The Return

Incomplete & Cropped

Lately I've focused incorporating flowers and metals into new projects.  I've struggled with flower placement as either sprays or decorative elements from the beginning.  Inexperience with metals came down to inventory resources.  In this latest layout I've had opportunity to work with both.  The flower spray in the lower left corner still seems imbalanced somehow.  Secondly, this flower arrangement is dead flat.  Since the layout is not intended for a book where depth is an issue, it feels instinctively wrong not creating opportunity for shadowing.  Perhaps not. Overall, not a bad attempt for my first attempt.

This year's vacation is a thoroughly documented historical event, still unscrapped. Time to get serious about pulling it all together and for all that I still haven't decided which paper collection to use.  I originally bought Farm House Fair Skies collection for this purpose, but fell in love with - and purchased - Prima's Craftsman; either will work fabulously for the project. Choosing between the two collections might be the most difficult decision of the entire project. 

There's been two substantial hauls in under a week. I'm too ashamed to admit how much money changed hands; but using a spender's rationale, it can be said I saved more than paid.  The new inventory overflows with all types of goodies, covering everything from alphas to zippers.  The multiple quests involved purchasing items I've wanted to experiment with and incorporate into creations, but haven't, being unwilling to spend full price for something that may, or may not benefit future creations.

That's all for now!

Slow Down Go Around

Which comes first, the hobby or life?  Obviously, life wins every time.  Slow down yet again.

I'm still struggling through the self-designed mini-album.  One agonizing page at a time.  It's not as bad as that, I'm having fun in the creating, but find it amazing how much still remains a challenge.  Especially the mechanical aspects.  If I could ever commit to a dedicated Crop group, there would be an explosion of creativity and skills from which to draw.

I'm hoping for the luxury of creating a few designed albums before the end of the year... particularly those on YouTube I still drool over.  Over the past several weeks the complete Tropical Travelogue and Le Cirque collection pieces have filtered into the house.  I was surprised today when finding the Le Cirque 8x8 pad; something never expected!  Several weeks ago I posted a link to a YouTube video featuring a flip-flap album created from the Le Cirque collection.  With the 12x12 pad in hand I thought to pull together the measurement to get the album started.  Of course, in the manner all too familiar now, the album was built using the 8x8 pad.  Naturally.  The 12x12 could have been used, but when completely unfolded, would measure 36 inches long and over 24 high.  The problem with these proportions become abundantly clear.  A mega mini???  Purpose defeated.

It's taken awhile to decide where and to whom the albums will ultimately go.  I plan to make a childhood scrapbook for each of the boys, and one each for my sister and one brother.  Insofar as these gifts go, each will be copied versions of other albums.  The total lack of self-generated creativity will always work against my favour; yet, it's possible that, in time, it may all click together some day. 

G45 came out with a line of pigment inks that takes the guess work out of  colour coordination decisions.  That's very exciting news for partially colour-blind individuals!  In the latest haul I bought two of the five available colours, and will buy the other three over the next month.

The Mister celebrated his birthday this week and I created a stunning tag instead of the usual card.  As soon as the weather clears, and the pain isn't as crippling, I hope to photograph and post it here.  Again, there were several unanticipated mechanical problems, but was able to overcome them without great interruption.  This was the first full size tag I've created and was very pleased with the results.  See?  Some of this may eventually rub off into real creativity.

I hope to get a real jump on the Tropical Travelogue project this week.  The plan is to create one page from a tutorial and one from my own creativity.  That's the plan... now to make it a reality.

Productivity

Little Darlings Page Element

 I've decided the best approach to each page design is to treat each element going onto a page as a mini-mini page layout.  For example: one page cut out is backed with a coordinating paper, both the bottom paper and the cut out inked, lace applied to the back of the cutout image, and apply an even smaller element inked and Stickled.  A simple 2.5x3.5 image comes out as a 5.5x4.25 micro page consisting of six layers.  This doesn't count the four to seven layers the embellishment will be mounted upon. However, it turned out  looking rather professional, or at least pretty good.
__________________________

There was a special father-daughter soccer game this evening.  We brought along the camera to capture a few unique elements since this year's soccer album needed a few more photos  Everything went well until the very last moments of game play.  The star of the show was running full out chasing the ball before it went out of play.  Very close to this area was a mom also taking pictures of the game.  Predictably, it turned into a disaster.  Before anyone could take corrective action, Miss J ran into the lady on the ground.  Almost.  The lady had a small dog, leased, sitting directly in front of her, and it being fully conscious of the mayhem about to take place jumped up and attacked.  The Miss ended up with multiple and deep bite marks on her thigh and lower leg.  These quickly turned into a very ugly blue mixed with red blood.  I've never seen her cry over an injury before, but this incident caused large wet tears to well. 

Fortunately for all, the dog is fully vaccinated and current with all other required shots as well registered with the, but will still be sequestered in the pound for ten days due to asinine city policy .  What is wrong with that picture?  I was spitting mad that despite following all the rules the family has to be separated from the family pet, and to add insult to injury (so to speak), must pay impounding fees.  The lady was generous enough to allow a picture of the dog and its victim.  That will be a great page to scrap... when animals attack.

Tomorrow we run down to the doctor's office for a tetanus shot.  At any rate, the team won the game at 2-0.

Word

Word of the day:

im·pro·vise

verb (used with object)

1. 

to compose and perform or deliver without previous preparations; extemporize: to improvise an acceptance speech 

2.

to compose, play, recite, or sing (verse, music, etc.) on the spur of the moment. 

3.

 to make, provide, or arrange from whatever materials are readily available:  We improvised a dinner from yeterday's leftovers. make, provide, or arrange from whatever materials are readily available: 

Slow Go

No pictures, not even a real update.  And, not a whole lot of time creating.

Skill development.  Lots to say about it.  I became quite adept at using the ATG only to learn this wasn't the best long-term adhesive.  Then I learned to use both the red sticky and score tapes.  A huge step up, but it still took time to become proficient.  I've since learned wet glue tops all the others.  How hard could it be to learn to use a better medium?  Well, a whole lot.  It isn't working for me.  Practice makes perfect, yes, but I want to do something rather than perfecting a skill.  So, maybe the next project will involve glue but for this album the best it's going to get is the score tape.  I really want to get through the Little Darlings album.  There's so much more to do than to stay stuck on one project for what seems forever; although I'm having a blast putting it together.  This is the fun part, right?

I might get to make a few new friends.  A lady and her daughter (or perhaps just the daughter?) have recently gotten into scrapbooking and the mister offered to allow me to show off some of the tools of the trade and perhaps share a couple tips picked up along the way.  This could be the greatest!  The more the merrier.

Got the Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue paper today.  My bad, it was only published this year.  Why, then, is it so hard buying the collection from one source?  Mysteries of our universe.

Improbable

Page with flip out card on left

 As improbable as it might seem, I worked out several technical issues and now back on track on the page order.  Also improbable, I completed the first page.  Nothing's been glued down, but there's no work remaining to complete the page.  At least that's what I think today.  As pretty as it is, it seems as if "something" is missing.  No worries, loads of time to think this through.
 



Because I changed my mind about the album dimensions, I can't firmly grasp how the above page will sit on the inside cover.  There may be room to add an ivory pleated trim between the book board and paper.  Another reason for not gluing the components to the page at this time is because it's probably 100 times more difficult; that, and if it can be done, I haven't seen anyone do it.

Next... an absolute final commitment to the 8.5x8.5 page size.  Either later this evening when there's more time, or tomorrow, I plan to cut the base paper for the first page.  It's with that extra added one-half inch that the certificate, that cause so much grief, can snugly fit.

The I am Roses package arrived today.  Oh, my!  These are going to be fun with a capital F.  The time has arrived where I can no longer ignore the (b)looming flower storage problem.  From incorporating flower use only a couple of months ago, the inventory is accumulating as quickly as weeds grow.  That's not including the dozens of flowers I've cut from off the Cricut.  Guess it's back into the room with the rolling bins.  Although... a $25 wall lateral wire shelf would go a long way in solving this problem without taking up floor space.  TBD.

It's total defeat in collecting the full Once Upon a Springtime collection.  What's on hand should be enough to do everything I bought it for.  I saw another Graphic 45 collection, Le Cirque since retired that peaked my interest, but thought much older then the Once Upon and, as these things go for me, figured completely unobtainable.  Not so fast!  I got my hands on both the 12x12 and 8x8 paper pads, and some of the other pieces in the collection.  I could not be more pleased.  Finally, as budgeted, I bought the full Tropical Travelogue collection, but from several places; all now on the way to the house.

While browsing through YouTube the other day I ran across a mini-album design, with tutorial, that's a must for several future albums.  The link for the YouTube video.

Technical Issues

I didn't think this would go nearly as smoothly as hoped.  Good thing.

I've finally committed to an 8.5x8.5 inch page size and a 9x9 cover. I wanted to allow generous space for the many 5x7 photos; this size does it.  There were several binding options available and in the end decided to use the Bind-it-All.  There's less chance of error, still presents very well, and frees me from also learning a complicated binding method.  Maybe later, but there's probably too much going on for a novice anyway.


The inside cover of the album was to feature a 5x7 of my parents wedding, followed with a facing page containing the hospital certificate of birth.  This plan fell at first stroke.  The certificate size is 8.5x6.5.  There's zero wiggle room for the document on the 8x8 page.  The only way this will fit is if it's placed on either the front or back cover page, which will be just large enough to make it work.  It's disappointing, but there will be jigs in the chronology.  It could be worse.  So it was back to the drawing table.

Layout with Colour!

All designs until today existed on plain printer paper.  I pulled out the designer paper loosely arranged the elements of the first page, and - whoa!  This is very, very nice, indeed.

For the wedding page, I deviated from the Little Darlings paper and pulled out a few pages of the Le Romantique.  It seems the two work well together, or at least won't clash. Pretty, huh?

I filmed, but have not uploaded tonight's YouTube video.  Perhaps tomorrow afternoon.  We had some very serious girl time today, it's been an insane week.