Friday, March 30, 2012

Spring? or Summer?


Spring has sprung here in the Deep South, and it's quickly turning into summer with highs in the 80's.  But don't tell my amaryllis flowers that.  You see, they were my grandmother's, and I dug them up from her house after she passed away a few years ago.  So when we moved this past winter, it was really important to me to take them with me (don't tell the new homeowner!), but December is not the ideal time to be transplanting these plants.  I was so happy to see the new growth and the largest bulb blooming this spring!


I'm slowly adding flowers with color to the shrubs that are our landscaping, but until then these flowers will have to suffice.



Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Accountability Wednesday: On the Weight Loss Roller Coaster

I could write a post today waxing poetic about the ups and downs of weight loss. About how bad I felt about myself this week because the more I exercise, the more weight I seem to gain.  About how I've rededicated to a workout schedule and journaling my food, counting calories.  About the great walk with my husband on a trail near our new house.  But you've heard it all before.  It's just all a part of this roller coaster I am on with my weight.  The one constant, other than the struggle, is that I post here, and that is something I am proud of.

Weight: 140.2 (-1 lb)
Exercise: 30 Day Shred, 30 min. hike, Gardening (all day)

Monday, March 26, 2012

A Bit of a Shopping Spree

I'm supposed to be in Disney World.  RIGHT NOW.  We were supposed to leave last Friday, but the trip got cancelled on Tuesday.  I'm really disappointed, so to cheer myself up I did a little scrappy shopping.  And I should get my Stop and Scrap order very soon.  Now if only I used up stuff at the same rate I bought it!

I love labels from Elle's Studio.  The are so cute and affordable! And I even got a free journaling pen.


From Michaels:  Fun embellies and a Tim Holtz Distress pad in Pumice Stone.




I love the way these Authentique letters match this Sassafrass paper.  RIP Sassafrass.


My first foray into Smash products.  I thought these stickies and notecards would work really well in my travel albums.


More stamps!  Love these little My Minds Eye stamps from the Funday collection.


And for the really really excited new stuff.  My Minds Eye:






Don't forget to use the code FEATHERS to receive 12% off your purchase at Stop and Scrap.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

A Layout About Beer

No scrapbook of a trip to Bavaria would be complete without some mention of beer, right?  I chose products from My Minds Eye for this one.  Perhaps they will be pleased their papers showcase German beer?  Maybe not.  But I did use a sketch from their blog for my inspiration.

Das Bier








Patterned Paper: My Minds Eye Lost and Found Portobello Road "Boy" Dapper Dots, Tres Jolie Je T"aime Birthday Girl Floral/Light Rose Papier, Lost and Found Two 6x6 paper pad (Sunshine, Rosy), Lost and Found 6x6 paper pad (Portobello Road); The Spiders Web Diecut Border; So Sophie ticket diecut; Home Chipboard Journal Sticker; Stella and Rose Gerty Girly sticker tags; Lost and Found Market Street Lovely button; Kraft Funday Happy Days twine;  Lush Decorative Brads (Red); Stella and Rose Hattie "Happy" label stickers; Stella and Rose Gertie "Friends Forever" layered chipboard; MME Lost and Found Union Square "Perfect" stamp; Studio Calico Die Cut Stickers State Fair; Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Jenni Bowlin Ink; Martha Stewart Punch; Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type; Martha Stewart Home Office File Folder Labels; Tim Holtz Idea-ology mini paper clips

***For 12% off any purchase at Stop and Scrap, use the code FEATHERS***

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Accountability Wednesday: Happy Spring!

Yesterday was the first day of spring, or so I am told, since its been over 80 degrees for the last week here in the deep South.  This week I may not have had appointments with Jillian Michaels as often as I would have liked, but Mark and I did something I've wanted to do for years: plant a vegetable garden!  The yard at the old house just needed to be bulldozed and started over, so there wasn't a sunny spot to plant a garden there, but our new yard is perfect for it.  We spent 9 straight hours last Saturday mowing and edging and sawing and digging, and in a few weeks we should have some bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, and some herbs too!  That doesn't explain why I gained another pound this week though :(

Weight: 141.2 (+1)
Exercise: 30 Day Shred x2 (40 minutes); Gardening (9 hours)

Monday, March 19, 2012

I Love a Good Challenge

Normally when I scrap a layout, I like to make my own kit of sorts, picking out products from different manufacturers that look good together.  But I also like a good challenge, and the folks over at the Lily Bee blog gave me a good one!  Using their sketch and products, here's what I came up with.  Even thought there are several collections on the layout, I love that they all coordinate seamlessly.

Municipal House





Patterned Paper: Lily Bee Memorandum (PaydayGrapefruit), Head Over Heels (Courting), This and That (Teacup), Catching Fall (Flannel Sheets), Happily Lost (Sun Soaked); MAMBI paper tape; Prima Flowers Iced Got Flowers?; Scenic Route black date label; Jenni Bowlin Chipboard Buttons; Tim Holtz Distrss Ink Stickles; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist










Thursday, March 15, 2012

Scrapbook Treasures from the Office Supply Store

With my scrapbooking style, I'm always on the lookout for great labels and cards for journaling, stamping, and layering.  I have a huge stack of October Afternoon and Scenic Route label stickers that I love to use.  But come on, we all know that there are never enough, right?

I was so thrilled to see the new Martha Stewart Home Office line at Staples.  In addition to great home organization supplies, there are lots of things in the line that can be used for scrapbooking, including really nice 3-ring binders and divided page protectors.  I focused on the labels and tags, and still had a really hard time narrowing down my purchase.  For under $5 for each package, you do get a lot of product.  The File Folder Labels ($2.99) include 120 in a pack!  I came home with:

Textured Red Labels (small)


Flourish Labels in Teal









I've got my eye on

Metal Rim and Paper tags -- check out the baker's twine strings!






Shipping Tags






Just a note:  Not all Staples stock the Martha Stewart line. I had to go to 2 Staples stores before I found the display.  My local store doesn't carry it, but the store in the nearby larger city does.  Before you go out of your way, call your local store or order online.


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Accountability Wednesday

I may not have lost any weight this week, but I can claim one victory - I worked out last night!  Getting myself back on a workout schedule is my focus this week.

Weight: 140.2 (+0.6)
Exercise: 30 Day Shred

Monday, March 12, 2012

My New Toy

You might have noticed some much clearer close-ups of my layouts lately, like this:



and this


That's because I saved up my Amazon gift cards and finally bought a dedicated macro lens!


I'm a Pentax girl, so finding lenses is a little more challenging than for Nikon or Canon owners.  After much much angst I finally decided on the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens.  Outside of photographing scrapbook layouts, I haven't had much chance to play with it, but with spring springing away here in the Heart of Dixie, I'm looking forward to lots of great flower photos! 

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Putting My Stamps to Use

I love stamps, and I'm trying to incorporate them into more layouts.  I have invested in several Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday stamps, and I'm finding them to be great quality and very useful, especially for my travel pages.  I've used several sets on this layout.

Explore Budapest


















Sketch: Scrapbook Generation vol.??

Supplies: American Crafts Cardstock, Thickers (Dear Lizzy);  My Minds Eye patterned paper (Stella and Rose "Delightful" Blossom, Gertie "Friends Forever" Petals, Tapestry; Tres Jolie Je T'aime "Birthday Girl"); Hambly overlay Grandma's Wallpaper (gold); Crate Paper brads, sticker (Random); Cosmo Cricket stickers (Social Club), Ready-Set-Chip (Togetherness); K & Co brads (K-ology Hannah); Heidi Grace stickers (Wild Daisy Road); 7 gypsies 97% complete stickers (Travel Voyage); Martha Stewart punchembossing powder; EK Success border punch; Jenni Bowlin ink (Stick Candy, Soap Powder); Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Vintage Photo); Colorbox Cat's Eye ink (Dark brown); Studio AE for Technique Tuesday stamps (Are We There Yet, The Observant Traveler, This One)

***For 12% off any purchase at Stop and Scrap, use the code FEATHERS***

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Accountability Wednesday

When I opened the Target ad on Sunday, I groaned out loud to my husband.  Bikinis were staring me in the face.  I'm not ready for bathing suit season!  It can't be time already!!  But with spring right around the corner and the sinus icky stuff finally going away, its time to get my butt back in gear.

Weight: 139.6 (-.8 lb)
Exercise: None

Monday, March 5, 2012

Stretch Your Stash

I admit it.  I have a massive scrapbook stash.  Some (I'm looking at you, my darling husband) might say its too much stuff.  And I have way too much holiday themed stuff, especially Halloween and Christmas.  I cannot resist those super-cute holiday collections every year.  And because Ozzy the cat does not like to go trick-or-treating, I really don't get to use up those holiday items.

So I like to try to incorporate these items into non-holiday layouts.  It's a good way to use what you have on hand, and to make that stash stretch.  Did I mention I've given up scrapbook shopping for Lent?

On this layout, I had a red, black, and silver color scheme.  I thought I could work in paper flowers from Girls Paperie's Christmas collection without the layout turning Christmas-y.  I picked up some green with letter stickers and in other elements, and I think I pulled it off.  What do you think?






Of Course He Brought the Vulture






Supplies: American Crafts Cardstock, Jenni Bowlin for Coredinations cardstock, October Afternoon 5 & Dime patterned paper; Hambly patterned paper; 7 gypsies 97% complete stickers; Jenni Bowlin apothocary stickers (in red); Cosmo Cricket tiny type, stickers; Lily Bee Design this and that and domestic bliss stickers; the Girls Paperie Tinsel and Twig flower market; Pink Paislee corrugated alphabet; Liquid Pearls; Bo Bunny brads

***For 12% off any purchase at Stop and Scrap, use the code FEATHERS.***

Thursday, March 1, 2012

We interrupt your regularly scheduled vacation layouts...


I know you are probably tired of seeing layouts of Prague and Budapest.  I've only got 1200 more photos to scrap from that vacation!  I do have a post planned on how I tackle such large projects, in case you've been interested.  But for now, I'm sharing a layout of my visit to Mt. St. Helen as part of a work conference I spoke at last year.  I've been fascinated with the volcano since I was a kid.  I can remember reading in a magazine about 5 years after the eruption about the plants that had started to come back.  I never in a million years thought I would have the chance to visit.  Two weeks after this visit, to the day, I was standing on top of a mountain in Munich.  That's a lot of elevation for this beach girl!

I learned two things about cutting with my Silhouette on this layout:
1.  It sure is cute, but cutting and adhering the outline on "Adventure" is a real pain in the butt!
2.  In order to cut through Authentique cardstock, you have to set your blade to a much higher number than the software suggests.

I used the negative space from some shapes as the main paper and embellishment for this layout.  I love my layers, but I'm really liking the clean feel of this layout.

Volcanic Adventure









Supplies: American Crafts Cardstock; Authentique patterned paper (Brilliance); Basic Grey 6x6 pad (Life of the Party); Making Memories metal tab; Staz On ink (Jet Black); Lily Bee rub on (Domestic Bliss); Scenic Route letter stickers; ki memories buttons; Pink Paislee metal badges (Old School), Baubles (Hometown Summer)


***For 12% off any purchase at Stop and Scrap, use the code FEATHERS***

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