OK...I'm back and getting scrappy!

"School"...a dreaded word in my house. For some, school means freedom from the chaos, for me it means the chaos is about to begin! As always, I had high hopes for accomplishing projects this summer and as always I got little done. Having a busted thyroid didn't help and surgery helped even less...so, I have to give myself a break I suppose. In the meantime, I have to get my act together and start to create again or I will simply go INSANE! In an effort to juggle being Class Mom for two kids, Brownie Leader, Newsletter Chair, PTO member, etc., I thought this year I would make a date book JUST for school activities. I have a section for both Emily and Liam where I will write my class party shopping list, reminders, etc. I then added a calendar page for each day of the month, mapping out what needs to be done. Between each page is a clear, top-loading sheet protector that I'll use as a folder. I can add notices, etc. and then there's the folder at the end of the book for my class phone lists. I could have used a "normal" calendar but how much fun is THAT? This way I have something cute to carry from place to place!







WHAT I"M WORKING ON:

I'm working on cleaning my scrap space (as usual) and I'm also going to continue working on Emily's camp album from this summer. I actually used the same paper for that AND my new date book. Shhhh! ;-)

I want it ALL!!

I want every scrappy tool ever invented. It's a sickness really. That said, what's the harm? I'm a stay-at-home Mom, I work hard every day and scrappy tools (as well as paper, embellishments, rub-ons, etc.) makes me HAPPY! When I'm happy, everyone is happy right?? ;-)

Here is my latest love...the i-rock tool from Imaginisce. Great products...great company. :) In the immortal words of Veruca Salt...I want it NOW!! :) :)

http://www.imaginisceblog.com/2010/08/i-rockin-12x12-leather-album-and-huge.html

Camp Albums....

For the second year one of the scrapbook websites hosted a "camp" where they give you challenges and you can enter contests. Last year it was very small...this year it was huge! The prizes are based on chance, not skill, but I wanted to use the opportunity to get some projects done. I was actually able to accomplish something!

Each year I do a mini camp album for Emily. If I had known she would be there for five years, I may have done one big combined album...DUH! That said, some of my favorite albums have been her camp albums.

The first year I used a simple photo album and Cosmo Cricket paper (I love their stuff)

This was a fun project because I put each photo on the outside of the insert, forming a pocket between the front photo and the back photo. I had MANY photos that year so I printed all of them, added ribbon and then placed the extra photos inside the photo pockets with the ribbons sticking out (the little ink pad is only in there to keep it open for the photo-LOL)

The second year Liam was born the second to last day of camp (Parent's Day so I had only the photos my Mom took). Instead of doing an all Lindgren album, I did a summer flip-flop album.

Last year I decided to do a "tie-dye" theme because they tie-dye at her camp. I experimented using a clear, acrylic cover, alcohol ink and Spin-Art.

This year for my "camp" assignment I worked on the first three pages of this summer's camp album.

Artist Trading Cards

In my scrappy little world, I've always known about "Artist Trading Cards" or "ATCs."These are little works of art designed on a piece of card stock the size of a playing card (sometimes people trade them...hence the "trading" in the name). Imagine my surprise when Emily came home with a few that she made in art class. I've always loved her art teacher...but THIS made me giddy! She made a few cards and was given a holder so she can continue to make some during the summer. I had a thought. Wouldn't it be fun to make a card for each holiday, with a photo to go with it? I happen to have an ATC holder (doesn't everyone??) and I wasn't sure what to do with it. Now I know and I'm excited! Last year, for no reason at all I made a ATC for St. Patricks Day. This will be the first card for my new project. :)
This weekend, I thought we would work on a few for July 4th. I gathered a bunch of themed card stock and some embellishments...I can't wait to see what we come up with. This is a simple and fun craft that I can work on with both of the kids!

What I've been doing...

The past month has been a crazy time in my life. I thought things were supposed to CALM DOWN at the end of the school year! I guess not! Since I last posted I turned 40 and once again started a new 365 project. So far it's been fun and although I thought I would do less journaling this time around...I was kidding myself. I guess that's who I am so it is what it is!

I've been working on a few creative things during the last few weeks. The first ,was the quilt that I designed for Emily's teacher. Since I don't sew, someone else did the sewing but I chose the fabric, etc. I thought brighter would be better since it will hang in a classroom and Em's teacher is a hippie at heart. Tie-dye and peace signs are perfect!

I worked on a birthday book for myself. It's not quite finished but almost there! It started out as a kit which I switched around and made my own. It was supposed to be a "2010" year in review type thing but I made it a 40th birthday book instead.

I'm currently working on something for my dining room wall. I was hoping to get it done by Father's Day...but I didn't come close to finishing. :( Here is a sneak peek...I hope to finish soon!

Good-Bye 30's

On May 25th, when I was 29, I don't recall analyzing the change that was going to occur. Yes, I was leaving my 20's and it was strange, but it was a bit more exciting. I was working from home (which I always loved), we had just bought our first home and we had no children. I was about a month away from getting my dog. Everything was still ahead of me. So, although no longer having a "2" in my age would be something to get used to, I felt good things were to come!

I sit here on May 25th, the last day in my 30's. The past decade included an amazing combination of adventure and joy as well as unbelievable sadness and loss. I have such mixed emotions. I know I should embrace this new chapter of my life with dignity and grace but there is a part of me that really wants to enter it kicking and screaming!! (Although I'm not sure this old lady has the strength for that). It's far more significant than I thought it would be and I just hope a week from now I wake up thinking, "eh, no big deal." In the meantime, in less than 24 hours what will be...will be. I will wake up like I always do. Get dressed like I always do. Help Emily get ready for school, just like I did today. Liam will have therapy (actually an evaluation is scheduled), I will clean and do laundry and attempt to do something creative for a moment or two. The world will keep on spinning and I'll spin right along with it. I just hope it doesn't spin too fast...spinning at my age can be quite nauseating. ;)

I was on a creative roll and real life got in the way again. I've spent the past week working on a quilt for Emily's teacher, gathering up the materials and printing photos on fabric. I even made a mock version for the woman who is doing the sewing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will come out well. I did my best so we'll see what happens!

I'm happy to say that I will have a very creative weekend, as Emily and I head out to a scrapbook convention! We can't wait to have a girly weekend together where we can scrap and she can swim! We'll take one class on Friday and we are meeting up with some good friends to take a class on Saturday. I'll post class photos when we get back!

Tonight I'll continue working on my birthday album...so much to do, so little time!