live.love.scrap.girls

2010-01-21T15:01:00.001-05:00

sweet story {good idea}

2010-01-21T14:40:00.000-05:00

Each year for Valentine's Day, I try to make something very special for my significant other...whether it be a card, book or just a journal. I thought I would share a quick story with you...and it will explain what I am going to do this year. Maybe it will inspire you too:

Two years ago on Vanlentines Day, Nate and I were very busy...but he wanted us to have a nice evening out. Dinner and driving around looking at dream homes (we love to do that). He looked up a bunch of Italian resturaunts and started calling to make a reservation. He found that so many were already booked up! He begain calling the next one...he thought it sounded familiar but could not figure out why. They answered the phone - "Sbarro's, how can I help you?" He of course replied..."Can I make a reservation for 2?" The lady on the line began to giggle and said "Sir- are you serious? We are food court resturaunt". He was so embarressed and figured out why it sounded so familiar! He shared that story that evening with me...AFTER our nice italian dinner at a resturaunt in Dayton he was able to book(I cant remember the name). I laughed so hard I cried of course, and whenever I think of that story...it makes me smile.

So this year, I plan to make a book of all the sweet and funny things he has done to make me laugh. I challenge you to think of an ASPECT of your SIGNIFICANT other or friend that you can highlight. Make them feel good about themselves and remind them what you love about them!

{problem solved}

2010-01-21T12:05:00.006-05:00

A few glimpses of some delicious new items at the shop. vintage pieced pins are too lovely to pass up. place on your coat or a favorite hat.

too too cute
Scarves with some style.
Unique one of a kind pieces that are sure to steal the show on these chilly days.

okay... so here was the problem. we have a new puppy.

his name is Bailey and he is a Great Pyrenees. so basically he is bigger than Chance our lab.

he is only 6 months old.

ISSUES:

1. he can jump over the baby gate i lean against the doorway in the kitchen

2. I raised the gate and this stopped him. but now it is so very high.

3. normally i can still hop over it. but not when i am sore from the gym

4. and not with HOT soup in my hand

so you can guess that i burnt myself and decided i need a new solution.

we dug through our storage garage and found a door that could be used. it is a very lovely mustard color and has that perfect vintage distress! Nate trimmed down each edge by one inch and made the old hinges work. he removed the old piece of tin that was covering the opening.

ta-da. perfect new door that looks soooooo much better than a

baby gate leaned against the doorway.

plus it still leaves the kitchen "open". i was fearful it would close it in.. but it didn't, and we can even pass

things through the opening.

plus..no more dogs jumping through

and no more acrobatic soup spills. everyone wins

{hello}

2010-01-16T14:42:00.011-05:00

it seems like forever since I have posted...oh wait, that's because it has been! we have so many new things to share. so here goes

more and more vintage items have been showing up in the shop. they are just waiting for a new home. i love this old typewriter. wouldn't it be lovely on a side table with a love letter or family picture displayed?

ball fringe trims... look great on almost anything!

vintage jewelry. isn't valentines day coming up?

handmade labels for your pages

many new classes are gracing our schedule.

check out this single page layout being taught on

Jan 22 here at the shop.

cards cards and more cards. we are teaching 2 classes each month .

having handmade cards on hand is not only great in a pinch,

but everyone loves to receive the them!

5 styles of large "papers". maps, cakes and more. used to frame, wrap gifts, etc.

so many new things...old and new.

vintage lace wall. once its gone...its gone!

peppermint chews. an indescribable treat. {oh so yummy}

a day for me {us}

2009-09-01T10:52:00.011-04:00

a day for me.... well actually a day for us. the sweet little notepad below is my inspiration for this post. when i saw it yesterday at anthropologie i just couldn't pass it up. the kraft paper is such a trend right now and i decided to do a small journal/scrapbook about all the "days i take just for myself" and what i do on those days. yesterday my mom, sister and i all went to cinci for a few appointments and made a shopping day of it. what a blast!

we visited so many of our favorites, it was almost too good to be true: anthropologie, pottery barn, west elm, restoration hardware, tj maxx, ikea

i finally caved and splurged on this candle i have loved for a long time at anthropologie. the lid is very ornate and the soft pink etched glass is dreamy. not to mention the scent, there are no words for how lovely this candle smells. heavenly. i also couldn't pass up these great turquoise knobs. i don't even know what piece i can use them for, but they called to me.

couldn't help ourselves at Restoration Hardware. this amazing little basket is soon to be my tool basket for my scrap studio. the 3 section basket can move around to whatever suits you best. there were 6 or so colors to choose from. i chose celery, mom = pink, and kristyn snatched up the aqua. what a useful find.

decided to paint stripes in my living room ...finally. chose a delicious color called SLATE from Restoration Hardware to add to the existing SILVER SEA background. pictures soon to come.

a must have design book for interior decorating. my favorite part? i love the way it sums up different "styles". with this book's help i now have a name for my style. vintage bohemian.

as promised to beth....i am posting some pics of my funky kitchen and style. sorry it took so long! this piece i love love love. it is the perfect color and size for my kitchen. i have looked a long time for something that would work in there. it now houses my wine glasses and mugs....clearing much needed space for the rest of my dishes.

not the best photo of my couch, but you get the idea. funky yellow floral print with blue accent. it is actually really comfy. also...that yellow bench is from BLOOMSBURY LOFT and has some hilarious history. love things like that. that particular bench was salvaged from a YMCA men's locker room. lots of CLOROX later...perfect.

another view of my new blue piece and kitchen.

what a mess...oh well. anyway i decided some time ago to have things around that make me smile. that explains why i have pendant banners hanging for no particular occasion and my shabby tree is still up.

soon to be striped living room. enjoy. more posts to come....very soon

so sorry. a thousand times sorry.

2009-08-27T08:21:00.011-04:00

We are back! It has been a long beautiful summer...in which I have been so busy I have neglected this poor little blog. We are very sorry...but be assured there is more to come and much more often. I have soooo many delicious ideas to post for you from the latest convention. Also the new shop is blossoming with lovely things more and more each day. Come on by, check us out. New items are arriving daily.I do not believe I have ever posted photos of the new shop....

so here you go. A buffet of photos for you to enjoy. Hooray.

Our little nook of specialty items. Full of sweet little pieces just waiting for a home. We now sell delicious lotions, box sets of exquisite cards, frames and many things that are perfect for gifts. We are sooo much more than just a "scrapbook shop". We are an hmmmm...

"ALL THINGS THAT ARE LOVELY SHOP"

We love this little vintage bike. The basket is overflowing with the wonderful assortment of posies made just for you by McMaster and Storm. They are great for cards and layouts.

The front counter. Can you tell we adore striped walls???

Brand NEW trims and ribbons have just arrived. Get them while they are here.

You can even pick up a sweet little gift box perfect for those little items at Christmas or Birthdays. And I have to mention the industrial cart. With his sweet orange exterior, he tries to sneak home with me a lot...but he must stay at the shop. We need him there! We found it at one of my very favorite places....Bloomsbury Loft in Powell Ohio. Check them out.

OOoooh and don't forget, banners are so it right now. We have them available for purchase in the shop. Hang them for your next party, or all the time like me!

By the way, classes are in full force at the shop right now. All of your favorite DESIGNERS for live.love.scrap are back in action and we even have some NEW designers. A designer highlight and classes to come....

More views of the shop. Don't forget CROP on Saturdays. 11 am to midnight with your friends. We have space for 11 and they fill up fast as space is limited.

Wanted to sneak in this little layout photo as a teaser of more to come. I LOVED this at the latest convention. It was by a very talented designer at BASIC GREY. They have so many wonderful lines coming soon...look for them at the shop.

found

2009-05-28T20:37:00.002-04:00

wow.

today was a one of those days. frustrating, long, exhausting... but productive. this was the LAST week we had before we turn over the keys to the OLD shop. we had lots of STUFF to move out, and we finally finished! 6 people, 2 trucks and determination. so anyway, what does this have to do with "keep calm and carry on" or the title FOUND? ill tell you:

as I said....today was a doozy. the above saying really meant something on this particular day and i kept repeating it in my head! this is soon to adorn the walls at the new shop, just for a sweet little boost. i fell in love with it when i saw it on the MATILDA JANE sight. love their stuff...check them out by the way.

AND...on to the FOUND part. well the day started early and busy. my dog is sick, and my to do list HUGE. i arranged for a group to meet me at the old shop to start the CLEAN UP. i thought i would arrive early and get some things done, but soon realized that my key was nowhere to be found. i decided to kill some time and went across the street to the car wash to clean Nate's truck. i scrubbed and cleaned the outside and interior...was sweating like a maniac and regretting this "time killing project". i was going to skip cleaning the area under his back seat. it lifts up and is usually stuffed with tools. thought to myself, dont be lazy, just clean it. lifted it up and waaa-laa MY LONG LOST CAMERA! have no idea how it made it under there, but so happy to have it back. long story short....more posts to come and photos. hooray.

a lovely town indeed.

2009-05-27T09:32:00.003-04:00

{www.curiousgourmetcupcakes.com}

Nate has been in Nashville for the last few weeks on business {actually Franklin}. I ventured down there to surprise him on his birthday and we had a wonderful time! Franklin is a sweet little historic town filled with everything I LOVE! Brick sidewalks, lovely shops and antique markets, cupcake cafes and delicious restaurants! The best part was the homes in the area, lots of wonderful "cottages" straight out of the pages of country living! We definitely found a place we could move to {it made the list} and I would take any of the houses! More pictures to follow. Still need to find that camera!

{lost}

2009-05-27T09:29:00.002-04:00

well...here is the truth. I have not been posting lately because i have misplaced my camera. aaaah. i say misplaced because i refuse to believe it is truly lost yet. hope to find it soon, and in the meanwhile i will post with some "ok" shots from my camera phone. blah!

love love love

2009-04-30T10:22:00.003-04:00

quick peek at some recent treasures. i love love love this new shop recently discovered with the help of my sweet friends Darcy & Kara of McMaster&Storm. The shop is called Bloomsbury Loft, and they are AMAZING, very creative ladies... in which we hope to do some upcoming events with!

i do, i do. I DO LOVE THIS. someday it may hold a wedding photo...but for now it holds some other sweet items i cherish. hand crafted by Bloomsbury Loft girls. Check out their blog below {and I am going to figure out how to cleverly link people soon, i promise}

also, this vintage aqua dresser has a new home in my studio, and check out the hand painted canvas to the right. wow, i really love these things {so indulgent i know}

and these sweet vintage books found a place in my heart. they have the cutest images, even polka dot pages. and the stripes on the green one...too cute. {its a recipe book!}

{gypsies}

2009-04-29T08:44:00.005-04:00

I have always liked that word. My parents called our family gypsies when we were little because we traveled so much....and I love the scrap company 7gypsies. So, when my mom and I found these cute as ever pendants at the Bloomsbury Loft...we fell in love. So today's topic is PENDANTS! The soon to open new shop will carry our handmade pendant banners.

Hard at work in my studio. What a mess!

Sweet banners filled with my favorite fabrics and delicious vintage appeal.

glass glitter, fabric, and stamping...OH MY

We are getting back into the GROOVE. We hope to see you at the new shop. You are going to LOVE it, we do! Don't miss out on May 9 at 10:00am. GRAND OPENING hooray!

{coming along}

2009-04-27T09:01:00.003-04:00

wow, it has been a CRAZY few weeks! we have been working like maniacs to get the new shop ready and it is ALMOST complete! we hope you will join us on MAY 9 at 10:00 a.m. to be the first to see our new location. the early birds will receive an exclusive door buster gift. and everyone will receive a chance to win with purchase. win what you ask? you will see!

more photos coming soon. we just had to take a small breather from blogging, but we will be back soon {and better than ever} once all this crazy store opening settles down.

{make 'n' take}

2009-04-25T20:15:00.004-04:00

Take a gander at this cute make 'n' take we did Saturday

at the Spring Retreat!

{a little looksy}

2009-04-08T09:38:00.002-04:00

Oh my! We have been extra busy getting the new shop together! I apologize for our absence! New and wonderful things are coming together...and we cant wait for the big reveal on MAY 9! Lots of new items are on the way to be featured at the new shop which will be located at....DRUM ROLL PLEASE.

17 w. Main Street in Fairborn, Ohio!

We are very excited about being a part of the downtown atmosphere. And we know it will be an exciting new journey for all of us! Feel free to call us with any questions you may have, and hurry in to the store... WE ARE HAVING A HUGE WALL to WALL CLEARANCE.

all work and no play

2009-03-26T09:16:00.002-04:00

we have been scrubbing, priming, painting and building away! we are all sore and a bit weary, but the new shop is coming along! i am so sorry i do not have more to share right now...but there truly has been ALL work and NO play! soon i will post lovely photos and make the formal announcement of where the move is to. also, don't forget...if you sign up for our spring retreat, we will be taking an exclusive tour of the new location!

{for denee}

2009-03-19T10:51:00.004-04:00

thought this would be the easiest way to show you the piece! {and let everyone be jealous...cause you get first pick!} you just let me know what you think...so shabby! here is a closer view of the details of it. love love love it! don't get too upset ladies...denee is on the hunt for that "perfect piece"...if this is not the right fit, you can purchase it at live.love.scrap on April 17 & 18 at our vintage trunk show sale.

{ideas}

2009-03-17T15:09:00.010-04:00

Realizing today that I have been very busy on other things...I decided to get back to the point a little! IDEAS. So here we go... a bunch of photos for a healthy dose of inspiration. Take an old book and cut your own titles from the pages. It makes the best funky letters, and they will be one of a kind! trace around the edge with a fine sharpie and even doodle a bit on the inner edge. instant amazing-ness.
don't forget to sew. a page really look "done" with a little stitching. also...practice your handwriting and JOURNAL! Find an inspiring shape {mine was a chipboard piece from Crate Paper...trace that shape over and over onto kraft paper, and cut them out. next: layer until you have the desired effect.}

use the small journaling letters from making memories to create a story on your page. they look great sanded or given dimension with glossy accents.

mix it up...if you usually scrap in 12x12: try an 81/2 x 11. It is a fun way to get another look to your designs

ooops. sideways shot. anyway...i love this layout for its simplicity. Many lines have a great piece of "lined journal" pages. just add your photo and a few embellishments , small sentiment and some trims...and its perfect. I framed this one for our office

not finished yet...but this funky picture of my Nana and I was taken in North Dakota. I caught her off guard and told her to look up! She was in the middle of eating a peanut and some of the shell is still on her tongue. As weird as this is...its not a perfect picture, but it is LIFE. It is part of the moment. Remember that, scrap a few of the funky ones...just so you can remember. Also, take notice of the "quilting" effect on the side. Very simple. Perfect for scraps.

So many paper lines have a built in edge that you can use, or a design that can easily be cut into a "paper trim". I love these ones by Sassafras Lass. Layer, sew and go! Easy layout about a funny picture. A.J had been chasing Peanut the dog around since he was able to crawl. She knows the danger of a small kid and how they love to pull...so she darts and runs away! But this split second in time, they came face to face...and we snapped a shot. It was like they forgot their roles for a split second {chaser and runner} and they paused...and then they were off again!

Punches are back baby! pull out those punches and dust them off. I love the scallop circle one... scallops are so it right now! Just punch and cut in half for a sweet little spin on a Christmas Tree.

take a looksy

2009-03-17T14:50:00.003-04:00

Sharing a few things around my house today...and a few things from in my headI love this collection on my bar top. An old light fixture serves as a candle holder... love turquoise and birds right now {as you can tell} and a plant that is thriving despite me.

dress up an old lamp before you decide to pitch it. What a great way to save some $ and express your personal style.

And yes...your eyes are not failing you. My tree is still up and I love it! and I think that I should share: its OK for you to leave your tree up all year round, and recently I decided that I am probably going to do just that.

{oh bebe} cards

2009-03-16T09:36:00.004-04:00

This is a good argument for keeping your scraps! I pulled together these sweet cards from a pile of scraps hanging out in my "scrap box". I just love the eclectic look this combination of colors gives. Also all the texture from the different trims, punches, staples and of course German foil storks. Also...I wanted to show you how I use the petite posies. I love them!

Check out the mini staples...if you haven't heard of these...you will adore them as we all do. The Italian Stapler comes in 5 lovely colors and fastens beautiful antique gold staples. Call the shop today to get onto our waiting list. They arrive {hopefully} the end of March!

Ooooh. See how sweet the Foil Storks are on this baby card! So chic and lovely, perfect for the special expecting mother. These would be great as shower invites, baby announcements or even just for a single card. Cards available also {already completed} at my etsy shop.

www. etsy.com then check out polkadotowl

{petite posies}

2009-03-16T09:23:00.003-04:00

They are back! These sweet vintage style posies are back in the boutique. Our favorite girls from McMaster and Storm met us for a lunch and chat! And hand delivered these favorites to us. There are 10 delicious colors to choose from...for $12 each. Jam packed...so you wont run out anytime soon, BUT you will want to collect all the lovely colors. Perfect addition for any cards or layout, a must have.

{countdown} 58 days

2009-03-10T09:35:00.005-04:00

Here it is...the first real hint of where we are moving to. It is a sweet little shop with loads of potential. We have lots of work to do before the grand opening. We cant wait! Can you guess where this may be? Let me know what you think...the reveal is coming soon. I just have to put my thinking cap on for a cutesy way to do it. P.S Only 58 days until the Grand Opening at the new location. So get yourself into the current location to savor the final days!

{sign up for our upcoming IN-STORE RETREATS. The last ones at that shop}

2009-03-10T09:23:00.002-04:00

Tip alert! We are making lots of changes at the new space. We even chose the color palette yesterday, which was very exciting. It went from a vision in my head to reality. Now I just cant wait to get my hands on a brush! The Benjamin Moore shop was a blast...and we left with colors like: Pale Avocado, Marry Me & Linen White.

trinkets and baubles

2009-03-10T09:14:00.003-04:00

as if my studio was not full enough...i was bit by the jewelry making bug. one day it just happened, i was gazing at a favorite bracelet of mine. then i happened over my jar of lovely pearls, beads and finds. i just started putting all these wonderful things together and voila = instant vintage appeal. we will have them available at the new shop...and on etsy.

check me out at http://www.polkadotowl.etsy.com/

above is turquoise and creme. below is marry me pink plus green.

{German Foil}

2009-03-06T07:36:00.005-05:00

she opened the box and exclaimed with joy, "hooray they have arrived!" everyone was looking at her in a very peculiar way...but SHE knew how exciting this was. she knew how lovely these German Foil Pieces are, and what she could do with them.

she was especially thrilled with the crowns and the storks. especially the storks. she has many friends whom are expecting, and what lovely invites these will make!

she also knew that once people started to collect these sweet little items, they will find it difficult to complete any project without one of these little joys. luckily, live.love.scrap has them in store NOW! the collection includes crowns, storks, alphabets, bicycles, birds and more

{aww}

2009-03-04T08:22:00.006-05:00

i woke this morning to a very sweet note from my guy...it was left on a vintage ruler i had on the kitchen table. {i was measuring vintage trims out} i have to admit, he typically leaves me a post-it somewhere in the house EVERY morning for me to discover. this one was so exceptionally cute i had to share it...

a quick glimpse at some vintage trims now available at the shop

another peek

eeeeeeekkkkk! I am so in love with this piece. it makes me feel like i am living in some New York loft or something. this is my latest addition to the family. a vintage "breakdown" wardrobe. you cant tell from this photo, but the vintage glass lamp hanging in the wardrobe is the sweetest color of peachy pink. ooooh. so lovely

and this little number...also a new addition. i found this couch with my dear mom on a vintage hunt. $60 later and some shabby blue paint, and it is now a treasured find. {i should say, it also took alot of prep time! lots of shampooing etc. has to be clean clean ya know}

{Vintage Trunk Show}

2009-03-02T09:20:00.003-05:00

{picture from country living, cabinet not in OUR sale...but items like this!}

we are saying goodbye to some beloved pieces of vintage furniture and finds. We will be having a super fun trunk show event at the shop {probably} on the weekend of our store anniversary, April 17 & 18. don't miss out on your chance to grab some super fun pieces to add into your studio. more details to come! we will update you if the tentative date changes!

yummy recipe

2009-03-02T09:11:00.002-05:00

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Prep: 10 min. If you love lots of frosting, double the recipe.
This recipe goes with Basic Layer Cake, Vanilla Cupcakes
Yield
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
Preparation:
1. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.
Note: Be sure to wash and thoroughly dry raspberries before adding to frosting.
Southern Living, MARCH 2009

{update}

2009-03-02T09:00:00.004-05:00

{picture from country living}
yep...we have the keys! the creative endeavor now begins. i will be working on the new space and cant wait for the huge reveal on May 9, 2009! I will be dropping a few hints of the new location every so often and i will reveal the actual LOCATION here on this blog and thru an email..."soonish".above is a little of what to expect....
vintage finds.

{Matilda Jane Clothing} = just too cute

2009-02-27T09:46:00.005-05:00

okay..first i must say. MATILDA JANE CLOTHING is just so stinkin cute, i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. they are coming out with the spring release on March1! I hope she doesn't mind, but i HAD to share some of these photos from the blog! I cant wait for the release....you can follow the link below on our blog to see HER BLOG ~ Matilda Jane! I wanted you to see all the pieces i must have and I am crossing my fingers that they come in ADULT sizes! The parties are just SO much fun, you can book your today with DENEE by emailing her at DKochersperger@MatildaJaneClothing.com

I just wish i could be as trendy as this adorable girl. i want to go look for some sweet pink pearls and tie some flowers in my hair immediately!

these pants above....I MUST HAVE! I love love them. I am crossing my fingers they come in adult sizes

and these too! I love these pants too

okay...and lastly. This little girl! It almost makes me want one! {my way to busy life right now of course would not allow it!} but I LOVE this little outfit. There is no quicker way to my heart than polkadots.

{cupcakes}

2009-02-27T09:15:00.004-05:00

yum! what else is there to say? well....beautiful. you could say that too! i have a huge LOVE for cupcakes. my sister has been taking a stab at making the GIANT cupcake for friends lately, which has gotten ME back into the baking mood too! you can purchase the GIANT cupcake pan at Micheal's i believe. it takes an entire cake mix to fill, but is so worth it.

i love the look of this sweet blue cupcake. i have to say, that exact color of seafoamy blue hits the spot for me. i have been drawn to it lately, in clothing...paper... furniture. everything! it must be because i am craving SPRING and that beautiful blue sky.

oh my! i adore this cake stand. i need to research and FIND it. does anyone know where it can be found? i also have a true LOVE for cake stands. i believe there are 4 displayed in my kitchen right now. some with avocados on them, some with candles. there is even one in my refrigerator holding grapes. i mean...presentation is everything right? and it makes for a sweet little display!
{both cupcake photos are from the country living website. check them out at www.countryliving.com}

progress

2009-02-27T08:43:00.005-05:00

can you guess what these photos have to do with the new location of live.love.scrap? yep. the floors. i thought i would give you a sneak peek of what i have been designing for the PLAN at the new space. more than likely, the old hardwood floors at this new space will be painted a beautiful cream color...so shabby! I am also toying with the idea of layering a very pale pink into the mix somehow. probably stripes.

these pics are from the country living website. what a great resource for inspiring ideas! you really should check it out if you have any future remodeling plans at www.countryliving.com

we are making lots of progress on the new space for the move. we have targeted a lot of FUN new items that we will carry in our "better than ever" boutique. i am getting more and more anxious as the days pass and i cant wait to get my hands on the new space! since you are so sweet to be interested with us here on this blog... i will let you know, we get the keys this coming Monday March 2. hooray!

{just in}

2009-02-27T08:35:00.002-05:00

i just love the new Jenni Bowlin products. they have recently arrived at live.love.scrap! Her new vintage button collection is so cute and have rhinestones in the center. the new alphabet stickers are my favorite though...some are polkadots, some are ledger and there is even some with words inside. check them out!

{mom}

2009-02-17T13:45:00.002-05:00

Mom stopped by. We took some fun pics...then off to lunch

around the house

2009-02-17T09:29:00.009-05:00

thought i would share a few snaps of some things around my home.it is a work in progress and in all honesty... i am ready to sell this place and find my dream {cottage}... someday. in my studio.

flowers from my dear dad. such a thoughtful man {love}

a little collage for my bathroom. i was sick of the plain walls and wanted something to see while taking a bath

peeking down from upstairs. yep, my floors are painted white

recently finished extra room. my fabric was overflowing my studio...now it has its own room

another collage. this one graces my bedside with its presence.

a favorite find for my super huge obsession {bedding} . love this old attic staircase. it is just right.

how cute is he? i don't get cutesy for holidays...but he made the list for a simple showing of Easter spirit.

and him? well he is {the owl}. a present from one of my dearest friends. and the new logo for live.love.scrap. as we make our new move and transformation

{learning}

2009-02-17T08:44:00.002-05:00

I really need to figure out photoshop one of these days... It is one of those things I REALLY want to know, and also am aware that once I do{like sewing on a page}...I will never be the same.I did figure out the basic photo editing program on my computer. Had some fun with the aging tool as you can see. loved it.

{elementary I know. I'm learning}

We took a little day to ourselves on this past Saturday...Valentines Day. We gave each other small important gifts that really meant something.

We took our pups to the "bark park". Adventure and a half. I think it may take a bit of practice to get used to doggie park rules. We were the maniacs barking at everyone and making a muddy mess.

{Still fun though}

Theo right before his haircut. long overdue.

{share}

2009-02-13T10:19:00.003-05:00

Just had to share this. I was perusing through the blogs I heart today and I saw this adorable layout by a Cosmo Cricket designer {Natasja}. What a clever idea...just use the leftover background from you chipboard sets! I KNOW I have this set, and I believe we still have a few at the shop. What a perfect way to do a "school days" layout or whatever! I just love love love it. Also, take a looksy at the way she made a little flower from circles. A must try technique!

Valentines Day

2009-02-13T09:57:00.006-05:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day. Take this time to show those around you how much you care! I wanted to share with you some sweet little things I recently found/completed:

I love this music sheet booklet. I found it at Bittersweet Antiques here in town. The stripes in the background are so amazing! I am really on a huge stripe kick right now.

I quickly scanned in some layouts for you. These are showing as 8x11's...but are actually 12x12's. I am working from home today and the big scanner is at the shop. But you get the idea. Tip: I have been using left over fabric on my layouts for added texture. Quite lovely. And addicting!

Use a small stamp element over and over to create a larger one. Ex: I used a small October Afternoon branch stamp over and over to create a larger TREE for this Nature Layout about A.J

Punches and deckle scissors are back! My favorites are just plain old pinking-shears and the scallop border punch from Fiskars. It is actually called "treading water" and we sell it at the shop!

{be inspired}

2009-02-10T20:44:00.003-05:00

Follow our link to a cottage industry's blog. she is so clever, and i love her blog. I even found this sweet little idea on her page. I think I may create another to send to Nate on Valentines Day....

http://www.redkid.net/generator/soup/

{keeping busy}

2009-02-10T20:20:00.002-05:00

Just a small note about keeping busy... I really feel blessed that I have so many enjoyments in my life. I love the many creative outlets I have and what it means to me. With RE/MAX, I really enjoy helping others find HOME! I love seeing all the houses we tour and the vision of what they could be! With live.love.scrap, I am able to help people preserve memories and design with my ideas. Both are extremely rewarding.

There is much to be said for keeping busy:

1. You feel satisfied at the end of the day that you accomplished something

2. Your head hits the pillow and you fall asleep

3. There isn't enough time to sit and over eat! {whew!}

If there is anyway that I can be of assistance to anyone, just give me a buzz! I would love to help you find your next home! And I would be more than willing to help you with your next project vision. I even occasionally do home calls for interior design {See you soon Denee!}

Graphic 45

2009-02-10T20:15:00.002-05:00

Its here! Graphic 45 has arrived at live.love.scrap. It is so very cute and moving fast. Look at this sweet little mini album and layout from their blog! So many possibilities. check them out at http://www.g45papers.com/

{delicious}

2009-02-10T20:03:00.002-05:00

This is NOT a great picture....but this is my lovely new chaise lounge! My mom and I found this sweet little corduroy number while vintage shopping. It is in great condition, super comfy, and perfect for my new office! More photos to come of my new office...

{i would love to hear of other blogs that you guys have discovered, please comment... and share the info!}

Spill Your Heart Out!!!!!

2009-02-07T23:42:00.005-05:00

Now, don't you wish you were here?

Our Grand Prize winner, Kacellia is glad she came!

Check out even more specialty crops coming soon!

Screaming?

2009-02-06T12:18:00.003-05:00

I absolutely LOVE this little vintage find. It makes me smile every time I look at it beside my desk. What does it have to do with? Who knows! But I think it is so very sweet and very funny. I kinda feel like that lately...like anyone could push MY button and I would possibly just SCREAM. I think my plate has been just a bit full and my mind is on alot of things. I am all over the place with the shop and Real Estate... but when all is said and done, I kinda enjoy the chaos. Just watch out, I still may scream! Hehe. I have a few things to run by you...

1. I would like to create a "SIGNIFICANT OTHER" E-MAILING LIST. It is my solution to the "perfect gift" problem. I would like to gather emails of those who would like to be notified when we have a great idea/promo for special events, holidays etc... they would only get an email every few months (so it wouldn't be bothersome) and it would ONLY go to them... so they could surprise their dear ones with something from the boutique. Like?

2. We are currently running a sweet little promo at live.love.scrap... for valentines day, you can receive the cutest little packaged gift certificate from us, you just have to let that special someone know! (and next time, if they are on the NEW email list, you don't have to be the middleman. what a surprise!)

This weekend

2009-02-04T08:18:00.002-05:00

This weekend is the "Spill your heart out CROP" at livelovescrap! I am so excited for this event! We are going to have lots of sweet treats to snack on... and tons of fun! I will be doing a few fun things at the crop to prepare you for this upcoming holiday of VALENTINES DAY:

1. We will be making 2 cards. You will learn some new techniques, INCLUDING the one above... which is making these delicious dimensional flowers!

2. I will have 2 other projects out for display for INSPIRATION to complete a wonderful gift for your honey. One will be a layout, that can be mounted to chipboard or canvas and hung! (if you are interested in this idea, come with 1-2 large photos (5x7 or 6x8). Another project will be a small mini album... bring about 10 photos for this one. I will be doing mine in all black&white. You can do whatever you wish!

The big MOVE

2009-02-03T09:21:00.003-05:00

Isn't this card cute? It was created using NEW Cosmo Cricket paper, lovely silk ribbon from the shop and sweet BASIC GREY stamps. Stop by the store to pick up these items, ALSO.... I now have items in my shop at etsy.com (the place for all things vintage and handmade)!

Feel free to stop in there and shop too

polkadotowl.etsy.com

AND BY THE WAY...

We are getting closer and closer to finalizing details of our live.love.scrap BIG MOVE! We met with the building owner yesterday to hammer out more details and we should be able to announce the LOCATION soon! I do have a few details I can announce:

1. Our GRAND OPENING is tentatively scheduled for MAY 9, 2009!

2. I am so INSPIRED I can hardly stand it!

3. We are going to be even BETTER than ever!

4. We have some amazing VINTAGE displays on order that everyone will LOVE!

lovely things

2009-01-30T08:00:00.007-05:00

What a lovely surprise.

Myself, Mom, and Terri spent a few days at "429" creating projects for the upcoming move, for etsy and for live.love.scrap OF COURSE! All possible because of this beautiful snow storm and school closings! What a better time than a snow day to get all your projects complete!

We are all set up for a girls weekend of designing. Our friends are joining and we are getting too excited to bear it! What a LOVELY thing.

I love the snow. It is such a serene and beautiful experience. lovely.

A few peeks at an on-going project of mine. I have a big love for sweet little banners. I have one from Moda that I absolutely adore, it is a Happy Birthday one and I hang it whenever I get a chance....in fact, it is difficult for me to remove it, and it usually graces us with birthday cheer for about a month each time! Anyway.... I decided to make a few of my own. This one will be from paper...vintage music mostly. I also plan to make a few fabric ones as well. What fun! I cant wait to hang one in my studio. Where it can grace me with its presence ALWAYS!

A lovely glass container from McMaster and Storm. I am not sure what to place in it yet... but for now it houses my altered book about "snow days"; how appropriate.

Quick tip:

paint little frames to showcase a favorite image, picture or anything you love. I gave it several coats, but still let the gold show through in certain areas. I also used these frames at a dinner party we had. I took the cute little making memories ledger stickers and created a "desserts" "beverages" "entrees" etc in each one. It was so cute in front of each section. Have fun!

New Projects

2009-01-27T10:04:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I had alot of things to do on my list... the first of which was GET MY HAIR DONE! I am really having fun with the new "dark" me, but the "do-it yourself" products just were not cutting it! They continued to keep fading out into a yucky color I cant even describe. So... I took some advice of a dear friend and hit up the "Designs by Tanya" Salon in Enon, Ohio. What a great little place! It has all the charm that I love and HEATHER did an amazing job! Thanks again Heather... and Allison for the recommendation.

I also had alot of ideas swirling around in my head... I couldn't wait to put them into use and onto paper. I have been designing alot with so many new things.... here is a sneak peek.

Love our NEW nesting fill. It is great for packaging, home decor and I even decided to create a little NEST on my latest page. Very simple! I just added a few pearls and wa-la... instant nest.

I have also been obsessed with folding tags over the edge of my layouts for a very sweet layering effect. I have especially been loving anything bronzy-gold and our new tags by twogirlzstuff... a local very talented designer, Aja. These will be in the shop very soon!

I think I mentioned before I love the new DEER trend. I have been using it quite a bit! Sweet little A.J is perfect for this little sentiment...what a dear heart. I also am very inspired by flocked paper, so very vintage.

Remember to layer lots of trims and ribbons on your page. I also threw a bit of fabric on this for some texture! This layout had LOTS of texture actually... between the flocked paper, trims and fabric scraps - it was tough to find a journaling surface!

These new flowers are bound to make several appearances on my pages... I watched the great little YouTube clip on Cosmo Crickets blog. I love making these... check out the link to their blog for instructions!

Velvet trims, gold crowns and painted cardboard scraps...

and of course as I said - those flowers!

Add a few pearls or rhinestones for a lovely center.

Spring is here

2009-01-24T08:47:00.002-05:00

Now that Spring is just around the corner...that means so is CHA. For those of you that are not familiar with CHA... it is the Craft and Hobby Association. They put on 2 big conventions each year, and that is where all the companies gather to showcase NEW RELEASES. Well, hooray... the preordering has begun! We just finished ordering the 3 new lines from Crate Paper's New Spring 2009. These included Little Sprout, Lillian and Orbit. All 3 are just tooo cute. As designers, we LOVE Crate's stuff! The paper is the most beautiful texture. If you have not tried it, stop by the store and pick some up! Happy creating and we will keep you posted.

Matilda Jane

2009-01-23T10:05:00.006-05:00

Matilda Jane Clothing! I love it sooo much. I have a sweet friend Denee... she is the local trunk keeper for "Matilda Jane"... and she hosts the most wonderful events so you can purchase these wonderful and unique items! The line has recently expanded, she has adorable girl and boys clothes. They even have a women's line now too! You really should consider booking a trunk show with Denee... WARNING though, you will become addicted! It is on my top 5 list of addictions that get me into trouble! Call Denee... she books up quickly! DKochersperger@MatildaJaneClothing.com

http://www.matildajaneclothing.com/

http://www.matildajane.typepad.com/

I just love the Matilda Jane blog. She has such a beautiful eye for photography and they are so fun! I love this picture of this trunk and her toes... Her polish is so cute! I am trying to be more creative and refined in my photography this year. I think it might even be time for a class! Maybe when everything slows down! But for now I am going to try and give myself some challenges... TRY: to take a photo at an object below you. Make it something unexpected an interesting. Something maybe we all overlook that can be beautiful. I would love to see/hear how that goes for you.

Country Home

2009-01-23T09:24:00.004-05:00

Last night... very late, I had to make a grocery run because we were out of MILK! This is like a nightmare in our house! So I picked up this Country Home magazine in the checkout. I wanted to share with everyone just how inspiring this issue is! There are so many fun ideas for vintage displays, places to shop online, and even amazing labels to download. Check it out! I would buy the issue and get online at www.countryhome.com

get organized

2009-01-20T20:59:00.004-05:00

Whew, my studio looks like a whirlwind came through. It doesn't really matter how "tidy" I make it though... it only takes a few moments once I start working to mess it all up again. However, I would like to share with you a few tips to keep you inspired and productive. Even if you are like me... and mess all your CLEAN progress up right away, it is still important to START tidy.

1. Train yourself to pick everything up after you complete your project or work for the day. When you arrive at your space the next time, you can start fresh with a clean and uncluttered area. This will keep you from being overwhelmed, and your creativity can bloom unhindered.

2. Find a really great "organizer" piece. I LOVE this one pictured above. It holds so many small items and has lots of places to label each section. The top has an adorable scallop edge and it spins! This type of storage is key to keeping you cleaned up and it is easy access to the items you need.

3. A scrap BOX. Probably hands down, THE essential in my studio. It is a vintage tray that is very large. The important thing is to make sure it is much bigger than 12x12. I believe mine is 20x20. It is also probably 5 inches deep. I can easily toss any scraps large or small into this roomy open box and they do not become damaged. It is easy to access ( right behind my workspace) and I grab from it to make a quick card or so.

I really like the "deer" trend we have been seeing lately. I have created several quick projects with sweet DEAR sentiments on them. "I love you my dear" "you are so dear to me" etc...
Very fun.

What an amazing discovery. This sweet bolt of vintage ricrac has about 300 yards of delightfulness on it. So lovely!

Just Perfect

2009-01-18T21:41:00.002-05:00

Let that loved one in your life know..."yes, a gift certificate from live.love.scrap is just the perfect way to show you love me"

Cosmo Cricket

2009-01-14T20:25:00.002-05:00

I know... I screamed too! I am so excited about Cosmo Cricket's 2 NEW lines that are shipping to live.love.scrap as we speak. Also, check out the other fun all-NEW lines that arrived at live.love.scrap today! Including Little Yellow Bicycle, Making Memories, Fancy Pants and MOREI cant decide which line I like better, I am just glad I have a niece and a nephew! Also, since my childhood nickname is Katiebug... that is so convenient for the "Girl Friday" line!

Be sure to go to www.cosmocricket.com to preview the line... it will be in store any day now!

We have all been talking about the lack of any CUTE sea creature lines! Well here it is... so super cute. I just might need to take a vacation to somewhere Ocean-y!

Where have we been?

2009-01-13T10:28:00.003-05:00

We are still here! Apologies for the massive amount of time with NO POSTING! live.love.scrap is still in the picture, and stronger than ever! We just recently announced that we will be making a MOVE this year... it is TRUE. Please be patient, the location will be announced when the time is appropriate. We appreciate all of our loyal customers... and would like to say this. Wherever we move to, we are confident you will LOVE, I mean ABSOLUTELY LOVE the transformation. Of course it will be DIFFERENT, change is GOOD and NECESSARY sometimes. But know this, we are even more INSPIRED than EVER before, and we will make this new JOURNEY worth the while. You know what to expect from us, and we plan to deliver! If you LOVE our current style... expect to see even more VINTAGE, BOUTIQUE PRODUCTS, and an overall better INSPIRING EXPERIENCE. You will not be disappointed. Please continue to check our website, keep up on the blog, and stop by the store. New items will be arriving everyday. We thank you for your continued support. This holiday season was a tough one, everyone had to reflect upon the current economic situation and PINCH accordingly... and we were no exception. NEW items and the same favorites are IN STORE now, and we are so happy that you continue to choose US! We are happy to help you in your creative journey... check out the "more space" than ever in our crop room. We can help you with ideas and product, book your crop today! Even in tougher times, it is important to preserve your memories! See you soon.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!

2008-11-29T14:36:00.011-05:00

Christmas is, by far, my favorite holiday and it has been ever since I can remember. I am getting ready to celebrate my 24th Christmas and I consider myself so lucky to have friends and family that enjoy this season as much as me and are as excited as I am to share the joys of the season.

I love baking cookies and my family is so indulgent of my "cookie days", a full day when the kitchen is out-of-bounds to anyone not willing to "pass me that teaspoon" or "check that batch in the oven, I think they're burning!". I usually have my baking days at my parent's house because it comes equipped with four fluffy vacuum cleaners, a.k.a. Otis, Prissy, Coco, and Danny!

Isn't Prissy the cutest thing ever?!

There's nothing better after a long day in the kitchen, than piling up a plate with all my sugary creations and sitting down with some hot tea and a great movie! My mom and I are addicted to movies from the 40's and 50's and would probably watch "White Christmas" and "It's A Wonderful Life" once a day if my dad and brother would let us. Since they like a little more variety in their movie-viewing, we like to break up the so-called monotony with "The Polar Express", "Scrooge, The Musical", and one of our newer favorites, "Black Adder's A Christmas Carol". (We searched for it for years! My mom finally found it on eBay, along with the adorable "A Wish For Wings That Work" which is a holiday tale with the cartoon characters, Opus and Bill.) My family is never in want of a good holiday movie... we actually have an entire DVD case devoted to them!

I think everyone here at the store is pretty excited about the holidays, too... especially since I have started bombarding them with my collection of Christmas music! If you need to hear some good Christmassy tunes, just stop in and you're bound be serenaded by Sinatra or Bing or even Tom Hanks! We have started decorating around here, too in order to supply you with endless inspiration!

Katie put this card together for our "Black Friday" Make 'n' Take!

We have a few fun events coming up this month for the holidays. This first is our fabulous "Santa's Workshop" which should be tons of fun! Get all your holiday shopping done in the Workshop and find all kinds of wonderful creations by local artisans! The Workshop will be open the whole month of December, so stop by and see what you can see!

We will also be having a photography day soon! (More info coming soon!) This will be the opportune time for you to get your Christmas portraits done for this year! We have a really amazing background planned, starting with this amazing sleigh...

That gorgeous thing is 101 years old and is just waiting to be decorated for the photo shoot! The Yates's have adopted it and re-finished it and aren't we glad! Stop by the store often to see what other holiday goodies we have in store for you! And don't forget to make the very best of the season!

Love, Stephanie!

Where I have been???

2008-10-23T08:07:00.007-04:00

Hi all! Wow, has it been a whirlwind month for the Vanderbergs!

Addie had her third homecoming, just one more to go until she's off to college! She looked amazing and of course had a wonderful time with all of her friends!

We went camping where a pasture of poison ivy attacked my leg. Can you believe that??? This is Vandy drying off from the poison ivy scrub. I, of course, wasn't that lucky. I scrubbed and scrubbed, but still I managed to get a pretty healthy dose of the nasty weed. And fooey on clorox, it burned and it still didn't go away for a week and a half.When we got back from our adventureous camping trip I threw a bachelorette party and our son got married the following weekend!

This is Justin, the son, and his new bride Marianna talking to his sister in Mali! It was a beautiful event and I have to say, Pumpkin Squash Lasagna at the Winds Cafe in Yellows Springs is to die for ... only the month of October, so get in there before the month is over! And below is a picture of me and Vandy all dressed up. Remember me mentioning the poison ivy, well it doesn't feel any better when you have to put on a pair of nylons with your fancy dress! Needless to say, by 10:00pm I had a run in my stockings! Soooooo ........ enough of that ...

Now we are preparing for the Fall Retreat! Yippeeeeeeee ..... Can you believe it is only a couple weeks away! Do you have all your projects ready? Remember just like in girl scouts .. be prepared! We will be having special trips to the store for great retreat savings! Katie and I are also teaching two mini classes, an earlybird and nightowl on Saturday .. guess who is teaching the earlybird!!! Also, we will be making Tim Holtz necklaces for only $5! Addie had me make them for each of her BFF's for Christmas this year and they are so fun and cute!

AND for all you digi people, we finally got Prima's digi stuff in and Michelle will be teaching those classes in the upcoming months! So look for them .... I'll post a sample or two here in the next couple days! Until then .. happy scrapping! ~ Allison

Scrap Pink THANK YOU!

2008-10-04T15:14:00.002-04:00

We would like to extend a special THANK YOU to all our fabulous
customers for supporting Scrap Pink 2008 at live.love.scrap. We had
so much fun raising money for the Susan G. Komen foundation and
we couldn't have done it without you! We also want to thank all
the businesses that helped us out with their generous donations!
.
City BBQ
Xenia Kroger
Fairborn Kroger
Fairborn Carry-Out Pizza Hut
.
Scrap Pink 2008 was great success thanks to a wonderful
community coming together to give back! Thanks again!

"The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy." ~Streep

2008-09-18T16:50:00.008-04:00

Scrap Pink is in a little over one week and we are all so excited to play such a special part in the fight against breast cancer. Most of us here have had our lives touched by this horrible disease, whether through family or friends, and we know many of you have endured alongside mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. Because breast cancer effects so many, we want to allow for every opportunity we can to support wonderful organizations like Susan G. Koman for the Cure.

We still have a few spaces available for the Scrap Pink Crop. In addition to a fabulous day of scrapbooking and spending time together, a portion of each crop fee will be donated to Komen for the Cure. We will also be hosting a luminaria ceremony after dark to show support for the victims and survivors of this disease. (Crop is Saturday, September 27th from 10am-2am. Please call us if you have questions or want to sign up!)

If you want to contribute even more it's as easy as buying a raffle ticket! We were surprised with a very generous donation from the brand new Hilton Garden Inn in Beavercreek and we are raffling off this fabulous prize during Scrap Pink! Raffle tickets are only $1 each or get 6 for just $5! All proceeds will go to to Komen for the Cure! The winner will receive a one night stay in a romantic suite at the Hilton Garden Inn, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and more! There is no limit to the number of ticket you may purchase and you do not have the be present to win! This is such a simple way to show your support for breast cancer research and treatment and you never know... you may be the winner! (Drawing will be held at 2pm on Saturday, September 27th. Winner will be notified immediately.)

Breast cancer makes an impression on all of us in ways big and small. We can fight back just as hard. Scrap Pink gives us the opportunity to combine something we love with a cause we feel so strongly about. Let's take this chance to come together with our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends to enjoy our time together and lend our strength to the battle against breast cancer.

Glitter, Sparkle and Flirt

2008-09-08T16:29:00.013-04:00

What is she talking about they wondered... Glitter, Sparkle and Flirt? What does that have to do with anything? Then they realized.... that is exactly what we did this weekend! Two full days of scrapping with beautiful paper, amazing projects and SEXY GUYS. We made our way through 5 cards, 2 pages and a mini album with GLITTER on our paper, SPARKLE in our eyes, and FLIRTING in the air! Remember, DON'T MISS any live.love.scrap events... you never know what we will have up our sleeve. Amazing ideas, Giveaways, Prizes, SOMETIMES EVEN GOOD-LOOKING MEN!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

SCRAPPINK September 27

FALL RETREAT November 7-9

A peek at our MY MINDS EYE project we completed

this weekend. We had such a great time, and the scrapping wasn't bad either!

There new line is amazing and it is moving quick. All the paper is complete with glitter accents and sweet patterns. The accessories are great too, they even have ink now to top it all off! Cover of the book, adorned with MY MINDS EYE die-cut and ADHESIVE glitter chipboard letter. ALREADY ADHESIVE!

VERY CUTE

I loved the way they layered the transparencies over each photo mat. All their Chipboard accents are adhesive too!

They also made clever little pockets through-out the book to hold cute tags and such. SPARKLE SPARKLE SPARKLE.

I LOVED these cards. We made these in the My Minds Eye class and they were just beautiful. Let me say, this paper is PERFECT for card makers. It is very thick and has a subtle touch of glitter, plus all the title pieces make a quick and easy card!

Again, I used the NEW My Minds eye paper line. It is moving fast so bop on in to get yours! The rubons and titles worked perfect for the look I was trying to achieve. (the bird is their rubon)

Also new in the store is the stamps pictured below. They are perfect for the traditional stamper and make wonderful cards. Each kit comes complete with the stamp, rhinestones and 5 Kraft cards and envelops. Our very own Terri Ginter designed this card ... she was amazed at how SIMPLE AND BEAUTIFUL it turned out.

There are lots to choose from, you'll love it. (perfect gift idea)

On an ending note: isn't he just adorable!

This is Nate's nephew Aiden (so i guess kinda mine too). We rarely get to spend time with them and I just couldn't help but take a million photos of him. We spent a week in Myrtle Beach and had a blast. I had to scrap him right away. Precious.

(This is the new October Afternoon paper.... LOVE IT)

Boys of Summer

2008-09-03T20:20:00.005-04:00

Ladies!!! It is getting so close to FRIDAY!!! We received the new My Mind's Eye lines (Laundry .. snickering, Halloween and Christmas) this past weekend and it is FABULOUS!!!!!! I am not kidding, I can barely contain my excitement ... I really am just sharing this information rather quickly right now, so I can go into my studio and play play play!!! Below is a picture from our Annapolis trip (day two of the Buffett adventure in Maryland))

Oh and I also wanted to share this picture ... gotta love a man in uniform, but in this case, they looked very "boyish".

Okay, so off I go ... see you all FRIDAY!!!

The winner and our concert pics

2008-08-31T10:58:00.004-04:00

Here I am at the Jimmy Buffett concert in Baltimore .... four hours before the show. It was HOT!! We had so much fun tailgating with the few other thousand Parrotheads! And the show was AMAZING!!!!! Once I learn how to download pictures from my camera phone I might be able to share a photo or two of the actual show! Jimmy Buffett was so genuine and fun and everything you hear about from Buffett fans!

Congrats Ruth! I bet that basket made your day! I hope you find lots of fun things to do in your basket and enjoy the vintage laundry basket as well!

August Challenge Winner!

2008-08-30T15:51:00.003-04:00

Meet Ruth, our August Challenge winner! Ruth won a fabulous vintage basket full of all kinds of goodies, just for being an active live.love.scrapper! She was so excited and said she earned her winning ticket when she came in to crop for her birthday! So, Happy Belated Birthday, Ruth and Congratulations!

Getting Ready for The Labor Day Weekend Show and a drawing

2008-08-30T09:51:00.005-04:00

Hello all! Well, we made it to Baltimore yesterday and now are preparing for our fun filled Jimmy Buffett concert this evening .... as you can see we brought plenty of goodies to wear and of course I will upload some pictures tomorrow to share our great adventure with you. Christy and Ben, our oldest and her husband, bought us Jimmy Buffett tickets for my birthday and Father's Day .. the only catch, we had to come see them in Baltimore! It was a great drive from Ohio (Addie gets to stay with Papaw and will receive the standard issue Buffett concert tshirt when we arrive home).

And back to store news ... I can't wait to get the call to see who the lucky winner is of the $500 basket!!! I am sure it will be enjoyed ... sorry I have to miss the festivities there! Keep coming back to the site to see the exciting things we are blogging just about every day and don't forget to sign up for the Boys of Summer crop next weekend! It is going to be amazing!!!!

Until tomorrow ..... Allison

Labor Day Weekend

2008-08-26T13:31:00.002-04:00

The fourth person from the left is my mother. She had the most beautiful smile and genuine heart. She was dedicated to her family and her profession .. she was a RN and college professor in nursing and also was an officer in the USAF. And back in the 1960's .. that was really something! The reason I am sharing all of this is she was an amazing American .. true through and through .. as well as a strong believer in EQUAL rights, no matter gender, race, religion or anything else .... and well I think Labor Day is a great day to remember all she stood for and believed in .. and just how hard she worked ... as a wife, mother, sister, daughter, nurse, volunteer, teacher, and all the other caps she wore. (She did love the traditions of nursing. Here are a couple interesting websites about the nursing pinning and uniform ... http://www.hackley.org/about/history/nurses_cap.php and http://www.civilization.ca/hist/infirm/inint01e.html

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. The holiday originated in 1882 as the Central Labor Union (of New York City) sought to create "a day off for the working man". Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894. Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day
So anyway, I am not ready for the end of summer and I hope I didn't bore you with the links .. I think they are all very interesting ... and I am not ready for the end of summer! So with all of that being said, I am off to "a Labor Day Weekend show" (name the man that made that line famous .. can you sing along with me?) Have a great weekend everyone ... I hope to blog before I go, but just in case ... Allison!

Maya Road is in the House

2008-08-25T07:35:00.003-04:00

I love these lil keychains from Maya Road!! They are made of chipboard and Maya Road also has a stamp set that matches them perfectly! I used a Technique Tuesday alphabet stamp set for the lettering and just look how cute they are! The actually TT stamps have words within the letter -- like G has genuine, gallant, girl, giggle, give, glorious within the letter. I also had a "Z is for" zebra chipboard card, but Vandy (my husband) swiped it up to send to our daughter in the PeaceCorp .. in Africa!!! I couldn't be upset with him, he obviously was showing good taste in his decision of selecting one of my new creations. (lol)

Katie has created a darlin cupcake book (another Maya Road product) out of the large cupcake mini book for an upcoming class in September which is adorable! You might want to check out the website and get registered for her class, it will fill up fast .... and speaking of filling up fast, can you believe the Boys of Summer will be here in two weeks? It is going to be a blast!!!! Get signed up before all the spaces are gone, this weekend won't last long! I am so jazzed about hanging out with these guys for a number of reasons. They are easy on the eyes for one (giggling). Secondly, they are so creative with the product that My Mind's Eye puts out and we are getting all new product early because we booked this amazing weekend for all of you! And last, but not least, I get to spend the weekend with my favorite livelovescrap ladies and that is always a treat for me! So, get registered so we can play together on the 5th and 6th of September!

Gracie & The Boys

2008-08-22T14:29:00.015-04:00

Okay, i must say. I love her! She was soooo close to being in my studio at home, but I knew she needed everyone to love her too! We plan to start "dressing" her with fun ideas soon, so stop by and check us out. P.S... I even named her Gracie. Thats how much I adore her!So, where do "THE BOYS" come into play? HERE. They come to PLAY HERE at live.love.scrap! Hooray. What i mean is.... "The Boys of My Minds Eye" are coming to live.love.scrap on September 5 & 6! They are flying all the way from Utah just to see our store and teach classes! They will be teaching classes and cropping with us the whole time! The cost is only $99 and that includes all three of your classes (card class, layout & mini album) PLUS all your cropping for Friday and Saturday and LUNCH on Saturday! Sign up quick!

Just out... My "sprinkled with fun" cupcake mini album. Check it out at the store, I think you'll LOVE it. Perfect for a gift or to scrap your favorite birthday celebration. Cost $24

These just arrived. SOOOO awesome Maya Road stamps... get them while they last! Plus, check out below what you can do with these little guys. Also available are Zoo chipboard pieces that coordinate with the stamps perfectly for only $1.29

So cute!

These are a NEW obsession of mine. I LOVE these sweet little flowers. Cost is only $2 for a sweet little bunch. perfect for cards, layouts, home decor and more! Check out below how many projects I used them with.

LOVE this little book. They are sweet storybooks from Fancy Pants. I may have alreay spoken of these, but I had to share again. Yay! ( notice little flowers! wink wink)

I loved this idea from the last show. A designer in the Jenni Bowlin booth had used the tickets as "tabs" to turn the page. I of course had to do it as well! You can use any little find for a page tab!

Cute October Afternoon paper coming soon! I even used the little flowers on this "winter page". Get them while they are here, cause once they are gone... we may not be able to find them again!

Check out all the delicious NEW ribbon/trim that has arrived. So many wonderful textures.... new velvet, awesome silks. LOVE it.

PICTURED BELOW = MOUTH WATERING SILK RIBBON

I thought I would leave you with this final note. I have been adding a little crown to almost everyone lately. Everyone looks a little better with some FANCY dont you agree?

Yellow Springs Sunshine

2008-08-22T07:29:00.005-04:00

Sunflowers on Route 68! I just love them and wanted to share a little of my sunshine with you this morning! I know it is early, but I am on my way to livelovescrap to see all the new Ranger products that came in yesterday! I am so excited about busting out some new supplies and experimenting with some totally cool techniques! I will be sure to post them tomorrow, so be sure to check back in or stop by the store to see what's brand spanking new!! Have a wonderful sunflowery day! - Allison

My Studio Makeover

2008-08-20T12:38:00.002-04:00

I am so excited about my studio ya'll!

A couple weeks ago I was suffering from creativeblahiness (like that word? lol) and it got so bad, I just shut my studio door. I whined (I know you can't believe I would whine, but I did). I whined enough that Katie and Kathy came over to "organize" me and rid me of the creativeblahiness. Well, I went from whining to crying because we "cleaned". If you have ever reorganized with Katie and Kathy, one has a trash pile, the other has a goodwill pile and I of course have a "BUT I NEED THAT, maybe not today, but someday" studio. So a shopping spree later (for my wallcovering), about 4 economy TRASH bags and 6 hours ... voila ... a beautiful studio for me to be inspired in!!

And I now never want to leave it. I didn't work right away, it took me about three days of sheer admiration, just walking in, looking around and smiling. I even did a few princess twirls just for giggles ... I still can't believe it's MY beautiful studio. This must be how those people feel on HGTV when Vern Yip does a makeover! It's true what they say ... organization and a clean workspace makes you so much more productive, not to mention the inspiration!

I have brought in some of my latest creations, stop in the store and check them out ... as well as take a gander at the NEW Maya Road shipment that just went out today!! We have some very cool things coming in from the show, I don't want you to miss them!!!

Happy cropping!

Second Time Around

2008-08-19T09:46:00.005-04:00

My garden angel ... Good morning ladies! It's Allison here .. for the second time this morning. I had all of these new pictures uploaded and the most eloquent text until, you guessed it, my silly computer talked back to me! Imagine my frustration! So, one more try for good measure as my mother use to say to all of us! The angel is a gift from one of my favorite aunts in Mississippi -- Aunt Ronda .. and she says "fill your garden with (oops I can't read it, be right back) "fill your garden with the beauty of flowers and the songs of birds" .. the angel is on this really cool potting bench (I am holding that photo back) that my husband bought for me out on route 68. Below is another corner of my potting bench with the succulents Kathy, Katie and I picked up on one of our trips to a little market in Springfield. They are so cute!!!

And speaking of song birds ... I finally spotted the little woodland creature that has been hammering away in our backyard all summer. I ventured out to water my poor dehydrated flowers since our little town seems to not be in the path of any rain this month and heard Woody pounding away. It was quite easy to spot him, as my darling husband had our maple trees butchered (let's not go there this morning either).

He has a friend that came out to play with him too, but he was moving way to fast for me to snap a picture, especially before 7am!
And here is the final picture this morning .. a look at one of our once well manicured flowerbeds. What I want you to really notice is the pink and green plant on either side of the white butterfly bush. It is called a mole bean plant or castor bean. Highly poisonous they say, however I have no intentions of boiling up and chowing down on the beans it is producing. The tale goes that farmers and gardeners use to grow these plants and pop a few beans in the mole holes to take care of the pesty little things. I just think they are lovely with beautiful fall color!

Well ladies, that is it for me this morning! I hope you all have a fabulous day and we'll talk soon!

Oh yes, she replied. Anything can be a hat.

2008-08-04T11:12:00.000-04:00

Yes. Anything can be a hat when you need it to be. Allison whipped out a great idea just in the nick of time and we proceeded to wear a Fiskars tote as a rain shield! CHA = INSPIRATION. What a blast. It is amazing how a short 5 hour drive can turn into a LONG 10 hour adventure with 6 snack crazy/ shopping frenzy ladies. (Sherri & Carol not pictured) The six of us had a great time though and brought back so many ideas to share!

(Layout by Prima Designer)
Digital World here we come. Prima has done it again. They have stunned us with this great new "Hybrid" product. The above pictured layout is completed using a new digital CD that is designed to coordinate with real embellishments. This will take your breathe away. Call the store to sign up with Michelle, she will be walking you through the digital world starting this Fall with her "Digital Series Classes" It is the perfect way to combine the best of both worlds... traditional scrapping and the breathtaking digital too!

Sneak peak at my new birthday banner. I Love fabric and these banners are so fun to create. ( I purchased this one from MODA, but think if the possibilities with paper and fabric) Create your own for your next family celebration.

(Project by Jenni Bowlin Designer)

I thought I would share a few snapshots of some beautiful and inspiring projects from the show. Enjoy.

(project by Maya Road Designer)

Coming Soon. Cutest Ever Owl mini albums.

The price is right, I think they are available for between $2-$3! Owls are all the rage right now.

( Project by Pink Paislee Designer)

Think of all the adorable paper pumpkins you could make to set the mood for Halloween around your home! You better get started!

(project by Pink Paislee Designer)

I can easily say this may have been my favorite display at the entire show. This is how acrylic albums can look! Soooo cute.

More pics of acrylic album. This is the BRAND new line from Pink Paislee.

Arriving any moment at live.love.scrap

Try an acrylic album today. You will love it.

Jenni Bowlin. She truly inspires me. I spent alot of time ooohing and aaahing at her booth. I think she shares my love for vintage glass glitter. ITS BACK by the way. Vintage Glass Glitter is back at live.love.scrap.

( Project by Pink Paislee Designer)
Another super cute owl project. The paper should be arriving soon!

(Project by Maya Road Designer)

I love the way she used the glass glitter on this adorable door hanging. I think this is exactly what my door at home needs....

(Project by Cosmo Cricket Designer)

This new line from Cosmo Cricket called "jack's world" really caught my attention. It had a very vintage appeal to it. Perfect for you next school themed project!

(Project by October Afternoon Designer)

Deer, birds, owls... you see them everywhere. Yet, I still cant get enough!

The October Afternoon lines are OF COURSE too cute. Stop by live.love.scrap to get a peek of some layouts completed with the new paper.... expected top arrive any day.

(Project by Crate Paper Designer)

Crate Paper has all new lines shipping soon too. Check out their website for sneak peeks.

www.cratepaper.com

I want to leave you with this sweet shot of the cutest ever collage birds from Jenni Bowlin's booth. Go on and gather inspiration, look for vintage finds that make you smile.

Its a party

2008-05-19T11:31:00.000-04:00

Well, Nate's big bash went off without a hitch... Well there were a few, but that is to be expected! He acted surprised, which is all that matters! Now that everything is over, I can say that it was lots of fun making the plans and keeping them a secret. ( I was so stressed before the party that I couldn't say I was enjoying it!) There will be more photos to come, but I thought I would share with you a few memorable moments. I made this "cake" for a few reasons... 1. He doesn't really like cake. 2. I could use my crafting/painting skills (which are much better than my baking) & 3. I could fill it with things he really does like. The bottom paper box was filled with chocolate chip cookies. The top box was filled with manly cigars for him to share with all his buddies.

Oh, and the next day... Chance of course partied too. This cake plate was FULL of unfrosted cupcakes, but when I arrived in the kitchen, THIS was all that was left. I knew there was two options... 1. Nate binged on way too many cupcakes for breakfast or 2. Chance snatched them from the counter...I only had to peek into the breeze-way to confirm my suspicions.

The culprit was Chance of course, and I'm sure Theo played his part too.

Always unpredictable, keeping things interesting.

Empty foil wrappers littered the floor... he ate every last crumb, including the paper lining.

Happy 25th birthday Nate... it was a blast.

Canon Camera Fun

2008-05-14T16:16:00.001-04:00

I must say, I have always admired the black and white photos with ONE color element highlighted, but hated messing with Photoshop to achieve it. I still love Photoshop and all it can do... BUT WOW this is so easy! My Canon camera does ALL this in a breeze, with the push of a button. It has inspired me to snap a few pics of the store... just a bit of inspiration! I love this ring... all velvet ribbon, pink and over sized. Perfect.

Upcoming events in the store??? There are too many to share them ALL right now, but we have jammed this summer with all kinds of things to keep you busy. Sign up now for our Garage Sale event June 6-8, and don't forget to mark your calendars for our "Schools Out Crop".

This wonderful glitter by Melissa Frances just in. I took the opportunity to sample it last night, it is BEAUTIFUL. The vile comes complete with a flip top lid and tiny hole for the right amount of dispensing!

I love this vintage bin at the store.. it ALMOST lost its way and ended up at my house... weird. It is stuffed full of fun goodies to pick through for your enjoyment. I snapped the photo with the new camera and pulled all the reds out. Fun huh?

Super cute "texting" layout at live.love.scrap by Lead Designer Allison. This is to die for and so appropriate these days! Stop by or call (937)318-5683 to sign up!

Birds are so in right now, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little book by our designer Carol. Check out other classes by Carol here at the store!

After creating this fun ribbon display at the store, I just may have to make one in my studio. My ribbon is overflowing and busting at the seams. Cute story though... my new pup Chance recently tried to relieve me of some of my ribbon collection. I came home to discover the dogs had accidentally been given free reign of the house all day... instead of eating the bag of chips that were left on the coffee table or raiding the trash, they spent all day in my studio. I arrived at home to find lots of my things out in the yard, including many spools of my beautiful ribbon. Bad dogs!

Now available at live.love.scrap... $7 kits for purchase. They are the perfect solution to the busy summer days! While supplies last.

More Canon camera fun... quick picture of one of my "Polka Dot Owl" handmade card displays. Check me out at live.love.scrap or on etsy.com for all things handmade! My shop is the Polka Dot Owl and I am selling all kinds of fun things!

Another sneak peek at a bird project by Carol. We have been having lots of fun mixing fabric and scrapbooking together. Beware... one you start there is no going back. I am hooked!

Welcome Spring

2008-04-29T10:35:00.000-04:00

Everything feels so full of life right now, I just love it. (Except for the herbs I've been growing. They are dead. I'm just not sure what went wrong! Oh well.) All the trees are in bloom and I was pleasantly surprised that my new little tree (below) survived! I love planting trees and this one looked questionable last year, but here he is, more beautiful than ever! I hope everyone is enjoying this time of year as much as I am. I must share something I have been indulging in lately... scrapping in the breeze! I have opened all the windows in my studio and just enjoyed the cool breeze and wonderful light. Try it, you'll LOVE it. Theodore and Chance have been LOVING the weather too! It is perfect for chasing all the squirrels and barking up a storm. Chance has also been enjoying digging up all my plants. They go in the ground, and then out. In the ground, and then out! What am I going to do with you, little stinker?

Theo

Chance

Altered books. This is a project I am challenging everyone to complete! All you need is an old book with a good spine. I have been cutting a small "window" in the front of mine, but you don't have to. I staple together about every10 pages to make a good base... ( i have other great tips, stop by the store for hints!) then i have a blast covering them with photos embellishments and more! This is perfect for recording a small event, vacation or theme. I am currently working on one about " Snow day- a guidebook". It is so stinkin' cute filled with photos of a perfect snow day (Chance's first snow experience)

Okay, I thought this little idea would be perfect to share with all the events coming up this summer.... weddings, graduations, reunions etc. This photo was taken at the CHA Fancy Pants booth. They recently released a cute line of "storybooks". They come in an assortment of sizes with blank white pages in them. They are perfect to decorate the cover and leave the inside blank for signatures- perfect GUEST BOOK! Hurry on in to live.love.scrap before they are all gone!

Another great idea that goes along with the altered book idea. This is an altered music sheet book! ( Created by a Fancy Pants Designer) I love the pom-pom ribbon, it is a current obsession of mine. I cant wait to create one of my own... complete with tons of photos of Nate singing... he never stops singing!

Again, how cute are these storybooks? I know, I love them too! (Created by Fancy Pants Designer) This one is actually scrapbooked. The blank pages are perfect for covering too!

Sassafrass Lass is HERE! Oh my, let me just say... this is so great! The paper lines even come complete with a decorative strip. This company is on the ball with going green, you don't have any waste at all now! There are 4 new lines, that you will adore. Happy Spring and well be seeing you soon!

Howie's Coming Baby

2008-04-12T11:03:00.001-04:00

What a time for firsts around livelovescrap! Katie and I have decided we would share the blogging fun between us and so it's my turn!! Oh, my name is Allison and I am the lead designer at livelovescrap. It's really just a title, it means I organize meetings, schedules for classes and get to work with a fabulous group of designers!!

This is a picture of me posing as Howie Mandell at our Spring Retreat ... during our Deal or No Deal Game! So, I definitely think, if they have a look-a-like contest, I would FOR SURE not win. We had so much fun!!!! And the next best thing coming up is ... we are playing again at our Anniversary Crop on the 19th of April! You definitely do not want to miss all the fun and chance to win!!!! We took time out for a short field trip to McMaster and Storm in Greenville while we were at the retreat. This quaint shop is a must go to if you are ever in the area! They have the cutest and coolest vintagy (like that word??) things. Kay, one of my all time favorite people and croppers, is pictured above holding the evidence of one of her vices! RIBBON!!!! And the scary thing about Kay's little ribbon obsession, she had three more stacks of ribbon just as BIG behind the counter already! We adore our Kay!!

Ah, me as I normally appear with my daughter Addie. She decided to come at the last minute and what a wonderful treat it was for both of us. You know, kids (teenagers with their license) get busy and the last thing they want to do is hang out with a bunch of adults, with the exception of Addie. It truly was a joy to spend the weekend with the girls I adore and no cell phone reception!

Spring Cleaning

2008-04-11T13:21:00.000-04:00

If you live in Ohio, you are probably thinking... What Spring? We are supposed to get snowy weather again this weekend. Huge Bummer. I have been re-organizing everything around my house and at live.love.scrap. It seems to be a never ending task, but there is something wonderful about change. I guess it makes you see things in a new light, sometimes an even better purpose emerges. Like last night... I tore my entire studio apart to fit a new piece I HAD to have. About two hours later I was just getting over all my frustration and anxiety and everything fell right into place. Now granted, most things were moved twice and STILL ended back into the same spot. Some things did find a new home, with a better purpose and I got organized! And amazingly enough the new vintage piece fit. Ill say this, I THINK I AM FINALLY MAXED OUT IN MY STUDIO (but I will probably still try to fit more later, knowing me!)

I am SO SO excited about October Afternoon arriving at live.love.scrap. It should be here any day! This is a photo I took at the latest CHA show in the booth. I am so in love with the "collage" look, this was a layout by an October Afternoon designer. ( and I LOVE the birds too, they are "so in" right now)

Photo-op in Iowa at my Nana's. I was able to sneak away for the weekend and visit them. hooray! Sorry Nana, I know I caught you a little off guard with this picture.

Okay... I am really in love with my new "old" lamp. I was staring at it the other day and decided I should dress it up. I painted stripes with my new paint from Kaiser Craft. We sell it at live.love.scrap and it is sooooo cute. It comes in "artist style" tubes and about a million colors! I also added little chandelier crystals that are NEW from Heidi Swapp, also available at live.love.scrap! About an hour after my first thought "this needs dressing up"... wa-la, new and improved lamp!

Photo of my studio at home. This is a RARE sight to see it tidy. It only takes about 5 minutes for me to mess everything up, and then I have to start cleaning all over again. One tip I must share with all my fellow scrapbookers/artists/crafters (whatever you decide you are). Have at least one area that is designated for a "workspace" only. I now force myself to clean this space up after I am finished for the day. This has helped me be much more productive and inspired for the next time I sit down to work.

Okay, I thought I was getting the hang of this blogging site. But hahaha, not yet. Just bare with me, TURN YOUR HEAD TO THE RIGHT for viewing this and the next few photos. I just learned how to rotate the photos, but NOT before I had already loaded these (and I cant figure out how to delete them!) Oh well. This pig makes me happy! He is kinda my scrapping buddy, well besides my two puppies Theo and Chance. However, they get bored and go outside to play most of the time, and the pig never does! I purchased it from a boutique in Centerville Ohio called "Ashley & Hilary". They are two sweet sisters and their shop is packed full of goodies.

Tilt your head to the right again! Sorry! Just had to include a photo of my beloved vintage bin that holds all my trims. This took ALOT of searching to find, and I don't know what I would do without it.

Last messed up photo. Tilt to the left! No room is complete without a chandelier. That is a family rule in my house! Trust me you can never have too many of them.

We are BACK! What a blast the RETREAT was! It was such a relaxing and fun weekend. We scrapped, shopped, ate, slept (very little), and laughed (alot) for 3 days straight. This Retreat was held in Palastine Ohio but our next one (Fall) will be held local. Sign-ups have begun for the Fall Retreat November 21-23.

My new obsession, plants everywhere! I am growing herbs and everything else. I think this developed from my desire for Spring to arrive! If you wont come Spring, Ill just re-create you inside! Ha.

We have a little cozy house that is STILL in the middle of being rehabbed! AND yes I KNOW I KNOW.. people think I am CRAZY for painting my hard-wood floors white.... but I LOVE it, it is totally me. Plus, they were in very bad condition anyway.

On a final note, I LOVE VINTAGE GLASS GLITTER. We are now selling it at live.love.scrap because I just had to spread the love. To be honest... most of the time I just admire it. I guess it is that strange fear I might use it all up. I'm getting past that and I have been using it on all my home decor projects, cards and more. I think I would even attach it to clothes if that was possible ( too sharp I know) I love it, I love it, I love it.

Catchin Up...

2008-03-28T13:54:00.000-04:00

Exactly one week and counting until our exciting Retreat. I have been trying to clean up my studio for the last couple of days, but I think I made it worse. I went from piles of "organized" messes to scattering things all over the floor! I hope to be somehow making progress that will magically come together at the last minute. I have been looking forward to this weekend for awhile now. The Retreat is held in Palastine, Ohio at an old renovated school. The beds have down comforters, there is plenty of space, and all the meals are homecooked. We literally do nothing for three days but CREATE!

So many new things have been streaming into our store lately that I cant keep up! I feel like I have to have EVERYTHING of course, because it is all soooo cute. If you are a frequenter of Live.Love.Scrap (which we hope you are) then make sure to check out all my "FAVES" like Crate Paper, Fancy Pants, My Minds Eye and more. If you like BLING.... it has arrived! Kaiser Craft offers more bling than you could imagine and its ALL here in assorted colors, shapes and sizes. Be sure to look for the new Wild Aspargus line from My Minds Eye.... I am kind of a "paper snob" and I LOVE this line! It has a great texture and is very thick.. plus it has such a sweet vintage look to it. Its perfect for me. Long story short, you must stop in and be inspired!

Speaking of being INSPIRED... I am not sure if the long winter is to blame or just my personality, but I have emersed myself into sooo many projects lately that I am overwhelmed. I cant seem to find the time to fit everything all in, but I dont want to let anything go! My mom and I took a sewing class the other day and created a purse, NOW IM ADDICTED. Just for informational purposes and laughs, I though i'd list everything ive been up to lately... Here goes:

Scrapbooking (of course)
Quilting ( actually that means collecting massive amounts of fabric & just admiring it)
Knitting (same as above)
Making purses
Creating aprons, hand towels & sachets for my new company "PolkaDotOwl" to sell on etsy
Designing fun vintage/felted hair barrets, pins & etc!
Creating sweet handmade cards with VINTAGE GLASS GLITTER ( oh my I LOVE LOVE this stuff. We sell it at live.love.scrap too)
Trying to grow my own herbs.. this is So FUN, I feel silly watching so close to see the first sprout... but oh well. Life's little pleasures huh.
We are STILL rehabing our house... almost finished I hope. So, I have been tending to the yard and finishing our basement. We have one bathroom left to remodel and then its complete! I go back and forth about being excited to sell it... It is our first house together and I am a little attached. It does seem a little crazy, I mean things are just NOW the way I want them , but I am also anxiuos to start all over again. There is just something about transforming a space... I LOVE it. (We are listing it on the market May 1st hooray!)

I am still getting the hang of blogging and loading the pictures to the site. There are sooo many pictures I want to share with you, and I promise I will post them soon. You have to see my purse I made.... very proud of it (Amy Butler Design). I'll definetly try to include some pictures of my studio and all the things Ive been creating lately. Ill have even more after my relaxing, but hopefully productive weekend at the Retreat! Ill hope to also share with you some photos of my house I am redoing... If you dont already know me, it is a great insight to who I am!

Creating A "Monster"

2008-03-04T17:02:00.000-05:00

Okay,

Well... we have been talking about doing this "blogging stuff" for awhile, and its finally here! This will be a "team blog" full of inspirational and creative thoughts from everyone at the live.love.scrap. boutique! (AND I HAVE TO SAY, AFTER MY FIRST POST... I AM LOVING THIS) Make sure you check us out, there is no limit to what we may post! I have found that my LOVE of scrapbooking has since launched me into all kinds of creative outlets. You will also notice that I am a huge fan of "VINTAGE"... that probably should have been incorporated into my name somehow (hmmmmm, maybe Nate can change his last name!), I know it has made it into almost every other aspect of my life. My business, home, my jewelry choices... EVERYTHING! If you love vintage too, you have come to the right place to be inspired!