sticking to my plan

Get it?!! This is Shelby's sucker from yesterday that she tried to toss in the garbage bag in our car. Notice all the other gunk on the floor in there? I bet it has not been two weeks since I swept it out either. Lots of living going on in the Grand Caravan. Anyway, back to my plan. I am going strong on my "day in the life photos". Shelby is one good sport. Olivia, not so much. I even used the timer today to get one of me. And coerced Dave into taking another of me in the kitchen preparing one of a million meals I seem to prepare weekly :) Good insight into living, these pictures are. And I am really enjoying taking pics with my digi rebel, all on manual or manual-ish mode, with my 50 mm.

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FREE digital Christmas card template!

(photo by Carla Essen)
(click on card to view larger)

Ok, I made a template of my 2006 Christmas card. It is not an exact duplicate, but pretty close and the work of creating the tree is done for you, which is what most people are seeking. So, without further ado, here is the link to download a 7"x5" card template.

http://www.4shared.com/file/65024052/a376f50b/tree_card_template.html

This my first ever try at a template, and my first upload to 4shared so go easy on me, but if there are issues let me know and I will try my best to address them. Enjoy and if you make a card using this, PLEASE, leave a link on the comments. It would be a thrill to me.

Finally, I made this using PhotoShop CS2.

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a week in the life

I am on day 2 of taking pics of my everyday life, and I am trying to do this consistently for a mere 7 days to make a scrapbook covering the topic of just THIS week, documenting...a week in our life. I totally dig Ali Edward's style and I am inspired by her challenge on her blog so I plan to give it a whirl. Starting out yesterday with some gorgeous pics of these two certainly spirred me on! Today I got some more realistic things like 3 unmade beds, overflowing laundry baskets, my sewing machine, half done projects laying around...you know, real life! My other goal is to really simplify the layout of the book too. I am going to use only one or two digi scrapbook templates, choose one digi kit and maybe a few additional elements. That's it. Simply, simplified.

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twilight

I am not sure entirely why I was so resistant about this series, I guess b/c the whole Vampire undercurrent just did not appeal to me. Last Friday, I enjoyed a night out with neighbors and again this became a topic and a MUST READ. The next day, my neighbor dropped it off. As of yesterday, I had read 50 pages. Today, I am 300+ pages into it. It is hard to put down, and a sick clingy kid has given me MUCH opportunity to read today. Not all bad in this case. Clearly, I had better get my name in at the library for the rest in the series. Geez, another temptation to fill my days. Add that to:
kids
small job
housework
housework
housework
computer time
crafting
shopping.....

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craftiness, tutorials, sewing...

I am pretty consumed lately by all the cool stuff I see online. Some, I am willing to buy, and much of it, I am inspired to try to create. Here is a list and lots of links to some things truly striking my fancy ( you may recognize some as things I have recently tried or incorporated into my office refresh!);

Hoop de Doo: embroidery hoops turned wall art
Little Birdie Secrets: too many good things to call out each one individually, scroll through for some awesome ideas such as fabric boards, magnetic boards, embroidery hoop wall art, baby goodness
white canvas turned art with fabric: definitely going to knock one of these off for my owl themed office
gratitude wrap: love this concept and a wee bit of googling unveiled a tutorial to make them, click here.
BHG 100 decorating ideas under $100-treated myself to this special issue (sorry, cannot find a direct link online) and it was an incredibly well spent $5.99. I have dogeared 20+ pages of great, easy, affordable ideas.
glasses case made from a man's tie: haven't tried this, want to!

I will have to do a part II of this next week b/c now I need to return to work before my youngest darling returns home from pre-school! Pin It