Pondering.

I drive down Post Road often enough. The health food store is there. The Post Office (surprisingly ;) ) is down there. There are shops, ice cream windows, restaurants, pharmacies, retail stores, etc. It's just your typical "get-anything-there" city street (though RI has so few of them).

And every day that I drive down Post Road, I look over to see the empty space where Blockbuster used to be. I've always wondered what it will be next. Though judging by how long it has been vacant, it still could be a bit longer. After all, it *is* Post Road. Rent is probably expensive. The one thought that usually crosses my mind is: "That would make a great scrapbook store location. I wish somebody would open one there. That would just be neat."

There was nothing that special about yesterday's drive down Post Road. Just another Tuesday. I had gone to TJ Maxx with a friend. She needed new bedsheets. We took along her elderly grandmother and her younger (teen-aged) sister. I will be pushing the irrelevent button now. Who I was with has nothing (that I know of) to do with my story. So we parted, hoping to meet for dinner later on that evening. Leaving them always leaves me with a smile on my face. I have never met a family that makes me feel so happy and welcome.

So... as I was saying, there was nothing particularly special about yesterday's drive down Post Road. Just another Tuesday. I passed the Blockbuster as I always had... thinking, "That would make a great scrapbook store!" And then... it hit me. Hey, I could open a scrapbook store of my own! It doesn't necessarily have to be right there in that space, but that would be a wonderful challenge to open a scrapbook store.

Yes, a lot of work. I already have one skeptic. A friend of mine said she had already written up a business plan for one in our area. She said, "You'd have to sell a lot of buttons." Hmmm... not exactly the mentality *I* have. I consider my daily time at sb.com to be "research" for my business. I've been studying buying habits, likes and dislikes of the clientele. And visiting other scrapbook stores (over an hour away) is just a perk of the "research."

We currently have one scrapbook store in Rhode Island. I'm not impressed by it. There are several in Massachusetts, however, that are fabulous. But the one in Rhode Island? The people are very nice and helpful, but I just feel like the selection is much like our local AC Moore. Not many name brands or things that make it stand out. It's a bit cluttered and difficult to walk through.

I have so much on my mind about this. There are so many ideas I have. Hopes I have. We'll see. I mean, I'm just *thinking* about it. It's something to do. And I think it would be wonderful. Yes, it's a big risk. But I think I would rather take that risk knowing that it's something I'm really passionate about, rather than staying at this job that is just mediocre. That thought makes me feel good inside. Like it's a good idea to pursue a dream. After all, my mom is opening up her first bakery at age 54. That's risk! ;)

I'll keep you posted...

CKC Classes

I wanted to summarize each class I took at CKC (and post pics later) because I don't want to forget anything! So... here we go...

1. Basic Grey - Latest & Greatest
We ended up being 20 minutes late to this class so we had already missed TWO layouts. The three LOs were pretty cute. I glued down half of two of them until I decided that I really wanted to do my own thing. The kits were cute though, and I loved that it was BG paper... the reason I took the class. Really no new techniques, but a few pointers so that was nice! All in all, a pretty good class.

2. Shop Your Stash!
My first class with Brittany from CK. She was an excellent teacher; best I had at CK, actually. She felt so comfortable and really knew what she was talking about. Can't say enough good things about her! This class had GREAT pointers, but the unfortunate thing was that we had to memorize all the ideas for using our stash. They didn't print out a list. She just talked about them as we made our accordion mini-books so it was pretty tough to take it all in. The mini-book was pretty cute (black with some bright summer colors), and I was able to grab a pencil and jot down some ideas on the back of my driving directions. (I'm so resourceful! Tee hee.) I wish I could have gotten all the ideas though! *Note to self: Next year, have a small notebook and pencil handy for each class!*

3. LuCKy Girl
My second class with Brittany. We made a mini-book in a CD tin for this class, and I LOVED the papers!! I can't wait to finish this project! She wanted us to make a book with things that made us feel happy, lucky and blessed. She really encouraged us to "sway" from the example book and be creative, and I think that's what I liked best about her teaching style.

4. It's a Girl Thing
These Rusty Pickle papers were adorable!! Shaina and I took this class together (though we didn't get to sit together), and we just had so much fun with this! It was probably the most challenging class for me because there were instructions on putting it together, and since I'm not proficient at making albums in the shapes of handbags, I needed to listen! LOL. I loved that the papers were double-sided so it gave us room to go against the crowd. We didn't have time to decorate the pages, but I didn't mind. I'll have so much fun with this in the coming months! The teacher was great... very witty, laid back, and just downright cool. Her name escapes me for the moment, but she was great. (We we wearing the same RP shirt too!)

5. Shabby Chic Times Three!
Probably my least favorite class, but it had the CUTEST papers!! They were by... umm... shoot! I can't remember! Well, I'll have to find out. (Melissa Frances!) Anyway, these vintage children. Too cute! We traced with this very interesting hexagon thingy. The cutting tool was neat... just a needle on the end of a stick. We wanted to buy some later, but we were out of cash and far from an ATM. Next year! And I MUST get the pack of these papers. They are just too cute. I didn't put the three LOs together yet because they were VERY simple and basic (almost CM style) so I'll have to mix some of my products in and figure out what I'm doing with it. But cute papers. :D

6. 10 Things Every Scrapbooker Should Know
My third and final class from Brittany of CK. This was probably my favorite class. The project was cute (though not my favorite of all), but it gave SO much room to do your own thing. Like I said, I love Brittany's teaching style... or... way of thinking when it comes to "creating" scrap projects. She encouraged us to be our own artist and "do our own thing," which I loved!! I thought more teachers needed to have that philosophy. We learned a great technique... layering punched flowers and curving up the edges for a 3-D look. It looks amazing! And I'll probably do it all the time now. So glad I have the punch we used in class! I also went to Brittany afterward to introduce myself and let her know how fabulous her classes were. Shaina was with me, and she enjoyed meeting her as well. I let Brittany know that someday... I hope to work for CK or SS. :D

7. How Do I Love Thee...
This teacher seemed like she had never taught before. Granted, she *did* say that this was her first time teaching at CKC, but supposedly... teaches at her own scrapbook store. Basically, the class went like this: She handed out the kits and then said, "Let me know if you have any questions!" Now to me... that's not a *class*. That's a place you go to buy a page kit. And if I just wanted a page kit, I would have chosen one from from the Vendor Faire. But I don't buy page kits because I really like to do my own thing. So... that's what I did with what she gave me. The kit was cute. Shaina hated her class during the same block, and she wished she would have gone to this one instead. The kit *is* cute, and I'm kinda excited to put it together, but I wish I would have seen something interesting or new or different in that class. Oh well.

All in all, some good classes. Next year, we've decided that it would be better to maybe take only two or three classes and use the rest of the money to buy stuff or stay the third night. It was nice to take a bunch of classes though... just to see how they are and stuff. We had a great time!

CKC Summary

So... I had a FABULOUS time at CKC. I feel terrible that Kristin didn't enjoy herself, and I feel partly responsible. Shaina and I planned to get there around 8:30, but I only got four hours of sleep so it was SO hard to get out of there on time. (I wanted to sleep as long as possible because I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again until after midnight [I was right]).

So I'm so bummed that we didn't get to spend more time with her. Not to mention, I was SO not feeling well: tired, moody, hips hurting (even with my cane)... so poor Kristin! I feel bad for her that she had to be with "Not-So-Fun Reyanna." :D My spirits were much higher the next day once I got some sleep!

Shaina and I took three classes the 1st day and four the 2nd day. They were great classes. They did go SUPER fast, but I didn't mind all that much. After the first class, I totally expected it so I tried to read ahead to at least see what the heck we would be doing. LOL.

I pretty much liked everything we did in the classes. The last class I had, the teacher was not what I expected (she just handed our kits to us and said, "Let me know if you have any questions"). It was strange! No new techniques or new info/pointers... nothing! Weird. Kit was cute though. It had a lot of room to be creative and not follow the instructions... I liked that! There was one other class... I didn't like the the technique or LOs, but I really liked the papers so I was happy. :D

All the classes, I really wanted to do my "own thing" in regards to the project. Some left little room to be creative, but I found it challenging (in a good way!) to do something different from the rest of the group. I didn't want to have the same project as 50 other women, you know?! So... once I *finish* all my projects... LOL... I'll take pics and let you all see.

The Vendor Faire was AWESOME! Yes, VERY overwhelming as Kristin said, but we got used to it by the 2nd day. (And I was able to go back and get Kristin the things she wanted, thank goodness.) I took pics of everything I bought! (Love the cute AMM bag!)

The group crops were awesome! I had heard people asking, "is it worth the price?" OH YES!! You get TONS of stuff (the pic without the bag) as you walk in the door, PLUS they have giveaways each night. I won a Card Creations idea book the 2nd night. Shaina won two class giveaways... the lucky duck! And it was so fun to be in the room with about 200 other women... all scrapping away. We met these awesome ladies (one was in her fifties, the other in her early forties) on the first night. They were so fun!

I plan to do LOs of the trip, and it will be VERY detailed so that I don't forget ANYTHING! LOL. I want to remember what I did and didn't like so I can plan better for next year. But it was awesome, and being with Shaina the whole time just made it all the more special. We also got to hang out in the hot tub, which was heavenly. We hope to stay all three nights next year. :D

Scrapbook Organization - Everything Else

Well, we're nearing the end. Some of you may already be finished organizing your scrap spaces, and they're now beautiful works of art. I know we dropped some along the way... LOL. Perhaps every now and then, we'll have a "preventative maintenance" challenge! LOL. Or perhaps we can do a pretty-up-your-space challenge. LOL. I know that I kinda want a new theme... I know, I know, strange. ;-)

So here is what we have left...

STAMPING

Clear stamps

Rubber stamps

Acrylic blocks

Stamp cleaners

EXTRAS

Paint

Stickles

Mod-Podge

Distressing Tools (file set, sanders, etc)

Mini Albums

Cards

Bookmarks

I saw in a lot of the photos in Flickr that these things seem to be the most difficult for people to find homes for. A lot just piled on shelves in front of *other* things that are neatly organized. Tee hee.

I created this rule for things like that. Goes like this... if you have more of two of something, it needs its own home (box, container, etc.). Not really a "rule," more of a guideline. Tee hee. And it's really nothing at all... just something I like to tell myself to stay more organized in my house.

For these things, you COULD just use one big box and label it "Craft Supplies," or "Paint 'N' Things." ;-) You may not have enough room for each thing to have its own small box or container. The Dollar Store is a great place to find small containers for CHEAP. Dirt cheap. I'm talking like... ONE dollar! ;-) (I'm in a silly mood today...)

Stamps are fun to organize. TONS of different ways. Lately people are coming up with new and fun ideas to organize their clear stamps. And you can organize by manufacturer (I DO like to keep all my SC stamps together...) or theme.

Clear stamps go really well in a binder with clear sheet protectors. I bought a box of transparencies from the office supply store, and I use those to stick the stamps on, and then I slide those in to page protectors. Really easy, no hassle kind of system. You can also stamp the stamps on a white sheet of paper to stick behind the stamps, so you know what's in there and where it goes. I tend to just use the original packaging for that. I think I'm just a hoarder of stamps, really. I rarely use them, but I'm glad i have them on hand... you know, just in case... :D

If you're pretty much done with your space, and you have just little "extras" on the shelves and piles of fabric and piles of paint and stuff like that, and you're not sure what to do with it. Throw it all in a big box. You heard me! Just grab a big box (go get a clear, plastic box a la Rubbermaid or go to UPS and get a big cardboard box). Write the comments on a sheet of paper and tape it to the top or the side, so you know what's in there.

You want to do this little trick at the end for several reasons:

1. It will get all this stuff out of the way to make your space look clean and pretty.

2. It will all be in one place, so you can sort through it in spurts (if you would like...).

3. You may find that all these items *should* be together.

4. While looking at all of it, you'll decide that certain things you KNOW you want in a certain place or a certain item you want all by its lonesome.

5. It will get all this stuff out of the way to make your space look clean and pretty. (Okay, I already said this one, but it's really important!)

If there's one thing you take way from this challenge, it's this: Everything needs a home. A *labeled* home. Even if it shares a home with something else, it should have a *designated* home.

I've learned that if things like to pile up in one certain place (for me, it's next to my adhesives and next to my pens), it's good to have a *catch-all* place. I have a small plate (like a saucer) next to my pens and scissors that catches itty-bitty embellishments and photos and shards of paper that I didn't use or I forgot to put back with the kit or whatever. I like this little dish. It's messy in that little dish, but it's *contained mess*, and that makes me happy.

And then next to my adhesives, I was noticing that things were starting to "pile" up as well. So I added a paper sorter (you can get them at Michaels or Joann... it's like a white box with 4 or 5 shelves to place paper). I stick stuff like alpha/embellishment packaging I'm not sure what to do with right then (why can't I throw that stuff away??!?!). Or photos I decided not to use on *that* project. Or papers I *wanted* to use on that project, but didn't. Things like that. It's just a temporary home or catch-all, and i think that EVERY scrapper needs to have at least one of these designated spaces by her (or his) workspace. Something to think about.

Hmm... did I forget anything?! That's all I have to say about that.

BUT... do you have any questions? Or comments? Or anything that is particular challenging you in your space?

Oh, how I do wish I could just fly to everyone's home and do it for you. Seriously, I'm talking to a professional organizer friend of mine (she works at The Container Store with me), and she said if she gets any scrappy/crafty clients, she'll just send them to me, and I was like, "YES, PLEASE!" I'd love to just be let loose in a craft room. Just give me time and a credit card (tee hee, okay, and a budget...), and I'll have at! :D

You guys all did great at this challenge! And I really hope that you upload photos to Flickr, so we can all see those beautiful spaces!

Scrapbook Organization - Storage Solutions

Well, we're nearing the end of the challenge. We only have "Extras" left. That means stamps, mists, cards, Stickles, bookmarks, mini albums, etc... pretty much things you used to "alter" other stuff (or the altering items... I guess we can split that into two sections if you wanted...). BUT we won't be doing that for these next two weeks.

I was asked by Wendy Smedley to do a Q&A for her organization class at BPS. I spent A LOT of time on this (posted at my blog), and I decided it was all pretty useful for this challenge! So... go here to my blog to see it.

I have TONS of suggestions for storage solutions, plus photos of my own space. And on the SC blog this last week, there were TONS of ideas!

What are your favorite storage solutions?

What have you been using so far?

Go down your list (embellishments, trimmer, pens, papers, etc), type them up here, and let us know!

Did you come up with other ideas you decided not to use? Let us know!

Are you stuck?! Do you need *more* ideas for certain items? Ask us... we'll brainstorm and come up with something!

Share your ideas and solutions with us! I can't wait to see! :)

**Also, in the next two weeks... once a day (if you can), go to the messiest area of your house (doesn't have to be your scrap space). Set a timer for 15 minutes, and put away as MUCH stuff as you can! Or... grab a box or laundry basket. Go through your house and pick up ONLY the items that go in to the kitchen. Or ONLY the items that go into the bedrooms. Then spend 15 minutes another day putting that stuff away. Wait till you see how much you get done in just 15 minutes! (The timer really does encourage you to go faster!)

Get the kids in on this! When I was a nanny, this was the kids' favorite game! LOL. They didn't want to clean up their toys, unless they were being timed! Super fun. :)

Good luck!

Scrapbook Organization - Tools & Essential Staples

Hello Organizers!

Are you ready to dive into your tools and essential staples?!

TOOLS

Punches

Heat Gun

Deco Scissors

Hole Punches (hand held or Crop-A-Dile)

Eyelet Setter

Circle/Shape Cutter

Die-Cut Machines and Accessories

STAPLES

Trimmers

Rulers

Everyday scissors

Craft Knife

Pens

Markers/Colored Pencils

Adhesives

(Feel free to add any others to your own list.)

Last week, in a desperate need to simplify my life, I decided to purge a WHOLE bunch of scrapbook supplies. I would have thought that wouldn't include too many of my tools, but I was wrong.

I think tools are one of the most difficult things for people to purge and organize. Well, they are for me! I think the thing that helped me most... is really sitting down (or you know, standing up) to figure out HOW much I use them, WHERE in my scrap space I use them, and WHEN (in my creative process) I use them. These questions helped me SO much went I went about organizing them.

I do know this about tools... the ones you use (or want to/like to use) ALL the time, should be at arm's reach, or you won't use them. So pretty much what I did... I got rid of all punches, shape cutters and deco scissors that I never use. If you keep these things thinking, "But what if I *DO* need this some day?!" you're going to just collect stuff you never use.

Seriously, if you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it. Give it to a friend (or your kids or your garage...), and if you need it, just borrow it from them. And then if you need one down the road, and you feel like you're *constantly* saying, "I wish I had this!" then go buy it. It feels good to purge things you don't use. :) (And you don't feel guilty for not having tools you're not using.) I promise... if you get rid of something you don't ever use, you won't miss it, and you'll forget you even had it! LOL.

Also, tools... are a bit cumbersome. Some are fun to play with, but sometimes you're just in this crafting "groove," and the thought of taking the time to get the tools out and actually use them is more work than you want. And... you may feel like it's not worth the work, so you just skip the tool usage.

THIS is why I keep all my tools in OPEN storage containers, baskets or bins. (Tools don't have to have any fancy storage.) This way, I can reach over and grab something quickly. I don't have to pull something off a shelf, open a box, etc. My heat gun with embossing powders (which are rarely used) do sit on a top shelf, but they're also in an open container, so if I do need them, everything is RIGHT there.

Right next to my Making Memories trimmer (that sits on a table), I keep my Creative Memories photo trimmer, other portable trimmers, my rulers, and a 3-hole punch... and they all sit in an open basket:

I've used this for the past two years, and it REALLY works for me. Grab and go. I don't have to open a drawer or open a box, and I LOVE that. Tools already take long enough to use... I don't need that extra time needed to actually GET to them. LOL.

The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker suggests doing a layout or two (like... right now) to decide which tools you use ALL the time. My suggestion is that while you are working on a layout, keep a shoebox (or container that size) on your table or down on the floor at your feet. As you use tools, throw them in that box while you're not using them. Then at the end of your creating process, look at what's in that box. What did you use? What did you use the most? And think about keeping all those things together from now on.

Simple Scrapbooks magazine's "Basic Tool Kit" includes:

portable paper trimmer

small scissors (I use Cutter Bee)

black archival journaling pen (I use Copic blows ZIG out of the water)

pencil (I use an archival safe one from Creative Memories)

pencil sharpener

art gum eraser

paper adhesive

photo adhesive

portable container to hold above tools (try these Stockholm boxes)

If you only use three main adhesives on every layout and maybe two journaling pens, it's okay to keep those in one place or in your portable container, and then keep the rest of all your pens and refill adhesives in a closed container up on a shelf some place. (I have a set of two drawers that stay up on a shelf. One drawer holds extra pens/markers/pencils and the other holds random adhesive I don't use much, plus refills for the ones I do.)

If you feel like you don't have enough space for your supplies and how you want to organize them, then think UP. Shelves above your workspace can create SO much more room. Once I installed shelving (elfa from The Container Store, which goes on sale 30% off - tomorrow through May 10th), I couldn't believe the extra space I created. Even if you have only one corner of a room, you can use shelves as high as your wall.

Underneath my work space (I'm a standing scrapper), I have a small basket that holds punches:

And then my deco scissors and Fiskars punches (which I use on just about every layout), are kept in this cute open container on a shelf right at eye level:

I keep my punches (organized by shape... one container for circles, one for squares, and one for flowers/hearts/stars/etc) in these canvas bins from The Container Store. Those bins are in a row on the floor under my computer space, but still within reach. I LOVE punches, and I use them ALL the time. I used to have them in a closed box on a shelf, but because punches are heavy, it was more practical for me to store them down low.

The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker also suggests keeping tools hidden away in drawers or closed boxes or closets... because they are usually unsightly and can be an eye-sore to a "pretty" scrap space. I just wanted to mention this as well because not everyone organizes and stores things the same, and this may be an option you'd prefer.

For more photos of my scrap space, visit the December archives of my blog. :)

I hope everyone has fun organizing their tools and staples! I can't wait to see what everyone does! If you post your photos to our Flickr group, let us know, so we can go see!

p.s. I've decided to post challenges on the 14th and 28th of each month from now on. I don't know about you ladies (and gents?), but those days are always bittersweet for me. I'm excited for Reveals, but then I have to wait 14 more days for the *next* Reveal. LOL! So I thought this would be fun... keep us busy for those 14 days, and also give us something to look forward to after the Reveals are Revealed.

Scrapbook Organization - Paper

CARDSTOCK and PATTERNED PAPER

When I first started scrapping, I didn't put too much thought into how I'd store my paper. I saw people using the wire cubes (from Target) with zip ties to create 1.5" shelves to horizontally store paper.

This system works for a lot of people. It's easy. It's cost effective, and you can see your paper. You can also buy cubes (Michaels, Jo-Ann, Container Store, etc) that have paper shelves already in them. Purchasing plastic and wire paper shelves (like stores use) are also great options.

I decided that I didn't like that the paper was "loose" just sitting on a shelf. I needed it contained. I was SO thrilled when I found the Cropper Hopper Vertical Storage holders. They are perfect for me.

First I just used one or two for all my cardstock, and separated the colors by 12x12 tabs that you could buy to fit in the holders. Then I found the Cropper Hopper Paper Pouches, and they worked great! One pouch for each color.

This system worked wonders for me. If I needed yellow cardstock, I'd grab the yellow Paper Pouch. I had all my yellow cardstock in that one Pouch, so I didn't have loose cardstock floating all over my desk.

I soon outgrew those and moved on to the Vertical Storage holders, again, one per color (well, orange and yellow share, as do black and brown. I keep my cardstock in ROY G BIV order (pink after red and brown/black/white to follow violet).

These are just a few ways to store your paper. You can also keep them in page protectors in an album. Or a 12x12 accordion file. Or a hanging file folder solution.

If you have minimal time to scrap or you often scrap away from home, picking out your cardstock each time you get new patterned paper may also be an idea. Some websites have cardstock colors already chosen (takes out the guess-work) that coordinate with certain lines. So when you go to a certain kit or paper collection, you'd have the coordinating cardstock already there with it!

You could also keep all your red patterned papers with all your red cardstock... instead of having patterned paper and cardstock separated.

In addition to sorting by color, you could also sort your cardstock by manufacturer and/or texture. There are SO many textures out there now. At CHA, I noticed American Crafts have added several new textures (including silk!), and I can't wait to try them!

Organizing and storing patterned paper can be tricky, but there are two ways that are most common: organizing by color and organizing by manufacturer. I have most my paper sorted by manufacturer, but there is just a bit that I sort by color (lesser known brands, ones I don't use often, or the "by the sheet" from the larger chain stores).

I love project folders or envelopes to store my patterned paper. They can hold scraps and anything else that coordinates, and I love that. What's even better is that usually the Cropper Hopper Vertical Storage holders can hold folders or envelopes.

These project folders or envelopes are great for holding full collections (like those from Basic Grey, for example) or whole kits (like Studio Calico!)... so everything is together, in one place when you need it.

You can store your patterned paper in the same container as your cardstock... or not. Vertically or horizontally. It amazes me how the possibilities are endless when it comes to storage. Everyone is different... try different things to see what works best for you!

SCRAPS

Unless you throw away all your scraps (does anyone do that?!), you’ll need to decide on a storage solution for your scraps… both patterned paper and cardstock.

I love keeping all my patterned paper scraps in their original home. I keep them in small acid free envelopes inside Craft Keeper envelopes or project pouches. If they’re larger scraps, you can just drop them back in with the patterned paper.

Patterned paper scraps can be incorporated with your cardstock scraps, or you can keep them separate. You can separate them by color, or keep all the colors together.

Accordion files work great for organizing scraps. You can buy a small accordion file (used for bills or coupons) to house smaller scraps and keep the larger scraps with the original patterned papers and cardstock papers. You can also purchase larger accordion files (8.5x11 or 12x12) for scraps. These are pretty easy to find, and they take up relatively little space.

You can also store scraps in hanging file folders. Most office supply stores… and The Container Store… these days sell portable or desktop filing systems. I found this works great because you can take out a whole file folder (full of, say, blue scraps) and bring it to your workspace. They’re all nicely contained, and you can keep it there until you’re finished digging through it to find just the right scrap. :) With both the hanging file folder and accordion file method, you can usually have enough room to hold both cardstock and patterned paper scraps together.

If you decide to store your cardstock in Cropper Hopper Vertical Storage holders or Paper Pouches, you can keep scraps in a 2nd Cropper Hopper Paper Pouch or a project holder (or sticker holder) to keep them close to your cardstock.

I find that the more accessible my scraps are, the more I use them. So the closer they are to my patterned paper and cardstock, the better.

You could also keep scraps in Sterilite drawers or clear plastic “project cases.” If you keep these containers close to your other papers, again, you’re more likely to use them.

How someone else stores their scraps may not work for you. You may use your scraps for only cards or mini books. You could create a special container/drawer/basket/bucket full of supplies for cards and mini books… and this place could include all your scraps.

Whichever route you choose, choose what’s best for you and how *you* scrap.

Scrapbook Organization - Intro

I thought we'd take the first week to get everyone here, signed in (although if you come in later and want to join in, just jump right in! Everyone is welcome! :D), and write down our organizational goals! So... if you'd like to join the challenge (or have an organized space and want to be a cheerleader), please post ONCE with your goals and survey (or to "save" your spot)! :)

Once we have a majority of people signed on, we can start "chatting," but for now... we'll just chat *about* this thread in one of the other threads regarding this challenge. This will help keep everyone's goals at the beginning of the thread and therefore, easier to go back and edit and look at. :)

And here is a list of things that are nice to have on hand while we're doing this challenge. You don't HAVE to have these things, but this made it easier for me. :)

1. THINGS YOU NEED

Journal or Notebook with pen (attached to journal! I'll show a tutorial on my blog this week.)

Labels (temporary or permanent... post-its, sticky, pre-sticky tags, etc)

Ziploc bags (sandwich-sized and/or snack sized)

Temporary containers (shoe boxes, unused photo boxes, gift bags, that box that chocolates came in, whatever...)

Inspiration (I have an exercise for this too...)

2. GOALS

Now it's time to write down our goals! Goals like... paint room, set up new shelves, re-organize flowers, etc... I mean obviously I'll cover everything in our "program" (tee hee), but it's nice to have personal goals, so you can cross them off as you go. This way, it will support you *as* you go and encourage you to *keep* going! :) PLUS, it will help all of us keep up with you.

We are in this together! We all want to be here for support and encouragement! For this reason, please post before photos as soon as you can (on your blog or gallery or wherever). And no cleaning it up for photos either! That IS NOT allowed! LOL. I don't care if you have cookie sheets and kitty litter boxes in your space right now... it's photo time! :D

3. SURVEY!

(Questions that will help you organize better and choose storage containers accordingly.)

Do you need everything uniform (storage containers all one color or material)?

Do you want things visible and open? Not visible and open? Closed and visible? Closed and not visible? (these questions taken from Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker)

What’s working for you (organizational-wise)?

What’s not working for you?

What do you need to have close-by?

What inspires you?

What do you think will be the most challenging when organizing your space?

What specific thing are you most excited about?

Do you have a color scheme or theme? If so, what is it? If not, do you want one?

4. EXERCISE 1!

Think of your favorite patterned paper... ever. You know, that one line or collection that came out, and you said to yourself, “This is SO me!” Or “Holy Cow! This is so beautiful, I don’t even want to cut into it!” Or “Wow, this is awesome! Can’t wait to cut into this!” Or maybe you were just in awe, “I think I’ll just frame it. No cutting. No gluing. Just framing.” You know what I mean?!

Basic Grey’s Periphery was this way for me. I saw it, and I just... knew. I knew those colors and that feeling. When I look at it, I just feel so... at home and happy that there’s *that* kind of beauty in this world. :) I tried different looks and color schemes for my space, but I kept going back to it. I finally just gave in.

So find that one piece of paper or line. And make a project. RIGHT.NOW. A mini book, an altered box, a layout, a card, a home decor item. Heck, just frame it if need be. And once this task is completed, put it up in your space some place (preferably up out of the craziness). THIS will be your inspiration till we’re done with your room! Even if you don't want THESE colors/patterns for your room, it's good to be inspired!

If you already scrapped it, see if you can go out and buy another. If you can’t, get something out that you have made with it. Oh, and don’t forget to show it to us! We’re all in this together. ;)

***So hopefully, everyone will have these exercises completed in the first week. HAVE FUN! :D I will post all the challengers on this post, so we know ALL who is participating! :D

Concerts.

Current mood: excited

I LOVE concerts! I saw Lonestar tonight, and they were awesome. :) (Cool photo, huh?! ;-)

My favorite songs were played, and Laura and I had a wonderful time.

So... I've decided that I will try to go to more concerts this year. I'd like to see one per month... that would be awesome. I always have a blast. Music is just so... great live. Unlike anything else. I just love it.

So... Rolling Stones and Lonestar (and an opera at Brown University if that counts...) down for this year so far. It's only May. I'll see if I can get at least three more in this year. That'd be sweet. :)

Survey.

100 Random Questions To Answer When You're Bored

1. Do you like strawberries? Yeah, but the last time I ate them, I... you know... they came up... so I'm taking a break on them for a bit.

2. What is your full name? Reyanna Joy Klein

3. Who was your first best friend? Andrea Presutto, I think

4. What grade are you in? I'm in college... junior, maybe?

5. Seen the Notebook a million times? just once, but I'd like to see it again...

6. Are you always online? pretty much

8. Did you ever see the Sound of Music? Favorite movie of all time. :)

9. Have you ever played the flute? Pfff... no way. I suck at it.

10. Do you play basketball? Sure, if i were in a park... and tired of standing on my hands... and bored... and just happened to have a basketball...

11. Are you a Phillies fan? I don't like televised sports unless it's the Olympics.

12. Is your favorite color orange? Nope, green. :)

13. Do you know someone named Emily? Who doesn't... with over 30,000 of them born per year?

14. Do you think you're ugly? Nah.

15. Do you like hip hop or rock better? Generally rock, but I could be in the mood for hip hop.

16. Do you enjoy eating ice cream? Oh, yes.

17. Would you ever like to get plastic surgery? Hmmm... probably not, but I have weird-looking ankles.

18. Do you have a xanga? LOL. No, I have MySpace!

19. Do you have more than three screen names? Technically, yes, but I only use one or two.

20. Do you believe in God? Oh yes. :)

21. Is the letter M in your name? Nope.

22. Ever laugh so hard milk came out your nose? I don't drink milk.

23. Are you a vegetarian? I'm a flexitarian. :) (that is a real term, by the way)

24. What is your most overused phrase online? "LOL" I'm always laughing.

25. Ever smashed your head against a pole and/or wall? uhhh... probably

26. Do you know who invented the refridgerator? Actually, several people claim to have invented the fridge. I'll say Oliver Evans though because I like his name best out of the list. :)

27. Is your favorite subject in school math? No, but I really love it.

28. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? Yep.

29. Which comes first: the chicken or the egg? chicken

30. Do you enjoy peanuts? Yeah, especially when they're in trail-mix or made into peanut butter. :)

31. Have you ever been on a plane? Yep.

32. Do you like Ashlee or Jessica better? Neither.

33. Were you ever in a play? Lots. I even wrote a few in elementary school. I like being in front of people.

34. Have you ever been camping? Yes, and I hope we can go this year!

35. Have you ever used the phrase...? probably...

36. Do you have a crush on someone? Jeremy. :)

37. Do you have AIDS? I'm thinking... no. But then again, I've never been tested. :P

38. Do you believe in love at first sight? Oh yes!

39. Do you believe in fortune tellers? Nah.

40. Do you like Hilary or Haylie Duff better? Eh.

41. Ever seen the entire Harry Potter series? Yep.

42. Can you recite lines from the Lord of the Rings? Does, "my precious" count?! Tee hee.

43. Are you normally labeled as a goth, prep, punk, etc.? Weird? Silly?

42. Do you have the ambition to become a doctor? a doctor of what? A PhD maybe.

43. Did you ever eat rice krispies? yes, I tossed those once too.

44. What time is it? 11:14 am... I should be studying Spanish.

45. What is today's date? April 30, 2006

46. What is the name of your best friend? Hanna Leih :) (Jeremy too if we're counting husbands...)

47. When was the last time you took a shower? This morning.

48. Have you ever seen Stand by Me? Yeah.

49. Are you a Star Wars fanatic? Umm... no. I just saw those movies for the first time last year. And I have yet to see Return of the Jedi.

50. Are you a Celtics fan? Not a sports fan... unless it's gymnastics. :)

51. Have you ever seen the movie Rent? I'd like to.

52. Do you listen to music regularly? Yep.

53. Do you have braces? Nope

54. Did you ever have braces? Nope, but I wish I would have because then my jaw wouldn't be locked shut right now... Grrr...

55. Do you eat breakfast daily? Oh yes! My favorite meal.

56. Ever spent the entire day watching Animal Planet? Ha ha! I think I did a few times at SMU.

57. What kind of shirt do you have on presently? white, collared shirt and a nice v-neck sweater. I have an interview today...

58. Did you ever ride a horse and/or donkey before? Yep, and I rode a horse once that whipped his head around and bit my foot.

59. Do you believe in unicorns? Sure!

60. Do you have Aol, Msn, Comcast, NetZero, or PeoplePC? Uhhh... internet provider is... Cox, I think. Phone is SunRocket.

61. Do you know a person named Kyle? Again, who doesn't?!

62. Do you like someone? There are very few people I *dislike*... maybe three.

63. Do you have a friend with benefits? I did at SMU. LOL!

64. How many boys do you have on your buddy list? I don't know how many people are on my buddy list.

65. Have you ever been dumped? Yep.

66. How many times have you seen She's All That? Hmmm... three?

67. Have you ever watched Bring It On? Yep.

68. Do scary movies scare you? Oh yes!

69. Is your favorite store Spencers? Pfff... no.

70. Do you have more than 100 people on your buddy list? Perhaps.

71. What is your GPA? 3.6, I think.

72. Do you know your IQ? about 140

73. Are you intelligent? I guess...

74. Do you think social studies / history is a waste of time? Nope, but in high school I did. They should explain the reason we have to take it so people won't hate it so much.

75. Ever participated in a spelling bee? Many.

76. Do you have a pet? two puppy dogs.

77. Have you ever been in a racecar? I don't think so.

78. Have you ever gotten down on your knees and barked like a dog? Probably.

79. Do you have a cell phone? Yes, but I wish I didn't.

80. Do you have a lot of friends? I know a lot of people. And I try to stay in touch or stay friends with most of them.

81. Have you been to another country before? I have been to Canada! But that's it.

82. Have you been out of state before? I think I've been to half of them now. :) Jeremy has been to 49 of them. Someday we'll get to Hawaii...

83. Do you like to doodle on your school books? Not now that I can sell them on ebay!

84. Do you watch the Discovery Channel? We don't have TV.

85. Do you hate someone? I don't hate anyone.

86. Ever in the boy/girl scouts? Nope, I broke my legs the month I was supposed to start.

87. Do you have any siblings? one brother, one sister.

88. Have you ever been on a train? Yep.

89. Are you getting annoyed with this survey? Not really... I just am getting annoyed with myself that I keep putting off my Spanish homework.

90. What is your favorite font? Comic Sans. :) I also like Hobo/Hobby Headline.

91. What is your favorite TV station? I'm not sure.

92. What is your favorite radio station? 98.1... country. But I like K-Love best if I'm in a town that has it.

93. Do you like Frank Sinatra? Oh yes!

94. Have you ever dialed 911 and then hung up? No, but I've dialed 911 for emergencies a few times...

95. Did you ever have detention before? UGH, yes. My 3rd grade teacher gave me it once because my dad signed his name on my paper to look like a 4-year-old wrote it. She said I "forged" it, and I said, "That's not even my handwriting!" She didn't believe me. Miss Gresham hated me.

96. Who's your favorite teacher? Ever? Uhhh... Mrs. Hilton? Mr. Maberry? Dean Beckman. :)

97. Did you ever play volleyball? yeah, didn't like it

98. What is your personal quote? "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." ~ Winnie the Pooh

99. Do you like oranges? Yuck, no. But I like orange juice!

100. You've reached 100 you happy your done? Time for Spanish homework! :)

101. You know what I just noticed taking this survey... I always correct grammar/spelling/typos in the questions when I take these.

Crisis.

Current mood: confused

I'm having a quarter-life crisis. I thought I wanted Nutrition... now I just want to go back into Hospitality. Not that that was EVER my major, but I worked in it for two years, and to date, still my two best jobs ever. *sigh*

So... this next year, I may change my major from Nutrition to Management. We'll see. I still need to talk to an advisor or something because if it's going to take me longer than two years... EWWW. I will not be in school longer than two more years. Just... no.

I'm going to apply for a new job today. Granted I'm leaving for a two-week vacation in two weeks, but I'm wonderful... I'm sure they'll hold a job for me. :-D Who wouldn't want all this pent-up hospitality experience? HA! I've worked for Disney! And a second resort! And a camp!

Yeah, I want to work for the The Chanler in Newport. Sure it's in the top 15 luxury hotels in the WORLD... sure the rates START at $900 a night, but I need them. :) And they need me. I know it. :)

Implosions.

Today in Rhode Island, something very exciting happened. Well, very exciting to Rhode Islanders anyway. The news channels were there. Radio stations were there. Government officials were there. I was there too... well, sort of. I was on my street (five houses down from my house... at a safe distance) looking out over the water. You'd think something was getting blown up or something. ;-) Tee hee.

Crazy people on my street... thirsty for things getting blown up... (and my friend Laura [in the pink shirt] waving from her car). My puppy, Ruby, also makes a cameo in this picture.

They blew up the OLD Jamestown Bridge today. When you look at this photo, it kinda looks like one bridge, but it's actually two. The tall one... that's the one they blew up. It all happened within about five seconds. Here are before, during and after pics of the implosion. Enjoy! :)

The coolest thing was that we could SEE the implosion about 5-10 seconds before we heard it. Isn't the speed of sound fascinating?!?!?

Fun times in Rhode Island today alright. ;-)

Procrastination

Current mood: productive ;-)

I don't want to be a big, fat procrastinator anymore. Shopping online seems to be what I choose instead of studying. I need to study. I'm going to think like Bridget (fellow Nutrition student)... no procrastinating! :) Well, at least I'll try...

*reyanna*

The Rolling Stones.

I went to see them in concert with my daddy. Yeah... that's hot. :)

There were lots of old fogies smoking dope. It was pretty funny.

So kids... you wonder where your grandparents were on January 15th? They were in Boston... lighting up, while watching Mick Jagger dance and take off his clothes. ;-) Crazy grandparents.

*reyanna*

London.

Today would have been my late niece's (London Michele) 11th birthday. I can't believe that she's been gone TEN and a half years. I know she's celebrating with Sister Stephen (and my dog, Bridgette) in Heaven.

Happy Birthday, London! Enjoy, and I'll see you soon (but not too soon...)!

Love, Ani