Monday, December 29, 2008

Look!! Santa's been here!!

Hey there!


Hope your holiday was as enjoyable as it was here at the Eisler's household. Santa arrived and delivered all the goodies for the children and had enough time to get back home and get plenty of rest before his own brood woke up.

The twins awoke about 8am and were utterly amazed to see all the goodies that Santa brought the night before. I think this is the first year, it registered with them about this particular holiday. As in every year, Dave played Santa and each time he handed a present to Jaden to open, Jaden would say, "Oh thank you!" in that sweet baby voice of his.

Kelli and Mike arrived with Deborah and Matthew, and our fun and festivities began. It brings back lots of memories of past Christmases of when I was a child. The excitement, anticipation of what each gift brings.

It was so much fun! It makes all the preparation for this time so worth it. Of course, I had my camera handy and snapping pictures right and left. So instead of plastering my blog full of Christmas morning gift opening events, I decided to try to put the pictures into a collage and post them. Now, all I have to do is just one page layout of Christmas morning for each of their scrapbooks, and not feel guilty of having to eliminate any photos. I should have thought of this long before now!!
Look at photos of Deborah and all her missing teeth. Don't you just love that?!? Now, the fun really begins...packing up all the Christmas decorations and storing them away again for next year.

Thanks for stopping by.
Hope you enjoyed yourself.

Until next time....




Inky Hugs,


Wednesday, December 24, 2008


I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Photo Cube

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!

I so do apologize for not posting sooner. I can't believe its been a month since I've posted last. Not much has been going on here lately. I've just been busy with the "everyday life" kinda things. Nothing too exciting! You really don't want to hear about how my wash was coming along. Or how I hate to clean my house....so I won't bore you with the details.

But I do want to share with you my latest project I just completed.
My daughter Kelli, (waving hi!!) took the children up to Bakersfield, to "Picture People" and had this year's portraits done. They turned out so darn cute. I just had to do something special with them, besides putting them on a scrapbook layout. That'll come later.

Then I get Rebecca Ludens' newsletter from about.com. She mentioned she has all sorts of gift ideas and gave us a challenge and the links to a few ideas. I am always looking for inspiration and different ideas. Don't you? Especially now, during this holiday season. I always try to make one handmade gift for children. So, this year its the cubes.

Let me back up a bit, like 3 years or so. My husband is such a handyman. He loves his power tools. He is always out fiddling around in his workshop. I decided to do snoop one day. Why? I guess I was just bored and looking for trouble! I saw in his workshop this long piece of lumber. It was really long and measured 3"x3". I thought, I need that piece of wood. So, I promptly went to my husband and asked what plans he had for that piece of lumber. He told me and so I asked if I could have the leftovers if there was any. He knows not to question me when I get that gleam in my eye. So, he made sure he saved the leftovers. Not only did he save the leftovers he cut them for me as well. He cut them into 3"x3"x3" cubes. He managed to cut 6 of them for me.




He brought in those little cubes to me, and the wheels started turning. I was thinking of all the different things I could do with these cubes. I had so many ideas, I couldn't settle one just one. So, when that happens, I put it aside for a while and then come back to it. That was three years ago. I've been sitting with these cubes up on the mantle, waiting for my one idea, one great big spark of inspiration.

That's when I received Rebecca's newsletter. I read through all her newsletter and that's when I saw, she had done a photo block. http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/pagestarterideas/ig/Scrapbook-Cubes/Now she used papers on hers. I thought about using CTMH's Notebook papers...but changed my mind at the last minute and decided to just paint it.


So, here is what I did:

1. I sanded the blocks with a heavy duty sandpaper.
2. I painted the block with an acrylic scrapbooking paint.
3. I stamped using acrylic paint and CTMH's "Spot On Background" stamp set. Just the top and bottom. At this point I was still going to

use paper on the blocks, but when the paint dried, I really like the wood grain coming through. It was at this point not to use the papers.

4. I distressed all the edges with CTMH's Cocoa stamp pad, to give that distressed look.
5. I printed out my pictures (after cropping them down to just "head shots").
6. I cut out the scallop circle, using my Nestabilities.
7. I printed and cut out each of their names using the font "Fling" on my Wishblade. I also used my wishblade to print and cut the pictures.
8. I started on one side and worked my way around, using whatever embellishments I had on had.
9. I used a heavy duty push pin, and made holes in the wood, filled with Scotch Quick Drying Glue, filled each hole and then pushed brads in it. Its more of a decorative look than anything.
10. For those brads that were too big to press into holes, I cut off the prongs of the brad and glued them down with Liquid Glass, as well as using my Liquid Glass to attach the other embellishments.


I have another block to do, but I am still waiting on the pictures my son had taken of the twins. Hopefully, he'll be picking them up this coming Saturday. Then I'll be able to hop right on it and get his block done. Once I get it completed, I'll be posting here.


Thanks for stopping by. So, until next time...

Happy Holidays!!

Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Can you believe this....

Hi again!


Can you believe this? Three days in a row I've been able to get on here and post some artwork. You know, I am the world's biggest procastinator! If I would only...well, lets not go there! I don't want to bore you.

I did these cards for my good friend, Jenn. We were ooooing and awing at the stamps online, and without Jenn knowing it, I ordered a couple (ok ok...a couple is two, I ordered three) of the cutest little stamps from Elizabeth Bell. These lil darlings are from Elizabeth's "Sweet Ebony" collection. I have several links to share with you about Elizabeth Bell and her
Sweet Nellie stamps, which I will do at the end of this post.


Here are the three cards I sent to Jenn. The stamped image on this card is called "Basket Full of Apples." Isn't she the most precious! I used papers from CTMH's "Let's Get Together" paper pack. I made the flower from gingham ribbon and a flower loom I purchased off ebay. Ribbons came from www.reasonableribbon.com.







This darling little girl stamp is called "Garden Girl. When I purchased this stamp, I was busy in my garden, trying to grow some vegetables. This year, I wasn't as successful as I have been in the past. I have a couple of pictures of Deborah and Kelli working in the garden when we first prepped the garden. I think using this little gal on the page would make for a really cute layout.

I used CTMH's "More To Adore" paper pack and CTMH's markers to color her in. The ribbon came from http://www.just4funcrafts.com/. I also used my Cuttlebug folder "Swiss Dots" and embossed the half circle. That really adds some dimension to the card.

This little cowgirl stamp name is "Giddy Up Pony" from Elizabeth Bell's Sweet Ebony Collection. When I first saw this adorable little girl, I immediately thought of my grand daughter,
Deborah, and the cowgirl hat and boots, her Popi and I gave her for Christmas last year.
I am not sure where the papers came from. I just pulled them out of my stash of scraps. The cardstock is CTMH's barn red and bamboo. I use Friskar's border punches for the borders done in black and bamboo cardstock. I made the flower with my flower loom and attached it on a chipboard flower from CTMH. I also use my Cuttlebug folder "Swiss Dots" to the background. I cut the heart out with my sizzix "Big Shot and set an eyelet in the top.

I sent some stamped images to Jenn as an RAK, and if you visit her blog, www.just4funcrafts.blogspot.com, you can see some of her artwork. Jenn is the most talented artist I have seen. I get alot of my inspiration from her.
Now back to Elizabeth Bell and the links I promised to include in this post. There is a blog for Elizabeth Bell, so click on this link, www.sugarnellie.blogspot.com to go to her blog. If you would like to see some artwork/cards using the "Sweet Ebony" stamps, click here: http://www.zhibit.org/elisabethbell/sweet-ebony-cards-2. There are pages and pages of artwork. And to view or purchase any of the "Sweet Ebony" stamps, click here: http://www.funkykits.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=47_46.
That's about it for now. If I knew how to make this links into a one word link, I would, but I haven't a clue as to how to do that. As you can tell, I am still a bit computer challenged.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed yourself and have a Terrific Tuesday!
Until next time...
Happy Scrappin'!
Inky Hugs,
Leanne



Monday, November 17, 2008

A little bit behind the times....

Greeting again from the Rubber Room!


I am so pleased you stopped by. Its a very common thing for me to be a day late and a dollar short! I say this because here we are about a week and a half before Thanksgiving, and I am about to share the layouts I did a couple of months ago, at the beginning of the school year. I am also a year behind getting Deborah's album done. One good thing though, is they are done and into their albums. Two done, gazillon more to do. LOL I keep telling myself, baby steps. But you
know...those baby steps are being stampeded with photos screaming, "Scrap Me!!"


















These first two layouts are of my granddaughter Deborah on her first day of Kindergarten. She can be such a "ham" when a camera is pointed at her. Papers are from Close to my Heart, Silhouette paper pack, flowers are prima flowers with itty bitty brads from CTMH. The die cut apples and backpack and title block in the left page, was something I picked up from WalMart a few years ago.




These two layouts are of my grandson, Matthew and his first day of preschool. I enjoyed doing Deborah's layouts so much, I decided to do the same for Matthew's pages. And his bright red shirt, just lead me to use primary colors for his pages. The polka dot paper at the top is from CTMH's Giggles and Grins. and the other is the last of the paper pack "School Days" from CTMH. I had some school themed stamps and stamped and colors various images on the "crayon" pattern paper. Too much open space for my taste. I made the little title block to match that like Deborah's. The shaker apple on the left page, has the alphabet beads, spelling out "Matthew's First Day of Preschool." The apple diecut on the right side, is from my stash. and the crayon die cuts, I did on my Wishblade.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed yourself. Stop back again sometime.
Until next time,
Happy Scrappin'
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Sunday, November 16, 2008

You're a Star!!

Hey there everyone!! Welcome back to my Rubber Room. I am so glad you dropped in for a bit. I want to share with you a card I made for my brother this afternoon. I received an email from my SIL telling us that my brother, Don received an award last night from the Engineering Department of the University of Louisville. My brother taught there for many years, till he retired a few months ago. Don had to say a few words after receiving his award so he thanked the IE (I think that stands for Industrial Engineering) department for giving this award to a civil engineer. That has to be an inside joke, because I don't understand the humor! Do you? :) Anyhow...
Don first graduated from Illinios Institute of Technology in Chicago, with a Civil Engineering degree. He then earned an M.B.A. degree from the University of Louisville (1983) and a Master of Engineering Management degree (1999). Don is also the author of a textbook on construction management. Dr. John Usher present the award to Don. Shannon Graves is a chemical engineer and the alumni ambassador who organized this year’s event. Those are the people pictured above.
The card I made to send to Don is 5" x 7". Colors are Cranberry and Black. I used the star paper from Game On paper pack from Close To My Heart. I also used the stamp sets, Star Struck and Shining Star. Embellishments are from the gold My Accents and black My Accents. The ribbon came from my stash, and I think I purchased it from www.reasonableribbon.com.
Thanks for stopping by,
Until next time!
Happy Scrappin'
Inky Hugs
Leanne

Thursday, November 13, 2008

And so the "Tis the Season" begins...

Greetings from the Rubber Room!

I can't believe its been over three weeks since I have posted anything. My deepest apologies for not posting sooner. Don't you just hate it when life gets in the way of your passion? I am not grumbling too much...but that creative to do list is growing! So what have you been up to in the past few weeks?


Well, I did manage to get all four of the grandchildren together and off we went trick or treating. Jaden didn't care too much about going door to door, but loved dressing up in his costume. A friend from church gave Kevin a couple of Halloween costumes for the twins, a couple of years ago. Kevin and I thought for sure these costumes would make it to this year. It would have, if the twins didn't go through a growth spurt not too long ago. So, our little Jaden looks like he was poured into his suit. He didn't care...he just enjoyed the day. And Benny walked around with his head cocked to the side, because the bird costume's hood (which was the bird's head) was just way too heavy. Deborah dressed up as another princess this year, Princess Jasmine and Matthew wanted to be a fireman.


Here are the kids right before we took off to go trick or treating. Of course, while trying to take pictures, do you think the children would hold still to capture one pic of all them smiling at the camera? LOL I got one but without Benny! I said, "What happened to Benny?" And here he is as I am trying to get him back with the others. I couldn't resist taking a pic, dirty face or not. I couldn't resist the snapping a pic of that adorable face starring back at me through the camera lens.


So, that was our Halloween night. I can't wait to get started on the scrapbook pages for this year. I am busy trying to get all 8 pages (that's a 2 page layout for 4 albums) of Halloween 2007 done. They are presently sitting on my table waiting to be completed. But first, I have to set them aside and start of the project for this month's workshop.


The gals asked if we could do something a bit different and other than scrapbook pages. What better way to get into the Holiday spirit than to do start making Christmas cards. Now, I have been browsing the internet, and CTMH's bulletin board, looking for inspiration. I found lots of inspiration through my memberships on many yahoo groups, other consultant's blogs, and the bulletin board. Its gotten to the point to where I am a bit overwhelmed with all the talent I have found in all these places.


I just placed my order with CTMH, because I found I am in need of a few newer stamp sets. So, when that order arrives, I'll be able to buckle down and get busy. Once the cards are completed, I'll then post them here. But meanwhile, trying to get into the festive activities that this time of year brings, I made this wall hanging. I got the inspiration from my friend Laurie from Louisiana. She did the same thing, but with different papers. The colors I used are CTMH's Clover Meadow, Honey and Cranberry. Patterned paper is from Daisy D (scraps from a project I did last year). I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder "Swiss Dots" and cut the letters and tags on my Wishblade. Most of the embellishments are from CTMH or Just4funcrafts.com and the ribbon came from Reasonableribbon.com.
Until next time.... Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Scrappin'
Inky Hugs,
Leanne






Tuesday, November 11, 2008

November Blog Candy Blowout!

Hey everyone!

Go on over to Sheetload! They are having an awesome Blog Candy Giveaway for the month of November. Look at those goodies that you can win. 4 Lucky winners, I hope one of them is me! So go on over and check it out!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

October Workshop

Hello and welcome to my Rubber Room!


I have been so busy these past couple of weeks, that I almost forgot to share the layouts we will be doing this month at my monthly workshop. The pictures are of my granddaughter, Deborah's Kindergarten graduation. She was very determined to wear her cowboy boots and hat, that her Popi gave her for Christmas. She loves those boots!










Papers are from My Reflection Notebook paper pack from Close To My Heart, along with the My Reflection My Stickease. I cut the title out on my Wishblade along with the two hearts. I used HP Photosmart Essential program for the template on the left page.

If you like the layouts I feature each month for my monthly workshops...why not consider ordering a scrapbook kit? I have all the details on my other blog http://www.creativebundles.blogspot.com/. If you have any questions, email me at Kit20296@aol.com. I'll be happy to answer them for you.

Until next time,

Happy Scrappin'!!

Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Friday, October 24, 2008

Chuga Chuga....Choo Choo

Greetings from the Rubber Room!



I thought I'd share another 2 page layout I just finished. The photos are of my grandchildren, Matthew and Deborah. Matthew was about 18 months old in these pics and Deborah was about 2.5 years. This train we had given to Deborah the previous Christmas. She loved her little train. What child doesn't love a ridem toy? Matthew was finally walking a lot better. He wanted to climb on the train and go round and round, just like big sis Deborah. So, he climbed up on the train and it didn't move. We showed him the button to push, and he would push it and the train would jerk forward. He just didn't know he had to hold the button down to continue riding. So, being the big sister that Deborah was...she showed him and continued to hold the button down and walk along side the train so Matthew could have his turn riding the train.




Papers I used here are from DCWV's Nana's Kids paper slab. Cardstock and embellishments are from Close To My Heart. The title is from Scrap Metal, in the Ravie font and the little descriptive signage above the pictures, I made on my Wishblade. Inspiration came from Becky Fleck's book, Page Maps.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I love having you visit my blog. I have a couple more pages almost complete and I'll post them in the next day or so. Don't forget to leave a comment or two. I love the feedback I receive. It always helps to improve.
So, until next time...
Happy Scrappin'
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Playing in the snow for the first time...

Greetings from the Rubber Room...

As you can see with all that I've been posting, I've been quite busy in the rubber room. I haven't had the twins in a couple of weeks, and I've been trying to put that time to good use by trying to get more layouts done.



This particular layout really gave me a run for my money! You see...my family lives in the high desert of California. So we hardly ever get any snow. If we do, its usually overnight and its gone the next day. We're also considered in high elevation, not too far from the Tehachapi Mountains. So, if we get a little bit of snow...then we know that Tehachapi got a lot more. A few years back, my hubby and I bought some property up in the Tehachapi Mountains, in an area they call "Mountain Meadows." When we did get that little bit of snow back in the winter of 2006, we knew there would be a whole lot more up on the property. AND our granddaughter was finally old enough to go up and play in the snow. So, Kelli and her father, bundled up Deborah and off they went to the property, to go play in the snow. I sent along the camera with Kelli and told her to take lots and lots of pictures, so I could do a snow scene layout. Something I don't normally get a chance to do.



Now, let me tell you what I did. First, I took my inspiration from Becky Fleck's book, "Page Maps" on pages 14-15. I used the papers from CTMH's My Reflection Collection's "Dicken's Village." Now anyone who knows me, I have such a hard time with big empty blank spaces on my page. I had a major problem with this layout because of the big empty space at the bottom. It could represent snow...but that wasn't good enough for me. So, I thought, what does Deborah and the property have that I really want to showcase here. Pictures were taken care of for Deborah. But the property, its big and wild, and nothing but wilderness up there. What attracted me to this property in the first place was all the trees. So, with my Wishblade and a file, a member on one of the many yahoo groups I belong to, I cut out the trees, using CTMH's "Petal" cardstock. Then with my sponge daubers, I sponged, Twilight and Desert Sand on the trees to give it more dimension. Using pop dots I adhered the trees to the page. But first...the white is there and I couldn't just leave it like that. So, I turned to my creative CTMH sisters and asked for some help. I received quite a few emails explaining how to represent snow on a layout. I took all their suggestions, and went to work.



Here is what I did: I tore several pieces of White Daisy cardstock. I then took CTMH Amethyst ink and sponge the edges. I tried using Petal ink, but it turned out looking too dirty for my taste, so I switch to a lighter shade. Then I covered the front of the cardstock with adhesive. I combined, white Fun Flock and my prism glitter and spread that over the front of the cardstock. I tapped off the excess and VIOLA!!!! I loved how that turned out. I hope you can see it from the photos I took of the layouts. Now, of course, seeing the layouts in person would be so much better...but I hope this is satisfactory and you get the idea.



Thanks so much for stopping in. I am so glad we had a moment to share. Come back again and don't forget to leave a comment. I love reading them! I'll have more artwork to post in the next couple of days.

So, until next time....

Happy Scrappin'


Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Kevin in Kindergarten

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!

I wanted to share with you the layouts I did for my son Kevin's album. The year was 1987, and he is just starting Kindergarten.

The papers are from Provo Craft. I had these papers in 8.5x11 size, but when I was at Michael's, I noticed they had the same papers in 12x12 size. I didn't have to blink twice before scrafing it up. Made doing this layout so much easier and alot more fun. All the bits and pieces of this layout is from my stash that I've been saving. Saving for what? That is why, I am going through everything and trying to use it up. The little heart in the lower right hand corner of the second page, was once a pin. I bought it at an antique store for $.50. No telling where you can find things to put your pages.

I hear some layouts calling my name...so I better get back to it. I'll have some more to share in the next day or two.

Thanks for dropping by. Don't forget to leave a comment. I love hearing from you.

So, until next time....

Happy Scrappin'

Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Friday, October 17, 2008

In loving memory...

Hello!

Welcome back to the Rubber Room!

A few years ago, a call went out from the editors of "Paper Trends." They were looking for various paper crafts items, things other than scrapbook layouts or cards. I was in my clock making phase at that time. Unfortunately, I no longer have that picture to share...but anyways, I sent off via email and picture of a small cd clock I had made to the publishers. A couple days later, one of the editors wrote back to me and asked if the clock actually worked. Which it did...and then she asked for me to package it up and send it to her. She wanted to put in the Premier edition of "Paper Trends." I was so excited. So I sent off the little clock and waited for the new magazine to come out onto the stores shelves. The waiting was unbearable. I couldn't wait to see my little cd clock in print. Then one day, in the mail, I got a copy of the magazine and there on page 121 of the premier edition was my little clock and the instructions on how to make one. I was thrilled, excited, and proud to be able to contribute to this publication. I can now say, I have been published. My first and only time I have submitted anything. The editor wrote back to me ... once the magazine was published and out the door (what is they say in the newspaper industry?...put to bed? LOL) and asked me to send her my address so she could send the little clock back to me. I told her to keep it and place it in her office as a remembrance of the "premier" edition of her magazine.

Then a few months later, I received this package in the mail. It was full of papers, and stickers, and all kinds of embellishments. Papers I had seen at my LSS and drooled over, but couldn't afford at that moment. The papers were Sharon Sonneff's Sonnets from Creative Imaginations. They are absolutely gorgeous. It was such a special event that led me to these papers, I wanted to so something just as special with them.


My sister Joella, received this poem from a friend the first year after the passing of our father. She in turn, retyped it on the computer, printed it on parchment paper and framed it. She sent it to all three of my brothers, and myself. I, in turn, retyped it and made this layout for the family album, using the special papers I received from "Paper Trends." But before I could do this layout, I wanted an angel to go on the page. I looked and looked, and I could not find an angel I liked enough to include on this layout. Then, my brother, Jeff, one Christmas, sent my family a personalized serving tray and this sweet little angel was on that tray. So, now I knew what angel I wanted on it, I went in search of picture, bitmap, jpeg, book, anything that had this little angel. Then one day, someone on one of the groups I belong to, shared a link for all kinds of artwork. As I was browsing through this website, http://www.senecapondcrafts.com/ I found that little angel. I was thrilled. So, now with all the pieces together...I finally put the layout together, with the help of Becky Fleck's book, "Page Maps."
Now I realize the printing on the layout is so tiny and you probably can't read the poem...I thought I would share the poem here with you.
My First Christmas In Heaven
I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below,
with tiny lights, like Heaven’s stars,
reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear...
for I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many songs
that people hold so dear...
but the sounds of music can’t compare
with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring,
for it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart,
but I’m not so far away,
we really aren’t apart.
So be happy for me, dear ones,
you know I hold you dear.
And be glad I’m spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.
I sent you each a special gift,
from my Heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.
After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold.
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told.
Please love and keep each other,
as my Father said to do.
For I can’t count the blessing or love
He has for each of you.
So have a Merry Christmas and
wipe away that tear.
Remember, I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed yourself and found some inspiration. I am heading back to my corner and work some more, so that I have more to share with you on another day. Come back again.
Until next time,
Happy Scrappin'!
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Playtime at Gamma's

Hi there! Welcome back to the Rubber Room!

Its been fairly quiet the last few days, so I thought I would try to do some "catching up" in the scrapbook department. I am just so far behind. I don't think I've ever been ahead when it comes to having all my scrapbooks up to date. I just keep plugging along and doing layout after layout after layout. Its alot of fun, picking up an old layout that you started quite a while ago...and not remember what you had planned to do with it. Well, such is the case with these layouts. I do remember though, I was going to split this 2 page layout and put one page in Matthew's book and the other page in Deborah's. I guess I didn't like that idea, since I kept putting it back to complete later.

Well later has arrived and not only did I NOT split up this two page layout, I made another 2 page layout almost exactly like the first. So, now Deborah will have a 2 page layout in her album, and Matthew will have a 2 page layout in his.

On Deborah's two page layout, I received this kit from my local scrapbook store, quite a while ago. They had a demonstrator come in from Chatterbox, and you could sign up for this Chatterbox class. Well, their turn out was very successful, they anticipated for more though, so they put their kits up for sale. I love kits, so of course I bought one.

Now Matty's 2 page layout, I dug through some old papers I had, and found what seems to be the last of this CTMH paper pack. Its been a long time retired, that I can't even remember the paper pack's name. The tiny flower with yellow background paper came from my stash. Its part of the papers, my DH gave me a few years ago when I first started scrapbooking. I think the combo goes quite nicely together. The little tiny signage are from Making Memories and I also made some to fit my needs on my Wishblade.

I got a few more layouts completed these past few days, but I think I am going to wait and share them in the days ahead.

So stay tuned, cause there will be more to share in the days ahead.
Thanks for stopping by.
Until next time...
Happy Scrappin'!
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Going Back in Time

Greeting everyone!


Welcome to my Rubber Room!


If this is your first time visiting, sit back and enjoy and Welcome! If you've been here before, Welcome Back!


Today, I thought I would share with you the layout I just completed. I wanted to share it with you yesterday, but the winds were blowing so bad outside, I decided to wait till today to see how the winds would be. It seems to be mild today. So, outside I went with camera in hand to snap a photo of my latest layout.


Papers I used were from CTMH's Heart of Winter promotion this past January. How many of you look at papers and think right away what pictures to scrap with those selected papers? Do you go with your first thought or do you hem and hah and look for a better picture? I usually go with my first thought Why second guess yourself right? That means I don't have to waste time going through all my photos looking for just the right photo.


The photo is of my three children, Michael, Kevin and Kelli, taken in May of 1985. It was almost a year since we returned to the states from Iceland. Michael was 8.5 years old and Kevin was 3.5 years old and Kelli was just 21 months. WOW, time sure flies doesn't it? It just seems like yesterday, we were having their photos taken. Now, they are all grown and have children of their own. Oh goodness....do I sound like an old lady or what!



Well, this old lady is heading back to her scrappin' table and continue working on another layout. I'll try to get it completed in the next couple of days and post it here to share.



Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you'll come back and visit again.

Until next time,

Happy Scrappin'



Inky Hugs,

Leanne

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Another Do Over!

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!

Here it is...Saturday morning, time is 4:44am and I can't sleep. So, what better way to spend my morning, but with all of you! Got your coffee? I got my cup of tea right here and away we go with another do over.

The first two layouts were done when I was doing 8.5"x11". Now that I am doing 12"x12" I am slowly but surely making my way through all those layouts and either converting them to 12x12 or redoing them all together. I tried to stay along the same style on these layouts...but I did make some changes. Papers are the same...CTMH's Fleurs de Jardine in Cranberry and New England Ivy. I took one sheet from CTMH's Everlasting paper pack to add to the mix. I have lots and lots of embellishments to use up and decided to use some of them here.
Its funny to look back at previously done layouts and wonder...what I was thinking when I did this layout. I am so glad I decided to redo this one.
I am so pleased you decided to drop by. Drop by again some time. I have another layout completed, but gotta wait for a day when I can spend some time with my camera. Perhaps in the next few days, I can grab a few minutes for myself.
Hope you have a terrific day in whatever you decide to do. Looks like housekeeping is in store for me today. Hopefully, I can grab a nap when the twins go down for theirs.
So, until next time,
Happy Scrappin'!!!
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Water Dog

Early morning greetings from the Rubber Room!


I thought I had posted this pictures before, but with the crash of my computer...there is a lot of things I thought I did and didn't do. Anyhow, I wanted to share with you the first time Auggie (our new pup) discovered there was water in that big blue thing in the backyard. She just happened to run into it and found that it moved. So, she took another step closer to discovering the water on the other side. Once she got her feet wet, well the rest is history. She would run and run around the backyard and dive into the pool. Run around in circles a few times then jump out and run around the backyard again. It was really a site and had us all laughing hysterically. And as all good things must come to an end...so does our small little swimming pool. Auggie jumped in one too many times and bit the side of the pool, deflating it.
So little girl, you're gonna have to wait till next year to get a pool just for you. Next year at this time, you'll be the size of a horse! LOL
Let me do some explaining about the pictures here. The first one up there, she's peeking into the pool...saying something like...what is on the other side. Next picture, shows her being a bit more curious and touching the water. You know...how you dip your toe in to feel the temp of the water. This next picture...she's tested the water and jumped in. Here she is running back and forth, splashing water everywhere. And this last picture...she just discovered the sand at the bottom of the pool. Inquisitive minds!
I hope you get a giggle or two from the adventures of our new pup. She's fun to watch, and man does she take a lot of work to train.
Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time...
Happy Scrappin'!
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Sunday, September 28, 2008

For your viewing pleasure...

I posted a slide show to the right of the stamp sets. The slide show will run through all the pictures. They are in no particular order, just according to catagories from the idea book. Let me know at Kit20296@aol.com if you are interested in any of the stamp sets.

Thanks for looking.

Inky Hugs,
Leanne

How many days till Christmas?

Greetings again from the Rubber Room!

I did a search and asked how many days till Christmas? This is the reply I got:

87 Days
13 Hours
52 Minutes

...But who's counting?

And the way the economy is...I have to get a bit creative. I make a lot of Christmas gifts for my family, but that also requires some of that green stuff. So, in an effort to not wait till the last minute, I thought I would start now getting the gifts put together. So to buy the materials I need I thought I would try to find a new home for some of my stamps. I spent the last 3 days going through all my stamps, looking and asking myself, which of these do you really truly want/need?

So in an effort to reduce the amount of stamps I have and to get started now on Christmas and to make room for more stamp sets this next year...I am posting here the stamps I am selling. You can see what the stamps look like, the condition they are in by clicking on this link. http://picasaweb.google.com/Scrappingamma/MyAcrylixStampSetsForSale
Some are well loved, some are brand new and have never been used. Here is the list of the stamp sets.

A1037 Baby Impressions $7.

B1019 Celebration Solids $6. This set is missing the Christmas tree
B1033 Blossom Blocks $9
B1170 Fairy Dust $9.
B1174 Flower Fairies $9.
B1185 Bottle Caps $9
B1186 Ho, Ho, Ho! $9
B1207 You're Invited $9
B1208 Birthday Script $9
B1209 Cherish $9.


C1004 Dragonfly and Friends $12.
C1048 Rose Splendor. $12.
C1057 Little Things Matter $12 Brand New. Never been used.
C1166 You and Me $12
C1070 Sunflower Garden $12.
C1105 Retro Lowercase $10. This set is missing an "l"
C1196 My Mom Stamp Set $12
C1201 Spirit of 76 $12.
C1202 Three Cheers $12
C1209 Christmas Script $12.
C1214 Harvest Wonders $12.
C1215 Throughout the Year $12. Brand new. Never been used.
C1217 Smitten $11. The tiny little heart is missing
C1223 Antique Tags $12 Never used, brand new.
C1226 Floral Charms $12.
C1229 Accents, etc. $12 Brand new.
C1239 Vintage Father's Day $12
C1243 A Friend Is $12
C1251 Harvest Memories $12.
C1252 Abundance Borders $12.
C1261 Finding Beauty $12.


D1114 Create a file $14
D1135 Words To Live By $14
D1053 Kid Power $14.
D1087 Elegant Floral $14
D1133 Seed Packets $14.
D1136 Paradise $14. Never used, brand new.
W326 Friendship's Garden $14


If you see a stamp set you like, send me an email to Kit20296@aol.com. Make sure you put "Stamps" in the subject line. Shipping is the actually cost of shipping, so make sure you send me your zip code so I can calculate it for you. As far as payment, I prefer paypal, but can also accept checks and money orders. No credit cards please.

So until next time,

Happy Stamping!!! Or Scrappin"!!!

Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Baby's First Christmas

Greetings and coming to you from the Rubber Room!


I know I am a few days late in posting the layouts I am doing for this month's workshop. It just seems my life has a way of getting away from me. You know that adage: "One step forward, two steps back?" Well that's the story of my life. Now I don't want to bore you with details or sound like I am complaining or whining...its just the way things are! I can live with it...and if I can't, I do have a mouth and a hefty vocabulary and I can sound off. Just ask my children. LOL
So anyhow, this month's workshop, we're using CTMH's Perfect Day paper pack. I've used two different sketches from both Imagine and Cherish. Now this first layout I used "Fantastic Five" layout located on page 62-63 of Imagine. I changed it a tiny bit and I took some ideas from the New WOTG brochures. When I saw these new Spring colors, CTMH introduced in the new 2008 Fall catalog along with the background and texture papers of this paper pack, I immediately thought of baby and Christmas. And the fact that I am still working on my granddaughter's first year album (among other albums) I decided to do "Baby First Christmas." Now the second layout is the right side of "Then and Now" located on page 100-101 of Cherish.
The font I used on the title and subtitle is called "Fling." It matches the titles from the My Stickease. I also cut the flourishes with my Wishblade. Once I figure out how I can include items for you to download, I'll include them in my post. Meanwhile, if you would like the gsd file I have for the flourishes, send me an email at Kit20296@aol.com with Flourishes in the subject line. I'll then be able to send it off to you directly.

I can't begin to tell you how much fun I had doing these pages. Especially with the new colors and papers.
I still have lots more to finish up from the week of the crash. Hopefully, I'll be able to them soon, provided I don't have too many interruptions.

Thanks for stopping by!




Untill next time,
Happy Scrappin'!!!
Inky Hugs,

Leanne

Thursday, September 18, 2008

The Saga Continues...

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!

I can't believe its been almost a month since I last posted anything. Its not that I didn't want to...I did but its kinda hard when you are without a computer. Yes, my dear friends...I have joined the ranks of the "computer crashers!" So, heed my warning...if you haven't backed up everything on your computer, do so NOW. Quit reading my blog, go back up your computer. We'll still be here when you return. I have a few friends who use http://www.mozy.com/ and recommended doing a back up there. So, I've signed up with mozy and feel a bit more secure.


When my computer crashed, I thought I had lost everything...pictures, layouts, gsd files (for my Wishblade) countless other files. So, what is a girl to do when this kind of thing happens? I cried a bit, cussed myself out for not backing up when I should have, smacked the side of my head and said..."see it did happen to you!!!" and then called in the professionals. Yes, another mistake! I called the Geek Squad! I hadn't heard of any bad with them...not like Circuit City. So, I called. Heard the words I needed to hear. "Yes, we can help!" Then I was quoted the price. I almost feel out of my chair! But what I had on my computer was priceless. So, the first free day, DH and I had together, off we trekked with computer in hand off to see the Geeks. I explained everything I needed done. I explained what was important to me. I specifically named things that needed to be saved. The gentleman behind the counter told me, they could save everything on my computer and for an extra $59.95 put everything back on my computer the way it was before the crash. Ok...that sounds pretty good, so we agreed, put up our house for collateral (only kidding here...but you catch my drift about the pricing right?) and off we go, leaving our beloved computer behind. They said, it'll take 2-3 days. On the third day of my computer in what I thought was capable hands, I get a phone call. Its the Geeks and they left a message on my voice mail, telling me there is a problem. Turns out, I have a dual hard drive and they are linked together. They called it a fancy name but I can't remember it. But because I have this unusual kind of computer, they cannot put my computer back to the way it was. They recommended they save everything from my hard drive to an external harddrive. Now, DH has an external hard drive that he isn't using, so I thought I would take this into them and they can save it to that one. Nope, no such luck. Not enough room on the one I had. So for an additional, $84.95 I would have not only my computer back but also an external. So why am I spending an additional $59.95 for my computer to be back to the way it was before? Another question is...why didn't they check to see if the computer had a dual harddrive? Afterall, aren't they the professionals? So, we go round and round with them. You know...these guys...have very bad listening skills! They can talk the talk...but sure can't walk the walk!!! Anyhow, I did manage to get them to knock off $50 of the external harddrive. But the story doesn't end there.


I get home get the computer set back up and found so many different things wrong with it. Now, remember who you're talking to!! I am so much a creature of habit and change just sends me into a tail spin. I could enumerate all the things wrong, and I probably could take the computer back to the Geeks...but why should I? I drove almost 60 miles to take my computer to the professionals...and they screwed it up. I don't think this warrants another chance. So, instead, I am venting here and I am writing a letter to the Geek Squad's corporate office.




So while the computer was off for repair...I felt so lost! I never realized how much time I spent on the computer. In my opinion...way way way too much time. So, I had to fill in the gap and take my mind off of my computer being gone. So, I cleaned and scrapbooked. Well, I scrapbooked as much as I can. No computer for printing out pictures, no computer to typing out titles or cutting them on my Wishblade. I couldn't even work for my upcoming workshop. Luckily enough, I did place the workshop order before the computer crashed with CTMH. But what I was able to do was: find pictures and matched up papers. Went looking into all my magazines for inspiration instead of the internet. I was able to find a few sketches and used them along with my Imagine and Cherish. So, I was able to design the layouts, and cut the papers and put them aside till I can print out the pictures. So here is my latest creation...


Now remember...my New Year's resolution is to use up all my old papers right? So, far I think I am doing pretty good. But that is just my opinion.




On this layout, I stamped, using some old woodies (wood mounted stamps) from CTMH's All Occasion stamp set and filled in the blank spots around the crayons of CTMH's School Days B&T paper. Now, the abc paper was something I had in my stash from when I first started scrapbooking (in 1997). Most everything on these two pages came from my stash that I've been hoarding for years. The pics are of my daughter Kelli when she started into preschool. The year was 1987 and we were living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
There is so much more I would like to share with you...but I think my ranting on about those Geeks is enough for now. I do have another two page layout to share...but I'll wait till tomorrow and post it then.
So, until tomorrow, thanks for stopping by, its great having you here! If you enjoy reading my blog ...please feel free to leave me a comment. I love reading all your comments.
Happy Scrappin'
As I say to my grandchildren...
"Hugga Hugga"
Leanne