Friday, June 14, 2013

Sail Away With Me

I have a few other things on my bucket list which I would love to do.  Funny how the four things on my bucket list all involve traveling.  Of course I'm working on the pictures of courthouse!  I'd love to see a baseball game in the home field of every major league team, but I could give up that just to see the Cubs play in Wrigley Field!  I have many years ago met one of the heiresses of the Wrigley fortune....ahh that doesn't count.  I want to see the Triple Crown run....the key though I want to see all three races in the same year.  The third is I want to go on an Inside Passage Cruise to Alaska.  Not a big list!  Short lists are much easier to conquer!

In 1984 my grandmother and mother did take that cruise to Alaska aboard the Royal Viking Star.  They left on my grandmother's birthday, her 80th.  Dee-Dee took my mother who would turn 50 later that year.  I found the album of  the photos and brought it home last month because the album and not the photos are deteriorating.  I've done two layouts so far and I'll post the other when a week from Tuesday when it posts on Nuts About Sketches.

I just love the Studio Calico Atlantic and Crate Paper Pier to work on this album.  I'm also going to order Echo Park Birthday Wishes from the Photo Freedom lines.  Perfect for the photo with Crew and Cake on Dee-Dee's birthday!  But these photos show Mom and Dee-Dee on deck as the ship sails out of San Fransico.


A couple of other things about the layout.  I love the Boats & Anchors of the Atlantic Line.  I have the complete itinerary so those darling boats with the numbers on them are great for 1st day, 2nd day, etc.  I used Paper Bakery Kit Club Sketch #5 that Juliana Michaels provided.  Unique idea for borders!  I also was drawn to my May PB Kit to use the Lily Bee Kite Strings as my base!  Love the busy feel to the layout, too, as I don't imagine cruise ships aren't crowded.  Although the Star is no where near as big as the super cruise ships of today.  This sketch just begged to be used for this vacation.  I'll probably use it again, but with some different ideas now running through my head!



Thanks for taking a bit of time with me today.  We'll see you Monday as I'll be working on my flower garden and some scrapping!  I'm going to try to get two more pages done from these photos this weekend.  These will be done in Project Life Style.  As I started to total up what it will cost just to do this album I am pushing $400 so far.  I know I will have left overs but not alot!!!  For 120 photos I'm just stunned!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

American Home 1948

American Home Magazine began publication in 1927 and went out of publication in 1977 with the last issue delivered in 1978.  My grandmother was Equipment Editor of American Home from the late 40's until 1958 when she became editor of Life Magazine for six short months.  She left Life and married my step-grandfather and moved to North Carolina.  I've purchased several issues of American Home while my grandmother was employed there.  It's been a joy to read her monthly column.  Then yesterday I found this article where she contributed.  Her comment 'business genius' sounds just like her!  I couldn't help but smile!

I received Pink Paisley's Bouquet paper, Ruby Rock-it's Quilt Paper and Tissue Paper from my December Paper Bakery Kit Club.  The Echo Park Grandma's Kitchen papers and Jolee's Hat came from ACOT and the rest of the layout was already in my stash.


This expression was her silly expression.  A little fun at work would be 100 percent her personality!  When I saw this package of Jolee's Vintage Womens' Hats it was a must have as my grandmother was known as "The Lady in the Red Hat."  She had other colors of hats, too, in her collection.  Hats were her statement piece in fashion.  She loved hats!

I loved sharing this layout with you.  Until next time!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Life's Notes

This past weekend the ladies I met when I started to scrap still get together for a monthly crop.  It's held at Cutaway Lodge.  I absolutely quiet atmosphere, watching movies and seeing what all my friends are working on.  Good friends, good food and scrapping....heaven for me!

I love the bi-weekly MMC (Monday Morning Crops) hosted by art_teacher at the message board at A Cherry On Top.  We have such a grand time.  Four challenges presented for the first crop this summer.  For this layout I chose MMC 6-3 Challenge #1.  The challenge had a sketch and required a music theme.

At the crop Saturday I picked out three papers from my May Paper Bakery May Scrapbooking Kit:  Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Dreamy & Moments along with Studio Calico Sundrifter Vellum.  I completely cut up the Dreamy paper to mat photos and fussy cut nine cameras.  Took my CM Hexagon punches and used three different size hexagons.

Here's the sketch:



And here's My Creation: 



I took myself down memory lane of where I was when my mother took these photos in late spring 1984.  Of course Mom has never been able to take a good photo to save her life.  I was working for Royal Palm Arabians at the time in Lake Worth, FL.  And missing my home state something terrible.  I also went back and remembered my four years in high school with Koki my constant companion in the afternoons after school.  Weekends I was at a play day or Competitive Trail Ride.  Most would not think a barrel racing horse and Competitive Trail Horse would be one and the same.  But Koki was both.  She always took me 1st or 2nd in every single ride I rode in Youth or Adult Competition.  All of the conditioning for trail made her a better barrel horse.  We dropped two seconds off her time.  She had something to look at other then the rails of an arena day in and day out.

I also smiled as I looked back at another post back in 2009 what it was like to grow up in the Clear Lake area with Koki and my FFA friends.  Thank you for the challenge art_teacher!

Until next time!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Sketch 269 - Nuts About Sketches!

Often times when a sketch just doesn't seem to fix in my head I take the sketch and make it smaller while still including most or all of the elements.


I had just the photo of my Great Uncle Tom who I never met.  The photo was taken in October of 1900 and he was five years old.  I had to choose Bo Bunny Timepiece as it seemed so appropriate for a turn of the century photo.  Somewhere in my mind was remembering what I was thinking when we were all worried about electronics and Y2K.  Time....ever moving forward!


Be sure to stop by Nuts About Sketches and see the awesome creations by the design team!

Thank you for taking a peek at my blog today!

Monday, June 10, 2013

May Nuts About Sketches!

Of the five sketches for the month of May at Nuts About Sketches I was able to get two in on time.  I had no idea that after our Field Day at the ranch I would stay so busy.  So this month I promised to get at least three done.  I've done two and you'll see Sketch 269 here tomorrow.

I have shared two from May and thought I would share the other two I did..

For Sketch #265 I chose to use the left hand side to do a few pictures of James' Best Friend Robert.  Ok....so I'm desperately trying to figure out why James cut Robert's head off in two of the three photos.  Really James!.....LOL!  The other picture is Robert and his fiance sound asleep after an all night LAN Party. I had plenty of embellies for older more "dull" games and thought they would make a great contrast to these Tech Savvy young men who love gaming.  One thing I did learn in this layout is that fussy cutting vellum is a royal pain.  I'll think twice the next time!  This one photographed in time but couldn't square it up so didn't send it.


The sketch!  Sketch 265!


This sketch I did get in on time!  Oh my I love loved this sketch!  I knew exactly which photo I would use.  Remember this layout from Sketch # 260.  



Well I had an extra photo of Belle that needed to be scrapped from the same photo shoot.  I'm notorious for doing single page layouts and putting them side by side to form a double page spread.  I ordered the same paper from Elle's Studio and off I went once again using my Paper Bakery Kit to complete it!  Love love the results using Nuts About Sketches # 266!


And the sketch #266:


The title once sitting side by side in the album will be Life's Contentment!

Thank you for taking a peek today and be sure to check and see this week's sketch over at Nuts About Sketches and join in on Shawn's amazing sketches!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Winners Announced for May Challenges!

I've been so bad lately on just getting posts done for my blog!  I do want to thank all who participated in my challenges this in May over at A Cherry On Top Message Board!  The winners as always are chosen by random number generator and receive a $5 GC from me.  I hope you'll join in the fun this month at A Cherry   On Top Message Board!  Join me in both challenges this month:  Heritage Challenge & 4x4 Challenge.

Winner of the May Heritage Challenge is JillinIN!  She did a beautiful digi layout of photos of her father in an Harmonica Band in 1936!


Winner of the May 4x4 Challenge was the amazing Deanna13 who always makes me drool over her creations!


Also wanted to share Message Board Member art_teacher is hosting MMC again this summer and we have a grand time on Mondays!  MMC also known as Monday Mini Crops!  Come join in on the fun!

Saturday, June 8, 2013

On The Way Home From King's High Ranch

Whenever you travel there is always a time to head home.  The #1 item on My Bucket List is to photograph all 254 of our State's County Courthouses.  I think I have 18 of them photographed so far and of the five counties I've lived in I only have two photographed.  On the way Larry learned why I'm so thrilled to visit these courthouses.  Something always excites me about each one.  As a child I remember the pictures of the beautiful Hill County Courthouse from pictures.  Sometime around 2000 I discovered Texas Courthouses website.  I was amazed to learn there were beautiful courthouses all across the state.  The history of each county and the courthouse(s) the counties have intrigues me.  I thought I would share one photo of each of the five courthouses we visited on our way home from Kings High Ranch.  You'll have to wait to see all the photos once I scrap them.  May take awhile to get to them.


This is Motley County Courthouse located in Matador, Texas.  Motley county is known as the home of the Historical Matador Ranch and Moore Maker.   Want top quality hand made pocket or hunting knives then check out the Moore Maker Website!  Then of course if your ever curious if Plammers  are still made, then Moore Maker is the place to get a pair!


Our next stop!


Paducah, Texas is the county seat of Cottle County.  This was my favorite courthouse of the day!  Built in the 30's the people of Cottle County truly believed in our justice system by the short quotes over all four entrances to the courthouse.  This quote, shortened from the original is my favorite.  I was also impressed by the counties devotion to those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our country in honoring those on Memorial Day Weekend with a cross on the front lawn for each military person lost.  This cross brought my attention and emotion forward.


On to Guthrie, TX


Sneeze and you'll miss Guthrie with a population of only 160 people.   Guthrie is the county seat of King County and interestingly is an unincorporated community.  Very quickly one realizes Guthrie is the Historical 6666 Ranch.  The town is dominated on the main drag with the headquarters of the ranch.  One of the few counties where new meets old in Courthouses.  This is my favorite photo showing the old courthouse sitting next to the new and monuments in front of the new Courthouse.  The old courthouse now serves as the King County Library.  I was also impressed the county truly worries about their old courthouse.  It's terribly dry out in West Texas since October 2010.  Watering the grass will keep a green space around the two courthouses to help protect them in event of a wildfire.

From King County we traveled to Stonewall County


County Seat is Aspermont.  Like so many counties with newer courthouses they have kept the cornerstone of the old courthouse.  Instead of showing it to you, you'll just have to wait until I scrap the photos.  From this photo you can see just how dry West Texas is.  Grass should not be brown on Memorial Day Weekend.

I usually take pictures of surrounding structures of the courthouses. To be in rural towns one quickly realizes the economic decay in these towns.  I did take pictures around the courthouse but it was this house a little further down the road that broke my heart.  Obviously once one of the most beautiful houses in town it is most likely in a state of not being able to be saved.


In Anson county seat of Jones County we found this jewel!


We were getting close to Abilene so the traffic had become somewhat heavy.  The courthouse stands in the middle of a traffic circle and I was not in the mood to try to get on the grounds of the courthouse.  I decided I would settle on this day for just a photo of the back of the courthouse and return another time when it's not Memorial Day Weekend.  By the way I love this photo because it's a rare photo for me to get Larry in it even if it's in the rear view mirror of our pickup!

I hope you enjoyed my journey photographing some of the beautiful treasures of our state, The County Courthouses!

Friday, June 7, 2013

Sketch 268 - Nuts About Sketches!

Sketches are my go to inspiration. Sometimes it is multiple sketches which inspire me sometimes a single one.  I just loved this week's sketch and decided on something really simple to represent my best friend!  


Paige is so adorable, loyal and always my constant companion.  She makes my heart warm and my face light up!  LOL....she's even had Daddy (Larry) smitten like I've never seen him smitten over a dog before.  I heart Cavalier King Charles Spaniels!

And here is the sketch!


Imaginisce Good Dog line was absolutely perfect for these photos!

Hop on over to Nuts About Sketches and find that special sketch(es) to inspire you!