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Completed a Digital Scrapbook Layout this weekend. Layouts always seem to take atleast a couple of hours to do and they always need tweaking the day after.
This layout was scrap lifted from a layout at Two Peas by Rhonna Farrer and using one of her kits : Peas and Harmony
I came across this picture while cleaning out their Digital Camera Cards. I think she was doing a self portrait. The things we find when we clean up.
You know I would go to "The Bait Shop" to do a little shopping. Just bought this digital kit from Carrie Stephens latest.
Elements included: 9 – 12x12 detailed, artistic background papers, 2 overlays, inked and chalked, upper case dynamo tape alpha – on one .png file. 3 ribbons, 1 crossed ribbon corner, curly stitching in 3 different colors, stitched flower in 3 different colors, 5 stitched patches, 3 photo corner sets, 4 brads, labels with various sayings and blank, 2 stitched circular mats, 1 chalked frame, 1 decorative edge, 1 bookplate, 1 large sunflower and one epoxy sunflower element. I have also included contact sheets of all elements for your convenience.
Hope it gives me a little push toward making some layouts. While your there sign up for her Newsletter that offers coupons and discounts.
I am a victim of Blogger Black Out. I have no idea how the time passed so quickly between the last post and the present. One day slipped by and then another and then another .......
I feel like I have been asleep or maybe just in a twilight sleep. The kind where you are half awake and half aware of your surroundings. Just go through the motions and get through the day seemed to be my motto. My self defense mechanism may have put in that mode. The past weeks haven't been overwhelmingly busy, just really weirdly stressful. I just needed to get through the days. I also had the belief that it would get better, if not the next day it would surely be the one after that. And it did, either the load got a little bit lighter or I have found a better way to handle the little struggles that bring you down.
I am guilty of letting "Life" take over with out looking at it. Digital Scrapbooking, my photography and Blogging kept my eyes open to the happenings in mine and my family's life. Why would I not let myself take a picture or write a blog entry? Creating makes you feel so good. Why not let myself enjoy that everyday? I had let something else control what I do and how I felt.
Enough deep thoughts.
We did go to Sunbelt Expo held in Moultrie, Georgia last Wednesday. The Expo is more of an agriculture, livestock and equipment showcase held every year. The last time we were at the Expo, it was twenty years ago. Me and my husband were seniors in High School. The FFA went to the Expo. We have always wanted to go back but it is always held on weekdays never weekends. It took twenty years for us to get our work schedules and off days straight so that we could go. I took lots of pictures and we had a great time. Lots of walking, lots of oohhing and aahhing, and lots of "I need one of those". I also found my next SUV. I love the smell of Diesel.
Derric's behind the wheel trying it out while I think my husband is in sticker shock.
We went to the Okefenokee Swamp Park after some prodding from the kids. While I cleaned the kitchen, Derric and Katie cleaned the living room and dining room. That meant they were serious. This also meant I had to keep my promise today.
The trip was not a big one. We reached the entrance to the Swamp Park in about 15 minutes. This is how close we live in the swamp. The gate keeper was Derric and Katie's baby sister's daughter. When we pulled up, we reminisced about Derric when he was little. She said he used to run around their house when he was two years old hollering "Are you talking to Me?" Of course he doesn't remember, but the daughter told him they still say that around their house. She asked him "You didn't think you affected us that much, but you did?" and told him that "Bebay sure was going to be sorry she missed you today."
Unlike the other visitors that paused in the parking lot trying to read their free maps, we knew exactly where we wanted to go. Straight to the Chesser Homestead and then to the Boardwalk that lead to the Tower.
Derric brought his tools for capturing the trip. In his backpack he had his moleskine notebook, colored pencils, batteries, camera and binoculars. Katie thought she didn't need anything so she didn't bring anything. I think she changed her mind, because after ten minutes she started telling us what pictures to take.
I thought this would be a great time to capture some images for the Halloween ATC 
swap that Marylin Healy is hosting on her blog site. I brought my Digital Sony Camera and my Minolta 35 mm camera with the big zoom lens on the end. My Minolta is currently loaded with black and white film. In my mind I could see myself finishing out this roll and putting it in the one hour photo this afternoon so I could play with altering the photographs. The night before, I just been reading Karen Michel's book "The Complete Guide To Altered Imagery" and my head was filled with ideas.
But, alas, the batteries in the Minolta had different ideas. They gave out and I didn't get to finish out the roll. So no B & W pictures of the Homestead. (Moral of the story: Always bring lots of batteries, that is what the backpack is for.)
I switched to the digital camera, whom I love and adore for it's instant gratification (and it's recharge cable.) Without this camera I would not have had the chance to catch the images of the rest of the trip and see them tonight.
We walked the boardwalk to the tower without much excitement. Unless seeing a moccasin to you is exciting. To us it strikes hits us as "Where's the hoe?" cause we usually see them in our yard. I hate snakes and I don't mind saying it.
At the tower we could see a 6-8 foot gator, and egret, and some sand hill cranes feeding off into the distance. It was so peaceful up there between me telling to the
kids "Please be quiet". Derric took his moleskine out and drew pictures of the animals we saw. We met a couple from Atlanta who helped up identify the sand hill cranes. After watching the gator watching the egret, we climbed down and started our walk back to the truck.
Derric scared the "blankedid blank" out of Katie when he hollered "snake". She turned just in time to see a little bitty snake swimming toward her. Even though we were safe on the boardwalk, she says she knows it was swimming fifty miles an hour coming after her. It stopped long enough for Derric to get it's picture.
It must have been the timing, because we saw more wildlife leaving the swamp than we did going in. On the road out of the swamp, we saw another mocasin. The photographer (Derric) in the backseat had to get a shot of that snake too. In the ditch along the road out, he spotted another gator and had to get a picture. 
The photo is blurry but it's not the photographer's fault. It was the drivers fault. I wouldn't let them out of the car because we were less than 5 feet away from the gator. 
So it was Derric hanging out of the window giving instructions. "Pull up some." "Whoa." "Now back up some." "Whoa, Momma whoa." "Now pull up some more." It was a trip.
In that short three and half hours,we finally made it out of the "safari" with pictures and drawings to create art, memories, and scrapbooks with.
Two new kits I gotta have. If these kits don't get you wanting to jump on making a Family Heritage Album, I don't know what will.
The kits are made by Marcee Duggar, Designer at Digital Scrapbook Place. Make no mistake she loves Heritage Pages.
*Family Heirloom Kit and * Holy Matrimony Kit
Marcee's work is also published in the October/Novemeber issue of Legacy Magazine in the Virtual Gallery.
My Momma was born today about "blankity blank" years ago. LOL
This picture is my Momma holding me when I was a baby. How thankful I am to have her as my Momma. It can never be measured how much I love her.
The time I cherish the most is when I get to spend time alone with my Momma. Now I have to share her with her grandkids. LOL
Our trip to Atlanta is one of those times I got to spend some one on one time with my Momma. I had to take the State of Georgia Underground and Excavation Contractors test to be licensed. We stayed at the Westin and the room was great. Even though I was stressed out about the test, she was the spoonful of sugar that made it easier to swallow. I think I was the only contractor there that had their Momma walk them to the class room.
She went with me to Tallahassee to take the State of Florida General Contractors test. That was a two day test. We had lunches alfresco. Momma would get lunch from the new deli down the street and we would eat in the park next to the coliseum where the test was held. I think the walks and fresh air in the park helped but what counted most was that my Momma was there.
She is my HERO. She has always been there for me.
I love you Momma. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
