::ANNA::

Finding your Groove

It's not easy, and in terms of scrapbooking, it's taken me about 6 years to find mine.  What I'm talking about is finding a system that works.  A place where you don't feel so behind that you think, "What's the point?", but also not being so chained to the computer documenting life that you're missing out on living it. 

With Ella in first grade and Luke in preschool 3 full days a week I'm hopefully going to have a little more time on my hands.  Over the next week or two I'm going to share a little about my personal scrapbooking process, where it started, how it has evolved and where I am now. 

And what sparked all this?  I'll leave you with a layout I completed last night which documents May 2008.

Some food for thought...

 

Rainbow Polka Paperie, Hipster Plumes No. 24,  AE Design Hello Life Labels (coming Sunday)

Bliss

Ella and Luke started school today with minimal fuss.

I have had a blissful day today.  Just me and Photoshop.  It's been bliss.

It's a novelty not to have to work tonight.

Weekend

We were out Friday, Saturday (to the wee hours) and Sunday evening.  We certainly cannot complain about the social life in our new neighbourhood.  In all the chaos I DID find some time to scrap.

Making new friends and remembering the old.  It's a strange place to be.

I adore this kit by my friend Shabby Princess. 

Not in the least bit shabby!

Announcement

Are you interested in trying your hand at digital scrapbooking but intimidated by the blank screen in front of you? Or perhaps you're a seasoned digi scrapper looking for a quick and easy way to get that backlog of photos into your albums? Digital templates are the solution. Detailed lessons come with 6 layered page templates, 2 shaped text templates, and 5 complete page kits by designers at Designer Digitals with paper, alphas & embellies that will combine for hundreds of layout possibilities. No previous Photoshop experience necessary.

Interested?  You can read more here.

My good friend and fellow contributor to DSM, Pattie Knox, is making her on-line debut teaching digital scrapbooking here.  Class begins September 9th but if you register before August 23rd your name will be entered to win a one-year subscription to DSM.  Hope to see you in class :)  I'll be there.

In the meantime here's what I was doing in Salt Lake at the end of June.  My face actually hurt by the end of of the shoot.

Lightroom + Pirates + Cupcakes

Meet Adobe Photoshop Lightroom V2.  My new friend.

Claimed to essential for every digital photographer, I don't think that they are far wrong!  I spent about 5 minutes last night tinkering and managed to get all our photos from Wednesday's neighbourhood trip to Pirate Cove fully edited and processed.  Dare I say I am already smitten?  The software inside is every bit as sexy as it's sleek exterior. 

Before Lightroom:

After Lightroom:

 

Also love these:

More playtime is definitely warranted but expect more lightroom from me.

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Cupcakes batch # 2 also failed.  Thanks to all those who have educated me on high altitude baking.

E & L plus new friends from the neighbourhood had a blast nevertheless.  Batch #3 coming soon...

 

Mommy Blogger Award

So I don't usually do these things...Honestly? I'm not going to beat about the bush but who has time?

Clearly a lot of people.

Fellow Brit, Mel, awarded me this "title" with the words, "Anna; I know they might be annoying but its pretty heartfelt.. you got a blog award from me:)"

This is what she said about me:

"Now I'm trying not to pick 'famous people' here, because firstly you probably already read their blog and secondly this is all about promoting not so famous but equally fabulous mummies/mommies blogs. But I cant help it. I {heart} Anna, her blog and her artwork!"

I had to smile at the "famous" part as, I'm anything but, and did she notice I haven't been around for the last month? Just kidding Mel.

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She also didn't know that I got frustrated with both my children yesterday, made cupcakes that failed again and felt anything but deserving of any Mommy award. I now know that the sunken cupcakes have more to do with the high altitude that we're now living at.  I wish I had the same excuse for my Mummy frustration.  This this little award made me stop and scrapbook a page each for Ella and Luke telling them how much I appreciate them.

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FloralArt Paperie No. 10, Happiness WordART

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Papers: Skimmer Boy PageSet, Childhood WordART, FotoBlendz Clipping Masks No. 7

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Did I mention I also heart Mel :)

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The rules to this Mommy blogger award are simple...When you get an award you have to send it on to 3 more Mommy Bloggers and say why you like reading that blog. Then you must leave a comment on their blog letting them know they were given the award! Easy enough! Please don't forget to tell your blogging mama that she has been given this award and to pass it along :)

Ronalyn: Because she is my best friend and I miss her.

Angie: Check out this video and all will be revealed.

Dena: Because she does it all and does it with grace.

Allie: I know I'm breaking the rules but I can't miss this lady out. Not technically a blogger, I still love here and my life would not be the same without her

The Secret + New Layout

A very knowledgeable Amy Pearson emailed me and divulged the secret of applying wall decals.  For those wanting to try it, here's what she said:

"Take a small squirt bottle, fill it with water then add a drop or two of dish soap. Spray it on the surface you're going to apply the sticker or vinyl (you don't have to soak it), then slap it on there. The soap will give you some leeway in repositioning, and will also help with smoothing everything down. Take a little squeegee, start at the middle, and slowly work your way out, squishing the water out from underneath. Works like a charm every time :)"

Thanks Amy!  Looking forward to trying it out again.

In the meantime, we spent the day yesterday at home for a change (bar our bike ride with the neighbours last night).  I needed the rest after our crazy weekend and, though I'll never complain about hot weather, we decided to take a break from that too.  Yesterday, we made cupcakes and it was such a novelty not to be bumping into each other in the new kitchen.  They sunk in the middle but E & L didn't care.  They had a blast.

 

Supplies:  MultiFoto Single Layered Template No. 11, Weathered Neutrals Paperie No. 2, Red and Pink Paper Strips (recolored) MonoBlendz "Confiture" Paperie, Brads (recolored) Saffron Villa PageSet, Fonts are Sugar Coma and Century Gothic.

Etsy Inspired

Who doesn't love Etsy?

Even my new neighbour, Farrah, has a store there.

I've been spending some time on there picking up a few cool finds for our new pad:

I really love these Get to the Point Vinyl Decals:

and Huge Alphabet

Eric and I tried to put this Alpha up on a window yesterday and, in spite of following the instructions meticulously, we still ended up with air bubbles everywhere. 

Does anyone have any experience with these?

For wall decals I'm also loving this store and this one.

We're down to the last boxes here and it's all my pictures.  Just sorting through them and deciding which I want to put up in this house, which need to be revamped and which will be stored in the basement for a later date.  I'm really into the idea of creating my own ART for this house.

Hello Blog

I'm here.  I'm well.  I think I'm back...

What a crazy few weeks!  Remind me NEVER to move again :)

It's been a busy time unpacking, making new friends and keeping up with my work commitments.

At first there was too much going on and then I got to the point where each day it seemed just too overwhelming to begin with a post.  So...  I have been biding my time.  Enjoying our new environment and taking some time off.

The task of updating the blog, however, doesn't becoming any smaller.

So where to start? 

I'm just picking up where I left off.  I feel like I'm emerging from a whirlwind of events.  Some of the things we've been up to this summer in no particular order:

• Unpacking
• Having our backyard landscaped
• Furniture shopping
• Checking out new restaurants
• Going to the pool
• Wednesday Matinee Movies
• Poker night with new friends
• Back and forth to Home Depot.  (The neighbourhood is seriously considering carpooling)
• Small home projects such as putting up shelving and painting some old bedroom furniture
• Hanging out in the eveings with the neighbours with a BL Lime and just chatting.
• Scouting out the scrapbooking scene here. 
• Cycling around our local reservoir.
• Eric's induction into the Senior NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) Corp.
• Lots of play dates
• Enjoying spending time with our old friends, Justin and Cherilyn.
• Basking in the sunshine and warm weather.

In short it's been GOOD.  It's been FUN.  It's all been NEW.

I don't always do so well with new.  I'm a creature of habit.  I like to know whats ahead of me, but it has been good.  Better than I expected.  I miss the OLD but integration into our new life has been good so far.  I'm optimistic for the months ahead.

Ella and Luke start their respective schools in just a few short weeks.  They're starting earlier than what we're used to but I'm ready.  Ready to have them settled in a routine which means a new routine for me.  I'm feeling charged and ready to do some creative damage throughout the rest of the year.

 

 

Good News

So far this week I've been juggling children, work and landscapers.  Tomorrow it's going to get even more interesting with the arrival of our furniture!  FINALLY!  Eric's in class so I'm flying solo and won't be around for a day or two until I resurface from under all the packaging.

Something else to get excited about.  I'm scrapbooking.  And not JUST scrapbooking.  I'm actually scrapbooking consistently.  You can see my latest here.

Things are looking up!