Keeper of the Scrapbook

Bali Breeze For You

I am still amazed at how relaxing it is to scrapbook and stamp. I used to say that people that scrapbooked/stamped needed to get a life (GASP!!) but now I know different.  Scrapbooking is about life and documenting it for the next generation but it is also so relaxing. I have to admit I am totally obsessed! LOL.

I love the SU Bali Breeze paper! The colors are beautiful. I wanted to make a cheerful card for a friend so I chose the sky blue and pumpkin pie flowered sheet as a layer for my card. I stamped the flowering branch from the Embrace Life set with Timber Brown Stazon and then watercolored it with SU markers. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

Have a great weekend!

Marcie

Time for something silly... what color crayon are you??

What color crayon are YOU?? I'm a blue crayon - but those of you that know me knew that already didn't you?! LOL

You Are a Blue Crayon

Your world is colored in calm, understated, deep colors. You are a loyal person, and the truest friend anyone could hope to find. On the inside, you tend to be emotional and even a bit moody. However, you know that people depend on you. So you put on a strong front. Your color wheel opposite is orange. Orange people may be opinionated, but you feel they lack the depth to truly understand what they're saying.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Stamped border page

One of my favorite things about using rubber stamps and scrapbooking is the endless possibilities to color coordinate and design your page. I had these pictures of my grandmother, my mom and her sisters since Easter and I really wanted to do something fun and different with the page. My grandmother is a natural gardener and can grow just about anything. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of going to her house and playing in the flower gardens. So all things considered this was a perfect opportunity for me to design a very "girlie" page (something I don't get to do very often since I have 3 sons!). The weekly Friday scrapbooking challenge was to use our stamps to make a border so I stamped the flower from 'Embrace Life' down the left side and stamped the words 'embrace life' between the flowers. I then used my markers to color the flowers to match the colors my mom and my aunts were wearing.

If you haven't tried stamping on your scrapbook pages I encourage you to take a chance and try it. SU Craft ink gives a very nice look as will most pigment type inks. Craft /pigment type inks are recommended for scrapbooking because they will last longer and resist fading. I stamped the images using black Stazon (love it!). I used a white gel pen to journal around the pictures and some white craft ink and a blender pen to highlight the flowers.

See ya,

Marcie

And now for something completely different...

And now for something completely different... I've be tagged with a Princess Award by Queen Kat Designs! THANKS! You can find out more about Queen Kat Designs here... http://www.katstamps.com/shop/

Another Progressive Scrapbooking page

This is the 2nd page for my progressive scrapbook layout. This time I used SU basic gray as my background instead of a patterned paper. For the white row at the top I masked the section off using blue painters tape** and painted the white onto the card stock using a foam paint brush. After the paint dried I stamped on it and completed the page. The 6x6 page is popped up on dimensionals like a pocket. I then put the extra pictures in the pocket. **Note when using the blue painters tape press the tape lightly on your jeans or some other cloth to get some of the stickiness off before you attach it to your paper. The fibers from your clothing should keep the tape from sticking too much and tearing your paper (ask me how I know this!! LOL).

Progressive Scrapbooking

I participated in a challenge on Splitcoaststampers to make a progressive scrapbook page. If you aren't familiar with the term a progressive scrapbook page begins with a 6x6 layout, which is then added to an 8.5x11 layout, which is finally incorporated into a 12x12 layout. I had never made a progressive page but I have to tell you I really liked it. One of the things I really like is that by beginning with the 6x6 layout you are forced to focus on one picture/layout and then build around that. I will definitely use this technique again.

Recipe (all supplies Stampin' UP!); Paper - Basic Gray, Bravo Burgundy, Black, and Charbon DSP (retired). Stamps - Rough texture wheel, Celebrate Everything; Accessories - oval punches, white gel pen, rub ons.

The page is for my youngest son's scrapbook for his high school graduation in May. Since I have only been scrapbooking for about 2 years I decided to focus this scrapbook on his high school years.  This page is for the annual spirit week/homecoming activities. TFL.

Let me know if you decide to try a progressive page!

See ya!

Marcie

Scrapbook page re-do

A couple of days ago I posted the question 'do you re-do' your old/beginner scrapbook pages. Well some of you do and some don't! As for me I wish I didn't! LOL. I have put off posting this because I am not really happy with the results of the re-do. My son came into my office and was looking at the new page and I asked him what he thought (it's HIS soccer page). He said it was okay with him to keep the originals and not re-do any pages. So, I learned a couple of things... don't sweat the little things, you can't re-write history so leave my beginner work as my beginner work, and finally I just saved myself a bunch of work! I had a suggestion from Denise M. to print duplicate photos and re-do it while leaving the original intact. I think I will try that next time.

Here are my pages (obviously the original is on the one with purple!). What do you think?

Outlaw Sketch

This card is for the weekly sketch challenge at SCS (SC162). I used a piece of the retired Outlaw DSP for one layer and based my color theme around the paper. I also incorporated the monthly Bible verse challenge as my card sentiment. Since I am predominately a scrapbooker it usually takes me forever to make a card but this one came together quick and easy. I used the Rough texture jumbo wheel to give some definition to the layers and I added paper distressing around the verse. One other thing to note - I finally used some of my Hodge Podge Hardware! It is so easy to hoard that stuff and keep it in the nice little box but I have determined to not be a hoarder! LOL.

Have you ever gone back and re-done a page from the past??

Do you ever go back and look at your first scrapbook pages and wonder what was I thinking and why did my friend let me do this??? I have! :-) Most of my beginner scrapbooking is okay but a couple of them must be redone. For instance... what was I thinking using a purple background for a soccer page with the kids wearing red and white uniforms??? Okay, this was back in the days before I was using SU but why didn't anyone warn me?? LOL. Anyway I am slowly going to be redoing a few pages (I will leave some as a record of my progress!) and I will feature a before and after shot. Let me know what you think. I have one page of a two page spread done so I will try to get that posted soon.

So my question to you is... do you redo your older pages??

See ya!

Marcie

Loads of Love Birthday

The Stampin' Up Loads of Love set is so much fun to use! I totally enjoy watercoloring it using markers and the aqua pen. I needed a cute masculine card for my middle son's 19th birthday and this seemed like the perfect stamp set. Imagine my surprise when he said he really liked the cards I make for him! Just when you think they are hopeless they redeem themselves with a sweet comment like that. LOL