Write. Click. Scrapbook.

One Minute Newsflash

Good Monday morning to you, Write. Click. Scrapbook. readers! We wanted to take the opportunity today to share a little site news on this last day of November.

The Sad News

It is with heavy hearts we bid goodbye to our friends and fellow scrapbookers Karen Glenn and Linda Barber as they leave the inspiration collective at Write. Click. Scrapbook. to allow more time to focus on other areas of their very busy lives. Both women possess a simple, graphic style that has been an inspiration to thousands of scrapbookers, and we'll miss their monthly contributions here tremendously. Please join us in wishing them well, and encourage them to hang out at our Flickr gallery from time to time!

The Much Happier News

• If you haven't checked out the Write. Click. Scrapbook. Tumblr lately, you're in for a treat! Our team members frequently post neat-o ideas and links found around the internet that will make you say "oooh" and "ahhhh" right out loud. Check the archives for a full visual record of what's been posted over the last few months! 

• Have an idea for a gallery theme? Want to ask a question? Have a general suggestion? Visit our suggestion box to leave a comment and we'll be listening. We value your input!

• Tomorrow is December 1st. You know what that means! Stop by to see our new gallery full of scrapbooking inspiration.

• The Day After Tomorrow is December 2nd, and the first day of a month of Write. Click. Scrapbook. For the Holidays! We'll return to our regularly scheduled program of weekly bloggers in January, but for the month of December be sure to stop in for a daily dose of holiday inspiration meant to help you enjoy your most creative, stress-free and fun holiday season yet! You won't want to miss a single day. 

Now go track down a few Cyber Monday deals to spend some of your Black Friday savings (there are lots of scrapbooking bargains to be had today out there on the internets!) and rejoin us here tomorrow to kick off December in Write. Click. Scrapbook. style!

Lights

photo by Carolyn Jolley

Giveaway goes to...

wendy said...

lately I've been nourished by reading so many blogs - lots of inspiration and ideas to lift.

Reply   November 27, 2009 at 11:23 AM

Wendy, please email me at melanie.louette at gmail dot com with your info, and I’ll get your prize in the mail to you this week.

G is for Grateful.

 
Here we are at the end of our 2 weeks of celebrating Thanksgiving, and what better word to finish it off with than GRATEFUL?

There has been much buzz around blogland the past month on this theme, and it seems like everyone has hopped on the gratitude bandwagon. There are gratitude journal blogs, 'grateful' Flickr groups, and Facebook status updates with people posting what they're grateful for on a daily basis.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a wonderful thing, and I'm excited that this very positive affirmation has caught on in such a big way. It's been uplifting to read some of these thoughts, and many of them have made me downright emotional. Flickr has had some photos posted in Gratitude groups there that have brought a tear to my eye because of their sheer beauty. It's been very inspiring to see how one little word has had such a major impact on an entire community.

So to end off our 2 weeks, here are two layouts done on the 'Grateful' theme.  The first is by the amazing Linda Barber- I love her take on this topic, her sleek design, and that she used this photo of her marshmallow yams from Thanksgiving a few days ago. Brilliant!

And my more obvious take on this theme, about my love and gratitude for my guys:

(Supplies: American Crafts Letterbox patterned paper, Thickers and Remarks stickers)

Thanks for playing along with us these past two weeks - it's been huge fun!

N is for Nourish.

This morning's post will be short and sweet, as I'm sure many of you are still enjoying time with your families, and basking in that lovely, relaxing turkey-induced coma from yesterday.

Today's word is nourish.

But what does food have to do with scrapbooking, you may ask?

We all nourish our bodies in the same manner of course, but how each person chooses to nourish her creative mind and soul differs for everyone. I choose to feed mine through several outlets--photography, scrapbooking, and music are the three that come to my mind right off the bat. But it can also be something as simple as taking a walk in the woods on a sunny day that feeds my soul and gets those creative wheels turning.

Leave us a comment here by 8pm tonight, telling us what nourishes your creative side. I'll draw a name on Saturday for a few packages of pretty American Crafts glitter and pearl brads. Sound good?

Be sure to come back tomorrow morning for out last day of the acrostic word game, and a few layouts too... any guesses as to what 'G' will stand for? : )

Like Melanie, I hope you are all enjoying a long weekend of family and friends. I too love the idea of NOURISHING the soul.

I'd like to suggest that we all commit to a specific soul-nourishing activity during the holidays this year. Here are a few that come to mind for me.

 

free-writing in a journal first-thing in the morning.

sitting and sipping a cup of herbal tea in the afternoon.

taking a bubble bath before bed.

 

Doing yoga or stretching anytime of day.

Leave us another comment and publicly commit to one of these, or another soul-nourishing practice of your own making, at least once or twice a week throughout December. 

While I try to all of these things on occasion and I'm committed to a rather intense yoga practice for the next several weeks, I've decided to take bubble baths in December. I rarely take baths at all, but I'll be picking up some yummy soaps, soaks and fizzles tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to soaking away some of my holiday stress. 

What will you do?

I is for Intentions

 My 'i' word for today was going to be 'inspiration', but I decided to change it at the last minute, because I thought I should just talk about what is real in my own life right now. I'm the type who always has a mile long list of things to do (which just happens to be the topic of my WCS layout next month, haha) and little time to get it all done.

So I'm going to talk about intentions today.

We all have good ones, and a lot of us try to live up to them a little too hard most of the time, especially around the holidays. There is so much to do, limited time to do it in, and of course,  we want our end result to be picture perfect.  It can be quite stress inducing, to say the least. The expectations that we put upon ourselves very often outweigh our ability to fulfill all of these good intentions. I don’t know about you, but I usually wake up at dawn with the intention of getting much accomplished in my day, only to crawl in bed at 2am, with just five out of the ten things on my ‘to do’ list actually done.

Here's some food for thought as you prepare to eat Thanksgiving dinner: 

If we let our intentions get the better of us, it can sometimes put a damper on the ‘now.’ I hope, as many of you celebrate Thanksgiving today, that it will be more about who you spend it with than how perfectly your turkey was cooked. Cherish the time spent with your families, and leave that to-do list for tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

V is for Visitors (or visiting)

Today is all about who you will be visiting this holiday weekend, or who you will be hosting as visitors. Wherever you'll be and whomever you'll be with, promise me you'll take lots of people shots. Especially look for opportunities to capture candidly loved ones interacting. These will be the pictures you look back on and cherish. 

One of the smartest things I've ever done as a record keeper, is start a Thanksgiving Book. It is in its 18th year and is essentially a record of who we've spent the Thanksgiving holiday with.

 

It is an 81/2 x 11 album that looks more like a 3-ring binder inside.

 

Actually, now that I think about it. My original Thanksgiving book was a fabric covered 3-ring binder. It was covered in the fabric that is on this title page. I'm pretty sure I ordered the album I have now from Stampin' Up! (years ago.) I remember color copying the old fabric cover and feeling really clever. 

Each year, everyone is invited to make an entry in the Thanksgiving book and each year, almost everyone complains, "Do I have to write in that thing, again?" The funny thing is everyone asks about the Thanksgiving book and whether or not I'm bringing it or will have it out. Everyone wants to see this book, flip through it, find their entries from previous years and enjoy looking back on past celebrations.

My first entry in 1991, records that I was thankful to be visiting with my husband in Seattle (we were living in Chicago.) We had come to be a part of my brother's wedding (he now has 3 children and lives in Utah.) I was especially thankful that my mother-in-law, Valerie was still with us (she passed six weeks later.)

While scrapbooking was clearly in my blood, I had no idea scrapbooking was my future!

 

 

There is some form of a scrapbook page that divides each year's entries from the next. In 1997 when Geoff was in residency in Salt Lake City, several of my family members got up early on Thanksgiving and ran the Cold Turkey race up City Creek Canyon. It snowed and we were freeeeeezing! I color copied the T-shirt to use as the divider page.

 

This divider page features a handful of my mother's Thanksgiving recipes. She is holding what we call Danish fruit salad. It's deep purple color comes from canned cherries. I'll be preparing this salad later today!

In 2000, I asked friends and family to write a list of 10 simple pleasures.

Here's my dad's list:
1. the U.S. Constitution (Dad noted that we did not yet know who our president would be)
2. artificial hips (he has one)
3. glasses (wears them)
4. medical insurance (cancer survivor)
5. five great kids and grandkids who live faithful lives (so far)
6. that I picked a trophy wife on the first try
7. the ability to hike, bike, hunt, etc..
8. peppermint tea
9.a wood burning stove
10. a fun interesting job (wildlife veterinarian)
Dad added a #11: Good luck -- when I was young I wanted to marry a beautiful girl, have five children, become a veterinarian and work on wildlife. So here I am, I've been blessed beyond my greatest expectations. 

If this doesn't encourage you to grab an empty 81/2 x 11 album and start your own Thanksgiving Book, I don't know what will. I absolutely treasure these entries and the record they've become. 

I'm *hopefully* making my 2009 divider page today. It will feature a turkey that Taft drew by tracing his hand. I'll post it when I get it done.

(edited 11.26.09) Here it is!

 

(check out the cute stacks of Crayola letter stickers. I found them at Target!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Leave a comment and tell us where you'll be and who you'll be with -- and don't forget to take people photos!

I is for Ingredients

 

I is for Ingredients

Today is all about food we love to eat during the holidays. My husband is a chef by profession, but I'm the baker in the family. I’m focusing more on Christmas now, since our Thanksgiving has passed, but I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving meal traditions. I’ve always wanted to experience an American Thanksgiving, so let me live vicariously through yours! 

I thought I'd share my favourite Christmas cookie recipe, from none other than the cookie lady herself, Martha Stewart. I’ve made these every Christmas for about 4 or 5 years now, and my family loves them. Unfortunately, these don’t have a big yield,  but they’re so delicious that I can get past that. I usually make a double batch all at once, and I increase the ground ginger to 2 ¼ teaspoons because I like the ‘snappiness’ it gives. If you like chocolate and ginger, you’ll love these, guaranteed!

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

  

(photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Living)

Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

• 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
4. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For a quick gift, wrap in a cute cello bag with ribbon, mini candy cane, and a tag:

(these are ginger cookies I made for my son's school fair bake table a few weekends ago)

and add a simple handmade card.

(Imaginisce patterned paper, American Crafts cardstock, ribbon and rub-on, Stampendous star stickers)

A thoughtful offering that is always appreciated.

Hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Just when you thought this post couldn't be any more caloric ...

Dough should be slightly crumbly.

There are two cookie recipes I have made the week of Thanksgiving for about 10 years. Trey walked in from school (early release today) and said, "Hey, I remember these, what are they called?"

"Oatmeal, cranberry, white chocolate" I said

"That's not a very good name, let's call them cranberry delight instead" 

So, here is the recipe for: Cranberry Delight Cookies

These are SO YUMMY dipped in milk!

Ingredients
preheat oven to 375 degrees

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups flour (add up to an additional 1/2 cup flour if needed)
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 dried cranberries
• 1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks

Directions

1. Beat butter or margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs; mix well.
3. Combine oats, flour, salt and baking soda,
4. Add to butter mixture in several additions; mix well after each addition
5. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
Yield 2 dozen

Dough should be a little sticky, but still smooth.

The other recipe is my version of Pumpkin Chocolate chip.

 

Ingredients
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

• 2 cups all flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips

You could ice these with cream cheese frosting!

1. Cream fat and sugar
2. Add pumpkin
3. Sift together dry ingredients
4. Fold into pumpkin mixture
5. Stir in chocolate chips

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake.Yields 3 dozen small cookie drops.

Enjoy!

G is "For Good"

When Melanie and I made up our T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G acronym, we thought G should stand for good. There are so many things that are good about any holiday -- family gathers together, traditions are carried out, good food is eaten, good memories are made. But yesterday as I thought about putting some detail to this 'good' idea, I had a sudden stroke of inspiration and I can't seem to shake it.

Recently, my husband and two of my sons and I attended the musical Wicked in Seattle. If you're not familiar with this play, it is the pre-Dorothy story of OZ and in particular the relationship of two girls, one smart, fiery and misunderstood and the other beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked unfolds the unimaginable explanation of how each becomes a witch in the emerald city.

As with any beloved musical it is hard to pick a favorite song, but I have an absolute favorite. It is a song that both witches sing to each other called, For Good.

G is For Good

I'm going to give you a week-long challenge, but first you'll have to watch this:

This is Kristin Chenoweth singing For Good. I know you're likely ramping up for a busy week, but I really think this will be four minutes of time well spent. What I like most about these lyrics is the little twist that catches me every time I listen.

My challenge to you this week of Thanksgiving is to think of someone in your life (past or present) who has not just changed you for the better, but "for good" -- whose influence (positive or negative or anywhere in between) has enabled you to become permanently different in some way.

I think at the end of our lives, when we look back it will be those people and the experiences had with them that will stir the most profound gratitude.

So, while my first instinct for today's post was a list ("Martha" style) of Good Things, my heart has pointed me in a different direction. I hope you won't think I'm too weird, but I think this just might be the perfect time to give thanks for the people that inspire life-long change and growth in us.

Leave a comment and share one of your "for good" agents of change. Then, record the why on a scrapbook page.

 

p.s. One of my changed me "for good" friends is Genine Pack Smith. In short, she is the reason I am married to the right man (I think it's about time I told that story!) and I am SO THANKFUL to her and for her. She'll be getting a letter from me this week.

p.p.s. Come back tomorrow. Melanie and I will be sharing some favorite holiday recipes!

Pie

photo and quote from the collection of Sara Winnick