Simple Scrapbooking--It's Frugal, Artistic, and Fast

I have been scrapbooking for over fifteen years. I started when my daughter turned five and I found a beautiful scrapbook at the Hallmark store...it called out to me from the shelf...and right then and there I became a scrapbooker. Over the years I've gone with the flow and ebb of trends and what's available in the scrapbooking aisles. I got attached to a little independent scrapbook store near my house where I took classes and shopped, which then closed its doors, and I've seen ups and downs in the whole scrapbooking trend ever since. 

After art journaling and Smash books became a trend, I realized I had been art journaling for many years--I just didn't know it. I had always kept a book of thoughts, quotes, drawings, and my little stories and ideas in my bag all the time. I completed three of those little art journals before the term became so popular. Now I realize that the thing to do is to use the art and upcycling I love about art journaling with my scrapbooking. All those old scrapbooking papers I don't plan to use, are perfect backings for my own watercolor pages. I love how my doodling in watercolor goes great with a photo.

You can upcycle so many little pieces of artwork into your scrapbooking. On this patchwork page I have a little cross-stitched heart--the whole page came together quickly when I printed out a sheet of 2X2 photos, cut them up and combined them with 2X2 papers for journaling, and laid it all out on a sheet of pretty scrap paper laid over 12X12 craft paper. I left room on the side for journaling with a white gel pen. It came together pretty quick too.

I did a quick Christmas 2013 page thanks to a great photo offer from Walgreens. You have to watch for those great deals, and one week they offered a free--absolutely free--collage print. I ran with that, and used my collage print on a piece of scrapbook paper I had gotten for half-price at a local independent store after Christmas...added a little diecut with a white paper ribbon (which was part of a prize from Factory Direct Craft) and some white gel pen, and I was done with a nice scrappy update on Christmas. And it was very fast and frugal! Now, I did say a few days ago, that I was done with the old post-bound scrapbooks and want to switch to three-ring. But here I go...off to Michaels to check out some amazing sale on scrapbooks! Hope you enjoy your scrapbooking and use your art, your stash, and clever deals!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Scrap



 

WOYWW 266 - Breakfast and Scrapbooking

Good morning lovely deskers! I'm actually writing this on a Tuesday morning for the weekly What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday full-of-messy-desky-fun-linky-party. I just had my first turkey bacon and tomato sandwich with a tomato from the garden. Oh my--there's just nothing like it. Finishing my coffee and a nectarine, I'm scrapbooking again. I just wanted to get a few more pages scrapbooked before I finish my ruffle scarf and contemplate knitting a summer skirt. I saw a crochet skirt on Cindy Crawford at the beach--I'm thinking I could knit one similar, and of course, I'd look just like her!

I did a patchwork scrappy page

I actually happen to know that she is a lovely person--but that would be some magic yarn to make me look like that!!

So, mere minutes later, I finished this scrapbooking layout and thought I'd share it. I'm into speed scrapbooking! Actually, Lindsay at The Frugal Crafter blog shared a video the other day about "Is Scrapbooking Dead?" Now that Two Peas in a Bucket is closing its online doors, as well as a few others, a lot of people responded to Linday's vlog.

I personally have not scrapbooked in ages--so I really don't know what got into me. I'm a little afraid of doing a Project Life kind of thing as it seems too demanding for someone like me who enjoys doing a little of everything depending on my mood. Lately, I feel like I'm in way too many selfies...don't know how that happened! But I've got jewelry and cards to make and an art quilt to start! Plus, there's the craft book I'm writing and I'm going to self-publish it on Amazon. I'll let you know how that goes. Have a fabulous week lovelies.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

My Mailbox Garden 2014

I love my mailbox garden. Ever since a drunk driver mowed down my original mailbox, I have never regretted spending a little extra and having my brick mailbox rebuilt by an artisan bricklayer with a roomy little garden bed.

Read the story of my mailbox garden here.

Every year, I've planted something different. This year, I didn't want to buy starts, I wanted to do it all from seed. Burpee's mailbox garden packet was just the ticket. I planted in late April, and used a plastic cover until the starts came up (for a greenhouse effect) and the result is this lush variety of gorgeous flowering plants and vines with even more to come. There are zinnias and things about to bloom--so I'll have to post an update!

My mail carrier enjoys it, and so do the regular joggers and walkers on my sidewalk, as they've watched everything grow.

And here's a tip--we have a lot of cats in our neighborhood. We custom cut some chickenwire which stays over the garden bed when it is not full of plants--otherwise kitties think it's a big ole litterbox! They stay out of it when we have all these plants though.

Thanks to a rainy/sunny spring and early summer, I haven't even had to water it that much--so it's just been pure delight from a packet of seeds.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Grow

Sunday Threads

All things work together for good...if you love the Lord.
Romans 8:28

JUNE PHOTO JOURNAL

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Grow

WOYWW 265--Still Scrapbooking

I've decided I need to schedule out exactly what I want to do and when I want to do it! I love to play with wire and beads, embroidery, knitting, mixed-media art quilts, cross-stitching, making cards, and at long last, back to scrapbooking. But the problem is, I want to do all this every day! I'm a mess. And so is my craft table.

I am not ashamed though! This is What's-On-Your-Workdesk-Wednesday, and this is what we do! We don't clean up for the camera. Oh no. We suddenly just stop what we're doing, and snap a couple of photos to share the real story of creativity--and it's almost always kinda messy.

So pardon our progress (as the construction signs say) because I really was making progress here. I wanted to get a few more photos scrapbooked while I'm on a roll so that I could play with my new watercolor pencils. I just bought them--I didn't get super expensive ones, but I'm here to say, why didn't I have these before? They are so much fun! I just sketch and color a bit, then bring out the watercolor paintbrush and it all blends together. Love it. Last time, a fellow desker had asked how I used my watercoloring in my scrapbooking. So here's a page I had planned to do for my daughter's birthday, and I used a little watercolor I had done.

I'm also trying to do several flower watercolors using a combination of my watercolor paints, pencils and even gelatos. They will be for cards, scrapbook pages, and maybe to sell at a fall craft fair. I've also got more jewelry to make for that craft fair! Can't wait to show my mess next week--but soon I'll be off to visit your desk.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Create

Tag Tuesday Garden Party

Happy Tag Tuesday! Visit the Tag Tuesday Blog right here for today's Garden Party tags. I've been spending my extra time in the garden lately to keep things going--and I love being out there with everything in full bloom. I would love to have a huge bumper crop of tomatoes for my salsas and canned tomatoes - and I want lots of basil, parsley, cukes, zukes, spaghetti squash, and peppers!

Click here for my five unusual garden guidelines.

Today's "Garden Party" theme is perfect for me, because every day is a garden party at my house. I take my coffee out there in the morning, I pick herbs every day, and I'm always pulling a weed or pruning a tomato plant. Therefore, I didn't have much time to make a tag--so I chose some beautiful scrapbook paper, layered on a dictionary snippet and sentiment, and an actual little photo I took of a wooden "seeds" sign. It's no secret I love to layer things--the only thing that's missing is a little stitching!

Have a happy day in your garden.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Grow