Thankful for...

I am VERY THANKFUL for lots of things, especially my family. I had the EXTREME pleasure of spending this last week with ALL of my AWESOME children and grand children!

We went for bike rides, walks on the beach, flew some kites, went to parks, played guitar hero, AND had a MOST wonderful Thanksgiving! My only disappointment was that one of my son's was not feeling well and could not join us for Thanksgiving day. Luckily we spent all last weekend with him, so it's all GOOD! Rest up, Dan!

My daughter left to go back home this morning which gave me some time to reflect on how much fun this past week has been. I needed to work on a project for my MOSD post, and was definitely inspired by this week. What a GREAT time to reflect on what I am THANKFUL for...

We went to Mission Bay last weekend and went for a fun bike ride. Two of my grand kids can now ride 2 wheelers so we took them for a nice long ride. They did GREAT! No complaints, no wipeouts, just an AWESOMELY fun day!

Of course, we also had some great fun at the beach. I got this great photo of my oldest (Alayna) and youngest (Alexander) grand children. How CUTE! Since I LOVE working with acrylic albums, I had fun using an MOSD step album (of course I had to take it apart and mix it up with some card stock/chipboard pages)...it wouldn't be me if I didn't alter my album a bit:)

I was happy to make use of the TONS of rub-ons I have in my stash. It was great to have so many options that matched this book:)

During out bike ride at Mission Bay, we had to give the adults incentive, so we stopped at the Wave House for some refreshments and spent a little time in the "life guard" chairs as we watched people "ride" the waves (they have a wave machine).

For a full look at this album, feel free to check here.

Enjoy and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Lori M.

Lori's Frugal Scrappin' Tags of Christmas

As you can tell, I've been creating T!m Holtz style again:)

I've made these tags for my upcoming Frugal Scrappin' class at Ever After. The class will be held on Thursday, December 10th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

If you haven't been to one of my FruGaL ScRapPin' classes yet, you need to TRY ONE OUT:)

These classes are fast paced, technique heavy, and LOADS of fun! They are also VERY frugally priced at only $15! Each tag is made with distress inks, with each tag using a different technique. Some tags also include paint dabbers, stickles, acrylic, and some other fun embellies. Stamps are a variety from my stash and most are done using Ranger's Archival Ink. (Staz on ink was used on the acrylic).

Any questions about these tags? Feel free to leave a comment:)

Enjoy and THANKS for visiting!

Remember to...create like no one is watching...

LoRi, the FruGaL ScRapPer ExTraOrdiNaiRe.

T!m's Back on the Top of My List:)

O.k. bloggers...so I go to what they call the original STAMPING show (or something like that) in Carson, CA yesterday with my very good friend, Gloria. We knew T!m would be there, and were definitely NOT disappointed!!!!

T!m was doing some fun demos and it didn't take long for me to get my creative juices flowing. I had some decorative grungeboard pieces that I wanted to use for a class, so I whipped up this cute wall hanging.I started by STAMPING on the GRUNGEboard, using one of my FLOURISH stamps and a PAINT dabber. I then applied some PINE needles and BRICK red distress ink around the EDGES.

I made a vintage "CARD" using another stamp I bought and distressed it with SCATTERED straw distress ink as I curled up the edges. Before adhering it to my project, I STAMPED some MUSIC notes down the left side of the project.

I then added a decorative metalic corner (think cardboard, aluminum foil, cuttlebug embossing folder and some JUNIPER alcohol INK).

To finish, I added some flowers, a little bling, a snowflake and a hinge clip. To finish it off, I just added some wire to hang it up...oh yes, I did add some "stitching" with a green sharpie marker.

Enjoy:)

.

Teresa Collins is IN the HOUZzzz!

Ok, bloggers....so keep this (OUR LITTLE SECRET)...step over, T!m Holtz, TC is in the houzzzz! That would be the one and only TERESA COLLINS:)

Seriously though, have I hung up my GRUNGE and gone GLITZ???? No way....but I've definitely decided that there's room for both TH and TC in MY houzzzz!
So, fellow bloggers...I took my FIRST class in over a year! Anyone who knows me also knows that being FRUGAL is my life...not just in scrapbookin', but all aspects...(well maybe except for the "trust fund" I have set aside to cover my grey hair when I get old and senile and can't get it done myself, lol...)

Anyway, with that being said, I thought this TERESA COLLINS class was a VERY frugal purchase. Why, you might ask???? Because she packs it with so much scrappin' stuff AND because she actually teaches some very FRUGAL and SMART techniques.

She gave us a ton of paper and die cut journaling blocks that we could use as is, or cut apart for a cool effect (frugal tip #1).

ALSO, she gave us suggestions on how to use those acrylic pieces that get trimmed off when making acrylic pages. I definitely had some "WHY didn't I THINK of THAT" moments! We used some left over acrylic strips and "hung" pictures off the edge of them (frugal tip #2)

She also gave us suggestions for printing out photos out in small sizes (above I used my photoshop program to take a few pics, closed in on my grandkids and resized each to 2x3). I laid them next to each other in a new document and printed on my home computer. The entire combined pic is the normal 4x6. I love this "kind of" PICTURE STRIPS effect! (frugal tip #3)

I also love the b/w pics...rather than being distracted by the colors in the photo, b/w PHOTOS make it easier to CONCENTRATE on the SUBJECT.

Now, I know that we've been told since the BEGINNING of scrapbook TIME to use our own HANDwriting in our journaling, but getting the added suggestions to CHANGE my STYLE and SIZE of writing throughout my journaling gave me the CONFIDENCE to try this out...how FRUGAL is that???? (frugal tip #4)

If you can't tell, I REALLY loved this CLASS! This is definitely one of those times when my class PROJECT will NOT end up at the bottom of my "class project" BIN. I can't wait to DISPLAY this album AND start my next project USING more of the TIPS 'n TECHniques I've learned.

Feel free to visit this ENTIRE album HERE.

ENJOY:)

Lori M, FSE:)

Let the changes begin:)

Well, bloggers, it's that time again....

for those of you following me for a while now,

you know that I just HAVE to change my

my blog title EVERY so often, lol

Well, since it's "tis the season" time,

you will find that my BLOG will be
UNDER construction

for the next few days while I try

different things out:)

It's like when I paint a room in my house,

I've been known to hang paint chips

all over the place while I

decide which color to settle on...

Since I'm really feelin' the REDS and AQUAS

of this holiday season, I expect those colors

will be in my new title:)

Whoo hoo, time to "PLAY".

Frugal Scrappin' Tip for Today:)

O.k., fellow paper crafters, let's celebrate the season, Frugal Scrapper Style:) I made this awesome mini album but was having trouble finding just the right color of cardstock for my title. I found something "close" to what I wanted, so decided to make die cut letters using the Slice.
Once the letters were cut, I sent them through my trusty xyron X. Then I decided to "alter" them so I could achieve more of what I was looking for. I found that by keeping them on the backing of the xyron paper, it was easy to work with them without the moving around.

First, I added some distress ink (what's a frugal scrappin' project without distress ink, right?) I love the way the edges turned out darker. This helped allow them to stand out on my project.

Since I still wasn't completely happy with the color, I added some glimmer mist....well, let me tell you, this WAS the ticket! Whoo hoo!!!!

Voila, a close-up view of the finished title:)

Click here to view the rest of the "sneak peek" into this mini album that I will be teaching at Ever After Scrapbooks on November 30th.

Enjoy:)

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire:)

Whoo hoo!!! Time for Christmas Albums:)

I am sooooo happy with the popular colors for Christmas albums this year. How cool to be able to use some of my "summer" colors for a wintery Christmas album...of course, I'm talking about aqua...

Also, since I live in sunny southern California and it NEVER snows here, it's great to still be able to use the color I think of most when I think of the Pacific Ocean. Whoo hoo!!!!

In addition to the colors that I love, I love the fact that I did not need to purchase ANYTHING to make this album! I used the following items from my stash:

Paint Dabbers in: Pool, Red Pepper, and Snow Cap

Stickles in Red (distressed stickles)

Glitter glue (an off brand I had in aqua)

Staz on ink in Cherry Red and Teal

Glimmer Mist in Patina and Candy Apple Red

Other Supplies: Sizzix bird diecut, sizzix ornament diecut, buttons (buttons galore), swirl stamps (autumn leaves), crystals (kaiser craft), snow flakes (dollar store), acrylic covers (kits2remember), grungeboard pages (T!m Holtz), ribbons from my stash

Now, I do have to say that 90% of the items used in this project, I did get from Ever After Scrapbooks over the last few months (well, maybe I did just buy the buttons, lol)...

So here are a few of the pages from this album that I'm most proud of...if you want to see the entire album, it can be found here
Enjoy my "introduction" into the 2009 Holiday season:)

Lori McCausland

THANKS for...

'Tis the season, fellow scrappers, to show those you love what you are thankful for...I will be teaching a class at Ever After Scrapbooks where we will make this awesome THANKS book. The class will be held on November 14th from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

In the mean time, I want to take this opportunity to say THANKS...

THANKS to everyone who inspires me each and every day...you know who you are:)....THANKS!

THANKS to my fellow bloggy crafters who visit my blog and allow me to visit theirs. There are SO many awesome craft blogs out there today and I'm truly blessed to know and "visit" each and every one of you:)...THANKS!

THANKS to my family for not only encouraging my creative side, but for also putting up with my crafty MESS! (this is especially for you, Billy...I LOVE YOU)...THANKS!

THANKS to all of my friends...without you, I wouldn't be who I am today...THANKS!

THANKS to my grandkids...without you, I wouldn't constantly have a smile on my face every time I think of you...THANKS!

May each of you give THANKS to those close to you. Have a very THANKFUL day!

Sincerely,

Lori McCausland, Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire:)

The Frugal Scrapper is at it AGAIN:)

While working at my local scrapbooking store, I came across a pile if manufacturer winter catalogs that weren't going to be needed....in fact there were 30 of them...so being the Frugal Scrapper that I am, I thought....hmmmmm....I could use those catalog covers to make a few "frugal" projects....these deep jewel tone/earth tone colors are SO IN right now...kind of like a throw back between the 70's and the 80's...yeah I know...I'm old enough to remember the last time these colors were "in style", lol..

As I was looking for projects to use for my November Frugal Scrappin' Class, and thought...hmmm...why do a project that can be used for the gift giving season that is quickly approaching us:) I had a few blank CD cases left over from my last CD project so decided to make a gift card holder/picture frame stand, perfect for a project this time of the year.

Below you will first see the "picture frame" view. Below that are the flaps and gift card holder pages.

I used the Slice to make the die cuts and the scalloped frame for these pages. The Slice is such a perfect tool to use on a project like this since the shapes can go from 1" to 4", perfect for mini book projects. For a close-up view of the entire project, click here. I aptly titled this project "with Gratitude".

There are SO MANY people in my life I am grateful for, so this project is for all of you....with Gratitude!

If your in my "neighborhood" on November 12th and would like to take my "Frugal Scrappin' Class", call Ever After Scrapbooks at 760-630-2767. I hope to see you there:)

Thanks for visiting:)

Lori McCausland

Frugal Scrapper Extraordinaire:)