i'm super excited to have completed the intro page to my Project Life 2012 album.  i'm missing the proper page protectors (still out of stock - gah!) and i need to include a picture of the Hubbie + Girls, but Baby, we are in business!

I was a bit intimidated on how to get started, what to embellish, what to include of the stock papers, what to add.  Found a little inspiration from a new fav, Nichol Magouirk, and dove in.  And here we go...

Intro Project Life 2012 page

Three open spots for pictures, but it'll do.

And it was really great to engage my creativity this weekend.  i've been working in all of my spare time since the year began, so this was a fantastic weekend of rest and putzing. 

As far as weekends go, this has been a good one.  Being crafty, a message at church that i needed to hear, a restful Sunday.  Yep, it's been a good one.  And...  i just downloaded Spotify -- oooo, this is just more good stuff!

First, a shout out to Tara for completing her 2010 scrapbook album at our Crafturday:

Nicely done!







Just look at all that Crafturday goodness!

Yet Crafturday suffered from the same fate as all (ok, most) of my parties.  Few show up.  i'm just not a party kind of gal.  Every once in a while a get a wild hair and want to host a party of some sort.  The menu is planned and ready to go, house is sparkly clean, smile of greeting is ready to go... and no one shows.  It's not that i don't expect it, i just wonder why my party mojo is defunct.  Now, we had fun and got to watch the third Twilight, so no complaints.  Just more of a musing.  Remind me next time i get the wild party hair.  And it's not like they're wild or anything... maybe that's what i'm doing wrong.  More of those yum-o limeades with a slosh of vodka that Tara brought over (which she found on Pinterest; oh yes, and the crack popcorn recipe, and a gift idea for her Team, and house decor, and a new job--oh wait, that wasn't on Pinterest) might do it!

Tara is still Team Jacob, by the way.  i'm still Team Edward.  Perhaps i can talk her into a late night showing of Breaking Dawn on Thursday.  Hearing the girls giggle and sigh is part of the fun!



And a couple of verses to wrap-up the weekend from church this morning:

• "And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then us to in keeping with God's will... But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving."  2 Corinthians 8:5-7
• "...They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:18-19

What resonated with me is that giving is an area i've been struggling with lately.  For a time, we gave a tithe every week, and JC blessed our lives.  In times of financial difficulty or job struggles, He has always provided.  i have complete faith in that last verse.  So, what's stopping me from giving regularly?  We aren't united in our philosophies at the moment and we're on one salary... and maybe, cuz i've just not prioritized making it happen.  But even more significant, as Tara and i were talking on the way home,  i'm frightened of what the Big Guy might ask of me.  i don't want to be a coward, but what if i'm not willing to do what he puts on my heart?  i truly believe he has put me where he wants me... His choices all the way... now i just need to let him do His work.

So, i'm heading to bed with this is my heart:  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

yes, please!  love this concept!

Finally putting 2010 to rest...

i'm so pleased that my 2010 album is finally complete!!

Many grand adventures were had in 2010... Bon Jovi x 2, Jeep time in the OK mountains, Naples, FL, knitting, Christmas, Baby Parker & Baby Ada, working at Southwest...but it's time to begin immortalizing 2011 adventures.

i found a fun album and paper pack on sale at Michael's the other day to use for 2011.  Don't the colors just inspire you to go out there be spunky?  And already, i've got quite the collection of memorabilia, trinkets and pictures to start filling it up.  Let the spunk begin (with or without filter)!

Ooooooohhhhh, and i just ordered a package from the Maya Road warehouse sale full of who knows what kind of great Maya products.  So excited!

i've recently discovered a new scrapbook artist to follow -- she's a genius!  She's The Scrappy Jedi, and she loves both scrapbooking and sci fi!  There are other females out there like myself... creative, full of imagination, with just a touch of girly. *wheee!*

Here's a great post where she "counterfeits" the kits from Studio Calico, who i would just love to join.  They are super fun, full of great embellishments, but alas, rather expensive--especially since i've not been scrapping regularly.

Enjoy!

Layout of my dear BFF, Tara, for my 2010 album inspired by this PageMap:

Tara, member JBJ fanclub (sorry, can't just
not mention it) and dear BFF

Happy NSD 2011

Completed it yesterday during our National Scrapbooking Day pow-wow.

Love, love, love PageMaps.  Great idea starters for layouts of any kind.

Today is National Scrapbooking Day!  What a great day!

i confess that i did not realize it was NSD until my BFF texted me with an invite to be scrappy this evening.  Of course i want to be scrappy!

So... with a work in progress ready to go, let's get the par-tay started!

i have sadly been recovering from first the influenza, then a long-lasting, nasty cold. And as our dear friend Jane has said, "My sore throats are always worse than anyone's." *pressing hand to forehead*

*chuckle* Not really, i'm just really sick of feeling crummy. But i'm pleased to share that in spite of the snot, damp tissues, dry nostrils and chapped hands, i was a successful scrapbooker this weekend. Three layouts (hey - one of them was a two-pager) is a rather good tally, i daresay (yes, i've also been watching BBC Masterpiece Theater as i scrap).

And yes, it takes me a while to get a layout just right.  For, who should i be the one to prove dear Jane wrong: "An artist cannot do anything slovenly."

"She's All That"

This is my favorite one from the weekend -- of my sweet, new niece, Eden.

My hope is to wrap up 2010 events quite soon, so that i may be current with 2011 and perhaps even make headway on older works.

*Bonnie Austen signing out.*

Today, Friends, was a good day! Tara and i, despite being bone weary from a super busy couple of weeks at our respective places of business, got up early (ok, 8am is early on a Saturday), and ventured to Arlington (hidee ho big, giant monument to Jerry that's visible from miles around!) for the Great American Scrapbook Convention. Yes, a veritable scrapbooker's paradise -- thousands of square feet of booths of vendors selling every kind of scrapbook sticker, paper, glittered embellishment and glue imaginable. And women--soooo many women, in one building, vying for the same 2 foot space in front of a paper display of discounted, but outdated wares. But hey, i can shove and shimmy with the best of them.

So, in the effort to document all our exciting adventures this year, we asked one of the "security" type ladies who were busy (sitting) ensuring only paying customers entered the venue (i mean, really, they gonna body slam a mighty group of corn-fed heffers trying to get into the convention without paying the $10 entry fee? Don't think so.) to take our picture under the entry sign. Here's how it turned out...

fine if we print it teensy... oh well....

And what loot did i bring home? Well, well, well... not nearly as much as i desired (but while whiney about our new budget, i'm proud i was able to restrain myself). i mean, who really needs that very vintage, very cool new paper set and matching journaling tabs that would have made a most creative little bound book *sniff, sniff*?

Nonetheless, i brought home some very cool stuff, and have already started using some of it. Deelightful!

Thanks, Tar! Had a great time.

So pleased to present the first 2 pages of my 2010 scrapbook album.

Hosted a little scrappy get-together last night that was great fun and surprisingly productive. And yes, it's May and i'm justing getting started on 2010... but hey, i'm hopeful that i'll get this one done before May 2011. And maybeeee even catch up on 2007's album... but let's not stretch expectations. i'm firmly living in an "under promise, over achieve" philosophy.

Library E

Also, i've finally finished A Prayer for Owen Meany this afternoon. Such a great literary concoction. It reminds me that literary works are worth the time and that trash really is trash. Doesn't mean it's not good for something... but never be confused with a book that gets you thinking and expands the mind versus one that can be read in an evening. I admit, i've just wiped away a few tears for dear 'ol Owen. I think i'm going to miss him.

But moving on to the next book on the 1,001+ list... reporting back soon on which literary work will next expand this teensy brain of mine.

Why is Rod Stewart's vintage music good for scrapbooking (especially You're Insane)? Yeah, no idea, but it's what's on and gets my foot to tapping and my head to bobbing. Blame it on Mom and her love of rock n' roll.

Finally felt in the mood to be scrappy again this evening. Finishing my 2009 album has been hanging over my head like an overdue, over budget work project. Can't claim to have finished a ton of layouts (in spite of them being only a tad bigger than 5x7" pages), but... got pictures printed, 2 layouts completed and have a few creative ideas. Felt like the scrapbooking gnome had packed up her rolling craft cases, glue dots, scallop-edged scissors, and moved on.

Been noodling my 2010 album, and hoping to get started on it next weekend if the girlz end up getting together to scrapbook. Elizabeth Kratchner's delightful scrapbooking style has been inspirational lately. So want to create fluttery butterflies and sweet florals on my 2010 pages. We'll see if i can actually channel that girliness.

Library E post:
Finished Edith Warton's Age of Innocence a while back. Really liked it. And such a good conclusion to a tense social and romantic dilemma. Started A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Like it, too, but slow going thus far.

Really learning to love Photoshop Elements (and Jessica Sprague's class with all the good digi elements because, really, choosing just the right photo can be such a trial on this wee brain of mine)!

Created these two layouts on Saturday... so very cool!

Being creative on the weekends = a good thing. Don't know what it is about the creative process that is good for both my brain and soul.

Here's another creative being who might inspire you with some fresh ideas: Emily Falconbridge

Happy week to you!

BEHOLD! My first creation from the magical program Photoshop! (documented: completed ~6pm, Sunday, Jan 3, 2010 - likely to not happen again)

Isn't it lovely! Thanks to Jessica Sprague and her highly effective, yet quaint elearning class on Photoshop Elements. Love it!

I'll print this puppy out and slip it into an album and BAM, done!

Ok, so it took me about 1.5 hours of classtime and fiddling, but now i know how to do it, provided you give me all of the digital papers and frame, and oh yeah... the ornate template background already complete. But whatever, i added the title, journaling, cropped that flower and placed the grungy (don't you like that word?) frame around the picture! And oh yeah, that's my picture of my sweet cousin and his darling girl. Never you mind that i did not dream up the color scheme, design the elements, or know to make the date 50% transparent so that it doesn't overwhelm -- i've used Photoshop and i'm on top of this kitschy world!