Fellowship and Winter

A few more of the year 2000 album layouts. This first one is of New Years Eve - so YES I am almost done the year!! Can anyone from Grace Fellowship find themselves in this 8 yr old photo? Some of these young lads have sure grown up! :)

These were not great colours (yellow and pink??) or pictures to work with (transparency to the rescue!!) but the kids are having such fun making a snowman - likely Nov of 2000. For those of you whose children were born after the dawning of the digital age...consider yourselves very fortunate. :) Your photos are dated and waiting to be edited for that perfect look.

My scanner cut off the bottom of this layout a wee bit. I added glimmer brads and those snow flakes and flowers were sprayed with silver glimmer mist - that stuff is very cool!

Thanks for letting me share!

Julie

scrapbooking recovery!

In the rush (and scrapping should never be rushed) to finish all my pictures from the year 2000 because it is taking 4EVER to get them done, I tried to throw together this page of Harold's 19th birthday. I disliked it from the get go but you know sometimes they grow on you - this one did not! Add some embellishments? Nope - not even that would save this page so this morning I ripped it apart - yup the whole thing. Have you ever done that? I have only once before...actually I just took the pictures off and threw the page in the garbage it was that bad!


I am embarrassed to show you but hey I think I have made a recovery. Now isn't this just aweful?

So after pulling it apart, I scanned the photos and edited them in Photoshop and printed them in the sizes I wanted. I was going for simple and this new and improved page just came together. I even used a few of the scraps from the previous disaster. Nothing fantastic - just there, but all I wanted to say on the page was that he was nineteen. The pictures, the gifts, Grandpa C sitting beside him, his smile, the cake - they all do the journalling for me.

Tell me your worst page scenario. :)
Julie

Paradise Cove luau

I find it difficult to cover up a picture with a picture. :) However this very tropical water works well with this busy picture... it is Hawaiian. You have to do the pose with the parrots when the opportunity arises - it is all part of the tourist's role!
Thanks for looking,
Julie

Another Hawaii page

This page was fun and so easy...did it while I was waiting for my husband to get off my computer Saturday morning. Done in 30 minutes - I love it when a page just happens! David so seldom uses my computer that I told him go ahead, finish what you are doing and I'll organize all the stuff I picked up at JSI while working the other night....love this new paper - well it isn't new but since it sold out so fast last time we have it in again..and it s beautiful. Pulled it out of the bag and put my photo on it. Yes! This would work, added some flowers, found some shimmer brads, exacto knife some of the swirls around the photo....pull out those fab Basic Grey chip board letters..add a little paint, some sparkles and shimmer mist, let them dry and out the door for coffee with my sweetheart. Home and glue it all together..gel pen on black paper for the journalling - done.

The best part of this wonderful day off, is that I just spent the last three hours playing on my husband new laptop (so why was he on my computer? more convenient) His computer has Windows Vista (learning curve) AND...get this!!!! It has Photoshop CS2 - YES!! So I have been reading a lot and learning all it can do - very powerful. I HAVE to take a Photoshop course.

I was able to scan my page on my own computer, and then went to the laptop to access the two scanned files off the home network from my computer to his laptop. I know this tech stuff is confusing but I love that I can access my photo files from his laptop because that is where CS2 is. I used photomerge in CS2 to merge the two scanned files together. And now I have uploaded it to my blog - voila!.

This learning curve is all in preparation for any holidays he might spring on me?? I can take photos, edit them and upload them to my blog...no matter where I am in the world (well if they have wireless Internet that is...but it is everywhere!) This is so much fun...why am I a nurse? oh yea it pays for all the toys and several bills! LOL

Today's fun.......

Oh how I love Hawaii! It is such a beautiful place.

Journalling reads.... Bliss: noun - supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment;

the joy of heaven/paradise; cause of great joy.

Mahalo for letting me share my day with you!

More Hawaii layouts

Blacks had a special on 8X10's a while back so I took advantage of it...here is another Hawaii page . My husband drew the letters while I focused and waited for the waves to arrive at just the right time before they washed our creation away. :) The colors are less green in real life.

This photo is of the condo we stayed in Makaha, Oahu last fall. I used the Madera Island line from SEI - ribbon, paper, embellishments - very Hawaiian! Sorry the scan got a little cut off on the bottom. We were on the fifth floor, looking out over the ocean....take a look at that beach!!...and the sky and the mountains and the vegitation...it was about 30C every day.

Thank you all for your prayers for my Dad! They are truly appreciated and knowing that there are people taking him to our Lord - people that do not even know him, really blesses me. So thank you for all your kind words. The update from my sister tonight is that Dad is really improving today - finally!! We were so worried, but he IS improving and if this continues, with some rehab we hope to have him home next week. God is good!

Blessings to each of you!

Julie

No Music and odds and ends

Well the votes are in and it looks like most of you (55%) prefer no music on a Blog (and probably web sites as well) And I can fully relate. When I am surfing the net and enjoying the peace and quiet in my room at the back of the house here after a crazy day at work, I don't enjoy visiting a site where music starts blaring at me. Sometimes it is really quiet stuff and it actually makes me enjoy the site...but music, like art, is personal, right? Why risk offending? The other downside is when I post a great video (like that Amazing Grace one) you get this jumbled sound and the two compete for your ears. So for these reasons and because I plan to post more great videos (a powerful and cool guy Mark Driscoll - don't miss it!) I will refrain from adding music to my blog. The masses have spoken!!

Feel free to leave your comment. Tell us all how you feel about music on a blog.

On another note I took a course today on Microsoft PowerPoint. Very cool!! Tomorrow we learn to add music files.

Today's scripture verse - "not even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity" Check out Matthew 5:28 for Jesus' definition of this. It is indeed impossible to keep the law...what are we to do?

My Dad continues to struggle in his recovery from bowel cancer surgery. I keep waiting for news that he has rounded that corner and each day brings a few set backs and a few steps forward. I would appreciate your prayers for him and my mom during this difficult time.

I have a few pages I got done the other day and will try to post them tomorrow.
Blessings!

Julie

Back home

I like today's Bible verses - Luke 5:27 (for those of you reading this off your Google reader) Jesus hung out with the working class - fishermen, tax collectors (not well liked people) prostitutes and well basic sinners...kind of like you and me! :)

I am home from Victoria and it is so good to be back with my sweetheart and the comforts of home. Dad is still struggling along with very poor progress but progress non the less and my sister is there now to help Mom with trips up to the hospital.

I have a busy week ahead of me but it starts with a shift at Just Scrap it! today and soooo do you think I will spend more than I make? YES!!! Or have you all bought all that new stuff??? I hope you left some for me!
But first off to the gym!!!

Here is a cloudy sunrise off the Juan de Fuca strait (spelling?) looking south-east of Victoria.

Blessings!

Julie

PS - you have eight hours to vote (top left) :)

Another page for the year 2000 album

Posting from Victoria another page I finished and loaded last weekend. I am still in Victoria and spent most of last night at the hospital and I am about to head back, Dad isn't doing too well but I am hopeful that today we will see a turn for the better. I am thankful to be here to relieve Mom - she worries so. I was up until 1:30am last night and for those of you who know me, you know I don't function too well after 10 pm...that's because I get up at 5am...which is what I just did again - so 4 hrs sleep. But God is amazing and completely provided for me as I sat watching and praying for Dad last night and I am anxious to get up there this morning...I just needed 20 minutes of scrapbook therapy before heading out the door. :)
So here is my post I uploaded last weekend and saved.

Plugging along here with the year 2000 album...it has taken me almost a year! Hmmm which means I will never catch up! Except that I do scrapbook current pictures when those great pictures call out to me. :) This seemed to be a year that we did a LOT of things!

This two page layout is inspired by a great website called Pencilines. This is my take on sketch #66. Ralna put me onto this site and I love it - great inspiration!


This is our little Allison's 11th birthday party - and like most birthday party pages - there are lots of photos. I used three different companies for the paper - my favorites - Basic Grey, We are Memory Keepers and My Minds Eye. And I don't think there is a company I didn't use on all the other stuff - just dove into my stash. The Ooh-la-la rub on is new - just came into JSI! Basic Grey Two Scoops rub-ons. The blue paper is also from the new two scoops line.

Thanks for looking. Don't forget to vote - top left.

Julie

Our 21st anniversary

Another post from Victoria! How do I do it? Well last weekend actually. I love how this page turned out and it came together so easily. Another inspiration from Pencilines!

I am still plugging away with my year 2000 pictures. These were taken Oct 6/2000. David and I celebrated out 21st wedding anniversary with our pastor and his wife - we were married on the exact same day - hours (and one province) apart.
Blessings!
Julie
ps - don't forget to do my survey (top, left) - Your opinion is important to me.

Haleiwa

Nope I am not scrapbooking in Victoria - I wish. I uploaded this last weekend when I was at home and am posting it today...so here it is.

This is the Kamehameha Hwy heading to the Northern shores of Oahu and the surfing town of Haleiwa. Hawaii is a beautiful place to visit! I took this shot just after we left the Dole Pineapple plantation.

I love MM rub-on letters but this page used up just too many a, e, m, and h's. :) LOL I think the Hawaiian alphabet has 13 letters and most of them are vowels.

Thanks for looking....and don't forget to do my survey - on the left of the screen...at the top...go ahead. It is totally anonymous.

Julie

From Victoria

Blogging from Victoria, British Columbia tonight. My Dad had some pretty serious surgery for bowel cancer yesterday and I am here to help my Mom get to and from the hospital, spend time with Dad so mom isn't exhausted and keep the extended family (which is rather large) updated. Mom and Dad are in their 80's - yah I know that makes me kind of old too. :)
I miss my sweetheart though - just can't stand being away from him...love you dear!

I am on my Dad's computer which is a bit of a dinosaur to say the least - like over 3 minutes to get onto the web and f...o...r...e...v...e...r to load my Blog up. I am wondering if my music is slowing it up. Sooo the music is gone and instead a new survey - REALLY I am interested in what you think. I LOVE music - I sing in a community choir and every Sunday at church...but maybe, just maybe other people don't like to listen to music on a blog and maybe they don't like my music choices...then again maybe they do. So please take my survey. Thanks!

Girlfriends

Allison is having so much fun at Bible Collage and at Thanksgiving she brought home one of her dorm mates to spend the weekend with us. A few more friends came to Saskatoon and stayed with various relatives. What a beautiful, sweet group of girls. I took this photos as they waited on the front lawn for their friends to pick them up for the drive back to school.

The new My Mind's Eye Heartstrings line "Adore" is in at Just Scrap It! - so many pretty papers to choose from. I also used Me and my Big Ideas bling, Basic Grey big brown flowers, BG buttons and some other misc buttons. And the new die cuts at JSI! This was a fun and easy page to do.

Thanks for Looking!

Julie

New Look!

I have been playing around with a new look/template for my blog. Not sure I like it yet and I have yet to figure out how to edit the HTML code on the banner so my picture will fit all the way across - work just keeps getting in the way of playing on the computer!! Drat! Oh to be free to take photos, play with them and surf the net all day...I suppose that would make me fat and lazy if that wish came true! Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Psa 90:17

After following a gazillion links though I found a great new site that is doing photography challenges and this weeks/actually months (that's about my challenge rate) challenge was to take a picture of your favorite coffee cup. Check out Ashley Wren's site and then check out "overlooked items " # one submissions- the coffee cup on Flickr.

I did two - one of my coffee cup from "Intermission House" formally AJ's which I pick up on my way to work - this picture is on my desk at work - I stayed an hour late at work today then took this picture (why can I never get out of there on time?) The second is my favorite mug from home.and it is sitting on my desk at home.

I like the theme of this group - taking pictures of overlooked things in our life, journaling about them and then, hopefully scrapbooking them some day....of course I have about 1000 photos waiting to be creatively put into a scrapbook right now, so why am I creating more...out of overlooked items no less??? Because!

Julie

Another page!

I have been home sick today and when you can only sleep so much what do you do? You finish another page. This is a collection of pictures of Allison from the fall of 2000...and she was and still is our Totally Sweet girl! She was eleven when I took these photos and she is every bit as sweet today as she was when she was eleven - what a blessing~

Hey check out the u-tube on the left!

Blessings!

Julie

Boffing!

Finally - I finished a page. Sometimes these old photos (year 2000 still!) don't make for great pages and they are hard to scrapbook - so many to get on to two pages to tell the story - but I remind myself that it is about preserving memories for my kids - sooo lots of journalling and get the photos on the page. Harold grinned as he remembered these great memories and helped me get it down on the page. The journalling (which is tucked behind the left page) reads....

Combat with foam weapons is referred to as boffing and in the fall of 2000 our boys learned all about it from the boys and some of the fathers at Grace Fellowship in Leask. As a result they were spending all their spare time and allowance on PVC tubing, foam and copious rolls of duct tape to create their swords, spears, staffs and shields.

Some of these farm boys were quite rough and I always worried when the boys were out “boffing” – Cody was especially good at causing bruises and sometime what was supposed to be touching became out right blows. But the boys assured me all was okay and stay out of it Mom!!

Some of the rules:
• You are "killed" when you are struck in the torso (front or back), head (above the eyebrows and behind the ears) or abdomen..
• Every point of contact of your opponent's weapon(s) counts, so if they hit your arm and then your leg, both are lost.
• If you are hit across both buttocks, you lose both legs and cannot kneel, but should get in a sitting position. • If you lose a leg, you should not use it at all, not even to balance yourself when you are standing.
• When you're hit in the arm, say "arm", when hit in the head, say "dead", etc... If you are hit and your armor protects you from that blow, say "armor".

So here were a bunch of kids hopping around the field on one leg, an arm behind their back or lying on the ground yelling “dead” or “legs” – rather amusing to watch. The mothers and most of the fathers stood by the side lines along with the group of “maidens” yelling “HUZZAH” “HUZZAH” I never knew what it meant. The day wrapped up with a medieval feast – in which we broke the rules and allowed people to eat with cutlery! Grandma and Grandma Cortens spent the day with us which was a real treat, but it was a long day and I distinctly remember almost falling asleep on the highway on the drive home from Leask. David had gone ahead in his car with Grandma and Grandma. I had Mark next to me watching the highway, talking to me and making sure my eyes were open!

Thanks for looking,

Julie

Amazing Grace

I am in a bit of a scrapbooking void right now - so little inspiration...I keep staring at the photos on my desk and nothing comes. However I had time last night to just sit and make it happen and it feels like the creativity is starting to return - I know we all go through these uncreative phases. I have so many wonderful photos I want to journal about and get onto the page - so hopefully I will be productive and prolific very soon.
In the meantime I want to share this with you!
Before you start, scroll down to the bottom of my page and drop the volume of my back ground music way down - it might interfere with this video.



May you be blessed!
Julie