Mom-e-Memoirs

Three Kids.

2012-01-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

I was a bit nervous for this shoot-- three busy kids that I needed to catch in still motion. :) But there was no reason for me to be nervous, it was a ton of fun!

Thankfully, they were in great moods. We had a lovely location (Sunnyside Park) where kids could run and I could chase them with my camera (knowing there were decent backgrounds for photos in several directions. :). They also had a brilliant, patient, fun mom who brought skittles to help entice smiles. (She knows I love candy. I figured she brought the skittles for me too in case she needed to bribe me.)

And we got some great shots. Perfect lighting, outfit changes, great attitudes (because they're great kids). It was a fun evening!

Next Up: The Zweigle Family!

2012-01-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

Tina celebrated an extra special birthday in July, so she deserved an extra special gift. I offered to take their family photos.

They had never had their family portraits done. You can find lots of fun shots of their crew together at places like Disneyland, but no formal portraits. It was no surprise that they made the adventure FUN!

Shutterfly is my Favorite.

2012-01-12T22:48:00.001-08:00

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Here's a thank you card I made at Shutterfly... it was inspired by one of their cute thank you cards in stationery. I only wanted one, so I had to "re-create" it in their general greeting cards section. I think it turned out so cute!

Twins.

2012-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

This was such a fun shoot! I got to take a morning to capture PHS senior twins Quinn and Sinclair. It was a great morning around Pullman catching some fun shots.

Thanks ladies for a lovely morning! You're so beautiful--inside AND out!

Headshots

2012-01-04T17:57:00.000-08:00

This is my friend Anita. She's a fabulous woman and a great friend.

She needed a new headshot. I met her at our favorite coffee shop (based more on their great photo locations versus their coffee :) and took a few fun photos.

Isn't she just beautiful?

Miles.

2011-12-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

So... these were his 6 month photos. He turns ONE in just a few weeks.

I still remember this day, though. His big brown eyes were irresistable to shoot! :)

Love my sweet nephew!

Tour de Photos-- First up, Lana!

2011-12-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Part of the reason I haven't consistently been blogging is because I was filling my free time with another thing I love-- photography.

The time has come (now that all is edited and stored) for me to share shots from the shoots I've done over the past 6 months. I'll post my favorites... not necessarily the favorites of those in the shots. :)

So buckle up, and prepare to set forth on a chronological journey of my portraiture I've done since I finished my class last spring (I blogged about that class here.) I'll put up several posts of photography over the next few weeks.

First up, my sweet niece Lana. Here's my favorite shots from her 2 year old photo shoot in June. Aren't her blonde curls and sweet smile irresistable? And she and her mama Shelle are so sweet together, too.

I adore you.

2011-12-18T22:06:00.000-08:00

I really do adore this girl. And I was so excited to use the My Minds Eye "Lost and Found Two" line because it fit with my photos just perfectly.

This was my favorite layout using the products. You can see more projects I did with it at the Paper Pals Design Team blog!

New Space to Make My Own

2011-11-30T22:46:00.001-08:00

Yeah, I haven't been here lately... blogging has been pushed to the back burner after I added 30+ hours of work per week a few months ago. But I still think/act upon some crafty impulses and want to share them here!

I wanted to decorate my office. I found a Bazzill paper line that was just adorable and so I created a few items for the office.

Mod Podged some pattern paper onto canvases...

I dotted the red centers with Stickles and painted the sides of the canvas black too.

Created a LOVE banner w/ photos of my family...

And add a few coordinating accessories... voila! A cozy, personalized office space.

And when I got my nameplate and biz card, it truly felt official! :)

Love my workspace, and love my job. Only downside: restricts my blogging time. :) I'll still try to visit once in awhile. So don't assume I'm gone!

Chore Charts

2011-08-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

This is not my first chore chart.

I feel like I've tried a thousand "plans" and none have exactly worked.

But this chore chart is different: it's pretty likely to work (for us... but not necessarily for you).

Here's why. We've already been doing the chores for at least a year. They just haven't been charted until now. Mom just did lots of reminding, and my hopes are that my kids who can read (well, 2 of the 3) will read their reminders now that they're all prettied up and hanging on the wall!

I think there's two reasons y'all are here looking at this post.

1. You are motivated to make a pretty chore chart. I'm all for papercrafting pretty, but even a pretty plan may not work. (Trust me, I've been making "plans" for at least 7 years now... and I'm just now feeling good about the current plan!)

2. You are motivated to find a plan that works for your family. I'll share mine and hope you can take something from it. But if it doesn't work for you, don't give up. Tweak it and try again!

First, the PRETTY details.

I used a dollar store poster board and cut it into three pieces for my three kids. (In hindsight, I'd pick a colored one instead of white next time). I used this as a great chance to use up some of my jinormous chipboard letters that were mismatched and big fat ribbon remnants that weren't suitable for scrapping.
The clothespins were decorated by my girls w/ fabric, sequins, wooden hearts, and glass flat sided marbles (what are those things really called???). They loved to participate in the project!
I printed the actual chore sections on colored paper and plan to make tweaks to the plan and re-print as necessary.
The purpose of the clothespins is simply to hold the stack of 7 days pages to the chart. But my original idea was to place them all on one side of the chart and as the kids completed tasks they could move them to the opposite side of the chart. Maybe that would work for you!

And now, the actual PLAN and CHORES I have set up for my kids.

(Not sure if it's big enough for you to read, but I'll give you a general overview.)

Some tasks we've been doing for many years (i.e. brush teeth, pick out clothes, homework, backpack ready). This is just a reminder.

I have three sections: 1. Before School, 2. After School, and 3. Ready for school tomorrow? (i.e. just before bedtime).

Before school tasks are: breakfast, get dressed, shoes and backpack on, and brush teeth.

After school tasks are: homework, AWANA verses, 20 minutes of reading, piano practice (for Sadie) and 10 minute cleanup.

10 Minute Cleanup has been the most successful chore plan I've had over the years. Before the 10 minute clean up plan when I'd set specific chores, I felt like the things that really needed to get done were being neglected (i.e. the chore was dusting, yet the family room was two feet deep in toys, books and stuffed animals.) Now the kids just know that after dinner mom will assign a 10 minute cleanup to each child of stuff that NEEDS TO BE DONE. It has been glorious, people!!! (I have had to let go of how well a job gets done and just be pleased that they tried and are learning the discipline of helping out around the house.)

The big change for my charts here is that I've now assigned specific tasks back to the 10 minute cleanups (vacuum, sweep, tidy a room, wipe down bathroom, laundry, wash windows/mirrors, dust, trash and recycling). We'll test this plan for awhile to see how it works, but I may head back to an unspecific 10 minute cleanup each night if this doesn't truly help me in my housecleaning duties.

So, why do I have 7 pages versus the same plan for each day? I have also added in the "extras" of "pack your piano bag, gymnastics outfit, AWANA vest, etc" on the appropriate days based on our regular activities. I also give them a day off of chores on Wednesdays (see, I'm not a total slave driver! :)

There are also a few chores we rotate each day: 1. Feed Zeke (the guinea pig), get the mail, lead the dinner prayer, 2. Set the table, 3. Clear the table. This started w/ them fighting over who got to get the mail, so they each got two turns a week. Now they complain over who HAS to get the mail... but it still gets done because they're used to the task by now! :) Three kids x 2 days a week= 6 days. Mom gets day 7. For all three chores.

The Ready for School Tomorrow? section: Homework done, backpack ready, lunches prepared and outfit picked out.

What a long post! I didn't realize I had so much to say about it, and I also didn't realize so many of my friends were interested in how I make it work. I sincerely hope that SOMEHOW this inspires you and that you can make it work for your family. Come back and let me know!

So, what looks most appealing to you? Which element of this would work best for your family? Is there something new that you haven't considered as you've made your chore plans? I'd love to know!

Happy National Sugar Cookie Day!

2011-07-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

It's National Sugar Cookie Day today! My very favorite cookie.

Twas no better reason to whip up a (double) batch of dough. But summer temps don't entice me to do baking.

So we may never make it past the dough stage... ;)

To see many lovely COMPLETED food products, visit the lovely Lisa's blog, The Kitchen Catwalk. She's got great foods (including lots of COOKIES) in creation from start to finish.

Enjoy a sugar cookie today! (or, um... at least the dough!)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Second Time is a Charm!

2011-06-08T17:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I couldn't wait for "Wordless Wednesday" to be over... I gotta share!

My son just checked the mail and brought me what I have been waiting for... the July/August issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine.

You got it too? Great! Go grab it and turn to page 65...

There's my layout! The second layout I've had published in CK. Second time's a charm, right?

I needed this good news today. I'm struggling. And I needed this boost to remind me that I have something of value to share with the world. At least the scrapbooking world. :)

Sending a shout out to the sweet niece of mine in the photo... Miss Mya! She's almost three now! You can see more about her and her family on their blog and you can read more about this layout in a past post here. And thanks to Brea at Cye Photography for agreeing to let her portrait of Mya be published! Doesn't she do beautiful work?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Final Assignment

2011-05-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

My final Photography 101 assignment was a group photo. I was lucky enough to shoot a lovely family whose little girl you may recognize from a previous post. :)

Here's the assignment shot straight out of the camera. (All of my assignment shots have been posted here SOC--straight out of the camera. Anytime I take photos, I make edits to them prior to posting. These assignment shots are my only exception.)

And you can hear my audio comment from Candice by clicking HERE.

(P.S. Today is Tuesday. The last photo I took was almost a week ago. I've officially taken a break! I even scrapped a little last night... more to share later!)

In Memory

2011-05-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Today as I remember those who have served our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice, this image comes to mind.

A year ago on Memorial Day weekend I was in Saipan. I visited the American History Museum that has a great display of the story behind the Battle for the Marianas.

That day, this older gentleman was intently studying the facts. Standing there in his hawaiian print shirt with nice tanned skin... likely on vacation just like me.

Oh how I wish I'd asked him his story. I'm assuming he is a veteran. His age, interest in the artifacts and even body language told me he had a history with our military.

Was that picture on the wall his plane? Did he fight against the Japanese during that bloody battle? Was the man pictured at the right a friend he knew? Or perhaps it's a picture of him???

I guess I'll never know. But just seeing him there and having this image from that day makes me so grateful for what the american soldiers did for us then in that one battle.

And that was only one battle. The lives lost in all military situations where we had brave men and women fighting for our freedom is unspeakable. But my gratitude for them all is neverending.

Friday Fave-- three year olds in tutus

2011-05-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Here are my favorite shots from a recent photo session. Isn't this little sweet pea just the cutest? You can read more about her and her family here on her mom's blog.

Hopefully you'll be seeing more than just my photos here soon. I gotta put down my camera-- I'm not getting anything else done!!! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

Lesson Three: Portraiture 101

2011-05-16T09:34:00.000-07:00

This last week's portraiture assignment was to photograph someone from a specific age group. I chose children-- partly because I had a perfect model in mind! :)

My sweet middle child offered to have her picture taken... a couple hundred times. :) I got some really fun shots of Allison and picked the following shot to turn in for my assignment:

And if you're interested, you can listen to to what Candice has to say about the shot here.

And, I have to share a few more of my favorites here too because like I said, we took hundreds! :) The shot above is SOC (straight out of the camera), and the ones below I edited in Photoshop Elements.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T11:33:00.002-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Lesson Two: Portraiture 101

2011-05-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Remember my Friday Fave Photo of Sadie? It was for my assignment for my portraiture class. Just last night Candice Stringham commented on my photo for the side lighting assignment in class. I actually got a better review than I expected!

If you're interested, you can hear what she said about my photo here.

And if you care, here's the technical info on the shot:

This is my 10 year old, Sadie. We used a white posterboard for a reflector. I shot in aperture priority.

Camera: Nikon D40
Shutter speed: 1/200
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 40 mm (35 mm equiv. 60 mm)
ISO: 1600
WB: Auto

Did I mention I love this class and I'm so excited to learn more and more about photography? ;)

Friday Fave-- 10 year old photo

2011-04-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

We are learning how to use window lighting in Portraiture 101 this week. I haven't gotten any recent good shots of my sweet Sadie, so I asked her to be my model. :) She did a great job!

Sweet girl-- when she would smile, her eyes would close! :) We decided to do a more serious pose so that we could see her beautiful brown eyes.

And speaking of eyes, we took off her glasses, too! Doesn't she look different? She couldn't focus on me or her left eye would have been crossed. Here's a shot w/ her glasses on:

It definitely looks like her! But the reflection in her glasses practically shows our whole neighborhood. :) I decided to focus (no pun intented) on the lighting portion of our assignment and leave reflections in glasses for more advanced lessons!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave: Portraiture 101

2011-04-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

This week I started "Photographing People: Portraiture 101" with Candice Stringham. I love learning how to take better photography! There just aren't enough hours in the day.

Her prerequisite class I took last fall-- "Oh Shoot!" Beginning Digital SLR Photography.

You can see my blog post about that class here .

And, just in case you have a digital SLR camera and you too would love to learn how to use it, I wanted to share a great giveaway with you!

Candice is giving away a spot in her "Oh Shoot!" beginner class that she's holding this summer. If you are interested, visit her blog here and leave a comment for your chance to win. (No deadline listed, but I wouldn't waste time in entering. Getting this class for free is a goldmine!)

Good luck! And as I go through this class in the next few weeks, I'll come here to share some of my favorite shots. :)

What's Up?

2011-04-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Click here to see what this is all about!

Friday Fave-- Nephew Photo Shoot

2011-04-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

I got to to take some photos of my growing nephews recently and it was so fun to spend the time with them! My sister is the greatest mom, and I was more than happy to take photos to remember the boys at age 2 and 3 months.

Here are my favorite shots of the two:
First, Trent (age 2)

And then Miles (age 3 mo.)

I'm loving portrait photography more every day! And I'm SO EXCITED to start Candice Stringham's "Portraiture 101" class this Monday. I'm sure I'll be sharing more photos here throughout my 4 week class.

And I'll probably need models to shoot. If you're local (or willing to travel), let me know! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Little Things

2011-04-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

Decided to brighten a friend's day-- Amy has been sick for almost a full two weeks. The flu and then bronchitis. Poor thing! And she's a mom of three who had them all home for spring break last week. She didn't even get to make the week off a fun family time.

Knowing she's sick and tired of being sick and tired, I figured she could use a pick me up. So I threw together this little treat for her today:

(including her favorites-- freckled eggs and mini eggs! Yum.)

BTW-- Girl Scout cookies and Easter candy are kicking my behind. Or, rather, making it bigger. I gotta change my eating habits SOON!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

Products from Echo Park Paper Co.

2011-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

So I had my first chance to work with some Echo Park papers from their line "For the Record". I created some project for my LSS, Paper Pals.

In case you didn't see these posted on their blog, I thought I'd share them here too.

I just loved the photo of my kids and I taken by my friend Becky with Simply Enjoy Photography. I shared a post with other photos from our shoot here.

And the other layout was to document a time when I tackled my son in football. Something tells me that I won't always be able to do that. :) My friend Harmony at Keep on Keeping On was nearby at our family picnic taking these shots. :)

I had a lot of fun using these products and am excited to add a new company's products to my repretoire!

Friday Fave-- The Rusted Chain

2011-03-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

I got a great little necklace for christmas, and was very happy with the product we purchased from The Rusted Chain.

When I had a couple of great friends' birthdays coming up, I decided to order up two special necklaces as gifts for them.

Necklace for birthday friend #1:

And birthday friend #2 necklace:

They turned out so lovely, and my friends were so grateful and happy to receive them! Do you have a reason for a lovely hand stamped necklace? Visit The Rusted Chain!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

Failure.

2011-03-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

These are not my cake pops. These belong to Little Miss Momma, where we found our idea. Lovely blog w/ lovely photos and great instructions-- just what I strive for in my blog too!

But I'm gonna share a failure w/ you. Because life isn't perfect, even if blogs make it look so.

For my daughter's 8th birthday, we decided to create a special treat for her parties with friends. The popular trend in treats is CAKE POPS. After some internet research, Allison and I felt ready for the challenge.

Ingredients and cake stand (styro circle) ready!

Following the instructions from Little Miss Momma perfectly... make the cake, crumble it up...

Add in the frosting...

Yummy, fun, messy!

Everyone joined in making the cake balls. Closest to mud we can play this time of year.

Went to the smallest detail of dipping our sticks to make them stick well into the balls of cake/frosting...

Lookin' good! Chilled them in hopes they'd firm up.

Here's where it all went downhill. Pretty photos, pops, happy creators... until we begin the dipping. I anticipated it to be tricky, so my anxiety level was up a bit.

They didn't look too pretty, but we wanted to forge ahead. Dipped and stuck like a lollipop into the styrofoam circle.

Then, disaster.

The cake balls began falling right off the sticks! They were too heavy and goopy-- but we'd followed the instructions.

Sweet A broke into tears... and mommy almost did! Not sure where it went wrong. My best guess is that the balls needed to be firmer (chilled longer or partially frozen maybe?) to work out. But even then, I'm not sure how they'd hold their own weight.

Luckily, they still tasted great. And sweet Allison can make the most of any bummer-- she pretends it's just how she intended and she moves on. (I need to be more like her.)

So, smiles on the face w/ plan B...

And we had some tasty treats for her friends.

And I'll tell you that not one 8 year old complained of the imperfections of our failure.

Just my lesson for today that I don't have to be perfect or even proclaim that I try to be. Thank goodness for grace on so many levels!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave: Being Published (and a giveaway).

2011-03-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

I have been so very lucky to be published in Creating Keepsakes... not once, but TWICE. This summer's July/August issue will feature a layout I created that is very special to my heart. (Pun intended. See more about it HERE.)

But today, I'm so excited for someone else who has been published! And while she's a super creative scrapper, she's not getting a paper project published (yet at least). She's a great writer and has been published in a popular book!!!

My sister in law Shelle submitted a story from her blog to the famous "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. Because her story is so great and well written, they published it in their brand new "New Moms" edition.

Would you like a copy? Head on over to her blog HERE and leave a comment to win a copy! You can also hear a little bit about her story there and read other well written, clever, real and heartwarming blog posts. Plus you get to see cute pictures of my niece. What could be better?

Congratulations to you, Shelle!!!

24 hours later...

2011-03-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

(Okay, I AM slow scrapper, but I didn't spend the full 24 hours on this layout...)

Yesterday I started (as my WW photo showed) a new layout using My Mind's Eye's Good Day Sunshine line.

But I didn't stop there.

I saw the recent sketch for the My Minds Eye Blog Challenge and I just love to join in these challenges (because who wouldn't want to win three complete lines of your choice?!?). This particular challenge's theme is "Celebrate Today" and requires 80% MME products. Here's the sketch:

Then I rotated it 90 degrees to the right. (I created a layered file so you can see how the final layout and the sketch matched up.)

Since MME is my favorite manufacturer, I've collected quite a supply of their products. And I LOVE that you can pull pieces from so many different lines that still fit together!

Can you guess the number of product lines I used elements from?

That's it! SIX!

Good Day Sunshine-- papers and accessory sheet

Fine and Dandy-- sticker

Lush-- ribbon and chipboard letters

Life Stories-- accessory sheet (kraft puchouts)

Laundry Line-- dragonfly rubons

Quite Contrary-- sticker

Here's the final product:

Anyway, it was a lot of fun to pull all these pieces together to make a 99% MME layout (1%-bit of red cardstock, fluid chalk and a staple. Oh, and photos. Maybe that's a bit over 1%...). Great challenge, huh?

Do you have favorite online scrappy challenges?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

Dreaming...

2011-02-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

...of a white sand beach and sunshine... like that which I enjoyed here...

...inspiring me to make a layout of my great memories there... here's a sneak peek of what I'm working on for Paper Pals...

... while outside my window this is what I see tonight...

... don't get me wrong, it's BEAUTIFUL. God never ceases to amaze me with what he can do with that white stuff...

... but not exactly the same as the white sands of the Northern Marianas...

Friends, Love, Faith Faith Blog Hop (Updated)

2011-02-24T21:36:00.000-08:00

***Updated w/ Project Photos!***
It's a Faith Blog Hop!

Welcome to Paper Tree House Studio's Friends, Love, and Faith Blog Hop. Today, we're out in force on the internet -- showing our faith and giving the glory to God. United, we stand as Christian paper crafters and blog owners to make a presence on the internet for all to see. If you are hopping with us, you should have hopped over from Corinne Stevens' blog.

If you happened to just come across this post and you want to join in on the fun, make sure you jump over to the beginning so that you do not miss out: My Paper Tree House Studio.

We're celebrating the theme of faith and we're happy to share our projects with you based on the verse:

"...those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." --Isaiah 40:31

***Update: Here's my finished project!

My layout shares the importance of God and my christian besties in growing and changing-- in this case, it was physically running my first 5K. And this was a special 5K... this blog post tells my story. I even have a layout related to this whole story that will be published in Creating Keepsakes this summer. Follow my blog so you don't miss any of it!

First, we would like to take a moment to thank our generous co-sponsors: Zutter, Paper Trunk, Create 365, Memorable Seasons, Scrapbook News and Review, as well as Papperie. Together with Paper Tree House Studio, these companies have donated some wonderful prizes for today's blog hop.

Prizes? Oh, yeah! There will be three lucky grand prize winners for today's event.

To enter, simply hop through the blogs and take note of all of the participating DT members of Paper Tree House Studio, and make sure to jot down the "blessed words" they will have in their post, and leave a comment on their posts. Once you gather all of the words, you will have another special Scripture to inspire you to create while leaving His legacy. Then send us an email at mypapertreehousedt@gmail.com listing each of the staff members who participated in today's hop and the completed Scripture. It's that easy. All entries must be received by Monday, February 28, 2011 at 12 noon, EST and seven winners will be randomly chosen to win.

What are the prizes?

One Cricut Gypsy from Paper Tree House Studio
One Bind-it-All from Zutter
One baggy of goodies from Create 365
One baggy of goodies from Papperie
One baggy of goodies from Paper Trunk
One year subscription to Scrapbook News and Review
One $15 gift card to Memorable Seasons so that you can purchase your favorite goodies!!

In addition, many of our participating bloggers will have amazing blog candy and RAKS available for one of their blessed visitors by simply leaving a comment and becoming a follower on their blog. That's a lot of chances to win, so let's get to the Hop!

Looking for the Design Team "Blessed Words"?

Find a notebook and jot this down, you will need it if you want to be a blessed winner:

1. My name is Angela

2. My blessed words are: "in all your ways submit to him,"

On to your next stop: ScrappyNancy!

Technique Tag

2011-02-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

So for Paper Pals I got to play with the new Claudine Hellmuth Studio Creative Layers Foam and Clear Stamps. They are so much fun to use and the possibilities for them are endless!

And since I won some fabulous Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist not too long ago, I started with that on my tag. Color: Frozen Lake.

After the background dried, I used acrylic paints to stamp the background images and then used pigment and dye ink pads to stamp the acrylic stamp outlines on top.

Then using the bike and pattern papers from the My Minds Eye "Good Day Sunshine" line plus some paper leaves, I threw together this fun little project:

Now my only question for peeps who make tags like this. What in the world do you use it for? I love how it turned out, but don't know what to do with it. :)

I wasn't the only one in my household who wanted to have fun with the stamps. The girls got their fingers messy by painting and stamping on fabric and wood. I'll have to share those projects again when they are finished.

While I'm a generally a straightforward paper/scissors/adhesive scrapper, it was fun to get messy with these products I don't normally use!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-23T14:37:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-16T21:12:00.000-08:00

Friday Fave-- Valentines from Kids

2011-02-11T23:01:00.000-08:00

So, I'm not a big fan of Valentines day in itself.

But I like to use it as a chance for kids to share what they love.

Jump to Grant's preschool class.

One of my favorite things his super duper teacher does is to ask a question to all the kids and record their answers on paper. Most every time, the answer from Grant relates to farming, tractors, Dad or Grandpa.

Until today.

Today at preschool, Grant got to simply share what he loves. Here's what he shared:

It made my day. :)

Happy Valentines Day to You!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Guest Tutorial over at MPTH

2011-02-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hey there...

Have you heard of My Paper Tree House? It's a fantastic blog where christian women gather to share faithbooking inspiration.

I'm working with MPTH on a few bloggy/scrappy activities and today was my chance to share a tutorial. You can go see the post here. Here's a new layout that I show in the tutorial:

There are some super gifted christian women who contribute there and I'm feeling blessed to join them. You should go see some of the fancy-schmancy stuff they do! I'm just thankful to be able to add my simple style to the mix.

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

(forgot to post it yesterday)

Friday Fave-- Printers

2011-01-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

So...

My 1 year and 11 month old printer died.

Got it as a birthday present from my parents, and I loved it. A Canon Pixma MP520.

And now that my birthday is rolling around again, I guess my printer thought I'd like a new one. (Really, I'd rather go for the technology gift of a video camera... was perfectly happy with my printer...)

But it is gone. Multiple problems. "They just don't make 'em like they used to."

So, my Friday Fave is directed at YOU-- as I shop for printers, I want to know what YOU like. I'm looking for a ink jet all-in-one. What do you have? What do you like? What would you get if you could?

Any info is appreciated... and soon. Not sure how much longer I can go w/out it...

Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-26T16:28:00.000-08:00

Olive Oil

2011-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

My life is a bit like my olive oil right now.

See this? One bottle is ALMOST empty. But there is still some left. And my thrifty tendancies will run that bottle completely dry before it's thrown out. But do you also notice the full new bottle next to it? I am also a person who's "always" prepared and has the next supply ready to go.

Recently I've noticed this scenario in a few places... my face moisturizer, the bottle of hair conditioner... and, oh yeah, my life. Working on shifting from one phase (or bottle) to another.

I'm at a transitional point in life. Soon my kids will all be at school every day. New working opportunities are on the horizon for my hubby. I'm transitioning out of some places I'm serving and considering what's next-- a job? Hmmm.... No matter what it will be, I want to glorify God and do His will for my life.

My life is like the olive oil. There's still some leftover "old" (but still good) stuff that needs to be finished before I jump into the big, new, fresh and GREAT stuff (notice the brands of olive oil? I'm even upgrading in quality!).

For me, the hard part is the timeline. I don't think I'll be totally done with the old bottle of olive oil for quite awihle. In fact, the new bottle of olive oil has already been sitting in my cupboard in anticipation for over a month.

So as I try to {patiently} wait on God and His timing and plan, I've decided to revisit the wildly popular "Purpose Driven Life" book by Rick Warren.

Last time I read the book, I was a mom of a toddler and a baby. Now I have three kids growing wings. My days look different. The plan for our family's future is transitioning. I think it will be healthy to journey once again for 40 days rediscovering my purpose as my life is changing.

Wanna join me?

(Seriously. I decided to try this via a Facebook event. I'm starting the 40 day devotional on Monday the 31st. We'll read 5 days a week (your choice on days) and finish by March 26. If you didn't get invited to "THE EVENT" on FB, let me know and I'll invite or friend you so you too can come and chat. I'll send out new event reminders each 10 days of the study to just keep us all on track. You can share things on the wall there or send personal messages. So I hope you join. I could use the support!)

And we'll have stir fry for dinner. :)

Recent Projects

2011-01-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple layouts I've made recently for these two challenges at My Paper Tree House and My Minds Eye.

Congrats to my sister on a beautiful new baby boy, too! Isn't he so handsome? And can't you tell his brother is so very proud? :)

What scrappy challenges do you like to take on?

Wordless Wednesday-- circa 1984

2011-01-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

(Okay, folks. Can't be completely wordless today... my laptop is getting a tuneup, so I had to use photo archives on the old desktop beast this week... found this little treat of me and my brother. He turns 28 this week. Happy birthday, Mark!)

Digi and Hybrid

2011-01-17T19:55:00.000-08:00

It had been awhile since I'd done some digiscrapping, so I jumped on some great deals at Jessica Sprague's site to get some templates with some elements I'd like to use in hybrid layouts. Here's one recent project (Photoshop Friday #10):

This great summer digi layout was easy to "take apart" and use some of the elements for a hybrid page. I used the curved photo and journaling section in a new file, added new photos, journaling and mat color, and printed it. The rest of the layout is using the My Minds Eye products from Paper Pals.

The pattern papers are from MME's "State of the Heart" line. I also used some Dear Lizzy Thickers sticker letters as well as some gold wedding paper from Paper Pals wedding section. I loved adding in a little metallic for bling (you can't tell it's metallic in the photos)!

What ways do you re-use your supplies? Paper or digi?

Friday Fave-- Feeling Caught Up

2011-01-14T21:07:00.000-08:00

Today I sat back and sighed.

I can't remember exactly the last day I did that. I believe it has not happened since we were still in summer vacation-- August 2010 possibly?

But today I feel caught up. There is not a pile of "to do" items sitting in each room of my house silently beckoning me. I consiously made the choice to read for pleasure last night and watch TWO kids movies with my sweeties tonight. Usually that time is spent "catching up".

I even found time to cut up some veggies. I know that sounds silly, but so frequently even that gets pushed to the back burner... until the veggies are a couple weeks old and only fit for guinea pig food. (Zeke has been eating well these last months.)

My dear friend Amy took my son for a playdate w/ her sweet daughter today and it gave me time to work out, shower and prep a healthy lunch for myself. Then this afternoon my son went to preschool (while my daughters were at school) and I had a whole two hours to close the doors on our 2010 budget and open up a plan for 2011.

I had time to delve into God's word. And read a commentary about it. Then to read about a courageous friend who is struggling with cancer but is sharing how it's deepening her faith. It's beautiful.

Time spent with family and friends. Serving at church. Also a part of my day.

I wish I felt like this every day.

But we know that we live in a fallen world. Hard times will come. Things/people/health/relationships do not remain the same. As a parent, I've learned that just when you think you've got things figured out, it all changes. But as a christian, I know that God is with me and He has everything under control. I don't have things under control, and I shouldn't try. I should trust and give it up to Him.

As Master Uguay says in Kung Fu Panda (one of the movies I shared with my kids tonight for movie night), "Today is a gift-- that's why they call it the present."

It is a gift. And I pray I can face each day with the peace and joy of this day-- even if days are harder. Which is highly likely, isn't it?

(On a crafty note, I was the lucky winner at Such Sweet Tierney of these sweet little gems! Aren't they great? I've blogged about them before here. Thanks, London! Can't wait to play.)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

Friday Fave-- Sisters!

2011-01-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

I love my sisters. I'm so thankful to have a few siblings and to share life with all of them.

Today I think specificially of my sisters. I got to spend a little time with them both at Christmas, and we caught this cute shot of them:

:) Well, we caught Julie... and Suz' belly! :) Suz is going to have a baby boy anytime now (her second boy), and we're all pretty excited about it. Prayers for her as she goes through the birthing process...

So I'm thinking of my sisters right now. Mommies. Aunties. Wives. Love them!

(And in all fairness, a shot of Suz' face too... along w/ me and my bro... all four of us on Christmas morn!)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Good Grief.

2011-01-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

This a.m. as I get back to the grind of the daily schedules, I commiserate with Charlie Brown who is just outside my window.

Good grief.

Our community has a water tower with Charlie's picture painted on the side. I've always wondered about how it came about, but never researched it. Maybe I will.

But today when I look out at Charlie, I understand his strife. Just got off the phone w/ my phone company who did not receive my bill payment a month ago when my bank says they paid it. Good grief.

BUT-- on the other hand, I look at the landscape surrounding Charlie in its snow-laden glory and remember God is faithful. God is good.

And his creation is truly beautiful-- right here from my own window.

God is Good.

Christmas Banner

2010-12-30T22:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, Christmas is over. But if you're like me, you like to store away ideas for next year.

So here's an idea for you!

I created a hybrid banner from JessicaSprague.com-- a steal of a dollar deal back in November!

I actually made several of these to give as gifts, and on my own I took a little extra time to jazz it up with some distress Stickles (have you tried these out???) in Aged Mahogany and regular stickles in Xmas Red. I love the extra bling it gave to the banner!

Stash this idea away for next year, or better yet... get started on it now!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

(found a minute to share a project w/ you!)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-09T22:27:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends...

Thanks for sticking with me! I imagine you have a busy holiday season as I do.

I'm trying to not be over-busy, though. The days are short and I try to make the most of the time I have with my kids who are old enough to keep me on top of all the fun traditions we enjoy this month.

And we're trying to focus on the birth of Christ to keep us centered.

So as much as I love blogging, I may be away for the next few weeks. I will be doing some updates to my family blog as a part of our annual Christmas card/letter, but I may not make it back here until the new year.

Until I'm back, I pray that you too can take time to enjoy the season and celebrate the birth of Christ. Enjoy food, fun, friends, family and a little frivolity!

And I hope to see you sooner rather than later! I'm crafting away in these holidays, so I hope to find time to share a bit of it!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

Friday Fave-- GWAP (Gifts With a Purpose)

2010-11-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

There are several great ways to spend money on gifts this Christmas that will benefit more than just the recipient... my favorite this year? The Abbey Project.

Abbey Mae was a sweet little girl who was only three days older than my own oldest daughter. Abbey and Sadie were a part of a fabulous dozen of children born about the same time in our community. So we got to know Abbey at our regular playdates.

Just a couple of months before Abbey turned three, Jesus took her home after a tragic pool accident. We've missed Abbey ever since.

I have been AMAZED at the choices Abbey's mom, Amy has made to trust in God and continue to live with joy and a positive outlook after the tragedy. Amy is a pillar of strength and I'm blessed to be her friend. :)

The Abbey Project is a service mission to keep Abbey's memory alive and help people who need it. Currently, Amy is crocheting hats for sale and the money will go toward needs in their community.

You've got to see these hats! They are super adorable and I've already made one order (came in the mail today... I'm just DROOLING!). But I can't show you the hats because the recipients read my blog. ;) I plan to make another order soon to get myself one of these beauties.

Here is just one of the large variety of hats she makes for children up through adults. (And the photos are taken by my fabulous friend Becky who is a great photographer if you need one in NW Washington!)

Go visit Amy's site and read her story. And possibly you'll want to place an order too. Get a GWAP for someone on your gift list this Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-24T22:12:00.000-08:00

Be Still

2010-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

I've been overwhelmed and anxious recently... realizing that I'm in over my head when it comes to my over-scheduled days.

Most things I've been doing are GOOD-- regular exercise, taking time for kids homework/AWANA verse memorization, meeting with small groups in christian fellowship, etc.

But one key priority I've let slip away for awhile. It's the time I should be spending being STILL and knowing God.

I've been blessed to have little retreats over the last few years where I take time to listen for God while I'm I'm located in a scenic and quiet location of God's creation. Unfortunately, these once a year visits cannot grow my relationship with God enough. I would most benefit my walk with Him by taking time every day. At home. Among the busyness.

So my goal is to find a bit of time each day to BE STILL. To add to my current prayers during chaos and reading of the word while other things are going on. I believe I need to have complete quiet to really hear from God.

I created a layout to remind me of this (instead of a string around my finger, it will be framed in my dining room where I'll see it many times each day). I trust that seeking God each day He will remind me that He is the great "I AM"... he's everything I need to get through each day. I use Psalms 46:10 on my layout.

This layout was in response to a challenge at Nana Campana's "My Paper Tree House" Blog. I have been so blessed to "meet" Nana via her blog and see her passion for seeing God's fingerprints on all elements of her life. It's become the center focus for her scrappy business and I would love to use my scrappy skills to grow my relationship with God the way she is. Thanks for the inspiration, Nana!

Friday Fave-- Top 5 from a Recent Shoot

2010-11-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

So, I was lucky enough to get to take more photos of my adorable niece and her family this last week.

And since I can't pick just one (although I think this first one is my very fave), I thought I'd share my top 5 favorites with you.

Isn't their family just adorable???

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday/Friday Fave

2010-11-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Crazy Run

2010-11-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

If you would have asked me a year ago if I'd run a 5K I would have laughed at you. Hard. And then I'd have said a firm NO.

But I have this friend...

She's so inspiring! And encouraging... just enough to push you to try but not enough to push you away. It's a good thing. :)

And when you're around her you can't help but think that running might just be fun. I'm not sure I think it's fun, but I've learned to enjoy it enough that I ran a second 5K on Sunday night.

With my inspiring friend Harmony beside me. She's the greatest. Wish I'd had my other running partner Amy with me that night too! (Insert her blog address here... once we finally convince her that she needs one!) She doesn't really love running either, but we like that running is good for us so we've kept it up for months now...(months!!!) but Sunday she was recovering from the great Barf-O-Rama at her household... yuk. :)

Do you want to be inspired to do something good for yourself? And to look at life through the eyes of a loving mom, wife and true follower of Christ? And win cool "bloggy prizes" for runners? Then you've got to visit Harmony's blog. You'll be blessed if you do!

Come to think of it, I never got around to posting photos from my first 5K in August for Children's Hospital that I blogged about HERE... so here's some photos from the first big run! I got to run with my sister that day and it was such a joy to be with family for a great cause. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! (Get it? Mya and the Heartbeats...)

Friday Fave-- John Deere Gear

2010-11-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

My son loves tractors. Anyone who knows him KNOWS he loves tractors.

So we also like clothing that talks about tractors or has tractors on it.

Here's my son's favorite shirt.

Sad story-- he was being cared for by lovely people who were generously giving their time to help me. But they gave my son craft paint that was not washable and he got it all over his favorite shirt. Glittery paint. And I can't get it out. (I even scrubbed it with one of those magic erasers-- those things are incredible and have saved me from other art supply mishaps, but no luck on fabric.)

Guess we need to keep our eye out for a new shirt, but does anyone have any ideas on how to get paint out of clothing?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave--White Bean, Sausage and Pasta Soup

2010-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I believe our lovely fall weather is leaving us. It will be rainy and cold this next week, and something tells me that our 70+ degree weather from earlier this week will not be returning until next spring.

That can only mean, my friends, that we make ourselves happy with soup. :) I'm prepping to make a pot of our family favorite tonight!

And here's the recipe in case you'd like to warm up with a hearty, kid-friendly pot of soul warming soup!

White Bean and Pasta Soup

1 ½ cups dry great northern beans
¾ lb. bulk sausage
1 med. onion, chopped
1 lg. carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 tsp. dried basil
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup uncooked small shell pasta
Grated parmesan cheese

Place beans in a dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid.

In the same pan, cook the sausage, onion, carrot and garlic over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the broth, water, basil and beans. Bring to a boil, Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

All You Need is Love

2010-10-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

I'm back, peeps.

One of the best parts of my annual scrap weekend is my Sunday morning "church service". Our group generally packs up to head out by lunchtime. But since I don't have a long drive home, I spend a little time with God up in the mountains of Idaho.

Just me and God. No one else. (well, the Palouse Divide resident dogs Max and Noser joined me for a portion of my quiet time yesterday). I hike the hill, find a serene and scenic spot and read scripture or a book (yesterday it was Crazy Love by Francis Chan) and pray. Sometimes I sing, too.

Each year God pulls me a little closer to Him. And He reminds me of His great LOVE for me. Undeserved love. And I'm sure thankful for it.

Taking time to remeber God's love always refuels me to love others beyond what they deserve, too. So, because God gives second (and third... and fourth...) chances I'm working at it again: trying to remove worldly distractions that pull me away from Him and instead focus on sharing the love of Christ.

Since it was a scrapping weekend, I'll share a couple of my favorite layouts where I've shared my faith. I hope to do more of that in the future-- passing on what I believe to my kids and anyone else who runs into my scrapwork. Starting with YOU! :)

(I can't show the entire layout for this one... it's out for publication!)

Thanks for stopping by. May you see God's love today.

Friday Fave--Scrapbooking Retreat

2010-10-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

I know. It's not Friday.

But that's because on Friday I will be enjoying one of my faves.

A scrapbooking retreat w/ friends at the Palouse Divide. This year happens to be our little group's 10th Annual Scrap Camp event. I wish you could all join us!

I posted about this place last year, and simply believe it's the best place EVER to host a scrapbooking weekend. Peace. Beauty. Laughter.

Leaving this afternoon. I. Can't. Wait.

See you next week!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

(a day late... I simply forgot to post it!)

Guest Posting on My Daughter's SUPER Golden Birthday

2010-10-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

When I was chosen to guest post on Liz Qualman's blog last spring, I was excited to see that I was scheduled to be the primary designer for her sketch on this last weekend.

Why? Because our family has been looking forward to this weekend for 10 years.

Ten years ago yesterday I gave birth to my oldest child. Sweet Sadie was born on 10/10/00. It wasn't long after that time when we realized that Sadie girl would turn 10 on 10/10/10! A perfect 10!

I knew my layout for Liz' sketch would feature this super special birthday. Here's her sketch...

And here's my take. Of course, it features our PERFECT 10 birthday!

We are so blessed to have such a great Sadie Girl and totally enjoyed our celebration for her. We love you Sadie, you'll always be our Perfect 10!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

(I {heart} my hairdresser!)

Friday Fave-- Creative Ways to Make Money

2010-10-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

At a ladies craft night I attended awhile back, I got the inside scoop on making money from home.

No. You don't have to sell makeup, kitchen utensils, cleaners or candles.

But you do get to be creative.

Thanks to the internet, there are now many ways to make money from home by doing jobs you may like! A couple web sites I have not yet visited (but you may be interested) are elance.com, demandstudios.com and associatedcontent.com. I think they're mostly writing/editing sites.

But the one I was most intrigued by was Fiverr.com. Have you heard of it?

You can offer to do something for someone (a gig) for $5. The site takes a dollar, and you keep four.

This is where you get creative.

Just what may you be willing to do for $5? There are some crazy gigs listed... deliver a fart sound to your inbox every day for a month...do 20 pushups while wearing random winter clothing and singing "I believe I can Fly"...shave one leg...

Or, they can be really practical and useful ideas...design a logo for your business...star in your movie or film...research or write your college or high school paper... (I'd be skeptical about the quality of these, however.)

So, interested, I came up with a gig. I wanted it to be worth $5 of time (no logo designs from me for that, peeps), but also wanted to use my skills and passion. And I targeted a pet peeve of mine-- bad social networking profile photos.

I like photos that are cropped and colored well and clearly show SOMEONE or SOMETHING on a profile pic. And I'm happy to help people who can't seem to do that on their own.

I created a gig and people are looking. No bites yet, but I'm so curious to see if someone takes me up on my great deal. I even have a widget on my blog to sell my gig. Not sure I'll become a millionare, but I am curious to see if I earn a few bucks with this fun idea!

So, what would you be willing to do for $5?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave-- Candice Stringham Class

2010-09-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

"Oh, Shoot!"

It's a great photo class by Candice Stringham via the JessicaSprague.com site! I'm on week one of 7 in a great DSLR camera class. I'm going to learn how to "officially" get great shots on my camera. ;)

This week we're learning about shutter speeds and how that can depict motion in a photo. Here's some practice shots I have taken:

Bike Fast shutter speed:
Camera: Nikon D40
Shutter Speed:1/500
Aperture: f/9.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 50 mm

Bike Slow shutter speed:

Camera: Nikon D40

Shutter Speed: 1/30

Aperture: f/32.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 50 mm

Fountain Fast shutter speed:

Camera: Nikon D40

Shutter Speed: 1/500

Aperture: f/11.0

ISO: 800

Focal Length: 35 mm

Slow shutter speed:

Camera: Nikon D40

Shutter Speed: 1/30
Aperture: f/32.0
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 35 mm

So far, it's easier than I thought to switch up settings instead of leaving my camera (mostly) on Auto. Looking forward to learning more!

As an unrelated (yet a bit related) subject, do you have a doppelganger? As I've taken this class w/ Candice, I'm eerily seeing someone I know.
Here's a shot of the lovely Candice Stringham. Isn't she adorable?

And here's a shot of my friend, Kara Telgenhoff. Do you see a resemblance like I do? They're both so beautiful!

If you think of it, please take a minute to pray for my lovely friend Kara. She's a young wife and mom and was recently diagnosed with a serious cancer. She starts some hefty chemo treatments this week. I can't imagine being in her shoes, but I know she will trust in the Lord and fight to get through this tough battle. Praying for you, Kara!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave--Nudges from God

2010-08-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Don't you love it when a daily devotional feels like a direct lightning bolt from God?

I often wish I knew exactly what God wanted for me. And I want that clear direction. Sometimes He sends it. When you don't expect it.

A devotion I read this week did that to me. The scripture was 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13. (Haven't spent time in the word today? Go now. Read this. Spend some time.)

Often a section of this chapter is referred to in weddings... "Love is patient, love is kind..." But the devotion I read went beyond that specific reference. It focused on our tendancy to achieve great things but that our focus should instead be on the simple (yet complex) act of LOVE.

Here's a snippet of what I read:

Love can heal what pride has injured. It can bind up the places where we’ve been wounded and where trust has eroded. In a commentary on 1 Corinthians, one New Testament scholar says, “Love requires the formation of character.” He means to highlight that what Paul has described in this chapter isn’t necessarily how we feel love for others but how we show love. To love is to need a radical inner transformation. To love is to depend on Christ, whose example defines for us what love is (1 John 3:16).

See? Nothing groundbreaking. Or new. But it came to me at just the right time. I love that. Thanks, God!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-26T09:47:00.001-07:00

Friday Fave--the Lynden City Path

2010-08-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

This city path brings back memories. It's only yards away from our old neighborhood. I remember walking that path as a newlywed w/ my husband and sharing dreams for our life together. I walked down that path cradling my first child just days after her birth. And walked with my second daughter in a stroller and my oldest on her first tricycle ride.

This week I ran on that path. Just me. For enjoyment. :) I needed to get in a run to train for my upcoming 5K. So I ran. And I remembered. Remembered how it used to be 7-13 years ago on that same stretch of path.

Some of the path looks just about the same. Other aspects of it have changed. The trees are taller. The shrubs and ivy that were newly planted years ago have filled in their space to give privacy to homeowners who planted them. In some spots, the asphalt has cracked and heaved from pressure of tree roots.

And I realized that I'm a bit like that path. Over the past 13 years, some parts of me have stayed the same (likely a few bad habits that I've tried to kick but just don't seem to let go). Other parts of me have grown. I've let time grow walls of privacy around me--closing off parts of my past. But also like a tall tree or a filled out shrub, I've matured (done a lot of learning about myself and who I am in the last 13 years). And I even have some cracks (wrinkles) and heaves (life bumps and bruises) from the pressures put on me over time. I do admit, those cracks and heaves were required to allow me to grow (just as tree roots pushing through soil and asphalt allows a tree to grow).

God has worked in me during those 13 years. At the hard times when I was being stretched beyond what I liked or wanted, He was teaching me. And I sometimes didn't think He knew what was best for me, but I was wrong. I've done a lot of learning and growing since the first time I walked down that path. Thanks be to God for what I've learned!

I love that path. And have really enjoyed travelling it again this week on my visit to Lynden. It has brought back great memories and has helped me move ahead toward the life I'm living today. And that 5K that I'm running tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

(And, by the way, on my run down the path I lost track of time as I ran. Once I checked my watch, I'd run 35 minutes. That was probably the length of a 5K. For tomorrow I think I am ready.)

What will that path look like and what will it have endured in another 13 years?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave-- Photos I've taken of my Nieces

2010-08-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

This summer I got to take some more photos of sweet baby girls. My niece Lana turned 1 in June and my niece Hatley turned 3 months in July. They were both adorable little photo models!

Who's next? :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave--Kalamata Olive Bread

2010-08-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had Safeway's Artisan Kalamata Olive Bread?

It's dee-licious.

'Nuff said. Feeing kinda down today, so I think I'll go eat the whole loaf. :)

Run Run Running for Mya

2010-08-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Tonight I ran. (walked 5 min, then ran 15 min., walked 5 min., ran 7 min., walked 4 min., ran 3 min, and cooled off by walking for about 10 minutes.) Whew! Feeling good, but a bit clumsy and "jello-y" here at home.

Was reminded why I'm doing this by my sister's post on FB tonite... here to share w/ you below:

"One year ago today our daughter went into cardiac arrest while being prepared for an open heart surgery and was hooked up to a life support system for the next 3 days. On the 7th, she went into surgery and arrested again. After a very last resort test, her true heart issue was finally revealed and a 2nd open heart su...rgery was performed on the 14th. Twenty two days after we went into the hospital, we were able to go home and nurse her back to health. Amazing how this week has been a very emotional time of rehashing many memories. Thank God that our little miracle girl recovered from it all. There is no doubt that the many prayers and skilled hands of the cardiac team at Children's Hospital saved her life- twice! Please help us support them by donating to our fundraising site: http://www.firstgiving.com/julietiegs"

Running and remembering a year ago today. Wow. Amazing.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

Friday Fave-- Bits and Pieces

2010-07-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is a really great blog.

If you're like me, you'll like it too.

Cathy Zielske posts stuff that interests me. She's 1. a wife, 2. a mom, 3. a graphic designer, 4. a scrapbooker, and 5. a runner. And she loves a lot of the same music that I love too. :)

Ninety-nine percent of her posts interest me. She shares her challenges, her tips, her tricks and her joys. And she is muy popular so she has some great sponsors and giveaways too.

She is an author of some great scrappy books, she teaches online classes for scrapbooking and you can purchase digiscrapping products that she's created. Most recently she was named in Ella's Top 10 Most Influential Scrapbookers for 2010. So pretty much, she rocks. :)

So if you've never visited her blog, you should! I'm pretty sure that if you're interested in my blog that you'll also be interested in hers.

Enjoy!

Mom-e-Memoirs

Three Kids.

Next Up: The Zweigle Family!

Shutterfly is my Favorite.

Twins.

Headshots

Miles.

Tour de Photos-- First up, Lana!

I adore you.

New Space to Make My Own

Chore Charts

Happy National Sugar Cookie Day!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Second Time is a Charm!

Wordless Wednesday

Final Assignment

In Memory

Friday Fave-- three year olds in tutus

Wordless Wednesday

Lesson Three: Portraiture 101

Wordless Wednesday

Blogroll Surprise

Wordless Wednesday

Lesson Two: Portraiture 101

Friday Fave-- 10 year old photo

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave: Portraiture 101

What's Up?

Friday Fave-- Nephew Photo Shoot

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Little Things

Wordless Wednesday

Products from Echo Park Paper Co.

Friday Fave-- The Rusted Chain

Wordless Wednesday

Failure.

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave: Being Published (and a giveaway).

24 hours later...

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Dreaming...

Friends, Love, Faith Faith Blog Hop (Updated)

Technique Tag

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave-- Valentines from Kids

Wordless Wednesday

Guest Tutorial over at MPTH

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave-- Printers

Wordless Wednesday

Olive Oil

Recent Projects

Wordless Wednesday-- circa 1984

Digi and Hybrid

Friday Fave-- Feeling Caught Up

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave-- Sisters!

Wordless Wednesday

Good Grief.

Christmas Banner

Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave-- GWAP (Gifts With a Purpose)

Wordless Wednesday

Be Still

Friday Fave-- Top 5 from a Recent Shoot

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday/Friday Fave

Crazy Run

Friday Fave-- John Deere Gear

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave--White Bean, Sausage and Pasta Soup

All You Need is Love