Unofficial non KY crop 4/17 - 4/19/09!!!

While some of the LPS members were scrapping their little hearts out, eating delicious foods, shopping for new scrap supplies, and being pampered with pedicures at the crop in KY, other members had to entertain ourselves at home! Kristin was gracious enough to start up a list of challenges. Many ladies did a challenge, and it was really fun! Here are some layouts I completed for the casual affair.

This layout was for Kristin's kick-off challenge to use a particular quote by Dr. Seuss in a layout. I had the perfect photos of my son Anton learning to read with Dr. Seuss books!

For Laura-Lee's Copycat challenge, I chose to copy her house them, and also the scheme of her layout.

For Sharon's Food challenge, I had some photos of traditional Christmas foods that I'd been meaning to scrap.

April Design Team Submissions

I had the pleasure this month to work with the gorgeous alternate kit by 7 Gypsies!! The Gypsy Market line is rich and mysterious! It brings to mind an era gone by, and exotic far away places! The trim and other embellishments that came with this kit are to die for!

Here is my first layout, which was inspired by a psychic reading, which was given to me on my last birthday by my husband. I thought it would make a really good short story, so I did some more extensive journaling, which I will include on the back of my layout. I may decide to do something with the story later on.

The gypsy image was used courtesy of Scrapologie blog. http://scrapologie.blogs.com

Greg surprised me on my 46th birthday, by taking me to a psychic! I knew what he had in mind as soon as he pulled up to the ordinary looking house with the lit sign in front of it on El Camino Real. We walked up to the door, and were told to wait, while the children who were watching a movie in the living room were shuffled off to another part of the house. Then, we were called in. The small carpeted living room was sparsely furnished, although there was a large neatly decorated Christmas tree in the corner. The tree was decorated with large red bows and brass colored horn ornaments, which were spaced perfectly evenly all over the tree. The gifts at the bottom of the tree were arranged very tidily, as well, unlike at our house where they are placed there in a random fashion. There was a tv tray in front of the couch, where Yolanda sat. A framed portrait of her children adorned the wall, and was the only artwork in the room. Yolanda was a short squat woman, with a broad face and olive complexion. Her hair was swept away from her face. She was wearing a yellow sun dress, which had been pinned at the shoulder with a safety pin.

Yolanda asked to hold an item which was personal to me, and I gave her my wedding ring to old during the reading. She began. She spoke in a calm, measured manner, which led me to believe that what she was saying had been rehearsed. I listened to what she was saying, to pick out any seeds of truth. She began very generally, and said I was neither rich nor poor, My lucky days were Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. My lucky numbers were 4, 9, 27. My lucky color was purple, which actually happens to be one of my favorite colors. I should put some item of that color in my house, she suggested. She said she thought I had three children (we actually have four). She said she thought I had been married twice, although one might have been a youthful relationship. She said I sometimes don’t eat right (that is true), and that I have had trouble sleeping (it was four days before Christmas, who sleeps?). She suggested I take vitamins or herbs.

She continued with the reading, and she began to get into more personal things. She said my husband is my soul mate, and that some people are jealous of our relationship, and they would like to come between us (I cannot imagine who that might be!). She said people are jealous of me (they are not my family members), and that is hard for me to understand, because I am not that way. She said my husband and I would like to get closer.

She saw I have a long life line. I want a change in my life, and it would come. Some things would be good, and some bad.

She said I have a young girl in my life who will become a famous writer, actor, or doctor.

What she said next really floored me! She said there was a sadness about me, that I had experienced much loss in my life. I try to be happy, but I always come back to it. It has to do with painful memories from my past. She said it was as if when I cry the world laughs, and when I laugh the world cries. She then asked if I had been molested as a child. I was sobbing by that point! She said I should learn a special prayer or meditation to rid myself of the old sadness. She could help me with that in a private session, but it would cost $350.

Toward the end of the reading, she asked if I had any questions. I was curious about the people in my life who had passed away. I wondered if they are ever with me, because sometimes I feel that way. She said they did come to me from time to time, and they are trying to lead me to happiness.

Journaled 4/12/09

Here are the rest of my projects:

More Crop Challenge Layouts!

My goal is to finish all the layouts from the last LPS crop. It's taking some time, but I'm getting them finished. Here are a few more I did.

This is my layout for Melissa's Not So Happy Memory Challenge. Many of the layouts done were very serious and heartfelt, but mine was on the lighter side.


This layout was for Sandra's Crazy, Quirky, and Cool Challenge. I love the story of how our cat used to love the bathtub, until he fell in one time! I also was able to "kill a kit" with this layout!


For Aimee's Bring on the Bling Challenge, I used almost all of an old favorite kit of mine by Fancy Pants.


This is what I came up with for Rebekah's Stamped Title Challenge. It helped to "kill a kit", too.


Here are a bunch of Easter box make and takes! These are so fun to make, and Aimee's directions were terrific. I finished off an entire kit I've had laying around for two years. I plan on giving them to my kids, and the neighbor's kids, and maybe a few teachers.

LPS Spring Fling Crop Layouts

Here are the layouts I did for last weekend's crop. It was a blast! I'm hoping to go back and complete all the challenges.

This was my example for the Achy Breaky Heart Challenge. I was amazed at how many heartfelt and personal layouts that were done for this challenge!


The Mother Always Said... Challenge was fun! This was my example for the challenge.

My final challenge, was to do one of the weekly challenges. I did Aimee's challenge to use only two colors on a layout. Here is my example.


This layout was for the Early Bird Challenge, which was a lovely sketch by our guest DT member!


Melissa's challenge was to use stickers on a layout. I layered some stickers with chipboard and sanded them for this layout.


Sandra's Mix and Match challenge was to combine two different kits to create a layout. This is what I came up using two favorites October Afternoon County Fair and Pink Paislee Spring Fling.
I created this layout for Laura-Lee's Progressive Challenge. I love how simple it was, and how it limited your choices, making a quick and easy layout!

Altered Art Techniques Class at LPS!!!

Last week, I had the opportunity to do a class at Life Preservers Scrapbook Club on two of my favorite altered art techniques!

Altered Art Technique #1 Crackled Paint:

This technique gives an old wood effect, that is very cool looking, and will work on all different types of scrapbook layouts. Complete instructions can be found here
http://lifepclub.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=7280&st=0&#entry171352

Altered Art Technique #2 Peeling Paint:


This technique worked perfectly with this Depression era photo of my father. I love the aged, distressed look it produces! Complete instructions for this technique, can be found here http://lifepclub.invisionzone.com/index.php?showforum=63