Dad

Not the most flattering picture of me...but I am striving to include myself more, so here it is. I just downloaded some great digital scrappin papers and photo masks from Cafe J through After 5 Designs. Her photo masks are amazing and they make scrappin a snap, pick a paper, a photo mask and a picture. Pictured here: The Art Gallery Collection.

Since returning to work full time in December, I have not had a lot of time to stamp. I am hoping to focus on that more with the summer vacation. For now though, I will post the periodic scrapbook page. Enjoy!

ak dustins

Since my sister has moved out of state, we decided we would create a family blog to keep in touch...I have been working on my header and came up with this. I really like playing with the digital elements to create.

Digi: My Alaskan Men

Supplies Used: Tortuga Template #17 from {we are} storytellers.  Background Paper from Shabby Princess.  ACDSee Photo Manager and ACDSee Photo Editor.

Another one I got done on Superbowl Sunday.  My dilema now is, do I scrap double page spreads (dps) or individual pages.  I say this because even though I call my self an avid scrapbooker, I realize that while I had my personal issues this year, I didn't take hardly any pictures, sniff, sniff.  Most events I only have 2 or 3 pictures off...gasp!  Christmas I took none, whatever was I thinking.

I really like the continuity of DPS's, the colors all go and it is not visually distracting for me.  However, it is a pain to do when digitally scrapping, because you are creating two seperate pages, you are unable to lay them side by side to compare that everything lines up.  It can be done, but there are a lot of steps to it and then you have to seperate them for printing anyway...If any one has info on doing this using ACDsee Photo Editor, I would appreciate it.


My son was excited, this was his first bird.

Enjoy!
Arctic Stamp Queen

Digi: Princess Leah

All supplies were downloaded for free from 2Peas as part of their Pink October Freebie.

Supply List:  Paper is by Rhonna Farrer, Flowers & Frame by S. Freeman, Frame Overlay by Cherie Mask.  Font is CK Ali's Handwritting from Creating Keepsakes (free download).  Sketch by Becky Higgins (Creating Keepsakes: Feb. 2009 pg. 42).

I was thrilled when Stampin' UP! announced that they would be launching a digital scrapbooking program in 2009 (date to be determined).  I have been playing with this format a bit and it is working for me right now.  I don't expect to be a full on digital scrapbooker, I will be what is called a hybrid scrapbooker (I think) using a mixture of digitial and traditional scrapbooking methods.  I can't WAIT to see what Stampin' UP! has to offer!!!

I have been sorely out of touch with my blogging friends and I do apologize.  I took a full time job at my childrens school as a K/1 Teachers Aide in November.  While it is a very worthwhile job and I love it, it has been a HUGE adjustment for me after being home for the last 9 years (yes I have been blessed).  I still have not figured out how to get everything done on a daily basis and my creative outlet has suffered...I am just pooped.  My area is BEYOND a mess since I haven't been out there staking my claim, the flat surface monster has returned with a vengance.  It is on my list of things to do so that I can carve out my me time again, but until then, I have begun dabbling in Digital Scrapbooking.

My husband NEVER knows what to get me for my Birthday.  Well, this year, he wanted a gun for his...so I negotiated a laptop for me.  LOVE IT!!!  Now, I can spend time with the family while they watch T.V. and I digitally scrapbook.

The layout above is one I created today while the superbowl was on (in between commercials, my favorite part of the event).  For the time being, I have given up on Photoshop.  I am just so frustrated with learning curve.  I had invested in ACDSee Photomanager a while ago as a way of tagging my digital elements and photographs.  So I decided to try their Photo Editor program figuring they would work well together and do they ever.  I am very pleased.  It has several tutorials geared toward digital scrapbooking and creating.  I used them as a free trial and was so pleased I purchased them both.

I got an external hard drive for Christmas so I can use it between my laptop and my desktop.  I take my computer to work with me and on my 1/2 hour lunch I am getting my digital elements and photos tagged.

Enjoy, you can click on the picture to see a larger image.

Arctic Stamp Queen

Pop Top Jeans

Geesh, these pictures are wonky and I can't get them fixed.  I created this pop top jean can to be a wrap for my nephews Birthday gift.  I took a pop top can of pineapple and instead of using the pop top to open the can, I used a special can opener that cuts it from the side (I got mine at Wal-Mart, Pampered Chef has one too) so that it would leave the pop top in place for my nephew to open his gift.  I used the contents for a dump salad, yummy!!!  I  peeled off the label and ran the can and lid through the dishwasher.  I covered the can using a piece of denim patterned paper.  I cut a piece of brown cardstock for my belt and set some eyelets for the belt holes.  I used a think piece of metal and cut it into a square, I punched the center out with another square and adhered it.  I cut stips of the denim paper and adhered them to make belt loops.  I cut out two pockets and outlined them with white gel pen.  I stamped one of the words from SU!'s Flexible Phrases on red using versamark and then embossed it with White Detail EP.  I cut it out into a rectangle shape and left a long tab to adhere to my pocket (Levi style).

Next comes the magic:  I put his gift into the can, ran a thin bead of superglue around the edge of the lid and quickly placed it on the can.  Looking at it, you couldn't even tell it had been opened.  I decorated the pop ring with some ribbon and sent it on its way.  My nephew thought I was magic when he opened his present...I'm thinking I may do some of these again this holiday season to keep prying fingers away and it's a great way to hide a gift card, the recipient will have NO clue what it is.

Thanks for looking and have a stamp happy day...I have missed ya!!!

Arctic Stamp Queen

Don't give up...please

Hello my stampin' friends...I am sorry that I have been such a bad blogger.  I truly am.  I haven't stamped in  a couple of months, some days I miss it and others not so much.  I'm trying to take control of my life again and trying to figure out what normal is for me, I haven't felt normal in SOOO long, I have no idea what that is.  Lately, I just haven't been up to to putting on the "show".  I have so little energy that what I do have needs to be reserved for my children for now, they have been deprived of a healthy momma for a long time.

The only creative thing that I have done is to dabble a little in digital scrapbooking.  I made two pages and had them printed at Costco since they had decent prices.  I am waiting for my mom to bring them to me when she visits this month so that I can see if I want to go that route for my scrapbooking.  I really like how they look on my computer,  but am concerned that they will look off when they are printed.   She says they look great, so I am hopeful.  Here's one:

 
and the other, I call this one Valdez Bums:

My family got me a laptop for my Birthday and I have been learning Photoshop (great tutorials on About.com) and downloading digi freebies.  I feel like I could keep up on my scrapbooking more if I were to go this route.  Again, I am unsure of how it will look when printed.  I am imagining that it will kind of be like the holiday photos you can have done at the photo places, but a lot of those look kind of cheesy to me.  Thats why I am only doing a little until I can see the printed picture.  So here you go...what do you think?  I'd love comments and thoughts on scrapbooking, both traditional as well as digital.  If I like the printouts then I will plunge full on into this, even thinking about asking for a Wacom tablet (bamboo pad) for Christmas.  Thoughts?  anyone???

Orphans who need a new home:

I have been working on purging unused items from my stamp room…still have some to go, but here are my retired Stampin’ UP! sets that need a new home, so I can buy some new rubbah to play with.

U.S. Shipping and handling will be $5.50 for the first set and $3.00 for the second set. If you buy more than 2 sets, it will go into a flat rate box for $10.00. Payment will be through PayPal, I will send you an invoice.  Stamps will not be shipped until I receive cleared payment.   I will ship to Canada, but will have to get a quote from the p.o. to do that for our Candian friends.

If you are interested, please send me an email: arcticstampqueen@gmail.com with the name of the sets you want in the subject line. Thanks for helping me find new homes for these beloved sets.


Unmounted:

• Friendship Blooms (2008 SAB set): $7.50
• Birthday Whimsy: $7.50
• For a Friend (Winter Hostess set): $7.50
• Best Friends Alphabet Lower Case: $18.00
• Amazing to Zany: $20.00

Mounted, Some Staining:

• On the Spot BG: $6.00
• Taggers Dozen: $7.50
• Simple Sayings: $7.50
• Alphabits: $7.50
• Never Ending Joy: $10.00
• Wonderful Words: $7.50
• Blossoms Abound: $12.00
• Headline Alphabet: $25.00
• Frosty (heavily stained): $10.00
• Bud Basics: $10.00
• Be Happy: $12.00
• Polka Dots & Paisley: $10.00
• Greetings Galore: $12.00
• All in a Row (missing the argyle/stitched stamp): $6.00
• Trimtastic: $10.00

Misc. Items:

• SU! Write Me a Memory Font CD’s (both) $5.00
• SU! Retired Plaidmaker $5.00
• SU! Snowman Punch $5.00
• Misc. Alphabet plastic lettering templates 5 lettering styles $7.50
• Grab Bag $7.50: Includes all kinds of miscellaneous items, lots of them from the $1.00 bin at Michaels. Valued at $25.00.
• Making Memories Alphabet Punches $7.50
• Making Memories Grommet Setter $10.00

Whew…that’s it for this round.

Thanks for looking and have a stamp happy day!!!