Normal looks like...

I actually finished a scrapbook layout during the Great Scrapbook Carnival this year, and have it posted within the same week! I hope you're impressed because this is a vast improvement over last year.

The photos in this layout were taken during April 2011, which is the last time my family were all under the same roof. Bo Bunny's Family Is... collection was used throughout this layout, from the papers to the chipboard and pearls. 

A new shop and Glitz-y Christmas cards in a whirlwind.

Hey all! Yeppers, I'm back in Edmonton but only for another 10 days before I head back to the lake. It's been a whirlwind since we landed just before midnight last Wednesday. Between driving Hubby to work three hours away, two days of scrapping goodness thanks to Canadian Scrapbooker, a morning filled with learning from Cathie Allen, and an evening football game between my two favourite teams... oh my! During the next 10 days, my list includes: leading games at AWANA (x2) and prepping a plan for when I'm away; cleaning out my flowerbeds (don't want to come back to snow-covered plants); catching up with friends; starting up an Etsy store; laundry and more laundry, plus all those other domestic-type things; a long list of errands that each take about an hour... better get started!

You can now find me on Etsy as SnippetsnPitts, with my offerings just starting to be listed. Setting up the store, payments and listings is easy, but just takes time. You'll see a few things from here being offered for sale there. Of course, if you see anything here that you don't see there, leave me a comment or drop me a line and we'll see what we can do to get it into your hands.

That said, I had some time on the plane to design a few new Christmas cards on the plane. Tell me what you think of these:

Everything you see comes from Glitz's Hello December collection, available from Jessica Sprague (who is awesome). You'll be able to find some of these in my Etsy shop too. Loading the rest is part of my plan for this week.

More Picture Collage Maker

I am at the lake right now, but yesterday was overcast and rainy so I had to find something to keep me busy. Little did I know that I would be starting a new obsession. If you read yesterday's post, you'll know how I started to play with an new app called Picture Collage Maker Lite (PCML). Even though it was sunny today, I had to force myself to stay away from it until after dark.

Figuring that my rationale to scrap would sound better if I were using camping-type photos, I searched through my digi paper collections and found Echo Park's The Great Outdoors mini-theme. Didn't take but two shakes of a stick to find photos too. Then I remembered a challenge by the gals over at Drunken Stampers... go give 'em some blog luvin' for their fabulous cards!

Picture Collage Maker Lite

I've been playing, but because I'm at the cottage and away from my stash, it had to be with new software. I downloaded Picture Collage Maker Lite for my Mac from the App Store and began to click the buttons to see what they would do. It came with a how-to video but my inner Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor came out and so I just ignored the instructions and dove right in. I have a wide assortment of digi designer paper collections (I think Jessica Sprague is awesome) from which I could click and drag papers and elements into the app. Don't get me wrong! I've never done a digital layout in my life and believe that paper crafting is - and should be - a tactile art. Even so, there are times I want to picture a layout before printing pieces. I figured that I wouldn't lose anything but a little time with this free app... yep, it was my favourite colour!

Silhouette Flower Pot notecards

Here's a quartet of notecards made in my favourite ways - simple, easy and frugal!

These lovelies began life as plain and simple card stock. A few minutes with a Silhouette Cameo began to give these rather rectangular characters a little more definition and interest. Throw in some ink, Pearl Pen, and a few Dew Drops, and - Viola! - something to cheer someone's day.

More Rooster Cards

I recently picked up a stack of papers while on vacation for a very specific purpose, but then was left with a huge bunch of paper. I know, that's just a terrible situation! But I faced that adversity with a smile, and here are a few cards that came out of that stack: 

Rooster Birthday Card

Happy Birthday to my Hubby! I whipped up this card for him while we were travelling after stopping at a Micheal's in the area. The cardstock stack, Tsukineko metallic inks, stamps and brads were all on sale. Since I never travel without a few crafting tools, I was set!

I cut a 6x8 inch card base and a 5x7 inch mat with my handy dandy paper cutter, then fussy cut the various sayings. A little scissor-edge distressing around the edges, a couple of stamps, and a few button brads later - well, the card says it best: Ooh la la! 

Here are a few close-ups to show some detail: 

Hubby has a love of all things chicken-y (he even had one as a pet as a child!) so this card was perfect for him. And since I was able to add to my stash AND play with paper while on vacation, I came out a winner too!!