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Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #9 - Quick Title Tip 2

2012-02-11T22:18:00.000-08:00

Imagine if Cher sang her duets in the 1960s with a tall, glittering lady with silky black hair who wore revealing sequined strapless gowns. It would have been too much of a good thing. No, Cher harmonized with a mousy little man sporting a Beatles bowl cut.

They epitomized the kind of contrast that also works wonders when creating a title for scrapbook layout.

When creating a title for your scrapbook page with multiple font types, I strive to use alphabet stickers or die cuts that compliment, yet contrast each other. If I choose one set of letter stickers that are fanciful and flourished, I choose a more simple font for the other words in the title.

Try pairing italic letters with a clean font with straight lines. If the letters have serifs, couple it with a sans serif.

Also try mixing sizes or textures.

Hey, if it worked for Sonny & Cher...it can work for your layouts.

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #8 - Quick Title Tip 1

2012-02-11T07:52:00.001-08:00

A rule I learned years ago during an internship with a newspaper advertising department is to never use more than two fonts in an ad. I've found this is also a good rule of thumb to follow when creating scrapbook layout titles.

When you use letters from no more than two sets of alphabet stickers or die cut fonts, you prevent the title from being too busy or stealing attention from the rest of the design. It's a guideline I follow on almost every scrapbook layout I create - and I've found it works brilliantly.

However, you know what they say...rules are made to be broken. While I follow this guideline on almost every layout, I don't follow it on absolutely every layout.

Layer-by-Layer Layout Lesson #1: "Mazed & Cornfused"

2012-02-09T10:58:00.001-08:00

I've been asked by several scrapbookers to provide sketches for my layouts. Rather than creating a traditional sketch - which I usually find somewhat hard to follow and recreate - I am testing a step-by-step sketch that other scrapbookers can use to scrap lift my design.

For this first design, I created sketches for how to create this 2-page layout.

Here's what you will need:

2 matching sheets of patterned paper
2 additional pieces of patterned paper with coordinating designs and colors
4 sheets of cardstock in colors that coordinate with your patterned paper
Alphabet stickers or chipboard for your titles
Flowers, Chipboard or any other dazzling embellishments you will use to spice up the layout
A large plate or platter, a pencil compass, or other tool to cut a large circle
Other everyday scrapbook supplies: Journaling Pen, Adhesive, Cutting Tools

These sketches show where you place the paper, photos and embellishments on the layout.

I created these two large circles by tracing a large silver platter. After placing them on the page, I stitched their edges with a sewing machine. Whether you want to add stitching is up to you, but you should do that before moving on to the rest of the steps.

The piece of cardstock represented by the green box is the same color as the cardstock represented by the orange pieces. You could also shake things up by using a different color altogether...that's up to you!!

This guide is for a basic version of this layout. As you can see from my finished layout, I added additional features - including mesh behind the frame, arrow stickers, thin mats around all the photos, and a decorative ampersand as part of the title. I also distressed the edges of most of the photos and inked the edges of most of the cardstock. Depending on the layout's subject matter, those techniques may not be appropriate for every page.

If you have any feedback, please let me know!!

Also, if anyone out there uses these sketches to create a page, I would LOVE to see the finished result.

The Protection Question: Part 3

2012-02-09T10:42:00.001-08:00

This is part 3 in my blog series about why I do not use page protectors on my scrapbook layouts.

As I said in my previous post about why I do not use page protectors on my scrapbook layouts – for me, the cons of using them outweigh the pros.

For me, the first drawback is dollars. A packet of new page protectors can run anywhere from $5 to $12. Think about how many brads, buttons or bows you could buy with those bucks.

I’ve been scrapbooking since 1987 and never considered using them until scrapbook supply companies started marketing them heavily in the early 2000s. I asked myself: are page protectors being sold to protect MY pages or THEIR bottom line?

Guess what my answer is to that question.

Also, consider this: I think page protectors diminish the emotional connection someone can have with one of my layouts.

Let me explain.

Several years back, I went to the Louvre Museum in Paris. Most of the artwork hangs on the wall, separated from visitors by only a few feet of space and air. You can walk right up to a masterpiece and see the brushstrokes and textures on a painting.

In fact, many of the sculptures – including the famous and armless Venus de Milo – stand right out in the open. I was surprised and delighted that I was allowed to stand pretty close to Ms. Milo and have my picture taken with the 2,100 year old gal.

With nothing between me and the canvas or stone, my museum experience – and my connection with each masterpiece – was enhanced.

The situation is a little different with Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, as this 500-year old lady rightfully requires protection. Enclosed in a bullet-proof glass case supplemented with a bed of silica gel controlling humidity, it’s impossible to get all that close to her or her infamous smile. Forget about taking a picture – the Louvre guards mean business when they say “NO pictures.”

Of course, being the most famous painting in the world attracts colossal crowds, which contribute in making it more difficult to appreciate or enjoy this painting. Separated from Mona by glass, gel and people, it’s practically impossible to truly appreciate her majesty.

Whether it’s bullet-proof glass or a thin sheet of plastic, this “protection” is really nothing more than a barrier, decreasing the chance for an emotion connection between the art and the audience.

My scrapbook pages do not require the kind of protection surrounding the Mona Lisa. I want everyone looking at my scrapbooks to enjoy them like I enjoyed the Venus de Milo – with nothing separating them from my art.

The Protection Question: Part 2

2012-02-08T11:57:00.001-08:00

This is part 2 in my blog series about why I do not use page protectors on my scrapbook layouts. Today's is all about what I see as the benefits to using them.

The main benefit of page protectors is that they protect your pages.

Okay, fine – but from what?

A page protector will not protect your layouts from fire, flood, nuclear war or a biblical plague. For that kind of protection you need a fire-proof safe, large water-proof bags, a bomb shelter and some industrial strength locust spray.

Page protectors really just protect against people. People who spill, smear and smudge things on your scrapbooks.

To combat this, I’ve found that the best protectors for a scrapbook are rules, of which I have two.

Rule #1: Set down that drink…over THERE

Anyone who picks up one of my scrapbooks cannot skim said book while eating or drinking. I don’t care if you’re one of my best friends, an invited guest or my mother. If you are flipping through one of my scrapbooks with one hand and holding a drink in the other – whether it’s water or wine – I won’t ask you to put it down, I will pull it from your pretty little paws myself. Naturally, I will throw in as much charm as I can muster while explaining that I don’t like people looking at my scrapbooks whilst drinking. Of course, my tone will also convey just the dinkiest dollop of disdain as I shoot a smile that asks: what were you thinking?

Rule #2: Chaperones required

Young children cannot hold or look through my scrapbooks without an adult. I adore my nieces, nephews and my friends’ children, but they are just that: children. Few kids would ruin a page on purpose, but I was a child once, so I know full well how much I grabbed and pulled and touched. It wasn’t in an effort to ruin something, but to explore it. Which is fine, but my scrapbooks aren’t suitable for mini-Magellans. That said, I realize this rule is easy for me to enforce since I don't have any children of my own. All kids who stop by my house are visitors, and would rather swim in the pool than flip through my scrapbooks.

Now, all these rules might make me a tad bit bitchy, but I spend far too much time and money to allow someone to add their own embellishments to one of my layouts with a wine spot or finger print. Furthermore, I’ve found that when these two rules are followed, the need for page protectors is all but eliminated.

One fabulous scrapbooker did comment on yesterday's post that she uses protectors "to take away the worry of people touching my photos and pages directly and depositing the oils...that are natural...to the skin, but harmful to paper materials." This, certainly is something to consider.

One final point and valid benefit is that page protectors may also protect your pages from other pages. In other words, a metal embellishment on one page may scratch a picture on the opposing page. This is actually an excellent point and I don’t have a good argument to oppose it. However, I’ve created dozens of scrapbooks and have had this happen so rarely that it just doesn’t register as an actual issue of concern for me.

Tomorrow: Part 3 covers what I see as the drawbacks to using page protectors.

The Protection Question: Part 1

2012-02-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

I’ve been asked many times about page protectors. Since I create pages with pop-ups and other interactive elements, scrapbookers are curious about how I am able to include these features underneath a protective sheath of clear plastic.

Here’s the simple answer: I don’t.

I’ve never used page protectors and never plan to use them in the future.

Using page protectors is a personal choice all scrapbookers must make for themselves. When making this decision, I weighed the pros and cons for page protectors and found that – for me – the cons outweigh the pros.

Tomorrow, I will post about the benefits of using page protectors and why those reasons just don’t matter to me.

I know many people are quite passionate about page protectors. This blog series is just about my thoughts on the subject. I’d love to hear your thoughts…feel free to comment and share your reasons for using them – or not using them.

Creating Scrapbook Couture

2012-02-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished a scrapbook page about a trip I took to a farm and corn maze in Central Indiana with my family. I decided to make an eye-catching and dramatic corn husk embellishment for the page.

My goal was to create an embellishment that was one-of-a-kind, custom-made and special.

In other words: Scrapbook Couture.

Here's how I created this ornate and opulent piece of couture corn on the right side of this layout.

Step 1: Create the Cob

I cut some light cardboard in the shape of a piece of corn and painted it yellow. This is the base or foundation of what will become the corn cob.

Step 2: Pierce & Place

Starting at the top, I use a paper piercer to poke little holes through the cardboard, then place yellow brads through the holes.

Step 3:

Keeping the kernels close

I nestle the brads next to each other, mimicking the look of a corn cob.

Step 4: Bring in Reinforcement

With all those holes pierced in the cardboard along with the weight of the brads, the base of the cob becomes less sturdy. I occasionally flip the corn over and reinforce the back with hot glue.

Step 5:

Mix it up

As I continue to place brads over the entire piece of painted cardboard, I mix sizes and shades to give the corn more interest and texture.

Step 6:

Lather, Rinse Repeat Step 4

I continue to reinforce the back with hot glue.

Step 7:

Back it up

I hot glue a piece of cardstock to the back and trim it so it's not visible from the front. Having a flat back will make it easier to adhere the leaves and other embellishments to it.

Step 8:

Complete the Couture

I finish it off by adding lace, ribbon, mesh, flowers, fabric trimming, feathers, tulle and pipe cleaners...any-and-everything green that could double as the leaves of a decorative husk. Sometimes less is more, but sometimes more is more.

Scrapbooking Indy!

2012-02-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

Indianapolis, Indiana is center stage this weekend when they host Super Bowl XLVI. Sidebar: I took several semesters of Greek studies in college and I could not tell you what XLVI means, other than: more than 10 and less than 100.

Anyway, I went to high school in a Southern suburb of Indianapolis and college at Indiana University, so it's been fun seeing my old stomping ground on the news all week. A large number of my Facebook friends live in the Indianapolis area, and it's been fun looking at all their pictures. Indy is all gussied up, dressed to the nines, and really rolling out the red - er, Colts blue - carpet for the flood of football fans descending on the Circle City. Indy is a clean, safe and lovely mid-sized Midwestern city, and I'm pleased to see it getting some well-desrved time in the national spotlight.

So, in honor of Indy's big weekend, I'm posting a few of the scrapbook layouts I've created over the past few years. These commemorate the trips I've taken to visit family and friends.

Several of these pages highlight Monument Circle. If you've ever been to Indy, you know the Circle is a beautiful backdrop for a photo - by even the highest standards.

Not Your Grandmother's Photo Corners

2012-02-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

Photo corners used to be an essential part of a scrapbook. They were as essential to a photo book as nails were to a house. Just like nails keep the walls stuck to the frame of a home, photo corners kept pictures in place on a page. I remember poring over my grandmother's memory books, marveling at the black-and-white pictures from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s -- each secured to the page with four charcoal colored corners.

According to 3M's Scotch brand website, double-sided tape was invented in the early 1940s. Then came those adhesive photo albums, which were considered convenient at the time, but are now considered evil by most scrapbookers. Anyway, these inventions forever altered the world of picture preservation. They also eliminated the need for photo corners.

Over the last two decades, scrapbooking exploded into a national pastime, bringing photo corners back into vogue. Of course, they are no longer used as the main means for affixing a photo to a page -- there are about six jillion different adhesives we use for that job. Rather, photo corners now play the important roll of embellishment. Whether it's made of fabric or ribbon or paper, or covered in glitter or ink, photo corners are now decorative additions placed on a page.

Since they are not essential for keeping a picture placed on a page, you no longer necessarily need four, with one on each corner. Who says you can't just use one to cover one corner. Why not place one on two opposing corners, so you only use two?

Here's the full layout

Here's the full layouts:

Top layout

Bottom layout

Once an integral part of keeping pictures on a page, photo corners now carry the sole responsibility of making a layout a little more lovely.

Scrapbookers...how do you use photo corners on your layouts?

Welcome to my Scrapbook!

2012-01-31T17:03:00.000-08:00

When someone picks up a scrapbook, they open the cover and see – staring up at them – the first layout on the first page. For some reason, what is on that layout has always stressed me out.

If the scrapbook is about one event – like a vacation or wedding – the first layout is usually pretty easy to design. Slap on the date of the aforementioned life event, a prominent picture, and a title. You now have an introductory page telling people what important story is told on the following pages. Like these for a vacation book, a wedding book, an anniversary book, and a baby book I made:

However, if the scrapbook is home to a bunch of unrelated layouts – like random birthdays, parties, holidays and everyday activities – what to put on that first page is not an obvious choice. If it’s one layout about a single event, unrelated to the rest of the layouts, WHY was THAT layout chosen to be the first one seen?

Maybe because it came first chronologically.

Maybe because it was a single page layout that would fit on one page.

Call me crazy, but I need the first layout on the first page to be a logical introduction to the rest of the scrapbook. I think of it like a welcome mat on a front porch. Since it’s the first thing someone sees when walking into your house, it says ‘Welcome,’ not ‘What would you like to drink?’ or ‘See you later!’ Since the first layout is the first thing someone sees when flipping through your scrapbook, it should also say: “Welcome.”

A few years ago, I came up with an idea that I now use in every scrapbook containing a bunch of random layouts. I collect pictures from every page in the scrapbook and place them on layout along with the title: “In This Book.”

Call it a ‘title page’ or a ‘cover page,’ this welcome mat tells people which life events are chronicled in the book they are holding.

Scrapbookers of the universe...what do YOU put on the first page of your scrapbooks?

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #7: When a Flower's not a Flower - Part II

2012-01-27T13:49:00.001-08:00

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. is a Load of Scrap series. T.H.A.T. stands for "Tips, Hints, Advice & Tricks."

In my last Scrapbook T.H.A.T. blog, I suggested using scrapbook flowers as water. Of course, there are many other ways to repurpose fabric and paper flowers.

Here's an idea:

Place a large flower behind a sticker or photo.

It's now not so much a blossom as a bright starburst accenting your embellishment.

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #6: When a Flower's not a Flower - Part I

2012-01-25T21:28:00.001-08:00

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. is a Load of Scrap series. T.H.A.T. stands for "Tips, Hints, Advice & Tricks."

I love paper and fabric flowers made for scrapbooking. However, a floral motif is not appropriate on every layout. That does not mean, however, that you can't use a flower from your supply stash on just about any page.

See, a flower doesn't always have to be a flower!

Here's an idea:

Use a blue flower to mimic a splash of water.

In this layout, I placed a large light blue flower beneath the die cut of a little boy in swimming pool inner tube. Accented by some water-drip stickers, this flower is obviously playing the roll of water on this layout.

Antiquing for Scrapbooking

2012-01-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

They say one man's trash is another man's treasure. Well, I have an addendum to that: one person's antique is another person's scrapbook embellishment.

A good friend invited me along on one of his recent antiquing trips. We drove south of Atlanta to the Scott's Antique Market's monthly show. Inside two huge expo halls are aisles and aisles of antique vendors, pedaling everything from geriatric jewelry and rusty old kitchen supplies to ancient ottomans and nifty knickknacks.

We meandered through the maze of antiques and I discovered that antiquing isn't just for people looking to add a touch of heritage charm to their home décor. An antique mart is chock full of things that can add pizazz to a scrapbook page.

The best part is that many of these treasures were not near as expensive as brand-name scrapbook supplies.

So, here's a peek at my purchases:

Antique Watch Faces

I actually purchased a couple of these a few years back, not knowing whether I would use them or not. When I did use them - and loved the interest they added to my page - I knew I needed more. So, I stocked up!!

Here are the pages on which I used antique watch faces:

Remember the Times

City Seconds

Old Typewriter Keys

How fabulous are these?! Not sure yet how I'll use them, but they are actually buttons from an old typewriter.

Magazine Pages & Sheet Music

I purchased dozens of pages and covers from old magazines, as well as some old sheet music. These will certainly be a one-of-a-kind addition to any scrapbook layout.

Handkerchiefs

I have no idea how I will use these vintage ladies' kerchiefs, but they were pretty inexpensive so I thought: WHY not?!

Large Clock Faces

These are both about five inches across and - at seven bucks apiece - were a little on the pricier side. That said, I figured it was worth it as they will add a dramatic element to a layout.

Antique buttons

Buttons are the one embellishment that can be over-priced at an antique market, I've found. Haggle if you can. I was able to get these for a reasonable price, but many were just too expensive to justify the purchase. Unlike brand new buttons, these are over-flowing with character. It's apparently the character you're paying for.

Old Keys

Antique keys have been all the rage in the world of scrapbook embellishments over the past few years. These, however, are the REAL DEAL.

Have you ever purchased anything at an antique market to be used in your scrapbook?

From Scrapbooker to Card-maker

2012-01-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

Scrapbookers and cardmakers are basically cousins in the papercrafting family tree. We use the same supplies, follow the same design rules, and apply the same crafting techniques to our work. So, when it came time for me to create some winter-themed 'thank you' cards, I figured I had the skills to create some first-class cards.

While I'm happy with the finished products, the process of making a caboodle of cards gave me a new-found respect for card-makers and their craft.

First, card-makers have a more cramped canvas on which to work. Once you put on a stamped sentence, a couple 3D embellishments, and a few pieces of patterned paper - the front flap is pretty much full.

Organizing the embellishments so they don't look messy and cluttered can be a bit of a challenge.

Then there's the actual production process. I made about two dozen cards - each the same.

Now, when I produce a scrapbook, each layout is different. Even if I use the same basic design for a couple pages, at least the pictures and patterned paper are different. With these cards, each one was the same. Every. Single. One.

I felt like I was one of those automobile assembly line robots, continuously performing the same action over and over and over and over.

Stamp. Cut. Adhere. Cut. Place. Stamp. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

It turns out that card-making requires something I do not have in spades: patience.

That said, when the cards were complete, the notes written, the envelopes stuffed, addresses printed, and cards mailed - I enjoyed a feeling of accomplishment unlike the pride I feel when I finish a scrapbook page.

When you create a card, you get to share it with someone - it's like giving away a small scrapbook layout and sharing your craft with the world.

Are you a scrapbooker, a card-maker....or do you toil in both crafts?

Where to Keep your Keepsakes?

2012-01-21T20:44:00.000-08:00

If you, dear scrapbookers, are anything like me - you have one scrapbooking Achilles' heel: storage. It's not my patterned paper or cardstock or brads or paper flowers or ribbon that need a place to call home. I have boxes and containers and jars to ensure those things are always orderly.

Rather, the things that need a place to stay are the things that turn a scrapbook into a memory book. Those pieces of personal memorabilia that help us remember the memories: tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets. I love including these things on a scrapbook page because they are integral to telling an event's story. While photos are important, it's my opinion that memorabilia helps transport the page's viewer to the places in the pictures.

Here's the rub. From the time you return from vacation with all those tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets...to the time you actually produce the page is usually several weeks - if not several weeks or months or years. HOW do you store the memorabilia in the meantime?!?

They don't need a permanent home, just a hotel room where they stay temporarily until their number is called for placement on a page.

In my years of scrapbooking, I've gone through many, many, MANY storage systems. A fellow scrapbooker who knows how much I love including memorabilia on my pages asked me to share my tips and tricks for storing tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets.

So, here are some of the systems I've used. I'll include my take on why they work - or why they don't work - to successfully store your tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets.

Hanging files

I used a hanging file for many years. The oversized folders were actually made to store scrapbook paper and cardstock. While it works well for paper, it wasn't ideal for storing memorabilia. Since the folders don't have sides, small mementos sometimes slip out the side of the folder.

While you can dedicate each folder to a month or a single event, the size of the folders makes it slightly harder to thumb through them. Not to mention their extreme depth makes it harder to see the bottom, meaning some mementos or memorabilia may go missing.

My grade: B-

12x12 clear pocket folders

These work great to store all the mementos for a single layout. The issue is storing them, since there are not a lot of bins or drawers made to hold them. Some of these pockets have holes for three-ring binders, but it only takes a few full folders to fill up a book. So, they end up being placed wherever they fit: on a shelf, in a bin, in a drawer...and I would inevitably forget about a folder and its contents - and in the end, the layout would be missing its mementos.

My Grade: C+

Metal cabinet

My current storage system is a metal cabinet I found at the Container Store.

The drawers are the perfect size for manilla envelopes. I stick my tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets in the envelopes, write the event on the outside of the envelope, and put them in the cabinet until I'm ready to put them on a page.

For larger mementos, I use standard 9"x12" envelopes, which fit perfectly in the drawers.

I put smaller memorabilia into smaller 6"x9" envelopes, which fit also fit perfectly in the cabinet when placed in the drawers sideways.

Depending on the brand of the cabinet you buy, this could actually be the most expensive.

However, my extensive experience has found it to be the most practical storage system for tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets.

My Grade: A-

What about you, scrapbookers of the world - what system do you use to store your tickets and programs and coins and schedules and itineraries and trinkets?

Using Design to Tie Together Tons of Pages

2011-12-08T14:17:00.001-08:00

When creating an entire scrapbook for one event or series of events, the planning of my pages begins before the first picture is placed on the first layout.

To tie all the different layouts together and give the entire book a cohesive look, I select certain embellishments, techniques and design elements that I will use on each page.

In 2008, I took three trips that were three very different vacations, and decided to put all the layouts in one book.

In planning the pages, I chose a few elements to be included in each design.

Each page has two large quarter circles in two corners, acting as over-sized photo corners.

I also used my sewing machine to stitch the edges of the circles, giving them a more finished and polished look.

Sidebar: I've said this before, but feel it's worth stating again - using a sewing machine on a scrapbook page is the most impressive finishing touch you can add to a layout. Nothing makes people 'ooh' or 'ahh' more than finding out you actually stitched your pages with a sewing machine.

End of sidebar.

Also, for every title in this book, I used the same Cricut cartridge font for part of the title.

Then, I put one word from each title in a circle, which is decorated with 3D embellishments - such as stickers from Jolee's Boutique and Punch Studio, and charms from Michaels.

I also included several strips of brads on each layout. Each line of these embellishments features three brads. It may seem like a pretty minor design element, but is another piece that helps put together the design puzzle.

Finally, I used all the elements on both the title and end layouts in the book.

While most people will not immediately notice these design tricks, they act as a subliminal note to the viewer that all these pages go together.

So scrapbookers....what design tricks do you use to tie layouts together?

Find Your Hometown Scrapbook Store

2011-12-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

My last post highlighted my recent trip to a scrapbook store in Jenison, Michigan. That store is one of almost 700 stores spotlighted on a map created by the always fabulous Susan Mintmire over at PaperCrafter's Corner.

The map shows that there are scrapbook stores from sea to shining sea...in almost every corner of this country. Scrapbookers and papercrafters everywhere from Shohomish, Washington to Sunrise, Florida have a place to purchase patterned paper and cardstock.

Visit Susan's site to check out the interactive map.

Which store on the map is your favorite place to shop for scrapbook supplies?

A Surprise Scrapbook Discovery

2011-12-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

This fall, I traveled to the Midwest for a reunion with some of my dearest college friends. I flew into Grand Rapids, Michigan on a day so windy, it resulted in one of the most turbulent airplane landings I’ve ever experienced.

After shaking off the queasiness and uneasiness from the treacherous touchdown, I loaded up the rental car and headed out to begin the weekend. Being unfamiliar with the Great Lakes State, I had a pile of printed pages from Mapquest, the printed e-mail with directions, and the map app on my phone. My first stop was a grocery store to pick up my contributions to the weekend’s sustenance stockpile. I exited the highway, hoping to come across some sort of grocery store.

AHH! I spotted several signs to a Meijer, a Midwest big-box store that sells everything from goldfish crackers to actual goldfish. After navigating the streets of suburban Grand Rapids, I finally found the big building, but could not find the front door. I circled the colossal concrete building that seemed to go on and on forever. As I turned another corner into what ended up being the store’s loading dock, I felt the frustration fluttering to my face.

I know! You’re wondering where am I going with this…

Well, here it is: As I did an eight-point turn to maneuver out of the loading dock, I noticed a small strip mall sitting next to Meijer. The sign above the corner store shined bright below the overcast skies: Pages in Time…Absolutely Everything for Scrapbooking! That's their actual tag line printed above the door.

The trumpets sounded. The choir sang. Every ounce of stress slipped away.

Detour!!

I love visiting scrapbook stores when visiting other cities and states. There’s something about walking into a store you’ve never seen. I feel like Dora, exploring a new and exciting land – I was uncertain about what I would find, but knew I would enjoy the journey.

I love the locally owned scrapbook stores; small spaces lined with soaring shelves of cardstock and patterned paper. The aisles are almost always a tight fit – which no one minds, since it means the owner can fit more fixtures on the floor.

Navigating the rows of embellishments is like making your way through a corn maze. You don’t know quite where to turn next or how far back you’ll go, but every step reveals something more interesting than the last.

What I found in Pages in Time was about the most extensive selection of Jolee’s Boutique 3D embellishments I have EVER seen. Seriously, the displays seemed to stretch on for a mile. Stickers featuring activities and themes I have never seen – or thought I’d never see.

I strolled down the aisles of Pages in Time, browsing for the better part of an hour – losing myself in the embellishment packages hanging on the walls – many of them higher than my hand could reach.

The packages filled with tools and paper and embellishments – were also filled with possibilities. Scanning the supplies, I imagined how I could use those turquoise brads, that paisley paper, or this star-shaped stencil.

Sometimes shopping for scrapbook supplies is as much fun as creating a scrapbook page.

A shout-out to the lovely lady who helped me...Hi Deb!!

Thankful for Scrapbooking

2011-11-23T16:35:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, one of my friends was over for a visit. He sat in my crafting room flipping through some recently finished scrapbooks. As he sat there - just a few days before Thanksgiving - smiling and reminiscing, I was reminded how thankful I am for scrapbooking.

Yes, scrapbooking is my creative outlet. Also, unlike other pastimes and hobbies, I have something tangible to show for it, so I don't feel my time is wasted.

It's more than that, though. I'm thankful for the fact that I chose a hobby that preserves my memories.

Sure, without scrapbooking I might still remember the destination wedding I attended in 2008. However, in 25 years would I recall the hotel where we stayed or what I wore or who else was there? I will probably always remember being hit by a car in 2010 - but, will I remember who gave me flowers after the accident or my physical therapist's name?

My scrapbooks ensure that I will remember not just the big moments, but the little details.

Scrapbookers are more than crafters. We are historians. We chronicle the lives of our friends and our families...and of course - ourselves.

My friend wasn't paging through a scrapbook - he was turning the pages of our lives. Scrapbooks are filled with more than pictures and paper and embellishments...they are overflowing with memories.

So, among the many things for which I am thankful this year...I am thankful for scrapbooking - and for all the scrapbookers who keep our craft alive - and vibrant - and relevant!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Scrapbookers...what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Scraps Off to Danielle Hunter!

2011-11-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

This is the third post in my series saluting spectacular scrapbookers. This month, it's Scraps Off to Danielle Hunter!

How long have you been scrapbooking?

In the modern sense, since 2002, after my first daughter was born, but my very first scrapbook was completed before I even reached kindergarten. You can read more about my scrapbooking history here.

Why do you scrapbook?

Scrapbooking is my passion and comfort-zone. I couldn't imagine life without it. It's my way to document the lives of my children and family, including my most recent project of scrapbooking my own childhood. There are stories that need to be told and I look at scrapbooking as a way to share those memories in an artistic way.

What changes have you seen in our industry since you started srapbooking?

Safer products and more creativity. We no longer see construction paper fading in our newer albums or photos cut in odd shapes. There are unlimited products to choose from nowadays and more places to find them and when it comes to looking for ideas, the sky's the limit with the help of the internet. Many scrapbookers (and scrapbooking companies) have blogs and are sharing their projects with the world. Now is the best time to be a scrapbooker.

What is your favorite embellishment to use?

I love flower embellishments...looking at them, choosing the perfect color combination to go with the photos and making my own out of scrap paper.

What is your favorite tool to use?

Anything sharp! I like to make my scrapbooking dangerous so you'll always find scissors and some sort of edge distresser on my craft table.

What technique do you use most often and why?

One of my favorite techniques is to add distinction to a photo by either matting it with paper or distressing the edges with scissors or a distressing tool. Click this link to see more of that technique here.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start creating scrapbooks and is feeling overwhelmed?

Start small and choose just one event or a handful of your favorite photos. Begin with one scrapbook layout and go from there. Consider taking an online scrapbooking class for inspiration and motivation or attend a local crop to get ideas from other

scrapbookers. Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking you need to scrap every photo or follow every trend. Cardstock, adhesive, paper trimmer, pen and some letter stickers are all you need to get started.

Scrapbooking can be an expensive hobby - what cost-cutting measures do you use to keep your scrapbooking budget manageable and realistic.

I'm a bargain shopper! I rarely buy anything at full price and being a MemoryWorks Consultant definitely helps me save money on scrapbooking products...oh, and being on their design team, along with the Glue Dots design team, makes scrapbooking cheaper and more fun!

In general, what event or subject matter do you like to scrapbook the most?

My favorite subjects are my two daughters.

Where do you most often find inspiration for your pages?

I love to start with a great photo, one that shows emotion or tells a story. From there, I usually decide on paper and embellishments and allow the photo to lead the way through the design process.

What is you favorite color combination to use on a page?

Black and white is classic and adding a pop of blue or red makes it even better. Blue is definitely my favorite color to use.

Is there a color combination you would never use? If so, what is it?

Orange and yellow alone does not appeal to me whatsoever. I'm not a big fan of orange anyway.

Many scrapbookers cringe at the thought of including journaling on a page – how do you approach journaling for your layouts?

I don't cringe at journaling, but I usually leave it as the last element of design unless I have a lot to say. Then I'll type it up to save room and often cut it into strips and strategically place the journaling throughout the layout.

One of the best things about scrapbooking is that every srapbooker approaches the craft in their own way. We can make - and then break - our own rules. That said…

What personal rules do you usually follow? & 15. What scrapbooking rules do you usually break?

I just do what feels natural. I usually avoid sketches or copying other people's layouts. I've found that I tend to follow the rule of thirds or visual triangle, even if it's unknowingly.

Visit Danielle at these links:

MemoryWorks

EcoScrapbook

Etsy

Flickr

Coming soon...ME!

2011-10-05T18:41:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone - Just a quick post to apologize for not posting in a while. I've been traveling quite a bit for my day job. I would complain, but it's my job that funds my scrapbooking habit!

Anyway, I have lots to say about scrapbooking, so expect more posts soon!!

A Scrapbooker's Splurge

2011-08-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning the preliminary preparations for a vacation scrapbook. Last year, we went to Barcelona for fantabulous summer trip. It was my first visit to Spain, and I want the scrapbook to be every bit as special and wonderful as my memories of our Catalonia vacation.

Barcelona overflows with sights that are whimsical and ornate. Legendary architect Antonin Gaudí's artistic influence is seen throughout the city...and in my photographs. With all the mosaic tile and garish architecture, I know scrapbooking the city will be as much fun as visiting it. It's a scrapbookers dream, really.

So, I've been sifting through my stash of supplies to find embellishments worthy of such a special scrapbook.

Then the other day, I was in furniture store and spotted some very interesting charms. They would be perfect embellishments for the Barcelona book. They were funky and kitschy. They were also pricey.

Now, they were not meant for scrapbookers, rather they are sold as jewelry. As far as charms for necklaces and bracelets go, they are quite reasonably priced. However, paying around $12 for one embellishment seems a little steep. Not to mention a little insane.

My head filled with quick budgeting, A LOT of ridiculous justification, and personal promises to tighten my purse strings over the next couple weeks. Then - and I type this with a bit of shame - I decided to buy a few.

After all, they will be forever part of what I hope to be a fantastic scrapbook.

After making my purchase, the elation of finding a special embellishment was washing over me - along with a good bit of buyer's remorse.

In the end, I decided I made a good decision. If nothing else, I helped out the economy - an example of that justification I mentioned earlier.

So, scrapbookers - what say you? Is an occasional splurge acceptable, or should I check immediately into the Martha Stewart Clinic for Overly-obsessed crafters?

Scraps Off to Melissa Laverty!

2011-08-02T19:36:00.001-07:00

This is the second post in my series saluting spectacular scrapbookers. This month, I'm sending a Scraps Off to Close to My Heart Consultant and fabulous scrapbooker Melissa Laverty.

Hey there Load of Scrap peeps - just love the name of Eric’s website! In real life, I’m Melissa Laverty, work at home mom of two, nine year-old Lawson and six year-old Cate. Along with my husband Mike & dog Ella, we live in a little town called Round Hill in Northern Virginia, which is up near Harpers Ferry, WV. I'm all about Close to My Heart Scrapbooking, Social Media, good food, books & wine, photography, a little Jersey Shore , laughter, love & keeping it real.

16 Quick Questions with Melissa

1. How long have you been scrapbooking? I have been putting together photo albums and crafting for my whole life, but I didn't really get into scrapbooking until six years ago. My husband was traveling a lot for business and I needed an outlet. Plus, I had all these great photos of my kids that I wanted to display and I felt like I was forgetting the stories behind the pictures. On the days that he was home I would go to the local scrapbook store and spend hours with friends preserving the memories.

2. Why do you scrapbook? So many reasons. I love that with scrapbooking I am able to take the pictures of my family and pair them with the story. I also really enjoy the creative process.

3. What changes have you seen in our industry since you started scrapbooking? Certainly the addition of digital scrapbooking is a change. And while I will never give up my paper trimmer, adhesive and scissors, programs like Close to My Heart's Studio J have allowed me to stay caught up on my scrapping. My favorite thing about it is that I get to use all of the techniques I love to do with Traditional scrapping.

4. What is your favorite embellishment to use? Ribbon. I honestly can’t get enough of it. And there are just so many different ways to add it to a page. Note from Eric - I completely agree about ribbon!!

5. What is your favorite tool to use? My 2" scallop punch from CTMH.But lately I have been getting a little more friendly with my Cricut.

6. What technique do you use most often - and why? Sponging the edges of my paper with Chocolate Ink. I love that it just finishes off my page and gives it more depth. Another note from Eric - I love love love this idea!

7. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start creating scrapbooks and is feeling overwhelmed? Stop worrying about scrapping chronologically. You don't have to go back to the first picture ever taken of your first child. Start with 6 pictures from the last event you photographed. Your memories are fresh and you will really feel connected to these pictures.

8. Scrapbooking can be an expensive hobby - what cost-cutting measures do you use to keep your scrapbooking budget manageable and realistic? Well, I’m lucky. As a Close to My Heart Consultant, I get a fantastic discount on all of my scrapbook supplies. In fact, I get paid to scrapbook! My customers are able to manage their budget by being a member of a monthly club. So, I would recommend finding a scrapbook consultant in your area and get into a club with them. Or think about hosting a party so you can get your supplies for free or at a discount.

9. In general, what event or subject matter do you like to scrapbook the most? Why? My kids. They are just so darned cute! And I enjoy telling their story.

10. Where do you most often find inspiration for your pages? I love Close to My Heart's How-To books. The latest is called Magic. Lately, I have really gotten lost in Pinterest. It’s like an online bulletin board. I could spend hours being inspired there – now I just have to do something with all that “inspiration."

11. What is your favorite color combination to use on a page?My color combos are pretty much dictated by the latest kit I am scrapping from CTMH. I am always really pleased with the combinations they come up with.

12. Is there a color combination you would never use? If so, what is it? “Never say never…” – J. Bieber

13. Many scrapbookers cringe at the thought of including journaling on a page - how do you approach journaling for your layouts? I really think that journaling is such an important part of any scrapbook page. But it doesn't always have to be a novel. If you simply add the place and date, you're off to a great start. Try to add a sentence or two that describes either something remarkable that happened at the event or just share how you feel when you look at the pictures.

One of the best things about scrapbooking is that every srapbooker approaches the craft in their own way. We can make - and then break - our own rules. That said…

14. What personal rules do you usually follow? I'm fairly linear & symmetrical with my scrapping and keep it pretty simple. Other than that…fully believe that there is no right or wrong way to scrap.

15. What scrapbooking rules do you usually break? Again, not so sure about “rules”. But I do advise my students against what I call “photo throw-up”…you know, when you add WAY too many photos to a page. Pick your absolute favorites to tell the story…the rest of them will be saved forever on your computer.

16. What is your favorite layout you’ve ever created - or one that fully exemplifies your style - and what makes it fit that bill?This is a really tough one for me. I would say that my “pure LOVE” layout is the favorite layout I’ve ever created. I had it in my mind for weeks before I set out to create it. I love this picture of the kids so much and I just wanted to focus on that. So I kept the layout simple and just really spent time focusing on the different elements, like the snowflakes, the stitching, the title, etc.

Be sure to check out Melissa's site at fancymelissa.com

A Second Sense in Your Scrabook - Using Sound!

2011-06-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

When creating this blog post about a new cropping contraption I recently received, instead of writing about it, I figured it would be better to talk about it. So, I made this video...

Visit the folks over at Picture that Sound online!

Scraps Off to Nikki Sivils

2011-06-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

'Scraps Off' is a new monthly Load of Scrap blog series highlighting an influential scrapbooker. Each month, I will post an interview with a scrapbooker discussing their approach to scrapbooking along with a little insight into their lives.
This month, I'm kicking off the series with a Scraps Off to Nikki Sivils, who recently organized a drive to collect supplies for scrapbookers who were impacted by May's tragic tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri.

Nikki, tell us about yourself:
I’m 39 years old and started this business with my husband, Dan. We have a 15 yr old teenager, not sure how to relate to him… he is no longer that sweet little boy that use to sit on my lap! I also have 3 dogs, I’m a HUGE dog lover and in several dog-rescue groups in my area, Springfield, Missouri. I’m also a very active member in Pet Therapy of the Ozarks which is a wonderful group of volunteers that have very well trained dogs that visits our local hospitals, schools and nursing homes. I have a Yorkshire Terrier, Bella-Blue who is 6 yrs old, Savannah a lab-mix that is 5 yrs old and a German Shepherd that’s 2 yrs old and his name is Nico.

Likes… I LOVE jellybeans! A lot! Eat them most everyday! Love chocolate ice cream and french fries. Oh and Dr Pepper… love, love Dr Pepper, I could drink it everyday but now I try to just drink it for a treat on weekends only!

How long have you been scrapbooking?

I’ve been scrapbooking for over 20 some years, since high school. I love it still to this day, although I rarely get to scrap for just “fun” with other manufacturers papers and products because I always need samples, and class projects to teach. But I still love it!!

Why do you scrapbook?

I use to scrapbook because I needed a creative outlet and I love telling stores of everyday life situations. Now that I’m designing paper that seems to be my creative outlet and scrapbooking is now a luxury!

What is your favorite embellishment to use?

I love my Burlap Buttons! I use to make them on my own believe it or not, I’d cut burlap out, hot glue it on the button then adhere it on my layout or card. I love texture on my work. Also ANYTHING created by Jenni Bowlin, she brilliant when it comes to embellishments!

What is your favorite tool to use?

This changes often, but my go to items are always my big long ruler and craft knife. However, I’m loving the We R Memory Keeper’s “Sew-Easy” Right now! Love it!

What technique do you use most often - and why?

I just started matting and double matting my pictures again, this use to be really popular back in the day, but recently I find myself doing this more these days.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start creating scrapbooks

and is feeling overwhelmed?

Honestly the “basic” supplies are all you need! When I travel and just have my paper trimmer, micro-tip scissors, tape runner, ruler, craft knife, black & white gel pens and pop-dots that’s it, because you can do anything with paper, even make your own embellishments! Some of my best layouts I seem to create on the road with just the basic supplies. (But collecting supplies and tools is fun too!)

Scrapbooking can be an expensive hobby - what cost-cutting measures do you use

to keep your scrapbooking budget manageable and realistic?

This is a great question; I love to buy embellishments that the packaging is usable. Like a journaling tag on the back of the packaging, it’s like a freebie! I also allow myself $20 a month to buy supplies or paper, some months I don’t buy anything so that $20 goes to the next month, so then I have $40 to spend maybe on a larger item that cost more! It’s a nice treat!

In general, what event or subject matter do you like to scrapbook the

most? Why?

I love the pictures of everyday life, outside with the dogs on a sunny afternoon, at the park with my niece, a picture of my grandma making taco’s in my kitchen, one of my dogs looking out the window, just everyday life. I like to scrapbook Christmas, birthday’s and other holiday’s but everyday life if more interesting to me.

Where do you most often find inspiration for your pages?

Scrapbook magazines and idea books, sometimes just one little embellishment will trigger an idea for a layout.

What is you favorite color combination to use on a page?

Red, brown, teal, yellow, green. I’ve created 3 paper collections with this color combo, My Sweet Cherry Pie, We Are Family and You’re a Hoot (will be released at Summer CHA)!

Is there a color combination you would never use? If so, what is it?

Nope! I love color… and anymore it seems, anything goes!

Many scrapbookers cringe at the thought of including journaling on a page - how

do you approach journaling for your layouts?

Hmmm, well I do have a picture sometimes that doesn’t need journaling; the picture says everything you need to know, so I won’t journal on that page. However I always date the picture and the layout if it’s a different year then the picture. Dates are important to me. I’ve come to enjoy journaling; sometimes I have a long story or back story about a photo but most of the time its just 4 to 6 lines of what’s going on in the picture. I also like to “talk” to whomever is in the photo to, so the journaling is more personal.
One of the best things about scrapbooking is that every scrapbooker approaches the craft in their own way.
We can make - and then break - our own rules. That said…

What personal rules do you usually follow?

I’m not a fan of rules, but if I had to pick one I like the “everything in 3’s” rule.

What scrapbooking rules do you usually break?

I don’t think you should have rules when you are creating, just be who you are!

What is your favorite layout you’ve ever created - or one that fully exemplifies your
style - and what makes it fit that bill?

I wouldn’t say that this layout exemplifies my style as much as the picture is an important part of my designing. This picture is of my Willie-B, who is also my logo for the company, I scrapbook this picture every 6 months as that’s how many times a year I introduce my new releases. So I pick my favorite collection for that release and scrapbook his picture with it and journal to my Willie-B what’s going on in my life in that moment, as he has passed away now. This it’s the fourth layout of him.

All the projects seen here are created with Nikki's personal papers she designed.

Find Nikki online at...

NikkiSivils.com

Facebook

Twitter

Reality Incites - Part II: Finding Creative Inspiration

2011-06-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

This is the second part of my blog about finding creative inspiration from reality TV. These shows never fail to inspire me.

Cake Walk
Shows about sugary confections are the reality show subject matter du jour. Don't expect to see Sara Lee or Betty Crocker. These ain't yo grandmomma's recipes. Exhibit A: Buddy Valastro of Carlo's Bake Shop. The first time I watched TLC's Cake Boss, it was the thick New York accents that brought an end to my channel surfing - I do love an aggressive accent. However, it was Buddy's amazing artistry that forced my finger off the remote. Now, I go back to visit the Bake Shop time and time again. Buddy and his Hoboken helpers toil in flour and sugar as Da Vinci did in oils and frescoes. The way they use fondant turns cakes into canvases where art lives and breathes.

This video features my favorite 'Cake Boss' creation - a fierce Phoenix flying out of a fiery cake.

Divine Inspiration
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a photo of any one of the rooms decorated on HGTV's Divine Design with Candice Olson is worth at least five phonebooks, all four volumes of 'War and Peace,' and an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica. I've seen dozens of episodes of this classy Canadian's creations, and have yet to see one that disappoints. The way she uses colors, textures and patterns to make over a room is pure perfection.

This video shows how Candice turns a less than ordinary room into something extraordinary.

Hit the Runway

What do red licorice, corn husks and coffee filters have in common? They were all used to create clothes on Project Runway. One of the first truly inspirational reality television competitions, the contestants on this show prove a creative mind can accomplish just about anything. Not every contestant is brilliant, and the show is as full of drama as it is with design, but that's the kick of it. In the end, there's at least one fierce fashionista in each episode who will inspire you.

This segment is from the episode in season 7 where they use burlap potato sacks to create fabulous frocks.

What a Drag

I never realized how much work it take for a man to dress up like a woman. While watching RuPaul's Drag Race, you realize it also take an immense amount of creativity. This past season, contestants made entire outfits out of wigs and money. They then parade them down the runway as if they were wearing Prada or Gucci. It's wearable art that would make Bob Mackie proud.

This is the episode where the queens make dresses out of wigs.

RuPaul's Drag Race - RuPaul - Logo: Fierce TV

That Touch of Ink

I have no real desire to get a huge tattoo, so I've never given a lot of thought to the process of creating inked art. Watching NY Ink on TLC opened my eyes to the amount of artistic skill it takes to create a quality tattoo on someone's skin. What fascinates me is the amount of focus these artists must have when yielding their buzzing tattoo machines. If I screw up a scrapbook page, it's no real big deal. If one of these artists messes up a tattoo, they know the person who's body it's on, will have to wear it forever. Not many people can create a masterpiece under that kind of pressure.

This video is from the premiere episode of NY Ink.

So Scrapbookers...what TV shows get your creative juices flowing?

Reality Incites - Part I: Seeking Creative Inspiration

2011-06-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

As scrapbookers, we seek artistic inspiration from a wide array of sources. Sometimes, the people and places in the pictures we are using on layout offer all the inspiration we need. Other times, it's an exquisite embellishment or the dazzling designs on a piece of patterned paper that spark cerebral stimulation. There are even times when an idea just pops into our head out of nowhere, as if by magic or miracle.

Another place I sometimes find inspiration is television. The small screen. The ol' boob tube. The idiot box.

It's similar to way to what happens when you marvel at a masterpiece - Seurat's picturesque pointillism painting comes to mind. Just looking at it inspires me. It makes me want to create something artistic and beautiful and dynamic.

Sometimes, watching people be super creative on TV has the same effect on me - and my imagination engine revs.

In general, I prefer my TV shows to feature crafty characters acting out scripted story lines. However, with hundreds of TV channels these days, there seems to be an endless smorgasbord of reality television. Now, I'm not a fan of programs showcasing talentless hacks, materialistic douchebags, bitchy bimbos and Jersey gym rats who allow cameras into their lives for no other reason to be featured on the cover of 'Us' or 'People.'

However, for every dozen diabolical drama queens presented to us by reality television, the genre also offers up one or two genuinely talented people. In between shows about housewives and hoarders, there are actually programs that can provide artistic inspiration.

These shows do not necessarily feature crafters or scrapbookers. However, sometimes just watching creative and innovative people in action - showing off actual artistic talents - can inspire the rest of us to go forth and be creative and innovative ourselves.

In Part II, I will discuss the TV shows that inspire me to be creative.

Would you Scrapbook THIS???

2011-06-21T17:10:00.001-07:00

I've previously blogged about an accident I had in October 2010, and my plans to commemorate the entire ordeal in a scrapbook.

Well, the latest chapter in this soap opera unfurled last week when I had most of the metal implants in my arm removed. During the surgery pre-op, my surgeon wanted to know if I had any questions or concerns.

Me: Can I keep the metal?
Doctor: Yes.
Me: Yay!!!

After the procedure, my scrapbooking instincts kicked in. The first thing I did upon shaking off the anesthesia was grab my camera and have my picture taken holding the metal. I looked like I had a fight with a rabid raccoon, but this wasn't about vanity...it was about scrapbooking. I was doing it for art.

What I found most interesting is that when they gave me the metal implants, the pieces were contained in a plastic bag labeled 'biohazard.'

When I told this story to a non-scrapbooking friend, her reaction was: "Normal people allow that kind of stuff to be properly disposed of."

Well, first off, I've never claimed to be normal. However, my rule is that if something was an important part of my life, it will be an important part of my scrapbook. That is, if it can fit on the page.

However, the hazmat baggie made me raise an eyebrow, not a red flag. So, that's not going to stop me from putting the scrap metal in my scrapbook.

In this case, I think the titanium trinkets that held together my bones will make an interesting, intriguing and unusual addition to my scrapbook. A programming note: I do plan on cleaning and disinfecting them again before putting them on a page.

Scrapbookers of the world - what say you? Am I normal or abnormal to include my biohazard embellishments on a scrapbook page? What unusual items have you included on a layout?

Anatomy of a Scrapbook Layout: Part IV - Exceeding Expectations

2011-06-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is the fourth - and final - part of my blog series about re-evaluating scrapbook layouts to determine why a layout falls into one of these categories:

1. Layouts that fall short of your expectations

2. Layouts that meet your expectations

3. Layouts that exceed your expectations

For this post, I'm looking at a page I completed recently. When I began the page, I figured it would turn out perfectly fine. I was in layout-catch-up mode, so my goal was to get it done as quickly as possible. I quickly chose the paper and matching accents, putting everything on the page more rapidly than usual.

Maybe it's because I didn't overthink anything.

Maybe it's because I didn't have über high expectations in the first place.

Whatever the reason, I was super pleased - and surprised - by how much I loved the final product. Here's why I think this page turned out so well.

A. Embellishments

I created two groups of decorative embellishments - centered primarily around fabulous flourishes by Making Memories and gorgeous flowers by Petaloo and Prima. I added unexpected ornaments to the accents by including flower doilies and white feathers. They added texture and interest to the layout without overwhelming it.

B. Photos

Anytime you have more than six or seven pictures on a page, it's important to organize them in a way that is not cluttered. By placing the photos in rows along the right side and bottom of the layout, the pictures look orderly. However, by placing the pictures along the right side of the layout on alternating angles, I added a little bit of movement to the design.

C. Patterned paper balanced across layout

I used several different designs of patterned paper, which can sometimes create a messy look. However, by putting the same patterns on each side of the layout, it balances the two sides of the design.

D. Coordinating colored cardstock

I chose the blues and green cardstock for the title and background because they were bold, but not bright. They stood out from the page without standing out for the wrong reasons.

E. Patterned paper with text

I am not normally a fan of patterned paper with words, because I think it typically draws attention away from the journaling and title. I think I was able to make it work on this layout by keeping the amount shown to a minimum - and at the bottom of the layout.

Anatomy of a Scrapbook Layout: Part III - Meeting Expectations

2011-06-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is the third part of my blog series about re-evaluating scrapbook layouts to determine why a layout falls into one of these categories:

1. Layouts that fall short of your expectations

2. Layouts that meet your expectations

3. Layouts that exceed your expectations

This time, I'm taking a closer look at this layout, 'Uncle Santa.' It came out just as I wanted - no worse...but no better. I'm going to try to figure out exactly why it came out as expected. What techniques prevented it from bombing...and what could have been done to bring it over the top.

A. Embellishments

What worked well: The embellishments I used had just enough sparkle to fit the holiday theme. Also, I only used a few and placed them throughout the design, so they wouldn't overpower the page.

What could've worked better: That said, perhaps the embellishments would have been even more sparkle-tacular had I included a few gems or sparkly brads placed around the chipboard flourishes.

B. Subtle Stamps

What worked well: When creating the layout, I was initially going to have a solid green background...but it was just too plain Jane. So, I used one of my favorite flourish stamps and a green ink to add a decorative - yet subtle - pattern to the design's background.

What could've worked better: Perhaps using two colors of ink would have added just a little bit more interest to the design.

C. Focal Point
What worked well: I wanted someone looking at this page to focus first on the family photo. I used an enlargement and placed it in a frame layered with several mats, accenting it with flowers, chipboard and the journaling.
What could've worked better: I think the bright white paper on which the journaling is written is perhaps too bold. Sure, it fits the Christmas color scheme, but putting it on a slightly darker piece of cardstock may have prevented the journaling block from distracting from the frame.

D. Integrated Title
What worked well: Since it's made with the same color cardstock as the other elements, 'Uncle' blends perfectly into the layout. Same goes for 'Santa,' which I sprayed with the same dye as the other chipboard flourishes.
What could've worked better: Instead of placing the title it directly on the background, perhaps putting a small piece of patterned paper under the words would have added a little bit of interest to the title. Especially if the addition coordinated with the photo frame in the opposite corner of the layout.

My next post in this blog series: Critiquing a layout that exceeds expectations

Anatomy of a Scrapbook Layout: Part II - Falling Short

2011-06-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

This is the second part of my blog series about re-evaluating scrapbook layouts to determine why a layout falls into one of these categories:

1. Layouts that fall short of your expectations

2. Layouts that meet your expectations

3. Layouts that exceed your expectations

For this post, I'm critiquing a layout, which in the end, did not turn out the way I intended. Despite featuring one of my favorite people, this scrapbook page about my mother doesn't quite work.

Upon picking the elements of the layout apart, here are the reasons I think it fell short of my expectations:

A. Busy Background

The Problem: While the patterned paper I used by BoBunny is gorgeous, it is also very busy. The swirls and flourishes don't enhance the rest of the design, they distract from it.

The Solution: covering about half of the background with a sheet of solid cardstock would have helped. The use of white space -- or empty space -- is an important element to include in a design, and one I should have used on this page.

B. Clashing Cardstock Colors

The Problem: The cardstock I used for the title and circular borders both match the teal and green hues in the background individually. However, they don't really coordinate with each other.

The Solution: Rather than using a light green and a light teal, I should have replaced the light green with a darker teal -- or replaced the light teal with a darker green.

C. Jumbled Journaling

Writing journaling for a scrapbook page on several thin strips of cardstock can add interest to a page. It usually works best when there is not a lot of text.

The Problem: In this case, there was too much journaling, so I had to use nine strips, which made the layout that much busier.

The Solution: Using one journaling block would have worked better. Another tactic could have been to reduce the amount of journaling, so fewer strips would have been needed. Either way, reducing the number of cardstock strips would have made the layout a little less busy.

D. Rumpled Ribbon

The Problem: While the ribbon used to embellish the page does add texture, it actually fights the patterned paper. Also, I think there are too many different kinds of ribbon.

The Solution: On a one-page layout, keeping the embellishments smaller in size and number is usually the way to go.

The bottom line is that this layout is too busy -- and not in a good way. I should have remembered the wise words of Coco Chanel: "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory."

For this layout, I should have taken a look at it and removed one embellishment.

My next post in this blog series: Critiquing a layout that meets expectations

Anatomy of a Scrapbook Layout: Part I

2011-06-14T17:58:00.001-07:00

I've decided every scrapbook layout can be classified one of three ways:

1. Layouts that fall short of your expectations

2. Layouts that meet your expectations

3. Layouts that exceed your expectations

Having expectations is a curious concept.

The bad thing about having expectations is that: unless you meet them to a T, expectations usually drive us to disappointment. I've never known a scrapbooker to begin a layout with the goal of creating an average or inferior piece of art. We want every page to be perfect. Even if it's only perfect in the designer's eyes.

Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen. On the flip side, the great thing about expectationsis that they lead to lessons learned. If something simply doesn't work on one layout, we know to do it differently on future pages....or not do it all.

I'm going to start a blog series focusing on a few of my layouts and why they fall into one of the specific categories listed at the beginning of this post.

I'll be super-nitpicky and analyze the anatomy of each page. I'll review went wrong and what went right. I will share with you what I feel it takes to bring a layout from masterpiece to mediocrity, or - hopefully more often that not - from faulty to fabulous.

Tomorrow's post: Analyzing layouts that fall short of expectations.

Adding Embellishments...LOTS OF THEM!!

2011-06-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

When I was young, my father was an over-the-road semi truck driver. As all drivers, he had a CB handle - a nifty nickname he used when chatting with other drivers. Dad's handle was Pack Rat. Well, I've decided I should probably be called Pack Rat Jr - at least in regards to my stash of scrapbook supplies.

Specifically: embellishments.

Every scrapbooker is familiar with this embellishment enigma:

You purchase a package of chipboard or brads or letters or doohickeys or thingamabobs or whozits or whatzits. You open the container and select the pieces that coordinate best with your page, rarely -- if ever -- using every bit in the box. This leaves you with a few leftover pieces of many different embellishments -- usually not enough to use on any one layout.

Those extra embellishments may sit unused for weeks, months, even years. The longer someone has been a scrapbooker, the larger their inventory.

I recently decided to take control of this problem.

I sifted through my stash and pulled out a huge handful of orphaned accents and embellishments.

I decided to use all of them on one page. Naturally, I was worried. This kind of grandiose vision is usually a recipe for a design disaster. In this case, I approached the project cautiously and carefully, not allowing myself to end up with a layout that looks over-accessorized or overdone.

In the end, I think it worked because I kept these things in mind.

Keep the background simple.

Yes, I used a couple pieces of patterned paper, but the majority of the background is plain. Plain white, that is. Originally, I was going to have a cream colored background, but that didn't seem to mesh. When I went to white, everything worked.

Balance the colors

I used hot glue to adhere all the pieces together. I tried my best to avoid putting anything of one color next to another accent of the same color. For instance, if I had a blue brad at one end, I put the blue flower at the other.

Balance the textures

The same is true for textures. I had embellishments made of canvas, fabric, plastic, chipboard, felt and metal. Again, I did my best to spread all the items made of one material all over the design.

Simple title

My strategy on creating a page title is usually to use two types of letters - or, in design terms: two fonts. Like on these layouts.

In this case, I knew the embellishments were going to be wildly colorful and busy, so I used one small set of chipboard letters. I wanted the title to be seen, but not fight for attention.

Plain picture pattern

When deciding how to arrange the photos, I wanted them to be noticed, but not add to the noise being brought by the embellishments. I created one strip, on which I placed most of the pictures. I added to enlarged photos to ensure the photos were not overpowered by the accents.

Include white space

'White space' is a term for part of a layout where the design is plain and solid. My white space was actually white, but it doesn't have to be white, just empty. Including plenty of white space in the layout kept the design balanced. I included four obvious wedges of white space, being highlighted by the fabulous purple arrows in the above picture.

When using lots of embellishments, what strategies do you follow?

Helping Scrapbookers in Need

2011-06-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

This year has had an extraordinary amount of extraordinary natural disasters. From the earthquake and tsunami in Japan to the tornadoes which have swept across almost every corner of the United States. If you're like me, you watch the news in horror as people's lives are ripped apart at the startling seams.

Whenever I see a story about a natural disaster, my heart goes out to those impacted by Mother Nature's ridiculous wrath.

Then, my mind wanders a bit. Maybe it's human nature. Maybe it's something I get from my mother. Either way, I wonder what would happen -- if it happened to me.

As a scrapbooker, I immediately think about my scrapbooks and my supplies.

Now - DO NOT misunderstand me. I am by no means making any kind of case that material things are at the top of my priority pyramid. I know of NO ONE who would argue that our happiness, our lives, our health, our friends and our families are not the most important things to consider. Those things make us who we are. Those things are life.

However, we all like to take that life and make it fun. Everyone I know has a hobby -- a pastime which fills their evenings, weekends and hearts. Mine is scrapbooking. I live it. I breathe it. I design pages in my sleep.

As any scrapbooker knows, our hobby requires the accumulation of things. Call it an occupational hazard. In order to scrapbook, you need - at the very least - paper, adhesive, scissors and pictures.

As any scrapbooker ALSO knows it doesn't stop there. After all, it's not just a hobby...it's an industry.

We amass mountains of supplies and books and paper and little frilly things. They are wicked sparkly. They make us happy.

We spend our free moments commemorating birthdays and weddings and life's unexpected moments.

So, when tornadoes unexpectedly hit Joplin, Missouri last month, I went again to that place in my brain where I wondered what I would do if it happened to me. Then, I wondered if there were any scrapbookers in Joplin who lost their supplies. Lost their hobby. Lost their heart.

Turns out...there were.

Many of them.

Missouri Scrapbooker Extraordinaire Nikki Sivils is not only giving her thoughts and prayers to the scrapbookers in Joplin, she's giving her time and a whole lot of effort.

She is asking scrapbookers in the rest of the country to dig deep in their scrapbooking stash to find things they would like to give to the Missouri paper crafters in need. Take a look at the flyer below - it includes details on how you can provide relief, supplies...and perhaps some smiles to Joplin scrapbookers. One programming note: To meet her deadline, Nikki needs to have the supplies by June 22.

Thank you Nikki. Thank you scrapbookers.

Finally, my thoughts continue to be with everyone -- not just the scrapbookers -- in the Joplin area.

xoxo

Eric

Scrapbooking Nightmares!

2011-05-28T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this post with a grain of salt sitting safely next to my laptop. I know in the grand scheme of world events, the 'nightmares' I'm outlining here are hardly cause for public outrage. However, that is little consolation to me - or any scrapbooker, I would guess - while we are in the midst of these three frustrating scenarios.

1. Forgotten Photo

People who don't scrapbook, don't always understand the process. The bottom line is: in order to create a masterpiece, you usually have to create a master mess first. However, when there is a mess, it usually means mishaps will materialize.

When I start a layout, everything is meticulously and methodically laid out on my clean crafting desk. Almost no time passes before my supplies are in shambles. With patterned paper, cardstock and scraps covering every inch of my desk, my work space becomes the scrapbooking Bermuda Triangle.

At some point, the photos I plan on using on the page become lost in the litter. Of course, I do find them - but every once in a while, a true tragedy happens when a photo goes missing. When cleaning up the clutter, my heart drops when an unused photo is found. The layout is complete - it will not fit on the page, and must be discarded. Of course, the proverbial salt is rubbed in my already deep wounds when it's one of my favorite photos. Argh!!

2. Supply Shortage

When choosing embellishments, sometimes the scrapbooking angels smile upon you, and you find a certain brad or flower or chipboard shape that perfectly fits the theme and color and style of your layout. You purchased them years ago - not for a specific layout, but because you loved them and just knew they would fit a page eventually. You include them in your mental picture of the page, and set them aside until they are ready to be placed.

When it comes time to adhere them to your layout, you realize you need five of them to fulfill their decorative destiny. Then, dreads sweeps over you when you realize you only have four. They are no longer manufactured. You cannot buy them. The page must be redesigned. Sigh.

3. Paper Problem

This predicament is similar to # 2. However, this one is when you pick the perfect paper for your page and realize you need more than you have. It doesn't matter whether it's patterned or plain - either way, it makes you scream a little inside. Ugh!

What Scrapbooking Nightmares haunt you?

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #5: Just the Facts, Ma'am - Part 2

2011-05-19T05:25:00.001-07:00

I recently posted a blog about how I add interesting facts to my journaling. As a follow-up to that post, here are some of my favorite places to find those facts.

Now, as everyone knows, just because something is on the internet, doesn't mean it's true. However, many reference sites check and cite sources, and you can also visit multiple sites to confirm facts. Also, I've found that people usually post incorrect facts or opinions about politically charged topics, and not normally about things that can be confirmed or refuted elsewhere.

I stay away from opinions and just use facts. For instance, one site may call the State of Liberty the most well-known symbol of America. That can be disputed. What cannot be challenged is that from the bottom of the pedestal to the top of her torch, Lady Liberty is 305 feet, 1 inch tall.

Wikipedia

Because any user can update this site, it is frequently thought of to feature incorrect information. However, most facts are supported by footnotes. If a detail seems cagey, check the supporting site for confirmation.

Emporis

This site is FANTASTIC for finding facts for layouts about any large city. Formerly Skyscrapers.com, this site is a treasure trove of tidbits about towering structures.

National Park Service

NPS's site has details about every U.S. national park, heritage area and historic landmark. On your next stateside vacation, you'll probably see at least one of these.

Company pages

If you're going somewhere like Disney World in Orlando, World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, or the BMW Museum in Munich, check out their website for inside information about the history of the business. Sometimes, there a direct link - on Coke's site, you can click 'Heritage.' While on other sites -- like Disney's -- I had to do a search for 'Company History. No matter how you get there, this background information is the perfect way to make a scrapbook page even more interesting.

Tourism Books

This one is OLD school. Actual books. With pages. You know those guides you bring with you on a vacation - they are packed full of facts. Before going to Barcelona last year, we purchase a couple guides, which will I plan on keeping right next to me when I start scrapbooking that trip.

Official City Websites

No matter which city around the world you are visiting on vacation, it probably has an official site...and that website probably has a section highlighting the city's history. Atlanta, Barcelona and Chicago all have substantial sites. Here's a tip for finding them: in a search engine, type the word 'city' followed by the city's name. Just typing the city's name usually brings up a host of third-party tourist sites.

Sidebar: Every U.S. state also has an official site, which you can link to from USA.gov.

Where do you find facts for your scrapbook pages?

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #4: Just the Facts, Ma'am

2011-05-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

When writing the journaling for a scrapbook layout, most scrapbookers focus on the 5 Ws and 1H of their personal experience: Where you went, what you did, why you enjoyed it, who was there…yada yada yada.

Now, don’t misunderstand me – I’m not saying this information is not important. To me, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT information to include. After all, for most of us, the primary reason we scrapbook is to create a memorial for an event that will help us remember the little details – even decades after it happened.

It makes me think of an episode of ‘Friends’ when Ross met his new girlfriend Julie in China. Upon returning, they were giving Phoebe and the gang a sporadically detailed story about a ride on a 200-year old rickety bus through the countryside…there was a man, and then a “chicken pooped in her lap.” BIG sitcom laughs ensued.

While that’s the stuff you’ll want to include in a scrapbook about your vacation, it may not make the page any more interesting for friends and family. Yes, we want to – and should – share the fun little details, like a flatulent chicken, with our friends. However, every scrapbooker has seen that glazed-over look which washes over some people’s faces when they get to about the middle of your scrapbook. With each “Oh fun!” and “Wow, what great photos!” you can literally hear their enthusiasm vanishing from their voice.

So, here’s what I do on some of my pages. I include facts and tidbits anyone and everyone will find interesting. I approach it like it's a news article.

In my vacation scrapbook commemorating our trip to Paris several years ago, each page included a round journaling titled: “Avez-vous su?” Translated into English, it means: Did you know?

I included fun facts about the sights we saw and landmarks we visited.

Par exemple:

When creating a layout about a cruise we went on a couple years ago, I included some interesting facts about the ship:

This way, when people are done looking at your scrapbook, they'll know more about you - and the world.

Aside from anecdotes, what other details do you include in your journaling?

Croppers Cannot Live on Scrapbooking Alone

2011-05-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't done much scrapbooking over the last couple weeks as my creativity had a different outlet.

Every Easter in Atlanta, I join my friends at an afternoon Easter event. Along with being a celebration of Easter, it’'s also the first event of Spring offering some campy afternoon fun. Hundreds of people show up for afternoon cocktails and games. Among the events is an Easter bonnet contest. I've gone every year and watched the contestants shows off their bonnets, thinking I could do that!!

To me, it’s that kind of reaction which separates the creative folks from the rest of the world. We long to always be crafty! When I see someone else'’s creative endeavors on display, I want to show mine, too. It’'s not that I want to show someone up rather, I don'’t want to be left out. Being creative is nourishment for my soul.

Now, I usually get my artistic vitamins from scrapbooking. However, just like our bodies can'’t survive without vitamin C, we need to feed our creative minds with a variety of craft projects. No one wants Creativity Scurvy.

I started by creating a large paper maché egg. Covered in sequins, jewels and crystals, it would be the perfect centerpiece of my Easter chapeau.

Of course, I didn'’t want to do this alone – so I was joined by another über-creative friend of mine. A graphic designer who may be one of the most creative people I’'ve met...ever. Tom and I crafted as both friendly and fierce competitors.

After several trips to Michaels, we hunkered down last Saturday - Easter Eve - with all the supplies necessary to make a beautiful -– albeit tacky -– Easter Bonnet. Hot glue, foam wreaths, wire, cable ties, dowel rods, sequins and insect embellishments covered the kitchen counters. Ooh, …and don’t forget the fake flowers. It looked like a garden exploded in my kitchen. Tulips, hydrangeas, daisies, roses, orchids and lilacs - Oh my!

It was the most gorgeous mess I’ve ever made.

The bonnet was one of those projects that ended up being even larger that expected – in fact, it was less like a bonnet and more like a parade float.

The next question is: how to scrapbook it!?!?!

Meeting New Scrapbookers: Part II

2011-04-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

I know I blogged about this recently, but I'm blogging again about attending a crop at Archivers - if for no other reason than I took a photo this time and I want an excuse to share it.

Spending Friday night at one our Atlanta area Archivers has become my new favorite way to start the weekend for several reasons:

1. Productivity

I finished an entire layout. While that doesn't sound like a huge achievement for a Friday night, if I was at home watching television, tweeting, Facebooking, and sipping wine...I would never have completed the whole layout.

2. Meeting Fabulous Scrapbooker

The ladies who show up for the Friday festivities could be a cast of characters in a scrapbooking sitcom. Each lady is like a personality sprinkler - spreading sass and spunk around the room. It's becomes clearer every time I join them - they are not only fellow scrapbookers, they're not just friends - they've formed their own papercrafting family.

3. Conversation

As with any family, the discussion is lively and varied. Last week, in just one of the hours I was there, we covered a wildly varied array of topics: one minute it was purses with interchangeable covers, then it was which guns are best for personal protection...of course it wouldn't have been a constructive cropping conversation without interludes about die cuts and patterned paper.

4. Input & Advice

Every scrapbooker needs a second opinion from time to time. With about a dozen other croppers in the room, there's always someone to ask if you're layout is looking lovely. I was debating whether to use white or yellow borders on the photos -- I was rightfully told that yellow was the better choice.

What about you - Why do you enjoy cropping in a group?

A Great & Clever Scrapbooking Giveaway!

2011-04-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

I ran across another Scrapbooker today on Twitter...with one of the best and most creative ideas I've seen for marketing yourself.

Nicole Siscaretti packed up a bunch of supplies she is no longer using, and is giving them away on her blog. Among the items is a Cricut machine!!

To be eligible, you must answer a series of questions - and do a couple good deeds. Her Oprah-like idea is a hit - having already received more than 40 comments!

Here's the link to her giveaway.

Go see for yourself - and GOOD LUCK!!

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #3: Cut Your Die Cut

2011-04-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

My favorite things about scrapbooking is that there are no rules. When I see a pre-made die cut, I immediately reach for my scissors.

Let me explain.

When using pre-cut paper die cuts, I like to think outside my box of scrapbooking supplies. After all, there's no law making a scrapbooker place the shape on their layout 'as-is.'

Take this fantastically large baseball from Reminisce.

It was perfect for the scrapbook layout I was creating to commemorate the time when I took my sister and her family out to see a ball game. Rather than placing the 12" ball on the layout, I cut it into four equally-sized pieces.

I placed each of the four pieces in one corner of the two-page layout. I makes the layout look like it's framed by four baseballs. Even though each piece is almost entirely covered, there is no doubt what they are...baseballs.

When using die-cuts - break the rules. Or at least...cut them!

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. #2: Calculating Contrast

2011-03-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

Scrapbook T.H.A.T. stands for Tips, Hints, Advice & Tricks.

Contrast is a scrapbooker’s best friend. Without it, everything in a page blends together as if covered in camouflage.

Whenever I put a picture on a page, if there is not enough contrast between it and the paper below it – I add a mat or a border – something to separate the elements. This is especially useful when the picture overlaps patterned paper. The last thing you want is the images in the picture to be fighting for attention from the designs on the paper.

So, how do you know when a page needs contrast? As far as I know, there’s no app for that. There is, however, an equation.

For a very detailed definition of contrast, you can look up 'contrast' on Wikipedia, where it lays out several formulas indicating different types of contrast.

One formula for defining contrast is taking the luminance difference and dividing it by the average luminance.

What the WHAT? I barely made it through third grade math, so THAT is impossible for me to even try to understand.

Rather than getting out a calculator or trying to recall high school algebra, it’s just as easy to eye the layout. I just take a looksy at the layout and make a guess as to whether adding a contrasting border around an element will help bring focus to a picture, a journaling block, a page title, or an embellishment.

Take a look at these examples showing the same picture with – and without – a contrasting border.

Here are some other examples of when I added a little border around an element to add contrast.

Meeting a Goal & Meeting new Scrapbookers

2011-03-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

I’ve blogged before about my scrapbooking goal for 2011 – to catch up with my cropping so I am no longer scrapbooking events from two years ago. On my quest to accomplish this task, I decided to spend one evening a month at my local Archiver’s – I figured six hours spent focused solely on my scrapbooking would yield wonderful results. With no television, no computer, no Facebook, no iTunes, no Twitter to distract me.

What I hadn’t expected was to also delve deeper into the world of scrapbooking. I was reminded yet again, why scrapbookers are just the best people on the face of the planet.

My first trip to Archiver’s was in January. I packed up a few paper-crafting possessions and made the trek OTP – OTP is Atlanta-lingo for ‘Outside the Perimeter,’ or ‘the suburbs.’

I settled into my seat among a sea of lady scrapbookers. It felt a little bit like that Sesame Street skit: One of these things is not like the other. I’ve been the lone lad surrounded by ladies on many occasion – and it usually goes well. Still, I always remain courteous and cautious – after all, I’ve watched enough episodes of Oprah and The View to know some territory is ‘ladies-only.’

As always though, it didn’t matter that I wear cufflinks instead of camisoles. What mattered to these ladies is that I was serious about scrapbooking…and willing to have a good time.

When I made my reservations, they placed me at the one table with a free spot. It ended up being the idea location – smack in the center of a group of gals that are as talented as they are fun-loving. Equipped with scissors and sass, they spend every Friday together. I learned they are more than fellow croppers – this is a family.

I’ve seen this before and yet it still surprises me. In a world that seems to become more divided by the day – scrapbookers are not only the exception, I’d say we are exceptional. No one asked my political proclivities – it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I know how to use a Cricut, am a master at operating a Xyron, can name twenty uses for a brad, and can spot a sheet of Basic Grey paper at fifty paces.

I returned again in February and got to know my new friends even better. They even seemed to be happy to have me back. I have yet to return this month, but plan on going again soon. Who knows – maybe I’ll make it up there a few times a month, and will be caught up on my cropping sooner than expected.

The only bad part about my trips up there so far? I was a bad scrapbooker and neglected to get any photos!!

Don't worry, I’ll remedy that next time.

How about you – do you scrapbook with a group?

How Much Scrapbooking Time is Too Much Time?

2011-03-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

I've been a man obsessed over the past couple weeks. To commemorate my sister's wedding, I decided to create a layout that was less than ordinary. Rather than a two-page layout, I made a layout that includes 14 different 12"x12" layouts.

Every day, I would come home from my day job and spend a couple hours on this layout - plagued over the perfect placement of a flower, or fretting where to adhere an embellishment.

I've done these big layouts twice before - both for vacations - because it's a different way to scrapbook a major event. For some reason though, it seems that it takes more time to create a large layout than several small ones. Perhaps because it involves a good deal of paper engineering.

Still, I'd rather spend this time scrapbooking than paying bills or doing taxes.

What about you - have you ever spend an unusual amount of time on a layout or scrapbooking project?