LOAD #7

The 2nd page to the layout I posted a couple days ago.  Pressed for time, so I'm glad I had this one started.

These photos were taken in Charlottesville, VA in July.  I was in DC for a CTMH event and had a week to kill back East before the Folger Shakespeare Library reunion the following weekend.  I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to visit the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA.  Well, it just so happened that Jan and Eric were at a conference in Charlottesville that same week!  Seriously, what are the odds!  They let me stay with them for a couple days, and we had a great time exploring the University and town.  I love spending time with them and am so glad we shared this experience.

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LOAD #6

The challenge was to create a filmstrip on the page.  I ran with prompt and created a layout that explains why I love photography.

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LOAD #5

Thank goodness for Studio J!  I would never be able to finish a layout a day without it.  Well, I guess I can't say never since I did complete LOAD 2008.  My point is that I wouldn't be able to finish it THIS month without Studio J.  The most time consuming part of this 1/2 of the layout was choosing the photos.  I'll add my journaling and the rest of the photos tomorrow.

Now I need to get to bed since I need to get up early to figure out a plan B for my Web Design class until we can get our web server set up.  We were eating up too much space on the school hard drive!

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LOAD #4

This layout has given me fits since the day I started it!  It was a WOTG that a club member selected, and I wasn't fond of the paper used in the sample.  I switched patterns and actually really liked the layout.  We were planning on spending Christmas 2008 with my mom in Boise, so I made this layout with specific photos in mind.  I was going to take a photo of the tree for the large focal point on the first page.  I was then going to take photos of the three couples and one of Katie and Kyle.  I had it all planned out and then our flight was canceled.  We were snowed in.  So, I went to plan B after building a snowman.  I had Neal take pictures of me playing in the snow; I even took a self-portrait with my snowman.  I uploaded my photos for printing, but they didn't print.  I tried printing them again but couldn't find them when I wanted to finish the layout.  After printing for a third time, I gave up...that was two years ago!  I ran across the photos last night and decided that it was time to finish this layout!  I almost had a fit when my journaling came out with uneven margins.  Yet, I'm so ready to be done with this that I pulled out a stamp set, stamped Merry and Bright a few times and am calling it good.  I will say that, even though this layout has been a bit of a curse, I absolutely LOVE this photo of Neal!

The journaling reads, "This wasn’t the Christmas we had planned.  Nature thwarted our trip to Boise to spend the holiday with my family.  Neal and I were at the airport when my mom called to say our flight had been cancelled.  I was so disappointed.  During our trek home, we debated driving but didn’t want to risk it.  In the end, we spent Christmas with Kit and Tanis.  Neal tried to salvage his plants, and I spent an afternoon building a snowman!  The snowman lasted for over a week.  He eventually melted and we had to go back to work, but we will always remember the winter we were snowed in!"

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LOAD #3

I went classic style for today's Layout a Day!  The challenge was to focus on photography and create a layout with a photo that tells the story...no journaling!  As I'm in a bit of a journaling mood, this was actually a real challenge.  Yet, once I remembered this photo...I've been wanting to scrapbook it since 2008...it was easy.  The photo and the title say it all!  I'm a little bummed that the weather is so crappy today, because this layout (including the photo) are much more vibrant in real life.  My picture doesn't do it justice.  This layout was inspired by a layout in the Summer 2009 Idea Book.  I used Daydream Level 2, Blush ink, Fresh Shapes DE, Booksmart DE, Clear & Bitty Sparkles.

This is a little note to myself to remind me that I don't have to complete all of Lain's daily challenges for LOAD 2010.  I had a great time doing it this weekend, but my time is at a premium during the week, so that's when I'll go back to completing some of my partially created layouts.  I have so many that I want to finish, so that is my personal challenge this month.  Anything extra is simply a bonus.

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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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LOAD #31 ~ It's Over!

My LOAD Challenge is officially over and I did it! I managed to create a layout a day for the entire month of May! It was difficult at times due to my workload at school, but I'm glad that I stuck with it. Now, for the bad news...I got on the scale this morning...not pretty! I will be taking a break from the Internet until I lose the 5 pounds I gained this month. It is amazing how quickly it comes back on when I only exercise once or twice a week. I've got to get back up to my five or six times a week and really increase the intensity of my workouts.
Again, I used a Scenic Route class kit to finish my layouts for today. This was the final day of our Disney Cruise vacation last summer. I wrote that I was disappointed that we didn't go to Disneyland that day, but it really did end up being the perfect way to end our vacation. We walked around the pier and surrounding areas. I got to take a lot of photos, and we simply relaxed and enjoyed each other's company while soaking in the beautiful weather.

Okay, now I'm off to exercise! Wish me luck in shedding these pounds!!!

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LOAD #28

I can't believe that I've finally finished this mini-album! I still want to do a page to sum up the entire month and experience, but that will be primarily text. As tragic of a month as this was in my life, I'm so glad I'm ending on this high note. This was they day that I hung out with some of the crew members of Star Trek: Of Gods and Men at Universal Studios. We were a bunch of goof balls; it was so fun. That evening was amazing, though! I met Lana Lane and Erik Norlander at a restaraunt in LA. They are progressive rock artists and I love their music. When I found out that I was going to be in LA, I took a chance and contacted them through MySpace. They agreed to meet me to discuss the posibility of using their song "Romeo and Juliet" when I directed the play. As much of a Shakespeare fanatic as I am, I didn't like R&J until I heard that song. It was what made me want to direct the play and inspired my entire concept for the production. The song was essential! I couldn't afford to pay royalties, so I was overjoyed when they granted me the rights to use the song and film it for a DVD release! They were so friendly, gracious and generous. I could definitely see being friends with them if we lived closer.

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LOAD #26

The LOAD prompt today was to push myself, so I finally decided to complete the pages that deal with Adrianne's death. I cut up a pair of jeans for the fabric on the page and wrote the following on the back:

"The last conversation Adrianne and I had was in the hall outside the office. I asked her about the holes in her jeans and she said she couldn't afford new pants. I asked her what size she wore since my 10s no longer fit me since I had gained a bunch of weight back. Even though she was smaller than that, she appreciated the offer. I told her I would bring the pants when I got back from LA. I had no idea it would be the last time I saw her. She died that weekend in a drunk driving accident. I swore that I would get back into those pants--it took me two years to get my act together, and I almost gave up, but I lost the weight before her class graduated. I now wear a size 8. I will never forget AW!"

On a related side note, the ScrapHappy January 2008 LOAD Challenge taught me that I could do anything for 30 days. I started a cleanse in February of 2008 and lost 45 pounds in 5 months! I've kept the weight off and am gearing up for another cleanse this summer with the goal of losing another 10 pounds. The May 2009 LOAD Challenge is almost over--it has been a good reminder that I can accomplish my goals!

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LOAD #25

I didn't have much to finish on my LO today, but it still took me awhile since I had to stamp and cut out all the letters for the title. I tell you...I love the Rustic Alpha stamp set! I use it all the time. I'm really excited about it now that I've started using my Back Country papers and embellishments; they are so cute! I spoke to my mom this afternoon and am going to look through all our old camping photos when I stay with her next month for my nephew's graduation. It will be fun to scrapbook my childhood memories. I have a few funny and highly embarrassing camping stories to tell!

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LOAD #24

I'm getting a jump start on the Back Country WOTG for my club next month. I'm uploading the second page today and will finish the title and journaling on the first page of the LO tomorrow. I need to get some information from my husband to find out exactly where we were on this road trip after I got my first brand new car. It was very exciting!

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LOAD #23

This is the second 1/2 of the Omak Fair layout I started yesterday. Although the photos are bad, it is a reminder of a fun day we spent together as a family. On a product note, I'm having so much fun with Heartfelt Whimsy!

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LOAD #22

This is another LO where I am embracing imperfection. My pen kept slipping as I outline the letters...oh well! Another page complete and photos that I've had for 16 years are now in an album. Life is good.

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LOAD #21

I'm having so much fun with this set and my old photos! The Heartfelt Whimsy collection makes me happy! I did break out the Waxy Flax tonight and inked some edges, but this layout still took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I'm now going to go to bed early!

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LOAD #20

As soon as I saw Heartfelt Whimsy in the new Idea Book, I knew that I had to pull out my old Let's Get Together papers! This is from the Level 1 kit that I received when I became a CTMH consultant a couple years ago...LOL! Hey, at least I'm using it now. :-) This page went together so fast; I even refrained from inking the edges of the Stickease. I was all about a quick and easy tonight. The longest part of the process was finding the photos...I need a new system. Anyway, these are really old and really bad, but they still let me tell the story of my fun summers in Moscow with Neal, Angie, Pat and Katie. Ahhh...the good old days!

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LOAD #19

This is the second page to the LO I started yesterday. I really like this sketch. I was able to finish it while my club members were putting together their Tickled Pink kits. It was a fun night! I only wish I wasn't so exhausted. My cats kept waking me up all night and morning; now it is slightly after 10pm and I can't function. I'm posting this and going to bed!

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LOAD #18

I'm back to the Unforgettable kit...I really am determined to use all of the paper this month! I can't believe how much I still have left over. Anyone who says they can't afford to scrapbook hasn't purchased a CTMH paper pack! I decided to use the exact same sketch from the Tickled Pink kit; it's fun to see how different a LO can look based on paper and the placement of embellishments.

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LOAD #17

After working on the 2nd 1/2 of my LO, I decided that I didn't like how the title turned out, so I went back and made some changes to the first page. I'm much happier with it now. It says, "I am...45 pound lighter!" This page is a celebration of my accomplishment in losing weight and gaining a healtier lifestyle. The journaling is in white gel pen, so it may be difficult to read. The journaling strips say, "I am...fit!" "I am...healthy!" "I am...so happy!"

Now I'm off to spend the rest of my day doing chores, exercising, and grading essays...fun times!

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LOAD #16

I'm playing with my before and after photos and the new Tickled Pink set. I'll finish the 2nd page with journaling strips tomorrow.

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