Scrap Haven

It was a long time coming!  I spent the first 2 1/2 years in this house with my scrap space up in the "loft" of the house:

We would carry all the "scrap crap" up and down the stairs with every retreat that I would plan or attend.  It is HEAVY stuff too!  So, when we had the carpet replaced in the front room (dogs and cats ruined it completely) I told Ben, jokingly, that I was moving the scrap crap downstairs to make travelling to retreats easier.  He told me to go for it!

We usually use this room as a bedroom when our parents come to visit.  I figure, they come maybe one or two weeks out of the year, why not use the old scrap loft for their visit and use this room as my own little "Haven" to scrap in?

So, after a bit of measuring and figuring out how to organize everything, I did it! I took over the front room and LOVE how it looks now!

I had to order all my zebra covers for the cricut and the texture boutique from a wonderful woman named Kathy and she did a great job with them and she even did a scrap catcher for me in the Zebra Print.  I emailed her a picture of my Zebra chair from Bed Bath and Beyond and she was able to match the cozy's to the chair!

I even have 2 spots in the room for the kids to sit and create/draw/do homework made out of the Jetmax Cubes and desktops from Michaels.

I can keep an eye on them right here while they work on their homework and still keep scrappin'!  The best of both worlds here, baby!!!!

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

Project Life Update....

I decided to update the Project Life album before I started with the layouts I wanted to create for the Feeling Scrappy Sketchapalooza 7 class.  I am really happy with the way this album is turning out.  The best thing is that on the days that I don't get a good picture or forget to take one at all, I can put in a few pictures for a particular day and tell the story a little better.  An example would be the re-vamp of my Scrap Loft.  I want to be able to tell that story and show off my space.  I did take pictures for that week but some didn't turn out the way I would have liked and some were blurry. So, instead I put in the pictures from when I was moving around my scrap area and organizing. 
I am one of those nerds that likes to organize things and I get a rush when it is all done and looks awesome!  I am all smiles, baby! 
So, here are the pages that I have completed since my last update - April 23 2012 until May 15 2012:

 I blurred out the pictures because they are for the upcoming Sketchapalooza 7 class in June. 

I am not sure how you work from your Core Kit, but I decided to take the journaling cards out of their storage boxes and just have them ready to go in the large box.  It works best for me when I am working.  Here is how I have my cards laid out.  Also, I bought an extra set of 3x4 Grid Journaling Cards.  They are in here as well.   

According to Becky Higgins, the core kits are now going to be made in the USA.  Very cool!  Now, the other thing, that I am not too happy about, is they will not have stickers in the core kits.  I use my ARROW stickers so much and I am bummed about the fact that they won't be in the Core Kit anymore.  But, I am looking for other options for arrows to use in the album.  I think they are looking for other options, but they will be bought as a separate item. I am not sure I will like that because it will cost more to get the entire kit.  If this is going to be a yearly thing, I have to make sure that it will fit in the budget.  Last year, the Project Life Kits were all one big package with one price.  This year, everything is separate:  Core Kit, Cardstock, Page Protectors, 3x4 Grid Journaling Cards, Memorabilia Envelopes and Dividers are all a separate item to be purchased.  Will be hard to justify in the budget.  We'll see though because once Ben sees the project put together and done, he will more than likely be cool with it.  I could always ask my inlaws and parents for the individual pieces for birthdays and Christmas!  ;)

Anyway, that is my Project Life update for this week.  Once again I am CAUGHT UP!  How weird does that ever feel to say that!!!  Something I thought I would NEVER hear myself say in a million years!
I hope you enjoy these updates because I really enjoy sharing them with you!  

Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

The Scrap Loft Re-Vamp...FINALE!

I spent a lot of time last week putting together Expedit Shelves from Ikea and re-organizing my Scrap Loft.  I know, I know! I spend a lot of time re-organizing and not enough time scrapbooking! But that is about to change.  
I have a great set-up now and can really get to work on some layouts in this great area!
As I said the other day, I am on the Design Team for Jayne's Feeling Scrappy Sketchapalooza class.  So, I have a few layouts to get done ahead of time. 
Not to mention, the other layouts I need to do to finish up some of the albums that I have on the go.  That is the MAY Use Your Stash Challenge over at Scrapshare:
My CHALLENGE to you for the month of May and this weekend's celebration of National Scrapbook Day.....(if you choose to accept it) is:

1. Go through all your albums in search of things that you need to do to FINISH the entire album to call it "COMPLETE".
2. Make a list of each of the things that you need in order to finish the album.
3. Get to work this month on purchasing those things and creating what you need. FORGET using your stash, this is about FINISHING THOSE SCRAPBOOKS OFF!
4. Put the album back on the shelf, IT IS FINISHED. COMPLETE. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!
5. Keep track of the pages you complete ONLY. Don't worry about money, don't worry about tracking the money you spent. The goal is to FINISH your albums in their entirety. Get that journaling done, get those page protectors on those pages, get the titles done! Whatever it is, in the words of Larry the Cable Guy "Git 'r Done!"

***afterall, you can't count the page as DONE until you finish everything!!!

So, the plan this week is to get in here and GET MY SCRAP ON!!!! 

Now, the pictures you have all been waiting for!!!!!

BEFORE:

The room was taken apart. I took the scrap table from the corner by the bookshelf and put it in the hallway to hold a lot of stuff while I moved stuff and threw stuff away.   

This is the wall that I re-organized and re-purposed a lot of stuff.  I also figured out that the small 4 cube Expedit would fit on TOP of the 8 cube Expedit without hitting the ceiling!  MORE STORAGE!  WOOT!

My large scrapbooking table sat in front of this bookshelf. But not anymore baby! 

AFTER:

I bought 2 Expedit Shelves at Ikea and 2 VIKA AMON table tops to sit on top of the shelves.  Jessica came over one night and we measured out the wall in front of the window and figured out that 2 Expedits lying down could fit across the entire wall and we could build my JetMax cubes up either side of the window.  It looks fabulous!  Thanks for the awesome idea Jess!!!  YOU ROCK! Oh yeah, thanks for helping me put together the last Expedit. It went together so much easier. She also helped me to put my papers back in the slots they belonged in and move around some stuff up here too!  (On a side note:  Jess pointed to the directions and it had 1 person with an "X" over it and then 2 people trying to put it together. I am not one to look at directions in the first place and YES, I did put one together on my own thankyouverymuch! Leave it to Jess to point it out though!  Love ya Jessica!!!! )

Now, I have plenty of room for me to crop, a friend to come and sit at my table and crop with me AND another 6 foot table to have 2 more friends crop with me!

Okay gals, who's coming and when?  I have an empty calendar after the 25th of May! Until then, it is end of school year stuff, book fairs, parties, etc.  You know how it is at the end of the school year!  You BLEED money for parties and teacher gifts. So, anytime after May 25th, let me know when you are coming!

For right now, I am going to go through my photos and try to scrap a few pages.  Maybe even make a couple of sketches and take this new space a test-drive!
Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Wordless Wednesday....

Simple Woman's Day Book - Week 18

FOR TODAY - Monday April 30, 2012

Outside my window...it is sunny and gorgeous out.

I am thinking...my scrap space needs to be re-organized so that I can maximize my output.
I am thankful...for my girlfriends.  They save me from going insane staying home all day with the kids.
In the kitchen...I can hear the dogs munching on their food, coffee brewing and Sophie playing with her shopping cart.
I am wearing...my black capri pants and a scrapbook t-shirt (I seem to have a lot of these too.....not much "dress-up" stuff)...ah, the life of a stay at home mom!
I am creating...some layouts for a Sketchapalooza class, afterall, I am on the design team (forgot to mention that on my last post about Feeling Scrappy). 
I am going...to take apart my scrap area and see where the inspiration is....
I am wondering...how Ben's class in Michigan is going.  I hope he enjoyed himself up in Canada.  
I am reading...smut....romantic and almost erotic fiction!  Some of these freebies I got on Amazon for the Kindle.  I love that Kindle!  It is the best thing since sliced bread!
I am hoping...dinner tonight with Jessica will be good, we aren't really adventurous when it comes to eating ethnic food.  So, we will see.
I am looking forward to...a trip to Ikea with Laura sometime soon to pick up her Expedit Shelves for her scrapbooking room.  Should be fun!
I am learning...my mood changes if I am hungry. I turn into a grizzly bear if I don't eat!
Around the house...it is all quiet.  Sophie is having a nap and I am sitting here writing this post!
I am pondering...going back through the years to get the photos put into a family album for each year.  Should take me a while, but using the We R Memory Keepers page protectors will make it easy.  Project Life has really opened my eyes to this "easy" way of scrapping!
A favorite quote for today...another quote found on pinterest: 

One of my favorite things...my scraploft.
A few plans for the rest of the week...pick up Ben at the airport tomorrow night, finish a few layouts for the Sketchapalooza 7 class, head to Michaels for some special deals (thank goodness for coupons) and hanging out with my family in the evenings.  Planning to eat at home all week after tonight's trip with Jess and her kidlets to Zab-E-Lee's.  
A peek into my day...reorganizing H-E-double hockey sticks!

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Want to join us? Go here
Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Simple Woman's Daybook - Week 8

Monday February 20, 2012

Outside My Window....it is a sun-shiny day and the kids are in the backyard playing all together really nicely!
I am thinking...taco soup in the crock pot was a wonderful idea.
I am thankful...for my sweet friends Cori and Jessica who came to scrapbook with me today.
In the kitchen...I have coffee brewing, a crock pot full of taco soup and a couple jugs of juice for the kidlets.  
I am wearing...a scrapbooking t-shirt and my favourite Victoria'S Secret PINK jogging pants that will soon have to be replaced.  :(
I am creating...nothing!  I am putting my already-done layouts into albums.  The stack is getting smaller and smaller!  Woot! Woot!
I am going...to have the gals over for coffee tomorrow morning.  
I am wondering...when my Project Life stuff will arrive on Wednesday.  I am really chomping at the bit to get it here and get to work on it!
I am reading...all the magazines that are on my bedside table right now.  I have about 15 scrapbooking magazines that I need to look through and a few of the All You magazines with pages dog-eared.
I am hoping...that the kids continue to get along today and this week so that it isn't a struggle.  This week is Winter Break and I am really not up for a hard week.  Especially since Ben will be travelling for work next week and I will be the "single mum" for the week.  
I am looking forward to...scrap night with my McDonough girls Thursday night and hopefully a trip to the zoo this week (if the weather co-operates).  
I am learning...menu planning is really saving our budget.    
Around the house...the kids are playing nicely and there haven't been any huge knock-down-drag-outs.....yet.....
I am pondering...what other things we can do this week while the kidlets are off school without having to deal with crowds.  Lord knows, I am not a fan of crowds!
A favourite quote for today....
"it is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind."
Ecclesiastes 4:6 NCV

One of my favourite things...a new little lap desk that I bought at Ikea this weekend.  It is perfect for sitting my laptop on while I sit in bed....very cool!
A peek into my day....

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Want to join us?  Go here:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ 

Until next week, Scrap On!

~Cyn~

Oh, IKEA, How I Love Thee.....

My good friend, Dawn, has a little area in her bedroom that she has used for scrapbooking in the past.  Right now, it is a little messy and not functional at all.  So, today,we took a little trip into Atlanta to IKEA to get her some organizing stuff.  

It was a total spur of the moment trip that we could have put off until next week, but we figured "the laundry and cleaning can wait".  So, off we went with 2 toddlers in tow to Ikea.  

Can I just tell you how much I LA LA LA LOVE Ikea?  I mean, REALLY, I love it!  The organizational section and office/work areas are, by far, my favourite.  You know, I thought I would be so tempted while I was in there to spend a huge amount of cash, but I bought the things I needed for our house (scissors, an egg timer for Sophie's potty training and a can opener) and I bought one zippered box for my Expedit shelf that will replace the one I busted last month (oops).    

I did find the desk that I would LOVE in MY scraploft....

I was also able to find a "big girl bed" for Sophie ^^^

Now, for Dawn's Scrapbook Nook, ended up getting an 8 cube Expedit and 2 bins with zippers for it.  Hopefully, her sister will help her put it together so that next week, I can head over to her place to help her organize and make her scrapbook nook more functional.  

That is one thing I absolutely love to do: organize.  

The cool thing about organizing:  First, it looks like a tornado has come through and trashed the place,  Then, when it is all said and done, man does it ever look awesome!  I promise, I will take photos before and after!!!  

Can't wait to see what we can pull off in there! :)

Until next time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

"Scrap Loft" Reorganization....

My good friend Beth gifted me a bunch of JetMax cubes for my scrap loft. I spent all day Monday getting everything organized and put the way I wanted it.  I hope it will be functional and I will be able to work in this space. Here is what I came up with for my Scrap Loft:

  

I think it looks so good and I am really hoping that I can work in this space without having to move everything again.  Thanks to Beth for the awesome cubes! Now, to just find the time and also my "mojo" so I can get creating!

~Cyn M~  

Day 32 of 365

The first part of the Use Your Stash Challenge on ScrapShare was to organize your "Scrap Crap" so that you know what you have....so here is my SCRAP LOFT....


This is where creating happens!
Until tomorrow.....
~Cyn~

"Snowpocalypse" Continues.....Day 12 of 365

Nathan was home once again today....Marcy was able to leave this morning and the roads look clear except for some black ice patches.....The South really doesn't know what to do with themselves with this ice. It is so weird!!!

I have taken today's photo up here in my scrap loft. Sophie and Nathan were sitting on my desk chair while I went through my paper stash....

Here they are:

Keep Scrappin'!

~Cyn~

Day 2 - Project 365

It's Sunday and I am happy to say that Ben let me play in the scrap loft! Sometime, I will take some photos of the scrap loft, but for right now, you can see a pic of me actually scrapbooking! Well, I was working on my new gypsy to create titles for the portrait album pages that I had to complete for my mum. I take her pictures that I send up of the kidlets and put them into layouts. I started that tradition last year. Both her and my mother in law have them now.

I don't have many photos of me scrapbooking, so I was pretty happy that Ben was willing to take the photo for me. Gotta love a man that is good with the camera too! Love ya hon!

So, here I am working on some titles for her portrait album using the Gypsy she and dad bought me for Christmas this year! Woot! Woot!

Not too bad Ben! I just wish I had done something with my hair! LOL
Until tomorrow....Just Keep Scrappin'!

~Cyn~