New Challenge for the New Year!

Goodbye 2009. Hello Twenty-Ten!

Every year (every January), D & I sit down at the dining table and write down our resolutions, goals we want to accomplish for ourselves individually, as a family, as a couple, for D's business, for Joey's education & services... This is something I'm so thankful for that we have in our relationship. It's a reminder of how much we love each other (how much we want to see each other succeed in anything that we do) & how much work it takes...to keep our relationship/family honest and happy.

I have this saying written on my blackboard "Goals in writing are dreams with Deadlines"...it's so true!

So here's the challenge: Write down one (or all) of your resolutions and document it! If you choose one, choose the one that means the most to you.

Ready! Set! Go!

please forgive me, dear friends! i will get this LO up, eventually! email to follow shortly... xo - W

MAMA-HOOD

Finally, I'm posting a layout! I think I still need to do the one 'about me'? I had fun creating this layout. The photo and supplies have been ready for weeks but life takes over, inspiration hits a hiatus...and here we are. :)

I used all the supplies from Studio Calico's Cotillion kit with the exception of the Thickers and tiny butterflies. The colors and patterns in the kit weren't really my cup of tea but I took it as a challenge and used it. And if you know me, butterflies are not my thing (Right, Jenny?! :)). The Heidi Swapp butterfly rub-on was cut-off because when I took it out of the package the bottom right part permanently stuck to the backing paper it was packaged with...so as Ali E. says "go with the flow"...so I put it on anyway.

I liked how it turned out. There's something to say about 'butterflies and babies'. This is a photo of Joey taken during his first week home. The photo is fuzzy because it was taken on D's cellphone...this photo makes me so happy! I miss these days!

Mama & Me

I LOVE this challenge. It sparked so many ideas and triggered so many memories. I could create a million layouts on motherhood. There are SO many stories to capture it. My grandmother, my mother, and me as a mother are all weaved into one. I see a common thread among all of us. It's neat!

I'm still working on another layout with me as a mother. Oh, what a journey it has been! No one can ever fully prep you. Now I know the true meaning of "a mother's instinct." It really comes from within. It's so natural, wrong or right. Thanks for the opportunity, Jenny! It gave me a chance to reflect on things.

Challenge #6 - On Motherhood

Has it really been a month since we've last blogged or scrapped?! That's ok - that means we were out enjoying every minute of our summer and spending quality time with our families :) Since we took a break from scrapping, I'm going to make our next challenge very easy.

Back history on how I came up with this challenge. In a recent discussion with my mom, I was surprised to find out that she knows how to fix a leaky faucet & change a broken garage door. All because she was forced to learn when she was a Navy mom and raising us 3 kids by herself. She told me of the frustrations and challenges she had being a single mom for years at at time.

It got me thinking. How cool would it be to record our reflections on motherhood. You could scrap about your own mom, a mother figure or being a mom yourself.

Here is mine:

Journaling reads: "Half the time I don't know what I'm doing. At times I get so frustrated. Sometimes I doubt myself. A few times I have cried. But when I get one of these smiles, totally worth it. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Sept 2009"

Self Portrait Challenge

A Letter to Myself

This picture was taken at Heaven Sent in North Park. I'm drinking a Mexican hot chocolate!

These are actual mini scrabble tiles purchased from a junk bin at Paper Tales.

I just love the image of the little girl.

Materials:

• stamps by Technique Tuesday: Main Street lowercase letters
• Notebook card stock paper
• chipboard stickers by Cosmo Cricket: Early Bird
• Journal cards by Jenny Bowlin & Cosmo Cricket: Earth Love Elements
• red brad by Basic Grey
• chartreuse velvet ribbon

Dear Scrap Sisters,

I really enjoyed this challenge. Although, it took me awhile to get started. Every time Farley took a photo of me, I kept saying , "I'm too fat or too ugly. I need make-up." I know I'm my worst critic. So, I took Wena's advice and had Hubs snap a blurry photo. Fabulous idea! The laugh lines and wrinkles disappeared along with any other imperfections I pick at. Plus, I was over thinking the whole thing--the layout, the photo of myself , and what kind of journaling would I do.

But one night, this idea came to me. I was browsing through old journal entries from years ago. Just a mix of feelings and emotions. Silly. Melancholy. Angry. Joyful. And I noticed some of them were in letter form. I used to always write to myself or God or my sister. After that, it came very easy to me.

Thanks again for this reflective challenge and always giving me endless amounts of inspiration.

Forever yours,

Jeanette

challenge #5: self portrait:

life at 35 hi gals...i created the darn challenge, it's about time i finish it! if this looks mighty familiar to you, trust me, it is. it's a direct lift of stephanie howell's. ain't no shame in my game (as she would say)! i initially had doubts about lifting a LO for this specific challenge, but i remembered some advice a wise friend once told me, "your kids will never know you lifted it". and you know what? she's right. these LO's are created to capture a moment, a memory; and when we're long gone, i doubt it will matter :)
this was harder than i thought it would be. i had to think long & hard about this challenge: about what i wanted to accomplish, what "story" i wanted to tell, about what message i wanted to convey. i wanted to capture the NOW. after days of racking my brain, i decided the journaling was the most important aspect to me. hence, the lift. content, however, my own words (whew!) ...
i'm a new fan of the ali e. style of "self portrait". every scrapper seems to have one; so i decided to try one on for size since solo pictures are rare for me. i took about 30 shots, and this one worked -- blemishes & all. i used sc's 'documentary' kit (with pieces from add on's 2 & 3). i tried to make the rip strip flower, but to be honest with you - it was too darn hard & i just wanted to finish! maybe i'll add it on when i can find some time...

can't wait to see you all...thank you, thank you, for the constant inspiration! love, love, love you gals!

xo - W

p.s. the picture is crooked on purpose. i wanted to make sure the image "fit" the page moreso than the photo (does that make any sense?) . . . do i ever? :)