Contrary to popular belief...

I have NOT fallen off the face of the earth. Feels like it though, huh? Just been insanely busy for some reason. And what should one do when they're so busy they can't think straight? Of COURSE...do a major re-do of the crafting workroom. Yea. I'm out of my mind, lol! And my house is now a complete maze as I have made little piles of product everywhere while I organize everything I removed from the room and now have to figure out how to get back IN the room. Soooo not doing anything for my creative spirit, lol! Just about everything I've done in the past few weeks is off limits for the blog until after publication but I've been busy!

Now that the August issue of Scrapbook News + Review is up, I can share some of the projects I had in the July issue. Here are a few of my cards (there were more of my cards in the issue but I'm trying to figure out where I filed them on my computer, lol) :

This one is simple, using Bo Bunny papers, some Prima flowers, some Queen & Co felt, and a velvet brad.

Again, a very simple card - Prima papers and flowers, and some Target $1 spot adhesive pearls! Ooh - and this could even be considered hybrid (lol) - the words are computer generated!

This one was for a technique article on using glitter. Zsiage papers and chipboard letters, Prima flowers and loads of glitter! The article gives a quick tutorial on each of the techniques I used for making this card glittery (yea, it made my hair and house glittery as well...) Wondering why I scattered pink flowers in front with the teal ones? That's what the small flowers on the card looked like before I glittered!

I guess I really was all about the easy cards this issue! This one features Fancy Pants paper and a bunch of their stickers layered on. I even used a border sticker to add a quick embellishment to a candle to match. Cardstock stickers won't really stick to candles so I just made about a 1/2 inch overlap in the back and stuck a short straight pin in to hold it in place!

For this card I used one of my favorite quick and easy techniques. By simply cutting a chunk of paper into even strips and then lining them up with a little space between them, you retain the pattern and give it a whole new look! Love these papers from Stemma! Oh - and the candle WAS a burgundy thing that's been sitting around my house for years and years. I wanted to use it because the candle holder just looked kinda cool with the card but the burgundy just clashed. So that's white alcohol ink (Jacquard Pinata Ink) toning it down! Please note I have NO idea what would happen if I tried burning it with those inks on it. The round design makes it (in my mind, at least) an un-burnable (my invented word for the day, lol) candle anyways sooooo...I guess I'm just saying if you try this at home I'm not responsible for any sparks, fires, etc.! ;)


There were some really great cards in the July issue! If you missed it, don't despair! Subscribing now gives you access not only to the August issue, but also every back issue we've done! So that's FIVE issues now!

Don't forget the giveaway for my upcoming Blogoversary here!

Another Spring Birdhouse

I was recently asked "why birdhouses?". I know to some it may seem counterproductive to be churning out these little dust collectors and (gasp) wasting my precious scrapbooking time and products on them when I could be actually scrapbooking instead. To be perfectly honest, for the past few years since my separation and divorce, scrapbooking has just been HARD for me. Every time I pick up a pen to start journaling, I get caught up in these complex thought circles that have nothing to do with the task at hand. Older pictures I find myself wondering if I should be journaling how I felt THEN or how I feel NOW. Newer pictures I wonder if the absence should be noted. It just feels surreal after years of scrapbooking on my old dining room table in my old house etc. But I realized, that for me, the creative process was just as important to me as trying to preserve the memories. I also realized that just like creating a layout, creating an altered item brings out my own feelings and personality. Each piece means something to me and can evoke memories and feelings. The papers were picked with a thought in mind and even when I start a project just wanting to use a certain paper, I've found that it's because that paper brings out some inner piece of ME. Something I want to say, even if I'm the only one who can hear it. Ok. And so I just love to play with paper too! :)

Philosophical hijack over, on to today's project! This winter has just seemed to last forever so here's another one that's just about brightness and flowers and chasing away those winter blues! Patterned papers by Stemma (floral) and Making Memories (roof). Brads by Making Memories - all the tabs were removed and they were simply glued on. The paint is two shades by Making Memories mixed together.

Wishing you all sunshine and flowers today!!