Retrospect

documenting life, creating art.

Category Archives: holidays


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December Daily catch-up

Work, work, work! That’s what I’ve been doing, whether it be at the job that actually pays me, or the ones at home, life gets so busy this time of year! I took some time this weekend to play catch-up for my December Daily (luckily I have remembered to take photos, at least!), and after downloading some pics to put on my pages, I suddenly feel so grateful that I did at least some preliminary foundation work. I don’t have all of the PDF pages printed out yet, and I’m waiting for more Hambly transparencies to arrive in the mail to make more page dividers, but I at least had the first 5 days somewhat ready. I just put my photos on, did a little embellishing, journaling, and here you go, so far:

Hmmm, notice anything missing? No page protectors…..no binder! I ordered it with the kit from Studio Calico way back when, but I have not received my binder. I got a note in the kit that apologized and indicated that I would be receiving it by December 1……I was hoping they meant this year. Phooey! Well, these things happen, and it’s not going to stop me from completing my pages, anyway. I can always make my own binder, or pages, can’t I?

Extra ephemera I'll be adding

I am so glad that I am doing this; this kind of project is going to help me enjoy and appreciate the holiday season even more than usual; instead of feeling anxious, stressed or worried, I feel excited and full of anticipation (not expectations!) for joy, pleasure, and lots of love. That’s what the season is all about!

On another note, I did get the chance to make a layout which I am adding to our monthly calendar (It’s a My Mind’s Eye scrap calendar):

Photos from my daughter's recent Christmas recital

I used Mr. Huey's spray mist in white with a tree mask on the green background.

Not thrilled about the alphabet font….it came with a Christmas kit from a year ago, and had been unused, so I though, why not. The layout itself is scraplifted from a recent one Ali Edwards did. Thanks, Ali!

And thank you, too, for stopping by. It’s getting late, so tomorrow I will be sure to include the products I’ve used. Any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me!


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Redefining the ‘die-hard scrapbooker’.

Yes, that’s me. I work full-time at a hospital; difficult, stressful, demanding;  my idea of relaxation is coming home to my bedroom (where my ‘studio’ is) to scrapbook. Case in point: I got off a night shift last night, not my usual shift, and what did I do when I came home?  Sleep? No. I looked for something pretty to create. Tired? Shmired!! I wanted to scrap. My husband once told me that I have an addiction, and I think he’s right. But, there could be worse addictions, okay? 

December is right around the corner, and for once, I really want to make a December Daily. I want to enjoy and appreciate this holiday season in any way, shape and form it arrives. I want every day to count, and I want to document it all. I have a Christmas tree (thank you, Mom!!); decorations (hand-made); and ideas for some really wonderful things I can do to make our home comfy, cozy, and delightfully festive. It’s been a long time coming, and I am really excited about the fact that I am so inspired and motivated. Yes, I do have to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas day (after all, cardiac disease doesn’t take any holidays, so, why should I?), but that won’t diminish my holiday joy. I am so grateful to have what I have, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Except one. Silly? Yes. Important? No…but to me, it was. I love stars. I’ve said that before, but when I saw the canvas star on Ali Edwards‘ December Daily part II photos (Nov. 4, 2011), I fell in love. That is so me. I immediately looked online for some of her beautiful embellishments to go on my own December Daily (thank you Ali for the links!), but when it came to ordering the canvas star, I was out of luck. And I wanted that star! No emails ever arrived to announce that this particular product is back in stock, so today, of all days, I needed to get into a closet I rarely frequent, and found some duck cloth canvas sitting there from I-don’t-know-when. I have my star! was my first thought. I know how to sew. I have a star die (to go with my trusty Sizzix Big Kick). I have the right material. Nothing was going to hold me back. My poor husband didn’t even know I was home before I was getting things going.

My inspiration, from Ali Edwards.

My own humble version....

...inspired by Ali and ready for my own December Daily

Not knowing that Scrapbook.com now has these canvas stars back in stock, I made a lot, and I made them to sell on my Etsy shop to share with all of you. Who knows how many of you were looking for this, and couldn’t find them, either!

I am so looking forward to this holiday season, and I hope every one of you reading this has an a beautiful season as well! Okay, time to get some shut-eye before the next shift. Zzzz.


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A new trend: white on kraft

I am loving a look I came up with while creating Christmas cards and tags: white ink (with snowflakes or stars) on kraft paper. I stamp images onto a kraft tag or card and emboss with Stampendous detail white embossing powder. The look, to me, is very Nordic, simple, earthy, and classic. I can’t get enough of it right now. I am hoping you like it as well, too, because I have some items for sale on Etsy that are created with this beautiful style in mind.

White Noel Christmas cards

Snowflake stickers

small white star tags

medium snowflake tags

scrap paper chain

There’s no end to what you can do with these items. I will be starting my December Daily in a couple of weeks, and I intend to use these tags and stickers to embellish my album; the cards I’ve made (not showing are the red star and green tree cards) are meant to be simple in order to let your words and sentiments shine. Let your Christmas be merry and bright with white-on-kraft by Retrospect!


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Using scraps to make a paper chain.

I’m working hard this evening in my ‘workshop’ (just like Santa’s…) creating Christmas cards and tags for my shop, Retrospect, on Etsy. When I ran out of 8.5×11 kraft sheets, I got out my 12×12 stash, and started cutting away, to get more of the necessary size. I don’t like wasting things, especially scraps, and while tossing some 1×8.5″ strips into the trash, I came up with an idea to use them instead of throwing them away: make a paper chain! I grabbed those babies out (no worries; my trash bin is entirely paper and bits of ribbon) and went to work.

I have some snowflake stamps from Stampin’ Up! that I had been using, and noticed that the smallest stamp would fit the 1″ size of the strips. I thought it would be nice to stamp an image onto the strip to make a design; right now, I’m working with kraft paper for my projects, and I am really into white-on-kraft with snowflakes or stars…kind of a Nordic look which I am loving. I used a white ink pad to stamp the images, then I sprinkled Stampendous! “Stamp-n-Stuff” in an opaque white embossing powder over the stamped images, and then heated each strip so the white would stand out a little more. The fun thing about this is that it’s easy enough for the kids to do while you’re making your own things!

I can easily see my 11-year-old stamping paper strips (but if we want them embossed, I would do the heating) to her heart’s content. I chose the white, but of course it would also look pretty with red or green, (or any combination) and any of your smaller size Christmas stamps. I only had about 14 scraps, but of course the more you have the longer the chain.

I stapled each strip into a ring, just like I remember doing back in Kindergarten…and yes, it was just as much fun doing it again today!

My daughter didn’t get to make this one (homework to do…) but I’ll be sure and have her help with more of these in the future that we can add to this one. I have no idea how long it will end up being, or where we’ll put it, but that’s the easy part, and we’ll love having it be a part of our holiday festivities. What a cheap decoration, too! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find my shop vac (powder everywhere, what a mess…). Come on back in the next few days when I show you my Christmas holiday cards that I’ll be selling at Retrospect! Thanks for stopping by!


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Seeing stars.

I love stars. I always have; looking at the stars in the sky as a child, and seeing anything shaped like a star now, catches my eye. I made some new tags for Christmas with stars, and more in a bigger size, with snowflakes (almost like a star, right?).

My goal tomorrow is to use my tags in some projects. See you tomorrow! Happy Holidays!


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The holiday seasons are coming!

I am super excited to introduce some new items to the Retrospect shop! My mom visited me yesterday, and while talking about Christmas and scrapbooking, some ideas came to me that I had to make for my Etsy shop! I know that I want to do a ‘December Daily’ album this year, and looking around I came up with some things I know I would like to have available to me, and I thought perhaps, some of you would, too.

Advent calendar tags

to-from tags

small fabric star tags

All my tags are hand made and come with baker’s twine to make your gift or project unique and special! If you’re looking for some help with making your holiday festivities look their best, come see me! Next up, I’ll be making Christmas card packs. See you tomorrow!


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Free Mother’s Day goodies!

Happy Mother’s Day! I would like to wish every mother out there (even if your kids are the furry, four-legged kind!) a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing and lovely day! Where would the world be without mothers? Now, sit back for a moment, think in your mind about all the gazillion things you do for your family, friends, co-workers and society in general, and then give yourself a pat on the back…maybe ask your kid to fetch you a beverage, and then kindly ask the hubby to give those shoulders a massage. You deserve it!

You also deserve a little something free, if you love to scrap, or paper craft! Get a free package of goodies from me today only by submitting a comment about why you deserve free scrapbook supplies. You know you do, so don’t be shy! One person will be chosen to receive a package containing no less than a dozen papers by the likes of Jenni Bowlin, Basic Grey, 7 Gypsies, Making Memories, etc., plus American Crafts alpha stickers, numerous ephemera, journaling spots, and ribbon! I will be making up some kits to begin selling on Etsy, but in honor of Mother’s Day, one lucky person will get a free one, today! Good luck, and happy scrappin’!

One more thing: I did manage to get another layout completed yesterday, for challenge #4; using wood or woodgrain products in a layout. Luckily for me, Studio Calico has recently had some fantastic wood die-cut pieces in it’s kits, so I had some frames and stars in wood, as well as alphabet pieces. They were perfect! I chose some complimentary papers in blues and gold, also from Studio Calico, and made this layout to submit.

The wood pieces come with adhesive backing, and they are thin enough to cut easily, making them super easy to work with. They also come in many different sizes, whether the frames or stars, so choosing the right size is no problem. I’ll be making more layouts today, to submit to Big Picture Classes for some of the other challenges. The challenges are so much fun; even if I don’t win anything, it’s a good exercise for me to hone up on my skills, and just give me a personal challenge. I’ll be back tomorrow with more layouts. Enjoy your day, and don’t forget to post a comment if you’re interested in winning free scrap supplies!!


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Fish and chips and Guiness…

My offering for today is yet another layout. I thought about this last night, and I realize that most of what anyone sees here is about scrapbooking, and consists of layouts. At first I felt bad; I was thinking that my post-a-day comrades may get a little tired of it, but then I reminded myself that that is what my blog is all about! Scrapbooks, layouts, stories to tell. I find that the best way for me to tell my stories is in scrapbook format. So, ladies and gentlemen, here you have my St. Patrick’s Day layout, done digitally. I will do it again with paper to put into my album, and I will be as happy as a little leprechaun!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and the luck o’ the Irish to ya!


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a special surprise from yesterday, before he knew about today!

Yes, it is Valentines Day. No, my husband and I do not celebrate it. We celebrate our love on any given day we choose. Before my husband was my husband, he would let himself into my apartment (he had a key) while I was at work, and leave before I came home (midnight). I would many times discover some wildflowers on my pillow, with a hand-written note on any piece of paper he could find, declaring his feelings to me. I would melt. He did not make a stop at D&L Roses, or buy a Hallmark card for me, which is exactly why I loved these gestures. I still do. I occasionally come home now and then to a carefully hidden love note on scratch paper, or some wildflowers in a jar on the table…just a little something he found on the way home from somewhere, and made him think of me. I’m always touched because of the randomness, the spontaneity, the way he will think of me lovingly, just because. He’s very romantic, and I love that I don’t need a Valentine’s Day for him to be told it’s time to declare his love for me. I feel it every day.

_____________________


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Giving a gift of love…give handmade (sorry, Hallmark)

Sabrina's birthday card

My daughter’s best friend has a birthday coming up this Saturday. As we looked around a local store for something to give as a gift, I completely bypassed the greeting card aisle. On purpose. My thinking: why give Hallmark my money, when I can make one myself? I can choose the colors, the theme, the styling, even customize it with Sabrina’s name (the birthday girl)…and it still won’t cost me as much as that cookie-cutter card you find on aisle 3a. Of course, it does help that being an avid scrapbooker, I have loads of colorful papers, stickers, shape punchers, rubber stamps, etc. It’s not just saving money (um…I did have to buy those papers, stickers and such at one time or other…), but it’s the love of crafting something by hand. It’s a stress-reliever, an energizer, a creative outlet, a mental “upper”, if you will. It is impossible for me to feel anything but peace, happiness and contentment when I scrapbook a page, make a card, or create any other craft project. That’s one of the reasons I started my own little enterprise I call Retrospect; I like to make things, and I love even more to share them. Business may not be booming at the moment, but I’m not in it to be the next Martha Stewart. It can be expensive, and I want to have fun. So I will hopefully make a little money while doing what I love. Having a shop in Etsy has made me feel like part of a community, as well. Most everything on the site is hand-crafted, and I have come to really appreciate this, versus buying something from a chain store: it’s personal, it’s unique, it’s always made with love… and that makes it special. Since not everyone has the time or inclination to make something by hand (although I highly condone trying, you can’t go wrong!), I feel compelled to suggest visiting the Etsy site for anything you might be needing, whether it’s for yourself, or for someone else (you know, Valentines Day is coming): www.etsy.com. Feel free to visit my shop there (http://www.etsy.com/shop/simplyretrospect), or my website (http://www.simplyretrospective.com/). Happy crafting!

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