Christmas Cards 2012

 

Merry Christmas ALL! I started making my cards as always on Halloween night, after getting 20 or so made, I started a Christmas card list, and was getting ready to address the envelopes in December, then illness happened in this house.  I has not been pretty here, so the beautiful box of cards have sat on my desk, it is now December 26th, and I just got these photos up. I hope that you enjoy, maybe I will get them mailed out late.  Everyone who will be getting one, knows that we have all had some sort of illness.  From Stomach flu to Tonsilitis... Not fun !

 

A Return....

Hi All, so I have been away, now with work, and family, trying to find time to blog has been met with great challenges, BUT, have no fear, I am setting a new goal, and setting time at night for one hour to either craft and blog, or blog about what I crafted.  Seems there is just never enough time in the day...

I have also returned to chatting, and you know, if you arent a chatter its something to try, if you have chatted before, you know how it goes, you chat for a long while, then leave.  I left in 2007, and made my return two months ago and have found a new home.  On IRC Undernet. #Rocker's_Dive. They have live DJ's most days, and stream music almost around the clock.  You can also find them on Facebook and here http://www.RockersDive.com

All Sorted.... yay

I am soooo very excited to post a photo like this, it means that my little craft office is finally coming a long. These are my little boxes, I have everything from floss, fibers, buttons, brads, eyelets of various shape and color.  To one whole box devoted to all my Christmas Charms that I use for cards and various projects. I hope to get a few more one for each season, and then ultimately a few more for larger holidays.  But for now, its is totally do able.  Love IT!

Almost Moved In...

Sigh of Relief... We are moved into our new place, and the craft room is coming along... I can't wait to start creating again, and just get normalcy back... I use to create layouts, cards, projects all the time, but in our temporary living situation, I didnt have much space, my craft stuff, what little I brought, was in our bedroom, tucked in boxes, I had in total 45 boxes of scrapbook/crafting supplies. Carefully I have been planning, where to put stuff, is it in sight, in reach. I think I am ready to start crafting, and this time I'm going to do it a bit different.. I think I'll be taking pictures as I go, where as before, I'd post once in a while, and I'd really try to get out there and try more of teaching/sharing ideas. We just got back from a mini vacation to the coast, so I have about 100 photos that I need to scrapbook, or put into Project Life. Im also making a scrapbook album for my Mom of our trip, its going to be her Christmas gift, but I want to get it done ASAP, as, when the holidays hit, I will be really busy, on Halloween, I'll be making my Christmas cards, I've been working on a design, Im just hoping time allows me to get to the store sometime to get Bo Bunny's Blitzen pack... I don't know if I've offered this up, but if you have questions, ask away, comments, love to hear them.

Amazon's Universal Wishlist

This is the greatest thing I have found on the internet.  I am a huge buyer on Amazon.com.  You can find anything there, its almost like ebay but without the bidding, just buy it.  Well, with the holidays coming, I know in just a few short months, they will start asking for gift ideas, and I'm horrible at making a list of wants.... sadly, in years past, I have asked for things that I needed, but more in a standby mode.  Like baking goods, spices, things of that nature.  Sure I could buy them myself but never did, because it was always easier to bake at my Grannies.. but now that I have a small son, its easier to bake at my home, and not have to cart him on a day long journey to Grannies.


Getting to the point...
I was "window shopping" on Amazon, and click, add to wishlist, so I did, but then a little program pops up and asks if I would like to download the Universal Wishlist, and as I read, this is where it gets great.  Lets say you find scrapbooking paper that you really want, but its not really on your list of must haves, but would make a great gift for someone to buy you.  Once you download, the little icon is stored in your web browser bar, and you just click it, and add it to your wish list.  It doesn't have to be even on Amazon.com's website, it can be any website.

And you can set up multiple lists, so I added one for my son, he's only three, but if there are books that I think he will like, I have been adding them to his wishlist, so that when Christmas comes, and my family asks, I can just email them our wishlists, and it will give them websites, prices, etc,

So, if you see Euro Sham pillows, that is mine, and i would like two LOL

Tracy

Scrapbook Stores

Due to financial cut backs, I hadn't been able to go to any actual scrapbook stores. My favorite being Scattered Pictures in Portland, Oregon, I recently found that Nancy was closing her store. I was crushed, because just when I thought I could get back to going, I didnt have a "homebase".

So what to do? I started calling stores and found that only a few were still open, A Joy Forever in Clackamas, Oregon is where I was going to be headed. I have been wanting to get Bo Bunny's Barefoot and Bliss Collection, so I called, and they had it.

Yesterday I had a couple of hours to myself and headed over, its about 15 miles, but with heavy traffic, it takes a while. Anyhow, I arrived, walked in, and found my new "homebase".

They literally have everything that I wanted... I am in love, so for those of you that are in the Portland are, please stop by and see them. Paper galore, and not just the standard supplies, but they have almost all designers, and how its organized is perfect, by theme!!!!

I got my Barefoot and Bliss, and have been trying to work on a few beach layouts...

*note*... I have a injured tendon in my hand, and my hand is in a cast until Monday, but the pain is no more since having it stabilized... thank you Providence!!!



anyhow, if you have time, check our A Joy Forever, you will love it!!

Mothers Day Cards...

As usual, I wanted to make cards for every Mom I know, but that is just not realistic, so I made 9 cards, out of one 12x12 sheet of paper, and a few invitation size cards. Lemon/Butter yellow, and brick red. To go with my Paper Loft 12x12.

I love simple cards, especially for making more than a few. They can be different styles, just have the same theme.

Let it snow

This layout came out of know where, I was going thru my winter paper and found this snowman with orange flakes, thought it would go great with my sons blue hoodie.  I sprayed the snowflakes with glitter, hope to take a better photo to show the sparkle better...

It's a boy

This is a card that I have for sale on etsy... I love the colors.. Celery green is my favorite

Layout: Super Star Faces

Layout: Super Star Faces

Technique Tuesday

I am at the Portland Convention Center @ the Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention... Having a blast...

Baby boy anouncements

My newest nephew was born last week, and I made his parents some baby cards... Live the colors

CK Portland Scrapbook Convention 2011

I got to go this year, and you know, I wasnt as impressed as I have been in years past... More kits than paper, more "stores" than actually companies. I was hoping to see more companies, and I didn't, it was vendors selling stuff that they bought at foreclosured scrapbook stores, or a giant swap meet. And some of the vendors were so rude. One stand, the cashier was also the pitch man for a "new" product. She had 20 people in line that wanted to pay, but she was pitching to one lady. I also said to the vendor... " if you ring all of us up, you will make the sale for one item you are trying to push"... but I didn't, I was just grateful to get the time alone to play at the show. There were a few companies there, SEI, Technique Tuesday, two of whom I love dearly and was glad to purchase from, but the wholesale people, if they arent crafty, how can they sell this stuff.. just because you read the directions and know how to use the product, doesn't really mean you KNOW how to use it to the fullest...

I get the whole, gotta make a living, but really people, you should be or try to scrapbook, before trying to sell me a product that I have no desire to buy.

Better luck next time CK...

Project Life Arrived

As a treat to myself, I ordered project life.  Upon opening my treasured white box, I already was swirling with ideas... Which way to use it, what photos, theme, etc.  so I decided on a weekly account of our lives...i tried ordering a month ago but they ran out so I had to wait a bit, so in the mean time I planned which pictures I would use, and started last night.  Pictures to follow...

Posting from my Android phone

I love this smart phone, and for a penny it has paid off, lol. I can blog, load up scrapbook layouts that I take a picture with my phone and not have to wait. 

Scrapbook Websites

I have a new love.. Technique Tuesday.. I am looking forward to meeting them at the up coming Scrapbook convention in Portland, Oregon. I will be posting photos. Have no fear!!

365 Project...

I must be crazy LOL For some reason I just signed up to ShutterCal, and they have a photo of the day for one year.. I am worried that I will get behind, but luckily they have a weekly reminder. I take photos all the time, but usually sporatically, not something daily, so I started this, and I hope Feb. 1st, 2012 I will have 365 photos to share with you.

here is my Calendar,let me know!!!

I hope you enjoy the photos that I will be posting, and please, let me know what you think...

Perfect Love...

This last summer, we were at a BBQ and Patrick was looking especially stylish in his cargo shorts and brown Hawaiian shirt... I wasnt expecting to take this photo, but it is a wonderful look at the love Grandparents and Grandchildren share... and notice, during his walk, he's barefoot, just like his Momma...

This is a Welsh Proverb that I have had since I was pregnant with Patrick... when I was growing up, next to my Mom, my Grandparents were the best part of my growing up. Doing Genealogy and going through countless photos, I see the love that I have for them, in Patricks eyes, when he looks at his Grandparents... Grammy, Nana and Papa

Family Love!!!

I was noticing that this is a scrapbook blog, and I rarely post scrapbook pages, well that is going to change, more layouts. I am a crafty person, and for some reason this year, even though we are super broke, I am paying attention to the scrapbook, paper medium world again. I need to say, that it has nothing to do with the fact that my man got a job offer... woohoo!!! We are extremely thrilled that one of us found a wonderful job in this tough economy... ok, enough about that, its time to talk about Scrapbooking. :)

Starbucks.... Patrick is taking orders

This is my son Patrick.. Christmas 2009, our cousin Jennifer asked him to come with her to her room, having not been around her more than twice, he went with her, willingly. She took him into her room and out he walked with his very own Starbuck Barista Apron.. what a site, I think I'm the only one on both sides that doesn't drink coffee... he was playing in Aunt Linda's kitchen cupboards, and found her Starbuck cup, very cute photos, and it took me a while to make this lay out, but so very glad that I waited.