A Sweet Surprise!

One of our favorite things about vacations are the sweet little surprises that always seem to happen.  We've made it a "must do" to stop at the local visitor's center as we travel, especially if we are driving into a new state.

This summer when we hit North Dakota we found a visitor's center along the highway and asked all kinds of questions.  Local people love to share about their local community and state and are sure to tell you all the best places.  One of the things they shared was Theodore Roosevelt State Park.  We had never even heard of it, but they assured us it was beautiful and that we would see a lot of wildlife.

They were right!  It was the northern part of the badlands and looked completely different from the badlands in South Dakota.  And there were buffalo galore!  We did a lot of hiking and took a ton of photos!  So very beautiful!

This layout is based on a sketch from Back Porch Memories Kit Club.  You can check them out here:  Back Porch Memories.  I've been a long time fan of the kits that Paula puts together!  Her kits are packed full of amazing products and her customer service is amazing!!

Finding Rest & Unexpected Joy

Our little (ha!) vacation journey took us to many unexpected places. While I *love* to plan (and honestly part of the fun for me IS the planning....I mean I am the girl who used to peruse the JCPenney & Sears Christmas catalogs for hours and hours and hours), I also don't want to miss the little things.

And there is nothing better than stopping and asking a local what is the "must see" in their area.  They are always more than happy to share!  At least they are happy about it when you ask in a 'visitor center'...not sure the guy at the gas station could care one way or the other. {Tip:  Always stop at a visitor's center or the first info center just across a state line.  They have TONS of information and are usually super helpful to find unique places to visit}.

We ended up seeing a lot of animals in a natural habitat...up close and personal {we gave that guy the right of way}.  We visited national parks that are not necessarily any you would ever had heard of before, but equally beautiful as the big name parks.  We saw natural phenomenons like springs that put out 156 million gallons of water per day (whoa!) and also saw the world's shortest river (Guinness World Record).

We went to a state fair, saw a rodeo, attended a concert, drove the most beautiful mountain pass, saw terrain we could not have imagined exists, saw white buffalo (who knew?) and so much more, all because we stopped to ask and someone generously shared their love for the area and their knowledge with us. 

Lots of unexpected JOY throughout the whole trip!  I admit, it took me about 4 days to relax and lean back in to my vacation.  Which also taught me that I take responsibilities a little too seriously sometimes.

It taught me that I need to find REST and balance that with responsibility.  That it's not about quiet time, or me time, but REST that fills the soul.  No one will or can give that to you.  You have to seek it, find it and receive it.

Traveling On

So less than a week until we leave, this type A personality, who loves order (see how I carefully avoided saying "controlling" which I have worked very hard to reform from...thank you Lord for your grace!)...

left on vacation without plans.  

{If you know me you probably just gasped out loud!  Yes, that is a gasp-worthy moment! }

Over that last weekend before we left I caught up on laundry (i.e. made sure my favorite things were clean at least) and made vague plans on what to take.  I did start getting lists of what not to forget (sunscreen, camera, mini cooler, snacks, clothing for all weather, etc).  I had wanted to get packed early and just leave out the last minute things to pack, but that did not happen as I had gatherings to do even the night before we were to leave.

We had plans to leave at 4-ish in the morning, but honestly I was still trying to get packed and out the door at that time.  We did leave pretty early though with loose plans to try to get to Bismarck, ND that night.  We didn't make it any farther than Fargo, ND.  And you know what?  

{It was okay.}

I learned a lot on this trip about it being okay.  It's okay to plan ahead and map things out down to the last detail...if you don't get psycho when things don't go perfectly.  And it's okay to make plans as you go (thank you Lord for Google Maps and access to the WWW while riding in the car).  There are good things about both.  

Even though I lean more toward the Ultra Planner end of the scope, I think that falling somewhere in the middle is a happy place to be.  And to be honest, I think that with it being only Dave & I now, it is easier for me to fall there.  It's easier because I don't have to consider children into the factor of "what if we have to keep driving to the next town?" or "what if we have to sleep in the car?" and the myriad of other questions that come to mind.

As much as I like to plan, I do realize that I only have just so much control anyway...and that is often a fall sense of control.  God is ultimately the one in control.  And His ways are so much better than my ways.

So. Much. Better.

Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord.  And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

Oh yes, this trip was far beyond what we could imagine.  The sights, the sounds, the togetherness.

{Thank you Lord!}

Road Trip!

We recently took an amazing vacation.  When your husband is a farmer, you do not take time away in the summer (when the weather is nice all over the country, not just in the south) lightly.  We do this every other year or so.  In the opposite year we usually take a nicer winter time vacation to somewhere warm just to get out of the deep freeze, which is a Northern Michigan winter.

We have a 'bucket list' if you will, of vacations dreamed of to far away places (and even some not so far places).  It's fun to go and experience something we've never seen and always wanted to see and enjoy.  We are so blessed to be able to do so!

Last winter we began chatting about places to go and see.  Places that we wouldn't want to be in the colder weather, but would be ideal in July or August.  And one place kept coming up...Glacier National Park.  Montana.  A  place I had never been and Dave had not been to since he was a child.  I went straight to our local library, as I have done many times in the past, but they really did not have anything specific to this area.  Books with excerpts of Glacier, but not specific to it.  I looked it up online, ordered info on Montana and the National Parks (free guidebooks to locations are wonderful resources!) and waited.  And I have to say, media mail is cheap and I know WHY they use it to send their free info, but it takes FOR-EV-ER!

I then spent an entire Saturday reading reviews online of places, both parks and lodging, restaurants, etc and mapped out a basic plan.  The next big decision was to determine if we were going to fly or drive.  Remember...Michigan...to Montana.  When I figured out the miles (1996.42 miles), it was as if we were going to be pioneers traveling by covered wagon.  Holy cow!  Even to drive it would take 3 days.  And that's with 75-80mph speed limits of Montana factored in.  And did I mention that we are farmers? (I say that lightly because "he" is a farmer...I am merely the farmer's wife).  Farmers don't want to be away that long (and often can't be).  But we also live in RURAL Michigan.  No close airports.  And the ones we can easily leave from (defining easily as drive 2 hours to the airport, arriving 1 1/2 hours early), then having at LEAST one layover, but usually two (because we are also going to another somewhat remote area).  So even flying did not give us too much extra free time.

So we made the decision to drive.  I figured we could leave really early and hit the road hard for 17 hours, stopping only for gas, stretching and quick meals.  Not ideal, but do-able (and we had been prepped for this kind of driving when our son when to college several states away and we visited him).  Then have a second long driving day (12-14 hours) before we arrived at our destination.

And that's where my planning ended.  Oh I wanted to make calls.  And I wanted to get reservations.  But life got in the way (a very enjoyable work and fun filled life) and it sort of never happened.  I still had a few weeks left before vacation...or did I?  Turns out I had one.  And it was full of lots of good things, but not a lot of leftover time.  The sort of week when you don't have time to gather your own personal thoughts.

Did I mention that I am a Planner?  yes, that is a Planner with a capital "P"!  I plan well and over plan to cover all of my bases.

So what's a girl to do?  You'll have to wait for the rest of the story....

Finding My Voice

I miss my blog.  I miss taking the time to sit and write down my thoughts.  I went through old posts the other day and it was such an amazing journey for me.

And I thought, where did my voice go?

When I first began (I actually had one private blog previous to this one as well) it was very therapeutic for me to put pen to "paper".  Whether anyone read it or not, it was a really wonderful experience.

Slowly it took a different turn.  Not better, not worse, just different.  It became more of a hobby blog, sharing the love of scrapbooking.  I still love scrapbooking, although I do not have as much time for it as I used to.  So while I still fully embrace my love of all things photo, paper & play, I do not often have time to photograph and share them.  I'm just happy to record my memories in my books.

And yes, I am 'behind' in my scrapbooking if you will.  But it's a journey of creativity and love, which I thoroughly enjoy.  And if I were 'caught up' I would actually not have anything to work on, and what fun would that be?  So I stay in blissful behinded-ness.  Quite happily actually.

Something keeps stirring.  Sort of calling me back to the blog.  To write.  To document.  To reach out.

And the journey continues....

Hope is Slow

I was listening to a podcast today and heard the phrase "Hope is Slow." I thought about how we live in a society where everything is instant...drive through food, microwave popcorn, we don't wait to buy a book we download it, etc. 

Sometimes when we pray God moves suddenly.  But so often we wait.  And in the waiting we find ourselves right in the center of God's will.  God teaches us in that waiting time.  God shapes and molds us in that waiting time.  God leads us and brings fruit into our lives that we were not initially looking for.

One thing I know for sure is that God has a plan.  And His plan is always good.
 

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.  For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.  Jeremiah 29:10-12

Change doesn't always happen in our time frame, but God is faithful!  He WILL do what He has promised.

Waiting.  It's not an inactive state, but one where God does the moving.  In His time.

God Really Does Love You!

Just in case you didn't know how much, I think He wanted to remind you. 

This is a link to an amazing video of what is titled "A Father's Love Letter" and it is based on scriptures in the Bible from the Old and New Testament.  Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/10866205

Time For Scrapbooking

Obviously, blogging is not at the top of my 'to-do list'. :)  Understatement of the year, right?  Partly I haven't had a lot to say, partly I don't have a lot of free time, and I would rather spend it with family or scrapbooking.

Some of my favorite scrapbook kit clubs have closed this past year, which made me sad.  However, it also gave me new opportunities to try new clubs!  One of which is Citrus Twist Kits.  I have been loving the kits (started with June, July, special edition 4th of July and now August)!

I wanted to share what I did with the July kit:  

9 pages, 4 cards, a dozen or so project life cards and still have a bit of leftovers.  And of course the stamp set and ink pad are in my stash to stay!  That's a lot for the money, for sure!  And it was inspirational enough that I WANTED to keep working with it, which is even more remarkable!  So often a kit will include a single line and I get really tired of it after a few pages.  Not so with these kits, they are a great mix of papers and embellishments!

Okay, without further adieu:

 Citrus Twist Kits currently have a waiting list, but don't hesitate to contact Trina and ask to be added!  Check out the blog too as they have sneak peeks of the September Kits right now!

Back!

Wow, I knew it had been a long time since I blogged, but I really hadn't thought it was 5 months!  Let's see....I spent 2 months of summer without my computer.  First some computer issues, then resolved, then a hard drive crash.  So maybe issues really weren't resolved.  You think?!

That was definitely a weird withdrawal.  Seriously.

Lots of life happenings since then also!  Most notably two of my three sons got married in October. :)  I'm very blessed with two amazing new daughters-in-law!

Oh and an amazing vacation to Alaska for a couple weeks.  Breathtaking!  And so much fun to spend time with DH.  Perfect!

I'm thinking of the holidays this year.  And how it will be so different with just the two of us.  Oh the kids will join us for celebrations, but they are starting their own this year too.  Exciting as well as a teensy sad that life changes.  Not in a bad way, just nostalgic.

I've been wanting to do a December Daily album like I've seen on Ali E's blog.  Been wanting a bit more inspiration and daily prompting......like Shimelle's class that I've heard so much about.  So I'm jumping in!

Supplies are gathered.  And I added a bit more.  And a bit more.  Found a few little treasures that I had forgotten I had as well.  Album is mostly prepped.  Camera is ready.  Printer as well...I think.

I've been loving the process of getting ready for this.

I got out the albums that I started for each of the boys.  Christmas albums in 8 x 10 format.  So happy I did them.  They will be gifts this year.  Wishing I had finished them.  But there is still time to catch up (I only do one two page spread each year...easy).  I don't even care that my style has so drastically changed.  Simply DO NOT CARE.  I love the stories.  I love the photos.  I love the albums.  They are a treasure.

I got out our family Christmas album.  It's a 12 x 12 album.  Again, the styles have changed so much, but I love that I added bits and pieces from each year.  Sometimes even including our signatures like I did here:

This is probably my favorite album.  Mostly because every few pages (I usually do 3 two page spreads each year) you can see a year go by.  I love laughing at hair styles (not just mine either! LOL), seeing what they loved on any given year, noticing traditions that I didn't realize were traditions.  I little snapshot of life. 

So very blessed.  And I can't wait to add some pages!

Monster Creations

As a part of the Frosted Designs Design Team, I had the privelege of working with Monster Creations on one of their board books.  It's actually a wreath album, but I wanted to change it up and show you how versatile they are.  It would certainly look really cute as a Christmas wreath album though too!

This week's Fabulous Friday Challenge at Frosted Designs is to use journal tags, which I added quite a few to this album.  Let's check it out:

The top page is clear acrylic, which was tons of fun to work with.  It really gave the album a lot of dimension.

I really don't mind the back of the acrylic showing the back of my letters.  It was more important to me to see Christina's hand, which is actually on the third page.

 I used Jillibean Soup Dutch Soup Collection.  I love the colors!  The kids got engaged just days before Thanksgiving, so I love that the colors reflect 'harvest'.

 I left space throughout the book for them to add details and write their own thoughts down.  The tree here is cut with my Cricut using the Serenade cartridge.

If you are looking for one of these albums, you can find them here:  My Monster Creations.

Don't forget to enter your project, card or layout to the Fabulous Friday Challenge at Frosted Designs!  :)  You could win, but not if you don't give it a try. :)

What a Hullabaloo!

That's the name of the newest "hot off the press" Lucky Girl Crafts Kit!  

Here are a few layouts I did with the kit:

I love using 8x10 photos on my pages from time to time.  This was from a trip we took to Kentucky this spring.  Use those fantastic shaped papers that are included and add your special touch.  It works out so perfectly!!!

How about using a childhood photo....from YOUR childhood. :)  That little blondie on the right is me.  I love finding these pictures and enjoying all the little details of the memory.

Every family does something quirky (I think?) and ours was always taking pictures as we entered a state by the sign.  Really funny pics of me and my brother......and even grandma got in one. :)

Once again it's packed with amazing goodies, papers & alphas!  Check it out....it's definitely drool-worthy!

How about a close up of the embellies?  Oh yeah!

How about the same amount of amazing goodness in the box at a lower price! 
What?  Yes, a new LOWER price!!!  Same kits!!!!  That Jess is crazy I tell ya!  But sweetly so! :)  Check it out below:

And to celebrate the birthday of Lucky Girl Crafts.....

For our birthday, we have our BIGGEST SALE to date!

Through June, or while supplies last - Lucky Girls can get a screamin' deal on Lucky Girl kit purchases!

BUY 5 LUCKY GIRL KITS FOR JUST $100!!!
You'll save over $45 off regular retail price!
Just use discount code LUCKYBDAY at checkout

If you're a little more budget-minded, you can still save big!

All past kits have been marked down to just $24.99 - $5 off their original Lucky Girl price!

What are you waiting for? Go get your kits TODAY at www.LuckyGirlCrafts.com
Limited quantities are available in all kits, so hurry and get yours today!!!

And don't forget to leave comments for your chance to win some prizes!!!

*International orders welcome, but please e-mail jasafras98@yahoo.com

Your next stop is Natalie...

her creations are always AMAZING 

and this time is no exception.  Enjoy!! 

It's Your Lucky Day!!

I'm always so excited for the first day of the month!!!  That's the day of our Lucky Girl Crafts Blog Hop & Reveal!!!

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN WIN A FREE GIFT CERTIFICATE?  Jessica will be giving out two of them.  One is a FREE $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE!!!!  That will be given out from this blog hop on the Lucky Girl Crafts Blog.  The other Gift Certificate will be randomly chosen from one of the design team blogs this week.  So be sure to leave a little comment on each one!

If you just found us, you can go back to the beginning of the hop right here:  Lucky Girl Crafts Blog.

Let me start by showing you the gorgeous kit for May:  

Isn't SPRING SOIREE pretty?  It's bright, it's soft, it's for celebrating, it's for everyday.  I love it!  Everytime I see a kit I think about how I'll use it, but when it's in my hands and I have my photos....it always takes a new direction.

Right off the bat I created 6 layouts.  Two are double pagers, 4 were one page layouts.  I can't wait to show you, but today I will start with just 4 of them. :)

The very first one I made was a boy layout.  Yep it just screamed boy to me.  And whimiscal & fun!

Just goes go show you can use an old damaged photo.  This first grade photo of mine was found in a frame at my grandma's house.   It had stuck to the glass on the frame and is missing parts, but it's still cute and means a lot to me.

These photos just cracked me up!  Old photos of my family being silly.  It didn't translate as well in photo, but this layout is so beautiful!  The colors of the paper and embellies... and the photos look amazing together!

Here's one that's not soft at all......it's all bright and celebratory!!!  I love that Pink Paislee Soiree addition to this kit!

You are in for another treat!  Our sweet Jessica has something WONDERFUL  to offer you... 

BLOG PARTY SPECIAL:

Just in time to celebrate Mother's Day & National Scrapbook Month,
new annual subscriptions purchased during the Blog Party will only be
$25/month!

In addition to guaranteeing that you get your hands on the latest & greatest Lucky Girl Crafts kit each month, subscribers also receive a special bonus kit valued at $25 at the end of their one-year term.

What are you waiting for?! www.LuckyGirlCrafts.com
You can choose from the monthly or pre-paid billing options for this great deal - no code needed!
*International orders welcome, but please e-mail jasafras98@yahoo.com

Now you are off to our lovely Natalie's blog...she has some amazing creativity for you!!   

But before you go, what is the last layout you created about?   Leave a comment and your name might be chosen to win a Gift Certificate from Lucky Girl Crafts!

Sketchday Monday!

Shawn at Nuts About Sketches shares her awesome sketches weekly and I love them!  Have you used one yet?  If not I encourage you to check them out and give them a try.  Let me link you HERE

In the craziness of a vacation I didn't get the last one posted, but let me share it with you:

You never know who will be in your life and for how long, but this is about a young gal who lived with us for a short time.  Right after graduation she moved to Texas, where she met and fell in love with a great Christian guy.  They came to visit this winter and SURPRISE....Anni's going to have a baby!  Well she has by now and he's adorable from the pics I've seen.  Praying that mom & dad do a great job raising the little guy!  I remember how crazy the whole first time parent thing can be.

And on to this week's sketch layout......

 Along with a few close ups.....

The main layout photo seems really small to me today, but I think you can click on it to see it larger.






And just a little heads up....Shawn has some fun things lined up for her 3rd Birthday Celebration!  Here's what she posted on her blog:

I just wanted to give all you Nuts a heads up on what's going to be going on the last week in April to celebrate our 3rd birthday.

I will be having one brand new sketch per day, most of them being single page sketches.

For those who participate, I will be putting your name in a hat for each completed sketch for a drawing to win a scrapbook kit :)

You will have until the first Saturday in May to complete each sketch.

Check back here for further details in the next couple weeks ;) 

 

I hope the weather is sunshiney and spectacular in your neck of the woods.  It's been a cold and rainy/snowy (yes, the white stuff) April for us and we are anticipating (dreading) more this week.  Spring, please come back.  I miss you.

Lucky Girl Crafts

We are changing things up this month!  So here's the deets:

• One $25 Lucky Girl Crafts Gift Card will be given away on the store blog HERE!
• You will hop and leave a message on each of the design team member's blogs only once for your chance at an additional $10 Gift Card to Lucky Girl Crafts.
• You have a week to complete the blog hop! :)
• You won't know which one of us is giving away the $10 Gift Card, so please leave a comment on each blog (the more blogs you leave comments on, the better your chances!)

Now on to the good stuff!  The kit is FAB-U-LOUS!  It's my favorite kit yet!!  I've done 4 layouts, one of which is a two pager and I can do so much more....and I WANT to!  Jessica has such a GREAT mix of papers and embellishments that I don't feel like I'm using the same stuff over and over.

Introducing Lucky Girl Crafts April Kit  - A Boy & His Toys!

Don't let the title fool you, it's not for boys alone!  It's an amazing kit and I love how versatile it is!

I'm going to show you 3 of the layouts I did (saving the last one for another post...what a teaser I know).  Let's start with the two pager.  I used the cream cardstock from the kit and Crate Paper patterned paper, CP tags, CP stickers,CP alpha stickers & Thickers on this.  I had a lot of photos and wanted to include as much as possible on the layout.  I love how it turned out!

I just had to use one of those photos from my last post!  Isn't great when you can use a photo you just LOVE!?  MME patterned paper, CP tags, CP stickers, CP Chipboard, CP alpha stickers & more Thickers!

By the way....those little alpha stickers from CP have a woodgrain texture look....so cute!  I'll add some close ups later so you can see them, but trust me....you WANT them!

And last is my favorite layout!  Another photo that I've been tweaking and playing with in PSE7.  I'm loving how much more fun my photos are to scrap with.  Now I realize that I won't have the time to do this to all my photos, but to take some favorites now and then will be great.  Also, this was not the best photo.  It's not a high quality image at all.  But by adding some artistic flair, it has become a FANTASTIC photo and one that I love.  Another great reason to play with PSE, or your favorite photo editing software.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Your next step on the hop is our fabulous Sabrina....you are going to LOVE what she has for you!!!  Don't forget to leave her some love!

Click here for Sabrina's Blog

If you get lost just start back at the Lucky Girl Crafts store blog HERE.

Photo Editing

So in the last little while I had some time to devote to sharpening my digital photography skills. I took a class a few years back from Jessica Sprague and loved it.  I didn't use my new found knowledge very much, and then slowly...not at all.

So imagine my joy when I found out that my class was still available to me!!!  I quickly started through the lesson plan again...a few years later and a huge version update for me. :)  There have been so many things I've loved learning, but one of my favorites have been these really cool textures!  Oh I love it.  Really, really love it!

Let me show you.  I chose an old favorite photo.  Mostly because it was already black and white.  And it was a favorite. :)  I have to say I was Mamarazzi and he was busy working.  So I asked if he could just stop for a minute...please.  He did.  I got the serious look (i.e. the 'mom I'm so done with this' look).

On to my experimenting....I guess these are called TTV textures.  All I know is that I will be finding more and using them.  I'm completely taken by them...so much fun!!!  Check them out:

So cool, right?  Like photos from WAY back.  But THIS one is my absolute favorite:

If you love these, then you might want to look into taking Jessica Sprague's 'Frame Ups and Special Effects' class.  It's so much fun!!!  And addictive!