A breakthrough of Dr. Phil proportions

[Tuesday, September 23, 2008]

Before I enter my latest post on the Biltmore album, I must sing the praises of a little-known scrapbooking method that has allowed me to complete a whopping 40 pages in my 2001-2002 events album the last month. Shocking, isn't it? Many of you who are familiar with the rate at which I normally complete my albums are surely impressed. The process is called the Power Layouts method. It can be described as an assembly line of sorts. Basically, it involves first culling all the elements of a page: the paper, photos, mats, journaling boxes, embellishments, etc onto a faux page (i.e., plastic with indented guides for different size pages). Following that, cutting, punching and journaling, then setting the faux page to the side to move onto the next page.

One session, I put layouts together. The next session, I paste everything down. I've found the reason why this works for me is because when I'm putting the layout together in the first step, I don't have to commit to my decisions until the next session, so I'm free to move on without second guessing! Who knew I was such a commitment-phobe!

At any rate, I highly recommend the Power Layouts method. As if on cue, CM has just introduced a new Power Layouts kit for the new true 12 x 12 and 8 x 8 sizes. It's available in the New Products section under Organizers on my website.

I'd actually started using this method early last year, but didn't get around to pasting some of the pages down because I was waiting for some pictures for the event that go in the front of the album. For some reason, I felt that I had to put the album together in consecutive order. How silly of me! It's simple enough to mark a blank page with a flag reminding myself what it's for and go back to it later! Don't let missing photos hold you up, either! Break free! As Dr. Phil would say, "You can't change what you don't acknowledge."

I'll post some pictures of this album on an upcoming blog entry. For now, I'll rewind a couple months to catch you up on my Biltmore album.

[Wednesday, July 16, 2008]

We've been enjoying a nice respite from work this week, and despite staycating, I've finally had a chance to work on my scrapbook. The week of staycating (i.e., using time off work to stay at home) has been fun. We went to St. Michaels and, while there, visited the graves of my great-great grandparents. We saw Body Worlds, ate crabs and took Summer to the playground. In short, we stole some time from the world. Unfortunately for Adam, the week wasn't all pleasantries. Early on, he jammed his middle toe against one of Summer's toys, which, at the very least, broke a large blood vessel and, at the very most, sprained it. We've both had our bouts with toe torture over the last year. Read about mine in a previous post.

For this page in the Biltmore album, I know I want to mimic the diamond pattern from the previous page. While I'm considering my options, Kathy wants some professionally cut letters in gold for her Shamrock Fest two-page spread. After I cut the letters, Kathy isn't sure if the letters should be split by word or split evenly. We concur - evenly. We chit-chat about Facebook, the new 90210 series and her going back to school.

I take a short break to read a few books with Summer and help Adam get her ready for bed. I am so delighted about her interest in books. She has the most amazing memory. After reading a book once or twice and pointing out various things, we often ask her questions about the pictures, and she remembers! We have books on each level of the house just for her: a dresser drawer full in our bedroom, a basket full in the living room, and a shelf full in the basement. (Since we've been potty training, we also have a few strategically left in the bathrooms.) She loves to pick them out and has recently started requesting them by title. Among her favorite books: The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton, Babybug (which she affectionately calls "Kim and Carrots"), Clarabella's Teeth by An Vrombaut, The Tiny Star by Arthur Ginolfi, and, of course, Mommy's scrapbooks!

Once Summer is down for the night, I return downstairs. Kathy has another question about her spread: would the letters look better vertically or horizontally? Definitely horizontally; they don't fit as well vertically. Then, I suggest she use the two leftover pieces of gold as photo mats, one on each page to tie the punchy color together. Her next mission: labels for pix of bands. Star maker? Galaxy micro maker? I find a stencil with a star, so she uses that with the gold remnants to caption her pictures.

Returning to my page, I'll have room for a title on this page, but I'm not sure what it will be yet. One of the only pages of the tour inside Biltmore House contains pictures. Both of these pix have plants in them so I'd like to try to mimic that somehow using various shades of green cardstock.

Kathy packs up her stash and I walk her to the door. She has a long 3-minute ride home!

When I return to scrapbook, the mood and motivation have evaporated, so I decide to pick it up again tomorrow.

[Thursday, July 17, 2008]

I make two palm-like branches out of evergreen and honeydew cardstock. With a pencil, I lightly draw a stem in the direction the palm will grow. Then, using the multi purpose scissors, I snip the paper into leaves. (image 1)

The light green one seems too light, so using the green round-tip pen, I color in some of the leaves. (image 2)

I'm not too thrilled with the result, so I cut another palm in a more traditional green cardstock. In order to make the leaves seem more natural, I snip some in half and at mid-length. I also randomly cut the ends of some leaves so they don't appear as fabricated. With the multi-purpose scissors, I also cut a shape of a stone pot out of the remnant of clay cardstock. (image 3)

Satisfied with the embellishment, I happily move on to rest of the page.

I consider cropping the pic of Jennifer & Leslie on the balcony but opt against it because I reason that I shot the picture intentionally to illustrate the length of the balcony. I decide to journal on the paper next to the palms and, using the titletopia, adhere ABC/123 stickers around the diamond shape, which I cut out using the diamond shape from the gemstone patterns and the green and blue blades from the custom cutting system.

I'll still need to fill in the top right space with an embellishment of some kind, as well as the center of the diamond shape. For now, I adhere everything else and take a break to eat more crabs. (image 4)

[Friday, July 18, 2008]

Okay, so it was a long break, and no I wasn't eating crabs the whole time! That's the beauty of staycation - nothing to do and all day to do it! Although, we are leaving for the beach in an hour, so I'm trying to finish up this page.

First thing I want to do is the title. I don't have any ABC/123 stickers downstairs, so I go upstairs into the office and search through my stash. I pull everything out that's green. I have 5/8" Sassy in clover, 5/8" Classy in pistachio, and 3/8" Classy in ivy. I lay all of these on top of my page. Right away, I see the pistachio will be too light. Because my title "Taking a Break" will need to fit around the diamond, I opt for the 3/8" size in ivy. Because the diamond will act as my "aligner" I don't need to use titletopia but I will need the multi-purpose tool. (image 5)

To ensure the letters are spaced evenly, I count letters and start with the ones in the center of each line. When counting, I'm careful to include spaces. (image 6)

Next, I focus on journaling. Picking the right ink color is often challenging. In part, it's from having so many fine-tip pens! I test the five candidates on a scrap piece of the clay cardstock I'll be using. Green is out (too bright). Purple, plum and cocoa blend in too much, so olive wins! Plus it coordinates with the ivy ABC/123 stickers I used in the title. (image 7)

To finish off the page, I free draw the design from the balcony wall in my picture onto a scrap of clay cardstock, cut it with the multi-purpose scissors and adhere with tape runner. To fill the space in between the title, I professionally cut a clock in honeydew cardstock and adhere with tape runner. I wipe the pictures with my photo polishing cloth, then slide on a page protector. (image 8)

Painting with paper (and Bob Ross)

[Monday, June 23, 2008]

I need to lose myself in something today, forget about the rest of the world. Anything crafty usually does the trick. I just happen to be in the process of completing my scrapbook chronicling my trip to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Go fig. I decide to continue.

My next set of pictures/postcards requires a two-page spread. After viewing the Salon, we were able to take a break from the tour and enjoy the spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the balcony (accessible from the Music Room), much like the guests of Biltmore House did in Vanderbilt's day. This was the first chance we had to resume picture-snapping as well.

When creating a two-page spread, it's ideal to decorate the pages using a cohesive color-scheme or coordinating embellishments. Doing so indicates to the reader that the pages should be viewed as one.

My first thought last night when I was silently mulling, plotting, scheming my approach to these pages was that I'd incorporate a sheet of background paper that features French script and a side profile of a femmebot, the perfect correlation to some of the artifacts in the Salon which belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte. It would also echo the primary use for the room, which was an after-dinner entertainment area for female guests of Biltmore. (image 1)

Ultimately, I decide the paper is too busy and its image would be obscured by the other elements on the page. I do have a smaller cardstock version of the femme profile, so I decide to use it on the page. I find another piece of decorative paper from the same pack in an argyle pattern featuring shades of the colors in the postcard. I use this and one of my own pictures on this page. (image 2)

I make a mental note to find or create an embellishment that illustrates early 20th c. gaming. For now, I explore the possibilities for background paper for the as-built and a journaling box. It doesn't take me long. I find an eggplant remnant from the now-retired Colonial paper pack. I also decide to use the leftover portion of the parchment from the fork/knife die-cut on the previous page for the journaling box.

I mark (with a pencil, of course) and cut the eggplant background paper with the personal trimmer and adhere it to the gold dust refill page with tape runner. I play with the position for the journaling box (letter or landscape?). I also comtemplate adding a short title here (Tour Break), but decide instead to use that on the following all-picture page. That decision makes the position of the journaling box easier. (image 3)

I take a short break and have lunch with Adam. Shortly, thereafter, he leaves for work, and I return to the scrapbook table.

For the journaling, I select the basic black fine-tip pen. With that complete, I turn my attention to the gaming embellishment. I know this will take much inventiveness, so I go upstairs in search of a hair clip to sweep my hair up. Much like Violet from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, I think best when my hair isn't a nuisance. Over the last few graphs, I've been stewing over what to create here, and I finally decided to create a roulette wheel.

Using several shades of single-color paper and the custom cutting system with circle patterns and both the regular and mini-circle punches, I think I can pull this off.

I place the patterns over the area where the wheel will live (yes, what of it, I used to watch Bob Ross, and I, along with Kathy H., even took a painting class featuring his artwork - RIP, Bob Ross, RIP) to determine the max size for the outermost circle. Since I have three blades (red, blue, green), I can cut three sizes with each pattern (for a total of nine sizes). I start by cutting the outermost circle in dark brown with the largest circle pattern and the green (medium) blade. (image 4)

Using the same circle pattern, I cut a light brown circle with the blue (small) blade. Now, I have two concentric circles in different shades of brown.

To get the center part of the wheel, I select the smallest circle pattern and using the red (largest) blade, I cut a black circle. To achieve the red slots on the wheel, I'll first need to punch a 1 1/4 inch circle (slightly larger than the black) into the red paper with the regular circle punch. This will make getting the outline of a red circle easier. I place the small circle pattern over the hole of the circle I just punched (image 5)

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Is she going to cut that little red circle into tiny pieces to mimic the red/black alternating pattern? The answer is .... NOOO! I'm not that patient nor that talented. Instead, I'll use a black fine-tip pen and color in alternating black blocks on the red circle outline. I place a scrap piece of paper behind the red circle outline, and, applying my renown principle of halving, I place two marks on the top and bottom followed by two on each side. Then, I place one mark in the center of each of the previous lines. This ensures each section will be exactly the same size. (Mr. Bandy, I renige my foolish adolescent assertion that I'd never use math for anything in life.)

Now that my marks are complete, I can fill in every other one with the black fine-tip pen. (image 6)

For the center to be just right, I punch a 3/4 inch gray circle with the mini-circle punch, then directly over that punch a 1-inch circle. To achieve a shimmer effect, I will do the same thing on a scrap piece of vellum. In order to avoid the painstaking task of applying adhesive to the vellum, I put photo splits on the gray paper prior to punching. (image 7)

I use the gray circle I punched out for the centermost area. I place equilateral markes on the vellum ring with my pencil to mimick the dimension on the section just inside the numerical ring. The turning mechanism in the very center will be illustrated using a silver eyelet set with my silent setter and an upside down brad. I adhere all the mini circles with the precision point adhesive (glue pen) and the big circles with tape runner. It's nearly done.

The final touch are some silver accents around the center part of the wheel using the silver precious elements pen. I affix a few 3-D dots, and after that creation, I'm confident my powers are fully restored. (image 8)

For those who might be wondering, below is a picture of the painting I did from the Bob Ross class. Quite interesting how each person's interpretation of the instructions differed. Charlie had a paw in it also.