My New Scrapbooking Corner ... er, Quarter

Those of you who have been to our home will recognize that I'm now on iteration 67? 68? of the scrapbooking corner. I took a week-end not long ago and reconfigured the whole thing ... again. My office/craft room/music room is about 21' x14', and a full quarter of it is now devoted to scrapbooking. I **love** this space ... I can leave projects out (having finally convinced the cats that getting on my scrapbook table will lead them to certain death) and then sit down anytime I have a few minutes and pick right back up where I left off. I added some small bins to store my stamps and assorted tools, labeled them with {cute} tags and ribbon, and at least this week, I think I can find everything easily. :~)

What are the tools I HAVE to have when I scrapbook? You can see them on my table ... my craft mat (24"x18" from gingher.com), my guillotine paper cutter, and my tools tote (containing my adhesives, scissors, markers, craft knife, etc.) I also use a recipe book stand to hold the idea book that I'm using for my current layout. Since I'm left-handed, I try to leave a lot of open space to my left to use for writing or other detail work.

And for YOU - I have a 2nd table on the other side of the room, ready for a friend to join me! Wanna come scrap at my house? I'll even supply the kitty-cat lap warmer! :~)

Encouragers

My friend Bev made me the *cutest* card and gave it to me at church this morning. I was so delighted by it. She stamped a darling little green frog and gave him sparkles for eyes, distressed the edges of her paper and set her front panel in a gorgeous frame that she had used corner punches to make. It accompanied a thoughtful gift, a warmer for my feet, which Bev knows are always cold.

What an encouragement from a friend! I felt so special (and so proud of Bev for all that she has learned about scrapbooking!) Our Sunday School lesson this morning was on encouragers and discouragers. One of the things I love MOST about the time I spend scrapbooking is the people who share that time with me. Encouragers ... friends ... quick to offer a smile and a word of support, whether it is for the layout I'm working on or a difficult life situation I'm facing.

I prayed several years ago, when JD and I bought our current house, that God would bless me with some girlfriends here, women with whom I could share my time and my heart ... He has answered my prayer in ways I couldn't have dreamed! What an awesome God! I'm so thankful for the "encouragers" He has put in my life ... like Bev! :~)

Joy, Joy, Joy!

Welcome to my blog! I'm reminded of a song that I learned as a child: "I've got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart." I started scrapbooking when I was about 10 years old and in 4-H. Every year, I made a scrapbook of all of my 4-H activities. I bought my albums at the local "five and dime" store, and attached my pictures and clippings with rubber cement. I still have those old albums, and enjoy going through them from time to time. But we've come a LONG WAY since then!

(The artwork above is from CTMH, featuring our March "Stamp of the Month." My mama loves butterflies, so I have to get this one!)

"Acid free" and "archival safe" were words I didn't know 30+ years ago when I made those first scrapbooks. Today, scrapbooking is its own art form, with a whole host of specialized products available. I still love preserving memories of special people, events and places, but I'm not and have never been an artist. So a company like "Close to My Heart" gives me a wonderful gift - a fully coordinated line of scrapbooking products in exclusive colors, and idea books with step-by-step instructions for making gorgeous scrapbook pages!

I never get over the feeling of watching someone I love open a gift that I have handmade just for them. The surprise, the wonder, the joy in their faces ... no words can replace their expressions. I love it! It's a natural high for me, and it brings me great joy to make and give a gift like that. I love celebrating the important relationships in my life! So becoming a scrapbooking consultant was a natural "next step" for me. Now, I get the opportunity to show other folks how to experience the satisfaction and joy of capturing their memories and celebrating their relationships, too.

My latest adventures are in stamping and card-making. I used to think that you either scrapbooked or you stamped, but you didn't do both. Wow, was I wrong! I started out "scrapbooking cards" with materials left over from scrapbook page layouts. And then I got some CTMH acrylic stamps, and realized that they are not only a wonderful effect on the cards I make, but also on my scrapbook pages. Now, it has all "blended" for me into a wonderful toolbox of elements that I can use to dress up cards, scrapbooks, gift boxes, gift tags, and a host of other items. I use the CTMH "Originals" idea book to get some amazing card ideas!

So keep your eyes on this space! :~) I'm going to be sharing ideas, pictures of my projects and an assortment of random thoughts, as I spend my free time "scrappin' joy!" Come along with me, and we'll have a great time together!