Creative Thursday ~ These are a few of our favorite things!

I just wanted to use this space to urge you scrapbookers, home goods makers and other crafty people to stop by True XoXo Scrapbooking every day this month! This month's theme stemmed from the girls wanting to show their off-the-page projects. We also had a 'December, Baby!' project due mid-month. So we combined both of these and then I wanted to showcase these super talented gals. So each girl is getting a day... or two... or maybe even three! Here are the links that are up for the first eight days. Go take a look at each and then go visit their blogs for more information on each. It's so much fun, you may get some holiday gift ideas, and you never know if you may encounter an opportunity to win a prize! Have fun, Merry Christmas!

Deb’s project #1

Alaina’s project #2

Miae’s project #3

Kimmy’s project #4

Khristen’s project #5

Michelle’s project #6

Jaclyn’s project #7

Tess's project #8

Creative Thursday ~ If It's Groovy, and it's day 1, grade 4!

So the challenge for the team was to design our own paper.

I wanted to run for the hills. and I did.

But when I came back, I put stash to paper and here's what happened. I'm still unsure about it, I'm not sure it's groovy, but the techniques may intrigue someone out there...

Day 1 * Grade 4 by Lindsey Krauss. Supplies: Paper: Making Memories, Brads: Making Memories, ZvaCreative.com, Snaps: Making Memories, Ribbon: Jenni Bowlin, Scenic Route Paper Co., Letters: Making Memories, Marker: Sharpie, Chalk: Inkadinkado, Ink: StazOn by Tsukineko, Template: Creative Memories, Other: star buttons, paper flower, latches.

Design your own paper! Last time I tried this technique, I scanned my favorite bag, printed it out 8"-1/2x11", and used its pattern as background paper - it was a huge success! This time, I tried a few different methods. First, I extracted color from my son's shorts and designed my own plaid paper in PhotoShop. It was just a matter of creating lines in different widths and colors and layering and relayering until I got the plaid effect I liked. I printed it, cut it, inked it and pasted it. The second method I used was to trace and edge of a Creative Memories Storyline Guideline template and ran brads, buttons and snaps along the traced line. This creates a pattern, some color, and a frame for otherwise plain cardstock. The third and last thing I did was a little light doodling. I didn't go too crazy because the page called for clean lines and subtle movement, so I drew stitching and chalked the corners. The possibilities and combinations for creating your own paper are endless, go for it!

http://ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com/2012/12/design-your-own-paper-lindsey.html

Tuesday Special ~ go Google!

Here's how this happened:

1. I can't stop watching Catfish on MTV. I'm on the last posted episode. It's a documentary-style show where Nev & co. helps people in online relationships meet their suitors. It's a wild ride - you never know what's at the end of the show!

2. Nev uses Google images or pictures or something similar to search pictures. He plops and drops. So I just noticed on Google images the little camera icon in the search box. I started copying and pasting my profile pics' urls into the search to see what came up. (Remember that app where your pic can be matched up with a similar-looking celeb? That's what I was going for.) :) haha. A little Friday night fun, lol.

3. I searched one of the pics I use for scrapbooking and came up with this post - I just found out I won a contest from a month ago! Haha, fun! I wasn't sure about this layout, either, so this was a fun surprise.

4. At Paper Secrets!
Link to their post: http://www.papersecrets.net/2012/11/and-winner-is.html
Link to mine: http://lindseysscraps.blogspot.com/2012/11/tuesday-special-if-its-groovy.html

Thanks, Paper Secrets!

Creative Thursday ~ Izzy!

I figure this will be one polarizing layout. You're either going to love it or hate it! It certainly looks like pink puked on my page (aw, amazing alliteration at its awesomest). Okay, whatever.

But this truly is almost exactly how I envisioned this page. See, when I snapped this picture, McKenna, who was dressed like Izzy from Jake and the Neverland Pirates for Halloween, was throwing pixie dust (glitter) into the air and was watching it fall (all this is in hidden journaling on the back). So that's pretty much how I imagined this page from the onset: as much pink as I could get on the page!

Since we ran a "stash" challenge at XoXo, it was a pretty easy choice what to do. Hey - there's no mist and no Stickles on this one it could have been worse busier!

Izzy! by Lindsey Krauss. Supplies: oh yeah right! give me 24 hours or so - there's a lot to record!

So go check out XoXo's new mid-month challenge! Use your stash, it's all I've got! I figured out the last time I bought any supplies was a year ago; I bought some cheap letters at Hobby Lobby the same day I bought an awesome teal glass pumpkin for my living room. I love the pumpkin, I don't even know where the lame letters are. Before that, I can't even remember the last time I bought supplies. It's amazing that I can fit all this stuff on one layout when I haven't bought much in years. yep. I bet we all have too much stuff!

Help! Who's page is this?

No, it's not a game! I need your help!

When Twiddleybitz discontinued its U.S. design team, I asked for my projects back. Instead of my layout, they sent me this adorable little girl. The only info I have is on the back it says "S. Klug" or "S. Kluz". She could literally be anywhere in the world - U.S., Australia, or anywhere. I'm still hoping one day I'll get my own layout back,  but for now we'll start by trying to get this page back to her. Can you help?

Tuesday Special ~ Paper Secrets & If It's Groovy!

Sometimes I just want a little extra space to fit in some thoughts or scrapbook pages, so I'm adding Tuesday Special to the lineup. Anything goes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Paper Secrets~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just completed this layout Sunday and wanted to share. I wasn't liking it much at first, but it's growing on me, despite its many imperfections. Thanks to my husband for snapping these pics as I was busy having a blast while coaching a bunch of amazing little kids!

This is the November 1 sketch from Paper Secrets that made these pics come to life. Thought the banner-style was pretty perfect for some sports pics. 

Team Red Bulls by Lindsey Krauss. Supplies: Paper: CherryArte, Sweetwater, Junkitz, Cardstock: Making Memories, Bling: Heidi Swapp, Sticker: Scrappin' Sports & More, Marker: Sharpie, Bic.

*No, I'm not kidding about CherryArte and Junkitz - I told you I haven't bought supplies in a while! Really working the stash now!*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SoS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm delighted to accept a design team position on the If It's Groovy blog! I jumped right in and joined their challenge to create a hand-cut title - I don't do this nearly enough anymore!

Have fonts - Will use. 

So I chose one of my fav pics of the fall and went from there. Here's a little how-to (how I did it - ) in pics:

Step one: I chose a good bubbly font and resized it to fit in the space I had planned. I printed in black, but could have printed in brown.

Step two: I printed out a leafy picture which would become the title, making sure it was large enough to cut the font-title out of it. 

Step three: staple the font onto the picture. Staple in the white space, in the space that will not become the title) good ol' preschool teacher trick!)

Step four: Cut another title (title mat), leaving about an 1/8'' around the font. Place the cut title onto the font (it easily relieves any little imperfections in my cutting). :)

Step five: Make sure it fits. It fits! Distress, embellish as you wish!

Jump! by Lindsey Krauss. Supplies: Paper: Bella Blvd., Xerox, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Sticker: Bella Blvd., Pearls: Kaiser Crafts, Mist: Tattered Angels (Tsukineko), Paint: Making Memories,  Other: leaf vellum, brown ribbons, heart button, raffia. Font: Brody.

Design note: To create this hand-cut title, I printed out a picture with leaves large enough to fit in the space I planned on my page. I then found a nice, bubble font and printed that out a few times in black on another sheet of paper. I stapled the font to the leafy picture in its white space and cut the title with a craft blade. I simply cut around the black font, about 1/8" out. I laid the picture-title on the white paper-title (I like the ink behind the title because it covers some little fussy-cutting imperfections.) Although as you can see, I think imperfect layouts are pretty perfect, too (RUSTIC, we call it!) :)

Musical Mondays ~ God Bless the U.S.A.

Respecting and Honoring our veterans today - including one very special one.

Thank you for making it possible for me to sing this song. :)

Scripture Sunday ~ Romans

Well, this one is easy. It's hit me exactly four separate times this week.

See, I have a really bad memory. I have to work very hard to commit anything to memory. Sometimes God intervenes and does it for me.

1. I search for scripture to send along with the initial emails to go out to prayer warriors for the Nicaragua missions trip that just began its way yesterday (Mom's on it). I Google "start" and narrow down the results to use Romans 8:28.

2. I'm doing my Bible study (Daniel) and one of the references - you guessed it - Romans 8:28.

3. I bring up last week's plans for Graceland (children's ministry in our church) and the verse I had written down for our tech guy who runs songs and videos for us was - yep - Romans 8:28.

4. Well, I know there was a 4th, I just can't remember it right now. See? Worst memory ever. But I'm working on that...

...and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Creative Thursday ~ Groovy, Stash, Timeline, and XoXo

I look busy, but this is the work of the last few weeks, and lots of extra time off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SoS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next, I somehow got a sweet bunny layout (no, really) done during #Sandy. The kids, dogs and I were bunkered down in the smallest room of the house when the storm really hit. It was scary for a while, but we fared really well. Lost a playground, lost a car window, lost some pieces off the roof, lost phone/internet/cable for a few days, but we are alive and healthy. My heart goes out to NY/NJ and if you can donate - anything from prayers to supplies to cash - please do!

So I was hanging out at Scrap Our Stash, and saw this "pagerize" challenge - basically a scraplift or inspiration challenge - but a fun word! I loved Wendy's 3-photo layout with the design at the bottom, so I took that to a page of my own. I added a little layering, a few critters, and sprayed away!

Her layout, My layout.

Little Baby Bunny Rabbit by Lindsey Krauss. Supplies: Paper: Crate Paper, Flocked Lace: We R Memory Keepers, Sticker letters: Adornit, Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels ((Tsukineko), Template: TheCraftersWorkshop.com, Marker: Sharpie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~xoxo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Onto True XoXo scrapbooking! I challenged the girls to be inspired by Timeline or Facebook and I even made a sketch for them. (girls = such troopers!) They didn't hate me and no one left the team running...) lol!

Here we go - my take, the sketch and a link to the blog. Be inpired by us, scraplift one of us, and have a chance to be a guest team designer - try it out! 

Cutie by Lindsey Krauss. Supplies: I'll get back to ya on this!

I didn't use the sketch :P I was "inspired" by it - and timeline. 
I forget how I was inspired, exactly, (lol) but this did come from looking at
my profile page. The four squares came from both!

Facebook/Timeline -inspired sketch. Tear it apart, use half,
use all, turn into two pages, whatever! Have fun!

Now, go play! Can't wait to see what you create!
https://truexoxoscrapbooking.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/challenge-35-timeline/

Musical Mondays ~ On the Pontoon

My current favorite song.
Our 2012 super summer song.
My ringtone at the moment.
6yo Daughter knows every word!
#JustForFun

On the Pontoon by Little Big Town

Creative Thursday ~ Boo, or not!

Okay, so the real backstory to this blogpost. I hate Halloween. Loathe It. I strongly dislike the gory, spooky, gross stuff that comes of it. I don't have a problem with it, I just don't enjoy that part of it.

Now, as a disclaimer, we do get good out of it. We get a sense of community, we get to see old friends, we get to be creative with our costumes, and hey, we're allowed to talk to strangers! (joke, folks.)

So, with that said, I find first-day-of-school pics and Halloween pics are my two worst picture-taking seasons. I'm not sure if it's just the anticipation of the once a year, so I'm always dissatisfied with the photos, or if it's light or time of day, who knows. But I always hate my Halloween photos. Therefore (yes, I said 'therefore'), I usually hate my Halloween layouts.

So I challenged the XoXo girls to deliver Halloween layouts without the normal Halloween stuff. They fought it mostly by not being able to use black, but they once again outdid themselves. These girls work so hard every month, climbing out of the box, swaying completely out of their comfort zone. Please support them by checking in at the blog, and maybe even creating a project based on their projects (scraplift)?

True XoXo Scrapbooking Blog
be inspired.

If you know my daughter, you know that she is anything BUT girlie and has never played dress-up in dresses in her life! So we were shocked when she chose the Tangled dress, complete with wig! So you know I had to take the layout to girlie extremes, and go all pink and purple on her. I found some old Elsie and remember those ancient Making Memory stickers? They were all perfect for this temporary fairy tale. :) This was not my intended design; I had a whole other design laid out and somewhat taped down! The pumpkin idea trumped the old design, so the pumpkin here is a little rugged. I added pink ribbons and purple vines to make a virtual pumpkin for my little Rapunzel.

Scripture Sundays ~ Revelation

“Amen!
Praise
and
glory
and
wisdom
and
thanks
and
honor
and
power
and
strength
be to our God
for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Creative Thursday -er- Monday!

Got a rare day and a half off and used some of it to scrap. I began with a sketch from My Creative Sketches, continued with the October challenge from Scrap Our Stash, and ended up with this:

I haven't done a flower layout in a while and apparently I was inspired by circles... I've had yellow + brown on my mind for a while, so it ended up a perfect fit for SoS Hot Chocolate. I guess this is just a fun way to relieve all of my current scrapbooking craves. :)


Supplies: Paper: Pink Paislee, Crate Paper, Flowers: Prima Marketing, Bazzil Basics, Rhinestones: Studio 18, Jeannie's, Imaginisce, (other), Bows:  Letters: Making Memories, Marker: Sharpie, Other: Ribbon.
Journaling: 9.5.12 McKenna, you slept for half an hour on the chair in the kitchen on the first day of 1st grade. Daddy even tried to give you $1 for the snack bar! Eventually, you woke up & were very excited!



My Creative Sketches Sept. 2012 Sketch

Scrap Our Stash Oct. 2012 HOT CHOCOLATE challenge:

Creative Thursday ~ Coney Memories

Just needed some time to myself and a creative outlet so I stumbled upon a challenge - a 4-in-1 - right up my alley.






Started with a sketch from Granddiva's Creative Corner

which led to the Sept. and bonus challenges at Rochelle Spears's

• 3 patterned papers
• stamped image OR masking
• glitter

and then to Kristi B's technique challenge
Paint, ink or mist your chipboard alphas then add a pattern with your stamps.

and finally landed on the 3 of 5 color combo challenge at Scrappin'n'Happy

...and here is my final result. It was nowhere where I began, but I like where it ended! 

I guess I missed the part where they told us we only had to do 2 of the 4 challenges, but I managed them all in!
1. sketch (I chose a series of pics from Cony Island for the sketch, but I adore this photo and needed a close up, so I blew it up and decided on no other pics on this page. I think it now requires a page two.)
2. 3 patterned papers (tough to 4 squeeze in there!), stamped image on the chipboard, glitter (flower center)
3. technique (Sharpie-d, inked, sprayed and stamped white on chipboard)
4. color challenge (it was close, but I see yellow, brown and gray-white).

Can't tell you how good it feels to use some old GinX flowers I've had for, oh, ten years or so?! Go Old scrappin'!

Supplies: Cardstock: Making Memories, Paper: Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye, Chipboard: , Ink: Ink It Up, Marker: Sharpie, Flowers: Prima Marketing, Imagination Project, Eyelets: Making Memories, Other: ribbon. Font: 2Peas Tattered Lace.

Musical Mondays ~ Nostalgia in Rainbows

Back to Blogging...
Nah, I didn't have much time to blog over the summer. or clean my house. or remain organized. but family time is so much more precious, isn't it? No regrets, here!

I guess I'm feeling a bit blessed today. :)

As school is back in session in two days, we say farewell to summer. Nostalgia strikes like a hot iron and I find refuge in sweet songs like this.

Enjoy!

Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

I know it's on Finding Forrester, but does anyone remember the heartbreaking episode of e.r.?

p.s. What a Wonderful World is one of my absolute favorite songs ever - especially a Christmas version of Sleep Well, Little Children/What a Wonderful World by Kristin Chenoweth.

2 Corinthians 9:15

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

and gifts!

Wednesdays Weigh-in - August update

Might as well jump right back in. All I can do is tell you where I am today. As of today, I'm about 3-4 pounds up from the 15 pound weight-loss. I'm pretty happy with that considering I got through the end of school, VBS and vacation and am still under that one huge milestone at the end of it. What that means is basically that I've figure out how to maintain. I will be able to have sweets and desserts and the carbs I so craved while well-regimented once I hit a target weight.

I'm still thinking I'm 20 pounds away from where I want to be, but I'm well aware I'm stuck in the Tomorrow Syndrome. (I'll start back tomorrow!) Tomorrow never actually comes, it just turns into today. So I'm just waiting for willpower to kick back in and have no plans for an actual start date.

Maybe I never wrapped up the bloodwork and heart monitor. I had the bloodwork done 6 weeks after I went to the doctor. They didn't order new cholesterol numbers so I pretty much had four full days of temper tantrums. I was so looking forward to those 6-week results. However, the liver enzymes came way down, I mean, WAY down and my doc is well pleased.

The monitor came off a month later with only two small episodes. No big crazy ones that drove me to the doctor in the first place, go figure. All I have to show for that funness is a $1,300 bill that insurance won't cover. Even the heart monitor company sent a personal letter to me stating how they think it's unfair. Who knew that after carefully choosing a primary doctor, a cardiologist, a lab, and a hospital, that a heart monitor company could be in- or out-of-network? We've appealed twice, but it doesn't look good. The hospital advocate is supposed to be on it, but I haven't heard from her in over a week. And no, we don't have $1,300 over our budget in the bank...

"If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done." - Ecclesiastes 11:4 NLT
(Second hand paraphrase)

Yeah, I know.

Musical Mondays ~

Hey! Happy summer, everyone! I know I have a lot to catch up on, and I promise I will do so over the next few weeks; but for now, it's good to be home and enjoying summer!


Wanted to clue you into a song that has struck me hard the past few months - got me thru end of school, June planning and July SummerQuest VBS. It's a song that plays and makes me want to just turn it up LOUD, take a knee, and block the rest of the world out. As the matter of fact, I have done just that!

Enjoy: How He Loves (Us) sung by David Crowder

Friday Update

I'm not promising that I'm going to jump back in to regular blogging; it's Spring and there is so much more to do! But I thought, on a nice, long, four-day weekend, I'd at least update those of you who are following my heart journey this year.

new {smaller!} clothes from the MOPs Swap
hanging on the line in Spring!

a) I haven't exactly fallen off the wagon, but I haven't been working on weight loss for the last few weeks. Once I took my blood test, I allowed myself some freedom, although I've noticed that my lifestyle is probably permanently changed {for the better}. I'm eating Cheerios and/or oatmeal every single day, watching all the other stuff I should and shouldn't have, cholesterol-wise.

b) I'm holding steady at around 15 pounds weight loss. At least I know that I can maintain! I still intend to drop 15 more!

c) When they took blood the last time, they didn't test cholesterol. I had about a week-long, arms-crossed, foot-stomping temper tantrum.

Like a child. 

                                                                                                         I really, really, really wanted my 6-week cholesterol numbers and I didn't realize how much until, well, I didn't have them. Perhaps the most frustrating was that doc even thought they were getting new cholesterol #s. So we'll retake in July. By then, with all this oatmeal, Cheerios & almonds, I'm thinking the numbers will be somewhere near zero? :)

d) Right now we are successfully juggling five sports. I used to laugh at those moms that have their kids scheduled every minute of every afternoon. Well, now that's us. It's just that the kids love to do so much, especially during the spring. Matthew tried flag football this spring and is loving every minute. He's signed up for tackle starting this summer! He's having a really, really great baseball year - not only do we have a wonderful team and great coaches, but he's personally shown so much growth this year that I'm actually looking forward to his step up to minors next year. He's also back swimming and is frequently used as the example student for the regular back stroke!

McKenna is playing "big girl" softball. Her first game was fabulous. But then she noticed the dirt. and butterflies. and dandelions. She plays great, it's just the wait time that doesn't go so well! Oh, and she is the stinkin' cutest one on the field, if I do say so myself! She's also back at gymnastics - we've switched back to my home gym (same coach) and she's having a ball with it. We're happy to be "home". Lastly, she is also swimming two times a week, holding her own with some much bigger kids in her level! Oh, and she's about to graduate Kindergarten. Fun times.

e) Me? Busy as always - and more. I've been subbing a lot, everywhere from 1st grade to high school kitchen; fitting life in around work. I graduated MOPs last week. Bible study finished for the year - without me. I love this time of year, all the transitions and the promise of summer right around the corner.

We're on our Memorial Day 4-day weekend and are so thankful for the break. The kids are catching up on tv and wii and just some hangin' out! Perhaps a game or two, but rain this week has knocked out just about everything outside. Picnic Sunday will add a nice touch. Less than a month to go before school is out - summer's almost here!

If you're a pray-er, the SummerQuest snowball has begun to roll. Once it starts, it doesn't stop until mid-July! We appreciate all of your prayers for volunteers, 500 kids, staff, and the everything it takes for the program to remain as successful as it is! Also up soon are the Women's Conference and the Car Show! Check it out! http://www.graceoc.com/

Thanks for following along with me. I appreciate the support. Love to all!

Numbers 6:24-26
"The LORD bless you and keep you;the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." 

Creative Thursday ~ me @ 35

Well, I missed another Thursday, so I'm just posting as I just finished this page.
Soooo far out of my comfort zone: rainbows, all-about-me AND splatters! all inspired by The Nook...

Realized, after a convo at The Nook, that I haven't done tutorials - at all or in a very long while. So today I have two How-To's - or How I Do's! The first is adding a color overlay, the second is making a rainbow overlay. I hope to work on the page How-To over the next few days.


Color overlay 101


Step 1

Choose & edit your pic to black and white (either by a filter or by Image>Mode>Grayscale in PS CS2).

Step 2
Merge layers if applicable; Add a new layer on top of your photo (in PS CS2, Ctrl/Shirt/N).

Step 3
You may have to put your canvas back into RGB Color.

Step 4
Select a foreground color - start with a bright color, you can always adjust it later.

Step 5
Use your paint bucket tool to completely fill in the top empty layer.

Step 6
Adjust the Opacity to obtain your desired effect. I chose an opacity from 30% - 50%.

Step 7
Repeat steps 5 & 6 with different colors. You can create new layers (and turn lower layers invisible) or open new windows.

(flash forward ahead to creating steps 5 & 6 with all desired colors):

Step 8
To prepare a document to print, create a new window the size of your printer (mine doesn't print 1/4 in on all sides so I open a doc 8"x10.5").
Add in bottom layer and one of the colored layers. Merge color and photo layer.

It may look something like this:

 Last step
Print, cut and enjoy!


Rainbow Overlay 101


Step 1
(Please disregard the previous layers with other colors - they are turned 'off', or are invisible, as you can see, and have no baring on the following tutorial.)
Copy and paste original/black and white into a new layer.
Select the Gradient Tool (often close to your Paint Bucket Tool).

Step 2
Select the rainbow (or desired effect).

Step 3
"Draw" a diagonal line through photo - drawing in different directions and angles will effect the gradient in the next step.

You should see something similar to this:

Step 4
Just like in the Color Overlay tutorial, adjust the Opacity of the gradient layer.

...and voila! Rainbow You!