Speaking of an "intervention" program.....

I had to call in reinforcements this weekend to help me organize my scraproom---or at least make it where I could walk in it without tripping over something and breaking my neck!! This pic is me in my living room after pulling out all of these drawer thingies I have that were STUFFED full of scrappy crap..

One of my closest and sweetest girlfriends, Leeann, took her weekend away from the lake and her hubby and spent 2 days with me, bossing me around while I cleaned, purged, organized, and exhausted myself in the "Chaotic Pit" I call my studio----(I secretly think she kinda liked the "bossing around" part!! LOL!!) My new roomie, Kristen, also jumped in and helped us to sort through my stuff (I think these two girls were ganging up on me, though....just sayin'.....)
Okay, so as I am going through my "older stash", I come across these FUGLY PAPERS--I mean, who would BUY THESE????? Apparently, I DID.......and not just one piece, but several of the same design--





In my defense, though, these papers were DA BOMB maybe, ummmm, 10 years ago???? I think I even made a couple of layouts with them-----not that I want to go looking for these layouts in my old albums, mind you...

I was given two boxes to fill with my "purge stuff"---one for embellies, and one for papers--as Leeann went through my room with me, I kept noticing that my "purge pile" was growing......but not from ME putting stuff into it. Leeann was being sneaky and adding things to the pile when I wasn't looking.. GASP!! I had to be sneaky myself and when she wasn't looking would grab whatever she put into the pile and hide it in my room somewhere--I mean, come ON...those little BIG LOTS finds I spent hundreds of dollars on years ago could be used on a lay out eventually....right?? I mean, who wouldn't want to use these lovely little embellies on a page?



Okay...well...maybe not....so the purge pile Leeann started earlier became bigger and bigger as I threw the CRAP I spent hundreds of dollars on years before grew and grew....and you know what? I became pretty darn DEPRESSED over all that money I spent on this shit....what was I thinking??? I pictured myself at BIG LOTS when I bought this crap, stuffing hundreds of crappy items into my cart because it was a buck or two--good lord....(where's an eye rolling 'smilie' when I need one??)

so, after 12 hours of non-stop cleaning and purging (oh, and Leeann surprised me by getting me these AMAZING totes for my IKEA shelves--THANKS, GIRLIE!!!), we finally were able to sit back and enjoy our hard work--and, my friends, this is now what a clean, organized, PURGED, scraproom is supposed to look like!!



Oh my goodness.....I forgot that my desk was white---it's been so long since I've seen the top of it--




Oh, and I've been warned by Leeann that it had better STAY THIS CLEAN or else.....

(duly noted, girlfriend!!!)

Anyone know of a scrappy intervention program???

Good LORD!! Look what I just got in the mail---seriously, with the amount of supplies I am getting, I'm going to need to build a second story onto my home just for my scrappy stuff!!



Anyone wanna come over and play with my new goodies?

~~Kary

Feeling really REALLY good!!!

Got a little surprise in the mail today---my July Memory Makers magazine with a bittersweet layout of mine on page 65. Looking back on the day I made this layout and how I am feeling today is a complete 180!! I have GOD to thank for that--He has enriched my life so wonderfully in the past 6 months that sometimes I am overcome with emotion. I have met the most wonderful friends who have stood with me and cried, held my hand, lifted me up, and have just BEEN THERE while I ranted and raved about lifes unfairness. You girls KNOW who you are and how much I love you!!

Since being single, I've learned lots of new things--like how to unplug a dishwasher drain; how to unclog a toilet; how to start up a lawnmower (and believe me, this was HARD!! LOL!!); how to fix broken screens and closet doors that fall off the frame; and most importantly, how to squish a spider without screaming and running into the next neighborhood!! (lots and lots of challenges that you would normally have your guy do, kwim?)

But the one most important thing that I have found through this is God and His everlasting love for me. I've found a beautiful church my boys and I attend, and friends from this church have taken to us and treated us like family.

Thanks for letting me share......Happy Scrapping!!!

~~Kary



excerpt in the MM mag says:

Kary says: "After I found out about my (soon to be ex) husband's affair, I felt the need to create a layout that reflected how I was feeling. I cut the large chipboard heart with jagged edges, tied the middle together with binding and layered a photo of my children on the heart to represent "the ties that bind" saying. I felt as if my heart was shattered and the only thing holding it together were my children."

Where has the day gone??

I woke up so late this morning after staying up late talking and laughing with my two BFF's Leeann and Lainie--I was supposed to go help at a church function today, but just couldn't get myself moving--then ended up getting a bit of a stomach bug (I guess that's God's way of telling me I should have gotten UP AND MOVING this morning).

I was able to finish another LO yesterday and submitted it to the Basic Grey gallery late last night. This is a picture of Grant a couple of years ago in Soquel--he was upset about something and ended up sitting on this tree swing, pouting. I captured the photo with my telephoto lens and just love the way it came out. I have TONS of Basic Grey and used the "Mellow" line for this--I hope you enjoy it!!







Happy Scrapping!!

~~Kary

Finally got some scrappy time in---

I went to my girlfriends house in Sonoma County and we scrapped our little hearts out for four days--I was able to finish three layouts!! WOO HOO!!

I also played with my camera and Dawn and I did a "photo shoot". She has this really cool book called "Cowgirls in Heaven" and we recreated some of those pics for her new office in her brand new barn she and her hubby built.

So I thought I'd share some of these photos I took of her--






And now for the layouts I FINALLY finished!!







Thanks for taking a peek!!!

I'm baaaaaaacccckkkkk.....

It seems as though my "funk" is over and my MOJO is back!!!! I put together this LO yesterday after I came across this photo of Dewayne and our boys---this pic was taken at his dad's wedding a few years back and it's one of my favorite photos of the boys and their dad--



I used this corrogated cardstock I found in a little shop in Haight-Ashbury--I painted it, then folded the B&W patterned paper and layered ribbon and the flower on it to give the LO dimension--the rest is cut from my Cricut and leftover ribbon from my stash...

I actually sat down and made another layout!!

yep...I must be getting my MOJO back--I'm definitely not cranking them out like I used to, but at least I am CREATING!!!! YAY!!
My two girlfriends, Leeann and Susan, kept me busy one weekend last month and we took this picture in Old Sac. It was a really fun weekend with these two amazing women and one I will remember for a very long time ((wink))
And on that note, here is what I made:



I used all GCD papers for this and rolled strips of papers for those little roses--
You should check out GCD blog here for a fantastic giveaway they are having!! Aren't those papers YUMMY? I could DEFINITELY get my mojo back if I played with that paper!!

My Nikon camera "disappeared"....

seems as though my oldest has become quite the "Urban Decay" photographer.....
Wade and his friends went downtown and took these really cool photos of our beautiful city--many times, they find an abandoned building and sneak inside to get some really cool shots--Personally, I'd be scared shitless that there would be some bums or worse in these buildings, but so far nothing has bothered them accept a few rats or spiders....and maybe a couple of dead pigeons here and there--hope he didn't bring any ghosts home with him.....

Here are some of the pics he's taken--and, yes, I will be scrapping these for him!!





















Okay...so I'm bragging a bit here, but I think my baby boy has a pretty good eye.....

Snow days--

My three boys and I went to the snow last month with one of my best scrappy girlfriends and I got some really great pics of the three boys and me---which is REALLY rare considering my oldest son, Wade, HATES to have his picture taken--

I used a sketch by Beggahuna from Scrapbook.com--if you need a place ofr some inspiration, got check out her sketches!!

Here is Beggahuna's January 9th sketch:


And here is my take on it, using all My Mind's Eye papers:

God has blessed me with great friends!!

Susan and I have been hanging out these past two weeks just having the best time ever--She has become one of my best scrappy friends and it's been such a blessing to have her in my life!! She and I met online (GASP!!) a couple of years ago and just met IRL last October. I invited her out to visit again and she's been here for almost two weeks--she leaves tomorrow and I am sorry to see her go home--I'm sure that she is looking forward to the peace and quiet of her home, though--living with three very active, vocal boys can grate on your nerves, kwim? Although she adores my kids!!

Yesterday, we both finished up our layouts for this week's ADTHIS blog challenge. The "twist" on the add was to emboss on the photo and to make your own embellies--so I used gold embossing powder around the frame of my son, Grant, to highlight his photo. I used all Scenic Route papers and hand cut the patterned paper to make the cluster of embellishments in the corners.




I hope you check out this week's challenge and play along with us!!

Susan's and Leeann's MOJO has rubbed off on me--

After 6 days of just sitting here watching all of my scrappy girlfriends create these amazing LO's (while I drowned my sorrows in a bottle of WHINE!!), I finally found a bit of my mojo and made this LO. I used mostly K&Company products from my stash--okay, so maybe I purchased a FEW embellies for this...LOL!!



Now, if I could only find the MOJO to clean my house.......

nahhhhh...I'd much rather SCRAP!!

Lock up your MEN, ladies!! We're gunning for some fun!!

My two girlfriends, Leeann and Susan, came up this weekend for emotional support for me and we went to Old Sac to have our "saloon girl" photos taken--the three of us were laughing so freaking hard and long as we all tried to squeeze and smush ourselves into these costumes for the photoshoot!! My costume had to be held together with metal industrial sized clamps in the back--looks good from the front, but no so much in the back..LOL!!

So I thought I'd share these pics of us having a truly fun time being goofy and crazy---and there was NO ALCOHOL involved (bummer)--






We sure did miss our other "partner in crime", Miss Nicci, this weekend!! She'd better get her butt down here next time!!! ((wink))

Getting back into the groove of things--

Okay, I have FINALLY made another LO after my month of wallowing in self-pity--I guess I just had to realize that it's time to get up, pull up my bootstraps, and walk tall with my head held high--

I have two adorable little boys at home that I need to teach to be moral, honest, truthful men and I guess I am doing it without the guidance of their father--I believe in living by example, and will continue to do the right thing by them.

Sooo, on that note, I wanted to make a LO about my baby, Grant, who's NOT such a baby anymore, but is my "Ray of Sunshine"--everyday, this little guy makes me laugh when I feel like crying, and is so generous with his hugs and kisses---I mean, come on...who can resist this face and bright smile? (and those EARS!!! LOL!!)


This week's challenge at ADTHIS CHALLENGE BLOG was perfect for my layout--the twist was to use a mask, which I did by taping a KI lace cardstock onto my white paper and then sponge painting four different colors over it--the effect looks pretty cool, I think--
the inspiration for this weeks challenge came from this AD:


I just turned and twisted it a bit and made my page---TFL!!

Scrapbooking CAN be theraputic!!

I have been going through a lot in the last few months---I've given myself some time to grieve and some time to heal--this isn't an easy road for me, but I've been supported by my family and my friends and have finally decided to not hide behind something that I felt was shameful to me. I didn't do anything wrong, and the people who KNOW me and know my family were just as shocked as me. Releasing some of my anger and hurt into a scrapbook page helped me so much. Journaling how I felt was a way to heal my heart. It's definitely NOT the answer healing my heart, but in a way it's a baby step for me to cope with what I've been dealing with these past few months. Maybe it's TMI for some people--but for those who truly care about me and my children and for those who have been there for me since the "D-Day", you'll understand why this layout was so important for me to do and to share.....

Thanks for being there for me, my friends...I couldn't get through this without you....

ETA: My layout "SHATTERED DREAMS" was picked up for publication, so I had to remove it immediately---Please look for it in the August "MEMORY MAKERS" magazine!!!!

Another quick LO to share--

Maddie turned 18 this month and it's a bittersweet time for me--she's still my little girl, even though she's now considered an adult!! I put together this LO using my last DT kit from I am A Scrapaholic. Lynn put together a beautiful kit using Heidi Swapp's "Dining Room" papers and tons of gorgeous embellies--I added a pink patterned paper from g.c.d.--



Happy Scrapping!!

~~Kary

Finding peace in nature--

I just wanted to share some recent photos I took when I was visiting one of my best friend's and her family in the beautiful wine country of Somona County--






And at the end of the day........



Being in this absolutely gorgeous countryside among people I love and who truly care about me and my kids was just what I needed----

~~Kary

December's Little Pill kit from I am a Scrapaholic has a really fun adhesive to use on your cards or layouts. It allows you to create lots of dimension on your projects without the mess of sticky glue dots or pop dots that come off a few months after you use them! We all know how annoying THAT can be!

With the Helmar "Scrap Dots", you can add as much height/dimension to your layouts that you want! It's so easy to do--just simply layer the Scrap Dots onto your project, wait a few minutes, then add another layer onto the original to create height.




On my embellishment cluster, I added several layers of Scrap Dots under random items to give it a variance in height.



Happy Scrapping!!

~~Kary

Love the "Prima" bling scrolls, but hate the price? I know I do, and I seem to want to use the bling on every layout I make, which can be a little expensive after a while!!
So, I decided to try a little experiment on making my own "Bling Scrolls" with a transparency, some "Stickles", and a little doodling and I came up with a really fun way to make your own bling embellishment.

You're going to need a heavyweight transparency--you can buy these at an office supply store, or use the clear transparency paper that comes in your embellishment packages (REUSE, RECYCLE!!) On the transparency, lightly trace a doodled stencil or freehand draw the shape you want your scroll.


Next, using your Stickles, make dots along the lightly traced scroll, being sure to bring the dots close enough together, but not touching.


Let dry at least 2 hours before trimming around the shape of the scroll--attach with vellum tape or mini glue dots and you now have your own "bling" scroll that looks like you spent lots of money on!!


After playing with this technique, I made this LO for my ex-husband to put on his wall in his office--this is his mom, who passed away several years back and is still remembered by me, every day.......



Please check out the amazing blog from I AM A SCRAPAHOLIC--
Happy Scrapping!!

~~Kary

This week at ADTHIS challenge blog

we've provided a really cool ad to inspire you!!



And the twist for this weeks challenge is to use a wet medium on your layout---as long as it's wet when you first use it, anything goes!! So have fun creating your layouts and be sure to post them on the blog at Ad This with a link back to your work so that you can be entered into the contest for an awesome prize from


Here is my take on this challenge--I used acrylic paints on black cardstock along with using a glaze on the Basic Grey sticker embellies to give them a more dimensional look--

Happy Scrapping!!

~~Kary

Another fun little technique to try

on your next card or layout--I created this for the AllyScraps blog, so I hope you pop in over there to check out what the other DT members have created for you!!

Every girl loves flowers, and I'm going to show you a really fun way too make 3 dimensional flowers for your pages.

You're going to need:

Circle hole punches of various sizes (I used three for my flowers)
edge distressor
ink
2-sided patterned paper (I used three different patterns from Sassafrass Lass)
buttons or brads for the flower centers
A thin stick (I used the end of a watercolor paintbrush)

Sassafrass Lass has the cutest line called Woodland Whimsy. I used three different papers for my flowers from this line, and another for the flower stems and leaves.



Cut three different sized circles from your patterned paper--For larger flowers, you would want to use a bigger circle punch, or hand cut circles from your paper.


Using your edge distressor, work your way around the circle making the edges rough. After all three circles are done, ink the edges with the ink pad.




After you've distressed and inked the circles, take the end of the paintbrush and place it in the middle of the circle. Wrap the circle around the stick so that it looks like this:



Unwrap the balls of crumpled paper and layer them on top of one another--add a brad or button to the center, and you now have a lovely 3-Dimensional flower to add to your layouts or cards!!



I used this technique for my layout, "My Sassy Girls"--






Happy Scrapping!!!

~~Kary