Our FIRST SISTER

Please welcome Jean Pennington, our VERY FIRST SISTER at the Sisterhood of Scrap!!
Here is the beautiful layout that Jean created for Week 1 challenge! Congratulations Jean!!! This is YOUR week to inspire!!


Here is a link to her ONLINE GALLERY

And here is her BLOG

Here's more about who she is!!

Home: I live in the country in a little place called Pleasant Hill, Maryland. I live very close to the head of the Chesapeake Bay. We are surrounded by rivers that make for fun water sports all summer long.

Tell us about your family (include your pets!): I will be celebrating twenty years of marriage to my second husband Max on May 1st. He is a hard working man who loves to plan little getaways for us still after twenty years. I am the Mother to three fine young men, and have three beautiful Daughter-in-laws. I will become a grandmother for the first time to a little girl who is due to arrive around July 22 this year to my eldest son and his wife. I have a half Beagle and half black lab named Jack. He is called Jack because he is blind in one eye; hence the name one eyed Jack. I also have a pretty grey cat named Nancy, who is also totally blind since birth she is 14 years old and still looks like a young kitten, though I do notice she is slowing down a little bit more with each passing year. Things can get pretty crazy around here when I move the furniture on them.

Favorite Snack: This is terrible ...chocolate is my very favourite. So much so that I have to stay away from it or it would be all I would eat (more like an addiction then a treat). My next favorite is dark red cherries, especially cold. But do not like the ones that are in jars or canned, only fresh.

Favorite Drink: My favorite drink is coffee. I would drink it all day long so I have to alternate between decafe and regular so I can get some sleep.

Favorite Paper: I am now really just getting into all the beautiful Papers that are out there, but at this stage I would have to say Basic Grey and My Minds Eye. They both use such rich colors. I am sure that my favorites will change as I discover all the beautiful Papers that are available.

Favorite Technique: This is a tough one...so many different techniques to learn and try. Right now I am enjoying learning to be a bit braver with doodling and making my own chipboard elements, but I always find myself using some type of inking...love the look it adds to a page.

Favorite Embellishment: There are some wonderful embellishments on the market...makes it hard to choose..But I would have to say brads and buttons are ones that can be found on almost all my layouts...though chipboard flowers are becoming a fast friend to me.

Favorite Scrap Tool: Would have to say my papertrimmer and Fiskars exacto knife

Favorite Adhesive: Double side adhesive tape and Drybond dry adhesive. Drybond may be found at QVC.
How thick is your cardstock and paper stash? It's now on its way to becoming very thick...I have a budget now for once a month to do some online shopping for supplies. I have hesitated for some time with shopping on line, but with Scrap supplies so limited in my area, I have finally given in and am so happy I have. What great products are available thru the cyber world!

How/Why did you start scrapbooking? I started when my father became ill and passed away within three months of the onset of his illness. I was his primary care giver and needed something to keep me occupied while he rested. I had been working on our family history for many years and thought how nice it would be to add some photos to go along with the history. When Dad passed away I discovered all these wonderful photos that just called for me to do something with...so I picked up my first Scrapbook magazine and gave it a try.

How long have you been scrapbooking? I have been Scrapbooking for three years and have been loving every minute of it.What is it about scrapbooking that you really love? I love that it blends so nicely with my passion for genealogy. Preserving the past has always been so important to me and it gives me a chance to allow my creative side to come thru.

What scrapbook magazines do you read? Any that I can get my hands on...I have a subscription to Scrapbook Etc. and my other favs are Paper Crafts, Paper Creations and Creating Keepsakes.

Where do you get your inspiration? Usually it will start from the photo I want to use...Remembering the moment and what was going on at the time or what it represents to me. When I am stuck I will check out the galleries, magazines or find a sketch that catches my eye...and begin from there.

Do you enjoy other crafts and/or hobbies? I like to embroider, sew, and work in my garden and any small arts and crafts projects that happen to catch my eye. I also have a fondness for taking something old and turning it into a functional altered working piece ...example shutters into a magazine rack...my most recent.

How many hours a week do you scrapbook? I have never really took note of the hours but there can be days when I hardly leave my craft room if I am so inspired…but I would fairly say when ever I have a free moment to create.How long does it take you to complete a layout? Sometimes days and sometimes hours...I spend a lot of time planning and rearranging before adhering...then there are moments that it all just falls into place with out hardly a thought.

What are your favourite colours to scrapbook with? I don't really have a favorite color but I do notice I tend to add red to my layouts a bit.Where do you scrapbook and when? I Scrap at home in my craftroom...though I have attended local crops in my area. My favorite time to scrap is in the morning and later evening hours.

Are you an organized or messy scrapper? I try to stay organized. If I find that I have become surrounded by clutter while I am in the middle of a layout, I will stop and do a quick cleanup...it's like starting with a clean canvas for me.

How do you organize your supplies? hmmm…since I have just recently emptied a bedroom and turned it into my craftroom, I have had to make do with what I can for the time being. I have a double wide closet that I keep bookcases in for storage ...cigar boxes, plastic storage containers and anything I can get my hands on that will make do for storage. Most importantly label...label...label. I try to label everything… makes reaching for a product less time consuming.

Describe your scrap space. Do you like/dislike it? My Scrapspace is a spare bedroom I converted into a craftroom. My desk faces the view to the backyard and woods…very helpful in getting the creative juices flowing. This is also where my computer, tv and treadmill are located. I love my new craftroom and am very thankful to have a space of my own...though in time I would like to have it all be one style. Ikea furniture has some fantastic craft and storage units out there that I would love to have...but not before I finishing doing the remodelling and updating we have been doing to our home...so for now my room suits me just fine.

Anything else you want to share? Just that I am surprised and thrilled to have been chosen to be first sister added to the wonderful world of "Sisterhood of Scrap". The whole concept is so creative.


You will hear more from Jean throughout this week's posts!! Thank-you Jean, we are thrilled to have you as our SISTER this week!!

Sisterhood...a celebration of the he{ART}