Welcome Back Autumn

So glad to see you again. Seriously. I just can't get enough of Autumn. Last night we took a drive up Kolob Mountain to gather leaves and just enjoy the Autumn light. Everything looks prettier in Autumn. On the way home we stopped at the Farmers Market and picked up pumpkins. The 10 cents per pound price tag meant that everyone got to choose their own. The girl has been giving her pumpkin some love today. I've been working on some projects. This here is my latest for Jessica Sprague.It's Photoshop Friday Episode 23: handmade photo collage. Some of you out there have asked me how to do this in the past. Here is a quick and easy to follow how-to. And because it just happens to be Friday, it's on sale! That's right! $1.00 until Sunday midnight EST [f.y.i: There is a great how-to up for a buck every Friday. This is a great + need I say cheap way to expand your Photoshop skills]. I can't even explain it for a buck! Plus with every episode you get all you need to complete the sample page as you walk through the how to with Jessica guiding you the entire way. It's awesome!

2.for.Tuesday

one: a heads up: Calling all superheroes, ghosts, witches, ninjas, grandma pumpkins, and fairies [naughty and nice]... Jessica Spragues template 1.07, is wicked cool and the JS Aroo! paper + elements pack... yeah. Nice. I worked a bit of an engorgement charm on the journal card and some shrinky dink magic on some paper for the ribbon. And now that that's taken care of... Butter beer anyone? Here's to my first time posting a layout as a CTM at Jessica Sprague. I still think it's crazy. Fun + exciting + overwhelming [though I'm sure that particular feeling will dissipate eventually] + crazy. Did I mention crazy? Here it is: This page is entirely made with products from Jessica herself. So not only is she the mastermind behind the "Spraground," but she makes awesome products as well [not to mention her brilliant ability to teach complicated things in an understandable way]. Seriously. I'll bet you didn't know that my first encounter with digital scrapbooking came from Jessica. It was a walkthrough template freebie like this one. And it was so simple. I was hooked. I've learned a lot from Jessica and I'm proud to be able to show off her products! FYI: The template is $1.00 tomorrow. That's right. It's One Buck Wednesday! And just so you know... that means there are lots of other great products for a buck too. So go check it out! two: a little sneak peek... this is a sampling of my super secret project. I am flip-flopping between excited and exhausted with the whole thing. I'm trying not to give up on my optimism. one more thing... go read this. It's awesome and hilarious and I promise you'll read it a couple of times and laugh every time. Really.

He Said

The funniest thing this morning. And wouldn't you know, I forgot what it was. When he said it I thought, "I've got to write that down. He doesn't really say funny things on accident anymore." But then I thought, "Oh, I'll get to it in a minute. It was so funny that I'm not going to forget..."

Ladies, it's a big conspiracy. See, the older kids start to think that we're not so interested in them because we don't talk about the funny things they say. We don't take as many photos of them. etc. I don't remember the last time I did a scrapbook page about just *I*. I've noticed that the girl has top billing on this blog with a whopping 24 posts to her credit with Little Man #1 in second at 18 and sadly, Little Man #2 with a mere 12. I know it's not about keeping it even and the cute factor has some play [as does time spent at home], but... I know that Little Man #2 says and does and is as cute/funny as they come. And they all love to see themselves and read about themselves. Honestly, my kids can't get enough of the yearbooks we've done. They love them. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's important to jot down the stories. Because we'll forget. It's a given. And for my kids at least, it's the stories that really make them feel important. They are the stars of their own book. And I love that they love it.

Hello Today

1. I decided to audition for the design team at Jessica Sprague. I just might regret this. I don't know what kind of time committment is involved [these are the pages I decided to enter].
2. I really feel like I need to do more of this. It makes me happy to feel productive in a creative way and this is the least messy way I can think of. Plus, the kids love to see the pages I've made for them.
3. I need to make a conscious effort to do more about #1. Mr *I*.

2.for.Tuesday

one: I've been running into lots of great digital scrapping templates lately. This one I love for its simplicity and empty space [though admittedly the empty space isn't justified in the layout of my blog. There needs to be some type of end to the white space here for you to really get the feel of it]. Mostly I love the hand drawn quote bubble. So, it's free from Paisley Press. Get it here [among other great free things].

two: The doll. For the most part it's finished. Still missing hair and extra clothing. Whether or not it will have a face is still undecided. Eyes and cheeks I'm thinking, but probably nothing else. But I'm calling it done because I've fizzled on it. As indicated above on the scrap page, she will never give up her, "baby." That's what she calls the bear. She has very little interest in the doll. *A* seems to enjoy tossing the doll around. Maybe once it has hair? I'm not going to hold my breath. I don't know why I thought a mere doll could replace her baby. Even if it was made by mom.

The Girl Is Two

and I'm not really sure I'm ready for all of the growing up that's happening around here. Today she won't leave her diaper on. Actually, that's not just a today thing. She takes her clothes off quite a lot, but today she is taking her diaper off and putting her clothes back on. I've been trying to make sure she goes potty, but I made her put her diaper on again after I asked if she needed to go potty in the toilet and she said no then proceeded to pee on the floor. I've also had to put the kaibosh on her getting her own drink out of the sink because one doesn't need to stand in the sink to get a drink. The chair had to be moved. Next she wanted some dried apples so I put some in a bowl for her. According to her I didn't give her enough and not enough is apparently worse than none because she dumped them all on the floor and threw a fit. Thankfully the crying fit on the floor caused her to fall asleep. I think that might be a little terrible, but good grief! She is now on the couch taking a nap. I hope it's a long one. This is a page I made with a template from JS.com. Nice and easy. [As for the other birthday this month, I went to the scout store to buy his shirt + numbers + book + scarf he needs... $62 later I'm thinking something is wrong with that. And it's all stuff he needs. Really? That's just not right. Happy Birthday Buddy. I hope you like scout stuff.]

Two Hundred

and the winner is... Mel! The girl had a hard time picking. I laid all the names out on the floor and would pick them up and drop them and swirl them around. She would swirl them around and look at me. So I'd tell her to get one and I pick one up and drop it and then mix them up again. She would mix them up and look at me... This went on for a while and I was wondering if I needed to get *A* to pick instead, but finally she picked one up. Finally! Yay Mel! I'll get your prize to you as soon as I know what it is [hee hee... any requests?]. I've been playing around with some photos I took of the girl in Phoenix [her one year photos. can you believe it's been a whole year?] I don't have any patience for design right now so I've been blatantly copying pages from other people. Today Mandi is the winner. I loved this page and it was calling to me since JS was sharing that amazingly cute digi paper freebie at the birthday bash today. Again, no journaling. Nothing feels right. I'm starting to wonder if I'm just going to upload all my pages/photos to Blurb like they are and hand write the journaling in as it comes to me. Sharpie does make that cool new pen that isn't supposed to bleed through paper... I'm not even sure if these kinds of pages are going to make it into the book. I'm so undecided on the book right now. Enjoy the journey!

I Am Giving Up

It's been along time since I wanted to enter something in a contest. I look at the topics and think up great ideas and then never do anything about it. This time over at The Art Is Found they wanted green grass. I recently heard this song Giving Up by Ingrid Michaelson and I had a hyperfocused creativity spark. Yay! It's been so long. I've missed it.

When I was in counseling a couple of years ago Jean taught me to confront my "what if?" i.e. what if I trip and fall on my face? You make it a question (instead of an excuse not to do something) and you answer the question. If I trip and fall on my face I could break something. Then you what if the answer to the question.... what if I break something? and you keep going until you realize that there isn't anything that would be the end of the world. Not really. We're all able to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and keep on keeping on. This song makes me remember that. I love it! Nothing ever goes exactly like we plan. Sometimes we have to get over our fears or give up things we like for something we love. It's no secret that I didn't want to have a girl and it was all about "what if?" Well... I now have a girl and "I am giving up on half empty glasses and I am giving up on greener grasses" and I'm trying to just embrace having a girl. Here you go. The first page I've actually finished in a LONG time. Go me!

It's a background lifted from a book cover that I love The True and the Questions by Sabrina Ward Harrison and a bunch of other altered stuff. Plus a photo of my girl. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully I won't hate it later. That's been known to happen. But, I guess if I do then I do. Enjoy the Journey!