a little bit of style!

2007-07-30T22:16:00.001-04:00

The August gallery is open!! Yahoo - now I want all of you to rush over there to see all the great work the Design Team has done with the August kit. We worked with Rusty Pickle's Mayflower line and the papers are fabulous! Here is a layout I did with the kit. Our technique is using Radiant Rain, a new product from Lumiere, the people that brought us Pearl Ex and Radiant Pearls. While I didn't use it on this particular layout, I will be using it quite a bit for the August card class. If you love shimmer and shine, Radiant Rain is for you! More to come on that ...

Now I am working on scrapping this photo of my son, Michael. Can you believe he is only 9 in this photo? When I showed it to my husband, he said, "Oh boy - are we in trouble." He's almost 11 now, and I know that in a very short time, we ARE going to be in trouble.

What about your kids? Do you have photos of them that just blow your mind? I'd love to hear about them! Talk to you later.

2007-07-29T12:58:00.000-04:00

Good morning! So ... with CHA done and everyone ready to hit the stores, what are your favorite new products? I have to tell you that my anticipated favs are from We R Memory Keepers, Daisy D's (big surprise there, huh?), Technique Tuesday, and

So, today's card was made for the monthly class I teach at Ilove2Create! The papers are the Limited Edition papers from Rouge de Garance and were the papers for the July kit from Ilove2Create. If you haven't checked out Ilove2Create, you are missing a great kit club. I've been there for over three years and am still loving it!
The card also uses stamps from Penny Black and Stampin' Up!

And now ... would you like a little sneak peek at the August kit????? OK - I just can't resist - don't yell at me, Melynda! This is a CD mailer that was included with the July kit and which I didn't have time to work with in July. But I thought it was perfect for the Rusty Pickle Mayflower line that is included in the August kit. Adorable, no? The chipboard hearts are from Stampin' Up!, and the ribbon is from my stash.

OK - time to scrap some more! And - I'm actually going to be stamping this week! We're getting together with a friend who broke her hip at the beginning of summer and doing a Stamp-A-Stack! So, I've got to design a card! Yahoooooo! And, of course, I'll post it here! See ya!

2007-07-22T15:32:00.000-04:00

OK - question for the day? How many of you stayed up all night reading the last Harry Potter book? I must admit, I was up until 4:00 a.m. this morning reading and I'm still not done. I love to savor every word of good books and this one is a good one. So yes, I'm dragging a little today, but I'm not complaining, much - it was worth it!

The kids and I just returned from Florida this past Thursday. It was a lot of fun and we had several adventures along the way, from the boat trailer disconnecting from our car to Sea World (in 95 degree weather) to the 2-hour traffic jam coming out of Florida. But - all in all, it was a great trip. This is my father and the boys. They really enjoy seeing Grandpa and staying at his house in Florida. This is where I grew up, so I got to tell them lots of stories - and so did my dad!

Today I am splitting my time between Harry Potter, the kids and scrapbooking. The older I get, the more valuable my time, so notice that house cleaning isn't in the above list! One of these days, I'm going to do a layout about how much I HATE house cleaning! Just isn't on my top 10 list of favs, KWIM?

Hope your Sunday is awesome!

2007-07-08T11:56:00.000-04:00

Wow! Remember the set that I showed on my last post? It's gone - poof! Someone saw it on Ebay and bought it outright. I'm so glad that it's going to a home where it will actually get used. I can't believe the number of sets that I'm selling that I mounted and never used, or prepared for mounting and then never finished. Go figure! Do ya think I have too many sets???? The one posted here is a perfect example. Mounted - never used ...

Well, as I promised, here is my first list of links to the sets that are on Ebay - I'll post more tonight, but with 40 sets to sell, I just couldn't get it all done last night. I'll finish tonight ... even though I'm leaving this week for Florida, my dear husband has agreed to mail all sales out for me. He's really good at that sort of thing!

All the Best
A Little Love
Ephemera
Flower Filled
Gently Falling
Garden Collage
Hope Is ...
Love Ya Bunches
Riveting
Sage Advice
Sassy & Seasonal
Simple Florals
Snow Flurries
Trim the Tree
Watercolor Minis
Winged Things
Wonderful Weaves
Wonderful Words II

2007-07-06T14:53:00.000-04:00

Well, the Stampin' Up! 2007-08 Fall/Winter Catalog is out and boy is it gorgeous! There are incredible scrapbook papers, accessories and of course new stamp sets to fall in love with, and boy have I fallen in love. So much so that I am cleaning out out my stamp collection!

I have a bunch of retired sets (some from 1997) that I am finally, truly retiring. I have offered the sets to my customers first, and any that don't sell, I will be placing on Ebay later this month. I will put a list up here of everything I am selling with links to the auctions for those that might be interested - but that probably won't be until mid-July, since I'm heading off to Florida next week. No current sets will be offered, by the way, since that is in violation of SU policies and you can order those yourself from your Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. BUT!! You can't beat the chance to get some of these sets at a great price, and many of them are hard to find! I'll post again later, but wanted to give you guys heads ups!

2007-06-29T23:13:00.000-04:00

Whew! Well, it's been quite a week!! My sister has been visiting from Virginia, and along with her came my 11-month-old niece, Kristie. What a cutie! I took over 500 pics of my sister and Kristie over the past four days!!! Wow! Glad I went digital, let me tell you.

The picture in this layout was taken in May and when I got my June kit from Jenni Bowlin, I immediately thought of it! Have I mentioned lately how much I love her kits? She has this knack of putting things together that just make you oooh and aahhh when you open the box. Just like Melynda at I Love 2 Create! Those are two kit clubs that you need to explore, my friends.

Speaking of IL2C, the July kit is almost out and wait until you see the papers in this kit! They are by Rouge de Garance, and are part of their Limited Edition offering this summer. You can see the entire collection here, and get sneak peeks of the July Kit at the IL2C Blog. I will be posting some teasers here this weekend, so make sure to check back.

See you soon!

2007-06-09T22:13:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! Greetings on this glorious day! Today I am sharing photos from my recent trip to New York City. Not your typcial NYC pics, I hope, but some will be familiar. Here I am on the first day with my dear, dear friend, Cantor Sharon Brown-Levy. She has been my inspiration! An incredibly talented woman, Sharon completed her Cantorial studies for both the American Conference of Cantors and the Cantors' Assembly in just three years! No mean feat, let me tell you! I can honestly say that if it had not been for her, I would not have made it through this year.

Here I am with members of the Certification Committee. These amazing Cantors were incredibly supportive to all of us sitting for our exams this past week. I hope someday to be able to "pay it forward" to other women in my situation.

And, of course, after the exams I treated myself to a Broadway show!! Being a huge Monty Python fan, I've always wanted to see Spamalot, so off I went to the Shubert Theater!

I was feeling particularly silly after two intense days, and so I asked some teenage girls who were shooting photos to take a pic of me for my kids. Can you pick out which on is me? You will be seeing all of these photos again in an upcoming layout, but for the next couple of days, I am catching up on family time, reading and enjoying some time with "ni" deadlines!

2007-06-08T23:42:00.000-04:00

I did it!!!!!! Yahooooo! I finished my first set of Certification exams!

I can't believe it! Just got back from New York City and my first set of Cantorial Certification exams. I spent three days in New York testing in things like Shabbat nusach, Torah and Haftorah trop, sightsinging, auditioning, etc. It was an intense, but totally fulfilling experience. I rewarded myself after I was done by visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then going to see Spamalot on Broadway. I deserved it. I've spent every single day for the past year studying and preparing for these exams, and the past six-eight weeks have been incredible tense.

But!! I took lots of photos and ... how hysterical is this ... every photo I took I thought, "This would make a great center photo for a layout!" or "I can use some funky embellishments on this photo." Isn't that just so sad!? I'm so glad that I can relax again and resume my blog. I've missed writing, but I just couldn't spend a single moment doing anything else but studying.

I'm taking a few days to myself and then I'm going to scrapbook again! My craft table actually has some cobwebs on it - that's how long it's been. I have some fun ideas for my next layout and I hope to be able share some photos of New York with you, but for now, I just wanted to say hello to everyone again!

Talk to you all soon!!

2007-04-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

Good morning, world! Today's card was inspired by this gorgeous card by Debbie Olson ... and may I say that her card came out far better than my attempt!! LOL! But, I am still playing and trying to learn how to layer this set. I'm determined to find the way because I really do love the set, but don't want it to just be for funky cards.

I'm not sure if the blues don't go together or what, but there many things about the card I do like ... the background, for example, and the flower stamped on acetate ... here are the full instructions:

For the large bloom, I inked up the stamp with one of Tim Holtz's Paint Daubbers (Aqua) and then stamped onto a piece of acetate (a/k/a transparency). After allowing it to dry, I cut it out, adhered it to a piece of Basic Black cardstock and then cut that out, as well. The black really brought out the color of the acetate flower.

For the other flowers, I stamped them in Tempting Turquoise and Buckaroo Blue, stamping some with full ink and stamping again without reinking. It gave me a variety of shades to work with. I stamped them on a piece of Jenni Bowlin's scrapbook paper instead of cardstock because I wanted a lighter look. Not sure if that worked or not, but I do love that Jenni Bowlin paper! Then, I started layering, using dimensionals on the back of each layer, as Debbie did in her card. The background is Well Word Words stamped in Buckaroo Blue. The greeting is a rub-on.

Well ... that may be it for a few days. I have to focus on studying for the next few days and won't have many evenings to play. I'm also getting ready for a Spring garage sale! Anyone want to buy my Sizzix machine?? I have dies, too! LOL! Have a great week, everyone!

2007-04-21T21:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, as I was rummaging through my scrap paper box, I found this piece of SEI's Winnie's Walls paper. I LOVE THAT PAPER! I saw a pack of it at Archiver's today on sale for 25% and almost bought it! But - typical me - I wanted to wait until it was 50% off! It will probably be gone, but oh well! I'm a bargain hunter at heart.

So anyway, finding this piece of scrapbook paper reminded me that I still wanted to play with the SEI rub-ons that I had left over, and so I did. It's such a Springtime card, don't you think? And today was such a gorgeous day here in Southwest Ohio! Sunny and warm ... just the way this Florida girl likes it!

After Temple this morning, I spent the afternoon with a good friend taking a class at Archiver's. They have such great classes! The price is right and you learn so much from the teachers! I was inspired to make a card based on the class, but it will have to wait until tomorrow - I waiting too long to take a photo and I need sun to do the card justice. Tomorrow is supposed to be another gorgeous day, so I'll post tomorrow! Enjoy!

2007-04-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

Best laid plans ... know what I mean? I sat down today to play with my rub-ons and ended up stamping instead. And now I'm hooked again ... I'll be stamping later tonight. My night-time hours are my reward to myself for all the time I spend during the day studying for my Cantorial Certification exams, the first of which are coming up in June. I'll probably blog about this more as the exams approach ... I'll be ready, but I'm still incredibly nervous!

Anyway, the card I did. I am in love with Big Blooms from the Stampin' Up! Spring Mini. My friends are so surprised! Not because I bought a floral stamp set - I'm a floral junkie - but because I bought such a funky stamp set. But see? This card isn't funky! It's rather elegant, I think. I will be playing with it all this week, so don't be surprised if you see more of it in the days ahead.

For this card, I used a very simple technique - stamping off! I stamped three flowers. One in Pale Plum - full strength; and two in Perfect Plum, both of which I stamped off first. (Stamping off is when you ink up your stamp, then stamp it onto a piece of copy paper and then stamp again onto the cardstock. It gives you a lighter shade of your original ink.) Then, I cut out the flowers, and edged each of them with a sponge tip applicator to give the flowers some definition. As an added little twist, I took some Crystal Effects (a/k/a Diamond Glaze) and dotted it over the dots in the middle of the flowers, and then added a button. A couple of pop dots, and voila! I know, I know ... I used Enchante - a Designer Paper that SU doesn't carry any more. But - I had it sitting in my scrap paper bin and couldn't just let it gather dust, now ... could I?

Full recipe: Stamp Sets: Big Blooms and Petal Pushers (greeting); Perfect Plum and Very Vanilla cardstock; Perfect Plum and Pale Plum Classic Ink pads; Enchante Designer Paper; Crystal Effects, buttons and some linen thread.

2007-04-17T21:06:00.000-04:00

Greetings everyone! Today was a glorious day - the cold weather seems to have finally blown over and sunshine blessed us all day. I felt so happy I had to create a card to celebrate. This card uses paper from American Crafts - they really do have some gorgeous paper. And, I have been in a rub-on mood lately. These rub-ons from SEI are to die for, aren't they? I am so pleased with this card that I'm going to create a whole bunch more with my rub-ons later tonight and post tomorrow.

This card uses Red Bazzill cardstock, Peach Prism cardstock, American Crafts Hemmingway patterned paper, SEI's Winnie's Walls rub-ons and red fiber.
This card is also part of my April Card Class at I Love 2 Create. If you would like to see all the cards I designed for the class, check here. Beginning this summer, Melynda will be opening up the classes to non-members for a small fee. Check back and I'll give you all the details as soon as they are finalized.
Enjoy your evening!

2007-04-04T23:02:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to check in with everyone today. It has been an incredibly busy week!! Passover was this past Monday, and so far I've attended two seders and have one more to go to tomorrow night. Wise Temple always hosts a Women's Seder during which we celebrate the feminine spirit that flows through the story of Exodus. A truly moving evening, I especially love this because I am leading the music with four other women from the Temple. This is one of my favorite times of the year.

Tonight was also my youngest son's 7th birthday party, thus the layout for tonight. He is such a character ... I asked him last week to pose for some photos for me, and these are some of the results. He adds joy to my day just by waking up in the morning. So, when we gave him his Hebrew name, we chose "Simchah" which means, joy.

Chag Sameach and Happy Easter to all of my friends!!

2007-03-26T21:37:00.000-04:00

Another wonderful day! I hope that you are enjoying this fabulous day as much as I am. I had a fun time shopping today ... a rare thing for me to shop for myself, but I simply had to find clothes to wear. I recently lost a lot of weight and now, believe it or not, none of my clothes that I lost weight to fit back into fit me any more!! So, poor me, I had to go shopping. I've been smiling all day.

The Scrapbooking Society's new kit will be coming out soon - check back around the first of the month and I'll have lots of fun things to show you. This layout was actually inspired by a sketch that I had to do for our April Kit. I liked the sketch so much that I played with it for another layout. This layout uses the really cool papers from Jenni Bowlin.

Jenni Bowlin rocks!! I simply adore belonging to her kit club - if she ever decides to add on a design team, I'm going to be first in line to try out. All of the materials you see on this layout came from her March kit, except for the chipboard swirl, which is from Fancy Pants. The papers are Jenni's own design, as is the chipboard star, and the letters are Heidi Swapp. She puts together the most fantastic kits. You never know what little treasures you will find in her "treasure boxes" that she puts into every kit, but I find that I use them again and again.

Well ... I'm off to work on another project for SBS. Stayed tuned everyone, and remember: each day is a treasure to treasure!

2007-03-21T23:23:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhh! I could open my windows again today ... 70-degree weather is back again.

As you can see, I am still playing with the Big Blooms set from Stampin' Up! I will probably be exploring it for a while, yet. I really love the funky images and want to play around with embossing with it. In the meantime, I just had to do this layout of my niece ... what a great face!!! I've had it sitting on my table for weeks, now, letting the face and image inspire me. I knew I wanted it to be a fun layout, but it wasn't until I started playing around with the flowers and chalk that a kernel of an idea began to form. Then, while perusing my favorite Quote/Title site, I ran across the title, "Sugar and Spice, a whole lotta spice," and the kernel exploded into inspiration. I wish the color was better ... my scanner isn't scanning accurately and I can't figure out what to do. Perhaps I'll take it outside and photograph it tomorrow in the sunlight.

I must admit, I am having so much fun doing layouts of my niece, that I am neglecting my boys! I haven't taken photos of them in months and I'm starting to run out of pics of Kristie. Thank goodness the weather is nicer now ... perhaps we'll all go biking this weekend and I can get some fun photos.

I hope that you will click on the link to my favorite quote/title site and explore it. It is a treasure trove of quotes, titles and layout ideas. I used to go to 2Peas for quote inspiration, but I find that while there's a lot there, it's difficult to navigate and I don't like the user interface. Denny's place is much, much nicer and is full of great stuff. Check it out.

You know ... I would love to see some of YOUR layouts! Take a moment, leave a comment and a link to your gallery, if you have one online, or to your blog. I would love to see your creations. Have a wonderful, beautiful day!

2007-03-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

What happened to Spring? There I was, enjoying the 70-degree weather and all of a sudden, it dips back down into the 30s! Don'tcha love it? Well, if I can't enjoy the Spring outdoors, I can certainly enjoy it through my scrapbooking!

I am into flowers ... anyone who knows me knows that I love flowers. So when I saw the new Big Bloom stamp set from Stampin' Up! I was like ... let me at 'em! Aren't they just too funky? I love big, fun flowers and this new stamp set is right up my alley. I used them on my "Baby Face" layout and colored the stamped images in with Craf-T chalk.

Now, I must admit, as a die-hard Stampin' Up! fan, I had never used Craf-T chalks until this past month. I mean, I had my Stampin' Pastels and that was enough, right? WRONG!!!!! Craf-T (who is our March Sponsor at Scrap That Moment) makes some incredible chalk pastels. And, what I didn't realize, was that the makers of these cool chalk sets also makes glimmer chalks, luster chalks, metallic rub-ons and lusters and ... well, when I opened my sponsor package I just about died and went to heaven! Rich, warm, vibrant colors to work with. And blendable - I thought I was working with ink or paints, they blended so beautifully. The chalks are a soft, velvet texture when they to on, and dry to a wonderful finish. No powdery rub off. They dry and stay put.

What was that? Oh - you want to know what metallic rub-ons are? No - they are not letters or images, but rather a creamy, rub on ink that you can rub on or over anything to give it a metallic luster ... as in the faux pewter hearts that I created from cardstock on my "daddy and me" layout. Cool, huh? And, can you see what I mean about the wonderful blending of the chalks? Look at that bird! I can't believe I actually colored it in myself ... these chalks are simply wonderful and with very little effort, you can achieve professional resluts.

Craf-T also makes a wonderful chalk enhancer that allows you to blend the chalks and achieve a watercolor effect. With such versatility, you can create your own background paper, as I did in my "In the Spotlight" layout ... but for that one, you'll have to visit Scrap That Moment and check out the March Sponsor Gallery. And while you're there, stop by the Message Boards and say hello, take up a challenge or just browse around. We're a friendly bunch and love visitors!

I hope to update again later this week, and not leave you hanging as long as last time ... so sorry everyone. It has been an incredibly hectic month. But at least it's been a pleasantly busy one. I hope all of you are enjoying life! Talk to you later!

2007-03-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon everyone! Today I thought I would share with you the March Kit from The Scrapbooking Society. This month's technique is Paint Effects, using Making Memories Paint Effects kit. It includes three bottles of paint effects: gloss, pearl and glitter - way cool. There are so many ways to use this fantastic paint ... it can be painted over existing paint, mixed with reinkers, painted on stamps and stamped (as in my first layout here) and more. A great resource for paint-loving scrapbookers.

Even more exciting are the papers from A2Z Essentials. They have such fun, fresh designs and great colors. We used papers from their Cosmo and Sweet Nothing lines ... love 'em. The papers and incredibly versatile and they are a light cardstock weight and double sides to boot. They work well for layouts or for altering items, as in my altered box. Could you ask for anything more?

ALSO, included is a pack of Scenic Route Redmond Stencil Grass Dots. Oh! I am lovin' those ... if you know me, you know that I am addicted to alphabets, whether stamps, stickers or chipboard! Add to that the paint, ribbons and other cools doo-dads that are thrown in, and you have one fantastic kit for March.

We just finished up another cool kit from February. I was so busy with other things I didn't have the chance to rave about it here, but it's not too late, is it? I thought I would share one of the cards I did ... I'm calling it my Andy Warhol look, although it doesn't use colors as vibrant as Andy Warhol used. Nonetheless, it does remind me of his artwork and I loved coloring the stamped images with Heidi Swapp's colored pencils.

Hope this inspires your creative muse today ... enjoy and happy weekend!!

2007-03-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness the weekend is here at last - what a week! I have been going non-stop and it feels so good to sit here and relax. What's that? You want to know what I've been up to? Well ... in addition to preparing for the Festival of Purim (which starts Saturday night at sundown), I have been busy, busy, busy getting things done for March deadlines!

Becky Fleck honored me by asking me to create a card for one of the March Card Sketches at Page Maps. Becky creates such divine sketches for layouts and cards! The two cards displayed here today were created from the sketch at the Page Maps Card Sketches page. You can see how many wonderful sketches and interpretations there are!

Becky's layout sketches are equally as wonderful. I use Becky's sketches often in my work.

I have also been busy getting the March kit samples done for the Scrapbooking Society! We are using some wonderful papers from A2Z this month. Such gorgeous color and design ... make sure and check back tomorrow when I will throw the spotlight on the March Kit.

Take care everyone!

2007-02-21T00:42:00.000-05:00

Scrapping Backwards

When I first started scrapbooking three years ago, I began with the photos I had on hand, which were all current photos. The more addicted I became, the more photos I took. Then, when I became super addicted, I went digital and all my photos were right on my computer ready to use.

The upshot of this is that all the film photos I had taken ended up getting filed in a box for "future layouts." Well ... I've started those future layouts. This year, 2007, is the year of scrapping backwards. I started with the layout I posted the other day, Our Little Baby Boy. Now I am working through Michael's first year of life. If I could offer a bit of advice to all you scrappers out there? Don't wait to scrap those old photos!!! I had a heck of a time with this layout! I couldn't get a concept going, I couldn't figure out a title ... heck, I could barely remember taking these photographs!!! It was very, very tough scrapping an event so long ago. I am hoping that as I work through these photos, they will trigger memories that I can record. It is scary to think that those events I was sure I would remember forever have already faded. I'll be posting the layouts as I get them done, or at least the links to them, if I use the photos for one of my Design Teams.

I have a new website to share with you today!! You simply must visit The Scrapbook Chalet! A very rockin' place, to be sure! Chalk full of creativity and inspiration. Grab a cup of coffee/tea/whatever, and explore it a little ...

Talk to ya'll later!!

2007-02-15T16:49:00.000-05:00

Is it Spring, yet, Mom? That's what I've been thinking as I've looked outside over the past few days. Songs keep popping into my head, like "Winter Wonderland" and "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow." But the title of my next layout will definitely be: Bow to the Power of Nature!

And, if you think these are cool, you should see the photos Tri-State viewers sent to WLWT over the past couple of days. Take a look here! Each link has about 50 photos each and there are 15 links! There really are some adorable photos, there.
Now, you would think that being housebound, I would have had some wonderful creating time. For some reason, though, my mind has been as frozen as the trees outside. The cold has finally gotten to me and I just can't relax enough to create. I tried again today and have had a little success, which I'll post tomorrow. It's also difficult with the kids being off from school for the third day in a row! Lakota is a large school system and I guess there were areas that the buses just couldn't get to! My friend, Cathy, called it yesterday afternoon - "I'll bet the kids are off tomorrow, too," and I couldn't believe it when she called me later that night telling me that she was right!!! If nothing else, the kids have had a nice break.

If you are as housebound as I have been, head on over to PageMaps. Becky Fleck is a very talented sketch artist and she comes up with fantastic sketches for layouts and cards each month. They are all neatly organized on her site and you can access sketches going back two year! Subscribe to her monthly newsletter and it will let you know when her new maps are up each month. AND, if you check in at PageMaps in March, you will see a card by yours truly demonstrating one of her new card sketches! Wish I could share with you now, but it will just have to wait. You will just love her site, so check it out and bookmark it!

Stay warm everyone!!!

2007-02-09T13:35:00.000-05:00

So many things to talk to you about today, everyone. It seems that more and more interesting things keep popping up in technology everyday. If you look down the left side of my blog, you will see a map of the world with lots of little red dots. It is labeled: Do you believe this? I found this on another site and it actually tracks the visits to my site and where the people live who visit (general info, not specific addresses guys!). THIS IS SO COOL! Today I looked, and someone from Australia had visited my blog, and yesterday someone from Iceland (I think) had visited.

Now, my first thought was ... yeah, right ... probably spammers. But the dots are getting bigger and bigger which means the same people are visiting again and again. It is sooo cool. I love being able to communicate with scrappers and stampers all over the world. It's like I can share my love of this hobby with everyone! Anyway, just had to share my excitement.

And, I wanted to share the above layout with you! I was playing around with colored pencils since that is the February technique at the Scrapbooking Society. One of our designers played around with photo tinting, i.e., printing a B&W photo on cardstock and then tinting it with colored pencils. I love the idea and decided to try it myself. What do you think of the result?? I am going to have to do it again!

Don't forget about Helping Others - The Auction! We are getting great response and already many items that have been donated. You won't believe the people who have shown an interest in helping out. It's amazing what people do when a child is involved, KWIM?

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! I'll be updating soon. Take care, and Happy Friday!!!

2007-02-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

Helping Others - The Auction!

In the Torah, we are commanded to help our neighbors. Many of us live in areas where even speaking to our neighbors is like taking your life in your hands, and we rarely have the opportunity to be the kind of people that we want to be. So today, I am fulfilling that mitzvah and asking everyone to keep on reading ...

I know that you must remember this layout! When I saw it in the STM gallery, I fell in love with it immediately. It reminded me so much of my son when he went through his fight against Leukemia. I posted it here a few weeks ago, and then emailed TraeLyn and congratulated her and her daughter on a battle won …

Alas, congratulations were given too soon. Her daughter’s condition has returned and will necessitate additional surgeries. I won’t go into all the details, but the condition is called cloaca and it is fairly rare, happening once in every 50,000 babies. TraeLyn and her family will have to travel to a hospital three hours away where they will stay for 2-3 weeks for her daughter's painful surgery and recovery. Not fun.

So – a group of us are coordinating the Help TraeLyn's Daughter Auction! Here are the details.

We are asking all interested parties to donate professional quality handmade items for auction. Items that we are looking for include, but are not limited to:

Altered items (canvases, calendars, clocks, frames, etc.)
Cards with card holders (tins, boxes, sets tied with ribbons, etc.)
Mini albums (Disney vacation, baby, girl, boy, etc.)
Jewelry
Notebooks, journals, etc.

The auction will be hosted on Ebay and will begin on Friday, February 23, and end on Wednesday, February 28th. We want to have all monies collected in time for her daughter's surgery on March 1st.

If you wish to donate an item for auction: Please leave a comment on this post expressing your interest in donating an item, and then email me at divamom1996@gmail.com and leave me your email address so that we can contact you with details. I will then put you in touch with Kat, who is coordinating the auction items, for further details and instructions.

The Auction: The auctions will start on Friday, February 23, 2007. Please join me here that day at 12:00 noon, when I post a list of all the auctions. Then, go shopping! All monies collected (minus Ebay/PayPal fees) will go to TraeLyn to help with her daughter's surgery and recovery.

Thanks so much for your support in the project!!

2007-02-05T14:25:00.000-05:00

Ahhhhhhhh ... Monday! That day of days! The day when you wake up, look at your clock, get your bearings and moan, "Oh no! It's Monday!" Unless of course, you work out of your home and you have children ... in which case you say, "Thank goodness ... it's Monday!" Which is how I began my day today ...

It is COLD here in Cincinnati. Our thermometer registered 0 degrees F this morning, and the kids had a great time watching the thermometer in my car drop from 22 (in the garage) to 2 degrees (the school parking lot). Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ...

But, cold weather keeps me inside, and when I'm inside, I create. This is a little mini coaster album I created using the February kit from The Scrapbooking Society. My sister had given me a stack of coasters that had somehow managed to jump into her purse at a restaurant she frequents, and they were the perfect size to create this adorable album. The papers are Making Memories Craft line and they are perfect for children pages. The kits includes the Making Memories matching Ephemera Journaling Stickers which I found to be wonderfully helpful in the album, along with lots of wonderful May Arts ribbons.

The theme is based on a song I recently heard by Stacey Beyer, a jewish singer of whom I very fond. The song is, "Find Your Voice," and I happened to be looking through my photographs while listening to it and the song and photos just merged together in my mind. It's amazing when things like that happen!

Now I am working on my monthly card class, and I hope to post these next week.

Plus ... I got a sneak peek at the Stampin' Up! Spring Mini! Wooooohooooo! Can you say "doodle"!!? If so, I think you will be thrilled with this upcoming mini, which will be available beginning March 1st! I'll post a link as soon as it's online so that everyone can enjoy it.

See you soon!!

2007-02-01T10:21:00.000-05:00

Gooooooooood morning!!!! Happy February!!

Today I am sharing a little funny I found on the web. It is "What does your birthday mean?" OK, I thought, I'll play ... so I typed in my birthday and lo and behold got the following:

Your Birthdate: December 16

You're incredibly introverted and introspective. You live inside your head. You spend a lot of alone time meditating and thinking. People see you as withdrawn, and at times they are right. You are caring and deep, but it may be difficult for you to show this side of yourself.

Your strength: Your original approach to thinking;
Your weakness: You tend to shy away from others

Your power color: Pale blue

Your power symbol: Wavy line

Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

LOL!! I am still laughing - ME introverted! While I do tend to shy away from others when I am very busy, no one has ever accused me of being introverted. {giggle} Well, I think we all needed a good laugh today.

I'm offline for most of the day doing errands and studying. Hope to have some creative posts for you tomorrow. Happy Thursday, everyone!!

2007-01-31T10:27:00.000-05:00

Jenni Bowlin Class Video

OK - I guess I'm new to the technology of the web!!! I found this video that was taken a few days ago in California during CHA of a class taught by Jenni Bowlin, one of my favorite designers. Intrigued, I explored the possibility of posting it on my blog and - how 'bout it??! Here it is! Click on play and enjoy a few words of wisdom from Jenni Bowlin. Also, you really need to check out her site and her kit club! She is da bomb!!

2007-01-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

Wow!!! Has it been a week since I've blogged????? I can't believe it! I guess I've been busy surfing the web trying to find out about all the new products at CHA!

I have two products to share with you today. First of all ... Scrappy Chick is launching their new line of papers. I have to tell you they are gawgeous! What do you think of this Rose line? There are several others and as soon as they are up in the Store, I'll post a link for everyone.

Heidi Jones is the designer and she is so incredibly talented. Lynette says that it has met with fantastic reception, so YAHOO to Scrappy Chick!

Now - what about this Basic Grey line? I am still so in love with Basic Grey. You would think that the lines would get old, but they always manage to find a way to put a fresh look into their grungy style. Still in love with Basic Grey. That's all for today ... check back tomorrow and I'll have another Scrappy Chicky line to show you!

2007-01-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today have a little surprise - a link to a wonderful gallery of a fellow STM member. And surprise, surprise - she is a former SU Demo, too!

Tracey is a wonderful designer and her layouts are to die for! Don't you like what you see? She really has an eye for putting a page together. I thought that you would like to see her work.

I am particularly fond of this layout because it reminds me of Michael and how I felt the day he was pronounced "cured." Every day I have with him now is a blessing and I know just how Tracey feels every time she looks at her daughter. Check out her work at her STM gallery and feel free to leave comments for her. We all love to hear them.

I'll be busy in the studio today and tomorrow and will have some new work to show you on Friday. Take care and keep warm this week!

2007-01-21T13:11:00.000-05:00

Good morning, everyone! And Happy Snowy Sunday! Here in Southern Ohio, we got 2-3 inches of snow overnight, which pretty much shut things down today. Thank goodness it's a Sunday. The kids have been outside sledding all morning, and they are now inside drinking hot chocolate and keeping warm. Dh is on the road, crawling along through the snow. He doesn't sound very happy!

This area of the country doesn't usually get a lot of snow, and some years we don't get any - so this tends to be a big deal. Not like when we lived in Chicago, where snow is a way of life. But it is pretty, so I can't really complain about one snowfall.

I've got lots of cleaning and studying to do today, so I probably won't get much studio time, but I'll be back at it tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday and let me know what you've been up to this weekend!!

2007-01-19T16:32:00.000-05:00

Well - here we are at Friday, again! I can't believe how fast this week has gone ... whooosh!!

Tonight I have a Sell-A-Bration workshop to do ... probably one of the only ones I will do, unfortunately, this year. I am so focused on my Cantorial Certification and my two scrapbooking design teams that I have no time for a Stampin' Up! business. But, I love SU and will continue to make cards and do workshops for friends and current customers who ask for them. Tonight's workshop is for a good friend, and so I'm happy to do it.

But, the above card is NOT for the workshop ... much too difficult for a workshop where there might be beginning stampers. No, this is for the Card Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers. It also qualifies for for the Watercolor Paper challenge as well, since I used watercolor paper and Watercolor Wonder Crayons for the flowers. I am really beginning to like this set, as I thought I would. I can't wait to try it with my new Flair and Weathered Words backgrounds, which should arrive today sometime.

I am so into Stampin' Up!'s background stamps. They turn any card into something special. The above card was originally designed with a plain Creamy Caramel panel behind the flowers. It looked nice, but was rather blaaahhhh. It needed something subtle and the Fine Lace background stamp added that perfect little bit of oooomph! The next time you make a card that looks nice, but ordinary, try adding a simple, subtle background stamp. You will be amazed at the difference.

That's all for now ... have a great weekend!!!

2007-01-17T00:38:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness ... I'm in love! As I was perusing the gallery at Splitcoaststampers the other day, I ran across a card by twoboysandagirl, using the SAB set, "Delight in Life." Now, I must admit ... this is not my favorite set. While I am totally into flowers (as all my friends and customers well know), this flower didn't thrill me. But her card really inspired me. So ... tonight I set out to play and this is what I came up with. I love the detail of the Floral Background Stamp, but what I really love is the flower stamped in the same ink on three different colors of cardstock - Not Quite Navy stamped onto Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla and Always Artichoke.

So, tomorrow I am setting out to play with another of the sets ... Happy Harmony.

2007-01-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

OK!!!! The Sponsor Gallery at Scrap That Moment is open! Wahooo! You should see all the incredible layouts, cards and projects posted there. As I promised, here is one of mine using the Cuttlebug!! If you look closely at the word "victory" you will see that I ran the letters through the machine using the "Dot Blossoms" embossing folder. Love it!!

There is hidden journaling behind the large circle overlapping the photo. It says .... well, go to my layout at ScrapThatMoment and see for yourself!!!

That's all for now ... I've GOT to get off the computer and start working!! See ya later!

2007-01-08T22:48:00.000-05:00

Wooooohoooooo!!! They finally came!!!! My Sell-A-Bration sets and my new punches! Opened the boxes today and look what I made! I do believe that this is going to become my favorite SAB set this year. I am really enjoying playing with the Cuttlebug, still, and these cards were made with the Stylized Flowers embossing folder. It's amazing how much that little bit of embossing adds to a card, or even to a layout!!! Make sure to check out the Scrap That Moment Sponsor Gallery today! I have a layout where I used the cuttlebug to emboss the letters of the title! Fabulous effect!

So, I'm not sure which of these cards I like the best. The one on the left is pure dry embossing; the one on the right is pretty much the same card, only I sponged over the raised embossing with Vanilla Craft Ink. Got the idea from Debbie Olson and others on Splitcoast Stampers. Beautiful effect! But, I think I like the pure emboss - what do you think?

So, I'm off to bed. I have to admit: I've been up until 1:00-2:00 a.m. every night over the past week. {blush} No, not scrapping or making cards, but playing this $&)#! addicting game - Bejeweled 2 Deluxe! HTG!! I totally lose track of time playing it. "Just one more level, then I'll go to bed." NOT. So tonight, no Bejeweled ... straight to bed!

Well ... maybe just 15 minutes ... ;)

(Cards use: Happy Harmony stamp set from SU; Perfect Plum, Very Vanilla, Pale Plum cardstock; Perfect Plum Classic Ink, Very Vanilla Craft Ink; Cuttlebug Die-cut and Embossing System, A2 Embossing Folder Stylized Flowers, Pop-Dots, Satin or Organdy Ribbon, Marvy Giga Scalloped Circle punch and Mega Circle Punch.)

2007-01-05T13:09:00.000-05:00

Time for a Layout

Well, as promised ... here is a layout I did using Jenni Bowlin's Vintage Red line. The scan cannot really capture the depth of color in this paper. It's rich and gorgeous, and the kit that came with it is chalk full of little doodads, ribbons and other surprises! I love her monthly kits and am anxiously awaiting January's!!

I've had these pictures of Michael since August and I've tried and tried to figure out how to scrap them. He is such a comic - trying to get a decent picture of him is a job in and of itself. Although, he did make a comment the other day that I seem to enjoy doing layouts of Stephen more than him. "Well," I replied, "That's because I have more pictures of him I can use than of you. You never let me take your picture, remember?" "Oh ... OK, you can take my picture now." Right! We'll see how long that lasts.

I'm off to work on some cards and some projects for my design teams! Scrap That Moment's January Sponsor is Piggy Tales and we have some incredibly beautiful paper to work with this month. Make sure to check the January Sponsor Gallery next week. You will be amazed at what the DT has come up with!

And, The Scrapbooking Society's January kit is featuring Monoprinting as its technique, along with Basic Grey's new Blush line - simply yummy paper. Check out our January Gallery for some really cool ideas of how to use Monoprinting in your cards and layouts!

I am also anxiously awaiting my packages so that I can play with some new punches and stamps. I'll be sure and load them as soon as I can. In the meantime, I'll be playing with some sets from Stampin' Up!'s Winter Mini and will hopefully get them done and loaded over the weekend! Keep checking back - I'll be creating all weekend!

2007-01-04T14:06:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!! OK, I know ... it's already January 4th. But honestly, it still feels like the New Year. Besides, I think I missed the whole new year thing because I was so busy cleaning up after my boys! Thank goodness they all went back to school/work!! I love having them home all day, but my word! The mess they make! It took me two whole days to clean up after them, leaving me very little creating time.

OK, enough kvetching. What do you think of this card? Last month I posted a picture of Jenni Bowlin's new paper line. It is absolutely gorgeous! The paper is not for sale yet, but was included in Jenni's monthly kit club, to which I subscribe (the ONLY one I subscribe to, by the way. With all the stuff I get from The Scrapbooking Society and Scrap That Moment, I don't need to buy much of anything anymore!). Anyway, I have been dying to play with the paper and here is my first attempt. I just love the richness of the paper. I'm working on a layout with it, which I will share with you as soon as I'm done.

Notice the embossed background? I hadn't tried the Cuttlebug on patterned paper, but really loved the effect. It doesn't work very well on small patterns (embossed pattern gets lost), but on large patterns it's very elegant. I just received my box containing my new embossing folders - ordered from All That Scraps - and can't wait to play with them. I'll be posting cards over the next few days.

I am also impatiently awaiting my Sell-A-Bration sets from Stampin' Up! I could order them at the beginning of December, but what with the holidays, I didn't want to spend any money on me until all the gifts and traveling were through. They should be here on Monday, and I'll be making cards right away to share with you ... want a sneak peek??? Here are two links to two of my favorites from Splitcoaststampers: Card 1 Card 2 The SAB galleries there are filling up fast, and new cards are being added on an hourly basis. If you need ideas, head on over.

Until latah!

2006-12-25T11:01:00.000-05:00

Good morning and Merry Christmas to all! Our Jewish family got up this morning, had a picnic breakfast and will be heading out to the movies this afternoon ... the perfect way to spend a relaxing Christmas Day! Hope all of you out there are having a wonderful day, as well.

First! I must thank Debbie Olson and All That Scraps - I just ordered more A2 embossing folders for my Cuttlebug, and got free shipping as well! All That Scraps is a wonderful, hassle-free scrapbooking shopping site. Great prices and free shipping on all orders of $10 or more. Can't ask for a better deal! With any luck, my new embossing folders will be waiting for me when we return from Pennsylvania on Friday. Interestingly, I had found All That Scraps by accident about three weeks ago, but then couldn't find the link again. So happy to have found them again.

So, now that Christmas is over I can starting thinking about some new color combos. I'm in the mood for Spring! Stampin' Up! sent all of their demonstrators a stamp set from the upcoming Spring Mini for a Christmas present (they are really good like that) and I came up with this card. It's OK for a first try. Of course, I love the paper from the Winter Mini and can't wait to see what they come up with for the Spring Mini. This uses Certainly Celery and Pale Plum cardstock, Close to Cocoa and Elegant Eggplant ink, along with the Polka Dots and Paisley stamp set and Enchante paper from the Winter Mini.

On the right, I experimented with another A2 embossing folder from Cuttlebug - the Happy Birthday folder. It's kind of nice not to have to add a greeting, and the embossing allows me to add some fun papers without overdoing it! I'll be playing aroun; Basic Grey paper (Romani); Marvy Giga Scalloped punch; Petal Pushers and Little Pieces stamp sets (Stampin' Up!); Pumpkin Pie and Real Red Classic ink pads (Stampin' Up!); ColorBox Lime Chalk Ink; ribbon from Michael's clearance section.

We'll be out of town most of the this week, so I probably won't post again until the weekend. Have fun at the after Christmas sales and with your families!! Merry Christmas!

2006-12-23T12:33:00.000-05:00

So - what do you think? I posted this card a few weeks ago on my blog, but that was before I started to promote it and I love this card so much I just wanted to share with all of you who have taken the time to subscribe! I appreciate each and every one of you who have shown the interest to subscribe and I will really try to update every day and publish something that might be of interest to you!

This card uses the Stampin' Up! set "Petal Pushers" - it's in the new catalog, but for some reason I never ordered it until recently. I love it! The papers are by Imaginisce - aren't they fun? I thought of this stamp set immediately when I first saw them. I may try using this same template with some different papers ... I'll post them later today or tomorrow and you can all let me know what you think! Hope that you are having a wonderful beginning to your Holiday Weekend. Merry, Merry Christmas, everyone!

2006-12-22T01:38:00.000-05:00

I'm in luv ... with Cuttlebug!

About three weeks ago, I ran across the blog Thinking Inking written by Debbie Olson. She is an incredible inspiration to me. I first saw her work on SplitcoastStampers and immediately fell in love with her elegant style. While perusing her blog, I saw a card she had done with an incredible embossed image. "No way," I thought. "Dry embossing is for the birds ... it hurts my hand." Then, I read further and learned that she had embossed it with a new machine called the Cuttlebug!

I fell in love immediately! What a fantastic machine - it die cuts, it embosses and the dies are actually cute AND affordable!!! And talk about fantastic embossing capabilities ... well don't take my word for it - look at this cool card! See that centerpiece? That was embossed in exactly 2 seconds with the Cuttlebug. I am sooo in love. The A2 embossing folders retail for $5.99 a piece and each will emboss a piece of cardstock that fits onto your standard card size. I am still playing with it and searching high and low for all available embossing folders. Look for more cool cards to come soon.

And speaking of more cards ... how 'bout that new set from Stampin' Up! "Big Pieces"? I flipped out over "Little Pieces" and now they came out with a companion set. It's sure to be a winner. Don't be afraid to mix your stamping with scrapbook paper and other little embellishments. It's those little touches that can really turn a plain card into something special!

Birthday Wishes Card
Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue Cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke Classic Pads (Stampin' Up!); Holiday Thyme Scrapbook Paper (Stampin' Up!); Cuttlebug Machine, Divine Swirls Embossing Folder; Marvy Giga Scallop Circle Punch; 1-3/8" Circle Punch; Big Pieces, Canvas Background and Sincere Salutations Stamp Sets (Stampin' Up!); Paper Piercing Tool; Blue Souffle Pen (Sakura); Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon (Stampin' Up!)

Smile Card
Ruby Red, Summer Sun Cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Basic Grey Color Me Silly Paper; Big Pieces, Petal Pushers Stamp Sets (Stampin' Up!); Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Cranberry Crisp (Stampin' Up!); 1-3/8" Circle Punch

2006-12-20T18:37:00.000-05:00

Well, here they are! The cards from the December Card Class at the Scrapbooking Society. I had a wonderful time creating these ... but one of these days I have to set up a place to take pictures instead of scans. This looks OK, but it 's not the best.

So the BIG NEWS!!! I have subcribed to Feed Blitz! On the top of the page here you will see "Subscribe to a little bit of style." Just enter your email and you will receive notifications when I post to my blog! How easy is that! No more checking out blogs to see if people had time to write. That way, you can learn new card and scrapbooking techniques during the week when you have the time. It's a great service, totally secure (no spam!) and very easy.

So what do you have to lose? Sign up!

2006-12-15T13:29:00.000-05:00

Well ... here I am on December 15th writing on my blog when I should be upstairs finishing the cleaning!! Tonight the is first night of Chanukah and the kids are so worked up I'm ready to tie them to their chairs!! We are having our first Chanukah party tomorrow night and I have to finish the cleaning for that, too. Whew!! I needed a break so I thought I'd come downstairs to check my email and ... well ... here I am!!

As I promised, here is another card I made for the holidays. It was part of my card class on Tuesday, which went very well. I love doing card classes ... card are just so much fun!

I may or may not be on for a while, but I'll be back on Monday ... all the craziness will be over for us, and will be just coming down the home stretch for you! Happy Holidays!

2006-12-12T14:25:00.000-05:00

OH I am so excited! Tonight is my Card Class at the Scrapbooking Society and I am lovin' the cards the I came up with this time month. We are spotlighting Scenic Route's Rockland papers and they are so festive ... this card shows a good variety of the papers and I used others for the other cards. If you are not a member of the Scrapbooking Society, what are you waiting for?? Jump over there and sign up. You won't be disappointed, I promise you!

So that's been my day - I spent the morning writing up instructions for the class, scanning the pics, trying to get my scanner to capture the right colors. Sometimes it can be so tough to get accurate colors! This coming year one of my goals is to upgrade my equipment - new printer, new scanner and especially new camera! I still have my sights set on the Nikon D50 ... just trying to save up the money. So if any of you need some cards designed, articles written, let me know!!! I am for hire!

Gotta to get out of my PJs now (hee, hee) - see ya'll later!!

2006-12-11T12:25:00.000-05:00

Sooooooo ... how was your weekend? Did you get your Christmas/Holiday shopping done? I am waiting on my next paycheck (pathetic, isn't it) which will be Wednesday, so I'll be off Wednesday a.m. to finish up before Friday.

Why Friday, you may ask? Because Friday is the first night of Chanukah!!

Ack! Only five shopping days left for me ... or rather, 13, because there are eight days and we usually exchange gifts the first night and the last. So I really have 13 days left to find the $%#!!#* Wii!!!!!!

Honest to G-d! Don't you think that if Nintendo planned the release for late November that they would FIGURE OUT that people might want to buy it for a Christmahanukwanzica present!!!!!????? James and I really wanted to have this as our family gift this year, along with some games, of course - you know, like the new Zelda game?

OK - I'm done for now - I'll keep looking and let you know if I find it!

So, as promised, here is another Holiday Card for your viewing pleasure. This really is a lot fun making many different cards ... some are stamped (like this one), some just use paper and embellishments, some use both. And for those of you on my Holiday list, you never know which one you'll get!! Hee, hee, hee ...

I'm off to work in the studio today -- I'm on a roll with one of my layouts and I've got lots of embroidering to do - OOOPPPS! Almost gave it away! I'll probably add to this post later, so check back!!!

2006-12-10T23:14:00.000-05:00

Well ... it's 11:14 p.m., so I do have another 45 minutes to post - LOL! It's been a cleaning day. I just couldn't take my craft area any more - zip-loc bags full of half-finished projects; cardstock laying around, hastily discarded after a color check didn't work; stamps, brads, metal embellishments, ribbons, ... a mess! So, I started this morning and am finally finished! To reward myself, I started working with this stamp set that I've had for 6 months and never played with! Oy! It's such a wonderfully whimsical set.

The paper is from Imaginisque (did I spell that right?). This is one of those paper lines that you buy because it's just incredibly gorgeous, get home and remember that you don't have any girls! So - into the card bin it goes. But I am lovin' it, nonetheless.

Law and Order SVU is on, and I plan on doing some sketches for a couple of layouts I want to do. Scrappy Chick deadlines are soon and I would love to be published by that e-zine. So I am working on a couple of their calls. AND finishing up my Holiday Cards! I am so pleased with the way they are coming out, I am going to post a different one each day ... my gift to you! Feel free to copy, CASE - whatever! It's just a blast going through my scraps and finding treasures that I had forgotten about ... and you get to see this week! See ya soon!

2006-12-09T13:21:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon and Shabbat Shalom! So what's a nice Jewish girl doing on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in December? Why making Christmas cards, of course! This year, I decided to use up all of my scraps and odds and ends to make my Holiday cards. Each will be based on one of four or five sketches, but each will be different. Here is one of my first attempts - I think I will get better as I go along.

Tonight is family night! My son, Michael, is obsessed with detective stories, so I gave him Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express to read, and tonight we are going to watch the movie. I think compared to his usual diet of video games and movies, it will be pretty tame action-wise, but wonderful mystery-wise. I so enjoy murder mysteries and crime drama. Who are your current favorite authors? I will always be an Agatha Christie fan, but I also love Deborah Crombie and Elisabeth George. They are wonderful writers and I am addicted to the Thomas Lyndly/Barbara Havers and Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novels. So wonderful! But for tonight, it's Agatha Christie, and then back to making more cards!

Hope your shopping is done and you are working on that cooking ... we are having a Chanukah party on Saturday the 16th, and we have tons of things to do to get ready. Tomorrow we are pulling out decorations and making what we need to create a festive atmosphere. I try to take pictures and post.

I must say that I have been surfing the net for blogs and have found some incredible places for inspiration! I've listed them all on my blog links, but you really, really need to check them all out ... up for something altered, check out Alter This. Want to see some simply gorgeous cards, check out Thinking Inking. Ready to join in on the Keeping up with the Jones' scrapbooking challenges, then you really need to check out their blog. I could go on, and on, and on, etc. So if you've got a spare 15-30 minutes, start checking them out. I guarantee that you won't go away uninspired!

Talk to ya'll later!

2006-12-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

Isn't this paper to die for???!!! If you haven't been to the Jenni Bowlin Studio, run - don't walk - to her site. She has a paper-crafting kit club that is so much fun and her kits are always full to the brim with wonderful stuff. This is her new paper line and it will be included in her December kit. I am sooooo there.

So .... how do you like it? Isn't this a fun blog design? Well ... I think it is. And for those that know me, isn't it just so me? I am such a changeling. I love to change my look with the season, and for some reason, this looks like it fits the season. I have been surfing the blogs lately and seen so many neat designs, that I just had to play around with mine ... speaking of blogs, I recently came across Debbie Olson's blog Thinking Inking. She is a wonderful, wonderful card artist! I am constantly inspired by her ideas and designs. You need to check her out.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

2006-12-07T11:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone!!! This is such a beautiful time of the year, no matter what your religious inclinations!! Festive music on the radio, lights everywhere, parties non-stop, gifts given and received. One of my favorite times.

Things are hopping at Scrap That Moment! WOW!!! What a beautiful gallery there is right now! Our December sponsor is Sakura. It is just amazing what their fabulous products can do - glaze pens, Souflee pens, markers. The possibilities are endless ... check out the Sponsor Gallery for great ideas for scrapbook layouts, cards, gift ideas and ornaments!

I'm a sucker for ornaments and cards - and there is a large assortment of ideas in the gallery this month. I am always amazed at the talent at STM! Our Design Team is such a wonderful mesh of styles. And someone is always being published in one publication or another - keep your eyes open this Spring; you will see a lot of STM names in some of the top scrapbooking and paper crafting publications around the globe!

Speaking of ornaments, the Scrapbooking Society is presenting the Twelve Ornaments of Christmas! Each day, beginning on December 1st, the Design Team posts a new ornament idea. These ideas range in difficulty from easy peasy (snowflake ornament) to more advanced (image transfer ornament). There is something for everyone!

And don't forget to check out the December Technique Gallery. This month it's all about velvet bling! Such a great way to ring in the season. Our paper line is from Scenic Route - their new Rockland collection. Let me tell you, it rocks!! Gorgeous texture to their double-sided cardstock ... see? I'm a big fan of Scenic Route and so happy that their new collections have some new designs.

Also - my monthly card class will be on December 12th at the Scrapbooking Society!! It is open to all members and is held in the Members Only forum ... what??? Not a member yet? You have got to check out this fantabulous kit club! Melynda always finds the latest and trendiest papers and techniques, usually months before they hit the general scrapbooking market. Want to be on the cutting edge? Come to the Scrapbooking Society!!

2006-11-10T21:24:00.000-05:00

Whew!! I have a moment, again! Thanks for all the wonderful comments on my last post ... you are all such wonderful people.

So there are many exciting new things out there - check out the Scrap That Moment November Sponsor Gallery. Our November sponser is Treehouse Memories and wow! Their papers were so delicious to work with. I mean, look at these cards!! Normal, everyday scrapbook papers that can turn into such incredible, easy Christmas cards!! Run, don't walk, to Scrap That Moment and pick up these gorgeous papers before they are gone!

And, the Scrapbooking Society is really burning up the runway with their November kit! Boutique Chic is featuring papers by Pink Martini Designs. Wow!!!!! I can't get enough of them. Gorgeous, rich colors that knock your socks off - see?

Did you know that I teach a monthly card class at the Scrapbooking Society? I teach all the members how to use up their scraps from the monthly kits. It is a free class for all members ... want a sneak peek of one of the cards for the November class?

Do you like it? I think it's cool. I can't wait for everyone to see the rest of the cards - I'm lovin' it!

So what does everyone have on their wish list for the Holidays? I want a new camera - thinking about a Nikon D70; just don't know if I can afford it. Where there's a will, there's a way ...

Oh well - off to work on my music for a while. I need a little break from the visual arts to recharge my battery.

Oh! That reminds me - Amy White, at the Scrapbooking Society, is leading a group through The Artist's Way. It's a wonderful journey through your psyche to find your untapped creative soul. It's really a wonderful book, and I had planned to play along, but some other things have gotten in the way. No punishing myself though; when I need this therapy, the time for it will be there. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!

2006-10-20T14:29:00.000-04:00

So, my friend Nancy, from STM, posted the above challenge on her blog that she received from a friend. Here is my response.

Without a doubt, I would want to spend a day with my grandmother, Helene.

I never knew my mother's parents (they both were gone before I was born), but my father's parents were with us until I was through with college. I was a selfish teenager. There are lots of reasons, but the fact remains that I really didn't care about anyone else but myself. I went to college in the town where my grandparents lived - you would think that I would take the opportunity to visit them. Nope. Rarely. It's something I regret every single day.

My grandmother was an amazing woman. I realize that now after being a mother myself and reading about the women of her generation. In a time when women kept to their place, she was never afraid to speak her mind. She ran their house, was always up to date on the news of the day, and was never afraid to give her family advice, whether it was requested or not.

If I had a whole day with her again, I would spend it on a beautiful summer day - on a Friday. We would start in the park with my kids. She died before I met my husband, so she never had a chance to see her great-grandchildren, but she would have been the most loving great-grandparent they could have asked for. I remember her telling me once, "If you're not married by the time you are 20, you are an old maid." LOL!! I married at 28 - sorry, Grandma!

We would play at the park, then go to the pool (she loved swimming) and we would have so much fun playing with the kids. We would talk about her past (I know so little), about how she played the piano and loved opera, how she learned to cook from her mother, about their life in Europe before the war. And then we would go to my home and I would show her all my scrapbook pages and photos, and she would comment about how the kids look like me or my father.

And then ... the best part of all ... she would teach me how to make a delicious Sabbath dinner, and then we would go to Temple and she would sit in the congregation and listen to me lead the Shabbat service. My grandmother died before I decided to become a Cantor. She would be so proud - not because I am special or better or anything like that; but because our faith is continuing and being passed to the next generation.

Then we would return home and sit and talk and talk and talk ... and then I would have to say goodbye and that would be the hardest part. But I would always have that day to treasure forever and ever.

I miss you, Grandma.

2006-10-18T17:35:00.000-04:00

Another busy day in the life of Diva Mom! And emphasis was on Mom! Let me tell you how I spent my day:

Morning spent looking for leaves for my son's project;.
Then off to try to find Elsie Flannigan's new book - NO LUCK!!! Can you believe it? Finally ordered it from Creating Keepsakes. It can't get here fast enough!
Then home to make chicken soup for dinner.
Then discovered that Rhonna Farrer is taking down her blog - that just stinks!
Gave a great deal of thought to Elsie's idea of a style journal.
Took my son to Hebrew School
Did laundry
Now sitting here thinking about what I want to scrapbook!

Hope that tomorrow is more of a scrapping day; but you need to have those Mom days in order to have creative days.

Oh!! Fun new game on STM! List five things about yourself (one being false) and see who can guess which one is wrong! Then, it's their turn. Love it!

2006-10-17T23:10:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe that I haven't blogged in so long! I've been busy, busy, busy ... first finishing up all the Fall Holidays at Temple, then getting all my Design Originals work into Scrap That Moment, and the preparing a Card Class for The Scrapbooking Society. I've been a creating fiend.

But I'm stepping back from creativity for a moment to tell you about something that made me stop and think on Sunday.

Our synagogue, Wise Temple, always holds a big Community Project Day which we have dubbed the Tikkun-Olam-Athon. Tikkun Olam is hebrew for "Repairing of the World" which is what Reform Jews believe is our purpose on earth. To help repair the world, one good deed at a time. On Sunday, I headed up a project at Tender Mercies, a Homeless Shelter for the homeless who are afflicted with some kind of mental illness. The plan was to hold a Karaoke Party for this particular shelter.

Now to be honest, I thought the project was crazy. I mean, come on!!! A Karaoke Party for a homeless shelter? With all the problems these poor souls have, would they really want to sing Karaoke? Nonetheless, our group set off for the shelter, Karaoke CDs in hand and prepared to entertain.

As we began our party, a small group of people sat around the tables, sad, apparently uninterested, some antagonistic. And then, as the music continued, one then another of the people began to request to perform. Personalities emerged, barriers began to melt and souls began to be touched. My personal moment of enlightenment came when an apparently shy woman was nudged up by her friends to sing a song. As I watched her sing, I began to see her shyness disappear. Her eyes closed, she all but forgot where she was as her voice and soul merged as one in a beautiful sound. After the song, she retreated back into her shell, but it was a little less rigid. By the end of the two hours, she was singing again and dancing and cheering for her friends.

I have always heard that music unlocks the soul. I have often experienced it myself while singing or performing; but rarely have I watched in a such a profound exhibition of that truth.

2006-09-27T14:27:00.000-04:00

Today's Blog Challenge at Scrap That Moment: Let's do a little getting to know you - So are you an early bird or a night owl? Inquiring minds want to know.....

Hoooo boy that's an easy one - I am most definitely a night owl! For the longest time, I was the early bird. I would go to bed by 10:00 (at the latest) and get up early the next morning. Even when I had a late night rehearsal (during my professional singing days), I would get up early the next day.

And then .... I had kids!! My evening doesn't even start until 9:00 (on a good night)!! I have so much to do!

And then ... oh boy ... I started scrapbooking. Oh boy! That was it - sleep? What's that? I just love staying up until 2:00 a.m. It seems that I am the most creative after 10:00 p.m. I just know that when midnight hits, inspiration hits as well. Talk about the witching hour.

Well - that's my confession. I am a night owl!

2006-09-20T23:11:00.000-04:00

Whew!!! What a day - this is the first opportunity I've had to get online and I'm usually online most of the day. Talk about withdrawal!!!!

So much going on!

First!!! Run, do not walk, to check out The Survivor Challenge at the Scrapbooking Society!! We are looking for a new Design Team Member and we are having a contest to see who can be the last survivor standing! Two teams have started running and the gallery is just filling up fast - check it out!

Second!! I am still on cloud 399,999,999 ... etc, about making the DT at Scrap That Moment. If you haven't visit, please come on over and see what's happening. And, check out my new slide - these were my winning entries for the contest.

Want a sneak peek of all the winners??

Tomorrow I'm going to be doing laundry - ugh! My dryer is still broken and I won't be getting a new one until the first week of October, so it's off to the laundromat. Talk about blast from the past - LOL! Until all my clothes are done, take care everyone!!

2006-09-20T00:15:00.000-04:00

Well - I had to take a couple of days off. Just crazy busy here! Between kids, creating and work, I've been just overwhelmed.

The BIG news of the day - I MADE THE SCRAP THAT MOMENT DESIGN TEAM!!!! I cannot tell you how blown away I was to learn I made the team. You could have knocked me over with a feather! It's not that I don't think I'm talented, it's just that there was so much talent shown in that contest that I didn't think I had a chance. WRONG! I'm excited, honored, scared and thrilled all at the same time.

Keep your eyes posted here, friends. I'll be posting and linking so many wondeful creations over the next few weeks. And, come and visit me please at both of my sites!! I love visitors!!

2006-09-14T23:43:00.000-04:00

Well ... today was day four in the DT Contest at STM! What a fun day - at the gallery! You really should go check it out!

Other than that, it was a pretty down day for me. It's amazing how resentment that builds against your husband can just spread like a cancer until it's all-consuming. And then, the only way to get it out is venom at your kids, those you love and, ultimately, at your dear husband. I guess that's why they call it the bonds of matrimony. If it weren't for those bonds, days like today would ruin us. I'm so sorry, honey. I just had a horrible day and took it out on you. I do love you.

2006-09-13T22:20:00.000-04:00

Today I am so very tired! I missed yesterday, but it's because I've been working so hard on my Design Team Submissions at Scrap That Moment. I have entered the contest to be considered for their Design Team. Terribly impertenant of me, I know, but I just had to try! I've loved that site ever since I stumbled upon it two years ago. I thought it had gone off the internet, and I was so glad to stumble on it again a month ago! The contest is a lot of fun. We have five challenges:

Day One: Layout Showcasing Handwriting/Doodling
Day Two: Layout Showcasing Photography
Day Three: Layout Showcasing Stamping

Check out my entries!!

So - today's Blog Challenge (from that same STM) was in honor of yesterday's layout showcasing your photography; i.e., tell about your camera! I own a Konica Minolta Dimage Z2, which I purchased as it was going on close-out for an obscene price. It is one of those in-between cameras - not an SLR, but not a Point & Shoot, either. I must say that I love it! It has manual controls, takes pictures in color, B&W and Sepia tones, has continuous and progressive shot features, has a 10X Optical Zoom and some other wonderful features. After the first year of learning how to use it (LOL!), I can't imagine taking pictures with a point & shoot again. It has served me well these past two years.

BUT!!!!!! The camera I would love to own is the Canon Rebel XT. I am hoping that it will appear magically for me in December, but if not, I am saving for it. I have advanced to the point that I want more control over my photos. So that is my camera wish for now.

At this point in the evening, I am usually well on my way to creating another layout, card or project, but tonight I am simply exhausted! The past two weeks have just worn me out! I still have to finish preparing for the Survivor Competition at the Scrapbooking Society. I am on the Design Team at this fantastic techique-based scrapbooking kit club, and I love it there. Why, you may ask, am I looking for another design team? Well - I want more inspiration and challenge!! Besides, STM is not a kit club and there would be other demands and expectations that would challenge and stretch me. And - I'm a glutton for overwork!!

Anyway, I am in charge of the Survivor Competition and I have to plan out and make all eight challenges! I participated in it last year, and I was (ahem) the winner! Anyone who knows me knows that the best way to get Deborrah off her butt is to give her a competitive challenge!!

So - I'm off to finish my projects. I will post links to them here as we go along and you can play along with me! Good night!

2006-09-11T14:32:00.000-04:00

September 11, 2006 ... do you still remember what you were doing five years ago today? I was driving my son to pre-school when my cell phone rang and my husband said, "Turn on the news, now." It was 9:05 a.m. At first, I thought he was joking - it quickly became apparent that he wasn't.

I remember ...

Dropping my son off at school
Going to the gym
Standing on the treadmill and watching four different televisions, each with a different news station.
Watching Tower II fall
Hearing one of the news announcers (was it Peter Jennings?) saying, "Oh my God."
Wanting to go back and pick up my son that minute.
Calling my husband, who worked in downtown Chicago and begging him to come home.
Talking to my sister who lived in D.C. and worked for US Customs and crying with joy when she answered the phone.
Sitting in front of the television at home in total shock.

And especially ... sitting outside later that afternoon and hearing absolutely nothing flying through the sky. That, for me, was the defining moment. We lived in the Chicago at the time and there was ALWAYS an airplace flying somewhere. That afternoon - there was nothing.

As we all sit at our computers today, living our lives, working at our desks, eating breakfast, lunch or dinner, let us remember that regardless of how we feel today about the state of our country, let us give thanks that this is OUR country.

God Bless America!

For all things there is a beginning ...

2006-09-10T18:50:00.000-04:00

... and this is mine. I never thought I would start or have a blog. I mean - this is like a daily journal and I have trouble paying bills, let alone make entries in a blog!! Yet, here I am.

This started after I kept seeing Blog Challenges at one of my favorite scrapbook sites - Scrap That Moment. So finally, I took the plunge and asked how one created a blog and here I am. This blog is a direct result of my passion for ... or rather addiction to ... scrapbooking! I discovered this passion about three years ago after moving here from Illinois. Prior to this creative life, I was a professional singer and got my "creative" fix by singing. Whether opera, musical theater or choral music, I sang it, I created and I was happy.

When I retired from professional singing to pursue my ambitions as a Cantor, I found that I became restless. I needed to be doing something creative. And I found stamping, and then scrapbooking. Now I am a happy visual artist - who would've thought???