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!

Shirt Pillow!

Creativity...day 7
I finally finished the third book for my Mom. Not the best, not the worst...I think she'll love it no matter what. :)

...day 8
I felt like concentrating on my birthday book today. I didn't get much done but it's a start. It's another Button Farm kit which means it will look great but take a long time to put together!

...day 9

Mother's Day. Today I did about 6 loads of laundry, cleaned Emily's room, then my room, then Liam's room. It was such a busy day in the house (so much to do) but I did promise Em I would make her a "shirt pillow." She has a really soft Hello Kitty peace shirt that she loves but it's too small. So, I just sewed the shirt together, stuffed it and voila...a new pillow!

...day 10

I did NOTHING creative today unless you count downloading photos from a school field trip! I went to the Museum of Natural History with Emily's class and came home EXHAUSTED. :( Wait! I also ordered some fabric for the class quilt we are making for her teacher. I know nothing about quilting so luckily I have some help. I did have to take photos of the kids, I'll have to print them on fabric, buy all of the supplies and figure out how to organize everything. I was also trying to come up with something a bit different since the quilts are done each year. I think I came up with something good and right up her teachers ally. Here is a tiny preview of the fabric...I went colorful since it will hang in her classroom. Shhh...don't tell, the theme is a secret!

Creativity...continued.

I'm finding it difficult to sleep. OK, I always find it difficult to sleep but these days my brain is filled with projects. Although I know there aren't enough hours in the day, just the thought of doing something creative makes me giddy!! I must calm down though, I have to finish some "time sensitive" projects that I'm working on. Then, I'm free to continue the five pending projects I have on my desk!

26 Days of Creativity...day 3
On Sunday I began working on a third mini album for Mother's Day. I spent the night trying to kick up an unexciting mini album I started in 2007! I love blue and chocolate brown together so that's sort of saving this album in my eyes. So far, it's not bad but I'll need a few more days to really make this an album worth looking at!

...day 4

I was side tracked today to work on a project with my Mom. We are making some really cute cards...OK, I'm making some cute cards but originally it was her idea. I promised to work on this but I was in "Mother's Day mode" so it got pushed to the side. Today I was full of card creativity!

...day 5

I'm back to the mini album and inking away! I'm concerned that I won't get this done on time...UGH! I still need to print and add the photos which is often very time consuming. I'll get there but there's only a few days to go...

...day 6

Today I'll hopefully finish the CKC album. Right now I'm making the second, identical album for myself. I'll print out two sets of photos and pop them in. "On deck" I have a great album from The Button Farm. The original concept was for this to be a "year in review" type of thing. Instead, I'm making it a "40" album for my upcoming birthday.

Soup Sunday

I love soup. I don't care if it's the dead of winter or the hottest day in the summer, I'll crank up the AC and sip some soup. I realized that for the past couple of months, I've been making soup on Sundays...today was no exception! Matzo ball soup once again but I decided to kick it up with some not-so-traditional veggies like string beans and broccoli. It's about 87 degrees today but you know what I'll be having for dinner! YUM!

26 days of creativity...day 2

Today I was working on a new book for Liam. My friend Marilyn put together an amazing scrapbook for her daughter that will help her learn the alphabet. They will choose a letter a day/week and focus on that letter with great paper and photos! For example, if I start with the letter "A," maybe I'll take a photo of Liam eating an "apple." That goes right on the "A" page! I love the idea because Liam LOVES pictures and has this strange obsession with the alphabet. I purchased a scrap line by K & Company called "Actopus to Zelephant" and it's ADORABLE! It comes with coordinating elements including stickers, chipboard pieces and some great flash cards. Today I loaded up my scrapbook with the paper I'll be using and began the title page.

Tonight I plan on working on the third (and final) book to give to my Mom for Mother's Day. This is from CKC 2007. It's a much smaller book. which is good because I didn't take too many photos that year! I have to admit, I didn't like many of my classes that summer but I chose this book because the theme was actually "scrapbooking." The colors are great and although it's a simple book, I know I can fancy it up a bit. I'll post more when I finish!

26 Days of 39

Today is the first day of May (despite the date above this post) and the countdown begins. I have only 26 days until I turn 40. Oy Vey. I remember when my Mom turned 40 and I'm sure my young, sixteen year old brain thought that was old. Well guess what kid? That "old lady" is YOU! Wow. I've seen so many of my friends, my old classmates, my husband turn 40, yet I was sort of in denial when it came to me. Although I look around and see that 40 is clearly fabulous...I still have that not so fresh feeling. :( It's sort of like day old bread. Still good, not as fresh as the day before but not as stale as it could be. ;) Yep, that's it, day old bread.

I need a way to embrace the next few weeks in a positive way and filter out all of my anxiety. For me, creativity always cures what ails me. So, for the next 26 days I will do something creative each day, whether large or small, to "celebrate" the end of my thirties and welcome my forties. I can't say that I'm happy, but perhaps it will give me a sense of calm. :)

NSD

Today is National Scrapbooking Day (it started in 1994) and I will be celebrating with Emily as I've done for the past five years. I finally finished the CKC scrapbooks for my Mom and I even managed to finish a few of the class layouts. I'll probably never get actual photos in those layouts but it's still an accomplishment! Emily worked on her Crayola Crayon Factory book. We decided a "file folder album" would be fun for this project. It's a great way to display small projects and isn't as bulky as a large album. We ended up using a lot of staples which didn't bother Emily. It gives it a hand made feeling. Each page has a clear (transparency) pocket and a piece of sticky ribbon to border the top (we got that at The Factory store).

By the way...I know I need to start taking better photos. For me it's always an issue of time, so I take a quick photo so I can post. I need a really well lit area in my home to take photos. Better photography is definitely on my "to do" list...