Join in the fun at the 34 Things Blog Party! Also, a Giveaway!

Yesterday I was inspired by the Simple Scrapper’s blog post “34 Things I Want You to Know About Me“. Jennifer Wilson is sharing a portion of her list every Wednesday for the next month. She’s invited others to participate as well. So I rang the doorbell and she let me into the party.

I created my own list and added a few extra facts for good measure. I spread out my list across a 12×12 layout.

For over a year now I’ve been collecting the bottom strips of my scrapbook paper. You know, the ones that give the company and collection name? Sometimes they’re super cute and I can’t bring myself to throw them out. I challenged myself to use them in a layout.

I glued the strips down on a piece of plain white 12×12 paper. To cover up company/product information, I either covered  portions of the strips with the tags and stickers, or cut two strips into pieces and placed together in a line. Sometimes I purposely exposed the paper/collection names written on the strips, to enhance the layout (ex. Togetherness, Made with Love, Look over here).

Additionally, I used some wooden arrows, alphabet stickers, and a few embellishments. Some of my list is written right onto the paper strips. For the rest, I used a number of journal tags and stickers.  I used foam pop up dots behind the labels to give a bit of dimension to the layout. It’s hard to make a layout like this cohesive as there is just so much to visually take in. The arrows were necessary to help guide the eye around the page.

I have a plan to elaborate on the details of each item, in separate layouts. This layout will end up being a table of contents for that album.

Here is my layout and below it is my list:

My list of “39 facts about me” (because 34 Things just wasn’t enough):

1. My favourite age was 4.
2. I wanted to BE Annie.
3. I met Mr. Dressup, my hero.
4. I moved to Japan twice.
5. I was a camp counsellor.
6. I played piano, sorta.
7. I wish I were bilingual.
8. I love “Barbapapa”.
9. I love to sleep with the windows open. Makes my soul happy!
10. I cried when I heard of River Phoenix’s death.
11. I peed my pants at school, not once but twice.
12. I faint easily, especially if I get needles.
13. I went to my first Lollapalooza in 1992. I was 17.
14. I was devastated when my Grandpa died.
15. As a kid, I could not stand the colour brown. Too much of it in the ’70s?
16. I checked the mailbox everyday for a new issue of “Sassy” Magazine.
17. I wanted to dance like in the opening of “Fame”.
18. For many years, I loved to write poetry and dabble in fiction.
19. I grew up in St.Thomas, close to all of my family. I miss my childhood home.
20. When I’m nervous I get giddy. I laugh and talk too much.
21. I loved collecting stickers, shoelace pins, beads, and jelly bracelets in the 1980s.
22. I hated being single and wondered if I’d ever meet my “Mr.Right”.
23. On our 3rd date, Robin took me on a day trip to St. Jacob’s and Elora.
24. I had trouble learning to tell time when I was a kid. I really struggled with math at times.
25. Robin proposed to me in Florida.
26. I am scared of driving or going on the highway. I am always fearful of disaster striking. It is hard to cope.
27. I am shy.
28. I always wanted to be a Mom.
29. I ♥ 60s music.
30. I’ve always loved to draw.
31. Seasonal Affective Disorder has been a problem for me.
32. I like to make lists.
33. I like hotels with swimming pools.
34. I body guarded Wesley Snipes at the Toronto Film Festival.
35. I strongly dislike waiting for buses.
36. Since I was maybe 7, I’ve often thought I’m ugly and stupid.
37. I was a movie extra when I was 23.
38. My first trip to Europe was on our honeymoon, which was spent in France.
39. My dream jobs have included: Book Cover Artist, Famous Actress, Vintage Shop Owner.

Oh, and how about a giveaway?

How would you like a spot in Before Your Story at Big Picture Classes? The class is A Simple Approach to Autobiographical Scrapbooking, from Birth to Adulthood. The class has a value of $45 and starts February 27th. ENTER TO WIN by leaving a COMMENT below telling me a story you’d like to document from your own childhood. I’ll pick a winner on February 14th.

About the Class

There are milestone events in life, such as marriage and motherhood, that divide us permanently into a “before” and an “after.” It’s easy to become so immersed in the after—the glorious here and now—that our “befores” rarely appear in our scrapbooks.

In this 6-week workshop with Jennifer Wilson of simplescrapper.com, you’ll have all the guidance you need to tell your growing-up story in one gorgeous 12″ x 12″ pocket album. Her class combines the ease of slipping photos and journaling cards into photo sleeves with the brilliance of Stacy Julian’s “Library of Memories” scrapbooking categories.

Jennifer excels at making big goals reachable and overwhelming projects finish-able, with her step-by-step processes and detailed planning worksheets. You’ll complete a simple, streamlined album that will help your spouse or partner catch up on the years leading up to the moment you met. Or, it’s the perfect answer to that age-old question, “Mom, what were you like when you were my age?”