March Book Club

by Susan Beth Breuner

We had our official book club meeting for this month last night at Keepsakes by Design. And unfortunately, the gang was not all there. In fact, we were at a little over half force with just six of us making it. Not sure where two of our missing members were, one was flying to California because a relative died, another was just missing in action also, and one lady actually came, but before the group got going she was called home because her husband locked himself out of the house. Ah! Well . . . that's life of scrapbooking ladies!

We were using several years old (but classic) Designing with Texture by Autumn Leaves as our inspiration this week. Before showing you any of the projects, let me just say that this was my first ever scrap booking book, and I loved it. By the time this meeting came around my book had pages falling out from over use. But, I ran out of time this month and did not do any new projects from the book - just brought an album with old (3 or more years) layouts. What a wimp I am - slap me on the wrist with a wet noodle and hang me out to dry!

So, Rosie picked this wonderful book, so we'll show her page first.

These are her parents.

She put a lot of little details into this page - micro beads, rub-ons, corrugated paper, watch parts, buttons, stickers, and some killer letters and stamping. She said she was looking and looking for a watch face that she knows in in her stash someplace, but couldn't find it, so she stamped one onto some fabric instead - definitely a great way to add some texture to her page! Nice Job Rosie!

Next is Christi Small (who I mistakenly called Christi Smith, and she graciously corrected me!) She started her project just two hours before our meeting started. She did a little mini album much like the one featured at the top of p. 39 in the book. Here it is:

As I recall, she's using it as a gift for a family member, and she will decorate it for that purpose. I love the beads! And she said she used the big bite crop-a-dile to get that giant eyelet into the middle of the cover - for those of you wanting one, Keepsakes by Design will be getting those in soon! Supposed to be super cool!

The rest of the projects to show this time around are from Erika. You see, Tamara, who usually doesn't do a project because she is time crunched, but we love her so much we don't care, well, this time she did do a project - a page as I recall. But guess what! SHE LEFT IT AT HOME ACCIDENTALLY! And she lives too far away to run home and get it, especially with the price of gas these days. Bummer, because I was really excited to see it. She said its about her daughter in T-Ball and has denim on it. Now, doesn't that intrigue you?

Also, just a quick comment that Jan, our usually super strong always produces lots of great projects - well, she didn't have anything this month, although she came. She's been focused on other things - like finishing the pages from her trip to Japan. So, we'll forgive her this one time and expect something great next month!

Now, onto Erika's projects - and there are three of them, so she's our super-star by volume this month! First we have a mini album that she is doing for the Faith Sister's/Patter Cross challenge (learn more about that here: http://faith-sisters.blogspot.com/). She gets one word a week and then makes something scripture based using that word for inspiration. This is really cool! I was going to do this challenge, and then life got to me and it fell by the way side! So, without further blabberin on from me, here is her super cool project:

This is a year long project/challenge, so eventually this book will be 52 pages long! Wow! She brought this because it is full of texture! And boy is it ever. I spotted Ranger crackle paint, distressed and inked edges, ribbons, fibers, rub-ons, buttons, and a whole lot more! Super cool! I so wish I had started this challenge the first week in January. Now it seems sort of . . . well, hard to catch up. Maybe if I find an extra day in each week I could manage it!

Oh, I almost forgot! Erika order her copy of Designing with Texture on line weeks ago, and it was lost in the mail! =(, Then, suddenly two days ago i showed up in the mail. So, the mini-album book was just partially inspired by the idea of texture, not anything in the book. Then, she got the book and did two pages. So, on to Erika's first page:

This one was inspired by pg. 54 of the book - I think that's what my notes say - and is full of texture even though it is relatively stream lined as to the number of elements. Notice that crackle paint again! Such a cool product! And love how she brought out the texture of those letters by inking them lightly to show the pattern!

And here is her last page, again inspired by a page in the book that had so many stripes! Nice and bright too! Cute little girl is Erika's daughter Zoe - what a smile! And look at that cool hair!

So, since the projects are relatively few this month, I though I'd give you a peek at some of our members.

If you are in the group and weren't able to make it this month, we all missed you so much and hope to see you there in April - especially you, Jenn C. as you have been sick or out of town for way too long! We need you to come back soon and inspire us with your many talents - and make us laugh with your special way of telling a story!

Calling all new comers too! We will next meet on April 21 at 6 p.m. in the back room at Keepsakes by Design. We will be doing projects out of the Designing with Recipe book which is currently in stock at the store, and is a great book. Then, in May we'll be doing a book called Imperfect Lives, which is a big change in style for us - it is just a fluke that we did so many Designing With . . . books in a row. We really do other books. And then, in June we're looking at a home decor book, which will be a real challenge. So, come and join the fun! Remember, except for the cost of the book, its free!