Tuesday, August 31, 2010

It's Beginning to Feel ...

... a lot like Fall!

No, I'm totally lying. It's still about a thousand degrees here and as humid as the bottom of a swimming pool.

However, I did recently acquire this "Alleghany Plum" paper pack by K&Company: {thanks, Olga!}





I was inspired to play with the rich, bold colors, so I started a mini album with it last night! I'm getting into a festive fall mood. Here's a peek at what's to come from this paper pad: {yes, I did a video!}



I am also totally procrastinating cleaning the spare bedroom {aka room where we throw stuff we don't feel like finding a place for} in preparation for a visit from my sister and her boyfriend. They're getting in sometime Thursday night, and it is kind of up in the air right now as to whether or not that will affect the Thursday night UStream {it won't affect the one in the afternoon}. So we'll just have to kind of play that by ear.

When people come to visit, I like to get fresh flowers for the house. Flowers make people happy & they're a great decoration for your space. These are for the dining room table ~ they're low enough that they could stay on the table as centerpieces, but I will probably move them on top of our buffet during meals:



And this one is on the console table in the living room where we have our phone and videos and whatnot:



Aren't they pretty? :D I'm happier already! Now if the flowers were only enough to distract my sister and her boyfriend from the fact that the guest bedroom is full stuff ....

Okay, back to cleaning ~ wish me luck!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Thank You, Pink Paislee!

Hi, everyone! Two blog posts in one day ~ can you stand it!? :D What is the world coming to? Also, just to warn you, this post not only has a video, but also, tons of photos.

I wanted to do a blog post today to let you all know that my Pink Paislee Warehouse Box arrived today & I am so excited!




For the last couple years, Pink Paislee has sold grab bags of product once a year to make some space in their warehouse for new releases. I was very excited to get one this year & received notification that it had shipped on the 10th. When the box had not arrived on the 24th, I emailed Pink Paislee. Barry emailed me back right away that their records indicated the box had been packed and shipped, but that USPS records did not indicate the box had ever been scanned. Since the boxes were sold out, I expected to be offered a refund. Instead, Barry told me they were putting a new box together for me AND they shipped it out immediately. It arrived today! Yay!

In my opinion, the true strength of a company's customer service ethic can be seen in how they handle these sorts of unpredictable situations. It's not that nothing ever goes wrong ~ the world is not perfect ~ the strength is in how they deal with situations when something has gone wrong. I couldn't be happier with Pink Paislee in general, or with Barry in particular. They responded to my email immediately, they kept me informed as their investigation progressed & they immediately sent me out another package even though the boxes were sold out. Pink Paislee rocks!

Since I am totally tickled happy to have my box of goodies, I decided to do a haul video. {I know, right?} I just posted it over on my YouTube Channel, but you can also see it here: Pink Paislee Haul Video.



While we're on the topic of Pink Paislee and how awesome they are, I must tell you that I cannot wait to get my hands on two of their new collections from this past CHA: Hocus Pocus and Parisian Anthology! ::swoons:: They are both totally to die for!

As you guys already know, I am all about Halloween, so it's no surprise that Hocus Pocus has tickled my fancy. It has a lighter, almost tropical flavor to it that I adore. Especially since we are doing Halloween in Miami this year! Take a look:

First, the papers:














For the mini album lover:






Gorgeous Embellishments:


















Goodies for the alpha fanatic:







If you knew that I am all about Halloween, it's probably no surprise to you to read that I am also all about ink: distress ink, glimmer mist, you name it ~ I love it! Pink Paislee and House of Three have created a collection that taps directly into that addiction: Parisian Anthology.

These papers are white/light with a clear embossed finish: with ink or spray they'd be totally customizable for projects
















There's also a pack of embellishments to play with:




And some fun alphas to customize as well:




There are tons of other yummy goodies in the line I'd like to grab ~ like bling brooches and charm dangles ~ but those are the items that grabbed me right away because of my ink obsession.

I hope you enjoyed seeing everything & thanks for stopping by!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

New Video: World of Wonder, Part Seven

Hi, everyone! I am back from Jamaica {obviously, since I posted all those crop challenges last weekend} and I have finally gotten caught up on emails and made some time for my personal scrapping! This means that those of you who have been patiently waiting for the next part in the World of Wonder Series need not wait any longer as I posted the next part over on my YouTube Channel late last night.

Ta-da!

World of Wonder, Part Seven:



Thanks so much for watching! :D I hope you enjoy it! There's only one more layout to go & then this lovely album will be finished! Yay!

What will I do for a YouTube video series after that, though? Hmm ...

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

August 2010 Beachiversary Crop Challenge #6

August Beachiversary 2010 Crop Challenge #6: Move Over, Mr. Rogers!

The prize for this challenge is the Cosmo Cricket "Joy Ride" Mini Album Kit.

The sixth challenge is to do a layout about your neighborhood, where you live, the community of people and places that you surround yourself with. Like the previous challenges, this was also inspired by my perusal of a Somerset publication: Somerset Life. I loved this article a blogger had written about all the flowers in her neighborhood. As she described the flowers and how they changed throughout the year, she also captured the people and places of her neighborhood. I loved the close look at home & the people that surround it:



To participate, create a layout or project about your neighborhood or community. It doesn't have to be strictly the streets and buildings ~ think about why you chose the place where you live. The layout may be any size {12"x12", 8.5"x11", 8"x8", 6"x12", etc.} and can be either a one-page or two-page layout.

Enter the challenge by posting a link to your submission BELOW by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010. The link can either be to a photo of your entry in the gallery here, or to a video on YouTube or to your personal blog ~ wherever!

Remember that you have until 6:00 p.m. on Monday {that's Miami, FL EDT USA time which is GMT-4} so you have until then to submit an entry for each challenge. Prize winners will be announced Monday and posted on a new "July 2010 Crop Prize Winners" thread in the forum.

You will get one entry for each challenge you participate in, so get ready to scrap! This is the last challenge of the night, so have fun and good luck!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Here is where you post a link to your submission for the August 2010 Crop Challenge #3! You can link to the photo on the beach, or to the post on your blog where the photo is displayed, or to the video if you have done one for YouTube. Good luck!

August 2010 Beachiversary Crop Challenge #5

August Beachiversary 2010 Crop Challenge #5: All Buttoned Up!

The prize for this challenge is the Basic Grey "Lemonade" Mini Album Kit.

The fifth challenge is to make a layout incorporating a button or buttons. This challenge was also inspired by my Jamaican beach reading, this time from Somerset Life. I loved the whimsical look off the buttons they used in the article "Simply Add a Button" and how it could bring a look of fun to an already beautiful project:



To participate, create a layout or project using a button or buttons. The layout may be any size {12"x12", 8.5"x11", 8"x8", 6"x12", etc.} and can be either a one-page or two-page layout. This project also lends itself well to a card or other project.

Enter the challenge by posting a link to your submission BELOW by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010. The link can either be to a photo of your entry in the gallery here, or to a video on YouTube or to your personal blog ~ wherever!

Remember that you have until 6:00 p.m. on Monday {that's Miami, FL EDT USA time which is GMT-4} so you have until then to submit an entry for each challenge. Prize winners will be announced Monday and posted on a new "July 2010 Crop Prize Winners" thread in the forum.

You will get one entry for each challenge you participate in, so get ready to scrap! The next challenge will be posted at 11:00 p.m. Miami time!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Here is where you post a link to your submission for the August 2010 Crop Challenge #5! You can link to the photo on the beach, or to the post on your blog where the photo is displayed, or to the video if you have done one for YouTube. Good luck!

August 2010 Beachiversary Crop Challenge #4

August Beachiversary 2010 Crop Challenge #4: White on White on White

The prize for this challenge is the Quickutz Letterpress Starter Kit.

The fourth challenge was inspired by both an article in Somerset Studio and the cover of Somerset Memories. I was first inspired by Rachel Emilie Jackson's "Artful Waxed Tissue Books" which were made from wax covered tissue paper. Sentiments and flowers were pressed into the wax, giving the pages of the book a light, ethereal look ~ almost ghostly. Then, when I was flipping through the pages of the magazine that highlighted sister publications, I saw the below image of the cover of Somerset Memories:



This inspired me to make a challenge where you can use only white AND NO OTHER COLORS ~ just shades of white, ivory and cream. You may use a color photograph on the layout and/or a black or brown pen to write your journaling.

Here is my take on the challenge:



To participate, create a layout using only the color white. The layout may be any size {12"x12", 8.5"x11", 8"x8", 6"x12", etc.} and can be either a one-page or two-page layout. This challenge also lends itself well to a card or other project.

Enter the challenge by posting a link to your submission BELOW by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010. The link can either be to a photo of your entry in the gallery here, or to a video on YouTube or to your personal blog ~ wherever!

Remember that you have until 6:00 p.m. on Monday {that's Miami, FL EDT USA time which is GMT-4} so you have until then to submit an entry for each challenge. Prize winners will be announced Monday and posted on a new "July 2010 Crop Prize Winners" thread in the forum.

You will get one entry for each challenge you participate in, so get ready to scrap! The next challenge will be posted at 10:00 p.m. Miami time!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Here is where you post a link to your submission for the August 2010 Crop Challenge #4! You can link to the photo on the beach, or to the post on your blog where the photo is displayed, or to the video if you have done one for YouTube. Good luck!

August 2010 Beachiversary Crop Challenge #3

August Beachiversary 2010 Crop Challenge #3: Fearless

The prize for this challenge is Fiona Milestone's Cavendish Ladies stamps.

The third challenge is to make a layout based on the Somerset Studios "Fearless" Challenge. The added benefit of completing a project for this challenge is that if you follow the guidelines, you'll have a submission comleted for their magazine! Inspired by their cover story on the Artwork of Anahata Katkin, they have created the following challenge:

When we were selecting the artwork for this issue's cover, everyone commented that the word "FEARLESS" spoke to them. It's such a powerful word that we couldn't help but designate it as the theme for the May/une 2011 issue of Somerset Studio. What does it mean to be fearless? What does fearless look like? What would you create if you were truly fearless? We anxiously await your submissions.

Please see their website at Somerset Studio for more information on the theme and for submission information.

To participate in the beach challlenge, create a layout or project about being fearless. The layout may be any size {12"x12", 8.5"x11", 8"x8", 6"x12", etc.} and can be either a one-page or two-page layout. This layout also lends itself to an "off the page" project such as a canvas or art journal page.

Enter the challenge by posting a link to your submission BELOW by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010. The link can either be to a photo of your entry in the gallery here, or to a video on YouTube or to your personal blog ~ wherever!

Remember that you have until 6:00 p.m. on Monday {that's Miami, FL EDT USA time which is GMT-4} so you have until then to submit an entry for each challenge. Prize winners will be announced Monday and posted on a new "July 2010 Crop Prize Winners" thread in the forum.

You will get one entry for each challenge you participate in, so get ready to scrap! The next challenge will be posted at 9:00 p.m. Miami time!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Here is where you post a link to your submission for the August 2010 Crop Challenge #3! You can link to the photo on the beach, or to the post on your blog where the photo is displayed, or to the video if you have done one for YouTube. Good luck!

August 2010 Beachiversary Crop Challenge #2

August Beachiversary 2010 Crop Challenge #2: Trash to Treasure

The prize for this challenge is Sesil Cratin's Goodie Bag.

This is another Somerset Studio inspired project. In her "Trash a la Mode" article, Julie Nutting made the prettiest dresses out of scraps of paper trash:



The second challenge is to make a layout or project with something destined for the trash can or recycling bin. You can use aluminum cans, foil, newspaper, etc.

To participate, create a layout or project turning trash into treasure. The layout may be any size {12"x12", 8.5"x11", 8"x8", 6"x12", etc.} and can be either a one-page or two-page layout. This challenge also lends itself well to a card or other project.

Enter the challenge by posting a link to your submission BELOW by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010. The link can either be to a photo of your entry in the gallery here, or to a video on YouTube or to your personal blog ~ wherever!

Remember that you have until 6:00 p.m. on Monday {that's Miami, FL EDT USA time which is GMT-4} so you have until then to submit an entry for each challenge. Prize winners will be announced Monday and posted on a new "July 2010 Crop Prize Winners" thread in the forum.

You will get one entry for each challenge you participate in, so get ready to scrap! The next challenge will be posted at 5:00 p.m. Miami time!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Here is where you post a link to your submission for the August 2010 Crop Challenge #2! You can link to the photo on the beach, or to the post on your blog where the photo is displayed, or to the video if you have done one for YouTube. Good luck!

August 2010 Beachiversary Crop Challenge #1

August Beachiversary 2010 Crop Challenge #1: A Palette for All Seasons

The prize for this challenge is the Kelly Mallon's Mini Album Kit.

I picked up the July/August 2010 issue of Somerset Studio to read on the plane. I have never actually read this magazine before & it was a lot of fun to go through it!

I am definitely thinking about subscribing to it & maybe some other Stampington publications. Anyways, they showed a beautiful sage green, sky blue & dusty orange color palette in the issue that I just loved. I think you could make it work for either summer or fall & it could be soft or intense. So the challenge is to use the below color palette to complete a layout or project:



to participate, create a layout utilizing the sage green, sky blue & dusty orange color palette shown above. The layout may be any size {12"x12", 8.5"x11", 8"x8", 6"x12", etc.} and can be either a one-page or two-page layout. This challenge also lends itself to a card or other project.

Enter the challenge by posting a link to your submission BELOW by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2010. The link can either be to a photo of your entry in the gallery here, or to a video on YouTube or to your personal blog ~ wherever!

Remember that you have until 6:00 p.m. on Monday {that's Miami, FL EDT USA time which is GMT-4} so you have until then to submit an entry for each challenge. Prize winners will be announced Monday and posted on a new "July 2010 Crop Prize Winners" thread in the forum.

You will get one entry for each challenge you participate in, so get ready to scrap! The next challenge will be posted at 4:00 p.m. Miami time!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Here is where you post a link to your submission for the August 2010 Crop Challenge #1! You can link to the photo on the beach, or to the post on your blog where the photo is displayed, or to the video if you have done one for YouTube. Good luck!

Virtual Beachiversary Crop Today!

Hi, everyone! Well, I made it back from Jamaica only a little sunburned and without getting strip searched by customs ~ go me! I always have a little trepidation when I go through customs because of that whole deal in Israel. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to come to our monthly virtual crops! That is where I share all my embarassing travel stories.

Speaking of which, I am excited for today's crop! It's the August 2010 "Beachiversary" Virtual Crop & it's today from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM Eastern USA {GMT/UTC-4} and from 9:00 PM to Midnight Eastern USA {GMT/UTC-4}. The reason the crop is being split into two three hour segments {instead of the usual six hour time block} is so our International members can join in the anniversary fun!

The monthly crops are normally held the first Saturday of the month, so this is a change from our normal crop schedule. This crop was moved to be closer the one year anniversary of The Beach, which is August 23, 2010.

We will also be giving away six prizes this month!

Like previous crops, you will get one chance to win for each challenge you complete. During crop hours, I will be posting new challenges on my blog as part of the virtual crop. You will have until 6:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 23rd to complete the challenges and link to your projects. The links can be to photos you upload to the gallery here, or to a YouTube video, or to a post on your personal blog. At 6:00 p.m. on Monday, I will close the challenges to new submissions and select winners randomly from those who posted challenges.

The more challenges you complete, the more prizes you will be eligible to win ~ good luck to all of you!

August Crop Sponsors and Prizes:

  1. Kelly Mallon: Mini Album Kit
  2. Sesil Cratin: Goodie Bag w/ products from Making Memories, Jenny Bowlin, Technique Tuesday & more!
  3. Fiona Milestone: Cavendish Ladies Stamps
  4. Kathryn: QK Letterpress
  5. Kathryn: Basic Grey "Lemonade" Mini Album Kit
  6. Kathryn: Cosmo Cricket "Joy Ride" Mini Album Kit

Because this is our anniversary, there will probably be extra prizes given away during the UStreams, so you'll want to clear your schedule & join us for fun, scrapping and prizes!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Leaving on a Jet Plane ...

... don't want to pack my stuff again.

{Apologies to Peter, Paul & Mary for taking liberties with those lyrics.}

This is our last morning in Jamaica & this afternoon we're on a plane back to Miami. I don't want to leave, which I think is the perfect time to head home - you never want to stay in a place so long you can't wait to get home. The vacation loses a little bit of sparkle that way, I think. Right now I should be packing, but I am kind of procrastinating by hacking the chef's wifi & looking at emails. Lucky for me, Mr. Lifeguard is out of the room so he has no idea that I am not working! ::insert mad scientist laughter here::

I just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow is the August Virtual Crop for the Beachiversary. That's right - it's been one year since I started my online scrapbook & art community - the site went live on August 23, 2009. Crazy! It's been a wild ride & despite the fact that I am in Jamaica today, we are having an online party tomorrow.

The live portions of the show will be broken up into two segments to allow for participation from all members. The first segment will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time {GMT/UTC-4} and the second segment will be from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

I will be spending the flight thinking up challenges for you. There's a good chance that I will be cranky & that the challenges will be especially difficult as a result. ::insert more mad scientist laughter here::

See you tomorrow!

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

You Don't Update Your Blog Anymore?

Hi, everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your summers!

The other night my husband and I were watching a movie & said to me, "You don't update your blog anymore?" And I said, "I haven't updated it lately because I've been working like a fiend on that Asian album & I just haven't had anything else to post or say." So then he said, "Well, I keep track and you haven't updated it since July 30th."

The point of this story is that I wanted you guys to know that you'll never have to try and make me feel guilty about not posting in a while ~ Mr. Lifeguard will do that for you.

Jerk.

Anyways, so I am posting today AND I have really great news! The Asian album that has been consuming all of my time lately is finally finished ~ two seasons of Desperate Housewives & eight thousand gallons of coffee later! Yay! I am very happy with it & I uploaded a video of the completed album to my YouTube Channel to share with all of you: "Trust Love" Asian Mini Album. You can also watch the video here:



I hope you enjoy watching the "Trust Love" Asian Mini Album video. I would promise to be better about posting, but I know it is a total lie since I am going on vacation for my anniversary soon & everything is just going to fall apart all over again because of that.

I mean, let's be honest: how many of you would update your blogs while celebrating your anniversary in Jamaica?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.