I no longer take my knitting

Knitting projects and needlework canvases used to be an important part of my "carry on" luggage. Ever since sharp objects on a plane became an issue I've stopped bring handwork. Coincidently, smartphone apps have become more abundant. So, games, and when wi-fi is available, social media occupy my time. I did pull out and work on a pencil drawing over a year ago, but, that trip I had the luxury of no one next to me in my two-person row. I'm also a little too self-conscious to work on my art much of the time on a plane. However, I just purchased a new iPad Pro, and I think it may change my in-flight habits once again. I saw a preview of the photo editing app from Adobe. It's very cool. I'm going to download that soon. Photo art may replace FreeCell and Facebook as airworthy pursuits.
I did take a trip to visit family and friends on a journey ranging from Seattle to Calgary. Fiskateers was a great on-line group that Fiskars sponsored years ago. I made some good friends through that group and had a chance for a fun visit with one of those friends. Thanks, Cathy, for the opportunity to eat at The Tilikum Cafe and for introducing me to the world of aerial workouts. The facility with the trapeze classes in the main auditorium and the curtain dancing and pole dancing room was fascinating. Oh, to be 30 years younger and in perfect health! I think that would be a delightful place to work out.

Speaking of working out, I did not get enough exercise this trip and ate too much good food; just before the holidays, too! It was all worth it even if it's back to the diet again today. I had breakfasts with high school chums; when you went to a small boarding school, that's like seeing family. Family dinners at spectacular places like Seattle's Dahlia Lounge, Victoria's Cafe Brio, and Calgary's Workshop Kitchen were just replete with fellowship and fantastic food.

A Scrapbook page about dining with Elle at the Workshop Kitchen in Calgary.

Supplies- Kit - OneLittleBird, Woodridge; staple - Wishing Well Creations - Aflutter, dots - PCO, MeTime collab, PCO, BermudaTriangle, collab; stitching - WishingWellCreations, Stitched Down, page design template - Raquel Bowman at BPC ; distress edge - Vinnie Pearce, MakerII, distress papers - Kim Jensen, School Zone / Sahlin Studio, vintage worn and torn paper; fonts - Traveling Typewrite, Bohemian typewriter, shadows - Mommyish

The Royal Tyrrell dinosaur museum in Drumheller, Alberta was enchanting and expertly presented. I like the fact that you can see not only magnificent specimens; but, also, the process of finding and preparing these fossils. Since our visit was Sunday, no scientists were working; nonetheless, a big picture window in front of the lab let us view all the equipment and specimens at the workstations. I loved the educational aides, fun videos and graphic displays at the museum. Several of the displays are interactive and especially perfect for kids. The magnitude of not only the size of the specimens but also of contemplating the expanse of evolutionary time is indeed mind-boggling!

A scrapbook page I did about the museum.

Supplies: staple - Studio Wendy, Designer Resource, Template Elements, Kit - Vinnie Pearce, April 18th, sample, Watercolor; Inflight, Fonts -4990810, Traveling Typewriter, Avenue LT 65 Medium; Ribbon - Amanda Yi Designs, Limitless; twig - Ziska, Northwind; flower - Lynn Grieveson, Posey Kit

From riding on the Victoria Clipper ferry to splashing with my baby great-nephew in a kiddie pool to all the beautiful scenery, food and family and friends (the high school buddies were so fun!), it was the sort of visit that enriches the soul and broadens the mind.

While I am sad about some of the anger, hate and bad behavior in the world, a trip like this gives me a sense of all that there is for which I am thankful, including returning to a loving family at home.

Using Templates when making Scrapbook Pages

 On DSD (Digital Scrapbook Day) this year I taught a class at Get It Scrapped about using templates to design pages.
Even if you follow a sketch or design exactly, including supplies and title, one would not end up with the same page as a designer since your photos and story would be different.
However, in my pages that follow, you'll see how I used extra photos, and rotated the sketch to make four different pages from one layout. Definitely not a cookie cutter approach! I usually use a lot of different patterned papers and embellishments. This time I only used that style on one layout. My idea was to change the look by using different color schemes and sketch alterations. Template - Scrapbook Coach 21, Top Heavy, Layout 4 from GIS Template Library.
I hope you enjoy reviewing these ways to vary the look of your scrapbook page using one basic design.

This is a template variation from my challenge using Scrapbook Coach 21 Top Heavy Layout 4, in an analogous color scheme. I advise limiting colors in this scheme. While 5 can work, three is the most eye-catching. Here I've used four colors - yellow, yellow-green, green and blue-green. I eliminated one photo from the top band changing that to a slightly smaller and lower positioned journaling block and added a stock photo as a repetitive element in place of the original journaling. The title uses the template font Butterscotch regular with a Mommish glitter style in Ocean, shadow styles - Mommyish, ephemera, and string/brad, speech bubble and brad from the template with brad and ephemera recolored. Geo tag brad - Gennifer Bursett, My Happy place, Grape wreath - Kimeric Creations, Making Memories, wine bottle  and glass stamp - Stella, tag - gennifer Bursett, Now, Fonts - Avenir Medium regular and Traveling Typewriter.

This is a variation in a split complementary color scheme of yellow, orange and blue-violet. The modification I used here was my signature using a photo as an embellishment attached with a paperclip, Again I've kept a few of the templates elements in place, recoloring and texturizing the papers in Adobe PSCC, wood star clip - OneLittleBird, This Magic Moment, star - TheDailyDigi, Let's Get Messy, arrow brad - WMsquared, XOXO; styles - Mommyish, Scrapaneers Champions; fonts - Bohemian Typewriter, Avenir Oblique

This is a monochromatic layout in yellow. If you check your color wheel you'll see that olive green is a shade of yellow. I did need to recolor the green in the camera embellishment to make it dark olive. Neutrals, like black, white and gray, of course add contrast without color and I did add a low opacity wash of yellow to the ephemera in background. Many consider beige tones neutral, too. I tend to be more narrow in my definitions so I did add the light opacity wash.

Supplies: Papers - recolored and texturized in Adobe PSCC; Bow - Mommyish, I've Got A Plan; camera brad - A Sweet Caroline Amanda Yi Collab, Focus,Click, Repeat; Paper Dolls - The Daily Digi, My Life of Wonderful; Fonts - Myriad Pro, Traveling Typewriter, Bohemian Typewriter; Brade and speech bubble from the template, Scrapbook Coach Top Heavy/Layout 4 from the GIS Templates

This variation of the template challenge, that I demonstrated on DSD, is made in a variation on a triad primary color scheme where the blue is augmented by using blue-green. Brown functions as a neutral and also balances the predominance of blue hue. If using a complex color scheme it's probably best for those less experienced with color to use mainly materials from a single kit as I have done here. I altered one of the photos by making it a 2 photo collage. DDE Playful Kit by Gina Cabrera, brown sticker - justjaimee, September Storyteller 2014, tag - Sweet Shoppe, Studio Basic Designs, Adventure Begins, logo - ShePodcasts, some embellishments from the original template, styles Mommyish, fonts - Avenir Medium, Avenir Roman Italic, Lobster 1.3 regular. Template - Scrapbook Coach 21, Top Heavy, Layout 4 from GIS Template Library

Starting a Podcast

Yes, I'm starting a podcast. "A Creative Approach Podcast" will launch, with any luck, at the end of November 2016.
I'm not a newbie. My first podcast experience was as a guest on the Paperclipping Roundtable show. I co-hosted The Digiscrapgeek Podcast for two years from August 2014 until it went on hiatus in September of this year. However, I am creating a new podcast of my own.
I love this "Second Golden Age of Audio," as I heard it described, at Podcast Movement 2016. The easy portability of podcasts has a lot to do with this evolution. It I go for walks with "Marc," Marc Maron's WTF, to be precise. Love that show. There I go, dressed somewhat appropriately for the weather, pink earbuds in with my iPhone at hand, and I'm off on my trip around the block. I flip to Bluetooth in my car to continue shows or listen at my computer or bedside like regular radio.
"Don't you just enjoy everyday sounds on your walks?" Yes. Occasionally, I take a walk focused purely on the moments and sights and sounds along the way; it's part of my love of what is happening and being in the present. More often, though, I enjoy the company. Marc is not my only walking partners. Elsie and Jess from She Podcasts are often my walking buddies, too. There are others; WTF and She Podcasts are my most frequent companions. I have learned a lot from my fellow podcasters and the "pro-casters."
The idea behind my podcast is to feature conversations with people who emphasize the creative in life. Some are talented artists; other guests employ innovative approaches to problems in science, business, and other areas of life. I firmly believe we are all creative. In many ways, our relentless passion for innovation and originality makes us human. I like to listen to the stories and think my audience will enjoy them, too.
Independent podcasting is a lot of fun! While the professional podcasts from radio personalities or known entertainers do command the largest audiences, we indie podcasters fill in niches. I remember going to Podcast Movement a couple of years ago, and while there I asked attendees about their podcasts. So many times I'd hear men say, "wrestling" or "boxing." I realized these were sports followed by huge numbers of people but were not a focus of everyday media. Foodies, fashionistas, and fun-lovers have created fantastic podcasts. There are many stories to be told.
My podcast recordings have started, and I'm working on all the details of production.
I'll report back when I have more news.