I am a poor blogger. I don't make it a habit to sit at the computer screen and write my thoughts, or share my family's experiences. I want to. I just don't do it. So I have been pondering the things I hope to learn in 2011 and how I can utilize this blog as a tool. Some of my favorite bloggers have schedules that they keep. Perhaps they do one book review a week, or share a LO every Thursday. I love the idea of it but don't believe I would stick to the schedule I set. Instead I am going to start with only one thing.
daily gratitude
I am going to post three things for which I am grateful. It may be only a list. That is okay. I simply want to acknowledge my gratitude.
I still hope to share my art, relate stories about my family, highlight my thoughts... but my only commitment to the blog is the daily gratitude. Three things. Every day.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
48 Things - a few more
44. Baking Soda/Vinegar/Hydrogen Peroxide. You buy these items in bulk and you can clean almost anything for next to no money.
45. Quiet Nights. My family all go to bed much earlier than I do. I love the silence late at night.
46. Cleaning closets, drawers or cupboards. I know it is strange but I like the process of cleaning these, and purging some of our excess. I hate other household chores so why I enjoy this one is beyond my understanding.
47. Glee -- yep, I am a Gleek!
48. TURNING FOURTY EIGHT TOMORROW!
45. Quiet Nights. My family all go to bed much earlier than I do. I love the silence late at night.
46. Cleaning closets, drawers or cupboards. I know it is strange but I like the process of cleaning these, and purging some of our excess. I hate other household chores so why I enjoy this one is beyond my understanding.
47. Glee -- yep, I am a Gleek!
48. TURNING FOURTY EIGHT TOMORROW!
Monday, September 27, 2010
48 Things continued
21. Laughter, Girls' Night Out & Sleepovers. Thank you Holly, Tammy, Lori and Kristy! I had a great overnight escape with my friends Friday night and Saturday. Crafting and laughter. It was a blast.
22. Sushi. I am still exploring and gaining courage to try various types when I have the opportunity. Love most of what I have tried!
23. Toilet Paper. Don't laugh. You are grateful too!
24. Memories. It is enchanting to visit with the people I loved in my past. To fly, to travel, to study foreign languages, to be a child... It is a blessing to have a mind which allows for memories to carry me into my past at times.
25. Aspen trees. I miss the glorious colors of autumn in Michigan. (Along with pumpkin spice donuts, cider mills, the sound of leaf blowers and the chilly wind.) But I do love the golden yellow of our beloved aspen trees.
26. Rules of language. I know people do not like the constraints of grammar. But without it books would not be the treasures that they are in my life. I make my share of grammatical errors. Still, I like the rules.
27. Timeliness. I hate being late.
28. Willow Tree Angels. My angels are so beautiful. They each express love to me -- particularly the ones my children gave to me.
29. My loveseat. This oversized piece of furniture is my favorite place to sit in my house. It is soft and comfy. :)
30. Shellfish. Yum!
31. Recycling. It is one simple thing that anyone can do to help keep our world beautiful.
32. The color orange. Not pumpkins or oranges. That shade of orange that is a little bit red and a little bit pink that you see in the sunset.
33. Tulips. Their growing season is far too short. But I love these colorful and fragile flowers.
34. OU Football. Duh! :)
35. Teasing my husband about boring baseball.
36. Scents. Who can resist the smell of cookies in the oven, or a baby while still wet from the bath? Spring roses in bloom. The air right after it rains. Greg's lasagna in the oven. There are so many smells I love.
37. Soap Operas. OK. I admit it. I love soaps. I like that the characters stay with you for years.
38. Seeing the pattern grow as I create cross-stitch.
39. Seeing the glimpse of the child who still lives in Owen. He is so grown up most of the time. But once in a while I still see the little boy -- the playful side of my serious son.
40. Cora's funny side. Puberty is starting and with it the moodiness. But she is also still my funny daughter who so easily makes the rest of us laugh.
41. Being an aunt. I don't see any of my neices or nephews often enough. But I love them all so much, and I love my role as 'aunt' to all of them.
42. Adult-only Dates with my Husband. We dont venture out of our home to have dates often enough. But I love it when we do. I cannot wait for Saturday (my birthday), when I can have a whole evening, overnight and morning alone with him.
42. Fluffy White Clouds in thos Colorado Blue Skies.
43. Being a Military Veteran. I am more proud of this job than of anything else I have done. (excluding being a mom, of course)
22. Sushi. I am still exploring and gaining courage to try various types when I have the opportunity. Love most of what I have tried!
23. Toilet Paper. Don't laugh. You are grateful too!
24. Memories. It is enchanting to visit with the people I loved in my past. To fly, to travel, to study foreign languages, to be a child... It is a blessing to have a mind which allows for memories to carry me into my past at times.
25. Aspen trees. I miss the glorious colors of autumn in Michigan. (Along with pumpkin spice donuts, cider mills, the sound of leaf blowers and the chilly wind.) But I do love the golden yellow of our beloved aspen trees.
26. Rules of language. I know people do not like the constraints of grammar. But without it books would not be the treasures that they are in my life. I make my share of grammatical errors. Still, I like the rules.
27. Timeliness. I hate being late.
28. Willow Tree Angels. My angels are so beautiful. They each express love to me -- particularly the ones my children gave to me.
29. My loveseat. This oversized piece of furniture is my favorite place to sit in my house. It is soft and comfy. :)
30. Shellfish. Yum!
31. Recycling. It is one simple thing that anyone can do to help keep our world beautiful.
32. The color orange. Not pumpkins or oranges. That shade of orange that is a little bit red and a little bit pink that you see in the sunset.
33. Tulips. Their growing season is far too short. But I love these colorful and fragile flowers.
34. OU Football. Duh! :)
35. Teasing my husband about boring baseball.
36. Scents. Who can resist the smell of cookies in the oven, or a baby while still wet from the bath? Spring roses in bloom. The air right after it rains. Greg's lasagna in the oven. There are so many smells I love.
37. Soap Operas. OK. I admit it. I love soaps. I like that the characters stay with you for years.
38. Seeing the pattern grow as I create cross-stitch.
39. Seeing the glimpse of the child who still lives in Owen. He is so grown up most of the time. But once in a while I still see the little boy -- the playful side of my serious son.
40. Cora's funny side. Puberty is starting and with it the moodiness. But she is also still my funny daughter who so easily makes the rest of us laugh.
41. Being an aunt. I don't see any of my neices or nephews often enough. But I love them all so much, and I love my role as 'aunt' to all of them.
42. Adult-only Dates with my Husband. We dont venture out of our home to have dates often enough. But I love it when we do. I cannot wait for Saturday (my birthday), when I can have a whole evening, overnight and morning alone with him.
42. Fluffy White Clouds in thos Colorado Blue Skies.
43. Being a Military Veteran. I am more proud of this job than of anything else I have done. (excluding being a mom, of course)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
48 Things for Which I am Grateful.
1. Greg, Owen and Cora -- I am myself when I am with them and they accept me exactly as I am.
2. Good Friends. -- My friends make me laugh, are my sounding boards, remind me of the places I can go, take me back to basics, trust me. They keep me balanced.
3. Blogs -- There are some talented bloggers whom I follow. I read their posts and they inspire me. I get my creativity from them.
4. Blue Skies. -- Colorado has expansive blue skies and my mood is always brightened by sunny days with blue skies.
5. Season Premiers.-- Sad but true. I am very grateful that some of my favorite TV shows are back on with new episodes this week. I am especially excited for this one:
6. Birthdays. They give us an opportunity to think about the course of our lives, and remind us that it is never too late to change our thinking. I am reminding myself of this right now.
7. Good Movies. There are some movies that linger with you for years. Maybe forever. There are several which I love, such as: Good Will Hunting, the miniseries Winds of War & War and Remembrance, The Sound of Music, and my all time favorite:
I have always loved Robin Williams - he is brilliant. But this movie showed me his range as a dramatic actor. And it also introduced me to another actor who I love. Robert Sean Leonard. And now I get to watch him weekly on House. Dead Poets Society is a gut wrenching, inspiring, beautiful movie.
9. Teachers. These wonderful people take on the giant task of guiding, leading, and teaching my children everyday. They are paid next to nothing and are overworked. But they share their knowledge curiosity and love with my kids. I am so grateful for teaches who care.
10. My dad. My dad has always been a rock. He stood with my mom through trials that most people would not survive. He held her up, gave us kids strength, worked hard inside and outside of our home, and always made his love known.
11. Time with Friends. My friends are my greatest source of laughter. I am so happy that tomorrow I get to go for an overnight outing away from home with my friends Holly and Lori. Yippee!
12. Janet Evanovich. I have so much fun when I read her books. They are a raucous riot of laughter.
13. Computers. What did I do before the internet?
14. Kisses. Who doesn't love kisses?
15. Indoor Plumbing. We are spoiled -- those of us who have indoor plumbing. There are so many who don't in this world. And, yes, many of them are right here in the United States.
16. An Attic (even with its current infestation of animals). ... because I have a roof over my head.
17. Mexican Food. Not healthy or low calorie, but yummy!
18. Learning to Make Smoothies. Twice today I created delicious and very healthy smoothies. I am planning to do more of this. Breakfast and snacks. Or at least one of the two.
19. Oxygen. It isnt something I take for granted. And I am grateful that the medical community is able to see my needs and meet them.
20. Patterned (scrapbook) paper.
to be continued ...
2. Good Friends. -- My friends make me laugh, are my sounding boards, remind me of the places I can go, take me back to basics, trust me. They keep me balanced.
3. Blogs -- There are some talented bloggers whom I follow. I read their posts and they inspire me. I get my creativity from them.
4. Blue Skies. -- Colorado has expansive blue skies and my mood is always brightened by sunny days with blue skies.
5. Season Premiers.-- Sad but true. I am very grateful that some of my favorite TV shows are back on with new episodes this week. I am especially excited for this one:
6. Birthdays. They give us an opportunity to think about the course of our lives, and remind us that it is never too late to change our thinking. I am reminding myself of this right now.
7. Good Movies. There are some movies that linger with you for years. Maybe forever. There are several which I love, such as: Good Will Hunting, the miniseries Winds of War & War and Remembrance, The Sound of Music, and my all time favorite:
I have always loved Robin Williams - he is brilliant. But this movie showed me his range as a dramatic actor. And it also introduced me to another actor who I love. Robert Sean Leonard. And now I get to watch him weekly on House. Dead Poets Society is a gut wrenching, inspiring, beautiful movie.
8. Clean, Tasty Water. I didn't realize how good water can taste until we moved here. The mountain fresh water is delicious.9. Teachers. These wonderful people take on the giant task of guiding, leading, and teaching my children everyday. They are paid next to nothing and are overworked. But they share their knowledge curiosity and love with my kids. I am so grateful for teaches who care.
10. My dad. My dad has always been a rock. He stood with my mom through trials that most people would not survive. He held her up, gave us kids strength, worked hard inside and outside of our home, and always made his love known.
11. Time with Friends. My friends are my greatest source of laughter. I am so happy that tomorrow I get to go for an overnight outing away from home with my friends Holly and Lori. Yippee!
12. Janet Evanovich. I have so much fun when I read her books. They are a raucous riot of laughter.
13. Computers. What did I do before the internet?
14. Kisses. Who doesn't love kisses?
15. Indoor Plumbing. We are spoiled -- those of us who have indoor plumbing. There are so many who don't in this world. And, yes, many of them are right here in the United States.
16. An Attic (even with its current infestation of animals). ... because I have a roof over my head.
17. Mexican Food. Not healthy or low calorie, but yummy!
18. Learning to Make Smoothies. Twice today I created delicious and very healthy smoothies. I am planning to do more of this. Breakfast and snacks. Or at least one of the two.
19. Oxygen. It isnt something I take for granted. And I am grateful that the medical community is able to see my needs and meet them.
20. Patterned (scrapbook) paper.
to be continued ...
Nearly 48
I will be 48 on October 2nd. The last few days I have been considering that number a great deal. It sounds old, and yet I feel young(ish). I don't feel 10+ years older than the other parents of kids at the schools, but I am. When did it happen?
When my mom was 48 I was 27. I was nearly 30. She had me at 21 and I had my kids when I was 33 and 36.
I have been dwelling on that number. Turning 30 and then 40 didn't bother me at all. I breezed through the decade marker with nary a thought about whether I was getting old. So why does a silly number like 48 bother me so much?
My grandma died when she was 78 and my mom when she was 62. I am not so very far from those numbers. Is it the thought of old age or death that bothers me? I truly do not know. But, I will ponder it and write about it and hopefully process it.
In the meantime I plan to make a list of 48 things for which I am grateful today. I will start it today, and add to the list during the next 12 days until I reach 48.
Have any birthdays bothered you?
When my mom was 48 I was 27. I was nearly 30. She had me at 21 and I had my kids when I was 33 and 36.
I have been dwelling on that number. Turning 30 and then 40 didn't bother me at all. I breezed through the decade marker with nary a thought about whether I was getting old. So why does a silly number like 48 bother me so much?
My grandma died when she was 78 and my mom when she was 62. I am not so very far from those numbers. Is it the thought of old age or death that bothers me? I truly do not know. But, I will ponder it and write about it and hopefully process it.
In the meantime I plan to make a list of 48 things for which I am grateful today. I will start it today, and add to the list during the next 12 days until I reach 48.
Have any birthdays bothered you?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Book of Stories
I have been a journaller and a scrapbooker for quite some time but over the last few months I have realized that I am capturing events, but rarely am I relating the stories of our lives. I am attempting to change that focus and luckily I found a perfect class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. It is called Book of Stories and is taught by Karen Grunberg (the blogger I mentioned in an earlier blog post). The class started today, and I am thrilled. I know it is going to make me a better storyteller.
Do you wish that you journalled more about your feelings, your stories, the stories of your family? Or are you a scrapper who never goes beyond the chronological events of your life? I think you can still sign up for the class (I think it was $25). And after only one day I know it is going to help me. Once again I owe thanks to Karen.
Do you wish that you journalled more about your feelings, your stories, the stories of your family? Or are you a scrapper who never goes beyond the chronological events of your life? I think you can still sign up for the class (I think it was $25). And after only one day I know it is going to help me. Once again I owe thanks to Karen.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Portraits for Friends
Yesterday I was honored to photograph a family of 6 ... friends whom I have been lucky enough to photograph several times in the past. We went down to a park in Green Mountain Falls and found some great ways to use the sun and shade and wind. It was so much fun. I often think I should do this more often.
I am by no means a professional, and I don't know the camera I have well enough, AND I don't have the camera I wish I had, BUT having said all that... I am proud of these photos. I will share a small selection.
First we used the bridge and gazebo.
I used a warm filter on this one. If they like it, I will do other shots for them.
I love this one, and I think they have a similar one from a few years ago.
Playgroud shots are always fun for me.
There are MANY more. But this is a sampling.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Me @ 45
These photos were taken in 2008, but the LO was done a couple of months ago. I put a lot of effort into making this feminine. The bling is a merger of three different bling sets that I cut apart and put together the way I wanted them. The bird is a clear sheer which I have glued to cardstock, then I layered on the Happy rubon. The edges are punched with on of my favorite border punches. I think this LO expresses my scrap style ... strong yet feminine, strong but sweet.
Zapata Falls
Back in May my family and I went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. It was such a great way to spend Mother's Day... camping with my dad. On the last day we hiked up to Zapata Falls and the creek and falls were still frozen over. We walked over the ice through the canyon and saw these incredible falls. 40 feet, mostly frozen. The ice was blue in places. It was stunning.
On the LO I was drawn to one of the lovely Precocious Paper flowers. I think it is the juxtaposition of winter and spring. Ice and flowers.
Easter Colors
Our Easter was filled with fun. My dad came to our home and visited with us for the day. After dyeing eggs, eating tons and watching our blue dye foam up from the baking powder we added just to watch the scientific reaction... I wanted a LO that reflected the fun. So, here it is. Fun colors and lovely butterflies.
Outstandling Leader Award
At the end of May our local service unit held a meeting for all the leaders in the area. It was a lovely evening with friends. But the best part of the night came after dinner. I was given the Outstanding Leader Award -- and I was nominated by Cora and Pattie (my co-leader)!
This LO is about that evening. I love the feminine details on this one. Flowers and bling and pins. It is on cream cardstock... wish it didnt look dirty in the photo.
70s Photos, Mini Me, and Tessa's flowers
This LO is one of my favorites. I found this photo of me when I was about 3 years old and I finally saw what everyone else already saw. My daughter looks like me. Then I found this great 70s paper, a photo of Cora and I together, some paint and a flower from one of my favorite bloggers. I love the whole 2 page spread!
Floatin' Fun
This LO is of the kids at their swim lessons a while back. I went very simple, and just enjoyed the bright color of the pool water and two handmade flowers. 
I added bling to the letters, and I think it feels very watery.
Fun with Girl Scouts Collages!
I was the leader for my daughter's Juniors Girl Scout troop last year. We had a blast together. These two pages are collages of the girls over the course of the year. The first page are 'proper smile' poses and the second is a 'be goofy' page. The colors are awesome (thought the photos do not do the papers justice. Both pages are on white paper ... but you cannot tell that by these photos. :(
Happy Bread
Every time the kids bake bread with mom they have to make one loaf of 'smiley face' bread. I call it happy bread. Often it comes complete with buck teeth made by Cora.
This LO has a little paint, a little ink, some fussy cut clouds, and a happy color scheme.
An old Page Freshened Up!
This page was a rescue from a very old Creative Memories album. The book had some water damage so I am taking it apart and using it as a reason for recreating the baby book. Some pages I have started from scratch. This one I decided to keep, with minor changes. I cut the paper on one edge with a decorative border, and added the embellishments in the bottom corner. Then I put it all onto white cardstock. I like the makeover, even though it would look different if I had started from scratch. 
Sunshine and baby books
This page took forever. But when I saw this piece of paper I knew exactly what I would do. Every morning Owen went into Cora's room and said "Good Morning Sunshine!" It was so sweet! I spent a lot of time affixing buttons and bling, but I love it. I cannot figure out why the main image is sideways. It is correct on my computer. Ideas?
Cora's Baby Book -- Finally
This month I have begun a baby book for Cora - yes, she is 11 - and I am having fun using more than one sized page, varying techniques, and loads of feminine details. I am loving this project.
This page is 6x12. The photo was taken on the day we left the hospital. I used a creamy yellow paint on top of the brown pattern paper, punched one edge and added a butterfly. I love the page (though not this photo of it).
This page is very simple. I wanted the focus to be on those tiny ultrasound images and the story. It is however my first use of a doily and I love it.
Here is the first page in my book. All the photos are of my pregnancy. I have used some lovely handmade embellishments and included many little journal details. I love this page.
A little paint & mist
I have recently found that I enjoy paints of various sorts.
My first attempt at paint is on this layout. I am not sure I like it, and I think the photo is awful, but I am sharing it anyway. Maybe I am just proud of the way I am thinking outside the box and trying new techniques! I am also unhappy with the bling flower (though I LOVE bling!) -- I think I will probably replace that with a flower from Tessa. I have an order coming, so maybe one is in there ... if not it is a great reason to make another purchase.
:)
Butterflies and flowers
At the end of the school year all the kids at Columbine enjoyed a day of play outside for Super Kids' Day. These photos were taken in May 2009 at the end of Cora's 4th grade year.
I scrapped them in the spring. The color is a bit washed out. I wish I could have shown the sense of playfulness the yellow and red brought to the layout. This summer I have also discovered etsy and lovey handmade embellishments. If I were to change this page it would be to include handmade flowers.
Playing with Thread
The photos in this 2 page spread were taken in 2008, but I scrapped them in the last few months. This is one of the first layouts where I played with thread -- creating a frame of sorts. 
here are a couple of detail shots:
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