playful.productive.present

FIVE + ONE + a very timely email. (LONG)

It's October 1st, 2009 -- no way.
YES way.
but first ...

WOW. I am so amazed by you. Your answers to ...
"Where will you be FIVE years from today?

Are so encouraging and inspiring. Your answers are absolute evidence that people have great desires to do good things. If I could I would set up some kind of PhD project that would follow each and every one of you and find out what moves you toward or away from these goals and dreams. Wouldn't that be fascinating?

Anyway, this was very hard to do, but I've selected five responses that I loved -- and I wasn't looking for any kind of response in particular. I was (again) wowed by the variety of responses and yet at the same time the common threads of serving and helping and making a difference. I decided to also post them in a free directory.

I sincerely loved them all, but here is...

ONE (from Lisa)
I would do what I'm doing now...wife, mother, ER Nurse, child of God, scrapbooker, scattering relentless positivity. With a few more laugh lines on my face

TWO (from Nanci)
In 5 years time, I will be a children's book author making a huge difference in the lives of many children and their parents. Empowering kids in living their lives fully and that they have full self expression and happiness and joy and power in life! For them to live their dreams, and to have the people who read the stories to them be inspired by what is possible in life. That is what I would do if time and money are no issue - and I am going to take that on now!!

THREE (from Cheri)
When you take time and money out of the equation, dreams can really be BIG! Five years from now my oldest will be out of college and onto her first job, my next two will be IN college and since money is no problem, they can go to whatever college they choose. Both DH and I will have given up our corporate day jobs. He'll have found some pursuit or hobby that really fulfills him and makes him happy. I'll be splitting my free time between creative endeavors at my beachfront property in Maui (tai chi on the beach, scrapbooking, painting, reading) and traveling the world doing volunteer work wherever the spirit moves me, but still being readily available to my newly minted young adult children.

FOUR (from Michelle)
If money and time were no object, I would purchase one of the historic homes in my town and turn it into a creative arts center where all people (young, old, and in between) could have access to art materials and creating because I truly believe that everyone has the beauty of creativity living inside them.

FIVE (from Jay)
If money were no object: I would establish hundreds of nursing care, assisted living homes for people who need a HOME, not just a place to die. I would hire the most qualified, most passionate and the most caring people I could find and I would pay them highly. I would establish thousands of HOMES across the WORLD for neglected children. A place FILLED with LAUGHTER, LOVE and INSPIRATION. I would employ the most caring, loving, passionate foster parents and pay them highly. I would establish a program for our TEACHERS. It would be of a competitive nature and reward teachers for the HARD work and dedication they in turn give to our school children. Also, the pay scale for our teachers would increase 100% immediately. I would pay EVERY volunteer firefighter, police personal, etc. I would showcase their talents and dedication. I would CELEBRATE them. People in public service of this nature would get a HUGE pay increase immediately. I would honor EVERY active and retired military soldier. EVERY SINGLE ONE! Local schools and parks would be plastered with memorials of local soldiers and heros. I would purchase a fleet of vans for every faith-loving church in the WORLD to assist in every desiring person needing a way to build their spiritual faith. I would start an ad campaign that would have our society focus on EDUCATION not ENTERTAINMENT. Not too big a list for 5 years?

And finally ...

ONE WINNER: This comment was left by "M" and I think she could really use a boost. Life can be so overwelmingly challenging at times and when it seems there is NO way up or out -- think about the way AHEAD. Time really does heal and change us and anything can happen in FIVE years.

Oh Stacy thank you for this post. I am going through possibly the worst, the hardest time of my life right now. It is so hard to not think the entire rest of my life has been ruined as I stand here in the ashes. This caused me immense grief. But watching the movie here and seeing your post I was inspired to look beyond the next several days, weeks, months, or year, that will be so hard and emotionally devastating, and see that in 5 years I will hopefully have recovered and be fully situated in a new life and a new me. I keep planting seeds in the rubble and hoping they will grow but sometimes it's hard to care with all the devastation around me. If time and money were not objects in 5 years I would have my PhD and be working and teaching and writing in my field of choice. And I will have lots and lots of scrapbook pages and projects completed that document my journey in this life.

M,
Please email me ([email protected]) and I'll send you your book!

Now ... some personal thoughts.
Five years ago (2004), I had just barely heard of blogs and blogging. I had no idea that I would ever want one or that I would LOVE having one. I didn't know that blogging would help me connect and relate to women across the world or that more importantly it would help me connect and relate to the woman inside my head. Five years ago, I was just stepping back from my role as editor in chief at Simple Scrapbooks magazine. My book, The Big Picture and Big Picture Scrapbooking were just a *twinkle* in my eye as they say -- hard to imagine that two of the things I focus much of my time and energy on today, didn't exist five years ago.Another thing that I focus my time on (Addie) didn't exist either -- not even the idea of Addie existed and now I can't imagine NOT having her.

Five years before that (1999), I was a happy reader of Creating Keepsakes magazine -- but I was also overwhelmed and felt like "scrapbooking" had become so artistic that it demanded way MORE than I could give. I began to formulate some new ideas and approaches to making scrapbooks (smaller theme albums) and I began storing my pictures in boxes by category. Simple Scrapbooks the book and Simple Scrapbooks the magazine were just around the corner, but I had NO idea!

LAST WEEK I received a very timely email from Betsy in Ohio.  I didn't read this email until YESTERDAY:

Hello Stacy,
 
I just wanted to say hello and tell you what a big fan I am of you!!  I really miss "Simple Scrapbooks".  Your philosophy on scrapbooking has been so meaningful to me- now I don't feel guilty because I will probably never "catch up".  (4 children,  youngest with autism, and a husband - good excuses to be lagging  behind) What internet sites would be helpful that would take the place of "Simple Scrapbooks" ? (i.e intructional,  material  ideas, and crop schedules and appearances.)
 
Thank you for being an inspiration!!

This is a great question Besty and I do have some suggestions:

1. Big Picture Scrapbooking. BPS was founded on the same philosophy of Simple Scrapbooks and it has grown to become a wonderful community of expert teachers and amazingly loyal and eager students who are friends and fellow scrapbookers. There is a wonderful class by Ali Edwards starting today! A good collection of sites is also at this link directory

2. Write.Click.Scrapbook. WCS is a relatively new inspiration collective (ie, blog and community) that was founded by three of the contributing editors to Simple Scrapbooks magazine. This site is a wonderful showcase of simple ideas derived from a sustainable approach. Be sure to check out the monthly gallery. October was posted today!

3. Ella Publishing. Ella, founded by Angie Lucas (managing editor at SS) and Lain Ehmann (contributing editor at SS) is yet another site that supports and promotes the *simple* philosophy. Ella is a brand new publisher of eBooks as well as an ezine -- in fact, Lain and I co-authored a book that is due out in November, so you can watch for that!

So, Five years from now? Hmm. I wonder if what I've poured so much of my recent time and effort into will even exist?  I hope so -- but I also know that based on the past, it is unlikely to stay what it is today for very long. Time and life have a way of moving us forward and revealing new challenges and opportunities that inevitably shape and change our future.

Ahh, September ...

I LOVE September. 

I LOVE the cooler, darker mornings (really.)

I LOVE that I need to light my candle in the morning (see above.)

I LOVE the smell in the air.

I LOVE the mums on my porch.

I LOVE the urge to clean and organize and make projects I've been wanting to make. NOTE: please don't assume I am cleaning, organizing and projecting. My kids just went back to school and for now I'm just loving the urge to do those things. I am making soup tonight and that is a step in the direction of fall!

I am especially LOVING the chance to look back on last year. Last September, my Have More FUN students and I made something lovely. We made a big, FAT 12x12 album appropriately titled, 30 Days Hath September. This is my second month-long, totally intense daily scrapbook. I did a May Everyday album in 2005. I have to say that I LOVE looking back through albums like these ...

They are so FULL of little details that you simply cannot remember. If you took Have More FUN with me, don't forget to pull out your September album and browse through it -- even if it's NOT all the way done!

Today is 9.09.09 and it's a wonderful September day for Amy Krouse Rosenthal and a 200 person team she has invited to help her create a feature film, called the Beckoning of Lovely. If you've not heard of this entirely delightful project, I encourage you to visit the beckoningoflovely.com -- it's quirky, but it makes you think about the collective good people can do. It also makes you appreciate the creative risks that people (like Amy and her friends) take to more fully engage with life.

If you invited perfect strangers to a park near your home and you promised to carry a yellow umbrella, what would you do when people showed up?

Q + A: Where do I start?

Hello Stacy.

I’m not sure why I’m writing but I’ve finally gotten on to your website and blog after watching your part on Scrapbooking Memories. First, I want to tell you that I just love to watch your part on this show. I love how down-to-earth you are and how you are so encouraging for those of us who are “stuck”.

I’m a mom of two-step boys (24 & 19) and two smaller kids girl-10 and boy-8 and I have a great husband (fireman) and two sweet doggies and one very independent cat.  So needless to say I have tons of stuff to scrapbook about.  At least you would think so!  I watched you the other day and you were talking about how it is so easy to get too much stuff to scrapbook with and then not be able to do anything….that would be me!  I have enough stuff to open my own scrapbooking store and unfortunately most of it has never been used!  I could be the poster child for Scrapbooking…Where Do I Start?

I hope to look through the website and read your blog and hopefully get some ideas.  In the meantime, I’ll keep watching you make it look so easy!

Shauna in Wyoming

Dear Shauna,

We all have a life that we appreciate enough to want to scrapbook and in an effort to "get started" we generally start buying and eventually collecting stuff. You are NOT alone!

Here's the deal. It doesn't matter where you start. Just start. Start with two photos or 10 photos and put them on a big 'ole piece of cardstock surrounded by your thoughts and feelings and some pretty paper and then do it again and again. Each time you do it, you'll learn something and each time you do it, you get better at doing it.

Now, I realize this is NOT very specific, so here are three additional assignments for you:

1. Register at Big Picture Scrapbooking.

2. Sign up for my FREE class, called Start Here, with Stacy

3. Join in our annual August Promotion. It is very fun and also FREE.

I feel confident that after you have taken advantage of these resources, you'll have a much better idea of where to start.

Thanks for the email!

Stacy

Anyone relate? Grab your timer, set it for 15 minutes and come check it out. Then come back often throughout  August. There are so many wonderful ideas to soak in and try. We have AMAZING teachers who are dedicated to your scrapbooking success and they've generously donated their time and talents this month, so you can get to know them better.

Bingo Q+A and Scrapbook & Cards Today

So, we started playing Summer BINGO Monday morning and Taft had eaten breakfast, met the prerequisites and built a blanket fort in our living room by 8:30 am. He was asking me question after question and I was rushing around trying to get Trey out the door, to his theater camp. Needless to say, I had to sit down with Taft and explain that BINGO is not a race. You don't really want to have five BINGO squares filled in before lunch. That sort of defeats the purpose ... yada yada.

It's already Thursday. I cannot believe how time flies (and I am having FUN btw) we've made a few adjustments and I'm hearing all kinds of good ideas from other BINGO players. My friend Heather actually set up a Facebook group for Summer BINGO, so if you are interested, please join.

I've received several questions too, so here are some answers. Keep in mind though that when it comes to something like this, you can make up the answers. See the Mom Handbook, page 1 -- I'm joking, but YOU are in charge and can adjust, alter or completely change the "rules" at any time.

Q: Do your kids do chores?

A: Oh yeah -- however, we don't really have a job chart or specifics assignments in the summer. I just make sure I give them all something to do each day to help around the house. Before they can begin playing BINGO they have to make their bed, pick up their clothes, play the piano and complete their "dad" assignment, which is some kind of math, reading or writing assigned by Geoff.

Q: What do the "J21" and "TT" mean at the top of your BINGO cards?

A: Great question (sorry) the "J21" refers to the week (ie, June 21st) and the "TT" stands for Trey and Taft. My younger boys' cards are the same, but I am making a different version of BINGO for Chase, so his card has a "CJ" at the top. These designations are to help me keep things straight. My plan is to change up a few of the squares each week. Next week when we go to my parent's house there are several "blue" squares. These are the activities that are only available at grandma's house. Hope that makes sense.

Q: Where did you get the all yellow stickers?

A: I got the stickers and the tickets at my local Staples.

Q: Just curious. When do you think Addie will get her own BINGO card.

A: I think you could do BINGO with a very young child, but I really wanted to focus on my school-aged children. Addie has Lauren to play with and Lauren has Addie and all the boys to keep track of. For me, I just figured Lauren didn't need one more BINGO card to worry about. I do have some tickets in my desk drawer, so if I'm downstairs in my studio, my boys can come to me to "sign off" on a BINGO.

There are some REALLY FUN ideas being shared over at Facebook, in the Summer BINGO group, so if you have time and want to get or share ideas, join in. NOTE: I think I got the link right, but if I didn't, just go to Facebook and search "Summer Bingo."

When I participated in a retail event this past April in Ontario, Canada, I met up with the editor, Catherine of Scrapbook &  Cards Today. I am SO impressed with this magazine and I'm just really curious if you have seen it, read it, love it ...  It is obviously published in Canada, but it is distributed through local scrapbook stores and is FREE (with purchase) to consumers. It is also available online for FREE.
I have an idea of how Big Picture Scrapbooking might be able to work with this publication and so I'd love to know how many of my blog readers are aware and/or familiar with it. If you have an opinion to share with me about this magazine, I hope you will leave a comment.

Friday, I'm staying home ...

and kicking off this event. The Inspired Creations Extravaganza is a collaborative effort by three friends (Sheryl, Crystal and Bonnie) with a vision to spread the FUN of scrapbooking. I figured since it is Teach A Friend to Scrapbook month over at Scrapbook.com, I'd better jump at the chance to join them. Seriously, the venue is 10 minutes from my house and Sheryl extended a personal invitation, so I'm there.

If by chance you live in Spokane and need something to do this weekend, there is still room for about 10 or 15 people. The cost is $50 dollars for two full days of cropping. You can come and go as you like and you'll receive $35 dollars worth of product with your registration. There are a variety of technique demonstrations planned for both days. Most importantly, there will be potential friends and lots of space to spread out.

I'll be attending tomorrow (Friday) from 11:00 to 3:00. I'll bring BPS goodies and a handful of other giveaways.

I'll be speaking to anyone and everyone who wants to listen at 11:00. We're going to talk about color inspiration and finding your own happy colors. My hope is that I'll convince you to check your "matchy matchy" tendencies at the door, so you can be more playful and more productive (WARNING: You'll have a lot more FUN too)

If you have any questions at all, feel free to call Sheryl at 991-5393

So sorry for the short notice.

While I've got your attention, we've open registration for our 4Experts workshop with the amazing and talented Jenni Bowlin. Twelve weeks with Jenni will prove to be invaluable in your ability to find and use inspiration in the world around you. I hope you'll check out the details and listen to Jenni talk about her plans.

And then ... stop by Tip Junkie, a delightful blog dedicated to excavating and sharing tips for creative ideas. Laurie is highlighting a mini-book I created for Father's Day last year. If you're new to my blog, you just might want to have a peek!

I also had the GREAT opportunity to write up a little article for Mermaids of the Lake a super-cool online community based right here in Liberty Lake, WA.

In fact, when you Teach a Friend to Scrapbook, tell her NOT to leave her love of photo albums behind. Designing layouts inside a big, beautiful 12x12 album is an amazing opportunity to play with personal expression, but it is NOT a realistic approach for scrapbooking the vast majority of the photos you choose to scrapbook. Yes, I just said that. Once we've been enlightened with the possibilities that blank pages hold, we sometimes we take on a "never look back"  attitude that is often borderline snobbish. Please tell your friend that anytime you pair photos with memories, you are scrapbooking. And when you start with the easy and inviting format of a photo album you can get focus on the memories and still have lots of fun!

I'll be sharing more tips and ideas for Photo Album Scrapbooks, very soon. In the meantime, the next time you see some of these ...

Just for FUN ...

My friend Jenna (our former nanny) texted me right after my jog, with this:

"What are your happy colors right now?"

What a great question. I LOVE this question. I love it so much that I literally sat right down and created this.

I personally don't believe that your happy colors change -- at least not drastically. Otherwise, they would not technically be your happy colors, yes? However, within each color family I have noticed shifts in color preference from time to time. I have also noticed that I gravitate towards using certain colors (for example ORANGE) more than others depending on the season of the year, my mood, trends in the industry or in our culture in general. I also enjoy my happy colors in varying combination and proportions which look great if you print them. So, RIGHT now ... while I will always love my standby yellow "frog" green I am enjoying a more true-ish hue with even a touch of blue in it -- a sort of "bright" aspen green. I am especially liking this green in combination with my always happy turquoise, which has shifted ever so slightly to the sky blue side of things (perhaps this is the influence of spring?)

I took the quiz and found that I did NOT have a predominate color -- this likely underscores what we already know.

A. I'm a chromophile

B. I'm border schizophrenic in my approach to color (??)

Seriously, my quiz responses had an almost even split among ALL colors, except PURPLE. This is interesting to me because purple is in fact my least favorite color. Notice, I did not say I don't like it. I just like it least of all.

This then (according to Beth and her research) is the description that least describes me. I have to agree.

Purple Scrapbooker

You are the fashionista of scrapbooking. You are aware of current trends, and your pages are stylish and elegant. You probably enjoy learning new techniques. You may actually create layouts about yourself. Journaling is important to you, and your albums express who you are.

I'm definitely NOT a fashionista and I'm often completely unaware or oblivious to current trends. I would say rather than stylish and elegant, my pages are playful and authentic. I don't mind learning new techniques, but I'm certainly not motivated by them. I do create layouts about myself and journaling is important to me, but I prefer short, snippets of conversation and insight over long essay-style journaling.

veddy interesting, for sure!

I challenge you to take the quiz, read ALL of the scrapbooker definitions and then perhaps create something this weekend that will help you answer Jenna's query

Scrapbook a tradition and the story behind it!

One of my most beloved family traditions happens this weekend on Easter. I make giant GINGER BUNNY cookies and personalize them and then when the Easter Bunny comes, he places the cookies in each person's basket. In the morning as children search for their basket, these bunny cookies help them find the right one.

The Story:
When my mother was a young mother and preparing for Easter, she wanted to go to See's Candies and buy a really nice chocolate egg for each child (personalized) my father told her "absolutely not" and so after feeling sorry for herself for a few hours, she devised a homemade alternative that has become a favorite memory for me and me sisters and is now being continued in our homes.

Here's my little cookie pattern, made from a brown paper grocery sack (just like mom's) I fold it up and tuck it into my recipe box every year. It's now got that great kitchen patina that is a combination of flour and shortning residue. I scanned the pattern and the recipe and printed them to include on a scrapbook page

Here's the Recipe for Ginger Bunnies:

1/2 C shortning

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C molassas

Cream together and add ...

1/4 C water

2 1/2 C flour

3/4 t salt

1/2 t soda

3/4 t ginger

1/4 t nutmeg

Chill dough for 2-3 hours or overnight and roll out to 1/4" thick. Lay pattern on top of dough and cut around it with a small, sharp knife. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Do NOT overbake. Let cookies cool and ice the tail and front ear and personalize with icing in a tube

I'm going to post the first layout I did about our ginger bunny tradition in a day or two. I'm also going to make a new page this year. I challenge you to do the same. Think about a tradition (doesn't have to be related to Easter) and take a few minutes to write down the story behind it. Be intentional about finding or taking some illustrative photos and make this story a part of your scrapbook history!