Happy Earth Day!

I almost didn't write an earth day post because stamping and scrapbooking aren't the most environmentally friendly hobbies. I definately encourage buying and consuming and I'm a big time enabler but I do have a good side; a more environmentally conscious side... honest!

So here are my earth day tips and accomplishments:

1) I commute by Bike!! It's kind of fun to know that this year, when Bike to Work day rolls along... I'll be rolling home on my bike! I love it.....even when it proves to be ummm adventurous.

Yesterday was one of those days! My back tire literally blew out!! Yep, sounded like a gun shot or a backfire. I had all my tools and quickly attempted to change my flat, when I noticed that I truly BLEW out the tire. Instead I ended up thanking about 4 different drivers who stopped to offer aid, waited for Josh to show up and headed to the bike shop to get a new tire.

And... I put the new tire and tube on all by myself...twice...because I forgot to make sure I had the tread going the right way the first time. duh!

2) I don't use my dryer anymore!!!!!!! Ok, so maybe this is because the silly thing broke, but it has become a choice. I thought about repairing it and I looked into buying a new one, but by the time we did all that, Josh and I had pretty much gotten used to doing without. It's really not that bad.

I have a towel rod installed above the washer/dryer and I just hang up the clothes. I bought a small rack that fits in the tub so I can hang socks, etc and now that it's getting hot here, things dry pretty fast.

I still like to dry the towels though. I either hang them until they are partially dry and finish them up on the dryer cycle that still works, or we run them to the laundromat.

It makes me feel good to know that I'm saving a little bit...especially when I noticed that my utility bill went down! (I am saving up for a new dryer, but maybe I won't buy one after all. We shall see.)

3.) I've been unplugging everything! I looked around and I unplugged everything that I only use occasionally. Then I plug them in when I want to use them.

And then there's the regular stuff that I've always done...recycle...reuse....repurpose..... I still have lots of room to improve, but I try.

What "green" things have you been working on?

Top 10 Samples

Last week I did a couple of posts about creating top 10 lists to help you brainstorm ideas for scrapbooking.

Here are links to the posts if you haven't read them yet:


What is Your Top 10?


Take Your Top 10 to the Next Level

Here are a couple of quick and easy ideas for using some of your top ten lists.

As I told my class, when I first started riding my bike, every single accomplishment was a momentous occasion and I scrapbooked several of them. Now that I'm entering my second year of cycling, I don't really need to document the same things over and over again. Instead I can list my top 10 favorites for the year and include a few pictures. Here's an example of how I could scrapbook that.

I used a very basic design from My Reflections, called a Title Topper. Letters were cut on the cricut and I used the D1329 Noteworthy stamp set.

Here is another example of a project you could do on a 6x6. You could list your goals on one side and then collage some pictures representing those goals on the other side.

Kathleen (a fellow consultant) posted a digital idea for one of her top ten lists.

And here's a fun card I made using the same paper packet. I love the Creative Basics paper packs! You can create so many things with them. I paired up the May Stamp of the Month, D1349 Be Yourself with the stamp set in Tickled Pink. (I was inspired by similar cards by fellow consultants.) And I used a template on Splitcoast.

Meet Chris

I am so excited to share a new feature on my blog!! I'm going to tell you a secret. While I'm the one preparing and teaching classes, I actually LEARN from my customers. It never fails, I will come up with a project that I think is great and my customers will change it or adapt it and make it even better. My best tips have come from my customers.... So that got me thinking.... We've seen interviews of all the "famous" scrapbookers. Why not interview my customers and friends?

And with that, I'd like to introduce you to Chris.

When Chris first came to my classes she was just going to scrapbook her baby's first year. I might have the timing wrong, but I'm pretty sure she just had one child when we started this adventure. And then she had another baby. Ooops, I guess you have to keep scrapbooking. And then came baby number three. I thought this whole thing was working out rather nice for my business. Thankfully Chris became a full-fledged scrapbooker while she worked on those baby albums and she has continued to find more projects to work on. My Friday night scrapbook club just wouldn't be the same without her! She's our organizer. She get's us all to show up on the same night and often plans where everyone is going to meet for dinner.

And now... here's Chris' interview.

Why do you scrapbook?
Love, love, love to have family pictures. We take thousands of pictures ever year. Thank goodness for digital cameras. I want a way to show off the pictures and tell the story.

How long have you been scrapbooking with me?
Feb 2000 is when Rivka brought me to you. We are almost going to celebrate 10 years together! Wow!

What is your favorite scrapbook project and why?
My favorite scrapbook project is my calendar scrapbook. It is a 12 x 12 album. One side has a scrapbook page with pictures from the month. I try to focus on more day to day pictures rather then the big events. The other side had a month calendar where I jot notes most days about the events of the day or funny stories that happen. I love to go back and look at this scrapbook. When I reread the little events I'm so glad that I recorded them because I would never remember they happened. This will be the 4th year of the calendar scrapbook.

Here'a picture of the cover page. If you click on the picture you can see it a little bit better. Along the left side she has stickers with the years 2006-2009.

And here is one of the pages inside. What I love about this album is that Chris picks the best pictures! She has silly pictures... like one of her and the girls with chocolate mustaches (got milk...I mean got chocolate?) And pictures that really illustrate the relationships in her family as well as all the different personalities. I know this will be a great family treasure!

What is your favorite scrapbook organizational tip.
I always organize my pictures chronologically, write the date and picture details on the back of the picture and put in a photo album. If I have a lot of pictures with the same detail information I print labels and stick them to the back of all the pictures. Then when I go to scrapbook it is easy to find what I want and what I don't use is organized in photo albums.

I've seen Chris work on this during some of our scrapbook nights and sometimes she has HUGE stacks of photos.... but she just brings them along, chats with friends and gets them all organized. When I grow up... I want to be organized like Chris...haha!

What is your favorite scrapbook product/supply?
This is a hard one! I should say a Close to My Heart product right? I love the stamps, but sometimes I feel like I collect them more than use them! I really liked when Close to My Heart started putting together the theme packs of paper rather then the color packs. (My Reflections Level 2 paper packs.) It makes putting together a matching, cohesive page so much easier. I love my little blue case from Zutter that has all the tools you need - scissors, wire cutters, pliers, file, needle, ruler, pen, etc.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Chris!! She was such a good sport! She replied to my interview questions right away and even let me take pictures of her. I have more interviews planned so stay tuned! (Leave me a comment if you're interested in being interviewed!)

Bunny Thank You

I think I'll make this short and sweet tonight. It's getting late. I had a fun time with my Friday night scrapbook club and I have an all-day crop tomorrow. Busy, busy...but fun, fun, fun....

I have a couple of surprises for my Saturday group. One surprise is a shocking bit of organization. I'm not sure if they'll be able to handle it... but I already know what scrapbook pages I'm doing for the next four months...AND... I printed the flyers out already. Scary, I know.

I made these cute bunny cards a while ago, but I had to wait to post them until I gave them to one of my blog readers. I didn't want to give her a sneak peek.

Supplies:
The sentiment is from a previous stamp of the month
B1324 Bunny Love
x7108 Daydream Level 2 paper pack
(I added some black paper that is not in the paper pack.)

Scrapbook and Share Contest

Woo Hoo!!! Close To My Heart created a cool new blog called Scrapbook and Share to go along with National Scrapbooking Month and our Tickled Pink Kit....AND there's a contest. This contest is SOOOOO easy. We all need to submit an entry or two or three....

They are asking you to create a two-page layout about YOU. I think that's a subject we all know a lot about. After you create your layout, email it to them and they will post it on the blog.

Not only do you get to see your layout on a cool blog, but you can go back every day and get inspired by many other talented scrapbookers!

Here are the rest of the details Contest Rules

I'm going to do it... how about you?

It's April 15th and I'm.....

Tickled Pink! Many of you probably have "other" things on your mind when I say that it's April 15th...but I have something more fun in mind. Today is the day that the Close To My Heart National Scrapbook Month Kit, Tickled Pink, goes on sale. In all honesty, I didn't fully appreciate this kit before I bought it. I guess I'm kind of spoiled. I know we come up with great kits every year and so I just ordered it without researching what came in it. So imagine my excitement and my surprise when I opened my order on Monday!!

Check this out!

You get this stinkin cute stamp set AND white mini medley AND a foam tool!

And the paper pack! My photography skills don't do the paper justice. It is truly gorgeous.

But wait..there's more... sadly I couldn't get a good picture of the textured cardstock and die-cuts.
The kit is available starting today, while supplies last. You can read all the details and price info on my website.
Have you created something fun with this kit? I'd love to see your creations. Leave me a comment with a link so I can check them out... and I'll post some projects soon! (Once I stop sniffing the paper and admiring it... why oh why is it so hard to just use it!)
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Saturday's Scrapbook Project
This saturday is my monthly crop and I'm using the Stardust Workshops on the Go. (Follow the link to see more samples!) Each month I create the layouts using different papers and accessories that are not featured on the Workshop Guide that you get at the workshop. I do it so that you can see how easy it is to adapt the layout to whatever project/paper you want to work on. This month I was feeling inspired so I created TWO samples!!

I haven't added pictures to my Stardust pages yet so you can use your imagination by comparing them to the other pages.

The original sample features an 8x10 photo in the opening, but I had a 5x7. Adding a matte helped to fill in all the open space.

Do you like my lovely ink schmoo on this one? Thankfully it will be covered by photos later. And let's not even mention the strange placement of the stars on the journaling spot. (I didn't notice it until I saw the picture. And here I thought I had placed the stars randomly.)

And here it is with photos...

Be sure to RSVP for the workshop so that you can receive a FREE workshop guide with the template and directions for the layouts featured above.

New Clips, New Pedals, Oh my!

I did it. I made the switch to clipless pedals. I was a little worried about this transition so I spent a lot of time researching and planning my switch. I think the few days that I attempted to use the toe clips that came with my bike, made me extra cautious.

I chose to go with mountain bike (mtb) shoes because they work with the spin bikes at the gym and the cleat is more recessed in the shoe so you can walk around in them better and ... I fell in love with these sandals by Keen....



Once I decided on what shoes, it was time to find pedals. As soon as I heard that you could have a pedal that was a platform on one side and you could clip in on the other side...I was sold! I ended up with the Forte Campus pedal. The best part is that I bought them when they were on sale, used my membership points, and I only had to pay $8 for the pedals.

I had a mini freak out when I tried to understand all of the mechanical aspects of putting on the pedals, attaching the cleat to the shoes, adjusting the tension on the pedals.... How do you know what to do? I ended up bugging one of the other cyclists at work and he gave me a few tips.

Then it was time to try riding with them... Last Thursday Jane and I hung out at the back of the group and she helped me get started.

First - she suggested I attach the weakest leg first because I will make it stronger. Love that idea!

Then I got clipped in and was ready to go. Oh wait.... she made me stop and take them off... and then go... and then stop.... She was quite the taskmaster! (Just kidding! It really helped!)

Once I was able to clip in and out easily, she had me try pulling up when I was going up hill. Partly to get used to using my leg muscles differently and partly to make sure my shoes were going to stay attached under strain. They did and I loved them!!

Yesterday was the first day I rode home using them and I had absolutely no problems. I could definately tell a difference in my speed and strength. I am hooked....literally...hahaha!