It's All in the Numbers

WOW!   Today is the 183 day of the year, and there are 183 days left in 2012 (there are 366 days on this year, since 2012 is a Leap Year).  Therefore the year is 1/2 over.  This means we are 1/2 way done with our 2012 "Organize This" Challenge and many of you may be 1/2 way finished with your Project Life for 2012!  If you like journaling spots on your layouts, or if you need more journaling spots for the 2nd half of your 2012 Project Life, look no further...

I found two awesome tutorials, originally meant for creating journaling spots for Project Life...but you can use them for journaling spots on ANY layout, the best part, you get to use up scraps and stamps that you have laying around!!!  I believe Lisa Truesdell first posted a tutorial on Two Peas in a Bucket for journaling cards using Stamps and Washi Tape.  Then Michelle posted her own version of Handmade Project Life Journal Cards on her "Mish Mash" blog.

So I decided to give it a try and make a "couple" journaling spots for myself.  Well, a "couple" turned out to be about 50 or so...but I just couldn't help myself!  They are so cute and so easy to put together.

I found that working on the journal spots in an assembly line manner made the process run smoother.

• First I cut 3"x4: rectangles from various ledger and graph papers in my stash.  
• Next I taped a few strips of scrap paper down the sides/top of the journal blocks.  
• Next I used a starburst punch to add a detail to a few of the journal spots.  
• After that, I added some random mini word and/or phrase stickers and some mini label stickers.    
• For the next step I grabbed a handful of my favorite washi tapes, and added a few strips here and there.  
• Finally, I got out my sewing machine and added some random stitches, using different stitch styles, on all of the journal spots.  
• I like the rounded corners in the previous tutorials, so I rounded all of the corners and then they were complete!  

I did 90% of this while watching TV with my family.  And I was happy to get that last little use out of some of the TINY scraps that I had left of some of my favorite papers (I typically only save the tiny scraps if they are from super favorite papers--and now I'm so glad I did).

Here is an example of one of my journal blocks in use,
not only are they great for journaling,
but also great for grounding a title or an embellishment cluster!  

If you decide to give these a try, share your creations with a link in the comments below :)

Happy 1/2 way through 2012!!!

It's All in the Numbers

How have I not seen this awesome website by Debbie Hodge?  Tons of inspiration, free classes (and classes available for purchase), a little bit of everything here!!!  So in their free "One Month at a Time" series by Tami Taylor, I found a "Scrapbooking by the Numbers" section---PERFECT for our "All in the Numbers" series on CKCB.  Once you click on the link, scroll down a bit and you will see a printable PDF for "June 2012-By the Numbers".

This might make for some interesting journaling for everyday scrapbook layouts, month in review layouts, or Project Life layouts.

And just in case you need it, here are the links for the previous months' prompts...

May
April
March
February
January

These are not "year" specific, so you can implement them any year you would like!

It's all in the Numbers

5 ways to "upcycle" product packaging in your scrapbook layouts...

Five- Making "Hodge Podge" Mini Albums
Four- 3 Ways to Repurpose Your Packaging
Three- Create Beautiful Layered Embellishment Clusters
Two- Scrapbook Pages that Recycle
One- Creating Embellishments from Packaging

It's All in the Numbers

Fun Facts about Easter...

• The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.
• 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year.
• 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter.
• Each day, 5 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter.
• Easter is the second top-selling confectionery holiday behind only Halloween.
• 88 percent of adults carry on the Easter tradition of creating Easter baskets for their kids.
• 76 percent of people eat the ears on chocolate bunnies first.
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records the largest Easter egg ever made was just over 25-ft high and made of chocolate and marshmallow. The egg weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame.
• In 1953, it took 27 hours to create a Marshmallow Peep. Today it takes 6 minutes.

Sources:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/eastercandy1.html#ixzz1qwuKakb4
http://www.candyusa.com/FunStuff/FunFactsDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=985

A cute idea for some "unique" journaling on an Easter/spring page, would be to write your own statistics. 

Some examples for Easter:
_____ Easter Eggs Dyed
_____Cadbury Eggs Eaten
_____cost of a chocolate bunny

Some examples for Spring:
_____Hours flying kites
_____Flower pots planted
_____Visits to the zoo

The possibilities are endless, for some more statistic ideas see page 4 of Jill Marie's Creativity Prompts April 2011.

Happy journaling!!!

It's All in the Numbers

I came across this AWESOME blog post...First let me ask you, how do you feel about making 7 layouts in 3 hours using a limited amount of SCRAPS???  I say..."my kind of challenge"!!!  And in the author's words she used "very old scraps, but in current colors"---she uses current colors and shapes/trends from the Winter 2012 CHA!!!  So, without further ado... How to Make 7 Layouts in 3 Hours with your Scraps, by Katie Scott. Enjoy!  I'm going to try this tonight :)

PS- Katie has also made LOTS of layouts from her old supplies that were inspired by layouts and paper lines from the Winter 2012 CHA---her recent blog posts are FULL of them.  Look for "Winter CHA Knock Offs" in  her blog post titles.  Here is her "wrap-up" post of all of her CHA scraplifts http://kissandtellscrapbooking.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/02/winter-cha-2012-scraplifting-series-wrap-up-slide-show.html

It's All in the Numbers



Photo Courtesy of Graphic's Fairy

 
Whether you need to brush up on your photography skills, need some inspiration for Project Life (or P365), or just need a little scrapbooking inspiration, here is a list of  "101 Must Take Photos in 2012"


And if you would like a more detailed "Checklist of Spring Photos", check out Rebecca Cooper's Blog for a list of 50 photo ideas and photography prompts. 

I like working from these types of lists, it helps me improve my photography skills, and I can make sure I don't miss photographing any "special events" throughout the year.

It's All in the Numbers



Click here to design and print your own free "Quirky Bird" calendar

365-  # of days since we posted out first Counterfeit Kit Challenge!!!

29- # of weeks of scrapbook organization inspiration coming this year! (see tomorrow's post for more details)

2- # of days until the REVEAL of January's Counterfeit Inspiration Kit

42- # of days until Valentine's Day...are you planning on making any cards with your supplies???

8- Average # of layouts I created each month with my Counterfeit Kit in 2011--How many did you complete?

15- # of pieces of patterned paper I include in most of my Counterfeit Kits

5- # of Inspiration Kits to choose from in the January 2012 Inspiration Kit Club

494- # of fellow Counterfeiters that are following the blog---HOLY COW!!!

It's All in the Numbers

Photo Credit

Here's a simple challenge for you to participate in for the next 30 days...

"30 Days of Gratitude"

It's very simple to play along, every day during the month of November, jot down one thing that you are thankful for.  At the end of the month, you will have a list of 30 items.  Your list can be easily incorporated into a scrapbook layout, or even a mini album!

And here is a twist on the "30 Days of Graatitude",  complete with downloadable tags, joournal prompts, and other ideas http://www.crystalwilkerson.com/blog

It's All in the Numbers

10 - 3 + 7 = 1 New Design Team

We would like to thank 3 of our Design Team Members who are stepping down after 6 months of Counterfeiting with us.  Gabrielle, Lisa, and Melissa --Thank you so much for all of your beautiful kits, layouts, projects, blog hops, and tutorials!!!  We have enjoyed all of your hard work!!!

And now to introduce our 7 new Master Forgers...

Glinda http://razzledscrapper.blogspot.com/



Helen http://craftimperfect.blogspot.com/



Jen http://mypair-a-dice.blogspot.com/

Julie Ann http://julieannshahin2.blogspot.com/

Lisa http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/



Milissa http://millermall.blogspot.com/



Rebecca http://howiburb.blogspot.com/

You can read more about all of our Master Forgers HERE.

It's All in the Numbers

Since we will be focusing lots on utilizing stamps in scrapbooking this month, I thought this would be a good post for *it's all in the numbers* this month. 

50 Ways to use Stamps in Your Scrapbooks

It's All in the Numbers



Photo Credit

After participating in Ali Edward's "A Week in the Life", I decided to be on the lookout for similar documentation type challenges.  Here is what I found...

10 things right now by Ali Edwards

30 Days of Lists

42 Scrapbook Journaling Prompts

47 Journaling Prompts

It's All in the Numbers...4th of July Edition



Photo Credit



HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!!!! 

We hope you get some excellent pictures today...there are some great 4th of July goodies in this month's "inspiration kit".  Here's an aritcle called "Getting Better Photos this Fourth of July".  This article called "Take Better Photos Fourth of July Edition" also has lots of great links to improve your photos this 4th of July.  For those of you not in the USA...no worries, there are lots of other goodies in this month's inspiration kit too.

10 "Not so Ordinary" Independence Day Photo Opportunities

• 1-Close up shots of a flag or patriotic decorations
• 2-Hands preparing the food
• 3-Food cooking on the grill
• 4-Family games (water balloon fights, water gun fights, blowing bubbles, climbing trees, 3-legged races, potato sack races, etc)
• 5-Basket or bucket of new fireworks, ready to be lit
• 6-A special 4th of July family tradition
• 7-Swimming and/or running through sprinklers
• 8- The family watching the parade (rather than the parade itself)
• 9- The family watching the fireworks (rather than the fireworks themselves)
• 10-Pile of fireworks wrappers/left over pieces AFTER they have been lit

 

*scroll down just a bit more for some fun "Fourth of July by the Numbers" facts....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's All in the Numbers---With a Twist!

I found the following article on-line years ago, but thought I would share it, since it still applies today!  The author (Rockester) had the right idea back then...create your own Counterfeit embellishments, rather than buying more supplies!!! 

YIKES!!!

"Did You Know? A Word About Stockpiling Scrapbook Supplies"

Submitted by rockester on May 20, 2005 - 22:00  Taken from organizedscrapbooks.com

• "Did you know that an inch of pattern paper is estimated to be 100 sheets or 75 finished pages?
• Did you know that one inch of cardstock is roughly 50 pages finished? How many inches do YOU have? How many pages do you do a year?
• Do you have over 12 inches (1 foot) of cardstock or printed paper? Do you realise that is enough paper for 1000 pages? Are you stockpiling for someday when you already own enough paper to do thousands of pages?
• Did you know that one tin/set of 100 eyelets makes and average of 20 pages? (And how many sets of 100 do YOU own?)
• Did you know that many paper packs and multi sheet slabs usually have 10-20% of their patterns that will not suit you within a pack? (one sheet in 5 may not be to your taste so don't keep it in the stash--share!)
• Did you know that each sticker sheet you own will do approximately a two page layout? If you have binder full of stickers it will equal about 300 pages to use them up?
• Did you know that each yard of fiber you own will make 1-2 pages? If you own a skein of knitting yarn, they contain between 100-200 yards of fiber? At that rate it will take you 100-200 pages of JUST THAT SKEIN to use up that yarn ball on layout pages? (SHARE!!)
• Did you know that the average gel and writer pen ink longevity INSIDE a pen is 1 year before it is generally dry or unusable? (Use them up before they DRY up!)
• Did you know that playing music when you scrapbook helps your creativity and productivity?
• Did you know that starting with a format saves you 20 minutes PER PAGE?
• Did you know there are 1000's of free sketches online? Watch our links for sites. If you can't find those free ones online to print and refer to, or need ideas for crop parties, get Becky Higgins Creative Sketches book and also her Creative Companion book. Sketches are simply awesome for versatile formats of layouts.
• Did you know that shopping once a week at the scrapbook store costs most scrappers an average of $25.00 each trip? (And most of those have enough items at home already to make 1000's of pages.) $25.00 times 52 weeks a year means $1300 spent per year.
• Did you know that sticker letters cost an average of $3-$5 dollars a sheet now? Buy black so that later you can mix and match later your partial sheets for 'mixed font' titles. It will save you at least a dollar a sheet to BUY BLACK! Why? Because you will eventually get more many titles per sheet that way!
• Did you know that one ABC sticker sheet usually makes only 2 titles before is is 'cast off' by most scrapbookers? Over 1/2 the stickers are then wasting away in binders or storage and clogging up precious storage space--never to be used again.
• Did you know that people will pay $1 each for two punched flowers and a brad or pop dot? (Think Jolee's, K and Co, and Paper Bliss) Do it yourself for a fraction of that. It takes only pennies to make a stacked flower from your scraps and chalk the outside petals..... I know you have scraps and brads, eyelets or pop dots! LOL Pay yourself about $20 to $40 an hour and make a few dozen sets instead of buying them.
• Did you know that stamping your own twill ribbon with phrases saves you $2.00 a yard?
• How many pre-made ribbon yards do you have that you need to use up? Wording ribbon usually works out to 1 foot per page. If you have a stockpile of 20 yards of worded ribbons of all kinds, that means you better get cracking and make 60 pages before you buy more!!"

Just for fun...tell us how many inches of paper you have accumulated?  And how many pieces did you use up last month (April) doing the Counterfeit Kit Challenge?

Giveaway Winners and It's All in the Numbers!

Here's March's "numerology" using our Counterfeit Kits...how did you add up?  Leave a comment and share the total number of layouts,projects, and /or cards you created this month!

Bethany's totals:

# of photos scrapped: 13

# of 1 page layouts: 4

# of 2 page layouts: 2

# of cards: 3

1 mini notebook
1 mini basket

Sherri's totals:
# of photos scrapped: 3
# of 1 page layouts: 2

# of cards: 4 

1 gift box

1 printer's tray

Meridy's totals:
I didn't make ANYTHING with my kits!!!  March was a VERY hectic month at my house, and I never got to actually work on my scrapbook layouts :(  I'm sooo ready for April!!!

And the Winners of our March 2011 Giveaways...

You were all awesome!  We had 310 entries for the Ella E-Certificate and Meridy's "vintage ephemera" pack !  Here's how we picked a winner:

Mr. Linky kept track of 258 of the entries.  Then I printed out my list of blog participants and assigned numbers to each one and assigned a second number then for participating.  Next I went to facebook to assign numbers to the people who couldn't link on Mr. Linky at the end of the month because of a link issue.
Next up was a Random Generator:

The winning number for the Ella Publishing E-certificate is:
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
                121
Timestamp:2011-04-01 14:36:51 UTC

#121 is Kylie!


The winning number for Meridy's Vintage Ephemera Pack is:
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
             283
Timestamp: 2011-04-01 14:37:31 UTC

#283 is Sherri!

Congrats, Kylie and Sherri!  Please e-mail us your address so we can send your prizes to you!

It's All in the Numbers

Here's February's "numerology" using our Counterfeit Kits...how did you add up?  Leave a comment and share the total number of layouts,projects, and /or cards you created this month!

9:# of 1-page layouts Meridy, Bethany, and Gabrielle created
9:# of 2-page layouts Meridy, Bethany, and Gabrielle created
5:# of cards we created
2004: year of the OLDEST product we used this month was sold...MM Page Pebbles!
15: # of years old the earring is the Gabirleel used on one of her layouts
5: # of dollars the 3 of us spent on our Counterfeit Kits (combined)
92:# of pictures the three of us scrapbooked using our kits
241:# of Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Followers as of today
173:# of people who linked their work to Mister Linky this month
1:# of mini albums Bethany creates with her kit
1: # of winners of a FREE Scraps of Darkness February 2011 Kit
2: # of days until the March Inspiration Kit Reveal!!!
9: # of Valentines cards we made with our kits
125: # of times Bethany was interrupted while trying to use her kit (give or take)




And here's what's left of our Counterfeit Kits!!!   WOW!


Bethany's Leftovers...




Gabrielle's Leftovers...

Meridy's Leftovers...