mypictales.com

I managed to get a couple more layouts for my niece's book done, the past couple days. She was my flower girl, even though she was only 15 months old, and she did GREAT!! We had been told she would be to young, but my Mom and I knew she would do fine, and even if she had messed up, it wouldn't have mattered. However she almost did better than the ring bearer, and was leading him down the isle some of the time, instead of him having to lead her. The one photo on the journaling page, (One of my favorite photo's from my wedding, because of the delight on the faces behind her) shows my Aunt Betty, and I just love her expression, she was looking at Kali with a huge smile on her face, because she was doing so well.

Kit Credit: Fairytale Wedding, Victorian Wedding, Easter Basket kit, and Heathers Purple Rose kit ALL by Blushbutter

Well after lots of pulling of hair, and gnashing of teeth...its possible I may have my book uploaded. There is still a problem, it gives me an error message, when the book is 99% done uploading, but they said that its there, it just not showing up in my member area...but they are going to get with me tomorrow and see about fixing this problem too. Hopefully I'll still be able to use a coupon even though most of this has not been their fault. I had to finally call my phone company, and ask if the modem had a firewall on it, and how to turn it off. That seemed to do the trick, and let me finally start uploading. I tell you, I'm tired of messing with this for now!! LOL

My pic tales has been great, they tried to help me out alot, sent lots of e-mails, and called me a couple times trying to figure it out. Their customer service is wonderful, not many companies would try to do everything they could to help you figure out a problem, that was on your side, and not theirs!! I've heard their books are even better than the one I got from Shutterfly, which I was really happy with, so I'm sure I will be getting more books from mypictales.com because they seem to care about their customers. Granted, I haven't actually SEEN a book printed yet, so don't know for sure, but I would bet, from their standard of customer service, that their standard of printing is going to be top notch too. I'm sure I'll be all excited when I get my book, and let you know how it turns out!! I just wish I had thought to call the phone company last week, when I first discovered the problem, so I would have had a chance of getting my book by my Birthday...or shortly thereafter. LOL Oh well, least I should have the order process done by them...least I would think so!

The things I have liked most about this company so far is the fact that I can put as many pages as I want, in a book, that I can do a custom cover for the 8.5X11 books where with shutterfly I can't...only the square ones have custom covers there,the GREAT customer service that they have, AND last but not least the fact that each extra page is half the price of shutterfly's extra pages. All in all, I'm looking forward to seeing my book printed, and as long as I like the books...being able to order more later on, when I get more layouts done.

Anyway, I haven't gotten anything done that I needed to the last couple of days, except for baking some bread, and these two layouts, so I have to get off here, and hope I can get supper on time...or not to late. LOL Hopefully tomorrow I can catch up, and still maybe get a couple layouts done, we will see.

Template Fun

Today I played around with a free template that Blushbutter sent through the Blush~n~Dusty Yahoo group a week or so ago. I just love the looks of this, so had to look through and find some pictures of Kali, so I could use it in her book.

The first layout is Kali and I the spring before I got married. She really has been one of the greatest gifts in my life. The 2nd one is Kali taking a bath in my Grandma's kitchen sink. She was playing with a toy boat and having fun.

Kit Credits: Template, Baby girl heart strings kit, strip for note from Gentle kit, Bubbles overlay from Baby girl kit ALL by Blushbutter

Well yesterday I decided to go download the new version of the free virus program that I use, and get it installed. I went to the site, and clicked on the link that took me to download it on download.com, and once it was downloaded, I installed it and tried to get it set up. It was giving me some error messages, and I couldn't figure out why till finally last night I discovered it had a virus in it. I guess I trusted the download place, cause I've seen things about them before.

So anyway, I uninstalled the program, and went and downloaded it from the actual site that made the program, and it checked out fine, so I installed it, and had it check out my system. It takes forever to check everything out, because I have so much stuff on my computer, so I finally left my computer on, and went to bed...something I don't usually do. I ran another check this morning with another program, and I think I'm fine...still have to run spy sweeper before I breath easy again. I hate how slow it makes my computer when I'm running them, it takes so long to do anything on it, which has made it hard for me to get lots done, took me all morning to do these to layouts...even though they were with templates. LOL

I haven't answered e-mails, cause they go out so slowly I didn't want to sit there waiting for them to get out, before I sent the next. Nothing major urgent in the e-mail, so I guess that's ok. Anyway, the moral of my story is even if you trust the place where you get a program, you really should check it out, before installing it!! We will see if I remember that, the next time. Sometimes I'm kinda slow learning. *giggle*

Nothing else of major interest going on around here, it is warmer today thankfully (almost 70). Yesterday was a little on the chilly side. I hope all of you had a great weekend. Thanks so much for your comments!! :)

Happy Mothers Day!!!

I want to wish my wonderful mother a very Happy Mothers Day!! Thank you so much for all you have always done for us Mom. I Love you very much!

I hope all of you Mom's have a great Mothers Day. Its a special day so try to take some time to do something you have been wanting to do!

I was able to work on Kali's Prom pictures today, I didn't expect to get them done, but I did, so thought I would post them tonight. I did a 8x8 version for her book, and also a 8.5X11 version for my 2008 book, although I won't post them because they are pretty close to the same, with just some minor changes. Wasn't she just beautiful in that pretty pink princess dress?

I had to do a page with just her on it, which meant I then had to crowd all the other photo's onto one layout. LOL Well all the other ones that I decided to use. There were lots more, a lot of which were close to the same, or blurry, so I tried to pick the best ones out to use. While I know that I could be happier with the pages, I'm not as dissatisfied as I thought I would end up being, so that makes me pretty happy! LOL I just think she is sooo beautiful, that I would be hard pressed to do a layout worthy of her I think.

Kit Credit: Pink and Cream Circle Frames, Victorian Wedding Kit, Baby Girl Heartstrings kit , Beautiful Belles kit, and Victorian Dolls kit by Blushbutter. I blended several backgrounds to get this one.

Once again, I want to wish all of you a great Mothers day, especially that most wonderful special Lady who I was blessed to have for my Mother. I love you Mom!!

Making Cheese and Kali's cover.

Time got away from me again today. This morning we made our first batch of cheese out of Goats milk. It was kinda fun, because DH and I did it together. I didn't know that Mozzarella cheese had to be pulled like taffy, till I was reading the recipe the other day. DH's family used to make taffy at the county fairs around this area, and sell it, and were "famous" for it. We have made it since we got married, and it was good! Seeing DH "pulling" the cheese, made me think of our 4th of July party we had one year, shortly after we got married, and the fun everyone had making taffy. Several members of his family as well as mine was there.

This afternoon after the fun with cheese, I worked on more of Kali's book. I finished the cover and the first page of the book today...although there IS a good chance the cover could change...not sure yet. Is it to "little girlish" for her picture, and the fact that its a graduation gift? If so, let me know, I like how they turned out, but it just may not be quite right...course it HAS to be pink, as that's her favorite color, but maybe it should somehow be different. That title is a working title too, anyone have any better ideas? LOL Especially for the "The first 18 years" part...my mind was blank so I just put that, but its easy enough to change later, if I get a better one in mind.

The first two pages, are of course the front and back page of the book. Since its a graduation gift, I wanted to have something about graduation there...even though she won't get it, till after graduation, so I can include graduation photo's in it. And I just love this paper, in pink, blue, or I'm sure any other color, so I had to use it for the cover.

I'm afraid I kinda shut my DH out of this first page (of the book, last page of the post)...(Sorry Galen!) I do plan on doing a couple pages at the end of the book that has a letter from us in it, and he will be included in that. I know he loves her a lot too, and the poem would work for him also, but I guess I was being a little selfish today, and wanted a page with her and I for the start, because she and I bonded when she was little, when I was able to spend more time with her, before we got married. LOL I suppose that page could change in the future too....we will see. This book really IS from both of us! LOL

Kit Credit for all: Baby Girl Heart Strings kit and Alpha pack 1 by Blushbutter

Anyway, time got away from me, while I was doing these pages, and before I knew it, it was past time for supper to be in the oven. *giggle* This is the 2nd day in a row, that supper will be a little late (although for different reasons). Thankfully my DH is a wonderful man, and doesn't gripe about it, although with him being diabetic, he really SHOULD eat at regular times. Hopefully a half hour off isn't to bad for him. LOL

I hope you all have a great weekend, if I'm lucky, and get to scrap....I'm hopefully going to work on prom pictures this weekend. I'm afraid of not making the page good enough for the beauty of my niece, so I've kinda put them off a little...but I did promise her I would work on them, once I got them, so I better get started. I have the feeling they will take me forever to do, just because I would really like them to show off the photo's well. I know they won't be good enough in my mind...but then we all KNOW how my mind works (or doesn't work) at times. *snicker*

Maybe next weekend I'll start trying to come up with ideas for a new kit...and maybe not, who knows. :)

Thanks so much for all of your comments & e-mails!! :)

A couple layouts and a tongue lashing

I managed a couple layouts for Kali's book this morning. The first layout is her parents, and the changing of her diaper...one of those every day moments with babies. The 2nd layout is my Dad, holding her. I thought the Orange of this kit went with her mothers shirt, so used the Gentle kit again, with some of the quilling flowers on the metal corner. I really love the flags I used in the 2nd layout, for the title. I also love the fact that there was a set with a drop shadow, and a set without, this time I used it with, but once in a while I could see where that wouldn't be what I would want, so its nice to have the choice! And don't you just love that fluffy looking feather. LOL

Kit Credit: Gentle Kit, Box of Quilling Kit, and on the first one I used a frame from the Digi Frame Pack ALL by Blushbutter

Not much newsworthy happening, least not around here. We did get a tongue lashing this morning, by one of our Doxie's when we got back in from milking, cause they inadvertently got locked outside. *giggle* I came in, saw them both standing at the patio door, in the kitchen, and let them in, then Rascal started barking at me, like he does, when we've been gone, and he is chewing us out, for not taking him with us. Then about the time he was settling down, DH came in, and he started all over again. DH felt sorry for them, so gave them one of their treats...which always makes Rascal start barking in excitement and dancing around, till DH can get them out of the bag, and give him one. It was rather funny to be chewed out this morning by a doxie though. I had to laugh at him, which only made him do it more. :)

Hope you all are having a good day! Thanks so much for the comments!

Milkin and Scrappin

I did the layout for Kali's Dad's letter to her to go opposite the one from her Mom. I used several photo's of her and her Dad as she was growing up, along with one that Dad took this weekend at her prom.

Kit Credit: Grandcestors by Idgie's Heartsong There is so much more in that kit I want to use, but I'm so slow lately at getting things done. LOL If I ever get back to my favorite kinda layouts....heritage....I'll be using more of this kit for sure.


I was going through this years pictures and seeing what I had and hadn't scrapped, and also looking at the layouts for this years book, and seeing what needed a layout that looked good beside it this morning. So when I saw that I would need one beside the last layout that I did of Kali's Prom Dress, I decided to use the other photo I had of her trying on her prom dress. Hopefully I'll manage to get caught up with this years photo's in the next few weeks, now that I've decided what I have left, that needs scrapped. Then I can maybe get back to last years photos...course they need organized too, so I can see what I've used, and what I haven't.

Kit Credit: Box of Quilling, Victorian Wedding kit and Good Men kit by Blushbutter.

Except for the wind, yesterday was a beautiful day. It was warm, and I've had the furnace turned off since yesterday...which is the longest so far this year!! I also had some of the windows open all night, which was wonderful...it got a little cool by morning, but sure was nice to be able to have that fresh air, and listen to the night sounds...which actually was mostly the wind. LOL I did shut them this morning, as I get cold when I'm not under all our blankets, but so far haven't turned on the heat...hopefully I won't have to. Today isn't suppose to be quite as warm, but its still not as bad as last week.

I'm still milking, the hand milker we got didn't work to well, so I would still have to milk at least half the milk, so it was just faster all around to send it back, and do it all myself. We are planning on trying another one, which is the one I wanted in the first place, but it was so much higher, DH convinced me to try the cheaper one. (He KNOWS I'm a cheap skate usually, so it didn't take much to convince me. LOL) However once we get the money back from that one, I guess we will have to order the other more expensive one, and pray that it works. It has good reviews, and DH can only find one person who didn't like it, so least that's something. I really hope it will pretty much milk out the goats, so there isn't more than a couple squirts left...my left hand cramps up bad when I have to do it all...and even my right does some, just not as bad. However its nice to have the milk, so as long as I can, I will milk by hand, if that's the only way we can manage it. We still haven't managed to get enough in the freezer for a nice batch of cheese...but we are getting there.

I do have to admit, though, that I would also love to have a milk cow, cause I would love to be able to make my own butter...never been to fond of cows, cause they are so big, but having fresh butter all the time would be wonderful. Unfortunately cows are way to expensive...so unless we can "scrounge" one for free I don't suppose we will be so lucky...least not for a while. A couple of milk cows, and a bull would go nicely in our back pasture...once we get the fence done, and provide us with lots of butter...prob to much. LOL I know what your thinking, the bull won't give us much milk...however he would make sure the cows could keep providing us with some by making sure they had calves now and again, so that's why I included a bull in the mix, although I don't know if I would really WANT a bull...least not if he is the least bit mean. Since DH keeps saying he has milked a cow, but not goats...maybe he could manage to milk them. I on the other hand, have never milked a cow...so I would use his excuse on them and say I can't! *giggle*

The "training" for milking is going well...least for the goats. When they get done eating and start stamping their feet, or sitting down or whatever they do, to make it impossible for me to milk them, I give them a little more feed, and hurry up and milk some more. Yep, its going good for them, not so much for me though! LOL I have no idea how people who have well behaved milk goats do it, but I sure wish I knew. I know I shouldn't let them train me, but I just can't milk them when they are sitting down, or moving around so I can't hit the opening on the bucket, so what else can I do, but dole out their food a little at a time, to try to make it last till I get done milking. It is REALLY annoying to say the least, but I can't say that I hate going out there every morning...wish it could be afternoon, instead of morning, as it would fit into my usual schedule better, but someday, I'll get a new schedule figured out. Till then, things will just not get done, if I run out of time...not that that is really anything new. *snicker* Course come winter, I'm not so sure I'll enjoy going out every morning and freezing...can't milk with gloves on, and as warm as two fingers would be on each hand, cause they are in contact with two warm teets (two fingers is all I use, as they are so small), the rest of my hand could freeze...but maybe in the winter we won't have to milk as much, cause we will be expecting babies.

Anyway, enough rambling, I need to go find lunch, and get some dishes washed...and any number of things, that probably won't all get done. LOL Have a great day everyone, and go say Hi to Blushbutter at DST, she is Queen for the day there today!!! She is also giving away some goodies...so look all the way through the thread!

Grandparents pages

I worked on Kali's grandparents pages today. The journaling isn't on the layouts because its private. I included each set of Grandparent's wedding photos, along with a photo of their kids, and of course them WITH Kali. I kinda like how they turned out.

Kit Credit: Vintage Vibrance and Rosey Recollections by Lara Payton I think Rosey Recollections was discontinued a while back.

We had a good weekend, and its lots warmer so far this week, than it was last week!! Course today, its windy, but that's not really unusual for Nebraska. Its sitting at 70 F. right now, so I'm going to have to go out and see if I can get some sun, without blowing away.

Kali said she had a good time at prom, although it was over way to soon. Once the professional pictures come in, I'll have to get those layouts done, but I'm waiting, so I can look at all of the pictures, and decide which to use. I have a ton left to do for the book anyway...just can't seem to get busy and get them done! LOL

When the Dr called DH last Friday, the first thing she said, was he could drop the extra med she put him on last time, since his blood sugar was way down, so I was happy we didn't even have to ask!! She was very pleased that it was down.

That's all the "news" I have, so I better get off the computer, I have to start some rice for supper, and go outside, till the bedding I've been washing is done, so I can make our bed. I hope everyone is having a good day.

Prom

This is my beautiful niece trying on her prom dress. The dress is beautiful too, and I can't wait to get some photo's of her at the prom!! I just wish I could be the one who takes some, but my Dad is suppose to be taking some for me, and I like his photo's, so I guess I will survive. LOL

Kit Credit: Box of Quilling, Victorian Wedding, Goodmen kit, pink circle frames and alpha pk 2 ALL by Blushbutter. To get the gray background, I blended two papers, one was from Victorian Wedding and one from Goodmen kit. I have always loved pink and gray...and as much as Kali would probably have liked having the layout be more pink, I don't didn't want to much pink, since the dress was all pink.

My niece has been so excited about prom, and thinks it will never get here! LOL Well tomorrow is finally the day, so I bet she is just WAY to excited right now. She wasn't thrilled about the theme...can't blame her...and I won't be looking for a kit with her theme, as it just wouldn't look good with her dress, least I don't think so. The theme for prom this year, is casino...she said that a "guy" picked it...and had a really scathing sound to her voice when she said it to! *giggle* I can't blame her, that guy sounds like he doesn't have a romantic bone in his body, or at least in my opinion, I can't imagine a casino being a romantic place to be...and sure wouldn't want to go with a guy who liked to gamble. Ah well, its not my prom...course wouldn't have mattered if it was, as I never went...or even wanted to! LOL

Kali however is really excited about going, she is planning on getting her nails and hair done tomorrow before prom, and while I think she is beautiful without that, I'm sure she will be even more so!! She's growing up on me! I still find it hard to believe that in another year, she will be graduating!! Anyway, I'm sure I will be doing her prom pictures in the next week or two, if I get them!! LOL I have two pages saved in HER book for this prom, and then I will have to have at least one more of my regular sized layouts of it, for this years book for me. I was informed that I had to do them SOON, so she could see them. *giggle* Course she also informed me, that I hadn't been bloggin as much lately...I don't really have a good excuse as to why, except for the fact that I've not been scrappin as much, or on the computer as much. Sorry I've not been able to talk to you as much lately Kali!! Our timing has been off lately, I think! LOL I hope you have fun at the prom tomorrow, don't stay out TOOO late...and stay safe!!! And make sure your Grandpa gets me a bunch of pictures...both With your BF and without!!!

Ok, I better stop rambling and get off here, hopefully we don't get much snow, they don't think we will, but further west in NE, they have a bunch...I'm sure thankful we don't live out there!! LOL Next week however is suppose to be nice and warm, so I guess winter is just having a last fling...least we hope its its last fling for this season! For those of you, who do have more snow...try and stay warm! Spring is just around the corner....I think! LOL

Thanks for your comments! Have a great weekend!!!

Sunshine!

Yesterday was such a dreary day, and for some reason I was longing for some warm cheerful sunshine. The week seemed to have been more dreary than I wanted I think, and while things got done, it seemed to take forever and not leave much time for anything else. Today however the sun is shining, its 55 degrees out, which is warm enough to not need a coat, since there isn't any wind, its really a beautiful day out side! I was out earlier, we even managed to figure out where to put our cloths line...that I MAY finally get this month. I would have tried to talk him into getting the poles in today, except he had to go somewhere this afternoon. Oh well, for sure this month, if all goes well!!

I started this layout last night, after supper and stargate, because I all of a sudden got an idea for it. Its the page that goes opposite the one I did yesterday, so I wanted it the same....but different, you know same colors and all, but a different layout. So since I actually got an idea for it, instead of just having to come play around with things, I worked on it and got it almost finished last night. That made me happy, cause I had more time today for other things, yet got my two layouts for Kali's book done this week...even if that's all I manage, I can be happy about that. Anyway, this is my niece, with her Dad (my brother). I cut the quilling corner that I used in my last layout up, for this layout, so I didn't have to have it on a corner. I thought it worked pretty good, and love the flowers around the photo's too. Of course I used the ferns yet again....can you tell I love those ferns! LOL I've used them in 3 out of the 4 layouts I've done with this kit so far. Wonder how many more I could use them in! *giggle*

Kit Credit: Easter Basket by Blushbutter

We got our hand milker today, so I can stop having to milk the goats by hand fully, which will hopefully make my hands ache less!! I've noticed my left hand doesn't do near as good a job of getting the milk out as my right...but that's probably just because I am right handed. I can't wait to see how the milker works, and how the goats like it over me doing it all. Hopefully it will help DH be able to manage it, at least some of the time, by himself. Annie, the goat that is my favorite to milk, is also the hardest to get up on the stand, so she can eat, and I can milk. The other goat will jump right up and get to eating, but Annie has to be lifted up. We can't figure out what her problem is, and why she just won't remember how to jump up there on her own. LOL I guess she can't be easy all the way around, has to be stubborn about something, since she isn't so bad trying to get her to stand for milking.

Anyway, I have some things to do, so better get off here. I hope you all have a great weekend! Thanks for your comments!! :)

Spring!!

Well it may not look or really even feel like it, with the dreary cold dampness outside, but spring is here! The Grass is SLOWLY turning green, the baby goats are scampering around the pasture....that is of course when its not raining, AND.....last night, DH called me outside to hear the FROGS!!!!! Yippee!!!!! *giggle* Granted its still more brown out there than green, and rather chilly, (only 41 F. right now) but there is real hope, now that I've heard the frogs, that spring really is around the corner. I so love the sound of the frogs, its a sound I grew up with, and the love for them has carried over into my adult life. I remember laying in bed at night in the spring when I was growing up, with my window open and listening to the frogs, and thinking how peaceful it was. Unfortunately now our window isn't on the creak side of the house, so hearing them at night isn't easy, but I still enjoy listening to them during the day.

I haven't managed to do much this week, not sure why, but I had a few extra things to do and somehow I just haven't had time to scrap. I sat down today and threw this layout together in psp, as I didn't want to take the time to learn more in pse. I was afraid I wouldn't get it finished if I did that. I really kinda like how it turned out, and at least I have managed to get one layout for Kali's book done this week....I really want to do at least one a week, two would be better! LOL Course I also would like to do some of my other photo's each week, but its looking like this week, that won't happen.

Anyway this layout shows Kali having a tea party with her Great Grandma, and her Grandpa. I thought those photo's were just to cute to be left out, and love little girls tea party's.

Kit Credit: Easter Basket kit with tags from Heart Strings baby girl kit by Blushbutter and the tea cup is from my own Precious Memories kit.

I hope you are all having a good week, hopefully more productive than mine has been, and will have a great weekend!

Play Time

I did another page for my niece's shutterfly book today. This page will go opposite the last one I did. This one shows some photo's I took of her, earlier that year, on a visit to her house. I had bought her a toy cell phone, and she took it outside to play with it, when we went. The photo that is behind the one of her leaning over the slide, is her on the same slide, only standing up, pretending to talk on it. I just HAD to use these photo's in her book, because now just a short 12 years later, she has a real cell, and is almost surgically attached to it....ok not really, but she uses it WAY to much! *giggle* (and has had one for several years)

Kit Credit: Easter Basket by Blushbutter

Well we milked our goats for the first time today. I really thought we would wait a little longer, giving them more time to settle in, and more time of letting us handle them. But I think DH was really wanting some cereal! LOL Cereal isn't something we have all that often, but once in a blue moon we each get some, we hadn't had any yet this year, and I guess he couldn't wait for another 2-3 weeks, so said it was time to milk the goats. The kids are old enough to be separated, but I can't say I wanted to start yet! We still have to order our "milker" as it will be much easier to use one of those, I think, and will also save my hands from repetitive motion, which starts them hurting. I was going to do the milker, this next month, so figured if we waited another 2-3 weeks, we would have a better chance of having it....guess I will have to try to help DH learn how to milk a goat with really short nipples, if my hands and wrists start bothering me before we get it. With this being their first time kidding, they don't have a big bag yet.

However DH seemed to like this milk well enough when he drank a little to taste it, seemed to think it was as good as the last he drank...I'm not so sure it was THAT good(as that milk was REALLY good), but it wasn't bad, like the last goat we had, that I tried to milk. Now I have to go figure out what kind of cheese to try first! LOL Cause we got just slightly less than a quart from the two goats...so we should be able to start having extra in a few days, not sure how much you need for a batch of cheese, but hopefully we can make some, sometime in the next month, if we can get the other ingredients for it.

Well I need to go see if the dough I made earlier for pizza, is ready to be rolled out! I made the sauce yesterday, so will finish making the pizza's today and stick them in the freezer, for a nice weekend treat. Oh and sure Hummie (or any of you), feel free to come on over, just let me know when and how many to expect, so I take enough out of the freezer (or make more if we don't have enough)! *giggle*

Thanks so much for your comments, I really appreciate them!!

Our Sweetie Pie

This is my niece in 1996, wasn't she just a doll. We put her on the trunk of our car, just before we were leaving to go home, and I snapped a few photo's of her. I just had to cut some out...although this time I didn't do as good a job as I would have liked, because I don't do well with hair! LOL I really need to learn how to do it better, but until then, I guess this is the result. Anyway, don't you just LOVE that background? Love that color of pink, and although I ended up covering most of it up, the design is really pretty too....there are flowers blended into it. Love those ferns too! LOL

Kit Credit: Easter Basket kit and Digi Frame pack by Blushbutter

I managed to do this layout without my PSPXI freezing up and having to shut down, I couldn't believe it. The other day I was trying to scrap, and had a lot of trouble with it freezing so bad that it had to shut down before I could do anything (this happen several times, before I gave up on it). Some days its worse than others, but I have to say, I've almost had it, with it. As much as I have LOVED Paint Shop Pro, and never had much problem, with any other version, this version is nothing but trouble, and yet I hate to go back to X because XI has some things I use now and then, that X doesn't have. I'm almost to the point where I'm going to try to forget I own psp, and just go to one of the ps programs...but I hate to do that, cause even though I'm trying to learn them better the last few weeks, I am still way more comfortable in psp. I also love the fact that you can drag a photo, paper, or element from the browser, straight onto the page you are working on, and haven't figured out how to do that in ps...if it even CAN be done. I know, I'm just lazy, what can I say! *giggle*

I may have to get the trial version of ps elements 6, and see how it is, I saw a video on Hummie's forum where she was using it, and it looked much more to my liking than 5 did, when I saw it one time. There was something about 5 that I didn't like....not sure what now, but I liked the set up Hummie had on the video she was doing, soooo maybe I could grow to like that program as much as my psp. At least its only a $100 program, as opposed to $1000 so each time I had to upgrade, I wouldn't have to save for several months, before I could afford even the upgrade price! LOL If any of you have any opinion of ps elements 6 or any of the photo shop programs people use (good OR bad opinions) feel free to leave me a comment, or e-mail me and let me know what you think! Recommendations on if you would go with elements or maybe eventually (once I could save for it) CS3 and WHY would be greatly appreciated! Have any of you heard anything bad (or had bad experiences) with ps elements 6? I may have to start doing some research on them....if I ever have time to. LOL

Maybe PSP XI will start behaving, but I kinda doubt it, as it just seems to get worse over time...although it does have its good days too, like today was. Oh well, not much I can do now, but I do know sometime this year (or next at the latest, if this keeps up), I want something different, that WORKS....just when, or what that will be, I don't know. If it ends up being a ps program, I guess I will just have to buckle down, and learn it more than I have the older ones I have now. (I know, I could just go with the old ones, but I like to keep them updated as much as possible, cause they get to where they do more and more, and I, a lot of the time, find the newer versions easier to use...and the old ones I have aren't all that easy to me *giggle*) To me psp 10 (I know a lot of you won't agree, who use psp) was easier, and I liked it better than 9, so I'm hoping the new version of ps is that way to, as I played with elements 5 for a little bit one time, and all I remember is I didn't like it to well.

Anyway, that's enough rambling about programs, I have some things I need to do anyway, including making pizza sauce, so I better get it to cooking, and get my other chores done! LOL I hope all of you have a great week!!

How to take 18 years, and document them on 100 pages

1) First you have to go around and gather up all the photo's you can find, of your subject. Look in all the nooks and cranny's on your computer, as well as through all your old photo albums, and the boxes of photo's you may have laying around. Don't forget to call all the relatives, and ask if they by chance have any they can share with you.

2) Scan any photo's in, that aren't already on your computer, and if possible try to con someone else into scanning some photo's in for you also, so you don't have to. This is important, because it lets you do other things, like other layouts, cleaning that you always put off, because you're on the computer way to much, or even reading a book, one of the things you used to LOVE to do, till you discovered digital scrapbooking.

3)Next you make a folder for every year, and distribute all of the photo's into the correct folder. Its very important to have a few photo's for each year, and to know at least the year of each photo, so you can put the date on each layout, so future generations can know when the photo was taken. Of course you will always have some that don't have the date written on them, so in those you just have to try to guess and get as close as possible. I always tell myself it won't be the end of the world if my guess is wrong....hopefully I'm not lying to myself.

4)Next you double check, and make SURE you have gotten all the photo's from other people that you can, after all, you want to make sure you don't run out of photo's before you get to the end of the 100 pages.

5)Now you go to each years folder, and separate the photo's into groups. If there are several photo's that go together, either they were all taken on the same date, or were all taken on the same vacation or something like that, you put them into their own folder. You do this for ALL of the years folders.

6)Now its time to go back and figure out how many layouts you think there will be for each year...writing them down as you go, so you can go back and add them up.

7)You get out your calculator....because Math was never your best subject, and you want to make sure you get the right answer, and start adding...."WHAT? NO WAY, THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT!" so you go back and add them all up again...groan....and say to yourself "I'm in trouble!!!!!"

8)After figuring out that you have WAY to many photo's, kick yourself for begging everyone for their photos, although you ended up with some great ones, you hadn't seen before, you start going through and seeing what you can possibly live without and put it in a reject folder.

9)Grab that calculator, and add the pages up again...start pulling your hair out, when the answer is STILL way to high, sigh, and go back to rejecting even more of the precious photo's that help to tell the story of your loved ones first 18 years including a few "years" folders, that didn't have very many photo's in them, even though it was really important to have at least one layout for each year.

10)Several boxes of tissues later (which were needed to wipe away the tears that fell, for each rejected photo) you are finally down to 100 layouts worth of photo's. Send up a prayer that you counted right, and didn't reject some that would have been better to use, than some others you kept.

11)Write down an outline of what each of the 100 layouts are going to be about, in your notebook, so you can mark each one off as you do them. This is a very important step, as it helps you to get over the trauma of all those rejected photo's, because you ADORE lists! They make you feel good, and as you cross each one off, you can feel like you have accomplished something.

There now, don't you feel better already?

12)Later that evening, once you are recovered mostly from all the trauma of organizing 18 years worth of photo's, get on your computer, and blog about it so you can warn others that it is IMPOSSIBLE to cram 18 years worth of memories into 100 pages!!!!!!!!!!! Don't even try, unless you have lots of hair to spare, several boxes of tissues, and a strong heart that can handle seeing yet another of those precious photo's rejected.

Feel free to show anyone else this guide, who maybe thinking of attempting the same thing I did. You may very well save their sanity.

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As you have probably guessed, I managed to finish getting the photo's of Kali organized today. It was not easy, there are to many I had to leave out....and I'm hoping I left enough pages for the next year and a half's worth of photo's. There really aren't that many pages left, soooo I could be in big trouble! LOL Anyway, I was feeling silly, so had to do a "guide" for anyone who thinks they want to take 18 years worth of photo's and put them into a 100 page book....not going to happen, unless you don't take that many photo's.

BTW, that isn't really a "layout" up there, I just wanted to "illustrate" my "guide" with a "pile" of photo's. *snicker*

Now that I've wasted way to much of my evening on this silliness, I better get off here and get to bed. Before I go, I just want to say if you haven't already, you really should go check out Blushbutter's newest kit!! Its got some beautiful colors in it, and can be used for many different kinds of layouts! I made myself feel better this afternoon, by downloading it, even though I may not get to play with it, till next week. Its really beautiful, as hers usually are.

I hope you enjoyed my silliness a little, *giggle* thanks for the comments, both here on my blog, and through e-mail, have a great weekend!

Beautiful Day!!

Well I managed a layout today, don't know how! LOL This one is for Kali's Mom and a short letter she wrote her, to go in the first part of the book. Its private, so I won't be sharing the journaling.

Kit Credit: No Shrinking Violet by Idgie's Heartsong

I also got the photo's of Kali, scanned out of my older albums, so now just have to organize them and figure out what I have room to use. Then, maybe I can get down to actually scrapping more!!!!

Yesterday, I was up to my knees in Lace. *giggle* Ok not really, but I was working on some lace extractions for my newest kit, and I couldn't stop cause it was so pretty. It was behaving itself and extracting pretty well....or maybe I was just in the right mood to do it, I don't know. Anyway, I can't wait to get back to work on that kit, I think if it keeps going as well as it has been, that it could be one of my favorites. Course its got purple and green in it, which are two colors I love (duh! LOL) so that could be why. Anyway, hopefully I can do some more on it, in the next few days.

Its been sooooo nice here the past couple of days too! No need for a coat or anything. No frogs singing in the creek yet...like there were last year at this time, but last year we had warm temps to early and the fruit trees froze, so we don't need that again this year! I did manage to get a few photo's of the baby goats, but haven't managed to get them off the camera yet, so don't know if they turned out. We still have way to much mud out there, so I didn't go out and spend a long time with them. Maybe one of these days it will be warm AND dry, so I can.

The neighbor came over and helped spread out the big pile of rock, that was left in front of the barn, so now at least we can get into it again. We are so blessed with some of our neighbors!! Also the company we got the gravel from called and told us we could take some money off the bill...not enough to get another truck load, which we could still use, but hey, it still helps, and makes me less mad, that they left a big pile. Last time it didn't get spread out like it should, the other company we had used that time, didn't bother trying to make it right.

Sunday when I talked to my Mom, I found out a cousin died, (Everett) he had cancer. He actually was an umm.... 2nd or 3rd cousin I think. I helped him build a fish cleaning house in Minnesota one summer, when I was visiting my grandparents, when I was young. I enjoyed visiting him and his wife that summer, and even though we didn't stay that close, I have enjoyed the good memories I have of that summer once again, after hearing he was gone.

Well all in all, I have had a good week so far, I hope all of you have! Enjoy the warmth, if you are Lucky enough to have it, and have a wonderful weekend! Thanks so much for your comments.

Why do we bother?

We ordered some rock last week, but didn't get it till this morning, because there was fresh snow, on Friday when we were suppose to get it. It seems every year, we have to scrap some money together to get some, and pray that they will send a driver out who knows what he is doing, so it gets spread nicely, and where we want it. Not sure why we bother to think it will happen, although I have to say, last year the guy did good.

Two years ago, one truck load was spread at the top of our drive, by the road, really deep, cause they guy didn't set the chain right, and it came out to fast...so we didn't have as much of our drive covered as we wanted. This year, one load of it, was dumped in front of our barn, in about 20 feet....we would like to have had it a few inches thick....instead of several FEET thick, and actually had it spread out around our circle drive, instead of just in front of our barn. Silly us, thinking we could request they send someone good....and actually expect it to be done. Ok, to give the guy his due, the experienced one, didn't set the chains, the "in training" guy did...however the experienced one SHOULD have checked them to make sure they were right, as that's how you "TRAIN" someone. So needless to say, I'm not to happy at this moment, about how "far" the rock went....I really wanted to have less mud to walk on, and it doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon as we had to use some of our savings just to get what we got, and can't afford any more. We ordered crushed concrete this year, because its a lot cheaper than actual rock, and works just fine....when its spread where it needs to be! Oh well, maybe one of these year's, I'll learn to not get my hopes up, that it will be done right, so it goes as far as it needs to.

I managed to do a layout, this morning, trying to keep myself from looking out the window in disgust, as they spread the rock. *giggle* I did the 2nd page of Kali's extended family so it would match the other one I did a week and a half ago.

Kit Credit: HeartStrings Baby Boy kit by Blushbutter

I need to work with getting some more of her photo's scanned this week....so not sure if I will get any more layouts done or not...will depend on if I just "have" to scrap or not, I guess!! LOL I hope everyone has a good week, and enjoy the warm temps, if you are lucky enough to get some of them...we are suppose to have it in the 60's F here a couple days!!!!!! Thanks for your comments!

New Babies!!

Well here is the other page that goes beside the one in my last post. I had fun with it. I can't wait to actually get this book done, and printed!! I know it will be over a year yet, but I'm sure looking forward to seeing it in a book....and seeing how a thicker book looks. I think I'm going to have to save money, so I can get myself a copy, not just my niece! *giggle*

Kit Credit: Heart Strings baby girl kit and Silver Frame pk by Blushbutter.

We now have three new baby goats, God willing they will survive. We had one yesterday and then two this morning. Just as DH got out to feed the goats, he saw the last one born. They are all adorable!! The one this morning was finally Bossy, the one we have been thinking should be having them, cause she has looked huge for months. We only have a couple more goats we expect could have some, and one of them won't be till almost June if she does. We have two girls and a boy...so hopefully at the very least the girls survive, as I would like to keep them. The boys we would sell, for money for a new billy....but hopefully eventually we can get some money together for that, even if we don't have enough billys to sell, to buy another one. I got a few pictures this morning, of DH using my hairdryer on them, to dry them off, but have yet to get them off my camera. I'll have to try to do that, and get them scrapped soon!! LOL

I am almost as done as I'm going to be on a new kit, so hopefully I can finish that this afternoon. We will see if I manage to finish it, and get it in my store, if I do, I'll post it on my blog later today, or tomorrow. I have a few things to do around the house too, so better get busy! I doubt I will be doing any more layouts this week, as I need to work on some scanning, and also some other computer stuff, so have a great rest of the week, and weekend everyone!! Thanks so much for your comments!!!

Busy trying to get organized

Yep, I could use some organization in many different areas I think, but for now, I'm working on trying to get Kali's photo's organized, so I can figure out what I'm doing. I have most of what is on my computer copied into another folder, that is divided into years, now I need to go through my photo albums for the last 17 years, and scan any in of her, that I don't have on my computer. Mom is busy scanning some that Kali's other Grandmother (Thanks Laura and Mom!!) sent over, and has already sent me some of them...and will the others when she gets them done.

I have a folder, of ones without dates, that I will have to find dates for, before they go into the yearly folders, but will do that once I get the others scanned out of my books. Then once I get everything into the right years folder, I can figure out what I'm going to use, and try to make sure that I don't get to many pages. I can always double up on photo's if I need to...and still make sure I have a few pages left, for what is taken between now and when she graduates next year. I find I work better, if I'm somewhat organized, and kinda have an idea of what I'm going to do...least on a project like this, that can only have a certain number of pages. I have the first several pages of the book figured out(figured out as in what the pages will be about...not figured out HOW they will look! LOL)...along with the last several pages, so now I just have to get all the pictures together, and figure out all the pages in between.

This layout is the first of two showing her Mom while she is pregnant with her. We don't have many photo's of then for some reason. Only two from what Mom has found so far, strange when we have so many of other times, but I guess that's the way it goes.

Kit Credit: Heart Strings baby girl kit and Silver Frame pk by Blushbutter. Aren't those shoes just toooooo precious!!

Needless to say, I'm going to be busy messing with photo's for a little while, so we will see if I manage any more layouts this week! LOL We also have to go to the Dr for a post surgery appointment...and go shopping. Now that I'm a little more into working, I can't cause I'll be gone, and have to get organized. Doesn't that figure!! *giggle* I know, I should have been working on getting the photo's organized last week, when I wasn't feeling creative....but didn't think of it then. Silly me.

I finally got some more jeans ordered today, I was getting desperate, and they were on sale, so I finally just did it. I don't wear them lots, but do some in the winter...and you know me and getting things on sale!!! *giggle* I'd been saving some money for them for months....but only one pair, so I used some money I was going to use for something else to go with it, but least now I'll have some more. Clothes are really LOW on my list of things to buy, if I have something that will work, why bother, is usually my opinion! LOL However I noticed the pair I wore a couple weeks ago, need tossed soon, so couldn't put it off any longer. (I ordered a couple nicer shirts too, so will see if I like them, once I get them).

Well DH just found out that one of the goats was birthing...still not the ONE who looks like she has triplets, so maybe if we are lucky we will have another baby before long...and hopefully, God willing, it will not die on us! LOL We had 70 degree (F.) weather on Sat, but naturally no one bothered to have their babies then. LOL Least it is above freezing....barely.

Anyway, I better get going, I have to get supper in the oven, then maybe I can post this around, while its cooking....unless I go out to the barn! LOL Have a wonderful week!

Slow scrappin' week

Ok, actually I'm thinking the title should say slow scrappin YEAR!! *giggle* Cause so far it has been kinda slow around here, creative wise. Oh well, guess it will pick up eventually. This layout actually took me ALL day....I did other things in between working on it, but I would come do something, then go do something else, then come back, and think of something else to do....then give up and go off and do other things again! LOL I'm wondering if I should just take a week off, not open psp at all, and see if that helps....doubt it would though, so I keep pluggin along, and taking forever on a layout but least that way one eventually gets done.

This layout is another one for my niece's book, its the extended family on her Dad's (and yes, mine too)side of her family. I will do a page to go with it, with the extended family on her Mothers side, once I get some photos of them from her other Grandmother. This is one of those kinda introduction pages...it will go toward the first of the book, just basically showing some of the closest family members. Extended family is wonderful to have, when you can be close to them, and she has been close to all of her Aunts and Uncles I think. Not all the Great-Aunts and Uncles, cause she doesn't see them lots, but her Mom's sisters and brother....and I....have been really lucky to have her in our