Fun with Maya Road!

Hello and happy wednesday folks!

It's been a pretty sombre week.
I took monday off in deference to the horrific events in Boston.
I will be making a page and showing it here on friday but basically this is a moment to pause and reflect-
to be introspective and respectful-
to cherish your loved ones and give whatever you can-
a moment to spread the light.

Talking scrap, it's been a busy couple of weeks for me.

I was trying to come up with two SPECTACULAR scrapbook pages for my Maya Road Guest designer application.

By "spectacular" I mean pages that do the product justice and showcase my ability to use MR products especially straight pins, stamps, mist droplets and woodgrain.

Without further ado here are the pages I came up with:

I found this print from my senior year in college- 1997! I spent my last semester in California and I remember how self conscious I was about my body. This was the only time I wore a two piece swim suit while there! Now I look at those photos and marvel at how thin and FABULOUS I was. I intended to use my Maya Road ledger stamps but when I saw the pure white rosettes I decided to go with a monochrome arrangement. I will be making another page for SURE!

Rosettes- I love them. I make mine using the Martha Stewart scoring board,
zip dry and mini paper clips to secure the ends while the glue dries.
Stapling also works but it's hard to staple smaller ones like these.

I could photograph the Empire State Building every day for a year and never get the same photo twice. This is one of my favorite things about living in Brooklyn hands down.
Here I was having fun with the indigo color trend and my Maya Road straight pins and wood buttons- can't have enough of either.

Once I stamped the background everything else just fell right into place- I LOVE it when that happens!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
The calibre of talent that is out there is amazing.
Good luck everyone!
I hope to join you in a week or so. (toes are now crossed as well!!)

Michelle

This New York City Area Scrapbook crafter wants to capture your personal stories and memories

Hello!

I recently realized that New York City may be in need of a creative and enterprising paper crafter/ scrapbooker to help capture and illustrate it's many weddings, birthdays and other special events.

I can help!

What I can do:

• Help conceptualize and organize photos and memorabilia into a cohesive story.
• Design modern and colorful scrapbooks, photo montages or shadow boxes that fit your personal style.
• Create single pages or whole books to fit a specific need such as a birthday, anniversary, wedding or other special occasion.
• Create paper based gifts or keepsakes that will be cherished by you and your family.

Why have I decided to offer my services?

When I talk about my hobby (obsession!) to others here in New York City, I hear that they would like to do the same but don't have the time or "the creativity" to do so. 

I believe everyone has the creativity and "the eye" to make their own scrapbooks or pages but even I must admit it's intimidating and overwhelming to get started. 

Then I realized I could blend my past experience as a photo editor and current paper crafts hobby to help you stage and preserve your personal stories.

It was literally my AHA! moment and it made me really happy and grateful, because it's joining two things I do well into one.

Some samples of my work:

Travel and Adventure

Family life and every day moments 

Sports and Entertainment

Engagements, Proms and Bar /Bat Mitzvahs 

Family portrait displays for home or office

Weddings and other special events

Fun cards for any occasion

Family or holiday themed mini photo books

Shadow boxes and birth announcements

Please feel free to contact me at hernandm1@yahoo.com.

I'm ready to help and would love to make some real world scrappy friends to meet up with as well!

Have a great weekend!

Michelle

Weddings on the BRAIN- A Scrap FX Page

I've been married for over 3 years now.
I have all the photos printed and nicely organized.
I have a large box FULL of wedding related paper scraps.
But no scrapbook.
The idea of reliving my wedding is great but the actual process of putting a book together with matching papers, "flow" and specific embellishments?
 HOME ALONE FACE!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I don't have the attention span.

But I have hundreds of beautiful prints from all the weddings I have attended over the years.

• My sisters Italian Coast wedding (where she arrived in a open deck full of flowers while her husband-to-be waited with a bouquet he MADE HIMSELF!!!)
• My cousin in law's GORGEOUS 10.10.10 Catholic ceremony and divalicious silk satin wedding dress with 5 inch glittering heels. 
• My wedding with Dave tearing up and our family cheering like we won the lottery. 

Each one has several great shots I really need to scrap. Why haven't I done so yet?

FEAR OF MESSING UP!

Time to BREAK a bad habit!
Here's a page I made with my favorite photo from my best friend's sophisticated Chinese/American wedding.

I didn't feel like I needed to add any journaling- the photo speaks for itself.
Materials: Scrap FX  Bridal Party phrase (2012063), Hearts and Swallows (2010054) and Clock Hands, Mini Assorted (2010149) pieces. I also used Basic Grey paper, punchinella from Gauche Alchemy and lace, flowers from Petaloo, pearl beads from Art-C, Gold striped washi tape from MT and Sakura Gelly Roll pen

I have so many fantastic shots from this beautiful red/gold themed wedding. Gia hired a photographer who got in a CAR ACCIDENT right before the wedding ceremony and lost 2 cameras yet showed up on time WITH a back up camera, lights AND a full kit.

That dude is my hero!

Plus he took this shot:

Now I can't find his website! Oh well- update on that when I post my next page!

You can also check out the chippies I used over at the Scrap FX website: http://www.scrapfx.com.au/blog/?p=800

Detail shots:

I heat embossed the title with Stampendous Shabby White
Embossing Enamel which has flecks of gold glitter in it.

This photo is kinda fun all on it's own.
I cut out a couple of drips of gold paint that had
fallen on some scrap paper while I made my 2nd
floor challenge card. I LOVE those beautiful mini
clock hands- I will have to get several more packs!!!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

Michelle

Weddings on the BRAIN!

Ahh June! The scent of flowers in the air and the need to shop for just 1 more pair of shoes- you have a great excuse! You have a wedding to attend! YAY! The media is trying to convince us that the average American thinks marriage is passe. Do NOT fall for it! Marriage for ALL I say!  Where else will you get to dance the Electric Slide with your 90 year old Great Aunt AND your 5 year old nephew????

Dave and I celebrate 3 years this July!

MATERIALS: Echo Park For The Record paper, Scrap FX scrolls, Paper camellias from my wedding stash- bought 300 of those babies and still have a few, K & Co flower and leaf die cuts, Pink Paislee Daily Junque number tag, Prima Hydrangea petals,  EK Success daisy edge punch

I LOVE me a wedding! And so does Paper Issues! For the next couple of weeks you can upload all you wedding projects- go go GO! And don't forget to stop by the Paper Issues shop to pick up some verily well priced bits for the mini books you'll invariably make (or MEAN to make- ya'll know how it is).

Here is a quick detail shot:

This is last year's page- one of my favorite pages ever.

2nd Year anniversary. Our wedding colors- green and white
Materials: Basic Grey basic paper, Prima flowers Ek Success and Fiskars punches
Did you notice Lil' Lola on the edge there? Too cute!

Go on to Paper Issues- you have lots to share I'm sure!!! Who doesn't love a June (or July) wedding???? Congrats To CHERYL and to Leticia (my sister)! Wish I could throw down for mine again- there is nothing more awesome than donning a huge white dress and declaring your love in front of all your friendz and famz! (And then dancing for 5 hours straight)

Letty's dress unveiled!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

Michelle