Hello from the other side

The other side of scrapbooking, that is.  I thought that I should stop in here and update anyone who is interested.  I haven't scrapbooked in over a year and have since sold all of my gear.  I'm not completely done with crafting as I still make lots of things for my classroom.  If you are interested, my current blog is an education and classroom decor focused blog.  Feel free to stop by:

edgamedecor.blogspot.com

Still on the Island, back from Alma and my first DT reveal...

This month, I had my first ever DT reveal at Scraptacular Images. Since we got started a bit late in the month, Jessica gave us a half-kit to post mid-month. We got to play with some Basic Grey Sugar Rush and a Basic Grey laser cut doily. Here is the kit:

And here is what I did with it:

The scrapbook weekend in Alma with my scrappy friends was an absolute blast. We laughed, scrapped and played pranks on one of the girls with Jerome C. Gnome (she has a fear of gnomes and was stupid enough to tell us about it). On top of all the fun, I was pretty productive. Here are some of the layouts that I did while I was there. I have some others, but they are for my next DT Reveal, so you'll have to stop by SI on May 1 for the reveal.

This layout is one that I did for a challenge at LCOM. We had to use "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to" as the title for a layout. I have lots of adorable pictures from some newborn photoshoots that I've done for some friends, but I always love the crying shots, so I immediately thought of these. The girls on the board are voting for the best one for a $20 gift certificate at the store - which I could really use with all of the BG 6X6 packs that I pre-ordered. So far I'm in the lead so keep your fingers crossed.

More good news is that I haven't yet been voted off of the Scrap-ivor island at LCOM. This week is a quote challenge where my tribe, Glua-Glua, had to come up with a quote for the Paper Pusher tribe to scrap and vice-versa. The quote we got is "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." I'm done my layout, but we haven't revealed them to the other tribe yet, so I'll wait until next post to do that. You never know where they may have planted spies :) Last week we had to choose a scrapper from the other tribe and steal her style. We chose Stephanie Hart who is known for her bright colors, bold graphics and her love of Sassafrass Lass products. I didn't have any Sass, but I definitely went bright and bold.

Some recent scraps and a scrappy getaway

It's been a while since I have posted, so I'd thought I'd show you some of the layouts I've been working on lately. This layout of my son's birthday was part of a scrap-tag at Scraptacular Images:

I'm also taking part in Scrap-ivor at LCOM. I'm on tribe Glua-Glua (my name choice :)). We just finished week 1 which was a retro challenge. Here is my take. I really like the way the disco ball turned out. I found a disco ball image on the net, cut out the squares with an exacto blade and then used it as a stencil for my glue and glitter. Time consuming and messy, but totally worth it. We won the challenge and the other tribe had to got to tribal council - suckers!

This week's Scrap-ivor challenge is an image inspiration. Here was the image I chose (of 5 we could use):

And here is my take on it. It isn't being revealed until Friday, so shhhhh. My tribe has seen it, but not the other tribe yet.
In other exciting news, this weekend is the bi-annual Alma scrap retreat. I didn't make it to the last one, so I am sooo excited to go this time. Just a group of ladies, usually 8 or 9, getting together in a B&B in Fundy National Park to scrap, eat and laugh. It is a great weekend and is usually pretty productive. I'll have lots to show you when I get back!!!

My first DT challenge

It seems like I've been really busy scrapping these days, but I don't really have much to show for it - weird. I did a layout for the Scraptacular Tag at SI, a layout for my first DT challenge and I'm working on a LO for Scrap-ivor at LCOM. It is super fun so far, but it is only week one. It could get nasty once tribal councils start up. I'm a member of the Glua-Glua tribe. Came up with that name all by myself. I guess the 20 seasons of Survivor watching finally paid off!

For my first DT Challenge at Scraptacular Images, I posted the first of many Ad Inspiration challenges. I love using print ads for inspiration because they are always on top of design trends and new color combos. For the first challenge, I used the Potty Dance ad:

I liked how it allowed for so many photos and I liked the freehand style. I don't usually use such a literal take on an ad, but for this one I liked everything so I went with it. Here is what I came up with:

My favorite part of the ad was the font, so I tried to copy it using different size and style letters on the Printing Press cartridge for my Cricut and then doodling the shadowing. I really like how it turned out.

I've been wanting to do a LO about the musicals I've directed for a while, but I never really found a way of incorporating them until this.

On a non-scrapbooking note, my little boy turned 6 this week. We had a huge birthday party for him on the weekend and it was lots of fun. I can't believe that six years have already gone by. Wow! Happy birthday, Rhett-boy!

Pick me, pick me!!!

WOOT!! WOOT!! I just found out that I've been chosen for the DT at Scraptacular Images, the sweetest little LSS in Sussex, NB. They also have a forum and an online store with lots of great deals. Here are the layout submissions I used for my application. The first one had to be made specifically for this DT call and was to be based on this sketch:




So I used Rhett's kindergarten picture and did the first "school" page of many, I'm sure.

My other two submissions were just two of my recent favorites. This first one is actually the LO that got my eliminated from the SYTYCS contest. I love this picture of Sutter snoozing on the potty...I'm sure he won't feel the same way when he gets older. The title is a little tongue-in-cheek, I guess. I liked the hilarious and inappropriate photo mixed with the elegance of the layout and the lullabye. I don't know if you can see it in the photo or not, but the paper used for the birds actually has the sheet music for "Hush Little Baby" printed on it.

And this one is just cute. No real reason....

So, needless to say, I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to get started with the challenges and kits!! Bring it on SI!

Scrapbooking in French class????

So, my 9/10 advanced French students handed in some poster projects just before the break and I was shocked at how little they understood about design. I guess it has something to do with not seeing print media as often as I did growing up since computers are so important now. So today, instead of actually teaching French, we had a quick lesson on the basics of design (lines, balance, color, consistency, etc.). When I was done and we had looked at some examples, I gave them all a sheet of paper with 4 photos and some info about the author of the novel that we are about to begin. They had to use it to make a mini-poster (8 1/2 X 11). Anway, all I can say is wow! The difference between what they did before and what they produced today is staggering.

It is funny that, as teachers, we worry about teaching the curriculum, but we forget that there are skills along the way that never get taught. I don't know how many times I've assigned a poster project and gave some marks to creativity or attractiveness of the poster but never showed them how to actually DO a poster. And one little class can make a huge difference on many projects in all of their classes in the future. Just struck me as a pretty cool moment when they handed in their 2nd poster. And they were all so proud of their work as well even though I told them it wouldn't be marked.

Anyway, in other news, I have a LO to show you. It has been soooo long since I participated in a 1 hour sketch challenge. Tonight I did one on the Scraptacular Images forum and it was lots of fun. Here is the sketch:

And here is my take on it....

Isn't Rhett's little friend the most adorable thing? He was over for a playdate and we had a little photoshoot so they could have a pic of each other for their rooms....and I may have wanted one for a LO....

Great while it lasted...

So, I didn't make it as far as I had hoped for the SYTYCS contest at LCOM. I got through to Week 6. My take on "All About Me" (week 5) was a bit of a funky layout about my tattoo. I didn't really like it at first, but it is growing on me...



The layout that got me eliminated was actually my favorite LO in a long time. So even if it got me booted, I'm really happy I did it. It was "Tinkie Style" based on Tanya Munn's style and using Pink and Black. Without the challenge, I likely wouldn't have done it, so I can't complain. It was a super fun contest! The girls who are still there (6, I think) are super talented.

I can't post my Week 6 "Tinkie Style" LO, because I am actually using it as part of my application to a new DT. Scraptacular Images is the cutest little LSS in Sussex, NB, where my parents live. I visited it for the first time just after Christmas and I haven't made a trip to Mom and Dad's without stopping in since then. It is small, but it has tons of great deals and cool stuff packed in to a small space. They also have an online store and a forum. Check them out: Store and Forum.

In other GREAT news, I'm going to be published again. Check me out in the next issue of Canadian Scrapbooker!!! They picked up one of my layouts based on a wood theme that they posted.

Hopefully, I'll have more good news about the DT application next time....

Two more weeks down

So I made it past weeks 3 and 4 of SYTYCS. Here was my take on the "Playful" challenge:

All the pics on the LO are ones that Sutter took of himself with the IPhone over the course of a week or so. We cracked up when we found them on the phone later. He also took a picture of his own butt, but I decided not to include it on this LO... This is probably my favorite LO so far this year.

Week 4's challenge was "Edgy." I wasn't sure what to do at first, but this is what I ended up with:

The Week 5 challenge is called "All About Me" so it needs to focus on me in some way. I think I'll do it about my latest tattoo, but I'm not sure yet. You'll have to check back in and see.

Oh well, maybe next time...

So I found out yesterday that I wasn't selected for the LCOM DT. Of course, I am a bit disappointed, but there are a lot of talented girls on the board, so I can understand why. I get to find out who did make it tonight at 9pm. I have a couple of guesses as to who was selected to we'll see if I was right. On the up side, I did get to create 2 layouts for the application that I am really happy with. What do you think?

I also finished my "Playful" layout for Week 3 of So You Think You Can Scrap and I love it! You'll have to wait until the reveal on Thursday night before I can post it.

Orange U Glad I Didn't Forget my Blog?

Okay, bad joke, I know. But I was totally stumped with SYTYCS Monochromatic Challenge at LCOM for Week 2. I was so looking forward to doing a mono page, but I just barely scraped one out. Luckily, I made it through. I am much happier with this week's layout, but you'll have to wait until Friday to see that one. For now, enjoy...and you may need your shades for this one.

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So You Think You Can Scrap - Week 1

So I made it past the first round of SYTYCS at http://www.letscaptureourmemories.com!! It was a fun challenge - clean and simple. I was a little stumped at first because I tend to put lots of elements into my layouts, so I looked to the Queen of Clean, Kathy Thompson Lafoley (http://kathythompsonlaffoley.typepad.com/) for inspiration. I love the way she can put such simple shapes and geometric organization and have a beautiful result. Here is the finished layout:

Is it wrong of me that I love how miserable he looks in these pictures??? I felt awful for the poor little guy, but he looked so cute and vulnerable in hind sight.

Week 2 challenge is monochromatic. It is one that I was looking forward to because I thought it was an obvious (and difficult) choice for a challenge at some point. But -wow - did I ever struggle! I used a pic that I've been meaning to scrap for a while, picked the accent color that I wanted to use and pulled everything that I owned in that color...and then drew a complete blank. I was super tough but, three nights of scrapping later, I finished it. I'm happy with the result, but pretty shocked at the length of the process. I've never had to sit down more than twice to finish a layout and this took about 5 sittings of working away and then stepping away and coming back to it. The results are posted on Friday, so I'll be back then to show you what I came up with. I'll give you a bit of a tease....the color I used is....drumroll, please....orange.

Better late than never, right?

I can't believe that it has been almost a year since I last posted on my blog. To tell you the truth, my scrapbooking has been almost non-existant since the spring. Lately, though, my mojo has been flowing. I've made a few new LOs that I love, applied to the DT at www.letscaptureourmemories.com, am competing in the So You Think You Can Scrap contest there and have starting submitting again. Hopefully that means I'll be stopping by this blog on a more regular basis. Stay tuned for some new LOs!

Finally published!!!

I just got an email from Scrapbook Trends magazine asking me for one of my altered Christmas items for their Holiday Ideas book. I am soooo excited! It was something that I sent as an after-thought. It isn't something that I really like very much, but it was Christmas-y, so I sent it. Oh well, it is getting published and that is all I care!!

March Break is a wonderful thing!

Everyone knows that one of the many perks of being a teacher is having March Break. Well, one of the many perks of being an Private School teacher is two weeks for March Break!! I have been off since Wednesday and I'm loving it. Living at the school with my students makes the school breaks seem all the more relaxing. I love the kids, don't get me wrong, but two weeks with no knocks on the door for homework help or to sew a button on or for advice on what to buy a girlfriend for her birthday....the list goes on...is really nice.

Greg and I went to Maine on the weekend and I went silly on the clearance wall at Lane Bryant. The difference in plus size clothing in Canada and the US is ridiculous. Up here, we have our choice of different shades of sweat pants or really old lady floral flour sack dresses. I bought at least 30 different items over the course of 24 hours and I love them all! And I saved over $800 according to the receipt!

The weather hasn't been great for March break, but the kids don't seem to mind. Rhett, Sutter and I went out in the snow exploring the campus and they had a blast. Check out how much snow we have. It reminds me of a "when I was young" story waiting to happen. I can just hear Rhett telling his grandkids about the winter of 09 when the snow was 18 ft high and he had to walk 2 miles to the dining hall, uphill both ways....

Useful Art

Don't you love when you can create something that is great to look at but also useful? I created this door-hanging for the Big Girls DT call (didn't get it BTW, boo) and I've had tons of compliments on it - even from the teenage boys who live in my residence. For those of you who don't know, my husband and I live in a junior boys residence at our school and he is the Daddy-Away-From-Home for 28 boys, ages 10-17. About 75% of the time, he is the go-to guy if they have questions or anything and the other 25% it is assistant-housparent who lives up-stairs. Sometime they get confused and knock on our door when she is the one on-call. So this sign solves that problem as there is no question as to who is on-call...and it looks pretty good too.

The arrow between Greg and Maryelle is a Piggy Tales slider, so it changes the direction of the arrow by sliding the cover over when the on-call teacher changes.

I didn't know what colors to use for this project because it had to be boyish, but not babyish. So I looked in some of DHs Sports Illustrated and all the ads had this same color scheme.

I really liked the way the colors turned out and as a bonus, I got to use up some yellow!