Elizabeth's First Tooth

Elizabeth's First Tooth.

Journaling reads:

Your first permanent tooth grew in before you even lost your first tooth. So when you lost your first tooth on August 25, 2005 it was bittersweet. My baby loosing her first tooth at 5 years old, and I didn't even get to have a toothless grin.

Lower it reads:

The tooth fairy brought you a dollar and a new toothbrush.






















All papers are from Earthen Vessel at ScrapGirls.

Rachel's Uh Oh

Rachel's Uh Oh.

Rachel is 11 months old and has mastered going up the stairs without a problem. In fact, she is very fast going up those stairs. But she still refuses to go down backwards. And, of course, her favorite phrase right now is "uh oh".






















Papers from Dirty Skirt by Kim Christensen at ScrapbookBytes. Brush is Rhonna's swirls from 2Peas.

Art in the City

Art in the City.

Shaun took Elizabeth out for a 'date', and I made him take the camera. And when Rachel was showing off the cutest little rear cleavage that night, I really wanted my camera back. But, shaun came back with this photo of Elizabeth in this huge piece of sidewalk art from their downtown excursion to see a baseball game. I was glad I made him take the camera after all!

I think it is pretty obvious that I altered the photo. The end result is one of those things that just isn't everybody's cup of tea, but I really love how it came out.






















Papers from Urban Kiwi at Shabby Princess. Circle brush (used in eyes) from ScrapGirls.

Open House (Kindergarten)

Open House.

I hid ladybugs throughout this layout. Just for fun.






















Papers are by Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals. The flower is recolored from Tracey Monette of Clever Monkey Graphics. Paper clips and staples are from the Basics at Digital Scrapbook Place. The ladybugs (hidden and of various sizes) are from Sheryl Yazolino. (Bulletin boards by Mrs. Peterson and additional artwork by Elizabeth and her classmates!)

The Sweetness of Rachel

The Sweetness of Rachel.

This photo was taken of Rachel when she was just sixteen days old. She was such a little sleeper. It was wonderful and at the same time it worried me. Especially when we couldn't wake her to eat. I finally had to finger feed her formula just to get food in her. Aack. One of the reasons we ended up bottle feeding this little sweetie.






















Miss Mint's Spring Jellybean

Change in JPEG requirements

There has been a change in the allowed file sizes for uploading images to Blogger. They may no longer exceed 50k.

They didn't announce this, they just changed it without sharing the details to those of us big file kind of people.

No problem though, I am reducing the size and quality to fit into their new requirements. So the quality you see isn't the actual quality of the layout, so don't download those onto your screen savers. If you want a particular layout for your screen saver, just send me and e-mail with the layout title, and I'll e-mail you a high res. version.

(This lower quality version is effective with the Backyard Swing layout.)

Backyard Swing

Backyard Swing.

These photos were taken during the first week of nice weather this year. The sun was shining, with just a light breeze through the air. Rachel swung back and forth with a big open mouth smile on her face for more than 30 minutes (nap time).

She loves her swing.






















Papers from Jen Wilson’s Free to Be kit.

Never Enough

Elizabeth doesn't understand that I could never have enough pictures of her.

"No more pictures, Mom!"
























Just call me a crazy woman.

Old Enough

I was reading a designers blog the other day as she told the story of bringing her laptop with her to a concert that she took her 16 year-old daughter to, and working away on her scrapbook materials right there in the middle of it all.

I thought, wow! She doesn't look old enough to have a sixteen year-old daughter! (I know you thought I was going to say wow about working on scrapbooking during a concert. You obviously don't know how addicting digital scrapping is.)

At three o'clock in the morning I woke up with a realization. Technically, I am old enough to have a sixteen year-old daughter.

Wow. And if you want to go the babies having babies route, there are probably women my age that are becoming grandmothers.

Holy cow.

Evidence of My Girls Everywhere

Rachel was here. And there. And then over there. Here is a layout about Rachel' existence in our house. The photos I decided to include are:

1. Her pacifiers. We keep probably about six of them in her crib at all times. When Caytlyn was with us I used to go looking for binkies in the dark every night, and I wanted to make sure I didn't have to do that this time around. Also, when she goes to sleep, she sucks on one binkie and holds another in her hand. So sweet.

2. We have to block the VCR from her reach. She thinks it is an amazing amount of fun to put her hand in the VCR and play with the flap.

3. She enjoys her toys. All of them. But in this box I included a photo of her Weeble Treehouse because she not only likes to play with it, but she loves to bounce to the music it makes. I think she likes that it doesn't have a volume control. lol

4. In this box you can see one of her other favorite activities. Pulling books off the shelves. Oh, she could spend hours doing this every day. It drives Elizabeth crazy.

5. And her bike (currently on rocker status). She likes to just sit on it and rock back and forth. She likes to spin the wheels when she isn't on it. And she has a great time trying to get both off of it and back on it again. What fun she has with this toy.

























On Elizabeth's layout I have included the following photo/stories about how she lives in our home.

1. School work is everywhere. And don't let her catch you putting any of her work in the recycling box either!

2. Elizabeth has a collection of tooth brushes. She loves to brush her teeth and she gets toothpaste everywhere. She won't throw toothbrushes away. It has to happen in the dark of night (on garbage night), lol.

3. Power Rangers. If you know Elizabeth, you know her love of Power Rangers. And well, really, all things super hero.

4. Her guitar. She loves to play her guitar. She loves to carry it around and be cool. She loves music.

5. On her bed you will find different things every day. Today she has her baby doll, her Fairytopia book, and a collection of CDs. All the CDs are of women singers too. B52s, the Cranberries, Sheryl Crow, Blondie, X, Avril Lavene(?), these are just a few of the CDs she keeps in her room.

6. She has a collection of craft supplies, but on this day, she was painting. She was painting a sunset.

7. And her books. She loves books. Her grandma laughed at her when she told her that Mommy was her designated reader.

And, of course, she is called the Queen of Sass on her layout. It is true, she is sassy. But she thought it was great when she was told that she inherited it from her mom, lol.

























Rachel was here. April 2006. Background paper, alphas, stars, ‘it’s all about me’ from the Rock & Roll kit at ScrapGirls. The ‘I love my toys’ ribbon from Cameron’s Toys kit (recolored) by Kathryn Balint. The circle brush from ScrapGirls. The ribbon sun made from elements in the Blossom Blast kit by MandaBean at Sweet Shoppe.

Elizabeth was here. April 2006. Paper, alphas and all elements from the Rock & Roll kit by ScrapGirls. Beachy (scratch) overlay also from ScrapGirls.

Layouts inspired by an Ali Edwards layout in April CK.

Sweet Corn & Sweet Girls

Sweet Corn & Sweet Girls.

Elizabeth & Rachel ~ neither with a mouth full of teeth.

April 2006.
























Products used: Solid papers from Shabby Princess’ Shabby Fall kit. Brads and overlay from Shabby Princess’ Shabby Mother kit. Patterned papers and blue squares from Sweet Shoppe Designs’ Lovely kit.

Pan for Gold (digital)

Pan for Gold
“Elizabeth struck it rich at Old Tucson Studios.”

The gold in the bottle is the actual gold that Elizabeth found while panning for gold at the Old Tucson Studios. It was fun to be able to include it in the layout, and I am impressed with myself in being able to 'cut' it out of the photo and add it into the layout. A new technique for me. I also used Elizabeth's gold chocolate coins in the layout (scanned). She got them in her Christmas stocking, and she hasn't eaten them yet, so... lol.

One of my childhood memories is panning for gold in a little western town in Phoenix (I think it was called Rawhide or something similar). The most exciting part was that we got to take the gold home with us. So I am glad that Elizabeth now has this memory as well. And documented in her scrapbook!
























Products used: The wood fence background, Pan for Gold sign, bottles of gold and gold coins are by me. The papers are from ScrapbookGraphics. The gold is from the Bohemian kit. The balance sheets and newspapers are from the Kit and Caboodle kit. The weathered paper and screws are from the Weathered Treasures kit. (You can’t tell that I like Maya’s kits can you?) The staples are from ShabbyPincess’ Shabby Fall kit. Inked edges from ScrapArtist.

Wolf Cub

I am working on how to create different looks with my photos in photoshop. In this picture I played with some of the different levels and hues, posterized, stylized with pastels, and then added a light pink tinting to the entire photo.

Here it is, Rachel petting a (bronze) wolf cub. She thought it was great, climbing on the statues of various animals around the fountain, but she thought this one in particular was great because it was her size.

Printing

I printed my first digital pages this weekend, and I am pleased with how they turned out. I guess I'll keep doing it!

Rachel's Wild West Adventure (digital)

Rachel’s Wild West Adventure.

Journaling: “Rachel, you had an exciting day in the Old West of the Tucson Studios (an old Western town and movie studio). You met can can saloon girls, cowboys and horses. You watched your sister pan for gold and go on rides. By the end of the day you were so worn out that you fell asleep in your stroller, which is a rare occurrence, for you love to be out and about and watch your surroundings. 3/2006.”

Here's my question. Do you think I should leave or remove the rope accents along the side?
























Products used: from various kits by Maya at ScrapbookGraphics (Wild West, Lil Buddy & Weathered Treasures).

Can Can Girls (digital)

I have been messing with this layout for days, and am still not sure if this is what I'll keep. Feel free to share any ideas for improvement. I guess part of the reason that I am having trouble is that I want to see so much of the background paper. lol. Well, anyway...

Can Can Girls. The Old Tucson Saloon.

Journaling under large photo: “Elizabeth’s favorite part of the show was when the girls turned around, pulled up their skirts, and shaked their bums at us. She thought that was great.”

Journaling under small photo: “Elizabeth loved her old fashioned sasparilla from the Old Tucson Saloon so much that she had two.”
























Background is created from photos. Jewels and tickets from Maya at ScrapbookGraphics. Staples from DigitalScrapbookPlace.

Cupcake Eater (paper layout)

Cupcake Eater.

When Elizabeth attends a party, she always reports on the food. And if the food wasn't very good, she'll report that fact first!

Journaling: "As far as Elizabeth is concerned the party is a success only if the food is good."
Quote used:'Too much of a good thing is wonderful.' Mae West

Fall Soccer 2005 (digital)

I put in as many photos as I could!























Papers: Shabby Princess’ Moody Blues. Word Art: Jen Wilson’s Dreams for You