Plop, plop, fizz, fizz...oh what a week it is!!!

Y'know...I'm convinced. There is some planetary alignment that is just NOT kosher with my life path this week...the newest? The dryer fried. Literally. As in, "snap, crackle...lots of blue sparks, omg the lint is on fire, pop." Spent $30 on a part we thought caused this light show, but no...it's deeper...MUCH deeper. We're getting a new one from the landlord (aka DAD), but I'm cringing watching the pile creep ever so high on the landing.

Anyhooooooooo....so is my made-for-tv-movie kinda life ;-) It'll get better. I know this, cuz I'll go spend some money that I really don't have...but the planets will appear that much nicer ;-)

Here's the latest:

I'd show you a couple other things...but I can't ;-)

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

So I just finished typing up the instructions for one of the projects I'm doing for Lovebug Scrapbooking (http://www.lovebugscrapbooking.com/) and it's killing me not to post the picture, or tell you what it is!!!!!! All I can say is that for one of the two projects I chose to feature "jump rings". Why would you be concerned or excited about that?? Because it's really quite funny. Apparently I used up the quota of the four remaining brain cells I have left when I chose these things, because in NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM were they ANYTHING like what I thought they were!!!!! :-O

Well holy crap!!! I'd known we had some at our store, but do you think that came to mind??? NO. Do you think I'd had even an inkling from the amount of noise coming from the package when you shake it what kind of "rings" they were? HELL NO! I would've given anything to see the look my face must've had when I opened the package...really. I don't think they could've scripted something like that in any movie!!

So then my mind was racing....what the heck? what the HECK??? Didn't I have a coffee this morning? Did I upset the cosmos for this cruel trick of impossibility??? Oh boy...as the one really kick-ass project I'd had in mind went flying out the window as fast as my grocery bill rings up!!!

ANYHOOOOOOOOOOO....the one I came up with is really quite fun. I can't wait to show you!!!

I'm happy to say that this experience has solidified my belief that there are NO mistakes in scrapbooking...only opportunities. I am, however, trying to bank some karma points so that this never happens again. ;-)

Thursday hod-podge...

So it's gorgeous outside...went for a totally exhausting walk with the kiddies to WalMart this morning...and didn't buy a single scrapbook item!!! ????? ;) But, on the other hand, I made this oh-so-easy and TOTALLY fun mini-purse!!! What a cool way to put in a gift card, a few nail polishes and such for my mum for mum's day!!! And they're perfect for little favours for a workshop!!!

ARGH!!!

All my scrappin' plans kinda fell through this weekend....mind you, no kidding...I'd planned to get everything organized Friday night at a crop I was working, when lo and behold, there was a stabbing at the restaurant next door!!!!!! :-O omg, seriously...I needed something a WHOLE lot stronger than a Tylenol that night!!!

Went to a crop on Saturday, didn't get much done there, either...except this layout of my little wee peanut ;-) can't get the little bugger to STOP, let alone SIT...and here I got a picture??? Carpe Diem, I say!!! Anyhoooooo....reason being, was the I was frantically cutting class kits for the card class...for TEN people!!!! :-) Grinnin' from ear to ear!! It was awesome...ladies were great, had tons of fun!! Thanks, Tina, for that opportunity!!!

Glad the weather is holding up...been out so much my house looks like a tornado hit...INSIDE. Who cares? I'm outta this cage! ;-) Twins are SO incredibly cute, and yes, they DO take off in different directions! Perfect.

Handmade Journals...

This is WAY easier than it looks, believe me!!! ;-) This is what I'd submitted for an altered project on a site looking for guest designers... http://www.lovebugscrapbooking.com/ This site is a WEALTH of scrappin', stampin' and alterin' GODDESSES!!!! They have an online store, a gallery where you can post yer goodies AND a forum with an index list as long as my arm!! :-)

I'm looking to start another dowel/leather spine journal next...I can't wait to start it!!! This journal features bamboo skewers to keep the "hinges" of the spine in place....it's an incredible gift to give and would take you approximately 2.5 - 3 hours in total to complete...seriously!!!

Luvin' the Gelly's

So I'm excited...beyond excited!!! I'm going to a crop this coming weekend...and teaching a card class!!! WOO HOO!!! Not only that, but the cards we're doing are using Gel-a-Tins!! MMMMMM...I LOVE them!! I'll certainly have to stock up while I'm there, too ;-) Check it out!!!

http://www.tinascrapbooking.com/

My eyes are bigger than my brain...

At least, if my brain was anywhere close to functioning after a day of Thing 1 and Thing 2 clambouring like saran-wrap on my legs the whole day!! I had to hide in my kitchen just to scarf down a MICROWAVED bowl of Mr. Noodles...y'know...the ones you're supposed to BOIL???

Argh!!! But I digress....my eyes see this perfect sanctuary of a scrappin' space for myself in this house....but for the life of me I just can't seem to wrap my four brain cells around HOW I could actually accomplish such a feat! Bizarre, to say the least, considering there are FIVE children, FOUR bedrooms (and one had to be made by us), THREE phones, TWO cats.....and a partridge in a pear treeeeeeeeeeee (at least if one of the cats didn't get him).........

I want I want I want a scrappin' place of PEACE somewhere in here!! I know I could do it!! IKEA, baby, here I come!! But, alas...the logistics are not cooperating with me....*SIGH*....maybe on another day, when Hannahzilla and the he-beasts are less demanding, I just might be able to string a thought together and figure it out!!!

Mother

Sometimes, as I scrapbook for my mom, I wonder what it feels like for her, to know that her legacy will be passed onto a whole new generation...for her to look at me, her only babe, having FIVE babes of my own ;-) Boggles the mind, I tell you!!

I was given a kit including the colorcore cardstock and Colorflowers I Collection...usually I'm not a huge fan of patterned paper with a big print right in the middle of the page...what the heck?? No wonder I hoard ;-) Love the paper, never want to make that cut! Anyhoooooo.....figured a simple, clean design would accent the flower of the paper. LOVING the colorcore cardstock, though...and did I ever put it to the test!!! I tore it, I sanded it....I wrung it through the crimper and THEN sanded it....woo hoo!! This stuff is awesome!! Played with some BoBunny self-adhesive chipboard...and Ranger Crackle Paint (my new "happy place")....this is fun!! I like to be challenged to use only what is provided...wonder if kids will ever come that way ;-)

Cost vs. fun??

So, I'm trying to come up with fun cards for classes, without costing myself a ton'o'coin!! So for these cards, "Dahlia folds" as they're called, I just played with the paper, instead!!! I used one of the new Daisy Bucket line of papers :-) I LOVE them!! Aren't they so fresh and fun?? I think that the designs and colours compensate for the cost-wise lack of embellishments, do you??

Too many!!!

So I've been tying a whole whack of new card techniques lately...and I must admit, I'm having a ton'o'fun with them!! :-) I'm not sure what lead to my sudden onslaught, but the next time someone's birthday suddenly moves up to TOMORROW...I'll be ready...bring it on!!!

So there's the "magnifying spot"...EVER so cool...I've been ransacking my stamp drawers to find another awesome stamp to use...And the split negatives are quickly becoming my fave :-) Hmmm...what else have I tried??? Faux leather, cracked glass...ACETATE...I LOVE these ones. I have enough StazOn to last in my scrapstore in my dining room until I move...which will be never ;-)

Now on to another task with cards...I'm gonna be blingin' them up...taking out the "hoard box"...all the rubons, chipboard, stickers etc etc and letting loose!!! I'll post some when I have the chance to play! :-)

Who knew??

Oh man, seriously...who knew this eleventyzillion dollar machine could actually DO something??? ;-) Check out the "flowers"!!! I also wanted to do something with all of the Stampin' Up! stuff I have hoarded, afraid to use because, well, because then it would be GONE....LOL!!!

So the trick is to actually use a little elbow grease and give your shapes some TEXTURE...I cut out all the shapes of the flowers in descending sizes, then crimped or pinched where needed. I outlined the "purely pomegranite" flower with my Stardust clear pen....mmmmmmmmm....sparkle-y...

Anyways, the picture is of ME. I was Hannah's age :-)