Long Time

WOW!! I just realized it has been over a month since I updated my blog!! BAD BLOGGER!! I have actually been busy with scrap and card projects!! Where are the pics you ask? Good question. My family bought me a new digital camera in April. Figuring out how to use it was pretty easy since it is an updated version of my old one. I went out and bought a 4 gig memory card...lots of room for lots of pictures. Well it seems for some reason my computer doesn't like the 4 gig card. It will not upload the pictures. I am trying to figure out a fix for this.

First I will start with something exciting you can get in on. The Scrap Review is having a raffle. OK so I don't know many details on the raffle, but I do know about The Scrap Review. If you have not checked them out, do so now. Great site! It gives unbiased reviews of scrap related products. If there is something they don't like abut a product...they will say it!! They even give away some of the stuff they review. I can honestly say I KNOW they give it away too...because I was the lucky winner of one of their first giveaways. How Cool Is That?? I am sure the raffle will be awesome. Check it out!!

Last weekend my daughter, my best friend and I attended the Rubber stamp and Scrapbook Expo in St. Paul. We had a great time!! Learned lots of new things and I spend WAY TOO MUCH money!! There was one class offered, we made 20 cards. The main focus of the class was embossing. We used lots of cuttlebug folders and some Nestabiliities dies. I really like the Nesties, although to be honest, the price is a bit much for me to justify. Or I just haven't found a way to rationalize it yet.

Yesterday was spent cleaning my scrap room. I can honestly say it has never looked so bad. I knew I had issues when I started making graduation cards at the dining room table rather than in my room. I had so much stuff that was still in bags from last weekends expo, and I even found a bag of goodies I bought at the expo I attended last October. It took me 6 hours to complete the project. I think one hour of that was spent trying to figure out how to put new adhesive in my ATG. Thank You Candy at Altered State of Mind. I found your pictures most helpful!!

Armed with a full ATG, new paper, tools, inks, stamps, ideas and a clean scraproom Who knows what I will create!!

Peace, Love and Scrappiness!!!

Going to the Chapel

Happy Friday...wait it's Saturday already. Those of you that know me know that I am great with deadlines!! Once I again i have come in just under the wire. This week has been insane to say the least. The big spring dance recital is Saturday and Sunday. Pictures, dress rehearsal and three performances in two days. AND a wedding!!! Hubby's good friend Bruce is getting married Saturday night at 7:00...I guess he didn't get the memo about the dance recital also taking place Saturday night at 7:00. Hubby will go to the wedding stag and the Lovely Miss H and I will show up after her recital. Tonight I made a wedding gift and card...see what I said about deadlines. I have been mulling ideas around in my head for a week now and tonight I carved them in stone so to speak. The wedding gift is made with a tile I purchased from Menard's and Cricut Vinyl. I used the Storybook cartridge and SCAL for the Jasmine font (that is one of the few cart I do not have). My SCAL program was being difficult and kept freezing up and had to be rebooted umpteen times.

The card is very simple. The "Love" stamp is from Dog Gone Stamps. It is actually a free one they sent with my purchase...I love surprises!! I picked up the paper at Joann's a couple weeks ago and I don't know who makes it. I love the deep embossing and the flocked flowers. I love black and white. So simple yet elegant.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Peace Love and Scrappiness!!!

Time Keeps on Slippin'

Its been a while since I have posted. April is affectionately known as "Hell Month" at our house. The Lovely Miss H has her spring dance recital this coming weekend. She has dance class 4 nights this week, three photo sessions, two dress rehearsals and three performances this week alone. Plus her kick line has their spring show coming up. Needless to say I haven't had much time to be crafty. I am currently working on a album/address book for my good friend Cory who is being deployed to Afghanistan in June. Please keep Cory in your prayers. We had a going away party for him two weeks ago. We had it early because his brother and a couple good friends left for Iraq last week. I took tons of pictures at the party and had everyone write down their address and a personal message for Cory, if they chose to do so. I am doing an 8X8 album with the pictures addresses and messages. I really struggle when scrapping something smaller than a 12X12. I will have to take a few pics of this project and get them posted. Then I will get started on Miss H's dance album. She's been dancing for 11 years now...think it's time to get started on that????

Peace Love and Scrappiness

Return to Pooh Corner

If memory serves me correctly...and I make no guarantees...I started blogging about a month ago. I had recently finished a project I had done on my goddaughter's bedroom wall. It was my first attempt at vinyl wall art. The picture I posted was not so great. I have a couple pictures that are better quality.

So much for sleeping in. Between my husband, my son, the two dogs and that cat it didn't happen. I am hoping I can get something crafty done today between loads of laundry. I bought SCAL three weeks ago, along with patterns from My Scrap Chick and still haven't gotten to play with those yet. Yesterday my new Cricut cartridge "Life's a Beach" arrived from Craft-e Corner and I haven't even taken it out of the mailing package yet. Also in the mail were the stamps that I ordered from Dog Gone Stamps. I am also waiting for my first set of 36 Copic markers. So many new goodies!! It's almost as good as Christmas!!

Peace Love and Scrappiness!!

Working for the Weekend

Happy Friday!! Nothing new to post, hopefully I will get some creative time this weekend.

Saturday night I have going away party for a friend being deployed to Afghanistan. I am planning on taking lots of pictures that night and getting everyone to write a personal message and get their name/address. I would like to make Corey an address book/scrap album to take with him.

If you are out Blurfing check out Zoe's blog today. It is her Blogoversary and she has Blog Candy!! Lots of great Doodlebug products. Doodlebug is one of my personal favorites!! Also remember to scroll down and check the blogs listed under Blog Candy. Lots of talented people out there with some yummy goodies to give away!!

Peace Love and Scrappiness!!

A Little Something

As I have said before, I am a scrapper. I have started venturing into the world of card making. I don't know why I find card making so difficult. Maybe it is because I have a smaller area to work with. My mom asked me to make a card for her friend. I use a clear tag and stamp from Prickly Pear. I used a brayer and Big n Juicy ink to color the tag. The butterfly is stamped with Archival Ink and colored using a SU blender pen and Big N Juicy ink. The floral paper is glossy paper that I stamped using a versa mark ink and Technique Tuesday stamps then I applied Big N Juicy ink with a brayer the sentiment is computer generated on vellum. I added some fibers from my stash.

Check this out

One of my favorite things about blogging is checking out other people's blogs. During today's "blurfing" session I ran across My Crafty Stuff. She had BLOG CANDY!! Included in her blog candy are stamps from DOG GONE STAMPS. Their ZEN FROG is one of my favorites. Yeah I know a frog stamp from a place called DOG Gone Stamps. They have lots of other great stamps, holidays, seasons, a selection called "1926" that is just precious. And of course Dog Stamps....I'm talking to YOU SARA!!!

I got the music in me

A friend of mine sent me a link to fun website. I thought it might be of interest to not only scrapper and card makers, but any one who is a trivia buff or just plain curious. This website will give you the number one song for any date in history. OK not quite ANY date, but it goes as far back as 1892. You can look up the #1 song the day you were born, or got married, or what ever.

I thought this would be a handy little tool for crafters block. You could incorporate the song title into a birthday card or layout.

There was even a link on the page for "Top 40 Hits 25 Years Ago This Week". I had to check that out. I was a trip down memory lane for me. My 25 year class reunion is this summer. WOW!! That makes me feel OLD!!

Click HERE to check out the top song on a date important to you!!

Peace Love and Scrappiness!!

I tried something new

Well part of my New Years Resolution this year was to learn new techniques, use "stuff" (tools, paper, embellishments, etc) that has been in far corners of my scrap room.

I stumbled upon a tutorial over at SCS on a brayered sky technique. I had to try it. I know in no way do I hold a candle to the creative genius of the gals over at SCS, but I am happy with my first time results.

Peace Love and Scrappiness.

A good layout (or Card) is like an Onion....

...it has layers!! Yep I am channeling my inner Shrek. I was doing my usual blog surfing this morning and while checking Cindy's blog I came to that realization. I know many of you are sitting there going "DUH??? What did you think?" I will tell you why it to me so long to come to this conclusion.

I started scrapping roughly 4 years ago. Miss H's girl scout troop did a unit on scrapping and had a CM demonstrator come in and show them some basics. Miss H came home all excited and wanted this, that,this and OHHHH one of those. So I had a CM party. My intro to scrapping. Well, you know how certain things people say stick in your head?? The CM demonstrator was going over the benefits of CM product and made a comment to the effect of, "You see some layouts that are layers and layers of paper. It takes away from your photos." That stuck in my brain. When I get scrapping I start to panic if I get too many layers going on. I rethink my layout and start removing layers.

This morning the light bulb went on. I look at cards and layouts with lots of layers..and those are the ones I am drawn to. Those are the ones I look at and think, "Why don't mine come out that good??"

So from here on out I pledge that my layouts and cards will be more like Onions....they will have layers!!

Peace Love and Scrappiness!!

I'd rather be blogging....

I got up this morning with the best of intentions. I was going to settle in at the computer and get our income taxes done.

I have been at the computer for over an hour and haven't even started on taxes yet.

I make a scrapbook for my niece's 4th Birthday. I decided to do things a little different than I normally do. First off, I had just purchased the Hello Kitty Greeting and Hello Kitty Font cartridges, so I decided the whole album would be Hello Kitty. (I THOUGHT that would make it easier...yeah right) Second, I made a plan (WHAT A NOVEL IDEA!!!) I decided it would be a "Year in My Life" album, one layout for each month of the year. This I did find helpful, seeing as how I was scrapping without pictures. Third, I vowed to use as much of my "stash" as possible. For the most part I did ok in that department. I did buy some paper and embellishments, but I can honestly say I did not go overboard. You will notice there is not much room for journaling. My SIL loves the albums, but doesn't scrap, and doesn't journal. We have an agreement, If she wants journaling done, she will let me know and I will find a way to work it into the page. I usually just make a tag that can be slid behind a photo mat. Most of the photo mats serve as pockets just in case.

Rather than post the entire album...I will post through March today and add the rest in other postings. Hope you enjoy!!

Peace, Love and Scrappiness!!

This could be my lucky day!!

So today is Friday the 13th. I should have just stayed in bed all day so nothing bad would happen to me right?? Well, I am not THAT superstitious!! Granted, I don't walk under ladders, but that seems like more of a common sense thing.

The Design Team at Hanna Stamps is out to give Friday the 13th a better name!! Krissy and the DT have a Blog Hop going on with lots of BLOG CANDY to be given away. How cool is that?? the Blog Hop Starts here. Then follow the blog hop. Even if you don't score some blog candy, you will see lots of great blogs and some awesomely creative people.

Who knows??? Friday the 13th might just be your lucky day!!

I haven't had a chance to post anything I've done lately. Truth be told...I haven't had much time to create anything new lately. The Lovely Miss H is into dance competitions full swing plus gearing up for her recital next month. One of the girls in her studio dance class won't be able to dance in the recital due to a knee injury. She was going to be performing a solo and the instructor would still like it in the program so she asked the Lovely Miss H, to learn and perform the routine. This will be Miss H's FIRST solo. She has danced in small groups and duets, but her first solo!!! I am so proud of her!!!

Don't forget to check out the blog hop!! Have an AWESOME weekend!!!

Peace Love and Scrappiness!!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Well it wasn't a chicken dinner....it was something much better!!! (OK that all depends on who cooked the chicken dinner..but that is another story!!)

Have you taken the time to check out The Scrap Review yet??? If you said NO....What are you waiting for??? You're missing your chance for free stuff!!! It is a great new site that is dedicated to reviewing scrap products. All you need to do to win is post a comment on the product they reviewed. I won an "Antique Ledger Background" unmounted rubber stamp set from Purple Onion Designs .

I am excited to try these new stamps. I have both rubber and acrylic (clear) stamps. I love the ease of storage of the acrylic stamps. I love the crisp image the good ol' red rubber stamp gives. I even leaned toward acrylic stamps for a while due to ease of placement. Then a friend showed me how to use a stamp placement tool (Stamp-a-ma-jig) and now I use that with both rubber and acrylic stamps.

I will say I am still a beginning stamper. I use stamps in my layouts and on the cards I make. I have a hard time justifying spending money on stamps. Mounted rubber stamps are rather expensive, especially if it is a stamp (or in most cases stamp SET) that is perfect for the ONE project I am currently working on...but not much else after that. So I am kind of picky about the stamps I actually purchase. I "try" (try being the key word here) to stick to "multi purpose" stamps. backgrounds, flourishes, swirls, flowers, and key holidays (Christmas & Halloween) those types of things.

Anybody have any tips, tricks, or opinions on stamping, brands of stamps, inks, etc??? I would love to hear them!! Post a comment with your thoughts...or just say HI!!

Peace, Love & Scrappiness!!

Monday Monday

Happy Monday!!

I have to apologize for not getting better pictures of the vinyl project. Possibly tonight.

I did not get a chance to do any scrapping or card making last week. :( Friday night I left on a bus with 34 other women for Minnesota State Bowling Tournaments in Duluth. None of my team had very good luck bowling. Although, Val did quite well at the casino. Congrats to her!!

I spent some time on the way home reading a scrap mag (sorry can't remember which one) and saw a few techniques I would like to try. I have promised The Lovely Miss H that my next project would be her dance album. I am a bit....ummmm...nervous, to start this project. She has been dancing since she was 4 (nearly 12 years). I have nothing scrapped. I know she has some of the pictures organized (bless her heart) she has also saved some recital programs, & ticket stubs. I want this to be some of my best work, and I am feeling the pressure even before I begin.

I did spend a fair amount of time reading up on the SCAL program. I recieved CDS for Xmas and have played with it a little bit. There were more limits to the program than I originally thought. then I read Linda's blog entry about SCAL. I was sold!! I ordered it and it arrived late last week. I haven't installed or used it yet. I do, however, have lots of ideas rolling around in my head.

Tonight is Stamp Camp. My best friend Cheryl is the hostess this time. I am trying to convert her into a scrapper, card maker, crafty type person. Little by little I am succeeding!! Here is the project she picked for us to make tonight. We are making it a little bigger than the tutorial suggests and adding a punched bunny for decoration, but you get the idea. I am hoping an evening of Stamp Camp will spark my creativity!!

Jumping in with both feet

It started innocently enough. My best friend moved her daughter (MY God Daughter) into her new bedroom. She asked me, "Is there anyway you could do some of those Winnie the Pooh characters on her walls?"

I thought for a short moment and said, "Well...I know you can buy vinyl for wall art. Remember that home party we went to? I know it is available in many colors. I am not sure how layering will work. But I could try."

We looked online for vinyl in several colors. We planned. We cut pieces out of freezer paper so we could figure out how big to cut everything. We spent approximately 40 hours working on this little project. Are there flaws??? Yep!! But we learned a few things to do differently next time. the way I look at it, The project was a success, because at least we both said there will be a next time!!

Here is a little peek at our project. Sorry, the picture quality is rather poor. The lighting was even worse. I am scanning it from a picture she printed for me. She hasn't sent me the digital copy yet. Once I get some better pictures I will post them.

Happy Scrappin'!!

Welcome

HI....Welcome!! Glad you came to visit. I am gonna attempt this Blog thing. There are a few that I follow and thought it might be fun to give it a try. Maybe post some of my work. Share some of my opinions. Hopefully others will share theirs too. I have to confess, at the moment I am having a mini panic attack...wondering if I will have anything that is of any interest to anyone buy me.

Maybe I should start with an introduction. I am kgscrapper. For the inquiring minds "kg" is my first and middle initial. Not the most creative but...#1 I liked the sound and #2 it was an available blog name. I am a 40 something, wife and mother of 2. Hubby and I will have been married for 20 years come October!! WOWSERS!!

My son, "Mr.D" is 18, and attempting to find his own way in the world. (Right now I think he needs a better map...but THAT is another issue.)

My daughter, "The Lovely Miss H", is 15. She lives to dance. Jazz, tap, hip hop, high kick, ballet, lyrical and pointe ballet. She does them all pointe and hip hop being her favorite.

I work full time outside the home, and am also taxi to all dance practices, performances, and other social events. Therefore, like many I dint have as much time to devote to my hobby ( some call it an addiction) as I would like to. I started scrap booking, about 4 years ago when Miss H's Girl Scout troop did a until on scrap booking and invited a Creative Memories consultant to share some tips. Over the years my styles have changed and evolved. I have learned new techniques and am always looking to learn more. Recently I have also started card making. I find scrapping and card making to be a great stress reliever!!

So there it is, my first blog post. Please feel free to leave a comment, introduce yourself, and add a link to your blog. I am anxious to get to know other scrappers/card makers/paper crafters out there.

Happy Scrappin'!!