Lay it all out

Started on a couple of layouts last night. Messy ones. Just the way I like it.

Used that chipboard as a stencil.

Why do all my spray inks hate me?

Feel really pretentious when I try to write about my scrapbooking layouts.

The end.

Love, Sweet Love

So I rarely scrapbook in this size. I stopped doing 12x2 layouts regularly about 3 years ago, and I've never looked back. But every once and awhile...I get the urge to step out of my box.

I actually completed this layout for Treasured Memories, but I don't work there anymore...so...I guess I have to find somewhere to put it! HA!

And this next one is just too cute not to share! I have the best nephews (and niece! and "nieces"...but that's a whole other post!). Candace gave me two Batman action figures one night, and I thought Jacob might enjoy playing with them. Well, that was the understatement of the year! The only time he put them down that night was so he could have his hands free to eat dinner.

I love moments like this because I know Jacob is going to continue to be this completely AWESOME person as he gets older. And I get to share in a little of that every time we hang out!

And that is all...I'll have something non-scrapbooking related for y'all tomorrow! I promise!

later loves

all of my layouts are posted on Flickr as well...that's here.

Colour Me Happy

I love colour...like, love it. In my clothes, in my house, and most definitely in my art. Here are some of  my recent colourful layouts!

I will never ever get tired of watching these two play and interact with each other. Even though there is a huge age difference, they are great friends! Also, if I've learned anything since getting it, an iPad brings together people of all ages (wink!)

We made a special frozen yogurt treat at home after our Valentine's dinner (sushi). Dude had a good time adding gummies & butterscotch chips (only 3?!) & sprinkles. And I made sure to get some actual strawberries in there as well!

It's a funny coincidence that V & I were wearing similar coloured shirts...makes for much easier scrapbooking! HA!

Veronica's birthday party was Toy Story-themed, and there was tasty pizza, and I saw an old pic of BFF and it was totally fun! AND I got to snuggle with a baby...yay!

That's all for now...how do YOU add colour to your life?

later loves

p.s. Shout out to Candace's blog, inspiration for this post's title! Love your face Hun!

p.p.s I realize this is the second scrapbooking-related post in a week and these just aren't proving to be that interesting to my readers...but that's just too bad! Cause I've got loads of these on deck and not much else to talk about lately....so.....

EAT CAKE!

I think I might have to start posting layouts more often than twice a week. You see, my birthday was in September, a whole month ago, and I am still posting layouts I made using those pictures. It's October 22nd people. But I will be the first to admit that these aren't my most popular posts anymore...for the audience at least. I still love posting them, though, so you're kind of stuck with them! HA!

 Birthdays mean cake, obviously. And there was lots of cake involved in my Birthday Weekend Celebration. Thankfully, I have almost fully explained my gluten-free and dairy-free preferences to my friends and family, so most of my desserts were dietary compliant. Simone & the girls at work got me a super amazing chocolate flourless torte from Bon Ton Bakery in town. Ermegherd it was so delicious, and so rich and chocolately! Holy doodle.

Nadine & Mom both baked gluten-free & dairy-free cupcakes and a cake (respectively). Both also very delicious! Dad went for the standard Marble Slab ice cream cake, so after my tiny little piece my tummy was screaming at me! But it was still delicious...if not a little "inflammatory"!

For the scrapbookers...if you're still out there: The misting along the edge is a happy accident. I used this sheet as a mask for another layout, and kept it all this time (well...duh) just in case. Ink is Hero Arts NEON pink & dark blue. Chevron stamp is one I designed & carved myself. "Smile" is from Pebbles. Letters are American Crafts Thickers that I pushed into the blue ink and let dry.

later loves

Up So High

On the Saturday of my Birthday Celebration Weekend the Boys & I went to ride the street car over the High Level Bridge! It was so amazing, and beautiful and not at all scary....like I had nervously anticipated.

For the scrapbookers...This page did not originally look anything at all like this! I actually had a really hard time putting this one together, but it turned out to be one of my favourites from the batch. My new mantra is "when in doubt, just start spraying & stamping & something will click". I'm using my awesome Elise Joy stamps - that I am still so impressed with - and my new NEON Ink pads from my bestie Nadine! The Chevron stamp is one I made myself (hand carved & everything). I still have to do some sort of tutorial on that, now don't I??....hmmm.....

For everybody...I totally recommend this little trip to Edmontonians & tourists alike. It's a nice cheap adventure for the day, especially in the Fall when the River Valley is alight with the colours of fall. And the departure points are all popular spots to hang out! The southern access point is in Strathcona, just north of the Farmer's Market and Whyte Ave. And on the north side of the river you have the Legislature grounds and Jasper Avenue. I would link you up to the schedule, but the site seems to have disappeared. It is run by the Edmonton Radial Railway, so search that & you might have better luck than me!

later loves

More posts like this:
- More Birthday Awesome-Time
- Saturday with the Boys

Saturday with the Boys

I spent the Saturday afternoon of my Birthday Weekend Celebration with my Boys. We went for lunch & then took a little ride over the High Level Bridge. Add in a Starbucks coffee/frap/cookie & it was kind of a perfect afternoon.

Can I just say that I have a handsome husband? We are a good looking family, yesirree.

For the scrapbookers: You can't really tell from my lacklustre photos but the orange ink and orange paint splatters are the most delicious neon I have ever seen. My good friend Nadine bought me some Hero Arts NEON ink pads for my birthday (I love her the best!) and the orange and pink ink just happens to perfectly match the neon paint I already had in my stash. Serendipitous! (which I totally spelled correctly on the first try...say what?!)

Also (still for the scrapbookers) the title banner and "bathroom people" were cut for me by my gorgeous new friend Candace with her Cameo. While I have nothing personally against die cut machines, I just don't understand their popularity...even though they make pretty much whatever die cut design you (or someone on the internet) could imagine.

Also (still for the scrapbookers) I have been hoarding that piece of calendar paper for a long long time. Oh yes. And I finally just broke down and used it! Isn't it funny how we hold on to things like that? I mean, I bought it to use it (I bough a couple of sheets actually), but I could never bring myself to cut it up. We scrapbookers are weird that way....I know that some of you reading this know exactly what I'm talking about! HA!

In other news...

Tonight is the first concert in my symphony series that I treated myself to you this year (after I got the "new" job). I am very excited! And I hope BFF is as well...he's my "date". ***EDIT: Apparently I originally scheduled this to post last Friday. So just pretend I make sense, okay? Are any of you still reading? Aliens have landed and are destroying the building!!.........??? Just checking!

later loves

I am grateful for...

If you will think back to post #16 in my "30 Days of Being Awesome" series, you might remember something about a "Gratitude List". Now, I am reluctant to call it that because it seems to me that Oprah was a tad obsessed herself with creating "gratitude lists" all the live long day and - minor confession here - I never could stand Oprah....

Oh well, Queen of Talk Shows aside, I do enjoy a good list of things that are awesome in my life. I thought I would share mine here, to maybe inspire you to create your own if you haven't already.

And to make it even MORE awesome, I have done it in scrapbook form. Oh yeah....I'm awesome like that. (geesh Lisa, get over yourself!)

And all the little details...

I am grateful for...

new friends // old friends // "Best Friends Forever" // Zumba // new music

early morning coffee runs at work // autumn colours // my boys

my niece & nephews // notladylike // arts + crafts

colour // personal emails // having a pen pal // Instagram
little adventures // all the random things Dude says!

Also...hay bales.

I know there are more, but this sweet list makes me happy for the time being!

I'll have another "30 Days of Being Awesome" post/prompt this afternoon. I am thoroughly enjoying this project, even as it is falling flat in the real fake Internet world. Oh well....blogging is a personal thing, and this kind of a (public) list inspires me to keep on blogging and keep on keeping on.

later loves

for the scrapbookers: This was a really easy layout to build. I started with one printed Instagram, and then measured all of my squares from there. And then I filled them in. There is pattern paper, and stamps, and stencils. I tried to keep my colours and patterns balanced around the page, and made sure to repeat specific patterns in the handy triangular formation. Most of my embellishments are of the "flat" variety. I have actually found myself relying less and less on traditionl embellishments, and more on my stamp sets, washi tape, and pattern paper to finish off my layouts. That being said, I might need to have some sort of scrapbooking-supplies-online-garage-sale in the near future! Whee!

Cross-posted on the Treasured Memories Inspiration blog.

Fort Edmonton Park...in layouts

Did you think you would get away with reliving this day with me through photos only? That's funny right there! You're just lucky I put them all in one post. HA!

 

Can I just say that all three of us were supremely disappointed to learn that the train was not running that day! What the deuce?! But we did make it all the way to the Fort & back. It helped that we got Dude his snowcone practically immediately. He was too busy eating to complain...

This next one is supposed to be the "double" of the one above. Matching, but not "matchy matchy"...y'know...

for the scrapbookers...yeah, there's a lot going on here. And it's all good. Right?! I made these layouts at my birthday crop night, using Jill's leftovers that she kept passing over the table to me!

And I didn't even print all of the photos I took. I may need to add an extra photo sleeve to my album for the rest of them. I have a hard time setting the camera down while I'm there. And I was running low on battery power and everything!

later loves

Relive The Good Times

One of the reasons I love scrapbooking is that my terrible memory clouds a lot of the small details of a day or an event. Ah hell, it clouds some of the giant screaming important details as well! But when I scrapbook the event/moment right away I can capture some of those little details. Or those feelings. Or whatever. The simple stuff that would otherwise be lost to time. Looking back through my albums allows me to relive those memories and moments a little better than a standard photo album would.

I mean, it's fricken October First already! And if I haven't mentioned it enough, where the frick did September go?!?! And looking at this page I am reminded immediately of the heat of this August day. I remember the prickly grass on the hills. I remember watching for my brother and getting excited when I saw his tell-tale walk & figure approaching. I remember all the indecisions & the beer gardens & the introductions & the contraband wine & the laughs cause I'm so damn hilarious & the secrets shared.

This was a good best day spent with my BFF.

for the scrapbookers: The pattern paper is Basic Grey & Echo Park. Stencil is Crafter's Workshop & Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. I thought I was quite clever with all the chevron patterns! Sticker letters are Prima. "Hello Friend" stamp is Pebbles, and the ink is Adirondack pigment. "Today is" stamp from Elise's shop. She still has some left, if you are so inclined. And might I just add that the quality of these stamps are just awesome! I use mine on everything....well....not everything.

The leaves are my favourite part. They are die cuts that I inked the beejeezus out of. Yessiree.

later loves

First Day Tears

Dude did not appreciate "Back to School" this year. Or last year, or the year before, now that I think about it. So I was ready for the stomping feat, and the "I'm tired" excuses. And the anxiety.

And the lack of a good picture! Such is life over here, my friends.

But Dude's day just got better and better, and by the time I picked him up at Grandma's he was smiling and excited to be going back! I heard about maps, and computers on Fridays!

Crisitunity indeed.

For the scrapbookers: The stencil in the background is one I made, sprayed with some Mister Huey this time around. The matching stamp, and chevron stamp, I also made for myself. I'm just a regular handy-lady. The yellow ink is American Crafts pigment ink, which I am now in love with.  Paper is My Mind's Eye. So are those stickers. Letters are Prima (my current favourites). Wooden stars are Studio Calico. I can't wait for their new shapes...Enjoy!

later loves

The Never-ending Saga of School Supplies

We didn't have to buy many supplies for Dude this year. Also, "NO MARKERS" and nothing from a Dollar Store....these issues were specifically addressed on the list!

Also, I obsessively label each and every pencil that Dude takes with him. Not that it matters. He came home with a bunch of pencils (and duotangs) last year that had someone else's name on them!

For the scrapbookers: I posted this layout and another one on the TM Inspiration Blog last week, if you are so inclined to head over there. I'm using a stencil that I made, and mostly just random bits from my current stash. That other layout will go up here on Monday. Enjoy!

later loves

Back in Time - Canada Day

 We spent Canada Day in Vancouver. We actually had a very busy day - the Aquarium, Stanley Park, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park - and ended everything off with a fireworks show down by the water. This is a very popular place to watch the fireworks, and it was hard to find a good spot. But we did okay!

Still in love with neon.

Still in love with paint and splatters.

Still in love with my re-purposed anthro notes!

later loves

Stamp Makin

I think it was Ginger that commented on a stamp I made, writing that she would just love to learn how to make one of those for herself!

Well, here is a "Even a Monkey Could Do It" DIY post in the traditional style of Lisa. Welcome all you TM Lurkers! Boy, are you in for a treat! HA!

So to recap, sort of, the TM post that lead to this post. I showed everybody there the simple (read: "Lisa-Monkey") way to make your own stencil. But I thought it would be fun to take that a step further and make a stamp that could be used in conjunction with your stencil!

You will need:

- The stencil you made. Check out this post for some tips on that.

- A skinny Sharpie (mine was too fat...story of my life ;-)

- "Make Your Own Stamp" rubber & stamp carving knife. I bought a basic starter Speedball kit from Michaels.

Step One: Trace your stencil on to the rubber piece. And this is where my "testing things out first" comes in handy for you. Don't forget that when you eventually use this stamp, it will be backwards from how you are drawing it! So flip your stencil over and trace the wrong side! I did it wrong...yeah...

Step Two: Mark the areas that you are going to carve, just so you don't forget and get confused and carve the wrong area! Remember that you want the reverse of the stencil. So you want to carve the part on your stamp where the ink will show on the stencil.

It will make sense in a minute, I promise!

Step Three: Carve it out! This part takes a little bit of practice to get straight lines and everything. But I promise it is worth it. Go slow. Take your time. Follow the lines!

Once have carved out the innards, you can cut out the entire shape from your big block. I use craft scissors for this, then trim the edges with my carving tool.

And now you can stamp stamp stamp away! And turn this...

Into this!

Oh man...I am not going to get tired of this little set any time soon!

And here is that finished layout (again).

If any of you take any of these tips to heart I would LOVE to see the fruits of your labour! Link me up!!

Well...that was fun. Now I am off to bed!

later loves

(p.s. it's 10pm where I am. Y'know...in the past)