This is My life

Afraid of the Dark...

Our dorm boys often complain that they are afraid of the dark.  We had another incident with one of them coming to complain that "there was a noise under his bed" and that "it was darker than usual."  Since this kid is fourteen I am not too sympathetic and sent him back to bed. He just likes to be out of bed at night.

But as I was laying in my own bed last night, thinking about kids being afraid of the dark, my mind started wandering.  I thought about how I was afraid of the dark for most of my life (my brother made me watch horror movies with him when I was little).  I thought about how many little kids are afraid of the dark.  And then I started thinking about WHY people are afraid of the dark.  Well, it's pretty simple.  People are afraid of what they can't see.  In the dark you are stripped of one of the senses you have come to rely on so much. You can't see where you are going, you don't know who else might be there, you aren't sure what you might bump into. It's the UNKNOWN.

And as I was lying there I realized that *I* am afraid of the dark. Not in the normal sense (though I suppose I do have a little of that too!) But I am afraid of the dark in life.  I am afraid of what I can't see, I am afraid when I don't know where I am going, I am afraid of the obstacles I might find in my path.  I am scared. And who wouldn't be?

When I was a teenager and still dealing with the effects of all those horror movies I saw, I was scared to walk from my room in the basement to the kitchen on the main floor.  Hunger called, though, and I knew I had to go upstairs.  So, I would flip on every light switch on my way up the stairs and to the kitchen and then would turn them all off as I went back downstairs.  I needed the light so I wouldn't be afraid.

So as I laid in my bed last night, thinking about how I am just a little kid afraid of the dark in life, the Spirit reminded me of Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."  Ah ha! There it is...the answer to being afraid.  God doesn't expect us to not be afraid of the dark...He wants us to light up the path we are on!  Just the gentle reminder I needed.   *************

Two new products in the shop this morning.  I finished these a while back and have been itching to play with them, but I haven't had the chance yet.  I have the chipboard album in hand and hopefully I will get some play time soon!

SCALLOP ALBUM (fits the Basic Grey chipboard album that you can get HERE.)

WELCOME TO THE NEST ~ BIRD COASTER ALBUM (fits the Maya Road Bird Coaster Album that you can get HERE.)

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Hope you have a great Wednesday.  I should be cleaning my house today (and hopefully WILL get some of that done!) but I am just really needing some time with the family.  Maybe we'll do lunch or something.  I could use the extra cuddles today :)

No, I didn't forget!

Sorry good 'ol blog readers.  I didn't forget about you!  Things have just been super busy. It's a good busy, though ;)  Here are a few highlights from the last few days...

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My MIL was here for the weekend (and our dorm boys were home).  We had a really nice visit and it was good for the kids to spend time with Grandma!  We went to the beach on Saturday where I got really sunburned.  The kids got a few bad spots, too, where Jason missed with the sunscreen.  It was a perfect beach day, though.  Enough people for some good people watching but not so many that you were tripping over everyone.  The weather was perfect and the beach was GORGEOUS!

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I have been working like crazy on all sorts of new stuff for my shoppe.  And I have so much more in the works!  So you'll be seeing a lot more new stuff out of me over the next few weeks. 

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My NSD sale is on NOW!  New products are 25% off and everything else is 45% off!  And just because I wasn't thinking clearly, I marked the new uploaded stuff from today off 45% too.  I guess I'll just leave it that way :)  Here is what went in yesterday:

And here are two new template sets added today:

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And here are two LO's I did with the Building Blocks 2 set:

Credits: Little Dreamer Designs HULLABALLO kit. Alpha by Lisa Whitney.  Font is Giggles by Fontologie at the Shabby Shoppe.

Credits:  Heaven Sent kit by Amy Hutchinson.  Stamped alpha by Nancie Rowe Janitz. Font is Giggles.

I'm really thankful for templates right now...things have been really busy and so my scrapping time has been limited.  Templates are helping still keep the stories coming!

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Alrighty...back to work.  And I promise that my post will be more interesting tomorrow!  LOL!

Getting ready for NSD...

My Little Secret...

Our digi dare this week was to scrap a secret (in keeping with the idea of Post Secret.  I am not linking the blog because some of the content is quite graphic.  Consider yourself warned.) I really liked the idea of the dare because, well, we all have secrets.  But then I realized most of mine weren't something I could scrap and share -- I guess I am not ready to share my innermost thoughts. But, I finally came up with a few things that I thought would work -- things that I want my kids to know.  Things that are good to get out in the open.  I think I would like to do more of these...rather therapeutic.

Credits: paper and image from istockphoto, staples by Shabby Princess, name/grade stamp and notebook paper by Gina Cabrera, stamped alpha by Nancie Rowe Janitz, font is giggles and giggles small caps by Fontologie at the Shabby Shoppe

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Did you see all the AMAZING new stuff at the Shabby Shoppe??  I got my little hands on this stuff a few weeks back and have had so much fun with it!  I especially LOVE the new Fontologie fonts GIGGLES and GIGGLES small caps. They come free with a $10 purchase and who can't spend $10 at the Shabby Shoppe??  Here are some LO's I did with the new goodies...

First...with the BOUNCE collection





and the TWIRL collection...





and DAMASK and DOTS...





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Check back in later today (probably late afternoon) for the low-down on NSD stuff!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Ours will be busy and fun!

I feel like a baby again...

I don't like learning new things. I would rather just KNOW how to do things. I want to be good at whatever I do and the time period between just starting out and being GOOD is not something I enjoy.  I love the end result of knowing how to do something new, but the time and practice involved is hard for me.  There are soooo many things I would be doing if I could just be instantly good at them -- playing the piano, ballet, cake decorating, etc.  But when i try something and am bad at it, I just give up.

So the fact that I started digital scrapbooking is quite amazing.  It isn't something that you learn in a day.  Before I started, the computer was for emails, writing papers, and searching the internet.  I knew NOTHING about computer and even less about graphics.  But it was something I really, really wanted and so I learned.  I bought PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 3 for DUMMIES, learned my program, followed tutorials and started scrapping. I then practice more...and more...and something like 700 pages later I am where I am today.  It has been almost three years and I have learned a LOT.  I sure wouldn't want to go back to being a beginner.

So why do I feel like a baby again?  Because I want to take better pictures. I want to really understand photography.  And I am such a tiny little baby when it comes to photography.  I have been spending quite a bit of time at ILP (I Love Photography) and I am blown away with how LITTLE I know.  I keep reading and reading and it all sounds like a foreign language to me and yet I keep reading.  I feel compelled to be a learner again...to give up my desire to be good from day one and take one little baby step at a time. And then take another step.  And another.  And maybe three years from now I will look back and be amazed at how far I have come.  Maybe.

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Since I don't have any new LO's to share, I will share some ones I did a while back. I keep some LO's back in case I want to submit them to magazines but seeing as I haven't submitted anything in a year or so, I might as well share them.

This is an old favorite.  I did it last summer. It just explains the heart behind the camera.

And here  are two I did a few months back.

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MIL is coming today and I have a lot of stuff to finish up for NSD.  It has been creating so much new stuff.  Can't wait to show it all! Have a great day!

Even a five year old can do it...

I was talking with a friend this morning about templates.  I was saying that the market is still really good for them as more and more people start scrapping digitally.  Templates make the process so much easier and so much less intimidating.  In fact, it is so easy a five year old can do it!

Alaina has started to want to scrapbook on a regular basis.  I am not sure if it is so much about the memories at this point or more about wanting to do something that she knows is special to me.  In any case, she is enjoying it.  We have started to use templates together.  It makes the process easier and faster.  She sits on my lap and we go to work!  We pick a template.  Then we pick a photo or photos.  Then, she tells me what kind of colors she wants for her papers and embellishments and I go searching through my stash to find her some fun stuff.  We then start adding all the goodies.  Then she gives me a title and possible some journaling.

With each page, she learns a bit more and does more on her own.  She now knows how to open the files she wants in PSE.  She can drag and drop things onto her LO.  She can do clipping masks.  Yesterday she learned to resize and rotate embellishments and photos.  She knows how to recolor and she thinks digital paint is the best!

Scrapbookpictures was having a sale on 8x8's last week so when I ordered a bunch of prints we ordered hers too.  They should come today and she is SOOOOO excited to start her own album.  It is so fun to share something that I love so much.  Here are some of her pages.  She has done more than this but the rest are using a bunch of new Shabby Princess goodies that haven't been released yet.  Yes, we both bow to the princess :)

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The SMILES FOR MILES download link has been refreshed.  You can get it HERE.

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Alrighty...off to work on more NSD stuff.  Check back tomorrow or Friday for more info on new products, a sale, and some other fun stuff!

Smiles for Miles

My dear, sweet friend Kellie lost her three month old son three years ago today.  It is Heaven Day for baby Miles.  It is Kellie's wish that on this day that we celebrate his life and mourn his loss that we work to bring SMILES FOR MILES -- to do something for someone else to bring a smile to their face. 

So, in honor of this little man that brought so much joy to his family, I give a small token.

You can download this template HERE.

And here is a layout I did with it:

I love you Kellie. Cling to the One who holds your little guy tight in His arms.

A success!

The birthday celebration was a success! It actually went on for two days.  Not bad, huh?  Two years old and a two day party! 

We headed to Clearwater, FL.  Our plan was to spend a lot of time at the beach. However, our hotel was so nice that we ended up spending most of our time there.  Talk about customer service!  Our experience was AMAZING from beginning to end.  We got there at 2:15, 45 minutes before check-in.  I thought it couldn't hurt to ask if we could check in early.  They just handed me my keys, no questions asked.  We asked for a crib to be brought to our room and rather than having to wait hours and make numerous phone calls, the bed was there in about three minutes.  There was a managers reception which not only included free drinks and snacks, but also a WHOLE MEAL! They had just installed new flat screen TV's in the room (two of them!)  The pool was clean and warm.  The staff were amazing -- checking on us, bringing the kids toys at dinner, and making sure all the food at dinner was stocked and perfect.  We've stayed in a lot of hotels and this was hands down the BEST.  Made for a great two days!

We did end up heading to the beach in the evening.  I still had my rented Tamron Lens and I wanted to play with it some at night.  Here are some favs (Lightroom is really too much fun :)

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About the lens...thanks to all of you who gave me your opinions on it and letting me know about particular issues you have had with it.  I really appreciate it!  All in all, I loved the lens.  It was SOOOO nice having a zoom lens again and I think the lens is just PERFECT for an every day, leave on my camera lens.  It is definitely on my wish list!

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Lots of stuff going on this week -- getting ready for NSD, getting ready for my MIL visiting this weekend, hanging out with the family. 

Hope your Monday is a great one!

Here is a quick two-pager I put together (click to make larger).  Nothing special, but I love having so many photos already scrapped. This quick mosaic type page is quickly becoming a favorite!

Two

It is hard to believe that this adorable little guy is TWO already!  Time sure flies!  I can still easily remember him as this little guy:

Although my first two kids have thankfully avoided the "terrible twos," I think we may be in for a surprise with this little one.  He is mischievous as can be and he knows that EVERYONE loves him and thinks he is the cutest thing ever.  Believe me, he knows how to use this to his advantage! LOL!

Terrible or not, I love this little guy to pieces.  When he was born, I was expecting a girl.  But when the nurse handed me my new little guy it was love at first sight.  Not knowing if he would be my last or not, I soaked up every moment of his babyhood.  We've had a special bond. 

Since he is only two and doesn't really have an opinion on his birthday, we decided to head to the gulf.  I have heard that the beaches are beautiful and a night at a hotel will be fun.  After all, as Alaina said, "Mom, it has been a long time since we got to jump on beds!" LOL!

It is going to be a no computer trip so I won't be blogging tomorrow.

Happy Thursday to everyone!

P.S.  Someone sent me an email last night or this morning wanting to show me a LO.  It ended up in my spam box and I didn't notice it was a real email until I already hit delete.  So if it was you, please send it again.  I always love to see what you all create! 

Short one today...

Jason is taking the kids to Disney today so I can do some work. I am also having coffee with a friend and trying to get ready for Levi's birthday tomorrow.  So, the 'ol blog will need a rest today. 

I am having so much fun creating LOTS of new products for National Scrapooking Day.  And when it is all done I will have fun actually creating with them!  LOL!

One quick LO before I go.  This is using one of the templates from the April Grab Bag.  I haven't loaded the products in the shop yet (things seem to keep getting in the way) but they should be in soon. I love this picture.  Caleb has been on an anti-kissing spree and regularly says, "I have NOOOOO kisses!"  And yet, Katelynn gets spoiled all day long with kisses from Cabe.  She's a lucky girl!