my_weblog

Creative Therapy Guest Designer

 I'm beyond excited..I was able to resolve the color setting issues that have been plaguing me these last couple weeks. After navigating Google to find out more about the "Save for Web" feature in Photoshop CS3/MacBook Pro, I was able to resolve the problem. It turns out that the "Save for Web" option in Photoshop was stripping my digital images of their RGBs color profile. Every time I uploaded an image in Typepad, it lost color saturation. I went to Typepad for help.  Typepad informed me that my images lacked color profiles, which resulted in inaccurate color readings on some monitors (mainly Macs). Finally, after a substantial amount of tweaking and a lesson in color management, I was able to find a color set-up that works for me. 

Having said that, it might take a little longer to upload my posts - this is because my image file sizes are slightly larger than before. Please accept my apologies for the added wait time. 

I'm going to put aside the technical stuff and share a little something I did for Creative Therapy a few weeks ago. I was asked the question "If money weren't an issue, what would you do with your time?" In answering this question, I created the above layout and wrote this response. 

A couple more detailed images from the layout (with improved color) -

* Technique ideas from this layout are posted at Creative Therapy. 

We took full advantage of the warm weather that surprised us over the weekend. Amazingly, it was sixty-plus degrees in the midwest yesterday...which is extremely unusual for this time of year in Minnesota. We took Ethan to the local Como Zoo to visit the various animals on display. We stayed for only a few hours - most of the animals are housed indoors in preparation for Winter's arrival. Ethan seemed to take a keen interest in the animals this time around, whereas before he'd skip the animals altogether. He stopped and stared at them, but couldn't quite figure out what the animals were up to in their confined spaces. Some of the animals came right up to the glass to greet Ethan, including "Sparky" the seal. That was a real treat. While hanging out with the lions, we were met with repeated growls. Ethan put his hands against his ears and angrily responded, "Mom, he's too loud. Much too loud. I want more M & M's." It was obviously lunch time..for both the lion and Ethan. 

Snippet

I'll return tomorrow morning with a full update from this weekend's adventures. In the mean time, I'm posting a glimpse of the "Vintage Christmas" mini album - the project kit sold out over the weekend.

Vintage Christmas Debut

   
   
 
 

Everything's arrived for this next kit, including Webster's Pages mini paper pads, which I've been thoroughly enjoying this afternoon. I've titled the new mini album project kit, "Vintage Christmas". The kit will include a vast array of colorful, retro-inspired products from over a dozen manufacturers - pattern papers, rub-ons, chipboard die-cuts,epoxy stickers, label stickers, flowers, ribbon, journaling cards and more. The mini album itself will be constructed using Vanilla scallop rectangle cards from Paper Source - which required a great deal of effort to find, but was totally worth it. As I begin working on the project these next couple weeks, I'll share bits and pieces of the album here on my blog. For those of you interested in reserving a kit, please contact me via email at retrospection30@gmail.com A non-refundable $25 deposit is required for all reservations. The deposit is deducted from the cost of your kit when final payment is due. Payments are accepted via Paypal or personal check.  The "Vintage Christmas" mini album project kit will retail at $63 + S/H (Priority Mail via USPS $9.95 Domestic Only/International Orders - please contact me.) The new mini album project kit is expected to ship the first week of December - just in time for the holiday season!

This may possibly be my last kit. As mentioned yesterday, there are some changes on the horizon for me. I'm reestabilishing some of my priorties to better secure a future for myself and Ethan. I've been walking on eggshells these last couple of months while trying to figure out where to go with my life. There's still much up in the air for us. With this said, I plan to devote more time on those things most important right now, including work, selling the house, returning to college and relocating.  I have a signifigant amount to accomplish this next year, so if you see less of me here, it's not because I've lost interest in the hobby or that I've grown tired of blogging - I can't imagine life without either - there's much to do before next September.

Please know that I'll update my blog as time allows - as of right now, the updates will be pretty regular. You may notice a slow down in the next couple months as we near mid-Winter. No worries - I'm still around - do continue to visit me. Thanks everyone!!

A Layout for Kitschy Digitals

I was asked by Danielle Thompson, from Kitschy Digitals to play with a few of her new digital items and of course, I couldn't pass up the request. I remain a huge fan of her style and an even bigger fan of her digital products. I toyed around with her "Washi Tape Frames" to create the above photo of Ethan. I added the frame in photoshop and printed it out on glossy photo paper using my at-home inkjet printer. I carefully trimmed around the framed photo using a sharp, fine-tip scissors and added it to my layout as shown. 

 

I'm suddenly interested in finding alternative ways to combine paper and transparency. Transparencies make for great "windows". These windows serve up a sort of peek-a-boo effect on a layout. Use them for framing words, images, die-cut shapes, journaling and more. 

In the photos above, I applied a large Hambly transparency frame to the top of a long row of wooden patterned ovals. I added an American Crafts rub-on car + Doodlebug swirl sticker below the transparency. To the top of the transparency, I added the quote "you Drive me wild". Note the spacial relationship and placement of both top and bottom items. They match up to look like one cohesive image.  

 

Do you have a sizable collection of "tiny embellishments" and are not sure what to do with them? It's easy for the small stuff to lose it's place on a layout. I have drawers full of tiny embellishments without a home. For easy use of these cutesy-tiny items, consider up-sizing them with paper layers. That's exactly what I did with a couple of the stars on this layout - originally, the stars were too small for the layout. After a couple added layers of paper, they worked out wonderfully. 

*Note, the largest star is framed with a fuchsia glittered transparency circle (K & Company) - another area in which I used transparency. 

 

The "Washi Tape Frame" blends in seamlessly with the layout. It almost looks like real tape, but "blue". Maybe someone should start making tape in different colors (tinted) - just for scrapbookers. Have it available in multiple widths - easy application. I'd buy it..I totally would. Laugh.

I'll be back tomorrow to share news about my next project kit titled, "Vintage Christmas". It might be my last, so I hope you'll follow along as I go about sharing it with you these next couple of weeks. I'm on the verge of change...more a little later on. 

Halloween '09

  

This was the best Halloween we've had thus far. I almost thought it wasn't going to happen because around late afternoon (Halloween day), Ethan repeatedly objected to wearing the ladybug costume. He wasn't having any it. Not the costume. Not the leaving the house. Not anything. I made it a goal to get him the car and to my parent's place. I knew that once we changed locations, he would be fine. Sure enough, after two pieces of pizza and a good dose of playing in the leaves, he was ready to roam the neighborhood for free candy.

 We walked nearly four blocks in forty degree weather. It was ridiculously cold outside.  Ethan wore two layers of clothes and mom wore the usual - jacket + scarf + headgear. Amazingly, Ethan wasn't bothered by the frigid temperature. He hurriedly walked from house to house while anxiously awaiting more candy. He was a happy ladybug on a mission for sugary, edible goods. I helped him along by showing him how to knock on doors and reminding him to say "trick or treat". We ended up staying out for a good hour. If it had been up to Ethan, we would of stayed out longer, though it was just too cold.  We finished up our trick or treating at grandma and grandpa's house before heading home for the night. 

I posted a couple pictures of Ethan having the time of his life in his new costume on Halloween night - the lighting conditions were lacking when I took these photos,  so I tweaked them in Lightroom (thank you Krysten!!!). They're vastly improved - warmer w/increased exposure.  Look forward to working with these photos in the coming weeks. 

Anyone own a canon SLR? Do you find it photographs on the "cool side"? I'm usually satisfied with my camera's automated white balance, but lately, it's been less than perfect. What's the best way to deal with white balance issues? I'm familiar with customizing the white balance on my camera, but I'm not in the habit of doing it..I'm interested in finding out how other Canon users deal with this problem - leave a comment if you have ideas to share. I really appreciate it. Thanks!

I have but one item to share with you today - Design Aglow has released a 9th issue of their online photography magazine. Even if you're not a photographer, it's still worth while to check it out.  It's pure eye candy. It's also a great resource for photography inspiration. Find it here: The Innovative Issue

Trick or Treat

We did it! We carved a pumpkin together..well, sort of. Laugh. Being that Ethan is all of two years old, he wasn't really sure what to do with the pumpkin after I brought it in the house. I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it either. Laugh. It's been years since I last carved a pumpkin. I decided to not tell Ethan that mommy hadn't a clue of what she was doing. I purchased a pumpkin carving kit a few days ago. I opened the kit up and read the directions. The directions were useless. Too detailed. I through them out and went at it on my own. In the end, after listening to Ethan scream for a solid fifteen minutes (because I wouldn't allow him access to the carving instruments), we had ourselves a working pumpkin. Ethan was proud of our creation. He insisted that we bring the pumpkin outside right away. He also requested that the pumpkin have a candle in it. So, for added fun, I set the pumpkin aglow temporarily. Turns out, I'm not completely inept at carving pumpkins. We have ourselves a fine pumpkin to bring with us to grandpa's house tomorrow - where we'll be celebrating Halloween and doing our trick or treating. 

 

I couldn't let the pumpkin seeds go to waste. I looked up a recipe online for toasting pumpkin seeds. They're now sitting in a bowl waiting to be devoured. I'm certain they'll be gone by Monday.  

Here's but a tiny sneak peek of what's to come next week at Creative Therapy, where I'll be guest designing and sharing a new layout. I completed the layout last evening. It touches on a sensitive topic - an issue I've yet to fully resolve since Eric's passing. I'll speak more about this at Creative Therapy. Hope to see you there. 

I hadn't expected the vast number of responses I'd received to the previous post, "Mag", but it seems that many of you share the same addiction as me. Thank you for the wonderful ideas. I've put together an organized set of links to most of the places mentioned by those that commented - if I've missed something, please let me know. Thanks again. 

• Before & After  
• Uppercase
• Stampington & Company
• Scrapbooking and Beyond
• Toast
• Seeing the Everyday
• Sunset
• House & Garden (Britain)
• Scrapbook & Cards
• Canadian House & Home
• Style at Home
• Scrapbook Inspirations
• EntreARTistes Magazine
• Scrap Art  

Happy Halloween - be safe and enjoy the holiday! 

Today's agenda - Scrapbooking. Working on a project for Creative Therapy. I'll be back tomorrow with an update..and a response to your comments from the last post - thanks everyone for the great info!

Mags

 I spend a lot of time visiting bookstores. While there, my first stop is always the magazine section. I'm addicted to magazines. I'll grab piles of them and sit down at a table for a solid hour of reading with coffee in hand. On occasion, I'll buy one or two magazines, but that's about it. I can't always justify the expense if I'm only going to look at a magazine once or twice over a period of week or two. If I find that I'm purchasing the same magazine every other month, I'll succumb to the subscription card, fill it out and give it to my postman. 

In recent months, I've cut down on magazine subscriptions. There's not been much out that's peaked my interest lately. Most scrapbook publications are simplifying their presentations and catering to the beginner's market. Somerset Studio remains my favorite paper arts publication - they've expanded their magazine selection in recent months, which I really love. Many of the home decor magazines I used to enjoy are no longer available - most have been discontinued, including Home Companion. I've been seriously tempted to subscribe to some of Britain's home decor mags, though shipping is seriously steep. 

With so many options off the table, I've been looking elsewhere for design inspiration. A month or so ago, I sent in cards for HOW and Print magazine. Both are graphic design publications. They're an alternative resource for creative ideas that can easily applied to scrapbooking. Here's a small sampling from both HOW and Print:

So, I'm curious to know what magazines you guys are reading right now? What inspires you at the moment? We could all use some inspiration - share. share. share. 

Weekend Briefing + Layout

Thank you to those who left feedback to my last post concerning my review of the glue pad. I appreciate the input from those that have had both success and failure using the product. As with any glue pad, the amount of glue applied to the stamp pad should be significant. After a few days, the glue pad will dry-out slightly (even when contained), so you'll have to add more glue to the pad before using. When doing this, watch your glue supply carefully - it goes fast! 

This weekend was so out of the ordinary for me. I spent some time on Saturday with friends. We devoted our afternoon to scrapbooking and sharing stories about parenting, cooking and savoring good food. It was wonderful. Ethan stayed with grandma while I was away. He was sad to see me go, but we rejoined our usual routine when I arrived back home. I took Ethan grocery shopping Sunday morning at the local Super Target. During one of his jumping charades in the shopping cart, he squished a bundle of bananas. We had a good laugh together. I cleaned up the mess, finished the shopping trip and took us home. Overall, it was great weekend. Couldn't ask for more....

While out with friends on Saturday, I started working on the above layout. I finished the layout Saturday evening. The layout tells the story of a recent bargain I found two weeks ago at Ann Taylor outlet store. I ran into a bright, wool yellow jacket in the petite section. I tried it on and after a twenty minutes of contemplation, brought it home with me. This is my first time owning a bold color jacket. Normally, I'd wear a black wool jacket with a brightly colored scarf. After locating the yellow jacket, I thought it be good to change things up a bit this year. Plus, it actually fits me and at 4' 9", finding a well fitted jacket is an impossible task...I'm set for the season. 

 

I have a nice size collection of Sassafras "Felties", though I don't use them frequently. These adorable felted embellishments are available in a variety of styles and colors. They're adhesive ready - no need for extra adhesive upon application. My favorite Felties collection - "Jar of Critters". 

 

Still love my flowers. Even though most of my layouts are about Ethan, I try to incorporate a flower or two on each one. I have nine small drawers dedicated to storing die-cut flower pieces (color coordinated). The die-cuts aren't necessarily "flower oriented". If I think something can be used to build a flower, I place it in one of the drawers. Such die-cut pieces include circle shape journaling cards, transparencies, paper trimmings, chipboard pieces and epoxy embellishments. 

For the above flower, I punched 1/4" circles from light pink cardstock, cut them in half and used them as petals for the flower. This is alternative way to build on a pre-existing flower that might not necessarily be large enough for it's location. It's also an economical way to build your own flowers. 

 

This turquoise floral die-cut paper is from Making Memories - it was part of a small collection made available through Michaels Craft Store. I layered the die-cut paper with brown cardstock and MME pink polk-a-dot pattern paper.

That's all for today. Visit me tomorrow for inspiration from HOW and Print magazine (just subscribed to both - a great alternative for those seeking design inspiration elsewhere). 

Adhesive Stamp Pad Review

 

I finally made the track over to Michaels craft store to see what the buzz was all about now that Martha's revamped her scrapbook isle with tons of new product. I have to say, I love it, but pricing was a tad bit steep for my slim-to-nothing scrapbook budget. Thank goodness for coupons, eh?! After staring at the jars of glitter, fuzz and itty-bitty glass balls for what felt like nearly an eternity (the people working at the place must of thought I was crazy for having stood there for so long), I grabbed a few items and headed out the door. I brought home Martha's Glue Stamp Pad and two jars of glass micro-beads (clear & green). 

For months, I've been looking for a reliable, functioning adhesive stamp pad. I've tried others in the past, but haven't had much luck with them. I thought it might be worth while to try Martha's (or EK Success's) glue stamp pad..I follow this absurd backwards logic that if something has Martha's name on it, it must be fabulous. So far, she's not disappointed me (though her super-size-me scrapbook albums still throw me through a loop - laugh.). Anyway, I tested the glue pad this morning and sure enough, Martha made me a happy woman. The glue pad was a success! Here's what I did:

 

Don't you just love American Craft's clear stamps? I have a couple of sets - this one is entirely new (untouched). I tested most of the images from this stamp set using the glue pad and Martha's fine glitter. 

 

Large, simple stamp designs work really well for this stamping technique. This frame looks great with a solid coat of glitter. 

 

Surprisingly, the thin floral stems were still perfect after glitter application. Imagine a long row of glittered flowers on a layout...something I might try in the future.

Look at the tiny dots of glitter - can you believe it? The detailing is beautiful. The glitter took to the dots with ease. 

The only issue I had with the glue pad was that it left a thin coat of residue on some of the stamps - I think there's a risk of residue when using any kind of adhesive on a stamp. I'll do a more thorough cleaning of the stamps tomorrow to see if the residue can be removed.  

I'm always looking for new ways to use my neglected stamp collection. This product has motivated me to revisit stamping. I enjoy the product immensely and look forward to using it on my next layout. 

After an hour of stamping, I played around with the bottle of clear microbeads - a word of caution about the beads - they travel quickly! They work better when held in hand during application. When adhering beads to a surface, use a clear drying adhesive like Diamond Glaze. Because this adhesive is slightly thick, I recommend applying it with a brush or finger. 

 

I'd love to see what others are doing with some of Martha's new products. Share a link or two if you've been working with some of the new items in the comment section below.