FNCE

Over the years I've had my picture taken with the Bush Beans dog and a California Raisin.  I've donned the milk mustache and sat on the throne as the Pistachio Nut Queen.  This year I guess you could call me a ham when I posed for the "cover" of the Academy's Food and Nutrition publication.  I chose the grain prop as I really am a whole grains star.  I'm fortunate when I'm able to attend the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo.  2012

My layout has some ephemera from the expo.  Note the egg carton brochure cover  and the pear CD cover which I kept thinking I might be able to use them someday!

Merry

It has become a tradition to go to Oglebay's Festival of Lights and this year was extra special when Chris went with us.  The music was festive and the weather perfect.  November 2012

 

Loyalty

Michelle's sister Christina's toast at the wedding reception:  "Michelle taught me the meaning of loyalty.  She's very quiet, but she's always there for you."  May 2012

This layout is modeled after Lisa Dickinson's "Have Faith" layout in this month's Scrapbook Trends.

Yesterday was Greg & Michelle's 10th anniversary as a couple.  Their first date was 10 years ago when they went to see the second Harry Potter movie.  They celebrated with a dinner out and drinks in the "tallest bar in Minneapolis".  They have made us very happy!

Have a great week, my loyal followers!

Thankful

"There's always something to be thankful for" is a quote I saw on another scrapper's layout.  Here's my list this Thanksgiving 2012:

1)  Good kids.  2)  Devoted husband.  3)  Loving parents.  4)  Sweet kitty.  5)  Comfortable home.  6)  My health.  7)  Bills are paid.  8)  Meals on wheels (for Mom & Dad)  9)  Fun times with Bob.

Of course there's so much more.  My siblings who take care of my parents, my lifelong friends, being able to create.........the list goes on.

This is a paper I purchased at Mom's Memories scrapbook store in Wheeling, WV on Wednesday.  I also got the beach (grass) stencil there.  Today is "Small Business Saturday", and I'd like to acknowledge this store that also has a branch in Washington Pa.  I posted pictures last year on Small Business Saturday from the Wheeling store.  

The "left arm" picture was taken last Saturday on the Caperton Rail Trail here in Morgantown.  I'm thankful I live in a great place too!

In the Spirit

For Thanksgiving this year Chris, Bob and I went to West Virginia's Oglebay Park "Festival of Lights", one of the largest light displays in the country.  The weather was gorgeous and the music festive.  We had a great time.

The local scrapbook store in Wheeling, Mom's Memories, is on the National Highway just a few miles from the hotel. These are the papers I purchased there, from the Authentique line.  The Vintage buttons were another great find:

When we arrived home we filled the bird feeders and enjoyed our winter birds in the pretty sunlight.  We do not feed in the summertime, and the chickadees and titmice started telling us it was time back in September.

Bob took this terrific picture of the titmouse hopping in mid air and also got pictures of the birds in the bird bath.  His page ran in the Post a few weeks ago:

Notice I got a few Christmas lights up today and am officially in the holiday spirit.  Hope your day was a happy one too! 

Brats & More

Greg grilled and all the guests sat on the lawn of their home the night before the wedding.  May 2012

Wedding Eve

Arriving in Minnesota the day before the wedding, we were a little emotional and like everyone at the rehearsal, very happy.  The gardens on Lake Minnetonka were lovely.    May, 2012

The ribbon in the layout were the ribbons used in the wedding.  Lacing Michelle's wedding dress took 3 tries before it laid just right.  This is why she was 40 minutes late for the wedding:

 

Beauty Speaks

The pictures were taken in mid September at Deep Creek Lake on my way back home from a friend's Dad's funeral.  The quote was posted yesterday on Facebook by another high school friend.  It is by John Eldridge:

"We need what Beauty speaks.  What it says is hard to put into words.  But part of its message is, all is well.  All will be well."

My friends at work who see my scrapbooks say I must not do any housecleaning.  But every Saturday morning I clean my house.  After that Bob and I go out to lunch and do something we enjoy on our only day off together.  Today we walked the rail trail:

We watched our Netflix DVD early today (WVU football on now!).  While the "Most Exotic Marigold Hotel" was playing, I cut out my alphas and arranged the background for my layout.  After the movie, while the fresh green beans were cooking for dinner, I printed my photos, painted the cardboard and adhered the elements.  A full fun day.. . . and I have more photos for another layout!  As John Eldridge said, "All is well".

Sugar n' Spice

On the last day of Greg and Michelle's Istanbul honeymoon, they visited the Spice Bazaar.  The bazaar is the center for spice trade in Istanbul and also houses other shops.  It's main entrance faces the Yeni Mosque.

Greg's pictures showed beautiful tile art:

My west coast friend Shawn sent me a package of lovely homemade tags, cards and scrapping materials.  The tea canister stamps on my layout were on the envelope.  Shawn (Mycupoftea)  loved Greg's tea pictures from this day's adventure:

I bet the Spice Bazaar smelled good!  

Happy Friday and safe travels to all!
 

Wall of Blessings

On the hill overlooking Ephesus is the house of the Virgin Mary and a wall where people leave prayers and blessings. June 2012

These were pictures from Greg and Michelle's honeymoon (Day 6).  I was fascinated with the wall and the numerous notes on paper, tissues and handkerchiefs:

Here is the blessing I made for them where I stamped the words on a cloth napkin:

I would be amiss if I did not show their photos taken that day from the remains of the Temple of Artemis - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world:

Blessings to all of us!
  

Us in Topkapi

On Day 5 of their honeymoon Greg and Michelle toured the Topkapi Palace, the primary residence of the sultans for 400 years.  The Topkapi is an ensemble of palaces, courtyards, chambers and collections, with a panoramic view of Istanbul.  May 2012

 

The mosaic tiles on my layout represent beautiful tile work on some palace interiors.

I added the stamp and postmark digitally.  They say:  "Hold my hand".

I got tickled when reading Greg's caption with this photo from the Topkapi. "Now there's a couch I could read a book on":

I can't wait till they are home at New Year's and he can lay on our couch!

 

 

My Favorite Veteran

My favorite veteran is my Dad, pictured here as a young Marine in the early 1940s and (center) today.  For Dad's 90th birthday earlier in the year, I asked a few of his favorite race car drivers and a few other prominent people to send him cards.  One of those who sent cards was Hershel Woody Williams, West Virginia's only living Medal of Honor Winner.  My Dad was in the 5th Marine Division, wounded at Iwo Jima and a Purple Heart recipient.  Woody was in the 3rd Marine Division and received his Medal of Honor for his heroic service at Iwo Jima.  In his card to Dad he wrote:
     "Life is God's gift to us.  What we do with it is our gift to him.  You have done well."

 Woody Williams also sent me a card, saying "Thank you for giving me the chance to send the card.  it was my pleasure to honor a Marine".  I think Woody is my 2nd favorite Veteran!

South Street

On our last night in Philadelphia we walked along rain soaked sidewalks from Old City to South Street where we ate at Jon's Bar and Grille, the birthplace of Larry Fine from the 3 Stooges.  October 2012



Here I am putting together the finished layout on an overnight business/pleasure trip we made yesterday :

Bob found out Monday that he'd have to work his normal Friday, Saturday days off and instead be off Wednesday and Thursday.  Tuesday night he worked the Elections and I didn't see him all day.  Knowing I was to attend a seminar Thursday in Greensburg, Pa, I asked him to travel with me and we'd make it an overnight getaway.  What fun we had.

Today he relaxed in the hotel and visited some shops while I was at my meeting.  After my meeting he took me to Art Tech, a "well stocked" shop with one of everything every made for scrapbooking.  

When I use the papers I purchased there, I'll remember the fun time we had on our getaway!  Just like the pretty Anna Griffin die cut paper in the South Street layout I found on a clearance rack in Philadelphia's Paper Source store near the Convention Center.



 

Mad Alice & Head Crab

Greg and Michelle made their costumes to wear to a "Cards Against Humanity" board game with friends.  2012

Michelle designed and sewed her costume.  Greg's made his fake employee ID for the "Black Mesa Research Center"-where an alien invasion started in the Game Half Life (where the hat is from).  The head crabs take over bodies and control them.  

It's keeps me young following my kids!

Scooby

I am so glad our older kids still dress up for Halloween.  Chris and his college friends actually dressed in different costumes to attend 2 parties.  For the Scooby Do rendition, they researched the costumes and then went to the thrift stores to find what they needed.  Chris dressed as Fred, the "leader and determined detective".

I am a hybrid scrapper and for this one, you can see why digital frames are so much fun and can make a layout.  

I'm thinking I should now call our children "young adults".  Chris was a first time voter this year, voting in the early election on Thursday.

2012

Hybrid Tutorial: Adding Digital Frames

It was the eighth time the family had gathered at the nephews' pub in Keyser, WV. What a fun family tradition this is. Since the name of the pub is "Clancy's," the song title, "Here's to you Clancy," was fitting!

I made this layout to display pictures of my family members who attended. I was able to capture 16 photos of family members on my layout by placing those images in digital film negatives. My finished layout has photos of over 20 family members on one page! 

To create the digital film negatives, determine the width of the negative you want and size.  

Determine the photo size. An easy way to do this is to crop the inside of one of the frames, then click on image size. 

Crop each photo that same size. Paste it behind the negative.

Crop and repeat. Print the negatives and hand cut around each. The slide image on my layout is also a digital frame. The journaling block is a digital image on which I typed my journaling. I adhered the negatives, journaling block, slide and title alphas to my paper, added a border and a few studs.

This article is published in this month's issue of Scrapbooking.com.  Editor Stefan Harlan seeks new talent and blogs to feature in their monthly international publication. 

Happy Friday!