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I just love my boys! Can ya tell?

future of scrapbooking industry?

Well, just found out the other day that one of my favourite magazines is being dissolved. Simple scrapbooks will somehow become a part of Creative Keepsakes magazine, it's parent. I wonder how many people are out of work? Then, I read that Creative Memories has filed chapter 11 from its creditors. It is still business as usual for them but they will need increased sales levels for the next couple of years in order to dig out. Hmmmm. Also, overall sales figures for the industry are declining. Perhaps because of the economic crisis in States?

Anyway, sad to see that. I for one, plan to keep making scrapbooks so the industry doesn't need to worry where I'm concerned!

The big meltdown

No, not me, Saskatoon. As long as you don't look at how gross the roads are, the above freezing temperatures have been absolutely wonderful. Any more of that -40 temperatures and I would have traded in my old Dodge Caravan for a trip to Mexico!

The library here in Saskatoon is amazing. Just reading a couple of really good scrapbooking books. The first called 'Focal Point' a Memory Makers Book. Most of the layouts, in my opinion, are pretty busy. However, they do use different techniques and materials that I haven't thought of before. For example, taking a photograph and changing it into a black and white drawing with Photoshop. From there you use watercolour pencils to colour. Hmmm. Interesting eh?

The other book is called Scrap Simple by Hillary Heidelberg. I REALLY like everything about this book. Shows you how and gives lots of examples to use minimal design elements on a page. I plan to scraplift a few layouts and did so with this one about my nephew James. I am firm believer that the major focus of a page should still be your pictures not your embellishments. Plus, I am too cheap and too busy to be able to add all that to my layouts anyway. (smile)

Okay, off my soap box now, need to make supper and pay attention to boys for awhile. Enjoy the rest of your day everyone!

Road Trip

I've heard of this little shop called Prairie Chicks out in Hague, Saskatchewan. My friend Phyllis and I had talked many times about making a trip out there to see it. Well, we finally did it and brought another friend Carolyn. Yup, you guessed it, it is scrapbooking store! The front half of the old bank building is quilting supplies and is decorated/arranged like an antique store. Very pretty. But then the store seems to go on forever back into the scrapbooking supplies and crop area. FYI: they are having a crop Feb 6 & 7th.

I think we managed to touch just about everything in the store and my pocketbook was not too much lighter - I resisted a lot! Here is a link to their website: http://www.prairiechicksquiltingandscrapbooking.mysite.com/

We then stopped at I think the only restaurant (attached to gas station) for lunch. You know you are in small town Saskatchewan when the specials are $6.95 and they include soup/salad, entree, and desert. Oh, and everything is home made! Yum.

Speaking of homemade, tried out a new muffin recipe. It is fantastic - enjoy!

I'm cold. It is -30C this afternoon. What is weird though is that in two days we are expecting a high of +2C. That is going to feel like the tropics! Okay, well not really but a girl can dream.

Got a lot of photos developed the other day so let the scrapbooking begin. Perhaps tomorrow I will get a chance to go down to the basement....

Submitted the following little story to a Simple Scrapbooks writing contest last month. Supposedly three winners were to be chosen but have not seen anything announced yet. It was just a spur of the moment type thing but I thought it was cute. Perhaps someone reading this will send me a prize. (snif, snif)

Musings from a Paper Addict – by Sandy Crowe

I will be the first to admit that I am a paper addict. I tend to lean towards kits or paper packs simply because you seem to get more for your money. The other bonus is that the papers are coordinated which makes planning a layout all that much easier. Regardless, there is nothing like that little flutter in my stomach when I find that perfect pack. Yes, I said flutter. Oh come on ladies, you have felt it too! The paper is either in the same theme as my next project, the colours are just my favourites, or even better, they are both.

My first clue that I was perhaps addicted to paper was when I would invite a new friend or neighbor over for coffee. Eventually we would end up in the basement in my craft room, a.k.a my studio, which sounds so much more important doesn’t it? Upon entering the room their eyes would eventually fall on the shelves of neatly arranged papers by colour and paper pack. Inevitably the next comment would be OH MY or WOW, you sure do like paper don’t you? As you can guess, these comments are coming from non-scrapbookers. Fellow scrapbookers would instead say, cool – where do you shop? My husband on the other hand doesn’t say a thing which is probably a wise move on his part.

In my little mind I think that paper is a staple commodity. You are always going to need it and it can be used in the background or as an embellishment itself. I have recently been playing with some paper flowers for example. A little bit fiddly but fun to do whilst watching an episode of House on a cold winter night. It would be interesting to know how many other paper addicts exist. I have a feeling there is someone out there (who doesn’t work for a magazine or supply company) who is worse off than me. Just in case, I am open to any donations to fuel my addiction! Seriously though, to avoid getting into too much debt, keep repeating after me – buy only what you need, buy only what you need…

Have a great day everybody!

I did it! My first blog posting ...

After reading so many blog postings by others I thought I would step up to the plate as it were and give it a try. Plus, just send photos of my latest scrapbook pages to family and figure this would be a better way to share.

We are snowed in here today in Saskatoon. Snow is just starting to fade, I think. Need to shovel the driveway AGAIN! Ugh. Looking forward to the weekend and above normal temperatures. Hopefully go skating on the pond with my boys.

Here are my latest pages. Been inspired to do some doodling on my pages. Used black pen and or acrylic paint. Hope you like!