Oh my! It's been ages!

Between work, my son's hockey and just life in general, I just haven't felt the scrappy mojo very much. But now since I'm off for the holidays - and watching my cat who just had surgery - I've got a little time and have been dabbling back in my digital scrappy stuff. I did some actual paper crafting earlier this month as a Secret Santa gift for a lady I work with but haven't managed to upload those photos [too much to do and too little time it seems]. But here are a few other things I've done lately...

Can't remember the kit but I'll post it here when I find it.

Can't remember the kit but I'll post it here when I find it.

Can't remember the kit but I'll post it here when I find it.

 

I used a Digital Express kit. I'll look up the specific info and add it.

 
Those last two are a 2page spread that I made as 2 individual files (so I've posted them separately here). All are digital. I still need to look up what kits and all. But I will add them. I do try to make digital pages look as much like traditional layouts as possible. That's just my style. Some of the photo blends and such that are out there are beautiful but it just isn't me. Ah well, I've got a little more time to scrap before I need to make dinner. Yippee! More scrappy time!

So Much to Do

It figures... I'm totally inspired and I have so much work to do that I likely won't be able to scrap until we are off to our vacation. We leave in roughly 36 hours. Yipes! And I haven't packed a thing. At least I've made lists though. We definitley don't want to forget anything - especially any of the medical stuff we have to take from now on. I'm hoping the letters from the doctors saying that my son must have access to lots of fluids and takes a medicine that must be dissolved in 8 ounces of fluid (we put it in a Pediasure) will make getting through security with more than the 3.4 ounces of liquid just a bit easier. I hope.

Anyway, I did get a scrappy moment the other day so I'd like to share some layouts....

Scrappy Mood but there's still Work

I'm in a very scrappy, creative mood today but I'm not allowed to take advantage of it. It is the end of the school year and I have grading that must be finished today. Oh well. Only 3 more days - all final exams and packing up my classroom and then I can be creative whenever the mood strikes! Yippee!

Sketch It To Me Blog Hop

Ok all, sorry this went up late. For some reason the "auto publish" feature failed even though I'd tested it previously. GRRRRRR!!! So anyway,

Welcome to the Sketch It To Me June Blog Hop. You should have come from Ashley's blog and will head to Mandi's when you are done here. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my work. I will admit, this is my first time participating in a blog hop but I've had so much fun "attending" them in the past, that I wanted to give it a try. I hope you find a little inspiration from what you see here.

Here is the sketch for some inspiration

And here are a few projects I made using the sketch.

Papers and elements from Safari kit by Catia Cunha (scrapmall.com); Fonts: CK Bendy (creatingkeepsakes.com) and Freehand591BT (internet source unknown)

A variation of the project sketch. I used a similar photo block placement for the main block of photos and also kept papers at the bottom (but curved). I did add an extra photo but I still felt quite inspired by the original. I used the Sweet Serenity mini kit from Shabby Princess Designs.

This final project is a birthday card for my husband inspired by the sketch. I was particularly inspired by the general block of three main items (one large, two small) as well as the small rectangle and circle accents. In this case I used three scraps of patterned paper (by Provo Craft, I think) and a blank, premade card I had. Sentiment stamp by TPC Studios, ink by ColorBox, circle punch by EK Success.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed your stop here along the blog train. While you are here, check out some of my older posts... I have some links to digital freebies that I have made and I have some more in the works! Thanks for visiting and please come back again.

In case you get lost or need the whole list, here is where you've (hopefully) been and where you are headed:
Amanda http://www.lovejoypaper.com
Cassie http://allsmilesandsunshine.blogspot.com/
Ashley http://ashleyspaperdoll.blogspot.com/
Cynthia http://creative-castangs.blogspot.com/ **YOU ARE HERE**
Mandi http://mjskraze.blogspot.com/
Briana http://meplus2.wordpress.com/
Adele http://dleebug.wordpress.com/
Janice http://janicenovkam.typepad.com/blog/

Andrea http://andrea-preciousmemories.blogspot.com/
Heather http://craftyscrapbooker.blogspot.com/
Becky http://www.thepopsicletree.blogspot.com/
Laurie (tulip) http://tulip-scrapper.blogspot.com/
Melissa https://melshappyscrappyplace.wordpress.com/
Dana http://scrappingtherapy.blogspot.com/
Jennifer http://scrapdrawer.blogspot.com/
Candi http://candiscraps-scrapsofme.blogspot.com/

Some Scrappy Time

I've been working on several things at once, including a class I need to take for a course I'm teaching next year. It's easy to multi-task with. So I've been working on some pages for a challenge I'm participating in over at stufftoscrap.com. They have a Birthday Challenge that has been going in the whole month of May. If I complete at least 6 of the challenges, I get a really cool mega digi kit. So far, I've finished 4 of the 9 total challenges. I probably could have done all of them but life got in the way. [My son has a medical issue and had surgery earlier this month. Then we got an urgent call from his doctor to come in right away since a post-op scan revealed a possible problem that may have required yet more surgery. Turns out that he was ok and didn't need more surgery but it seems like with his rare condition, this may happen relatively often.] Ah well. That's life.

But surprisingly, I've still managed to scrap some. Here are my latest creations...

This uses elements from the T is for Trouble Mega kit (stars, stitching, title letters) from Stuff to Scrap, red-orange papers from Sprouting Seeds Studios (freebie papers). The remainder of the papers and the "patterned paper" are my designs (pp is actually a photo of my son's hospital gown).
 

This was made from the Spumoni Gardens 2 kit by JMC Designs available at StufftoScrap.com. The challenge was to use all of the elements of the kit at least once on a layout. I did add two color matched cardstock sheets (solid green and dark pink photo mat) using the eyedropper tool  and the texturizer in PSE. 

My niece picking sweet peas in my parents backyard one Easter. I used the Springtime Fever kit by Tia Bennett from TwoPeasInABucket. I also used the font Angel Tears by Billy Argel.

My thoughts and reflections on my little guy turning one. I used the Everyday Wishes kit by Jenn CK Designs and Jennifer Labre Designs (a collab kit) from ScrapMatters.com. I love this photo of him and his teddy bear but the background of the photo was awfully pink looking. I think the papers I chose from the Everyday Wishes kit complemented the pinkish color but also downplayed it by adding in the bolder red and blue. At least in my mind it did. I'd love your feedback on this LO in the comments section. 

Thanks for looking everyone. I definitely appreciate comments and feedback on my layouts.

6 days and counting...

Yep, just 6 more teaching days left (then 3 days of final exams and of course, countless hours of grading final projects). I'm so in need of a break now. Spring break was super late so we were all dragging when it got here and I think I may have been too tired to enjoy it. But somehow I've managed to get in some scrappy time. Woohoo! Here are a couple of my latest projects...

 Papers and elements (except alpha) from Persuasion kit by Marcee Duggar (digitalscrapbookplace.com) and alphabet from Noel kit by Rachel Dickson (computerscrapbook.com)

Quickpage from the goodies that came with the DigitalScrapbookTeacher's latest book -it's part of the Super Sonic kit by Amy Teets

Happy Mother's Day

Ok, so I'm a day late posting but it was a nice day - and it's sort of still going on. I had a nice (but super busy) day Saturday - the little guy had hockey class, as did my husband. Then we did some stuff around the house and I actually got some time to scrap. Mother's day was pretty similar - a quiet day with only a trip to a book fair where I got my little guy some more books and I got some for myself, my mom, my niece and nephew as well. I love books and generally believe that you can never have too many books. My mother's day present was more scrappy time - woohoo - and I used it to make some LOs for the Big Picture Classes Creative Crop. I even found out today that I'd won one of the prizes for a challenge! How cool! Anyway, here's a little of what I worked on this weekend...

 (above) The mother's day card I made for my mom. I used templates from Kiwi Lane Designs (wave from Aspen Court and butterfly from Tiny Nature) and papers from Provo Craft (very old papers from my stash)

(above) The card I made for my husband to give his mom. Made from papers in my stash (that are so old, I have no idea who made any of them). Also used Kiwi Lane templates (both flowers and the butterfly are the Tiny Nature set)

A Blog hop? Sign me up!

I'm so excited. I've signed up to be a participant in my very first blog hop. I haven't received the confirmation yet but I'm really hoping I'm chosen. So far all I know is that there will be a sketch and I'm creating two things from it. It sounds so much fun. I love sharing my LOs and I also like using sketches as inspiration! If I am chosen, I'm also hoping to make something of my own design to use as an element or just as a freebie for anyone who stops by. Yippee!!

An Observation & A Test

I'm just testing something out but I will make an observation... shopping for digi supplies is almost more dangerous than shopping for traditional supplies. Perhaps more-so since you don't have to find room to fit all of your stuff when you get home from the store (and perhaps don't want to let a significant other realize how much you really have).

New Layouts

So I've actually managed to find some time to scrapbook recently... can you believe it? Here are some of my latest creations

LO design by TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher; papers and elements from the Little Buckaroo kit by MissMint at PeppermintCreative.com

LO design by TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher; papers and elements from the Penalty Box kit (some recolored) by Scraps N Pieces at Stufftoscrap.com

Credits: Fonts: Catholic School Girls BB (internet) and Alor (internet); Action: foam stamp by Atomic Cupcake; Papers: Digital Scrapbook Teacher (Summertime kit - polka dot & stripes), Mye DeLeon (AttaBoy kit - blue), Persnickety Prints (Crazy Love papers - blue/green hearts), Polka Dot Pixels (jingle jangle mini kit - green); Accents: Tia Bennett (Dude Totally kit - star/circle), Scraps N Pieces (Penalty Box kit - button)

LO design by TheDigitalScrapbookteacher.com; papers and elements from the Atta Boy kit by Mye DeLeon from Scrapmatters.com

Inspired by a LO by Trine Brandt-Lassen
Credits: From The Digital Scrapbook Teacher’s Funtime kit (thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com): Background paper, patterned papers, label tape words; From Shabby Princess’ Harvest Spice kit (shabbyprincess.com): Photo mat and journaling strips; Font: Tabitha (internet) and Tomo (internet); From Atomic Cupcake (atomiccupcake.com): Chipboard effect; From Chris Ford’s Future Rock Star kit (2peas): Ink “X’s” and Splotch strip (made into a frame); From Scraps N Pieces' Penalty Box kit (stufftoscrap.com): Pen style frame and goalie rub-on (made into faded)

Dabbling in Creating Digi Elements

OK, compared to all the amazing designers that are out there, I am an absolute novice but I've been having fun dabbling with what I can create in my Photoshop Elements  program. I've done background pages and stuff like that in the past and even textured (very simple texture) cardstock but today I tried my first digital "elements" and made some brads. I was playing with some of the layer filters that are in PSE and came up with these slightly transparent brads and gave them a solid white center. The various effects I used make them look a bit puffy. I've already shared with one friend but figure, what the heck, put a link to them on my blog and see what happens.

I'm really hoping to take a class in CS2/3 or Illustrator via a university extension or community college class sometime soon. That would be fun - and I may even be able to make it work related (so that I can design history themed posters for my classroom) and get some of my costs covered. Wouldn't that be nice? But for now, I'm just going to dabble. Enjoy!

Download Freebie Brads Here - PERSONAL USE ONLY! If you like them and want to share, send your friend(s) here instead. Thanks!

An interesting contest

I've found an interesting contest and you can win one of these - http://www.facebook.com/TheOriginalScrapbox?sk=app_4949752878 - it looks awesome and I'd love to have something like that to store all of my scrappy goodies in. The ScrapBox just looks so awesome and a white one would match the existing furniture in my scraproom/playroom perfectly. If I don't win, maybe I'll just start saving my bonuses.

I think it's awesome when companies do giveaways of their product and encourage customers to share about their product. It's a win-win for all involved... the company wins with the free advertising and the customer has a chance to win some free product. Coolness!

Digital Kits

Oh my, I never realized I have so many! I'm working hard on transferring them to my laptop and making sure each folder is imported and tagged with the name of the kit, artist, where I got it, and what each element it (paper, brush, tag, etc). It's taking forever but I think I'll be able to better utilize my "stash" then. I *THINK* I may have 250 kits on my computer, probably more though. And I know I have a few CDs with loads of stuff on it (and I just ordered two more).

I'm just glad that such a large chunk of my "stash" is digital otherwise I'd be drowning in supplies. I admit it, I'm a scrapaholic and a stashaholic. But being creative makes me happy. That and cooking/baking. But then again, that's creative too - just in a different way. Now I need to go be creative in the kitchen... tummies are rumbling. Hmm.... perhaps low sodium sloppy joe's tonight.

Online places I like

I have discovered the world of digital scrapbooking (ok, that was last year but I'm still amazed by all the awesome stuff that is out there). And since I'm going through and organizing all of my digital supplies, I've discovered that I have stuff from lots of different sources. Some are paid but many are free kits and samples. Here's a list of places I've found cool stuff (perhaps there's something new in here). Oh, and since there are so many, if anyone wants to check them out, just copy and paste the link into your browser. I'm not going to all the time of making each one a click-able link (at least, not today).

Ø  300dpi.com (Diecutswithaview)

Ø  Cassiquedesigns.com

Ø  Computerscrapbook.com

Ø  Crazyuniverse.com

Ø  Decopages.com

Ø  Digitalexpress.com

Ø  Digitalscrapbookexperts.com

Ø  Digitalscrapbookpages.com

Ø  Digitalscrapbookplace.com

Ø  Freedigitalscrapbooking.com

Ø  Jessicasprague.com

Ø  Matterofscrap.com

Ø  Peppermintcreative.com

Ø  Pingdesigns.com

Ø  Polkadotpotato.com

Ø  Scrapbookdimensions.com

Ø  Scrapbookflair.com

Ø  Scrapbookgraphics.com

Ø  Scrapgirls.com

Ø  Scrapmatters.com

Ø  Scrapoutsidethebox.com

Ø  Scrapstreet.com

Ø  Scrapwow.com

Ø  Shabbyprincess.com

Ø  Sweetshoppedesigns.com

Ø  Thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com

Ø  Twopeasinabucket.com

Ø  Ztampf.com

Welcome to My Creative Blog

Well, I'm finally getting this whole blog thing off the ground and I actually hope to update it a bit.

So I've been scrapbooking for over 15 years now and in the last year or so I've really gotten into the idea of digital scrapbooking (although I still love paper scrapbooking too). I'm sitting here now importing all of my digital scrapbook supplies onto my new laptop - and getting it all organized and tagged so that when I start using this for scrapping (the whole point of the laptop), I can actually FIND my stuff! Wouldn't that be a great idea!

Here's my favorite layout that I've done recently...

 

Thanks for checking out my blog and for stopping by, here's a sketch idea I've made using two 4x6 photos on a 12x12 scrapbook page...

I think this sketch would be very nice with 2 or 3 patterned papers layered over a cardstock background. The title could go on one, journaling (possibly on strips) on another and a large accent in the lower corner.