A layout and a giveaway!

Hi bloggy friends! I'm popping in from the most. stressful. friday. of. all. time. Let's just say I decided to forgo my weekly trip to Dunkin Donuts (where I indulge in a French Vanilla latte and bring home some treats to share with S) because it would be too stressful. Clearly, things are not good.

To take my mind off that to-do list, here's a layout I created a few months back for a Write. Click. Scrapbook post:

The photos here are from the first day of our Disney trip, when we went to the Magic Kingdom. I wanted to echo the sheer excitement and fun we felt on that day.

Can you spy the stamps on this one? They're one of my absolute favorite Studio Calico sets!

And while we're at it, as much as I love to scrap my married adventures, I'm so glad I have albums upon albums full of my goings-on as a single gal. Whether you're currently or formerly single (hopefully we all fall in one of those categories!) this Ella ebook would be absolutely perfect for you.

Would you like to win a copy? If so, please leave a comment below telling me a fun memory from YOUR single years! (I will choose a winner next Friday)

Wishing you all a happy, stress-free weekend with lots of summer fun:)

More scrappy goodness, coming right up....

The brief summer of last week (oh sunshine and bright colors and swingy skirts, how I miss you!) has turned back into the April special--of rain, rain and more rain.

Which gets me in the mood of cold weather and comfort food, like freshly baked cookies. Hmmm. Just writing about this kind of makes me want cookies.

I created this layout for an Ella Publishing/ Write Click Scrapbook project. The topic was paper piecing, and I have not been a very inventive paper piecer up till now.

Hence: behold, the easier paper piecing ever.


To make the cookie in the bottom left corner, I simply hand-cut a circle from kraft cardstock and then layered punctuation marks from a pack of Thickers. And voila--we have a sweet little cookie, with very little muss or fuss! I don't normally create my own embellishments for layouts, but I love the homespun charm they bring.

And a little closeup on the title (I challenged myself to use those metal banners, and I'm so glad I did!)


And if you want more Ella Publishing fun, check out my post up on the Ella blog today! Here's a little sneaky peek at the layout that's up:

Hope you have a happy Tuesday!

I have two questions for you today:

Have YOU ever paper pieced?

What is YOUR favorite thing to read on this blog?

8 is Enough

I'm in Ohio right now, babysitting my little siblings for a few days while my parents are out of town and enjoying checking out my old haunts. Looking forward to heading home today though!

Since I'm away from most of my scrappy supplies, I'm catching up on showing you some old projects. Here are some Eight is Enough layouts I created for the Ella blog.

Here's the eight products I used:

1. Garment paper from Studio Calico
2. Bella Blvd polka dot paper
3. October Afternoon damask paper
4. October Afternoon gray paper
5. Fiskars apron lace punch
6. October Afternoon Fly a Kite word stickers
7. American Crafts pink Fancy thickers
8. Jenni Bowlin butterfly banner stickers

I love this collection of stuff, because it's so bright and cherry--it really is perfectly "me."

Here's the first layout I created with this set of product:

I layered patterned paper and word stickers to create a bit of a collagey feel for the title. That's why I love those word stickers sheets--they really pack a lot of punch!

For my second layout, I used a dark background to create more contrast and a different look. Since I didn't have a circular element for my title, I freehand cut a circle outline from cardstock and used that to house the title.

So it turns out, eight really IS enough.

Will that stop me from buying too many scrappy supplies? That remains to be seen?

Have YOU taken the Eight is Enough challenge yet?

PS--Check out the Write Click Scrapbook blog today for some fun Ella/WCS goodness!

Spring is in the Air!

I hear that spring is around the corner--so far, I've been too deluged by rainfall to notice any flowers peeking out, but I'm hopeful!

The folks over at Ella Publishing are also getting pumped about spring--check out the new Spring Training program!

This extravaganza is coming to a computer near you very soon - and registration starts today!
● Four expert coaches (Angie Lucas on journaling, Wendy Smedley on inspiration, Tammy Tutterow on techniques, and Kelly Willette on photography)
● 12 exclusive videos (one per day) featuring coached training exercises (watch for 10 minutes, "exercise" for 10 minutes)
● A daily layout challenge based on the daily exercise
● Daily giveaways from our event sponsors (including Big Picture Classes, Jenni Bowlin, Little Yellow Bicycle, and more)
● Exclusive downloads and offers
● Access to the videos for a full 60 days after the event ends

If you sign up this week and you can enjoy all of the above for 20% off the list price! (There is no charge to participate in the daily layout challenge and giveaways). Stop by the Ella Publishing blog The Daily Trumpet for all the details. See you there!

Ella Blog Hop!

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Ella Friends blog hop--thanks for coming to visit!

The March Ella ebook has been a big hit among the BFFs crew, so we figured we'd share the goodness with you all in a blog hop!

The new e-book is about a topic near and dear to me: scrapbooking the everyday.


As someone who doesn't have kids to scrap yet, I don't typically focus on birthday parties, first day of school, and other typical scrapbooking topics (and people don't look quite as cute on their first days of law school, anyhow). Instead, I scrapbook about the details that make up my everyday life--and I'm so glad I do, because life changes so quickly and I'm amazed how many details I forget!

Here are some layouts that focus on the everyday:

For better or worse (for my budget), Starbucks is usually a part of my everyday....


Since S and I commute to NYC for work, reading on the train is a big part of our lives--and one that I really missed when I wasn't commuting for a few months.


We email a lot during the day, and things can get pretty crazy....

And this layout, excuse the photo , is one of my favorites because it actually records a day in our lives last October. Even though it's only been a relatively short while, so much has changed--neither of us are in school, we don't see each other during the day and we definitely don't have lunch together anymore. (Which reminds me how everytime we ate lunch together S would want to lick the top of the yogurt and I would get grossed out by it. Every time, ha!)



The good news is this e-book can help you figure out ways to incorporate YOUR daily life in your scrapbook, too. The great news is I get to GIVE ONE AWAY to one lucky reader!

Simply leave a comment on this post to win--tell me what you would scrap in your everyday life if you're so inclined.

Next on the hop head to: Mary Jo Johnson

And in case you get lost, here are all of the Ella Team's blogs:

Brenda Johnston

Donna Jannuzi

Jenni Hufford

Monika Wright

Jennifer Larson

Valerie Mangan

Lee Currie

Francine Clouden

Diana Chen

May Flaum

Have fun hopping! Happy Monday, everyone:)

A Sweet Valentine's Treat!

Ella Publishing is having a special Valentine's Day sale today! The full details are at the Ella blog here.

The gist of it is that you get to pick TWO ebooks and then get a THIRD free!

Now, if it were up to me, I'd pick......

(now if the book actually came WITH some time to scrap, that would be ideal.....but nevertheless there are some great tips and gorgeous layouts in here!)

+


(and not just because I have a layout in there, I promise. I'm a sucker for journaling!)

+

(this is possibly my fave e-book of all TIME. The layouts are stunning, and it's so cool to see how versatile scrappy products are. Love!)

=

Valentine's bliss.


Now, here's hoping the 'ol hubby remembers to get me some chocolate.......

What would be YOUR favorite match?

Sketchy Thursdays fun--and a cool prize!

Isn't this purty?

As you know, I'm more of a blue and white Chanuka girl, but even I am swooning at these rich, lovely colors.

Want to win it? First, you have to LIKE Sketchy Thursdays on facebook.

Second, PLAY ALONG with the secret sketch (found only on facebook) and LINK your entry. You have from Dec 23 through Jan 5 to play along--and then if you win, you can scrap all of those holiday photos!

Here is my take on the sketch:



This one is about my cute little sis, in honor of her 13th birthday. Had SO much fun using the Studio Calico December kit on this one, plus some extras (fabricps and alpha).

The journaling reads: At 13, you are even more beautiful and kind and loving than I could have imagined. I feel so lucky that of all the families in the world, you were put into mine. Dec 10.

Here's a little close-up of the fabrip under the title:



On a totally different note, check out this cool geneaology project you can do on Ella--I have a review of it here. Follow the link and you can even learn some cool secrets about my family!



Hope you're having a great Thursday!! If I disappear from blogland tonight, it's because I'm having a blast here:

I'm going with my little sister and I can't wait!

Since I know this is an exciting time for so many of you, what are YOU looking forward to most in the next few days?

A Very Scrappy Wednesday

Hope you are all off to a great start to the week!

My week woke to an alarming start yesterday when I slept through my alarm again. For those of you that have never slept in a room with me (which would be most of you I presume?) I sleep like a rock. Or a baby--choose your analogy. I've slept through fire drills, tornado alarms, and various ruckuses of many kind. I even have conversations in my sleep and then have no memory of them later. Which is great fun for my husband.

So all things considered, it's no surprise that my body decided to take matters in its own hands and get some sleep. The result being that I woke up today to no less than three alarms, one of which was the sound of a tweeting bird. Fairly annoying, but at least I didn't have to get dressed and make the train in 20 minutes!

Onto what you came for (other than an oration on my sleep patters, of course)--here's some scrappy goodness.

My layout for this week's Sketchy Thursdays challenge:

For these photos of one of my best friend's wedding, I focused on the location, since it was the first wedding in my hometown synagogue's new building. Which is gorgeous!

I am in love with these AC thickers (newly purchased) and was excited to use them! I also spritzed some white Mr. Huey to add some spunk.

Here's the sketch I used:

I opted out of the patterned paper and changed the brackets to Elle's Studio journaling cards, but you can see the bones of the layout here.

Which is why I love sketches--when you're having a hard time planning the bones of the layout, they wake it right up. Come play with us at Sketchy Thursdays sometime! We personally visit each and every blog that enters and I so enjoy finding new blogs that way!

Do you use sketches? What do YOU use to get your mojo going?

And, just for kicks, are you a heavy or light sleeper?

P.S.--For you light sleepers out there, check out Ella Publishing's 12 Days of Christmas posts when you're woken up!

A Date with Sketchy Thursdays

It's been a whirlwind weekend--a shiva call, visiting with my grandparents, meeting an old friend, Target (we were WAY overdue for a visit--oh Target, how I missed thee.....), and the new Harry Potter movie.

This movie is SAD. As in, I was weeping hysterically. S looked over at me at one point and saw tears streaming down my cheeks. Took me the rest of the night to recover! It had a lot of interesting overtones to World War II, and I left thinking about my grandparents and wondering, yet again, how they survived what they went through. I look forward to the next installment being a big happier, though.

On to scrappy matters--Sketchy Thursdays has a new sketch up, and you have until this Wednesday to play! Let me know if you do and I'll look out for your layout!

Here is the sketch for the week:

And here's my take on it:


As you can see, I went with a two pager this time! Ella's new ebook has been inspiring me!

Excuse the awful photo though--what is it with two pagers and yucky photos? If anyone has any tips for getting a good two pager photo, please share!

And, I get to pick a lucky Ella winner! It's DEBORAH! Deborah, please email me at keshet.shenkar@gmail.com and I'll get you your book code!

Otherwise, I'm looking forward to spending the day sorting out my life. Between all the traveling and some sad feeling about the baby topic yesterday, I am sitting in a sea of post-its and a to do list to kingdom come. Wish me luck!

What are YOUR plans for the day?

Double Page Design: The New Frontier

It's been a few days, I know. Where did Scrappy Sunday go off to, you may ask? Well, I came home from a family wedding last night so totally pooped that I only had the energy to watch Jane Austen movies on the couch. Which we all know is a sad state of affairs.

But today, I want to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart.

Okay, lie. I want to talk about something that scares the Dickens out of me: two page layouts.

I rarely make them. In fact, while perusing my online gallery for some double pagers to show you, here's the best I could find:

I actually love this one--the contrast is key. It's just a really special layout to me.

Ignore the stinky picture, but since this layout involves pink, brackets, handmade flowers, candy accents, and a donut, I like it.

And an even yuckier picture--sorry about that! This one is my wedding shower.

So, I did some good 'ol fashioned chart making:

Reasons I like double pagers:
1. You have a lot of room to play
2. GREAT for summing up events
3. You can include lots of photos
4. I can challenge myself

Reasons I DON'T like double pagers:
1. They scare me
2. So much space. What to do with it?
3. You have to line up the photos so they look nice, and this isn't always easy.
4. Did I mention they scare me?

If you too are freaked out by double pagers, then this new e-book is for you:

Ella has done it again--a new book all about double pagers, in conjuction with the Write.Click.Scrapbook team (before my time, though!). Which is basically like saying it was written by brother and sister. Or something like that.

Hop over to Ella and check it out! This e-book has already inspired me--I have a double paged layout sitting on my desk right now:) (P.S.--want to know a secret? I really want to write an e-book one day. Have a proposal in mind but need to fix it up and get it out there. One of these days!)

Annnnnnnnnddd......I get to give a FREE COPY to one lucky reader!

To enter please leave a comment below telling me how YOU feel about double pagers!

NOTE: To enter, please be a follower! I hate to do that, but it can be really exhausting trying to catch up with winners otherwise:)

Ella BFFs--Celebrating Friendship

Today, me and my BFFs over at Ella Publishing are having a little blog hop celebrating--what else?--friendship.

I have been blessed to make many good friends over the years. Some so very kind that they spent this past week filling out forms and notarizing them to witness to the general stability of my character. They have pulled through bad times (horrible breakup right before a trip to Disneyland in late 2007, anyone?) and been with me in good times. They have made me snort apple juice up my nose and laugh so hard my chest was actually in pain.

They are truly, truly the best. And I believe my marriage has been much better and stronger because of all the love, care, compromise, and problem-solving I got to do with my friends first.

Joining the scrapbooking world has led me to even more friends, also wonderful and giving and kind people. I'm fortunate to work with them on the Ella team, as we explore scrapbooking--and our lives--from new angle.

When I think about what I've gained from the scrapbooking community, I can't help but think of these friends. Their talent, their heart,and their wisdom are reflected in the projects they create. I feel very honored to be counted among this wonderful group of women, and I appreciate all of you!

In honor of this blog hop, I whipped up this layout about friendship:


In case you can't read the little tag, it says "friendship is a sheltering tree--Samuel Taylor Coleridge." A googling of "friendship + tree" led to some misses, but eventually to this quote, which I love.

Here's a closeup:


And for a little token of my friendship, I am GIVING AWAY a box of scrappy goodies to one lucky commenter below!

To keep on celebrating the friendship spirit, visit the blogs of these talented ladies:

Brenda Johnston
Diana Chen
Donna Januzzi
Jenni Hufford
May Flaum
Francine Clouden
Mary Jo Johnston
Jennifer Larson
Lee Currie
Monika Wright
Valerie Mangan

Thanks for stopping by and have a spectac-ELLA weekend!

And because my main reason for blogging is to hear what YOU have to say (I talk to myself often enough, believe me) how was friendship changed YOUR life?

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

A little Tease.....

Yours truly is hosting over at the Ella Publishing blog today with a post on scrapbooking about things OTHER than children!

My Ella buds Diana and Francine contributed, so that's reason enough to pop over there!

And if you still aren't convinced, here's a little sneak peek at a layout I created for the post (gotta take care of my bloggy friends, right?)


I also have another copy of Ella's new book, Journaling that Matters, to give away!



To enter, leave a comment below! I will choose a winner on Wednesday.

A few more items of business:
--Stephanie Baxter, please email me so I can get you your ebook! Otherwise, I'll choose a new winner Monday.

--Thanks for all of your insightful comment about the Pubs/DT post. I am aiming to have Part II posted on Sunday, so come back for that!

What I Wore Wednesday and some Exciting News!

So this week, I only have one outfit for you--sad, I know.

The reason I only have one is because I worked the other days this week. And if you see me on a morning before work, you'd understand why I'm not taking photos of myself!

8:20 am on a workday morning generally finds the Starr abode in utter chaos, with S issuing his "five minute!" and "one minute!" reminders, and me frantically debating which shoes to wear, and other essential questions of life (tights or no tights? umbrella or not?). I've nearly walked out the door before remembering that I cover my hair--and ran back to shove that wig on my head. Good times.

So anyhoo, here's what you get:

I know the picture isn't too fantabulous. I'd replace the mirror, but truth be told? Everyone who looks in it comments on what a skinny mirror it is. And I always feel fabulous looking in it. So it stays:)

Where I got stuff:

• Tank top: Ann Taylor (on sale!)
• Denim skirt: Ann Taylor (long time ago)
• White shell: Kiki Riki online (since for some reason, the Orthodox stores in Brooklyn don't sell them in white. Boo.)
• Shoes: Target (last season)
• Necklace: Meredith Fenwick Designs (won this on Ali Edwards's blog and I LOVE it!)
  

A close-up of the detail on the shirt:


And some fairly pathetic attempts at a self portrait:

Wait, too serious. Let's try again:



And now, onto the exciting part! (if you're excited already, bonus points!)

Ella Publishing just released a new ebook about journaling! I've taken a peek at it and it is FAB! Here's the link to get a copy for yourself!

And before I go, a little sneaky question.........Can you guess WHY I'm so excited about this ebook?

The first one to get it right wins a little prize pack from me!