New Year, New Color Inspiration

Around this time of January I take a look online to see which new Pantone color will be influencing "the market." You can find this color in nearly every type of embellishment, be it paper products, thicker fonts, fabric swatches, home décor prints and dress ups, jewelery, etc.
Here's an excerpt from their website and a beautiful quote of color for your day as well:

What is the PANTONE Color of the Year?
A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.

So, how will you be using this color of influence first? I challenge you to incorporate it into ... a Valentine! Go get Greenery and then post a link to your blog or picture gallery in the comments below :-)

Color Wheel Challenge, Kit Reveal, & CK Portland Review

 

 If you were to click on the word "challenge" from the search list on the right hand side of this blog, you'd be able to tell by the number of posts that came up, how much I love a good challenge. A few years ago, I even challenged myself to scrapbooking 30 layouts in the month of June- and succeeded!

The latest challenge over at Shimelle.com is to scrapbook with the color wheel in an unusual way; using split complimentary colors. "Split complementary means choosing one colour to start, then going straight across the wheel to the opposing colour and instead of that central colour, choosing the one either side."- Shimelle.

I also love to be resourceful when it comes to my patterned paper. Truth be told, it's a compulsion to savor each pretty printed sheet in it's entirety. I've been working on using the beauty I have in supply instead of continuing to hoard the ones I've pay money for. The physical cost, the joy of purchasing remembered when I see favorites, the textures of some, like the Indi Chic print from My Mind's Eye, at left.

When I went down to Portland for the Creative Keepsakes Convention with my mom and brother a few weeks ago,  it was with the intent to bring home some intel on what's to come over the next couple months in the scrapbooking industry. That, and to sit in on some classes as a volunteer. Oh, and to celebrate my younger brother's upcoming 30th birthday. Let me tell you how thrilled he was to be helping out when all 10 of the drying tools wouldn't work in our mixed media assist! And you know the ladies enjoyed seeing his smile- we shared the same orthodontist.

You'll see the artsy layout I made to commemorate that trip tomorrow, when I (gasp!) guest blog for my scrapbooking savior (Glitter Girl) Shimelle Lain. Today, I played with the contents of my Bible Journal Society kits. The die cuts are vivid and have a doodled or handrawn look that is so on trend, I can't help but adore them! Bo Bunny in bright, watercolored hues of turquoise and green are offset by orange and brown.

The focal photo is of my Grandmother's side of the family reunion, and the large arrow in the middle points to her and my Great Uncle, Grant. Preserving the handwritten year and family name were essential.

 Stretching my supplies is also a must for me, and there are layers of cut-apart frames behind the large quote at the right. All of these colors from Basic Grey in the background compliment the vibrantly hued curtain behind this group photo.
Complimenting the story of this family's migration to North America from Norway are a big bold globe, with arrows pointing to the respective countries. Word sentiments included in the set are so versatile, I don't even have to include journaling :-) But one thing I will do is put this pic up on facebook and ask my  relatives to identify their kin. Technologically enhanced scrapbooking, will this be my next big focus? hmmm.


Once I'd finished this layout, I couldn't just put my leftover pieces of paper away, of course I had to create one more layout! It has been a beautiful summer day, I was scrappin' outside in all of God's glory (read:bikini) and here I had the die cuts to exclaim my appreciation. Couple these bits with a devotional read through written by one of my favorite kit designers, and it was easy to whip up another page with a single candid photo of my girls about a year and a half ago.

That look on Sunday's face... What a little toughie.

Growing up isn't easy. There are all sorts of fears that young children face. There are simple times of joy when I want to sing it from the back pasture, Girls, don't ever feel alone!, and the watercolor quote on the left with the printed sentiment is then perfectly echoed by that pretty block on the right.   It would be fun to get some colored pencils, markers, or paints out to play against that bold black doodled designs Shelby came up with.

The amount of love that is included in each of these kits has actually been a little moving. From the sentiments, book marks, rub-ons, washi-tape, die-cuts etc, to the words and references in the included devotionals, my thoughts naturally gravitated towards appreciation for my family - and the time they afford me to pursue my pursuit for Craft Diva Superstardom!
I've had a surprising amount of mini albums surface from the depths of my craft space, and put a little kraft covered, twine closing cutie from Close To My Heart to good use with little 3x3 pics.

 

Hey, thanks for reading down this far! And...

 

Here's Your Video!

@EmbellishKits #BibleJournalSociety #EmbellishKits
@AnnaBradshaw #CraftWithAnna #makersgottamake

My Monochromatic Monday

This weekend I followed along with Shimelle.com's challenges posted every two hours online. It was sporadic bliss! From the time I heard she'd be providing some serious scrap inspiration, I looked forward to the amazing pages I would create. Unfortunately Fortunately, I was so busy interacting with my family and teaching classes and enjoying time with my honey that the ten or so layouts I created, are all in my mind.

By the time Sunday night rolled around, I was ready to put adhesive to paper. BUT now, I had all those unrealized ideas and no direction...okay, there was a lot of direction but no one telling me, DO THIS NEXT. I tried to entice honey to direct me- no thanks, he said. Asked my kids- deeply ensconced in their lego-playing bubble, there was (no response) no help there either.  Originally, I was fired up about using a monochromatic color scheme, and had already chosen these two photos and decided to go with the color red, (or pink, or orange, or brown). So, a monochromatic attempt at scrapbooking commenced.

 I opened up one of my treasure boxes- a container that contains I don't know what until I open it. Oh, hello beautiful, un-opened collection pack from Echo Park of paper and stickers in the Victoria Gardens line! You are just as pretty as when I don't remember buying you :-) I got out that gorgeous sheet of swiss dot with damask details and started to build a corner cluster at the top left.

Sticking with a limited color palette was more challenging than I had anticipated. I started questioning, is it alright to use this sentiment sticker with yellow and green on it? Does black really count as a color? Is brown a shade of red, or orange, or do I care? Then I just told that voice to be quiet because, I really wanted to finish this layout before bedtime.

After all my pieces were in place and firmly adhered, it was time to add the title, Fascinating Mechanisms. Worked backwards. Talk about a brain fry! But I was able to enlist honey's help, and that may have made him feel important enough that the next time I pull out paper and glue, he remembers to bring me a glass of wine.... oops, I was dreaming there for a second :-)

There tend to be the same types of embellishments on all my pages- stickers and bling are so standard to see in my books. Loops of bakers twine and gelato-painted corners were my Shimelle-inspired additions. The painted parts really make me happy! And so do those huge ombre gems from Queen & Co.

I know that using a collection pack made this process a lot simpler than if I had gone shopping from my group papers. I have tendency to over grab- which makes decision making turn into kit making which I'm coming to understand, doesn't always create completed scrapbook pages. I literally grabbed one 12x12" paper, a cut apart sheet, and the sticker sheet, and it all looked beautiful together. I also saw some lovely juniper green and greys that I'm now anxious to mix  together.

Hhmmm... monochromatic color schemes throughout an entire album... now that sounds like a very pretty challenge! So, I'm off to attempt squeezing in the creation of a new page for our current album. But I want to know, what's your favorite color? Would you use it to monochromaticize the interior your house? Was it always your favorite or has your taste in the rainbow changed... and, thanks for reading here today :-)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Just Another Groupie

I love playing with paper. It's been a constant source of pleasure for so long now, sometimes when I'm in lax creative times, I wonder, am I burnt out? Have a dabbled with patterns so often that they all look the same now (or is that just my pages)? If given the choice between staying up late to watch a movie, or staying up late to create, which would I choose... oh, you know the answers, friends.

No burn out, no caring about repetition amongst my layouts, no hesitation (okay, hardly any) about staying up late to whip up a new batch of cards or a memory saving page or two, either. Last night I hosted a entertaining evening of Valentine's cardmaking for our preschool as a fundraiser; what a delightful night at our local wine shop, Blend! It was so interesting to walk around the room and see how everyone chose to adhere the same basic elements. Afterward, my mom followed me home and we hit the night running with scissors.

You'd think that after three hours of teaching, some schmoozing, massive calorie consumption, wine drinking and clean-up, I'd have been opting for a no-more-crafting conclusion, but my friends are enjoying a craft retreat without me (!) so I felt obligated to greet the dawn and play play play in my usual retreat way :-) I didn't quite make it to dawn, but I did make four layouts from within my pre-prepped Christmas album, and got to message images back and forth into the wee hours through the magic of facebook with my crafty cohorts as well. That kind of interaction makes the possibilities of burn out, or creative hesitation, fly right out the window!

 

And repetition is the same as continuity to me when it comes to scrapbook reading. So if my pages tend to be identifiable as mine, that's more than okay to me. In fact, in most of my classes, I teach other people to recognize those repetitive urges and embrace them as indicators of personal style! I even laughed as I lamented on taking five hours (!) to complete a layout only to have it turn out like everyother page in my albums... my friend knew exactly what "look" I referred to and commented that she'd made an "Anna" page recently too! What a compliment, huh?

This page was created for Shimelle.com's creative call to Scrapbook a Selfie. I used a pic with my two girls, and technically I 've learned this is a Groupie shot, but I love it, and the papers and embellishments, and am very happy that indeed, it is done in my recognizable style.

Happy crafting indeed!

A Tree With Windblown Trimmings

Day 8 of our Journal Your Christmas prompted remembering invites us to explore our Christmas tree trimming memories.


PNW screenprinting in action at the
 Nordstrom Holiday Party

I think back and see the twinkling of the personalized ornaments made to commemorate each Christmas that my brothers and cousins and I received each year from our aunt and uncle.
 I smell the fresh pine of our live tree inside, mingling with the cast iron tea pot of potpourri, the smoke of logs burning in our woodstove beneath, and the sweet, spicy, and oh-so- special cinnamon candle in a tin, brought out this time of year and lit exclusively by my mom.
 Almost forgot- the music! The well known and loved sounds of the season! No decorating party would be complete without them... because, It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... deck the halls with boughs of holly... and soon enough, we'd be rockin' around the Christmas tree!
Out of concern for our children's exposure to toxicities, I am usually the one to take care of hanging the decorations now, and our tree is usually outside to keep busy hands from exploring those hanging baubles, so I am content with capturing my daughter's gaze of adoration through the window.


With eyes shining with wonder,
she gazed in delight~
No tree that I'll trim
will shine nearly so bright.

No soundtrack for this moment; instead, I hear the memorable voice of my German step-dad singing proudly O Christmas Tree in his native tongue...
and, I smell the faint scent of our animal pens and think of Mary's first moments with her new baby ♡

As Pastor Dan Whitmarsh commented Monday morning to our MOPS group; having a baby-in a barn- probably a little messy. Even if it was God's son!
A windblown tree may need to be up-righted more often, it may look a bit soggy, but it's twinkling lights shine even brighter against the black backdrop of night. Without worry of small hands touching, it invites observation, reflection, and dreams of what may still come this holiday season.
Hoping your tree is just as inviting,
(but if it's not, maybe a Welcome to Christmas ornament is in need) ~Anna

Hallo, It's Fall!

Yep, it's time... 

Yesterday marked the beginning of fall for our house. I know it technically started towards the end of September, but since the bread winner of our home spends the majority of his work week outside, under a horse, we tend to hold to our summer-time vibe and indoor/outdoor decorations right up until the beginning of October. Which is now. Hence, the welcome of  Fall to our home!

I haven't had taken time to disperse my collection of PartyLite pumpkins throughout the house, because I've been busy keeping the card racks in Gig Harbor full of my "CraftWithAnna: Handmade from the Heart" line of greeting cards! So, now that October is here, I can use up my existing Halloween stash in anticipation of the discounted purchase-ables that will soon fill the aisles of my favorite craft supply stores. Favorite, as in All. :-)

Jeff Probst, torch snuffer extraordinaire

Do you have a favorite thing about this season? Some of my favorites include boots and sweaters, the crackle of leaves underfoot, the splendor of the changing tree-scape, and the smell, sound, and warmth of burning in our home's wood stove. I love that the boldest nightlight in the sky can be called a Harvest Moon. I love that the clouds release the rain our state is known for, and the resulting replenishment of our aquifers- drinking well water helps me remember what a privilege water rights are. I love the return of CBS's Survivor and it's host Jeff Probst- and his dimples- to our Wednesday nights. And our mantle. What, you don't have a J.P. bobble head doll?! For shame!
Yes, friends, I'm sorry, but I have to admit: I love it that there are more days where it's best to just sit inside and be cozy! There are so many beautiful summer days that I'm not fully participating in because my heart longs to be creating in a venue that does not include wind! Time in the garden is enjoyable but in such a different way- and takes so much longer to produce well, produce. Dirt is certainly not a first choice medium of mine; I'd much rather play with paper than seedlings!
All not-really-joking aside, this year's garden will be marked in our scrapbooks as the first one where I really did enjoy the thrill of growing. From planning my beds, weeding early and often, selecting seeds, transplanting seedlings... I even read books (okay, I started one book) about the subject! The beautiful thing about gardening is that it actually is very rewarding. As I remarked to my father, an avid gardener of tomatoes, peppers, peaches and super sized corn, "When you've grown something start to finish, it almost becomes a part of you." With food, that really does go full circle lol. Depending on where you get your fertilizer, it can go in an even fuller size circle hahaha.

I was pleasantly surprised to have found the evening's routing of sprinkler rotations soothing. Getting up early in the morning to turn the timer on for the soaker hose allowed me to walk softly with bare feet in the morning's dew on the warm lawn. I gazed adoringly over my squash blossom's bold bursts of golden yellow and exclaimed with joy as my tomato "babies" arrived. There were moments when I needed a few minutes to myself and found the respite of garden tending to be just what I needed to reset my attitude and return to my family with renewed cheer and gratitude at what I can do for them. Seeing how my plants thrived under my care became a very bold way to interpret my influence in our family as well.
Despite the interference of our flock of chickens repeatedly unearthing any area that had plants growing in it, I successfully harvested a handful of tiny sugar pumpkins that just may become a pie at month's end. Not wanting the memorable fresh taste of just picked lettuce to wither away from boxed salad replenishment, I even started a new set of garden boxes with seed towards the beginning of August. It will be interesting to see what else grows to maturity before the cold weather sets in. I'm even toying with the idea of creating a green house environment for next years season.

One of these cards is not like the others...

Of course, those thoughts of gardening and it's joys are easily forgotten in the ongoing make and take atmosphere of my creative mind. (Lol, I make a lot of cards and then take them to Gig Harbor.) After the frivolity of Halloween's costuming dressing up my card fronts, I'll be on to the sweet sentiments of family gatherings and thankful thoughts of Thankgiving before releasing my Winter/Holiday greetings into the community. I signed up for the Vaughn Civic Center's Winter Warm up in November and have only, oh, 150 + cards to create and keep in stock up before then. I'm no squirrel, but yes, it IS a little nuts to take on an endeavor like that... ah well, I've always enjoyed these self imposed challenges, and  there's no better weather to be creating in than the crisp autumn days between then and now! As this wood veneer card proclaims, "Live Life", right? (Live Life Right. Live. Life, Right? you get the picture...) Happy Friday, friends <3

 

May CARDMAKING Kit from EmbellishKits.com Conclusion

   When Shelby emailed me that this month's subscriptions from EmbellishKits.com were on the way, and that the May Card Kit would include a more masculine themed collection, I immediately thought of many holidays and birthdays coming up that offer themselves to a more subtle and classic design. The 6x6 paper patterns from the Jack and Jill collection and chipboard and sticker accents, twines and buttons all come together in layers that were easy to create but look absolutely stunning, making this an admirably texturized collection of 8 cards.

My Hero wears a Mulit-Function Tool

Starting with the full color example and directions for card number one, "My Hero,"  we used some foam adhesive to lift up the sticker sentiment and slipped a button behind it. Another layer of dimension is achieved with that black twine wrapped around the long rectangle. Rounded corners contrast with the column effect and mimic the frame around our sentiment.

Lovely Layers

 I'll admit, I fell victim to the same habit many of us do, I looked at that sticker and thought, Nope, not gonna use it, don't feel it, don't have boys etc. Then, as I followed this month's well-written instructions, my mind wandered to a different interpretation, and I thought of What makes a Hero to me? What came to mind were examples like, a dad teaching his kids how to survive in the forest. Or when a schoolmate stays close enough for a phone call for decades. Even a grown up taking a look a their life and deciding to act more mature or doing a bit of self exploration. Needless to say, the card now sits in my craft room while I debate which boy stole my heart enough to get a postal salute!

Based on Card Design Number Two

 Now, anyone who's taken a class or placed a custom order for cards from me will be able to tell you, I'm not very good at sticking to an example when I'm in the creative zone. One of the things I really appreciate about the card kits from EmbellishKits.com is that the directions and pictures let me get creative comfortably. Knowing which pieces I can set aside or use with each of the cards ahead of time lets me sift through the left over pieces, and get inspiration from the basic design. Here, instead of a vertical card and stacked banner (pennant) shapes, I turned the design and used a cut out phrases from the six by six papers instead of the stickers and chipboard. Instead of a father's day card, I've got myself a great card to give my brother the car junky next month!

There was just enough room at the left hand side to slip on that red chipboard BOY. With the blue and white twine I stuck to the star theme but used the red and white stickers, with a tiny blue chipboard circle layered over a bit of that blue airplane paper and an inked strip with a postal mark on it. Whenever you can cover more than one paper with an embellishment, it will help it to look as if it's pulling the card together; part of the overall design,  instead of that there's just another thing on the card.
I put a lot of my handmade greeting cards out for sale in Gig Harbor's Copy Mail It, and the card rack there has a majority of spaces for horizontal cards, so I tend to convert many designs to one that is stretched across the card front. Taking an idea and transforming it into a design that works for you is one of my favorite concepts to teach. In card #3, I used that thick brilliant red pre-scored cardstock and the Light Blue Kaleidoscope Paper, adhered to the center of the page. I didn't worry about the top cut too much, just width. Instead of the Orange paper, I used a row of those element symbols. That pattern, the airplane print, and the billiard motif had my mustache loving heart a flutter! A little bit steam punk but not in a nerdy way is what I kept think, as well as the songs from Oh Brother Where Art Thou and the Grapes of Wrath.

Card Number Three

Can you see the little red arrow I left attached to another sentiment strip from a sheet in the 6x6 paper pad? And another detail to keep in mind the next time you're working with border strips is how I centered the element boxes, leaving the same open width on the left and right edges. But enough about me, I thought this card would be great encouragement for a soon to be graduate or even just an average student  or friend currently struggling. As an inside sentiment, that Dream Big sticker finds a place to inspire the recipient. But what did I do with that gorgeous scripted wood veneer "today?"


Closer to the original! Card Number Four

Why, move it onto my next card, of course! I loved the idea of the contrasting pattern topped tag and since our local Gig Harbor High School's school colors are grey, dark blue, and white, I figured this would be a great graduation card to put in the store too. It doesn't hurt that our local Narrows airport just opened up their field for visitors to watch the aircraft up close and personal; perhaps some of our locals will be more inclined to day dreaming?

The alphabets included this month allow us to really customize these cards and I used the number stickers to put the graduating year on there. The rich colors, busy but subtle patterns, and the layers on layers give this card a lot of substance with very little effort on the maker's part and only a few scraps of paper. I think it's the wood veneer and the bold silky blue ribbon that give this card that pop of quality.
You can't tell by the size of this photo, but our next card is a whopping 9.25 inches long- and comes with a custom envelope to prove it! Hey, it's not the size of the card but the amount of paper you can get on it, and I actually saved this card for last so I could put my cut offs to good use. The tones of blue and white and talking about cut offs reminds me of the quilt my mom made out of all the legs we'd cut off our jeans each summer (does anybody even do this anymore?) That quilt darn near killed her sewing matching because we hadn't thought about all the rivets... hmmm, may have to go back and add a few blings to simulate that effect!

Let the flag fly!
Based on Card Design Number Five

The full color picture shows a few different patterns and stickers being used. Again, not feeling the brothers theme, I pictured a couple enclosing their love within this card that speaks of the pride a parent fells for their child when big things are on the horizon. If I'd thought to grab a close up you'd see that I layered chipboard and sticker sentiments over that large square chipboard sentiment sign. The compass points are layered too; I brought that red in to go with the bright crimson twine included in this month's card kit. Thought this would be perfect for a parent with a son graduating from the military or getting shipped out after school, too.

Card Number Six,
 perfect for an "Amazing Dad"

 Did you have a chance to see last week's card making tutorial? Together we layered a border sticker and a few patterned paper strips with chipboard and stickers to create one of the coolest Father's Day cards my hands have crafted. Working within a collection, there is not a lot you can go wrong with in selecting different patterns, but Shelby has a knack for creating designs that are easy to simulate and look amazing no matter how you interpret them.
As I mentioned in the video, if you wanted to turn this card on it's side and read vertically, it would be a snap; just cut your pieces to the correct height and cut the excess off the sides! The twine tied around the banner and layered under the chipboard ruler, as well as the dimensional adhesive behind the DAD pennants are two of my favorite features on this card. Plus, I'm a total sucker for all things wood grain!

Cad Number Seven

Because I had already used the compass and The Sky is the Limit stickers on other cards, I needed to mix up the design a little for card number 7, but I did still include many of the same elements. I have the blue airplane paper, the red chipboard airplane with the blue Adventure sticker, and that beautiful blue ribbon threaded out on either side. For some extra movement and texture I did two stickers at the top, the camera on the right is lower to the card front than the chipboard timepiece tag tied with baker's twine you see to the left. I like the way the two stickers, being the same color, almost appear to combine into a flag waving in the wind.


Bonus Card: Boy Defined

The designs and color photos in each of the kits from Embellish It also come with another bonus: you can use them again and again with patterns and embellishments of our choosing! Look at one of my bonus cards, which uses hardly any paper btw, and you will see many of the same placements as our example shows, such as the large, circled sentiment in the top right and a bold, main piece in the bottom left corner of the card. I even used a 1/3-2/3s ratio with the patterned paper strip to the right and the white cardstock background of my card front. You can learn terrific ideas on how to achieve that designer look on either of our cruises taking you around the Caribbean April of 2016.
The last card with instructions in this set got the horizontal flip again, and then I had some fun choosing stickers that would fit my Thought Up theme of a birthday card for a "One of A Kind," Awesome boy. Look, I got 7 stickers on there, as well as an additional chipboard element!
Working each month on trying to use every bit of these kits is almost the opposite of what I would normally tend to do with a new collection kit in my craft space. Isn't it like, a rule that you have to savor all the pretty things as you work with a kit, using only the pieces you're instructed to and saving the assorted left overs for just the right card front/ layout? And isn't it more likely that instead of being used, those pieces will float in a bag (if they're lucky) around from place to space, not getting used up at all.
Nu-uh; in my sanctuary, I've been attempting the practically impossible- I've been using up sticker sheets, discarding their empty frames on cling with a fling to the paper bin. That 12x12 piece of chipboard elements with only three pieces still in their places? Onto a card front they go- layered, stacked, and adhered with abandoned, or even (gap)  given to the children for artsing with- anything to move those products through my stash. After all, there are more cool patterns and motifs coming!

Bonus Card: Ta-Dou!

When I was working with the stickers, I kept admiring that baseball player and his quote about not letting fear get in your. This background design of a pattern on top, a pattern on the bottom, and a band of a another pattern or texture through the middle is one I turn to again and again, and as I mentioned before, I love me some wood grains. I chose the blue and grey with white striped scrap, and then an off-cut of the chevron which looked like directional arrows to me. I chose a few athletic traits from the element pattern, and then realized I could use them to spell out, "Ta-Dou!" That's sporty, right?!

my precious leftovers @AnnaBradshw

Bonus Card: Soar..

Thanks for joining me in another CraftWithAnna.com card share, using the May 2015 card kit from Shelby Dredge of embellishonline.com and EmbellishKits.com.

and the inside.

Although I used nearly every single piece of chipboard and sticker not part of an alphabet from this collection, the smaller prints on the six by six papers means even with tiny bits and pieces, I've got lots of leftover papers and embellishments still to play with from this month's kit, so be sure to follow me on instagram to see those finished creations turn up amongst pictures of my girls enjoying the spring sunshine here in beautiful Washington state. <3Anna

P.S. Feeling the need for some creative retail therapy? Go ahead and shop for a subscription that fits your papering needs, it would make a perfect Mother's Day gift to yourself or a loved one :-)

National Scrapbooking Day Video and Challenge!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Isn't it awesome that around the world, crafters just like us are celebrating with more than a bit of glee at having a valid reason to be making today... after all, it is a National holiday! And I've got a new EmbellishKits.com video to share- check out the new, 2015, May scrapbooking two double page layout kit!

If you've ever thought about hopping into a kit club, I can speak from experience that you will find oodles of goodies and inspiration, as well as technique tips, in each package that comes your way from EmbellishKits.com and embellishonline.com  I really enjoyed the direction these layouts took, but I still have some left overs I'll use to create a bonus project, so be sure to subscribe to the CraftWithAnna YouTube channel, and next week's share videos will show up in your watch list auto-matic-ally. "I AM" excited (can't believe I just used that adjective) to work up a project that turns the scrapbooking eye introspectively; my what I'm doing now mental list is turning into a tiny mind novella!

So how will I be spending a day that seems to have been custom-created just for me? Alas, as has happened in years gone by, I have booked myself for involvement in a no-less attention worthy cause; the Etta's Project auction in Lakewood, WA tonight. I first learned of the effervescent young Etta when I started working for the bank. One of my coworkers had a daughter who'd been a schoolmate of her's, and shared lots of stories about what a wonderful girl she was; how her smile would light up a room, how all of her friends loved to have her around because they felt so good in her presence. Unfortunately, I have only met this community outreach angel via word of mouth. While traveling on a Rotary trip through Boliva towards the end of high school, she was in a fatal bus accident that left her family and friends stunned and heartbroken. Her mom channeled some of that grief into doing god in Etta's name, created this organization, Etta's Projects, and in doing so built a legacy that does amazing works of good, all in Etta's name and spirit.

Etta has friends who continue to carry her energetic spirit into rural Bolivia, furnishing villagers there with skills such as nutrition management, small business loans, and most importantly in my Western eyes, compostable latrines. Tonight is one of their biggest fundraisers, and an event of this emotional significance has come to be one I look forward to almost before the night is over. I look forward to seeing what is out on the auction tables, sipping my custom, brother-blended Etta-tini, all while overseeing the check in and bid packet pick up process. I'm also looking forward to dishing on current events with my bestie who graciously volunteered her pleasant attitude and 10-key skills to work alongside me gathering credit card info.

So what will you be doing today? Might I plant the not-so-subtle suggestion that you try out this Scrapbooking Playlist? Or perhaps you need a stronger challenge: Pin or Instagram a project with the #CraftWithAnna and I'll enter your name into a drawing for a custom set of scrapbooking embellishments (one of my latest crafting endeavors in preparation for the two cruises I'm teaching on next year)!
1. Try testing out that "I Am..." journaling prompt to include a list of your currents; breakfast foods, wardrobe favorites, job responsibilities- whatever comes out of the pen or pencil, that's what you're using on your layout.
2. Create a page about a lost loved one... consider including details like, when you think of that person most often, surprising times you miss them, or even just about how much fun you had (or didn't have) when they were nearby. This could be a rather touchy subject, and frankly, we tend to over think projects like this, so take it right on into challenge number
3. Let it go. Just Do It. We are different, but same-same...same-same, but different! Whatever movie quote or commercial mantra you can latch on to, use it to create something. Heck, use it as a title for your page! Please, don't let fear of doing it right, or perfectly interfere any longer with expressing yourself in either of these areas through the magic of pretty paper and shiny bling- after all, it's a Holiday!

Hoping you know how not alone you are in your obsession to make your pictures into stories (that can be told long after you can remember the details), and for the scrap-God's sake, get a bit of your YouTube on!

Zipping Around the Honduras

I wasn't the only one awake at this hour...

Rising at around fifteen past dawn to run with the sun rising in the distance over the island of Roataan, Honduras was certainly an invigorating start to another memorable day. I had mentioned my desire to do so the night before, but saying you want to watch the sun rise can be easily excused away in the morning from the comfort of the unbelievably just right down blanket! Just before my eyes opened, I had been dreaming of doing some folk dancing, so I figured, Hey, if I've got enough energy to dance in my sleep, then I can get out of bed and get up on deck! What, you don't dream of folk dancing...?

Here on board there are many ways the boat resembles a floating city whose inhabitants come from all walks of life and yet cohabitate in their different roles . From the Impatients to the Complainers, the Young and Old, Rich and Poor both monetarily and in spirit or health, we're all experiencing the vacation in our own way, and yet, together! The smiles of my fellow walkers and joggers reminded me of the atmosphere of my neighboring city Gig Harbor, where people delight in the community of early risers, go outsiders, those of us choosing to greet the day on our own terms...with souls we love...  but there weren't any dogs up top of the ship lol.

One of the observations I couldn't help but notice was the wide variety of cameras being used to capture the amazing view as it unfolded before us. I helped a fellow scrapper with her huge Ipad, and there were a lot of the smaller point and shoot cameras out there too, but I was envious of the big, long lensed, old fashioned focus-with-your-hand-instead-of-a-button versions. Alas, I didn't bring mine; I just couldn't picture myself as being willing to heft it around on our adventures. And, no I didn't bring my camera up top either, but that helped me to really concentrate on the task at hand- enjoying myself!
And not slipping on the running track, which got hosed off with a heavy wash of water each morning. Just before sunrise. So it was extremely wet and slippery. Every morning. Did any of you readers hear about the time I catapulted myself down the stairs here at the house? Or how I have fallen hard enough to knock my glasses off? Dropped a vase on my face just before a trip to see my sisters a couple years ago... Trust me, I slowed down on the hard parts haha. Of the track people!

Back in time for a shower before room service delivered our fresh fruit and bacon heavy breakfast, which of course we chose to eat on our balcony. Don't think it will be possible to tire of that! The pineapple was a perfectly golden tangy this morning, as were the grapes, kiwi, and strawberry. I've kind of surprised myself with the amount of fruit I've been seeking; never high on my list of favorites, it has been a struggle to find a balance of the fruits I love with the stomach uneasiness that can sometimes follow the ingestion of large quantities of God's gift- especially the citruses. The addition of a banana seems to help. And bacon! I must've eaten about 6 pieces. BECAUSE I COULD.

Dressed, in what I considered to be somewhat Ginger and Mary-Annie outfits, slathered with Off!, our bags packed with sunscreen (and credit cards) in tow, we set off giddy with expectation for our first port and pre-booked excursion. The colorful stucco buildings echoed with the beats of a welcoming group of Honduran dancers. Since I plan to end the day with a little booty shakin' myself, it was with a keener eye I tried to observe how the heck they move so fluidly. I feel like a stick doing the robot, and these women were twerking in the streets, so I figured, hey free lesson! Thank goodness their skirts left a lot to the imagination, the way the tourist guys were ogling them. Heck the way their band members were gawking! Girls had the moves. 

Zip N Dip! I forgot about the dip, whoopee!

Down the street we went, easily locating our tour's hut using the information on our printed from home excursion directions. Wrists extended for some lime green bracelets printed with "Zip and Dip!" With friendly smiles we were advised to "wait over there please." Hmmm, OK... where? "Just right there, ma'am." Here? "Yes, ma'am." Realizing there weren't bound to be swarms of bugs attacking within the confines of the restricted access parking lot, off went my long sleeve shirt and I soaked up the 9'oclock sun. Then I realized all the men around us were now ogling me... back on went the shirt!
The addition of sunglasses allowed me the viewing pleasure of watching all the tour guides and taxi van drivers- one in particular captured my attention with his long lean physique and dark glistening skin, accented by a few heavy white gold chains. And then it happened: not only did the object of my interest begin to pick his nose with those elegantly long fingers I'd been admiring, but another much less attractive man nearby hawked a huge loogie into the bushes D had just photographed... Talk about a Deal Breaker.

Joined by two other couples from our ship and our van driver, along the coast and up into the rainforest we bumped along the pot-holed streets, staring into the villagers homes with avid interest. Stilted, with huge open areas beneath, and decorated with what looked like weeks of laundry hanging in the warm wind. Palm and coconut trees in every yard, along with beautiful, long leaved, purpley- magenta plants, sprinkled with coral blossoms bunched in hedges of what looked lot like the invasive vines that grow around our yard.                                                                

 Winding our way up the mountain side, we passed a construction crew, hard at work repairing the dilapidated roadway. While a few men shoveled dirt onto screens leaning against trees, others filled craters in the road with the finely sifted results. I supposed the daily rains, coupled with abundant forest growth, would make cement or asphalt roads difficult to maintain. We noticed the workers backpacks hanging from nearby tree limbs. Guessing they don't have the luxury of company vehicles and the air conditioned lunchrooms our road crews are accustomed to!

I'd say it was about a 15 minute ride to the South Shore Zip Line and Eco Walk starting point. We were greeted by our guides, Jeffrey and Ishmael, who directed us to place our belongings in the small lockers provided for the small cost of $2. I had some trouble with the lock, and will admit to wondering, is this a scam for them to go through our bags and get our credit info while we're screaming from tree to tree? But those thoughts were quickly dismissed, as this company was recipient of a 2013 Service and Excellence award, and chosen by our travel agents Gail and Cheri at CruiseOne as their preferred Zip line excursion package in Roataan.

We eagerly watched our companions get zipped into their harnesses and then it was our turn to get rigged up. Thinking back to my girls night out the Friday before leaving... was there going to be a Fifty flashes of rainforest scene unfolding? Heavy duty leather gloves and an adorable helmet completed our new ensembles, and it was off to the first platform. Anticipation was felt all around as Ishmael performed the proper placement we'd need for our hands during the ride and how to operate the hand brake. Literally, it would be our hand braking us... D and I look at each other cross eyed and burst into giggles as we have no idea what we are in for!

Exhilarating, surreal, awesome, breathtaking... just a few of the thousand adjectives we could have (and did) use to describe the incredible feeling of flying through the canopy 20-50 feet off the ground. I actually have no idea how high the zip lines were, but the platforms were a comfortable 10-15 feet or so high, with a large net surrounding the exit and landing zones. 

I've been afraid of heights for so long I could hardly believe how comfortable I was, enough so that when Ishmael asked if I wanted to go upside down on the 2nd zip, I agreed without a second's hesitation. "Just trust me Anna, and don't use your hands, I will do it all for you and you will just concentrate on the enjoying, all right?"
The result?

For the first time since I can remember, I wasn't so afraid of falling that I wasn't able to experience with my heart the thrill of zooming over the rain forest tree tops with arms out stretched,  mega watt smile ready to catch any bugs I encounter! A few zips later I was advised  "Just let go and fly, don't even put your hand up until the end okay, Anna, now you're  gonna see why the birds fly all day," and I was suddenly propelled across the valley at an outrageously delightful speed. Already, I was comfortable enough in the harness that I really could just open my arms and enjoy the sensations, lean back and experience that soaring joy without fear. Well, a little fear. Some added bouncing of the lines let me add my whoops and shrieks to the cacophony of wildlife that lay below.

My helmet doesn't look like it's on right...among other things.
Check out my cool vacation water shoes- Aqua Sox with socks Rocks! #RockGirl #PanteraRules

^^^   Safety First!

Seriously, Ish and Jeff were extremely courteous, even when sending our group into fits of giggles at comical lines they must feed every tourist. We asked about how much they work, and sometimes it can be as few as two groups in a day that they lead screaming through the trees. There is a rotation amongst the staff, and they take their livelihood seriously, securing each of us with practiced care, and explaining exactly what not to do- i.e. don't put your hand on the cable in front of the rigging... advice I literally heard booming through my head as my hand attempted to do just that. Shared that little scare with D and thank goodness she then heard MY voice in her head and instead reached behind her, just before her hand attempted to separate from her body through the same method mine had. 

Mega Watt Glad We Stall Have Our Hands Selfie

Laughing at our breathless enjoyment, our group was not only soaring through the air, but we were all literally high as kites as the constant surges of adrenaline flushed our cheeks a high pink and a sparkle to our eyes. D commented that my mega-watt smile could probably power the ship! And yes, it felt like my face might break from smiling so hard. We each took amazing photos of the adventure, and a video showing of our gliding through towards the camera with arms not just outstretched but flapping like the black and red butterflies that surrounded us will be one of the most convincing displays of how safe we felt with the rigging, guides, and I guess being able to make fools of ourselves. But man was it fun!

Stepping out of the harness was a relief; one can only discreetly try to dig a rope out of ones nether regions so many times on one excursion. About 4 flights of stairs took us to an inclining hill where a bench invited a quick rest before the pick up vehicle arrived to transport us the rest of the way up the mountain side where our belongs, and of course the gift shop, were waiting undisturbed. There really was dust on some of the reasonably priced items we could collect as proof that we really had done the unbelievable.

My Precious

Did I mention I'm a Survivor Fan-atic and that Wednesday is the new Thursday in my world? Seriously, we do at home Survivor challenges in our house. Tasks as simple as cleaning the yard become much more intense when There's A MILLION Dollars On the Line! I even have my purple Survivor: Samoa buff with me for flaunting at the beach to come! Would I take home the Oh My Gosh, I want to buy this so bad, but it's not going to get worn "I Survived" shirt? Of course not, I chose a black V-neck with, "Zip Chick" in hot pink emblazoned on the front. D tried to pick out a hat, but none really looked perfect, and finally settled for a cute crew neck tee featuring a lizard a top "Gettin' Zipped," and she picked up the $10 DVD with their photographers pics of our fun for our home printing enjoyment. What a deal!

What I didn't figure on dealing with was a credit card malfunction that may have spelled a quick end to my MasterCard shopping availability for the rest of the trip... apparently the little gift shop's machine is somewhat temperamental, and my cashier had to run my card twice. That in itself wouldn't have sent any red flags to the Capital One security team, however, I then impulse-bought a souvenir hat as well, which was the third transaction in one day, in a foreign country, on a card without a travel alert on it. And I work for a bank... Whoopsie! 

Have a similar story to share about adventuring? Facing your fears? A shopping trip halting all future expenditures?  Comment below and come back tomorrow for a long awaited trip to the beach!