Sometimes,Simple Is Best

Sometimes, I create simple pages. It does not mean they are plain. It means, to me, that I chose not to use a lot of techniques on that page.I merely chose elements and placed them in an manner which I felt was visually pleasing. It also does not mean that my layout is devoid of a deeper meaning. Some photos call for deep stories while others do not.Some photos can tell more than one story.

Snap Crackle Pop by Christy Strickler Supplies Patterned Paper,Stickers, Alphas: Pink Paislee; Other: Sequins, Jewels

Made with the Scrapbook News and Review Color Palette of the Week

For whatever odd reason, I associate Rice Krispy Treats with the Fourth of July. I don't have any proof, but I am pretty sure that my Grandmother made them every year around this time when I was a very young. So rather than use these photos for a story about making Rice Krispy treats ( which is sort of a plain story anyway),I chose to document this half remembered tradition of my youth.

The page came together quickly. The patterned paper already had the frame around it. I used  matching border stickers and embellishments.Then I sprinkled jeweled stars ( one of my new favorite embellishments) and some sequins across the page for a little dimension. I sewed a little under the title, added journaling and then the page was done. It's simple,but I like the way it accents my story.

Sometimes simple is good. 

Layout Love Equals Medicine

Day four: The headache continues. I press on, as usual, when one of these pops up. It's not a full blown migraine this time. Just a dull ache in the background, constantly reminding me not to move around too much.I suspect everyone here is sick, including me,since I am not the only one with a headache, dizziness and nausea.  Both my husband and son are also experiencing the same symptoms. Everyone is tired and blah which is not the way to start the weekend. What I need is a little pick me up.  When I saw SoapHouse Mama's post about today being the day for Layout Love, I knew that was the ticket. Just looking back over past layouts makes me feel better.

Off I went to explore my archives for previously unblogged layouts to share. Trips down memory lane are so awesome. I guess that's why I love memory keeping. Anyway, here are a couple of gems that lifted my spirits today:

 Be Still Awhile by Christy Strickler
 Supplies CardStock and Transparency: Colorbok; Alphas: Sassafrass and Echo Park; Mist: Tattered Angels; Ribbon: Prima; Patterned Paper: Die Cuts With a View; Ribbon Slide and Flowerr: Maya Road; Other: tag,Glossy Accents
previously seen in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine, Spring

1 Happy Lucky Duck by Christy Strickler
Supplies Patterned Paper and Die Cuts: My Little Shoebox; Mist: Homemade; Pen: Martha Stewart;Alphas: Sizzix; Title Block: K and Company; Chipboard: Sassafrass; Other: kraft cardstock; DMC floss
Previously Seen in Scrapbook News and Review magazine, Spring

Tales of a Craft Class Junkie: Guided Study Critique

I just signed up and completed registration for the Guided Study Critique workshop over at Get It Scrapped.  Some of you may be wondering why someone who has been on several creative teams would need a critique of her work. First of all, let me say that I don't regard myself as some superstar scrapbooker of note. I am just me and I like memory keeping. It's just that there seems to be some perception out there, that if you make even one Creative Team, then you must really be in the know about all things design related. This was confirmed when I shared with a close friend and crop buddy that I had made the Scrapbook News and Review Creative Staff earlier this year. She half jokingly commented that she wasn't sure she could crop with me anymore, now that I was a " professional".

Here I am, confessing that, while I do know a little about design, I can learn so much more. I've been taking the Get it Scrapped seminars since they began. I have applied a lot of what I learn to my layouts, giving them both deeper meaning and character. Yet there are times when I don't know why people prefer one layout I have created over another. Sometimes, I pour my heart and soul into one page while I decide to make a quick and easy page for another. I expect a big reaction to the page I poured all of my creative energy into. Yet often, friends and loved ones ooh and aah over the simple page. Why is that? So maybe, just maybe, I can learn how others see my pages. I know what I see when I look at them. However, do they know what it is that I want them to see?

I am hoping to find out a little more about myself.This critique group is yet another part of my journey. I hope maybe some of you will grab a seat in the study group alongside me.

Tales of a Craft Class Junkie: Gesso Update

Taking Gesso: It's not just a Primer over at the Art Studio had been a good thing for me. I have worked with gesso before, but I really never knew how much I could do with it until now.I still have a lot of possibilities to explore but I thought I would share a few of the page bases I have made. Why just page bases, you ask? Well, some of the bases have already become layouts which will appear soon at Scrapbook News and Review magazine or possibly for Get It Scrapped. So until they get revealed, I can't share the full layout. What a way to tease you, huh?!?! Well, It is Teaser Thursday at the SNR magazine blog, so I  figured I might just tease you with a sneak peek of something on my blog every Thursday too.



This page base used up some of my fabric scraps. I have a die cut alphabet called Ransom. It's a really old school alphabet from sizzix. It leaves behind these funky shaped squares.I really love finding ways to utilize them on my layouts. I have used this one for an upcoming SNR magazine blog post. Stay tuned to see the full layout during the month of September.







This was my first time really using black gesso. I think maybe that I botched the technique a bit. Part of me likes it. Part of me does not. The paper curled quite a lot. To remedy that, I sat down with my sewing machine and just randomly sewed a line, rotated the page, sewed another line, etc. I ended up with a funky sort of square pattern. I am now in the process of creating a layout with this base page. I am trying out other techniques on it with paint and modeling paste. Quite frankly, I swing back and forth over whether I love what I am doing or hate it. That's the way it goes when you experiment though. Without trial and error, you never learn. I may submit it for an assignment at Get it Scrapped. We shall see. I do promise to reveal it here sometime in the near future. The only other hint I can give you is that the layout involves scary movies.

I have a quite a few more techniques to learn and practice with for the Gesso class. The class is certainly chock full of things to learn and try. For more great class selections, pop on over to the Art Studio. There is ething for everyone.

Altered Bottle Caps

Today is Workshop Wednesday over at the Scrapbook News and Review Blog. It's my turn to share a quick and easy tutorial. I altered a few bottle caps which I plan to use on some future layouts. To learn how to make these, pop on over to the SNR blog.

A Firm Foundation

Whenever I need a quick start to making a page, I turn to a sketch or a magazine ad. I like to collect them on my pinterest board. Sometimes I see an ad and I just know I want to make something with it. This was one of those ads.

I can look right at the ad and know just how the embellishments would fit in. The lady becomes a spot for a photo.The shoes become buttons,die cuts and brads. My text and title will fit in quite nicely.Be fore you know it, I have a completed page.

The page I am sharing with you today is chock full of inspiration.Not only did I use an ad, I also used the weekly inspiration piece from Scrapbook News and Review magazine. In the world of creativity,it's always ok to combine your inspiration.

A Firm Foundation by Christy Strickler Supplies Patterend Paper: my Little Shoebox; Alphas: Sizzix; Canvas Border: Little Yellow Bicycle; Die Cuts: Basic Grey; Buttons: Basic Grey, Crate Paper, Love Elsie; Brad: Sassafrass;Flower: Pink Paislee; Other: DMC floss, denim











For more ideas on how to use the inspiration you can find all around you, check out Masterful Scrapbook Design's August Seminar. 






Also check in weekly at the scrapbook News and Review blog for sketches, inspiration prompts and color palettes.

I Needed a Time Out

I have a lot on my plate this week, yet I took some time for me. One might say, well, you just had the whole weekend and it's Monday, time to get working. Well, maybe that's true. I think though, that the few minutes I took for myself this morning really paid off. After my little time out, I managed all of the following:

Cleaned out the refrigerator
Swept the patio clean of Tropical Storm Isaac's mess
put all the patio furniture back outside
mopped and vacuumed the floors in the whole house
washed one load of laundry
home schooled my son for several hours
Blogged

I emerged from my time out feeling relaxed. It gave me enough time to go through my to do list for the week and break it up into smaller, more easily accomplished tasks. Now, I have an idea of what I need to do each day this week. Time out is also part of my creative habit. It's how I find and make the time to work on my memory keeping.

         Laser Tag by Christy Strickler Supplies Patterned Paper:  Cosmo Cricket;
Ink: Ranger; Stickers: Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket,October Afternoon;
Stamp: JBS Mercantile; Mist: Homemade; Buttons: Basic Grey            

So what exactly did I do during my time out today? Well, for once, I did not work on a project for a creative team. Don't get me wrong, I love being on creative teams. It's just that sometimes, I miss the days of just posting to a challenge group. I decided to play along with the JBS Mercantile summer challenge. This weekend, they challenged everyone to create a page based off the dimensional drawings of a tennis court.

I have a photo of my son and his friends in full gear, posing and ready for laser tag. Since I haven't asked one of the kid's parents for permission to use his photos for publication, I covered his adorable face up. It's another reason I reached outside my creative team assignments today. I always have to share everyone's adorable faces for CT assignments.

I made the title with a JBS Mercantile stencil.I fussy cut the alphabet from some scrap kraft cardstock. I then cut it into squares. I love the way the page shows through the letters. Even thought this JBS kit featured sewing themed paper, I manages to adapt it to my topic. I love the 4 volts on the top right corner. It seemed to fit with there being four kids in the photo.

Have you had your time out today?If not, I really encourage you to find the time. Even it it's just ten minutes ( which on some days is all I get), you will feel so much better about you and end up being a lot more productive throughout your week.

Scrapbooking with Yellow

Yellow is one of my nemesis colors. I love scrapbooking with  blue or green. Earth tones are easy. Red and orange can always find a way into my pages. The funny thing is, I have been challenged many times to use yellow. Which means that I have a variety of yellow pages, despite my difficulty in using it.

Wizard 101 by Christy Strickler
Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok;Mist: homemade; Ribbon: Cosmo Cricket, Making Memories; Brads: Basic Grey, Pink Paislee; Embossing Folder: Sizzix; Other: metal; acrylic paint; as seen in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine






The star pattern was created with an old piece of my broken Kuerig Brewer. It's the grill that caught the coffee if it dripped over the cup while brewing. I stamped it onto this page after using it as a mask.

Which leads me to share the page which had the mask. When you have the chance, always look for ways to create extra page bases. It is such a time saver!

How to Do the Duck Pond Victory Dance by Christy Strickler Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Alphas: October Afternoon, Webster's Pages; Echo Park; Stickers: Sassafrass,October Afternoon; Brads: Basic Grey; Other: sequins; as seen in Scrapbook News and Review magazine

Looking for more way to use yellow on your pages?Check out some more yellow pages over at Get It Scrapped.

Back to Test Tube Aliens

It's been a few years since my son had one of these. He had such fun with the first series of test tube aliens. So for Easter, I had one of the series two collection in his basket. He's a little older now and I am sad to say that, though he enjoyed having the alien, it was not the same enthusiastic experience as the last time. He was about six or so when his first alien arrived. He named it and made up a whole story to compliment his new toy. This time, the pretend element was not there. It was more of an 'observe and see how the thing grows' type deal. I guess that just shows how he is growing up.

Test Tube Alien by Christy Strickler Supplies Patterned Paper and Rub-ons: Fancy Pants; Alphas: Sassafrass; Other: electrical tape

Page created using the sketch of the week at Scrapbook News and Review magazine.








Speaking of growing, I have been growing a lot in my roles on various creative teams.Sometimes, it keeps me too busy to participate in challenges around the web the way I used to.I miss that a lot.This week, I saw that Simon Says Stamp is having an Anything Goes Challenge. So I figured, what the heck and I am linking my project up over there.

It's Looks Like Rainy Weekend

The cats love that the patio
 furniture is inside.

We'd been watching the path of Tropical storm Isaac for several days. I didn't think we had much to be concerned with...yet. So I was quite surprised to have a knock on my door early yesterday morning to begin hurricane prep. The HOA decided to put the storm shutters on our condo, which meant I needed to bring all of the patio furniture inside. Thank goodness my son is old enough to help out.

After cleaning and manhandling the furniture indoors, my son and I headed out.I always keep emergency supplies on hand, but adding a few more, just in case,is never a bad idea. Out we went to various stores for canned goods and water. Once that was done and everything  put away, I set about doing the laundry.One must, after all, have plenty of clean clothes ready when a natural disaster is imminent.( I would like to say that it's because I have super awesome disaster ready outfits like the characters in  a video game. The reality is, you can't use the washing machine when there is no power. Therefore, one must wash ahead.)

Which brings us to the present.I awoke to a rainy,overcast morning.It looks like Isaac is heading farther west. Rain is in our forecast, but thankfully, not a hurricane. The house is clean. The majority of the laundry is now done. Looks like I will have a rainy weekend of sleeping in and plenty of scrapbooking. I have MAJOR plans now. These include catching upon the gesso class from the art studio, creating some page bases, listening to some Masterful Scrapbook Design Seminars and getting a jump on my next round of creative team assignments. Finally, it looks like I can get ahead and not just live in the now!

Teaser Thursday- Thinking Pink

I am happy to say I have another layout as part of the Teaser Thursday blog column at Scrapbook News and review magazine. I hope you will pop on over there to find out the back story behind my layout.

I Will Wait for You at the Top of the Stairs by Christy Strickler Supplies Cardstock: Coredinations; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye; Alphas: Sassafrass; Ink; Clearsnap; Stamp: Jenniw Bowlin; Flowers: Maya Road; Brads: K and Company; Metal tab: Making Memories

Supply Savvy- The Warehouse Mystery box

Pink Paislee Mystery Box goodness

I have a lot of supplies.Not as much as some paper crafters,but more than enough for me. I manage to keep some current product in my supplies but I also know how to use older products in fresh, trendy ways. I don't have the money to buy new supplies on a regular basis, so I really have to decide how and where I will direct my paper craft budget. My absolute favorite way to stock up are warehouse mystery boxes. If you are not familiar with a warehouse mystery box, it's basically a box filled with supplies from one manufacturer. It is sold at a deep discount.Sometimes you have an idea of what will be in it.Sometimes not. Most times, the sales occur right after CHA and they are clearing the previous releases to make way for the new ones.

Some of my friends think I am crazy to like them so much. They say they would rather know what they are getting for the money. After all, how do I know that what I receive will be something I like.It is a valid argument. My answer to that is to choose mystery boxes from manufacturers you love.Chances are, if you are like me, you swooned over pretty much everything they released during the last CHA. Most of the time, everything I get in a box is something I love. I get a sampling of the items that I had on my wishlist. I just don't have the money to buy a full paper collection, embellishments and all, when it comes out. By the time it goes on sale, I often can't find all of the collection anyway since parts of it are sold out. it's very frustrating when what is available is scattered between 2 or 3 different on-line retailers. So grab bags and mystery boxes work well for me.

So will you end up with something you don't like? Sometimes, you will. However, I enjoy the challenge of finding ways to alter the item to fit it into my style. If it really won't work, I share it with a friend who likes it or I donate it. When you break down the value of the mystery box, it's almost like you got that item for free anyway. 

Tips for Mystery box sales:

- buy only from manufacturers you like.You will have less chance of receiving things you don't like.

- sign up for newsletters and email notifications from manufacturers. You will often find out about sales this way.

- once you know when a sale occurs, make a note of what time of year.Most manufacturers hold these around the same time every year. While the date might not be exact, you will have an idea for when to keep an eye on their blog.

- some manufacturers have several a year.I tend to buy only once a year.Sometimes, items get repeated if more than one sale occurs in a year.

- boxes cost between $20 and $75 depending upon the manufacturer.Know the true value of what is in the box to determine if the sale is the best value for your money.

Companies that have had mystery box sales:

My Little Shoebox

October Afternoon

Tattered Angels

Maya Road

Piggy Tales

Pink Paislee

Sassafrass

Grab bags:

Watch for grab bags at your favorite daily deal sites or on-line stores. I tend to see advertisements for My Mind's Eye and Fancy Pants. I have also seen advertisements for bundles and grab bags of lifestyle crafts dies and spellbinders.

Currently having a sale:

Maya road: http://www.mayaroad.net/index.php?main_page=storefront

Jillibean soup always has discount grab bags and paper packs in their store:

http://www.jillibean-soup.com/retail/index.php?route=product/category&path=87

I know I have always been happy with my warehouse box purchases. It's a lot of fun to see what you will end up with!

Tales of a Craft Class Junkie: Inky Doodles Update

Supplies: Creative Memories markers and cardstock

I am hooked! I love the effect doodling has on my background papers. I am so glad that I have rediscovered my pens and markers! When I first started scrapbooking, almost a decade ago, I used to use pens and markers a whole lot more than I do now. At that time, supplies were limited...both because of my budget and the types of products that were available. I had the need to be creative in order to get the look I wanted to achieve. This title page layout is an example of how I used only cardstock and markers.

Over time, I began to become more supply savvy.My stash of supplies grew and I became less dependant on the use of pen and marker to create customized looks for my layouts. In fact, my pens and markers transitioned into a tool that only was used to write the story behind the page or to outline a few embellishments. To be honest, there is nothing wrong with that.We all got through a variety of creative phases. I was always excited to use what supplies I had. I just used pen and marker less.

Now here I am, on a budget and looking for ways to add more techniques to my designs. In my search, I have come back full circle, to my pens and markers. The difference between the memory keeper I was almost a decade ago and the memory keeper I am now is subtle.I have other techniques to bring to the table. I still need to learn more design principles, but I am savvy enough in that realm to be a little more pleased with the look of my layouts. I also have a decade's worth of supplies to enhance my doodles.

I also approach my memory keeping a bit differently.A decade ago, I scrapbooked for the sake of storing photos in and appealing way. Now, I also scrapbook as a means of relaxation and a creative outlet. I am finding that creating background papers like the ones shown here really adds to that purpose.







Watch for me to use them on a layout soon. Meanwhile, if you would like to learn more about how you can add doodling to your pages, check out these classes:


 at Creative Passions


at the Art Studio

Using Larger Photos

Lately I have been experimenting with larger photos.I created this particular layout for an assignment at Get IT Scrapped which featured 3 photo pages. In this case, I used a somewhat grainy 8 1/2 x11 photo of our approach to the Kennedy Space Center. Since the photo had a lot of white space, I placed smaller photos and page elements inside it.I always seem to use 4x6 and 31/2 x 5 photographs. I am still not 100 % sure I like using the larger photos. I will say it's been a challenge for me and an interesting switch.I invite you to try the same.

KSC by Christy Strickler | Supplies: Cardstock:Bazzill; patterned paper: October Afternoon; buttons: Basic Grey; ribbon: Maya Road; twine: twinery; other: alphas,sequins, jeweled stars

Teaser Thursday

Have you ever longed to hear the back story behind a layout? Scrapbook News and Review has just launched Teaser Thursday on their blog. You get to see a project that was published in the magazine and find out a little more about what the creator was thinking. I got to be the first one to post. I hope you will pop over to the SNR blog to check it out.

Sunset Swim by Christy Strickler Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Alphas: Chatterbox; Mist: Ranger; Transparency: Fancy Pants; Other: bamboo skewer, Glossy Accents

.

Get the Look for Less: DIY Wood Accents

Like many paper crafters, I am on a budget. I like to find affordable ways to replicate the latest trends. My most recent experiment worked out quite nicely. I love those painted buttons that Basic Grey offers. I have a few in my supplies but I would love to have more. I decided to see how well I could replicate them on my own. I bought some wood shapes for around $1.50 and set to work with markers and paint. Mine may not have the polished look of the original, but they have a charm of their own.



Would you like to learn how to make these? Check out my tutorial at the Scrapbook News and Review Blog. 

One Shelf at a Time: Washi Tape

It was not so very long ago when I lacked a supply of washi tape. While I still don't have a ton of it, I did manage to get a little bit more for some upcoming projects. I guess it's good I don't have a lot of this stuff available to me locally, or I might go way overboard with it.  So now that I have just a little, I had to make some decisions about how to store it so that I get the best use of the tape.

Since I work for several creative teams, it is necessary for me to know who manufactures the products I use. I store all of my supplies by type, color or theme, and then sometimes, by manufacturer. I knew right away that I would store the tape by color, but I needed a way to label it by manufacturer. My first though was to make some ultra cute tags. This idea was nixed this morning. When I entered my craft space, I discovered my son's kitten, Ju Ju Bee had decided she wanted a craft party of her own. I spent about 20 minutes or so cleaning up her creative play. Tags would be too much of a temptation for her. Instead, I used a fine tip marker to write the name of the manufacturer on the cardboard and plastic tape rolls.

Initially I had a shelf with dowel rods attached. I had hoped to put the tape rolls there but I discovered a problem. If I needed to remove a roll to measure the tape I wanted for a project, then I had to take the whole rod off. It would be a pain. My cat sealed the deal that I would not be using the dowel rods. She stole the end caps which then were broken. I then decided to just remove the whole rod and stack the tape by color on the shelf.

I like the way the colorful stacks sit on the shelf. I can see what I need and access it with ease. Maybe someday I will get some more washi tape. For now, this suits my needs just fine!

Flying Ace

When I was asked to complete a project with a flight motif for Get it Scrapped, I never realized I would have so many options. I had photos of my son on a paratrooper carnival ride. I also had a photo of him from a few years back as we were flying on a plane. It was hard to choose. I finally settled on these photos. They are probably not what you think of when you think of " flight" themed pictures. My son is playing a flight simulator at an arcade. While the pictures certainly  fit the assignment, I wanted to add something to the page that also conjured images of gaming. 

Supplies: Cardstock: Colorbok; patterned paper and trim: Webster's Pages; buttons: Basic Grey; other: miniature playing cards, jeweled stars, die cut alphas; glossy accents

While sorting through some Webster's pages paper, I came across a sheet which had little playing cards on it. Several of the cards had planes. Perfect! After cutting those out, I paired them with aces from a deck of miniature playing cards. I received the deck of cards as part of a scrapbook kit quite awhile back. Once again, I have found myself using an item I never thought I would ever find a use for. Another reason for me not to purge my supplies.

The patterned paper block is composed of two sheets of 6x6 papers. I love 6x6 papers! They were just enough of what I needed for this page. There is a little bit of each color in the game machine my son was playing on. Very subtle, but a nice plus for my page. I actually realized this after the fact though I am sure it played into my choice in paper. I even managed to chop off about an inch from one sheet. I will save that for a border on another page. I hid the seam from the two sheets by placing the photos over it.

I save more scraps than I probably should. In this case, it did come in handy. The plane is the backing of a chipboard sticker. It can be a little tricky to adhere something so glossy. A little bit of glossy accents did the trick and the silhouette of the plane is perfect for this page.

Would you like to see more layouts with flight motifs? Head on over to Get it Scrapped.

Not Even a Fizzle

I love washi tape. Sadly, I only own a few rolls of it. My local scrapbooking store does not carry the stuff. So, until I can order some, I have been searching for other tape options. My latest preference is masking tape. I am not sure it's acid free. However, it's budget friendly and I can alter it to fit my needs.

It also is the perfect embellishment for school theme pages. This is a page about a school experiment that did not go as planned. We were studying volcanoes and the bottle was supposed to pop and then fizz a lot. Nothing happened. We had an on-going theme of experiments gone wrong all summer.

Not Even a Fizzle by Christy Strickler Supplies Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants and Basic Grey; Alphas: K and Company and Bella Blvd.; Border Sticker: Studio Calico; Brads: Basic Grey; Other: masking tape, DMC floss

Friday Sketch for Scrapbook News and Review Magazine

Ready for another budget friendly tip? The letter Z used to be an X. This alphabet set only came with one z. So cutting another letter and re-gluing it was a good solution for me.

Fussy Cutting

It's actually a sewing term, or so I have been told. It's something I like to do when I have a very intricate patterned paper. Sometimes the design works better for me if I isolate parts of it rather than use the whole sheet of patterned paper. Using a craft knife also helps my budget out. I can create my own custom embellishments for a fraction of the cost. This was the case with the next layout.

We had visited Aspen on a Business trip with my husband. I wanted something that represented the city. I had a sheet from Little Yellow Bicycle with leaves all over it. The leaves reminded me of Aspen and the colors were perfect. I chose to use my craft knife to cut out several of the leaves which I then layered to create a border.

A Little Town Called Aspen By  Christy Strickler
Supplies: Cardstock: Colorbok; Patterned Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle and
Artsylicious; Alphas: Making Memories and October Afternoon; Brad: K and Co,
Flower: Prima;  Mist: Tattered Angels; Paperclip: Basic Grey
Other: DMC floss, cardstock; Sketch Inspiration # 237

When documenting cities you have visited, choose symbols and color palettes that remind you of your trip.

For more ideas for Scrapbooking about cities:

12 Ideas for Scrapbooking Travel To Cities

For more ideas for using your craft knife:

Inside MacGyver’s Tool Box: Using Your Craft Knife on Your Scrapbook Pages

Photos With Bears and Other Animals

Sometimes my son hates it when I play the role of Mammarazzi. Other times, he actually makes requests. This was one such occasion, though, I believe that towards the end of the day, he was regretting his request. My husband had taken us along on a business trip to a conference in Aspen,Colorado. Throughout Aspen and Snowmass, we saw a variety of statues. Most of them featured bears. My son had the grand idea that I should take his photo with every statue we saw. I was quite happy to comply, for as soon as he made the request, scrapbook layout ideas had begun to swirl in my head.

Photos with Bears and Other Animals by Christy StricklerSupplies: Cardstock: American Crafts; Alphas: Sassafrass, October Afternoon
Chipboard and Stickers: October Afternoon; Other: DMC Floss

We don't camp a lot, so I took the opportunity to use the cutesy camping theme stickers and chipboard elements. Try to think out of the box with your supplies. Just because something was designed to go with a camping theme doesn't mean you have to use it that way. I sewed a trail throughout the page to signify our walk through town. It also helps lead the viewer through the page.

When exploring a city, look for unique landmarks like these to document your journey. For more ideas for scrapbooking about cities, check out this article at Get It Scrapped:

12 Ideas for Scrapbooking Travel To Cities 

Today is a Holiday

Today is a holiday. At least where I live it is. I am enjoying a day of scrapbooking while my husband chills out and my son plays with his friends. I am happy to have the time to catch up on some of the assignments for the Modeling Paste Class I took at the Art Studio. This is my first go around with modeling paste. I will have a project to share soon. For now, I thought I would give a little sneak peek.

All I can say is this: I love modeling paste and I love Dylusions inks! I am going through way too much of those and may have to buy some more very soon.

I am also pretty happy that I finally got around to using the We R Memory Keepers summer collection I have had in my stash since last year. 

I hope you all find some time to craft before the busy school season kicks into gear for you. Meanwhile, I am off to enjoy more of my holiday.

Tales of a Craft Class Junkie

I have an admitted addiction starting. I love on-line classes. My son loves taking part in them for homeschool. I love getting to take a class of my own at the same time. We both love interacting with our classmates and learning something new. So I thought I would start a new series on my blog sharing my adventures in various classes I take on-line.  Let's start out with the ones I am currently taking:

Masterful Scrapbook Design: I have been taking this one now for several years. Each month has a new seminar with a different topic. You get a lot of content for the money. I love how the PDF's are recorded so that I can either read the seminar or listen to it while I work on my layouts. It's not a step by step to a completed projetc type of class. So what I learn here often gets integrated into other classes I am taking. This month's seminar is all about finding and using inspiration.

Creative Passions:  I just finished a handlettering class here. I am pleased with the results. I have gotten back to using my markers more and relying less on letter stickers. So now, I am taking Michelle's second class, Inky Doodles. I don't own copics but I think that with a little creativity, I can still use my Bic Mark-It's and my new Tim Holtz Distress Markers.

I also have quite a few classes to finish up over at Big picture classes and Get It Scrapped. I need to finish some of those before I move forward. Or so I say. However, I decided to take a few of the classes over at The Art Studio. In July, I took Mists, Beyond Point and Shoot and How to Use Modeling Paste on any Project.I'll be sharing some of my work from those soon. I am pretty excited about a new class coming up.

I have worked with gesso off and on this year. I really like using it but I don't think I have a grasp on the full potential for it's use. I am hoping this class remedies that situation. The class starts this week. If you would like to join me, pop on over to the art studio to register.

Meanwhile, stay tuned to the blog. I hope to change the look sometime in the next few months with some inky doodles of my own. I will also be sharing more tales of a craft class junkie. I will include some of my class projects as well as tips on how to find time to work these classes into your daily schedule.

Love Is Like A Tree

I am spending a lot of time crafting this weekend, but I thought I would take a break to pop by and share one of my latest pages. I made it for this week's color palette at Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

Love is Like a Tree by Christy Strickler Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye; Alphas: Sassafrass; Tape: Anna Griffin; mist: Tattered Angels; Buttons: Basic Grey; Clip: Making Memories; Ink: SEI; Other: kraft cardstock, flowers, jewels, heart button, homemade mist

I have a ton of photos featuring my son and our new kitten. So this time, instead of journaling, I chose to use a quote. Doesn't that kitten look happy and smug?!?! She adores my son though she was very shy at first. I chose the quote to document how much her attachment to him has grown.

TGIF 8-3

It's a rainy morning here. I love it though. It's peaceful and quiet, except for the sound of thunder.It's perfect for a morning in my scrap space. I'm enjoying my coffee and some lemon poppy seed muffins while I peruse the virtual world on scrapbooking. Lemon poppyseed muffins are a rare treat where I live. My son has me going back to the bakery for these every chance we can.

This week, I have been wrapping up projects for SNR magazine and for Get It Scrapped. I'm still a little behind on listening to the  Masterful Scrapbook Design Seminar and the classes  I have been taking at the Art Studio. My son starts back to full time homeschooling soon. So I see myself sitting down during his on-line classes to get myself caught up with my own.

Currently I am:
- Obsessing with a game called Tiny Farm. I really want a phoenix!
- tweaking a tutorial involving metals for SNR Mag

This Weekend:
- I have layouts planned in my head and more layouts started all over my desk. Time to finish some!
- I am looking forward to walking around the neighborhood with my husband and son.
-I am hoping to have lunch with some friends.

Inspired by Fashion

I love pinterest. I love finding images and pulling inspiration from them. So when I received the assignment from Get It Scrapped to use fashion as my inspiration, I knew I would have an easy time of it. From a single outfit, you can find color options, textures, and ideas for embellishments. I chose an outfit from polyvore.com. 

I had some photos of my son's kitten. She had started to play but then fell asleep right where she was on my scrap desk. The soft tones of this outfit were perfect as a jumping off point for my page.Now that I had a color palette, I had to search through my supplies. I chose to use a floral print paper as my base since the blouse if the foundation for the outfit. I also chose to make an embellishment  with glass beads since the sweater had glass beads on it. I cut apart an old belt. It reminded me of the belt in the outfit. I also slipped in some khaki shorts. You might recall a post from march about a boy's pair of shorts. Well, this makes layout number two. We will have to see how many more projects I can use those shorts on.

Sleep Where You Lie by Christy Strickler | Supplies: patterned paper, alphas, button: Webster’s Pages; flowers: Sassafrass; metal office tab: Making Memories; mist: Tattered Angels;brad: K and Company; tag: Fancy Pants; other: glass beads, quilt pins, old belt, khaki shorts, acrylic paint, stencil.

I love the texture and dimension of this layout. I had a ton of fun finding items in my supplies and around the house to mimic the look of the outfit. It was sort of like a scavenger hunt.