The scrapping funk cloud that I've been living under for the past month or so that is!  I finally finished a layout today!  I have started several... however, none had made it to the point of being finished.  I'm hoping that my finished layout is the one I needed to get me back on a scrapping roll.

Last week we were in Missouri visiting my parents.  We live in downtown Chicago so it is a nice change of pace to be out in the country with all of that space.  One of Alex and Clara's favorite things to do there is build contraptions with whatever miscellaneous stuff of my dad's that they find.  Here is one of their most recent creations...

The Sister Launcher...

Supplies:
Puddle Jumper by Emily Powers & Kasia Sikorska @wearestorytellers.com
Black Tile Alpha by Emily Merritt @wearestorytellers.com
Fonts - AL Uncle Charles and Arial Black

Journaling:
you just never know what you two will come up with
you actually make a frightening pair...
alex, the engineer, building the contraption
and clara, the daredevil, ready to test it
this day it was a new life for the ramp grandpa had made you for your bikes
tomorrow... who knows what you will create.... (I just hope it’s safe!)

Woo hooo... it's good to be back!  I hope to have more layouts to post soon!

Tracie

http://www.greatamericanscrapbook.com/Show.aspx?ShowId=7

I'm excited!  It is June 20th-21st.  Here is just one class that I will be teaching that weekend using the new Cogsmo collection from Cosmo Cricket::  The Lazy Days of Summer with Cosmo Cricket::

 

 

The class is listed as advance because you need some experience using a craft knife.  In the class I will teach you a fun technique of creating funky frames out of cardstock...Prism cardstock to be exact:D  We will then use the scraps to create a boredom jar to get you through summer vacation;) 

Hope to see you there:D

Love, Tracy Austin

 

With embellishments coming in packs, we often have several left over which we don't want to keep using on our layouts. Because of this, I try to find ways to use up my left over embellishments. Here is a bookmarker I made with the American Crafts Felt embellishment and the Love Elsie Ribbons. I just punched holes on both sides of the AC embellishment and added buckles to hold the ribbon.

Iris

I really enjoy adding fabric to layouts and projects. I love the texture and cozy feeling it adds especially when creating something with a heritage theme. I'm sure by now you all know this is my favorite style. Well last night, when I should have been sleeping or one certain friend of mine would say, "walking on the treadmill," I decided to make something using some fabric I just purchased. Well this is what I came up with... now I just need to find the perfect project to put this on.

This little beauty makes me happy just looking at it. I think having a bowl full of them sitting on an end table would be stunning.

Have a great day,
Lisa

These "Bird Nest Cupcakes" are so easy and very fun to make. This is a perfect recipe for little helpers. As there are many things they can do to help. All you need is cake mix, white icing, flaked coconut, green food coloring and jelly beans.

1. Bake cupcakes per directions on cake mix box, let cool.
2. Add green food coloring to white icing, ice all cupcakes
3. Add green food coloring to flaked coconut and place a spoonful on top of each iced cupcake to form a nest
   
4. Place 3 jelly beans in the center of each coconut nest

Enjoy!
Lisa

You know how sometimes you get a great shot and you are so excited. It might be great technically, or capture a great expression, or just be great to you! So you print it out and get ready to scrap it and then go..."hmmm, I don't know what I want to say about this picture, I just love it!" But then you get stuck b/c you feel like a special pic needs a special layout...it needs to be "about" something, so you set the pic aside and move on till "you think of something."

Here's my advice: Grab That Pic and Scrap It Anyways. If you don't know what to say, just say that you love the pic, the smile, the cool photo trick you did successfully, whatever. It doesn't have to be genius journaling, just show the great pic the great love it deserves! :)

Now, why can I describe that midnight conversation you've had with yourself so perfectly? Because I've done it too! We all have I'm sure. So I took my own advice and Scrapped That Pic! :) Wanna see?

Supplies: Adhesive (Adhesive Technoligies, Pioneer, Provocraft), Buttons (Autumn Leaves), Label tape (DYMO), Patterned paper (Creative Cafe, Lazar Studio Werx), Pen (Sharpie, Uniball), Stamps (Creative Cafe, Fontwerks), Stickers (Making Memories), Misc.: feather trim, staples

Okay, showed you mine! Your turn...show me yours (layout or pic!) :) ...Staci

 

I already divulged my fear of the dark and dead people and that my very old house seems to have some very odd going ons...and then add the variable of a love for photographing abandoned buildings.  A very spooky, spooky mix:S :S  ;)

So the process goes...In the dark with a dim red light (red because the paper I use is not sensitive to red light), you place a piece of photo sensitive paper under the enlarger (same concept as an overhead projector), and turn on the light in the enlarger to expose the image from the negative onto the paper for about 4-10 seconds.  You then transfer the paper into a tray of liquid developer.  On the white sheet of photo paper the image slowly, then quickly, appears as you gently rock the tray...takes about 30 seconds.  Normally it is exhilarating to see the image appear.  But, when developing photos from a cemetery or a dilapidating house or warehouse at 1 in the morning:S  ...Fearing capturing something that wasn't "there"...Spoooooky! LOL I generally have my sidekick with me in the darkroom for such occasions...but I got a late start and she was already in bed...she's 7;)  Anywho...what a good find this house was!  In the back it had some old gas pumps:D  TFL

 

 

 

 

Have a happy, scrappy kind of day:D

Love, Tracy Austin

    Slowly but surely, I'm finding my way back to scrapbooking. A couple weeks after having Josie, we moved. We only moved what we could fit in our vehicles and a covered trailer and left the rest back at our old house for the movers to move in the near future. So, basically we only moved what we absolutely needed ... clothes, kitchen items, and our beds. So, I had to leave my beloved scrapbooking items behind. I have to say, I have felt so lost without access to my scrapbook goodies.

Last week I was able to go back to the old house and bring back some of my stuff, in hopes that I could do a little scrappin'. Well, I haven't been able to do that yet, but I'm getting closer (my goodness, having two kids sure is different than one). I at least have enough stuff here now, that when I get a chance, I can get creative, but first I need to find a spot on this temporary work surface!



Amy