The new girl on the block!

I was so excited when I learned that I had been chosen for the 2014 design team!  And then the nerves set in, can I do it?... Am I up to the challenge?... What was I thinking?!...  So for our first assignment, we were challenged to scrap about ourselves.  HA HA!  I am always behind the camera, not in front (one of my new years resolutions to change this).  Also, I've never been particularly comfortable talking about myself.  So here I am stepping outside the box! 

 ((Journal box: Who am I? That was a tough question for me.  I am a wife (of 23 yrs) to James; a mother to AJ (now 21), Bryce (now 9) and Zach (now 6); a daughter and a sister.  I'm a Boy Scout leader because I love the values it instills in all three of my boys.  I volunteer at my children's school with the Honey Bee Club (community service organization) and at the Parent Resource Center.  I am a Christian because I could not imagine over coming the challenges in my life without my faith.  and after almost 20 years of working in the dental field, I opted to step out in faith and embrace the joys of being a full-time Domestic Engineer! (lol)  Finally, I am a scrapbooker because every day is filled with memories that I don't want to forget.  I enjoy many paper crafts and especially love to up-cycle.))

 (Journal box: I have always been an avid reader my whole life.  my interest in genres have changed, or expanded, over the years, except for British Literature!  These books I have read over and over again.  I bought a Kindle Fire in July of 2012, after much debate with myself.  I am a tactile person, I love to feel the book in my hands as I read.  So it took me awhile to convert to an e-reader, but after trying it I still had that feel of the book in my hand and could still lie in bed and fall asleep with a good book!)

 I had numerous ideas about how to tackle this project and then I sat down at my laptop and this new idea hit me.  I am not a digital scrapper, but I do love my Microsoft Publisher program.  I have created a 12 x 12 template that I can pre-layout my page to help me visualize. 

We were challenged to make a list of our favorite things that may inspire the pages.  My list changed a few times, with each change of layout design.  But, being that blue is my favorite color that was an easy choice for my mosaic moments paper, periwinkle, and my card stock.  When I got down to business I had to put down the kindle, (I'm in the middle of 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' again,) and get to work. And so the inspiration for page 2 was born!  I have been an avid reader my whole life.  I fought the change to an e-reader, but honestly who has the space for all the books they want to read or reread.  After filling in the blocks digitally, I printed out the journaling and pictures and got out my mat and supplies to cut them to size.

Turning trash into treasure is something I have always done, but now it has a politically correct name, up-cycing.  LOL.  In my layout the birdcage and butterfly are made from a soda can that I ran thru my Big Kick using my Sizzix dies.  About 3 years ago I discovered that the aluminum in soda cans was thin enough to be used with dies and a whole new world of embellishments opened up to me.

I colored the butterfly using Copic Various Ink refills.  I tried many inks and Copic was the only one that stayed on the metal and did not rub off.

My OCD kicked in when I could not find a picture of myself.  Other than the one I use in all my profile pics, I realized I really have no pictures of myself.  This years New Years resolution is to stop being behind the camera only.  Once I blew up this picture, I wasn't really happy with it, not as clear as I would like, hence the OCD kicking in.  But, I decided to use it to remind myself of my goal and to track my progress. 

I am so happy you stopped by to get to know me.  I look forward to a GREAT year!