This is my mom! Isn't she just a cutie? And it's her birthday today.
See all those S's?
Today is my creative soul friend, Stephanie's birthday! It's a special birthday too. So please click on over and wish her a fabulous day (she deserves it!!)
And the sneak peek....
I have just received a pack of goodies for the Mega Crop hosted by The Scrapping Studio on 1st May. It's a full day, full of surprises, goodies and great scrapbooking. There are 5 sessions with 5 instructors doing 5 projects (and tea and lunch and all the other fabulous things Audrey and Sarah always come up with!)
I'll be teaching 1 of the sessions and might even get to play during the course of the day. So looking forward to the day and meeting up with scrapbookers that I have got to know over the years at the various events.
There might still be a space for you, you don't' want to miss out! Check out Scrapping Studio's blog for more info.
So it's to my creative space this week I need to go for something good!
Enjoy the short week SA girls!
{Lara}
My choice of scrapbooking embellishments may be affected by public bathroom signs!!
You can check out this website for information about the National Skirt Extension Project.
In the meantime, what do I do about my stash of embellishments?
1. Do I contact manufacturers and let them know their products don't comply with our new standards?
2. Do I buy the temporary stickers to stick over my embellishments, knowing they won't coordinate with my layout colour schemes?
3. Do I use them anyway and take a chance that I am not "playing my part in shaping perceptions" (from the nsep website).
If it's not a joke, it's a great marketing game by some company.
Better stay tuned!
{L}
In search of balance....
I enjoyed this scene right outside my window...
I have a HUGE collection of websites in a folder labelled "inspiration" stored under my Favorites. Today my spot of inspiration comes directly from the site COLOURlovers.
COLOURlovers is a color and design community for creative inspiration and sharing the love of color. Here you will find over one million color names, hundreds of thousands of color palettes and patterns, comments and ratings. Interviews with top creative professionals regarding color and articles covering current color trends and news are uploaded daily.
You can learn about the history of the colour wheel, or access 1 million colour names. Or be inspired by some amazing colour combos and fun ideas.
It's a great place to visit daily and great for scrapbook layout inspiration.
Enjoy a colourful day!
{L}
...and green really, really is my favourite colour! And without even thinking I wore green today!
Here is some gorgeous green inspiration:
This
pink polka dot cake.
And lime green too!
Love, love this one!
Quite some detail here.Have some green inspired fun!
{L}
I sure have my choice of excuses from which to choose... but here is the main reason for my absence and one I am VERY happy about!
The "girls" had the most glorious 2 days of pampering, eating, scrapbooking, eating, chatting, eating, scrapbooking, eating... well you get the idea! Mount Grace serves the most awesome selection of delicious food, in quantities you could only imagine (on an ongoing basis!).We shared loads of laughs in hydro pools and jacuzzis, during pamper treatments and glorious meals and then of course creativity and inspiration during the scrapbook sessions.
It truly was a time for recharging the soul.
Here's an idea of what we saw, ate and did! Photographs are a mix from mine, Rhonda's and our "resident photographer" - George's galleries!
And the question on everybody's lips...YES there will be another Girlfriends' Getaway. Numbers will once again be limited for this exclusive event. Watch out for details so you don't miss out this time.
(I think I might even do a little recap of the rest of February in the next few days).
Happy Wednesday.
{L}
(Click on image to enlarge)
At last... some of the CreativeSouls rub-ons in action!
We have had wonderful response to the first edition of the CreativeSouls rub-ons!
It's the last day of 2008... are you reflecting? are you making decisions for the new year? planning something big? doing something new?
Many of you are familiar with Ali Edwards and her "word" for the year (check her blog for more info). Now... my awesomely talented friend Stephanie Ackerman is doing something special with Ali.
Check out her homegrown hospitality blog for all the details of the SUPER cute doodle she will do for you of your own 2009 word.
Since I'm still enjoying my R&R, I will do an update of my own word on my "return". And since I am actually still reflecting, making decisions, planning something big and doing some thing new.... I am still thinking about exactly what I need my word to be this year...
Happy New Year!
{L}
Enjoy your days of summer here in the southern hemisphere, and keep warm there in the northern!!
this is all I have left over from 21 sheets of very colourful cardstock which makes up this month's Kit dubbed the "Econo Kit". It's an absolute bargain too R130 for 5 layouts - that's 4 double pages and 1 single page, plus 2 pages of special templates and a little pre-printed embellishment too. So head on over to their blog and contact the shop before these great Econo Kits are gone!
This is always a crazy busy time for us all, and no matter how well we try and plan things, it doesn't quite work out the way we would like it to.
Don't stress if you don't have the album made already, the idea is to use what you have on hand. So grab a piece of cardstock and start journaling about your everyday things, the little things, the things that are important to you personally / as a family. Take a photo if you like, embellish the page a little, punch 2 holes in it and add a binder ring. Yes, it can really be that simple.
So do visit Stephanie and I as we share with you our inspiration, and we'd love for you to share yours too at CreativeSouls.
Here's to memory keeping!
{L}
That's right... cardstock is on my desk today! Just good old, plain cardstock and I am playing!
I also have 5 little surprises ready to go to the post office. There are 5 lucky winners over at CreativeSouls who need to email me!...quite a week it's been!
Managed to put some finishing touches on a project in the works... hopefully will be able to share that pretty soon!
My desk is completely cleared so I'll have something fun to share on Monday.
And for all you creative souls out there... come and visit us here to see how you can add these to the collection you may have started at Live, Scrap, Play!, at one of my classes or how you can simply start your collection right now...
Have a great weekend
{L}
*edited on Tuesday as my modem got struck by lightning just as I was about to post. New modem and so relieved the post was saved*
What a productive weekend!
On my desk are the remanants of some of the crazy creativity that took place the last 2 days. My "Christmas Gifts-to-make" List has a big tick on it. I have my monthly AAM Group gifts complete and ready for 13 Dec.
I can't show the finished projects here just yet - that would just spoil the surprise! (If you girls thought I would slip up...you're wrong!)
But...here are a few of the goodies and products I used! Oh... that would be except for the Christmas Traditions Scented Envelope Sachet which I didn't actually use in any of the projects, but I have it here lying in my office. The smell certainly got me into the Christmas mood!
So... on Friday Stephanie and I launched CreativeSouls - a little place of inspiration. Thank you all for the amazing response, the comments and emails have been wonderful!
I now have a link to CreativeSouls on the right -----------> please do visit us. Come and share your creative soul.
Some Q&A I've received recently:
Q: That baby picture is hilarious. Is it yours?
A: Nope, the baby is not mine, it's a stock image, but definitely cute.
Q: Are you still doing scrapbooking events?
A: Girlfriends' Getaway takes place in March 2009. You can download booking forms here. There might also be a few surprises in store from CreativeSouls!
Q: I love your blog banner. Can I get one made?
A: The good news is YES, you can. Even if you live in South Africa! Just email me with the details - your blog name, colours etc. If you're local the cost is R150. (Stephanie has a selected a cause close to her heart here in South Africa and the monies will go directly to helping this family. You can read more about it here.)
And I think that's it for Monday! (or now Tuesday!)
Have a great week.
{L}
CreativeSouls is a special place - it's a place for me (Lara), it's a place for her (Stephanie) and it's a place for you (all over the world).
This is a new beginning for me personally in many respects and so perfect the way things have fallen into place. It's just the start...
...head on over to CreativeSouls to find out what it is 'WE' do...
There's a little bit of 'we' history, a little bit of 'we' Q&A, a little bit of fun, and a whole lot of creativity!!
Please come and visit, we're looking forward to meeting you there!
http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/creativesouls/ (or click the links)
{L}
... is almost over!
I did say I was working on a couple of exciting things ~ some big, some not so big, some soon, some a little later!
Be sure to come back tomorrow as Stephanie and I have something we'd like to share with you!
{L}
Love, love these words on a Compendium journal which arrived in my post box today, from a gem of a friend!
Perfect in every way...
;o)
... you add heat!
I made popcorn for lunch today (really healthy!). As I was waiting for the kernels to start popping it came to mind that the only way they would pop is if there was heat (microwave!)
Here's the wikipedia definition of popcorn:
Popcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated.
I was looking to find something positive in a rather negative situation. And came to the conclusion that I am the corn, there is a LOT of heat going on, and something is going to pop! But no... not bad popping. Great popping!!
Popping of thoughts, ideas, creations. Some of which I am working on this very moment! If there was no heat, there would be no popcorn... and I am thinking positive here... and embracing the heated situation to 'pop' something awesome!
In the heat of the moment... popping is the goal!
{L}
