Opposites

My girls are polar opposites. My oldest is carefree, clumsy, and full of unbounded joy. My youngest is reserved, graceful, and precise. The youngest greets the world with a glare, the oldest, a smile.

They went to a local high school auto show and had a glorious time. Orange is the oldest's favorite color and the owner was happy to oblige a snapshot. The outcome of which is this photo which illustrates their contrast so well. They both were happy, but together, their personalities contrast each other so clearly.

The photo I haven't been able to get is the expression of my youngest's grace. She doesn't walk, she dances, and it's hilarious to watch. It is so sweet and lovely. For now, it's just ours to see. So baby, you keep glaring at the world, and share your grace as you see fit.

ATCs Again

I am loving making Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). I enjoy the limitation the size brings. It's a fun challenge to explore an idea or theme on a mini canvas.

For this round, I wanted to touch on an Asian theme. I mixed Kaiser Kraft and Crate Paper patterned papers with some black and white cardstock elements.

I like keeping a hand designed element on my cards, so I used a white Signo pen to draw designs on the seals.

To design my ATCs, I sketched out some ideas to get an idea for proportion and layout. I had decided to make these cards limited to stash items, and the Kaiser paper was one I loved, and it fit perfectly with the theme. The Crate Paper was left over from a layout, and was literally lying there when I was trying to put things together, which was a happy mess. I used my sketch to finalize the idea and made a prototype. Once it was fleshed out the rest of the series were created assembly style.

My best friend

Heather is my best friend. This layout is a tribute to our friendship. This post is a nod to her, but there's a secret. This sweet layout has an evil side...

"You're my best friend. If you fall I will pick you up." What a true sentiment. We've been there for each other in good and bad, and overcome some huge obstacles together. But, this layout is not about that.

Page two reads "as soon as I get done laughing." Wait! Where's page two you ask? Well, I had to pinky swear not to post it online.

Heather and I went on a trip to Utah. It was a great few days, and we were happy, tired, and glad to be home. As we waited for our bags at the carousel at Sea-Tac, Heather decides to take a seat on her luggage. Her rolling luggage. Apparently, rolling luggage is aptly named, as it does in fact, roll. This makes for a very poor choice on Heather's part, because as soon as she sits, it rolls, and she's on her ass at the baggage claim at Sea-Tac.

Now, a friend would help you up. A good friend would throw themselves on the ground to draw attention away from their embarrassed friend. I am neither of those things. What I find fit to do in my friend's moment of need is pull out my phone and snap a few pics all while laughing hysterically. Now, the baggage claim is full of families, and grandmas, and people far less horrible than yours truly. These people immediately did not like me. The air hung charged with the anticipation for Heather to tell me off. Their voyeurism rewarded with her looking at me "Are you KIDDING me?" and then busting up laughing.

There's a reason Heather us my best friend. She gets me.

Snow Day!

I used Authentique Journey for this layout of Greg. I just love him grinning with the girls playing behind him in the snow.

My little one hated snow and cold, and could barely be drug outside by her older sister wildly professing her love for the winter scene. B would be out for a minute or two and then beg to go inside. A, however would be happiest staying outside until her fingers are completely numb.

Greg loves his little girls and indulge me by taking them out while I make the crew homemade hot cocoa. Our house is rarely calm and these brief moments in front of the fire with cocoa make me feel blessed. I love our crazy life, it makes the sweet moments so special.

Garnet #5

I just loved putting together this layout from summer. Our dear friends went with us to Idaho, and we stopped in Ellensburg, WA on the way. My daughter and Heather hammed it up together for a quick photo. Our families had so much fun together. I feel blessed to have such amazing friends. What makes your friends special?

New year

A new year always is a time to take stock, appreciate what you have, and make plans to change what you don't like about your life. I struggle with resolutions because it seems like a recipe to fail. As you know, I'm not afraid to fail, but I'd like to be smarter about my goals this year.

I think my biggest problem is keeping momentum when life gets in the way. 2011 definitely found ways to give me lots of excuses, and ultimately, that's what they are. Instead of focusing on the negative, I'd like to share some of the wins in my failures.

- I walked a 5k. All of it. I'm not to pretend I am hard core, but the course looped across the finish line, and it would have been easy to stop, but I didn't.

- I got my crafty, artistic life awakened. I turned away from it when I had a rough patch, and it was a loss. This year, I sketched, painted, drew, scrapped, and learned to crochet. I am so grateful for the renewal of my artistic side.

- I am slightly more organized than last year. It isn't perfect, but it's better, and that's something.

- I lost a little weight. Enough for my pants not to fit. That's pretty cool.

- I've learned to try and let go of negativity and embrace positivity.

- I've made an effort to make sure the girls are in swim lessons, and they love it. We only missed when Cakes had a school concert.

Small wins. But mine. All mine.

Artist trading cards (ATCs)

I made these for a swap. Each heart is hand drawn, and the cards are collages with a plain Kraft paper, and two text pattern papers, the darker is 7 gypsies.

I am excited to see what the other artists created. The challenge in making ATCs is adapting a technique to a 2.5x 3.5 in size. Many patterned papers are too large for the format, creating a unique way to share talent in a compact size.

Have you tried ATCs?