Unexpected Destination | Debbie Hodge's Blog | Get It Scrapped

Back-to-school Season, Politics Season, Get-to-work Season

Back-to-School Season

First full week of school for the boys this week (crossing fingers since Isaac looked like he had a cold this morning . . . but it could be allergies . . right? . . . probably not . . . let's see if he can soldier through it . . . Isaac? . . . one can dream).

Biggest hurdle is our new bus (district cut 2.5 buses . . . yep. . . 2.5) and the boys are now on a bus that is really over capacity for high schoolers and middle schoolers . . . unless everyone is the size of a young middle schooler. And our neighborhood is first on and last off.

And then the next hurdle is Isaac worrying everything. He finished this project laaaate last night, held up by concerns that he didn't have a "favorite" book -- he loved many of them equally. And that he had nothing to say in a rambling autobiography -- and then that he was still writing his rambling autobiography because he had so much to say. And then . . . oh, yeah, he could get extra credit if we tracked down a really old piece of his writing and scanned it. Yep: *we* --- and THEN . . . he needed to make a pixelated image of the dog from Phantom of the Tollbooth for the border.

Get-to-work Season

The newest issue of Masterful Scrapbook Design went up last Wednesday. Tami and I are both upgraded to InDesign CS6 and we're launching our 3rd year with an interactive pdf that has ALL the materials (except for the interviews) and you get it the first Weds of the month. So proud of this first issue (our members are reading it on ipads and android tablets happily). Check out the table of contents

It's $16 and only available as a single issue through September.

We also launched a new "Guided Study Critique Workshop" at Get It Scrapped -- with *just* 32 seats . . . and there's only 1 seat left.

 

Political Season

I loved watching both of the conventions and am looking forward to the debates. Last Friday, Elaine and I took Lily and Isaac out of school and spent a long hot day at Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth . . . and we got to see President and Michelle Obama with Vice President and Jill Biden. Obama and Biden both spoke. It was pretty darned cool. I am supporting President Obama --- and working on my husband who right now is not :( Actually, I don't think there's any working on him just as there's no working on me. Though, I've actually thought about talking to his brother about it. If anyone could sway him, it would be Grant.

Now all we need are Rabbit and Duck Seasons :)

OK . . . off to record an episode of This Memory Keeper's Life with Michelle Houghton and then I've got a couple of friends arriving for bagels on the screened porch :)

Get It Scrapped! in the new year

Hello and Happy New Year! As 2010 begins, I thank all of you who have been a part of the last two years as Get It Scrapped! has grown and put down cyber-roots.

We are always looking for the best ways to deliver scrapbooking, art journaling, photography, and digital lessons, and your participation has been essential. Recent upgrades to the Get It Scrapped! forums added improved gallery features and a “shoutbox” that's become a popular way to catch up with old and new friends. Our home page has been revamped to make it easier for everyone to reference an increased number of free scrapbooking how-tos--look for a whole bunch of basic tutorials to be added this month along with special projects and lessons from our teachers.

With the holiday season ending, there are several things going on at Get It Scrapped! this week:

• Oodles of Doodles with Michelle Houghton starts today. Check out her free lesson on drawing a Celtic Knot Pattern as well as these examples of the kinds of things you could be adding to your art journals, cards, and scrapbook pages. (Anyone who took this class last May has been “grandfathered” in and already has access to the new class private forum--be sure and come by because Michelle has added several new lessons.)
  
  
• “One Month at a Time” is a 2010 monthly challenge from Tami Taylor. Her hallmark sense of organization and fun is evident in her prompts, sketches and encouragement. Join Tami and the rest of us who are taking this opportunity to put together an album of two-page layouts summarizing 2010 one month at a time!
   
• Don’t miss this free how-to from digital product designer Pattie Knox that will have you using the clone tool to make a custom brush that will knock your socks off. Like it? There’s lots more where that came from in “Still More Mad Digital Skillz” starting January 12th. (If you took this class last June and would like to participate again, contact us to be “grandfathered” in.)
   
• This is the last week to participate in the Get It Scrapped! Memory-Keeping survey. What’s in it for you? First, an analysis of the responses that provides insight into the ways people are keeping memories, whether that be memoir, blogging, photo albums, scrapbooks, art journals or something else. Second, a chance to influence our upcoming offerings, and, finally, that warm feeling that comes from helping us out. Log your answer now so that you’ll be on the mailing list for the Get It Scrapped! Memory Keeping Report for 2010.
   
• Katrina Kennedy, author of Get Me Off Auto, is once again offering “Your Life: Captured Through The Lens,” beginning January 19th. Register for this class, and be certain you’re ready for her composition class coming in late February. (Due to the high level of individualized instruction in this class, past participation does NOT “grandfather” you in. You must register and pay each time you participate.)
   
• I'm teaching a new class for the first time in way too long!!! Building Pages starts February 1st, and the twelve lessons offer twelve design starting points for making original and pleasing pages.

Please note you can subscribe to our home page posts with a blog reader or via email (right, top, RSS or email buttons) so that you can easily keep track of new tutorials and information. We’re beginning 2010 with a solidified teaching staff and techniques, and—while the hallmark of Get It Scrapped! classes continues to be written lessons with lots of detail, inspiring illustrations, and high-quality forum support—we are incorporating more and more supplemental video tutorials and live chat experiences. Again, thank you for being a part of Get It Scrapped! Here's to a whole lot of creativity and meaningful memory keeping in 2010.

All best,


Debbie Hodge

Tips for scrapbooking 5 kinds of travel & vacation trips

The Get It Scrapped! home page is being transformed this month to offer resources for beginning and advanced scrapbookers, journalers--memory keepers in general. Here's one of the first posts -- I'm putting it here but won't always -- so if you're interested in these kinds of articles, you should come on over to the Get It Scrapped! home page and click on the link to subscribe to our feed --- and get us in your reader. Thanks.

SCRAPBOOKING 5 KINDS OF TRAVEL & VACATIONS

Chronicling your travels on scrapbook pages allows you to relive the trip even when you’re back home. Photos, memorabilia, facts and journaling impressions are all part of this.

Helpful links:
Uniting multi-page events
Scrapbook page planner for trips
6 coordinated page sketches
6 coordianted page templates (layered psd files)

While some travels are best looked at chronologically, others benefit from a “subject” approach. Consider the following types of travels

scrapbooking the Weekend Getaway

A weekend getaway can be as much about the company as the destination. It might be a short trip to hang out with friends, find some romance, see an exhibit, or just take a break from your typical weekend routines. With fewer photos from fewer activities (than you’d have with bigger trips), the scrapping of weekend getaways can focus on impressions, stories, companions, and moments.

layout from a weekend in boston

Try this: find a strong opening photo and a strong closing photo. Put each of them on their own pages and then make several pages for the middle that show the key stories/moments on this short getaway. Get the stories written down as soon as you can, in a diary or on a blog, if you’re not scrapping the pages immediately.

scrapbooking the Road Trip

A “road-trip” type vacation is not necessarily a literal trip in a car on a road or highway. The “road-trip” vacation is one that takes you to a series of what may be quite different locales over the course of one trip. The road-trip is a story that’s well-suited to being told in chronological order (more or less).

Try this: Use the Travel Page Planner to start detailing the different stops on the trip. After you’ve listed them all, go back through and think about whether they all really need to be included. Think, also, about whether there are some stories that merit their own pages and how best to get the pages and stories in order.

Traveling from LA to Vegas with cousins

scrapbooking a trip that’s about Being There

Some trips take you to one locale. There’s limited sightseeing on this type of vacation, and it’s more about enjoying place, people, and activities. Examples of this kind of vacation include:

• visiting family
• staying at a lakehouse/beachhouse
• going camping
• the ski slopes

Try this: It’s often more efficient and makes a better presentation when “Being There” trips are by categories or logical groupings. These groupings (which translate into pages) might be:

• the people
• the place
• the spots at the place
• the constants
• the hightlights
• the activities

The things that make a trip to my parents' home so lovely.

scrapbooking a vacation when you go On Tour

The “On Tour” travel experience is one in which many of the details are decided ahead of time–and, in fact, taken care of for you–so that you can relax as well as experience new sights and experiences. There are many ways to go “on tour” from taking a cruise to going on guided hike and camping adventure. You might take a bus tour through Europe or go on safari in Africa.

The photos you take while on tour will include those of the sights you visit as well of those of the aspects of the tour experience (i.e., lodging, people, routines). A combination approach that mixes chronological telling of the trip with select subject pages would work well for this kind of travel.

Try this: Make two lists: one of the trip chronology and one of the aspects/subjects you want to feature. Use a chronological flow with the featured aspects inserted where they flow best.

Photos from one outing on an Alaskan cruise.

scrapbooking the Themed Vacation

The “themed” vacation is one that takes you into a created world where you are doing more than viewing, where you’re entering into and experiencing a manufactured reality. You may have gone on a Disney vacation, visited a historic settlement where you’re re-enacting the way things were done in the past, travelled to Santa’s Village, or many other variations on the themed destination. The photos from a themed vacation can cover a lot of territory, and they don’t usually require a chronological telling. Aspects of a large theme/amusement park may include: characters, rides, performances, events, posed portraits, sights and more.
Try this:Begin with your “stack” of photos (prints or digitals). Select the keepers AND select the photos that are spectacular and that should be featured. Use the page planner to start defining the pages your photos demand of you. Once you’ve made a first pass at this, you might need to cut the planner up and play with order and arrangement of pages.

The highlight of a 5 year old's first Disney experience.

Looking for more help getting your Travel and Vacations scrapbooked?

Be sure you’re on our mailing list so that you receive notice when my self-paced class, “Scrap Your Travel & Vacations,” is available in the Get It Scrapped! store. It should be available before Thanksgiving.



Add digital punch to your photos

Fun Photo Effects with Lynn Weber starts September 22nd

It's easier than you think to get looks ranging from "graphic-text" to "worn-vintage." With Lynn's help you can even create a blended montage. All you need to add these new techniques to your repertoire is some basic experience with Photoshop Elements 4 through 7 or Photoshop CS through CS4. (If you don't have this basic experience, check out Lynn's self-paced Beginning Photo Editing class today!).

In addition to 6 lessons packed with step-by-step instructions, Lynn's will give you several digital products made by the designers at DesignerDigitals and show you how to combine them with your photos for extra oomph.



Join Lynn Weber at Get It Scrapped for six fun-packed lessons. Your scrapbook pages will thank you!

Register by September 15th and be entered in a drawing for an 8” x 8” hardcover photobook from Shutterfly (a $29.99 value).

Learn to see through your camera's lens -- class with Katrina Kennedy starts September 1st

What do you see through your camera’s lens?

Events. Moments. Emotions. Places. People. So many things to capture and so many ways to capture them.


Join Katrina Kennedy on September 1st in her online class Your Life: Captured Through the Lens. You'll take photographs that reveal the stories you want to tell. In six lessons you will explore focus and composition, demystify the buttons and knobs on your camera, and practice seeing differently. You’ll receive step-by-step instructions for virtual assignments and supportive, safe feedback in our private online gallery. Weekly videos, a live chat, and ongoing forum conversations give you an opportunity to really step up your skills this September.



This class is good for beginners, point-and-shoot camera users, as well as those with digital SLR cameras. In October, you can build on these skills in Katrina's next class "Your Kids: Captured Through Lens."

Get It Scrapped! @ www.debbiehodge.com

Designing with dots and stripes on your scrapbook pages

{please excuse the odd bulleting in few spots -- i'm trying out the new typepad}

When I first started scrapbooking and shopping for papers, I gravitated to eye-catching patterns with motifs like flourishes, stars, paisleys, and florals. The dots and stripes weren’t as interesting to me, I didn’t see why I needed them, and I rarely bought them unless they were on a double-sided piece.

Somewhere along the way, I started realizing that the dots and stripes were essential to the kind of pages I really love – pages with multiple photos and multiple pattered papers and layers. I've come to appreciate the way dots and stripes can do the following:

• add design interest,
• create movement, and
• set tone
  ---------WITHOUT detracting from my photos or creating too much busy-ness on my usually full pages. On this 2-page layout, I've got 10 photos, a pocketful of memorabilia, and three different patterned papers. But it's not cluttered. Note that two of those patterns are sedate and linear dot arrangements.
  
  

Take a look at these paper collections by American Crafts (Tea Party) and Crate Paper (Little Sprout). See how the strong motifs are balanced by stripes and dots. See also the different tones that are set by color, pattern regularity, and dot/stripe size--more about that below.

American Crafts Tea Party

Crate Paper Little Sprout

ABOUT STRIPES

There are millions of ways to create and vary striped (and dotted) patterns, including:

• stripes ranging from strong lines or bars to motifs arranged in rows (i.e., a row of flowers or stars)
• stripes with regular widths or varied widths; these widths may vary in an obvious pattern or they may seem more haphazard
  
  
• they may be arranged in a pattern of colors or more randomly
  
  
• they may use many colors or just a few; a tone on tone pattern is usually more formal and elegant
• mixing stripes:
  
  • with prints: the key is balance; stripes go well with botanicals and florals; avoid geometric and swirled patterns as they may be overwhelming
  • with other stripes: use stripes of differing colors and sizes; like ticking with a bold pattern

• 

ABOUT DOTS

• dots respond to a wide range of color treatments, each of which conveys mood; for example:
  - multi-colored=funky
  - pastel shades=formal
  - bold, monochromatic colors = retro
  
  
• dots can be styled in several ways; which, again, affects mood small or large
  - random or arranged in evenly spaced rows
  - mono, two-tone or multiple colors
  - small repetitions – timeless (like dotted Swiss)
• 
  

USE STRIPES & DOTS TO

• convey mood and tone (colors, pattern variations, and size can all affect the tone you set).
• with dots:
  - pale clearcolors on white = clean, cool, fresh, transparent quality, playful cheerful
  - black dots on bright clear colors = slick, stylish mood
  - white dots on vivid brights = clean vital sporty
  - black dots = aggressive, urban

• add movement (with both stripes AND with dot patterns that have strong linear arrangements)vertical = more energy; horizontal is restful

In "Doing It" horizontal strips of paper contain vertical stripes that add energy. What's more the eye will move straight down the column of photos with the help of these strips. In Seder Anticipation, again, there are horizontal strips but these contain horizontally running stripes. The result is a calming and more formal page.
 

 

• use as a border; use to define a space

See the vertical strips of paper that act as borders in "Bulkhead Watch" (striped) and "At Grandma's Table" (dots).

• create a background or mat

The background design in "Inferred Beach Conversation" using bold paper and a diagonal line for placement gives the page a lot of energy.

• provide subtle design interest; i.e., smaller, two-color or two-tone, regular pattern

The dotted background on the right side of Celebrate is subtle and lets the photos shine.

• make a bold statement; i.e., large, irregular, multi-color dots or stripes
• make the perfect accent; incorporate into:
• • backgrounds
  • tags, strips, covering for other embellishments (i.e., bare chipboard)
  • patterned paper blocks that "fill in the grid"
  • borders and edging strips
  • "throw pillows:" small perfectly placed accents.

scrapbooking EVENTS -- uniting multiple pages from one event (sketch bundle included)

{open pdf of printable bundle of 6 coordinated sketches}
{download layered psd templates of 6 coordinated sketches}

There are events I’ve scrapped with several pages that each stood on their own. Lately, though, as it’s become easier and more affordable to make photo books, I’ve found myself preferring to make a series of layouts that are unified.

I unite pages with story OR design OR both story and design

Unite with story

To me, story is synonymous with narrative flow -- a logical movement from one page to the next. Thus, I make:

• A strong opening page
• Pages in the middle that flow logically
• A strong closing page

 

A strong opening page will:

• Identify the event. You could do this with an obvious title and/or a focal photo that signifies the subject.
• Convey the tone of the event. Do this with color, motif, design (i.e., linear vs freestyle).
• Invite the viewer in and make them want to see more.

 My openers usually have minimal journaling and rely on photos, title, color, and motif to signal the topic and set mood.

"Labor Day," shown here, has an obvious title, an engaging enlargement with my subjects looking straight into the camera, and motifs that support the riverside party setting.

When I was scrapbooking a weekend trip to Boston, I was faced with the problem of not having a really good opening photo. SO . . . I contrived one (which you can see below) by purchasing an inexpensive stock photo of Boston Commons in the winter from IStockPhoto.com. And then . . . I grabbed photos of each of my family members that winter and "stickerized" them. You can do this digitally or with your scissors. (How'd They Do That? No 11: Sticker Art -- digital tutorial by Cassie Jones)


pages in the middle (the story!)

Getting a good flow in the following pages is like determining whether the layout of a scrapbook page is well balanced: you play around with it until you know. You could put them in chronological order. OR, you might make pages that cover the event by subject: the people, the food, the activities. OR perhaps you have a mix. Play with the order so that it feels right.

I've included several pages from a Boston trip below and the order is not chronological--primarily because I needed to get one-pagers on spreads and so I looked for what worked. "Riding the T" made sense to start out with, since that's how we got around the city. And "Quincy Market" is a well-known must-see destination for us whenever we go to Boston. From there "Fanieul Hall" is the next page --- since it's part of Quincy Market. Once the subject and flow was established, it didn't seem to matter which museum page I put next - Science or Art. And then finally is my closing page.



      

a strong closing page

Good closing pages will give the viewer a sense of closure and signal that the series of pages are complete (this is especially good to do if these pages are integrated into a larger annual album). Try to find a photo that represents the event -- and if it represents the end of an event that's even better. Photos like doing the dishes, hugs goodbye, and loading the car all do this.

From the moment, I began going through the photos, I knew I wanted to use the photo of my sons next to the hotel Christmas tree on the final page. I love how Joshua has his hand on Iz's head. I loved how Iz was holding (and presenting) his stuffed animals.  love how it signaled season and place. Notice I "stickerized" the boys again --- This time I didn't have to do that since I had the actual photo, but I wanted to for a sense of coming full circle with the first page.

Unite with design

In addition to creating pages that create a strong flow in order to unite an event album, you may also use design.


unite with layout/composition

• use coordinated sketches. I'm including a link here to a "sketch bundle" that I used to make these Boston Weekend layout.
  

  {download printable bundle of 6 coordinated sketches}
  {download layered psd templates of 6 coordinated sketches}

  
  Take a look at the template sets at Designer Digitals, also. Katie Pertiet and Anna Aspnes have many products that include multiple coordinated templates/sketches, like Katie'sBlocked and Framed Layered Template Book and Anna's MultiFoto Layered Template Album
  
  
• create your own layout and repeat design elements throughout. These include: title style, borders, rounded corners, margins. Take a look at the pages from my Boston Weekend album and you'll see many of these elements repeated.

unite with product

use: coordinated paper and embellishment lines, the same title stickers throughout, a common product type (i.e. buttons, ribbon tabs, overlays, paint, stitching)


unite with color

You could use the same color scheme throughout your pages. Use the gallon-quart-pint principle, but vary which color is the gallon, etc. Select one color to be present on every page. Select a common background color. I'll cover more options in a future post.

Are you interested in more scrapbooking lessons and sketch bundles? My online class, "Scrapbooking Your Everyday Life," has just begun and is full of prompts, journaling and photography lessons, and 3-sketch bundles.

running hot and cold - seasonal routines (win a pass to a July class)

comment here with a link to your weather-related page by midnight edt 7/12/09 for a chance to win a pass to a July class at Get It Scrapped!

Today's lesson for "Scrapbooking Everyday Life" is full of prompts and suggestions for scrapbooking your everyday life at home--including routines. What routines do you have that are driven by seasonal/weather changes? Have you scrapbooked any of them? Here are two that I've done - one hot and one cold.

And . . . the hot one is not from this (chilly & wet) New England summer, but from one a couple of years ago. The photo isn't especially artful or eye-catching, but it's FULL of context. I wrote the notes for the journaling back when I took this photo--which is a good thing, because I wouldn't remember some of these details now. We only have air conditioning in the master bedroom, and when it gets REALLY hot for a few days, the boys end up camping on our floor. This layout is a shot of the bed they make out of sleeping bags and blankets AND all the paraphernalia that ends up in here. (See supplies & journaling for "Evidence of a Heat Wave.")

My cold page is from this past VERY SNOWY winter. We live on a cul-de-sac, and the circle where we wait for the bus gets plowed high when there's lots of snow. One morning, the kids starting rolling snow boulders out into the road to block the school bus . . . which plowed right on through to their happy yells. That they could never actually stop the bus didn't deter the gang from building these walls almost every morning --and while it was never a problem for the bus, it was sometimes a problem for the parents' cars. See supplies and journaling for "Stop the Bus."

Show me your routines around different seasons -- comment here and include a link to a layout by midnight edt Sunday 7/12 and I will draw a name to win a pass to a July class at Get It Scrapped! 

All of these classes are awesome -- Cards & Still More Mad Digi start next week. Masterful Art Journaling & Scrapbooking Everyday Life still run for two more weeks & the materials are resources you'll refer back to. Click on class thumbnail for more info  . . . AND SHOW ME YOUR PAGES! Someone's got to win!
 

it's time to make a stash of homemade cards

We all love to get cards. Why not make it easy to send gorgeous personal messages at any time?

Join Tania Willis in Cards: Beautifully Handmade, and in three weeks you'll have a big stash of beautifully detailed, handmade cards your friends and family will treasure.

This is the perfect summer class -- grab your scraps and trimmer, some adhesive, a basket of extra embellies or your favorite stitching tools, and settle onto the porch to create. The children in your life can craft along next to you.

Tania will show you tons of awesome ways to add detailing that wows, and she'll inspire you to look at the goodies in your stash in new ways. Want to meet Tania or reconnect with her after taking a winter or spring class? She'll be in the Get It Scrapped! chatroom on Thursday, July 9th, with card talk, as well as Karen Foster goodies and a pass to a future Get It Scrapped! class to give away.

Class starts Monday, July 13th, and registration is open. We hope to see you there.

Inspiration for Art Journal pages from the work of van Gogh, Picasso, Cassatt, & Warhol

In Masterful Art Journaling, Dina Wakley has written 8 detailed lessons and illustrated then with the work of the masters and her own journal pages (often with step-by-step shots). 4 Weekly videos make this class a fabulous inspiration and resource.

Here's a Picasso collage and Dina's page that was inspired by this piece.

free DOODLING lesson--it's awesome!

Doodling, painting, hand-cutting, and stitching: great ways to get personal art on your scrapbook and art journal pages

In her online class, “Oodles of Doodles,” beginning Monday, June 15th, Michelle Houghton will teach you these "personal-art" techniques, and then show you how to use them as backgrounds, embellishments, lettering, and journaling blocks for your journals and pages. 

Early-registered participants have already had a chance to get doodling with Michelle’s free “Warm Up” lesson—and now you can check it out, too. This introductory class prompted a lot of chatter and resulted in Michelle posting impromptu lessons in the welcome forum on drawing eyes and puzzle pieces. It’s looking like several of the participants will be sharing Michelle’s how-tos with their kids this summer.

Check out Michelle’s preview lesson, "Warm Up Your Fingers," to learn the patterns shown here and more. Sign up for class now so that you can join in the conversation already happening in the “Oodles of Doodles” welcome forum.

new photography class starting this week

capturing your life:
Through the Lens

Join Katrina Kennedy in class for the next three weeks, and look through your camera lens to create photographs that capture the story you want to tell. You will explore both artistic and technical aspects of “seeing” with your camera. You’ll learn about focus and composition while finding out just how to use those buttons and knobs on your camera.

This class is good for beginners, point-and-shoot camera users, as well as those with digital SLR cameras. In addition to 6 written lessons and daily forum chatter, Katrina has prepared 4 video lessons, and she will host a live-chat for participants.

Still not sure? Download this free preview lesson from Katrina and see how and what she’s planning to teach as well as the interactive features she’s including in this course. Class starts tomorrow, so check out the preview now, and get registered so you can participate in an adventure of seeing and capturing your life “Through the Lens.”

More Mad Digital Skillz -- awesome class

Amp up your digital skills
Pattie Knox has 6 new lessons & a great bundle of product all ready for class ---which has JUST started, so get on over &  join the gang.

In each lesson you'll:

1. START with awesome digital products (like these tags by Katie Pertiet and flower brushes by Ali Edwards)
    
2. ADD the techniques Pattie teaches (and ask questions in the forums)
    
3. MAKE the kind of digital magic that elements like this dry-embossed digital tag add to a page.

This class is designed for users of all versions of Photoshop Elements from Version 3 up to Version 7, and, when needed, instructions are included for users of the full version of Photoshop from Version CS up to Version CS4. Some familiarity with your software is needed—but not much! :-D If you understand how to create a layered document and have a rudimentary understanding of the tools, you're good to go. All of the lessons include detailed step-by-step instructions!

We hope you'll join Pattie and all the excited digi scrappers who've already registered on this next journey into the world of digital design.

Get It Scrapped! @ www.debbiehodge.com

We've got a lot going on at Get It Scrapped! this week

  Trish Turay’s Circle of Moms album class is available for download tomorrow. Just in time to put together an album that collects the wisdom of the moms you know for Mother’s Day.

 The Mother May I Benefit Challenge starts on Monday, April 27th. Get in on this fun class that’s packed with 72 page challenges based on the things mothers say. All proceeds go to the Scleroderma Foundation. Suggested donation is $20 but give what you feel comfortable with – we want you there. And there are rocking prizes: one $35 gift certificate each week, one $100 gift certificate at the end, and MANY surprise drive-by giveaways throughout the three weeks.

Intermediate Photo Editing has just begun and there’s time to get in on the action. On Friday, we learned how to add a person to a photo and tomorrow we’ll be smoothing out some wrinkles and brightening eyes.

We’re celebrating our first birthday! Get It Scrapped! is one year old and we’re celebrating with live chats, mini projects, prizes, and challenges. Check out the schedule in the Birthday Forum.

What' more . . . next weekend at the party, we'll tell you about the weekly sketch challenge we're getting ready to launch. Come on by and make sure you're on our mailing list so you don't miss the activities that you're interested in.

if you've begun your spring cleaning . . .

or if you're looking for some enticement to start the process . . .

check out the home-inspired scrapbook page ideas in "Scraproom with a View"--a new online class with Doris Sander. It started last week and there's still time to join in (and lots more lessons to come--with the next one slated for Friday).

So far, Doris has been our guide through the kitchen, the car, and the closet. She's shared ideas for topics to scrap, ephemera to include on the page, and even techniques inspired by household items. In addition to her beautifully illustrated class materials, Doris keeps the forum hopping with lots of fun questions, ideas, challenges, and prizes. I can't wait to move onto the garden, the mailbox, and the other spots she's put on the itinerary.

Sign up today and give yourself something creative to think on while you're getting your home ready for a new season.

Change It! With Intermediate Photo Editing Class

a letter from Lynn Weber about her upcoming class:

As we work through six lessons over two weeks, we will become masters at changing all the things we don’t like about our photos! Do you hate that background behind your darling little one’s birthday portrait? Change it! Do you wish your wrinkles and double chin weren’t quite so apparent? Change them! Are you horrified at the hideous orange shirt you wore in your family photo? Change it! And, by the way, would you like that same family photo to include your son, who had to work that day? Change it!

These are just some of the exciting ways we can improve our photos using Photoshop Elements 4 through 7 or Photoshop CS through CS4!

Please join me in the fun and see what magic you can create!

All best,

Lynn Weber

Here's what a student said about Lynn Weber's Beginning Photo Editing class


"I don't think I've ever taken any class of any kind that has given me so many amazing tools in such a short period of time. Without exception, every lesson provided the information needed to take my photos to an entirely new level. I couldn't possibly count all the times I cried "Wow!" or "Amazing" or some other superlative at what I accomplished with Lynn's instruction. Many pictures I'd planned to toss are now better than the ones I'd thought were good!! The pictures I thought were good before are now even better . . . in some cases PHENOMENAL! My photo collection has been transformed from marginal to pretty doggone decent.

Each lesson was thoroughly detailed. It was nearly impossible to "mess something up" because the directions were so precise and easy to understand. Lynn was quick and responsive to every single question anyone had.

I couldn't possibly recommend this class more highly. Lynn is yet another gem at Get It Scrapped! and one of the reasons I tell people constantly that if they're looking for a scrapbooking class, this is the place" -- Dee

Get It Scrapped!: Organizing Everyday Life Photos

The chapters in my book, Get It Scrapped!, are organized around 6 basic page types: Events, Everyday Life, Moments, Collections, About Yourself, and Leaving a Record.

Everyday life photos are those that aren't necessarily associated with an event or holiday. They can be broad in scope and don't always lend themselves to chronological organization.This post is about how I decide which everyday life photos to scrap and how to scrap them.

At the end of each month (or sometimes at the end of a quarter) I look through my photos and identify and file or flag or tag:

1) photos from  "mini-events" that I want to scrapbook on a single layout or spread. This could be making a snowman, having a squirt-gun fight, or working on a school project. Hobos in March is an example of this kind of page.

2) photos that are revelatory of more than the moment photographed--photos that show "how we do it around here" -- for example, in the book, I have a page called "Garbage Night" that includes photos from one Sunday night and taking the garbage cans to the top of the driveway. The journaling talks about more than this one instance and describes a Sunday evening. The page above"Sweet Dreams," records the room where my sons sleep when they're visiting grandparents in NY.

3) photos that will be grouped with others from other months to go onto collection pages. The kinds of tags/categories I keep track of include: with Grandpa, brothers together, Neil & Josh . . . The layout here, "All Told," gathers both event and everyday life photos from my oldest son's 6th grade school year.

 

In addition to the chapter in my book that covers scrapping Everyday Life photos, "Scrap Your Everyday Life" is a 10-lesson archived online class available immediately. Check out a full sample lesson.

Join Tania Willis on a journey of remembrance

a letter from Tania Willis. all layouts by Tania Willis.

Join me on a journey of remembrance
starting April 9th

The loss of a loved one can be one of the most trying and emotional experiences in your lifetime as you ride the waves of grief that follow their passing. This is something that I personally discovered after losing my mom, very suddenly and quite unexpectedly, in the summer of 2007.

After such a loss, when the grief washes away and the sunshine begins to peek into your life again, you find yourself left with a pile of memories that seem fleeting. These seemingly fleeting memories leave you with a desperate urge to document every little detail of your loved one and the life they lived, but the thought of tackling such a task seems daunting. I've found that the sense of urgency is felt due to the overwhelming fear that you'll forget before you have adequate time or energy to recount the life of the loved one you now miss so dearly.

In my online course, In Loving Memory, I will provide you with an abundance of starting points and journaling triggers, as well as layout samples and sketches to get you moving forward on making your own album of remembrance--all the while encouraging you to be gentle to yourself along the way. This is definitely not a race to a finished album, but a process of documenting and healing all in one.

It's scrapbooking as therapy, not just art.

gentle hugs,

tania

lesson peeks for both "Garlands & Banners" & "Scraproom with a View"

Doris is posting the 2nd of 8 lessons this morning for "Scraproom with a View." This class is like nothing I've seen before and hugely inspiring. This morning's lesson includes a tutorial on the awesome title work on this page, "Joy to the World," a page that comes out of Doris' exporations of her car as inspiration.

All lessons have now been posted for "Garlands & Banners," but it is in no way too late to register and take the class. Trish and others are going to be hanging out in the class forum throughout April, and the projects are really perfect for Easter & spring decorating. Here a couple of peeks

See the inspiration, ephemera, and techniques surrounding you today.

In “Scraproom with a View,” Doris Sander presents a rich and surprising approach that will give you new ideas and a new attitude about your own scrapbook page titles, journaling, techniques, materials, and even page subjects.

The fresh ideas in this class are guaranteed (seriously, money-back guaranteed) to get you inspired and motivated to create at a new level.

Sign up today and meet Doris in the forums tomorrow to get started thinking and making in novel ways.

P.S. When I read Doris’ lessons as I prepare the class materials, I find myself humming that song from Dr. Dolittle when they present the Push-Me-Pull-You: “No, you’ve never seen anything like it, never seen anything like it. You’ve never seen anything like it in the world.” - Debbie

What her students say about Doris Sander:

Her lessons are chock full of information. I have read each one several times and find something new every time. -Andi

I wouldn't hesitate to take another of Doris' classes. She has a fun, fresh approach that is accessible to both new and seasoned scrappers alike; there isn't a class where I haven't learned something new, or been inspired to scrap. -Keitha

Doris has an amazing balance between the logical "left brain" and the creative "right brain"... both in her layouts and her teaching! She is able to take an analytical, almost scientific approach to the design of a page, and team it up with wonderfully playful embellishing to create layouts that work on many levels. And her class setup and challenges are both structured and FUN! -Nikki

After I read one of Doris' lessons, my head swirls with ideas! Her design lessons remind me of good principles to apply while I work; her ideas and examples inspire me to be more creative and to add just a few more touches that will complete my layout and give it something special. I can't wait to take her next class! - Candace

I love that Doris provides a fresh approach not only to design, but to the use of scrapping materials. The beauty of the pages are not the items on them, but the memories captured. -Alex

I used to be a random scrapper and never thought about my design elements and their placement. Doris' class has taught me how to purposefully arrange these elements to be more than eye candy--to create a framework that upholds and honors my photos, journaling, and the reality of why I scrap... the memories! -Amy

Class excerpt—from Product Pizzazz 101 by Doris Sander

The students from Doris Sanders’ most recent class at Get It Scrapped! rave about her lessons.

Nikki says, “Doris has an amazing balance between the logical "left brain" and the creative "right brain"... both in her layouts and her teaching! She is able to take an analytical, almost scientific approach to the design of a page, and team it up with wonderfully playful embellishing to create layouts that work on many levels. And her class setup and challenges are both structured and FUN!”

Doris' new class, “Scraproom with a View” begins this week.

Here’s a small sampling of the material she presented in Product Pizzazz 101.
(from lesson 8 of Product Pizzazz by Doris Sander, Feb 2009--all scrapbook pages by Doris Sander)

 WHITE SPACE DEFINED

I’m thinking that after all that working out in the previous lesson, we should take a spa day today, what do you think? Seriously, those times when we can have a few moments of calm and meditation are critical. We simply don’t function well if we never have time to rest, relax, and regroup. This concept of down time is also necessary for a well-designed scrapbook page. It is all too easy to get caught up in the “more is more” mentality, but more isn’t more if we don’t have the time to enjoy it.

In design, as in life, sometimes less is more: enter “white space.” White space is a very important concept in design; it is what gives the viewer the visual break to allow the mind time to enjoy your creation to the fullest.

Merriam-Webster defines white space, often called negative space, as “the areas of a page without print or pictures.” In literal terms, it is the places on the page that are left unmarked: the empty spots between graphics, margins, and gutters; it is the lead-in between lines of text—even the spacing between letters. However, white space shouldn’t really be thought of in terms of empty or blank space. It is actually a very dynamic element of design that serves many purposes. Let’s take a closer look at those purposes by analyzing two types of white space: macro and micro.

MACRO WHITE SPACE

Macro white space is what you see when you glance at the overall design of a layout. It is the larger chunks of white space between your major design elements such as the photos, title, journaling, and larger embellishments. There are three basic principles to remember when dealing with white space:

Doris goes on to explain and illustrate these three principles with numerous pages.

1. avoid trapped white space
2. white space doesn’t have to be white
3. white space can be either passive or active

a letter from Trish about her upcoming class

Banners and garlands for spring

I've created more banners in the past month than I have in my whole life -- and I can't wait to share them with you. My online class, "Garlands and Banners," starts this week, and I've prepared step-by-step instructions for 12 stunning projects. In addition to the "how-tos," this class includes design and materials lessons for inspiring you to create your own unique home decor.

I created this banner for my bathroom and I'll be sharing it as a bonus "baker's dozen" project.

This is the perfect time to bring that spring feeling into your home with banners and garlands, so consider joining me in class on Wednesday!

Trish Turay

Garlands & Banners -- new class with Trish Turay

Decorate for Spring

from "vintage handmade" to "everyday adorable" there's a garland or banner for you

I love Trish Turay's sense of style, her ability to combine product, and her attention to detail.

Her online class, Garlands & Banners, starts next week and she's put together 12 awesome projects to be presented in 4 lessons. The lessons not only give you step-by-step instructions for making these stunning decorations, they provide inspiration and design points that will help you create your own unique home decor projects. These banners and garlands are FUN and LOVELY and sure to give your home a welcome spring perk-up.

Register by midnight EDT, Sunday, March 15 and be entered into a drawing for a March Work-In-Progress kit ($30 value).

This is just a small peek at the ideas Trish has packed into her two-week class (cost is $20).

We hope to see you there.

Get It Scrapped! @ www.debbiehodge.com

Read all about it: March Newsletter for Get It Scrapped!

garlands and banners for spring, registration drawing for Wacom digital tablet, art journaling videos, scraproom with a view, anniversary plans, and the most recent "Class Act" at Get It Scrapped!  read all about it here!

chance to win Wacom Bamboo kit -- letter from Pattie Knox

I'm really looking forward to the start of my new class
Mad Digital Skillz, on March 9th!

When I discovered the joys of scrapbooking digitally I quickly realized that my number one priority was creating pages that were realistic . . . the type that caused people to exclaim "I would never have guessed this was digital!" :) I've been on this journey for over 5 years now and I spent a good portion of those years searching for information on how to accomplish techniques in Photoshop. I searched the internet, spent a fortune in books, and absorbed every tip and trick shared with me by the gifted digital artists I met along the way.

Mad Digital Skillz will introduce you to some of my favorite techniques for creating realistic digital layouts. You'll learn how to use layer masks (yes. . . in Photoshop Elements too!), how to create your own digital stickers and custom papers, the secret to adding custom drop shadows, tips and techniques for installing and using Photoshop brushes, combining, layering and attaching elements such as paper clips (and more), my method for creating a stamp pad or painted look over page elements--and much more!

This class is designed for users of all versions of Photoshop Elements from Version 3 up to Version 7, and instructions are included when needed for users of the full version of Photoshop from Version CS up to Version CS4. Some familiarity with your software is needed--but not much! :-D If you understand how to create a layered document and have a rudimentary understanding of the tools, you're good to go. All of the lessons include detailed step-by-step instructions!

And--saving the best for last (akin to dessert!)--IF YOU REGISTER BY THE END OF THE DAY MARCH 8th, you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to win a fantastic new package from Wacom: the Bamboo Fun Craft tablet! See a full description of the package on my blog. Register even earlier (by midnight EST March 2nd) and be entered into a drawing for a Shutterfly $25 gift certificate.

I hope you'll consider joining me on our next journey into the world of digital design, and if you have any questions about the class give me a shout out here.

All best,





Pattie Knox

an invite from Dina Wakley

Do you want new techniques
to try in your art journal?

Do you want to learn how to layer masterfully? Do you want to enjoy the play & experimentation that is inherent in art journaling? Then Art Journaling 102 is for you! Join me as we "amp up" the images, layers, and textures in our journals. I'll be pushing you to learn and try things you haven't done before. We'll have written class materials and videos to go along with the materials in which I demonstrate the techniques. We'll also have weekly prizes for class participants!

Class starts Tuesday, February 24th. The Welcome forum is already open, a supply list is posted, and participants are getting to know each other. If you missed Art Journaling 101 last fall, it's still available in archived form.

I made the piece shown here in one of the class videos (I create the base layers and spraying in the video). You could win this (which I am calling "Revel") and a set of 12-count Portfolio Oil Pastels. Just register for the class by midnight on Monday, February 23rd, and your name will be in the drawing. If you're already registered, you're already entered to win!

Hope to see you soon, happy & painty,

Dina Wakley

Do more with digital scrapbooking products now!

You've been asking when Pattie Knox is coming back and the answer is now. Her new class will show you ways to use your digital scrapbooking products to the max. Pattie (with a little help from her friends at Designer Digitals) brings you power-packed products, detailed lessons on how to use them, support in the class forum, and challenges to get you going. You bring photos, a basic knowledge of Photoshop, your own digital product stash, and an appetite for fun and knowledge. The result will be a fast-paced class that pushes you to scrap more and better.

And Pattie's got more than the lessons -- she's got awesome registration prizes. All who are registered by midnight EST, March 2, 2009, will be entered into a drawing for an 20-page, 8" x 8" photobook from Shutterfly. Cool, huh? Well, it gets even cooler. Day 1 of class will begin with a drawing from all who are registered for the new Wacom Bamboo Craft package shown below.

If you’ve been avoiding masks, wondering what more you could do with digital brushes, thinking there must be a way to make that paperclip attach more realistically, or questioning any number of product possibilities, then it’s time to learn some “mad skillz” with Pattie.
 

Tim Tams anyone? Goo goo clusters, too!

Get It Scrapped is growing and those of us who are there a lot have been watching the forum membership numbers grow at an increasing rate. Gab has started a thread for people to post their prediction of when we'll hit 1000 and she's sending the winner Tim Tams. She sent me some once and they are awesome. She described them to someone who asked as: "Australia's fave biscuit .... 2 chocolate biscuits (cookies) sandwiched over chocolate cream and then the whole thing is covered in chocolate - really good!" To SWEETEN the pot, Doris is throwing in some goo goo clusters from Tennessee. You can post your guess HERE.

I'm taking the boys skiing today. And I've been up since 6 to gather everything but can't get myself in motion. I'd really love to stay home and participate in the Designer Digital chats and sales events. But . . . I'm sure we'll be happy once we get there . . . well Isaac will be (dreading waking Josh). Chats! Lots of great ones all day and 3 Get It Scrapped teachers are hosting. Pattie Knox on layered templates at noon, me at 6pm on titles, and Katrina Kennedy at 7pm on photography. Pattie posted a peek at the freebie her hour right here.

Definite Pizzazz

With lessons called "Speaking with Patterned Paper," "Mood, Ribbon, and Borders," and "Symmetry, Pens, and Doodling," you might guess (very correctly) that Product Pizzazz 101 is a class that takes you in deep.

Doris Sander ties thorough looks at specific products to relevant design principles--and then she comes up with challenges that push you to make pages with a major WOW factor.

This class won't be repeated in '09 and a Product Pizzazz 102 will follow soon, so consider signing up today. Class started last week, but there's still plenty of time to hop in and catch up. A new class goes up tomorrow morning. These are beautifully illustrated lessons you'll want to print and refer to for a long time after class ends.

Iiiiiiiiiiiiii'm very very busy and I've got a lot to do and I haven't got a minute to explain it all to you

For on Sunday Monday Tuesday
There are people we must see
And on Wednesday Thursday Friday
We’re as busy as can be
With our most important meetings
And our most important calls
And we have to do so many things
And post them on the walls…
...
Lyrics by Sandra Boynton

The boys and I continue to sing these songs around the house (including our own version of Belly Button called "Embellie Button). My favorite detail in the one above is how we have to do so many things and POST THEM ON THE WALLS!

And busy is good and I'm happy and it means that Get It Scrapped! is growing. In addition to a great group of teachers, a few members of the community from the early days are taking on more roles. Tami Taylor (michigirl74) has been keeping the forums lively and providing challenges for several months . . . and in late April she'll be teach a benefit class called "Mother May I." Michelle Houghton (scrapweaver) who is an art teacher by training put together a wonderfuly thought-out and awesome and original proposal for a class to be offered June-ish. And Jane Howden (justjane) has been proofing and editing class materials since the fall -- and now she's going to put her eye for detail to work on some other administrative needs.

One of the busy things I do is make blinkies. YEP. I spend a good amount of time making class blinkies and then variations and combos of them for the sites where I'm advertising. I made this one yesterday, and it's for Pattie Knox's upcoming class "Mad Digital Skillz."

And now I need to do some of those "IRL" busy things -- I'm treasurer for Josh's Jazz Band (and they're going to Disney to play in some Magic Music Days . . . or something like that) and I have a ton of work to do after Sunday night's fundraiser kickoff. And I'm doing a scrapbooking project with my friend Jill's Brownies on Thursday and I need to get a sample made up. And I'm laying out a mailer for a local election. And . . . it'll probably be too late to do laundry. Oh, well!

Your stash of scrapbooking goodies is different from anyone else's

Are you ready to have fun using all those beautiful papers, alphas, buttons, tags and other crafting products you've been collecting?

Well so am I! Product Pizzazz 101 is the class I've been waiting for. I love studying Doris Sanders' pages in magazines and on websites. I've admired what she puts together and how she puts it all together on pages that delight while telling fabulous stories of her daily life.

Doris has prepared a series of lessons that go beyond inspiration and challenge: she shares specifically how she applies design principles and crafting techniques to her cache of scrapbooking goodies to make beautiful scrapbook pages.  You'll find new and pleasing ways to use up your stash while developing your design skills.

Don't miss this one -- and please let me know if you have any questions.

All best,

Debbie Hodge

i'm almost not behind anymore

really and truly. and so here's a quick blog post before I sleep. I did this layout for the last Be Real lesson -- on expressing the inexpressible. It's a digital page and all the supplies are listed here.

Are you ready to learn how to edit your digital photos?

One of the reasons many of us have switched from film photos to digital photos is because we’ve heard it’s possible to edit them—to make them better!

Editing photos . . . hmmmm. How exactly do you do that? What software should you use? What’s it mean when you go to crop and you have to decide on the resolution? Is it actually possible to brighten up a dark photo or sharpen a blurry one? If you’ve been meaning to figure all of this out, now’s the time.

Lynn Weber’s Beginning Photo Editing class starts Monday, February 16, and she’s already answering questions in the class forum and sharing a “Getting Ready” lesson that tells you how to get a free trial version of Photoshop Elements installed and set up so that you’re good to go when class begins. If you’ve never taken an online class, this is a great one to start with. Lynn will post lessons 3 times per week. The lessons are pdf files with step-by-step instructions and screen shots from Photoshop Elements. You may download, print, and follow these lessons at your own convenience then post questions and photos in the private class forum and gallery to get answers and feedback from Lynn.

We hope to see you there.

P.S. All who are registered by February 12th will be entered into a drawing for a $20 coupon at Escapeandscrap.net. Use it to buy digital frames and other goodies for decorating those soon-to-be-edited photos.

new hybrid challenge from Paula at Get It Scrapped.

This is my friend Paula and me in Florida last week--when we were goofing off. This week, though we're working--so check out what Paula's done lately. Every other Tuesday, Paula Gilarde posts a lesson and inspiration incorporating a digi technique on a paper page -- this week she shows you how to layer frames on photos and she shares this great page as example and inspiration.  There are several great pages in the gallery from last week's challenge to fill type with text and it'll be fun to see what comes out of this one. Even if you don't have time to specifically participate in the challenge, you might want to mark Paula's forum as a good reference and inspiration point when you're looking to do a little hybrid.

chat with Tania Willis tonight

check out this message from Tania:

I’m chatting about handmade embellishments tonight
Wednesday, January 14
9pm  - 10pm EST
in the Get It Scrapped! chatroom

Making something from nothing.  It’s what I do.  Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve enjoyed crafting in some form or another.  Mostly, doing what my daughters do best now--gathering up mama’s cast-offs and bits and baubles and putting them together to make something unique.  There’s something so satisfying about making it yourself.

Join me tonight as I chat a bit about making handmade embellishments.  During the chat I’ll link you to a FREE download of a step-by-step tutorial making something from nothing---plain, boring chipboard.  Also, registration is still open for Embellishments: Beautifully Handmade, so if you’re still undecided, come by for a visit so I can answer any questions you may have.  During the chat, I’ll be giving away some lovely goodies from Daisy Ds & Little Yellow Bicycle and there will be a class pass giveaway to a future Get It Scrapped! class.

IF YOU’RE COMING TO CHAT: You must register for the chatroom separately from the Get It Scrapped! forums. Be sure to take care of it well ahead of time so that you can get through the confirmation steps before the chat starts (and get help from Debbie if you have any questions).

Hope to see you there!

Happy creating!

Tania

i have this milepost feeling . . .

I have this feeling that the Sense & Sensibility workshops are going to be an important milepost in my online teaching -- as Scrap Yourself and Page Parts were before them.

With the first and second Scrap Yourself classes, the pages and conversations participants shared brought us closer (yeah, I know it's a cliche) AND broadened my appreciation for people and all of our varied lives. When you're meeting with people online, there is SO MUCH that can go unknown and this class made much of that known. It's hard to put into words, but those who were there know what I mean. We were all stumbling over cliches trying to express what we were feeling.

In Page Parts I got to see scrappers I'd known from previous classes take their pages to a new level --- and it was a level that took advantage of their personal interests and styles and skills. There were also a lot of new students in that class who have remained at the site and several fabulous designers --- it was an intense sharing, thinking, scrapping time for all of us. It was immensely satisfying to see so many pages being scrapped so well.

And now . . the Sense & Sensibility workshops have barely begun--Janet's 1st Lighten Up just went up and Sharyn's class doesn't appear til Friday--but the layouts are revealing the participants and their lives in fabulous ways. There is a large group of "old hands" combined with as many new folks and a strong international contingent. It's a nice place to be, and I keep checking the gallery to see if anything new has been posted.

Thanks so much to the folks who've come back for yet another class, bringing along with them the community feeling that's specific to our site, and to the new students who are already sharing so freely.

more contagious than a sneeze: laughter

resolve to see the funny side of things in '09

Starting this morning, Wednesday, January 7, in her online class "Lighten Up," Janet Ohlson is showing folks how to find humor in the different aspects of their lives AND how to get all that funny stuff onto scrapbook pages that'll have them smiling and even laughing.

"Lighten Up" is one of three workshops that make up the "Sense and Sensibility Scrapbooking Symposium," which is a high-falutin' name for a series of classes all about making scrapbook pages that have the same fusing of humor, daily detail, and meaning that Jane Austen employed. Join us for the next five weeks as we combine words, photos, product, & design to ceate pages that would make Jane proud. You may register for "Lighten Up" on its own for $20 or take all three workshops in the series for $45 (a 25% savings).

Here's hoping we'll be sharing some smiles with you this year. If you've never taken an online class, this series (with three teachers and a great crowd of "old-hands" to show you the ropes) is a great place to start.

Be Real starts tomorrow --- and what do I mean by "Being Real?"

The focus of “Be Real” (my class starting tomorrow) is making scrapbook pages from your everyday life and events photos that have meaning. Specifically, we’ll be making pages that:

 1.Take your everyday life and event photos beyond the obvious—we know that apples can be sweet and crunchy, and if we see a photo of someone at the orchard biting into one, we make that connection without being told. What we don’t know is that the high-schooler in the photos had to be begged to come along on the outing. Let your photos show the obvious. Use your journaling to tell us what we don’t know. Use your design choices to create a mood that supports and expands upon the tone of your subject and stories.

 2.Tell truths that matter. A huge part of scrapbooking has to do with managing memories—with adding to the narrative that is your life. We tell ourselves our stories, and then we tell other people our stories, often with changes. These stories can be entertaining, self-serving, inspired. They can change depending upon when in your life you tell them. But somewhere behind these stories is something called the truth. Scrapbook pages that matter are working to get at and record some pieces of that truth—with an understanding of where the diarist-archiver-storyteller behind the message (you!) is in life right now.

"They're Here" is a page that takes a moment from an event (when everyone starts arriving) and uses the the concrete details as a path to revealing feeling and behaviors that are not only happening right then, but that are common to my family any time we entertain.

Be Real is one of three workshops that make up the Sense & Sensibility Scrapbooking Symposium and it starts tomorrow. On Wednesday, Janet Ohlson's "Lighten Up" begins and on Friday, Sharyn Tormanen's "Get With the Times" becomes. Each workshop is $20 on its own or you can take all three for $45 (a 25% savings). These class materials, printed and bound, will make a great reference after the class is over.

Sense & Sensibility Scrapbooking Symposium

You've got the photos 
& we want to show you new ways to tell the stories that go with them

One photo harbors a gold-mine of associations and stories. We've got exercises and techniques for mining that gold--for creating pages that get at all the meaning that's not immediately obvious. And we're not just talking epiphanies (though those are good, too, and we'll want some of those). We're talking about including humor and details that reflect the times in which the photos were taken as well as telling stories that endure.

The Sense & Sensibility Scrapbooking Symposium starts January 5th, and the three of us are ready to start the new year thinking and creating and just generally trying to "make Jane proud." Debbie's heading up the "Be Real" classes on Mondays. Janet's in charge of humor on Wednesdays, and Sharyn's going to show you how to "Get With the Times" on Fridays. The class materials will get you thinking now and then become a go-to reference for you when the class is over.

If you're ready to start thinking about things right now, we've got a class journal ready for you to download, print, and assemble today. There are some starter pages and prompts in it, and you'll get additional exercises with every new class. The free sample Be Real class is another place for you to get started right away.

Happy new year and we hope to see you in class.

All best,

 

Debbie Hodge     Janet Ohlson     Sharyn Tormanen

Paula's latest hybrid tutorial--text in a circle

Not only has Paula Gilarde included a great example, she's got instructions for printing text in a circle for Word AND Photoshop Elements AND Photoshop CS. Here's here layout and the challenge with instructions is RIGHT HERE. Thanks, Paula.

Tania's giving away a copy of my book today

Go post a comment for a chance. You've got to do it today, though, because . . . tomorrow . . . Tania's giving away different stuff. She's giving away goodies every day 'til Chrismas.

Tania's Blog.

Free Sense & Sensibility lesson

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. -Pride and Prejudice, 1813

Find out why this opening line has had such long-lasting appeal AND how you can get your own enduring and meaningful stories scrapbooked by downloading my sample class now!

The Sense & Sensibility Scrapbooking Symposium is a high-falutin' name for a series of workshops that I'm doing with Sharyn Tormanen and Janet Ohlson in January. I'm doing "Be Real," Janet's doing "Lighten Up," and Sharyn's doing "Get With the Times."

Our goal is to give you more ideas and tools for scrapbooking any and all of your photos onto pages with meaning, humor, and great details about your world.

To give you an idea of what the lessons will look like, I've got a "Be Real" lesson posted.

Make something beautiful

Embellishments
racing stripes on a car, earrings on a woman, roses on china

Start off the new year by indulging your own impulse to add charm to your world. For five weeks this January, Tania Willis will share her cache of ideas, inspiration, and how-tos for creating handmade embellishments. Put these decorations on your scrapbook pages, clothing, accessories ---- anything you think needs a little pizzazz. 

Tania's online class, Embellishments: Beautifully Handmade, begins January 13th. Tania will show you how to use up your stash to create economical and original embellishments. You'll work with fabric, felt, dollar-store finds, glazes, chipboard, paper scraps, and much more.

Come on over to Get It Scrapped! this January, and spend some time experiencing the pleasure of hand-crafting small delights.

P.S. If someone's asking what to give you for the holidays, we've got printable holiday gift certificates, and we're glad to work with loved ones on setting up a surprise registration. What's more, upon registration, you'll receive a 20% off coupon for Scrapsupply.com.

Get It Scrapped! News

Souvenirs of the Season with Sharyn Tormanen starts today
Did you save your black Friday flyers? Are you baking yet? Are the concerts on the calendar? Save your memorabilia all month long and get it scrapped with Sharyn!

Get It Scrapped! partners with Scrap N Crop
Scrap N Crop, the largest scrapbooking store in Asia, is now working with Get It Scrapped! to support our activities and offer students in Asia, Australia, and Europe a source for their class supplies.
Located in Malaysia and committed to providing gainful employment and resources to families of brain-injured children, Scrap N Crop is headed up by Valerie Gan. Valerie says, "We promote scrapbooking as a therapeutic hobby, as a wonderful way to journal our lives, be it happy or sad moments." These are goals that Get It Scrapped! is happy to embrace in our efforts to offer classes aimed at helping scrapbookers do this journaling of their lives. Please help us welcome Valerie and the rest of the Scrap N Crop family to Get It Scrapped!

Tami's December challenges are up
Tami rocks the challenges and she just posted the first one for December.

Registration for Tania's class is open
Embellishments: Beautifully Handmade. Her creations are new and fun. Look for mailings soon! And Tania's doing DAILY giveaways on her blog until Christmas. Check them out.

 Printable holiday gift certificates are up and ready.
Thinking you'd like to receive a pass to the Sense & Sensibility Scrapbooking Symposium or maybe Embellishments: Beautifully Handmade fo r Christmas or Hannukah? Check out how to slip your loved one a gift certi ficate OR how I can work behind the scenes with givers.

Announcing 2009 classes at Get It Scrapped

Here's the mailing that went out last week announcing the Jan-April 2009 schedule of classes. If you're not on the mailing list, sign up to the right ---> you'll want to know when the free sample class from "Be Real" goes up as well as when I offer a free journaling-exercises chat in December.

Get It Scrapped!
our favorite spot for online scrapbooking classes
Consider making Get It Scrapped! your home for online classes. We're big enough to offer a variety of classes and top-notch teachers. We're small enough to know your face and recognize your work in the gallery.

Several new teachers are joining Get It Scrapped!, and the early 2009 offerings are now posted. Classes cover journaling, hand-crafting techniques, digital scrapbooking, photo editing, art journaling, page design, and much much more.

Whether you're taking a class or not, come chat in the general forums, which are open to all, and check out our ongoing challenges. Right now we're in the midst of  Tami's "Must-See-TV Challenge" which is yielding all kinds of unexpected pages. Just yesterday, Paula posted a brand a new hybrid challenge with how-to, product links, and inspiration.

Come on over! We're ready now to Get It Scrapped! in 2009.

The Get It Scrapped! team: (top row photo) Debbie Hodge, Tania Willis, Sharyn Tormanen, Trish Turay, Lynn Weber; (bottom row) Pattie Knox, Dina Wakley, Doris Sander, Janet Ohlson, Tami Taylor, and Paula Gilarde

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Registration for the Sense & Sensibility Symposium is open and registration for "Embellishments: Beautifully Handmade" will open soon. Check out the printable holiday giftcards that you could have a loved one slip under the tree or next to the menorah. OR I'd be glad to work out secret details with your loved ones :)

Christmas: the collective & individual experiences

When you include memorabilia on your scrapbook pages you create an account of your culture at that time AND your individual experience within it. For example, take wrapping paper: the colors, images, and styles reveal: 1) the times in which the paper was designed; and 2) your choices and preferences in those times. Imagine creating and sharing an album that incorporates a variety of Christmas souvenirs alongside photos and journaled memories.

In a new online class "Souvenirs of the Season," Sharyn Tormanen is ready to take you on a holiday ride that begins with peeks at both cultural and personal histories of Christmas memorabilia. From there she’ll show you the practical and creative aspects of gathering your own Christmas souvenirs and then getting them onto holiday pages. Don’t miss this December experience that’s sure to trigger memories of holidays past while inspiring rich memory-keeping of holidays future.

Class starts December 1st and the welcome forum is already open. If you register by this Friday, November 21, you'll receive a 20% off coupon for use at Ideabooks4u.com and be entered into a drawing to win a copy of "Sharing Your Story" by Ali Edwards from IdeaBooks4u.

make Jane proud

find out what I'm getting at RIGHT HERE. I'm working on the announcements for several '09 classes with new and old Get It Scrapped! teachers -- so get on my mailing list if you're interested.

Art Journaling 101 going really well

We're nearing the end of the 2nd week of Art Journaling 101 with Dina Wakley. Dina is a generous and smart teacher. The students are very happy and really enjoying making their art journals and chatting with Dina and each other about all kinds of stuff. We're all talking about our favorite lines from Dina's videos (Mine is "instant ancestors" :) )

I've had several inquiries the last few days about whether it's too late to join in. It IS NOT TOO LATE--we've added several students just yesterday and today. The materials can be printed AND Dina made fabulous videos to accompany the lessons that you can rewatch. All materials will be available until at least Feb 1 and Dina plans to be hanging around the forums even after the posted class dates are over.

Loving sketch bundles

My "Scrap Your Travel" class takes a different approach than others I've taught. Each week I cover a different kind of vacation (Weekend Getaway, Road Trip, Being There, On Tour, and Theme). Rather than looking at and working on individual pages in this class, we're working on entire vacations.

Each week, the lesson includes a "sketch bundle" which is 6 sketches that share design aspects and yet accommodate different numbers and types of photos and memorabilia. Usually there are 2 2-pagers and 4 1-pagers, though one week there were even more.

I've never approached scrapbooking a bunch of pages all at once this way and the sketch bundles are really speeding things up AND giving me pages I really like -- actually albums I really like.

Last week I decided to use a sketch bundle for a corn-maze outing from last year that I hadn't yet scrapped, and I got these three pages done in two days.

The design aspects repeated in the bundle include three 1/2" horzontal strips, a curve cut-out framing a photo (or in the last one the whole page) and rounded corners at top and bottom on one side of the layout (though I omitted them on corn and horror here).

We're in the 3rd week of class right now and you can still join or just purchase the materials and use them on their own quite well.

All of these layouts are in my Designer Digitals gallery with links to product.

Paula's got a new hybrid challenge up . . .

at Get It Scrapped! Paula Gilarde is hosting a hybrid challenge 2x per month -- she shows you some inspiration and examples, shares links to freebies for doing the project, and answers your questions. Check it out, make your own, get a chance to win a Doodlebug kit. I love how Paula integrated things so that the chipboard and the digi frame play off of one another.

Other news: Dina Wakley's teaching Art Journaling 101 starting October 20 and she did an interview on Paperclipping Live the other night --- you can check it out and see her showing and talking about her work.

I just posted the second class for Scrap Your Travel & Vacation -- subject is "Being There" --- you know those kind of vacations that are more about settling into one spot and enjoying the place and people there rather than do a lot of sightseeing. This sketch bundle has 3 two-pagers and 4 one-pager.

Sweet Treats Fall is the first "right-here-right-now" class at Get It Scrapped! and all 15 projects are up and ready for download. Trish is hosting a private forum all month where she's sharing more Halloween and fall tips, goodies and links.