A Review of Scrapbooking the School Years by Memory Makers Books

Scrapbooking the School Years by Memory Makers Books

Amazon Description:

*Features artwork created by talented commissioned designers working in their natural styles to create first-rate example pages and ideas for scrapbookers at all skill levels
*Features bonus paper crafts--ideal not only for traditional scrapbookers, but for teachers looking for new projects for their classrooms

Spanning the school years from the first tear-filled day to
the cap-and-gown finale, Scrapbooking the School Years offers tremendous value to parents wanting to preserve mementos of their children's school-year milestones and accomplishments in a colorful, fresh and contemporary way. Projects and example pages will inspire the reader to create original scrapbooks encompassing everything unique to the school years--teachers, classmates, academic achievements, sports, band, theater, art, field trips, and much more. The reader will also enjoy the Memory Makers artists' paper crafts--featuring fun ideas for showcasing school portraits, report cards and other memorabilia--in addition to extra tips, tricks and sidebars sprinkled throughout.

MY REVIEW:
This book contain 4 sections covering every level of schooling from preschool to Senior year! With a daughter just about ready to enter Junior Kindergarten, I can tell that this book is definitely going to be a great resource for me for many years to come as I record the highlights of her school years.

Includes:
*Over 110 layouts for inspiration by 21 different artists
*Numerous great crafting project to help you further utilize your stash including ideas for locker accessories, teacher's gifts, learning aides and more
*Checklists offering some unique ideas for photo opps, interview questions and memorabilia to commemorate on your layouts
*A fun artist section at the back sporting school days photos of the contributing artists (quite brave on there part, I would have to say!)
*Great organization and detailed listing of supplies

MY RATING:
4 1/2 STARS

A Sad Day...

Today, my 92 year-old grandmother, had a stroke this morning.

I went to visit her after work today while the rest of my family was there and it was very strange to see her that way. She has always been relatively healthy and always a hard working woman. We don't know much yet really and the doctors say that there isn't much they can do other that give her aspirin. At this point, she is not able to communicate, but is able to move the left side of her body.

This day has me thinking about a visit that I had with my grandparents and my aunt several months ago and just collected some memories and old photos for our family history. I'm glad that I took that time.

She gave everyone's hand a tight squeeze tonight before we left the hospital and we all just praying for the best.

Quotes on Creativity...Wisdom from Kermit the Frog

Here are a couple quotes on creativity that I found recently that I really like:

“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.”
William Plomer

In scrapbooking, aren't we always searching for ways to discover new ways to express our creativity, developing new products or find creative new uses for old ones?

“When you’re trying to stay creative, too many rules can drive you loopy. Improvise. Let loose! Because, after all, you can’t amaze the world until you first surprise yourself.”
Kermit the Frog

What scrapbooking 'rules' have you broken lately with results you love?

SSFS #27 - Request Some Free Inspiration Delivered Directly to Your Mailbox - Catologs

Catalogs are a great sourse for scrapbooking inspiration. Not only does perusing the latest in mail order shopping help you to discover the latest trends in color, texture and design, but you can also garner ideas for your layouts based on the way they arrange their products on the page...after all, isn't their overall objective to make the presentation pleasing to the eye (in order to encourage us to buy)? We may not be trying to make anyone buy anything through our scrapbook layouts, but we are generally trying to 'lead' the eye to our focal point.

Best of all, there are literally thousands out there that you request for FREE! (Hopefully, the value of this free scrapbooking inspiration will make up for the $$ you might be spending when you see some of the great products.

Here are five of my favorite catalogs:

#1 - The Land of Nod

The Land of Nod is a leading catalog, web and retail store company, based in Northbrook, Illinois, specializing in children's furniture, bedding and accessories. The company designs the majority of their items themselves. Their catalog cover designs are always unique and inspiring and the artwork itself can actually be ordered as a print. I've often been tempted to work to cover design in a layout in some way.

#2 - Anthropologie

Anthropologie was founded in 1992 by a small group of people with a love for making things that inspire the imagination. They are known not only for their wonderful clothing, jewelry, and home products, but also for their creativity in their catalog and web design.

#3 - Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn began in 1949 as a single store in Lower Manhattan and is founded on the idea that home furnishings should be exceptional in comfort, style and quality. They also offer catalogs called Pottery Barn Kids (furnishings targeted towards children) and PBteen (furnishings targeted toward teens). These are obviously wonderful for finding the latest in color combinations, etc. for your child and teen layouts.

#4 - The Company Store

The Company Store started out as The La Crosse Garment Company in 1911. The products are based on the fine workmanship of the Scandinavian ancestros that settled in western Wisconsin in the 1800's. It began with warm down comforters and featherbeds they knew so well in the "old country" and expanded from there. They also have a Company Kids catalog with products especially for children.

#5 - Crate&Barrel;Crate&Barrel was opened by a husband and wife team in 1962 and in just a little over 40 years has grown to 7,000 associatiats and 150 stores. They attribute their success to the focus on the "3 P's" - People, Product and Presentation. By people, they are attune to both their employees/associates as well as their customers. By product, they are committed to innovative, high-quality design. By Presentation, they strive to present their products to help your eye focus on shape, form, color and function.

YOUR CHALLANGE TODAY:
*Visit one of the above (or all of them if you wish), sign up for their free catalog and wait for some free inspiration delivered directly to you mailbox...in about 1-6 weeks. :-)

*Do you know of other free catalogs that have served as inspiration to you? Please share them in the comments here.

Rockin' Girl Blogger

I was tagged by Shaunte. She's a Rockin' Girl Blogger and I guess now I am too! :-)

1. Your entire family has gone away for the weekend. The house is all yours. What are the first three things you do? Hmmm...let's see...I certainly wouldn't waste it cleaning, or doing laundry and anything 'productive' like that. I'd have to say I would: #1 - Sleep in; #2 - Do some scrapping; #3 - Do some more scrappin' (of course!)

2. Your bankbook is looking healthy, you have a four-day weekend ahead. What sounds good? First, I would wonder if I made a mistake when I balanced my checkbook! Then, I'd probably head online to do some scrapbook supply shopping (if only I looked as cute as this gal while doing it!) and take Kaitlin to the movies or something that we don't ordinarily do.

3. What do you do while waiting in the doctors office? Luckily, I've never had to spend much time there - either for myself or Kaitlin - but I usually just thumb through some magazines...and discretely keep my distance from the other people that look REALLY sick.

4. Would you rather spend an afternoon alone in a book store, a mall, napping in the hammock? A bookstore. I not much of a shopper (unless you're talking about online scrapbook supply shopping, that is) and I've never even been in a hammock. I'd probably fall out and hurt myself!

5. You have an unexpected 48 hour stay in the hospital. You're coherent and not in pain. How do you spend the time? Reading? Channel surfing? Laptop surfing? Calling your friends to come visit? Ringing for a nurse every five minutes? Sleeping? Enjoy the peace and quiet first of all. Then, I'd probably do a little reading, channel surfing, internet surfing (updating blog, scrapbook supply shopping...do you see any trends here?), and a little extra sleep never hurt anybody.

6. You have a nine hour trans-continental flight. How do you pass the time? Reading a hot novel? Watching the in-flight movies? Become best friends with the stranger seated next to you? Take three valium and sleep the time away? Read, watch, sleep...probably in that order. As for the stranger, I guess it would entirely depend on how 'strange' they happened to be. I had a bad experience when I was about ten and had to take about a 10 hour bus trip by myself...I don't like to talk to strangers...

7. You have a seven hour layover in Chicago O'Hara airport. Do you wear down your cellphone battery calling friends? Read a book? People watch? Shop every store in the airport? Take a taxi and see the city? People watch...for awhile. I've never been to Chicago, so I'd probably do a little exploring and spend time taking some pictures.

8. What do you do when you're bored stiff? I don't know...I'm usually too busy to get bored.

9. Work first, play later? OR play while you can, the work will still be there when you get home? Work first, play later. The work is what supports the play.

10. List three times that you are easily bored. Long car rides. Watching any kind of sports. (Although, I have a strange love for sports movies...can't explain it.) Anytime I'm trying to watch TV when my husband has control of the remote - he's an incessant clicker. Just about the time I get interested in something, he changes the channel...EVERY TIME! That's when I usually leave and go do some online scrapbook supply shopping...heh...heh...

The 'tag' must go on. If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged. Copy and paste the 'Rockin' Girl Blogger' button, the questions (replacing my answers with yours of course) and go post! Please leave a link to your post here...I'd love to read your answers!! (Some of these would make a great jumping off point for a scrapbook page!)

Sunset on Lewis & Clark Lake

A few more photos from our evening trip to the beach the other night:

I do love this picture...think I will have to Photoshop out those buoys, though.

Evening at the Beach

Well, sort of...the other evening, Lynn, Kaitlin and I went down to what we call our 'beach' here in Yankton, SD to snap a few pictures. I'm sure the little bits of sandy areas we find here along the Missouri River aren't anything like the real thing. Hopefully someday I'll have the opportunity to make the true comparison by actually visiting an ocean side beach.

Regardless, it was a beautiful evening and I think I got a few good shots. Here are a few of my favorites:

This first one my sister actually shot as I was rescuing a little fish who had just 'beached' himself. Kaitlin was quite concerned for the little fellow.


Got some lovely shots at sunset...hopefully can get those posted tomorrow!