Another Wedding

Hurry! Take the picture—it's SO cold!!

Andrew (our eldest) & Alison were married in Newton, KS on an afternoon following a hefty blizzard. It made for pretty hazardous driving to the rehearsal from Wichita—whiteout conditions—and we were greatly relieved that we had traveled from MN ahead of the snowstorm. Andrew was a very active toddler—looking forward to scrapping those years!!

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The wedding was beautiful and the snow (lots of it) inspired me to try some special effects in PSE 5 (using a snowflake brush) on their page. The stained glass windows were extracted from a picture taken in the sanctuary where they were married.

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The kit, "Intensity" by Beibel Scraps, has now been the basis of two wedding pages—2 down, 1 to go—and has fit well for a summer wedding and a winter wedding. I was able to blend in some of the elements into the wedding by pulling in some color from Alison's bouquet.

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Loved Ones Serving in Military

Kelly over at The Cluttered Table posted this today.
Please follow the link to read the entire story.

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She has her page available as a free QP as well as more detailed previews of her Timeless kit. Both these kits can be purchased at Brownie Scraps. There's also a free sampler of Timeless. . . but time is limited on this freebie. . . hurry over there now!

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Kelly, you and the countless others who have loved ones serving our country in time of war are in our prayers. My husband served in the US Navy for 8 years (was overseas during the Iranian crisis, 1981) and we both have dads who were career military for over 20 years (US Navy & US Air Force). We understand the grief of separation and lift you up before our Lord. May He hold you in His arms and comfort you until you're together again.

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in HIS love & in the grip of HIS grace,

janie

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Minnesota Backyard

Brrrrr. . . minus 30 windchills. . . Brrrrr!!

Completed the Digitals January 2009 Calendar Challenge (link in favorite forums) with this lovely kit by Amanda Thorderson, "Snowbird" (originally referred to in challenge as "Winter Chill". I had already planned on using snowy pics of our backyard, but didn't know that I'd have some brand new ones to choose from! Two days ago, I was downstairs on my PC when I heard my hubby's frantic cries -- come! come quick!! Not knowing if he had somehow hurt himself or what, I went up the stairs as quickly as I could. . . then heard again. . . "quick, come & see. . . quiet!!" There in the back of our yard, just beyond our row of River Birch trees, were 3 pheasants just walking along without a care in the world. I was SO excited because my camera was right there!! We had a beautiful morning with the tree branches all iced up -- shimmering in the morning light. I immediately called hubby at work to make sure he arrived safely. . . while looking out the front window and seeing that the driveway & walkways were all dry. We had almost zero visibility -- couldn't see anything across the street OR past the tree line in back -- figured out it must be "frozen fog" on the trees. It was gorgeous!! Well. . . back to the pheasants. . . one was very obliging and sauntered into the yard for a closer shot (by the camera, not him! ha!). Then, of course, while bringing this lovely kit into PSE 5 with the photos I had taken, I couldn't leave any of them out. Especially the "frosticles" that were hanging on to the edges of the deck rail/posts and off one of the bush/trees. So, wala! This is the result.

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If you haven't yet, go check out the Digitals forum. In my opinion, they have the best challenges in town -- and thanks to them, I'm now actively digi-scrappin' whenever I can (imbetween the systemic/anaphylactic reactions from NRLA and/or MCS and when "in recovery"). When I can't scrap cuz of brain fog (also get zero visibility there!), I can sometimes still point & click to download all the freebies. Please check out the blog list to the right. These are absolutely awesome designers and while many of them have their stuff in stores for purchase, most of them also offer fabulous freebies! Be sure to leave comments if you download. Now that I'm a blogger I know first hand how encouraging those comments can be!!

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Other forums with challenges worth checking out are SAS (Stone Accents Studio), Groovy Scraps, ADSDesigners, DSO (Digital Scrapbook Obsession - Kim's Color challenges), to name a few. OH. . . just go check them all out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Many Firsts - pt 2

1st time CT for BeibelScraps

Being so new to digi-scrapping AND unable to work with a deadline, I was thrilled when Bianca at BeibelScraps let me be part of her one-time CT call for her new kit "Intensity". Once I decided which picture to use, it fell together so quickly! I had fun experimenting with new-to-me parts of PSE 5 -- the eraser I used on one layout had disappeared (maybe it wasn't an eraser, but something else?? will have to hunt for it again because I like what it did... like a scruffer scruffing vs eraser erasing (ha!) -- I found this special effect eraser with butterflies and it went SO well with the rest of the layout. Peter & Elise (our youngest son & now daughter-in-law!) had an outdoor wedding, in Holland MI, which was beautiful in spite of the rain! Pictures had to be moved from the beach to the church where the reception was held. . . making this picture a fun one to do things to (more experimenting! and learning how to use PSE 5!!).

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Last month, I worked on extracting them from a window, pillar & cement background (flowers were original). . . trying for something we could frame for our wedding gallery upstairs. . . was able to tie the new background to the rich purple in her bouquet and the bridesmaid dresses. Today, I got to work with it some more -- we continually give thanks to the Lord for the wonderful girl He brought into Peter's life.

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Isaiah 40:31

Award from Cari Creates!

thanks SO much Cari -- what an awesome encouragement you've given me today -- wow!

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Many Firsts - pt 1

December calendar with my honey & I.

This is my very 1st completed digi-scrap layout. I participated in some challenges over at DIGITALS (link on side under 'favorite forums') and this one was using "Nanny's Garden" by Amanda Thorderson (available for purchase at Digitals). What was so great about these challenges is that it got me from the downloading freebies craze into actually unzipping and using the kits. I had to learn to be more discriminate in the kits I was getting -- it was quite addicting cuz who can turn it down if it's free??

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Well written!

On the nose: stop making scents
written by Janet Griffin
January 26, 2009

I'VE had it. This is the last straw. First I had to throw away yet another bottle of shampoo because the "new, improved formula" meant changing the perfume. Now I've opened a box of facial tissues and reeled - the tissues are perfumed.

What is it that makes manufacturers of everyday products decide that we simply cannot do without artificial smells? Do they think our lives are so dull and sterile that we need constant odorous stimulation? We start our day with soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, moisturiser and/or shaving cream, all with a different fragrance, so we now wear a multiple range of smells.

To top it off, we apply perfume or after-shave cologne. We all need these items, but why is it so difficult to buy these products "fragrance-free" or "low fragrance"?

I am allergic to various perfumes. I have had to change seats in theatres, trains and planes, and I hurry past cosmetic counters.

Shopping centres are notorious. Just as each shop has its own music, which makes for a cacophony, so it is with scented candles, oil burners and a mish-mash of potpourri in different stores. Some beautiful country gift shops are unapproachable due to overpowering perfumes.

Household items are also part of the problem. Detergents and cleaning products all have added fragrances - lemon, lavender, pine eucalyptus and other botanical themes.

And don't get me started on those sprays and hideous plug-in stink bombs that are sold as room fresheners.

OK, some bathroom smells are not nice, but lighting a match soon eliminates that. Unless you boil a cabbage for hours every day, though, cooking smells are wonderful. I certainly prefer the aroma of good food cooking to the all-pervading "room freshener".

Why some people wear perfume to a restaurant is beyond me. It prevents the wearer, and people nearby, from fully appreciating the smell and taste of the food.

My sense of smell is very happy with the natural world around me. And if I move away from you, it's nothing personal - it's just all these artificial products that make you smell.

Introducing "Janie in MN"—My . . .

BLESSINGS
my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ... wonderful hubby... 3 sons who have grown into wonderful men of God, who gave me 3 beautiful daughters, and are planning on giving us precious & unique grandbabies!!... our grandson, Ethan... great neighbors... awesome support group... new online buddies!!
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HARDSHIPS
living with "severe" life-threatening & disabling NRLA (natural rubber latex allergy) and MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities) has been a life-changing/altering event... had to quit work (teaching rubberstamping techniques, piano instruction & admin assist.)... change what can wear (only 100% cotton)... adjusting to food restrictions is ongoing (there are MANY latex-cross-reactive foods!! can no longer eat my favorites—Mexican & Italian)... loss of activities (can no longer rubberstamp, go biking, dine out, shop or spend time with friends, no grocery shopping (DH does ALL of it!)-- any other shopping is severely limited due to use of latex balloons & gloves in stores (latex proteins get airborne), dust from people/store traffic (rubber-soled shoes, tires, etc.), hazards of being out of house (fragrances, latex-cross-reactive pollens, other chemicals..), etc.
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FUN TIME - HOBBIES
reading, cooking/baking, collecting (ie, fonts, DIGI-SB FREEBIES!!, bears, lighthouses, etc.), internet research, fishing, nature walks & scenic drives, DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY, viewing wildlife in their natural habitats, bird-watching (especially along the Mississippi River & the rivers in this area... Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Great White Pelicans, Great White Egrets... all the birds are big and have "great" in their name!), flowers, TALKING ON PHONE WITH MY MOM & KIDS!! web-caming with family!!... shopping online... emailing family & friends... learning new things (ie PSE 5, digital scrapping!...
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TALENTS / GIFTS
organization, advanced pianist & vocalist, jewelry design, watercolor artist (beginner), scrapbooking, computer "stuff"!, and "professional puttzser!"
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FAVORITES
colors—Autumn, especially forest/hunter green, shades of gold, orange & red, deep rich mauves, blues...
graphics—hearts, snowmen, bears
food—organic when can—garlic! blueberries, baked oatmeal with dried cranberries, brownies with dried cranberries & toasted pecans...
restaurant—Pei Wei (usually have to do take out), it's the casual version of PF Chang's... Red Lobster & Olive Garden... Oma's Pizza in Saratoga Springs NY (where we lived when we 1st got married—2 sons born here—this was over 25 years ago & we still compare all pizza to Oma's!). . .

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Under Construction!

Finally took the 1st step toward joining the cyber world of blogging. I love to write, so I'll have to work on keeping posts readable (not lengthy "books" each time). My next post will be to introduce myself and upload my 1st digital scrapbook layouts.

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