LOAD in Vogue - BLOG HOP

Welcome Scrap Happy Family Members to the

LOAD in Vogue – Blog Hop

Lynnette     http://sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com/ 

Christy       http://myscrapbookevolution.blogspot.com/
Heather     http://noexcusescrapbooking.com/ 

Lisa           http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/ 
Cathy        pikespeakscrapper.blogspot.com/ 
Dani          http://scrapperonthestreet.com/ 
Nolwenn   http://creationspapier.com/ 
Kelli          http://scrapbookgirl71.com/ 
Theresa     http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com/   YOU ARE HERE!
Leslie        http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com/ 

I thought I'd share a few things that I've learned as a first timer during LOAD513 and a few things that a multiple time Loadster has to say about it.  Hopefully you will be inspired to try LOAD yourself.

Multi-Loadster says:

I´m not a LOAD-newbie anymore (this is my 6th or 7th?), but some things that I learned so far:

• don´t overthink too much, whether it´s about using the ´perfect´ supplies, design or technique. That is a great time saver right there!
• let go of perfectionism - the result may not always be as you envisioned, but that is OK.
• scrapping often throughout an extended period will help you develop your own style. And once you realize what your style is, scrapping will become faster and easier.
• making a list of topics to scrap + have pictures printed in advance makes it easier to grab & go.
• no matter how many pages you made (or did NOT make) throughout LOAD, it´s more than before you started. Life happens. There´s no guilt in scrapbooking, it should be fun!
• let go of self-imposed ´rules´: don´t scrap chronologically, mix double pagers and single LO´s, mix formats or media etc.
• it is inevitable that I´ll lose sleep during a LOAD-month because I tend to lose track of time when working on a page *LOL*
• dabbling in doing digi pages can be fun!
• it is OK if your style is clean & simple, and you don´t like too much ´stuff´ on your page.
• sometimes covering up ´mistakes´ on a page makes it look better than before.
• LOAD is a great incentive to use those ancient products in your stash!
• LOAD will make you create pages about topics you never thought about before - and they will become the LO´s you´ll love the most in the long run

WHAT I've learned from LOAD 513...

1.     Not every layout has to be perfect.  For me into isn't about perfection, it's about documenting the moments in our lives for my family today, in the future and for future generations. As the family historian, trying to find out who some of the people in the pictures from my grandparent's collection is almost impossible.  And how wonderful would it be to know not only the who, but the where, why, how they are related and so much more.

2.     You CAN fit time to be creative into every day.  Sometimes it is only 10 -15 minutes but if you are organized (which I am thanks to Tiffany Spaulding at Thescraprack.com and her wonderful Organization Challenge), prepared (photos printed, paper & embellies chosen, journaling notes written), and determined, you can really create great pages in a short amount of time.   Before the next LOAD challenge I will be even more prepared!  I will create page kits ahead of time (which I do already when I go to crops).  I will make sure to have an idea of what I want to scrap and just let the prompts take me to which kit to create that day.  Sometimes the prompts will help you tell a different side of the story than what you had originally thought of, but that is often the best way to tell the story and may just become your favorite layout.                                                  If the prompt brings to mind a something else, I'll just pull the pics and supplies and create that page.

3.     Don't get to hung up on the prompt.  If the inspiration isn't there, just create a beautiful page.  You are not penalized for not following the prompts.  LOAD is about scrapping more, not being stressed out about using the prompt given.  

4.     Scrap with what you have on hand!  Use up the stash that you have so lovingly purchased and painstakingly organized (or not).  Mix and match techniques and products, colors and patterns have fun.  I tend to be a very simple scrapper, but LOAD has me inspired to try new things.

5.     HAVE FUN! Scrapbooking should not be stressful!  This is not a chore but a happy, joyful expression of the love you have for family and friends. 

If you would like to check out my layouts from this LOAD please visit my Flicker account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/theresaknopf/

Want to learn more about Lain Ehmann and Layout a day?  Visit Lain HERE!

I hope you find that you might consider joining LOAD the next time it comes around, but if not hopefully you can take these thoughts and use them as you journey through scrapbooking on your own.  Maybe you'd like to challenge yourself to a layout a day, maybe not for a month but for a week?

Here's a few of prompts to get your started:

• Timeline? 
• Create a two page (or more) spread that creates a timeline. Your life, one of the kids, your relationship with your spouse or BFF.

• Create a page about a favorite activity, place or thing and have everyone in the family do a journaling block/tag about it.

• WHO? 
• Who are you?  
• Who is your child, from your point of view, from the dad's p-o-w, and/or from their p-o-w?
• Who most influenced you and why?

Have fun and happy scrapping!

Theresa

A few more cards...

Card Swap 2

 For this swap I had to create 5 cards that were all the same.  You had to use this fold of card.  So here is my take on the card.

Card Swap 3

This swap consisted of creating 3 Thank You cards.

Here is mine.

This is a clean & simple card.  Two pieces of printed paper on a cream base.  The inside is blank.

This one is just the hot pink glossy card stock ran through the thanks embossing folder on a white card stock base.  The thank you circle stamp in stamped at the bottom of the inside.

This one was created with Washi tape, a thank you stamp and white card stock.  Super simple but I just love how it turned out.

Well that is it for now.

Happy Crafting

Theresa

A few cards...

Thought I'd share my newest swap cards.  I'm currently involved in 3 different card swaps from different scrappy groups that I'm involved in.  So over the next couple of days, I thought I would share a few of the cards that I've created for this months swaps.

Swap 1
The theme this month for this swap is Seasons.  I had to create 4 cards, one each for each of the seasons of the year and the technique challenge was folding.  On the fall card I cut 4 pumpkins with my Cricut.  Sorry I can't remember which cart I used.  I folded 3 of them and adhered them to each other and to the 4th pumpkin.

Here are those cards.

Sorry it is sideways.  This is the inside of the fall card.  I created it on my Gypsy and cut with my Cricut.

 For the summer card I used a stamp set from Close to my Heart and a framlit from Stampin Up, the floral fantasy embossing folder by Cricut and some glossy hot pink card stock that I bought at Joann.

The spring card is created using a new folding technique that I learned for another swap that I'll post about later.  I "folded" the ribbon on the inside of the card.  The turtle is lifted up using a Wobble.

Sorry these are sideways, can't get them to turn.  This is the spring card.

For the winter card, I made a lollie, using some printed paper and the stamps are from CTMH.  I shortened the front of the card and used an edge punch to fancy it up.  The sentiment is actually stamped on the inside layer of the card and serves both the inside & outside of the card.  I stamped a couple of snowflakes in the top corner of the inside layer.

Sorry it is sideways.  This is the inside of the winter card. 

Hope you like them.

Happy Crafting 

Theresa