Maw Maw's thoughts

"Show Me Your Craft Room" Jan 20 -23

2012-01-20T00:01:00.003-05:00

Jan 20th~23
Welcome Everyone, Thank you for stopping by to visit Lluvia's very
first blog hop! Yayyy very excited :) She has a group of very talented crafty people from all over the world who can't wait to share their awesome spaces with you. We hope to inspire you with new ideas for your own craft room/space.

This is a no obligation hop, so if you would like to just browse through the space's, that is totally OK! This hop will be open all weekend long! So no rush!

However, for those of you who like freebies there will be "blog candy" if you follow and comment on each posting and leave a comment with "your best organizational tip" your name will entered in a random drawing to win a $25.00 gift card from Michael's!!! Winner will be announced on Tuesday 1/24/12
Ready, Set, Go!

I was all set to have a great 9 x 9 bedroom converted to my scrap room..Had visions of peg board along one wall so I could just look up and decide which embellishment or ribbon I wanted to use, a wall to wall counter/desk space to work on my projects and just get up, leave everything as is and close the door when I was done. As all wonderful ideas and dreams tend to fade because a great need arises, so did this one! :)

I became legal guardian to a 45 year old woman with down's syndrome who needed a place to live and a bedroom to sleep in..ahhh, there went the scraproom..:) My husband helped me with the area I now use..Can't leave stuff up or out but that is ok. It helps to keep the area clean. While I like it and it is not my dream, at least I have an area to work and not on my kitchen table or counter. Thanks for looking! I would love to read any feedback or ideas you might have to help me utilize it better..

This first picture is my computer station and then on to the other part of the corner.

DH built my shelves into the alcove and it has made a world of difference in my organization. There are still a couple of small areas that I need to perfect but for my needs this seems to be working. This is actually my bedroom.

I know to alot of you this does not seem like a lot of paper but it is for me. I get overwhelmed with quantity and it is hard for me to buy more paper until I use alot of what I have. Ironically the stack has grown since this picture was taken!! lol

The jars with the blue lids holding my flowers are actually marshmallow creme jars. I make alot of peanut butter fudge! LOL! But they are perfect for my needs. The stacks behind the pumpkin frame are my acrylic stamps.

These drawer stacks cost me $3 each!! I got them at a garage sale and was so excited. I have a separate drawer for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas and then a drawer for tags, frames, and etc. I have so many embellishments that I will never be able to use them all. I need to hang my bulletin board and things should be about finished. I wish I were more creative..

Please check out everyone's blogs and give them some encouragement and compliments and may we all learn something from each other's spaces.

Here is the line up~

1st stop
LLuvia- http://sweetbirdmemories.blogspot.com
Brenda- http://brendafrerichs.blogspot.com
CallyAnn- http://callyanncraftycreations.blogspot.com
Kari- http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/
Jenny- http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com/
Claire- http://scrapmyway.blogspot.com
Linda- http://thefruitofmyhands.blogspot.com
Mindy- http://papercreationsbymindyblog.blogspot.com/
Zenita- http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com
Liz- http://www.scrapiliciousLife.blogspot.com
Doris- http://mybugandmecreate.blogspot.com
Haidee- http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
Sam- http://scrappingwithpirkie.blogspot.com/
Lisa-http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Perlilla- http://www.perlillapets.blogspot.com/
Vicki- http://mawmawsthoughts.blogspot.com
Barbara- http://barbarab3.blogspot.com
Chrys- http://scrapbookingkampstyle.blogspot.com
Melinda- http://thepaperthumb.blogspot.com/
Julie- http://jk-littlebitofbling.blogspot.com/
Angela- http://Prettifyyourlife.blogspot
Dana- http://Papermemories4u.blogspot.com
Amy Jo- http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com
Jennifer - http://hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com/

Your chance to win some great tear bears!!

2012-01-17T11:03:00.002-05:00

My friend Esther is having a blog candy contest for 4 of her handmade tear bears. Please go to her FB page and become a fan and tell her that Vicki Rayburn sent you! That ups my chances to win! Thanks maybe you will be the winner!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Esthers-Creative-Designs/305018822857738

This is an exciting event so please check it out!

2012-01-16T20:00:00.001-05:00

This is a message from Lain Ehmann about her new LayOut A Day for February! I have signed up and I am super stoked to get started. I am eager to meet new friends, to be inspired by Lain's daily suggestions and eager to get some layouts DONE! I need my MoJo back! I have alot to do but I am happy that this is going to be about past memories that can sometimes even have a today spin. Please click on the link and check it out. I would be so happy to see some of my online friends there doing this with me!!

Lain's words:

Let me ask you a few things…
-Do you love scrapbooking? (DUH!)
-Do you want to scrapbook more? (DUH!)
-Do you want to make new scrappy friends? (OF COURSE!)

Then why oh why have you NOT signed up for LOAD212? We’ll be spending 29 days together, creating dozens of layouts that will preserve yesterday while creating NEW memories with fun scrappy people!

Over the next two weeks, I’ll be sharing some inner workings and ideas about Layout a Day, as well as what some past LOADsters have to say about the Layout a Day process. Fair warning: It’s going to be LOAD-heavy around here!

Why the push to have you sign up? Well, it’s simply life-changing!

Here is the link to sign up: http://www.layoutaday.com/212pp/

New Year's Resolution Blog Hop

2012-01-01T00:00:00.016-05:00

Welcome to the "New Year's Resolutions" Blog Hop!!

We're so happy you could join us for this super-fun hop showcasing cards, layouts and projects that feature our New Year's Hopes, Dreams, and Commitments!! You'll find an array of ideas throughout the hop -- From decorations to gift ideas and more, we hope you'll enjoy each and every project along the way!!

We can guarantee LOTS of inspiration for this event... So let's get hopping!! If you've hopped over from Claire http://scrapmyway.blogspot.com/ then you are in the right place!! If you've just popped in to visit my blog or are reading this via email and you'd like to join our FUN, then please CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Lynda's blog...

For the hop today, I've created .......

This is actually a layout about the year 2006 that I put together for my grandson, Nolan. I have not been one to do resolutions because I never keep them. In fact I often joke that my New Year's Resolution is that I resolve to not make any..:)

However, I liked how this layout turned out and I think it looks very New Years even tho it is the year in retrospect. I received a lot of the embellishments in a swap several years ago and I wanted to start using my stash. The circle, of course, is an altered CD. That should tell you how long I have been holding on to some of this stuff. lol. While the 2006 tag looks like it has some greenish blue tones it is actually iridescent and it grabbed the flash when I took the picture. On the left is a month by month highlight of events in 2006.

You know, as I look over this I think I have come up with a resolution!!!! I resolve to use lots and lots of my stash!! I resolve to look after myself more since I tend to forget about me while I am caretaking for everyone else. I resolve to get my cruise pics done and my gsons kindergarten pics done. There..how's that for starters??

Now for the fun "blog candy" - Please leave a comment, I so enjoy reading all opinions expressed, as well as leave a comment on all the blog participants' blogs!!! One lucky winner will receive a $25 gift card to Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or online shopping place of their choice to be drawn at the end of January if you leave a comment about your resolutions or intentions for 2012 on her blog!

Thank you again for checking out my project... Now follow the links below and remember to visit all the stops for MAXIMUM ideas and LOTS OF FUN!!

NEW YEAR'S HOP (January 1):

Ornaments we made

2011-12-20T22:41:00.000-05:00

I wish the lighting was better, but the way the strips are, the light makes shadows that darken it. They really look so much prettier in person. Kevin made 8 of these all in different color combinations.

Once again he did the cutting and then the folding. I pretty much pinned most of them on but he handed them to me and then I hot glued the ribbons and the bell to it. I wish I could show you all of them but since he has handed them out already I couldn't get the pics before they took them home. Once again this item as well had never been made by us before so I don't think we did to bad of a job.

I also mentor a third grade boy and last week we made one for his mother for Christmas. I didn't have my camera because I had loaned it to my son when he went on his hunting trip and have yet to get it back ..I actually convinced my DH to advance me one Christmas gift so that I could take these pictures. LOL It's another Fuji Camera..I really like their product.

We couldn't find a coordinating paper to go with this one so we just used the same pattern all the way ..I still think it turned out great. Of course the bow is against the tree instead of in the front..lol Memo to self: Make sure everything is as you want it before you press that button!! :)

Toilet paper album made by one of my clients

2011-12-20T22:12:00.000-05:00

OK, I have been intrigued by the toilet paper roll albums for quite some time and have wanted to try my hand at it. Most of you know that I work with Developmentally Disabled adults and even tho two of my clients are men, they love to scrapbook and do crafts. For Christmas I was trying to come up with some ideas that we could do that would not cost an arm and a leg especially because these guys are on limited income. My first ever client and the one I have worked with the longest (6 years) is Kevin and he had 8 women in his family to make something for. Well if you add that up at even $5 a person it is $40 and way more than he could afford. So we decided to try to make these albums. In the end we made just one album for his mom and ornaments for the other gals (time factor). I will share some of those in my next post. But for now here is the album we made for his mom..

Kevin chose the papers to use and the ribbons. I would line up the paper and he would cut it. Then we ran the papers through my 2.5 " Xyron , a perfect fit , by the way.. Once the papers were attached he did the inking.

Then we went through my embellishments and he chose what he wanted on each page of his album.

Overall I am really pleased for a first time effort. The cost was extremely minimal because I used alot of my stash! An action that eased my guilty conscience for hoarding so many supplies..:)

This ornament was perfect for the back and of course each tp roll has a tag in it for add't photos. I would like to add that Kevin's family had their Christmas party last Sunday and this album was the talk of the day along with the ornaments he made. I got gratification knowing that I helped him give the women in his family nice gifts for next to nothing cost wise. Now if I can only come up with some great mens items to make!

Show Me Your Craft Room Blog Hop Jan 20-23

2011-12-13T23:23:00.000-05:00

This is an upcoming blog hop I will be in come January..Keep checking back and you will see where I work in my home on my scrapbooking..:)

Guest Designer for Memories in Tyme

2011-12-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

Today I am a guest designer for Memories in Tyme group..Not sure I qualify as a "designer" but I had originally set this up as an entry into a blog hop for them but due to family illness and getting called out of state over the weekend it was not able to go up so Lynda graciously allowed me to post to the group for it. When I think of designer I think of all you talented ladies who do paper piecings and art work on your layouts and I am not that kind of scrapper. I am envious of those of you who are but I do alot of my scrapping with my clients and use alot of my stash that I have allowing me to ease my conscience for having it..lol

I work with developmentally disabled adults and we try to do a service project once a month. My clients get alot of benefits and things given to them so it is important that they experience giving back. On this particular day we did our weekly Special Olympics Bowling and after taking another person home we stopped in to visit my parents and check out their driveway. They are elderly and the snow just puts my mom over the edge. It was ALOT of snow but it was real fine and powdery so not very heavy. Robert and Kevin each grabbed a shovel and started cleaning it off. This was something they were doing to help my folks not expecting anything in return, but she gave each of them $10.00 anyway.. It was a good lesson that good deeds do not go unnoticed. It wasn't alot of money but it sure brightened their eyes..:)

This layout is done with a page kit that I received in an exchange on a Yahoo Group. I have so many color kits here that I decided to start using them. I particularly like the deco squares.. The title is just sticker letters but it worked well and we all have a ton of sticker letters I am sure..lol

I believe this layout is in Robert's album. For those of you who are not familiar with my job and my clients..we scrapbook....I know...SOMEBODY's gotta do it..:) Even tho they are guys they love to add pages to their albums and they do alot of work on each of their layouts, from picking out the papers to selecting the layout of the pieces and pic and gluing them down. We are making toilet paper roll mini albums for the ladies in their families for Christmas..

Thank you for looking and I always enjoy comments!

Hey all

2011-11-27T00:09:00.000-05:00

Been a while since I have been here..I have removed my self from blog hops for a while..They are very addictive and I had a few bad experiences so I am giving myself some time to recoup and get rid of the negativity that is surrounding me right now. Plus I have alot on my plate and I need to get some stuff caught up not to mention the time I was spending hopping I could have completed quite a few layouts!

I got through Thanksgiving..Cooked a really good meal and got everyone full and sleepy! :) Did the Black Friday scene and had a great time with my girls. Didn't really have much in mind that I wanted to buy but we have done Black Friday for years and thoroughly enjoy it so we went out anyway. Katie was able to buy the Eli-boy a $75 winter coat for only $15!!!!!! His favorite color too! Annie got herself a new laptop..it was advertised and it was the only ONE they had..I don't like that..if you are going to advertise then have the items there..She was the fortunate one to get it tho so it will be an asset for her when she returns to Ohio University after new year.. I bought the DH a new 32 " TV at Walmart for $188!! SHHHHH!! Don't tell him tho..He thinks I couldn't get it..I was shocked that I did..I figured they would only have about 8-10 of them but they actually had 150!! I was number 109!!

Spent today doing laundry and I do mean I did a lot of laundry!! Cleaning my room and purging much stuff..Where does it all come from?? Posted some items to Craig's List so hopefully I will be getting some emails soon from those who just HAVE to have this stuff!! Now it is 12:06 Am and I am off to bed..Much to do tomorrow. Going to work on the Christmas tree and then we have the Hanging of the Greens tomorrow night at church. Take care everyone!

Everett's birthday at Chuckie Cheese

2011-11-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

We spent the evening at Chuckie Cheese last night celebrating Everett's 2nd birthday.. That is the way to go..when you are done you just gather up your stuff and go home and someone else cleans up the mess! Here are a couple of pics from the evening..

Everett loved blowing out his candles and if you look close enough you can see the smoke being blown away!

Peek-a-boo! I am so blessed to be a grandma!

Chuckie Cheese was a fun time for all. I expected Everett to be frightened by him but nope! He loved him!!