New Layouts!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Things are slowly getting back to normal in my little corner of scrapville. This weekend I unpacked the last box that had been sitting in the middle of the living room floor after our move, and suddenly the house was clean and I had some time to scrap!!

I've been wanting to do a layout of my little niece Sophie since she was born last month. This Hambly transparency and some old Prima paper that I've had for ages were the perfect backdrop for her newborn photos.

hello sophie


I believe that this layout was a lift of a page by Francine Clouden. My cat Griffin is very reminiscent of the Muppet Rygel from Farscape (yes, my pages are full of odd sci-fi references).

rygel


Karen Grunberg's project for the Big Idea Festival at Big Picture Scrapbooking was the jumping-off point for this page that features 27 of my favorite photos from my trip to Orlando and Star Wars Celebration V.

four days in orlando


This page was heavily influenced by Jennifer Johner. I love her easygoing style (and Basic Grey's Mistletoe and Pear line!).

silent night


And, finally, I made a card, too, while I had the Christmas supplies out.

christmas card


It feels so good to play with paper again! I can't wait for my two new online scrapbooking classes to start!

Orlando Day 5: The Scrappy Boutique

Monday, August 30, 2010

I spent most of my last day in Orlando simply getting myself to the airport, but I did take the time to visit a scrapbook store that I've heard a bit of chatter about on the message boards- Scrappy Boutique.

_DSC6161.jpg

After browsing the store for quite a while, I was just amazed at the amount of product (especially the newest, latest releases) they stock and how well organized it all is. So as I checked out with my purchases I asked the girl behind the counter if she would mind if I took some photos of the store to post on my blog. Lucky for me she said yes, so I can share this fantastic place with you!

_DSC6160.jpg

The store is rather compact, but they manage to squeeze so much scrappy goodness into the space (all the while keeping it easy to browse) that the store feels several times larger than it actually is.

_DSC6147.jpg

Up front they had a display of new 7 Gypsies product. As I said earlier, they are constantly getting new goods in, and they update their Facebook page regularly as new stock arrives. I wish my own LSS would take a lesson from them!

_DSC6135.jpg

_DSC6136.jpg

Also right up front was display after display of brand new Halloween product- right now it doesn't get any newer than this stuff from Echo Park!

_DSC6139.jpg

I love how they keep the paper lines together and sprinkle in coordinating embellishments, either from that paper line or from generic lines that happen to match. (Again, I wish my own LSS would take notice of some of this!)

_DSC6141.jpg

They also stock quite a bit of Martha Stewart's line.

_DSC6152.jpg

Thanksgiving papers are also among the first displays the greet customers.

_DSC6137.jpg

And Christmas items, too.

_DSC6142.jpg

Loved, loved, loved seeing all the Dear Lizzy items in person. I also love that this store orders the whole line of papers and embellishments, not just a select few. I'm a whole-line-buying kind of girl.

_DSC6144.jpg

Scrappy Boutique also puts quite a bit of their older stock on sale. The clerk told me that they try to clear out items quickly as the new releases come out so they always have something fresh in store.

_DSC6159.jpg

Be still my beating heart...so much Basic Grey in one place!

_DSC6150.jpg

_DSC6148.jpg

_DSC6149.jpg

And October Afternoon- yum!

_DSC6151.jpg

More Echo Park papers, along with some great sample layouts.

_DSC6153.jpg

And more Primas than I've seen in one place, ever. I love that they carry both the regular Prima flowers along with many of their more intricate styles.

_DSC6156.jpg

I was in awe of this huge punch display- rows and rows of nothing but paper punches, mostly by EK Success and Martha Stewart.

_DSC6157.jpg

_DSC6158.jpg

And how awesome is this rainbow wall-o-Thickers? I mean, seriously, these people have turned merchandise display into an art form.

_DSC6143.jpg

Rainbow wall-o-cardstock.

_DSC6146.jpg

And inks, embossing powders, paints, and Stickles galore.

_DSC6154.jpg

If you're in Orlando and have the time, I highly recommend stopping by Scrappy Boutique and checking out what they have in stock. Just make sure you've got enough room in your suitcase to bring all the goodies home. :)

Orlando Day 4: Leu Gardens and Taking it Easy

Friday was my last full day in Orlando, since my flight left around noon on Saturday. I was still completely wiped out from the previous days' festivities at Celebration V, so I took it easy and ran some errands, mostly just goofing around.

I hadn't planned on visiting M&M World, but when I took a wrong turn while looking for Office Depot (to get a box to ship all my IKEA goodies back in), I spotted the huge M&M figures by the shopping mall entrance and just had to go inside!

_DSC5971.jpg

_DSC5978.jpg

These backlit M&Ms changed colors periodically- so cool!

_DSC5977.jpg

_DSC5970.jpg

I really should have bought this shirt.

_DSC5969.jpg

And I absolutely HAD to get a picture of this rainbow wall of candies. I've seen similar photos from other people's travel pictures, and it was high time I had one of my own. :)

_DSC5967.jpg

After I left M&tM world I hunted down an appropriately sized shipping box, bought curtains and a light fixure (yes, a light fixture) at IKEA, and picked up waaaaaay too many rolls of pretty packing tape on clearance at Michaels (for 50 cents a roll I couldn't leave it there)

After dropping all that stuff off at my hotel, I then ventured back out to visit the Leu Gardens. As soon as I got there, though, it started raining, so I amused myself in the lobby with my iPhone for 20 minutes or so until the storm passed.

And then, of course, it felt like a sauna outside!

That didn't stop me from appreciating more beautiful Spanish moss...

_DSC6104.jpg

...and taking in the lovely tropical plants...

_DSC5984.jpg

_DSC6005.jpg

...or from playing with my macro lens.

_DSC5998.jpg

_DSC5991.jpg

_DSC6009.jpg

_DSC6023.jpg

The Leu Gardens are divided into several sections, and I was most excited to visit their formal English rose garden.

_DSC6088.jpg

I love roses.

_DSC6085.jpg

I'm just not good at growing roses.

_DSC6079.jpg

_DSC6075.jpg

_DSC6072.jpg

_DSC6067.jpg

_DSC6060.jpg

_DSC6058.jpg

I had no problem heeding the warning on this sign.

_DSC6025.jpg

And I think that the sound of wind through a stand of bamboo has to be the most peaceful sound I've ever heard.

_DSC6105.jpg

_DSC6109.jpg

_DSC6112.jpg

I was so hot from the sauna gardens that I just had to have ice cream when I got back to the hotel.

_DSC6119.jpg

And then I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and eating Chipotle (and editing photos) by the hotel pool.

_DSC6121.jpg
CopyRight © | Theme Designed By Hello Manhattan