Scrapping the city 5 ways. The cityscape trend in my scrapbooking.

Hello from cloudy (YAY!) Utah!

Today I want to share different ways I've used the cityscape theme in my scrapbook pages.
You've probably seen some of these pages before but it's nice to have them all collected in one page.

For me scrapping the city isn't about keeping up with scrapbook trends but more about reflecting my environment and finding ways to capture my reality visually.

Now that my family has moved to Salt Lake City, these pages have become deeply nostalgic and important to me.

One of my new realities is having to explain why we left.
I open my mouth, I get questions about my accent.
I show my id or give my zip code to make a purchase, I get questions.
I like talking about it but it's also making me feel a bit self-conscious.

Here's the skinny:
NYC is awesome!
It's also expensive, dangerous to the unwary and challenging to raise children in.
Can you get with this wild galloping beast of a place?

My family wanted to start a business and New York with all it's opportunity was actually not the best place to do so.
I'm grieving- give me a couple of months.

Anyway- onto the show!
I didn't upload those photos to my ipod (or bring my actual computer) so I have to use screen captures for this post- my apologies.

My Get It Scrapped page (swing by to see how the rest of the DT used the city as a motif in their pages)
For this I used Sassafras Lass paper and stickers, Amy Tangerine embroidery stencil

I wanted to use a larger cityscape here as well so I added the empire state building using
an old chipboard I had in my stash as a guide. The numbers in the photo are my old zip code

Photos- the easiest way to get it done.

I have so many photos of the Empire State Building I try to switch things up and make pages without a "street feel". Here I likes how the butterflies matched the colors in the photo.

Ephemera- in this case a tag from a pair of pants from Jones New York:

The canvas tag was too awesome to throw away.
This page is about Project Inside Out which is a giant camera in a van.
Check out their facebook page to see when they will be swinging by your state!

Scrap FX Chipboard (which I usually use unfinished):

A page for an article on finishing chipboard that I wrote for Shimelle.com.
I used Scrap FX chipboard, A Flair For buttons flair
and liquitex acrylic spray paint.

Crafter's Workshop stencil and LOTS of vintage buttons:

I love this last page. I almost threw it out mid way because aI thought it was too dreary.
I added the buttons to liven it up a bit. This is Ronda Palazzari's Urban Landscape stencil from
Crafter's Workshop.

I'd love to see how you've incorporated cityscapes into your projects.
Leave a link in the comments section and I'll swing by!

Have a great week!
Michelle

Scrap FX chipboard Insights Blog Hop (and a give away!)

Hello welcome to the Scrap FX chipboard "Insights" blog hop!
If you are looking for the Inspiration Elevator May challenge "New Beginnings" click here.

The purpose of the Scrap FX hop is to get to know the new design team members and introduce the gorgeous May 2013 designs.

I hope you are enjoying each post so far.
Here's the roster:

Scrap FX Blog

MICHELLE L

Adrienne

Amy Lynne

Anita

Cindy

Claire

Elisabeth

Maria

Michelle H  You Are Here! YAY!

Misty

Rachelle

Renata

Scarlett

First up:

Michelle Logan: What is your scrapbook "kryptonite"? I can't seem to scrapbook if I'm feeling angry or overwhelmed. Last year Die Scrapperin Magazine (Germany) challenged me to make a page and write a tutorial featuring glitter. It really stumped me. I kept comparing my ideas to other's and I just couldn't come up with something I thought fabulous and original enough to publish. The resulting page was forced and rather strange- I'm better when allowed to improvise.

Klere: Do you snack or drink while scrapping? What?

I need to stop this habit- I've gained 15 pounds drinking tea and eating cookies the last couple of years. I also have a nasty habit of eating potato chips with oranges- I like to combine healthy stuff with my heart attack food.

I used the following Scrap FX chipboard designs:
 "Cherish" mini wordlet theme pack (model number 2013053),
City Life frame model number 2013095 (I cut the words out off the frame),
Magnolia branch chipboard embellishment model number 2013002

Adrienne: How do you jump start your creativity when you find that it is missing?

I chill. Even if it takes all week. If I'm on deadline I do the following: freak out. throw stuff. freak out. take a walk. freak out. drink wine. sit down. get up. sit down. get up. sit down. start a page. freak out. go to bed. ALWAYS in the morning- finish the page.

Michelle H. (me): What do you listen to or watch while your scrap and why?

I listen to National Public Radio- chiefly for their story telling shows like "This American Life" and "Snap Judgement". I also listen to "TED" Talks on science and creativity on Youtube. Learning is a huge part of my creative process and I don't just mean scrap videos- actually I find those really boring. I feel like my brain starts sparkling when I hear something really gnarly and I immediately go and start a page. Personal stories blow my mind on the regular- I consider those my primary form of learning.

This page started at a 12x12 but I got a little too enthusiastic
with the water color and the paper  warped so badly I decided to
cut it down to 8 x11- I like it a lot more this size.

Scarlett: What is your favorite technique(s) to use right now and why? What are some tried and true techniques you love to use?

I rarely use techniques. I've actually started a blog post series called "What I Learned This Week" which I post on Mondays so I can FORCE myself to try something new and technique based each week. Right now I'm really into stencils, spray paint, vellum, paper strips and tags.

Amy: At what time of day are you most creative, or do you prefer to create?

I prefer to work in the morning but I am forced to work at night since I have an inquisitive three year old who wants to either cut, glitter or spray what I'm working on at the moment.

I promise myself I'm going to tackle a new finishing technique
each time I start a new chipboard centric page.
Then I chicken out.
I love the pieces so much I'd rather just add them with no finish at all.

Cindy: What makes your heart race?

OO this is a GREAT question. I love buying new materials- going into a store gives me the best feeling of power and control. Which is why I've cut back on it almost entirely- that's a symptom of addiction. Great color combos get my heart racing, new ideas, great conversation, my husband, riding my bike, dancing.

Elisabeth: If you were to describe one emotion while scrapbooking, what would it be?

Depends on the day. If I have a good idea I feel like I'm in my element and riding a great big internal wave. Things I see or hear start to make connections with other things I heard or saw in the past. I feel in tune. I feel the flow. 
If I'm feeling crappy everything sucks- the idea of scrapbooking seems idiotic and I question my need to create. Then I tell myself to get over myself and that this is just one blip in a long continuum.

Alternate image for this page- I was shooting at around 7:30 pm
so ambient light was a beautiful gold. The shadows proved to be too big of
a distraction and I had to reshoot.

Misty: What are you afraid of?

I'm afraid that I will fail. That I will bore people or that they hate me. I'm afraid that I suck and that most people BUT me know this. I'm afraid that my daughter will get hurt or grow up disconnected from her family. I'm afraid for my Mom who's getting older. Fear has held me back a long time and just recently I started working on fighting it.

Maria: If you could choose a talent/gift what would it be?

I wish I was more of a "people person". Social situations that require chatting strangers up face to face tend to freeze me. I have the gift of gab once I know a person better. Online is much easier because I feel like I have a layer of protection between me and strangers.

Before I forget!
Here is the Scrap FX GRAND PRIZE.
To be eligible just leave a comment on the Scrap FX blog.

Also? I am giving away the following goodies to one lucky hopper. 

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what kinds of chipboard designs you'd like to see that you haven't seen before.

Thanks for swinging by!

The next person on the hop is Misty.

Michelle H.

Spraytastic Flair For Buttons sneaks and photo watermarks- yea or nay?

Happy Friday folks!
Mother's Day weekend is here.

We have no plans- everything gets mobbed here so we are thinking maybe we just go with the flow and get some pizza- stressing over crowds and reservations right now defeats the purpose.

I made a page which is up over at A Flair For Buttons blog.

Some sneaks:

Scrap FX cityscape border chipboard with silhouettes of a lot of different
recognizable buildings including what I think is  nuclear power plant?
I trimmed it- there are no nukes in Michelle's scrap world THANK YOU.

A Flair For buttons has lots of funky new chalkboard buttons.
This one is from the Chalk Words Flair pack- super cute.

Today is the last day you can go get your poster made by Project Inside Out NYC.

If you have some time swing by Times Square- 47th street to be exact.
Some waiting in line is required.

The images will end up on a website and possibly in a book but if your pose is as goofy as mine you are sure to remain perfectly obscure.

My thought was- I want to look fun and spontaneous.
This happened.
oh well.

I've been debating if I should add watermarks to my images for a while.
I think most watermarks are pretty ugly but how else do you let people know where to get a product they see if you don't have the info directly on the photo?
Especially if they first see it via Google image search or Pinterest.
What do you think?
Yea or nay?

Pretty flowers in an outdoor cafe after the rain- romantic no?

I wish I had taken more photos!

I made this one with the website www.watermark.ws
I have no idea if it's a legit.
For all I know they've collected my photo for sale in some random image gallery.
I don't recognize the suffix- a bad sign.
What country is ws???
I'll let it go for this experiment's sake but I need to do more research in the future.
This website requires the image be 500dpi or lower so I can't use this for my scrapbook pages.
There are also many options for images taken on your smart phone.
My favorite?

iWatermark is an app developed by a photo journalist that allows   

you to add watermarks in your iPad or smartphone.  

There are a few ugly designs included but also a lot of font, style and  

color options for you to make your own text based mark. 

Best of all, you can save the actual mark as well as the 

marked photo so it's easy to have different mark styles for different uses.

Have a great weekend- take it easy- it's YOUR day!
Michelle

Scrapping in Yellow- a color crush

My last 6 pages have all been yellow.
Not sure why but I'm a go with the flow, don't ignore your gut instincts kind of gal

So I went with it.

Here are 2 of my current favorites:

MATERIALS: American Crafts "Shoreline" paper, A Flair For Buttons "Loving Life" pin from the "Word Flair" set,  Amy Tangerine Muse Thickers, Sassafras Lass paper and stickers, Foam pop dots by AC, K and Co Smash date stamp, My Favorite Things star die, Stickles in Diamond (barely visible on the pop stars), Pucnh Around The Page by Martha Stewart, Fiskars Jenni Bowlin ribbon punch

MATERIALS: Scrap FX Iris Flower circle, #2012153, Flourish V #20121181 (I LOVE these new flourish designs!!!),
ampersand set #2007329 and Itty Bitty Bets “Groovy” #2005104, Sassafras Lass layered flowers and paper,
Amy Tangerine fabric paper by American Crafts. acrylic paint set from Ikea (!!)

So there you are- some happy on a Monday morning.

I am struggling through yet ANOTHER period of waning mojo.

It's been more than a week since I created anything new.

It gets a little scary to deal with these "WHAT TO DO?" moments when I have so many projects due.

If you have any great ways to kick start your creative process post them in the comments section.

This video from Dina Wakely is AWESOME!!!

Creative Jumpstart -- Dina Wakley from Dina Wakley on Vimeo.

I will be trying this later tonight (if Lola lets me).

Michelle Logan (Scrap FX DT Co-ordinator) visited NYC and stopped by my
workplace earlier this summer.
It was all yellow. :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Michelle

Punky Scraps 2012 COME BACK Tour! (and Blog Hop)

HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!
Punky Scraps Challenge blog is back!

We are here to meet the design team and VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS.
For me, the roster reads like a who's who of amazing art style scrappers.
I'm very glad to be in the mix with this talented group.
Please try to hit up all the blogs and leave love.
There are some great prizes for those who hop and leave tracks.
There is also a sketch at the end that you can use to apply to be the next Punky Rebel.
Tell me THAT'S not awesome!

Before you skip off, here are a few facts about me:

• I tend to be all over the place in style and theme. 
• I like romantic flowers and swirls as much as I like neon color and bold modern patterns. 
• I like minimalism but I tend to be a throw it all in there and see what sticks type.
• I scrap for my current whim, not for posterity.
• Much of my work uses pop dots, transparent elements and/or strips, circles and stars.
• Favorite patterns are woodgrain, graph paper and sunrays.
• Favorite "current" trends are triangles, pie charts and chevron patterns.

Here are some of my PUNKY PAGES from 2011:

Be. For a sketch challenge- I went as minimal as this girl ever gets.
This was for a "Get Picky" challenge were fellow team members each choose 1 element that
had to be added to the page- talk about RANDOM- a GREAT thinking challenge! 

FDR. I frequently glue string on a page to avoid actually sewing it on.
Also arrows. Arrows are awesome.

245 Days. My favorite photo of my Mom EVER.
Co-credit for this page goes to fellow Punky crafter Marie who designed the sketch. 

If You Believe. Kraft paper, gold mist and Crafter's Workshop stencils? YES PLEASE!

One of my all time favorite pages- water color that I messed up... is awesome!

So here's the blog hop order:

START- Punky Blog www.punkyscraps.blogspot.com

Kat www.kraftykat9.blogspot.com

Misty Russell www.myscraptherapy.com/

Leah Farqhuarson GUEST www.amusing-to-create.blogspot.co.uk/

Kerry Lambourne www.socksandscrapbooks.blogspot.com

Jaine Drake GUEST www.craftydrake.blogspot.com/

Marie Johansson www.gulavillanivallen.blogspot.com/

Lisa Saunders GUEST www.scrappyfairies.blogspot.com/

YOU ARE HERE! WOOT! Michelle Hernandez www.myanaloglife.blogspot.com/

Tammy Wade www.mumto2angels.blogspot.com/

Wendy Morris GUEST www.scrapnspire.blogspot.co.uk

Sarah Pettersson www.snorsk.blogspot.com/

Celina Matthews www.scrapvamp.blogspot.com/

Sarah Hurley GUEST www.sarahhurley.blogspot.com/

Amy Lassiter www.sparklinggnome.wordpress.com/

Emilie Chamel GUEST www.emiliesscrapbook.blogspot.com/

Ashley Van Etten  www.ashleyvanetten.blogspot.com/

Jolanda Simons www.jolandascrapsels.blogspot.com/

Louise Nelson GUEST www.louise-justloolabelle.blogspot.co.uk/

FINISH with head Punky scrapper- Natalie www.njmacs.blogspot.com

When you are done give the sketch on Natalie's blog a try and apply to be on the team!

You have until August 5th to enter!

I can't wait to see your creations!

Now off you go to Tamara's blog: www.mumto2angels.blogspot.com

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Working Moms and scrapbooking: A space and time dilemma

HIYA!
The last friday of June! Aeeee!
Where did my favorite month go?
It's been so CRAZY here!
I'm working 10 hour days and on my days off I have to do the laundry, the grocery shopping, the last minute scrapbook assignment finishing(not a good way to work AT ALL) and squeeze in Mom and wife time as well.

A page I made for the Gauche Alchemy newletter.
New washi prints are in at the Gauche shop! Thereare also new individual rolls available.
Swing by and check out the offerings! Gauche Alchemy on ArtFire.

I had NO IDEA how organized and truly amazing some of my favorite bloggers where till I tried working full time myself.

WAIT! Before I annoy a lot of people- being a Mom is full time but my two year old naps twice a day. I used nap times to do the chores so my evenings and weekends were free.
Well no more!

I'm on my feet most of the day- when I get home all I want to do is lie down and feel sorry for my poor exploded feet.

THANK YOU Aerosoles! I found shoes I can stand on for hours.  Soft soled, comfortable leather
and the color is awesome- yes they still look sort of grandma like but WHATEVER!
I need my feet TILL I am a grandma! :)

I'm having so much fun it's hard to admit I'm letting people down. The work I'm making could be better, the family wants me to PAY ATTENTION, my friends are all wondering where the heck I went.
Something has to give.
I salute the women who "play this game" every day- you are AWESOME! You are MORE than AWESOME!
You are heros.

AAAA!!! LOVE!!!! From gifbin.com

I'm currently working on a schedule of ALL my time and how I spend it.
I can't believe how much awful tv I watch and how much time internet shopping eats up!
The click through time and the waiting for photos to load is also telling me I need update my computer.
And my shopping was already a problem so it's getting cut off from the schedule entirely! (Except for Two Peas newsletters. I need to keep up somehow!)

I'm a hard worker but even scrapbooking can turn into a chore if you have to schedule it in.

Chevron paper is from my LLS- I believe it's intended for invitations.
I used my Smash tape for the first time- the machine is kinda flimsy but I love it anyway.

Is that the world's smallest violin playing JUST for me?
I take that jammy and SMASH it on the floor! Like THIS: SMASH SMASH!!!
No. self. pity!
I'm gonna WIN at this working Mom stuff!
All I need is a better schedule and I must admit- a strict routine.
Instead of seeing that as a bad thing I will remember I don't HAVE to scrapbook- that I love it and that  routine will enable me to keep doing it and getting better at it (which was my goal with this blog and with joining DTs in the first place)

So wonderful friday readers- what do YOU do to ensure you create consistently? Any hints on scheduling or organizing your space for most efficiency? Let's chat!!

So this is why I got myself into the busy mess I'm currently in.
Family.
The number 1 priority.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Vellum confetti- A paper crush (and a True Scrap Challenge)

Hello there!
Today I am sharing my latest inspiration page for True Xoxo Girls July Challenge.
The prompt for June is Scrap Your Closet!
I know- BANANAS!
But totally fun!

Here's my page:

Scrap FX June challenge- Scrap Your closet
Materials: Sassafras Lass paper and stickers, Gauche Alchemy doily washi tape, Scrap FX "Adorable" wordlett,
A Flair For Buttons "Believe" button, Viva Decor pearl pen, American Crafts Dear Lizzy mini doiles,
Ek Success bird punch, Martha Stewart heart confetti punch, brads from Basic Grey

So what does "scrap your closet" mean to you?
Some ideas the True Scrapbooking DT came up with:

• choose the most frequent colors in your wardrobe for your page
• make your closet layout into a sketch (GENIUS!)
• cheat (like I did) and scrap about your TODDLER'S closet since yours is full of grey and black duds.

Here is a fuzzy Instagram of Miss Lola's closet:

It's all about the turquoise, magenta and yellow this year.
I wish this was MY wardrobe!

Some project detail shots:

Vellum confetti! I added water droplets and bling to give it a bit of sparkle.  I layered
2 punches for each bird and bent the wings up for first layer of each so that they
cast a shadow. 

Scrap FX Adorable wordlet 2012126.
I used a Viva Decor pearl pen in Ice White to give the title that pearl finish.
I LOVE this product! I've had a couple of these pens for a while now but I haven't used them- MISTAKE!
They dry incredibly fast (beating Stickles glitter glue by miles), add perfectly formed pearls to your paper projects
(check it out here) and the color is great for covering darker colored alterables like chipboard.

Swing by the challenge and give it a try! It's FUN!
The challenge closes July 31st so you have plenty of time to shop for more clothes (ha!- we all know it's PAPER you spend your cash on!))

Parting shot!

My Mom went to Pennsylvania and all I got was this LUSCIOUS collection
of vintage buttons!!! THANKS MOOOOM!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

The flyness of flair (buttons)

Guess how long I've been dying to add the word "fly" (as in AWESOME) to a post title?
Forever!
WOOOOT!
Today I want to share a couple of pages that will be going up over at the A Flair For Buttons blog.
I. LOVE. Flair Buttons.
Thankfully mine come with no strings attached.
Unlike:

How NOT to use flair. Jennifer Anniston in Office Space. 

Guuurl I KNOW how you feel- work place MADNESS!
But that was then- this is NOW. (Now is ALL the awesome AND some sauce on the side).

First page up:

Sunday Sunshine Baby- that's my nephew Kaine when he was just a year old.
Materials: A Flair for Buttons woodgrain Days of the Week, Gauche Alchemy corrugated board, woodgrain punchinella and sequins, Sassafras Lass paper, stickers and die cuts, Crate Paper alphas and a Prima newsprint vine- oh and chevron and mini banner dies from "My Favorite Stamps".

How about this one?:

Capture Happy.
This was  a page I made for Gauche Alchemy last year and I remember thinking how I wish I had some plain white
word buttons- funny how life works out huh?
Materials: Gauche alchemy White mixed media color kit and clear punchinella, A Flair For Buttons Cameras flair pin and Word flair button, Happy pin from Joann's, Maya Road corrugated clouds and straight pins. 

I think you should swing by A Flair for Buttons blog and check out what the new Design Team (me included!) has come up with.
There is something for everyone- clean and simple scrappers, retro or altered item makers, romantic style scrappers, graphic designers of all types- Shelley has something for everyone.

Some project detail shots:

Mono chrome pages- I need to make more! They are FABULOUS.

I liked the plain wood print on the back of the letter "K" so I flipped it over but had to cut
parts off. It looks wonky but the color works. Sassafras!!! I MISS YOU! Come back! 

Brown cream and yellow together- it was by pure chance but I LOVE how the
girlie flower stuff got layered on there and the page is still pretty gender neutral.
Those A Flair For Buttons woodgrain days of the week? TOO AWESOME!

You go on and have a great weekend you hear?
My sister is in town- YAAAY!
We are gonna paint the town several shades of sunny yellow! I will take ALL the photos! And make ALL the happy sisters together pages. (woot!)

Keith Haring exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. This was my favorite piece. Someone
ripped the black subway poster backing right off the wall and took it home- smart cookie!

MuChOS SmOoChEs!
Michelle