The Paper Peddler

LOAD29

2012-02-29T23:24:00.001-06:00

LOAD29, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

That's it! 29 days have come and gone. This time was by far the easiest LOAD yet. I believe that the reason Lain E. created this challenge has really sunk in for me...yes, you can let go of the pressure that it has to be perfect and all matchy-matchy. You can create a layout a day and do it quickly; most were created start to finish in less than an hour. I was happy with most of the layouts I created....but this one, well, the letters will have to go! Not sure what I will replace them with...definately something. The colors and the photos are just too perfect to be paired with those letter stickers. So, I will need to complete another LOAD in the near future...it seems that I'm not quite cured yet...perfectionism wins tonight.

LOAD28

2012-02-28T23:03:00.001-06:00

LOAD28, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

The Joy of Love album is filling up! This is page 16: Together. This photo was taken at Jon's 20th Class Reunion!

I realized tonight that my last three layouts have been on backgrounds of different colors. I've branched out...not my usual kraft, black, red or white. Look at me go!

One more day of LOAD for February 2012. So sad that it is over...but never fear, we are scrappin' this weekend! Yay us!

LOAD27

2012-02-27T23:05:00.001-06:00

LOAD27, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

If I had created yesterday's layout and this one together I'm not sure this would have been the end result. I don't really think they flow together well but in the end it's done! I was shocked that I found this photo and above that, it was printed! Wow!

Maybe tomorrow I will create a page about her 12th birthday. I seem to be on a roll! Not so long ago (October, I think) I created her 10th birthday pages. She's 16 now....so let's see, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, oh my!

LOAD26

2012-02-26T22:54:00.002-06:00

LOAD26, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

For several years I have planned to create this layout for which there are no photos of the birthday girl! The reason there are no photos of the birthday girl is because her dad took her and two friends to Kearney to shop for her birthday....but it was three weeks after her actual day that they were finally able to coordinate it! Then for a looooong time, I could not locate the envelope of receipts and needed to remember to take a camera to "fake" the mall photos later. Finally this half is done, other half will be the actual day with photos of the birthday girl! This was her 11th birthday....5 years ago this month! BAD, bad mom!!

LOAD25

2012-02-25T22:43:00.001-06:00

LOAD25, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Keeping on with the Joy of Love album in 8x8 size. I think I have completed 8 pages in this 28 page album to date. I have ideas for most of the prompts and am pondering 3 or 4 yet. Enjoy!

LOAD24

2012-02-24T23:12:00.001-06:00

LOAD24, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Super, super quick tonight....thankfully I knew what photo I wanted to use and knew where the photo was at! Done. Start to finish in 15 minutes!
Glad this work week is done.
Off to bed for Me!

LOAD23

2012-02-23T22:14:00.001-06:00

LOAD23, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Another quick one this evening! Adding this one to A's Christmas ornament album.

LOAD22

2012-02-22T21:28:00.007-06:00

Basketball 2011.

I created the right half for my layout today. I had created the left half a few weeks ago.

LOAD21

2012-02-22T00:06:00.001-06:00

LOAD21, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Making plans...no house number yet but there is a road that because a trail running through the pasture; and nearby just past the yucca plants but before the plum thicket ... you will find us...someday!

LOAD20

2012-02-20T22:04:00.001-06:00

LOAD20, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

The prompt was Fashion Plate today and I was planning a page for my Joy of Love album. It was fit nicely in the "What They Wear" page protector. I hope to add a page beside it with more tags and labels from their purchases! I need to collect a few to do this!

LOAD19

2012-02-19T21:00:00.001-06:00

LOAD19, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Thanks to Sarah de Guzman for the inspiration for this layout (found in Scrapbook Trends magazine.) She used a sketch from www.sketchythursdays.blogspot.com

LOAD18

2012-02-18T22:44:00.001-06:00

LOAD18, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

C's 15th Birthday.

LOAD17

2012-02-17T23:39:00.002-06:00

LOAD17, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

I took this photo with my new 50mm lens (a Christmas gift). Wow! Do I LOVE it!

It seems like a tradition now to create at least one page for the Christmas ornament albums during LOAD. I think that's because they are quick pages requiring little journaling and few embellishments. Not room for much on a 5.5" x 7.5" layout.

T's 2011 page...game over!!

LOAD16

2012-02-16T22:19:00.001-06:00

LOAD16, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Absolutely no time tonight for anything. Good thing I had this idea tumbling around in my brain and a sketch on a Post-It Note! Came together super quick!! Good Night!!

LOAD15

2012-02-15T22:43:00.001-06:00

LOAD15, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Today's prompt was about Songs of Days Gone By. These days have definately gone by...her first MP3 player (2008)...now a total dinosaur! She wore a couple of them out before graduating to an iPod last spring (2011). I miss the teeny-bopper Disney music happy-go-lucky lyrics! Not so crazy about the stuff they choose to listen to these days!

LOAD14

2012-02-14T22:02:00.001-06:00

LOAD14, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Orchestra again. It's a tradition that these three girls take their picture together after each performance.

LOAD13

2012-02-13T22:05:00.001-06:00

LOAD13, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Finally done! Years in the making literally. I picked up the rest of the photos today @ Walgreen's.

I installed Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 this evening...let the re-learning begin. I had been using PSE 4.0 for several years and knew my way around fairly well but I tried the PSE 9.0 trial this past fall and love it ... so here I am embracing #10!!

LOAD12

2012-02-12T23:25:00.002-06:00

LOAD13, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Another school layout! Woot, woot! Thanks to Donnajazz at scrapbook.com for the inspiration for this layout! I love her work!

LOAD11

2012-02-11T21:42:00.001-06:00

LOAD11, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Here I go again...thinking I need to keep on working on school pages for C's album. She turned 16 yesterday, over half way through her sophomore year. I ordered a blue and a butter colored 12x12 We R Memory Keepers albums today. I thought I'd see if I like them and if so, use them for her middle and high school albums for our school colors.

LOAD10

2012-02-10T23:46:00.001-06:00

LOAD10, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Inspired to keep working on pages for the Joy of Love album....I've got a long way to go but these little 8x8 pages with only one photo are really quick! I need to find the original creator of this layout...I scraplifted it from scrapbook.com.
A thank you to her will follow tomorrow.

LOAD9

2012-02-09T23:47:00.001-06:00

LOAD9, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Day 9. Home Sweet Home.
Today's prompt and the Joy of Love album prompt for page 24 "Where" were the perfect combination for today's page. I am thinking of an entire album about this home...a digital one from Shutterfly. I need to get that started before the next home gets started!

LOAD8

2012-02-08T23:59:00.000-06:00

LOAD8, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Yish!! Not a great photo so late at night! Even though the style of this layout (paper piecing) is very dated I still like it. The title went so well with the story I wanted to tell and the precious few photos I have of the girls in this program. The photos only seven of them were all dark and distant.

This week of scrappin' has got to get better...it's a late one again tonight. Probably shouldn't have taken that nap!

LOAD7

2012-02-07T23:02:00.001-06:00

LOAD7, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Went for easy again tonight as it was a busy one! Tomorrow and Thursday are as well so I'm planning ahead and have already found photos. This is another page for my 8x8 album called the Joy of Love...this one is for the prompt, "the things you love to hate". This is C. There is no changing it. In a weird sort of way I love this about her, but I hate the cluttery mess!

LOAD6

2012-02-06T22:48:00.001-06:00

LOAD6, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

I couldn't get organized enough to get the other photos printed to finish Tanner's Super Bowl layout so I went for something I already had printed. I am slowly working on pages for an album called The Joy of Love. The prompt that inspired this page was "going out". This was the first time Jon and I had gone to a costume party since college. We had a great time!

LOAD5

2012-02-05T22:52:00.001-06:00

LOAD5, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Not my best work. I'm hopeful that the right half of the page will pull in all together and I will like it better. I need to print more photos tho because T. used them on his own collage today for a Cub Scout project! I will post a picture of his project tomorrow.

Yesterday was a productive day.

2012-02-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

I was able to start and finish another skirt for L. just in time to take to her. Can't wait to see the delight in her eyes. I looked for Minnie Mouse fabric today but decided not to take on more than I already have on my sewing list. I bought fabric to make her a Halloween one too (at Christmas time) and still have fabric to make an apron for me. Ok, I confess I did buy fabric to make two pillows for my hopeful scrap space...stay tuned for photos of those!I'm still learning. This is the second one I've made...both without patterns.

Next time, I'll get it perfect!

So here's what else I've been up to...

2012-02-04T23:56:00.001-06:00

LAUNDRY!!

LOAD4

2012-02-04T21:30:00.002-06:00

LOAD4, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

I went to the paint store today to start to think about colors for rooms in our new home. I want J. to start building the cabinets on the left for me before we even start building the house. I want this because I suspect once the "shed" and house are underway, this project will be last...sadly, not a priority for anyone but me.

LOAD3

2012-02-03T22:22:00.001-06:00

LOAD3, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Super simple again. Contemplating a left page with a few more skate & maybe even magic photos. T. asked me to take photos of him doing his favorite things the other day for a collage he is making for Cub Scouts. Thank for the inspiration Lain and T!

LOAD2

2012-02-02T20:59:00.001-06:00

LOAD2, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Day 2 of 29 down. The prompt was so helpful and super easy! Thanks Lain!
I have to confess that I spent way too much time hunting for the "perfect" piece of floral paper with just the right amount of red. The first one was too red, the second one not red enough and the third one...lost! It took me a long time to find this piece but I did!

Another tip...

2012-02-02T08:00:00.003-06:00

Here's another tip for including those photos that you find later and a way to include the missing pieces that were forgotten the first time around. Thank you to Ali Edwards for introducing this concept to me! It really has taken the pressure off as I am working on the Library of School Memories. I no longer get tripped up by looking for something or spending too much time on a layout because I have a feeling I've forgotten something. Thank you Ali!

I have been using these 6x12 page protectors by American Crafts. It's true they do not match the Pebbles in My Pocket protectors that I use, or the We R Memory Keeper ones or the Close to My Heart matte finish 12x12 ones (love these) but who cares! The important thing is to get it all together!
This 6x12 page protector is filled with 6 additional "outtake" photos!
It is inserted in between the two 12x12 pages below. It works fabulously!

Try it! You might like it!

LOAD1

2012-02-01T23:24:00.001-06:00

LOAD1, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

I loved the prompt today at LOAD but just didn't have the photos for what I was inspired to do. So, I'll be taking the photos tomorrow and creating a layout to match!
Anyway, I struggled this evening...on Day 1 because my crazy scanner is acting up already! Usually it waits til at least half way through LOAD. No time to diagnose, I just took a photo, editted it in PSE and uploaded...tada!!

I think I'm in love...

2012-02-01T08:00:00.005-06:00

I have been attempting to keep my oldest daughter's Library of School Memories somewhat update. She is a sophomore. This worries me. I have much to do and organize in order for this album to be complete for graduation display. So I have been scrapping the stuff that is printed, easy to find and organized. I will have to spend many hours digging deep to gather all the missing pieces. The lesson here is NOT to let this happen to the next two children. I have been scrapping some of their school events along the way as well.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to tell you about my new found love. As I am gathering and scrapping these school memories, I have found that I love using the We R Memory Keepers page protectors for a couple of reasons.

1. It's fast.
2. It's a great way to display lots of photos (dare I say, of the ones I really don't want to scrap but think should be included)

3. It's so flexible. If I find something I want to add later I can.

The big finale' will be trying to figure out what fits into the backside of these protectors. Most of the events I have worked to organize using what I can "bookends". So there is a 12x12 layout on the left and We R Memory Keepers page on the right...turn the page...the same We R Memory Keepers page now becomes the left page and on the right side is another 12x12 layout. So far so good!

Remember this? Of course, NOT!

2012-01-31T08:00:00.004-06:00

I barely remember it! I have been working on this album on and off for a year now. But last weekend I made good progress because I worked on it all day Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. I even used supplies I already had and can say that I only purchased one piece of paper for the pages I made that day! Wow! I need a front cover and a back cover, a few more photos and stories and it will be complete...into the Friday's Finish Line pile!

Here's a peek at a few of my favorite pages:
My favorites are the small sizes that were inserted in between pages...they were fun and really seem to tie it all together. I will post more as I finish them.

Any cover ideas?

Sports Addict?

2012-01-30T08:00:00.003-06:00

I had many sports photos gathered and decided that Saturday was the day to tackle them...not difficult to scrap but not really very exciting either. However, I had a productive day. I had taken a couple of previous complete sports layouts with me to use as samples....not much you can do with the same sets 1 horizonal 5x7 and 1 vertical 4x6. The previously completed layouts were ones I liked ... alot so why reinvent the wheel? It's a different kid and different sports, they won't be together in an album, maybe not even the same kid's album ... so why not? I was able to get a "start" on 9 pages or 6 layouts~ now they go into the Friday's Finish Line pile! ha!

Here's a sneak peek:
2 baseball, 2 volleyball, 1 basketball and 1 soccer!

Friday's Finish Line Jan. 27th

2012-01-29T11:52:00.003-06:00

I didn't quite get this one finished by Friday, but by Saturday noon, so that's close! I had started this one at a crop the weekend before so the idea was all there but not stuck down. Added a few facts and precious few embellishments and done!

Friday's Finish Line

2012-01-20T09:00:00.003-06:00

After LOAD in May of 2011, I wanted to set small goals to finish layouts and get them put away. I started a Flickr group called Finish It by Friday. My goal this week is to add dates to three layouts and get them put in albums. I added the who, what and when to this one! The left page is a collage of six more photos of the event, nothing fancy and contains many other children so I decided not to include it in the post.

School's in Session

2012-01-19T09:00:00.001-06:00

Field Trip.
4th Grade. Lots more photos can be found in We R Memory Keepers page protectors. Orchestra.
Freshmen. Lots more photos again in those famed page protectors. She and two friends have a tradition of taking photos together after each concert...they are beginning to all look the same!

Middle School.

8th Grade. Door decorating contest for the Christmas holiday. They had fun!

Sports Fans

2012-01-18T21:31:00.002-06:00

Up close...more layouts from the October crop at Maggie's.

Golf.
A nice start to this layout but it needs to pack a little more punch so I will have to hunt for some embellishments before putting this one in an album. Ribbons? buttons? Soccer.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night...and we still will play! Thankfully this day wasn't too bad, duh! or I would have left the camera at home! Short sleeves and shorts actually without stocking hats, gloves and coats!

Tomorrow's forecast...school's in session.

Go BIG Red!

2012-01-17T09:00:00.003-06:00

I had photos that went great with Maggie's kit so after I completed the double page layout I kept going. I took the extra photos and cut them to 4x4 size and added them to a We R Memory Keepers page protector. Then I chose a few photos from the group to highlight in each of the kids' albums. These are the results.

The photos are not great. I have yet to master how to photograph layouts!

More tomorrow....

Hello Blog.

2012-01-16T16:50:00.005-06:00

That was a long hiatus but I'm back. I'm gearing up for a weekend crop and to participate in LOAD 212 so I thought I'd better blow the dust off the blog and get ready to post.

Here's what I had intended to post after a crop in October of 2010. It doesn't look like much but it was productive and above all fun! Maggie offered a kit / class about the Huskers and it was just the "kick" I needed...it kind of became a theme! LOL!

Stay tuned for close ups in the days to follow!

LOAD May 11 - Day 23

2011-05-23T22:57:00.001-05:00

LOAD May 11 - Day 23, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

I love red! So what's not to love about Minnie?! Hope to complete the second half of this page tomorrow. Looks like rain so the yard work will have to wait anyway....darn! ha!

LOAD May 21

2011-05-21T23:52:00.001-05:00

LOAD May 21, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Fell off the LOAD wagon for a couple of weeks...but I'm back! Worked on Disney layouts at a crop this weekend and got nearly 13 pages almost done....they need a few finishing touches (you know how that goes)! Stay tuned for tomorrow's layout....will it be Disney?

LOAD May11 - Day 4

2011-05-04T22:22:00.001-05:00

LOAD May11 - Day 4, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Again, not what I had planned...but still goes in the Joy of Love album. I couldn't find the picture I wanted of A.

LOAD May11 - Day 3

2011-05-03T23:15:00.001-05:00

LOAD May11 - Day 3, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

Day 3 done. I need a better plan for tomorrow...spent too much time deciding on a photo to use with this layout design.

LOAD May11 - Day 2

2011-05-03T19:09:00.002-05:00

LOAD May11 - Day 2, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

And here is Day 2. I spent many hours spinning my wheels tonight - looking for things! I found the pirate pictures that I wanted to scrap on Sunday but have lost the Joy of LOVE daily prompts book and all my notes with sketches and ideas! I will keep looking...stay tuned for Day 3 later tonight.

LOAD May11 - Day 1

2011-05-03T19:07:00.001-05:00

LOAD May11 - Day 1, a photo by Miss_Niki on Flickr.

I guess I have forgotten the last couple of days to post my "work" for the LOAD challenge. Here is Day 1!

Several hours later....

2011-04-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

I had the paper all cut and organized into 10 mini album. All I needed to do was add a few embellishments, punch holes, put the rings in, tie on the ribbons and personalize the covers. I really thought it would be simple and only take a couple of hours; why did it take me several hours to pull them all together? I am happy with the results and they are now in the hands of the gymnastics team members! I hope they will use them!

and more Disney....

2011-04-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Inspired by pages found in the Bella Blvd. com gallery! Thanks "girls" for inspiring me to get going with Disney again! I bought a couple of punches to use on future Disney pages at Archiver's and can't wait to give them a try. Right now I am "home alone" so I am off to try to organize some pages to complete at the next crop...April 30th!

More Disney....

2011-04-17T16:10:00.003-05:00

Got inspired by friends to complete a few more Disney pages. Love these photos of A. and Eeyore! I found ideas to scraplift at 2Peas in a Bucket....thanks Stephanie for inspiring this one!

Day 28 - LOAD 211

2011-02-28T23:38:00.001-06:00

Day 28 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

This is it. The last day of February. The end of LOAD for 211. It makes me sad. So sad....I plan to make another layout tomorrow. I don't really want it to end....although I do want February to end and March and April and May. June and July can linger on and on and on.....

This is the left half of the page completed on Day 26. Not sure if I really like the paper lion...I was hoping I'd love it....maybe in the morning.

I love LOAD and I'm not "lion"!!!

Thanks everyone for taking the journey with me....I have enjoyed it!

Day 27 - LOAD 211

2011-02-27T22:16:00.001-06:00

Day 27 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Here is one page that I will include in yet another album I am starting! The Joy of Love is a class that has been going on this month but with LOAD going on too, I just couldn't put the energy into both. It is my intention to go back and read the prompts and find old photos that match .... discovering the things / people / places I love. I plan to then take new photos to match the prompts that I do not have old photos for. Should be fun!

Day 26 - LOAD 211

2011-02-26T08:19:00.001-06:00

Day 26 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Off to Lincoln! Hope the roads are decent!

Day 25 - LOAD 211

2011-02-25T22:37:00.001-06:00

Day 25 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Here is the right half of the complete layout! It goes with yesterday's ....like I need to tell you that! Nothing special...just done!

Day 24 - LOAD 211

2011-02-24T22:32:00.001-06:00

Day 24 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Here are the boys playing the PS2 on the new big screen TV. I hope to complete the right half tomorrow night....not sure I will have enough of that pattern paper to make it work. Off to bed, I need some sleep cuz' I can not get out of bed in the mornings anymore!

Day 23 - LOAD 211

2011-02-23T23:19:00.001-06:00

Day 23 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

It seems that each LOAD I have to punt and go to a digital layout because I can't find the photos I want to use. I was browsing through the girls' facebook albums and came across this photo....super cute I thought! So tonight I decided to place in on this digital template and call it good. The title and story just fell into place in my head but I'd be fibbing if I told you that it took less time than a cardstock layout because it didn't! I had lots of trouble getting the story to look "perfect"!

Perfectionism won this time! Double darn!

Day 22 - LOAD 211

2011-02-22T22:37:00.001-06:00

Day 22 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

I had a near panic attack this evening. I was starting to feel stuck....I thumbed through a few envelopes of photos, debated about working on a page in the December Daily and thought about adding a page to make a double page layout to one I'd already completed this week but the inspiration just wasn't there. So as I felt the panic rise in my throat, I made a conscious decision not to let that feeling overcome me so I quickly decided to create something using these volleyball photos which have been in the depths of Courtney's room for two years....I had never seen them before but knew that I had paid for them!

As I said in the flickr gallery....I am disappointed in the scan because the flower here is Doodlebug bubblegum bright pink!

Day 21 - LOAD 211

2011-02-21T23:20:00.001-06:00

Day 21 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

I think I may have already said this somewhere so forgive me for being a broken record....but seriously, why does my dear hubby insist on updating this house this month?!?!? Does he not know that LOAD is going on? Does he not know that I work all day? Taxi children and serve as their ATM well into the evening, cook supper, fold laundry, watch WWE and create a layout too? When would I possibly have time to vacuum behind all the furniture and vac the blinds too, take apart a monster of a computer desk and above all....I MUST scan and upload a layout (if I get one created) tonight. Did I mention we took apart a computer desk and moved it out of the house....which left me with a computer & scanner/printer in a heap on a different desk in a different room?

This will be worth it, I know it will...it has to be!!

So here is what I was able to throw together in a flash tonight. Thank you to Lain for the prompt today, without it I'd be in a puddle on the floor crying because I would have no idea what to do surrounded by a disassembled house and my scrapbook stuff even more scattered and unorganized than it was before.

Callgon anyone? Then I'd have to clean the tub again....I'll settle for a glass of wine....again!

Day 20 - LOAD 211

2011-02-20T23:22:00.001-06:00

Day 20 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Not at all sure how I will make the second page work with this one and maybe I won't. Need to look at the photos again and decide....too tired right now.

Went shopping for home decor, baskets, groceries, paint and lights. Updating the house....so time consuming and such a mess! T. said he just wants the house to be back to "normal".

Day 18 - LOAD 211

2011-02-19T22:03:00.001-06:00

Day 18 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Oh my goodness! I just visited my blog and there is no post for yesterday the 18th! The clock had struck midnight by the time I had completed this layout, cropped it and uploaded it! And I might add the the information super highway was having a major traffic jam! Needless to say, I forgot to add yesterday's layout to the blog....so I present to you....the left half...the better half? You decide!

Day 19 - LOAD 211

2011-02-19T21:38:00.001-06:00

Day 19 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

The better half?....I'm not so sure. But it's done and as I have thought about scrapping these photos (evidently twice cuz' I have two sets now), I wanted to keep it super simple and focus on the photos.

My scrapping friends are at a crop today...due to so many things in our busy lives I could not join them. That makes me so sad. So I went shopping and visited for a bit with them. Scrap on my freinds and enjoy your weekend!

Day 17 - LOAD 211

2011-02-17T22:11:00.001-06:00

Day 17 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Today's prompt was to use this quote on your page or use it as inspiration for a page. I thought that it fit quite well with the sillyness of Easter last year so I just expanded yesterday's layout into a two pager.

"It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones." Jean Webster

I'm not usually a quote person so I really liked Lain's idea of using it as a source of inspiration rather than physically placing it on the layout:)

Day 16 - LOAD 211

2011-02-16T23:11:00.001-06:00

Day 16 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

A scraplift was the prompt today. We were to copy a layout by Melanie Louette. So simple and yet it ended up to be a struggle due my perfectionistic needs. I am actually taking a class called Embrace Imperfection that is teaching me to listen to the voice in my head and RUN away from it and follow my heart. (Trouble is I think my heart likes things in a neat, tidy box as well.)

Day 15 - LOAD 211

2011-02-15T22:53:00.001-06:00

Day 15 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Today's prompt was to use ribbon in a unique way...

I hadn't been back to the December Daily album for awhile so I thought I could make a quick page using ribbon. Simple. Done.

Day 14 - LOAD 211

2011-02-14T22:28:00.001-06:00

Day 14 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

I am hopeful that J. will be able to build the cabinet pictured in this layout. I need three of these double units!

What paint color would you choose?

Day 13 - LOAD 211

2011-02-13T23:32:00.001-06:00

Day 13 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

This is the second half of yesterday's page. I could not muster any new creativity today...my DH has decided that we are putting the house on the market. So we spent the day cleaning, organizing, painting, stripping wallpaper, doing laundry, shopping for light fixtures, appliances, sinks, blinds, paint, shower doors, shower surrounds and carpet and packing up a bunch of clutter. Tomorrow we are moving out a bunch of furniture to storage. I think we should be ready to list by June....he's thinking the 1st of March.

Day 12 - LOAD 211

2011-02-12T23:31:00.001-06:00

Day 12 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

I like the circle embellishments in real life so much better. The lose their dimension online. Page 2 tomorrow? Depends on the prompt...

Day 11 - LOAD 211

2011-02-11T22:14:00.001-06:00

Day 11 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

She turned 15 yesterday....it is so hard for me to believe! As a teenager we ride the roller coaster of emotion, that is why I treasure this photo! A happy moment!

Went shopping at Archivers while in Omaha this past week and found some new paper by Doodlebug and had to use it on this layout! I rarely scrap with the color yellow but this color matched the feeling of the photo as well as her shirt...bonus!

Day 10 - LOAD 211

2011-02-10T23:16:00.001-06:00

Day 10 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

As I said in the flickr description....oh, the extremes that one will go to. I hauled a laptop and camera to Omaha so that I could complete a layout while I was away from home. Yes, Lain, you are right....you CAN create a layout a day with, not a little planning but A LOT of planning and preparing ahead! I was happy with this one and can add to his school album. Yea!

Day 9 - LOAD 211

2011-02-09T13:12:00.001-06:00

Day 9 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Super fast page! Literally 20 minutes....leaving for Omaha now! Not the photo I had planned to use but the one I wanted wasn't printed. So 10 of the 20 minutes was spent looking for this photo to go with the papers and ribbon I already had picked!!

Day 8 - LOAD 211

2011-02-08T22:40:00.001-06:00

Day 8 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

No time again tonight! I thought all day about how I would use buttons on a layout and kept going back to the idea of making a snowman from a couple. I saw a sweater a Christopher and Banks that inspired this idea and have not created it yet. However, I really did not have a snowman layout to create so I went with snowflakes instead. This layout was inspired by katieplus4 in the LOAD 211 group....love her layouts!

Day 7 - LOAD 211

2011-02-07T22:09:00.001-06:00

Day 7 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Today's prompt was to find a photo with colors that inspire you...I do love John Deere Green and these two little boys! So the layout grew from that point on! Simple!

Day 6 - LOAD 211

2011-02-06T23:20:00.001-06:00

Day 6 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

I do not know how today got completely away from me but it did and this simple layout was all I could complete. It goes with yesterday's layout so I am happy with that. Tha is one thing I really like about LOAD....it forces you to truly finish the layout....right down to the last dot on the "i" and cross of the "t"! Looking for to tomorrow!

Day 5 - LOAD 211

2011-02-06T00:09:00.002-06:00

Day 5 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Squeeezed this one in at the end of a busy day! Thankfully I had a 'game plan" before we left the house this morning and I had a strategy for scoring before midnight! I made it with only 4 minutes to go in the "game" (day)! Woohoo!

Day 4 - LOAD 211

2011-02-04T23:22:00.001-06:00

Day 4 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Sometimes things don't come together as quickly as one would hope! But done is DONE! Not sure how I will squeeze in time for a layout tomorrow but I'm going to try! See you then!

Day 3 - LOAD 211

2011-02-03T16:42:00.001-06:00

Day 3 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

I had this idea to make Valentine's for the kids this year but forgot about it! Funny how that happens! Anyway, when I read Lain's prompt this morning...I remembered my valentine idea. School was the topic I associated with glue so here it is! Very early "Pebbles" days but I like it!

Day 2 - LOAD 211

2011-02-02T21:21:00.001-06:00

Day 2 - LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

eBay inspiration result! You like?

Day 2 - Inspiration at eBay

2011-02-02T13:14:00.002-06:00

When I went to eBay and typed my name in the search bar I found oodles of formal dresses. (Whenever I do something like this the computer always states, "did you mean Nike"? This is the one I chose for my inspiration for the day! Gorgeous, isn't it?

I had fun typing in others names:
Melissa was about shoes.
Tanner was about books.
Tara was about technology.
Courtney was about dolls.
Jon was about boats.
Amanda was about Kidrobots.

Day 1-LOAD 211

2011-02-01T15:27:00.002-06:00

Day 1-LOAD 211
Originally uploaded by Miss_Niki

Here we go...creating a layout a day through the month of February.

My inspiration was the photo of T. = JOY!

My layout inspiration was from www.nicholmagouirk.typepad.com

LOAD 211 Blog Hop!

2011-01-24T08:00:00.002-06:00

It's time again! Yea! I enjoy LOAD more each time and I think the reason is that it has truly become FUN! The first one and one somewhere in the middle were really stressful for me. But thanks to Lain and a great group of LOAD followers, I have learned to let go of the pressure. It doesn't matter if you complete 1, 5 or 28 layouts, what matters is that you got something done and that is certainly more than I would have done without LOAD!

How do I prepare for LOAD?

Prepare. That is the key! The LOADs that I found stressful were for two reasons:
1. I was not prepared.
2. I forced layouts. I have learned that if something is not coming tobether fairly quickly within 20 minutes...STOP! Go to Plan B. (be prepared!) Choose a different topic and a new set of photos. Get a fresh outlook!

Preparing looks like this for me:
a) Focus. I choose a theme or album to focus on. This eliminates 100s of possibilities. I will probably bird walk due to a daily prompt but may also use it on an already planned layout. (Themes might be portraits, posed pictures such as sports team photos or dance, etc. An album might be a trip to Disney, Halloween or your December Daily.)

b) Organize. Gather your photos, papers, ephemera, embellishments and inspiration in the next couple of weeks. Place them together in ziploc bags, scrapbook totes, files or page protectors. It's like making a kit ahead of time and putting it together one the given day. This is the same thing I try to do to prepare for a crop. This way when you have a large chunk of time set aside, scrapper's block will not set in!

c) Inspiration. That is the theme of LOAD so I will be looking at what I have already gathered. Looking in my tumblr account, LOAD faves. in Flickr and in my notebook of printed layouts / magazine pages for ideas. I will then take these ideas and place them with the photos in the page protector.

I can't wait to see what Lain has in store for us! She is so inspiring!

2010 Dec. Daily - Day 2

2011-01-18T12:00:00.000-06:00

Day 2.

2010 Dec. Daily - Day 1

2011-01-17T12:00:00.000-06:00

Finally! I was able to get started with my Dec. Daily album. I am using a Fancy Pants album so keeping the pages organized ... left page, right page is challenging!

So, you want to make a December Daily album....

2011-01-16T18:30:00.002-06:00

but can't!

I tried three times to get started and just couldn't get going. I had photos printed, papers selected, embellishments located, inspiration bookmarked and printed but kept getting stuck. I finally figured out what was stopping me....it was the whole left/page right page concept due to the shape of my pages! It made a difference. I needed to know which side the holes would be punched on. So what I did was to create an outline of what photos I decided to include, the story I wanted to tell, the ephemera I wanted to include and general things I did not want to forget. Here's page one of my outline. It took about two hours to create the whole outline but it's been worth it. Pages will be posted soon!

December Daily - Day 25

2011-01-16T18:29:00.000-06:00

Santa was here.

Merry Christmas!!!

December Daily - Day 24

2011-01-16T18:10:00.003-06:00

Christmas Eve.

Attending candle light service at 7 p.m.

Sisters ready to go.
Girls ready to go.

Can you guess who does not want to go?

The boys ready to go?!

December Daily - Day 23

2011-01-16T18:04:00.003-06:00

Today found us frantically folding letters, stamping and stuffing envelopes

trying to get the annual Christmas mailing on it's way before Christmas Day!

The evening found us driving around looking at lights in
all the traditional spots.
This is downtown NP.

December Daily - Day 22

2011-01-16T17:59:00.004-06:00

Santa at the mall.The Platte River Mall at Christmas time.

Jon took the kids shopping this afternoon for gifts for me.

Awww...how sweet!

December Daily - Day 20

2011-01-16T13:32:00.003-06:00

Christmas at The Cody's!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...one or two aren't bad

but I can't see myself eating more than that in one sitting.

A fun experience!

Many gingerbread houses were created an open for bids in a silent auction.

The Cody's house was fully decorated inside and out.
20 trees were decorated inside with various themes.
T. and I took a horse drawn hayride around the property.
It was cold and the horses were fragrant!

December Daily - Day 19

2011-01-16T13:27:00.001-06:00

Wrapping an XL gift for "the Dad"!

Baking cookies to share with the neighbors.

December Daily - Day 18

2011-01-16T12:10:00.002-06:00

I volunteered to ring bells for our church at Wal Mart.

It was amazing how many people I saw in that 30 minute period that I knew.

That night I finished reading Holiday Grind, a coffeehouse mystery book

that included an insert at the end about how the red kettles originated.

I plan to included it in my album.

December Daily - Day 17

2011-01-16T12:03:00.004-06:00

Went to my staff Christmas party at the Depot!

December Daily - Day 16

2011-01-16T11:54:00.003-06:00

C. needs to take ethnic foods to her Spanish class for a Christmas party.

11:00 p.m. Google recipe for Mexican Christmas Cookies

11:08 p.m. Begin mixing up the cookie dough.

11:59 p.m. First set is rolled and cut for baking.
12:11 a.m. First set is baked and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

3 more sets to go!

December Daily - Day 15

2011-01-16T11:49:00.002-06:00

T. was challenging himself to naming all the reindeer without the assistance of Google. He did it and wrote them down as he recalled each name then numbered them to be sure their were eight. I think he must have sung the song 5 times trying to get the names and order right!

December Daily - Day 14

2010-12-14T22:38:00.004-06:00

Today was Secret Santa Sales at school.

T. packs everyones gifts far under and into? the tree...
where is he going?

Here he displays that the biggest one of all is for MOM!

First homemade holiday treats of the season...

Rudolph's nose!

December Daily - Day 13

2010-12-14T22:31:00.003-06:00

Writing a Merry Christmas wish to Mrs. Hayes

and her family.
Wrapping his teacher's gift.

Gathering of gifts to deliver the next morning.

Two to North Platte Care Center residents, one to classroom

teacher, coffee for the staff at T's school and one for a fellow Boy Scout.

December Daily - Day 12

2010-12-14T22:27:00.003-06:00

Planning shopping trips for the week....gathering ideas for

the girls and Aunt J., looking for

sale items and the best buys in town!

Comfort food. Winter food.

December Daily - Day 11

2010-12-14T22:22:00.002-06:00

Today's purchases...gifts, ornament, baking needs, postage.

C. choose Alice in Wonderland as

her ornament for 2011.

December Daily - Day 10

2010-12-14T22:20:00.001-06:00

Wrapping gifts while the spouse and children are away....

December Daily - Day 9

2010-12-14T22:15:00.003-06:00

Watching the winter weather report.

On this "nice" day it was short sleeves for everyone but me!

I think it was near 50 degrees! so

out came the outdoor decorations because you

can't predict Nebraska's winter weather.

December Daily - Day 8

2010-12-14T22:12:00.004-06:00

Choosing "angels" to receive gifts...

one for an infant - one for a 3 year old girl - one for a 9 year old boy -

one for a teen boy - one for a teen girl