it's been a while

Seems like forever since I actually did a layout. Though the picture I took of this layout came out awfully wonky, I actually like the layout a lot. And for the most part, I used stuff I had scattered atop my scrapping table. Bad, bad me. I'm supposed to clean up after every project, but I haven't been following my own rules. I figured using up bits and scraps would save a little on the clean up...plus it just feels so darn good to use up scraps, doesn't it?

Nothing fancy here. Flowers cut from patterned paper. Stamped bees covered with paper glaze. Hand stitched bee trail.

an almost birthday present

I wanted to make Rich a mini album that he can keep in his office at work. Nothing fancy, just a picture of each of the kids. Now, this was supposed to be a gift for his birthday, but as so often happens, once I got it made I just couldn't wait to give it to him!

Anyway, it's nothing fancy, but I still think it came out pretty cute. I just covered the pieces of a dumb little jigsaw puzzle that one of the kids got in a kid meal at some fast food joint when we were on a trip somewhere. Love being able to make use of something that would have otherwise been hauled off by the trash/recycle man. Added bonus, I just used scraps I had strewn around my scrap table. And I finally got to use my cool 7 Gypsies stamp, too! Oh yes, this little project put many a smile on my face as I created it :)

happy birthday, Sara

I was so excited all those years ago when I was pregnant with Annie to find out that my wonderful friend Kim was going to have a girl, too. Turns out Annie and Sara are very, very different. Still, on the rare occasions that we're able to get together, the girls get along wonderfully. Each year, I try very hard to come up the perfect birthday gift for Sara...but finally, this year, I was stumped. Annie told me to get her gift cards. But I didn't think that was exciting enough. Annie assured me, "Gift cards are a preteen girl's best friend! Trust me, Mom, she love them!" So, I decided to trust her, but I still wanted to jazz them up a bit, so I made this special holder for them. I hope she likes it! Annie totally flipped over it, and made me promise to make her one for her birthday, so I hope that's a good sign.

The front cover:



















And this is what it's like opened up:















(click on photo for a closer look)

uninspired

Not sure why, but I just can't seem to get inspired while creating these "prizes" for Annie's contests. This is the super plain one that July's winner will receive.

a quick photo card

Nothing fancy. (And honestly not crooked in real life.)

two made, one photographed

I'm so bummed that I forgot to take a picture of the anniversary card I made for my parents before I mailed it off. It was actually one of my better efforts. Figures, huh?

But here's the card I made for Max's teacher:



Max had the sweetest teacher in the world for kindergarten. She really, truly was just the perfect match for our little guy. She just innately seemed to "get" him. I know he's going to miss her.

another journal

I think I should just give up on this blog, since I can't seem to get anything made these days. Should have had this little journal finished a couple weeks ago, as it was Annie's prize for her June contest. Better late than never...at least I hope that's what Kara will think, as she was this month's winner.



(It's actually much brighter and prettier in person. Not sure why the picture came so dark, but I didn't realized until I'd uploaded it, and I was just too lazy to redo it.)

a quick little project

Each month, Annie has a little contest with her reading challenge. One part of the prize is a covered comp book, made by yours truly. Nothing much, but along with a bookmark and some candy, hopefully makes a nice little prize. After all, as she said when she started hosting the challenge, there's not much one can do with a 10-/now 11-year-old's allowance, right?

a heartfelt thank you

I mentioned a few days ago, over on my everyday blog, that I had won a book from J. Kaye's Book Blog Raffle. Here it is:


Easy Scrapbook Embellishment by Heidi Schueller. I haven't had a lot of time to peruse it thoroughly yet, but I think I'm going to enjoy it. The author's style of scrapbooking is extremely different from mine. (Actually, I'm not sure I have a style--a topic for another post perhaps--but suffice it say that I don't tend to make pages like hers.) But that is one of the cool things about art, isn't it? It's so easy to appreciate it in all its manifestations. And it's so easy to find inspiration...a little something here, a little something there.



Anyway, I really wanted to make J. Kaye a handmade thank you card, and of course, what would be better than to find inspiration from the very book she sent me, right? Hence, this card:




Sewing is definitely nothing new to me. I tend to use both hand sewing and machine stitching quite a bit on my layouts. But I fell totally in love with that beaded flower center! Such a quick, simple way to add a little punch, huh?

I hope J. Kaye likes the card, as I am certainly grateful to her for sending me this book!

another story captured

Again, a story from years ago. Again, I'm so happy I took a minute to write it down at the time. I guarantee that otherwise, I would have had no clue why I saved this particular drawing by my prolific little artist.



I love being able to capture pieces of the story that aren't immediately apparent. Scrapbooking is just so cool that way, isn't it?

gift for a little one

One of my favorite people, Kara, is about to welcome a precious baby boy into the world. Less than two weeks to go! It's been a long time since I've actually gotten any gifts made, but this was one occasion I just couldn't let pass by. And finally, just in the nick of time, I finished up a baby afghan for the little fellow.



I don't think the photo does it justice. (Though if you click on the photo, you can see the yarn and stitches much better.) It's a really simple pattern...just double crochets alternating two around the post from the front followed by two around the post from the back. Since the stitches are going around the posts, it makes it a heavier afghan. But what I really love about this one is the yarn. It's two rows of white alternating with two rows of a variegated...and the effect is so subtle that it's hard to even pick out the rows.

My only regret: that I can't deliver the gift in person. Sure would love to see Kara and meet the little guy in person!

doing something right

At this stage of my life, there is just so little time for my creative endeavors. But I know that will change someday. There are times in one's life when the everyday responsibilities are just heavier than at other times. This just happens to be one of the "heavy" periods for me, but I have confidence that more "me time" will be available at some time in the future.

In the meantime, I'm trying to make sure my memories are still at my fingertips when I do get an opportunity to scrapbook. How? With these little beauties:



Each Christmas, my darling husband buys me new one. And I absolutely love them. How could I fail to love them...they're red! But, of course, my love is based on more than looks alone. I have come to depend on these little red diaries. They are the keepers of memories. This is my place to jot down the little things I want to remember. It might be a conversation with one of the kids. It might be a list of, well, a list of anything. It might be notes on a quirky personality trait on of the kids has developed. It might me a full blown idea for a layout, sketch and journaling. But I don't even need to carry my handy little memory keeper with me. I'll write down notes on scrap of paper I might find handy, and then just stick that slip of paper into the diary.



I fully admit there are periods of time when I don't do a great job at writing down these memories. I may occasionally go for months without adding anything. And this makes me sad. But it's not worth dwelling on. Instead, I choose to be happy about everything I did take the time to capture.

This layout was completed yesterday, but the seeds for it were sown more than two years ago. When I got the idea to record our breakfast traditions back then, I simply jotted down 10 random facts on a scrap of paper. I also saved a packet from the kids' favorite oatmeal. I stuck both of those things in the old diary for safe keeping. Then I snapped a few photos that might come in handy for the future layout.

Fast-forward 2+ years, and here you go:



Maybe it's sort of a silly topic. But it's a slice of our family picture. And I'm so glad I captured it.

The layout itself was really a pretty quick one to throw together. Just cut the photos to fit. Added the oatmeal packet to serve as my pocket for the little tag booklet. Added the title using my ever-trusty Dymo label maker (what would I do without that thing?!!). I had originally wanted to make the journaling on the tags fancier. Mix up my handwriting with rub-ons and letter stamps, etc. But with so little time, I finally decided it was more important to just get the memory preserved.