Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Digital Scrappers - Create a Clipping Mask in Photoshop

This tutorial shows a really cool way to create an embellishment. After following the tutorial, print out the shape on card stock and then attach it to chipboard and then sand and/or ink the edges of the chipboard piece. I may make a video showing this technique.

Calling all digital scrappers - How to create cool text for your scrapbook page

I found this on You Tube today. This lady shows a really cool way to make text for scrapbook pages. While I don't really care for what she has done, she DOES demonstrate an excellent technique! Can't wait to try it!

Well, it was another Wednesday morning at the gym. Ginny (my once a week trainer) worked me really hard - I mean HARD. Could it have been because I was about 10 minutes late for my training (I overslept) and Ginny was punishing me?? :) Nah, it's good - I need it!! I'll tell ya what though, when I awoke this morning and looked at my watch, I realized that at that VERY moment (8am) I SHOULD have been on the treadmill doing my 5 minute warm-up. Oops. Sorry Ginny! Anyhoo, I am really a morning person and basically NEVER sleep in until 8am -- I wonder if my body knew it was a "ginny day" and it was trying to hide?!

Well, *huff puff* I made it through the workout *huff puff* and then headed on to Bible Study. We have a fabulous group of ladies in our study from all different backgrounds. (This particular group of ladies has been meeting for years!) Today marked week one in the 1st Thessalonian Precept Upon Precept (Kay Arthur) study.

After the study (we actually got done about an hour later than usual because - well, you know... we like to gab) we headed out to eat at a great little coffee shop. This shop serves tasty, HEALTHY food. I had a spinach and feta cheese quiche, a cup of chicken gumbo soup and some fresh fruit (orange slices, a pineapple slice and some grapes).

After lunch, we headed across the street to a 'new to us' scrapbook store. It was larger than the one I usually go to BUT not nearly as nice. I AM partial to MY LSS. Have I told you how much I love it?! Hey, Dana (the owner of MY lss) even mentioned me in her blog. How cool is that? :) Hi Dana and Carmen!

Ok, I finally made it home and am now working(except for these few minutes to write this). I guess I better work tonight to make up for today!!! You know.. I do love my job. I especially love the blogs that DK and I 'man'. DK does the writing... Oh, I'd give ANYTHING to be witty like her!!! She is SO funny. Her blog entries are a pleasure to read. They make me LOL a LOT. Her PERSONAL blog is listed on the sidebar (A Flyover Blog). Have a read!

Guess I better quit yacking and get back to work....
Have a grand Wednesday!!
xoxoxoxo
PattyAnne

PS. Yesterday was my MIL 90th birthday. I made her birthday card - I even got out the old sewing machine and zig-zagged on it. So darn cute!!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Happy Sunday

I went to the 'crop' at my local scrapbook store Friday night and had a ball. It is so much fun to sit around creating with all the creative people who come not to mention the fact that Dana and Carmen just make the shop a place you LOVE to hang out!! They are just such upbeat positive gals. Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE the decor of their shop. It's sooo PINK!

Well, Camen showed me how to make the covered letters as promised. I think they turned out REALLY GREAT!! Here are a couple:




I also made this page for the 31 page LOAD challenge while there.






I just finished making this digital page of my sweet, SWEET pooch (my page was inspired by one done by Valjs). This is Codie. She has lymphoma. My vet thought that she would have died 3 years ago but she is hanging in there. She makes me smile. :o)



Ok, enough chit chat for now. I've got lots of stuff to do so I'm off!

xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Friday, January 25, 2008

Elizabeth Irvine

I found out about this lady today!! I'm going to have to watch more of her videos. She also has a guided relaxation audio every Friday here.
You can subscribe to her via iTunes too!

Watch her here. Below is part 1.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Another page for the LOAD challenge

This is my 18th layout submitted for the LOAD (lay out a day) challenge at bigpicture scrapbooking. This means that since today is the 24th, I am 6 layouts behind!!! Hopefully I will get a few extra pages done tomorrow at the crop.

I got it!!!

My new ATG tape gun has arrived. I think I ordered it on a Friday and I had it by Tuesday. Wow! Great service from FRAMINGSUPPLIES.COM

I am glad that when I ordered the gun I also ordered a reel (not sure what you call it) of tape because the gun doesn't come loaded with any tape.

Anyhoo, check out how they packaged the gun! Yes, that is EIGHTEEN feet of bubble wrap!! I wonder if they ran out of packing boxes or if they always package their shipments like this!?
Needless to say, the product made it to my house in perfect condition and....it works like a charm!! I'm so glad I got this gun!! I can't wait to take it to the crop tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Wooohoooo! When I awoke this morning I checked my email and happily discovered that my new tape-ish gun had been shipped and was due to arrive on my doorstep later TODAY!
Ain't life grand. :)

Oh, I returned the faulty tool (GlueGlide Max) to my LSS today and Carmen and Dana (owners of store) were great. They were all set to give me my money back - no questions asked (I wonder if they've had other guns returned?) but I told them I wanted to do a little shopping first.

Well, like I said, I returned the gun BUT I bought a TON of cardstock in its place. Oh, I bought lots and lots of luscious colors. Ewww... I don't usually call cardstock luscious but, hey, I'm trying to use some new adjectives here LOL. Soooo, luscious they are!

Ok, back to my shopping - I also bought some great chipboard letters and embellishments. Carmen showed me how much fun it is to cover these teensy, weensy chipboard shapes with pretty paper.

Here are the steps:
1. First you cover the itty bitty chipboard letters with glue or double stick tape.
2. Then you lay the paper on top of the glue-covered the chipboard letters
3. THEN you cut around the whole mess with an exacto knife
4. Then you sand the edges of the paper covered chipboard and
5. THEN you ink the edges.

Sound fun?? Well, the way Carmen described it made it sound like it was soooo much fun! When she showed me a couple of sample letters. I was drooling. I want letters like those on MY scrapbook layouts!! You know what? I not only bought all the chipboard letters and the paper to cover them but I also bought the six-pack (I think) file tool set. You gotta have a file tool set to file your letters (Carmen told me).

Well, tonight when I'm watching American Idol I think I'll have a go at my chipboard pieces.

Yesterday and today I made digital scrapbook layouts for the online LOAD challenge at bigpicturescrapbooking.com.
Have a look:



Guess that's about it for now. I've got a log burning in the fireplace and I'm kicked back in my recliner waiting for the doorbell to ring signaling the arrival of my new glue-ish gun. Dinner should be on the way - takeout from a Japanese Steak House
xoxoxo
PattyAnne

UPDATE: It is 6:15 and my tape gun delivery has not arrived yet! :( I hope it comes soon!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Gym, LSS + Comfy Pants :)

I went to the gym early this morning. Did my usual (30 minutes of cardio while watching Regis and Kelly) and then both the machines and free weights.
Afterwards I took a shower at the gym thinking I would leave there and go directly to my LSS (local scrapbook store) to return THE glue gun mentioned in a previous post.

Well, when I got to the LSS, the doors were still locked. Dang. So, I came home, ate lunch, popped an ibuprofen (my old body is already aching - that's what happens when you get to be MY age!) and am now kicked back in my recliner with my laptop. I know.. I know... I need to get to work. I will. Lest you think I'm a slacker, I DID work for about an hour this morning from about 6:30 - 7:30. Oh, did I tell you I have THE best job! I work outta my house which means I get to roll out of the bed and head right to the 'office' ... in my pajamas!!! I prefer to call them my 'comfy clothes' since I can be found in them at all hours of the day (and night). You know the pants I'm talking about - those cotton, elasticized waist and/or drawstring pants that they sell at Old Navy. Oh, they probably sell them everywhere but my sister usually gets me a pair or two of really cute print ones from Old Navy. One year she got me a pair with REALLY big shamrocks all over them since my birthday is on St. Patrick's Day. (My mom says my name woulda been Lorraine had I not be born on St. PATTY'S Day.)

Well, I guess it is time for me to get to work or you will start to call me a slacker.

I'll have to go to my LSS later. Besides needing to make my return, I really want to buy some solid color brazill cardstock!! I think I'll buy some PINK!!! Yep, definitely pink!!

Later!
xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Sunday, January 20, 2008

I love lazy Sundays!

Today was a lazy day for me.:) I just LOVE days like this! Don't you?

I kicked back, relaxed and read some of my current book, "Shopaholic takes Manhattan". What a fun, light book!! I am loving it. The story (near the beginning of the book) of the lilac shoes and the clementine shoes was so funny that I HAD to walk around the kitchen reading it aloud to my husband as he ground the beans for his morning cuppa!! I'm sure he apprciated it ;) Too funny!! I've gotta tell you, though, the chick in the book does remind me of someone I know....no, not me....but someone I know VERY well -- someone who shall remain nameless. ;)

While in this relaxation mode, I also got caught up on listening to some of my favorite podcasts. Here are a few podcasts I listen to (in no particular order). Yes, I hear you.... I AM a nerd.
1. Diva Craft Longe
2. Geek News Central
3. Photoshop User TV
4. Layers TV
5. Fitness Rocks
6. ScrapHappy

Around three this afternoon, David (hubby), Aaron (son) and I went on a hike to a local botanical garden. We had planned on using our time there to click off some photos but it was actually way too cold. Well, I clicked off a few (exactly three!) photos for a digital scrapbook page. (I needed to upload another scrapbook layout page to Lain's get a LOAD of this challenge over at bigpicturescrapbooking.com).

Here's my digi-page:


Well, tomorrow I will be taking my GlueGlide Max gun back to my local scrapping store.
Wish me luck. Actually, they (Dana and Carmen) are WONDERFUL. I am sure that I will not have a problem returning the 'sorry' tool.

OH, I almost forgot! I promised a recipe post this time. This dish was REALLY delicious. (I got it from Becky Higgins' website). Here it is:

GARLIC CHICKEN FARFALLE

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumble,

[ directions ]

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.


Ok gotta run!!
xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Oh my goodness....this product STINKS!




Soooo, yesterday I went to my local scrapbook store and bought the GlueGlider Max. It worked really well.... for the first few minutes and THEN..... things started to go wrong.


It seems the take-up roll wasn't "taking up" properly. Look at the mess I made trying to fix the darn thing. I REALLY wanted it to work!! (That pile of 'stuff' is glue.)


Sadly, my GlueGlider Max will be going back to my local store on Monday. You know, I shoulda 'listened' to the complaints that I read about this product on scrapbook.com forum!!

Well, on a happy note, I did order the 'correct' gun yesterday sooooo I'll be a happy scrapper again soon. :)

Ok. As promised, here's my first attempt at the book demo'd on The Scrapbook Lounge. I am happy with the overall look of the book but next time I'll get the right kind of thread for the binding. I was supposed to use waxed linen but since I didn't have that kind of thread lying/laying around the house (darn, I am NEVER sure which of those two words to use ...laying/lying...) anyway, I didn't have linen thread in my sewing kit so I decided to use some leftover hemp twine. It worked 'ok' but linen would have been much better I think.



Oh, let me know what you think of the book but shhhhhh..... don't tell Phyllis about it LOL. I'm going to give it to her. :) I think she'll enjoy adding her mini photos to the pages.


Have a grand Sunday!!
xoxoxo
PattyAnne

PS. I cooked yesterday. I don't REALLY like to cook - I would much rather go out to eat but every now and then the cooking bug hits me. The dish was so TASTY! I'll be sure to include the recipe in my next post! I'll warn you though, it is NOT a low cal dish but it is oh so yummy!!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Creating My FIRST Book - yeah!!

Hi Everyone,

I have been doing lots of serious scrapping lately and having a blast. Of course if you're a new scrapper (like me) serious scrapping also involves serious spending.. You know... I need STufF. So, anyway, I have been spending a bit more money than I would have liked, but, hey, it's FUN. Oh, part of my inspiration for my SERIOUS scrapbooking has been Lain's 31 day challenge over at bigpicturescrapbooking. Wow! I'm lovin' it.

Ok, back to my spending. Here's an example - I just ordered online (I mean two minutes ago) an ATG gun (3M ATG 714) AND yesterday I had my local scrapbook store hold a GlueGlider Max gun for me. (I wanted to buy it today - instead of yesterday - because today my LSS is having a one-year anniversary sale - 20% off everything and I love bargains). Anyway, as you can see, these guns are two different brands. I think I'm gonna like the one that I bought online better (for me) so I will give the other (heavier duty one - the GlueGlider Max) to my daughter and her husband. Actually when I read the packaging on the GlueGlider Max it sort of scared me .... I mean a scrapbook adhesive that you can use to hang drywall?? Oh my... lol Anyway, I was considering not purchasing the one at my local scrapbook store but I do so like to support them. I mean it is sooo cool to have a scrapbook store about 3 minutes from my house!! And, I know that my daughter and her hubby will enjoy having the GlueGlider Max!

Well, today I plan to make some books (or maybe ONE book) using the directions from Tricia on the ScrapbookloungeTV site. I have been drooling over these books since before Christmas and am finally going to make one TODAY. (I live in SC and believe it or not we are supposed to get 2-3 inches of snow today so I will stay all cozy warm crafting in my craft corner. Ahhhhh..... )

Well, I better get going -- gotta start crafting. (Don't you just love the feel and smell of all the paper goodies - not to mention the SOUNDS of the paper getting folded and cut!) Oh, and embellishments?? Yep, gotta have 'em!!

I'll post some pictures of my books as I go!
Gotta run!
xoxoxo PattyAnne