HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY- DEC. 7, 2008

Tina, I want to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today. I know you have been going through  quite a rough time these past few weeks with the weakening and now the passing of Gladys ( your mother-in-law) , but I want you to  know that  I love you and hope you have a special birthday even though it is a little sad for you today.  May God give you and your family  peace and comfort in your hearts during this time.   I can't wait to be there in a couple weeks to share the holidays with you, Marty and the girls, and also   celebrate your belated birthday.    Love MOM!

Christmas Class-Party 2008

Our Christmas Class-Party was a wonderful way to wind up the year  that was filled with  lots of laughter, fun and creativity.  The year has been packed with  a wealth of sharing with friends my love of scrapbooking.  Every class participant seemed to love the times we spent together, and the many projects they have completed.  I look forward to more of the same in 2009. The  Christmas Album project completed our classes for this year, now I look forward to visiting my daughter and her family during the Christmas and New Year's holiday.  I am sure I will come back with many new photographs to feed my desire to create  more projects to share with you all.   Dwayne and her husband are retiring this month and moving to their new home in the mountains of Georgia,  I am a little jealous, but I wish them lots of happiness as they start a new phase in their life's journey.  She will be missed by all, but the good news is that" she will keep in touch by email and she plans to continue to receive future class kits.  I want to say again, a "Big Thanks" to all of you who helped support me throughout the past year by attending my classes.  May God richly bless and keep you this Holiday Season. 

 

  

 

 

Fall Digital Layouts

  

 

I really love the fall season the colors are so vibrant and colorful.  However, living in Florida we don't have the opportunity to capture these elements of fall, so I rely on pictures taken of my grandchildren who live in Virginia to supply me with just the perfect pictures to create my fall digital layouts.

Adding new touches to my scrapbook room

Last week I was feeling a little overwhelmed when I would walk into my scrapbook room. There is just too much stuff  I can't seem to part with and no room for it all.  I put on my thinking cap and came up with a couple solutions to my ever growing delima  of how to arrange my stash to allow me room to crop.  I first took out the plastic storage units that stored my Stampin Up rubber stamp sets and placed them into my Laundry area, that cleared off much needed counter space, then I made a dash out to Home Depot to look around for ideas, no brainstsorms hit me, then I saw the pre-cut sections of peg board and thought how perfect that would be.  I used to pass that idea up time and time again because I have no wall space, but to my surprise that was a wonderful solution to my immediate problem.  Now mind you I have lots more issues to deal with, but for now I am very happy.  Considering my space is somewhat of a primitive nature anyway, my room was actually a tool room for my husband and it really is quite "primative" no real carpet on the floor and the ceiling doesn't have drywall only styrofoam panels exposed.  Some years ago we put a roof over a flat deck that was once a carport and extended the roof to accomadate for the what was tool room at that time it became my sewing room, slowly my scrapbooking took over my love for sewing so fabric was then boxed up in storage containers and placed in the large utility shed outside, now it is exclusively used for scrapbooking, of course an occasional sewing project or mending.  I visit my friend's homes and see the wonderful rooms they have to work in and I get a little depressed, but I just thank God that I have what I have and it is more than others so I feel blessed just to have a space to call my little "Peaceful Haven". I love to create and when my space is clean I get real inspired to do just that. Credit goes to my husband who came home after working hard all day at his job and saw what I was doing and he was a real sweetheart to install the peg board panels for me and I stayed up late to arrange it all so here is what the final results was...Not plush and lush, but I am thankful for what I have....

SNEAK PEEK AT CHRISTMAS ALBUM CLASS PROJECT 2008

I have been working this week on the sample for the upcoming Christmas 8" x 8" Quilted Album.
The pictures of course don't do it justice, there is a lot of glare on the pictures because of the page protectors.  At least it gives you a glimpse of what you will be doing.  I can hardly believe that the holidays are approaching us so quickly.  The class is scheduled for Saturday, December 6th.  This class is more of a layout album, rather than handmade covers.  The red quilted albums are from EK Success "Inspirables". I used the new Christmas patterned papers from "Cosmo Cricket - O Joy", various embellisments  from rub-ons, ribbons, Crafty Secrets Vintage Santa ephemera Cardstock Cut Outs and other miscellaneous items used to create this project.

Apple Picking Digital Layout

Tina and family went last weekend to Mountain Cove Orchards in Northern Virginia, also took a trip down Skyline Drive to view the fall leaves changing, they found by accident a really pretty setting with a waterfall.  You can visit her blog for a lot more photos.  Her blog address is http://www.itsallaboutthedetails.blogspot.com/

We hope to go up next year during this time, it is so beautiful there, so many wonderful places to visit to capture the beauty of the fall season.

 

Feeling Creative

This week one of my friends wanted to learn how to make an acrylic album for a special gift.  I thought  since I would be giving her instructions I would start one for myself.  I am so far behind with last year's scrapbooking that I decided to do last years Christmas pictures in this acrylic album.  At the time I took these photos, I hadn't printed out my 2007 Christmas pictures so the pages are blank.  But just to let you know I now have the photos in the album and I am so happy that I actually have my album completed.    This is not a class project, just a personal one.  I am in the process of gathering supplies for an up-coming Christmas Album Class (not acrylic). Emails went out last week for sign ups.  I will be posting more about the class mid November.

 

 

 

October 1, 2008

Gilda and I were privileged to be guest speakers at the Garden Club, where the Antique Society Club

of Vero Beach held their meeting on October 1, 2008.   The topic of our presentation

was "Scrapbooking."  In preparation for the meeting  Gilda  and I gathered various albums

and items we had on hand to give the display area a feeling of old "vintage" style

scrapbooking, such as vintage lace tablecloths, handmade dolls, china tea cup, old

photos in frames, jar of old buttons, lace, ribbons, hand stitched purse (handmade by Gilda).

After the opening introduction, we each shared our stories  about how we began scrapbooking.

We told of the different styles of scrapbooking and how to preserve your memories using the

proper adhesives, papers, and acid free products to  aid in keeping your photos safe for years to

come.

We also mentioned that there are many ways to scrapbook your memories, using pre-made

embellishments, stamping, aging and distressing techniques to give the appearance of newer

photos  made to look old.  My personal style of scrapbooking is one  of a vintage nature, however

I do many styles, from simple, to glitz & glitter and free-style.  This is the art of a scrapper

once you embark into the journey of making your own scrapbooks you will soon discover your

own  unique style. 

After the presentation, many questions were asked and I believe we were helpful in giving sound

advice to those who wish to pursue their adventures in scrapbooking  by collecting those wonderful

memories we all have to  pass  down  legacies  to future generations.

In conclusion, Gilda read a poem about "Clotheslines"  I wanted to share this story with you, it

is so true.  The friends and acquaintances we make through our scrapbook experiences remind

me so much of this story.   When we see our pictures in albums,   we all have one thing in common,

our family and  the day to day events that  help make up  our life's treasured memories.

 

The Clothesline Said So Much

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets
And towels on the line;
You'd see the company table clothes
With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows,
And looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess.

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!

         Author: Marilyn K. Walker

 

 

 

September's Class Album Sneak Peak Pages

I have been busy this week completing the sample for the September 13, 2008

class project.  Below you will see a sneak peak, as always these pictures

don't do it justice.  I must say I had a lot of fun doing this album.  As always,

I look forward to class date to share it with you.   I still have (2) spots available

for sign up if you are interested please contact me via email.  This album features

fabric covers, with a mix of vintage and more eclectic patterned papers, with

a feel of old 40's era quilt prints.  I am a lover of anything to do with sewing

memorabilia, ephemera, stamps,& papers so I tried to incorporate this feeling throughout the

book, without the album  being all about sewing.  Memories, family, words that describe

everyday life etc.