Pea Praise

Thank you to everyone who continues to encourage my scrapbooking with "pea praise" and "pea email". Being new to the digital and posting traditional LO it's such a blessing to hear that I am doing something right. Thanks again!

Scrapbooking this Week

Well it's been a rough week for me. My kidney problems have been flared up so I'm feeling really bad right now.

My sister picked up the 12x12 digital layouts that I had printed at Costco and they turned out absolutely amazing! They are really inexpensive at $2.99 each + tax. The quality was not compromised for the inexpensive price. It's worth getting a membership there just for that! The pages had depth without the bulk. I worked on a couple digital pages today just because I got excited about getting more processed. I wouldn't ever give up traditional scrapbooking but when I don't have the right supplies for a certain LO then digital will be given a shot instead of running to the store and spending money on more "stuff". I'm really good at that ha ha....

I've been working on a lot of baby layouts. It's nice remembering those times since my boys are grown men. It still breaks my heart all little Brandon had to go through in his early life.... but he was a fighter.

I get a pang when I think of the photos and scrapbooks I lost but it's bitter sweet making them again. I found a lot of negatives recently but it's a lot more costly to get them developed than the digital prints so I'll get a little done at a time. That way I can keep up with the scrapbooking part too.

Hope you all have a blessed day and stay warm.

Rainy Day

It's a rainy day here in Georgia. We need it so no complaints here....

My dad is trying to get my mom back in rehab because one ankle is broken and one is sprained. She is having a hard time getting around and doing anything. Thanks for your prayers for her recovery.

Worked on one layout last night. Scrapbooking really helps me unwind. I am so thankful for it.

What do you all think of American Idol this year? There are quite a few talented people. I was worried about Big Brother being on at the same time but this season of BB is a little too wild for my tastes especially the After Dark on Showtime.

Well off to the doctors.

Take care and have a good one.

A Happy Scrappy Week

I've been really getting the Layouts completed the last 2 days.....

Yesterday I had a free class at Archiver's (I'm sounding like a company rep I know but I'm so excited to have the creative juices flowing again for paper crafts). The class was on stamping. It was fun using all the different products and trying all kinds of techniques. I want to buy EVERYTHING but I'll have to settle for a little at a time. I have so many ideas and so little funds. Have to find new ways of funding my "habit" maybe a yardsale soon.....

Anyway, after the class went to the workroom and started on 5 layouts. Met a couple nice women who meet there every Tuesday to share ideas and hang out.

These are the layouts completed today.

Pray for my mom as she fell last night and broke her foot. Many of you know that she had back surgery and heart attack last year and this is the last thing she needed. Thankfully she didn't get hurt worse.

The card above is the one I made Friday at the Make and Take.

Have a good one!

Archivers

Make sure you stop by Archivers Sunday if you haven't already been there to make this great card for free!

Stay at Home Weekend

Hello,

I'm having one of my nights - still sick with a cold on top of a sinus infection and it's settling in my chest! I can't lay down without coughing..... so I'm up at the computer leaving "pea praise" for my fellow scrappers....

I've counted lots of birds the last couple days. The bluebirds are crazy - getting ready for nesting season soon. We have a bush that they all gather in - it's almost like they are decorating it there are so many of them. I'm going to try again to get a picture. I need to get the old 35 mm camera out (and have it cleaned). It has a huge telephoto lens. I like the digital but nothing beats my old camera I got for Christmas back when I was 16. All the settings were manual but it took the best photos!

I worked on 5 pages today - I'm getting faster. DS was at the computer and I was at the table. We bond while doing separate things as long as we're in the same room..... Still jumping around in all different eras. Sorry for the poor/dark photos but the flash was glaring on the photos. I was really pleased with the way this years Christmas pages turned out. I kept it simple since I was using so many photos and the title stickers were $1 at Walmart before Christmas and they really worked on the layout.

I've been neglecting my quilting habit so I decided to try to "quilt" a little on the LO of DS that is titled "TWO Fun". I was pleased with how it turned out but learned as I was going. I would applique each section separate because I had to bend the 12x12 some as I was stitching around each letter - this is ok for fabric but paper isn't as forgiving.... I will keep practicing this style layout.

I am going to be working on a bunch of pictures from our time at Piney Point when I was young. My grandfather, Ed Horgan, was a piano player and one of his jobs was at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship in Piney Point MD. I have such fond memories of the place and the people and can't wait to preserve the memory.

Well, Bob our German Shepherd wants to go to bed so I'm going to take some more cough medicine and try to rest.....

Have a blessed Sunday!

Great Backyard Bird Count

Just a reminder for everyone who might be a "birdy" like me that the Great Backyard Bird Count starts today. To download the checklist for your neighborhood go to:

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

I have Wildbirds Unlimited Winter seed in my feeder. A finch tube with thistle seed. Several suet cakes: one with berries, one with mostly nuts, and one with bugs.

Have fun and hope you all get lots of great birds.

Happy Valentines Day!

Hope you all had a great Valentines Day! My hubby didn't make it back into town - oh well we have the weekend. I'm coming down with something anyway so wouldn't have been much fun anyway.

Tuesday I tried working on a several layouts at one time instead of my usual one at a time looking for just the right elements until completion. I was able to "crank out" 5 pages (would have been 6 but I didn't cut out any of the letter "i" for one of the layouts when I was up at Archivers yesterday. I'm supposed to go up there to make a free card tomorrow so I'll make it then if I'm feeling better. If I don't get any better it'll have to wait til next week. I guess I've learned to have the letters on the work station to make sure I have all I need. I love the big die cut sizes they have for letters - my little sizzix letters are nice but since I only have one font and they are smaller I like using the ones at the store. When I have time to kill I may buy a bunch of cardstock and make letters all morning and have them on hand in many colors/fonts.

As you can see I'm working on a lot of old family photos/layouts. It makes me sick to think of the scrapbooks and photos I lost when our kitchen flooded but I've learned a lesson in protecting my photos with copies and am trying to figure out how to preserve my albums. I'm trying to figure out how to scan the traditional scrapbook pages but it's not easy since my scanner isn't 12x12.... any suggestions? I'm learning the digital stuff but slowly...

Well need to take some night cold medicine and head to bed.

Experimenting with New Techniques

Hello,

Hope you are enjoying the weekend and taking some creative time for yourself.

I had one of my nights that my back was hurting so I decided to get in some scrapbooking time. I finished 3 simple pages and was pleased with the results. I'm really getting into chipboard. My albums are getting a little bowed so if you have any suggestions on what to do to ease the problem let me know.

I've been inspired by postings to work on organizing my scrapbooking and craft supplies. It really makes it much easier to find time for working on designs and makes clean up a snap! I have all my stickers in a CH binder and I can flip thru and find just what I want or what I need to buy....

I am just loving the Bazzill cardstock from QVC. I guess I was creativly stiffled by f Joann's, Michael's and Hobby Lobby (though Hobby Lobby is the best of the chains) so long I didn't know all this cool stuff was out there except on the web and I never took the time to explore much. I just love getting my hands on something and seeing what others are doing.

I'm just loving being obsessive about scrapbooking again!

Happy Friday!

Good Morning!

I was just checking my email and visiting a couple digital sites for Friday freebies and challenge postings before starting laundry and cleaning up a little.

I am so encouranged by the gals over on the Oscraps site. They are so faithful to leave feedbacks for everyone. There is nothing nicer than looking at something you post and seeing little notes left by a fellow scrapbooker about one of my designs that I worked so hard on.

I love the twopeas site and it is my favorite. I've been noticing that people don't take as much time to encourage all scrapbooker instead of just the outstanding ones. There are many designers out there that do layouts that are incredible and get lots of oohs and ahhs as they should. It's the average scrapbooker that doesn't seem to get even the first little bit of "pea praise" for a layout that they are quite proud of and is really good. I'm not saying lie to people - these are pages that are good but just not "drop dead amazing".

Many of us don't know how to scan our pages and seam them together perfectly in PS so the posting looks professional. I am one who takes a digital photo of my layout (my DH wouldn't let me stand on a chair over my LO anymore to take the picture in the right light and angle) and know that doesn't do it justice but it's the only way I know to get my traditional scrapbook layout on the galleries.

I know there are a lot of postings on twopeas and the good ones do stand out keep telling them how amazing their pages are but take the time to "pat other scrapbookers on the back" even if it's not the most outstanding beautiful page with the newest products . . . leave a couple other people some "pea praise" today! This will bless someones socks off and encourage their creativity. It will bless you in return because you have brightened someones day and you never know when you will make a friend.

Now that I'm on a soapbox I have another topic to throw out there.....

I know the trend is to have little to no journaling. I LOVE journaling! I don't know about you but I am trying to leave a legacy for my sons and their future children. Yes it would be nice that they would think back on "old grandma as an amazing and talented artist" but I'm not Martha Stewart (she's great but she's not me) so I want to let anyone who looks at my albums know me. When we think about who might be seeing our scrapbooks in the future it's the little memories that will make our pages come alive and allow future generations to "get to know us". The journaling will let them know a little about what was going on in our lives when the photo was taken and will make more of an impression than the most beautiful photo on the most gorgeous colored page with no words on it at all. It's fun to have some of those pages in the albums but for the most part I am about sharing the MEMORY.

A great photo is always a great photo but the journaling tells the story behind the photo. Even a not so great photo shouldn't be overlooked for a permanent scrapbooking page just because it's not perfectly colored, focused, edited, etc. These are the photos that we should embrace for the reason that they are a special memory to us and the journaling expresses that and will make a great page out of a not so great photo. Of course beautiful papers, elements, stamps, and all the stuff helps too!

I know many of our photographs were damaged after our last move. I can sit for hours working on a single photo in Photoshop and it still wouldn't be great but that doesn't keep me from preserving the memory in my albums.

I hope you will join me on my crusades today to (can you hear the violins playing):

1. Encourage fellow scrapbookers who are being overlooked
2. Journal on our pages - even if it's not in style
3. Use photos just because of the memory and not because it's a great photo

You will be suprised by the results and you will be blessed in return.

Making Cards

I just got home from the Valentine cardmaking class at Archivers. I had a blast! The cards weren't too difficult but I was able to learn some new techniques and try some products that I hadn't used before. I scanned the cards so you could see them. Their classes are fairly small so it's easy to ask questions and get some individual help along the way. I'm ready to take another one very soon. They have one on Scrapbook Trends where you complete 2 pages and the supplies include those 12 x 12 die cut pages that I just love so maybe I'll sign up for that one next week.

I made a couple valentine cards last night on my own and really like the way the lime green/black one turned out! The others were just inexpensive quick ones using scraps I had on hand but will make a nice card for a friend.

I got a suprise when I came home a box from QVC sitting on the porch. The Bazzill cardstock that I ordered Monday was already here! Can't wait to start using it. I love their basic cardstock and have a hard time finding it. this was less than $40 for 200 sheets. Great deal compared to buying by the sheet. It included a good variety of colors to build my stash.

Well I guess I've "played" enough for right now - need to run the vac and do a little housework. Hubby at a dinner for work tonight so I will get a little more scrapbooking time this evening!

Another birthday...

Well my birthday has come and gone. Can't believe that I am 45. Were does the time go! I had a nice lunch with my youngest son at a Mexican restaurant. Then my parents took me to dinner at Longhorns. We had a wonderful meal and a really special time together.

I got a lot of nice little gifts. Seems everyone knows about my tendency to lose my keys so that was a theme this year. Key holders for the purse, key rings, and even a purse hook to hang on the table when we eat out.... very useful. Of course I wanted new scrapbooking stuff and my son's girlfriend bought me a new album and some cards, my husband gave me a class at Archiver's and some stamps and papers. Mom and Dad gave me a huge bottle of Philosophy Amazing Grace Body Wash/Shampoo. I love that stuff it amazes me how you can use it on your hair and body and it is the best shampoo ever I don't even use conditioner anymore! It is a must buy.

Well I guess I should go to bed - early morning tomorrow at Archivers taking the Valentine card class at 10:30.

I uploaded several of my digital layouts on the Costco site. They do 12 x 12's for $2.99 each. I can't wait to see how they turn out. I don't like printing the 12 x 12's as 8 x 8's at home they just don't turn out as well as I would like so hopefully this will be a great option to get my layouts out of the computer and into albums.

Check out the Challenge on Oscraps: my layout is above.

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/715

Have a blessed day!

Busy Busy Busy

I've really been in the scrapbooking groove. Not so much digital that I have been doing about 25% but since finding the stores around here my creativity continues to be sparked and I'm scrapping away....

Here's a couple and I've uploaded a bunch on my twopeas albums - check it out if you'd like. Give me some hints or love.....

Here's my list of thing I couldn't do without to scrapbook right now:

1. Bo Bunny dotted double side cardstock (great tone on tone colors especially the black)
2. Making Memories 12x12 diecut paper (you can use them full or cut up for multi layouts)
3. Dew Drops Versa Magic chalk inks (just love dragging them on the paper looks great)
4. Prima flowers
5. Chipboard
6. Ribbons, Ribbons, Ribbons
7. Clear Stamps
8. My little blue Herma dot dispenser - I don't care for the squares
9. slick crafty mat that nothing sticks to (bought for quilting but works great for everything)
10. Cropper Hopper sticker binder
11. Making Memories Purple tote (I take what I need in style to the Archiver store) I didn't think it was a great color when I bought it but for 75% off couldn't resist but it's grown on me
12. Tweezers - with the RA in my hands it helps me pick up everything
13. Making Memories Ribbon glue
14. THE SILENT SETTER - allows me to use brads anytime day or night (without waking the DH & rest of family) and put holes anywhere! Great product
15. Corner nippers

For digital scrapbooking I have the Photoshop CS2 and love it! I spend time each day looking for freebie treasures on the web! There are some great designers out there and hope to become one soon myself (well maybe not great but a designer at least)....

That's all for now. Have a great one.