Memories That Matter

Merry Christmas - Almost

2011-12-24T21:40:00.000-05:00

In a few hours it will officially be Christmas Day. Already talked to family in Australia, and seeing a few people online from home ... time for me to close up everything for the night.

Before I leave, I promised to randomly award two gift certificates to the Design House Digital store for commenting on my blog post from a few weeks ago ... and here we go. Congratulations to Sarah and Arielle! I had asked you all the post comments on my blog, letting me know what it is you like about DHD. Here's what the winners said:

Sarah said...

Great pages! My favorite thing about DHD is definitely the monthly challenges. Any time I'm stuck on a layout I know I'll get some inspiration there.
December 14, 2011 1:42 PM

and Arielle said ...

Well, besides the people that hang out at DHD (who are fabulous)and the challenges (which are also fabulous), I would have to say the monthly Speed Scrap. I look forward to it every month - it's like a crafty date night just for me - LOL!
December 12, 2011 5:22 PM

Congratulations to you both!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

2011-12-19T10:26:00.000-05:00

While I'm sure some of you are frantically rushing around, trying to get all the holiday "stuff" done ... I'm sitting back and relaxing. Finished. Wrapped. Sent. Done. Yeah, you hate me about now, don't you. Psssttt - less than a week until Christmas. LOL Okay, so if it's any consolation, I'm up to my eyeballs in HR classes that I need to pass in order to not have to re-take my certification exam. So, my weekends and evenings are spent listening to webinars and taking tests. There, feel better?

Love seeing all the holiday things appearing in online galleries, Facebook, blogs, etc. Pinterest appears to be hopping with things, too ... so much eye-candy! Now, if only I had to the time to actually try a few things (like the crochet stars I just read about here - thanks Anna for the link). This week, I think the closest I'll get to doing anything holiday related is baking cookies for DH's office - and he can take all of them (sorry, DS! LOL) - no temptation needed in the house for me ... and Lord knows there's enough food already there.

Don't forget, I'm giving away two gift certificates to the Design House Digital store on Christmas Eve. Check out this blog post for more information.

Okay, got lots of things to do, so wanted to share a few layouts with you before I leave ...

Safe travels to those of you heading out of town to visit with family over the holidays.

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

2011-12-12T08:35:00.002-05:00

Two weeks?! Seriously, Christmas Day is in two weeks? Wow ... and then it's 2012, a new year? Yeah, I went there - the year is almost over. I'd insert the stunned smiley emoticon right now if I could.

The holiday feeling is alive and well at the house - tree has been up since after Thanksgiving (Stan couldn't wait LOL), presents have been purchased and wrapped, gifts sent overseas, holiday cards printed (just need to be sent) ... following along with two scrappy holiday classes ... and yesterday spent two hours listening to a webinar about changes to Medicare. WTH?! Yep, in all this commotion, I've got classes to finish up for my HR re-certification. Thankfully, this is only once very three years - but, as usual, I've left things until the last minute. Doh!

Now, how about I spread a little holiday cheer your way? I've got two $5 gift certificates to the Design House Digital store to give away on Christmas Eve - a little something from DHD to you (well, from me, too). Want one? Tell me what your most favorite thing is about DHD, e.g., the monthly challenges, a particular kit that is on your "must have" list, the NSBR chatting in the Family Room ... anything at all. Everyone who comments here will have their name entered into a drawing for a gift certificate. I'll post the winners here and at DHD on Christmas Eve.

Not in the holiday spirit yet? How about some holiday-themed things from me? Now, don't fall over backwards or scream or anything ... but I did ... a hybrid project. Shock. Horror. Yeah, I know. Hybrid? Me?! LOL I've got one that will be posted on the DHD blog later today, and have another on the front page at Scrapbook News and Review. Yep, TWO hybrid projects - what is the world coming to? Bet you didn't think I even knew who Tim Holtz was, or what gel medium could be used for, huh?

For the more traditional stuff, I'm still doing pages for the season. As I mentioned earlier, I'm taking two holiday-related classes (I'm sucker for those): Tiffany Tillman's Holiday Templates 2011 class at Renee Pearson, and Shimelle Laine's Journal Your Christmas class. There's some overlap in these two, but I'm having fun recording different memories for each ... here's some of the pages:

That first page for the JYC class has the photo I chose to use for our holiday cards. A template was a great way to start, and then I added a bunch of things from Jen Martakis' Holiday Story collection ... so, closing this post, I'm wishing everyone a happy holidays and sending you, electronically, our card (LOL):

Just because ...

2011-11-17T21:07:00.000-05:00

So, I mentioned yesterday that I might share some of our weekend pictures "just because" ... and here are a few of my faves ...

Catching Up

2011-11-16T15:12:00.002-05:00

In my last post, I hinted at the Speed Scrap at DHD over the weekend ... but what I failed to mention was that I wasn't going to be there! Sneaky, huh?! LOL Big thanks to Mary for hosting for me. Looks like some great pages were created - here's the inspiration (it's linked to Mary's gallery since she posted it for me, in my absence):

Now, why wasn't I around? We were out of town as a surprise belated birthday present for my son. We pulled him out of school for a day and took him to visit family. Of course, it took quite a LOT of convincing him that he really wasn't going to school - seriously, a teenager who WANTS to go to school?! LOL But, once among family members, he had a blast. Plus, we threw in a few surprises for my SIL, who's b'day is coming up - I'm not sure that she will trust her daughter again! ROFL Lots of fun, did some geo-caching (that's SIL's BFF's fault - we're addicted!!) ... and I took a lot of photos. While still spending time with the family, I managed to snap over 300 pictures. I'll share those over the coming weeks in layouts or "just because".

Came back with a nasty stomach bug, which wasn't so nice - ugh, 72+ hours of stomach cramps and ... well, I'll spare you the details. Suffice to say that even while staying at home yesterday, I didn't get online until 3:00 pm, and even then, that was just to check office email (and I couldn't log in) ... I know, a whole day (almost) without even turning the laptop on?! *** shock horror *** I did catch up on a few things, though, later in the evening ... here you go - and here's a "just because" of the picture in the first layout ...

Before I finish up, Scrapbook News and Review magazine is looking for members to add to the digital team. I've worked there for nearly two years; it's a great place. The magazine is accepting applications from today until December 15, 2011. You can find all the details at the site - check out the information on the front page; the electronic application form is at the main menu at the top, under Calls - Digi Staffer Call. If you're on a design or creative team, this is NOT a DT/CT call - the successful applicant(s) will become a staff member with no pre-determined term and an at-will relationship with the magazine. On a personal note, what I love about being in the digi team is that I can use any kits I like for my magazine pages - and I'm sure the designers I work for love it too! The magazine contains over 300 layouts and craft goodies each and every month ... wouldn't you like YOUR PAGE to be in there as part of the digital contribution?

DSD is Done

2011-11-09T20:04:00.000-05:00

Well, the weekend is over - and phew! Now I'm catching up on household chores (laundry is in the dryer as we speak LOL). With all the games, sales, and scrapping going on, I wanted to delay a little announcement ... thanks Jen Martakis for including me on her Creative Team! I've been ~~stalking~~ ~~following~~ a fan of Jen for some time. Of course, I blame her, saying she's an enabler (hey, it's not MY fault that I keep purchasing her kits, right?! LOL). If you recognize Jen's kits, you've probably noticed a few scrapbook pages with her "stuff" ... here's one I did this week with her new Simple Starts 20-23# templates (plus some other things) - the layout is linked to the gallery, so you'll find kit credits there :)

Over the course of the weekend, I did a few pages (I know ... shock ... horror!! LOL) ... hope you enjoy :)

This weekend is the monthly Speed Scrap at Design House Digital. We'll get started at 8:00 pm Mountain ... one hour to rush through a layout and get 'er dun! Lots of chatting, running around, some screaming, and threats ROFL But all good fun. Hope you'll join us!

Oh yay (yes, said with a sarcastic undertone), laundry is done ... yay me.

Say What?!

2011-11-07T14:17:00.000-05:00

Taking a break from scrapping, I thought I'd jump into this week's challenge at I Heart Faces - black. I knew what series of photos I wanted to pick something from - an outing to a local park with Stan and Haddie. Stan's quite the ham when it comes to getting in front of the camera. He's wearing a black t-shirt, so that's how I'm getting "black" into the photo for the challenge, plus his hair and eyes are so dark, they look black ... don't they?

So, without further ado, here's Stan, just Stan. Typical. ROFL

Here We Go!

2011-11-04T02:01:00.015-04:00

Are you ready for this?! Right on the heels of the Digital Scrapbook Day (DSD) Design House Digital Designer blog hop (WOW, that's a mouthful! LOL), the Decorators are getting in on the action, too! So, did you pick up the awesome freeibe kit from the designers? If not, you can find all the links here, on the DHD Blog. Now, why is this important to know? The Decorators have taken that kit and create a whole bunch of quick page for you - also free. Just click, download ... and best of all, play! How easy is that? Slap in a photo and you're done; we've done the work for you.

Here's the link to everyone's contributions, including mine (just click on the image) ... and if you're a 12x12 scrapper or 8.5 x 11, we've included both sizes in the QP packages.

You can also find contributions from Janell Nugent, Jennifer Valencia, Liz Jutila, and Missy Backues on the DHD Blog.

Don't forget to stop by on Saturday - we'll be having live chats and games in the DHD Chat Room!

Awesomeness in the Morning!!

2011-11-03T07:58:00.002-04:00

So, we've been quietly sitting on this kit (well, you know ... not literally sitting on it - that would be weird), but the word is out - grab this a.w.e.s.o.m.e FREE kit from the Design House Digital designers. There's a ton of papers, elements, a full alpha, and even a template. But wait! There's more!!! The Decorators (aka the DHD Creative Team) will have goodies for you tomorrow, too!

CLICK HERE to start picking up the pieces of your kit!

Can't get on the DHD site 'cause the kit is SO popular? Not a problem! Here are the individual designer blog links ... have fun - looking forward to seeing what you create with the kit! Link me up! :)

Audrey Neal http://audneal.typepad.com/

Angie Hinksman http://angiehinksmandesigns.blogspot.com/

Celeste Knight http://www.sweetcarolinestudio.com/

Dana Zarling http://danazarlingdesigns.blogspot.com/

Deena Rutter http://deenarutter.typepad.com/

Gennifer Bursett http://thebursettfamily.blogspot.com

Jen Allyson http://www.theprojectgirl.com/

Karen Funk http://kscraps.blogspot.com/

Karla Dudley http://karlastudio5.typepad.com/

Robyn Meierotto http://www.pinktrikedesign.com/

Shannon Hegarty http://scottygirldesign.blogspot.com/

Tiffany Tillman http://simplytiffanystudios.com/

DSD is Coming!

2011-11-01T20:14:00.000-04:00

What is DSD? Why, Digital Scrapbooking Day!! The 1st Saturday in November ... oh, lookie, that's in a few days! Chats, games, giveaways and - of course - some bargains to be had in the digital stores! What better way to spend the weekend? Okay, so eating Halloween candy would be close ... but nothing beats the thrill of getting "that" kit (yeah, you know, THAT one) that you've been coveting for so long - AND at a bargain price!

Don't you love this pretty banner (thanks Jen!) ... yeppers, Design House Digital is gearing up for a fun weekend - I'll be hosting a chat on Saturday night. Hope you can stop by. I'll have a fun game for everyone to play. *wink* Oh, and no, it's not a speed scrap, and no, it doesn't involve digi extractions. For those stopping by from 2Ps, no my game does not include using all patterned paper, either - wow, who would have thought I'd be called "evil". Me?! Sheesh. Two Peas will be getting on the fun, too. More on that later ... BUT ... how about a sneak peek of a few DSD-related things I've been working on at both sites? Huh? Here you go:

Okay, enough of that ... just a teaser. Hopefully it's done just that: teased you! LOL (okay, so maybe I AM evil, after all). I'll post more about this weekend's activities as they develop.

Announcement Time!

2011-10-15T13:08:00.002-04:00

I have some exciting news - actually a few things! First of all - me. Well, yeah, you know it had to be all about me, right?! I mean what else could be so important?! LOL (sheesh, I'm starting to sound like my self-absorbed teenage son!) ... I was contacted recently by a few designers to see if I'd like to be on their creative teams ... and I accepted Ju's offer - that's Juliana Kneipp; she has a store at Catscrap. In fact, if you check out Ju's Facebook page, you'll see she's giving away a copy of her newest kit, Fallin' in Love - which, I have to say, has so much stuff!! (it's 350 MB!) Here's a page I did with the kit:

On more news - and not about me this time LOL - there are new Decorators joining Design House Digital. Here's the blog post at DHD with the announcement. Congratulations to everyone that was successful in their application! Did you follow the blog for our Halloween / October hybrid projects? It was awesome - and that was right after our School of Design series ... there's always something going on over there ... busy, busy, busy! LOL

Speaking of busy, I've got some additional layouts to share ... each is linked to their respective gallery, so you can find full credits for the kits I used. Enjoy :)

Okay, that's all for now - Michigan State is playing Michigan ... and we have the Tigers baseball game tonight ... but right now, I think it's time for lunch, and then maybe a trip to the gym.

Have a great weekend!

Hanging Head in Shame

2011-10-06T14:37:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been HOW long since a blog post? Um. Yeah. I don't think I'll go there.

Fall has arrived in my neck of the woods. Colors are starting to turn - barely; it's damp and cool and more days than not; evening temps are nice and cool, enough that we sleep with the windows open. Ah, love this time of year - although my mold allergies aren't too keen on it. Had planned on a photography excursion this weekend and next ... but the class got cancelled. Boo. Hiss. Oh well, got plenty to keep me busy - starting with prep for our monthly Speed Scrap at Design House Digital. Strange. I know it's coming up the second Saturday of every month. I know I'm the one running it. And yet ... I leave actually creating a layout and writing the instructions until the last minute. I'll probably still be working on things a few hours before we begin to play. *sigh*

Speaking of DHD, there's a new designer in 'da House! Welcome Angie Hinksman. Guess that's a good lead-in to sharing some eye candy - long overdue, I'm afraid ... did you miss your fix?! LOL Sit back, get comfy, here we go, starting with something from one of Angie's kit (all layouts are linked to their gallery for full credit information):

I'll have a layout or two tomorrow from Dunia ... just waiting for the kit to be released tomorrow at MScraps. *** wink ***

Dear Blog ...

2011-09-03T12:09:00.000-04:00

Dear Blog,

I feel as though I should write to you and let you know you are not forgotten. I could use all the excuses in the world for not coming to visit, but that's all they are: excuses. *sigh* I really do like having you, and having the chance to write with you. I promise I will get better and visit more often.

-- Me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, with that out of the way (LOL), I can play a little. It's the Labor Day holiday weekend here in the US, and the boys aren't here! :) In fact, they've been gone for a few days, headed "north" for a last-hurrah-of-the-summer road trip. DS goes back to school next Tuesday (phew, thank God), and DH will start a new job in a few weeks (relieved about that, too). So where does that leave me? Well, me and the dog are just enjoying some quiet time, and I'm getting all creative - well, in between mowing the lawn, steam cleaning the carpets ... and today I might even rearrange furniture. It's going to rain today, and I always rearrange furniture on rainy days. Mum used to do this all the time - and most of the time, we'd end up putting everything right back where it was to start with! LOL

Been on a scrappy bender, of sorts, these past couple of weeks, with a few hours most evenings and then weekends creating pages. And even with all that, I've still got a ton of photos to work through. I'm beginning to wonder if I should go through the pictures, systematically, year by year ... or just keep with my haphazard ways ... ? I'm not very good at chronological scrapping, but I could, if I really wanted to.

I do have a little announcement to share - Scrapbook News and Review is changing things up at the end of the year and wants YOUR contributions! For the last issue of the year, SNR wants to highlight reader submissions (and this is awesome if you've never been published before, too - what are you waiting for?!) ... tutorials, articles, how-to's, even scraplifts if that's what gets your creative juices flowing. You can find out more about the SNR information HERE. Here's a sneak peek of just a few things that I have coming out in the September issue:

Okay, back to scrapping. If you ever get into a rut or Mr. Mojo goes away, challenges are a great way to get inspired - and boy, did I catch up on challenges recently! LOL At Two Peas, Erica Hernandez posts weekly challenges on her blog like a scraplift, and paper to digi. At Design House Digital, there are monthly challenges, from color swatch, to photography, to "inspired by". Here's a few of my challenge-related pages:

Did I say I was busy?! LOL Here's a few more pages complete in the last week or two ...

Show Off!!

2011-08-22T13:58:00.000-04:00

Anyone that's been following my blog for a while knows that I have a dog - a dog with personality! LOL As luck would have it, the challenge this week at I Heart Faces is - pet faces! Awesome. So, I toyed with the idea of submitting a photo of my puppy - but which one. This one was a close runner-up - it really showcases her personality (just a shame that she's lying right in front of the sliding door and I have a lot of glare off the window) ...

... but here's my entry for this week - a much more serious picture of the dog who, lucky for me, just loves to be a show off and sit nice and still while I take her picture ... what a diva!

If you're a pet-lover - and a sucker for a cute, fuzzy face - check out the other entries this week ... oh, so cute!

I'm Back!

2011-08-12T10:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back from the other side of the country and have, finally, got myself out from under laundry and work ... and even had time to do a little scrapping (I know, big shocker, right?! LOL). Dunia's released a bunch of her templates in one pack - duh, it's called Bunch of Templates - and a new kit called Three Little Birds ... too cute. So, with cuteness, I just had to scrap about the dog - yep, not the hubby, or my son ... the dog:

From puppies to ... back to school. Ugh. There's a part of my that wishes we were on a four-term/semester system, so the break would be shorter. But then again, DS went (volunteered!) for summer school and he aced the course, completed a year's worth of Biology - and passing the state exam at the end! Awesome. Well, you know I just had to scrap that, right?

I'm behind on a few other projects - just waiting for inspiration to hit me. Not sure, though, how long I can stare at a blank computer screen ... but don't want to force anything - that generally results in a project that I'm not happy with. Oh well, time will tell.

Hope you'll join me this weekend - um, tomorrow! - for the Speed Scrap at Design House Digital. It's being run by ... oh ... me!

Taking a Break

2011-08-06T19:24:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the other side of the country! Well, Utah, so almost the west coast - close enough, right? So, what do pizza, bowling, manicures, pedicures, meetings, laptop time, and a huge sleepover have in common? A girls weekend away - no kids, no spouses and significant others ... just us girls. Fun!

I'll have more about my trip when I return, but I wanted to quickly hop on and share my Project 365 pages for July. I got these finished last week, but in my rush to "Go West young man" (okay, woman), I didn't get around to posting them ... so here you go:

... and now, to get ready for dinner tonight - after a bit more laptop time *** wink ***

Back to School?!

2011-08-02T12:12:00.000-04:00

I've been seeing the tv and newspaper ads for a while now - ten pencils for $2, ten folders for $1 ... okay, those prices might be a little exaggerated, but I'm glad my son's in high school. It's so much simpler: a thumb drive for computer lab, a couple of 3-ring binders, pens, pencils, and lined paper - lots of lined paper. Then again, we have the whole clothes issue - 'cause Mom, don't you know ... that stuff is sooooo last year (even if it was purchased two months ago! LOL). I see a shopping spree with DS in my future ...

Seriously, though - August?! Already? *sigh* I had posted on a message board that I think I needed one of those fan-dangle machines that you see in sci-fi movies that replicate things - and then I would replicate 8-10 copies of myself. That would cover the basics: work, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping ... and I'd be left to scrap to my hearts' content. Ah. Yes. I see it now ... then again, is the world ready for multiple copies of me?! (rhetorical question, folks - no answer necessary LOL)

I've been keeping busy planning a trip away - well, I'M not the one planning, that's in someone elses' hands ... but a girls weekend away, out of town ... with people I've never met. Um. Yep. Fun!!! The trip is coming up pretty quickly, but there's still so much to do. I mean, do the black shoes with the bow go with that dress ... or maybe the black shoes with the buckle would be better? Yes, people - the choices and sacrifices I must make!!

To keep the sanity in check, I've been scrapping away ... and have some exciting news! For the past couple of months, I've been a guest team member for Dunia Designs - and Dunia's asked me to be on her team, permanently! Yay! Her designs are a little quirky, with lots of fun elements ... and she has some great templates. This is my latest page with her new release from last week:

The scrap therapy art journaling group continues to grow at Two Peas - we're having a lot of fun ... freedom to put whatever you like on a page, whatever you are feeling at the time ... no restrictions. Here's my page with last week's prompt, Love - see that picture of the hubby? It's actually sitting on top of a picture of DS - which he finds kinda freaky! LOL

A few people asked about creating that sticker effect on the dog and the boys? Easy peasy. Open your photo and rough-cut out what you want, in my case, the dog. Select a foreground color, which will become the color of your sticker (oh, I'm using CS5, but I think PSE would also work), and then look at the Filters menu - hunt down the Sketch filters group, and in there ... Stamp. Voila!

One more page to share (still working on a few before my trip) ....

If traditional or hybrid scrapping is more your speed, then check out Scrapbook News and Review magazine. For the next couple of months, the staff will be highlighting a long list of manufacturers and showcasing what can be done with their products. First up: Crate Paper.

Okay, better go ... lunch is calling.

Bring It On!

2011-07-24T11:27:00.000-04:00

I wonder if that's what Cadel Evans is saying as he goes up and down the Champs-Elysees in Paris, an Australian about to win the Tour de France - woo hoo! Bring it on!

I've got my own "games" going on at the moment - and perhaps one of the funnerer ones (yes, funnerer is a word!) is the digi morphs. It's like a scraplift game, with pretty much anything goes. A new round is about to start over at Design House Digital - we've got 19 people playing this time ... and maybe we'll be finished by Labor Day? Oh my! LOL The "trick" for these kinds of morph games is nobody gets to see the pages until everyone is finished and we have a reveal day. Now, since I'm running the DHD morph, I'll see the pages since I have to get copies on their finished ... but I can't share. Na-ne-na-ne-boo-boo!

Also, have you checked out the Digi Designer Blog at Two Peas? Emily (of Polka Dot Pixels) has started posting some art journal prompts - we're calling it Scrap Therapy. Now, I know art journals are perhaps things you think of as being done with more traditional supplies - but it can be done digitally. I mean, why not?! A few of us are delving into the word of digital journals - and we're having a lot of fun. There's a certain amount of freedom to be had with not having to think about journaling, photos, etc. ... which is so not my usual style (maybe that's why I'm liking it so much? LOL). Emily was so sweet and gave use a little thank you for playing along last week (thanks Em!!) - our prompt was "Me" - here's my page:

Okay, the sprints are starting at the Tour, so I'd better wrap up - the winner for the sprints for the Tour de France is not yet set it stone, and it's fun to watch the bikers actually racing, instead of just cruising around the streets of Paris ... so a few recent pages ...

Holiday Hangover

2011-07-06T09:45:00.000-04:00

Seriously. I'm beginning to believe that a vacation is needed to recover from ... a vacation! LOL A few days at the beach, lots of R&R, and back to laundry, grocery shopping, getting dog from kennels ... wow. *** insert shocked face *** Sometime yesterday afternoon, I got my second wind and pushed through ... and then crashed last night. The beds at the placed we stayed at were SO soft - not very comfortable; nice to be home again. Of course, no internet for a while was a total bummer - I mean, don't they KNOW that I need to stay connected? Sheesh.

So, with today's blog post, just wanted to wish everyone a belated happy July 1st (for my Canadian friends), and July 4th (for my US friends). Hope you had a great time and were able to spend it outdoors, enjoying lots of sunshine with family and friends.

Here's a few recent scrapbook pages, just for a little eye candy, and some of my favorite photos from our weekend away. (yeah, can't believe I'm still keeping up with the P365 pages!)

Been a while ...

2011-06-27T20:03:00.000-04:00

Yep, been a while since I shared some scrapbooking eye candy, so sit back and relax - well, kinda.

You see, I'm a bit of a tease, so I'm going to start with things for Scrapbook News and Review. Did you know that you can get issues of the magazine twice a month now? Eye candy in the first half, and tutorials and "how to's" at the end of the month. Two issues. Wow. You can also print articles or save them to your computer - cool. Now, I've been busy creating for both the July and August issues - and here's where the tease part comes in - but I can't show you anything! LOL Okay, so I can show you a LITTLE of the page - but not enough to really give anything away. So, here's your sneak peek (and I'm not telling you which month these are for; they're mixed up).

And now, on to pages that I CAN share :) (see you like this much better, right? LOL). Everything is linked to the relevant online gallery, so click away.

So, as you can see, busy, busy... busy!! (can't believe I was THAT far behind posting pages - wow!)

Off to check out the various photography challenges for this week, for a little relief and fun playing around. Later Gator!

Cheeky Monkey!

2011-06-20T12:39:00.000-04:00

Monday's are new photo challenge day at I Heart Faces - and this week's theme is a great one, and right up my alley: Let's Hear It For The Boys! As a parent to a teenage son, I thought to myself, "Yay! I have picture that fit this week's theme." Phew, no girlie pictures needed or wanted this week (not that I have anything against taking pictures of my great-nieces; they're adorable, too). So, I sift through pictures of my son and find one or two that might work ... and then remember one of my great-nephew, taken over Memorial Day. So, here's my entry for this week - Cheeky Monkey (LOL). Can't you just see the mischief brewing in those eyes?

The original photo was a little more blown out than I would have liked, so I kind of ran with it and took that to the extreme in the processing, really playing up light and dark.

Okay, I will post some scrapbook pages, soon, I promise ... just having fun with photography right now. In fact, I even took my camera off auto mode and played in ... manual! *** shock horror ***

Fix It!

2011-06-17T19:59:00.000-04:00

Over at I Heart Faces, they have a fun challenge each Friday - Fix It Friday. Each week, a photograph is posted for community members to play with, tweak, ... to "fix" to whatever we would like. This week's photo comes from Susan, a regular contributor to I Heart Faces (please respect copyright laws and do not copy this photo for your own personal, business or financial gain - thank you). It's a great photo of the family. You know the routine, right - set up the tripod, get things in focus, set the timer ... and then madly run into position and hope that everyone is looking in the right direction and smiling. LOL

Here's what I did to the photo.

Original

After Lightroom

Warmed up temperature
Adjustments to exposure, fill light
Adjustments to yellow

After Photoshop

Honey Retro action (Coffee Shop)
Layer HR over LR fixes; lower opacity to 50%
Butter Cream action; lower opacity to 25%
Finished with Coffee Latte at 50%

Thanks, Susan, for sharing your photo and letting us play!

Bright Personality!

2011-06-13T21:14:00.000-04:00

It's time for another weekly photography challenge at I Heart Faces, a site that I stumbled across a few months ago. Great tips on improving your photographs, and fun challenges along the way each and every week. This weeks' challenge is "Bright and Vivid". I was just going through some photos of my great-nephew and -nieces from Memorial Day and came across this one of Miss A., playing around in the pool. She was dancing away, jumping, giggling ... and had no idea that I had the camera out. I love this photo and think it's a great use of the bright and vivid subject for this week's photo challenge - a brightly colored swimsuit to match the bubbly bright personality.

What do you think?

Check out everyone else's entries, too - there's some great photos!

From a Distance

2011-06-06T22:02:00.001-04:00

From a distance, that's what this week's challenge at I Heart Faces is all about - and we don't need to include a face this time, if we don't want to. I took a bunch of photos over Memorial Day weekend, but most were close-ups. I found this photo, taken in early May, of my son walking the dog in a local park. I was some distance behind them and was really happy to capture this moment between the two of them.

Check out other entries in this week's challenge at:

Get Your Morph On!

2011-05-26T12:07:00.000-04:00

The results have been reveals of TWO digital morph "games" that I participated in - one a Two Peas and one at Design House Digital. You can find the results here for Group #1 at Two Peas (Group #2 is still working on their pages), and Team Blue (my team) and Team Green (well, the others LOL) at DHD. Here's a close-up of my contributions:

Morph games are a great way to get those creative juices flowing if you've hit a mojo roadblock.

In other news *** drum roll please *** I'm part of the "fresh meat" (ROFL) team for Tiffany Tillman designs. Okay, so Tiffany has also given us the much nicer title of Page Artists, which I like better. I've been using Tiffany's templates for ages, and have worked with her kits (yes, she does kits, too!) and templates at DHD for well over a year now. In fact, you'll see a layout from my last blog post over in Tiffany's, too.

This week, Tiffany's released more of the Modern Masters template series. You know me, can't leave a template alone without play a little, right?! LOL So, I joined two together and came up with this double-page layout. The photos were from our Christmas trip 'down under' - actually, New Zealand, but that's close enough, right? Sheep farming is a big part of the economy in NZ, and it was fun to get to learn about all the varieties of breeds in the country. Well, okay, so Mum and I went to the farm ... the boys opted for another day spent at the luge ride. LOL

...and this page I did a week or so ago ...

For my guest CT spot with Dunia Designs (who also does some really great templates), she's got a new release coming out tomorrow that highlights lots of paper pieces. I'll be laptop-less tomorrow (eeek!), so I'm posting this now - you'll be able to find Dunia's template at MScraps:

Now, what else do I have to share? Oh, I know ... I will preface this with - don't underestimate the value of a "mini" kit! No, seriously, just because a designer says something is "mini", doesn't mean it's still not packed with lots of goodies - here's an example of a new kit from Hazel Olive designs:

Calls for Scrapbook News and Review's July magazine are up - check them out for a chance to be published! Also, we're now on Twitter - follow SNR and you could win $75!

I think that's it for today. I think so. Really, the days are merging, one into the next. LOL The Memorial Day holiday weekend is upon us and we're headed out of town for a few days. Hopefully a trip to the zoo, pool time, a cookout ... don't know yet. We'll see how things go - and if we can even make it to our end destination!! We're routed through Dallas, TX, but with all the storms recently, some of the planes have been grounded due to damage. Um, yeah, if we were traveling today, our flight would have been cancelled. Of course, it was the ONLY flight headed to where we need to go that was cancelled. Keeping fingers crossed that tomorrow's schedule is completely open and we get to where we need to be.

July 4th is booked - thankfully, driving there (although I'm not sure that I really WANT to be stuck in holiday traffic ... oh well) ... and then in about nine weeks or so, I take a girls-only trip "out west" to meet some scrappy friends IRL! I don't plan on getting much sleep that weekend. Maybe I should take a day or two off from work when I get back to recover. LOL

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

A Few Memorable Moments

2011-05-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I just wanted to start today's blog post with a proud Mommy moment - DS scored top of his class on a recent math test; nobody was even close. Cool, huh? This, from the kid that has trouble spelling ... and yet, factoring algebraic equations is something he just "gets". LOL To top that off, a neighbor - who takes AP classes, but struggles with math - asked for DS's help with some study 'cause she failed the test. Um. My son's a tutor, too?

Mother's Day was a pretty quiet affair - just what I wanted. The boys got me a Josh Groban CD, "Illuminations", which is perfect to scrap to. DS and I cooked dinner - hamburgers, homemade potato salad and coleslaw. DS proclaimd this was "the best dinner, ever!" LOL

To give myself a break from scrapping, I've broken out the knitting needles. *shock horror* I purchased some knitting yarn in Australia during our last visit (um, Christmas) and have yet to put that to good use. Pattern found. Knitting started. It's nice to just shut down the laptop for a while and give my creative brain a rest for a while. :)

I've also joined a Biggest Loser competition at The Scrap Orchard. There are prizes to give away at the end of eight weeks ... and I figured since I'm already going to the gym, WW, drinking water, etc. ... well, heck, why not try to make it pay off with $$$?

Now, that's not to say that I haven't been scrapping as well! ROFL Here's a few of my latest pages - all linked to their respective galleries for credits ... and thanks to those of you that joined me for TWO Saturday's in a row of speed scrapping at Design House Digital! I've taken your suggestions under my wing and next month, look for a beginner's level page, as well as a more advanced one.

The Sales Continue!

2011-05-08T11:45:00.000-04:00

Oh my, can my credit card handle it?! Yeah, probably LOL While [inter]National Scrapbooking Day is officially over, there's still a lot of this going on - all over the place! I'm watching X-Men, Last Stand right now and there's a mutant who can replicate himself, over and over again. I need that power - I need to be in about 10 different places at once! Here's just a sampling:

Dunia Designs - and many other designers at MScraps - has 50% off in her store this weekend; just today to grab some bargains! Dunia's also doing a giveaway - check it out here ... really easy to enter. I recently downloaded Dunia's True Colors kit and the Duo (Blocked) Templates and came up with this -

After some technical difficulties earlier in the week, Design House Digital is up and running with sales and the chance to win a Cricut. We had a Speed Scrap last night (and have another one next weekend, so mark your calendar), so it was a late night for me, since I host :) The girls did a great job. This was the page I created as inspiration for the challenge -

Tonight I'll be hosting a chat with Rebecca Bonneville of Tickled Pink Studio at Two Peas in a Bucket. We'll have a fun giveaway, so hope you can stop by.

See? I need to replicate myself. Hhhmm, if I could do that ... I could scrap, garden, cook and do laundry all at the same time. Hey, I might on to something! Well, today is Mother's Day, so maybe the boys will help out ... maybe.

Grab your iNSD Freebie

2011-05-07T12:05:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! If I've set this up correctly (LOL), this blog post will be 'live' around midnight on Friday - keeping my fingers crossed. So, welcome to May 7th and [inter]National Scrapbook Day! I hope you have a fun day of playing games, chatting, surfing galleries and stores ... and, of course, scrapping!

The designers at Design House Digital put together an awesome blog hop freebie for everyone - did you grab it? If not, start here at Audrey Neal's blog and follow the trail. Now, how about a little sumthin' to go with that kit: 15 quick pages (QP)! The Decorators all got together and created QP's from the designer kit. Each is a little different ... and yet they all coordinate together. A great way to put that I'll-get-to-it-soon album to bed. Here's my contribution:

You can click on the image right above to get the QP's, or CLICK HERE - there's a 12x12 page AND an 8.5x11 - a solution for everyone. The QP's are PNG files and are pretty large, so please keep that in mind when you download the file ... it might take a few minutes (or more).

I also get to help out a Decorator and share with you Jennifer Valencia's contribution to the hop - so here you go - a two-fer!

Like my own download, you can click on the image above, or CLICK HERE to get this page.

After you pick up my file, and Jennifer's, jump around and get all the others:

Have fun!!

Let the Fun Begin!

2011-05-02T07:04:00.001-04:00

Okay, so [inter]National Scrapbook Day isn't officially until Saturday, but the fun has already started at Design House Digital and we're offering a Cricut for one lucky person at the end of the celebrations.

And, get this - no, literally get this (LOL) - this is a blog hop kit that the designers have put together. It will be available later in the week, but here's a sneak peek:

Now, remember that secret I posted about a few days ago? Well, now I can spill da beans - I'm a guest CT member for Dunia Designs for the next couple of months! Awesome, right? Dunia saw one of my pages over at My Scrapbook Art and asked me if I'd like to join her for May and June.

Okay, now I've got to ask ... May?! Really?! What happened to April? My son is already starting to study for his year-end exams, talking of the pool opening over Memorial Day weekend. Seriously. I want April back.

A Friend Found

2011-04-29T16:16:00.000-04:00

Just a photo to share today. I was gardening this morning - well, actually trying to finish up what I started last weekend in the front yard - and turned over a pot of snapdragons to get them out and into the ground ... and this guy crawled out. Didn't jump away. Nope. Not phased one little bit. In fact, he even let me pick him up on my gardening trowel and then grab my camera. So, holding the trowel with one hand, and the camera in the other, this is what I was able to get:

The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!

2011-04-28T20:32:00.000-04:00

Okay, so NOT the British (although there's something about a Royal wedding for tomorrow ... yeah, I remember hearing something about that ... LOL) ... nah, it's time - again - for {inter}National Scrapbook Day! iNSD is a fun time with games, chats, prizes - and LOTS of crafting for everyone! I'll be bouncing back and forth between Two Peas in a Bucket and Design House Digital (DHD). Catch me if you can!!

Check out what's happening at DHD - a WHOLE week of sales, chats ... and ... oh yeah, a Speed Scrap on iNSD (Saturday, May 7). Hhhhmmm, wonder who's running the speed scrap?

There's more detailed information on the DHD Blog, but here's a few things:

25% off the entire site from May 1 -8
Designer blog hop
Decorator blog hop with quick pages to collect
Evening chats, May 5 - 8, with the Speed Scrap on May 7

We'll be having a party ... but I'll be in two places at once. Tricky, huh? LOL At Two Peas, I'll be co-hosting a chat with digi designer Becca Bonneville from Tickled Pink Studio on Sunday evening, May 8 - great way to wrap up the weekend, right? Two Peas will have things like chats, creative challenges, and a project hop where designers and CT members showcase a craft project for you. A great way to get some inspiration. The iNSD celebrations at Two Peas will run Friday through Sunday (May 6-8) - check out Jamie's blog for more information.

Now, where would a blog post be from me without a scrapbook page, or two. Shock! Horror! Well, I don't want to disappoint you, so here you go (LOL) - enjoy! Oh, and just a little commentary from me - don't even ask me about where I am stylistically at the moment - as you'll see here, I'm all over the map! ROFL

Now ... sssshhh ... I've got a secret! *** wink wink *** The page with all the doodling up there? It caught the eye of a designer, and she's asked me to be a guest on her creative team for a few months! A.W.E.S.O.M.E.! As I get more details, I'll be sure to spill the beans, but for now ... well, that's all I'm sayin'!

Okay, gotta go and watch the end of the Idol results show. Sending thoughts and prayers to families and friends affected by the recent tornadoes and storms in the South.

1 - 2 - 3 ... Smile!

2011-04-26T10:07:00.001-04:00

For those that have been following my blog for a while (yes, I know there a couple of you out there), you probably know (well, I hope so) that I love photography. I'm still learning, but I love spending time just snapping pictures of this and that. This morning, a friend posted on FB that she'd entered a photography challenge (you can check out Chanell's entry here) at I Heart Faces. I've been looking at this site for a while. I'd love to improve my portrait photography, and what better way than with weekly challenges? All just for fun - right up my alley. This week, I've decided to jump in with both feet. Why? 'Cause the challenge for this weeks' "face" is ... your pet. So, here's the photo I'm submitting (from our impromptu photoshoot a few weekends ago at the park):

Lift Me Up!

2011-04-15T08:25:00.001-04:00

Well, not literally - might be a bit difficult (LOL) ... but who doesn't love a good scraplift?! How about a secret scraplift chain? You 'lift a page and pass it along to someone else, they scraplift you and pass it on, and so on. The whole thing is kept a secret, from the first layout to the last, until a big reveal. Fun, huh?! I'm participating in two scraplifts right now - one at Design House Digital, and one at Two Peas in a Bucket. The anticipation of the reveal can be unbearable (okay, so I'm not very patient - I can't help that), but well worth it in the end. Wanna play? Sign ups are going on now for the next couple of days at both sites.

Scrapbook News and Review magazine had a birthday this week - they turned three! To celebrate, they are offering a one-year, all-access pass to the magazine for 40% off - that's $24 for the whole year. There's been some changes recently at the site, too - you now get TWO magazines a month. One for all the eye-candy you could possibly absorb, and one for technique tutorials, "how to's" and tips. You'll also have access to a couple of previous months, just in case you want to go back and look at past issues. The magazine covers not just digital scrapbookings, but also mixed media, cards, stamping, and traditional scrapbooking. Something for everyone. TODAY is the last day to get the subscription at this price.

It's a beautiful day here today - and my day off (even better). How will I spend the day? Possibly gardening, running errands, and scrapping - might leave that until the evening. Too nice of a day to waste it inside, tied to the laptop. Of course, tomorrow we're supposed to get 2"+ of rain - oh yippee (add good slathering of sarcasm).

To round out today's post (before I get ready to tackle the day), thought I'd share a recent layout. I'll admit it, I'm a photography snob. As a general rule, I don't scrap the blurry out-of-focus pictures. However, I did in this layout of Haddie. The photos were taken in a rush; Haddie "smiling" and "singing" ROFL

Almost ... but not quite!

2011-04-11T13:57:00.001-04:00

It's a teaser! Yup, that's all it is - 85+ degrees today, but only today. The rest of the week will be 20 degrees cooler, with rain scattered in here and there. Okay, Spring. Let's have it. Either you're here ... or you're not. Over the weekend, we got the first sounds of lawnmowers being fired up, and even the icecream truck doing the rounds in the neighborhood. We're so ready for you, Spring. Where are you? Oh, but I would like to add, you can keep the pollen and associated allergy attacks for youself, okay?

With the little blip on the radar that slightly warmer temperatures gave us, we went to the park over the weekend, just to get some fresh air. Of course, I just HAD to take my camera along. :) Here's some of my favorite pics from the morning - of course, those that know my son won't be at all surprised by the 'funny face' he pulled! LOL These were all processed using the "Vanilla B&W" Action from The CoffeeShop:

Spring is all about new beginnings, right? How about a new designer? She always looks fabulous and is, apparently, "practically perfect in every way". Now, try to tell her that "practically" perfect is NOT the same as 100% perfect ... well, I'm not sure she'd agree. Welcome Gennifer Bursett to the designing ranks! At Design House Digital, we've seen Gen dabble in designing with her contributions to blog hop freebies, but now it's 'for real'. Check out what the DHD Decorator Team did with Gen's kits here, on the DHD Blog (yep, there's a page in there from me, too). Here's a few other pages I did over the weekend using pieces from Gen's kits, as well as other DHD designers - each page is linked my gallery, where you can find full credits:

(for the April Scraplift Challenge)

(for the April Speed Scrap)

With all this talk of Spring, I took things in a little different direction at Two Peas - a Fall-related page! Hey, not my fault - a cute kit with an owl. Need I say more?

... and to round out today's post, a silly-faced son! LOL

April Fool's Day!

2011-04-01T18:00:00.002-04:00

Well, did you play any pranks today - or have some planned for tonight? After running some errands this morning, I found the hubby at home - early. Too early. A prank? Unfortunately, no. He's now on the hunt for another job. *sigh* No notice, no warning. Oh well, two interviews lined up for next week already. Actually, the funny thing is, he's had the one for Thursday lined up for a day or two now, and he's been trying to figure out how to get to the interview while still working ... not a problem now! LOL

After all my recent medical tests, the doc gave me pretty much a clean bill of health today - but did draw more blood. He thinks I'm borderline anemic. Wow, there's a new one. Now, don't get me wrong. I love a good steak (or two), but in reality, I guess I don't really get much iron through what I eat. Oh well, easy-peasy fix.

Have spent today setting up the new laptop (birthday present from the boys). It's been sitting on the desk for a week. I'm such a tease. It was killing the boys for me not to open it ... right away! LOL I believe I showed quite a deal of restraint in leaving everything intact until now. Didn't even break the seals on the tape. So, I'm sitting here with the new laptop on one side, the old on the other, making sure I transfer and reload the applications I want (you know - Photoshop, Lightroom ... the important things LOL).

Realized I have a few pages to share with you today, so - without further ado - here you go:

(Thanks, Renee, for picking this page as the Layout of the Week!)

(so, I want to be a photo journalist ... and there are how many photos on this page?

None. Absolutely none - all journaling! LOL)

This last page, Oh Happy Day, was part of a great digital "morph" game. Remember how you used to play a "whispering" game as a kid - you'd whisper something, and that person would pass it along to the next, then the next ... and so on. By the time you got to the end, the original sentence was decidedly different? Well, in this morph game, we did a similar thing - you sent your layout to someone, but added a challenge. It could have been to use a particular color combination, an element, type of photographs. Strange thing is, we started with Layout X ... went to Layout Y ... but never really made it to Layout Z. We ended up almost back at Layout X, even without trying - and without the participants knowing what was happening to the pages! Very strange - cool, but strange. You can find all the gallery for the layouts here.

It's Your Birthday!

2011-03-23T13:59:00.001-04:00

When I first started working in the US many, many years ago (wow, too many years to think about!), I found that a coworker in another country shared the same birthday as me. Small world. I changed employers about 4 1/2 years ago ... and I have another coworker with the same birthday. Wow, small world. And now I find a scrappy friend with ... ? Yep, the same birthday as me! The world is becoming a smaller and smaller place, literally, by the minute! So, BIG Happy Birthday wishes to Rima, Vik, and Shannon. Also, smooches and hugs to everyone who's left me love on Facebook, via email, or phone call ... even my "mystery caller" - please, who are you?! Your thoughts were so kind ... but you left no name. I've been trying to think who it might be ... and I "think" I know - but "you" would normally crack a joke or pull a prank. Hhhmmm, a mystery, for sure! Once I figure things out, I'll be sure to have my hand ready to slap on forehead with an appropriately loud, "Duh!".

Today started out strange, as far as birthday's go, with a medical appointment. But, on the bright side, the technician was pretty chatty and kinda cute, so that made things much easier. My boys got me a new laptop (yay!), so that will be fun to get up and running ... and more gifts were waiting for me at the office (thank you, girls!). Then, to top it all off, I get an email notification with comments about a layout I posted last night at Two Peas in a Bucket. I thought the comments were really sweet, especially since they came from Jamie, the site Community Director ... and then I see that my page has been selected as the Featured Project for today! Awesome! My SIL and her kids might recognize the photos:

(for the Creative Team Template challenge)

Here's another one from Two Peas - that's my parent's wedding photo tucked away in the middle:

As you can see, I've been in a bit of a heritage / vintagey mood lately (is "vintagey" a word? LOL). Working where I do for various scrapbooking sites, I have the privilege to work with kits from many great designers, of all styles. At Design House Digital, Dana Zarling just moved in to the House, and I got to play with her Bella kit:

(for the March Scraplift Challenge)

But then again, my "usual" style is more clean, graphic lines. Man, I'm so indecisive when it comes to style - and what MY style might be. How about eclectic? LOL From vintage to more modern:

(for the monthly DHD Speed Scrap)

(for Karla Dudley's "Lift Me Up" challenge - and I got to scraplift Gen)

So ... wow, a longer post than I expected - so little time, and looks like I've been quite busy. Lots of scrapbook pages = no evenings, no weekends, no life! ROFL Yeah, pretty boring - but I enjoy what I do. Can't argue with that (well, you could - but it's my birthday, so you won't!!).

Wanted to wrap up with a photo I took earlier this month of Haddie's feet. Yes, her feet. The page with this will be coming soon, but I can't share right now - later, I promise. These feet make me happy. Can we all say "aaaaawwww" together? 1 ... 2 ... 3 ...

My Lucky Day

2011-03-17T19:49:00.001-04:00

Well, Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Did you wear something green? Drink green beer? Nah, not me - or anyone else in the family. I did have a lucky day, though - I received a package from Hawaii today. Okay, so I had to share (LOL) ... but thank you to "M" for the fresh Hawaiian pineapple! It is being enjoyed tonight by the family ... oh, yummo!

That reminds me (post a photo, that is, not pineapple) - a few people were asking about the shoes that I mentioned on FB (zebra stripe with red 2.5" heels) ... not the best photo, but here they are:

All Grown Up

2011-03-09T19:06:00.000-05:00

Seven years ago, this past weekend, we brought a scared little boy from Bulgaria to the United States; he knew nothing of the big wide world. Seven years ago, he barely spoke a word of English. Seven years ago, "family" was a foreign concept. Fast forward to March 6, 2011. Still learning about the world, still doesn't speak (not because he can't - but you know ... parents don't know anything, so why bother, and he'd rather hide out in his room! LOL), and loves being part of a large family. Happy Anniversary, son. You've come a long way, and we see you still growing and learning every day.

I did a page to commemorate our son's adoption anniversary, but it's reserved for publishing, so I'll have to share in a few months (yeah, I'm such a tease, I know). Meanwhile, here's a few other things I got completed in the past week or so (pages are linked to galleries for full credits):

(for the Blueprint challenge at DHD)

(for the Paper to Digital challenge at Two Peas)

A Work in Progress ...

2011-03-01T16:29:00.000-05:00

... well, aren't we all? From birth to death, we're always growing, learning, etc. But this post isn't some deep 'n' meaningful or philosophical discussion. It's much more, well, vain. (LOL) My blog is undergoing a bit of a facelift - what do you think? Still got a few things to add (like links to all my scrappy friends' blogs), but I'm almost there.

Murphy's Law

2011-02-27T15:49:00.001-05:00

What's the saying? Things come in three's? Could it be something nice, instead of, well, not nice? *sigh* Taxes done - we owe. Strike #1. Airbag light keeps coming on with the car - $1,100 in repairs for new airbag unit as old one has just 'gone bad' with age (happens to the best of us!). Strike #2. Garden being torn up with a network of tunnels; dog going nuts digging up the yard. Suspect we have a mole problem; Orkin man coming, I hope. Strike #3. So, I'm officially putting it 'out there' - no more bad things, please. Nothing that requires any kind of financial outlay on our part. A gift would be nice. Winning the lottery, too. Well, I can hope, can't I?!

On the bright side, my workouts at the gym continue to improve and today my personal trainer put me through my paces ... and wow, over one hour later, I have a new and improved weights routine to work through. More than half of my exercises increased by more than 20-30% in weight. I'll be doing some calf exercises using 160 pounds on the machine. Um, I'm moving my teenage son around! LOL That was quite the visual, I assure you - my trainer thought it was pretty funny. He was waiting for the "I hate you!" comment, but that wasn't to be. He pushed me. Yes. However, I know this is good for me - in the long run (of course, if I can't move tomorrow, I'll be saying some choice words! LOL).

Now starting to get into a routine with the gym, eating properly, and still finding time for scrappy stuff. Here's a sneak peek of a few things I've been working on for an upcoming issue of Scrapbook News and Review magazine ... oh, and one of these things is for a challenge at Design House Digital (DHD) - but can't reveal which one it is just yet.

Speaking of DHD, there's a few of us doing Project 365 this year - or a morphed version of it. I finished my February pages a little early this month - figured I wouldn't be taking any more pictures:

I also squeezed in a page about my late father. I love visiting family and friends in Australia, but it always reminds me that he's not here anymore. I swear my Mum has more strength than anyone I know (she says, tearing up as she's typing this). This was a tough page to do, but was one of those "I have to journal this, right now, while I'm feeling things" type of page:

On a more cheerful note, and with a much happier color palette, I got to scrap some of the pictures from our Christmas vacation 'down under' - who knew a hotel garden could be so relaxing?

Over at Two Peas in a Bucket, the spring kits are starting to appear, and I got to play with ChrissyW's new Spring Breeze kit. I got to use another picture from our trip to New Zealand - here's what I came up with:

As a last share for today, a page I finished up a few hours ago - Week 6 of Kerry's Lifestyle Challenge. This week I did something on the 'next steps' - my nutrition. Sure, I know what I really should or shouldn't eat ... but it's all about accountability. A designer friend has inspired me to try Weight Watchers again ... so here you go, my page and it's "all out there" for everyone to see. (gulp - but no pressure, right?! LOL)

Okay, that's enough for now - you bored yet?! LOL Upcoming events - look for the next installment of the Speed Scrap at DHD on Saturday, March 12. If you've joined me before (yep, I'm your host each month), you know the drill - one hour to gather instructions, and one more hour to create and post in the gallery. This month we'll have our own gallery, which will be nice - and makes things easier for us all to leave a little 'love' for the projects. The same weekend, Two Peas is having an online crop (March 11 - 13) ... busy, busy, busy!

NASCAR is calling, so I'm going to go now. Actually, while I watch the race, I'll be working on a few changes to my blog - got some things to update, so look for that in the coming days. :)

Sneak Peek

2011-02-17T09:08:00.000-05:00

A new issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine will be out shortly ... here's a sneak peek of some things I have in there ... sssshhh, don't tell! No, I can't show you the whole page - you'll have to subscribe to see them! LOL

Do you get the SNR newsletter? Did you see all the Valentine's tags and ATCs? Pretty cool, huh!?

Eye Candy Free-for-All!

2011-02-16T20:46:00.001-05:00

Been busy in the past week, catching up here and there ... a few old assignments completed, and a few new ones, too. So, sit back, relax and - hopefully - enjoy! LOL Each page has been linked to my site gallery; you can find credits there.

(this page uses a kit called All The Best by Kate Teague - it's a sneak
peek for you; the kit will be available at Design House Digital tomorrow, 2/17)

(my page for the DHD Speed Scrap, which I run the second Saturday of every month
- lots of chatting, running around to frantically get a page completed ... and lots of fun!)

(Week #5 of Kerry's Lifestyle Challenge at 2Ps - this week, Nutrition
... and don't miss the freebie template from Edeline Marta for the coming week)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-02-12T20:05:00.004-05:00

ROFL - wow, I've got some catching up to do, don't I? So, let's see ... Happy New Year, happy Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Australia Day ... and Valentine's Day (figured since I was posting, I'd get something in ahead of time LOL). So much has happened since I last blogged, so let's do an abbreviated version:

Enjoyed Christmas in Australia, visiting with family; got to see my brother race in a duathlon (cool!)
Took Mum to New Zealand (Rotorua) for the holidays
Spent New Year's day traveling for 20+ hours from NZ to the US
Didn't celebrate Australia Day (I'm not a very good Aussie, am I?)
Family joined Gold's Gym in an effort to be more healthy; I'm also working with personal trainer
DS passed all but one mid-term exam (not too shabby)
I got invited to join the creative team at Two Peas in a Bucket
I'm really behind on my Facebook games - my neighbors on Farmville and Frontierville are probably wondering where I am!

So, that's the last 6-8 weeks, in a nutshell. Well, I DID say it was the abbreviated version (LOL). On top of all that, I've been crafting my little heart out, creating pages for the designers at Design House Digital, and also items for publication at Scrapbook News and Review magazine. See one of those bullets up there, too ... I've joined the digital team at Two Peas in a Bucket. Thankfully, I love lists and use them to keep organized. Between scrapbooking, getting to the gym, trying to eat better ... oh, and hold down a full-time job ... LOL

Speaking of getting healthy, I've been doing a fun challenge run by Two Peas designer, Kerry Stewart - it's a lifestyle challenge. Participants are journaling all kinds of things as they work towards a healthier lifestyle. We've covered goals, exercise, and this week it's nutrition. Here's the pages I've completed so far - everything's linked so you can see credits for the pages:

I've also completed a few others pages with Two Peas designers ... like these ones:

That last one is a set of digital Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) - really love doing these. The kit I used, Teal Ambition by Vinnie Pearce, has some really great rub-ons. In fact, there's more than 400 MB of digi goodies in this kit. Not too shabby at all!

Over at Design House Digital, if you haven't stopped by this month, you're missing out on $1 deals EVERY DAY in February.

There are some awesome deals to be had - and all on sale for a few weeks yet. Grab them while you can! While you're there, stop by the challenge pages. We just finished up a great Super Bowl week, with one participant winning a Bamboo tablet (cool, huh?). *** hint hint *** Check out this month's Technique Challenge - a really cool person is running it this month.

Here's a sampling of some recent pages for the DHD designers - all linked, as well, for credits:

That last page was for the January Speed Scrap at DHD, which is a regular feature on the second Saturday of each month. Oh yeah, a really cool person runs that game, too (LOL) *** wink *** We've introduced something new beginning in 2011 - SWAT, or [Speed] Scrap With A Twist. Last month's additional challenge was to use 10 different designers. This month is ... well, hey, the game starts at 8:00 pm MST, so you'll have to stop by to find out! LOL

Wow, a longer post than I originally thought. A new issue of Scrapbook News and Review magazine will be out shortly ... I'll post more on that in the next day or two. Until then, I've still got some prep to finish up for tonight's speed scrap.

Didn't I say I was done ...

2010-12-04T22:10:00.001-05:00

I believe my last post was, quote, stick a fork in me, I'm done, unquote. Well, I've been a scrapping fool for the past week - possibly more fool than scrapping, although I'm trying to convince myself that's not the case.

In addition to working on the class as Jessica Sprague, my assignments for Journal Your Christmas have started. Last year, my first at this class, I went a little overboard on my pages (hindsight is a wonderful thing), and attempted to create full scrapbook pages AND do all the journalling, embellishements ... yeah, I quit by about December 15. This year I'm keeping things much more simple. Well, the title of the class is, after all, journal your Christmas, not scrap it to death! LOL I'm going with an easy formula for all my pages: 8x8 photo on the left, journaling on the right. I picked up some date tags from Biograffiti (Itty Bitty Dates No. 9), and some adorable holiday-related kits from Dawn Inskip ... and came up with these, so far (December 1 and 2):

For the Inspiration Everywhere class, I'm moving along with my art/inspiration journal and have now created a coordinating CD mix of songs that inspire me - and a CD cover. Yep, same kits from Christina Renee with the eclectic collage-style, which I'm loving at the moment:

Time to shut down the laptop for the night ... have a good one!

Done. Stick a Fork in Me.

2010-11-30T20:08:00.000-05:00

I've been scrapping my little heart out - the four-day weekend for Thanksgiving really helped :) With the holiday music now playing (yeah, Thanksgiving is done, so I'll allow myself to listen to the carols), and the neighbors putting up holiday lights already, I'm in the mood for a little creativity.

To get my creative juices flowing, I'm currently working on a class at Jessica Sprague called Everyday Inspiration. It's really neat - and free! (Free is always good.) We're working on art journals in which we'll record inspiration from ... well, whatever we want! Assignment #1 is already complete - my journal cover. I was inspired to do my cover in the style of a new love of mine: vintage collage-type pages. Well, actually, I'm playing more with ATC-sized "pages", so working on a larger scale (8.5 x 11) was a fun challenge. I did a bit of vintage, some quirky things, game pieces, extravagant wood carvings ... all the kinds of things I see and get inspiration from. My journal is called "I Spy Inspiration". Here's that cover - everything's from Christina Renee, who moved and just opened her store at Scrapbook Graphics. I did a little Black Friday shopping in Christina's store ... just a little.

I've also been busy working on things for Scrapbook News and Review, including an article on ... not going to tell you! LOL I'll have something in the January issue. That's all I'll say. :) It's hard to believe that I've almost been with the magazine for a year - time flies!!

Speaking of a year, Design House Digital is almost one year old - Happy Birthday DHD! (okay, ALMOST happy birthday). The designers have been coming out with some awesome kits - and I've loved playing with all kinds of things, all different styles. Here's a sampling of eye candy for you - Enjoy!

Project 365 - Week 9

(yeah, catching up! LOL)

Project 365 - Week 46

(something a little more current)

Thankful for Family

Digital Scrapbooking Day - Round II

2010-11-19T05:56:00.001-05:00

If you stopped by Design House Digital on digital scrapbooking day, you probably know we had a few technical glitches with the site and had to postpone the chats and games. If you didn't stop by, then 1. Why not?!, and 2. Ignore my first sentence! We've made a few changes behind the scenes, and are ready to bring you a whole day of fun! We have games and chats beginning at 9:00 a.m. MST ... with our last one at 9:00 p.m.! Thirteen hours - yay! The most important chat will take place at Noon (MST). I won't tell you who that's with. *** wink *** Now, I'm saying CHAT here and there ... and yes, LIVE chat! This is such a cool feature. We tested out the chat during our Speed Scrap event last weekend, and had a great time!

Okay, time for breakfast ... hope to see you at DHD tomorrow!

Bah-Humbug!

2010-11-15T20:18:00.002-05:00

Seriously, Christmas trees already? Okay, so not exactly - potted Douglas firs, complete with holiday bows. Oh, yes, folks, buy now and get in the ground before it freezes. Grow your very own Christmas tree. Not. Come on. Can we please get through Thanksgiving first. Oh, and I really do like Christmas music, but can we wait for that until early December, not Thanksgiving? Demanding, aren't I?! LOL Bah Humbug!!

With the venting out of the way, I feel so much better - thanks for listening. :) And now, to brighten your spirits (I hope LOL), some eye candy of recent pages. You can see credits for the pages by clicking on them - they are all linked to the respective online gallery.

Last weekend, I hosted the second Speed Scrap at Design House Digital. Wow, a great turnout! AND, DHD debuted it's new chat room. Yes, folks, a live chat room. I think I learned more about everyone's pizza preferences during the pre-speed scrap chat than I'd really like to know. This month's scrap was all about working with patterned papers and a white background, which can make shadows a little tricky, sometimes. Check out the DHD gallery for the pages completed during the evening - all 17 of them! Here's the page the girls were attempting to replicate. I'll admit, many of the scrap pages took on a life of there own - but that's the fun - the instructions were open to each individual's interpretation (and yeah, kinda helps if I know my left from my right - sorry 'bout that):

For this month's Scraplift Challenge, we've been asked to 'lift this page by Jennifer V. ... and here's what I came up with (the photo was taken during a Fall colors photography class that I took at Adkins Arboretum, MD, a few weeks ago):

Still in challenge mode, I just posted a two-fer tonight - a page that covers the Technique Challenge and the Blueprint Challenge. The technique challenge was all about using a themed-style of kit and producing a page that was NOT related to that kit theme. I chose to use Friends by Karla Dudley's, which leans towards a more girlie style - pink, hearts, girlfriends, sisters ... well, my son and dog is definitely not girlie LOL:

At DHD, we've also welcomed the arrival of another designer, Celeste Knight. Celeste does awesome patterned papers - a graphic style, right up my alley. Celeste just released a kit called Sunshine, and I couldn't wait to play around with it. The corner border on this page comes with just the outline - I had so much fun coloring it in using coordinating colors from the kit elements:

Over at Two Peas in a Bucket, we just finished up a quick round of the Digi Morph game - and I mean, quick! Gen kept us moving along with a two-day turnaround time requirement for all game participants. Remember that orange-leaf photo up above? I used it again, in pieces, for this page:

The last page for tonight is another challenge page (I like challenges ... can you tell? LOL) from Two Peas. In honor of breast cancer awareness last month, we were asked to create a page using a pink background. Well, not only did I use a pink background, but I took the challenge quite literally and journaled about something close to my heart (literally!):

Well, Monday night football is about to begin .... yay! Later!

It's Almost Here!

2010-11-02T12:15:00.000-04:00

Halloween? Nope, that is ssssooo, like, yesterday. Thanksgiving - nope ... Christmas - nope (although that will be fun). C'mon digi people, think about it ... think about it [picture light bulbs turning on above everyone's heads] ... Digital Scrapbooking Day! DSD is celebrated the first Saturday in November - yeah, duh, like ... um ... this weekend!

Now, for my die-hard digi friends, what could be better than sweats, fuzzy slippers, some caffeine, chocolate - and a fun day of scrapbooking, chats, games, and - of course - sales on digital supplies? [that's a rhetorical question!] Over at Design House Digital, we'll be celebrating in a big way - see, we've even got a big banner, just to prove it!

Seriously, though, there are lots of things planned, so I hope you'll stop by for a while:

25% off sale from November 4th - 7th - definately some bargains to be snapped up!
Fall blog-hop freebie
Prizes to two random gallery posters using DHD product
Chats with DHD Designers and Decorators - and the debut of our new chat room!
Different $1 kits Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

-------------------------------------

If you need a crafty "fix" before Saturday, then head on over to Scrapbook News and Review - our latest magazine issue was released this past weekend. It's full of all kinds of goodies! I could share some of my contributions as a 'sneak peek' for you, but thought I'd show you something from one of the other SNR staff members. I mean, who wants to look at my stuff, right? [Once again, a rhetorical question; a response is not required! LOL] The page highlighted below is from Debbi Tehrani, and can be found in the scrapbook articles section of the magazine. In her article, Debbi walks us through her thought process on how she built the page, why she selected particular elements, the color scheme, etc. It's great to see how other crafters put together their projects; great to get inside their head [although I wouldn't advocate getting inside mine ... not pretty and not necessarily the most organized of places] ...

Like I said, this is just a sneak peek. There are articles, inspiration items from the staff, and contributions from readers. We cover traditional scrapbooking, digital, hybrid, mixed media (tags, altered art, ATCs, inchies), and cards and stamping. Pretty much something for everyone. Go ahead, check it out - I dare you!

... and now, back to your regular programming ...

Fall Foliage

2010-10-30T19:28:00.001-04:00

Well, what a fun day I had - a photography class with Josh from Archiphoto Photography. I've taken one of Josh's classes before, but this time I managed to learn a little bit more about my camera. I'm not quite comfortable enough to go 100% manual - yet. We had a couple of hours to shoot in the early morning at Adkins Arboretum, and then Josh took us through our paces with some photography 101 - and a little more advanced things. I learned, for example, how easy it is to stitch panorama's together in Photoshop CS5. Wow. Who would have thought - just a couple of clicks of the mouse. So, here's some of my pictures from today. I'm so happy that most of them are SOOC (straight out of camera), with no processing. That, to me, means my photography is getting better ... well, better in my eyes. (Oh, and the panorama is a composite of four pictures.)

Christmas is Almost Here!

2010-10-28T14:11:00.000-04:00

Wow, less than three months until Christmas Day - which I will be enjoying in sunshine and 80+ degrees. Yeah, you hate me right about now, don't you?! LOL Well, not to worry, I've been busy working on holiday cards, layouts, ATCs, all kinds of things. I know, I know ... it isn't quite Halloween yet, and I'm scrapbooking memories of past holidays, traditions, gifts. Well, YOU could too! Have you ever been published before? Would you like to? Take a look at THESE CALLS for Scrapbook News and Review magazine - there's really something for everyone.

Merry Christmas!! (ROFL)

Scrapping Nemesis - do you have one?

2010-10-11T09:55:00.002-04:00

So, what is your scrapping nemesis? You know. That one thing you'd like to do ... a look to achieve ... something you try over and over, and yet it still doesn't look right? Your page looks back at you, teasing, mocking ... For me, it's using patterned paper as a background. I'm a solids girl. White, kraft, blue, even black. Sure, I'll use patterns for elements, but backgrounds ... ? I saw a way to challenge myself during the speed scrap at DHD this past weekend - after all, I was hosting the challenge. *wink* Each month we'll be having a speed scrap (2nd Saturday, 10:00 pm Eastern), and each month I'll be picking a technique or element that can, for some, be a little challenging. Last month, we cropped photos into squares (I think the participants were really happy that I didn't pick circles instead! LOL) ... this month, working with patterned paper: journaling over patterns, pattern as background.

Here's the page I did using Kate Teague's Life in October kit. I was happy to see quite a few participants in the scrap this month - even some of the DHD designers stopped by, which was nice. One lady even joined us from New Zealand, on her birthday, no less! Now that's pretty cool!

I really love the powder blue date tag in this kit of Kate's, so I used it again (LOL) in my Project 365 page for last week. * shock ... horror * I did a P365 page at the end of the week when the events actually occured?!

P365 is made a lot easier when I actually keep the camera out. Have more pictures to scrap after this past weekend. Did you do anything for 10/10/10 (yesterday)? I thought about scrapping 10 things for the day ... but we ended up driving to Charles Town, WV, for a little bit of fun, instead. Took a little detour to a pumpkin patch ... a pumpkin patch on TOP of a steep hill with a gravel road, wide enough for about 1 1/2 cars, so passing was fun - not! Didn't get many pictures of the pumpkins - the place was packed with people, but did get some nice ones of the farm. Will be scrapping those, for sure.

Christmas is almost here!

2010-10-09T17:34:00.001-04:00

Eeek! Christmas is almost here! LOL Okay, so it's not THAT bad - but have you seen holiday decorations in the store yet? I have. Can we at least get through Halloween first, please? Oh, and while I love Christmas songs on the radio, can we maybe wait until after Thanksgiving this year? Four weeks of non-stop holiday music is kind of enough.

Speaking of holidays, the staff at Scrapbook News and Review are busy working on our holiday sampler issue of the magazine. It will be a great issue of all things holiday. On the digital side, I've got the pleasure of working with a designer that the team will spotlight - and she's a doll! Miss "X" (can't give anything away! LOL) is a designer I love - I have quite a few of her kits. So much fun! I've also been hard at work on various submissions ... but my new love is ... Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). Yes, they can be digital, too! Here's a sneak peek of my ATCs for the holiday sampler:

If you're not sure about ATCs, just give them a try. The canvas is small at 2.5 x 3.5 inches - but that's the challenge! A little piece of art. Maybe a title or some word strips, not much journaling, if any ... creating a picture or 'feeling'.

Want to jump in with ATCs? There's a sign-up for an ATC swap over at Two Peas in a Bucket. Never done at ATC? Don't worry - you're not the only one. C'mon, what have you got to lose?

Over at Design House Digital, the shop is full of new kits, some for Halloween, some not. Here's a page I finished this morning with Karla Dudley's Modern Marvel kit - does anyone recognize this one? I think it was part of a monthly release at The Daily Digi.

Okay, time to get busy for tonight - you going to join me? Remember? The speed scrap at Design House Digital ... 10:00 pm (Eastern) ... see you there!

Karla Dudley joins DHD!

2010-10-07T12:29:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo - Karla Dudley has joined the designer ranks at Design House Digital. Karla's kits have soft, clean lines, a graphic feel that's right up my alley. The brushes are awesome, too. To celebrate Karla's arrival, ALL of her kits at DHD are 30% off through October 11. Here's a page I did with Fly Girl - I took this photo quite a few years ago, but still think it's one of the cutest of my great-niece (wonder if her Mommy remembers this?).

Don't forget to join me on Saturday night for our second Speed Scrap at DHD. Oh, can't make this one - don't worry! I'll be hosting a speed scrap the second Saturday of every month. See you there!

It's time again!

2010-10-04T15:38:00.001-04:00

Yay, another speed scrap is coming to Design House Digital ... hosted by? Oh ... me! Hope you can join us this weekend for some fast-moving scrappy time. One hour for instructions (given every ten minutes), bonus hour to finish your creation. Don't forget the caffeine and chocolate!

Fall is Almost Here

2010-10-03T11:15:00.002-04:00

Fall ... Autumn ... whatever you want to call it ... it's almost here! Yay! There's a chill in the air (which makes a nice change from the 90+ degree weather), the air-conditioning has been turned off, windows are open ... nice. All we need now is a little color. So far, there's an awful lot of green still in my neck of the woods. Here and there, there's a spattering of red, but not much else. I hope we'll get some yellows and oranges. We'll have to wait and see. Honestly, with the topsy-turvy weather we've had recently, I don't think the trees quite know what to do with themselves. See this one? Red leaves on the same branch as green ... I think the poor tree is a little confused.

With the start of October, we're now hitting what I call the 'downhill run'. Before long, Halloween will be here ... then Thanksgiving ... then Christmas ... and then, hello! It's New Years and we ring in 2011. Do you know we're less than 12 weeks away from Christmas?! Yeah, thought I'd throw that out there and scare you a little LOL

Halloween isn't really an event I celebrate - it wasn't a big to-do in Australia. However, that hasn't stopped our [now very American] son for getting into the swing of things. Seriously, though, as an almost-16 year old, he really couldn't care less about the costumes ... it's all about the candy. Yep, still all about the candy. LOL I haven't purchased candy yet, but did get some really cute pumpkins and corn - mini versions. A friend recently commented that I should try carving a pumpkin. Well, Jennifer, I'm working my way up to that ... mini versions of everything this year, and we'll build from there, okay?

In fact, Jennifer is running this month's photography challenge at Design House Digital - photographing fall fruits and vegetables. Here's a few of the pictures I took this morning:

Speaking of challenges, they've been revamped at DHD - and restyled so you can more easily find the gallery posts everyone makes, plus the forums. This is the new challenge page.

Over at Scrapbook News and Review, we've just finished up a fall tags series - some serious awesomeness from the staff who contributed. Even me, as a digi gal, can appreciate the details the staff put into their craft. Really cute. Here's a sneak peek of my contributions to the October issue of SNR magazine:

So, as you can see, page-wise, I've been a scrapping fool! LOL Nine things for SNR, and then other pages elsewhere. I've actually been catching up on my Project 365 pages ... but I've realized I have a problem: there are some weeks (more than I like to admit), where I don't have any photos or any journaling; I have no idea what we did! This is what happens when I wait too long to create:

So, I'm working on getting my P365 pages all caught up - well, as best as I can. It also means that I really need to keep my camera out at all times, so I at least have ONE photo to scrap about! LOL

Here's a little eye candy of a few things that I finished recently. Credits for each page can be found by clicking on them (you'll be taken to the gallery information):

Okay, so much to do, and so little time - today we're heading to an Octoberfest carnival for a few hours. Hopefully the weather will stay sunny (forecast is for rain).

Photo Extravaganza!

2010-08-23T10:10:00.000-04:00

Well, if you were in need of some photos today, you came to the right place! As promised, here are photos of our backyard renovation/landscape project. In the space of one week, a crew of three demolished our old, rotting, retaining wall ... and replaced it with stone block. They also tore up the old patio, putting down pavers ... and even replaced a little retaining wall in the front yard so that it would match the stone in the back. It was great to come home each day and look in the yard to see what had changed - and everything changed so quickly! When the project manager called to apologize for the crew running behind schedule, we look at the yard, at each other, and then ... huh?! Behind? Um. Okay. If you say so. (LOL)

Before

A Work in Progress

Finished

The grass is now starting to grow back in ... everything looks really nice. Thanks guys!

We got all the work done just in time for Mum's whirlwind visit. The heat and humidity weren't fun to deal with, but we still managed to catch a few sights during Mum's stay. Here's a few sneak peaks, along with my favorite photo of Mum and Stan:

I have scrappy pages to share, but need to get them in order, first. So, on that note, I'll be back later!

August - Seriously?

2010-08-06T08:07:00.000-04:00

Wow, I can't believe it's August already. Okay, so yes, the calendar says it's August - duh. But seriously ... it will be Christmas soon! Oh, don't laugh - you just know we're going to be seeing Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations in the stores any day now. Once we get to Labor Day, it's basically a downhill slide from there until the New Year. O.M.G. It's almost 2011!

Well, before we get to next year, I've got so many things to do! Wonder how many scrapbook pages and projects I can complete over the next couple of months? Hhhmmmm. Finishing a project assumes that I don't start any new ones mid-stream, right? Yeah. Not going to happen. The cabinetsin the kitchen are still needing to be refinished. Well, at least the drawer fronts have been repaired and are back in place with new runners and nice handles. Now, if we can stop the dog from opening the drawers and using them as a step-ladder to get to the counter. Gggrrr.

One project that will be completed is our backyard make-over. After two months of waiting for Association approval and obtaining County permits, work began this week on our new retaining wall and patio. The previous homeowners (or perhaps the people before them) did a really crap job of putting up a wall and patio. Now tell me, if you have a retaining wall, about 3.5 feet high, would you make it with untreated 2x4 lumber? Would you not put any supports running back into the hill (the 'dead men')? How about the patio construction. Compacted gravel or composite base? Nope. How about a wood frame (yep, 2x4's again) placed directly on the ground. Cover this with plywood, slap some pavers on there and then fill in the gaps with quick-set concrete. Uh huh. Sure, that will work.

A three-man crew has been working at the house all week, demolishing and rebuilding everything, properly. They're almost finished - Monday is when we expect to have everything wrapped up; the final inspection is scheduled for that day. Gone is the wood wall, replaced by stone block. We even got the contractor to throw in replacing the little retaining wall in the front yard (which was original to the house, so 25 'ish years old), as a freebie. The new patio also looks great. I'll post a few pictures over the weekend.

On the crafty side, I cleared out some baskets in the spare bedroom and found that I have two sweaters that need finishing. All the pieces have been knitted; they just need to be sewn up. Sounds strange to be thinking of wools and knitting in the middle of summer, but that means everything will be finished (it's on my project list) by the time the weather turns. Sat down and knitted a little last weekend ... found it to be quite therapeutic and relaxing.

My scrappy mojo is here, in full force at the moment. There have been some great new releases at Design House Digital in the past couple of weeks, including the addition of a new designer, Karen Funk. Karen was a decorator at DHD and has now moved into designing - and I love her kits and style! I just used Karen's Color My World kit to create a "rainbow" type of page. I've seen these before and wanted to try one - you layer elements of similar color families on top of each other; love how this came out. Here's a few of my latest pages (click on the page for gallery link and credits). My full gallery can be found here.

Wow. I think I'll stop there - and I still have more that I could have posted. LOL So my mojo is really here right now ... that or I totally have no life. Speaking of which, got plans for Saturday night - yeah, THIS Saturday? Join me over at Design House Digital for a Speed Scrap! We have a really great host for this fun game. The scrap will start at 9:00 pm EST - but we'll be chatting before then, making sure everyone has the requisite supplies, i.e., some form of caffeinated drink and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

Oh, and do you have a subscription to Scrapbook News and Review magazine? Look for tutorials from yours truly in the August issue (will be out later this month) on using the Healing Brush tool, and also on extractions ... oh, and some awesome eye candy and inspiration pieces from the digi staff. I even did another (yes, my second! LOL) ATC ... look for that in the September issue.

Where does the time go?

2010-07-05T16:30:00.001-04:00

Seriously, it's July already?! Wow. My son has graduated middle school and is eating me out of house 'n' home, the heat has set in ... it's definately summer.

I've been busy doing things around the house, preparing for visitors from Australia. They stayed for a few days over the holiday weekend and are now in New York before heading home - well, home via Fiji (lucky them!). We had a great time and decided to see a few things out of town - Luray Caverns and Kings Dominion. The boys had a great time together. Here's a pick of them at Kings Dominion after running around one of the waterpark sections:

Our next visitor will be in August - family this time (although the visitors that just left may as well be family, I've known them for so long LOL).

In between the house "stuff", I did my two Saturday's of photography at Brookside Gardens. Big "hey" out to Toni, who told me about the class in the first place - it's great when you get to meet online friends IRL. We had one Saturday of butterfly photography, and the next weekend taking pictures of flowers. Can't believe I took over 230 photos of butterflies in just that one session. I've already turned the photos into pages for my P365 album (which is dreadfully behind - my bad), plus I caught up on my Memorial Day photos:

Credits: Summer Template #24, Tiffany Tillman; Life in June, Kate Teague; Summer Picnic, Sara Schmutz; 365 Starter Kit, Deena Rutter.

Credits: Just the Photos 2 - Angled, Kate Teague; Road Trip Elements and Textured Cardstock, Audrey Neal; 365 Starter Kit, Deena Rutter.

Credits: Summer Template #16, Tiffany Tillman; Americana, Carina Gardner; Good Dog, Audrey Neal; 365 Starter Kit, Deena Rutter.

I also just completed a page using Audrey Neal's new Mod Flower mini kit - it has a kind of retro feel to it, so I aged my photos to help them fit better. Yes, this page was completed using a MINI kit - gone are the days where a mini was only a few pieces of paper and an element or two!

Credits: Mod Flowers Mini Kit, Audrey Neal; Stuffy Template No.1, Tiffany Tillman; Orange Crush Mini Kit, Audrey Neal ("&" recolored); Baby Safari Tattered Frames, Carina Gardner.

All of the kits and templates from these pages can be found at Design House Digital.

I've been busy over at Scrapbook News and Review, too, creating all kinds of things, including an ATC - an Artist Trading Card. Now, if you've created these using traditional scrapbooking methods, you know they're pretty small - only a few inches. Digital would be a breeze, right? Um, not quite. Instead of a 12x12" page, I used an ATC size and worked from there. Most digital kits are sized for much larger canvases, so it was a challenge to resize things and keep them in proportion ... but it was fun. So, with the ATC first, here's a few of my pages from the May issue of SNR Magazine:

Credits: Greymouse Manor Winter Ball by Lori Davison

Credits: Gypsy Rose collaboration by Studio Rosey Posey and Studio Gypsy; I Remember When, Barely There Solids by Carina Gardner; Worn Frames by MaryAnn Wise; Rooted in the Past by Birgit Kerr; Vanity Fair Coral Stamps by Jen Allyson; Royale Wordart by Veronica Spriggs.

Credits: Watch Me Now, Michelle Underwood.

Wow, I just realized how very different those SNR contributions were, in style ... LOL

Okay, a longer post than I'd anticipated - guess I had more to share than I thought. Well, it's Monday afternoon on a holiday weekend, and I've got things to get ready for work tomorrow. Summer school also starts tomorrow for Stan, so I should make sure his backpack really IS packed. Chat with you another day!

Decision Made!

2010-06-18T15:37:00.000-04:00

As a follow-up to yesterday's blog post (wow, two posts in two days? wonders will never cease!), I made my decision ... and purchased just about every single one of the new releases at Design House Digital! LOL And, not one to waste a moment, I've already completed a page using Audrey Neal's Good Dog kit - you KNOW I had to use that one, right, for a page about Haddie?

And since I was on a decision-making bender, I got another lens for my SLR camera. Yeah, that's the camera I got, what, last week?! LOL A really nice wide-angle lens is on my wish list, but for now, I wanted a good macro lens so I can take close-ups of flowers 'n' such. I ended up with the Tamron AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3. There was a Quantaray 200mm lens, but the store only had the display one left; the Tamron is better quality and a better lens, overall. So, to test things out today, I took a few photos of a coworker's daughter - and she's the cutest thing (the daughter, that is). I'm not really one for doing portraits - and I have a new-found appreciation for anyone that takes portraits, professionally, of small children ... wow, they wriggle a lot, don't they?! I've still got some fingealing to figure out with the color balance, but for my first pictures, I don't think they came out too bad - I even got some decent catch lights in the eyes (oh, the wonders of flourescent office lights LOL). Here's my fave, with a little post-processing (and thanks to The Pioneer Woman for the "ethereal" photo action):

Tomorrow I head off for a photography class at a local garden - we'll be in the butterfly garden, so I'm really looking forward to playing some more with the new camera.

Life is Hard

2010-06-17T12:35:00.001-04:00

Oh, the choices we have to make! Why can't there really be an Easy button for life's decisions? Yeah, okay, I can go to Staples and buy one - but I want one that really works, is that too much to ask? Probably. So, here's my dilemma ... blue or pink, dog or barbecue. Seriously, might just have to get everything as it's on sale today (new releases are always on sale for the first day):

What? Oh, my bad - my life decision for today is what new digital kit - or kits - should I buy from Design House Digital to add to my stash! LOL Yes, it's a very important decision ... quit laughing! There's even MORE things, with a new kit from Sara Schmutz that's all about summer, and Deena Rutter has added a few more things to her Scarborough Fair line. You can buy just pages or elements or a whole kit. See how this is getting more difficult by the minute?!

*** begins to breathe into a paper bag to prevent hyper-ventilating ... in ... out ... in ... out ... ***

Okay, decision made: I'm getting everything! LOL Here's a page I finished using something from last week's new releases.

Credits: Madeleine by Audrey Neal; 365 layered layout template #6 by Deena Rutter.

So, with that decision made, the rest of the day should be a breeze, right? I mean, I've "only" got to wrestle with the Home Owners' Association about the new retaining wall we want .. and then there's the contract to review for the new attic fan ... and maybe when I get home I'll do some work on the spare bedroom - we have out of town guests arriving at the end of the month and, um, there isn't even a bed in the room for them to sleep on. My bad.

No rest for the wicked.

The Debate Continues ...

2010-06-10T09:47:00.002-04:00

In the never-ending debate of Nikon vs. Canon, I made my stand. Canon. Yes, Nikon might have faster shutter speeds, but I don't tend to take a lot of action shots - I'm more a landscapes / still's kind of gal. Canon has great HD video, which will be good for capturing those "boot scootin'" moments with the great-nephew (long story), or the various choruses of Phantom of the Opera sung by my great-neices. Canon - more mega-pixels. About the same on price ... yes, I waged a war with myself for a few days on which side of the fence to fall on to.

My new toy arrived this week, so I've already had a little play time. It's going to take a little getting used to, and some learning with all the advanced settings - but, thankfully, not all this is new to me. As I played with my new camera, I also said goodbye to my digital point 'n' shoot. It's been a faithful camera for the past couple of years, and will go to a good home - my teenage son. I scrapped a page to commemorate the breakup; hopefully, when you click on the picture to get a bigger version, you can read the journaling:

Credits: This Moment (iNSD freebie) by Audrey Neal; Pinfeathers by Carina Gardner; Lovestruck by Audrey Neal (heart modified to “break”); alpha from Blog Hop Freebie, Design House Digital (various designers); template (modified) is 365 Layered Layouts Templates No. 5 by Deena Rutter.

My journaling is usually much more serious. The facts. This was fun to do. LOL But, now with the new camera in my hands, I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do. I have a photography class coming up - two 2-hour sessions in a local butterfly garden and conservatory. Can't wait!

I have another layout to share - another fun one - it's called Froggy Boots. I've seen these kids boots before and when I was asked to create a page using these photos ... well, I knew the perfect kit, too. So much fun! It was totally cool to see the page included in a design article at The Daily Digi (a new site I discovered a few months ago). This layout was also in April's issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

Credits: Rainy Day by Audrey Neal; Template (modified): 365 Layered Layouts Template No. 9 by Deena Rutter; Font: Pea Sammy Jo.

At home, we're playing a waiting game - waiting for the home owner's association. We've finally decided to bite the bullet - the financial bullet - and get some much needed hard-scape work done in the backyard. The new stone retaining wall and brick patio will, I'm sure, look fab-u-lous when it's finished ... but we need HOA approval first on a few things ... then the County permit ... then to schedule the job ... waiting ... waiting.

Oh well, more waiting means more time to scrap and take pictures. Works for me!

Eye Candy

2010-05-24T13:32:00.002-04:00

Not much happening for me - working on home improvement projects ("someone" got it into her head that it would be "fun" to refinish all the kitchen cabinets LOL) and scrapping. So, here's a short 'n' sweet post just to share some eye candy with you. The first is a double-page layout - click on the picture to open up a larger view. :)

Credits: Going Dotty Template, Simple Reflections (patterned paper and alpha), and Neutral Cardstocks by Audrey Neal; "This Way" sign from Travel Log Road Signs by Sara Schmutz.

Credits: Expectantly Yours by Audrey Neal

Credits: Playzone by Meredith Fenwick

A Mommy Again

2010-05-10T13:32:00.001-04:00

Well, almost ... I'm almost a Mommy again. Oh Lord, no, I'm not pregnant (phew!) ROFL - remember my last blog post where I mentioned the birds building a nest in my hanging geranium plant? Well, I took a little sneak peek into the planter this weekend, and this is what I found:

I'm going to have baby birds! Aaaaawwww. Still have no idea how long it will take for them to hatch, so I'll just have to check every once in a while - would love to get a picture of the new birdies.

Speaking of Mom's, did everyone have a great Mother's Day (either for them, or for their Mom)? My boys took me out to lunch on Saturday (beating the Sunday rush), which was nice. Of course, it was supposed to be DH and me, alone ... but DS insisted on coming and even paying for everything! He'll learn ... LOL Sunday, itself, was full of the usual household chores ... bleh. But then the guys left me to my own devices to craft away. Actually pulled out a tapestry canvas for a while; made a nice change. Got a few scrapbook pages finished for Scrapbook News and Review Magazine, where I'm a staff member on the digital team. Oh, wanna see a sneak peek of what's coming up in the May issue from me? Here you go:

And for your viewing pleasure, a few pages from the challenges at Design House Digital (we have 4-6 going every month - and all are eligible for a gift certificate at the end of the month). There's six challenges this month - and I'm on a mission to complete them all!

The first page is for a scraplift challenge, and the second is for a photography challenge. The scraplift pages uses pieces of Audrey Neal's Just My Type kit; the Sunshine page uses a freebie from Kate Teague. The photography one was fun - lens flare. This is something I usually try to AVOID in my photographs, so it was kinda cool to figure out how to show it, deliberately! LOL

I Survived - yay!

2010-05-04T13:22:00.000-04:00

Yep, looking back, I'm definitely glad that I had Friday off. Checklist:

Run the edge trimmer around the front yard - check. Backyard ... um, no.
Dog to the groomers - check.
Dog to the vet - check ... dog back to the vet today :( Poor baby - limping due to the shot she had.
Paint living and dining roms - check. Chose a color called garbanzo ... yeah, like the bean. LOL
Finish planting hostas in backyard - check.
InterNational Scrapooking Day - oh yeah, played until after midnight, and kept scrapping until 1:30 a.m.

{i}NSD was so much fun - freebies, chatting with the gals and designers, and getting a little scrapbooking in along the way. Here are two pages that I finished over the weekend. The first was a challenge from MaryAnn Wise (at Design House Digital) to use the brushes freebie from her chat ... the second was a real challenge - a blind scraplift of a page by Audrey Neal. We were able to ask 20 questions to get a feel for what Audrey had created, but that was it - that was a furious and fast hour for the chat, that's for sure.

Credits: papers from Audrey Neal's NSD freebie; brushes from MaryAnn Wise's NSD chat freebie; scallop from Organic, Mudpie Alpha - both Audrey Neal; mask in larger photo from Carina Gardner's Essentials line; brackets from the blog hop freebie.

Credits: Vanity Fair Persimmon - Jen Allyson; Mudpie Alpha - Audrey Neal; Background paper from Butterfly Fancy - Audrey Neal; Paper for photo mat from Rainy Day - Audrey Neal.

Afer a long Friday and Saturday, it was nice to spend Sunday just chillin' in the backyard with nature - and boy, did we get some visitors! LOL I guess the birds are enjoying the warmer weather 'cause they were everywhere, including in my hanging geraniums on the patio! I had noticed two little birds constantly coming and going - and then I realized: they're making a nest in my hanging plant! Aaaawww, I'm going to have baby birds. I'll have to keep tabs on the nest ... anyone know how long it would take for them to finish and lay eggs? Thankfully, the birds have been very accommodating and have decided to make their nest towards the outer edge of the planter - can we say photo op? I did snap a couple of pics of them bringing building materials to the planter.

But, I have to say our nature winner for the day was a turtle that Haddie discovered. He was a pretty big guy, about the size of an appetizer plate. Of course, he wasn't too thrilled at me picking him up - but hey! I give you a nice cool, damp home outside the fence in the grove of trees ... or you stay in our backyard, only to be hounded by a dog poking you. Well, Mr. Turtle, your choice. After I dropped him off outside our yard, the turtle stayed very still, so I was able to get a photo of him between the fence posts - is that a look of disgust?

It's Here!

2010-04-29T10:40:00.000-04:00

Okay, so ALMOST here - can't blame a girl for getting excited, can you? Only about 48 hours to go ... oh, don't know what I'm talking about? National Scrapbooking Day! Okay, I guess this should be renamed International Scrapbooking Day, right - gotta love technology and how we're all connected now. :)

A lot of scrappy sites will have fun and games this weekend - some even start tomorrow and run for three days. I'll be hanging out at Design House Digital (and may pop in to a few other places, too) - won't you join me?

Here's the thing ... the designers at DHD are keeping things pretty close to their chests ... they won't tell us what they have planned! Makes things even more interesting - and you know me, I love a challenge ... and oh, bring on the games! Hhhmmm ... that banner says "site-wide sale" ... uh-oh, that could spell trouble.

Now, the big question - will I have enough time this weekend to get everything done that I need to. Okay, "need" is too strong a word .. "want" to is probably better. Take dog to groomers, take dog to vets (poor baby needs her annual shots) - yeah, she's going to love me (NOT!) after this weekend ... paint the living room since the temp's are supposed to be in the high 80's (niiiiice) ... finish a few scrapbook pages ... chat on the boards, play games ... get the edge trimmer out and tidy up the front and back yards ... plant a few more Hostas ... oh my. Glad I have Friday off! ROFL Think I'd better print of a "to do" list that I can keep on the fridge and cross things off as I go. I'll definitely need to put my multi-tasking hat on for the next few days, especially since there's still the usual household chores to be done, too - laundry, ick ... vacuuming, ugh ... dusting, double-ugh (I think our entire dining room and kitchen is covered in pollen) ...

So, what do YOU have planned for the weekend? Are you in NE and digging out from this weeks' snow? Will you be gardening? Barbeques or picnics for anyone?

All from a freebie?

2010-04-21T20:54:00.001-04:00

Seriously, sometimes the generosity of digital designers amazes me. For many of them, this is more than just a "hobby" or love; it's a business - their sole income, or a second income ... and yet, on many sites, designers give away freebies. Sometimes the freebies are papers, elements, or - in this case - a full kit with solid and patterned papers, two complete alphas, frames, flowers, wordart, a box for hybrid projects, and more.

This kit is a collaboration from 10 designers at Design House Digital. It's SO easy to get - just participate in the blog hop from the designers and pick up pieces along the way. What could be easier? I had so much fun yesterday getting everything and wanted to share a page I've already completed. Hope you'll download the kit, too, and share your creations.

Summer's Coming!

2010-04-20T09:15:00.001-04:00

A sure sign that summer is on it's way - the dog wants to spend all day outside, even when the temperature's only in the low 60's. A little sun is all the encouragement she needs. Last weekend, she took full advantage of what little such we did have, and laid on her beach towel (yes, she has her own towel ... don't ask), working on her summer tan.

Credits: Daisy Jane Collection by Carina Gardner (Little Uniform paper pack with Paper Bits word strips); stitching from Carina's Essentials collection; staples taken from a template by Tiffany Tillman. All available at Design House Digitial.

Adoption: A Worthy Cause

2010-04-14T16:21:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo - two posts in one week! The girl's on a roll!! (yeah, and I've also had wwaaaaay too much caffeine today - so be warned! LOL).

I promised to share a page with Carina Gardner's Baby Mine kit, for which the proceeds of all sales this month at Design House Digital will go towards a couple adopting their first child. And so ... without further ado *** drum roll please *** voila!

Okay, so our "baby" was nine years old when he was adopted, but that doesn't distract from the feelings of being a first-time Mom, Dad, family, etc. Of course, pretty happy that we avoided potty training, diaper changes ... LOL

If you'd like to see what the other Decorators did, CLICK HERE to check out today's blog post at DHD.

Support a Worthy Cause

2010-04-12T15:52:00.003-04:00

Anyone that knows me and my family will also know that my son is adopted ... and this, for obvious reasons, makes adoption near and dear to my heart. Whether adopting a newborn, a toddler, or an older child as we did (my son was nine years old), the joys of parenthood are comparable to no other ... yeah, even when that child turns into a hormonal teenager! LOL

Please join me during the month of April to support a family as they work through the adoption process. For the scrappers - digital and hybrid - among my readers (what's that - like three people?! ROFL Lord, I hope it's more than that!), I hope you'll consider purchasing Baby Mine, a newly released kit from Carina Gardner. It is Carina's sister that is going through the process of adopting a baby boy - you can read a little more about this on Carina's blog. Regardless of who is adopting whom, I just have to add that this is the cutest kit! There are adorable animals (personally, I love the giraffe), and the mix of blues, greens and yellows makes this work for a baby boy or girl. Okay, hybrid guys 'n' gals ... are you thinking cards or announcements with this kit? I know I am!

I'll have a layout and a few other things to share in the coming days - yep, I just purchased this kit for myself!

Speaking of Design House Digital ... hands up if you're a fan on the Facebook page? C'mon, I know there are some of you out there - the site has just over 1,100 fans - not bad, huh?! If you'd like to sport a cute DHD banner or blinkie, feel free to snag one or all of these. I'll ask, though, that if you use them, please link the graphic back to DHD - http://www.designhousedigital.com ... thanks!

What the ... ???

2010-04-02T17:21:00.002-04:00

Well, the month of March came and went - and not a single blog post from me. My bad. I was going to post yesterday, April 1, but then figured you'd write it off as an April Fool's Day joke! My birthday was last week and the boys sent me the cutest little plant and teddy bear, which arrived at the office, right on time.

The flowers are teeny tiny and so adorable. The pot they came in is only about two inches tall.

Scrappy-wise, I have so many layouts to share that they would crash the blogger server LOL ... so, I'll go with a selection instead. Starting us off is my most favorite layout at the moment - Queen Bee. The layout came about for a challenge at a new blog, Lift This, being run by Vinnie Pearce and some of the girls at Two Peas. Vinnie used to have her own site (Pixel Canvas), but recently joined the designer group at Two Peas - yay for us! Lift This is a challenge blog designed to help digi scrappers improve on their shadow work, to create more realistic pages. Each week a paper/traditional page is posted that we scraplift and try to get our shadows to look like the 'real thing'. Of course, I took my scraplift in a somewhat different direction (that shouldn't surprise you LOL) ... so here's my page and a link to the original page to work with:

Also from Two Peas, the digital morph game finished and WOW, hard to believe we all started with the same page! You can find the links to both groups here, on this message board post - and it includes information from some participants on where they found inspiration from the layout they received. This is the page I did for the challenge:

Over at Design House Digital (or DHD), we just finished a month of "March Madness" with some awesome Monday sales - freebies plus two or three kits for just $1 ... AND, I believe that offer is going to keep going into April. Oh, and speaking of April, imagine my surprise to log in yesterday only to find that the admin group had been working hard overnight, adding bits 'n' pieces to the designer and decorator (CT members) profile pics. Right now, I'm sporting a beautiful moustache! LOL Thanks girls, real cute.

I'm running my first month-long challenge at DHD - a photography challenge. I hope you'll stop by and play - and as an added incentive, everyone who participates has the chance to win a gift certificate for the sight. Now, come on ... how hard is taking a photograph? Really. The designers run challenges, too, and some of my CT team-mates have things for you, too. Everything can be found in our Challenges Forum. Also, check out the designers at DHD ... we had a few new ladies join the site in recent months - welcome Kate Teague and MaryAnn Wise! If you're a Two Peas digi guy or gal, then these names might sound familiar *wink*.

Speaking of MaryAnn ... I used some of her spring stickers (recolored) in one of my latest P365 layouts. This is a two-fer as it combines P365 with Melissa Esplin's March Swatch challenge:

People ask why I "went digital" ... this page is a good example. For whatever reason, if I ever took a whole bunch of stickers and tried to layer them like the cluster I have here ... well .. it would look like I sneezed product on a page. Hopefully, that's NOT the effect I achieved here LOL The photo is of a bud on my azeleas, which appear to have survived the 2-3 feet of snow that got dumped on them.

For a little fun, I just HAD to scrap this photo of my son. Funnily, some people thought he was hugging a REAL kangaroo ... um, no. Just a statue. During our visit to Australia last year we visited a place called Cockington Green, which has the most amazing miniature houses, replicating cottages and scenery from England. At the entrance to the gardens, there was a kangaroo statue that just begged to be hugged.

The template and papers for this page all come from Deena Rutter - who, by the way, also has a great line of die-cut templates, as well as things for the hybrid scrapper - envelopes, boxes, etc. I love Deena's templates and used one for a color-blocked, fun pages about the boys:

Speaking of hybrid ... well, I did it ... I broke out the traditional paper supplies and used Deena's envelope template (SSSSOOO easy to use!), and created a little something. Of course, I realized that I'm VERY out of practise with my inking skills! LOL But, for a first (in a long time) attempt, I think this came out pretty well:

The March issues of Scrapbook News and Review magazine is out - do you have a subscription? If so, you'd see some of my work in there *** hint hint *** LOL Here's a few things from the January and February issues that I can now share with you:

Okay, I think I've just made up for a whole month with no posts! LOL The weather is beautiful, so I'm going to head outside to do some gardening - assuming the ground isn't too mushy from all the rain we've had recently.

Final Hours!

2010-02-28T16:07:00.001-05:00

Have you taken advantage of the $1 deals at Design House Digital this month? Only a few hours left - and wow, there are some bargains there!! I'll admit, I've done my fair share of shopping (and might do some more tonight before prices go back to their regular amounts tomorrow). There's a whopping 44 kits to choose from - wordart, papers, overlays, frames, mini kits ... all kinds of things! I feel like a kid in the candy store!

Speaking of mini kits, I'll admit that I usually don't go for these - not enough "stuff" ... but I proved myself wrong last week ... I did a page that I love using nothing else that papers and elements from Meredith Fenwick's Apron Strings Mini Kit. For only $1 (yes, it's one of the February deals at DHD), I figured I'd have nothing to lose - right? Wow, so much fun. I'm also thinking that with it's muted/vintage red, white and blue colors, it will be great for 4th of July pictures. Here's the page I did:

I've been busy with other things, too, scrappy-wise that is. (LOL) Here's some other pages I got finished for my Project 365 (credits can be found by clicking on the picture):

... and here's some other pages. The first two use kits from Jen Allyson - I love her whimsical style (her little birds are just the cutest!). The third is from Audrey Neal - once again, a little whimsy with a graphic/clean lines style ... right up my alley.

Over at Scrapbook News and Review, I've been busy creating pages that you'll be able to see in our March 2010 magazine issue. I'll let you in on a secret ... sssh ... there's some GREAT things in this magazine - and no, just just digital scrapbook stuff - there's cards, stamping, mixed media ... all kinds of things. Here's a sneak peek of what I've created (so far! LOL):

Over at Two Peas in a Bucket, the next round of the digital morph challenge is well underway. I did my contribution this week, sending it on to Jane ... woo hoo! Now ... we wait. It's like torture, but in a good, fun way LOL The "big reveal" is always fun, seeing what everyone did, and where they took inspiration from the layout they received - and even better, since it's a "blind" challenge, we have no idea what everyone is doing; we only see the layout of the person immediately in front of us in the group list. I had a lot of fun with Debi's layout - can't wait to share it with you all.

Okay, still got a page or two to finish for today ... so I'd better get back to it! Actually, this will be the first time I've sat down and scrapped all day - spent the morning putting together a new dining table and chairs that we got from IKEA yesterday. I {HEART} IKEA. *sigh* Between the new furniture, US vs. Canada hockey game at the Olympics, NASCAR ... life is good this afternoon. DH has just announced he's ordering pizza tonight for dinner - so no cooking, either. Nice.

Eye Candy - Project 365

2010-02-07T20:35:00.000-05:00

Are YOU doing Project 365 this year? I'm "kinda" doing a layout a week, hitting highlights of week. I know others who do a photo every single day ... but you know what, I found I lead a pretty ordinary life, and I'm pretty sure I'd run out of things to photograph around the house! That said, my week #4 layout (below) is all about the ordinary, everyday "stuff" LOL Everything I've used is available at Design House Digital - just check out the gallery for credits, or click on the pictures and you'll get taken right there ... yep, the gallery is up and running. Feel free to share your digital and/or hybrid creations - we'd love to see what you've created.

Did you hear about all the snow we got this weekend? A whopping two feet, easy! The boys spent the day with neighbors digging us out ... and I spent the day taking photos! (well, what else?! LOL) Here's one of my faves - the sky was just sssssooo blue this morning; it really was pretty outside:

Superbowl is on ... time's a tickin' ... so I'd better get off the computer - well, for a while at least.

What Could Be Better Than This?

2010-02-01T11:12:00.002-05:00

A freebie and TWO kits available for $1 at Design House Digital (DHD)! Oh, before I go on, I should mention that I updated my blog post from the weekend ... not ALL DHD kits will be $1 in February - my bad ... however, there will be something each day. Check the site daily to see the new $1 kit(s) released that day and take advantage of this great price - at the end of the month, they go back to the regular price. So, here's what today's kits look like (and if you love hybrid, then the freebie from Deena Rutter might be right up your alley!):

Also, I wanted to share a page I finished up using a freebie from DHD - everyone who became a Facebook fan of the site recently received this ... our goal was 600 fans - and wow-ee, we have nearly 850 - and counting!

A New Face

2010-01-30T20:58:00.003-05:00

LOL - no, not me ... the blog, silly! I figured it was time for a facelift and a time to step a little bit outside my comfort zone and to TRY and customize my blog a little. Yeah, well, after two days of reading line after line of HTML code ... I called a friend. LOL Mary, you're such a sweetie - thank you for helping me with (okay, doing), the final steps.

So, do you like the new look? Kinda funky, huh? The background paper, header, and even the sidebar labels/headings are all from Melissa Esplin's Psychedelic Circus Blog kit. Now, c'mon admit it - even that kit name is pretty cool, huh? Psychedelic Circus. The kit actually has two slightly different versions of everything in it ... well worth the purchase.

Now, I know you've heard me talking about Design House Digital all month, but I have a little surprise for you - well, not ME, exactly, the designers at DHD:

Yep, some kits released in February will be available for $1. Bargain! From what I've seen so far with the January releases, I'm beginning to think I might have to crack open that second hard drive 'cause I'm going to need the storage space! Eeeeekkk.

I've been so busy recently with things for Scrapbook News and Review magazine. The January issue is now out, my first as a staff member - quite exciting, really. I've been busy preparing my February contributions, which include an article. OMG, I actually wrote something that will go to digi-print?! Can't give anything away as to what I've been working on, but here's a sneak peek (aka, a tease! LOL):

On my photography "stuff", I took a lot of pictures of my great-nephew and nieces during a recent trip to see family in Mississippi and Tennessee. What a crappy trip! Oh, sorry, NOT the family LOL The airlines screwed up a LOT of stuff, even cancelling an a.m. flight, leaving us possibly stranded in Texas to wait until the next day for a connection. Yeah, right, like THAT was going to happen! Thankfully, I had taken my laptop with us, so with the help of a wireless connection, we rebooked a few things, changed a few things, and still managed to arrive, basically, on time. It was great to see all the kids ... I'm sure their parents can't quite figure out why I love taking pictures of the little ones so much - but hey, they're willing subjects - although trying to chase down a two year old is fun, especially when I was competing against mud, puddles of water, and sidewalk chalk ... I'll let you guess who won.

Okay, enough babbling for tonight - got things to do. Later!

THURSDAY = SHOPPING!

2010-01-21T11:10:00.007-05:00

Wow, there's SO MANY new goodies at Design House Digital - yep, Thursday is new release day - AND you get 30% off by making purchases today. Okay, now fess up, have you been following along with the site? If you have, then you'll also know that some new kits were released on Monday, too ... sneaky, huh? I can't wait to get started and "playing" with the new items - and I think you'll see there's a little bit of everything to suit all manner of tastes - here's a sneak peek at just a few things:

Seriously, something for everyone from full kits, to individual paper packs, to those "essentials" that you just use over ... and over ... and over!

There are nearly 300 products in the store ... what's YOUR favorite? Here's a few of mine:

I see a weekend of scrapping ahead of me ... LOL

Eye Candy to Share

2010-01-11T14:30:00.010-05:00

Yep, not the sugary stuff, but pages ... and pages! Having been away for New Year's and then jumping right back into work, I guess I must have - deep down - been suffering from scrapping withdrawals ... well, that's what I'm telling myself to justify the countless hours I spent attached to my laptop over the weekend! ROFL With the grand opening of Design House Digital on January 1, I'll admit I went shop-happy and now have SOOOOO many goodies to play with - everything here today is from DHD ... yep, everything! Oh, and to make things "worse" (but in a GOOD way, of course), there are MORE NEW RELEASES today on the site - that's on top of the 70+ kits that were released last Thursday. Can we say digi heaven?!

In looking at these pages, I'm surprised at how, stylistically, these are all different ... oh well, I had fun, and that's the whole point of this art form - right? Doesn't matter what it looks like, so long as I captures the moment or a memory that I want it to. Oh, and for those that have been asking, yes, there are some pictures from San Antonio in here, too.

This first layout is Week 1 in a Project-365 series - only 51 more to go! LOL Some people take photos every day and then create weekly or monthly pages. I'm going more for the highlights of the week - and, obviously, a start in San Antonio fit the bill. Really, what else could compare for the rest of the week - oh, my commute ... what we had for dinner ... ? Nah.

Credits: Scrappable Collection #6 by Tiffany Tillman; Monster Jam papers by Spencer Nugent; Design 365 Starter Kit by Deena Rutter.

And for something very much different - a black background with shades of grey, popped with some more pictures from San Antonio. The Riverwalk was a great area to just hang out. Even as early as 10:00 a.m., the restaurants were opening up and encouraging people to stop and stay a while.

Credits: Soiled Papers #1 and Brush Set #2 both by Spencer Nugent, Winterberry by Audrey Neal (for the staples).

Okay, so I mentioned earlier about the additional new releases at DHD today? Here's something from Audrey Neal's new Winterberry line.

Credits: Winterberry kit, Winter Piecings, Winterberry Solids Paper Pack, and Ice Alphabet all by Audrey Neal. The template is also from Audrey. Stitching is from the Essentials collection by Carina Gardner.

And now, back to your regular programming ...

New Year and New "Things"

2010-01-07T11:57:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone! Been a busy little bee these past few days, so I figured I'd better get that New Year salutation out there before it's Valentine's Day! LOL Did everyone see in the New Year in style? At a party? Maybe just sitting on the couch in jammies? We were in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl ... and had a great couple of days. More on that later ...

To start of the New Year, how about a little incentive for some digi shopping? Check out that banner to the left - yes, you read it correctly ... 30% of new kits TODAY ONLY - and this isn't just one or two kits ... I believe 70 were released today! YES, 70! Personally, I've picked up some great kits for a 365 project. Are YOU doing "365" or a version of it? I've decided on weekly layouts, but just hitting the highlights - not necessarily a photo a day. Hopefully I'll have my first page completed in the next day or two for Week 1 of 52 - figured I'd include January 1 and 2 in Week 1. But I digress ... check out the releases for today - and see what ELSE the banner says ... 30% off EVERY Thursday on new releases! That's definitely something to mark in your calendar, for sure - I know I will!

Want to see what I've created with things from Design House Digital (DHD)? Well, even if you say no, too bad ... LOL! Here's a page I created using Carina Gardner's Sugar and Spice kit, along with her Essentials Mask #3. By the way, if you're just starting out with digital scrapbooking, then take a look at Carina's whole "Essentials" line - basic papers, masks, stitching ... great things to add to your basics, just like the basic suit, little black dress, etc. The little bird is from Jen Allyson's Design 365 January kit (which has coordinating stamps and stickers released today - hint hint!).

... and to round out today's post, here's a sneak peak at one of the photos from San Antonio - we named this guy Gus. We found Gus at an African Safari drive-through wildlife park near New Braunfels, about 30 minutes from San Antonio. Isn't he cute?

Digital Freebie Kit!

2009-12-30T15:27:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I mentioned that Design House Digital (DHD) will have their GRAND OPENING on Friday, January 1 and that there will be two freebies for those that register on the site ... and here's a sneak peek at one of them ...

If you click on the kit picture, you'll be taken to DHD's blog where there's more information about the opening and happenings planned for the site.

Hope to see you there!

Wahoo, It's Almost Christmas!

2009-12-29T13:13:00.007-05:00

Okay, so perhaps you think I'm losing it, or lost it a while ago, when you read this message subject line. Yes, I know the official day of Christmas, December 25th, has come and gone ... but a girl can have TWO Christmases, right?

Design House Digital (DHD) is going live in a few days - and you can get 30% off ANYTHING in the store as a welcome, but just for this weekend (January 1 - 3, 2010). But wait! If you jump in now, you get a set of steak knives, free!!! Okay, so you know that last part isn't true ... but there IS a little incentive for you (if 30% off wasn't enough) ... stop by the site, register, and get TWO FREEBIES from some of the DHD designers. I hope you'll stop by - SOON (hint hint) - and say hello. In fact, why not pull up a chair, grab something to eat and drink, and stay a while ... Did I mention there's a male designer in the House? Check out DHD's blog for details - and also to find out who else is joining this fun group! Whether you're new to digital scrapping, or if you've been "in the know" for a while, I'm sure there are at least a few names you'll recognize on the DHD designer list.

******** and now, back to your regular programming ********

Well, we did it! Twenty layouts per group, two groups, and six weeks of exchanging emails, layouts, and messages ... and voila! The digital morph game/challenge at Two Peas is finished. I couldn't help myself and posted the final results on Christmas Day for everyone. You can find the layouts for Group 1 here and for Group 2 here. You'll see that we all started with the same layout (thanks Corinna!), and went from there. As the layout morphed from person to person, each of us took inspiration from something in the page we received, and just went with the flow. The beauty of this is the whole thing was a secret - you only ever got to see the layout of the person immediately before you. Of course, as coordinator for the game, I got to see everyone's (as I was responsible for posting everything in the gallery when we were done), but I didn't sneak a look, I promise.

Here are the two pages I completed. The first is a morph of Corinna's "Just Us" page (the fourth page in this group), and the second is a morph of Esther's "Christmas (???) Shopping". Both had great elements to work with - can you see how I translated Corinna's and Esther's pages into my own?

(credits for each page can be obtained by clicking on the pictures above - a link will take you directly to the Two Peas gallery)

Change is a Good Thing!

2009-12-22T15:38:00.007-05:00

I know it's a bit early for New Year's resolutions 'n' all ... so I'm not going to give you any! LOL but I will say (now, c'mon, you knew I'd have to say SOMETHING, didn't you???) that change is good - and opportunities for change come from all venues, some as complete surprises.

My first surprise: getting contacted by the Editor of Scrapbook News and Review (SNR), and being asked to become a staff member. Me?! Seriously?! But, there I am, my name is officially on the staff roster at the magazine! Well, yeah, of course I said yes - who wouldn't?! SNR publishes a monthly online magazine that covers all kinds of scrappy-related items - scrapbook layouts (traditional, digital and hybrid), ATC's, card, stamping ... so much fun. I've been following the magazine for a while, and even had some of my pages published there - and now I'm a part of it. Wanna see what I've been creating for my staff contributions? HA! You'll have to get the magazine to find out - yeah, I'm a bit of a tease, aren't I?! LOL Okay, okay, so here's a sneak peek:

Like I said, you'll have to get the magazine to see the full page *wink*

My second surprise: I've been invited to be part of Design House Digital (DHD) with their grand opening on January 1, 2010. Remember my last post, where I used the freebie kit offered at DHD? Well, I'll be part of the creative team, a Design House Decorator (cool name, huh?) when the site launches. It promises to be a fun adventure -- won't you join us? Check out the DHD blog ... see the designers who will be at the site? There's such a mix of all things digital and hybrid - something for everyone. You can even follow DHD on Facebook and Twitter, too. The site is the baby of Jen Allyson - if you love her stuff at Two Peas, then imagine what she can do with her own site ... the possiblities are endless. Once again, an opportunity that just happened to come my way by being in the right place at the right time. Change is good.

What else? Oh, I know - hands up those of you that have been following the digital morph challenge/game at Two Peas? Well, reveal day is almost here. One group is down to the last contributor (moi :) ), and the other group has one to go. I was pulling for a Christmas Day reveal for everyone, and it looks like that's going to happen. Hope you'll check the message boards and digital gallery to see the changes in everyone's pages - it promises to be quite dramatic. After all, the original page will have gone through 20 morphs on each team! Phew! Of course, I hope that I keep all the layouts in the correct order within each group when I post the results ... no pressure ... ROFL

Yes, I'm still scrapping and journaling my holidays - just not as quickly as a page a day, like when I first started the month. However, I have a 4.5 day weekend, starting tomorrow afternoon, so plenty of time to scrap and just relax.

If I don't touch base here before Friday, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, safe with family and friends.

In Search of ...

2009-12-08T08:13:00.004-05:00

... templates! LOL No, not really ... but kinda. (yeah, how confusing is THAT for first thing in the morning?!).

When I looked into this the Journal Your Christmas class with Shimelle this year, my first thought was, "Templates. I'm going to need templates in order to create 30+ pages!" ... and off I went, in search of ... well, "stuff"! I purchased every template that Jen Martakis has at Two Peas. Yep, her Simple Starts AND White Space lines. What can I say ... Jen's a kit pusher, and I was easily influenced ROFL - okay, no, seriously, I love the base template and build from there.

However, having some 12 templates just wasn't enough. No, I'm not greedy ... just want to be prepared. I mean, a girl just never knows when she'll need "the" template, right? I had seen some message board posts about Tiffany Tillman's 25 Days of Christmas class which come with 25 templates. Ooohhh, goodie, I thought ... but I didn't need to sign up for another class. I'm not one to set myself up for failure deliberately. Perhaps I should have signed up, though - the templates, at least what I can see from the posted pages, look really cool. But, Tiffany's also has some freebies on her site ... perfect for what I needed!

Although I haven't used one of Tiffany's templates in my holiday journal, I did use "Hoopla" for a holiday page: a Christmas letter, of sorts, to my puppy. Yes, you read that correctly - my dog. Not my son, husband, or human family member ... my dog. I used another freebie that I found at Design House Digital. If you check out Carina Gardner's blog, you'll see that she's moving to this new site in the New Year. Eventhough things aren't officially up yet on the new site, I signed up for the newsletter and got the Christmas kit, for free (I love free).

So, I'm in search of freebies ... templates, kits, mini kits ... what are your faves?

Catching Up

2009-12-07T20:00:00.003-05:00

Catching up and/or catching my breath ... one page a day for the past six days PLUS our holiday cards done and ordered. Phew! Not much to say as I've been busy with these pages ... but then I realized: I haven't posted any completed pages in a few days! Shame on me!

So, without further ado, here you go - Dec. 4th, 5th and 6th - 7th to come. Our family holiday card is also here, at the end. You'll see that I've starting using a different kit, "attempting" to blend it in a little with the Vintage Holiday Memories kit that I've been using up until now. This new kit is also from Michelle Underwood, her Wonderful Christmas Time kit.

(I LOVE the photo on this one - the depth I managed to achieve with the ornament in the background ... behind the gift bow ... yeah. I did that myself. :) )

December Daily - Still Here!

2009-12-04T11:44:00.003-05:00

Yep, I'm even surprising myself ... day #3 and layout #3 completed. Okay, so today is "officially" December 4th, but I DID complete 99% of this page yesterday - so that counts, right? Did an impromptu photo session with DS and the dog last night. Well, I needed some pictures, didn't I?! LOL DS was a good sport about it - and the dog would do just about anything for a treat (I think she had enough, almost, for another meal! Sheesh.).

Listening to Jingle Bells playing on the radio ... office Christmas tree went up this morning ... forecast for tomorrow is a little snow. Lovin' it!

Off now to grab lunch and think about today's page ...

Two-fer!

2009-12-02T14:54:00.002-05:00

Yep, two pages in two days ... I'm on a roll! Now, the question is, can I keep this up for the entire month? Okay, maybe not. We all know "stuff" happens ... but so long as I can use the weekends to catch up, then I should be okay, right? With the base page already completed, it was simply a matter of taking some time during lunch to add journaling and a photo. I "cheated" a little and didn't do a photo today, but had this one saved from a few years ago - it works perfectly with today's page, and it happens to be a fave of mine, even if it's not perfect with that honker of a snowflake on DS's face ... sheesh, and right between the eyes, too. LOL

And now the fun begins ...

2009-12-01T21:00:00.003-05:00

For the past week or two, I've been such a tease with my base or prep pages for my "Journal Your Christmas" album ... and here we are, December 1st and a page to create ... and voila! I'm done. I'm really happy that I had some pages to select from to begin with - made things a lot easier after a full day of work ... my brain is pretty much mush at the moment. So, here's my page. It's a promise to myself to step back and smell the roses, so to speak. I really need to slow down and ENJOY the holidays. All too often I'm running from point A to point B and as for relaxing ... ?! HA! Yeah, right. Let's see how I do as I work through this month's project ...

(previous posts on this blog will point you in the direction of credits for the page)

Another base page ...

2009-11-28T18:41:00.005-05:00

... and they keep coming - which is a good thing as I need 30+ pages for my holiday album! LOL

(wonder if Jen M. recognizes her template ... hhhmmm ... ???)

ETA: Got another page finished tonight! Yahoo! Used the same template as above, just rotated it 90 degrees. As with all the others, the title and photos will change - these are just samples so I know what to place where.

In the spirit!

2009-11-27T13:33:00.004-05:00

Well, it didn't take long - holiday shopping almost complete, tree will go up shortly, eating Thanksgiving leftovers ... the holidays are almost here. Hard to believe that Christmas Day is now officially less than a month away! EEEKKK!!

Still working on the base pages for my '09 holiday album ... just wanted to share. Six base pages done now ... still quite a few to go. LOL

Some pages don't have much room for journaling, which is the whole point of Journal Your Christmas ... well, duh! Think I'll create some blank corresponding journaling pages to make a double-page spread with a few of the bases.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday.

Letter to Mr. Mojo

2009-11-25T09:16:00.003-05:00

Dear Mr. Mojo,

Can I just call you Mojo? It seems we've known each other for so long, and adding "Mr." in front of your name just seems so, well, formal. Not my style at all - and not yours either, I suspect. Glad we got that settled.

Now, I know we've had our up's and down's over the years, and while I'm not complaining or anything, could I please know why you keep leaving? I mean, I'm sure glad you came back this time, especially at such a busy time of year. See, with you here, I've been creating up a storm - and even last night, with one eye on the television, I still managed to put together this page:

I don't know why you leave ... wish I did. Maybe then I could get you back sooner. I mean, the creative drought that ensues when you're gone ... well, it's just cruel. I look at a blank screen - and just keep looking! I'll open kits and spend a lot of time pushing elements around on a page ... and ... nothing.

Oh well, not to dwell on the negative. You are here, and I'm glad you are! What can I do to entice you to stay? We'll be having Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow - you'll be here for that, right? Turkey, sweet potatoes, baked veggies, green beans ... oh, it will be nice. I hope you can make it. On Friday we're going to get into the holiday spirit and put the Christmas decorations and tree up. An extra pair of hands is always welcome, especially for placing those ornaments at the very top of the tree. I'll also be wrapping some of the gifts that need to go overseas, and always find that I need a finger to help hold a ribbon in place ... can you? Will you ... ?

Well, hope you relax today as I will be calling on you over the four-day weekend (yep, no work, so we'll be busy, that's for sure). If I don't see you tomorrow, have a great Thanksgiving.

-- Me.