I'm still here!

Despite the odds, in spite of the way my day and my thinking went, I am still here.  My grand daughter spent the night last night.  An event that I really enjoy, but it totally wipes me out!  She is nine months old, so sleeping isn't really her thing yet.  And sleeping someplace other than her own home is even more challenging.  Last night, I got 4, frequently interrupted, hours of sleep.  And then, had the handy man here most of the day working on getting some things done on the house.  So, planning the week really didn't happen too much today, although the planner did get a little decoration.  And, until this evening, I had no idea what I was going to share with you.  Truly, I don't know if anyone even reads this thing, but I keep hoping that my voice will get out there.

So, on with the sharing!  My house continues to move forward.  I know it might not sound like much to you all, but I have 2 new storm doors and 5 new interior doors, and they are all installed!!  It is a huge change to the way the house feels. The lighter wood, doors that closed, or stay open just makes the house feel ... better.  It's amazing the little things that bug a person.  Some of them, I don't even thing we are really aware of.
So, this is my downstairs hallway.  3 New doors and new paint.  It is a great start!

The picture below is so blurry!  I am sorry.  I just wanted you to see how pretty and clean the hallway looks.  The doors used to be the same color as the frames.  YUCK!  Now it seems so much more open and airy.  I love it.  I had no idea when I was letting my teen age boys 'decorate their space' that I would have to replace the doors because of the stickers (and holes I found under posters) that they had 'decorated' with.  It just didn't occur to me.  stupid stupid stupid!  I really think teenagers should come with instructions and warning labels!  Thank God they outgrow that and become amazing adults! 

Since this is a blog about scrapbooking, maybe I should touch on that just a little bit before I get off this thing and go to bed.  I would like to share why I love the Close to my Heart WORKSHOPS ON THE GO and I'm sure I will love the new WORKSHOPS YOUR WAY.  They are such a great starting point for my pages!  

My goal this weekend was to scrap CHRISTMAS 2015 and get it in the books.  Not just my scrapbook, but my boys' albums too.  Well, the best laid plans, as they say.  I did get the basic layout done for my pages and I have a loose plan for the boys' pages.  I started by following the workshop page instructions for the WHITE PINES WSOTG.  I still need to get one picture printed, but the rest - 4X6 and smaller- I print as I go at home when I'm not ahead of my game.  And now, I've used all the embellishments, touched them, bonded with them and become familiar with them. That will make them easier for me to reach for as I'm doing the rest of my pages.  (Sometimes I am embellishment challenged!) 

After making the workshop pages, I start laying out the rest of my pictures and making a plan to get them all in my book. I usually go with a pretty basic layout like the one below.  It doesn't look like much now, but, I am going to add a bunch of CRICUT cuts and embellishments, and it is going to blend seamlessly with the previous pages (WSOTG).  I had hoped to only do 4 pages at the most, but, no self control.  And , it's my happy book, so I can have a 6 if I want I guess.  LOL

I'm still using the WHITE PINES paper from the workshop as I plan the rest of my pages. But, I'm spreading it around in small bits so I can get the other 3 boys pages done too.  Wills book will probably have 2 pages (POCKET LIFE style) and James and Tori will each have 1 page scrapbooked.  It's not that they can't have as many pictures as Will and me, I just don't think they really want 47 pictures of the grand baby like her dad and I do.  Ha ha.  So, in the end, I am going to be using the same paper pack, the same embellishments, pretty much the same CRICUT cuts, and I am going to be making at least 10 pages!  And my jumping point is the workshop layout! I love that my creativity sparks from the workshop pages!  

For tonight, I have the layouts sketched for my book (see yellow sticky notes!). Pages are started to be put together, and pictures are printed for everyone elses pages.  (see below!) I am hoping that Tuesday night I can get all the CRICUT cutting done (I will be designing on the go on my iPad in CRICUT DESIGN SPACE) and then get the pages all assembled and glued down either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.  You will know how I do, because I will be chatting with you here on Wednesday!  

But, for tonight ... I am about to drop, so I am off to bed!  Happy Scrappin' Y'all!   connie