Completed My First 9x9 Album

I have completed my first 9x9 album! Thirty-five layouts. Since beginning this blog, I moved from 8x8 (2 yrs.=220 pages!) to 9x9 format for a little more room & yet keeping it nice & sweet. That's right, you are all welcome to come by & count!

What I have just posted, are some dreamy layouts for me--full of loving remembrances. I'm a lucky girl with such a blessed passion, I get relive these beautiful moments!

Hope & Photos for Tracy

The Circle Journal I am finished with is Cliches for Jenny O. Hope Springs Eternal. I loved the whole process of this challenge & did not want to let go (I am thinking of putting this to canvas!).

I am loving that shade of pink called Fresh Anthology-Cantaloupe by Making Memories.

Some updated photos of the boys with new toy, boxing gloves {hi Trace!}. Happy 15th Birthday Frankie. Love you to bits.

Pretty Darned Content

Just to play in my playground today. As my Dad used to say, "You are running around like a chicken with no head!" (He was old school raise & train chickens for local Maui chicken fights, so he would know about that literally & figuratively!) I'm taking to heart the 'one thing at a time' because if you know me at all, I dash around endlessly.

One Layout at a Time

One prayer at a time, one journal entry, one chore, one errand. . .one layout at a time. This way when the going gets somewhat tiresome & downright grueling, the journey is a bit lighter if you narrow your focus some.

Some kind of flu infection stretched through the whole week, Lorin succumbed yesterday. I was able to sidestep it somewhat so I didn't get as much as I hoped. Is that tub photo so darn precious or what? When I scrap baby photos I just can't believe I have a 26, 14 (soon 15), 11 & 9 year old children.

Never Say Never

Saving my current designs for later!

Old Stuff & One Current: The first ten layouts are my personal 8x8 format I began designing in in early 2006. I was a 12x12 scrapper to the core but for gifts I'd do smaller sizes. I never thought I'd want this size for myself but I came to love the fact that it took half the time or less than a 12x12. . .and something began to change for me, I wanted to be less complicated. After ten years of passionate scrapbooking, I've come to understand the creative process in simpler terms. One is always evolving as we learn & experiment. . .Never Say Never. . .I used to say, I'll never scrap just one photo---right! I'll never use blah-blah technique! Bad habit of mine while being a Scrapbook Critic. Because I've discovered while creating, I am in the thick of having the best time doing what I said I'd never do! Who's the critic dummy now?

I love marking the days with photography, journaling, & lots of expensive art junk!

The first layout, is a candid shot of my kids. . .Noah just shot his little arms up when I said "Say Cheese", I have no idea why but it is absolutely breathtaking to me! Last photo is a current Circle Journal entry I need to do in a book entitled Cliches (Jen's fab book) I began last night---is it not delicious?! Can you guess my cliche? I have lots of new stuff to show you later on!

Happy Birthday Les!

Already a year has gone by? It just can't be!

Remember the day I met you? Within like the first few minutes we discover we both loved to scrapbook? And you had an on-line scrapbook business! The days when Noah actually toddled, and Frank & Justin had interest in Power Rangers.

You've always been passionate & self- motivated, from small business, teaching, traveling, math & now salsa dancing!? And you pass it on to your children, they sure thrive. It's a treat to have you for a friend. Laughter is good for the soul & I take pride in making you laugh your head off!

{Studio Bee}

I had just forwarded the beautiful quote from Goethe: . . .the moment one definitely committs oneself, then Providence moves too. Well, yes. Life moves as well, fractured ankle for Noah! All of a sudden it's not about one's art anymore, shift downward, it's about our family. I sketched on Noah's cast a Naruto character {Sasuke), he was a happy camper & that made the cast bearable.

I was able to get my hands on my Circle Journal that is on Lesley's table. I had forgotten how sweet the end design was, so I photographed it for my archives. My two page layout for the book (minus additional pages, I've got to leave something for surprises) follows.

Ah! And next, before I embark on a project for the month I wanted to 'get the juices' going. . .Sarah is on my mind a lot these days because she just turned 26 & she has a new boyfriend. My design center is next! Ha ha. It reads, The volume of creativity is directly proportional to the depth of the pile. Lorin says, Hogwash. Where's your sense of humor sweetheart??

Next, beautiful Sarah again. Double click for a close-up on those beads! A Noah Play page! And a fun page of my sisters and Sarah saying Aloha to me as I leave them at the airport, Kahului, Maui--waaah! I love them so much!

Hope you loved peeking at the work!