Janna Wilson

week 30: 52 week challenge

 

Well, folks, I'm just doing what I can!  Inspired by some pics of the kids I took yesterday, I just had to scrap a page!  Of course, it's digi, because my actual craft space is a toxic zone of paper and embellishment debris!  This is simple, but using some super HAPPY stuff by Crystal Wilkerson (LOVE!) -- digi designer who is now producing her stuff with Echo Park.  Very fun stuff!

A lot of these were freebie products from a digi blog hop Jessica Sprague hosted.  Love a freebie!   The kraft background paper was from a kit by Nicole Seitler (the creative genius, Sugarplum Paperie).

My challenge for you this week:

Just do what you can...lay out some products you love, snap a new photo (or a hundred), make a page!  Don't stress :) 

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If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing! 

Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool  so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

7 hours...alone

Happy. ness.

My camera battery life (the spare already died ;( ) is about 25 shots...sad, but the 25 shots I snapped yesterday pretty much sum up life right now.  Happy. 

I've enjoyed these three more this summer than I can imagine...these images captures it perfectly.  No fake smiles...(although, yes, I have plenty in and amongst  those 25 shots) ...just happy.

 

I played with some of my PS actions to tweak the mood of the shots...they scream summer!

 

As of today, the girls are off to Aunt Jenny's for a couple of nights and it's just me and the boys. 

Big.

Sigh.

{relief}

I'm sure they are as happy to be free of me as I am to hear...what?  What is that?  ...nothing. ;)  Girls will be girls...and these two beauties are like any two preteen sisters about 2 1/2 years apart...BICKER FEST!!!  Constant.  Too much time together this summer?  Though as much as they "think" they annoy each other every moment of the day...I hear the good times.  Happy.  Playing school.  Staying up late just talking {giggling}.  Laughing their heads off about pretty much nothing.  Pedicures, Swimming, Dancing, singing, dress in weird concoctions of clothing, jewels, scarves and heels.  They had the choice of spending time alone at Aunt Jenny's...and they chose to go together.  They don't know what a bond they are building...but I do.  I love my sister more than the world.  It's the most special relationship I have.  BFF.  And I don't use that term loosely, trust me. 

So it's just me and the big guy...

All 32 lbs of him.   Super stud :)

It breaks my heart...that we only have a few weeks together and then life will change.  I make no excuses for being pretty much behind on EVERYTHING.  I want to soak up every moment of this fading summer. 

Cash is so excited about the baby sitter...I hope he loves it.  He's going tomorrow...for 7 hours.  I have so much to get done --the compilation of weeks of work that I can't seem to find the time for.  Sewing orders, photography, IU stuff, special project stuff, blog sneaks (IU) and tons more.   I'm going to squeeze as much as possible of it into 7 hours.  Grandma...do you have plans Friday!?   

As I've mentioned before...I've spent the last (nearly) year sort of looking for myself.  Looking for a niche to completely immerse myself rather than piddling and paddling about...though I have enjoyed experimenting, being creative in every way and the journey.  Going back to school is that, for me...myself, found.  But it's so much more too.  I know I will love it.  I've always wanted to spread my wings and take some art classes...and now I get to!!!  I know it will be a series of aha moments.  I feel like it will bring me full circle...creatively speaking.  I know that it is something for me, yet it's so much more about my family than just selfish reasons.   As scary as it is...there's a perfect calm about it too.  God has given me the pieces to create myself...and that is what I will do.  I saw this quote sometime back...how perfect...

(found this on a blog along my travels...not sure where)

from the backyard...

I went out this morning to snap a few pics of my zinnias before the sun came up...oh my, I just love these flowers.  They are even more beautiful than I imagined and can't believe they LAST so long after they are cut also!  WOW!  Doesn't make me feel so bad to sneak a few in the house to enjoy!

 

I just planted a mixed selection and it's so exciting to see what color they'll be when they start putting on a bloom!  This one is interesting...though compared to the eye popping colors above, not that exciting! 

 

 

I planted some mixed pots by the patio and I'm really loving this one...

 

Okay, I have to brag on myself now...a while back I noticed the neighbors had some rocks stacked around trees just beyond their lawn and I thought....hmmm?  I wonder if they want those.  Turned out they didn't and said take all you want...so we did...

 

Look past the junk :) -- I laid the rock all around this side of the patio and created a lovely organic shaped bed that is perfect nestled in the shade of the mature trees of our back yard.  I am enjoying it SO much.  I already had those ferns ...I thinned them out moved them around and planted them in bunches adding in some Coleus and Hosta.  I also added some Asparagus fern and those cute little elephant ears too.  It turned out so nice...and the ROCK WAS FREE!!!  Gotta love your neighbors :)  We've spent more time on the patio so far this summer than the last two!!! 

Now we're TRYING to grow some grass...Scott tilled and seeded the bare areas and it's coming up.  I also rocked in a fire pit just out from this bed --need to finish that up and I'll share soon.

Too many projects...too little time :)

#19 -- breaking the girly streak! 52 week challenge!

 

Pulled out a project in progress...
 
I don't know about you but I have several projects in progress, things unfinished that really need to be wrapped up!  I pulled this page out...sweet, SWEET memories of Cash when he first got interested in cars.  He still has and LOVES these cars and plays with them all the time.  I was just amazed when he was six months old and how much he LOVED cars.  It's definitely a boy thing!

I played with some photo editing techniques to create these black and white photos with colorized cars.  I think it turned out pretty cool...a great technique to really make an object the focus...pop!  Here's an awesome tutorial for this process by Jessica Sprague (I wanna be her when I grow up :)

 

I created the white on black text strips in Word ...I googled to find you a tutorial on this if you don't know how...here's one.  I also used a lot of paint on this layout...to add a stark edge to the photos and the page itself.  I like the way it turned out though I usually don't go for messy stuff!  LOL!

I even found a sketch I had done for this one...very basic...

My challenge for you this week: FINISH SOMETHING YOU'VE STARTED...it feels good!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Mostly older products:  Papers from American Crafts, chipboard letters by Heidi Swapp

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If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 19 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

15th page! 52 week SFSB challenge!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

...Okay, some of you have noticed I ran out of week last week and I'm late posting this!  SORRY!  That's real life, right folks. Sometimes...we just have to do what we can do!  I did finish my page up before the week was out.  Actually..this is a page I started LAST YEAR!!!  And I finished it up! 

I am obsessed with silhouettes! I plan on doing some of my kids VERY SOON for framed wall art.  I love this tutorial that Amy posted explaining the process she used on PS Elements.  I actually used the (badly exposed) photo last year to create my silhouette in MUCH the same way Amy explains.  The shot was accidental...I was trying to get Cash's reaction to the snow outside since he was too small at the time to get out in it!  The backlighting/off exposure of course resulted in the photo I used on the page and inspired me to create the silhouette!  I printed the silhouette onto the back of my patterned paper and cut it out to include it on the page... I love it, especially the little curl!

My challenge for you this week: complete an unfinished project!  I am so happy to get this one done and share!  Go for it!

Products/Tools Shout Outs:

Lots of older Crate Paper Design and Kimberly Poloson (Fiskars Designer) papers and elements.

*************************************************

If you want to play along link up your page on your blog...you can scraplift my layout or do your own thing!  Be sure and add your page to the Flickr photo pool and tag it with week 15 so everyone can enjoy YOUR inspiration too!

Happy Scrapbooking!

Checking my list...

Well, I'm glad to say that I've crossed two things off my creative to do list this week!  I got this photo...

And I got my classes scheduled for Scrap Happy's in Tulsa.  Check out my Classes on the sidebar for more info! 

Okay, I'm feeling productive!  Now I better go do some laundry and start on my scrap room!

Take care--jw