Oahu 2008 (#3)

I've still been working on this Oahu mini album here and there.  I finally got through our second day on the island! (good thing there are only 5 days! ha ha ha)

The second day we hiked Diamond Head.

On the left side, I used the flyer I picked up from the the park.  It was an ugly green...I cut the "12 looking points" from the flyer and used it--easier than rewriting it all.  Then I found the map online (from the same flyer, but in white...I couldn't bare that green anymore) and just added a journal card in the corner saying what we ate for breakfast and an intro to where we went.

I used a variety of ampersands to show how we went up dirt trails & stairs & more stairs & a tunnel & even more stairs!  The "day" wood veneer actually said "today"...I just sawed off the "to" (that I can use later).

The views were amazing!!  I didn't need to add too much journaling here. :)  The last photo is our shadows...we didn't know that first shadow though. :)

I tried to use different parts of the trail for the photos on our way down.  

We were there for less than 2 hours and I only took 100 photos!!!  Or maybe that is a lot (about a photo per minute)...I usually take way more :)

The rest of the day was summed up on this layout...I had bought a waterproof digital camera and we tested it out in the pool...sorry for the scary underwater picture--ha ha ha.

I finally found a picture to use on the cover.

It was the perfect sized photo.  

I love the yellow mini album, but it is already dirt.  I am not sure how to clean it though...I am afraid to use water and ruin it.

Thank you for looking!

My first CAL

Back at the end of June, I seen this cute crocheted beach bag pattern by A Creative Being.  I can't remember if I found it via Pinterest, another blog, or Ravelry, but I loved the look of the bag.

Wink of A Creative Being was hosting a CAL...what is that you ask?  It is short for Crochet-A-Long. It is where a group comes together (via the web) and makes an item from the same pattern :D  I joined the Ravelry group and was so excited to make my bag along with other crocheters :)

I was even asking questions of the other participates...it was fun.  But then I got to the end of the pattern and tried to use metal rings as she did, I didn't like the way it came out...so I unraveled a bit and just used holes like she explained we could do...I mean this isn't a contest to see who can make it exactly like she did...it is just a guide, but she did recommend you could skip the metal rings :)  

Then I couldn't find rope or handles that I liked so I ended up braiding yarn for the rope and crocheting my own handles.

It is very Neapolitan ice cream :)

She was holding a contest which I missed by 2 weeks because I am slow!  But it was fun regardless :)

Thanks for looking!

Workspace Wednesday (#2)

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading Gleeful Things' blog and she was talking about yarn storage.  It reminded me that I have not shared my newest yarn storage!

So just as a reminder, when I first started crocheting in 2010, this was my storage...all my yarn fit into these two bags!

But because I am kind of a hoarder, that was very short lived.  I then used baskets and cute paper bags to help with the overflow.

Then it was starting to look too messy in the living room.

So back in January, I bought this Ikea Expedite (now they are sold under Kallax).  And because I am boring and am afraid of color, I bought the black cubes (which were on sale at the time).  

Since my Craft room is full (and also used as my husband's home office), the shelves are actually in my living room and I didn't want all the yarn to be seen.

All the cubes are full!

Here is a peek into a couple...

The cubes hold my different types of yarn, my finished items, and my tools :)

Thanks for looking.

2008 Oahu Trip (#2)

For the past few weeks, I have been working on my Oahu scrapbook little by little.

Here are the 3 layouts of our first day on the island.

Our friends (at the time) arranged for a limo to pick us up at the airport...how fancy!  We didn't have the greatest view from our hotel room, but we weren't planning on staying in there--we were on an adventurous trip :) (plus I love to save money...aka, I'm cheap--ha ha ha)

This is one of the first times I embraced embellishing the photos themselves and I love it!!!

{Thickers came out years ago and I only had a few sets--2 were given to me in two separate classes I had taken (one blogged about last year)...then later last year, I bought a grab bag from Amy Tan(gerine) which added 3 more to my collection.  This is the first time I've really started to use them and I am in love...I don't know what took me so long!!!

I have since bought 2 more sets :D (bringing my total to a mere 7 sets) I don't need another addiction, but the lovely ladies of Instagram always show off there finds from Tuesday Morning and TJ Maxx.  Repeating myself--I don't need another addition...I don't need...}

From the first 2-page layout, I love this 3x4 card I made...

I did not take this picture (I would have had to be in the ocean to do so--ha ha ha).  It is the postcard (cut down to 3x4) I took from the room...so perfect for my album.

Here is the second 2-page layout, showing our first lunch and my first time eating tacos with fish inside!  Then we did some shopping.

And the last 2-page layout

Showing the beach across the street and our first dinner.  (I only blurred her face because I don't have permission to use her image--not the fact that we are no longer friends--ha ha ha)

The 3x4 journal card says "The beach was literally across the street from our hotel.  But we didn't spend any time there."  I had to use the word literally (and I used it right) because this person literally said that word a million times--ok, yes, not really literally a million times, but she used it a lot and often not in the right context!  My daughter laughed when she read the card and asked me if I used the word on purpose...she knows me too well :D

A little close up on the last picture

A third couple was supposed to join us on our trip, but couldn't after all...we had taken this picture at the restaurant pretending our friend Meredith was with us :)  Silly girls!

Thanks for looking!

Flashback Friday (sort of) 2008 Oahu Trip (#1)

In 2008, my husband and I went to Oahu, sans kids, with another couple (who are now former friends).

I have been wanting to scrapbook this trip for a while, but never got around to it.  When I seen that Project Life had mini albums, I knew that is what I wanted to use.  But I didn't want to pay full price for the album...fast forward to April of this year...I paid full price for it :/  But it is the perfect album for our 5 day (including travel days) vacation.

The front cover has a space for a small 3x4 picture (or card), but I haven't found the right one yet.  This is the first page of the album.

Top from left to right:

I used a folding card from the Project Life Kiwi (Jo-Ann's exclusive), tab made with a McGill File Tab Punch, a couple of roller stamps--2000's date stamp and the Dear Lizzy roller stamp--and Amy Tangerine washi tape.

The photo was taken using my Nikon D50.

Bottom from left to right:

I used a card from the Project Life Themed Card-Planner (Michaels exclusive) with a cute "Polaroid" print from Typo--Message in a Box (I can't find the set I have, but this one is similar), and pink loopy Washi tape.

The Project Life card is from the Amy Tangerine Plus One kit, the "TO" is from Kelly Purkey Alphabet Stickers (I actually used white but colored them green with the Amy Tangerine markers) and I used an older set of Black Glittery Thickers.

The corner card can actually be pulled out to see the hidden journaling.  I used my typewriter--whoo hoo!  It is just a note saying in 2008 we went on vacation with our friends but later that year, we no longer were friends.  "This album was created & journaled in 2014.  I have done my best to capture the moments as they occurred in 2008."

I went back and forth about putting that into the album and I probably didn't need to note that, but I felt it was kind of part of the story, but I didn't want to announce it on the front of the album...so if you know there is hidden journaling, then you can pull it out and read it :)  Plus I am not sure if we were still friends today if my album might be different--know what I mean?

Thanks for looking :)

Workspace Wednesday (#1)

Hello!!!  It has been quite a while since I've blogged.  Between my son's last high school baseball season and him graduating, I didn't have too much time to craft.  But this week I started to again :)

I'm not sure if I'll post a picture of my workspace every week, but I have seen other bloggers do this and I love peeking into their space!

Here is my table today:

I am currently working on one of my goals for the year--scrapbooking our 2008 trip to Oahu.  I am using the PL mini album.  I've been waiting to get my hands on one of these mini albums just for this trip, but waited in hopes that I could find one at a Big Box store and use a coupon, but no such luck and I finally bit the bullet and bought it full price (oh the horror!!) ha ha ha.

I did do something I didn't think I'd ever do...I took my PL cards out of the box!  Well I only had 2 boxes--the Amy Tangerine Plus One mini kit and the Maggie Holmes Flea Market kit.  I have a bunch of other cards from various kits.  (I started listing them, but the list became too long--ha ha ha.)

They are actually easier to flip through without having to take the 2 sets out of the box, then putting them back in.  I don't know how the ladies that have every set do it!  I was having a hard enough time going through the 7 sets plus 6 Studio Calico PL kits!!

Thanks for looking into my creative space...hopefully I will be able to be more creative this summer.

Girls Only -- Scrapbook Expo Layout

Quite a few years ago (maybe 2008 or 2009???), I started an album for my "girls outings" layouts.  As of now, there are only 3 layouts in this book (including the one I am sharing)--ha ha ha.  I really have lots to catch up on!

I like the spatter look (is spatter only for blood--I've watched too much Dexter, I think).  I used all the mists I have on the page--which isn't much.  Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Primerose and Teal, my DIY Gold, and a white paint pen--I don't remember the brand and the label has come off.

I started off by only using the paint on the first half with the photos of me and the girls, but the layout wasn't too cohesive.  So I opted to do the same on the other side.  I had a lot more photos I wanted to add--the goodies that the girls and the crop gave me--but there just wasn't enough room.

The thing about using the spatter/splatter look is the drying time.  It took me over a day to do this layout because I would come back and forth to allow it to dry.  Also, I think it took so long because I am not too keen on the base color I decided to use, but I didn't want to start all over again.

The current trending looks on layouts is awesome and I tried to mimic them, but it leaves little room for too many photos :(

Added bonus, I finally use my typewriter on a layout.  WooHoo!!!  With my new table, my typewriter fits perfectly under my desk and I have plenty of space to open it without having to remove the typewriter from the case.

Thank you for looking :)

My Ever-Changing Craft Room

Last month, I shared one room of our home remodel…our Office/my craft room.

This was the room right after the remodel in 2007--yellow…against my husband's will.  Since then, I have made many changes through out.

Things that I hated about this room...
~yellow walls (yes, my husband warned me I would)
~open shelving on wall

2 years ago, I finally got the chance to pull everything out and paint it white :)  I also pulled everything off the walls because 5 years after I got my craft room, the wall was pretty much full of magazines and lots of paper…it was way too cluttered.

Seriously…who could be creative in this space!

Here was the update, up until last weekend.

But I was still not completely happy because my work area was so small…(this is a mock layout…normally I have more paper and embellishments I try to dig through on my desk)

I didn't have much room to spread everything out.  So I talked my husband into getting me a larger table.

I really wanted a 48 x 84 inch space, but that wouldn't be possible, so I settled for 39 x 79.  It gave me 14 more inches depth wise and 7 additional inches wide wise.

I love all the space I have now!

Here is the before and after side view

I love that my Ikea Raskog Cart now fits behind my desk!  I also have extra storage behind the cabinets for my crop roller cart and other stuff.

Another new addition I was able to add to my table was a Harbor Freight revolving bin that I've seen many crafters on Instagram and in the blogosphere use.

(before and after)

I still have to fill it up!  I may paint it someday, but for right now, black is part of my accent colors, so it will stay black for the time being.

I do love my updated space, but I am still wishing that:

1.  I had a bigger room

2.  I had a bigger window for natural light

3.  The door to the garage wasn't in this room

4.  I could have an Island (impossible because of 1 & 3 above)

5.  I had longer arms because I really can't reach into the corner now or the back wall very easily ha ha ha.

But none of those can be changed, so for now (until we win the lottery) I will be content with my space.  

Thanks for looking!

3 for 3…Cards

I am 3 for 3 in making 1 card a month so far this year--yay!  

My goddaughter turned 21 this weekend (I know, was I like 2 when she was born?--ha ha ha), so I set out to make her a card.

I was going for the Vegas-y feel…and what better way than using the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada" sign!  I got the cut from Silhouette Online.  I used Arial font for the words: 'Funding', 'for', 'Las Vegas', and 'Nicole'--all bold except for 'for'.  The "Fabulous" I found online and thought it was perfect, then I realized the F is different after I had finished the card :(  I outlined the "Funding" with a silver pen and added some bling.

Paper piecing is hard work!!!  I got glue all over the place.  I even used a Martha Stewart ballpoint-tip glue pen and I still had trouble.  I guess practice makes perfect :D

Thanks for looking! 

Scrapbook Expo 2014

Last weekend, I met up with Liz, Jossie, and Renee at the Scrapbook Expo in Pleasanton to crop and shop and shop :)  It was a great time.

We didn't get a picture of all 4 of us together (I don't know how since we are scrapbookers!).  Liz took a picture of Renee and I and I took a picture of Liz and Jossie, but I didn't like how I looked, so I won't be posting that :D

I set out and was only going to buy some card stock, which I got for a great deal.

The pink bag was free with the purchase of admission to the Expo along with these goodies.

And I knew I wanted to get some Amy Tangerine Plus One products, so here is what I came home with

I love the cute die set (I swore I wouldn't buy any more dies, but I couldn't resist…plus it was like $3 cheaper than online and no shipping!)  I still need to find some more of the line to complete the set (that's not obsessive, right? ha ha ha)

And I know I've sworn off roller stamps, but here are 4more I came home with...

The super duper big stamp was also like $3 cheaper than online!!

On 2Peas, I've heard rumors of this beautiful hard-to-find paper, so I had to buy some when I found it just sitting there calling my name.  "Buy me, Linda…buy me all…"  Good thing there were only 5 sheets left.

And some of the miscellaneous items I bought.  I love the cassette mask.  The Cozumel stickers are for my honeymoon album (that we took nearly 19 years ago!).  The ribbon matches eyelets I bought last year.  I bought more eyelets even though I said I wouldn't, but they had the cutest card on display.  And the 6x6 pad was ONLY $1! :)

Yes, I spent a little more than I had planned, but I had a great time.  Oh and the crop, we got our choice of paper packs with the price of admission.  

And what did I get done at the crop?  Little, very little ha ha ha…

I can't wait for next year!