A Time to Reorganize

I am being held up by what I least like to do,....reorganize. In the last year, I have been investing in die cuts, stamps, Copics and ribbons. However, I have not adjusted my crafting space in years to accomodate the dramatic changes to what I do with all of my paper driven craft projects. I have 5 different die cutters, several different types of die cuts and so many different types of stamps. And, everything has been in separate places. My ribbons are out of control. And, it is getting too complicating to find what I need. Hence, my neglected blog.

It is painful, to be held up from what I most want to do. But, in the long term, it will be greatly beneficial. Please stay tuned to my blog. For the next few months, I will share my Scrapbook Challenges sketches weekly and some before and after pictures for organizing my scraproom. Once the room is complete, I will continue the Scrapbook Challenges sketches; but, also, start some fun technique tips. I, also, wish to resume the Scripture Sunday entries.

Congrats Cher! I have a prize ready to send to you. Sorry for the delay in the announcement. Please contact me so that I may get your mailing address.
Cheryl Kosakura said...
Happy Birthday and congrats to the winner.
I would love to see some fun stuff done with ribbon.
-Cher

January 15, 2011 10:02 PM


Scrapbook Challenges Sketch 238:

I used a great variety of manufacturer products on this layout. The base is classic design by CherryArte that I have been holding onto for a formal page. The red punched border paper is from Fancy Pants and the two graph papers are from my January ScrapRoom kit using Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934. Please contact me if there is an embellishment that you want to know more about; but, I know that there are some Maya Road, Prima, Making Memories and Kaisercraft pieces:

Don't Take it Personally...

Using Sketch Challenges #237, for a Double Page Spread.


I really wanted the pictures and title to take center stage. The title came from one of Kurt's Nike T-shirts. The few added embellishments and papers are Little Yellow Bicycle, Generation X. It's a boy thing!

Have a lovely day!!

Just Me,...& a little bit of good news

Anybody want to guess how long ago this picture of me above was taken? Me neither. :) But, I am, truly, thankful today to make it to the age of 47. Twenty years ago, it was never expected that I would live this long. After miraculously surviving a life threatening accident in 1985, experts gave me a life expectancy to my mid forties. So, here I am in awe of the one above who gives me continuous opportunities to grow in His likeness in spite of myself, and my numerous shortcomings.

I thought this elementary school picture complimented the Bella Blvd line that came in the January 2011 Scrap Room Main kit ($21.95 for subscribers, and you can skip any month without any penalties):

As you can see, I used embellishments that were part of the Cosmo Cricket grouping. But, if you look close, you can see a little Flower Soft that I also added for texture, blending and dimension.


Do you like learning new techniques? If so, please definitely stay connected to my blog. I'm working on something that I'm really excited about that just might interest you technique enthusiasts like me!

I wanted to make sure that you were all tapped into a couple mojo makers. You saw The Scrap Room kit; but, they also have a fun and friendly site that is having a crop this weekend. Please join the forum and play along. I'm hosting a challenge at The Scrap Room to use Pamela Young's sketch #234. Can you see how I used it in the "Just Me" layout? I flipped the sketch upside down and journaled on the back. Here is one more close up:

The pink dotted Bella paper is a really cool graph design. It has a few crossword style, valentine type sentiments scattered in,...it's adorable.

You can find tons of inspiration at Pamela's Scrapbook Challenges site. I am so grateful for the opportunity to design with her sketches and all of the sweet ladies on the team, and on the boards. Thanks again for the hop.

Okay,....drumroll please....


Congrats Kim!
Kim said...
I'm a new follower:)
~Kim
http://crazyaboutscrapin.blogspot.com

You won The Scrap Room's January Doubleshot kit, compliments of the kit club owner, Tammy. If you send me your e-mail, she will send you this awesome kit (btw, $15 for subscribers):


I am so thankful for your time here. I wish that I could give you each a prize. However, since Tammy is so generously giving her gorgeous kit, I thought I would put a little something else together for one of the comments left from todays post. Please answer these questions; 'What techniques do you want to learn or and what techniques do you want to play with more? What types of projects would you use them in, (pages, cards, mini-albums or 3-D projects)?'
Here is the prize:

Good luck. And, be blessed. Also, thank you for so many birthday wishes. I'm overwhelmed with how many of my dear friends took the time out to wish me a happy birthday.

My brother, my friend

A couple things, today. First, my adorable boys above about six years ago are featured in my take this week for Scrapbook Challenges. I, again, paired my new Cosmo Cricket Togetherness Crafting kit from ~Cath, with a photo from The Picture People. Here is the sketch:


And here is my layout:

I reversed the sketch to accomodate my photograph, and used skinny ric rac ribbon for my border to minimize the verticle space needed for a little layering, my large photograph and the tags.

You can see the awesome work from the rest of the design team on the Scrapbook Challenges site.

Thank you for such an super hop this past weekend; and, thank you for so many lovely compliments. Welcome to my new followers. I hope to inspire you with upcoming layouts, cards, projects and tutorials.

I'll be back on Friday to link you to my weekend challenge using one of Pam's Scrapbook Challenges sketches for The Scrap Room's challenge weekend.

And, I'll announce the winner from the hop then too! Have a marvelous day!!

Did Someone Say Prizes?

Scrapbook Challenges is running a weekend blog hop to introduce this half of the years design team.

If you have just stopped in, please join us and start at Pamela Young's blog. If your hopping along and just left Amanda's blog, you have successfully reached your next stop at Janine's Scratch Pad! This is where I post my favorite scrappy creations.

I am a wife, a mother of two tween boys, a child of God, a student in life and love, a survivor and one who loves striving to be my best. I have lived in the Northeastern part of the United States most of my life. I enjoy the change of the seasons, beaches and lakes, plains and mountaintops. I am in many ways ecclectic. My husband tells me that I am an anomoly. I often do things that seem almost in contractiction to some foundations to my character. An example that you may relate to very well is that I can be extremely organized in some areas of the house and be delighted in total chaos in others, such as my scraproom. I am a creative scrapbooker, cardmaker and crafter who loves diversity in work and style. I love featuring new and innovative techniques and designs. My favorite product is paper and my favorite technique is finding fun ways to cut into it!

Our consistent theme for the hop is this sketch, (so I'm thinking that you've seen it a few times before, (wink wink) and a big (smile!):


I used my prize from Cath Edvalson's Moxie Fab Zipper Challenge, Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness Crafting Kit. When I saw the "I love you to the moon and back" border, I thought of the following pictures from The Picture People using the moon prop. I wanted to work the sketch with those pictures, the prize kit and wanted flourishes with moon and stars! The bottom borders are wavy cut with a Creative Memories trimmer with the pennant border hand cut at the bottom and weaved together. The bunnies are cut from the Elements sheet and attached with 3D adhesive's, (as are my punched stars). If you have any questions about what I did, please do not hesitate to ask in the comments below.


So, your probably thinking, "show me the prizes!"

1. For one person who leaves a comment on all the blogs in the hop, they will get the new Spring Market collection from Webster's Pages, including chipboard buttons and twine.


2. For one person who does a layout based on the sketch and posts in the HOP ON section, they will get the Be Mine collection from Echo Park Paper Company.


3. For inviting people to join the group, one person will get a collection of adhesive from Helmar.


4. For one new member over the weekend, some new stamps from Unity and Webster's Pages.

5. And you will find a 5th prize in the Hop On section! :)

6. For one commenter or follower on my blog, Janine's Scratch Pad, one person will get The Scrap Room's January 2011 Doubleshot kit with Fancy Pants and Sassafras. Do both, if you want to double your chances.


Now hop on to Shannon’s blog." I'll be joining you!

Have a marvelous day and enjoy the hop!! Be blessed!!

Happy New Year

I hope that 2010 was good for you, and that 2011 is even better!

2010 was a pretty good year for me of a papercrafting sort. It was really my first year to delve into making cards. Sure, I've maybe created 10 cards in my liftime before 2010, but I created enough in 2010 to do a top 10. This is good because it is another way to cut into all my paper. However, it is not so good that I have been compelled to build up a better arsenal of ribbons, stamps and other embellishments. I, also, took the plunge into Copic Markers. So, now for 2011, not only do I still want to increase my photography skills, I want to work on coloring and blending with markers.

A Scrappy Year in Review, (Top Tens):
Cards first:

A Pebbles Trio


February Scraptivity note card:


February Scraptivity wedding shower card:



Teresa Collins Celebrate, (TSR kit), birthday card:


Crate Paper Snow Day, (TSR kit), Many Thanks card:


Bo Bunny Olivia, (TSR kit), Follow your Dreams card:


Bo Bunny Olivia, (TSR kit and Our Daily Bread Designs stamp), Be Still card:


Lily Bee Catching Fall, (TSR kit), Birthday card:


Hello card with Scraptivity kit stamps:


Last, but far from least, my Moxie Fab winner zipper challenge card:


I do not think that I created ten 3D projects; but, this what I found:

Mom & Jason Wall Hanging with Webster's Pages and Scraptivity:


Fan from Graphic 45 paper, (Scraptivity kit):


Teacher gift with Crate Paper:


Kaisercraft Gypsy Sisters potted rose, (Scraptivity kit)


American Crafts Dear Lizzy gift grouping:


Baby Gift Decoupaged Letters, (Chatterbox and My Mind's Eye):


Gift Card Pockets with BoBunny Olivia & Making Memmories Fa La La with Little Yellow Bicycle stickers):










Masculine gift card with BoBunny Roughin It:


Last up, my favorite layouts. I do most of my journaling on lined paper that gets adhered to the back of each layout:

American Crafts Dear Lizzy:


Mostly Basic Grey Bittersweet and Sketches {by Tamara):


Little Yellow Bicycle and Sketches {by Tamara):


A Scraptivity kit layout with Graphic 45 and Webster's Pages:


A Sketch Challenge with Jillibean:


A Recipe Challenge with Sketches {by Tamara}:


The Paper Company Studios Boho Blooms from Scraptivity kit work:


BoBunny Roughin It:


Bella Blvd: One Fall Day, (TSR kit):


October Afternoon Seaside, (TSR kit):


It was a wonderful year with a few design assignments. I began the year with Scraptivity kits and Sketches {by Tamara}. Both were an awesome source of mojo. Scraptivity was fabulous as it featured new techniques each month. I would love to have this type of assignment again even if it was stressful with usually about five days to create 5 projects. Of course, I always love a good sketch and Tamara was very good with those.

I ended the year as a MOD Squad leader for October to December. It was incredibly fun coming up with challenges to feature Tammy's kits and encourage the members to use their kit contents. I am incredibly grateful to have had these super opportunities in 2010.

But, I do not know what 2011 will bring and I am still uncertain of my aspirations. Do I take time off to improve my skills, clean my scraproom and focus more on family and friends? Do I begin to step up my efforts to submit to Publication calls? Do I continue my quest for a manufacturer design team position? What are your papercrafting goals?