Welcome Spring

It was officially the first day of SPRING yesterday, although we are still having below normal temperatures and the odd snow flurry or hail storm.  But despite this, I am forging ahead, and creating something seasonal.  I figure the weather will catch up eventually.

Here is my latest card creation.  I call it, "Spring Birthday", because my brain is tired and I can't think of anything else.  It was made for my son's girlfriend, who is having a birthday in about 2 weeks. 

One of the reasons I made this card was out of guilt.  I went shopping last week (also known as "retail therapy"), and bought FOUR Memory Box dies.  I had only planned on getting one, but you know how I have trouble making decisions, and so I ended up with more (plus one on order!)  So having blown the budget, I thought I had better use the stuff I had purchased.

The paper is Basic Greys's "Porcelain", one of my favorite lines.  The flowers are Memory Box "Cherry Blossom", made with a velveteen paper.  The branch and leaves I cut with my Silhouette. using cardstock and paper.  My Silhouette doesn't want to cut anything thicker, for some reason.  The label is die cut with another Memory box die, "Primo Labels".

I really like using the Memory Box dies.  They cut well, and are small so easy to store.  That being said, they are also easy to misplace, if they are tiny.  

Until next time, when it may actually feel like spring.......

Krafty Curiosity Shoppe Opens On the Boardwalk

The RULE was, I was only going to use G45's "On the Boardwalk" paper for my travel journal.  I thought, "No matching, less options and therefore fewer choices - this will be easy".  And it was, for a time.

Then came the crop, which I was an hour late in getting to.  And one of reasons I was late, was because I went shopping on the way in, picking up the new G45 papers, Kraft Reflections and Olde Curiosity Shoppe.  (It was either shop on the way there, or during the crop.  I figured time wise it was better to stop on the way there).

Anyway, I just couldn't help myself, and suddenly flowers and butterflies were appearing where I didn't expect them to be.  Are there flowers and butterflies on a boardwalk?  Maybe not in real life, but there are in my journal.

You may be wondering if I forgot to take anything to this crop.  Of course I did.  The photos made it, but I left some of my dies at home.   Somehow I got thru the day without them! 

Until next time...

Count down to Crop

Yes, the crop is only TWO SLEEPS away, and I have not started packing for it yet.  Unless you have attended crops, you won't understand the craziness of this.  Why would I need so much time to pack a few papers, glue and scissors?   The answer is simple.  I am going to have 12 hours of uninterrupted time to create, think, scrapbook, colour or whatever I want.  There won't be any laundry.  Or meals.  The only distraction will be the vendors, and I can handle that.  So I must plan, and plan carefully, to make sure I have everything my current project will require.  This means I will have to THINK AHEAD, which is not something I always do.  I often forget things.  Like my pictures.

The first crop I ever went to was a 2 day affair, and a 2 hour drive away.  You can imagine my dismay to realize that I had left all my photos behind. 

Another time, I neglected to bring my pictures as well, but I was close enough that I could just drive home and get them.  (It was a mistake to go home.  The dog wanted out, someone wanted a ride somewhere, and I couldn't help noticing the pile of laundry....)

I've also forgotten papers, glue and my work mat, but often I can buy what I need, or make do.  I really can't manage without my pictures, which are my inspiration for the pages I make.

Which brings me to a realization:  If I created scrapbook pages with no photos, I think it would be easier.  My problem is coordinating the papers and embellishments to colours and objects I see in the photo.  No images would mean that I could just make a page, and not worry about the picture fitting in or agonizing over colour choice, or fretting if that embellishment is obscuring  a vital image in the corner of the photo.  But that would take all the fun away, wouldn't it?

Until next time......