Treasured Memories Design Team - March Scrapbooking

When I was checking my tags and my titles for this post, I noticed that I haven't posted a scrapbooking layout since NOVEMBER! Which means I haven't created a layout since November. Wow!

I remember a time when I couldn't go more than a day without scrapbooking. Funny how things change, but also not funny or surprising at all. I am still figuring out my relationship with this hobby, and I think this unsettled state of affairs is just my reality now.

In the meantime, here are some layouts!

I won't be cutting these down to 6x12 to fit into my album because planning that required more brain cells than I had available.

Both are to fulfill my duties as a Treasured Memories Design Team Member, a job I love mercilessly. Thank you Nadine for giving me such thebomb.com paper lines. I am saving the pineapples for something super special.

xo

Challenge Accepted!

I got to go on a scrapbooking date with my Tribe on Friday night! Usually I just sit with my computer and a stack of photos to write on. But tonight Karen and Candace were in the mood for a challenge, so I got to play along! AND I got to liberate some supplies from the girls! HA!

The Challenge: Use 6 frames on a layout...

I should probably add a date or something, but otherwise, I am pretty impressed with myself! All of these supplies were either ones from a TM DT kit I had with me that night, or ones I had "liberated" from Karen & Candace. 

Thanks gals! This was fun!

xo

Just Make Stuff!

Whoever picked that name for "my" January kit at Treasured Memories is a frickin genius, and knows me quite well.

Check out the eleven layouts I created with product from the kit, all hand-selected by myself to coordinate and just generally be awesome and inspire you to make something beautiful!

I apologize ahead of time for the shit formatting...blogging is not second-nature to me any more and this took a lot longer than I anticipated.

The following three layouts are done with photos from my cousin's October wedding in Calgary. 

My sister is so purdy! She takes after me...wink...

Gah I love this face! He is such a performer!

I have so many layouts documenting our Symphony traditions. And one more will never be too many.

Zoo Lights at the beginning of the month was so spectacular! (Not to mention BFF got to meet my sister and her boys...) The animals were super active, Dude had so much fun shimmying around on the ice, and all the lights were really magical. Even though all my photos are shit! HA!

Losing Grandma last winter really hit home to me how much I love and appreciate my grandparents. And how I don't spend near enough time with them! I treated Grannie & Pa to a live radio show at Fort Edmonton Park in December. I bet this is their first selfie!

I remember my view and my understanding of this kitchen from my childhood. It's still full of love and good conversation, but now I get to help with the dishes!

Matinee! Mom, Amy & her boys, me & Dude went and saw the Muppet's Christmas Carol at Metro. It was Evan's first movie. I really enjoyed sharing my favourite movie theatre with Dude, even though he was suspicious about it as we drove up!

  This boy...this boy keeps me sane while at the same time making me crazy. He makes me so happy and so proud.

It was a month of movies! I took Dude & Jacob to the "All You Can Eat Cereal And Cartoon Party" at Metro. For cereal...lots and lots of cereal. And (mostly lame) Christmas cartoons. But it was still an adventure!

 
Here's the link to the kit contents, if you are so interested: Just Make Stuff. The official kit actually has MORE stuff in it than I had to work with. I can't even build a simple kit properly without missing something...but that's a whole other miserable diary entry that I will not write because I am trying to combat the negativity year!

I have changed my approach to scrapbooking in the past few months, and I am already feeling much better about it! I had to recognize that this is a fluid hobby for me, and its manifestation in my life will not always look the same. It's weird starting a new year where I am not actively blogging and scrapbooking, as these items have formed such a large part of my identity in the past, and for many years.

Blah blah blah the end!

Expect to see more of me around these parts over the course of the next month. I like to work out my goals on here, and I will be updating my Book List and posting some end-of-the-year reviews here.

Until then...

It's no secret that...

I want to paint a rainbow in the shape of a heart.

I want to paint the stars as they are seen by the Chandra X-ray Observatory & the Hubble telescope with all their x-rays and gamma rays and ultraviolet light showing.

I want to tell a story with a line and a splatter.

I want to write out all the words in my heart. One at a time.

I want to share all of this with as many people as I possible can...
 

I will be teaching a basic watercolour class at Treasured Memories at 6:30 pm on Thursday, August 21. I am really in love with how these turned out, and I can't wait to share this excitement with my students! Won't you join me...?

xo Lis

It's My Jam

I love it when I am in the mood to scrapbook! It doesn't happen all the time. And it is even better when this mood corresponds with a special TM Crop Night! I always manage to get loads done, and leave feeling very inspired. I finished 6 layouts that night, and two the next day. Thought I would share some...

Apparently I have teal and orange on the brain right now. Not that's there anything wrong with that.

I tried to change up my standard layout design, think outside my comfortable box, and it was working for a little bit. When I start to go back to the same-old-tricks, I know I'm getting tired and uninspired. And ready for bed!

I was the dirty one in the photo booth this time around. Sigh...these gals are just such a terrible influence on me. Wink.

Until next time ladies...

later loves

It's Damn Cold Out!

The thermostat before Dude & I left for school this morning. My Instagram caption was: "I'm thinking positive...because I remember days when the red disappeared altogether!" And I do! It was a cold drive to school, but I am grateful we can drive and not have to walk in this cold. Dude ran from the car to the door and banged and banged until someone let him in. They don't have outdoor recess when it's this cold, so I'm hoping he gets to do something fun again, like blow things up in the computer lab again...don't ask!

And now I sit in my sort of warm home, drinking coffee and blogging while I should be packing and getting ready to head to Jasper to visit my best blog pal! Truth be told, I hate too much Greek food and drank a smidge too much wine last night at my Christmas party so I am trying to let those after effects dissipate before I do too much "walking around" and "moving in general". Sigh...

And since I seem to be sharing TMI, let's at least get to some pretty pictures!

Left: Photo taken by me at the Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo back in September. I swear Dude wasn't there against his will, and that he did actually enjoy himself. I love love LOVE the simplicity of this page. There are literally 4 elements. Shit, I keep forgetting to put the date on there...

Right: Photo take by Dude on our Jasper trip for his birthday in the summer. He was adamant that he did NOT want his own photo taken with Jasper the Bear, so I did the nonchalant Mom thing and asked him to take my photo instead. I think he did a pretty damn good job! This layout also makes me super pleased...another simple one, and that pink paper is WHEEE!!

This photo was taken on Lucas' birthday! Gosh, I love that giant tooth! I made a joke that night, about him getting too old to hold my hand, and he told me not to worry. That he wasn't too old for that. He is such a sweet boy sometimes. Ha! I love that striped paper.

I made these layouts after I got home from the Christmas crop last weekend. Late, but still so inspired! Not sure what I did AT the crop, but I'm sure it was something. I did take a "go view BFF's new place and eat pizza and beers" break at the start of the night, so I didn't get as much scrappy-time as usual. But I mostly just enjoy hanging out with all my scrappy-friends that I just don't get to see near enough! Hello Ginger, Candace, Karen, Allison & Sheri! AND NADINE!!

good times...

later loves

Talk Like A Pirate - Dress Like A...

Why do lady versions of costumes always have to be so damn slutty? When did that become completely mainstream and acceptable? I will always remember Lindsay Lohan's comment in Mean Girls about not realizing that Halloween parties are an excuse for girls to wear short skirts and boustiers, and be the slutty version of pretty much any fictional - or real life - character.

Yep.

So I went to a dress-up crop a couple of weeks ago with a pirate theme ("There's the rub") and spent my lunch hour that day scouring the aisles of Value Village for something remotely appropriate and not at all inappropriate. And right now Value Villages all over the world are plum-full of brand new Halloween costumes, but I tend to steer clear of the brand new stinky plastic and head into the meat of the store, where the good stuff lives.

And as per usual, Value Village did not disappoint.

Say hello to PG-13 Slutty Pirate.

And lucky me getting a head start on my Halloween costume! Although I might have to "slut-it-up" a little bit more for the adult parties. Because that's what Halloween is all about. Right?!

Wink.

later loves

Layout Flashback

Layouts for TM. I handed them in late, but I hope I won't get in trouble! Hi Nadine! I used the paper like you wanted! I hope it's okay...please don't fire me....

I had to go back to last year to print photos that worked. It really made me want to go camping and go to the lake! Summer, you better bring it this year!!

Cute!! Oh Bestest Best, I heart you.

This was Dude's "birthday party" last year. Camping at the lake, with some cake and presents and family time thrown in for good measure. He could spend everyday at the lake and be the happiest kid in the world. Hmmm....point taken....

Note to BFF: I want to go on an adventure here.......I'm serious. Just name the date, and I'll be there.

Any adventures planned for this summer? Close to home? Across the Universe?! I want to hear about it!!

later loves

Layout Catch Up

Even though I'm not technically working for them anymore doesn't mean that I've stopped creating lovely things for Treasured Memories! Nadine keeps giving me kits, and I keep using them! Here are some of the latest...

Hello Cutie! I should put some words on here or something.

There was a weird drunk lady sitting behind us who kept cheering for the Oilers, but we were at an Oil Kings game. Dude was really bored, but we stayed for the whole game, which we lost. But it was still a fun afternoon!

Hi. I'm a dork.

I love those Fancy Pants tiny paper bags! I plan on adding some "private journaling" to this one.

The ampersand button/badge on this one is a Treasured Memories Exclusive, designed & created by "Mr. TM" Daryl Benson.

I usually cheat a little with my TM layouts...I have a hard time confining myself to one company, and I'm always cutting everything up in to tiny pieces so a lot of the product becomes unrecognizable. And that, my friends, is why I could never be on a design team!

Happy Monday! 

later loves

Technique Tuesday is BACK!

Well....for now. I've got another technique post going up on the TM Inspiration Blog today, so I thought I would share those layouts with you here, and maybe inspire you to head over there to check things out.

This set of layouts demonstrate how to paint on vellum, thereby creating patterned vellum in whatever colour & design you choose! Yay! I'm all about custom embellishments...

I think these are my two most favourite layouts right now. Yeppers. Pretty proud of myself with these ones...pat on the back proud!

And finally, I used gold paint AND gold glitter to create some fabulous polka dotty vellum.

So, are you headed off to paint on some vellum yet? Go get 'em Tiger!

later loves