Karma brings Photo Freedom

Are you thinking about new year's resolutions? I don't like resolutions in the cheesy way, but as many of my friends will atest, I set goals throughout the year (practically monthly, in fact). What I like about the calendar year coming to an end is that it's a clear cut point to look reflect and look forward. One thing I'm determined to do in 2009 is get my craft area organized. I haven't had a chance to do it since I've moved (I can't believe it's been almost two months now), but I am purposely taking my time so that I can make sure I choose the right things for my space.

As luck would have it, I recently won a book that is so perfect for me! It's Stacy Julian's Photo Freedom. (And would make an excellent Christmas gift for any scrapbooker). 

Stacy outlines her approach to organizing and scrapbooking. It's such an easy read, you could get through it in no time. Stacy gets right to the point in the first chapter by outlining her three essential components to her system: storage binders, category drawers, and library albums. There are also nine extra components that can be customized to suit your needs. The second chapter outlines different ways to implement each component. The last chapter shows other women who have read the book and used Stacy's sytem, or adapted it in their own way. I really can see how her system can help scrapbookers be organized with their photos to scrapbook what suits their creative mood.

I was lucky to win this book at the Timberline Ranch scrapbook retreat. Diane, you did a great job as always! If you want to check out other events by Diane, go to her website here. It's funny how things happen because Photo Freedom was a door prize, so anyone could have gotten it. I had learned about the book by reading a few blogs and wanted to get it eventually anyway because I really like Stacy's approach to scrapbooking. Her Big Picture book totally changed my way of thinking about scrapbooking. 

I think winning Photo Freedom was good karma for the bad karma that haunted me when I arrived at the ranch. Long story short, coke spilled on my camera and I couldn't use it. I think it's a goner :( It's so hard to be a scrapbooker without a camera! Maybe if I've been good, Santa will bring me one.

BC's Craft Show And How I'm Eating Crow Because Of It

This year BC's Craft Show Expo was at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre.  I went with my boyfriend on Friday after work to check out some of the latest tools and toys. 

I was making my way through the aisles checking out all the fun things available this year, I turnaround and who do I see? Tacye from Scrapbook Warehouse! (See last post). I was so excited I shouted to her "Hey! It's the Scrapbook Warehouse celeb!!" She laughed and started telling me the story of how quickly that segement was filmed and how little time she had to prepare. Because of that it seems like there are a few things that may have been left out of the tv show and it is these things that I criticized her for in my last post. Mmmm, crow is tastey, isn't it? 

Tacye and I had a great conversation about the importance of knowing what you scrapbook (cards? pages? projects?) before you make purchase decisions. I was happy to hear her say that. I think in the end we both believe in the same thing. Knowing how you're going to scrapbook and getting advice from someone who can help you through the process.

I had a great time with Tacye.  She was showing me a new tool, The Big Shot, which looks pretty cool I must admit. (Possible Christmas present?) The great thing about this is that it's a tool that does die cuts or dry embossing using templates from Sizzix, Cuttlebug and Quickutz! It's so versatile which is what really got my attention. Plus, it's big enough that it can cut large dies for window cards and envelopes. Tacye was having so much fun showing off the tool in a bit of an infomercial kind of way. We had a good laugh.

The other thing that left a huge impression was a booth for the Local King Rubber Stamp. Lisa was doing some demos of how to make multicoloured stamps. The pictures she was producing were amazing! It's such a simple concept, but she blew my mind. She would take markers (non-alcoholic, dye based) and colour about 3-5 different markers on one stamp going from lightest to darkest, then stamp. It's amazing what she would produce. The catch for me was that she was using rubber stamps and I have built a collection of acrylic stamps (the clear ones). I'm going to have to test this one out and see if I can replicate what she did. Look at the hydrangea below, isn't that gorgeous!?! 

All in all, I'm so glad I went to the craft show, even if it meant I had to eat crow because of my last post :)

Oh! And one suggestion to the organizers of the BC's Craft Show Expo, make a man-friendly spot...possibly a kid-friendly one too. Thankgoodness my boyfriend had his blackberry or I probably would have been pulled out of there sooner :)

Let's Watch TV...
I just found out about this really cool segment on a CBC show called “Living Vancouver”. They have a section on hobbies and there was one segment about scrapbooking. If you’re just starting out, or looking for tips to keep it simple, take a look at the show.

Click here to go to the website and select “living segments” on the right and choose “live and learn”. You’ll see “hobbies” listed, click on it and scroll to the third page of the hobbies for the segment called “scrapbooking”.

Kudos to Tacye McLagan from Scrapbook Warehouse. She gives a good definition of this fine hobby.

“Scrapbooking is about using photos and putting them into acid free safe environment and putting the stories behind them so you can enjoy them for years to come. How much or how little you do is up to you.”

That last part is so key, isn’t it? There is so much you CAN do with scrapbooking but it depends how much you want to do.

Tacye lists some of the key things you need to get started, but I’m not sure I completely agree with her list. She says you need: an album that lies flat, a paper trimmer, a coluzzle (a template to create circles, ovals and rectangles by using a swivel exacto knife), acid free paper, acid free adhesive, and an archival pen.

What kind of scrapbooker are you? Do you want to make cards? Do you want to do altered projects? Do you want to scrapbook family photos? I think it’s important to have a vague answer to that question before you can know what tools you need.

That being said, I do think it’s important to start with a paper trimmer, paper and adhesive. If you want to create a scrapbook album, I don’t think a coluzzle or an archival pen is necessary. I know many scrapbookers who don’t like journaling so they would never use an archival pen. Some scrapbookers I know do journal on their layouts but they would never write themselves, they’ll type something out on the computer and adhere it to the page.

One good point Tacye makes is that you should try out products before you buy them. There are so many products on the market, you can’t possibly buy them all so focus on the ones you know you like, or know you’ll use.

And since you asked for my advice (well, you didn’t, but I’ll give it to you anyway, just cuz I like ya!), if you’re just starting out find someone who can walk you through the first few steps. Start with a small project you can do together so that you get comfortable with the tools and how to put a project together. Personally, I love helping newbies out because at the end of the day you get to see the fabulous finished project! It’s so gratifying!

Challenge: Give Yourself A Present!
There is something I couldn’t wait to share with you. In fact, I’ve been away all week (on vacation in fabulous San Francisco) just dying to get back and post on my blog. It’s a challenge…are you up for it?

It’s called “Give yourself a present!” challenge.

Check out my photos first, then I’ll describe more about it.





“You have everything you need right now to be vibrant, happy and fully engaged in the creative process of life. Sometimes you just have to slow down, look around and realize it!”

These are the wise words from Stacy Julian who started Simple Scrapbooks magazine. I had never heard of her until I picked up her book “Big Picture Scrapbooking” and WOOT what a book it is! It honestly changed my way of thinking about scrapbooking and I love it when someone can give me a new perspective. I could go on about that, but I’ll save that for another time.

Earlier this month, Stacy posted this challenge to her blog and asked others to join her in the fun. Collectively they created a blog blitz by everyone doing the same thing at the same time. Okay, maybe I’m a little late to the party, I just hope it’s considered fashionably late! So do you want to come to the party too?

Here’s what you need to do (as per the fabulous Miss Stacy):
• Take ten or twelve photos of your life right now. Or find recent photos that you’ve already taken. (That’s what I did for my recent trip to San Fran.)
• Compile these photos in an album.
• Keep or carry this album with you, tucked in your purse or desk drawer for one full year.
• Promise to glance through the album every time you stumble upon it or pull it out.
• On October 1st, 2009, create a scrapbook page about your experience.

I have to admit that I was inspired by Stacy as I was taking photographs in San Francisco. I tried to take photos that may not turn out to be keepers to hang on the wall (or even scrapbook) but I wanted to take photos that would remind me of the experience and help me appreciate my vacation time. I took photos of food we ate, buildings that I found interesting and even photos of things that reminded me of the people I loved back home (or as our tour guide described, “the people you love but not quite enough to bring on vacation with you” ha!)

So if you’re up for this challenge, take photos of the big things you appreciate in your life right now – your pet, your children, your friends. Remember the things you use regularly that you might not think about until they were gone. What is your favourite gadget, recipe, shoes, or afternoon snack?

Take this moment to slow down and think about all you have in your life.

What would you do with $22,100?

Thanks to Mary and Sandra for putting on the BC Crop for Kids. Because of their efforts and the 180 women who attended the crop, we raised $22,100 to donate to the BC Children's Hospital. 

The crop was at the Ramada Plaza Conference Centre in Abbotsford. There were classes all weekend and the money for class registrations was donated to the charity. I learned a few new things in the classes I took which was great. I also was a wall flower for the class by Nadene and Karen, two fellow Close To My Heart consultants. I was so excited to see how they teach and to support them.

In addition to the classes, I got lots of work done. I decided to focus on projects from 2008. I brought pictures for 10 events that have happened this year so far and I got 4 done. That's really good for me, considering I even had time to nap on Saturday. I was so tired!

Here are my pages.

In case you're interested, the BC Crop For Kids is happening again next year. Mark your calendar for:

October 23-25, 2009

Ramada Plaza Conference Centre

Abbotsford, BC (again)

www.bccropforkids.ca

Crafty Retreats - Christmas in July

This past July was the first retreat I’ve organized! It was a Christmas in July theme and it was a blast. Scrapbookers came to Lougheed Lodge to work on a variety of projects. We even had someone who completed her first layout ever!! It was a very happy moment!

The weekend was filled with surprises and treats along the way. It started when the overnighters woke up on Saturday morning (Christmas Day) and found Santa had come to visit during the night! There were gifts under the tree for everyone.

Here are a few early morning scrapbookers checking out what Santa had left in their goodie bags.

Without wasting much time, everyone got into their projects as well as a few make and takes that got the creative juices flowing. Everyone was in deep concentration doing the make and takes!

The day progressed quickly and after dinner there was a short break from the scrapbooking for a mini-spa treatment from Linda at PartyLite. It was a late night for most of the group with another interlude as Diane pointed out, as though it was from a credit card commercial:

1:22am + 6 scrapbookers + 1 card = Priceless

(sorry the picture is blurry, but you get the point!)

The next day was our “Boxing Day” and there were bargains galore! Thanks to Diane for contributing so much to make this an extra special weekend, including the prizes for our “Pass the Hat” game with the Santa hat! It was a fun weekend. Thanks to everyone for coming out! Keep making it crafty!

It's time for babies...
Is it just me or are there a lot of babies born this year? Well, in case you need some inspiration, here are a few things I've done for mothers-to-be, or mothers who have just become a proud parent. The first two are two versions of cards I've created. You'll notice they have a similar layout which just shows how you can take the same layout and create a very different look!


And this is a baby canvas below. I was inspired by Anne S. who gave me the idea. I love this because it's such a personal gift for a new parent and they can attach any photo they want of their new family! You can't see it from this picture but I even put some liquid glue on the soother in the bottom right corner to make it look a little more real. I gave this to a friend of mine and it was a big hit!

Something Special for Dad
I had the pleasure of teaching a Father's Day folio album in Richmond with a group of ladies. I had a lot of fun teaching this class. They were such a great group! It seems like all the dads were at the playground with the kids while the ladies got together to do the class. What a great idea!

The folio class used the Close To My Heart paper pack called Rustic Trail. We perfected techniques like sponge daubing, distressing and stamping. Plus, each page has a pocket for a tag that can be used for journaling or photos. You could even put quotes of things that your child has said to you. This album is a great way to write it down and preserve that memory. It was an intense class and they all got through it with smiles on their faces. By the end they had a fabulous folio album to take home!

Reaching new heights!
I had the wonderful opportunity to join 52 other ladies in Whistler, BC on Friday, May 2nd. It was a whirlwind trip for me, driving up the Sea To Sky Highway after work. The ladies I met were fantastic and some were experiencing their first scrapbooking retreat. I love meeting scrapbook virgins! They are so much fun!

I taught a make and take class that focused on sanding and stamping to make a scrapbook border. It was a great hit! Some ladies even knew what they were going to use the border for already!
But I also showed another option for the card makers in the audience. Here I used one border to make two cards just by cutting the border in half.



Here's a pic of me by my brand new display board. I just finished it in time for the retreat, phewph! It shows what you start with in a paper pack (level one or two) and a small sampling of what you finish with once you use the paper in the paper pack.


It was great to meet all of you. I had a blast!

Talk about Precious!
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Precious Memories retreat. OMG! Totally amazing. It was jam packed with five classes over the whole weekend, tons of games and lots of make & takes.

The entire ballroom was filled with Hawaiian decorations - the theme of the weekend. It was amazing to see everyone get into it. Some of the costumes were tremendous! Making Memories had two fabulous representatives who gave us a sneak peak of a new product coming out this summer called Slice. Imagine the cricut but more portable and smaller! You're bound to love it. There was also a Deal or No Deal Game show hosted by Making Memories where the grand prize was a tote full of Making Memories products. Sadly, I didn't win it :(

One of the more memorable classes for me was by A Muse and the instructor was Julie Ebersole. She is such a cutie patootie! Julie was kind enough to pose for a photo with me.

Some of my friends think Julie and I are kindred spirits because of the stamp she designed that says "Celebrate your inner princess," which we used in the class to make a card. Check it out!

You should also visit Julie's blog to see all of her amazing work. She is just something else, let me tell ya!

Hatzic Retreat Card and Layout

This weekend I went to Hatzic Lake for a scrapbooking retreat. I had a blast meeting new scrapbookers. I was only there for a half day to teach a make and take. What do you think?


Plus, in preparation for the retreat I created a sample layout using the Close To My Heart paper called Silhouette Creative Basics. I thought I'd try out the Simple Contrast layout from the Cherish Book. It took no time at all, I love it when scrapbooking is so easy!

Let the cards do the talking...

I don't have much to say, but here are a few cards I've been doing lately. I hope it provides some inspiration for you!

The first two are done with the Caprice paper from Close To My Heart. Love that paper!!


I love these colours on the left side. I made that paper by stamping different colours on white cardstock then adding the navy blue strip down the centre.


This last card was done at a Stampin' UP Party I went to this week. I like how it's such a simple card with such a classic look. It was designed by Susan Farrant. She also has a blog. Thanks for a great party Susan!

Heart Month
It's February and you know what that means, it's heart month - both for the heart and stroke foundation and for Valentine's Day. It's a good time to tell people you care. In case that person is a guy or you just aren't big on flowery hearts and love all over a card (there is Hallmark for that kind of cheese, right?), here's a card to get your ideas flowing. It's got four hearts I'll admit, but I think the "wow" factor is that it's a little unusual being on acetate. I put it on a blue/turquoise pillow so the acetate shows through. What do you think?

Tidbits
I went to a scrapbooking open house this weekend out in White Rock. There were lots of women and several demonstrations. One of the best parts was seeing a demo on the many many ways you can use a card kit. Thanks for all the great ideas Carrie! She was brilliant with using scraps to make goody bags, add to scrapbook layouts and a mini flip album. Plus, I made a few projects too. Take a look below at some of the fun things. Isn't the lollipop a great idea?

Wedding bells are ringing

It seems I'm surrounded with people getting married or talking about their weddings. Often there is a lot of stress about scrapbooking wedding photos and getting your album perfect and ready for others to see. Some are even so ambitious that they end up promising albums for in-laws or other family members! It can be quite intimidating sorting through all those photos from the big day.

I thought I'd share a few thoughts and try to relieve a little stress if I can. First of all, when it comes to the day itself (if you're a bride-to-be), there are some fun little projects that you and your girlfriends can do before your wedding. Take a look at this picture below (sorry the first one is blurry, I swear it's from bad lighting, not how many drinks I had). It's the letters "L" "O" "V" "E" in white ink on rocks. You can do this with white or black ink, usually stayz-on permanent ink is the best. The photo below that is the same concept but on rocks as place settings for everyone. Look for the rock that says "bride" next to the star fish.

(photo above by Chris Boar)

For those of you who are already married and are ambitious enough to attack your own wedding album I have a few suggestions that might help you know where to start. It can be so overwhelming.
1) Start by selecting the "must have" photos. Remember you have maybe hundreds of photos of the day, but your scrapbook album should have only your favourites.

2) Decide how you want to organize the photos in your album. For example, do you want sections dividing each part of the day?
Bride getting ready
Groom getting ready
The ceremony
The wedding party
The dinner
First dance
Throwing the bouquet and garter
The real party

3) Organize your photos for each section. This step will be more important if you have limited space, like if you only want to do a certain number of pages because it's a gift for the in-laws and well, you don't really like them that much...yet. Doing a 9" by 9" album will change things significantly versus doing a 12" by 12". I usually recommend the 9" by 9" as a gift and saving the bigger one for yourself.

4) Start scrapbooking! I could get into more OCD details here, but this is really the creative part and everyone is different. It depends how you like to look. At this point you might want to find ideas. I often will look through the Close To My Heart Idea Book for inspiration, or even Becky Higgins' sketches, these are great resources to have! Some people like to sketch out what they are going to do before they do it, others can just go with the flow. The important thing is to do what you are most comfortable with. I would recommend trying to do a section at a time. You'll start to see some progress and you'll more than likely feed off of that satisfaction and won't get so discouraged easily. This is a big project so be proud of what you do accomplish!

Email me if you're working on something like this or have other ideas. I'd love to hear from you.

A new year calls for roundups
As I start 2008 refreshed and ready for lots of scrapbooking, I remembered that almost two years ago I found a fantastic suggestion from a fellow scrapbooker's blog. I thought that since this is my first post for the year, it would be a fantastic time to share that with you.

Katie, the scrapbook lady (no really, that's what she calls herself) developed this idea of a monthly roundup. The idea is that it's a summary of all the main events that happened in the last 30 days so that if you don't have the chance to scrapbook that month immediately, you have all the key events and milestones recorded so you can go back to it at a later time. Isn't that fantastic? I love the idea of taking stock of what's happened, especially since I have a horrible memory!

What I'd like to do is share with you my version of the roundup. I've taken the questions from Katie, the scrapbook lady, and adapted them slightly. Thanks for the inspiration Katie! Here are my questions:

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

What old/new music did I listen to this month?

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?

What gifts did I give and/or receive?

Who did I spend time with and how?

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

What were this month’s disappointments?

What were my accomplishments this month?

Anything else noteworthy to record?