I scrapbooked today.  Kinda.  I did a layout, and well, I don’t like it.  No matter what I seemed to do it just didn’t flow for me today.  You know, some days you have “it” and some you don’t.  Today was the latter for me.  I get in a creative funk from time to time but I hope this one is short lived.  I have a retreat coming up on Friday at Scrap Palace in Romeo.  I’m looking forward to it, and well, it would stink big time if all I could do was sit there staring at paper all weekend.  Cross your fingers for me.

I did this layout at my last retreat, the one on Harsens Island.  I took this photo last year when we had the Herbert Family over for BBQ.  This is Eric, Michelle’s hubby.  Shelby loves him and I caught this shot out of the corner of my eye and we lucky enough to get the shot.  Too funny.  Shelby enjoying a bottle and Eric enjoying his beer.

I used a mask on cardstock for the background paper.  I used a Ranger Dabber over the mask.  The circle of printed paper was actually designed with the outline on it and I just cut along with it.  Call me a cheater.  :razz:

The title is done with Lil Davis Clay Alphabet and Heidi Swapp Ghost Letters.  I stamped several small flowers on the Ghost Letters with black StazOn.  After it was dry I glued some jewels in the flower centers.

The ribbon around the entire edge of the circle cut out is from various sources, some of them I’m unsure of.  I’ve done a lot of ribbon swaps in the past and some of these came from my swap bag.  Each piece is anchored with and Queen & Company Mini Sprinkles.  Note to Queen & Company: you need to make those points a lot less lethal.  I can’t even tell you how much blood I’ve shed trying to set those things.  Note to other manufacturers:  Create a tool to set brads, PLEASE!!!  I am pleased to say that the swap bag ribbon what ironed to perfection using the Pebbles Inc. Ribbon Iron.  See, I used my latest tool purchase within the first month of purchase.

The next layout I think I really like.  I got some hand jounaling in there.  I’m always getting pressured to get more of my handwriting into my layouts.  The title is done with American Crafts Thickers (I love those things) and Sandy Lion stickers.  Yup, you read that right, stickers.  Just plain old stickers.  I used a label maker to draw attention to a few of the thinks I just love about Shelby.  The flower is a Heidi Swapp Floral with a ribbon in the middle.  I did set the flower once assembled on top of a Heidi Swapp Note Pad.  I doubt that is the actual name, but I can’t think of it right now.  It really is a simple layout with the focus on Shelby, right where it should be.

I’ve noticed the trend of simplicity coming back in, first slowly, and now it seems to be kicking strong.  I’m really happy about that.  I like the layouts simple.  I mean really, isn’t it about the photos and the memories?  I can see how if you had a poor photo that you might need a little more embellishment going on.  Good for me most of my photos are great and something I can and want to use.  It is really all luck and taking a ton of photos at one particular time.  You won’t need all of them, but your odds of getting a great shot are drastically increased but taking a ton of photos.

I’ve been up since 1:30 this morning.  I finally got my insurance to approve my Ambien, but I think the effect from the decongestant for my sinus infection really fought against the Ambien so poof, 1:30 and I’m wide awake.  That being said, I took it tonight and skipped the evening dose of the decongestant, so hopefully I won’t repeat last night.  My eyes are starting to get heavy, so that is my sign to draw to a close.

I do have one final note.  In a class, and I don’t remember which one, I showed off a few little tricks that I have learned through the years that make the life of a scrapper just a little easier.  So, I think I’m going to start sharing some of those here.  Belive it or not, I have all sorts of usefull tidbits up in that overworked brain of me.  So keep your eyes open for that.  There will be a tips/tricks tab at the top of the blog probably starting mid next week.

~j