From Texas

Hey guys. Well normally I wouldn't be posting from a trip but being stressed and all I need something to do. It's super early my time - 8:30 - and everyone in the whole house is asleep. Now mind you I should be asleep as we need to get up at 4 AM my time (6 am here) to go to a family portrait but... Anyways, so the airplane ride was pretty good, soooo much better than I thought. Our system worked great - Clay had Adric(2) and one of the big children on one side of the isle ( okay I have NO idea how to spell that since isle is like Gilligan's Isle) anyways I would have one of the other children on my side with me. I did get to read a lot of cool stuff since I have the March and April CK, the new Scrapbooks, etc. and the rockin scrapbooks, etc. design secrets to read. I must say quickly how much I have been loving these design idea books lately. I really am loving learning about design principles lately. So far though hands down my favorite is Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking by Ali Edwards. Now it might just be because she is my all time favorite scrapper. But aside from that the book is great. And she always amazes me with her ability to use such simple photo placement and with a few patterned papers make it look so different and just plain rockin! So I had the hardest time finding a good just cover of the book that hello would let me grab so here is a shot from a site that has two of the layout examples as well from it.





Go run and buy this book, I LOVE IT!! Buy it HERE On the topic of books. I have put off mentioning this for the longest time. I really have and I won't be going into detail. But I was really disappointed in the Designing with Digital book. I was so excited that a LSS had it and quickly spent the money on it. For me that is a lot of money (in cash - paypal on a great CD or whatnot is different *lol*) but in cash that is a lot of money for me to spend on myself. Then I got it home. I think I have looked through it once. I have left it in the stack of current mags for what 2 months now. I just don't think, well a couple of things. Firstly, there were some things that truly bother me alot in digi, exaggerated shadows, etc. Also, I don't feel that well maybe aside from Gina's layouts there were any that were paper style and feel. I think the majority of paper scrappers that would buy that book to see what digi is about are not going to be as drawn to montagey type layouts, etc. Let me tell you, I have been thinking for so long that I wish that I could put together a list of who I would put in a digi book. Anyone know how we can get that started? Who would be on my list of who I would want in the book?
kim.bee - who has the most amazing both photography and graphic style that just makes me drool
shabbymissjenn - who has this way of making her pages look both shabby, and SO real paper, and makes those photos just jump off the page, or make me wish I could jump in and live somewhere so shabbeeeautiful
carver - who does things with photos that make me long to learn my program more and be willing to step outside and go graphic
feelinginspired (aka CD) - who is one of my new all time favorite scrappers. She is just so creative and can pull elements from 1000 kits and make them look like they were made to be together. And she can take papers that are boy papers and magically place them on a layout that just screams girl. Quite a talent.
AuntiePea - whose layouts not only look so paper to me, they for some reason just touch me and make me smile big every single time I look at one.
Krash who honestly in every single way possible rocks my world. I can't say enough how much I wish I was Krash. Hands down one of THE BEST digiscrappers ever.
Miss Kim - whose amazing way of placing a photo just right with a few papers so simply and creates these pages that just literally try and jump in my lap out of the gallery.
AmyMartin aka alb52 - I am sure we have all commented on a layout of hers. This little lady just oozes creativity. She can have a pretty empty layout with a small grouping of photo and paper pieces and elements that in that little space make me spend 10 minutes staring at all the awesome details.
Rhonna Farrer - what can you say? Just fab. And she really makes layouts that are stunning but also so the subtle things that can only be done digital.
TiaBennett - Well look at her digi stuff and it says it all. Just divalicious.

Wow well that took me some time. And there are so many more to add as I am just having a total brain fart. But there are enough galleries there to give you some inspiration. Oh, do I get to add ME since I would be part of heading up this imaginary book? Well if anyone knows how I can get this book rolling, let me know and let's do it. There are not enough idea books in the world yunno! OHHH!! AND... look what is coming in the Summer sometime. Another what is soon to be my all time favorite scrapping book - in Ali's blog she says this...
"Today I am working on some of my CK projects. Doing some handwriting for my next book (coming out in the summer: A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper). "
Ummmm.... okay I LOVE her and I LOVE patterned paper. Aah a match made in scrapbooking heaven. Can we all tell I don't want to go to sleep and face the madness that is getting a family portrait done at 4 am my time with children that will be waking at 4:30 our time? I am putting it off as long as I can. Who cares if I am tired? I never do.

One thing. If any of you out there are rich, wanna buy me a rockin laptop? *lol* I SO WISH I had a laptop right now where I could scrap pages while on vacation or put together a quick wedding album for Faith and Ralf. I HATE not getting to scrap at all. I really do. It has become so much of what destresses me and helps me relax.

Anyways back to the madness of the trip so far. How I got sidetracked about idea books and whatnot I will never know (well unless I read it up there). So the trip was fine. It is a lot longer from CA to Dallas than I thought it would be, and we had to change planes twice so that sucked. But the children were okay and we made it fine and my tooth was fine and all that jazz. Thanks for all the prayers for my teeth, it turned out great. So.. we get here and the children are stir crazy and I think that it is driving people a little mad, but all in all they are acting alright. Don't know what's up with my hubby, he is usually really perfect around his parents and he's being kind of a jerk so don't know what that's about. Normally he is the best husband ever ever around his parents to I don't know I guess make them think he is the perfect hubby. Though he is a pretty darn good one. Jump to today. Go to my purse to take my antibiotics and...... they are gone. We have looked everywhere and they are gone. I swear I am about ready to just have a meltdown about it. I sit here now and my tooth is sore. The infection is NOT gone all the way and I have no antibiotics. Aaah. Lame as ever. Life is just so.....

But... on a good note, Blue Bell ice cream from here in TX is just the best ice cream. I had the Dutch chocolate and it was the best chocolate ice cream I think I have ever had. Only had like 2 bites though and then when I went to get a bowl someone had eaten it all. I guess Clay isn't being a total jerk as he had saved the chocolate for me and eaten coconut which he doesn't like so I could have it. Though I never did have it lol. And the nutty coconut is one of the best things this mouth has ever tasted. It is kinda melty and light the way Breyer's is except Blue Bell has a richness that Breyer's doesn't have. It is just so good I can hardly stand not sneaking in and getting a bowl.

And let me tell you even if the wedding is small and informal, it is not low stress preparing for it. Period.

Quick before I go to sleep and prepare for the even more long and stressful day ahead... did anyone see the new Duggar's show on TLC 16 and Moving In? There is a new one, Raising 16 children that is on tomorrow night. Here is the listing for it if you want to see something a little different TV listing here Not gonna share my thoughts on it until after I see it though I already know that I will love it. Before you watch and say they are nuts, know that I am a fun loving conservative that also believes in letting God choose my family size and may end up with 16 children one day, so no horrible hurtful comments K? Hmmm now do you think of me any different? Or did you always think I was a conservative that wanted lots of children? HA! Bet not.

Good night and Good luck.