Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
One of my fellow peas, NDJane shared a Photoshop action with us all today, and I wanted to share some of the pictures I tried it out on. These were just some snapshots of Faith, but I really like how they turned out. If you are interested in the action, you can download it here.
Friday, April 24th, 2009
So here are the highlights from my week:
1.) BPD Photo Club - Our local photo club met yesterday. Jeremy brought his alien bee/octabox and wireless triggers for all of us to try out. It was really cool, and I definitely learned some things about balancing off-camera light w/ ambient. Also, it gave me one more thing to add to my wish list of awesome things that Jeremy has, and I wish that I did.
2.) Birthdays - Wednesday was my BIL's 24th birthday - Happy Birthday Bryce :)
3.) Catherine's Spicy Chicken Soup - I tried a new recipe last night for a spicy chicken soup. It was actually very delicious. If you want to give it a try you can find the recipe here. It's definitely one I recommend.
4.) Land of opportunities - Recently we have been looking at different lots to build on or various homes for sale. There is one neighborhood and one 3 acre lot that we are seriously considering. We don't really plan to start building until next year, but there are a lot of details we are trying to figure out now. Both options have a lot of really good points to them, and it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes to think about it all. Here's hoping we get it all figured out...
5.) Regional Social Studies Fair - Tonight Dad and I judged the Regional Social Studies Fair. It's just something fun Dad and I can do together, and it also helps out the local schools.
1.) BPD Photo Club - Our local photo club met yesterday. Jeremy brought his alien bee/octabox and wireless triggers for all of us to try out. It was really cool, and I definitely learned some things about balancing off-camera light w/ ambient. Also, it gave me one more thing to add to my wish list of awesome things that Jeremy has, and I wish that I did.
2.) Birthdays - Wednesday was my BIL's 24th birthday - Happy Birthday Bryce :)
3.) Catherine's Spicy Chicken Soup - I tried a new recipe last night for a spicy chicken soup. It was actually very delicious. If you want to give it a try you can find the recipe here. It's definitely one I recommend.
4.) Land of opportunities - Recently we have been looking at different lots to build on or various homes for sale. There is one neighborhood and one 3 acre lot that we are seriously considering. We don't really plan to start building until next year, but there are a lot of details we are trying to figure out now. Both options have a lot of really good points to them, and it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes to think about it all. Here's hoping we get it all figured out...
5.) Regional Social Studies Fair - Tonight Dad and I judged the Regional Social Studies Fair. It's just something fun Dad and I can do together, and it also helps out the local schools.
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Tonight I tried another recipe that my pea pal Jodi shared with me. I'm not really a big fan of banana bread, but I knew my mom was. Plus, it gave me the opportunity to use my new, pretty Paula Dean stoneware loaf pans. I made one with pecans and one without. I think they turned out pretty well.
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
I have some pretty exciting scrapbook news to share. A few days ago, I mentioned this new blog that I found. Well, the author of the blog is also a digital scrapbook designer, and she recently posted a call for applications for new members of her Creative Team. For those of you that aren't scrapbookers, a creative team is a group of scrapbookers that have access to a designer's products before they are released for purchase and create different layouts and such for promotional materials. Anyways, and I hope you see where I'm going with this…, I applied and was chosen to be part of her Creative Team. I am so excited to be a part of this process, and I can't way to see what all comes out of it. If you want to read my new CT bio or find out more info about the other ladies that were chosen you can read all about it here: Audacious Designs Creative Team
I decided to go ahead and share my bio image here. It was designed by Audrey, using her Photogenic collab kit
I decided to go ahead and share my bio image here. It was designed by Audrey, using her Photogenic collab kit
Monday, April 20th, 2009
Let me start off by saying, Nathan and I are not pet people. Neither of us gushes over little furry friends and neither of us have ever had the desire to have a pet or the inconveniences that come with taking care of one. Having stated all that, I'm now going to tell you we have a cat. I like to think that he adopted us instead of us adopting him. This little guy had been wandering the road in front of our house, crying at each doorstep for a few days. One night as we were entering our house, he was at our front porch, crying. Not just a regular cat cry, but a sad, pathetic whimper. I said something like, "poor little thing is so skinny, I'd feed him if I didn't think it would lead to him never leaving." Well, that was all it took. The big, kind heart that resides in my husband noticed how skinny the little guy was and immediately went to get him some milk and a can of tuna. He went to town on that can of tuna like it was the first thing he had eaten in a year; we were pretty sure he was going to try and eat the can. We left his food and milk on the back porch, and went inside to fix ourselves something to eat. Half way through dinner Nathan announces, "I think I would like to name him Milo." I replied with, "Milo it is then." We think he used to be someone's house cat, because he has no front claws, and his tail has been bobbed. We're not sure if someone is missing him or if someone just left him to fend for his own outside. There have been a few times when we will hear him crying outside, and some other cat or dog has had him pinned in a corner. We're pretty worried about how he is going to protect himself without any claws. We're thinking about calling the Humane Society just to see if anyone has reported him missing, but we don’t want them to come and take him if they are just going to keep him in a cage or eventually put him to sleep, so for now we are still checking into things. As I anticipated, every day since that first night Milo comes by when we get home from work and cries for his dinner. For awhile we just gave him what we happened to have in the house: tuna, a little milk, some leftover turkey, etc. Tonight we not only bought him cat food, but also a little house. I would say that makes us official cat owners.
Sunday, April 19th, 2009
I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before or not, but my pea pal Jodi actually went to a culinary school, which is great, because I know nothing about cooking. A fact that both my mother and my mother-in-law can attest to based on the 15 phone calls they both receive every time I go to the grocery store to try and buy ingredients. Did you know that baking powder is not at all the same thing as baking soda? Something I learned this weekend – thanks Jeanie! Anyways, back to the point of my post… tonight I had the opportunity to try the calzone recipe that Jodi shared with me. They actually turned out pretty good. Tonight we just made traditional pepperoni, cheese, and pizza sauce calzones, but I think this recipe would be pretty good with other ingredients too. Although mine were probably a bit messier looking than hers would have been, I thought I'd share some pictures anyways.
Friday, April 17th, 2009
1.) Girls day out - Mom and I went to Columbus yesterday. We had to pick my Grandma up at the airport, so we figured we might as well get some shopping in first. We had a blast, like we always do! I got a new stainless steel trash can for the kitchen, a new pair of shoes, fabric for a new quilt, my "should have been Easter dress", a few other items, and a wonderful day with my Mom.
2.) Tomatoes - Tonight Nathan and I put together our Topsy Turvy Tomato Plant. For awhile now we've been wanting to have a garden, but we just don't have a good place for it at this house. So I decided to compromise and try the hanging plant idea. We never knew there were so many different kinds of tomatoes. We decided to go with Better Boy and Beefsteak tomatoes for no particular reason. I'll be sure to let you know how my hanging plant experiment goes. unless I end up killing them, in which case I will probably never mention them again and hope that you all forget I ever planted them :)
3.) The Defining You class. I wrote about this class that I won yesterday, but I have been reading through some of it today, and I am even more excited. It's all about describing the characters in your life and has some great ideas for journaling. The class also comes with several scrapbooking templates.
4.) Tech support - The head of my Internet Operations Division (aka my brother) has been working on some upgrades for the website. He's making the whole thing a little more user-friendly for me, and hopefully adding some new functionality like allowing my readers to leave comments.
5.) I found out this week that John, Michelle, and Evan are coming into visit at the end of May. I miss Evan so much and hate the fact that they live so far away, so we always really cherish the time the times they come in town. In honor of their upcoming visit, here is my latest Evan layout.
The journaling reads:
Evan had recently started taking swimming lessons, so during his visit to West Virginia we took him to DuPont Park, so he could show off his new skills. He did such a good job! He swam back and forth from one side to the other. As he stopped at one side of the pool to catch his breath, a couple of young ladies stopped by and said, "You are such a good little swimmer. How old are you?" As loudly and proudly as he could, Evan announced, "I'm four and my mom's forty." The ladies burst out laughing. I looked over at Michelle who was on the other side of the pool deck blushing and shaking her head. What the women didn't know was that Evan and his mommy share the same birthday. So I explained to the ladies that every year they celebrate their birthdays together, and I think that's why he associates the two facts together.
The mini colored tags say: funny, the darndest things, HONEST, and mom and me
For credits and more information check out the scrapbooking section.
2.) Tomatoes - Tonight Nathan and I put together our Topsy Turvy Tomato Plant. For awhile now we've been wanting to have a garden, but we just don't have a good place for it at this house. So I decided to compromise and try the hanging plant idea. We never knew there were so many different kinds of tomatoes. We decided to go with Better Boy and Beefsteak tomatoes for no particular reason. I'll be sure to let you know how my hanging plant experiment goes. unless I end up killing them, in which case I will probably never mention them again and hope that you all forget I ever planted them :)
3.) The Defining You class. I wrote about this class that I won yesterday, but I have been reading through some of it today, and I am even more excited. It's all about describing the characters in your life and has some great ideas for journaling. The class also comes with several scrapbooking templates.
4.) Tech support - The head of my Internet Operations Division (aka my brother) has been working on some upgrades for the website. He's making the whole thing a little more user-friendly for me, and hopefully adding some new functionality like allowing my readers to leave comments.
5.) I found out this week that John, Michelle, and Evan are coming into visit at the end of May. I miss Evan so much and hate the fact that they live so far away, so we always really cherish the time the times they come in town. In honor of their upcoming visit, here is my latest Evan layout.
The journaling reads:
Evan had recently started taking swimming lessons, so during his visit to West Virginia we took him to DuPont Park, so he could show off his new skills. He did such a good job! He swam back and forth from one side to the other. As he stopped at one side of the pool to catch his breath, a couple of young ladies stopped by and said, "You are such a good little swimmer. How old are you?" As loudly and proudly as he could, Evan announced, "I'm four and my mom's forty." The ladies burst out laughing. I looked over at Michelle who was on the other side of the pool deck blushing and shaking her head. What the women didn't know was that Evan and his mommy share the same birthday. So I explained to the ladies that every year they celebrate their birthdays together, and I think that's why he associates the two facts together.
The mini colored tags say: funny, the darndest things, HONEST, and mom and me
For credits and more information check out the scrapbooking section.
Thursday, April 16th, 2009
The NA-FUN layout that I did was part of a contest that they were having at Simple Scrapper, and today they announced that I won! You can read about the announcement here. My prize is a free enrollment in the We Are Storytellers Defining You class. I'm really excited about the class, and hopefully soon you will see some new layouts with all the new techniques I learn.
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009
So I recently happened upon this new blog. I love how she focuses on the storytelling side of scrapbooking. She even offered this challenge and freebie kit/template which is what I used for the layout below.
Journaling reads:
Sometimes when I'm being silly I like to replace the 'TH' in Nathan's name with an 'F' and pronounce it Na-fun. I'm not really sure how it started, but I think it suits him well. Everything is more fun when Nathan is involved. He lets me be me, no matter how goofy that may be. Not only does he let me be silly whenever I want to, he never hesitates to join in the fun. It makes me think about the Gilmore Girls episode (every one of which he watched with me) when Dean is explaining to Max the secret to understanding the girls. Nathan doesn't just laugh at me, he goes with my bits, and I love him for it. If I randomly break out in a dance, he dances too. If we are riding in the car and I make up a ridiculous song, he chimes in with the second verse. I've always said being married to Nathan was like having a sleep-over with your best friend every day. I love the carefree, silly side of Na-fun, and I'm so glad I get to share all of my fun times with him.
The bottom (white) journaling block is the actual quote from Gilmore Girls:
Dean: Oh, and uh, go with their bits.
MAX: Their bits?
DEAN: Yeah, like, if you're eating pizza with them and Lorelai decides that the pepperoni is angry at the mushrooms because the mushrooms have an attitude and then she holds up a pepperoni and the pepperoni asks for your opinion...don't just laugh. Answer the pepperoni.
MAX: Answer the pepperoni.
For credits and more info check out the scrapbooking section
Journaling reads:
Sometimes when I'm being silly I like to replace the 'TH' in Nathan's name with an 'F' and pronounce it Na-fun. I'm not really sure how it started, but I think it suits him well. Everything is more fun when Nathan is involved. He lets me be me, no matter how goofy that may be. Not only does he let me be silly whenever I want to, he never hesitates to join in the fun. It makes me think about the Gilmore Girls episode (every one of which he watched with me) when Dean is explaining to Max the secret to understanding the girls. Nathan doesn't just laugh at me, he goes with my bits, and I love him for it. If I randomly break out in a dance, he dances too. If we are riding in the car and I make up a ridiculous song, he chimes in with the second verse. I've always said being married to Nathan was like having a sleep-over with your best friend every day. I love the carefree, silly side of Na-fun, and I'm so glad I get to share all of my fun times with him.
The bottom (white) journaling block is the actual quote from Gilmore Girls:
Dean: Oh, and uh, go with their bits.
MAX: Their bits?
DEAN: Yeah, like, if you're eating pizza with them and Lorelai decides that the pepperoni is angry at the mushrooms because the mushrooms have an attitude and then she holds up a pepperoni and the pepperoni asks for your opinion...don't just laugh. Answer the pepperoni.
MAX: Answer the pepperoni.
For credits and more info check out the scrapbooking section
Sunday, April 12th, 2009
Happy Easter everyone! I hope today you can find comfort in knowing that you have been forgiven of your sins and rejoice in the fact that JESUS is Alive!
Friday, April 10th, 2009
Five things I'm liking this week...
1.) Excedrin Migraine: This stuff is seriously a wonder-drug. It must have been made for the exact kind of headaches that I get. I woke up at 6:30 this morning with my head thumping. After an hour of slipping in and out of conciousness each time waking up with my temples about to explode, I finally forced myself to go down stairs and take some excedrine. After 20 minutes of laying there with my eyes closed and pillow on my head, my headache was gone, and I was ready to start my day. Not only did I start my day pain-free, but with a super boost of caffeine. And since I don't normally drink anything with caffeine, it was quite a productive morning :)
2.) My parents came back from Florida on Tuesday: I was glad that they got to take a little vacation and that they got to visit Grandma and Pap. But I am even more glad that they are home. I find myself having things to tell or ask my mom off and on all day long, and I just like having her around. And what little girl doesn't feel safer knowing that her Daddy is only ten minutes away.
3.) My women's Bible study: This was the last week of our ten week study of the story of David. I have really enjoyed the study, and I feel like I have learned so much. If you are ever looking for a good bible study to follow, I highly recommend Beth Moore's. I can hardly wait until the next one starts up in the fall. I hope we all strive to have A Heart Like His
4.) Running: I ran seven miles on Saturday, and it felt so good. I wish I had time to run like that everyday. I'm glad it is finally getting warmer (I am choosing to ignore the two days that it snowed this week) and that I can get outside and just go.
5.) Spring cleaning: OK, so I don't actually like cleaning, but I do like the effects. Nathan and I have been cleaning out cabinets and closets and really getting our house organized. I've made some commitments to try and keep certain things neat and clean - dishes out of the sink, not dropping stuff in the entry way, keeping up with the laundry, and bringing my clothes downstairs each day. So far Nathan and I both have been doing a pretty good job, and I'm proud of us.
1.) Excedrin Migraine: This stuff is seriously a wonder-drug. It must have been made for the exact kind of headaches that I get. I woke up at 6:30 this morning with my head thumping. After an hour of slipping in and out of conciousness each time waking up with my temples about to explode, I finally forced myself to go down stairs and take some excedrine. After 20 minutes of laying there with my eyes closed and pillow on my head, my headache was gone, and I was ready to start my day. Not only did I start my day pain-free, but with a super boost of caffeine. And since I don't normally drink anything with caffeine, it was quite a productive morning :)
2.) My parents came back from Florida on Tuesday: I was glad that they got to take a little vacation and that they got to visit Grandma and Pap. But I am even more glad that they are home. I find myself having things to tell or ask my mom off and on all day long, and I just like having her around. And what little girl doesn't feel safer knowing that her Daddy is only ten minutes away.
3.) My women's Bible study: This was the last week of our ten week study of the story of David. I have really enjoyed the study, and I feel like I have learned so much. If you are ever looking for a good bible study to follow, I highly recommend Beth Moore's. I can hardly wait until the next one starts up in the fall. I hope we all strive to have A Heart Like His
4.) Running: I ran seven miles on Saturday, and it felt so good. I wish I had time to run like that everyday. I'm glad it is finally getting warmer (I am choosing to ignore the two days that it snowed this week) and that I can get outside and just go.
5.) Spring cleaning: OK, so I don't actually like cleaning, but I do like the effects. Nathan and I have been cleaning out cabinets and closets and really getting our house organized. I've made some commitments to try and keep certain things neat and clean - dishes out of the sink, not dropping stuff in the entry way, keeping up with the laundry, and bringing my clothes downstairs each day. So far Nathan and I both have been doing a pretty good job, and I'm proud of us.
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
This is a recent layout about Faith. Right now she is the only one I have, and I can devote my full attention to her. It is crazy how much I love her, and I wanted to make a layout to let her know just how special she is to me.
Credits and more info in the scrapbook section
Credits and more info in the scrapbook section