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.
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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.

Finishing Touches & Adhesive Lessons

I've gotten a bit of scrapbook work done in the new craft room during the last week, and there's no comparing the before and after differences.  Any kinks have now been worked out to all satisfaction!  Now, having said that...

During the weekend of transition, my loving husband wanted to put in a new system for punch storage.  NO!  I couldn't take another thought of more arranging.  He wasted no time today to rectify this and went out and purchased/assembled the adapted wooden shoe storage unit.  It's more than adequate to store my entire, extremely limited, punch inventory, with plenty of room to spare.  Tomorrow this system goes into place with minimum disruption.  He also bought and put in place an additional unit to organize the laser printer, printer paper reams, with an additional small shelf area for quick mailing supply access.  After completing this last small task, there will be no more talk of reorganizing for months, perhaps even years; however, the flesh is weak.

Miracles of miracles, the mini-album is 99.9% complete.  One major mistake made in the beginning was punching holes in the book board (homemade) before tearing a single page out of the pad.  In all fairness, the video never mentioned the need, and as a novice, I didn't realize how important this would be until much too late.  So the book was finished, sans holes.  No problem, we'd drill small holes into the completed covers and make up hole reinforcements to cover the blemishes.  No problem.  Except!  The front cover came out exactly as prescribed; the back, no so much.  The holes were drilled on the wrong side.  I'm so disheartened at the moment.  There doesn't seem to be a viable solution, unless crying counts.  A solution does exist.  I just don't know what that might be as of now.  So much fussy cutting on the back, no more paper to replace it with; blah, blah.  Inspiration will come, hopefully soon.  Regardless, this is a lesson that will never be forgotten.  That's part of the learning experience; but at such a great cost.  *moan*


I learned a great deal during the construction.  Yes, the greatest error was the holes; but less dramatically was adhesive function.  LO's tend to be very forgiving, no moving parts, no stresses, and the page protectors contain/protect whatever might come loose.  Conversely, mini-albums with all their pockets and tags, pages turning, etc, demand a higher degree of adhesive mastery.  

I learned:

1.  Murphy's Law applies to scrapbooking in general and adhesives specifically
2. Zip Dry paper glue means paper-on-paper 
3. ATG glue buckles under stress/movement
4. You get what you pay for; super strong double-sided red tape pays for itself in reduced frustration levels, measured in seconds
5. Glue dots are woosies
6.  Wet glue does not include Elmer's School glue
7. All glues take longer to set than expected, except when attaching large pieces onto pages within a precise 1/4 inch border, in which case, at that very moment, all glue becomes instantaneously and irreparably bonded to paper
8. There exists a substantial "bite" difference between the textured and smooth sides of paper
9. It's highly recommend not to Superglue your tongue to the lips, and keep in mind some glues are highly flammable (especially important if interested in keeping eyebrows nice and smooth)  *kidding folks! except for the Superglue part*

In the midst of placing the new unit upon the desk tomorrow I hope to put the finishing touches to a LO, long in the coming.  

Remember:  that which does not destroy us, makes us stronger!