On the Mark

Another of the layouts that I mostly finished at my weekend retreat...

I'm particularly happy with this page, because it used several items I've been holding onto indefinately--the alphabet stickers from Basic Grey and of course, the (beloved) Scenic Route paper. I'm so hooked on the white pen...making lines and adding tiny touches of white to patterned paper...it's one of those inexpensive simple details that kicks things up a notch (to borrow Emerill's line).

Rewinding a few weeks, back to Memorial Day weekend...I had the great pleasure of trekking up to Dayton, Ohio to take 4 (yes, four) classes at Simply Scrapbooks with Jennifer McGuire. I shared about that on my Stampin' Up! blog, if you wanna read more, go here. While I don't feel like it's right to share all the cards and things we created in those classes, I do want to post one of my favorites, because well, it's one of my favorites!

The upper portion of the card--the flower panel--is stamped on glossy paper. It's double stamped, in fact, with the flowers and the definition stamp. The "bow" is kindof a tuxedo-style, secured with an over-sized button. At the time, that ribbon, by May Arts, wasn't even out for purchase yet. (Jennifer has *connections*) :)  It was released just before CHA and I got some in the mail this week! Ordered it from Lucky Lady Paper Crafts on Etsy. I can hardly wait to work with it on some other projects. It's completely decadent, and the blue-ish is named "Caribbean Blue" so you know I love it!

A funny thing happened at the crop last weekend--someone took a look at the above page and said "Don't you ever get tired of scrapbooking 'boy colors'?" Ha! Um. No. What exactly are "boy colors"? Color is not masculine and feminine. Color just is. True, I don't really get into a flaming festival of pink, very often, but if pushed, I could make it work. :)

I say "be free"...colors are delightful...all of them.

But if pushed, I would also say that I do adore all colors in the Caribbean family...and that works out well. :)

--Sarah

Stop the Presses

Stop the presses...there's a blogger in the house. :)

I've had some awesome scrapbooking adventures lately--the most recent was just this weekend. I attended a small scrapbooking retreat with a friend in the booming metropolis of Centerville, TN. You know it's not a scrapbooking retreat in the woods until you've driven on a single-lane, dirt road, near the babbling brook and in sight of a few barns.  :)

It was neat to sit still and scrapbook without interruptions for a while. And it was very productive. You know I'm the last person to care about *quantity* but yes, I managed to mostly complete 10 layouts, despite having left home without my cardstock file box.

Thought I might share a few of my achievements...

You might notice that I used several items repeatedly on these pages. When I pack for a crop, I do that intentionally.

First, the wood-grain paper -- I'm in love with this stuff. It's just so very easy to use. I ordered a bunch when I was making the invitations for Daniel's Surprise Birthday Party and had some leftover. It's called Cedar River from American Crafts *Campy Trails line. See it here.

Second, the circular pinked seal from Impress Rubber Stamps. Yes, I'm quite partial to it. Impress makes superb wood-mounted, red-rubber stamps. They are luxurious, truly. Stamping this image on lined patterned paper makes an easy little journaling medallion. I used the 2" Fiskars circle punch to cut it out. Mount it with pop dots/foam tape. See it here.

Finally, the First Edition Specialty Paper from Stampin' Up! also made several appearances. It's sortof newsprint-ish and I *love* tearing it into strips. Just a touch is all it takes!

Enjoy!
--Sarah