Scrapbooking101

Red Ribbon Week

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:36:00 +0000

My sister is always put in charge of Red Ribbon Week at her kids school and she always asks for my help with some aspect of it. This year she came up with the idea of making an iPod coloring page where the kids can create a song name and draw a picture of how they pledge to be drug free. So I created the page for her and decided I should put it up here for any of you to use at your schools as well.

In other news, we are all sick. Change of weather probably but sick none the less. Even little Jillian is couching at sneezing. I hate it when my kiddos get sick. So far Alec hasn't gotten it but we all know it's just a matter of time for that to happen. Let's hope for a quick recovery.

7th Heaven?

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:03:00 +0000

Well, we have sure been busy. Alec had his surgery on July 11 and it went well. He had some complications after the fact and we were in and out of the hospital all summer long but he is home now and doing good. His head looks great and I am loving running my fingers through his hair everyday. It's great that he doesn't have to wear his helmet all the time now. His seizures are pretty bad right now so we need to work on that but at least we've jumped one hurdle. He would still be wearing the helmet due to his seizures but he has not regained his mobility so he spends his time on the couch and is safe there. We are hoping to buy him some gym mats for the floor so that he has more area to roll around. We discovered that he is very allergic to the carpet and if his skin is in contact with is for more than a few minutes he gets bright red patches on his skin that are hot to the touch. We are really looking forward to getting the mats. Here is a picture of us - I haven't had time to Photoshop myself so just look past the crazy hair and red cheeks, k?

In other news, we are officially MAXED OUT in our minivan with the addition of sweet little Jillian Lynlee! True to form with the other two girls, she arrived after her due date (but only by 21 minutes!) She's such a great mix between Kaity and Piper. Different days I see different similarities. I am *so* glad she is here. I was so sick of being pregnant. I couldn't breathe at night when I tried to sleep and my hips hurt all the time! It's very different being pregnant at 31 than it was at 21. I am really enjoying every minute with her and savoring it all. I don't see myself having any more and I want to cherish all the lovely babiness! But, speaking of babiness, she's decided it's dinner time so I will have to postpone this blog for now. Have a great Sunday!

Alive, and a busy time of year.

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:28:00 +0000

So, Alec came home from the hospital and had a rough week at home but is now feeling SO much better. I hate seeing him sick. He tolerates it like such a tough little boy but I know he's hurting and in pain. He never complains. I wish I were as strong as he is. Here are a few pictures as we were getting packed up to go home.

Here is a picture of a rash he developed. It just went away this past week.

And here is a picture of all the artwork that my other kids made for Alec to brighten his room.

UCDavis is such a great place for Alec. Their pediatrics ward is incredible. Alec happened to be there on the day that the police dept. (sorry, can't remember which) came and set up a whole room as a toy store and the kids got to go "shopping" and even their siblings were invited. Alec was too sick to go but I had Piper help me pick out a few things for him. Piper picked a doggie in a carrier and has not let it out of her sight since. Too cute.
We just found out Alec's date of surgery for his cranioplasty, July 11. I am excited and scared and relieved and apprehensive all at the same time. It will be so great to finally get past this chapter of our lives. Alec needs to be put back together. I'm also having post traumatic stress over the memory of the last bout of surgeries. Alec MUST stay infection free. His little body is too weak to handle another extended stay in the hospital. I always get butterflies when he goes in but I know he has a great neurosurgeon who has the same approach to recovery as we do. July 11 is coming so much faster that I thought it would. I am taxing my brain tyring to figure out some really fun stuff to take Alec to do in the next couple weeks. I want to make sure he remembers how much fun we can all have together so he will be motivated to come home fast. Any fun ideas you can recommend?

As for this time of year, I have Father's Day, Marc's Bday, and Kaity's Bday all in a row. Boy am I glad that week is past and I can relax just a bit. I threw a surprise birthday party for Marc this year and for the first time ever I think I may have succeeded. I will never truly know because he's a good liar :P I hope he had a good time. Since we can't take a vacation, we put up a pool in the backyard and bought a BBQ (love that thing!!!) so we are enjoying our backyard a little more. Now if only we had some grass... I am also looking forward to getting Alec in the pool for some much needed aquatic therapy. I hope you are all having a fantastic summer so far and escaping the heat when you can. Only 10 more weeks until our baby girl greets us so in the mean time I am pushing our air conditioner to the max and having fun in the pool!!!

p.s. for those of you waiting for the newsletter, I apologize for the extreme delay. With Alec being in the hospital and preparing to go back to the hospital my scrapbooking side has taken a back seat. If I can get myself together I will try to pack up the laptop and get some work done while I'm in the hospital with Alec. Maybe I can get another freebie posted up here soon. Thanks for your patience :)

So tired...................snore, snore

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 03:17:00 +0000

My little man, Alec, is in the hospital again. The nasty cough that is going around managed to find ALL of my children. Alec handled it okay for about 2 days and then took a quick nosedive Sunday night and ended up in the ER. After about 4 hours they decided that he needed to be transported to the children's hospital (UC Davis) for admission. He had aspirated and developed a pneumonia and was on continuous oxygen for a low pulse ox until yesterday afternoon. He HATES having his face touched and wearing the adult sized mask (why do they only have infant and adult?) made him miserable. I'm so glad he's off the oxygen now. He has literally been a pin cushion since Sunday. He is a notoriously hard stick and he proved no exception this time. I think our count may be up to 20 this time?!? His IV blew today and they couldn't find another vein. Luckily he is tolerating his feeds again and his antibiotics can be administered IM and via his G-tube. His blood culture from the ER grew out staph but we had to repeat the lab today to check whether it is a real infection or a contaminant. I'm praying for the latter. Yesterday we thought he might be discharged today but after spiking a fever last night they said no way. So now we are hoping for Friday. This is all feeling way too familiar. I remember feeling and thinking these same things in February 2006 when he was last admitted. I couldn't have forseen the impending 7 month stay ahead of me at that time. Everyday I kept thinking, "Well, maybe he can come home tomorrow." Looking back I have no clue how we made it all those months in the hospital. I guess it's very true that ignorance is bliss. Had someone told me how long we would be there back then I would have laughed and then likely had an aneurysm. I wasn't prepared for an admission this week. I really thought we'd make it until July when he's scheduled to have his prosthesis surgery for his skull. Last time I had just had a baby (Parker was 4 weeks old) and now I'm pregnant and due in just a couple months. I really don't want to raise another newborn in the hospital. I know Alec is the toughest little man I have ever met so I will keep praying and trusting that he will come home soon. For now though, I will attempt to sleep. Sleeping on the pull out chair in the room for three days is enough to wipe me OUT!!!

Little Known Facts

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:07:00 +0000

What time did you get up this morning? 7:00am

What do you prefer diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

What was the last film you saw at the theater? Jumper? I really can't remember.

What is your favorite TV show? Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Psych.

What did you have for breakfast? Cream of Wheat

What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican and Sushi (but not at the same time).

What foods do you dislike? I'm usually willing to try anything at least once. Except when I'm pregnant.

Your favorite potato chip? Not into potato chips.

What is your favorite CD at the moment? Muse. But I also am addicted to my iPod right now. It's filled with David Cook goodness!

What is your favorite sandwich? Monte Cristo or a cheesesteak.

What characteristics do you despise in people? I don't much like mean people.

Favorite items of clothing? Jeans and layered t-shirts.

If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Disneyland and Hawaii

What color is your bathroom? Orange... every wall in this house is orange. Makes me want to barf. Fuh real.

Where did you grow up? Auburn (I miss Taco Tree).

Favorite sports to watch? Huge UFC fan. It so *completely* made my day watching Matt Serra get put in his place by GSP on 4/19!

What laundry detergent do you use? Tide with Bleach

Are you a morning person or night owl? Both; I don't sleep in and I can't shut my mind off at night.

Favorite Animal? Kittens!!

Any news you'd like to share with everyone? #5 arriving 9/5/08!

What did you want to be when you were little? First I wanted to climb every tree in the world, then I wanted to be a doctor.

Favorite candy bar? I don't really eat candybars anymore but I used to love Whatchamacallit.

What are your favorite childhood memories? Although I didn't enjoy it, it's funny (now) to think about all the screwed up things my brother and sister did to me growing up. Was I really an adopted Cabbage Patch Kid?! Kinda weird that I thought of that first, huh?

What color socks are you wearing? Colorful striped socks.

Eye color? Hazel green with little yellow sunflowers in the middle.

Ever been to Africa? Nope.

Ever been toilet papered? Nope.

Ever been in love? Twice

Ever been in a car accident? Yup.

Favorite Ice Cream? Chocolate Malted Crunch. YumYum!!

Favorite time of year? Fall

Favorite flower? I'm not a big flower fan. Does an artichoke count? I kill flowers just by looking at them. My least favorite flower is a rose.

Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney.

Favorite fast food restaurant? Rubio's. I swear they lace their Chipotle Cream sauce with crack. That's what I call it - Chipotle Crack Sauce.

What color is your bedroom carpet? Off white.

How many times did you take your drivers test? Only once. 98% ;)

Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? There is nothing I want bad enough to max out my credit card. If I won a shopping spree though, it would be IKEA!

Bedtime? Whatev, 11-12

What music are you listening to right now? David Cook.

What is your favorite color? Still purple after all these years.

Lake, Ocean or River? Lake to swim in, Ocean to look at, and River to live near.

How many tattoos do you have? None. Yet...

Which came first the chicken or the egg? Chicken.

T minus 2 weeks and counting...

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Sat, 17 May 2008 03:06:00 +0000

School will soon be over and I will let out a long held breath with a sign of relief. Of course, I give it three days until I'm wishing that school was back in session just to keep my kids from arguing with eachother all day! I have been so busy with end of the year activities at my oldest daughters school. We went on a field trip to Sierra Outdoor School and had Pioneer Camp. We were completely decked out in pioneer garb (sunbonnets and all)! I loved that field trip for all of the wonderful things it teaches the kids. "Yes ma'am" and "Yes sir" abounded that day. It was a hard day for me though. It was an extended day trip so we left at 8 and didn't get back until close to 6. It was *so* hot out that day and I didn't drink nearly enough water. We ended up hiking 2 miles and I was ill prepared. I had been told that they had a wagon for me to ride in but, alas, it was not meant to be. So, looking like a hot, dirty, swollen lobster at the end of the day was completely unavoidable. No pictures of that... yet. I had contractions all the next day from being dehydrated so I have been especially attentive to drinking lots of water lately.

Marc and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on May 10th and for the first time ever we went away for the night! We farmed out Piper ot our good friends (thanks guys!) and my mom watched the other kiddos. And, surprisingly, I did not have any serious anxiety attacks while we were gone! That was a miracle! We went down to Napa Valley and stayed at the Old World Inn. What a great B&B! Excellent food and a beautiful room. Here are some *bad* pix. My camera is pretty much dead so I had to use my camera phone. More on the camera issues in a later post.

And here is our 70" TV! (And, yes, you Stephenie Meyer fans! That is the corner of the new book The Host sneeking into the frame of the picture. It was goooood. More on that later.)

And, my favorite part, our sunken SPA tub!!!

We took a drive up to Calistoga and saw the Old Faithful geyser. I had no idea that they erupted for so long! We must have watched it for at least 15 minutes. There are only three "old faithful" geysers in the world so I'm glad I live close enough to see this one!

We had babysitting covered until 5pm the day we were supposed to return home but we couldn't figure out anything else to do so we came home at 2. How old and lame are we?!? I was just so tired and, yeah, I missed my kids. It was a great trip and I already booked my mom for babysitting for next year ; )

A Freebie! And good news...

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:39:00 +0000

I made this for my friend for her birthday as she loves girlie skulls. Link me up if you make something with it. I'd love to see what you do with it. Click the image to download the zip file.

And now for the good news... I am expecting a little girl in September! I am finally over the worst of the morning sickness (24 hours a day, everyday sickness to be exact) and have some energy back. I am going to embark on my first quilt so I will put up a pic when I have finished (even if it turns out horribly!)

coming out from under a rock

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:31:00 +0000

Yes, I was eaten alive by the holiday spirit and only now have resurfaced. I've had lots of goings on lately... some exciting news to share soon, a new kit to share next week, and a new black belt in the house (you rock, Kaity!!!) But, this blogger-ne'er-do-well has returned and hopefully I'm here to stay for awhile. Here's a pic of my TaeKwonDo Superstar, Kaitlyn...

priorities

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:37:00 +0000

I am a real slacker when it comes to posting to this blog. Admitting it is the first step to recovery, right? I think *maybe* I am getting over this "I hate being 30" thing. Well, maybe just learning to accept it. I've never been one to worry about things I can't change so it's a little weird that turning 30 freaked me out like it did. I actually feel better than I did when I was 25. I've learned to take time for myself; going to the gym, out with friends, reading great books. I never did anything for myself when I was in my 20's. It is impossible to find time. Life is busy. You have to make time for what's important. It's so easy to get caught up in school, kids, work, housework, etc. It's made a huge difference just by taking one night a week "off". Going out and doing my own thing. What do you do for yourself? How do you unwind and make yourself a priority?
In other news, Piper got her first haircut and she is so adorable I could eat her with a fork. I love it when people say she looks just like me because I couldn't imagine a better compliment! Have a great Monday!

premier excitement

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:26:00 +0000

I am *so* looking forward to the premier of Prison Break tonight. I love that show... and Wentworth Miller & Dominic Purcell are just too yummy. No scrapbooking goodness for today. Mondays are always the busiest day of the week for me. But, here is a passage from a favorite, Wuthering Heights, that reminded me to smile today so I will share it with you:
'A beautiful animal!' I commenced again. 'Do you intend parting with the little ones, madam?'
'They are not mine,' said the amiable hostess, more repellingly than Heathcliff himself could have replied.
'Ah, your favourites are among these!' I continued, turning to an obscure cushion full of something like cats.
'A strange choice of favourites!' she observed scornfully.
Unluckily, it was a heap of dead rabbits.
Hope you find reason to smile today too!

Free Downloads

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:09:00 +0000

Here are some free digital products for you to download and enjoy. The first is a digital paper pack, six 12x12 papers at 300dpi. The second is a Photoshop Brush file containing 16 different brushes (you will need Photoshop CS2 to use these brushes). If you make a layout using them please link me up!
~Heather

DOWNLOAD PAPERS

DOWNLOAD BRUSHES

PS Tut as promised!

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:56:00 +0000

Okay, here is a simple way to fade out the edges of a picture. As with most things in Photoshop, there are at least half a dozen ways to do this but this is the easiest. Here goes:

1. Drag your photo onto a new document (12x12, 300 dpi, RGB)

2. Select your Rectangle Marquee Tool. In the options bar at the top, change the feather to around 50. Feel free to play with this to get the exact look you are looking for.

3. Click and drag a rectangle inside the boundaries of your picture. If you select outside the boundaries then the fade will not be smooth.
4. Hit Ctrl+Shift+I. This is the keyboard shortcut to inverse your selection.
5. Hit the delete key and voila! You have a photo with nicely faded edges. Hit Ctrl+D to deselect.

Hope this helps you!

Eclipse was brilliant!

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 04:01:00 +0000

That was a hard one to put down. The characters are so easy to identify with, so human (yeah, funny, I know). Who would have thought it of vampires and werewolves?! Well, I will be waiting anxiously for Breaking Dawn next fall. I actually hate it when I discover series books that I like this much while they are still being written. Something about patience and not having any I suppose. Okay, I think I am done with the book reviews for a while. Maybe the fog can lift from my brain now and I can start getting back to scrapbooking business. But not first without a good nights sleep.
goonight :)

enough already?

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 03:15:00 +0000

Are you getting sick of my book reviews yet? I know this says it's a scrapbooking blog but lately I have needed a serious break from that part of myself. I need a recharge and the intense reading is giving me just that. It always helps with my journaling when I feel well read. Having said that, I finished Twilight, and New Moon and now have started on Eclipse. It was so easy to fall in love with her characters. Twilight was such a romantic and thrilling indulgence. New Moon hit an entirely different chord with me and I actually don't feel like I can explain that one. Something about it felt all too familiar. Like remembering a dream. Please don't confuse what I've said; New Moon melted me to the core and I devoured it faster than the first. I think it is a book I will find myself going back to over and over again throughout my life. The saga continues with Eclipse but I just started that one today. I'm sure I will have more to say. I will preface my blog entry so that you will be forewarned before having to read any of my ramblings unknowingly. One thing is for sure, I am so glad I jumped on this bandwagon :)
I promise to write up the tut for fading a picture this week, k?
Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!

Bandwagon, me, jumping...

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 04:39:00 +0000

Finishing the Harry Potter series has left a gaping hole in my brain and my heart. I know, I have issues. I was very pleased with the ending and that is all I have to say about that. So, now for the bandwagon. With my need for a good book almost as overwhelming as my need for air and water, I have found myself searching for something to fill that gaping hole. Everywhere I turn I am hearing about the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. At least 3 of my friends are reading it and I've seen numerous blogs talking about it. So, I bought it and now I need to steal away some time for myself to really dig into it. I also need to clean off my nightstand. I have no less than 14 books on it right now: the entire Chronicals of Narnia series, all of the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov (some of my favorites. I never get tired of those!), Jesus the Christ by Talmage, The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery System by Kathleen DesMaisons Ph.D., and the list goes on and on.
Now to completely change the subject, I got an iPod Shuffle for my b-day. It's amazing what a difference really good music does when I'm working out. I cut 2 minutes of my mile time just by groovin' along. (Okay, for those really obervant people reading this, yes, I cut 2 whole minutes off my mile which means it was not a fast mile to begin with.) I love going to the gym. Those two hours for myself mean the difference between happy, smiling momma and cranky, grumpy momma. Now that school is back in session for Kaitlyn and Piper it will be easier to find the time to make it there on a regular basis. And, because I really feel like my blog needs a little sumpin' here is a completely random picture:

Me and Piper when she was just a little thing.
See ya!

30 doesn't seem so old from this end

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:08:00 +0000

I had been seriously dreading turning 30. It always seemed so "grown up". But now that I'm finally here I guess I don't feel as old as I thought I would. Everyone tells me that the 30's are fantastic. Well, I sure hope so.
I had the best birthday on Saturday. Marc and I went to the temple early in the morning. We hadn't been in years. It's always been so hard to find babysitters for Alec and then to have to drive 2 hours each way on top of everything else made it pretty much impossible. Now we have a temple just 15 minutes from us and my wonderful mom has moved back to town so we have babysitting all the time. That has been a real treat - dates. Who knew? Well, after the temple Marc went to hapkido with the kids, and my mom and I went out to lunch. Did you know Red Robin will give you a free burger on your birthday? I love that place! After hapkido and lunch, Marc and I went out with our friends to see Harry Potter in IMAX 3D. If you are a Potter fan you must see it in 3D. There's nothing quite like seeing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named larger than life. After that adventure we went out to eat at Cheesecake Factory. They have the best Thai Lettuce Wraps ever. Oh, and Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. I may have actually drooled when they brought it to me.
I had such a fantastic time hanging out with Jen and Chris. You ever meet someone and realize you have so much in common that it feels like you have known them your entire life? Their company is what made this birthday so great. Thanks guys!
Okay, off to more doctor appts for Alec. I wrote another PS tut for my cousin Jenny so I'll post it here when I get a chance. Have a great day!!!

busy much?

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:18:00 +0000

So, now that the Potter frenzy has subsided, I've gotten back on track with some scrapping goodness. I've done so many layouts this past month... it's felt wonderful! Hopefully I will be able to add them to my gallery soon. I recently had a friend ask me for help with extracting in Photoshop. I put together a tut for her and so I thought I would post it here. Please let me know if it was helpful for you. I will be giving away a little RAK to one person who link's me up to their layout using this technique!
----------------------

First, duplicate the layer of your picture.
Next, check the box in your history palette that is directly left of the words Duplicate Layer. (This will take a picture of the current state of your document). You will see the History Brush Tool appear in the box.

Now, go to Filter>Extract
Your Highlighter tool should already be selected. You may need to adjust the brush size in the Tool Options on the right hand side. The key here is to use a brush small enough that you will be able to get the best detail but large enough that you will be able to overlap the edges of your subject with a portion of the background. This will allow the computer to recognize where to start the extraction. I usually use a brush size of 30. After you highlight the edges, switch to the Fill Tool and click once in the center of the highlighting to indicate the areas you want to keep. Anything not highlighted will be discarded. Click OK.

Now you are back to your document. Hide the first layer of the photograph and you will be able to see what was extracted.
Here is how to clean it up:
Choose the History Brush tool and set it to a small hard edge brush. I use 21-27. Fill in any areas that need it. Then switch to your Eraser tool and use a feathered brush set at 21-27 and erase any remaining edges that appear around your subject.

Here it an example of the layout I created using this technique:

Supplies:
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS2; Paper: Jen Wilson Designs - Apparent Happiness; Brushes: Jason Gaylor

Don't forget to link me up with your layout! I will be choosing a winner by Sunday night (8/12). I can't wait to see them!

Antidote taken!

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 03:40:00 +0000

It was so good. Melting into my theatre seat for 2.5 hours and being totally swept away in the world of Harry Potter was just what the doctor ordered. Ok, I know I'm a little backwards here but I don't like to read the books until after I've seen the movie. The books are just so overwhelmingly brilliant. I know myself well enough to know that I would sit there for those 2.5 hours and become comsumed with all the things they have to leave out of the movie. So, for me, it is sweeter to relive the movie and be delighted by the surprises hiding on every page. I got home and immediately dove into the book. Only 100 pages into it and I'm already drooling over the plot. This movie is much more character driven and delves deep into the inner struggle of Harry and who he wants to be juxtaposed with who he fears he will become. My rating - 5 stars.
Ok, so hopefully when I've finished the book in a few days my cure will be complete and the dreams will subside. Wish me luck ;)

Potteritis

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:48:00 +0000

I've been oficially diagnosed. My brain is swollen with Harry Potter and I feel I may just die waiting until tomorrow for my mom to come and babysit so we can go. Of course there were midnight showings last night. Had I not had my head so completely involved in a book I would have noticed the time and attempted a teenage inspired sneek out. Alas, it is for the best. I fear my dear hubby Marc might have changed the locks to the house while I was out curing my disease. So, until tomorrow...

time flies

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 03:25:00 +0000

seriously. June 19th? It's been that long since I've blogged? Well, much has been keeping me busy. Working on massive amounts of layouts and finishing up more digital kits/embellishments to put up on the site. Hang in there if you're waiting for the newsletter. I promise good stuff will be in there to make it worth the wait. happy monday :)

Sun, Sun, Sun

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:06:00 +0000

This past weekend was so busy. In fact, it's always the busiest weekend of the year for me. Marc's birthday is the 16th and Kaitlyn's birthday is the 17th. Now top that off with Father's Day and you've pretty much got me running around like a chicken with it's head chopped off. But, I survived. And as my reward, we (meaning Marc and I - sans kids) went to Sunsplash for a full day of fun in the sun. It was such an odd feeling being there without my kids. A sort of wonderful, relaxing, spending time with my honey sort of feeling. It will be equally fun when we go with the whole family in a few weeks. Just a little less of the relaxing part :) I can't believe how exhausted I am today. It's good to know I can still play hard!
So, how do you all like the SB101 website? There are still some more things to be added and I'm sure I won't ever really be "finished". I will be continually adding and updating to keep current. But it's a process and a journey and I'm having a blast!
Okay, so I broke down and bought a computer game. Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None". I love to solve puzzles and I am the first to admit that my idea of a "great night" is one that includes me with my nose shoved into a Lateral Thinking puzzle book. Well, this game was a blast! There were all sorts of things you had to pick up along the way and then "MacGuyver" yourself some new tools. Unfortunately, I think I was sucked into the game a little too much because I solved it in two days. I think it's designed to take at least a week or something. I'm sure my kids will be happy to know I won't be buying another computer game for a long while. Something to do with my obsessive-compulsive nature. Hmm...
Okay, I have about 20 minutes to myself while Marc is out with the kids having lunch. I think a power nap is calling me!

Hi there, pull up a chair!

noreply@blogger.com (creativesavant) — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:07:00 +0000

I'm finally here. Now I get to decorate, rearrange things, put labels on all my boxes. Oh wait, I'm talking about this blog, not my scraproom! I am eager to see how this all will develop. There are so many random little bits of scrapbooking stuff floating around in my head. I figured it was about time that I put them somewhere. Hopefully you will find it educational, motivational, and fun!
I am an avid reader of Ali Edwards blog. She finds inspiration in everything and it has really motivated me to work harder on my goals for this year. My favorite part about reading her blog is that it's all about accepting yourself and your art for what it is. It's not about doing things better or more like someone else. I really enjoyed her post on words. My word for this year is BECOME. It truely encompasses everything I've been feeling for so long. It's time now to stop dreaming, wishing, hoping, yearning and BECOME. So, that is where my motivation is drawing from right now. I'm making a big phrase board with only that word on it. It's going in my scraproom in a place where I can see it no matter what I'm doing. I feel change coming this year and it feels truely positive. My first step for change was the redesign of Scrapbooking101.com. There are still many more bits to put together but what I have is a great place to start. I hope you like it too! Okay, now I need to go work on my newsletter. Have a great evening!!!

p.s. if you really want to feel inspired to BECOME, I highly recommend The Pursuit of Happyness.