Recycling Me!

Shhhhh....don't tell.  I have two secrets (kinda).

Tomorrow, I'm going to take a mental health day (meaning, I'm in theory calling off work to have a little fun).  I'm going to the movies with my god-daughter, her twin brother and their mom (my cousin).  The kids are in a year round school and had the month of February off, so tomorrow is their last day of freedom.  We're going to a very early showing of the Percy Jackson film, and I'm super excited to see them and see the movie.  I haven't read the books, so I have no idea what to expect.

Anyway, the Nunez family is really good about being green.  I am not, unfortunately.  However, I wanted to put a little something together for them...let's call it a little goodie bag.

 

I made these little pencil cans out of Crystal Light packaging.  They kind of look like Pringles packaging...which could totally be used for this project.

There are three kids in the Nunez family, so I had to make one for each of them.  Little bro Ryu is not going to be joining us to the movies, but I hope I will get to see him sometime tomorrow.

I basically just covered each can with some fun paper and added a few embellishments.  I also made sure to include everyone's name on their holder because two the Nunez kids have unique names, like mine.  I know how much I always wanted something with my name on it growing up and never being able to find anything....so here's my attempt at creating a little something that is about them.

Each little bin has some pencils, some candy, erasers, tattoos, etc.  All stuff I got in a dollar bins at Micheals, Target, etc.  Just a little fun for my little people.

 

I love this retro Tree paper, and i had some adorable little retro birdie paper too.  Two different sheets.  So I painstakingly cut out the little birdies and gave them a little depth by attaching them with pop up tabs.

 

Ryu is a total boy...he loves cars.  So for his can, I chose to replicate the little VW bug you see in the paper.  The wheels are made out of buttons.

Anyway, hope the kids like them!

Snow Not Fair!

I've previously mentioned that my friend Mike is revamping my web site.  Well, while I wait for the unveiling - it's gonna be a big surprise - I've been creating some fun new layouts/project and taking pictures of them that he can use.  However, picking the right photos is key....

THANK YOU facebook!  Yes, you read that right. 

Facebook and blogging have kind of turned me into a bit of a voyeur when it comes to photos.  I love looking at photos, especially of people's faces.  In fact, my favorite section of art museums tend to be the portrait section.  I love to look what is captured and try to decipher what that person was like, what they were thinking, etc.

So when I see a great picture, I remember it.  And my friend, Amy, posted one of those very memorable photos in December of 2008. 

So..........after an exhausting day at work yesterday, I came home on a mission.  I was going to unwind and destress by creating something.  And the something that I wanted to create involved a very specific picture.  Since this picture involved my friend Amy's kids, I first needed to make sure she was okay with it.  Thankfully, she's awesome and said to go crazy with this picture (and others that I like!).  Of course, Amy will greatly benefit from my voyeurism.  My goal is to eventually give her anything that I create that uses her images.

In the meantime, here is the first layout with my one of my favorite photos to date.

 

Just look at that picture of that poor child crying over the snow covered face.  I can hear Ellie crying, but I can also imagine Amy crying of laughter.  Case in point....Amy had to take this picture before she could help Ellie calm down.. Hilarious.

For people who are new to scrapbooking, I'd love to suggest that you browse the web for potential layout ideas.  There are many galleries in scrapbooking-focused sites that you can search.  I did a little hunting to see if anyone had done anything with snowball fights.  A couple of layouts pulled out and I used it to help inspire the final layout chosen.  

No idea is unique, per say...it's what you do with an idea that makes your final product unique.  So if this layout intrigues you....borrow it and make it yours.

I absolutely love this vintage Christmas/Holiday paperpack by K& Company.  It's called the Peppermint Twist Deluxe Specialty Paper Pad.  Besides the actual scrapbooking paper, it also has a few embellishments/borders.  The snowflakes you see above are in the pack.  To make them stand out, I mounted them using sticky foam and I added a little bling.

 

I also had some snowflake confetti that came in white, silver and a pearly clear.  I really didn't want to distract from the great photos, but I did want to add a little texture to the page.  So I used a few of the clear pearly snowflakes and added a few more crystals for fun.

I had a ton of fun making this layout because I couldn't stop laughing at the picture.  Thanks for helping me unwind, Amy....it was much appreciated!

Scrapbook Cube

 

2010 is the year of not wasting for me......I've been on a mission to organize my scrapbook room so that I know what I have, use what I have, and stop wasting money on rebuying things that I already own.  

This scrapbook cube above is an example.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE giving gifts.  I clearly enjoy receiving gifts myself, but I much more enjoy watching people's surprised faces at a little token of love.

This cube is a special gift for my beautiful cousin/godsister/comadre in celebration of her newest addition, Calizta Azul and in celebration of her mothering.

Yoly has had a rough yet incredible year.....the result being this beautiful little girl - her first girl who will surely force her to love the color PINK!

So here are the pictures of the simple layouts (tried to keep the sides as flat as possible so she could sit the cube on every side with no problems).  You can clearly add a lot more embellishments to each side, but always remember that it needs to be able to sit securely - you wouldn't want it to topple and get damaged.

Here's hoping Yoly doesn't see my gift before I get the chance to give it to her next weekend - ha!

 

  

 

Scrapbooking for Photobooths

A couple of years ago, my best friend Josephine asked me to make my first guestbook for a birthday party (or was it an engagement party?). Whatever the case, her event planning company had convinced clients to try a non-traditional type of guest book that involved polaroids.  A scrapbook of the guests!

For the scrapbookers out there reading this, I'm sure you can imagine the initial difficulty in trying to make unique layouts that match a party theme when your limited by the actual size of the polaroid picture.  There is only so much room and possiblities that you can play with without wasting space and costing the client more.

Fast forward a couple of years....about 3 years.

and the latest trend seen in high end parties is the photo booth.  Josephine suggested I take a stab at creating a guestbook that utilized the photobooth strips - again, the layout options were pretty limited because photostips are a standard size and orientation.

Little did I know, I would soon be hired by a friend of a friend to make one for her daughter's Bat Mitzvah.  The party had a new party planner who had never seen a photobooth scrapbook.  All she knew was that I needed a table and that the scrapbook girl would be coming.

She fell in love with the album.  I honestly didn't know what to do with her reaction.  She kept coming back to the table and remarked about how amazing this idea was.  I clearly didn't walk away without giving her my contact information.

And now....I'm officially a Bat Mitzvah/Bar Mitzvah photobooth scrapbooking queen.  This is not a bad market to be a part of.....after a year of intense studying, the parties of these young men and women definitely shower their kids with a well deserved (and often insane) party.

The party planner circuit is a highly competitive circuit, but yet I've managed to get on the radar of three well known planners.  The demand is still where I can manage it...partly due to the fact that I have some incredible friends I can lean on to help me staff an event.  This has been a whirlwind experience that I never would have expected considering my 9-to-5 job does involve arts.  But I love that I get to dabble in this world on my own terms.

Below is a sample of a two page 12x12 layout that I pre-designed for a wedding rehearsal dinner.  The youth parties allow me to get a little crazier in terms of colors and embellishments, but here is an elegant version of a photobooth scrapbook layout.

 

 

Adorable Baby Book (to make)

Just read about this on another blog.....too cute for words.

So if you feel inspired to make a BIG album for your baby or someone you adore, here are some fun categories to consider for each letter of the alphabet!

Visit Sugardoodle's post here.

I had actually made a version of this for my friend Annette a couple of years ago.  No matter how hard we tried, there was no convincing her that she should join in on the scrapbooking fun.  I remember she proclaimed that there was no need to spend her time on this when she had us.  Ha!

I gave her a pre-made ABC album as a baby shower gift.  Her son, Max, is now 3 years old!

This was a small album, 8x8 inches, but it was 27 pages long!  Each large block is a spacer for a 4x6 photo.  Placed in the middle, each photo would have a nice little border.  Here's just a few photos.

 

 

Introducing Josie

So I think I mentioned that I had just finished one of my many concurring projects - none of which meet some of my goals for starting this blog.  However, I still want to share the cuteness that is baby Josie.  Josie is the beautiful new baby girl of Shannon and Bruce.  Shannon is the sister of my best friend's husband.  He's also my buddy and has been a part of my life for a very long time.  Love him and his family to pieces!

His sister Shannon is a true gem....adorable....funny....talented swing dancer.  So when I learned she was going to be a mommy, I couldn't wait to celebrate.  I knew that I wanted to make a small brag book.  Shannon has always been very sweet about my scrapbooking, so I wanted to send her a little something.  Shannon lives in California, so I'm not sure when I'll get to actually meet Josie :(

Well, Josie was born months ago, and I'm just finishing my surprise gift because I finally got some great pics from aunt Sogol and uncle Aren.  I'm posting these images to show how simple and great a homemade gift can truly be....(not because I made it).

It helps that I had some incredible photographs....enjoy!

a simple cover

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Josie and mommy

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Josie and daddy...plus grandma and grandpa Jimenez

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Josie and uncle Ryan (godfather) 

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how beautiful is this kid?!

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Josie and daddy again....and Aunt Bertha and Mary

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a snuggle bug!

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Some basic info on this album....it's all handmade.  Using the zutter products, I used the 8x8 inch album covers.

The inside pages are made from thick cardstock and I used some predesigned baby girl paper.  I can't remember the brand, but I can find out if people are interested.  

It was relatively easy to make....I actually predesigned the layouts before receiving the pictures.  I then had to make the photos received fit the layouts made.  

Simple...cute...fun to make! 

Un Album de Recortes

Well, I've made it offiicial...I've just emailed my cousin to see if he would help me capture some pictures of the stuff I'm learning about the state of Durango.

The funniest part about all of this is the fact that I have to ask for his help in Spanish.

Now...don't get me wrong.  I speak Spanish well, but there are many, many words that I use in English that I don't normally use in Spanish.

Case in point....the word scrapbooking (as in the hobby or the verb) does not really exist in Spanish.  Thank goodness Alex has been in Chicago to visit and saw some of the stuff that I made.  So I know that once I danced around the word a bit and described an Album that he would know what I meant.  The closest thing I could come up with was "un album de recortes."  Recortes essentially means clips.

So I've made the request for my personal photographer.

And as a teaser....here is one of the pictures he has taken around town.

Isn't it beautiful?!

My February Project

In talking to my coworker a few moments ago, I had a revelation about what I should make my first project.  This project will help me meet both of my objectives....do some culturally relevant stuff along with making myself something.

So what's my topic?

My Family's Homeland

I'm going to focus my first album on Durango, Mexico (the state where my parents were born and raised).  I'm not going to focus so much on my family, but on the actual history of the state and it's beatiful landscape.   I'm actually quite excited to start on this because there is a lot I don't know about the state.

You'll probably get to see sprinklings of my family, and I'm definitely going to urge my cousins to help me fill it with amazing photography.  My cousin Alex already has some great shots, but I definitely will need more.

Until then, I figured I should share a map of Mexico so that you can start to imagine what the landscape will be like.

My website is getting a facelift!

I love Michael Vazquez for a variety of reasons....

This week, I love the fact the he has decided to become web certified, and that his classes require him to work on various projects.  His dreamweaver class (I think that's what he's on right now) has challenged him to designed a multi-page site, and he has asked me to allow him to revamp my page.

I almost fell over when asked!  I have been dying to learn how to make my page better, but I work with what I can.  So much like this blog, I rely on templates to at least get my stuff out there.

So I'm UBER excited, but also nervous about giving him what he needs.  Not only does Mike have work to do, but I've been given homework.  I've worked diligently on a good portion of it and will work hard to get him the rest.

I cannot wait to see what he comes up with...he has full reign.

Before I go, I wanted to make sure to share a link to his incredible photography (one of the reasons why I love him)....his use of lighting, his unique perspective and patience to get a great shot is incredible.  Please visit and support if interested!  He's amazing!

 

Mike's webpage

Super Scrap Mania

Today was Super Bowl Sunday and how did I spend it?  Why scrapbooking, of course!  In honor of all the madness on Super Bowl Sunday, Archivers hosted a 7 hour scrapmania.  I know that probably seems like an eternity to many of you.  Ha!

Elisa, Katwanya and I arrived at different times, but when together, we started on our projects.  Without solid plans, we spent a lot of time catching up and laughing at our crazy mess.  Though not in the comfort of our homes, our table resembled what it looks like most of the times.  Like this:

 

Well...maybe not quite like this.  We were a little more respectful of each others' space, and the fact that we were out in public helped control the chaos.  

In order to help you understand a scrapper's process...look at our table.  Though chaotic, we honestly feed off the colors and textures around us. Often times, we'll be stuck.  We'll stare at a potential page for minutes on end and then start to look around the table.  Scanning what's around, someone will often be inspired and the scrapping commences.

Today, we were able to not only be inspired, but also inspired those around us.  Women of all ages and backgrounds laughed and scrapped.  While walking around the room, you'll hear people comment on someone's work or learn about new techniques.

Today, I learned about galaxy pens and the benefit of using embossing ink as opposed to versamark ink.  I know that I am a seasoned scrapper, but there is still a lot for me to learn.

So what did I work on?

Well, I finished a project that I started in September/October - an adorable baby album for my best friend's sister in-law.  I'll post some pics soon...it is too cute for words.  I love baby paper and embellishments!

Clearly, I still haven't started on my plan to make myself something (mentioned in my first post)!  I really need to come up with a plan for my project because I not only finished one album, but I started another gift.  LOL!

Goal for February....start something for me!