Thursday, January 31, 2008

You'll be sorry you asked

Dear Whoever asked me to post copies of the layouts I got done at my scrapper's retreat last weekend (and don't worry those of you who aren't interested, there is no way I have enough time to turn this into a scrapbooking blog, so this is most likely a one-time shot ....)

A few things I feel I should disclaim before posting photos of my scrapbook layouts from last weekend, both for those of you who do scrapbook and might notice, and for those of you who don't scrapbook, wouldn't notice, and quite frankly couldn't give two shits about it.

1. My name is Kristie, and I am a scraplifter. That means that absolutely none of the layouts, ideas, color schemes, designs, or embellishments you will see here today are original. They are all directly copied (with perhaps *some* improvisation, but for the most part, blatantly stolen just as they are) from magazines, idea books, and friends. I am not ashamed of the fact that I have not one creative bone in my body. I’ll say it loud, and I’ll say it proud --- I’m a SCRAPLIFTER! (Do you think they have a 12-step program for stealers like me?)

2. My style, for the most part, is simplistic. Simplistic to the point of boring. I don’t like a lot of frou-frou on my pages, and (for those of you to whom this might mean something) it is my goal in life to meet Cathy Zleiske because she totally rocks and some day I want to grow up and scrap just like her. For those of you who don’t scrapbook, just know that my style (or lack thereof) probably doesn’t accurately represent the scrapbooking world at large.

3. Taking pictures of layouts to share can be tricky. If you leave your flash on, you’ll get a glare on the photos. If you turn the flash off, the lighting can be too dark and your pages might look blurry. In my office, I have a window to the left of the table, therefore on these layouts, the page on the left-hand side looks lighter than the page on the right side. (sigh) Which should I take first? A "Photography for Dummies" course, or a "How to Add Bling to Your Pages 101"??

4. Lastly, lest you think this is ALL I accomplished the entire weekend, there were also a few more layouts that I didn’t share for personal reasons. I didn’t think anyone reading wanted to see the naked “Before the Tummy Tuck” pictures of me ….. kidding! I’m just kidding!!! (Wow, look at how many of you just jumped up from your computer and ran away screaming..... you guys are fast.)

Besides the additional layouts, I also completed about five dozen hand-made notecards, read four People magazines, caught up with my girlfriends, and ate chocolate for at least twelve of the forty-eight hours I was there. Alas, no naps. But still, all told, an extremely successful weekend.


























































**Dear Jan, tips on how to get started scrapbooking coming up ....

34 comments:

Estrelleta said...

I think "scrapycat" (which I just made up, btw) would be more accurate. Not to mention, it made me LOL :)

Kristie said...

Estrelleta, that is HYSTERICAL! I am SO stealing it and using it for myself!!!! (Um, if that's ok with you?)

Scrapycat --- ha! :)

Estrelleta said...

Hey, sure. No problem ;).

Anonymous said...

19 scrapbook pages (38 if you count both sides)!!! That's a pretty productive weekend of scrapping in my view. I am sooooo slow. It must be my adult ADD -- I can't stay focused! LOL!

Anonymous said...

Coming out of lurkdom for an improtant question!!! When you go away to scrap what do you do about all of your cr..., I mean stuff? And how do you print the labels?

Anonymous said...

I do a scrapbook for each of my babies while they are with me. You gave me some good new layout ideas! Thanks!

Dixie in CA

Anonymous said...

I love your pages. I like simple scrapbook pages the most. The focus is on the pictures - which in my mind is what it's all about. You do a beautiful job. I can't believe got so much done. Great job.

Lisa C.

Maggie said...

Gorgeous pages! I'm totally jealous at your productivity...hopefully some of it will rub off on me!

Anonymous said...

I soooo need a group to scrapbook with! I have all the stuff, Hell, I even have a scrapbooking room (also in that room is my treadmill, so we know why I never go in there!!!)
I just think when I see the PILES of pictures, I just get overwhelmed and walk away!

Anonymous said...

Give yourself some credit... your pages are great! Thanks for sharing them. I must recommend 2 great books, Imagine and Cherish (they are Jeanne Lynton, the founder of CTMH) and are GREAT for scraplifting.

Monica H said...

I've always wanted to scrapbook, but I get so stresed out by all the pictures and where to start. And because I know after I buy all the shit I think I'll need I'll be broke (sigh).

I do like your pages even if they were lifted from someone else. I have a couple favorites :-)

Anonymous said...

You're on a roll with the blogging lately...not that you ever were at a standstill but I so love the frequency of your updates as they just make me roar with laughter!!!!! You must be getting a lot of something something at home....keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Okay, I feel a bit slighted. The name is Wendy from Winder, not whoever requested scrapbook pages. Just kidding. I loved the pages. They were great. I too am a scrapycat or scraplifter, but at least a few of the pages turn out decent. Way more decent than if I had to come up with something on my own. I enjoy reading your blog every day. Keep up the good work.
Wendy in Winder, GA

Anonymous said...

P.S. Meg, where in GA do you live? Maybe we could start our own friends of Kristie cropping club in her honor.

Wendy in Winder, GA

Anonymous said...

I love your layouts. I'm with you simple is best. By the way your layouts are very detailed. I like the use of the one word per page...I might try and incorporate that in to my scrapbook.

jbaj said...

Ooohh I love your pages! I am super slow too. Either that or I go too fast and all the pages look the same :-(

Maybe I can scaplift some of my own! I am so unoriginal it's embarassing. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Kristie......your pages are perfectly my style! I love them..simple but truly not boring and focus on the pictures! I scraplift too and I actually teach scrapbooing! I hope this wont be the last and that you will post a few layouts from time to time and if you are ever in Arizona, let
s crop!

Sevesteen said...

To use flash for stuff like this, try holding a tissue or piece of white paper in front of the flash when you take the picture. Flat against the flash just dims the light, leave a bit of room between paper and flash diffuses the light.

Anonymous said...

Becky, I mean Kristie, I'm going to scraplift them from you!

Anonymous said...

Krisite,

I love the simplicity of your designs. I too can relate to not having a creative bone in my body. But, I am sooo good at "re-creating" other's designs.

On another unrelated note, have you heard the song "Braid My Hair" by Randy Owen from the group Alabama?

When I heard this song, I immediately thought of Kendrie. I only "know" you and Kendrie from your caringbridge site and now this blog, but I couldn't help think of her and cry while listening to it.

Our local country radio station WPOC 93.1 is doing a week long fundraising event next week for St. Jude's Children Cancer Research. I think I heard that this song was written for St. Jude's Center.

If you get a chance, please listen to it but be sure to have a box of kleenex handy. You will surely need them.

Thanks for all your entertaining writings. I truly enjoy reading them on a daily basis.

Kathy
mom2131@clearviewcatv.net

Anonymous said...

Wow Kristie I am totally blown away by your beautiful pages! And you completed so many!

I've been buying scrapbook materials and scrapbook magazines and albums and embellishments and chipboard letters and stickers and i've organized all my photos by year, event and where we were living ..... (Well you get the picture).... since Scrapbooking became so popular in the last 10 years.

I've been to cropfest's and croptober and scrapparties and gawd knows what else.

Oh yeah and I've completed one page. One freaking page. And my kids are now almost 19 and 23. No baby books but I do have a scrapbooking cupboard most scrappers would die for.

I totally love the simple look of your pages, so much that I'm thinking I just might try again.

Well maybe!

Blondie

M&Co. said...

Oh how fun! You wanna tackle my box of pictures now that yours are all organized?

Anonymous said...

Wendy in Winder,

I'm afraid I live a "far piece" from you...I'm in Americus, but I'm always up for a fun weekend away to the "big city of ATL or even Athens! It's an idea....

Kelly said...

Wow. Your pictures are great and your scrapbooking pages are adorable! I'm jealous. I am a reluctant scrapbooker. My mom is very into it and guilted me into it when my daughter was born. Now she is 2 ...but according to my book...she just turned one. I JUST finished her first birthday pages 2 nights ago. And my pages are more hodge-podge. I love the simplicity of yours. I'm so scraplifting from you now!!! Hope that's okay?? :)

Amy said...

I love your new pages. When I first started out scrapbooking you were kind enough to email me some helpful hints. My style is more wild and crazy! I usually end up putting too much crap on my pages, and I usually don't start off with a plan. I do love to do it though!! I wish I had friends to do it with. My friends aren't exactly crafty. I love to paint, decorate and scrapbook.
Thanks for sharing, I'm learning that maybe less is more.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for sharing your pages, they're great. I know all about scraplifting because I'm the queen of scraplifting. I can't believe how many pages you got done. I just went to an all day 14-hour crop and only got 7 pages done. I love the simplicity of your pages which focuses on your great pictures and not all the fancy fancy that some pages get overwhelmed with. Thanks again for sharing your "talent".

Vicki - Michigan

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing some of your pages. I love them and I am inspired... I have never scrapbooked but I want to, I really do! Maybe some day? I also want to sew, but that's a whole 'nother story.

Anonymous said...

Wow, whomever (whoever??) you scraplifted from has really, really good taste - love the layouts!! And, love your pictures. Anxiously awaiting the before tummy-tuck pictures, however (we don't get a lot of excitement up here!!)!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Kristy! You are amazing! copy cat or not, you do amazing scrapbook pages! You should be VERY proud! I go on scrapper weekends, and rarely get more than 10 pages done!

Denise
Tucker, GA

Anonymous said...

Wow Kristie! I am SOOO impressed with your productivity! I probably would have spent the whole weekend oggling over what everyone else was doing (and enjoying those chocolates), that I wouldn't have gotten much done myself! Your layouts are great! I might just have to steal some of your ideas! I'm not too proud to admit that I'm a scraplifter too (love that!) and your pages are just what I needed to motivate me to get out of my dry spell! Thanks for sharing!

Happy to hear that Blaine's scans are unchanged. What a blessing that is! Hope the pretend pain management Dr. comes up with a good plan...

www.babyhomepages.net/schauers

Anonymous said...

I also am a scrapycat!! I also LOVE simple. I do use a lot of stickers but no fancy buttons and bows and pocket pages etc. I am so not creative. I am not sure I could scrap with a group though. I would be talking way too much and I need to stay focused. Great pages Kristi..

Anonymous said...

Love your pages!!

Scraplifter...I love that! That is the only way I could do it. I even took a class and my album is still empty.

Robbin, MO

Anonymous said...

I'm a 'scraplifter' too, why do you think I asked you to show your pages?? LOL (I am SURE I asked, I have to go back and check to be sure.....who is this Wendy in Winder, anyway?? Kidding!!)
Great pages, especially love Kendrie's 'Eight' page and the 'Fair' page is awesome too! Wish I could read that journaling and see if it's as funny as your blog....:-)

Anonymous said...

Awesome! I'm a pretty simple scrapbooker (and lifter) too.

I am in dire need of a solo scrapbooking day. I have so much to get caught up on. I haven't finished the kids pages from last school year yet and this year is almost over! EEK! And I have a bunch to do for our 'family time' book as well.