Finding time...

In between setting up a new small business (for the project kits) and other work related tasks, I've been finding some time to work on what I love most, layouts. This is what I do to relax when I'm not doing everything else. This is usually the highlight of my day (besides playing mom to Ethan). Getting to sit down in front of my desk, pull out piles of product, look at all my pattern paper, and coordinate a new page. This is what it's all about for me. Creating layouts. If I could sit at my desk everyday and do this one thing, I'd feel totally fulfilled..as crazy as that sounds. I'm passionate about this craft. It's helped me tremendously in getting through the loss of my husband. I know many of you can relate to what I'm saying. I've heard from a number of you that have suffered a loss of a spouse, sister, brother, friend, etc. I've read hundreds of emails from those dealing with the emotional complexities of loss. Some of you have asked me how I continue to scrapbook after losing Eric. Honestly, it's been about survival for me. I've been finding other reasons to live, which includes being a "mother" to a wonderful son and dedicating myself to this hobby. I won't say I haven't sobbed while lying in bed for days on end, I have. I've wrapped myself around Eric's clothes and pondered his absence over and over again. I've stood in front of our old photos and wished that life was what it used to be..but as reality would have, life will never be that way again. With each passing day, I come to accept this reality more and more. I've given myself full permission to refocus my life around those things I love most instead; Ethan, family, friends, and scrapbooking. If I were to have denied any of these things earlier on, I wouldn't be where I am today. So when I sit down to scrapbook, I'm thankful for this hobby. It has provided me healing & has given voice to deeper pain I wouldn't of otherwise recognized.

 

With the new Sassafras product still sitting on my desk, I created another layout last evening. I'm still liking using the stitched buttons and flowers. I decided to create a collage of buttons, rhinestones, flowers, and brads on this layout. I located a placement for each item on a sassafras coated cardstock sticker label (which I cut in half). I drew corresponding circles using an architect's tracing template and Black Slick Writer. I painted some of the circles using acrylic paint and added some doodling, again using my Slick Writer. You can see the tracing template below:

  

I use this tracing template all the time. It was a Ali E. Recommendation (if my memory serves me right). This thing has come in handy many times. I picked it up at the local office store. It has multiple purposes and is so basic, that I almost couldn't do without it. I use it mostly for creating frames around things. I'll sometimes use it for cutting circles by hand, but only on occasion. It's an all around good tool to have when working on scrapbook projects.

I have one motto I repeat to myself when scrapbooking if I think an idea might not work out, "Cut it in half!" Sometimes, I find myself stuck with an embellishment that is much to big for my layout. How do I go about resolving the "too big" issue? Make it smaller. Cut it apart. Laugh. For example, the red apple chipboard label frame above.  There wasn't enough room for the entire frame on this section of the layout, so I chopped off the bottom of the frame and lined it up with the glitter border upon adhering to the page. It seemed the perfect solution for an awkward space.

That pretty little glitter you see there is from Doodlebug. No, it's not just for collecting, as noted in the latest CK. I'm actually a fan of the their glitter. The colors are beautiful and the consistency is different from other glitters I own. Even the sparkle is a little different. The only downside is that it's transparent. I wish I would of colored the border background before placing the glitter down.  Lesson learned. Still love it.

Some of you have asked me about my camera gear and the kind of changes I make to my photos using Photoshop. I'll share this info via the next post, which will be available for viewing on Saturday.