This layout uses the Urban Couture like digital paper I made below. I used a distressed frame and Beautiful ES font (which is one of my favorite script fonts). Again, this is not a photograph but a frame captured from an 8mm movie of my cousin Tina's wedding that I converted to digital video. I don't know the date the picture was taken but my guess is Summer of 1973.

Vertical text along left edge of photo reads "Marina at Tina's Wedding".

I find myself tagged again by Tara, who obviously has too much time on her hands :)

The Rules:
One word answers only... no explanations.

Yourself: contemplative
Your Partner: busy
Your Hair: messy
Your Mother: social
Your Father: absent
Your Favorite Item: laptop
Your Dream Last Night: none
Your Favorite Drink: cranberry
Your Dream Car: paid
Dream Home: large
The Room You Are In: dining
Your Fear: heights
Where You Want to be in Ten Years: family
Who You Hung Out With Last Night: kids
You're Not: perfect
One of Your Wish List Items: vacation
The Last Thing You Did: mothered
You Are Wearing: housecoat
Your Favorite Weather: sunny
Your Favorite Book: historical
Last Thing You Ate: pancakes
Your Life: stressful
Your Mood: concerned
Your Best Friend: Bonnie
What Are You Thinking About Right Now: sickness
Your Car: MPV
What Are You Doing At The Moment: blogstalking
Relationship Status: married
What Is On Your TV: Toopey
What Is The Weather Like: cloudy
When Is The Last Time You Laughed: yesterday

Everyone close to me is already tagged, but if you're reading this and you haven't participated, consider yourself tagged.

2nd digital paper attempt. This time the inspiration was Urban Couture, Basic Grey. These papers were created using brushes in Photoshop: Fresh Foliage 2 and RecifeDirty2.

I've been experimenting with Photoshop brushes and thought I might create my own papers. I used the Fancy Pants Kewl Exquisite paper as my inspiration.

Here is the original.

This is the result. Let me know what you think.

The pictures on this layout are from the Silver Jubilee in 1977. Getting them was a nightmare. First the original is actually an 8mm cine film that was projected onto a screen and recorded with our analog video camera (this was a few years ago). Then the analog tape was recorded onto my computer using a video capture card. Then screen shots were taken from the movie.

In the end it was worth it as these are the only pictures I have of this event and are especially important to me as my best friend/next door neighbour Claire and her brother are also included. However, they are lo-res and I will be interested to see how they look when printed out.

Also, I'm not sure of this title. Originally it was called "Silver Jubilee" but I just know that my friend Bonnie (who is a great page titler) would say that was boring and challenge me to come up with something more interesting. So I was looking for a play on words related to "cube", "gravy" or "stock" and this is what I came up with, but I think it might be a bit harsh for the subject matter.

Thoughts, comments?

Here are the steps:

1. Cover 5 coasters on both sides using paper and a corner rounder if your coasters have rounded corners. Make sure the edges are glued down well.
2. Take 4 coasters. These coasters will become the walls of the box. Punch holes along two opposite edges on each coaster, making sure the holes are evenly spaced. An odd number of holes is suggested. These punched edges will be the corners of the box.
3. Punch two holes into each corner of the 5th coaster (the bottom) on a diagonal.

4. Thread ribbon through the two holes on one corner of the bottom coaster and then up inside the box.
5. Thread the ribbon ends through the bottom hole on the side wall (from inside to outside).
   
6. Lace the ribbon up through the holes and then tie a bow on the outside. Note: If you use an even number of holes you will need to reuse the last hole like I did.
7. Here is the finished box.
   

What scrapbook products/lines do you dislike? I don’t know if I actually dislike anything in particular but I’m not a big fan of dated looking stuff. Not cool dated stuff (retro or vintage) but the scrapbooking stuff that you associate with middle aged women wearing sweaters with pictures on them.

I can tell you I what I really love: Bazzill cardstock and Basic Grey patterned papers/alphabets/tags/monograms. I could scrap with just those two things (and some tombow mono of course!).

What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to scrap? The thing that I thought would be the hardest to scrap (9/11) actually wasn’t once I got going as I had lots to say in my journaling. However, the emotions that it raised even 5 years after the event were still raw.

What technique do you use more than anything else? I don’t use a lot of techniques, preferring simpler pages. Currently my favorite technique is stamped titles using SU! Craft inks.

What is the smallest scrap of paper you save? If I can punch it with my SU! Word window punch it gets saved.

Have you had any scrapping related injuries? Actually yes, I borrowed my friends CM wavy trimmer and put my thumb across the blade. It gushed with blood for ages and I had to scrap the rest of the night with a band aid.

Finish this sentence…’If I weren’t a scrapbooker/stamper, I’d spend my money on.. photography equipment. There are so many lenses and accessories that I *need* but my wallet can't afford. Top of the list would be a nice f2.8 zoom (maybe the Nikon 35-70 or the Tamron 28-75), a 35 f/2 and 85 f/1.8. I could also use my own lighting studio (umbrella, light stands and strobes).

Give your best storage organizational tool. Cropper Hopper paper holders are fantastic. I have several in both 12x12 and 8 ½ x 11. My other favorite organizational tool is a garden tools organizer that I picked up for $8 at Home Sense. It has a handle on each end and 6 divided sections that I use for adhesives, tools, and other things that stand upright. I also like the CM pen holder that lies flat and doesn’t roll off the desk.

You just won a week long scrapping cruise for 5. Who is going with you? Yikes, tough question. My friend Bonnie (she is great company and she always has plenty of diet pepsi), Andrea Wiebe (for her uplifting layouts that often involve doodling and faithbooking), Becky Higgins (who wouldn’t want to take her), Ali Edwards (for creative inspiration), Rhonna Farrer (‘cos I’m trying to get into a little digital scrapping). Hopefully all the famous people wouldn't just ignore us!

Have you ever?... the things I have done are highlighted

1.Bought everyone in the bar a drink
2.Swam with dolphins... petted them at SeaWorld though
3.Climbed a mountain
4.Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5.Been inside the Great Pyramid... no but I’ve been inside the Summerhill Winery Pyramid in Kelowna
6.Held a tarantula
7.Taken a candle lit bath with someone
8.Said "I love you" and meant it
9.Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise... after a party and on a plane crossing the Atlantic
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables... they weren’t very edible, but we grew chilli peppers once
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper... just one? I should get much more credit for this!
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment... when reporting to my boss that my cell phone accidentally fell in the toilet (c’mon that is funny)
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day... yes I do this EVERY day now that I live in Canada!
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states... not even close only four WA, CA, MI, UT
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales... with Craig in Tofino
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe... if you count Paris yes I took my backpack , had no reservations and had to find somewhere once we arrived
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke... “Faith” at a new year’s party
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites... in Greece
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an expert
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage... at school in drama class and choir, also with the BC Regiment Band
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music... with the Kelowna City Band
87. Eaten shark
88. Eaten fugu (pufferfish)
89. Had a one-night stand
90. Gone to Thailand
91. Bought a house... bought a condo, built a house
92. Been in a combat zone
93. Buried one/both of your parents
94. Been on a cruise ship
95. Spoken more than one language fluently
96. Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show... have performed the TimeWarp many a time...
97. Raised children (raising still)
98. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over...does for a better life count?
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge... no have driven over it though
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds (45.5 kilograms)... no but I did lose 35 back in 2002
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart... hard to determine but I think so
111. Ridden a bike
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse... horse bolted, won't do it again in a hurry
119. Had surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states... France, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Switzerland, Canada, USA
124. Visited all 7 continents... not yet, jus North America, Europe and Asia (Turkey)
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi... this is a staple in Vancouver
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school... did I ever leave?
131. Para sailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey... yes and I don’t really recommend them
135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read (Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy)
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language... it’s amazing there *is* a universal sign language for airport
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts... and for others
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you... I have sold 7 prints of my artwork to date
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Well thanks to my friend Bonnie who has gazillion coasters, I now have my own stash. I have been wanting to make a coaster album for a while and what better excuse than Mother's Day. I have made two albums, one for my mum and the other for my mother-in-law (if you are my MIL - don't read the rest of this post!).

Each album is made from 10 coasters. I have put patterned paper on both sides of the coaster using a corner rounder so that the corners lined up. I used a binder ring to hold the coasters together and tied ribbons around the ring. Because both of these albums are to be mailed (one to the UK), I opted not to use any bulky embellishments.

I printed off 18 wallet sized photos of my kids etc from the last 6 months or so and put one on each page. I decorated each page as well as the front and back of the album with SU! craft ink (Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Cameo Coral) and the Delight in Life SAB stamp set from SU!

Pictures are below:

Let me know what you think! I can't wait to make another more embellished version.

Thanks for tagging me Tara! Ok, this is the first time Marina's Studio has been tagged. The idea is to list 7 things that people don't necessarily know about you. So here goes:

1. I have only been doing crafts since just before Kyra was born (three years ago). I took so many pictures that creating a scrapbook seemed like a good idea. Stamping soon followed, and after some major diversions with stamping, I am now spending my time scrapbooking (stamping is really fun, and doesn't require the same amount of time or planning as scrapbooking).

2. I have a craft closet. I used to have a craft room but that has been converted into my art studio (see point below). My closet used to look like this but now it is more full and more messy.

3. I took up pastel painting just over a year ago and found I really enjoyed it and wasn't bad either. Here are some of my works.

4. Like Tara, I too am a great speller and a speedy reader. However, I am often known not to finish a book. I'm great at buying them, starting them and leaving them on my bedside table otherwise known as the Mt. Everest of books. I'd call myself a collector ....

5. I don't have any pets, just kids. If I had a pet, I'd get a dog as my parents bred, showed, judged, Boxers all my childhood.

6. I lived in Ankara, Turkey (5 mths) and San Francisco (3 mths) before moving to Canada.

7. While I enjoy scrapbooking, stamping, photography and art, my lifelong passion is actually genealogy. I have been researching my family history for 16 years and have also been researching Craig's since our marriage. I have taught seminars on Internet Genealogy, using a Family History Center, Getting Started, US Genealogy and Genealogy Software. I am the staff trainer at the Kelowna Family History Center (Glenmore Rd) and used to volunteer at the Burnaby Family History Center when I lived on the coast. I recently had an article published in the May issue of Internet Genealogy magazine.

Hmmm, this looks like an idea for a scrapbook page. I challenge those that tag (Tara) to create one of their 7 things.