Best. Mascara. Ever

Monday, October 27, 2014

A case of all or nothing

So I seem to go in spurts these days… from crafting to laundry and everything in between.  I'm usually pretty balanced and steady, but lately I have been in kind of a binge or nothing type of mood.  When I read, I read the whole book or I don't read at all.  I either do laundry as a crazy all day event or I procrastinate it until it's a huge pile taking over the laundry room.  It is the same with crafting.  I'm either scrapbooking and card making all of the time or doing nothing!  I guess I am having trouble pacing myself.  It's hard to find that balance where everything is still under control but pushing all of the boundaries!

Speaking of balanced, I thought this layout was nicely balanced.  How's that for a great transition!  So many happy memories from this trip.




Hope you can find some balance in your life!

Leslie

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

A whirlwind

So it has been kind of a whirlwind around here... and I think the house might reflect this crazy amount of activity as well.  I attended my first ever online "live" event - there were scrapbooking lessons and interactions with teachers all day for the TrueScrap event.  It was fun to try and watch the videos, listen to the commentary and text messages in a chat room all at the same time.  And I thought I was going to be crafting during the lessons.  haha!  Definitely not something I could attempt.  As it was, I had to miss a lot of the classes dealing with real time activity here.  Fortunately, the classes are all archived forever, so I can go back and re-watch and pause as much as I want. Phew.

I left the scrap event to pick up Mom at the airport.  It will be fun to visit with her over the next few weeks.  And did I mention it was homecoming this weekend as well?  So my son, who is a Junior in High School, was involved in getting a mum for his date (it's a Texas thing - and it is BIG), a new suit (at the last minute), a new shirt (at the last, last minute), pictures, dinner, dance and so on!  It was very exciting and a fun, but tiring event.  He fell asleep very early on Sunday night.


Here is a camping layout I made using a ScrapRoom kit and some stickers from my stash. Believe it or not, I am using things from my stash.  Of course, I could create from now until the end of time and I'd still have left overs!




I do most of my journaling by hand (instead of the computer) because I like having my handwriting in the scrapbook as part of my story and as a memory for my kids.  There is nothing quite like a person's individual handwriting!

Hope you can get crafty today!

Leslie

Friday, October 17, 2014

Getting ready

I am looking forward to a scrapbook "weekend" of sorts... I am signed up for the online True Scrap event - scrapbooking classes and tutorials on line, but "live" with other scrapbookers.  I think I am ready to upload and share content and chat with people on line... I've come a long way since I started my blog in August!

I have no idea how industry leaders and teachers like Jennifer McGuire, May Flaum and Noell Hyman and Laine Ehman are so consistent in their content and postings!  It takes so much time - not only to craft, but to take the pictures, crop and edit (which I admit I don't do very much of that), write the post and upload the images.

Here is a layout I completed earlier.




I used a kit from The Scrap Room for this one... plus added in some embellishments from my stash.  

Hope you get some crafty time this weekend!

Leslie

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

A case of "at"...

Sometimes I don't know where to stop at.  I know I said that if we just keep working on a  project eventually it comes around.  But sometimes it doesn't.  I'm not loving this card.  I just kept working on it and adding things and taking them off, and searching for products to go with it, until it's just over done out of balance and not what I wanted.

I was experimenting with using spray mist to paint stamped images and I was going to run a sentiment or something along the center of the card.  That might be the first problem - I just didn't have a focal point planned.  I tried a large three dimensional butterfly, but the scale was all wrong (it was too big for the card) so I pulled it off.  Then I tried a rectangular image, but I didn't like the sentiment.  So I found the small square bird and I stitched it on.  But then it really needed more, so I added another stitched piece.  Now it feels out of balance, so I added a sentiment and sequins and a double layer of purple background paper and so on!  Yeah.  I didn't know where to stop at!

But it is what I've got for today and I will use this as adding to my experience... what is that quote from Mark Twain?  Something along the lines of, "Good judgement comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgement."  It's just a card and I'll still send it - I'm just not going to sign it! haha


And I want to keep doing something to the card to "fix" it, but I am just going to be done with it!

Hope you create something you love today!

Leslie

Friday, October 10, 2014

Until Recently

Until recently, I didn't understand what my mother-in-law meant when she said, sometimes a person's best feature was also their worst.  Huh?  So for example, my middle child.  His best feature is that he is game for anything and is always optimistic and upbeat.  So how could this also be his worst feature?  Well, it means that he doesn't plan for contingencies and for things to go wrong... like at 11:55 p.m. when he is trying to turn in his assignment that is due by midnight.  And this is a lesson that has to be re-learned.  A lot.

So looking inward... I guess my creative, willing to dive in and try any messy, artsy technique is fun, but also disorganized.  I often spend more time looking for my Fiskar's trimmer and the tape runner than I do actually crafting.  Haha.  I used to be organized.  But it has been so long now, that I am not sure I can even claim that anymore.  I love being organized.  It is so much easier.  I really need to take some time to organize my craft room...maybe tomorrow.




One of the reasons I love using my Scrap Room kits (www.scrap-room.com) is because they come all together with everything you need to make a great two page layout (and more!).  This layout uses products from the kit and maybe a few extras from my own stash.  It came together really quickly.

Have a great weekend!

Leslie

Thursday, October 9, 2014

I just love...

I just love scrapbooking supplies!  I may have a bit of a problem.  I recognize it.  That's the first step, isn't it?  Recognizing the problem.  I have lots of scrapbook goodies.  I mean lots.  They are all just so pretty!

But I am taking steps to actually USE the supplies I have.  I have signed up for another one of May Flaum's classes.  If you haven't taken one of her classes yet, you need to!  I love her (classes).  I feel so inspired to create when I watch her videos.  Her current class is called Supplies on Hand and is all about using up your stash. Ok, so I may not be able to "use up" my stash - but I certainly have a lot of supplies on hand to use for all of these lessons.  I made a card this morning using washi tape (yup, bought a lot of it and haven't used a lot of it) as the background.  Then I used a bunch of flowers, brads and an old stick pin.  Can't wait to go make a few more cards using this technique.


Hope you can use up some of your supplies today!

Leslie

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Sometimes...

Sometimes I've got nothing creative.  I've got so many ideas that are swirling around in my head, but actually sitting down and putting it together just isn't happening.  I don't have time is my familiar thought.  But I think that is just an excuse.  I can use all of my other to-do's as a reason not to head in to my craft room.  I think I need deadlines (even self imposed ones) to get a project done.  This is, of course, the excuse of every procrastinator I know!  I've got lots of ideas, I just need to get all of it out of my head and onto paper.  Does this happen to you?  Lots of great ideas, not a lot of action.

So I am going to share a layout I created a while back.  I like it.  It's clean and simple and makes me happy to remember that trip.  And that is what I need to focus on.  It's a recorded memory.  I had fun creating the pages.  I can see design "flaws" when I see them up on a computer screen.  But I just have to remember that the pages are for me and I like them.  No pressure.




I hope you can find some time for some happy crafting today!

Leslie

Monday, October 6, 2014

A hint of Fall

So I live in Texas.  It's hot.  Usually I like it.  But when October hits and cooler weather starts to tease us in the mornings, I kind of miss the New England fall weather.  I'm thinking of crisp air, leaves turning color and the smell of a fire in the fireplace.  I really want to wear all of my cute sweaters but it is just not time yet.

But in anticipation of fall, I am getting out some fall themed products and anticipating some cooler weather around the corner!





I have to admit, I don't miss winter!  Hope you are enjoying your weather!

Leslie

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Little bits and pieces

I often think of the line from a Calvin & Hobbes cartoon, "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want!"  Ha, so true.  Or in my case, never enough time to do all the crafting I want.  I'd like to scrap all day and ignore everything piling up in the house - but it's just not possible.  And in this last week, we have jumped in and taken on an exchange student from France for the rest of the school year.  A replacement child for the one going to college?  Perhaps.  He needed a home and we have the room and the ability to do it.  He is a really nice kid and I think it's going to be a great experience for all of us.  But as a result of all of this excitement, the crafting has taken a back seat.

I listened to a podcast from The Scrap Gals (a recommendation from mrscraftyadams.blogspot.com) where they were talking about ideal conditions to scrapbook.  Clean house, no responsibilities, no laundry, hahaha.  I subscribe to the Mrs. Crafty Adams philosophy, that you just need to do it!  You can't wait for the ideal time, because it may never come.  I like to try and get a few minutes in here and a few minutes in there (sounds like Dr. Seuss) and just do something!  Just getting little bits and pieces of the layout finished whenever I can.  This layout is coming together quickly (in my mind) but it's taking some more time to ink the edges, glue down the pieces and finish up!  Here is the layout in progress.  Pardon the lousy photos... I still haven't implemented Lisa's tips and tricks for photographing layouts.




Hope you can find time to get a little bit or a small piece of crafting done!

Leslie

 
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