Goals for 2009

Happy New Year!!

In 2008 I set out a goal to complete 75 layouts in the year and unfortunately I wasn't able to meet it. I know people who have done hundreds of layouts and I couldn't get a few done. My life is a bit hectic and the time I have to scrap I end up crashing in front of the TV.

This year, I plan to keep the same goal of 75 layouts and I am hoping I can pass that goal. I have pledged not to get involved in myspace swaps (other than box swaps because I love those), like tag swaps, etc. If I need tags, I can make my own, I have never used something someone else has made (no offense). I think if I do not join these kinds of swaps, I will have more time to do layouts for myself.

I even have a pregnancy scrapbook to make for a friend which I have not started yet. It is also on my to-do list. It will be an 8x8 album which I have never done. I am pretty nervous about this. No one has ever asked me to make them anything before and I don't think my work is that great that I should be sharing it! But I am honored and will try my best at it.

Some pictures that I have floating around that I never got to in 2008 are:

- making pizza

- 1st day of nursery school

- school picture

- Christmas 2008

- playing with Cars

- birthdays (I have yet to scrap any of my sons 3 birthdays!)

... and all of the 2009 pictures that will be taken.

And all of these are of course of my son. I would also like to try to do some more adult layouts of my friends and my husband. I even have a nice new 12x12 album waiting for such layouts!

I would also like to try embossing. I don't know much about it. I think there are 2 embossing techniques (please correct me if I am wrong), dry embossing and heat embossing. I see a lot of layouts using this technique and right now I know nothing about it but I hope at some point in this new year, I can learn about it. Any help and advise would be greatly appreciated!

And lastly in this New Year, I want and desperately need to get re-organized! My scrap supplies are in such chaos! I am running out of room and unfortunately just keep buying and buying more with no where to put it! So I am hoping to come to a happy medium with my 'stuff'!

Wish me luck!

Wish List

There are items out there, some new and some not so new that I want to add to my supply stash. Some, I just have to get out there and buy and others, I am just waiting for the right time, but as life has it, there are other things that fall higher on the priority list than scrapbooking supplies :)

I have the basic Provo Craft Cricut and I have about 8 cartridges right now.I would love to add these two, Storybook and All Mixed Up.

The All Mixed Up cart looks like something that would work well on my layouts since the are predominately kid oriented. This cart gives off the impression of a child's handwriting!























Glue Arts - GlueGlider Max Adhesive Runner.

This baby rocks!!

This is industrial adhesive! I just imagine the wonders I can do with this, instead of sitting holding the roll of glue dots in one hand and try to hold an embellie or picture in the other hand and trying to manage getting the dots on!

Only down fall is that it is pretty expensive. Runs about $50 and then the refills are about $20.


Fancy Pants Designs - About A Boy Collection

These 3 items all coordinate and I have been eyeing them for sometime now.

The colors are captivating. The chocolate brown background with the pop of oranges, blues, green and the hint of yellow. LOVE it!!

I have seen great layouts created using this series and I want to jump on that band wagon! Oddly enough in my almost weekly trips to Michaels and/or A.C. Moore I have not seen these in the stores. It seems I will have to eventually order them online and I have seen them and have them on my scrapbook.com wish list.

The coordinating sticker and chipboard I love. The best part is you can use them with other papers.

I love the "cool boy" look of everything and that is exactly what I need to scrap for my little guy.

The best part is all of these items are really inexpensive, all under $5! The question is "what am I waiting for?"!



Making Memories - 4x6 Spiral Notebook for Journaling.

The 5th Avenue Collection in black & white, is my favorite. Each time I see this in A.C. Moore my friend and fellow scrapper reminds me that my scrapping style does not call for such elegance. There was no put down there, it is just the mere fact that I scrap for my 3 year old. But one day, if I ever a chance to make that adult album, this will be one of my first purchases!

The Noteworthy Collection in the brighter colors is more my style but I haven't seen it in the stores. I will get my hands on it sooner or later!

I love to add journaling to my layouts and I love how these are big and stand out!

Heidi Swap - Chipboard Clocks

These little clocks are the cutest thing and I am sure I could make them work in a layout or two. I would definitely work with the brown ones.

They also come in pink and with the pink... oh are my wheels turning or what?!

I have been asked to do a scrapbook for a friend who is having a baby girl and I think the pink clocks would work wonders on a layout showing the date and time the little girl comes into the world. I will definitely have to pick these up!




Fiskars Border Punches

There are many varieties of border punches and different brands. A most common brand is Fiskars and there are many straight edged and circle borders, like flowers, designs and even holiday themed.

Each time I am in a craft store, I always pick one of these up to buy but then put it down because I am not sure which design I want and if I really want to spend $15 on it. I know I will one day.



I think I could do a lot with these and put a little pizazz into my layouts. I just wish I could find one a little more kid oriented. I will have to keep my eyes open.



A fellow scrapper that I have be-friended on scrapbook.com uses embossing on almost all of her layouts and beautiful layouts they are. I know she uses Heat Embossing but I do not know much about it. This is something I would like to learn but I think before I wish for items (I honestly don't even know what is needed) I should really do research first. Maybe "Embossing for Dummies"?? Hmmm....


Ultimately I wish for a scrap room! Right now I scrap on my dinning room table and what a sight for sore eyes! It is terrible. If I could only learn to clean up after myself, it wouldn't be so bad. But I have that mentality, ' why clean up now, if I will end up making the same mess tomorrow?'. The only way I will ever get a dedicated scrap room is if we move and buy a bigger house!

What I have & love

When I showed some interest in scrapbooking, I was home very pregnant and watching HSN and they had a 'scrapbooking' special on. I logged onto their website and ordered a few things, a beautiful Amanda Blu album, a paper kit and some embellies. Just a few things to start an album for my new baby. At that point, I didn't even know you could buy this stuff in stores!

I started with a small supply of goodies but now I have soo much supply that my house is too small for it! LOL.

I do not have a dedicated room for scrapping, but I sure wish I did. I am soo envious of other women who have a craft room with closets and all the shelving their hearts desire. I scrap on my dinning room table.

All my supply is hidden throughout the house but organized fairly well, as well as I could do it. I have more than I probably need but I am such an addict at this point, that going into a craft store is very dangerous because I will leave there with a few hundred dollars worth of supply that I don't need because I have quadrople of that at home already :)

Some of the scrapping items/tools that I have, love and use most often are:

- Provocraft Silent Eyelet Setter
- Provocraft Cricut (I have a quite a few cartridges)
- Fiskars Circle Cutter
- Paper trimmer
- Punches
- ColorBox Cat's Eye Ink/Chalk
- Glue Dots
- Chipboard
- Paper Edgers
- stickers
- rub-ons
- flourishes

.... the list can go on forever!

Welcome

I have decided to start blogging about my addiction to scrapbooking! May not be exciting to some but can be exciting to many. :)


I started scrapping just over a year ago before my son turned 2 years old. The intention to start scrapping was before my son was born, when I was pregnant. I bought tons of supply and an album for my baby but shoved it under my bed and never got into it until last year when a friend 're-introduced' me to it.

I have done quite a few layouts which I plan to show you, my first ones are quite obvious and then you can see the imporvements from layout to layout. I am not the best - far from it, but I am pretty proud of myself.

More to follow....