Weekend Plans: 1.30-2.2

Karen is off to a retreat this weekend so be sure to check the blog to hear all about the fun weekend she's got ahead of her.  

Maybe we can even talk her into providing us with some "guest bloggers"?  How about it?  Take a few pictures of the work that is being created by your fellow attendees?  Please?  pretty pretty please.  :)

As for me, a quiet weekend on tap.  I'm thinking I will shift gears and work on a few valentines.  I also need to decide whether I've got enough pictures for the SS sketch challenge for this week.  It's another layout that uses lots of photos in a 2 page spread so I'm not sure I've got anything in the current stacks.  I could always print some photos if necessary.  We shall see.

On a shopping note, a friend gave me a Michael's gift card this week.  I'd done a few small favors for her and her son during our long break and have talked to her about my "challenge".  She doesn't scrapbook but we are both working hard to reign in the family spending.  So she said "since I know you aren't buying anything yourself these days, will this help?".  YEAH BABY...now when I feel the need for retail therapy I can still stay true to my challenge! 

I hope y'all have time to pursue a few crafty projects this weekend...

Pictures as promised...

Grandparents page
And baby makes four...
Title Page...yummy baby!
These are in reverse sequence, but yeah, waiting for the c-section
And finally, my imagination station which is more like Distraction Attraction but there ya have it.

Am off to rotate the laundry and figure out something for lunch.  

Hope you enjoy...

Just goes to show you..

Never underestimate the inspiration one can get from a cloudy winter day and being home alone!

I finally started on the baby gift album for my SIL.  I promised her back in October I'd make a baby book for her  like I did for her older son.  For whatever reason, I had procrastinated on getting started.  Today, I told myself, "just do the title page".  The boys were at a friends' house, Hubby was out on a ride before the snow started to fall and I just told myself to "do it"~

And 7 pages later, I'm calling it a night.

I tried to take photos but since it is dark here, all I'm getting is glare.  I promise to prove my productivity (and show you one cute nephew!) tomorrow morning.

Sunday productivity

I finally had the time and energy to make it down to my scrap desk today.

This is my interpretation of the SS sketch challenge. It was for 12x12 pages and I adapted it to my 8x8 2008 December Daily album.



It was kind of hard to work on anything else since I was inspired by my Valentine's Inspiration Station.

Slow and steady

wins the race, right?  At least that's always been my approach when it comes to scrapbooking. 

This layout represents all that I've accomplished this weekend.  But, the day is still young so perhaps more will be accomplished.  But for now, I"m happy with this layout.  It fills a gap in my album and I hate gaps so that alone makes me very content.

So for now, enjoy this layout. I'm including the sketch that I used for this layout.  It's from the Page Map series and I realize I've used it a couple times since I bought the book.  That must mean it works for me!  

Random musings - retreat, power layouts, pictures

I'm going to a retreat next weekend and thought I should start planning what I'm going to take. Generally I take way too much to the local retreats and this year I want to keep it simple.

Last night I spent 4 or 5 hours putting together 35 pages for the retreat next week - finding a sketch and picking the papers. I have a feeling I'm not going to like my last few pages since I was in the just get it done mode. 35 is the most pages I've completed at a retreat so I'm hoping I can rock these out.

As I was laying all of these out I noticed a trend in my picture taking and printing. I tend to print 2-3 photos for each event, one horizontal and one vertical. Usually they can't be trimmed down much so it is hard to think up new page ideas.

On the retreat front I'm trying to decide if I really want to take some of my alternate projects with. And if I do which one? The Olympic album, December Daily, card stuff?

So many options. I think I'm going to leave out the cards since that means a lot of stamping stuff. The Olympic album maybe, it's contained into one box and just needs some solid cardstock backgrounds. The December Daily is one I really want to get done - all of my 08 Christmas photos are going in this album. Only thing is this is in 3 different boxes and requires stamps.

Decisions.

Since I like to pack small lighter weight bags I'm hoping to limit myself to 3 or 4 bags, along with a suitcase and a bag for treats. =)

Inspiration Station

I was visiting this blog and the writer talked about creating a valentines day inspiration station.

I love this idea, I did the same thing at Christmas when I was working on my December Daily album. It made my process so much easier. I didn't have the cute container and I wasn't able to keep them on my desk.

To have them on my desk to look at and be inspired by would be awesome.

Off to contimplate how I could do this and I'll post a picture if I come up with something.....inspiring. ;)

Resisted temptation...

I've been feeling blah the past couple of days.  Most likely it's because I'm into week 5 of the Things being out of school/off track and our routine is totally gone.  So, I felt the urge to do a little retail therapy this morning.

Walked into Michaels thinking I'd find a little something to perk up my spirits.

Walked through the SB stuff, spotted some really amazing deals (dollar days sale is going on).

And then...I walked out...totally empty handed.

As I looked at the pretty stuff, all I could picture was all the stash I have at home.  It isn't that I lack supplies to create, more often I lack motivation/desire/time to scrapbook.  And those issues won't be solved by shopping more.

So instead, I went to the next store and bought myself a brand new box of PG Tips (not good to have only 3 tea bags left with a snowstorm forecasted for later in the week) and resolved to fix myself a pot of tea and make time to scrapbook with the stash I already have!  

Sketch challenge Wk 3 - K

Here's my take on week three.



I used the Rock Star paper as my title and cut out one of the metallic guitars for an embellishment - HL even has sticker 50% off this week.

To be honest when I emailed Martha I was whining. I love the sketch challenges but I tend to only have 3 or 4 pics for an event. Since going mostly digital I order my prints online and only pick the best ones. So I can't easily go back to resize the pics and print them specifically for the layout.


Here are the other pages I did today.

the end of an era - my office when I was working at home and pics from my last week working there.


more winter pictures - and I finally used most of one of my favorite CM packs.

Sketch Challenge, Wk 3

Karen greeted me this morning with an email, noting what a challenge this week's SS sketch was.  I admit, I'd only glanced at it.  But, figured no time like the present to work on getting it done.  That's the beauty of having a "pacing partner"...her email motivated me to jump in and give this a try.  Otherwise, I'm thinking I would have just spent the morning surfing.  

The hardest part was finding the right colors.  I knew with the pictures, I didn't need or want anything too overpowering...I tried several color combos before deciding on this stuff from Basic Grey.  And then, once I found the patterned paper, I had only one sheet.  I started to fret, what if I cut it wrong?  This scrap your stash challenge makes me less inclined to say "I'll just buy another sheet" since that defeats the purpose of trying to work through your stash, ya know?

Ok, so paper is picked, pictures are ready and now to put it all together.  That was the easy part.  The only thing I didn't like was how much space my journaling took up.  But then again, some times I struggle with even a sentence or two...so I decided to just hit print and move on.  

This layout just about depletes the stack of photos I had printed back last Fall.  I'm at a good stopping point.  I have one small stack for next week's challenge but really...need to change gears and work on the baby album and another small gift album that I've procrastinated on putting together.

PS:  the challenge is found in the Best of Becky Higgins, pg.  168.  Thumbing through this book, I realize there are a lot of neat sketches that I would like to try.

Title Page

I used to really struggle with title pages.  Remember when "the thing" was to use seasonal stickers and die cuts  to create the idea of  an"all year long" title page for your album?   And how exciting it was to get new stickers because otherwise your title page would look the same as the year before?    If you've been scrapbooking for at least 5 years you  hopefully know what I"m talking about.    If not, I'll try to dig back through my finished albums and show you what I"m talking about.  

I hated how I couldn't think of anything original and all the ideas seemed to be variations on the same.  And yet, I"m so methodical that I need a title page for the album to seem complete.  So, I was often left stuck stewing and not creating.  

But then along came sketches and especially single page layout sketches.  Yeah baby...new ideas for title pages.  Because typically, I scrap in double page format only.  Even if the two events aren't related, I work in pairs so they coordinate (I'm a Martha...some things you just can't help).

So this afternoon, when I was putting away my stuff from the sketch challenge, I found this paper.  It came with my consultant kit...oh some two years ago when I signed on with CTMH.  I think they are called "base pages".  Anyways,  I've never really needed to use them but today  I thought...hmm...I could make this into a title page.  Then I dug out the "Life's Delight" special from a couple years ago as well, and repurposed the supplies in that kit.  I highly doubt I"ll make the project it was designed for, and the paper coordinated perfectly with the  base pages I was getting ready to use.  

I like how it turned out....and is summarizes many of the adventures we took in 2007 with the focus being visiting family.  

I think this is it for today.  I'm off to the movie in a few minutes and then would probably get sent to the wife/mommy dog house if I hide out down here once I get back.

I hope you all are enjoying a sunshine filled day like we are...I thought I needed snow to inspire me, but it seems a bright sunny day works too!  

layout for the book of me

Here's a layout I've been wanting to do ever since I saw the layout in the PageMaps book.



I figured out my paper layout (CTMH Game On) and then went to take the picture. Ended up printing them as Antique and I love how they blend with the papers and the yellow on the letters stands out a bit.

There's hidden journaling under the tab that says football. Talks about my addiction to football. How in the fall we have football on from 10 AM Sat through 10 PM Sunday evening and then again Monday night.

Looking at the completed layout I'm wishing I would've left off the touchdown stamp, or stamped it on paper and overlapped the photo a bit. But again it's done. =)

Well that was easy...

Last night I was lamenting about how I didn't really care for the sketch on this week's SS challenge.  (for those curious, it's from BH Book Vol. 2, page 75/76).  And then I remembered this stack of garden pictures that I printed who knows when.  I figured these would work perfect for a sketch that had me just "giving it a shot".  

And you know what?  The sketch really worked...I jumped right in, and started laying things out without really thinking/fretting.  

I'm a putzer when it comes to scrapbooking.  I move things around, change my mind on the base color and just plain over think most layouts.  But this one, I did in record (for me) time...under an hour!  

I have no idea if these are Spring 07 or not...but they'll go in the 07 Family album....because that's what I'm currently working on.

Now time to clean up the mess and think about feeding my young uns some lunch (and rotate the laundry too).

But wow...I'm so excited to have finished this sketch and can now move on to something else...

Weekend Plans?

It worked rather well for me to put my challenge up here so I'm doing the same with my weekend plans. nah, I won't put the grocery list or the chore list here...but as for crafty stuff, let's see

1. Complete Wk2 SS sketch challenge: though I admit, the design itself does little for me but in the past, when I've been picky about "eh, I don't like THAT sketch", then soon I forget all about the sketches and fall into bad habits. So this year, I'm giving them all a try.. while the page might not become my favorite layout but it will be a completed layout.
2. Work on at least 2 pages for the nephew's baby album. I was able to order pictures and do my version of a power sort, so I need to get started on that. Two pages, 8x8, should be easy, right?
3. make a Thank you card for Thing Two's teacher. Going to cheat and use the same design I used earlier in the month, just change up the colors a bit. Why re-invent the wheel.

I also want to sneak out and watch Slumdog Millionaire. I hear it is a must see movie and I'm in the mood to just take off by myself and watch a great movie.

So, tell me...what are your plans for the weekend?

Did I make it?

I'm not sure exactly when I promised to do a layout...but I think I'm pretty darn close to making my self imposed deadline.

In addition to the use your stash challenge, I'm trying to do all 52 sketch challenges on SS. This was for week 1 but I just couldn't get to it before Dad got here. So, for a week, I've had the idea rattling around in my mind and I was itching to get down here and put it all together.

I love how this layout came together. The colors, the photos...just the way I imagined it! The past few pages I've done have mostly featured Thing Two so I wanted to do a layout that features Thing One. For whatever reason, I didn't have enough photos of one single event that would allow me to use this sketch and make it all about him...so I printed off photos from the Spring 07 and did more of a summary layout. I need to think about doing more such layouts just to close the gap in some of my scrapbooks. Yeah Yeah yeah...say what you want, I'm mostly a chronological scrapper...it works for me so THERE! :)

here it is...I hope you like it as much as I do!

Whale eyes....

I had a little time to kill before American Idol started. And I had these pics trimmed from the weekend only that layout didn't work. I'm glad I waited, I like this one a lot more. It's pretty much a direct copy from one of the Page Maps cards.



The title is whale eyes - I wish the font was thicker but it's the only small letters I could make with my little cricut. Didn't feel like pulling out the sizzix and messing with all of that - maybe another day.

Running out of excuses...

My dad left this morning so I should be back in the scrapbooking groove real soon...

Ah...but first let me clean up and get ready for coffee chat tomorrow...

And then...

Nah...I'm putting it here to keep me accountable.

I, Martha C., do solemnly promise to visit my craft table within the next 48hrs....and share with you all the results of my time spent crafting.

It's sort of like exercise, you know you feel better once you do it, just getting started is the hard part.

Tomorrow...after coffee, I promise!  :)

12 on the 12th

Here's my entry for January



It's my first time participating and I enjoyed putting together the story of my day. Especially with our icky weather.

Wrapping up the weekend

I finally made it down to my craft area to wrap up the weekend scrap-a-thon. I wanted to complete the 2nd Sketch challenge from ScrapShare. It took me awhile to find pictures that would fit the sketch and this is what I ended up with.



I switched the columns in the second page to put a solid column with the title on the outer edge.

This was a fun and relaxing weekend at home - I wish it could have last for a few more hours.

Totals:
Pages 19
purchases $2
Cost per page $.11
Cards 1

I decided after my retail therapy last night that I should get some scrapping done today. I did a little rearranging in my scrap area and then hit the papers. hehehe.

This is my favorite layout of the day


I was shocked when Boyd told me I could make a Diva page for Buddie. He was stylin in the little girl scarf I made last winter.


Buddie loves popcorn so much that he drools while watching us eat.


This is my second favorite layout. Buddie intently watched the movie Snow Buddies with us. (this is some of the paper I bought last night)


And finally I did a page on the Packers for Boyd.


Totals:
Pages 17
purchases $2
Cost per page $.12
Cards 1

First purchase of the year

I was at my local Target tonight and I couldn't resist picking up a couple of things from the dollar spot. The 2009 celebration paper was too cool to pass up. I have some great ideas on projects. I also found some chipboard letters in solid colors - these are my downfall. lol!

So while I made a purchase I'm happy that I kept it at $2 - it could have been so much more. =)

No big plans for the weekend so I'm hoping to get a lot of scrapping/card making/projects completed.

Totals:
Pages = 10
Purchases = 2
Cost = .20 per page

Cards = 1

Finding Balance...

I've had a very productive start to this challenge.  And much as I would love to keep on scrapping, my dad arrives on Wednesday for a week long visit.  I fear I need to do the right thing and clean up the cave and make the house more "company ready".  

I'll still check in, but am not setting any major goals for crafting while Dad is here.  

And what makes things worse?  My CTMH stuff just arrived today.  Bummer...I so want to play!

(and lest anyone think I've cheated on my resolution to use my stash, I ordered it back in '08!)

But one part of this challenge for me is to find balance in my life. It can't be an all or none approach:  because all crafting, makes for unhappy men here at the House of Chang...and not enough crafting makes this Martha cranky and depressed.  So, I shall work on finding balance, making use of little snippets of time when they present themselves, and recognizing when I need to turn my attention to other areas of my life.

Wishing you all a great week...eager to see what you get accomplished in the weeks to come!  

Wrapping up the weekend

I was able to cleanup my scrap space today and I made some time tonight to work on a few quick pages. I'm not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow but life goes on.

Here's my favorite of the night.


Tracking:
Total pages 10
Total cost 0

I interupt this scrapapalooza..

to make some cards.  

Scrapbooking with mostly boys in my life, means I use a lot of blue, green, or brown.  I welcome the chance to use pinks.  So that's what I did today.  I know, pink not really the first thing you think of for Christmas but hey...it worked for me.  

On another note, my guys are noticing a shift in my behavior.  And let's just say they ain't happy with it.  They'll get over it...but for now, I'd better take a break and go do the mom/wife thing.

Last one for the night...

I've cleaned up my space, put away most of my toys and thought I"d post this last layout before I call it a night.  It's my favorite thus  far.  And maybe a bit too much CTMH in style.  You know, all the colors, doo-dads and what nots...but hey, scrapbooking boy stuff all the time gets old, ya know!  I used a sketch from the Imagine book called Dialogue and just sort of took off from there.  

That's my dad helping Thing Two plant my flower boxes.  Um, from Mother's Day weekend, 2007.  Yeah, where's that blushing smilie dude when you need him?  

Off to dream land...

Proof that I've been busy...

First: Mother Nature has blessed me with my best inspiration..it's supposed to continue to snow through the evening. Already, since I took this picture we've got at least an additional 1/2 inch. YEAH! Of course a snowy day means Hubby is hanging close to home but I planned for that as well: he's upstairs watching some shoot em up type movie that I grabbed for him at the library. Smart wife, always thinking... :) Next is the proof that I've been working. This is my craft shack...or the cave. It's toasty warm today thanks to the space heater. Next are the 2 layouts I worked on. Sorry for the quality of the images, but you get the general idea.

For inspiration, I used a CTMH idea book that I just "had to have" and of course, rarely turn to it. Same with the double page layout. That's the BH sketch book. Again, had to have it, bought it with a coupon (back when Michaels still let you use coupons on books ) and there it has sat. I'm sure I'm the only one that does this, right?

Hope your day has been productive. I'm thinking I need to switch gears for a bit. Seems I caught the "Cyn" fever and am hosting a stamp your stash challenge on Scrapshare. I could cheat and use a card I've already done...but the point of that challenge is to have cards in your stash to have ready when the occasion arises. Cheating won't help with that part now will it?

(this being a Martha is sometimes a blessing and a curse!)

Christmas Photo

Here's my inspiration...not a sketch but as soon as I saw it I knew what I wanted to do.


Here's my lay out - it's our Christmas card & the page will go in my Christmas cards album.

Coupon Crazy

Better call the authorities: I just threw away a 50% off coupon to Michaels...because I need nothing! OMG: this is really serious. I've been able to ignore 40% off..but a 50%? YIKES...

Today felt weird...

Not weird that I was  motivated to scrapbook because I've been gearing myself up for that all week...but to look through the stuff I already have and decide from those things how I wanted to finish the layout.  

My house reflects that I've set aside time for me....which I need to get over.  There will always be chores to do but I think I should be able to pursue my hobby and deal with "life" after a little me time!

Oh, and I'm back on the WW wagon...so of course all I can think of is FOOD....I hate that initial "detox" feeling of I get when I start back being "good".  

Didn't exercise...unless you call running my mouth with the neighbor?  Nope, didn't think so...