A little blog revival...

It's been a long, long time. But I've been re-motivated by Round 6 of the Organize Your Stuff Challenge at Two Peas. So I dumped the old header, played around with some of the blogspot templates, and started making a header of my own. I know I want to keep the picture, but I'll probably tinker with the text some more. Someday, I'll write an entry with the story of the picture, too. But not today!

Today's post is devoted to some pictures of the ever-evolving and ever-frustrating crafty space. It's not quite as big a mess as it once was, but I throw it into new stages of chaos every time that I bring home some new vintage find for storage. This time, it's ink storage and acrylic stamp storage that's been thrown open. And new paper and Button Farm kits. OK. So it's out of control again. The first step is to admit you're powerless, right?

I have a great space... shelves, drawers, huge workspace. My challenge is to find ways to logically stash everything in my stash, so that I know where to look for something when I have inspiration. I'm hoping that the Organize Your Stuff Challenge will help me get there.

So, here's a photo of the space as it looked this morning. Not incredibly inspiring. But it's honestly so much better than it was just a few months ago, when I was using it as the general dumping space for the house.

Ready, Set, Go!

Blog Challenges continue!

The blog challenges continue at The Paper Element. Every completed challenge gives you one entry into that month's giveaway! Our theme lately has been "gettin' edgy," not because we planned it that way but just as a result of serendipity -- and the great texture and weight of The Paper Element papers! They're great for tearing, sanding, inking,... just about anything you can think of to distress them. Head on over and see what JJ has in store for you!

Sketchfest at Creative Scrappers!

A whole week of challenges and games and some great prizes! The DT have put together some great sketches, and really, these events at Creative Scrappers are some of the most organized, best-run online events that I've taken part in. The amazing Kristine even put together a complete pdf of all the challenge sketches, so you don't have to keep flipping through the threads to find your sketches. Mine are hanging above my desk right now... :-)

I think I'll be making use of the sketches to try to finish some more layouts for my parents' long-overdue album about their house... I'm hoping that I can wrap it this year! I finished one this week that turned out better than I thought it would when it was in process. It was one of those I-have-to-leave-this-alone layouts. You know the kind? The one that you stare at for half an hour without doing anything to it, until you finally have to pack it away for a while? Here's what finally happened.

New blog challenge!

There's a new blog challenge at The Paper Element. Rita Shimniok is the November Guest Designer, and she's got a perfect November challenge: Gratitude. And check out what she did with The Paper Element's Hot Chocolate line... Yummy!

I played with some Paper Element papers myself this weekend, at the CSI crop at A Cherry On Top. Here's some of my results... Isn't this Tinsel Town gorgeous??

And then a little with some older papers... This is TPE's Sugar line.

Blog challenges continue!

The blog challenges continue at The Paper Element! As a reminder, each completed challenge gets you one entry into the monthly drawing. And this month, we have a guest DT member, Rita Shimniok. That means that there's an extra opportunity this month for the drawing. Our scheduled blog challenges are on Saturdays; Rita will have a special midweek challenge later in the month.

And, for an update on my Photoshop adventures, here's the layouts created with some of the pictures I edited.

Glamour Witch: MME patterned papers and Core'dinations cardstock (Black Magic and Vintage collections); Adirondack dabber paint; AC Thickers and brads; Stickles; Ranger Distress Ink; stickles; misc. bling.

scary pair?: MME and Core'dinations papers (Black Magic collection); Bazzill chipboard and chipboard letters; Prima and Bazzill flowers; AC brad; Stickles; Ranger Distress Ink

I also worked on some Paper Element projects this weekend, but that'll be a later post!

Finally playing with Photoshop Elements!

I bought Photoshop Elements several months ago and just haven't had much chance to play with it. This afternoon, I finally sat for a couple of hours and tried to figure out a few basic things. I've used Photoshop before in technology classes at work, but I've never used it outside of the class setting... meaning, of course, that I've never made anything that was covered in the classes "my own." So, here's my results... Pedestrian, I know, but leaps and bounds for me. Check out the kids' Halloween costumes!

B/W background to highlight "Hannah the Glamour Witch:"

The Clone Stamp to take out the doorknob and deadbolt in the picture, which were right above and below the Glamour Witch's hat brim on the right side of the picture:

That's how I spent my Sunday afternoon, or at least part of it!

Blog Challenges at The Paper Element!

The blog challenges are rolling along at The Paper Element. A new one will be posted each Saturday morning, and at the end of the month, we'll do a drawing from all the entries received for a cool prize package of TPE products.

Check them all out here!

Post a link to your completed item in the comments. We've had some great entries so far!

And in other news...

The first shipment of new papers came in last week, and they're more gorgeous in real life! Lisa and Beth are busy getting all their orders out. Lots of boxes! So, watch your favorite stores for those papers to arrive on the shelves! And watch here and at The Paper Element blog for some photos ... I couldn't resist taking pictures of all the papers as I was packing the Design Team kits the other day. Of course, I'd forgotten my own camera, so I used Lisa's and now have to get the pictures from her.