Hi! Come on in and look around!

Welcome to my window on the world. A snapshot of my life and experiences. I'm a photography junkie and a scrapbook addict. I capture it all here, and share my journey down this amazing road called LIFE with you!

Monday, April 30, 2007

Old stuff and new stuff

I've been a very busy scrapper this year! Trying some different things, mixing old and new products. Check out the "my crew" lo. I used some old MME paper dolls and dresser, along with new faux stitches and Chatterbox paper, stickers and tags to make this lo. I think it turned out really cute. Just because the stuff is old, doesn't mean it doesn't have a life! We just have to think of creative ways to use it. So what if it's not in style either. The important thing is that we like it! I have a little journaling on the index card tucked in the pocket.

I absolutely adore this lo of my dear mother's wedding portrait. She is so stunning, and I wanted to keep the focus on the portrait, but create a delicate layout around it. Still have her dress in a box in case dd wants to wear it! This is a Becky Fleck sketch in case anyone was wondering. I like having the journaling on the delicate shade of yellow. Reminds me of daisies, which are our flower. No one else might get that, but I do!!!

OOOOPS Removed for publication in June Scrapstreet magazine. Will be back later!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Birthday Photo

Today is my birthday. Here is my birthday portrait. Self portrait. I tell you one thing, I have great hair!
Tragedy at Virgina Tech yesterday. Very sad. Disturbing, but I know that God was there for His people. It's still unfolding, the whole story. We may never know since the crackpot killed himself. Very sad.
On to a brighter note: another year, another bit wiser? One hopes anyway! No complaints on my part. Main goal last year was to be published in a mag. I've hit that goal so I'm tickled pink.
What am I going to do today? Probably clean out the pool from all that crazy windy weather we had. Many leaves. Lucky no trees down. Not the same for everyone around here.
May scrap some. Not sure. I've got 106 more layouts to do towards my scrap goal for 2007 of 272. You know I'll make it. That's the kind of chick I am. Set a goal. Do it! Get 'er done, as they say!
Hmmm. Should apply that philosophy towards scrap room. Oh, but that isn't fun!
Want to make that lap board. Cool idea from my friend, Kelly, who will be moving to NC here soon. She's a cool chick. No obvious issues (she knows I'm kidding here)! Regular chick. Very creative. Fleece is her medium. She rocks it.
My bff, Mandy, is bringing my card by today. Last year she sent it to me in August. Bff's don't make ya mad, do they? Nah, life happens so you just don't even think about it. I just thought it was sweet she sent it after all that time. Even sweeter, she doesn't want to do it again. Worried postal service might not get it here. Chose to deliver to make sure it got on time. That's nice, isn't it!
Waiting for school to get out. Not much longer. Ds has project for landscape class. Dh is in charge. He's the science dude. Not me. I'm there for the creative aspect. Camera. Paper. Layout. Those types of things.
That's all my comments for today. Except one, Kearnsy...you're next, dahling. Can't hide. We're a month apart. Birthday's coming! And I'm going to remind you every day! Cuz I love you!

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Just Chatting

I didn't make the next round in an online contest, but that is alright. I'm still applying for the mag staff spots they have open. Maybe I'll get one of those. If not, it won't slow me down!

I'm thinking of teaching some classes again at the lss. I've got some pretty nice books we can put together. High impact visually, but fairly easy to do!

Other than that I am waiting so much for summer! We are having another cold snap. It was just 80 deg. the other day...now morning temp expected of 37! It's crazy!

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Photography etc.


Had to post a challenge at a website so I posted one using silhouettes and reflections. I love when things are reflected in windows and water. I think it is just fascinating. This is my favorite picture from the ones I took. I just photographed some different shots around the pool.

Speaking of the pool. I cleaned the pool furniture today. It was a gorgeous day, and there was no way I was going to be inside. I hosed off the porch, too. That pollen was just digusting. I'm glad that has passed. I'll finish the porch tomorrow or another day. I need to go over all the wood trim with some bleach. It gets so dirty over the winter.

The pool chemicals have been ordered, and they are on their way. As soon as they get here, the pool will be officially opened, although it really is since Matt has actually been in twice already!

It's definitely time for the weather to warm up. I'm tired of it being cold! I'm sure all the dogs are too!

I'll post the layout that goes with this picture as soon as I get it photographed. I tried this evening, but the photo was blurry. It's just easier during the day, and I get better, truer colors.

DD and DH are both snoozing. Such company I have for the night. What am I going to do with them. I'm thinking of scrapping. I did some scrapping today, but I really had to think to hard about it. I'm not sure why, but I hope it passes. It was driving me nuts.


Sunday, April 08, 2007

My Wedding Album


Scrapstreet is publishing an all wedding e-zine in June. I'd love to end up with something in there. In that light, they had a lift challenge last night so I decided to scrap my wedding song that Lou and I first danced to as Mr. and Mrs. I guess it is corny, but what girl doesn't dream of that her whole life? I've known from the time I was in 2nd grade and heard the Carpenter's "We've Only Just Begun" that I wanted that to be the first dance at my wedding.
An additional bonus is, this e-zine has given me the prompt I need after 18 years of marriage to get my wedding scrapbook done. I want it to be informal with writing and notes and such. That way, when I'm old and gray, I'll have lots of fond memories to stare at and little notes along the way to jog my memory!

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Video of Recent Pages - It's fun to go back in time!


Okay, i hope this works! I made a video at photobucket with music and everything. I used my recent prize package of Flair papers from Dora at Scrapstreet to make all of these pages. Well, except the cat one. I just like that picture because my cat is so nosy every time I bring my camera out!
These photos are from 10 years ago. Hard to imagine my kids being that young. Time does truly go by fast. Matt's baseball team won the championship game in a squeaker. The soccer photos are a riot as Caitee was a no fear goalie, but she had to pose in her ballet poses!
Makes me want to do some more older photographs. It's nice to relive those moments, which is after all the reason we scrapbook. To share and relive!
Enjoy!

Friday, April 06, 2007

Changes and New Web Ring

I made a few changes to my blog. Added some links, put up a funny pic, and joined the Scrapstreet web ring, for which there is also a link.
I didn't know what a webring was until last night when Lindsey started the Scrapstreet one, and I decided to join it with my blog. Now you can cruise around if you want and see what some of the other chicks I hang with online are doing.
I also added a link to my Scrapstreet gallery. Although I do post most everything I do there here as well. I think I might link to my old galleries at Scrapvillage, Scraptalk and maybe even Scrapjazz. It just depends on how bad that stuff looks compared to now! LOL!
I do like the 2peas gallery as well. I haven't posted very much there. I need to post more stuff there. There are alot of great ideas. I skim it every day and add stuff to my favs to get inspiration when I am brain dead, which at the rate I am scrapping this year, happens more often than I like.
I still need to figure out how to add a banner, but all things in due time. The fact that I have made a few changes and added some stuff is pretty cool for now.
I will be scrapping this weekend because it is the Scrapstreet Star 3rd round. Even if I don't make round 3, I will do the challenge. Also, I want to see what is up for Saturday Night Scrap there. Do the lift and the sketch probably.
Although I'm not as excited as I was to scrap becasue my OTT light just shipped yesterday so it's not going to be here. Major bummer. My scraproom is just so poorly lit. And I splurged on that stinkin' light. But the main thing is that its on its way, and I can hardly wait for it to get here.
I hope if any of you read my blog that you will leave a comment so I know you were here. Just for fun. Please be nice! LOL!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Andy Warhol-ish scrapbook page or Modern Art




I have some fun recently doing some different things. This month at Scrapstreet, my favorite scrapbook site to hang at, the "street" is in Kyoto, Japan, a place I have actually been. Of course, I was 3 1/2 so I don't remember it, but I thought it was kinda cool anyway. The colors for the challenge were red, black and white. I had a picture of dd that I had digitally altered that just begged to be used for this challenge. Looking at it made me think of the song, "China Girl", for some reason by David Bowie. Maybe it was how funky the photo was and that song is very funky. I love the quote I used on the lo from the song, too, "I can hear your heart beating loud as thunder." I used circles, which are my favorite shape right now and lots of brads. I think it turned out really neat. Lou says it looks like something Andy Warhol would have done. I was a bit concerned with the red and yellow that it might look like a mastercard so I had to make sure I arranged the circles in such a way that it wasn't making me think of that!
I also finished a page of my Nana and my great-grandmother, Nana-P that I had started over a year ago! I just could never get the page to click. So I took it out of the drawer it was stored in and took it all apart. I trimmed the photos' corners to soften them up and rematted them, which improved their look greatly. I love the bouquet of flowers I made to replicate the corsages the "Nanas" are wearing. They are so cute together, mother and daughter. The occasion was my mother's wedding, which I have a photo on the page taken when my parents came home sometime when they were engaged. I also have the hat Nana was wearing. It was saved all these years, and ended up at my house. Crazy!
Finally, I had those two black and white photos, one of which is blown up and hanging in my dining room. I scrap so many beach photos! But we love the beach so what do you do! I mean where else do we go on vacation? Nowhere! I lifted this lo from my DW calendar. When I applied my ink to the chipboard letters, it made the two-toned effect, which looks like ocean water. I really do like this lo! And the best part is, I used all old supplies from my stash! Woohooo! Making room for more stuff!