GCD Party

I did send my ap as soon as the call was issued. My motto is you never know until you try & try I did.

I was so excited by a manufacturer that actually made special spots available for us lesser known scrappers.

I saw on the blog they received 471 other beautiful applications.

The chosen few will be receiving calls throughout the day - keeping my cell phone close by just in case....





But no I didn't get a call.


I didn't really expect to either with that many entries... but you never know...

Monday will be a huge day their new & improved GCD Studios blog . The design team will be revealed, giveaways posted throughout the day & more exciting opportunities for some of the chosen applicants. Make sure you mark it on your to do list... I set a reminder on my phone.

Still to be announced

4 Guest DT gals
40 Spotlights
21 Product Testers

I'm still hoping to be one of the chosen 65 - at least that's much better odds lol

Core'dinations Cardstock

After watching Paperclipping live last Tuesday I was inspired to get out my Core'dinations cardstock & Cuttlebug embossing folders. Noell received a variety of paper & that got my creative wheels spinning for yet another winter challenge layout.

I bought Core'dinations pack at Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off. I've used it a bunch of times on cards.


It's a similar weight as Bazzill but the texture/color is more visible so I keep that in mind for where I can use it. For the most part I will still buy Bazzill by the piece or American Crafts white cardstock by the pack.



To get the snowflake embossed I ran it thru the Cuttlebug 3 different times. A helpful tip is to not run it all the way thru each time as it will smash down some of the previous embossing & leave a mark.





I sanded a little bit with a black nail file & inked the edges with Chestnut Roan Colorbox chalk.




Thanks for visiting. Stay warm & take some time to be creative

Remember Paperclipping live is on tonight at 8:30 pm eastern time. Come join the fun

My Scrapbooking Room in Progress

You all know we've been moving furniture all week. Several have been asking to see photos of the scrapbooking/craft room in progress. I've got things put away enough that it's presentable.... "Ta-da" - the world premier of my own little creative space (it's not a showplace like many on 2peas but I'm tickled to death to have it) I love that it's not in the living area of the house. My hubby hung the shelves that run nearly the length of the wall. It's still got a ways to go but I'm able to use it & I SO ENJOY IT!

These first photos are just taken as I go around the room.

Now I've taken more photos & put captions under it so you can see more of the details.

The old dresser is really useful as a work surface & stores so much stuff. This is to the right of the desk so still easy to access supplies.

Here's a peak what's inside:

I'll break it up into multiple posts because blogger isn't always easy to keep photos together & lined up in....

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.

Had a great weekend of scrapbooking

Friday I tried to visit the scrapbook store grand opening nearby and after driving all the way down there found she still wasn't open due to carpet not going in. I had my heart set on getting some new paper and embellishments that are different (Hobby Lobby has a great selection but only goes so far and Michaels and Joanns are very limiting to my "creative spirit" ha ha) anyway I got out my cell phone and launched the internet and typed scrapbook stores Buford Ga because I had heard there might be one up there and up pops a store so I head that way to check it out.

I walk in and am floored with the amount of supplies to fill idea that pops into my mind. They had rooms to scrap for free. Everyone was so nice and helpful... I didn't know where to begin. I kept my budget in check (it was hard) and walked thru the entire store first then headed back to the clearance section for a further look before looking at the regular priced products. I found a wonderful tote bag to hold all my stuff when I am "mobile". I have one of those big rolling totes but that's too much to take to work on a page or two when most of the tools are available to use there. Anyway it was 75% off so I couldn't pass it up. I then checked out the clearance paper and got a couple sheets. I needed some of those flowers you put the brads thru and found just what was in my imagination for the pages I'm going to start. There was a round scalloped paper in black dots and red outline that I fell in love with so couldn't pass that up. I really like the scallop edges and purchase 3 different ones. I could get cardstock in any color imaginable! Finally a yellow that isn't horrible... I spent less than $30 and was pleased with my new stuff. I can't wait to go back there. It's funny when I am at home and google scrapbook stores Buford GA this store does not pop up so I was glad I decided to use the cell phone and found Archivers Photo Memory Store. http://www.archiversonline.com/index.asp I came home and found a coupon so I guess I'll have to go back in the next week or so to use it. I want to visit the outlet scrapbook store that is up there on the other side of the mall road http://www.maps2memories.com/Webpages/Georgia/ysbcstore2/ysbcstore2.htm

so I guess I'll make a day of it. I wish I had a friend who liked to scrapbook. It would be a great outing.

I've got so many ideas for valentine cards so that will be my next project and products I will look for.

I worked on several digital pages and 2 traditional pages - it's been a nice weekend of scrapbooking for me. I would have done more but had to work on the directory for our Sunday School class that I had been putting off since I lost my hard drive last month and the backup disc was in the computer at the time and for some reason (because Word was open using the directory files) it corrupted them too. I would never have expected hard drive failure in a computer that is less than 6 weeks old but it can happen to anyone. I had scanned so many pictures and PS them along with all the ones I downloaded from the camera and then deleted them. Thankfully I had prints made of most of them so it wasn't a total loss except for my time. I lost about a dozen pages I had worked on but learned my lesson and for Christmas received an external hard drive and back up often. I'm "chasing rabbits" so back on the topic I started this paragraph with... anyway I love to sit at the computer and discover new things I can do in Photoshop it is a truly remarkable program.

I just love going thru all the old pictures: cleaning them up", finding just the right paper and bling to do it justice, and putting my ideas on the computer screen. It is bliss to me! The page above is a picture of me at age 4, my mom pregnant within days of giving birth to my sister and my grami (mom's mom). I loved how the paper brought out the colors in the old picture. Let me know what you think . . . suggestions greatly appreciated.