Wow, where have I been?

Goodness, it has been over a month since my last post?? I am a bad blogger! Guess "be a better blogger" will be one of my new year's resolutions...

So I switched over to the new blogger, and suddenly I have become aware that I had a handful of comments that I had not approved for publishing--it never told me they existed even though I had it set to--eek! So, if I have any blog readers left after this perceived snub of the commenters, I sheepishly apologize for unwittingly ignoring your comments, and have set it up so this doesn't happen again!

The holiday card ordering rush has passed (thank you SO much to all of you who ordered or told your friends about me), and I am now getting ready for the holidays and thinking up ideas for the business in the coming year. I was sick with a horrible stomach bug during Thanksgiving, so I missed the whole kickoff to the holiday season. I usually love dragging out all the Christmas decorations the day after I've gorged myself to the gills, and remembering all the ornaments and past holidays as Steve and I set up the tree and decorate the house. This year, I was only able to feebly watch TV from bed and drink Powerade for the 4-5 days surrounding Thanksgiving. Somehow, missing the kickoff made it hard to get into the holiday spirit--we replaced our beloved runty 4 1/2 foot "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" with a 7 1/2 foot monster this year, and while we were excited about having a prelit tree that was taller than us, that thing fought, scratching and clawing the whole way. It took a while to finish setting it up because I only had enough motivation to fight that tree for an hour each day! Finally got the tree up and hung the sparse collection of ornaments (remember, we only had a 4 1/2 footer before!). Somehow that helped immensely--having this big ol lit up fake tree in our house just made it start feeling like the holidays. We miss our Charlie Brown tree, but this one's growing on us. Maybe next year I will be super motivated and create a Christmas tree miniforest, LOL.

I am really looking forward to having friends and family descend upon us and getting to spend quality time with people I don't see everyday (amidst a backdrop of comfort foods and stockings and glittery ornaments and favorite movies). Love this time of year...

10 Tips for Taking Great Holiday Card Photos

Do you dread getting all the kids together for a holiday card photo shoot every year? Here are 10 tips to help you get the best results, stress free.

1. Dress for Success- When choosing outfits for the little one to wear, steer clear of any busy patterns, no matter how cute the fuzzy bears all over her sweater are. Patterns distract attention away from the cute faces of your kids, and make the photos busy. Avoid dark red if you are going to have black and white pictures--it comes out very dark, creating a lot of contrast and loss of detail. White, denim, and neutrals are classic choices of professional photographers for a reason.
2. Say No to Cluttered Backgrounds- Try to take your photos in a setting that is free of distracting details. Avoid the kids' toy strewn playroom and if you're outside, look out for trees growing out of the kids head when you frame your shot. Textured concrete walls, a pond, or uniform foliage make for good backgrounds. Taking some time to find a good location will make a huge difference in your photos.
3. Flash is evil- Whenever possible, use natural light. Flash washes people out and makes everything look flat and unnatural. Get outside in the late afternoon light--it is beautiful and warm this time of year. Avoid taking pictures at high noon on a sunny day--the shadows and glare will make the photos harsh. Take pictures on a cloudy day or in open shade, such as that under a shady tree or an open carport. Indoors, try to find a window that lets in indirect light (there should be no harsh shadows on the ground), and place your subjects beside it. Or, go the opposite route and experiment with photos of your baby playing with a string of lights in a dark room without using the flash.
   
4. Focus- Be smart about how you use your camera's autofocus. To focus on most point and shoots, press the button halfway down and hold to focus before pressing all the way down to take the picture. Usually the camera focuses on what is in the center. You can compose interesting shots with your subject off center by first framing the shot with your subect in the middle and pressing the button halfway to focus. Then, still holding the button halfway down, move your camera sideways and reframe the shot the way you want it. When you are satisfied, finish pressing the button all the way down to take the picture.
5. Have fun, relax!- put on some fun music, get your subjects relaxed. Photos taken when the kids are comfortable will look less stiff and posed, and will show more of their personalities.
6. Get on the level- many people stand fixed in one spot and try to snap all their pictures from that one vantage point. Instead, try and get on the same level with your kids, and move around to try to get an interesting angle.
7. The Eyes are the Windows to the Soul- ever hear that saying? Try making sure that the eyes of your subject are in focus. This can give your photo a lot of impact. One favorite trick of photographers is to capture the reflected light in their subjects' eyes--called catchlights. This really makes the eyes pop. Lighting your subject from the side (such as seating them next to a window) will often give you catchlights.
8. Get in close- This has 2 parts: get in close to your subjects, and have your subjects get in close to each other. In photos, even small distances between people can look like big gaps. Get your kids to squeeze in close together, and fill the frame with them. This is a great thing especially if you can't find a super scenic backdrop for your photos. Getting in close minimizes distracting backgrounds, and puts the focus on those cute faces.
9. Observe- If you have more than one child, try standing back and letting them interact with each other instead of making them pose stiffly. Sure this may not result in the most traditional portrait, but you have a chance at capturing their true personalities and relationship in your photos.
10. Take lots of shots- Ever notice how a professional photographer takes tons of shots? Even the pros need to take a lot of shots to get those few stunning ones. So, experiment, and take pictures from different angles and keep shooting. Many cameras come with a burst mode that will snap a series of shots in quick succession. Often times the most real expressions and interactions will come after the initial photo is taken--make sure to capture them!

I hope these tips will get you thinking outside the box and inspire you to take stunning portraits of your kids. It doesn't require fancy equipment or lighting--just a little planning and time to try out some different ideas.

If you are looking for some original holiday photo card designs, check out the cards on my site: www.scrapfancy.com/cards. I do free basic photo enhancement, free conversion to black and white or sepia, and free online proofs! Order now from the comfort of home before all the holiday chaos!

They are ready!!!

So, I have feverishly been working on this project for a few weeks now, even pressing my poor husband into working on the website, and I am finally ready to unveil it….

Personalized holiday photo cards! They are now available through my website:

http://www.scrapfancy.com/cards

I am so excited about this, and I am really happy with how the designs came out. Some are very clean and graphic, while others are “scrapbook inspired”—they are much more intricately layered (digitally, of course), and “dimensional” than most other photo cards—lots of great shading and details on these. I wanted very much to make a line that was different, one that would make photos shine and look really special.

Many thanks to my friends who have given me their firstborn (or at least photos of said firstborns) for my samples. It’s so much easier designing when you’ve got adorable pictures at your fingertips! Thanks guys!

Best things about these cards:

1. The designs!
2. The cards are printed at a lab that caters to pro photographers. I got the test prints back, and I am happy to report they are awesome—way beyond what the glazed-eye clerk puts out at Walmart!! The colors and clarity are great.
3. They are customized by me, which means there is a pair of human eyes deciding how best to crop and enhance the photos, and how best to position the type, which is VERY unlike the automated photo kiosks at discount stores
4. You can order from home—no waiting in line at the kiosk while your darling kiddo throws random items into your basket and the lady in front of you rotates her picture round and round, and after ten minutes decides she wants to start over with a different picture for her card.

And there is an exciting bonus--order by November 15 to be entered into a drawing for a pre-designed mini scrapbook (holiday themed)—this is a super cute chunky board book album that you just add your pictures to! So check out the site now and you can finish your cards before the frantic holiday chaos begins, and perhaps you may win!

What month is it??

So you know how gearing up for the holidays just starts earlier and earlier every year? I mean I remember my friend making an offhand remark in July one time about how she had to stock the store she worked at with their new Christmas and holiday items that weekend. Incredible.

I have never been one of those people who has Christmas planned out (gifts purchased, cards written and sent out, house decorated) way in advance. But this year, for Scrap Fancy, I have done something waay out of character and thought ahead about the holidays. So, my brain is really confused, because I am totally immersed in planning something really awesome related to the holidays--in my mind, it is somewhere in late November and early December...I have to keep looking at the calendar to see what day and month it is.

So, be on the lookout for an announcement in the coming days--I am so very excited about what I've been working on and can't wait to show everyone!

Ok, ok, going to reveal my geekiness...

Just a silly post today about worlds colliding. Those of you who know me will remember that Steve turned me into a MMORPG playing geek after we met. Well, I was sooo surpised and relieved to find that the World of Warcraft and the World of Scrapbooking are not mutually exclusive!! I am one person who has participated in both of these very unrelated activities. However for the longest time I thought I must be the only person that would like these two very different things. I mean sometimes in WoW people would be shocked that I was female in real life...yet in scrapbooking it's very hard to find a man anywhere.

But recently while reading one of my scrapping mags, I came to a dead stop on a layout and just stared. I mean, the design of the layout was really great, but what caught my eye was that this person, who was a CK Hall of Fame winner and contributing editor to the magazine--this person, who was an amazing scrapper, was also...a face-melting troll priest! I had to run and show Steve that I was in fact NOT the only one if the world who embraced both monster slaying AND preserving memories! I was so excited...really!

Anyway, all this came to mind due to that scrapper's recent blog entry, and the timing was just funny because Friday night I laughed soo hard at South Park's spoof on World of Warcraft...

So now you all know...I am a MMORPG fan...and I love to scrapbook.

What's the point of Scrapbooking?

Ok, pop quiz today--

What's the point of Scrapbooking?
A) To have an socially acceptable excuse to play with paper and paste as an adult.
B) To have a outlet for creative expression.
C) To preserve photos in a safe manner.
D) To be grateful for the moments in our life before time slips away.
E) All of the above.


Last week I attended Creating Keepsakes University (CKU)-Houston. It was a 3 day total immersion in scrapbooking education. I learned so much and relished being in the company of so many others who were just as enthusiastic as me about scrapbooking. I was even more impressed at the genuine emotion and enthusiasm that the instructors (many of them are big names in the industry, some of them the bigwigs at the scrapbooking magazines) still had for scrapbooking.

Two of my instructors stood out for their "real" attitudes about why we scrapbook, and what is really important about it. One, the editor in chief of Creating Keepsakes magazine, was very earnest about her struggles with weight and depression, and how all that is a part of who she is, and that it is important for that to be represented in her scrapbooks. I think that it would have been a challenge to find a dry eye in the room when she talked about how as women, we are often the historians of our families, and yet our stories and identities aren't always represented in our scrapbooks because we are usually BEHIND the camera, not in front. And that it IS important, not vain, for us to record who we are. For ourselves, and for others we may share our books with.

The second very inspiring instructor was the founding editor of Simple Scrapbooks magazine, and she set out to remove the guilt and the "shoulds" we all feel when it comes to scrapbooking. She was able to really boil down to the essence the most important reason for scrapbooks. We create them in order to be GRATEFUL--to take the time to be mindful of what is significant in our lives, before the time slips away and these moments and thoughts are forgotten....lost.

So the answer to the pop quiz is--E--All of the Above. The moral of this very looong entry is that scrapbooks can be more than a "fake" and "incomplete" representation of only the happy events in our lives. It's not just about cute embellishments and fancy papers (though those are certainly fun). For those of you who find that the idea of scrapbooks seems cheesy--they do not need to be. They can be honest. And they are our opportunity to recognize our blessings, our struggles. Our reality.

Can your photo album do that?

Scrapbooking or Home Decor?

Just a quick entry to share a shadowbox I made for someone celebrating their 40th birthday last weekend. The photo in the box is for demonstration purposes--while I've been told numerous times that my wedding was fabulous, I am not quite so vain as to insert my wedding photo into gifts meant for someone else! I left the mat empty so she could put in a photo of her choice.

This was a fun challenge to come up with something "grown-up" and sophisticated, yet stylish and fun--something that could be displayed in a well appointed home, yet look unique with a twist of unmistakable femininity.

See, this ain't your grandma's scrapbooking!

Back to Reality...

I have a hard time reconciling the fact that I was at the above place just last week, and yet now I am sitting at home with piles of laundry to do, and the food does not just magically appear in front of me anymore...

Steve and I went on a cruise in the Western Carribean last week for his family reunion. It was so great just getting away, spending time with family, eating ourselves silly, and soaking in the sights and sun. We did 3 things we'd never done before:

1. Climbed a 650+ foot waterfall and lived to tell about it
2. Went swimming with stingrays
3. Went snorkeling in an underground cavern

It was so very cool! The above picture is of a public beach in Grand Cayman. Definitely a place we'd like to visit again sometime. It was one of those few places I've been where I looked around and thought, "I am walking around in a postcard."

I am so glad we went--it really refreshed me and gave my creativity a boost. Can't wait to start creating!

My First Scrapbook Layout

So as I mentioned in my previous post, there's a guy about to premiere his documentary about scrapbooking. He's invited scrapbookers to submit layouts talking about their first ever scrapbook page, and he will be displaying them at his premiere and future screenings. This is the page I sent--it documents my first layout (completed in 2002) and how I didn't have any supplies back then, so I used a white pen to doodle a design on the page. Greatest irony--now doodling is this "hot" and trendy technique! So who knows...perhaps coming to a theater near you...my scrapbook page!

It's so interesting to see how my scrapbooking style has developed over the years. The craft as a whole has grown a lot--it used to be all cutesy paperdolls and bright stickers with white borders, and simple patterned papers, and now there is a lot more variety and sophistication--even my glamorous friend who has lived in all the cosmopolitan cities of the US and has a highly developed fashion sense (so the opposite of me) found some of my scrapbook paper super cute! I hope that more people will start seeing scrapbooking as relevant to them--scrapbooks aren't just for some stereotypical dowdy moms--they can even be for fashionistas!

Scrapbooking Documentary

So, a few months back I heard that there was a man doing a documentary on the world of scrapbooking. He was going to delve into the whole scrapbooking subculture and share it with regular people. This was especially funny when you realize that he his a big ol' tattooed Harley riding guy whose early efforts at scrapbooking consisted of taking a shotgun to an album... You can see his site here and watch some promos: Scrapped. All silliness aside though, he has really made a sincere effort to learn about scrapbooking and scrapbookers and what we do and what inspires us.

There is a point to this...according to his blog, it turns out he was actually at the same GASC Arlington show I attended, but I never got around to the Fuji booth where he was. Also, in an even greater stroke of coincidence, he came down to Houston right after that and visited with the employees at the LSS (local scrapbook store) that I frequent!!! How'd I miss him?!?!? Did I miss my chance at becoming the star of a documentary??? Apparently, his movie premieres August 5 in Minnesota. Hopefully the rest of the world will be able to see it soon! Time to go submit a layout for the book he will be displaying at his premiere...

Buddy has a Friend!

Hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July! We are watching our friends' dog while they are on vacation for 2 1/2 weeks, so Buddy has a new friend to play with. Buddy got a little jealous the first day and would come up and block Trevor whenever Trevor came up to lick my face. Funny considering Buddy is not the usual clingy dog that follows you from room to room--I see how it is...I'm only appreciated when some other dog comes up for petting and kisses! Hmph!

They have been having great fun jumping and romping with each other (and then they tire themselves out and sleep for hours). This pic is of them when they realized we were about to go on our walk this morning. SOOO CUTE!!! Trevor is the best dog to walk-after some initial excitement, he just trots alongside me enjoying the walk. The whole time I've had Buddy it's been a struggle--he tries to walk me! The walks have been going well though--I walk one dog on each side of me (with MUCH more tugging and scolding on the Buddy side). I may have trouble giving Trevor back to his parents when they come home!

A Furry Muse

So this is my muse--my silly dog, Buddy. Isn't he photogenic? The top picture is one of the favorite altered items I've made. It is a mini accordion album meant to go inside an altoid type tin, and the picture below it is of the piece that decorates the lid.

I designed these pieces for a lovely woman who has a business selling scrapbook supplies and kits. The exciting part was that I was able to see my work on display last week at the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, TX! Steve had work related training going on in Irving, so I decided to tag along on the trip and attend the scrapbooking show while he was in class. Crazy to think that hundreds and hundreds of people may have seen my little altered altoid tin!

When Steve and I got back and picked up Buddy from the pet resort, we tried telling him he was famous, but he was more interested in sniffing some pug's behind...

Buddy will never let his fame go to his head!

Anyway, if any of you are inspired to make one of these fun altoid tins, check out www.detailed-designs.com. I am not sure if she has them up on her site yet, but the owner sells the tins and precut plain cardstock inserts to go inside them, so it's super easy. You just decorate and embellish away! Tell her Anita sent ya! I just love these little projects because they're easy to start and finish--pretty much instant gratification!

See any Pigs Flying?

Wow, so here I am with a blog on this big ol' Internet. Never thought I'd see the day, but I realized even my friend's less-than-one-month-old baby has a blog, so it's high time I got one too. This blog is going to be a peek into the behind the scenes of Scrap Fancy and a place for my scrapbooking and other random musings. So, welcome everyone!

I thought I'd use my first entry to explain the 'what' and 'why' of Scrap Fancy, since as my DH Steve pointed out, many of my friends probably don't even understand what I do! First the 'what'--I am a scrapper for hire. That means I take clients' photos and scrapbook them. But wait, there's more (I've always wanted to say that)! I also scrapbook photos in digital format. I get asked a lot whether this means you'd have to sit down on the computer to view your scrapbooks. Actually, not at all. I print these pages either on photo paper to be displayed in a traditional scrapbook, or as a custom hardbound coffee table style book!

As for the 'why' of Scrap Fancy-let's just say in my previous life as a public accountant, creativity was not exactly encouraged (at least publicly)--can we forget Enron? And no, I was not a part of that--different firm and different city at the time :)

I love the two sides of scrapbooking--there is the creative expression side, which is fun and colorful, and appealing to the senses. Then there is the part that involves reflecting upon and capturing the moments and values that are central to our lives. I love that all of that comes together in this craft. I love the term that a well known scrap celebrity coined, “life artist.” I feel like that sums up what I am and what I do! And yes, you heard right, there are "scrap celebrities!"

So, scrapbooking for others allows me to share my creative energy. I love when I design something for someone, and they are thrilled with it. It's an incredible feeling when someone cries when I have created the perfect scrapbook for the apple of their eye. I am humbled that I can affect someone that much. This is a satisfaction I could never experience in my corporate job, so this business is the realization of a dream for me.

Tomorrow I am going to introduce my creative muse, so stay tuned!