A New Obsession...

I have to admit it...I've been bitten by the Through-the-Viewfinder bug! Have you given it a try?? Basically, you find an older camera with a super cool viewfinder...some of them have really cool markings or guides or numbers. Then you just put your digital camera's lens up to the viewfinder of your old camera and take your picture that way. Such a cool effect! I was lucky enough to find an old Minolta 35mm of my sister's that has a very cool viewfinder with numbers down the side. Here are just a couple of the shots that I took...they're straight out of the camera, other than a bit of cropping to get rid of excess black around the shot:

Now I need to start looking for some more old cameras to see what other kinds of viewfinders I can find. Give it a try...but I'll warn you...you'll be hooked, too!

Let's see...what else is happening...the fabulous Jodie McNally is in the Designer Spotlight over at Oscraps! She has some really fun challenges, freebies, and prizes...you should check it out!! Here are a couple layouts that I did for her retro challenges...one for the "i'm still obsessed" challenge and one for the "what's old is new again" challenge:

And she has some new word art in the store, too. Anyone like games?? She has a very fun "game night" pack:

And I've actually made a couple pages just for me...can you believe it?? :) I picked up Fei-Fei's Stuff's new "Make It Count" kit and made a couple pages.

I haven't done a big-picture-page in a while but I just loved that shot of my niece, Emily, with her little toesies and her colorful book so...I decided to make it huge! :)

Oooo...have you been following the "Capture the Flag" contest going on over at Funky Playground Designs?? It's a contest to find the next big digital designer and my friend Leah has been rockin' the competition!! Only two weeks left!! I'm so excited to see what she creates for this round!! (Shout out to Leah...holla! LOL!!) You are doing an amazing job, girl!!!

Okay...I think I've sufficiently bored you with my babbling and layouts. :) I'm off to bed...seems I've developed another sinus infection...yay. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

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A Good Cause...

Can you believe it's April already?? Thank goodness!! I can't wait for the warmer weather to start! We have some little buds on our trees and some flowers are starting to bloom...not many but at least it's a start. So not only is April wonderful because of the promise of Spring...it's also National Autism Awareness Month. (The layout above is a page I did about my sweet little niece, Emily called "i wish you would let me in.") It's such a misunderstood disorder and they're learning more and more about it all the time but we really need to do what we can to help spread awareness. It's so frustrating when people give the looks and the comments...like "that child needs some discipline." They have no idea what's really going on. It's much more complicated than just needing a time-out. If we could get the word out to parents and children alike, to raise awareness...to promote understanding and patience and tolerance...that would be such a wonderful thing!! Since today is Worldwide Autism Awareness day, I thought I'd tell you all about a really good cause. This amazing digital kit is available at Oscraps:

These amazing designers got together to create a beautiful kit to help a friend of Kitty's whose child was just diagnosed with a form of autism, just after her husband lost his job. They have no insurance and can't afford to pay any therapy. If you know anything about autism, you know that early intervention is key. It's a huge kit...just under 500 MB!! And it's 20% off today...$7.20 and it all goes to help a child in need. I'd love for you to help if you can. If you're not a digi scrapper, please consider giving a donation to Autism Speaks . And I understand that money is tight so if you're not able to make a monetary donation, please just take the opportunity some time throughout this month to bring up the subject of autism in some way. To your friends, on your blog, on a message board, in some way, let's help break the silence surrounding autism. Thank you for letting me stand on my soapbox a little today!! I'm hoping and praying for a day when autism is a thing of the past. Thank you for stopping by and have a great day!!

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You guys are so sweet!!

Hi, everyone!! (That's my little card for all of you! {cheese!} I made it using Dianne's Hearts and Crafts kit.) A little info to share...Unfortunately, when Jesse was in the hospital, I felt like I had to step down from my DT position at AC Bailey. But can I just tell you how sweet all of the DT ladies have been through all of this??? I have received so many gorgeous cards and beautiful ATC cards to lift my spirits. I'm so touched at their thoughtfulness. Jesse went back to school almost two weeks ago and his first day back felt like the first day of kindergarten all over again. I was so worried! DH and I struggled with the decision...we didn't want to send him back too soon but we knew he was getting stronger and missing his friends so we just felt like it was time to get him back to a sense of normalcy. Well...on that first day back, my mailman knocked on my door and guess what?? Leah had sent me a big ol' box of happiness!! The timing was perfect! She sent me the most beautiful papers (can you say, Sassafras Lass??? yummy.) and fabulous journaling spots and super cute Flair and Thickers and..oh my...just a ton of wonderful goodies! I couldn't believe it. It seriously made me teary. (I had been a weepy mess all day so...it was bound to happen.) Anyway, I just want to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all of the super sweet and uber thoughtful ladies over at AC Bailey. You guys are the bestest!! {{HUGS, hugs, and more hugs!!}}
So Jesse is better and back to school but...Syd came home Wednesday...with the stomach flu. Ugh. She's still sick...poor little girlie can't keep anything down...but it does seem to be letting up some. But before all of that started, I did manage to get some pages finished that I thought I'd share. Here's a hybrid layout that I made using Dianne Rigdon's Flit and Flutter kit and a digital layout using her "Shabby Love" kit:

And...Traci Murphy has a new collaboration kit, "Love in the Rain" in the store at Funky Playground Designs. I made a little layout with it and it ended up in the Spotlight at ScrapArtist. Woohoo! A $5 gift certificate to the store! :) Yay! Here's the page:

Let's see...what else...Jodie has some new word art in the Oscraps store that I love so I put this layout together using it:

And one using her holiday/vacation word art:

And finally...I bought an amazing kit from Catherine Designs at After5Designs called "Creation 23." Oh my...it's loaded with fun little elements and gorgeous papers. So I did a little playing...just for me. :) Here are a couple pages that I made using it:

Did I overload you with pages?? :) Thanks for hangin' in there with me! And thanks again, to everyone for all the sweet comments and lovely cards and ATC's and thank you, again, Leah, for your amazing generousity. You are a sweet and caring lady...thank you!!! I'm off to tend to a little lady that's not feeling so great. Is anyone else ready for summer break?? Have a great day!! Thanks for stopping by!!

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Some good news...

Most of my online friends know about the scare that we had with my son, Jesse.  In case you don't know...my son was in the ICU in Morgantown for four days a couple weeks ago.  They suspected meningits which was scary but seeing Jesse in so much pain...even the morphine wasn't helping at first...was the worst part.  We had lots of things going on...waiting to see if it was meningitis, knowing that he hada super-severe sinus infection that they were treating, acute renal failure, low heart rate, fever, vomiting...it was all very terrifying.  But, after it was all said and done, it was not meningitis...just the crazy sinus infection wreaking havoc on his body.  He was released after five days and he was sent home with five different meds and a heart monitor that he had to wear for 48 hours.  We have to monitor his kidney levels and they're continuing to fall which is wonderful news and he has an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist tomorrow so hopefully we'll get the 'all-clear' on that, too.  He's doing SO much better...it's been a few days since he's had a headache. Yay!!  And we're doing a pretty good job of keeping up with his homework thanks to his Aunt Kelli and cousin, Kylie.  They've been gathering his work from the teachers and getting it to us.  We have had so many people praying for Jesse and the family and people offering to help in any way they can...it's been overwhelming to say the least.  John's co-workers took up a collection to help out with travel expenses, his grandmother gave us money in case we needed to stay at a hotel, my brother and sister-in-law kept Sydney a few nights while we stayed with Jesse at the hospital, my mom and dad  kept Sydney and drove me to the doctor (I had bronchitis and sinusitis while all of this was going on) and back out to Morgantown, they fed our doggie and kept everyone up to date on Jesse's progress, John's sister Kelli has made sure that the school and all of Jesse's teachers know what's going on and we have had countless people adding Jesse to prayer lists and prayer chains...such blessings in the midst of a tough time.  We'll never be able to thank everyone enough but...thank you everyone!!  Your kindness overwhelmed us and continues to do so.  Hugs to all and keep us in your prayers for tomorrow...I thought I'd post a little picture of Jesse with his comfort food...toast with jelly and hot tea.  Have a good day, everyone...thanks for stopping by!!

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My First Freebie Attempt...

I was working with one of the fun little digital kits from the one of our designers at AC Bailey for my DT requirements this month, and I decided to make a little freebie! I emailed Jenn, the designer, and she gave me permission to post it...thank you, Jenn!! The kit is called "Spellbound" by Creative Confusion and it's available in the store now. :) So...I decided to make some Valentines for those (like my son) that don't like all the pinks and reds of Valentines day. These Valentines are blue, green, cream...a touch of black for good measure. ;) I made a sheet that's ready for printing...each Valentine is about 3x4 inches.
Download here

Like I said, this is my first attempt so if you have any problems, let me know! I hope you like 'em!! Have a great day!!

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I'm a StepMom!!

Well, technically I'm a hybridMom but MiYon's back-up CT is called StepMoms so I'm a StepMom! MiYon is the fabulous Scarletheels whose fabulous designs are at CatScraps and I am honored to be part of her team. She put out a call for her back-up team...one layout per month...I can handle that!! :) And she emailed me to ask if I would be interested in being a hybrid CT member. Um...heck yeh!! So I can create as much as I want but my requirements are one hybrid LO every other month...digi on the other months. Sooo...I downloaded my first kit and it is gorgeous!! It's called "Muse's Return" and here are my first official layouts for MiYon. (The first one above, the second one here...)

Isn't that kit dreamy and magical??? It's funny...I always sort of leaned toward the digital stuff that looked like traditional pages but I am really loving the freedom that comes with the whimsical, dream-like pages. And Traci has a fabulous new kit in the store now! It's called "Love Plus One" and it is so yummy! Lots of doodly hearts and the cutest little elephants EVAH! :) I made tow LO's over the weekend using the new kit and even though they're similar, I liked both of them for different reasons so...I uploaded both of them. Here they are....

Awww...weren't we cute?? That's a picture of DH and I that my picture took a *few* years ago. {hehe!} Let me see...what else....Jodie McNally has some really fun new date dots and alpha dots in the store and some new papers so I made a quick and simple P365 layout using all of her new stuff.

Hangin' in there?? Too many layouts?? :) I've been away from the blog so long, I got a little behind on my layout posting. So I have a few more...Dianne Rigdon has some really fun new goodies in her store. Lots of bling and super cute doodles...I played a little with those...here's what I came up with:

And I almost forgot...I broke out Traci's Artistic Frames and Alphas again and my a little layout those and a bunch of other Traci-goodies. :0)

*whew!* That's the last of 'em!! Did you make it through?? ;) What can I say...I've been busy! {hehe!!} And I really am keeping up with my pic-of-the-day...haven't missed a day yet. I'm just very bad at getting them uploaded to the internet. I'll be sharing some of those next time.And finally...have you all been to AC Bailey lately?? Erica has been hard at work giving the store and message board a facelift and it looks great!! You should stop by and check it out when you get the chance. Thanks for stopping by and hanging in there with me all the way to the end! Have a great night!

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Just playing...

Oh my goodness...has it really been that long since my last post?? Gees. Oh well..no excuses...just right to the point. A little (okay...probably not-so-little) explanation about the layout above. I bought a sweet new digital kit just to play with...just for me and I was so excited to get it downloaded and start playing...WWEEEE!! Well...those of you who know me know that I have satellite internet service which can be a little unreliable during nasty weather. Nasty weather like we've been having for days...ice, snow, little more ice...fog...blah, blah. Anyway, this big ol' kit that I bought was huge and it was separated into about 5 or 6 different parts. So I started downloading...and then...kaput. I got one set of papers and two sets of elements before it stalled and I just couldn't wait for the rest of it...I had to start playing. I was able to grab the rest of the kit today and wow!! It's so magical and surreal!! Oh my goodness..I suppose I should tell you the name of the kit and designer, right?? :) It's called "Secret Garden" by Lily Designs and it is loaded with fun goodies like fairy dust and wings and stunning papers. I had such a good time getting lost in my own little world making that magical layout of Syd. Okay...on to some other things.

I've decided to join some of my friends and play along with the Project 365 that's all the rage this year. At first, I found myself taking artsy-fartsy pictures that may have been pretty but really had no bearing on my life. So I decided that instead of just committing to taking one photo a day, I would make sure that I took a photo every day that had some meaning to that particular day in my life. They may not be the best or gallery worthy, but they will be how I want to document my year. My friend, Leah, started a Flickr group for us so we can all help each other stick with the challenge. For that gallery, we decided to upload the pictures straight out of the camera...no tweaking or cropping. But I'm sure I'll be doing some adjusting to my pictures before I actually use them. Here's my first picture....

My kids have cereal every morning before they go to school so I just snapped a picture of Syd's Apple Jacks. Silly...but part of our day. And here's my second one...

The story behind that one is...I was taking the tree down and un-decorating and Syd was really sad about it. She asked me if I would leave her little Christmas tree up in her room "forever" so that's why I chose that picture. Oh...and then our fridge decided to quit working on us so that why I snapped this shot:

So you see...not the most fascinating shots, eh?? :) But at least I've been keeping up...yay!! Okay...here are a couple layouts that I wanted to share...I just made this one for Traci Murphy using her gorgeous Artistic Frames and Alphas:

And finally, I made this fun little layout using Jodie McNally's Geek Chic word art pack.

And I was so excited when I got an email from Lauren Pieters telling me that my geek layout had been featured on the Gallery Standouts blog!! Wha?? Yay!! Oh...and one more thing...I got an email a couple days ago from Scrapbook News and Review telling me that a digi layout that I submitted was accepted and will be published in the next issue! More Yay!! :)

Okay...whew!! I think I really am finished rambling now. Hope I didn't overload you with junk!! Thanks for stopping by!!

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