My {Life}, My {Blog}

A Short Entry

Just a short post today.  Watching the Olympics until late is really getting to me.  I am going to try to wind down much earlier tonight and will not be turning it on at all.

Here are a couple of projects I finished recently.  These are using the Flair Seaside collection.  Sort of fits out new Gulf Coast living.  The card has a matching envelope made from a sheet of the Flair papers.

Products used:Cardstock (Prism Prismatics Frosted Pink)
Patterned Paper (Flair Just Add Beach and Seaside Sandals)
Glitter Glue (Stickles)
Die Cute Machine and Font (Cricut)
Button (Stash)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

This layout is from a recent day trip to the beach.  Check out my Mom.  This is 3 months after the car crash.  No cane or walker!

Products used: Cardstock (Prism Prismatics Sage Dark)
Patterned Paper (Flair Designs Seashell Swirl and Deep Blue Sea)
Stickers (Flair Designs)
Flowers (Paper Studio)
Die cut Machine and Cartridge (Cricut)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

Well, that's it for tonight.  Lights go out in 10 minutes so that I can hopefully fall asleep earlier.

Back In My Bed Again!!!

Buzy, buzy week.  Let's see.  School started on Monday.  I took the day off to move in, but the movers couldn't unpack us  in the rain.  Soooo, off to work I go as I had 15 hearings scheduled to hear this week.  In all the commotion, I missed first day of school photos, but here are some trying on our school clothes ones for ya.

First day of school went off pretty well.  We were a little worried about DS because it was his first day of middle school, but he did really well.  The school did not tell us that he needed a check for his locker when we went to register him, so he ended up having to take his HUGE, STUFFED backpack with him everywhere he went that day.  Otherwise, all was good.  I took off early to be home when he got home, and DH went to the school just in case he couldn't get his bus figured out.  Needless to say, I had DH at the school EARLY Tuesday morning to get that locker thing worked out.

Tuesday, the movers show up hours late.  Of course, I am in hearings and can't leave.  DH mans it by himself until the babes come home and I run home as soon as I can.  We downsized considerably with this rental while we wait on our house to sell, so we are crammed with boxes and extra furniture.  Slowly but surely, we are getting out what we need and putting the rest in storage.

Today I got the kitchen, dining room and a place to store my scrapstuff set up.  Tomorrow, I finish off the stuff I did today and start our room.  Both kids have done a lot in their rooms also.  Feels kind of  funny not having a room.  Of course all the boxes have prompted DH to say that I have too much stuff.  Really, I don't.  I have a lot, but as long as I am designing, I need a lot to be able to complete assignments.  I don't think he gets that.  It's all paper and glue to him.

Are you guys watching the Olympics?  I have been staying up crazy hours trying to watch swimming and gymnastics.    Not only has Michael Phelps blown them out, but did you see Dara Torres.  Way to show them that the 40 somethings can still get it done.

Gotta run now.  Michael Phelps swims again in a few minutes.

A Mini

I made a new mini album, and FINALLY got around to re-sizing the pics.  This one is another from the Tinkering Ink peek a boo albums.  This one features a favorite photo of all of us.

All the papers are either Tinkering Ink or Prism.  Because of the shape of the album, I went with only a few extras like HS bling, a few rub on's and MM metal embellishments.

In other news, I was awarded another blog award, this time by Christy (who has an awesome blog by the way!). 

In keeping with the rules of this award, I nominate the following people in no particular order:

• Lisa Tutman Oglesby
• Lisa D
• Stephanie
• Lisa Sanford
• Essense vibez
• Stacy
• and my dear friend Debbie.

Stop and show them each a little bit of love if you get a chance.

How about a little Digi?

Let's see, we've had out takes, and keepers lately.  How about a little digi now?  I am really starting to like doing digi layouts.  Not only are they fun, but most of the time, they are not for assignment.  It is so rare that I can scrap for me that digi it just makes digi that much more fun.  These were for a Tinkering Ink review at Scrapfriends, but were still a ton of fun.  So, here is the layout.  This was my first time using layered frames.  I have several that I downloaded.  You will see these again.

Products used:
Digital Patterned Paper and embellishment elements (Tinkering Ink)
Cluster Frames (Maria LaFrance designs)
Font (Lithos Pro)

Here is a Birthday card that I did.  It is sized 4 x 6, so that it can be attached to a postcard form and sent that way or attached to a card base.

Products used:
Patterned Paper and Digital element(Tinkering Ink)
Font (Magneto)

Well, that is it for me tonight.  I am flat out worn out.  It is tax free weekend and we did all the school supply shopping, sperry topsider and nike shoe shopping this weekend.  We did not even try to get near the mall.  As my oldest says, you would think that the mall was giving stuff away it was so crowded.

BTW, this is my birthday month.  I start celebrating at the beginning of the month.  I am trying to figure out what I want to get me.  One thing for sure is a new phone.  I fried mine this weekend.  Sigh!  I had just started figuring the stupid thing out.

Talk to you later.

A Few Keepers

So I showed you the out takes from recent shoots.  How about a few keepers.  I just finished processing these and uploading for printing.

And these of my DS.

And this one converted to black and white.  It was completely goofed because I accidentally forgot to change the white balance back and took a ton of work in photoshop to get it decent.

That's it for me tonight.  I have a couple of digi layouts to share later this weekend.  I seriously don't feel like resizing right now.

Just a Short Post

This is just a short post tonight.  It is pretty late and I will not want to get up tomorrow if I don't get some sleep soon.  Just wanted to post a picture that I am seriously excited about and a canvas I just finished.  I posted on several posts about my photography class.  Well, Thursday was the last one.  The week before, we all shot each others using studio lighting.  Last week, we picked up our shots and the ones our instructor did.  I LOVE ALL MY PICTURES!!!!  You will see the one of me with my camera as a profile shot as soon as I get a free minute to edit it.  Here is one that I love.  I will be doing edits to these soon and will post some more.

I also completed my first canvas.  I did this one for a review at Scrapfriends and LOVE the way it turned out.  It will hold a place in my office as soon as I get in tomorrow.

Well, that is all for now.  Gotta get my beauty sleep.

Mamarazzi

I have a friend who named her blog this.  When I opened the photos from Monday to process, I was immediately reminded of her blog name.  This is what I get when I try to take photos of my babies.

And this one, also shown below, is what I get from the sister.

Sigh...Anyone else have this problem?

A Couple of New Layouts and an Inchies Challenge

I have a few more layouts to share today.  The Tinkering Ink Al Fresco review is up at Scrapfriends.  Here are the two projects that I completed for that review.

This one is using a couple of my early Macro Monday photos.  It is amazing what  a little practice will do for your photography.  Must scrap a few of the newer ones.

This is a set of summer cards that I made for a challenge at Scrapfriends during the July Birthday Bash.  I am sending these cards to a friend for her Cards for Soldiers drive.

And, last but not least is my new challenge at Scrapfriends.  I am hosting an Inchies Challenge.  We are using our stash, inchie by inchie.  So, pull out that scraps stash, and all those stamps you have purchased and never used and join in on the challenge.  The prize is an 8 x 8 paper pad from the Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie collection.  BTW, I used 5 different Studio G stamps that had never been used as well as 3 different lines of patterned papers and 2 different cardstock scraps.  I also used some rub ons that I have had for months without using.  Felt good to use up a little of my stash.

Hope to see you over at Scrapfriends joining in on the challenges!

How About a Few Layouts?

I looked at the review releases a few minutes ago and realized that I am way behind in posting my reviews.  Here are two that came out this week.  First is an altered notebook that I did for the Mailbox Muse review.  I loved this paper.  It looks just like real leather.  I also did a circle journal page, but I won't post that one.

Next up is a layout and card using the Karen Foster Birthday collection.  As you know, I am not really a themed kinda girl, but I like this paper a lot.  I LOVED the large rub on word.  Made the perfect title.

And, just for good measure, how about a look at this week's Macro Monday shot.  I am already planning the one for next week.  Think I will scoot into Sam's to pick up a bunch of flowers to practice on.

And last but not least, my buddy Debbie left me a blog award on her blog.  Here it is.  I was so excited to get this.

Now to pass on the love.  I choose Adriann  who has one of the prettiest blogs I have seen in a while and Dawn who has the best Friday flower fixes out there.

Well, I must run.  My youngest is missing his mommy.

The Last of the Style Class

Last week was the last of the "in class" sessions.  Next week is at the instructor's studio.  I have throughly enjoyed being "focused" behind the camera again.  I can definately see a difference in my shooting.  Here are a few from the last assignment.  I have one more, but I am saving it for Macro Monday.

I love the catchlights in number 3.  It has been a really long time since I have been able to do that.  Focused practicing has made a huge difference in what I capture.  Gotta keep that focus going.

In other news, I finally did it.  I sent ouf a submission to Life Images.  I haven't submitted in sooo long.  Have had absolutely no desire to.  But this magazine pulls at my heart.  I have a few other pics shot to submit, just need to do the journaling that goes with them.

That's it for now.  See ya!