Close To My Heart Spotlight Blog Hop: Scrapbooking Techniques

Hello and welcome to the March edition of the Close to My Heart (CTMH) Spotlight Blog Hop.  This month we are all about scrapbooking techniques!  Wether you are coming from Wendy or this is your first stop, welcome!  You will find the next hopper at the end of this post so sit back, grab your favorite beverage and hop along for inspiration today!

When I first saw the spotlight topic I thought to myself..."scrapbooking techinques?  What the heck is a scrapbooking technique?"  I could have thought of about a thousand stamping techniques but was truely drawing a blank on what technique I use when scrapbooking.  When I scrapbook I just do it and let whatever I do come naturally...basically, I don't think about it.  But when I really thought about it, pretty much anything you do when you scrapbook could be considered a technique...distressing, tearing, mating pictures, layering paper, using patterned paper, decorative scissors, punches, stickers, embellishments...pretty much everything and anything goes (and I have done pretty much everything!).

Today, I want to share a layout that uses a really fun retired paper pack I am hoping most of you have in your stash...Zippidee.  I did alot of layering with different elements to add some texture and dimension to the layout.  I mated the pictures in a solid cardstock and used punches and decorative scissors.  I also used the coordinating My Stickease as borders and to draw the elements together.

---> Now hop on over to Corina to see what technique she is featuring today!

To view some of my other layouts I have shared that use different scrapbooking techinques, please click on the picture below to be taken to the original post:



inking, doodling, distressing
click on the pic for the original post



distressing, inking, faux stitching, dry embossing, paper tearing
click on the pic for the original post



paper tearing, inking, distressing

click on the pic for original post



grab a beer & look at what i did last week (link up)

So excited to be joining Kimberly this week in a brand new linky party so...


 

Can't say last week was very exciting or blog worthy for that matter.  Then again, I really don't usually think my life is blog worthy which is why I don't post as often as I would like to.   I guess I have to make an effort to have the camera out more capturing those really fun moments (trust me we have fun), that is after all one of the reasons I blog...to remember the everyday fun moments not just the big events.

This week's assignment...make next weeks weekly recap better, but since it is not next week, and it is this week...here goes (and if you are a reader..thank you...some of these pics are repeats, but that is how the week went):

(1)

Started off the week with a little partying, corned beef and Irish dancing at Irish Night at the Sons of Erin (a local Irish club I belong to).  Got to be proud of that Irish heritage.

(2) 

Welcomed a new "friend" to get me motivated every morning at 5:50 am on the days that I am not going to the gym (which is pretty much every day).  She has been hanging out in the DVD cabinet for awhile now...I finally decided to face my fear and just do it.  Although lifting my arms for the rest of the week has become a chore.

{photo from Amazon.com}

(3)

Had a few too many of these this week (although in my defense I counted them as dinner and Jillian really did kick my butt).  If you haven't had a Shamrock shake from McDonalds yet...what are you waiting for?

(4)

Spent a good few days trying to rationalize with the kids why the fox that has been visiting us in the morning can not live in the dog house and be our new pet.  And furthermore, if I don't think the dog house is a good idea, it is definitely not a good idea for Foxie Moxie (so he/she has been named) to take turns sleeping in their rooms.

(5)

Turned this:

into this:

and received lots of love, hugs and kisses.  But the best reward, it has stayed that way all week long! Of course telling him that if I have to clean it again it will be with several large black trash bags and a trip to the dump probably helped.

(6)

Felt a little bit older when my 11 year old asked if she could wear a little mascara. I agreed to a little on the weekends but not to school. Felt even older (and just like my mom) when I used the old..."I don't care if every one else is, everyone else is not my daughter" line.

(7)

Spent a good portion of Saturday with Kelsey at an antique store I have been wanting to check out. I went in looking for a specific piece that I didn't find. We did leave with 2 old coca-cola bottles (that I have no clue what to do with) and I saw a bunch of items I would love to have if only I had a place to put them. These photos aren't great but imagine the possibilities...



oh large rusty sign...my kitchen wall would love you!  but for $325 I just couldn't.





love this...
my parents have the same one at their house in dad's man town...
always wanted it when he was ready to part with it.



two old cameras (and a cool lantern thingy) for a fraction of the price that PB is asking. 
The box even has old Polaroid film and extra flashes.

oh, and on a side note to the other two "antique" stores that we visited on the way to the really awesome one that we will be visiting again...if your store smells like cigarette smoke (which I think is against the law to smoke in a public building) I don't care how cool your stuff is...I am leaving.  And piling junk and trash in heaps on the floor around a woman sitting around a space heater is not really becoming of a store.  If you are going to go ahead and break the fire code anyway...you should think about lighting a candle to take away the stench that overpowered you as you walk in the door. 

 

Have a terrific week!

Ten on Ten...March

I am all about learning how to use my silly camera this year.  I had dreams of buying the thing, turning it on and just knowing how to use it.  Not happening.  I am a smart girl, really I am, but this photography thing with all the settings, F stops, white balance, ISO etc. etc. really confuses the heck out of me.  I will not however turn that dial to the dreaded green square (I didn't pay $800 for a camera to use the auto function!).  So in my quest to learn how to use my camera I have found some great photo challenges, projects, assignments, etc. in blog land and on facebook.  I am trying out the ones that I like and attempting to get a little more comfortable with my little camera friend (who apparently needs a name...)

I am super excited to have found this great little photo project over at a bit of sunshine .  The concept is to capture the beauty woven throughout your day by taking 10 pictures for 10 consecutive hours on the 10th of each month.  Being the scatter brain that I am, I didn't exactly get 10 consecutive hours....but, hey at least I did get 10 photos (that are not taken in the same hour!).  I will definetly be back for this one in April...how fun!

The 10th of March...my day in pics

7:30 ish...morning visitor out the kitchen window

9:00 ish...a little Mickey Mouse Club House

12:30ish...lunch

3:45ish...can I run on fumes???

5:45ish...traffic {grrrr} but great alone time with the kiddos...

6:30ish....pure heavenly goodness {Shamrock Shakes}

7:30 ish....screen time for the kiddos, quiet time and a great book for me

(photo courtesy of JT)

8:30ish...bed and reading time for the kiddos

Kelsey and her kindle:

The book JT and I are currently reading together:

9:22 (exactly)...can't wait for bed and the hubby to get home from work

check out the other ten on ten sets or link up here:

the beginning of the week

We are in the middle of February school vacation right now.  We really didn't have any special plans for the week, just sort of winging it.  I had grand ideas of us all pitching in and cleaning and organizing the house all week, but as I sit here and write this post I have realized that plan just isn't going to happen.


So here is a recap of the week so far in list format because I don't have pics until Wednesday (another post):

Monday -

• hubby was home from work for the day so we took the kids to see Gnomeo & Juliet.  It was a really cute movie (despite me hoping we were out of the cartoon movie stage).  I do have to say though for a G rated movie that the adult humor in it was not very well disguised...my 8 year old picked up on a few things I kind of wish he hadn't.
• we then spent a ridiculous amount of time in Dick's Sporting Goods where Bob dreamed of spending money we don't have on golf equipment he doesn't need.  The kids and I played on the exercise equipment (that counts as working out right?) where I tried to think of creative ways to come up with $1500 so I can buy a treadmill (which by the way I really do need).  In the end, JT walked out with a baseball glove and I got 2 really cute pairs of socks on sale (although I really need a new pair of running sneakers to wear the socks in...and oh yea, the treadmill to run on)
• by this time it was too late to go home and get the kids to Tae Kwan Do (that was their evil plan) so we went to Olive Garden (and I pouted because Bob wouldn't let me go into Raymour & Flannigan to price up new   bedroom furniture or a dining room set...I have evil plans too).  Dinner was yummy but it threw my whole weight loss thing out of whack...note to self: DO NOT go to an Italian resturaunt when on a no carb diet, and really DO NOT feel that since you already blew it then having a slice of heavenly lemon cake is ok....(see now if I had that treadmill...)

Tuesday -

• nothing, zilch, zip, nada...it was an uneventful day.  The kids hung out and watched a movie (afterall I should allow them one day to rot their brains out in front of the tv right?)  and I did laundry, picked up, did the menu/grocery list, balanced the checkbook, and started to clean the craft room (oh how I miss thee).

to be continued...

CTMH Product Spotlight on Color

Welcome to another CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop!  This month we are featuring color...specifically the wide range of colors that Close To My Heart has to offer in cardstock, markers, inks, and embellishments.   If you came from Wendy's blog, welcome.  If you are just starting here, then keep going, your next stop is at the bottom of my post and you will circle back here when you have gone through all the participants this month.

CTMH offers 60 different colors to choose from, each grouped into seasons.  Each of the colors within that season coordinate beautifully with each other...but have you ever mixed and matched your seasons together?  Unlikely color combinations can sometimes lead to that wow! factor you were looking for.  Don't be afraid to play with a little color.

Last year, Jeanette Lynton, the founder of CTMH, featured different color combos each Monday on her blog.  You can check out all the great combos she created here.  I chose one of those color combos to feature today.  The combination of Tulip, Juniper, Cocoa and Desert Sand gave me just the right pop of color I needed for this card:

I love how the colors blend and lend a deep, sophisticated feel to the card.  I hesitated creating this card to share with you only because the stamp sets that I used are all retired.  I decided to use it in the end to make a point that when you see a stamp you love...you need to snatch it up.  These sets are among my most used for pretty much every occassion.  If you have them in your stash...pull them out and give them some love.  I used Cottage Floral, Curly Greetings and the background was created with Magic and Serendipity. 

Your next stop is Corina...head on over and see what wonderful color combos she has to share with you today. 

Thanks for stopping by -

Tracy

Here is the full list of participants in case you get stuck along the way:

Wendy Kessler
Tracy Oleksak
Corina Mitchell 
Laurie Flannery 
nikka geers 
Adeline Brill 
Jill (Scrap Wench) 

Dear blog

Dear blog,

I have not forgotten you.  Really, I haven't.  I have been super busy around here with life.  I could tell you about it, but, then I would get buried even deeper.  So, we will have to catch up real soon.  Promise.

You know me...quality, not quantity (well except if you are talking about the piles of clutter I am digging out of...yep, that sure is quantity over quality because I have come to realize that it is all crap-o-la.  Crap-o-la I need to sort through, but crap-o-la nonetheless.).  I would so much rather share quality stuff with you than a bunch of useless dribble. 

I have some projects started, some crafty stuff in the making and some pics to edit, post and tell you about.  But, life is happening around me too quick, and I need to be there right now.  Things around the house are a bit too out of control for my liking.  I need to catch up on everything I need to do in order to be where I want to be, do what I want to do.  That means letting a few things slide. (side note:  family time is NOT one of those things.  Tons of snow=great skiing=lots of family time=one happy mommy!  more later...promise.)

We are not through though, I couldn't bear to part with you.  I just need to refocus and take things slow.  I promise to visit at least twice a week until I can reach a point where I am at a comfort level with everything I need to do around here. You know, get organized, create a schedule to keep on top of my mommy/wife duties, and still have time to be a mommy/wife.  I am not a nice person when things are so crazy around here, and I really don't like being a not so nice person.  Once I have things a bit more under control,  I can devote a bit more time to you my friend.  If by some miracle there happens to be a few extra hours snuck into the day, or I am not so dead tired at 9pm when I actually get some down time, then things might change quicker.

Please don't miss me too much.  I will be around soon with fun stuff to share....promise.

Me