MOTOM Bad Girls/LO Share

Hey guys. I have been a lil out of it the past few days waiting for Aunt Flo to start.. well she reered her ugly head last night. The pain is just awful this month. The good news is I see my specialist end May for my consult and then hope I can get my surgery shortly after that.. Cross your fingers for me.

So I missed out on National Scrapbooking Day a tad. There was a local crop with my girlfriends that I couldn't go to... but was there in spirit (I hope anyways...LOL) So I posted a few challenges over at Bad Girls and hope you'll come over and play. I have decided the crop is going to last all week long and each challenge has a due date (some different than others..lol). Some of the gals are offering up mini gift certificates as RAKS for the winner of each challenge! I thought that was super sweet! I'll also be offering up some goodies aswell!

Big news in my little world. I was featured as the Bad Girl of the Month in the recent BG newsletter. I was absolutely thrilled and honoured to be asked. The talent over there is amazing, and I must admit I was a tad shocked that my work got noticed, as I have never claimed to be at par with a good chunk of the ladies there.

This was my interview!

Bad Girl of the Month: Rachel!
Ahh this month is a great day for all Canadians - see, the Bad Girl of the Month is one of your own - hooray ;)



So - without further ado - say hello to miss doodlebug4444!
Hey chicklets! My name is Rachel Tops, and I am from and live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I am a Canadian Soldier (medic), am 33, married to hubby (Johnny T 36) for 7 years, mom of 2 girls (Alexa 5, Angelina almost 4), and stepmom to my handsome boy (Cody 11).

Hello! Say, that's a funny nickname you got there - care to elaborate??
Doodlebug is a nickname I have for my children, and I was a huge Doodlebug Design fanatic when I started to scrap. 4 is my fave number.. so that's 4 four times!

So - a Canadian one - tell us something good and bad about Canada/being a Canadian :p
The BESTEST thing about Canada, is CANADA! I am very patriotic, love this country, love the land, love the diversity, love that we get all four seasons. I love that our country tends to be regarded with admiration. We like to try and keep the peace baby! LOL The WORST thing about be Canadian, is that it takes way too long to get the most recent scrapping products up here. So I'll get dinged with customs every now and then cause when I decide I want it... I GET IT! LMAO

Heehee...so well, how did you end up with this hobby?
I have always cringed when asked this as I really don't have a defining moment of when I started. After the birth of my Alexa, I was home on maternity leave for a year, took tons of pics, and discovered scrapbooking. Then I met some local gals and it blossomed from there...LOL

Neat :) And what about Bad Girls? How did you find us?
My YAYA (I'll explain that soon..lol) Katie actually. She pointed me in this direction just before Top Designer 2007 started. I haven't looked back... I mean come on.. a sassy/nasty/naughty place, where you share your love for this hobby, and meet others just as crude, rude, naughty and sassy... MY KIND OF PLACE!

So you're saying you're a true Bad Girl eh? How come?
Cuz I love to give it as much as I take it. If you get to know me on the boards you'll learn that I tend to say it like it is.. I don't sugar coat anything. I don't pretend to be anyone but me!!!!!

And you know we love you for that!!
So, back to scrappy things - tell us - what size are you? Wink wink..
Mostly 12x12, although when I started I was a 8x8 scrapper. I scrap all sizes actually, but my fave is 12x12. I usually stack and then get ticked off with the mess, curse, and then decide it's time to put them away!! My fave albums are truthfully the K & Coy ones... but I have been really eyeing the D Ring American Craft ones... OH WENDY????!!!!

And how do you start a page?
My approach is so different with every page. Sometimes it's a pic I have to scrap right now. Other times, it the products (which is generally the BG Kits...LOL). It could also be challenge driven. You never know with me! HEEHEE

Ooh, an untamed one ;)
So, how is your perfect day when it comes to scrapping?
My John takes the kids out of the house, I have the largest coffee I can find (which is usually the pot..lol) and I scrap in my bed... YES... you read that right. I sit on my bed, throw in a movie, keep my laptop close, and get creative... It's a common joke with the rest of the BG's...LMAO

Scrapping in bed isn't quite as uncommon as one would think methinks :p So - do you have other hobbies?
YUP!!! Pretty much all kinds of general crafts, X-stitch, kint and crochet. I just discovered mixed media on canvas, and have started my first project! I also love to read, shop (UUUHHH..lol), and hang out with my bestest friends the YAYA's. Okay I best explain this. My YAYA's are 4 other scrappers (Katie, Mellisa, Stephanie and Tanya) who I hold in the highest regard. Scrapbooking brought us together, but once we realized we had other things in common, we really bonded. I love these ladies with all my heart.

Now that sounds lovely!
Thank you so much for being our Bad Girl of the month Rachel! Anything else you'd like to tell the Bad Girls out there?
BE YOU! Don't be anything else. Remember scrapbooking is personal. Your art is your art. Don't EVER let anyone tell you how to do it. Be creative and brave, throw out your inhibitions, and mostly HAVE FUN! Oh and sub to the Bad Girls Kits (shameless plug..lol). You'd be surprised just how creative you can get with these kits... I know I was.!



This fun & cheery layout was made with the March main-kit.

Here are the pics of my latest work. I really love the one I did for Katie's 12x12 page (the last LO below)

CHERISH
An 8x8! I used the Apr Bad Girl kit for this one and the yummiest chipboard to ever walk (wait does chipboard walk???LOL) this earth! It's called RIFF RAFF Designs and is a Canadian Company. If you haven't owned any of their cuts yet... ORDER NOW! LOL

LADYBUGS
A 12x12! This was a scraplift from a challenge over at Lifetime Moments.
Here is the original
SWEETHEART by VikoNik


And the best for last...LOL
YOU
A 6x6! I love this pic of Katie...LOL Tres KOOL!

Well that is about it for now! Being pretty much on bedrest this week, I am hoping to get a few more pages done