I'm back - again

Well, talk about a neglected Blog.  I can't believe it has been that long since I have been here.  It is now Easter weekend and I am finally getting some time to scrap for my own books.  I am hoping to finally get Will's high school album(s) done.  I started his as a 9X9 and should have done a 12X12.  My little man LOVES the camera and I have a ton of pictures to scrap.  And I have 5 years to scrap.  Oh, the problems he has created!  ha ha ha   I have had to hi-jack Jamie's 9X9 album for Will, and I will do James' album in a 12X12.  Of course, he hates the camera, so I am going to have to be creative enough to turn 12 pictures into a full album.  The joys!! 

I can only deal with one problem at a time right now, so I am going to get Will's albums done.  I am planning on boxing them up and putting them in a safe place out of the way until he moves out.  We just have no storage room in this house and my albums need to be distributed to the owners.  I think if I get Will's high school years and his Eagle scout album done, that is it for him.  Then I can start on James.  You know, the one with 12 pictures!  ha

I am looking forward to a great National Scrapbooking Day.  We are going to be meeting at the Lion's Club building at the fairgrounds.  It has plenty of room for all of us, and as long as it is warm enough, I think it may be a great location. And you know how that day goes, food, scrap, food, scrap, food, food and then maybe a little chocolate, scrap.  ;-) 

Since I am talking so much about my son, this is him, entertaining his cousin at Easter 5 years ago.  I think his cousin watches too much CSI.

Here he is with his pride and joy car (which I learned to hate!! what a money pit)

And my boy!  Isn't he beautiful?  Even in 2006 he was a handsome young man.  You should see him now!! 

These are some of the fun pictures I am going to go put in an album now.  I hope you are getting some fun stuff done. 

Happy Easter!

February Challenges!

Ha!  You thought I would forget to put them up this month didn't you?  Well, I have them ready, and I hope you are ready to play along.  This month let's make some pages!

1. BoM  -  My Every Day Life (a day in my life...something along this line)
2. Card  -  Wishes pg. 53, On the Edge
3. Layout  -  Reflections pg. 53, Main Frame Quarter Circle,
4. Product  -  Ink, paper, B&T, kits  (this month is a gimme!)
5. Color  -  smoothie, cotton candy, cranberry, holiday red, tulip (the reds, use 1, some or all of them)
6. technique  -  make your own B&T paper (random stamping or striping)

OK, see what appeals to you.  I am planning on using some of these to finish up the baby album on my desk.  What are you gonna do?

Here are a couple entrants from last month!  Don't they look great?   Why don't you come out and play with us too?  See you soon, connie

Retreat Success!

Well, I am home from my weekend in the hills with all my good friends.  We ate, we laughed, we cut and we glued!  Another amazing weekend at Storm Mountain Retreat center with the girls.  I love February and I know that most of the women that come to the retreat look forward to it all year long, just like I do. 

This year, I didn't have very big goals.  I wanted to start a mini album for a friend of my son, and make a mini for me.  I also knew that I needed to crank out some cards to send to Afghanistan. I haven't sent any in awhile and I am falling behind on my commitment of a box a month.   And so, my final report is, my album - finished, the mini for John - started, and 100 cards made to go to Afghanistan.  Not bad for a weekend of work, especially when I was miserable with a cold.  Yuck.  It put a little damper on this years retreat, but not much. 

Now, I have to show you the album I made for myself.  I am so happy with it. 

 Isn't this stamp cool?  I love the filmstrip mutating into butterflies.

 I love these little stamps by CTMH.  They are the perfect accent for this page.

 A girl's gotta have some bling, don't you think?

 Another stamp from CTMH on the right page.  Great accent stamp.

Here's a closer look.  I think a person could do alot with this stamp set! 

Anyway, that is the mini album I finished at retreat.  I can't wait to find the time to get some pictures in there.  Of course, I have to find pictures of me first, that is the hardest part.  I hope you are better at getting your picture taken than I am!  I will post more pictures from the retreat soon.  C

A new year - more craziness!

I can't believe it has been 3 weeks since I posted.  I am really losing it!  ha ha   I am deep in the throws of taxes (Oh Why , oh why don't I keep up with this all year long?!)  and getting ready for our annual retreat.  I am so excited!  I know all the girls are planning what they are going to bring and what they are going to work on.  I think I am going to be working on some mini albums - for ME!  Something I have not done for years. 


But, before I start packing things up, I thought I should share some of the pictures from our Christmas parties this year. (It is February! I would think you would be ready to scrapbook these! ha ha) I am going to start with my Rapid City afternoon group. We met at Michele's house and had wine and appetizers with our projects! It was awesome!



 These girls look ready to work, don't they? 

 I really think we were mostly excited about the gift exchange.

 These decorated frames were the project I planned for the party.  So easy to have a special frame for any event - just a little paper and creativity!

 Every one's frame was a little bit different!

 And we had a new crafter join us at the party, Michele's daughter stayed with us and made her own scrapbook!  I love when they join us young!

Then of course I had the party with my Rapid City evening group.  We met in the afternoon in December, so it was different right from the start.

 The sisters got started right away.  I think they were checking out the gift table!

 I used my CRICUT and cut this bunch some layered trees and ornaments.

 There may have been a bit of glitter roaming around the room too.

 Everyone got extremely creative.  Check out how the glitter is layered on this ornament!

The gift table was most impressive! And everyone was so creative with their gifts. I got a desk post it note holder, there was a framed scrapbook page,

 And I think our frames ROCKED! 

And finally, I got a chance to party in STURGIS!

There is a rumor going around that we do more chatting than work. 

But we all seem to get focused at the same time. 

 Everyone got to do a frame and make it their own.

 And they all were so pretty! 

 I couldn't wait to get my 2010 Christmas picture in mine!

We all have a good time, every month. And this month, I get to play with these girls for an extra weekend - at RETREAT!!!!  Yeah!

See you soon!  connie

JANUARY CHALLENGES

1. BoM  -  One (or more) things I would change about me.
2. Card  -  Wishes pg. 46   Simply Secure - also an example in Winter catalog page 19, 32, 88
3. Layout  - Imagine pg. 40 -  Imagine Ensemble Piece 
4. Product - Liquid Glass and Chipboard
5. Color Combination  -  Black/ White/ and one other color
6. Technique  -  Covering (decorating)  Chipboard  

So, there you go.  The first challenges for 2011.  I hope you will play with me.  I hope to post my entries by the 20th.

It's a New Year

I know that all of you know that already, but I'm a little slower than some and the new year is just now starting to catch up to me.  One of the things that sort of got pushed to the side last year and most especially during the holidays were our monthly challenges.

You thought I had forgotten didn't you!!?  Well, not only didn't I forget, I have the challenges for the whole year planned out, so there will be no excise for you not to get them.  I will post them at the first of each month, and hopefully, you will send me a picture of your 'answer' to the challenge at some time during the year.  I am really excited about that this year.

I have 4 different challenges each month. 1. A Book of Me page challenge.  It doesn't matter what size the page is or what product you use, just make a page about YOU!!  I plan on posting one about ME every month.  One rule for this one, you must journal.  2. Card challenge - make a card using the layout of the challenge.  3. Layout challenge - make a page using the layout in the challenge (challenges can be combined!)  4. Product challenge - try some of our great products!  I will tell you which one to try each month.  Use it on your page or your card!   5. Color Combination challenge - I will give you the colors!  6. Technique challenge- try a new technique!  I find all kinds of things I can do but never have.  Let's try some of those 'out of the box' things!!

So, those are the fun things I hope to have going on this year.  I know I will do them, will you play with me?  All entrants can send a picture to me or have me take a picture of your entry at a meeting or class.  I hope to give away a prize every month and a big one at the end of the year.  I also hope to share your entries on the blog.  Let's show some ART!

December Catch Up

Well, Now that the new year is here, I am trying to get caught up on all my stuff, including my blog!  Long time no see!  =)   I know you all check daily to see if I have written anything, so I need to get on the stick and get some catching up done.  

I am so excited to be able to share the gift that I made my good friend D. for Christmas.  Well, not the whole gift, because I forgot to take pictures when I was done with it.  She is going to have to let me snag it and take some pictures to share with you all, but for now, you get to see the in progress.  

 These are the layouts for the CTMH My Creations Cube  # Z1152.  I taught a class and we all worked on our cubes, but it helps to lay them out as you work so you can see the way they will fit together in the end. So, this is the layout of my friend D's box.  The 4 sides shown facing us, and the top, upside down, because that is how the box lays out.  When it is all put together, the top will open right over the bright yellow frame, right where I wanted it to.

 I popped this frame out with foam tape by CTMH, #1151, so that I could use it as a pocket and put some tags with pictures in behind it. I had several pictures that were to long to fit in the mini album I put INSIDE the box.

I used a lot of chipboard and fun summer paper out of my stash too!  And bling, oh my! This was one of the funnest projects I have done in a long time!  I really enjoyed it and hope to have pictures of the FINISHED cube up soon.

So, now the question is ..... What are you doing to use up your stash?    See if you can't take some time this week to make a card or layout and use up some of that paper that you bought because you LOVE IT!  It's no good sitting in a box.  Have fun scrappin'    C