BLOG-HOP: Getting Ready for another LOAD...

Hi!
If you have arrived here via the LOAD Blog -hop ---WELCOME!!!

If you have arrived here because you are lost in the web of the internet---WELCOME!!!

I know that reading down the side bar of my blog you can probably tell
I have been a participant of every Lay Out A Day Challenge that
Lain Ehmann has held since the very first one she held at Big Picture
Scrapbooking as a month long free challenge.

I don't know what it is about making a lay out a day for a set number of
days but for some reason I just manage to scrap more if I set myself the
goal to finish '28 layouts in 28 days' or '31 layouts in 31 days'. The
challenge of dropping everything for 15 to 20 minutes a day to quickly
put together a layout that I might never have put together is big. Every
day is busy, every evening is full of taking the twins to extra curricular activities
and getting dinner ready/cleaned up. Nothing really changes from day to day,
except for that certain number of days I actually remind myself to stop and
play in the scrapbook materials for a few minutes and require myself to actually
post the results to prove to others that I did, indeed, take a few minutes for me.

Just about every layout I have done for the LOAD challenges have been super
fast (for me) projects. They were almost all put together within 15 to 20 minutes
and are probably not my best creative work but I'm happy with 99% of them.
(There is one I wasn't happy with and re-made later but on the whole I'm
pleased with most of them!)

My best piece of advice for LOAD? Leave perfection behind!
Scrapbooking becomes super easy!
Grab a photo, some paper, a few embellishments (or not)
and slap it all together and viola! It's a layout!

I have a pile of photos that I have printed out over the last
couple of years (I just keep adding to the pile) and I flip
through a few and choose one (or a few) and that is the
focus for my layout of the day. I grab paper and embellies
and go to town making a quick but cute layout. Now, I'm not
the most creative scrapbooker in the bunch but I do like to
get artistic every now and then. Those pages do take a little
longer but not much. I have also learned to quit fretting over
the 'perfect paper' or the 'perfect embellishment' or the 'perfect
ribbon', etc. You get the idea. I glue and go.

Also- when I'm not home during LOAD, and there have been
several different challenges where I have been on the road, I
use freebie digital scrapbooking supplies that I have downloaded
over the last several months. As I get emails of sales from digi-scrapping
companies that have freebies or free w/purchase kits I squirrel them
away for LOAD. I have learned how to change a background in Photoshop
and add the layer or cluster or whatever to my photo. It's quick and easy
and already on the computer so no photographing required before uploading
to the Flickr account. Pretty handy in a hotel room! I have learned to let go
and just put that photo on a page. Then, when I get home, I print it out as
a 12x12 layout, maybe add a little handwritten journaling, slid it into a
page protector, and add it to one of my albums. Easy- peasy- lemon-squeezy
as my kids would say!

The biggest thing to remember is - LOAD is FUN not stressful. Don't make it
work and don't stress over it. It is supposed to be a fun 'you time' activity
and a chance for you to be creative for a little while each day. Don't over think
it and you will enjoy it a whole lot more.

Here are a few posts I have done in the past showcasing my
LOAD layouts...

October 2010

February 2010

October 2009

Obviously, there are lots more posts on my blog regarding LOAD
but I didn't want to fill up a whole page just listing old posts. Feel
free to check the archives and take a look.

Now that you've visited me you need to go here and visit Tambur.

And if you are just starting on this Pre-LOAD hop check
Lisa's blog and then continue on through the rest of us!

Here's the list of all the participants! Enjoy!

Lisa: http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com

Katherine: (me) http://www.csmoferret.blogspot.com

Tambur: http://myhearties.blogspot.com

Pam: http://dailypamage.blogspot.com

Katrina: http://k84mansramblings.blogspot.com

Christie: http://mrsingie.com

Lisa: http://lisamzepponi.blogspot.com

See you soon in the next LOAD Challenge!!

xoxox

Csmoferret

Happy Independence Day!!!!

We have been really patriotic around here
and usually go see the fireworks displays
in a nearby city but since we are in an
extreme drought we thought we would
decorate with non-fire-fireworks!

What do you think?
With the flags outside and the flag painting inside


and the flag quilt I am sewing

(yep-that's my FIRST quilt Ever!!!)
I'm feeling pretty patriotic!!!

Enjoy!
xoxox

Csmoferret

Tipsy Canvas....

has me hooked on acrylic painting!!! That's part of the reason
I haven't been online in a while. The other part is I just don't
have the time I thought I would even though it is Summer!!
: )

Here are the canvases I have painted in order from the
very first one that got me hooked to my most recent
painting...

1) Bluebonnets (now on the wall in my dining room):

2) Reflections of the City (now on the wall in the guest room):

3) Fruits of the Spirit

4) Cherry Blossoms (Punkin has claimed this for her room):

5) Palms on the Beach (on the wall in the family room):

6) American Flag (above the fireplace in the family room):
The flag is my favorite but I really have had a blast painting all of these
pictures! I am going to have to start mailing these out for Christmas gifts
if I keep this up! LOL! This is just so much fun!!!

Enjoy!
xoxox
Csmoferret

LOAD days 3,4,5,6...

Day 3: Buddy's class at school. I just couldn't resist adding the ogre ears to the
circle that shows where he is.

Day 4: Punkin's class photo. I didn't dare add the Shrek ears to her circle. LOL.

Day 5: Digital layout using our New Year's Day 2009 photo.

Day 6: Punkin in front of her artwork (upper left corner) hanging in the
CC Art Museum during a young artist contest.

More soon!
xoxox
Csmoferret

LOAD 511 is rolling...

Here are the first two layouts of May...

I'll be making lots of digital layouts this month since I'll
be traveling from the 4th through the 21st but I love the
paper layouts best so I'll be scrambling to get another
done tomorrow and early Wednesday and then all of the
layouts from the 21st on to the end of the month.

Just 2 more 'wake-up's before I head out on the first
leg of my Inspired Artist Week trip! Yahoooo!!

xoxox
Csmoferret

Happy Happy...

Happy Easter 2011
to your family

from ours!

xoxox
Csmoferret

Yep, We Painted Bluebonnets!!!

Well, last night Tipsy Canvas set up a class at the local Country Club and then
walked 41 women through the basics of painting Bluebonnets. It was a total
blast! There was wine and appetizers provided and the canvases and paint
brushes were also provided. We showed up, picked a spot to sit down, and
were off and painting! I had such a great time and the ladies in charge were
really very nice and extremely encouraging. My friend Amy Jo went with
me (because I didn't want to keep all that painty goodness to myself!)

Here is a photo of the finished canvases we both painted!


Oh, and I know you can't really tell in this photo but we were both
wearing the SAME SHOES! Same color, same style! Too funny!

More later about more!
xoxox
Csmoferret

Check out this Awesome Giveaway!!!

http://jeanneoliverdesigns.com/blog/2011/04/15/amazing-art-supply-giveaway-helping-you-show-up/#comment-12806

LOAD 211 => Day 1

Yep, I'm doing it again! This one used the first photos taken
with my 'new Polaroid' camera. I love the little 2x3 size photos!
See you tomorrow!
xoxox
Csmoferret

View from our window...

we are on our family reunion ski trip and this view from
a window in the living room of our condo really inspired
me to get out the paints, water color crayons and
colored pencils to create this...

I had fun doing it and it has already inspired me to sketch out
a couple more ideas. Love how that works!

I'll post my sketchbook pages in order over the next few days
because I can't seem to get them small enough to be
accepted by email.

Enjoy.
xoxox
Csmoferret