It's All About the Feelings

I scrap for lots of reasons - and I often say that the biggest reason is that creating makes me happy.  It is essentially my substitute for therapy.  But sometimes life reminds me that the art of memorykeeping is really about capturing feelings - whether they are the feelings generated by little everyday moments, milestones, or even really hard things.

Recently my mom got some scary health news.  And while I am 54 years old, I have never imagined life without my mother (even when she makes me crazy).  I live several hours from her and when she called, my first instinct was to find a recent photo.  It made me smile and it made me cry.  But I knew I wanted to scrap it.

The photo sat on my desk for about a week while I thought about the story I wanted to capture.  I knew I wanted to create a pretty layout that featured a black and white photo, but I wasn't sure about the feelings I wanted to capture.  I finally just started - and then the message was clear:  "You Will Always Be Mommy To Me."

Most products are from the December Citrus Twist kits - added maggie holmes chipboard, alphas and cosmo cricket tissue

I didn't add a lot of journaling, but the act of making the layout helped me process everything I was feeling.  Because that's what it comes down to - she's my mommy and I will always need her.   (I really recommend using a creative project to help work through hard things.)

I had just finished listening to the first lesson in Raquel Bowman's class, Lovely Layers, at Big Picture Classes and put lots of things I'd learned to work on this project.  All the little details she suggested added so much impact to the design.

First I added a little bit of stitching to one of the layers.  I don't have a sewing machine and am not a great hand sewer, so I went for a bit of stitching on one layer instead of stiching a complete frame around one or more layers.

 I tried to add lots of textures to the layers - I used lots of patterned paper, some vellum with gold, a tag, and some old Cosmo Cricket tissue that I crumpled to my layers.  And I added a bit of chipboard between some of the layers to add dimension.

And I tried to create different edges on the papers used for the layers.  The doily obviously had a pretty round lacy edge.  I tore the edge on the vellum and tore the bit of tissue.  I distressed the edges of some of the layers and inked others.  And I don't have any border punches, so I used a corner punch to add a bit of extra detail to one of the layers.

I'm ready now to support my mommy in this chapter of her life.  I will no doubt be scrapping my way through it (even if the projects are unrelated) as a way to cope with the stress and worry.  And if you could find a minute to keep her in your prayers, I would sure appreciate it.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - I plan to create and appreciate little moments.  This weekend I want to "TRY" to find the joy in the everyday.  I hope you do the same.

Repeating Shapes

Paper Issues sponsored an online crop over the weekend that was filled with great challenges.  (If you want to play along, the challenges aren't due til midnight Saturday, so there is plenty of time.)  One of those challenges was to use at least 10 circle, triangle or square shapes on your layout.  Now this sounds pretty easy, but I was stumped.  (And yes, I know I do a lot of grid design, but nothing was working.)

I decided to use squares and knew I wanted to vary the size of the squares on my layout.  And I picked a picture.  But I spent more time than I want to admit staring at the piece of paper I thought I wanted to use as my base.  Finally I pulled out some scraps of white cardstock and cut them into 3, 2 and 1 inch squares.  Then I moved them around on the base paper until I was happy with the design.

Next I replaced one of the 3 inch squares with my photo.  Then I started digging through my basket of small scraps for papers that coordinated with my photo.  (The photo was of beach glass, so I was looking for a "beach-y" mix of colors.)  Each time a scrap caught my eye, I pulled it out and cut it into a square.  Then I would replace one of the white cardstock squares I had used to develop my layout.  I repeated this process til all the cardstock squares had been replaced with patterned paper.

I used some Evalicious puffy alphas - these are white with gold polka dots - to fit my title into the grid.  Next I added a few trips of washi tape and a puffy rectangle sticker to break up the squares just a bit and link to the rectangular title.  I added just a few embellishments to finish off the project, trying to coordinate with the colors in the patterned paper.  Some gold splats and I was done.

How do you use your scraps?  Link me up to your projects - I can always use some new ideas.

Thanks for stopping by.

From Card to Layout

Every Sunday Studio Calico publishes 3 sketches - a layout sketch, a card sketch and a project life sketch.  A member of the Creative Team shares a project inspired by one of the sketches.  This week Celine Navarro used the card sketch to inspire a two page layout.

And she challenged everyone to take a sketch for one project type and use it to inspire another kind of project.  I found her layout really inspiring so I tried a layout with the card sketch as an inspiration.

Most of the supplies for this layout came from the Wink Wink scrapbook kit and the scrapbook add-on.  that black and white paper I used to create the angle is my favorite thing in the kits.  (I really don't care for the kits and think this is the only project I will be making with them, but I am really happy with it.)  I rubbed a gold ink pad lightly over the white embossed tag to add a bit of dimension and used one of the frames from the add-on to create a the base for the cluster at the bottom of the page.

Hope you've been finding time to play lately.  Thanks for stopping by.

Quick and Easy

I spent last Thursday - all day - cleaning up my craft room.  My daughter (who is only 15) could be a professional organizer. She helped me empty it out, sort through baskets, purge, and put it back together.  Late that night I had a clean space and was ready to play.  But after 1 quick layout, we went out of town. 

And when we came back I had to do something about the purge piles in the living room.  So it wasn't til last night that I had a chance to play again in my clean space.  I pulled together a quick layout using the newest sketch at Stuck!

I started with my July goodies from Citrus Twist (which currently hold the place of honor in the top of my Raskog).  I added a few scraps from my stash and couldn't resist the sevenpaper puffy hearts. 

Some gold ink splatters and I was done.  I'm hoping to play some more this week, but have a feeling my scrap time is limited until the weekend. 

Hope you are finding time to play.  Thanks for stopping by.

Mixing Textures

I think a lot about mixing colors and patterns on my layouts.  But I don't think about texture very often at all.  But the truth is that texture is just as important.  And my July box from Citrus Twist Kits provided the inspiration to use texture as a focus in choosing elements for my newest layout.

I started with a great piece of woodgrain paper.  The main kit included a fun piece of fabric that I would never have thought to use on a layout.  But it served as the perfect base for my photo block.  It added depth and interest that paper just wouldn't have brought to the table.

Design inspired by sketch at Citrus Twist kits

The embellishment kit included denim stickers which sounded a little strange but I love.  And they added another textural element.  Shiny gold chipboard contrasted with the fabrics and woodgrain for added interest.  And it just so happens that I had added some cork stickers to my box that worked perfectly with my project. Enamel dots, wood buttons, flair and acrylic shapes all added more texture and interest.  And of course I don't seem to be able to finish a layout without ink splatters.  But this time I used navy colorshine instead of gold, white or black.

Hope you have a great weekend.  We are headed to my hometown.

Thanks for stopping by.

#Look - and a challenge (and a prize)

I haven't been scrapping as much lately and I certainly haven't been spending my 30 minutes a day in my scrap room.  But for the last couple of days I have been thinking about scrapbooking and what it means to me.

While I scrapbooked (is that a word?) on and off starting in high school, I got serious when my children were little.  I've been playing with paper pretty seriously for more than fifteen years now.  Somewhere along the line, almost all the pictures from my childhood got lost or thrown away.  It was important to me that I preserved those memories for my children so that the same thing didn't happen to them.

When I started scrapbooking it was all about the event and big moments in their lives - birthdays, holidays, the big game, the first day of school.....But over time, and especially in the last few years, my focus has shifted to more of the moments and things that make up everyday.  And the act of creating became way more important to me.  In fact, I know - and my family knows - I am a much happier person if I find at least 30 minutes to create every day.

That focus on the everyday little things is the biggest gift I have received from scrapbooking.  It makes me much more aware of the world I live in and helps me look at things differently.  So last night I decided to try and capture that in a layout.

I found a black and white photo of a tree trunk in box of random photos.  I took it during the Snapshot class at Studio Calico last September.  I think the prompt was "Texture."

I used a grid design that allowed me to use a lot of small details that seem unrelated but really went with my theme.  Plus it was a great way to use up lots of bits sitting on my desk. I really like all the bright papers and embellishments with the black and white photo too!

So I am going to focus on the things I love about scrapbooking and hope my urge to create comes roaring back.  In the meantime, I am going to try to remember to look at the everyday things. I thought maybe you all could help me too.  So here's the challenge:

Pay attention to the things you see everyday (you probably already do this if you are a scrapbooker).  Take a photo, make a layout and link me up.  I will pick one person at random to receive a $10 gift certificate at their choice of Paper Issues, Studio Calico, Citrus Twist or My Scraps and More.  All entries have to be posted by August 1 at midnight. Your layout should be a new project.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.  And I can't wait to be inspired by you.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Splash!

I love to use a sketch as a starting point.  But recently I realized that the way I use sketches has really changed.  I used to print the sketch and try to duplicate the design.  Now I tend to look at the sketch and then go to my desk and get to work.  This way I find that I pull some key elements that stand out to me and create (sort of) my own design. 

The sketch Citrus Twist kits published on Sunday is a great example. 

When I look at this sketch I focus on the square and rectangular elements layered down the page, the tag ('cause I love tags) and the cluster at the top corner.  So I used the June Citrus Twist kits and came up with this.

My design cascaded on a more horizontal or diagonal path when I was done.  And I used one photo instead of three. It turned into my own design inspired by that sketch. And one of my favorite parts is the mix of sparkly stars, sequins, and puffy dots with gold and white ink splatters. 

I attached the sequins using a fun technique I learned on someone else's blog a couple of years ago.  Instead of attaching the sequins with adhesive under them, I placed a drop of glossy accents on top of each sequin.  When the glue dries, the sequin is firmly adhered and it looks a bit like a water droplet.  It is a great technique for beach and water pictures!

You just have to make sure that cupped sequins are flat side down or the sequin won't be stuck to your page.  (I learned that the hard way on this project.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

Kit Review: Hip Kit Club

This is the second post in my weekly kit review series.  Last week I looked at the June Citrus Twist Kit Club scrapbook kit.  This week I'm focusing on Hip Kit Club.  I had the May scrapbook kit to play with.

The kit was a great mix of products and colors from Dear Lizzy, Pink Paislee, and Chickaniddy Crafts. I especially liked the addition of the Chickaniddy Crafts papers and embellishments, because it is a line that I rarely purchase.  Its always fun to play with something knew.    The kit came with two alphas - both a package of Thickers and a Pebbles mini alpha.  Since I am something of an alpha addict, I loved that.  And this kit also included Evalicious puffy stickers and wood veneer phrases.  I'm a huge fan of including small business products in kits and Evalicious is a favorite of mine.  This kit did not include a stamp (not a big deal for me but something to consider if you really love stamping.)

So the test - could I make a layout.  Here is what I came up with using only the main kit. 

design inspired by sketch at My Creative Sketches

The mix of papers, Citrus Bliss die cut pack, and the Evalicious wood veneer pieces worked perfectly with this picture of a favorite piece of beach glass (a heart made from a beer bottle - too cool right?).  I used pop dots and inked the edges of some of the die cuts to help create interest.  The layout came together quickly and I have lots of  supplies leftover.

The kit is $29.95 for subscribers and $34.95 for non-subscribers. Subscribers get a 15% discount on add-ons which is a great perk.  If you subscribe, the initial commitment is for 3 months (which is probably the right amount of time to decide if a kit subscription is working for you).  After the first 3 months, you can cancel at any time with 30 days notice.

Hip Kit Club offers a number of add-ons each month.  There is an embellishment kit that can really stretch your kit, a patterned paper kit which provides an extra sheet of the paper in the main kit and a cardstock add-on.  (The main kit doesn't include cardstock but I rarely use cardstock so that's a win from my perspective.)  They also offer a "Color Kit" which would be a great way to experiment with multi-media products and techniques and a project life style kit.

The kit was bright and fun.  I had a great time experimenting and the pieces I didn't use moved right into my stash.  The products were things that were versatile and that I would use.  It is definitely a great kit option, especially since you only need to make a 3 month commitment to get the lower price. 

I still have Studio Calico, Scrapbook Circle and Felicity Jane kits sitting here to review.  I am also looking at adding others to my list.  I love the suggestions you all have made.  Keep 'em coming. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Kit Review: Citrus Twist Kits

Note:  This series was in the works before the recently announced changes at Studio Calico.  

I celebrated my three year anniversary as a Studio Calico Subscriber this month.  In addition, the 36 main scrapbook kits, I've purchased tons of add-ons, card kits, and project life kits over that time.  I still remember how excited I was when that first kit showed up on my front step (it was So Cal).  And I still get that same thrill each month.  But it seems like there are many more kit choices these days.  And I have to admit to being curious about the choices out there - is Studio Calico still the best fit for me?  So I am beginning a weekly series where I will look at one of the kit offerings each Monday. This week I am focusing on the June offerings from Citrus Twist kits.

In an effort to make fair comparisons, I am going to focus on the main kit each week.  The June kit from Citrus Twist is just lovely!  The colors are bright and fresh and its a great mix of manufacturers/  There were patterned papers from Pink Paislee, Amy Tangerine, SevenPaper, and Crate Paper.  The mix of embellishments is great too - I especially loved the Evalicious puffy stickers and the frames (a partial pack from Crate Paper).  They also include exclusive wood veneer pieces and an exclusive stamp in their kits. 

For me the ultimate test of a kit is whether it is easy to work with.  Now I struggle with limiting myself to a single kit when I scrap, but I am making a real effort for this series.  Here's the layout I made - I added a piece of vellum from my stash but the rest of the supplies were from the Citrus Twist Scrapbook kit.

The kits was super easy to play with and lots of fun to work with.  And check out the glittery pink and orange stars.  They were such a fun touch!  I had tons of product left after I finished this layout too.

The pricing structure is based on different commitment levels ranging from $26 for a six month commitment to $32 for a one time purchase. Shipping is additional.

And while I'm focusing on main scrapbook kits (mostly) in this series, I wanted to mention the add-ons here.  I really loved the different kinds of add-ons and the choices it provides.  There is one traditional add-on, two different patterned paper add-ons (which I love since I am a bit obsessed with pretty paper), an embellishment add-on, a "sprinkles" add-on which is a mix of bits and pieces (often partial packs), a stamp add-on, and a couple of cardstock add-on choices.  I love that I could pick the kinds of products that would really help me stretch my kit within my style.  ( I got the traditional add-on, the sprinkles add-on, the embellishment add-on and both patterned paper add-ons).  But I rarely use cardstock or stamps, so I left those there.  Citrus Twist kits also offers a project life style kit.  (Yesterday I shared a layout mixing products from my entire CTK haul)

So I loved my Citrus Twist kits and actually made a 3 month commitment.  And I'm thinking about switching to a 6 month commitment.  Oh - and I should add - your 13th kit is free!

So I have stashed away kits from Felicity Jane, Hip Kit Club and Scrapbook Circle already.  And of course I will be reviewing a Studio Calico Kit.  But what others are you interested in or do you think I should try? There are just so many choices.  I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Sun-kissed

I love the colors in the summer themed lines this year - aqua, orange, citrusy yellow, blue and pink.  The are so bright and fresh!  So when I looked at the current sketch at Stuck!,  I knew I wanted to play with those shades. 

I was really inspired by all the vertical layers in this sketch.  I really focused on pulling those elements into my layout.  I was working with a single 4x6 picture (another old one from when my kids were small), so that element worked really well for me.  Here's what I ended up with.

I love those mason jars you fill from Crate Paper - and the way it added another vertical element to my layout.  And since I don't have a sewing machine, I used a little glossy accents to glue it closed.  It dries clear so you don't notice the glue at all.

Note:  I made this layout with a kit and add-ons from Citrus Twist Kits.  Tomorrow I am starting a weekly series of kit reviews with the Citrus Twist Kits June scrapbook kit. 

Thanks for stopping by!