My Hands - My Perceived Weakness

[written Sunday, August 2, 2009]

Last day of staycation. Went on a bike ride along C&O Canal yesterday stopping at Dickerson Recreation Center along the Potomac River. Dirt splattered onto our legs with each pedal and bugs smacked against our heads, announcing their arrival with a buzz. But we were in the heart of nature, near where the Confederate Army crossed the Potomac River during the Civil War. The terrain is flat flanked by the canal on one side and the river on the other. We picnicked at Dickerson Recreation Center and watched White's Ferry make its routine crossing a few times before biking back to our car.

From there, melancholy crept in. The thought of returning to work is almost unbearable. Soon autumn will be upon us again and with it the rush of back-to-school activities and holidays and, ugh, winter. By the time you read this, that dreaded season may well be over.

This may be the last page of the Biltmore scrapbook I complete for a while, but I'm happy with my progress this week.

I've got most of this page worked out already. I selected a couple of 6 x 6 background papers that resemble Victorian wallpaper to arrange in checker formation behind my pictures. I also know I want to use a "Rest & Relaxation" rub-on in the center of the page.

For the journaling, I plan to cut strips of beige cardstock to flank the pictures. But right now, I adhere everything with tape runner. As I'm trying to line up the papers with the edge of the page and with each other in the center, I silently curse because my very unsteady hand won't cooperate. When I'm old and decrepit, I'll have tremors. You heard it here first.

Wiggly, wobbly hands is my chief weakness from my vantage point. They contribute to camera shake and many an error when handling delicate embellishments like alphabet stickers and tiny wands with stars. Fortunately, the digital age has been my saving grace. Gladly, the shake doesn't negatively contribute to vigorously moving a popsicle stick back and forth over a rub-on, which I proceed to do now onto a piece of beige cardstock. I add this to the center.

Ink color is the only real decision I'm faced with before completing this page. I consider three shades of pink before reasoning that black would coordinate with the R & R title. I lay beige cardstock under the first picture I'm going to caption, then mark with a pencil where I"m planning to cut. The mark is a guide for me when I write so I don't scrawl beyond the cutting point.

I set the captions on the page where I plan to adhere them. I don't adhere immediately because of my commitment-phobic tendencies. Read how I conquered this. Sometimes this works to my advantage, like today. I initially write vertically for the top right and bottom left photos but don't like it, so I rewrite captions on smaller squares, then adhere with tape runner right on photos. Since all my paper, adhesive and ink is acid- and lignin-free, this is safe for my photos. The result is a smidge more whimsical.



The next page is very easy. I mimic the layout and color scheme from page five posted under Biltmore Rewind. I trim the background paper to fit, which consists of drawings of caddy, overdressed women gossiping over afternoon tea - perfect for this page of us eating breakfast on the Biltmore Inn patio. Using a few purple and green photo mats from the Everyday Storybox, I charge three of the pictures. I crop the picture of our waitress, and trim a section off a green photo mat for the background. I cut a strip of purple to charge a vellum accent, which reads: "Friends are the sunshine of life." I write about the pictures on a purple journaling box using a lime-green colored fine-tip pen. I adhere all with tape runner and frosted splits, which are for the vellum.

Next episode: Bike ride on Biltmore Estate

Desperately Seeking Scrapbooker

[Tuesday, July 28, 2009]

I can hardly contain my excitement. After a long self-depravation, I'm getting ready to work on a page using REAL pictures! It is my hope that my progress will speed up as a result of this change in focus. I sort through the next dozen pictures, pull out two I won't use and group them into three sets. The first set are shots of us girls on the South side of Biltmore House under the wisteria- and trumpet-creep-covered pergola. I know immediately I want to use a sheet of green decorative cardstock. (image 1)

My next mission (which I accept) is to find a printed sheet of background paper, preferrably garden-quality. I look through my paper stacks and find two that might work: pink daisies and what look like ivy or holly leaves. I choose the pink daisies because it makes Leslie's top pop! Since pictures and memorabilia are typically the focal point in albums, it's ideal to complement them with embellishments. (image 2)

I take a short break to spend time with Adam & Summer before he leaves for work. We play with Summer's "trainville" and do some toy chaffing (i.e., donating the unwanteds). We chat with Mammy on the phone, watch a little PBS Kids, color a picture, then eat lunch. Summer and I put puzzles together, draw and read books while Adam gets ready for work. After his truck has disappeared around the corner, I help Summer brush her teeth and go potty, then help her nod off to dreamland for the afternoon.

When I return to my work area, I study the pix for the page, contemplating which of them I might crop. I consider using the oval cutting patterns to trim the pictures to fit the shape of the petals on the decorative cardstock, but worry that it would force me to cut too much from the pix, weakening the dramatic impact of the pagoda. I settle for trimming the sides slightly with the personal trimmer.

While these thoughts dance about in my head, I'm also wondering what I can conjure up to journal on without obfuscating the background. Vellum is the logical answer but after all the printing on vellum for the Biltmore House tour, I'm eager to write. I wonder can I write on vellum? Will it smudge? I know the ink doesn't ever smudge on cardstock, but vellum is another story. I test this notion on a remnant from prior pages. If this doesn't work, I could also journal on narrow strips of paper and place over the vellum. To my sheer surprise, it doesn't smudge at all!

Inspiration for the final element - the title - comes from one of the plant species that cover the pergola: wisteria. Can you guess Desperate Housewives fans? Yup, Wisteria Lane. One day, I'll look back and wonder why I selected it, since I'm not a DA fan, but, for the moment, I think it right clever.

I elect to professionally cut these letters and then charge them with vellum also. A bright yellow will do since there's a hint of it in the background. After adhering the letters to vellum with precision point adhesive, I decide to journal on yellow cardstock instead of the vellum (although writing on vellum was still an unexpected epiphany!) I trim the background paper to fit the page (still using former pages for this project - don't worry, I stocked up) with the 12-inch straight trimmer. Then I adhere everything with tape runner and precision point adhesive. I polish the pix with the photo polishing cloth, which, despite its unique ability to repel dust, for a fleeting moment, appears to shake some off for lack of use. (image 3)

My desire for photogenic subjects has been placated for now, but I am certainly desperate for more.

Tour de Fin

[Sunday, July 26, 2009]

We're on staycation this week. Adam just put up the tent in the backyard for Summer, which has caused her major excitations. I am working on the final page of the Biltmore House tour! I can hear the wolf-whistles and cat calls out there among you. You've probably been in picture withdrawal as much as I have these last few pages.

I notice that a sheet of my vellum has a coffee stain on it. Fact: all important papers have coffee stains on them. After all, the stained and dog-eared papers are the ones that have been handled and poured over most often or are in the path of spilled or dribbled coffee. In that case, I should put this sheet of vellum in the safe straight away!

I don't spend much time deliberating on the subtleties of this page. The three postcards take up most of the space. I trim the vellum description and the as-built with the personal trimmer. The only major thing I have to do is journal re: the main switch board (much bigger than modern-day circuit breaker boards). I inquired with the docent re: how the electricity was being delivered. If I recall correctly, she responded that a 25 HP gasoline-powered generator provided power in the form of direct current. I remember this because I thought Adam would find it interesting. The switchboard itself was in operation through 1989. (image 1)

A knock on the door and Charlie's barking as though we were being attacked intrude my thoughts. Since Summer is napping, I shush Charlie and crack open the door. I do not recognize the woman. "Can I help you?" I ask. "I'm sorry, I was looking for Tyler's house," she responds. I point next door with my thumb, quietly close the door and return to my table. I'd be lying if I said these little interruptions don't jostle me sometimes. It's like being thrown without warning from an otherwise pleasant train ride.

For the finishing touches, I choose a light brown fine-tip pen (which coordinates well with hues in postcards). I also wish to find a patterned background paper for the vellum. I moved much of my stash upstairs in prep for Crop Till Ya Drop yesterday, so I tiptoe passed Summer's bedroom door to the office to gather some options. As soon as I open my scrap paper holder, I see it: remnants from a recent page with the exact colors I need. Back downstairs, I quickly trim it and adhere the vellum description with frosted splits. I cut a piece of gray cardstock to charge the as-built. Then, I paste everything down with tape runner.

Incidentally, now that my postcard spree is over, it occurs to me this might be a useful tip to share: I've been placing the tape runner around the printed portions on the reverse side of the postcards in the event one day I wish to remove any of them or if I have to move them (e.g., if I made a mistake). The identifying info won't be obscured or torn. A page protector completes this page. (image 2)

It's quite a relief to have this section behind me. I have a feeling I'll be moving more swiftly through the final pages. One day, I'll be glad I took the time to incorporate it, but, for now, I'm eager to move onto some pictures again. For the last several pages, I've kind of felt like a banker who is only allowed to handle toy money.

RIP, VIP and TIPs from the WIP

I worked fast and furious on the Biltmore scrapbook last summer, so I'm still posting entries I wrote from then! This is the last one, though, so in the coming weeks, I will pick up that WIP again.

[Sunday, August 24, 2008] (Nana, you've had a long birthday this year!)

These next two pages should be quick and easy: a two-page spread featuring Mr. & Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedrooms. Yes, they slept separately, not uncommon in that day but begs the questions (c'mon, you've wondered): did it make them more or less intimate? commune better? get uninterrupted sleep? If we are remotely curious about these things in heaven, perhaps we'll inquire.

I start with Edith's room. The rich, dark textures of her room scream for a light background (not to mention smacks of death), but I also don't want the layout to be too dull either. I find a sheet of beige cardstock (butter is too bright), which is muted butter. Then, I find a slant-lined purple pattern in my stash which coordinates splendidly. Just enough purple - neither over- nor understated. (image 1)



I also find the same patterned paper in green, so I use that on George's page. In this instance, its the pattern of the paper that unifies the layout, not the color, in addition to the portrait postcards. (image 2)




Summer is about to wake up, so I break for now.

[Wednesday, August 27, 2008, Crop Club]

Mom, Kathy and I are scrapping and watching America's Got Talent. Thus far, the talent is a bit lackluster. Jerry Springer live is a bit scary. Good reason to focus on my scrapbook. Picking up where I left off, with the straight trimmer, I cut some of the evergreen cardstock to charge the as-built on Mr. Vanderbilt's page and eggplant cardstock to charge the as-built on Mrs. V's page. I'll do the same for the vellum later. Now, I decide to use the tearing tool to tear each side of the beige cardstock to add texture.

During an AGT commercial break, we discuss Michael Phelps' .01 win against Cavic in the 100 fly. We heard that special cameras had been installed the night before, perhaps in anticipation of the tight race. Our pride as a nation was fueled all the more by the honorable way in which Phelps handled himself before, during and after each race. "Let the swimming speak for itself," he continually states. Not so for his competitors.

A lot competes for your attention if you maintain a large stash. The girls and I discuss the process of selecting the right embellishments. We concur that always sticking with the first discovery might cause us to overlook something better, so, if you find something, add it to your "lightbox" and continue searching. This same selection process applies to many things. I, for one, will scour all the XM radio stations for the best song, even if the best song was the first one I heard, and by the time I get back to it, it's over. I'm discontented to keep it on the first station without hearing what else is playing. In short, I like having options.

ER is entering its final season after 14 long years. Kathy and I have been faithful viewers. We hope George Clooney makes a cameo in one of the final episodes. I only hope it takes me less time to complete this scrapbook than ER has been broadcast!

I adhere everything with tape runner except vellum and Mr. V's portrait, including the torn paper. With the straight trimmer, I cut a small journaling box from the evergreen cardstock and with the gold metallic fine-tip pen, write a little of the description from Mr. V's portrait at the top, followed by a bit of narrative regarding the rest of the tour. Then, I adhere the postcard and journaling box with tape runner. I cut a small strip of evergreen cardstock to charge vellum, then adhere it with frosted splits. (image 3)



Mrs. V's page is very similar. I follow the same process as above using eggplant cardstock. (image 4) I add page protectors, and I'm done for the night, thankful I don't have to retire to Mrs. V's isolated death-adorned boudoir.



Title of this entry spelled out for you: Rest in Peace, Very Important Person and Tips from the Work in Progress. The 'Rest in Peace' bit is a bit cynical. It doesn't allude to Edith Vanderbilt's death, but instead to her sleeping quarters.

Charged with scraplifting in the first degree

[January 21, 2008]

I've finally managed to eek out a few hours since the holidays to continue work on my Biltmore scrapbook. As with previous moratoriums, I must spend a few minutes re-acclimating myself to my stash and photos and wiping the cobwebs off my tools. It is akin to piddling.

Adam, my faithful companion, is providing me with good company. He's online and just discovered a military patch that has eluded him for years. He's also watching Gunsmoke - one of his favorite TV shows of all time. We're both enjoying some time off work today. We sent Summer to the babysitter to play with her little friends this afternoon. I wish we could have about a month of days like this.

While piddling, I remember that I left off at the Winery tour/tasting, which means I can now move onto the tour of the Biltmore House. I begin by sifting through my pictures, which are quite a few. I might need to edit them lest I have 6 - 7 pages of just the tour. A quick count reveals 24 pictures. I review my stash for mementos and any embellishments. I already know I have the pic of the four of us in the Winter Garden inside the house and the program guide to include. These items may go in a clear portrait sleeve or memorabilia pocket. Because we couldn't take pictures inside the house, I know I'll have a few postcards to illustrate our journey within the house. I've organized the postcards in the order that follows the tour of Biltmore House. I contemplate copying the as-builts to go along with each page. Before I begin journaling this section, I decide to re-read the guide book to Biltmore, to recall the facts, stats and trivia of the house.

The first page will need to contain a title which I haven't decided on. I also want to include one of the smaller postcards of the facade. Because my camera doesn't have a panoramic option or a wide-angle lens, I often try to snap long scapes with multiple exposures. It doesn't always work, but, this time, it worked out pretty well. I use two of the pictures along the bottom of the page. (image 1)




Aunt Judy just returned my call to say that Bob is home now. Uncle Bob had a heart attack over the weekend and was in the hospital. "It's like nothing happened," she said. "He never wasn't himself." Adam and I are both glad Bob is recovering and that the blockage didn't require him to have surgery.

For the title, I consider "Biltmore House" and, using Titletopia, wrap the letters around the small postcard. I would then have room under it to transfer the text from the reverse of the postcard. That would leave the top right of the page for journaling. With my plan in place, I focus first on cropping and arranging my jerry-rigged panorama. I decide to cut around the house, leaving only the edifice itself, reasoning, as usual, that if I don't like it, I always have the other two copies of the pictures. After I cut out the sky using the multi-purpose scissors, I line up the two images and join them at the point of intersection with tape runner. I use a leftover strip of olive single color paper to anchor the image visually. (image 2)




I change my mind re: the large space for journaling. I decide instead to use the brochure on this page with a memorabilia pocket. Scrapbooker's block creeps upon me, and I get stuck rearranging the items, so I take a break to pick up Summer.

[January 26, 2008]

At times, it is easier (for me) to play with a layout mentally, mull it over, while occupying myself with other tasks away from the page itself. After some inspirational reading, I decide the layout is lacking something, a controlled image, perhaps. Now, ordinarily, a background paper with an image would suffice, but, after leafing through the Guide to Biltmore, I decide to create a backdrop which will mimick the sloping spires on Biltmore House. I'll achieve this with varying colors of single-color paper.

This new idea means that both the postcard and brochure are out. Since this is an intro page for the series of House tour pictures, one image, a title and a large journaling box should complete the layout. I set to work on the backdrop, trimming one sheet each of smoke, fog and key lime single-color paper. I cut triangular shapes from smoke and fog, where I've drawn faint pencil lines.

In order to adhere the backdrop, I first need to scraplift the panorama at the bottom of the page. Scraplifting is very simple, especially if you've used tape runner. Slip the multi-purpose tool (or your fingers) under the adhered element and slowly pluck it from the page. If any adhesive is left on the page and you don't want it there, remove it with the pick-up square (or scrape it with any fingernails you might have). Since I need the adhesive, I leave it. I connect the three sections of roof with photo splits. (image 3)



With a pencil (my indispensible tool), I lightly draw in the edges of the shingles. I'm fortunate to have been blessed with some writing ability because if I had to make a living drawing, we'd surely be destitute. As I clumsily make the rhythmic lines, I consider employing a straight edge to help me, but after a couple of the too-perfect lines, I concede they will look too contrived. While I fill in the remaining lines, Summer toddles over and sees me "drawing." She walks over to where her AquaDoodle hangs on the wall and lifts up her arm, indicating she wants the water pen so she can draw, too.

When I'm finished, I go over the roof lightly with my eraser to diminish its definition. After all, the naked eye rarely captures each precisiver line of a rooftop. Satisfied with my above-par work, I'm ready to add the trim. (image 4)




I cut two 1/4-inch strips of key lime paper, line them up, marking where they meet at the top with my pencil. I trim off a little corner of one with the multi-purpose scissors so they easily fit together. Using the mini tape runner, I adhere both strips to the roof. (image 5).



Kathy has come to visit and scrap with me. We chat about having too much stash to sort through when we are working as well as the deplorable state of network TV, including the uncanny longevity of ER and the desperation of shows like The Moment of Truth. Could anyone really be stupid enough to throw his entire life away for a little cash? It violates man's last right to privacy.

To give my page relief, I affix dimensional adhesive to the backside of the previously constructed panorama.

For the journaling, I can't decide which color paper to use: lavender or eggplant. I try eggplant first with the copper metallic fine-tip pen, but the ink doesn't show very well. I write over it with the silver metallic fine-tip pen, and it looks better, but I still don't like it. I start over with the lavender paper and the purple fine-tip pen. I write the passage using journaltopia, so the lines are straight. Then, I add some dimensional adhesive so it is the same relief as the panorama. (image 6)


Kathy solicits my advice on her current page, which is a concert. She has cropped her pictures down, so she is able to fit 12 - 15 on the two-page spread. She has a knack for this kind of stuffing, because her pictures never over- or underwhelm her page. "Should I put the pix of people on one side and the bands on the other or mix them together?" I reply, "I vote for mixing them together because it would be more visually interesting. Specifically, I think a grouping of the five band pictures that are the same size would look great in a horizontal row across the page."

To complete my page, I professionally cut letters for the title "Biltmore House." To make them pop, I ink the edges with the purple round-tip pen, then affix dimensional adhesive to each letter to achieve the same relief. (image 7). I slide a page protector on, thankful to be acquitted.

Dredging dry wall, oysters and scrapbooks

[Sunday, December 29, 2007]

For us, the manic part of the year is drawing to a close. While I thoroughly enjoy Christmas, I am thankful I won't need to think about its preparations for at least another seven months. I do hope all of you had a restful and memorable holiday. Mine would have been more restful had I not injured my neck earlier in the month, which many of you know about. I've 90% recovered from this, but it was not a peachy time.

I am back to blogging about scrapbooking and other drivel.

I had one last post prepared before the holidays assumed possession of my mind and body, so here it is in its glory.

[Sunday afternoon, October 28, 2007]

Once again, I'm using my Sunday afternoon reprieve from maternal and household duties to chisel away at the Biltmore scrapbook, while trying to ignore the dripping water in the downstairs bathroom. Yes, we are having more plumbing issues. This time the leak isn't over our sofa, but over the shower, so not only are we paying for unused water but also the waste water! After demolishing the dry wall, Adam thinks it's the condensation line to our heating/cooling system, so he calls a local heating/cooling company before heading to work. A more scrutinous look revealed later that it was just the ice maker line to our fridge.

As some of you know, this innocent little leak uncovered a much bigger issue in that we've been running on emergency heat for a very long time. What we though was just BGE greed with state-wide rate hikes was actually us paying for emergency heat! So we ended up getting our entire heating/cooling system replaced for a whopping five grand. Sometimes I think the homeless people I pass every day going to work might be more shrewd than I think.

I've taken quite a long hiatus from the Biltmore scrapbook. Other projects and events have taken precedence. I set a goal of completing this project by year-end, but sometimes no matter how hard I try, no matter how many minutes of the days I'm able to steal, it does take me longer. Life intervenes. The rub there is, if life did not intervene, there would be no memories to preserve. Long live life.

The next page I am doing is just a montage of the bottles of wine I purchased and the instructional placemat, which I was looking for in Scavenger Hunt. I did end up finding the placemat. It was in the basement tucked under the wine rack in that little space between where the stemware hang and the serving area. I happened to see it poking out of there one morning when I was putting in a Boz DVD for Summer.

For this page, I think I'm going to try out a layout idea I read about in a magazine. This will involve making some precise measurements and cuts, but I think it's worth a try. First, I'll need some printed background paper, so I search my stash. None of the remaining paper I earmarked for this project will work. The print has to be a backdrop only, so I want it to be busy but with no overt images. I look in one of my paper files. Nothing there. Then, I remember the paper I used for mom's birthday invitations. The sheets are 6 x 6, so I'll have to piece them together and trim a portion off each one. I select one of the designs and lay them out. (image 1)

I trim the inside part of the squares, then adhere them with tape runner. I fish out a scrap of salmon paper from my scrap bags and adhere that horizontally across the center to hide the seams of the background paper. I'll tackle the vertical seam later. Next, I choose my foreground paper: light pink. I want this paper to sit one inch inside the background paper so I measure, mark and cut with the 12-inch straight trimmer. The paper should be 9.5" x 9.5". To mark the center on each side, I make a slight indentation with my fingernail. Then, I adhere it with tape runner. (image 2)

To trim the photos so that they all nest together on the pink background paper, I must cut each of them to the same size. That involves halving the 9.5 length (4.25) to get the length the photos need to be. Each photo is 5.25" long, so I have to cut off 1/2 an inch from each end. Each pic is 4" wide. Dividing 9.5 by 3 means each pic needs to be approximately 3 and 1/6 inches wide, give or take. (Did I mention I hate math?) I can honestly say this is the first time I've used a calculator for scrapbooking! I trim the photos using the personal trimmer.

Before adhering the pictures, I add a strip of brown ribbon to cover the vertical seam using mini tape runner. (Working on this page is seriously making me want to cork open a bottle.) I adhere the three pics of the as yet unopened bottles with tape runner. Though not perfect, I am pleased with my progress. (images 3 + 4)

Now I know approximately the size my scanned image needs to be (9.5 x 4.25) - likely a little less to leave some pink border. I don't have time to do that today, so I stop here. Summer's precious babbling calls.

[Saturday, November 3, 2007]

My friend Amy recently asked me if I'd like to help out with a memory-preserving project involving the Skipjack Martha Lewis. I eagerly agreed to lend my meager expertise as well as donate some supplies to the cause, including tape runner, vintage storybox and archival pens. With monetary donations she received, Amy purchased a ginormous 18 x 23 archival scrapbook, which will be ideal for some of the larger newspaper articles.

Yesterday evening, I joined Amy along with a few other ladies affiliated with the Skipjack Martha Lewis. My foggy, aged eyes managed to navigate the clear night to Joppa, Maryland. Upon arriving, we sorted through articles, photos and other memorabilia related to the Skipjack Martha Lewis, one of the last oyster dredging vessels of its kind. While we didn't get to scrapping any of the items, we sifted and sorted through the items we will be including.

At first, we thought we should put everything in the book chronologically, but it quickly became apparent that doing so might make it difficult for visitors on the vessel to peruse the entire book. Instead, we decided to divide the book into sections, each with different appeal.

First, we organized the newspaper articles and memorabilia (e.g., Alan's permit to restore the boat) into the agreed-upon categories: restoration, educational programs, racing/sailing, media/news and miscellany.

We then moved onto photos, some of them taken by Amy herself. We selected the best images to accompany each category. At one point, I thought I found an excellent shot of some kids on the boat listening to a demonstration about oyster dredging. However, one of the children chose that moment to let his finger take up residence in his nose. We had a good laugh about it, but cast the picture back from whence it came.

At times, we got so wrapped up in reading the articles and discussing the subject matter of the photos, it was difficult to focus. Amy's cats Merlin and Katie frequently nudged our minds from their niche by jumping in our laps and making catnip of our piles.

Not knowing much about skipjacks, specifically the Martha Lewis, I learned quite a bit about boat restoration, oyster dredging and a little of what it takes to properly maintain a sailboat. The goal of our project is to put together a book telling the story of the Skipjack Martha Lewis that future passengers and field-trip going kids can read. As we progress on this project, I'll be blogging about it here. Get information about Skipjack Martha Lewis, sailing events, scheduling field trips, racing, etc.

[Back to Biltmore]

I scanned the placemat I was searching for in Scavenger Hunt, but couldn't reduce it to the exact size I wanted, but I think it will still work. The end size is 7 x 5, which leaves more pink on the page than I was anticipating. So, I decide to cut a section of brown paper for the background to fill the space a little more. (The original intent was to let the pink outline the items on the page.) I adhere the brown paper with tape runner followed by the scanned placemat. (image 5)

I realize I dont have much to journal about on this page, so I carefully lift up the brown paper and using the bubble maker punch bubbles into it. I am satisfied with the result so I adhere, wipe photos, and slide on the page protector. (image 6)

The next group of photos will be touring the Biltmore House, so stay tuned!

The Cellars

Labor Day Weekend


I took a break from the scrapbook for a bit to work on the invitations for my mom's surprise 60th birthday dinner. I'm happy to say she was surprised, and the event went very well!


Now that the invitations are finished, I return to the Biltmore scrapbook. It's Labor Day. Adam and I took Summer to Ft. Smallwood Park for a bike ride and picnic earlier. We've returned in time for Summer's nap.


This page is a continuation of the tour - to the cellars of the winery. I have four pictures for this page, so conserving space is a must. (image 1)

I decide not to use any photo mats for this page. However, I do need something to provide background to the photos. I check my paper options. I don't want something too busy but definitely want something that will go along with the subject matter of the pics. I have two choices: a piece of 12 x 12 floral vellum and a piece of 12 x 12 burgundy with types of wine in gold. I decide I'm going to cut strips to go behind the pics, in a sort of off-cross shape. I decide the floral vellum will work best since there are flowers and vines in the pics, and since there's a speckled pattern on the gold dust refill page.


The best pic of the page is of Jen & Leslie in front of the cellars sign, so I position the cross part of the strips directly under that. (image 2)



I'm planning on journaling for this page, but I'll have to create my own journal box using a template I received at a previous Creative Memories event. As for the color of the paper, that is a toss-up between something muted (like beige or brown) and something bright (like fuschia or green). I test beige and fuschia. Fuschia is too bright and beige blends in too much. So I consider light pink, which seems to work well. I cut the size I need with the personal trimmer. Fortunately, I had nearly the right size scrap leftover from doing the invitations. I draw the lines using the aforementioned template and fuschia fine tip pen (another freebie from a previous event). (image 3)

I was so pleased with the numbers I cut for the invitations, I do them again with light pink and salmon paper from the pink paper pack, spelling "The Cellars."


Time to start dinner. Our neighbor Joe is coming over.


(Sept. 5 - Wednesday evening)


Adam is off work this week, so he and Dad put the frame of the shed up today. It's very exciting to see it come together. It's going to give us some much needed room in our basement.

It's evening. Mom and Kathy are here, and we are all hard at work on our projects. Mom needed to make a couple of things into stickers using my sticker maker. Kathy ordered some refill pages and tape runner.


I ask Kathy what album she will work on next. She says high school or recurring album. "The high school album has remnant newspaper clippings, so it is not really a scrapbook." Sure it is, I say, that is exactly what a scrapbook is! Kathy comments that the page protectors only cover the refill pages between the reinforced edges. She had not been trimming the 12 x 12 paper to fit, but will start doing so.


I trim the pic of the hallway to the champagne cellar because the salmon letters I cut overlapped it slightly. I just cut the foreground set of letters in pink, and I adhere them together with the mini tape runner. I goof on the letter "E" and put the adhesive on the wrong side, so I carefully remove the adhesive using the pick-up square. When all the letters are done, I write my journaling with the fuschia fine-tip pen.




Kathy is getting ready to leave. Adam offers to carry her stuff. "If I can't carry it myself, I shouldn't carry it," she jokes. "I have a suitcase on wheels; it's just not big enough!"

Now, I'm ready to adhere everything. I use frosted splits to adhere the vellum because they "disappear." I use tape runner & mini tape runner for everything else. I wipe the photos with my polishing cloth. I place a few foam dots on the die-cut of the champagne bottle and adhere it. Then, I slide the page protector on. Another page bites the dust (but not off the wine bottles).