Learn a little bit about me and my workspace:
Thoughts On Scrapbooking From My Oldest Grandchild
In the short video below, we interviewed my oldest grandchild, Jaden, and asked him to share what it means to him for me to scrapbook his memories.
The Hidden Value of Handwriting
I do not like my handwriting. I wonder how many people feel that way. I took a test that was posted as part of National Handwriting Day yesterday and was quite surprised at how accurately it described me. (You can find the test in the post copied below.)
This year I made a scrapbook resolution to do more journaling. That is definitely the weakest part of my scrapbooking process. I usually let my pictures and titles tell the story. When I read this article and my test results, I realized how my handwriting is who I am.
If my handwriting can tell that much about me now, what if one of my great-great grandchildren knows how to analyze handwriting and will be able have insights into who I really was because I’ve taken the time to write in my scrapbooks today? What a gift to those who might want to know more about Kathy Barrett.
So let’s be better about leaving a legacy of handwritten stories for future generations. Here’s the test:
What Does Your Handwriting Say About You? #NationalHandwritingDay
Did you know that your handwriting can indicate more than 5,000 unique personality traits? It’s true! According to graphologists (experts in handwriting analysis), the way you craft your letters and words can reveal your social tendencies, whether you’re introverted or extroverted and much more! Today is National Handwriting Day, and as a memory-keeping company, we believe your handwriting tells a special story – your story. So… want to see what yours says about you? Grab a pen and take a little test!
Write out this sentence in cursive: She sells seashells by the seashore.
Now, for the fun part!
How Big Are Your Letters?
- Small (1.5-2.5mm): You tend to be introspective and can sometimes come across as shy. You’re focused, and concentration comes easily to you.
- Medium (2.5-3.5mm): You’re flexible and adaptable. You’ve got great emotional balance and see yourself the way you are.
- Large (over 3mm): You’re self-confident and have great communication skills. You are likely an extrovert who likes connecting with others, and you tend to do-first, think-later.
Does Your Writing Slant?
- Yes, To the Right: You enjoy socializing with others and are open to the world around you. You are ruled more by your heart than your head.
- Yes, To the Left: You tend to be introverted and may hold back your emotions. You prefer careful planning over spontaneity.
- No, It Doesn’t Slant: You tend to be logical and practical, guided by reason and seldom act on impulses. You are ruled more by your head than your heart.
Look at the Loops on Your L’s and E’s… Are They Full or Closed?
- Full for L: You’re relaxed, spontaneous and are great at expressing yourself.
- Closed for L: If your upstroke overlaps your downstroke, you’ve got a closed L. This indicates you may be restricting yourself in some way.
- Full for E: You enjoy trying new things and are open minded.
- Closed for E: You are unswayed by emotional arguments and tend to be skeptical.
Lastly, Look at Your S’s… Are They_____?
- Printed: You’re versatile and open to change.
- Pointy: You love to learn new things. The pointier the peaks, the more intellectually probing and ambitious you are.
- Round: You avoid confrontation and seek compromise. Some may consider you a people-pleaser.
- Open at the Bottom: You follow your intuitive voice and listen to your heart.
So, how did you do? Do you agree with what your handwriting says about you?!
Bringing It All Together on National Handwriting Day…
Okay, that was fun, but personality traits aren’t the only reason handwriting is so important.
Do you have a card from your grandparents, parents or a loved one that you’ve been holding onto for years? If you’re like most of us, you do. Why? Because they’re special to us. And why are they so special? Because of the handwritten message that was written exclusively for us. In some cases, it’s all we have left to remember a loved one by.
In today’s digital world, the art of handwriting is becoming rare. On this holiday, let’s commit to ditch digital for the day (you can do it for just one day!) and write something down in your own handwriting. Whether it’s sharing a story in a scrapbook or journal or writing a brief message in a handmade card to send to a friend, your handwriting is unique to you – share it with those you love!
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Here are my results:
Pricing for Classes and Services
Please let me know if I can help you design your memories through any of the following classes or services:
Fast2Fab Album Class
You begin with an album which includes 32 pre-designed pages plus matching paper, journaling boxes, stickers, and embellishments I’ve assembled, and you leave with a completed album after 2 to 3 hours. This is obviously restricted to persons in and around Roswell, NM.
You attach the embellishments and add your photos. – $175
Non-Class Options
I do the whole album without the photos. – $200
I do the whole album plus the photos. – $225
Custom Albums From Scratch
I meet with you to discuss what you want for your specific album and then give you a quote – starting at $350.
Glacier Two Page Layout
Materials:
12” Trimmer
Jagged Tear Tool
Snowflake Trio Punch
Glacier Paper
Glacier Stickers
Silver Cardstock
Tape Runner
Mini Tape Runner
Foam Squares
Pictures:
Four 4” x 4”
For the base of the layout:
Right side – use the snowy night paper with the dark side at the top.
Left side – use the other piece of the snowy night paper with dark side at the top. Cut a
3” x 12” strip for the top.
Using the Silver Shimmer Cardstock and the Jagged Tearing Tool, tear with the smaller
side, angling it back and forth as you tear to make a mountain edge look. Cut this strip 3” x 12”. Adhere to the snowy night paper.
At the top of the navy and white striped paper, use the larger side of the Jagged Tearing Tool and angle even more back and forth to make another mountain edge. I tore a white piece more prominant to make it look like snowcaps. Adhere to the Silver Cardstock. Cut the bottom of the navy and white striped paper so that the whole page measures 12” x 12”.
Photo Mats:
Cut the 4 photo mats 4 1/2” x 7” out of the patterned paper.
Aspen Trees:
Use the wood paper to make the aspen trees: cut two strips 1/2” x 12”
cut three strips 1/4” x 12”
I made them different heights and a little angled to look more authentic. I used the mini tape runner to adhere. I then cut off the excess that ran off the page.
Journaling Box:
From the leftover scraps of the photo mat, cut a 2 1/2” x 4” mat. Attach Love This Time of Year sticker with foam squares. Cut out of white card stock a 1/2” x 3 3/4” and a 1/2” x 3 1/2” strips. Using Snowflake punch, punch a snowfake out of the scrap of the snowflake paper. Attach with small foam square. Attach bird with small foam squares.
Stickers:
Attach Stickers as shown. I used foam squares on most of them. (Note pictures)
I would be honored if you used my design. Happy Holidays!!!!!
Double Page Sketch Layout #1
This week’s challenge: Make your own layout and post it to my Facebook page.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!
More Toil & Trouble
Here’s another page I created with the Toil & Trouble paper and sticker collection.
For the fence, I used the Victorian fence punch (655809).
I used the Oval Custom Cutting System (624389) to make the pumpkins. For the pumpkin leaves and stems, I used the Leaf Trio Punch (655520). You can make any size pumpkin by cutting three oval shapes the same size, adhering two together to form the back of the pumpkin plus one on the top. Here’s a video showing how to use the punch to make the stem and the leaf on the top of the pumpkin. Here’s a video to show you how I do it.
The Gift of Memories
On a recent trip, I was checking out at a store, and the lady behind the counter remarked about how much she liked my necklace. I told her it was made out of pottery, so she asked me if I did pottery. I told her I did scrapbooking. That’s when she told me that her sister was about to get married, and she came across an old scrapbook in her mother’s house that her mother and sister had put together when her sister was little. She had taken this scrapbook full of memories and was going to wrap it up and give it to her sister as a gift from her as the maid of honor.
That little encounter reminded me of how important a physical preservation of memories can be. We live in a time when most of our memories are digitally stored on our phones and computers. As fantastic as that technology is, it cannot be wrapped up and presented as a wedding present.