The Finale

For our final blog challenge for August, Michelle at GIS has prepared the following list for Make a List Monday so you can play along too! Just Copy my list and add your own answers or visit www.debbiehodge.com/gisforum for Michelle's original list.

Today I am looking out at the pergola in my backyard
Today I might cook steak and lobster...yum
Today I am reading my GIS buddies' blogs
Today my biggest priority is to get our car registered (nothing like waiting til the last minute)
Today I hope to see anywhere outside of my house
Today I hope to talk to one of my friends
Today I have already seen/talked to does my son count?!
Today I am watching HGTV...all day
Today I am dreaming that there were 48 hours in a day
Today I am wearing my pajamas...which reminds me I should go change!
Today my mood is lazy
Today I am going to go camping in my backyard with my son!

My Creative Process

I'd love to ramble on about this grand series of events that leads me to my creative destiny...but the truth of the matter is...most of my los, or projects, etc are born by simply wanting to use one single item...a photo, an embellishment...even something so simple as a font I happen to like. Then this simple inkling turns into a "full blown-hair-brained-Amy" idea (generously nicknamed by my DH). I never use the same process twice...I often wonder if I'd be a better scrapper if I did...but it's what works for me, as I'm sure over the years you've found what works for you. My creative process is ever-changing, as is my style...life's too short to make the same layout twice!



Today I had an urge to use a piece of art that my son and I completed at our local childrens museum. You know the feeling...your fridge is crawling with crayon drawings and splatter paintings...but what to do with them to make room for the next batch...do I throw them out? Never.... I couldn't even think of it...so we store them...where...oh here and there. Well I've got an idea that will help you put these to good use. Use them as patterned paper in your los, of course! Crayon drawings and splatter paintings work for any number of themes (i.e. school, kids, art journal, etc).

Sour Photos...Make Lemonade

Thats what Sherry Stevenson is preaching in her upcoming September class at Get It Scrapped and in the final installment of Thought Provoking Thurdays. Her challenge to us was to take our sour photos and scrap them. She even included this very helpful hint: Use your sour photos to support the story, while using a fantastic photo to steal the show!

Thats what I've tried to do here in My Dog-Garn Loveable lo. We have managed to capture quite a few breathtaking photos of our two loyal friends Coda and Maddie...but we've also taken our fair share of duds...particularly every photo of the two of them together! So in this layout I've chosen my two favorite pictures of my dogs to stand front and center, but have added a small photo strip off to the side to show them growing up together over the past few years.

Most of the photos in the strip are low quality cell phone pictures...but this fact isn't quite as obvious because of Sherry's great tip...can't wait to see what else she has in store for us...I've got plenty of lemons!

HB2U(Happy Birthday to You!)

So I'm not much of a card maker...but Sharyn's challenge for Wacky Wednesday was to make a card using a photo...so I took a crack at it. I never buy serious cards...so it goes to figure that I would never make one either...so I chose this funny photo of my son making blowfish faces because it reminded me of what we look like when we blow out candles. This card is for Caleb's g-pa Joe, written from his perspective...but from all of us!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA JOE!!!!

Photo Scavenger

The August Blog Challenge at Get It Scrapped is winding down with just three more challenges left...so today Katrina has brought back an oldie, but a goodie...for what better way to exit than the way you came in right!? Here are my photos for todays challenge...

Something RED

FOUR of Something

Something SWEET

WooHoo! 1000 Hits

Happy 1,000th Hit Day!!!!!

Yeeeeaaaaa!!!...my blog reached the 1000 hits milestone, I know...I know, some blogs receive a 1000 hits in a days time, so my measily 1000 hits in 4 months is pretty lame...but it was a goal of mine and I have reached it...my next goal is to be published in a magazine...now all I have to do is start submitting my work-- probably a good start...wouldn;t you say?!

Get 'er Done!

Title Page from Jessica Sprague's Beautiful Evidence:20 Pages in 20 Days Album

Its another Make a List Monday and here's my to-do list for the day, how does yours measure up...have you got a full day planned or do you have plans with your TV remote and a bag of chips (I'm Jealous!)

• HOMEWORK

Play with Scrap this Kit [:( It didn't come]Work on Scraps Album
Art Journal Page
GIS Art Journaling 101 -Lesson 2
Jessica Spague's Beautiful Evidence-Day One

• CLEANING

Clean Basement
Clean Scrap Room
Take out Garbage
Clean Kitchen

• FUN

Take Photos of Caleb
Date Night with DH

Speaking of Scraps...

On this Scrap Sunday, Tania Willis is challenging the members at GIS to take to their blogs and write about 1) a scrap project in the works; 2) how we organize our scraps; or 3) where we scrap. I can't wait to see what everyone is working, their scrappy spaces and get a whole bunch of great new tips on organizing my scraps! But in the meantime I'd like to share my contribution to Scrap Sunday with all of you.

I recently received a free 8x8 Shutterfly album, from the Designer Digitals DigiCrop in SLC, so I'm working on 20 custom digital pages for this album that I have entitled "Scraps of My Life". This is my cover and I hope to fill the rest of the book with some of the layouts that manifest from Jessica Sprague's Beautiful Evidence :20 pages in 20 days online event.

Needless to say I will be busy over the next three weeks, finishing up my archived classes from GIS (ie art journaling, photo editing, handmade embellishments), taking my new class at the Sraground and playing with my kit on its way from Scrap This Kit, not to mention getting ready for Get It Scrapped's fall line of classes! Ready... set...SCRAP!

PICTURE Perfect

You know...Katrina...I think that Robert Capa fellow may have been on to something, when he said "if your pictures aren't good enough then your not close enough." Because ever since I've taken Katrina's class (she is a big fan of "filling the frame" with your subject!)at GIS, I've seen my photos improve immensely! Sometimes just getting a little closer than you normally would or deciding that you don't have to get every inch of the subject into the frame can make all of the difference in the world. Perhaps thats the biggest thing I've learned from Katrina is deciding what needs to be in the picture and what doesn't...I believe this is called composition. Before Thru the Lens and Katrina's help with the Saturday snapshots I was just going thru life snapping away...making sure only to capture the moment, never thinking of HOW I wanted to capture the moment. But now I've got my eyes open (and glued to my camera lens) in hopes of not happening upon, but CREATING those perfect shots...like this one. Here my niece is sitting on the beach at Joe's Valley, looking out at her daddy doing tricks on the jetski!

So I'd like to take this weeks Snapshot Saturday as an opportunity to thank Katrina...not only for participating in this month's blog challenge, but also for inspiring me to give more to my photos..thru her lessons, and her art. I can't give all the thanks to Katrina on this particular photo though (though I could not have created this shot without her), as I must also thank Miss Lynn Weber for contributing her infinite knowledge of photo editing as well...together these ladies led me to a feeling of satisfaction with my photos that I had not yet known! Thanks Gals!

10 Random Things...

In an effort to get to know each other a little better all of us at GIS are sharing a little too much about ourselves...but its all in good fun...won't you join too?! For this week's Finding Fun Friday, list 10 random things about yourself, share as much or as little as you like! Now get to know me a little better by reading 10 Random things about Amy:

1. I love the smell of scotch tape (it has the exact same smell as the clear gummy bears...yum)

2. I used to strain my salsa...because I don;t like the texture of tomatoes.

3. I love watching the Wizards of Waverly Place and have convinced myself that I'm watching the Disney channel for my 18 mo old son.

4. I wear sandals in the snow and to go hiking...sometimes because I forget, but mostly because I just love wearing them!

5. I have an unhealthy obsession with the color green...and I have apparently imprinted this obsession on my son who will now only eat the green apple jacks and leaves the red ones behind.

6. I love the smell of rain...but I especially love the smell of Central Utah rain, the sage and rain mix to make this wonderful aroma that smells like spearmint gum!

7. I watch the movie Twilight once a week, only because I've read the books 3 times over...and their starting to show quite a bit of wear.

8. I often dream about scrapbooking.

9. I have a "smell bad phobia" I constantly worry about smelling bad, and apply deodorant 4-6 times daily...usually by the end of the day I have what my dh calls "under arm-or" in other words an impenetrable layer of deodorant. I'm always asking people if I smell bad...and in my experience people are rarely truthful about this!

10. I love the Rolling Stones...no explanation needed!

A Day at Joe's

Wow I guess its been a while huh?! Sorry guys...I'm doing a blog challenge at one of my "s-word"[s****booking] that shall not be mentioned in this blog, as per my previous promises to my wonderful family, sites. So our family blog has suffered some neglect as a result! But now to fill you in on what we've been up to! The Collard IIIs have spent this entire week winding down and allowing our sunburns to heal from our wonderful weekend of family fun at Joe's Valley, last Saturday. Caleb was the only one of us who managed to escape the suns wrath, and instead has a soft glowing tan of which I am severely jealous! And while my sister in law lost her glasses in the lake, our camera was full of sand, and grandpa Joe was unable to participate in our water actvities due to a leg injury...we still managed to have a blast--a la Collard! We were so happy to see Isaac, who has been busy working hard and taking care of his growing family, and we had lost of fun playing with his children Jenny (who had just had eye surgery and was not appreciative of Caleb's sand throwing, but is far too polite to have said anything), John (who is Caleb's new idol, he was simply in awe of John!) and tiny 3 mo. old Ellie (who slept most of the time despite the uncooperative winds, and whom I finally got a chance to hold...so precious!). Jaki was of course the master of ceremonies and treated us not only to a seamless day of fun, food and family, but also to a wonderful reunion of sorts. Jake's sisters Jesse and Sariah wowed us with their speed demon skills on the jetskiis and their wonderful babysitting skills as they entertained 4 kids simultaneously. Grandpa Joe blessed us with a wonderful prayer, but most importantly with his presence, even though he was not in the greatest of health.

Ms. Alexys, Both Witty and Wise!

My niece Lexy is a wealth of wisdom and wit(or brutal honesty as I like to call it)! She never fails to leave us all amused with her bold comments, unless of course we are the target of her unintended scrutiny! Luckily I have only felt the sting of her truthfulness once, but I am able to look back on it with laughter! She came into the bathroom one day while I was doing my hair and told me my hair looked pretty...sweet right, so I of course said thank you...then she struck...by asking"why is your bum soooo big?" A little stunned I replied by sidestepping the question, "well it got bigger after I had my son," but she called me on my excuse by saying, "well my mom has had two kids and her bums not that big...." Yeah, I had nothing...I wanted to go to my room and cry, but instead I decided to treat her with the maturity that she..well...did not display, by saying, "well I guess I must have ate a little more than your mommy did...huh?" And at that she said "oh, that's ok I like to eat a lot too!" Ouch right...well it could have been worse, but needless to say I started exercising and dieting the next day! Some other Lexy favorites are:


I don't want the fat doll!

Maybe he has to fart?

Grandma, you're really old!

Your house is messy!

How come you only have boring baby toys?
You use the computer alot...do you have webkinz too?

And of course...the infamous "ewwwh", when discussing, aything to do with kissing, underwear/diapers, or watching out for dog poo.

Lexy says the darnedest things...but we love you girl...so I say...keep on keepin' it real!

Oh The Places I Go...

For the August Blog Challenge, the ladies at GIS want to know what your favorite places to go online are? Here are a list of my top ten most visited sites online...haven't heard of some of these?...maybe you should check them out!

1.Get It Scrapped

2.Facebook

3.Scrap This Kit

4.Chase Online Banking

5.The Spraground

6.Designer Digitals

7.Scrap Artist

8.Creating Keepsakes Magazine

9.Adobe Photoshop Online

10.Etsy

What Smells Like Fish?

My husband says as he hobbles upstairs to see whats for lunch..."I don't know, maybe fish," is my reply. "I thought you were making tacos?" "I am...Catfish Tacos" He crinkles his face and I know he's going to give me a problem...I swear sometimes feeding my almost two year old is easier! But after he mocked choking down the first bite there were no more complaints from him or Caleb...because these catfish tacos were absolutely amazing. I got a great deal on Catfish (1.00/lb)at work, so we'll be eating a lot of it over the next few weeks...so my dh better "fish-up!" Give them a try..and I think you'll agree! Just click on the picture below for this deliscious recipe!



Photo by whatwereeating.com

Collard-ish

For this week's Monday List, Michelle challenges us to search the deepest darkest corners of our family's secrets and share a list of "Family-isms". The only problem is that our "family-isms" are more like a language all its own, that my husband and I have compiled of "isms" over the years--some from his family--some from mine---and some that just manifested out of the blue! So the list might go on and on...but I'll just choose a few of our favorite to share with you.

1. "Mech...." (This means...owell, no biggie...it doesn't matter) I say "Do you want mashed potatoes or rice?" My husband replies, "mmmm mech".

2. "Cajum Baby, Jay-chub, and Miamy" (These are our nicknames for one another)

3. "It's tired in here..." (or hungry or any other adjective we like to interject)

4. "Smashelface" (we originally used this term when we saw our son's fist 4D sonogram, but now we use it when he smashes his face up against windows, screens, and the mesh in his play pen!

5. "Super-Cagelistic-Wonderful" (I said this while in labor after they had to give me something to calm my nerves and it just sorda stuck...I think I was trying to say super califragulistic...but got confused somewhere inbetween!) I said "I feel absolutely super-cagelistic-wonderful.

6. "Warsh" (As in"I need to warsh my clothes"..."or where's a car warsh")

7. "Duggas and Ditties" (my son's words for doggies and kitties)

8. "Nonner do it" (we say this when we want to do something ourselves without help...because my nephew Jonathon (Nonner) used to say it all the time!)

9. "adding ink on the end of a word instead of in or ing" (As in "I'm starfink...where are the muffinks?"

10. "Good Shower," (just like good morning or good afternoon...we like to wish people good shower!)

Somedays I worry that our children will be devastated when they find out that "Mech" isn't a real word and won't understand when people look at them funny when they say "isn't today just simply super-cagelistic-wonderful," but at least they'll be unique and until then at least we'll have some family fun!

"SMASHELFACE" photo of Caleb Collard by Amy Kingsford

A Happy Median

Todays August Blog Challenge was simply to write about our day to day life...and for me, I think Tami said it best when she referred to her online life as "the life I'm beginning to prefer."

Isn't it crazy how you can do everything online nowadays...without ever having to leave your house or come in contact with anyone other than those sparkling faces you know and love!? So your hungry...order Dominos online...you need to pay a bill...use your online banking...girls night out...chat it up online! It seems so perfect right?!

So I've been struggling with time management lately...the age long conundrum of getting everything that you need and want to, done in a day! All around me are these super women...who are raising their children, running their own businesses at home or even working two jobs, going to school, cooking and cleaning for their families and still having time to go camping or finish a scrapbook page! Granted half of them don't sleep...you know who you are [Tami]. But I've come to realize that while my online life helps me to cut down on some of those time consuming tasks like running errands or cooking dinner...it has also become somewhat of a "time sucker" lately. Before you know it your checking your facebook page 20 times in an hour and spending half a day just surfing the web, yet you still have the nerve to ask...why can't I get anything done!

So last night I took my first step towards integrating "my online life" with "my everyday life" by joining a couple of old friends that I had reconnected with on Facebook. I figured instead of spending half a day taking nonsense quizzes on FB, why not send a quick message and spend some time with my most special FB friends, right...while eating dinner...oh yeah I'm multi-tasking now! And it was a blast catching up with all of my old friends too!

So the moral of the story...an online life is crucial for the modern day super woman...as long as I don't let it overshadow all of the things that need attention in my everyday life!

Three Perspectives

For this week's Saturday Snapshot Challenge, Katrina has us looking for three different angles of the same subject. Below I have taken a profile, closeup and downward angled photo of my son Caleb in [roughly] the same pose. (I mean how do you get an 18mo old to sit still through three photographs, all from different angles--answer: you don't!) These photos were taken at Joe's Valley Reservoir in Orangeville, UT. We had a fun get together with Jake's family filled with delicious food, great conversation and jet skiing too! Even Caleb got a turn...yeaaaaa!

Fun for Friday

--Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry from "Sudden Impact"

PEER Inspiration

Okay I know I'm kidding myself by calling people like Ali Edwards, Debbie Hodge, Jessica Sprague, Emily Powers and Doris Sanders my peers...but while I may not share the same skill level that these women execute in their los...I do share the same love for the hobby of scrapbooking and in this way we could be considered peers...right?! Doris from GIS wants to know how I am inspired to create and my answer is...YOU! Of course there is always a photo and a story...but most times those items find themselves on a 12x12 page after being inspired by the work of others...In magazines and galleries, in challenges and on blogs, everywhere I look I see inspiration and find myself saying...I want to try that...ooooh I like that style...what a fun technique...and I wonder how they did that? In this layout I was totally inspired by Emily Power's digital layout "Young Love" published in Memory Maker's final issue in the "Take Better Photos" editorial. And while I did switch things up a little...I must be truthful and admit that this was straight up scraplifted! I absolutely loved this layout and wanted one for myself!

While learning from experts like Doris and Emily, is an ideal place to start...you can even find inspiration from everyday scrappers like yourself in online forums and galleries. Thats where I find I grow the most as a scrapper--by being involved in online communities and receiving daily inspiration from my fellow community members. With LauraBean's lo "Duck Landing" I was literally sucked into the beauty of this layout...I was taking my second digital scrapbooking class ever and LauraBean was a fellow classmate...I was new to digital scrapbooking and was looking for inspiration at every corner...when I came upon her lo in our class gallery...the minute I saw this lo I said to myself thats beautiful...how did she do that? Then next thing I know I'm purchasing a few of the key items she used to make her lo from Designer Digitals and I'm on my way to recreating her masterpiece.

I think the best thing about being inspired by your peers is you never get stuck in a rut. Naturally everyone has their own style...but do you ever find yourself looking at a group of los that you've done say over a months time and they all look oddly similar...I hate when that happens! If you constantly keep your eyes peeled for new inspiration you will never have this problem again and you'll never be afraid to try new things! The possibilities will be endless!

Layouts "XOXO" and "My Life Is" by Amy Kingsford, with inspiration by Emily Powers' "Young Love" and LauraBean's "Duck Landing".

Goodnight...Sleep Tight...

Do you have a piece of furniture that you can't live without? If your house was on fire...would you go in after it. Maybe a family heirloom or just a comfy piece that you've grown fond of. As part of Wacky Wednesday at GIS's August Blog Challenge...we would love to hear about it!

---

Me for instance...I have several pieces of furniture that were in the running...my chair in the front room that is perfect for curling up next to the fireplace with hot cocoa and a good read--Caleb's vintage crib that has been used in Jake's family since the 1940s--or if it was possible to take with me (though it is cemented in the ground), the pergola that my husband and I built in our backyard this summer.

But when it comes right down to it...after working a 4am-1pm shift at work and then running all of my errands and taking my son swimming...the one piece of furniture I simply can't do without at this particular point in time, is my nice comfy bed....goodnight all! (yawn....stretch...)

Eventually...but not Today!

One day I will quit my job and be a SAHM!!!
Do you ever have days at work that are so bad that you decide that this is the day you will quit your job...and be a SAHM! First you start by figuring out everything you have to pay off...then you start thinking of what you will have to give up...then you start getting a little giddy when you realize it just might be possible...then you start thinking of what you will do with all your spare time (as if parents really have spare time, when there children are awake!)...then you mention the idea to someone and kaboom, all of your plans are torn to shreds by one person's inability to live the dream. They say something like what about food...oh I'm going to stop eating...I need to lose weight anyway! Or will you still be able to afford insurance...well we're all gonna have universal health care anyway right (at least that's what everyone in the break room and the checkout lines and well just about everywhere else I go is complaining about...so I'll just hold out for that! (I'm not really that naive on the issue, but we often find ourselves pretending to be when looking for a particular outcome)...Or what about gas...got it covered I'm not going to ever leave the house...Hey if I have diet coke and a stock pile of adhesives and diapers then I've got everything I need! Okay... So I know that right now my wishes of being a SAHM are not really rational...but a girl can dream right...besides how would I afford all of the great scrappy stuff I get each month...okay back to work...people need to eat...right!

Two Years Ago...Today

How's a Monday Snapshot sound...you're right it doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Saturday snapshot...but I'm catching up on GIS's August Blog Challenge, nonetheless. Two Years Ago...today we took my nephew Kadin on his first camping trip ever...up the Ogden Canyon to Huntsville. I was worried since he'd never slept outside or gone to the bathroom outside...but all turned out okay in the end. We did end up trekking 15 minutes to the outdoor toilets twice that night...but by morning he had mastered the art of using nature's restroom and even made us take a picture of his "pee spot" (calling it rock art) to commemorate the milestone! While I chose not to share that photo with you...what I remember most about this trip was how difficult it was to find a good camping ground...living in Utah we find ourselves spoiled with what I like to call the "perfect campsite"--secluded, private and some breathtaking feature that says "this is the place"--what can I say its a Utah thing I guess! We drove for an hour from campsite to campsite until we found this amazing site..with our very own river pool! Of course it was a little cold...but we couldn't resist taking a dip!

We had such a great time that I think its time to try out that spot agin that is why I have all the camping gear packed up and when Jake gets home we're off to enjoy this camping trip all over agian..this time with a different new-comer...our son Caleb...luckily he's still in diapers...so no midnight treks to the toilets!

WISH list

Its Make a List Monday again at Get it Scrapped and Michelle Houghton writes:

List making always makes me think of a poem I wrote in fourth grade. The assignment was to write a poem "If I could have three wishes" There was no structure just the idea of being granted three wishes. Even as a fourth grader mine stuck out as a little different. I actually thought about it and did not ask for money and fame, or more wishes, but a true friend, and love. My mom kept the poem and I have since scrapped it. But it is very telling of me even today.

---

I too am fond of making wish lists, in fact I think I have one at every online scrappy store that I frequent! But today as I rack my brain I can think of only one wish I'd like to share with all of you. I WISH FOR SUMMERTIME TO LAST JUST A WHILE LONGER! It feels like summer only just began and now our children are going back to school, the leaves are beginning to fall again and every where you look stores are beginning to ready for the fall and winter holidays! Could it be gone already? To help me celebrate summertime I made this layout and a list of things I love about summer!


















The Ten BEST Things About Summer

1. Going Swimming
2. Lemonade
3. Tank Tops and Shorts
4. Bicycling
5. Summer Evening Walks
6. Vacations
7. Fireworks
8. Grilled Food
9. Family Get-Togethers
10. And lots of FUN!

A Savory Sunday

Tania Wilis at the Get it Scrapped website wants to know what your family does for dinner on Sundays?! For us it is always something different! Sometimes we go out, as Sunday is the only day of the week both my husband and I work. And who wants to cook after an exhausting day of work...really?! Sometimes my mom cooks for us...and we always feel privileged on these days, as we both appreciate the gesture of a home cooked meal. And other times we put it off until the other offers to cook or our bellies can go no longer and we resort to fixing a sandwich or eating leftovers. Tonight it just so happens to be that my mother is treating us to one of my favorite recipes Quiche Lorraine. Give it a try...I hope you love it as much as I do!

---

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
6 slices bacon
1 onion, sliced
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line pastry shell with foil. Bake in oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until crust is set and dry. Remove from oven and turn down temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain and reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside. Cook onion in skillet with reserved drippings; cook until onion is tender and then drain.
In a large bowl, mix together milk, salt and eggs. Stir in bacon and onion. In a separate bowl, toss cheese and flour together, then add to egg mixture. Be sure to mix well. Pour egg mixture into pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of quiche comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with foil while baking to prevent burning or over browning. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Photo and recipe by AllRecipes.com

Born to be Bad?

A picture is worth a thousand words...but choosing the right words is simply priceless! Did you ever stop to think that maybe the worth of a picture is so high because it can be interpreted so many different ways...Doris at GIS is challenging us, this Thought Provoking Thursday,to look at our photos from every angle, in order to insure that our journaling captures the perfect perspective for our layouts.

I will be the first to admit to using the same photo on more than one layout...how can this be done you ask...by simply looking at it from a different point of view! Won't somebody notice and think that you've lost your camera or were too lazy to take new photos...not if you capture a totally different story!

I have chosen the picture on my left and after careful consideration decided that the that I wanted to approach my layout from a relationship perspective. This photo was taken when Caleb was 1 month old (now he is 18 mos old) and it should have been a pretty good inicator to us that he would have a certain fetish for glasses as he grew up. I remember this moment and how tough he looked wearing them...I should have known that one day soon that everytime he got his hands on a pair of shades, he would adorn an evil smile on his face as he slowly snapped them in two! So I used Caleb's relationship with glasses, as inspiration for this photo creation.

But truth be told there are several other perspectives I could have taken...like an historical perspective, in which I might have noted how tough he looked here at one month old and chosen another recent photo that shows his beautiful doe eyes and outrageous laughter with a caption that read "You thought you were so tough, but look whose laughing now!" Or maybe an event perspective in which I would talk about this being the first time Caleb met his Uncle Sctt and Aunt Jill and how his uncle was kind enough to lend Caleb his glasses for this memorable photo...in this case I would probably just leave the photo in its origianl form. And finally I could have simply looked at it from my own perspective which is...parents do some of the craziest things to thier kids, just to get a good photo...I would then pair it with some more photos in which we are mocking our child against his will...if he had a will.

A picture is worth a thousand words...now go out and find the perfect words for your photos!

Dance Your P**nts Off

This wacky Wednesday, Sharon from Tormville and GIS, brings us the great idea of blogging with our layouts in mind...crazy idea huh...? Not really when you think of it! Why write our stories down twice. She suggests that if we have a great story to tell chances are we'll want to scrap it too...so write your blog post in the form that you want your journaling to take in your layout and it will be all ready for you to cut and paste onto your page. Here's a story I couldn't help but share and I just know that it will inspire a great lo!

---

Has anyone ever heard the crazy Indian dance music that opens and closes the movie "Inside Man"? If not...I challenge you to listen to it without being moved to dance...for I simply could not resist! Neither could my 18 month old son for that matter. We both danced wildly around the room, shaking our tookus-es (or would it be tookusi?). Anyhow...My dancing...though caught on video tape(my husband took a video of the whole thing), will never be seen or discussed publically...but Caleb's was simply to cute not to share! The way he sort of crouched down with his hands grasping at the thighs of pants (probably to steady himself a bit) and bounced to the music, while simultaneously shaking his patootie and laughing hysterically, was quite enough to send anyone rolling with laughter on the floor. But the next thing I know, his pants are crumpled on the floor and he still dances on...diapy style! By the time the song ended, I could barely breathe, I had danced so hard and Caleb had the hiccups from all of his laughter. I walked over to pick up Caleb's pants off the floor and I said to him..."Cajum Baby...mommy might have "danced her a** off (as in the tv show...since I don;t normally swear at babies), but you totally danced your pants off."

---

Luckily daddy got a few pictures so I should be able to make an adorable lo of my sons dancing days...since I am quite certain that he will deny this story as well as, his god given right to "do the dance," later in life! Then I can always bust the page out at special occasions like first dates and prom, because us moms know that scrapbooks are really just blackmail waiting to happen!

Who Has The 411

So I'm looking at adding a few products to my scrappy arsenal and would love to hear what everyone thinks about these items. If you own one, what you like or don't like about them, if you've heard buzz about them, if you've used them, hey even if you want one too! I want the 411 girls!

---

SPRAY MISTS

What kind should I get?I've heard of Maya Mists by Maya Road and Glimmer Mists by Tattered Angels...are there others you just love? Are the mists fairly easy to use? Any of them come in sets?

---

MASKS

Tim Holtz or Heidi Swapp? Do you have other favorites? How about making your own...what do you use? Any tips or techniques you'd like to share? What mediums have you used with the masks?

---

ZUTTER BIND-IT ALL

Okay, first off...do you use it enough to make it worth the purchase? Is it easy to use? Are the supplies costly? Are the starter bundles a better value? Can you use it with any size book...or only standard sizes?

---

SILHOUETTE

How does it stack up to the Cricut or Slice? Are the extra features worth the money? Can you use the images you already have on your computer, if they are converted to a certain file or just the fonts? Are the accessories and images costly? Does it only cut or will it apply adhesive and magnet to cutouts as well? Which personal cutting machine do you prefer?

---

I would love to hear your comments, preferences, complaints, suggestions and advice on any or all of these products! So don't be afraid to weigh in...even if you've heard something thru a friend of a friend of friend or maybe you are secretly pining over one of the products as well...I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

My New and Improved Grocery List

So for the past year, since I had my son I have been content with sitting back and packing on the pounds...and taking no real course of action to prevent it. I would say to myself I want to lose weight...or my clothes don't fit...but instead of going to the gym or watching what I eat...the only thing I was prepared to do was buy bigger pants! But this Monday is different...because when I sat down to make my grocery list I had the help of Lean Cuisines new Meal Planning Tools...Its sooooo great because I can put in my information it tells me how many calories I am currently eating in a day, how many I should be eating and then generates several meal plans based on how many calories I want to cut back to...then it generates a shopping list for me too. Now I am a list maker so I sorda enjoy the thrill of making my own list, but this is just tooo easy...so here is my new and improved grocery list with some customizations.

Tortellini *Salad*Plums*LEAN CUISINE Chicken Marsala*LEAN CUISINE Baked Lemon Pepper Fish*Nonfat Milk*Honeydew*Oats Cereal*Italian Dressing*Caesar Dressing*Peaches*
Olive Oil*LEAN CUISINE Baked Chicken Florentine*Chicken Breasts*Margarine Spread*
Asparagus*Apricots*Chives*Basil*Bananas*Mixed-Grain English Muffins*Whole-Wheat English Muffins*Ricotta Cheese*Low Fat Cottage Cheese*Onions*Bananas*Parmesan Cheese*Peanuts
*Almonds*LEAN CUISINE Garlic Beef and Broccoli*Raspberries*Egg Substitute*Feta Cheese*
Cantaloupe*Mushrooms*Cucumber*Carrots*Tangerines*Beef Top Sirloin*Salmon*Blueberries* Red Potatoes*Blackberries*Mozzarella Cheese*Couscous*Canadian Style Bacon*Apples*Fat Free Cheddar *Garlic*Nectarines*Broccoli*Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt*

..............Oh and of course lots of Diet Coke!

A Surreal Poem for a Surreal Sunday

DREAMS

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

-LANGSTON HUGHES

photo by images-after.com

Today I came home to a spotless house...how's that for surreal!

Over the Hill? Not Yet!

Jake turned 27 today...Happy Birthday sweetheart. That's right...another year older...Wow...time does seem to be flying by. It seems like just yesterday when we met and here we are four years, one child and several pant sizes (between the two of us...though I'll admit...most of them are mine...oops!) later and he's still the same funloving, hardworking, witty man I married! While we didn't have a big party for the occasion, he was surrounded by his loved ones...and most importantly his chocolate peanut butter ice cream cake...

Saturday Snapshot Challenge

For the month of August Get It Scrapped is giving its awesome teachers a much needed rest...but have no fear they have some fun in store for us. Check out http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.debbiehodge.com%2Fgisforum%2Findex.php%3Fshowtopic%3D3439&h=7bbbbdd40c130791ef940d1594f0d559 for the Get It Blogged challenge, going on for the month of August...first up is Katrina Kennedy with a fun photo scavenge every Sat...check in each week for fun foto prompts and keep your eyes peeled for new challenges by the other GIS teachers!

Something I love, Something Yellow, Something from Above...it could only be...

Changing Gears

So I got sorda overwhelmed with Tami's beautiful kits at Scrap this Kit, and totally forgot that the Designer Digitals DigiCrop is coming up this week! Ooops...and its been like a month since I've done an actual digi layout. Sure some photo creations and logo designs here and there, but no los...:( So I decided to put the beautiful kits aside...always within sight though... and change gears a bit. Don't worry Tami...I'm not giving up on you...these kits still have a good four los left in them each! Isn't that amazing...7 los and one project per kit...that's less than four dollars a page...my dh would approve and I'm sure all of yours would too! Anyhow...where was I...Oh yes changing gears...So for the next week I will be familiarizing myself with PSE! And to get the ball rolling here is a lo of my grandmother, who just passed away last fall. I miss her terribly, but I know somewhere she is looking down and getting a good laugh at this layout!