Survey Says...

I have posted a brief survey to attempt to find out what would be the best way to help my Creative Memories customers. I hope to find out what types of products and projects you like, how I can best assist you and what types of events to schedule to give you opportunities to work on and complete your albums. Once you answer the 7 questions at the very bottom of my blog, leave me a comment connected to this posting with your name/email or phone number in it. Everyone who takes the survey and leaves a comment will be entered into a draw for a gift of FREE Creative Memories product on March 15th!

I look forward to hearing from you! Thanks and good luck!

Noreen

Under a Buck!

I had a great weekend!

1) My ribs are still sore and achy, but not as painful as before!
2) We had Grayson's third b-day party in our (almost) complete basement!
3) I scrapbooked for the first time in our (almost) complete basement!
4) It was the Family Day holiday here in Alberta, so it was a quiet, relaxing day!


Grayson had a great time at his party. He wanted a Thomas the Tank Engine theme, and he got it...decorations, cake, games, hats and loot bags all with Thomas! We had a few of his friends over and they had a great time running around with lots of room to spread out in. They played a lot in his new playroom - where ALL his toys are now contained in one space (a parent's dream!!) Here are some party pics:

After the party, I had a great time finally spreading out all my scrapbooking stuff! My new table and cabinets have not been assembled and installed yet, so I just used the folding tables that we used for the kids party, but I was thrilled to be able to have all my supplies in one place and actually get some scrapping done! AND, I did a two page spread for UNDER A BUCK! Here it is:

Summer Vacation by Noreen Smith. 12 x 12 double layout. Scenic Route Paper, Creative Memories Paper, Circle punch and Vellum Stickers, Memory Makers Brads, McGill Mini File punch.

Can you believe it? Less than a loonie??? YES-SIR-REE! Last week my LSS (Scrapbookers Paradise) was having a 4 for $1.00 paper sale, so I went to town- I probably bought 50 sheets! And, they had a bunch of other great sales as well - I got chipboard letters, raised embellishments, die cut pages, and a couple of back issues of Digital Scrapbooking and Canadian Scrapbooker magazine all for $40.00! WOW! Michaels was having a 3 for $1.00 sale, but you can't beat .25 per page, can you?! Just shows you that you can be a frugal scrapbooker!

Anyway, when I sat down to get caught up on last summer's holdiay photos, I chose one of the new patterned papers I had purchased and found a few scraps of coordinating solid colored cardstock in my stash. I cut the patterned paper into strips (it was a paper by Scenic Route with a variety of patterns and the three strips of lettering) and positioned them to outline my photos. (PS...I got 9 photos on this layout!) For embellishments, I punched out three circles from the back side of the same piece of paper with my CM Circle punch and added three little brads (Memory Makers) that I already had. I punched a tag with my new McGill file punch (cute, eh?) added two vellum title stickers from CM and finshed off by journaling. So, I figured everything added up to about $1.00 (OK, maybe $1.10!) You can really stre-e-e-tch your supplies when you don't wallpaper the entire background, and using your tools to make custom embellishments from patterned paper really saves $ (and time trying to finding matching items.) I love it! And I especially love the picture in the bottom right hand corner of my Grayson standing in the back of our Jeep warming up after his watery adventures! That's the beauty of scrapbooking, eh? The pictures and stories help capture those moments you want to relive again and again!

Have a great week, and I'd love to hear your comments...

Noreen

Digital fun

So, I have been out of commission again for a week now - I cracked some ribs last week while having a coughing fit! The Doctor says this is not uncommon in pregnant women as the ribcage is already stretched. I don't know how I manage these things. And, to make matters worse, I had just gone back to work the week before! Sheesh!

Anyway, I still can't do too much physically, but I can sit at my computer propped up with lots of pillows, so I took advantage of this unexpected "found" time and really got into my digital scrapbooking. I learned to use Creative Memories new Storybook Creator + software and I just completed a couple of cute holiday layouts:

(Edited...sorry I had to temporarily remove these LO's as I have submmitted them for publication June 8-08.)

Learning the software was really easy and intuitive. I also have Adobe Photoshop Elements 6, but even though I have a little bit of Graphic Design background using Corel Draw, I will still need to take a tutorial on PSP6 and play around with it a little more. I didn't know if I would like digital scrapbooking, because I really love touching and working with paper and embellishments etc., but I think after doing just a couple of layouts, I think I might be hooked! I can see so many advantages of using digital:

• you can buy a kit once and use/re-use it forever
• it's very portable - if you use a laptop, you can digi-scrap anywhere
• there's no need to haul out lots of supplies (this is great because my basement studio STILL isn't done, although the carpet is being installed as we speak!) and no clean-up
• you can get a lot done in a short period of time, leave it, then come back to it
• you can get lots of cool effects with photos or embellishments
• it's lots of fun to share by emailing or by posting

I am also working on an 8x8 Storybook using the CM software, so I will post that when it is finished. I'd love to hear your comments on my layouts!

Have a great day,

Noreen

PS...I can't tell you how excited I was to see a comment posted on my blog by Wendy Smedley!!! I feel like I've just met a scrapbooking celebrity! Thanks Wendy...you made my day!

Mental Organization

As I mentioned in a previous post I am anxious to get my scrapbooking supplies and product inventory all organized into my new basement workshop. Alas, it is STILL not ready, although our contractor is aiming to be done in just two more weeks. SO...since I can't organize my physical space, I have been organizing my head space! I have just spent the day catching up on business details, and have just finished the first newsletter I will send to my customer base since early in the fall (due to my health related leave of absence). I have scheduled some scrapbooking workshops and an all day crop for my customers to look forward to and am ready to ramp up my business once again.

I have also been "creating" some storage in preparation of my new space...I was truly inspired by the fabulous book I was talking about before - The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker - and I covered a bunch of cardboard magazine holders and clear front binders with lovely leftover scrapbook papers (as seen in the pictures of co-authors Aby Garvey's office). I am also updating an old Rolodex with the same papers. I saw this done by Leah Fung on her blog as one of her project kits. It is so cute and so useful! I will post a picture of the items once I have the set complete.

And, I am really excited about my first foray into Digital scrapbooking. I am still learning the various software applications, but am pleased with how it all comes together so neatly...no tools and papers and stickers spread out all over my dining room table! I hope to post one or two layouts in the next week or so after I am figure out what I am doing!

Hope your week is going well...have a good one and make time to scrap!
Noreen

New Year - New Style

I mentioned in my previous post that I have some goals for my scrapbooking business this year. I also have some goals for my personal scrapbooking:

1) To do something scrapbook related everyday - this may be doing actual layouts, sorting photos, journaling or reading some magazines, books or blogs, but the main thing is I am keeping my focus on scrapbooking in the forefront of my mind!

2) To streamline and simpify my scrapbooking in order to become more prolific - in other words - to do MORE!!! This includes using kits, templates or sketches and speed tools to complete pages. I also am starting to organize my photos along with papers and embellishments into PAGE KITS using a large zip-loc bag, so that everything I need for a layout is all together. When I do have a few minutes I can easily put together the layout. I also plan on using my NEW CRICUT DIE CUTTER that I got for Christmas from my hubbie to easily create titles and embellishments that work with the products I am using...no more searching for just the right color of letter sticker etc., now I can MAKE what I need! Love it! I will continue to use a lot of Creative Memories products such a album kits and Power Palettes that have everything already coordinated for me.

3) To learn and do more digital scrapbooking. This makes sense since I use digital photos! I am starting by creating a photobook using CM StoryBook Creator (free download at http://www.creativememories.com/), creating digital pages using CM's newest software Storybook Creator Plus and Adobe Photshop Elements. I also downloaded an invaluable free e-book from http://www.scrapgirls.com/ that answers a lot of start-up questions. (here are two things I found out...you don't need a 12x12 printer to digitally scrapbook and Costco will print 12x18 pages for only $2.99 (CAN$)!)

4) To scrapbook the everyday moments and not just special occasions. To express how I feel and not just what was happening in the photos. To make my scrapbooking more personal and authentic.

So...keeping these goals in mind, I created a quick layout based on some of the simple templates I have been seeing online and in magazines...here it is (wow my first layout posting!)

Playground Fun, by Noreen Smith. 12 x 12 double layout. bo bunny and Creative Memories Paper, Cricut ZooBalloo Font cartridge.

My husband, son and I were simply playing at a local park. The brief journaling focuses on how big and brave my little guy is getting, and is handwritten. I used Bo Bunny and Creative Memories papers and my Cricut ZooBalloo cartridge for the title and heart embellishments. It was a simple layout to creat and took about 20 minutes all together. I am pleased with the look. I have to admit that over the past few years I have cultivated or relied upon a very "CM style" of scrapping...using only plain white backgrounds with colored borders, matted photos and a "sticker sneeze" to finish it off! So, I am really liking using more patterned paper and filling more space in a clean manner. I do not personally like the trend of placing only one photo on a layout...I have way too many photos to include in my album (there are 6 photos in this layout!) So, I have found a lot of great multi-photo layouts that I will be trying out over the next little while, and I will continue to be brave enough to post them!

I'd love to hear any comments from you!
Noreen

About Sharing

I have been doing a lot of reading and thinking about scrapbooking the past couple of months...but I have to admit I haven't done a lot of actual scrapbooking. You see, we are in the midst of of a whole basement re-development which will hopefully be done within two or three more weeks. Right now our garage and spare room (not to mention the hallway, living room, closets and dining room!) are full of stuff that will eventually have a home in the basement. AND...all my scrapbooking gear will also have a home there! I am so excited to finally have all my beloved tools and supplies in ONE place! It has been in boxes all over the place and it hasn't been easy to get to it or use it. I will have plenty of storage, as well as work/workshop space. I picked up a new book by Simple Scrapbooks contributor Wendy Smedley called the Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker, and I tell you - after reading it I am planning on being organized AND inspired! It has fantastic ideas, beautiful inspiration rooms pics and best of all a workbook with exercises to go through to really help you zero in on what will work for you, your scrapbooking style and your space. Great read!

I also picked up Rebecca Cooper's (another Simple Scrapbooks contibutor) book Real. Life. Scrapbooking. which has really made me think about WHY and WHAT I scrapbook. Rebecca is a mother of three living in small town Alberta (nice to see a great book by a Canadian, eh?) who stretches her supplies, scraps after her kids go to bed and uses templates or sketches for multiple layouts...smart lady! Lots of great layout ideas as well as heartfelt commentary.

I have often thought about what I could contribute to others within this huge scrapbooking industry and I have come to the conclusion that I am best at SHARING (so now you know why I named my blogwhat I did! :)) Being a teacher, sharing must come natural to me...I WANT to share - knowledge, skill, ideas etc. I don't want to keep it all to myself. I think that's why I enjoy being a Creative Memories Consultant...I can share my passsion with like minded people and help them preserve and share their memories.

SO...I am ready to expand my scrapbooking business from "just" being a CM Consulant! I am ready to share on a much larger platform! These are some of my goals and aims for my scrapbooking:

1) To have my layouts and/or articles published in a scrapbooking industry publication

2) To increase the number of scrapbooking events I plan to allow scrappers the time, space and place to complete their albums (classes, workshops, retreats, all day crops, special events and seminars)

3) To reach and teach more people in different environments - seniors, children, patrons of scrapbooking/craft stores, churches, continuing education

4) To share my talent for design and scrapbooking by offering to complete albums for others - traditional and digital

Wow...actually putting those goals into writing is a bit scary! But, I am committed and will be working consistently towards these goals. I hope to share my progress here, as well as using it as a place to "share" all my other ideas with all of you! Wish me luck? I certainly wish you luck!

Noreen

Why a blog? Why not!

Hi everyone! I am really looking forward to starting this blog and communicating with like minded people...people who value their family, their history, their memories. We all have a story to tell and I love to read those stories. I normally find interesting blogs through links from other websites/blogs, and I enjoy getting to know the bloggers, their interests and especially their scrapbook work and styles.

So what's my story? Well, I look forward to sharing that in posts to come!

I'll start by saying that I am wife to Shane, mom to Grayson (3 years) and another little boy on the way (due in June!) I am an only child, and my parents live very close to us. I would have to say that family is the most important thing in my life.

Presently I work as a Vice-Principal at an urban K-9 school, but once I have our second child I hope to take a few years off to be with our kids (I have been a teacher, consultant and adminstrator for over 15 years, but I think my biggest career challenge will be being a full time mom! LOL)

My teaching background was in the Fine and Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Humanities. When I taught visual art, I was always involved in creative endeavours. Once I went into administration, I didn't have that daily luxury. So, when I was introduced to scrapbooking at a friends' home party, I immediatley loved it for being able to preserve my families history and memories, as well as being a wonderful creative pursuit.

I decided to become a Creative Memories Consultant, and have loved that I have been able to use my teaching skills and my visual art to help so many others embrace scrapbooking. I have done lots of classes, workshops, and retreats for ladies who don't know where to start - whether it is organizing and sorting their photos, or actually getting their photos into an album!

I am ready now to both simplify and streamline my scrapbooking as well as take my my passion for scrapbooking to the next level and share it with a wider audience...hence this blog! I look forward to sharing with you and learning from you!

Noreen