Workshops to Go

These layouts are from the Tinkerin' Workshop on the Go. I was curious as to how these workshops worked and since DGS was in a robotics club this spring sememster, I KNEW that this was a set of papers and stamps that I would be buying anyway. I was so surpised to see how nicely these layouts went together. I think that if I could only get customers to do a WOTG once, they will come back time after time. I know that I can't wait to do it again.
I didn't have the green ink to start with so I had to stop and wait for the MIB (man in brown = the UPS driver.) I was so impatient that I did start to put things together so random stamping the background paper was a bit tricky, but I got it done.
The second challenge with this LO was that DD took the pictures - of photos in the display window at the school - and they were pretty badly distorted. I had to finally break down and load PhotoShop Elements onto my computer. And then had to figure out how to undistort them. PhotoShop Elements is a bit more complex than Solitaire (!) so it took me a while. The photos are still not the best quality, but I still like these pages. Speedy was the name of the robot Kyle worked on. Kyle actually won one of the battles at the Robotics Competetion which included teams from as far away as Canada.














The second set of double LO's is from DGD's Kindergarten graduation. This little scamp is such a character when you point a camera at her.
She kept us informed of just when she would become a First Grader for weeks before the event. You wouldn't think that Tinkerin' would work well for a girl layout but the 'gears' seem to morph into sun shapes and make this paper work. The Stickease arrow 'You shine' seems to help with this illusion. Mom (DD Christi) gets the actual certificate of graduation and the cap and tassel (with the 2009 charm) but I got the best
picture and got the LO done first! I am thinking I will get the small Chocolate alphabet set for stamping the title.

This is the third double LO in the workshop. I don't have pictures for this one yet, so some of the Stickease aren't permanently adhered yet. I haven't decided what pictures fit the 'together' theme, I am not sure I have anything yet - will have to sift through my piles. The photos go in a line across the first page with the final photo under the arrow point on the second page. Two more photos go on the blue/green block. Seven photos in all plus lots of space for journaling.




In addition to the 6 pages in the workshop, I have been able to, with the addition of a couple of sheets of Daisy White cardstock, make 8 (yes, 8) cards, that I will post later. There are still six full sheets of B&T left, four of which will work as bases for two more double LO's, and several big leftover pieces of B&T and lots of scraps. I really cannot believe how great a bargain a Level 2 paper pack, a package of My Stickease, a few other embel- lishments (in this case, the badge buttons, some brads, and some buttons - I used the red raffia instead), and a workshop guide can be!

Memorial Day - Remembering our Past

Here I am, back from the land of the non-functioning after 2 nights of work. I only got a few hours of sleep on Sunday because DGD's Courtney's dance recital was in the afternoon. So last night I was not fit for much of anything except for a bit of TV. But it was so worth it, Miss Courtney was so cute and did well at remembering her dance routines. But I wanted to show you some of the LO's I have done. CTMH makes it so SIMPLE. That is their motto - Faster, Simpler, Easier.

This is the first LO I made using the CTMH Emporium Level 1 collection. A Level 1 set includes 4 pre-printed cardstock base pages, 2 sheets of double sided patterned paper (called B&T), 2 sheets of cardstock, and 2 sheets of coordinated cardstock stickers (one alphabet and one decorative). In this double LO, the swirly things, the photo corners, the smaller letters, and the little dots are stickers. The big letters (W & Z) are stamped and cut out. The little dog on the first page was a hand-me-down from DD several years ago and all the others on the second page came with her when she and the DGK's came home while she goes to Vet Tech school. It is quite the menagerie around here.

This is the other 2 pre-printed base pages from the Emporium Level 1. The green border on the top of the second page is from the sticker sheet. The B's are stamped and cut out and the Journaling tags are cut from the Cricut. These pages document the journey that Courtney's Bitty Baby doll had to take after one of DD's dogs (that we sent to live with her ex) chewed off her leg. [Oh, just a quick thought, I will get to buy another Bitty Baby in a few years for my new DGD Salem. I hope that DS's dogs are better trained!]

These pages are the last of the Level 1's that are completed. This is from the Simple Pleasures set. I didn't use any of the stickers on these pages. The lettering and other figures were cut on my Cricut. These are photos from DGS Kyle's first year at YMCA Horse Camp. I took all but the little one on the second page myself with my Olympus Stylus 600. The little one was the professional photo. I like mine better. We sent both DD and DS to Horse camp and it was apparently meaningful enough to DD that she wanted to send her son, too. The little photos in the bottom corner of the first page are of DD Christi when she was at camp. They have been copied from the original Poloroid pics. What a difference a camera (and about 20 years of technology) can make.

I will post more layouts soon. Soon as I finish them, LOL. No, that is not true, I DO have more LO's done but I do have some to finish, too.

Last day of school

Today was DGD Courtney's kindergarten graduation complete with caps and tassels. I took several pictures and came home and put them into a Tinkerin' WOTG double LO. It was also the last day of school for both the older grandkids. DD is interning at a vet clinic plus will start summer classes next week, so DH and I will have full time Grandparenting duties for the next several months. I haven't taken photos yet but will. It looks like I will get to work tonight. Thanks to a new policy at the hospital where I work, I haven't been able to work my scheduled night shifts. But maybe tonight they will need me. So I am off to take my nap. I will post photos of my scrapbooking LO's soon.

Busy making examples

Since becoming a consultant for CTMH, I have been busy making examples. I am not a very good scrapbooker so most of my better examples are cards. This one uses the May Stamp of the Month. I thought this image looked like she was kicking and I thought about the phrase 'Kick the Habit' and this card was born. I wish I could mass produce this and send to every woman who has made the fantastic effort to quit smoking.

I unfortunately needed a sympathy card recently and was able to use the verse from the May Constant Campaign "Tickled Pink." I also used the stamp set 'Intrinsic Backgrounds' and paper from the 'Emporium' line.

Here is another card using the May SOTM and a stamp from the 'Simple Stitches' set. The paper is from the 'Creative Basics Emporium Collection.'

This card uses the 'Bird Basics' and 'Priceless Love Word Puzzle' stamp sets and 'Emporium' paper. I am not sure just what occasion it would be good for - perhaps a college graduation (don't want to give those High School grads any ideas - LOL) or a divorce finalization! Or maybe a retirement. Maybe for sending back a note from your vacation to that friend who is stuck at home.

As I creep timidly into the world of blogging

What in the world do I think I am doing? Creating a blog, ME? It is rather frightening entering into this technological domain. How do I set this up? What background, what content, what links. Well, here I go, for better or worse.