February Challenge: Scrapbooking Day 4

Self-Portrayed: How often do you scrapbook just you? Take time to create a page surrounding you and what you love to do, your favorite things, or even quirky facts.

I decided to interpret this challenge a little differently...after all, this is all about what you make it! I don't have very many pictures of myself, and the few I do I don't have printed off and I wasn't about to make a special order for just a few pictures. So, I took my favorite wedding photograph of myself and paired it with a poem I found that spoke to me about that day. It's weird to say I love a picture of myself, but I remember feeling so ready and so at peace and my photographer happened to snap a picture as she was walking away to begin taking pictures of the ceremony.

I kept it fairly simple with just using greys {grays?} and silvers. I felt it added that nice, calming touch.

Found these cute little embellishments at Target, can you believe it?

Did you find this day's challenge as difficult as I did? 

February Challenge: Scrapbooking Day 3

Hot & Cold: With the weather so back and forth here in Minnesota {can't decide whether to be warm or freezing cold} pick a color out of each category and use them on a page together. Feel free to add neutrals, but let the focus be on the battle between warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and cool colors (blue, purple, green). 

This one was kind of tough for me as well because I kept finding papers I wanted to use, but they were from the same group! Finally, I settled on a subtle purple vs yellow combo.

I diverted back to my "gridlock" layout - easy and a favorite of mine. Plus, I couldn't decide which of these pictures to not include since B is such an entertainer! {She wasn't really sad in the one picture, either...good actress, huh?}

I am trying out the kitchen lighting to see if that helps on my pages. So far, I'm not a fan. But, here's a closeup of some detail and the shot happens to include my favorite picture of the lil' turkey.

How did you do with this challenge? 

Card Corral

Over the last couple years, B has become a collector of cards. Before last night they were all tossed in a bucket just to keep them in one place. No organization at all. Recently, she has started to read and spell words so I decided that it would be beneficial if her flash cards were accessible and in one place so she didn't have to dig through the bucket o'cards just to find them all. She'd probably be bored halfway through the hunt anyhow.

I bought a pack of different sized binder rings from Walmart for under $2 and although I have plans for three of them already {eek!}, I had plenty of extras. Ding, ding, ding! I knew exactly what to use them for!

First, I had B sort through all the cards and put them alphabetically and numerically. {My smart lil' cookie decided to sort them the long way, by having the pictures face-up and trying to determine what they were. She was confused why "airplane" had a "j" on it. I told her it was a jet and she seemed skeptical but got the job done.}

She took this part very seriously...

But I demanded a quick smile break. Cheese!

When she was done with her task, I grabbed my handy dandy Crop-o-Dile and punched large holes in the same corner of all the cards. This was way too stinking hard to do and photograph at the same time, so no pictures "in action", sorry.

Next, I took out my shiny new binder rings {maybe I can find my hand twin!}...

And put it through my professionally punched holes {you know it takes a master of the arts to do that, right?}!

Ta-da! An easy way to keep them all together for my lil learner. Since the binder rings are fairly easy to get open {for the most part, ha!}, I can mix it up if I feel the need. Just seemed logical to put them in order for now. Maybe that's my Alphabetical OCD kicking in though.

I also did this for the counting and number sets she has. She can count to 100 though so this is "easy peasy" for her {yes, she says that. cutest. thing. ever.}

Can I get a whoop, whoop? {whoop, whoop!} What a fun little 10 minute project for me and B to do together!

What are some tricks you use for keeping your rugrat's toys handy?

PS Tune in later tonight for my scrapbook layout!

February Challenge: Scrapbooking Day 2

Just getting our toes wet here...

For today's challenge I chose to do a layout of B and my BFF's daughter who is now one of her BFFs. Totally predictable, right? Anyway, these two are such a hoot when they get together to play and I just love them to pieces. 

BFF: We all have a BFF...even when we're little. Scrapbook a page that really showcases a friendship of some sort, whether it be you and your soul sister, your child and their favorite toy, or even your secret {or not-so-secret} love of M&Ms.

Again I've displayed my love of pop dots {I can't help it, they make everything so much cuter}. I'm also a huge fan of chipboard. I heart this page.

Who's ready for Day 3?!

PS Yes, I fixed the date from the layout yesterday :)

February Challenge: Scrapbooking Day 1

BAM! The gun has gone off and the challenge has begun! Check out Day 1 below. This was actually really tough for me. I've come to love patterned papers. Using one I was like, whaaa? But, I'm glad I threw in the last bit about the title because that definitely spiced the page up a bit. You can't really tell, but the blue background is shiny {oooh, ahhh!}, otherwise I used white and just three teeny tiny embellishments since the title was HUGE!

Simple Start: 1 patterned paper, 2 photos, 3 embellishments total...use space on this page and really focus on the photos. Also, for fun, let's use different letters/fonts for the title {can't be too simple, right?}.

 

I think I may go back and matte the pictures onto pink to add a bit more "umph" to the page though. How did yours turn out? 

PS I just noticed I wrote "March" for the month...crapola. It's April. Oh well...something I will have to fix tomorrow!

February Challenge: Scrapbooking

This month it's all about scrapbooking. I am determined to plow through 2011 and my wedding albums with grace and dignity and cross that finish line. Each day this month will feature a new challenge for scrapbooking...maybe it's something you've never tried and maybe it's something you do all the time. There's enough of a mix on here to expand on colors, embellishments, techniques, content, journaling, etc to keep your creative juices flowing. Mine too.

Let me tell you, a 30 day scrapbook challenge is tough. My friend and I succeeded once and failed twice. Life gets in the way. You get busy, you get tired, you look at your space and have no motivation and don't feel inspired. I hope presenting daily challenges will help instead of leaving a free for all "anything goes" each day. Keep up with me and at the end of the month {only 29 days, mind you!} you can look back at how much you got done!

Here's a complete list of the Scrapbook Challenges by day:

1. Simple Start: 1 patterned paper, 2 photos, 3 embellishments total...use space on this page and really focus on the photos. Also, for fun, let's use different letters/fonts for the title {can't be too simple, right?}.
2. BFF: We all have a BFF...even when we're little. Scrapbook a page that really showcases a friendship of some sort, whether it be you and your soul sister, your child and their favorite toy, or even your secret {or not-so-secret} love of M&Ms.
3. Hot & Cold: With the weather so back and forth here in Minnesota {can't decide whether to be warm or freezing cold} pick a color out of each catagory and use them on a page together. Feel free to add neutrals, but let the focus be on the battle between warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and cool colors (blue, purple green).
4. Self-Portrayed: How often do you scrapbook just you? Take time to create a page surrounding you and what you love to do, your favorite things, or even quirky facts.
5. Exacto-Mundo: Use an exacto knife on patterned paper to remove designs and feature them popped up on your page.
6. What's Black & White & ??? All Over?: Use only black and white papers and embellishments with one color of choice to pop on the page. Pull it from the photo(s) to really make a statement!
7. Circular Argument: Anything from embellishments to paper to photos...feature circles!
8. Monogram-oholic: I love the look of monograms but I never use them. It's an easy, simple title but sometimes that can explain it all. Feature a monogram of sorts on your page and see how it stands out!
9. Got Ribbon?: I do. Too much of it that is never used. Make an effort to pull out all the stops on your page with ribbon today.
10. Shady Feature: Pick a color, any color, and use only that color on your page. From paper to letters to embellishments...combine different shades for dimension and highlight the photo.
11. Eyelets & Brads Party: Use brads and eyelets to adhere components to your page - journaling, photos, embellishments, ribbon, etc.
12. Dear Diary: Create a scrapbook page that features extensive journaling about how you felt at the very moment the picture was taken. It doesn't have to be a picture of you, or anybody for that matter. Maybe you snapped a picture of the sunset one night because you thought it was so beautiful. Remind yourself of that moment.
13. Stacked: Layer and stack every and anything from borders to pictures to paper to embellishments.
14. Scrap Your Love: Well, this is a given for today! Scrap a page of your significant other, child, whoever…take your time and note what you find special about this person that you love.
15. Scrapbook Scrapbooking: You do it, but why? Remind yourself why you scrapbook to help find motivation…we're halfway through the challenge so it's a good way to regain focus!
16. Scrap-lift Yourself: Find a layout you've done in the past that you enjoyed. Copy it, rotate it, or change it up, but use it as inspiration for today's challenge.
17. Sincerely Yours: Scrapbook a letter to someone - often times journaling is forgotten if hurrying to finish a page or if a layout doesn't plan for it. Take your time and write something meaningful - or even scrapbook a letter that was given to you. Heck, even write a letter to yourself for this challenge!
18. Double Up: Sometimes it's hard to decide which photos to scrapbook…for this challenge, keep them all. Use two pages to showcase these photos and let them all shine…even if they look similar!
19. Stamp-tastic: I am not a stamper, but I'm challenging myself and you to use stamp(s) to embellish your page. You never know, might be hooked after this!
20. Stitching Crazy: No, I don't sew either. But I think stitches on scrapbook pages looks awesome. Since I don't have a sewing machine, I will be hand-stitching a design on my page. Find a way to incorporate stitching on to yours as well!
21. Recipe: 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 buttons (can use more embellishments).
22. Texturize: Use your embossing machine if you have one or create your own texture on your page - even use something OTHER than paper on your page! Get creative!
23. Technology: Use a computer to print out journaling, a title, a letter, whatever.
24. Interior Inspiration: Find an item in your home to use as inspiration…color, design, even the feelings you get when you see it - set it in front of you when scrapbooking today and use that inspiration for your page.
25. Lyrics: Use lyrics from any song to describe the page you're working on…whether in the title of the layout, journaling, etc.
26. Sparkles: Any way you can add glitter or sparkles to a page today, do it!
27. Revitalize: Everyone has a page that they aren't completely happy with…take that page and re-do it.
28. Leftovers: Last lap! Go back to previous pages this month and use only scraps except for base page…paper, stickers, etc.
29. Anything Goes: You've worked hard all month long keeping up with me, so reward yourself by using YOUR favorite technique, new or old!

Since I will be highlighting page layouts on a daily basis, Scrapbook Sundays will temporarily feature tools and organization this month.

Are you as excited as I am? Get fired up because the 29-Day Scrapbook Challenge begins NOW!

Tuesday's Tid Bits (XL Version)

1. I hate when you order food to go and by the time you pay for it, drive back to work, sit down and look at it, you realize it's not what you ordered. Lunch is almost over and there's nothing you can do about it. Boo.
2. Another thing about food...what is with the fortune cookies not really being fortunes? "Your mind is filled with new ideas." Thanks for that. The problem is I haven't the time or certain resources to work on them. How about predicting when I will be able to do so, eh? "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." Seriously, what is this? Ironically I can find places where these so-called "fortunes" fit in my life, but where is the "You will inherit millions from a stranger who picked your name out of a phone book and not have to worry about half of the things you are worried about right now, this second." Eh, eh?
3. I got two tattoos on Friday the 13th. Now that I say that aloud, I realize that it probably wasn't the best idea. I wasn't superstitious about it, but now I am. Both of them got screwed up, unfortunately. I got a "J" on my wrist for my hubster that is squiggly {for lack of a better word}, frayed in certain spots that it isn't supposed to be, not filled in correctly, thicker in some spots than in others, and to top it off, the artist "dug" too deep so it's taking extra long to heal. On my foot I had my daughter's name and a ladybug, because that's what I used to call her. Well, now I call her Pee-Wee, Nana, Bug-A-Boo, etc and really you couldn't pay me to put any of that on my body permanently. So, with her middle name being a flower, I requested that the artist sketch a rose to cover up the ladybug. He did an awesome job and I absolutely love the design. What I don't love is the fact that it took 4 hours to complete these small tattoos, he cut me open in six places {verified by the owner of the shop AND my doctor}, I'm on antibiotics to prevent an infection, my foot was swollen and pained for two weeks, and now the tattoo is literally falling off. Cheese and sprinkles {name that movie...}. Anybody who has seen it has declared they have never seen a tattoo in that bad of shape. And who would? It's a tattoo. It's supposed to be permanent, that's the point. Not happy. At all. I really didn't expect to have to go back and have the tattoo redone after three weeks, and I was under no impression that the artist was under an apprenticeship or anything where I would need to expect less than perfection. Now, tattoos may not be perfect no matter who does them, but my 4-year old could do a better job with a sharpie marker and it would probably last longer than this tattoo has. Mission: get my money back and get it fixed for free. Because between paying for the tattoo, a tip {hey, I didn't know this would be a disaster, ok?}, and paying for the babysitter, I'm out two big ones.
4. I miss my hubby. Like, a lot. Spending the weekend with him then being thrown back into work is too much of a change. He's like a drug, I need to ease off him.
5. January is over and I am very happy with everything that I achieved this month...losing weight, plowing through a ton of scrapbook pages, spending time with my family and making that a priority, and letting my creative juices flow in a "journal" that will house all my amazing, fantabulous ideas until I have the resources to complete them.
6. Every Monday B has gymnastics. She's such a cutie out there in her leotard and I love watching how much she's grown since starting out. Yesterday she did a full cartwheel and landed on her feet. Then she did it again, and again...and again, and again... Her coach came up to me after the class and said that she is doing such an amazing job and wants to move her up to the next level right now. Unfortunately, 4pm doesn't work for us, so I thanked her but said we can finish out the term in this class and look forward to watching her move up when enrollment opens again. There's only six weeks left anyway, so it's not a big deal for us to wait. I'm oozing of pride right now though. I think I teared up a bit when I saw her doing those cartwheels, too. I'm a baby when it comes to my baby.
7. There are two big things I have been praying immensely for. Join me, won't you?
8. Intervention is such an addicting show, which is ironic to state considering the whole point of the show. It's sad watching how the family dynamics affects them. It's repulsive and heartbreaking when they show them using. Yet, I can't pull myself away from the TV...I want so badly to see these men, women, and teens pull through this and get healthy. For the most part, it ends happily: the addicts are smiling, clean, enthusiastic about being clean, determined to keep it up, in a healthier mind set, and look amazing. Those endings are my favorites.
9. I need to purge items and clean out my closet. Adding to my "to do" list right now.
10. Check back tomorrow if you are interested in doing a 29-Day Scrapbook Challenge with me! I can't wait to start!