Black Apple Doll

My friends in my old ward in Washington made these dolls. They actually made a lot of these dolls with the pattern from the Martha Stewart website. I wanted to do one. I was going to do one for Ava's birthday...that came and went. But I HAD to get at least one done for Christmas. And that is what I've done. ONE. But all from scraps. The only thing I had to buy was brown felt. Not bad.


Maybe I'll have time to get one more done before the 25th. Hopefully.

It sure would be easier if I just did it like the pattern said, but of course I had to add sleeves, change the angle of the arms, lengthen the dress, embroider the face and add pig tails. No wonder I've only gotten one done. I do love her though. Hopefully Ava will too.

same, yet different

Why haven't I been doing this all along? I am desperately trying to get Christian's first year done. This is something that has REALLY helped. Something I will for sure be doing in the future. Mass production...yet not. Love it!

Pacific Beach

I guess I should say I'm really good at copying. But isn't that what scrapbooking is all about? This started as one of Lisa's spreads...but it didn't end up that way. I guess that is what I love so much about the creative process of scrapbooking, even when you copy...it turns out to be your own.

This was one of those pages that I didn't want to do. The pictures were so drab and dreary. But once I saw Lisa's spread, I immediately thought of these pictures. Thanks again Lisa for getting me to document something that would have been pushed aside.

I'm so grateful for my creative friends and for blogs so that even though I am far away I can benefit from their creativity. Thanks for sharing.

slow and steady

I figure that is how I'll win the race, slow and steady. This was one of those "I don't like these pictures" that turned out way better once the page was done. I am really having to think out of the box to do all these old 8 1/2 x 11 pages. I'll be glad when they are done. I'm afraid that isn't going to be soon enough.

(The colors are so messed up. My blue isn't nearly so bright.)

2005 fall soccer

All I can say is thank you Becky Higgins. I wish I had the creativity to come up with these great layouts on my own. I have discovered I have a little trouble with being creative when I am stressed or tired and since I am usually scrapbooking at night when I am typically...well you know, again, thank you Becky Higgins.

Back in the swing of things

Just trying to finish up some pictures I have here before ordering new ones. What a novel idea I know. Plus they are really basic and simple. Which I am realizing is just fine by me. Plus, my kids don't care. They just want to see pictures of themselves. And since I have no aspirations of becoming a "professional" scrapbooker or trying to be published in a magazine, I've decided that maybe just getting them done should be my focus, instead of what cool paper I can find. We'll see how it goes....

Oh, and as you can see I'm doing 2001. How sad is that. Getting it done though and that is what counts right?

change

Are you ready for this one? Are you sure?

I'm not sure if I am but I'm doing it anyway....

I don't think I am going to scrapbook anymore.

Now let me clarify. Starting from our move to North Carolina (because I scrapbook based on moves not years) I am not going to scrapbook the "traditional" way. (but I think I have enough "old" stuff to keep my busy for years.)

Why?

Well, I asked myself why am I scrapbooking? To leave memories for my children. Do they care about the patterned paper? The brads? The flowers? The font? Nope! It is about the pictures and the journaling. So this year I am trying something different. I am going to TRY and be a better blogger and then have that made into a book. I am doing Becky Higgins' project 365. (click here or here for more info. on that) I am trying to focus on the little things each day. The things that mean alot, but we don't take pictures of it because it doesn't warrant an entire spread. I am going to try and document what REALLY happens in my life, the good, bad, ugly, happy, sad and everything in between. The things I used to be really good at capturing. I've let my camera and the need for a perfect picture control me. No more!

I am excited. I am doing it my way. Not what I think I should do, or what someone else is doing. It won't be perfect and that's OK, because I'm not perfect. I am doing this for my family and for me and I couldn't be more excited.

I'll still be posting lots of scrapbook pages here (hopefully) becasue I do have plenty still to do. And I'll try and post what I've done with project 365.

And what brought this all on? To be honest, what began it all was when we moved to Pinehurst, NC...the closest scrapbook store is almost 2 hours away (Michael's doesn't count). But that was just the beginning....