Journey into the Earth

Journey into the Earth is my layout created using the second sketch from Week 1 of Double Take I adjusted the sketch a bit to accommodate my photos. I had already had them printed at 3x4, 2x3, and of course 4x6 before I ever saw the sketch. I had taken a ton of photos that day at IEC. I knew that I would never be able to scrap them all as 4x6 so I created collage 4x6 prints that I cut apart for use. I chose to use BasicGrey's Archaic line. I've had it in my stash for quite some time. The papers suited the photos and mood of the caverns. I did use a kraft cardstock photo mat and left some breathing space between photos. The background paper was very busy and some of my photos are very similar to one another. I just felt like adding the matting and space kept the photos from being overwhelmed. I used some coffee shop glimmermist on the mat and title letters. I added some distress ink and Tim Holtz metal embellishments along with a flattened bottle cap to complete the layout.

Double Take Class is tons of fun!

My new class, Double Take at Big Picture Classes, officially started on Thursday. It's been a blast! May Flaum and Nic Howard are the instructors. Each week they provide us with four double page sketches, their interpretations of each sketch (that's eight completed layouts!), along with tips, techniques, and insight into their workflow and inspiration. It's great. There's a ton of participation from my fellow students with lots of feedback from Nic and May. Here's my take on sketch 1 from week 1:

Choosing colors was a little tough with the variety of photos I had here. I pulled out the trusty color wheel and dialed in the bright green grass. I worked from there with distress inks, alcohol inks, and acrylic paint to pull it together.

Class is winding down

I can't believe that I'm closing in on the end of Inspiration Showcase (a class from Online Card Classes I have learned a lot and been inspired. I haven't completed many of the pieces of the final project yet. I've tried using some of what I already had, but learned that I didn't have quite the right stuff and/or not enough skill with these techniques to make what I did have yield pleasing results. I bit the bullet and ordered a bunch of basic supplies. They have been shipped! It'll be like Christmas when that box arrives. I'll be able to get down to business and create! In the meantime, I've been playing around with what I do have. It's been a blast. I'll post more about the project as I complete it.

Celebrate Monday

The journaling prompt posted at Simple Scrapper for today is "The song that always takes me back is..." At the moment I can't pick one. I know there are lots---perhaps that's why I can't grab on to one just now. Each time I hear a song from my past I am immediately transported to the time and place that it meant the most. I am bombarded with images---almost like a slideshow---of moments. These moments are dear to me. Sure, some of them are related to "big events" in life, but most, most are just the everyday simplicity of life. I think that those are actually the more precious memories---and the ones most likely to be buried somewhere deep until some spark awakens the flame of memory.

Weekend wonderment

In some ways it was a quiet weekend, in others it was busy. Saturday jumped from one thing to another--while Sunday was spent with medication side effects planting me on the couch. I caught some images on Saturday that I just adore.

Could this photo be better in a technical form---you bet. I love it anyway. All of the photos I'm sharing were just snapped in a moment--a freeze frame of life.

We have some friends that do Civil War Re-enactment. I caught this image of their daughter as she entertained herself within the camp.

What in the world Christopher and my mother were communicating to one another, I haven't the faintest clue. The important thing is that they were there together, interacting.

Straight from the heart

I'm taking the blog your heart challenge I'm just going to type and see what happens.

I get so many things swirling around in my head all at the same time that it sometimes amazes me that I can focus on one thing at a time.

1. Christopher's behavior at Kindergarten has been a bit challenging. I was fearful that this would happen because he is more cognitively advanced than his peers. We've experienced it before at daycare/preschool. I'm seeing it again. We're very lucky to have a Kindergarten teacher that is really extending herself and working with us to find an effective corrective action. He very happily trotted into school this morning--I'm hoping that fact is a positive portent of the day.

2. I can't believe that it is raining here again today. After all of the flooding that we experienced just one week ago I find it amazing that there is any water left in the sky!

3. I'm in the midst of a new online class. Online Card Classes is offering Inspiration Showcase with Jennifer McGuire and other guest instructors. I am not normally a card maker. I never have been. I just couldn't pass by this class. It's so full of fun techniques. I'm a little behind because I don't have access to some of the materials--but I'll fix that! (Thank goodness for online shopping!)

4. I just signed up for another class---BIG Surprise right?---at Big Picture Classes. Double Take is still open for registration and it promises to be packed with lots of double page layout goodness. I am so excited and eagerly anticipating the beginning of class.

I think I've run out of steam for the moment....not that there aren't a lot more things swirling in this brain of mine!

Love this kid!

Yes he makes me crazy...but I love him anyhow. Yes, his behavior in Kindergarten is proving to be a challenge and much less than he's capable of putting out there...but I love him in spite of, and sometimes because of, his precociousness. Yes I get tired of tripping over the toys that he doesn't put away, although he's getting better...but I love to see his imagination and creativity.