Friday, September 30, 2011

The Daily Meme

A while back I stumbled on The Daily Meme. I had never heard of memes, and if you haven't either, The Daily Meme explains it nicely here.

The Daily Meme gives you a seemingly infinite number of links to other sites that generate interesting topics to write about. I think the memes are meant to give bloggers a neverending flow of ideas for blog posts. As a scrapbooker, I think it could give you cool ideas for scrapbook stories and topics. Here are some random memes I found as I was hopping around the site and its links:

  • Name 6 things that you did more before you discovered social networking?
  • What are you looking forward to?
  • Are you good at keeping secrets?What part of your life do you want to slow down?
  • Have you noticed any signs that you are turning in to your parents/guardians? If so, what are they?
  • What do you wear to bed?
  • What jewelery do you wear 24/7?
  • Use the  Color Palette Generator to help create a layout.
  • Write a haiku (first line 5 syllables, second line 7 syllables, third line 5 syllables) about the last meal you ate.
  • Name 6 of your favourite phone/iPad Apps?
  • This week’s Photography Challenge: ‘Quiet – Loud’.
Just typing out this list gave me all sorts of idea for mini books and layouts. Take a peek and let me know if you found any intriguing ones that would make a great scrapbook page.


Thursday, September 29, 2011

Workin' the kit. Part 1

October's kit is a beautiful tapestry of lovely patterned papers, beautiful fall embellishments, plus unique envelopes, tags and gift boxes. Between the main kit and the add-on kit (of which the add-on is still available) there is much variety and an array of options to take this kit creatively.

My personal challenge this month was to see how far I could make the kit go, in terms of the quantity of layouts I could create with only using the kit, and some of my own cardstock. This all started when I was going to make a mini album and document the many years of my two very close friends. I have years of photos, and wanted to take a glimpse of each year and make it into a mini book. Well, the small format was just not working for me. It gave me a feeling of small-ness. I know that sounds profound. But being the friend of white space, I went with a new approach for me. I took what was going to be a 6x6 book  and super-sized it to 8 1/2 x 11. This friendship is too important to me to keep small. So it will now have it's very own album in my library of photo albums.

Here is how it is coming along.

One of my go-to methods is to work a variation on a theme. And this book is no exception to that theory. The basic format is 8 1/2 x 11. I keep in stock large quantities of basic card stock. This happens to be 80 pound textured cream. It's a great stock. As mentioned before, the pattern papers in this kit were ever so lovely. The Pink Paislee Clam Bake is featured on this page. The attempt was to maintain the tone of the photo with the color of the paper. I added a Crate Paper border strip to the bottom. A small piece of the 6x6 Jillibean Soup paper compliments the corner on the right. All that was left to do was add embellishments. The printed label layered with 'joy' and a few stickers from the Crate Paper alpha labels + that adorable felt leaf were all that was needed to give this layout the beauty I was seeking. Did you notice the mini white tag? I trimmed that down from the large white blank tags that were part of the add-on kit.

Keeping with the theme...this page started with the larger piece of the Pink Paislee Clam Chowder pattern. I used a small piece of the back side of the paper...just because I liked it so much. Again, I added a border trim from the Crate Paper border stickers. You will notice again the placement of the printed labels that were then layered with a punched butterfly and a couple of stickers from the Crate Paper alpha labels. A tag is a bit hidden under the seam binding, but it too is from the alpha labels.

Please forgive the wonky photo. Ah...I just plain repeated myself from the first page up top. The only difference is that instead of the trimmed white tag, I added a meaningful quote. If you knew these girls of mine, you would understand how true this quote to me is.

I had a bit more fun with this layout. I challenge you to play with those patterned papers and make them pop. I love how the Echo Park Sundress and the Jillibean Soup Sweet & Sour Soup collection add to the fun of this photo. And...notice I did not really change up the sketch any. Just changed up how I played with the embellishments.

This is one of those layouts that looks much better in real life than it does in this photo. I just love how the wood grain of the Crate Paper border sticker contrasts to the softness of the alternate side of the Crate Paper Farmhouse accent cut sheet. This layout also incorporates one of the journal tags from that paper. The floral border is just so pretty. Again...a tag (I trimmed this down from the manila tags in the kit), some words, stickers from the Crate Paper alpha's, and seam binding. Love. This page really does speak to me about the beauty of this friendship.

That is all for this post. But so far I have put together five pages, and there is more to come. AND...I have three other projects in the gallery due out this weekend...so hopefully you are seeing how far this kit will go for you and what you want to create.

I will come back next time and share the rest of the layouts with you. And see if I diverged from the main sketch any.

Till then...


wip siggy

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Decorating for Halloween

Next to Christmas, Halloween is one of my favorite times to decorate. Even with my kids all grown they still look forward to the new look in the house as fall approaches.



Most of my decorations I have accumulated over the years, adding a piece or two each year.

this years additions were the witch from my girlfriends store in Michigan and the Longaberger witches hat!


this pumpkins head is a real gourd and I love him!

Did you get your house decorated yet?


Tuesday, September 27, 2011

October Project Kit

I see that the October main kit has sold out but there are project kits left for grabs!  I created with this kit this past weekend and I can't wait to share my projects with you when they are revealed.  Meanwhile, check out a couple of extremely simple cards I made using scraps from this kit!
I used mostly the scrap leftover papers and some SRM stickers to create these simple cards.  School has started and I need to replenish 'thank you' cards for teachers :)  And I personally find this project kit just way too perfect for school projects :) 
Photobucket
So get yours before this sells out as well!! 

Monday, September 26, 2011

Dr. Suess Banner

I saw this idea over at Pinterest, and was all over it immediately. Yes, I have an entire Pin Board on my love of all things Dr. Suess. It's the teacher in me, I suppose... So I emailed the author of the beautiful banner, explaining my need for an entire alphabet. And she gladly obliged. Gotta love a girl like that. I told her I worked on the elementary school's bulletin boards, and wanted to play. Here is what I came up with...






You can download the FREE PRINTABLES HERE!  Courtesy of the Giving Madam!!
And if you're a teacher or a parent who loves to celebrate Dr. Suess's birthday (March 1), you can use these adorable cupcake toppers she has here.  Another freebie!
You can see great birthday ideas here on her blog.  SO cute!!
Here is the Giving Madam's Etsy Shop.  Cute things--check it out!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Carmel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Here in Ohio, this is the time for all things apples. The start of Fall. Glorious!  So when I saw the recipe for these amazing Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies, I knew I had to make them...
Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies




Saturday, September 24, 2011

Snickers Popcorn


For the love of Pete.  I'm all over this.
You can find the recipe here.  Adorable blog, too...

Enjoy your weekend, friends!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Fun Things to do for Fall


Two years ago, I created this list--100 Fun Fall Things To Do--and I had no idea it would be the most popular blog post I've ever written.  (It has surpassed all other blog posts in 5 years by nearly 9,000--which blows my mind, frankly.)  So the following year, I added another 70 things to do, and you can find those here.  And this year, when I saw this adorable printable, I knew I would be all over it.  You can find it here.

I sure hope you check each one of them out, and plot your fall adventures wisely.  :)  Enjoy your day!


Thursday, September 22, 2011

Autumn Inspirations

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for fall. I haven't really taken the time to decorate my home with fall decor just yet, but I have been soaking up as much inspiration as I possibly can & excited to share some of them with you.
Now I want to go out and buy a pumpkin punch to make this frame. Love the mix of pretty patterns against the textured burlap background!!


source::HGTV
I would love an entire wall shelf dedicated for various pumpkins & gourds.


source::Better Homes & Garden
Seriously thinking about making a few of these framed leaves...simple & pretty!


source::Halloween Mantel
Keisha's design sense is impeccable & I love her decorating style around the holidays!


source::Fall Wreathe
Think I will be making this wreathe next weekend!

How pretty is this table-scape?! Just GORGEOUS! Makes me want to host a Halloween party just so I could decorate it & show off to my friends.


source::Parents
Too cute & hilarious!


source::Pinterest
So elegant! I love the black wire tree...I need to find something like that for my home.


source::Maddox Satchel by Fossil
Lastly, who wouldn't want to add to their decor, a new handbag bursting of Autumn color...ME!

Happy Autumn!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Travel Journal

Hi everyone, Tina here to share a project I've been working on since life has slowed down a bit in order for me to catch up!

Warning... picture heavy post!

This year I was privileged to spend a lot of time traveling. From Florida to California, and places in between. While I plan to scrap in a little more detail each trip, I wanted to capture my travels in one journal to enjoy.



I decided to tie them all together I would use travel song titles that could help tell the stories with some of the pictures.
adding pockets and tags throughout so that I could include more pictures and journaling





Spending some time in Cook Forest Pennsylvania with my mom, sister, aunt and cousin was a welcome "girl" getaway
Chelsea worked in a summer weight loss camp for kids in both Wisconsin and New York, so we met up with a friend in Madison.

Lombard street in San Francisco, known as the most crooked street in the world was a toss up between (every day is a winding road and the long and winding road) while the view from Chicago's John Hancock observatory proved that (Life is a highway)

at ifly in San Francisco we got to experience indoor sky diving
(fly me to the moon)

getting my husband to take time off work is a (Holiday), all the surfers in the ocean in California (Surfin USA)