A granny-walker saved my life...

Last Sunday, we took my niece, Emily to the rink down the street for a birthday party her friend was having there and we all decided to give ice skating a go.

Let me just say, I never learned how to roller skate (at least not well) and this was the first time in my life that I'd ever even had ice skates on my feet...Kaitlin's first time, too.

This difference between us, it seems, is that she has NO fear! Me, on the other hand, have never had a broken bone (yes, lucky, I know) and don't really have any desire to get one at this point in my life.

There is probably a more 'technical' term for them, but they had these 'granny-walkers' there for people who had no idea what they were doing (that's us) to help them stay upright. We weren't the only ones using them, so it wasn't too embarrassing.

Here's Kaitlin with my sister. She wanted to ditch the walker many times, but I wouldn't let her. She still fell from time to time and I don't think she quite understood how much it was breaking the fall.

Then, as I was struggling my way around the rink with my granny-walker, this very nice girl glided by and took pity on this little girl whose mother was obviously of no help to her.

"Can I push you daughter around the rink?" she asked.

The sparkle in Kaitlin's eye answered the question and off they went...

I went around the rink a few times, but gave up pretty quickly...the rental skates are kind of like bowling shoes - ugly (not the main issue) and NOT comfortable (main issue - my feet HURT)!

But Kaitlin just kept going around and around and around...not with very good technique, mind you, but she made it just the same and she was NOT a happy camper when it was time to leave.

I checked into lessons and they are offering the last session of the year, but it meets three times per week and I was afraid that would be just too much considering her practice schedule for the play will start to pick up beginning today - she has a 4-hour practice this afternoon!

We'll have to keep it in mind for her next year and try to get her into an earlier session.

My Comment Policy

Now that I have been blogging as well as reading and commenting on others’ blogs for a while now, I have discovered that there is a wide range in the way that readers use a blogs comment section and also the way in which bloggers respond to their comments. So, I thought I would post a quick note as to my policy on commenting.

I LOVE getting comments on this blog!
Number 1 - It’s makes me feel better that I spend time blogging if I know someone is actually reading it and, hopefully, enjoying a post every now and then. Number 2 - I love the sense of community that a good base of commenters can create. Number 3 - I have found some great new friends and blogs by following the links left by someone who leaves a comment.

If you comment, I will respond.
I will do my utmost to respond to each and every comment left on this blog. However, I will do so within the comments here as not every person has a blog on which to leave a comment and emails are not always readily available. So, when you comment, be sure to click the box to receive follow-up comments.

I am just fine with relevant links.
If you’re leaving a comment on my blog and want to point to a link on your own or
someone else’s site that is relevant to the topic then please feel free to do so. This adds to the conversation and improves the blog. The operative work here is ‘relevant’. Irrelevant links are not encouraged. (Note: HTML is not automatically recognized in blogger comments, so if you do not know how to leave a link within blogger comments, please email me and I will tell you how.)

I delete spam.
No one likes spam…enough said.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Otherwise, happy commenting!!

Sledding in the New Year...

On New Year's Eve we went sledding. There wasn't a whole lot of shelter from the wind where we were at so it was pretty cold.

Kaitlin started to make the trek up the hill with her cousins, Emily & Rachel...

but soon discovered there was a better way.

By the time they finally got up there, they all needed a rest!

The best part of sledding...is watching other people take the spills at the bottom!

Oh, it looks like that one hurt, Emmy. Don't worry...she still had a smile on her face when she got up.

Then, she was ready to take a run with Kaitlin...


Kaitlin was definitely the best bundled of all of us...it didn't take long before I was cold enough that I wanted to head home, but Kaitlin would have stayed all day if we had let her!

Kaitlin especially loved going down on her daddy's back.

Did you know that photographing sledders can be quite dangerous...especially when your husband seems out to take the photographer down!

REVIEW: Life Artist by Ali Edwards

I've never purchased an Ali Edwards book before (she has two previous to this one). Basically, I didn't feel that her 'style' fit my 'style', so how could I be inspired by her, right?

I would describe her style as artsier than my own with elements of collaging, mis-matched letters, random paint swooshes. I tend to be more linear and I like my letters to match. I never even used paint because it was too unpredictable.

Well, after reading more and more of her columns in CK, I discovered that although my style may be different for her own, her ideas and her drive for scrapbooking were inspiring to me.

So, I purchased her book, Life Artist, and will let you know what I thought.

Within minutes of sitting down, I knew that I was going to LOVE this book! I almost instantly felt a connection with her in terms of what started it all.

"I began scrapbooking in 2002...I had been hunting for a baby book-a cool, modern baby book in which to tell his story-and had been unsuccessful in that search."
~Ali Edwards

I, too, began scrapping in 2002 - shortly before the birth of my daughter - and couldn't find a baby book I liked. I thought, "Oh well, I'll just make one." Little did I know what I was getting myself into!

Then, I read this on page 11:

"Scrapbooking became my outlet. My way of dealing with all the changes in my life. My way of dealing with my emotions. Through the photos I took, I was able to see (literally see) how really amazing and lucky and blessed I was. Scrapbooking helped me take a look at the life I was living. It helped me make changes that would positively affect my life experience."
~ Ali Edwards

This is exactly how I feel about this hobby (turned obsession) of mine!

It also so happens that my current FAVORITE journaling font is Susie's Hand, a font fashioned after Ali's own handwriting.

She divided that book into 8 chapters, the first seven of which are basically her scrapbooking 'mantras':

*It is okay
*Go with the flow
*Simplify
*Celebrate the everyday
*Take a risk...& play
*Embrace imperfection
*Find your own voice & tell your story

Within each of these chapters, she give numerous examples of how she lives these practices through her scrapbooking!

Her final chapter, Life Art Workshop, includes assignments to help her readers embrace these mantras in their own scrapping.

The work included in this edition are all Ali's - 63 layouts and over a dozen very detailed and inspiring mini books.

One that I found especially inspiring was a mini book created by connecting a pack of 4x6 alpha-tabbed index cards with jump rings. She titled it 'little things'.

I have already purchased the cards, rings and have assembled the book. My plan is to add pictures from 2008 as they come along to match the letter. For example, 'E' might end up with a picture of my daughter finding Easter eggs, 'P' might tell the story of our visit to the pumpkin patch in the fall, etc.

I've never really gotten into mini books before, but this one has me excited...it's just so simple and quick, yet what a wonderful way to look back on a year! Thanks, Ali!

She also talked about the ebb and flow of the creative cycle which really resonated with me. This past year, I had a couple 2-3 month periods where I scrapped NOTHING...and felt so bad about it. This helped me to see that I'm not the only scrapbooker that experiences this and that it's a natural part of being creative.

Ali also fed the inspiration junkie in me. At the back of her book, she has a list of over 50 different recommended books, magazines, websites, blogs and online challenges for finding further inspiration. Some I had heard of, but most not, and I had a great time exploring these new gems.

In case you haven't already guessed my rating on this book....

MY RATING:
5 STARS...ALL THE WAY, BABY!

YOUR RATING: ???
I am always curious and open to hearing the opinions of others. If you own or have read this book, please feel free to share your opinion of it in the comments below.

WANT TO READ MORE AND/OR PURCHASE?
Visit the Life Artist page on Amazon.com to read other reviewers opinions and find out more about the book. You can also read more of my reviews or visit my aStore for other recommendations.

Upcoming Review:
The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker by Wendy Smedley & Aby Garvey

I LOVE my Clip it Up!

I got Christmas in the mail again yesterday. With some of the money that I got from my dad and my in-laws for Christmas (thanks Dad...thanks Ruth & Rahn) I ordered one of the scrapbooking storage items that I have been wanting for awhile - the Clip it Up!!

When it comes to my scrapbooking, I've always liked to be able to 'see' my products. Sometimes when they're packed away in binders or boxes (as many of them have been for a long time), I simply forget that I have them - or can't find them - when I want to use them.
The Clip it Up system is a simple and surprisingly compact solution to this problem!! I love it!! And it fits neatly on this little shelf I got to go between my inspiration board and my storage cabinet.


I don't know if you can tell, but I've pretty got all my stickers, alphabets, chipboard and other miscellaneous items on there and it's not even close to being full...hmmm...guess I need to do some more shopping!! :-)
If you've wanting a new organizational system, but didn't know what to get or even been considering the Clip it Up, I definitely recommend it. I will admit, it is a little spendy, but it can totally replace so many other things you might be using...and is just plain more efficient!
So, this just goes along with my New Year's Resolution. In order to be more productive in my scrapping this year, I really did need to get more organized and now I am.
My sister and niece are coming over any minute and we're going to have a scrap night!! I'm so excited!

11 days...where did they go?

I had 11 days off from work for the holidays. It sounds like SO much, yet it went so very quickly!

We spent a lot of time with family and friends which was wonderful...always enjoy the family time.

I also did quite a bit of scrapping. I think I completed about 12-13 layouts total. I am now only about 4 1/2 months behind versus the 6 1/2 I was before the break...still have a ways to go, but the creative juices have been flowing lately, so I hope that continues.

This is the furthest behind I've ever been in my scrapping. This past year, I had a couple periods where I scrapped NOTHING for 2-3 months at a time and that's what really did the damage.

I think is was a combination of waining mojo, being extremely busy, not making enough effort to make time for my hobby (other than reading mags and idea books) and then feeling daunted by that BIG stack of photos!

So, my New Year's resolution this year (and this is big for me because I don't usually even bother making them) is to create AT LEAST one layout every week.

I may not be in the mood...I may not LOVE the end result, but I think it's important to find time for creativity in life - and this is the outlet that allows me to be creative.

There is always that sense of accomplishment for me, too, when I look at a completed layout. It's a good feeling...a memory preserved, thoughts recorded, pictures given a place to shine.

To help me reach this goal, I am going to print out a calendar each month to hang on my inspiration book in my scrapbooking area and every time I complete (not just start) a layout, a tick mark will go on that date.

I'm good for this week...I did four layouts on Tuesday (my last day of vacation) and two of those were two-page spreads!!

Here's one of the layouts I completed during the break:

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Rub ons: Making Memories
Font: Susie’s Hand
Pen: Sakura
Corner Rounder: Marvy
Ink: Colorbox

Journaling:
Kaitlin spent a lot of time at the kiddie pool this summer...a great place to beat the heat! On this day, her preschool buddie, Jonah, was also there and they had a great time ‘catching’ up.

Comments & Techniques:
I am generally NOT a doodler…this is like the second layout I’ve ever done it on. I am always too scared of messing it up, but this layout just really seemed to be ‘missing’ something before I added the white doodling around the scalloped circle and also the corner accents. This layout may just be the beginning of much doodling…I LOVE the effect that it has.

So, did you have any scrapbooking or photography related New Year's resolutions this year? I'd love to hear them...I might have to add a few to my list!

Bishop Marty Chapel in winter...

This is the chapel on the college campus where I work...this is what I was photographing while Kaitlin was snapping the pics of the nativity scene I posted the other day.




Hope you all having a great start to your NEW YEAR!!

~ Jill Marie