Life.Ink.Scraps.

Mscraps Birthday Blog Train!!

2012-01-27T11:20:00.001-06:00

CHOO CHOO!! Looking for the Mscraps Birthday Blog Train? You found the right place!! I posted this info on my Facebook page, too, but I think my blog ended up on the list instead. So here you go, a little quickpage to make your birthday scrapping quick and easy!

Go here to download.

You should have come here from the oh-so-talented Meta Wulandari, and your next stop is Mila's Facebook page!

If you get lost, the full list of stops may be found here.

Curious about what you're getting? Well, if you hop along to all the stops, you'll collect this GORGEOUS, huge birthday-themed kit!! Plus a whole bunch of quick pages, templates, and other goodies created by the CT members that aren't on the preview!

New Year's Resolutions (and why this year will be different!)

2012-01-06T16:41:00.000-06:00

I waffled back and forth about even thinking about New Year's resolutions, but in the end I decided that since my family and I were making changes anyway (the timing just happened to coincide with the new year), I may as well make it official. Here's two pages I scrapped about some of my 2012 resolutions (click each image for full credits):

(Created with Mscraps January 2012 store collab New Year's Resolutions)

(Created with Journal Your (he)Art Out 3: The Basics by Nancie Rowe Janitz and Fiddlette Designs - I love this page because I experimented with another of my 2012 resolutions - learning art journaling!)

What are your 2012 resolutions? Have you made any?

December Daily: The Final Post, Finally!!

2012-01-02T20:44:00.001-06:00

Even though it's a few days late, I'm so proud of myself for actually finishing my December Daily! I have a pattern of getting super excited about a new project and letting it fizzle when I don't "feel" the same passion a few days later. I definitely hit that dry spell, but this time I pushed myself through it and continued to document our stories this month, even when I forgot to take pictures. Having most of the pages done in advance certainly helped! I'm considering using this format for other projects (baby album?) - setting up a bunch of coordinated pages using a template album ahead of time. Hmm... wheels are turning...

But for now, here's my final five December Daily pages! Thank you to those who have followed me on this blog journey (my family better still be reading these posts!), and I hope we'll have lots more fun journeys through writing and scrapbooking together in this new year. Have a happy and blessed 2012!

December Daily: The Blues Hit

2011-12-29T21:11:00.000-06:00

It was bound to happen - the December/Christmas blues. When all the decorations are down, the parties over, presents unwrapped, and reality sneaks back in. This year the blues hit me especially hard because my parents are moving across the country in a month. My dad landed a huge promotion and will be Dual Director of Engineering for two Marriott properties in Washington D.C. I'm beyond proud of him, but my heart aches just thinking of living so far from my family for the first time in my life. All that to say, I let my December Daily pages and posts slide a bit, but I am committed to finishing. Even more now I want to document this month with my family, since I have no idea what next December will bring.`I'm still waiting to collect photos for a couple pages, but I wanted to go ahead and share what I have. Look for the rest of the month soon!

December Daily Days 14-16

2011-12-17T11:45:00.001-06:00

Weekdays when Josh is at work are pretty hum-drum around here. Wednesday the boys found the Play-do stash and remembered how much they loved squishing and playing with it, especially Cai! I love it when they find something creative to do instead of just begging to watch TV. Some days I'm tempted to toss the TV off our balcony! That might cause a problem in my marriage, though... Josh does love his movies, and Cai certainly inherited his daddy and grandpa's passion for the screen!

Thursday I forgot, again, to take any pictures. Cai talked about Santa a lot, he doesn't understand that Christmas is still days away! He thinks, when he hears a song or see Santa on TV, that he's coming NOW! Silly boy!

Friday I took the boys to a fellow Mops' mom's house for a Jesus Birthday party. We had a blast! I wish our group had been able to get together more this fall.

December Daily Days 9-13: Catching Up

2011-12-14T20:34:00.000-06:00

Well, I knew it would happen eventually. Life took over, I even forgot to take pictures a few days, and now I'm playing catch-up. Oh well, the pages are done, memories recorded, and all is well. I'm determined not to stress about this project!! With no further ado, here are my pages for December 9-13.

December Daily Day 8: The Good Day

2011-12-09T15:50:00.001-06:00

Although it often seems that life with three little boys produces more stressful days than good ones, I truly treasure the happy, relatively peaceful days. Today all three boys slept at the same time in the afternoon, allowing mommy to sneak in a little nap, too, which hugely contributed to my happy feelings about the day! I also enjoyed snapping some (okay, a lot of) photos of Riah, he is so cute and photogenic! I love his happy smiles, they always brighten my day.

I wish I could create a (paper/hybrid) December Daily album like some of the ones I see linked up to Ali Edwards' blog posts, that are so incredibly creative and beautiful. Totally works of art. One year I will, I promise myself! This year, though, I'll be happy just to take my photos and tell a little story in my simple digital album - I'm proud of myself for just doing it!

December Daily Days 6-7, or, The Humdrum Days

2011-12-08T13:11:00.001-06:00

The days when Josh is gone to work from 4am to 7:45pm tend to drag on and on and blur together. The boys act up worse when daddy's gone, and you can't even imagine the number of diapers I change every day. It's hard to find something "special" to journal about on these days, but I'm trying to remember that December Daily isn't about finding something special every day, it's about capturing what really happened - boring bits and all! So here's days six and seven!

December Daily Days 4-5

2011-12-05T13:37:00.001-06:00

Can't believe I'm actually caught up/keeping up! It's helped tremendously having my layouts done in advance, then I just need to pick a photo(s) and think about what story I want to tell. For Day Four, I journaled about my trip to the mall with Cai. I can't remember the last time I did something with just him, and it was a very fun, special time!

Day Five was pretty low-key, since Josh went back to work and I'm stuck at home with the kids. I told the story of Cai drinking hot chocolate (possibly for the first time, I'm not sure) and me baking Andes mint-chip cookies. Which really deserves its own page, since I bake so rarely! I have lofty plans to do more baking this holiday season, Cai loves to "help." So maybe more yummy pictures will pop up in future December Daily pages!

December Daily Days 1-3

2011-12-05T09:48:00.001-06:00

Better late than never is my motto, as you've no doubt gathered if you've ever read my blog! Last night I finally had a moment to add photos and journaling to my first three December Daily pages. I shared the foundation pages here with full credits. Actually I'm still missing a photo for one day, since I snapped it on my mom's camera, which is currently at her house. But I'm gonna go ahead and post it and I'll add the missing photo later. That's the beauty of Photoshop, right?!
So without further ado, here's my December Daily pages 1-3:

Day 1 - Today wasn't all happy feelings, I really struggled with being depressed about our financial situation this Christmas. I want to make sure I don't sugarcoat our daily lives in this album, so I shared a little of the depressing part of the day, but also tried not to focus on that. I forgot to snap a picture, so I included the instructions and number sheet from my advent project, and the MOPS logo since that was a big part of the day.

Day 2 - Obviously I'm still missing a photo, but imagine a cute shot of my little 16-month-old shutterbug Avyn! We went to his surgery follow-up appt today, and the doctor prescribed Singulair to help with his constant postnasal drip. We go back in three weeks to see if that helps and to check his hearing. There is some concern that he may have hearing loss, given his speech delay. I'm trying not to focus on that and what it might mean for his/our future. Enjoyed a sweet evening with my hubby finishing the advent project, each day the boys get to open a box and discover a fun activity to do with mommy (and daddy when he's home).

Day 3 - Today's big event was our Sunday School class Christmas party! It was so fun to get all dressed up and go out without the boys! I even wore a pretty dress, which is impossible to do with a nursing baby usually. The boys loved having Miss Christi babysit, and she said they did wonderfully. I'm sure most of my pictures this month will feature the boys, so I wanted to make sure and include these photos of Josh and I.

My December Daily Digi Album, part 1

2011-12-02T10:46:00.001-06:00

So who else is diving into the December Daily madness this year?! If you don't know what December Daily is all about, check out this post from Ali Edwards, the Dec Daily queen. She has tons of great information on her site about December Daily, and plenty of beautiful inspiration! I'm doing mine a little differently, going all-digital since I simply can't find the time to make one of those gorgeous paper or hybrid books (one year I will!!!). I'm designing each page ahead of time, so all I have to do each day is snap a few photos, drop them in the photo spots, and journal about our day. I chose Sabrina's Creations 25 Days of Christmas template set, available at Mscraps - check it out:

How beautifully simple is that?! I love the blocked design. I couldn't pick just one kit to use, though. I adore Christmas kits, so I chose several! They don't necessarily match, but I don't particularly care. Here's the pages I've completed so far (well, ready for photos and journaling), along with the kits I used.

First four pages created with He's Coming! kit by Studio Basic:

Pages 5-8 created with Sabrina's Creations 25 Days of Christmas kit:

Pages 9-12 created with Christmas Morning kit by Valorie Wibbens and Creations by TinaMarie:

That's as far as I've gotten so far, today I'm working on finishing up the rest of the album, adding my photos and journaling to day 1, and whipping up a little hybrid Advent project to do with my boys this month. I'll be back here later to share all that! In the meantime, if you're doing any kind of December project, I would love to see it. December Daily, an Advent calendar or project, or anything else to help make, capture, and record your memories this month!

Layouts from DSD and beyond!

2011-11-12T19:12:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the cheesy title, I couldn't help myself. Remember I promised to share some more of my recent layouts? Well here you go - my creations from the past week or so! As always, each image is linked to the gallery for full credits.

The first three I created for the Scrap Orchard DSD challenges. Their theme was "Game On!" and each challenge borrowed its theme from a popular game.

For the Boggle challenge - we had to find our title in the Boggle dice. Tried my hand at the art journaling style, which is very new to me. It's pretty amateurish, but I like it anyway! If you can't read it, it says "I am loved because I am a princess," a reminder to myself that I am God's child.

This challenge was based on, you guessed it, Tic-Tac-Toe! I thought it was a pretty creative template idea.

For the Connect Four challenge, we had to choose four layouts to combine in one scraplift. I found this one quite challenging!

Ahh, the colors! I scrapped these layouts with The Lilypad's November BYOC goodies - I just love this month's color palette! And the products... swoon. A few of my favorites:

Hometown papers and ellies from Lauren Reid

Magical Splatter 3 by Kitty Designs

Scrap Essentials No. 2 by Jenna Desai

Paint Stroke Chatter: Wee One by CD Muckosky

Finally finished a layout with the gorgeous Catscrap collab, My Life. It worked perfectly for this "Avyn at 15 months" layout!

This layout is for the Catscrap November Torn Up challenge. I used Creashens' Torn Bits 2 as photo masks for my torn element. I love these photos, taken on our first trip to the park this season to require jackets!

I managed to get two challenges done at Design House Digital this week, this one for their scraplift challenge. I love the bright colors of their DSD Blog Hop collab kit!

Che Yang Designs at Mscraps debuted her cute Night and Day kit last week, and it was just perfect for my snapshot of Riah all cuddled up in my blanket.

OK, last one! I didn't quite realize how prolific I've been this week! This one is with Anita Designs' newest kit, Christmas Joy, at Mscraps, showing off my family's Hallmark ornaments for this year.

DSD Aftermath

2011-11-08T11:13:00.000-06:00

Whew, I am still reeling from all the fun craziness of iDSD! (That's international Digital Scrapbooking Day, or Digital Shopping Day, as some husbands call it LOL!) How about you? Did you participate in any chats, games, or activities? Almost every store in digiland offered amazing sales, fun-filled chats, generous freebies, and creative challenges to get us scrapping. Some stores even crashed from all the shopping frenzy!
So today I'm working on unzipping and organizing all my downloads, and thought it would be the perfect time to share some of my purchases (linked of course for your shopping pleasure :)), and maybe a layout or two. Then once I have time to scrap with the new stuff, I'll come back to share those layouts, too.

First up - The Lilypad! Due to technical difficulties, they extended their sale through today, so don't miss out! Here's a few of my fave kits that I either won or bought this weekend:

I just adore glitter. L.O.V.E. it. Especially this kind of stampy/splattery stuff I can layer on a background. Since I mostly scrap my boys, I can't have TOO much obvious glitter, so I like to use it to add a little pep to my backgrounds!

I actually bought Gina's Simple Journalers Pack #2 as well. I've been taking pictures with my Droid a lot lately, using the Retro Cam app, which creates these nifty Instagram-like square pictures. I can't wait to use these journalers to showcase those phone pics, along with all the cute stuff my kids say and do!

I've had my eye on this one since it came out. I love that it's not too cutesy, so could be used for layouts about conversations between Josh and I, as well as for funny things the kids say.

I actually got quite a bit more at The Lilypad, but since I don't want this post to get too long, I'm going to move on - I'll definitely share more of my purchases with layouts later this week!

Another kit that's been hanging out on my wishlist - I was lucky enough to snag a coupon from the ultra-generous K Studio to get this kit for free! I love the color palette! And how cute is that sheep?!

I was excited to win a coupon from Emeto Designs, because she creates these beautiful fantasy-style kits that I've always admired, but been afraid to actually buy and experiment with! I think this gorgeous Christmas kit will be fun to play with this year, hopefully my kids will cooperate for pictures!

I was recently accepted to the Catscrap creative team (WOOT! More about that exciting news in another post :)), and had the chance to play with this adorable new grab bag by Catscrap guest Jazzmin Designs. It's only $3 too! Grab it fast!!! Also, just FYI, Catscrap is giving away daily freebies on their Facebook page for DSD - don't miss the last few! Here's the page I made with the grab bag:

During my October guest CT spot at The Lilypad, I had the incredible privilege of playing with SO MANY amazing goodies (the BYOC stuff alone warrants its own post!). One of the last things I snagged was Micheline Martin's new kit The It Chick.

And here's a layout with it, featuring my beautiful little sister Chrissy and her adorable daughter:

One final purchase - I'm getting ready for holiday scrapping, and I liked the non-traditional color palette for this Thanksgiving/gratitude-themed kit by Sugary Fancy.

To see more of my DSD purchases, check out my Facebook page! And I'll be back soon to show off some of my favorite freebies from the weekend, talk about the challenges I participated in, and show off some more layouts!
In the meantime, I would LOVE to see your favorite goodies! What did you buy off your wishlist? Or did you snag some of the crazy limited-time deals and steals? Enable us!

Grow With Love: Staycation - my experience so far

2011-08-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

I bought Plant Your Story's Grow With Love: Staycation workshop about a month ago, before all this bedrest/hospital/baby worry stuff. I had high hopes of planning fun activities with the boys at home while daddy worked, then little weekend outings to the museum, park, zoo, etc. God had other plans, though, and I found myself on bedrest a couple weeks later. All summer fun plans put on hold. But I didn't want to totally abandon the workshop, either, so I've had to find creative ways to scrap some of the prompts. Here's a few pages I've completed so far, some before bedrest started, some after. I'll also include a brief summary of the prompt inspiring each page.

Prompt 1 summary: Take a photograph of a "detail" of this day, some kind of "memory residue."

I snapped a pic of the aftermath of a little nesting/cleaning spurt - a clean bathroom and (mostly) neat living room! My title explains that this is not a typical day for us :)

Image linked for credits

Prompt 2 summary: Choose a single moment in time to document.

I chose naptime - one of my all-time fave times of day as a mommy!

Image linked for credits

Prompt 3 summary: Scrap about your summer reading.

I read a lot, usually on my Droid while feeding baby, eating, taking a quick break, any time I have a spare minute. I enjoyed documenting the books I've read so far this summer, and I have plans to scrap a page about books still on my list to read, and about reading with Cai (who inherited mommy's love of books!).

Image linked for credits

Prompt 8 summary: Capture fun, silly, water-play moments.

Yes, I did the prompts out of order! I especially cherish these captured moments, since I'm not sure when the next time is that I'll be able to splash in the pool just me and Avyn. Middle kids always seem to get the short stick. But I love that he's finally old enough now to sit up on his own and enjoy some water fun with mommy! This was a fun memory to scrap!

Image linked for credits

Prompt 11 summary: Explore a local attraction, take a day trip, etc.

By this point I was on bed rest, so I lived vicariously through my sisters Lizzie and Becca and scrapped about their trip to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, somewhere we've all wanted to go since moving to San Antonio. Plus I had a blast using the amazingly fun kit Vintage Carnival kit by Sahlin Studio!

Image linked for credits

Prompt 18 summary: Create a list using the word "Reasons" as your foundation.

I linked this page up in my last blog post, so I won't bother you with it again!

That's all I have finished so far, but I have a couple of Staycation pages in the works, and ideas brewing for more. Some of the prompts I think I'll save for after baby's born, and we can do a little more in the cooler fall weather. These 100+ degree temps are just too brutal for anything more than pool or A/C! I do look forward to exploring more of this beautiful city and outlying areas, there are so many places I still want to take the boys: Children's Museums, the coast (just a couple hours away!), Landa park, various parks and pools around the city. Can't wait for cooler weather! Oh, yeah, and a healthy baby :)!

Catching Up is Overrated

2011-08-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

I've let this blog sit gathering dust for so long that the mere thought of trying to "catch up" sends my brain into a panic-induced coma. So I've been playing my favorite game - avoidance - for months. Finally today (in the shower, where all my most brilliant realizations occur) I decided that playing catch-up is way overrated. Who cares what happened two months ago? It's ancient history. So I'll just start with now.

Right now I'm on doctor-prescribed strict bedrest, and have been since July 25th. Baby Riah isn't due until September 23, which seems like forever. Since taking care of a 2 1/2-year-old and a 1-year-old while on bedrest is pretty much the definition of impossible, we have all moved in with my parents while Josh works 2 hours away. To add to the fun, a nasty cold has been working its way through the family, starting with me, moving on to Mom and Avyn, and flirting with my Dad and Becca. Hopefully we all survive the next few weeks. Although there are many things I can't do on bedrest (and it would be very easy to lay here and pour out a list of complaints, complete with whining and moaning), it's much better for my attitude and general stress level to focus on what I can do. I started a list last week using the Sticky Note app on my computer, and I add to it every time I think of something. Here's what I have so far - and if you have any more ideas, I would LOVE to hear them!

Photograph the people and activities around me
Scrap! (ZZS challenges, Sahlin Studio featured kit and template challenge, Mscraps new releases, Staycation class, Avyn's birthday, bedrest)
Write blog posts
Play Civilization 3
Learn about my DSLR
Read books
Make list of baby stuff still needed
Shop online for baby stuff and other stuff
Make friendship bracelets
Knot pearl necklaces
Look up (and then do) stretching exercises safe for bedrest
Organize digiscrap supplies
Purge digiscrap supplies
Organize photos
Make Avyn's birthday card

I also scrapped a page about ten reasons bedrest isn't so bad.

I actually bought the kit I used specifically for this layout. I rarely have such a specific idea in mind when I buy something, but this kit was too perfect. Want to see?

"Positivity" by Lauren Reid and Jenn Barrette (at The Lilypad)

See what I mean? Isn't that the most perfect kit for me right now? Full of timely reminders to look on the bright side, the cup is half-full, be positive, etc. I also used a template from Biograffiti, from her 10s List Temaplates set.

Here's two more layouts I've scrapped about bedrest:

I used the kit "Familiarity" by Karla Dudley, and a free template from the July Design House Digital blueprint challenge. And I have to brag a bit - Karla featured my layout on her blog for her Feature Layout Friday!! I feel special :)

I scrapped this page for a Scrap Orchard Make it Snappy challenge, using mostly "I'm Outta Here" by Captivated Visions (definitely one of my favorite kits recently).

Well, even if no one reads this, I feel much better for having jumped back on the bloggy bandwagon. I have so much I want to share, and many more layouts! One of the best things about bedrest is the extra time for scrapping!

In My Life Today

2011-02-19T14:25:00.000-06:00

Why hello, blog, long time no see! Did you miss me? Life conspired this month to keep me away from my computer more than I have been in months. I spent a week in the hospital with our youngest, with many subsequent doctor visits. Our Internet has been down more than up this month. And I've simply been exhausted - running around like a crazy woman trying to keep up with the boys, the house, and other responsibilities. And you know how hard it is to re-start something once you've lost momentum. Today I noticed a great inspirational post over at The Daily Digi all about blog memes and how they are a great way to capture a "slice of life," either on your blog and/or in a scrapbook page. I liked the one they shared (borrowed from The Simple Woman's Daybook), so I'm going to participate here! If you decide to do something similar, I'd love to read your meme!

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... it is misty, gray and drizzly, but still in the mid-60s, which was warm enough for Cai to play out on the balcony (which is sheltered) for a while this morning.
I am thinking... of how very much I am behind on. Even with paring back some responsibilities this month, I still have so much to catch up on, and so little energy to do it all.
I am thankful for... a heavenly Father who knows the long-term plan for my life and my children's lives, and promises that His will is good and perfect, even if all I can see is darkness in front of me.
From the kitchen... I hear uplifting Christian music from KLOVE, our local Christian station, because I'm at my mom's and she plays it 24/7. I love listening to the radio here, because our radio at home doesn't come in well.
I am wearing... too-big hand-me-down jeans and a purple t-shirt. Also, my feet are bare, which is silly because they are cold, so I've got a comforter tucked around me.
I am creating... this blog post. Duh. Also on the creating to-do list for today: a rough family schedule and at least one scrapbook page (probably scrapping this list!).
I am going... to spend a night in downtown San Antonio at the Rivercenter Marriott next Wednesday with Josh to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. We plan to eat at the fancy Fogo de Chao Brazilian steakhouse too! I'm so excited!
I am reading... The Parent Adventure by Rodney and Selma Wilson, for a small group study Josh and I are participating in at Northeast Bible Church.
I am hoping... that my Grandpa finds us the perfect minivan at an equally perfect price next week. We really need a second vehicle!
I am hearing... Avyn cooing, gurgling, and babbling in his seat on the floor next to me. And sometimes coughing, because he is sick again, poor baby.
Around the house... I don't like looking around our house, because it's a depressing, avoidance-coma-inducing disaster. I need a maid.
One of my favorite things... are Sonic cherry or cranberry limeades. Yum.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Church and small group on Sunday. Taking Avyn to the GI specialist on Monday. Celebrating our anniversary a little early on Wednesday/Thursday.
Picture for the day: My two bookworms :)

Thanks again to The Simple Woman's Daybook for starting this great blog meme idea!

Ketchup

2011-02-02T14:25:00.000-06:00

As my title obviously implies, this is a catch-up post! Our internet quit on Sunday, and although AT&T says it's fixed, it's not. So I've been visiting my parents a lot this week, which has the added benefit of built-in help with the boys :)! All the time I could get online was spent playing with the lovely, hilarious girls over at Mscraps and celebrating the store's first anniversary. The amazingly generous designers donated lots of prizes for about 20 different games and challenges, so I had no shortage of inspiration this weekend. Here's the pages I completed (and the coordinating challenge):

Challenge: Scraplift Chain

For this page, I scraplifted the person who posted before me, which was tj7933, and I chose her page "Christmas Gala 2010" if you want to go look at it. :)

Challenge: Finish Me Off

This was an interesting challenge - we were all given a .jpg scrapbook page and had to "finish" it, but without changing any of the elements already there. I like how mine turned out! Everything is from the Mscraps Birthday Blog Train collab (which you can still get - hurry!!).

Challenge: White Space Layout

Pretty obvious - we had to create a white space layout. This one came together pretty quickly, one reason I love white space pages!! I absolutely ADORE this kit, too - Sketchbook by Three Paper Peonies. How cute is that pencil?! (Almost as cute as the little boy in the picture, right? :))

Challenge: Topsy Turvy Template

For this one, the hostess gave us a mixed-up template (with the element spots, paper strips, and photo slots all jumbled up on the page in no particular design). The challenge? Use just the bits we were given, nothing extra, to create a layout! Fun and challenging! The papers and most of the word art on this page is from Happy Talk by Three Paper Peonies and designs by Anita. The elements are from all over - I really had to dig through my Mscraps stash for this one!

Challenge: Template #2

Sadly, I missed out on the first template challenge of the weekend because it ended yesterday, and I had no Internet. But I had fun with this one - we gave Avyn his first taste of "solid" food a couple days ago, and he was thoroughly unimpressed. Made for a cute page, though. If you've got a messy child, then maybe you need the kit Messy by Three Paper Peonies, too.

Challenge: Create a new siggy

It had been a while since I created a new forum siggy, so I whipped this one up just in time to enter this challenge. It's pretty simple, but I like it! Also, I got to use that super-cute Messy kit again!

Thanks for being patient with me this week - hopefully we will figure out this Internet issue soon. And I promise a post soon that's not just showing off my recent layouts! Do you have any ideas for topics or tutorials, or burning questions about scrapbooking that you think somebody ought to answer? I'd love to hear your ideas!!

Top Five on Friday - Photoshop Shortcuts

2011-01-28T10:41:00.000-06:00

For today's top five list I thought I'd share five of my favorite, most-used Photoshop shortcuts. Although I've used Photoshop CS3 for close to four years, I constantly learn new things. It's a powerful piece of software, and while I've thought about upgrading, CS3 does everything I need and so much more! I feel like I've only recently started to get comfortable in it! So here's my top five shortcuts, in no particular order:

CTRL-J (Duplicate layer). Very handy when clustering, repeating an element, building a title, and so forth. Much easier than dragging the same element onto the page multiple times!
CTRL-ALT-G (Clip selected layer to layer below). This is particularly useful for templates, to clip photos or papers to the appropriate shape.
CTRL+/- (Zoom in/out) and CTRL-0 (Return to normal zoom). I use this shortcut all the time, to quickly zoom in and see how something looks at 100%, or zoom out to get "the big picture" (since unfortunately I don't have a lovely giant monitor!).
SHIFT-CTRL-N (Create new layer). Helpful especially when working with brushes. If you don't create a new layer, the brush will just stamp down on whatever layer is currently highlighted (like your paper, or element, or photo), which means you can't adjust it. Create a new layer for your brush, then you can resize, recolor, and fiddle with it to your heart's content!
CTRL-Z (Undo last action). Not much to say about this one - although it should probably be first in the list!! I'm pretty sure this is every scrapper's most used shortcut :).

And because the blogging experts have decreed that no post is complete without a photo, I'll share my latest layout(s) with you - I suppose it's even an example of my top five, since I certainly used all those shortcuts! I rarely create double-pagers, but that was part of the challenge over at Oscrap's Designer Spotlight this week: to scrap a two-page layout where one or both pages used a patterned background paper. Often my best pages come from challenges, because they force me to step outside my little comfortable box. This is also my Log Your Memory Weekly Challenge #4 layout - this week's challenge was to scrap about a project. I took a more metaphorical approach, but I needed the scrap therapy of my topic!

Left side - Journaling reads: 1. Feed him every 3 hours, both sides. 2. Supplement with 1 oz formula at each feeding. 3. Suction his poor nose, even though he hates it. 4. Persist with the inhaler for breathing treatments. 5. Start solids and sippy. 6. Make sure he gets lots of tummy time and room to practice rolling over. 7. Take fenugreek and pump to increase my supply. 8. Love, play, pray, cuddle, kiss, sing, talk.

Right side - Journaling reads: Some days I feel like a terrible mother. Some days I don't know what to do for you, how to help. I hear you coughing and choking, snorting as you struggle to breathe smoothly, and my heart breaks. Is there anything I could've done differently? I know this is a pointless line of reasoning no matter what. It won't help you get better. Instead I need to focus on doing everything in my power now to help you heal, grow, develop, and blossom. I can snuggle you and soothe you, and give you what only a mother can: a mother's love. But most importantly, I can pray for you and trust that God holds your tiny body in His strong arms, and He can heal you. Yes, He'll probably use doctors, and it's my responsibility to get you to the right ones. But I know that in the end, your life and health is in God's hands. And baby, there's no safer, healthier place to be. I love you so much, Avyn! 6 months old, January 27, 2011

I'll be back a little later today with a huge special announcement from one of my favorite digiscrap stores - yep, big enough for me to post TWICE in one day!! Curious yet? Heehee...

Breathe in the sunshine, sweetie!

2011-01-26T16:14:00.000-06:00

Do you ever feel so overwhelmed with everything that needs done that you don't know where to start? I do, frequently. I finally have a few minutes when the boys aren't screaming, the house is at least to an ignorable state, and I can focus on ... something. So I stare blankly at my computer screen with a rising sense of panic and desperation thinking of my extensive to-do list.
Just a few minutes ago I was in such a state and expressing (er, complaining) to my husband that I didn't know where to start. I had just asked him to open the shades because it's a beautiful day outside. He looks at me and says - "Breathe in the sunshine, sweetie!" (He followed that up with "Let it improve your mood!" but I probably deserved that one.)
Hmm... thanks, honey. I needed the reminder to take a minute, breathe, appreciate the beautiful day God has gifted us with, and calm down.
Bonus - I suddenly knew what to blog about! Check one item off my to-do list! I hope my little moment of enlightenment has inspired you to "breathe in the sunshine" today, especially if you are feeling especially stressed. :)
Oh, before I go - I scrapped last week's P365 photos yesterday, and I am SO PROUD to say that I am actually caught up (with the scrapping part lol)! I figure I better enjoy that while it lasts!

Just playing around...

2011-01-24T22:24:00.000-06:00

As you may have noticed I've been playing with the "look" of Life.Ink.Scraps, exercising my practically non-existent HTML muscles. I changed the background, added cute little doodley post dividers (huge pain in the butt), and even managed to adjust the size of the blog to fit within my background and fit the post dividers. Mostly, anyway. I'm sure I'm not done fiddling - I really want to design my own background, dividers, and especially a blog header. A cool header is at the top of my to-do list. I want everything customized and pretty, not just boring Blogspot-in-a-Box. Unfortunately, I don't have the HTML skills, which means hours poring over tutorials, screwing up, ranting and raving at the screen, scratching my head, trying and trying again.
But I'll get it. Eventually. Hey, I managed cute post dividers. It's all downhill from here, right?

I'll leave you all with the two P365 layouts I've completed so far. Yes, I know, there are days missing. I fell off the P365 wagon within two weeks. OH well I wasn't planning on winning any prizes, just documenting our daily lives a little better. I'm pretty sure there aren't Project 365 police out there hunting down offenders so until I'm notified otherwise, I will continue to call my little project "P365," even though it will likely be more along the lines of "P310" or "P278."

Saturday Scraps

2011-01-22T20:44:00.000-06:00

I feel like I haven't scrapped a page in a long time, so I thought today's effort was worth a whole post all to itself!

I scrapped this page for Log Your Memory's Weekly Challenge #3 - Share a Dream. It's all about my lifelong habit of daydreaming. Plus, bonus, I used a honeymoon photo that had been sitting around waiting to be scrapped for three years!

I used the lovely Day Dreamer by Modern June kit and a template from the Layers of Paper pack by BerrySweet Designs.

Top Five on Friday

2011-01-21T16:51:00.000-06:00

Hey, look, I made it on Friday this week! May this be the start of a long and happy tradition :D!
I decided to go for a pretty random Top Five list today. These are all things that made me happy this week, and who can't use a smile once in a while?!

1. I rarely buy templates anymore, because I have so many already and there are many available for free. BUT somehow Studio Basic at Mscraps keeps suckin' me in! Her template packs are always fresh and different, and each one is unique. Plus, I like the pretty colors she uses to color her templates - gray is so boring! This week's new release is an absolute must-have for me. I am in LOVE with all the frames/borders!

2. The Sara Scoop Double Daily. I had never heard of Paper.li before today, when I noticed that Sara had included my post about digiscrapping on a budget in her "paper" today - it's in the digiscrap section of her online newspaper. Thanks, Sara! I'm going to have to check out this online newspaper-creation thing, it looks fun!

3. I love organizational stuff. Doesn't mean I use it, but I love browsing the aisles at Office Depot or Bed, Bath & Beyond and ogling all the cool storage containers, caddies, file systems, and desk trays. This post on curbly.com has some great organizational eye candy, plus some great ideas, too! Maybe I'll actually put a few into practice in my walk-in-closet-turned-home-office!

4. What's your guilty pleasure? Mine is Cityville/Farmville on Facebook - I can lose hours a week (maybe a day... ssshhh) on mindlessly growing my empires. Everyone needs a stress-reliever, right?!

5. My last favorite thing today has nothing to do with the online world, and everything to do with what's most important in life - my family!! My oldest turned 2 yesterday, and while we have a party planned in a few days, we celebrated a little yesterday and let him open a few presents. Daddy and I gave him a play kitchen, set of toy food, and a Thomas the Tank Engine bedding set. He was absolutely thrilled with all of it, and has played almost non-stop with his kitchen since yesterday evening! Bedtime was also pretty smooth since he can now "sleep with Thomas"!

If you have a few things that are inspiring you today or making you happy, I'd love to hear about them!

Digiscrapping on a Budget

2011-01-20T14:31:00.001-06:00

Are you feeling a little broke (or a lot broke) after the holidays? Bills piling up? How often does your hobby budget fall to the bottom of the list - or off the list all together?

I know for me, money for digital scrapbook supplies is way down on our family's priority list, and I often feel like I'm taking money away from something else we need when I spend it on a kit. Fortunately, I've found that digital scrapbooking is an easy hobby to enjoy on a minimal budget. It just takes a little extra time, effort, and strategy - and learning a few money-saving "tricks" helps too ;)!
Here are a few pointers I've learned over my three years of digi-scrapping to save money and still enjoy scrapping with high-quality, current designs.

1. Shop sales.

Okay, this may seem obvious, but even if you would never be caught dead paying full price for a kit, not all sales are created equal. How do you know what's really a good sale for a particular designer or store? For example, some designers rarely if ever offer more than 30% off, while for another designer 30% may be an every-other-day event, and if you're patient you'll catch a 50% off sale from them. Knowing the difference is a matter of being familiar with the designer or store.
I can't emphasize enough the importance of signing up for newsletters (and this is important for pretty much all of my tips) - almost all designers and stores today use newsletters to announce sales/coupons/giveaways/special events, and occasionally this is the only place they'll announce it. If you've been following Designer A's newsletter for a few months and the best you ever see is 20% off new releases, you know it's time to stock up when she runs 35% off everything for her birthday. By the same token, if a designer regularly runs 40% off sales, you'll know you can hold off on buying that to-die-for kit until you really have the money.
Another way to keep up with your favorite designers is by following their blogs. I recommend using an RSS reader like Google Reader to easily follow and view a number of blogs - you can even create folders to organize your blogs (for example, you could have a folder called Scrapbook Graphics and put all of those designers' blogs under that folder).
Finally, just like regular brick-and-mortar retail, holidays and store/designer "anniversaries" are the best times to find great sales. Keep an eye out on those newsletters for when your favorite store/designer will celebrate their next anniversary. And if you don't already know about it, scrapbooking has two holidays of its very own - the first Saturday in May is {inter}National Scrapbooking Day, and Digital Scrapbooking Day, the first Saturday in November. These, of course, are the mother load of sales, giveaways, amazing freebies, and all sorts of fun chats, challenges, and general mayhem across the digital scrapbooking world!

2. Use coupons.

Isn't that the coolest coupon ever?! I love Coca-Cola, coupons, and vintage, but all together - *swoon*!!!
Okay, back on track. I intentionally put "use coupons" after "shop sales," because to get the most bang for your buck, wait for a sale before using a coupon whenever you can. Now, coupons you pick up through newsletters and blogs may not coincide with sales - it's likely going to be one or the other. The best coupons (and the ones you will most likely be able to save to combine with a sale) are the ones you earn, and there are two main ways to earn coupons.
The most reliable way to earn a coupon is by participating in a store forum's challenges, especially the kind where everyone who enters gets a coupon (or a mini-kit, add-on, etc.). Sometimes designers host challenges on their blogs, as well. Of course, this is a perfect way to get in a little scrapping while you're saving money! Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Not to mention they're fun. :) The Daily Digi compiled this great list of places to find digital scrapbooking challenges.
If participating in challenges is a Type A personality's favorite way to get coupons, entering giveaways and scoring limited-use coupons from Facebook or Twitter is a free-spirit's preferred method! If you like to gamble, enjoy the thrill of the hunt, and have a little extra time on your hands, this game is for you. Follow designers on Twitter and Facebook and keep your eyes peeled - many post random coupons, links to giveaway contests, and sale notices. Enter all the giveaways you can find and odds are, eventually you'll win something. Keep your store wishlists current and the next time your favorite designer posts a big coupon on Twitter to the first five lucky shoppers, you'll be ready for action!
*warning: shameless plug ahead* If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, I frequently post/re-tweet my favorite designers and stores' giveaways, coupons, and sale announcements! In addition to me :D, I also recommend following @dailydigi, they re-tweet great stuff from all over, and see if your favorite store(s) are on Twitter. Stores are great to follow because you get a bunch of designers' sale announcements, coupons, etc. in one place. A few on my list: @oscraps, @scrapmatters, @thedigichick, @PolkaDotPlum, @littledrmrscrap, @Mscraps, @sbg_studiogirls.
My top tip when entering to win a new release or other goody - make sure you take advantage of all "extra entries" offered. Post to Facebook, tweet it on Twitter, post on your blog, shout out the car window, whatever the designer allows, then don't forget to log your efforts in separate comments, and check back to see of you've won! Some designers require that you e-mail them to claim a prize, a strategy I totally agree with because it keeps people coming back to your blog! ;) (Sneaky but hey, we do what we have to do to attract traffic, right?!)

3. Join a Creative Team. If you love a particular designer's or store's products, and have and use at least some of them already, watch out for their next CT call. Or dive off the deep end and send them an e-mail - you never know, maybe they just had another CT member quit! I'm certainly not an expert in creative teams, but what I do know is to make sure your style fits the designer's look, and it's best if you're already familiar with their stuff before applying to their team. If you've never heard of Designer ABC and own none of their products, applying to the team just to get free stuff probably won't earn you brownie points!
Don't let your lack of experience or expertise (real or perceived) stop you from applying, either. Great designers know the value of having a variety of styles and skill levels on their team. You may be just what they're looking for! If not, shrug it off, keep scrapping, get to know the designer and their stuff better, and re-apply next time. Never give up!
DigiShopTalk hosts a Call forum where designers and stores can post their calls, and in my experience this is the best, all-in-one place to find information and keep up-to-date on who's calling for what and when.

4. Find FREEBIES!

No discussion of digi-scrapping on a budget would be complete without mention of freebies, but I left this category until last on purpose. Ask most any seasoned digiscrapper how many of the countless gigs of freebies they've downloaded that they actually use, and the answer will likely be "very little." Don't get me wrong, freebies are wonderful to help you get started in the wide world of digital scrapbooking, and I sure appreciate the designers who work hard to create quality work to give away. Unfortunately, not all freebie designers put in the same amount of effort. Remember why you digi-scrap - if it's to preserve your family's memories, think about whether you want a blurry, badly-extracted, or otherwise second-class product on those pages your family will be admiring for years.
A cardinal rule of freebie-hunting is to never download anything just because it's free. Ask yourself, would I pay for this? Will I use it? If you can't imagine how you'll use that alpha or element on a page, or if you can honestly admit that even if you had the money, you wouldn't spend it on that kit, don't bother downloading it. It'll only clutter up valuable hard drive space.
Now for the disclaimer :)! Many top designers routinely offer freebies to their loyal customers on their blogs, newsletters, or through store/web site "designer spotlights." These freebies are generally the same quality as their other products, and often designed to coordinate with a full kit that's in the store. Sometimes designers will even give a full kit away as a thank-you to their fans! The cardinal rule still applies to these, of course, but I find I'm more likely to use these types of freebies. Another way to save money if you love a kit, but know you won't use it for more than one page, is to see if the designer has offered a free add-on. Pick up the freebie, make your page, and save your money for their next kit that may be more versatile for you.
One more thing - never forget to say thank-you! That designer may have spent several hours of their valuable time creating something to give away; the least they deserve is a sweet, grateful comment, right? Well, that and your loyalty to spend money at their store next time you have a bit of cash ;).

I know this has been a very long post, but stick with me just a little longer, okay? :) Being on a few creative teams has given me an interesting, informative glimpse "behind the scenes" of digital designing. I've seen the hours, love, thought and effort designers put into their designs. Many count on designing income to help support their families. Remember to be respectful and appreciative (nobody likes digital pirates! Johnny Depp, on the other hand...), always leave a thank-you comment when you download a freebie or use a coupon, and when you do have a little money to spend, give back to your favorite designers who so generously share freebies, coupons, and sales (in other words, their time and money)!

What are your best tips for saving money on digital scrapbooking goodies? Please share them in the comments - I'm sure everyone would love to hear them! Not to mention I'm always looking for ways to make my dollar stretch!

Single-Tasking

2011-01-17T15:59:00.000-06:00

I've been mulling over the concept of "single-tasking" lately, as opposed to multi-tasking, ever since I read about this concept online. I'm an extremely distractable person, and tend to do about 10 things at once, especially online. I always have multiple browser tabs and programs open. I was diagnosed in college with ADD, and this is how I struggle with it - I have a hard time focusing. There are times as a mom of two little boys when this trait serves me well. Sometimes many things must be done at once. And kids, of course, throw off the whole equation. I'm certainly not recommending ignoring your children until you finish a layout/the dishes/sorting your sock drawer/processing e-mail. I can't count how many times I've had to stop writing this post and deal with the latest kid mini-crisis. The point is that when the crisis is dealt with, instead of getting distracted by something else that needs done, I re-focus on my original task.
Because more often than not, multi-tasking is an ineffective and ultimately slower way to get things done. Why?

It takes longer to do a task in little bits of time, because every time you go back to something, you have to mentally remember where you were at/what you were doing, re-gather supplies, pick up a tool, etc. These few extra seconds or minutes add up.
I risk forgetting something important, because my mind is trying to hold onto too many things at once. The more tasks and details I'm remembering and jumping between at once, the more likely I'll forget an important task or component.
Multi-tasking is complicated and often stressful, contributing to a chaotic life. Even if things get done, what's the cost to my sanity and my family?

If you're like me, the concept of single-tasking is so foreign that you may need some help knowing exactly how to start. This article on zenhabits.net offers a great list of practical ideas on how NOT to multi-task, so I won't reinvent the wheel. My favorite tip is to stop, breathe deeply, and re-focus if I feel myself tempted to check e-mail, follow a link, pick-up the living room clutter, or anything else until I'm done with the task at hand.

I think the key to single-tasking may be a bit surprising, because it's a favorite of multi-taskers as well: the to-do list. A to-do list is just a tool; how you use it is up to you! To-do lists help to empty your brain of all the stuff ricocheting around in there, and get it on paper. The difference with single-tasking is that once it's on the paper, organized, and prioritized, you forget about everything below your current task. Fold your paper up to right under your current task if you have to. Or use an online tool like NowDoThis, which will show you only one task at a time. The "all done!" message when you finish your list is remarkably satisfying. Remember - thinking about what you have to do next is another form of multi-tasking!

This is my screen capture with the NowDoThis web site running. As you can see, I'm not quite following my own advice - I have 8 tabs open! Whoops...

Living "in the moment" has become a sort of New Age-y catchphrase, a way for people to assert that they want to "experience life" and "appreciate the little things." Few people - myself included - truly understand how to achieve this in-the-moment-ness (yes, I just made up a word. I'm an English major, I'm allowed). I think that the art of single-tasking, focusing on one project or to-do until it's done, can bring me one step closer to appreciating life "in the moment," soaking it all in, and fully enjoying these all-too-fleeting days of young motherhood.

Top Five for Friday...on Saturday

2011-01-15T12:36:00.000-06:00

I like the blog-world idea of doing a "top five on Friday" list. But between taking Avyn back to the doctor and still being sick myself yesterday, the list in my head never made it to the computer. So I'm sharing my top five on Saturday!

Ever heard of Kaboodle? Although it's famous for more traditional shopping "finds" like shoes, purses, or make-up, I love using it for my digital scrapbooking dream wish lists. If I see something I like when browsing a shop or "new releases" newsletter, I will usually "Kaboodle it" and then, when I have a few dollars to spend, I shop my wish list first. I have extremely limited digiscrap funds, and this also helps prevent impulse purchases. Sometimes when I review my list later I'll realize that a particular kit, while beautiful, really doesn't fit my style, or that I already have a similar kit in my stash. By the same token, if I'm still madly in love with a kit a few days or weeks later, and know that I'll use it, I'll give in and treat myself!

Here's my top five on my Kaboodle wishlist right now:

"Sketchbook" by Three Paper Peonies

I can't wait to scan in some of Cai's drawings to use with this kit. That pencil is too cute! I'm buying this one as soon as I finish this post!

"Snap! The weekly shots" by Maya de Groot

I'm considering this set for my Project 365 photos. I like the variety of photo sizes.

"The Story of Us" by Vera Lim

I like the color palette of this kit, especially the blue. I think it would be pretty to do some layouts of Josh and I - I still have so many engagement/wedding/honeymoon stories to scrap!

"Holiday Cheer" by Cinzia Designs

Who doesn't have holiday photos still to scrap?! I love the fresh, bright colors and doodley elements, especially the banner. I am so obsessed with all things pennant and banner...

"Blogging for Bliss" by Tara Frey

My last pick isn't a kit, but I think it could make a world of difference in my blogging and my creativity in general. I'm definitely buying this one - Amazon has it on sale for just $6.82!

Do you have a "top 5" on your wish list? Thanks for being patient with me this week while I fell behind. I've got some exciting ideas in store for next week, including a post about "single-tasking" and one about tips for digi-scrapping on a budget. Until then - happy scrapping, and enjoy your weekend!

Introducing ... my bosses

2011-01-10T21:27:00.000-06:00

Well I had planned on posting a fun list yesterday of my favorite new releases, and I had a blog post half-ready for today about single-tasking. Little did I know, "the bosses" planned a different agenda. So today, you get a family update! Never fear - I'll get back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow or Wednesday. Now, meet the bosses - here they are with mama, who is obediently performing her snuggle duties :).

Cai, my almost-2-year-old (I can only say that for a couple more weeks - yikes!), experienced his first stomach bug that had him throwing up several times yesterday evening. He appears fine today, except for decreased appetite. I am very glad - mommy doesn't handle vomit well.

Avyn, who will be six months on the 27th, is a bit more complicated. He's suffered from a persistent cough since around Thanksgiving, and constant congestion basically since birth. His pediatrician diagnosed stridor and reflux, but my "mother's intuition" kept insisting that something else is wrong. It's been affecting his eating and sleeping (which also happens to affect mommy's sleeping). So today I finally called the doctor, explained my concerns, and they got us in this morning. Well, the appointment was at 11 am, but we didn't get in until nearly 12:30 pm. Typical doctor's office. Our doctor agreed that something is up, and ordered food allergy testing, because his symptoms may fit with a food allergy (since I'm nursing, he gets everything I eat). She also discovered that he has huge tonsils, so we'll probably need to see an ENT specialist to deal with that. Finally, she prescribed an antibiotic since his cough and congestion have been worse the last few days with greenish mucus (sorry if that was TMI!). Poor little guy probably has a cold or infection on top of the chronic problems.

We should find out results from the allergy panel in 3-5 days. Although I want answers, I selfishly hope he doesn't have allergies because that would restrict my diet! Lactose intolerance runs in my husband's side of the family, too - I'm not sure I could go without milk! But if it isn't allergies, there may be a more serious issue, like with his tonsils and/or adenoids (which the doctor couldn't even see because the tonsils were so big). And I'm sure I could handle avoiding dairy for a while.

Do any of you, or your children, have to (or choose to) avoid milk products or other foods? Is it a huge pain in the butt, or do you just get used to it? Have you found any great-tasting "replacement" milk (or replacements for other foods)? Thanks for sharing!

Saturday Inspiration

2011-01-08T11:52:00.000-06:00

As I'm figuring out how this blog will work, and what I'll post when, I know I want to have weekly inspiration posts - one post for showing off some of my recent layouts (and maybe others I find around digiland?) and one post for showcasing some of my favorite, drool-worthy new products from various designers. And probably this will happen on Saturday and Sunday. Sound good to you?
Okay, here we go with the first official layout inspiration post! Today it's just my own work, and I included a little bit about each layout or a technique that I used. Hope you can find some inspiration!

"Jordyn Angel"

This one is for my niece's baby album. I love being able to scrap girly pages once in a while! Isn't Jordyn the cutest? I used Angel Hartline Design's Paper Wings collection, and enjoyed practicing my photo blending (the blend mode is Overlay at 100%). I love that Angel includes glitter styles in her collections - I love glitter, and the styles are so easy to use. I applied them with one click to my title - instant pizzazz!

"December Day 25"

My plans for a daily December album didn't quite turn out as, well, planned. I hadn't planned on a last-minute 9-day trip to Michiana, or on moving the week of Christmas. Oh well, that's life! I made sure to scrap a page for Christmas day, though, and choose a template that had lots of picture spots and journaling space. I used Mscrap's Holly Jolly Christmas collab, Allison Pennington's Smitten, and Biograffiti's Itty Bitty Dates No. 1. Also, I edited all the photos with My Four Hen's Peace or Hope actions. I rarely use non-edited photos any more, and I almost always use actions - so easy!

"Random Moments 2010"

I like the simplicity of this template - it's an old Log Your Memory (LYM) freebie. This was my page for the LYM 2011 Weekly Challenge #1 - to make a list. Making "top" lists of anything totally stresses me out, though, so I decided to compile a completely random list. I went through my photo folders and grabbed a picture from each month, the first one that caught my eye. Turned them all black & white, added a few cute papers and embellies from Ange and Deca Designs' Revolution kit, and there's my list page! Oh, yes, and the month wordart brush on each photo is from Cinzia Loosemore's Dates and Days (not sure if they are available to buy anymore). One thing to remember when using brushes, create a new layer (Shift-Ctrl-N in PS) before stamping with your brush so you have the freedom to move, resize, recolor, etc.

I'll be back tomorrow sharing some of my favorite new products on the market, and hopefully posting my first Project 365 weekly layout!

One Little Word 2011

2011-01-06T19:16:00.000-06:00

I talked about my one little word for 2011 on the LifeInk blog already (and I encourage you to go read that post), but since then I've found a few more great resources for delving a little deeper into this amazingly powerful concept. Ali Edwards is teaching a class at Big Picture Classes on this topic, and it's only $36 for the year-long class!

I also stumbled across these gorgeous necklaces from Liz Lamoreux on Etsy - how awesome would it be to wear your word around!? I'm thinking of mentioning this to my husband as a possible anniversary/V-day gift ;). She has brass teardrop, washer, and circle shapes available, with your word stamped in the metal, and your choice of chain length. So very cool.

Christine Kane published a worksheet titled "Your Word of the Year Discovery Tool" that walks you through selecting your word, then answering a series of questions/journaling prompts designed to get you clear and focused about why you selected this word and what kind of results you want from it this year. Well, the worksheet explains it better than I do!

So over the past few days, as I have time in between toddler meltdowns, diaper explosions, organizing the new apartment, cleaning, cooking, etc., I've worked through these questions. I'd like to share a few insights I gained into my word for 2011, "BELIEVE."

One question Christine asks is "In what ways do you already live/embody this word? I wrote that I already believe in God, I believe I have intrinsic worth as His child, and I believe He has a plan for me. I'm not sure, however, that I actually "embody" these statements. Another question asks what would be different in my life if I embraced and lived my word daily. If I lived out the word "believe," I think it would/will dramatically change my everyday living, my outlook on life, the way I respond to trials and struggles, and the way I think about myself and my purpose.
For example, if I believe that I am a talented, gifted, creative writer/editor/scrapbooker and actually live out that belief, how freeing that would be! Instead of battling insecurity and feeling that this article/blog post/scrapbook page isn't good enough, or that I have nothing original to contribute, I would be emotionally freed to simply create.
Another question she poses is "What old patterns, Default Settings, or beliefs have kept you from living this word until now?" As part of my answer, I wrote that I am full of "default beliefs" programmed into me since childhood at home and church. I believe these things, sure, but I've never internalized them for myself, so they are only a surface and superficial part of my life. One of my goals this year is to reexamine my basic beliefs, about God and about myself, and make them mine - not my parents' or my church's, but mine.
I certainly haven't covered every area of this 9-page worksheet. Many of my answers are too personal to share, but I hope I've inspired you to dig a little deeper into this "One Little Word" fad, and figure out your "why" and "how." For me, this year I will embrace my word "Believe" in two broad areas of my life: believe in myself, and believe in God. By first nailing down precisely what I believe, and then internalizing those beliefs on the soul-level, I believe that my life will radically change.

How about you? Have you taken the time to explore your word for 2011, your reasons for choosing that word, and what you hope to accomplish this year with that word? Did you learn anything? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Welcome to Life.Ink.Scraps!

2011-01-04T17:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome! If you've found me from LifeInk, the Wordpress blog I formerly coauthored with my dear, talented friends Ashley and Erin, then you know that we've decided to branch off into three separate blogs - and this is mine! Our blogs, like ourselves, will remain best friends, however, and for now you'll be able to see all three on LifeInk still, as we link our new blogs there. We felt that each of us was "growing into" our respective niches and needed more space to grow as different writers with different focuses. Although this blog is far from complete and is pretty rough around the edges, please hang in there with me while I learn about the Blogger platform and how to make things pretty :). I decided, instead of putting off starting until I had everything perfect, I'd better just start and we'll figure things out together as we go. When Ashley and Erin have their new blogs up, I will certainly link to them and encourage you to visit these awesome, creative ladies too!

Now, back to me :D. I landed on the name Life.Ink.Scraps. because I feel this name beautifully describes the three-pronged approach I'll be taking here. First, "Life" - if you don't want to occasionally hear about my toddler's funny antics, or my crazy mommy experiences, then you have my permission to gracefully bow out now.

My family - me, Cai, hubby Josh, and Avyn

My everyday, ordinary life will be a big part of my blog, obviously because my life affects everything I write and create, and being a mommy affects my life the most.
Second, "Ink" refers to writing, and it's kind of obvious. But beyond the "duh, this is a blog" writing aspect, I hope to also share poetry, bits of creative writing, and other sorts of "inspirational/challenging/devotional writing" posts as the muse strikes me.
Third, and this is perhaps the biggest reason I am writing this blog, is "Scraps." Digital (and a little paper) scrapbooking is a huge part of my life, my creative outlet, and a way for me to be "me" outside of being a mommy/wife/sister/daughter/editor/fill in the blank. I want to share my pages with you all, share cool products I've found, talk about fun events in the digiscrap community, and really just have fun and participate in this amazingly international, diverse creative community! I'm on several creative teams so you'll often see posts relating to those (more about that aspect in a future blog post), but this will never become a "hi, here's my layout, here's the product, go buy it, ok bye" type of blog. That even sounds boring to me!
Finally, these three areas obviously bleed into each other a lot. For example, most of my scrapping is about my life, and the same goes for my writing. I may write about scrapbooking and photography. And if you ever have a question or idea that you'd like to see me write about, please share! Leave a comment or send me an email, I'd love to hear from you.

I want this to be an interesting, fun, stimulating, conversation-starting, happenin' type of blog - I want to get to know you! There's so much information online about scrapbooking and memory keeping in general, more than I could ever find. I'd love to hear of a new designer or store you adore, a new product you can't live without, or a fun challenge/chat/game out there in digiland.

Thank you in advance for joining me on this journey through my life, writing, and scrapping! Oh, and if you have any tips on how to create a great Blogger blog, please leave a comment - I need your help!