Need to prepare for National Scrapbook Day!

Gosh, it's been 8 months since I've scrapbooked or even thought of putting a page together. Last month or so, Carm and I decided to go to the San Diego/ Del Mar Scrapbook Expo. We were going to make it a whole weekend of scrapbooking! After thinking it over, we decided to stay and scrapbook locally and even particiapte with our local Scrapbook stores. Now that we decided on a local location (Scrapbook Cafe), I need to get my stuff ready so that I get as many pages done as possible!

Count down to NSD: 3 days!!!

Simple Steps Plan: Today- Day 1: Get photos developed! Estimated time (2hrs- if i don't goof off.) Next organize what I'm going to take to the crop. My Goal: No more than 2 bags- My offical bag and a office box and THAT'S IT! I always back my whole scrap room and dont end up using any of it and then I feel overcrowded and overwelmed! I might take some stuff and leave it in th car- but I really want to leave that as a last resort...

Thursday- Day 2: Organize my photos in giant ziplock bags with paper, layout sketches and accessories I plan to use. I'll have my laptop and pazzles connected while i'm going this incase I need to cut out any embellishments. I'll also have post-its on hand to take down any journal notes.

Friday- Day 3: CLEAN OUT MY CAR- My trunk has a bowling ball bag and a 50lb bag of Chicken Feed, and a paperbag of every fast food place we've been to in the past month! I need to make room for scrapbook stuff, so this is a "must-do" step for me.

Side Notes: I usually get a 2 page layout down in an hour, so i'm hoping to enough supplies w/ photos to make 16 2-page layouts. This way, I don't get stuck on working on a layout I might not want to do. I'm also going to take supplies to make just one project- this usually helps pump me up into a scrapbook/crafy mood!

okay- gotta go get started!!!

Scrapin' and Craftin'

During the summer shop hop I learned a lot of great ideas... The one above was an idea I had seen at Scrapbook Lounge in Montclaire and at Pinecone Express. I changed my theme to an apple since it was a gift to my boys school teacher. I purchased the powder fruit packets at Costco and can get about 4 tags out of one 12x12 sheet. I also used paper that was dual sided so I didn't have to do much decorating. I used an apple from the 2x2 quickcutz dies and a thank you stamp from hero arts, brown ink from stamp it up.

Picture Day was today, so I thought a cute gift for Miss Deanna (teacher) would be a photobook incase some the kids give her photos. This idea was from an idea booklet booklet from Pinecone Express. They use one 12x12 sheet and fold and cut in certain way so the turns in a small accordian mini album. This album is so easy and cute, I'm going to make a few of these for my neighbors and friends for christmas gifts.

Another project I did was inspired by a halloween goodie bag I did at a Stamp it Up Class. I change the theme to fit a gardening theme. This was a wonderful presentaion of onion bulbs.

I've stopped working on my layout challenges because I've been working on holiday boutique sale items...

Starting A New 150 Photo Packet!

I called Carm to see if we were still on for The Scrappin Table and she said yes, so I had my photos processed through Walgreen's near the scrap store, I googled a coupon code and got the photos printed for 10 cents each! When I arrived at Carm's she said she had call ST to reserve our spot, but was informed that the crop had been canceled... I remember getting an email from Pinecone Express about a crop tonight, so we called them right away and signed up!

We drove to placentia for my pics then headed to Santa Ana... This store had so many idea books and was very well stocked with paper! Then I realized they print the paper and idea books here!!! One of the layout designers is in Carm's sorority and she helped me create some gifts for my kids teachers (I'll post once complete). After getting my creative mojo going, I sorted my photo sorting and before I knew it, it was 9:30pm. So I got up for the 10th time and look around at all the amazing thing that they do with 12x12 paper. I loving nicknamed the store "the $2 dollar store" because all the idea books, stamps and some of the last impression templates we re about two bucks!

It's Done!!!

We ate out a lot on our trip so I wasn't sure how to add in all the different restaurants we went to... I left these photos to the very end of what I had developed not knowing if I was going to have time to scrap them or not...

I am happy to report that I scrapped almost all my 75 pictures that I developed a few weeks ago!

Almost didn't make it today...

Today was a very long day, I felt like I was 15 minutes behind on everything. I got to the event at the park I was hosting late. So I stayed just a little longer to make up for arriving late, then I got home late and didn't get lunch going on time. I took the boys a late bath and before I knew it, it was 3pm and they hadn't taken their noon nap. By the time they settled down, I felt like I could use those 30 minutes to sleep! But I know I have a ton of trip pics to catch up on, so I dragged myself to the kitchen and did these to pages... I felt better after the pages got done and even more better when my hubbie called and invited us out for dinner!!!

Page Maps Free Layout ideas

Sometime I get stuck in a rut and can't figure out how to do layouts. I found this really great site that sends me FREE page layout ideas! It's called Page Maps, check it out and let me know what you think...

http://www.pagemaps.com/sept09maps.htm

Still on a Roll!

I'm getting so many photos done! I've decided to do two page layouts and do the writing and glitz the following day. But that's not going well. so i'm going to stick to my original plan.