When I originally set up this blog - I had a plan for Monday - Wednesday. Part of my plan was to enter challenges to get my name out there. I also wanted to get other crafters interested in my blog. However, when I made the decision to keep the blog private, I no longer needed to get my name out there to attract readers. Since then, I've started slacking on challenges. I've still tried to make a layout each week. Clearly there is no challenge this week - but I'm hopeful for next week. I need to remember that I want to join a Design Team or get published and I still need my name out there to do that. This layout is another matchy layout. However, it rocks two of my favorite paper lines - Basic Grey & Scenic Route. I also used Diamond Glaze to alter some buttons. I even used thread - a first for me. I like the outcome. I think I might just be getting my mojo back. We'll have to wait and see. Until then...Happy Crafting.
I'm really excited about this book. I have no idea what can be found inside - but the prospect of a new idea book has me a little bit giddy. I absolutely love craft books. There is something about a new craft book in my hands. It represents infinite possibilities. The book is by Kimber McGray and I checked out her blog today to get an idea of her style. It's not like mine - but I love looking at others take on this hobby. 
Monday Madness is here and my hands still aren't cooperating - so, this will be another quick & dirty week. At least it will be as quick and dirty as I'm capable of. I took a class over the weekend at Archivers on cardmaking using Basic Grey kits. Until Saturday, I had no idea these kits existed. After taking the class, I've bought 3 more kits. The kit allows you to make 8 cards for $15. The kit includes cards, envelopes, die cuts, chipboard, and rub-ons. I don't believe I could do these cards for less than $15. And, to top if off - they are complete no-brainers (excluding one from the Sultry kit). I think they're gonna be a nice segway into making cards from scratch. I'm still not quite there yet. Someday! I haven't gotten the Lime Rickey kit - but I am all over it next month. I most likely will need to buy it online. :)
First, I drew 3 color cards and 1 word card. The general rule of thumb is to use the word facing up. Based on the color scheme and the word, I chose the paper line Wisteria by Basic Grey and a cool picture of me and my friend Monica at CKC 2008.
The picture matched really well with the line and despite there being a story about the layouts we made, I decided I wanted to talk about friendship. It was plain and simple all around (pun intended). I have to say - this is not my favorite layout. I love what it's about - but it's a little matchy for my taste at the moment. My craft weekend was really about melding different lines together and I feel like this layout departed from that.
For my second layout, I chose the word pure from the One Little Word site and chose two color cards. I really like the idea of choosing a challenge and pulling cards to get colors. I have a tendency to stay in the blue-green family. This kit gets me out of my comfort zone quite a bit. I decided to do a layout about my pure love of painting things - mainly base coats for mini albums. Again - not my favorite layout - but it is different - too matchy though.
So here it is - quick and dirty. I bought this book after seeing an article about it in Memory Makers Magazine. I thought it looked PERFECT. I even liked the kit idea. I love the ideas of prompts and challenges because sometimes it's difficult to find something to scrap about when you're single and live with a banshee cat. Imagine my surprise - scratch that, horror - when I found the book to be TINY. It's half the size of a composition book. In fact, it looks like a composition book. Let's just say it was shrink-wrapped and I was so not amused! The book itself has good content - but sheesh I need more! The basic premise centers on two decks of cards. The first deck has prompts. The second deck has colors. You pull one word prompt card and up to two colored cards. Then you build a layout. I tried this for the first time over the weekend and will be posting the results tomorrow. And honestly, I'm still not sure if it's helpful. I'll try to keep you posted. I need to crack these puppies out when I'm in a real slump. That'll be the real test. So that's it for Reading Corner. I hope you have a rockin' Tuesday. Until then...Happy Reading & Crafting.
Welcome to another Reading Corner. On Monday, I thought I was going to have a really hard time finding material for this post - and then I remembered the book I found at Barnes and Noble on Saturday. When I saw the cover, I immediately grabbed the book and headed for the register. However, some small part of me thought I should take a longer look before buying the book. Blind shopping is not a good thing - especially for a girl that just went to CKC. When I took a longer look - I started to like the book much less. However, I realize it does have a place in my library - just not immediately. It's basically about being more free in your crafting/journaling. I'm excited to get this book - I think it could really help me stretch creatively. I just need to wait a little bit. I'm actually quite happy I put it back - not really my style at all.
In other book news - I feel like I've been waiting for ages for Certain Girls to be released on paperback. It comes out today!!! It's available at Target - but I think I might need to wait on this book as well. We'll see how long I hold out on this book. I really enjoyed Good in Bed and this book is a follow-up. However, I still have to finish The Post Birthday World and I have the Sherman Alexie book to read. I need to remember that I don't need this book now. I wonder if anyone else goes through this. BTW: Monday was eventful but good. I'm hoping today goes well. I have a long meeting this afternoon. It's not my favorite thing - but I think it will go well. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday. Until then...Happy Reading and Crafting!
These beautiful 2 X 3 cards were on the Sassafras Lass blog recently. And, I can honestly say with complete confidence - they will be mine soon. :) They're for sale on the Two Peas in a Bucket site. I have absolutely no idea what I would use them for. I currently have two sheets of October Afternoon cards that I struggle to use. But they're so friggin' cute - I can't NOT have them (I know double negatives). I think their most promising use is on collages. Maybe it would give me the courage to finally get started. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't see these gems at the Creating Keepsakes Convention this weekend. I would have bought them in no time flat. Alas, these cards were not there and I didn't even know they existed! So that's Monday Madness for you. To be honest, I'm surprised I found anything to present since I bought so much friggin' stuff this weekend. Not to mention, I'm having a craft weekend over my spring break starting Thursday. My wallet is really taking a hit this month. For now, I'm going to get away from my computer and rock some crafting time. I hope your Monday is wonderful. I, for one, am going to work tirelessly to make my day a good one. Until then...Happy Crafting!
My first digital layout - this is my first full digital layout also known as the twist mentioned in yesterday's post. I guess I've been doing hybrid layouts for a while. And by hybrid, I mean typing my journaling and titles - nothing too major. Technically this layout fits with the OLW challenge, but I've been wanting to talk about digital scrapbooking for almost a month. I've always been interested in digital scrapbooking but several things got in my way initially.
