Stephanie Howell

Blog Tour

I was tagged by the sweet (and crazy talented) Brenda Weaver to do a fun blog tour! If you need card inspiration head to her blog immediately. She never ceases to amaze me.

 

1. What are you working on right now? I think the question should be what am I NOT working on? I feel like I'm juggling a million ideas and projects right now. Layouts, Barcelona Mini Album, a Paris mini album, a Disney album from 2009 that has never materialized, wanting to hop back on the PL train, Artifact Uprising books from every trip we've taken. And on, and on and on and on.

 

2. How long does it take you to create a project? Um do you really want to know? Months???

I used to be the queen of quick. 15 minutes...wham, bam, thank you ma'am. Not so much these days. Projects sit on my desk for weeks, days, months. 

Everyone says it gets crazier as your kids get older. And of course I thought that was b.s. And of course it's true. I wouldn't trade it for anything but I'm looking forward to getting some creative time in when all four are in school (next week!!!)  

 

3. What are your favorite things to create with at the moment?  I'm totally basic and probably horribly out of style/not even remotely trendy. And I don't care! I still love doilies and butterfies. Label stickers, floral chipboard accents, Thickers, and a few enamel dots here and there. I don't even own a die cutting machine!     

 

4. How does your writing/creating process work? 1. Get inspired (usually by something beatiful and Italian OR by something funny my girls say or do). 2. Run to craft room, forget what I was doing, leave craft room. 3. Remember what I wanted to do, go back to craft room. 4. Gather supplies. 5. Phone rings, leave room and forget all about what I was doing. 6. Repeat Step 3. 7. Print photos, hear girls screaming, leave craft room and forget what I was doing. 8. Repeat Step 3 9.Glue some stuff down and leave layout on desk for 3 months.

5. How do you become inspired and stay inspired? Italy inspires me beyond compare. The sights, scents, sounds...you name it. It's 24/7 inspiration. Lately the design team at Gossamer Blue are really inspiring too. It's the most amazing team.
       

6. What your signature style? classic, simple, girlie, romantic.

 

That was fun! Thanks for the creative nudge, Brenda! Now I'm tagging three of my favorite scrapbookers. You're next ladies!

 

1. Jenni Bowlin - I think anyone who's read my blog for any amount of time knows how I feel about Jenni. She's the real deal. Just as kind as she is talented...and not an ugly or mean bone in her body. She's one of the big reasons I fell in love with this hobby.

 

 

2.Jamie Waters-I have loved Jamie's layouts for years. 8 years to be exact. I had almost all of her layouts saved at Two Peas (RIP). The way she used bits and pieces + her handwriting...perfection. I am SO happy that she's back to scrapbooking these days.

 

 

3.Liz Kartchner- Everything she makes is just happy, vibrant, and downright beautiful. Her creative drive always amazes me (she's a fellow mama to four!) and she's sweet as pie.

 

That's it for today, have a beautiful Monday!

xo

S

scrappy sunday 3/27

happy (scrappy) sunday, y'all! today i have an older random layout to share, plus some more scrap-related Q&A.

this layout is one i've never shared. i made it about 2 1/2 years ago for a memory makers book i was asked to be a part of. the layout somehow was lost and never made it into the book...

and oh how i love this layout.

i hear people talk lots about "using new product" and having to buy new things...but i love timeless beautiful papers and products. like these below. i just feel there's nothing trendy or dated about it.

i actually really love the design of this one and will have to scraplift myself soon. wish i had this still. :(

patterned papers: basicgrey, october afternoon

bingo card: JBS

alphas: american crafts

buttons: autumn leaves

stickers: basicgrey

journaling card: october afternoon

these photos were the day jimmy left for his afghanistan year long deployment. i can't look at them without getting a lump in my throat.

how much we've changed, grown, and experienced since then.

now...on to the questions!

 

How about what albums do you use? Do you use the sames ones all the time or change out depending on your mood!

As I said last week, I use American Crafts 12x12 D ring albums. I also have a few Making Memories 3 ring albums. They do NOT all match...I have all sorts of colors and even patterns!

 

I'm wondering what your scrapbooking process is? I would love an insight into how one of our pages comes together as I know you are a fast scrapper! Do you have an idea of how your page will turn out before you start? Or do you just play and see what happens along the way? And do you do the journaling last? Do you free style the journaling or pre-plan it? Thanks! Have a great day!

Okay. This is a tough one for me and I never know quite how to answer it. I get this question often. It's tough for me, because I often describe myself as a "fly by the seat of my pants scrapper".I rarely (if ever) plan a page before I start it.

And I never ever plan journaling. How have I not messed up or run out of room yet? I have no idea. HA! I suppose it's only a matter of time.

Let me think on this one some more and perhaps I can do an entire blog post on it. :)

 

I was wondering how you keep track of 'inspiration'. Story ideas, layout ideas, things you see that you like, etc. I see you are on Pinterest but that is pretty new (I'm following you) so I know you might have other strategies too. I am always, always struggling with this. I store the ideas (in too many places I'm sure) but never really have a good mechanism for accessing/applying them unless I do it immediately.

I am solely using Pinterest these days. To be honest, this is the first time I've ever compiled inspiration anywhere! I've never had a notebook, or a journal, or anything of the sort. I guess I've just subconsciously filed away ideas in my brain.

Pinterest has been a creative life-saver for me. And best of all, I actually USE the ideas I find there. I've used so many of them already!

 

I was wondering if you make greeting cards of do you buy them?

Buy them. Always. I used to make them, but I couldn't bear the thought of them not being appreciated and simply being thrown directly in the trash. Cards are HARD for me to make!!

 

How do you organize your photos?

iPhoto. By month.

 

You always have the best titles for your scrap pages, how do you come up with them?

Why thank you! Lots of times i use a word (or short phrase) from my journaling.

 

I've wondered if people recognize you when you are in public?

Ha!! Oh my goodness, no. Hahahaha! One of my readers said she saw me at Target here in Savannah, though! So cool, wish she would have said hi.

 

How do you blog your hipstamic/instagram pics?

I plug in my phone and upload them into iPhoto. I then resize them and upload them to my blog.

 

What are your favorite iphone apps?

instagram

facebook

twitter (echofon)

angry birds (oh how i wished i never would have tried this one...it's like crack!)

goodreads

around me

living social

groupon

urbanspoon

kindle

shazam

pandora

post

kids: make a princess, balloons, peekaboo barn,animatch,toddler teasers games, anything by duck duck moose

 

Do you scrapbook with just kits?

absolutely not! i depend lots on studio calico these days, as my time is limited and it's so easy to have everything already coordinated and put together! but i use lots of "non kit" stuff, too.

Have the girls attempted their own LO's so they can be like Mommy?

they have! they love scrapbooking with me! i give them letter stickers,jewels, photos, and glue sticks and they go to town. i'll have to share a layout. they are so cute.

 

What do you use for your scrapbook room?

the office room in our house. i know this won't always be the case, but i've been blessed enough to have a dedicated scrap room our past few houses. jimmy  has his "office" at work (which he never really leaves anyway, HA!) and he knows how happy crafting makes me.

 

I was wondering how you store your paper. Not only what you store it IN, but how you put the paper in order so that you can find something when you are looking for it.

I store it in vertical Cropper Hopper boxes. Right now there is no organization within the boxes. I used to do it by manufacturer, but i'm thinking now i want to change to color.

 

And when do you scrap? Do you do it after everyone is in bed and sacrifice sleep or do you manage to do it during naps?

Wednesdays, both bigs are in school for a few hours. The morning is also when the babies take their long naps. This is my get it done block of time!

Also, I tend to get up before everyone.

Weekends, J takes the bigs on dates. When he's gone, evenings.

 

what is your favorite adhesive?

3L Scrapbook Adhesives EZ tape runners- which i've heard are going to become refillable. YAY!

 

Do you do many 2-page LOs? If not, how do you arrange your single page LOs in your albums? Do you worry about the style or the colours in the single LOs you put side-by-side in your albums?

Not many, but I do do them. I do not worry about style or colors with side by side layouts!

 

Do you ever display your LOs outside of your albums, hang on the wall as art or display in frames?

I do! I display them on plate hangers, a crib bed spring, a pew bible rack, etc.

 

What is your favourite colour or colour scheme to scrapbook with?

i love using yellow and teal. i don't have a favorite color combination to use on pages, though. 

 

Do you ever make mini-albums?

I think I've only done 3 or so. I love the look of them, but making them stresses me out.

 

Do you do many multi-picture LOs or do you prefer the single-picture LO?

More often than not, I tend to use 2 or more photos on my layouts (i use lots of 4x6). But since I don't take a zillion photos, I also do many one photo layouts.

Have you scrapbooked your wedding pictures?

No I have not. We barely have any. We married quickly, as J was deploying...and my photographer was not very good. Think staged photos/backdrops. but hey, it is what it is, and i'm lucky i got one at all on such short notice. the photos are in an album.

 

Does anyone else in your family also scrapbook? I know you have mentioned that your mother is very artistic. Does she scrapbook as well? Or was it something you just discovered on your own?

No one in my family scrapbooks, no. My mom does lots of mixed-media, vintage sorts of projects. I just stumbled upon SBing and fell in love.

 

Have you ever designed scrapbooking kits based on your pages?

I have! I used to do this (along with directions) for a scrapbooking store. I loved doing it and would totally be open to doing it again, if there was enough interest.

 

Have you ever taught scrapbooking classes? Would you ever consider offering online classes?

I taught several classes in Waco and one in Columbus. I LOVED it. I totally want to teach more.

 

Have you ever considered designing your own line of scrapbook paper & embellishments?

No, I haven't...but that sounds really fun!

How do achieve the gorgeous effect on so many of your blog photos, such as the one above of the bigs? Is it an iPhone app?

Instagram!

Okay, this is officially the L O N G E S T blog post ever. I'd be shocked if anyone actually reads it. teehee.

There are still lots of non-crafty questions that need answering, don't think i forgot about you!

 

xoxo

s

blue skies

nothing gives me more hope than waking up to a sunny day.

well, that and a big cup of coffee. ;)

i hope you are all having a great week so far.

i've been busy. making lists and more lists to prepare for CHA,

getting everything together for the girlies is a major undertaking!!

good think they will be at my parents' house, which is close. 

so if i forget anything it's not the end of the world!

here are the answers to a few more questions.

1.How are you doing with Weight Watchers? I had to end my membership a few months back. But I am still following the program, though not as religiously. I lost about 15 lbs. and now I'm trying to maintain that. I feel so much better and so much healthier. I can't wait to show J! Let's hope he notices, heee! I've had several dreams that he couldn't tell. Uh, is that a sign??? teehee.

2.Are you and J gonna have any more babies?  Absolutely. At least one more. Just not any time soon. ESPECIALLY not in the next year. I'm a tad bit frightened that God will once again remind me I'm not in charge (some of you may remember the sadie surprise), but we would like to have our next kiddo in a couple of years. J needs to get to know Sadie first. No joke. He missed her being born, worked 4 a.m.-8 p.m for most of her first 5 months, and then deployed.

3.Have y'all made a decision about if you are going to WA or the East Coast? (is praying you say east coast)- Looks like at this point we will be in Columbus, GA for a year, and then we may have to move to either Savannah or WA.

4.If you could pick any job to be able to do everyday what would it be? I'm very content where I am right now. But as far as dream jobs go, I've always wanted to own a little clothing boutique. I'd actually like to own a clothing/craft boutique but that seems kind of weird. But you said any job right? ;)

5.When you move will you rent or sell your house? Rent for a couple of years and then sell. Luckily we have my dad and brother here. They build/sell houses for a living!!

6.If you were to win £/$5 million on the lottery what would you do with it?- set up a big old savings account for the girls and college. Go on a family trip. Give lots and lots of it away to people that need it way more than I do.

7.If it's not too personal, how is your dad doing? I remember his car accident & the reconstruction/rehab he faced.- Thank you so much for asking. He is well. He has come so far, but is honestly still recovering. I believe a  lot of work will need to be done on his teeth. But he is so so strong and amazing, I really feel he has recovered b/c of his amazing will and drive.

Enough questions for today. Hope you guys aren't bored.

I have a few photos to share. Check out the monkey in the high chair. She is a MESS. Note that there is no high chair cover b/c she did this EXACT same thing at lunch and it was in the wash. She's a maniac. Half of whatever she is eating always ends up in her hair.

She's doing this shrieking hyena thing lately (as noted in the last photo).

 

and both girls playing in the kitchen (such a sweet sight):

and last but not least some more february studio calico glimpses.

i did another 2 page layout this month. it was one of my crafty resolutions this year and i'm determined to make it a habit.

Have a beautiful, blessed day.

xo

let's see.

so i thought i would answer a few questions today and a few tomorrow.

i also wanted to share some layouts.

i hope you are all having a beautiful weekend!

weekends are pretty much exactly the same as the week around here,

but we are having a great one.

sadie is now completely walking. no lurching or falling for the most part.

she's nuts.

i'll turn around and she will have booked it completely across the house.

both girls are snotty and coughing (AGAIN...sigh.)

i'm praying they get well this week, i won't feel good about leaving them with BB and G-daddy if they are sick.

but oh my goodness, I can't even tell you how much I am looking forward to CHA.

i can't even wait to meet everyone, and also see all of the new lines that will be coming our way. 

if you will be there, please say hi to me! 

i'll be with studio calico, and i will also be working at the october afternoon booth from 12-5 on sunday.

i'll be the tall spazzy girl in the studio calico shirt with wide, overwhelmed eyes!!

heeee!!

okay. on to a few questions.

1. How did you become such a good photographer? Take a class? Self taught? Where did you begin??  Thank you so much, Janie. But I'm not a good photographer. I think I see the good, special moments between people instead of missing them in the big picture, but i have so much to learn with photography. I mostly shoot in the AV mode, but this year it is my goal to learn how to do much more. I took a free photography course by Joanna Bolick at 2peas and it's fantastic. I need to go back and make it through the entire thing. I was pregnant with Sadie when i took it, and needless to say, I didn't give it the best attention.

Where do you start? Learn how to use whatever camera you have. Get the manual out. I wore my little point and shoot out before I moved on to a DSLR. Learn how to adjust your settings and take photos without flash. Observe, and take interesting pictures. Not just big group photos. Get down on the ground and interact with your kids. Take pictures while you are down there. Just play. 

Not every photo has to be perfect. I'm a mom and a scrapbooker, not a photographer. I don't think all of my photos have to be flawless. I don't photoshop at this point b/c I don't know how. I love real, genuine photographs, where you can feel the emotion. I love them when they aren't over-photoshopped.

Many of you have asked what camera I use. I have a Canon Digital Rebel xti with a 50 mm 1.8 lens. Like I said, I don't photoshop (clearly, hehe), but I edit my photos a bit in iphoto.

2.Can you show us more pictures of your home and how you decorate. Show some more pics of your mom's home while you are at it! I'll work on taking some new photos ASAP. The house is kind of a mess right now, I'm packing!

3. What type of albums do you use? American Crafts D-Ring fabric covered albums.

in all different colors. I even have some of the corduroy ones.

4.What are your 3 favorite colors of cardstock? white, kraft, and aqua blue. though i really just mainly use white and kraft.

5. How many days until J comes home?- about 5 weeks until R&R. He will be back for 15 days and then he goes back to complete his deployment, which is over this summer.

okay. that's enough of that for now. more tomorrow =)

and here are the layouts i wanted to share.

the first is just for fun, i did it for a 2peas challenge to "scrap the sentimental".

journaling reads: it's true. horribly cliched but 100 percent true. my knees still get weak when you kiss me, when i first see your face after we have been apart.  it's like being a teenager and falling head over heels in love for the very first time.  you always will be my one true love and my teenage crush all rolled into one.

patterned paper- crate paper (brown), collage press (green) ,october afternoon (houndstooth), cosmo cricket (orange)

labels- twogirlzstuff (etsy)

buttons- vintage

rhinestones- k and co

alphas- sassafras

and the second is another prima layout with all new product.

how cool is that garland???

everything here is prima.

see these and other new releases HERE.

That's it for today, have a blessed Sunday!

xo

s