Getting Unpacked!

Well Monday I was finally able to unpack most of my scrapbooking supplies! Whew what a relief they have been in my new garage for the past three and half weeks. The weather has been crappy and my scrapbook area was not completed.

As most of you know I went through all the my stuff like I have never seen it before. I was like a kids in a candy store! I also purchased the the Gypsy from Cricut and I have to say that today (Tuesday) up uploaded all my cartridges. It was so simple and fast. Now I have to learn how create wonderful images.

Now comes the task of the best way to store and display my supplies. I have so much paper that I have told my friends if I purchase another piece of paper just shoot me. Most of friends say well we scrappers can not have enough paper. You just never know what you might need. I am sure that you can relate that the perfect piece of paper is just at the next stop.

I would love any and all suggestions that anyone has about the best possible storage solutions that work. I would even love to see some photos if you anyone would like to share.

I have found someone who will be attending the Mall of America event with me do I have any more takers. I am open to having a group!

Looking forward to seeing and hearing about suggestions!

Going to Mall of America!!!

Hello Fellow Scrappers,

It seems like a hundred years since I have written anything about scrapbooking. It has also been that long since I have actually done the act. I have moved from one state to another and that has caused my scrapping and supplies to be put on the back burner.

Well the time has come to break free from the hum drum of moving and focus on the business at hand getting caught up somewhat. Exactly what does that statement mean, "Get somewhat caught up?". I am sure that everyone has a different definition of what that means to them. For me it means having most of my albums completed, photos organized, supplies on hand for every layout, and lots of time!

Time is the essence of each layout! I always seem to need time to get things all set up and then start laying the page out. Lately though I find myself creating layouts without photos easier. Since I have made so many albums in the past year for people. I almost forgot how to scrap with photo's!

Well time will tell if I can get my act together in the next few months. With all the work that I have been doing with the move I figured I deserved a break and so I am planning on taking a trip a huge scrapbooking event to the Mall of America. Archiver's scrapbooking store is sponsoring the event. The date is set for September. I just can't wait! The price is not set yet, but I really want to try to get there. If anyone would like to join me please just let me know. I look forward to having any of my friends join me for this experience. I do not know what to expect nor do I know how grand it will be. I just figure what do I have to lose since life is about having adventure's. I just do not seem to have enough in life!!!

Well until we meet again!

Happy Scrapping!!!

Christmas Layouts!

Well tis the season not to be scrap booking! At least that is how it is for me lately. With so many other things to get done I have failed to get any pages completed. I do know that tis the season that I must take what seems a million photos. Yep that make January the month to scrap for me! I am sure that the developing companies are racking in the money for all those pictures that we took.

I thought I would include some really cute Christmas layouts and the links to them. So here we go!

http://www.bisous.biz/catalog/layout_1_christmas.htm

http://www.wittyliving.com/crafts/scrapbooking/layouts/scrapbooking-layouts.html

http://projectcenter.creativememories.com/photos/holiday_scrapbook_layouts/kristinalayout5.html

http://ny-image1.etsy.com//il_430xN.103765305.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/scrapbooking/1/7/U/q/treelayoutsketch.jpg

This last link has many formats just like this where you can play with the design and yet create some wonderful looking pages without having to be that creative.

I hope you enjoy these new layouts and links and I will be placing some more after the holidays to show how to scrap the New Year's Eve photos!

Baby Albums

Ever wish you had a wonderfully made baby shower gift? Well so many times I have fallen into the trap of purchasing the same things for that baby shower and I am currently trying to help everyone out with this problem. I make unique albums that I am sure any mother to be would love to have as a gift.

I have created a few of these for gifts and I have to say that the mother to be's that I gifted these albums really enjoyed them. One mother always told me she did not have time to scrapbook and didn't know I found time to be creative. When she saw her book she began to cry. Then she said she showed everyone in her family that evening. When I saw her the next day she said to me; "well I will give you the pictures and you can put them into the album for me." I said; "ok no problem I will do that for you." Well after she had the baby she found herself doing the baby album and really enjoying putting the photos together and reliving those magical moments that just fly by with a brand new baby. On the babies first birthday she put the album out so that everyone could see his first years. That baby is just turned one in April of this year. I can't believe how fast time goes! She is keeping up with her album all by herself and this was a person who said she didn't have time.

In the end you just never know who will really appreciate your thoughtfulness. I was surprised and excited all at the same time. It was really worth it for me to give this mother to be a scrapbook album for her baby shower gift.

So I have been making albums for others for some time now and I am willing to share with anyone who would like to purchase one from me. These albums come from a smoke free and pet free environment. I will ship anywhere!

I look forward to helping others to have wonderful keepsake gifts also.

Begining The Fall Season

Hello Ladies,

With summer over we are able to get started on creating wonderful keepsakes for all those summer memories that we just finished!

The first thing to make sure is that we have all our pictures printed and ready to roll. That is the most important task at hand. Next we need to have the proper supplies that will help us keep organized and focused. Keeping organized and focused can be the hardest thing a scrapbooker has to complete in all the projects that they are creating. There are so many different directions that we can take while looking for supplies and purchasing our embellishments. As a scrapbooker myself you can go way over the top with embellishments that accompany a layout. I try and keep the motto on my mind; "Less sometimes is more!".

As a scrapbooker I see so many people who put so many embellishments on the page that the picture gets lost. I always try not to let that happen. Remember that the scrapbook is about the photo and not about the embellishments. I know that they are beautiful but like I stated before they take away from the photo. Just make sure that the photos take the center stage on your layouts.

The last part of the layout is the paper that should accompany the photos, and embellishments.
Once I have all the different tools that I need for the specific photos I am ready to get scrapping or move onto the next set of photos.

I prefer to get many sets of event photos completed at one time. What I mean is that I take a special event set of photos, paper and embellishments and group them together so that I have everything easily at my fingertips. I like this idea and it lets me to stay organized and ready to complete more layouts than I normally would if I had to search each time for everything that I needed. Also when I am at an event it makes me have to take less supplies to a crop. Less means less time carrying bags into the crop and less to clean up when it is over. I love that I can clean up all my supplies in about 15 minutes tops and I am ready to roll.

I usually prefer to the Power Layout Box from Creative Memories to put all my photos, papers and embellishments together. I know that there are many different boxes out there but this one suits my needs very nicely. It will hold up to 30 page layout supplies. That is a lot of supplies. I can also complete one 45 page album in one weekend at a crop.

I hope these few tips help you to get organized and ready to roll! Please post any and all your time saving tips that you would like to share with fellow scrappers! I will be posting events that are coming up for the month of October!

Please come and join us at these events since they will be helping out the causes that we are fund raising for.

Place: St. Simon and St. Jude
Westland, Michigan
Date: Oct. 16, 2009
Time: 9 am. - 9 pm.
Fee: $35
Contact person: Sandra Kopcak (734) 721-4867

Place: First United Methodist Church
So. Lyon, Michigan
Date: Oct. 25, 2009
Time: 8 am. - 8 pm.
Fee: $35
Contact Person: Cathy Radners (734) 646-2308

Hoping to see you at one of the upcoming crops!

Happy Scrapping!