Teenager Pants

I am so thankful I blogged so many stories over the last year that I can now add to my scrapbook pages! (Yeah, ok, I know, you are wondering where the stories are... well they are at a more private blog for my family and friends, lol)

Journaling:

Name: Elizabeth
Age: 5 years old
Grade: Kindergarten
Pants size: 7 slim

The story: Because you were wearing a size 7 at age 5, you were convinced that everybody was going to think you were a teenager. And so you told everybody that you met that you weren't a teenager, you were just wearing teenager pants.
The tag reads: My Elizabeth, she is tall and beautiful! September 2005.


















Credits:
Cream paper from Tracey Gilbert Monette’s (PDW) elementary school kit, striped paper from Summer Simmons’ citrus grove kit, sequins by tandika, tags by Jen Wilson, stamped alpha by Michelle Coleman, fonts are 1942 report and pea Stacy script.

Scraplift Challenge

I scrapped another challenge this week! The challenge was to scrap a layout from the gallery of candylouu at Two Peas and I chose this one.

I took this photo of Elizabeth last week. She has basically spend every possible minute this summer in a swim suit and flip flops (or bare foot). She just loves the freedom of summer.


















The background paper is from Tracey Gilbert Monette’s (Clever Monkey Graphics) Elementary paper pack and the patterned papers and flower are from her Floral No. 1 kit and the title is from her Phresh Alpha at PDW. The stitching is by Katie Pertiet and the font is pea Sara Script.

Monochromatic Challenge

I decided to participate in the Two Peas digi monochromatic challenge this week. I enjoyed it mostly because I love this story of Elizabeth on Rachel's first birthday. Too cute.

Journaling:
Daddy walked into your room the morning of Rachel’s first birthday. You immediately said, “Hi Dad, happy birthday Rachel! Put her on the ground and see if she can walk!’

Daddy responded with a “Good morning birthday girl and Elizabeth.”

You immediately followed up with, “Put her on the ground and see if she can walk!” And when Daddy didn’t immediately follow your directions, you once again said, “Put her on the ground, see if she can walk!” And then again, a little more excitedly, “Put her one the ground and see if she can walk!”

Daddy then put Rachel on the ground and she took one step forward before loosing her balance. Daddy praised her one little step, but your response was, “Oh.”

I guess you thought her first birthday would work like magic, giving her the ability to suddenly walk, and you were just a little disappointed when that wasn’t the way it worked. But you weren’t disappointed long; it was only two more weeks before she was a regular walker.




















Papers are from Lynn Grieveson’s Island Winds kit. Schmootzy stamped title, inked corners (digital distressing kit) and overlay are by Nancie Rowe Janitz. The pressed flower is by Sausan Designs. The tape and tag are by IOD.

K is for Kindergarten

Elizabeth's first day of Kindergarten (last year)! She took an apple to give her teacher, but I have no idea where she got that idea in her head from, lol. But, I didn't think it was something that we needed to argue about, and so she brought her teacher an apple. It was quite cute, really.


















I used the new ‘elementary school’ papers and elements by Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics) at PDW. I used one of her patterned papers as an overlay to get the cool print on those cutouts. The cutouts are from the Hipster Plumes 2 brush by Anna Aspnes, recovered by the elementary papers. The circle cutout (also recovered by elementary papers) is from the Playin’ Around brush at ScrapArtist. The ‘k’ is the schmootzy stamped alpha by Nancie Rowe Janitz. Font is 1942 Report.

DST Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks photo challenge is 'feminine'.

When Elizabeth came into the room after putting her own makeup on, I knew she just answered my question about what I was going to photograph for the challenge.

She totally cracks me up!

Little Moments

I took this photo of Rachel at my brother's rehearsal dinner last summer, and I just loved it because of her big blue eyes staring right at me. I took quite a bit of the color out of the photo to work better with the papers, but even now, I still love it.

Little Moments

It's the little moments that melt my heart.
Rachel, three months, August 2005.





















All papers, staples, tag & iron alpha by Iron Orchid Designs (IOD available at Scrap Artist). Pressed flowers by Sausan Designs (at PDW). Fringe template by Kristy Ann Designs (PDW). Font is Pea Sara Script.

Artist in Training

Elizabeth put this drawing together in about 5 minutes, then handed it to me and said, "am I an artist or what?"

Now she wants to try coloring it on the computer, so I'll post that when she is done. Here is also the photo that she drew it from (photo by Frank Mulkern).

Crop Challenge

The crop challenge this week at the '2Peas 2sday' chat was to use office supplies and only office supplies in a layout.

Cheese Sandwich

Elizabeth made lunch for daddy. She’s such a sweet girl! August 5, 2005. Menu: cheese sandwich, goldfish crackers. Chef: Elizabeth, age 5.






















Credits: black graph paper by Tracy Gilbert Monette (PDW). File folder, yellow paper, index card by Miss Mint. Paper in the folder by Mo Jackson. Paper clips and staples by IOD. Envelope and ss card by Michelle Underwood. Newspaper arrow by Kristy Ann Designs. Schmootzy stamped alpha from ScrapArtist. Font is 1942 report.

Car Dancing

Every now and then I like to do something completely non-traditional, and here it is, for now anyway. I'm not completely sold on the design yet, so I'll probably work with it a bit more. But before I can do that I have to live with it for a while, so here it is.

Bum Dance

Journaling:

I looked in the rearview mirror to find Elizabeth dancing around in the back seat to the music of Franz Ferdinand. I asked her if she liked the music and her response was, “it makes my bum dance!” After that, every time ‘Take Me Out’ came on the radio I always knew I would Find Elizabeth doing the ‘bum dance’ in her car seat if I were to look in the rearview mirror, and I was right. Elizabeth, 5 years old.























The papers in this are from the Artist No. 2 kit by Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics) at PDW. I blended and layered a bit (including song lyrics throughout the patterned paper), so the colors are not true to her design. I also used the images from one of the Franz Ferdinand CD covers and from one of their CDs. The tape is by IOD, the index card is from Miss Mint, and the stamped alpha is by Michelle Coleman. The staples are from Tracey’s ‘don’t be so negative’ alpha.

DST Photo Challenge

This weeks challenge was to photograph your pet. I suppose if I had spent some time with my camera in my hand watching my dog this week I would have gotten a better photo, lol.

But instead, I took her outside last night, with a treat in one hand, and my camera in the other hand, I tried to get a photo of her. Not the best photo, lol. She is intently watching the treat, waiting patiently for her reward. And I have no idea how to remove the funky dog version of red eye from the photo, lol.


















So this is my dog Zoe. She is not the most feminine of dogs, but she is great with the kids. Her mother was 3/4 lab and 1/4 dalmation. And the best guess from the owner of her mother was that the father was a boxer.

Here are a couple of cute shots that I took back in May of my youngest playing with her. My dd loves to just back into her and sit in front of her and then roll around, lol. Not great quality photos, but fun memories.

First Kiss

I have been waiting to scrap these photos since last fall about my daughter’s first kiss. So when Tracey told me she was working on an autumn leaves kit, I told her to ‘hurry up’ and she complied with this bold and colorful kit. It pays to know someone who designs, lol.

Journaling:

I stepped into the garage to see Elizabeth run towards me, “Mom, Austin just kissed me! Right here!!” she exclaimed as she pointed to her lips.

It was really hard not to laugh in response. But I put on my serious face and said, “Austin, are you kissing my daughter?” And he started to skedaddle down the drive way. Then I couldn’t suppress the laughter anymore.

I later asked Elizabeth what she thought of her first kiss, and she described it with one word, “bad.”

Despite the ‘You’re too young to be kissing’ lecture, he chased her around some more while playing in the leaf piles and got in one more kiss. And then they both got the lecture again.

Austin, age 6. Elizabeth, age 5. October 2005.






















The strips of paper and leaves are all from Tracey Gilbert Monette’s (Clever Monkey Graphics) new Autumn Leaf kit (at PDW). The cream background is from her u-pick blueberry kit, the photo corners are from her artist no. 1 kit. The paint strokes are by Meredith Fenwick. I used the fringed paper template by Kristy Ann Designs and the midnight color and b/w actions by photoblast on my photos.

Ok, I loaded the wrong photo. But she's such a pretty girl and I love her so much that I'm just going to leave it, lol.

This photo was taken just after she lost a tooth, and you can see the new tooth back there (it was growing in before the other fell out). We were so happy that it moved forward into it's proper space, lol.

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch

This photo is from Elizabeth’s school field trip to the pumpkin patch in 2004. I just love the look on her face in this photo, of course I am pretty partial to her face, lol.

I also have to say that I am loving the purple/ orange color combo!




















Tracey Gilbert Monette (clever monkey graphics) has a fun new kit called floral no. 1 (at PDW). I used her papers (including the heart) and funky border, glitter shape, pansy, and eyelets. Fun, fun, I love the color combinations in this kit!

Miss Mint: tin foil, yellow flowers. Jen Wilson: journaling card. Nancie Row Janitz: digistal distress (inking). Michelle Coleman: hand stamped alpha. Font is pea Stacey doodle.

Superman

New fun game, check it out...

Photograph Superman

Loved

Us four kids before we became five. I think the year was 1978, but will have to confirm before adding it to the layout. That’s me with the long blond hair, just prior to getting my Dorothy Hamill hair cut, lol.
















Jen Wilson: cream paper.
Summer Simmons: patterned papers (including strips) from the citrus grove kit.
Tracey Gilbert Monette: brads and staples.
Nancie Rowe Janitz: schmootzy alpha 2, sanding & edging from the digital distressing kit.

Scrapbook & Co.

The coolest new store is open in Baton Rouge, courtesy of my cousin!

Check out her new store!

And if you live anywhere near Baton Rouge, go buy your scrapbook supplies from Scrapbook & Co.

Rachel's Labor

On the morning of May 10, 2005 the hospital staff began to induce labor after spending the night in the hospital while they softened me up. I was fine and dandy until about 7 cm dilated. Then I wasn’t too much of a happy girl anymore. Fortunately it only took one hour until I felt like pushing. Unfortunately, the doctor said I wasn’t ready, so I couldn’t push.

Five minutes later I said that I couldn’t wait anymore, I had to push. So the nurse checked, and sure enough I was ready. My doctor (Dr. Suzanne Shipman) had gone back to her office across the street and had to run back over to the hospital. A midwife stayed with me until she arrived, just in case.

The first thing the doctor said was “Look at all that dark hair!”

Well, that made me extremely curious and anxious to see that baby, because I was expecting a little blondie mirror of Elizabeth. So I pushed harder and was thrilled with the results.

One of the nurses was kind enough to grab my camera and take a few photos. I am so glad she did because the result was some photos of Elizabeth watching the birth and the first few minutes of my new baby’s life that I will treasure forever.

After 7 hours of labor and 15 minutes of pushing I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Her hair almost black, her eyes dark blue, her weight 10 pounds, her length 22 inches, and her name yet to be decided.





















ScrapGirls: paper from earthen vessel; journaling bits and numbers from art journal.
Jen Wilson: numbered paper used as overlay, green cardstock.
Gina Miller: computer paper.
Miss Mint: hello tag, staples.
Fonts: Times New Roman, 1942 report.

Favorite photo of the week

Elizabeth collecting rocks at the park this week. I mean sticks, lol. She collected rocks too (asteroids), lol.

DST Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks photo challenge was 'repetition'.

This was actually more difficult that I thought it would be to photograph a line of objects.

Raspberry Delight

rasp-ber-ry (RAZ-behr-ee)

Slang.

An absolutely silly sound made by vibrating the extended tongue and the lips while exhaling.

Rachel 12 months




















Michelle Coleman: Vintage Red Tag paper pack.
NRJ: overlay.
Jackie Eckels: Metro crackled alpha.

Self-Portrait

Self Portrait; Elizabeth, age 6.

Journaling:

“I was suddenly overcome with laughter as I watched the photos download onto the computer from my camera. There, right on the computer screen was proof that I didnt always know where my camera was or who was shooting photos with it.

Apparently, you had taken my camera into the bathroom with you to experiment with photography. And the result was this series of hysterical photos.

Elizabeth, I will treasure these first self-portraits that you have taken, and hope that I find more over the years.”




















Negative strips, staples and negative alpha from the ‘don’t be so negative’ mini by Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics) at PDW. Papers from Tracey’s ‘beachcomber’ kit.

Photography paper used as overlay by Kathryn Balint. Notebook paper by Kristy Ann Designs. Paint strokes from Nancie Rowe Janitz. Font is ‘shopping list’.

Third Birthday... three years ago

Elizabeth’s Wild Ride: Toy Story Birthday.

For Elizabeth’s third birthday we celebrated with a toy story theme. I drew several posters for decorations, including this Jesse in the layout, and I made a fabulous horse cake, which I was so proud of.

We made paper bag cowboy vests, played pin the tail on the pig, ate corn dogs for lunch. It was fun.

I didn’t journal much here, because I have more photos to scrap and I’ll fit it in on the next page. Eventually, I mean the party was only 3 ½ years ago.

We are thinking about doing a mini spa party for her 7th in the fall. Facials, manicures, etc. That's the idea she has liked the best so far.




















I used Tracey Gilbert Monette’s (Clever Monkey Graphics) new and colorful kit called ‘Fanciful Horses’ at PDW.

Shine

I was playing with my new photoblast conversions and really liked how this photo looked after I converted it to black and white and then used the midnight color conversion on top of it. And of course I just love the way the sunlight is shining behind her and on her hair. Love it.

“Your inner beauty shines outward.”



















Maya @ ScrapbookGraphics: All paper (including the recovering of the heart and fringe).
NRJ @ ScrapArtist: overlay.
Meredith Fenwick: paint brush.
Miss Mint: cardboard, staples, flower.
Jen Wilson: cardboard.
Michelle Coleman: hand stamped alpha.
Kristy Ann Nernnes: fringed paper template.

When I grow up...

The Iron Orchid Designs weekly layout challenge sounded like too much fun for me to pass up this week. Create a layout about your twelve-year old self and your dreams for the future.

Well, I'm not exactly sure how old I am in this photo, but I am going to guess I'm around 11 years old. What I do know is that when this photo was taken I had several things that I loved: Charlies Angels, Cheryl Tiegs (LOL), and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. I would have been happy being any one of those things when I grew up, LOL. I was so original wasn't I?
















All papers by IOD's Sweet 'n Trashy paper pack. Paint brush by Meredith Fenwick.

Not just a job

This layout is for my mom and dad documenting their appointments that they have held as officers in the Salvation Army.

When they retire later this year my mom will have served 45 ½ years and my dad 41 ½ years with a total of 87 years combined. During their time as officers they have served (before marriage and during) in 20 different appointments, lived in three countries and 7 states.

They have had the opportunity to travel the world, and in doing so developed a real love for Africa. My dad really wanted to serve as missionaries in Africa, but my mom wasn’t willing to live there with children. After the children were grown they did have the opportunity to serve though in Mexico and Costa Rica, which they loved.

When they retire this fall, they retire from the New York area where my dad serves as the Salvation Army’s representative to the United Nations, which us children think is the coolest of his appointments.

On the map I have listed each of their appointments, and the cards with photos document where and when each of us five children were born.
















Maya: map, postcard.
IOD: Inked edges.
Gina Miller: brads.
Jen Wilson: journaling bits.
Meredith Fenwick: brush.
Michelle Underwood: journaling bits.
Katie Pertiet: notebook paper.
Miss Mint: index card.
Fonts: TNR, Pea Jean, Palace Script.

DST Newsletter Photography Challenge

The newsletter photo challenge was to 'get closer'. Here's my 'closer' shot.

So, she fills my frame, but she was also close in the fact that she was sitting on my lap when I took it, lol. I was trying to get a photo of her birthmark, which you can see on her arm in the lower left corner.

DST Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks DST photo challenge was to photograph hands. Let me tell you, it is very difficult to photograph hands of children that never stop moving! Here are a few photos that I did catch though.

Conversions

Check out my new actions from photoblast!

The beautiful model is my 6-year old daughter holding a leopard cub on her lap.

original photo















black and white conversion















midnight color















vivid color

Check out my new header!

I created it with papers from the following kits: beachcomber and dandelion, both created by Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics) available at Plain Digital Wrapper. Font is 1942 report. Brush is by NRJ available at ScrapArtist.

Here's the story behind the name 'Pick a Paper'.

My daughter came into the room at 3am and said, “Mom, I had a bad dream.” I responded with, “Pick a paper.” She said, “What?” I said, “Pick a paper”. There was a moment of silence before my daughter repeated, “Mom, I had a bad dream”. I responded to her, once again, with “Pick a paper! Pick a background paper!” My husband then says, “What’s wrong?” And my daughter says, “Mom keeps telling me to pick a paper”.

I even dream about it, what can I say?

A Bubbly Day

Blowing Bubbles.

Some photos of my 6-year old trying to teach my 1-year old how to blow bubbles.

Journaling: “Q. What is a bubble wand? A. A bubble wand is yummy. Elizabeth helps Rachel blow bubbles and tries to keep her from eating the wand. July 31, 2006.”




















Jan Crowley: Portobello Road kit (available at the Digi Chick) papers (blending). Jen Wilson: stitch brush, buttons, journaling paper. Scrap Artist: Playing Around brush and chalked edges from the digital distressing kit. Digital Scrapbook Place: staples.

Hey Family

Just wanted to remind my family that since my layouts are digital, duplications are a possibility. So if you are interested in having copies of the heritage layouts printed for your own scrapbooks, just let me know. (Of course I have many more I plan to do as well.)

My Mom

Photos of my mother in 1941, 1944 and 1949. I did a similar layout of photos of my dad taken during the same times (see Time Flies).
















Michelle Coleman: papers from Grandma’s Attic, My Gypsy Rose and Aged Floral. (Blending) IOD: ink edges. Mo Jackson: Crepe paper flowers. Ronna Farrer: swirl brush, recovered in papers by Michelle Coleman.

Mow Free Zone

Mow Free Zone:

“When looking for a new house, Daddy’s only rule was… No Grass.”

“April 2001. Our new home. Grass free just for Daddy.”





















Papers (some blended) and overlay are from Tracey Gilbert Monette’s (Clever Monkey Graphics) new Dandelion kit now available at Plain Digital Wrapper.

Other: hold it downs and frame by Jen Wilson. Inking by NRJ’s digital distressing kit. Metro stamped alpha by Jackie Eckels. Fonts: pea Sara script, 1942 Report.

Clever Monkey Graphics CT Gallery

Clever Monkey Graphics set up a gallery of layouts created by the creative team. Check them out here. And then you can buy the kits here.

New Discovery

Discovered a new magazine yesterday that I think I love.

cloth. paper. scissors.
(collage, mixed media, artistic discovery)

It is so cool and has so many great ideas in it. I can't wait to read it cover to cover!

She said yes.

My mom and dad’s engagement portrait. Scraplift of d2vasquez’s ‘a lot of attitude’.

She said yes. Engaged, Jerry & Jeanine, 1965.

















Iron Orchid Designs: Plantation paper pack by IOD. Engaged alpha from Heirloom Enamels by IOD. Label frame and staples from IOD’s essentials kit.

Stitching and flower from Gina Miller, ribbon from Maya, label under photos by Jen Wilson, paint strokes by Michelle Coleman, schmootzy stamped alpha from ScrapArtist.