Getting in that second post of the month

 I've been so good about it, I'd hate to stop now. So, before midnight I'm composing a bit on my iPad.
I've been a bit tired and not feeling my best today. I did get a few chores done though my fatigue has most to do with the thunderstorm and rainwe had lst night. Didn't sleep well. We need the rain and the snow at high elevation so no complaining here. Everything looked so brigh and fresh today.
So much is in bloom around here. While the daffodils have come and gone the camellias linger and there are still many trees in bloom. If the weather is nice I may try a photo shoot tomorrow.
I'm definitely planning a grand baby photo shoot tomorrow. Cal got a cute photo of the young grandgirls today that looked so cute. We must get to visit them sometime soon.
So, lots of photos ahead. Since I'm not very adept with the iPad I'll not likely add any photos to this post tonight. Something I need to work on.Always so much to learn!
I like that though. Life long learner  is definitely a label I can live with.
Not much crafting this past week -just one scrapbook layout which I did post over on Flickr. I knew it needed work and got a lot of inspiration from a talk at Masterful Scrapbook Design. I love to layer but I don't always get it right. I learned a bit about shapes that I utilized to strengthen the design. Both examples are over at Flickr. Visual triangles and color repetition are good to keep I mind. I like learning and that's one of the things that makes me happy about scrapbooking. Not that it's the ideal for everyone. Some folks just like to follow another's design or go with just a couple of basic designs. As long a one has fun I think any approach is great. I do that with my art pieces, too. Have fun, see what works and if I'm in the mood really work on making the project "better". If you are a Scrapbooker, and sometimes want things "better" you should check out the classes offered at Get It Scrapped and Masterful Scrapbook Design.i have a lot of fun there. This is a unpaid ad for those sites, LOL! Really, if you are a Scrapbooker check it out.
Well, I did say i was tired; so, I ought to weapthis up. I promise not too many blog posts in the future without photos and I'll try for more than two in a month. I do promise two though, even at literally the 11th hour, LOL!

Blah not Blog?

 Yes, I'm still around. My husband suggested the title of the page when I complained that I wasn't getting any blog posting done.
You see, we took a trip to NYC. Now I'm recovering from that. I went to an American Medical Women's Association meeting that was fantastic! Great speakers and nicely paced.

Got there a day early because I do not do jet lag well and stayed a bit to take in some of the sites. We were there over St. Patrick's Day and staying at the Palace Hotel (facing the rear of St. Patrick's Cathedral). Since the parade goes by the front of the cathedral on 5th Ave, you know we went.

I was reluctant to miss much of the meeting so only stayed a bit. Cal watched a while, went for lunch and then returned to the parade. It goes on for about 6 hours and is watched by 2 million people. So many people celebrating Irish America, it's astonishingly wonderful.  Apparently, the largest parade in the world. It was just great! I am a parade-aholic. I even go sit and watch the Arden-Arcade Fulton Ave. Fourth of July parade. That is a short and pretty boring, uneventful, and sparsely attended parade but I watch it anyways. I keep hoping for more decorated bicycles and maybe a band and a float or two at the Fulton Ave. parade. Maybe this year. 
"How was NYC?", you may be asking. Fabulous. Taxis are so wonderful. I really have trouble walking and even with taxis I did too much walking, a reason I'm still recovering. Nonetheless, the taxis got us around and  museums have wheel chairs when you cannot walk more so it was OK. Restaurants, the theater and Harbor Cruises are sit down events with reasonable get up and move breaks, too. So, not impossible. We ate at Fig and Olive, Morsoand in little Italy at one of the neighborhood's oldest restaurants, Grotta Azzura.Breakfasts were often at Toasties by the hotel - though I went to Starbucks by the hotel side entrance for coffee. We caught bites at various spots like corner or museum cafes. I only had the conference food and one room service dessert at the hotel. It just looked too pricey!
Great hotel though and a perfect location. Did the city tour seeing all the highlights and went to the play Ann, a one woman show about Ann Richards at Lincoln Center and saw Jersey Boys, on another night, too. 

The Cooper-Hewitt is closed until next year which almost made me cry. Guess I'll have to go back! We did get to The Museum of Natural History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of the Native American. Naturally, we visited the 9/11 Memorial.Of course there was a lot more.

 A fun special event for us was the Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Gardens. I loved it and Cal found it interesting even if there were only a few citrus and bananas (he's mainly into edibles). The orchids were so varied and beautiful and the conservatory so lovely that I think anyone would have like the show.

Now I've got to scrapbook all of those memories, LOL! . Maybe not all, just a few. You know we have a LOT more photos
Great to be home. Love the gorgeous sping weather - it's COLD in NYC!

Evolution of a Page

 Hi, folks! Congratulations to Paula who should have received her access code from May by now. Hope you are enjoying the e-book.
So, I am taking a class at BPC about easy Grammar Free Journaling. Well, the journaling was easy; but, I did struggle a bit with the page construction. I am quite happy with the finished product. I'll walk you through my process.
First was the strategy of comparative lists - pretty easy. Next was finding papers.

Started thinking of radial symmetry and opened a "Little Black Dress Kit Club" kit. Papers - pretty easy. By now you all know that I like primary or near primary color schemes. Cal loves red; so, I picked the red and its co-ordinate from the "B" side, found the yellow-orange (gold) papers. I especially liked the gardening themed one. The tint of blue-green background paper with the growing plants also seemed very appropriate. I kept my color theory chart book close at hand to focus on the tints and shades.

Next were stash elements to build the page.

Then I started winnowing down my choices.

Next I started considering the page structure.

OK, got this far and put it aside.Next I printed the photos and really started to lay things out. I had tried an embellishment group in the lower left but that seemed too busy. I ettled for a splatter of red paint there and repeated the splatters at the bottom right and top left. Red paint splatters can look a little bloody but I think they work here. I added the strip across the middle and decided a little bit of twine worked here. You know i love fibers or ribbon on a page. The title "2" glitter thicker was a bit too blu of a teal so I added some Glimmer in green to more closely match the background. I was very careful in placing my elements to try to avoid trapped white space. There's a tiny stamp in the upper right between those faceted Glitz pieces that didn't really work but I added the small glass heart and it seemed good enough. I do love the little hearts I stamped on the wood veneer people. Wile there are just two embellishment areas the way I clustered the elements gives a nice visual triangle. You'll note my small photo as an embellishment attached with a paper clip. An element that is part of my style.

At this point it was clear the arrangement of the photos and papers was not working. I had tried centering the photos in their blocks earlier but that had not worked. I decided to put both photos on the left and slipped the right paper edge under the left one on top. This looked much better.

And, finally, the journaling lists that had started this whole process and the finished page. Yes, the edges of the papers, photos, journaling and some of the embellishments are inked.

I do like this, despite the time it took, and hope you enjoyed following along with my process. 

It's been a busy week, went to Canada last weekend to see Mom in the hospital and then there's always so much to do when one gets back home. I do have some photos of the new grandson and some of my Mom and Aunt to scrap so I know I'll continue to be busy!

"fashionably FAST" a new e-book

 

May Faum's newest creation is an e-book available at Big Picture Classes http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/ebooks.php

Having scrapped with May, I can attest to the fact that her pages are whipped out in record time and look beautiful. The pages I've witnessed are done not only rapidly; but, also, while talking, laughing and deciding where we will have lunch.

I always enjoy May's classes as well as her friendship so I immediately purchased this book on learning of it's publication. It's fantastic. Congratulations, May!

Like all Ella Publishing Co. books it has a clean, contemporary and very readable design. The information from May is clear, concise and helpful. You'll find lots of great ideas from May about telling your stories in a quick and visually appealing fashion. The e-book contains strategies, templates and examples from May and some of your favorite designers - Amy Tan, Lisa Dickinson, Melissa Stinson, Shimelle Laine and Stephanie Howell. There are also 30 minutes of video tutorials that accompany this e-book! 

I enthusiastically recommend this book.

Of course, I'm going to give one of my dear readers a chance at owning "fashionably FAST". Leave a comment here and I'll pick the winner on Monday. Just a little bit of Valentine love! 

More pages

Two pages a week! Yes, a small interactive on-line class can be very inspiring. I have done well at times with challenges like Lain Ehmann's LOAD (Layout a Day) or other on-lie classes but I find the accountability of a small class is good. To be successful everyone needs to contribute and so I feel the responsibility heavily.  I'm learning a lot, too. My classmates are very talented and have made some great pages.Studying their layouts has been very helpful. The format of the Critique class at Get It Scrapped is very positive. If someone is easily fractured by criticism, do not fear. It is extremely constructive and positive. 

This next week will be a challenge, too. I'm trying to learn Adobe Illustrator, not the easiest thing to learn, but I think once I get it it's going to be a lot of fun. 

The top LO may need a translation.It's a Hemingway quote: There are only two places in the world where one can live happily, one's home and Paris. I love the memory of that little outdoor cafe on the right bank of the Seine.
I did get to document our Christmas celebration even with not so great photos. Collages can be very helpful.
Spent a little time with family today for the first half of the Super Bowl. Came home at half time. Nice to visit but would have been a very long day. One's home can be a very happy spot. (Of course, I really would like to get back to Paris soon!)

Learning something!

 
So, two layouts with grids as promised. Really enjoying the class at Get It Scrapped http://debbiehodge.com/blog/ Obviously, I am learning more about my style. I love layered elements, color, patterned paper and usually more than one photo. The "CHA 'bra'va" LO has a little inking, stamping and "Stickles" so I like some techniques on a page but generally not a lot. The "GT Good-bye" LO has some inking and stamping and both have hand written journaling. So, a energetic contemporary style with lots of layering.
I'm also trying to learn a little about design in general and Adobe Illustrator in particular. A challenge; but, I do not think this insurmountable. We'll see how I do. I'm going to say now that I'll learn more from fixing mistakes than I will learn from the books, lectures and demos, LOL!

Did you get your prize from the 12 Days of Christmas Give Away on the blog?

 

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Hi, folks! If you did not get your prize from the12 Days of Christmas giveaway please contact me at poirierbrodekaren@gmail.com. I may not have received your contact info e-mail or there may have been a communication glitch.

Please let me know so I can investigate.

Hope the New Year has been treating everyone well. I'm a little behind here at home but it's gradually coming together. 

Taking a wonderful class at Get It Scrapped right now. It's the Guided Study Critique workshop. First, the best part is a kick in the butt to get layouts done. Second is the absolutely wonderful teaching staff and the curriculum content. It's a bit pricey; but, there is so much "hands on" it's worth it. Of course, not for everyone, especially limited budgets. However, the free content on Get It Scrapped is available to all and well worth checking out. www.debbiehodge.com

I'll post my layouts soon as I'm done fixing a few things and then need to get good photos of the final layouts.