Tackle it Tuesday

I've been tackling the organization of my scrapbooking supplies recently... mostly paper. I am re-sorting by color the papers I will keep.

Including putting my 8.5x11 sizes with the 12x12 sizes in color order.

I am sorting the papers I want to get rid of.

I am sorting supplies I can most likely use for Wendy's scrapbooking swap on her blog. Check that out here... sign-ups end this Saturday!

And I am putting aside things that can be sold on ebay... this step is by far not done, I still have a large rubbermaid bin to go thru...

This all helps with the overall look of my office (once it gets out of the hurricane stage) and it helps me get more actual scrapbooking done! Who'd a thunk?! :o)

Friday for Friends

My hope is that this will help more than one of you, but I got the idea from Rebecca (The not so desperate housewife) who commented asking how I decide the size of my photos, and if I already know my layout design before I choose sizes. Here is the method to my madness Becca...

I decide on my picture sizing by picking my main "favorite", a family shot, or the best of the bunch to make it a 8x10 or 5x7, sometimes I pick two.

Then the "others" end up being smaller sizes but usually all something similar like 2x2's, 4x3's, or some of both. The smaller ones give me more choices in photos also because they could be pictures that wouldn't look good huge or "normal' size (4x6) anyway, like a close-up on my daughter's head or a blurry smiley one of my son, you get my drift?

These are the steps I follow that work for me...

1. I pick my photos (usually all digital) unless I know a family member gave me doubles or memorabilia I know would go with them.
2. I pick 1-3 "favorites" to put them in a folder on my computer marked either 5x7 or 8x10 even though I might choose to make them a 5x5, 4x7 or 7x10.
3. Then I go through the rest that I chose in step 1 and kinda randomly pick their sizes knowing how much room I should have left on my 12x12 if I already have one 4x7 down. And I will put them in a folder marked 4x6 (so I know what size they will get sent to the printers as) but they will be 2x3's, 4x4's and so on.
4. I send them to my online printer, crop them when they get here.
5. Then I do a rough layout on two blank white 12x12's, sometimes I draw a sketch.
6. I pick my paper, my embellishments and so on, and when I put it my whole layout together my pictures will usually shift a little again to make the colors and shapes on the layout more pleasing to the eye... visual triangles, "color throwing" and such.

There is a pretty good video of a method similar to mine over at paperclipping.com that you could check out if you want.... have a GREAT friday!

Wordless Wednesday

New Project Update

Do I love control or I'm I just a woman of order?

I couldn't handle not having a full plan for my blankie project, so I made a chart on my computer.     

It helps me know how many rows I will have total, how many rows will be light purple, how many will be dark, where my rows are and how much yarn I will need.

I am currently completing row 32 and have run out of yarn, but now that I know how much I need of each color and have more peace about purchasing.   

Take a look at my progress... I am hoping to have this done for my daughter for Christmas.... I especially want it done before my baby is born, because I don't want to get too overwhelmed to finish it.

Wordless Wednesday

This one's for you Mary... this is when my crazy cat was a kitten, she fell asleep on a friend's lap at a crop at my house!  Yes! She is sleeping!

Forever Tackling Toys!

My kids like to dump out their toy bins in their room to use them to stand on, sit on, even have a picnic on?! I am starting to hate toys and am really not liking the teaching process so my daughter will learn to pick up after herself, but I know it will be better in the long run.

And this is a view of my constant pick up in the family room... my daughter moves ALL the pillows to the floor and puts her animals to "sleep" with ALL of the blankies from the blankie basket... at least this is an easier pick up :o)