Some Organization...

One of the major draws to scrapbooking for me is that I get to organize my supplies in cute little containers. I enjoy moving things around almost as much as I enjoy creating. I love even more when I score a great deal or find a use for a non scrapbooking related item. So here are a few of my favorite finds.


This is where I store new purchases/DT stuff that I want to make sure that I use or that I tend to grab often. I purchased this at an office supply store and it was MUCH cheaper than the scrapbook versions. It is light enough that I can fit this in my rolling tote and bring it along to a crop.


My next office supply purchase. I. LOVE. THIS.
This has worked the best for storing my alphas. (Which are mostly Thickers) I enjoy flipping through here to see what I have. It has inspired me to consider a flippy way to store my pattern paper since I don't tend to remember everything I have in my current system. Seems I need to see it and see it often to remember to use it.


See...Thickers :-)


Buttons...Dog Bowl from TJ Maxx.


Embellishments...bowls from Wegmans.


Tools, Pens, Ribbon...Tool and Pen Holder from Kitchen section at TJ Maxx. Ribbon Holder from Jo Anns Sewing section. That green bag is a makeup bag that I got as a free gift with a Clinque purchase. I use it to store my tiny pieces of pattern paper and some bling that would get lost within my scrap storage.

Well there you have it. I love creative storage ideas and I'm constantly looking for new ones. I am currently trying to change my paper storage. I want to use ALL of it and feel like I want to use a hanging file system. Do any of you currently do that and if so...how is it working?

FYI...I am working on a few "how to" posts, so keep a look out for those in the next few days. To include but not limited to...scrap storage, how to take photos of LO's, how to improve photo quality in blogger, and a start to finish LO. I am also considering doing a post about my basic workflow in Photoshop Elements. I by no means am a pro and have a VERY limited understanding of PSE but if people are interested, I don't mind posting what I am currently doing.

I hope to blog and/or tweet this weekend from CKC VF so if you are there be sure to stop by and say hi!

I Could Have Scrapped A Ton...

But instead I...
Purchased scrapbook supplies that I don't need but make me oh so happy.
Wasted time in my google reader.
Looked at all of the laundry that needs to be folded.
Finished the last of the Light Peanut Butter Ripple Ice Cream from Weis.
Thought about what I should pack for Valley Forge this weekend.
Considered printing pictures for the mini that I am working on.
Decided to not print pictures yet since I'm obviously not motivated.
Wishing I was in Florida right now, not only for CHA, but that would be nice.
Trying to think when it would be realistic to take another Disney Trip.
Knowing that I need to talk myself out of that one even if they are giving them away.

Enjoying that I had a wonderful evening with my family where no one argued with each other and my four year old was ASLEEP before 9pm. I guess this is what it's like for the rest of the world.

It's kind of nice.
A girl could get used to this.

New LO and CKC Valley Forge....

So I have no idea what we have been wearing to work for the last couple of weeks since I'm pretty sure EVERY item of clothing that we own is currently in the laundry. What's that about????

I wanted to post that I will be volunteering at CKC Valley Forge again this year. I'm starting to get excited about going especially since it is only a few days away. I, of course, waited till the last minute to book a hotel room so I will not be staying at the convention center. This is probably a good thing since my room will ultimately be cheaper where I'm staying. I am hoping to attend both Friday and Saturday's crops if there are still seats available. I didn't sign up since I'm not a fan of spending nearly $30 for a few hours....but I am willing to use my volunteer vouchers to work on a project or two. So if you plan on attending this year and see me in one of your classes please feel free to say hi! Leave me a comment telling me your plans, if you made any and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for ya!


I LOVE this photo of Colin and one of his buddies from school. They crack me up since they both wanted to take their shirts off just because. They thought it was pretty funny and then all of the boys wanted to take their shirts off. I didn't realize that peer pressure started so quickly, lol! To make this LO I used a scalloped square punch that I won here, a few scraps of paper and a few buttons. This came together pretty quickly and I learned that you CAN write on the Studio Calico Rip Strips.

Speaking of Studio Calico...I absolutely LOVE this kit club. I don't subscribe but I have placed a small order each month for the last few months. I love that I can just order a few items from their shop and still get my Studio Calico fix. So the shop was updated at noon today and I logged on at 12:16PM and purchased the Storytime Alpha and Storytime Number Set. I can't wait for them to get here!

Well that's it for now....I'm trying to edit as many photos as I can so that I can bring a few projects this weekend to work on. I have a feeling that this week will go by pretty fast!

Guess What I Ordered...

I had no idea that this was already available. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about the new lines until I got a chance to see them in person. I love all of them! So I order a few sheets of Boyfriend and Earth Love along with some stickers for each. Since I have new paper on the way I'm hoping to make a huge dent in my stash this weekend. So what is everyone planning to purchase first once the new products start to hit shelves? Cosmo, Pink Paislee, GCD Studios and Sassafrass have been some of my faves since sneaks started. How about you?

Another LO....

I completed this LO over the weekend since I already had my stuff packed up from Friday's crop. I decided to bring it with me when we went away. I was able to get a few things finished up as well as continue to relax this weekend.

I'm glad I did since I spent the ENTIRE DAY at Dutch Wonderland yesterday.
I. AM. BEAT.
We had so much fun and I am so glad we went. Sore legs and all, lol!

So we are trying to get recharged so we can get through the rest of the week.
But I don't think it's anything that a scrapbooking break couldn't fix, lol!

Oh The Places You Will Go....

to scrapbook. I went to my friend Amy's house to crop with
Cassie and Emilie.
Um...it's kinda far but oh so worth it!
As a result, I got to laugh, learn a new trick or two, scrap and most importantly relax. I soooooo needed this break. Thanks so much Amy for the invite.

Unfortunately not everything was all peaches and cream. There was an incident with a threading water punch. Apparently I didn't bring one, however I did leave with one. Poor Emilie was looking for hers as we left, hmmmmm.

So I now have two and while I have apologized for taking it and offered to mail it back, I'm now thinking that maybe I should sell it on EBay.

I mean, I bet someone would pay a pretty penny for a scrap tool used by Emilie herself.

Or maybe I'll just keep it in case I forget to steal someone else's at the next crop :-)

(I'm totally kidding, I don't think I would get that much for it on EBay anyway. I don't even know how to use EBay..or spell it.)

Okay onto business...here's a layout that I started at the crop and finished this weekend. How cool are those photos. I love that my mother in law took this photo of me while I was taking photos of Roger Ram Jet.





Here's a close up where you an see some other tools that I borrowed at the crop and did not take home with me.

Well we're off to Dutch Wonderland with friends today so I will share quite a few more layouts when we get home tonight.

Take care and thanks to everyone who has responded to the SOS in the previous post. You have no idea how much I appreciate everyone wasting their time in the store to help me squash this ridiculous craving. I love my bloggies and your ability to keep my scrapbooking strength up by rotting my teeth :-)!

I'm Sending Out an SOS....

I can't find this and I NEED it. If you have seen this yummy confection in a store near you please contact me. I am working on getting it ordered at my grocery store as well as talking to the company. It's not available online and I have spend hours looking for it in stores.
I don't want to say it is an emergency since it is only candy, but it kind of is.
It's all I can think about and I have tried other flavors, companies and products and nothing is working.
I don't know if I can scrap without it???
So if you find it, please, please, please let me know. I'm sure there will be a RAK involved in the transaction. Hopefully this can be a mutually beneficial experience for all parties involved.
Now to your regularly scheduled programing....

DT Day At Collage Press

If you hadn't had a chance to stop by the Collage Press Blog, be sure to stop on by and check out the wonderful LO's that were completed by the DT.
Here's what I added this month



Gotta love a LO about chocolate!

And as promised, here is a photo from the wedding. That's my friend Josh in the photo with me, (Josh you don't mind if I paste your face all over the Internet right?) It's one of the few photos that you can see the whole dress in.



Well that's it for today. I am spinning this week from being really busy at work and trying to juggle all the things I want to do versus the ones that I NEED to do. I'm looking forward to the weekend and an opportunity to scrap and spend some time relaxing. One can hope right?

I Forgot How Much of a Workout These Can Be...

I purchased a pair in black for the wedding and wore them almost all night. I think I danced for about 30 mins while wearing them. I liked them so much I even wore them to work today.

My legs feel like I have done hundreds of squats.

No one said that beauty was painless!

The wedding was wonderful and I will upload photos soon. The yellow dress was a hit and I was definitely noticed, lol! It was so much fun getting together with old friends and I was right...I laughed harder this weekend than I have in a long time.

I will be making a larger effort to spend more quality time with my high school friends, even if they don't scrapbook.

On a scrappy note I am finishing up projects for the Collage Press Blog on Wednesday. I'm so excited to share what I am currently working on. I am also thrilled to have some dedicated scrapping time this week. I am most certainly looking forward to a creative break. So make sure to head over the to the blog on Wednesday to see what the DT did this month.

Also if you are interested in a chance to win some of your own Collage Press products, head over to the Studio Calico Blog and leave a comment!

How Does $35 Buy Me So Much Happiness?

I am currently getting a mani/pedi as we speak. It makes me smile just thinking about Colin seeing my "pretty toes." He is amazed that the color doesn't come off in the pool. Not to mention the chair massage I'm getting right now is pretty awesome.

So even though everyone I have asked likes the white dress in my previous post better, I picked the yellow one. Mostly because it's 2:30pm and I need to leave for the wedding in an hour and a half. (I still need to do my hair and makeup)

I'm going to try really hard to take a few photos before we leave since I never seem to have any photos of me let alone any photos of me dressed up.

I am looking foward to a lot of laughing tonight as I hang out with my best friends from high school. And even though none of them scrapbook, I'm sure we will still have loads to talk about!

One of My Best Friends is Getting Married....

on Saturday. His wedding is sure to be more like a class reunion that promises to be a whose who of my graduating class.
Needless to say, I must look FABULOUS!



I purchased both of these dresses today at JCPenney's despite
my previous boycott.

Now here's the issue.
I like the white one better but they didn't have my size.
I bought it a size bigger, I think I can make it fit with a few alterations or possibly just washing and drying it the whole way.
The yellow and black one fits perfectly but is pretty loud.
Now I tend to be a riot in person so I'm pretty sure I could pull this off...and I do want to make a statement. (Ex Boyfriend)
I'm just not sure if I want to yell that statement from across the dance floor.
However, if I can't make the white one work...I may be yelling, lol!

What do you think?
Is the yellow one cute or just ridiculous?
The good news is that I have cute shoes for both.
And the shoes that I have are WAY better than the ones they put on the models.
What were they thinking?

Yep, He's Trained!

Anytime I call his name now, he turns his head as smiles! This is great for getting his attention quickly to take his photo, not so great for time out, lol!
Oh well...win some, loose some!

Happy 4th of July!

Don't forget these if you are going to fireworks and you children don't enjoy them because they are too loud. They muffle the sound enough that even kids with a significantly low threshold for noise can even tolerate the show.
Here's hoping that you have great weather and loads of time with family and friends today!

Scrapbook Trends Online

I just caved and ordered an online sub to scrapbook trends, I even got the all access pass. I used the coupon that I got in my email which made the pass 4.99! I really got it because I was dying to see the July issue in print. I heard awesome things about it and I wanted to see if my LO was still in there. I am so glad I subscribed! The august issue is available too and they are both WONDERFUL!

I am so proud to be included in both of those issues! I LOVE this mag and they do a fantastic job staging LO's for photos. I love that they used a wire dress form next to my July LO. How did they know I would love that?!

Onto more depressing news...according to Scrapbook Update Ck Media has been sold. The first order of buisness was to hand out a ton of layoffs. I am so sad for the families involved and will be keeping them in our prayers during this transition. Even though I guess the writing has been on the wall for this to happen, it still took me back this morning when I read it. You can say anything that you want about CK and what they have done in the past, it is still terribly unfortanute for anyone to loose their jobs, especially right now, and especially in print media.

Well I have a little man knocking in my scraproom so apparently it's time to go swimming at Hershey Park. Wish me luck!

You Do Realize....

that summer is almost over right? I mean, it's already July and soon it will be Christmas...I'm just sayin'! So soak up the sun, the wonderful outside activities, and takes loads of photos to scrap!

Speaking of scrapbooking, here's a LO that I completed with the new Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Line. What can I say, I'm a sucker for bright colors, vintage inspiration and talking toasters....what is not to love!



Here's another LO that I completed with Early Bird. I used letter stickers as masks, markers and Maya Mists to make my title. I love finishing a LO in one sitting. This looks like it took me longer than it did but I would say that I finished it in about an hour.



Here's the closeup of the title.



That's it for now, as always, thanks for stopping by and taking a peak at my work!