blast from the past

If you want to see just how your scrapbooking style has changed over the years, go back and look at the kind of layouts you saved for inspiration when you first started scrapping. In cleaning out a box today I came across a pile of layouts I’d printed off back in early 2004; some sparked a chord as I remembered the layouts they inspired me to make but many others were variations on a theme using the same papers, or just ideas I never executed and which I wouldn’t do now. Unlike looking at old magazines these were all specifically chosen by me – even then I was drawn to blues and greens for my pages, although I didn’t realize that until much later. Happily, among the pile (most of which has now hit the recycling bin) there were a few gems which live on in my box of inspiration – and interestingly enough, a couple pages ripped if you can believe from a magazine dated 1999 that show some artsy techniques I still consider worthwhile, and for which I now have the supplies to do. Having lost all my computer saved resources in a hard drive crash a couple of years ago, I was quite interested to rediscover this long-forgotten file, and take a trip down the memory lane of my scrapbooking evolution.

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A new (sketch) love

I was positively giddy at discovering the blog of Allison Davis here last week. She designs the kind of sketches that exactly suit my style of scrapping. How have I not known of her before now?

I couldn’t wait to try the current sketch. With photos in mind, I pulled out some Cosmo Cricket “Mr. Campy”, one of my favourite CC lines ever.

Putting this layout together was too stinkin’ fun for words. My flex ruler got put to good use, as did some ancient tree stickers and animal rub-ons. I’m sure I’ll be using this sketch again – and visiting this gal’s blog often.

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on the ban(ner) wagon

While I’ve been admiring banners on blogs and websites for months, up until now I had no reason to make one myself. Then M mentioned she is manning the table for the book club after church next week, so I offered an approriate table decoration.

This didn’t end up at all how I first envisioned, mostly because due to space limitations I had to scale back my original plan. Hoping my chipboard letters will be clearly visible across the room I opted to leave them plain, and mounted against an alcohol ink monoprint background stamped in script. A deckled edge provides a finishing touch.

Further embellishing felt gratuitous; as it is I’m not sure I needed the flowers, but they’re there to stay. Overlapping my individual pennants keeps the overall size in check, and has the added advantage of making the whole piece sturdier.

Now that I’ve ventured into the realm of banners, I hope to have occasion to make more of them.

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I *heart* Prima

Ever since “Got Flowers?” hit the scrapbook store shelves I’ve had a fondness for Prima products, acquiring them faster than I can think of ways to use them. Today I read with excitement that Prima Marketing is publishing an Idea Book, which will be a must-have on my scrappy bookshelf.

I look forward to finding this tome, which I suspect will prove to be as popular as the products themselves. In the meantime I am grateful to Prima for sharing just one technique from the book on their blog, and will ponder how I can try it, too.

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skip the patterned paper

You’d never know it based on the layouts I’ve shared so far, but this is not a typical layout for me. I’m a patterned paper girl, frequently using 3 or more on any given page. I’ve declared several times that I could scrap in a World Without Cardstock; and while I do use cardstock I still believe that to be true, especially given the range of neutral patterns that abound. But I digress…

In yet another BPS online class taught by May Flaum called “Adventures in Scrapbooking: Use Your Stash” the challenge was to skip the patterned paper. This was not a quick layout for me, probably because both the neutral background and no sketch approach are neither my usual practice. And to further challenge my Muse I opted for a handcut title – something else that is rare for me. I decided on a photo with bright colours which I liked against the kraft background, and wanted to keep everything else on the page in shades of brown for contrast.

The cloth tape by 7Gypsies and jewel brads (unknown) are just 2 of the items in my stash I’m trying to get used. I was also happy to empty a package of Making Memories leather flowers that have been in the drawer for several years. Although with scrapbooking supplies having been streamlined by manufacturers in recent months, it has crossed my mind to wonder if I might miss all the various materials that make up my stash, should I succeed in using them up.

Somewhere I’m sure, is a photo of my daughter taken many years ago in the same spot as this recent one of my grandsons. I’m making a note to find it – I’d enjoy having them side by side in my scrapbook.

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