Kiss and Tell Scrapbooking

12 Things

I was only on vacation in Colorado for 6 days but it feels like its going to take that long to re-acclimate to my life.  I'm not really sure why, its that MOM-entum thing I talked about on the blog yesterday.  Here are 12 Things I've been up to since I've been home.

1. I checked in at work and everything seems under control, I did a bunch of paperwork.  This morning I got the news that one of the laws that relates to my practice has changed dramatically so there will definately be changes in the coming year.

2. Allison talked me into going to the school's Chuck E Cheese night, Allison was amazing skeet bowler (is that what it is called?).  It was noisy and hectic but they really wanted to go.  We got a chance to talk to the principal who said he's been personally working with Mac in a small group, Mac never mentioned this, for the essay section of the FCAT which happened a couple weeks ago and the essay assignment was to write an essay about riding a camel.  We don't get the results until the end of the year.

3. I did the stepper twice and burned about 800 calories each time but I'm feeling a bit heavy.  I did bikram yoga this morning and I feel like I'm way out of shape and practice, its been a week or so since I've been to yoga, I need to get back in there several times a week.   Even though I skied all day everyday of my vacation, I really need to focus on exercising.

4. Allison insisted that I go on a field trip to "play in the dirt" which turned out to be a trip to Myakka River State Park and we saw several very large alligators, lots of water birds including white pelicans, and wild turkeys in the woods.  We walked on a very high wooden bridge and climbed a tower to get a canopy view of the forrest.  The guide had one leg, she joked that it was because an alligator bit it off during a school field trip but then explained that she had cancer and they took her leg to save her life.  She had a really cool artificial leg and the top part of it had sea turtles painted onto it and she shared that she has the same doctor as Winter the Dolphin from A Dolphin's Tale.  I got to talk to her husband for a bit and he told me about their trip to a cancer hospital and the day he got off on the wrong floor, pediatrics, and that we should all just think of that anytime we think we're having a bad day.  Wow.  Crystal Clear Perspective There.  I am doing the Relay for Life Cancer Walk coming up in a couple weeks.  We've known several people in a short amount of time who have been diagnosed with cancer.  I've got to get up to speed with my part in the relay including the fund raising part.

5.  After the field trip, Allison and I went to the Ellenton Outlet Mall which is a bunch of outlet stores, we don't get there very often.  I don't particularly love shopping but my girl Ally does.  She was in heaven in the pre-teen store Justice.  I was still sticker shocked at the prices in Justice, even in the outlet mall.  She got some very fashionable outfits.  We also did some shopping for me, I bought a few work dresses and a few weekend outfits at Tommy Hilfiger and Ann Taylor, I think Allison was a bit unimpressed with the boring nature of my choices - she picked out and had me try on some "fashionable" things but none of them seem to work on me.

6. Allison and I also came up with a plan to reorganize her Barbie play area.  I am right now trying to muster up my gumption to attack that project.  I'm not sure I'm up to it, we'll see.

7. On my Scrapbooking Agenda:

* Do the posts for District 2, District 1, The Capitol, and District 13 for my The Hunger Games Scrapbooking Challenge.

* Catch up on the last 2 weeks of Project Life.

* Get some 12x12 layouts done for the BPC Twelve class I am taking.

* Catch up on One Little Word and Move More Eat Well BPC classes.

* Make a photobook of our three ski trips this year, it has been awesome to take three trips in three months.  I'll be grounded for a while which will give me time to get back to my routine.

8. I would also like to do something with all of my Pinterest Boards.  Specifically, I have a "word up" board with sayings I like and I would like to use those in some way.  Also I have a "homemade" board with ways to alter t-shirts and easy sewing projects and I'd like to do a closet overhaul and make some projects with my old clothes.

9.  I need to tend to the garden we planted a few weeks ago, the marigolds were completely eaten by something but the basil and mint are doing well and we have several sprouts.

10. I'd like to get on my kayak this weekend.

11. I did a major grocery shop and cooked curry chicken and we've been eating leftovers for days, it is delicious.

12. I am re-committing to my goal of losing 50 pounds.  I was doing really well and then too many people gave me compliments and I got lazy and somehow I'm back to only about 10 pounds down from my original weight - which means that I've put on 20 pounds since my lowest weight at 30 pounds down.  I'm a little frustrated since it seems like I have worked really hard for the past two years and that losing weight and keeping it off is a 24/7 hard work constant kind of thing and that I really love to eat and not worry about what I'm eating.  I'm totally fine with a very rigourous exercise routine, but I'm a little less excited about getting super strict with my diet again, but I'm even less excited about how my thighs look right now.  So I'm back on my weight loss goal routine and I'm hoping to make some significant progress by my birthday which is coming up on June 6.  I don't think I'll attain my goal by that time but I would like to get there somewhere over the summer and maintain it until Christmas and beyond.

 

Old School & Modern Wedding Scrapbooking

This Scrapbooking Video is about my old school magnetic scrapbook wedding scrapbook and my modern scrapbook albums and photo books.  It is in response to Noell Hymann's Paperclipping Roundtable #103 "Too Precious to Scrapbook" and the connection between what kind of scrapbooker you are in relation to how you planned your wedding. 

 

Click here for a link to the Ella Publishing ezine article I wrote about scrapbooking your marriage and relationship based on Stacy Julian & Lain Ehmann's ebook Simple Secrets of Happy Scrapbookers and my adaptation of David Niven's book about Happy Relationships.

Click here for a link to Noel Hyman & Nancy Nally's podcast Paperclipping Roundtable PRT #103: Too Precious to Scrapbook relating wedding planning and scrapbooking.

If you wish to support this blog, check out these affiliate links which are related to products I mentioned in the video:

Don't Buy Valentines Day Cards! (Make Scrapbook Pages and Mini Books Instead)

We've been making scrapbooking videos with the iPad:

Heads Up!  Valentine's Day is Tommorow!  No, I haven't done anything yet.  No, I'm not worried about it.  Here's why:

 

A few years ago I had a blog post about how I don't like to buy Valentine's Day cards here is the link to that post (#2) and other posts about Valentine's Day and improving your marriage by scrapbooking:

1. Celebrate the pople you love with mini books.

2. Why I don't buy Valentine's Day Cards.

3. Write Your Own Love Story with Scrapbooking.

CHA WINTER 2012: The Knock-Offs - #7 of the Bella Blvd. Scraplifts & Thoughts on the Creative Process & Middle Aged Mommy Sappiness & Scrapbooking as Therapy

Bella Blvd. Layout by Janna Wilson from Pinterest & The Scraplift:

 

Thoughts on the CREATIVE PROCESS:  Sometimes I like to switch up my creative process by using scraplifting, it provides boundaries and gives me a place to go so I can get layouts accomplished quickly and it provides a means of getting a little something done everyday.  Without this technique, I think that when I'm going through a creativity rut, I'd just stop scrapbooking, and the creativity muscle is like any other - it needs daily exercise.  So scraplifting gives me a way to "call it in" while I'm experiencing a creative low.  Sometimes, however, I do take a total break from scrapbooking when I'm feeling uninspired; but the scraplifting method seems more productive and gives me something to do and think about in the meantime.  My Grandfather was a painter and he'd so his own original art, but sometimes he'd copy the masters just to switch it up.  Scraplifting gives me that same sort of creative stretching.  Seeing all the new products and layouts from CHA 2012 provided some really great eye candy for this purpose.  I've been taking inspiration from CHA 2012 - specifically 7 Gypsies, Dear Lizzy and this week Bella Blvd.  I think I'm about done with my scraplifting series.  I'm ready to start fresh on something else, I'm not sure what yet, but I'll start something new starting tomorrow. 

In the meantime, here is #7 and the final layout in the "Scraplifting Bella Blvd." series:

The Scraplift:  I made the base part of the page a week or so ago and did the photos, embellishments and journaling this morning.  The original layout caught my eye since the girl in the photo looks like one of my best friends from elementary school (Katie Yerrid) and I liked the colors and it looked easy enough to scraplift.  This is a nice layout for highlighting one photo and having some creative time with your patterned papers.

The Story: It is Saturday Morning and I'm feeling a bit lonely.  My son is playing wii and wanting to go to Toys R Us (I so don't want to go there).  My husband is engrossed in the paper and HGTV.  And my daughter is off with her BFF.  I have the urge to go downtown to the Saturday Morning Market but no one wants to come.  I don't really want to go alone today.  So I find myself in my scrapbook room trying to occupy myself, knowing I could be working out or cleaning out closets or doing something more productive, but I think my daily creative time is important.  So I started out not feeling very creative but I took the base page and started anyway.  I came across this three year old photo of my daughter which was taken on a Saturday Morning on our way to to a craft fair on Corey Avenue, St. Pete Beach; back then she was only too happy to come hang out with me; now she's got her own plans many Saturday Mornings.  I know that's the natural process of things.  But still, I wish my kids thought I was more fun to hang out with - now they've always got their own ideas about what they want to do.  Gone are the days when I could just say "get in the car - lets go on wild adventure" and leave the house without a plan but end up having a day full of fun with my kids at the park or craft fair or beach or whereever.  So I'm feeling a bit middle aged - like my kids are half way through and I miss their little selves  and  all the snuggling that used to be part of my daily routine, now I have to practically beg them for a hug and never mind on the kisses, so not happening.  I guess all mothers go through this sort of feeling at one time or another but I'm feeling particularly sappy today, I'm going to indulge this feeling a bit but just for a day, tomorrow I WILL embrace a more hopeful, forward moving, productive attitude, but today, I'll lament the fact that my kids are growing up and needing me less and that I'm getting older.

SAPPINESS:  One summer while I was in college, I took summer classes at Eckerd and my roommate that summer was Yoko Yokohama, she was from Japan; Eckerd prides itself on being a very small liberal arts school and having students from all 50 states and many countries so the student body was very diverse which was really cool since there were only about 1500 students there when I was there (its my 20th year reunion coming up this spring - ahhh just one more reason to feel really like I'm getting older and time is passing more quickly than I'd like).  Anyway, Yoko was the most delightful person, she was like a puppy - all playful and fun and full of energy one minute and sleeping like a baby the next.  She was always so happy to see me (and anyone else) and she was sweet and nice and welcoming and had a excitement that was contagious.  I could really use a visit from Yoko today, I'm sure she's get me out of think funk I'm in today.  Whereever you are now Yoko, I miss you.  Ok, back to my original point.  One day, Yoko was in a funk, which was very unusual for her, and the conversation went like this:

"Ohhhh, Katie,  I'm so SAPPY today."  Yoko declared letting out a long sigh.

"Sappy?"  I asked, thinking maybe she needed to look up that word again for the correct usage, I'd never heard anyone describing themselves as feeling sappy before. 

"Yes, SAPPY.  You know, I'm feeling sad and happy all at the same time."  She answered.  

That made perfect sense, I thought.  I remember thinking that I was pretty sure that wasn't the dictionary definition of that word, but that was the best definition of it that I had ever heard.  That moment somehow burned itself into my brain and I can remember it quite perfectly, where she was sitting, our dorm room, the entire place in time, even though I have no photos of that summer or of Yoko or our rooom, I remember the whole thing perfectly.  Some moments are like that, twenty years later, that seemingly regular moment is still burned into my brain and it is a conversation I go back to when I'm feeling SAPPY, and the memory of Yoko and how happy she made me feel and how profound her words were to me that day, often times the memory helps to get me feeling more on the happy than the sad side of things.  Thank you Yoko, you definately left a forever imprint on me.

P.S. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defintion of SAPPINESS is 1. the state of being full of or smelling of sap, 2. the quality or state of being sappy: foolishness.  I like that foolish word because of Steve Jobs's speech, so I'm cool with being a bit sappy from time to time - and my Dad used to tap our maple trees for sap and used to make maple syrup and sugar candy, so I'm pretty sure we were in the state of sappiness back then; plus I miss him and all of his sappiness.

Journaling: Main journaling block:  "Saturday Morning.  2009 /2012.  These photos are from when you used to happily agree to going to the art fair with me.  Fast forward 3 years and you've got play dates with your BFF.  Missing you today.  Love Mommy."   Side tab: "Can we rewind a little?"

Supplies: Patterened Paper from American Crafts and DCWV; Fiskars Border Punch; K&Company Tag (at top and side) and other random bits of ribbon, buttons and brads.

 

Blogging:  The act of making this page helped me work out the feelings that I was feeling this morning, but the page doesn't really tell the whole story does it?  Thats ok, sometimes my feelings come out better in blog form.  When that happens and I really tell the story better in the blog entry than on the page, I just print out my blog entry and either slip it into a 8x11 page proector opposite the 12x12 layout in my 3 ringed album; or I just slip it in behind the layout; either way - the whole story is there for anyone who is interested (or not) in the future.  And I feel like I've gotten then feelings out and can clear my emotional slate and move forward.  Scrapbooking as self therapy is a good thing because it feels like play and because the process gets recorded so that when I look back at the page I can remember the process and when I write down the process on the blog and print it out, then maybe sometime in the future, it will help my daughter or hers when she's going through a SAPPY time.  Or maybe it will help a blog reader who's going through the same type of thing.  Any which way, it makes me feel better.  And I do.  Ahhh.  Maybe I'll go to that Saturday Morning Market thing on my own and enjoy a Gyro and being amongst people on this fine day.

Want to read more on the creative process?  Check out these books:

 

P.S. Thinking I'll incorporate some of my One Little Word Class (Ali Edwards / Big Picture Classes) into my weekend and take a photo safari for my word "HOPE" and probably my last year's word "AWESOME" too - I could use a little more of both of those words in my head and heart today.

 

 

 

Twelve Scrapbook Layouts about You (meaning Me)

I am taking Stacy Julian's Twelve Class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and I think we are still in set up mode and that the first assignment will be creating a layout about "YOU" meaning each of ourselves, or for me meaning ME.  I wanted to look back and see if I created 12 scrapbook layouts about me in the 2011, let's see:

1. Muther's Day.  Ok, technically this is a holiday but this is May last year and it doesn't look like any layouts in the first 4 months of the year were specifically about me, so I'm going to use it for these purposes.

2. Top of Mountain Caution Sign.  Ok, technically another one not specifically about me, it is more about how I found that caution sign so funny since they put it at the top of the mountain instead of the bottom - so by the time you read it - you've already done all the dangerous stuff - I'm actually kind of glad it was at the top and not the bottom because we went up somewhat fearlessly thinking it was a do-able trail when in fact it was a higher skills level trail;  but I am the only one in the picture so I'm using it.

3. Guiding Principles.  This one is all about me, it has no photo, but it is all about my guiding principles.  I did this as part of Ella Publishing's Boot Camp and it is a scraplift of an Elizabeth Dillow page.  I love it and I could make 12 more like this one.

4. Kayaking With Dolphins.  Here is another one that could really go under "Things We Do" but since I am primarily the kayker in this family and it is something about me, I'm using it for the "All About Me" category.  This page didn't actually go into any of my Library of Memories Albums - it went into my BOOK OF AWESOME!

5. Pursue Your Passion.  I made this page as part of Stephanie Medley Rath's Scrapworthy Lives The Happiness Project Blog Hop.  Yesterday's post was the last in that series but I really enjoyed the concept and the monthly accountability; I'm hoping she will recreate another blog hop like this one.  (P.S. Stephanie just in case you are reading - your blog hop was much appreciated!)

6. Weight Loss Goal of 2011.  The photos in this layout are from 2010 but the page was made and the journaling was done in February 2011 (I double checked).  In July 2010 I decided to lose 50 pounds.  I have never revealed my starting weight but here it is  - dun dun dun daaaa - 180.  This was a low point for me to see that number on the scale and not be pregnant.  My daughter was five years old in the summer of 2010 and I was ashamed of myself that I hadn't managed to lose the weight I put on having her.  I've moved past the shame and I am now very proud of myself that I haven't given up my goal.  During this journey, my lowest weight has been somewhere around 149 but most steadily at 155 but recently - since Halloween and through the festivities of Christmas - I put on 10 pounds.  This is the wrong direction so I have corrected that and I started this year, 2012 at 165 and this morning I was 163.  I am going to do Bikram Yoga hardcore (everyday) until I get back down to 155.  I'd like to accomplish that before our ski trip which is coming up soon.  Seeing this layout reminds me, however, that I haven't bought a new awesome pair of sneakers in a long, long time, maybe today I will do that.  The goal is 130.

7. Story Time: Prom 1988.  My daughter loves to hear stories about when I was little, she also doesn't see my actual sister very much but we do meet up with my best friend from highschool on pretty much of an annual basis at Disney World - Nancy has a daughter who is about Allison's age so it is always a fun girl's weekend.  So, I checked, and this page was made in February 2011 right after we got back from one of these Disney Trips and it was prompted by a conversation I had with my daughter about Nancy - even though the title of this page is Prom.  And the picture is fuzzy - we didn't have many back then - so know that I was sticking my tongue out and I was wearing Converse All Star Hightops to my prom and my prom dress was a mini - which wasn't done a lot back then even though it was the age of the mini skirt - and my teacher made me this dress after I drew it for her on a napkin - Thank you Mrs. Siroux.

 

8.  Us. Here is another page that is not all about me, its about my husband too and our different personalities.  But he has been a big part of my life since I met him in October of 1995 and today is the 13th anniversary of our wedding in 1999, so I thought it qualifies as an All About Me page - I wouldn't be me today without him.  I love you honey.  And your Mom just called to wish us a happy annversary  - and I wished her one back - we have the same anniversary as his parents and they got married right before WWII so I think it was maybe 1942?  So that would make them married 70 years today?  Is that right?  If it is we probably should have done something special - I need to check my dates on that right away.

9. ALL ABOUT ME 2011!  Ok I found one scrapbook layout that is All About Me in 2011.  Those were all self timer photos -  the big headshot one was taken in my shower because the light seemed good!  Note to Self:  Wear that red dress more often.  I love wearing red.

10.  Secret Me.  Here is a little secret most people don't know about me - but if they read my blog, I guess they will now.  I cry in the car.  Not all the time or anything.  But after my Grandpa died in 1999 and again when my Dad died in 2003, it was the place I most often cried; I think it is because it is private and quiet and the songs on the radio seem to speak to me.  I haven't actually cried in the car in a long time, but chances are, when something sad happens or something is bothering me, I'll know it because the tears will start flowing in the car.  I also think it is a place where my feelings come out since I am still, even though I'm driving, and otherwise in most of my home and work life, I'm racing around doing stuff so I don't have the stillness space available to cry.  Just a little secret thing I thought I'd share.  On this particular day in the photo, I was crying happy tears because I had just dropped Allison off for her last day of pre-school and the song "Sunrise-Sunset" swelled if only in my head - quickly fly the days, the years.  Life is beautiful and goes by so quickly, so fast.

11. Bikram Yoga Me.  Yoga has been a much needed quiet place for me and has strengthened me inside and out.  The most challenging part of yoga for me is often the lay on the mat resting time - it is challenging for me to quiet my mind and just be, but I have improved this ability so much over the past year, it is amazing.  This page is about how much I love Bikram Yoga and the benefits it has given me in my life since I started in April 2011.  The quote is one I heard on the Paperclipping Roundtable Podcast, Noell Hyman mentioned it and I love it so much, it goes something like this: "Everything you want {in life} is just outside your comfort zone."  I LOVE that quote and it has given me so much strength over the past year. 

12.   Big Idea Me. We have had the same financial planner since 1997 and he comes and meets with us a few times a year.  He has commented that I'm the Big Idea Girl and that Charlie is the Detail Man.  I have paid attention and realized that he is absolutely right.  I have discovered about myself, that I do love the big picture - and get annoyed with nitty gritty details.  So my husband and I make a pretty good team because we are different.  Knowing that about myself is a good thing because I know my strengths and weaknesses, so I pay extra attention to details when I'm at work but I also know that I'm happiest when I'm exploring big concepts or learning new things.  I made this page about an Improvisational Comedy class I took last summer. And NO.  I am not funny - just ask my kids.  And YES!  This class opened up the creative side of my brain and I realized that learning new things - anything really - is a crucial part of my happiness and creativity and life.  I know that I need to be what they taught us to be at Eckerd College - a lifetime learner.  There really is happiness and vitality and creativity - and it flows like crazy - when you are learning something new and are standing just outside your comfort zone.  Here's to more of that in 2012.

I encourage you to take a look back at the scrapbooking you did last year and see if you can come up with 12 pages about you.  If you did, take a look at them and check in with your 2011 self and think about what you want for yourself in 2012 - what is the same - what do you want to be different.  If you didn't make 12 pages about yourself in 2012 - come join the Twelve Class at Big Picture Classes, I am certain is it going to be awesome.

Click Here to Sign Up For Free Big Picture Classes Membership there are several free classes and I'm pretty sure they give me some kind of points if I refer a friend - so thank you in advance for clicking through to BPC.

 

 

 

 

 

New Years Resolutions

I made this page a couple of years ago and I'm STILL on my journey to attaining my goal weight.  I am HOPING that 2012 will be my year.  I'm enjoying a relaxing day today but I'm mentally gearing up to hit it hard in the new year and am excited about the MOVE MORE EAT WELL class at Big Picture.  

MY 12 RESOLUTIONS FOR 2012:

1. Reach my #1 Goal at the Office

2. More togetherness w/  Charlie - just the 2 of us.

3. Three {yes 3!} Ski Trips.   Whoo Hooo!

4. Find time everyday 4 Yoga, Stepping, Weights or some sort of exercise.

5.  Keep up with Project Life & post 52 Weeks on my Blog.

6. Finish writing & editing first Improv Scrapbooking Book & Write & epublish 6 more.

7. Finish Losing 50 Pounds & Attain Goal Weight by 7/4/12

8.  Take cre8tive classes and spend time everyday creating & learning new things.

9. Celebrate Ally's 9th.

10. Celebrate Mac's 10th.

11. Get New Venture Going w/ Charlie & Finish 11 or More by End of Year.

12. Create 12x12 = 144 layouts in the Twelve Class. 

(Bonus:  13. Celebrate our 13th Wedding Anniversary!)

What are your NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS?

Just Scheduled My Annual Mammogram

Thanks to a reminder to schedule my annual mammogram by my friend Alison commenting here on the blog - hey Alison!  I love you too - even though we don't see each other as often as we should - I love "seeing" you here & on Facebook. 

Link to Image Source

My "One Little Word" word for 2012  is HOPE but I'm hoping that it won't be a pink ribbon kind of hope. But knowing and early detection in the world of boobies is important so I am happy to stay on top of this issue on an annual basis - and I admittedly need to be better about home monthly exams.

Alison has an amazing story of early detection through home monthly exams and she has an amazing breast cancer survival story and she is one of my own personal favorite people, here is a scrapbook page that I made about meeting her:

And here is the link to the blog post about her: Alison is Awesome Blog Post.

Here is a friendly video about checking your boobies and getting younger women on board with this concept:

Check Your Boobies from by.luuvu on Vimeo.

 So check your boobies and tell your girlfriends too ok?

 

December 12

December Daily: Day 12:

No Photo Collage in Picasa today - not even a single photo! 

The left side of this is from the 11th - we had a big weekend with lots of activity and photos. 

But today was Monday and December 12th was all about words - specifically the Christmas carol lyric "Let Your Heart Be Light" since I started the day with a post about The Happiness Project for the December Scrapworthy Lives Blog Hop; and since we had "One of Those Days" (which is the title of one of our favorite books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - see below for a link to this and other awesome books for you and your family):

"December 12, 2011.  Monday.  Today was sort of One of Those Days, but it started out with the December Scrapworthy Lives Blog Hop for the Happiness Project and of course I did my post at the last minute.  The song lyric "Let Your Heart Be Light" was the subject of my post and it played in my head the rest of the day through involved meetings, a business lunch, and the phone ringing all afternoon.  Then the kids were uncooperative and unfriendly and I decided to lay down the law and we had a family meeting with the point being that to have a Merry Christmas, we need light hearts."

RECOMMENDED READING:

 

December 9

So I'm just going to go with the fact that the Picasa Photo collage is making December Daily really easy for me, I'm OK with the fact that a lot of my pages look similar - and I'm happy that I'm keeping up; I do need to get some more printer ink soon (note to self). 

The kids got personalized video emails from Santa.  Mac was concerned and whispered to me "Is this a video chat?  Can He see me?''  He was very relieved to know that while Santa can see him all the time, it was not a video chat. 

Allison seemed quite satisfied that she is on the nice list and admitted that she was a bit worried about making it so that it was a big relief; she now seems quite certain that Santa will be bringing a new Barbie House.  She even filled up three black trash bags full of her old toys so that she's have space in her room for the new toys; after I poked through what she trashed, we delivered the bulk of it; save a few sentimental items that she made clear were not to go back in her room - that I could keep them in my room if I wanted - so I started a time capsule box for her in my closet - it wasn't a ton but I have a hard time getting rid of things that feel special.  My aunt called today and we discussed the whole concept of purging out the old stuff and why that can be hard but how watching the show "Hoarders" sometimes gives us a quick kick in the pants to get rid of stuff.  So even though I didn't watch an episode, I was properly motivated to get rid of stuff and I spent the better part of the day clearing stuff out of closets etc.  I did squeeze in some time to make this scrapbook page - it is the remains of a bulletin board Allison made for me when she was happy with me and then disassembled when she was unhappy with me (oh the drama):

I left the photos cut the way she cut them for her bulletin board and the journaling is about how I love her even when she is mad at me - that I love her all the time, no matter what.

I'm still in pre-party angst, Charlie is bringing home and/or picking up the rest of the things we'll need.  I will sort of be happy when the party is over so I can stop worrying about it; I'm trying not to stress but tis the season right?  Charlie doesn't get the angst about the holidays - but its just that I think I should have so much more accomplished by now.  It just feels like there is a lot to do in the 16 days before Christmas.  I keep trying to remember the Christmas carol line that goes "let you heart be light" and also the Rob Thomas song "let it go" and just enjoy the season and not worry about trying to do everything, but that's sometimes easier said than done, but try I will.  We're planning to watch the Christmas Boat Parade Tonight - hoping to get some good photos, something I've never successfully accomplished in the past, maybe I should google how to do that. 

So are you feeling ready for the holidays or are you having the pre-holiday angst of there is so much to do?

Pay Attention! Scrapworthy Lives - The Happiness Project - November Blog Hop

Hello Scrapbooking Blogging Friends! 

This month the Scrapworthy Lives - The Happiness Project - focuses on the concept of "PAY ATTENTION!"

Author Gretchen Rubin's "Pay Attention" month in the "The Happiness Project" included meditation, examining true rules, stimulating the mind in new ways, and keeping a food diary.  For me, when I think about paying attention, I can't help but think about how scrapbooking helps me to pay attention to the good things in life. 

I also can't help but think about my son's issue with paying attention.  He has ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.   In our family, we have spent a lot of time and attention on his ADHD issues.  As a result, I think maybe we are sometimes guilty of paying less attention to my daughter.  I made these two scrapbook layouts about paying attention to my daughter:

Journaling:  "Mom! Look! Look how high I can swing!" Allison called out across the playground. "Come Here! Come Here! And bring your camera!" Said my 7 year old daughter who normally does not want me snapping her picture all the time. "Did you get it?" She commanded with a smile. "Lay down so I’m on top of the bar!" "Got it" I called back. "I know you think Mac is the only one who has the super-powers to swing high, but I can swing higher!" Allison declared with what seemed like a lot of forethought. Later, when we got home, I came across the scrapbook I had made for my son, Mac, called "Super Mac" which included pictures of him swinging high. I created that book for my son after reading a book called "The Gift of ADHD" which depicts a boy swinging high on a tire swing. Then I realized that maybe Allison was feeling a bit jealous of the attention we give to Mac and his special needs because of his ADHD. Charlie and I are constantly trying to figure out the best way to address the ever changing special needs associated with Mac’s ADHD; and so it must feel to Allison like all of our attention is on her big brother. Allison, the little sister, has generally been so well behaved and is quieter by comparison, so she tends to get a little less attention. This exchange and these pictures of my daughter remind me that she also needs lots of attention and that she too has special gifts and needs. Now I make extra special sure that I am giving my full attention to Allison every day for a part of the day and we have special "Girl Dates" which we have always had but now take on a deeper meaning. Allison: I love you my girl. Mommy (photos January 2011 / journaling October 2011).

Journaling:  Allison, My Sweet Girl, You are always saying: "Look at Me!" "Find Me!" "Play With Me!" "Chase Me!" "Watch Me!" "Listen to Me!" I was recently talking to your friend Aspen’s Mom and she declared "Oh! Your Daughter is an EXTROVERT!" after only talking to you for a few minutes - and I realized she was so right! You love being the CENTER OF ATTENTION and you love having company no matter what you are doing Yes, my girl, I’m not sure how this didn’t occur to me much sooner, You are a charming, friendly, and authoritative little extrovert! After realizing this, I did a Myers Briggs Test for kids and your personality type is EFJ - Extraverted-Feeling-Judging; the test results are on the back of this page. They say that you are well suited to becoming a CAREGIVER which is interesting since you have always said you’d like to be a doctor or dentist or animal doctor, those professions will suit your personality type perfectly. I LOVE YOU and your type and I love it when you ask me to take your picture like you did this day on the slide! Love, Mommy 10/2011

 On both layouts, I created circles {with nesting die cut circles on one layout and with brads and the naturally framed circle of the slide in the other layout} around my daughter so that she would be the center of attention:

Ok, now go pay attention to the other Scrapworthy Lives Happiness Project Blogs!

Here is the Blog Roll List:

1. http://blog.funmama.net

2. http://kissandtellscrapbooking.typepad.com

3. http://blog.mshanhun.com

4. http://xnomads.typepad.com

5. http://adriennefalzon.blogspot.com

6. http://nickylamarche.typepad.com

7. http://www.valerieserfozo.com

8. http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com

9. http://www.scrapworthylives.com

10. http://scrapyourlife.net

11. http://mahsliceoflife.blogspot.com

12. www.MichelleRoycroft.blogspot.com

13. http://www.kimberlykalil.com

14. http://www.1200somemiles.com

15. www.scrappingmojo.blogspot.com

16. http://www.yourmemoryconnection.com

Enjoy the Blog Hop & Pay Attention!

Scrapworthy Lives: The Happiness Project: Pursue a Passion

Welcome to this month's Scrapworthy Lives - The Happiness Project Blog Hop!

You should have arrived from "My Creative Days in Beijing" (see below for a complete blog list with links).

This month's theme for the Happiness Project was "Pursue A Passion" - sounds like fun right? 

It seems like it should be because I pride myself on pursing things (passions) that make me happy - scrapbooking, picture taking, having adventures with my family, kayaking, practicing Bikram Yoga, taking Improv Classes, and whatever else strikes me at any given time as something fun to do.  I'm also proud of the fact that I am able to have balance as a working mom and still take this "me" time. 

Do I get it right all the time?  Heck no!  I have to tweak and re-tweak the routine and how everything fits together and there are some weeks when things fall off the radar.  But generally I feel like if I'm juggling 100 balls - I'm keeping the important one ones from dropping - that I'm keeping all the plates spinning (to switch cliche metaphors).

  
So this month's blog theme of Pursing a Passion should be super fun for me, right? Um sure, but for whatever reason, this topic seems to bring out the angst in me. 

Apparently I'm not alone in this reaction.  Gretchen Rubin writes "Some people feel overwhelmed by the question "What's Your Passion?" It seems so large and unanswerable that they feel paralyzed."  in the chapter titled "Pursue a Passion" in the The Happiness Project book.  This is not exactly my reaction, however.  Mine is a response from a perspective of being a bit hard on myself for not having already started on the action part of pursing passions - and my brain goes to the goal setting / resolution brain with strict rules.  I started writing out my feelings and then wrote a list of those nagging goals:

 
I printed the journaling out and it goes through all my angst ridden feelings.  I pulled a piece of red cardstock - maybe I subconsciously picked the one with the skunk because of how I was feeling a bit stinky about this.  I decided to hide the goals and include a page from the actual book - yes I did rip it out. I did some machine stitching on the page but otherwise, it didn't feel like it needed any embellishments, that I wanted it to be straightforward even through some of the writing - and that skunk - were hidden.  Here is the finished layout:

 
So I'm happy to get all that angst out and get back to my happy place.  I'm happy with the layout and I'm happy that I wrote the goals down, but also that I put them in an envelope.  I've often found that when I do this, I tend to find the list again in a few months or years, and then I feel happy when I see that some of the goals have been accomplished.  I am going to schedule some time in to get working on those goals and passions.

In the meantime, I do think I already do a very good job of pursuing passions on a daily basis - take a look at these scrapbook layouts that evidence that:

 
Proof of Pursuing My Passions In the Layouts:  Mountain Climbing; Kayaking with Dolphins; Bikram Yoga; Throwing Parties; Taking Pictures; Seeing the Space Center; Tampa Bay Rays Baseball; Growing Flowers and Vegetables; Day Tripping to Orlando; Researching Our Ancestry; Taking Kids to the Beach; Hula-Hooping; Summer Fun; Road Trips; Playing on the iPhone; Work; Kite Flying; Hanging Out With the Hubby; Traveling to All 50 States; Winter Ski Trips; Girlfriends; Improv Classes: Girl Time with my Girl.

I really do think its important to pursue your passions and I have many; I don't have trouble identifying them; and I do still love to do the same types of things I loved to do when I was 10 years old and I have no trouble at all filling up Saturday afternoons (and the wee hours of most every night).  Gretchen Rubin suggests that if you are having trouble identifying your passions ask yourself "What you enjoyed doing as a ten year old or choose to do on a free Saturday afternoon is a strong indication of your passion."

I hope that you are making time for pursuing your passions and that you don't get too tough on yourself when goal setting.  I also hope that you enjoyed this post and will enjoy the rest of the blog hop.

Here is a full list of the Happiness Project Scrapworthy Lives Blog Hop sites:

1. My Creative Days in Beijing

2. Kiss and Tell Scrapbooking by Katie Scott

3.  Your Memory Connection

4. Slice of Life

5. Take a Picture and Remember This

6.  Scrap and Sass

7. Pie For Breakfast

8. Scrapworthy Lives

Your next stop on the Scrapworthy Lives Happiness Blog Hop is #3 Your Memory Connection.

Scrapbooking Your Work Life

Want to Scrapbook Your Work Life?  Check out these links:

1. Scrapbooking Your Work Life.

2. 20 Years Of Jobs Scrapbook Layout.

3. Paperclipping's Scrapbook Your Commute and Lunch.

4. Debbie Hodge's Scrapbook Jouranling for your Work Self.

5. Office Related Themed Digital Scrapbooking Supplies.

6. Scrapbook Update's Office Supply Inspiration Blog Hop.

7. How To Make a Farewell Scrapbook for a Co-Worker.

8. Scrapbooking Your Job.

9. Career Scrapbooking Ideas.

10. Retirement Scrapbooking Ideas.

I've been rearranging some of my scrapbooks and have noticed that work makes up a major part of my life but is not something I often scrapbook about.  I recently made a photo album scrapbook (sorry I forgot to take pictures - maybe I'll post later) about work.  Today, I made this layout about when Charlie and I got to meet Zig Ziglar back in 1999:

Looking back, I have made some layouts about work, but I do think it is a smaller pile of layouts than the other types of layouts that I tend to do:

 
Do you scrapbook about your work?

School Themed Scrapbooking

I started a School Scrapbook Album for this school year inspired by Becky Higgins' Project Life and Stacy Julian's 180 School Album.  I just used some 8.5 x 11 page protectors with slots for 4x6 photos and three ringed notebooks from the office supply store, I also used some calendar stamps for the side panels to make sure I keep everything in order.   Here are the title page and the first couple of weeks:

 
Yes, we are guilty of letting our kids skip two days in the 2nd week for our trip to Maine - it was a highly learning experience, so I'm ok with this.  I actually ordered a photo book for our trip to Maine and had it done the day we got back - I'll post that soon.

I like to include some pages in my school scrapbooking that is not all about school but are about things that happen over and over - like getting the kids ready in the morning.  I made this page about the morning rush to school and how its always a challenge to get my kids in the car with all their stuff and their shoes on!  I used some old photos that were appropriate, but we still have this issue many days (thankfully not today).

 
Journaling:  "Photos Taken 4/2010 2nd Grade.  These photos explain why we now have a rule that you must put your shoes on before getting in the car to go to school.  These Photos could go in the "No David!" Books!"  Love Mom 9/2011.

There is a contest for school related scrapbooking pages at The Studio Challenges Blog and there is a prize from Ella Publishing.  Go check it out & Good Luck.

Last Day of Summer 2011

Its not the official last day of summer but it was the last day of summer 2011 in the Scott household.  We had a hectic day of making sure school uniforms were ready and fit properly - I still have 3 more skorts to hem, but we are basically ready for 2nd and 4th grades and we plan to be up early tomorrow morning all bright eyed and bushy tailed! 

 
School Days Layout:  I chose 4 photos that represented routine to me and lined them up in an orderly grid.  Then I found two shots of me and my son to mat and place all wonky - representing that neither of us are particularly fond of routines or staying in the lines and following the rules - we are both rebels and don't like to be told what to do.   The journaling is about how Mac did not enjoy the family meeting about the reward system for good behavior during the coming school year and how he was generally unhappy about school starting tomorrow.  What makes matters worse is that until Friday we thought that school didn't start until Tuesday - major bummer there.  And my picture is on the diagonal too because I had to play the role of drill sergeant this weekend - a role I don't particularly enjoy but I know is necessary to get things rolling in the right direction.   I stitched on the layout since I had the sewing machine all ready out and threaded from hemming all of Allison's skorts.  The embellishments relate to the theme - "journey" "life" (Jillibean Soup) and "school days" as does the patterened paper which I'm guessing is Basic Grey but I"m not for sure on that.  I also used a sticker at the top left from the school uniforms from Target, it says "ultimate school uniform" and tied in well with the color scheme of this page.  I used the aqua blue and white checkered pattered paper in the middle of the page to represent a calendar or routine and I intentionally chose a paper that didn't match the grungyness or mood of the other patterned paper - I wanted to show a break in the routine - like the abrupt stop we had to our Summer 2011 - something jarring.  Overall I'm happy with this page and it didn't take too long to create - maybe about 35 minutes.

Journaling:  We had a hectic last day of Summer getting school uniforms and shoes and socks and underwear and back packs and school supplies ready.  It took us until 3 pm to get through the dress rehearsal for tomorrow and then Daddy took you two to Target for some last minute things while I squeezed in Bikram Yoga.  Mac was less than thrilled during the family meeting setting out the rewards system, Allison was totally on board with earning an allowance.  But Mac got hung up on the details.  We worked through it and I read you "Oh The Places You'll Go."  You're ready for 4th grade.  P.S. I know routines and getting up early aren't fun and I'm a rule breaker too - but we need order to have an awesome year.  Love Mom."

 
5 Notes from August 21, 2011:

1.  I took photos of Mac after his school dress rehearsal - check out the less than happy expressions on his "I wish summer could last forever" face, I didn't catch Allison in her uniform because we had hemming issues, I have to remember to get pictures of her tomorrow morning.  And I should probably get some happier ones of Mac.  I did find these awesome pictures of Allison when I was uploading my photos.  I put up the blocks in the kitchen and they spell out "Have an Awesome School Year 2011 to 2012 - Grades 2 + 4."

2. I've been in purge mode with the housekeeping and it is looking pretty organized around here in the common spaces and even in our rooms, but there are some closets and drawers that I know are hiding some clutter and I'm all about getting rid of it in the next few weeks.  A couple times a year I get like this - full on house cleaning and organizing mode - and I don't rest until its completely done.  

3. We had smorgashboard for lunch today - all the leftovers from the party we had for my mom yesterday - I am not a fan of "post party fridge" and I like for the fridge (fridges in our case) to be super organized so that I don't run out of healthy choices and enough to drink.  I am not the planner-est person in the world, but there are certain things and times that call for order and we're in that zone right now.

4. I created an Agenda for each of the kids so that they have the potential to earn an allowance of $55.00 each week; we will no longer be buying them any stuff that is not necessary; and a portion of the allowance is going into their savings accounts.  Allison was so excited about this opportunity but Mac focused on the fact that earning money required him to do things - lots of things - and in his opinion too many.  I'm hoping that he comes on board too, I made the first week's to do items fairly easy, I have my fingers crossed for him on this - and I'm hoping that some new changes will help him conquer 4th grade homework - because 3rd grade homework was a bit of a nightmare around here.

5. We filmed what was supposed to be a documentary-ish bit for the office but it turned out to be a regular old commercial (if you ask me) and Charlie played it for me this morning.  When I look in the mirror I see some wrinkles but mainly I see a cute young looking woman who has a couple of pounds still to lose; but when I see myself on the video I see someone who is in major need of botox and an eye-lid lift and to lose a whole lot more weight.  I made it to Bikram Yoga tonight and I know I'm getting stronger, and I also know that at 41 it is natural to have some wrinkles; but vanity makes me want to run to the plastic surgeon.  I'd like to hold out for a couple more years on that eye lift thing - but judging from my Mom's eyelids, I'm definately going to want it at some point.   Ahhhh, aging, I know it beats the alternative, but it would be cool if I looked like what my mental image of myself is - it is much cuter than the real life version - I think my mental image stopped somewhere around 15 or 16 years old; which also may explain why whenever I have anything to get dressed up for I instantly go for big hair - I was a teenager in the 80s - so I am hard core programed to make it big; and then I have to tame it down.  Its a weird process, I should probably photograph that whole routine one of these days.   

Here's to hoping we have an awesome first day of school!

Scrapworthy Lives August Blog Hop: Buy Some Happiness: Saturday Night Date Night!

Welcome Scrapbookers and Blog Hoppers!

You should have arrived here on the August Happiness Blog Hop sponsored by Stephanie Medley-Rath's Scrapworthy Lives: Because your Life Is Worth Scrapbooking Blog  {click here for the link to Scrapworthy Lives}.  More specifically, the stop before mine on the hop was { Tammy's Blog: Your Memory Connection }.

August's Theme is "Buy Some Happiness" inspired by Gretchen Rubin's book: "The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent A Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun."  On the subject of money buying happiness, Gretchen Rubin explains:  "money, spent wisely, can support happiness goals of strengthening relationships, promoting health, having fun, and all the rest." 

Can Money Buy You Love? - the Beatles didn't think so - and neither do I, but can money infuse a little happiness into your relationship?  I think so.  This layout was inspired by a recent "Modest Splurge" when my husband and I re-instituted our long standing tradition of Saturday Night Date Night.  We didn't go crazy, but we did go on a bit of a geek spree at Best Buy and then downtown to the restaurant of our choice and indulged in good food and quality time together - without the kids.

 

The Page:  The page I made for this blog hop seems simple enough, I didn't use any embellishments or even any letter stickers - just a piece of colored cardstock and a few strips of patterened paper.  To the casual observer, this is a frugal page.  But to me, it represents a splurge.  I try to keep my spending on scrapbooking supplies to a bare minimum - I try to limit my purchases to adhesives and page protectors because I have enough scrapbooking supplies to last a lifetime.  Most of the time, I am happy using older supplies and papers in my scrapbooking, but occasionally, I find myself in a rut and when that happens I allow myself to indulge in a "Modest Splurge" and that Basic Grey Lauderdale Paper represents just such a splurge that I recently made on a trip to my local scrapbooking shop Whim-So-Doodle in Downtown St. Pete.  I bought $30 of patterened papers that I didn't need but I really wanted - it was all impulse shopping - buying whatever I thought was attractive, but I kept a dollar limit for myself and paid in cash - not with a credit card.  I didn't know what I'd use this paper for when I bought it but it seemed perfect for the mood I wanted to create with this page.

Here's our story:  Charlie and I met in 1995 and quickly fell in love, we were both recent law school graduates with lots of potential and lots of law school loan debt.  We had a long courtship and it was four years before we got married, but during our dating years, we took a giant leap of faith by starting a law practice together in 1997.   In 1999, as newlyweds, we had lots of time and love - but not much money - just a lot of law school loan debt, a new business, and a home mortgage.  We worked hard to get to a financially OK place.  In 2002, we started a family and when the children were small, we indulged in a live-in nanny, babysitters, and a housekeeper.   We kept up our Saturday Date Night Tradition even when the kids were small and we were seriously busy. 

But somewhere around 2008 or 2009, when the bad economy hit, we decided to tighten up the bootstraps and stopped having a housekeeper and started cleaning our house ourselves again; and since the children were getting a little older, we no longer needed all the babysitting.  So our new-found frugality led to the End of our Saturday Date Night Tradition.  Looking back, I think our marriage suffered a little bit because we stopped taking this time out together, we lost a connection that we once had and our connection then centered only around the house, the kids and work - there was little to no time spent on just us. 

Until last week - we brought back Saturday Date Night and it was worth every penny!

 Journaling: "Saturday Night - July 23, 2011: The first night in our house alone since Mac was born in 2002 and we had a long over-due date night at Moon Under Water in Downtown St. Pete - Of course it rained!  With both kids at a friend's house overnight - we got a little preview of the next stage in life."

 

Ok, Scrapbookers and Happiness Seekers: Now go check out the last stop on the Blog Hop!  { Click Here for Melissa's Blog }

:) Katie.