Stella Layout

I had a lot of fun working up this layout of my daughter getting her braces off. She had her braces on longer than expected so I wanted to make sure her layout was extra special.

I used the Stella Paper Pack (x7147B). The letters were cut using the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge. I used a lot of bling. I have to admit that I don't usually use much bling on layouts. I like a lot of bling on my cards, but layouts it always seems a bit much. For this layout, I wanted just a little more. I added the Sparkles Flourishes (z1708) and then a few clear sparkles (Z1104). The journalling is hidden under the DONE.  I was really happy with the results as was my daughter.

Preparing for a Scrapbooking Retreat

Have you ever thought of spending the weekend crafting? There are a lot of fun retreats out there. And I really recommend you check them out. It is a wonderful way to spend the weekend- relaxing, working on pages, and laughing with friends.  I used to work for a company called Gotta Crop. We had so much fun on our weekend getaways. I do miss those times. I have also attended Scrapbook U Creates (http://www.scrapbooku.com/) and Scraptacular (http://scraptaculargetaways.com//). Both companies put on a fabulous retreat. You can stay up late into the night scrapbooking in your pajamas, take a class, check out vendors, and leave your scrapbooking stuff out all weekend. Often you can get a massage, play games, and get a pedicure. These getaways are really a time to get a way from everything and just think about your craft.

Once you have signed up for your retreat, you do want to be ready when the time comes. So, do a bit of prep work.

I start with pictures. I will print out all the pictures I want to work with. I plan out how many layouts I want to work on during the retreat and then add a few extras. I like to have more than I need just in case I get more done than I expect or I end up hating a layout and I end up putting it away for another time.

Lay out the pictures in groups along the table and then pick the paper you want to use with it. If I am planning out an entire album, I might lay everything out across the floor so I have plenty of room. This is a difficult option if you have little kids or cats in the house.  (Actually the cats will sometimes walk across the papers on the table too.) I feel it is really a time saver to plan a lot of pages at once. If you look at multiple sets of pictures, you have everything in your mind as you are going through your paper. You might find paper for the last page before finding something that works for the first.

OK- so we have the pictures and the paper. Next is embellishments.  Do we need stamp sets? Bling? ribbon? Flowers? I put the embellishments you might use with the paper and pictures.

Then I make notes about the layout. Sometimes I have this great idea and then the day comes I open up my box and have no idea what I was thinking. I need notes. 

Put each page kit together. Sometimes I stack them up in a 12x12 box. Other projects such as mini books are bigger and need a project bag. However I decide to store it, I need to keep each project together. 

Next, we go to tools. Adhesive is the first thing to think about. I always make sure I have extra. It's terrible when you run out of adhesive at midnight. Most retreats have vendors on hand with adhesive, but we all have our favorites. Make sure you have plenty of your favorite glue. Then we need a paper trimmer, scissors, inks, tweezers, punches, ... The basic things you use at every crop. Think about the layouts you have planned. Is there a special tool you need?  I usually pack a pack of unscented baby wipes since I always end up with ink all over my fingers. I can't just throw it all in a bag. I need it in a bin that I am able to see where things are. Find what is right for you.

Other things to think about bringing: an Ott light, Cricut, computer. I always bring my light since many hotel ballrooms don't have proper lighting for color matching. Some retreats have a tool station with a Cricut or other die cutting machine, punches, journaling computer and printer. Take a look at the website and find out what is offered before coming. Remember to bring an extension cord for your electronics and some duct tape to tape it to the floor.

Then of course, I think about food. Many retreats offer meals and snacks. But I always have my own snacks. Water, chocolate, chips and salsa, an apple,  even a bottle of wine.

Now I am ready to pack it all up. It's important to pack so you can find everything. Nobody wants to spend the entire weekend looking for things. Being organized will help you get things done and help you relax.

With a little prep work, you can have a fun and productive time on your retreat. Happy crafting!

Footloose Cards

I had so much fun with the Footloose paper pack today.

It is a fun set of papers. And the stamps in the workshop set are great. I need to use this paper on a scrapbook page now. I can't wait!

Workshops on the Go

Close To My Heart's Workshop On the Go are a great way to put together a couple of layouts without much thought. The paper, the recipe, and the embellishments are all lined up for you. You just need to plug in the pictures.

You can find this kit at http://cathryn.ctmh.com/Retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=6598&CatalogID=1733 as well as other Workshops On the Go. The booklet gives instructions for 2 2-page layouts and a bonus project. You do need to use a few things that you have on hand such as ink and a blocks. The rest is covered in the kit. You can even contact me for a cutting guide!

All our paper packs have a Workshop On the Go kit which includes the paper pack, a few embellishments, the guide, and a stamp set that cannot be purchased any other way. I always tell my clients that if you like the paper, look at the Workshop On the  Go. If that is a stamp set you might use, buy the kit instead of just the pack.

When the Plan Doesn't Work

What do you do when your plan doesn't work out the way you planned? Do you throw it all out? Do you get creative?

I am working on a Project 365 album this year. Each day is represented by at least one picture and a statement or paragraph about that day. Each day can be represented by no more than one page in the album. But some pages may represent as much as a week.

So, what do I do if I miss a day? A friend suggested to take extra pictures the next day. No one will know that the photo wasn't taken on the exact day. Is this cheating?

Well, I have missed a few days over the past 5 months. What I have done is simply have pictures from the week but not worry about dating them. Then have a list of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,... with a statement of each day. I don't consider myself cheating because I am not pretending to have all the photos. I just don't bring it to the attention of the person looking at my album.

What about a baby book? If your child is 15 years old, can you go back and create the baby book? I read an article in a scrapbook magazine years ago that suggested making up dates for the child's milestones. I don't know if I agree with that. But I do believe you can take a guess as to when something happened. Don't remember the date of her first steps? Take a look at pictures. I know looking at my daughter's photos that she walked after her first birthday but within a week of it. I just base it on the events that are in the photos. I never make up dates; I just am not that specific.

Looking back at the few photos I have of me as a child and the little information written in my baby book, I feel that today we go a little over board in documenting every detail of our lives. I do wish I had more family photos from my childhood. I don't feel however that I need as many as I take of my three kids now. My mom made sure we had a happy childhood without worrying about the dates of things in an album. She made sure we had our baseball photos but never added the year. Going back to those photos, should I throw them out since they don't fit into my plan for having it all in the correct order. No. I simply estimate where to put things and move along.

Sometimes the thing that stops us in a project is the embellishments are not working. There is a spot that must have something decorative and I can't figure out what would look good there. What to do?! Don't abandon a project. If what you have doesn't work, nothing is calling out to you saying "use me!" then it's time to accept that the spot is going to stay like that and move on. Don't stop scrapbooking. Give yourself permission to move on and not throw it away and not get bogged down with it.

I know plenty of scrappers who simply don't want to complete the project because they can't do it exactly the way they have it planned. Everything must be correct and perfect. I suggest not throwing it all out but instead get creative. The fun part of scrapbooking is getting creative. Change your plans. Be flexible. Don't worry about the project too much. Have fun!

Footloose Card Workshop Coming Soon

Join me on May 17 at 7 for a fun card workshop featuring the Footloose paper pack.

We will have a great time creating 5 projects. I charge $15 for the workshop. But if you place an order that evening of $30 or more, I will rebate $5 of the workshop fee. Bring your favorite adhesive and your favorite scissors. Call or email today to sign up.

If you are unable to make it on the 17th or want a workshop closer to you, I can bring a workshop to you. Just let me know you are interested and let's set something up.

Send me a note at cathryno@gmail.com.

Have fun crafting!