I'm espresso!

I was perusing around BlogThings.com and found this fun quiz. I love anything involving coffee...so this was perfect! What kind of coffee are you?

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Thursday featured rectangle scrapper: Sharon (sharitas)

Okay, I know it's only Wednesday but I wanted to post this anyway! I haven't been doing a good job keeping this updated so I'm trying to do a better.


Anyway, I chose Sharon this week because I like her style. This layout is my favorite from her gallery...I think the criss-crossed ribbons are a neat touch. Check out her gallery at RAKScraps here.

Special Printing Info for Rectangle Scrappers

Special thanks to RAKScraps CT Member, Meredith {mcardall}, for the following information:

Looking for an affordable way to print your 8.5x11" prints? Thanks to Herman at Adorama Pix, for a limited time, all 8.5x11 prints are $0.99. That is cheaper than an 8x10 at most places! Adorama Pix uses Kodak Royal paper in glossy or matte finishes. This "unadvertised" promotion is to determine the demand for this size digital print at a temporarily reduced price among the digital scrapbooking community. If we show good support to this site, they will continue to provide low-cost prints in this unusual size. Just use the coupon code at check-out.

Adorama Pix website: http://www.adoramapix.com/
coupon code: PXSCRAPBOOK
COUPON EXPIRES 4/30/2006

AmyK's Bloggin' Challenge

Okay, I'm taking Amy's challenge over at RAKScraps...it's RAK week by the way!

1. What colors do you use the most when you scrap?
Looking through my gallery, I'd have to say pink and any pastels. With twin girls, need I say more?

2. What is your favorite kit theme? (like boys, girls, heritage, special event, etc)
Hmmm...this would have to go with my answer above...girls! Although I do get a big kick out of seeing really specific kit themes, like hockey, Olympics, etc.

3. What are your favorite elements to use when you scrap?
I love ribbons, because you can do so much with them...frames, background, borders, etc. And of course I love all papers.

4. Describe your style (even if you don't think you have one!)
LOL I just posted a thread about this over at RAKScraps!

5. If you could have one kit made especially for you, what would it be for?
Hmmm...I would have to say a kit with a mountain theme, since we take so many mountain-type vacations.

Thursday featured rectangle scrapper: Christina Bartholomew

This week I'd like to feature the wonderful layouts by Christina Bartholomew. Her style is very traditional and leans toward the paper scrapping type-look. She manages to get tons of photos in every layout, and she usually does 2-pages to accomodate all those photo and her wonderful journaling. Her gallery over at 3Scrapateers reminds me that I don't have to chase every design trend that comes down the pike. Her layouts have such a warm, cozy feeling and I know her children will so appreciate all her hard work.

Christina is also a designer and has some really fun kits. Check our her stuff at 3Scrapateers. Thanks for the inspiration Christina!

Thursday featured rectangle scrapper: Novita

I'd like to start featuring rectangle scrappers every Thursday here...and the first one is Novita from RAKScraps. Her "Sisterly Love" layout is just lovely, don't you think? She has a special knack for photography, especially close-ups. The placement of her elements is just right. And check out that quote journaled on the postcard...very cool!

You can view her gallery at RAKScraps here.

Nano, Nano!

I'm finally recovering from my intense cough/bronchitis episode and ready to get back to talkin' rectangle scrapping! Before I do though, I have to share my excitement about my DH giving me a late Christmas gift...an IPod Nano!!

I was just saying that I feel so out of it since I don't know anything about all these new-age techno gadgets. A laptop is one thing...but a Nano? Just where am I supposed to use it? I guess I could actually start exercising! LOL Thanks DH!

I've been tagged!

Looks like I've been tagged by Ginger T - RUSquare. Thanks Ginger!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Real estate, Waitress, Cashier, SAHM (my favorite!)

Four movies you would watch over and over: The Sound of Music, Pretty Woman, Top Gun (that was when Tom Cruise was still hot and before he became a complete psychopath), Pocahontas (the Disney version...I watch with my kids)

Four TV shows you love to watch: Grey's Anatomy, As the World Turns (I know...don't say anything!!),

Four places you have been on vacation: Disney World, Jackson Hole - Wyoming, Canadian Rockies, Salt Lake City

Four websites you visit daily: RAKScraps.com, Google, Scrapmommies.com, 1Hourscrap.com

Four of your favorite foods: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, shrimp, sesame chicken (Chinese), coconut cream pie

Four places you would rather be right now: At the beach baking in the sun, in the mountains snowshoeing, sitting in a hottub or sleeping

Four bloggers you are tagging: Not sure yet...

Sick

I have so many things I'd like to post, but I've been feeling pretty rotten the past couple of days. It's most likely the recurring bronchitis I get every winter but I'm not sure yet, and couldn't go to the doc today.

Don't give up on me! I'll be back in a few days ready to talk rectangles!

I wanted to share this beautiful layout by Doro at RAKScraps. I believe she made this as a
2-page square layout, but I really like its look as a 1-page rectangle! Just look at those sepia tones and blending work. This is a style I have feebly attempted but certainly haven't mastered. Check out Doro's gallery to see more of her lovely work!

Rectangle Tip: 2 Pagers

I just had to share my first layout I've complete from our trip to Disney World in early December. I set up a 17x11 canvas, laid everything out and flattened the image. Then I opened an 8.5x11 canvas and copied exactly half of the orignal over to the smaller canvas so I could print it on my home printer. I have found that this has really opened up more possibilities for design flexibility and I'm able to fit more photos in my 2-page spread.

More importantly, printing this way is CHEAP!! My Office Max here in Ohio only charges $2.09 to print a 17x11 layout on photo paper, so that is just over $1.00 per page for the 8.5x11! I haven't tried it yet, but I know this has to be cheaper than printing at home. I'll just cut my finished product in half when I finished.

If you've been avoiding 2-page layouts, give it a try!

Praise God!!!

DH just called me from work to let me know that he was able to recover everything from my dead hard drive!!! Yay!!! He just took it and plugged it into his Mac (rather than our PCs here at home) and it came right up! He is now backing up all of my 48GB of scrapping files to DVDs.

Turns out the external HD was faulty, and is still under warranty, so the company will be replacing it no charge. I learned many things in this experience...

1. External HDs are not really meant to be portable. I had been moving it around since I like to move my laptop around the house and scrap in different locations. The process of moving it around might have contributed to its failure.

2. You MUST properly shut down the drive before unplugging it from your PC. I didn't realize this! That also could have added to the problem.

3. BACK UP YOUR DATA...WEEKLY, IF NOT MORE OFTEN!!!

Thankfully I learned my lesson without the disaster of actually losing all those precious layouts I worked so hard to create. Thank you God for small miracles!!

I just had to post this layout by GingerT at RAKScraps...it grabbed my eye in the gallery. I'm sure you can see why!

Drive crashed...why not blog?

Well I have finally decided I better join the 21st century and start a blog! I've been feeling so left out recently since I don't have an ipod, or Nano, or Blackberry or any of that super cool small technology. And I thought I was doing well having a laptop to scrap upon!! LOL

My external hard drive, where I stored all of my layouts and kits, is seemingly dead tonight, and I'm here mourning its loss. My weekend project was going to be backing up all of it to CD, but of course now it's too little too late. That will teach me. At least I still have all of my pictures...

So why Rectangle Scrappin'? I've been an 8.5 x 11 scrapper from the get go and have felt in the minority in the digiscrapping world. Most sketches are geared toward 12x12 scrappers and I've love to be able to share sketches or point people to great rectangular layouts.

Thanks for stopping by!