavie Stamp, American Crafts papers and Thickers, and ribbon. Value of prize is approximately $25.

The winner will be announced on June 21st, the first day of Summer!

Rules:

~You will need to register for the forum to post, and it is free and easy!

~You can post your guess anytime between June 3rd and Midnight CST on June 20th, 2009. ~One entry per person please.

~We apologize, but due to high shipping costs, you must have a North American address to ship your prize package to.

Good Luck Ladies!! Be sure to tell them Ching sent ya!!he he

Its My Party, and I'll Cry if I want too! ~Urban Anthology TURNS 1 years old!!

2009-05-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

Although I don't design kits for my friend Kari's Urban Anthology anymore, I'm sooo sooo thrilled that she's continued to be a success (eek! that sounded bad the way I said it!). It seems just like yesterday that she started up her new company and we'd spend late nights together at her old condo pouring through catalogs, etc.

Ahhh, the good ole days. Well.....on June 1st, Urban Anthology turns ONE!! And Kari is celebrating with a huge month long celebration complete with games, challenges, blog hops and prizes!!

Come visit Urban Anthology and register in their FORUM if you haven't already. Play along ALL month long, ok??

Kari....I just got a whiff of your June kit. WOW is all I can say!! It's gorgeous, no ladies??

Congratulations Kari!!

One Page Layout Tutorial using the Nook's May Kit

2009-05-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

My net was intermittent and mostly down this past weekend so I'm playing catchup with my bloggity blog tonight. I'm shooing away the janitorial staff here at work so that I can blog in peace!!!

It looks like the Nook's site is down due to some site upgrading work, so I'd like to share my Layout Page class here. (Whew! I had just posted my class on the message board, and then the board didnt' work anymore! lol...surely I didn't break it right?)

Materials Needed: (from Nook's May Kit)
* Lily Bee Diagonal Striped PP
* Lily Bee Olive Green with Squiggly lines like clouds PP
* Bazzil Blue Embossed Cardstock
* Lily Bee Brown with white birds PP
* Lily Bee Frame Die Cuts
* Lily Bee Olive Green with trees PP (you will need 2x2 of this)
* Scallop Edge Scissors/Border Punch
* Maya Road (one each of tree and tree shrubs) chipboard
* A few pieces of blue Kaiser bling (I used 4 gems on my layout)
* 3 of the Puffy Velvet Maya Road flowers
* BG Chipboard alpha
* 2 blue or coordinating colored buttons
* Pencil (not included in kit)
* Creative Chaos Journalling Spots (not included in kit)
* Prima Flower Vine (not included in kit)

Step 1: Trim off the top portion of the "clouds" of the olive green pp by cutting along the squiggly lines

Step 2: Prepare the other PP's by cutting them to size.

* Trim off 4 x 12 inches of the diagonal striped pp
* Trim off 1.5 x 12 inch of the diagonal striped PP
* Trim off 1.5 x 12 inch of the Bazzill embossed cardstock

Step 3: Use a scalloped edge pair of scissors or border punch to create a scalloped border on the Bazzill embossed cardstock like this:

Step 4: Glue the scalloped Blue embossed cardstock (with scallops facing towards bottom of the page) onto the diagonally striped 1.5 x 12 inches border, so that the straight edge of the blue cardstock is flush with the border of the diagonally striped pp.

Then glue the straight edge bottom of the Green Olive PP on top of this newly prepared blue cardstock/diagonally striped border like this:

Step 5: Glue the larger piece of the olive green paper that now has a squiggly border on top of the 4 x 12 diagonal striped PP you cut out in Step #2 like this:

Step 6: Pop out the Pink label shaped Frame die from the die cut paper.

Use the negative opening to trace a 2nd shape with your pencil onto the back side of the diagonally striped paper that you have left - the back side is the baby blue with white polka dots.

Trace it and cut it out.

Step 7: Adhere your Blue with white polka dots and Pink label shaped frames onto your page like this (or however it better suits your pictures):

Step 8: I thought for an extra oomp, I wanted to add another patterned paper and color to tie in the brown of the tree I'm going to add a bit later, so I trimmed off an "L" shape (its about 1.5 inches width) from the brown with white birds PP like this:

Step 9: I trimmed about .5 inches from the left and top edges of my layout that was already put together so that I could attach this brown "L" shape for added interest like this:

Step 10: Add pictures onto your page by playing up the label shaped photo frames you created:

Step 11: Now add journalling spots (these were not included in the kit and came from my own stash)

Step 12:Paint one of the Maya Road tree stumps brown with some brown acrylic paint. Cover one of the tree shrubbery "clouds" with that Lily Bee Olive Green pp with the trees on it.

TIP: I use UHU gluestick to adhere the pp's to the chipboard, and then use my BG file set to ensure clean edges of my covered chipboard.

Step 13: Now add your prepared tree, Maya Road fabric flowers, buttons, BG alphas to the layout like this to finish up your layout.

I also added a Prima viney flower from my own stash to the layout.

TIP: I added some blue Kaiser bling to cover the button holes for some added interest.

Voila! You're done!

Hope you enjoyed the class! If you enjoyed this kit featuring Lily Bee, please check out our May Kit at the Nook to get one for yourself! :) I'll be back with a few more projects from this really sweet and pretty May kit this week.

"Doing Lunch (on a Friday Afternoon)"
Paper: Lily Bee "Three Little Birds" PP; Bazzil Swiss Dots CS
Embellishments: Lily Bee "3 Little Birds" Frame Die Cuts; Maya Road Velvet Flowers & Chipboard; Misc Buttons; Kaiser Bling; MM Milk Chocolate "Piper" alpha Chipboard; Prima Vine Flowr; Creative Chaos "Perfect Little Labels" Journalling Spot
Accessories: SU Scalloped Border Punch

Love Me Some Glitz!!

2009-05-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Its been a long time since I've gotten to choose exactly every single item I want to scrap with since I've scored my DT gigs, so its a bit nerve wracking to do it all from scratch! But ooooh so giddy I was last week.

I saw that The Pink Elephant had an Inspirational Play Along for May using this as a spring board for some creativity:

So when I saw these papers from the new Glitz line called Sparrow last week during my lunch hour, I was hooked!! I was so inspired by a particular layout that was created by the Glitz owners that was being taught at a wonderful lss I had never been to before (Sonja's Scrapbook Shop is located in the LAX area near my alma mater Loyola Marymount), but I wanted to do my own thing to it and make it more ME. I drove back to the store after work the same day to get them because I just couldn't get this gorgeous line out of my head!

Here's my layout:

And here's what I scrap lifted from (its piled on top of their other two layouts that were going to be taught in the class, and I just loved how that darker purple based pp looked, so I decided to incorporate that darker purple pp onto my layout):

In mine, I did add a few more things....lol. More strips of paper from the same Glitz Sparrow line and I did add a journalling spot from Creative Chaos from Jenn's Perfect Little Labels in White Set to commemorate the date.

tfl!

"Beautiful & Exquisite"
Paper: Glitz "Sparrow" PP; Bazzil CS with an Edge
Embellishments: Glitz "Sparrow" Cardstock Journalling Stickers & Rubons; Glitz Ornate Frame Rubons & Cardstock Frame Stickers; Glitz & Prima Bling; Prima & Misc Fabric/Felt Flowers; MAMBI "Beautiful" word Bling; American Crafts "Getty" alpha stickers; Creative Chaos "Perfect Little Labels" Journalling Spot
Accessories: SU Retired "Lexicon of Love" Text Stamp; Colorbox "Yellow Citrus" & "Tangerine" Chalk Cats Eye; Versafine Black Ink

Did You See?

2009-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

the preview of Marks Paper Company English Garden line?

It's Stacy Mark's new Spring Line for Marks Paper Company.

I think Stacy must have a line to my head and she just knows what I love! Its so soft, pretty and shabby! I love it and can't wait to get my hands on it. Here are a few sneak peeks to whet your taste buds...

And Die Cuts...

And Covered Buttons...

If you love this sneak peek, click here to see the rest of the entire line.

A Few Toots!

2009-05-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

He he....just wanted to pop in today to share a few toots! Jackie, who was on the DT with me when we were both at Paper Popsicles last summer, contacted me about a layout I created, also last year, and wants to have it published in an upcoming issue of ScrapStreet EZine. How cool is that? I can't share the layout with you as I've just signed and sent off the release agreement. The layout that's being pubbed is entitled "14 lbs Lost" that I created using lots of goodies from an older Poppy Ink monthly kit. I'm stoked! Thanks so much Jackie! I'll be on the look out for it sometime in July or August.

The 2nd toot is from one of the cutest little challenge blogs evah! ~ The Pink Elephant. Thanks so much Lori, Robin, Tina and everyone at TPE! You guys are sooo cute!! Thank you for choosing my layout as one of the top 5 of the week. I will wear this badge PROUDLY!!

The layout I created for My Scrapbook Nook, featuring Jim from the April Nook Kit incorporated lots of distressed scallops and circles, which was just what was called for in TPE's Challenge #13 was chosen as one of the top 5 this week. :)

Want to Win an Epson Printer or a Cricut Expression?

2009-05-12T08:00:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to share with all of you an amazing opportunity!! The Cuttlebug Challenge blog will be having a drawing for a couple of awesome prizes! If you participate in any (or all) of the challenges on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog during the month of May, you will be entered into the drawing for either one of these prizes:

An Epson Artisan 700 All-In-One Printer plus three months' supply of ink cartridges or

A Cricut Expression with an additional cartridge (along with the two that is already included with the machine!) plus a caddy from Scrapcessories.
Winners will be announced on June 1st! You will have all month long to participate. Just be sure to add a link to your project for each challenge you complete onto the Mr. Linky widget in the appropriate challenge post. The more you participate the more chances you have to win!

Sure wish I was eligible to win! lol! Good Luck ladies!

May Gallery Reveal @ Embellish-Online

2009-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sniff! Sniff!!

With this blog post, I'm so very sad because its my very last gallery share with you girls for Embellish-Online.

This month, May, is my last month of my DT term with Embellish-Online. I can't tell you what a blast I've had with these ladies: Barb (owner), Suzy (DT Leader), Michelle, Debbie, Daniela, Cindy, Julie, and Norma. Embellish-Online was one of the very first Design Team positions I was selected for. I've learned so much and have grown so much, especially as a card maker. It is because of these girls at Embellish-Online that I jumped on the Copics bandwagon. So yes, I have them to blame for enabling me. :)

Barb and Suzy, thank you for choosing me 10 months ago. I was a complete DT newbie and now look at my blog!! lol....thank you, thank you, thank you!! I've so enjoyed creating with all the fabulous and yummy things you've carried in your store. I'll definitely be a continuing customer at Embellish-Online. Love that EIO always has a coupon code for 20% off - coupon code is "Glitter" folks!

I want to congratulate EIO's new incoming Design Team members who start their term in June:
1. Suzy Haghighi (DT Coordinator and DT Member)
2. Michelle Pearson (EI Blog writer, DT Member)
3. Julie Okada (Returning DT Member)
4. Cindy Motherway (Returning DT Member)
5. Christine Ousley
6. Kim Gruetzmacher
7. Danni Reid *** Yeahhh!! Danni!!!

Guest Designers:
June Lee Murphy
July Latisha Yoast
August Amanda Sewell
September Kim Prince
October Tracy Shultz
November Eva Dobilas *** Yeahhh!! Eva!!!
December Surpise! TBA

Ok, for this last month, I got to play with the new Craft Fair line from American Crafts for Embellish-Online.

My friends Susan and Kari have been going Cricut crazy since there was a HSN or QVC special on the Cricut Expressions the past couple of weeks, so with all the daily Cricut talk, they inspired me to pull out my baby bug for a spin. Hmm, well, I had to dust it off is more like it. LOL!

I knew when I saw this paper from American Crafts that I wanted to build a cityscape.

You can't see on my card that the buildings are pop dotted for dimension. The card base was made using my new Storybook cartridge.

For this second card, I had to cut out a smaller flower base from cricut again for this more teen inspired Pssst! Card.

Ok, I now have a few buildings cut out and was on the verge of creating a layout of being out and about, but then, well, I was at a crop at my lss, Scrap 'N Yap, when one of my friends' daughters came in before her playdate. Kamryn is a precocious as well as precious girl so I just HAD to create this stair step fold card that was inspired by her. You see, that day, Kamryn was going with her friend to the beach for a bike ride.

Now, while Kamryn is only 8 years old, here she is on this very cool vespa a la my retired SU stamp. This is my 2nd attempt at Copic coloring. I'm still having my color bleeding problem which I know is a paper problem.

So, I cut out my "Kamryn" and made her moveable by way of the pink grosgrain ribbon on this stair step fold card....he he he...its soooo much cuter in real life!! I also added in some die cut trees for a "Central Park" look with the new QK Reuse Limited Edition kit. (Its sold out at my lss, but thankfully, they had their small retailer kit that I got to use. I love those girls at the Yap!)

And here's a side view of little "Kamryn" scooting thru my Central Park in the City scene. Pull the little pink ribbon and she moves across the card. :)

This Kamryn in the City thinking about "Hello? Shopping for Today" card was inspired by the Bonus Sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You this week.

That was a fun card to make which I plan on giving to Kamryn. And I made this little embellished clear pillow box to hold some candies for her when I give her the card.

***COUPON CODE ALERT****

Don't forget....GLITTER is the magic word to get you 20% off of your entire order. Coupon code is available everyday, all year round making Embellish-Online the BEST place to shop!

If you enjoyed my cards and want the Craft Fair paper line from American Crafts that I used, please visit Embellish-Online here to get yours. Don't forget to use that coupon code!!

"Call Me, What's Up?"
Paper: American Crafts "Craft Fair" & "Teen" PP
Embellishments: American Crafts "Teen" Stickers
Accessories: Cricut Storybook Cartridge; Sizzix Scallop Circle Die; Foam Pop Dots

"Psst!"
Paper: American Crafts "Craft Fair" & "Teen" PP
Embellishments: Misc Ribbon
Accessories: Cricut Storybook Cartridge; Sizzix Scallop Circle #2 Die; Quickutz Thought Bubble Die; Foam Pop Dots

"Hello Shopping!...Today"
Paper: American Crafts "Craft Fair" & "Teen" PP; Bazzil CS; Prima (leafy trees) PP
Embellishments: American Crafts "Teen" Stickers; HS Bling: SU Pink Pirouette Grosgrain Ribbon
Accessories: Copic Markers; SU Retired "Spring Into Paris" Stamp; Quickutz "Reuse" Limited Edition Die Set; Foam Pop Dots

Join Us for the SCRAP OFF @ the Nook & win a 6 month DT Position

2009-05-10T14:09:00.001-07:00

Yep, we're having a big Scrap Off Contest over at the Nook. The prize is a 6 month DT Term and a few Guest DT spots. Yep, keep reading!

If you choose to participate you will be in for five weeks of excitement, inspiration, challenges, and on your toes competition. One lucky winner will walk away with. . . wait no, actually, she'll STICK AROUND as a permanent member of the DT for the next 6 month term! Two more talented ladies will also play on filling guest designer spots!

Innovation, cleverness, creativity and lighting fast typing are skills you will need over the next few weeks! From May 5th until May 26th you will be battling it out over points. These points will be earned by completing weekly challenges and various other minor challenges/games that may crop up. Weekly challenges will earn a set number of points- plus, each DT member will chose her favorite project and those chosen will receive extra points. Completion of all challenges is absolutely not necessary (and possibly impossible) but the more you scrap and play, the higher your points will be which is important because. . .

On May 26th- YOU will vote on your favorite projects (and everyone will earn or lose points based on these votes), and these votes will eliminate half of the players from the game. The next round (the 26th-June 5th) is key for those remaining as we will dramatically narrow down to a final few. . .

The Final Few on June 5th will get until June 8th to show us what they've got in one awesome final project, and winners will be selected by a panel of judges.

Check out the Nook and play along. Be sure to tell them that Ching sent ya! Thanks! :) Good Luck!

Happy Mother's Day & April's My Scrapbook Nook Projects

2009-05-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!

I hope you all are having a lovely day with your families. I was blessed to have been invited by my sister-in-law to join an early Mother's Day outing with her and my mom this past Thursday at the Huntington Gardens. We walked through the gardens while looking through the art exhibits and then enjoyed a lovely tea lunch in their Rose Garden Tea Room.

I took a few days off from work to just decompress and its been a relaxing 4 day weekend so far. Its been awhile since I've updated my blog with scrappy work, so I'm making up for loss time today and I'll have a few more to share with you through out the week. :)

Here's what I created with the April kit from the Nook:

This first one is of my best friend Jim. I've known Jim, it seems for forever, since I walked on that first bus trip to Mammoth with my ski club 13 years ago with a pillow. (See, I was much much MUCH thinner back then, and he saw the big pillow first before me, so its our running joke.) Jim suffered a stroke approximately 3 years ago and has been making incredibly strides in his recovery. We recently went out and had Chinese for lunch before we went out for a movie. It was great seeing how self proficient he is now. Jim, I know you're reading this because I'm going to send you a link to this blog post. Remember, you flashed me in your hospital bed back in Dec 06? You don't remember it, but I will forever have your er...body seared into my memory!! Thank you very much! not! LOL, anyway, yes...we will be going on a trip soon together Jim...I can feel it, its very soon! Jim, we need to do something OUTSIDE of North America next time. (That's what the journalling on the layout says.)

This "Jim" layout features tons of distressed scallops and a big circle which is just what the current challenge over at The Pink Elephant was calling for. :) That site is such a cute challenge site.

The second layout is of my BFF's Susan and Kari. We had a FABULOUS time together at Disneyland on New Year's Eve. I know it was very tiring for them doing Disney all in one day as they're both annual pass holders whereas I'm not. So, being the energizer bunny that I still am, I usually pack it all into one day, once a year. Thanks you two for being such troopers and for your friendship. I just love this picture of all of us.

I did add some swirly bling and Prima Woodstalk flowers from my own stash. I thought this butterfly kraft journalling tag, from Creative Chaos' "This and That" set which will be debuted on Jenn's etsy site on May 11th, was the perfect feminine touch for this rich layout I created using the Nook kit.

In this coming week, I'll be bombarding you with lots of scrappy goodies to make up for lost time.

Definitely check out the gallery to see what the other Nook DT's created with this fabulously gorgeous kit!

Here's the Nook's May Kit which features all this Lilly Bee yumminess!! I just received this in the mail last week, so I'm diving into this one today and will hopefully have something to share in a few days.

Those Lily Bee papers, those little diecut papers and that Webster's Pages trim ~ all to die for! That is the most gorgeous trim. You really have to see it in real life. As always the kit's packed full of goodies with some of my favorites, like the Basic Grey chipboard alphas, Maya Road chipboard trees and velvet flowers, and a handful of bling and buttons. Pure yumminess!

We also have this adorable mini kit featuring French Couture from Lily Bee too as an add on kit.

Would you like a 6 month DT position over at My Scrapbook Nook ? Check us out and play along in our month long Scrap Off to win that DT position. We're having a series of challenges for 5 weeks. Lots of fun and great prizes, including a six month term on the design team! Now that's a prize worth playing for! :)

"Jim"
Paper: Pink Paislee "Captivating" PP & Prima Packaging (Repurposed)
Embellishments: Pink Paislee "Captivating" Die Cuts (Sticker Book) & Brads; American Crafts Alpha Stickers; Prima & Petaloo Flowers; American Crafts Ribbon; Maya Road Sheers
Accessories: Embroidery Floss; Versafine Brown Ink; SU Distressing Tool

"Susan, Me & Kari"
Paper: Pink Paislee "Captivating" PP; Jenni Bowlin Black Dictionary PP
Embellishments: Pink Paislee "Captivating" Alphabet (Sticker Book); Prima Bloom Bonnet and Woodstalk Flowers; Prima Bling; Maya Road Sheers; Creative Chaos Journalling Tag
Accessories: Versafine Brown Ink; SU Distressing Tool; HS Poking Tool

Cuttlebug Spa weekend: Relax, Rejuvenate, Be Inspired! BLOG HOP

2009-05-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our "Cuttlebug Spa weekend: Relax, Rejuvenate, Be Inspired!" Event. You've arrived here from Peggy's blog....thank you! If you have arrived here by mistake, please go to Eva's blog as that's the BEGINNING of our BLOG HOP.

I often nap, listen to music and watch movies to relax. Lately, I've really loved this very pretty flower, the PEONY.

What the readers need to do for a chance to win a prize:

-- Visit each blog in order. (Again, Eva's blog is first. )
-- Become a "Follower" of MY and EACH blog
-- Leave a comment on each blog
-- Grab the name of the DT member participating in the Blog Hop
-- Grab the name of their flower
-- Email CBC (CBcontest @Gmail.com) with the name of the bloggers and flowers one you have collected them all.

So, here is the info you need from me:
1. My name is Ching
2. My flower is Peony
3. Be sure to leave a comment on my blog
4. Be sure to become a follower of my blog
5. Go to Cassie's blog as she's next in our blog hop.

You will then be entered to win some of our amazing prizes from Cuttlebug Challenge Blog!!!

Cuttlebug Challenge Blogspot: 1st Annual Spa Retreat Cyber Crop & Blog Hop Event

2009-04-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

REMINDER ALERT!! REMINDER ALERT!! REMINDER ALERT!!

Definitely pencil in this weekend on your calendar ladies and join us at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog for a fun packed weekend as we celebrate National Scrapbook Day!

Its just a few days away now!!! :)

Friday Challenge #37 @ Embellish-Online

2009-04-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

Where did the week go, cuz another Friday came and went. It's DT Member's Michelle Pearson's turn this week to host our Friday Challenge over at Embellish-Online which was to create something with lots and lots of flowers to welcome Spring.

I am using EVERY morsel of this Prima Flirty Shimmers paper - I looooove it soo much! Its like someone poured a coating of melted sugar over this yummy paper and it dried and set like that. That's what I made the flowers from using my Sizzix flower die.

This is also my very first attempt at using Copic markers. I have to work on controlling the bleeding of my colors (see where the basket and the dress colors are bleeding into her cute little legs? ugh) and also blending of my colors as I'm not too entirely happy with how her cute little cheeks look. I wish I had more muted Copic marker colors to better match the color pallette of the papers I used, but its pretty cost prohibitive to run out and get a few more colors just for a card right now so I just made do with what I had. Practice will make perfect, so I have alot of Copic coloring practice to do. :)

Anyway! Here's my card I created for our challenge this week using a tutorial that's being featured over at SCS. My card also fits the challenges over at the Caardvarks and The Pink Elephant challenge sites, so definitely check them out too! You can get all the papers I used from Prima and Basic Grey along with the Copic markers that I used at the Embellish-Online store.

Come play with us and be sure to use keyword FC37 when you upload your projects to the gallery so we can all see your beautiful work! To see everyone's submissions, including mine, click *here*

***COUPON CODE ALERT****

Don't forget....GLITTER is the magic word to get you 20% off of your entire order. Coupon code is available everyday, all year round making Embellish-Online the BEST place to shop!

"This Way for Bunny Hugs"
Paper: Prima "Flirty Little Secrets" Shimmer PP; BG Porcelain PP; Repurposed Prima Packaging
Embellishments: Prima Rub Ons; Misc Bling; Maya Road White Dotted Sheer Ribbon
Accessories: Sizzix Flower Layers #3 Bigz Die; Cuttlebug "Diamonds in the Rough" Embossing Folder; Martha Stewart Border Punch; Foam Pop Dots; Glue Dots; The Greeting Farm Anya Easter Stamp; Copic & Spica Marker Pens
Size: 5" x 7"

Marks Paper Company "Grow a Flower" Blog Contest April 15-29, 2009

2009-04-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

Marks Paper Company is excited to celebrate the addition of our new Digital/Hybrid Design Team. We're inviting you to celebrate with us! Marks Paper Company is having our first ever blog challenge. Because Spring is such a wonderful time year, we have chosen "Grow a Flower" as our first challenge for the Marks Paper Company Blog. Check out Patty Schaffer's blog for a tutorial!

The Challenge:
Using 75% of Marks Paper Company's products, create a flower(s) on a scrapbook page, altered item, home décor item, mini album, you name it. How creative can you be? Put on those garden gloves and get growing!

The grand prize winner will receive a set of each of the Marks Paper Company paper collections (August and Old Fashioned Courtship), Digital Kits for both lines and a sponsored prize by Short Cuts - SheetLoads of Cards, which includes five (5) each of Clear and Frosted Card Blanks (10 pcs), five (5) each of Clear and Frosted Full Sheets (10 pcs), two (2) each of Gift Card Holder Folders in white, ivory, kraft and black (8 pcs). Total retail value for this prize package is $30.00. In addition, your winning project will be featured on the Marks Paper Company Blog and in our monthly newsletter!

When your project is complete, post a comment on our blog that includes a link to your blog or on-line gallery so we can view your project. Deadline for submissions is midnight (EST) April 29, 2009. Winners will be announced on April 30, 2009 on our blog.

Please e-mail any questions to contactus@markspaperco.com.

This week, enjoy this FREE Printable Patches download by visiting our blog.

Friday Challenge #36 @ Embellish-Online

2009-04-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

Its Friday today!! And it was MY TURN as DT member to host this week's newest Friday Challenge over at Embellish-Online which was to hop to it and create an Easter themed card or layout by incorporating a bunny, chick, eggs, etc.

I'm seriously in LOVE with this combo of BG Porcelain and the Prima Flirty Little Secrets line. It goes sooo well together! I think I'll be making stuff until I use up every single piece of these sheets that I have in my possession! Here's my Easter themed card, and you can get both these paper lines I've used at the Embellish-Online store:

Come play with us and be sure to use keyword FC36 when you upload your projects to the gallery so we can all see your beautiful work! To see everyone's submissions, including mine, click *here*

***COUPON CODE ALERT****

Don't forget....GLITTER is the magic word to get you 20% off of your entire order. Coupon code is available everyday, all year round making Embellish-Online the BEST place to shop!

"Hoppy Easter"
Paper: Prima "Flirty Little Secrets" Shimmer PP; BG Porcelain PP
Embellishments: Prima Rub Ons; Prima Bling; Maya Road Silk Wired Ribbon
Accessories: SU Sizzix Top Note Die; Spellbinders Curved Rectangular Dies; Martha Stewart Border Punch; Foam Pop Dots; Glue Dots
Size: 4" x 6"

A Few More April Flower Pretties from Embellish-Online

2009-04-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more of my April projects for Embellish-Online. Our theme was "A Change in Time - April Flowers." I have to say that this combo of BG Porcelain and Prima Flirty Little Secret Lines make such a beautiful shabby chic combo! You can get both these paper lines and all these Prima flowers I've used at the Embellish-Online store.

I dug in deep and used a lot of embellies in my own stash that I've been hoarding to add to these babies this month because I thought they were perfect with this combo of papers.

Here's a card I made. Yeah, I'm still in love with my SU Top Note Die, can you tell? I had another bird cage cut out so this is how it all came together. I used some hand dyed (by the wonderful Elizabeth Tuch, owner of Scrap 'N Yap, my lss) 7 Gypsies silk ribbons to give it a very fragile feel to this card.

I couldn't help myself but I re-purposed another one of those Prima packaging tags and made another tag card. This time, I was inspired by an upcoming blessed event in my family, the impending birth of my niece, my family's first grandchild.

The stamp is Paper Inspirations, one of my favorite rubber stamp companies! I stamped it on one of the BG Procelain tie dyed patterned papers, and then colored in parts of the image with my chalk pencils. I mounted that on another BG Porcelain patterned papers, and popped it on foam dots onto the Prima Flirty Little Secrets Shimmer PP for some dimension. That luscious looking Prima paper was actually the diecut left over from my previous card pictured above. That paper is soooo rich with texture and color that I really have a hard time throwing ANY bit of it away. (Plus, its really expensive paper!)

Anyway, I added tons of embellies from my own stash, i.e. the blue flowers are Petaloo, the hand dyed silk ribbons, bits of tulle, stickers, etc.

I'll have one more project to share with you tomorrow as its going to be a Friday, and Fridays are our Friday Challenges at Embellish-Online.

Barb, Embellish-Online's wonderful owner, has just finished loading up TONS of new American Crafts in the store, so come on over and check out all the new yummy stuff in the store including new Prima, Pink Paislee, etc. Please drop on by into our DT Gallery to see what our other DT's have created this month too (we like getting gallery love too)!

***COUPON CODE ALERT****

Don't forget....GLITTER is the magic word to get you 20% off of your entire order. Coupon code is available everyday, all year round making Embellish-Online the BEST place to shop!

Finally, Embellish-Online currently has a Design Team call. You couldn't ask to work for a better Owner and DT Leader, girls, in Barb and Suzy. I hope you consider submitting!

Thanks for looking. :)

"Let Your Dreams Take Flight" Card
Paper: Prima "Flirty Little Secrets" Shimmer PP; BG Porcelain PP
Embellishments: Prima Flowers; 7 Gypsies Die and Silk Ribbon; Kaiser Pearl Bling; Webster's Lace; Misc Pearl Ribbon; Marcela By Kay Sentiment & Butterfly Stickers
Accessories: SU Sizzix Top Note Die; Glue Dots

"Congrats..Capture the Joy" Tag Card
Paper: Prima Packaging; Prima "Flirty Little Secrets" Shimmer PP; BG Porcelain PP
Embellishments: Prima Flowers; 7 Gypsies Die and Silk Ribbon; Petaloo Flower; Misc Bling Stem; Marcela By Kay Sentiment Sticker; Sassfrass Lass Cloud Sticker; Paper Inspirations Rubber Stamp; MM Manilla Acrylic Paint; Cream Tulle
Accessories: SU Sizzix Top Note Die; Chalk Pencils; Foam Pop Dots; Glue Dots

Marks Paper Company's April Celebration Continues

2009-04-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Marks Paper Company is excited to celebrate the addition of our new Digital/Hybrid Design Team throughout the month of April! We're inviting you to celebrate with us!

From April 8th through the 14th, Marks Paper Company will offer, for one week only, a Free Desktop Calendar! Come and get yours over at our blog.

We also would like to start introducing our digital design team ladies by showcasing their work individually. A new digital project will be showcased every Sunday and Wednesday over at the Marks Paper Company blog the whole month of April.

Today we are showcasing my very good friend Maggie LaMarre's tutorial. Check it out.

If you have created an awesome layout using Marks Paper Company papers, please comment on the Marks Paper Company Blog by leaving a link to your layout and you just may find yourself and your work highlighted on the blog! You'll get to feature this blinkie award on your blog!

Embellish-Online Gallery Reveal & 2 Sketches 4 You Card Challenge

2009-04-07T16:10:00.001-07:00

Its Spring Time!!! I see baby spiders and daddy long legs!! Ewww!! Yes, its spring time and I'm afraid of bugs, lol!

But Spring also brings April flowers and the promise of a new beginning. :) The DT took a breather last month as we were waiting for new CHA product to arrive and we're back with some fresh projects to hopefully spring your imagination.

Yes, our theme this month over at Embellish-Online for April is "A Change in Time - April Flowers." We got to work with all the new Basic Grey and Prima releases from Jan '09 CHA.

Here's one of my projects I'd like to share with you. I based this tag card off of this weeks' 2Sketches4You card sketch.

I repurposed the packaging of one of the Prima flowers packets and used it as a base for my tag card here. It just seems too pretty to throw away!! First of all, there's that really pretty green teal color. It has that pretty decorative edging on the top and bottom, and it already is decorated with those very sweet swirly-dos all along the edges! Yes, too pretty to throw away. It does have some kind of coating on it, so it proved very stubborn for me to Glimmer Mist it to give it a bit more sheen! Oh well, I still really like my tag card. It definitely screams S-P-R-I-N-G!....no?

I'll post my other projects for you tomorrow as I'm running short on time today (work is definitely keeping me busy!). Definitely come on over and check out all the new Prima, Pink Paislee, American Crafts, etc goodies that Embellish-Online has been receiving in lately! And DEFINITELY don't forget to check out our DT Gallery to see what our other DT's have created this month!

***COUPON CODE ALERT****

Don't forget....GLITTER is the magic word to get you 20% off of your entire order. Coupon code is available everyday, all year round making Embellish-Online the BEST place to shop!

Lastly before I sign off, Embellish-Online currently has a Design Team call. You couldn't ask to work for a better Owner and DT Leader, girls, in Barb and Suzy. I hope you consider submitting!

"Spread Your Wings Today" Tag Card
Paper: Prima Packaging; Prima "Flirty Little Secrets" Shimmer PP; BG Porcelain PP
Embellishments: Prima Flowers; Cream Tulle; Kaiser Bling; MM Tiny Alphas; Webster's Lace; Marcela By Kay Sentiment
Accessories: Glue Dots

Cuttlebug Challenge Blogspot: 1st Annual Spa Retreat Cyber Crop & Blog Hop Event

2009-04-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Definitely pencil in this weekend on your calendar ladies and join us at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog for a fun packed weekend as we celebrate National Scrapbook Day!

March Scrapbook Nook Projects & Here's Our April Kit

2009-04-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

I still can't quite get over how ethereally beautiful this Ever After paper line from Cosmo Cricket is. Thankfully, the March My Scrapbook Nook Kit was chalk FULL of it, so I could loll in it til my heart's content!

I obviously have wedding on the mind (not that I'm doing anything remotely CLOSE to getting engaged!) and here's what I came up with. Man, this paper is beautiful!! Did I say that already??

My first project is a Wall Hanging utilizing those large metal frames from Basic Grey that turned up at Big Lots for something like $2.50 each! I grabbed a few of those as I was really inspired by a similar project designed/taught by Candice Carpenter a few years ago. The ivory frames were a perfect complement to the Cosmo Cricket Ever After papers. I'm pleased with how my version came out. The picture is of my brother and his wife on their wedding day last April. (He he, and they have a baby on the way already, who's due in mid-May! Dang, those two don't waste any time, huh?)

I wanted to take a break from cards for awhile, so I was thrilled that one of my local cropping groups was going to the Pinecone Press location for a crop a few weeks ago. Pinecone Press, as you know, is a great manufacturer of products and pre-packaged kits, etc. Their headquarters is completely stocked with ALL the Accucut dies ever made!! I was in heaven!! I wanted to try out all these boxes and shapes that I was too lazy to measure/cut out on my own using patterns I've found on line. So, yes, I got to play with all those dies and here's what I came up with.

I'm either going to use this as a bridal shower invitation or as a little gag gift to the next friend of mine who gets married. This little purse is scored in such a way on the bottom that I could actually fit a few sheets of papers in between, so I could include tips, funny anecdotes, items for a survival kit, etc.

Then, I'm always out of ideas for place settings/table favors!! So I worked up a few mock samples.

I've always loved this photo of my sister in law on her wedding day. She had a damn good photographer, didn't she? I kept this one fairly flat because my SIL's style isn't as lumpy as mine.

Definitely check out the gallery to see what the other Nook DT's created with this fabulously gorgeous kit! We still have a few of the March Kits left, so definitely get yours before they're completely sold out!

Before I sign off, I gotta show you our April kits!! Yes, I intended for kits to be plural!! We have two kits this month; one of them is a special limited one!

Here's our April kit at the Nook:

I'm diving into it now and will hopefully have some projects to share with you after this weekend. I absolutely LOVE Pink Paislee!!

And here's our Limited Edition Spring Kit: (more Pink Paislee goodness!)

And very last thing, I promise, before I go. The Nook is featuring a card per day using the March, April, and May kits for a month. Definitely come play along with us or just visit for inspiration in our card forum!

Alright kiddos, its time to hit the road for me. (I've got lots more to update the rest of this week!)

"Wedding" Wall Hanging
Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" PP; Chipboard
Embellishments: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" Die Cuts & Chipboard; Cream Tulle; Jenni Bowlin Jeweled Ivory Button; Misc Cream Flowers; Misc Iridescent Pearl Beaded Ribbon; Offray Cream Satin Ribbon; Basic Grey Alpha Stickers; Basic Grey Ivory Metal Frames
Accessories: Perfect Paper Adhesive; Glue Dots

"Bridal Purse"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" PP
Embellishments: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" Die Cuts & Chipboard; Cream Tulle; Jenni Bowlin Jeweled Ivory Button; Prima Lace; Misc Iridescent Pearl Beaded Ribbon; Misc Brown Wired Satin Ribbon
Accessories: Accucut Purse Die; Glue Dots; Double Sided Sticky Tape

"Cake Tower Place Setting / Favor"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" PP
Embellishments: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" Die Cuts; Misc Cream Flowers; Offray Cream Satin Ribbon
Accessories: Accucut Cake and Topper Dies; Glue Dots; Double Sided Sticky Tape

"Cake Favor"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" PP
Embellishments: Misc Iridescent Pearl Beaded Ribbon; Misc Large Silk Flower
Accessories: Accucut Cake Dies; Glue Dots; Double Sided Sticky Tape; Scalloped Scissors

"Happily Ever After"
Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" PP
Embellishments: Cosmo Cricket "Ever After" Die Cuts & Chipboard; Cream Tulle; Jenni Bowlin Jeweled Ivory Button; Misc Cream Flowers; Offray Cream Satin Ribbon; Prima Lace and Pearl Swirly
Accessories: Glue Dots

Design Team Call @ Embellish-Online

2009-04-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Embellish-Online.com is forming a new design team! We are an online retailer looking for innovative, creative and friendly card and scrapbook designers who are comfortable working with the products we sell such as patterned papers, embellishments and clear stamps that are detailed and may require coloring. If you work with Copic markers that is a plus!

You need to have an active, well maintained blog, be active on forums like SCS and/or 2Peas to share your work, be able to meet deadlines and participate in team challenges and on the store’s forum, and have a friendly, positive attitude. We require at least one EI exclusive post a week on your blog using our products, and to create for the EI gallery once a month (around 6 cards, layouts or projects a month in total).

In return, you will receive approx. $25 worth of product a month to design with, which usually includes patterned papers, embellishments, and sometimes stamps. You will also receive a 30% discount on almost everything in the store.

The design term will last six months.

To apply please send your name, address, link to your blog and SCS/2Peas galleries, and 5 examples of cards or projects that best reflect your style to suzy@papermonkey.org . Please keep each image under 100 kb in size or your application will not be received. Please also include a little bit about yourself, what other design teams you are on (DT experience is NOT necessary though), and why you would like to be an EI designer.

Applications are due April 30th. New designers will be announced by May 5th . The design term will begin June 1st and end December 31st.

*******Sniff, Sniff!! I can't believe my term is almost over. I still remember getting my notification from Suzy back in July '08 to let me know I had made the team! I was over the moon!!! Embellish-Online was one of my first DT gigs, and I am forever grateful to both Suzy and Barb for giving me the opportunity.

Good Luck to all the ladies that apply!! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed being a part of the Design Team this past term. I've learned, grown and been so inspired by all the ladies at Embellish-Online. I've never scrapped or made so many cards in my life! LOL! Seriously, Barb and Suzy are the best people to work with, and I feel so very blessed to call them and all the other Aug '08 - May '09 Embellish Online DT members, Norma, Debbie, Michelle, Heidi, Julie, Cindy, Bonnie and Daniela, my friends.

Lots of Happenings & Free Digital Kit @ Marks Paper Co :)

2009-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks so very much to all of you for spreading the news about Marks Paper Co! If I daresay, I feel like this new paper company is the hottest thing to have debuted from Jan '09 CHA. Whoohoo to Stacy Marks, our wonderful creator and owner of Marks Paper Co.

Now on to some NEW news.... :)

We recently had a Digital Hybrid Design Team search and I just want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our newest additions to the Marks Paper Co Design Team:

Maggie LaMarre - who's our new Marketing Director too!
Michele Ciola
Patricia Komara
Cathy Pascual
Deanna Kroll
Cindy Gilchrist
Pamela Young

Check out their blogs!! These ladies are majorly talented!! Its an honor to be on the same team with them!

Marks Paper Company is excited to celebrate the addition of our new Digital/Hybrid Design Team throughout the month of April! We’re inviting you to celebrate with us all month long!

From April 1st through the 7th, MPCo will offer a Free Digital Template Giveaway and 25% Off All Digital Kits! Visit the MPCo blog for your chance to win!

April 1st also means the reveal of our featured Guest Design Team Member who is Charity Hassel. Check out Charity's work here in our gallery!

Be sure to keep an eye on the Marks Paper Company Blog...do a MPC layout link yourself up and you just may find yourself and your work highlighted on the blog! Yep...this award! How cool!

And finally, I want to share my most recent projects using this fabulous paper. I've always been enamoured with papers that wax childhood nostalgia, and this particular paper from the Old Fashioned Courtship line just melt my heart! For my card, I used the He Loves Me/Picnic Blanket & Neck Tie/He Loves Me along with Long Walk/Rouge papers. Yeah, I know, I have a thing for the paper pleating. My friend Kari says I need to move on from this technique. Lol, in time Kari, in time!

For my layout, I used Summer Log/Meadow and Ice Cream Cone/Board Shorts from the August Collection. I was soo proud to have snapped an "artsy fartsy" photo when my Mom and I were lounging in front of the Pantheon. It took us a few days to find this monument since the streets in Rome are pretty windy crazy, especially when you're tired and your feet hurt! Later on that day, I remember, my Mom and I just hung out on the steps of that Fountain enjoying the box of chocolates that we had hand picked earlier in the morning. It was a GOOD day indeed!

I also used a few journaling bits from Photo Log Journaling Jotters set of 7 (in Kraft & White) available from Jenn Steven's etsy shop now renamed Creative Chaos.

"He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not...He Loves Me" Card
Paper: Marks Paper Co "Old Fashioned Courtship" PP; Bazzil Bark CS
Embellishments: Offray Ivory Ribbon; Jenni Bowlin Jeweled Ivory Button; Kaiser Kraft Pearls
Accessories: SU Sizzix Top Note Die; Glue Dots

"My Best Shot"
Paper: Marks Paper Co "August Collection" PP
Embellishments: Prima Lace & Flowers; Marcela by Kay Diecuts & Dimensional Stickers; MM Tiny Alphas (White); Creative Chaos "Photo Log Journalling Jotters" Spots; White "Daiquiri" AC Thickers
Accessories: AC Slick Writers in Black Fine Point; Glue Dots

Exclusive Interview & Sneak Peeks of NEW Provocraft Cuttlebug Products

2009-03-31T16:30:00.000-07:00

If you have not had a chance to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge Blogspot lately, check it out because there is an EXCLUSIVE interview with Erik, who is the Cuttlebug Product Development for Provocraft!!

Make sure you go and check out the interview for some exciting information and upcoming Provocraft CUTTLEBUG products!!! There are definitely exciting things on the way, so come back and check out the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog.

Wanna see some sneaks of some new products?? Click here! OMG, I'm drooling!!! (Thank goodness that scrappy goodies can still make everything much much better in a girls' life, eh?)

We want to thank all of our readers for making this blog happen every week, for participating in the challenges, commenting, letting your friends know by spreading the word about us and
adding us to your blog roll and following the blog. Here's a few blinkies for you to add to YOUR blog roll to show how much you love us! he he

We want to thank you for making the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog the number One spot for great inspirations :)

We even got a shout out from Kollette Hall recently! How cool is that?

Design Team Call & April Kit @ Urban-Anthology

2009-03-31T16:13:00.001-07:00

I can't believe its been 8 months already since my good friend Kari opened her own online store / kit club!! Its time again to look for some talented ladies for her next Design Team Call. Check out the details HERE.

And here's the Urban-Anthology April Kit entitled "C'mon Get Happy." He he, we were in a Partridge Family kinda mood when we put this kit together! You can get it NOW by clicking here.

C'mon Get Happy will be shipping before April 15th.

This kit features Sassafrass Lass, Cosmo Cricket, Making Memories, Bazzill card stock as well as many embellishments… some from Prima, and other hand selected from the garment district in Los Angeles! You will be getting 10 papers, 3 card stocks, and 3 - 12 x 12 pages with embellishments… and that doesn’t include the ribbons, pebbles, alphabet, flowers, and more that you will be getting.
I can't wait to get my hands on THIS kit!!

3 Times is the charm??? Win Some Marks Paper Company Collections

2009-03-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Marks Paper Company is just getting started!! Check out my fellow DTer Beatriz Jenning's blog for your chance to win, yet, another entire collection of Marks Paper Company.

Good Luck!

Another Marks Paper Co Giveaway

2009-03-05T16:19:00.001-08:00

Ladies, I know many of you wanted to win some Marks Paper! Its time for another blog candy opportunity! Check out my fellow DTer Mimi Leinbach's blog for your chance to win an entire collection of Marks Paper Company.

Good Luck!

A Toot and another Marks Paper Company Project

2009-03-03T16:40:00.000-08:00

Its been awhile since I've submitted to Basic Grey so I was really happy to have gotten the email when I was driving home this past Friday night, that this card I made last week for Embellish-Online and Creative Chaos was accepted into the Basic Grey Gallery. Whoohoo!! I miss tooting! I only have 1 item to my name in the Basic Grey Gallery, so that means I better hop to it and create some more to submit!

I finally got to photograph my card that I created for Marks Paper Company this morning since the lighting, etc is so much better in my office.

I made this card by hand cutting all these little flourish thingies from the August paper collection. {I'm still sick, so I can't articulate right now!} I'm apparently in love with circle medallions because I immediately knew what I was going to do with this paper when I received it in the mail.

I think this August line looks fabulous with white. It makes it look so crisp and the colors even more vibrant. I had to pull out my old MM white rubons in Heidi's handwriting because I wanted a white sentiment but didn't have any white phrase rubons. In case you were wondering, this is what the patterned paper looks like from which I hand cut those thingies:

Pretty cool eh?? Definitely check out the DT Gallery at Marks Paper Company for more inspiration by all the talented ladies. They seriously blow me away!

"Flower Medallion" Card
Paper: Marks Paper Co "August Collection" PP; Bazzil Lace Scalloped CS
Embellishments: Offray Cream Satin Ribbon; Kaiser Craft Sage Bling; Misc Hat Pin and Bead (from my stash); MM White "Heidi" Rubons
Accessories: Cutter Bee Scissors; Scrapbook Adhesive Foam Pop Up

A layout using Marks Paper Company....Old Fashioned Courtship

2009-03-02T13:37:00.000-08:00

I have been fingering the "Old Fashioned Courtship" line ever since I received it from Marks Paper Company a few weeks ago. This paper seriously looks like linen and feels so creamy when you cut into it. These colors and designs are soo me!

Scrap 'N Yap just got Glimmer Mists in the store as a result of Liz Hicks teaching technique based classes at our store, so I was able to stock up on another dozen or so bottles. I can't wait for Elizabeth of the Yap to replenish her stock as well as carry even MORE colors!!

The reason I brought up Glimmer Mists is that I used a few new colors (for me that is) on this next layout I created using the "Old Fashioned Courtship" line.

I repurposed one of the priority boxes I had lying around from this week's deliveries, and I spritzed it with Mimosa (bright sunflower yellow), Latte (reddish brown) and a bit of Moonlight (dark teal). I discovered that Graphite (black) was too stark and thus not complimentary to the patterned papers. I also hand painted a few swashes of gold acrylic paint on to the edges for further texturing.

Here is a detailed photo so you can see the dimension I created with the corrugated innards of the priority box along with my paper pleated photo matting strip.

I decided to die my pom pom ribbon which was a natural (rope) color from Prima with the Mimosa Glimmer Mists to draw out the yellow of the sunflower papers. I also added in some journaling bits from Creative Chaos which are from the Fabulous Random Date Journaling Spots and Valentine Ticket bundles.

The picture is of my mom when we were vacationing in Rome during Thanksgiving back in 2006. She had gotten used to the Starbucks sized coffee drinks so she was just beside herself with the small portions in Italy. Each and every morning, she'd order 3 lattes, or cappucino's, etc..you get the drift. She pretty much became the infamous Mama! (imagine saying that in a very dramatic Italian accent complete with hand gestures!) at the cafe we frequented in the mornings before we started our day of sight seeing! Ai-ya-ya...my mommy can be soo funny! Therefore, my layout is entitled "Bon Giorno Mama!"

I'll be back with another Marks Paper Company project tomorrow to share! Definitely check out the gallery, cuz the DT have really outdone themselves this month.

"Buon Giorno Mama" Layout
Paper: Marks Paper Co "Old Fashioned Courtship" PP; Repurposed USPS Priority Box for Corrugated Base
Embellishments: Prima Natural Lace; "Mimosa, Latte and Moonlight" Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists; Misc. Metallic Gold Acrylic Paint; Misc Fabric rak'd by Stacy Marks of Marks Paper Co; Staples yellow paper clip; Creative Chaos "Fabulous Random Date Journalling Jotters" & "Valentine Ticket Bundle" Spots
Accessories: Glue Dots