Five Things

5 Great Digital Scrapbooking Stores

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to digital scrapbooking, but I've embraced the pixels wholeheartedly! I was really surprised at how much scrapbooking digitally pleases me -- instant gratification, anyone?? Not only can you shop at any time of day or night, you get your digital scrapbook embellishments IMMEDIATELY. And you can create a page and have it "done" without having to wait for photos to come back from the developer's lab. Oh my, that is fun!

I've gotten many questions about where I find my digital scrapbook supplies, so I put together this list of online digital scrapbooking shops. Each has its own personality and "flavah," but you'll soon figure out which ones fit your aesthetic the best:

1. Oscraps. This is home to one of my dearest online friends, Jodie McNally, who designs word art. You'll also find digital scrapbook designers like Holliewood Studios, Paislee Press, and Ashalee Wall, all of whom I've purchased from. There's a great blog community and a newsletter, so make sure to sign up for special digital scrapbooking freebies and promotional info.

2. Designer Digitals. If you're looking for the biggest names in scrapbooking, you'll likely find them here. Think Cathy Zielske, Anna Aspnes, and Ali Edwards, and you'll know what I'm talking about. My biggest beef? They don't take Paypal! But they do have awesome tutorials and a new digital embellishment for $.99 every Thursday, so once again make sure to sign up for the newsletter. 

 

3. Jessica Sprague. Not only does Jessica's site offer great digital scrapbooking and digital photography classes, it also includes a fab digital scrapbook store. Another newsletter to make sure to sign up for -- there's One Buck Wednesday!

 

4. Weeds & Wildflowers. I love this little digi site! It's not little but it SEEMS little, you know what I mean? It's cute and fun and I just love going there and poking around. I can't even remember how I originally found it, but it's one of my faves. 

5. Songbird Avenue. Not only are there some awesome digital scrapbooking kits here, each month the store features a benefit kit for a non-profit. February's was to benefit Haiti, and they raised almost $7000! That rocks -- and it allows me to shop guilt-free. :)

I know I've missed a ton -- so share your fave digital scrapbook spots with me, and I'll check 'em out and include them in a future round-up!

5 More Ideas for Scrapbook Layouts

Here are a few more scrapbook layout ideas from the Layout a Day scrapbook challenge!

Challenge: Go deep. Think more deeply about a topic and reflect that in your layout.

Challenge: Not assigned. I did a mini-album for my son's baseball team auction - and created a little layout of the album!

Challenge: Use old stuff!

Challenge: Use a lot of something. I used a ton of rub-ons on this layout.

 

Challenge: Use Hugh Jackman on a page. (Just kidding! This is a layout I did for The Story Matters. You'll have to go here to see the real one.)



We are getting so many revelations from Layout a Day... people are refining their scrapbooking processes, learning to create simple scrapbook layouts more quickly, and ENJOYING THE PROCESS.

Wishing you'd joined us? Well, you can... in May, for LOAD Round 2!

Dance!

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

5 Recurring Dreams - Interpreted

Today we're taking an intimate journey into the nighttime meanderings of... my brain. Here are five dreams that I have over and over again, as well as my armchair psychologist interpretation of each. Don't worry, it's strictly PG-rated!

 

1. The Broken Toilet. In this dream, I am in a public place, searching for a restroom. The lines are all too long, there are only men's rooms, or the stalls are all occupied. When I finally find an empty stall, the toilet is either broken or it's overflowing with nastiness onto the floor. Or the only clean toilet stall has no door and I must do my business in public view. At this point, I typically wake up, thank goodness!

Frequency: Once a month.

Interpretation: This one is a clear frustration dream. I'm looking for something or trying to accomplish something, and I'm thwarted at every turn. There's clearly an element of performance anxiety as well.

Notes: My husband has this same dream. We are obviously a match made in heaven.

 

2. The Forgotten Lines. In this dream, I have a small part in a play that is underway. My entrance is coming up, and I have forgotten my lines. I am running around, trying to find a copy of the script so I can review my lines... but no one has a copy. I get more and more frantic until I wake up.

Frequency: Once every few months.

Interpretation: This one arises because I'm worried I've forgotten something, am overlooking something, or am concerned about completing something. Obviously another performance anxiety dream.

Notes: I have been in several performances and have never forgotten my lines. Just a side note. :)

 

3. The Chemistry Exam. In this dream, it's the day before my final AP chemistry exam in high school -- and I haven't been to class all semester. I am running around, trying to find notes from someone to borrow. I also haven't done any of my labs, so I am trying to recreate a lab notebook.

I am afraid if I flunk, I won't be able to graduate, so I am also trying to check with the secretary to see if I have enough credits, even if I flunk this class. (Usually, I'm one short).

Frequency: Once every other month.

Interpretation: Once upon a time, I was writing an article on dream interpretation, and I asked a dream expert to interpret the meaning of this dream for me. She said that it's another performance anxiety dream -- that it's very common for high-performing people to dream about not succeeding, and school is a common place for these dreams to take place. She also said that the TYpe-A people who have these dreams would never be unprepared like this - so the very fact I'm having the dream is a good sign!

 

4. The Old Boyfriend. In this dream, I'm trying to convince my college boyfriend that I am not a rotten person and that he shouldn't hate me. He doesn't believe me.

Frequency: Once or twice a year.

Interpretation: Not sure on this one. Is the Old Boyfriend a stand-in for someone else I'm trying to make amends to? Is it remorse for acting badly? Or is it simply the result of too much Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey before bed?

Notes: The old boyfriend in question recently ran for Congress. I think he lost. But maybe I'm trying to get him to forgive me so I can further the political interests of Work-at-Home scrapbookers everywhere. We could be a strong political action committee if we put our minds together!

 

5. The Colin Firth Dream.You don't think I'm going to describe this one, do you?

Frequency: Not nearly often enough.

Interpretation: Well, duh.

Notes: I don't know why it's never one of the Hughs, but it's always Colin. I think the Hughs are jealous, don't you?

Okay, your turn. What's one of your recurring nighttime meanderings?

For Me? Why, You Shouldn't Have...

Some people think that blog awards are silly. Some people obviously never got picked last for kickball, have never had a bad hair day, and never get that nervous-stomach feeling when they're in a large group of people they fear are not only thinner than they are, but also wealthier and better-dressed. So it is with grand thanks and humility that I accept my Kreativ Blogger award (which I am assuming is spelled that way bbecause it originated somewhere in Germany perhaps, and not because someone doesn't know how to spell).

Anyway.

1 - Thank the person who nominated you...A huge hug of thanks to Katrina! Not only is she one of the most talented scrapbookers I know, she also is a great mother, a funny person, makes me smile, and has fabulous hair of which I am extremely envious.

2 - Copy the logo & post it...

3 - List 7 things that people might find interesting about you...

 

*I have a secret desire to learn to play the accordion. Seriously.

 
 

*Hugh Jackman, Hugh Grant, or Hugh Laurie. Any of them would be quite fine with me.

*I read. A LOT. We'll just leave it at that.

*The lease on my darling red VW Beetle convertible is up in three months. I am immensely saddened by this.

 

*My favorite man-made monstrosity landmark is the Eiffel Tower. I've been up it twice. I would live at the top if they'd let me.  

 

*I love the smell of coffee but can't stand to drink it.

 

*After a decade and a half as a journalist, I have a highly refined BS detector, and I am not shy about telling people they are full of it.

4- Nominate 7 creative bloggers:

-Jennifer (At the Blue Barn, a new friend I feel like I've known forever)

-Celeste (who blogs almost daily - can you stand it??)

-Paula (who I get to hang with in person - aren't you jealous??)

-Wendy (who I want to be when I grow up)

-Stephenie (who inspires me every day. She's just like that)

-Noell (who I am proud to call a friend)

-Lee (who may very well be my clone. Or I, hers)

There you have it. Not five. Not really a list (though sort of).

I think you'll forgive me. :)

I'm Alive!

Five excuses for not blogging:

1. My birthday! Thursday was the big day. I got sparkly purple Converse lo-tops, and a Flip HD Ultra. Expect to see a lot of both in the future. :)

 

2. This girl, Jennifer Louden. She was in town for several days, and we had a blast brainstorming and developing some new ideas for her awesome business. No matter what challenge I'm dealing with, Jen helps me filter through the junk to get to the essence of ME. And then I feel good about it! MAGIC! We spent three days jumping on and off furniture, laughing until tea spewed out of our noses, and trying to hula-hoop. Good times. 

3. No internet. Our modem died, but now we have a new one. I won't tell you how painful it was to be off-line for several days. I drove around town trying to pick up a free wi-fi signal!

4. Sick kids. All kinds of sick. 'Nuff said.

5. Layout a Day Challenge! We've got thousands of layouts in the gallery. Go, us! It's been awesome, as always.

What have you been up to lately?

...And Even MORE One Little Word Projects

I've gotten great feedback from readers who are loving seeing what others are doing with their One Little Word projects, so here are a few more:

1. Olivia has created a whole blog around her One Little Word, Peace. She says there aren't photos now, but they're coming!

2. Kristin shared this digital layout with us (the overachiever -- THREE words for 2010!). I love "illuminate..." Sort of like my "light" word, but much more sophisticated!

 

3. And this gorgeous art-like papercraft sculpture conversation piece from Paula makes my heart beat faster:

 

If you've done something unique with your One Little Word, please share!

 

More Scrapbook Layout Ideas

Again, there aren't five, but who's counting??? Now, you know I'm the queen of the simple scrapbook layouts... not every page needs to be a work of art! Make them fun, easy, and quick, and you'll be more likely to get more done... right?

Challenge: Use an old product in a new way.

 

My "old product" was the Heidi Swapp heart -- I punched out the outline and used it to accent the page title. The staples help give it an edgier, more masculine feel.

Challenge: Scrap a pile.

I scrapped a pile... of snow! :)

Challenge: Use the digital template from Barb Wong on a page. (Psst... she designed this free digital scrapbooking template for Layout a Day, and it even came with a free digital scrapbooking tutorial! Now don't you wish you were taking part??)

 

Our next Layout a Day challenge is in May! Are YOU taking part?

How-To Craft Project: Valentine's Day Garland

Enjoy!

5 Updates on Fun and Exciting Topics

I'd be a real weenie if I didn't tell you about the following fun and exciting stuff!

Fun and Exciting Thing #1. I've been named a design team member for The Story Matters! This new kit club is just launching, and already the first kit is almost sold out. I can't wait to get my paws on next month's kit! Check it out for fun and exciting (of course) challenges and more!

Fun and Exciting Thing #2. Want the latest and greatest scoop on the scrapbooking industry? Need a weekly dose of scrappy talk? No, ScrapHappy isn't back (yet...!), but I've been invited to join Paperclipping.com host Noell Hyman and Scrapbook Update maven Nancy Nally as a regular roundtable guest on the Paperclipping Roundtable, the web's #1 (fun and exciting) weekly audio show! Listen to my first episode here. It's fun! And exciting!

Fun and Exciting Thing #3. We're having such a (fun and exciting) blast on February's Layout A Day, with over 1000 layouts in the gallery! Itching to join us? Well, it's not too late, but if you want to get in on the next round from the beginning, I'll be starting sign-ups for May on April 1 -- it's not too far off!

Fun and Exciting Thing #4. I'm this week's featured artist on The Paper Life! Go listen to the interview (very fun! and exciting!) and leave a comment. Show me some love, willya?

Fun and Exciting Thing #5. Tomorrow's blog post includes a new Valentine's Day slideshow tutorial. If you're looking for free scrapbooking tips and techniques videos and how-tos, this is it!

What fun and exciting things are happening in your life? Tell me -- I wanna know!