I Love You Because...

my ditto/SMASH book 2012

Wow, I had no idea it's been over a year since I posted anything about scrapbooking, obviously I haven't been quite as productive in that department since I left Tombow. There are a few reasons for that. One, after last March I took an intentional break and focused on getting ready for the move. Packing, cleaning and house shopping took up all my time. Once we moved in here I thought I'd have a cute little office/SB room but the longer we lived here the more we realized that it just wasn't going to happen.... yet. Don't get me wrong, someday I will have my dream space again but for now I'm focusing on the rest of the house and getting those spaces settled. So currently all my Scrapbook stuff is packed up in boxes and piled high in the basement btu see there's a problem.... you can take the supplies away from the girl but you can't get the bug out of her. Especially when there is a 'To-Do-Before-Baby list", and on said all important list is to get not only a baby book done but also to start a 2012 album for the family. In 2010 and 2011 I did Becky Higgin's Project Life .

and have really loved it, it's fun to keep things or document things about my daily life and I'm sure another year I'll go back to this but this year with zero supplies handy, no space to keep it handi and update it regularly I knew I couldn't commit. 

In January I walked into the Scapbook store for the first time in 9 months.... it was like finally reaching air after almost drowning. :) Seriously, I was overwhelmed and more then slightly sad I had lost my Scrapbook Room to the move. After a few minute in mourning, I was determined to find something that would give me my creative scrapbook 'fix' for the year and still allow me to keep my space/supplies packed up. I found it.. a fun, simple alternative that was perfect for what I was looking for. Actually, it was a combination of ideas- SMASHED INTO ONE... Dittto from Hampton Art and  K&Company's SMASH book. I'm not doing it exactly like they both do but, the concept and the freedom are there to allow for any commitment I can give to the project, even if it's 5 mins here or there. I started out with a calendar and color combo for each month so that all the work from then on was filling in info rather then design. It also fits into one small drawer in the Music room and is 100% self-contained in that space, the markers needed for the entire year, the scissors, glue and binder. Simple and easy to track and update. 

Then it was as simple as printing a couple pictures, adding a little journaling, copying a few blog posts and putting it all together... It's totally out of the box for me and my traditional style, I know. It's 1/2 planner, 1/2 memorabilia/journal and 1/2 scrapbook... and I still love it! 

I'm able to document everything currently, stick it in without guilt for design and order and still focus on the everyday moments with my family. I'm keeping things that I usually throw out and then later wish I had, I'm putting in more of the everyday shots that don't always justify their own layout but are still some of my favorite pictures and I am able to record our lives that are happening.

This week I finally finished up the calenders throughout the entire year, and I spent a few minutes finishing up February and starting March... now my 2012 Smash book is just ready and waiting to be filled with pictures of our new baby enjoying his new family! One more thing, checked off THE  list!

Less than 19 days to get everything else done! Wish me luck... or better yet, energy! 

J

 

***I got all the supplies at Archivers, but they also sell the product lines at Michaels. :)*** 

Ethan's Lego Tree

Just because he's addicted to YouTube Lego Video's, he thought it was time to have his own.... 

 

Deleted

Remember my post last Friday? Good thing I reposted it here. Today THIS is what my 'baby' looks like. The average reader might not notice any differences but I sure do... mainly the fact that I'm not there. It's not the posting I'm talking about but me... I'm DELETED. No posts I've done over the last 18 months are there... Even the one from last Friday! You can't search for me and you can't look up past projects of mine. It's like I never existed. 

If last Friday I thought writing that blog post was hard- this new situation has been like granite. There is nothing I can do but say the my blog baby is dead. I said my goodbyes and it's in someone else's hands now.  

That being said, I have a few ideas for what in store for me next and maybe, just maybe, this time I won't be quite as emotionally attached. ;) 

Closing a Chapter.

I've been avoiding posting about this for over a month because I've had the entire range of emotions in the last 30 days and I'm not sure which one I'm settled with. In the end.... I'm content with my decision but that doesn't mean I'm exactly happy about it. 

(Taken from my last post on The Tombow Blog....) 

See that? Those are my babies. Cute, right? Yeah, I sure think so. They mean everything to me and I've been lucky to be able to work from home so that they can get as much Momma time as possible. Now, if you've talked to me at all in the last 18 months you also know I've had another baby that I'm just as much of a proud parent about... this blog. When Tombow came to me a few years ago about developing a blog I was ecstatic, such an amazing company with such high quality products, I knew I'd have a blast helping to build this idea. I knew the blog world inside and out and I couldn't wait to get started. I knew what type of design team I wanted and I couldn't wait to share all of that with our readers. I thought I knew a lot but I had no idea how emotionally attached I'd become to y'all. I had no idea how much our readers would help me grow or push me creatively, I had no idea how much I would love it and no one at Tombow had any idea how much of a success it would be. So THANK YOU READERS WE LOVE YOU! 

Back in December we (the DT, Tombow VP's and I) decided we wanted to rework the blog, new designs, new content, update and jazz it up a little. Spring cleaning... everyone likes a little update now and then, right? After a looong conversation about our social media presence it was realized on both ends that in order to do everything that we had planned the hours I was putting in needed to be amped up... a lot. A full time office switch was in order. After an even longer internal struggle I realized that I just couldn't do that in my present situation... My dream job? YES! Who could have asked for a better opportunity, right? BUT- did you see those faces? You wouldn't be able to stay away from them either. As much as I love my Blog Baby...... I am not able to help it grow the way it needs to anymore. It's time for it to spread it's wings and fly.... 

which means there is a new Blog Editor in town! Sharron Callahan joined Tombow the week before CHA as our Internet Marketing Specialist.  Sharron had to jump right in by joining everyone at CHA and was responsible for all the fabulous posts that you saw on Facebook and Twitter during the show. She will be your go-to girl, sharing with you her own Design Team, showing you the latest and great techniques and sharing with you the best companies to team up with. Sharron is a Cincinnati OH, Central Academy of Commercial Art Grad with degrees in Marketing and Interior Design. She has been running her own business for over 5 years in the Internet Marketing and Media Design field and I am excited to tell you that her eye for art and design is top notch. Sharron is full of personality and poise and I'm thrilled for you to get a chance to know her better. She paints murals and loves photography in her free time, she enjoys reading, riding her bike and going to the beach. Her claim to fame is that in 2008 she was in the movie by Tyler Perry, “Why Did I Get Married”, as a flight attendant. :)  You're going to love her. 

....and I am going to miss you.

Thank you Tombow for the opportunity to work with such an amazing company and even more amazing people and THANK YOU READERS for the strength and love, support and inspiration you've given me. I couldn't have ever known how much you all would impact my life but I know you'll take good care of my baby and be there to watch it grow into something so much more. 

 

Love Forever,
Joanna Wallace

 

Photography by Dixie Taylor Photography.
If you're located in Georgia, call her.... she's amazing and I promise you'll be happy.  

Favorite Room in the House

Last week I gave a mini tour of my scrapbook room on The Tombow Blog HERE .  I thought I'd show a few more picts and bring in the rest of the family here. Besides, I'm working on a dozen new amazing projects right now and well.... it doesn't exactly look like this anymore so I'm living vicariously through my blog and reminding myself how pretty this room actually is. Since I work from home this is definitely the most used room in the house. 

Starting in the corner.... 

My Creative Desk. 

This is where I actually create things, where I cut, glue and most importantly, make a mess. My current project is usually on it in some form.  Underneath there is a lot of open space so it holds a box with all my Christmas/Holiday supplies and since I've been learning to quilt/sew this past year I keep my sewing machine under there as well, so I can just pull it out and use my desk as a sewing table. The drawers on the left hold my 8 1/2 x 11 papers. 

and the drawers on the right hold essentials that I always need within arms reach. Mats, cutters, corner rounder, black and brown ink pads, rulers, staples, keys, razor blade and embossing powder... kept there. Because the kids randomly get into my other supplies these are the drawers they are forbidden to touch or even look at for fear of extreme punishment. In the bottom drawer I keep misc. mini albums ready and waiting for me to work on and... a box of candy. (if the kids knew there was soo much candy so close to their level I'd be in big trouble! Hence the punishment.) 

Above my desk is that great cabinet that I begged Doug to put up when I told him I didn't have enough space... he argued I had too many supplies... I won. ;)  Inside it are my ribbons... a mess I know, a few albums and projects I'm in the process of working on, my Project Life supplies, My Tombow Dual Brush Pens and all the adhesives.... they are stored in a mini basket and come out on my desk every time I work. I love this system! 

To the right of my desk I keep all my scraps, sorted by color. The kids are constantly in these drawers, they love finding new papers and coming up with even more things to do with them and since they are always so close and handy I tend to go there first and use them more. I keep only papers that are 4x6 or bigger and since I'm getting more into fabric I've added that into the drawers as well. It's a win-win.

Moving to the right... My mega cabinet. It's actually a wardrobe that was bought at Home Depot for $150 and it has earned every single penny of it in the 4-5 years we've had it. I love it. The reason we bought this over other cabinets it because of it's depth. I'm able to put 12x12 paper in easily, the albums that hold them and still have space at the back to hold other/less used items. The top shelf has reference books and a few coloring books, then all my extra adhesives/markers from Tombow, one of the red boxes is full of items/gifts waiting to be altered and the other has everything electronic in it. All my apple cord, extra speakers and webcam stuff. Below that I hold my 12x12 papers. on the left is the cardstocks, organized by color. I'm growing out of this so someday soon I'm betting this system is either changed or added to (hint; hint; husbandface? can we say Christmas gifts?!) On the right is my patterned paper in the stacking shelves they are organized into color but in the box next to it are the page kits and complete collections> Since getting more and more packages for work I've outgrown this system as well... although instead of expanding it I think I'll just be purging and giving a lot of it away. (any takers?) Below all that cardstock are drawers and drawers of supplies. Sewing supplies, Brushes, stamps, stamp pads, Extra markers, Paint, Punches, cutters and scissors, Metal, Flowers, Buttons, Embossing guns, Patterns... you name it and I'm betting this is where it is. I've also added a few kids items like finger paints, stickers and glitter.

Next to the mega closet is my writing desk. Where I work, where I write and where I use the logical side of my brain. This picture isn't quite accurate, the top one is more recent. Just a few weeks ago we got Doug a computer for here at home, for him and the kids, so we all currently share a desk. At first, I thought I'd hate it and be annoyed sacrificing the space but, I absolutely love it. Owen will sit next to me and play online, Ethan and Lorali take turns sitting by me to do their homework while I'm crossing off a few extra things on my work to-do list and in the evening's Doug and I even sit and surf or shop or work next to each other. I love it! Below sits the printer and it's extra paper and supplies a mini filing cabinet holds bills and above the desk I keep all my work files.

Going around the room..... this side is Ethan's favorite. It houses the xbox, playstation and the wii (this coming from the girl who swore she'd never own a game console... ever!) We keep all our DVD in the drawers and the controllers, extra batteries and games are in the baskets... one for each system. While I hate them, it does bring the kids into the room with me and I love their company. On the bookshelf are all my albums, sheet music, church books and all of Ethan's therapy books and notes.

moving around the room to the right there is the door to the backyard and one my favorite decorations, a standing carousel full of mini albums... I love it... A LOT! 

The sad part is how much I love this entire room. While most of it I can take with me when the house finally sell, there will be a few key elements that I will miss forever. Like the view. 

Character Assignments 2010

Halloween is coming which means I have less than 2 weeks to get everything ready for my yearly Murder Mystery Party. Trust me when I say, I am feeling the stress! Lucky for me the stress always pushes me and I tend to come up with my best work under pressure, this year is no exception. These gravestones were given out to our guests after the invite/save the date to assign them their characters for the party. A symbolism of sorts, your identity is dead and your character arises in your place. It's perfect for this years theme. 

For my free downloadable step-by-step tutorial on this great Halloween project click on the link HERE.

I'm also entering this project into Crafting with the Stars so be sure to check it out. Who knows, the more times it's viewed the better chance I might have!! :) 

 

 

Layers

Seriously, I'd be a brave girl if I took a picture of my desk right now. Actually let me rephrase that, BOTH desks. It would horrify my mother! There are layers and layers of projects on my creative desk and layers and layers of files on my writing desk. Too much to do, and too many interruptions. The major problem with this is that I've been asked to 'Share my Space' and create a little video/picture tour for another scrap blog as a featured designer. Apparently there is a deadline to my mess. So in an effort to document the chaos and live in the moment (and procrastinate a few more minutes) I'm going to clean it up just enough to tell you what is hidden.

First up? My writing desk. Let's see we're planning a disney trip so I know there are files and confirmation numbers and notes on that somewhere. I'm assistant Scout leader and I have TONS to catch up on there so again, I know that it's here somewhere but, not quite sure which pile. My murder mystery package came this week so that box is right on top along with about a dozen notes, random decorations and skulls. I finally printed out a bunch of pictures for my Project Life book so I have photo paper right on top too. I need to pay bills but can't find the sign-in info. to do so. I'm betting that it's somewhere on this desk too. I've had three BIG meetings with Tombow this past week and I'm working on new formatting and design, there are about 3 files for that, only one layer down. Lorali did her homework next to me yesterday afternoon so that is underneath today's emails. oh and flight plans and information for the funeral is glaring at me from one top of Owen's crayons. (on a side note, THANK YOU AMERICAN AIRLINES FOR BEREAVEMENT RATES. SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU!)

My creative desk? It's literally crying for me to have a few days of UNINTERRUPTED time and attention. I bought some fun new embossing tools about three weeks ago. They are sitting unopened on top of a cookbook project I am finishing up. I have a layout I designed the other day on my flight that is sitting half started on top of that. On one side I have a pile of Project Life, on another side I have Dallin's album basically done but for some reason I can't bring myself to actually add the pictures and journaling. In a bag I have pushed against the wall i have last summers mini album- which is a really fun concept but it's so labor intensive that work deadlines push it further and further off the edge. I just planned a few partnerships for Tombow so I have a file for that right on top and I'm working on a couple projects for the blog that were squeezed into any open spot I could find. Owen got into the puff paint today (interruption!) and Ethan pulled out a few too many markers for his birthday card to his teacher tonight so those are basically all over my chair and behind the desk.

I could go on and on. Needless to say.... I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and I wish there was more (alone) time in the day. I'm off to clean another layer or two before bed. 

projects

  I created this fun notebook for our Tombow/Pink Paislee partnership. I love the funky colors with the formal print and the rugged aging of Pink Paislee's latest collections... beautiful! 

I've actually be creating a lot lately.  I'm trying to catch up on last week's work from Spring Break, work on this week's assignments and still get everything for next week prepared in advance at the same time (ha! wish me luck on that one!) When I think about it, I'm working on a TON of projects lately. No wonder I don't feel like there is enough time in the day! 

Current in-progress *Joanna* Projects;

Easter 2008 mini album
2009 Snowman Redwork Quilt (soooo close to being done with my part of this one)
2010 Applique Christmas Quilt (all handwork at this stage)
Cleaning out/Reorganizing Scrapbook Office
Planting Grass-seed, Flowerbeds and adding to the Garden
Kids projects for Tombow Tots
Maya Road layouts for Tombow
Finishing up Boy's Room Remodel. 
Operation; Garage Reclamation aka Yard Sale Clean-up. 

i've been sewing!

I have to say, the sewing lessons I got from Mom growing up really come in handy!  This card came together super fast and thanks to Cosmo Cricket and Tombow I had enough supplies to make a bunch of them! Oh... I love my job. On a side note I have been spring cleaning my office. I'm constantly getting new products and just don't have the room to keep it all. I have boxes and boxes of supplies that I'm getting rid of. If you are actually interested in any of it, please email me and I can mail you off a package! 

the ole' switch-eroo!

I'm giving up one mess...

   For another! 

I'm in the zone people! Creating, and having a ball with some fun Imaginisce products... I know, I know, you've heard it before... I LOVE MY JOB! This morning was story time at Lorali's school, then off to run errands all morning and now nothing is on the to-do list but create and play... oh and I'm sure the kids will get hungry at some point but, maybe Doug will be home by then! ;) It's a good thing too because the last few days I have been in an ornery funk. Today it's sunshine and scrapbooks, baby!

Happy Tuesday!