i spy

thursday party sites

DAY 4

I am loving all your stories! Keep them coming! We will draw tomorrow at midnight and post it Saturday! Today's freebies can be found at the blogs of Beth Proudfoot  Celeste Smith  Margaret Scarbrough and Rachel Gainer!

wednesday party sites

DAY 3

 

Goodness sakes, you'd think I had gone to the actual ballet for as long as it took me to get back here! I apologize! One of those days.

Today I join up with  Elisha Rebecca and Cheryl for the freebie train. Here is what you are playing for...

Before we talk about winning that loot, let's chat for a minute.

Many of my Simple friends are posting photos of their time with Simple. I have very few photos as I was always too embarrassed to ask to be in one with them, or even to take one of them. I hoped to be professional and was afraid, very afraid, that I might come across as some crazy stalker were they to discover how beholden I really was! You must know that at this juncture, this causes me great sadness. Me, a scrapbooker. I should have known better! hahahahaha.

If you were to be looking at my (non-existent) photos you would see me with red, blonde, brown, and dark auburn hair, but in each I would be a cross between starry-eyed and trip over my tongue nervous. You would see photos of me with 3 different editor in chiefs. Me with at least 6 former editors (not counting wendy, angie, cathy, & jen). Me pregnant twice. Me running to the post office to make a deadline. Me dying of shock when asked to be a contributing editor. Me moving to three addresses in Wisconsin and one in Ohio. Me worrying that my style wasn't hip enough. Me reeling from the news of having placed in the Coolest Album Ever contest. Me saving phone messages from Stacy, Wendy, Elisha, and Angie asking for assignments. Me going from film to digital to better digital. Me taking photos of Poppy once a week, every week for an entire year, for an assignment. Me going to CHA with a goofy grin plastered all over my face as I get to say, "I'm with Simple."

7 years ago I was hoping to earn a little cash with which I could facilitate my hobby. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine all that being a part of the Simple family would mean. So let's get down to winning. Tell me what Simple means to you. You can tell me what you favorite column was as long as you tell me why. Or you can tell me who really helped define your own style. Or you can tell me which special issue changed you as long as you tell me why. Then before you hit the post button on the comments, you must promise to share your changed thinking/being with someone in the next 2 weeks. Talk to that mom with a camera at playgroup and ask her if she scrapbooks. If she doesn't, ask if she would like to. As you snuggle one of your teenagers into bed tonight, tell them how grateful you are that you can remember them as they were thanks to your heightened sense of presence. (You can leave off the scrapbooker part for them - they know... teehee!)

So let the comments begin. Remember I want the back story! No one word answers allowed! I am going to leave the comments open until Friday for I really want to hear your stories!

Don't forget to scroll down to Monday's post for the full list of Simple peeps celebrating this week. Many are doing little giveaways as well as the biggies!

Thanks for playing!

tuesday party sites

DAY 2

Today is about beginnings. Many of the sistas are telling their beginning stories with Simple. Mine goes back to 2002. I had picked up this cool new magazine that resonated with me on every level. Ii wanted nothing more than to become a part of it. We were living in Wisconsin at the time. The entire family (teehee - back then there were just 3 of us!) loaded into the rodeo and headed to chicago to a ckc event. Richard dropped me off at the front door, and I went straight to the Simple booth. I told them I brought a book and needed someone to look at it. The sweet woman at the booth told me I would need to talk to a woman named Wendy who was teaching a class upstairs, but that I could wait for her ourside her classrom. I was there the minute her class ended and with the most assertiveness I could muster (and to date have ever displayed), I went in, and handing my book to her said, "Hi! My name is Marnie..." at which time she cut me off saying, "Flores. I know your name. May I see your book?" I nearly died. After maintaining as much composure as I could while we visited, I shot out of there and crumpled in overwhelm.

Poor Richard, then entire drive home, for two and a half hours, all I could say was, "She knew my name." "She knew my name."  In rising and falling crescendos and decrescendos. In whispers. In squeals. I even called my mom in Canada on my cell phone (an expensive no-no) to tell her that, "She knew my name."

My first assignment came a couple of weeks later in November 2002, and was published in the May/June 2003 issue.

Grab your issue and let's look back. [For those of you without it, I will scan them in and post them tomorrow!]

page 17. This photo was from our honeymoon. Look how handsome he was (and still is)!

page 31. A wedding photo taken by the incredibly talented Altus Photo team. Notice the fantastic use of the ever so popular (back then) carpenter font!

page 38. One of my favorite pages ever. So plain. So hearfelt. And used shrinky dinks--one of my favorite childhood crafts! And let's not foget that I loved htat paper enough to hoarde one! Still have one of those blue cardstocks in my pile!

page 39. My wet example. I just taught this same technique, but using flocking, last weekend. The more things change... :o)

page 40 - One year old Nigel. Once again photographed by Altus Photo. Dry embossed vellum. Haven't done that for years! I used yellow for this layout as he LOVED yellow by the time I made this layout. Oooh, I haven't seen this photo for years! The memories...

That's it for that issue. Oh, how I love to reminisce! Be back tomorrow for more! But today, head to visit candice and jennifer and  elizabeth for prizes and giveaways!

See you tomorrow!

there's a party going on right here...

one of my favorite albums of all times is called, it'll end in tears. i must say, when i first heard the news that my dear Simple Scrapbooks was being canceled, there were many tears. many days ended in tears. my heart was broken for the loss of my favorite "boss," my favorite how to manual, my favorite source of learning and inspiration, my favorite job in the whole world.

but as time so effectively can, the wound is healing. so this week is not a week of mourning for what is lost, but for celebrating that which we have had. Simple is not just a magazine. nor is it just a way of scrapbooking. no, it is a way of living, documenting, capturing memories, and challenging your creativity. it is permission to not scrap every photo. permission to deviate from chronological page making. it is permission to embrace your happy colors. to add as few or as many photos as you want. to enjoy the process. to understand the process. to try new things. to return to old things. to use your supplies, old or new. to delete some of your photos. to take fewer photos. to sometimes put down your camera and participate, rather than narrate. simple is the reminder that we began scrapbooking to preserve memories in a creative fashion. and the recognition that we continue to scrapbook for the same reasons. simple is remembering moments that made you laugh. or cry. or both. simple is remembering moments that are fleeting and everyday. moments that are not noteworthy in any way except that they make up our minutes, days, and lives. simple can be a photo, a brad, and a story. simple can be a dozen photos, a few words, and nothing but paper.  simple is what makes you happy. simple is a reminder to include yourself--both in your books and your life.

i have realized that the beauty of the simple message is that it can live on without a magazine. it can live in you and in me. in how we create. in how we live. so this week, we will only cry a little (sometimes those sneaky little slippery tears that eek out from touching moments cannot be contained). instead we are going to celebrate the magazine that brought us together. so that when this week and our subscriptions end, we will look back fondly and remember how our lives will never truly be the same.

come back tomorrow for contest annoucements! until then, here are all of us playing along!
Stacy Julian  Cathy Zielske  Angie Lucas  Wendy Smedley  Elizabeth Dillow  Beth Proudfoot  Celeste Smith  Lain Ehmann  Margaret Scarbrough  Rebecca Cooper  Elisha Snow  Tina Cockburn  Cheryl Overton  Candice Palmer  Rachel Gainer  Jennifer Wozab

what a great week this is going to be!!!!

houston here i come!

before i go, i leave you with a bit of scrapbooking love...

monkey do part one

this is poppy's layout for these pictures - lavender's coming next week!

more 8.5 squared

i know i go in waves, but i am currently loving the 8.5 square. i picked it over a 9x9 square as i didn't want to have to adjust my album size. and i didn't want and 8x8 square as the extra half inch really did seem to provide more area. (i know it actually does provide more area (8.25 square inches to be exact). i just meant it felt bigger than i would have expected from just an half inch per side...)

anyhoo, this is the nigel page that accompanies poppy's version. in hers, she is looking over his shoulder, in his, he over hers. (whoa! that was a whole slew of pronouns all at once!) sometimes i do exact replicas for companion pages, sometimes the same design but different journaling, and sometimes a whole different page. depends on my mood (not so much, but sounded sort of cool!) and the photo/story (much- (teehee!) sometimes the photos just bring something different out in the design).
tried to be consistent with the use of fabric, and stickers, but from there, they are each their own.

 

 

 

 

 

i spy:
patterned paper by my minds eye
fabric by moda
pens, thickers, brad by american crafts
 
thanks for stopping. it is raining here again today. sheets of rain that i can hear beating against the windows. today i was hoping for a trip to the outlets to see if they have this orange desk and this pendant lamp. but perhaps not today. too rainy. maybe i will fold some laundry (gasp!) or try to finish a layout that is making me crazy. (more on the crazy thing tomorrow.)

make it a great day!

a list of excuses

so here is my last couple of weeks. feel free to scroll to the bottom if you become bored!

1. a few weeks ago i taught my first ckc of 2009. there are some new classes which means new power points to memorize, new layouts to build, new examples to make, and of course, lots of flow that needs to be worked out. in the midst of that, i bit off a bit more than i could chew on another little assignment.
2. we went to louisville as a family. i slept the whole way down, fighting off a migraine and trying to get some rest.
3. teaching went great. the first day i was all shaky from a migraine and the travel, but the students were great. i was a bit surprised how many didn't know simple was no longer going to be published. nearly shed more tears talking about it. wasn't prepared for that.
4. ate too much. gained more weight. sigh.
5. stopped at ikea on the way home. literally got lost inside. then lost my temper a bit as i wandered in circles. grr. won't ever go to the second floor again. ever. well, unless i need a meatball. but other than that...
6. got home late sunday. so late. so tired.
7. nigel had spring break that next week. did very little fun with him. bad momma points. worked on fixing my layouts and my class materials. cleaned my house for an upcoming brother visit. deep cleaned. he is picky. i have a giant guilt complex when it comes to disappointing people.
8. left on thursday. back in a suitcase only four days later. poppy cried at the airport. lavender's whole countenance turned upsidedown. one minute happy and shining. then slowly the light dimmed and the smile went from up to down. then in slow motion the cry began. can't exactly describe it, but it broke my heart.
9. went inside, bought some cupcakes from cheryl's to soothe my broken heart, then checked in. then discovered i had left my teaching bag in the truck. called richard. waited for his return on the curb. so disappointed in myself for making the kids have to say goodbye again. see number 7 concerning guilt...
10. ate 2 cookies in record time. see number 4. i know, i know. it's my fault. i just liked being 20 when each bite didn't matter so much.
11. got on the plane. met three scrapbookers in the waiting line. renee, joyce, and nicole. sweet sweet ladies.
12. read half a book on the flight. a bit of mind fluff - sophie kinsella. see more here.
13. learned on the flight that the hotel was a $75 cab fare from the airport. you would have thought i had worked all that out, but no... i hadn't. had no idea. need to read my emails more carefully.
14. spent lots of time stewing about the trip back. had just 90 minutes from end of class to flight departure. and apparently a long drive in between. seriously? people who don't have the super prepared traveling gene shouldn't be given the i worry a lot about missing flights gene.
15. caught a ride with my three new friends to the hotel. yes, i rode with three "strangers." please don't tell my mom. said a small prayer. felt okay about it. they seemed nice. (and turned out to be the sweetest ever. not just an appearance!)
16. slept in a queen bed all alone. slept thru the night for the first time in years. woke happy and refreshed. welcome to st louis! the new and improved me!
17. had fun classes. (though i was a bit surprised to find three new layouts in the first class. oops! hopefully the students still had a great class!)
18. spent much of my "spare time" working up some new class samples and my new instructions.
19. worried a bit about the fact that my brother and niece were arriving to my house without me there. remember that super prepared traveler gene that i am missing? oh, yes, i was being wholly serious.
20. had a fun late night mexican dinner with megan and kim. if you scroll down, kim has a photo of the three of us! such wonderful women. lots of giggles over the very drunk guy trying to have more. and too much salsa late late at night. traveling with the family is fun, but traveling alone has its perks, too!
21. kim, my awesome taxi, got me to the airport with minutes to spare. she and megan got to check out the town a bit after dropping me off. hooray! was feeling guilty about imposing on them for an airport trip. kim got a couple of great arch shots. you should check them out. i only got to see it as we drove past.
22. returned home. say hello to my brother and then stayed up way too late chatting. haven't seen him in years. love him. wish we were closer.
23. spent all day sunday hanging out and eating waffles. lots of waffles. then a cafe rio night. yum yum yum. the kids got along splendidly. maren is the same age as nigel and knew just how to tease him! times like this are unbelievable and much too far apart.
24. oooh, trevor helped richard put in our new faucet! hooray! the gold accents are nearly all gone!
25. monday we went to gymnastics where i had a chance to visit with maren. so great to have a chance to get to know her grown up self. my goodness she is darling. soft and sweet. gentle and kind. with a bit of sparkle and quick wit to keep you guessing.
26. tuesday was a trip to cosi and then to the 3d imax version of monsters and aliens. we wiped out the kids and ourselves. wow. we were TIRED! and sad that the next day we would have to say goodbye.
27. made maren banana bread for her trip home.
28. rich did the 4:30 am airport run. thank you sweetheart!
29. laundry, unpacking from st louis (4 days after getting home!), getting ready for easter and trying to reconnect with the kids filled wednesday, and thursday. nigel had a day off friday. playdates, and friends filled our day.
30. saturday was two egg hunts. in the chilly spring wind. fun, though. and the girls looked great.
31. the easter bunny came yesterday, and we spent the morning playing with the nerf guns. then off to church, then home for a good grilled chicken dinner. oh, and a small standoff with nigel concerning my need to an easter photo and his need to get out of his suit. 10 year olds. that's all i am going to say.

so that is my last couple of weeks. nothing over the top, but no time for anything. okay, thursday i had some time, but honestly, both girls napped and i sat and watched antm in an absolute stupor. at least the made the right choice in keeping alison!

if you are still here, thank you for your loyalty and your patience. and now, a layout.

 

 

 

 

i spy:
patterned paper, journaling card: my minds eye
ribbon: ek success, dmc floss, flair
letter stickers: sei
heart sticker: heidi grace
inks and pens: colorbox, american crafts, tombow
extras (buttons, brads, staples pins): mostly making memories