Write. Click. Scrapbook.

Project Scrapway

Did you groan internally when you read my title? I did too.

Well, we got a bit carried away today, and we didn't finish our layouts until about 11:15 p.m. MST. We didn't spend ALL day working on them, but a couple of hours at least. What can we say? The power was out TWICE today, which interrupted our photo-printing activities. And we had three pint-sized helpers offering us advice, trying to steal our red dry-dot adhesive dispensers, scattering buttons from one end of the room to the other, and insisting on doing all the punching and pushing of the orange slider (on the trimmer) on our behalf. It was adorable.

The best quote of the day? After seeing all the wondrous works my iPhone could perform (serving as the flashlight in the bathroom while the power was out, taking photos, entertaining toddlers, acting as the timer while we scoured the Michael's shelves for scrapbook products), 7-year-old Maddie was pretty impressed. While she was looking for some adhesive, she turned to me and said with a totally straight face, "Hey Angie, does your phone turn into a glue stick too?"

Here are the highlights of today's Project Runway-esque adventure! 

Here I am explaining the rules to my rapt audience. We had 15 minutes and $5 and we had to find everything we needed to create a single layout. (Tools, adhesives, and fonts were considered free.)

Wendy's asking for a little bit of clarification, and Maddie is making sure she understands all the rules with perfect clarity. (Bridget is just used to having her picture taken.)

Browsing for patterned paper, which was 30 percent off, thank you very much.

Eureka!

Let's see, pink...or royal blue...? Well, pink of course. Do you see the rest of this outfit?

Team Maddie and Angie, who joined forces for the shopping portion of the day, came in at $4.97 and $5.13 respectively.

Purchases in hand, these ladies are ready to do some scrapbooking!

"Sure, this punch is bigger than my head, but I can handle it," thinks Gracie Dillow, age 4 1/2.

Here's a girl who knows how to use an adhesive remover. Wonder who she learned that from?

Hair up, comfy clothes on, Wendy is getting serious about her layout.

And now for the big reveal...

Gracie wowed us with her use of monogram letters, these tiny hearts, and her creative cutting approach. Speaking of monograms, that's THREE A's (for Angie) compared to one W (for Wendy). Not that I'm competing for Gracie's affection or anything...

Maddie (age 7) purchased two sheets of patterned paper, one rhinestone word, a sheet of tiny heart stickers, and a $.49 ribbon roll. Quite a shopper AND a scrapbooker-in-the-making, eh? (We seriously did NOT help her with this layout any more than she helped us with ours.) A couple of names are blurred to project privacy.

I had these two photos with me, so I took commenter Dierdre's advice yesterday and created a layout with them. My purchases: two sheets of cardstock, one sheet of patterned paper, one sheet of letter stickers (included upper and lowercase), and tiny word stickers from making Memories. I used Elizabeth's tiny round punch, scallop punch, and her Martha Stewart embossing button punch to make this design happen.

Wendy bought a sheet of patterned paper, two sheets of cardstocks, some blue-and-white file folders (used as patterned paper), and some sparkly stick things, which gave her "glitter face" for the rest of the day. She ventured the farthest into the non-scrapbooking section of the store and found some true bargains along the way. 



Since Elizabeth knew she had only 15 minutes to shop, she forced herself to really scan and skim, instead of studying everything carefully (as she'd usually do). To help her make quick choices, she decided right away to use black-and-white photos and focus on a go-to color combination (orange and pink) that she knew would be easy for her to use under pressure. She ended up with a sheet of patterned paper, a package of vintage tickets (which she ran through her printer), and orange cardstock.

We learned a few fun things during our Project Scrapway adventure:
1. Scrapbooking with children is much easier when there's a 1 to 1 adult-child ratio.
2. It's so fun to have "expert" scrappers nearby when you need instant advice about why something is simply NOT working. (Wendy: "I think you need something round over there." Me: "You're so right!")
3. Orange seems to be a popular color among the adults.
4. The Martha Stewart embossing button punch is an amazing tool.
5. Shopping for supplies is twice as fun when you have friends along, and the 15-minute time limit served to enhance our creativity rather than limit it.

Thanks for joining us on our adventure. Come back Wednesday afternoon to see what we have in store for you next!

Stay Tuned!

Guess where I am today?

I'm at Elizabeth Dillow's house in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with my pal Wendy Smedley! We headed out on an 8-hour road trip yesterday from Salt Lake City, and if you can believe this, we didn't stop talking the entire trip! (And yes, Wamsutter, Wyo., is just as lovely as the name sounds.)

It's just a glorious coincidence that I'm the Write.Click.Scrapbook. guest blogger the very same week Wendy and I planned our long-awaited road trip. And it certainly takes the pressure off of me to come up with brilliant posts all on my own. I have some help from two of the most creative people I know. And I'm putting them to work!

The three of us (plus Elizabeth's three girls) just returned from a trip to Michael's, where we each spent $5 or less and 15 minutes or less gathering supplies for one layout. After lunch, we'll be getting our craft on, and we'll share our results with you later in the day!

So ya'll come back now, ya hear?

(Note to self: you're in Wyoming, not Texas, so lose the accent.)

This Matters

I don’t know about your husband or the other men in your life, but it’s not often that mine wax poetic about scrapbooking.

But losing a loved one can give you a completely new perspective about memory keeping, even if the loved one in question happens to have four legs and a tail.  

A couple of days after our incredible dog Ruby passed away from cancer (just last week), my husband instant messaged me in the middle of the day to tell me how grateful he is for all the pictures, all the scrapbook pages, and all the keepsakes.  

Our hobby may seem quirky at times, and to some people it seems strange and obsessive, but you know what? It matters. And you don’t realize just how much it matters until those pages in that 3-ring binder are all you have to remember someone by.  

Here are a few ways scrapbooking has helped us cope.  

 

We Took Pictures

Ruby’s tumor was discovered in early August, so we had some notice that we were going to lose her fairly soon. We’re grateful we were able to treasure that time with her, and make it a point to take picture after picture of her. We made a list of all the photos we wanted to be sure to take (her face pressed against the window, her favorite sleeping spots, her apple-picking habits), and we did our best to get them while we still could. We were people with a mission. The idea of documenting her before she was gone gave us purpose and comfort.  

We Wrote 

The minute I heard the news that this was terminal, I sat and cried and typed my favorite memories of Ruby, our most memorable and oft-told stories, and lists of her best attributes. Allowing myself to stop everything and just write, write, write was incredibly cathartic for me. As soon as I knew that these things wouldn’t be forgotten, I was able to relax and focus on the present. We created a “Happy Days” plan to carry us thought the next couple of months, and it helped immeasurably.  

On the day of Ruby’s death, while we waited for our vet to arrive at the house to release her from her suffering, my stepson Jeremy sat next to her, quietly petting her, and I sat next to them both with the laptop, typing down every memory that came to either of our minds. It was our way of keeping her here, even though she was slipping away. Together, we encapsulated the best things about our best furry friend. A total of 1,721 words poured out of us and onto the page, and we were able to laugh, to bond, and to bask in her memory even before we had to say goodbye.  

We Remember

The layout I created for October’s Write.Click.Scrapbook. gallery has been sitting in a frame in the office ever since I completed it. Seeing it makes me happy, and yes a little bit sad (but I’m sad anyway), and I almost feel like she’s here with me, sitting near my feet in the office, keeping me company while I work. I gathered up a handful of the layouts I’ve created over the years that have starred Ruby, and together they make me realize that—as corny as it sounds—her impact on our lives and the experiences we’ve shared will be with us always. And that’s a huge comfort.  

 

 

I’m really not trying to start the week off with a “downer” post, but I’ve recently been reminded how valuable this hobby of ours is, and I wanted to share that with you. Even when you’re not cranking out the scrapbook pages, the memories you’re making, the aspects of your life that you’re observing and noticing, the words you’re writing, and the pictures you’re taking are of infinite worth both now and in the future.  

 
 

Orange

 

photo and quote selection by Emily Pitts;
overlay by Sterling Silverr from the texture overlays set at Flickr

tell me why...

Gooood Saturday morning! True confessions this morning - I slept in. I'm still in my pjs. I'm on my third cup of coffee. Hence the reason why I'm posting a bit late!

Before we talk about today's W, I just want to say THANK YOU. It's been fun to share this week with you, and I've gotten so many great ideas from your comments. Sometimes it just takes a different perspective to get the creative juices flowing! 

So...our fifth and final W word....WHY. I love this one. It's so inquisitive. It's about finding answers and thinking things through. It can be answered definitively, or simply with "I don't know." It can be about deep thoughts or silly observations. It can both explain and persuade (speech geek alert...I kicked butt in oratory). It's the classic essay follow up (if you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be, and why?). And it's just so simple... 

*WHY I scrapbook...

*WHY I love you

*WHY I chose you

*WHY I'll always believe in you

*WHY you make me laugh

*WHY you made that face

*WHY, why, why? (fill in all the why questions that your preschooler asks you!)

*WHY? Because I said so.

*WHY this makes me happy (and *this* can be anything!)

*WHY I need coffee (make a list of everything you need to accomplish in a day. then pour yourself another cup!)

I'm going to leave you with one of my all-time favorite layouts. It's quite simple...no fancy techniques going on here. It's a note to my daughter about the reason for some of the choices that I've made. The last line of journaling says it all..."So, if you ever question why, just know that YOU are the reason. I love you." 

Thank you again, friends. I can't wait to see what you're WRITING!

when the moon hits your eye...

Hello friends! It's FRIDAY...which makes me very happy. I do love my job, but work is NOT one of my favorite W words. So, before I get back to the lip balm biz, let's talk about today's W...when. 

I think this W might be one of the easiest prompts to use. Webster's gives a simple definition of when: the time of anything. Scrapbooks are really about capturing & documenting time...so when comes into play all the time.

When certainly fits "events" layouts. A quick word about events...I know that the "events vs. everyday" debate can sometimes cause a ruckus at crops. I personally think that events layouts are essential to any scrapbook collection. I probably don't scrapbook enough of them. While I may find it mundane to scrapbook yet another Christmas morning, I know that I will cherish those layouts years from now. I do try to capture the details of events so that my layouts say more than "we came. we saw. we opened presents." So, i say bring on the events...

*WHEN we went to Disney/Grand Canyon/insert landmark here

*WHEN we celebrate Christmas/Easter/Arbor Day

*WHEN you turned 1,2,3...20

*WHEN we got married

*WHEN you went to prom

*WHEN you were born

*WHEN I was pregnant

*WHEN you played soccer/football/basketball

*WHEN you started school

*WHEN you graduated

(help me fill in this list...I'm only on my 2nd cup of coffee)

For those who want to dig a little deeper...maybe have a bit broader interpretation (hi Elizabeth!) of when...you might think in terms of...

*WHEN you were young 

*WHEN I grow up

*WHEN I look at you

*WHEN I think about _________

*WHEN are you happiest? 

*WHEN are you proud?

*WHEN did you ______? (this is a great question to ask someone else...it's fun to find out THEIR story!)

A just a couple of layouts, then I'm off to work...

when I crashed a high school reunion for a high school that I didn't go to (it's a long story)

 

I asked my Mom to tell me about when she got engaged...the journaling is her story.

Tell me about your WHEN prompts...or better yet, SHOW me! (and for everyone who left comments on Wed...THANK YOU!...I will comment back, I promise...). Happy friday :)

and the giveaway goes to . . .

Congratulations to Ann who said:

 

    I love my Fisker's Border Punches!!

 

We would like to thank Fiskars for their generosity! Thank you, too, our dear readers, for all your comments. Ann, we hope you enjoy your new products! Please email your contact information to us at writeclickscrapbook at gmail dot com!

give.away.day. featuring FISKARS

Today's giveaway is a cut above the rest. We, scrapbookers, are sharp, and we are all cut from the same cloth: pointedly, we know that some supplies just don't cut the mustard. And to that we sharply say, cut it out! Enough! Our demand is onefold, so we'll cut to the chase. In plain words, as cut and dry as can be, we say, fish! or cut bait!

Write.Click.Scrapbook. has heard the plea. We know you want trimmers and scissors and punches that cut things down to size. Life cuts both ways, and so should your trimmer. We had our work cut out for us, but we don't cut corners. We deftly cut through the red tape to find you a giveaway that you can really cut your eyeteeth on. We hope that when you see the giveaway today, you will want to cut up a rug, cut loose with delight, but maybe not cut the cheese! Presenting

brought to you by the color orange, and the letters

Today we have teamed with Fiskars to bring you a giveaway that is truly a cut above the rest. How about this?

Some amazing scissors. A new corner border punch. And their new trimmer. I'm not pulling any punches, it is true. Trim the tree, it feels like Christmas!

The scissors are sharp, orange, and bent handled. The corner border punch is two punches in one. You can use it to create continuous borders or you can use the corner punch button to transition into frames. (Imagine not having to try to figure that out by hand any more. A pretty nifty addition to your border punches.) And the trimmer? Wowzers. The cut-line guide is a precision guide that shows you where the blade will cut. Currently available online, here is the skinny:
• The unique cut-line guide ensures no more missed cuts.
• Rail lock prevents rail from popping open while transporting your trimmer.
• Larger base - now 6.25 Inches -  makes for easier cutting.
• Anti-wear veneer (on trimmers with new vine motif design): the scale and grid are printed on the bottom of the veneer, will not wear off.
• The swing-out paper guide gives you 15 inches/38 cm of level measuring surface for larger projects.
• The blade carriage has an easy-grip handle and cross-groove that lines up perfectly with the blade.
• The triple-track rail and blade are designed to interlock, keeping your blade running straight down the middle every time.
• Rubberized feet keep the trimmer firmly in place.
• Trimmer uses High Profile Triple Track Blade Carriage : Blade Style I

Before you leave your comment, you may want to visit the fiskateers blog for fun, challenges, and inspiration! And stop here to see a list of Fiskars projects designed by our very own Katrina! Then when you return, which you must remember to do, leave us a comment telling us which fiskars tool you love. Comments will close at 8:00 pm PST and the lucky number will be posted in the morning. Be sure to check back to see if yours was the lucky number!

It is the responsibility of the commenter to check back and to provide their contact information to us at writeclickscrapbook at gmail dot com by midnight Saturday. Thank you!

dude, where's my car?

Day 3!! Wheeee…it’s Wednesday! I’m getting so many great ideas from your comments…so keep ‘em coming. Today’s post is brought to you by the letter W, the word where, and a bottle of Nyquil…so please excuse any flagrant grammatical errors.

Today, I’m going to take a cue from another speech event (mostly b/c Elizabeth dared me)...impromptu. The rules in impromptu are simple…you have 6 minutes to prepare & provide a responsive statement to a variety of everyday words, phrases, and topics. Today, it’s even more simple. You have 6 minutes to think about & respond with layout topics inspired by, guided by, or including the word where. Ready, set, go…

 *where do you live?

*where do you travel?

*where do you go everyday?

*where do you play?

*where would you like to visit?

*where do you feel safe/happy/loved?

*where did you grow up?

*where do you go to school?

*where do you hang out?

*where do you shop?

*where do you create?

*where are you going to college? (that’s the question of the YEAR for my daughter…and I do have a layout in the works for it!)

Keep adding to the list! Here’s a couple of  layouts to keep the ideas flowing (yep, there's only two...did I mention the Nyquil?)

 

from Ronee Parson's book, Modern Memory Keeper...Gran's house is where I always felt at home. 

 

where we live...I also plan to do a layout about where I've lived ...I've moved more than twenty times, so I think it will need to be a 2 page spread.

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for give.away.day - then come back on Friday for another W. See you soon! 

What's What?

It’s Day 2, that’s what. Wow. Reading the comments yesterday was a little like speed dating. In a totally non-creepy-let’s-hang-out-and-swap-thickers sort of way. Thanks so much for saying hi!

So, today we’re talking about WHAT. This W always reminds me of expository writing (I’m such a speech geek)…writing to inform, explain, describe, or define the subject. Expository is all about sharing information. Isn’t that what we’re doing when we’re creating layouts? We’re sharing information….about the photos, about the people, about the events. Today’s W helps us figure out what to share…what story do you want to tell? What do I want to remember about this? What do I want to explain, describe, or define in this layout? It's a good place to start when you're facing a pile of photos & paper. 

Today’s W also inspires those layouts that reach beyond “what I did on my summer vacation.” Think about these WHAT layout ideas…

*WHAT did you do today?

*WHAT is your favorite time of year?

*WHAT is your job?

*WHAT are you reading?

*WHAT is on your ipod?

*WHAT are your hopes & dreams?

*WHAT do you like to do? (hobbies, sports, travel)

*WHAT inspires you?

*WHAT makes you laugh?

*WHAT makes you happy?

And what about…

*WHAT I love about you

*WHAT I want you to know

*WHAT I see in you

*WHAT I know for sure (I totally stole that from Oprah)

What would this post be without examples?...

What are my hopes & dreams? This layout captures a few of them. What is in your bucket list?

An oldie but a goodie - from a 2007 CK issue. What do I do? I work for a lip balm manufacturer. Yeah, seriously. It rocks. 

I plan to create another "what is on my ipod" layout soon - I think it's a fun way to capture a little pop culture (pun intended) for future amusement. 

What are your ideas for WHAT layouts? Go ahead, tell me WHAT you're thinking!