1 more cruise photo

That last post would only let me include 5 photos. So here is one more.

Cruise photos

Here are some photos from our recent cruise in the Caribbean. I will including more photos with explainations later. :)

Scrapbooking the Girls

I love when Candace and Diana come up to chat about life for the day. Here is a page I did of their visit today. I have been waiting to use this cool "Urban Acid" photo effect. These pictures seemed perfect. I love the big one of Candace... she is so photogenic.

Layout Credits:
Paper and elements from Jen Wilson's Soho Sass
Frames are from Gina Cabrera at DDE

Switching to 12 by 12

I have decided to switch my scrapbooking layouts to a 12 by 12 format. I feel like it is a much easier to use size. The only problem is printing the larger size. I had been using My Publisher for my 11 x 8.5 layouts (they print a coffee table style book for $30). Now I think I will switch to Srapbooks to Share, and just print my layouts page by page through them, then put each page in a traditional scrapbook album. Doing 12 by 12 in a coffee table style book does not seem like a good option (they seem to be over $100). Hmmm... there has to be a better option for 12 by 12.

Blending layers in Photoshop

I have been experimenting with blending in Photoshop, so this is my 1st page using blending. Most of the products in this layout are from Peppermint Creative. I used her stamped alphabet and blended two papers together from the Eclectic Lantern kit.

The Goodwins

I have been practicing making a curved line. :)

Libby page

I have started to use scraplifting and sketched to improve my scrapbooking. This was a sketch challenge from Heather Ann Designs. The paper and elements are form the same site (too cute clipboard kit), and the journaling font is Pea Alisha.

Week 3 DNTS entry

Paper and elements for this layout are from Miss Mint's Elementary Grammar kit
Clipboard is from heather ann designs: too cute clipboard mini kit

Journaling: Lilli: Ellwood, what do you think is important for people to know about you?
Ellwood: Ellwood is fascinating on so many levels. I don’t know where to begin.
Lilli: Whatever Ellwood, just give us ten things about yourself.
Ellwood: ok- #1 Ellwood is a Pug, we don’t have snouts
Lilli: skip the obvious stuff
Ellwood: #2. Some people think Ellwood is a spaz.
Lilli: Why would they think that?
Ellwood: I love people and animals. I get so excited around new people and dogs that they don’t want to play with me. I jump all over them and make lots of noise.
#3. Elwood also really likes to go to The People’s house and see the rest of the family.
Lilli: Note: “The People” are my parents. Ellwood usually spends a day there each week and gets really excited when we say, “Do you want to go to The People’s?”
Ellwood: #4. You don’t feed Ellwood nearly enough. Pugs are supposed to be chubby. I want your food. That is why I make the sad face when you are eating.
#5. Ellwood loves peanut butter, liver, fruit, and cheese.
#6. Ellwood enjoys long walks on the beach and playing at the park.
#7. Ellwood always get stuff stuck in his eyes.
Lilli: Then we have to take you to the vet.
Ellwood: #8. Ellwood loves going to the vet. Everyone pays lots of attention to me; like the time I swallowed a needle. Greg stayed home with me the day after the surgery.
#9. Ellwood likes to take your stuff. I put stuff in my mouth and run when people try to get it back. You can’t catch me. It’s very funny. Sometimes you trade with me to get it back.
: #10. Ellwood had a hard time letting you know he is angry. So I poop in the house to let you know that I am not happy.
Lilli: Ok, that is all we need to know.
Ellwood: one more… #11. All Ellwood needs is love… and food, sleep, and time to play.

Fence Warning

This is a public service announcement. Please heed my warning. Do not build a fence. If you must build a fence, then have someone else do it or build a vinyl fence so you won't have to do any staining and the fence comes in sections so there are less boards to put up.

We are on day 11 of building our fence and still not done. Let me repeat, DAY 11! As a teacher, I look forward to leisurely summer days. This was not what I had in mind. First it was plaining (sp?)the boards (crummy load of cedar fencing), then over a week of staining (still not done with that part), digging post holes, hauling rock and concrete, now I am nailing the fencing up. I will never build a fence again. It is going to take my body all summer to heal from the sunburn and pain from this experience. It is a good thing I will have my fenced backyard to do that healing in.

Week 2 DNTS contest entry

This page was created using peppermint creative's South Hampton kit and the Big Picture Photoshop action from Photoshop exchange.

I am loving this contest because it is forcing my to scrapbook. Sometimes I need the encouragement. This weeks assignment was to experiment with type and to scrapbook something a loved one frequently says.

I feel like the layout is not completely balanced. Any suggestions?

Bird story

I didn't include on the pages that Greg originally wanted to kill it, we called the police department asking them what to do and they also told us to kill it, that I tried to feed the first bird, we tried to teach it to fly, or that we dropped the 1st bird down the chimney twice not learning from our mistakes.

DNTS week 1

This was my week one entry into the "Digital's Next Top Scrapper" contest on Peppermintcreative.com. I turned it in the same day the assignment was given and now I wish that I had waited. I have more ideas for the layout. I wish that I had used stitching and photo corners around the journaling. Oh well, I am still pleased with the result. I really entered the contest for the motivation to scrapbook as well as the discount given to purchase prodcts for the contest.

Life at 28

Well, the birthday weekend festivities are over. I am 28 and struggling to figure out how that makes me feel. I am not at the age yet where I feel old, but I am really starting to see years going by quicker than I would like. Each year another door gets closed off. Silly things like after I turned 16 I knew I would not ever be an Olympic figure skater. Not that I ever had a chance or even worked toward that goal (I never even figure skated), but I just didn't like the thought that there was something I couldn't do. When I was 24 I read, surely in some stupid magazine that has a goal of making women feel terrible, that at 24 you would be at the most attractive of your life. Looking in the mirror, I thought, "This is as good as it gets? Oh crap!". Now, I am supposed to be a stable grown-up. I am, but what if I want to go back to school to be a lawyer or a chemical engineer or something? I really can't without disrupting lives around me. If I am going to have children, the reasonable window to start will be up in a few years. I may never get to do things like teach overseas.

I can honestly says that I am very content with life at 28, I just wish I didn't feel the doors of what is possible closing at such a deep level. I really am starting to see the need to stop putting off things I want to do for "someday".

Mother's Day 2006

I completed this layout after taking this picture with my mom today, Mother's Day. It may look a little cluttered, but I was just in that mood. I had such a nice day having brunch with my family.

Just doing a quick test to see how easy it is to change my blog banner.

Week 2 of my digital scrapbooking class

I am learning so many shortcuts and tips for Photoshop Elements 4 during this class. There are things every week that are going to change the way I use that program. It seems that for everything that previously felt awkward while using PSE, there is an easier way to do it (duh!).

Week 1 of Digital Scrapbooking Class

These are pages from the first week of my digital scrapbooking class. I am not sure how useful it is to scrapbook my digital life, but I am definitely learning a ton about Photoshop Elements!

My Digital Life

I am taking an online class, Doing it Digi!, to learn more about Photoshop Elements and digital scrapbooking. Renee Pearson is teaching the class at http://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/ We are making a mini-album about our digital life to apply our new Photoshop Elements knowledge. When I first read that were would be scrapbooking about our digital life I was not very excited, but now the idea has grown on me. Digital technology impacts everyone's life whether they intentionally include it or not. My life probably has more digital technology in it than others because I love technology and therefore seek it out.

Here are some examples of digital technology in my life:

• old and new laptop
• cell phone
• thumb drive
• digital camera
• wireless broadband router and modem
• digital video recorder to record my favorite shows
• Photoshop Elements and other important software that makes my life easier and more enjoyable
• email
• XM satellite radio
• blackboard technology that allowed me to get my Master's Degree online
• DVD player
• Greg's ipod
• Greg's fancy shmancy work stuff
• Playstation
• digital scrapbooking
• blogging
• Dell Axim
• the DVDs my Dad make of our family videos and the technology he uses to do it
• video streaming cart at work
• white board at work
• message boards that allow me to connect with people that have my specific interests: www.twopeasinabuket.com and www.pugs.com
  

What else...

This layout was created using elements from the 2peas March kit.

Driving home from Tim's birthday party today I found myself pondering the similarities between Jake and Ellwood. I acknowledge that Jake doesn't eat needles or get stuff stuck in his eyes, but in some ways they are two peas in a pod. Perhaps strongest common thread they have connecting them is the amount of love I feel for each of them.

Here are my first two experiments making Ellwood's face into a brush in Photoshop Elements. My Dad had this great idea (Is this what you meant Dad?). I chose this photo because I thought Elwood looked reflective and poetic in it. Yes, I know I really love my dog. I had trouble chosing a color for each square. I tried to remember all the color theory I have learned and, well, just couldn't remember. :) Which one do you like better? Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know.

Lilli
Yesterday Ellwood had another play date with Sophie. They played all day both at the beach and at home. Ellwood had another small eye injury (I know, we really is quite the nerd), but seems to be fine now. They wouldn't rest all day, and when Sophie left, Ellwood was so tired that he literally could walk correctly.

This was my first real attempt at digital scrapbooking and I am already hooked!