Want to win The Original Scrap Box? Check out this link:

http://www.themommy-files.com/2009/09/the-original-scrap-box-scrapbooking-giveaway/

I haven't forgotten......

.....about blogging! I do have an article or 2 to post, and I am starting school this week. Please bear with me as I get re-organized and into a new routine. I will also have some LO's to share this week as well!

Happy Monday :)

Scrapfit - a way to stay in shape with your LOs

I just discovered a new blog and wanted to share with everyone. It's Scrapfit and it's a great way to stay in shape with your scrappin'! The blog posts challenges 2 times per month and they have awesome prize packs!



Here's my version of Workout #1:
The challenge was to use water & ink on your layout. The photo is me in Eleuthra, Bahamas during our honeymoon. I'm standing on a rock cliff above the bay. I'm not sure if you can really tell in this photo, but I've inked the edges of the pages. From a sustainability standpoint, I re-used some scraps of paper for my journaling, and re-used scraps of paper for my palm tree.

This challenge is due on the 14th, but stay tuned for their 2nd challenge for the month of August!

A 'green' cleaner for your rubber stamps!

Here's another great article I found. This is the first 'green' cleaner for die cuts and rubber stamps. Yeah!

www.sbwire.com/news/view/29407

Great idea!

Great mini article on Going Green with Scrapbooking

I stumbled across this article and wanted to share it with everyone. I found it at Examiner.com and it's written by Denise Bertacchi. I thought it was super and I love the arms hugging the tree!

Go green with your scrapbooking

Mykl Roventine

It seems that "going green" is all the rage with other parts of our lives...but can you really go green with a paper intensive hobby like scrapbooking?

Sure you can.

Recycle. Not the big green can in your garage, but recycle the scraps of paper from other projects. Save all the used bits of paper left over from today's layout to use again tomorrow. Don't throw out any paper that's big enough to use as a photo mat or journaling box.

Reuse. Turn scraps and leftovers from other parts of your life into scrapbooking material. Why buy buttons when you can reuse REAL buttons from an old shirt? Use interesting art from junk mail and magazines in your scrapbooks. Just remember to use archival safe paper for your backgrounds and anything that touches photographs. Better yet, only use copies of photos, not the original, for cropping.

Reduce. Simplify your scrapbooking supplies to avoid waste. Pick a few favorite colors and stick to them. Use up all your old supplies before buying new. Use digital mats to highlight photos you print yourself.

More Info: Here's some tips on environmentally friendly scrapbooking from the tree experts at Abundant Forests.

August PageMaps Sketch Challenge!

I love challenges! Especially those that come with a sketch - it makes scrapping a page so much easier! When PageMaps came up with this sketch for their monthly blog contest, I knew I had to participate:

Here's my version of the sketch:

The contest allows you to use the sketch how you see fit. In other words, you can rotate it, or use another size besides 12x12. I reused some little shells that I had picked up at a thrift store a long time ago, and that is really the only repurposed material on the page. I'm just trying to use up my supplies - I have way too much! I also broke out the sewing machine and sewed a border around the page, and I decided to journal as a border.

I had won a gift certificate to A Cherry On Top and bought some gold Glimmer Mist. I never used it before, so I decided to give it a go on this LO. The 3 black circles I cut from scraps and then sprayed them with the Glimmer Mist. Cool stuff - here's a close up:

I also like my pop dots, so I added a little dimension as well:

I hope you like this LO. If you have some time before 8/16, you can also join in on this challenge. Click here for the challenge.

Happy Scrappin'!

Great idea - go green with your magazines

I came across this article and thought it was a wonderful idea!

Vivien Hughston
SF Scrapbooking Examiner

Scrapbook Trends Magazine
offers online subscriptions, and the prices are hard to beat! An all access pass
to their 5 publications (Scrapbook Trends, Cards, Simply Handmade, Bead Trends,
and Idea Books) is just $9.99 a month, or $4.99 for individual publications. And
for an additional one time fee of $24.95, get access to all the back issues.
With this selection, any crafter will be more than satisfied.

Take
advantage of the benefits of digital: saving space, growing a digital library of
favorites only, and saving money (a six month subscription to all the
publications is $245). Though you may miss the flipping through pages, there is
the option to print and you can save the prints as pdf files to keep with the
green concept.

Some key features of the menu bar: DOWNLOAD
OFFLINE VERSION which allows access to the issue without the internet, VIEW
THUMBNAILS OF ALL PAGES to quickly scan through the issue, ADD A NOTE for note
taking, ADD A BOOKMARK, and ZOOM which allows a close up of the samples for
better viewing.

Try out a month’s subscription and gain access to 5
publications; there is nothing to lose but $9.99. Simply contact Scrapbook
Trends to cancel anytime to avoid future charges. If you choose to continue and
opted not to get access to back issues, try contacting Scrapbook Trends (within
a reasonable amount of time) to see if they will add the pass to your
subscription. They were kind enough to extend the courtesy to me and absolutely
love the access to previous issues, especially the Idea Books!

Go green
with online magazines, hope other publications follow in line with this digital
move.
- have fun with everything!

A quick tip: download the offline
versions and print (hardcopy or pdf file) to create your own personal favorites
library.


For more info: Visit Scrapbook Trends and subscribe now!
https://scrapbooktrends.securesites.net/subscribe_online1.html

For me, it would be very difficult to get rid of hard copy magazines. However, if I was ever to get rid of my magazines, I have several options:

1. Put them in my recycle bin

2. Donate them to the library

3. Donate them to my local hospital

4. Freecycle them

5. Donate to a thrift store

Just an option for those of you looking to save space and save some trees!