Think Monday - Think ATC

this is my ATC for the challenge on "Think Monday - Think ATC." the theme this week is Spring.

when i think of spring, i think flowers, pink, and mud! so i muddied up the green strip (reminiscent of my lawn right now!), and girled up the rest of the card.

i used Basic Grey paper, and some miscellaneous cardstock for the circles. the green strip is Wild Wasabi (from SU!), which i crumpled, then rubbed with distress ink using a baby wipe. that was a fun technique - i'd never tried it before, so i had to experiment a few times, but i really like how it turned out. also, i used the same technique with eggplant chalk ink along the left edge. it softened the extra colour and i like it. i'm so adding a box of baby wipes to my scrapping desk! lotsa fun! oh, and the stamp - from the schoolbook serif alphabet (SU!).

what a fun little project. i'm really getting addicted to ATC's. i even bought myself a book this evening, so i can learn more about it and learn some new techniques. so addictive! and fun! :)

anyway, there's my challenge done for this week. can't wait till next week!

Time Stands Still

i did this gothic arch for the weekly challenge on lotstodo. the challenge this week was "A Matter of Time." so here's mine.

it's the first time i've done a gothic arch, and while i'm not sure how i feel about the finished product, i really like the format. it's so weird working on something that's not perfectly square or rectangular. i'll try it a few more times, i think.

anyway, there you have it. my gothic arch called "time stands still."

Theme Thursday

success! my first ATC! and look - it's the Theme Thursday challenge. this week was Pink & Brown. i had a lot of fun with this. and i think i'm liking it. it's definitely a keeper. pulled out some stickers from my stash, as well as some old buttons. that's an SU stamp in the background, and some random stamps (i think they're Inkadinkado, but don't quote me for the woman). totally fun doing this - i could really get hooked!

i know it's not a perfect collage piece, but hey, i'm still learning. but i had SO much fun with the verse - a total departure from my usual linear style. and look! even the stickers aren't lined up perfectly! are you proud, pam? lol

wishful thinking? i hope not

i want to get some stuff done. not housework stuff. never housework stuff! lol but creative stuff. other than organizing, i mean. so i'm going to be trying out a couple of challenges. i found a blog with some links to challenge blogs. i've already added links to a couple of them on the sidebar, and we'll see if i get them done.

i think they may be interesting ways to get some ATCs done. i've been intrigued by ATCs for ages now, but i haven't really gotten into them yet. so i want to get on it. they'll also be unique ways to figure out the collage thing. maybe i'll even get some random arty stuff done, using these challenges as inspiration! who knows? well, we'll see. i think i'll get on the thursday one now. i may add a "sunday stamper" one tomorrow. i haven't decided yet. i'll post when i have something!

Giggling Goldfish

during my random meanderings through blogger one day, i came across a blog (Melissa Vest Designs - i added a link on the sidebar). well, every week or so, she showcases an artist on etsy - an on-line marketplace for handmade everything. last week, she chose the Giggling Goldfish. totally cute name, and totally cute products! so, since i always do as i'm told (you can stop laughing now - lol), i checked it out, and I COULD NOT RESIST!!!! such awesome merchandise! even the packaging is great! and pretty good prices, too.

so, my package arrived today, and i was so impressed, i had to show you:

the package it comes in, as yet unopened.
yeah, like i could wait. this is how it's packed inside the box.
comes in a co-ordinating tin, tied in a pretty bow.
check it out!

ok, so the one that i got is called "totally subLIME" and it is! you doubt? i'll be wearing my new necklace a lot from now on, so if you see me, you'll understand.

and the extra square? that's a nice little bonus, apparently. a co-ordinating magnet. delightful! the service was excellent, the shipping was quick. love it! :)

so, really, check it out - i'm putting a link to etsy on the sidebar, and you can peruse at your leisure. enjoy!

check out these papers i bought!!!!

like em? i picked these nuggets of joy up at michaels this morning. i've gotten pretty intrigued with this whole collage scene, so when i saw these packages at the store this morning i gasped, "oh, i simply must have this!" and for about $6, i got several sheets of paper, some tags, a sheet of quotations, and some pages pull of images to cut out. isn't it lovely?! i can't wait to start playing with it all!

i'm also working on another paintable page. i'd completely forgotten about this pattern, but i re-discovered it last night and, after exclaiming, "my life is complete!" i pulled out my watercolour pencils and quickly got to work! maybe i'll post a pic later on. right now i'm all about these papers! h

Spring Reading Thing 2008

katrina @ Callapidder Days is having an annual "Spring Reading Thing." and i'm joining in! here's my list of books:

The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence
Kabul Beauty School, by Deborah Rodriguez
Gap Creek, by Robert Morgan
More than a Mom (i don't remember who wrote it, i still have to find the book, but it's in my closet. i'll update when i find it.)
The Active Life, by Parker J. Palmer
Inner Peace: How to be Calmly Active and Actively Calm, by Paramahansa Yogananda

so, that's bunch of books. don't know if i'll be able to read them all, but i just ordered the bottom 2 from indigo, so i'll have to wait for them to arrive. that gives me time to read the others, i guess. and hey, if asher gets admitted to hospital this spring, i'll be able to get a ton of reading in then (as monty python said, always look on the bright side of life!) i'll keep you posted on my progress.

(thanks, annie b., for doing this. i wouldn't have known about it otherwise. so i'm copying you, but i think it's all good!)

the unveiling

well, it's done. my first real foray into the world of collage. and i have to admit, i really like it! there's a lot more control needed than i ever expected. and it's not nearly as easy as it might look! phew! but it was so much fun, and i loved the colours i got to use for this layout. colours i don't often use, at least not without subduing them with kraft cardstock or something. there's a lot of new techniques for me, and some techniques i don't generally like. i like the look, but i hate doing them.

until now! i could really get addicted to this style. so i would have two completely opposite scrappin styles. go figure, me, with 2 opposite "ways of being."

anyway, enough of the preamble. you want to see the layout. well, here you go!

tada! (click to see larger)

lemme know what you think. like i said, so not my style, so i would appreciate some feedback. (but be nice, it's my b-day! lol)

btw, that pink-ish blob near the upper right corner, is a glamourous lady in a beautiful coat, stamped in black ink on pink paper and cut out.

also, the quote in the speech bubble:
"Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels."

-Faith Whittlesey

so, there you go. the finished product. hope you like it! :)

still working on this layout. i feel like i'm in a little over my head. artsy-fartsy collage is soooooo not my style. i think it needs a funky bright paper, cut into a big flower, with blithe resting on top of it. or something like that. i'm going to have to check out that scrapiteria blog and get some more collage ideas, figure out how to do it better.

but check out that pic of blithe! i cartoon-ified it, and that brightened up all the colours, and gave it the outliny feel, kinda like the paper. and then, to complete the non-heather-ish treatment, i cut her out! i never cut people out of pictures. i like context! so this is a huge step for me.

but i'm really enjoying this layout. i could really get addicted to this collage stuff.... if only it didn't take me so freaking long to do. simple pages are quick. this is taking forever! it better be good!

can you believe it?!

i'm 30 today. so, here's what i'll be doing today:

• renewing my driver's licence
• cleaning the bathroom
• listening to MY NEW IPOD!!! (thank-you, hunny!)
• making pizzas with blithe
• easter shopping
• listening to my ipod (my hubby's awesome!)
• partying (blithe is throwing me a surprise party tonight)
• if i have time, some scrappin (duh)
• sitting back and contemplating 30.
• drinking coffee

that's the day i have planned. the first 2 kinda suck, but must be done. woohoo. :P but i can do both while listening to my new ipod (ah, multitasking! in fact, maybe i'll multi-task a bit now and listen to my ipod, drink some coffee, and work on my latest layout). i'll post more later, complete with pictures (i can't seem to get kodak easyshare to work this morning).

haha! funny note about the ipod. ok, so ed and i have absolute opposite taste in music. i mean, really, we but music for each other like this: i listen to it, and if i hate it, i buy it for him. he listens to something, and if he hates it, he buys it for me. my favourite music actually makes him leave the room! so anyway, my ipod is already loaded up with music he hates! i mean really, he made a whole little song about how he won't be borrowing my ipod ever. fine by me!

and i've been making some nice progress (i think) on my collage layout. i've been colouring the paper (using watercolour pencils and blender pens - i don't usually use paint - i like control and clean, so pencils are the way to go for me) and ordering prints and picking out stamps and flowers and all kinds of fun stuff like that! i think i could really get on board with this collage style! i'll post some pics of my progress later. talk to you later! h

i popped over to CNP this morning, which isn't technically open, but i grabbed some stuff off the shelf and handed her some $$$ and she accepted it. maybe you could try it, too. another glorious way to celebrate christ's passion and self-sacrifice....... buy STUFF!

i'm trying something new today. i've been intimidated by this paper for a while, but i have the perfect picture of blithe. so i'm going to watercolour the paper, and try a bit of collage, inspired by the folks over at the Scrapiteria blog (the link is on the side bar). i'm playing around with this today. i've never done this, at least not with this paintable paper. i tried a different design, but it didn't speak to me, and i screwed it up. but this time i have a plan. here's the paper:

i have a pic of blithe in a glorious, giant, victorian-inspired pink hat, and i think it'll work nicely with this paper. i'm stepping WAY out of my comfort zone with this, so fingers crossed it works.

colour scheme will be pink, blue and purple. i'll keep you posted! h

An Easter thought

ever noticed that we celebrate the death and resurrection of our jewish saviour by eating pork?

this occured to me this morning while frying up bacon for breakfast, and while anticipating (read: drooling) the delicious ham we'll enjoy this evening.

happy easter!
(i'll post some more serious thoughts on my other blog.)

sole mates (aw, man, that would have made a great title, too! now i think of it! arg!)

i was inspired by another blog to scrapbook my favourite everyday things. so, i'm starting where any obsessive, addicted, insane scrapper would..... my feet!

i love these socks! they're pink, they're roots. i got 2 pairs at the college park winners (in TO) for about $5. asher was in the hospital the first time, back in december '06, and we had nothing with us. my feet were tired and sore and achy, and the only socks i had with me were old and frankly, not that comfortable. the moment i saw these in the store, i knew these were the socks for me. and once i got them back to RMH and put them on.......

it was like.... coming home, to a home i didn't know existed. they put a spring in my step, a smile on my face, and when i wiggled my toes in them, honestly, it was as though my feet themselves giggled, just a little bit.

these socks brought me comfort at a time of stress. they filled me with happiness at a time of sorrow and fear. and as long as i had these socks on.... i knew everything would be ok.

and, yes, i realize they're "just socks." well, you may think that. but to me, they are so much more. they're my favourite socks!

they're pink. they're bulky. they're roots. it's a hug for my feet. and when i'm having a crappy day, i can look down to the floor and smile.... all is right in the world. :) h

ps - you'll note that this is layout #2 today. it's amazing how inspiring organization can be! huh, who knew? lol

here it is! my first page in ages! as you can see, it's asher. it's for his baby book, which is 8.5x11.

i pulled out a lot of older stuff from my stash. i bought this paper at CNP at least a year ago, probably more. the rub-on title i've had for a while, too. and the cool heart in the bottom left corner? it's the Soho Swirls giant chipboard i bought several months ago but have never used. so there you go. not my best work, but it's my first in a while, and i did the whole page on my newly cleaned off desk (which is even annie b approved! lol)

btw, this is based on the Treat of the Week sketch. it has most of the elements, but only one picture. i prefer 1-pic layouts, and in this size, i don't have much room for too many, anyway. well, there you have it. hope you like it!

ooh! and i have to share this with you! tonight was the first time i actually SCANNED something! i'm so excited! gone are the days of crappy pics that i have to crop and then post even though you can't tell what the photo is because of the flash! gone are the days of deciding, "do i crop off part of the page, leave in some of my mess in the background, or take yet another shot?" i'm so excited! it's like a whole new world opening up to me now! (well, for this size anyway. 12x12 won't fit on my scanner. sucks, but what can you do?)

yes, i know, i'm a loser. but i'm so excited! i LOVE new toys! especially ones that make my life easier! like my crop-a-dile, which i used on this layout. or my crop-a-dile carrier, in which i store said tool, and the eyelets included in the carrier, which i used on this layout. honestly, ever since i figured out how to actually use my crop-a-dile (and it took a while, and i still refer to my instruction book often), i think i've used it on every layout i've done. oh, no, i think i missed a couple. but almost every one.

ah, well. and i'm just proud enough of myself right now that i think i'll go get a beer, flip through my sketches, and plan my next layout..... about my favourite socks! h

check it out! i'm actually using my desk! i'm still working on the layout, but i'm determined to finish it tonight. i'll post it when i'm done.

ps - pam h: i'm adapting this week TOTW sketch for 8.5x11. and all the papers are from the store, so i will pop in this weekend for my first TOTW in ages! woohoo!

up for grabs....

i have some magazines up for grabs. i was ruthless and am getting rid of some of my stash. as much as i love them, i really haven't looked at them in a while - too busy buying more, i guess.

i've got some Simple Scrapbooks, Scrapbooks Etc, Paper Crafts, and a Making Memories. free to whoever wants them. just leave a comment for me. h

i'm on a roll

i love days like this. it seems that my most, how can i put this, hormonaly charged days end up my most productive. that could be due to a lack of emotional wherewithal to cling to things, so i'm much better at the purging part of organization. whatever the reason, i've made quite a bit of progress today, i'd say. you can actually see quite a bit of desk now! and you can see the wall behind the desk, too! even better, i've actually used one of my tools out of my Around the Block box (the solid olive green box on the shelf there). yup, not a bad day as far as all that goes.

but then i had a problem. it seemed that under every few inches of stuff, i would find more pictures. pictures that i had printed, some as long ago as mid-january (oh, yes, it's like an archeological dig around here today!). pictures that had never found their way into storage. or onto layouts. i meant to scrap them, but when have i had time? anyway, i packed up my daughter and off we trekked to Michaels, in search of photo storage. and the solution?

tada! my new cropper hopper photo case. i think this should hold most of my pics. lol and it gets even better! not only did i get to have some retail therapy on an intensely hormonal day, but...

IT'S ON SALE THIS WEEK!!!

i'm really so easy to please on days like this. just buy me stuff. that's all i ask. because if you're coming at me about anything, you'd better preface it with, "here, honey, i thought you might like this" and unless it's prozac or midol, i'll be happy. so, i feel loved and happy, eager to get organizing, and now i'm just waiting for hub to come home with a new feeding pump for asher (see his blog in a few minutes) and lunch. because i am SOOOOO not cooking today. :)

i think i can see some progress. if i'm not mistaken, that's a desk over there on the left. and the pile of stuff is getting smaller. on the right, in that big basket, is a bunch of projects and alter-able things. i'm keeping them in the basket, but it's going to go under the desk. still accessible, but not on my desk. i'll post more pics later, since this is project o' the day.

but you should have seen what i was finding on there! i found my new mastercard that i didn't know had come yet, and some newsletters from blithe's school, a ton of pictures, and pamphlets about congestive heart failure and cardiac caths. i've also come across some newspapers we're in, and some chipboard and felt stickers i forgot i'd bought. i love finding "new" embellishments! can't wait to use them.... soon.... very soon..... i hope.

anyway... i think i'll be going up to michaels today to pick up a cropper hopper box to store all my pics. what a fun day! re-discovered embies, a clean(-ish) desk and a trip to michaels! i think i'll need to go through my magazines at some point. i need to purge, so i may be giving away some magazines later. talk to you later! h

why, yes, Virginia, there is a desk under there.

look how much better it's looking already! i can actually see my desk in some places! we're making progress today, but i think we're going to call it a day. haven't really managed to purge anything yet. i still need to ruthlessly go through my paper box, and then there's the baskets full of embellishments and potential projects to sort and purge. oh, the fun i'm going to be having over the next little while. i hope to have this done by the end of next week. we'll see, especially with asher heading back into the cath lab for some more stents, but i'm just trying to live my life, and we'll cancel and adjust plans as needed.

hopefully i'll get some scrappin' done tonight, and i'll post any layouts here. have a good day!

and so it begins

the process has begun. i took my punches out of a photo box i had. the box was pink and flowered, and does not at all go with my room. i think i bought it originally for blithe to use, but then i took it over. so the box is now gone, and i put my punches in a flat basket, where they all fit and i can see them better, so i know what i have. and maybe this way, i'll be able to use them more, too! :)

and if you look at the top picture, you will see something mysterious at the bottom there. i'm not quite sure what it is, i know it's been a while since i've seen it. i'm already finding things! i just asked my mother, and she says it's called a "floor." that sounds vaguely familiar.

i think i could get used to this. i can now walk right over to my desk without having to step on or over or around anything. what fun!

Like mother, like son....

this is a layout i did last month for an on-line crop with friends. this is my youngest, asher. apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh?

My So-Called Desk....

ok, so i need to organize my scrappin' space. then get scrappin'. this blog is about my quest to find my desk, and to post the layouts i get done there, despite and after the mess. and if you're lucky, maybe i'll have some give-aways, too! because i have TONS of stuff i don't need, and, due to the lack of organization, i missed the yard sale at my friend's LSS, where i could have gotten rid of stuff. so, check back often to see my progress, see my layouts, and maybe get free stuff.

a lot of this progress will be based on said friend's Organizational Challenge, but perhaps less structured. in fact, it will be less structured, but hopefully just as productive. i hope this works.... and that i stick to it. i'll admit i'm a bit of a slob, so this is an on-going battle in my life. sigh. well, best get to it.