I want to give away somethings...RAK!

It's about that time. Thanksgiving and I want to thank you for reading my slightly inactive blog.
The first (3) people to email me at Meredithtalford(at)gmail(dot)com will get a RAK filled with some really cool stuff! Here is what I need you to do:

1) If you could travel to ANY place in the world and do ANYTHING what would it be and why?
2) Become a follower on my travel blog
3) Leave a message on any Japan entry.
3) Your favorite non-traditional scrapbook embellishment
Example: Mine are the paint samples at hardware stores
4) Favorite color
5) Telll me something unique about YOU!

Thanks and hope you like your gift!
Meredith

Creating Keepsake Expo.

In June I was surfing the web looking for scrapbook events in the area. I found one in Atlanta. GA and Charlotte,NC...and I am in the middle in SC. The one in Atlanta was the weekend before I left for NYC ( click here to read my travel blog) so Creating Keepsakes was the one I picked. I had never been to an expo, so I was looking at the website and found the " Help Wanted" section. A few vendors were looking for help for all three days @ $10/ hour! Now to all those who know me personally, I am a hustler, so this was right up my alley! I emailed Paper Wizards, he called, we chatted a bit and a few weeks later I was hired! I had an amazing time. Eric the owner of Paper Wizard was so much fun to work with. I think his Utah charm and my southern charm meshed well together :-)..Here are some photos and a few links below. Please leave a message! Baggage Claim



Skinny Cow gave out FREE ice cream all day for 2 days...I know we had about 4-5 per day!

I ♥ it!

• Paper Wizard: If you want something unique( as in lego paper) and you are willing to pay for quality and detail, this link is for you. ..In the first hour of the show ...One lady dropped a totally of $496.00 at our booth alone!
• Dillion's Laser Designs: This booth was directly in front of ours..I was drooling over the Sonogram print and I dont even have kids. LOL
• Color Blocking Templates: Im new to these...Since I like multi photo LOs these be fun. I got them for $3.oo

Around the World with Meredith

Most of my scrapping is of me and my travels. Stop by and follow me..Next stops. Chicago and Dominican Republic.

Birthday Card

I spotted this card in Fresh Market a few months ago and picked up two. One for my book of inspiration and the other to gift.. Here is the card after I added some personal touches. The poem is called I Beg You - Rainer Maria Rilke. Happy Birthday Bestie!

A feel a RAK coming on!

I jumped into scrap booking[well the shopping] purse first! And it was fun, but the result is a bunch of stuff! The project at the moment is scrapping Japan before I leave for NYC, however I leave for NYC in 13days. Needless to say that book will not be completed, but I am not kicking myself b/c I really want to those pages to be created out of pure experience and inspiration. So today was all about putting all of my scrapbook things away so I can start packing. So, why is that worth a blog post?? B/c I live in a 940square foot apartment, space is limited, and I have too much stuff! Like I stated before, when I started scrappin, I shopped like do with clothing, " I shoulda bought it when I saw it!" or " I may not wear it this season, but maybe next season." So I have alot of patterned paper, but limited basic colored paper. I have this huge stapler thing that I have never used on a page and stickers galore. And don't let me see acyclic stamps on sale. Its a wrap! In my defence, I have found some for $3.oo regular price $17 and I have used them. Books!I have found THE BEST scrapbook book in the super market bargin bin. My fav find was outside my door.Some was getting rid of glass squares that belonged to side tables. I swiped them cleaned them and Tadaaa! What used to protect my surface from the hot glue gun and other liquid adhesives! So in the fall, I will probably do a RAK or ask anyone if they want to swap anything. My mom is a Jane of all trades. So I sketched what I needed and she went into Home Depot and now I have some extra storage and I am alot more organized! I also used a dish drying rack to store my completed pages upright until I bind them. How do you keep your scrapbook area in order?

I also use a shoe rack on the back of the door in the guest bedroom as storage and the greenthing is suppose to be in my moms utility room, however I used it as storage too. Long time ago, I used collect samples from the Home Depots kichen department. They come in handy when you want to add texture or some weight to a page! I have used the marble patterned samples for matting a photo or journaling!

Oh Deer[ Another Japan LO]

Here is another LO from Japan. We went to Nara National Park to feed wild deer. Things were going well until I was head butted in the booty for not having food. Although painful, it was a highlight of the trip. Im hoping the next posting will be the completed scrapbook and not single pages.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Scrappin.

Meredith

My First Scrapbook Contest

Hello Readers! Hope all is well. I entered my first scrapbook contest over on Toccara's Blog and here is a slide show of my final entry.

• Each word represents an emotion or idea that I sometimes experience or desire and the pull out label reveals the scripture I reference.
• Eyelets have been combined with bottle caps to serve as handle to pull out the scripture.
• The main photo is of my personalized Bible. I added a key charm as mock book marker to represent the Bible holding the keys to life.
• Clear photo corners are holding the Bible in place
• Inside the Bible are two of my favorite scriptures.
• Across the top is a statement I heard last month that I have been meditating on.

Thank you for checking it out. I enjoyed scrappin it!

Meredith

Scintillating

World Traveler

This will be the first page of my Travel Scrapbook. A photographer in Japan took head shots of me and created this stunning postcard that reads Japan 2009 Now that I look at it on screen, I may add some more scraps to the bottom for balance, but the map is so pretty I don't want to cover too much of it. Hmmm..what do you think???

M.

Geisha(Maiko)Layout

I didn't want it to be too busy and take away from the photos. I found this paper last night for .01@ Michael's. It reminded me of bamboo for some reason. I also got the stamps last night and just played around until I created something I liked. I'm getting better @ Calligraphy so I wanted to add a handwritten word to practice.Whatcha think?

M.

P.S. Yep! It's me.

Im back!

Check out my travel blog...I can' wait to scrap this trip!

M.

meredithistripping.blogspot.com

Headed to Japan!

In 15 days I'll be boarding a plane headed for Japan! I have mixed feelings about the trip, but I'm trying to remain controlled and have a wonderful experience. I have been outside the US no biggie right, wrong! In the UK I blended in. Until I opened my mouth I was another African who was sent to the London in search of a better education, but in Japan. I am clearly not Japanese. Ever since my wonderful mother said to me," Baby girl, I got this! Just make sure you get that Geisha makeover"..I have been reading and planning and reading, but trying not to have too many expectations of what my experience should be, but it is in my nature to plan and be in control a bit....Beside taking plenty of pictures and shopping the thing I'm looking forward to the most is having a Geisha Makeover. The time honored tradition is something I admire and respect. As a true scrapper I have contacted a fellow Japanese Scrapper [ i love the www] who told me I should have no problem finding paper. I have a long list of things to bring back, so it's like a Japanese treasure hunt. I wish my Globetrotter was going with me, but we have a Girl Getaway Planned for the summer in NYC that is going to give Carrie and Miranda a run for their money..well maybe not! So right now I've packed my scrapbook studio away and will resume in March.! *****If anyone reads my blog, comment and let me know.