a to-do list and new curtains

2008 is going to be the year that I finish some of the crafting projects I have started.

Some of these projects include (but are not limited to):

*knitting an afghan

*making a quilt

*making baby burp clothes

*make a t-shirt quilt

*altering the tins and mailboxes I bought last year

*and a few more that will be gifts so I can't mention them!

I started and finished my first project last weekend. I made curtains for one of the windows in my bathroom (I probably should add making the curtain for the other window to my list...). This seems like a small project, but I was pretty proud of how they turned out.

I started with this fabric.

I apologize for the picture of the finished project. I changed the shutter speed for the close up, but didn't for the full view and it was the end of a roll of film, not digital.

The walls match the creamy caramel flower and the bottom of the wall has white wainscot. I love the brightness and color these curtains add to my bathroom!

another try at digiscrapping

I tried out digiscrapping about a year ago and made a bunch of layouts with a trial version of Photoshop elements 5. Loved the program. Want to buy it when I have the money. I just saw that they came out with a version 6.0 so I thought I would try that out also to see which one I really want to buy. I had such a hard time making just one layout in PSE 6--Anyone else find this program harder to use than version 5??? Maybe it is just me since I AM a beginner and don't know all the tricks. I really wanted to use a brush element on this layout, but couldn't get it to work. So here is my simple layout. There actually is a white border around the page, you just can't see it! If anyone is familiar with this version PLEASE give me a tip or two. I have 29 days left on my trial and I want to get the most use out of the program as possible to see its potential!

Welcome Little One!

Introducing.....

Elizabeth Ann

7lbs 2oz.

born January 4, 2008Isn't my niece such a cutie pie?! I know that most newborns look alike, but there is just something about being an auntie (or mom/dad, grandparent, etc) that makes your baby the cutest!

One Word

I love the idea of having one word to describe what you will strive for in the next year. My word for 2008 is...

Enjoy/En(joy)

It is true that life has not gone the way that I would have planned for myself. This past year I have really struggled with that fact. Many times in 2007 I started sentences with phrases like--"I really want...(but can't afford it)" "I wish things would be this way..." "when life turns out like I want I will do this..." "Grrrrrr, I wish..." But life doesn't always line up with our plans--truthfully it rarely does.
The truly important thing in my life is that I am following the plans that God has for me. I would rather be on a rocky and difficult path following Him than a smooth and easy path going the wrong direction.
Here is where enjoy comes in. This year I want to enjoy (take joy in) the life I have been given and enjoy all of the blessings I have. And I even want to enjoy the things about life that are the way they are because my life didn't go as planned. I want to take the life I have been given and enjoy it to the fullest. I will look for opportunities this year to enjoy life where I am at instead of wallowing in the fact that life is not the way I want it to be.
That is my resolution.

Happy Birthday B!

One of the fun things I get to do with my time is help as a youth leader in the high school youth group at my church. It is a fun "job" because the youth pastor and other leaders are a blast to work with and we have such a great group of high schoolers! I have a small group of about 5 girls that I mentor and one of them is having a birthday tomorrow. This is a card I made for her.

I used the Island Blossoms Simply Scrappin' kit and the stamp set to make this card. I wish I had gotten more of the kits when they were a hostess benefit because I absolutely love this patterned paper.

stamps: It's Your Birthday, Island Blossoms

ink: Tempting Turquoise, Pretty in Pink

paper: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

other: Island Blossoms scrappin' kit

Back again

I hope all of you had a merry and blessed Christmas! I didn't get to enjoy my own family this Christmas, but I am so thankful for the friends that welcomed me in to their celebration and made me feel at home. I love my family so much, but the longer I live far away the more I realize how the word "family" can mean so many different things and can be so much bigger than the group of people I grew up with.




Here is a card I made a while back. I don't think I shared it yet, but if I did you can enjoy it again!


The patterned paper for this card is from Scenic Route Paper Co. It is called Broadway and is from the Rockland line.