Unofficial Interim TRAKking for Sept & Oct

I posted this in our main chat thread but wanted to post it here for easy finding/reference. NOTE: MARLENE’S QOW IS RIGHT UNDER THIS POST! Be sure you check it out.

As it’s been a while since our beloved QueenMel came by (miss you, babe!) I've done some unofficial interim tRAKking for Sept and Oct (actually Melissa did post all but the critique component for Sept); tRAKking is a great resource for everyone to note participation. Mind you, my method doesn't hold a candle to QueenMel's precise methods. As I said when I’ve done interim tRAKking in the past, QueenMel: I hope you realize I am NOT trying to step on your toes by doing this, I was only doing this for my own benefit and thought I'd share because I thought the group would benefit as well!

As you all know, there are 3 guidelines to being in this group - posting 2 scrafty projects a month (hey we're a critique group, we gotta have stuff to critique!), critiquing others' works and checking in weekly. I didn't track everyone's critiques of works but chose a random LO smack dab in the middle of each month to see who critiqued it. For Sept. I chose Jesse’s Friendship for 10 yrs (for Jesse, I chose my Xmas Day 05 pt 3). For Oct. I chose Lisa’s Great Britain Vacation 2006 Day 8/Arthur’s Seat (for Lisa, I chose Marlene’s Gotta Wear Shades Monochromatic LO).

Again, QueenMel posted all of the Sept. tRAKking excluding the Critiques part, so I’m filling in the blank in the method described above. October will look different because I am only putting forth a rough picture of the numbers that QueenMel regularly tracks: I am only going to state the month of the last check-in in the Main Thread, and whether or not the person submitted the scrafty minimum of 2 items in the LO thread (as well as whether or not a person critiqued the random Oct. LO). I’m sorry it’s not as scientific as Melissa’s methods but it’s difficult for me to catch up on works already posted without having followed along and I’d like to give everyone some sort of general picture on activity…

September Unofficial Interim TRAKking
(Random LO: Jesse’s Friendship for 10 yrs; for Jesse, Sharon's Xmas Day 05 pt 3)

Sharon:
Check-Ins: 4/4
Submissions:3
Critique of Random LO: yes

Christy
Check-Ins: 2/4
Submissions:4
Critique of Random LO: yes

Brenda
Check-Ins: 3/4
Submissions:5
Critique of Random LO: yes

Tiffany
Check-Ins: 3/4
Submissions:1
Critique of Random LO: no

Lisa
Check-Ins: 3/4 (went to Italy)
Submissions:2
Critique of Random LO: yes

Queen Mel
Check-Ins: 2/4
Submissions:1
Critique of Random LO: yes

Janet
Check-Ins: 4/4
Submissions:0
Critique of Random LO: yes

Amanda
Check-Ins: 4/4
Submissions:6
Critique of Random LO: yes

Jesse
Check-Ins:3/4
Submissions:2
Critique of Random LO: yes

Marsha:
Check-Ins: 4/4
Submissions:2
Critique of Random LO: yes

Marlene
Check-Ins: 4/4
Submissions:2
Critique of Random LO: yes

Chris (Pledge)
Check-Ins: 4/4
Submissions:2
Critique of Random LO: yes

October Unofficial Interim TRAKking
(Random LO: Lisa’s Great Britain Vacation 2006 Day 8/Arthur’s Seat; for Lisa, Marlene’s Gotta Wear Shades Monochromatic LO)

Sharon:
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Christy
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: no
Critique of Random LO: no

Brenda
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Tiffany
Last Check-In: Sept
At least 2 submissions: no
Critique of Random LO: no

Lisa
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Queen Mel
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: no
Critique of Random LO: no

Janet
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Amanda
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: no

Jesse
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: 1 submission
Critique of Random LO: yes

Marsha:
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Marlene
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Chris (Pledge until 10/24)
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: yes

Deborah (Pledge)
Last Check-In: Oct
At least 2 submissions: yes
Critique of Random LO: no

---
That’ll help people tRAK participation until the super-duper goddess of tRAKdom, QueenMel, returns! Hope it helps.

Now for the fun part, the RAKking. Well, the last time I did unofficial tRAKking I awarded Janet for Mar/Apr/May, not realizing that QueenMel does her RAKs quarterly, meaning according to her, I won for the 3 month period ending March, and Janet ended up winning by QueenMel’s count, for Apr/May/JUNE…oops on me. So the next RAK to be awarded is for the period of the months JULY, AUGUST and SEPTEMBER. QueenMel previously posted July and August tRAKking. Janet is disqualified because she won last time, as are any pledges (I’m disqualifying myself). No one participated 100% in that time. There are two members who participated the most for that quarter – One had a month where she critiqued all but 5 LOs and checked in “only” 3 outta 4 weeks, the other had a month where she only posted 1 thing to the LO thread and checked in only 2 outta 4 weeks. But these 2 do shine in their level of activity in the 3-month period ending September, so… I’m RAKking them both! Please congratulate CHRISTY and JESSE for splendid participation during JULY, AUGUST and SEPTEMBER!! Christy, Jesse, please PM me your mailing and email addresses.

AND, I’m giving a slightly bigger RAK to you both than usual. Why? It’s because it was about one year ago that I was voted to be the coordinator of this group and I’ve loved it sooo much! As our former leader left last year, I actually PM’d 2 other members urging them to step up to take her place… I was rather surprised when I was voted in myself. But I embraced the challenge. This group has stretched my creativity so much, I've had so many firsts - ATCs, swaps, challenge responses, challenges hosted, contest entered - all because of this group. But not only that, this group has put me in contact w/ you marvelous and incredible women. We've supported each other creatively and personally. It's been beautiful to be a part of this group and it's a real joy to serve as coordinator (difficult as it gets at times). I am truly thankful to know you all! Scrap Happenzz is such a happy spot in my life - Happy Anniversary to Me!!

QueZZtion of the Week - November 16, 2008

With the holiday season coming upon us, there's so many great holiday movies. I love watching March of the Wooden Soldiers on Thanksgiving Day, the old Laurel & Hardy film. I've been watching it every year since I was a little girl. I also love watching The Christmas List with Mimi Rogers, she makes a list of all her wishes and each one comes true! So tell me, what's your favorite holiday movie?

i love black friday. i think everyone should go out on black friday and go shopping and get all the good sales. it is just plain fun. there is a lot of excitement in the air and people are out mostly to have fun and get their stuff. i have a link to the black friday adds. my quezztion is: go to the black friday site-
http://bfads.net/
and tell me what you would buy if you had $500.00. to spend. the stores are listed on the left hand side of the screen just click one and the sales will pop up.

QueZZtion of the Week - Nov. 2, 2008

Pardons for being a day late w/ this, galzz... Today I'm asking about "What Lies Beneath..." - no this is not an underwear, nor a horror/suspense film, QOW. Talking about something more ordinary - list & discuss what is under your BED right now! Perhaps you have confessions, or even organizational wisdom, to share. Just curious.... ;o)

I'll start. Under our bed we have -

- A heated mattress pad which was a GODSEND when we lived in the 'burbs a few years ago. These days in our city home, our heat is pretty rockin & it doesn't get as cold so this doesn't get much use...

- My several pairs of cold-weather boots. Yes you warm-weather babez, some of us hafta own more than one!

- A box of my old journals spanning from college to present day. They used to be in my closet but I was fishing them out so much for sb journaling that I moved them here.

- A list of guitar chord progressions for a song & an Eddie Bauer catalog - these fell off from DH's nightstand, he's such a cutie...

- Enough dust bunnies to knit a pair of gloves! I try to sweep under there but sometimes during the express cleaning jobs it doesn't always happen....

How about YOU?

BWC #22: Topic and Technique (aka the ?OW Challenge)

Sharon and Brenda caught yellow fever from Marlene's Monochromatic Challenge. Take the proper precautions before you check out their scrafty symptoms. You might catch a variant scrafting strain:

Love is a Rocket Ride (SHCG "Fabby Fanatics" & "Go Monochromatic" Challenges)
by Blushpea
Scrapbook.com

Curves Ahead
by Twinscrapbee
Scrapbook.com

ETA: In other monochromatic news, everything's coming up roses for Marsha in her response:

my firstborn
by Mars4554
Scrapbook.com

We are soon approaching another SHCG anniversary, our Quezztion of the Week's first on November 14. Christy started the tradition asking us to list 6 things we are thankful for. Since then, we've had 40 more questions, and two more to go until we begin a second year of getting to know each other better. (We missed a total of 9 weeks of questions, in case you were wondering why it didn't add up to 52.) I've always wanted to create mini los for each question and keep them in a book, so I've been waiting for the chance to finally share my idea for this BWC.

QOW #1: TURKEY
by Twinscrapbee
Scrapbook.com

Choose a ?OW (either one you've answered or one you'd like to answer), and materialize it into a layout. If you chose a question that you've answered, you can cut and paste your response, and voila! Instant journaling!

I've compiled a chronological quick reference list of the ?OWs. For further detail please click the Quezztion of the Week link in the Categories sidebar of our blog, or pm me for further clarification.

1. Thanksgiving: 6 things I am thankful for using the letters in TURKEY.
2. 3 most important things my house that I can't live without
3. Top 10 things on my Christmas list and/or Tiffany's "What Is Your Fine?" ?OW alternative: http://whenscraphappens.blogspot.com/2007/12/what-is-your-fine-alternative-to.html
4. The story behind a scar or mark on my body
5. (Five) Favorite Christmas gifts I received as a child
6. My (2008) New Year's Resolutions
7. What puts the sweet in your home sweet home?
8. My favorite pet
9. My favorite birthday memory
10. My Chinese Zodiac Sign
11. What would you undo?
12. The first thing I think of when I wake up, and the last thought before I go to sleep.
13. The best and worst dates I've ever had
14. My favorite smells
15. My quirks
16. My favorite ice cream flavor
17. My lucky charm
18. Can't scrap without my...
19. My fave/least fave embellishments
20. Whatchu readin'? Share a book.
21. My all-time favorite movie
22. There's always room for non-physical self improvement: what I'd change about myself
23. SB storage tips
24. I wanna be a famous...
25. My priorities: one year ago vs. the present
26. What are you wearing right now? (description and background)
27. One good father figure memory
28. My favorite quote
29. Laws of attraction: a physical feature I find attractive
30. My favorite games (past and/or present)
31. A household chore I love and one I hate
32. My favorite teacher memory
33. My fall faves
34. Now, this is my kinda music! vs. Please turn that sh!t down!
35. Scrapblock: how I cope
36. Everyone's a critic: a not-so rotten tomato vs. What's all the fuss about?
37. My favorite ghost story
38. My game show category... for the lead!
39. My previous life: if I could time travel to a past era
40. Eco-conscious green scrafting
41. My favorite candy/sweet treat
42. What lurks under my bed
43. Black Friday site shopping with $500
44. My fave Holiday movie
45. Thanksgiving: Giving thanks in 2008
46. Remodeling my living space
47. My adolescent celeb crush
48. The last time I danced in public/private
49. 2009 Resolutions/Advice for keeping them

That's the "topic" part of the challenge. For the "technique," your lo must include patterned paper on which you've added your own doodling. For example, one idea I got from a magazine, take big polka dots pp, draw stars in them, and scribble circles around the dots. Be sure to describe your additional doodling, and don't forget to check "Doodling" in the Styles section when you upload your lo.

I think this just may be what I need to "inch" me out of my scraft hiatus. I hope you have as much fun as I did rereading the responses and getting to know everyone all over again.

QOW October 26

In the Halloween spirit, what's your favorite candy/sweet treat to eat? (sorry, didn't intend on all that rhyming!) Make our mouths water and share...

Quezztion of the Week - October 19, 2008

There are lots of posts on saving money by using materials not neccessarily marketed for scrapbooking and by reusing scraps but Do you ever think "GREEN" about this hobby?
Do you make an effort to use your scraps and materials you find in everyday life? Do you pass materials on so someone else can use them? Do you purchase used instead of new?