Taking a Class...and some news.

One of the blogs that I like to follow is Cathy Zielske.  She used to work for Simple Scrapbooks and I just love her writing style.  Thats why I was thrilled when she announced on her blog several weeks ago that she would be teaching an online scrapbooking class through Big Picture Scrapbooking called Me: The Abridged Version (Me:TAV).

I am fascinated by the concept of telling my story.  She based this class on a book called: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Mark is in town picking up my copy as I write.  Writing is something that I really enjoyed in high school.  I've lost touch with that and have recently had a desire to have more meaningful journaling in my scrapbooking.  I'm guilty of enjoying the moments with my family, so though I call myself a scrapbooker, I don't have a lot of pictures.  I decided that I need to use my words to tell the stories that I want to share and this class would help me rediscover those words.

Our first assignment was to make a tag book or use her prepared template.  I opted for her template and then altered it to suit my style.

Ta-Da!!!  Me likey very muchly thank you.  I used a combination of Kraft and Pink Cardstock.  I further embellished it with lace and velvet ribbon, a crocheted flower with button center, some bling, pearls and grungy ink on the edges...Shabby Chic BABY!

There is a seperate tag for each letter of the alphabet.  Our assignment was to carry this with us and as we go throughout out day jot down one word nouns on the appropriate letter of things that are important to us and will help us tell our story.  For example:  I wrote down Garage and Grown Up Job under G.  Stamps and Scrapbooking under S.  I got a little delayed on this with my new Grown Up Job, but I am steadily filling up my letters.

 
I am really the most excited to be taking a class for me.  Just because I want to.  Just because I can.  Just because I don't HAVE to.  Thats really different for me.  I'm normally the one offering the classes.  I must confess, I am really liking being on the other side of it.

Which leads to my announcement:   I have been contemplating this for a VERY long time and have finally decided to share.  I was recently re-hired by my School District and am thrilled with what they will have me doing.

I am the new Special Education, Speech Aide.  But we are doing something that is cutting edge.  We are experiencing a shortfall of Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) in our state.  Because these services are federally mandated, our district is trying a new soloution.  They have contracted with an SLP firm in Portland, OR to provide SLP services to a few of their schools.  How are they going to do this?  So glad you asked.  Are you ready for this:  my SLP is going to attend our daily speech sessions with video conferencing through Skype.  Isn't technology an amazing thing?  I will be her assistant and will work under her direction with our students.  Tuesday is my first day in session with students.  How cool is that???  Because my SLP is out of state, this job has quite a few responsbilities for me.

Because of this, I have decided to discontinue being a Stampin' UP! Independent Demonstrator as of 9/31/2009.  I don't think this is a huge surprise to my customers, I haven't done much for the past year.  But, I have decided to walk away from it.  I am a little bit sad, SU! was a huge part of my life for 7 years.  I have been blessed with an amazing group of women, whom I shall call friends for life.  Thanks to all of you for your love, laughter, concern and support.  You truly are amazing!!!

May your stamps be plentiful and your pads be inky!
Arctic Stamp Queen

Keepin' Warm

Hello Strangers...I seem to keep apologizing for my lapses in blogging.  So...I've decided to stop. 

Apologizing that is.  Life is life, things happen.  I'm a busy happily married single mom.  Dad works nights, sleeps days, so I wear a lot of hats at my house.  When I can carve out some time, I do.  I have been busy putting all of my digital scrapbooking elements into a database with ACDSee Photo Organizer.  It has taken many hours, but it has made digi scrappin' so much easier.  Well worth the time.  I {heart} that I can find what I need fast.

I finally broke down and got PSE 7.  There is a learning curve, but thanks to The DigitalScrapbookTeacher, I am figuring it out.  This is my first layout in PSE7.  I used  freebie template #69 by The Paper Iris.  Here's her sample:

See how different mine looks, just because I chose different colors.  That still amazes me.

I have been thinking lately about my purpose in scrapbooking.  I have to tell a secret...I call myself a scrapbooker, but I don't have a whole lot of pictures.  I realized that a lot of times I am so caught up in the moment that I forget to grab my camera.  So, I am resolving to do better.  For now, I will use the pictures I have and use my words to tell the story.  I've always loved writing.  THIS feels good and right to me.

I've also been looking back at the paper pages I have created and realized that I like my words and pictures to be the focal point.  I'm not into fancy shmancy...I found that my pages were consistently uncluttered, with a couple of pictures, my words...and it needs to be a double page spread.  I tried a couple of single pages and it was very distracting to me visually.  So, now I know my style...what's yours?

Supplies:  Paper Iris Freebie Template #69, Papers by Flergs Studio, Staples by Studio Girl Maya: Staple Stash.

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