New Haul

In an incredible feat of restraint, I made the full scrapbooking run yesterday... and spent only my $80.00 weekly allowance.  Yes, a show of pure restraint.


I would have done much better had TM had not had another two G45 retailer sets out for sell.  There were four more pages from the "On the Boardwalk" collection, and the first four of the "Le Romantique" set.  {My mind begins spinning thinking about how certain elements of the "Proper Gentleman" and the "Le Romantique" collections could/will work together for a wedding, early relationship, or Valentine's Day album.}   Other than a tin of metal hinges, bookplates, and sliders picked up, now that I know how much I'll use these in other projects, that concluded the TM experience.

We had to run to the local TM to purchase three battery operated, personal misting fans. If we are to camp in Texas at the end of July, and we are, wet is absolutely essential.

Hobby Lobby has ribbon 1/2 priced this week.  Four new rolls.  A Sizzix keyhole with key die, regularly priced at $20.00, mine at $7.00. It took almost three albums to realize I was using Tim Holtz,'s Tea Dye instead of Vintage Photo ink.  I kept wondering why my shading came out differently from the examples... well, beginning this next album, that's fixed, because now I own both.  I added one gorgeous golden Prima flower package to the growing floral collection.


The TJ Maxx was a total bust this trip, but that's the nature of discount versus craft stores.


JoAnne's wasn't much better.  Every item I went in for was already sold out.  Not the black StazOn die I've finally committed to using.  Not the 12x12 paper storage drawers.  And not the paper pad I needed to refill.  

There had been many, many numerous clearance items marked down as much as 80%, but it was as if someone had taken a buggy and cleared every rack of every single item.  I'll certainly stock up on certain items, and pick up an extra or two of something I know can be traded or sold, or wipe a shelf out knowing it will be immediately replaced (TM) but whoever did this did so with the mind of absolute selfishness, without regard for others.  It covered every item in the store, across every crafting row to just be a happenstance run of hundreds of buyers.  If I figure out who's doing this, I'll cruelly mark their eBay site as the NWA greedy gut; because if this should show up on eBay it will be marked up by at least 60%.  

We did, however, find a couple of reusable/dishwasher-safe, plastic screw topped Coke bottle to carry drinks in the car during the next few months. 


Internet haul.  I finally managed to find and purchase three magnet sets.  The company I'd purchased from last week refunded my money two days later and informed me the items were temporarily out of stock.  No way!!  As of yesterday, they were still waiting.  That's now remedied.  And, Kiwi Lane Designs has another of their great 2-3 day sales, so I purchased another template set.  These come in so handy it's difficult to imagine putting together a project without them.  Call this one set 4 of the series.

Not strictly considered scrapbook materials, but closely related, were a pair of gold earrings at Sears - they were on sale; however, not included in the $80.00 earlier stated.  Nickle-plated and inferior metals have been causing all sorts of problems lately.  Reckon it will take a while... and many more sales... to rebuild a suitable earring collection again.

This and a major clothes shopping spree for the Miss mad for a very fun, and very long, day of hitting the stores.

Mother's Day Present

My husband found a steal for a complete professional desk set.  Mother's Day, I'll be sitting in a room with coordinating furniture with tons of table top space.  And reorganizing yet again.


Tonight and tomorrow night we'll be breaking down the craft room down to walls and carpeting.  I wish we could paint the room before the furniture gets set up Saturday morning; however, there's a limit to available energy on such short notice.  There won't be a pen or pair of scissors in proper place during the transition, and probably for a week after that.  This is the mother of all reorganization efforts.


The new work surfaces is muchly appreciated, but the bookcase is the crowning touch.  Finally!  A place to store all the completed LO books (how quickly they all add up!) and yet another shelf or two to store essential supplies without going into the closet multiple times each day.


I'm a little excited about all of this!

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The Kiwi Lane Designs templates came in on Wednesday and they're perfect for the Little Darlings album once I begin.  The ABC Primer is almost complete, it's still the more advanced techniques that consume most setbacks.  Since I feel I'm still not ready to design a book on my own, I've found two YouTube videos using only the 12x12 Graphic 45 paper packs conveniently already on hand.  No detailed instructions for these, but at this point I'll be able to assemble what is shown without instruction.

I've studied Graphic 45 even further and realize how very easy it is to look at a page and instinctively know how a page works best; background or as a complimentary layer to build upon.  This may very well bleed over into other company's patterned paper sets, and if so, I've finally "got" it; if not, back to the drawing table  Once this organizational nightmare is over, I'll put the theory to the test.

Discovered UTEE

Something about funds, or lack thereof, altered my plans to attend the SSD warehouse sale.  It wasn't meant to be.  I did, however, stop by the tiny TM in Rogers and found the Crop-a-Dile Main Squeeze for pennies on the dollar.  Upon further inspection, I'm not sure the investment was a good one.  The concept is great, and if embellishments outside what the company offers work, the story changes.  Otherwise, this will be a very expensive press... for garlic maybe???  What's really needed is the Crop-a-Dile II.

I've owned Glossy Accents for a number of months now, but let it set because it seemed too expensive to use, and embossing powders gave a bit of shine where needed.  In the making of the mini-album, I hauled the bottle out... and WOW!  How did I do this without the glossy bling?  What I didn't realize after this discovery, until seeing it on YouTube, was that the surface had only been scratched, so to speak.  The next step up is the Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE). Playing with it when it comes into the house will probably set the album back a few days, but this is a tool to master.  I'm wondering if this could change the way I look at charms; they are much too expensive for general use right now, and want to change this.

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Speaking of the mini-album (what else these days?) I decided to make the ABC Primer documenting my husband's childhood days photographs before starting the one intended for me.  I found a video with step-by-step instructions on YouTube (where else?) that's perfect for my current skill level.
 

 
   This is a great introduction since the lines run very straight, without all the flourishes and complicated cuts planned for the other book.  I'm learning exponentially at present, and it's all to the good!  I'm lifting the book straight from her design, but can't help but think that anyone who makes 18 videos outlining every step and cut minds being copied.  (Trying to sell the album as my own design would be less than ethical, but that's not a problem.)

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I absolutely adore the two stencil sets bought from Kiwi Lane Designs.  Since discovering the site, they've had only one sale, just before Christmas, nothing since.  This Saturday they're having another.  There would be nothing more pleasing than having everything they make, but that's unreasonable.  I will settle by buying only one more set to add to the collection this go round... darn.

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I'm having a blast decorating containers and house decorations.  One of the latest creations, for the coloured pencils collected over the past 20 years or so:

Quickie Photo