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!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Just Chatting

I spent my scrapbooking time yesterday working on the layout I'm making for that contest. I didn't start with the picture, believe it or not. I haven't even taken the picture yet. I know what my subject is so I worked from there. I think I'm going to set up a mini studio to photograph the doll. That's actually what the layout is about.

It's actually kind of fun to work in the opposite direction than I normally do. I usally start with my pictures and go from there.

I'm going to finish my layout today. I'll post it here, too, of course!

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Contest

I have to make a lo of an inanimate object with journaling from it's point of view. At first, I was kind of annoyed because who really gives a rats arse what your chair is thinking? But then I remembered my mother's doll, Susie, who even as an adult, she kept nice and neatly on a chair.

So I have my topic. I just have to think of some journaling. This will explain the doll in my guest room to my children in later years or after I am gone. Sometimes these ideas seem far fetched, but if you think about it for a few days, you can work it out to something that works for you.

Frankly, if I couldn't think of anything, I just wasn't going to do it. It wasn't the end of the world for me! But since I do have a good topic at this moment, I can go ahead and do it and see what happens!

This is the last week of the contest. I didn't get any votes the first week because I didn't go back to this other thread and press a button becuase the instructions were not clear. I gather I may not have been the only person from some things I have read. It's kind of a shame, but what the hey. I've gotten 4 layouts done because of this contest so all is not a total loss! LOL!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Jessica Sprague, Layouts, Cards




I read Jessica Sprague's blog, which I have a a link for on my links area. I like her Photoshop Friday lessons. Although, her latest post had some great quotes that apply to scrapbooking, among other things.

“Look back at your work and it tells you how it is when you hold back or when you embrace. When you are lazy, your art is lazy; when you hold back, it holds back; when you hesitate, it stands there staring, hands in its pockets. But when you commit, it comes on like blazes.” (ART AND FEAR by David Bayles and Ted Orland)

Think about your layouts. Those times you just didn't want to ink that border or use that paint or walnut ink or chalk or extra embellie or piece of paper. You were lazy. And you look at that layout and everytime you think, " I should have added that..."

I know that entire quote. I live it in my scrapbooking. My WOW layouts are the ones that i met head-on, full-tilt, guns blazing with everything I had. I put everything into it I had. My mind was emptied. I'm not saying that it had to be a technique laden, embellish heavy lo. What I'm saying is, when I was done, it was truly finished. I was finished. So if you're not feeling it, leave it. Come back to it. Let it rest. It will get the best part of you if you do that. I truly believe it.

“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better.
(THE WRITING LIFE by Annie Dillard)

Another quote from Jessica's blog. She reads as she travels. She apparently travels alot! But think about saving your stash. You saved that one item, paper, embellie, ink and for what? It becomes outdated or you just plain get sick of looking at it. Don't save. USE! If you bought it, you bought it because you liked it. Use it. What are you waiting for? It's true. I love these quotes. I need to put them in a design and hang them in my scrap room. They speak to my heart. They speak to my mind. My hands know what they are saying. My eyes see it.

Digi credits for layouts and card:
Crazy Cat Lady Card
Tracy Reed - Contempo Cool
Vintage postcard from internet
font: Apple Scruffs

Charleston Aquarium:
Sue Wood - Rainwashed - background
Everything else: Traci Reed - Reckless

Cheer:
Sandy Kriege Mary Quite Contrary: papers, flower shape
Tracy Reed- Joyful: ribbon, tag
Jen Caputo: hand drawn circle (oval shape)

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Groupie Challenge


I'm not sure this turned out as well as I would have liked. Some things are a better idea in my head! But they gave us the button and we had to build something from there. I was at the gym watching some decorating show and saw some quilting fabric and lo and behold that idea came to me. At least it's not for a contest! LOL!

I put a link in my post yesterday, but I can't get it to work. Now I'm going to have to figure it out. It was to a youtube post of this really cool kid doing some form of break dancing or whatever they call it now..b-boy? I'm not really sure, but he is as limber as they come.

I was reading a blog yesterday that someone had linked on their blog. It was to a site from a woman who had moved to the South. She spent her entire post knocking Southern history, heritage, and religion. I don't think she is a very fun chick because she is not very tolerant of things that might be different than what she is used to. It was rather insulting even if she thought it was funny. I bet she doesn't have alot of friends where she lives.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01l4cJNIBwM
Check that out. The kid in the orange shirt. Wow! Saw this when I was cruising another blog and had to share it.
My cousins have arrived home in Austria, as far as I know. They were due back today. Hopefully their flight went well! It's amazing you can fly to Austria, which is far, and it is still farther for me to fly to Hawaii! It always amazes me how far away Hawaii is!

Monday, August 20, 2007

Nicole tagged me!

Here are the rules:1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. ***IF you have already done your middle name than do the State that you live in with new adjectives!*****3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts. ***Or state if you have already been tagged before!***4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Kinda glad I have a short middle name, but there are less letters so maybe it's not good.
A- active.
N- nuts
N- nosey

Now I have to tag people with letters in their name like mine...that may take some thinking...do I know any A's or N's????

Digital's Next Top Scrapper


Digi credits:
Background paper, star paper, torn spiral notes, school rulz, reading labels: Got Class by Colleen Lynch
staple, bent index card, numbered paper: Miss Mint Recylcing Bin Bits
apple paperclip: Melissa Daniel
notebook paper frame: Traci Reed- Unbound
star: PSE shapes

Here is my layout for round 3. We had to do a t.v. show so I did High School Musical since the #2 just came out this past Friday. Yes, dd tortured me by watching it. I guess it was a good thing as it came in handy.

The thing about this contest is...you can't vote for yourself and you can only vote for two layouts each week. We have no idea what the standings are so I have no idea if I am doing good, bad or indifferent. On the bright side, I've gotten 3 layouts done! We'll have to see what round 4, the final round is.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Greetings and such





First of all, "hello" to my girls at the lss who I found out the other night read my blog...that is you Kathy and Karen, two really fun scrappers with fab personalities and their own design styles! Kathy is usually our hostess for the lss crops, and she rocks. She's had a few health setbacks, but in spite of that, she keeps on plugging away with her big smile and great stories!

They like my picture on the blog with my glasses...hehehehehe.

I finally saw my blog friend, Mel, over at Scrapstreet today. She has been AWOL for a bit, although I enjoy her blog and her comments. That has kept me up with her activities since she lives in "the land down under." Now here is my question for her...if we refer to them as the land down under...what are we? the land up there? Just curious! Her precious baby, Lillee, is soon to be 1! Amazing, and happy birthday wee one!

My most treasured gift this summer was the visit of my cousins from Austria, Margot and Anna. It is a blessing to be able to share time with them and enjoy each other so much. It was heartbreaking when they left to finish their vacation with stops in NYC and DC before returning home. But then, Margot kept saying, that we will see each other in two years when we get to go there. It will pass quickly, but thank goodness for e-mail and such!

I'd never met Anna before. She is Margot's daughter. So this was a special treat that she got to come an stay, too. We are very spoiled by the fact that they speak English so well. We should be ashamed that we do not speak German as well as they speak English.

Margot showed me how to make some Austrian dishes and cooked for us one night. That was great. I have all the ingredients in my kitchen to re-make the Chicken Paprikash that her mom had showed me a few years before, but I forgot. And I finally have the recipe for this dish KrautFleckerl (or something like that) that Tante Rita made while she was here last time and was the most delicious thing I have ever had in my life.

We visited the USC autograph day, and the football players thought Anna was quite hot. We got Steve Spurrier's autograph, Corey Boyd and Kenny McKinley. The line was too long for Blake Mitchell by the time we got around to it, but I'm not a big fan of his anyway!

We also went to Charleston and Myrtle Beach. I think we covered lots of food choices as well with a final dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.

How I miss them everyday. I can't even bear to go in their room and see them not there.

We are very fortunate to love our cousins so much.

I have been scrapping as well. I made 5 layouts on Friday night. I haven't posted them all as I may submit one, and two are for a gift. I made a layout last night and two Christmas cards, and two layouts today along with a Halloween card. I've been a busy bee.

I need to catch up with my blog friends and see what they have been up to. For the time being, I will just say HI in case they read my blog.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Another of Lindsey's sketches



This sketch was just fab. I really love circles so I had to do it! Lindsey is just rockin' sketches over at her website.

There is a page 2 of this, and I have some other pics that I may do to go with it. Not sure, but at least I got this one done!

I also made a bookplate today. I was playing with my Digital Scrapbooking magazine.

Scrappin' Fool in this Heat

We are having a major heat wave with temps around 105 and 106 degrees. We have broken records the past few days with this weather. It is so hot, you can't even be outside or in the pool. That is very rare for me to say that as we lived in FL for a long time, and I am used to hot weather. Summer is my favorite season of the year.

I've been checking out all my online friend's blogs. My friend, Missy, doesn't give herself enough credit for her style. She picks awesome papers and does terrific lo's. I love her scrapbooking. She is one of my fav scrapbookers. So if you are reading this Missy, yes, I'm talking about you girl! Miss soon to be SAHM!!!

Linds accepted 3 more pages that I did for her sketch site. I'm so excited about that. I'm in love with her sketches, especially the #7, which is her latest post. You really must go over there and check it out. Link is below.

Let's see...cousin arrives from Austria this weekend, getting my cheerleading coaches certification. I've been cleaning like a mad woman! And scrapping.

When it is 105 or 106 what else are you going to do? It's hot outside. Awful hot, and I don't want to go shopping because I don't like shopping and I don't have money to spend! So I have been scrapping like a mad woman. I need to go count my lo's because I should be darn close to my goal of 272 for the year!!! Which I am I have 49 left to go! Wahooo!

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Birthday Cake for Cake Book



I'm making a mini scrapbook of all the cakes I make. Of course, this is the one I made for dd's birthday. I used Sue Woods Creative Kitchens Kit. That little chef guy is so cute, isn't he!

I was supposed to make a cake for ds's church trip tomorrow, but my oven is broken. The stove works, just not the oven part. I've got to call someone to come fix it.

Do you know it was 106 degrees here today? Is that the craziest thing you've ever heard. One-oh-six. It's a record that was last set in 1900 when the high was 102.

Got another e-mail today for a lo for the September e-zine. Oh, I'm just so excited. Whatever I've done, I've got to keep doing it. Wish I knew what it was!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Scrapstreet September Issue Cover Finalist

I just got me e-mail saying I am one of the cover finalists for teh September e-zine. I'm so excited! WAHOO! I had to take my header down cuz the lo was in my header. I'll make a new header over the next couple of days. I didn't really like the one I had up in the first place anyway.

Rockin' Girl Blogger

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Tagged by Mel and Amber with the Random 8 Tag and Amber with the Rockin' Girl Blogger. Thanks girlies...
Here's the rules:
1-post these rules
2-each person tagged must post 8 random(... hopefully interesting) facts about themselves
3-those tagged should write a blog post of these facts
4-at the end of the post, 8 more bloggers are tagged and named
5-go to their blog and leave a comment telling them they're tagged

1. I've been in the payload bay of a shuttle on the launch pad ready for a mission and in the payload bay of a shuttle in the VAB being prepped (loaded with stuff) for a mission. Why you ask? Used to work for the company, Rockwell, that built the space shuttles. I worked in FL.

2. I spoke fluent German at 10 and fluent Japanese at 3 and studied French for 9 years. Why? We lived in Germany for two years. Not on an American base. I went to a British school, but we lived "out on the economy" as they say. I still understand more than I can speak these days as I'm rusty. My parents were stationed in Japan when I was 3. We had a Japanese maid who didn't speak English. I loved her, and hung out with her...Takahashi. Wish the 'rents would have kept that up. I could really use that as an adult in a career! Crazy school I went to started us in French in 4th grade...French (authentic French lady) tutor for 2 years while we lived in Germany. Then the rest was school. I can at least find the bathroom and order food.

3. The ocean is my spritual home. What I mean by that is, when I go to the beach, I am amazed by every little detail and God's glory. It is everywhere. In every grain of sand, in every wave that touches the shore, in every bird, crab, shell, sunrise and sunset. His crayon box is glorious, and I feel His omnipresence and omniscience.

4. My desire is to be a full time cheerleading coach someday with a competition squad. I am getting certified by AACAA this Sat and am assisting with Varsity and JV, who need me when...so I'm on my way. I love the way the girl's rise to the challenge and are multi-talented with dance, gymnastics and of course, can cheer like crazy!!!

5. I love being a SAHM. Even though I went to college and got a degree, the jobs never gave me the fulfillment that being at the beck and call of my family does. It's not like that for everyone. I really tried to balance it all, but I got sick of hitting the glass ceiling and having asshole bosses who made me feel as if I had to choose between my family and work. As if there ever was a choice!

6. I miss my mother every day. Even though she has been dead for 4 1/2 years, she was my best friend. She died unexpectedly at the age of 62. She was a woman who never slowed down or gave up or gave in. We had alot of fun together!

7. I am petrified of snakes to the point I am paralyzed with fear when I see one. Just one of those stupid things. Hate them. Hate everything about them. Irrational to be sure, but that's a phobia for you.

8. After 18 years, I still think my dh is cute, fun, sexy and "the one". I enjoy his company and companionship and can't imagine anyone else that this amazing ride called life would be worth sharing with other than him!

Monday, August 06, 2007

Recipe


I created this lo tonight for a recipe call at Scrapstreet.com. Well, it is a call for favorite snacks so I assume it was for a recipe. We will find out I guess. You know what they say about assuming.

I had fun making this lo. I used the OptikVerve photo action to get the sepia look on the photo. Then I used an eraser and brushes to give it the torn look. I used digi stuff by Traci Reed (fiber, paper, alpha), Colleen Lynch (pencil), and Royanna Fritschmann (notebook paper). The rest of the stuff...frame and embellies on frame are in PSE.

I need to be working on my lo for my first entry for the digi contest I entered. Probably will start that tomorrow. Just wanted to get my juices flowing so I did this lo first.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Finished Camp Layouts



Finally finished the lo's for cheer camp. Now I just need to get them printed out. That's the easy part! lol!

I'm excited they are done because when the cheer season actually starts, I'll be that much farther ahead with dd's book.

I wasn't sure how I was going to do her cheer books: whether I was going to do one frosh, one soph, one junior, one senior or do a jv book and a varsity book. But since she made varsity, I'm just going to do a jv and a varsity book.

Went to the CK Convention near here. Went crazy and spent too much. Not more than I expected so it was all really planned. I was fairly good as far as I didn't buy everything in site like some people. I bought the new Basic Gray Periphery and the Mellow with matching Bazzill cardstock, a few 7G embellies, a hoard of paper by Fancy Pants with some coordinating cutouts and rubons and a set of ribbon and some 12x12 chipboard cutouts, as well as some 12x12 chipboard, paper and ribbon from ???. Drawing a blank right now. Specific plans for this stuff...my wedding album, older Christmas photos, and Halloween photos that I have already sorted. Also got a convention t-shirt to wear to crops.

The two lo's above are sketches from Lindsey's blog. Not sure what number because for some reason her blog is not online today.
Digital elements from: Dora Phillips, Janneke Smit, Rhona Ferrar, and Lisa Whitney.

Friday, August 03, 2007

In a rush

Heading to CK Charlotte tomorrow to check out all the goodies. I"m so excited. I have 3 lo's...well, two. One is a two pager that are going to be in the Sept. issue of Scrapstreet. I'm so excited. I've got to get busy this weekend and pull them off my blog. No peaking! hehehehehe