Your Story Matters

 I picked up this super neat canvas while I was up in Door County over the weekend. This really describes my philosophy on scrapbooking. Your story matters. I want to tell my stories through my scrapping. My philosophy on embellishments are words first, stuff second. I don't want to overpower my page with the stuff, and have that "stuff" take away from my stories and pictures. I am not a scrapper who puts lots of stuff on her pages. I really want my memories to be preserved for my future family. I bought this canvas to sit on my scrap desk and remind me of my purpose of scrapping.

What else have I been up to? Not scrapping .We celebrated a wedding this weekend, welcoming a new member into our family. We also went to Door County for the day. We had such a long winter and a cold spring, that the blossoms will still gorgeous. I got my tulip fix. I tried to grow tulips this year, but it didn't go so well. 

The tulips outside the world famous White Gull Inn

Party rocking with Princess E-she really wanted a "rock star" pose. I didn't know what to do

Hopefully I will get back to the land of scrapping soon. We've got 2 weeks and a day left of school. I am moving classrooms next year, so right now I'm in the middle of progress reports, report cards, packing, and all the other fun stuff that the end of the year brings.

Mother's Day Cards

As I'm getting ahead on auto posts, I'm amazed that I have my cards done ahead of time. I'm normally the person up late creating the perfect card the night before the occasion. I happened to be at a Friday night crop at my scrapbook store, and they have open use of their stamps. You just have to provide your own ink, powder, and cleaner. So it works out perfectly to make cards there every few weeks, instead of buying a ton of stamps. I would say scrapping is my main hobby, and people just expect cards from me as a result.

If you haven't already figured it out, alcohol inks are my go to for cards. They are fun and different. I don't know too many other ways to do cards.

 This first one is for my Grandma. I used purpe, orange, and yellow-a three pack from Jo's. I learned that sentiments need to be big and bold when using alcohol inks, so I traced over it with a glitter pen.

 This next one is for my mom. Blues and purples are my favorite colors to use together. I again used the resisting technique to pull off the embossing powder and reveal the stamp underneath.

 I used this saying in both cards, I'm not sure who makes it, but I found it in the drawers at Creations Galore.

 This is my current storage solution for my card making supplies. Little shelves from Home Depot. I like that my Distress Ink Pads have a nice accessible place.

My little basket of new goodies. I keep my Washi Tapes, Twine, and some other fun stuff right in view on my desk. I swap stuff out depending on my projects and seasons.

Winter at Peninsula

Just when you thought you were safe from Door County pictures, I went up in February for a little day trip. One of our stops was at Peninsula State Park. This park is normally packed with people hiking, biking, swimming, and boating. It is so weird to see it deserted during the winter. Most of the roads are closed off and not plowed, because they get so much snow.

We decided to hike to observation tower. From the top of the tower, you directly overlook the bay of Green Bay and the township of Ephriam. On a clear day you can just see Lake Michigan over the tree line.  We had to go up a big hill in order to get to the tower. Not so easy the day before you go in for new tires. But we made it up safely. Hiking the icy stairs of the tower was another story.

 I forced my dad to stop in the middle of the road just so I could get a shot in the woods. Peninsula has the most scenic roads no matter what the season.

 The snowflakes were cut using spellbinders and ellison dies, then coated with metallic rub on (see below) and sealed with embossing powder.

 I love these little embellishments from Hobby Lobby. They are paper studio brand and they just give that needed little pump to a page some times. They come in a million different colors too.

 These are what I was talking ago a few weeks ago on the page with the tree. They are called Metallic Rub On's. I don't know how to use them besides with my finger. I just smear them on the object, and then throw on a layer of embossing powder, and heat it up. Be warned- once it's under your nails, it's not so easy to get off.

My Little Cheerleader

Happy National Scrapbook Day to all my scrappy friends! I'm participating at an online crop this weekend at Skrap n Chat!

My sweet goddaughter "E" is cheering for a local cheerleading team. So of course I had to go see her during their competition. I was real nervous when I heard she was on top of the pyramid, but later I realized that pyramids with kinder kids aren't so tall. They were so cute to watch, and of course I needed a blinged out page for the queen of bling and glitter.

 

This started as a plain black paper. This is a little out of my style, but I went crazy with mists and sequins. 

 The sequins were from a roll at Hobby Lobby. I used Heidi Swapp gold Color Shine, and purple Smooch mist. They give the page a perfect effect for "E"s personality.

The title is Thickers by American Crafts, and it also has glitter letters-big surprise if you didn't see that coming.

This is my current system for storing spray inks. The big bottles go on the shelf above my alchol inks, and the little tubes go in my spinning caddy from Hobby Lobby.