YourStoryStudio

The (non)Whisperer

2011-04-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever met someone who can not whisper in a soft tone? That is my husband. I ask nicely, "Can you please whisper?" My husband has this lovely, deep, smooth, radio-talk-show-host voice. And his voice just carries. A long way. His throat must hurt when he whispers, because my throat hurts when he whispers. So much air is coming out it sounds like he might pass out. I could hear him across the street if he whispers. This brings a smile to my face. He might not be able to whisper, but he has crystal blue eyes. And he turns the heater on in the bathroom for me so it will be nice and warm when I get up. I just love my non-whisperer.

Time

2011-04-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

Drew called me yesterday to see if I wanted to go to lunch. He met me at the food court. It's a good thing he did. I had a couple of days of too much thinking. Not of work or deadlines, but about time. Where did it go? When did my baby girl get to be 5foot 4 inches. When did my baby boy get too big to sit in my lap (OK, he still does occasionally!) Late Thursday night I pulled out the scrapbook from when my kiddies were babies. I did alot of documenting during that time in their lives. I am so glad that I did. It gives me lots of reasons to start crying...uncontrollably in the food court over a chicken cheese steak from Great Escape. My poor husband looks at me in an uncomfortable glance and says, "why are you crying". I couldn't tell him for a minute because there were LOTS of people and I didn't want to make more of a scene than I was. What I wanted to do was just put my head on the table and cry for a good while. I have spent the last 48 hours being very sad and wanting desperately to go back to those lazy days of tickling, reading and eating pb&j for 5 days straight.

But, I didn't put my head on that table. I finished my sandwich. On my way home from work I stopped by the store and bought 4 big beautiful steaks. Pulled out the china and the pretty red place mats. I even washed the crystal tea glasses for our celebration. We sat down and my kids said, "What are we celebrating?". I told them we were celebrating being together and being happy. Ultimately that is all I have ever wanted for my sweet little family!

Uniforms.

2011-03-27T14:38:00.001-07:00

My sister and I went shopping this weekend. I am pleased to announce that I officially have no faith in the sizing that our current fashion industry uses. Within 1.5 hours I ranged from a size 8 to 14. Instead of being sad about this, we immediately found the closest Coldstone Creamery to celebrate our diversity! I am of the opinion that these clothes were cut for women who 1. NEVER eat at Coldstone and 2. Have never EVER had to wear Spanx!

This past winter I had a beautiful "aha" moment. I decided to stop agonizing over what I would wear to work and traded that anxiety with a very simple strategy... uniforms! This picture represents my "Monday" skirt ensemble. Every Monday for many months, this is the skirt I wore. The black tights and the boots automatically go with the skirt so all I had to do was grab something to throw on top. I found comfort in the fact that Monday was taken care of. I actually took a similar approach to Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I left Wednesday as a wild card. I was free to choose something really crazy and wild. Most of the time this ended up being my green cardigan with my lime green tank.

This picture is actually part of my Project Life book. Even though my children probably will not forget me wearing this outfit since I wore it every Monday for months. I want them to know that I spent my time on more important things like cooking cinnamon rolls for them on Sundays and riding bikes. I also did NOT spend as much time cleaning from the looks of the fogginess on the mirror hence,the thin layer of dust! And this too is part of my story.

Live Today!
Dawn

Starting my Day!

2011-03-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

My typical day starts waking up to a busy household just like yours! There are lunches to be made (thanks to my wonderful husband!) teeth to brush and homework to be stuffed in the back packs! I LOVE that we start our day all together and end it in the same way! (That story is for another day!) I am fortunate to spend about 30 minutes in the car with my daughter! What wonderful times we have had! We cover many subjects and laugh until tears come out! I cherish that time.

After I drop my eldest off to learn about history and getting the best seat at the lunch table, I continue on my journey to work. I enjoy that time too. I ponder and consider during this time. Or I call my mom,dad or husband. I don't call my sister because she is more of an afternoon talker. This is part of my journey to the office. I park waaaaay away from the building. So, I have even more time to ponder life and prepare for the day and plan on what I'm going to eat for lunch!

These small details are all part of my story. What does your story look like? Go capture it!

Live Today!
Dawn

Reputations.

2011-03-12T13:23:00.001-08:00

We get only one chance for these! I realize that my reputation, especially in my children's eyes, is treasured! I think I blew it though! So...I have been doing Becky Higgin's Project Life. Yesterday before I took H to school, I wanted to take some pictures. We took the pictures on her itouch. I love using her Hipstamatic app. that I paid for in itunes. Pictures came out great! I then decided that I wanted to document my morning routine of dropping H off at school and my drive to work. How cool! So, I asked her if I could borrow her i thing and use it. She was never more shocked! She looked at me like I truly had lost my mind. She simply states, "Mom, I know how many times you have dropped your phone, I really don't think that is a good idea." I didn't have a reply. I know that she has witnessed the dropping of the phone and there was not defense. So, I had to think fast. I went and got one of my husband's thick socks. I promised that I would keep it safely tucked in the sock while I wasn't using it. She was hesitant, but agreed. She also instructed me how to turn it off when I wasn't using it. I think I have completely lost my techological reputation here.

It's Been Awhile!

2010-08-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have made some serious observations the past year.
1. All of my hats are off to single mothers who bring home the bacon and raise a family!
2. When you work full time, you don't have too much time to worry about the small stuff. All of my energy goes to my family first and then my job. That has been a huge eye opener for me.
3. My children are just fine. One of my biggest fears about working was how this would all affect my kiddos. All of that time I spent with them during their younger years stuck somehow. They are still happy and strong and thank heavens still remember right from wrong (even though I am not there every second to remind them).
4. I am so thankful for where I am right now. There truly is a time for everything.

Cheddar Chicken Chowder

2009-10-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Cheddar Chicken Chowder
Originally published by "Cooking Light"
Passed on to me from my friend, Karen!

2 bacon slices (I actually cooked the whole package at once in the pan, and what didn't fit in the pan I put in the oven, who cooks bacon 2 slices at a time??)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced red pepper (I omited this, my family would pass out if they saw red in their chowder)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth (I measured, it's about 2 cans)
1 3/4 cups diced peeled red potatoes (used Russet and I didn't peel them)
2 1/4 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups low fat milk
3/4 cups shredded cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Cook bacon in a dutch oven over med. heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble. (try your best not to eat it while crumbling!) Set aside the bacon. Add chicken, onion, bell pepper and garlic to pan drippings, saute' 5 minutes. Add broth and potato, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoe is tender. Add corn, stir well.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in the cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Top with bacon (if you or your children haven't eaten all of it yet!:)

PS. This SMELLS wonderful! Can't wait to pull it out for dinner!

TURN IT OFF & hold it!!!

2009-08-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

I have learned so much over the last year or so from various blogs that I frequent. There is a common thread among most of what I'm reading....natural! Some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen are those where the subject is completely oblivious to a camera anywhere close. Since most of my pictures have people in them, I have really tried to be more transparent with the camera. The number one best trick I have learned is to TURN THE FLASH OFF!!! Granted there are some instances where it must be used. But, most of the time it will not be missed. Even indoorsHere are some pics that were taken indoors without a flash. I really love natural lighting, even if it isn't the greatest!

This is a picture that was taken indoors at a museum. Virtually no light anywhere, so the flash was used. We look a bit on the illuminated side but if we didn't use the flash then you wouldn't have known we were standing in front of the chocolate exhibit...(and we don't want to forget that wonderful day!!).
Last but not least, one more parting piece of advice...hold your breath. I have no idea where I read that. But, I got it from somewhere and I do it all the time now. Especially when I'm taking indoor pictures with low light. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get the picture without too much fuzziness. But, it has helped considerably. It really does help! Even if you don't have a fancy SLR, you CAN take great pictures!

Live Today.
Dawn

Write now!!!!

2009-08-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

I am sure, like me, you have probably wondered if what we are going through as a country is similar to what our grandparents faced. While we might not be experiencing it quite like they did, the feelings are the same. When we lose our job and wonder how we are going to feed our families those are the same emotions that our grandparents and parents faced. When we see businesses close their doors and friends pack up and move away, I am sure it feels exactly the same. But pondering on all of this actually gives me hope. They made it! They struggled and found new ways of doing things. They were handed the same empty plate and found a way to carry on. And in doing so, they raised a family with values, morals and a strong sense of togetherness.

February 3rd, 2004 my grandparents were going to celebrate their 59th anniversary. As a family, all 50 of us did an album for them. It was an album created by ALL of us. It was very important for everyone to share their thoughts and wonderful memories in their own pictures and in their own handwriting! I actually did several pages of grandpa and grandpa and the story of their life. Then the rest of the family did pages that I added to the album.

My grandparents had 6 children. So, I actually mailed 12x12 sheets to all the kids and asked them to write a letter to their mom and dad and maybe add a few pictures if they wanted. Beautiful does not even come close to describing how these pages turned out!This is my mom's page.
And not only did the 6 kids get involved but all the grandkids did a page. I actually got carried away and did several pages. I had lots of stories to tell! The point is, don't wait! Those wonderful stories are so very close to never being remembered! If you have family members that remember the "good ole days". Start asking them questions and write them down or record them and transcribe them later.
The book that I did really isn't all that fancy. I actually used the computer to write down my grandparents story and used lots vintage stuff. It didn't take all that long. With everyone contributing something it turned out to be a treasured keepsake. After it was finished, many in the family wanted copies of it. So, we took it to Kinko's and made some copies. The copies actually turned out pretty good too! :)
While you are busy remembering your families' stories, maybe find out a little more about those who have already walked the long road of life.
Live Today!
Dawn

keeping it real....

2009-08-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

My dad came in to see his girls, grandbabies and even the son-in-laws. What a wonderful time we had. The time I get to spend with my mom and dad is precious, it doesn't get to happen often enough. Many times in the past, we have found ourselves taking lots of "posed" shots. Ever since I started Project 365, I have been thinking twice about the pictures that truly capture our lives. I mentally decided to take more pictures of dad and the kids without them even knowing I had a camera in my hand. I didn't want to say, "look up here". I wanted the lense to capture their expressions and the bonding.When I look at the pictures I have, I can hear the laughs and the conversations. I can even smell the delicious food we ate at Chang's...

Another evening we were driving and R and D were having a nice father-son conversation. I don't even remember what they were talking about. What I do remember is D having his hand up explaining something and R instinctively placing his in his daddy's. I have never grabbed my camera so fast. Thank heavens it was sitting right next to me in my purse...(love the point and shoots for that!)
This is a picture that I would never EVER try to create. The fact that it was such a natural thing is what makes it priceless to me!

Last but not least..wanted to share something I did for my P365. We all have days that seem endless. The list of things to do is mind boggling. Most of the things on my lists aren't even life changing. But, they are still part of my life and things that are important to my family. Here is a card that went straight into my book back on July 24th.
Needless to say I couldn't even fit it onto a 4x6 card. So, I took a piece of 12x12 cardstock (mine happend to be lined to resemble notebook paper) and trimmed it down to 4x12. Journaled and embellished it. Then I folded it vertically 2 times so it would fit into my 4x6 slot. Now I will always remember the little things that added up to be a very full day!

Live today!
Dawn

How Old Am I???

2009-07-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

Today as the kids and I were driving, I had a strange moment. I couldn't remember how old I was. Honest. I was sitting at a stop sign and I don't even remember the thought process of why it was important for me to remember. But, I turned to H and said, "How old am I?" At the same time I was counting from my birth year to present, doing the math. I was actually relieved to realize I was still 33. I think I was expecting to be a bit older. That was a really strange feeling. Whew! I've still got several months before I turn 34. I felt like I was given a sip from the fountain of youth. I can handle 33! I guess the older we get the less we actually have to disclose our age. Wouldn't it be cool to kind of pick which age we would like to pause at. And then when we get to 60 or so start keeping track again. Becase I hear you can get some great deals with a senior discount.
Our summer has slowed down considerably. I should be grateful for this "down" time. I did finally finish H's school page, now on to R's. But my master list of things I HAVE to get done this summer is just about finished.
1. clean the siding on the house (check)
2. restain the deck (check)
3. clean out the garage (check)
4. paint furniture on the deck (check)
and a few others that are tragically boring...(check)

So, here I am. My children don't want to go anywhere. They simply want to be at home, which I can understand. But, being a person ALWAYS in motion, this not going anywhere is starting to do strange things to me. I have to shake myself and remember that school will start all too soon and life will dramatically change. So, here's to slowing down and soaking it all in..ALL of it.

Live Today!
Dawn

UNO

2009-07-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

This game has become a cornerstone of our evening routine. We have REALLY loved going to bed later and sleeping in. Poor D, he has to get up when the rest of us are knocked out! But, we have spent several nights now all piled on our bed trying to outwit each other in UNO! So fun! I think everyone has won except R. He hasn't figured out the right time to use those wild cards. He'll get it soon enough. This is my picture for today. Some of the pictures I use are "fixed up" and some are not. This is one that I kept pretty raw, except I did deepen the contrast. I like the fact that it is a little blurry. I LOVE the golden hue above H's head!
Live Today!
Dawn
P.S. Today Becky Higgins posted a "life story" PDF for you to print out and fill in. It's so cute! I have saved it in my "to do" folder and want to do this. GoHERE.

Too busy summering

2009-07-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

I have my kids' school book pages all laid out in my studio. I have been trying to work on them now for about 2 weeks. So far, I have totaled about 1 hour since then. I also have ALL of June's 365 pictures in a folder, ready to be uploaded to Shutterfly, and I have about 20 story cards to make to go with them. But, I decided the time I get to spend with my kiddies and wonderful friends and family takes front seat these days. While I do try to do a little bit of documenting every day, I once read some words that basically said this, "Spend more time making your memories than you do documenting them." So, that is what I'm doing! :) Everything has a season, right? This is a picture of some wonderful people we have gotten to make some wonderful memories with!!!
Live Today!
Dawn

LIFE

2009-07-10T16:11:00.001-07:00

Tim Holtz is an amazing creator of all kinds of scrapbook products that I REALLY want to try!! This is one of them... This is actually part of a set of rubber stamps. He's got tons more that he is launching!

If you are interested at all at seeing some of his stuff, go HERE. He has some really fun demo's on his website, timholtz.com. He does alot of grunging and has a different perspective (I guess since he is a guy maybe?). It isn't your normal pink flowery girlie stuff! :)

Live Today!
Dawn

Day 2 of Class

2009-07-08T22:26:00.003-07:00

Wow! Jessica Sprague is breaking it way down and making it so easy! This is what I learned in Day 2.. I didn't realize that the term "brush" actually means like a "stamp". Brush is the digital version, stamp is the "real" version that is made of rubber and goes with ink! Wowee! Didn't realize that there was so much you could do with those things! Oh and here's another something I did with some brushes. So easy and so much fun!! Can't wait until tomorrow...actually I could do day 3 right now seeing that tomorrow is here. But, I think I'll save that for when I wake up all tired from staying up most of the night playing!
Live Today!
Dawn

LEARNING

2009-07-06T12:08:00.001-07:00

WOWEEE!! I am having way too much fun now! If you have been wanting to learn more about digital frames and how to add them to your photos, TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY!!! And I am not a big "luck" kind of gal, but this is FABULOUS! Jessica Sprague jessicasprague.com. Right now this class is $45. I signed up for it about a week ago and somehow I got it free. So, if you don't want to pay the $45 maybe bookmark her sight or better yet sign up to become a member of her site and maybe she'll send you upcoming class info. Regardless, I just took my first "class" and learned something very valuable that has been eluding me for quite awhile. Her classes are designed to be accessed at your convenience so that you can go back over it as many times as you want! PS. If you are my sister, I will be sharing some info. that we were just talking about this weekend...Horrah for sisters! :) Look at what I just did after my 10 minute class... And this is my 365 POTD (picture of the day!:)
I opened up my picture in Photoshop Elements and added a layering mask, a frame and added text. Took me about a minute to do! :)

More to come very soon...so very excited!
Live Today!
Dawn

Portable Pancakes

2009-07-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

My picture for today is of the Eggo Waffles Pancake box. I haven't even taken the picture yet (don't have the pancakes in my house right now...long story). But, it's a story worth remembering! My sweet little girl has always LOVED pancakes. So, when we started planning menus for the beach, pancakes were way up on the list. However, I told her that we weren't going to do ANY fancy cooking. I mean pouring hot oil into a pan and actually mixing up batter is FANCY! :) So, she goes, "mom, let's just buy some portable pancakes." At first I was not following, so she explained, "you know the frozen kind you can take anywhere"....portable. I thought that was such a very interesting angle on the whole frozen food. It does have a more sophisticated ring to it...portable pancake!
Anyway...don't want to forget that. Since I don't have the box, I wrote that whole story and the DATE on a ripped out piece of notebook paper. I stuck it in my album where the picture will go so I will remember to get that picture. (truth be told I'll probably have to jot down another note and stick it on the frige so I'll remember). Whatever works for you, do it! Remember all the stories, especially the everyday ones that are so very unique!

Since I don't have the picture of the portable pancakes..I thought I'd leave you a parting shot. My mom, sister and I have started this tradition of taking a yearly self portrait session on a random park bench. This year was no different. We found our park bench, laughed hysterically at nothing and everything and have some great pictures to prove it. This is my picture for June 12th
OK...couldn't resist, here are a few more from our park bench photo session.

Live Today.
Dawn

Simple as ABC

2009-06-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a wonderful start to our summer! It finally feels like summer! My picture from June 17th looks like this....we have had LOTS of rain. Wonderful for my plants and flowers. Not so fun for 2 kiddies who want to get in their pool and play! But, thankfully it has warmed up!

OK. I had an idea. I have gotten a wee bit behind in my 365 project. Still taking pictures, but have gotten a bit behind in my journaling cards. So...I had a brainstorm. I'm going to do my summer pictures a little different. The ABC's of summer will be showcased for a little while. Assigning a letter to the various activities we are doing this summer. I will probably still take lots of pictures and maybe even do a little "traditional 365" in there too. But, this takes a little pressure off.
Still keeping the date associated with the picture and still taking pictures of our everyday life.
Except now it's just a bit more to the point. Nothing fancy. Just life. I did the editing in Photoshop. Just created a couple of layers. Reduced the opacity for the main letters to about 54% and moved the remaining journaling around until it looked OK. I'm not into perfect these days. Just into doing it!

I want to remember this summer, but I don't want to spend so much time worrying about HOW I'm going to remember it (picture taking, journaling, keeping up with documenting it!)
Have fun.

Live Today!
Dawn

Family and everyday life

2009-05-18T13:19:00.001-07:00

Here is a page that I recently did of my precious family. I got an opportunity to go home, just me! It was nice, we kind of reverted back about 20 years or so..eating Whataburger in the car and sight seeing (well dad and Brett did sight seeing while the girls sat on a bench.)
This is the picture I used for March 25th. Don't forget to document your morning routine. You might think that it will be like this FOREVER, but it won't! I just wish I would have done this type of scrapbooking when my kids were babies! Wouldn't that be fun to go back and read???

Live Today!
Dawn

My Mothers Day

2009-05-17T13:33:00.001-07:00

Wow! How wonderful Mother's Day is. A day to remember how much we are blessed to have family! I was reminded how much I have to be thankful for; happy and healthy children, a wonderful husband who provides for us and the ability to enjoy spending time together! We planted my peony bush, went fishing and watched one of my favorite series,"Cranford". It was a very relaxing day. I already have my journaling card filled out and it is waiting for me to print this picture to go with it. But, I will wait a couple of weeks. (It saves on shipping to print in batches!)
This is what I came up with to store my 12x12 6 up page protectors. I got so tired of seeing them stacked in no rhyme or reason. This is an express box from the post office. Yes! I thought about using it to ship something to someone, but then decided to use priority and just happened to have this left over. So...if you are THINKING of shipping something to someone, pick this up JUST IN CASE! And then you can just cover it and use it to store your 12x12 stuff. It is like 13x14 or something like that so 12x12 products fit PERFECT! I buy my page protectors at Ritzcamera.com. They almost always have their scrapbook stuff 20% off. I use We R Memory Keepers. $7.95 will buy you 25 heavy duty page protectors. Very reasonable!
Live Today!
Dawn

Creative Process

2009-05-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Like you, my creative process is constantly changing. Sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes nothing. Regardless I keep on going. Just bought Kelly Rae Roberts' book, "Taking Flight". Love. She is a mixed media artist who actually uses lots of scrapbooking products in her work. Last night I was just dying to try SOMETHING..so this is what I came up with. I didn't even bother trying to make it perfect or do it "right". I just started. And I'm proud of the fact that I did something new and out of my normal comfort zone. (that's the essence of the book.)
Now...as far as my "365" Project. Yes, I do take pictures every week. Taking the pictures is the first step. Once I take the pictures, I create a journaling card for that picture pretty quick so I don't forget details. (I keep some premade 4x6 cards of various colors in my studio to save time). So, I might have several cards in my album with no pictures to go with them...yet. I upload my pictures to Shutterfly in batches. Most of the time I do a couple of months worth at a time. I don't print every picture from every day or occasion. If I take 12 pictures of one "event" I might print 1 or 2 (or sometimes more) pictures for that day.
This is what May 5th looked like I have my journaling card and pictures to go along with that day. I actually had a couple of more pictures that go with this card and they continued on the back side of the page so the back looks like this.
The 3 pictures at the top are continued from the previous page and the 3 cards on the bottom are waiting for me to print off the pictures to go with them. This system actually helps me remember which pictures I want to print off. They are all important to me, but I don't print out everything!
This is May 5th waiting for pictures of our turtles...
This is a page from April. I try to use my children's handwriting as much as possible. R wrote down his recipe and so I just glued that on my journaling card added a few more details and I was done...no stress, no pictures stuffed in a box somewhere in hopes of scrappin' them later. I do have my layouts mixed in there. If I get inspired, I'll make a whole page and just stick them in. I try to keep the order chronological by date.
(The layout to the left IS upside down...) My albums are very eclectic looking. I don't mind though. It's all part of the process! :)

Live Today!
Dawn

P.S. This post looks extrememly off kilter because I'm trying different ways to upload my pictures...I want them to be clear and big. But, some of them look way too big and some not so clear. I'm working on that detail..:)

Mostly journaling

2009-05-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is my very first journal that I received on my 14th birthday. I will be 34 in October, so I have been journaling for almost 20 years. This is my very first entry. I love to look back and see what I was thinking 20 years ago. More importantly, my children might find some amusement in looking at these later on in life.

I have read so many stories about how people react when they find out that there is a possibility that they might not be able to tell their children how much they love them or what they thought about life! I find it very interesting that when you don't have lots of time, you aren't worried about "things"...you just want your family to know how much you love them! I am so thankful that I have a spot reserved for them. Pictures are great and I really think that they will always love the scrapbooks...But, in my journals I talk about all kinds of things.

My journals are ongoing letters to my children. (I keep a journal for me and one for each of my children) I don't write in them every day or every week even. Sometimes I will go for a month or two and not write anything. Or sometimes I'll write in them several times in a week. Sometimes a couple of sentences, sometimes a couple of pages. Just depends on what is on my mind. I try to write down the cute things they are doing and saying at any given time. I also try to talk about values and things that I hold close to my heart.

Never EVER think that you don't have anything to say. If you are breathing oxygen right now, you have something to say. I dare you to just start writing. It doesn't have to make sense and you don't even have to be "interesting". Just start. Buy a journal at Target or Wal-Mart, open the book, put the date on the top line and just start writing. You really will shock yourself at how easy it is and how much you will enjoy it once you start. And think of it as a gift to your family.

This is my trunk that lives at the foot of our bed. This is a peak at all the journals I have kept over the last 20 years or so...

On another journaling note....I have taken the "Project 365" challenge. This is where I got so many ideas on how I want to scrapbook from now on. I don't want to forget our everyday life that is so wonderful and worth remembering. If you want to see where it all originated go HERE.
This is my picture for today. My husband is doing such a wonderful job of getting our little yard to go from dirt and drab to beautiful and green.

Your life is worth remembering....ALL of it!
Live Today!
Dawn

Art is good for the soul!

2009-04-27T19:59:00.001-07:00

Inspiration comes from many places. I find LOTS of inspiration from original work from others. I love to see what people can create and different ways to use various mediums of paint and paper. Kelly Rae has a very unique way of mixing the two. I love her shop on etsy. You can find it here...
Kelly Rae Etsy

Live Today. Dawn

Be You

2009-04-23T05:42:00.000-07:00

I found this on one of the blogs I go to daily. Melody Ross is a woman who achieved great success at a VERY young age in the scrapbook industry. However, her life turned upside down when her husband was in a surfing accident that caused brain damage. She is no longer a millionaire, she lost just about everything. She has been full circle to say the least. Yet, she keeps on going and has gotten back up and is still in the game of life. She just has a very inspirational story. Here is her blog if you are interested..
Melody Ross

And just for fun I'm going to share another one of my favorite blog sites. Her name is Kelly Rae Roberts. She was a social worker for many years, but then kind of stumbled upon her God given gift..painting with mixed media. I LOVE her work.Kelly Rae website. She has written a book and also has an etsy shop.Kelly Rae's etsy. I want one of everything she has!

Live Today and just be YOU!
Dawn

Organizing School Pictures- Part I

2009-04-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Organizing all the school stuff is a bit overwhelming. I have found a system that works for me and thought I'd share it. Take as little or as much as you want and find something that works for you. The most important element is to start with THIS year and work back. Don't try and go all the way back to the beginning, you will end up frastrated!
This is what my piles look like RIGHT NOW. Creating Keepsakes sold these wonderful school kits a couple of years ago and I bought 2! That is probably one of the best kits I ever bought. But, you don't have to have a fancy kit to get started. Just get any kind of folder. You could even get a manilla file folder (I would staple the sides so that there is an opening only at the top so stuff doesn't fall out when you pick it up). When I go through their backpacks everyday I don't keep everything. I don't even keep alot. Most of the everyday school worksheets go in the trash.(I know...gasp!) I try to keep at least 1 spelling test and some writing samples for them to compare to later on. But, here is what I keep...
1. Creative stories
2. Pictures created by them
3. Letters from teachers
4. All certificates and diplomas (these go into a seperate folder)
5. Programs, letters from school friends, some invites, valentines, etc.
6. Just about anything with their handwriting
The inside of the pocket looks like this..

I keep way more than I'm going to use. I go through it again and scan in some of the bigger items to fit on the page. For instance, if they bring home a 16x12 piece that has a picture on top and a story below it, I cut it in half and then scan and shrink it. After you scan it you can put it back on top of each other on your page. Or here...

I wanted to use this program but didn't want it to take up most of my 12x12 page. So I scanned it in and shrunk it down to about 3x5.

I also shrink my pictures down in Photoshop. I just open up a 4x6 canvas and add 2 pictures to that canvas. I save the image and send it off to Shutterstock. When I get it back I cut it and use the little pictures on my page. I get alot more stuff on my page when I shrink it down. This is what they look like when they are done in Photoshop...

Some items I keep in their original form like this Abe Lincoln piece R did.
I thought it was absolutely adorable. So, I just put it right onto my 12x12 layout. I use all kinds of sizes and shapes on my pages. There really is no rhyme or standard. I do try to balance out the pages though. I use lots of square and rectangle sizes for my pictures for continuity.

For every grade I keep the 12x12 layouts kind of similar. The first page has an 8x10school picture. I also add their daily schedule and the school name, year, etc.. On page 2 or 3 I always write a letter to my children. In the letter I highlight favorite activities, things they said that made me smile, and talk about their friends. I am really big on journaling. During the year if something comes up that I think I might forget I just write it down on scratch paper and stick it in the folder. I have lots of scribbly notes later, but at least they are there. I then go through them and include them in my letter. If you don't write it down YOU WILL FORGET IT!!!

In my albums I house the 12x12 pockets, 8 1/2 x11 page protectors with art work that I wanted to keep individually stored and 12x12 pages. I like using the different sizes, it adds a little interest. You don't have to scrapbook everything, just stick it in a page protector!

...and...

Once all this stuff is sorted and put together it is a lot of fun to look at over and over. Trust me the process isn't really all that bad. I got both of my kids' books caught up to this year last summer. Preschool too! :) Just remeber start this year and go back. Sort a little at a time. Oh! I almost forgot...I do keep a folder on my computer labeled "school pictures". This is where I sort and keep all the pictures that I use on my 12x12 layouts. So, the papers and misc. items are only part 1 of the process...I'll go into that on my next post, K?

Start sorting and have fun! When in doubt, keep it and move on. When you start scrapping, you will sort it even more.
This is what the album looks like when it's all done, I have 2 grades so far in this album...
I can fit 3-4 grades in one album. I keep LOTS of stuff though. So, it will just depend on what you want to keep. I use We R Memory Keepers 12x12 leather albums. Blue for my son, purple for my daughter. Please feel free to email me at yourstorystudio@yahoo.com if you have any questions or you can comment below.

Live Today,
Dawn

Exploring

2009-04-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

Telling the story of your life does not always include pictures. In this page I tried to capture more sound (the conversation between Jamie and I) and sights. Although, I can already smell some yummy bread coming out of the oven in those bakeries we went to! Have fun. And don't forget to use all that everyday stuff that you normally throw away. I used menu's, brochures and a Mellow Mushroom calendar for this page. Our everyday life is full of so much color. Save some money and save a tree! :)
Live Today!
Dawn

Organization

2009-04-08T19:37:00.001-07:00

I will be the absolute FIRST to say that organization eludes me. I feel that I am somewhat of an organized thinker. Taking action on these thoughts is kind of painful for me. I really have to work at it! I was THRILLED to stumble across this idea! I don't even remember where I saw/heard it, but it stuck!
Here is THE binder! This is where all my recipes, gardening and some of my favorite decorating ideas live. Please note that everything in between the green and yellow tabs are DESSERTS!! The main dishes and sides are somewhere in there. And there is a whole section on dips and cheese balls (my favorite!)
When I see a recipe I like in a magazine I rip it out and just stick it in a page protector. If I find one on the internet I print it out and stick it in there too. Or I have some pages with hand written recipes on misc. pieces of paper..those are simply stapled to some paper and then stuck in the page protector. I also want to remember what I put in my flower garden. So this too goes in the binder. I got so tired of seeing them just laying around on my counters. Where else do you put these things?? I stapled them in such a way that I can partially flip them over and see what's on the back ( I only read that part when something doesn't grow:) Same with articles that I want to keep. I try not to keep whole publications just for a handful of ideas. I do the same thing with my scrapbooking. I rip out the pages and stick them in an idea binder (a separate binder that I keep in my studio). When I get stuck or need ideas, I've got them all nice and neat in page protectors..have I mentioned that I LOVE page protectors?
I hope that this helps someone! It sure has made my life easier!
Live Today!
Dawn

Good

2009-04-07T09:14:00.001-07:00

April Showers

2009-04-01T11:01:00.001-07:00

Although it IS raining again!! All these showers mean greener grass in a couple of weeks. Thought it would be fun to pull together some of my favorite things right now.
1. R wrote down his recipe for his egg concoction that he and H made ALL by themselves. (A modified version of Pops' in Houston)
2. Red "Betty Boop" shoes. Try to work these into any outfit!
3. Having fun recycling cereal boxes. Good thing, we go through lots!
4. H brought home a book from school, "Lives of Extraordiaray Women". The subtitle was "well behaved women never made history"..wooohoo, good reading! :)
5. "Find X" lives on my frige.
6. Can't do without my "nano pod".
7. Found the yellow shoes at Marshalls. Love at first sight!
8. LOVE looking at journal pages of creative artists! The page markers are recycled embellishments from my "Swoozies' catalog!
9. Texas hat is a faithful walking companion

Live Today!
Dawn

I will sing you back to me!

2009-03-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE this little phrase that Nala used over and over in the movie, "Australia". It struck such a familiar chord with me. So...I created the 2 above pages for my babies.
**I used Tim Holtz masks, acrylic paint, scraps of material, twine from Lowe's, my handy dandy sewing machine, a Frosted Flakes cereal box and printed my pictures onto cardstock for a matte look. So fun!
Live Today!
Dawn

Your Heart

2009-03-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

Life can flat break your heart! But, it is so amazing how God made that incredible organ that causes us to feel so much pain, be able to feel so much love! It is our choice as to what we allow to consume our heart! I found this blog site...
click here
I am not a professional photographer. What I am hoping to be is one who is able to capture Life. All of it! I love the quote from the blog...

"..but then one day a friend pointed out something about my photographs that hadn’t occurred to me before, “Wow, you can see your heart in your photos”.

That is just a profound statement! I want people to be able to see my heart in my pictures, in my album, in my life. It isn't something that happens overnight. It takes time to open your heart!

Katherine

2009-03-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

This is another dear friend who came into my life in a blink and then moved away almost just as quickly. But, our friendship will last a lifetime! Isn't that amazing how life works? We are now on opposite ends of the country, but we made a lot of fun memories and now I have a destination to look forward to! :) Miss you Katherine!!

Determination!

2009-03-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

Continuing on the thought of dreaming... I made this piece several months ago. I love the movie "Pursuit of Happyness"! I love the scene where this quote originated from. A dad telling his son to never EVER let anyone tell him he can't do anything he sets out to do! Dreaming is the 1st step. The rest of the process is a bit difficult. Planning, action, rejection, determination. All necessary parts, just like dreaming. Don't EVER stop dreaming!

Live Today!
Dawn

PS. I am LOVING my butterfly punch these days. They show up all over the place! :)

Dream....Don't forget to!

2009-03-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

I got some new supplies for some of my upcoming classes...Wow! What fun I have had! This is something I just started playing around with, didn't have ANY idea where it would take me. But, I love how it turned out!
Drew and I were talking about "bucket lists" today at lunch. Some were items that probably wouldn't happen in the next 5 years...like traveling abroad. But, some were things that could be done right now or in the next 6 months. So, with that heavily on my mind, I went to work. I am a very visual person. If I see it, it sticks. If I write it, it's pretty much branded in my head. So, this is my little reminder of 3 things that are things I'd like to do in the next 6 months. Very doable things.

1. Take a pottery class
2. Schedule a photo shoot with mom, Haleigh, Christie and I (inspired by Mandy..thank you!)
3. Share my love for telling stories of our lives!!

This is hanging up on my board above my desk. I will see it every day. Not only will this little thing remind me of the items I have written down, but to keep dreaming! After all, everything starts with a dream! What's your dream??
Live Today,
Dawn

Peachy Cheap

2009-03-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling when you find out about something really great and your first reaction is to tell as many people about it that will listen? Well...I must confess that I DID have that reaction...I called my sister and my mom. They get to hear lots of "firsts" from me. Some good, some ridiculous, some fun and worth it! But, beyond that I have kept THIS to myself for a couple months now...

I LOVE this gal....may she have obedient children and a clean refrigerator for the rest of her life.:) I don't know where in the world she gets this stuff or how she sells it so cheap. But, this website is just as addicting as Facebook. I walk by my computer and say, "No, I am NOT going to turn you on to find out what everyone is doing right now!", "No, there is nothing on Peachy Cheap that I MUST have right now!" My desk is a magnet that I can not defeat. So, I log onto Facebook and Peachy Cheap just about every day. Peachy Cheap has something new EVERY day. And unfortunately it is hooked to my PayPal account. Hope you enjoy her website as much as I have!
Live Today!
Dawn

www.yourstorystudio.net

2009-03-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about our website. I hope you enjoy looking around and getting a better peak at my work and what "Your Story Studio" offers. Email me or leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you! :)
THANK YOU DREW for designing this beautiful piece of artwork!!!! Dawn

How exactly does it work?

2009-03-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

I have been asked this question quite a bit lately. So, I'm going to attempt to show you a little bit from my album. The above picture is straight out of my most recent album. I use a 12x12 3 ring leather album for ALL of my scrapbooking now. I have many post bound albums but have found that 3 ring is more versatile. I use 8 1/2x11 sheet protectors (I use these to store things like smaller layouts, calendars, etc..), plain 12x12 sheet protectors and the above 6 up photo sleeves. I use more of the photo sleeves now that I have combined all my photos into my scrapbooks. It was crazy trying to keep a seperate album JUST for photos and then a scrapbook for those times that I had to do something special, which happens less these days. So now, everything is in ONE book.
I want to remember the STORY behind the pictures that I put into the photo sleeves, so I use a "your story" card for the journaling to record all those little things that I might forget. I like to think of this as a "mini canvas". I embellish them like I would a 12x12 page except it doesn't take near as long. I did the above card this morning in about 4 minutes. Most of that time was spent looking for the letters I needed from that stamp set. Put it next to my pictures and DONE! I feel like I have documented a little bit about the pictures, it's got some color and I can move on with life! EASY!!!
" /> Her is another card I did. Except this time I added a little more to the card. Just like you add pictures and embellishments to your bigger scrapbook pages, you can add them to your "your story" cards.
Here you can see that I added a 5x7 picture into the mix for something different. Who says that your pictures have to be attached with glue or pop dots? Why not just slide them into a sleeve? I numbered the pictures on this "page" and then documented what each picture was on the "your story" card.
This is what I'm talking about...cut yourself some slack. Enjoy your life, take your pictures, put them into an album and write a brief story about your pictures. You can then add as much or as little as you want. Again, that is why I like the 3 ring albums. If you feel inspired to do a big 2 page layout to stick in between these pages, perfect!! It adds a little depth and interest! But,you don't have to add anything if you don't have time. You will have a beautiful album telling the story of your life. If you have any questions or if you would like to learn more about this, email me. This and WAY more information will be shared in my class, "In a Minute". My email address is yourstorystudio@yahoo.com. Dawn

Blueberries For Sal

2009-03-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have been so happy with the teacher's my kids have this year. They are both having so much fun. R's teacher is calm and orderly, but she LOVES those kids and they love her back! H's teacher is very hands on and wide open. He has a record player that is a very important part of their day. Every afternoon right before dismissal he plays records from all genres and time periods. The kids get to rate the artist with a thumb's up or thumb's down.

Today I was so happy to be able to participate in the activities R was doing with blueberries. They read, "Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey recently and decided to spend today feasting on all things blueberry. The card above is going straight into my album. This is an example of what I'm going to be teaching in my, "In a Minute" class. Scrapbooking doesn't have to take hours and hours. You don't even have to have a picture. When I look at this card, R and I will vividly remember this morning and the silly things we talked about all gathered around the griddle. I did find out that A. loves spinach just like I do and Ad. had 5 bowls of cereal before he came to school today and yet still managed 2 big blueberry pancakes.:) Oh...and Al. cooked s'mores over her fire pit last night, but her brother didn't like the fire so he went inside. Have a wonderful weekend!
Live Today!
Dawn
PS. Not sure why I look so unhappy in the photo. I guess it's difficult to smile at a teeny tiny camera sitting in front of a generic sign-in computer in the front office at school. One day I'm going to bust out into a crazy pose or something. :)

Balance

2009-03-09T11:52:00.001-07:00

Make it Real

2009-03-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of me and my mom! My very talented Aunt Starr took it a couple of summers ago. To be honest it is probably one of my favorites. We aren't looking at the camera, we didn't even know she was taking the picture (honest! We are a very huggy family)! Those are my absolute favorite pictures.
One of my goals for "Your Story Studio" is to help people feel comfortable enough to document their real lives through scrapbooking. Sometimes it is so overwhelming with all the very yummy doo dads and fancy tools that are now on the market. It would be very easy to get caught up in the mind set that your pages HAVE to be this way and HAVE to look extra fancy! But, in reality the bottom line is the story your pages are telling. Yes! Get that beautiful paper! Yes! Those rub-ons are wonderful, they will add so much to your page! But, don't forget the STORY! And I'm not talking about labeling the page. I'm talking about putting some feeling, some emotion into your pages. Sometimes it will be a lengthy paragraph. Other times it will be just a few words... This is my momma's handwriting. I scanned this in from a card she sent me. I love looking at cards that my family sends me. I enjoy the words that they write, but I also like to imagine where they wrote the words. Was she sitting at the table where we ate Christmas dinner? Or was she sitting on the sofa where we sat up almost all night eating Hershey Hugs watching movies? Just looking at her handwriting brings all these wonderful memories back for me. So, I included that in my pages.
Make it real. Tell your story.
Mom, I love you! :)
Dawn

Her name is Angela

2009-03-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

Almost 3 years ago, my family and I made a big move. We had been in Raleigh for over 8 years. Our roots got pretty deep. So, moving was a big adjustment. We were so fortunate to move to a nice, safe area. However, this area was very different than what we had come from. We now live in a very rural area and spend alot of time at home. I knew NO ONE! Several months after we moved in we finally got next door neighbors....YAHHHHHH! They didn't have children, but they seemed very nice. Her name is Angela. It took Angela and I several months to really get to know one another, but very soon I realized she would be a friend for life! She is an amazing woman. She is a very kindred spirit. I could tell many stories of the fun we had. But, that is not the point. The point is we got to be really good friends and this past July her and her husband were transferred. Angela came to Springdale with a dog and 2 cats. She left our neighborhood with 3 daughters, a whole litter of "kiddies", a dog and a cat
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't look at her house and miss her terribly! If there is someone in your life that you can call or better yet hug, do it! Life is so short and sometimes we don't take the time to drink in the beautiful little parts!
Angela's husband is really into kites. We spent many a day out in the street "helping" him with the kites. This was serious stuff! One day though the string snapped and one of his kites ended up in my neighbors' tree. It is still there today.
I walk quite a bit and every day I look for that kite, that little reminder of my wonderful friend. It is so good to have a friend like that and be able to remember all the fun memories! Yes, this is in my scrapbook, it's all part of my story! I miss you Angela! I think I'm going to go call Angela.
Live Today,
Dawn

Change of scenery

2009-03-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those days that everyone can relate to. I had a huge pile of laundry patiently waiting for me (that is the only thing I love about laundry, it never complains, it sits quietly) to fold and put away, I had to go and get groceries, my desk looked like this
and I still have a pile of paint supplies waiting for me to get to. You see I started doing touch ups ummmmm.. about 2 months ago. I was real motivated for about a day but then OTHER things came up.

But then I got a call from a friend of mine. She asked if I wanted to go to Garden Ridge. Since I have been sitting at my desk for about 3 days only coming down in the afternoons, something inside said, "Go! Go take a look at something outside the 4 walls of your house!". And I am so glad I did! I got to visit with my friend and her 2 beautiful little girls. I also found this inside Garden Ridge which was rather inspiring to me.
Wow! I love that! Life is always in Progress. It is always moving forward. It's our job to decide what we are going to absorb from it. We determine what kind of progress we are going to make out of this thing called life. I feel that yesterday was a wonderful day of progress. No, I didn't get to my painting. No, I didn't get to my zillions of projects laying on my desk. But, I connected with a friend and got to enjoy the beautiful day that I have been blessed to see with my own eyes!
Yes, yesterday was a day full of progress!

Oh, I also managed to go to Starbucks for some coffee! I got a Caramel Macchiato,sugar free, upside down (so the sweet part is on the top) caffeinated. I just love that they put your name on the cup! I also love that there is something inspiring on the cup for you to ponder about. This is what mine said. The type is kind of hard to read..it says, "Failure is hard, but success if far more dangerous. If you're successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever." Wow!
Have a wonderful day!
Dawn

babyOmine

2009-03-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about babyOmine! I have seriously not been able to sleep with all the ideas swirling in my head. But, it is coming together very nicely. A friend of mine asked specifically for a book with BOLD colors. She is having a girl and did not want the pastels and diaper pins. So, we found some beautiful paper from My Minds Eye. This paper is like cardboard. It really can stand up by itself its so thick and yummy! (This is what happens when you work on a project for many hours, it becomes like food! :) Anyway, I wanted to give you a peek!

The top picture is actually a pocket for cards. This is pretty heavy duty. I glued and stitched the sides of the actual pocket for stability. The bottom picture is a "hospital bracelet" pocket. There is room in there for a whole family of bracelets!

babyOmine albums can be 8x10 or 12x12. I prefer the 12x12 size because it will house much more!! This album is going to include about 26 fillable pages like "story of mom and dad" and "doctor visits" etc. It will also include 12x12 pages that will house your loose photos (and they aren’t going to be LOOSE in the album, they will have a nice and tidy home!) I found that when I was doing my babies' books, there was never enough room for pictures. And if they had slots, there was never any way to label what was going on in the pictures!! Problem solved. I have created a way for you to have your cake and eat it too!

I am planning on having a video up within the next couple of days showing you everything in this yummy book! However, if you would like more info. now, please email me at yourstorystudio@yahoo.com. I am planning on having some in Etsy in about a week or 2.

Now onto other items:

This is what we were doing Friday night. Have you ever played American Girl 300 wishes? Way fun! D and R really got into it. It really is a perfectly lovely game. You talk about things like opening up a lemonade stand and owning a cottage on a sunny beach! We had so much fun, the kids woke us up at 6:30 to play it again. Hooray for Saturdays and sleeping in! Ha. So...we were playing yet again!

4 inches of snow! The kids are out today and maybe tomorrow. The kids had fun playing in it! I had fun taking pictures and then I went back inside. I was thinking more about the cottage on the beach from American Girl!

Hope you have a happy day!
Dawn

A BRAND NEW DAY

2009-02-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have been dreaming of this day for many years!

I am a wife, mommy and life journalist with a degree from "My Life University". All of us have a unique story to tell. Many people document the big events in their life, but I like telling about the parts in between. Life is made up of birthdays, vacations and fun trips to the park. But, documenting the little things like the way my daughter's room looks RIGHT NOW or the way my son leaves all his Bakugon thingies spread out all over the floor is just as important as all of those Christmas pictures. (Just for the record, those Bakugon can do some serious damage to vaccuums and feet!)

I have kept a journal since I was in the 6th grade. I LOVE writing and anything that has to do with words and lettering. So, when scrapbooking came along I was thrilled. Within a couple of years I found that I didn't fit in to the "normal" mold of scrapbooking.

When my kids open my books they see not only our trips to the North Carolina State Fair, (yes, I do the big events too!) they see that life is made up of all kinds of different emotions. Not all of my pages are sugary happy. I want my children to know that life is difficult sometimes, but in finding joy from the everyday things we find the strength to make it through the difficult times.

It is my hope that I will be able to help someone else find joy in the everyday lives we live. But, what you will probably find is that the mundane is not so mundane after all.

I look forward to this part of my journey and invite you to join me! I will be announcing some exciting information in the coming weeks.

Until then, how about grabbing your camera and take some pictures of your kids playing. But this time turn the flash off and try to stay incognito. Trust me, if you have decent light in the room you will probably be surprised how much you will LOVE those pictures!

Dawn