50 things that really matter...

I have had the most wonderful week...no, I didn't spend the entire week fulfilling my passion for scrapbooking, lol...I spent the entire week being reminded of the things that really matter...and the primary reason that I scrapbook.

My week reminded me of this book that I've had for several years and have read many times. I will touch on just 5 of the 50 things that really matter as I can relate them to the wonderful week I just spent with my family...

1. Bubble baths - My grandchildren just LOVE bubble baths. Seeing their joy took me back to my childhood when bubble baths were so special to me:)

2. Hugs - I don't think there is any better feeling in the world than a hug from a child. Each time I tell one of my grandchildren that I need a (their name) hug, their eyes light up, I get a huge smile AND the biggest, warmest bear hug.

3. Afternoon naps - How wonderful is it to see small children wake up 2 times in one day and be so excited to find out what surprising adventures await them? Also wonderful is the ability to fall asleep just for a little while and dream about all that has already become a great memory of the day (and re-charge to get ready for the memories that are still to come:)

4. Imagination - I know my imagination kicks into overdrive when I spend time with small children. My husband and I took the 3 older grandkids to a play about The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. My husband and I spent more time watching the grandkids watch the play then watching it ourselves, lol. The stories they told after the play was over were just wonderful!

5. Child's Art - A child's art is something that is so endearing to me...we had lots of fun with canvas and paints this week...and the artwork that was created will be something I cherish for a long, long time.

This was the first time since moving to CA 3 1/2 years ago, that we were able to have all of our children and grandchildren together for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun and took so many pictures! I can't wait to get them organized and scrapbooked:)

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday week and can look back on all you and your family has to feel thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lori McCausland
The Frugal Scrapper

Stories In Hand

I just have to tell you about this awesome FREE on-line class I'm taking!

Ok, so I'm taking this on-line class, it's a free class called "Stories in Hand" at http://www.jessicasprague.com on how to write stories...stories of your life, your family's life, those moments from you past that helped make you who you are today...now I always thought I was good at telling stories (no not the kind you "tell" to keep yourself out of trouble, lol ,as I'm really bad at that)...these are the stories of my past...reminiscing about my life to my children...sharing things about myself, my roots, my family background...

Then I realized...like so many things we "tell" each other, not all are remembered a day, a week, a year, a decade from now. I also have to say that this class has helped me think about so many stories I haven't even shared yet...it also made me realize that I have to not only "tell" these stories, I need to put them in writing...

I am so excited about this process that I will be interviewing my dad when I visit him next month (shhhhh...I haven't told him yet, lol) so that I can learn more about him, too. I also hope to learn more about myself through his recollections of stories about me. I'm sure many of the stories he will share with me are stories I've heard before...some I'll remember, and some I'll think I'm hearing for the first time...the difference with this time is that they will be put in writing and this class has given me a huge # of prompting questions to use during the "interview" process;)

I remember thinking many times over the last few years that I wish I had asked my grandparents more about their lives...and now that they have passed on, that chance has passed along with it.

This class has inspired me to start the process with not only my parents, but my kids too. I will have all of my kids AND grandkids together next week for Thanksgiving. I hope to use this time to get them started on documenting their stories...

Even if you have not taken this class (or one similar), this is a great time of year to reflect on all we are thankful for, all the experiences we have had that helped mold us into who we are today, and to hope that our continued journey through life will present new and exciting stories to tell...I encourage you to start telling your stories AND documenting them...trust me, your family will be grateful:)

Trash and my Stash Refrigerator Magnet

Well, fellow scrappers, I have another "Trash and my Stash" project to share with you. With the holidays quickly approaching and the need for small gifts in the air, I want to share this quick and easy Frugally "Green" project with you.

I used the following "trash":

• Soda can
• "Free" advertising magnet
• Ribbon from a candy package
• "Extra" buttons from a garment purchased

I also used the following "stash":

• Paper crimper
• Punches
• Alchohol ink
• Glitter glue
• Paper scraps

First of all, I covered the front of the magnet with my scrap paper (making a pocket out of the lower paper). I then adhered the ribbon, using the soda can tab as a "buckle". Next, I cut apart the soda can (be careful with the sharp edges) and punched a few flowers. I applied alchohol ink to to the flowers and added buttons to the centers. I crimped some of the soda can and punched out a decorative square. I added glitter glue to the punches and adhered to the magnet.

Voila, a refrigerator decoration in less than 1/2 hour. It would also be very easy to create a picture frame with the supplies above.

This would make a perfect little gift for any occasion.

Feel free to share your project by leaving a comment to this post as you have fun with this creative project using "trash and your stash".

Well, I can't hold it in anymore!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the holidays!!!! Whoo hoo:) I finally had a chance to make my first Christmas card of the season...this card was inspired by a card sketch I worked on for http://cardsketchaday.blogspot.com/. This is such a fun site! I just love the inspiration!

Anyway, making this card REALLY got me in the mood for the holidays!!! I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but since my daugther and two of my grandkids will be visiting from PA for Thanksgiving our family is going to be celebrating Thanksgiving AND Christmas on Thanksgiving morning this year, so we will have DOUBLE the fun!!! I just CAN'T WAIT!!!

O.k., back to the card...I really love the "olde world charm" of this card. It's not something I would have created in the past...I just had an epiphany and HAD to do it:) I'm so glad that my scrapbooking and papercrafting has expanded so much lately. I just feel like I'm growing every day by leaps and bounds! I hope you all are just as excited as I am for this holiday season...I can just tell already as I speak to everyone I know, that this is going to be a really special holiday time when things are returning to simpler times where spending TIME with those you love is again more precious than the gifts that wind up under the tree. Don't forget to capture all those wonderful moments...and don't stress over what didn't get accomplished so you can celebrate what did:)

Happy Holidays to all!

Frugally yours,

Lori McCausland
A VERY HAPPY Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire

Whoo Hoo!! Winner of a Sketch Challenge:)

From the Scrapbookdeals4u site:

"without further adieu...I'm excited to announce week #17's winner:Lori McCausland!!"

I'm very excited to report that I have been lucky enough to be chosen as a sketch challenge winner at http://www.scrapbookdeals4u.com/ . This was the layout I did for my son's graduation (posted earlier this month).

Whoo Hoo!!!

"Chuck Green" Challenge at CropStop.com

Here we go again....I've created yet another "Frugally GREEN" project. This one was completed for a challenge on http://www.cropstop.com/, called the "Chuck Green" challenge. Upon request, http://www.cropstop.com/ will send you an item that is normally discarded and your job is to create a project with it.

I believe the challenge ends at then end of November. Please click the following link to go directly to the challenge details: http://www.cropstopcommunity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=346&p=2705

I created this cute desktop "picture frame" with my "Chuck Green". It started out as one of the plastic packages you get with embellishments inside (sorry, I meant to take a "before" picture, but forgot:()

Hopefully, if you view a close-up, you can tell how it started. This is another fun project made using "trash" and my stash.

I added acrylic paint to the background, accented with a gold leafing pen. I then added some flowers, fiber and diecuts from my stash. I finished off with the photos. The smaller photos on the leftwere actually trimmed from larger photos that were taken at a distance. I thought it was neat to see how they were "transformed" into some really nice close-ups. I also like the way the photo on the right seems to "float" in the frame. Finally, I added embellishments to the "back" of the frame so that when it is closed, it is decorated for gift giving.

To view the entire project, click on this link:

http://s394.photobucket.com/albums/pp23/frugalscrapperphotos/Chuck%20Green%20Picture%20Frame/

Enjoy:)

Frugally yours,

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire

November 2008 DINE-O-MITE Recipe

Well, fellow scrappers...it's time to post the November TNT Dine-O-Mite Recipe Challenge. I'm happy to report that this is another amazing challenge! I had a "blast" creating it and cannot wait to see what you've envisioned and how you made it your own:)

For those of you who are new to this type of challenge, consider this the opposite of a sketch challenge (LOVE, LOVE those sketch challenges). With this challenge, you will receive a supply list (ingredients) and directions (mixing instructions) to use in completing the layout....but alas, there is no photo of the finished project...yet, lol.

The link to the recipe is below. If you click on the link, and then click on the recipe, it should enlarge enough for you to read on the screen. You should also be able to print a copy. Have a BLAST as you create with this awesome challenge.

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp23/frugalscrapperphotos/TNT%20DINE-O-MITE%20Recipes/DSC03101.jpg

The cut-off for posting your projects is November 30th. I will reveal my layout on or around December 1st and will also post a new challenge at that time.

I will also do my best to create an "album" at the end of each challenge that showcases each entry.

As always, thanks in advance for playing along:)

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper

"Glitzy and the Grunge" Mini Album

Well scrappers...I'm at it again:) I had an epiphany when I received a wine shipment from a local winery in Temecula, CA...

Why not take the packaging that any "normal" person would discard, lol, and make another frugally made mini album:)

Pictured at left are the main "ingredients" and tools used for this album.

I call it "Glitzy and the Grunge" because it kind of reminded me of the classic "Lady and the Tramp"...you know they belong together, but at the same time, they are worlds apart:)

Well I LOVE the look of grunge board, but being the frugal scrapper I am, I rarely allow myself such luxuries...then low and behold, I see a "grungy" material right in front of me that is just longing to be used in one of my projects.

My grunge is the bottle packaging (if anyone knows what this is called, feel free to share it with me) AND the cardboard box that it came in. Whoo hoo for fancy packaging. I just LOVED the olive green and cream colored stripes:)

I have shown below an example of how I put the glitz and grunge together...I cut a piece of the bottle packaging and ran it through my big shot, using various leaf die cuts. I then inked the leaves with various ink pads in my stash. Then I glitzed it up with stickles glitter glue. I put a drop on a piece of paper, dipped my finger in it and "patted it" on the leaves. I also drew around the outside of the leaves with a gold leafing pen.

A link showing other details of this album can be found at http://s394.photobucket.com/albums/pp23/frugalscrapperphotos/Frugallly%20made%20Glitzy%20and%20the%20Grunge%20mini%20Album/.

Feel free to share your "frugal" projects by leaving a comment on this post.

Frugally yours,

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper

October TNT DINE-O-MITE Recipe "Reveal"

Well...can you believe it's November 1st already? You know what that means...it's time for the October 2008 TNT Dine-O-Mite Recipe reveal:)

This was my "vision" when I created the October Recipe, link to recipe here: http://frugalscrapper.blogspot.com/2008/10/tnt-dine-o-mite-recipe-layout-challenge.html. For anyone who did the challenge but did not have a chance to upload the layout, please feel free to do so. All you need to do is post a comment to the link above. I'd love to see all of your projects:)

A HUGE thank you! to Robin for being the first person to post her layout from the October challenge. Thank you also, Robin for giving the recipe a "shout out" on your blog! I really look forward to having more scrappers giving this challenge a try AND posting their creations.

To see Robin's project, go to: http://robins-rants.blogspot.com/2008/10/this-page-brought-to-you-by.html.

I look forward to posting the November challenge later today:)

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper