Dont be alarmed!

Im just trying to make some changes to my blog.  I didnt quite like how it looked before so Im just playing around with settings. As it is I dont like how it looks now.  Does anyone know how to get the picture at the top to stretch across?

Did a few new layouts...

I did a few new layouts the last couple of weeks. (yes Im a super slow scrapper)  They are both for a lady name Anita.  You can read about her story HERE

This first one is using a Scrap-room kit.  If you are looking for a monthly scrap supply kit, I would HIGHLY recommend this one!  Tammy the owner is WONDERFUL, some of the best customer service ever, and she puts together AWESOME kits!  Every month you are sent 4 kits.  Each of those kits can easily complete anywhere from 2-5 pages.  Its always the newest stuff in a market, always chalked full of goodies, and is always well coordinated.  They also have a message board, and everyone on that board is so cool, full of talented people with ideas and they always there to help one another.    I have been getting the kit for at least 3 years now? and I have never been disappointed with the goodies!

The template idea/layout idea was inspired by Noell Hyman from Paperclipping.

I'm like Noell in that I am not a sketch girl.  I have tried to use sketches, but for some reason its a struggle for me.  It almost seems like Im forcing the layout, or design, and doesnt feel like me.  I have had one or two successful layouts using sketches, but for the most part, most of the layouts that I have done using a sketch I just didnt like.

Noell posted on her blog that instead of sketches, she has these go to "templates" that she uses. Rather than go by a specific sketch or anything, she has a layout shape in mind.  Then once she determines what layout shape she wants to use, she can then determine where to position her title, journaling, embellishments etc.  She posted one of her go to "templates" on her blog. 

I figured I would give the template a try, since it sometimes takes me FOREVER to figure out what I am going to do... also I have been in a bit of a rut lately with my design.  I really really LOVED doing this layout.  The template made it soo quick and soo easy.  The hardest part was figuring out what background color to use. 

The 2nd one is another Anita layout.  This one is a new line from My Minds Eye, Just Dreamy 2.  I was lucky enough to win the ENTIRE line at a scrapbook expo I went to.  If you ever see a My Minds Eye booth at a scrapbook expo, make sure to pay these guys a visit!  THEY are SOOOO generous and their products ROCK! 

The only thing NOT from this line is the cardstock from the title (cut with my Pazzles), and the stickles which I used to add a little bling to the paper and flowers.   This layout is another Anita layout.

Loving the Beach!

I have lived in Southern California for 25 years or so, and can honestly say that I have been to the beach maybe all of 10-15 times.  Now while that in itself is a sad number, what is even more sad is that most of those times occurred after I met my husband. 

My parents for some reason were never beach people, they never got out and did that type of thing. So my sisters and I spent most of our summers at the neighborhood pool instead.   Even after I met my husband, the beach didnt call me.  It was always too crowded, or we were too busy, or it was too hot, or I was just too much of a homebody and didnt want to go anywhere.

This year something has changed.  I find myself wanting to get out of the house more.. NEEDING to get out of the house more, and LOOKING FORWARD to getting out of the house more.   (wonder if losing 75lbs might do that to a person? hehe)  I also find myself wanting to go to the beach.

So the last two weekends my family and I drove to Capistrano Beach (about 20 minutes away from our house) and went for a 2hr leisurely stroll.  October in Southern California has the perfect weather for going to the beach!  Its not too hot, or too cold, there is usually a slight breeze and the beaches are fairly empty.  

Since it was a LEISURELY stroll,  I took my camera along to take some pics.   Here are a few of my favorites.   The pictures below are not the best by any means, but there are some of my favorites.  

Please leave me some comments..would love to get some feedback on any of these. 

This is my daughter.  She was quite content on one of our walks to just stand with her feet in the sand as the waves crashed onto the beach

Picture of my hubby and dd walking along the beach.  I LOVE shots like this from the back.  I have quite a few I have taken thru the years.  

Another one of DH..  I was trying to go for a Tara Whitney kinda thing with the play on the word "keep" but it didnt turn out like I had thought.  

Picture of the beach reflecting off of DH's glasses.  I took about 20 different shots.  Dh's patience level was starting to wear thin at one point LOL

A rock just sitting in the sand.  One thing I like about Capistrano Beach is that its NOT just sand  There are a TON of rocks all up and down the coast in various shapes and sizes.  I liked how this one had the wrinkles in the sand leading up to it.

A seagull or some other bird.  Thank god I had my zoom on because this guy would not let me get very close.  Unfortunately I think I had my aperature open too far because the birds head is a LITTLE out of focus.

Just a basic picture of the beach as the sun was going down.  I was trying to capture one of those "typical" beach scenes where everything is in silhouette.  I dont think I nailed it quite right.  This is one of those photos where I wish I had Photoshop!

I think this one is one of my favorite shots, again trying to go for the silhouette of the beach.  I need to practice this one more.  I dont like how the sun is... 

Last two...both the beach/silhouette type shots.  Again, need a bit more practice.  The last one I did in sepia tone just for fun.

My Pazzles machine ROCKS!

Ok for a long long time I was a Sizzix girl.  Everytime there was a Sizzix sale, I had to get something. (didnt help their warehouse was 2 blocks from my work)  Any new die they had, any new alpha, I wanted.  BUT even with all Sizzix offered, it still wasnt enough.  I would go and make a title with one of my 14 alphas, and I still didnt have the right font.  Or the flower die (or 6 or 7) dies I had were the wrong size.   It was rather frustrating because the dies are not cheap (even if I only bought them on sale) and I had to wait for Sizzix to come out with new ones and hope that their new dies matched my style.

Well, then I was introduced to the Pazzles.  For anyone not familiar with it, the Pazzles is an electronic die cutting machine.  It plugs into your computer and allows you to cut any TT font.  So imagine, any font that you have on your computer, any font that you can download for FREE, any font that you buy, this machine will cut it.  Additionally you are not limited to just one size, you can make that font as BIG as you want (Pazzles cuts up to 12x24) or as small as you want.  You can make a mixed font.  

Unlike the Sizzix and Cricut you dont have to buy dies or cartridges.  The Pazzles can also weld words together (seen in the layout below) and IMAGES together.  The Sizzix cant do that, and the Cricut you have to buy either an additional software from them to do it (with limitations) or you have to buy a 3rd party software that the Cricut company doesnt support.  

You can also create your own images too either by using their draw tools, or by importing them from another program.  It can cut anything... thick foam, cardstock, bazzil, transperancy, CHIPBOARD, vinyl, iron on material, acrylic, etc...

One image I recently made was a Threading Water Punch strip. The Threading Water Punch is a border punch made by Fiskars.  It looks like this .  Apparently its the new thing that everyone has to have.    Well rather than go out and buy one, I just made my own version of it with my Pazzles machine.   

What is really really cool about it, is I can make different versions of it.  I can make it with bigger scallops and bigger circles on the inside, or I can make it smaller.  Its whatever I want to do.  The punch retails for $15 and is really hard to find.  So if I wanted different sizes, (if they have them) I would have had to buy 2-4 different ones.  That adds up fast.   With the Pazzles  I just make my own, and save myself from having to buy multiple punches.

Unfortunately, I cant attach the file here for you to download.  But if you do want one, post a comment here with your email, and I will be happy to send it to you! 

Time for some layouts...

Wow!  Ok just saw that its been a month plus since I lasted posted anything. (where did the time go) I just keep forgetting I have a blog, much less get around to posting anything on my blog. (Unlike my friends Jill  and Corinna  who post on theirs almost DAILY and totally rock with the blog updates)

When I started this blog, I had intended on it being a place to mainly show my photos... BUT I also wanted show layouts I had done.  As you can see my blog has been lacking in both categories lately.  Partially the "bad blogger" syndrome, partially "my life is way to freaking busy right "now syndrome.  I wont go into details, but lets just say that my summer SUCKED!!! 

Well I made a few changes, reprioritized my life a bit, and realized that much as I want I just cant do IT ALL and stay sane.  So Im  no longer running around like a chicken with its head chopped off and  as I result I actually have free time again.  (which HOPEFULLY means more scrapping, more photos and more blogging)

So to celebrate I have two new layouts to post.  (see actually scrapping layouts)  They are for a very sweet lady, an incredible strong lady, who I have never met.  She is suffering from liver cancer, and recently battled breast cancer as well.  She has 3 adorable kids.  Her name is Anita, and I heard about her through my sweet, and caring friend Corinna. You can read about the story HERE A whole bunch of us are making pages for her.  I really wish we could be there to see her face when she opens the book.

I have only done 2 layouts so far for her book, and I have a lot more to go..  BUT I have had so much fun knowing I was doing it for such a special person.

Here is the first layout.  The pattern paper is Crate Paper (I have had this line for like 18 months now lol).  the title is Making Memories rubons, the transparency is Making Memories as well, and the quote is Creative Imaginations/Karen Russell.   

Here is the 2nd layout. I used an older kit that I have had laying around from Scraproom (see link on the right) 

This one I wasnt sure about.  I have never used yellow before and I was worried the flowers might be a bit much.  The patten paper and big flowers are American Crafts (LOVE THEM!), the title was 2peas DNA font cut out with my Pazzles machine.  

I still have more to go...  but I think Im off to a good start so far. 

I have a sweet kid

I came home from work one day last week and found this waiting on my desk.  She had taken a vase she had made me for mothers day from my desk and filled it with flowers from the front yard.    (dandelions and all)

Totally made my day after the LONG drive home!  

You know your a hardcore photographer when......

You get poked by a cactus because you were so focus on taking a picture of another cactus that you fail to notice the other cactus around you. AND THEN.... despite the sharp pain in your leg, you go on to take MORE pictures of said cactus.  

Yes... I did just that.  The family and I went on a hike if you will, up in Oneil  Wilderness Park.  We are trying to get more exercise, which is great because it also gives me a chance to take pictures.  Well I get out of the car near the trail and the first thing I see is  a bunch of cacti.. in fact there was LOTS of cacti!  

I get as close as I can.  All the while my hubby is saying.."if you get too close you are going to get pricked"  And I respond "Im being careful, dont worry."  I lean in a little closer and take the pic AND feel a really sharp pain in my leg.  

Now a normal person would stop and take a look at their leg.  ME? Um.. I keep shooting a few more pictures lol.  Once I am done I look down and discover about 30 small needles sticking out of my pants.  OUCH.   I get what I can out and we go on our walk.

Here are some pictures of said cactus... and a few others.  (remember click on them to get the full affect...)

Like the one above A LOT.  The one below I wish I could retake.  I should have changed my angle a bit, and closed the aperture a bit so more of the "flower" is in focus.

Here are just a few others.