A philosophical journey or Why I could never quilt

Thank you to Isabelle who left a comment on my last post, (not that I blame anyone as I keep trying to leave comments all over cyberspace and I can't for some reason) but she was curious about scrapbooking, which made me curious.  Also thanks to modern technology, I could see she got here from my sister's quilting blog.  Now quilting, there's a funny thing to do.  I can appreciate the effort that goes into it, but all that randomness really doesn't do it for me.  That's why my sister only makes me clean, geometric, co-ordinated quilts (thank you!).
Even though I spend a lot of time scrapping, and I'm quite proud of my efforts, I'm still a bit embarrassed about it.  This blog was just about called sharynscrap, pun intended!  I guess because it's not productive in a Put this on the bed kind of way, or make all my own birthday cards and save heaps of money.  And my initial perspective was that scrapping is overemotional. I really don't feel the urge to write down all my innermost feelings for everyone to see (maybe I should, but that's another post!)  Scrapbooking does fit my attention span, limited artistic capabilities and non-perfectionist core; 3 good reasons why I could never be a quilter.
And I like playing with paper and being colour-coordinated!

Attack of the nerves

As part of being on the DT at Scrapbook Challenges (I just like dropping that into the conversation - I'm very proud!), I have to provide a sketch.  Just one sketch and it's not due until October.  So why am I spending hours on the computer, fiddling with boxes and lines and fills and shapes and ...?  The trouble is my sketch, that I quite like, has 5 elements total: one circle, three boxes and a title.  Nice and simple.  The boxes don't even have rounded edges.  But then I go onto other sites and there's swirls and flowers and splotches and Write 120 words of Journaling in this 3x4inch block HERE, and so on.  I look at what people do to sketches, and they take one look and go nah I'll do it my way thanks, so a sketch is only a very, very gentle nudge.

The effect I really want to put in my sketch and force people to follow, is some sort of disappearing circle, where it's more saturated in the middle, fading to a memory (!) in the corners!  No idea how you'd actually do it, but I like the idea.  As long as it doesn't use mist - I am so over that but it keeps creeping onto my pages.  

I'll start working on examples now, as my success rate at the moment is fairly sucky.  I have two layouts sitting on the spare bed saying Kill Me Now, but I will make them work dammit.  Or maybe just print the photos over and start again.  Actually, both pages are my efforts to do a specific style: pinky-princessy, and grunge.  The grunge has got too many colours, and the two sides aren't connected, and the frame should have either been wonkier or straighter - it just looks like I got it wrong.  I'm still playing with the layout for the pink page but it definitely needs some oomph. 

I'll let you know how I get on.  And apologies to the ladies whose sketches I've mangled!

Just open the box

I had to laugh at American Samoa Customs holding up my order from Scrapbooking.com because of the inks (two spray bottles, 2oz each).  The box was addressed to my husband's work, and the officials looked at the packing slip, saw the ink and presumed that they were for commercial use and therefore subject to duties.  If they only read the rest of the quite lengthy packing slip, they would have wondered why the local bank needs corner stencils, coloured card stock and a photo album, and passed it on.  But no, officialdom strikes again.  They think I'm crazy anyway for ordering an espresso machine (what does it do?  Makes coffee.  Why?  Because the coffee here is awful).
The rest of the box wasn't very exciting, mostly essentials like adhesives and another attempt to find the best white pen.  I do like the new inks (Inkadinkado) particularly the Royal Blue, which is a lovely purply-blue.  I've also got the Sew Easy mat, so hopefully I can do better with that, and a very cool paper holder in funky black and white swirls.  Once I tidy up after the latest project I'll take a photo.
I did forget to order plain white cardstock.  Everytime I go online to shop, this is the first thing I go looking for, but I'm never satisfied with what's on offer and get willingly sidetracked into pretty stuff.  I have plenty of album liners, but they're not very thick and tend to wilt in heavy duty projects.  Just an excuse to do more shopping really!

In his own words

I've just finished Sharyn's Theories of Journaling (coming to a site near you soon!) and it got me thinking about the one and only time my son wrote a story for me.  The layout design is totally scraplifted from someone, somewhere (it was three years ago!) but I remember that the journaling was my original contribution.  I so miss my scanner.

The text reads: In Picton I played minigolf and I went on a rocket ride and I had a double ice cream with two flavours goody gum drops and berry and ... mucky.

Pretty much sums it up from a 5 year old's perspective!

Can't resist a dare

Natalie at Scrapbook Challenges scared me with her sketch, then dared me to take it on!  She very kindly offered a tutorial, and I did the first two steps then took it away in my own direction, as you do.  I was actually working on a very serious, elegant page at the time, so it was nice to delve into primary colours for an hour or two.
Again, my misting is improving (need to get some more colours though) and it was nice to get Natalie's encouragement to doodle.  Quite restrained doodling for me; I am learning when to stop.  The story is actually true and unembellished, and I'm pleased I put the whole story on the page.  I would love to get a 12x12 printer (do they exist?) so I don't have to do the whole print-on-vellum-then-pretend-I-didn't thing.

Ditch the spritzer

I've had a lot more success with misting once I transferred the Smooch Spritz from its original spray into the mini misters.  I love the idea and look of successful misting, but mine always went lumpy and gluggy, with big splotches leading to strategically placed embellishments! 
This layout is based on a sketch by Sookie at Scrapbook Challenges.  I'm really happy with how the blue background to this layout turned out.  I considered doing a mist/shadow with the butterflies but that may have been too much of a good thing.  The frame was created with the leftovers from one of my son's games, where we had to punch out all the tiles before we could play.  Knew they'd come in useful one day!
As you can tell, I haven't done any journalling on the page, despite my resolution last week.  Maybe next time.
Next step: going round corners with the Sew Easy (still waiting on the mat, hoping that will solve all my issues).

To journal or not to journal?

My father has just been to visit, and he spent one evening looking through ALL my albums (bless!).  One comment he made was how little I journal now compared to what I used to.  I guess I've been focusing on layering and embellishments recently, and trying to use more white space.  But I have a couple of ideas about theme albums for the boys which need to be started soon (no point in doing The Summer I was 8 in the middle of winter!) and I will try to include more journalling in those. 

I think the title and subtitle (Boom, Bang, Fire Power) of this LO are self-explanatory - no journalling required!  Orange is another unusual colour for me.  This t-shirt must have slipped by the matching clothes to the furniture phase.