Let Him Eat Cake!

Ever since I started scrapbooking last year, I've felt like I'm a step behind. In fact it took me several months to even figure out where to start. Should I go back and scrap from the beginning? This seemed a monumental task! Should I start with a trip album? Good idea but it wouldn't justify the purchase of all those patterned papers and miscellaneous embellishments I bought. So, in the long run, I just started scrapping whatever inspired me. And for the last year, this method has worked. I do, however, have days when I feel like I should be capturing all of the Christmas and birthday celebrations but, frankly, the thought of doing 20 Christmas layouts or 10+ birthday layouts bores me. So when I saw a layout in the Creative Keepsakes Gallery of all the wonderful cakes one scrapper baked in a year, I was inspired to capture the first 12 birthday cakes I made for Mark in one layout. Here it is:

The journaling reads: It all started when I bought the bear and made icing balloons to match the cake plates. The next year, I thought that I could do better so I made Pooh. Each year the cakes have gotten more elaborate: Pongo (3)...a firetruck (4)...R2D2 (5)...Gameboy (6)...Harry Potter (7)...baseball cap (8)...trumpet (9)...skateboard (10)...pirateship (11)...track (12). I wonder what I will make for you next year! Will I have any ideas left?

I had the original layout in my head for a while but when I saw Stephanie Howell's challenge (http://methodplayground.blogspot.com/) to use a bow on a layout, I was inspired to turn the first page into a present. Thanks for the inspiration Stephanie!

Here's a close-up of page one:

And page two:

Now I'll have to get busy on a layout showcasing all of the birthday cakes I made for Melissa!

Ingredients: Bazzill Cardstock; unidentified patterned paper from my stash; Michael's ribbon; Target Dollar Spot chipboard letters; American Crafts Sarah Script alphabet stickers.

The Love Bug

No, not the movie, the layout. This is the project I made at the Techinique Tuesday class at CKC. Isn't it cute?

Journaling reads: July 1999, Cape Cod, MA -- Snuggling with Mom. Snuggle, cuddle, you are my love bug -- even 9 years later. Please stay my love bug!

Now you can see why I am of fan of Technique Tuesday. First, I love how the stamps inked up. The butterfly image was stamped by first stamping the back (or smooth side) of the clear stamp with the green. Then, after cleaning the stamp, I stamped the detailed side in black ink. Isn't that a great way to get two stamps for the price of one? The ladybug was actually three stamps (body, head and spot). Yes, each spot was stamped one by one. When I first heard that this was how we were supposed to fill in the dots, I almost reached for my black marker but I have to tell you, using a clear stamp made adding those 40+ dots a snap! Same thing for the little black scrolls. Oh, and I almost forget to tell you about the best technique. Do you see that green scrollwork on the inner circle and the black pattern on the flower? That's the wing of a dragonfly! After this class, I am going to look at each and every stamp I own in a different way!

I also loved working with the Technique Tuesday tiles. (And I'm glad I ordered a few more!) This layout didn't even use half of the tiles in the kit so you'll be seeing more of them. The only thing I added to the layout was my own ribbon.

Ingredients: Cosmo Cricket Patterned Paper; Bazzill Cardstock; FUNdamentals of Flowers Technique Tiles; BoHo Buzz stamps. Technique Tuesday Red Ink; VersaMagic "Tea Leaves" green ink; Doodlebug buttons; Dashes, Dots & Checks Ribbon.

CKC Part 2

Okay, so do you want to see what was inside the "Who' s Your Daddy" tote I got at CKC? Well, here is a picture of all of my purchases:

Nestabilities are among my "new" favorites and the best thing about the Spellbinder's booth was the ability to mix and match shapes for the price of one set.

When Lissette andI saw this gorgeous RicRac trim (one-inch wide!!!) we knew we had to have it. I can't wait to use mine on a beach layout. Oh, and check out all that Basic Grey. Can't wait to use that too!

As I said in a previous post, Technique Tuesday was one of my favorite booths at the Vendor Fair. I love how their stamps ink up.

And check out what I got for free. Well I really had to spend a certain amount to get them free but still...

And, who doesn't love a bargain. Everything in this picture cost $1 or $1.50!

Tomorrow I will start to share my layouts from CKC classes and crop.

Two Concerts in Two Nights (Part Two)

(Note: To play concert videos, pause the playlist at the bottom of the web page.)

So on Monday night I sat 7 rows from the top of the Nassau Coliseum at the American Idol concert. On Tuesday, I had a slightly different view at the last concert of The Police Farewell Tour. Our seats were in the 7th row from the stage! The show was excellent, but what would you expect with Sting plus Elvis Costello as the opening act. Here are the highlights:

Elvis Costello was a great opening act!

What a treat! Sting came on stage to sing Allison.

Who are those Elvis Costello impersonators? Sting and company crash Elvis Costello's act.

Sting and Andy Summers jamming.

I took 140+ pictures until I got one with Sting looking right at me with his Baby Blues!

Sting looking quite buff!

Two Concerts in Two Nights (Part 1)

(This is going to be a long post.)

Can't wait to scrap this week's events. I took Melissa to see the American Idol concert at the Nassau Coliseum. We sat in the 7th row from the back but it didn't matter. We were dancing and singing to our favorites. Here are a few highlights:

Michael Johns sings "We Will Rock You" and finally, after two acts, the concert really begins!

Carly Smithson sings Heart's Crazy on You."

Brooke White sings Coldplay's "Yellow."

Jason Castro sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." How did he make it to #4?

Archuleta sings a medley of "Stand by Me" and "Beautiful Girls."

Melissa (and about 10,000 other tweenie boppers) cheer for David Cook.

Finally the moment we all waited for....David Cook takes the stage and

he brings down the house!

The Top 10 sing together for an encore.

I'll be back tomorrow with highlights (and hopefully video) from concert #2 -- ThePolice at Jones Beach Theater.

CKC Highlights

Well to say that Lissette and I had a blast at the Creative Keepsakes Convention in Valley Forge, PA, last weekend would be an understatement! I took two great classes (Technique Tuesday & Basic Grey), finished three layouts at the Friday Night Crop and shopped 'til I ran out of money at the Vendor Fair. Oh, and did I forget to mention that I won two door prizes, Lissette won one door prize, and we didn't hit any traffic. What more can a girl ask for!!!

Here's a photo recap:

Lissette and I arrive at CKC Valley Forge ready to scrap and shop -- not necessarily in that order!

At the Friday night crop. It was great to meet and talk with other scrappers as well as have time to finish up my class project.

Lissette was hard at work on a beautiful Thanksgiving layout. We also had plenty of time to shop at the crop.

Some scrappers take these crops VERY seriously. Just ckeck out this expandable rolling tote. I might just have to get myself one of these.

A birds-eye view of the crop table.

We had so much fun, we're already planning next year's trip!

Receiving my door prize from Stacy Croninger, editor-in-chief of Paper Crafts Magazine. (The paperkeeper envelope I'm holding was stuffed with paper, stickers and embelishments.)

With Ana at the Techniques Tuesday booth. Ana and Sharon from Techniques Tuesday were so nice and spent so much time helping us choose from such a great variety of products. I can't wait for those back-ordered goodies to arrive in the mail!

The back of the car was LOADED with more scrapbooking goodies than we could carry. Don't you just love those "Who's Your Daddy" totes. Also spotted a funny sign by one of the cash registers at the Vendor Fair. It read, " Your husband just called and said to spend as much as you want!" Thanks Sal for giving me such a spectacular weekend away!!!

Fifteen

In less 15 hours, I will be at the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Valley Forge, PA, soaking in all sorts of scrappy goodness. With only 15 hours to go until my first class, I thought it fitting to post a card I made for my neighbor's 15th birthday.

As you can see, I seem to be on an embossing kick these days. This time I used my Cuttlebug and Becca Feekan at http://www.amazingpapergrace.com/ inspired me to dig out my chalks to enhance the embossing. If you have a few minutes, check out all of the amazing cards she has made with her Cuttlebug.

I'm bringing my camera to CKC so I'll have pictures to share next week.

Ingredients: The PaperCompany cardstock; DCWV birthday patterned paper, Cuttlebug Number Collage embossing folder; Stampin Up! Birthday Whimsy stamps; Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise ink; Eyelet Outlet photo corners; The Stencil Collection chalk.