Remember Me?

It's been a long, long while, but what can I say...I've been SCRAPPING!! I've got to face it: writing is a hobby, scrapping is a passion. I've got to follow my heart.

You know I'm a big fan of sketches. For me, they're one of the best ways to get albums completed quickly and beautifully. So, I've been keenly following several blogs for interesting sketches. This month, I noticed a fab sketch (and challenge) on the Purple Pumpkin blog and tried my hand at it!

This is the sketch:

This is my take on it:



I'm pretty loyal to the overall design, but as usual, just following a plan isn't as easy as it's cracked up to be. I had a terrible time wrangling my Silhouette. The shape design feature not longer includes circles (kind of wishing I hadn't installed that last update...) and as usual, it didn't cut all the way through the cardstock. Not a problem on the oval, but I did spend quite a bit of time using my Xacto knife to cut the title.

I used many older products on this page; things that have been waiting in my stash for years. You might recognize the patterned paper as something that was popular in the early part of this century, but I was delighted how it mimics the wall H is leaning against and even has the same colours! It was obvious I had to go with a light blue/green/dark blue colour scheme, even though when I originally looked at the photo, I thought a cream/blue/red colour scheme would work well.

The monogram letters are also an older product. I remember buying them at a scrapbook club when H wasn't even a year old yet. And even though the purple stands out a bit too much, the blue and green letters seemed to be a perfect fit with the papers and the sketch.

The dinosaur assortment, in lieu of flowers, isn't quite as old. You may recognize these embellishment's from the Abbey Road collection from My Mind's Eye. They fit a boy's page better than flowers and support the journaling--which is about my son playing with his dinosaurs.

I'm very happy with how this page has come together. It's a great addition to my 2009 album.

Thanks for putting out the challenge, Purple Pumpkin!

Keep It Simple

Things have been hectic lately and my scrapping projects have been sitting on the back burner. Now that things have calmed down a bit, I look at my pile of "things to scrap" and feel a little overwhelmed. I know I'll never be "caught up", but I don't like this sinking feeling of falling further behind.

That's when I remind myself to keep it simple.

I have tons of sketches, websites and even kits to turn to for inspiration and fast assembly.

One of the easiest ways to get pages done, is to turn to what you've done before.

I always try to have my son's "school days" scrapbook pages completed before the next school year starts, but now with two boys in school, I'm finding it difficult to keep up. When it came time to scrapbook their school portraits pages, I knew what I wanted to do for one, but was having trouble coming up with an idea for the other.That's when my favourite mantra, "Keep it simple", popped into my head. These pages were going into two different albums, they weren't going to be side-by-side, so why not use the same layout for both pages? Voila! Problem solved.

And I'm very happy with the results. These pages were quick to assemble, look sharp and are great additions to both boys albums.

Another way to keep it simple is to maximize the use of sketches. For years I've been using sketches. They are one of the greatest tools in my scrapping toolbox. Whether I'm following them exactly, doing my own variation or simply as an inspirational starting point, sketches have influenced a huge number of my completed pages. But with so many takes on sketches, why was I using a sketch only once then moving on to the next one?

It wasn't until I purchased a copy of Becky Fleck's Pagemaps that it sunk in that I could use these pagemaps over and over--really, the variations are infinite!

So, when I was ready to scrap the photos from my son's second birthday and was feeling a little uninspired, I flipped through my albums looking for pages with a similar number of photos. That's when I came across this layout based on a Becky Fleck pagemap:

I remembered putting this page together a year or so before and I liked how the photos were grouped together and the side bars of patterned paper. I knew the birthday layout was going to be very colourful and energetic and I thought the sidebars would frame the photos well.

The result looks very different from the original layout, and even more so from the original sketch, but the page turned out well and came together very quickly once I decided to follow the previous layout.

Keeping things simple when creating my scrapbook pages always yields great results!

Say What?

We all know a picture is worth a thousand words. That is until you forget where you were, when it was or even who is in the picture. For the scrapbooker, forgetting the details of your photos poses an acute problem and I've witnessed scrappers spending hours trying to sort and organize photos they can no longer remember the story behind.

At the same time, many scrapbookers don't see the value in journaling on their pages. Some say they're intimidated by journaling, others that they just don't have anything to say. But I say, once you think about the reason you're scrapping those photos in the first place what you should journal is obvious: it's the thing you find special.

Whether it's a single sentence, a few lines or an entire typewritten page, the stories behind your photos will convey the meaning of those photos to those lucky viewers of your albums.

Asking yourself "W5H" is a great way to get journaling started:
* Who is in the photos? Who took the photo? Who is missing from the photo?
* What are the photos of? (An occasion? A tradition? An activity?) What does the photo show or hide?
* Where were the photos taken? What is the significance of the place or objects in the photo?
* Why these photos? (i.e Why the one close up of the bouquet instead of a the bride holding it?) Why not other photos?
* When were the photos taken? When was the journaling done? When in your life, or the subject's life was the photo taken?
* How does the photo make you feel? How well does the photo capture the moment? How often do you think of or look at the photo or the subject?

If you answer one or two of these questions, or similar ones, you're well on your way to telling the stories behind your photos.

Whatever you decide to include in your journaling, there are a few things every page should have: a date and identification. Even if it's something as vague as "Spring 2011", dating your pages will put your page in a timeline context, and for the chronological scrapbooker, will make ordering your pages easier. Identifying your subjects may seem repetitive and unnecessary (after all you're not going to forget who your children or your parents are) but I've seen lots of people forget which baby it was in a particular photo or the names of their grandparents. If you have that information, even if it seems irrelevant, include it for the people who may not know your subjects as well as you do.

And if you're still not sure whether journaling is for you, remember this:
"And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."
~Sylvia Plath

Tried and True

Clearly, I'm a fan of sketches. But even using those can be a burdensome drain on my sensibilities when I'm scrapping late at night or in a rush to get pages done. Looking over my albums, I find there's one tried and true layout I come back to again and again when I want a simple photo-focused page: the gap grid.

Quite simply, this layout is a grid of multiple photos, in the same or various sizes, with a 1/4" gap between the pictures. I usually use an over sized mat to accommodate all the photos and sometimes the title.

I discovered this layout early on and have used it repeatedly because of the sleek, uncluttered look as well as the fairly short time it takes to assemble the page. It works for single and double page layouts and is a great way to keep the photos the centre of attention.


My first page using a gap grid. The gaps and colour scheme make the photos pop off the page.



Inspired by a layout I saw in SBE, this small gap grid keeps the photos the focal point against the busy background.



With whimsical florals and stitching details, the strong geometrics of this gap grid add a masculine balance to the page. The impact of a large block among the rounded elements is softened by a popped-up floral title which covers some of the negative space between the subjects of the photos.



Photos are the star of this simple, quickly assembled page. The mismatched title tiles match the playful theme of the page and journaling along the perimeter of the grid completes the story.

If you're looking to try something new or are looking to put together a big-impact page in a short amount of time, try the gap grid!

An Eggcellent Idea!

12" x 12" double page layout based on a Pagemap.

One of the things I most appreciate about the scrapping community is its enthusiasim and generosity when it comes to sharing knowledge. Wherever you turn (magazines, books, classes or other croppers) there are always tips and tricks being shared. With this in mind, here is my first blog about actually making something: stamped Easter eggs.

I would like to take credit for the idea behind this simple embellishment because I thought it up all by myself while pondering what to do with the stack of new stamps and inks I'd just purchased, however, I know someone, somewhere, before me, has done something similiar, if not identical. So, while this technique is entirely new to me and I feel very clever for working it out, if you've seen it somewhere before, please just smile and shake your head.

Stamped Easter Egg Embellishment

YOU WILL NEED:
paper (I used white cardstock)
stamps (I used Kelly Panacci border stamps)
ink (I used Tsukineko Dew Drops)
ribbon (I used Offray stitched grosgrain)
craft knife or hole punch

STEP ONE:
Draw an oval on the reverse side of the paper.

STEP TWO:
Turn your paper over and stamp images. I used border stamps to create stripes, but your egg will look great with any repeat pattern stamp.

STEP THREE:
When the ink is dry, cut out the egg following the lines of the oval drawn earlier.

STEP FOUR:
Ink the edges of the egg (on the stamped side) and admire your pretty egg while it dries.

STEP FIVE:

With a craft knife or hole punch, make 2 slits or holes at the top of the egg approximately 1/2 inch apart.

STEP SIX:

Slip the ribbon through the slits or holes, through the font, then turn over and slip the ribbon through the opposite slit or hole. Trim ribbon ends.



That's it! Use your lovely egg for embellishments on scrapbook layouts and cards. To create a journaling spot, leave the centre area of the egg clear when stamping.



4" x 5.5" card.



12" x 12" double page layout based on a Pagemap.

If you make your own Easter eggs, post a link to a picture of them!

Happy Scrapping!

Then and Now

Scrapbooking can be intimidating. Often when you see someone else's scrapbook, what you notice more than the cute pictures and funny stories is the artistry of the page and you imagine the person who created it has an amazing, innate talent. I'm a testament to the fact that's not always true. I'd even argue that it's rarely true.

As with any other art or craft, skill at scrapbooking develops over time. Early pages (and entire albums) are like first drafts where ideas, style and technique are being explored and developed. If you're like me, you may look back over your first projects with a mild embarrassment and a sense of "if I only knew then". But of course, that's the point: you didn't know then and it took you a bunch of pages to figure it all out.

My first scrapbook pages are rudimentary and awkward. There isn't much in terms of style going on and they're only distinguished from traditional photo albums by patterned paper and stickers.


My very first scrapbook page. I used purchased ribbon die cuts, but didn't realize until I photographed the page for this blog, that the die cuts are meant to fit together to create 3-dimensional bows.



My second scrapbook page. Notice the resemblance to a traditional photo album and the conspicuous absence of a title or journaling.

It wasn't very long after I first began scrapbooking that I met a Creative Memories consultant. Like many newbies, I thought Creative Memories was the answer to my prayers and giddily browsed the catalogue making a long wish list of things I desperately needed to transform into a "real" scrapbooker. It was also through Creative Memories that I first learned about scraplifting.

Now, I come from the publishing world where we call copying someone else's work plagiarism and it's a serious offence. Students are expelled from universities and writers are sued for copyright. But in the scrapbooking world, copying someone else's work to create your own piece of art is entirely acceptable. You should give credit where's it's due and not present it as an original work (like if you're submitting to a magazine), but generally speaking, scraplifting is OK.

I'd even go further than that and say scraplifting is a great way to hone your craft, build your confidence and get pages done.

My Creative Memories consultant turned me onto Fast Formulas which is a basic step-by-step guide to building pages with CM product. I thought it was great! My pages were more interesting and I was turning out a lot of them.

A layout based on a Creative Memories Fast Formula. (It's got a title, but still no journaling.)

It wasn't until I discovered scrapbooking magazines that I really began to understand the scope of what I could be doing. Friends were kind enough to lend me back copies from their stash and I picked up the odd copies of Scrapbooks Etc., Making Memories and Creating Keepsakes. These magazines opened up a whole new world to me and set me on a new path. I became an avid scraplifter (still am, actually) and as my tally of completed pages increased, so did my skill level. I began tackling new techniques and taking on challenges I never would have thought of trying back in my sticker days.

Based on a layout from Scrapbooks Etc. This was the first time I hand cut a title (from a trimmed portion of a photo showing leaves), used a tag and included writing (a poem about autumn). This is my "I've turned a corner" layout.

These days, I'm a subscriber to two scrapbooking magazines and a host of newsletters and websites that provide me with daily inspiration. There's always something new and innovative to learn; always a new twist on an old technique; and always a rich community of talented scrapbookers to look to for guidance. Whether you're new to scraplifting or have been doing it for a while, there are lots of places to go to inspire you in your next project.

My latest layout. Based on a pagemap from Scrapbooking PageMaps 2.


I have to put in a plug for my favourite scraplifting site: PageMaps. Becky Fleck is a scrapbooking Goddess and the resource she has created on this website is invaluable. It's the first place I go to when I'm stuck and I look forward to the new pagemaps every month.

However your scrapbooking style has changed over time and however your skills have improved, be sure to look back over your early pages and remember though there may be some things that could be improved, those early pages are still beautiful and precious.

I wouldn't change a thing.

So long and thanks for all the brads!

It's depressing. When I started scrapping seven years ago, my first experience in a scrapbook store was on its closing night liquidation sale. At the time I didn't realize local scrapbooking stores were on their way out.

Fast forward a couple of years and there are two thriving scrapbook stores close by as well as the big box chain--you know the one I mean. They were great. I'd run low on cardstock and pop in for some Bazzil basics and come out with a bag full of the latest goodies. It was a joyful experience. Spending an hour or more browsing through the papers, admiring the different chipboards, felts, ribbons, inks, stamps, stickers and trinkets. Leafing through the final sale paper bins one sheet at a time and finding little treasures at 90% off.

Then a couple of year ago, I discovered the joys of online shopping. A whole new world opened up! I found online stores from Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba and some "local" stores in Kitchener and southern Ontario. These were great, particularly the out of province stores, because of the unfamiliar lines of paper and products. The French lines in particular, which I haven't found available anywhere else, had fantastic and creative designs I had never seen before.

But those days are in the past. The local scrapbooking stores are gone. Only the big box craft store remains. And my favourite online stores are dropping like flies. I was particularly upset by the closure of www.monscrapbook.com. This online store offered a fantastic variety of product and ideas for projects. It also had the best customer service of any scrapbook store I've dealt with--online or in person.

But more than the loss of places to "get my fix", I mourn the loss of the communities around these stores. The online galleries and forums, the local scrap nights, the knowledgeable and creative owners and saleswomen, the beautiful projects and fun classes. It's not just part of the retail market that has been lost, it's a wound to the sisterhood of scrapbookers; a sisterhood that draws many for the community, support and friendships we find there. I think this community is at the heart of why scrapbooking is so popular. It's not just a hobby, it's not just a solitary activity (though it can certainly be those), it's a gathering of women for sharing, learning, creativity and pleasure.

So, when we lose our scrapbook stores, we're not only losing part of that community, we're losing the nucleus of the community--the place where we gather, meet one another and learn new things. If it weren't for the defunct stores The Scrapbook Academy and Scrapbook Emporium I wouldn't have met half the wonderful women and talented scrapbookers I know today.

So, the moral is: support your local scrapbooking store and take advantage of the community in your area.

My Links

Here's a short list of my favorite online shopping sites:
Ninabrook Designs
eyeletcanada.com
The Scrapping Bug
Scrapbooks and Smiles
The Crop Stop
Sassy Scrapping

A Brave New World!

Recently I've been thinking it's time to take my scrapping to the next level. I'm a little stunned to discover the next level has taken me full-circle: I'm back to writing.

In 2010, I set myself the goal of having a scrapbook layout published in a magazine. I entered contests, submitted to calls and after what seemed like many, many failed attempts, my first layout was accepted at Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine. "Orono Fair" appeared in the Fall 2010 issue. What a rush! It was just as thrilling as seeing my name in print the very first time when I had a short story published back in high school.

"Orono Fair" 12" x 12" double layout  published in Canadian Scrapbooker Fall 2010

Through the winter I continued to submit to magazines and am very happy to have two more layouts published in Canadian Scrapbooker: "Mother's Day 2010" is currently appearing in the Spring 2011 issue and "Scraptacular" will appear in the Summer 2011 issue. Back to back issues! That's a rush too.

"Mother's Day 2010" 12" x 12" double layout published in Canadian Scrapbooker Spring 2011

View of inside of flap with additional photos and journaling.

But the bloom has started to fade. Just as when I dabbled in fiction and poetry, I find the reality of a newcomer publishing in magazines a little disappointing. Of course, I love being published. I love sharing my work and having friends compliment me. And I love the emails of congratulations from people in the industry whom I admire. But I do not love the strain on my wallet. It costs me about $16 to send off my layout to be photographed and the "author's payment" is a free copy of the issue the layout appears in. A free copy of a magazine I already subscribe to. (It's all right though--I've got 2 kids, so each will inherit a copy.)

That isn't a criticism of the magazine, by the way. Payment in copies is standards and I'm sure they're working themselves to the bone to produce the magazine and would pay in cash if there were enough of it to go around. There's a reason artists are starving after all.

But my recent experiences have led to me reconsider what "scrapbook publishing" means to me.

I've also gotten a guilty nudge from friends in the writing community I was once a part of. I said I would go back to writing.

So, why not merge the two?

A blog! About scrapboooking. Where I can share my work and thoughts; be a writer and a crafter at the same time.

So, here it is. My first blog. It's a whole new world for me!