Scrapbooking - Christmas in September

Cannot, will not get over the fact that in retail, Christmas starts as early as July. So while I should not have been surprise to receive a Christmas line in my most recent Treasured Memories Design Team package, but I was.

For someone who doesn't really "do" Christmas scrapbooking, I did okay with these ones!

Pulled out some of my fun embossing powders to finish off these chipboard stars. I forgot how much I love playing with this kind of thing.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE Google Photos and their easy collage making feature? 'Cause I LOVE IT! I selected the photos I wanted in the collage, clicked "make collage" and presto chango, I had a lovely collage! An easy download then upload to the London Drugs online photo lab, and I've got a really cool and easy way to add a lot of photos to one layout.

My 100 Days of Watercolour Whatevers (see my Instagram) has inspired me to add watercolour to my other art and crafting. I was struggling with finding letter stickers to use for this title, but who needs letter stickers when you can make your own!

As part of my current minimalism challenge, I have been sorting through my scrapbooking supplies, and being kind of ruthless with what stays and what goes to the Reuse Centre. This also - thankfully - means that I am discovering cool old supplies I forgot I had, and using them in my layouts and mini albums.

The gal who runs the December Daily project that I take part in is already selling kits, and her design team is already prepping their albums! But I think that this is the only Christmas scrapbooking I will be doing until December 1st, thank you very much!

xo

Scrapbooking - Treasured Memories Design Team

These two layouts were completed at the same time as the one from my last post, but I forgot to take photos of them! I am so out of practice, it's not even funny!

Nadine - gods bless her - gave me a whole stack of papers from the cutest Simple Stories line! There are little houses, and plants, and vacuum cleaners, and washing machines! Wait, what?! Now, I am not the type to scrapbook my chore list (any more...I probably did so at one point in my career), but I am kind of enamored with plants and pie charts, and this line had more than its fair share of those!

In fact, two of my stamps from #100daysofstampcarving were inspired by this line!

The pattern paper you can see peeking out from behind the photo was made with one of my #100daysofstampcarving stamps.

I love pie charts!

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This was actually a really fun way to USE some of my hand carved stamps. When I started that project, I wasn't sure what I would do with the stamps when I was done, and didn't have a plan for designing them other than "what looks good today." But what looks good to me, works with my art as well. Handy!

All of the stamped leaves on this page are from stamps I created during my 100 Day project. Can't go wrong with leaves...

Photos were taken on Moving Day Part Two, and a week or so after moving day. First beers on our patio felt pretty good!

I may only scrapbook in fits and bursts, but it still feels good. I feel out of touch with things going on in the scrapbooking world (so out of touch), but it's still fun to play with paper and pretty things on this scale.

xo

Scrapbooking - Treasured Memories Design Team

Scrapbooking. This is a hobby that I really haven't been spending much time on lately. But every once and awhile Nadine gets me back into it with a Design Team package from TM!

Now, this one I wasn't too sure of when I first got it as the main image on the papers and stickers was of a mermaid. So my apologies friend, but I did not use the mermaid aspects of the kit.

I did, however, LOVE all the rich blue, turquoise, and gold and immediately thought of how vibrant they would look against some photos from my recent trip to Iceland.

And so I came up with this...

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I LOVE the look of chipboard or stickers (or anything) layered under vellum. I cannot throw my vellum scraps away because they always come in handy.

#100daysofstampcarving was happening while I built this layout, so I carved a stamp to match that sweet "fish scale" pattern and made my own golden fishscale patterned paper. You can see it tucked behind the cluster. The word "love" is also from my 100 Days project.

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When I'm struggling with a layout, I just grab a bunch of cute things and cluster them or layer them around the photo. You can also see in this photo that I sanded down the surface of the chipboard "fish scales" border so it wasn't so shiny and new looking.

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Reynisfjara was a highlight for me on our trip to Iceland in May. The Black Sand Beach is very popular with tourist and tour groups, but it is a dangerous and harsh environment. There is a huge warning sign on the path from the parking lot, alerting visitors to the "sneaker waves" and the potential to be swept out to sea if you get too close to the water. Our tour guide told us to stay as far away from the water as possible, and never turn your back on it. There was a huge windstorm in the area that day, and the resulting sandstorm made the sky so brown that you couldn't see far out to sea.

The "black sand" is actually black pebbles and stones for as far as the eye can see. The cliff that faces the water here is uniquely jagged, like it was carved by giant hands. Many birds nest in the cliff face, and it was mesmerizing to watch them swirl overhead, fighting the winds.

The noise and wind were an assault on the senses. My hair was full of sand, my glasses so gross, but I could have stayed much longer. Our world is beautiful and terrifying...and Iceland is the perfect place to see and discover those elements side by side.

Scrapbooked anything lately?

xo

Scrapbooking - Flashback

I recently received some paper for my Treasured Memories Design Team commitment. The title of the paper line from Echo Park is "Grandson", and all of the images and patterns are completely adorable! But I don't have a Grandson, and I was on a tight deadline with no easy current photo choices coming to mind.

Thank goodness I hold on to old shit.

I had also recently dismantled an old photo display with printed image from what I thought was only a couple of years ago. You know how time gets away from you?

Turns out this photo of Lucas drawing with sidewalk chalk outside my old house is almost 5 years old. He looks completely different, yet also exactly the same. Children blow my mind.

For those of you who might be wondering, I added the text to my photo directly in Photoshop Elements. Then I ordered a 4x4 print from London Drugs same as always. The photo is actually a screen grab from my Instagram page. Oh man it took me a LONG TIME to scroll through 4.5 years of photos to find this one. But it was the best long time ever. So many good times.

xo

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

Christmas Scrapbooking

The Story behind the photos...

I booked some time with my new friend Jamie to have some FALL photos taken on Thanksgiving weekend. We woke up the Sunday morning to snow and wind and an early winter. Jamie & I chatted and decided to postpone the photos until the next day, hoping that the sun would come out, and the wind would go away. So right on schedule, at almost the exact hour we would have been getting the pictures done, the sun came out, there was blue sky, and it turned out to be a beautiful Sunday.

Balls.

But we had already rescheduled, so we made our way to Minchau Park the next day, in the cold (damn cold!) and the snow. And you know what? I LOVE these snowy photos! I think this will become a new winter tradition for us.

Also, these are our first photos as a new "family" of three. Squeeee!!!

And for those of you who might like to know...
The majority of the paper and embellishments are from Simple Stories.
Gold letters are Heidi Swapp
Ribbon & sequins are randoms from my stash

xo

p.s. Thank you Nadine for pushing me out of my comfort zone with these Christmas-themed papers. I kind of love them (don't get too excited or anything!)

Christmas Scrapbooking

Working in scrapbooking-retail means Christmas products start showing up in August. We always feel a little sorry-embarrassed when well meaning shoppers ask us where our new Christmas product is in December. It's gone lady...we sold out in September!

But seriously, This also means, that I get to scrapbook last year's Christmas photos in August thanks to my Design Team role. Which can be a challenge for this scrapbooker!

This is the latest. Not sure how I am going to fit it in my 8x8 December Daily album...

The black letters are really OLD Making Memories rub-ons. This was a supply that us gals HOARDED, and couldn't get enough of. And they still work perfectly. Making Memories had their shit together, that's for sure.

Now, being that Christmas is just over the horizon, I have started thinking about this year's December Daily. Every year in November I tell myself that I'm not going to do one, and every November 30 I give in and am scrambling to pull something together! Last year's will be the first I have ever completed...once I print these last two photos!! HA!

So with that BOOMING success in my life, why not just give in to the inevitable and start planning now?!

xo

F-Word Scrapbooking

Hi there! I love Fall. But it is not Fall yet. So don't go getting excited and telling me how much it FEELS LIKE FALL, or GEE I LOVE THAT IT'S FALL NOW. I will cut you.

Remember that I love Fall. But I also love our fleeting, golden summers. And I'm going to squeeze every last dying glimmer out of this month.

Since the start of Fall signals my birthday, I do celebrate the shit out of fall  so don't get your knickers in a knot. Like I am. Apparently. Shuttup.

Anyhoo, I scrapbooked some photos taken last FALL because Nadine made me. Kind of. Whatever. Just feast your eyeballs. 

(I scrapbook on my bedroom floor when it is clean. My bedroom is giant, so I can really spread out. Love those old wood floors.)

Gah I love this layout!!! Nadine gave me a pack of die-cuts, and I was like what the actual fuck am I going to do with these? She also gave me some copper sticker words and I was like YASSSS! They make a nice combination. My Mom & step-Dad's last name is Good. Makes for some perfect titles.

Also, that paper looks like a cozy sweater and I can definitely get behind that.

Mini Album!
I forgot how damn fun and EASY it is to make a mini album by taping old cards and envelopes together. These photos are all from my Grannie & Pa's 60th Anniversary Party last September. We had a nice dinner at the Faculty Club on the U of A campus, and then my photographer friend Sarah took all of our photos. It was ridiculous, and she is my hero. I am going to let the pages speak for themselves.

I just realized that this last photo shows FIVE GENERATIONS of my Grannie's family. Holy. Shit. Balls.

That's getting put on a damn wall or something.

p.s. on Fridays we say Fuck.

Camping + Scrapbooking

SCRAPBOOK LAYOUT DUMP!!

I think I was due for one right?

These are all layouts I completed for the Treasured Memories Design Team. Main papers and embellishments are all Carta Bella.

Some fun insider notes about these layouts, and how I reconcile being on a Design Team with how I actually prefer to document my memories coming right up!

Also, please ignore my head shadow in these photos.I'm a goof and didn't notice...

First up, my gorgeous sister and her adorable boys. FAVOURITE PEOPLE ALERT!

I keep meaning to use my stamps more, so I pulled out my arrows (arrows are easy). Not totally impressed with the end product on this layout, but it will do! Lucas & I played SO MANY GAMES OF GUESS WHO on our recent camping trip. That is definitely a memory that needed to be documented. Love the little Instax camera sticker that came with this line!

I pulled out my super OLD Making Memories foam stamps, and boy am I ever glad I saved these! Forgot how much I love a big stamped title.

I was channeling my inner Candace/Lisa from 2007-2008 for this next layout. BIG Photo and a fun cluster of stuff at the top. This photo is just...

And last but not least, this is what all of the above layouts will end up looking like once I get them back from TM. My 2016 photo album is a 6x12, which is actually super convenient for me when I have to do some scrapbooking for the store! I do a 12x12 page - which is the most popular layout size, and therefore the best ones for display - and design the layout with my end goal in mind. So if you look really hard you can see the 6x12 layouts in my 12x12s.

This Carta Bella line was really fun to play with! Thanks Nadine!

I guess I could have split this up into a couple of posts, but whatevs! Enjoy friends! Would love to read what you think in the comments!

If You Had A Superpower...

I got this paper from Nadine in my Treasured Memories Design Team package, and I was like...!!?!??!?!?!

And then I was inspired to ask my boys the question:

"If you had a SUPERPOWER, what would it be?"

Their answers were funny, and amazing, and not at all surprising.

Lucas: "I would make things explode! Myself too! Don't worry, I would survive!"

(he saw one of the stickers that read "Boom" and looked like a big explosion)

Evan: "Super Speed!"

(He was drinking a delicious pop when I asked, so he didn't have much to say. He did tell me that he would use his power to steal things, so I think he's really more of a Super Villain.)

Jacob: "It would be my awesome farting skills! Flames would shoot out of my butt and then destroy the whole earth! My farts!"

(He was definitely the most animated of the three! He also gave a battle cry and brandished a plastic rake...)

These boys are my whole world...

Photos taken February 28, 2016 in a Subway Restaurant in Sherwood Park.

Words captured May 7, 2016

Scrapbooking - Design Team Layouts aka What Was I Thinking?!

Nadine, what was I thinking?! How am I supposed to be on a Design Team for a scrapbooking store when I have no fucking idea what I am doing anymore? Help a girl out!

Suck it up, eh? K, here goes nothing.

BFF bought me the most beautiful proper hiking backpack last summer, and she is the most beautiful thing ever and I love her so much. Her name is Ariel, and this page is dedicated to her.

Ice cream is always a good idea. These Dudes....

I have so many photos of topless little boys playing on an iPad from this vacation. It's hard to pick one favourite.

Am I the only human who still uses the strange dabber attachment for the Lindy's Sprays? Probably? Am I the only person for whom NO spray ink sprayer works anymore? Probably not.

I get a little mushy on the journaling for this one. I get a little mushy when I see my little boys in such a way that I also catch a glimpse of their future selves.

So mushy....

I think that soulmates are totally a real thing. And I'm lucky enough to have more than one. These two pictured below included.

And here are all the layouts I created with this product. The larger ones are both 8.5x11, and the smaller are 6x8, created to fit in a mini album I am in the process of building for this trip. That's going to take me forever, but whatever.

I struggle SO MUCH with scrapbooking now. It's like, I've totally forgotten how to do it. Or rather, that I haven't fully embraced the new direction I want to head in with my memory-keeping. So I approach everything in this wibbly-wobbly fashion and everything feels hard and forced. Still enjoyable, but kind of painful too if that makes sense. I am still trying to find my place in this hobby apparently. It's worth the struggle.

xo