It’s another stormy night. We just missed a 70 mph wind. Wuih!! My in-laws are here too so from today on until next week, maybe Wed/Thursday, I’ll be doing digital stuff… unless I can sneak into the guest room while they’re out with M or something {::SMILES}. I have a lot of goodies that I haven’t played with, kits from Studio Calico, Sweet Spuds, and The Dozens. I am still waiting on my package from Scarlet Lime. They’re all June kits and oh so fun!!! LOTS of colors and that’s how I feel right now… colorful and summary!! If only the weather would cooperate. I am really tired of all the storms!

So, here I am, in the dining room or to be more exact my breakfast nook with the computer. I did a page and I’ll show you that later. Need to give it some shadows.

This page I created for my church. The title came from a magazine and I can’t remember what the organization is. But basically this organization tries to collect money so that people in dry places can have access to clean water. Not that I was being stingy but I did create this using scrap paper and some are really old. They range from Daisy D, Creative Imagination to SEI. The bubble wrap in the back of the picture came from one of my package. I did blur the image/face of the child to protect her identity. I am so into paper cutting right now; it just sooths me. Quite relaxing. I know that some might think it’s just crazy and tedious.

I have a super clean scraproom aka guest room. I should probably have quests more often, huh? I want to scrapbook so bad though and the digi scrapping isn’t quite satisfying at this point even though I do have kits that I haven’t touched.

Alright have a great night. I think, we’re not in danger zone. I can go to sleep. It’s just light rain now.

Nice weekend. Didn’t do a lot of house work but hey, that is probably why it was a good weekend {::SMILES}.

We went to see that Kungfu Panda movie Sunday. What’s it called… oh it’s in the theatres right now. M loved it. It’s been a looooooooooong time since she went to the movies and actually it’s the first for me to go with her. Dad’s the one who usually goes. It was really nice, quite entertaining for everybody. It’s a to buy DVD for sure when it comes out… or when it’s on sale at Blockbuster — yeah, we’re cheap.

This is a scrapbook page that I did using Pink Paislee’s paper, My Mind’s Eyes ribbons, and Sassafrass + SEI papers. I used some of those itty bitty beads for the tree and the non-alpha chipboards, they’re from that big pail of chipboards that you can buy at Wally World. There are actually a few good items in there. Some I could do without but for $10 it’s not bad if you’re motivated — you got to sort through them!

There’s still something missing from the page but I have no idea what. What do you think?

I’ve done a lot between last weekand today but I can’t share yet. One’s for the Scrapperie contest, the other’s for a new and upcoming monthly scrapbook newsletter, and the three others are projects for Clear and Simple stamps. The rest of this week I’ll be doing a scrapbook page for the upcoming Split Coast Virtual Scrapbook Night (yes, I’m hosting one of the two hours slot — actually I need to submit the LO by Wednesday), a few digis, figure out what to write for iScrap, work on a website, and also cleaning. My in-laws are coming Thursday/Friday and I need to quite all this paper craft stuff. My craft room is also the guest room and every time I make a project, the guest room looks like a dump.

Going to bed. I just got my mini book for the contest done. I am so happy with it. It’s my very first mini!! So so fun and I already have plans for more minis. One is for M. She loves this one. I can’t wait to show you! Even though I might not make it to round 6 (the competition is getting so much harder) I am soooo glad that I made it this far. If not, I wouldn’t have been motivated enough to create one. There is no style whatsoever to this book. It’s just me gluing, cutting, and journaling. G-Night!

M’s scared. There’s a huge storm out there (we’re in Missouri by KC) and we think some of our siding got blown. Hubby saw it flew by although it might be our neighbor’s since he just finished building. I hope so!

Well, it’s our siding. Hubby just showed up with a piece of our siding, broken. Ahhh…. glad we didn’t fix the screened in porch yet. We have the material but we’re wanting to wait until mid-summer. There goes at least $500 after tonight. Oh, our trampoline is in the neighbor’s yard. We live on some acreage, so you can imagine how the wind was. Tornado watch, rain, hail, and lighting. Nice!

To some more cheerful things in life… This page is a me page. I am feeling more comfortable with this me thing. I have tons of M photos to do but it’s been nice to stop here and there and do a page of my own. This was taken in 2003. I like this picture too, not often do I like my own picture, which my brother took. He was an amateur then but now he’s Mr. photographer and interior designer. What do you think, do I look like the statue? {::SMILES}

For this layout I just put a lot of little stuff together and I added a bit of paint and sewing. The piece above the bird, well that wasn’t there in the first place. I had to cover up a rub-on that I accidently got on the paper. But I like how it turned out.

I worked from home again today. I am really liking it. I find that I get a lot done here than at work. Maybe less distractions? Who knows. I started at 6:30 a.m. -ish and ended a little after 3:30 p.m. I figured a few things out, something that I’ve been working on for the last two days! It’s also nice to take an Emma break. We picked flowers, had tea time, did some pre-school activities, and talked.

Alright, we’re on a storm break. Looks like another one is coming this way in a few minutes… at least according to weather.com’s radar.

I made it to round 5 in the Scrapperie contest. Whoo hoo!! The theme for round four was to pick an art piece and use it for inspiration. So for my piece, I chose Alberto Cont’s Pensado a Te. Isn’t the piece funky and fun? I am thinking about getting a print for our living room. I think it’ll fit in with my very yellow walls.

I love colors but in my craft I tend to settle for more subtle colors. That’s one reason I chose this piece, hoping that it’ll help me get out of my subtle zone and go a bit more fun. I really like how it turned out and I really had a great time cutting out the I [heart} Candy Town paper by Adrienne Looman which I think can only be purchased at SIStv. You can see it too well on the picture but some of the circles are raised by dimensionals. I think the real deal looks better than the photo.

Check out the awesome gallery at the Scrapperie. The ladies did an awesome job with their inspiration pieces! I feel lucky to make it through.

The next round is a two weeks project. It’s a mini album and I have never done one before. I’ve always wanted to do one but I’ve always just been so into the 12×12 an a few altered items that I just never got to a mini. Actually I did start one for my mom and it’s 3/4 way done. I started a year and a half ago. I should finish, huh?

So that’s the next round. A mini. Right now I’m trying to figure out what I’ll do it on. We’ll see…

Did I tell you I started a garden? Yes, yes, yes! I did this back in April. I started them indoors and then moved them out after the last frost. I have some corn, green beans, shallots, onions, okra, green and red peppers, eggplants, a variety of lettuce, tomatoes, arugula, basil, rosemary, tarragon, chives, and sage. I think I got them all. What’s amazing… they’re ALL growing!!! I am no miss green thumb! I am so excited… so excited that I “talk” to them every day. Yesterday, before I watered them, I was on my hands and knees, crawling through my garden, making sure not to step on any, and pulled weeds and talked. I did look like a crazy lady but oh well. It was nice. But this is partly why I haven’t been making as many crafty stuff, especially on weekends. I’ve been outdoors more often.

Last week I started on the veggie share from a local farmer. I signed up until September. Basically every week I pick up a bag full of veggies, eggs, and flowers from a farmer 5 miles from here. In a few months I might have more veggies than I know what to do with them! I hope!!! I’ll probably bring some to work or something. If things go well, I want to do more next year. I want to do fruits and more types of veggies. I also want to be more organized… I’ll show you later what I mean by this.

I’ll post more later… when I’m not gardening {::SMILES}.

My blog buddy, Ally, started a sketch blog site, So Sketchy, and this was her first sketch. I changed it up a bit since I didn’t have anything with three wallet size photos. Instead of a third photo, I layered a few embellishments and voila.

I love sketches. It helps me focus on the content and not the general big picture. If you’ve never done a sketch before, you should. It’s really fun and you don’t have to stick to everything on the sketch. For example you can flip this layout so that the pictures are on the left. Or like me, replace a picture with an embellishment.

This is Ally’s first sketch on So Sketch but she’s got a lot of other cute ones and I can’t keep up (girl, SLOW down!!).

What did I use for this LO? I use a lot of Amy Butler’s (K&Company) new stuff. The swirl paper lace is Prima and the overlay behind M’s first picture is Hambly. The paper I journaled on is Making Memories. For the embellishment, the replacement of the third photo, I just used my thicker pop-dots to layer them. I used pop-dots too for the butterfly, the red/pink flower, and the “special” sentiment. It didn’t take me long to make this page. Maybe 45 minutes. The sketch was awesome and all I had to do was put it together to my liking.

Thanks, Ally! Now I just have to decide on which five sketches that she’s got posted that I want to do next. Oh, not to mention the card sketches. {::SMILES}

Digital scrapbooking: You never run out of stuff! I was trying to finish a traditional layout and I ran out of “e”… hmmm… what should I do?

Today I’ll share this layout. I used Bam Pop’s paper and misc. others to create this (the red square letters is from Daisy D’s Christmas alphabet stickers). What do you think? Different than many of my other LOs but I thought I’d experiment a bit. Doesn’t the paper fit though, rain boots with rain drop paper?

Another thing that I did today was go to my work’s website. I thought the president of the university quit or got hip (and younger) because what I saw was this: David Cook. I think him winning is great, great for him, congrats, but I wish that the university would also post other winnings on the banner (that is more academic). I just don’t remember when the 44th Mersenne prime number that was found by the math department was posted on the banner. It made the front news but not the banner. I guess I’m just into the academics… but hey, that’s why I’m in education.

I’ll have some cards to share with you later. But if you want more inspiration, have you check out SIStv? I have a profile there. I only upload my traditional pages that I think are my better work and the better/different digi pages and cards. The portfolio from the different members are amazing, esp. in the traditional area. That’s why I pick and choose what I upload, feeling a bit intimidated by these girls’ talents {::SMILES}. I have a lot of favorite sisters but check out Larissa’s or Asa’s work. Aren’t they crazy? WOW!! This place, besides the sketches and challenges blogs/forum, is where I get most of my inspirations. That’s why I’ve been trying out paint, different media, paper, embellishments, etc. on my pages.

Happy Memorial Day for those in the U.S.! I hope you are still enjoying a nice long weekend.

I made it to round four in the Scrapperie contest. Lots of awesome entries and it took the judges a little bit more time to choose. But I did see my username. Yeah!!! I’m not looking to win but it’s so fun doing the challenges and to see how far you can go. If I do go to round five, or even six, I’d be jumping up and down {::SMILES}.

So this was last week’s submission. The details are:

Journaling: This is what I would see when I walk into my room, my craft room that is. I do try to clean everyday but within minutes it’ll be messy again. I love it though. It might be small and it doubles as a guest room, this is the place where I can be creative. Markers, inks, paper, stamp, glue, computer and more within my reach.

Right now Drew’s making a small space for me in the basement. It’ll give me more space and more storage. I will be more organized (I think). So before my big move and change I want to cherish this room in its own page. This page.

Material:
Pattern paper: Daisy D, Tinkering Ink (bird on branch cut-out) and Making Memories.
Ribbon: Offrey
Mini clothes pin clips: Not sure, I think they’re 4 years old.
Note card: Collage Press
Measure tape: Collage Press
Alpha: Making Memories

My wonderful husband has been working very hard on the basement. We have sheetrocked walls now. Not a lot but it’s getting there. He’s going to the store to get more 14 more. Wow, wow, wow!! We might have a basement before we know it.

Ok, got to go… making cupcakes for hubby… it’s beeping…

Nice weekend, so far. Drew loved his birthday cards and the outing. He’s so funny though, us girls were still sleeping (this was 9 a.m.) and he’s been up since 8 a.m. and putting up sheet rock. The ceiling is almost done! What a man!! His birthday present hasn’t arrived yet but it’s normal. I think it’d be weird if he opens his present on his birthday. He’d think his wife got abducted or something, ha! Actually, I think last year I bought it locally.

Here’s a page that I did a while back. Nothing fancy, just a bit different with the circle pattern paper. I like it though.

We left for the city at around 11 a.m. We stopped at Brookside Barkery first to get the pups some food. Eek, $49 with tax! But it’ll last me almost 2 months. They each only eat a cup a day. I put the pups in a 6 months rotation. The last six months they were on Canidae and this rotation they’re on Innova. Dunno, the vet and many animal ppl say it’s good. There was a good reasoning for it but I forgot.

Anyhow, after buying dog food, we had dim sum at Bo Lings. I love that place! M’s favorites are usually the dumplings and the porridge but today she tried some siu mai and loved it. We left Bo Lings (with some bubble tea) at 2 p.m. and went straight to the Nelsen-Atkins Museum of Art. This was our first time and wow, it had quite a collection and quite packed with people. We only went to one side, not enough time to see them all. My favorite was the African collection. I just have this thing with African art. We will come back.

Then we got to the French restaurant BUT before getting there we went on a little scenic route to Parkville, MO. Not on purpose! Instead of turning right we went straight and there was no exit or a place to turn around until the Parkville exit, a good five miles or so. I’d love to go to Parkville, heard they have very nice shops and restaurants, but not today,

Le Fou Frog was awesome. We didn’t order as much as the first time but the meals were a lot bigger this time around. M, that little piggie, she ate A LOT!!! She had maybe half a baguette to herself with cheese and butter on it (she loved all the cheeses, even the stinky cheese), had space for duck, rice, and veggies (even Brussels Sprouts) AND she ate 80% of my huge Creme Brule. She just kept giggling when I told her to drop the spoon. Oh, she ate some of dad’s tarte + ice cream too.

Nice day. Hubby had a great birthday and now we’re just going to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

I am so excited. I received an email from Card Trends and one of the four cards that I submitted will be published. Yeah! So tomorrow I need to remember to mail my card to them. I can’t wait to see it in October! I’ve also completed my interview question for something - a customor spotlight basically. I’d love to tell you but it’s still in its early stage. If it does get published (or if it doesn’t), I’ll let you know. Maybe in a few months.

Today I want to share this page. I used my April Studio Calico kit for this LO. The paper is a Sassafrass pattern paper that I cut up. I also use SEI paper and a Studio G stamp. The frame is American Craft, the alpha is a Cricut font, and the buttons were picked up from WalMart.

The picture was taken summer 2002. I was going through a divorce and 93 lbs (no, it’s not a typo - I am 5′ 3″). I thought of journaling but just didn’t feel like it. I just want to remember the photos the way they are. I’ve gained a few since {::SMILES} but oddly, the outfit I wore then still fits me today.

Now, do you see the doodling that I did around the left 3×5 picture and also outlining the dark pink alphabet (Just Me)? I used the Sakura Glaze Gel Pen for that. That was the first time and I loved it. When you use this pen you’re going to feel like you bought a defective item. You can barely see the ink. But wait, just let it dry and you’ll see the colors clearly and raised up or in my term, embossed. So nice! After outlining the alpha, my title doesn’t look so blah. I gave you a link to the pen so that you can read about it but I didn’t buy mine online. I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby for $9.95. It’s a smaller set, only five in a package. Using this was like a dream come true for me. I didn’t know such a think exist. Ha ha, right?

Well, g-night! It’s past midnight here. Got to get some shut eyes!!

And news… I am one of the new CT at We Scrap or the International Scrapbooking Association. One of my team member at TDC asked if I’d like to join. After some thoughts, I decided to do and the main reason why was so that I can get more motivated in writing more. You should check out their resource page. They already have a lot of stuff.

So, what I’m thinking of doing with my blog is to not only make it as a place where I just blabber on about my daily (maybe boring) life while I show my work, but make it more as a place to obtain information while still sharing my creations. I know that I’ve been showing Photoshop video tuts or whatever that comes in mind but I want to do more.

My plan is, each time I post, I’ll have a project to share and also some information that I think might be beneficial. Also, I finally hooked up my camcorder to my Mac. Soooo, more none digi tuts too (after I get my desk cleaned up). When I get something created I’ll create a new page too so that it’ll be easy for you to find.

The scrapbook page… I was feeling like painting. Can’t you tell? {::SMILES}. I did this some weeks back but just got a chance to post it today. I used my Studio Calico Feb. kit for this project, K&Company chipboard, Hero’s Arts stamps, and misc. items found in my pile. Photo was taken locally by Goodman Photography.