Mikelle

I still haven't found any new motivation to scrap lately. But, I have been looking at all of my supplies and plotting how I'm going to possibly reorganize them, partly because SG is closing, but also because DH got me a much bigger EHD, and we'll need to transfer EVVVVVVERYTHING over soon. Yikes, that will take forever. The timing is good with SG closing, though. I told DH we'll wait to mess with the new EHD until after April 30th. 😔 I have been a member of Gingerscraps for several years, and I have quite a bit of product from there - but I have never bothered to keep track of what designers are still there, what kits are still being sold vs retired, etc. I've taken part in the Cookie Jar challenges before, and it was fun, but I really don't want to have to worry so much about whether designers/collections are retired or not. Ugh. And if I don't take part in the Cookie Jar challenges, then some of the incentive to post layouts is gone. One thing I've almost always made sure to keep up with at Gingerscraps is the daily download. If you don't know about it, check it out on their blog - as long as you make sure to check the blog every three or four days, you'll be able to keep up with the downloads, and by the end of each month you'll have a complete collection for free. It really is an awesome deal. Then, the following month there is always a Daily Download challenge, where you scrap a layout with the previous month's DD collection. I think Anne-Marie mentioned this in another post somewhere, but I'll just mention it again. It's a good deal! I think I will eventually do the Daily Download challenge each month at GS. Other than that, I think once I get my feet under me again, reorganized on my new EHD, and get my mojo back, I'll probably post LO's in the new Facebook group, and on Digital Scrapper. Both of those places will be much easier, not having to worry about where designers are and if the supplies I want to use are still active.

@Junkwithsteph I wanted to tell you that I absolutely love your papers, and I think they're perfect for scrapbooking. I love the patterns, and your deep colors and contrasts are gorgeous. I'm going through the shop right now, and I'll be buying some of your paper sets. I wish I could get them all. Have you heard of Spoonflower? I think your designs would be perfect there, too. It's a little like Etsy, except designers (anyone) upload their designs, and then customers can order several things with your design on it. They mostly sell fabric and wallpaper; I've bought quilting fabric from Spoonflower before, and I love that the fabric designs are one of a kind, from people all over. It's hard to overcome the "no outside links" rule, but I think now is OK to post a link: https://www.spoonflower.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Spoonflower_Branded_US&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2uiwBhCXARIsACMvIU2n1hIJ7uhcFweqmkWHI-ySlDCPaZkP_pO589DxLIZL7eW5xJNZsvIaAqOVEALw_wcB. Or just in case that doesn't work: Spoonflower

I've been mulling all of this over since Angie's announcement, trying to decide how I feel about it all, where I want to possibly "land," and how I want to move forward in general with scrapping from here. Long post, get some coffee... Transparency... ha ha, I know the site is going down in a couple of weeks, so this post will disappear! I've been on the Welcoming Committee for a few years now, which I've really enjoyed and I'm very grateful that I had the chance to do something like that (thank you April, Angie, and Anne-Marie for choosing me and/or giving me the opportunity). I have to say though, my post-military life has not turned out exactly as I'd hoped or envisioned. I have less time than I hoped I would (my "part-time" job isn't as part-time as I thought it would be), but even more than that, in the few years since I retired from the military, my Parkinson's symptoms really started to ramp up, and that has very much put a damper on everything for me. For the past several years I've had a very hard time staying motivated to scrap (or do anything else), since I wasn't feeling well. I'm happy to say that I feel much better now that I know what's wrong with me and I know how to minimize the symptoms, but motivation and pushing through being tired is still a daily struggle. I have to work - DH is stay at home, so I'm the sole breadwinner of our family, and my kids are heading toward college. I've been thinking for the past year that I probably need to reign my life in, make things simpler for a while, to ensure that I'm able to do the things that I really NEED to do, like make sure my teens are healthy and happy (the pandemic fall-out has not made that easy), keep my house somewhat in control (my gosh, teenagers and pets are a mess), and I absolutely need to re-assess how to manage my health issues. Exercise is important anyway, but it's really mandatory in Parkinson's, as a way to slow down progression of the disease and minimize symptoms. Stress management is also essential, and there have been some issues in my extended family over the past few years that have made that very difficult. Anyway, to sum this up, for the past year I've been feeling like I need to make some major changes, but I've not really done anything yet. I never would have wanted SG to close, but silver lining for me, I'm thinking this might be the first change in my life that will motivate me to make others. That old saying, unexpected endings mean new beginnings? Something like that. I still have scrapping goals, and continuing with documenting my family life will factor into my new plans, but I think I probably won't be as active on message boards and/or with posting as I have been at SG in the past. More broadly, how much time I spend on the computer, internet, and/or staring at screens like my iPad and phone just wasting time - that has to change. I have to make an effort to be up and moving more, and that will mean reducing my screen/computer time, which also in turn means reducing the number of sites I'm on and/or online forums/groups I'm interacting with. As many others have said, I don't particularly like Facebook anymore - I am quite opinionated myself regarding things like politics, and Facebook drastically ramps up the stress I feel when I read things that make me angry or sad. I have to force myself to not engage with the online crazy-makers, and at times that has meant I've had to completely shut down FB for a while. I have kept my FB account mostly for Parkinson's groups, quilting how-to's, and to maintain contact with old friends and some family. I'm sad to say though, I've had to weed out too many old friends and family who have just gone down too many online rabbit holes. I felt I had to, in order to manage my own stress levels. So, where will I be in the future... if the SG private FB group is established, I will be part of it, but might not be very active only because I need to draw down my online presence in general. I've been a member at Ginger Scraps for quite a while, and I have a very small gallery of layouts there (Sprite is my GS name), but I haven't posted on GS for years. I'll probably participate in challenges there once in a while. I also do like Digital Scrapper, I've had an account there for several years too, and I might end up being a little more active there, maybe do some classes or tutorials. But I think that may be it, for now.

I dropped in over there and said hello. I took a class a few years ago, and so I already had an account. Glad the site remembered me!

Your layout is perfect. 💕

😂 Good to know, lol

Yes, just one "monthly" challenge this month - our last month with our beloved Scrap Girls. This challenge will not have a prize, but I'd love to see your layouts all the same, if you feel compelled to make one. This month's challenge: Create a layout conveying what Scrap Girls has meant to you over the years. Your layout can be any type - a list, art journal, just colors and shapes - as long as it means something to you, as long as you think of Scrap Girls when you see this layout in the future. The only requirement is that the layout include the approximate date that you joined Scrap Girls. (If you go to your profile, the upper left shows you "Date Joined." Mine says August 28th, 2010, although I'll be using my actual join date in 2007... 2010 was a new profile. I was lazy, it was easier to make a new profile than request a new password, lol). When your layout out is done, upload it to the Monthly Challenge Gallery, then come back to this thread, leave a link to your layout, and any thoughts or comments you have. 💕

Layout #4, Task 6! Saturday, March 30th: Well, I have to admit that I considered adding something more - but since it's Easter weekend I will be good! 😃 TASK: Add last adjustments like shadows, date, etc, and then when you're happy with your layout, upload it to the Slow Scrap Gallery. Whew, finally! Come back to this thread and leave a link to your layout so we can all admire it! YAAAAYYYY! Remember you have until midnight tomorrow night (Sunday night, March 31st, midnight ET) to upload this last layout to be eligible for week 4 drawing; you've got until then to post any other layouts you're missing, in order to be eligible for the grand prize drawing! Winners will be posted in April's weekly winners post (I think - I will check with her). Thank you to everyone for playing this month, I've had a lot of fun! And ummmm... can I come out from behind the couch yet?

Layout #4, Task 5 (Friday already?!!! March 29th): We're almost to the end, and your layouts are beautiful! TASKS: 1. Find an embellishment of your choice (flower? button? bird?) and add it to your title. For example, if you choose a small flower, layer it over the edge of one of your title letters. If you wish, you may add more than one (duplicate the one, or add more unique embellishments). Voila! You've turned your title into word art! 2. You have a mad, mad choice to make: a. remove two of your existing embellishments (the one(s) on your title is/are off limits) AND add one patterned paper in some way (blended or layered, but must be seen); OR b. remove one paper AND add two embellishments, one of which must be a creature of some sort. Oh the madness! I will miss it so much. 🤭

This is turning out gorgeous!

Layout #4, Task 4 (Thursday, March 28th): I'm loving the layouts! You all are doing great! Are we stretching like little rubber bands? 😄 TASKS: 1. Uh-oh... not sure you'll like this one, but I think it will stretch your creativity... Carla has already kind of done this on her layout: Duplicate one of your photos or a part of one of your photos, and layer it onto or under the original photo(s). Make sure we can see at least part of it (especially if you layer it under). There are several possibilities for this task, some more obvious than others. Here are some suggestions: a. You could choose a part of the photo and blow it up larger, shadow it to make it stand out, and/or angle it b. You could duplicate the entire photo (maybe even multiple times), stack the duplicates and turn them at odd angles (Carla's done this already). c. You could extract a duplicate of something from one of your photos (a flower, person, etc) and layer it on in some way. 2. Add some journaling to your page, or if you don't particularly like journaling, find at least two word-arts and/or word strips to add. Or do both of these options! 🤪