Glimpse into My Life Smash Book #14

Hello an Happy New Year! Let's get back to smashing!

Welcome to the original swappers and the new ones who joined us along the way! You can continue in the book you already have or start a new one.

This swap is to help us use the blank store-bought and handmade Smashbooks that we have accumulated. I know that many of the Smashbook swaps require you to create a layout and then send it to your partner, but I get a little possesive of my own personal work and would like to hang on to it. I am one of those people who think my future grandchildren will one day stumble upon my journals (scrapbooks and Smashbooks) and be be able to better know what kind of person I was by reading them. (This is written by soyprincesa2 but I agree!)

Here's the the scoop...........

*Each round has FOUR topics (see BELOW), BUT YOU ONLY HAVE TO COMPLETE TWO FOR YOUR BOOK to interpret as you wish- with art, photos, journaling, or smash in some ephemera or other scraps to tell your story. You will create the TWO layouts in any Smashbook you wish. For those of us who already did Rounds 1-13 just continue in the same book or if you need, start a new book.

A personal FYI - I make my pages loose on cardstock and then punch holes with an office 3-hole paper punch, and they are bound by binder rings. I have a lot of room to grow! But you could use a store-bought or repurposed binder, too!

*You may get to work immediately on your pages. At least ONE decorated/embellished page per topic is required... though more is fine.

After partners are assigned: You will photograph your 2 layouts and send them in an email as an attachment to your 4 partners.

The Nitty Gritty: Your partners will rate you a 5 for sending an email with photos and it would be great if they could comment on what they thought about your layouts/interpretations of the theme. As long as you did something in your book you should get a 5. All participants much be rated at least a 4.9. No recent 1's or 3's. Please folks, let's be responsible and carry through with what we commit to do. This swap is a Type 3 because there is work involved EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE NOT MAILING YOUR SMASHBOOK TO YOUR PARTNER!!!

The ULTIMATE goal is to have a beautiful completed, full, fat Smashbook. Are you ready for the fun? Then sign up and join us!

Topic #1 - OLD and NEW - I found a great image on Pinterest of a woman holding a childhood picture of herself, covering half of her face. Can you do that? If not, add another 'old and new' thing in your life. Have you bought your 2nd or 3rd car that's the same company/model? Any new pets that are joining your old pets? Home improvements? Please show the old and new in your life.

Topic #2 - CALENDAR PAGE We've done this before but January is a perfect time to map out your goals, your travel and/or your crafty aspirations. You can make a one-month calendar or a 6- or 12-month calendar. Again I have many examples on my "Art Journal Ideas" Pinterest board. (Link is below)

Topic #3 - BEAT THE WINTER BLUES with COLOR! Okay, I live in San Francisco and we are currently enjoying very mild weather. But it does get dark and foggy and it makes me want to crawl into bed with a good book. So make a colorful page with orange, red, pink and yellow to beat those dark winter nights.

Topic #4 - HOLIDAY RECAP Did you save your holiday cards? Wrapping paper? Ribbons? Make a smashing page with your holiday items and memorialize your holiday season.

Two other notes - there is a Flickr group to showcase your pages so everyone in this group can see them. I'll post the link below.

Remember, you are free to add other pages to your book - I have a few on-going pages. On one, I glue all the stamps from all the Swap-botty mail I receive. On another page, I glue in all the stickers I come across - from produce and other shopping, from my students; wherever I find them, I add them in. So go ahead and start some of your own on-going pages.

Happy Smashing!

(And remember, if you have some ideas, send them to me. I plan to keep on going until you all cry out for me to stop. Plus I love the book I have been creating - It's fun to go back and look at it each month to see what I am doing and thinking each month.)