Time Flies between Posts

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!!

I do have to apologize for not posting sooner. This past month (June) just flew by. I've been busy creating, which I'll share here shortly. We also celebrated my grandchildren, Deborah's and Matthew's birthday this month. Deborah turned six and Matty turned four. Oh my how time does fly by!! My husband also celebrated his birthday this month as well. So, we had one big celebration one Saturday to celebrate everyone's birthday at once. I also had two really good friends celebrate their birthday too. So, you can see, with all the birthday's this month, I've been quite busy.

When I heard a surprise party was planned for my good friend, Jennifer...I wanted to make something I thought she might enjoy having. What do you give to someone who probably has everything and could probably make it if she didn't have it? I haven't made one of these in forever, but I thought she might like to have one. Jenn mentioned she LOVES CTMH's Boom Di Ada papers, so with that in mind...this is what I made for her.

Here are the two cards I made for Deborah and Matthew. As they were leaving that night we celebrated their birthday, giving hugs and kisses to all, Deborah yells out..."Wait, I need my card!!" and the copy cat Matthew is...he blurts out the same. Made Gamma feel might special they loved their cards so much.

Matthew's Card

Deborah's Card

Then we had a few graduations this year. My niece, Amy is graduating, DH's niece, Alyssa is graduating from High School and my great niece, Tarrin is graduating from high school as well.

This is the card I made for all of them. Now, just to get them in the mail.

That's not all what I did last month. As you all know, I have a monthly workshop here in my home, the last Tuesday of the month. In the month of June, we did a two page layout using CTMH's Boom Di Ada Papers. The pictures I used were of all four of my grandchildren. But when I take pictures of all four of them together...you know what that means don't you? I have to do a 2 page layout for each of their albums. So, I did two of the 2 page layouts using the Boom Di Ada papers and two of the 2 page layouts using the Magic Moments kit that CTMH had as a special for National Scrapbook Month. I used the same pictures for all the layouts and even used the same sketch for "Imagine." It was strange doing the Magic Moments layouts. I am use to cutting and gluing paper down before putting photos down on the layout. These preprinted layout pages are so easy to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed doing these pages for the twins. I may have to try doing more of these preprinted page or Level 1 kits more often.

Without further ado...here are the layouts for the month of June 2008.

These are for Deborah's book.



These are for Matthew's book. Notice how I changed it a bit. I took out the flowers and added stars and buttons instead.




These are the Magic Moments preprinted layouts. This two page layout will go into Jaden's 2008 album.




These pages are for Benny's 2008 album.



Well, as you can see, I've been quite busy. I have one more piece of artwork to share, but until my friend receives it, I won't be able to share till she does.



Thanks for stopping by. Please take a moment and add a comment or two. I'd like to know what you think.



Until next time,

Inky Hugs,

Leanne

Calico Ghost Town

When we lived here in California before, we took the children to Calico Ghost Town, located about 10 miles north of Barstow. It was over the Memorial Day Weekend of 1989. So with these pictures in mind, I created this two page layout. I still have more pictures to scrap but will do that at a later date, using these papers. Papers are from Close To My Heart along with most of the embellishments. What isn't from CTMH, I got from www.just4funcrafts.com. This two page layout is what my monthly club members will be doing this month.

There are lots of various techniques included in these layouts. I've done some dry embossing, some wet embossing. I've also done some random stamping using the new "clear" stamp pad from CTMH. I've done various forms of distressing.

Also, as you browse around my blog, I hope you enjoy the music I selected. I am a old time Rock N Roller! So, I was so pleased when Ryan Seacrest announce David Cook as this year's American Idol. So, enjoy the music and thanks for checking out my blog and artwork.

Until next time,
Inky Hugs
Leanne

Deborah's and Matthew's Favorites

Greetings again from the Rubber Room!

I can sure tell its springtime...I get into the massive cleaning frenzy! I've been cleaning out closets, and drawers. This past Saturday, Kevin and I got out into the garage and cleaned it out. We got all the cans and bottles and plastics organized and they are ready to be carted off to the recycling center.

I have also been trying to finish up some projects that needed one more thing, then I can call it complete. Well, I got that one needed thing and have completed several projects. I have completed Daniel's album and its going postal today or tomorrow. I also completed a picture book for both Deborah and Matthew. Deborah loves Princesses and Matthew just adores Spiderman, so I made them each a small 9x9 album. They can sit and enjoy the pictures or make up their own stories. Its up to them what they want to do with it. I thought I would share their books with you.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time,

Leanne

Happy Mother's Day

I wanted to wish all of you mothers and grandmothers out there, a very Happy Mother's Day. Another consultant shared this on her blog and I thought I would post it here for all of you to enjoy.
I thought it was a riot!!
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6P2w5GkXmU&feature=related

Until next time,
Inky Hugs
Leanne

Sweet Baby Times Two

Greetings everyone from the Rubber Room!

I spent most of the weekend, running after two 2 year olds and working on getting all my albums reorganized again. Then losing Sammie so unexpectedly, really through me in a tailspin. It really was so unexpected, but she went peacefully.

I also made up a plan as to how to get as many layouts done within the month as possible. Now whether I meet those goals is an entirely different matter. As I was organizing everyone's scrapbooks, I realized I was lacking in some. That's when I decided to make up a plan. I wish I was like some who could knock out a few pages a day, but I do alot of pondering over my layouts and as Pooh would say, "Think, Think, Think" about what else is needed, I am lucky if I can finish a layout in two days.

A speed scrapper I am not! LOL

But you know? I keep taking the pictures, which require more pages.

So, in the big realm of things...I'll never be caught up...but its lots

of fun trying!

I'd like to share a layout (x2) I just completed for the twins First Year album. I call it "Sweet Baby." The size is a 9x9. I used CTMH's Reflections. One page is of Benny and the other is of Jaden, both 10 days old.

Now on to the next layout!

Until next time,

Happy Scrappin'!

Inky Hugs,

Leanne

Dear Diary Moment

Its with a heavy heart, I write this now. Our beloved pet, Sammie has left us and has joined Jackie, and Jorge up in heaven. She was such a good dog! She was friendly and loving. The twins took to her right away as Sammie did to them.

Sammie has such the cutest grin. She would raise one side of her upper lip and let it quiver. I called it her "Elvis" impersonation.

Good by ol' girl! We love you and you'll be terribly missed. Thank you for being the great dog you were. I love you Sammie girl!!

Something Old into something New

Greetings once again from the rubber room!!!

Can you believe this? I am posting again! How many does that make in a month? I lost count! LOL April must be my "binge" month. I did some scrapbooking binging and that spread into my organizing for my upcoming workshops and it even spread into my housework. I wonder if its because spring has sprung here in the desert? Who knows...all I know is I am getting quite a bit accomplished.

I thought I would share with you my latest creations. Once again, I dipped my hand into the cropper hopper and these papers I pulled out. The brown flowery papers come from Deja Views many many years ago. The blue roses paper is from K & Company (I think). And the cardstock is CTMH's Lilac Mist. The brown patterned paper just reminded me of "Grandma" paper and what came to mind was my mother's grandmother...Grandma Thomas. Grandma Thomas took on the responsibility of raising 4 children under the age of 11 when their parents passed away. My mother use to tell us all kinds of stories about Grandma Thomas. So, these pages are dedicated to her.

April's Monthly Workshop Layouts

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!

I thought I would share with you the layouts I just finished for my April Workshop. I used CTMH's Life Delights paper pack and Make it Count stamp set. I used "Cherish's Dreamy Look" on page 52 for inspiration. The various techniques I used are:

Stamping: Press the stamp on the ink pad to ink the rubber image. Stamp on the paper, pressing firmly and evenly, being careful not to rock or slide. With many different colors of ink pads, one stamp can go a long way.
Edge Distressing: Hold your paper of choice in one hand. In the other hand, hold your edge distresser so that the sharp edge is toward the paper. Scrape the edge distresser back and forth along the edge of the paper so the white core is exposed, as desired.
Fill with Embellishments: If you love a particular scrapbook page design but your photo is a bit small, simply attach your photo and then fill

the space with embellishments. Make the concept

your own.
Dimension with Pop Dots: For visual interest, add depth to your pages by mounting small images, tags, or photos on 3-D pop dots. They literally pop out from the page!
Wet Embossing: To emboss your image you will need a either a tinted embossing pad or Versamark pad and embossing powder. Ink up your image using the ink pad. Then sprinkle embossing powder over your stamped image. Tap off the excess. Pour the excess back into the container. Hold the heat gun 3 inches away from the paper and heat the powder.
Accenting with Ribbon: Color coordinating ribbons add bright 3-D flair to your pages. When used as a photo border, ribbons can "anchor" your picture and draw attention to your focal point.
Swiping Hold the ink pad in one hand and the paper in the other. Swipe the ink pad across the paper, as much or as little as desired. Repeat on sides and/or edges of the paper.
Random Stamping: Stamp one image in corner of your project. Add another stamping near it. When you add your 3rd stamp, make a triangle shape from the other 2 stamps. For stamp number 4, make another triangle from one side of the first triangle. Continue making "triangles" until you cover the paper. Forming triangles like this helps you space the stamped images evenly. Make sure as you fill your paper that you make some stamped images go off the edges of the paper. It adds to the continuity and makes it look more natural.

Embossing Clear Inspirations Tags: Press the non-emboss side of the tag onto the watermark ink pad. Cover in white embossing powder. Heat untill powder melts. Repeat steps. Then chalk image etched into the front side of tag. Brush away excess chalk

Are you ready for some artwork?

Greetings once again from the rubber room!

I know I haven't been posting much lately. I just can't seem to drap myself away from my desk. I seem to be on a roll and didn't want to interrupt the flow of creativity. Since April 1, I have created almost 11 layouts. Wow, that's alot for me!

As I mentioned in my last entry, I have this cropper hopper full of past projects I have either started, or wanted to start. Since my middle name is procasination they would probably stay there till who knows when. But since I made that New Year's resolution to use up all my old papers and embellishments...I seem to be on a roll.

When I stuck my hand into the cropper hopper to randomly pull out a project, there was more than one project in that plastic bag. Hence, the reason for all the layouts done at once.

A while back, I was on another group, and we did a paper swap. We had to send another member enough pattern paper and cardstock with embellishments to complete a layout. This gal sent me enough to complete a two page layout. Thanks to Close To My Heart's Imagine and Cherish books.
The papers screamed "Retro" which makes me remember the 70s. Something I would really love to forget! LOL
Anyhow, I took these papers and pictures of my college life and this is what I came up with.

Then, I pulled another plastic bag from the Cropper Hopper and I had two sets of papers in there waiting for me to do something with them.

This first set is of my grandparents on my dad's side. I call this 2 page layout..."Two Rode Together."

In the same plastic bag, I had two sheets of this crackle flowery paper. I loved it when I bought it, and was so afraid of cutting it. So I didn't. I trimmed around the flowers and built my layout from there.

This is my great grandmother, Gertrude Klock Archer. I don't have very many pictures of her. The calling card you see on the layout, I found when going through my father's things. There were 5 little one inch photos on the back. Down at the bottom of the layout, are two of those pictures.

Here is a side view of the flowers:

Here is the tutorial to complete the flowers...the flowers are coming out a lot darker than in person. But it gives the layout some great dimension.
http://sbl.tvweekly.com/player.php?b9d77b8cc963127906325921a29dcebbw6570

And my last layout...this is my dad taken in October 1926. He was 7 years old at the time.

I hope you find some inspiration in the layouts I have shared.

Until next time,

Happy Scrappin'

Leanne

Neverending Backlog

When this new year rolled around, my resolution was for every layout I do with new papers, I have to do a layout with some of the papers I have stashed away to be completed. I've been busy this past week working on past papers.

Unfortunately, I've run out of ink for my printer and I've run out of my tombows. So, now I have 8 layouts on my table waiting to be completed. Once the ink arrives, I'll be able to print out the pictures and journaling and when the tombows arrive, I'll be able to glue everything down.

The picture you see are all the projects I have waiting to be completed. Some are half finished projects, some are just ideas. But hopefully this year, I'll be able to get this cropper hopper of mine emptied out. Stay tuned for the finished projects, as I get them completed.
Wish me luck!
Till next time,
Happy Scrappin'
Leanne