I'm here to live outloud!

JoAnn's chains

I recently was asked to be a part of a cool gig this past week. It was to create signage for the chain store JoAnn's that would be in every store. That is AWESOME! 

I was given a few guidelines:

Everything had to be Core'dinations, NO patterned paper, simple, minimal embellishments, no sanding, no distressing,no inking, nothing "extra".

Was it possible? The last few years I wasn't really true to my style, I conformed to meet the needs of the assignments or product given. Because not one, NONE, zilch of my fave, fave fave layouts were ever published I realized that I had to change my style to be liked by others if I wanted to be published. So now lately I've been trying to re-evaluate what is my style???? Do I know it at all? Or do I need to figure out what kind of style I want.I had only submitted 1 project  for publication since March, and I had even forgotten about it till today. I guess Spellbinder's had mentioned to my Editor today how much they liked my card. So I simply will wait on pins & needles to see it in print. It  felt great to have that little skip in my stomach again. Reminded me of about 7 years ago when I was a part of a Baby Book. 

The timing of this assignment was actually soooo appropriate because I have been changing my life for the better. Improve improve improve. To create something with the very basic of tools took me back to the beginning of my scrapbooking. Where there wasn't an abundance of product, embellishments, paper, etc. So I was excited to accept the challenge, but then immediately nervous to see if I actually could create something I'd be happy with.

As it turned out, I enjoyed myself immensely. It was Freeing. I created a handful of samples and THREE were picked up!!!!!! I was elated. I was hoping for one. So once I see the signage I will share with you.

Here were my entries:

I actually think I will toss a challenge out there. DO you think you can figure out which 3 were picked up? I will send out some Fabulous Adhesive prizes. Maybe even Core, if I can find a full pack that I haven't touched!(my fave thing about this assignment was I could use photos I love, they didn't have to be new & unseen. SUHWEET! )

1.Sweet Sarah

(supplies: Core'dination cardstock, Prima flowers, May Arts ribbon, Recollections alphabet, American Crafts Thickers, Bo Bunny brad, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ runner, Fiskars border punch)

2. our kids

(supplies: Core'dinations Cardstock, American Crafts Thickers & slick writer, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L  EZ Runner)

3. she stole our hearts the minute she was born

(supplies: Core'dinationscardstock, Americna Crafts Thickers & slick writer, Fiskars heart punches- 3 sizes & border punch, scrapbook Adhesives by 3L)

4. grade one

(supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, American Crafts Thickers & slick writer, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ runner)

5.Riley: 7 yrs old

(supplies: Core'dinations Cardstock, Fiskars scallop square punch, Chatterbox buttons, the Twinery twine, American Crafts Thickers & slick Writer, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

6.Taylor

(supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, EK Success punches-border,flowers, Fiskar circle punch, American Crafts thickers, Sakura gel pen, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

7. Beckett (this one just photographed sooo dark, sorry! It is actually grey and navy.

(supplies: Core'dinations Cardstock, American Crafts Remarks stickers & slick writer, Scrapbook adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

8. Moves Like Jager

(supplies: Core'dinations Cardstock, Fancy Pants buttons, Ranger Stickles, EK Success border punch, Maya Road die cuts, American Crafts Thickers, Sakura gel pen, Fiskars border punch, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

9.You three make our life ...Colourful

(Core'dinations cardstock, Pink Paislee alph stickers, Fiskars circle punches- 3 sizes, sCrapbook adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

10. 9 months old

 

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, Fiskars border punch & heart punches, American Crafts Thickers & Slick Writer, Scrapbook adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

11. day in the park

(supplies: Core' dinations Cardstock, American Crafts Thickers, EK Success border punch & flower punch, Fiskars border punch, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Runner)

simple. a refreshing change. although I had fun, I still love how you can spice up a layout with pp. HOWEVER,  Core'dinations cardstock was a fun challenge to use without distressing. lol

Nothing like a good challenge!

 

 

more of my Get 'er done project 100

Not much to say today. Thinking about putting a dent into some of my design team work this weekend. I was just asked to join a new one yesterday and I have never represented or taught with their product so it will be very exciting to have fun with that. I will let you know who it is once I receive my product to play with. :))

Until then, here's a few more that I made the other day. This one was a class that I took from Bazzill.  hmm, I just added the pics and the buds title. Otherwise the layout is how I did in the class. I'm not excited about this at all , but I think it is because I am sooooo used to always using patterned paper WITH cardstock. Rarely do I do a 100% cardstock layout.

supplies:Bazzill, cardstock & flowers. brads unknown, Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, stickles. Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

Jillibean pp. American Crafts thickers, Making Memories rub ons. Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ runner & foam squares

This layout I taught probably 4-5 years ago? It is only page 1 of 2. These are the Cooper's Christmas photos one year, so I LOVED pairing the colours because the red totally pops!

supplies: Rose Moka pp, stickers. Bazzill cardstock, magic mesh, fancy pants rub ons. Magenta mesh paper

Another quick quick layout. I really love contrasting black & white with colour fun.

supplies: Luxe pp & jotters,  American Craft's thicker shapes & Memory writers, Prism

This one was one of those layouts I create because I totally dig the paper and want to use it but have no pics picked out yet, or with me. I really like how this one turned out.

supplies: Bo Bunny pp & rub ons, American Crafts thickers, Fiskars punch, Kaisercraft rhinestones & pearls, Bazzill

See you tomorrow for Inspiration Sunday. Who is going to inspire me this week? hmmm...

Friday friday friday!

I think this is my favourite day of the week. Always a wind down to a busy schedule and looking forward to do whatever you want days. NICE!

So I spent 4 hours going through emails and purging them. weight off shoulders!!!! And I found these. I forgot about them, immediately sending them to Black's lol. I need to scrap them.

2 sweet and innocent girls. :))

and then...

Love this chickie!!!! we did these 2 months ago. The ladies in my class thought this was hilarious. So of course, you know I did more poses like this with other peeps too. I only wish they'd email me them. I would love a mini album of crazyness. :))

Everyone needs to laugh.

Don't forget to slide by Scrapbook & Cards Today and get in on all the draws for FREE stuff. Lot's of chances to win. suhweet!

How about a few more layouts for my project 100.

This picture breaks my heart. Ireland gets SOOOO many mosquito bites. We spray her, we have the candles,nothing works. Now she says Bad buggy at her bites. :(

supplies: Kaisercraft pp, pearls. Magic Mesh.American Crafts thickers.Bazzill. Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

supplies: Basic Grey pp & brads, Bazzill cardstock, Prima felt, MAking Memories rub ons.

Well I tried to make this one work. I really don't dig this pale pastel tone on tone. lesson learned.

supplies: Luxe pp, ribbons. American crafts thickers. scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Bazzill stamp unknown. Clearsnap embossing powder

Totally had fun with this simple girly layout. Love these boots my mom had bought her. She wore them till she got her feet stuck in them. then she was sad.so we HAVE to document these.

supplies: Kaisercraft pp, pearls. Bazzill cardstock, Clearsnap ink. American Crafts thickers.

Our little nephew. 

supplies: Rose Moka pp, stickers. Magic Mesh.

off to go to sleep. 3:14 am yikes! 7:30 is going come quick. 

project 100- making a dent in the challenge-2page layouts.

The next few days are going to be filled with layouts, layouts, layouts, cause I've been busy!

As I've mentioned before I have committed to this crazy 100 project challenge. Well you never know when it's going to hit you to create.  I had quite a few assignments this past weekend so once the stuff was broken out, it was easy. 

Saga continuing...I decided to put a huge dent in the laundry since Jim is now working out of town. I had all the piles ready, clothes hung on hangers, just needed to put away.Then I was waiting for SHAW Cable (another awful story) and ran downstairs to put my salon towels away. Being the ultimate multi-tasker (or possibly procrastinator in this case, not sure how to look at it) I decided that everytime I dropped a load of laundry in a room I would spend 5 min tidying that room.  Seemed like a good idea since short bursts of cleaning are easier than logged in for a long time. But downstairs I found a box I haven't looked in for awhile. It was full of about 150-200 layouts. They were ones to put away in albums, ones that I had been an attendee for a class, and actual classes I taught or just ones I premake all the time cause I want to use the new paper. Gold mine.

So one thing led to another, I started reminiscing . Soon the nicely folded laundry became ways to separate the kids layouts for their albums. Well let's just say, I became easily distracted and this is what it looked like...

DISASTER!!!!!! But such a colourful disaster. OMG, seriously can I ever make anything easier for myself? Obviously now laundry wasn't getting done till the layouts are put away, I spent hours putting layouts away in albums, then realized I couldn't do anymore cause I am out of page protectors. So I need to buy more. (which I don't feel I will be breaking the rules as this is a necessity) 

BUT, the stash of premade layouts, class layouts sat there begging me to complete them. I decided no matter what, they are going to be finished, and I will NOT start a new one till they are done. Well some of these layouts are just plain hideous. Uggh. you are going to laugh!!!! So the challenge to recreate them will be a challenge. Usually I donate all my class samples to be auctioned off for charity events. When I teach 99% of the time I never have photos on my samples unless it has been for publication. I want people to be able to picture their photos in the layout, not mine. 

Well 2 nights ago this adventure began, I completed 33 layouts. I have at least that many more to complete. It has been a rush. I will tell you some tricks on how I made this go fast for myself. I LIMITED my choices.

• I only brought up 1 box of photos to select from. 
• 1 box of alphabets (this included Thickers, remarks, rub ons)
• my "to go" kit of embellishments. These all fit in a large size ziplock bag. (Kaisercraft pearls, rhinestones, Prima flowers,  Chatterbox chipboard, Heidi Swapp stuff, rub ons, stickers, a few glimmer mist colours and a bunch of My Stik refills (there is more, but can't quite remember it all). I will admit that I did go to my room for specific things that I really felt the layout needed and knew I could find them within seconds.

Now the guidelines I set for myself are this:

• None of these are for publication or assignment purposes-no need to reinvent the wheel.
• Don't fuss over it.
• spend a few minutes figuring out which photos will work with the layouts, then pick the embellishments. Once this is done, your assembly time is SOOOO fast.
• Enjoy yourself, this is for your kids, for you, no one is judging, they do not have to be super detailed or complex. Instead I had to goal to "get'er done" What good were they sitting in boxes??? May as well be used. 

And I felt that I could use them for Project 100 because I am completing layouts, and that is the goal.

I thought I would show you a few class layouts I completed.

(sorry the crop is so wonky, The pages got a little warped in the box, after a week under the weight of the albums, it should work out nice and flat.)

supplies: My Mind's Eye pp, brads, stickers, die cuts. Bazzill cardstock, Clearsnap Ink, American crafts Memory writer, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

This class was a blast. I taught it 26 times. The first few were the exact same layout, then I got a little bored and started to make changes. I ended up with an entire album of this colour scheme. I have donated almost all of them now, but I did save a few.

supplie:  Kaisercraft pp, pearls, rhinestones, wood flourishes. American Crafts thickers & slick writers, copic markers, Riff Raff Designs, glimmer mist, Bazzill cardstock, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

 This class was fun, I LOVED the colours.

supplies: Graphic 45 pp. Fiskars circle punches, Bazzill cardstock, Kaisercraft rhinestones, American Crafts thickers & slick writers, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares & Ez runner, Tim Holtz edge distresser

This class was all about white spaces & minimalism. Quick colourblocking and FUN!

supplies: Kaisercraft pp, die cut pp, stamps, ink. Bazzill cardstock, American Crafts Thickers, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

This one was a bonus layout. If time allows it I always try to surprise the students by doing an extra layout. I LOVE to surprise! Usually my 90-120 min classes are 3 layouts. 1 double page and 1 single. So this one I surprised them with a layout that could turn it into a double page. (Coming up you will see how I did just one side too, because I did teach this class a few times too)

supplies: My Mind's Eye pp, stickers, brads. Bazzill cardstock, Making Memories Slice, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares & Ez runner.  American Crafts thickers. Clearsnap ink.Bo Bunny pp.

Ok, well off to prepare for sports tonight. hope you enjoyed these. I will be back tomorrow with more and a few reminders. 

 

 
 

 

Tattered Angels step by steps & LOT's of layouts.

Hey guys, don't know if you saw on Monday that I was featured on Scrapbook & Cards Today -Canada's Leading Scrapbook Magazine designer challenge day. It was a blast. Now join me later today over there to see some layouts broken down into steps and more projects. You definitely don't want to forget to leave a comment on the links for a chance to win. (there are 3 chances) I do have a little something surprise for my wicked followers that have left a comment, but you have to check back on Friday for that. At the end of this post I put some oldies on for all the newbies to my blog. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this blog featuring Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. don't forget to comment on THIS Tattered Angels Blog post for a chance to win on their site. (tell them I or SCT sent you)

Here's a few teasers... (oh and btw, I forgot to find out what time they scheduled the post for, so our timing may be off. So just keep checking back. oops :))

  

 

Like what you see so far? Well how about a step by step on this blog?

I started with a background that I blended with Turquoise blue & Juneberry. I added a hint of Sweet Pea. Then I placed a Tattered Angels screen along the bottom. I barely used the screen, just to kinda create a bed of flowers. then I stamped 2 flower stems. LOVE the look of this stamp!!!!

Then I used a heidi swapp alphabet mask and sprayed another layer of mist over it. Then I peeled back the layers.

 

go here to see the rest of the layout. (I know I am bad! but I love to be able to show you all the fantastic sites there are out there. :))

Ok, this one I wont be such a tease.  I started creating the background the same way as all the others. This time I misted patina, tattered leather and bahama blue. I have a hint of another blue in their, but for the life of me can't remember which one it is. I paired the mist with Technique Tuesday chip board. no brainer. Their white chipboard absorbs the mist and makes it pop! The chipboard is all Tattered Leather.

I layered the Core'dinations cardstock. (eek...did I share with you I made their DT? I am still in awe and excited. Just need to purchase more sandpaper. :)))

Anyways, I brought in the cream wood grain one to break up all the monotone I had going on. Love layering tones of the same colour, but I o love adding little punches, like the brown. Here is a few close ups.

See the close up of the layered Core'dinations.

I totally LOVE these Maya Road journaling sheers. The Glitz tulle just added that special touch.

Here's a few that I may have shared with you before.

close-up.

So just to recap. come Friday there will be a whole bunch of draws for prizes. In order to win, you just need to comment on the post saying I/SCT sent you. That's how they know who is entered in the draw. Here are the links:

Tattered Angels blog

Tattered Angels Facebook Page

Scrapbook & Cards Today  ( you can post on any of the 3 blog posts that have me or mention of this prize in it (or all 3 to get more entries in:)) My posts this week on their site are  Mon, Wed, & Friday (this is the day that they give away HUGE prize packs EVERY WEEK. SO bookmark this blog to watch. Everyone LOVES free stuff. (especially now that I've joined the 100 project pledge, I know a few peeps that might be wanting some new stuff to play with. lol)

Have a fantastic Easter break

I hope today is wonderful for everyone. Such an important reason why we get it off. Let's remember. :)

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."-- John 11:25-26 

I can't wait to spend this week scrapbooking my assignments, working on my soul restoration album, also I am just finishing up an online course that I have thoroughly enjoyed. And we are out at the lake, the sun is shining, the kids are outside picking shells with Jim. Perfect!

This layout I created last night and LOVE. Maybe because I just love Liz, and think the world of her. 

My Mind's Eye- pp, ribbon

American Crafts- Thickers, slick writer

Prima flowers

Tattered Angels-glimer mist(Mel's Diner), glaze (Paradise Pink)

Bazzill Cardstock

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L- foam squares and EZ runner

 

Have fun today! I know I will. :)

Camp Croppin 2011

was a blast! as usual. I always have a great time every time I go. Maybe it's because the amount of people I know or have taught is a good percentage of the room. It's like Cheers for sure Barb, where everyone knows your name. So I had so much fun!!!!!!

I really enjoyed spending the time with Mike for American Crafts. I was honoured to have represented them this weekend. Fun.

For the retailer event, I taught a layout and provided samples for tags that you could've made. (I had some demand to make kits to sell for this layout, so I might do that. But enough supplies to create a 2pg, just a thought I am pondering)

 Then for the 2 hr album class, Leslie had asked if I would create a cute album with the Mr. Campy line. No brainer since the event is called Camp Croppin. How fun. And about 90% completed the album. With another 30 min, I think we all would've been done and been able to decorate a little more. But to leave with a good base is awesome. And we had fun and giggles!

So here is the base I taught. Some pages I am going to show you how I stepped them up after the class. I encourage everyone who took the class to really make it your own. Get pictures that suit your book and decorate even more with all the extra embellishments I gave you in your kit!

Cover:

Now this is MY version of the album. I am going to fill it full of my good times I had this past weekend. I know I posed for a bzillion pics, so please please send them to me if you can. THANKS!!!! I can't wait to see the zoolander ones I did with Matt Lanoy from Bo Bunny. Let me tell you, don't leave your camera in site if Matthew and I are around. We were grabbing people's cameras and posing for crazy shots and pulling everyone we could into them. Jim thought we were NUTS!  totally fun though.

 I layered a wooden frame that I made by gutting the inside out. I made little rips along the inside edges and then rolled the paper back. I did ink some edges. A little funky. One of my favourite pages.

 

a few small touches with a concentric circle. One of my most FAVE ways to decorate a page.

here's another version of the last page:

here it is with photo mat placement. 

some pages became pockets.

suped up.

 

 

a version without the accordion flower.

 

did a little more prep on this page.

 

 

Definitely had fun! And thanks for the amazing emails. Mike has forwarded me the ones that have been sent to his office as well. American Crafts is pretty pumped at how much you guys had fun. AWESOME! 

today???

absolutely useless for me.

I am overwhelmed by thoughts, thoughts on sadness for Maureen's family. Reflecting on other friend's I have lost over the years. Thoughts on how I have gotten so busy this last few years and haven't spent enough time nurturing friendships and things that really do mean lots to me, and then also devoting too much time where it did me no good.

I NEED and WANT to focus on my life and my priorities. I spent some great quality time with a dear friend Lynne Mizera this week before the event started. We shared what we learned through a course we both took. Her words to me were such timing. We had such similar experiences with people.  WOW. I LOVED talking with her. I need a weekend with her for just us two. Thanks Lynne. I appreciate YOU.

So today, I said I was just going to scrapbook for me. I had fun judging the Scrapbook & Cards Today sketch challenge, AMAZING! I can't believe how many people came and told me how the handout they gave with their magazine is what they based their layouts on this weekend.  A few ladies were on a roll and said they created every layout on the sheet. So I took one of those sheets home and I am going to do that myself. I am a HUGE HUGE Becky Fleck fan so I am going to look forward to this. Today I opened up SC&T Spring Issue and followed a sketch myself. It is one of the bonus sketches on the bottom of pg.45. I actually used just the r.h. page of a double layout, only because I only had 3 pictures. It only made sense to adapt the sketch to fit me. If you want to see the sketch I did, go here and check out this fabulous magazine online. You can get it in hard copy from your local scrapbook stores for free AND it is online for free as well. What a bonus.  But here is my quick rendition. And you know the best part? I did it to capture the cute memory. Not for publication or assignments, not something I needed to recreate the wheel for. something just to savour Ireland eating cupcakes. And she LOVES it. That is ALL that matters.

fun, easy, I am happy with.

off to create more.

one more day till I am off to Calgary...

for Camp Croppin. Now I am pumped. I have attended this event many many times over the years as a consumer and as an instructor. There is nothing more exciting than hanging with scrapbookers that just wanna have fun!  

I am teaching a fun American Crafts mini album. I cannot wait to see everyone's end results. I am going to take lot's of pictures with my amigos and then put them into my album, so I am excited. I will have my memories captured already!!!! sweet. 

So since I will be gone this week, I am sorry I haven't had time to prepare any blog posts. So sorry. A new follower to my blog sent me a cool idea, she would love to see some of my older layouts all in one post and I thought maybe this would be a good time to show some. So here's your wish Janine, some layouts to share the rest of this week.

Some happy news I can share now. Starting in May I am a part of Vintage Street Market Design team.

They asked me a month and a half ago and I was excited. They are taking the mixed media market by a storm. I and most of my friends have been covered in mod podge the last couple months with all the online courses we have been taking. So I can't wait to create with their product! Make sure to check back on Friday for sure for a chance to win a prize from them. The blog hop is going to be fun!!!!! Also, if you are a facebook follower, go "like" them. when they hit 1000 followers, they are going to give someone their entire collection. It is awesome too. I was very excited when I received my box!!!! They have so many new products AND vintage kits. They are cool. My kids were super super excited for the board games collection. Bright and colourful.

 

 

I did really want to share with you this class I took of Vicki Boutin's. I wasn't able to be in it, I wish, I just was sooooo sick at the last Saskatchewan scraps and too many things to do. But I did purchase her kits for all the classes and I have been doing them in my free time (aka 2-3 am) lol. But I am really happy with this one. Jim said he loves it and wants to hang it. That is always really cool.

I also made 3 others to give to my family. Just tiny touches to finish. But I thought these were a nice gift to make.  I only made a few changes to Vicki's class example. GREAT class VICKI!

Here's a few closeups:

I don't even know what to expect for weather when we wake up tomorrow. It is 2 am here and it is freezing rain hard and it is cold and sooooooo windy. I hope it isn't a huge amount of snow. 

On a side note, today was a huge milestone for our little pixie. She got her first "big girl" bike on Sunday and practiced like crazy to ride it, and had trouble. Then the kids and I helped her for lot's of today, and..... drum roll. By tonight after supper she was riding on her own. She wouldn't even come in for bed. She wanted to ride and ride. And of course phone dad to tell him.  Proud moment!

(ps, thanks mom and dad for the kids bikes, they LOVE their birthday prezzies! Riley is glad he waited till now for it instead of in Dec. He goes, I might have got a bike too small you know, cause I grew LOT'S since my birthday.)

I love this pic of both boys helping her. They are so little versions of Jim. I loved watching JIm show the boys how to ride, now they are passing on their knowledge.

 


well, off to put the wash in the dryer. Apparently the laundry fairies didn't visit. :( but at least everything will be dry when I wake up. 

night everyone.