Monday, January 28, 2013

Project LIfe 2013, Week 3

Year Three, Week Three of Project Life, and yup, still love it! It is safe to say I am in love!!! I spent a large junk of the day today (around two hours) looking through all of my 2011 and 2012 albums and I am so thankful that I documented our story this way, the story of my little family. I still love traditional scrapbooking, and will never give that up, but I love being able to record all of the little stories that make us who we are, the events I would have otherwise forgotten, the funny sayings my kids say, the day/s Isabelle got stitches (my wild girl,) or the day Elliot brought home a slip saying he made the Honor Roll. A really bad sunburn, a funny expression, words that inspire me, what we are eating/ reading/ watching on television, games we are playing, a funny story my mom told me, a memory of my childhood; all of these things make it into Project Life, and I am so thankful for it. So. Incredibly. Thankful.

This Project Life week spans from January 14th through January 20th. Kind of a regular week around here with some weird weather that I just had to document. Usually North Carolina is fairly mild in the winter time, but during this week we reached a high of 70 degrees and a low of 30 degrees. I wore capri pants and a t-shirt one day for my daily walk with the dogs, and later in the week I had on a winter coat, hat, gloves, and scarf. Other pictures include; an everyday shot of my son Elliot playing WWE 2013 on the Nintendo Wii, lots of walking Isabelle to and from the bus stop with the dogs, some of Isabelle's math school work in a pocket, my favorite breakfast, and some of my son's drawings that I scanned down and printed to a much smaller size to fit into the Project Life plastics I wanted to use. He has really evolved into quite the little artist this past year. Luckily, his Middle School is a Magnet School for the Arts so he gets a lot of opportunities to experiment with all kinds of medium. This semester he is beginning painting and I cannot wait to see what he comes homes with.

Now onto the pictures:

Full Layout:

Full Layout with 5 x 7 Insert Front:


 Full Layout with 5 x7 Insert Back:


 Left Side:


 Left Side Close-Up:


 Another Close-Up:


Right Side:

Right Side with Insert:


Project Life is a scrapbooking system designed by Becky Higgins. I use a variety of products on my Project Life pages but my staples are the Becky Higgins Design A page protectors, the Studio Calico Project Life kit, and for this week I also used a Becky Higgins 5 by 7 inch vertical page protector.

Supplies Used:
  • Studio Calico Block Party Project Life Kit
  • Studio Calico digital elements-labels
  • Versamark Ink in Onyx Black
  • Ki Memories Flashback smile and days of the week washi tape (Archiver's)
  • Ki memories Flashback polaroid frames  (Archiver's)
  • Ki memories Flashback accessories sheet  (Archiver's)
  • Ali Edwards digital brushes-This Time and Your Love.
  • Dog shaped paper clip (Studio Calico)
  • Blue arrow paper clip (Target, dollar section)
  • Tiny attacher
  • Hero Arts wet cement shadow ink
  • American Crafts precision pen .01 tip
For you Project Lifers out there (or PL'ers) what fun items are you including on your pages, any fun pictures, inserts, or embellishments that you want to show me? I would love to see what you are using/ coming up with. Are you loving it, I sure hope so.

Also, don't forget to follow my blog. I am drawing a winner for a fabulous My Mind's Eye Collectable prize pack on Friday evening. I wish you all the best of luck. Here is a photo again of what I am giving away. Just follow my blog and if you win, I will mail it to you free of charge. :-)


Until next time, Happy Scrappin' my friends,

xoxox
Toni



The Mom Creative

Sunday, January 27, 2013

My Mind's Eye Collectable Giveaway

Hello fellow crafters,

I have an exciting giveaway planned for this week. I just love prizes, and since my birthday is on Saturday, I thought what better way to celebrate than to send a prize to one of my blog followers? I have loved seeing all of the new CHA goodies flooding the internet these past few weeks. One of my favorite new releases is the My Mind's Eye Notable collection. It is my very favorite of all of the new MME releases.


Without further ado, this is what you could win; A 6 x 6 paper pad, enamel dots, and labels. All you have to do is follow my blog, I will draw a winner on Friday evening and share the results next week.

Here is what you can expect to see on life, scrapbook, repeat later this week:
Project Life week 3 (Tuesday)
Layout share. (Wednesday)
Scrapbook Organization (Thursday)
Card Share (Friday)

What new releases are you excited about? Is there anything involving scrapbook organization that I could address on my blog in the coming weeks? I love to help, so please do not hesitate to ask.

Good Luck to all and Happy Scrappin'

xoxox
Toni


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Layout Share: Biggest Dog Girl There Is

My daughter Isabelle absolutely adores animals, especially dogs. Our family is blessed to have two fabulous canine companions: Daisy ( a nine year old rescue lab mix) and Elizabeth ( a 5 year old Pekingese.) These dogs could not be any more loved. The little one sleeps with my daughter every night and they both walk her to and from the bus everyday. It is very mutual adoration on both parties. this is not the first layout I have made of my little one with the dogs, I think it might be my fourth actually, but it is so her, and this one is my favorite.




Supplies Used:
  • Studio Calico Block Party Scrapbook Kit
  • Green embroidery floss and needle
  • White shipping tag
  • American Crafts adhesive
  • Black American Crafts precision pen .01
  • American Crafts foam dots
  • Versamark ink in Onyx Black
What have you been creating lately? Anyone else experimenting with circles? Anyone else starting to think about making Valentine's Day cards? I have seen so many great ones lately, I have no idea what I will do. Probably something simple with doilies, hearts, and pretty paper, but you never know with me. I could end up with black cards-well, probably not that, but you get the idea. Have a great weekend! Happy Scrappin.'

xoxox
Toni


Crafty Organization Thursdays: Part I (Preview Edition)

One of my favorite things to do in the world is to organize. Yes, I am weird. Scrapbook supplies to me are the funnest, prettiest, most special, and lovely things that I have / will ever see. I just love this hobby, this lifestyle of crafting, creating, and memory keeping. Since I love organizing and scrapbooking, scrapbook organization is so up my alley and something that I simply adore to do.

The new year always gets me super excited to clean, organize, and purge unwanted belongings. Recently, I have had many opportunities to do just that because my family and I moved to our new home last month. Although my Scrapbook studio is still not completed, I wanted to share with you some organizational ideas to get your year started off right.
*Disclaimer I am not a professional organizer or an always neat crafter, but when I am done with a project (or often times) many projects I have a bunch of systems that work 
for me and keep my space looking clean, fun, and motivational.

I believe the most important thing to consider when organizing your scrapbook space, whether it be a portable space going from a closet to the dining room table and back again, an office, a shed, a space in the family room, or your own studio, the most important thing is to organize your supplies in a way that makes sense to your scrapbooking process. Do not just type in scrapbook organization on *Pinterest and duplicate the first few things you see and automatically assume that will work best for you. Really think about it. Take either visual or mental notes of how you create for at least a month (if you create consistently) and notice things such as; what do you do first? how do you look for your supplies-by color, manufacturer, type? What supplies do you use most often? Remember, there are no rights or wrongs here. Everyone is a unique individual so it makes sense that we would all create in a different way doesn't it?
*All of that being said, I adore Pinterest. Such a great site full of so many fabulous ideas 
in one place, my kind of place to hang out. 

Shimelle Laine aka Glitter Girl (sorry to ruin the surprise if you did not already know ;-) has so many fabulous videos that continually inspire me. You can find her on the Two Peas in a Bucket website, where every Wednesday she updates with a new Glitter Girl Scrapbooking Adventure. The last video of 2012 touched on some of the aforementioned organizational ideas- she also firmly believes that you should create using your own scrapbooking process as your guide. Here is a link to that video HERE. She also has her own blog where she shares all kinds of scrapbooking products and even more videos and you can find that HERE.

For my first installment of Scrapbook Organization Thursday (Preview Edition, ) I want to start with one specific zone in my scrapbook studio. I warn you, none of this is never-before-seen-stuff, but it is what works for me: Clean, organized storage that I can enjoy looking at without it looking too crazy when not in use. My organizational supplies are as follows; a basic JetMax white storage cubby for the wall, a curtain rod-turned punch holder below.
* My JetMax cubby was purchased at Michael's with a 50% off coupon
and my curtain rod is from Target. 


From top to bottom: 

Top shelf: Extra inks and sprays, stamp cleaner and brush, favorite confetti punch, and extra wood veneer that were too big to fit in my plastic containers.

Second shelf from top: Plastic containers filled with wood veneer. The clear plastic containers that all of the wood veneer pieces are organized in are also from Michael's originally, but they are super old and I don't know if they carry them anymore. They were sold in the six pack and located adjacent to the JetMax cubes. I need to get a better close-up of the containers, but in the mean time, I sort all of my Studio Calico wood veneer by type into each plastic container and then use Glossy Accents to adhere one veneer to the outside. That way even if all of the veneer are laying flat in any random container, I can still tell what type is in each container by just looking at the side of the container. Hopefully that made sense. You could use Mason Jars, any other bell type jar, or really anything to store smaller like-item embellishments in this manner. They don't have to be on a wall cubby either, I have seen many similar systems stored in tiered racks or on bookcases, or just out on a table. Whatever works for you and makes sense to your creative process is great.

Third shelf: Zing embossing powder and my trusty ol' Creative Memories Square Punch, do any of you still have one? I still think it is awesome.

Fourth Shelf: Studio Calico Mister Huey

Fifth Shelf: American Crafts Glitter Ribbon and more wood veneer in the same plastic containers.



And a close-up of my three favorites (well those three and enamel dots) Ooooh, ahhhh, oooh, aaaahhh!

FYI:  I just "might (cough, cough) be hosting another giveaway next week for blog followers and if so this is what I would be giving away (cough, cough.") Are you following my blog yet? I will be hosting two giveaways a month, every month of 2013, as a way to say thank you to a hobby that I adore, as well as to say I just love you fellow crafters to many of the amazing scrapbookers I have met online.


Thank you so much for stopping by today. That is all I will share with you organization-wise for today, but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Also if you have any organization ideas or links you want me to check out, or other scrapbook organization topics you would like me to cover, please post here, I would love to see what works for you, or what you have your eye on . I looooooovveee scrapbook organization, can you tell?

Happy Scrappin'

xoxox
Toni




Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Project LIfe 2013: Week 2

I just love this. As I get ready to start my third week of my third year of Project Life, I just love it a little bit more each and every day. For 2013, I have found that I enjoy being one week behind with Project Life. What? That sounds really weird doesn't it? I guess I should explain that statement a little bit better.  Last year I spent the majority of 2012 putting my layout together on Sunday evening, (my layouts go Monday-Sunday.) I loved getting it done so swiftly, but sometimes it was really hard to pick photos, edit, etc...and put together in one day, the last day of my week. Now I am giving myself a week to edit photos, complete a layout, photograph it, and blog it. This has really taken the pressure off and allowed me to organize all of my photos in a very simple and efficient way. I think the key to make Project Life successful is to do anything to take the pressure off.

This Project Life spread covers the week of January 7- January 13th. A regular week here, homework, 2 basketball games, and me being sick and watching movies and getting some extra sleep. Also, some more work in the new scrapbook studio, play time, laundry, crafting supplies, and lots of walking the dogs.

Without further ado, on to week two:

Full Layout

Left Side


Close up-just love those photos


Right Side



I have linked up to The Mom Creative, please click the image below for more Project Life inspiration. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
The Mom Creative

Products used:

  • Studio Calico Block Party Project Life Kit, Main Kit, and Card Kit
  • Ali Edwards digital brushes in Game Time, So Totally Happy, This Time, Moving Forward, and This Day This Month.
  • White shipping tags
  • Amy Tangerine date stamp, American Crafts valentine's date stamp, and Becky Higgins Date Stamp
  • Tiny Attacher
  • Dog shaped paper clip
  • KI Memories Smile washi tape
  • KI Memories Days of the Week washi tape
  • Red and tan twine (My Mind's Eye)


***Giveaway Winner***

Thank you for all that entered. I hope to see you here in the future for lots of scrapbooking, crafting, and organization fun. Congratulations Lisa Scraps, you were the randomly selected winner of the American Crafts date stamp. Please e-mail me your address at lifescrapbookrepeat@gmail.com and I will be happy to mail that out to you.

When do you put your Project Life weeks together? What works best for you-are you a little bit each day kind of gal, or more of a one long cram session kind of gal? I would love to know.



Thank you for stopping by my blog today and Happy Scrappin!

xoxox
Toni


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Layout Share: Feel the Magic

Did I ever tell you that I was featured on the Studio Calico blog??? Yup that totally happened. I opened up my e-mail one morning and was super surprised to see an e-mail from Nicole Harper. Don't know if you know this, but I have a huge scrap crush on her. We met at CKC Charlotte last summer,

I need to just take a minute and let that soak in again.....she is super nice and very friendly and her daughter is adorable and such a sweet little lady.

I digress....so I got an e-mail from Nicole asking me if I wanted to create a layout using their Sunday sketch? I shrieked outloud and took maybe 10 seconds to respond, (that is, after I freaked out for 2 minutes and re-read the e-mail like twenty times.) Then about four days later or so I e-mailed my layout pictures to Nicole and then it magically appeared on the Studio Calico blog the following Sunday(12/16/2012.) The Studio Calico link will take you to the original blog post with my layout thoughts if you would like to read it.

Without further ado, the layout: (please excuse the bad night-time photograph)





Supplies Used:

  • Studio Calico 34th Street kit
  • Studio Calico December Daily kit
  • American Crafts silver glitter tape
  • Rhinestones
  • Mister Huey in opaque white, gold, and blizzard
  • Red glitter letter thickers
  • Tiny attacher


Giveaway

There is still time to enter the giveaway for a free Valentine's Day date stamp by American Crafts. All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment here letting me know that you did so. I will be selecting one random winner on Friday night and post the results next week. Good Luck!

Thank you for stopping by & Happy Scrappin',

xoxox,
Toni

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Card Share: Miss You, Friend

I have one card to share with you today. It is one of my favorites and I can't seem to give it away, I guess because I like it so much. Has that ever happened to you? Generally I give away my cards, but this one is extra special to me. It was featured on the Studio Calico blog under the videos for Scrapbook Member Picks using the Roller Rink kit. The funny thing is that it was up there for a month or two without me even realizing it, but either way, it was a fun surprise last fall.

Without further ado, the card:


This card was super simple to make, and I often used scraps of paper in my card making. It seems to be the best way to use up supplies. It is an A2 card (5 1/2 inches x 4 1/4 inches) with a white cardstock background. The front of the card was created using scraps of the 6 x 6 inch paper pad that comes with the Studio Calico card kit. I also used the stamp for that month and the exclusive enamel dots, maybe that's why I can't get rid of the card? I love those dots so much.

Supplies Used:
Studio Calico Roller Rink card kit
Versafine Ink in onyx black
White cardstock-American Crafts

What have you been creating lately? Anyone else obsessed with enamel dots. I have been following Winter CHA really closely and I am so excited that a lot of companies are jumping on the enamel dot band wagon, and My Mind's Eye also has a bunch more new and lovely colors coming out. I think I will order at least 10 packages of a variety of colors ( I mean I only have 10 or so left right now, and I have to keep a variety on hand, LOL.)

Giveaway

Also, don't forget to follow my blog and leave a comment here telling me that you did so, I am drawing a winner for a giveaway on Friday (I mentioned it in yesterday's post.) I am giving away an American Crafts Valentine's Day date stamp to a blog follower that leaves a comment. So don't forget to enter.

Have a great Wednesday and Happy Scrappin'

xoxox
Toni

Monday, January 14, 2013

Blog Goals, Project LIfe 2013, and a Giveaway!

It is hard to believe that it is already 2013, and yes we survived the end of the world, per the Mayan calendar. I don't know about you, but towards the end of the year I quickly wondered if that might be the case, and then I took a deep breath of air, laughed, and just went about my day.

My blog has been severely neglected since mid-November, and I apologize, but I am changing that starting today. You might be asking yourself what has been going on over here in beautiful North Carolina the past two months? Well, I will tell you, and hopefully you want to know, right?  :-) First of all we moved. We bought our dream home and spent most of November packing, negotiating house prices, shuffling around our closing date three times (yes three, sigh,) Thanksgiving, and just life in general. We had so much to pack, and the month just flew by. The first half of December was a whirlwind of holiday choir concerts, packing, moving, packing, moving, packing, cleaning, returning keys, cleaning out our storage unit, cleaning, more packing, and finally a Christmas tree. Then everything was finally in our new house in Rollesville, NC (just 10 miles from our rental townhome in Raleigh.) We unpacked, started to take a breath, and then crash, my hubby totaled our van. He is fine, thank God, but the van is gone and now we are a one car family (at least for the time being.) The same evening the van died (may she rest in peace, ) my parents, nephew, and cousin arrived from Washington State to stay for two weeks. Thank goodness for airport shuttles and family that is totally okay with your house being only partially unpacked. Our family was here, the holidays were wonderful, then poof they were gone. About two days after Christmas I caught a cold and it will not go away, but I believe I am FINALLY on the tail end, but do not judge me because my Christmas decorations are still in boxes in our living room. Anyone else still have theirs in the house? Kind of a long paragraph, but not to bad for 7 weeks of information if I do say so myself.  :-)

Before I get on to Project Life, I have some goals for my blog for the year that I would like to share them with you.

Blog Goals

1. Add a link to my Instagram feed to the blog
2. Giveaways (on average) 1 tie
3. Blog followers up to 200 people
2. Open a Facebook account just for this blog
3. Link the blog Facebook account here
4. Open up a Twitter account
5. Link the Twitter account here
6. Customize the blog and jazz it up a bit :-)
7. Add a personal signature
8. Update regularly with new blog posts 4 times a week, every week.
  • Project Life
  • Traditional scrapbook layout
  • Organization (scrapbooking or otherwise)
  • Another project (could be another layout, cards, crafting, home decor, but on that idea)
9. Link up blog e-mail
10. Link my pinterest account to the blog.
*I plan on checking in with y'all bi-monthly to see how I am coming along on my blog goals.

Now on to Project Life, without further ado: 

Title Page


Week One (January 1- January 6, 2013)


Left Side





 Right Side



Supplies Used:

All of the cards and most of the embellishments are from the first-ever Studio Calico Project Life kit! It is so great and I just loved working with it. Here is a close up of all of the greatness that comes in this one little kit.


I am really loving stamping a lot lately, so much fun to play around with them and be creative. I also used a lot of digital brushes. Most of the phrases were Ali Edwards digital brushes and some words I typed in using American Typewriter font. I did a ton of stamping on these spreads, using largely the Studio Calico Project Life Stamp set, card kit stamp set, and the main kit stamp set. I also used the Noah outline stamp set sold by Studio Calico and a food stamp set also by Studio Calico.

Now on to the Giveaway!

I am giving away one American Crafts Valentine Dates stamp to a blog follower, to enter, please follow the blog and leave a comment here letting me know you did so. I will draw one random winner on Friday evening (or more likely one of my kids will, ) and I will post the winner next week. **I will ship anywhere**


Happy Tuesday and thank you for stopping by.

xoxox
Toni