Day 11 on the LOAD

I am still enjoying the LOAD process and have discovered a few things that really "work" for me. I also discovered things that DON'T! I will share a few of these insights very soon. I hope to do it at the 15 day LOAD mark! I have also experimented with some new techniques and have become better at living with my mistakes. Here is #11 in the LOAD process where I used the printer to print my title and journalling right on the background paper. I also adhered the buttons to the card stock UNDER the top layer and popped up the entire top layer so it was flush with the buttons.

I wanted to note that I used Scriptina and a basic Teletype font in my title work. I love the flowy fee of the Scriptina and FYI..IT'S A FREE FONT!

So I challenge you to do a few things your don't usually dot his week in your scrapbooking! Try to print your title right on the back ground, Use some new and exciting fonts to create a feeling..do something NEW on your pages and you may be surprised how it gets your creativity flowing!

Let it FLY FREE!

Til then, do what you love to do!
Christa

See? I do scrapbook my boy!

Recently, my dear friend Carey asked why I had so many layouts about my DD and hardly any of my DS? My LOAD projects certainly reflected this bias...but the reality is my dolly likes having her photo taken. I also spent 4 years of scrapbooking SOLELY my DS. But she had a point. I was using those soft girlie papers, ribbons and butterflies and sweet girlie photos to create my LOAD masterpieces (ha ha). I decided today to put some effort into scrapping my DS. Before the details of those memories faded, I wanted to be sure to include them.

So here we are on a hike this past spring. We walked and talked and explored. It was Heaven to have him interested in us and being outside. I love this layout and I am grateful to Carey for making me aware that I was missing out on preserving these memories.

Let me know what you think of how I am progressing. This is #10 and I have held a few back since they are DT layouts and bound for a July 1 release.

Until next time, keep doing what you love to do!

Christa

I'm On A Roll Now!

June is flying by! I am still managing to find my flow with LOAD  and wanted to continue to share with you how I am doing.
Here is a layout I did for a Picasso art project my DD did. It was so well done I didn't want it to get lost or ruined. It also had a neat little story that I wanted to share too.

                   One night she climbed into bed with me. She held my hand and snuggled close.

A few minutes later she asked me: "Mom? Do you know about Picasso's Blue Period?"

I said" Um...no."

She said: "He painted these pictures when his friend died and blue is a sad colour."

I said, wisely: "Oh."

She added: "As opposed to his Rose Period when he was happy and in love."

I said: "Oh." (Again)

I couldn't believe it! She was so knowledgeable. So enthusiastic! I needed to be sure we preserved that memory forever!

Lastly I wanted to share a layout I loved. It felt good making it and as soon as I was done I started a new one, since my mojo was flowing. This layout of my DD when she was just 20 months old and fresh from her sleep. So sweet and warm. A memory I wanted to remember too.

Let me know your thoughts! It really helps with my LOAD process!

Keep doing what you love!
Christa


June is all about the LOAD!

Last week I posted my first two layouts in my LayOut A Day process that I am doing with my BFF Ann Jobes. The process was inspired by a Big Pictures classes class I took last month. My realistic goal is to get one layout done a day but have forgiven myself 1 day if life gets to be too much. Since last Monday, I managed to complete 6 layouts! I have shared 1 and 2 already and #3 is a layout I have completed for my Two Scrapbook Friends Design Team so any reveal will have to wait til July 1. But I wanted to share #4 and #5.  I love to See You Blossom is something I have been wanting to try since I bought my tube of Prima flowers. The most challenging part was filling in the centres of those blooms. It's surprising what you can find in your stash! The photo was originally a colour one. My DD was in a black dress with a yellow Hawaiian garland in her hair. We we at the Luau at Polynesian Resort in Walt Disney World.  I adore the way her hair is blowing and her head is tilted. So whimsical it called for her very own garland of flowers!

 The last layout is my DD at her final recital of the 2011 dance season. They danced to the song from Cinderella and the costumes were shiny and pink! (Much to her chagrin!) I used Kaiser Craft Easter paper and a Prima Fairy Flora Paper too. Overall very simple but my DD loved it. I even made an extra (my 6th layout) for her BFF who dances too!

 Let me know what you think! This is a growth process and I am experimenting while getting caught up on some of those layouts that I have been wanting to do. Looking forward to hearing from you!

(PS. I haven't forgotten My Wednesday challenge at all..just getting my mojo going again but  I promise it'll be soon!)

Keep doing what you love!
Christa

My First two LOADs..which one do you like better?

Wow! I can't believe I have managed to creat 2 layouts for my LayOut-A-Day! I am excited to be doing this with my BFF Ann. Our intent is to try to stremline out creative process, and highlight those things that help us be creative. We are also hoping to indentify those things that we like to do on our creations and which can be identified as "Christa" things; things that make me happy.

Here is the first layout. I used MME's This and That patterned paper line and embellies. The design is linear and uses lots of patterns.

Then on my second layout I chose a plain white background and used red acrylic paint to create a frame for my photos. I added some punched butterflies and buttons. I stitched my journalling lines (thanks Ann!) in yellow/orange and hand wrote the words.

So, two different layouts in two different styles...Which one do you like better? Please comment and let me know your thoughts!
Doing what I love!
Christa

My Sketch World June Sketch REVEAL!

It's June! And those of us who live in SOuthern Ontario are so happy the warmer weather has returned.  June has also brought the June sketch from Lucy at My Sketch World!

Here it is:

Here's what I did with it!

I used some of myold stash from Stampin Up! and some new techniques on layering I am learning from Nic Howard at Big Picture Classes. The photos are of my DD on her 7th birthday. She is wearing the outfit Grandma and Papa bought her and she loved hamming it up for the camera.
Please head over to the MSW gallery and check out all the other June sketch layouts!

Finally, I know Wednesday has come and gone and I have yet to post my "Wednesday is a day for Change" layout. I began work on it last Wednesday and planned to finish it in time for this weeks posts, but sadly we have had a sadness in our family and I haven't been motivated to scrap at all this week. I promise I will get it on here as soon as possible! Thanks for your understanding and prayers.

Keep doing what you love (and remember why you're doing it!)
Christa

Wednesdays are a day for change!

Ok..maybe not..but 'hump' day could use a new moniker don't you think? Instead of being a day whose only claim to fame is being in the exact middle of the week, it could be THE DAY FOR CHANGE..(hear thunder and ominous lightening here). So what's this all about? I know you're thinking it.

I awoke this morning (like any other morning) and thought about the day. I took a minute and prayed for many things. I always turn my laptop on and see what everyone is doing on FB and any new emails I get from those up later than 9 pm! And there it was. An email from Big Picture Classes talking about a small class on mini books. Not interested. Me and the small scrapbooking format have never seen eye to eye creatively. But it was the subject of this mini book that was the message. Scrapbook a week in your life in this mini book. Hmmmm.

I have seen a few bloggers doing a daily list. My dear friend Sue Sykes does a grateful blog on Sundays. The brilliant and prolific Becky Higgins has been doing something like this for years. But it seemed too much a committment. So this morning I decided to CHANGE my way of thinking I decided to document things that were important about one day in my life, once a week for a year. So I picked Wednesday; the date who had never know any 'liking' during my previous weeks, will now be my day for change. I will change the fact that I rarely scrapbook about ME. I will document my day and preserve it with photos of things that I was doing or thinking about or loving that day. I will reserve that evening to scrapbook about ME.

I know what you are thinking. Self centred? Uninteresting? Maybe. But I am told (by at least 3 people everyday) that I am THE best ever. So maybe they will be grateful I took the time to preserve ME in a scrapbook for them to see and think about and remember.

So here's my list of 10 for today. I am handwriting it and plan to include it in my scrapbooking endeavour. I will try to post this weeks list on a layout NEXT Wednesday with next Wednesday's list.

listening: to excited kids with spring here
eating: way too much..time for salad
wearing: jeans/shorts/jeans/shorts..man! the weather is confusing
weather: confusing (cold then hot, cold then hot)
feeling: sore. My wrist is broken and I do too much
needing: another holiday to Florida. I am at peace there
thinking: about a trip to Disney in the fall...
praying: for a miracle for Larry and Wendy
learning: about my scrapbooking style
enjoying: that my computer mouse now works perfectly. (I removed the truck sticker stuck partially over the laser eye on the bottom!)

So I challenge you to make Wednesday (or any other day) your day to CHANGE the way you scrapbook about YOU. Make a list or use mine. Do it once a week or everyday or once a month. Do it and scrap it and leave these bits of you to your children and family for years to come.
Please let me know your thoughts and please drop me a line if you take up my challenge, I'd love to see what you're up to!
Here's to doing what you love to do (on WEDNESDAYS!)
Christa