LOAD #2

Another digi layout for the LOAD 2010 Challenge.  The prompt asked me to spend some time thinking about what made my life situation unique.  I instantly thought about the fact that Neal and I don't have kids and that our attention is solely focused on each other.  We have a unique bond as a result.  Here is my journaling:


"We buried Kit on September 21, 2010. When we finished, we stood looking down on the graves of our “babies,” Kit and Tanis. We realized that, after over 18 years, we are alone. Like parents whose kids go off to college, we are empty nesters. I don’t think I truly understood the depth of that phrase, and I probably still don’t, but I have a better understanding of the emptiness parents must feel when their last child moves out. Neal asked me if I regretted not having children, and I can honestly say that I don’t! We are childless by CHOICE, and I think that makes all the difference. I shared that a friend told me that I don’t know what I’m missing, and she is absolutely right. I don’t know, so I don’t miss it! What I do know is that Neal and I gave more love and attention to our cats than some people give their children. We also have a love that many married couples don’t have because our focus is entirely on each other. So, we may miss the joys of raising children and watching our grandchildren grow, but we will also miss the heartache. Instead, we get to nourish our love and experience a depth of commitment to each other that is beyond words. Our house feels empty right now without the pitter-patter of kitty paws, but my best-friend and soul-mate is still here, so I know I will never be alone!"


On a side note, I'm cleansing today because I was really sick last night.  Not fun!

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LOAD #1

Lain Ehman's Layout a Day challenge started today!  I was at school late and didn't have much time, so I used a digital quick page to create this layout.  Lain's challenge to us this time is to focus on storytelling, so I'm less worried about the products I use and more centered on crafting a good story.  The prompt today was "Once upon a time."  As I'm still mourning the loss of Kit, my guess is that many of my layouts over the next week or so will be about her!  The journaling reads:

"Once upon a time, there were two beautiful cats named Kit and Tanis. On a fateful day in May, they were rescued from a garbage can, and their people knew that Kit and Tanis must come live with them. The two kittens brought so much joy to their people, and the people fell deeply in love with the little fur balls. Over the next 18 years, Kit and Tanis made the house feel like a home and were the children their people would never have. Yet, Tanis was the first to go, and Kit mourned her loss right along with her people. Kit wandered the house at night, searching, searching in vain for a sister that was forever gone. This sadness took its toll on Kit, and she ended up leaving her people 8 months later. The emptiness their people felt was profound, and loneliness swept through the house. Yet, as they shared stories of Kit and Tanis, the people began experiencing joy again. Memories of Kit and Tanis will help their people live happily ever after."

I'm going to be out of town for several days this month, so I need to get my digital files organized and placed on my laptop so that I can continue with the challenge on the road.

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1st Order as a Studio J Member!

I'm so excited about my Studio J Membership!  I just ordered four layouts (8 pages total) for 1/2 off with FREE shipping, FREE page protectors, and FREE JPG files for the web and for printing.  Studio J membership seriously rocks!

Although one of the main goals of Studio J is to do layouts quickly, I actually spent a lot of time on these two layouts about Kit.  After losing her a week ago, I needed to scrapbook her stories to process my grief.  I wanted to take the time to make sure these layouts honored her and expressed my love for her.  I think they are pretty amazing...just like my sweet Kit!

I also took a bit of time with this layout earlier in the summer, because I was trying to figure out how to make my own B&T paper with text.  This is a direct scraplift from the Studio J website!  I posted a screen shot of it earlier, but now you can see the details.

Now, this layout is what Studio J is all about!  I modified my old, out of focus photos in Studio J.  I used the embellishments that came preloaded on the page and simply added a few My Stickease as a title and to cover up a Diet Pepsi can...LOL!  This layout took me less than 1/2 hour and most of that time was spent editing my photos.

If you want some of this scrappy goodness for yourself, let me know and I'll hook you up with a Studio J membership!  I'm going to demonstrate it at the THS FBLA Scrapbooking Crop on October 23rd; I can't wait to share Studio J with everyone I know!

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More Studio J Layouts

I completed another batch of Studio J layouts and they are waiting to be filed away into albums. I love how quick and easy each layout comes together. The quality of the photos I used on the "Love Story" layout were really bad--complete user error--but the layout still looks great. I did journal about the fact that the photos are blurry so that anyone looking at the layout will know that they were used intentionally. My favorite LO is "Enjoy" which is a CTMH scraplift!

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Why Scrapbooking Matters

To stop her suffering, Neal and I made the painful decision to put Tanis down Friday evening. This has been an awful weekend. After we brought her home, I posted a photo on my personal journal/blog. Neal copied the photo onto his computer and then asked me if I had pictures from when the cats were young, because he doesn't have any. I looked at him a little funny and said, "I have scrapbooks of the cats!" He said, "Oh, I guess scrapbooking is good after all." Really? It took this moment for him to realize why scrapbooking matters?! Perhaps this will motivate him to actually look at some of my scrapbooks from time to time.

I started this page a couple weeks ago as part of the Design Your Life class at BPS. I knew the cats were getting old, and I wanted to tell their stories while they were alive so it wouldn't be so painful. I thought I could also use this project to practice my digital scrapbooking skills. I had no idea that Tanis was going to leave us so soon! Now it is more important than ever that I tell her stories before the memories fade.

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LOAD #15

I'm so exhausted today, so I'm really glad I only had to find and trim photos plus add my journaling. Once again, I didn't have a plan for my journaling, I simply started writing. What I discovered is that I'm thankful that the Schaub's still own the ranch as it is the last family home from my childhood that I can still visit.

So, why am I so exhausted, you ask? I was up until nearly 1am cleaning the 3 Ps from my cats. Kit also woke us up at 3am. Apparantly, she didn't get the memo that this is high on my list of why I DIDN'T have kids! I'm cranky when I don't get enough sleep. Argh!

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LOAD #8

I had a little more time to work on my LO today since I stayed home from school so the mobile vet could come over. I used the Reflections book to find a sketch and continued to use up my Unforgettable kit...I still have a lot left!

I'm going to the school play tonight and need to leave in a few minutes, so I don't have time to write a full review of the Star Trek. Let's just say I loved it! I can't wait to see it in IMAX this weekend.

Here's a photo of my poor baby getting shaved. I'll post the "after" shots tomorrow...she looks so funny!

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