First Design Studio attempt

So, a few weeks ago, I decided I would take the plunge and get the SCAL program. I had never had any interest in the Cricut Design Studio, I had heard too many negetive things, but people were raving about SCAL. So, I convinced my husband that I needed this program (to save money on buying cartridges) and also that a laptop would be great to go along with it! So, I got the laptop at the end of January, knowing that I would have to wait awhile to get the program. I have really enjoyed the laptop, I must admit. So last week it was time for me to finally buy the SCAL program, while I was waiting on it to arrive, I decided to ready my cricut machine. Well, wouldn't you know it, I couldn't get it to work on my laptop! It worked great on the desktop, but no go on the laptop! Long story a bit shorter (LOL) I ended up buying the dreaded Cricut Design STudio software, thinking I might be able to get it to work if I had the disc. It still didn't work! It took me 4 phone calls to Provo Craft one to HP (they couldn't help, but tried really hard), more than 4 1/2 hours on the phone (nearly 3 on hold) and I finally am able to use the SCAL program! Phew! I played with that a bit yesterday and am working on a project, but today I decided to mess with the CDS and make this little notebook for Khorey, one of my little daycare girlies. Today is her 5th birthday and she is all about writing things. So this is for her! I used George, Plantin and Storybook. I must admit it was pretty easy, turned out pretty close to what I was invisioning (I was thinking the scallops would be smaller) and I really like it! Best of all, I used only scraps and items I have had for a long time, some I had to have, but haven't hardly used (skittles). Sorry for the long post, here's the notebook!

Working, but not posting

So, I have been working. At least some, I've gotten nowhere near as much done as I did last February, but, I am up to 20 pages finished so far this year. I have not been great about posting obviously, but, here they are.
This is the first day of school (bet you couldn't have guessed that) for Brandon's book. I really like this stack of patterned paper, too. It is the grade school stack by DCWV. I have really tried to cut back on the paper I buy, especially stacks, but this one works for me so well!
For the family book

Randy's book. These papers are from the High School Stack by DCWV. They are pretty fun, too. By the way, do you see how well all his "buds" (that's what Clinton calls them) pose for the camera? Yep, they are used to me being there with the camera!

So, now, I am caught back up with posting my projects, I hope I can stick to scrapping my projects! Thanks for looking!

A few more

Here are a few more.
This is an impromptu photo shoot of my boys and our nephews. We took them all fishing one day last summer, and the fishing was terrible, you could see all of the fish in the pond, but they just would not bite! There was a huge rock right behind where we were fishing and the little boys just couldn't stay off of it, so it led to this photo shoot. We didn't get many pictures of them all smiling and looking at the camera, but the pictures are still fun! I haven't scrapped the 2 that turned out the best yet. I also have a ton more and I think I will just get some of those sheet protectors that have slots for 4x6 pictures to put them in instead of scrapping all of them!
This was homecoming for Brandon's book, I didn't get fancy at all. Obviously.

Homecoming for Randy's book, still not very fancy, but at least I cut the title out!

This was Brandon's birthday. It is actually one that I think looks better in the picture than it does in real life. I love the papers. I have had this pack since before Christmas, it is from We R Memory Keepers called silver lining and I really like them! It also came with some stickers, which I rarely use, but I did use them on this.

Super simple, too simple, I know, but, I'm sticking with it. Also for Brandon's book.

What I've done this week

I actually accomplished a few things this week. Not as much as I would have liked, but at least it's something! I did 6 pages, but I didn't take a picture of one because all I did was tape the picture to the paper!
First this is for Brandon's book, self explanitory!
This is for Randy, from his birthday in 2008. I used the wildcard font for "park" I really like that cartridge, as you will see later in this post!

This is also for Randy from his birthday last year. I actually used about the same layout as above, but, it looks a little different because the papers are so different. Well, the strips on this one are actually the "waste" from above, but it's still different. That's my story...

This card is my latest from the WildCard cartridge. I'm telling this cartridge is changing my life! Okay, that's a little drastic, but I sure am enjoying making cards again. It's been a long time. This one was made for a friend of ours whose birthday is tomorrow. So, I actually had a little bit of a plan. it didn't turn out exactly, but not too bad!

And last this card was also made with WildCard, but I was just playing around again. I don't know why I didn't cut a liner for the envelope... I will probably ink the candles on the envelope if I decide to give this to someone.

Thanks for looking, hopefully I will have more to post next week!

Wild Card

Oh what a great cartridge this is! I used to be a card maker before I found scrapbooking, now, I rarely make a card. This cartridge could change that! This is just something I did to play with the cartridge, it's not anything fancy and I didn't make it for anyone in particular, I just wanted to make something! I love that you can cut a matching envelope! I didn't cut a liner for the envelope because I couldn't decide on a paper. I also really like that you can cut a "liner" for the card as well! That is what the patterned paper is on the card, I love that I didn't have to do a bunch of measuring to make a layer. so easy! There is also a blackout version so you could cut it without all the lace cutouts, just the edges. I'm going to have fun with this one!

My first project of 2209

So, already, I'm not sticking to my goals, as I said I wanted to update my blog more often and its been a couple of weeks! In my defense, this is my first project of the year!
This is my little goal book for 2009. I used old cd's and cut one edge off straight so it would be easier to bind. I was going to put ribbons on the binding, but since there are so many ribbons sticking out the sides, I thought it might be too much. I'm still not sure. I made little pockets and tags, so I could catagorize everything. I have a lot of little goals for the year and I thought this might be easier.

I really thought I was adding a lot of embellishments, but, there really isn't that much. I'm stuck though, and I think it's enough!

I used a lot of pretty paper that I have bought that I just liked, but didn't have a plan for, and some of it is pretty girly, so I couldn't use it for the boys.

I have a few more goals to add, but, I don't have any orange ribbon that isn't wide, so, I'm going to wait to add them

So that is it. Not nearly as fancy as it should be for the time it took me to do it, but, I did use a lot of fun stuff that I have bought recently, received as a gift, and had for a long time. I recently got the crop-a-dile II, and I have to say that I love that thing, so much easier on the hands than the original!

So, thanks for looking, hopefully I will be back soon with some new layouts!

The year revisited

I cannot believe that today is the last day of 2008. It is scarey how fast the time goes by. A little sad, too.

So, at the beginning of 2008, I set some scrapbooking goals and since this is the last day of 2008, I guess I need to evaluate how I did. My goals were to create 300 pages and to finish 2007. I did not accomplish either! I failed, but not miserably, at least. I was able 200 pages, which is really pretty impressive since I think I only did 40 in 2007. I am also just about 4 pages from finishing 2007. I was really pretty much done with 2007 in the fall, but didn't print enough pictures for what I was doing, so, I printed the pictures but then didn't finish the pages. I also did some other projects which I didn't specify for goals like about 50 cards, some altered notebooks and jars for teachers gifts. So, even though I didn't accomplish everything I had hoped to do, I still feel pretty dang good about all I DID accomplish!

Obvioulsy, I need to re-evaluate and change up my goals a bit for 2009. So, I have decided that I will set my goals a bit lower. I am going to shoot for 200 full size pages, these can be 8 1/2 X 11 or 12 X 12. I also want to do 50 "mini" pages for my photo carousel, these are 4 X 6 (they are so much fun!), 50 cards and 5 altered items. I also want to finish the name books that I started LAST year! (yep, I started them in 2007, sad, I know), they are all cut and bound, I just need to embellish them. so, looking at this list now, maybe I didn't set my goals lower, they just may be a bit higher! But, I do think I can accomplish them, if all goes well with the year. Oh! I almost forgot! I also want to do better at keeping my blog updated, I want to actually take pictures of my finished projects and get them up here. Phew! That's a lot to do in 2009!

I wish you all a safe New Year's Eve. Please remember, don't drink and drive! Here's to a happy, healthy and productive 2009!