Shocking

I am shocked...
I always knew I was a little abnormal but I didn't know it was this bad. I heard that some people don't print off pictures regularily. The pictures are just left on camera cards until photos amount to in the thousands.
I think that sounds awefully dangerous. My photo memories are to precious to be left on a card just waiting for something to happen.
Here is how I manage my photos...
I upload photos weekly to my lap top. At that time I send them in to Unforgettable Memories Foto Source to be printed. Or I may take my card to the store and print them at the kiosk. Once photos are printed I get creative and scrapbook the best and most important memories. I try to have photo sizes in mind when ordering the photos I may want to use for layouts. This takes some planning ahead, looking for sketches or having a design in mind. A copy of all photos taken are stored in photo albums and easily accessible and displayed in my home for viewing. Then monthly I back my photos up on to an external hard drive. Photos stay on my lap top for 6 months up to a year just for easy access then I will clear them. So just to be safe my photos are printed and organized in albums, stored electronically in 2 to 3 places (lap top, online with Photo Finale, and on my hard drive), and most importantly... SCRAPBOOKED with journaling.
Who's with me? Don't let photos die. Get those photos printed and start sharing them in real life today! Aren't your memories worth it?

Castle Cake

I just wanted to share with you the cale I made for my daughter's 3rd birthday. It was actually pretty easy to make. I rented the 16 inch circle cake pan from Unforgettable Memories Foto Source. It used 2 cake mixes. Then I baked another 2 9x13 inch cakes. I cut those cakes into squares and layered them on top of one anther. I then let my kids ice the cakes with buttercream icing. We then covered the cakes in Fondont. To construct the towers, I used ice cream cones stcuk end to end with icing. I used waffle cones for the tops. To balance the towers I stuffed the bottom cones with icing, marshmellows and used small wood dowellings for added support. Getting the towers straight and steady was the trickiest part. We then finished by piping on the pink. My 16 year old neighbor, Amanda made the roses and helped with the fancy piping! We made the pathway with granola. We added a plastic Ariel doll, since Adalyn has red hair!

The castle looked like a scene right out of Disneyland once we lite the sparklers! Adalyn was a little nervous at first but I think she loved it in the end!
The best thing about this cake was that it was very pretty but it tasted good too. Would have been very disappointing had we cut it all up and then is didn't taste that good!

Monthly Challenge

Don't forget about out monthly Challenge. This month's challenge is to submit a project using anything Cosmo Cricket. There is alot of Cosmo Cricket kicking around at Unforgettable Memories. Or sign up for our Kit Class featuring Cosmo Cricket on Tuesday, March 29th at 7pm. The cost is $35.00 for non members and $30.00 for members. All you have to do is submit a photo of your creation to our Facebook page, Unforgettable Memories Foto Source. You don't have to be a member of Facebook to submit either.

Clouds

Looking back through the layouts I've created over the past few months clouds seem to be a recurring theme.  I've cut clouds out of patterned paper and white cardstock, I've made cloud masks out of scrap paper and sprayed clouds onto my background with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist or Shimmerz mists, I've used Jolee's sticker clouds (they have a great fuzzy texture).

On my latest layout I used Ric Rac as clouds.

If you haven't tried clouds on a layout you should.  They add a fun, whimsical touch to any layout.

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The plane and the 'See the World' embellishment are from a package of Elsie stickers I've been meaning to use forever.
The background paper is by Jenni Bowlin.  The store has it in black also.  I love the fun shape of it.
The other patterned papers are by Quick Quotes.
The travel tape is by Making Memories.  There is a lot of fun Making Memories travel papers and embellishments in the store if you are scrapping trip photos.

March Kit Class featuring Cosmo Cricket

Sorry about the wait. I have been super busy with report cards and getting ready for Adalyn's 3rd birthday! Boy, time is just flying by! This month our feature kit is Cosmo Cricket's Crica 1934. The class is on Tuesday, March 29th from 7 to 9 pm. The class will be $35.00 for non-members and $30.00 for members.
Here is a picture of the two page layout we will complete in class. Complete instructions and a color photo are included in your kit. We will definitely finish this layout in class. In the last 2 classes ladies have been finishing the class 2 pager and then at least 1 or 2 additional layouts. This layout is titled, "Time Flies By".

This is another 2 page layout I am working on. This layout will include a color photo and photo inspiration for you to complete. All paper is included. Chipboard pieces are an add on piece.

This is a 2 page layout. All paper and stickers are included. Again, chipboard is an add on and the title of this layout can be whatever you like as I used chipboard letters from my stash. Also used the We R Memory Keepers refill pages for this layout. They are such a great way to get alot of pictures scrapbooked quickly!

I should be able to squeeze one or two more layouts out of all this paper. That is my plan for tonight. So stop by the store soon and check out the layouts. Then sign up and I will see you next Tuesday, March 29th!

For next month I am planning a Mother's Day mini book and then some additional layouts with our kit of the month class. Stay tuned...

Photo Friday - a new perspective.

Hey scrappy girls...i want to talk to you today about something super simple that will make a HUGE difference in your photos - and you don't need to know a darn thing about your camera. All you have to do is stay in 'auto' and MOVE YOUR BODY. Let me give you an example, with my hungry little son as the model:

here's a regular old run-of-the-mill shot - Simon having a snack of strawberries:



Now, all I did was crouch down. staying in the very same place, and zoomed in a little:



It has a totally different look and feel to it! And all I did was move my body a bit for a new perspective. It's much more "belonging to the moment" than just "observing the moment".
So then, there was a chair right beside me, so I stood on it:



and you get an observation-like photo, but because it's more directly overhead, it gives you a little something different than the run of the mill. It's kind of artsy. {My kids are very used to my acrobatics when I have camera in hand. If your child seems startled that you are climbing to the top of their jungle gym this summer to get the shot, just keep it up, and they eventually won't notice.}

So then, I fill the frame again with my handsome subject, waiting for an expression that shows how much he is enjoying those strawberries in March:



And then, for one last shot, I tilted my camera waaaaay over:



and get an ordinary shot, made a little more interesting because of the big angle. Angles are very fun, and very easy, and most of us forget that it's an option. I encourage you to play with angles when you're taking shots for a whole new perspective on your subject. Plus, your grandparents (parents?) will look at an angled shot and say "Oh sweetheart...this one IS CROOKED!!!!" I always enjoy that one.

Easy, right? If you remember one thing from this post, just remember to get down low, and you will be not only look like a pro, but you will be instantly impressed with your photos. Have a great weekend! {SPRING BREAK IS HERE!!}

Special Bind-It-All Package

Special pricing on this great Bind-It-All package. $154.95 for Bind-It-All Machine, Bag and Wires with Bonus Page covers and Housecoat! Bought separately for $170.00, does not include bonus items.

Karen Foster fishing line

I love this Karen Foster fishing line.  I always have lots of fishing photos to scrap so I picked some up as soon as it arrived in the store.  The word paper has some great titles in it.  I used one of the sayings, 'love to fish' as my title.  I tore out each letter individually and then made a banner out of it with some twine and green BoBunny (I think?) buttons on each end.  I shaped each letter to make it look like it was flapping in the breeze.

The 'fishermens ruler' is also part of the word paper. 

The remaining pieces of this patterned paper I used under my photos.

The bird on a branch is one of the woodcuts by Kaiser. I painted it brown and then used crackle medium to give it some texture.


I used one of my many, rarely used stamps on this layout.  I've been challenging myself to use a stamp on each of my next few layouts.  This is the second layout I've done with a stamped image on it somewhere.  I stamped my bullrush stamp on a piece of green vellum then layered the pieces over other elements on my layout.  I love that the vellum is a little see-thru.
 

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and we've gone all Green and White in getting ready for it. Stop by and check out the extensive display we have for everything you need to make this St. Patrick's Day the best ever!

Cropping at the Blueberry.

This is another layout I worked on last weekend at the Blueberry retreat. 

As soon as I spotted the Karen Foster wave paper I knew I was going to cut it out. The colours matched perfectly with my photos.  I love the two together.

I took a couple of water themed stamps out with me because I have so many stamps and I rarely use them.  I managed to find a place for both stamps on this layout.  The yaght I stamped on a pale yellow pp and cut out.  Then I popped it in between the pale blue mulberry paper and the waves. The shell and text stamp I used in the top right corner under some other embellishments and again under my Little Yellow Bicycle acrylic journaling piece.

I sprayed Jazz Blue and Frost glimmer mist over one of my scroll glimmer screens. I accented the curls with some little blue Kaiser jewels. The ric rac I scrunched over top of my photos feels like fuzzy terry. The fish beads I've had forever.  I strung them on some Karen Foster black twine and let them play in the waves.

I've also added some turquoise Hambly rubons, foil shells, blue netting, black photo flips and a watch glass with some little seashells underneath (like a little shaker box).

Winter is for the birds

I was out at the Blueberry on Saturday helping Lynette with the crop.  It looked like everyone was having a very productive weekend. I also got some time to sit down and scrapbook a couple of layouts.

I put together this page with the remains of my BoBunny winterline.  I love these papers. 

I was all out of snowflake stickers and I hadn't taken any of my snowflake punches so I ended up cutting out the negatives from the sticker sheet.  I love how they look on top of the Glimmer Mist I sprayed on my large scroll mask. Kind of lacey and pretty.  So don't throw away those old sticker sheets till you've used them to their full potential :)

I used some Kaiser jewels in the centers of the larger snowflakes and for the birds eyes.