Kiss and Tell Scrapbooking

Speed Scrapbooking: 7 Layouts In One Night

Last night, just for fun and to challenge myself, I started a thread at the General Scrappin' message board at Two Peas to see how many layouts I could make in one night.  Here's the link:  Friday Night Scrapping Message Thread at Two Peas.  Here are the layouts:

1.  CRUISE FASHION: 

I started this one a while back when I bought the clothes for the cruise and so I already had the tags placed on the cardstock so I just had to add photos, journaling and a title.  Easy.

2. GOODBYE ATLANTIS

The layout design for this one was based on this 3 photo layout by Susan Weinroth.

3. SLEEP DAY OR NIGHT:  This layout was inspired by this photo of my kids on the ride home from the cruise and the sunlight was shining in on their sweet little sleepy heads and they were even snuggling (and not fighting!); it reminded me of how they'd fall asleep in the car when they were babies.

I used this 2 photo scrapbook sketch by Jayne 

4. My Girl:  And yes I did finally find a use for that giant Me & My Big Ideas stick figure girl!

Goofy but appropriate for this one:

5. Artsy Girl:  Using another big cartoonish character - this time from Cosmo Cricket:

This one started out being inspired by This Shimelle / Glitter Girl Scrapbook Layout: Try This Journaling Idea but it went a little off the rails.  I made my own pie chart - which mimiced the pie chart my daughter drew - she is always into the trends:

6. TRAVEL TOGETHER: 

I think on this one I started thinking that inking the edges really does slow me down / but looks good - so its a love / hate thing.  This one also doesn't really have a title and that's ok with me since its going into the beginning of our cruise album and its pretty much self explanatory- or at least I think so:  Its about the 4 of us traveling together.

7. MIDNIGHT MINIGOLF!  The last one!  And I think it was about midnight!

I didn't do a whole lot of embellishing (or any) on this one but was inspired to used vellum after watching this "Seeing Double" video by Jen Gallacher at Two Peas.

Yippee!  I'm done uploading (I think the uploading actually took longer than making the layouts!).

Peace out scrapbookers :)

 

#MasterfulScrapbookDesign & #Scraplifting Corrie Jones / Process & Finished Layout (updated)

That was the in progress layout & Here is the completed layout:

I'm on the Masterful Scrapbook Design chat now with Debbie Hodge & Corrie Jones & I scraplifted her Go! Go! Go! Go! Layout (you can see it here by clicking through to Corejones' blog).

Madonna wanna be title & journaling to come. 

Journaling Reads:  "It is so awesome to me that my girl loves Madonna just like I did.  She says her favorite song is Madonna's Like A Prayer - me too sister - Love, Your 80s Mommy 3/18/13."

The Story:  My daughter came to love Madonna all on her own and I was actually thrilled - I love Madonna too; and while her songs were a bit racy back in the 80s they seem a bit tamer now - but probably still too racy for my 9 year old - but she loves them and I just can't say no - and she looks adorable as a Madonna wannabe - this was her Halloween costume - that she created herself - hot rollered hair courtesy of yours truly. Awesome.

So I got to ask Corrie where to put the title - I had already started the journaling in the lower left and on the Masterful Scrapbook Design live chat she suggested that the title go right in the middle over the middle photo and overlapping a little onto the two other photos.  And presto!  Done!  Thanks Corrie - your pages in Masterful Scrapbook Design are amazing!

P.S. Of course I used my American Crafts Thickers from Two Peas!

 

Paper Strips Inspiration Board: Layout #8: Little Miss Magic

This layout was inspired by Dear Lizzy's In The Mood to Scrap Video at Two Peas.

I tried the ombre (hombre is the cowboy?)  paint technique and ended up painting all the chipboard within reach! 

I had some photos of my daughter with the sun creating the lights like in the new Maggie Holmes papers so I paired them up with a photo collage. 

I also used lots of Dear Lizzy and a bit of Glitz Uncharted Waters papers. 

The Story:  My daughter is growing so fast and I can see her face getting more and more grown up and more and more beautiful - she's almost to that tween stage but not quite yet.  We've always loved the Jimmy Buffet song "Little Miss Magic" and we've always sung it to her and the end of the chorus in the song is "Little Miss Magic.... whatcha gonna be?"  He wrote the song about his daughter and it is very sweet and just a little heart breaking that little girls grow up.  So the little really is magic. 

These photos with the sunlight just seemed magic to me and she was dancing around on our dock being silly and it was just kind of awesome that she let me take pictures!

Another 2 For 1 Scrapbook Page

I've been brewing this idea of doing two pages at the same time as a time saver.  So this time I used The Two Peas Challenge "What I Love About"  as the inspiration for the page and I made two pages based on the same concept and basic design. 

During the last 2 for 1 project, I worked on both pages at the same time; this time I worked on the hot cocoa layout first and the Christmas Layout second.  I still think that doing 2 similar pages at one sitting is a time saver.

I also got out to TJ Maxx to see if they had the American Crafts Thickers for $1.49 - my store didn't but I did find these EK Success Red Glitter Stickers there.

Fast Scrapbooking: 2 for 1 Scrapbook Pages

I came across this post called "6 cheats for faster scrapbooking" from Jennifer Wilson, the Simple Scrapper;  and I liked the concept of a template even though I'm a paper scrapbooker and it looks like her pages were digital.  I started thinking about a page a did a few months ago where my mom saw it and wanted one just like it and then I thought -AHA! Why don't I just make 2 pages every time I make a page - I betcha it wouldn't take much more time. 

So I tried it and I didn't time myself, but I'm thinking it took the same amount of time as one would have taken.  Same design, same patterned papers and embellishments, same photo theme - different kid.  

This way the layouts work as a two page spread or I can put them in separate albums.  I've got to remember to try this 2 for 1 technique more often.  Thanks for the inspiration Simple Scrapper!

Big Picture #BigIdea Festival Day #3 & #Glittergirl Adventure #36 & My Art Journal

So Inspired!

This morning I watched Courtney Walsh's amazing video over at the Big Idea Festival at Big Picture Classes and then I watched Shimelle "Glitter Girl" Laine's Adventure #36 about Masking and these ideas came together and I made this page:

I meant to write "I Can and Do Fight Wrinkles and Acne at the Same Time!"  But the complaints never made it to this page in my art journal. 

Here's what I did write:  "Sometimes its good to step back and be happy and proud and look back.  It is easy to focus on the things I don't have or the things I can't do.  It is a bit harder but way more  happy and productive to focus on the things that I can do and I do have.  I can keep going.  I can keep trying.  I can succeed.  I can accomplish goals.  I can be happy in the process."

 

Here is my list of things I CAN & DO: * Be a great mom.  * Be a good wife.  * Tell Stories.  * Make art.  * Run a small business. * Help real people. * Make a difference. * Raise money for good causes. * Make my kids feel loved everyday.  * Discover my family's history. * Pray everyday. * Exercise everyday. * Vote. * Live a Happy, Hopeful, and Awesome Life full of Good People and Good Things." - K 9/6/12

I made the misted / masked part of this page when I went to the Art Journaling Class at Whim So Doodle - the most fabulous scrapbooking store anywhere - but actually located in downtown St. Pete.

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I Made 8 Scrapbook Layouts Last Night!

That's Right! I made 8 Scrapbook Layouts last night!  I know there may be no award for that, but I'm always very happy and proud when I made a whole bunch of layouts in a short amount of time.  Whoo Hoo! 

{P.S. Yes I did use lots from my Counterfeit Kit Challenge August Kit - but this time I didn't limit myself to it - I went looking for other stuff when I wanted to - I think I've found my sweet spot!}

Relieve Stress by Scrapbooking: Totally and Happily Addicted to Scrapbooking & (currently) Instagram

How does a working mom lawyer regain her sanity after a ridiculously stressful meeting?

A little retail therapy.  $7.49.

Lunch in my happy place conveniently located just ten feet from my working desk.

It is small but it does the trick and has a sink and a tv and is within earshot if anything major is going on in the office - so its a nice little hideaway.

I know for sure that I'm a happier person because I scrapbook.  For real.

Paper Strips & Other Fun Pinterest Boards

Debbie Hodge did a post on Get It Scrapped called Pinterest Boards for Scrapbookers to Follow and included my Paper Strips Pinterest Board.  I sometimes use my boards for inspiration for scrapbooking, I especially like to use them for ideas for my "half-baked" pages *(see below for definition).   I have boards for scrapbooking with paper strips, stars, circles, hexagons, squares, triangles, and a host of other shapes and ideas.  Here are a few pages I created inspired by the paper strips board:

I love Pinterest and have lots of boards - some may think maybe too many - but I tend to fall in love with things and get totally immersed - and this is what happened with me and Pinterest.  And, I usually pin things while I'm on the stepper (my aunt thought I just sat around eating bon bons and pinning things all day - in my dreams).

I started Pinterest with Boards like "For The Home" and "My Style Pinboard" and it seemed like a great way to keep ideas for the house and for what to buy when I'm clothes shopping.

Pinterest quickly became a place to consume and store scrapbooking ideas.  I pin things if I like them even a little bit.  I don't worry about going back to see them again; but I like the idea that if I would like to see them again, I know the board where I can find them.

*Definition:  Half-Baked Page = a scrapbook page that you start and then put away for a month or two until you feel like finishing it and if you never finish it, that's ok too.  I like to have a stash of half-baked pages for when I want to finish a page quickly - when the story inspiration hits, then the scrapbook-y part of things is half done.

LINKS: You can also check out some of my other Pinterest Boards:

1. Scrapbook Sketches

2. Mini Books

3. Scrapbooking with Circles

4. Scrapbooking with Grids

5. Scrapbooking with Banners

6. "Mister Mister" Scrapbooking with Mists

7. I {heart} hearts: Scrapbooking with Hearts

8. Scrapbooking with Maps

9. Centered Scrapbook Layouts

10. And my personal favorite pet project: Scrapbook Improv

Go check out my boards, its lots of scrapbooking eye candy.  When I'm looking at the boards I treat them sort of like magazines and flip through them not really paying too close attention, but sometimes something catches my eye and I go make something.  Mostly, I use Pinterest for consuming lots of stuff to go live in my brain for a while; I think that with creativity you need just as much input as you have output so Pinterest is like taking in creative fuel.

Bird is the Word

The colors on this page were inspired by a CHA Summer 2012 challenge over at Two Peas.  The bird motif content was Get It Scrapped inspired by Amy Kingsford's Scrapbook Page Ideas with Bird Motif article.

This page was easy and fun to make, I used some circle and scallop circle punches and lots of random bits.

 

Scrapbooking to Celebrate Life: Life is Short But Sweet for Certain

I found this quote by Dave Matthews on Pinterest " Celebrate we will because life is short but sweet for certain."  I used "for sure" not because I'm such a valley girl; but because sure fit better than certain on my page.

I started this page by wanting to use Heidi Swapp's super bright - not quite neon - but close - paper; I counterbalanced all that hoopla with some grounding grey cardstock as the background. 

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This page is all about celebrating life - both the holidays and the everyday.  Journaling: "As the Mom, I feel like it is up to me to establish our traditions and celebrations, not only for holidays but for everyday."  I'm planning to do a follow up page that describes how my husband has often saved the day for celebrations and parties - with last minute party details that I forget!  Just like Renee Zellweger said in Jerry McGuire "You Complete Me" - or at least because my husband and I so different; each of our strengths tend to make up for the other one's weaknesses.  Its all good and no, I don' think you need a man to complete you - but it is groovy when you have a partner who picks up where you leave off - especially when it comes to last minute party and holiday preparations.

I made this page IN THE LIVING ROOM while we watched The Bachelorette (I think she should pick Jef the Mormon and move to SLC but I'll betcha she picks the race car driver and they last for about 2 minutes).  I've been playing with scrapbooking in different places recently and it is FUN!  Try it!

 

 

 

Book Report Scrapbooking: Reading + Scrapbooking at Masterful Scrapbook Design in August

Tami Taylor has an article over at Get It Scrapped titled Finding Inspiration for Scrapbooking from Books  and Masterful Scrapbook Design  is going to focus on this very subject in August.  

I'll betcha that most scrapbookers also love reading - although I'll also betcha that many busy scrapbooking moms (like me) have cut their reading time to fit in all the other stuff we try to get done.  If you have curtailed your reading time because of a busy life, I'd encourage you to try to squeeze it in somehow, even if you keep a book in the bathroom!  I've been reading more over the past year and it enriches life so much and its a nice mental break from the regular whirlwind that I call life.

Here's an older layout about my son who just about taught himself to read at 2 or 3 years old; he's reading Miss Nelson is Missing - a book I love and just ordered again.

I love using books as inspiration for scrapbooking and I've done it several times, here are three examples that quickly come to mind on  using books as inspiration for scrapbook layouts:

1. The Last Lecture: I made a scrapbook page book report after reading this amazing story on a plane ride home from Maine back in the summer of 2008:  http://kissandtellscrapbooking.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/07/the-last-lect-1.html

2. The Hunger Games: I read the Hunger Games Trilogy in a week and found so many similarities between the main character and myself that I made a "Katniss & Me" comparison scrapbook page:  http://kissandtellscrapbooking.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/02/the-hunger-games-scrapbooking-challenge-1-main-characters.html

3. Little Pea:  This is one of our favorite bedtime stories and I used the illustrations and I think the actual book cover jacket for this page: 
http://kissandtellscrapbooking.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/11/little-pea-familys-favorite-book.html

Can't wait to read & hear more about books as inspiration for scrapbooking at Masterful Scrapbook Design in August!

Do you scrapbook about the books you read?  Please leave a comment or a link.

 

Improv Scrapbooking: "Frustrate the Want"

So its been a little bit that I have blogged, but I've been scrapbooking lots lately.  I listened to the Paperclipping Roundtable Podcast yesterday and scrapbooker May Flaum mentioned that she blogs by the pool in the NEON episode.  I got to thinking that I should try to make a scrapbook page at the pool (usually I just do scrapbooking busy work (or Pinterest Pinning!) rather than creating a layout.  So I gave it a try and made a scrapbook page about the pool while I was at the pool yesterday! I loved scrapbooking outside.  I'm going to make scrapbooking part of my poolside routine. 

Improv Scrapbooking Concept: "FRUSTRATING THE WANT'

The Improv Concept of "frustrating the want" is that when one of the players has a want the others in the group "Yes, And" the want but then go ahead and totally make it impossible for the original player to fulfill the want.  Example:  Improv player #1 says "I've got to get quiet time to get some homework done."  Player #2 says "Oh yes, absolutely, don't let me bother you" and then proceeds to start drum practice.  Then Player #3 also agrees to be quiet but starts hammering nails; player #4 starts opera singing; etc. So that they players are all agreeing the the initial player's want but then going ahead and frustrating it anyway. 

How to apply this to scrapbooking?  Do I want to find ways to frustrate my wants in scrapbooking?  Heck no!  I want to figure out what my frustrations are and think up clever ways to solve them.  For example, I want to create  more scrapbook pages but my kids want to swim in the pool for hours and hours and hours a day.  They are strong swimmers but we don't let them swim without an adult; so I play lifeguard but don't have to watch them like a hawk, they chatter the whole time so most of the time I can just listen to their constant chatter while I surf Pinterest on my iphone.  But the pinterest search has sort of been frustrating my own want to spend more time scrapbooking.  So actually scrapbooking satisfies my want;  funny?  No, not really; but that's not the goal.  I was letting my want get frustrated by being outside away from my scrapbooking room; so I re-thought the whole poolside routine and satisfied my own want. 

IMPROV SCRAPBOOKING EXERCISE:   Think of something you've been frustrated with in your scrapbooking (or not scrapbooking) routine and think up a new way to satisfy your want. 

Can't think of anything that is frustrating you in the scrapbooking department?  Here are some ideas and some possible answers:

1. Not Enough Time To Scrapbook?  A. Figure out a way to cut out something else (like tv); or B. Figure out how to scrapbook faster.

2. Not Enough Budget For The Latest & Greatest Scrapbooking Supplies?  A. Try the Counterfeit Kit Club Blog Challenge to get your old stuff to seem new; or B. Figure out what you  really use (patterned paper, stickers, whatever) and only buy "new" of that item and use it with your older supplies.

3. Having a Hard Time Thinking Up Stories to Scrapbook?  A. Go about your scrapbooking process from a different place - ie. if you usually start with photos, try starting with product; or B. Talk to your friends and family, make a little mental note (or if you are like me - actually write it down so you don't forget later); and scrapbook the conversation or the stories you talked about.

That should get you started; if you have questions about "frustrating the want" or "improvisational scrapbooking" please leave a comment.

P.S. (partly from a comment I left over at PRT) The layout here is about how our old yellow labrador Dandy Dog tries to rub his head on the side of the pool but he did this once and it burst a blood vessel in his ear (and cost $800 to have the surgery to get it fixed) so now when ever Dandy goes into the pool, my husband plays "Dog Police" and it reminds me of the improvisational comedy "game" of "frustrating the want"; it is funny to watch them do this little dance.  And, P.S. not quite neon but close - I left a comment about Neon on May Flaum's blog and she made a good comment that there is a difference between brights and neons; and yes, I'll admit neons are probably harder to use - I just think its fun to see a "new" set of colors in scrapbooking.

Want more information about May Flaum's scrapbooking & about improvisational comedy techniques?  Check out these super cool affiliate links:

What I've Been Working On Lately

Here's a peek at some of my recent scrapbook layouts:

They will all be up sometime soon at the Get It Scrapped site.

The end of school / beginning of summer camp; mother's day-my birthday-father's day-his birthday; some reconfiguring at work meaning more work for me in the short term; my new thing at Get It Scrapped and my daugther's renewed interest in me, have all been awesome, but have seriously put a dent in my blogging time.  Just wanted to check in & say I'm still here, scrapbooking and living life.  I'll get back into my blogging swing sometime soon. 

Hope you all are having a great start to your summer!

How to Art Journal with Scrapbooking Supplies

I love scrapbooking. I am busy.  I also love art.  I am busy.  There is only so many things I can do.  I have to choose.  Somewhere along the way I decided I didn't have enough time for art.  I've resisted art journals, even though I secretly know I would love it.  I've been afraid it would steal me away from what I'm up to already.  Its a temptation I've been resisting (and not the paint kind of resisting).

Are you a scrapbooker like me who just doesn't want to open the pandora's box of art journaling because you are afraid of the time, space and supplies you'll need to add it to your already full plate?  I am.   But Here Goes:

I think maybe I've stayed away from paint because when the kids were small whenever I pulled out paint it quickly turned into a giant and fun, but giant mess for me to clean up so over the years I think I've been less motivated to get out the paints because of small children's short attention spans and the seriously quick way kids and paint can get everywhere.  My kids are a bit older now and I think my daughter would really love some art classes and for me to pull out the paint on a more regular basis; she's been in the paint on a daily basis for at least a month and she's been really good about cleaning up after herself.  So maybe its time to get back there to art or at least dabble a bit again.

I signed up for an art journaling class next weekend, I signed up my daugther too.  We are both excited.  My mind is already full of ideas about how I can use my scrapbooking supplies in art journals.  Face it scrapbookers, we seriously already have most of the stuff.  I'll dip my toe in and report on my art journaling journey. 

Tell me, do you art journal?  How do you mix it and/or keep it separate from your scrapbooking?  I would love to hear from you.

 

P.S. I'll have a winner on the 200,000 blog hits soon! 

P.S. Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!