scrapulescence

IMAGINE for 2012

IMAGINE - "To employ one's imagination", "to think, to have a mental picture."

This is my word for 2012. I know it sounds cliche to say, "if you can imagine it, you can do it", but the past few years have shown me that this is true in many ways. "So this is the word. I have big things planned for 2012, so I'll have to begin imagining it all now.

I'm thinking I'll plan one post a week dedicated to this word and how i's working it's way into my life - sort of an "Imagine Journal". Maybe some photos to represent the word too...I don't know, I'll have to imagine it first!

I've loved doing this word of the year over the past few years...Simplicity, Adventure, they have made pretty significant contributions to my year. I know that many other scrapbookers do this...Ali Edwards, and Stacy Julian are some of my favorites. So what's your word for the year?

Cupcakes - New Obsession

I will admit it - I love Cupcake Wars on Food Network.  It's just too much fun to watch all of the cool ingredients the bakers use and the unusual combinations they create.  About a week ago I was inspired and the day after watching the show made these -  

"Dark chocolate cake with crunchy peanut-butter filling and dark chocolate buttercream frosting topped with salted peanuts".  Now, I am a not a baker, but I'm thinking I did pretty well for making it up as I go along.  They were tasty.  I like baking, it's predictable.  You measure, you mix and the results are good. In my day to day crazy-ness, I like predictable - things turning out like they should.

 

 

 

 

 

Last week there was this- "    

"Fresh raspberry cake with dark chocolate buttercream filling topped with chocolate ganache and raspberry buttercream." Oh, and a little "chocolate shard".  These were for a birthday party, so I had an excuse. (Because you know, I needed an excuse.)

I seem to have a trend toward chocolate - can't see how that could be a bad thing though.

I'm really beginning to love this cupcake thing.  How much fun is it to use words like "butter cream" and "ganache"...seriously.  Oh, and you get to buy tools and supplies, just like scrapbooking!  Did you know that they actually make the cutest little tool that removes the center of the cupcake to add the filling? And the different  style papers are just stinkin' adorable - have you seen the colors and patterns? I noticed that in my local craft store, the cake decorating aisle is located suspiciously close to the scrapbooking aisle.  I think they are on to something.

In the world of baking, I think cupcakes are like the scrapbookers "mini-album".  Quickly made, creative, and you can use nifty embellishments to decorate...and they're just cute!

In honor of this newly found obsession I am initiating "Cupcake Friday", yes that day will feature the flavor of the week.  Now of course, these beauties will be included in a themed scrapbook aptly named "The Cupcake Book" I think...certainly could not be involved in another craft and not have it involve scrapbooking somehow!  Now, where to find cupcake themed supplies..........

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WELCOME TO THE ORANGE BLOG HOP!

~~~~~~~September 4 New!  Christopher picked #45 from a bucket!  And the owner Post #45 and winner is.......Sylvia, Fiskateer #5019! Congratulations! 

Thanks to everyone for al of the great comments!  Hope you had a fun time on the Hop!

WELCOME TO THE FISKARS ORANGE BLOG HOP!!

 
If you've come here from Betsy's blog Aim Happy, you're in the right place.  This is your next stop in THE FISKATEERS ORANGE BLOG HOP where members of Fiskateers, a community sponsored by Fiskars, are sharing their passion for crafting.

So I thought about making a scrapbook page, or card with some of my Fiskars tools.  And then I remembered what I had done just a short while ago.  My very favorite Fiskars "Apron Lace" border punch made it's way from my Scrapbook Room ......into... my Laundry Room!  Who says the laundry shelves have to be boring.  I punched the patterned paper with the border punch and then backed it with solid card stock. Never one to not be scrapbook-y, the border is actually attached to the shelves with glue dots! Hey, whatever is handy right?  Also used the same border punch on the little tags for the fabric bins. Fiskars cirlce punch for the flower centers too!I love using my scrapbooking/papercrafting tools and supplies for home decor projects. This little border punch, it just says pretty and neat to me and it's a little retro.  Not! Love it!!!

  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY

----Okay, well now that you've encountered photos of my Laundry Room, I feel I should do something fun in exchange. Sooooo, comment on this post and you'll have a chance to win. First comment =#1, second =#2 and so on. I'll toss a tag with each number in a bucket and let my "very fair and impartial 7-year-old son" draw one out! The winning commentor will receive a lovely goodie bag from me! I'll wait to do this until Monday at midnight to cover you international girls.  Now, lately I've been all about girly scrapbooking supplies so the goodie bag is sure to be orange-y and pink-y and sparkle-y and flower-y.  It may even have a wand in it to help you perform scrapbooking magic!  The goodies will also arrive in a pretty fabric gift bag I use prizes at my crops. Cool? Great. Leave your comments!

 

Your next stop is Sheena at Sheena's Adventures in Scrapbooking.  Rumor has it she is doing an awesome orange card! If you get lost along the way, here's  is the first blog post on The Fiskateers Blog with a full list of participants.  Happy Hoppin'! 

Oh and if you're not a Fiskateer? You should be. It's a great community sharing lots of ideas tutorials, projects, swaps and fun.  Seriously, check it out!  (whe you're finished hoppin' of course!)

TOMORROW...

tomorrow, we'll start the day tomorrow with a smile,for you! 

 
Yes, I just shamelessly stole that from Mr. Rogers, but tomorrow I will have a smile for you because it's the day of the Fiskateers Orange Blog Hop!  Yeah!  I'll have a project idea and a giveaway!

 

I 've seen the list of Fiskateerr bloggers participating and you are going to have some fun!  Some are doing tutorials, some are doing giveaways and all will be doing something spectacularly orange!   Fiskateers are members of a community sponsored by Fiskars- the makers of our favorite orange-handled scissors and so many more crafting tools.

You don't have to be a Fiskateer to participate in the blog hop, but it's a fun crafting community.check it out.

Also, I will be hosting the South Carolina crop for US of Fiskateers on October 15, in Aiken, SC.  There will be food, fun and a seriously fantastic goodie bag.  Oh, and did I mention it's FREE?????  Check the details here.

See you tomorrow...with a smile!!

Just Create!

Seriously, the date on my last post was in JUNE????  Really.  Wow, there is one for the new resolution list.

I'm so excited to have a new round of classes available - digi-scrapbooking, PhotoshopTMand of course,  traditonal scrapbooking, mini albums and cards.  If you're out there and interested check the website for schedules and class descriptions.

Can I just say how much I love sharing scrapbooking skills with new students?  It is so fantastic to see the light bulb blink as they learn something new.  It's such an honor to help them learn to preserve their own photos and memories. 

Speaking of teaching...Christopher has been asking me to teach him Photoshop. I've been a bit hesitant to because I (of course incorrectly) assumed that at 7 he may not grasp all of the concepts with layering, brushes and such.  WRONG! After explaining just a few basics in what I thought, but was not needed, pretty simple terms, he is now sitting at his computer "creating".  Last time I checked on him he had something like 7 layers of graphics and was very proud to tell me he had just discovered the "Gradient Tool" and "look what it does". I may be a victim of proud mother status, but don't you think this is cool?  At 7, his mind is just a big sponge.  He loves paper scrapbooking too - the more glue the better!  I love that he loves to create...anything.  I love that his mind is free of the "what ifs" and "will that works" - he just does it.  I think this is a good lesson for my own creativity.  To just let it go and do! 

 

Words for the day....

 
Finally (!) cleaning off my scrapbook table just now and these two little die-cut words just happed (really!) to scatter together.  "Happy" and "Delight".  I think I'll make these words for the day today.  It's been a happy day and the ice-cream Christopher and I had for lunch was delightful!  There... I've used them both.  Wishing you a hapy and delightful rest of Monday!

Things that make me happy right now

Well, I suppose that the week 2 post is kinda moot right now since it should have been months ago, so how about a happy thing right now. This...

Yes, I know...horrible web cam photo, but this little tag of paper has been on my computer for a long time.  It was on a printed on a gift bag I received from a friend at the Komen 3-day walk and I love, love, love this quote.  A good reminder for all of us I think! This will end up on a scrapbook page one of these day, I just know it!