Pretty displays make all the difference

Who cannot stand a messy desk?  Come on!  I know you are out there!  Stand proud with me!  I am a clean as I go sort of person whether it is scrapping or cooking.  I need a nice clean area to work in or I cannot focus. 

That is great for staying neat, but not so great for feeling creative.  Right now I think I have the perfect organizational systems.  I love them and everything has it's place.  This weekend while I was putting together a kit I was working on and creatively taking some photos of the kit (see other post) and it hit me!  I should keep my kit things out in some cute containers on my desk so I will be inspired to use them! 

So here are a few different containers I came up with (the first picture you will remember from yesterday):

(This last bucket I turned upside down so I would have a more shallow container. )

So what fun containers do you use (or could you use) to display your scrap stuff that you are in the process of using?  Share your good ideas with me, please!

My photo taking "aha" moment!

This weekend I was working on my kit for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and was trying to figure out a way to get better pictures.  My camera is not fancy and I don't have alot of photography skills.  I envy people who are able to get really great shots of their finished cards and layouts.  So I decided to poke around online and see how the kit clubs were showing off their products.  I noticed three things:

1.  Natural lighting
2.  Interesting backgrounds
3.  fun display containers

Here is what I came up with to try and integrate those things in my display photos. 

First I pulled out some white foam core boards that I had sitting around and some patterned paper:

Then I found a good, natural light source (a great window with lots of light...I also can use my front bay window) and put made a "stage" with the foam boards:

Pick some patterned paper and prop it up on the foam board (like wallpaper, but not glued down).  You could also use fabric and even put some cardstock down as the "floor":

Then just put the object in front of the patterned paper, get down on eye level and take the photo.  Looks prettier already!

I also decided to find some pretty containers to display some of my stuff that I wanted to photograph (a neat trick that I saw on alot of kit clubs).  My husband thought using a gravy boat was a bit nuts, but I like it.  I also turned the candle sticks upside down because the bottoms have more room to store things.  Look at how much nicer my embellishments look with a little TLC photography:



January was an inspired month...

I am the first to complain about not having as much time as I like to scrapbook.  I am a stay at home mom, so time is a bit more abundant for me (at least more flexible), but the interruptions are neverending as well.  There is always something to be cooked, cleaned, read, played...YOU understand. 

So why was January such great scrappy month for me?  I know of a few reasons:
1.  My new word Perspective has really helped my attitude and my priorities
2.  I did better at making more time for me
3.  I was MUCH better organized since starting the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog with Meridy (Love the kits...really streamlined my time)
4.  I limited my computer time more...it is an bad distraction for me
5.  2 Peas had it's CHA social...which gave me inspirations and deadlines

Here are the things I created during the CHA Social...I didn't finish all of the challenges, but I do love what I did:

Shabby Chic Challenge:

Use a color you love to wear Challenge

Use Red Challenge

Accessorize Challenge

Simple, Classy Style Challenge:

I am very excited about what I finished between the social and the Counterfeit Kit Challenges...I was able to preserve some very important stories this January!

Counterfeit Kit Challenge January Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Hop! Every month one of our challenges will be reserved for an end of the month blog hop! You should have started here: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/


Today's hop is inspired by a roll of our creative die: Card/Fashion/Bling

And here is my fashion inspiration:

I had all sorts of ideas swirling through my head on how to do the ruffles and experimented quite a bit with scrap paper. I finally just cut my favorite green patterned paper (jillibean soup) into a strip and then used a border punch to give a more ruffled feel. I added them to the card base at an angle and overlapped them to get the same feel as the photo. Then I bent the ruffles up to give it some demension.

I added cream at the top (that is the color I would wear with this...lol), but it needed some sort of separation, so I added a grey "belt". The buckle is a chipboard one I had that I heat embossed with silver. My bling is pretty obvious. I love my I-Rock! So easy and fast to use! Some faux stitching and a quick sentiment finish it out.

Supplies in addition to my kit:

I-Rock crystals, Fiskars Border Punch, chipboard buckle, embossing powder, CTMH sentiment stamp

Thanks for hopping along with us today! I hope you will be a part of the hop next time!

(Pssst....are you still reading?  Good!  We have some great things planned for February!  You will meet our Guest Designer...see a great new kit to copy and perhaps have a chance to win a prize!  Make sure you are a follower so you don't miss out on ANYTHING!)

I am very excited about this weekend!  2 Peas is hosting its annual CHA release party with challenges, sneek peeks of the new products coming out and chances to WIN some of the new goodies!

Clear your schedual and play along Friday-Sunday!  2 Peas CHA Party

How many things can you make from a kit?

I love to have things completed.  For example, I start out every morning writing in my day planner a small To Do List.  I highlight...I cross things off...I detail and subcategorize.  It makes me happy.  (Did you hear my contented, happy sigh?)  It is a bad thing when it comes to food...I really don't like just leaving one cookie in the cookie jar.  Really.  One cookie?  It will get lonely?  And if the kids aren't home then it is my DUTY to care for that lonely cookie.  It is a good thing when it comes to finishing up a kit.  This month's Counterfeit Kit has been wonderful, but I am itching to finish up all of the bits and pieces that are left in it. 

So far I have made a 2 page layout, 1 one page layout and a card.  Now all of the scraps are just sitting there.  Staring at me.  Lonely.  Since I don't make a habit out of eating scrapbook supplies, I am determined to finish up the scraps and clear off my desk for the kit we will be making for February.  So that is what I am working on right now.  Using up the scraps.

I do have a dedicated space for all of my scraps, but, to me, it makes good sense to get the most milage out of putting together supplies for a kit or layout.  Use up the scraps that you KNOW work well together...you already love the project you used them on, right?

Today I decided to get some inspiration from my absolute favorite Garden Girl....Kristina Werner.  Have you seen her website?  No?  Really?  Where have you been?  She makes the most wonderful cards WITH video tutorials so you can recreate them at home.  She is genius at being creative and simple with her designs...and has inspired my love for Kraft paper and faux stitching.  Check her out here: kwernerdesign (warning...video tutorials may be addicting and her love of showing us cute new products may lead you to a MAJOR spending spree...should I count how many of my stamps I HAD to have because I saw how she used them?)

Here is my first inspiration from Kristina:  Make a Card Monday (MACM)   Yep.  She has her own youtube channel full of cardmaking goodness.  (She also does 2 Peas Finally Friday card making videos).

(Supplies added: Kraft cardstock cardbase; black paper, The Girls Paperie frame stamp, CTMH hear stamp, $1 sentiment stamp, postage stamp border punch, I Rock bling)

Next up is a card of my own design...and I wasn't sure it was going to work at all.  I matted the red paper and stuck it down.  Then I realized I had NO idea what I wanted to do with it from there.  LOL  Ever have one of those days?  My very tired first thought was to chuck it, but I decided that I was in great need of an owl card and made it work.

(Supplies added: Kraft Card base, prima flowers, I Rock bling, Stamps: a HUGE set of owls and branches...I forget the company)

My final project was a layout about me.  That does not happen very often, so I really wanted it to be life changing.  Is is not.  LOL  But it is a glimpse of me for my kids someday.

(Supplies added: buttons to the notions, black and white paper scraps, I Rock bling, Alphabet stickers from a Sassafrass kit)

So my total projects from my kit this month?  4 scrapbook pages and 3 cards = 7 projects

Not bad at all!

A very sweet RAK

One of the plays for our Counterfeit Kit Challenge is offering the kit she put together as a RAK!  Isn't that sweet?  Head over to Love Joy Scrap and leave her a comment to be entered to win.  She will take comments until Friday!