and still more scrapbooking .....

I do only 8.5" x11" formats for my albums with a mix of single and double pages. I started out doing this size to fit the notebook folders I have housed all my pages. I altered the notebooks to look like old journals with our family name and year on the spine. I have a few......

 

As scrapbooking has changed over the last 10 years, so has my own style. Now I only do digital scrapbooking and love the graphic design that goes hand in hand with that type of scrapbooking.

and here is a few more pages I just completed.

photos by Scott Mansfield Photography (and copyrighted)

If you've never visited his site -- it worth the trip

His images are spectacular: Scott Mansfield

another photo by Scott Mansfield Photography

 

again, thanks for looking

(for a more up close and personal look at the layouts, just click on the image)

and yet more scrapbooking

 

 

(photos by Scott and Sara Mansfield)

thanks for looking ....

more scrapbooking

Still finishing my 2008 scrapbook album. Almost done.....

a double page: 11" x 17" that I scraplifted from one of the scrapbook web sites

(thanks for the inspiration)

 

a matching single page: 11"x 8.5"

 

to be continued ......

Next on the list: To finish the 2009 Layouts

Done and Done --- now on to tackle the rest of the 2009 photo stack.

Single page: 11" x 8.5" and another scraplift from a scrapbook web site

(thanks for the inspiration)

 

A very simple layout -- when the camera came out, I ether got blurry faces, closed eyes or back of heads -- that'll happen -- just gotta work with what you get.

Thanks for looking at my catch-up 2008 layouts.

Awesome!

 

Hacoa is a pure craftsman (I think - I can't read Japanese, his/her products may be mass produced). The aesthetically pleasing idea of a wooden keyboard would be delightful to the touch, a pleasure to use and would look really cool connecting to the computer.

(family member craftsmen - that's a challenge)

Back to SB Layouts

After organizing the photos yet to be scrapbooked, I found some 2008 photos I hadn't finished. So for the next few days I'll go Back to the Future and post the recent layouts I created to finish my 2008 album.

...opps...

I just found a 2006 Thanksgiving photo stack. And thanks to my darling daughter, I'm actually in the pictures. It's never to late to get it done.

 

Now, back to 2008 layouts

 

to be continued.......

Happy Valentines Day!

These are the latest crocheted afghans I finished and sent to some very deserving ladies. It's actually a simple pattern that looks complicated. I used a very soft yarn and it didn't let me down.  They turned out soft, warm and perfect to wrap around yourself and settle in for a movie or two.

Post It Note Holder in 5 Easy Steps

Post it note holders make great gifts and are very easy to make. I sell them at my Allied Arts booth in the fall and sell out every time. (shhh-I wouldn't want my customers to know how simple they are to make.) 

• Supply List •

4"x6" acrylic photo frame

2 - 4"x6" pieces of paper

scrap paper for embellishment

9.5" piece of ribbon

a clear barrel pen

3"x3" Post-It note pad

1 - 3"x3" piece of card stock

Double sided permanent adhesive tape

Glue Dots

First Step - the 4"x6" frame

I'm using a 4"x6" acrylic stand up frame from Walmart (if you use another brand the measurements are the same, but look at the back and make sure it goes to the bottom - not all of them do). These frames are meant to stand vertical - we're going to lay them down.  You can use other sizes or the horizontal frames, too, to fit the 3"x3" Post-It note pad.

Step Two - the paper

Cut 2 pieces of paper 4"x6" -- one for the front and one for the back

With wrong sides together - slip the paper into the frame.

Step Three - the embellishments

This is where you can be creative and do anything in this small space. For the sample I cut a piece of paper 4"x 1.5" and lined it with contrasting paper. Layering circles (2", 1.75", 1.5") I glued the three circles together.  If you want to add a ribbon - it's 9.5" long.  Since the embellishment base is only attached to the front of the frame, it's nice to attach a ribbon all around the frame, holding the frames front and back together -- but it's not a necessity.

Step Four - the pen

I use Z-Grip ball point pens - it has a nice clear barrel. Unscrew the tip, remove the ink cartridge and insert a 1"x3.25" slip of paper that you have first gently rolled around a small pencil to start the creases and then roll around the pens ink cartridge. This takes a little bit of patience and practice.

Step Five - Attaching your embellishment

Using double sided, permanent adhesive tape on the top and bottom of the paper, attach to the top of your frame. If you're using a ribbon wrap around to the back and securely attached (I like Zot Dot  - they're permanent and hold tight).  Using pop-up dots for a bit of dimension, attach the circle embellishment to the center.  I glue a 3"x3" piece of card stock to the back of the Post-It note pad for extra support and attach to the frame with double sided adhesive tape - one strip on the top and one on the bottom.  If this is a gift - everything will fit nicely back into the bag the frame came in.

You're Done!

2011 Project 12 -- January

 

A new year and the start of 2011's Project 12. Project 12 is a national scrapbooking challenge to create a layout summary of each month with photos and journaling. Are you a scrapbooker? Are you participating in Project 12 - 2011? If you've posted your scrapbook layout on your blog, leave me a site address in your comments -- I've shown you mine - I'd love to see yours.

On Writing.....

 

Last week, PBS News Hour's Jeffery Brown interviewed Roger Rosenblatt a journalist, author, winner of many awards and teacher of writing. In discussing his latest book, Unless It Moves The Human Heart, he mentions the 4 reasons to write:

• to make suffering endurable

• evil intelligible

• justice desirable

• and love possible

To rise above the first three to obtain the fourth; love possible.

In his college courses, The Art Of Writing - Writing is Everything, he teaches to write:

Anticipation rather than Surprise

Imagination rather than Invention

Precision and Restraint

And finally he feels that writing should be useful to the world

Words for thought

Blogging is all about (well, 80%) the written word. Blogging is not necessarily a frivolous activity, it takes planning and thought to put words out there. To put words out there that others will read and to make comments on your ideas, thoughts, words and will come back for more.  We all strive to give our readers something to think about and make love possible. Mr. Rosenblatt may not be talking about blog writing per se,  but this recent form of writing is still writing - So, keep writing, exploring new ideas and sharing with the class fellow bloggers and keep the written words alive and well.  thank you.....

Project 12 - Scrapbooking a year in review

I started Project 12, January 2010 and finally got around to finishing the rest of the monthly layouts to finish off 2010.  I really liked doing these monthly snippets of photos and events. I went all digi designs for the year and if you want to know the products I used - let me know and I'll post the lists. Now, to start 2011 monthly layouts (I know I'm already behind by a month -- but not by much).

September

October

 

November

December

Post Card - HomeStyle

For only 27 cents you can send someone a cheery note and a photo from around town, your home, or that great photo you shot and want to share.  If you can't find a post card worth sending --- get creative and make one.  It's very easy - really!  A 4"x6" photo is perfect for the front and using your computer create something fun and different for the flip side. Print-cut-glue (or pre-cut the cardstock and feed through your printer photo tray).  And you can always go primitive and pick up the pen and hand write a message on plain cardstock.

Who do you know that deserves a little note today from you?

Been there - Done that.....

Pinup Wreath

Recently, I joined a post card swap with my online scrapbooking group and I've been getting post card notes from all around the U.S.  I've Got Mail! The last time I was in this swap, I made a couple of scrapbook pages with the post cards tucked inside of pockets.  But, this time I wanted to do something different so I could see all these great American sights more often.  I remembered a Martha Stewart idea for Christmas cards --- well, I made one and now have my post cards posted just outside my scrappy studio. Thanks, Martha -- your inspiration worked.

I found the 14" embroidery hoop at Michael's for under $2.00 & the clothes pins were 25 for about $2.50. A very inexpensive craft.

Starting at the top and going clockwise, I hot glued the pins spaced 2" apart. The first one facing outside the next facing inside - then 2 facing outside around the hoop for 18 pins.

Easy Peasy

I attached a decorative ribbon and it was done.  I'll reuse this hoop for Christmas cards when the holiday comes around again, but until then I've Got Mail!

Happy Birthday!

Check out Sara's blog, Sagebrush Coast, where I'm a guest blogger this week.