January Challenge Layouts

Not sure how everyone else stays motivated, but for me a challenge really sparks my energy and creates excitement for a project. A friend of mine in California has issued a challenge for one of my online groups...a layout a month with two sketches to choose from. I've been feeling distracted with other paper crafting projects and very behind in my scrapbooks. So, since she was so generous to offer to select and post a set of sketches, I just had to try! And if I put January on my blog everyone will hold me accountable for each month now right ;)

This was the original we worked from

This was a seriously simple layout since my focus was on DONE.... My goal for my daughters is to have albums that capture their lives for them. I do love to create beautiful artwork but frankly some times you just have to get it down on paper. I am pretty sure that this took me less than 45 mins total. I kow, you can tell, LOL. But it literally fit into scraps of time here and there! I was so grateful to my friend for posting that challenge and encouraging us to get back to where we started. I'd also like to thank the artists who posted the sketches originally for generously sharing their efforts with us.

This is the original for the double page layout

                           

So, for the second part of the challenge I wasn't sure if  I'd be done in time. Unfortunately it was a sick little one at home that gave me more quiet time than usual. I decided to try this double page and just made the deadline. The final bits of this LO went on just as my girls were heading up for bed and it took me more time to put the pieces together than to plan out. There are plenty of things I would change for on this one but again, my focus was on done. Also, my photo doesn't do these wonderful papers justice(Dreamin from Close to My Heart) since it was taken at midnight and you may know about my lighting issues. ;)

Thanks for stopping by....

Life Through My Lens: January

It took quiet a while for me to get my first digital camera and so I seem to struggle with some very basic elements of photography and so want to improve. I've scoured blogs, pestered photographer friends and taken literally thousands of photos and so now I can at least see why some of my poor shots fail....well mostly.

Here's some of my shots below. The first one I snapped on awhim after cleaning up my daughters "Princess Party" It's one I really like. Some of the others are from this fall. I think for the sunflowers "photo shoot" done in September. I took about 700 pictures, between lighting issues and some uncooperative kids, LOL. Then on an October trip to a farm with the kids I was able to do better with fewer shots...you'll see.

Have to start out positive, I was so happy this picture truly captured what I saw that day...truly a fluke, LOL

Ack what's up with the super exposed sky? Yuck.

This was kinda cool even if the sky didn't really look like that...LOL

Same sky, nice and blue...

The girls could barely see with all the sun but with only flowers behind, shots turned out better...

Much softer lighting and much better here...even though the same lighting environment.

And here, my girl K on a sunny October day...

And this one, nearly the same amount of light as the September pictures but much better result so back to studying...

This was a totally lucky shot using the flash in a little shed with sun behind my daughter...

Three of my biggest problems are:

1. Always forgetting to take the lens cap off before attempting to take the first shot...seriously who does this? I have seen "image too dark" soooo any times from my camera and missed sooo many shots this way it's  ridiculous.
2. Lighting
3. Lighting

Yes Lighting is twice. I have so much trouble in the very dark and in super sunlight.

 Even though I've got a good feel for what my mistakes are as I browse my photos. Lighting in the extremes has truly evaded my grasp. Achieving the amount of Bokeh I want (love that) as well as my composition seems to be improving at least.. I am hoping for an epiphany (or a decent tutorial or class) that leads me down the path to enlightenment...oh, couldn't resist. ;) 

 So, just curious, what are your top three struggles as you take your photos?

Thanks for stopping by...

Welcome Love

I sized these at about 7inches tall and they ended up almost 2 inches thick.

The tradition of Valentines Day is one of my favorites. It's fun to support my little ones as they trade cards and treats with their classmates and friends. But even more, after New Year's tradition of self examination, it is refreshing to just look outside ourselves and welcome love into our lives!

The solid paper is all Bazzill basics and the print is the DCWV baby girl stack.

It was my goal last year to put up a banner for each holiday or season but since you haven't seen them here you can probably guess that it didn't happen....So, when the idea pepped up to create these 3D letters for Valentines day, I wanted to figure a way to make it into a banner. This super satin ribbon from thepapermart.com was left over from my little princesses party and it was wide enough to support LOVE. :)

It was actually quite easy to put together these letters but I suggest some quiet so that you can think through them before you glue it all down.  Say for instance don't do these while trying to help with homework since yours might end up like my E which has the paper "technically" inside out. LOL.

I actually have only one tip for the construction of the letters. I used my long clear ruler when gluing the side portions of the "O" together. It doesn't have score marks on the flaps where it's glued so in order to be sure they weren't getting wonky, I  laid my ruler down with a few of the flaps turned up. This made it easier for the next piece to line up without going crooked.

The SVG files for this project all came from the SVGcuts.com website and they do a spectacular job with their files, and also customer support by including great instructional videos right on the site.

"Be Mine" was from the 24Valentines collection, and the bird was and extra from the Bunny House Treat Box set. B wanted a bird on it. Finally I made the "rosebud" from part of the file for roses included in the "crush on you" set. It was designed to be a fuller style rose but I was wanting just a bud so just used on portion of the file...I managed to scrounge the leaves from the 3D flowers collection and finished it off with some plain white ribbon. The banner could probably be embellished even, more but I just wanted to keep it simple. And get it done. :)

I hope you all welcome love into your lives this year and have a wonderful Valentines Day!