My View from here... daughter & friend

The NWR class is wrapping up this weekend. I am a little sad to already be at the end. But today's challenge sparked this layout.

It was several years ago that Bek and I were chatting on the phone and she said, "You know, Mom, just after Caden was born and we started hanging out."

It was said in such a casual way but it had a very profound impact on my heart. In those few short words was all the meaning - You are my friend, you are my buddy, you aren't just my mom! (and if computers could show tear-stains you would see them here!)

As a mother I've worked so hard to let my kids know that I love them so very much while still being the "heavy" and teaching them to do the right things. One of my favorite quotes is, "You teach your kids to grow-up and lead independent, responsible, adult lives... and then darned if they just don't go and DO IT!"

I am so grateful to call Rebekah my daughter, but more importantly, my friend.

The need to play

This week's class didn't include the normal Wednesday challenge so I decided I needed to play a little on my own. First I spent about half a day Thursday (always when I am able to get to the Wed challenge) getting all of my digi-scrapping elements reorganized. When I first started downloading all of the fun 2Ps freebie kits I renamed them! That makes for a nightmare now that I have a whole googalin of them!! I found some more kits that I'd passed up the first time around and added them as well.



I went looking for a fun photo to use for Jessica's Photoshop Friday prompt and ended up with this one from Disneyland last October. It makes me remember what fun we had and now I want to dive in and get the rest of it scrapped.

Riley discovers Gidget

Last Monday I told Gordon I wanted to make a trip to CA to see Auntie P and Spencer, Tricia and Riley. He replied, "Why don't you go this weekend!" And I said... why don't I? That being said... I flew out last Thursday from SLC to Burbank.

I'm having such a marvelous visit. The first night I was here Spencer, Tricia and Riley came over to Auntie P's, where I am staying. Riley has grown so fast. He is not even 7 months yet and already right off the chart! He is proportionate but right off the chart. He is 25 pounds and 33 inches tall. He has such a darling personality. Tricia says he is so dramatic. He throws back his head and laughs. He turns on the charm the minute you point the camera at him.

I love watching Spencer and Tricia with their darling little son. They are such a sweet and lucky family.

Learning SO Much

I am learning SO much with my online class! I am so glad that I decided to take this class. This week I learned about the burn tool. WOW! It is just like using chalk or ink when I paper-scrap. It will also add subtle shadowing (look at the letters that are woven with the ribbon).
Each day a new challenge... what more could I ask?

The only problem is that many of my pages are about the Vegas 2006 Girls' Getaway so I decided just to link each entry back to the original.

Monday- new lesson

Today is Monday which means that I am on to lesson 2 at JessicaSprague.com. I felt a little more adventurous this week and change out the paper and fonts to make the LO my own. (It is interesting to look at the online gallery and see scads of LOs all the same!)



Since this particular layout is from the 2006 Vegas trip it should probably be in the following post, but hey, scroll down or click the link to see the other pages!

This is the companion page done the following week. Lots of learning fun.

Vegas 2006 - a work in progress

I am finally digi-scrapping our Oct 2006 girls' getaway in Vegas. As I get more pages I will continue to post them here... so check back often...

I am such a lucky girl to have such good friends!!

(Isn't it about time for another girls' get together?)

I'm glad we all got the memo that this was PINK day!

Serious OCD/Addiction

This is the Saturday- Today- Start to Finish Challenge.

1. You'll take a photo of the assigned topic (this is the start part)
2. You'll edit your photo, and create a page with your photo using the prompts.
3. You'll save your layout and upload it to the gallery (this is the finish part).

The trick? From start-to-finish (well, I'll let you have your photo taken and open, and your papers chosen and open), you've only got 30 minutes. :D I want you to get out your timer, and you can have your paper open and your photo all ready to go, and even have your font installed and ready to use, but from the Start of your layout to the Finish, challenge yourself to 30 minutes or less. P.S. This layout must be from scratch - no templates...

I find that since I am in MT and JS is in ET I get my emails about 11-12 at night. I thought I would just glance at it last night so I could gear up for today.

Well... this is where the OCD comes in. I HAD to do the LO right then! It was fun, but I don't like having to work within a 30 min time limit.

" It is only an addiction if you are trying to quit!"

I saw this quote on someone else's post for this assignment.

Wednesday Challenge #1

The Wednesday Challenge for NWR was to do a layout about ourself using elements from a wonderful kit from Sweet Shoppe Designs. It is a great kit. It took me a couple of days to complete mine since I am gone all day on Wednesdays to the Temple. It was fun to think about who I am and locate photos of myself. At first I was going to document the whole hair saga, but decided to take this avenue instead.

The challenge was this-
Challenge #1:

* Use at least two patterned papers from our new Carnival kit
* Use a photo that contains an area you've selectively recolored
* Use at least 4 photos on the layout
* Make the layout about yourself
* Use column journaling
* Install and stamp a new brush you've downloaded (try Googling "free photoshop
brushes", or pick some up from your favorite digi store).
* Round at least two corners of an element on your page using the corner rounder
eraser from Lesson 1

Challenging enough? If you're up for it, give it a try! :D

I am thoroughly enjoying this class!

Back in Class

I decided I was going to take an online digital scrapbooking class at JessicaSprague.com. I'm in a four week class - Now We're Rockin' with Photoshop. It is an intermediate class... just right for me. I am excited about all the things I am going to learn. Of course there is the huge learning curve when I first get started.

I spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening doing this layout about Harley and Roxie. They came over for 3rd Sunday dinner. Roxie was so cute. She wasn't afraid of Harley, but blinked each time he came in for more doggie kisses. Sadly she is allergic to dog-slime and started breaking out in hives. A quick face wash took care of that problem.

One of the things I learned was how to use saturation/hue to make a sepia-tone photo and then add back in the color. I was very pleased with how easy it was. I just wish that Harley's tongue had shown up more.

I did my second layout in half the time it took for the first one. This time I manipulated the layers and added some more "torn" paper for this layout of little Riley. I am always amazed at how much he looks like Spencer.

But then I uploaded this photo of Spencer when he was 8 months old and I see how little Riley looks like his Mama too. He is so lucky to have two such good-looking parents... how could he not be cute?

The best part about scrapbooking is I have some of my favorite subjects to scrapbook about. Family is the greatest!