Getting to Kno-o-o-o-o-o-o-ow...You....

Here's another little poll for you guys:

What is the idea book that has most inspired you, that you use the most, and/or that you feel you've learned the most from?

I'm really liking Stacy Julian's Simple Scrapbooks, right now, though I haven't had time to really peruse it as much as I'd like. I'd have to say the book that I still reach for is Becky Higgins' Art of Creative Lettering (I may be one of the few people on the planet that DOESN'T have the CD Lettering set! :0))

When that book came out, it changed the whole way I look at lettering and title blocks and journal blocks -- and probably added a good ten minutes onto my page completion time...:0) I would recommend it to anyone who want to spiff up their titles...

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Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, magic and power in it.
Begin it now.
Goethe

Boldness be my friend.
William Shakespeare

You are probably going to laugh, but I love the CM Fast Formulas books. I have sooo many photos - especially from my nonscrappin days. I was so bogged bown with all those photos, then Fast Formulas came along and helped me get a lt of those photos scrapped. I love to make creative, elaborate pages, but found them so time-consuming that I never thought I'd get ahead. Well, with Fast Formulas, I can get a lot of photos scrapped that I hadn't wanted to leave out of my albums, but also didn't want to spend too much time on.

I also love Becky Higgins Art of Creative Lettering - I almost nver used my own handwriting before that book. I am a lefty, which almost guarantees that my handwriting will be messy - and it is. It is the only lettering guide I use, besides ABC tracers, which don't create the same look.

Oops - my reply sounded like I don't like creative pages. I left out that I DO love and still make those more creative style layouts. I just use my best pictures and my favorites if I'm going to do lots of paper piecings, punch art, etc. For the rest of my photos, I use the FF etc.

Good question, Kryssy. I think I am the world's largest fan of Stacy Julian's Simple Scrapbooks. I just got all the stuff yesterday to make a Holiday Traditions Album. Can't wait to start. Too bad life gets in the way of scrapbooking, lol!

I use BH's Creative Lettering book too (even though I have the fonts) and I really do use my CK mags for inspiration. I think the *most* inspiring source is layouts posted on the board. We have such creative friends and neighbors.

I think my favorite layout is a quilt-type pattern. I've seen it done a few times, and it really deserves to be scraplifted again.

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Leslie *Ü*

I'm a Simple Scrapbooks fan as well, though I haven't had a chance to try any of it yet (too busy working on HOF, etc!). But, I'm dying to try the couples/wedding book!

I also am a fan of the BH book. I have the CDs, but sometimes it's fun to do something out of the book. Esp if you have just a tiny bit of paper that won't fit through the printer.

Amy

I guess I use the Becky Higgins lettering book and the Unique Techniques by Rhonda Solomon the most. Since I have the CD/s now I don't the BH book as much, although I will check to see what lettering she uses on a certain layout, sometimes.

Lee Anne

Creating Keepsakes "MARVELOUS SCRAPBOOK MAKEOVERS"!!,
Jill Davis's "A PLAY ON WORDS",
and Becky Higgins creative lettering book, along with the Creating Keepsakes magazine have all be HUGE assets to me! I HIGHLY recommend the "Marvelous Scrapbook Makeovers" it really helped me to advance myself to a higher level. In my opinion, these are all MUST HAVES!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Scrapping!
Nikki

One more vote for Art of Creative Lettering. I usually don't copy the lettering, but I love her style and I would definitely say that her lettering inspires my own.

Melissa

Good question, hard to answer with just one, I'd say my favs are:
CK HOF issues (1999 and 2000)
CK Marvelous Makeovers - the layouts aren't super awesome, but the advice is great for beginners or anyone wanting fine tune their layouts
Becky Higgin's Lettering Book - I love Becky Higgin's style! I heard she's coming out w/an idea book, has anyone else heard?

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TracyN in Idaho

My, my, my...I can't pick just one.
Stacy Julian's books "Core Composition" and "Simple Scrapbooks" put scrapbooking in a way that my brain can digest.
I love Rhonda Solomon's creative genius.
Becky Higgin's not only has great lettering techniques, (which I cannot duplicate, but I know it CAN be done because my son is incredible and so are several others including our neighbor, Nikki), but I really like her page layouts as well.

Chalk it up for Becky's book! I love it! When I first saw it, I swore I wouldn't pay $19.99 for something that would sit on my self. Then Becky was at a local scrapbook store and I had to buy the book for her to autograph it and I have been hooked on it ever since. I came home that night and practiced, practiced, and practiced some more. Of course, with the help of a great lettering teacher - jilljenn - and the book, I have actually begun to like my lettering! I have the CD's but rarely ever use them for my scrapbooking. I like to do it myself now.
Jenn

Thanks Lesli!!!!

My favorite, favorite idea book has to be the Art of Creative Lettering by Becky Higgins. I love her style! My new favorite is the Simple Scrapbooks by Stacey Jullian.

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Ü Samara Ü

• 25 pages in January
  
• 4 pages in February
  
• 29 pages in 2001