A couple of weekends, scrapping! yeah

Finally got to actually scrapbook.  MJM was out of town last weekend, so I spent most of it in my pj's scrapping.  Finally started working on girls' books.  Last weekend started with Kyleigh, BUT, was out of my photo printer ink...so had a lot of 'holes' in the book.

Was planning the same thing for this weekend, MJM was supposed to be out of town again.  But by Tues he let me know he was not going...I told him..."ok, but I am not changing my plans, which is pj's and scrapbooking."

So, when I get home on Friday, he lets me know that he has made some plans...lunch with his business partner and wife Sat afternoon, and dinner with the whole family on Sun.  I looked at him and asked, "what part of pj's and scrapbooking equals making lunch and dinner plans?".  siiiiiiiigh.  So now it is a pj's and scrapping Monday...and doing what I can when I am home.

A couple of weeks ago, the girls and I colored some images for cards.  The dragons/mermaid on the left was by Kyleigh..she would only use one color!   (she is 3) and the top dragon was mine...and the pretty mermaid was Adriana.  This was used on a birthday card for their Auntie C.C.

Here are a 3 layouts,  same pic for different books...
The first is for Adriana's book, it is the cover sheet for her 2016...Used my Minc, she helped me choose the blue foil on the cards and 'family'.

 This one is in Josh's book.  His first year  book goes from Oct 2015 thru Christmas 2016...I used my pennant cutter and Kiwi Lane

 And this is for Kyleigh's book, used a stencil with white ink...it was a first for me...

 Last night, or early morning @1:30, I could not sleep...so I got up and did a little scraproom cleaning.  So, moved my carts to sweep the floor and took this pic...I call it "carts are like potato chips, you can't have just one"...ha!!

They are Bling, Buttons, Stamping Stuff

and these are Adriana's, Kyleigh's and Grammy's (which is mostly journaling cards and die cuts)

(and I don't know where the underline is coming from)

okay back to it.  And I don't know how to get rid of this underline...

more scraproom pics

Ha!  I keep posting pics of my updated room...but rarely of layouts.  Am I a scrapbook organizer and hoarder with very little scrapbooking??? hmmmmm, actually.....


This is what you see when you enter the door.   My new worktable is forefront, I know I gave up some floor space...but I like it.  I gained some storage, can't really tell but there are cubby shelves in front...and doubled those tables for a 'cutting, embossing station"

ahhh, much better light.  The corner was a black desk, now more cubbies for embellie storage and the 'stamp station' desk.  That sweater has been waiting for a button for years.  Guess it is time to fold it away.  

These are the built in cabinets opposite the back corner.  Fairly clean.  The rolling cart holds my bling.  The surface is usually full of more scrapbooks in progess all opened up.  So, got the pic while it was fairly clean.

Kyleigh's new work area.  She has her own rolling cart, and most of the bottom shelf of a baker's rack.  She also gets to face our small tv.

and Adriana's.  Hers faces away from the tv.  She also has her own cart and the cabinets to her right are all hers.  

my Cuttlebug emboss, die cut center is still off in the small hallway to the left.  The cart is filled with Christmas embellies.  Michael finally put the door handles on for them.  Yeah, another story, I bought the cart off of Craigs List.  The seller said "we are keeping the handles'...uh huh, the holes were drilled so handles did not fit for easy installation.  Michael had to redrill.  Thanks!  but I do love the cart.  

That is one thing, I do love carts.  I find myself constantly checking out what is for sale, and trying to figure out how to add more to my home.  I even have 2 old microwave carts in the other room filled with my scrapbooking books and Iris cases filled with papers organized by brand.  There is another in the corner...it was not put together properly by the seller so a shelf is a bit wonky...but I have it holding some 'projects to be worked on' and the odds and ends type of embellies that don't really have another category.

And don't y'all just love back to school aisles at the stores ... I don't have kids, but find myself buying notebooks and pencil cases and ....stuff!!  Esp for organizing.  hmmmm.

I have an hour before an appt.  Afterwards I HOPE to spend some time actually crafting in that room.  I sure do miss it!  (you'd think with no kids in the house...there would be more time....hmmmmm)

Expo Crop and Shop

I got to go to Santa Clara Expo, ended up going by myself...but have found that scrappin' ladies are friendly...so though I was a little 'bummed'...it ended up fine.  A couple of ladies shared my table and they were very nice and friendly and funny.

This is before, actually between 2 crops during the month of July....first time I left things unpacked, normally after a crop I unpack as soon as I get home.   I took this pic, cuz this cat aka velociraptor has an entire house to hang out and he chooses to squeeze into this small space.  

Did accomplish quite a few layouts.   Very plain, cuz I actually was able to make only one trip from the car!  Quite the accomplishment for me!   It usually takes me two to set up my space.

Shop!  Not that I needed anything.  But definitely did go through all the money I brought.  Let's just say coming home with $9 is pretty normal for me.

This is crop purchases...some vendors will set up tables to sell what they don't want to take back.  So, if you go to Expo, try to have some cash at night!  Though a few had their 'squares' so you could use your card (good thing for me)

Regular shopping, I did not include pic of papers...but you KNOW I bought a few.  Like Doodlebugs set with dragons...as I call my youngest dgs my 'little dragon' as he makes a fun crinkle face right before he yells.    ALSO, the vendor that has bins of papers where the first 25 are .50 each...had really good lines...Bella Blvd, Websters...not just the lesser known lines.  So bought quite a few of these.  This is just the 'stuff'.   Queen and Co was a big one, they offered the cart for free with a $20 purchase and the box for free with 12 washi's.   

I was determined not to buy any stamps, but could not resist.  I have been buying so many stamps through a couple of Facebook groups.  Now, figuring out storage is my next step.  Yeah.  Help needed.  I absolutely need to stop buying stamps.  Stamp Freeze starts today.

It actually took me a couple of days to unpack from this crop.  Not just because of stuff, but because it was a busy weekend.  Lots to sort.  Right now, I have 'bling' out to sort out...going to go ROYGBP and Neutrals and Multi into containers.  It is time.  Also out for sorting are diecuts.  I like to keep collections together.  So need to figure out that storage. I have them in an Ikea Cart next to my desk.  Will keep them there, but need them organized.   

Still putting layouts away, slow progress, as I need to finish them.  Many are not really embellished yet.  For me, that is the hardest step...I don't feel like I do enough.  Need to figure out how to get to the next level in embellishing. 

finished unpacking my room...made some more changes

When we had flood scares earlier this year, I packed up and moved up my room.  DH declared us safe from potential flooding, so I have been unpacking and making some changes.  This is just half the room.

I have some of the changes in the previous blog post...

This is the 'stamping station'.  Just about all things stamping (except Stampin Up wood, they are still in the upper cabinets, other side of the room) .  including inks.  I need to figure out a way to 'inventory'.   Right now I have some together by brand.   Stampin Up, CTMH,  Fun Stamper's Journey, Unity, The Greeting Farm...and others by type..alphas, decorative, kids.  

This is my 'ah ha!".  I bought this 9" wide rolling rack from Amazon, and it is perfect for my Stampin Up Stamp collection.  They are organized by Neutral , R, O, Y, G, B, P and Pink.  My greatest 'concern' is when grandsons visit and they reorganize it for me.  But I can tuck it in behind the Ikea rolling cart.  So far so good.

More stamping supplies.  and my new Minc.  (used twice, but sure am collecting goodies for it)

Bottom rack is half stampin wheels and other half dgd #2's papers...as she now has her own space. 

Part of packing up for potential flood included putting stuff up off floor.  Well, I liked this table so much, I kept it and turned it into half dgd #2's space and the other a half, my current project space.  You know to lay out what I am working on.  That is what you see, been working on dgs #1's book. (I do have to move it when granddaughter is here)

and at the end of the table and shelf are  a couple of Ikea tables stacked on each other.  The larger (which was formerly my staging space)  has my Cricut and the smaller (pink one) has my new die cutter/embosser I purchased from a friend.

(I still have my cuttlebug but it has it's own space)

just a few pics of the changes.   Guess that is the 'fun' part of having to pack things up, when you unpack you can make changes and updating.  AND hopefully get rid of what you don't use...ha!  I made a funny!!

Right now, the room is a bit of a mess.  (I know, you mean those pics are not a mess?) 

As I am between crops.  I went to a crop in Madera earlier this month and then I am going to Expo at the end.  And did not unpack (first time ever) as for Expo I am going only for one day and will work on the same projects.  

Reclaiming my scrap space - hooray!!

The crazy weather was in Feb, but we are just now starting to remove sandbags and put things back within the house.   Figuring we are not going to flood....ooooooh, I hope that is right.

Not done, yet.  Still have a couple more boxes at a friend's house, one more at the kids'....and that may be it!  wow.

Last week I started by taking things off 3 tables that were just 'off the floor'. Not packed just stacked.  I could walk in my hallway and small room again!!

This is before I received the bins that were at our friends' house, the one filled with completed albums.   So, it is not going to stay that empty looking.  ha!

This weekend, our friends brought by 4 of the bins...and I have been orgainzing what was in bins here.  This is the entry wall.  Flower collections, ribbons, buttons project life.  The button area was redone this morning.  (after pics)  Thinking of putting a curtain over the entertainment section in the middle.

I kept a table to use as a work island, this is in front of it.  A cutting station so to speak... in the cubbies are cricut/slice/punches.   

and on top some of the buttons (man, really wanted to get it all on one shelf, but oh well) and kiwi lane templates.

Karen!  put away your tool.  This is the revamped button and project life shelf.  Put my 6x6 pads with project life, cuz that is why I buy them...for pocket pages.  

This is the biggest change area...bought the cubbies and now it holds ephemera and embellies that are organized by catagory.  (some of these were on the metal shelves in the 2nd pic...that area is now my 'other' crafts spot. (NSBR if you are a 2 Pea Refugee)

and the area facing it.  Won't stay clear for long...but looks pretty nice now.

Okay, will probably keep updating and have 3 more bins of stuff coming.  ha!!

Birthday Month

I not only jumped out of the no spend freezer...I locked that thing up with padlocks!  (will go back in for June).  BUT it is my birthday month, so that is 'allowed'...riiiiiiight??

I started of early with this purchase of TGF Anya stamps from a Facebook Swap and Sell Group...

found this at a Marshalls and now it is my Anya and Ian stamp collection holder....will need another, as my Unity stamp collection is also growing by leaps and bounds.  and CTMH and Fun Stamper's Journey and Newton's Nook...yikes

So went a little shopping crazy, but I only took pics of the 'bigger items'.  

The haul of Unity stamps...hey, it was a one day half price sale!!   

A sampling of the Oxide Distress inks I've been hearing so much about

and an 'indulgence'...MINC.  I did not figure on getting this, till I saw and HSN demo...and I figured...its my birthday..and the granddaughters are gonna love it...so why not?

I got to spend last Sunday making cards from the Fun Stamper's Journey Bloom kit....

and ta da...using something very old.  Last month I posted a pic of a layout I was struggling with...

I knew I wanted these papers, but could not put them together...then I pulled out my old corregator...and

the final layout.  Instead of the metal embellies, found some wood.

Went to a crop earlier this month...BUT all my albums (filled and empty) are being stored at a friend's house from the Feb flood prep.   BUT did buy new albums (from HSN) and hopefully will be able to put those layouts in albums and finish any embellishing and get some pics...  

Happy May to y'all...ain't it the best month EVER!  ha!!

April's subs and purchases...kinda...

Start with subs...

Scrapbook Circle,  pretty kit, showed both sides of the pp's...

 Gossamer Blue...also love it...

Bloom Box from Fun Stampers Journey...love the dinosaurs, very useable with 3 grandsons.

purchased in March (so I was not on freeze at the time, but delivered in April)

from a Facebook Scrapbook Swap and Shop group...Stampin Up pens

A Cherry on Top....

And a friend was cleaning out her scraproom, ,  I had showed an interest in a larger die cutter/embosser so she offered me her old one...with all these dies...and  a bag, for $50....could not resist

I was supposed to be back on a no spend freeze for April, but that darn Facebook group...

cannot resist The Greeting Farm Anya stamps...so, I am calling it an early birthday gift.

(she sent me the extra images and some page dots as a birthday gift...love them)

So, back on my freeze for April.. Just one little fall off the wagon...well, the diecutter was also an  April purchase...so 2 falls off the wagon.  But back on.  

May is a tough one, as it is my birthday month...and there is a crop coming up in 2 weeks.

Did I say crop!   I meant crop camp!  2 weeks!!  Started packing today.  Ooooooh my!!!!

I am only doing boy projects, so you pack less...don't need the bling, flowers, ribbon...right??? HA!!!