the "I" in team

It's that time of the year again! Time to dust off the ole' bat and glove and focus on springtime sports. Last year was my daughter's first experience playing a sport that wasn't feminine in any way. But she is still very much a girl, and I wanted these page layouts to reflect that. I used soft pinks and lilacs and baseball stickers to do these pages. I also captured my daughter as she is, wearing her pink butterfly shirt to practice, swinging her pink bat and holding her pink baseball mitt, and taking her T ball pictures in front of the tulips that were in bloom.

It can be hard to get pictures during the game. I've noticed this with soccer and dance as well. The kids just seem so far away from you when they are on the field (or on stage). I've found it easier to get closer during practices, when the coaches probably won't mind as much. It's OK to ask for permission, and the coaches will probably appreciate that and try to make it easier for you to get a good shot if you ask. They will let you know the best time to take the picture, so that it won't interfere with practice.

While we are talking about coaches, I'd like to give you my little tip for making coaches feel special. I like to give my favorite coaches a little thank you gift at the end of the season. You can give a framed photo, or if you're willing to spend a little more, get something made with a picture of your child and the coach or the whole team. We gave my daughter's soccer coach a mug with the team picture on it last year. We were even able to personalize it to say thanks to the coach.

Right now, my daughter is just about to start Teeball for the spring season. She is also getting ready for her dance recital which will be at the beginning of next month. Soccer started 2 weeks ago. Whew! I have plenty of opportunities to take pictures; let's just hope I get time to scrap them!

Scrap Happy!

For more Easter page and picture ideas, simply click on my past blogs. I have several past blogs on Easter. Remember, Easter isn't really about eggs and bunnies. It's about a God who loved you so much that he gave his own child to save your life. Happy Easter!

What you mean to us

At my Mom's 60th birthday party, I made sure to get a picture of every guest. This is something I always do at my daughter's parties. Next, I handed journaling blocks and a CM pen to them after taking their picture, and asked them to write something to my mom. I've learned that people like to have some kind of guideline with this activity, so I asked them to write something they had learned from her, or something sweet about her and how much she meant to them. It's very important to collect them before people leave the party. They always want to take the paper and write later, but in my experience, you probably will never get that person's completed journaling box back, so strongly encourage them to finish it before leaving that day.

I then put together a 7x7 album for her, including the pictures of the party first, and then placing the journaling boxes with a picture of the person who wrote it. It's one of my favorite albums I ever made! It was relatively easy, too. I used the Paradise Storybox, and it comes with paper and journaling boxes that are perfectly coordinated.

I gave it to her for Mother's Day, and she loved it!

Scrap Happy!

P.S. I answered your questions as best as I could in my own comment. See the comments in the blog below this one!