confessions of a cropaholic | a scrapbooking blog

is the latest…the greatest?

March 3rd, 2010

(Warning: A bit of a rant below…)

I tend to focus on the big picture sometimes. Probably to a fault.

I also don’t have the luxury of spending however and whenever I want on scrapbook supplies.

Its interesting to me that the scrapbooking industry ranks right up there with the fashion industry when it comes to marketing. Us ladies love our loot, and we’re suckers for girlie, sparkly, pretty things. Its the same pattern as everything else in retail-land. And to be honest, at times I tire of the frenzy.

You know the routine…

…the new iPod that comes out every year, 1/4 inch wider and 5/8 inch longer than the one before

…the new minivan with heated seats and cooled cup holders

…skinny jeans as opposed to boot cut

…the 12×12 distressed polka dot paper rather than the plain polka dot

Now, I’m a consumer like everyone else. In fact, I do a lot of product reviews of some wonderful products. I enjoy newness and advancements and a new spin on the so and so and the such and such.

But really? Is it a must to buy every. single. product. that comes out just because I’m supposed to? I mean, if I don’t, I’ll be left behind, right? Doesn’t it seem that companies are replacing their own product lines at break-neck speed? Especially in the craft industry, there’s not even enough time to use the product before the newer, better, greater, prettier, brighter one comes along. Is better synonymous with new? Do I really buy the latest thing because I love it, or because…I somehow feel I’m supposed to?

I say, its ok to stop, take a breather, ask myself “Do I really love this or need this?”, and possibly pass on it and use the 37 polka dot 12×12 papers I already have in my stash. Then, when something comes along that I truly love, there’s no guilt, no hiding bags from the Mr., and room in my stash for the new addition.

I purchase

because I create

because I want to preserve

because I want to remember.

I want to keep it in that order…not the other way around.

Ok, off my soapbox. How about you…ever feel this way?

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how to use png files in your scrapbooking {a giveaway!}

February 26th, 2010

I’ve said it before, I’m a traditional scrapbooker. If I were to fully enter into the world of digital scrapping, I’d be doing pretty much the same sort of thing I do all day long for work. I need the diversion, the touch and feel of physical materials in my hand. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be much of a hobby craft therapy for me.

But…I love to spatter digital elements here and there in my scrapbooks. I love that I can find something online, purchase it, download it and print it out in a matter of minutes.

I guess that would qualify me as a “hybrid scrapper”. We love our labels, don’t we?

So with that in mind, I’ve launched a new section on this blog called the Digi Graphics Shoppe. Here, I’ve brought together some designs, illustrations, page elements and other goodies for your pleasure. The shoppe is in its infancy, but its going to be a big fat baby in a very short while.

To get things rolling, Im offering two things right up front…

1. A Tutorial. Never used a PNG file before, or know what it is, for that matter? Oh, what you’re missing. Its easy peasy. Take a look…

2. A giveaway! Who doesn’t love a giveaway? I’m offering 2 (two) readers a $15 credit in the Shoppe. And with most things $3 and under, that’s a lot of graphics!

If you don’t want to wait for the giveaway, purchasing is simple. Add the image you want to your cart, check out, pay with PayPal and your file will be immediately available for download. Simple.

Win It! Enter for a chance to win one of two $15 credits to the Digi Graphics Shoppe:

Comment on this post with your favorite graphic in the Shoppe.
For extra entries, (a)tweet about this giveaway up to once a day, (b) subscribe to this blog.
Entries must be made by Friday, March 12 at 11:59 p.m. MST.

For more great tips, check out WFMW (this week is at Rocks In My Dryer!)

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its here

February 23rd, 2010

Its new.

Its easy.

Its affordable.

Its fun.

It offers photo embellishments, page elements, digi characters, flowers, cute birdies, bling bling…and more added regularly.

Its for everyone…digital scrappers, hybrid scrappers, new scrappers.

Its the Digi Graphics Shoppe.

Enjoy.

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where do you shop?

February 19th, 2010

Here’s a question for you…

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blossom layout tutorial

February 17th, 2010

A few months ago I submitted my first ever layout to a scrapbook magazine. The call for entries was for a layout using only paper elements, no embellishments.

So I came up with an idea to use an origami folding technique to create my Blossom layout. This was the layout I did for the first day of school pictures from this year and I remember thinking as I posed early in the wee hours of that morning how quickly and amazingly my boys are blossoming into young men.

So I thought I’d do a tutorial on how to create the main element of the layout, the origami cherry blossoms.

Was that helpful? Did I talk too fast? If you use the technique, what kind of layout will you do?

Enjoy!

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do you love your handwriting?

February 9th, 2010

I hate my handwriting.

I always have. I don’t know if its poor genetics or poor education way back when (not that I had a poor education, but maybe I was sick that day…). Seems like good handwriting is like good hair, a good singing voice, good hand-eye coordination…you either have it or you’re me.

Anyway, as a scrapbooker, I know I want to leave my mark on my scrapbooks for generations to come. Its a piece of me, however much I detest it, so sometimes I journal in my own pen. Other times I use pretty, fancy fonts.

Here are some resources I’ve come across in search of ways to improve my handwriting and finding and using that perfect font:

Font Capture

I love this and use it in my scrapbooks regularly. It creates a font out of your handwriting and makes it appear much more uniform and less like chicken scratch.

Tips for Improving Your Handwriting

Turns out, you can improve the handwriting God has (or hasn’t) given you. I found this link several months ago and I see improvement, but I still have a long way to go. PaperPenalia talks about hand position, muscle control and relaxing while your writing.

Font Space

This is a great tool to use to find that perfect font. They have over 12,000 fonts available and what I love about this site is you can see the actual word in recommended fonts. So, if I type “scrapbooking” in the search field, not only will it suggest scrapbooking style fonts, it will show them to me using the word “scrapbooking”. Very cool.

Font Freak

A great resource for finding oodles of fonts.

What The Font

Have you ever seen a font that you just must have but don’t have a clue what it is? Simply scan and upload it to whatthefont.com and it will probably find it for you. This is such a handy tool.

Letter Girl

See the cute button on the right? I found Letter Girl on Etsy and she and I are polar opposites…well, our handwriting is anyway. She is a.mazing. She creates everything from her own handwriting (oh to be her…) and then makes them into stamps for addresses, weddings, gift tags, etc.

What about you? Do you love your handwriting? This post is part of We Are That Family’s Works for Me Wednesday series. To find other helpful tidbits on everything under the sun, be sure to check out the McLinky.

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i’m gone, ya’ll

February 6th, 2010

This weekend I’m in Nashville, TN, sitting next to a rockstar blogger, hob nobbing with some bright minds and socking in valuable blogging/social media tid bits.

..and enjoying the melodic croonings of him..

It’s rough but somebody’s got to do it.

If you want to know all you’d ever care to know about Blissdom, check out my other blog.

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share your scrap space

February 3rd, 2010

Do you have a space just for scrapbooking? I studio, room, closet, corner? I’ve had all of the above. First, just a tote, then a corner, now a room (which I thank Jesus for every day).

Whatever size or shape it is, I want to see your space! There’s something inspiring and interesting seeing where other’s create. Are you in?

Link up below with Mr. Linky (I said ‘in the comments’ in the video, but I changed my mind. ) with your name or blog name. If you don’t have a blog, upload your photos or video to Flickr, YouTube, etc. and list your name below.

So…here’s my scrap space:

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you know when…

January 29th, 2010

(Hey, dont miss the giveaway at the end of this post…wink, wink.)

You know when life gets crazy and nothing really goes as planned?

You’re chugging NyQuil, just to be able to breathe through your nose?

When all the spoons are dirty?

When soccer (x 3…count them…3 boys) consumes your every available moment?

Your email inbox is nearing capacity?

You have more work than time?

Permission slips and unsigned reading logs get lost in the mountain of paperwork?

And most worstest of all?

You know when you have no time to scrap…let alone blog about it?

Yeah. I’m there.

Hopefully next week suddenly has more hours in the day.

Either way…see you then.

(But on the upside…you might want to jot on over to my other blog. I’m giving away a $50 Snapfish gift card! That’s a lot of prints for scrappin’…)

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the golden mean

January 27th, 2010

Seems to me, there are two schools of thought when it comes to scrapbooking.

There’s the Got To Get My Pictures In An Album Quick…Because I’m So “Behind” sickness.

Then there’s the “I Can’t Decide Between The fuchsia, Periwinkle And Chartreuse Background Paper Because This Page Has. To. Be. Perfect!” syndrome.

First off, who started this whole idea of being “behind”? Hello. If were talking about being 100% on top of everything, then my whole life will be “behind” until the day I die.

So you probably think I’m one of the Behinders, huh? Wrong. I’m one of the Caught Uppers. When I first got into scrapbooking (13 years ago), I had a two year old and was out-to-here pregnant and not working. Glorious. For a few months straight I scrapped every night, going through every picture, organizing, cropping, adhering, creating.

Maybe I was one of those people caught up in the silly sickness. But I think just as bad is the idea that you must create a masterpiece every time you sit down to scrap. Honestly, I get caught in this trap too. There are so many talented scrappers, papercrafters, and artists out there that there’s a kind of pressure to create magazine ready layouts. What results is unfinished pages, books and projects because they’re just not going to be perfect…enough.

So what’s a scrapper to do?

When I was in college, a very wise professor taught me the idea of the Golden Mean. Its the idea that says the balance found in the absolute middle is golden. Like finding balance between being neurotic about keeping your kitchen floor clean, and mopping once a year whether it needs it or not. Or between never letting little Johnny play sports because he might just get hurt, and letting him play in the middle of a busy street because he wants to. Or slapping pictures down because your freaking out about being “behind”, and never committing to anything because its not going to be perfect (can you say perfectionist?)

I say…find what works for you, whether it be chronological, all mixed up, 12×12, or minis…and work on finding the Golden Mean.

I’m still looking for it, myself.