Just Make Stuff

Forever later...

I cleared out my e-mail earlier today including things like using the link my mom sent me to order my nephew Spiderman roller skates for his 3rd birthday in a few weeks...I also e-mailed my sister-in-law back from her note on Thursday (we've been e-mailing each other pretty much every single weekday for almost three years) and apologized for e-mailing her "forever later".

So I will also apologize to you for not posting layouts until "forever later".

Here's the Cosmo Cricket layout from last Wednesday night...I sort of used this sketch for it even though I put four photos on the layout...

 

And here's one more layout...

Can you tell I gave myself permission to create a really random pattern/color combination?

So the reason I was too busy to be e-mailing and posting was because of this guy...

This weekend Mac was in "Anything Goes" as a sailor and FBI agent...it was great to see him up on stage again...it was also fun to snap a photo with his entourage gathered around him after the performance...

Okay I'm off to get ready for another week.

Torture is...

So in the last couple of days I've talked about new scrapbook stuff saying that it's my favorite time of year...and I've talked about school starting.

These two things do not go well together.

Over and over in the next several weeks I'll get word of new stuff arriving at Scrapbook Oasis...I'll drive over there to drool and shop (or order it online so I don't have to worry about it running out)...and then I'll have to do endless Sociological reading instead...or go to school...or write something.

 

So here is the first tortuous batch from the store in all of it's adorableness...Cosmo Cricket...I couldn't resist it especially with all the cute plaids and polka dots.

So I put aside the reading on the history of the judicial system in regards to children and did this instead...

I'll take real photos this afternoon when I get home from class and there is actual light in my craft room.

And then I will scrapbook a little more...I have a photo of Sean helping Mac with his new sewing machine that is begging to be stuck down on some paper from this cute line...

31 left to go...

Sixteen weeks of school...32 days of classes...yesterday was the first day and I'm one of those people that hate the first day.

I won't bore you with the list about why...instead here's the photos I documented with my phone and my netbook...

I have to drive up to school over an hour early to get parking so that left me some time to sit on an exercise bike in the gym before my first class and I have another hour break in between so that left me time to hide in the library with Google Reader. The two things that made me truly happy was the note Mac surprised me with in my backpack and getting home right before the rain started.

This semester (the last one!) is three Sociology electives...Gerontology (which I'm taking online), Social Interaction, and Juvenile Delinquency (which as a mother I hope is a preventative measure)

31 classes to go...

CHA...

After various technical difficulties last night I finally put together a little video of what I saw at CHA on Monday...I felt incredibly fortunate to get to be there surrounded by all the amazing creativity...cannot wait to get my hands on some of this new stuff...I love this time of year! :)

CHA 2010 from Nora Griffin on Vimeo.

All I've got...

I usually try to have something good to share on Monday mornings, but this Sunday night I've got nothing.

In all honesty this weekend has included headaches and moodiness...it's ending on a good note though...tucked into bed with warm chocolate chip cookies (thanks Sean) and watching good crap TV (Fashion Police).

I promise I'll try to have something better tomorrow...I'm headed to CHA for a few hours so I should have fun stuff to share...than back to school on Tuesday...

I got permission...

These last couple of days I have been the luckiest person in the world playing with brand new Catslife Press rubber stamps...they should be available on the site this weekend...but if you're in Southern California you can attend the CHA Supershow where Scrapbook Oasis will be selling all the new stamps...here are the samples I made with them...

  

Need to get permission...

First of all, the hearts go to comment #20

Stephanie said...
Pick me...very cute!
January 19, 2010 at 01:25 PM

Stephanie please e-mail your address.

I have spent the last couple of days working on project with some new items but I have to permission before I can really share...here's a peek though...

Can't wait to share more...

Starred...

 

1. Untitled, 2. Newly painted chandelier., 3. cleaned, sorted..., 4. Paper Floral Wreath-Spring Blooms, 5. working space, 6. kitchen things, 7. Untitled, 8. fresh corners, 9. goodness can come in piles..., 10. Untitled, 11. Art wall + new rug, 12. Morning Coffee, 13. Sunlight, 14. IMG_2551, 15. On My Desk, 16. 10/09, 17. sewing and knitting, 18. Dining Room, 19. New Journal for 2010, 20. Our New Years Decoration, 21. Untitled, 22. just before..., 23. Stylist's bedroom 2, 24. valentine1, 25. Craft corner, 26. Christmas kitchen, 27. Molly's Sketchbook: New Year's Garland, 28. Createurs a Paris, 29. 2ndBrchair, 30. shadowBoxes, 31. ch1208243, 32. 1011-BHG-0732, 33. CI048, 34. first day walk, 35. Bird n Twine Package -blu n yel, 36. Untitled

It's the first Starred post of 2010...I have so many favorite things I've found lately...

• Ahhhhh scrapbooking...love these and this
• And super cute cards and more cards
• Excited to learn about a DIY site from here...oh the possibilities!
• This makes me want to sew (I'm really bad at it though)...I think I could actually pull off those notebooks...and the wrapping is way too cute
• Speaking of wrapping...a motherlode of ideas...don't you want to go wrap something now? I do.
• And speaking of sewing again...these...granted it's hasn't been below 70 degrees here in a couple of weeks
• Since I didn't really rearrange anything in the house after Christmas I'm still itching to do it...especially when I see this, this and this 
• And when I rearrange a little I want to make one of these
• And when I want to carb-load I will make this & these and have these for dessert...and then I'll make this to be a little healthier (great gift idea too)

Hearts...

I recently got this punch and am in love with it right in time for Valentine's day...I used it in the banner layout I shared yesterday and here it is back in action today...

The layout has photos I took of Mac back in late September...

And I punched out an extra little pile of hearts to share in case anyone else is in love with them too...

 

Please feel free to leave a "pick me" if you'd like this little envelope sent to your house...I'll do random drawing on Thursday.  

I have a Starred post to share tomorrow...

New and old...

We had a nice, quiet weekend at home which left me some time for scrapbooking...
 

As I was making stuff I realized how there are many things that I do over and over again.

 

For instance mixing together letter stickers from different sets or using my typewriter to make journaling strips...or right now it's distressing the edges...once upon a time I was inking everything in sight...now I'm making sure they're torn up a little.

But then I'll also try new things like finally using the bottle of mist I picked up last fall...I think it might be a new addiction. Using the same photos repeatedly on a page...the block of nine photos is actually just three photos of us that I used three copies of. Oh and there's stealing stickers from McIntosh because I though the build your own skeletons were cute.

Then there are the messy pages...where I throw together everything but the kitchen sink.

This page has a rare embellishment on it...I usually forget to use the bits and pieces I've accumulated by the time I'm done combining patterns & stamping. I have had this "B13" waiting for a page from Mac's 13th year.

 

Another old thing I always inevitably do is cover up mistakes...accidentally torn paper when I decide to move something or mistakes on the typewriter when I keep forgetting to replace the correction tape...so the back of a deer covers up the misspelling.

 

Stamps and patterned paper...I will never tire of them...and more of the current distressing addiction.

And then from the piled on mess of a page to simplicity...I really like layouts both ways.

I made this layout Saturday night since I loved the idea of this challenge. I had one extra collaged photo leftover from Christmas card assembly and wanted to get it in my scrapbook...

 

Whether it's trying new stuff or sticking with the old stand-by's I just really love scrapbooking.

Oh and speaking of scrapping...the extra stash supplies go to comment #11

Kristen said...
ok i always leave a comment and never win... hoping today will be my lucky day!! please o please i love your work and would love your scraps... i leave it up to the random number powers to be! lol have a great day!
January 15, 2010 at 06:36 AM

Kristen the power worked! :) Please e-mail me your address.

Okay off to bed late on a Sunday night...so grateful that tomorrow is a holiday...

The stash...

Here are my guest design layouts for Your Scrapbook Stash...so grateful to have had this opportunity since it was a great kick-off to all the scrapbooking I've been able to get done lately...

 

 

I put together an envelope of the extra scraps and supplies I had leftover from working with these great products and I'd thought I'd share it here...please leave a comment if you'd like it...

At least I was honest...

So I started scrapbooking Christmas today...granted I still haven't finished scrapping summer or fall, but I really want Christmas done so I can pack away the stamps and supplies.

I made a simple title page...

I'm using an American Crafts 8.5x11 inch album so I can mix pages sizes again like last year.

So after the title page I had an 8x8 photo of our Christmas tree piled with gifts and on the back of that I put this...

 

I might regret my honesty one day, but at least now I've written down what I go through every year.

Here's an example of "slap it together"...

A page of just photos...doesn't get much more simple than that.

And on the back...

And my irreverence for Christmas documentation continued...although it's true our...Christmas brunch is one of the best meals of the year. 

I always really enjoy looking back in our Christmas books (and it's handy when I want to figure out where the heck we put all the decorations around the house) so it's always worth it to do these pages.

As long as they're done quickly.

Back at it...

So my desk is still a mess, but at least I'm making stuff now.

First, I could not resist trying this since I enjoyed them so much last summer...

I have to admit I was a little skeptical about the colors...coral with red? But I should have been much more trusting since once the layout came together I really liked it...and was happy to have worked with a combination that I would have never thought to put together.

The other thing I worked on was a donation to Operation Valentine (I learned about it here)...I made a bunch of simple blank Valentines to send off to the project...

  

And I worked on another layout for my guest designing this month...I'll have to share those later this week...

Give a little...take a little...

Keep meaning to post this layout I made before Christmas...I think it may be one of my very favorites. I used the lyrics from "Snowfall"...and realized about the time I was about to use the speckle stamp on the background that yellow and snowflakes are probably not the best combo.

Since I was born in Chicago I've managed to hold onto a significant amount of Midwestern pride (even though we moved here when I was two) but when yellow snow doesn't occur to me right away I might have to admit that I have some California girl tendencies. The other time I have to admit this is when I wear a scarf and flip-flops at the same time.

But I digress.

This post has two purposes...sharing calendar downloads for 2010 and milking you guys for information.

First here's the calendars...

Download 2010

It's each month designed to fit into the binder organizer I use.

 

And here's some covers I quickly made for each month in an attempt to make it cuter...Download Month Visuals

Okay and here's where I have questions for you. We cleaned out Mac's closet right after Christmas and he no longer fits into a lot of his clothing (due to growing almost five inches this past year) we've donated most of it but I saved a little pile of shirts, pants and shorts that I'm thinking of selling on Ebay since they are really cute and practically new. I've never done this so if you have any tips or tricks I'd really appreciate it...thanks. 

Just so you're updated...

Since all I did was post answers last week I thought I'd let you know what other random things are going on around here...

I left this mess all week and haven't scrapbooked a bit.

Part of the reason is because I've been kind of plagued by migraines all week...that's really sucked.

I got a few inches of my hair cut off and opted for bangs...don't know if that was my best choice considering I weigh about 7,000 pounds right now. But I can share a photo of it since thankfully I have friends who are good at taking photos of me despite the chipmunk cheeks and the tree trunk neck...

Besides messy desks and bangs the other excitement has been plants.

I know, I know the wild life that I lead...

 

My mom helped me put together one of the Christmas gifts she got me...a terrarium. She actually saw that I posted about wanting to make one so she got me all the supplies and a gift card to pick out a few plants.

Since we ended up splitting the plants we got I had extras to put into an old pyrex bowl I'd picked up at some point...along with replanting another container and picking up one of my favorite bowls for the last little bit of leftover plants I ended up with a little garden in my bathroom... 

 

Mom has also been trying to teach me how to nurture plants. I am a starve you for water within an inch of your life and then drown you until you beg for mercy kind of a girl...apparently I need to learn moderation and consistency.

In a lot more areas of my life than just plant care. :)

Okay so now you are fully updated...messy desk, haircut, and house plants.

I promise this week will be much more exciting on the old blog.

Actually it probably won't be...but there might be some scrapbook layouts or something...

More Answers...

Lori Massicot said...
Hi there!
I have been a fan of your blog and get so much inspiration from you!
Q: How do you design your blog banners? I've always wanted to know. I've tried but have not been so successful:)
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Lori

Not sure how well I can explain it, but I use Adobe Photoshop Elements 7. Open up a new file that’s 1200 pixels wide and about 275 tall at a resolution of 300. Then I use digital files to layer together the various patterns and elements of the banner. It has taken a lot of trial and error. The Photoshop Elements series at 2Peas helped me learn

kim s said...

I love your scrap/stamp style. How do you pick stamps that you know you will use? I have a habit of buying random stamps then not ever using them.

It helps that I’ve been buying stamps for years so I have had time to learn what I truly use and don’t. There are certain things I love...polka dots, trees, school paper, labels so I tend to gravitate towards those a lot. It also helps that I really only use wood mounted stamps and there are only a few companies left making them.

Mary Ann said...

ok, my question would be....is there 1 layout in particular that you just LOVE?? You know, one that just makes you so happy every time you look at it?? Happy 2010 to you Sean and Mac!

Have to admit there are a lot...here’s one that I really, really love from last year...

sandra said...
My question-what comes first, the photo or the paper?

You rock the best paper combos!

99% of the time it’s the photo

Keri R. said...
Hi Nora~
Happy 2010!!
I was wondering what items you feel sell best in your ETSY shop?
One of my goals this year is to start my own shop, and I would love
some feedback from you and your success. Thanks so much!
~Keri

Oh am I still trying to figure this out to a certain extent...it seems like the kits do well though.

kathleen said...
Pick me :) please :) Thanks :)

My ?: I've tried to figure out which punch or system you use for the little birds you put on your tags and cards. I think the one on your most recent card here might be a Martha punch (???) but I've never found the other one (maybe another Martha punch) online or in a store. Just wondering about the little birds :) Thanks!

Both birds are Martha Stewart punches...the cardinal that I’ve used recently was available before the holidays...the other one I found around the holidays a couple of years ago.

Jennifer said...

OOh, a chance to win something, great!!! You may have already answered this before but what brand of album do you like best? I scrapbook 12x12 for all family, kids layouts but occasionally do mini albums as gifts. I need a sturdy album that can hold quite a few pages as I do one family album per year and one for each child per year. Love your ideas. You are so creative and inspiring. Now if I was just natually artistic and could have an original idea without scraplifting others ideas all the time :)

For the last couple of years I’ve been happy with American Crafts D-ring binder albums.

Amber S. said...
I would love to win the gift certificate!
I find your posts so inspiring and love your style.

Where do you get inspiration from for your cards and layouts? What are your three favorite scrapbooking lines to use right now?

Mostly from poking around the internet...I scan a lot of blogs and can find a little something that gets me inspired to starting making stuff.

My three favorite lines right now are Hambly (always), I really liked Basic Grey’s Nook & Pantry line and I also like Studio Calico’s new Homefront collection.

amy said...

Love your blog...and all the fun things you create. My questions: What are your favorite places to shop online for scrapbook materials, stamps, and punches? How many punches do you own (LOVE all the fun things you do with them)? Where do you get the inspiration/ideas for all the fun gift tags you make? (I joke with my friend Cheryl all the time that one of my goals in life is to get a Nora present - beautifully wrapped with a fun tag - LOL)

I am super fortunate to have a great local scrapbook store, Scrapbook Oasis so I pretty much can get everything I want there. But if I need to get something online it’s usually from Two Peas in a Bucket.

Michelle said...
Hi Nora,

My question (in a round about way:) My children are 8.5 and 22 - crazy, yes I know! As they've grown, I've found it really hard to find words to put to layouts or to even create layouts. I don't know - for some reason - scrapbooking was so much easier when I was creating for a 4 year old or when my daughter was in high school and at home. How do you find the words and the inspiration now that Mac is a teenager?

I think I’m actually the opposite...now that Mac is older I have an easier time writing to him...maybe because of my sarcastic sense of humor lends itself more to writing to a teenager...I do always try to keep in mind that ultimately I’m writing to him in the future no matter what age he is. 

rachelmarquette said...
one question...how are you creative all the time? my mojo seems to come in spurts - but you seem to be always working it with all of your cards/kits/layouts/house decor! amazing. love that little cardinal - is he a punch or did you hand cut him? okay i guess that is 2 questions. :) pick me!

Hardly...I have plenty of times where I have no clue how to create something good, but the desire to make stuff is pretty much ever-present in my life so that probably helps.

The cardinal is a Martha Stewart punch from the holidays...I could NEVER cut something like that out! :)

Susan Watson said...

Do you find that you only have the time to scrapbook during school vacations? I am a teacher and I find that it is very hard for me to scrapbook during a regular school week. Oh, and *pick me*!!

I have a tendency to want to scrapbook when I’m busiest...for instance when I have a paper due or a test to study for, but yes my vacation time is when I really try to get some layouts checked off the list.

Lisa McGrath said...
Great card Nora - my questions are:
How do you disign your banner - is it digital?
How do you to the "montage" of photos and the links to them???
Can you print out the montage????
What makes you choose the colours patterns that you do??/ is it something in the picture or you just like those things together???
Oh how did you do those money flowers that you sent your sister???
Thats it for now!
Thanks for the inspiration
Lisa in NZ

I explained a little bit about the banner process in one of the previous answers...since September all of my banners have been digital.

The photo collages are from the favorite photos I have on the Flickr website and I created them here which automatically gives you the html code for all the links and you can save the collage to your computer so you could print it out from there.

I have no real formula or secret to choosing patterns/colors...I wish I did because I’d totally share it.

As for the money flowers I cut out random circles by hand, crumpled them up a little (to hide the poor shape and cutting), I used florist wire to make the stem which I punched through the largest circle, then I used the other two to cover it up and stuck a button on each one. I rolled the money around the stem and tied it with ribbon.

TamiV said...
Ok, I've got two questions for ya...
What are your 3 favorite rubber stamps?
And...

What kind of accessories do you have on your side tables, coffee tables etc? I love the way your decorate and I'm feeling like I need some new stuff. My style was country, but I want it to be more eclectic/Pottery Barn-ish. :) (Without the PB price tag, of course).

No way I could ever choose just three...I just snapped a photo of some all-time favorites with my phone...

 

As for my coffee table and side tables I looked around the house and they are pretty much either empty or completely utilitarian. 

 

 

Thanks again everyone for all the great questions!

Answers and Drawing...

I spent sometime tonight answering questions while our new Glee DVD has played in the background. I didn't have a photo to put in this post so here's a layout I made the other night because I thought this was a great idea.

 

So I just asked Sean to tell me three numbers between 1 and 50 and he picked #16, #23 and #32.

#16 mary m said...
I need some motivation. Our local scrapbooking store closed last month. I'm so sad. So now we don't really have anyone close by to buy scrapping stuff from, and that's where I drew alot of inspiration from! Sigh. But cards I could do. Quick, doesn't take a full attention span, and super cute!
January 04, 2010 at 09:43 AM

#23 Terri Emmons said...
Nora,

Pick Me...
I want to say how much I LOVE reading your blog. So thank you for doing that....
You are so organized and I love it when you share things you are doing...

My question is when you make cards and stamp because i dont stamp yet but would love to.. Do you use a colored stamp pad, do you use a pen to color it in? Maybe if you just showed a video of you making some of your cards that would get me and others more into making them.
They are all so cute...

Again thank..
Enjoy this week off still and alone get tons done...

Terri E
Ventura Ca
January 04, 2010 at 11:36 AM

#32 Tineke Blokzijl-Haar said...
Oooh, I completely missed that you were giving away stuff in this post. I´m glad you metioned it again in your layout post.
I love giveaways, not that I actually ever win anything, but it´s always fun to participate. So, I´m keeping my fingers crossed here :-)
January 05, 2010 at 01:56 AM

Mary, Terri and Tineke please e-mail me so I can send you the gift certificates.

Okay here are some of the answers...I'll post the rest tomorrow...

Terri Emmons said...
Nora,
Pick Me...
I want to say how much I LOVE reading your blog. So thank you for doing that....
You are so organized and I love it when you share things you are doing...
My question is when you make cards and stamp because i dont stamp yet but would love to.. Do you use a colored stamp pad, do you use a pen to color it in? Maybe if you just showed a video of you making some of your cards that would get me and others more into making them.
They are all so cute...
Again thank..
Enjoy this week off still and alone get tons done...
I just use colored stamp pads...I would never be good enough to color images in. The videos are a good idea...maybe I can set something up with our new Flip camera.

mary w said...
what a sweet birdie card! My question is..how do you find time to do all that you do? Do you sleep at all? I am home all day and still can't find time be creative and believe my house is not spotless-just doing the bare minimum leaves me very little time for creativity.
I don't really do that much. I don’t work right now. I’m only at school a couple of days a week. I only have one child who is increasingly self-sufficient (and goes to his Dad’s house every other weekend) and the biggest thing is I have a husband who contributes an enormous amount of help around the house. Truly it is Sean that makes me seem like a capable person.

rhonda said...
oooh - i love the little "its the little things" stamp! Is that Cat's Life?? Happy New Year!
Yes it is.

erika said...
Would love to win, I was wondering about meal planning, you seem so organized, do you plan out weekly family meals as well? Its one of the things I would like to do this year any advice would be appreciated.
Oh I am not that organized. Meal planning is one of those things that I always want to do well (and consistently) but when I plan I usually change my mind and don’t want to eat the planned meal so I usually play it by ear and just try to keep the fridge and freezer stocked well enough to be able to cook several different things.

Beth said...
I have a quick question for you... Will you be adding anything to your etsy site soon?
Hopefully...I have a couple of ideas for Valentine’s Day...please let me know though if you have any requests.

Gale said...
Do you stamp the stamp onto the pad or the pad onto the stamp???
Stamp onto the pad unless the stamp is larger than the  ink pad and then I tap the pad onto the stamp.

Kristen D. said...
OK...pick me!!! lolol :-)
But here's a question......how do you deal with "scrappers block", if you ever get it? What helps you to get back your creative energy?
Congrats on the guest designer spot!!!
I totally get it...often times I just walk away from whatever I’m trying to make...or I start poking around the internet to get inspired.

Kristen said...
oh pick me pick me! ok Question... what are your favorite blogs for inspiration?
Oh I have numerous favorites...some of them are Jennifer Johner, Oh Hello Friend, Amanda Johnson and Rachel Denbow

Kim Stewart said...
My question is....how do you organize all your digital photos? You seem so super-organized. Do you use a site to store/back them up? I have 1500+ on my computer and my 2010 resolution is to get them off there and backed up elsewhere. It's overwhelming and I don't even know where to start. Any advice, Nora? I'd appreciate any help you can offer.
I store everything on our external hard drive which has two drives that mirror each other in case one goes out. I use files to organize my photos. One for me, Mac, Sean, Our Family and then Family. Our family are the little things the three of us do together and Family usually has all the holidays and other things we do with my whole family. Inside my folder I have a folder for my blog for the year with each month getting a folder. I am all about the computers folders.

MichelleG said...
Love that card...very cute (especially the twine). My question (ok, I have 2): How many punches do you own? Do you have an electronic cutter? Your cards and tags are always embellished with punched shapes and always inspire me to dig mine out and play.
I own way too many punches...several dozen at least (thank goodness for 40% coupons). No electronic cutter though, I don’t know too much about them at this point.

mel said...
I would love to know how you use your iphone for scrapbooking and are can you share your favourite apps that have to do with organising :)
thanks
I don’t really use my iPhone for scrapbooking and haven’t found any organizational apps that I totally love but Awesome Note and I recently discovered 2Do which looks kind of promising

Brandi P said...
Are you still making the cool lunches for Mac each day? I would love to see more pics of them! (In your spare time of course! LOL!)
Yes, I am but haven’t really done anything terribly creative with them lately. I think I don’t take too many photos because we usually pack lunches at night and the light in our kitchen is pretty lousy.

Kim said...
That is a great site! My question is nosy, but why do you want to be a Women's Studies teacher? What prompted you to want to teach this?
This isn’t nosy at all. I think the appeal in teaching Women’s Studies (besides really enjoying the subject) is to present it in a good humored, disarming way. There are numerous assumptions made about Women’s Studies, but ultimately it is about deconstructing gender stereotypes.

It had been awhile...

I made this layout the week before Christmas with photos of Mac from last June before he left for Hawaii...man the difference in this kid in one year...he's grown 4.5 inches and sounds (and often acts) more like a teenager everyday... 

You can see more layout details here.

And don't forget there is still the drawing for 3 gift certificates in the post below.
 

Moving on...

I made this card a couple of weeks ago...it was the first non-Christmasy crafting I had done in a long time.

The scalloped border was inspired by a cute card I saw here.

Then I made thank you notes and thank you note kits to send out after the holidays (there's still a few left if you'd like one)...and speaking of which the extra thank you notes I have go to...

Kirsten said...
Oh Nora, how perfect are these? I am so lazy...I was shopping the day after Christmas, looking for some Christmas thank you notes. Blank ones. And I couldn't find any. And of course I have the supplies and duh! I should make them. Okay, I will.
December 29, 2009 at 11:21 AM

And now...

I've made seven layouts...yes, actual scrapbooking...it seems I haven't forgotten how to do it even though it's been forever. (I just checked and the last layout I posted was almost three months ago)

Part of the reason I have been scrapping is that I was lucky enough to be asked to guest design this month at Your Scrapbook Stash. I had a great time picking out supplies to use and you can too since they gave a coupon code "NORA2010" for you to get 20% off your order. And they were super generous by also giving me three $10 gift certificates to share with you.

Please leave a comment if you'd like a chance at one. I thought maybe this time I would invite any questions if there was something you've been wondering about...feel free to ask about anything, I'm pretty much an open book. I can take some time this week to do a post answering them since Sean and Mac will be back at school leaving me lonely at home.  Or feel free to post a good old, "Pick me"...I'll do a random drawing on Wednesday evening. 

This time of year...

I want to rearrange the whole house (but surprisingly I haven't)

I am drawn to the color blue

I get caught up on scrapbooking

I dread the end of holiday break (Sean and Mac go back Monday and I'm home alone until school starts on January 26th)

I, of course, want to start new projects (365 photos with my iPhone)

I really need to get a new calendar started

I love the sunsets...there is just something extra good about them this time of year