Accountability Wednesday

I'm giving away a seat in Ella publishing's Spring Training 2012!  To learn how you can win, visit this post.
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less than half a pound doesn't seem like much, but its a victory for me.  It means 2 weeks in a row of going in the right direction.  I'm working hard to stay away from the Cadbury Cream Eggs this week and to make it three in a row.

Weight 139.8 (-.4)
Exercise: Garden work (several hours); 30 Day Shred x1

Giveaway: Ella Publishing Spring Training

You know how much I love Ella Publishing, right?  I mean, first there's that adorable little elephant logo

Then, there's their great, inspirational, informative books like Stretch Your Sketches

and Stamping Secrets: 7 sensational stamp sets used 21 ways

Angie and the team put on some great training events.  Pull up your legwarmers and get ready for Spring Training 2012!

Here's the details:

As Olivia Newton-John famously sang in the '80s, Let's Get Physical! For twelve days, April 23 to May 3, join us in the exclusive Spring Training craftnasium for a series of targeted daily "exercise" sessions—led by five pro scrapbookers—that are guaranteed to:

• jumpstart your creativity and exercise your scrapbooking muscles
• inspire you to lead a healthy and balanced crafting lifestyle
• give you new skills to try AND remind you of important foundational principles
• get you in tip-top scrapbooking shape just in time for (inter)National Scrapbooking Day on May 4th

What You'll Get
12 exclusive video coaching sessions (that never expire!)
12 targeted training exercises
4 expert coaches
4 live chats
6 bonus scrapbooking fitness tips
20 inspiring minutes a day
a place to upload your work and connect with other scrapbookers
concrete challenges that result in meaningful layouts
daily challenges, bonus downloads, sponsor prizes, and more
1980s aerobics-queen references galore
email reminders that it's time to put those legwarmers on and get ready to scrap!
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1 amazing online event that includes hours of scrapbooking fun

Your Spring Training Coaches

Erin Cobb, Your Photography Coach
As the 2007 winning photographer in the Baby Gap Casting Call, Erin Cobb knows what it means to deliver beautiful, unique, and memorable portraits of children. And she's here to share her top tips for:

how to make the most of your indoor shots using window light
what to do when the lights ain't bright
shooting for expression (how to engage your subject with real emotion)

Wendy Smedley, Your Organization Coach
Professional scrapbooker Wendy Smedley, co-author of The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker, will share general organizing principles that you'll use again and again in your scrapbook room—and even throughout your home. She also has three targeted organization drills that you can do in just 10 minutes to help flex your organizing muscles, make room in your space, and get you ready to create!

Nichol Magouirk, Your Techniques Coach
Popular stamper Nichol Magouirk has been scrapbooking, stamping, die-cutting, teaching, and inspiring other crafters for thirteen years. One of our inaugural Boot Camp Drill Instructors, Nichol is returning to share her technique expertise with you, including:

misting with masks
customizing letter stickers and embellishments
die-cutting + paper-piecing for one-of-a-kind embellishments

Lisa Dickinson, Your Design Coach
A professional graphic designer, Lisa Dickinson is also a widely published scrapbooker, eBook author, scrapbook instructor, blogger, and manufacturer design-team member. And she's here to impart her knowledge on these useful topics:

combining perfect patterned papers
using layouts for card creations
embellishing with ease

Tami Morrison, Your Scrapbooking Fitness Coach
Crowned the Funnest Scrapbooker Ever by Simple Scrapbooks magazine in 2008 (yes, really), Tami Morrison has been delighting her fellow scrapbookers ever since—as a popular teacher, writer, page designer, and more. Every other day, you'll enjoy a 3-minute scrapbook fitness video tip from Tami (plus free downloads and more):

set yourself up for success
warm-up tips
the importance of stretching (yourself creatively)
going the distance
scrapping your butt off (literally)
the importance of creative fitness

How This Event is Different
The bite-sized, daily exercises! The carefully selected and edited content! The 5 expert coaches and 12 exciting giveaways! The '80s ladies in their leotards! And this event is doable for even busy schedules like yours. You can call it good after 20 minutes of "power crafting" each day, but you'll also walk away with hours of ideas and inspiration, if you have the time.

And the videos—or think of them as "mini classes"—are less than $2.50 each. It's a steal!

Returning participants will enjoy the same unique content, easy-to-follow format, and top-quality instruction that's suitable for all levels of crafters. But this year there will also beincreased instructor interaction, live chats, more videos, and NO EXPIRATION on any of the content.

Click here to register and don't miss a minute of getting back into Scrappy Shape: Spring Training 2012

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My friends at Ella Publishing have generously given me one seat to Spring Training 2012 .  Leave a comment on this post telling me which of the five coaches you are most excited about working with.  You have until Friday, April 13 at 5 pm CDT to enter.  Please enter only once.  Good luck!

Rhymes with Orange

I never really realized I had a color nemesis until I started this layout.  You see, I'd been watching a Glitter Girl episode about picking papers and not picking the most dominant colors, so I wanted to avoid green and blue for this page.  When I printed the journaling card with the orange arrow, I knew that color would work well with the photos.  But I think this is my first and only orange layout. It's a color that doesn't always work, but I think in this case it really works!  The Crate Paper paper let me pull in the greens and blues as accents, which helped it all be cohesive.

Englischer Garden

Sketch: Sketches for Scrapbooking Vol. 6

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Ever After (orange swirl and white with orange blossoms); Lily Bee Catching Fall (Flannel Sheets); Crate Paper Portrait (Bouquet), Chipboard stickers, Phrases stickers (Toy Box, Restoration), Rub Ons (Restoration), Border Stickers; Fun Day Journaling Card by Marcy Penner; K and Co Smash Pad, die cuts (Julianne Vintage); Adorn It Sticker Paper (Velvet Tan Dots); Jillibean Soup Kraft mini alpha; My Minds Eye Diecut Lost and Found Two Rosy "Ordinary" Title; Heidi Swapp Flocked Rub Ons; Pink Paislee Parisian Anthology dimensions corrugated elements; Recollections Adhesive Rhinestone flourish; Making Memories Metal Sayings (family); Bo Bunny Layered Chipboard; Studio AE for Technique Tuesday ("Are we there yet"); Jenni Bowlin Ink (Seed Packet, Weather Vane); Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Martha Stewart punches (Starburst, Quilted by the Each)

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

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.

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)

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.

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

Sketch

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***

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)

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 (Payday, Grapefruit), 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

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

File Labels in 2 color ways

Kraft Labels: Flourish

I've got my eye on

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

Shipping Tags

Sticky Notes

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.

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

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! 

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 punch, embossing 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***