Moleskine Hack for Scrappers

OK... A couple days ago I was getting my daily dose of Jessica (if you want to become a great social marketer you should read her) and saw her Moleskine Hack for Moms post.

While I may be a tech geek I prefer to keep my schedule, notes and ideas on paper. I still love "back to school" time because stores are filled with paper, pens, pencils and great organizational items. And since I've not found a planner that I am completely happy with (though my FC planner has been wonderful) I thought I would give her hack a try.

So Monday night we headed out to the bookstore (yeah, a big hardship for my book-loving family) because I was too impatient to order online. I got a large Moleskine Squared Notebook. And I followed Jessica's plan... and implemented ideas from AK's Research Blog.

But I am also a scrapbooker and, well, when I was looking at the front of my plain black book I thought it could use a little something. Since I had some sticky vinyl left over from the bathroom decorating and the Power Wheels restoration I dug out my trusty Wishblade and made these cut-outs for the cover (clicking on any photo will take you to a larger image):


Nice, huh? Directly inside is a 2009 calendar (printed on pretty paper) from Time & Date.com. I'm not one to waste things, so the 2009 that was cut from the vinyl is stuck in here.



As I turn the page the scrapper in me becomes evident. I had gotten an 8x8 scrap pack a few months ago at Archivers for $1.99 and hadn't used it yet. It had great tags and die cuts so, instead of just writing in dull black I decided to "pretty it up" a bit. Everything is attached with scrapping adhesive- no visible tape for me. This is where I lost control and the scrapper in me came out in full force...

Here we go...

As I turn the page to my "Mission Statement" page I also added my true loves and inspiration: my family in Ireland. Along with an inspirational statement that I thought was relevant.

Wait... The scrapper comes out more... Look back at that photo. See the top right corner? Those are my separators, making it easier to find my calendar, task list, brainstorming and contacts pages.

Here's the "entry" to my calendar. On the left you see my weekly schedule. I try to stick to it as closely as I can... I fail quite often but it (mostly) all gets done. See my pretty flower page corner? It's not so big as to cause a problem and I can find sections easily.

Next come my calendar pages, themselves. I added a little inspiration to these as well. The far left column will be my current projects and deadlines. I am going to put my accomplishments along the bottom in a nice, bright color.

After my calendar comes my task list, clearly marked by that flower page corner, which is headed by "A Will Finds A Way". The preceding page shows Polnabrone Dolmon in the Burren with another inspirational quote below it.

I'm using a big purple paperclip to direct me to the first non-completed task. It's easy to move and it matches (I already had it from a previous visit to Staples).

The next group of pages, marked by yet another flower page corner, is "my vision": brainstorming, ideas, notes... Opposite you see a photo we took at the Rock of Cashel. Get it... Vision?

Another purple paperclip to mark the next open spot for easy jotting.

And, at the end of my book, are important contacts. I prefer them at the end; no particular reason.

My notebook also has a pocket in the back. I'm not sure what, exactly, I will use it for, but I'm sure it will serve as a collection point for something.

So there you have my personalized Moleskine hack. Now I have to do transfers and fill it all out.

Read more...

Completely Customized Moleskine

OK, so I'm not even close to done...

Because I have a scrapbooking tote directly next to my desk. And if I'm gonna make a book I'm gonna make it pretty... It could be a bigger project than I anticipated...

I got the basic idea from JessicaKnows... I'm holding her responsible...

Read more...

My Day Away Isn't

I don't get to spend the entire day at Archiver's. They are having a Holiday Extravaganza that takes up both the cropping rooms. So I'll leave about 3, do a couple of their free projects and hopefully scrap from 4 until 11.

Right now Doug has run to Home Depot with Caelan and then he'll pick up Brenna on his way home as she spent the night with her cousin Koen. Oh, and pick up lunch since the original plan was for he and the girls to come have lunch with me in W Des Moines.

Since I have a few free minutes I'm gonna get stuff prepared for tonight and maybe do a bit of scrapping here at home!

Read more...

Time To Kill

Doug has just taken the girls and his folks for a tour of the multi-million dollar homes here in town. I just put a Benedict Strata in the oven- it will take 50 minutes to bake.

I'm gonna work on my Ireland scrapbook! Hey, we've only been home from that trips for 6 months... I'm almost caught up!

Read more...

Hi. My Name is Jody and I am Addicted to Scrapbooking

Now you're all supposed to say "Hi Jody" and tell me how brave I am to come forward like this.

I kind of knew I had a problem but I was able to convince myself that since I could get everything to fit in my wonderful tote (pictured below) that it was under control and I brushed my addiction under the rug.

Well, today, as I was printing pictures and packing up for this weekend's scrap mania I could not get everything to fit. It didn't matter what positions I tried or how I switched things around it just would not go. And I finally had to admit that my problem had finally broken it's barriers.



So I did what any scrapping addict would do. I called Archiver's (they're my dealer) and arranged a pickup. Tomorrow I take possession of "the trash can".

We call it "the trash can" because it honestly stands as tall as a big garbage can. Three feet tall, to be exact. And it holds a ton of stuff. Honestly, if I outgrow this my husband needs to lock me in the house until I use the multitudes of scrapping stuff I have.

You love it though, right? I can't wait to organize it. And,for those of you watching my budget, I've got some "fun money" saved... And a 30% off coupon.

Of course I have a wonderful tote that I now have no use for. It was, quite possibly, my favorite tote ever. It's a rolling tote by Scrap Paper Scissors in brown and pink. Isn't it pretty?

What I liked best about this tote was all the removeable see-through pockets and the removeble table top easel that held my cutter, pens and markers, scissors... Check out these features: * Rolling tote with telescopic handle * Large interior that includes the following: * One removable divider; * One removable tabletop easel which includes six pockets and horizontal scissors/pens loops. One clear pocket is sized to hold a paper trimmer * One large clear pocket on inside of flap * Two removable clear pockets * Two side zip compartments: * One side zip has accordion storage * One side zip has 3 removable clear pockets * Total dimensions: 15-inch x 9 ½ inch x 15½ inch” / 38 cm x 24.13 cm x 39.37 cm

It sounds like I'm trying to sell it, right? Well, I am. I don't need it anymore and it's such a wonderful tote. It's still in great condition (just one small stress hole where I put a pointy object in an outer pocket) and can be yours for the low price of only $15. (Local delivery only lol) If you're interested I can send you more pictures with lots of detail. Unless you've already seen it... Melody I know you're interested! Paula? Jenni?

Read more...

Just Two Things

Really, I had only two things I hoped to accomplish this weekend.

1) I'm trying my hand at creating an acrylic album. I wanted to finish it. So far I have the first page done.

2) I'm redesigning the Iowa Geek layout and trying a new template. I really wanted to make a dent in it. Didn't even look at it.

So, what did I do? Hmmm, I baked bread & banana chocolate chip muffins... I'm vaguely aware of laundry being washed & folded... Surely something was cleaned...

Hmmm... I'm really not sure where my weekend went...

Read more...

On With The Work

Poor Doug. He called last night after being on the Ozark land for about half an hour to tell me that they were leaving. It seems that some washed out (we hadn't heard that there was a problem there) and he was also attacked by ticks. In the half hour they were there he pulled off 36. It was enough to freak him out. Not sure what his plans are- I'm going to assume he'll head home but who knows. Maybe they will find a campground for one night...

I snuggled down last night with Mike ('s Lite Hard Berry) and settled in to watch The Holiday. I'm assuming grandma wore the girls out as I didn't hear a peep from them last night.

And now it's time to do the second step of my three step floor cleaning process. The first step was

Let me just say if you have wood floors this stuff cleans all kinds of gunk off. My kitchen floor is very abused. I'm not even sure the people who lived here last ever care for it correctly. It definately needs a sanding and refinishing. Unfortunately I don't have the time or money to have it done right now. But this stuff cleaned so well. Even before I get to the polishing they look amazing.

Next step- rinse with water. The cleaner does leave a bit of tackiness and that has to be off beofre using
No, I don't know why Doug picked up two different brands when I asked him for wood floor stuff. Maybe the Home Depot guys recommended them? No matter... We'll see how it works out.

Later.

After the wood is completely dry.

My scrapping tonight got cancelled as only 3 people signed up. Not to worry- I'll go sit in their workroom for a bit this afternoon. Maybe it won't cost me as much!

Read more...

More Ireland & Scrapping

I just added a nice long post about our first B&B in Ireland- a Georgian Manor built in 1830. And if you haeven't seen it yet, a post about the monastic site of Glendalough is just below it. Head on over to my travel blog for photos and video.

And, just in case you want to see another of my favorite scrapbooking items in use check out this post.

Read more...

Brenna's Day on the Farm

As I think about this I am pretty sure I posted these pictures way back when they were taken- May 2007. Yes, I am very far behind on my scrapping. I'm sure I'll catch up- when the girls are in Jr. High...

Lately we've been singing a lot of "Old McDonald" as Caelan is learning animal sounds and really likes joining in on the "EIEIO". So when I pulled these photos out of my "to be scrapped" file the inspiration was waiting.

I had too many photos for one page but not quite enough for two. So I pulled out Page Flippers. Mine are 6"x12" but they are also available in 3"x12". Love, love, love these. (Note to self- give away for scrap bribing...)

Here is what you see when the flipper is closed:

Can you read the EIEIO? Doug couldn't figure it out...

And opened...
A bit of wishblade cutting, some ribbon and stamping... I really like this page.

I get my flippers at Archiver's. Now- just something to remember when you use these... Apply the flipper to the page protector (if you use one)- not the page itself. Trust me.

Read more...

February Scrap Bribing!

Here in the snow and cold I am eagerly awaiting spring... So this month's Scrap Bribing is very spring-y.

In case you missed it, this month's bribing begins with a "Market Tote" by Janine King. I absolutely love Janine's stuff and this bag is great quality. This bag is Tres Chic- or, asI like to think of it, Paris in the Spring.

• Dimensions: 16" high x 14" wide with 1½" boxed corners at bottom

• Double straps are 24" end to end and comprised of 4 fabric layers

Now, to stuff the bag I have some goodies...

First up is this adorable notepad. I made this with my own little hands. The board is 8"x4.5" and has a magnet on the back. Yep, you even get the pen...

You've probably noticed that I have a love of chipboard. It's just so versatile... You can paint it, paint around it, trace it... The uses are endless. I've also included two "masks". These are relatively new to me and I love them! You apply your paint directly over this and then remove the mask leaving the design with the paint around it. You can see an example here if I have totally confused you.

Rub ons are another great tool that I use quite a bit. These are very spring-y with butterflies, dragonflies and florals in great colors.

Ribbon is a great adornment to any page. Here are two rolls (4 foot each) of spring ribbon.

I know you were wondering just where the paint was since I gave you great paint-design tools. Well, here it is. The spring collection from Making Memories with peapod, robin's egg & tulip paints, a brush and a tray.

So, there you have it... So many goodies.

Now for the rules...

Because February only has 29 days and I happen to be leaving for vacation on the 29th I will be running scrap bribing beginning February 17th. I will draw the winner on the 28th.

How to enter:

Leave a comment! Yep, that's it, just a comment. **If you have a "private" profile page be sure to leave your email otherwise I will have no way to contact you!

Now, if you want more chances to win here's what you do: Write a little post about my giveaway on your blog (and link to this post). Be sure to let me know... I'll enter you twice.

Still want more chances? Just have your readers mention your name when they enter... And I'll enter you again! Just think of it as your referral bonus.

So there you have it. Why are you waiting? Leave a comment!

Read more...

Sugar & Spice And Everything Nice ~ That's What Little Girls Are Made Of

This page is actually pretty simple, I think that is one of the reasons I like it.


The page was a "soft" green that has a sueded look to it. Because Caelan's photo was edged in a pink mist I stamped pink flowers randomly on the page and added stones for sparkle. I cut a mat from cardstock with coordinating lettering and added the gingham ribbon and the charm to coordinate with the tag at the top left. The butterfly adds just a bit of whimsey.

Read more...

Mommy's Girls Page

This page is pretty simple, but I really like it. I matted the photo on pink paper stamped with brown ink. Then I found a background paper that would coordinate with the ink, but still have a bit of difference. After placing the matted photo on the paper I did some overlapping stamping to blend the papers together.


I finished with some sparkly flowers and a strip if pink velvet ribbon. I used a matching brad to hold the bow.


Simple, but rather classic.

Read more...

A Couple of Pages

I spent yesterday scrapping. I needed the time away from the girls- and Doug. I was able to get quite a few pages done. Here are a couple:

On this page I wanted to use a couple of colors from Brenna's dress. I chose the purple for the background. I used a green paint to "dry brush" over a reuseable floral stencil (I love this! If I can find more they will definately show up in a bribing!) and to add texture to the rest of the page. I used a coordinating ribbon up one side and a "First Day of School" clear sticker. For just a bit more pop I added the sparkly chipboard flowers. The '07-'08 were cut with my Wishblade.

This page I really like. Using the ballet slippers on Brenna's dress as inspiration I "laced"the sides of the page. The floral at the top was actually a 12x12 die cut paper (something else you will probably see in an upcoming giveaway) that I trimmed. I brushed an ink pad over it just to give it a tinge of color and used my Xyron 510 sticker maker to stick it down.
Yes, I know the ribbons are a bit off. Yes, I realize I should have marked the spots,put down the glue dots and then attached the ribbon. No, I don't always think of these things ahead of time. Learn from me...

Read more...

Scrapping Last Night

Last night I joined a friend of mine at a scrapping night. She has a friend who is a Creative Memories consultant that organizes these outings once a month. And since I didn't scrap in December and don't have plans to go until Super Bowl Sunday I decided to join her.

While it was nice I found myself at a loss. I didn't take my mini sewing machine or my Wishblade. Or my ribbons... OK, I left quite a bit of stuff at home. So I got a few pages "designed" but not completed. Here are the three that are done. (You can click the photos for a larger view.)

Mostly.

This one is complete. These are Brenna's photos from October 06. I used regular chipboard, painted it red and sprinkled it with clear sparkles. The quote in the center is a rub on. The final word is "star" so I traced a star around the quote, cut it out and lined the edge with red for distinction.

I'm not sure this one is done. I feel like it still needs something. Maybe ribbon. The upper corners are rub ons. I love overlapping rub ons onto photos. The bottom is a scalloped paper and prima flowers bunched together with crystals added.

This one I am very proud of. My nephew Ethan is the star of this spread. I used a dark blue background and pieced in paper that coordinates, leaving a bit between for the blue to peek through. It created a really nice layered look. The circles are a round punch from circle patterned paper. The letters and numbers are a combination of rub ons and stickers. (No, I didn't think of this. I saw it somewhere and thought it would work perfectly for these photos. And it did.)
I had a good time but really missed some of my tools. But it is easier to not take so much stuff for a short crop. And without an entire store at my disposal I was at a loss for inspiration. So I was forced to use what I had on hand, which saved me money, and I have pages that are close to done, so it was worth it. And I only spent $5- the cost of "admission".

Read more...

December Scrap Bribing

The theme for this month... Well, actually it's a dual theme. So let's call it
Resolutions and These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

As I mentioned before, this is- by far- the largest prize I have given. There's a lot going on, so let's get to it.

Everything you see here is included.

What? You can't see what's inside the lovely scrap organizer? Well, let me show you...

First I have included an assortment of Prima flowers. I love these. They are great to group together or to scatter on a page. I have used them on top of photos and have laid them on a page as background. You will also see chipboard cut outs. There is so much you can do with these. Paint them, glitter them, trace them...
Next comes the resolution part (unless your resolution is to scrapbook more- mine is!). The Organized Life has tips for organizing every aspect of your life. I have tried to get you started with the tote... The rest is up to you.
Back to scrapping goodies. This is a pack of 8x8 Christmas papers. I like 8x8 sizes for background, accents and photo mats.
And there is more!

Here we have loose sparkle, paint and Stickles. I love to paint chipboard and sprinkle the loose stuff on. The sprinkles stick to the wet paint and you spend less than a pre-sparkled goodie. The Stickles are great for accenting a page. I love to add them to stickers to give them a bit more dazzle.

This may be one of my most favorite things: Glue Dots. I especially like the mini size because they don't bunch up and they are never too big.

Not done yet!

Here are 3 rolls of ribbon (about 1 foot each, I think) and rows of self stick rhinestones. I love to accent with ribbon, either as a frame for photos or with a bow or knot. The rhinestones are great for the Prima flowers or to accent, well, anything.
And, finally, I have chipboard alphabet charms and mini Prima flowers. These charms are great if you attach them with a bit of wire or brads. And these little flowers look great mixed with the larger ones.

Do you love it? Of course you do! So enter! All you have to do is leave me a comment! So easy!

Want more chances? Write a nice little bit about this giveaway on your blog and link to it. (Be sure to let me know!) I will add an extra entry for you.

AND, be sure to tell everyone who visits from your blog to let me know you sent them! For every comment I get that tells me you sent them I will enter both of you!

Read more...

Baby Shoes

My sister-in-law's baby shower is today. Of course we had to have a nasty ice storm move in over night so I'm not sure just how many people will come out for it.

I spent the last couple of days creating the cutest favor cups with my Wishblade.



Awww...

Yes, I know they will all end up in the trash. Don't be a kill-joy. They are cute and I will get lots of praise. Because, you know, it's all about me. lol

Read more...

Happy What?

It's embarassing just how far behind I am on my scrapbooking. I have a plan in place to catch up... One page per day. HA! Like that happens.

I was working on it in the evenings but, quite honestly, I am so exhausted by the time 8 pm rolls around that I can't even think of a layout for pages, let alone a cute title.

So then I decided to do a page during Caelan's afternoon nap and Brenna's quiet time. Until Brenna decided that she didn't want to spend quiet time in her room and I spent the entire time transporting her up and down the stairs.

So then it was decided that she could rest and watch a movie in my room. Which then led to her watching a movie in the basement. Which is right next to the office. Which led to "Mommy I neeeeed you" and "Mommy,I want to work with you".

Which is not working. So tomorrow we go back to quiet time in the bedroom. I am honestly beginning to second guess my parenting skills- or lack there of. I just need an hour of solitude! Aaagghhhh!

Oops, got carried away there...

I was actually trying to lead up to this:


Isn't he cute? I made him with my Wishblade from a dingbat font. I'm pretty proud of him...

But now you can see how far behind I am. I have a scrapping night planned for this weekend. Hopefully I can get done through the end of May...

Speaking of scrapping, have you seen the way cute album I am giving away this month? Just a few days left to comment and win!

Read more...

Scrap Bribing- "Something's A Foot"

C'mon, it's a great pun!

As promised, this month's scrap bribing! Adornment stickers, magnet and mini-album:

Ready for photos!


It's oh-so-easy to get in the drawing to win these! Just leave me a comment! Yep, that's it, just a comment.

BUT if you want to double your chances to win write a tiny post on your blog and link to this post. Let me know you did that and I'll enter your name twice.

'Cuz it's all about the love.

Read more...

Scrapbook Pages

I haven't been able to do much lately with everything that is going on... But these two got finished in the last couple of days.

I really like this one. I wanted to bring some classic charm to the photo. I think I was able to achieve it with the background paper, the brads and the metal charm. You can't tell, but the brown background is a faux suede.

And this is a Wishblade creation for Caelan's baby book. The first food she fed herself was mac & cheese.
Really not much going on. Lots of time spent by the potty. House is in desperate need of cleaning. Almost done with the final Harry Potter book. Dull....

Read more...

Don't You Love Me?

OK, I know it is only the 23rd... But scrap bribing has been up since Thursday and I have not one comment?

Do you not like it? Would you all prefer something "made"? More albums? Or cards? Created pages that you only have to add pictures to? Because I can do that...

Let me know... I can do something diffrent for this month...

Read more...