They Grow Too Fast....

When my two precious boys were little, they would always sleep with their arms above their heads and their hands in loose fists (call it a product of being twins - they have a need to stretch)...both of them in the same crib able to fit (lengthwise) across the width of the crib. Yesterday, I went to check on them before going to bed myself and noticed Zach sleeping with his arms above his head and his hands in loose fists, but now...almost three years later...he's almost the entire length of his toddler bed.

Where does the time go?... and can someone please tell me how to slow down the clock?!

Six 6" x 6" Scrapbook Layout Sketches

In one of the responses to my Sketch Survey, I was asked for some ideas on how to make 6" x 6" scrapbook layout pages.

As you have seen, I do tend to focus on 12" x 12" layouts, but I will be the first to admit that smaller scrapbook pages are actually much easier to make. You don't have to focus so much on filling space, so you become very efficient and your emphasis is turned automatically to the pictures.

Since you don't have that much room to work with on a 6" x 6" page, the biggest picture you can use is a 4" x 6", which is perfectly acceptable (and makes the same kind of visual impact that a big picture would make on a 12" x 12" layout), but leaves you with little room for any journaling or embellishments.

So...that leaves us with 3" x 5" pictures or, better yet, wallet-size pictures. I love wallet-size pictures! Why? They have the same shape as a 4" x 6", but they take up less "real estate," so you can put lots of pictures on big scrapbook pages and more than one picture on a 6" x 6" scrapbook page.

While it's hard to find on my site, I do have a collection of sketches that I did almost a year ago (click here to open the file) that includes a set of 6" x 6" sketches. I just haven't gotten around to getting them loaded into Flickr.

To the person that asked, I hope this helps (and I'll work on getting more 6" x 6" double-page layouts drawn up), and to anyone else who has any other questions...don't ever hesitate to send me e-mail, I'm always ready and willing to help!

Winter Has Arrived...

OK... For those of you in the mid-west, winter arrived a long time ago and you're more than ready for it to leave. But...it's snowing on the East Coast!!! :-)

I'm very big on needing my four separate seasons and a winter without snow...well, isn't winter in my book. So, I am happy to report that it is snowing in VA - FINALLY!

Now, let the fun begin as the meteorologists begin to hem and haw over how much we might actually get!

Sketch of the Week

I hope you are all enjoying the Sketch of the Week and that it's helping to get your creative juices flowing. I realized that while I tend to live in a 12" x 12" world, there may be some of you out there that prefer to scrap on a smaller scale.

So...help me, help you. Take two seconds to answer these questions and future Sketches of the Week will lean with the majority. This is a "scrapocracy" after all!

Happy Scrapping!

I'm Back...and so is Jack!!!

Hope you all had a nice week. I'm back from what can only be described as a somewhat lackluster trip to Atlanta. I will admit...the onion rings at The Varsity are the best I've ever had and the CNN tour is a must see, but the weather was yucky, so it put a little damper on our trip.

Anywho, I'm back and trying to catch up on things. Since I'm buried beneath five piles of laundry (and Jack Bauer (24) is back tonight), my Sketch of the Week will be up tomorrow instead of today.

And since tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day, let us take a minute and remember the sacrifices of those who came before us. As I sat in Ebenezer Baptist Church on Friday evening, they had one of Dr. King's sermons playing and his words, spoken more than 40 years ago and during a very different time in our country's history, were eerily relevant. He spoke of today's young people being cynical and disillusioned and our men only having war to "look forward to." Let us all be thankful for the freedoms we have, for the freedom our Men and Women in uniform continue to protect and for those who are willing to stand above the crowds and have the courage to give those who still don't a voice...a chance.

Take care and happy scrapping.

Sketch of the Week - 7 Jan 2007

Sketch of the Week - 7 Jan 2007
Originally uploaded by choubox.

Here is your sketch for the week. I realized after I posted this that I forgot to put the measurements on here. The big picture is a 5"x7" and the three small pictures are wallet size. The thick black stripe is 3" wide and the smaller gray stripes are 1.25" high.

I'll be partially out of the loop in Atlanta this week. After my success in Vegas at a LSS, I was hoping to stop by the Archiver's down there, but it's just too out of the way... Oh well, I don't need anymore paper anyway.

Happy Scrapping!! :-)

Blue Man Group

Blue Man Group
Originally uploaded by choubox.

Yes, I did actually go to Vegas...which is why I'm way behind on my sketches. :-)

Merry Christmas

Christmas Cards 2006 (Version 1)
Originally uploaded by choubox.

As the card says, "From Our Family to Yours...." Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

Happy Scrapping!

Christmas Layout Idea Mini-Book

Bonus Sketch
Originally uploaded by choubox.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the scrapbook layout opportunities come flying at us as fast as Santa's sleigh. Some are for gifts and others are just additions to our ever-growing collection, but there never seems to be enough time.

So...instead of stressing about how you're going to scrap your children's Christmas pictures or pictures from a recent cookie exchange...get ready to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas - Choubox Style.

Get your copy of the Choubox Christmas Scrapbook Layout Idea Mini-Book Today!

Sketch of the Week - 26 Nov 2006

Sketch of the Week - 26 Nov 2006
Originally uploaded by choubox.

OK...The turkey is all but gone and your shopping is done, so it's time to work on those Holiday Cards. If you need some ideas...here are a few to work with. All of the colored areas are either solid cardstock or patterned paper.

Check back later this week for some "finished product" examples.

O Tannenbaum!

O Tannenbaum!
Originally uploaded by choubox.

I love Christmas...more than any other holiday during the year and now that I have children, it's even more special. Now, if I could just order up a white Christmas....

This layout was created based on my current sketch of the week. It's a digital 12x12 layout that I created using some great paper from www.scrapbook-elements. com and embellishments from Atomic Cupcake.

The Digital Alternative

Wondering if digital scrapbooking is right for you?... Check out my article on why digital scrapbooking is a good alternative or supplement to traditional (paper based) scrapbooking.

Family Recipe Scrapbook

Family Recipe Scrapbook Title Page
Originally uploaded by choubox.

Thanksgiving is on its way and what Turkey Day is complete without food. So, this year, start work on your Family Recipe Scrapbook.

Sketch of the Week - 22 Oct 2006

Sketch of the Week - 22 Oct 2006
Originally uploaded by choubox.

I'm still on a big/small streak, but in this sketch, I decided to move the focal picture to the right and have the title and the journaling be the first thing you see.

Happy Scrapping!

I Want Candy

I Want Candy
Originally uploaded by choubox.

As we all prepare for Halloween, take a moment to think about your childhood and all the goodies that you loved to get while Trick or Treating. My favorites were SweetTarts, Smarties and Starburst.

Happy Scrapping!

Falling Leaves

If you're looking for ideas for fall scrapbook layouts, check out my recent article in Scrapjazz.

I discuss ideas on fall foliage layouts and scrapbooking food.

Happy Scrapping!

Scrapping for a Cure

If you love digital scrapbooking and are looking for a unique way to scrap your support for a cure... Check out my digital breast cancer background pack.

It's on sale for only $.50 in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which starts tomorrow.

Each paper pack includes five digital backgrounds and a FREE embellishment.

And coming in October... be on the look-out for my Scrapjazz article on ideas for memorial and celebration layouts.

Happy Scrapping!

New from BasicGrey

When I was at CKC-Valley Forge, I took a class that featured some of the new papers from BasicGrey. Specifically, we made this great little mini-book with Bazzill Basics accordion cardstock and the new LilyKate line. The papers are absolutely beautiful and a perfect compliment for a baby girl or boy layout.

Happy Scrapping!!

Bazzill Basics and SEI

Back in July, I wrote about the partnership between Bazzill Basics and BasicGrey. Well, it's not really a partnership, but a way to make our scrapping lives a whole lot easier.

Now...Bazzill has formed a similar "partnership" with SEI and provided us with an invaluable list of cardstock colors that match some of SEI's most popular patterns.

Enjoy!!

Aunt Gertie's Garden: blossom, light taupe, leapfrog, french vanilla, bark

Be Bop: rosey, lima bean, pear, teal, twig, bark

Doodley Doo Boy: grenadine, aztec, lemonade, bazzill green, leapfrog, navy, sea water, java, whipped mousse

Doodley Doo Girl: romance, white, fire hearts, aztec, lemonade, pear, pansy, heidi, sea water

Fruit Stand: hot pink, rose, papaya, squash, green tea, navy, heather

Grandpa's Attic: light taupe, dark black, snow, red robin, yellowstone, splash

Granny's Kitchen: light taupe, light black, teal, french vanilla, bark

Groovy Gal: petunia, vintage, peach, adobe, pear, bark

Hippy Chick: emma, beetle black, ruby red, green tea, splash, french vanilla, bark

Holiday Hoopla: pomegrante, lemonade, limeade, patch, splash, espresso

Paisley and Petals: light black, apricot, squash, canteen, fresh, teal, cream puff, dark chocolate

Penelope's Potpourri: piglet, white, blackbird, grenadine, yellowstone, canteen, pear, whirlpool, sea salt

Seasoned: cajun, rusted, light butter, dark spruce, evening sky, dark chocolate

Serendipity: ruby red, lemonade, fresh, boogie board, powder, icy blue

Sweetie: quartz, snow, ruby red, pumpkin seed, pistachio, bark

Twitterpated: petunia, red hot, true teal, french vanilla, espresso

Winnie's Walls: barkley, fire hearts, peach glow, canteloupe, lima bean, leapfrog

P.S. To tell you the truth, you will be hard pressed to find a patterned paper that doesn't match with any of today's hottest patterned paper. Thank you, Bazzill!

Embellishments...The Oriental Trading Way

I can't say that Oriental Trading is totally new to me. I've actually been buying party supplies and favors from them for a while now, but when I received their latest scrapbooking catalog I realized how many cool embellishments they offered - especially brads.

Of course, they have your traditional brads in a myriad of colors (how does 150 for only $2.95 sound...), but they also have jeweled brads and ones that look just like eyelets. And what's even cooler are their themed brads like...

Candy Corns,
Christmas Trees,
Neckties and Bow Ties (for Father's Day),
Dog Bones, and for all your Las Vegas Layouts...
Casino Brads in the shape of poker chips and dice.

Check out Oriental Trading today!