Monthly Archives: June 2007

A day with my boy

Wednesday is my day off work (I work 4 x 10 hour days for my full time job) which means Thomas and I get to hang out together, just the two of us. I love my Wednesdays wit Thomas when we get to send this special time together – even if it is a little exhausting by the end of the day. But I do look forwardto naptime when I can catch up on my favourite blogs, scrap a little and check my personal email.

Today’s email check had me jumping for joy for many reasons (don’t you just love great email days). Here’s a short list of things in my email today that have me excited:

  • Today is $2 Wednesday at My Digital Muse. Some great stuff for sale at just $2. I already picked up this little treasure from Lolo Designs (and it’s new!) and I am going back for more.
  • This weekend is grab bag weekend so more $2 goodness. I just LOVE these weekends (although my bank account does not). And Tara Sroka is having her very first grab bag. I am so looking forward to seeing what is inside and the 50th person to buy receives her Big Apple kit for free.

  • Summer is here and that means zoo concerts in Portland. We are trying to decide whether we should see The Wailers or Los Lobos. Watever we decide it should be loads of fun!
  • Nordstrom is having their Clinique Gift event – gotta go by and pick up some goods to get the gift. Love Clinique gift time.
  • And the BIG ONE… But I can’t tell you about it yet… Just let me say that I was VERY excited to see this email in my inbox today. 🙂

So until next time (when I can hopefully share the big news).

Nicole

Feeling the Baby Itch

A quick post for the seemingly numerous people who have told me they’re preganant in the last couple of weeks. I think it’s about time for us to start trying, but…must…wait. Too much going on right now, although Thomas shows definite signs of needing a sibling.

Anyway, here’s to the friends who are already starting the journey with baby #1 or 2 or 3 or, in the case of my CT pal Elizabeth,… 4!!!

Created with one of Tara Sroka’s gorgeous card templates. Full credits here.

Thanks for stopping by

Nicole

MDM is Buzzing!

There are so many fun things going on – to many to contests to list them all here and practically every designer is having some type of sale.

Here rea couple of layouts that I posted today. One is for the Muse of the Month scraplift and the other is for Tara Sroka’s CT using those velvet grunge papers.

Credits

Thanks for stopping by

Nicole

Quick Work Vent and MDM News

Hi there,

It’s Friday (yippee) and I just can’t wait until this week is over. Having some trouble communicating with people in my company. Ironic because I am officially a “Communications Specialist”. What is that you say? Who knows really. All I do know is that people in my company are supposed to come to me for guidance and counsel on how best to share their message internally. The problem is when no one listens and they decide to go and do their own thing anyway. So my Friday has gotten off to a bumpy start. Nothing like burning a few bridges before week’s end. 🙂

For the good news portion of this post – Saturday marks the grand re-opening at My Digital Muse. The site is closed right now for renovations but on Saturday it will reopen with a new look, tons of new products and some fantastic activities where we have great prizes up for grabs.
Tara is having a promotion where you can get her newest kit for free if you spend just $15 on her store. The kit is called the Big Apple mega kit and is stuffed with papers (16!) and elements (over 50!).
Here’s a layout I created with the kit. And you can see some from other CT members on her blog, showing just how versatile this kit is.

Here’s a preview for the entire kit. Click on the image to go straight to Tara’s store – but remember that the link won’t work until Saturday. 🙂

Did I mention the cool activities that will be underway all weekend? There’s so much great stuff up for grabs so don’t miss it!

Thanks for dropping by.

Nicole

What’s your scrap style?

I was recently accepted as a member of Tara Sroka’s creative team (which is awesome by the way) and as part of the application process she asked me two questions that got me thinking:

1. What is your scrapping style?

2. Who are your favourite scrappers?

It made me start thinking about my scrapping style and this very quick journey that I have taken as a digiscrapper. I only started about 12 months ago and I feel like my style and my tastes have gone through so many changes since I began that I found it difficult to answer Tara’s question. I also thought about how I have posted four blog entries so far and haven’t really said anything about myself so I guess this is a good start.

I see myself as a simple scrapper – not big on (and not comfortable with) loads of embellishments. I am in awe of scrappers who are able to create beautiful pages with dozens of embellishments, all from different designer, yet all working so beautifully together without taking away from the photo.
My early inspiration was Cathy Zielske’s Clean and Simple Book 1 and the sequel. I love that the photos take center stage with a focus on graphic design and I am most comfortable when my photos are aligned to the page.

My focus has been shifting however, and I find myself using more embellishments on pages – although still very sparse. I’m not sure if this is because I am on a couple of CTs and want to really show off the product, or if I just feel the need to create a more 3D look to my pages.
So in just over 12 months my pages have gone from this…
To more and more of this..

Although I am still more comfortable with the less is more approach I think I’m branching out. 🙂

As for favourite scrappers, there are so many layouts in the community that I am inspired by but I would have to say that some of people I return to time and again for inspiration are:

  • Peta (Little Possum): Her style changes so much and I love that she is so versatile and honest with her pages. I never know what to expect (plus she’s an Aussie and was one of the first people to post on my blog – but that didn’t sway me – she was already on the list for my CT application.. promise :))
  • Jodie Davidson: Another Aussie (I see a pattern), but I love her for the exact opposite reason to Peta. She is so comfortable and confident in her less is more style and her pages are always so beautiful.
  • Dani Mogstad: Love, Love, Love her pages. The shapes and colors that she uses are all quite unexpected but work so well together. She is an example of one of those scrappers who uses a whole bunch of elements but the page never looks overcrowded. Her designs are also amazing (fingers crossed for my CT application)
  • Nancy Comelab: Amazing designer AND scrapper. Love the layered graphic effect to her pages. (and lives in Australia!)

And of course there are so many more. Just look at the list of blogs I read daily – so much inspiration on that list.

I may have to think about my favourite designers next. This has been very therapeutic.

Thanks for reading

Nicole

It’s time for a Challenge

My June Photography challenge starts today at My Digital Muse. It’s easy! Take a photo around the subject of WATER and post to the gallery – then you could win a $5 GC from one of the designers. I believe this could be the easiest challenge… ever!

And remember, the store closes tomorrow for updates but will be open again on Friday for the grand re-opening. And while the site is closed you can occupy yourself taking photos for my challenge! Click on the picture to go directly to the challenge thread in the forums.

Well best get back to the housework. Wednesday is my day off work and Thomas is sleeping so have to make the most of it while I can… or I could scrap… Decisions, decisions. 🙂

And for my photo of the day… this one has attitude.

Thanks for dropping by.

Nicole

Busy Day

I have one of those days ahead of me – you know the days filled with meetings where you wonder how you are going to leave for five minutes to grab lunch? Yes, back to back meetings today and no time to do any actual work. I hate days like this but I am powering through… 🙂

But I do have a minute to post a couple of quick layouts. Tara Sroka is going to release some really pretty papers soon called Velvet Grunge. They come in beautiful colors and this green one caught my eye immediately.

I also created this layout with the MDM signature kit that will be available during their massive relaunch party this weekend. This kit is AMAZING. My layout below is only a sampling of what you will get. Some of the other team members have been posting layouts as well so make sure you check out the gallery.

Until next time

Nicole

Anyone out there?

I decided to join the digiscrapping blog world. Yippee! Who knows if anyone will read this but hopefully I will get a hit every now and then if only to maintain some dignity.

So why a Scrapping blog? I already have a personal family blog (www.theishidas.com) but since my family doesn’t really understand or care about my scrapping addiction, I thought I would start a special space on the web where I can talk digi scrapping to my heart’s content.

So let’s start with some exciting events happening this week…

My Digital Muse is having a huge Relaunch party. Make sure you grab the special relaunch kit and don’t forget to sign up for the Yahoo groups newsletter for a special free kit from Holly McCaig. It won’t be available anywhere else.

I also joined the CT for Tara Sroka – a fabulous new designer with some really unique products already for sale in the MDM store – with more on the way. She has a fantastic sale going on for the next couple of days where you can buy her entire store for just $20. Trust me, that is a bargain! Just click on the image below to go straight to her store.

So that’s about it for my first post but there is so much going on in the next few days that I am sure to update soon. Stay tuned for my new Photography Challenge which starts on Wednesday (June 6th). There’s a Gift Certificate from one of the MDM designers up for grabs.

And to finish my very last post, a photograph that just makes me smile. (You didn’t think I could close without ONE mention of my baby did you? :))

Thanks for reading
Nicole