School Started.... YEAH

Both boys are in school... all day....YEAH. Not that I don't miss my boys, but momma needs some quiet time. Summer was spent either at the pool, keeping the boys and their friends from running in and out of the house (please stay either outside or inside!), riding bikes or going to the park. This is the first time in 10 years that I get to have the house to myself all day long.

Of course hubby is asking when I plan on getting a job. Seems to me I've had quite a busy job raising the kids. Need a little time off before I start having someone else demanding my time. It's been a week and I still haven't done anything I planned on doing. Time to get to it. I am getting ready for a craft show to be held at our school in Nov. I want to do paper crafts, frames and mini scrapbooks, just to name a few.

Well, it's time I go and get started.

Happy School Days everyone!

Summer Dreams

What I dream of summer.... bright colors, warm sun, cool nights, too many boys running thru the house... me hiding from them in the gazebo. Aahhh, it's great when dreams come true, but the downside is they run into each other at a maddening pace. Summer goes by way too fast.

It gets harder to sit at the computer and be creative during these months. I much rather go out and live our lives than try to scrapbook every moment and thought. That can be saved for the cooler days of winter, when its dreariness can be ignored by surrounding myself with bright prints, fun elements and too many pictures to choose from.

Believe it or not, I have been busy. Trying to hone my skills to create balanced and creative layouts. I've been busy experimenting with brushes, layers and textures to come up with interesting backgrounds and fill patterns. My new title is one such experiment. I have a new Intuos tablet that allows me to doodle more. I want to add handwriting and doodles to layouts to add a more personal touch. Most of my layouts are in a mid-creative state. When I manage to find time, I'll finish those puppies and post them.

I have a small scrapbook calendar by my desk that begs for a new mini layout each month. Here are some I created for the first half of the year.

I love this picture. I played around with different filters to get a thick oil painting effect to my sleeping DDS. Have to keep at it. Only way to learn is by doing.

More life to live, more stuff to create

Time Well Spent

Is it nearly the end of May already? What?? Can't be!! That means the kids will be out for vacation in a mere 2 weeks. I've got so much to do, sign up for pool membership; get summer crafts organized; wash down patio furniture; weed garden (maybe that one can wait. LOL).

I have been working these last few weeks on the boys' IEPs (Individual Education Plan) for school. For any of you who have a child with a disability, you know how daunting a task this can be at times. And BOTH of my boys have an IEP. My youngest DS who has Down syndrome will be transitioning into kindergarten next year. This will be a big step for the both of us. But he will be going all day and I think he will really thrive in the school program.

I've been spending some of my time creating a couple of new digi scrapbook lines. Been working on a baby line complete with chunky chipboard alphabet. Take a look --

I am working on pattern papers, chipboard baby animals, fibers and charms. I hope to one day be able to connect to a digi creative team and sell my work on-line or develope my own website. Takes a lot of work, but this is where my creative juices really flow.

Don't get me wrong, I love to paper scrap too. Not enough hours in the day to do both as much as I would like to. The boys are great about giving me some work time. My oldest DS will actually do a few pages for his own book.

As I get more done, I'll introduce them here, along with some layouts I create using these lines. I'm also creating a line revolving around CHOCOLATE!! A woman's best friend!! Let you know how that one turns out. I was starting to use darker colors, but I need to revise it and punch it up a bunch with brite colors. Look for that soon.

Day One

The first line of my first post of my first blog. Jumping in with both feet and eyes shut wide open.

You may look at my blog title and think... What?

You know the old saying, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I figure we all have our trials and tribulations, as well as accomplishments and happy moments. As long as you have to make lemonade, why not make it pretty and fun. Add a little paper umbrella if you must.

I was thinking of making a more serious, thought provoking title. Is that what I am.. too serious... too much thinking?? I try not to be. Although, sometimes life takes serious turns and requires a bit of inner reflection. I've had my share.

I turn to scrapbooking to record the day in the life of my family. Whether those be the good days or the bad days. Ask any scrapper... its great therapy!!

I enjoy both paper scrapping and digital scrapping. Somedays I get my hands sticky with adhesive and other days can hardly contain my excitment when I digitally enhance or manipulate photos to add a different touch to a layout. I plan to share some of those layouts here.

It is through this blog that I want to welcome you to a day in the life of a scrapper. More life to live, more stuff to create.


** Prayers go out to all the victims and their families at Virginia Tech