{a lot of scrappin' and a sprinkling of other rand This blog contains the highlights of the scrapbooking and photography pursuits as well as the everyday life happenings of a working mom. Be inspired by a weekly scrapbooking meme/challenge and read reviews on scrapbooking products, magazines and idea books. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 0 4019

Articles from {a lot of scrappin' and a sprinkling of other rand

A Layout: BOOM! 2008-01-14 18:36:00 Just a simple layout I completed recently about a fireworks display during Riverboat Days last summer.Yes, I'm still a ways behind, but determined to catch up and stay there. I completed my layout for the week on Saturday and made it to the end of August, so I'm getting closer! Hopefully, I can complete a few this week.Supplies:Cardstock: BazzillPatterned Paper: Autumn Leaves, Basic GreyChipboard Letters & Accents: American CraftsClear Stamp: Autumn LeavesInk: ColorboxPen: Zig ...

A granny-walker saved my life... 2008-01-12 09:54:00 Last Sunday, we took my niece, Emily to the rink down the street for a birthday party her friend was having there and we all decided to give ice skating a go.Let me just say, I never learned how to roller skate (at least not well) and this was the first time in my life that I'd ever even had ice skates on my feet...Kaitlin's first time, too.This difference between us, it seems, is that she has NO fear! Me, on the other hand, have never had a broken bone (yes, lucky, I know) and don't really have any desire to get one at this point in my life.There is probably a more 'technical' term for them, but they had these 'granny-walkers' there for people who had no idea what they were doing (that's us) to help them stay upright. We weren't the only ones using them, so it wasn't too embarrassing.Here's Kaitlin with my sister. She wanted to ditch the walker many times, but I wouldn't let her. She still fell from time to time and I don't think she quite understood how much it was break ...

My Comment Policy 2008-01-10 20:39:00 Now that I have been blogging as well as reading and commenting on others’ blogs for a while now, I have discovered that there is a wide range in the way that readers use a blogs comment section and also the way in which bloggers respond to their comments. So, I thought I would post a quick note as to my policy on commenting.I LOVE getting comments on this blog!Number 1 – It’s makes me feel better that I spend time blogging if I know someone is actually reading it and, hopefully, enjoying a post every now and then. Number 2 – I love the sense of community that a good base of commenters can create. Number 3 – I have found some great new friends and blogs by following the links left by someone who leaves a comment.If you comment, I will respond.I will do my utmost to respond to each and every comment left on this blog. However, I will do so within the comments here as not every person has a blog on which to leave a comment and emails are not always readily available. So, when y ...

Sledding in the New Year... 2008-01-08 19:25:00 On New Year's Eve we went sledding. There wasn't a whole lot of shelter from the wind where we were at so it was pretty cold.Kaitlin started to make the trek up the hill with her cousins, Emily & Rachel... but soon discovered there was a better way. By the time they finally got up there, they all needed a rest! The best part of sledding...is watching other people take the spills at the bottom! Oh, it looks like that one hurt, Emmy. Don't worry...she still had a smile on her face when she got up. Then, she was ready to take a run with Kaitlin... Kaitlin was definitely the best bundled of all of us...it didn't take long before I was cold enough that I wanted to head home, but Kaitlin would have stayed all day if we had let her! Kaitlin especially loved going down on her daddy's back.Did you know that photographing sledders can be quite dangerous...especially when your husband seems out to take the photographer down! ...

REVIEW: Life Artist by Ali Edwards 2008-01-06 21:13:00 I've never purchased an Ali Edwards book before (she has two previous to this one). Basically, I didn't feel that her 'style' fit my 'style', so how could I be inspired by her, right?I would describe her style as artsier than my own with elements of collaging, mis-matched letters, random paint swooshes. I tend to be more linear and I like my letters to match. I never even used paint because it was too unpredictable.Well, after reading more and more of her columns in CK, I discovered that although my style may be different for her own, her ideas and her drive for scrapbooking were inspiring to me.So, I purchased her book, Life Artist, and will let you know what I thought.Within minutes of sitting down, I knew that I was going to LOVE this book! I almost instantly felt a connection with her in terms of what started it all."I began scrapbooking in 2002...I had been hunting for a baby book-a cool, modern baby book in which to tell his story-and had been unsuccessful in that search."~ ...

I LOVE my Clip it Up! 2008-01-05 16:41:00 I got Christmas in the mail again yesterday. With some of the money that I got from my dad and my in-laws for Christmas (thanks Dad...thanks Ruth & Rahn) I ordered one of the scrapbooking storage items that I have been wanting for awhile - the Clip it Up!!When it comes to my scrapbooking, I've always liked to be able to 'see' my products. Sometimes when they're packed away in binders or boxes (as many of them have been for a long time), I simply forget that I have them - or can't find them - when I want to use them.The Clip it Up system is a simple and surprisingly compact solution to this problem!! I love it!! And it fits neatly on this little shelf I got to go between my inspiration board and my storage cabinet.I don't know if you can tell, but I've pretty got all my stickers, alphabets, chipboard and other miscellaneous items on there and it's not even close to being full...hmmm...guess I need to do some more shopping!! :-)If you've wanting a new organizational system, ...

11 days...where did they go? 2008-01-03 19:24:00 I had 11 days off from work for the holidays. It sounds like SO much, yet it went so very quickly!We spent a lot of time with family and friends which was wonderful...always enjoy the family time.I also did quite a bit of scrapping. I think I completed about 12-13 layouts total. I am now only about 4 1/2 months behind versus the 6 1/2 I was before the break...still have a ways to go, but the creative juices have been flowing lately, so I hope that continues.This is the furthest behind I've ever been in my scrapping. This past year, I had a couple periods where I scrapped NOTHING for 2-3 months at a time and that's what really did the damage.I think is was a combination of waining mojo, being extremely busy, not making enough effort to make time for my hobby (other than reading mags and idea books) and then feeling daunted by that BIG stack of photos!So, my New Year's resolution this year (and this is big for me because I don't usually even bother making them) is to create AT LEAST ...

Bishop Marty Chapel in winter... 2008-01-01 16:21:00 This is the chapel on the college campus where I work...this is what I was photographing while Kaitlin was snapping the pics of the nativity scene I posted the other day.Hope you all having a great start to your NEW YEAR!!~ Jill Marie ...

Kaitlin's 1st Pictures 2007-12-30 19:24:00 Just home from another family Christmas get together...a fun day, for sure! Kaitlin got to see and play with all 5 of her cousins, so that was a lot of fun for her.Here are some pictures that Kaitlin took completely on her own while I was photographing the chapel the other day on our photo outing.This is the front of one of the building at the college where I work...that's Bishop Martin Marty waving at you. She seems to have really like the nativity scene in front of the building. Here's baby Jesus... Mary & Joseph... Mary and Baby Jesus... one of the three kings... and a camel.So, what do you think? Not bad for a Fischer Price camera and a 5-year-old, I'd say. ...

A foggy, wintry morning in South Dakota 2007-12-29 11:31:00 Justin called me Thursday morning to ask if I had yet looked outside as it was quite foggy and everything was completely covered in white. He thought that perhaps I might want to go out and take some pictures...which Kaitlin and I promptly did.This was taken at Riverside Park and is of the Lewis & Clark Bridge crossing over into Nebraska which is soon to be replaced by a new bridge they are constructing just a few blocks to the west. Same spot...looking the other direction. This picture was taken down by Lake Yankton. This picture was taken to the west overlooking Lewis & Clark Lake from a lookout spot on the dam. I took some pictures of the Bishop Marty Chapel while we were out as well and will share those soon. Kaitlin also tested her new camera for the first time, too, and will be sharing her artistry also! ...

A husband redeemed...a little... 2007-12-28 16:12:00 I had not one present to open from my husband on Christmas Eve...OR Christmas Day...needless to say, he got a little ribbing on that one.However, a large box arrived yesterday from Scrapbook.com Superstore...what was this? I hadn't ordered anything.But my hubby had...everything that was in stock on my wish list that I sent him over a month ago and thought that he had ignored. Well, clearly, he did until the last minute since the package didn't arrive until AFTER Christmas, but when I opened it up and found these lovely items from Making Memories...A 3-ring scrapbook album from the Noteworthy collection...(Side note and question for readers: In my search for the 'perfect' album, I have used about every brand of post-bound...well, maybe not, but it seems that way...and I still haven't found 'the one'. I've seen a lot of the professional scrappers using 3-rings, so I thought I would give them a whirl. Have you used a 3-ring for your layouts? If so, what do you like or dislike abou ...

What a whirlwind of days... 2007-12-27 15:33:00 I apologize in advance for the quality of some of these pictures (have I mentioned that I greatly dislike indoor photography?), but these pictures are about the memories...not the quality.Here is my niece, Emily, opening her present from me. It was scrapbook paper and rub ons from Fancy Pants...she's officially a scrapbooker! A fun pic of Kaitlin waiting her turn to open a present on Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa Pechous' house.The evidence of Santa's visit...guess Rudolph enjoyed a little bit of Santa's milk, too!Santa came through and brought Kaitlin her much anticipated Baby Alive. The squirrels and Grandma & Grandpa Paulson's are very well fed. A few dresses for our princess... Uh oh...I think we've got another shutterbug on our hands!Aunt Katie gave Kaitlin a collection of the Disney princess stories...the Gospel according to Disney...and she loved it! She literally sat there and paged through the entire book before opening another present! And...we certainly go ...

Our Christmas Princess... 2007-12-25 08:14:00 Hopefully Grandma Ruth will be too busy to check my blog this morning before she opens her framed picture of our little Christmas princess!And my favorite this year... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope that you and your family have a blessed day! ...

Quotes for Christmas... 2007-12-23 16:18:00 Several serious...Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.~Norman Vincent PealeBlessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~Hamilton Wright MabieMay the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,The gladness of Christmas give you hope,The warmth of Christmas grant you love.~Author UnknownAnd the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.~Dr. Seussand a couple just for fun...There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child. ~Erma Bombeck, I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal DepressionOnce again we find ...

Instant Christmas Journaling 2007-12-22 14:13:00 Here's a couple little meme's I've come accross lately that were fun to do and would also serve as great 'instant' journaling for Christmas themed scrapbook layouts or minibooks. You could take the quizzes yourself and/or use the answers of other friends and family members, too!This one is from this week's meme prompt from Tuesday Twosome: Shopped early for presents or are still procrastinating: Shopped early“Bah Humbug” or “Jingle Bells…”: "Jingle Bells..."Buy presents because you enjoy giving or because you feel obligated: Buy presents because I enjoy givingEnjoy all the holiday cheer or “Enough already. Give me my present.”: Enjoy all the holiday cheerOpen presents on Christmas Eve or wait until Christmas morning: Open presents on Christmas Eve at my parents and on Christmas morning at my husband's parents...the best of both worlds! This one was an email meme I received from a good friend of mine (thanks, Rhnissa!):Wrapping paper or gift bags? Mainly wrapping pa ...