Self portrait

There are a lot of times when you want that picture, but there just isn't anyone around to take it. Don't be afraid to turn the camera on yourself.

I love my cousin, inside jokes, being warm and needing to wear sunglasses...

I love My daughter, wearing blue, standing out for a good reason, feeling pretty, taking pictures, and the sunlight in late afternoon.

Having a digital camera makes it so much easier to take a photo of yourself! If you are going to do this, here are some tips:

*It is still important to take the picture from a good angle, I like this one. When you are looking up, your neck is thin! But watch that your nose doesn't look weird in the shot. (yes, I'm serious!)

* you don't have to be looking at the camera to get a good shot.

* Keep trying! After each shot, look at your picture and do it again if it cut part of your head off!

* Watch the lighting! I have taken pictures of myself in the direct sunlight, and that doesn't work well. It doesn't always work too well when you use a flash either, because you aren't able to hold the camera far enough from your face.

* Be careful that your arm doesn't show up too much in the shot! It may take away from the picture.

*If there are 3 of you, hold your heads side by side, literally cheek to cheek, and have the one in the middle take the picture. If one of you is slightly in front of the others, they will look huge!

* Lastly, if you have never done this and have no idea how to, simply hold the digital camera out and face it toward you. This will end up being a close up, remember! Aim it at your face, and make sure you keep your arm steady as you push the button. (Rememember that everything is reversed. I have turned the camera off due to pushing the wrong button more times than I can tell you! If this happens to you, you are not alone! )

Falling from my memory

Ahhh the fall! Leaves falling from the trees, Pumpkin stands by the road, the sweet crunch of a caramel apple....all of these things bring back memories of years past. I feel like last year's ride on the haywagon just happened a few months ago, but I already have pictures from this year's pumpkin patch experience, so it had to be over a year ago! Life gets confusing, especially if you wait a few years to put your pictures into an album! Here's another example! Last night on the news, the weatherman was talking to another anchor about the weather, and that we were getting the first frost of the season. This is unusual, he said, because at this point in October, we have usually had several by now. The anchor said, "I remember that we had snow on Halloween a few years ago." The weatherman says, "Actually, that was 10 years ago!"
If you already have years and years worth of pictures that are collecting dust somewhere, don't stop with just feeling guilty! Put those pictures into an album with journalling telling what was happening. If you are starting a new phase of your life, as a wife, mother, or gramma for example, start scrapbooking those memories and photos now. You will never regret it!

What's that girl doing?

There are always opportunities to take pictures at the Children's Museum! This page turned out just as I'd hoped it would! It really is very basic! I used a perfect fit paper from the Inspirational pack, so the word, "Discover" is already written on there! Then I added the title using letter stickers. I matted my favorite picture (I am really into pictures of the back of people right now!) and that was easy to do because the paper came in the same pack, so it matched perfectly. I cut out the boat that my daughter had made, and that's it!

So, lately I've been scrapping a lot, staying up pretty late, too. It's worth it, though, because I have really gotten a lot done. I just finished the 4th of July, and now I'm doing the 5th of July! Ok, JK. I just did the 5th , too. Yes, it is that bad, if you must ask! I have a retreat coming up in November, so I think I'll get everything done by my vacation! That's my goal!

Thanks to everyone who came to the workshop last night! We had a good time, pumpkin pie and cranberry tea. I stayed up long after the last of you had gone! I finished 7 pages! That isn't much I know, but the 4th of July was hard for me this year due to the fact that I feel I have exhausted every patriotic theme over the past 5 years. Other than that, I have really been inspired and having great page ideas. That makes scrapping so much easier! I have almost 2 books done now, and they need journalled.

Of course, scrapping is not all I have been doing with my time! I have been busy with teaching, meetings and something new, a Creative Memories party that I didn't even drive to Murrysville to do! It's a catalog party, but we just put the info in to my website, and then my customer (the host) sent out e-invitations explaining that everyone could look over the website online and order whatever they wanted and it would be shipped to them in days! She will still get the class credit for sales. This worked out perfectly for everyone involved, since they were all busy, and knew all about scrapbooking already. If you would like to check out my website and see all the new products and even order, click here: www.mycmsite.com/alea

Tip of the day: When you are using a new tool, make sure you try it out on a dud or a scrap piece of paper first. This is especially important if you did not purchase it from Creative Memories. One of my customers found this out the hard way and ruined a picture of her and her husband from the early days that just cannot be replaced.

Scrap Happy!

Filling the page with pictures

We went to the Children's Museum with friends, and I took just over 100 pictures! Of course I picked through them and didn't keep them all, but there were still A LOT of pictures I just had to get printed. In order to save room in my daughter's album, I completely covered the page with pictures and was able to pare our Museum visit down to a mere 4 pages. Above are 2 of the pages. I used the new everyday alphabet stickers to write the first letter of each kid's name. I liked how the super bright and fun stickers went with the pictures and memories. The top page shows the title I made using the same stickers, but also regular letter stickers. Don't worry, I did leave room on the pages not shown here for some journaling!

School Picture Day

I took my daughter to get her picture taken the other day. School photos! We are homeschooling, so I get to pick the company that takes my daughter's pictures! Just an added treat! I love the way they turned out. Something new they are doing is taking close ups so that they can use them in a sort of picture collage. They took a close up of her hands pointing to the globe, her hands folded in front of her, (I loved this because it showed a close up of her shirt and jeans, which I had carefully picked out for her to wear) and other close ups of that nature. I loved the idea of showcasing certain elements like that! I couldn't see paying for the close up of her shirt and pants, but I did take the very same picture in the parking lot as soon as we left!

Tip of the Day: Did you know that at most picture places you can bring your own props? I have been doing this more and more. I used to hate props in pictures because they didn't mean anything! Plus, they often are old and cheap looking, having been chewed on and played with by hundereds of other kids. I still think that some occasions don't need props. You don't want to take away from the outfit or person in the picture. You simply want to enhance. You also might want to write down pictures that you want the photographer to get.

Some examples of props I brought:

boy and girl picture: a live, fresh rose when my daughter and Daniel had their pic taken together

Kindergarten: I brought her school books, new backback, a fun, feathery pen, an apple and the globe

Easter: a giant basket I have that my girl can still fit in, her Easter basket, a marshmellow chick, a new stuffed bunny and a crystal cross

Christmas: a candy cane