You'll Never Guess This Thursday!

You'll NEVER Guess this! Or, will you? There have been some clever guesses around here the last few weeks so let's see what you can do with this one...





Congratulations to ArcadeDweller for guessing last week's mystery picture.
Her guess? Eyebrows!
Blown up this really could pass as a nose as so many thought.









Here is the real picture of my dd and her little bff from preschool in her pink glasses! Katelyn came home one day and decided she wanted to start wearing my prescription glasses. I did not know why until a few days later when I saw her bff wearing hers. Cute huh?...

It's Wednesday, Where'd You Go?

Did you go anywhere memorable this past week? I did! My daughter graduated from preschool so I was able to attend the sweet little ceremony and see all of the kids collect their diplomas as well as hear them sing in their precious little voices. Gosh! My baby is now going to be an even bigger girl. My oldest goes off to high school while the little one heads to Kindergarten. What ever will I do with my time???

Here are my girls last week after the ceremony :)


I cannot wait to scrap that picture! Where did you go?
Deb♥

Welcome Guest Designer Linda Auclair

Tell me all about the start of your art, How did your scrapbooking begin?


I started scrapbooking in 2002 when I was expecting my second daughter, Aileen. I had joined an online community for expectant Moms when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, and we were all still very close two years later. One of the Moms had some devastating news - her baby was diagnosed with leukemia. As a group, we decided to scrapbook our messages of love and support in the hope that someday when her daughter was well, she would look back at the book and know that all her Mom's friends were sending their best wishes and prayers for her full recovery. I purchased some basic scrappy supplies at Michaels, and was instantly hooked. I discovered the 2Peas online community shortly thereafter, and with it, Creating Keepsakes Magazine. I've been scrapping ever since!

Do you have a stand-by element/paper line or tool that you must use when you scrap? If you look back over 7 years worth of scrapbook pages, you can definitely see where I went through "phases" and used a lot of one thing or other on my pages. I've been pretty consistent with buttons and ribbon. My very earliest pages used both. And I almost always use alphabet stickers for my title. My current favorites are Pink Paislee's "Fashion Script" alphabet stickers and Webster's Pages "Storytellers" alphas.

Do you have a favorite technique? I was a quilter before I was a scrapbooker, so sewing is a natural technique for me to use on my pages. I do a lot of handsewing and stamping too.

If you could not shop for one year...would your scrap space be emptied or would you still have product? I'd be short on adhesive, but I'd probably still have enough product to keep me going for a long, long time.

If you could make one outfit out of scrapbooking paper what line would it be from? If I could make my favorite papers into fabric, I'd make myself a patchwork skirt.

Can you tell something about yourself that others would be shocked to learn? It's not terribly shocking , but there is a 13 year difference between my son and my oldest daughter, and he is 15 years older than my youngest daughter. They all get along amazingly well, however, and have quite the mutual admiration society.

What makes you a groovy chick? My kids think I'm groovy because I always have the best "stuff' to make their school and craft projects out of, and don't mind if they use it. :)


Thanks to Linda for the great interview and now a beautiful layout she would like to share with us:)
Deborah

TwoTags on TwozDay

Remember our Lead Tag Artist Marcie? She has some more lovely tags to show us :)













Easter is behind us for this year, but there is a reason to work with Easter still...be an early bird for 2010 and get those cards and presents started. Try using a tag like this one and it is sure to be a hit!!!




















and look at the pretty Spring colors used on this one :)

Take Two TwozDay

Take Two TwoZday is here again. Go outside with your camera today and snap two shots. When you are looking for something to stir your creative juices you will have some great photos to choose from :)

Today I am suggesting you look for something green and something pink. Let me know what you find and I will share it here next week!

Snap!
Deborah♥

Two journaling questions:

1)If you could go back and relive one moment what would that moment be and why?
2)If you could travel to one location outside of your home country where would that be and why?

Flashback Friday with Lead Alter Artist Charlotte!

Remember Last month when we were scrapping frogs? Well let's flashback and see another adorable froggie, but this time on something other than a layout. Here is how Charlotte created this...

Hi there. I took a 4 X 6 acrylic block and turned it into a pic frame for my DS. I really liked that I could alter the pic with different brads, bling, badges,matting, etc. Then I took another badge and papers and decorated the the front. Sooo cute. The acryllic block is by Stampendous. The pattered paper is DCWV. Letters are American Crafts, Making Memories. Bling is Heidi Swapp.

Charlotte

You'll Never Guess This Thursday!

Congrats to Ange and The Rambling Papercrafter for discovering that I had blown up a picture of that YUCKY tomato from Tuesday's Take Two. That tomato was just plain n-a-s-t-y. Blek!!!

How about for this week you try to figure this one out...

Another Special Guest Designer, Sara Robison

Here is Sara Robison!

Tell me all about the start of your art, How did your scrapbooking begin?

I started scrapbooking in 1999 after visiting Japan with my high school classmates. That summer I came home with a LOT of photos, train tickets, etc. My mom took me to a local scrapbook store and got me started. After that I scrapped only a few times until I was pregnant with my son (now 2 years old). While pregnant I had an intense desire to create and document. There are now a lot of pages of our honeymoon in Hawaii!

Do you have a stand-by element/paper line or tool that you must use when you scrap?

Right now I really like kraft cardstock as a backgroud, stamps, stitching, and bling. I love my Fiskars border punches! I am partial to Heidi Grace, Cosmo Cricket, Sassafras Lass, and Basic Grey.

Do you have a favorite technique?

Not really! I do whatever I feel like at the time...so my technique preferences/tool choices (etc) are always changing.

If you could not shop for one year...would your scrap space be emptied or would you still have product?

I really don't know the answer to that! I think I'd still have product. I know for a fact that although I've depleted a good deal of my stash while living here in Oregon, I still have a box waiting for me in Ohio! Couldn't take it all...which means I'll have "new" stash when we move back.

If you could make one outfit out of scrapbooking paper what line would it be from?

Oh my! Tough question. I adore Sassafras Lass, but couldn't see myself wearing much of it. (Maybe for a little girl?) I think I'd have to choose Cosmo Cricket. Good thing they've turned some of their designs into fabric! I did sew a skirt using some Heidi Grace fabric last week...way too cute.

Can you tell something about yourself that others would be shocked to learn?

Hmm...shocked? I am shy. Seriously. I'm still nervous when ordering at a drive thru.

What makes you a groovy chick?

Laughing at that thought! The first thing that came to mind was my ability to shake my hips (did some Tahitian dance in college). In all honesty I'm a groovy chick in progress. I'm learning to do my own thing and find joy in the imperfections.

I am currently a Story Teller at Category Stories. Be sure to check us out! categorystories.wordpress.com

I asked Sara to share some of her favorite layouts and here they are. Thanks to Sara for being a part of If IT's Groovy. Look for her again during on 80's Crop where she will be participating by having a challenge for others to participate in :)
Deb♥

Where'd Ya Go Wednesday

So another week has passed us by and as time seems to do the week has flown by. Where did you go this week? Did you have some fun? take a vacation? hang out with friends? I was so lucky to experience two things that rocked my world! First of all my oldest daughter was in a play called "No More Raisins, No More Almonds". Here she is in the play(the girl in the shawl).








The play is about the children who grew up in the Nazi ghetto during Holocaust. Search for it and see if a group is putting this on in your area. It is very worth seeing. It was incredibly moving and sad to see this presentation, but vital to history. They performed this play at the Virginia Holocaust Museum. The writer was Holocaust survivor and educator Batia Bettman who was there from Canada to answer questions about her life. My daughter did a fantastic job in her role which was based on Mrs. Bettman's life. All of the kids were phenomenal. They worked so hard this year to learn each of the songs in Yiddish and their lines were flawless. I'm a proud momma!

Here is part of a the newspaper interview that was given to my daughter...

Real-life drama on stage
Imagine your life today being turned upside down, not because of anything you’ve done wrong, but because of prejudice against your nationality or your religion. An emblem is required on your shirt-sleeve to identify you. You are forced from your home, robbed of your possessions, separated from your family and herded into ghettos. Starvation and disease are rampant, as are rumors of unimaginable horrors beyond the confines of the ghetto. How would you survive?

Eighth-grader Kristen(sic)praises Bettman and is excited to be performing in the musical. “I think it was amazing that she went through all that and survived and came out of it and shared her story with us,” she said. The play has taught the students to be resilient. “If you’re going through tough times, don’t lose your hope, keep your faith,” said Kristen(sic).

And the infamous Mrs. Bettman:











I also had the pleasure of spending some time with my pre-school daughter in her classroom as they had Muffins for Mom to celebrate Mother's Day. The kids gave us little plates they made with their handprints and they spngepainted them. Crafters in the making! It is a cute little reminder of how fast their little hands grow. Now you go!

Take Two TwoZday

You know what today is right? Take Two Pictures day!!! I have been outside this morning with my camera and found some things I don't normally stop to take a look at. Here is my take on Youth and Mature. What's yours? Show me and I will put it up here on If It's Groovy for others to share in :)
Deb♥

Take One: Youth
Just look how little these pine cones are! I see lots of little Christmas crafts in their future!










Take Two: Mature

One Sketch, Two Stamping Designers

Here is a Pagemap sketch which is a piece of art by itself! Our stamp team show us two very different and beautiful takes on it!

Lead Stamp Artist Jill































Stamp Artist Jeanette:

Every Day Can Be Mother's Day

Just because Mother's Day is assigned a certain day of the year does not mean we should stop thinking of the mothers who work on end to take care of their families each and every day. Today is a good day to take time to make a "just because" card for Mom and show her how much she is loved as if Mother's Day were every day :). Here are a few examples from our Card Artists Jenny and Niki_Ray...

Jen Lead Card Artist












Niki_Ray Card Artist

Let's Faithbook Today!

What is Faithbooking? Simply put: scrapbooking while including our faith :) Our resident expert in this field is Debbie Buckland who was introduced a few weeks ago. She is back today to show us another project where photos are not necessary, but a journaling pen and a favorite bible verse are. It's a stress reliever to not have to use a picture sometimes; Give it a try :)

Debbie said:"I used the picture as a spring board. It was more like a harvest picture and it is also Autumn here in New Zealand at the moment.
I loved the orange and reds in the picture so worked off that as a colour ref.... Well kind of ;)

The background paper is a plain white sheet - I then used the script cuttlebug embossing folder with a rolling pin instead of the cuttlebug to make an empression on the paper. This made the effect of a half done embossing look. Shabby/grungy. I then got out my ink pads and drew with them the forms of roses and leaves and other wipes of colours."

Other products used to make Debbie's handmade flowers were:
Fiskars Round n Round L Squeeze Punch
Fiskars Sunburst Border Punch
Value Craft red ribbon
Heidi Grace chipboard letters

"The Scripture Matt 9:37-38 is a theme at our church at the moment and a good reminder that people are open to hear the gospel. All you have to do is read them, If they ask or you are prompted by God or the timing is just right. Test the waters with a relevent question. It doesn't always have to be a full on hell verses heaven thing. Could be as simple as "Ever thought of going to church?"

I don't like forcing people to hear the gospel. The closest thing to "bible bashing" I've ever go was hitting my flat mate with a bible so that he'd stop tickling me.

All the best.
May this page inspire and bless you."

Meet Mardi Davis Guest Designer

Tell me all about the start of your art, How did your scrapbooking begin?

I was invited to a Creative Memories party back in 2003 by my oldest sister, who doesn't even scrapbook. I instantly fell in love with the idea. I spent a ridiculous amount of money that evening and only knew that world of scrappin' for about a year. I found an entire new world of scrappin and my style has changed since then, but I still spend a ridiculous amount of money for this passion of mine!

Do you have a stand-by element/paper line or tool that you must use when you scrap?
I seemed to be fascinated by flowers and tool I could not live without is my Fiskars rotary trimmer.

Do you have a favorite technique?
My favorite technique at the moment is cutting out patterned paper, the bigger the pattern the better.

If you could not shop for one year...would your scrap space be emptied or would you still have product?
Honestly my scrap space would not be emptied for at least three years if I did not purchase one thing in that time frame with the exception of adhesive.

If you could make one outfit out of scrapbooking paper what line would it be from?
Tough questions because there are so many papers out there that I love, but if I could only choose one it would have to be Little Yellow Bicycle.

Can you tell something about yourself that others would be shocked to learn?
I would love to but it is a secret, just kidding! I am one of eight children that grew up on a farm. We grew our own veggies and raised our own meat.

What makes you a groovy chick?
I am a groovy chick because my favorite time frame of music is the 70s and wasn't everything "groovy" back then?


Visit Mardi's blog here: http://mardi-sistas.blogspot.com/
Thanks Mardi for sharing some of your day and art with us. You are a groovy chick!


Here is a piece of Mardi's Art World:

Girls vs Boys!!!

Around many areas the boys and girls are celebrating their senior proms, end of school year, and ring dances over these next few weekends. It is a very special time where the boys and girls should be getting along and having a wonderful and memorable night. As for parents I know it will be a bittersweet moment seeing your children approaching adulthood and then the memories of them as little babies. I hope you enjoy and embrace every moment!

Since we are thinking about boys and girls this is a great time to show what our Dollbabies and Sweetheart Artists created at this time.

Here is Jen Lead Dollbabies Artist and her layout:

Here is Celina Lead Sweethearts Artist and her layout:

Product list:

Cardstock - The Paper Company

Patterned Paper - KI Memories

Brads - Joanns

Title-Cricut, Cursive 101

Stitching-Singer Sewing Machine

Celina also used this sketch :

What Do an Alter Artist and Yard Sales Have in Common???

What has our Alter Artist been up to lately? Let me show you! I know so many people enjoy going to yard sales, garage sales and tag sales. Estate sales are in that list too! While you are out running from place to place you should consider the treasures you find as having a new and useful purpose. Check out what Charlotte made using a spice rack that she found at a yard sale for ONE DOLLAR. Really Beautiful!!!


Bazzill black cardstock
Autumn Leaves buttons
Prima flowers
Petaloo flowers
Heidi Swapp flowers
Miss Elizabeth chipboard butterfly
Adhesive Xyron
Glue Dots
Colorbok chipboard owl