Rusty Pickle, again ;)

Just can't keep me from that Rusty Pickle!

I really thought that creativity and going up for the October Rusty Pickle Challenge was not going to be an option after all that was happening family-wise recently.

But then that Rusty Pickle Panama Jack paper just kept calling to me! Combine great papers with a class I've been preparing for in November.. and tada! You get a nice blend of both:

Journal Jar ala mode!


My Favorite Dish!

Generous Slices of LIFE!
*The photo is a stack of my journals served up on a plate.

The Recipe:
(the hang tag on the side of the jar)



The Supplies:

Rusty Pickle Panama Jack:
RP Sun Yer Buns
RP No Shoes, No Problem
RP Paradise
RP Tequila Sunrise
RP Sail Away
RP Margaritaville
RP Blue Alpha Stickers
RP Tag Set
Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Basic Grey bling-it
SEI Epoxy Alpha stickers
Ultra fine point black Sharpie
Misc beads, twine and other bling crystals



I, ever the recycler, have used an empty Costco-sized jar for my Journal Jar. And, since you can't really have a journal jar without a journal... I've taken a plain old .50 cent notebook from the local school supply store, covered it with more Rusty Pickle Panama Jack, then just add an adorable and functional beaded bookmark and it's done!

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If you are interested....

The "Preserving Your Story" Class in November:


I was asked to present a beginning basics of scrapbooking class by a co-worker. When I found out that the other class that night will be on canning, well, I thought to myself - best of both worlds - how about canning (preserving) your memories!

The best way to start preserving your own stories is to start writing them. And what is more appealing than writing in a fun and creative way, or in other words, the scrapper's way!

Easy, fun, creative and definitely a gift-worthy project - that is if you can bear to give it up! I presonally recommend making more than one!


For the class, after a little presentation on supplies, basic needs and ideas, I will be showing 3 versions of Journal Jars:

1- A Basic version - of which I'll have pre-cut peel and stick labels all ready for them to stick on the canning or recycled jars I've asked them to bring.

2- A Medium version - a spruced up version of the peel and stick basic jar, it's got ribbons and flowers added.


3- The 'All hands on deck' version - yeh, you guessed it, the one shown above! ...hey, they have to know what's possible ;)

I am also giving everyone a notebook. After they choose from some pre-cut coordinating papers they will get a chance to put everything together. My goal is to keep this whole thing SHORT and EASY. I want to be helpful, but not intimidating to new scrappers.


After the class I will send them emails with a 10 page list of questions to print out, cut and put in the jars. It's a free class, so I've got to control costs somehow!

Have fun!

p.s. I totally Googled for a whole range of Journal Jar ideas and Journal Jar questions - if you want my collection of questions - just leave me a post - I'm sure we can figure out a way to get them to you too.

Printable Documents
Preserve Your Story - Scrapbook Basics document
3x5 Journal Jar Recipe card

This is addicting...

I feel very grateful and humbled to have been selected as the Rusty Pickle Sketch winner again.

(Rusty Pickle Blog Sept. announcement) (click here to see the October ideas!!!)

I see the other talent out there and I feel so lucky to have been picked.

So, THANK YOU. This means a lot to me - especially this week.

..... I'm a little scatter-brained right now

Those of you that know me IRL, will know that my sister-in-law (my husband's only sister) died tragically yesterday. We are holding on, holding it in and trying to get through the next few days. For some reason we think that if we can keep it together long enough for the funeral to be taken care of, then maybe we'll be able to keep holding on afterwards. It's a tough situation and one that I would not wish on anyone.

I might add that this brings me to one of my main reasons to scrap - to hold onto memories, to capture the feelings and keep them close and visible. When my boys were teenagers I thought they would be the death of me. It was really tough, raising 2 incredible, but still very challenging boys along with a 2 year old. I tell ya, you get NO sleep between the Teen schedule and the Toddler schedule. Scrapping those feelings, frustrations and hopes was what saved me.

My main regret with Becky is that I don't have those memories for her. We seemed to have drifted apart, got busy with our lives and just taken a lot for granted. I thought we had years still. Now we don't. Now she's gone.

Sorry to go on and on. I guess I just want to say to everyone - hug your loved ones, call someone you've not talked to for a while, mend fences and if you like to scrap - well - keep the memories alive with your art.

Another Sketch Challenge from Rusty Pickle

Oh, how late it is! I just kept going until all of a sudden... it was almost midnight! Yikes.

I decided to challenge myself with the September Rusty Pickle Sketch Challenge.









My brain started going all it's different ways and before I knew it I was creating a layered mini Acrylic album from the sketch!

(find the sketch here )


The idea that is behind this mini book is an old memory I have, hence the 70's-looking papers and the worn and distressed look. Ha, it's not just the age of the memory I'm bringing out with the papers, it's also a little pun on wrinkling and aging! I never can resist some little tidbit that if someone really looks closely at my pages they will see that there is nothing done by chance...

ANYWAY... When I was seven and riding the bus to school every day, I would sit there and think my seven year old thoughts to myself. One day I was thinking that if everyone had to get wrinkles when they got old, I'd make sure that mine were LAUGH LINES, and that would be okay.

Silly seven year old! Anyway - the photos are of me at age 7, 25 and 40.


Supplies used:

Rusty Pickle Candy Land
Rusty Pickle Rock Star
Rusty Pickle Pashima alpha stickers
Zig Markers
Scrapworks Acrylic Album
misc. ribbon and bling
... oh, almost forgot I painted with some Tim Holtz Daubers

Digging Out

Okay, I'm ready!

Time to dig myself out of my scrapping slump, get organized again and start CREATING!!

Time me...

I've just snapped the BEFORE photos (don't know if I'll have the courage to actually post them!)

oh, okay, I will...



I've got the music cranked

I've got the dinner cooking and almost ready to serve.

I'm just about ready to sequester myself for a good old cleaning session!

...stay posted

~and soon - cross your fingers - I'll finally have some new work to post :)
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Update:

Although I have not finished the WHOLE room, I did do the hard part - cleaning up the closet :)



It's hard to snap a photo of the whole thing, but it IS straightened up and the countertop is once again available for cutting paper, doing diecuts and working on projects that are require tools, heat or paint.
______________________

Oh, and since you were all so patient - I'll post more of an idea I've been working on for a bit ... a mini clear album:

The cover


Inside pages

Hello my fine friends

And how are you this fine day?

Spring has sprung me! (interpret that as I'm off my rocker or as just a little high on spring - you be the judge)!

I've been playing with some fun quotes again. Feel free to right click and 'save picture as' to save the file for yourself. Just promise me you will USE them and have fun and get INSPIRED!


Tell me if you have problems getting these files. This time I tried for a .jpg instead of the .png.

Oh, I just had a thought - I should post sketches too! Keep watching...

Time does get away from me...

Oh, wow, am I in the doghouse! I have really neglected my little blog here. I hope you forgive me!

In my defense I have been a tad busy.

My wonderful brother and his family came up for a visit from Texas. I miss them terribly and it just feels so good to have them around even if it is for only a few days.


Lexy and a few of the cousins

My parents came back from 'snowbirding' the winter away. It's wonderful to have them back too. It also means I don't have to feed the cows and horses quite so much - a definite bonus!


My brother and my Dad on the new Mule

Our house is going up FAST! After sitting on it for over a year, we might be signing in 6 weeks. It's only been 2 weeks since they started the framing. We have a roof and the 4-way inspection is coming up next week already.


The beast (new home) front

My ever-so-missed-DH Brian is back from military school in Wisconsin and I can attest to the saying that 'distance makes the heart grow fonder' - I am SO happy to have a husband again!


Lexy is SO excited to be picking dad up at the airport

Oh, and the upcoming news I neglected to get posted here ... I've created a digitally altered alphabet inspired by the A2Z Cosmo papers in the SBS March kit

and digital page elements. You can see the page elements at www.scrapbooksociety.com in my gallery. Oh, and I've fallen in LOVE with making quote Transparencies! Feel free to right click and 'save picture as' to use this for yourself.


Long post - but I felt I owed it ;)