Working on "stuff"....and a FREEBIE!

First of all, for those of you visiting my blog for the first time.....WELCOME!!! It's a quiet, but friendly little place. :o)

I've been continuing to work on my design skills. Practice makes perfect, right? So this is my first attempt at a full kit. I've had fun working on this kit. I like working on something with a theme and I kept thinking of things to add to this. I'm still learning so much, but hopefully I'm improving. So, here you go......a freebie for 'ya! If you download, I would love for you to leave me a comment here on the blog and let me know what you think.....not a requirement, but much appreciated! (Click the title to download.)

Game Night **LINK DISABLED**




This kit contains:

6 patterned papers
6 textured solid papers
2 frames
1 game spinner
1 bingo card
1 string
1 string wrap
2 string bows
3 word art
3 staples
3 buttons
1 paper clip
4 puzzle pieces
1 score paper
1 note paper
4 charms
2 ribbons
2 pieces of ricrac
1 piece of flair
1 domino

Phewww...I think that's it! Enjoy!

Here I am!!

I know that this blog has been so totally neglected. But we're just gonna move on....K???? (And it doesn't matter anyways....it's really just for me and Pam anyways! LOL!!)

So, it's been almost a year since I started digital scrapbooking. I am still loving it, but decided I needed a new challenge. My scrapbooking hangout on the web, ScrapMatters , was having a design competition for wannabe digital scrapbooking designers and I decided to enter. They had an overwhelming response and had about 90 entries! So our first assignment was to design a mini-kit (three papers and three elements) based on a specific color pallette we were given.

Here is my entry for the first round....




The first round was judged blindly....meaning that our name was not on our kit, we were all given a number. There were 9 judges and they each gave some entries constructive criticism. Sadly, I did not advance to the second round. I was disappointed, but not surprised. There were many entrants who had a lot more experience than me. I really just entered for the experience and was totally winging it! I received brief comments from 2 judges and honestly it was nothing that surprised me.

Fortunately, those who were eliminated were invited to continue playing along just for fun, which I decided to do. I have learned so much about what I can do with Photoshop Elements and have really enjoyed working on the projects. So, although I was disappointed about not moving on in the competition, I feel like I have really come a long way and have improved.

So for round 2, we had to design a cohesive, themed paper pack....5 patterned papers and three solids. Here was my "just for fun" entry.




For round 3, we had to come up with an element pack to match our papers from the previous week. and here is what my mini-kit of papers and elements together looked like....



After three rounds, it is down to 10 people. I am still waiting to see if we will be allowed to continue playing along. I've been working on some other things and have lots of ideas in my head. So I guess we will just see what happens.

Now if you've read this far, and have any interest whatsoever in digital scrapbooking, here are links to download my entries for your own use. Or what's known in the digital scrapbooking world as a "freebie."

Cookies 4 Sale Mini Kit

Serenade Paper Pack

Serenade Element Pack


And I also want to direct you to ScrapMatters, because you can also pick up a whole mess of free stuff by downloading everyone else's entries too. (Note: you must be registered and signed in to both the forum and gallery in order to see the entries.)

ScrapMatters Design Star Entries

Thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas!

I know I haven't been keeping up too well with the ol' blog, but my computer DIED a couple days after Thanksgiving. So Sam has graciously been letting me hop on his computer a couple times a day.

But I wanted to post our family Christmas card and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy 2009!!!

It's that time again.......

Time to Elf Yourself!!! Yee haw!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The view from our house

This is what we woke up to this morning!

(See what you're missing Pam? Gotta love that lake effect snow!) ;o)

Happy Birthday Noah!!!

Nine years old......I can't believe it!!!!

A little reminiscing....

...from Christmas 2003

Today's creativity

Our Halloween....


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From back in January.....




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Happy Adoption Month!

In case you didn't know, November is National Adoption Awareness month. I wanted to share this great video made by some fellow adoptive moms. Adoption is such a beautiful picture of God's grace and His love for us. I admit that it takes a pretty big step of faith, but the joyful reward is so worthwhile. I shutter to think what our lives would be like if we had not chosen to adopt. We would have missed out on three such wonderful blessings and so much love. I hope you will take a couple minutes to watch the video and consider what you could do.

**Be sure to pause my blog music in the sidebar before watching the video!**




Thanks to my friend Pam for sharing the video!

2 New Lay-outs

Here's another camping LO.


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And here's one I did with some pictures of Sal's. The pictures were so cute and it was a really good excuse to get this kit I've been eying called "High School Never Ends."


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More "camping" fun

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Last weekend we had a "Family Fun Weekend" with Mike's family. We went somewhere new this time.....Camp Buckeye! We had a really fun time and the weather was gorgeous! And finally I have some new pictures to scrap! There will definitely be more to come!


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A new kit I love

I've been playing around the last two days with this new kit by Erica Zane called "Where The Heart Blooms." I think it's gorgeous and has so many things to work with. And I had to scrap a picture of the kids with Grandma. We love her so much!!


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Feeling Fall-ish

So I scrapped this picture of Sam from last year. The combination of papers is a little different....but I think it works.


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Still trying to catch up.

Here is a LO I did of Dad's birthday back in April. This is with a cute new birthday kit from Scrapmatters.


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Saturday's Akron Marathon

Well, the 2008 Akron Marathon is history. Mike finished (yeah!) with a time of about 5:50. It was a great day. Sam and I were able to go and cheer Mike on along with Mike's sister Jen and her two girls, Lydia and Abigail.

They haven't put the race photos online yet, but when they do I will post them here.
But here is the start. There were over 10,000 runners!

From today....

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What I've done this week

So about 10 days ago my 30-day trial of Photoshop ended. I was missing it terribly! Last Sunday I found a really good deal on it at Amazon and I just happened to have a couple gift certificates. It also had free shipping which was good, but that meant it came on the slow boat from China and I didn't get it until this Monday. So finally I've been able to get back to some scrapbooking! This is a page I did with Grace's Spring school picture from last year.



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I also used Photoshop to make a new header for the blog. Yeah!! I've been wanting to do that for a long time. I hope my faithful reader(s) like it! LOL!

Tomorrow is the big Akron Marathon and Mike will be running! It is always exciting.....and a little nerve-wracking too. I'm always afraid he's going to get sick or hurt. but I know the Lord will protect him. I am always so proud of Mike for taking on this challenge.

So that's what our weekend will hold. Hope yours is a good one!!!

Diggin' out the old photos.....

and found these from 2006 to scrap.



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Yesterday stuff....

Yesterday, my sister Sally and niece Shelby took Grace out for a belated birthday lunch. Grace got to pick the restaurant (Cracker Barrel) and pick out a gift too (a new Webkinz Bluejay). Sal took this photo of the girls at lunch and I think it is so cute. Shelby and Grace are in some ways very different and some ways very much alike. But they are good friends!