Marci's Scrapping Spot

Fun Friday

2011-05-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Let's do something unexpected this weekend...take your scrapbooking supplies and do something with them that you've never done before. I challenge you to create something NEW and DIFFERENT with your supplies. Have you ever altered a journal before? Created a layout for framing? Used your paper to decoupage a tabletop?

Be sure to share your creations with me!

Thankful Thursday

2011-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a link that can be a great time-saver. I LUV scrapbook.com but the search feature there, and the sheer volume of info there, makes it hard to find things. If you like sketches, THIS link will take you right to all the sketches that have been posted and tagged as such at their site. Enjoy!

Wordy Wednesday

2011-05-03T20:54:00.001-07:00

In honor of the upcoming Mother's Day holiday, I challenge you to do some journaling this week about a special woman in your life. What has she meant to you? How does she inspire you?

Technique Tuesday

2011-05-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

Don't be afraid to be bright! One easy way to use bright colors successfully is similar to the advice on mixing patterns...to ground them with a solid black or white background. Take a look and give it a try!
And just for kicks...if I get TEN comments on this post, I will send out a pack of bright papers to one of the commenters!

Manic Monday!

2011-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

This week, perhaps for obvious reasons, I challenge you to create a card, layout, or altered project with both stars and stripes on it in some way. It does not need to be a traditionally patriotic project in any way...just use stars and stripes. Share what you come up with and I will post here!

Fun Friday

2011-04-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

Let's bring spring! (I don't know about where you are, but here in MI it is sloooow coming and seems to be needing a little encouragement!)

Nothing says spring more than flowers...so today I challenge you to make some homemade flowers for your projects. Take some time on youtube and you will find tons of tutorials on different designs. So, whip up a few...don't worry about what you are going to use them for just yet. Just have fun creating them. Then later when you need one you will have a perfect handmade embellie all ready to go!

Thankful Thursday

2011-04-27T21:48:00.001-07:00

Here is a great link to be thankful for, from KellyCali over at scrapbook.com:

101 Ways to Use Stickles.

Do you have any more you'd add to the list??

Wordy Wednesday

2011-04-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

Have you ever finished a layout, loved it...and then realized you didn't save a spot for journaling? Or maybe you just realized that you have a lot more to say than you allowed room for? Or what if the writing is just going to "ruin" the "look" you are going for? Don't lose hope! Simply turn the layout over and write on the back! You can write as much or as little as you want without worrying at all about how it affects the appearance of your layout...and most importantly, all those important thoughts are preserved for future generations. Give it a try!

Technique Tuesday

2011-04-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

Inking is not just for paper! In this layout I wanted to add just a touch of color to the white flowers I had to better fit with the flowers on the background paper. I simply lightly dabbed them with an ink pad and couldn't be happier with the result. What do you think?

Thank You Card

2011-04-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you this gorgeous card that was made in response to my No Housework Day challenge...thanks for sharing Tina!

Pop over and see some more of Tina's beautiful work at Chignon's 23 Things.

Manic Monday!

2011-04-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

I hope everybody had a wonderful and blessed holiday yesterday. To continue the feeling a little longer, this week's challenge is to scrap something...anything...having to do with your spirituality. Whatever that means to you and whatever aspect of it you choose to focus on is fine, but I challenge you to take time this week to preserve some of your thoughts on a layout. Be sure to share with me what you create!

2011-04-22T16:44:00.001-07:00

I just want to send a big shout-out to Jenifer and the rest of the ladies over at Creative Soup, who were kind enough to feature one of my layouts on their Inspiration board today. Hop over(did you catch my Easter bunny reference there??) and check them out!

Fun Friday

2011-04-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, let's see a project using something repurposed! If you really impress me I may just feel the need to reward your creativity!

No weekend posts this weekend as I will be out of town at a soccer tournament and then enjoying Easter with my family!

Thankful Thursday

2011-04-20T23:37:00.000-07:00

Need a fresh and inspiring color combo? Here is a great site to be thankful for: Colors on the Web ...enjoy!

Wordy Wednesday

2011-04-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite journaling techniques is to use song lyrics. There a plethora of amazing thoughts out there already written down by inspiring artists...so why reinvent the wheel? Next time you are stuck, try using a song title as your layout title, or part or all of a song's lyrics as your journaling.

Technique Tuesday

2011-04-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Probably my number one addiction when it comes to scrapbooking is patterned paper. Many friends have expressed to me that they are a little 'scared' of using a lot of pattern, however, especially when it comes to mixing them. I want to suggest that a great way to use fun, vivid patterns in any combination is simply to use them sparingly and against a very neutral background.

Here are two examples. In this first one I used thin strips of multi-colored paper as a frame around the white background. With all the quite-literal white space, I was able to use a variety of coordinating alphas for my title without overwhelming the viewer's eye, adding a touch of fun without detracting from the photos.

In this next layout, the background is actually a very pale blue. Although the patterned papers are very bright and all different, they are again present in small amounts. The patterns themselves are small as well. The placement of the papers leads the eye to the photos, and the paper in the circle serves to tie the colors together. The brightly-c0lored lines it contains are so very thin that they are hardly noticeable themselves; it is a very subtle pattern.

I would love to see (and share!) your examples as well!

Manic Monday!

2011-04-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first Manic Monday post!

Just a quick-and-dirty challenge for a Monday morning to get your mojo flowing for the week. Today I am going to challenge you to create a layout using

buttons, ribbon, and two or more pictures...

easy, peasy, right?

Email me your finished project so others can be inspired!

New Plans on the Horizon!

2011-04-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

I've decided that it is too easy for me to let this blog slide without a PLAN. So, in order to motivate myself to keep it active, I've decided that I will have a daily posting schedule. In the future, this is what you can expect to see here at Marci's Scrapping Spot.

Manic Monday – let’s start the week with a challenge!

Tuesday Techniques – techniques to try

Wordy Wednesday – journaling prompts or ideas

Thankful Thursday – links to inspiring sites (blogs, etc.) that make our creativity easier

Fun Friday – Fun Project Ideas (altered items, layout theme, etc.)

Whatever Weekend – catch up? Throw out a game? Whatever I feel like doing!

Now...this is going to get old fast if I don't have some feedback or some people playing along! So please leave me a comment (or ten!) and let me know what you think, send me your ideas for future posts, send me pictures of your projects that I can share here, etc. Bring a friend!

Remember, I LOVE to send out random prizes at random times!

2011-04-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

A big thank-you to all who participated in any way in the blog hop this past weekend...I hope you all took your "no housework" time seriously!

I wanted to share with you this gorgeous Thank You card created by Diana that she was kind enough to share with me. You can visit her lovely (and bilingual!) blog at http://dianaskreativeecke.blogspot.com/. Thanks Diana!

Several more of you indicated that you took me up on my challenge as well...wonderful! Card-making is a great way to use up our scraps and who doesn't appreciate a handmade card?

You may be curious as to who won the random prize. I had my kids choose a random number today and I am happy to announce that the lucky winner is:

VIJI!

Viji, please get me your address and I will get the pens out to you.

Look for more posts coming soon...I have some plans and ideas brewing in my head!

2011-04-06T21:41:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the National No Housework Day Online Blog hop!

If you have arrived not knowing until now about the hop, no problem...just go back to If It's Groovy , where this hop starts, and work your way through. You may find games, prizes, projects and how-do-you-dos along the path :)

We would appreciate it if you sign up to keep in touch with us by "following" and would love your comments!

Perhaps you arrived here from Nikki Sivils; if so, great! Hope you enjoyed that stop and the others so far!!!

We celebrate this national holiday by scrapping today and into the weekend with projects that remind us of housework or getting away from it!!! Take the day off, put up your feet and let's hop!

So...I've been thinking about what challenge I wanted to give you all today. What I keep coming up with is that "No Housework Day" or not...some things just have to get done, right? And aren't we blessed to have people in our lives that pick up the slack for us when we need help? It may not be with housework (though it could be.) Maybe the help is at work, or with our kids, or even emotional. But these people are downright irreplaceable in our lives and we love them!

So my challenge to you is to make a thank-you card. If you send it to the person you had in mind, so much the better! Monday morning I will choose a random winner to receive a set of Zig Chalk Writer pens in lovely pastel colors!

Thanks for your visit, and please head over to see Theresa at Scrapbookers Anonymous next. Enjoy!

For reference, in case you get lost along the way, here is the complete list of stops.

1. If It's Groovy (Groovy Deb)

2. Life With...(Julie)

3. Leading a Craftastic Life (Kristin)

4. Scrappy Side of Me (Jen T)

5. Peg's Crafting Corner (Peg)

6. All Things Crafty (Erica)

7. Scrapping the Guys (Heather)

8. Let's Get Peachy (Laura)

9. Creating Sensations (Vanessa)

10. Everyday Me (Michelle)

11. Basement Chronicles (Maya)

12. Love to Create (Misty)

13. Scrappy Go Lucky (Darlene)

14. Dragonfly Destiny (Jean-Marie)

15. Andrea's Metta (Andrea)

16. Red Car Productions (Krista)

17. Greets N Treats (Becky)

18. Paper Universe (Silvana)

19. The Limitations of Thought (Irini)

20. Step Into My World (Becky)

21. From the Owls Nest (Sharon)

22. Creations with Becka (Becka)

23. Crafty Go Lucky (Valerie)

24. Crafty Diva Lounge (Jen)

25.Just a Glimpse...(Jenneke)

26. Scrap it Girl (Kimberly)

27. These are a Few...(Julie)

28. Really? That Just Happened (Doreen)

29. Nikki Sivils (Julie c/o Nikki)

30. Marci's Scrapping Spot (Marci)

31. Scrapbookers Anonymous (Theresa)

32.Intrepid Thread (Julie)

33. Scrapbooking SOS (Michelle)

34. Flamingo Scraps (Amanda)

35. Scrapbook Abundance (Jana)

36. Artful Delight(Leeanne)

37. Mommy of 5 Kidz (Misty)

38. Designs by Diana(Diana)

39. Polka Cabana(Jeannie)

40. A Day in the Life...(Kelly)

41. MarBare Scraps (Mary)

42. One by One...(Karel)

I'm so excited...

2011-04-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

...and you should be, too!

I just received the final list for the upcoming No Housework Day Blog Hop...and we have forty-two blogs participating!

Ladies, clear your calenders!!!

Just a Reminder!

2011-03-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Oh, spring, where are you??

2011-03-24T08:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a little irony...my daughter's "spring break" started five days early...school canceled DUE TO SNOW!

Puh-leeze share some spring with me! Send me your new favorite spring line, a layout you've done that is spring-like in some way...anything! And I'll share it here for others who may need a spring fix like me!

2011-03-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hint #2: Think Spring!

Don't forget to mark your calenders!

2011-03-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned, there is no prize up for grabs for this month's "negative space" challenge...but there IS one for the upcoming blog hop! (See right sidebar.) Want a hint?

Hint #1: it is non-consumable.

Mid-month Challenge

2011-03-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

Mid-month seems like a nice time to toss out a quick and easy challenge. No prize this time, but just for fun, let's see how many negative space layouts we can get in the next two weeks! Get your friends to join in and let's see how many we can get. Ready, set, go!

2011-03-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share quickly what scrappiness I've been working on. Yesterday I did this layout based on a sketch. I thought these Heidi Grace papers were perfect for the colors and feel I wanted to portray in my son's baseball layout. I also took the opportunity to use a variety of alphas I had around to make a fun mixed-font title.

The other thing I did yesterday was FINALLY pull out my art journal and work on it again! (You are seeing how I have trouble keeping up with a journal, no?) The page didn't turn out at all as I envisioned...but that is okay. I accomplished what I wanted...I played with my materials and had fun. (And the page IS sort of growing on me.) I also started on another page which I'm kind of diggin'.

If anyone is interested I found some great inspiration for art journals from an amazing and inspiring artist whose career I have been watching for several years...Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. Check it out HERE.

SAVE THE DATE!

2011-03-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Ladies I am speaking directly to YOU today...

Are you a victim of Household Chores?

Are you Tired of Cleaning for hours on end?

Are you the only one Lifting a Finger to help around your home?

If you answered yes to any or all of the above (or if you just want an excuse for some crafty time!) then THIS online crop is for you and you deserve it!!!

On April 7th we will celebrate National No Housework Day with a fantastic online crop with games prizes and helpful hints for the other half to use while he does the mundane things you usually do!

Scrappy weekend!

2011-03-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a few days since I posted here, but it hasn't been because I've been neglecting my scrapping. I attended a weekend scrapbooking fundraiser this past weekend and spent a total of 17 hours scrapping, chatting, and eating! I completed eleven pages AND I won a fantastic door prize...free admission to their next crop!

What scrappiness have YOU been up to?

2011-03-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

I know many of you thought I was off my rocker for being so in love with the DCWV "Colorful" Stack, so I wanted to pop in real quick and share my first project with it. I hand cut the bird out of one of the sheets, and also used the background as the base for my card. Simply added a bit of ribbon and some letter stickers, did a bit of distressing, and VOILA, my daughter's birthday card!

2011-03-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

Sue, email me your mailing address so I can get you a RAK for playing along last month! I'm busy thinking about what our next challenge should be....

2011-02-24T20:39:00.001-08:00

I'm very excited that our first challenge has inspired Sue to create this gorgeous layout! Sue bought this beautiful "Boho Chic" paper last summer from Hobby Lobby but even though she loved it she hasn't had an opportunity to use it. For this challenge she decided to do something just for herself using paper she loves. She even got inspired to step out of her box and play around with a style that isn't her typical one. I'm so glad she did because look at this result!

Thanks for playing and sharing your inspiration with us!

Am I a Stylish Blogger?

2011-02-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

Someone (thanks Sue!) thinks so! I was the lucky recipient of the Stylish Blogger award and am proud to display the award over there on the right sidebar. As a requirement of receiving the award I must do two things. First, I must tell you eight things about myself.

I'm a CA girl and the longer I live in MI, the more I miss the CA weather. (Were it not mid-winter this might not have made #1 on my list.)
Paper crafting is where I spend most of my creative time, but I'm a wannabe writer and mixed media artist as well.
I love watching ghost/haunting shows on television. Guilty pleasures, anyone?
I'm a San Francisco Giants fan (see item #1) and therefore have been a very happy girl since November 1, 2010.
I prefer to eat organically whenever possible.
I'm something of a homebody...homeschool my children and homebirthed three of the five.
Red Vines are real licorice (#5 does not apply here) and Twizzlers are just wannabes.
I love to read and panic a little if I get stuck somewhere without a book.

The second requirement is to choose eight more stylish bloggers to share this award with. In no particular order I'd like to share with you:

Go ahead and check them out; you won't be disappointed!

I was a little under the weather last week and then have had my dd, dsil and dgd visiting this week, but rest assured...there are more creative postings coming soon!!

2011-02-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

I am about to embark on a semi-scrappy adventure and thought you might want to come along for the ride. This is NOT scrapbooking per se...but it will have a lot of overlap of supplies AND I think it will be very inspirational.

That's where I thought you might come in.

See, as much as I am a verbally-oriented person, I've always...well, just plain sucked at keeping a journal. I've tried. Oh, have I tried. But really...yeah, I've just sucked at keeping it up. So this time I'm trying something a little different. I'm going to do some art journaling. (This is the book I bought but a bit of browsing amazon or a bit of googling will show you, oh, a gazillion or so approaches: Journal Spilling: Mixed Media Techniques for Free Expression.) Now, I understand this is NOT scrapbooking and may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I do believe that we can all use some of these concepts and practices as a springboard to become better, more creative scrappers.

So, my first challenge to you (taken from the book above) is this, a step in letting go of your inhibitions:

Start with a blank piece of paper, any color. Grab anything random, don't overthink.
Quickly (again, don't overthink this) grab ten or so of your scrap papers.
Tear these into smaller peices.
Drop them onto your background paper.
DO NOT MOVE THEM!
Glue them where they landed.
Grab some paint (crayons, markers, whatever.)
Scribble or brush all over the page. (DON'T TRY TO BE ARTISTIC OR CREATIVE, JUST SCRIBBLE!)
If you have thoughts running through your head, right them down. Wherever.
BE DONE!

If you like what you came up with, let it dry and use it as a background paper. Or cut it up and use it as you wish. Maybe it will show up somewhere on the monthly challenge layout? Or heck, crumple it up and throw it away.

But be inspired by the process.

Let me know what you think of the exercise. I'd love it if you share with us your results as well! (Link over on the right, as always.) Here is what I came up with in my art journal.

2011-02-10T09:00:00.001-08:00

As promised, here is the layout I made with this month's challenge in mind. I first chose these papers simply because I loved them but had been hanging on to them with nothing in mind. Once I put my mind to it the perfect pictures of my daughter at her choir concert were right under my nose!

I can't wait to see what papers you've been hanging on to and what you do with them!

Amazing clip from Tim Holtz's booth at CHA

2011-02-09T07:18:00.001-08:00

2011-02-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

You know that thing we are talking about for this month's challenge? The thing where you buy something because you fall in love with it but don't have any specific project in mind for it? I just realized I did it again.

The other night I was having a little pity party...nothing major but I decided on some online retail therapy.

But would you look at this??

If you go here you can see every beautiful stinkin' page.

Now to figure out what to do with it.

I'm seriously thinking about just framing some of it.

RAK winner and our challenge

2011-02-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

Wow, ladies, thanks for the great response! I'm excited to see so many of you here and I'm hoping that you will enjoy your stay and continue to share the word. For now...I'm pleased to announce the winner of the random drawing for my RAK....drum roll please...

(I cannot figure out how to insert the web page showing my drawing so I hope you will all trust me.)

.....#8! SUE, please send me your mailing info using the link on the right so I can get you your goodie!

Since the month is still young, let's go ahead and get started with our first challenge, shall we?

One thing I've noticed about myself is that I tend to buy pretty things because I love them even if I don't have a particular layout in mind for them. Nothing wrong with that, we all do it, right? However....the problem comes when I find those very same pretty things sitting in my stash months later. So tonight I decided to switch things up a little. As I was preparing to scrap, and instead of starting with my pictures I chose some papers I've been hanging on to and then went back and searched for some pictures to complement them. I created a layout I'm very happy with and got the bonus of finally using some of the pretties I've been hoarding! I've set aside several more kits to work on in the coming days and will be sharing my results here. (If it wasn't so late I'd share now but that Super Bowl ends late for us eastern time zone folks!)

Which brings us to my challenge for you. This month I'd like you to find some paper or embellishment that you just HAD to have but have never used. Use this as the basis for a layout...find the pictures to go with them after you have chosen them (go ahead and peruse your old photo albums) or even leave them without photos for now until the right ones turn up. Maybe this is a great reason to create a photo op? Email me your layout using the link on the right by Feb. 27th with the subject line "blog challenge share" and I will share them here to inspire us all. Feel free to add a little info about how it worked out for you or anything else that seems relevant.

As for me, I'll be busy searching out some goodies for a random winner.

2011-02-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

Can't overlook this beautiful and colorfully fun line Sweet Threads from my old fave Basic Grey.

2011-02-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

Imagine all the just-plain-FUN you could have with Die Cuts With a View's Vintage Collage line!

2011-02-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

Peeps by Creative Imaginations...why, oh why, did no one think of this before?

2011-02-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

Maya Road has really outdone themselves this year; this is just one of my faves from their new line. Be sure to also check out the ledger transparencies and the kraft doilies!

2011-02-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know how my dog got sprayed by a skunk a while back...wouldn't this Nikki Sivils Max & Mollie create a great layout and give me a little silver lining to that episode?

2011-02-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

Pink Paislee Daily Junque...how versatile is THIS??

Welcome Back!

2011-02-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

I know that everyone and their uncle has a scrappy blog these days. And I have a couple of places where I find great challenges and great friends to chat scrappiness with, but I have found lately that I've really missed the creative aspect of presenting my OWN challenges to you like-minded gals, and I've gotten a bit of feedback that you may be interested in "hanging out" with me here and playing along. So....welcome back!

Let's start out with an easy challenge, with one caveat. You need to make this worth my while, so go let our buddies know that we are back, and leave a comment on THIS post to let me know you are here and ready to PLAY! If I get ten or more comments I will randomly draw a name to receive a RAK! So, go tell your friends to pop on over (and sign up as a follower so they won't miss any of the fun!) and leave a comment.

Just for fun, since it is always weird to leave a comment when there isn't much to say...how about in your comment you let me know whose new CHA release you are most itching to get your hands on. I'll share some of mine below.

2010-04-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

Yup, I'm still here! Nothing major to report but I didn't want you to think I'd fallen off the face of the earth, so I thought I'd share a few layouts. Hope you enjoy!

2010-02-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

Do any of you love ad inspirations as much as I do? Print advertisements are are such fertile ground for a scrapper's creativity in so many ways...and I've recently come across a wonderful blog that makes it easy to find wonderful choices in ads. Check out Dotty Divas and if you scroll down you can even see the layout I created from the current ad!

Up for a Challenge? Or Two?

2010-02-04T05:47:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, I lead the Faithbooking team over at If It's Groovy. Well, a new month means a new challenge! Deb has taken a unique slant and is offering up a Chinese New Year's-oriented challenge which can be found here: Here's a sneak peek at some of the fun.

And for even further inspiration and fun, check out the Faithbooking challenge here, where we've taken a verse from an often-overlooked Book of the Bible, Song of Solomon. Here's a look at my layout for this month's challenge.

Once you are there you can poke around the site and you will find many more fun and inspiring challenges. When you check it out be sure to stop and say "howdy!"

And the winner is....

2010-02-01T12:12:00.000-08:00

I made a visit to random.org today and of the 19 entries submitted to the Birthday Bash Pretty Ribbon Challenge, the number selected was 16! That means the lucky winner of my challenge is Karen-Lee!

Take a look at her beautiful layout and the darling ribbon flowers.

Karen-Lee, email me your mailing address and I will get your album out to you!

Last Call!

2010-01-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day to submit an entry for the Pretty Ribbon Challenge...do we have any last-minute beauties?? And while you are here, don't forget to take a peek at the slide show on the side bar. I've had some gorgeous entries thus far and I know you will want to see them and be inspired!

Ready for some more grooviness?

2010-01-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

We couldn't keep the fun all to ourselves any longer! We've now moved over to If It's Groovy @ Ning where we can have all the interactive fun we want! Please stop by and join us for an inside look at all the inspiration from the many teams of designers, to chat about all things scrappy (and non-scrappy!), check out our swaps and trades forums, and visit all the birthday bash challenges in one place!

Before you go, though, please check out all the AMAZING work turned in in response to the pretty ribbon challenge! You can find it at the sidebar on your right. If you haven't turned in your layout yet, or know someone else who would like to, remember the challenge is now open until Jan. 30th!

NEWSFLASH!

2010-01-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

We are having sooo much fun with the birthday bash that we've decided to make it last! The challenges will be open through the end of the month, so if you haven't submitted your layout yet, there is still time! Tell your friends!

If It's Groovy Birthday Bash Challenge!

2010-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

What's a birthday without a beautifully wrapped gift?


And what makes a gift beautiful more than ribbon?


My challenge for you is to use ribbon in a creative
way on your layout!

Choose one of the following ideas and submit it to me
by Jan. 10th at midnight your time for a chance at a
wonderful gift of your own!

1. Use ribbon to frame a photo  on your layout.

2. Stamp on a ribbon and use it on your layout.

3. Use at least five different ribbons on your layout.

4. Create a flower from ribbon and use on your layout.

5. Braid, twist, or weave ribbon on your layout.

Here is my sample...please forgive the wonky scan! In real life the
ribbon and photo matting are both straight.

 

And here is the adorable mini-album kit that will go to the randomly-selected winner!



The chipboard: The rub-ons: 
The paper:  

Be sure to keep checking in to If It's Groovy 
to get the links to all the other challenges as well!

2010-01-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

If It's Groovy turns ONE in January
and just like all babies, 
a birthday party is called for!!! 

We will celebrate
by having a blog birthday party 
where If It's Groovy
team members have a celebration 
on their personal blog
by hosting a challenge.

The crop will take place
January 4th (yes, TOMORROW!) 
through January 10th.

Be sure to check back 
and definitely tell your friends!

Sneak Peek

2009-12-12T07:50:00.001-08:00

You may remember the big Birthday Bash that is coming up over at If It's Groovy (if not, scroll down a few posts for full detail.) Well, I wanted to share a sneak peek of just a small part of the prize that I personally am offering up. You need to understand how cute this is...if I didn't have two of them this seriously would not be leaving my house!

Another Groovy Contest

2009-12-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

As If It's Groovy heads into year two we really want to hear from you what you are looking for in blogging land :) Leave a comment over there and check back in with them because you will find yourself possibly being the next winner this month :)

2009-12-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

And one more quick note regarding If It's Groovy:

If It's Groovy is in search of a Card Team Artist! Would you like to join the team? Send your online gallery link to groovydeb@yahoo.com and tell her what makes you a Groovy Chick! ;)

2009-12-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

I realize I haven't posted a challenge this month but we all know how busy December is for families! So instead I'm just going to direct you to If It's Groovy where they have posted the perfect challenge for this month! I'll let you go there to read the details but I'll share here the layout that I did for the challenge just to give you a little tease and see if you can guess what the challenge is!

(By the way, this little cutie is my oldest daughter who is about to become a Mommy herself in the next several weeks!)

If you head over and haven't already done so be sure to click the button to become a follower of the blog and then send Deb a quick email to her know that Marci N. sent you!

2009-11-29T20:42:00.000-08:00

I was challenged today to share a scrapbooking tip here on my blog...it is hard to choose just one because there are so many directions I could go. Should I be technical? Creative? Inspiring? Eenie meenie miney moe. How about one of each?

1. Technical - Use a visual triangle. Triangles are aesthetically pleasing to the human eye and can also serve to frame your focal point. Using three similar elements (especially similarly-colored) in three different spots on your page will draw the eye to the are in between them and create a resting place for the eye there.

2. Creative - Don't overthink! There are no mistakes and you won't stumble upon something amazing if you don't go out on a limb. Don't worry about perfection, just have fun with it.

3. Inspiring - Keep all or some of your supplies in a spot where you will see them frequently. This allows you to take advantage of those few minutes between other tasks to do even a little something, just to keep you in the zone.

Do YOU have a favorite tip you'd like to share? Leave a comment!

And while we wait for the birthday party...

2009-11-17T20:10:00.000-08:00

...be sure to hop on over to IF IT'S GROOVY NOW to check out THIS month's challenge! I won't give away the surprise here, you will have to go there to check it out. But I will give you a couple of hints. #1 - this one REALLY challenged me, but I loved the result! #2 - here is the layout I did for the challenge.

Any ideas?

Birthday Party and YOU get the gift!

2009-11-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

IF IT'S GROOVY turns 1 in January and just like all babies, a birthday party is right around the corner !!! Myself and other members of the team will be hosting challenges, complete with PRIZES, on our blogs.

Mark your calendars and start spreading the word, the crop will be January 4th-10th.

2009-11-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

Switching gears from this month's challenge for a minute...if you ever peek over at the sidebar you will have noticed some of my favorite scrappy sites. One of them that I create a layout for almost every month is SCRAP THE BOYS and this month was no exception. Click on over to SCRAP THE BOYS and see what I did with this month's theme and see if they inspire you to create a layout of your own about the boys in your life!

Note: you may not be able to read the journaling but it ties into the title and says "Little girls grow up to be ladies...Little boys grow up to be BIG BOYS." The journaling around the border of the page is the words to the poem "What are Little Girls Made Of?"

Another gorgeous entry

2009-11-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

Check out the beautiful leaf in this digital layout all the way from Alaska!

2009-11-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

We already have some gorgeous inspiration for this month's challenge! Check out this fantastic mini-album:

Follow THIS LINK to see the complete album.

Keep the inspiration coming friends!

NOVEMBER CHALLENGE

2009-11-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, then! My life seems to be settling down and I want to know if anyone is up for a new CHALLENGE!?

Fall is my favorite season and I want you to inspire me. This month I'd like to see any layout OR other project (mini-album, altered item, etc.) that celebrates autumn in some way. The only catch is that it can NOT be about Halloween or Thanksgiving or a birthday. I want to see something that celebrates fall itself. It can be very literal, such as a layout about things you love about fall, or maybe your color or embellishment choices will celebrate fall by highlighting the deep rich colors of the season. Be creative!

Email me your project using the link on the sidebar and I will share it here to inspire everyone. If we have at least five entries I will use a random number generator to choose a winner for a small RAK so be sure to let your friends know as well!

2009-11-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

Another shout-out today to a great, inspirational blog... Scrap the Girls! There is an awesome challenge every month with some delicious prizes up for grabs. If you click quickly you can see not only my layout from last month's challenge but the November challenge as well!

2009-10-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Any of you like a good challenge? I know that scrapping challenges get me very motivated, all the more so when there is a good prize involved. Well I want to make yet another plug today. This time I'm encouraging any of you who like a challenge to check out the ANYTHING GOES CHALLENGE for November at one of my favorite scrappy sites, Scrapbook.com. There are daily, weekly and monthly challenges and lots of fun and camaraderie. Go check it out and give it a whirl (and if you decide to play tell them Marci sent you!) I'm happy to answer any questions you may have!

2009-10-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

Just want to put a plug in for a really fun challenge site for those of you who have boys in your lives (and your scrapbooks!) You will see a layout of mine here that I completed for the great ad-inspired challenge they have going on this month. But you better hurry; the month is almost over!

SCRAP THE BOYS

2009-10-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

I'm still here and expecting to be fully back before too much longer! I've made it through the beautiful wedding and will be ordering pictures hopefully today...and if that doesn't force me to find time to scrap, nothing will!

In the meantime, I just want to put in a plug for PRE-PLANNING your pages. A couple weeks ago I took a day off and went to a crop. I took time the day before to pre-plan my pages. By that I mean I gathered a set of pictures I wanted to work with, selected a cardstock and some patterned papers I liked with it, and then some embellishments that I thought might work well. Then I tossed it all into a large ziploc bag. I did this for quite a few pages. When it was time to go to the crop I simply loaded these up as well as my "basics" and some additional embellishments that are easily portable (for example, all my ribbon is stored in one shoebox.) I added a couple of my newest things because that is always motivating, and with the addition of the vendor available at the crop (just in case) I had everything I needed to actually complete my pages with much less packing required. I've heard that this is a more efficient way of scrapping because the planning part uses a different part of your brain than the creating part. I'd have to agree because I completed 20 pages in 16 hours! Even when you add in the hours I spent on preplanning that is a pretty good pace for me!

2009-09-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here are the rules for this award: To pick up the Circle of Friends Blog Award cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog. Nominate 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends.Link to your nominees within your blog post. Include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post. Link back to the person who gave you the award in your blog post, to show your appreciation. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.

My nominees:

Creating Sensations
Life Reflections of the Untamed Scrapper
The Scrappy Side of Me
Bits n' Pieces of Me
Sunshine Memories

Thanks to Linda at A Day in the Life of... for giving me this award; I hope you will go check out her charming blog as well!

2009-09-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

I don't think I ever mentioned it here but I took a little move over at If It's Groovy and am now leading up the Faithbooking team! Our challenge this month was to create a layout based on Genesis 1:1. Check out If It's Groovy to see my layout as well as those of my teammates Vanessa and Anna. I would love to see your take on this challenge as well...email me if you do one and I will post it here!

2009-09-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Laura ready for her first day -- EVER -- of going off to school! (Either that or posing for a Sears catalog, still not quite sure.)

Happy September!

2009-09-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

Just checkin' in! I am going to take a hiatus from posting challenges while I focus on getting back into the swing of the school routine and preparing for Julia's upcoming wedding, but I will still be scrapping, I'm sure, so I will still be dropping in to share. Hope you will stick around!

2009-08-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, here is my take on the challenge this month, now let's see yours!

Over at If It's Groovy...

2009-08-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

There is a new monthly challenge up at If It's Groovy and it is my favorite yet! I won't tell you what the challenge is; click on the link to find out for yourself! But, I will give you a small hint by showing you the layout that I did for it. Any guesses??

AUGUST CHALLENGE

2009-08-02T12:09:00.001-07:00

I'm hoping that now you see how easy it is, more of you will want to play along!

I know that by now many of us have taken a vacation of some sort this summer, or are planning one. So I'd like to see vacation layouts!

You are free to use your creativity as to what the word "vacation" means to you. It could be a major trip or a visit to Grandma's house for the weekend, or just a "staycation" right at home. It can be from this summer or anytime past. Maybe you'd prefer to scrap a layout about a dream vacation you hope to take some day. The only requirement besides the vacation theme is that you have at least fifty words of journaling.

You have until the end of the month to complete the challenge, and again I will randomly draw a winner for a small RAK. Just post your layout in any online gallery or email it to me with the link on the right.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Thanks for Playing!

2009-08-02T12:05:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to see that some of you got some inspiration from the challenge last month and I am sure others got inspiration from seeing your entries! First, I would like to announce the RAK winner...we've randomly drawn from among the entrants...and the winner is...KAREN!! Karen, email me via the link on the right and give me your mailing address so I can get a RAK out to you!

2009-07-30T09:19:00.001-07:00

More awesome entries into the challenge, see how easy it is?! You still have all day today and tomorrow, let's see what you got!

Cricut Fun

2009-07-26T18:18:00.001-07:00

As much as I love my Cricut I've been pretty lazy about taking advantage of a lot of it's features. Yesterday I finally took the time and trouble to create a paper piecing using the different layer features and I will be doing a lot more of this. I am just ridiculously tickled about how this ice cream cone turned out! What do you think?

July Challenge Entry

2009-07-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Only one entry so far but isn't it a CUTE one?? Thanks, Deborah, for playing!
There are still a few days left if YOU have something to add!

Fun new goodies and DT call

2009-07-23T20:19:00.001-07:00

I did a little scrappy shopping yesterday. Some great clearance stuff at Michael's and a different kind of luck at Joann's. The sale was unfortunate...not enough of a discount to make anything a real bargain but enough things on sale that there wasn't much to use my coupons on. However...I found some DCWV stacks that I guess are brand new...I wanted to share links or pictures but amazingly I cannot find ANYthing online. They are called "The Mod-Retro" stack and "The Doodlin' Around" stack. )There was also a new one called something like "crafty" and I saw a magazine ad for some "hippie" line. Can't wait to see that one in person!) And fortunately this is one of the things that WAS on a good sale!

Also, want to remind you all that I would LOVE to put up a slide show of any and all fun VACATION layouts. These do not need to be new, I would just like to share some inspiration! So if you have any you'd be willing to share, leave me a comment or drop me an email.

Also, the time has come to see some new faces around If It's Groovy! Are you the face of the future? We are currently looking to add to several of the design teams and that person might be You! It is not mandatory or preferred that you will have been published prior to this call. Fresh faces are something I love in scrapbooking! Send three of your favorite layouts along with a picture of yourself and answer this: "I know I am a Groovy Chick/Dude because______________________." to groovydeb@yahoo.com by July 31 to be considered for the next term beginning August 1!!!

2009-07-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to share the layout I did for the If It's Groovy blog this month! We had a sketch to use and a challenge to use paint on the layout. I decided to use the paint to distress the black cardstock. It was fun to really grunge up this layout and use lots of different textures to fit the theme of the pictures!

2009-07-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

I'm back and feeling refreshed and very scrappy! Will be checkinb in with more fun later!

2009-07-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Just popping in real fast to say that we will be out of town for a week or so, so if you share a layout or ask a question and don't hear back right away, that is why. Chat at you soon!

2009-07-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

Did some more scrapping today. First I wanted to share a neat technique for getting a lot of photos on one page. This one has five photos (trimmed to 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" each) but could easily have included a couple more by replacing more of the blocks with photos rather than paper, or putting the title directly into one of the patterned paper areas, creating more available blocks.

I wanted to show this one as well because working with a photo this large (the one in my example is 8x10)can be tough. One of my favorite techniques is to make parts of the photograph work for you rather than against you by putting your title or embellishments right on it.

If you try out either of these ideas I'd love to see what you come up with and would be happy to share it here!

2009-07-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Well, today was a great day. In addition to lots of other fun things, I got to scrap a TON! I completed a total of seven pages! One of my favorites...

And one I did a couple weeks ago for this month's challenge over at ...

Did you notice anything unusual about this one? There are no ANGLES. Everything is soft, rounded edges. It's true, look again!

JULY CHALLENGE

2009-06-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, my crazy week is over! This blog has been neglected, we are starting a new month, and I know there are a handful of you following along, so I think it is time for a CHALLENGE!

I am crazy about kraft paper and would love to see what you can do with it. So here is your challenge...

Create a layout which meets the following criteria.

1. Kraft paper background. (Kraft "colored" or kraft "styled"...does not have to be ACTUAL kraft paper.)
2. Leave a significant amount of negative space.
3. Use any BRIGHT color(s) as accents.

Here is an example from me, based on a sketch from 52 Sketches 52 Weeks.

Leave a comment on this post with a link to your layout, or email it to me, by July 31, and I will put your name in a hat for a RAK.

Be sure to share with your friends; I'd love to see lots of inspiration!

2009-06-22T07:47:00.001-07:00

Two blogs for you to check out today, and if you have read here before I doubt either of them are new to you.

First, check out If It's Groovy. The two-page layouts from the design team are up and I'd love for you to see the awesome sketch we used and see what inspiration YOU can draw from it. (Also, note the fun folded flower technique that we all tried out this month!)

Here is mine, but seriously, hop over there and check out the original and the layouts done by the rest of the team so you can see how many different ways you can go with the same inspiration.

Secondly, take a peek over at Scrap the Boys where you will notice a familiar layout called "Go Ahead and Jump." While you are there check out all the other fun layouts made from their monthly prompt "Boys and Their Toys" and see what you can come up with!

Happy Scrappin'!

2009-06-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a pretty simple layout I finished tonight. I have had this sitting on my desk for a few days trying to decide what to do with it but I believe that sometimes simpler is better. The flow of the action is what I really wanted to capture in this layout and so I want to keep the viewer's eye moving along the line of photos. I highlighted my favorite photo of the bunch with red and raised both it and one of my title letters up to fit the theme of jumping rope. There is a lightly patterned black paper for just a bit of visual interest and some buttons and voila, there you have it!

2009-06-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Doing some cleaning today and I have a bunch of page kits that I won't be using. I am offering them for $5 including shipping. (If you are local the price of the kit only is just $2!) I will describe in general terms; leave me a comment if you would like a photo. First come, first serve! (U.S. only please.)

Spotlight Kits include:
2 sheets textured cardstock 12x12
2 sheets coordinating patterned paper 12x12
1 6x6 sheet of coordinating chipboard embellishments

There are two themes available.

"Remember" includes black cardstock and paper in shades of olive, gold and burgundy. The chipboard is accented with gold foil.

"Travel" includes tan cardstock and paper in shades of brown, olive and blue. The chipboard includes flocked accents.

Hot Fudge Kits include:
2 sheets textured cardstock 12x12
2 sheets coordinating patterned paper 12x12
1 12x12 sheet die-cut accents including quotes, border strips, journaling box and more

Availabe themes are:

"Baby Boy" in pale blue and yellow
"Big Boy Toys" in black, gray, brown and olive
"Boys" in blue, green and orange
"Expecting" in pink, pale green and pale blue
"Firsts - Baby Boy" in pale blue, yellow and green
"Firsts - Girl" in pink and yellow
"Gone But Not Forgotten" in brown, tan and blue
"Mom" in lavender, green and yellow
"Wedding" in black, gray and white
"Zoo" in brown, tan, blue and green
"Travelin' '' in green, blue, dark red and gold

2009-06-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

With all the excitement of the blog hop the last couple of weeks, I want to make sure you haven't forgotten about the monthly challenge at If It's Groovy, because it is a SWEET one! Go check it out! Here is the layout I did for the monthly prompt:

2009-06-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, I gave an extra day in case anyone had computer issues or whatever, so I am announcing the challenge winner TODAY!

I had my boys put all the entries in a hat (literally!) and draw a number and the winner is #7....JEN!

Jen, be on the lookout, and I hope you enjoy your prize!!!!

I want to thank EVERYONE who submitted entries for this or any of the challenges in the first ever

If It's Groovy

blog hop, and if you haven't been able to finish your layout, please go ahead and share it with us when you do!

2009-06-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Today is IT. The last day to turn in your creations for a chance to wiin the RAK pictured below. Let's see what you got!!

Inspire Me!

2009-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have TONS of vacation pictures on my computer now and need inspiration. Send me the favorite vacation layout you have created (or two or three!) so I can make a slide show here!

And don't forget about the monthly challenge! I am hoping to work on mine this weekend!

2009-06-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

THIS is the place to be to check out all the wonderful layouts that have been created for this challenge! There is still plenty of time to get your layout added here. Just leave me a comment with a link to where you have the layout posted, or if you don't have a place to post it, just leave me a comment letting me know where to contact you with my email address so I can have you email it to me! I will add it as soon as I can AND get you in the drawing for the super cool prize! Just check out the post below for all the details.

2009-06-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo, the big day is finally here! The first ever

IF IT'S GROOVY

cybercrop/blog hop!

I hope you had a BLAST with Amy's "hair" challenge, I know I did! (And if you missed it, click HERE to check it out!)

So, do you want to know what is next?? Of course you do!! Read on...

John Hughes was HUGELY popular in the 1980s. He is responsible for movies such as:

Sixteen Candles
The Breakfast Club
Weird Science
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Some Kind of Wonderful

My challenge for you is to create a layout using the title of one of these five movies as the title of your layout.

You have until June 14 to leave a comment on this post with a link to your layout. I will add the layout here and put your name in the drawing for a prize. Would you like to see what you could win?

You could win this darling "ADORE" word book, and just to make it more fun, I will throw in these groovy alpha stickers...that just happen to perfectly fit the letters on the book! You can use them easily together...or if you have other ideas, you can use them seperately, too. As long as you use them! ~grin~

A little inspiration from yours truly...

Can't wait to see your work! Be sure to keep checking back right here to see all the creative layouts that you share!

Now, take a deep breath and put your 'walking boots' back on to head over to

Scrapgurl

to pick up your next challenge!

Ta ta for now!

2009-06-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

The RAK winner for signing on as a follower before the start of the crop hop has been drawn....JEN! Jen, please email me with your address, and also let me know if another follower here referred you to the site!

Now, ladies, let's get busy with those layouts, shall we??

2009-06-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

And one last sneak peek!

Finally, remember Wednesday is the LAST day to sign on as a follower (see button on your right) to be eligible for the RAK.

Peek in later to see the prize up for grabs for completing the challenge posted right here during the If It's Groovy cybercrop June 4-14!

2009-06-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

And another teaser for you...

2009-05-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

Want a little sneak peek of one of the many challenges while you wait?