Guy Gifts...the struggle is real.

Why are men so hard to buy for?  Maybe it's just me but it seems like I have to do a LOT of research to make sure I'm buying the right golf club or tool and even clothes can present a problem when I'm thinking GQ and he's thinking "weekend white guy".  Or maybe it's just that I'd rather shop for girl stuff.  In any case, I'm guessing the guy in your life would appreciate a scrapbook of photos of his kids, their sporting events or even a few shots of his golf game.  Throw one in his stocking and see what happens.  :)

{World's Greatest Dad Scrapbook}

{Hockey Scrapbook}

{Tailgating Scrapbook}

{Bowling Scrapbook}

{Golf Scrapbook}

Scrapbooks make great Christmas (or anytime) Gifts...Let's Start with Scrapbooks for the Girls!





I created this book over the weekend to put in my Etsy shop...and today just noticed that it is MY wedding colors!  Ha.  Didn't even notice as I was making it.  This 6" book with 20 pages is the perfect "highlight" book for your wedding.  Makes a great gift for parents or grandparents or just a condensed version of your "big book" to place on your coffee table or have at your desk when coworkers ask about your wedding.  AND...I can even make it in YOUR wedding colors (instead of mine).  All you have to do is ask!  :)  Oh yeah...click on the caption for photos of the inside!



{Wedding Day Scrapbook}





Of course, you have to have a book of the bridesmaids too!  Wouldn't these make excellent bridesmaid gifts?  Right up there with the mani/pedis and it will last longer!  AND, you can put the pictures OF the mani/pedis IN the book!  A little snapshot of your special day celebrated with your best girlfriends.  

{Bridesmaids Scrapbook}

Moms can be hard to buy for sometimes but she will always love a gift that you can personalize with photos of her and her kids.  Oh, and here's a tip from someone whose mom has passed...you can never have too many pictures of you and your mom!  You will treasure the ones you have long after she is gone and always wish you had more.   Look inside this book here.

{Mother Scrapbook}



You can't forget those sisters! Not that they would LET you forget them. :)

{Sisters are the Perfect Best Friends Scrapbook}

 

 

Grandmas?  Yeah, pretty much ditto everything I said about Moms.   

 

{Best Grandma Ever Scrapbook}

What would we do without our friends to make us smile and to do silly things with?  Capturing those memories in a little scrapbook means so much more than a quick FB post.  Just imagine that smile on her face when she opens this!  Inside pics here.

{I totally love my friends scrapbook}



Ever had a bad nurse?  Then you can really appreciate the good ones!  Nurses do so much for us and they deserve some recognition.  Wouldn't this make her day?  You could even throw it in a gift basket with a bottle of wine, some cookies and a gift certificate for a foot massage!  More photos here.


{Nurse Scrapbook}

Check back for more ideas tomorrow.  Shall we do the men this time?

Gifts for the Girls

At the last minute I decided to throw together a couple of scrapbooks for the girls as Christmas gifts.   Arielle has been doing some dancing at college this year.   She’s part of the Martini Dancers…a swing group.  They performed at the Christmas Convocation and it was awesome to watch one of my girls dance onstage again.  I thought those days were over.  I guess it’s more fun at this age than it was when they were 5!  She’s also been clogging but of course I forgot about that when I put the book together and didn’t make any reference to it.  Oh well, that’s what those extra journaling pages are for!  Her favorite color is red so I incorporated it with the black and white from the stickers.  I think she liked it!

You might notice that on the Martini Dancers page the word “dancers” is a combo of different fonts.  The letters are all red and glittery but the fonts include upper and lower case as well as a variety in font styles and sizes.  Not only does this prevent boredom from creeping in…it’s also a great way to use up your letters.  If you’re like me, the vowels are always the first thing to go, especially the As and Es…so it helps if you can mix it up a bit.

Ceara’s book is SO typical of her right now.  She’s definitely into black and purple with zebra and leopard prints!  Her dorm room is flooded with the stuff!  She’s also ALL about her friends and hanging out with them.   I can barely get her to pose for a picture but there seems to be no shortage of pictures of her with her roommates and other friends. 

I haven’t been using my Cricut much to make letters for the paper bag books but I like the way this turned out.  The purple letters with the white borders were cut with the Cricut and then raised with foam spacers.  I’m loving foam these days.  The white letters are also out of foam.  I love the 3D effect.  That was part of the reason I got away from using letters cut from my Cricut.  I didn’t like the flat look but add a few spacers (pop dots…whatever you call them!) and oh so much better!  

Another thing I’ve been trying to do more of lately is mix unusual patterns and colors.  I used to be all about the matchy-matchy, but not anymore. For example, a year ago I probably would not have put together the leopard print and the zebra print in the same book…let alone add purple to the browns of the leopard paper.  But I think it works fine.   It makes the purple pop (the colors are a little more vivid in real life than what they show up like on here.  Don’t even get me started on issues with my camera!).  Anyway…I’m less concerned these days if the printed paper and cardstock match perfectly or if I’m putting together too many prints.  There’s got to be some contrast or it’s just not interesting visually.  Besides not every single item in the photo is going to match the page exactly.  AND…scrapbooking should be fun…not stressful! 

Etsy Holiday Sale Continues...a picket fence life

All I Want For Christmas Paper Bag Scrapbook!

So, what do YOU want for Christmas?  This book is back by popular demand.  The colors are silver, red, gray, and white.

The holiday sale continues till midnight tomorrow night (Monday) in my Etsy shop.  All items in the shop are 10% off.   Plus, you received an additional discount for purchasing 6 or more scrapbooks.  What a great way to knock a bunch of names off your shopping list!

Happy Shopping!

Judy

All I Want for Christmas! Paper Bag Scrapbook

All I Want for Christmas!

I have been a busy little elf this weekend.  I'm so excited about all the scrapbooks that are moving from the "I can't wait to make this" pile to the "completed" pile.  I've already listed a few on Etsy and several more will show up during the week so keep checking back.

What do you think about the WHITE paper bag book?  It's the first one I've made in white.  I kinda like it.  It really makes the red POP!

So how are you doing with your Christmas shopping?   Are you marking things off your list yet?   I can't believe it's only a couple of months away.  I would count the weeks, but that might put me into a panic!  :)

Welcome Words and Photos Readers...and everybody else too!

If you just popped over from my Words and Photos blog you may have already noticed that this blog is a little different....yet still the same in a lot of ways.  As I close the other blog down, this one will probably include a few more family updates than it has in the past, but otherwise it will remain about the same.

For now, here are a few of my latest creations...

Soccer Scrapbook...available on Etsy!

Cheerleader Scrapbook

Perfect for the Cheerleader in your life!  Or, it makes a great team gift.  Special order enough for the whole squad...personalization is always an option!  Add your name, school colors, school name and/or team name!

Football Hero!

Wouldn't this make the perfect boyfriend gift?

I Love Volleyball Scrapbook!

Great gift for your teammates...or the volleyball star in your life.

Bowling Scrapbook!

Record your bowling season...capture the moment!  Keep proof of your scores!

Yeah, I seem to be stuck in a sports theme....but wouldn't they make great Christmas gifts?!  Of course there are always other options in my Etsy store.

I'm working on some great sales and promotions so stay tuned...more info coming soon....

Enjoy your weekend!

judy

sharing some favorites

I am in awe of all the talented artists who sell their creations on Etsy. There are so many amazing and beautiful things. I thought I'd share some of MY favorites with you.

I love, love, love this necklace....maybe because I love, love, love the beach! Someday I will live near the ocean but until then...

The shop is Cinnamon Sticks. Many of their items can be personalized...names, initials, etc. All items are unique and beautifully crafted.

I WISH I could paint. I love lots of different styles.

This bloom is from the Etsy shop, Suze. Check out her shop and you will find a huge variety of artwork. Great stuff. Fun stuff. The poli sci part of me LOVES the Nixon sketch! Go take a peek! :)

More jewelry. I can't help it...I love jewelry that is NOT cookie-cutter, mass-produced stuff.

I'm sure you've heard of fused dichroic glass. I have no idea how it's made, but the colors are SO vibrant. While the photography in this shop, CCValenzo, is wonderful, I have NEVER seen a photograph that can truly capture the amazing colors of this type of jewelry.

Last, but definitely not least, of my list today is the artwork from LucySweetLucy.

I can't really even find the words to express how much I LOVE this. The style, the colors, the whimsical element. Just love it all! :) It reminds me of the movie, The Break Up. Remember when Jennifer Aniston's character was showing pieces of art to the really cute guy (sorry, don't remember his name). He didn't know much about art and wasn't sure what to buy. She told him that you shouldn't buy a piece of art unless you HAVE to HAVE it (or something like that....I'm bad at quoting movies!). Anyway, that's how I feel about this piece. It just draws me in.

Christmas is coming up and I have a challenge for you. Before you head to the "big box" stores with your shopping list...please consider buying your gifts this year from independent artists and crafters. There are lots of options for buying handcrafted items. Etsy is a great online source but you can also find some amazing things at local craft shows and consignment shops.

The best things about buying handmade? Unique and personalized gifts...not to mention you're supporting independent business owners....not the corporate giants!