WOW am I a Slacker!

I haven't posted since March!  WOW. I have really gotten off track.  Its amazing how easy it is to push scrapbooking off when I get busy.  Which is a shame because this craft is really a relaxing craft for me. ck

I played with CTMH "No Worries" paper pack and compliment pack.  This was a tough pack for me. I loved it, but we do not vacation at the beach (to my chagrin HAHA).  We vacation at amusement parks.  So I tried to come up with a way to use this paper pack for Disney pictres.

This kit is so cute and can be used for a multude of photos.  If you would like to order this paper pack, it is available while supplies last until July 31st.  I will be doing a raffle after convention next week.  Anyone placing an order will get an entry into the drawing. Every $50 in product ordered will be another entry.  Anyone scheduling a gathering (a date on the calendar) will get 2 entries.  There will be some new product raffled off as well as a cute little CTMH portable garbage can.  I will also have some retiring product as well!  dont miss out!  You can order on my website: Shop Nikki's Webite

I forgot to post! Getting layouts done in 2017 Weeks 5,6 and 7!

oh my goodness! I didn't set my posts to publish!  So sorry!  :)  You have been waiting patiently I bet. HA!

So here are weeks 5, 6 and 7!

Getting layouts done in 2017 Week 4

Well I got a lot done this weekend!  I started with a new paper pack. The rustic home fundamentals. I added additional cardstock and I used the SnapShot Compliments.  I made one of the layouts interactive as well.   If interested in these products please contact me here: Email Nikki
I did do a few layouts in my pile, but I need to watermark them so I will work on that later this week.

Did you get any scrapbooking done this weekend?  If so, go over to my facebook page and post pics!  or if on instragram or twitter post with the hashtags #nikkidscrafty or #gettinglayoutsdonein2017 so I see them!

Don't forget to order your Wreath!

The Wreath is only available till Tuesday! Don't forget to order yours!

Order my Wreath!

#gettinglayoutsdonein2017 Week #3

Well I just got in under the wire, but here is week 3!

It may seem strange that the winter break layout has Disney pictures on it, but in 2015 a Disney vacation was what we did on Winter break! So I added some Mickey heads and went over them with our clear glitter pen so they would sparkle too just like the Castle!

How are your layouts going?  post them on social media with hashtags #nikkidscrafty and #gettinglayoutsdonein2017! I would love to see them! Or feel free to post them on my facebook page!

Struggling to scrapbook non events?

I love scrapbooking as most of you know. My favorite photos to scrap are from our Disney trips. We are DVC members and we are blessed enough to go visit the world once or twice a year.
Next my favorite would be stuff for my kids. But many of them end up being events. Sporting events, school activities, holidays. Sometimes however I want to do something that isn't an event of some type. Almost two years ago I posted this blog post with some ideas for non event scrap booking. Ideas for non event scrap booking. I pull this up periodically to get ideas for some layouts.

I came across this article being shared on Facebook and I thought it would be interesting to figure out how to scrapbook. The article is about helping you write your story (and is a good follow up for my blog post on journaling here: Journaling) but from a family history perspective. It got me thinking though. Could I do this and scrapbook it? 52 questions  is the article I found.  I think some of them will be challenging- but some will get me talking about family history with my parents.  So I am adding this to my personal challenges this year. I won't get through them all this year, but I am going to attempt to do a couple of them a month.

Anyone with me? Anyone want to try it? Let's see what awesome things we can come up with!

#gettinglayoutsdonein2017 Week 2

Here is week 2 of my personal challenge!  Another older Christmas pack.  I used the CTMH Memory Protectors as well. I used both the horizontal and vertical ones.  I decided to go with the ones with all the same size as they both hold 12 extra pictures and that is what I had of both.  These are pictures from the Disney Christmas parade.  There is nothing like Disney Magic at Christmas!

Scrapbooking Club Details

Monthly Scrap-booking Club Information 2017

You do not have to commit to the club monthly, but I need 4 people signed up in order to hold it that month.  If I don’t  hold it in person one month ( Ex, if only 2 people sign up) those still interested can purchase the kit from me and I will send instructions.

2 Options:

Make a 2 page 12X12 scrapbook layout for $5

Purchase a Workshop Your Way kit for $26.95 (before s/h and tax) and make either 4 layouts or 3 layouts and 6 cards

For either option I will cut all the pieces for you

Each month we will focus on a new color, tool or technique, and each month I will do a small giveaway of some type of new or finished product.

I will also start a rewards program.  Every 3 months you participate, you will receive a free gift from me! Stamps, tools, embellishments and more!

Anyone purchasing the club kit the month of a new idea book or seasonal expressions launch will receive the free idea or seasonal expressions book!

** If you are not local to me or would like to participate but can’t that month you may still purchase the $5 kit or the Workshop your way kit.  If purchasing the Workshop Your Way kit you will purchase that directly from Nikki's Website and I will email you the instructions.  If you want to purchase the $5 kit, I will mail the pieces to you, but you will need to supply your own base pages. Mailing 12X12 sheets of paper through the mail is costly, so to keep the kit at $5, base pages will not be included. I will include instructions for all layouts/cards. **

Both kits I will cut and supply any Cricut cuts I may use on the layouts.

You may choose on a month to month basis.  So if one month you want to do the Workshop your way kit, but the next month you just want to do the $5 layout- no problem!  You can choose whatever works for you each month.

I will do a club workshop the first week of the month, and the 3^rd week of the month.  If you are interested in participating, please contact me so I can gauge what day of the week more people can attend. 

Email Me

Here are February's details (minus the dates- will post those soon)

 New product will be using is CTMH Shimmer brush.  You can see this item here Shimmer Brush

This is the $5 layout (the bottom picture shows what the patterned paper looks like on the back if you want to use that side.

These are the three layouts for the Workshop your Way Kit. 

Here is what comes in the Workshop your way kit. You can also see it online Here

Here are some close ups for each one where I used the shimmer brush.

 

Remember to contact me if interesting in joining club.  The first week or the third week of each month.  Email Nikki

Journaling in your own handwriting-it's important!

So, in March of 2015 I wrote This post about why I scrapbook.  Everyone has a why.  Do you know what yours is?  Most people's answer is that they want to preserve their family's memories.  And that is an awesome reason.  Some crafter's like the creative aspect.  Some crafters use paper, some are purely digital, and others like me, do a combination (although since CTMH discontinued Studio J I have not done any more digital scrapbooking.  I'm still heartbroken over that, but I do understand the reasons behind the decision).  I do not feel there is one right or wrong way to scrapbook.  Everyone has a different style and your scrapbooking should be a reflection of that.  Crafters also evolve. When I look back in my earlier scrapbooks and see how much I have grown in this craft, I still get amazed!

But today's topic is about a topic crafters are not as open minded about (IMO).  Its journaling.

Scrapbooks do your future family no good if you do not journal and document.  The very least it should include who, what, where and when.  Some crafters however, don't do that or just do the bare minimum. If it's one thing I learned from realizing my "Why" it's that I want people in the future looking at these albums to understand what was going on and how we are feeling.  Sometimes I will hide the journaling behind a tab so a casual observer may not see it but it's there to read.  If your books have the great honor of being passed down generations after you are gone- these scrapbooks need to tell the story of your life.  Those thoughts are what I think about when I journal.

Do I journal every layout like that? No.  Some pictures speak for themselves and all I have to do is note the date and place.  And some days I just want to get the darn layout done!  However, I always try to give a few moments thought to my journaling when deciding what to say. That will really be how our family stories and memories are passed down.  If I go first, I can't trust that my hubby will get the details right!  You know how men are!  (HAHA!)

The other part of journaling that crafters become passionate about is not doing journaling in their own handwriting.  Let me be the first to admit-  I have AWFUL handwriting!  And I have a few layouts where I made a mistake when journaling and had to cross it out.  It's not ideal but hey, thats me.  I make mistakes quite a bit- that should be part of my scrapbooking as well!  (at least that makes me feel better about it).  I know some crafters that only type their journaling.  Again, it's a personal preference but that makes me so sad.  I have just a few cards from my grandmothers with their handwriting.  I can't tell you what I would give to have more.  Your handwriting has a style (like, mine is messy!) but I hope if you are one of those crafters that only type your journaling that you give it another thought.  Think about anyone you may have lost that made a difference in your life.  Aren't there things about them you always want to remember? and some things that seem to slip away the longer they are gone?  Or if you are a history buff like me- think of historical documents that have been preserved with the author's actual handwriting and how amazing it is that you can see something actually written by that person 100 years ago, or more! I watched a BBC show where the host got to see the actual love letters Henry VIII wrote to Anne Boleyn that are currently housed in the Vatican.  AMAZING!

Some day, someone will want everything of you they can have so that they always remember you... including your handwriting!  Give them that- even if it's only a layout here or there to start off with.

So the next time you do a layout, give journaling a second thought.  :)  And continue preserving your family memories!

Here is a sample of my awful handwriting (my watermark is over it, what is what the purple is) but you can see how awful my handwriting is!  This isn't a good example of everything that should be in the journaling, but I don't typically zoom in on my journaling.  I guess I should do so now and then!

What is your scrapbooking and journaling style?  Feel free to leave a comment below!

#gettinglayoutsdonein2017 Week 1

So in my previous blog post here: I've got my work cut out for me! I am trying to widdle down my huge pile of scrapbook layouts with no pictures and my huge pile of pictures already printed off (so I can get started on all the ones still on my computer!).
So a layout a week is what I am trying to do.

Here is week 1!  This was a Christmas paper pack a few years ago. I thought the colors would go well with the Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian.  I had more pictures than I could fit on the layout, so I used CTMH's Memory Protectors to include the rest of the photos.  The memory protector will go in the album between the two layout pages.

What did you do this week?

I think I have my work cut out for me!

So I dubbed 2016 the "Year Nikki couldn't get her SH** together".  In every area of my life- work, family, extracurriculars  and CTMH- I was constantly a step behind where I should have been.  Since I did not have a monthly club in 2016, I got massively behind on scrapbooking and couldn't get organized to offer more than a few workshops all year.

To give you an idea, here is a picture of layouts I have made that do not have any pictures on them.  It's a HUGE stack!

And here is a pic of pictures I have printed off but not scrapped (not counting the tons of pictures still on my on my computer!)

I"m not a big one for New Year's Resolutions (mostly cause I am bad at keeping them!) but I need to make a better effort this year.  So by telling everyone what my plan is, I hope it will help keep me accountable  :)

So a few new years resolutions:

1. I will complete one of those premade layouts each week.  I will post here to stay accountable. Anyone else in?
2. I will be offering 3 clubs each month.  2 will be non commitment (but I will need a minimum number of people to plan to come in order to hold).  One, the school years albume will be a commitment due to the cost of the workshop, but we will make one grade each month (except the first and last month- we will do 2 grades those months to account for Kindergarten and not starting until Feb). I will post details for these clubs by the end of the weekend.
3.  I will be offering a few large card workshops throughout the year as well as scrapbooking workshops where we make multiple layouts.
4.  I'm going to sent out a survey to see what type of paper crafting workshops  (other than scrapbooking and cardmaking) people may want to participate in, please send me your email (if you don't already receive my newsletter) or make sure you are on my facebook page.
5.  I will post a short technique video every week on my you tube channel.  I posted one today on Sandpaper distressing.

So I think that is a good start!  Is anyone with me on trying to get more layouts done this year? If so leave me a comment here or on one of my social media accounts and feel free to post your layouts!  if you use the hashtags #nikkidscrafty  and #gettinglayoutsdonein2017 we can track everyone's creations!

Have a great and Happy 2017!

Here are all my social media accounts:
Facebook Page
Twitter
Instagram
NikkiD's YouTube Channel

Welcome Home Wreath Kit

Ok, who is ready to make this AWESOME wreath?!?!? I am so excited for this one!

I will be hosting a workshop to make this wreath on Friday January 20th. (evening)

The cost for the wreath kit will be $22. This covers the wreath and shipping and handling. I will need prepayment and RSVP by this Friday Jan 6th by noon EST. This will be a very popular promotion and they will sell out which is why I am having RSVP/prepay early so everyone wanting one can participate. 
 You can pay via paypal at nfdewitt@gmail.com,or drop cash off to my house ( PM me and I will get you the address) I must have the money before I place the order Friday afternoon.

You may also order the kit yourself from my website nikkid.ctmh.com and make it on your own. Those that can't make the workshop or are out of town, I will make a video to assist you with making the wreath on your own. On the bottom right of my home page you will see "January Orders" to join to order.

Also, if you place an order or $60 of product, your wreath kit is FREE! So if you have some holiday money to burn and need to purchase some other items, consider doing so this week!

If you have any questions please let me know and get your orders in by Friday at noon!!