Milestones and Memories

It is very hard to believe that it is 2010 already.  These years have a way of creeping up on people!

This year has a number of personal milestones for me - a big birthday and also my 20th Anniversary.

The main reason that we scrapbook (beyond the love of paper and collecting 'toys') is to document and preserve the pictures and memories of the years as they go by. 

No where was this more noticable than in a little acrylic album kit that I did last year - it is a little house shaped album with a snow-topped roof.  I started it just after Christmas last year so, it seemed appropriate, to make it about the holidays.  I have made it a point to take a picture of the two boys in front of the fireplace each year - just before taking down the stockings on Christmas morning.  Each individual picture by itself is a memory of that particular Christmas - but put together, year after year, it becomes a document of the growth of the two boys.

With the flip of a couple of pages, you can see the changes in the boys in reference to the fireplace mantle and each other.  When I started - back in 2000 - the youngest was just a little taller than the mantle and they both did not even come half-way up to the large wreath over the fireplace.  Over the years, this has changed.  I am looking forward to putting this year's picture in the album because as of this year, they both almost reach the top of the wreath, but Marcus is now taller than his older brother! This little album is a record of not only Christmas mornings, but the boys as they have gotten older.  It is a summary, if you will, rather than the large family albums that I have normally done.  This little album is special and I bring it out at Christmas time - it has now become part of the decorating of the house at Christmas time.

So, I will be documenting the milestones that come up in 2010, but also remember to document the rest of your lives - the little everyday pieces of it that make up the bulk of life - rather than just the 'high days and holidays'.

Happy Scrapping!

Brenda

This Time I Have Made Lists

So for this weekend's retreat I have made lists, checked them twice (or maybe three times) and then crossed them off as I packed everything - I don't want to forget anything important.

I believe that I have enough supplies, that if I got stranded at a scrapbook retreat for a week or three, I would never run out of things to do!  With all the equipment that I am taking with me you would think that my scraproom would be almost empty - not a chance.  I would have to hire a truck to take all my stuff - thank goodness we don't have to bring bedding with us this time - leaves a lot of space open for the supplies.

The retreat this weekend is put on by Ultimate Scrapbook Retreats and is being held at Loon Lake Lodge in the UBC Research Forest in Maple Ridge.  I have never been to this place before, or the the Ultimate Retreats before, but I know that they sell out far in advance of the dates that are posted.  One of our group actually signed up over a year ago to attend this retreat!

The only thing I have to pack is my clothes - I better not forget them otherwise everyone could get very tired of seeing me in the exact same outfit day in and day out.  It is not like it is that far away that I could not go home and get whatever I had forgotten, I just wouldn't want to loose the time away from scrapping.

On that note, maybe I should check my lists again, just to be sure - it is not like there will be anyone else there who might have some supplies I could beg, borrow or steal.....

Happy Scrapping,

Brenda

Have you ever arrived at a crop.....

Have you ever arrived at a crop, set up your stuff and realized that you are missing "_________" (fill-in the blank) the one thing that you absolutely needed for the project you are working on??

Well, I did that last night - had all the papers that I needed for my cards.  They were all cut and folded.  All I needed to do was stamp and emboss three different things and then assemble them.

Pulled out all the bits out of my kit - but where was the black embossing powder??  One of the items I specifically purchased for this project.  I had the paper, the stamps, the ink - but where was the powder.  I tore through my entire kit - but it was no where to be found!

As there was nothing else that I had brought with me (figuring that between this project and chatting there would be no time to do any other projects) my choice was to either just sit and chat (all the while beating myself up for forgetting the key piece to the project) or see if the store had some embossing powder.

Now, something to keep in mind, I am not really a 'stamper' - I resisted purchasing almost any stamps for many years.  I hated the thought of carrying around 'half a tree' with all the wooden block stamps.  I believe that I actually only purchased one or two wooden block stamps in the first 40 years of my life.  Once I found acrylic stamps (no trees involved), I have actually purchased quite a few stamps - but I still resist purchasing a lot of supplies to go with stamps.  I almost always purchase the tiny little ink pads - that way I figure that if I don't use them more than once of twice and they dry up, that it is not so much of a waste.  (Don't even talk to me about the cost of purchasing the little ones over the big ones - I have it in my mind that if a little one dries up, it is less of a waste that a whole big pad.)

So back to my point - with a brand new jar of black embossing powder missing in my kit, the thought of purchasing a new jar was something that I had to think about.  I know, it is only a few dollars in the big scheme of scrapbook supply purchases - but it just seems such a waste.  But it was either purchase a new jar or 'waste' my time, sitting there just visiting (not that there is anything wrong with that too - it was just that I had planned to finish the cards - there is a time frame involved with them).

I checked the store and they did not have the fine embossing powder that I had originally purchased, but they did have black UT (ultra thick) - it makes for a different effect, but I guess I can justify the purchase by rationalizing that I actually did not purchase the exact same thing as I was missing, but a slightly different product...

Lessons Learned

• Before going to a crop - if you have a specific project in mind - double check to make sure that you have everything with you - or at least you can find it in your kit!
• Always bring more than one project with you - you might finish that one project sooner than expected and can carry on with another project

As I am off to a big weekend-long retreat next weekend - I am going to double and triple check my kit to make sure that I have everything with me!

In the end, I purchased the black UT, and with Catherine's assistance, finished up the project that I was working on.  My one consolation was, out of the five people at my table last night, three of us had done the very same thing - forgotten a key item or tool for the crop!

Here are some pictures of the finished cards:

Happy Scrapping!

Brenda

PS I am going to find that missing jar - even if I have to pull out every little scrapbooking item out of my kit bags!!

Totally Addicted Part 2

Yes, I am totally addicted to scrapbooking.

I know this as when we went on our vacation in the rented motorhome, I had to check to make sure that there was room for my scrapbooking stuff.

Mind you, this was not just a small kit, this was my big rolling bag, my paper taker, my other kit bag with the two project boxes included and, of course, my Cricut Create. Luckily, there was plenty of space in the storage area of the motorhome.

Now, it might be considered a little overkill if I did not do any scrapping, but I did manage to get 10 pages done on the one series of our family vacation in 2006 (only three more years until I am caught up....., yeah right!). The only reason that I stopped at 10 was because I ran out of the paper that I was using on the layouts. I should have another four or six pages to complete the vacation and then I am on to the fall of 2006.

Oh well, I have added to the amount of photos that I have to scrap on this vacation as we have travelled all over the province - from Big Lake, BC near Williams Lake to Victoria and finally to Fruitvale, BC in the Kootenays.

Another family vacation is coming to an end....

Next trip, and, of course, lots and lots of photo ops is Washington, DC in just two weeks. That should keep me scrapbooking well into 2015!

Yes, I am totally addicted to scrapbooking -- my name is Brenda and I AM ADDICTED -- I freely admit this, but am in no hurry to find a cure.

Happy Scrapping,

Brenda

Totally Addicted

You know that you are totally addicted when your son comes home from his high school graduation dance and hands you his ticket stubs and program so that they can be included in your scrapbooking.

When even your teenagers recognize that you will want to keep all the pieces of their lives - then this you know that this has gone beyond the casual straight to the obsession level as far as hobbies go!

(He did tell me that I was not allowed to scrapbook book is his grad cap though!!) (That's OK - I found a tassel that was lost - I can scrapbook that!)

Happy scrapping,

Brenda

Baby Showers and Other Ideas

Today I attended a baby shower at the office for one of our lawyers - her little boy was born last month. I used to spend hours and hours knitting or crochetting little outfits for the latest editions. They were wonderful and I really enjoyed making them, but after the second or third time that they wore them, the baby had probably out-grown the outfit and it was put away for the next baby or given away to someone else. I am sure that the next person loved them too, but the time that I had put in for the original person had a very limited life span.

For the last couple of baby showers, instead of knitting something, I have instead made a little personalized scrapbook album. That way, even after the baby is long grown into an adult, the parent still has the present that I specially made just for them as a long term momento.

The added bonus to me is that I get to use a hobby that I love (not that I don't love knitting and crochetting too) but that the little albums can usually be finished in a single evening instead one or two weeks of work. In addition, the gift of a little album is truly a one-of-a-kind type of gift - the new parent doesn't get four of them!

So the next time that you have a baby, bridal or other event where a small personal gift is appropriate, don't forget to put your scrapbooking skills to good use!

Happy Scrapping!

Brenda

Very Big Thank You to All Who Participated

The Butterfly Crop went off without a hitch on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009.

I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for all who participated. From all reports, a great time was had by all. Not only did everyone seem to get scrapbooking done, but they had a good time too!!

Thank you too to Sandra and the Pick of the Patch gang for the use of their crop room - Sandra provided goodie bags for all the participants and waived the crop fee so that more money could go to this worthwhile charity.

We raised $700+ for the BC Cancer Agency. I am sure that they will put the money to good use.

Plans are already in the works for our next Butterfly Crop in early November. Stay tuned for the announcement later in the year.

Thanks again!!

Happy Scrapping!

Brenda