A Couple of Crop Hints for You!!

I am so darn excited about Scrap Shotz's Retail Recovery online crop, starting tonight at 800 pm EST! It's so so so hard to keep a secret! The next best thing is to give some hints of my challenges! *wink* *wink*

Here they are! Can you guess?

Keep checking back all weekend for lots of scrappy sharing!

-vw

What Are YOU Doing This Weekend?

How about spending some quality time scrapping? Join me at Scrap Shotz Retail Therapy online crop! There will be some awesome challenges to get your creative juices moving; some fun games; fun chitter chatter...and amazing prizes as usual! So what are you waiting for??? Come hang with me starting this Friday night at 8pm EST!

And now for some sharing...

I am so fortunate to be asked by Valerie Salmon and Lynn Gharary to contribute to Valerie's weekly sketch blog. Here is my take on Sketch #74

Supplies: We R Memory Keepers (all pattern papers); Bazzill (brown cardstock); Close To My Heart (cream cardstock); Scenic Route (alpha chipboard); ribbon (unknown source)

Thanks for dropping by!
-vw

Feeling Ever So Refreshed!

Like many of you, I am deeply inspired by Ali Edwards. What I love about Ali is that she is down to earth and she speaks to me. Like many of Ali fans, I too have chosen a word to live by this year; my word is Refresh. Refresh has also been described as rejuvenate, revitalize, renew and reinvigorate. I want to revitalize all areas of my life – not big changes but small changes that all add up to a big change – and that includes scrapbooking too!

This year, I am refreshing my passion for this amazing hobby that has allowed me to make new friends and see my life in different ways by learning new ideas and techniques! That’s right, I am shaking it up! So I registered for Kathy’s Digi Diva and Just Shoot Me classes which starts on January 19 and January 26, respectively – I am quivering with excitement! Just to feel a bit more comfortable with Photoshop Elements or to shoot a clear picture in manual mode – wow, that is BIG for me!

I am also reinvigorating my stash by participating in the Trash Your Stash challenge. I am looking at my existing stash and breathing new life into what I have on hand by mixing and matching with items I never thought I would – and you know what? I like it; I really do! What is more satisfying that using up all those gorgeous papers and embellishments that you have lovingly purchased? How about joining me as I experiment with different sizes – have you tried a 6x12 layout? And what about Amber and Jess's series of challenges - Capture Your Culture challenges? These challenges are some of the details our family and friends in years to come want to read about along with the birthdays and playdates and vacations. Come on, give it a try!

As well, I have adopted Ali’s number one guiding creative philosophy: “It is OK.” Yes, it IS OK to just let go, to feel the freedom to create in any style, on whatever inspires you at the moment and to be imperfect. There I said it, to be imperfect! So stopping waiting for the perfect photo with the perfect papers and the perfect accents – just go for it! Try it – it is an amazing feeling! And don’t forget to share your projects in our gallery which is just brimming with inspiration – Scrap Shotz has a bevy of talented ladies!

Another important area that I am refreshing is my lifestyle. I am working to consistently incorporate healthy choices and exercise into my busy family life. I am not saying it is easy and that I will not slip here and there but I want to try. Join us in the Health & Wellness forum for some everyday helpful tips. Share your successes with us. If you need a pick-me-up, this is where you will find it too!

So are you going to join me in refreshing your life?

*This was also posted on the Scrap Shotz blog this morning.*

January Kit Reveal at Scrap Shotz

Today is January 2 and it's Reveal Day at Scrap Shotz! Yes, we normally reveal on the 1st of the month but January 1st is a special day so the reveal was deferred to the 2nd. Have you had a chance to check out the gallery? Wow...Amber, Nonie, Cari and Jen outdid themselves this month! Laura's projects are a bit of a secret as they will be in the kit insert. Here are my projects with the fabulous Heidi Swapp kit!

So Precious is a 6x12 layout - I rarely scrap this size but I am really loving it and see myself doing a few more! In addition to the supplies in the Jan Scrap Shotz kit, I added some Making Memories black Mini Alphas, Maya Road felt stars, Queen & Co black and white acrylic stars, Heidi Swapp clear acrylic stars, Close To My Heart Grey Wool ink and Close To My Heart silver photo turns and brad.

In 3 Generations, I had a renewed interest in my sewing machine! LOL The only additional supplies to the Heidi Swapp kit are the black Making Memories Mini Alphas. I can't believe these pictures are 5 years old! I am so glad I have pictures of me, my Mom and Madison.

For Explore, I angled everything so it would "feel" like Danielle and Dominic were downhill skiing. Again, I used my sewing machine to sew down the journaling strips and "stitch in the ditch" around the photos and make slopes on the adjoining pattern paper. Oh and let me add that the glittered brads from the January kit are divine! Goodness! They are so sparkly and easy to insert; that is prongs don't get all bendy before you use them!

I had a bit of fun scrapping What a Cute Pair! It was a time to cut loose and be a little funky! I used one of the January kit add-ons: Heidi Swapp black oval bling. As well, I also added some more of the ever versatile black Making Memories Mini Alphas...I am just addicted to those! And I must add that the American Crafts silver marker is unbelievable! It is so wet and covers both dark and light papers really really well!

January 1st - New Years Day - is my neice, Emma's birthday! It seemed only fitting that I would do a layout on this cute little gal! I so enjoy using lots of photos on my pages these days and I especially like grouping the photos from an event or a trip such as these photos from our summer vacation in 2007. Emma and my girls get along famously and it will be a beautiful momento for my girls when they are older to see themselves getting to know their cousin. I must also say I love, love, LOVE the Heidi Swapp bling in the kit! Goodness it is so easy to use and works on practically every layout! And I also love the font of the American Crafts glittered chipboard letters - it is so fun!

I wanted to use up every morsel of the kit and decided to use the scraps to make a cute little dove. The dove is special to me because it the "mascot" of The Arthritis Society. It was easy to make and once I cut out all the pieces, I did a bit of stitching (yes, again) and finished off all the edges with that wonderful American Crafts silver marker.

What are you working on these days? Join me as we tackle the Trash Your Stash Part Two! That's right, we complete 25 projects by the end of January 2009 using only the goodies from our personal stash. And the challenge - yup, to not purchase any new goodies until your 25 projects are completed! (Yikes!)

Another challenge I have given myself is to a Photo A Day but I may revise this to a Photo a Week! I have followed Ali Edwards' blog and have been so inspired by her photo a day - while at times it may be tiring or a nuisance, the rewards far outweigh any of the annoyances! It is such a fab momento! Do you want to join me?

Okay I need to get my littlest munchkin to bed now...ah the lazy easy going days of Christmas vacation! Thanks for dropping by!

-vw

Welcome 2009!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I am up before everyone, relishing in the peace and quiet...and enjoying a warm luscious cup of lemon tea! Do you make resolutions? As a rule, I generally don't but this year I am working towards a healthier stronger year. I feel I am on the mend but it is just too slow for my impatient self! Maybe I should work on patience? LOL

Just wanted to let you know that tomorrow is Reveal Day at Scrap Shotz - hope you'll drop by to see all the amazing creations by the Design Team!

I'll post some New Years pictures tomorrow but for now I need to whip up some waffle batter as the requests are coming in fast and furious!

Happy New Year Everyone! Wishing you all a healthful, joyful and successful 2009!

-vw

Merry Christmas and a Happy Boxing Day

Goodness! Yesterday passed in a whirlwind blur! Danielle came bursting into our room at 740 am, waking me from a deep sleep! In my sleep induced stupor, I managed to mutter, "Merry Christmas...what did Santa bring?" That was enough to have both girls start emptying their stockings on our bed and going through the stocking, item by item. This year there was some "pretend make-up" in the stocking which was a huge hit! When the girls finished oohing and aaahing over their stocking, they rushed upstairs to see what Santa brought. I wish I had been awake enough to grab the camcorder to record their gasps and capture their priceless looks of shock - that was a moment that I never want to forget!

We opened a couple of presents and then took a wee break to have some freshly made cinnamon buns! Wow! The cinnamon buns more than doubled in size this year and they were delish! We just gobbled it all down with a good strong cup of coffee and hazelnut syrup! LOL The girls opened up the rest of the gifts and were eager to start playing right away with the Wii...as were we, if truth be told! Danielle wanted to stop after opening her "glass slippers" - so cute! She did not want anything else other than a pair or two of pretend high heels - she has been wearing or carrying them around the house since then!

I hope you'll indulge me and let me share a few pictures of the day!

Merry Christmas Everyone! I am off to brave the crowds at the various Boxing Day sales!
-Virginia

Only 5 More Sleeps!

This time of year is just so busy! There is Christmas concerts, dance viewings, school parties, gift wrapping and giving, baking, cleaning, planning and so on...but through it all, I love it! Yes, I love the excitement and the general feeling of doing something nice for someone else. I love getting together with family and friends and having no firm commitments to be somewhere and to do something.

Right now, Madison and Danielle are bursting at the seams in anticipation of Santa! Our house smells like gingerbread cookies (love that smell!) and I have just wrapped all the fruitcake I made today. And this year, I am almost scared to say...I am ready! OK so I have a few Christmas cards to tuck into the mail yet but I am almost there! LOL

I have not been around too much as I just had the some nasty GI virus. Goodness, it just wiped me out! It has been a week now and I am still a bit queasy and whoozy and tired. On a more positive note, the ulcer on my leg is healing and the plastic surgeon is happy with my progress. My rheumatologist has been working very closely with me to find the right dose of pain medication as I tough it out until my ulcer heals in its entirety. I so really appreciate my doctor and the much better health I had before this nasty infection took hold.

So a short post tonight as I am quite tired but I'll be back tomorrow with something to show you. I am starting to work on the Scrap Shotz January reveal - if you have ever thought of joining a kit program, do consider this one! Scrap Shotz has amazing and luscious kits month after month! It's like Christmas every month of the year!

Thanks for dropping by!
-Virginia