Darcy Scraps

I'm back from my Disney day and wow! We had such a great time :) The pirate show I was hoping to see was cancelled as Capt. Jack called in sick, but there were some other photo ops outside the ride. The shop also carried logo stickers and small buttons that will make cute page embellishments.


Over at Epcot, I got caught up in a serious blast from my past. This summer's concert series is tribute bands. This weekend's act was ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again. My husband was stunned to see me singing right along. I've still got ABBA on vinyl! I danced, I sang, I had a blast! From Dancing Queen to Voulez Vous, Bjorn again sounds note for note like ABBA. They put on quite a show and if you get the chance, I highly recommend seeing their show.

It's an odd angle, but I don't care. It's a picture of me that I really like!

It's Friday so it must be time for a shopping list...except I do nearly all of my shopping on Saturdays and this weekend I will be in Disney World. So aside from looking for goodies in the park stores, there will be no major scrapbook shopping this weekend.

Thanks to last weekend's online shopping I do have some new goodies to enjoy. Elsie's book arrived. I have to make an effort not to drool over it ;) I also ordered a ton of the new Daisy D's Gypsy Harvest line. The Halloween papers are perfect. I can't wait for my order to arrive. I was in Borders the other night and happened to find a sketchbook that is perfect for my art journal. Now I don't know where to start!

But mostly, I am so excited to be spending Saturday at Disney. I'm leaving my real life and worries behind and spending the day in my very own fantasy land. I'm planning photos for a Pirates layout I want to create. We're looking to catch the little Capt. Jack show on how to be a pirate. I think it runs through the end of August. Then we are off to Epcot for a delicious dinner at Tangierene Cafe. I love Mediterranean food! I am so looking forward to getting away from it all...even if it's only for one day.

So today's Two Peas blogger challenge is to post about my favorite movie. Hands down my favorite film of all time is the classic Gone With the Wind. I'll never forget "meeting" Scarlett O'Hara. I was in the eighth grade and my mother gave me the book for Christmas. I had one week of holiday vacation and 1000 pages ahead of me. By day three I had decided I would not sleep until I finished it. My Dad found me still reading at 4am. I finished the novel on day four and promptly persuaded my mother to rent the video for me. That night, I introduced my best friend to Scarlett via the small screen. The film lasts well over 3 hours. I didn't care. I didn't want it to ever end. I was officially obsessed.


Over the years, I have collected all things Scarlett. I have dozens of books on the film and it's stars, a number of special editions of the novel, three release versions of the film itself, movie posters and a huge collection of movie stills. Gone With the Wind changed the direction of my life. I began to study historic preservation. On a vacation in Charleston, I found my heart's home. I moved to Charleston at the age of 17. I studied historic preservation in college and took a job with the Preservation Society of Charleston. (Ironically, Charleston is not one of Scarlett's favorite places...she finds a visit there boring and makes fun of Charleston accents!)

The older I get, the more I enjoy Gone With the Wind. I've seen it on the big screen, which is awesome, but I am perfectly content to play the DVD at home. While I do prefer the book, I appreciate everything related to the movie. It has lead me to read the biographies of the stars and I have enjoyed many of their other films.

Gone With the Wind has made a lasting imprint on me. No other film has enthralled me like this one. No other character has meant so much to me as Scarlett. It continues to fascinate and inspire me.

Over on the Me Blog, Elsie has posted a challenge to start an Art Journal. The idea to create a spot for creative stuff that may or may not involve photos is pretty appealing to me. I get inspired by tons of supplies that I don't have photos to work with. I love the idea of trying new things , creating pretty things, creating unique, even funky things. Anyone have tips on getting started?

Speaking of getting started...I have to admit that for the longest time, I was merely a collector of Basic Grey papers. I'd love it, buy it and stash it because I could not manage to work with it. A few weeks ago I was browsing the Two Peas Gallery and one of the French peas had posted a stunning Paris layout using the Urban Couture papers. Suddenly I couldn't wait to get my hands on Urban Couture paper and get to work...but my top priority was finishing a gift for my Dad. I made him a Sara Binder CD holder. To satisfy my yearning to work with BG, I made the binder with Hang Ten papers :) Today my BG craving is back and again I have to give credit to the Peas. As you may have read here before I have (roughly) 84,000 Disney photos waiting to be scrapped. One of the amazing Peas has creating a fabulous Epcot layout using Urban Couture paper! A match made in heaven :) Thanks Peas!

(In my best Charlie Brown) ARRGH! I visited four scrapbook stores this weekend and could not find my must have item, Elsie's new book. What's up with that? I have admitted defeat and ordered it online. I will have to be patient for it to be delivered, but at least now it is a sure thing. Sigh! Now I can move on to scoring some of the new Daisy D's :)

Do you work better with music? I find it helps me keep my energy up with nearly every task. I love having my iPod as I scrap. I don't wanna hear commercials on the radio so I create massive playlists on my iPod. I play them at work, in the car, cleaning house and scrapbooking. Music keeps me going!

I think this weekend I will create a new playlist to keep me motivated as I organize in the scrap room (you didn't think I'd finished that, did you?). I want something upbeat and eclectic. I hope you'll post your suggestions! I'd love to know what you are scrapping to :)

This weekend is all about finding just one super hot item on my scrapping wish list.
If I don't find Elsie Flannigan's new book, I am gonna scream. There are four scrapbook stores in my city, but where oh where is Elsie's book? Please, Mr. UPS delivery man, send it to the store where I have a $20 gift card! Or send it to the store where I get punches on my loyalty card! Or send it to any one the stores here...I'm not picky...just impatient :)

Yesterday's Disney post really had me charged up to head out for the parks. Doug would go this weekend, but we already have plans for Saturday that I can't reschedule. I know it is hot and crowded this time of year, but I can't wait to go back.

I know it sounds cheesy, but there is no place where you can escape quite like Disney World. I go so often that people always ask me "haven't you seen it all yet?" and I always answer "NO!" Each time Doug and I visit the parks we try something new...a new restaurant, a new attraction, a concert. We've made friends with some of the cast members and at Halloween we were photographed for the Disney Album (we always go to the Halloween event dressed as Cinderella and Prince Charming). I am already looking forward to the Fall events...the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!

Ok, I've got to start planning a trip. I'm going to Disney World!

Today's Two Pea's blogger challenge is just perfect for me...blog your favorite Disney attraction! Ah, Disney World, my home away from home. Did I ever tell you that I have 84,000 photos of Disney I need to scrap? This challenge is inspiring me to design a top 10 layout for my Disney album (because you know I could never narrow it down to just one favorite!).

My Favorite Things About the Magic Kingdom

10. The Wishes fireworks show and Tinkerbell's flight
9. Space Mountain, it's a classic
8. the Mad Tea Party
7. the food
6. Space Ranger Spin
5. Special events like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
4. Peter Pan's flight
3. Pirates...we want the redhead!
2. the parades
1. Cinderella Castle

Not much to report. I am saving my money for the new goodies debuting at CHA and my lss was sold out of the Cropadile.

I brought home:

• DCWV adhesive mat stack in brights


• CH vertical storage supplies

If only I could find Elsie's book!

OK, I know it is too early to start hunting for the CHA goodies I've been seeing online. It is so hard to be patient! Still, I really have to save up if I am going to purchase even half of what I am already wanting.

So this week, I am only shopping for a few goodies:

• Rhonna Farrer Paris in Spring papers, ribbons, etc.


• Disney/Pixar Cars papers


• Cropadile

I'm still really excited about Elsie's book. Hope to be able to get it as soon as it comes out next week! Elsie's work (and her blog) totally get my creative energy flowing.


I knew I'd like the new 7 Gypsies, but who could have predicted I'd go totally ga ga for them? Have you seen the stamps/seals? Swoon!

How will I ever find the patience to wait for the new Daisy D's? I saw a sneak peek at Lifetime Moments that included the new Gypsy Harvest papers and an adorable Halloween paper. I love Halloween stuff! Junkitz has a new witch paper on my must have list too. Sticking with the Fall theme, I checked out a sneak peek of Bo Bunny's Harvest Spice collection. I have to start saving up for all the new stuff coming out.

Finally! My August issue of CK has arrived at last. Now I am so excited about new items to be released. I love the ads. Now I am looking forward to:

• Bo Bunny's Sweet & Sour collection (paper, brads, ribbons and rubons)


• My Minds Eye Bohemia collection


• Basic Grey's Lily Kate collection


• Flair's Autumn Splendor collection

So much to look forward to! Elsie's book, new Rhonna Farrer stamps, and Technique Tuesday flower stamp sets (Loves me, loves me not) top my list. I'm also anxious to see what comes out from 7 Gypsies, Daisy D and Basic Grey.

Back on the organizing front, I think I will try organizing my pattern paper with Cropper Hopper vertical storage. I already had my Disney stuff and papers I sort by manufacturer in these. Now I need to put in more general pattern papers like pet stuff, florals, dots, etc. Wish me luck!

I did it! I took those first baby steps to conquering the piles in my scrap space. Once I got started things seemed to just flow. I only made a tiny dent in the mess, but I feel really good about it and I am not dreading my next mission. Although I am sorely tempted to play with my scrap goodies, I really want the whole room finished before I start new layouts. So I am thinking I will work on getting some photos for my Book of Me for my creative reward time.

I really need to have Doug take some photos of just me. Like most scrappers I am nearly always the one behind the camera. Yesterday, Elsie Flannigan's blog featured a couple of self portraits. What a fun project! Still, I am totally critical of photos of myself. What would be so bad about having some silly poses? What if I actually went without makeup? And gasp! so what if I'm not wearing the most flattering jeans I own? Why am I so critical of pictures of me and no one else? Does anyone else have this problem?

One layout I am really excited to start will be to document my favorite song, Desperado by the Eagles. I've got a pink and brown palette and some cowgirl accessories all ready to go. What I don't have is a photo! I know I want to include the full lyrics to the song, but I have no idea what to do for the pics. I feel like I am going about this completely backwards, but I really want a layout about this song; it means a lot to me. My connection to the song has nothing to do with cowboy stuff but I keep thinking I'll just borrow a cowboy hat and take a couple of pics....maybe black & white...definitely nothing silly. I just can't think of how I could photograph or explain the connection I have to the words.

It was absolute torture to see August's Creating Keepsakes at the grocery store this weekend. Please, Mr. Postman, let it be there when I get home from work today!....And please let it inspire me to clean up my scrap space :)

Driving in to work this morning was an exercise in frustration. My usual route was closed due to road construction. The detour was congested and routed me on to a road with only one lane open (more construction). It was a bad way to start the day and totally typical for me lately. I'm seem to keep finding myself detoured!

I got a slow start on Saturday. I hadn't slept well and I had no energy. I finally got out and about. I even found most of my scrap shopping list. But late in the afternoon I ended up with a blinding headache which put off our evening walk on the beach. I had planned to snap some pics (evening beach pics come out sooo romantic) but by the time we got there it was too dark.

Sunday, Doug and I went to the plant nursery to pick up a few goodies for the yard. We ran into my parents and invited them over for dinner. It totally sidetracked all my plans for the day including organizing stuff in my scrap room. I also missed out on the movie we had planned to see (Pirates).

So true confession, I have a lot of work to do in my scrap space. Doug took everything out of the room and painted one accent wall red (the other walls are tan). He built shelves and painted them white. He did a great job! But moving stuff back into the room has been a slow process. I have an amazingly hard time organizing stickers and pattern paper. I've never found a system that works for me with either of them. Worse, Doug got fed up with my slow progress of moving stuff back into the room. He stacked stuff in boxes and even a laundry basket! He made piles and stacked them in the middle of the floor. I can barely move around to try to put stuff away. Just looking at it makes me want to cry.

So the new plan is to spend at least 15 minutes a day organizing my scrap stuff. It doesn't sound like much, but by the time I get home from the office, I am so low on energy that I know this will take a lot of effort. Sad, but true. I wish I could just devote a couple of hours to this and get it over with, but everytime I go into the room I am completely overwhelmed by the task. Wish me luck!

I shopped three scrapbook stores today and scored:

• A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper


• a couple sheets of Paris in Spring pattern paper


• Cars stickers


• Bazzill cardstock on sale 3 sheets for 99 cents!

Still on the hunt for more Spring in Paris goodies and Technique Tuesday flower stamps sets.

What I am shopping for this weekend:

A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Pattern Paper by Ali Edwards
Paris in Spring papers, ribbons and accents by Rhonna Farrer
Cars stickers (Disney Pixar)

My Wish List:
Quickutz Daisy font
Quickutz Lucy font
Elsie Flannigan's new book 52 Challenges comes out July 17th


I am also crossing my fingers that the letter carrier will have my August edition of Creating Keepsakes for me today or tomorrow. My local scrapbook store has had it in stock for a week now. Two days ago I saw it at Target. It is so hard to be patient.

Welcome to Darcy Scraps! This is the blog of a woman obsessed with scrapbooking. I'll start with a bit about me. I am thirty something and work fulltime as a professional webmaster in a real estate firm. I have been married for ten years; my DH, Doug, is the most fun person I know. My life would be totally boring without him...I'd be some computer nerd or maybe a scary librarian.


Doug and I are raising three adorable fur babies who light up my life. I love to take their pictures and create puppy layouts. I take an insane amount of photos. My dogs know the sound of our camera lens opening and ham it up on cue.

Doug and I splurge every year on Annual Passes for Disney World. We try to visit the parks about 25 times a year since we live close enough to manage it as a day trip. I probably have 84,000 photos of Disney I still need to scrap. I can't get enough Disney....did I mention one of my puppies is named Disney? My favorite characters are Cinderella and Tinkerbell. Doug is a Goofy fan. The little dog is lucky we call him Disney; it could have been worse!

I have been scrapbooking for about 10 years now. My first scrapbooks were Creative Memories. I stuck with them for about 5 years, but I switched to top loading albums as my style developed. I scrap 12x12 for all my personal albums except I have a few paperbag book projects. Speaking of projects, I have a scrap room filled with them! I love having the latest supplies and idea books.