Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Layout!

After I realized how long it had been since there had been any scrapbooking done in this scraproom of mine I set out to change that.  I will say in my defense I did a mini-album for my Dad back in January for the occasion of his birthday.  Interestingly enough it was on the same subject I have now decided to scrapbook, the cross country trip we took this past fall.  So without further talking from me here is the layout.

Pattern Paper is My Minds Eye, Cardstock is Colorbok and CTMH, Ribbon is unknown I am afraid as its been in my stash for ages and ages,  Chipboard is a combo of Heidi Grace and Lil Davis, Ink is Olive from CTMH

This page will be the title page for the whole album.  So page number one done now on with the rest of the album! lol

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Sara Bareilles

This is an old one however I just love this video. The song is "Gravity", and if you notice by the end it is as though you have moved away from the planet during the course of her singing. As though she has defied gravity. Love her voice and I can't think of a song she has made I don't enjoy listening to, even the sad ones, because her voice is such a joy.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Cards times three

Cards! Cards! Cards!  I scrapbook.  Really I do. lol  I simply cannot remember the last time I did a layout.  I should probably work on changing that.

This is a card I recently made for a male friend of mine and I have to say cards for gentleman are difficult.  Don't most of our papers and embellishments lend themselves to women?  Have you noticed that too?  Well I have gotten some practice in the last couple of weeks as I have been trying to make sure a mailbox in Texas is seeing something besides bills these days.  As I told him during this time I want him to get some good mail.  Something to make him smile.  I think we all like to open the mailbox and see the handwriting of a friend when we are going through something difficult.

This card uses several things I am just adoring these days...Stamps designed by Tim Holtz, new paper from MME and that bracket shape.


This is another card kept simple because again it is for a gentleman, the same friend.  I used paper from MME's Hattie paper pack that I recently picked up at Impress.  The stamp is another designed by Tim Holtz. 

My Scraproom Updated

I received a request to post some updated photos of my scraproom showing the last two shelving units that were added last week.  The shelving units added are the smallest ones in the Expedit series at IKEA.  I have the medium and the small in the room now along with the desk attachment on one of the medium ones.  I've been working in the room now for a month and I still love them.  In these photos you can also see  red boxes in some of the shelves, white in others and those are also from IKEA made to fit with these bookcases/shelf units.  So on to the the updated photos!

This one is just inside the door and to the left.  Inside its shelves are my scrapbook and card magazines.  IKEA again for the magazine holders.  I really like the white ones with the metal edging because the price was right and they are reinforced with the metal to hold up with the use I'll be giving them.  The red boxes hold some books I want to keep in my scraproom and some papers yet housed like this it makes for a very clean look and also makes keeping things clean easy.  The unit puts my paper cutter at a perfect level as well.

In this view of the room from the door you can see the unit that has been added at the end of the desk.  At first I was not crazy about this because the new unit is about an inch and a half taller than the desk.  Now though with my laptop on it and a few days to think about it I like the idea of that height difference as it protects my laptop from what I am doing on my scrap desk.  It also keeps brads, eyelets and other small items from rolling away.  Now as for what is in the unit...I got the covered white boxes here because I am keeping various stamps in these (wood mounted rubber in one and flat rubber & clear in the other) and I wanted a lid on them.  In the other two spots I have temporary containers holding inks and cards that are made and ready for mailing.  Next time I am at IKEA I will be picking up two more of those red boxes for these spots.

Here is how the desk looks now that the bookcase has been added to the end.  It is so nice to have all this space to work on.  Everything is handy and so scrapping is enjoyable and clean up is a breeze.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Greg Laswell

I got sent home several weeks ago with some new to me music to listen to. One of the songs, Comes and Goes(in waves) by Greg Laswell has become a favorite.  I am loving his voice. Between wanting to get some of his songs and Matthew Mayfield's new CD my downloads from Amazon are going to be busy the next few weeks.

Perfection On A March Day

One of my favorite movies is "Bed of Roses" and one character thanks another for a day of "too much perfection".  Well yesterday as I was on the way into Seattle that line came to mind.  It was a day of way too much perfection here in my corner of the northwest.   No matter which way you turned your head nature's beauty surrounded you.

Click on any of the photos below to bring up it up in a larger size. 

Here is a look back at the Olympic Peninsula as I was crossing the Hood Canal Bridge.


Leaving Bainbridge Island aboard the M/V Tacoma

Mt. Baker as seen from Puget Sound

 Mt. Rainier as seen from Puget Sound

 Downtown Seattle, the Cascade Mountains and Elliot Bay

 Close up of downtown Seattle

This shot lets you see just about everything.  On the far left is Queen Anne Hill, then the Space Needle, downtown Seattle, Qwest Field, Safeco Field and of course the Cascade Mountains behind it all.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Buttons, Buttons, and more Buttons!

A happy little card filled with buttons in honor of the first day of spring.  My favorite part was playing with the whitewash cardstock by coredinations on the tree trunk. 

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Supermoon

Do you know that tonight the moon isn't just the moon but a supermoon? Yes, it comes complete with a cape, tights and all. Okay maybe not a cape or tights I made that part up, it will be very bright though. I hope you will have a chance to see it. Here is a very quick shot I managed to get as it was rising over the harbor here. The photo doesn't come even close to how beautiful it was in person. Sorry you just had to be here.


Friday, March 18, 2011

Retro Moment

Hanging out with one of my friends last night watching the Dual Spires episode of Psych, which was their tribute to Twin Peaks, somehow this song came up in the conversation.




The song is One More Try by Timmy T.  I had not thought of the song or heard it since high school. As soon as my friend, Leslie, mentioned it I HAD to hear it. The song was played a lot back in 1991 when it was number 1 on the billboard chart and I owned the cassingle of it. Just now listening to the song on YouTube and watching the video I must say I giggled. I enjoyed the retro moment and hope you do too even if you have no memory of the song I hope you can at least remember the clothes, the hair, the cars or something from those time and it makes you smile or chuckle. Thank you Timmy T for this enjoyable, albeit slightly cheesy, retro moment!

Amazing

This week has been amazing.  I can't put my finger on it just something about it has left me feeling thankful and very aware of those small things in life that keep you connected and feeling close to the important people in your life.  For me it's one those things that make life worth it and just leave me feeling happy.  You know that unexplained feeling that comes from inside and becomes a big smile lighting up your whole face.  That smile that leads people to ask you, "Why are you smiling?" and you don't have an answer for them.  Because honestly how can you explain a text from a friend saying simply "okie dokie" or one that told you that you make a friends heart happy or even another you got back from a friend in the middle of the night when you got home after a long drive glad you were there safely. To anyone else these small things wouldn't matter one teeny tiny bit.  To me these small moments with my friends have made my week amazing.  Along with a discovery of the very best corn dogs ever courtesy of one of my friends.  This is the stuff life is made of...all these small things.  Yes sometimes it is big moments that take our breath away however a lot of the time the really good stuff in life, the priceless stuff, can be found in these small, amazing moments.  So if you see me and I am smiling for no apparent reason you will know this is why.  I have great friends!

And just a small bit of left coast beauty from my corner.  The days are getting longer and spring is...well it is springing and that is just springy! lol

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

New Favorite Embellishment

In my area I'll admit it I am lucky.  Within a 100 miles I have just tons of great LSS and rubber stamping stores that I can visit.  One of my favorites is Impress.  They have three locations in the Seattle area and also you can shop with them online.  I was there on Monday and picked up some goodies.  One of my new goodies is a bag of pearlized flower stamens.  I know that may not sound too exciting however within the last few days I can't believe how I have fallen love with this new embellishment.  I am sticking them in the middle of so many paper flowers.  Since you can cut the stem to be just the right length to stick in the center gluing them in place is a breeze.  Love, love, love these little guys.  If you would like to give them a try stop in to one of the Impress locations or click right here to go to their online store. 


MOJO Week 182

Here is my take on the card sketch over at MOJO this week. Yeah I know it's Wednesday and MOJO is Monday. I had stuff going on. You know important stuff. At least I got to play with the stetch the same week they posted it! ;)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

A couple cards

 Made a couple cards today.  The first with a stamp I have been dying to use.  I got this stamp when I was traveling across country earlier this past fall.  Found it in the darling stamping store, Guadalupe's Fun Rubber Stamps,  in Santa Fe, New Mexico on an absolutely beautiful October day.  Oh.....to be there now.  Yeah okay back to the cards.  It was nice to be working on something at the new desk I must say.

 The stamp says, "Wish you were here.  I'm not on vacation.  I just miss you and wish you were here."  The postmarks at the bottom are from Fiskars new wheel.  It took a time or two to get setting it up down to a science but I do like it.  I like that it uses flat clear stamps and only one bulky wheel to run them all.  The cost for the stamps is affordable too as at my local Joann's they are about $4.00 each.

With this next one we have two cards in one...kind of.  It is also the smallest card I've ever made.  Here is the close up of the small one that is embellishing part of the large card.


Here is the whole card.  Most of the card made using Echo Park papers although there is some fabric on there too.  I am playing around with the best way to adhere that to make my own fabric paper.

Never Let Go

I saw this online today and was struck at the honesty of that little blurb.  Letting someone go out of your life because the situation might be difficult to work through is simple.  Hanging on to a friendship or even a romantic relationship through a difficult time creates one that in the end you will only treasure more.  In girl scouts you sing a song about how there are old friends and new friends both good but one is silver and the other gold reminding us that there is a true and valuable treasure in older friendships.  I am glad to have hung on to my friends especially those that have known me for a time.  I am blessed.  Truly blessed.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Greys Anatomy

Driving around Seattle today with a friend and talking about music I couldn't help but remark how I missed the Grey's Anatomy soundtracks.  The first three seasons of the show some of the great music was released in easy to download collections.  I loved them.  Maybe I was the only one?  Suppose that is possible although I do doubt that.  They have some awesome music on them, like this one from Tegan and Sara...

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Lisa Loeb

Digging around, well if you can calling looking through your digital music digging that is, I stumbled across this older CD from Lisa Loeb and I do just love her.  This is a great song from the CD, Firecracker.  Its is "I Do"

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Matthew Mayfield - Download

Matthew Mayfield has been kind enough to offer a free download of a track off his upcoming record.  The song, Come Back Home, is wonderful.  I heard him play it the other night live while he was on Birmingham Mountain Radio and am excited not to have the long wait until the records release on April 5th. 

To get the download of "Come Back Home" just go to Matthew's website, matthewmayfield.com, or click on his name above.  Once you are there you'll see a place to enter your email address and from there follow the instructions for the download.  Its a great song and I'm really looking forward to April 5th when I can download "Now You're Free".

Unexpected

Tonight several gals gathered at my home for a monthly crop.  We scrap, we make cards, we talk and most importantly we eat. lol  As one of the gals arrived she presented me with the most lovely bunch of flowers.  It is a mix of roses and star gazer lillies.  Oh they are so very, very pretty and so unexpected.  Just what I needed today.  Isn't is wonderful when you are having a day that is just a little more difficult than others and something like this happens out of the blue?  It lifted my spirits and they will continue to over the next several days as those lillies open and only become more beautiful.  


About the crop.  I didn't get much done tonight.  I spent a lot of time getting things and I'll admit it...showing off my new scraproom.  I believe I'm in love with that new desk.  I do have a couple simple cards I managed to get finished and another I will finish up in the morning.  Here are some pictures of what I was working on.



Thursday, March 10, 2011

My Room

Here it is with most of the furniture in place. Notice I said most. Now that I have the desk and bookcase in the room I've realized I'd like another one, possibly two, of the smallest ones and have room. My scraproom is in the smallest of the bedrooms in our home and now it feels spacious. I have carpet to vacuum and I have! lol This bookcase grouping is very affordable from IKEA and so I don't feel guilty going back for two more. Enough of alll that...let me show you around.

As you enter the door this is what you see.


You see that I have a bit of an addiction to all things Coca~Cola and I use those containers to organize in as well as set a theme for the room. I also adore the color apple green. The bookcase against the wall hold the newest of my pattern papers, felt shapes, fabric, magazines, shaped papers, punches, chipboard, glitters, flocks and cards already made ready to be mailed when needed.


If you turn to the left this is what you will see next. My new desk attached to another of those IKEA bookcases. Here more Coca~Cola containers hold diecuts, tools, inks, flowers, colored pencils and pens. The shelf you see hanging on the wall is also from IKEA. I loved the idea that it had drawers in it. I needed a shelf and combining it with more storage was just a genius idea...thank you IKEA! One drawer holds journalling tags and the other hold the dies for my Revolution. The dresser in the corner doesn't quite fit with all the IKEA white in the room however I can't see it go as its been in my family for almost 170 years. I keep mailing supplies and wrapping paper stored in the drawers.


On the right side of the room you see these closets from IKEA again. (yes, I have an IKEA addiction.) Inside are rubber stamps, clear stamps, photos, Xyrons and other various supplies. The shelves in between my husband built to fit the gap. That is where cardstock and ribbon is kept by color.


Here is a close up of that desk I cannot wait to get to work at. So excited I tell ya!!! One last thing, see that big jar on top? That's an idea I got when I was in Alabama in Stephanie's scraproom. She has a much larger jar with the most adorable round pins and ribbon wrapped around them. I had to use regular pins however the idea is the same and for all those $1.00 ribbons that are multi colored this is a great way to store them.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Friendship

To know someone here or there with whom you can feel there is understanding in spite of distances or thoughts unexpressed - that can make this life a garden.
Goethe

Monday, March 7, 2011

Redesign

Much of my free time is spent in my scraproom. For the last several years I've had an L-shaped desk that once upon a time was in my office at work. It was much better suited to that life than to scrapbooking and cardmaking. After much thought I made some decisions and the redesign is underway. What a mess!! I can say already though that it will be worth it. Real photos of the room will follow soon. Right now things are just too disorganized to allow the camera in to capture the room. Here is the desk I decided on and I must say I understand why I've read for years as fellow scrapbookers have sang the praises of this line from IKEA. It does fit the hobby and make such sense. Adding the desk to the bookcase is just a natural extension.



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

True Companion


He is mine. Always faithful and always waiting for me when I return home. I was folding some laundry today when I turned around and saw this...him napping with his favorite toy behind him. The moment was too perfect to pass up. I was glad that my camera was only about two steps away from me. His naps are getting longer these days and his playtimes much shorter. I know the day is coming when he won't be at the top of the stairs to greet me when I return at the end of a day out so I need to enjoy each and every moment left. This month Rom turns 13. This is quite old for a large breed dog. At his prime Rom was a very strong 150 pounds. Quite a gentle giant. Well unless you were the wall in a our back hallway. He put a rather large hole in it one day with a floss toss rope toy as he was throwing his head side to side. Right then the decision was made...no more tosses for large dogs. Then on he received the toss made for small to medium dogs. Rom could throw his head side to side as much as he wanted and the house was still standing at the end of the day.

He has been an amazing companion, the truest of companions. I hope with all my heart that our time together is not as limited as it might seem.