101+ creative ways to use your scrapbook supplies (and a giveaway)!

want a peek at the newest special issue put out by creating keepsakes magazine?

if you have ever wondered what else you can do with your scrapbook supplies,
then this special issue is for you. the follow up to our successful 101
things to do with your scrapbook supplies, this issue features inspiring
ideas from creating keepsakes columnist jennifer mcguire and a team of talented
scrapbookers. they will show you how to go beyond the basics to use your
supplies in new ways to create unique page accents, backgrounds and more. with
budget-saving tips, easy techniques, ideas for leftovers and more, the useful
ideas in this issue will help you stretch your dollars and make the most of your
supplies.

here's one of the techniques i share in this issue:

want to see more? believe me, i'm still working my way cover to cover! this issue is loaded with ideas i simply cannot wait to try!

i've got good news. it's available now for purchase, here. and if you spend $25 or more, you can use this coupon code (FS101B) to receive free shipping on your order through the end of the year!

even better news. i'm giving away one copy this friday. here's what you need to do to enter. simply leave a comment telling me why this issue should be yours. all comments need to be posted by friday evening, 6:00 PM PST. i'll draw a winner at random to receive a copy of 101+ creative ways to use your scrapbook supplies sent to your home free of charge. sound good? :)

happy tuesday!

sharing.

how can we see and not respond?
(you'll need to pause the playlist on the bottom right before playing the video.)



happy sunday.

happy nsd/wcs-launch/satur-DAY!

how's that for a loaded title? just a little reminder...

1) club ck is hosting tons of nsd activities today. you can read more about them in yesterday's post.

2) write. click. scrapbook. just launched their may gallery. one of my favorites this year! this month we all lifted a layout from the wcs flickr gallery. here's mine -- a lift of this fun page!


3) and did you know write. click. scrapbook. has some nsd festivities going on as well? i've been told there will be journaling prompts, photography prompts and scrapbooking prompts throughout the day, so check it out!

4) i'm in the final stretch of getting things ready for mike's birthday party. the mushrooms have been stuffed, the grocery store has been visited (4 times this week!) and now i'm cleaning. fun, huh?

5) since i'm not scrapbooking today, would you be so kind as to leave a comment telling me if you ARE or NOT? and, if you are, what you're working on? i'd love to live vicariously... ;)

happy saturday!

flash mob friday. just barely.

did anyone watch jamie oliver's food revolution tonight? i missed it. we were watching princess diaries. there's a sleepover going on tonight, and while no one is sleeping (yet), i'm holding out hope!

last week on food revolution, jamie and a group of talented students from marshall created this flash mob:



cool, huh?
sometime last year i witnessed my first flash mob via you tube, like many of you. this was all over the internet -- so amazing!



and then today, a friend posted this cool flash mob video -- i just love glee!



of course there are others. and there always seem to be cameras around when they happen.

for your entertainment:
supermarket flash mob
michael jackson flash mob
t-mobile flash mob

happy friday!

remembering.

(journaling reads: this little girl would go on to do great things. she would graduate at the top of her class. she would work in the white house under president johnson. she would be a loyal friend, wife and mother. and among her greatest achievements... she would be your nana.)

my mom passed away just a few short weeks ago, at the end of may. while it's been so very difficult losing her. Drug detox.. i am thankful for the many, many memories.

the other day, while my brother and i were cleaning out her things, we found a signed piece of artwork -- an illustration of the white house. synthetic urine best detox kit... it was signed by lbj and lady bird johnson. i don't know why mom never displayed it more prominently. :) we're still sorting through her things, remembering along the way...

happy monday.

a gift for you.

i love easter! it's my favorite holiday. christmas is a close second, though jesus' birth would be meaningless without the miraculous events that took place on easter.

like many of you, we come home from church on easter morning and continue the celebration with a hearty brunch that leaves us full to the brim with yummy foods of all kinds. there are egg casseroles like this one (believe me, folks! it's worth signing up for the free trial!), cinnamon rolls like these, and fresh fruit. this year we will be visiting my mom for easter brunch, and i'm planning on taking this to share with the fun gal who (wo)man's the front desk where my mom lives.

my recipe for granola:

6 c. oats
1 c. seeds or nuts (i use a combination of chopped walnuts and raw sunflower seeds)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 wheat germ
1/3 c. canola oil
1/3 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. shredded coconut

combine all ingredients in a large bowl and bake on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 1 hour. be sure to stir occasionally to prevent browning. when cool, add 1 c. dried fruit (cranberries or dried apples are yummy!).

store in an air tight container for 2 weeks, or freeze.

the tag i used can be downloaded here. initially, i created it to attach to a couple of easter baskets, but i think they look cute attached to the granola jar. ;)

wishing you and your family a very happy easter.

lunchtime!

when my kids were in preschool, i'd send them cute little notes in their lunch boxes. they were usually nothing more than a few words on a post-it, but they loved them and looked forward to the little lunch-box surprise each day.

since my kids began elementary school, i've let that tradition fade. i don't know why.

the other day my littlest found a joke book at the library. we read one joke after the next -- each one ending in a sea of giggles.

this got me thinking...

and i sat down at my computer and whipped up these sweet little things --
my daughter loves jokes even more than my son, so i'm sure they'll be a huge hit when she finds one in her lunch tomorrow. :)

in case you'd like a copy, download a sheet of 6 lunch jokes here. all you need to do it download the set of lunch jokes and save them to your computer and print. if you like, you can add a stamp, hand-drawn smiley or a sticker of your choice. i added a heart stamp on each of the ones you see above.

and if you're looking for more lunch-box note printables, help yourself to these, too. you can download them here. print on white cardstock and trim. :)

check out the ones stacy julian just gave away on her blog -- so cute!

and look at this. even lunchables is getting in on the lunch-note action.

lunch notes are everywhere!

enjoy. and happy tuesday!

four on friday.

1) our shingles are being painted today. i don't know why this makes me so happy, but it does. i'll post pictures once it's complete.

2) i scrapbooked. my desk was too messy to warrant getting out any new supplies, though i did get a really fabulous box of goodies from little yellow bicycle yesterday. in my laziness, i did a digital page, which really took more mental energy than paper-scrapbooking would have. it's not my first 100% digital page, but it's my first in a long while. this could be the start of something...

(supplies: dot and brown paper, journaling snippets: crystal wilkerson; stitching: katie pertiet; frame: paislee press; stamped letters: ikari; font: splendid 66)

3) yesterday, over breakfast, anna was telling us all about how jaguars. did you know:

• jaguars are a feline, but they sometimes eat wild dogs?
• they'll hunt animals up to 160 pounds!

4) did you see that beth is blog-hosting over at write. click. scrapbook. this week? i love beth. and i love her blog. last week beth posted about her daughter's first ever muffin-tin lunch. genius! here's our own version of beth's muffin-tin lunch:

(pears, annie's bunny crackers, cheese, & plain yogurt + homemade granola parfaits)

happy friday!

unfinished projects and a little giveaway.

guilty.

i have more than a few projects that i started over break, but have yet to finish. here's the evidence:

in other random news:

... my daughter came home with a field trip form and a notice that we need to send in a check for $24. don't get me wrong, it's a COOL field trip, but doesn't that seem a little pricey?

... i made dinner last night in under 30 min. we had this, and this, and a spinach salad with this dressing. 30 minutes, people! that's a record for me!

... in addition to all the many, many unfinished projects listed above, i'm cleaning out my office, getting rid of some scrapbooking items i've yet to use and making room for some new stuff. leave me a comment by 8 pm pst telling me something you still need to finish (misery loves company, after all), and i'll draw a name to receive some fun mail. :)

... and in case you haven't popped over to write.click.scrapbook. yet this week, you're in for a real treat! jody's our hostess-with-the-mostest and you won't want to miss a single post!

happy tuesday!

four on friday.

i'm pretty certain no one does four on friday, but since i'm "new" to the blogging world, i'm going to do it anyway and claim ignorance.



1) this tea. it's my (almost) nightly ritual. no caffeine and so soothing. goes especially well with #2.



2) this show. i know it's nearly over. so very sad about that. goes especially well with #1.



3) these shoes. i don't need another pair of sneakers. but whoa, these are cute! and purple! they make me want to run. and in case you want to be a runner like i want to (someday) be a runner, check out this "couch to 5k plan." and yes, i'm sitting on the couch as i type this. :)

4) and a notice. i'm blog-hosting over at write.click.scrapbook. next week starting on monday. stop by. i promise to post about something useful.

happy friday!

and the winner is...

KathyT! :)
congrats to you, dear! email your address and full name to me at mrsclaus09 at gmail dot com to receive your copy of 101+ creative ways to use your scrapbook supplies. it will come directly from creating keepsakes magazine.

sorry to keep you all waiting over the weekend. thanks for checking back!

woo hoo! and happy monday!

finished.

1. my cute knitted washcloth from this book.
2/3. this darling table runner.
4. and then i started this super-cute raw-edged circle quilt.

happy monday.

the party continues.

just not here. i'm still blog-hosting over at write. click. scrapbook. today's post is all about inexpensive party favors and gift ideas, so head on over.

www.writeclickscrapbook.com

happiest friday!

notepads.

growing up, my dad owned his own print shop. i remember visiting the warehouse, the smell of the presses -- the toner and paper. before we'd leave, my dad would let me pick out a few notepads made from mis-runs or the end-cuts from print jobs. we had stacks of them around the house. i think notepads are what began my love affair with paper.

the other day i was searching for my grocery list notepad. the kind you buy at the store -- a couple bucks each, and always a little kitchy. it annoyed me that i needed to go to the grocery store to buy another grocery notepad. then it hit me. i could make my own, just like dad used to.

the boys were at a basketball game and my daughter was mulling around in the kitchen, looking for something to do. i quickly enlisted her help, and in under an hour with a few supplies we found around the house, we each had our very own custom notepads!

some of you may be thinking. well duh! i do this all the time! making notepads is sooooooooooo easy! :)

but some of you may be thinking, NO WAY! make your own notepads?! this i've gotta see!

if you're in the latter group, this tutorial is for you. :)

what we're making:



cute, huh?

here's what you'll need:

• this download (or your own design, whichever you choose)
• chipboard sheet, 4.25x5.5 (you can use the backing of an old notepad, too)
• craft glue (this kind of elmers will work. so will this aleene's.)
• a small paint brush
• a trimmer
• binder clips like these ones (or any old chip-clips would work, too)

step 1: download the notepad file, or create your own. we're making a 4.25x5.5 notepad, so 4 designs could fit on one sheet of regular printer paper.

step 2: print 10 copies of the notepad file. trim it in fourths so that each sheet is 4.25x5.5 inches. this will give you 40 sheets.

step 3: stack your notepad sheets with your chipboard at the back. tap the stack on two sides (top and left-hand side) in case your sheets aren't cut exactly to size (which mine often aren't!).

step 4: clamp the paper together on both the left and right side toward the top, shown here.

step 5: paint a thin layer of glue along the top. be sure to use enough to cover the top of the chipboard backing. let dry for 30 minutes, then add one more layer of glue.

while the glue is drying, add another binder clip along the very top, or sandwich the notepad between two books (being careful not to get glue on your books!)

step 6: tear off the top sheet if it has glue or markings from the binder clips on it.

step 7: tie with a sweet ribbon and pencil... voila!

are you going to try it? my daughter wants to make one for her teacher. cute!

enjoy! and happy thursday.

in sight.

(i'm skipping four on friday today but will stick to the plan next friday. some days you just have to change things up! ;))

the final days of school are happening NOW, and summer is actually in sight. i'm delighted! slower days with mornings spent in jammies, hanging out after swim lessons, vbs camp and family vacations.

usually, by this time, i'm prepared for summer. this year, however, i'm taking things one day at a time.

i've got some fun blog posts planned. posts about keeping kids' brains working over summer (and links to some fun ways to motivate them, too!), as well as some boredom busters for those days when summer's end can't come soon enough (how is it even possible? yet, it happens every year!).

all that to come within the week. today, however, i'm going to a party. ;) a hooray-let's-celebrate-because-our-kiddos-are-nearly-finished-with-kindergarten party. what should i wear?

happy friday!

happy september.

though the official calendar says otherwise, to me september marks the beginning of fall, and of course, the start of school. this year we started early -- yesterday, actually. which got me thinking about making lunches, and even more fun -- lunch notes. i've shared these in the past (check out this link to see the others), but thought i'd share a few more for those of you who are checking in. :) just download, print and trim. don't forget to sign them with a heart or something to personalize them.

[click here to be directed to another page to download lunch notes]

and of course, another fun thing about turning the calendar -- the new gallery over at write. click. scrapbook. check it out.

happy september. happy wednesday!

four on friday.

1) ah! friday, at last! i'm gearing up for throwing a little birthday party for my husband this weekend. nothing major, just some wonderful friends and lots of food! i'll be serving this, and these, and this, plus a whole lot more. i'll share some photos next week.

2) i love bags. i'm currently knitting this little baby in lime green, though i'd really love to get my hands on this. have you met orla kiely yet? my friend wendy has a crush on her, too. so does celeste. looks like my bag-love is in good company.

3) i mentioned earlier that i've been busy planning and getting ready for mike's party. so what on earth was i thinking last night when i started making dog treats for my sweet pup? isn't she cute? she loves the treats, by the way. so does my son, but that's another story...

4) does anyone know what tomorrow is?

of course, the party's been goin' on all week over at creating keepsakes, but you won't want to miss tomorrow! i'll be prepping for a birthday party, but i'll check in over at club ck throughout the day. i hope pop on over, too!

here's what's going on:

• a layout sketch every hour from 9 AM to 6 PM (that's mst)
• page titles and free fonts!
• a photo-contest
• page-layout contests with randomly selected winners
• and some great prizes from here and here. (two of my favorites!)

happy friday!

a really great place to start.

who knew starting a blog could be so difficult? i've written a handful of opening posts, only to hit delete. so, i'm opening with photos from a great long weekend away.

happy sunday.

fun friday.

a friend shared this link a week or so ago. fun stuff!

shape collage


try it! it's free AND fun!

happy friday!

flowers.

aren't these darling?

i made them.
all by myself.
with a LOT of step-by-step help from nina's tutorial. :)
check it out.
like her stuff? me, too!
and you know what?
she's guest-blogging over at write. click. scrapbook. today.
go check it out!

happy tuesday!

as promised, printable bookplates.

hope you all are having a wonderful friday! my oldest is recovering from the stomach flu, and though she's certainly not 100%, she had no problem helping me out with this:
i printed them on avery sticker paper and trimmed with my trimmer, though you could easily punch each one out with a circle punch (assuming you have the right size).

you can download the blue-birdie book plates here.

enjoy! and happy friday!