Online Crop Tonight

I am an introvert. It's funny too because I have always had the career of an extrovert. I am also a good actress I guess. lol. The reason this is coming up is that I often find myself hanging on scrapbooking boards - because I don't have to put myself out there really. So now with my new digital creative team member status at Two Peas in a Bucket - I am out there a little. I am getting used to it though, and it's really good. Tonight I will attend my first ever online crop. I'm nervous (weird) and I don't have any idea what to expect. We shall see.


This week I have been playing a lot with my new kits for the week. Just because I hate to have a day with no pictures. I'll share my first one for this week. The kit is by Brandy Buffington - is is so full of everyday essentials for me. I am, after all, all about kraft. You can purchase it at ttp://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/brandy-buffington/88334-digikit-my-animal-friends/?ource_type=LAY&source_id=1556808 (someday I will figure out how to get this to llok better and not show up with the url - I promise)


And this is what I made with this product as the focus. (others elements from two peas are the gliiter frame by Betsy Tuma and my new every layout element is the simple shadow stles by Hen Martakis) The page is about the last day we had with Daniela, our German exchange student.


I guess I am off to the crop - we''l see what that brings

Our First Assignment

So, I am brand new at this and I'm already a bad blogger. I guess the rush of the Thanksgiving holiday got the better of me this year!

The real topic of this post is my first assignment on the Two Peas in a Bucket Digital Creative Team ... But I am taking a time out for an assignment ... Right Now (or first thing tomorrow morning if it is late where you are), pick up the phone and call your mom. Then tell her again just how much you love her! We had a heart attack scare with my mom this weekend. There is nothing like that to give you a little reality kick. I know I don't actually tell her that I love her as often as I should. But I am going to start. Sure she knows anyway, but hearing it matters!


So, on to the heart of this post. My first assignment for 2Peas was to make at least 2 pages each with these two wonderful kits.


The first is Simple Shadows Style by Jen Martakis - I'll probably use these on every single page from now on. They are realistic looking - which fits my digital style perfectly. For the most part I am looking to create pages that very closely mimic something I would have done back when I paper scrapped (only better). I have but shadows styles before, and then given up getting them installed - Jen's directions are amazing. I had this up and running in minutes!


My second kit for the week was Holiday Twist Borders by Holly Brooke Jones. This little beauty is only 99 cents (on sale for 79 through Monday) I have already made three completely different layouts and can honestly think of dozens of ways that I want to use this - both as it is and with minor changes. (and isn't that what is sooooo cool about digi)


I made three different layouts this week using both kits on each of them. And I'm thinking of making at least one more. Here's what I've got so far ...

OK - as a note to anyone reading this blog, I have so much to learn about formatting so it all looks like I want it to - that is up on my list of priorities for the coming weeks. So be kind to this new blogger. Thanks.

I'm So Excited ... And I Just Can't Hide It

You know the song. Well I am as excited and happy as I can possibly be to say that I have been selected, along with 19 ladies to be part of the first digital creative team at Two Peas in A Bucket. They are amazingly talented and I am honored to be working with them. You can find them at the links below and also at http://twopeasinabucket.com/

Alice Wertz: http://aliceslittlewonderland.blogspot.com/
Audrey Neal: http://audneal.typepad.com/
Barb Hogan: http://barbhogan.typepad.com/
Cheryl Manz Ametewee: http://cherylmanz.typepad.com/
Christie Jurgens: http://accidentalinspiration.blgfspot.com/
Christina Smith: http://happystamping.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Hignite: http://jenniferhignite.blogspot.com/
Holly Koenigsfeld: http://hkoenigsfeld.blogspot.com/
Iara Gomes-Bae:
Karen Cole: http://redartscrapping.blogspot.com/
Kathy Racoosin: http://thedailymarker.blogspot.com/
Kerry Stewart: http://kerrydawaydesigns.blogspot.com/
Lucy Abrams: http://hedgehogsandladybirds.blogspot.com/
MaryJo Arthur: http://maryjojohnston.blogspot.com/
Mary Rogers: http://justus-photographyanddigistuff.blogspot.com/
Nicole LeBlanc: http://nicoleleblancphotography.blogspot.com/
Raven Edwards: http://ravenedwards.typepad.com/
Vanessa Matthyssen: http://scrappness.blogspot.com/
Wilna Furstenberg: http://wilnaf.blogspot.com/

New Look - New Attitude

So, it appears that this blog is going to be a lot like me - random. Yesterday we talked about wildlife, today it's color. So it goes. :)

As you probably know, my one real hobby is scrapbooking. So, I guess I tend to think about color more than my nonscrapping friends and family. But, I was reminded this week about the emotion of color. I remember when I first started in this hobby reading an article or two on the subject. And at the time I spent MUCH more time considering that when choosing colors. Now I tend to just go where the spirit takes me. Then I painted my living room - and have found that this simple change makes me happier and energized. Even when I was making these color chips for the post, the old color scheme made me feel blah, and the new one made me feel up. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I plan to (or think anyone should) spend a bunch of time agonizing over the colors in scrapbook layouts. That would take the joy out of it - the page will be great either way for the most part. I just thought my trip down the paint aisle has been an interesting reminder - and maybe sometimes if I'm going for a certain emotion in the page I should try to pay a bit more attention.

Oh, and I might just take some pics of the new room and post them later. :)

Yesterday Was Top Notch

Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in a while.

Brooklyn came home sick from school (that's not the good part, although I am pretty sure she was never sick at all). Coming up our driveway there were literally hundreds of sandhill cranes. We stopped to watch for a minute or two. And started talking about cranes ... how when I was a little girl there were barely any, and now we see them every single day... forward in the conversation to ... whooping cranes are white cranes that are still endangered. I told her that I had never even seen one. Brad is the only one I know of that had seen one in real life. What happened next? We had a whooping crane land with the group of sandhill cranes down in the field. The Crane Foundation came over and told us that he was a 6 year old male and we should call them again if we continue to see him in this area. They want to keep track of when he migrates.

It was just cool.

And Away We Go

I have started taking Shimelle Laine's class "Blogging for Scrapbookers" and the start of this blog is the direct result of it. My hope for it is simply to provide a look into our everyday lives, our dreams, our projects, and history... and maybe even a place for me to make a few new friends if it all goes well. If you are interested in taking her class I have provided the link to it. (I said that becasue I've never posted a link and am not sure how it will show up when I actually post this thing LOL) http://www.shimelle.com/classes/618/a-new-online-scrapbooking-class-blogging-for-scrapbookers/

Without further adieu, as promised, AND AWAY WE GO.