New Year!

I'm not sure what's going to go on with me in this here new year. Besides my book needing to be worked on, I found out that my grandpa, the one who I named Sawyer after, has cancer. Apparently it's on top of his kidney and hasn't spread, but you know how these things go. And this is the grandpa who was like a dad to me growing up. So, we'll see. I applied and was accepted for a guest CT gig with Christina Wall for January. I'm ready for some more challenge. But, I don't want to commit to anything either with everything so up in the air. There are some great designers out there who I wouldn't mind working with but I don't want to let them down either.

So now I'm back to creating. There have been some great freebies out there lately and I had to use some of them with this fun picture. Credits are in my DST gallery.

The other one I didn't get up was this one of my Bella-boo and niecey Olivia. The picture is so great, how can you not love it? Again, credits are at DST.

December Stuff

This was my creation for today. Journaling reads After getting the extras wrapped, I fell into bed at 12:45 am. I slept harder than I usually do but I clearly heard the footsteps above me. I listened for the voices of discovery. Bella found her dollhouse. Sawyer saw his bike. Santa had come. You came in to tell me the cookies were eaten and the milk was gone. Then I looked at the clock...it was 5:15 am. Credits in my DST or Scrapbook.com galleries.
My guys stargazing for shooting stars.

Happy New Year to all!

Christmas and a half!

One of my favorite sayings is Christmas and a half. And with the 25 days of Christmas photo challenge, I've got quite a bit to do. Admittedly, I'm combining a few of the days and getting creative with others. But, I'm also doing a lot. AND I got a book deal (not for scrapbooking, sadly) so I'm perusing that and wrapping up loose ends so I can punch it out before my self imposed March deadline. (the contract said my publication date is May '08.) So, I haven't been as good about getting layouts up here, but I have gotten them in my Scrapbook.com gallery and my DST one as well.

Here's the first of 3 that I've knocked out this week. My mother-in-law began teaching me about what it means to be family in a way that I wasn't used to, a way that made me feel totally welcome and loved. I cherish my family's stockings and tree skirt and had to share the story.

Next we went to see Santa. I found this kit FREE (ohmygosh!) and love it. I thought it was great for Christmas because it has the red for Santa but isn't glaring Christmas. That's just me, subtle.

And, last but not least, Bella and I made dough for the 13 clients we are taking cookies to as our thank you. She was sooo cute and so grown up. And, she did most of it herself!

Credits can be found in either of my galleries.

My New Year's resolution is to learn more about photography. People comment that I take great pictures. I think that's because I'm thinking about how they will look in a layout. But, there are people with more experience than me who can teach me to take better pictures, even if it's just for photo's sake. Sawyer has started taking my camera when he wants to shoot stuff which is fine but I'm so afraid he'll break it. He took it to his room the other night and when I couldn't find it in either of the normal places or any of the various secondary places, I was literally having a panic attack. Sad, huh? Ryan tried to tell me that my camera is just a posession and I shouldn't be so tied to it. In this season, especially, you're more aware of the fact that a camera is more than a possession, it's a legacy keeping tool.

If I don't get back to post again, happy holidays to each of you and I'll see you next year!

Figgy Pudding?

DST's December newsletter has an article about taking 25 days worth of holiday pictures. For fun, I'm trying to do as many as possible and now have many pages to do! I thought somewhere I saw something about the lyrics to your favorite Christmas carol but now I can not find that. I hate when my mind wanders. Despite having a favorite Christmas carol (Little Drummer Boy) I wanted to do something about my LEAST favorite carol. So I did. :)

All this was (if you can believe it) freebie from Blue Sandstone Designs' Blue Storm kit. LOVE IT!

My Honey

Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking about how when you've been with someone for a long time, you don't do big things to say I love you, you do a million little things. And, without that person there, those things don't get done or don't get done like you are used to, and nothing is the same.

This morning while we were sitting reading the paper and reading, I looked over at him in his white tee shirt, unshaven, and his hair all a mess. He's been reading mens magazines lately and taken notice of his dress and personal care so he's been a lot more polished lately. And there, all unkempt, he just looked so sexy and happy. I couldn't resist.

Credits here.

Thankfully Busy

The sermon in church yesterday was about being thankful. Someone I met back in my paper scrap days was sitting in front of me and I commented to her that I think being a scrapbooker, you're always thankful. It's inherant. We take pictures of life, of things we're thankful for, and we commemorate them with glitter and paper and ribbons and grommets and....and I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful that I found my way back to digi scrapping this year and really got into it. I'm thankful that I got to work with Ronee Parsons before she retired from digi.

I've had a helluva past 3 months. You really appreciate everything you have when it's all on the line. Now that the spotlight is (more or less) off of me/us, I can solidly say that I know what I have, why it is sooo good, and that I am truly thankful for it. Days filled with little ways of showing love pass and we forget to take note. Eventually we become complacent. Thanksgiving is the time to come out of the complacency and take note of those ways that we show love. I have been cooking my heart out which is why I've not had time to do a Thanksgiving lo (but will) all for my family, not just my kids and hubby, but also my sister, her hubby, her kiddoes, and my mom. My sister admitted that if she was having the meal, it'd be everything from cans and boxes done on Thanksgiving day. Not me. I've been shopping for ingredients, baking pumpkins, practicing pies, and freezing the good stuff in preparation for the feast. And, as great as the food will be, the company will be the best part. I always feel like this time of year is a big comfy blanket wrapped around me and my family, bringing us together, keeping us warm, and surrounding us with the love that is always there.

I am truly thankful. I'm a scrapbooker. How can I not be?

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with the ones you love and remember those who are with us in spirit. Share the stories of the loved ones who have crossed over with the ones sitting around your table. Share the love.

Yeah, She's SO Outta Digi!

My wonderful mentor, Ronee, claims to have sold her soul to the physical scrapping world...but I knew her digi heart still beats within. Check out her blog.