Gifted!

Which I wish I was with PSE 6. Even armed with the book for dummies and watching Melissa Ingman's video (and downloading a couple of her free digital templates) 102 times AND taking notes was an exercise in extreme frustration. Even with a glass of wine or two, okay 3. (sighing heavily). Of course MY ADOBE was DIFFERENT from HER ADOBE so I had to figure that out. She said press a key. WHAT KEY??? (Guessing here). Using the ever popular clicking method, stuff started happening, however, I clicked so many I couldn't remember what the sequence was. (could've been that 3rd glass *insert eyeroll*). However, I persevered with clicking, hair pulling and muttering to myself LOUDLY, I can say I'm pleased with the result. A collage was perfect because there were so many fun photos that my fav's got in. Bwahaha. If they want THEIR fav's. THEY can mess with the template and scrap their own page. LOL!!!! Used the My Mind's Eye pattern paper which is totally fun and implied movement which is what most of the photos were about & MME brads from my Kenner Road kit. AND let me tell you that kit totally rocks. Added some primas, and cut the cute lil out of prima journaling blocks. And QK emily - can't ever go wrong with that font.

You Make My Heart Soar

I love Cosmo Cricket and thanks to my pal Brookie - who had this in her stash and gave it to me - bwahahahaha!!! In hunting through my stash I found the adorable CC blackboard mini album and wa-la. Of course Owen is just too stinkin' cute and makes the book shine!!! Hopefully mom and dad w/love the book. If not, I'll keep it. Bwahahahaha!

There's a bit of fishnet, some QK crabs & starfish. I even dragged out a punch or two. Yeah Yeah I know the paper has an airplane on it and he DID fly down so that takes care of that, but the rest of the time, we played on the boat and in the pool. Mom and dad did take him to the beach. Some photos by dad . Umm...maybe all the photos. Dang. Thought I snuck on or two in there. Figures.

Flashback Friday 8.28 on Childhood Fears

I didn't have many of them but the biggest one of all involved the two favorite people in my life. The influence was tremendous although when push came to shove I seemed to have forgotten all I learned. I "knew" better, and could "change" things. DOH!! Anyway this was an emotional one. It brought back all the fears, but mostly the lack of faith. It's simple, it's a hybrid (again) bazzil, mm-defined, prima and 7 g's rubons w/some inking all the way around.

journaling: My biggest fear when I was younger that these two people would be taken from me before I knew how to cope. Each hospital stay one would have would turn my thoughts to the “inevitable”. Each heart attack my Grandpop had would turn me to mush. Each time he had a panic attack I would hyperventilate with him - but not near him I knew that wouldn’t be good for either of us. When my family moved from PA to FL it was the most gut wrenching thing ever. I cried when I spoke to them. We visited them - it was never long enough, it broke my heart to leave. Every single time. When Grandpop succumbed finally, I could tell by his voice that he had had enough. It broke my heart I didn’t make it in time to say goodbye. He was brave, faithful, and so worried how Gram would be without him. I then watched as my strong Gram fell completely apart. Mom and I helped as best we could from afar. My Grandpop’s sisters and their kids helped in our stead AND she was blessed. So then every summer I would go up and stay with her on my two week vacation. Sometimes mom would come with me. After I was divorced it was even more imperative I get there, I took my kids and mom. It was like a pilgrimage. I still cried every time I left. They were blessed to know her. Finally after 20 years she moved down here, first with me, then mom. She admitted she should’ve done it along time ago. ACK. Her worst fear was dying and being buried in FL and not next to her husband. So we resolved that prior to her move. Both were such a steady, wonderful influence on me and I was so blessed to have them. My one wish was that my kids would know them. But they only knew one. That was good. They’ve both been gone a long time, I think about them everyday, I miss them everyday, and still cry. It’s still so hard to talk about them. God Blessed me though - because He put them in my life and knew I’d have to older in age, knowledge and most of all faith. Journal - August 2009

Photo taken at Tampa International Airport - June 1973. They flew down for my brother’s HS graduation.

Surprise!!!!

LOL!! Since I wasn't able to make Clara's baby shower, she graciously met me at Mickey D's where the lil guy could run around and have a great time. It wouldn't be complete w/o her mom and my pal Barbara and surprise - Shane came along. Who knew????? So to keep the kidlets occupied, I brought my camera - which Shane loves to use but RARELY gets to touch my baby, lol!!! Handed my camera to him and the kids were off. JP is quite a hambone, and fortunately Shane is skinny enough to still make the tunnels. He took some great photos and I love the "MOTION" ones - as it showed JP never stopped moving. Shane didn't either. AND every time he tried = JP was 'get me, get me.' They were fast friends, and it was w/an awesome, fun, good natured spirit that Shane hung out w/JP, and I was totally pleased and impressed. It was a two-fold trip, getting to the shower and seeing Shane. Shane and I then went and did his favorite thing - shopping!!! He has new sneaks, levi's and tee. AND he signed up for night school = MAJOR WOO HOO!!! Pray that he finishes. Clara LOVED the lil baby book and SAID, I buy all this scrapbooking stuff and don't have time to do anything - she teaches virtual school year round w/a 2 year old now, how about I give my stuff to YOU and you make the pages. As any cool scrapper would say, I told her 'BRING IT ON!!!" Barbara quick to help - said we'll meet halfway and I'll pass it over to you Wednesday - your next day off. Snort. Both are quick. lol!

Flashback Friday 8.21 on Sunday

because I couldn't make a decision. So it became a decision when I couldn't make one. Make sense???? Snort. Me either. However, I finally decided since it was Flashback that maybe I should well...um...flashback. What a concept. So when I decided that Gram and Grandpop's was my FAVORITE PLACE - because THAT was the challenge, I was using a NEW photo. Whatever possessed me to head on over to PSE 6 to mess w/it must have something to do w/that glass of wine I was using for inspiration. I decided that I wanted B&W and the flowers and foliage to be in COLOR. WELL....................I decided to use the Andrea's Creative Junkies method. If you don't follow her blog - head on over and make sure you are wearing depends. Seriously. Well Andrea's method is sort of to just keep on clicking. Since I'm doing a combover on my hair 3 hours later using the clicking method - I went into the quickie menu and WA-LA the faces option worked on the bringing the color alive. Who knew-said with all sarcasm. Then came PAGES which sort of resembles WORD with an attitude. Ahem. So I now have a mohawk because GROUPING and UNgrouping became an issue. Watercolor didn't work so I had to go back to PSE 6 and make THAT more difficult than it needed to be. AFTER I printed out 8 versions because well just IMPLYING that you may want borderless printing - it doesn't actually HAPPEN unless you TELL and then CLICK it. sigh. Then it expands it. Naturally - drippin in sarcasm. DID YOU KNOW THAT SCRAPPY GLUE DRIES REALLY REALLY FAST & IT REALLY REALLY STICKS- THAT UNDU HAD A TOUGH TIME WITH IT. Well it did. AFTER I printed it to my satisfaction DH points out (ever the cheer leader) that my grammar basically sucked. So a NINTH printing was involved. After I printed it out, I realized that WTF was I thinking w/the whole b&w thing since the sidewalks were gray, the house was WHITE and the colors already POPPED. Damn it man. I figured 3 pink flowers were need to add some color. Snort. and a cute little freebie from Jenna Wilson designer labels completed the HYBRID. Anyhoo....TA DA. I survived and I learned something new. sorta/kinda. Lmao......

What can I say about Creative Imaginations rock star

paper. Um it ROCKS??!!! lol!!! I love this and love the album which is a gift and hopefully I won't get busted putting it out here. Working on a matching crocheted blanket. I love the 6x6 size and use it alot for these albums and hopefully with all the hubbub of a new baby - the parents will actually REMEMBER to add pictures and a bit of journaling. The mama is a scrapper so.......I can only hope.

Creative Imaginations - and stickers, M's and American Crafts ribbons, Got Sketch 102 Designer labels (Jenna Wilson) downloads-love them. Some prima and punched flowers, Basic grey buttons and fibers. and the black tape measure is Theresa Collins, and Autumn Leaves stamps.

Flashback Friday 8.14 - The Challenge

document a page on special items to someone or you. This was my Aunt's doll that my grandpop gave to her as a present. She has kept it for 75 years and we came across it when were photo diving in her house for awesome heritage photos and I was wringing stories out of her brain because she was the one member of the family that new a lot about a lot. The go to person. Her help was invaluable. So for that I felt like I needed to honor her precious gift - which had links to my favorite grandpop. bwahahaha! I love the houndstooth paper from Heidi Swapp and the flower. I always have a flower and this one is from Imaginesce. YUM. Some qk stardust, ek bookworks, ribbon another staple of mine and of course its never complete w/o a 7 gypsies do dad. 6x12. Love Love Love that size.

Drive by babies!!!

Of course I thought of that really cool title after all was said and done. Sigh. Creativity is sort of like humor. Its all in the timing. Snort.

Anyway can we say I can't get enough of Basic Grey's Lime Rickey paper???? AND I have more where that came from (laughing evilly and twirling my mustache - that desperately needs to be plucked). Lmao...I did sneak in the collage press paper because I just really liked it. And grandbabies - they don't get any cuter than mine.