Monday, May 10, 2010

New video + NSD Revenge Challenges Update + Fifth Month of Christmas + My Computer is a Thankless Wench

Hi, everyone! This post is kind of long, so bear with me. :)

So, I decided to spend the weekend scrapbooking and working on my blog {yes, I also called my mom and wished her a happy Mother's Day} and finishing my "Revenge Challenges" and doing the next layout in the "World of Wonder" album and ... well you get the idea. I had lots of stuff to do, and lots of it involved my computer actually, I don't know, working properly.

Which, I suppose, was just asking too much.

First, I spent an afternoon working on the "World of Wonder" album, filming as I created the second layout in the book. When I went to edit the video, Adobe Premiere Elements {my video editing software} told me the raw file was corrupted & couldn't be imported into the program. Now, Adobe Premiere Elements is kind of a temperamental program, so I decided to try and open the file in Windows Media Player {that was the file format, anyway} and it also told me it was corrupted and unplayable.

So, no step-by-step video for Part Three. Sigh.

I ended up filming a second video after that. It's an overview of the layout, explaining what I did to create it. I've included the video below & if you have any questions about it, just let me know & I'll try to answer them. Sorry about that, but technology was against me this weekend.



My computer problems didn't stop there, of course. I went to print photos so I could complete the rest of my "Revenge Challenges" from National Scrapbook Day on The Beach, but my computer couldn't find our external hard drive, even though it is on our network and Mr. Lifeguard's computer can find it just fine. After spending several hours trying to get it to work, Mr. Lifeguard finally had to stop trying to get it to work because he was *this close* to putting a sledgehammer through it.

The gist of this is that I can't print photos because the only place I have photo editing software installed is on my desktop & my desktop can't get to my photos. So, I am posting my finished challenges without photos in some cases. Bad me, but what can you do when your computer turns against you? So here's what I came up with:

NSD Revenge Challenge #1: Blind Stash Grab

The challenge for this layout was to create a layout using only items I took from my stash with my eyes closed. This one wasn't actually that bad since I had just finished organizing my scraproom, so I was able to control what I chose pretty well & not end up with anything too heinous.



This is the layout I created with the items I took from my stash. When my computer is cooperating again, I will mat a photo of my stuffed monkeys on that piece of book paper & it will be done!

NSD Revenge Challenge #2: NSD 2010

The challenge for this layout was to create a page using photos and quotes from the NSD 2010 celebration on The Beach.



I prepared the above digital layout, because I wanted everyone to have a copy if they were interested. It is available for you to download in the "Scrapbook Related" section of the Forum on The Beach site: Commemorative Layout. So if you'd like your own copy to commemorate the event, it is available over there!

NSD Revenge Challenge #3: Monochromatic Challenge

The challenge for this layout was to complete a page using only elements of one color.



In the above layout, I used pictures of my family from the beach Christmas 2008. My first inclination was to use blue since that is the predominant color in the pictures, but I changed my mind at the last minute & went with orange. Blue and orange are opposite each other on the color wheel, so the orange background made the blue photos really pop & created a dynamic layout, even though it has no embellishments.

NSD Revenge Challenge #4: Handmade Garden Layout

The challenge for this layout was to complete a page about a garden, using only handmade embellishments.



In the above layout, I printed out a screenshot of the "All Photos" page on The Beach and titled it "Creative Garden". I then made the three flowers from paper & called it a day. I disliked this challenge intensely because I do not enjoy making handmade embellishments {which is why I rarely do it & therefore suck at it}. I think if this was the only way to scrapbook, then I would not be a scrapbooker.

NSD Revenge Challenge #5: Triplet Challenge

This challenge was to make a layout, a tag and a card that incorporated all the same elements and embellishments. So, or example, if I used a flower on the layout, then I also needed to use a flower on the tag and the card.



In this challenge, I cheated a little bit. I made a 12"x12" "tag" that was a copy of the above layout. I mailed that "tag" to Dawn Edwards who is pictured on the layout & is the creator of the challenge. I also enclosed the card i made with the tag and the prizes she won from NSD. Unfortunately, I boxed them up and sent them off before I took a picture of all three of them together, but I can at least show you the layout.

NSD Revenge Challenge #6: Spring Cleaning Challenge

This challenge was to make a layout using some of the oldest stuff in my stash.



I have not even been scrapbooking for four years, so none of my stuff is all that old. However, I did recently unearth some Heidi Swapp ghost shapes that are some of the oldest things in there. I also used one of the first fonts of Thickers I ever purchased, so that's another older stash item. This one also has no pics because of the computer being a thankless wench.

So that's it for the "Revenge" Challenges! I hope you enjoyed seeing what I can up with & there are many hours of UStream recorded from NSD weekend where you can see me working on some of these challenges: Live on the {Scrap}beach.

Whew! I am exhausted already from this Tolstoy-long blog post. Are you guys still with me? Are your eyes tired? Did you pass out from low blood sugar?

If you're still with me, it's time to announce the prize for the Fifth Month of Christmas. This month's prize was inspired by the age old saying, "April showers bring May flowers" and it is some packs of Primas!



The winner will receive the above pictured Primas to do with as they please. To be entered to win the "May Flowers" prize pack, simply leave a comment on this post before 11:59 p.m. Miami, FL USA time {GMT/UTC-4} on Thursday, May 13th. I will post the winner first thing on Friday morning!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

44 comments:

  1. Hi Kathryn, hope you're computer problems will be solved soon. And i am so happy to hear that you're okay. Thanks for the great giveaway, hope i am the lucky one love those Prima's.
    Lots of love,

    Gina xxx

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  2. Morning Kathryn -

    Don't you hate when the PC acts up? Just had that happen to me a couple of months ago, so my husband got me a new one. Love the new computer, but it takes a while to get things the way you liked them on the old computer - LOL! I hope things get better for you.

    Elaine Allen

    P.S. Loved the mini-album and your Revenge pages!

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  3. Hi Kathryn, so sorry to hear about your computer, I hate that when that happens, we are so dependent on them now for everything!!! Love what you did with the challenges, great job! What a great giveaway, I don't have very many Prima flowers and would absolutly LOVE to be the winner! Have a great week!

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  4. Sorry to hear about all of the issues!!

    You did such a great job with the challenges!

    Thanks for sharing everything!
    ~KristinaH

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  5. Kathryn, you did an awesome job with all of your revenge challenges. I know I probably wouldn't be able to finish all of them! ;)
    Glad to see your new video up, I'm going over to YouTube to watch it now!
    I can't wait to see who wins all of those beautiful primas!!
    Katie

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  6. Love your layouts!! They all turned out great :)....uhhh PRIMA for a giveaway!! your awesome ;) lol

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  7. Love your vid. Oh boy, can relate to 'puter problems! Spent part of Mother's Day with #1Son fixing someof mine! You did wonderful job for NSD layouts and getting out the prizes! I suppose if you hated the "handmade Embellie Garden LO" I submitted the most, I should be proud??? *giggle*...can't wait to see who wins all those yummy Primas(Of course it doesn't matter, but I don't own any...just sayin'...

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  8. Faaaaaabulous job on the NSD challenges, Kathryn! Hooooorrraaaayyyyy for yummy Primas--you can *never* go wrong with a lovely Prima flower on your project!! :-)

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  9. Kathryn - you are hilarious...I was giggling and snickering through this post. Love the challenges, the outcomes thereof and your always-detailed-and-at times-wonderfully-snarktastic commentary.

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  10. Great job on them challenges! holy smokes.. you amaze me!! :) they are all super cute!! my fav is the friend i promise LO. too fun!
    with a grin,
    steffogal1

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  11. Kathryn, I am finally taking the time to go through your blogposts and videos. They are so helpful to me, and I love how the World of Wonder album is coming. It is amazing for me to see how it's created. I, too, love your humor, and must add that without your delightful sarcasm, I'd be too in awe of your talent to even post. Hope the computer problems sort out, as that is endlessly frustrating, I know. Have a great week!

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  12. Revenge is sweet! it is nice to hear even you Master can struggle with challenges! I have often wanted to take a hammer to a computer and had the great opportunity of throwing one in an empty dumpster once - best day! Love your prima prize! I also loved the long post! It gave me some light reading at work! Thanks!

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  13. Ahh computers! I hate when technology fights with me. The album is coming along awesome! :D

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  14. Kathryn
    hope you have a better day than you did weekend and hopefully your computer will stop being such a pain in the azz well anyway nice flowers and thanks so much for inspiring me have a wonderful day love how the wonder album comming
    big hugs
    heather mitchell

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  15. I just love this blog and maybe we should set up a support group for those of us who have thankless wench computers! Love your work, you and everyone on here are terrific inspiration!
    Deb Lignell

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  16. WOW!!! You've certianly been a busy bee! I can see why you're so tired! :) I hope your computer issues get resolved soon (unless they've already been resolved) :) Have a nice MOnday!

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  17. LOL! Love the Thankless Wench computer comment! I hope you get it figured out soon. It would be a huge bummer to lose access to all your photo printing. All the challenges you completed were fabulous! It was such a Fun Time watching all the Ustreams and chatting with Friends! Thanks Again for all you do. It's Great to have a Fun and Inspiration place to go to on the web. I love flowers so I would have a blast with this months Christmas giveaway.

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  18. Your challenges are great! I wish I could pull it together as quickly as you do - I'm one that takes hours to finish. Thanks for all of the inspiration and the fun of NSD 2010. And yes, I would love to win Primas!!!

    Sue C from the Beach

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  19. I will love to win those cute and bright flowers.

    EmmaMarion

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  20. Love the Challenge pages, you did a great job!
    OMG I love prima's so much thanks for the chance to win!
    Hugs Alyson x

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  21. another awesome giveway!! my laptop keeps going to the blue screen of death...NOT FUN...lol Great NSD projects
    Cheers
    Kel

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  22. Great lo Kathryn. Hope your computer problems go away!!!
    Nice giveaway!!!
    best regards,

    Wanda

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  23. Hi!
    I didn't know a lot about these "Revenge Challenges". Clearly I should have spent more time at "The Beach" Lol. I'm going to download the NDS layout (I can see at the background something familiar... hehe) to remember my first one and keep going with new projects.
    Thanks for the inspiration I get from your videos,

    Kind Regards,
    Veronica

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  24. Very cool prize! Thanks for a chance to win.

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  25. Hey girl! Sorry to hear about your computer! Mine is down also until i get a power supply :/ So i know the feeling! Very nice layouts :) You have wonderful talent! Love the flowers to hehe.

    Hugs, Brandy

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  26. So sorry that your computer is acting badly...I'm trusting this is not the new lap top?? The story here is change is the only thing that is constant...lol.... just when you think something is "taken care of" it's not!!
    I'm so thankful that you did the summary of the fun from NSD, I'm so disappointed that I wasn't around to participate, next time, I'm all over it!! lol
    Thanks for sharing,
    ~Jill

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  27. Kathryn,
    Technology is such a love-hate relationship. Hope things are better.

    Woo Hoo would love to win some Prima to add to my stash! Thanks for the chance.

    Kelly

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  28. Forget all the fancy schmancy broken computer comments, I just want to win those primas!!!!

    MWAHAHAHAHAHA

    Cass

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  29. My birthday happens to be Thursday. I can't think of a better present than some Prima flowers. Hope the computer gets fixed soon. I'm looking forward to more "Wonder World" videos.

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  30. Wow - I sure hope your computer issues get resolved...that can be quite frustrating. Also, it is amazing that you have only been scrapping for not more than 4 years!!?? You have a ton of talent and it appears you've been doing this longer. Who would have known? Well, looking forward the rest of the Wonder World vidoes.

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  31. I am new at mini albums and love watching your videos. They give me great idea's and instructions. Please keep doing them. Thank you

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  32. You do great work, and when your are good you figure out how to do things againt odds. Nice primas!

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  33. Computers! So frustrating, even on a good day (for me)!
    Lovin those Primas!
    Lexi

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  34. I love your challenges,,, you are a first place finisher for completing them....
    I love those Prima flowers.... thanks Kathryn for all you do for us! hugs.... Penny

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  35. Its so agravating when the computer doesnt cooperate!!! great job on all the challenges!

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  36. I have the same die cut from your '10 little monkeys' LO, and it's been sitting in my stash for as long as I can remember. Thanks for the reminder and for the LO inspiration. :) Btw, good luck on your computer issues. I'm married to an IT guy, and the computers still find ways to give me a hard time.

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  37. Hi Kathryn,
    My computer was sick :-( before 10 days. The "doctor"said that it will not be again as it was so my hubby bought a new one :-)
    I love these Prima flowers.Thanks for the chance to win!

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  38. I really love the "World of Wonder" album you're working on now! It's really beutiful.

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  39. Kathryn I'm sorry your computer is uncooperative! But I am so glad you finally got the World of Wonders video up...I have anxiously been awaiting the next chapter! :D
    Also I loved your layouts...and hey! I think I see some of my photo posts on your Garden layout!! How cool is that?? ;)

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  40. Hi Kathryn,
    Hope you manage to sort your computer probs.
    I love looking at your work.
    It was a fab day,great seeing all the challanges being made live.
    Such an inspiration.
    Inky Hugs,
    Michelle xx

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  41. Wasn't there a movie in which machines were going after people? Stephen KING movie? hmmm Well i hope ur computer is all better!!

    Always a pleasure looking atall the things u make.. makes me jealous you have sooo much talent!! Like my assistant told me.. "you're too creative it almost sucks!" YEP she told me that! LOL

    But seriously you rock!!

    Thanks for the chance to win the PRIMAS :)

    kat

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