eighteen

Back in April Amber turned 18. She talked for weeks about having her truck decorated for her birthday. My oldest daughter and her then boyfriend went out in the middle of the night and decorated to their hearts content. Amber was SO happy when she came out the next morning and saw her truck!

This layout is based on Shimelle's Starting Point found here:


eighteen


Journaling reads: for your 18th birthday, Emily and Tyler decorated your truck! You were so happy when you saw it. Even happier to drive it to school.

Paper: Kraft and Sunshine Bazzill, Scenic Route Grids, Basic Grey, MME and Martha Stewart.
Embellishments: Pop Dots and Bling
Letters: AC Thickers in Bumble, Uni-Ball Pen in Black.

Cross Country

Samantha has been running Cross Country since the 7th grade when she could get in Athletics. She likes to run and she complains about running the track. I think she likes the freedom to get out there and move. This is the first year though that I have seen her really apply herself and push herself.

These layouts, I made just because and I like how they turned out. They are colors that usually wouldn't use for my layouts and they work!

17:22


Journaling reads: "Run the Ridge: - your first meet of the season. It was great being there and cheering you on. You didn't beat your goal time but I am still so proud of you!

Paper: Lime, Vanilla and Maroon Bazzill, Penny Lane and a misc blue strip from my stash.
Embellishments: Heidi Swapp Brads and a Martha Stewart Punch
Letters: AC Thickers Darling

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I made this layout at a crop at Archiver's. I saw a layout that inspired me but I can't for the lift of me remember where I saw it.

She Runs


Journaling Reads: You've been running since the 7th grade but this the 1st year I have really seen you apply yourself and work on getting faster. I am so very proud of you for staying with it and pushing yourself for more!

Paper: White and Grey Bazzill, Making Memories Passport and Travel Collection
Embellishments: Ribbon, Cardboard Stars, Cats Eye Chalk, Karen Foster "Born to Run" stopwatch
Letters: Crate Paper-green and kraft, AC Thickers Foam (the best font ever) and Uni-Ball Black Gel Pen.

Only One

I only have one in school at this point. She loves (not really - insert teenage eye roll here) being the only subject pretty much these days for my photos. She has never "been on her own" in school before except that one time that I had them in 5th, 8th and 9th grade - at three different schools. This time, she is truly alone since the other two have graduated. No one to ride home from school with instead of riding the bus. No one to sit with at lunch except her friends. No one to talk about her day with when she gets home except me and her step dad. She still spends lots of time with me but I know from experience that there will come a time when I won't be so important for a few years.

I used Shimelle's starting point from here for this layout. Here was our prompt:



Early Morn'


Journaling Reads: You had cross country practice everyday except Thursdays during the week all summer long. Fridays though you loaded the bus at 6:30am to go and run at a park for a change of pace. I am so proud of you that I never heard "I don't want to go today" all summer.

Paper: Kraft and Orange Bazzill, October Afternoon Night Light from an old kit
Embellishments: Kaiser Craft Dots
Letters: Dear Lizzy Thickers and Uni-Ball Gel Pen

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I was on a roll at this point and used this Starting Point found here.



Homecoming 2010


Journaling reads: Your freshman homecoming. You went w/ Travis who was a friend of Amber's from work. With all of you cross country girls. You ate dinner at Mia Bella and then I took you to the dance. You had a great time in general but not with your date.

Paper: Grey and Champagne Bling Bazzill, Basic Grey Marrakesh
Embeliishments: Uni-Ball White Gel Pen
Letters: Making Memories Glitter Letters and a Uni-Ball Black Gel Pen


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The next layout came from this Starting Point.



Fifteen


Journaling Reads: Birthday dinner at Tommy Bahamas. Family only-no friend this year. Great food and Pineapple cake w/ toasted coconuts topping! Yummy.

Paper: Kraft and Yellow Bazzill, Scenic Route Garden Grove from an old kit
Embellishments: Jenni Bowlin Calendar, Scenic Route Arrow
Letters: Making Memories Glitter Letters and Uni-Ball Gel Pen

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Last one. This year I almost forgot to take my first day of school photo. I had to take one with my phone in the truck. You can find the Starting Point here.



Sophomore


Journaling Reads: As I sit here and look at the big...huge Sophomore sticker above...it floors me (I know I always say that) but you were my shadow when I would take Emily and Amber to school and when we would pick them up after. Now I look at you - your the only one left in school. I can't say your all alone because you have a lot of friends. I can't say you get bored because you keep busy with cross country and track. You still like me at this point, Robbie...I am not so sure about - You two argue a lot! You aren't too boy crazy (woo-hoo!) and remove yourself from any drama. This year I hope you grow into your own even more!

Paper: Kraft Bazzill and Bo Bunny Mamarazzi
Embellisments: Jolee's Sophomore Stickers and Reminiscence Stickers, and Ric Rac
Letters: Jolee's Stickers and Uni-Ball Gel Pen

Growing Up

I have been following Shimelle for a few weeks now and even went back through her blog to find all the "Starting Points" that she posts. Starting Points are where she starts a general layout but she only puts the paper down. You finish your layout however you see it going. I love to look and see what everyone came up with and see how everyone started out the same but ended up so different.

This week this was our prompt:


And I came up with a page of Amber. I swiped this from her Facebook. Amber moved out a month and a half ago. I am so proud of her! She made a plan, found a room to rent, found a job and is making it on her own. She checks in with me twice a week with a phone call but she texts me every day. She tells me when she is going out with friends and where they are going as well as when she gets home...in case she is "Almost an Adult-Napped". Yes, this is my doing not because I am nosey but because in case something happens (God forbid) I have something to tell the cops.

On Her Own


Journaling reads: I knew the day would come when you would move out and go to College Station but it still hasn't sank in. I expect at anytime for you to walk through the door and say "Hi Mom, I'm home" and head for your bedroom.

Paper: Java and Brown Bazzill, Basic Grey Romani, Bo Bunny Swiss Dots, Paper Studio, Scenic Route, Daisy D's and Graphic 45. I used a lot of stash on this layout.
Embellisments: Cats Eye Chalk in Brown, October Afternoon Journaling Spot, Buttons, Prima Flowers, Bazzill Flower and Bling.
Letters: AC Thickers in Poolside Glitter Foam

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I also created this one one night after we got back from College Station a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't wait to get to CVS to get the photos off my phone and get to my table. My oldest daughter moved out when she was still in high school and went to live with her dad. She is now back home with me so this is the first time for me to really experience the growing up and moving away thing.

She Lives Here


Journaling Reads: I knew this day would come but I never thought it would be so soon! It doesn't look like much since the grass is dead but we are in a drought. Your room is the window on the left. A freedom to stretch your wings and grow for $200 a month. I am so proud of you! love mom

Paper: White and Java Bazzill, Making Memories Geometric and Crate Paper.
Embellishments: Buttons, Heidi Swapp Brads, Glossy Accents, Ribbon and Tim Holtz Staples, Masking Tape and Chocolate Zig Pen for the bold line around the layout.
Letters: Jillibean Soup and Adorn-It. I used a Zig Pen in Chocolate for journaling.

Stay or Go?

Stay or Go...this has been the question that I have been asking myself for the last month along with where do I want my blog to go? How much do you really want out there and how much do you care what is on it.

Back a few months ago, I found that my ex-husband or his wife had been on my blog and it really played games with my head. Not because I have things to hide but because this is my little part of the internet and I don't go snooping on their part of the internet. Its not that I have to answer to him anymore now that both girls are over the age of 18 but really I have no interest in their life and I would prefer that they had no interest in mine. So I backed off and my posting became more generic and sparse.

Then I realized that I was only scrapping because I had to for a DT requirement. I wasn't scrapping because I loved it anymore. I was doing the equivalent of 1 page a month and hating it.I was beginning to feel like I had no creative freedom anymore and couldn't scrap without a sketch to guide me. Nothing came together on the paper on my own. Now with that said, when my last DT obligation was done...I was sad and felt lost but I know that I was not a contributor to the blog, forum or the site in general with my work schedule that I had during my entire time with them.

So where do I see my blog going? Well actually I have no clue. I am a scrapper with "no home". I have lots of places that I visit, lots of people that I "know" across the internet that shares a love of paper, embellishments and glue with me.

What do I want out of this blog? A place to post my layouts. A place to inspire others when they come to visit. A place to place inspiration for me.

I know it is all simpler said than done but the good news is I took some much needed time off, took a real vacation without checking my email - personal or work. I have laid off of Facebook, I am now a once to twice a day kind of girl. Bad news is that I have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon (thats me in the back of the wagon) and that is where I have all my scrapbook people. So much easier...Facebook for my people and Twitter for Scrapbook (and Snookie). I am addicted to Pinterest and I have been pinning my inspiration which seems to be a lot of Studio Calico which I love but can't afford. I have found a scrapbook kit club that I am seriously looking into starting a monthly subscription. I am following along with Shimelle and her Starting Points prompts.

I have been scrapping and have a nice little stack of layouts to be photographed that I need to share soon.

I know that posts are worthless without pics so I will leave you with a slideshow of my vacation pictures. They aren't the greatest but I went light and only used my phone, no Nikon for me this time.

and the fountains:



See you soon :)