Some older paper layouts

I don't know why I hadn't posted these. I did them in April for Scrapbook Attic in Searcy.
The first is a layout of Hannah and Katie, both my great nieces. Katie is around 3 months older than Hannah. I uploaded these separately as each could stand alone.


Next is a layout of Katie with her mom, my niece Amanda. Katie looks so much like Amanda did when she was little.


The last is my great niece Jessica Jane. She is such a fun kid. I love the photo of her with the wild curly hair. She did this for Halloween last year.

Aunt Jess and Hannah

These beautiful girls are my niece Jessica and great niece Hannah. I had another sleepless night so I digiscrapped. I can do this and not worry about waking anyone. Here are the details in case anyone is interested.


I used Cheryl McCain’s template from the Template to Treasure chat & crop at scrappinggarden.com last night. All the papers and the buttons come from her kit A Yellow Rose for Mother. The journaling block, which has its color changed a bit to better match, comes from Shabby Princess’s Festival Kit, as does the rickrack that borders the photo and the “and” alpha. The lettering for Aunt Jess is Basic Chipboard Alphabet by Dani Mogstad. The font for Hannah is 2Peas Champagne and the journaling font is 2Peas Fixin To.


The journaling reads:
My mother has said all along that Hannah looked like her Aunt Jessica but I just didn’t see it until I took a closer look of them together in this picture. They both have theose beautiful almond shaped eyes and their hair is practically the exact same color. Both girls have perfect complexions even if Jessica’s is a tiny bit fairer. They are beautiful girls with the most gorgeous and happy smiles.

Me & Jen

I did this one Saturday morning. I woke up too early and had some time to kill so I played around with PhotoShop. I used the Ribbon Board Template by Johanna Berry. I deleted one of the photo boxes and made the other bigger. Almost everything else is from Weeds and Wildflowers Design (weedsandwildflowersdesign.typepad.com), the orange paper is from the Celebrating Color freebie, tweed and tanswirl from Discovering You freebie, the leather paper (Luxurious Leather Kit) for the mat and the button (Blue Patterned Buttons) are from Barb Derksen (lalalime.blogspot.com).The journaling tag is by Anita Designs (http://nanas-attic.blogspot.com). The font is Amethyst Script.

Another Hannah Layout

I made this one to accompany the earlier layout of Hannah in the garden. I really like how it turned out. I used Shandy Vogt’s Swass Mask Template, papers from Zoe Pearn’s Funky Fresh kit at Sweet Shoppe Designs and fonts from 2Peas, Sophisticated for title and Sonnets Script for journaling. I tweaked the colors of the papers some to give more contrast and so it would match the garden layout better.

tagged

I hijacked this tag from http://artisticmusings.typepad.com. This is one of the digital scrapbooking blogs I've spent so much time studying this week.

Now this is an interesting tag ... the rules are as follows!

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next three sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for your favourite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
6. Tag three other people to do the same.

OK, the closest book was "One Perfect Knight" by Judith O'Brien. Someone had requested it at paperbackswap so I located it and sit it by my computer, let them know I had it and then the request was canceled. Bummer. And as I'm lazy, I still hadn't put it back on the shelf yet.

"I had no idea it was so...Betsy!" She has the most unique style. She could wear a flour sack and look like a fashion diva and don't even get me going about her creativity. I want to be Betsy when I grow up.

Feel free to substitute Betsy with any other person whose work you admire. I was thinking Elsie Flannigan when I was typing but the possibilities are endless.

If you read this, consider yourself tagged.

Digital Scrapbooking

When I first thought about this, I thought no way it's not me at all. Now, running out of place for supplies, unable to scrap for longer than 15 minutes without little hands trying to help, I'm rethinking my opinion.

One of my goals this summer is to learn this and get it down so if I decide for sure it's not me, I'll at least know how to do some hybrid things. I've always used my computer to scrap so it just makes sense to make what I can.

So far I've only done two layouts. The first one I did on Friday morning, my first day of summer vacation. I didn't save any of the information and I'm sure it'd take forever to figure it out. One thing I'm sure of is that the papers I used came from Sweet Shoppe Designs.



I'll probably do a paper layout of this for Alec's album anyway but it was a fairly easy layout to start with.

My second digi lo was done last night and I love it! It uses a template so that made it really easy. I could see myself converting if all my work was this quick and I liked it this much.



Here's the credits: Our Garden Girl

I used Jill's May Template from Scrap Outside the Box,
sage brads from Theresa Hernandez's kit Far Away Love at A Cherry on Top
papers from Zoe Pearn’s Funky Fresh kit at Sweet Shoppe Designs and
fonts from 2Peas, Sophisticated for title and Sonnets Script for journaling.

One Word, One Word Only

I ran across this meme at sophiadaviesdesigns.blogspot.com. I've been checking out lots of digi blogs because I'm going to learn how to do it this summer.

Now for the meme

Yourself: creative
Your partner: nonexistent
Your hair: straight
Your Mother: eighty
Your Father: deceased
Your Favorite Item: computer
Your dream last night: strange
Your Favorite Drink: Margarita
Your Dream Car: current
Your Dream Home: organized
The Room You Are In: bedroom
Your Ex: liar
Your fear: snakes
Where you Want to be in Ten Years? happy
Who you hung out with last night: Hannah
What You’re Not: thin
Muffins: No
One of Your Wish List Items: scraproom
Time: four-ish
The Last Thing You Did: photographed
What You Are Wearing: pajamas
Your favorite weather: warm
Your Favorite Book: romance
Last thing you ate: cheetos
Your Life: good
Your mood: lazy
Your Best Friend: Melanie
What are you thinking about right now: supper
Your car: bug
What are you doing at the moment: meme
Your summer: promising
Relationship status: single
What is on your tv: nothing
What is the weather like: cloudy
When is the last time you laughed: today

Scattergories

I ran across this on a digital scrapbooking blog and I just had to play along.

Your Name: Melissa

1. Famous Singer/Band: Metallica
2. 4 letter word: Muck
3. Street: Main
4. Color: Mahogony
5. Gifts/Presents: Money
6. Vehicle: Mercury
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Mugs
8. Boy Name: Michael
9. Girl Name: Melanie
10. Movie Title: Monster House (Hannah's current favorite!)
11. Drink: Margarita
12. Occupation: Madam
13. Flower: Mum
14. Celebrity: Madonna
15. Magazine: Making Memories
16. U.S. City: Memphis, TN
17. Pro Sports Teams: Mavericks
18. Fruit: Melon
19. Reason for Being Late for Work: Malcontent
20. Something You Throw Away: Magzines (when I can let go)
21. Things You Shout: Jerk! Moron
22. Cartoon Character: Mighty Mouse

Two Things

This is a 2 Peas topic that I saved and originally planned on posting the very day I saw it but life got busy and I got distracted. I ran across it again this morning so here is my 2 things list.

TWO:
Two Names I Go by: Miss Fortenberry or Miss Melissa (at school) and Missy (friends and family.

Two Things I am Wearing Right Now: my nightie and skimpies

Two Things I Want (or have) in a Relationship: I want honesty and passion

Two of My Favorite Things to do: Sleep and Scrapbook

Things I Want Very Badly At The Moment: a new scanner (mine died) and the school year to finally end (it will on Thursday!)

Two pets I have: a turtle named Franklin and a Black Bear gerbil named Chloe (really they are Alec's but I make sure they are fed.

Two things I did last night: drove way too fast to get to graduation on time (I was late) and hugged lots of my favorite kids

Two things I ate today: I just got up so all I've had is coffee

Two people I just talked to last: I talked to lots of people last night. Two of my favorites were former students who are married and trying to have a baby. Matt and Maegan are in their second year of marriage and are so perfect together. They will be wonderful parents and I hope it happens for them soon.

Two Things I'm doing tomorrow: sleeping in and hopefully scrapbooking some. I'm trying to learn digital and I need to do more.

Two longest car rides: Conway, Arkansas to Los Angeles, California when I was too young to know better and more recently from home to Batesville, about 30 miles, with a screaming and crying Hannah. I didn't know what to do to make her happy so it seemed like forever...

Two Favorite Holidays: Halloween and Christmas. My favorite school holiday is deer day. It falls on the first Monday of deer season in the fall. It's something teachers look forward to as much, if not more, than the kids. It's a welcome break. I just wish there was another special day so we could get out in the spring during that long stretch from Christmas break to Spring break.

Two favorite beverages: Sonic's diet cherry limeade and margaritas on the rocks with lots of salt. Yum!

Top 10 Scrapbook Items on my Wish List

1. This would have to be a scrap room but I know realistically it's still a couple of years away :(
2. Cool furnishings and storage for fantasy room
3. The new Amy Butler tote and products
4. The 7gypsy clear stamps and new patterned papers
5. Imagaination Project Office line
6. Something cool to store my acrylic paint bottles in
7. The A la Mode and a la carte products
8. The new AL book
9. My scrap subs renewed
10. All the Hambly Studios stuff

7 Random Facts About Me

I was checking out some scrapblogs last night and ran across this topic at random thoughts by becca. At the bottom, she said consider yourself tagged so...

1. I have 14 more days of school until summer vacation.
2. I always keep my toenails polished and my fingernails are rarely done. If they are, odds are, they don't match my toes.
3. I didn't have a cell phone until a couple of years ago when my mom had a stroke and spent several weeks in the hospital. I still hate them.
4. Today I'll be doing the weekly shopping with a 2 year old. I dread doing the WalMart stuff the most.
5. I only like coffee if I have flavored creamer to put in it.
6. I have stacks of books everywhere. They are my weakness and I've ran out of places to put them.
7. Despite the problem listed above I made a trip to Books A Million this week and also bought several more books on ebay this week.

If you've read this, consider yourself tagged.

My Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

9

My latest layout was done for a Design Team call. Unfortunately I didn't make the team but I really like the layout. The topic was to scrap about a favorite number. I decided to go with my birth order number. I'm my parents' ninth daughter.

I finished the first draft of it then went back to look at the specifics. I had done an 8.5" x 11" landscape layout and it needed to be a 12 x 12. Luckily the pages design was one I could easily adapt to fit the larger layout. I think I like it better bigger and will probably leave it that way. I used an assortment of manufacturers. The papers are by Scenic Route and Basic Grey, the cardstock is Bazzill, the number stickers are EK Success.

The journaling reads:

9 - I wouldn't say that it's my favorite number but it has had a major effect on my life so far.

I am my parents' ninth child, their ninth daughter in fact. It was just wonderful growing up with so many older sisters that spoiled me rotten. Now, as an adult, it's still great to have so many sisters to turn to for advice when I need it. The #9 applies to some areas of my life other than my birth order. It's the # of yeats that it took me to finish my college career. I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up. It's also how long I've been both an art teacher and a scrapbooker. There are also 9 Greek muses of the arts that I hope guide my creativity.

A Fresh Start

I began this blog last spring and it didn't take me long to let it fall into neglect. I'm going to jump back in right where I am and post work as I finish it. I may also post my favorites from my older work. I love the idea of having everything right here in one place to look at. I just need to combat my laziness so that I will get it done.

Hobo Bag

This is like what I'm currently carrying right now. Mine is shades of orange and yellow tie dye fabric, I'll have to photograph it soon to post here.

The overall shape of this bag is a half circle. It has a large interior pocket and a zipper top. The handles are made of roping and are inserted through large silver eyelets. It's lined with a pretty blue print. There's also a matching checkbook cover.

Only 2 More to go - Bracelet Purse

This bag is a bit smaller than I personally like to carry but it was just so fun I had to make one. It will hold the essentials. The handles are coordinating bracelets that I bought at WM. There's a pocket on the inside as well as the outside. That's a matching checkbook cover tucked into the outside pocket.

Flower Power Handbag

This bag was made from the leftover fabric from making Hannah a sundress. The bag was a much more successful project. It has wooden handles. Coordinating ribbon scraps are tied below to make it even more fun. There's a small pocket on the inside.

My Elvis Bag

I made a bag just like this one for my friend Peggy at school. She's a fellow teacher and she's in love with the King. When I ran across this fabric she was who I thought about first so I just had to make something out of it for her.

This bag is a great tote to carry to school or to go to a crop. It's big enough for a couple of textbooks and a grade book or 12 x 12 scrapbook supplies. There's even a cool little pocket inside with separate areas for a couple of pens. The material is 100% cotton. The bag's handle is accented with a cool twill that's embellished so that it looks like a zipper.

My Seersucker Purse

This post is all about the purses I've been making lately. I love making them! Most are quick projects so I get almost instant gratification. Now that school is out for the summer, I've given thought to trying to sell them on ebay or etsy. Or course if anyone sees them here and wants to purchase something similar I'd be glad to work something out.

This first bag is made from 2 different seersucker prints. These are combined with a lavendar gingham check binding and strap. It's a really fun bag and I got lots of compliments on it.

2Peas Wednesday Blogger (a day late)

My Summer Plans

School got out on Tuesday and I'm so glad. I needed a break so bad. I've been trying to decide on a summer project but I can't seem to limit myself to just one or two so here's my list of things I'd like to do:

*Whittle down my fabric collection by making purses, maybe even to sell if
anyone is interested.
*Scrap and/or alter a bit each day
*Do a better job keeping up with this blog by sharing all I make, not just my
scrap stuff.
*Make a new quilt for my bed. The one I have on there now I made 4 or 5 years
ago and I'm tired of looking at it.
*Be more active on sb message boards that I like because there's tons of
inspiration there.