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Friday, November 30, 2012

Creating Keepsakes Dream Team 2013

I'm thrilled and honored that I have been asked back for another year on the Creating Keepsakes Dream Team!!


You can see the complete announcement on the CK blogGiveaway alert: Do you want to be entered to win a box of scrapbooking goodies? Leave a comment on the CK blog post for a chance to win.  Three winners will be chosen!

I've thoroughly enjoyed being on this amazing team for the past two years, and I'm looking forward to another year of fun!  There are some old and new faces on the 2103 Dream Team.  I'm sure you will agree that this is a very talented group of scrapbookers . . . 

Creating Keepsakes Dream Team, Contributing Editor and Contributing Writer 2013:

Thank you, Creating Keepsakes, for inviting me back for another year! 



Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooking Baby & Toddlers - Blog Hop and Giveaway!!-

Creating Keepsakes' newest special issue is hitting the newsstands!!  Check out Scrapbooking Babies & Toddlers 2012.

With all the photos you take of your darling baby, there are lots of layouts you can create! Get your scrapbooking done in a snap with the ideas for scrapbooking babies in this special issue from Creating Keepsakes. You'll find plenty of ideas for scrapbooking your busy toddler as well, making this issue an indispensible scrapbooking resource for the first years of your precious child's life.

You can purchase the issue by following these links: Print Issue and Digital Issue.  And here is the link to the extra online content: Online freebies.

This issue is chock full of ideas for scrapping not only babies and toddlers, but also children of all ages!  I'm proud to say that I have four of my layouts plus a handmade embellishment in this special issue.  Here is one of my layouts in this issue:

As seen in the Creating Keepsakes special issue: Scrapbooking Babies and Toddlers 2012.  Copyright Creative Crafts Group.  Posted with prior permission from the publisher. 

That's me on the left holding my favorite baby doll when I was a girlIt was a "Drowsy" doll.  I loved my Drowsy, and I carried here everywhere with me (and I vaguely remember that I used to chew on her cheeks).  I found a new Drowsy doll on Ebay several years ago, so I got it for my little girls.  Of course I had to take a photo of my daughter holding Drowsy like I did many years ago.

I get to give away one copy of this fabulous special issue to one lucky blog reader!  To be entered to win, simply leave a comment here before next Tuesday, December 4th and I will choose a random winner.

For more chances to win a copy, follow along the blog hop and leave comments for these talented ladies:
Autumn Baldwin
Deena Boese
Gretchen McElveen
Jana Morton
Joey Manwarren
Kim Watson
Laina Lamb
Laura Vegas
Mou Saha
Piradee Talvanna

Good luck!!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Scrapbooking Class at Treasured Memories This Saturday

Hey Los Angeles scrapbookers!  I still have a few spots left in my classes at Treasured Memories scrapbook store this Saturday, November 17th.  I'll be teaching two, 2-page layout classes that day.  The first class features Prima's beautiful new Romance Novel collection, and it includes an array of flowers, chipboard, crystals, pearls, lace, ribbon, washi tape, cardstock doilies and more!  Here's a the completed layout:


The second layout features products from Making Memorie's gorgeous Modern Millinery line, and it includes a mix of feminine embellishments, bling, gorgeous trim and doilies. All of the paper doilies in this kit will be individually die-cut by me using acid free cardstock.  Here are a couple snippets from the layout:


Whew!!!!  I spent a lot of time cutting doilies for these classes -- over 300 of 'em! But I just love to use doilies on my pages and I wanted to share them with everyone.

If you can't attend the classes, both can be purchased as kits. Photos and detailed instructions included! 

There are more details about the classes (i.e., times, cost, etc.) on the Treasured Memories Blog and the Class Calendar.  You can sign up for one or both of the classes by calling Treasured Memories or by using the Paypal links on the blog (just scroll down and find my classes). 

I hope to see you there!!!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

So Thankful + a quick altered flower tutorial

Thanksgiving is next week, and it’s the time of year when we’re reminded to be thankful for all the positive things in our lives. In honor of the holiday, I created a project and wrote this blog post for the Creating Keepsakes blog last week.

The things I’m thankful for in my life fall into two major categories: the “Big Things” and the “Little Things”. Some of the Big Things I’m thankful for include my wonderful family, our good health (knock on wood), and the roof over our heads. Some of the Little Things I’m thankful for include my morning latte and newspaper ritual, the sweet purring of my cats, and the rare moments when every piece of clothing in our house is laundered, folded and put away. I find that when I’m mindful of these big and little blessings in my life, the not-so-perfect aspects of my life don’t seem to matter much at all.

Two of the things I am MOST thankful for are my darling daughters. I count my blessings for them every single day.


For this layout I wanted to create a blank canvas to which I could add splashes of happy colors. Here's a little tutorial on how I altered the paper flowers, roses, etc.:

1. I started with a swatch of burlap and some leftover patterned flowers and wood embellishments.


2. I grabbed some gesso and a paintbrush, then I coated the burlap and flowers with the gesso. I gave the wood pieces a subtle white-wash.


3. I coated all the flowers completely, but I let a little bit of the natural color of the wood and burlap to show through.


4. Once the gesso was dry, I sprayed the flowers with spray ink. I sprayed them right over the painted burlap so that it would also soak up the pretty colors. The water-based spray ink beaded up on the gesso and resisted it a bit, but after a couple coats of spray ink, I was able to get a nice color. You just have to let the gesso and spray ink dry in between coats.


5. I added some smaller white roses that I spray-inked to match the rest of the bunch. The spray ink on the plain white roses appears much more vibrant than it does on the gesso/sprayed flowers, but I kind of like the mix of vibrant and more subtle hues. For a little extra sparkle, I coated a few of the flowers and some tiny white roses with glitter.


This is a great way to alter some of those patterned embellishments (flowers, chipboard embellishments, alphabets, etc.) that don’t quite fit your taste or match your other page elements. Just paint over them with gesso (white paint will also work in most cases), then spray, paint or ink them whatever color you want!

I have a challenge for you for the rest of this month. At the end of each day, think of THREE things you are thankful for that day. It can be Big Things or Little Things. Either way, the process of ending the day with gratitude is sure to brighten your outlook and lift your spirits!