Ask Janice

May '05

Thank you Janice

I so much appreciate your advice. I will definitely try some larger titling. Thanks for the suggestions - and having you say you like my work is such a great complement

Thanks!

Also - how did you know that I had a ton of patterend paper?

May '05

ha ha!! Yes - looks like this thread just grew and grew and grew....ha ha - if I can do anything to help please let me know - not that I'm an "expert" at all..but I have had a few;-) publications and know a little;-) about the industry and page designs and that sort of thing.....I actually signed up to be a mentor on another site and I have two ladies that I "mentor" right now.....it's a great program - I love helping people when I can - and the two I mentor have already taken off with publications...it's really fun!!!! Anyway....Janice you are a so sweet to do this - I know it's a lot of work that's for sure!!!!! Let me know if I can help with anything....can't wait to hear what you have up your sleeve!!!!

May '05

Here is my newest creation after cruising around looking all weekend:

Such A Blessing To Me

I like the way it came out, although the colors are not my "usual", KWIM??? I added my own coaster creation... gotta love all the new products to copy lately!

Any advice on it? Suggestions for change?

May '05

I love that paper combo, Kim. Great work. Did you take those photos?

May '05

Kim your layout is wonderful! The fact that you added your own coaster is awsome...perfect thing for a publication layout;-) Your photos are wonderful too - the layout has a great sense of balance overall too...I'd say this one is just perfect! Good job!!!

May '05

Wow, what a cool thread. I am so impressed you your willingness to help....such an awesome thing to do. I have been scrapping your years but just recently started submitting for publication. I have been having some really good luck, but I have yet to break into what I call the "big girls club" meaning CK, BHG, or PK....but my hopes are still high. I am going to try to establish myself as a 'regular' around here and hope to use your amazing insights soon. Thanks so much.

May '05

OOhhh...I'm next I think!!!
I sooo hope you're not getting too frazzled by all this Janice!!

May '05

Karen...quit jumping up and down. I can't see where my name is!!

HAHA..just kidding. I can't wait for Janice to see your beautiful work! (mainly cuz it means I'm next!!)

May '05

well gee...luv YOU too!!

LOL

May '05

I think I am gonna give Karen a New Nickname " The Pennsylvania Jumping Bean"

May '05

Nope, those are dd's pictures from school this year... they certainly have come a looong way, haven't they??? From the crappy, sit, flash, next!!! method that they used to use!

May '05

<<<<-------

May '05

OMG Karen yep that fits

May '05

Hi, Janice.

How you doin'? (said in best Joey Tribbiani voice) (hoping to entice you back to this thread)

May '05

Aw shucks....just when I was getting up enough nerve to ask Janice to take a look at my stuff, she's not doing it anymore. Oh well...I'll wait to see what she has in store.

Apr '05

Well, my husbands clothes that are in the dryer aren't dry yet so I can't go to bed cause my scrubs for work are in the washer and I have to put them into the dryer before I can go to sleep. Yes, it is getting late! LOL!! I may as well do another review before I hit the sack!

So, Christi it is then!

What I want to know is when are one of you digital scrappers going to come to my house and teach me how to do this!!! I want to digi scrap! Not all the time, but sometimes!! LOL... I don't know WHY you are asking me for advice! Your pages are gorgeous!! I CERTAINLY don't think all your layouts look the same! You must have gotten out of your rut in the three months I have been trying to get through all of these reviews! LOL!!

Oh my! I just saw your 29 week photo! You just had a baby, didn't you!!! I hope all went well for you! How exciting!! What a cute preggo woman you were! Looks like you swallowed a basketball!

How fun that you have a new baby to scrap!! He is GORGEOUS! It looks like his brother is doing well with the new addition! Makes me want to have another!

Anyways, back to your layouts, like I said it is getting late and I think I am losing it! LOL!! It amazes me what you can do with digital elements! It looks so real! I LOVE "Color Me Happy", "My Little Cowboy", and "All About Me"! Of course you know I also like "Cookie Monster" and "All Cool"! I downloaded that kit, but have yet to figure out the process of using it!

I love all your digital stuff!

One of my favorite things to do (mostly to put things into perspective), is to go from page one of a person's gallery to the last page of that person's gallery to see how far they have come, then I work my way from the last page to the first page to see the transformation. Yours is INCREDIBLE!!! What a difference a year makes! You should be VERY proud of your progress! I really think you found your nitche with digital scrapping!

BTW... look how huge you were at 36 weeks!

YIKES! How much bigger did you get??? You looked BEAUTIFUL though. Exactly what I wished I looked like when I was pregnant! There is NO mistaking you were pregnant at all!!! LOL!!!

I love the digital ribbon! It is so cool on "Thrill Seeker"! Also on "Eternal Valentine"!

Okay, I am totally rambling and jumping all over the place, so sorry!

I should REALLY go to bed now! I really don't know what to tell you to try that you haven't done already! The ability of digital scrapping is amazing if you know how to do it! You can try so much stuff and just change it with a click of a button if you don't like it! I am SO JEALOUS!!

When should I expect you to arrive on my doorstep for a hands on demostration!

You know I love you!

Seriously, I am sorry I don't have any great ideas for you... if there is something you are seriously struggling with let me know and I will see what I can do to make a suggestion, okay! Congrats on your new little one! {{{{{BIG HUGS}}}}}

Updated List:

Karen
ScrapperGuy
jewelybean
Jodie
taterdog1
AvrilBD
new2scrapping
skydreamer
Careybear
mercyrose
Traci
ScrappyDappyDoo

WOW I am blushing!!! You are so sweet and I really appreciate all of the nice things you said. I am going to pm you . I can get you started digi scrapping with the program I use. It's pretty easy

I do like the fact that I can change so much with the click of a button:)

I was HUGE at 36 weeks and even bigger at 39 weeks when they induced. We had a 8lb 8 oz baby

I just can't even begin to tell you how you have made my day with your amazing compliments!!! I have always admired your work along with every other scrapbooker that's alive:)

You have been soooo patient to put up with this thread. I am SURE you didn't know what you were getting into when you started.

Thanks janice

Christi,
Congrats on the new baby

I can't believe how many people on here have just had or are about to have a baby!! We are about to get swamped in baby pics!! Can't wait!!! I miss my kids being so tiny.

THANKS he's a sweetie:)

Thanks for the advice Janice! As for the challenges you gave me, I have already done sewing...Addy's First Snow and Trent's First Fort. I layered paper and sewed them together and I really like how they turned out.

I don't have any stamps and have to admit that I am scared to try them. I tend to be a perfectionist and I don't know if I could deal with the stamps/ink messing up on my lo! LOL!! I know it's a personal issue that I should challenge myself with. However, my other concern is that I am allergic to certain types of stain/ink and would probably have to wear gloves to do the stamping and I am just not sure it is worth it to me to try it.

I will try and do some more paper piecing lo's too! As I am sure you can tell from my gallery, my scrapping style is pretty simple and balanced. So I will try to do some more paper piecing and collage-like lo's... which will be a challenge for me!!

Thanks again for taking the time to do this!!

Hey Janice! Just wanted to put in my periodic YOU are AMAZING to keep doing this. YOU ROCK!

I'm sorry to hear about your father. I'll think of you and keep your family in my prayers. My mother had breast cancer 7 years ago and she's doing great! Hang in there!

You're welcome Christi! I meant every word!!! Thanks for the PM! I hope to get everything together soon so you can start me on my way to digi scrapping!!

Quote:

Soupdog said:
Thanks for the advice Janice! As for the challenges you gave me, I have already done sewing...Addy's First Snow and Trent's First Fort. I layered paper and sewed them together and I really like how they turned out.

I don't have any stamps and have to admit that I am scared to try them. I tend to be a perfectionist and I don't know if I could deal with the stamps/ink messing up on my lo! LOL!! I know it's a personal issue that I should challenge myself with. However, my other concern is that I am allergic to certain types of stain/ink and would probably have to wear gloves to do the stamping and I am just not sure it is worth it to me to try it.

I will try and do some more paper piecing lo's too! As I am sure you can tell from my gallery, my scrapping style is pretty simple and balanced. So I will try to do some more paper piecing and collage-like lo's... which will be a challenge for me!!

Thanks again for taking the time to do this!!

I don't know how I missed that stitching! You did a great job with it! I know how you feel about stamping! That is the main reason I don't use them all that much either. I am so afraid to ruin my layout! LOL!! I have TONS of stamps though and really need to get my moneys worth! I am sorry to hear about your ink allergy! What a bummer!! How about paints? Are you allergic to those too? I feel bad that I didn't give you some kind of challenge that you could actually do, LOL!! I will see if I can think of something else that I can challenge you to do!

Quote:

scrapbooklounger said:
Hey Janice! Just wanted to put in my periodic YOU are AMAZING to keep doing this. YOU ROCK!

I'm sorry to hear about your father. I'll think of you and keep your family in my prayers. My mother had breast cancer 7 years ago and she's doing great! Hang in there!

Thanks Linda!

I am so glad your mother is doing well! Praise God!! I hope that I can say the same about my father soon! Although they do not believe they can cure him, the do hope to put him into remission. Prayers are GREATLY appreciated!

Janice, sending prayers to you & your family!

And WHOHOOOO!!! i am next! OK, Just wanted to get that out of my system! LOL

Thanks so much for doing this! You are so amazing to take time out of your too, too busy life to do this for us!

I will keep him in my thoughts Janice. Hopefully, remission will come soon for him.

Hi Janice!

We miss you!! I hope everything is okay.

Hi!!

I am fine, thank you! I am just working about 50 hours a week right now but that should end soon (crossing my fingers!). I am also trying to finish up my layouts for the 15k contest!

OH, gosh. If Janice is entering I have no chance...boo hoo!

You are so AWESOME!

LOL!! Thanks for your vote of confidence, but I wouldn't say that! There are TONS of FABULOUS layouts in there!! PLUS, I haven't had the best of luck with the layout contests here so far!

UPDATE on the "Ask Janice" thread...

I want you all to know I still plan on finishing out the current list... HOPEFULLY by the end of the month or first week of May.

THEN... I have something else in the works that I think you all will be excited about! I hope so anyways, I know I am!! That's all for now!

Quote:

Janice_aka_jllund said:
UPDATE on the "Ask Janice" thread...

I want you all to know I still plan on finishing out the current list... HOPEFULLY by the end of the month or first week of May.

THEN... I have something else in the works that I think you all will be excited about! I hope so anyways, I know I am!! That's all for now!

I'm next!!! WHOO HOOOO!!!!

And I can not wait to see what you have up your sleeve Janice!

Oooh! Can we have a hint????? I am excited already

I also just noticed that I am only 3rd on the list now!!! YIPPPPEEEE!

Okay... now that I am done with my layouts for the 15k contest I am going to get this finished up!!! Hopefully by the end of this next week I will be done!

Janice, your layouts for the contest are awesome! I would be really suprised if you arent one of the winners!

Janice - You are sure to be in the running

Good lUck

7 more and it's ME

Thanks ladies!! I appreciate your vote of confidence. Whatever happens I am pleased with my work and that is all that matters!!

There is TONS of talent here so anything can happen! It is time for me to get back to work on this thread!!!!

I will post some tomorrow!!

YIPPEEE!!! I am number 3 on the list

:P I'm so happy I'm

LOL!

Quote:

scraphappens said:
Hey Janice! I would LOVE to be added to your list! My 2005 goal is to have Something published. Anything!

Kim:

First I have to laugh at how many paint swatches you heisted!!! WOW, you go girl!! LOL!!!

Okay, so I know your goal is to be published so I will try to give you some feedback to help you with that. PLEASE remember I am not an expert!!! LOL!!!!

If I had to chose one layout from your gallery to publish it would be "Baby Boy Aiden". I think that it is a fabulous page!! It has a title that grabs you, a great photo, interesting uses of embellishments (and not to many either), interesting color scheme, a variety of techniques, as well as great journaling. It is well balanced!! I am assuming you have submitted it... if not you should!

You do a wonderful job of creating titles. That is the first thing that grabbed my attention on several of your layouts. I also think that your photography is really good. You do a variety of picture sizes which keeps all your layouts from looking the same, and you are DEFINITELY creative and have a mulitiude of techniques under your belt. With all this getting published is sure to be right within your reach!

My biggest advice to you is too find a few scrappers that you know have been published and whose style you really like and study their layouts. Make mental notes about what you love about their layouts and how they construct their pages. Pay attention to all the little details. Then take that and apply it to your pages using your unique style and creative touches. I am not saying to change your style, or to copy anyone's work, just find the ideas you need to figure out how to tweak your layouts it to make them more of what the magazines are looking for if what you want is to be published. I have learned a lot by studying layouts of my scrap idols!

You have what it takes! Your Baby Boy layout is proof! That is a total publishable page!! Keep up the great work and please feel free to PM me at any time if you have a question or need an opinion on something! Good luck on reaching your goal!!!

Quote:

SamsMom said:
When you have a minute (no hurry!! You are *so* unbelievably gracious to do this for us--I hope you add "Dear Abby/Janice" to your scrap bio!!) could you look at mine. Check out my more recent stuff though--last couple months, not my older stuff (I should really get that out of my gallery, LOL!) I would love to be good enough to get published; I just started submitting last week, so I have a long ways to go, I am sure! Thanks so much!!

Becky

What a difference a few months makes miss published!!!

Congrats girlie!!

I don't know how to critique someone whose work inspires me and leaves me breathless every time I see it! LOL!! All I am going to say (and I know you will be fine with this) is DON'T change a thing and keep submitting!! I love ya!!

Im Next!!! Goodie Goodie!! I'm next

Thanks so much!!!!

Baby Boy Aiden is in the 15K contest, so in 9 more days I can submit it!

And I totally "get" what you are saying. I have been cruising around this past week trying to look at LOs that I keep ccoming back to. And I certainly have an abundance of magazines that I can look through again!

Thanks again for your help!

Quote:

dawnblue said:
Janice,
I know I am a newbie to the board and my work is not nearly as interesting as many you have already reviewed. Would you mind looking at my most recent layouts and let me know what you think. The Orange You Sweet one, I would really like some tips on. That is my FIRST all original layout. Most of the others I have done as part of a scraplift or sketch challenge. Although, I would love your opinion on any of my other layouts as well. I ADORE your layouts. I drool over them

Thanks in Advance

Alicia, YOUR TURN!!!

First off, THANKS for that tutorial!! I have been wanting to do that!

Now, your "Orange you Sweet" layout...

LOVE IT!!! I LOVE what you did with the picture, love the title, love the slide mount with the other photo inside!!! I probably would have left off the bottom orange and just put the words "Ashton 2004" down on the bottom only because I think that orange doesn't go so well with the top orange with I LOVE! JMO though!

Some journaling would be nice too!

Awesome page though!!!

I love the torn edges, photos and journaling on "My Strength of Heart", LOVE the ribbons, colors and photos on "Model Behavior", probably my favorite layout though is "Kaylee Marie and Rachel Nadine 2004"! I adore the photo!!! I love what you did with the paper as well!

I want to see you do more with mixing pattern papers! I know you have a ton, so just do it! LOL!! I love how adventurous you have been on your pages and how many things you have tried! Your pages are fun!! Try some larger title options such as the chipboard letters, large stamps, large letter stickers, etc. Even try mixing and matching for added interest! You do great work! I look forward to watching you grow as a scrapper with each page that you do!!!

I would like to get on the advice list if possible, I just uploaded my newest lo's (most the others were uploaded in 2003 when i still scrapped 8.5x11). Thanks! ~~~Andi

Just wanted to jump in a say how fun is this thread!!!! Go Janice go!!!!!!

Quote:

KaybeeBitters said:
I would like to get on the advice list if possible, I just uploaded my newest lo's (most the others were uploaded in 2003 when i still scrapped 8.5x11). Thanks! ~~~Andi

I am no longer taking sign ups for this particular thread, but sit tight... I have something else up my sleeve... we will get you taken care of!

Quote:

WendyMalichio said:
Just wanted to jump in a say how fun is this thread!!!! Go Janice go!!!!!!

THANKS Wendy!! LOL!! I am not sure why I am the one doing this, but whatever I can do to help I am more than happy to!