Use Your Stash Challenge - June Totals

We are half way through 2012 and I feel like we need to get some updates going!
For those of you who have joined me to USE YOUR STASH, where are you?
Have you been slacking on the USING and going gung ho on the BUYING?
Have you been scrapbooking at all?  
I have to admit that the 2 classes I joined at the beginning of the year - One Little Word and Move More Eat Well 2012, I am COMPLETELY slacking off!  
But I have completed 192 pages in 2012 so far.
My goal for 2012 was 212 and I think I will hit that this month!  Woohoo!


Now, what exactly do I consider a page?
A page is 1 scrapbook page with all the elements on it:  title, journalling, pictures, mats, die cuts.  
A page is also 1 side of the Project Life Page Protector.  
A page is also 1 side of any of the album pages made by We R Memory Keepers (for those of you using these for school albums and family albums).
A scrapbook page can be any size too....8x8, 7x7, 6x6, 8.5x11, 12x12, 11x14, Picfolio or 12x15.  

Now, how about the spending portion of this challenge?  Have you been keeping track?  I hate to say it, but I haven't checked. All I have to do is go through my spreadsheet and I can tell you how much I have spent.  Not really up for that conversation yet though!  HA! HA! HA!

Now it is time to 'fess up ladies and gents......
How are you doing so far?  Are you keeping up with the goals you made at the beginning of the year?
What would you like to see as a monthly challenge for the rest of the year? Comment here and let me know how you are doing!


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~

Heading to the MOTHERSHIP....

There is a 43% off coupon to be used this weekend to celebrate National Scrapbook Day and I am heading up to Kennesaw / Marietta to use it!  I know!  I know!  I really don't need to be spending money right now, but Archiver's NEVER has a coupon that large!  So, it is a big deal.  Plus, I can use it to get what I need.
Speaking of NEEDS:
On Monday, I went through each and every scrapbook that I own to see what needed to be done to finish off the albums or start the albums. Now, I have a LOT of albums that are finished.  BUT....I found 10 albums that need a couple things done to them to FINISH them off. 
So, the plan is to take this list to Archiver's with me.  I have all of the paper I need, but there is a really cool new tool called the Sew-Stamper that I really want to be able to use with my pages. I have been eyeing that thing since it came it.  It puts little stitches around your pages or around your photos.  Really cool little gadget.  So, I think that will be one of the purchases I make today.
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 weekend on purchasing those things and creating what you need.
4. Put the album back on the shelf, IT IS FINISHED.  COMPLETE.  NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

There is your challenge for MAY USE YOUR STASH too!  Imagine that!  2 posts in 1!  Now, I am off to have a shower and get to work on my list before I head up to the "Mothership".  Now Project Life Ladies, this goes for you too!  You may need to go back and look at those pages to make sure that you have all the photos that you need, or that you have journaling you need to finish.  So, get on it!  
Look for my post later this weekend about photo opportunities for Project Lifers.  I have lots of links for you to seek out ideas for photos of your every day.  So, keep your eyes peeled for that post this weekend!
Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Use Your Stash Challenge: January Totals

34 pages done in January.  Here's the breakdown:

4 Digital pages

4 MMEW 2012 pages (special page protectors)

26 Traditional pages

I also completed the organization challenge AND the layout of 12 pics from 2011.

Not too shabby!  Since February is a short month, I have the challenge ready to go and I am hoping to kick out maybe 10 layouts in February.  I have some things to get done for the Skyline Retreat in March before I get to "play" with paper though.  

Until next time, SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

February Use Your Stash Challenge

RULES FOR THIS CHALLENGE:

(posting again just in case you didn't read it last month)

1. Use what papers you have in your paper pods, on your shelves, paper stacker, wherever. Use your brads, eyelets, primas, chipboard, ribbon, grungeboard, etc. Spend as little as possible on supplies!!!

2. Purchase only tape runner, xyron refills, page refills, protectors and replacement blades for our trimmers, wishblade, cricut, etc.

3. If there is a basic cardstock that you use, (ie. Black/White/Brown) this is okay to purchase but you have to count it in your monthly amount spent!

4. Loophole: When you get a gift card for Archivers/Hobby Lobby/Michaels/Joann's for birthdays, anniversaries, mothers day, Christmas - you can use it to purchase supplies without recording what you spent because it wasn’t your money you spent. It was a GIFT. This does NOT mean that you go out and buy a bunch of gift cards before the end of the year to Hobby Lobby/Archivers/Michaels.

5. By the 5th day of the month, I will have a challenge of the month posted. This thread will be used to showcase what we have done with our STASH. It will be located in the Page Challenges Forum and will be titled: "Month 2012" UYS Challenge & Showcase.

6. At the end of the month, we have to post what we bought, how much it cost and then how many pages/projects we complete. This will be done in a thread titled:
Use Your Stash Totals for "Month 2012".

7. Cartridges for the Cricut or Digital Kits……You have to factor the cost of the cartridge or digital kits into your monthly purchase amount – which will make your page cost go up! The only way around that would be if someone bought you the cart/kit or if you buy it with a gift card.

8. Use your ENTIRE STASH at the END of 2012 - by doing this challenge - and you get to BUY WHATEVER YOU LIKE!!!!

9. Pictures DO NOT count toward your costs for your layouts as you need the pictures to be able to scrapbook and use your stash. Digital Layouts when printed are only worth 1/3 their price as the pictures on the page count for the other 1/3 of the cost.

10. Anything you can alter does NOT count in your cost analysis. Mod Podge, acrylic spray, adhesive spray and archival spray.

11. If it is a gift for someone (secret sister, Christmas, end of year gift, ghoulfriends, etc.) it does NOT count. Even if you are altering it for that person. It is a GIFT and is not counted at all.

Here is how I count my stuff and how you should count it so that we are all on the same page:

• A scrapbook page is a scrapbook page. (It doesn't matter what size it is.)
• 5 cards = 1 scrapbook page
• 1 altered Item (doesn't matter what size) = 1 scrapbook page
• 1 gift made using your supplies = 1 scrapbook page
• Challenge of the month Completed & Posted = 1 page
• Using 1 Swap Set = 1 page

WHAT DOESN’T COUNT TOWARD OUR TOTALS:

• taperunners / refills
• albums
• pages / protectors
• cutting mats
• xyron refills
• replacement blades for our trimmers / cricuts / wishblades
• any digital pictures (if you don't have pictures, you can't use your stash)
• anything you can alter
• mod podge
• acrylic spray
• adhesive spray
• archival spray
• anything you bought using a giftcard OR money given to you as a gift OR money earned selling your scrapbook stuff ONLY (because it wasn't YOUR money to begin with) = A.K.A. “Loophole $”
• retreat costs
• online classes (BPS, Jessica Sprague, Get It Scrapped, Feeling Scrappy, L.O.A.D., to name a few)

PURCHASES YOU HAVE TO COUNT:

• Anytime you spend money on anything “scrappy”.
• If there is a basic cardstock that you use (ie. black, white, brown) this is okay to purchase but you have to count it in your monthly amount spent. Cartridges / Digital Kits are to be counted in your monthly amount spent.
• Digital Scrapbook Pages - count only 1/2 of the cost to have the page printed.

***EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE:
If you are a CM / CTMH / SU Consultant, (whether you are a hobbyist or do it as a business) what you purchase for your business does NOT count (unless you are using it for yourself - then you have to take the wholesale cost of that item and add it to what you spent that month).

*********************************

Now, the FEBRUARY 2012 Challenge:

PART ONE

1. You know those idea books and sketch books you have on your shelf? Well, pull them off the shelf and find at least 3 sketches (since it is a short month).
2. Complete a layout for each of the sketches you have chosen.

PART TWO

Were you one of those ladies that joined all those swaps when you were first swap certified and have them in a folder somewhere? Well, find those swap sets and use them up!!! Alter something or just use them on your layouts that you create in February!!!  

As you can see, I have a couple drawers full of sets that need to be used up.  ------>

There you have it, the second challenge of 2012! Enjoy and......get your SCRAP on!!!!
~Cyn~

2011 Year In Review....

The Use Your Stash challenge over at SS is ON!  The first challenge is:
1. Organize your Scrap Scrap
2. Create a layout or 2 page spread using 12 photos from 2011 as a Year in Review layout.  
3. Create as many pages as you can in the month of January, use your stash only!
4. Don't buy anything!
So, here is my Year in Review Layout - 2 page layout featuring the highlights of 2011 in pictures.  The Digi Template is from Ella Publishing's Take 12 Template #5.  Journaling is written below the 2 pages.

JOURNALING:

January met us with a week of snow days & lots of pics of Nathan & Sophie.  In March, we became Zoo Atlanta Members & have used our membership a lot.  Nathan played Upward Soccer this year at a local church.  We were able to spend some time at the cottage with Ben’s family in June. Nathan turned 7 in August & started 2nd grade at DES.  We finally got to attend our first Atlanta Braves game in August as well.  Nana & Grandad came for a visit in April & September. While they were here, Ben & I celebrated our 12 year anniversary in September. In October, for Sophie’s 2nd birthday, we all went to the Georgia Aquarium & became members. I continue to scrapbook & was able to attend a few retreats this year, including the 2 Skyline retreats I plan.  Nan & Poopa came down to hang out with Ben & the kids while I was at Skyline in October.  It was great having both sets of parents visit this year. In November, we travelled up to Canada for Thanksgiving.  While we were there, Nana & Grandad finally got married after 30 years together!  We had Christmas at Nan & Poopa’s house with Great Grannie Jackson. We sure have been blessed this year with precious time with family and friends!!!!

~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 51

I was organizing my photos today and ran across some of Yoda. Yes, he is STILL missing and I am missing him lots. The pictures made me tear up a little. What if he did go off somewhere to die? My friend Sandra told me that cats do that when they are sick. I just don't know how I couldn't have known he was not feeling well? I am just waiting for him to return. :(

Well, I mentioned yesterday that I had found some inspiration for the ATC Swap for Skyline. Well, here is what I did for the swap. I used my stash and came up with something in my 2 favourite colours: Purple and Green......There are only 6 of us doing the swap, but here is what I came up with and the journaling on the back of the card is written below:

For as long as I can remember, my dream was to open my own Spa &Retreat property. I would host retreats of all kinds…The property would have single rooms for privacy, walking and riding trails, horseback riding, fitness classes, large multi-purpose rooms and fabulous food. I guess planning Skyline is the closest I have ever come to making this dream come true…

~Cyn~

Use Your Stash Challenge - January Goals....

I completed 25 traditional layouts, made 12 monogramme cards for Christy for her birthday and an altered letter as well. I also finished the 2 page layout for PART 2 of the Use Your Stash Challenge...
Set the timer for 12 minutes and pick a favourite photo from each month. Use those 12 photos in a layout for 2010. Here is mine: Digitreats is where I downloaded this template. I LOVE her blog and her stuff! I used The Digitreats 14 Picture Template #2....Check her out, she is fabulous!
Until later,
~Cyn

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~

Sketchapalooza 4 - Sketch1

I just put the finishing touches on this Sketch for the class. Hope you like it. I used a bunch of scraps and cardstock that was in my "small scraps" binder. It is GREAT for the Use Your Stash Challenge that I am doing! Not sure where the pieces came from, but they fit perfectly for this layout!
Here is the journalling I did on this particular page. Sweet. sweet story! This layout is going in my Book of ME album or the All About Us album. (per Stacy Julian's Library of Memories). Don't forget to check out Lita's Blog today to see the newest sketch and my attempt at it! It is FAB!!!
~Cyn~