Scrapbook Room Envy

There are times when I get Scrapbook Room Envy. Granted I do have a little Scrapbook Nook of my very own, but there it is...it's a nook. Its filled to the brim with everything I need to create layouts, stamping projects and more. But I have to admit...there are times when I wish it were bigger, that I could have my computer, printers sewing machine, my little TV and a big comfy chair in thereMy favorite segment in Creating Keepsakes magazine is "Embrace Your Space". It's amazing how serene and tranquil some of these spaces look. My favorite room to date has to be Becky Higgins scrapbooking room. The shades of Aqua Blue she has painted on on the walls is the end all be all. There are some wonderful scrapbooking/stamping rooms featured on the Internet (2 peas has some great ones posted there). One day we will move again, and then maybe, just maybe I'll get a bigger space to make into my Scrapbook Nook.

New Projects

The undertaking of new projects, is always exciting! Since we have no clue as to when we'll be moving I decided to go ahead and accept the OSC (Officer's Spouses Club) board position of Historian. So what's a "Historian"? you ask...basically it's scrapbooking! Actually it's taking pictures of the different club events throughout the year, writing about what went on and then scrapbooking it all :), pretty cool eh? Okay so the down part of this is that you have to work on 4 albums at once (no I'm not kidding). I've already completed one project for my OSC Board position and am about ready to start on another one. I can see this being a great deal of fun!

In conjunction with being Historian I also hold the Publicity position on the board. We have many interest groups within the OSC, of which I head up and organize the Scrapbooking Group (gee imagine that). I hope to get more newcomers interested in OSC and Scrapbooking!

My Rolodex Idea Cards

So here they are...my Rolodex idea cards. I started out making the Americana themed one first. It's a pocket type and the "masters 2006" card can be removed. The 2nd one I made on a whim and it's about Babies. The use of pink and blue onesies are for my children Andrew and Hannah. I'm on a roll and want to make more! I've got some more ideas running through my head on making some different themes, but right now I really want to make one with flowers and the theme is friendship. This is to pay homage to my friends Susan and Theresa...who make me smile and laugh at every day life!

Breast Cancer affects us all

I just found out this evening that a good friend of mine (that I have known for the past 16 years) has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. It's heart breaking news. Her children are the same age as my children. She has 3 daughters. I had a friend die from breast cancer in 2003 shortly before we arrived here in South Dakota. She left behind a daughter the same age as my Hannah and a young son.That same year we had a frien die from Lung Cancer (who had never smoked in his life).My good friend Theresa is doing a walk for Breast Cancer here is the letter she sent to me...

Sandie and Lucien, This year in February, I made a very special commitment. I made a commitment that will be meaningful for so many people beyond myself. Over three days this August, I will travel to Minneaplois and walk 60 miles in the Breast Cancer 3-Day. This walk is so much more than just a walk- it will be raising money to support the Susan G. Komen breast Cancer Foundation and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer fund. My personal challenge has already begun. It will culminate when thousands of walkers take the final steps in Minneapolis on August 20th. Over the next three months, I will be spending many, many hours walking in training. To date I have walked 250 miles in training, and will log more that 600 miles while helping to spread the word about breast cancer awareness. I have committed to raising $2,200 to participate in this walk. I am asking you to make a commitment too. Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation to help me achieve this goal. I will be doing all the walking all you need to do is visit www.the3day.org. Please consider making a donation for a cause that will affect someone you know or love in your lifetime. This is an important event for me. Both my and my husband's grandmothers, and several of David's aunts have lost the battle against breast cancer. I am walking in their honor, and in the hope that one day children never have to worry about losing their mom or grandma to breast cancer. You may know someone who has been affected by breast cancer, and I would be proud to walk in her honor as well. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for all women, and the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55. What is even scarier is that both its cause and mean for its cure remain undiscovered. Currently, one million women in the US have breast cancer, and it has challenged more than 2 million survivors. Increased awareness and education means more survivors. I am taking on a bold challenge to do something that will help raise awareness and help in finding a cure. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope that you choose to share in this incredible adventure with me. Please call me or email me if you have any questions or just want to talk. Thanks for your support!Theresa MartenFollow this link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support The Breast Cancer 3-DayYes

I am pledging money to this awesome cause! And I'll do things here locally to help her reach her goal as well! Cancer affects us all!

CKU Masters Boston and the Rolodex Swap

Here I am preparing for what is now going to be the last CKU-Masters event ever, let me tell you I'm VERY happy that I didn't change my mind on going! I’m sitting here at my computer looking through what seems to be thousands of photo’s, trying to decide which ones to bring with me for the different classes. I want to be able to highlight each month with the best possible photos. I'm anxious to get started on packing my travel scrapbook bag for this trip!

Then there’s that Rolodex Swap. I had to hunt high and low to find the 3x5 Rolodex… and let me tell you, it seemed as if every office supply place online sold out of it too! Finally, I was able to locate one at Office Depot in town, of course it was the last one and it was shoved way in the back and I had to get on my hands and knees to grab it. Now that I have my new Rolodex proudly displayed on the work surface in my scrapbook nook ,I need to get cracking and fill it up with those groovy idea cards! I’ve got 2 different proto-types going at the moment. My Americana design needs a little more tweaking…it’s almost there. And my flower card has turned into a baby theme (I have no idea how that happened). All I have to say is WOW! What a fun new way to make and display idea cards!

Having a Sense of Accomplishment

I awoke this morning feeling refreshed and having this overwhelming sense of accomplishment...WOW what a feeling! Even though the sky overcast with what seems to be tons of dark gray clouds, I feel energized and ready to tackle some more difficult scrapbooking projects. I haven't felt very jazzed about tackling these projects (hence they've been sitting on the back burner for a while), and then the other day I just dove in and now I'm feeling eager to tackle more! I'll be posting these layouts "after" they are entered in the South Dakota Central States Fair.

Have you read Ali's blog (I have a link to it) What is your happiness today? It's chuck full of inspiring thoughts and quotes...it's really worth taking your time to read.

Things that make me smile

So here I am with a blog, so what to put in it…. My life is oh so exciting…not really but I like to pretend that it is. So who am I? I’m Sandie, a self confessed paper addict and scrapbooker. There’s so much more to me than being a mother and a wife. There are those things that I do just for me…I’m a Natural History and Archeology junkie! I can’t seem to get enough of the stuff. Does it bother me that the rest of my family thinks it’s on the boring side of the spectrum of things that they are interested in doing? Not in the least! It’s “my thing” and that’s okay!

I find it rather funny when friends talk about me and the way I scrapbook. It was nearly 3 years ago, I was at a spouses coffee when I chanced to overhear a new friend describe my style of scrapbooking to another group of friends as "Creative Memories on steroids". Trust me I had a hard time trying not to pee on myself from laughing so hard. From never having looked at myself in quite that light before I would have to say that at the time it was pretty funny to see my scrapbooking style being described as such. The funny thing about that is...the same friend still uses that term to describe my style of scrapbooking. What a hoot!

Since moving here in 2003, I've only met a handful of people that scrapbook in a manner very much as my own. I don't sell anything (nor do I want to) besides my own talent. I started doing some Scrapbook for Hire projects at the request of several of the commanders wives. It's been a pretty good little side business (keeps me in scrapbooking and stamping supplies). I also got more into stamping since moving here. I consider myself a full circle crafter with sewing, quilting and needlework on my resumé.

Here's something that really makes me laugh...apparently my Scrapbook Nook has a reputation of it's own. I have to laugh when people introduce me to new neighbors and such and they (the new neighbors) say..."So you're the lady with the scrapbook room".

Peg Board

I can't begin to tell you how much I have enjoyed having a peg board right over my work space. You have total control of how you want to arrange and rearrange the way you want to have your scrapbooking tools and items displayed. Everything that you need to make a layout can be right in front of you. My peg board is always being re-arranged to suit my needs at that time. The picture you see is how it looks today, next week or next month is could be different. Peg boards are no longer just for tool storage in the garage, they've come full circle and are inside of the home too! So when looking at designing a little "Scrapbook Nook" of your own, don't over look Peg Board! And it can be painted to match an decor!

Traveling with Scrapbooking Supplies

Be it in the car or in an airplane...you need to pack your supplies in a manner in which they are not going to be damaged. Before the invention of those wonderful Scrapbooking Tote Bags on wheels there were Rubber-Maid plastic totes. Now this is several years ago mind you, when I would go to crops I would put my scrapbooking items in one of those plastic totes. All of my things were in that Rubber-Maid tote that I would need, such as my scrapbook refill pages, page protectors, embellishments (which were stickers at that time)my tools and so forth. I'd stack them up carefully and put the lid on it and go!

Now it's been many years since my Rubber-Maid tote days and there are so many companies that have come out with lines of scrapbooking "luggage". We're talking about stuff that can handle being put through the rigors of the airport baggage handlers! Everyone that travels needs to have one of these fantastic bags! I see them everywhere now, not just at your LSS (local scrapbooking store) but at places such as Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, even Office Depot carries scrapbook luggage, LOL! I love these bags on wheels because of the ease of which it is to pack what you need in it for a crop. There was a lot of thought as to what a scrapbooker needs to pack for a crop put into the design of these "bags". There are places to store things such as pens, scissors, paper trimmers in a secure manner. I love the fact that mine has a place for holding paper, layouts and albums in such a way as that they will not get damaged in transit. I'm not endorsing any one brand, you will need to find a brand and style that suits your own personal needs. I love the fact that Scrapbooking Luggage is now available in so many different colors! When I bought mine, they were only available in Black or Navy Blue. The ones in Pink or that Kiwi Green really caught my eye, LOL! But do I need a new bag? No not really, so until the wheels fall off of the one I have now, I'll just stick with what I have. My recommendation to you is...assess what your needs are and shop with those needs in mind.

Quick Clean up with Swiffer!

I love to do heat embossing, but what a mess it makes! The dust and fine particles blow all over the place and afterwards I end up having to wipe everything down with a damp baby wipe or cloth. So last night it came to me...get out that Swiffer Hand Duster and try it! So I got it out and oh my gosh it works like a CHARM! It picks up all of the fine particles and takes them away! NO more fine grit all over the place! So try this nifty idea in your craft room the next time you do heat embossing. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Angel Policies and What They Are

This means that these companies are happy to have you use their products in projects where you plan to sell or exhibit your artwork. All designs are copyrighted by their respective companies. They want you to have a good time, but they also want you to respect their copyrights and the time and money they've spent to bring the designs to the scrapbook and stamping public. For general guidelines of what an Angel Policy, most use the following rules:If using stamps, please hand-stamp each project individually. No mechanical reproduction of any sort is allowed. No scanning, no photocopying, no printing of items for resale or use. You must use the original item. Some companies MAY make exceptions if you need a few color copies of a completed project for your personal use, such as inclusion in a swap. Give a credit to the manufacturer of the design whenever possible- especially if submitting art for publication. The EXACT Angel policy may vary from company to company. If you have any questions please contact that particular company for the correct answer. I got this from www.littlebit.com Judy Perry's site is VERY informative! Please check it out when you have a chance. And when in doubt of the companies policy on re-sale please go to that companies web site and look it up.
http://www.littlebit.com/angelList/angellistpolicyonly.htm this is the Stamping
Angel List
Non-Angel List
Scrapbook Angel List
Scrapbook Non-Angel List


Some of you will be surprised at the names on the Non-Angel list and there are some well known names. I hope that this is of some interest and help to those that are looking at selling some of their hand crafted cards as the holidays approach. I need to cover all of the bases (legal stuff) on this for the OSC auction and I thought that I should share what I've found.


The Non-Angel policy means that they DO NOT want you to make things to sell using their items. When you go to the web site of the individual companies it will be stated there. Now I was surprised with Two Peas and their FREE fonts being a Non-Angel. I pretty much thought that once you put something on the Internet and give it away at no cost that they pretty much had given up the right of having a say in how you use it. But I see that I was wrong in assuming that. I found out a great deal of stuff by looking up the Angel Policy of the different stamp companies out there. And all because I want to donate something for the gift table auction thing that my squadron wives group is doing for the Officers Wives Club...all money is donated to non-profit. But none the less I have to make sure that I don't get into trouble by having these items up for sale even though I'm not the one selling them.
Close to My Heart formally D.O.T.S. has a very detailed Angel Policy please read it here with this direct link to the site Close to my heart angel policy A couple of things caught my eye with this one...if you use their stamps to create a card for sale, you may not use another brand of stamp in conjunction with that card. In other words...You stamp a Valentine card using their hearts but there's a great "Happy Valentines Day" Stamp in a curly cursive that you know would look great with it from say Hero Arts or Northwood's. They say that by having those 2 different companies stamps on your card is in violation of Their Angel Policy. Another thing that caught my eye is the No Internet Sales of your hand made cards that use their stamps. So as I said before, PLEASE check with each company and review their Angel Policy for selling hand made cards. Every company seems to have a different twist to their policy and what they require from us the consumer.

Die Cutting Systems and 8½x11 Paper Storage

Are you like me and need to have visual stimulation to feel inspired and get creative? For me that phrase "out of sight out of mind" holds true with some things. One of them being my alphabet dies. I need to see them out in the open so I use them on a regular basis. I also have a Sizzix tower to store my alphabars. I used my Dymo label maker to put the name of the font on the front of the containers. This makes it quick for me to figure out what I'm going to pull out and use. I have them nestled in-between the drawers of 8½x11 card stock.

About my 8½x11 cardstock and paper storage. Each drawer has it's own color family, there's even a drawers devoted white cardstock, hand made papers, vellum and yes there's even one for 8½x11 patterned papers (although I don't buy it often). These handy drawer units can be stacked together or sat on a shelf or desk top. I purchased these at my local Wal-Mart, but they are available in other discount and craft and hobby stores as well.

Ribbon Storage

Ribbon is such a terrific embellishment! You can use it on cards, tags, scrapbook layouts and so much more! It comes in so many wonderful colors and types. There's twill tape, satin finished and my two favorites sheer organdy and grosgrain. There's checked patterned ribbon, ribbon with dots, stripes, plaids, flowers and twill tape that is printed with sentimental words and phrases. Heck with the right stamps and ink you can make your own printed ribbon and twill tape. Ribbon comes in various widths, some ribbon has wired edges, but most do not. No matter what your personal preference is...the industry has made sure that there is something for everyone! Now how do we store it after we bring it home? I've seen it stored in a few different ways. Heck I've got it stored 3 different ways myself. Here you see picture of how the majority of my ribbon and twill tape are stored. I have added round wooden balls to the ends of dowels purchased at a local craft store. E-mail me and I'll give you detailed information on how to make these for your own craft room. There is a slight over hang in my scrapbook nook and I used it to my full advantage. I purchased some cute hooks from a local craft store and hung the dowels across them. I need to have 3 because the middle of the dowel needed to be supported because of the weight of all of the spools of ribbons. I display my ribbon in R.O.Y.G.B.I.V. (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) fashion, I love the way that looks! Now I've seen where some of the trendy folks display their collection of ribbons in jars on mantels and make it look like decor. That's great for those that have the space and don't mind fumbling through glass jars (for me, that's just an accident waiting to happen). But you see, I'm not out to impress others with how cool my stash looks, I'm into what functions best for me and how I can easily access what I have. For those that don't have that nifty over hang there's my other ribbon storage idea...those multi level pant hangers, those work great! I have longer pieces pinned over the lowest bar that doesn't move. The bars swing out so you can put spools of ribbon over them. Hang them from a hook, or in the closet. They are inexpensive as compared to those plastic boxes for ribbons storage. A friend bought her ribbon storage boxes for $40 a piece (she had 3). I made my wooden dowel ribbon storage for under $5, did I mention that I made 3 of them for under $5. Do you have only a handful of spools of ribbon but want it accessible? Use an upright paper towel rack...this works great and can sit on your counter top!

Paper Storage

I decided to start with paper storage...it is after all the first thing we need in making a scrapbook page.

In the beginning...before the wonderful world of scrapbooking became what it is today, the only papers available were 8½x11 card stock in roygbiv...no variation of hues there just red, orange, yellow, green and so forth. Believe it or not, I kept it in a plastic sleeve (yeah, I didn't own a whole lot back then). After our move to Virginia and was introduced to real honest to goodness totally dedicated just to the art of scrapbooking stores, that was when I started buying 12x12 cardstock and papers. I stored them in the Accordion style Paper keeper Boxes, the ones for 12x12 paper. You can get them at Michael's Arts and Crafts, Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart or just about any local scrapbooking store (or LSS for short). That worked great while I was in Virginia. I could tuck them all into my Armoiré and close the doors.

Okay so now I have a real honest to goodness Scrapbook Nook, none of that worrying about resale of the house stuff here, LOL! My scrapbook paper storage has changed a few times since the incorporation of this work space. First it was the Accordion style paper holders, then it was the 12x12 plastic sleeves by Generations, then it was the 12x12 clear plastic storage drawers and now finally...it's the Vertical paper organizer for me. This lets me see what I have and I can find the color or patterned paper that I need right away. The Vertical Paper Organizers are by Generations. There are also thinner ones available, I have my various patterned paper (sorted by theme) in them.

Organizing your Scrapbooking Space

When it comes organizing your scrapbooking space, you need to sit down and evaluate what you have by the way of space and supplies. Will you be including room for growth of your collection of scrapbooking papers and embellishments? How do you want to display these items? Some scrapbookers have huge rooms in which they can spread out and have big comfy chairs and TV's and such and others (such as myself) have a much smaller space and we're lucky to be able to squeeze a drafting chair in the room, LOL! And others just have a "corner" in a room in their homes with nothing more than a card table or TV tray on which to scrapbook. No matter what the size of your scrapbooking space, you need to have it organized!


My scrapbook nook is a room that is/was a utility closet. I share my space with the water heater and furnace. It's the only room in the house that does not have a ventilation duct (for Heat and A/C), it does however have a vent for circulation of air from the outside...probably for removing of the exhaust from the gas furnace and gas water heater. So what does this mean for me? When it's hot outside it's hot in my little nook, and when it's cold outside...baby it's cold in the nook! I bought a small portable heater/fan and it works very well at keeping it comfortable for me. I will take you step by step in getting your space organized.

Shop with a plan

Shop with a plan, that's very sound advice...take it from someone who knows! I have to give a chuckle when I see ladies that are shopping for scrapbooking or stamping supplies that run for anything marked down, on sale or worse yet on clearance. This is where a lot of beginner and even the seasoned scrapbookers get sucked into some sort of vortex and all reason flies out the window, LOL! And before they know it, the word "sale" quickly becomes a 4 letter word in their husbands eyes, especially when associated with "scrapbooking". :-D Soon they are spending money on items that they will in all likelihood never use (trust me, I've been there). They are telling themselves that they "could possibly use this in the future". The sad thing is, they most likely will never use those sale or clearance items because something new and improved has replaced them and they want THOSE items now. So what happens to the old items ? They're pushed to the back of the box never to see light again, LOL! And clearance items, just stay away from them! Those are items that you will in all likelihood will never be able to find another one of if you make a layout in the future and find yourself needing another piece of that particular paper or embellishment. If you buy clearance items, my recomndation is to use them right away! That way you will know if you need another of a particular item, chances are that you can still get one.

Sales are not all that they seem to be. Oh I used to be a sale shopper, trust me, I've reformed! I can't begin to tell you how much money (and time) I have wasted on buying up all kinds of printed papers, embellishments and whatnot's that I have never used. What's the point in having a huge stash of supplies if two thirds of it is stuff that you will most likely never use? I'd much rather pay full price for my scrapbooking supplies and come home and use them right away. Okay so there are a few things that I will buy when they are on sale...adhesive, card-stock (I make a list of which colors I need and stick to the list) and plain vellum, other than that forget it!

Shop with a plan...have those pictures with you when you are searching for those "perfect" papers, card-stock and embellishments for that layout. Draw up a list of thing that you are looking for, maybe even bring along a basic sketch of what you would like to do with your pictures. A list of colors that you want to look at, kinds of prints you're considering. Put some real effort into your thought process of shopping for this layout. Once you get home...work on that layout! Get it done and into your scrapbook as soon as possible while the ideas are still fresh in your mind!

Maybe there's a special stamp that you would use on this layout or a particular shade or acrylic paint that you would like to use. Really sit down and look at what you want to do...and then do it!

Purge your unused scrapbook items

Being that my Scrapbook Nook is a "nook" in the biggest sense of the word, LOL! I have a very limited amount of space in which to store and display my scrapbooking paraphernalia. I try to go through my stash of papers, embellishments and cardstock on a semi regular basis. Over the past 2 days I've made the biggest purge of supplies ever in my scrapbooking life.

I've come to terms with my scrapbook supply hoarding tendencies and decided to take a huge leap and make my biggest purge ever! Over time our scrapbooking styles change and evolve, it's the natural progression of things. With a market that is ever changing, it's bound to happen. Once upon a time I used fibers like there was no tomorrow. But through my stamping and card making I really got into using ribbon (grosgrain being my #1 all time favorite). I've been using ribbon exclusively for over 2 years now. So with that in mind, I grabbed a 2 gallon Ziploc baggie and filled it full of carded fibers, but wait...there was more that I wanted to purge so I went back for a 2nd 2 gallon Ziploc bag and filled it as well. I'm committed to this so then I work my way over to my cardstock...I started going through my stash of 8½x11 first and I purged the colors that I just do not use. And here's something that I will admit to doing but most others in the scrapbooking world won't...in the beginning I bought scrapbooking papers and cardstock at Wal-mart. Now why on earth would I still have that "stuff" in my scrapbook nook when I made the big switch to using Bazzill 5 years ago? Especially since I was not using it? Because in a monochromatic way it "looked good" in my clear paper holders. This stuff is crap and I'm keeping it because it looks good in a clear container, sheesh!!! So I'm clearing it out to make room for stuff I will actually use! When I sat down and thought about how long I had been dragging this stuff around with me. I could hardly believe that I'd been schlepping it around since 1999...that's along time to drag around products that you just don't use.

A place for everything and everything in it's place is the key to being organized. Now here is something that Lisa Bearnson has said about the way she organizes and keeps her scrapbooking room in order. She used the word Space...
Sort
Purge
Assign a place
Containerize it
Keep up with it Everyday.

And this is what I do, just with a catchy phrase. :-)

I'm CKU-M Boston bound!

After I registered for CKU-Masters I felt inspired to make a pocket page to hold receipts, hotel reservations and so forth. I'm pretty excited about this trip and I'm looking forward to a few days away from the family just by myself...and a few hundred other scrapbookers.

Here I am!

I wanted to add a recent photograph of myself to my new blog...so here I am!

My first post to my new blog

So here I am in the midst of creating a blog about my passion for scrapbooking and stamping. My best friend Susan has been bugging me about this for just over a year now. Be prepared or should I say warned, as I can talk about scrapbooking and stamping like no one knows!

I was introduced to Scrapbooking by my friend Amy in 1999.I remember seeing her beautiful scrapbook pages and saying" WOW this is the craft for me!". So for me it's been a wonderful obsession!