Another Week in Review

I've been loading a bunch of my other layouts over on facebook.  I think it's just too much posting them all up here, although I'd love to show them all to you.  Maybe I'll do a 'scrapbook' blog day, and post a layout I like, and the reason I like it.  :)

By the way, for those who are wondering, I use Storybook Creator 3.0 plus software.  I also use gimp (mainly to create paper/embellishments, although I can use SC for that as well), but SC3 is so easy to use... now that I've been learning more, I'm finding more fun things to do (recently learned how to make text 3D... not just with a shadow, but looking like metal or glitter glue or something).  Perhaps, if there is an interest, I can post some tips for that program as well.  Or maybe even some .page layouts (they would only work with SC however...).  Any thoughts?

I know... life is busy... where am I finding the time to scrapbook?  Thankfully these pages don't take too long.  I did 12 this week.  Yeah... 12.  I can hardly believe it myself!  I'm now on September 2009!  Gotta catch up.......

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Challenge for Challenges

Well, I met my challenge in scrapbooking this month. I challenged myself to enter into all the challenges on ivyscraps.com, and I did! Here is the final pic I loaded yesturday.

This was entered into the Heritage challenge... we were to scrap a tradition. This was the only one I could think of... haha.

The other challenge I gave myself was to scrap at least 5 pages a week (trying to do one month's worth of pages each week... I need to catch up somehow), and I've been managing to do that as well! Mostly just managing 5/week... but this week I've already done 7. Mostly because I can't do much demolition work in the office... it's impossible to do with the kiddos around (don't want to be swinging a sledgehammer in the same room with the kiddos, and Bram won't let me leave the room), and when they are down for naps, the noise wakes our son. Ah well. Perhaps I'll be able to do a bit today. I did take down all the baseboards and the door trim, and I want to remove the drywall around the current door and on the place we are putting the new doorway. Plus, the weather has been cold/stormy lately... so it's just not convenient to get out of the house with two young children. Difficult at best. I did get out on Wednesday, but I think that is it.

Anyway, have a great weekend, everyone!

Week in Review

For 2011 I've decided to do a week in review scrapbook... basically one page each week highlighting that week's events throughout the year.  I think it will be a lot of fun.  So, I decided to put my pages here (they are also on facebook).  I've changed the names of the people involved for my blog's sake, but otherwise they are the same.  Now you can see what's been happening in my day to day... or should I say week to week, life. 

This was another challenge put out there at IvyScraps.  I never would have thought to do this otherwise... at least not in scrapbook form!  I think this is great, and if I am able to do it, it will be a great little book of memories for when my kids are older.

So, here are my first two weeks put together (I didn't start until then... oops...).

And here is this last week.  I actually just made this today.

I'm still trying to do 5 pages a week... now one of them being this week in review... so hopefully I will get one month per week finished... although I haven't been.  I'm still on June 2009.  I'm finding summer difficult due to there being so very many photos to go through... and I want to scrap them all, but don't want to do THAT many pages.  Especially since June 2009 was when I started the photo a day challenge... so I took more photos than normal that whole year.  Yeah.  Crazy.

Digital Scrapbooking

Lately I've become addicted to my Creative Memories software... the Storybook Creator 3.0 plus. I've done so many pages in the last couple of months! I'm thrilled! It looks like I may catch up with my scrapbooking after all!

That said, I've been more and more interested in designing my own digital scrapbook papers and elements, and after seeing a lot of the stuff out there (and downloading a bunch of free things), I'm getting more of the 'itch' to create!

I've been a part of IvyScraps for awhile now, and the forums there are wonderful! They have a number of challenges each month to keep you interested in scrapping, and they have a great rewards program for completing the challenges (as if getting those pages scrapped isn't reward enough!). As you complete challenges, you earn ivy leaves, and the more ivy leaves you earn through the month, the larger the percentage off you can recieve in a coupon for any of their kits in the ivyscraps store. In December I earned enough to get 50% off a kit. This month I've already earned a free kit! Whoo!

I just have to post some of the pages I did for the challenges this month.

Color Challenge (used DigiDesigns Stormy kit... freebie for the color challenge partakers)

Blessings Impromptu Challenge (used Gloria's Thanks a Bunch kit)

Newspaper Challenge (used Gloria's Grandma's parlor kit)

Scraplift Challenge (used TayrinaScrapDesigns Charmed Chic kit)

Ingredients Challenge (used TayrinaScrapDesigns Charmed Chic kit)

Recipe Challenge (used Gloria's Grandma's Parlor kit)

Changing Ivy Challenge (used DigiDesigns Silverbells kit)

Theme (used DSE's December collect a kit)

You can view what I did for last month's challenges on my Picture Perfect page. And I'm thrilled... because I won the Layout of the Month last month with my Winter Wonderland layout! Whee! (note, all the kits listed except the DSE collect a kit can be purchased from IvyScraps... some are even free!).

That said, I have to post one last challenge entry... and this one is great for you, too. You see, Gloria is hosting a Shapes challenge on the forum, and with it she provides a shape for you to download, and you can either use it in a layout, or create some digi overlay, frame, or other embellishment with it. I decided... why not test my skills in making something for others to download? And so, here it is... my Love Clock! Just in time for February, too! ;)

You can download from Mediafire by clicking the link. Hopefully it works... this is my first time trying something like this.

Enjoy! And if you download, please leave some love in the comments! ;) Thanks!

So... now you know what I've been up to lately! Yup... lots of scrapbooking, haha.

2010 In a Post

2010 was a good year. I can hardly believe all the stuff that happened. Let me see...

I started something new on my blog... cleaning challenges. They kinda died out after summer. Oops.
I rediscovered the wonders of the LIST!
I published my second novel
Another 14 days of Valentines
I learned how to remove grape juice from cordoroy (why is this a big deal? I'm not sure)
I finished my children's book
I took a cake decorating class
I argued with me, myself, and I.
We got our camera fixed... in record time... and just in time for my mom's year late 50th birthday party.
I made my first baby quilt.
M started talking up a storm... and I began writing down some of the silly things she would say.
Doing a crazy amount of projects ... due to nesting.
I won a Sleepywrap at the Blog Party!
Having our wonderful baby boy! EEEE! Highlight of the year, no?
Finished a year of photos... and decided to leave it at that!
Poopy diapers, laundry piles, stacks of paperwork, dirty floors, piled up dishes... and all the other stuff that comes with being a mom... now of two...
Nursing and sleeping... and the lack thereof. Did I ever mention feeling like a cow?
Pictures, pictures, and more pictures.
Yardwork galore. Yes... galore. I think I went insane on the yard this year. But it was fun!
A book launch!
We dressed our family as the Toadstools for Halloween and my sister's Costume Party.
My sister got married, and I made her a wedding cake.
Christmas came and went in a flash...

And now we're here. It's 2011. A new year. My son is almost 8 months, my daughter is over two, and we are in a new year. How did this happen!

Happy New Year to all of you!