PhotoPaperScissors

Scrapping (and blogging) again

2012-02-01T06:05:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I've (a) dealt with Blogger and (2) used Photoshop Elements, that I'm overwhelmed by changes. So this is the new dashboard? (sorry, you can't see that, can you? Umm...it's...clean!) And I had to uninstall my "Inspiration Browser" (I didn't even know I had such a thing in PSE) and re-install the new one, then "launch" it from within PSE? (took me a minute..."Tips and Tricks," THERE it is!)

All this to show you two quite ancient layouts that I've FINALLY got around to finishing. Yes, 2010. Ancient. Right?

November 2010. I thought I had saved this turkey decoration, but couldn't find it in the disaster area that is our basement storage room (even shelving didn't help) to mine it for "things Tess was thankful for," so I simply zoomed in on the photo and found 2 things that were readable on the feathers: her family, and Silly Bandz (wow, how ancient is that?!) LOL

I thought I had written down the name of the baby reindeer the kids visited at our local library...so I had to find the date of the photo in my files (12/20/10), then *find* my 2010 diary, look up the entry, only to find...umm, no, I did not write it down (I think it was Bingo...no idea why...or why it matters). I sat down yesterday and finished the journaling without it. Imagine that! I still had room on my journaling card. Huh.

Now I am off to discover why Networked Blogs is not updating my Facebook page with these entries (there's another new one just under this one...try not to faint in amazement that I updated). But maybe that's all resolved now. Otherwise, you may get here by a self-serving link to my timeline. Hey, me updating this blog (and *scrapbooking!*) is NEWS.

Travel With Me - 2012 Sketchbook Project

2012-01-29T08:19:00.001-08:00

Travel With Me - 2012 Sketchbook Project, a set on Flickr.

After posting this FOUR times to my old PPS blog, I finally figured out where to change my Blogger URL in Flickr. I now have a Pro Account again, and hope to be sharing more from Flickr this way. Whew!

Anyway, this is what I have been working on since returning from our holiday vacation. Now it is winging its way to Brooklyn, just under the January 31st deadline. Yay!

Spending today working on our Hawaii mini-album...hope to share that with you soon!

Whoa!

2011-10-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

Bad, bad blogger. Just got back from Scrap Camp and I managed to finish 41 layouts...now, 29 of those were 6x6 pages for my kids' summer mini albums, but since they took the better part of my first day and a half of camp, I'm counting them as full pages! I will have photos soon...just so dang wiped by the late nights at camp...still catching up on sleep...and the Boy has decided No More Pull-Ups at night, which means LOTS of interrupted sleep and LAUNDRY :( Yeah, that's not going so well. YAWN. Okay, just wanted to let you know that I'm alive and will be updating (better) soon.

The grass is green...

2011-05-20T05:07:00.000-07:00

Since this is not a weight loss blog, I'll keep this brief...on Easter Sunday I started walking. Oh, I've stopped, thank you very much, but I made the decision that I was (once again) at an unacceptable weight and I needed to start moving more...a lot more. Not running yet; since that didn't go as well as planned last year, I'm working my way towards it slowly. I walk, swim, use the arc trainer at the gym, and do yoga (LOVE). I have been trying to get in at least 30 minutes of movement four times a week for the last month, and it's working...I've lost 4 pounds total, slow and steady, and set up a new routine that I plan on keeping up once the kids are out of school.

Ben is almost there...next week is his last week. We've decided to send him to Young Fives instead of kindergarten, even though his birthday is not that late in the fall. So many parents are holding their kids -- especially boys -- with fall birthdays back, and in comparison to his current classmates who are already 5 years old, Ben has a bit of maturing to do. I'm sure he'll be all caught up by the fall, but what worries me more is when he is 12...and everyone in his class is turning 13...because they were held back.

I have not been getting a whole lot of scrapping done. Our Friday nights kind of petered out; we get one a month in, it seems, and my scrap room is too distracting for me to get much done. I am really hoping to scrap at home tonight; my scrap buddies all have daughters in a dance recital tonight, so nobody's hosting.

My best achievement of late is finishing a project from CKU Detroit...which came through in 2007. MAN, that felt good. It took a girls' weekend and limiting my crop choices to finally get it done, but I did it!

Hey Kelly, this one's for you...

2011-03-10T15:59:00.000-08:00

Seems my favorite crop organizer and all-around best scrapbooker buddy, Kelly, has been looking for a new post since...umm...February? Sorry, but LOAD 2011 kept me busy. I did manage to complete a layout a day in the month of February (plus 1), and I'm hoping to participate again in May. In the meantime, I need to give a little love and attention to my much-neglected scrappy blog.

Here are the layouts I did last Friday at Kelly's house. I wish we were having a church crop tomorrow, but I can't stay to close up (at midnight), since what kept my daughter home from school 3 days this week is now attacking my system. You know it's serious when you cancel the EXTREMELY RARE babysitter you had for tonight's Supper Club Adult's Night Out (dinner! in a restaurant! with adult conversation! no kids!! Heaven...) because you'd like to crawl under the covers with the 5 year-old bottle of prescription cough medicine you just found in the back of your medicine cabinet.

Heaven forbid a medical doctor would give me a new prescription. They don't seem to be into that these days, unless you have a fever. Thanks to these new-fangled thermometers, you can't do that old "hold it to the lightbulb while the nurse is out trick," a la E.T. In the meantime, I will be organizing 4-hour doses until what I have is gone. Which should be around 10p tonight.

Onward...

This one was based on a sketch from BHG's Scrapbook Etc. Page Planner (published in 2008, I believe). I pulled this specialty issue out near the end of LOAD, and just keep finding inspiration from it. Which is pretty funny, considering I haven't used it since I bought it. Lain's "Kill Maybe" philosophy was an eye-opener.

This one turned out to be SO FUN to do. It certainly didn't start out that way! I was trying to print out 2"x3" photos at home, and my printer nozzles were clogged. I was nearly out of color ink, and -sure enough- by the time I did a few maintenance runs, I was completely out of color ink :( (doncha just love how that works?!)

I quickly threw my photos on a DVD and went to the CVS near Kelly's house after dinner out together. Apparently various smaller prints on a single sheet are under the "collage" option on Kodak Print Makers. I did not have the patience to figure that out (the picture maker at my local pharmacy is pretty upfront about how to put 4 different 2x3 prints on one 4x6 sheet. I'm spoiled!) and went with 4"x6" prints of my faves.

So, I ended up with larger (and fewer) photos than planned for both layouts, and had to get creative with my own "sketch" on this last one. I had fun going through my color-organized papers (wave of thanks to Stacy Julian for that idea) for various blues, borrowed a perfect background cardstock sheet from Kelly (thanks!...you need a blog too, ya know?), and took off running with layers & sparkles and everything nice to put this last one together.

Here's my whole LOAD 211 set...have a trick for making new sets, since I don't have a "pro" account at Flickr anymore (I need to take care of that, BTW...) Seems I can set up a set through the flickr app on my iPod Touch (score!), then I can go to flickr.com and add individual photos to the new set. Twenty-nine LOs, in all...I had extra inspiration on day 5, it seems.

I'm editing photos while the cough syrup lasts...hopefully I will feel good enough tomorrow (and dd will go to her half-day of school tomorrow, to give me a break...alas, no such luck with the preschooler) to get a little more scrapping in...with HOME PRINTED photos.

Until then, hoarding my cough syrup...

Hunkering down...

2011-01-31T12:47:00.000-08:00

Two things are supposed to happen this week: a big snowstorm, and the start of the L.O.A.D. (LayOut A Day) challenge at ScrapHappy. Yes, I finally decided to "pay-to-play" since I've been struggling to find a scrap/sharing "home" for more than a year now, without much luck.

Actually, I did pay-to-play at the Digital Scrapbook Artisian Guild this past year. While I enjoyed the online magazine, their digital designs weren't really my style. You can upload any product there now, but I found it to be a very quiet group, and there are no traditional paper layouts there at all (which makes sense, given the name)! I've let that subscription lapse.

I did recently sign up for Masterful Scrapbook Design through Get It Scrapped...and I really enjoy the lessons (when I take time to read through them...) There is a $10 monthly fee for the lessons, webisodes, chats, gallery, etc. etc. and so far it has been worth it. I need to take better advantage of it, though. My big roadblock is that I have to clear my IE cookies for it to work in IE. Since I have so many websites I've joined (with varying user names and passwords), I hate to clear all that info. As a result, I have to log in to MSD through Google Chrome...and again, I have to think of it in order to get it done.

In the meantime, I have been doing quite a bit of paper layouts...I had total fun working at home this past Friday and really let my creativity flow!

This one I did at a church crop with my local scrapping friends a few weeks ago. I really wanted to use one of two woodgrain papers I had (green, from SIStv, or brown, by Hambly), but both were too busy for my large photos. I ended up weaving them together and putting them at the bottom...a look I really love! Michelle gave me a Maya Road tree top & trunk she wasn't going to use, and I misted the heck out of them, then decorated the tree with pearl "apples" for fun. I really like how this one turned out!

This is one of the two I did this past Friday. It's an old photo (December 2009!) but I found a layout to lift from Gundrun's blog and took off with it. I especially love the subtle subtitle along the left side...it's what I imagine Ben is saying every time I look at this photo! Best of all, I used textured paper (on the right) that I've had since 2003 -- yay, me!

I did this one late on Friday, and feel like the bling is too much. I used Lain's End of the Month Inspiration photo, and my new fringe scissors (thanks, Becky!), though, and these pictures are scrapped (score one for me)! I love that I found another use for the ribbon I HAD to have this past spring...American Craft's rose ribbon. Only now I'm almost out ;)

Massive Update...knittin & scrappin fool

2011-01-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

So, last weekend was the much-anticipated F52's weekend, hosted by the lovely Debbie with her amazing kitchen and many comfy rooms. I had offered my house at one point but it might have been crowded (and, getting rid of hubs & kiddoodles for the weekend tricky at best).

I started knitting little gifties for each and every one back in August (dishcloths, with handmade soap from a friend), but my near-Waterloo was The Bag. Seems last year's bag (felted) for Tresha went over so well, the organizer (that would be you, Kelly!) somehow...hmm...managed to end up with me as her Secret Elf this year. I had been wanting to make this record bag from Funky Knits (record = 12", scrapbook crap = 12"...coincidence?!) and here was my chance.

Little did I know I'd be knitting in the handle just one. day. before I was to get together with everyone. And hand it off to my mom with seconds to spare Thursday night so that she could (generously offered to) put in a lining. Since the yarn could not be felted, it needed something to hold it together. Mom even put in pockets! Mom rocks.

Found the perfect batik lining on Thursday, too...after stopping at the knit shop to get the last 4 yards of yarn (!) needed to finish up the handle. Queen of Last-Minute Finishing, that's me!

Here were the knitted goodies I gave to each lady, done in her fave colors. It pays to be my friend ;)

And here are the 4 LOs (6 pages, if you count like my buddies. I like how my scrap buddies count)...PAPER layouts, I might add...that I finished over the weekend.

From May: Vintage Vroom...Ben in the pedal cars at Greenfield Village, while we were waiting for our ride on Thomas.

Shop Class, also from May 2010 - same trip...Tess making tiny brass candlesticks at the Armington & Sims machine shop replica at Greenfield Village...finally using the Graphic 45 papers I've been hoarding ;)

From waaaay back in December, 2009 (!): A visit from our friends and their son, who hooked up on DS with Tess, while Ben pretended with his new "Leapster DS" ;)

And my one double-pager, about the awesome Creative Play program organized by Kelly at her church in Chelsea. I miss Creative Play! And MOPS. But not enough to have any. more. babies. thankyouverymuch.

We were all pretty good Friday night, got to bed by 11:30p (amateur), but I stayed up far too late on Saturday watching Toy Story 3 (until 3a!) , and woke up Sunday feeling under the weather. Even brunch at Gandy Dancer didn't perk me up. A birthday party for one of Ben's preschool buddies at Chuck E. Cheese's that afternoon sure as HELL didn't make me feel any better, so I'm late in posting all the goodness. Had to assist at the co-op yesterday, luckily I was feeling okay enough to go and not sneeze or cough on any little ones. Peace out.

Feels so good...

2010-12-27T09:30:00.001-08:00

To do a little paper scrapping!

Well, this was a while ago...about 3 weeks, I think. I had just organized my Studio Calico kit (which I am no longer getting, but have plenty to spare!) papers by color, and cleaned out my inspiration binder, so I was ready to rock. I like how this one turned out. A LOT. The mists went on quite dark but dried beautifully. Perfectly, in fact.

I was ready to upload this one at the same time, but it needed something more. There was a big blank spot above the chipmunk in the large photo, and I filled it with a die-cut swirl. Did I tell you I bought myself a Sizzix Big Kick with some birthday money? I am all about the hand-crank, heh.

I had more than one Christmas surprise, when I was not expecting any. Not after the rockin Laptop Gift of 2009. How could E top that? I even said as much to him when he told me he'd bought "something technical" for me this year. I was ready to give him a list (with one thing on it: The Cinch) when he told me that, so I didn't mention it at the time.

Then he headed out to do some "last-minute Christmas shopping," wink wink nudge nudge on CHRISTMAS EVE. Yeah, that's last-minute alright. I had figured his "technical" gift from earlier was a red herring (maybe an origami-folded paper wallet? haha), so I told him about the Cinch wish, but he shook his head and said "I'm not going all the way out there" (to the JoAnn's Etc on the other side of town) even though I had a coupon for him if he wanted to check it out.

Flash forward to Christmas Day: not only did I get the Cinch, but also the promised "technical" gift, which was truly a techie dream: an iPod Touch (which I refer to as simply the "iTouch"...probably incorrectly, since it sounds a little dirty).

The first app I downloaded was the Hipstamatic. I have been drooling over others' photos from this app for a while now...and now I have some of my own.

I've been thinking about participating in another 365 project, starting in January, and the iPod Touch makes it soooo much easier to participate than lugging my DSLR around (both lenses are having focusing problems, to boot...I need to get them to a repair shop). Since I started taking pictures right away, I figured, why not start a 365 right away? So I did.

Now to get a Flickr pro account again. Mine expired in September and I haven't taken the time to renew it.

It's always darkest...

2010-12-08T10:19:00.001-08:00

...just before a little Glimmer arrives...Somehow I won this kit by commenting on Northridge Media's/Scrapbook Trends' blog on Black Friday. I have no memory of entering a comment (or a contest), but I'm not complaining! Oh my no. I noted that they also selected "random" winners from folks who had ordered $50 or more from Northridge that day, but I know for a fact I didn't do that (I was too busy getting freebies from the awesome DigiScrap Addicts blog train rolling that day)! I did pre-order their Christmas Cards magazine back in October, but that was only about $20 worth of stuff. Clueless! Anyway, thank you Northridge Media!

When I got the email saying I'd won, I'd been having a particularly rough day...I don't remember why, probably due to the 2 (count 'em, TWO) last-minute Co-op fundraisers I was compiling...coffee sales & scrip cards (remind me not to do that again, please...not Ways & Means, but 2 fundraisers due at the same time)...yesterday when the package came I'd just finished a day of errands, good errands, but at the expense of completely forgetting the high tea I look forward to attending each month with my Mom...she called to see if I was on my way as I was heading out the door to do those errands. Grr. Then...package! Which made me feel better, if not her. Sorry again, Mom :(

My current daily obsession is the month-long sale going on at Designer Digitals. Stop, I beg of you! Every day they put new things on sale, things on my wishlist and things I hadn't noticed before. One of the first things I downloaded was the Circus Circus paper kit from Jesse Edwards, with my photos from the Ringling Museum eagerly waiting in the wings. I tweaked it a bit every night, especially the titlework, where I taught myself how to cut letters out of a patterned paper using a layer mask (quite proud of myself, I am).

It has been easy enough to avoid buying Ali Edward's handprinted title/word packages (I really should use my *own* handwriting, right?), because I have the (legally!) downloaded Creating Keepsakes version of her handwriting font (which I used here). Still, it's missing the lovely flow of actual handwriting, so I believe a few (ahem) of Ali's lettering packages have made it into my cart in the past week or so.

Here's to hoping I can avoid further temptation...16 more days to go...damn you Designer Digitals! :D

2010-12-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

"I don't want to share this LO! I don't!" (folds arms, stomps, pouts). Well, here it is anyway. The unvarnished truth: I ran today, and paced my mile: 12:38, nearly a minute off my 13:30 time from August! So, I WILL share this LO. It's solid, it's where I'm at, and I finished it today.

Am I happy with my measurements? Well, some surprised me (another quarter inch off my arms, and three (3!!) off my thighs (if I could just get that effect moving up toward my waist...but stopping at my chest. Heh). And that after skipping my training intervals for 3 weeks in September and again in October.

Am I ready for the 1-mile fun run on Saturday? Umm...sort of. I'm actually looking forward to the cold weather, since I sweat like a _____ in ______ (fill it in with your own nasty description...I've got mine...!) when I run. My only concerns are (a) huffing and puffing when I breathe (makes my throat sore) and (b) water (!) I think on that last one I'm just going to have to drink most of it *before* the run...might give me a reason to run FASTER, iykwim...

So that's what I did today. Thanks, as always, for commenting. Remember what Henry James said: "Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." ;)

2010-12-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

Aaaaand the LOs just keep on comin'...

This one is pretty much all Designer Digitals schtuff...they are having (yet) another fantastic sale all through the month of December. Finally used those Cozy Crochet pieces! Yum.

Today was a bit emotionally stressful for me. Totally my own Deanna Troi moment...I can't help but feel for friends (and remote acquaintances, even) who are in pain. That's all I can really say.

I'm thankful I have the insurance to keep up my meds; I would not want another December like I had last year, where I was so anxious and depressed that it took me 2 months to figure out it was all hormone-related. Now when a day like today comes along, with a lot on my mind, praying without ceasing (for friends near and far), I can take a deep breath and relax, knowing it is all in the hands of a higher power. Oh, and Zoloft. Heh.

This year I made the conscious decision to *not* do a December daily...in fact, it's a bit of a joke amongst my cropping buddies. When handed a CK with Ali's annual encouragement, I said "UGH!" Thinking I was upset that those pages had been torn out, my friend handed them to me, but I said, "good LORD, no, I don't need *another* thing to keep track of in December!"

However, a daily photo (and perhaps blog entry...don't hold your breath) seemed do-able. After waking up to our first snowfall (and a very soft, pretty one...not much stuck but at least it was sparkley), you'd think I'd be out there getting some snow shots, but no...as if a learned behavior from my (failed) 365 project in 2008, I didn't grab my camera until the evening, when I got out the kids' advent calendars for the first time.

I think this set a record for me...I downloaded Katie Pertiet's Graphic Pop Grunge Frames No. 4 just before finishing up this entry...and I used them on the above photo. Hurry, they're still on sale! ;)

Catch-Up

2010-11-30T04:52:00.001-08:00

I haven't been to a crop in almost 3 weeks; it's making me antsy. I took Sunday to work in my studio (haha, I love calling it that, it's just an office area crammed with junk!) but had to let gesso dry on a project before I could do any more work on it :(

I ended up assisting at the co-op yesterday (bound to happen when you're one of two subs on the list) so I didn't get back to my project; today I HAVE to train at the gym a bit after taking last week off (Ben had the sniffles). RACE DAY IS SATURDAY (!!) and while I had to move down to the one-mile fun run, it is now my 3rd mile "race" of the year, so technically (ahem) I have finished 3-one mile races this year, nearly a 5K...anyone? Bueller? Thats what I thought ;)

At times like this, digital scrapbooking comes in handy, although I think E is getting sick of coming home in the evening and seeing me on my laptop every. dang. night.

This one just granted me a prize (not sure what, yet, but Four Hens Photography was the sponsor...) as a "random" winner (always the bridesmaid...LOL) for Digi Dares challenge #205. We were not to use straight lines...quite a challenge. I used a kit from Digital-Crea by Ninie Designs, her part of a collab called Moment of Happiness. Other bits used are masks and edges from Katie Pertiet over at Designer Digitals.

This is a prime example of in-the-moment scrapbooking. I had promised the kids we would make caramel apples, bought the caramels, then LOST them (I'm thinking they fell out of my cart...and I never bought them to begin with...) One month later, another bag of caramels, and boom! a fun afternoon the week of Thanksgiving, when Tess had half days Mon-Wed. I sat right down that evening and scrapped my photos with the iDSD blog train kit from DigiScrapAddicts (once again, too late to enter their International Digital Scrap Day contest, so I've received NO LOVE over there...sniff...feel free!)

It has been near impossible to find a warm and welcoming scrap site since Scrap In Style closed its (digital) doors. Even a subscription to the Digital Scrapbook Artisian Guild (with its inspiring and informative online magazine) did me no good, as hardly anyone posts there. This last layout was a color challenge in their November magazine, using a gorgeous "red" kit from Ruby Rhynne, who retired earlier this year. This is one of my favorite layouts this year, mostly due to the fantastic photo of my bud:

...which was altered with an action from Four Hens...hmm...what goes around!

I need to get back in the swap swing of things...left poor Angie & her wonderful crew hanging with their latest Typography ATC challenge...sorry, m'dears...and I haven't art journaled with Year in the Life since their Ning site closed down (not that that is my excuse, but...definitely made it harder to comment & keep track). Right now I've started a (free) class at Jessica Sprague and the first project is an art journal cover...that should be a big honking clue right there...but again, not a warm and fuzzy group over there either, although Jessica herself rocks.

Until next time...thanks, as always, for your comments. I look forward to them!

Happy fall, y'all

2010-11-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ben's preschool has been a real treat for both of us. I had him go to a cooperative preschool this year, more for me than him (although it is an excellent school). As Ways & Means chair, I've already survived our pizza kit sale, now I have to line up grocery store gift cards & coffee sales for a local roaster. In the meantime, I've enjoyed two field trips with his class, one to the Leslie Science Center and this latest one, to a local orchard/berry farm/pumpkin patch.

I forgot to journal about the fourth picture in the top row; our farmer friend is showing us the wax tray from an (empty, phew!) beehive. If you know how terrified I am of bees and wasps, you will understand why this is a special picture! Perhaps I should do my own LO about that.

Best of all, just about everything for this layout was a freebie. Well, the main products were: a free October template from Simple Scrapper and a free kit from Tammy, a lucky participant in Jessica Sprague's Art of Design class. Not only is the class $$$, the software needed for it (Photoshop Creative Suite) is also $$$. Kudos to those learning design; I'm jealous, can you tell? I have a bunch of kit ideas in my head, now to learn how to design them with just (so far) Photoshop Elements 7.

To that end, I'm going to try to participate in Wilma's blogtrain this month...not really sure how that works, but I'm going to at least try to create some papers and possibly some elements from brushes I've downloaded. Patty Knox's digital art journaling class at Get It Scrapped was helpful in learning how to create papers and elements in PSE7. I need to review my notes on that!

I'm thinking of asking for Illustrator for Christmas. Maybe I need to move up to Photoshop CS instead?

I should have the blogtrain info up after the 15th. In the meantime, I need to update more often! ;)

Creative, Inc.

2010-10-27T18:25:00.000-07:00

Clever.
And, cute!

Made in Michigan

2010-09-28T11:47:00.001-07:00

This is so very cool! Thanks to my friend Kim, whose Bearden Soap Shoppe is located in these stores. What a fantastic idea! (BTW, there is a quick commercial before the story starts. Sorry!)

Chicago

2010-09-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

Ten years and twenty pounds ago...

...this was us, taking off from our reception, headed to a honeymoon on the shores of South Carolina. Ten years later, here we are on the shores of Lake Michigan.

I love auto timers. Even if I do forget to put my camera closer to the edge of the table. At least I remembered to use manual focus. Man, we had a gorgeous day on Friday (our actual anniversary date...not that either one of us is good at remembering it, but 10 years needs a little extra attention, no?)...

After a walk and lunch along Navy Pier, I had the Next Big Tourist Attraction to check off my list. I'm so glad I thought to get an overall photo of The Bean, since every picture I took in its reflection didn't really give you the proper perspective. It is a highly polished reflective surface, after all ;)

We walked up Michigan Ave (E was intent on getting me to Tiffany's, per a friend's advice, but he chickened out when I refused to go in. I am the gal, after all, who requested (1) a new computer when our first child was born and (2) a new camera when the second one came along...I'm just not a diamond kinda gal!)...We took a break at the top of the Golden Mile and had hot cocoas at Ghiardelli's (mmm...sea salt caramel...), then I managed to get E in the door (barely) at American Girl headquarters. Here I posed with my personal favorite character, Julie (because I, too, was 8 years old in 1974. Go ahead, do the math.)

Our first night (Thursday) we had dinner at Gejas, a romantic fondue place in Lincoln Park my sister had suggested (when I called her to thank her for the recommendation, she said, "really? you're at the most romantic restaurant in all of Chicago, and you call your sister?!" to which I gave her a good Bronx cheer. Because we really do love each other). On Friday, we took the recommendation of our B&B owner, who is married to a Mexican, has been to Mexico, and "knows regional cooking, and Frontera Grill is NOT regional," la di dah, so we ended up at the very charming Salpicon, just blocks from the evening's entertainment, Second City ("etc."...not the main stage but still a very good show, called The Absolute Best Friggin' Time of Your Life).

Chilies Rellenos. I probably massacre the spelling of that. This was E's dinner, I also had stuffed chilies, but for some reason my photo was not as appetizing, although I assure you, both meals were incredible. Also, two words: Sipping. Tequila. Mmm...

The blonde kept cracking herself up, which made me laugh. "Bitches and Gravy," hilarious.

Saturday morning we woke up to rain, which did not deter me from walking about 3 blocks down from where we were staying, into the heart of Wicker Park to the Renegade Craft Fair. Handmade goodness = major eye candy. Soooo lucky we got to go!

E stuck around long enough to get a picture of me & Jen at her booth before he took off in search of tennis as the skies cleared.

I bought a super-cute hat from Jen that matches the color of the sweater I'm wearing (what can I say, it's my current fave color). I also swung back around to the beginning of the fair once E took off, and picked up a great collage set from The Found, as well as a clever little teacup necklace from Robo Roku.

Famished, I headed downtown, hoping to visit the Art Institute (I have yet to stand in front of Sunday in the Park like Cameron in Ferris Bueller's Day Off...my sister has lived in Chicago for over 20 years, and each time I visit, either the painting is on loan, or I just. don't. make. it. Lame.) This time my sorry excuse was that my cell phone never changed over to Chicago time, and, thinking it was 2:30p, I thought I'd only have an hour at the AI -- including lunch. Instead I went just down Adams to Russian Tea Time , a place E stubbornly refused to go...he says his mother's cooking is better, and after seeing "Welcome Comrades!" on the front of the menu, I can understand his aversion. Still, someday I'd like a set of teacups like this...

One more go-round at Renegade and I had to head back to meet E at our B&B to pick up our luggage. We were early for the train, but better early than rushing to catch it as it leaves the station. Even one as beautiful as Union Station.

ATC #3 - The Red Queen

2010-09-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

I had most of this done within three days of the challenge going up; between school starting, taking over Ways & Means for the Co-op, and going on our 10th anniversary trip, I almost forgot to finish and post it before the 15th!

I got a gift card for Joann's Crafts for my birthday, and did some shopping earlier this month. One of my best finds was the remnant bin at 50% off. I had really wanted some tulle for the first ATC challenge, and found some, as well as TONS of other small pieces of fabric that will work fantastic for ATCs. The red "scrubbie" background and white gauze (it's actually called "papyrus" fabric) were two of my remnant scores.

I spattered Maya Road's Cherry Red mist on the gauze; it's a bit gorey but so is Alice in Wonderland, when you get right down to it :D

I will post more soon: photos and stories from our trip to Chicago, and a report on the Renegade Craft Fair, which was super-cool, as expected ;)

Alice ATCs

2010-08-16T20:03:00.001-07:00

I have been having waaay too much fun making these.

They are for the 2nd challenge over at Angie Backen's new ATC swap site, simply ArTistiC. It's really been helping me move the sludge around and out of my scrap room, which I've been needing to do for a while. I spent Sunday at home cleaning up toys from our family room, and yes -- it took me ALL day to do ONE room. You know the saying, "Cleaning when you have young children is like shoveling when it's still snowing out..." Well, toys have been PUT AWAY, far away, and I am keeping what is out to the bare minimum. That should help (she says, as she steps on another. damn. hot. wheel. car.)

Okay, back to the cards. You make just one, which gets swapped out (eventually), I'm guessing on some kind of lottery system. Yes, I made three for this second challenge. Told ya I found my mojo! Well, that and I love vintage Alice.

I almost don't want to swap these out. Tess wants another top one, the middle one is my favorite, and the last one I printed out the image on watercolor paper, then hand-colored, so it was the most time-intensive of all. I'm just glad I only had to make one!

Check out the fun...you have until September 1st to do this second challenge...the first one was Alice, too, only based on costumes from the Tim Burton movie and quotes from the Avril Lavigne video. As you can see, I dig the vintage stuff more. Can't wait to see what they come up with next; the small canvas is perfect for getting your mojo going.

Girl on the Run

2010-08-05T19:08:00.001-07:00

Just back from our first camping trip -- not in the backyard...in a REAL state park (Petoskey State Park...gorgeous!). It rained overnight, so E had to take down a wet tent, but otherwise the kids were troopers and LOVED it (for just the one night). The only thing I wanted was campfire s'mores, and after a last-minute trip to Glen's Market for graham crackers (I've been hoarding marshmallows and Hershey's chocolate since the 4th of July), my wish was granted. Too bad it was too dark to take decent photos; we had GIGANTIC marshmallows.

Speaking of marshmallows...heh...

Don't be fooled, I only look thinner than last month because (a) nice tan and (b) dark top. Although I'm surprised my arms look this good sleeveless...then again, cap sleeves (last month's photo) make my upper arms look worse, somehow. Sigh.

I have barely made a dent in my measurements, so I need to get cranking again. I'm about to start Week 3 of Robert Ullrey's Couch to 5K podcast. I loved Week 2 (90 seconds of running, 2 minutes of brisk walking, x6) so I'm curious to see what's on for Week 3. I have a feeling (especially after more than a week off from running...vacation...my bad) that the even-numbered weeks are going to be my favorites. More about consistency than anything else.

The biggest help has been various stretches from cool running [dot] com. I was experiencing a different twinge every time I ran; first my shins, then my hip, then my knees...warming up with a 5-minute brisk walk and taking time to stretch (with a cool-down walk and stretch at the end of my intervals) has really, really helped. Well, that and Advil.

I am signing up for my first run at the end of August. Just a one-mile run, but Tess might even join me for it, and that would be a blast. One of the reasons I chose running is because in 3rd grade our schools have a Girls on the Run program (a mix of sport and girl support group) but I figured Tess won't try it (much as she loves their 1-mile Turkey Trot every November) unless I prove anyone can do it. Including her marshmallow lump of a Farmville-addicted mom :D

Long summer...long-awaited layout...

2010-07-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is...my Glee(k) layout. All I've needed to do for the last MONTH is sew...not sure why it's so hard to turn on my machine & make 3 straight-stitch lines on this, LOL. This one is going in my challenge/All About Me album, even though I only challenged myself to (a) take a Glee photo of myself and (b) scan high school choir photos & follow a Glee theme. I used my Studio Calico stash, mostly Baker's Dozen and Joyland.

I have been wanting to use this Dear Lizzy ribbon ever since I picked it up at Great Lakes Mega Meet in May...I also love the little K&Co. frames from the SC Joyland kit. It was hard to crop photos this small, but it ended up working out perfect for a Mother's Day layout.

It's Art Fair week in Ann Arbor...the kids are off to various quarters later today so I can enjoy a girl's night out with out-of-town company tonight. Not sure if I'll manage dinner at 8p (maybe just a drink) but it will be good to see the F52 gals. I'm on week 2 of the Couch to 5K podcast (so...hot...ugh) so I'll be skipping dessert. Weight loss is going slow, but that's not a bad thing. I am really enjoying running.

Thursday I'm child-free, so I will most likely spend the day down at the Art Fairs. It will either be sweltering, or pouring rain, so I'd better prepare myself. How is your summer going?

Belated 4th and holy crap I've been busy.

2010-07-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

Did this patriotic LO just before the holiday and meant to share it here, but plans (dinner at mom & dad's), company (sis & co.), and my new high-powered workout schedule have left me little time to update.

This concert was held mid-May at Tess's school. Local military, police, and firefighters were invited. Her class learned about 15 patriotic songs (as did Ben & I, as Tess practiced them all relentlessly at home!) and speeches (she recited the poem and info about it from the Statue of Liberty) BY MEMORY. So impressive!

This tradition was started almost 20 years ago by a teacher at her school (who recently passed away, making this year's concert especially poignant) during the first Gulf War. She was shocked that her students didn't know the words to our national anthem; well, now several generations do!

(everything on this LO is from Designer Digitals: template by the super-inspiring Cathy Zielske, who is 6 months into her fitness program. Kit is Summer Bright by Lynn G.)

So here's the real reason I've been MIA for the last couple of weeks. Since it's officially Bathing Suit Weather, I've finally found the motivation to get. moving. Since drastic measures were needed, I've tried exercising every day (skipping the weekends, but even those will get in on it, very soon) since about June 28th, when I did a warm-up (weak) 6 laps in the outdoor pool at our gym.

This week I'm up to 24 laps (working toward 36, a full mile, 2 or 3 times a week). I've also started the Couch to 5K podcast program (you can pay for it at coolrunning.com but someone has uploaded a listen-along version for free at iTunes). My only goal with that so far is maybe a 5K run...my village has one in December (brr) called the Holiday Hustle. Ann Arbor is a runnin' town, so I'll have no problem finding 5Ks+ in my neighborhood. But for right now I'm taking it slow, since I've never followed a running program before!

Tess's dance recital was mid-June. The first hairdo I did for her was PERFECTION; too bad the one I did for her actual recital fell out! Eep! She was a trouper, though...she just kept dancing! I used a Summer Night kit from Digitalcrea.fr but also a template from 2peas, not the usual look for a Digitalcrea LO but I had fun with the colors! Still not sure I love it...

This gang of gals has been taking up some of my free time as well. This week I've been a bit of a slacker, though (see workout routine, above, and oh my it's so dang HOT out! Too hot for weeding. Bad virgin!) Everything here -- template and all -- is from Shabby Pickle Designs. LOVE all the kits from As You Wish...here I just went with one, Checkered Apron.

This was a challenge over at ScrapArtist. Everything except the snail is from there. We were to put wings on something unusual...someone had suggest to me, at a fairy tea I attended with my mother, that since I didn't have fairies in my garden, "Just snails, LOTS of snails!" that I should put wings on them and see if they flew away! Then this challenge came up a voila! I made my fantasy come true. Sort of.

Hoping you have lots of strawberries this year, since the snails ate all of ours. Peace out.

Business Time

2010-06-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the music in the sidebar...can't resist. I was on a roll with iTunes last night :) looking for favorites. You can always turn it off...and remember...two minutes in heaven is better than one minute in heaven :P

Two Fridays in a row without cropping make me a little crabby. I STILL have my Gleek LO sitting on my desk, waiting for one more photo (of Lowell Everson, our Mr.Shu, circa 1984) and a bit of journaling (you know, we had a Journey song in our repetoire...Open Arms...I still sing the harmony for that when it comes on the radio...)

Lots of digi anniversaries...Jessica Sprague just celebrated 3 years and had quite the blog hop (33 blogs...the majority of them were quickpages, made with the 7 designer kits which were also available on the hop, and now in the shop...heh, that rhymed). I have yet to play with those gifties.

Shabby Pickle Designs has a store-wide sale going on this weekend for their 2nd anniversary. I decided to organize my digi supplies by storefront, since most of the galleries associated with digi stores want at least 50% their product on whatever you post. It didn't keep me from mixing with a template from SPD and a kit from OScraps (Kitty Design's Busy Road...might be retired by now...)

Still love Johnna's actions...this one is Whisper. Sweet.

Until next time...(you'll want to turn off that iPod over there if you haven't already...) ;)

Scrapjacked challenge

2010-06-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

I have two LOs sitting near my sewing machine, waiting for that magic touch (including my gleek LO), but in the meantime (read: ultimate laziness when it comes to sewing, but not digi scrapping!) I've played with this challenge.

Finally bought all the Kitschy Digitals on mywish list at JS; the sewing kit was up for One Dollar Wednesday this week, so I added it to my cart along with Granny's Attic and the Vintage Cameras kit (not used here, but still...sigh) I've been crushing on. Fonts used are Cursif and Chicago House Style (one of my current favorites, if you're paying attention), with American Typewriter for the journaling. I wanted to roughen up the look of this...like the paint on DT Beth Perry's take, so I used brushes (by Anna Aspnes, at Designer Digitals: Magic Flares Number 1 and Edges & Punches). The spiral notebook is from Scrap Artist.

It's been a strange week for me; last weekend was Tess's dance recital and, at the same time, my niece's graduation party (we ended up late to that. obviously). Late Friday night, after cropping, I checked email quickly and had a message that a former co-worker (and really good friend, at the time) had passed away after a year-long struggle with colon cancer. Visitation was the same time as both other family events, so I could not attend. Wish I could have...

I hadn't even known Connie was sick -- I last visited my old office about 6 years ago. In 1998, she took my folder of wedding info when I called off my first wedding and told me gently that she would take care of contacting vendors and canceling everything for me.

She created new lyrics to Randy and the Rainbow's (in)famous song, Denise, which went something like this (keep in mind, Connie was accounts receivable where I worked, and hated dealing with petty cash...she sang this whenever I came to her with reciepts:) "Denise Denise/you are a pain to me/Denise Denise/you drive me up a tree/Denise Denise/why do you bother me?" :D

I had a Partylite party in my home once, and Connie cracked all of us up with Reason #3 to Light a Candle (it involved the bathroom...trust me, it was SUPER funny at the time...it was one of those contagious giggle fests that only a group of women can get up to).

When she brought an old photo album into the office with pictures of herself from the early 1970s, we teased her about being a hippie, and she "confessed" that her hippie name had been Rainbow...so when her daughter gave birth to Connie's first grandchild (about 7 years ago), I wrote a congratulatory note to "Grandma Rainbow."

Connie was only 59 when she died last week.

Getting crazy with the cheese whiz...

2010-06-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

Seriously. Digital products are probably the best. thing. ever. for getting pictures scrapped. Wish I'd had PSE a little sooner. Still, gotta love the hubs for giving it up for me last Mother's Day (2009...finally). I've been working away on challenges and with new kits since Ben was down for the count yesterday (now he's MUCH better, and playing with a neighborhood girl...at her house! --yes, I warned the mom about his fevers yesterday) :P

First up: I had to play with all my Oscraps goodies right. away. AWESOME textures for photos (blending modes...NOW I get it!).

I used Photology 2 from Emily Powers on the larger photo of me...one called "utopia"...then I didn't have to clone out a recent acne outbreak (getting old sucks as bad as being an adolescent! LOL...) I used a challenge template from Merkeley Designs, and added the photo of clouds to it. Papers and the photo mask (on the cloud photo) are all from The Sunday Edition by Paislee Press, with a couple bits from Busy Road by Kitty Designs.

Next up: hunting through some "vintage" (circa 1994, so...not THAT vintage) photos looking for the one of my mom with long hair playing guitar (circa 1973, so, vintage to some of the whippersnappers out there...more on this photo in a sec!), I found this photo of my dad at work that I love. It's the only photo I have of him at work, since he was a line foreman for Ford, and they generally frowned upon photos being taken inside the factory.

Again with Kitty Design's Busy Road kit + Add-On (only a dollar each at Oscraps...RUN!)...I was thinking of Ben when I bought it (my car hound) but when I found this photo of my dad, I knew I wanted to "man it up" (ha) with some of the fun car & road elements in this collection.

Finally, this morning I wanted to work on the template challenge at Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild. I'm not a template fan, but I'd seen some done without the distracting horizontal paper strip and decided to put my own twist on it.

It seems I've gone from using a lot of browns on my digi LOs to using a lot of blues...change is good. About this LO: I've seen this photo before in our family albums, but never realized it was my MOM playing guitar (which she did on every camping trip we ever took) because I have no memory of her with long hair! She looks so much like my sister, it's spooky. They both have Botticelli's Venus hair...gorgeous, thick, blonde and curly, while I got stuck with the standard white girl stringy mess. Jealous? Hells yeah.

The template is from DSAG, but I used an Oscraps kit by BioGraffiti, one called, oddly enough, Happy Camper. This is the photo I was looking for (it was still in the old family album) when I found the picture of my dad at work. I added two other classic camping photos: my sister & I (gotta love those knee socks with shorts! aaackk! so Brady Bunch...) standing by the Otsego Lake State Park sign (we went there every July for 2 weeks, during Ford shut down), and one of my dad in our old aluminum rowboat. I have very fond memories of quiet afternoons (my dad is the strong silent type) staring at the reflections of lake water, pondering life and waiting for that tug at the end of my fishing line.

Definitely getting old...my memories are getting all gooey and sentimental!

Weekend work

2010-06-08T08:53:00.001-07:00

Ben has been sleeping all morning after throwing up last night (and last night only, thank goodness!), so I've been sitting in the living room waiting to hear something from his room..but only had blissful silence as he slept.

I took the time this morning to shop the deals at Oscraps...there are plenty of them this week. I keep finding new digi sites and then moving on to the Next Big Thing, but Oscraps has such a huge variety of designers that I think I'll be sticking around there for a while.

I also joined the Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild -- sounds fancy-schmancy, doesn't it? -- $15 for 3 months of access & a monthly online magazine. Apparently they had some spammer issues, so made it a pay-to-play site, but they allow you to upload LOs with supplies from *any* site, which, as you may well know by now, I've been looking for.

I did two paper LOs this weekend -- on Friday, mostly. E was in a tennis tournament this weekend, so I had to chop up my usual crop time. I took Ben with me in the early afternoon (we were cropping at Kelly's), left to meet Tess's bus, then came back after E was done (late) with his tourney (9p-midnight...12:30a, actually...sorry, Kelly!)

The first LO was inspired by another that I could not, for the LIFE of me, find again. But big circle-themed LOs have been everywhere lately, so I just picked up on the trend. I challenged myself to use the Pink Paislee Artisian Tape that came with an SC kit, and it was easy to make a frame with it.

This next LO is a bit of a mess. The original, by DT member Nicole H, is quite a bit "cleaner;" my photos are too busy but I did reach another goal: to get all the ephemera from our trip to Build A Bear on the LO. Tess loves it, that's what really matters ;)

Off to use the supplies I bought at Oscraps this a.m....oh, and my new SC kit came yesterday...I was going to stay up late to play with it, but then had a sick kid to deal with. Maybe while he watches Thomas the Tank Engine ;)

A leetle behind...

2010-06-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Yeah. Just a little. I am catching up on some promises. This is my first one (due May 15th. so sorry, Amy. hope you haven't sent these off yet)...a 4"x6" ATC swap, the last one I signed up for over at SIStv.

It's for a "Girly" theme...and this quote about Ginger Rogers is one of my favorites. I gesso'd (is that a word?! LOL) 4x6 index cards, let them dry, then stamped a flapper image with embossing ink, sprinkled irridescent powder over her, and hit it with a heat gun. Then I brushed magenta paint (mixed with acrylic glazing medium...the paint was lumpy) over the whole card, waited a moment, then took a baby wipe to smear off the heavier ink...and it turned this lovely neon pink color (as did my fingers).

The teal accents just seemed to bring it all together with the vintage photo, reminding me of the Art Deco hotels along South Beach in Miami. Very appropriate, and a happy mistake.

Not so happy was the result of splattering some Maya Road mist...I had no control over the splatters, then tipped the ENTIRE bottle over as I tried to clean up...making an even worse mess...luckily only one card (now mine, clearly) got ruined in the disaster.

On to Marit's class projects...I am waiting for the gesso to dry. Used my "new" (rummage- "saled") spiral-bound watercolor paper journal, originally marked at $22.00 but picked up for 50 cents (!!) recently. I opened the journal to a random page near the back (starting at the front of a journal is intimidating) and started schmearing...fun.

My last commitment is to a circle journal, also a SIStv swap, born out of last year's Sisiversary with the hopes we'd be finished by *this* year's event; alas, it was not to be. Add a flaker and some slow mailers (ahem...that would be me again, *blush*) and I'm left with one more page to make & send directly to our hostess, whose original CJ was lost along with the flaker.

Why do I do swaps again? Oh, yeah. For the fun of it.

New shoes...

2010-06-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

...and an old, OLD pair. Just got a new pair of "keds" (they aren't really keds, but that's what I think of them as...so keds they are!) and had to document them alongside the pair I wore through hs and college...yes, I've saved them all these years, because my friend (and Kappa Delta sister) Kate Genter drew some of her fabulous artwork all over them! How could I give them up?!

And how fun, TAAFOMFT is having a "scrap your favorite shoes" 1st Anniversary contest with...wait for it...over 25 prize packages for those who enter. Serendipity!

The one thing that has kept me from buying a new pair for over 20 years, is that pregnancy has really changed my feet (among...ahem...many other body parts. heh). My old pair were a size 9 U.S., the new ones? Size 10 (yikes. mostly for the width...these new ones make a great flopping sound because they are actually a smidge big...and that's how I like them!) Then, there were Crocs...but I haven't been able to find the dark purple pair I'd like this summer. More serendipity...because what is more appropriate for summer wear than a nice crisp new pair of white shoes?

Hot hot HOT

2010-05-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

I keep scrappin' away...mostly digital but I did make these cards yesterday for Ben's preschool teachers...last day of school for him...These came from the PaperCrafts book, Card A Day, which I purchased in January hoping to make at least a card a week from scraps after cropping, but it didn't work out that way...I picked up the book because the card designs were simple & beautiful (although a lot of them involve sewing...see my Mother's Day cards, also from this book) and I kept saying, "hey! I have that paper!" In fact, the design for these used exactly the Cosmo Cricket paper (handwriting sampler) that I used here. And I knew I saved all those dang pieces of leftover scalloped pieces for something! LOL --The actual card design with a half-circle slot for closing it is from a card I made in a Stampin' Up card club I used to go to each month. A fun and unexpected design...I've been trying to make more of these top-fold styles.

Jessica Sprague has been running Photoshop Friday classes for about a month now; they are regularly $3.99 but on Dollar Wednesdays you can get them for...wait for it...a dollar (didn't see that coming, did you?) In fact, this week's lesson is still a dollar, through Friday 5/28 at midnight. The LO above was done with materials from Lesson #2: Custom Shape Masks. I used a book shape instead of the sun shape she used in her LO sample, and I love how it turned out! The paper is from Nisa Fiin's Splendid Fiin (rhymes with "beans") Sweet Pea papers. I put a Katie Pertiet edge (Letterbox Overlays #2, I believe) around it to rough it up a bit...certainly nothing involving my son is going to be neat & clean! Haha. Finally, here was a LO I did for a 5 year anniversary contest over at Scrap Artist. They were picking 5 winners (DT spots for a month each -- with free access in their store for the month) so I thought I'd have a chance*, plus I liked the "5" theme, and went with my five favorite rummage/junk/antique finds. All of your materials had to be from Scrap Artist; I had quite the wish list going so I went with their incredible Studio Remnants kit...organized by color, so you know it sucked me in. It helped that they were having a store-wide sale (35% off pretty much everything), but my wish list is still pretty big over there...

I'm a little lost when it comes to sharing projects...haven't yet found a gallery to replace good ole SIStv (although it is still up and running...so I'm not sure if J.J. is actually shutting it down, or just not doing webisodes anymore). Especially in the world of digital scrapping, if you don't use their product, you aren't supposed to upload to their galleries. I've also had work disappear from galleries after a period of time, even after following the rules (DigiCrea, I'm looking at you...oh! and also Jessica Sprague's site, which is quite all-inclusive when it comes to posting projects using products that aren't necessarily from her shop).

I'm guessing that is to save server space; I can only imagine how much is on SIStv's servers after 3 years of photo uploads. But it seems pretty cold in this online world, to put up work only to have it deleted after a month or two. If anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them. For now I'll just keep updating to my blog.

*yeah, I didn't. Have a chance ;)

Spring Has Sprung

2010-05-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

I seem to be getting out of doors every day. School wrap-up events are happening fast and furious; Tess participated in her Patriotic Concert this past week and I attended my last (sniff) Creative Play class and last MOPS meeting, both with Ben. He will be a big bad 4 year-old preschooler next fall, and I'm moving my time and talents to the cooperative preschool he will be attending.

I've come to realize I can only take on ONE volunteer activity at a time and keep my sanity; for the last 2 years it's been as Publicity Leader for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). My steering team duties ended this year, and I'm looking forward to getting to know local moms through work with the co-op next year. The MOPS moms, while a FANTASTIC bunch of ladies, are sadly in a different school district, so while it's been a beneficial program for *my* mental health, there's not been a lasting connection made for my kids. I'm hoping that working with the co-op will help me get to know more moms in my town.

I'm "virtually" attending Marit's amazing Creative Art Journey class, but I haven't done any pages for it yet; I'm hoping that will change this weekend!

I have been scrapbooking digitally lately...again, the fastest and easiest way for me to scrap on the go, but I need some paint and glue on my fingers, STAT!

Supplies: Farmer's Market paper and tag, Sandy Kreiger for 2peas (freebie). Template and border courtesy of Jessica Sprague [dot] com...she has some fantastic tutorials called "Photoshop Fridays" -- buy them for $1 on Wednesdays, and watch the video tutorial after downloading the materials...easy & informational! Fonts: Antsy Pants and Pea Jack and Jill.

One of my new spring/summer activities is volunteering as a "Dirty Virgin" at a community garden in my MOPS village. So far the work has not been hard, but we've only done some seed planting; the watering needed has been taken care of for the most part by heavy rains. The only requirement for becoming a DV was that you not have any experience in gardening; I let E start our garden last year (disaster! I've done more for it this year, thanks in part to my DV work).

The food we grow will be served at a one-day-a-week local food harvest, called "Yellow Door" (the private home it is held at has a bright yellow front door). I have been to breakfast there on occasion and the food is amazing -- all of it grown within a 60-mile radius, including the beef, flour, and dairy! It can be done!

I would love to do more canning and hope to harvest enough from the 4 tomato plants in our backyard garden to put up a good crop. Last year was a terrible year for tomatoes...not enough warm nights...hopefully this year we will do better. I did buy cages for our tomatoes, as last year (ahem), hubs left our plants to fall over on the ground, thus most of the fruit rotted away uselessly. I tried helping him set up the garden this year and he is QUITE crabby about it...I think he is planning on me taking it over completely...grr...not my plan but if I want to eat food I've grown, I guess I'll have to.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T20:13:00.001-07:00

I had some time to myself (!) this morning, when my energy was high (mmm...coffee...) and I shut myself in my scrap room to make cards for my mom as well as my MIL. Pretty much everything is Studio Calico, except for some flowers and ribbon from my collections.

The top one was for my mom, the bottom one for my MIL. Both designs are from a terrific book by Paper Crafts, A Card a Day, which I picked up in January hoping to jump-start my card making. Alas, these are the first and so far only cards I have made, but I am REALLY happy with them. Especially the sewing; I'm always worried that my cheapy Kenmore machine will start smoking whenever I sew on cardstock, but it held up well (a heavy-duty canvas needle helps).

Such a great day...I posted on facebook that some of my favorite things today were sleeping in, Egor making the coffee, emptying the dishwasher, and putting the kids to bed tonight; seeing family (at my SIL's), her mom's (Josephine's) tiramisu and espresso (Best! Italian! Cooking! Ever!), my new mini yellow rose, a tealight holder and adorable butterfly picture from Ben, and a VERY creative clay sculpture ("the nursery monster") by Tess.

Hope you had a blessed and peaceful Mother's Day, whether or not you are a mother, and wherever your mother may be. I always remember my dear friend Terri, whose mother passed away August 23, 2003...so glad she had a chance to meet baby Tess and wish she had more time on this earth. Jan, you are missed and still treasured today and always.

Great Lakes Mega Meet -- video!

2010-05-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's see how this goes...sorry for the length, I wanted to get it uploaded tonight.

Please don't laugh at how I say "album"...I try not to honk like a Midwesterner when I say it (and I blame years of reading Mitch Albom's sports column in the Detroit Free Press for my pronounciation of the word! Dang him.)

Also, I apologize if I mispronounce "Copic" (markers). Let me know if I'm saying it right.

Man, I had fun today!!

TGIM

2010-05-03T06:20:00.001-07:00

Thank God It's May! :)

I realise I haven't been taking a lot of pictures lately, so when it started to rain while the kids were playing outside, I grabbed my camera. I thought one of them would be crying at getting wet (Ben is just as likely to get as emotional as Tess right now), but they were both out there dancing away in the downpour!

I had a baby shower this past weekend, and at our Friday night crop I threw together what I've come to call my 4-Hour Year in the Life New Parent's Scrapbook. One two-page LO (8x8) for each month, with instructions to take a photo each month next to a favorite stuffed animal or toy to chart baby's growth (Dad sometimes takes this over, and loves it). Oh, and a 2-pager at the start for hospital/family & friends photos, and a 2-pager Happy Birthday LO at the back. Easy-peasy and the mom-to-be always loves and appreciates it. I try not to worry about whether or not it actually gets used, since they take so little time to put together.

I just signed up for Marit's Creative Art Journey class, which starts May 7th. I love history, and never took an art history class, so this is perfect for me. I haven't decided yet whether I will do it digitally (since I just finished Digital Techniques for Art Journaling over at GIS) or on paper, or a mix of both. There will be multiple prompts for each lesson, so I can take my choice and decide from there.

I still need to catch up on A Year in the Life of an Art Journal prompts (I'm working on February 28th, I believe..."Silence," featuring inchies) but that is definitely paper, something to get me in my "studio" (feels funny calling it that, but that's what it is!) once a week or so.

The Color Room has grown to over 1,000 members, and with a new prompt every week, I haven't been able to keep up at all. The CT seems to like LOTS of layering and frou-frou LOs, not my style at all, although I see that in last week's winners there were at least two more simple, clean LOs (more my style). This week's combo seems very "fall/autumn" to me. I'll have to dig through my photos and see if I can come up with anything...

Very sad that SIStv will be no more as of May 15th. I ended up there thanks to PrairieWillow, via 2peas (again, never my favorite place to post) and stayed because the attitude was so friendly and positive. Some folks in the scrapping world (now-defunct ScrapSmack, I'm looking at you) found it fake, but after meeting so many real "SIStahs" in Franklin last June, I can attest that -- while you can't completely avoid Drama when it comes to a group of creative women -- the majority of gals I met I have stayed in touch with and found great long-distance friendships with.

Scrap in Style TV, you will be missed.

Dare 161

2010-04-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

I love when everything comes together and you are just on fire (that'll be funnier in a sec) to get a LO done. I could have posted this last night, but I wanted to let it rest for a while. I still think the big photo needs to be worn down a bit; that's in lesson 5...LOL:

The flames are brushes downloaded from Obsidian Dawn (gradient designs) and the tracks are from DesignFruit (Electrosketch). The spray paint title was in Lesson 3 and the washi tape frame (which I mistakenly called wasabi frames....tooooooo funny!...that'll teach me to type/concentrate while being constantly interrupted by my 8 year-old late in the evening!) is from Kitschy Digitals. It all seemed to fit the "skateboard graphics" challenge in the dare, but what do I know, being an old lady and all ;)

Oh, and I used the delightful 1970s Summer action from Johnna (again), only I left the color in it this time. The oranges are perfect!

This is what I love about digi scrapping: I can carry all the supplies I need with me, to Tess's dance class, storytime at the library, etc. etc., not make a big mess, and finish up while I'm still feeling on fire about my project.

It's that happy time of year again...

2010-04-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

GARAGE/RUMMAGE SALE TIME! Whooooo! After the MOPS Mom-to-Mom sale on the 17th (where I cleared $49, and only spent $34...hmm...that doesn't sound as impressive as I thought...) I had my original $60 in change I made at the bank. I hung on to it for the week, and spent it all this past weekend.

Here was one of my best finds (besides an insane amount of spring jackets for this guy...he's covered until he's 8! LOL):

Four bucks. Got a tub full of Hot Wheels playset parts...some have proven impossible to track down layout ideas for, but the center piece of this one (motorized with wheels that shoot the cars through the track system) had words, which made it easier to figure out: Criss Cross Crash. One view of a retro commercial and I had it figured out. Only had to cut an extra piece of black track (which has rendered it useless to any other track layout we may have pieces of, but hey!) we've got HOURS of amusement for the boy (and, quite frankly, Mom, too. Always wanted race car tracks when I was little. And to play baseball, but that's a story for another time).

Working on a LO (of the scrap variety) as we speak...more on that later ;)

Still on Lesson 3 for my GIS class, but I've been having fun with some winter photos. Go figure. Spring is here and yet I felt compelled to work on this:
New brushes from DD...and a new font from Fontscape that I LOVE: Chicago House trial (title). This is an old Pencil Lines sketch, too. I love that they give you a digi template to use with their challenges! Sweet.

Here's one last weird one I worked on this weekend. Everything is from Studio Calico. Back in 1998, I did a production of Brigadoon. Backstage, the guys at that particular playhouse had a Single Malt Scotch Lovers Club. They opened up membership to anyone who wanted to donate a bottle or two for after performances. I had the chance to try a LOT of different single-malts (in moderation, of course), and I settled on Balvenie as a particular favorite of mine. I've been raving about it to any single-malt friend I've met over the past 12 years, and FINALLY our buddy John B. took my hint when he and his family were house guests this past holiday season. Hee.

Honestly, all I ever drink at one time is about what is in that glass. About half a finger, see? And I still have left in the bottle what you see here. Scotch is a winter drink ;) to be sipped by a roaring fire. Neat, no ice, thanks.

Hopefully you don't think of me as a total lush now.

Parisian Dreams

2010-04-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love everything PARIS (and no, not the hotel-chain, trashy-socialite one, either -- LOL). So when I saw this new kit from Pouyou, I HAD to have it. And I HAD to sit here while watching the new GLEE(EEEEEE!) and put together a little inspirational LO:

Now, this is not my usual "style." I'm not into what's known as "fantasy" LOs...those dreamy creations with teeny-tiny pictures and no journaling. Not that I don't admire them as works of art, they just aren't...me. I like words, LOTS of words, The Story, if you will. But just a few hints of what Paris means to me, and the fact that the large photo is my desktop background, pretty much tells it all. Despite the fact that I have never been to Paris. Yet. That magic 3-letter word: YET.

The top painting is -- I believe -- by Cocteau (I scanned it right after I bought the page out of an old magazine at the library book sale...hey, it had La Tour Eiffel in it, so I had to have it!). The portrait is of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, the epitome of the Lost Generation in Paris. Everything else -- except the journaling spot -- is from Pouyou's gorgeous, LOADED kit. The journal spot is from Kate Teague at 2peas.

Okay, I'm falling behind in my Digital Techniques for Art Journaling class. Ben has preschool tomorrow so I will take my laptop with me and catch up. Enough Parisian dreaming for today...

New Challenge group

2010-04-12T16:53:00.001-07:00

Michelle sent me over to The Color Room, and a quick question to them proved they were willing and able to handle digi entries, so I had a chance to use my new Mermaid kit (see yesterday's entry) to put this together!

Lots of SIStahs over there...since nobody seems to be at SIStv anymore...sniff. I've been participating in ATC swaps at SIStv, even hosted one myself, but the crowds are just not there anymore.

I know some friends have even stopped posting in the galleries there, and post only to their blogs, which makes sense...even I get confused as to where I've left my creations, and what challenge they were for, etc. etc. Having them in one definite spot (your blog) makes great sense, and not just marketing-wise if you're in the scrapping game for the "biz" side of it.

I have been struggling with how to organize my digital scrapping supplies. After an experience at one "name" outlet for supplies, I'm tempted to put things in folders by manufacturer. I have quite a few freebies, and they need to go in a separate folder...since no one is impressed with what you do with them (JK). For the Merkids LO, I used primarily Designer Digital supplies, with one exception - a freebie brush from 2peas (admittedly, NOT my favorite site to post creations).

But for now I will leave things as they are: by kit, papers, templates, brushes, frames, masks, and "random elements." Creating a shortcut on my desktop helps me get to them quickly (ditto for actions...something I learned from the CoffeeShop -- LOTS of good advice and tutorials over there).

Spring Fever

2010-04-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

My creative juices are flowing again. At Friday's crop, I finished up the journaling for my holiday layouts. The last couple of years I've done a mini album to commemorate the Christmas season, but this year I had all these extra Lickety-Slip pages - in fact, just enough - to put all my 4x6 holiday photos in order, with room for 4x6 title/journaling blocks. They aren't anything fancy, so I haven't taken a photo, but that is 2009 put to bed - always a good feeling.

Last night we had friends over for ping pong, so late in the afternoon I had a big mug of coffee...it kept me digi scrapping until 2 a.m.! I had to try Pattie's lesson #1 again - art journal backgrounds are just not my fave thing to create, I guess - before moving on to lesson #2, which was posted Thursday.

In this class we learned to make silhouettes from photos. Now this I really liked. I only got halfway through the lesson before I was off and running with an idea for an 8 1/2 x 11 layout for my son.

The black paper I put under my silhouette layer had the swirl on it (Cali Cool, by Valerie Foster) and I added other paper from that kit to pull it together. The title font is Book Jacket (a new fave of mine), the journaling was done in American Typewriter.

I used a photoshop action from Johnna -- 1970s Summer -- which turned the photo orange (without waiting 40 years! LOL) and added a flare (above Ben's head). I turned it B&W to be less distracting and put one of Katie Pertiet's deckled vintage frames behind it.

Speaking of Designer Digitals, they are extending their anniversary sale through 6 a.m. EST Tuesday. They have the CUTEST Dragon Trainer kit (I passed...it was HARD) and the most beautiful mermaid art kit that is perfect for me to finish up our Florida photos.

Just go to their "specials" page to see all 46 new items. And no, I'm not getting any kick backs from them, LOL. Just loving their stuff right now!

Easter Break

2010-04-08T18:56:00.001-07:00

I'm looking forward to summer break. No, really...the weather has (up until today) been gorgeous & the kids have been outside playing...together! I'm taking the Digitial Techniques for Art Journaling class over at GIS and it's been challenging but fun (and very addicting...)

This is *not* part of the class, just a little digi LO I did after visiting the Spraground and (finally) taking advantage of their $1 Wednesdays...plus a few things in my (ahem) Wish List...now I really must be good for the rest of the month!

I love that they carry Kitschy Digital products there (and at 2peas...alas, that's where their digikit link takes you)...I've been slowly filling up my wishlist with Danielle's products...had to keep it to one with all the other goodies I was itching to get my hands on. Oh, how I would love to take the Art of Digital Design class over there...umm, let's see, $275 class fee and OH BTW, you HAVE to have Photoshop Creative Suite ($600+), none of this wimpy PS Elements, apparently. Ah, in another life...

Then I got an email from Digital Create (a French site...but they have an English version, whew). Cute sunflower set and I was surprised after all that I bought, 4 Euros turns out to be $5.28. Whoa! Can you say worldwide recession?! I thought for sure I'd have to at least double that. Dangerous to know...so many beautiful kits over there...

Seriously, how cheery is that?! I had sunflowers pop up in my front garden last year that I never planted (thanks to area chipmunks, and a neighbor whose finch feeder -- full of black oiled sunflower seeds -- they like to raid) and I'm hoping some of them come back again this year (we've already spotted the chipmunks). We even sat on the porch and ate the seeds right off a flower head late last summer...mmm.

Here's to thinking warm thoughts...the weather has grown cold again...just when I uncovered a corner of our back garden...the corner where the strawberries are spreading like wildfire. Here's hoping they hang on!

Friday again!!!

2010-03-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't been with my scrappin peeps in a month (!) so I am really looking forward to cropping tonight. We have a local mom (who doesn't scrapbook, but) who sells scrapping supplies she picks up from foreclosure auctions, and she will be there tonight. Mostly DCWV stacks, but I used many of those at scrap camp and they really made getting LOs done quick! I love being able to support a struggling single mom as well as getting a deal. She used to do a lot of flea markets but if you can believe it, the booth costs have gotten too much for her to do them! As Ben likes to say, "what the heck?!"

I've been scrapping a little bit, even though I haven't been to a crop in a while. Studio Calico has had some good challenges lately...although I never saw a winner from the scraplift challenge. I probably missed it while on vacation. I worked on this last Friday at home but didn't get it posted in time, so you get to see it first! ;)

The challenge was to print or stamp on masking tape...I used second-generation stamping on the word "softy" to lighten up the subtitle. I just added the sewing this afternoon, that's why I didn't get it posted for the challenge. It's about a silly little game Ben likes to play, where he makes fists (mean hands) and I hold my hands flat (nice hands). They "run away" and "cry" and he immediately wants to give them a hug. He's a real sweetie.

I posted this one on my fb profile while on vacation (gotta love digi scrapping). Still love this, especially that YELLOW! Ben often talks about our "Florida home" and says he misses it. Pretty funny, considering how tight quarters were and that we were only there for a week!

Just finished this one today (another one you'll see here first!) I have held off on Designer Digital's weekly Thursday sales (30% off select products) but when I saw this kit, I had to have it for our Florida pictures.

The journal block and letters for Venice are from other kits, but all the rest is from Katie's Alandia Tropics kit. One of their instructors, Pattie Knox, is teaching a digital art journal techniques class (!) starting April 5th; her product instructions have always been extremely helpful (and often free with her products, like her 2010 Calendar templates), so I'm looking forward to her class. I haven't done any more prompts from A Year in the Life of an Art Journal (my bad), partly because I don't often have time to get out those messy materials with a three year-old around (!!) so digi art journaling will be much more accessible for me!

"Spring" Break

2010-03-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

sea turtle exhibit at Mote Aquarium, Sarasota, FL

Wow. That's all I have to say. And maybe "sorry." Yes, definitely "sorry." Moving on...

I have my hormonal issues under control...that was a harrowing experience. Also, the mammogram revealed a cyst, (I heard Arnold in my head: "it's not a tooomur..."), which gave me relief. Right now I'm in Florida for a few more days, the rain has stopped (24 hours, overnight Thursday and most of the day Friday), and I really miss blogging.

I love having my laptop along on vacation. I started a digi LO before we left and was able to finish it up in Florida. My sweet-cheeked boy is quite the camera poser. I have to do a "matching" LO for the girl or else she'll have Issues.

I have also been enjoying my Studio Calico kits...and only once was "bad" enough to look and and order an add-on...those get expensive! Whoa. Now when I go to a crop I just take my kits and work with them exclusively. There is a LOT of stuff in each kit, and they seem to match across months. Very cool. I picked up their Anthology line from a local vendor and had fun with it at my last crop:

My March kit arrived the day we left; a neighbor took it in for safekeeping. Something else to look forward to when I return home!

Thanks for hanging in there with me. I won't make promises, but I will make resolutions...to try and update more often. ;)

Reading list

2010-01-22T11:06:00.001-08:00

I keep a log in the front of my daily journal of books that I have finished with the date I finished each one. So far in January I have finished 5 books...and I'm on #6 and #7. In a good month I finish 8...the most I have finished was 11. I knew a woman who claimed she finished a book a *day* (one of my mom's real estate agents, back in the day, who coincidentally did not sell much real estate...) but I don't think that will ever happen for me. The last book I finished in one day was Austenland, by Shannon Hale, and I feel I read it quickly because it wasn't that good (ditto on The Bridges of Madison County...never did get the appeal of that one).

Right now I'm wading through The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White (really? she couldn't put a middle initial in there somewhere? that is a seriously dull pen name, LOL)...I say "wading" because it's second in a series, and I'm breaking my general rule of reading books in order. It was 50 cents at a used book sale for Make A Wish, and it is about (1) Charleston, S.C. -- a city I've been to a number of times and am weirdly fascinated by and (2) ghosts. My Novel -- yes, caps on that, the same damn idea I've been writing bits and pieces of for oh say 18 years now -- involves ghosts, so I read anything I can get my hands on to see how others handle the topic...my ghost world is a bit different from the usual fare so I'm always curious as to whether or not anyone else had the same idea...so far, so good. Now if I could just get the rest of My Novel down on paper...and researched...and edited...not even thinking about publishing at this point ;)

I'm also reading The Wind in the Willows for the first time...Tess brought it down last week and declared she was going to try it...then gave it up (again) after 2 pages. Part of it might be the language -- published in 1908, it can be a bit stodgy -- and the other part might be that it is all about boy animals (so far). Now, Tess loves animal stories, but there had better be a girl animal in there somewhere for her to identify with, else she tosses it aside. I'm about 60 pages in and so far, no female animals, but I am enjoying the story, especially considering we are in the throes of winter and that is right where I am at in the book.

Well, no time for reading right now...Ben is at a neighbor's (thank you Karrie!) and I need to organize for crop tonight...finally feeling human, almost lighthearted, after another roller coaster ride on the Hormone Express over the last couple of days...dang, getting old really sucks.

Winter Blahs...

2010-01-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

...just can't shake 'em. I have a crazy day today, just dropped Ben off at preschool and now I'm at the coffeeshop typing away...as soon as I pick him up, I pick up Tess next door and we take off for her baton class...which cracks me up, as grandma was a star majorette at Dearborn High back in the day...I have a few twirling tricks up my sleeve but never did make the team...because I couldn't dance (our majorette team *sucked* at twirling in h.s...they were really a pom-pom team with batons instead of poms! LOL)

Then I have to figure dinner out...probably pizza somewhere, then Tess has Brownies, first meeting since missing two due to my own bad schedule-keeping. I kept expecting an email from the troop leaders, and realized too late that they weren't doing that anymore. I have a history with Girl Scouts...from moving halfway through 4th grade and not hooking up with a new troop at my new school, to a major fight with my BFF (since we were 6 years old!) shortly after I joined her Cadette troop in 7th grade...ugh.

I so wanted Tess to earn her Try-It badges but it looks like she's missed two already this year...oh, and she/we sold no cookies this time around. Is it me, or did cookie sales start earlier than usual this year? I think we started December 14th...which might be nice if I remembered to ask relatives as we saw them through the holidays...but I didn't. And I didn't do any scrapbooking late in December, so my cropping buddies missed out, too. Oh well, that's not what GS is all about anyway, just a bummer that Tess missed out on the full experience. We've still got a half-year to make up for it...and all of next year. She'll see her BFF (since 3 year-old preschool!) tonight, plus some other school girlfriends, so she'll be happy. Unless they pass out Try-It badges ;)

On a completely different note, I came across a new (to me) digi scrapping site, which lead me to a really cool make-your-own-handwritten-font action that I now have on my wish list. Visited with Mom yesterday and we hit a LSS (I was good, only spent $8 but I've reduced my craft budget for the first 3 months of this year and I'm a bit over...already...) so I can't really afford even $4.50 right now. Surprising how those little bits of digi goodness start adding up...good thing February is right around the corner! ;)

Better, thanks

2010-01-17T16:48:00.001-08:00

The first prompt is up at Artful Amblings, and I immediately "saw" what I wanted to do. The negatives came quickly enough; covering them up was very healing and fulfilling :) I went with green (for "go") and the word "begin" came to mind, even though the prompt was "what is holding you back?" from art journaling, "just begin" became my battle cry. I'm looking forward to the next prompt.

While looking for a "wayback" portrait to post on facebook this week, I came across my very first art journaling pages, inspired by a Rhonna Farrar "21 days" challenge which I did not finish. I was proud to look back at these early pages and realize that I have begun before; the goal this year is to continue and finish!

I was inspired by Rachel's suggestion of taping pages of an old book together to make sections; my friend Christy gave me this 1973 desk diary ages ago and I've never used it. Turns out it was just the size I was looking for (5"x7") and just beat up enough for me to not feel bad about tearing out pages.

When Christy gave me this diary, I took a moment to copy the words to a song by Innocence Mission that she had had written out in the front pages...pages she went on to tear out, which is why this diary starts on January 31st...

The song is about a writer and a painter working out their weekdays and soaking up art on the weekends. Prophetic, huh?

I haven't done anything with the cover yet...I'd like to wait and see how this journal fills up first. I'm all about doing the cover last, anyway.

Sundays are my "day off" from family life; E takes the kids to his mom's and while I'm welcome to come along, I'd really rather have the day to myself. They can speak Russian without asking me if it's okay, and my MIL gets some quality time with her grandkids. That is something I did not have growing up; my dad's parents died early in my life (my paternal grandmother died years before I was born; my paternal grandfather died when I was just over a year old. I'm told he adored me and even liked to babysit me; he smoked cigars and the smell still makes me nostalgic). My mother was constantly battling with her parents (mostly her mother); her dad died when I was 12 and the battles continued, so any relationship with my grandmother were very strained; she was a difficult woman (and my mother, a difficult child!)...I love that my folks want to take the kids on a regular basis, and that they have a chance to visit with their Baba once a week.

I went to Michigan Book & Supply today and wandered the aisles upstairs (the art supply section). Finally bought myself some acrylic glaze and found a stamp carving kit/mounting set that I'm looking forward to using. I've been wanting to make some Russian letter stamps for years; this set is complete enough to get me started, and cheaply, I might add. We'll see what comes of that!

Setting worries aside

2010-01-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

I'm having what I think are health issues and I've learned an interesting trick...when you start to turn a worry over and over in your mind, say to yourself, I am going to think about this at such-and-such time, I don't have time for it right now. I try to flood my mind with positive thoughts and move on. Hormonal issues have made this hard. At least I was finally able to schedule a mammography (my goal was to have this done by the end of January, my appointment is January 28th!) and that has helped ease the worry just a bit. Taking action is always recommended (at the set-aside time, of course) ;)

I have two issues working against me this week: the lack of sleep last weekend (which I wouldn't trade for anything, LOL) and totally PMS immersion...on Tuesday I was suicidal (not really...don't send me to the psyche ward yet!), Wednesday I was Miss Chatterbox/font of positivity, yesterday I was an emotional wreck again, whoo hoo, welcome to hormonal rollercoaster of your 40s!

I've always had some minor issues during my PMS cycle (who doesn't?!), but since having kids it is nastier, and lasting longer. Oh, and hitting me in the middle of my cycle, as well. Not fun.

I am looking forward to some art journaling soon...as therapy. Right now I'm off to choose my format (I have a really cool old 1973 diary I might alter...or I might use those 5x7 HS playing cards I got cheap, and bind them together later...hmmm...) Either way, it's a great distraction from worrying.

Exhausted but satisfied

2010-01-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

As usual, I took a TON of sCRAPping "stuff" with me to our F52's weekend (my first as a group member) and only used a handful of things...mostly my Studio Calico kits. Now that I've discovered Maya mists, I am going to spray them on pretty much every. background. True to what I've been hearing from friends, they are the better mist...they dry quickly (even the metallic ones) and don't soak the paper until it warps out of control. LOVE them, will be adding a color or two to every order until I have. them. all.

Tresha loved her felted bag; I feel I was given the hardest person to please as I kind of hazing/"pass this test" for the group, and I was told by a couple of members that I passed with flying colors. My secret elf got me a cool pink Dymo label maker; it has three font wheels but I will pretty much be keeping the cursive one in. Gorgeous! Oh, I made a nametag for Tess (who can never find anything personalized with her name -- "I'm going to write the company!" is her constant battle cry) but forgot to give it to her. On teal tape, no less, her "new favorite color" this year.

Here's proof that Maya is better than Glimmer: I went to use my gold Glimmer mist (finally) on this next LO and the pump would. not. work. Not after running it under hot water, not in another mist; I had to swap the pump with one from another color (that one worked). Also, the gold completely curled my paper; I put a piece of solid cardstock behind it to smooth it out. Frustrating.

I love that I was able to get EIGHT photos on this LO. I really spent a long time behind my front door screen waiting for the perfect shot, and still got quite a few decent ones. Had to outline the Studio Calico ampersand stamp with black ink but I like the look.

Two problems after the weekend: I'm utterly exhausted after two 2:30a bedtimes (wimp!) and I lost my car keys...that turned yesterday's return home into a whole ordeal that I'd rather forget (although I can't, because I still don't have my car keys! I feel like I've lost a couple of fingers, so weird!!) Our hostess had to drive me to my house to get the spare, then drive me back to her house to use it. I'm super-paranoid about my key now; I am constantly checking the pocket where it resides, it's like having a (hopefully) temporary case of severe OCD.

I just had a mocha, sitting at Foggy Bottom with my laptop while Ben is in preschool...thank God for this small break and a chance to write.

Goals...not resolutions

2010-01-07T07:59:00.001-08:00

Found this freebie "10 Plans for 2010" through Digi Free...the free scrapping supply site...although I have bought plenty of kits, papers, and embellishments, I found this freebie to be inspiring. Thanks, Liv!

credits: bg paper from LDD's Magic of Fall collection, playing card from The Vintage Workshop (freebie, but LOTS of fun stuff over there for collage!), embellishments courtesy of a freebie kit "Teal by Coco," from Coco & Co.

I had a vivid dream last night of not being able to get back to my scrapbooking weekend all day Saturday, thanks to family obligations. It was really frustrating, because I've been struggling with giving myself time away for this upcoming weekend. Now we have a winter weather advisory from noon today - 7a tomorrow; I just hope the snow plows and salt trucks get out there overnight and there is school tomorrow or my dream/nightmare might just come true! That would be a bummer, because Michelle was at my scrapper's weekend, and I'd really like to hang with her again ;) IRL, of course, she will not be there, but I am still looking forward to some uninterrupted scrap/girlfriend time...surprising how much I need it!

My Secret Elf felted tote is in the washer right now...I meant to shrink it yesterday, but didn't have my tapestry needle with me when I finished it up yesterday. I sewed it up this morning and now it is swish, swish, swishing -- and hopefully shrinking up nicely. I have a feeling I will be giving my Elf recipient a semi-damp tote bag tomorrow!

Right now it is roughly 14" x 18" ...it should shrink by 1/3rd in all directions...Edited: took only 2 cycles...not bad, not bad...could've done better on the sewing up of one corner. Felting doesn't cure *every*thing...

Shufflin into the new year

2010-01-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

My first day "off," as I jokingly call those days when both kids are in school, and I spent the morning on the phone with Apple support getting iTunes to recognize the selections I'd put on my mom's new shuffle. I have the music she wanted, but no podcasts, not sure what's up with that...I've wasted enough time today and perhaps I'll wait a few days before dealing with it again. Yesterday, partially out of frustration and partially to get something else done, I never turned on my laptop. Shocker! There is an off button.

While I am waiting for my January Studio Calico kit (and the one add-on I'll probably ever order, given the state of my craft budget as I go into 2010), I played with the December kit I received early last week. I think I joined the right kit club...there is some seriously fun stuff in that kit, and I worked on a 2-page year end wrap-up layout that is still sitting on my scrap desk. It requires that I go through each month in last year's diaries, take notes on the highlights, and stop to edit those before I write them down. I got through March yesterday and hope to work on the next three months today. That's one of my new year's goals...to always have something to work on out on my scrap desk. So far so good.

It was refreshing to see that we did, as a family, have some interesting winter activities last year. Lots of playdates for Tess. An outing to the Hands on Museum for both kids with their dad. A visit to the Bounce Zone. Pom-pom and cheerleading at the basketball games (Ben really enjoyed watching basketball...made the whole experience more fun for me, since he was fascinated and I didn't have to chase after him in our high school's very high bleachers...)

This year, so far, I am trying to write in my diary about halfway through each day (still have to do that today...) and read an entry each day from Simple Abundance...yes, about 15 years behind the trend, but it has a message I need right now, namely, what should I do with the rest of my life? As Ben starts school and plays well on his own, I have more and more time to myself, and I need to find a way to fill it.

I'm not sure we'll do MOPS next year...and I'm Publicity chair (this is my last term). I have no successor picked out (our numbers dropped by half this year, two of my best contenders left the group). Church is begging for Sunday school teachers, I already turned them down once, acted as a sub once, HATED it (more power to teachers...I have no patience for it), now they are asking again and I know I must firmly turn them down (again).

I thought this might be the year I finally make a habit of writing fiction daily, but so far that hasn't materialized. I'm waiting until Ben is in school at least half a day every day. A cop-out, but that's all I have energy for.

The job market is so poor, so bare, who knows what I'll find to do when it's time to go back to work. I will have been out of the biz -- any biz -- for 8 years by then. So I feel I need to start thinking about what I love to do (NOT teaching, sorry) and what I might do that would bring in a paycheck. At least I have the luxury of time, for now. Perhaps that it just an illusion. Something could happen tomorrow that forces me into the job market, and that luxury will be gone. Hopefully Borders is hiring.

Wow, this is not where I expected this entry to go today. I guess I really am shuffling into not only the new year, but the rest of my life. Now I have to keep up my committment of writing halfway through the day, and finishing up that knitted/felted bag I was talking about earlier...I have to gift it on Friday!

Still haven't found...what I'm looking for

2009-12-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

credits: Owlie Loves You from Shabby Pickle Designs, Cafeina brushes by deviantArt, label by Kate Teague for 2peas, staple from jayedid Designs. Font: MV Boli

Some of you may know my past with U2; briefly, I went to Ireland for a study abroad program in 1988 and hung out in front of their Windmill Lane studios, wrote on their fan wall, and watch Larry Mullen zoom out and past us on his motorcycle. I was a fan before I went over, a huge fan, in fact my mother claimed I was going to Ireland just to chase the band (only partially true...the only study abroad programs at Wayne State University were Germany, or Ireland, and I don't speak German). Despite his personality flaws, I still think Bono is one of the best rock singers ever.

Today is a quicky entry; I had this done late last night (11:30p) but soon turned in, I couldn't wait until midnight to post this here but I did get it to Marit so I have two LOs on her entry for today (oh that darn time difference between the Netherlands, and the States). Egor has budget issues with my craft spending that we have to go over (joy) (not) and I need to get to the grocery store before my sister arrives and we head to a kid-friendly party later.

I have no New Year's resolutions, I never do, so I can't promise that I will scrap every day, or post every day, but that would certainly be a dream resolution of mine. Also writing fiction every day, and getting outside to walk, damn the weather. But...baby steps, baby steps.

Have a SAFE NYE...see you on the flip side!

New places to scrap...

2009-12-30T16:09:00.000-08:00

Headed to the library late this afternoon, after running to Knit A Round to pick up some more yarn for a felting project (more on that later), depositing some checks from Christmas, and stopping for gas. Again. Somehow I have become the family filler-upper. Eeerk. Either that or I have really bad luck choosing which car to take. Just two days ago, I was stuck with the station wagon, and Egor informed me that (a) it had no gas and (b) oh by the way, it was out of windshield fluid. And it was snowing. Double errk.

Anyway, this morning I went through the Top 2000 list first thing, and actually had several choices. I have always wanted to use lyrics from John Mayer's Daughters, though, and took this chance to do so.

credits: Ruby Rhynne designs: freebie Boho kit, full kit no longer available but plenty of other beautiful kits are!

I had most of it done before I headed to the library, but while there I went through Cassie Jones' lesson on distressing fonts from Designer Digitals for the title letters. I'm (almost) sure the library has Wi-Fi (I still giggle when I think of my mom's recent confusion over Wi-Fi and Wii) but I didn't have the patience to figure it out. I had Ben with me, so I had to pay attention. Somewhat.

My first Studio Calico kit (December's) came yesterday, and I have an idea...but no time to do more than print out a collage of photos for it. Pretty soon my January kit will be here, and I'll have even MORE new stuff to work with.

Back to my felting project. I'm working on a bag...based on the clutch(es) I made for Creative Escape...I couldn't find the instructions to save my life, but having made 6 or 7 of them, I decided to wing it and just cast on. Well, given how felting shrinks (by about a third, I hear), I have to add quite a bit of depth to this one to get it to work. So I knit to the end of one of my skeins, only to realize I'd need QUITE a bit more to finish this up.

Now that I have that extra yarn, I'm hoping to finish it and have photos in the next week or so. Well, by January 7th, for sure, because the weekend of the 8th is my first-ever F52s retreat...F for Fridays, 52 for the number of Fridays in a year, that is how many Fridays we scrapbooked when Scrapbook Memories was still opened...I just became a member of this local scrapbooking group, so I wanted to make a gift that would make an impression for the gal whose Secret Elf I am...did you follow that?

First Challenge...Marit's Top 2000

2009-12-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

I've been tinkering with this all day. The beauty of my laptop is that it is right on my kitchen table (or dining room table, or couch...just not in bed...yet...) and I can get to it whenever I have time...or hubs takes the kids off to the health club, LOL.

(credits: the alegria collection from Little Dreamer Designs - except for the All Grunged Up Kraft bg paper by As You Wish ... and the journal spot, a freebie from the Happy Father's Day kit. Font: American Typewriter Medium)

For the challenge, you pick a song off a list published by a Dutch newspaper (a radio station there plays a countdown selection each day). This song from the Rolling Stones was #874 on the list for today. The second I saw it I knew I had to scrap it; it was the title of the blog entry when I first met Egor. You see, he ran a fan site for a group of Russian artists called the Mitki (uh-oh, here come the search hits. Those are some RABID fans, I'm telling you!). I used this painting (by G. Semich...well, that's all I have for credits. Feel free to correct me) on that entry, wrote to Egor asking permission (I was learning HTML at the time and wanted to be sure I used it correctly). Well, I noticed that his email was "(at) umich" (University of Michigan) dot com, so I started a friendly (really!) email conversation with him that lead to our meeting and, well, so much more ;)

So the song (written at the time for recently deceased band member Brian Jones, as I recall) and the painting that accompanied that long-ago blog entry were the inspiration for this. Turns out both helped me meet a life-long friend...and at the time (1998), I really needed one.

Love you, honey.

Top Ten

2009-12-28T20:00:00.000-08:00

My biggest challenge with scrapbooking this year was catching up with my attempt at Project 365 in 2008. I was so busy uploading my daily photos to Flickr (so sad...I hardly EVER go there anymore) and I had SO MANY photos to scrap, that I got behind early on and couldn't keep up, even though I quit 365 in October 2008.

Once I knew I was going to Scrap Camp {{shudder}} I started saving LOs to do there. Most of my work through the year was either catching up with 2008 or trying various challenges to get my mojo going (having a backlog of 220+ photos was quite the load on my scrapping mind all. year. long.) So when I present my Top Ten layouts for 2009, don't be surprised to see a lot of 2008 subject matter and odd bits of info about me. That's just how I was rolling in 2009...

One thing I did a lot of this year was use sketches and scraplift. This was a lift of a LO from CK magazine; the circles were originally buttons. Watch that rainbow paper; it crops (haha) up on a LOT of my LOs this year...

Let me just say...THICKERS. Yeah, I have quite a collection now. And I have become quite fearless of my handwriting, although I still think it sucks and I could do a better job with some pre-planning. Only all that pre-planning of my journaling tends to suck the life out of my writing.

This kimono one got me Jeanette's pick of the week over at SIStv in April and a $20 GC to their boutique. It's not my favorite because it won, it's a favorite because it was LOTS of fun to work on! One thing I'm going to miss is Scrap in Style collection kits...sniff.

This was from a scraplift challenge over at SIStv. I like mine better than the original. Just sayin' ;P

This was one I did after raiding the SIStv boutique at SISiversary in late June. I am not yet tired of October Afternoon! The photo was also one of the first that I altered (made it "vintage") after I got PSE7 for Mother's Day.

Retro Modern was the first kit I purchased from SIStv, early in the year. I really held my breath because it was so not me. But I ended up having a lot of fun with it. I love that I chronicled our (hub's and my) mutual love of Big Bang Theory. Another one that was just plain fun to do!

AGAIN with the rainbow paper! This was the first challenge over at Kiddie Lit; the Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite books. I love that I had some old blue gingham paper that I managed to dig up and use on this LO! ;) This was also the first LO where I reeeeeeaaally distressed the outer edges of my LO. I need to scrap about my first house some more...this is the only photo I've scrapped of my first house; I need to do more...I bought it myself and lived there six years, after all!

This was a handwriting challenge at Creative Type. I cannot for the life of me remember where I came up with the spiral journalling strip; I know it took me three tries to cut it right! I think the spiral was inspired by my handwriting analysis. Oh, and I used more ancient supplies...the letter stickers are circa 2000 or so!

A color challenge from A Few of my Favorite Things. I keep saying "I don't do collage," but I sure as heck had fun slapping down everything orange in my stash!

Back to simplicity. And lots of stash-raiding. I hope to never buy another tennis embellishment ever. again. LOL. And again with the PSE7 artistry...this time a sepia-toned photo, where everyone was orginally wearing really clashing colors.

Pretty eclectic, huh? I was really scattered, style-wise, this year. I think perhaps that IS my style...all over the place. I love a great variety of color (ahem...not just orange...) and the challenges I participated in really helped me raid my stash and use what I had...which I had to do after the SIStv boutique closed down.

Don't get me wrong, I love my LSSs (although 3 of them closed this year...and one re-opened) and try to crop at one once a month or so (more now that my mom is back in town).

I miss our Friday night group at Scrapbook Memories, although she never had new stock, because her crops were only $5. I have to choke at paying $12-$15 now (Scrappy Chic and Scrapbook Zone prices), especially considering I can't get there before 7p, and so the bonus of dinner is lost on me. I could make it a bit earlier to Scrap Tales, but they haven't done Friday night crops since they re-opened :(

I did subscribe to Studio Calico kits starting this month; they have new and unique treasures that I grew to love in the Scrap in Style kits. A lot of buddies from SIStv are there on the message boards; it's so nice to see familiar names and faces! I hope to keep searching for and growing my "style" in 2010, whatever it may be. That's about it for scrapbooking resolutions.

Welcome!

2009-12-27T17:10:00.001-08:00

If you've come from PhotoPaperScissors (my former site), make sure you follow me here now. Just wanted to link my blog to my email. Will update soon with Sasha's end-of-the-year challenge. Because I do whatever Sasha tells me to ;)

Thanks!