Focus Girl!

I am, as my mom always defined me, squirrelly.
I flit from this to that always looking for something but often not finding it. I am always full of restless anticipation, not quite contented with the thing in front of me. I always seem to want the next thing.
I am like a child inside. The one who runs up to their mom as soon as they get to your house and immediately wants to know when they are going to leave.
I have SO many things I want to do -
I want to write the next great American novel - or a screenplay.
I want to read great fiction - or some of the life-changing books recommended by my friends.
I want to focus on my digital photography - scrapbooking - or possibly work with my imaging programs and learn to design some digital elements of my very own.
I want to watch a great movie.
I want to be INSPIRE my writing class to a love of writing.
I want to write unit studies, teach my youngest daughter to make meatballs, play cards with my kids, share a cup of coffee and superficial conversation with my neighbor, ride a bike around the block with my son, talk politics with someone who is open-minded like my oldest daughter, blog, cook my husband a fantastic dinner, and so on and so on and so on.
I think this is one of the reasons I needed to hibernate this weekend.
I feel like I am spinning. I can't invest myself fully in any of these things if I am dabbling in all of them, and I can't choose. They all pull me.
I am pretty good at sliding things off my plate that I am not interested in, after years of being driven by guilt and obligation, even within the church. What I want now is to figure out how to focus.
I don't want to be a jane-of-all-trades. It seems an epidemic. We received an education that makes us all so "well-rounded" that we are masters of nothing. My aim is to focus and stop the merry-go-round. I am going to figure out what it is that I really, really want to do, and do it with all my heart and soul.
This is my desire for my children is to help them pursue the greatness they were created for - the bend that the Lord has sculpted them with. My bend went all haywire with the confinement to a 12 year institution called the public school system, as well as parents who told me from the time I was young that I wouldn't be anything unless I "'went to college", although neither of them went. Perhaps they wanted better for me than they had, as do I for my children. I am seeking that better outcome by allowing them to pursue the path of delight, dreams and destiny that the Lord Himself has paved for them, and try to get back on my path along the way!

Alisha and Nolan

I haven't scrapbooked in forever. That is the nice thing with the digital scrapbooking. I can get inspired to make a page and just make one. I don't have to hunt for hours for the right stuff - or dig it all out just to put it away at dinnertime when we need to use the table. I can just open up a program and some pictures and some other stuff, and be inspired!
My inspiration came from an email after a recent reunion with my sister. She was telling me all about her 9 yo. son and then said she was still "getting to know" her 4 month old baby. I thought that was precious. It went along the lines of the Charlotte Mason philosophy that children are "born persons" that I have embraced with my whole heart. I just loved it. Then I heard this quote by Max Lucado which also enveloped this thought - it was perfect for word art for this page. I just popped all those pieces together and made this page that will always be special.
Just a little something special for my sister at Christmas. I am so thankful that you found me! I love you girl.
I have another inspiration - but no time. I'll share that page when it is finished as well.
If you like the word art on this page and would like me to send it to you - please email me at julientexas AT sbcglobal DOT net - I'm happy to share! Good words should be repeated.

Freebie for New Scrapbookers

I have had several people ask me about digital scrapbooking - both here and on some of the yahoo groups that I frequent. I get emails from a site, Scrap Girls, that sells digi-scrap stuff, and offers tutorials etc. and they have this kit that you can try for FREE! No kidding. Just follow that link and download it - and you are ready to use it in your scrapbooking/imaging program. Sorry for the little commercial, but I just had to share.

Scrap Happy - Week 13

Well, I have been scrappin' right along. Sometimes it seems I get a burst of enthusiasm for this creative outlet - and there is no stopping me. I never scrapbook with the intensity that some do - but when something really cool, like a picture or scenery or beautiful graphics come up, they make me want to use them in a page. That is the story behind this week's page. My son saw that his sister had fallen asleep on top of her bed last night and came to get me so I could "take a picture". (it really is a family sport - scrapbooking - isn't it?) I made this page with one of the four pictures I took that she approved: (although she tried to revoke it because she thinks her picture is distorted!)Of course with the vivid colors of her bedding and bedroom, I did not have any scrap-stuff that matched - so I improvised - I made the background paper. It was pretty fun to do - since she was dreaming - I listed things that she might be dreaming about, and then I softened them so that other things would show up. I also learned this week how to type text in a circle, so I thought I'd show off that new skill. I also cut out the letters for the word "dreams" and then sanded them a bit to soften. Fun!
DIGI-SCRAPPER TOOL ALERT: I got this incredibly awesome magazine - Better Homes & Gardens has a tutorial magazine out called The Ultimate Guide to Digital Scrapbooking for Adobe Photoshop users. It has some awesome tutorials. I have been learning more and more and more.
Here is another page that I made this week that I am rather pleased with:
These are some special kids I know that have taken a liking to each other. I made it as a sort of belated-birthday gift. I used a paper that I already had - but I put the words to their favorite song in the background. That was pretty neat. I love the way Adobe allows me to match colors. That is very important. This photo had some reds that worried me when I first started making the page - but that eyedropper tool was super to help me match it all up!
I am looking forward to seeing what you've been up to this week! Happy Scrappin'!

Scrap Happy - Week 13

I had a great time making this page today - commemorating my youngest daughter's 14th birthday. It did however take me hours to figure out how to blur the edges and fade her picture into the background. But it was so awesome once I figured it out. There was a lot of experimenting with techniques, brushes etc. I got some of my ideas from tutorials in the Digital Scrapbooking magazine. If you haven't heard of it and you are a digital scrapbooker - I highly recommend it. There's lots of fun pages, samples, contests, and reader pages. Wow!
This week you'll actually get to see TWO pages - pretty much the same page with two different pictures. She didn't like the picture I had in the first one (posted at the bottom) and so I redid the page with another picture. We both like the second one better. But I got her permission to share them both with you so you could see the difference. I made the first one in black and white - or actually sepia tone. It is truly the most "artsy" page I've ever made - and of course I had to because Kaitlyn is my little artiste! The picture in the first page really does go better with the overall theme of the page as well! Happy Birthday my Kaity-bug!

And yet another page that I had to make for my birthday girl - I've had a very productive scrapbookin' day!
I can't wait to see the pages y'all are making this week. Please link them up here!
Happy Scrappin'!

Scrap Happy - Week 12

I have been making new pages the past couple weeks - and it makes me so happy to just have a leisurely pace to work on them - and yet a motivator such as this meme! Even though there aren't many participants yet, I hope you will continue to put the word out about this for other scrapbookers - so that we can all get ideas and inspiration. My sister-in-law Vonda is an avid scrapbooker, and just being with her makes me want to scrapbook even more!
Here is this week's page:I had a lot of fun making this page from a terrific picture my daughter Kaitlyn took. She has a very artistic eye, however, I think this photo was done much by accident! However, I found it difficult to locate the perfect papers and elements for this picture. There isn't much scrapbooking stuff out there for "teen-boys".
I can't wait to see your pages this week!
Happy Scrappin'!

Scrap Happy - Week 9

Hey everybody!
I'm just a bit late putting this up today! Sorry - things have been crazy. I'm dealing with a sick girl, piles of laundry, work and all kinds of other stuff! Here is a page for the week - it is still not a new one, however we did get my Adobe Photoshop reloaded when we took our computer back to XP - so next week should bring a new page or two or three! (I'm getting way ahead of myself!)
I did not make this page. It was created by my sister-in-law Vonda. I hope that she won't be upset that I am using it here. She is very talented. I will link to her gallery here once she sends me the link I lost when my computer crashed! She is a very special person in my life - and is responsible along with her mother for turning me on to digital scrapbooking. It is a hobby and a passion that we share and enjoy. I loved it when she made this page of the two of us. I will always treasure it. I am glad that we have had a chance to get to know each other, and I do count her as my sister in my heart!
Thanks Vonda for sharing this love of scrapbooking with me!
Happy Scrappin'!

Scrap Happy - Week 7

Okay Scrap Happy participants, since your hostess is lame-o and didn't even get the meme up last week I am going to extend the contest deadline to this week! I am still going to offer a prize of $15 to your favorite online scrapbooking store -digital or otherwise. So let's get those pages posted.
Here is mine:
I made this page of my son wearing his daddy's welding hood. I thought this would get you inspired to make pages for Father's Day! It was the first attempt that I ever made at cutting a picture out. If you use Adobe Photoshop there are a bunch of great tutorials to help you with this online. I can't find the one I used since I lost all my bookmarks when my computer crashed - but I found this one that looks very user friendly! If you need help - email me and I will try to help you navigate the process at julientexasATsbcglobalDOTnet.
Post away Scrappers!

Scrap Happy Meme - Week 6

Okay - I've really blown it the last two Mondays with this meme. In fact, nobody posted their pages here last week at all! Ugh. Last week we were busy traveling, and this week my computer has completely crashed - so no scrappin' for me! I can't even access an old page to post. What I am going to do is put the linky up for anyone who is interested in posting. I am going to have a drawing and give away a $15 gift certificate to the Digital Scrapbook store of your choice - all you have to do is post a page this week and next week - AND both weeks point people to the meme from your own humble little blog-dwelling! I will announce the winner on Friday - June 1st! Come on, let's get this thing going! I know it will be so fun - if only your hostess-with-the-mostess can remember to put the dang meme up each week!

I'm so sorry - now get back to scrappin' and bloggin' people!

Scrap Happy - Week 5

My apologies to all of my meme people! I am sorry - it seems I forgot that it was Monday. All the travelling, an asthmatic child that was having a sleepover who called me every 2 hours and a hubby emergency with the debit card - all that transpired wiped some of my memory clean!
Here is my page for this week:
I made this page with either a Scrap-a-Deal kit from 3Scrapateers or a Half-n-Half kit - they are both kits where you get part for a cheap price, and after you upload a page you made with the kit, you get the rest of it! It is kind of fun, and I was doing it regularly for a while. I will have to check it out again soon. It is a great way to collect graphics.
I can't wait to see your pages - and if I haven't commented, please know that I will catch up when I get home from my trip - Lord willing - by next weekend!
Happy Scrappin'!

Scrap Happy - Week 4

I almost missed this! I am on a trip WAAAAYYYY out of state!
I am missing my hubby today - which inspired my page for the week. The picture was taken on our anniversary last summer!
Hope your week is Scrap Happy!

Scrap Happy - Week 3

I hope that all my scrapper friends are burning up the computer screen with new pages! I am heading out in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow on a 2 week trip to West Virginia, but I will be checking back in through the week to see what pages show up here! I have had a very chaotic weekend, so I am posting an old page I made for my daughter Kendra's birthday LAST year. (The stinker just had the nerve to turn 16 a few weeks ago!) I used a piece of her wrapping paper to make the background. I just love this page - and they were some great pictures of her!
Can't wait to see your pages! Happy Scrappin'!

Scrap Happy - Week 2

Okay - so it is slow going here getting this meme started - but I know that if we are patient, and if all participants help get the word out, we will see other digital scrapbookers emerge from the shadows. Please grab the button and put the word out on your blogs, and wherever other scrapbookers gather. Let's get this thing going people - I want to see some pages!

Here is my page for week 2 - the pictures were taken at a Presidential Rally a couple of years ago. The America kit I used seemed perfect for the patriotic theme. I don't remember where I got it.
Let's see some of your pages! Post your page on your blog and link up here. Don't forget to only grab the link to the specific post where your page for this week is posted - it helps the rest of us find it without having to sort through all of your other posts.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at julientexas at sbcglobal dot net.
Thanks! Happy Scrappin'!

PLEASE Help Me Advertise!

Dear Reader,
Hi there!
If you are visiting this blog - perhaps you have your own blog, no? I need some other bloggers to help me get the word out about my Scrap Happy Meme. Even if you don't scrapbook, if you would be willing to put up a post about the meme, or link it on your side bar - it would be so great! There is a button and a banner that you could grab and link up. If you need me to email you the link - please feel free to request that as well in the comments or by sending me an email at julientexas at sbcglobal dot net.
I'd appreciate it so much!
Thanks ~ Jewls

Scrap Happy Meme

Another lovely banner by the one and only Goofy Girl!

Are you a digital scrapper or a paper scrapper with the computer savvy to scan and post your pages? Well this meme is for you! I want to pull our collective talents together to wow and inspire one another. All it requires is a weekly scrapbook page to post, and a blog where other participants can go and view it.
I don't care what size your pages are, what programs you use, or any of those technical things - feel free to post them to share with others if you'd like - but the purpose, the real deal behind this is to inspire one another toward creativity. So if you want to share where you got a certain kit, element, font, etc. feel free to share those things. If you want to explain how you were inspired to create your layout by a piece of architecture, puffy clouds or a grape juice stain on the carpet - share away. If you would like to include a tutorial for a certain technique that you used - teach us! Nothing is required however, except that you post a page to share each week and link back here in the Scrap Happy Mister Linky so that the rest of us can visit you!
I think it is important to state that I do not work for any scrapbooking-related company, have my own company or care about the who, what or where you buy your scrapbooking stuff. If I point to a specific supplier, or product, it will be because I like it - and for absolutely no other reason! There is nothing to sell or buy here - so just imagine us as a bunch of scrapbookin' friends getting together for a crop - and showing off our pages each week.
I started scrapbooking almost 10 years ago now, making my first pages when I was pregnant with my now 9 year old son. I have two huge-mongous albums to attest to my serious paper-scrappin' habit. However, the house we lived in at the time was around 900 square feet - so you can imagine, I didn't have a room or studio to set up, and honestly after I got it all drug out, and got the things out that I wanted to use, there was no creativity left in me! A year and a half ago my mother-in-law and sister-in-law introduced me to digital scrapbooking, and I love it!
Here are some of my pages -

The Joy of Sisters - about my kids

My Thoughts of You - a tribute to my father-in-law
It's Gonna Be a Cary Christmas - spending Christmas with my BIL

These are just the pages that I have posted since I started this blog in January of this year. I have plenty of others that I will share as time goes on. I plan on using weeks where I can't get to making a new page to post one of these old ones. I linked to these just to give you an idea of how a post should look - but this is your deal - create, inspire and dazzle us!
Scrap Happy - week #1 will commence on Monday, April 16th. This will give you plenty of time to make pages from those awesome Easter photos that you're sure to take this weekend, or whatever else creative you might put together! Be ready to come back here that day and post the link to your page in the Scrap Happy Mister Linky.
If you're interested in publicizing this, feel free to grab the banner and link it back to this post or email me at julientexas at sbcglobal dot net and I will be glad to send it to you via email.
Goofy Girl is working on a button for us as well!
Now that you're all inspired to scrapbook, let me point out a really beautiful Hoppy Spring Easter kit that I found at Cottage Arts! I can't wait to scrap some spring/Easter pictures with that!
Leave me a comment here to let me know that you are hoping to participate!
Happy Scrappin'!

Credit for the sample pages here go to (in order):
My mother-in-law, Myrtice Forsythe created the first two with the old-tyme flair
My sister-in-law, Vonda Bearden created the page with my daughter when she was about 4
My husband's aunt, Julia Cook made the page with the filmstrip of her grandson
and last is my page created a year ago for my daughter's 15th birthday - I used her wrapping paper for the background! You can click on any of them to enlarge them and look at them a little better.

Scrap Happy - My Thoughts of You

I made this scrapbook page in memory of my father-in-law who went to be with Jesus in July of last year. I woke up this morning thinking of him, and had these exact thoughts on my mind. The hutch is because he loved woodworking and in the last year of his life he refinished a hutch just like this one that was his mother's, the cross because he was a Christian - and the son of a Congregational Methodist minister, and the quote because he was an avid gardener and loved to nurture and grow plants and trees of all kinds. BTW - just in case you didn't know - you can click on the image to make it larger so you can actually read the journaling.

Scrap Happy - It's Gonna Be a Cary Christmas

Here is another scrapbook page I made of my brother-in-law. He is 50 years old and mentally challenged (whatever the PC term is). His life is a testimony to perseverance. The doctors told my mother and father-in-law he would never walk, talk, sit, etc. These "nevers" only fueled my MIL's determination, and he does many of the things they said he never would. Cary spent Christmas with us and repetitively said, "It's gonna be a Merry Christmas!" which provided the altered title for my page. This was a challenging page - I had too many pictures I wanted to include so having to narrow those down is always a difficulty.

Scrap Happy - The Joy of Sisters

Woo hoo! I'm back! My hubby had to do some work on my computer so I could start digi-scrappin again - and today I made my first page in FOR-EVER. I thought you'd be so happy about it that I'd share it with you too.
For any of you fellow digital scrapbookers out there that might like this kit - I GOT IT FREE at one of my favorite scrapbooking sites - Shabby Princess. It's still available so go on and snag it! Shop around and buy some other stuff too - they have such gorgeous stuff there!

Foto Frustrations

I haven't been able to digitally scrapbook since I got my new computer in December because something called the "file picker" keeps shutting down. Yesterday, I had a bunch of pictures of myself growing up through now - and I was trying to make a slide show but the computer will not let me load pictures - not only to the slideshow - but now I can't even post pictures to my blog. It is NOT blogger - it is totally my computer because nothing that requires using those files will work! Grrrr. If my computer literate hubby will work on it later maybe I'll be back up to speed.