September . .

Leaving August and entering September for me is like coming in out of hibernation and I am like a grizzly that has just woken from a long sleep. . .

I love the summer for all its faults and there are things I love about Autumn, the cooler but still sunny days, the need for a jacket but not a coat, socks but not boots.

However, unfortunately, September brings with it the dreaded return of ROUTINE !
The kid + School = routine and the Me + Work @ school= different routine

For me it also heralds the slippery slide towards that, major, seasonal holiday at the end of December, the one that must not be named !!

I’m still tormenting myself with the “I have got the time and inclination to do Shim’s learn something new everyday class” illusion !!

Lookie here if you want to know more

Change of scenery

I am officially moving….

Only my office/craft space not my home, P-H-E-W

I have occupied the smallest bedroom for about the last five years, primarily it was the computer room, the craft room and then I started working from home so it became the office too, all the time staying as a spare room for guests.

It has however come to the point, quite naturally, where my sons need their own space.

My scrapbooking isn’t something I have given up on but it has gone from something I worked on religiously almost every night and weekend, to something I only do when I feel like it. Sometimes I do a layout or even recently a mini album (my first !) and then I won’t do anything for weeks.

So in accordance with this and again, quite naturally, my scrapbook supplies have diminished to the point where I have less stash now than when I started back in 2004. I have all the basics and the necessary tools and some not so necessary ! but I don’t keep so a huge stash on hand, I have a couple of art bin boxes of mixed embellishments and one box of mixed papers and card stock and another with alphas and that is it.

I still savour all the new releases but I am only buying paper as and when I need it now. Its actually quite liberating.

All my scrapbook supplies have been moved downstairs and are contained in a 2ft x 3ft blanket box in the living room and when I want to scrap I will utilise the dining room table.

My office is now going to be one book case and a bespoke corner desk/cupboard to house the printers and my computer in the corner of the living room.

I love having a room upstairs to retreat to but I am also looking forward to scrapping in and amongst my family in the evenings, after all I will be spending all day alone in my corner office working . . .

Plus I will be nearer the kettle !!

Are you archival safe ?

Me not so much, I’m definitely well into my middle years and starting to feel it more and more now.
I can cope with the obvious sings of ageing, grey hairs – get it coloured, wrinkles – don’t smile or frown to often no one will really notice and keep your shades on in photos !

But I digress . . actually this was a scrapbook question, me, I don’t go out of my way to use stuff that isn’t archival safe, but I don’t worry about using it if its not, does that make sense.

I am looking at putting an album together and I decided to use an A5 binder I already have as the basis for this then I decided to use some A5 envelopes as some of the pages, none of these are speciality scrapbook products.

What I like about ordinary stationary products apart from the excuse to get in the stationary department and browse, is their accessibility and I have to say, sometimes the price. If I decide that I am going to “craft” something there is usually a time factor, ie: I have an afternoon child free, I know lets do that album !

So sourcing the right product from a scrapbook shop isn’t always possible also it sometimes bothers me that scrapbook albums/mini books are “non generic” sizes so that everything, tabbed pages, page protectors, envelopes etc. usually need to be bought for that specific album, which is why I like the generic office supplies.

How about you . . . how do you feel about all this ?

Trying to do the archival safe photo pose, wearing shades and not really smiling… should have thought about the “fat arm” effect though !!

September here we come . . .

Okay so we still have over a week of August left, but it is definitely starting to get that “Summers over make way for Autumn” feeling around here and its not just the weather, although that “wet stuff” aint helping !!

Anyhoo, as you can see from the sidebar I am promoting Shimelles September online class ” Learn Something New Everyday” if you have the time and inclination this a great class. Its a month long and you can read all about it here.

I always plan to do these classes, PLAN being the appropriate word, I buy the album, get the stuff together take the photos, do all the organising etc . . .

BUT do I ever have a finished album to show for it NOPE, why is that , I’m having trouble figuring it out myself … I go to all the effort, do all the hard work of planning organising and prepping, then wimp out on the executing bit !!

See Art Bin box with half completed Christmas albums x 2, My 365, Album, week in your life album and last years Learn Something New Everyday Album !!

SO I am not going to publicly commit to this class, even though in my heart of hearts I want to complete it… My first born starts secondary school this September, so its going to be quite a month for me and a hell of a milestone for him, definitely worth documenting with more that the obligatory “back to school” layout !!

Watch this space . . . maybe . . .

and because I don’t like posts without eye candy… a photo of a freshly picked bowl of cherry toms from my kitchen window box.

Typography, Love It !

Its a long term love affair, whether its a well designed or quirkily appealing font, a word art poster or words and letters used unusually or cleverly in a mag ad or on a store front, it doesn’t really matter.

I have been spending time looking for and downloading some new fonts recently, I want to design some more freebies for my small band of followers, so whilst emerged in all things typographic I came across this image.

It was created by a guy named Phil Sheffield, for an exhibition titled Said Why Eggs? at the East End Arts Club in London. It showcased 26 alphabets by 26 different artists.

When I saw this I though hey what a great way to use up some of my embarrassingly huge collection of chipboard letters, paint them in colours that compliment your room decor break out the foam dots and then arrange them artistically in an shadow box frame, Ribba from IKEA for example, VOILA personalised typographic art !!

Dull Monday, no energy, SO …

Here is a FREEBIE

Not one of mine this time, one I came across whilst blog cruising. They are intended as lunch box notes but I see them as great journaling spots for layouts, or if you reduce their size when printing they will look great on cards too.

You can find them here at eighteen25.blogspot.

Feet Photos

Love em, not feet, but photos looking down !

posting this one of my nephews reflection on the beach, with his shoes at the top of the photo, love the way the reflection disappears into the wind ripples

decided to take part in some aspects of Shim’s weekend crop, not having the inclination to scrap I thought I’d post some photos instead.

Shimelle’s Blog Crop

hoping to join in on some of the challenges this weekend when time permits…

Find all the fun stuff here on Shim’s blog

I made this

I did a little bit of a typographic design to go into my summer album, just messing with fonts and words that summarise June, July and August for our family.

I’m not even sure I’m finished with it yet, but it reminds me a little bit of vintage American posters in the wild west, I think I may print it off onto some kraft card stock !

Obviously this is quite personal but if anyone would like this in a down loadable format just yell.

Free Font

Haven’t recommended one for a while.

I’m liking Reclame at the moment, I used it for my seaside circles. It is available to download here, you get the demo version for free but the other weights will all cost you.

You can download this from Font Spring