New Blog

When I started this blog last year it was because I felt I needed to separate my scrapbook stuff, from my real life stuff on my original blog. This was mostly because when I started blogging it wasn't about scrapbooking, but about my life in France. Almost a year later I have realised that scrapping and crafting are an integral part of my real life, the two cannot be separated. So I have started afresh, sorta, with Typepad. Please find my new updated blog here

http://francineclouden.typepad.com/callaloo_soup

All content from this blog has been imported over and you can read just the scrapbooking related posts by selecting the Scrapbooking and Paper Crafts Category.

Thank you all for being faithful readers of this little spot. I hope that you will join me over there and update your links and feed readers. The new blog will be a combination of all my interests, so you will also get a peek into other parts of my life!

Seeing Red

A few days ago I found out about Sara's Seeing Red challenge by way of Artsy Mama. Yesterday while rushing to get out of the house I pulled this ribbon from my purse and it landed next to this lovely blue Rouge de Garance paper. A sign if ever I needed one.

Sister Scrap

My sister Vernell and I just started a new project that we are very excited about. We're both scrapbookers, I started first then she got sucked in (and pulled away from her then passion of beading), and when I lived in the US we would get together to scrap on the weekends. Since we can no longer do that, we've decided to do it virtually! Check out our new blog Sister Scrap and join us as we tell our stories!

{21 Days}

I mentioned on Saturday that Rhonna Farrer is leading an Art Journal Challenge on Two Peas. I finally got started on it today, the weekend just didn't lend itself to starting a new project. The idea behind the challenge is taking 21 days to make or break a habit through the creative process. My goal is to develop a more efficient morning routine, consisting of waking up earlier and spending less time online, among other things. Today I worked on my album cover, title page and the first day based on the Day 1 prompt.



For the first week I am focusing on waking up earlier. I think that will be the hardest part for me. If I get that mastered I'll be half way there. I'm keeping the album fairly simple and not very artsy. Since I want this to be the first thing I work on in the morning, I decided to stick with what I know best, rather than trying new techniques, because I know I would get bogged down and end up spending the whole morning working on it, which will defeat my purpose.

Coincidentally, when I read Zen Habits today, his post was all about how to be more efficient with your online time. It's amazing how the universe just knows exactly what I need to see.

Sweet Monday E-mail

I woke up to a lovely e-mail from Kim of Today's Creative Blog, letting me know that I had been selected as the feature for today. Definitely helped to make a groggy Monday morning wake-up easier. Thanks Kim, I am honoured! If you aren't familiar with Kim, she features a new creative blog just about every day. Go check her out and tell her I sent you!

10 sites that inspire

I spend probably way too much time online, and in my website and blog hopping I have come across a number of sites that never fail to inspire. Here are 10 of my favourite.

Design*Sponge
Oh Joy!
Tuttifruiti
Funky Finds
Urban Debris Artlog
Sew, Mama Sew
Ace Jet 170
3191
Trash The Dress
Making It Lovely

Are there any sites you visit that set your mind whirling with ideas? Please share!

Scrapbooking, challenges and blogging, oh my!

Don't you love it when your favourite things come together? I'm so excited to have been asked to be part of the new Chit Chat Challenge blog.

Here at Chit Chat Challenge, we are looking to inspire scrapbookers through language, techniques, and product usage. This site will be dedicated to those scrapbookers that are looking to push the envelope, and get out of their ruts in unique and innovative ways. Challenges will be posted every Friday and the Design Team will post ideas to get you started. Each challenge will be comprised of a quote, and a product, and/or technique to be included in your project.

The first challenge will be posted November 1st!

PSA

Make sure to check the Perspectives blog tomorrow for our first challenge!!

What's your perspective?

Is it influenced by the part of the world you're from? A new challenge blog that I have the honour to be part of will be exploring just that. Check us out at Perspectives!

The first challenge will be posted this week!