December Pagemaps

I got to do a sample page for Becky Fleck's December pagemaps newsletter. You can see the sketch here. This is the first wedding layout I did after Karen's wedding. The text behind the title is the lyrics from "Name" by the Goo Goo Dolls. That is the song that Karen and Joe danced to. I typed out the lyrics and then just repeated them over and over and printed it out on a piece of white cardstock. The papers used here are all My Mind's Eye. The butterflies are cut and embossed using a cuttlebug die and and embossing folder. They really look pretty up close.

Guest Design Team call at Memorable Seasons

I would love to see some of my friends try for this.

http://www.memorableseasons.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1702

I'm ready to do my December Daily. Are you?

This was so much fun to put together yesterday afternoon. It is 6x6. I just grabbed all the scraps in my Christmas paper stash and cut them all into 6x6 squares. A couple of them are a little smaller and a few pages are actually cut up tranparencies and vellum that have been in my stash forever. I threw in some journaling pages and spots. I made each day a two page spread so I could write and add a picture or two if I want. I have done la few page a day type albums before but never made one ahead of time. I am looking forward to this. Who else is doing this?

The bottom photo is a Making Memores mini magnet photo frame. I added the Daisy D rubons and the Basic Grey letters are on top of the plastic "window." Behind the window is some Daisy D red paper.

Happy Thanksgiving

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

— John Fitzgerald Kennedy

On cleaning my scrap room

Every so often, I decide to clean and organize my scrap room. One of these days, I intend to actually finish, too. I always have really good intentions. I am going to put everything in its designated place. I am going to actually put my vinyl words on the wall. I am even planning to vacuum in there someday. What generally happens is, like today, I get everything out of the floor so I don't trip and break my neck by putting all of the papers in a stack and all of the little embellishments and tools and stamps in a basket. I clear off my counter top and throw away all the bits and pieces that are too small to use. Then it always happens. A picture calls out to me. A piece of patterned paper catches my eye. A paintbrush jumps into my hand. I have to create something. I never finish the cleaning. Those little things stay in the basket and the paper stays in the stack until I go through them and spread them out all over the floor again. That room is just not meant to be clean. Today, I did this. I just reached for stuff that was out and it was fun.

Is anyone thinking about Christmas cards, yet?

I made all of these using Daisy D's Snowflake and Holly Collection that I got in my Memorable Seasons design team kit. I love the muted colors and old fashioned feel to this line. As an added bonus, all of this line is on sale. The paper is only 19 cents!

Some more nostalgia

During our mini crop at Memorable Seasons last week, Jude posted a challenge to use an older photo and scrap a holiday memory. I pulled this one out. It was very orange like most of my 70 era photos are. With a little PSE magic, I got these colors. We still have that painting but Curtis is not that skinny, anymore. LOL

The Daisy D papers and embellishments all came from my DT kit at Memorable Seasons and they are on sale.

49 years ago

I was born. 49 is a strange age. I am still in my 40's but most certainly "50ish." I like being the age I am. I like that I am able to be my own person on my own terms. I like that there is no one at home to take care of but Curtis and myself. I like the quiet time I have before Curtis gets home. While there are times that I miss having children in the house, it only takes a couple of hours of Seth to make me, once again, thankful that part of my life is finished. I like being a friend to my girls and not having to nag them to clean their rooms or finish their dinner. I like the smile lines around my eyes. I like that wearing comfortable shoes is more important than style. I like that no one will judge if I eat ice cream for dinner. I like being me.

on my starbucks cup

"Success in life is that your kids want to spend time with you once they've grown up."

Paul Orfalea.

I've got to get that one on a scrapbook page......

not just a boy thing, I promise

We use to have these type of conversations at the dinner table when Curtis and the girls would be cracking up and finally Curtis would say, "okay, girls, I think your mother would like to eat her dinner without hearing about burps and farts." Although I was being stern mom at the table, I was laughing inside, too. If you click on the picture, it will get big enough for you to read.

From Brian Andreas, the storypeople

Here's the Story of the Day: High Tolerance What are you good at? I said & she said, Mainly life. I work best with stuff that has a high tolerance for mistakes.

Feeling a little nostalgic

We got the formal bridal portraits yesterday and as I was looking at them, I wondered how I could scrap any of them and do them justice. So, I dug out an old picture of Karen when she was a toddler and scrapped it, instead.

Quote for the day

We learn something every day, and lots of times it's that what we learned the day before was wrong.
-- Bill Vaughan

And they are off

and just one more dance picture I found that I thought you might enjoy. I made the centerpieces with stuff from the dollar store. The cake was a wedding gift from Karen's friend Abby.

And they danced

Okay, I will post a few more from the reception tomorrow and that will be it. LOL

Bridal party pics

• The boys relaxing before the ceremony
  
• the girls laughing at me off to the side while I made funny faces at them as per my instructions.
• the whole group together
  
• with our pastor, Monsignor Johnson
  

Mini crop at Memorable Seasons!

Come join us on Monday night from 8 to 12 EST. We will have challenges and games and PRIZES. It will be lots of fun and I want you to join us. Check out the site for details. I will be calling bingo words so be sure to pick out your words before Sunday. I also will be doing a challenge using drink coasters so have some on hand.

Memorable Seasons Forum

and we all pose with the bride

Before the ceremony

The flowers were beautiful. There were three arrangements just like this one. Some of you may remember this story. Also, Karen and Joe decided to see each other before the ceremony. They met out in the courtyard for a few minutes alone before the photographer went out. She was able to take some pictures of the two of them before the ceremony while everyone was still fresh and no one had cried off their make up, yet. LOL

Are these not the cutest boys ever?

I have pictures!

For a nominal fee, the photographer spent the entire day with Karen starting at 10:30 in the morning and shot pictures until they drove away. Today, she turned over the CDs containing over 600 photos, all uncropped and untouched to do with what they want. Karen plans to do a Shutterfly book. I plan to scrap some and just put several into a photo album. I will give you a few each day for several days. By the way, she forgot to include the formal bridal portraits we did a couple of weeks ago and is going to mail those later. Today, the pictures will be about gettting ready. A girl came to the house to do her hair as well as Allison's and Amanda's. I did my own. Karen's aunt George was at the church to do her make up for her. I think Georgeanna was more emotional than me. She had to stop a few times to compose herself. I couldn't fasten my necklace with these crazy nails on so Allison had to help.