Scrappy Blog Tour

Hello blogging friends. Last week a sweet and very talented scrappy friend Monique Liedtke tagged me in her scrappy blog tour and this week I am sharing my scrapping space with you and tagging a few more friends and asking them to share their spaces next week. Monique and I have been on the Imaginisce design team together for almost 2 years now. We also both design for Creative Scrappers.
I would love to have you stop over on her blog and tell her I sent you :)

I have been tagged by two other people to show my scrappy space earlier this year for the Liebster blog award by Kelly Jean Guzlas and Lee-Anne Thornton. I had every intention of doing it then but ... my scrap space has been in constant flux since about Christmas last year. My daughter graduated with her Master's degree then and moved home (with her 2 cats). She now lives in our basement with her fiance and a rescue dog they adopted. Hubby and I have been downsizing and rearranging furniture trying to make everything fit upstairs. My scrapbook room used to have a bed in it for when she came home to visit. That bed had to go and my computer was moved upstairs into my craft room. I love having my computer closer to my scrappy supplies! The plastic tables I used to scrap on and the totes of supplies were replaced with an IKEA Expedit wall unit and desk! I have been back to IKEA many times since to add more organizing solutions to my space. Here are a few pics... (ok..lots of pics.... you have been warned....)

My newer paper stash is stored vertically, but I do have some older paper still stored in bins on top of my Expedit along with boxes of photos. I keep a boom box in my room as I like to listen to audio books while I work. My cats like to lay on the top of the Expedit, so I have to leave room for them (or else they will just knock stuff down!). Stored here are finished layouts, finished cards, dies,sewing thread, extra adhesive (one of these wicker bins is just for my Xyron adhesives), Imaginisce tools, stamps, bakers twine, more washi tape, flowers, alphas, random craft supplies, you get the picture.

I like to keep tools and supplies I use often close by. I have tin buckets that hold colored pencils, markers, scissors, H2O pens, picks and scrapers, paint brushes. The buckets are hung on a rod so I can't tip them over :) On my desk I have a basket organizer that holds odds and ends. This is where supplies go that I intend to use on a project or that were leftover from a previous project. Every once in a while I clear this out and put stuff away. My favorite Quick Quotes chalk ink pads fit perfectly under that bottom basket. They sit in boxes I can easily pull out to search for that perfect color. The bird cage holds my Love My Tapes washi, fabric, and lace tape. I just added this mason jar... not sure just yet what I will store in it but I had to have it :)

Two walls of my room are lined with shadow boxes with some of my favorite layouts. I intend to update these every so often. Above my desk is a clip-it up that I created with another IKEA find. I also have a magnetic white board there that holds pics I want to scrap, sketches, due dates for projects, and more supplies in these cute little canisters. On the side of my desk are rows of rods that hold my favorite punches and baskets for my most used paints and mists. A Raskog cart holds stamps, embossing folders, ribbon, chipboard, and more embellisments and sits next to my desk.

I have a walk in closet in here, but it is full of yarn, fabric, vinyl, and quilting supplies. Yes, I love to sew and knit as well as play with paper. My sewing cabinet sits under the window and houses my sewing machine and serger. My Big Shot and Xyron Creative Station sit on top of the cabinet. (There is also a pile of fabric there. Need to make my daughter some scrubs.) Next to that is a doggy bed for my Satchel although sometimes the cats steal his bed.

In the corner is my computer desk, Silhouette, printer, and an organizer I use to hold my cardstock paper scraps (organized by color of course.) There is a burlap wreath in progress on the floor there. Another cat bed is set up on my printer. I don't know what it is but all the animals want to be in my room with me when I am scrapping.

1. What am I working on right now? 
I just finished up a project for Love My Tapes using some fabric tape and am working on a layout for Creative Scrappers. Here is a sneak peek....

Some Anna Griffin pretties just arrived on my doorstep for a Xyron team up. Watch for some wedding projects coming to my blog.

2. How long does it take me to create a project?
Sometimes I can sit down and knock out a layout, card, or other paper creation in an evening. Other times I will start something and leave it sit and go back to it later. Even when I think I am done with a project I like to wait (unless I have a deadline) to see if I want to add something later. Since I have a 9-5 job, I create in the evenings mostly.

3. What are my favorite things to create with at the moment? 
I LOVE my Silhouette and I LOVE the cut files from SVGcuts, Kerri Bradford Studio, and The Cut Shoppe. I am giving 17Turtles a try soon as Clique Kits will be partnering with them in October :)
I LOVE Creative Embellishments chipboard and wood veneer products!
I LOVE sequins!
I LOVE dies that have fabulous textures, like Cheery Lynn doily dies.
I LOVE a good sketch, my favorite sketch sites are Creative Scrappers and Sketchabilities.
If you asked me for a favorite manufacturer, I could not list just one. I love them all.

4. How does my writing/creating process work? 
This depends... Almost always I start with my photos when it comes to layouts. Do my photos need bright colors, muted colors, pastels? What title goes with the pictures. What embellishments do I want to use.  Other times I see a cut file I want to use and complete a layout with me left to find a photo to coordinate later.

5. How do I become inspired and stay inspired? 
Pinterest is awesome for inspiration. Really, all I need though are some new awesome pictures that are begging to be scrapped :)

6. What is my signature style?
I am all over the place. I love creating layouts (my first love), cards, and 3D paper pretties. Sometimes I love to play with mixed media and other times I want something clean and simple. My 3D projects are just plain fun to give as gifts. Here are some of my favorites from this year ...

I hope you are still with me.... I am tagging the following people to challenge them to do a scrappy blog tour next week.... Please check out their blogs and tell them I sent you :)

Cathy Harper - I was so fortunate to get to know Cathy when we designed for Scraptown Lady and Practical Scrappers. She is oh so talented.

Jody Rogers - a fellow Creative Scrapper whose layouts and cards are stunning.

Kelly Holbrook - my Imaginisce design teammate with a style that is simple yet classically elegant. I love her work.

Have an awesome week everyone!
~Marcia