Love 2 Scrap in Japan

Spilling my heart

2012-01-12T21:10:00.000+09:00

I never used to really journal on my layouts. I gave the who, what, where, when... you get the picture. But I never really told the stories behind the stories.

Not long after I joined the Digichick as a CT member, I was invited to represent our site as a member of the Just Write team in the Artisan Notebook. This is the team that focuses on the journaling we put on our pages. Because I take the assignment literally, I have learned to add real journaling on my pages. Not only the facts and surface stories. In fact I don't really like to make pages like that - just to remember one particular moment. I prefer to add journaling that spills from my heart.

When I'm writing my journaling, I don't over-think it, I don't try to control what I'm going to say - I rarely even have a plan, and I especially don't edit until I've said what needed to be said.

I remember when I first started scrapping Cathy Zielske was just becoming big in the scrapbooking world. Her layout style is clean, blocked and minimalist. I've never been able to pull that off. But it was always her journaling that inspired me. She advised us to keep it real. So that's why I try to do on my pages.

I don't make my pages in order to please my teams, my shop or gallery viewers. I make my pages to please myself. Call me selfish. I make my pages instead of keeping a diary. Its not complete by any means, but its why I scrap. I make my pages to speak to my children mostly - the things that I do not (or cannot) tell them right now to their faces. I hope that one day when they are looking at the pages I make for them, they take the time to read what I've written to them as well. Not so much stories of day's event - although I make those pages from time to time too - but stories from my heart to theirs.

My daughter is turning 13 this month. Its incredible for me to grasp that she is no longer a child. I know that I'll have a hard time letting go.

In just a few weeks you are going to be an official teenager. No longer a child, not an adult. Its going to be a tough time I fear. We've already gone head to head more times than I care to remember. You are so strong willed and we allow you to speak your mind. I wish I could promise you that I will respect you and your desires. But after all, you are still too young to make all your own decisions. I know we will have a battle of the wills again and that while we are so angry we will momentarily forget how much we love each other. But we do know. You know I love you. I know you love me. It will be hard for me to let you go. So much of my life is wrapped up in you and your brother. But I know that letting go is my ultimate job as your mom. I'm not ready for it yet - and neither are you. So let's just take it slow, and hopefully with a great deal of love and laughter. You are my precious daughter. I am so excited to see you bloom and grow.

Credits:

papers and elements from Count Your Blessings by ViVa Artistry
page template from Gimme Layers Lite 11 by Cluster Queen Creations

This is a page I made for a challenge at The Color Room. I like their challenges because they give me the colors I need to use and I decide everything else. I'm a fan of the Brave Girls Club and get their love letters sent to me everyday. This one especially spoke to my heart.

Dear Irreplaceable Girl,

You are in just the right place in your life right now, doing just what needs to be done at this time. You are learning just what you need to be learning at this time. There’s a plan for your life and even if you are in the middle of where you were and where you are headed. Everything is going to be ok. You can do difficult things.

You are surrounded by the right people at this time, even if you feel rather alone. Things are working out exactly as they are meant to work out, though you may not see what is happening behind the scenes. You are becoming exactly who you are meant to become, even if you feel like you are not really becoming anything or anyone at all right now.

Please, sweet beautiful friend…during this magical time, simply let yourself be. Let your life be. Let go of expectations. Let go of your attachment to specific outcomes. Notice little miracles. Understand that you belong here. There is a place for you.

You belong. You are loved. Everything is going to work out beautifully. You are cherished, thought-out, thought-of and watched out for. You have not been forgotten. Not now, not ever.
Everything is going to be ok. Please rest in that truth. You matter, so very very very much.

credits:
papers and elements from Around the World and Emporium, both by the Digichick Designers
journal and bee from Old Garden by Etc. by Danyale
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. I love to read your comments and just know that you've come for a look. Please stop by again soon!

A New Year

2012-01-06T21:57:00.000+09:00

Welcome to 2012. The busy holidays are finished for now, decorations put away, house cleaned and winter vacations finishing up. School starts next week for my kids, work started today. How were your holidays?

Come this time of year, after all the holiday hubbub, I usually feel like hibernating. A long winter's nap - a time of quiet and rest - is a wonderful blessing not only for animals but also us humans as well. I tend to go overboard with it sometimes though and end up shutting myself off from the outside world a bit too much. I am a homebody. I like my space, I like my quiet, I like my alone time. But I need to get out and be with friends too, otherwise I start to feel all the more anti-social. Rest and quiet are good things, but sometimes I need a little push to get up and move.

Have you heard of "One Little Word?" One Little Word was created by Ali Edwards and is simply defined as a word that we "can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon" as we go about daily life. You can learn more about the origin and meaning of One Little Word here and about Ali Edwards' One Little Word 2012 class here.

One Little Word is all the rage in the scrapbooking world. I've heard of it many times over the past several years, but never jumped on the bandwagon. Well, this year I jumped. I almost always make resolutions and for the most part I'm pretty good at keeping them - or at least keeping them mindful. This time, when I was thinking of what I wanted to accomplish this year, I started to notice a pattern in my goals. I noticed that in all of them I wanted to advance from one point to the next. So instead of making a long list of resolutions, I decided to choose a word. My word is MOVE.

Move my body - exercise more
Move my brain - learn something new
Move my talent - try some new creativity
Move my soul - deepen my relationship with God
Move my heart - strengthen relationships with friends and family
Move my work - get fired up about teaching my classes new things in new ways
Move my determination - make the decisions that I have been putting off for years
Move in general - walk away from the computer and get something done around the house

credits: most papers and elements from The Daily Details by The Digichick Designers
some elements also from Emporium and Shutterbug both by The Digichick Designers
stamps are from Cluster Capers by Karen Lewis
font is Traveling Typewriter

I'd love to have you come join in my One Little Word Challenge at The Digichick.

One last little scrapbook page, here is a layout that I made for the December Artisan Notebook.

Handmade beaded ornaments and Christmas, they just go together don't they? When I was a little girl I would look with wonder at the beaded ornaments my Grandma had. She told me she wasn't the one who made them, but that she had received them from someone or bought them somewhere. I forget. But I do remember marveling at how simple beads on a pin, stuck into a foam ball in an organized pattern could make such a beautiful ornament. Years later, as a young newlywed I remembered the ornaments and thought to look for them on the internet. I never did find exactly the same kind that my Grandma had, but I did find some that I like even more from a shop called The Cracker Box. These ornaments are so intricate, so complex, so beautiful. Each one comes with hundreds of straight pins, thousands of beads, and pages and pages of written instructions that have to be followed precisely in order to make the ornament correctly. Each ornament has taken me between 25 and 30 hours to make. I made five ornaments in one year, then two more a few years later. After I had children I didn't have the time to make any more. I still have one unmade ornament kit. One of these years I'll find the endurance and willpower to make it too. The finished product is well worth the effort.

credits: all papers and elements from Sound the Trumpets by ViVa Artistry
page template (altered) from Fuss Free Paper Play by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is DJB So Much to Say

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web.

Winding down

2011-12-29T13:59:00.000+09:00

At the end of each year - in order to bring in the new year all fresh and clean - the average Japanese household does "Osoji" or Big Cleaning. These are the cleaning jobs that typically only get done once a year such as screen doors, deep into the storage closets, behind the refrigerator, etc. You get the picture.

This year because of the bazaar we had in late November, I got most of my kitchen deep cleaning done very early. And now that my kids are older and they often want spending money, I have a lot of help getting the other big cleaning projects done.

Yesterday I cleaned my "pantry" space and my little office cubby and bookshelf in the bedroom. Today I spent the entire morning putting away Christmas decorations and cleaning and organizing the Japanese tatami room storage closet. I also cleaned off our front porch and put out our traditional Japanese new year decoration to welcome in the new year.

I'm not done with cleaning by any means, but a lot of the rest of the projects are going to depend on when and how much cooperation I can get from the other three members living in our home. Kids' rooms, husband's papers and books, etc.

I can't believe that I didn't upload this before now. Consider it my Christmas and New Years greetings to you. I thank you for reading of my blog this year and I hope you will keep me on your blogroll in 2012.

Happy Holidays.

Holly

Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-23T18:57:00.001+09:00

For years now - probably for as many years as I have spent Christmas in Japan - I just don't feel Christmasy. Not that there aren't any decorations. Oh, the Japanese start to decorate for Christmas almost immediately after Halloween. Its just that.... that's all it is here. Decorations, fluff, loud jingly Christmas music advertising the winter sales. Santa and bells. I suppose its like that in many places around the world. But here there just is no Christ in Christmas. That is what I miss.

And all the other things that come with a more "spiritual" Christmas. I miss my family most at Christmas time. I miss being in my parents' home after my mother has spent days decorating. I miss going to Christmas Eve church services together. I miss waking up on Christmas morning with the feeling of anticipation of a wonderful and exciting day to come. Its been years since I've spent Christmas at home - only once since my children were born.

I go through the motions of most of those same things here - decorations, shopping, gifts under the tree, Christmas Eve service (sometimes). Its the best I can do. But its not the same.

I wish I could be home with my American family each year. I wish I could share that Christmas magic, that Christmas spirit, that Christmas love.

I made this page for my One Word One Photo challenge I am hosting at The Digichick this Friday. In the spirit of the season I wanted to keep the challenge pure and simple. What is the one thing that says how you feel at this time of year. Stressed? Overshopped? Joyous? Festive?

In my case, I chose a word that I WANT to feel during this season. The feeling that I think is missing in a Christmas spent here. Holy. I want to feel His presence. Presence over presents. The Holy spirit of Christmas.

most papers and elements from Sugar Sand Boardwalk Christmas by Etc. by Danyale
gold glitter border from Noel by Mari Koegelenberg
blue flower from Midsummer Night's Dream by ViVa Artistry
page template from Solos Part 5 by Busy Bee Designs

Christmas. Hanukkah. Kwanza. Whatever it is that you are celebrating now. I wish you all, where ever in the world you may be, a most blessed holiday season.

I will leave you with a few more Christmassy pages. One of my little girl, years ago. One of my little boy, yesterday.

all papers and elements from Silver Bells by ViVa Artistry in Scrap N Art December issue
alpha is Holiday Spirit uppercase by Lisa Whitney Designs
page template from Fall Flavors Pumpkin Pie by Busy Bee Designs
font is Porcelain

most papers and elements from Sound the Trumpets, Winter Solstice and Silver Bells all by ViVa Artistry
worn page overlay from Worn Page Edges No 2 by Lynn Grieveson
Glitter action is from Punkboi Glitters by Joyful Heart Designs
page template from Tag You're It 2 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is Jellyka Saint-Andrews Queen

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

Sweets for You

2011-12-14T09:57:00.000+09:00

Ah the holiday season, with all its hustle and bustle. Running here, running there. Doing this, making that. Its been hard to find the time to scrap. In fact I don't think I've scrapped a page in a few weeks. I sure hope my Creative Team bosses don't fire me.

But I haven't been slacking. I had a Christmas Party yesterday with a few of my friends. I wanted to give them something unique, something they've never gotten before. Scrounging over the web - namely Pinterest - I came across the idea of giving the gift of cookie mix in a jar. Now here was just what I was looking for.

First I had to decide upon a recipe. I chose this Cowboy Cookie recipe from AllRecipes.com. I only hit two minor snags - the outrageous price of chocolate chips and pecans here in Japan. So I slightly altered the recipe. I only put in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips (which by the way is plenty!!) and I substituted walnuts for the pecans (still expensive but much more readily available). I also decreased the amounts of sugar ever so slightly for the Japanese taste. Of course I had to make a batch to sample for myself and let me tell you... these are GOOD cookies. I'm lucky that half of them even got baked because I am such a cookie-dough-aholic. Now I remember why I stopped baking years and years ago.

Then I went to our local 100 yen shop (the equivalent to the dollar stores) and found some 1 liter size glass jars.

Then the best part - other than eating cookie dough that is - was going over to the shop and deciding on which kit to use to decorate my jars. I'd had my eye on Cheer by Wendy Page for the past few weeks so decided to use it to make a jar label and a baking instructions card. The friends who I had the Christmas party with yesterday are all somewhat skilled in English, at least enough to be able to read the baking instructions as I was too lazy to even attempt to translate them in Japanese.

I love how the jars turned out. In discussions with some other scrappers on both Facebook and in the TDC forums, I learned that there are SO many different kinds of mixes you can give as gifts in a jar. Cookies, brownies, hot cocoa, soups. I will definitely be trying this again. It was fun to make and it really was accepted with huge smiles by my friends.

In the spirit of Christmas, if any of my dear blog friends would like to try this idea as well, I would like to offer a jar label and baking instructions card freebie download to you! The incrediby talented designer of the kit I used, Wendy Page, was more than happy to let me share this with you. If you love the kit as much as I do and think you can use it for other projects as well, please be sure to head over to her store.

Download Link Here

This freebie is made on an A4 sized paper which is just slightly longer and more narrow than an 8 1/2 x 11 sized page. So it should print out nicely on either size of paper. I don't have a lot of experience with uploading files to 4Shared for sharing as freebies. If for some reason you aren't able to access or download this file, please let me know in the comments section below and I'll try to find out the problem.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to you.

Thank you so very much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

Sweets for the Sweet

2011-12-09T17:54:00.000+09:00

Well, I almost had my hopes up for a white Christmas. Unbelievably, a few snowflakes fell over western Tokyo this morning. Of course it didn't last long, and by afternoon we had one of the brightest blue skies I have seen in a long time. Makes me miss Christmas in Colorado even more. If its going to be cold, well then.... it might as well snow!

As much as I'd like to say that my scrapbooking is getting caught up, I think in reality I will never be caught up. I have so many pictures over the years that I love but for some reason have not yet been inspired to scrap. Other pictures I end up scrapping more than once. I do not scrap chronologically. At times I choose a kit to match my pictures. At times I choose my pictures to match a kit. And sometimes a kit comes along that is destined for a certain photo.

Even though ViVa Artistry's newest kit, Tea Garden, is all about tea and cupcakes, as soon as I saw it I knew the pictures I wanted to scrap. Old pictures, from many years ago. From when my darling daughter was still a little toddler. Not cupcakes, but oranges. Sweets are sweets. I would love to go back in time to this day and give that precious, sweet little girl and big hug.

Such a sweet and precious little girl. You steal my heart, you make me smile, you make me laugh. Everything right now is "do it by self." You want to do everything by yourself and I'm more than happy to let you try. Climbing up to the counter, peeling your own orange. Eating, playing, dressing. You are precious and I love you so.

Papers and elements from Tea Garden by ViVa Artistry
page template from No Boys Allowed by Cluster Queen Creations
pink glitter from En Pointe Glitters by ViVa Artistry
brush from LCO Decorative Accents
alpha stamp used for title is Suzy Q by CD Muckosky
font is Aquarelle

I hope your holiday season is going well and you are enjoying each day. Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon.

Ha Ha

2011-12-04T15:51:00.000+09:00

I've been waiting for months to be able to share this page. It was published in the November 2011 Artisan Notebook. The assignment was to make a page about a conversation between two people that is especially funny. I have tons of them between my children and I, but there are two conversations that I have carried in my heart for more than 30 years between my mother and I. Not sure if she remembers them or not, but I will never forget them. Love you mom!

Growing up, I never thought my mother was particularly funny or humorous. But on a few occasions she would say something so wacky that it would catch me off guard. I'm not sure if she was intentionally making a joke or if she was being serious at the time. But after hearing her own words, she too would crack up and we would both be laughing. (I hope the wording of the conversations are not offensive. I want to journal the conversations as they actually occurred.)

The title of my page, "ha ha," is a joke in itself. Not only is it the sound of laughter, but it also means "mother" in Japanese.

- My mother is a peanut & chocoholic -
Me: "Mom, did you see the article in the paper the other day about peanuts and chocolate?"
Mom: "What did it say?"
Me: "That studies have shown eating too many peanuts or too much chocolate can lead to hearing loss. Maybe you should think about cutting back."
Mom: a definite twinge of shock flashing across her face, "I'd rather go deaf!"

- My mother and her play on words -
Situation: We were leaving in the car. Mom was already in and waiting for me. As I got in, I noticed that tail of her coat's belt was sticking outside of the car.

Me: "Mom, your belt is sticking out of the door."
Mom: opening the door and pulling it back in, "Thank you, that was a close one."
Me: "Yeah, you could have gotten sucked out the door!"
Mom: "Ha ha ha. FAT chance!"

credits:
all papers and most elements are from Fleury by Wendy Page Designs
page template from Gimme Layers with Words Vol 2 by Cluster Queen Creations
stitches (recolored) are by Ronna Penner
alpha is from Autumn Bliss by Joyce Paul

Today's post is short and sweet. Just wanted to share this! Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope that your December is starting off with joy!

The good, the bad, and the uber excellent

2011-11-30T16:13:00.001+09:00

Yesterday was the bazaar. I've been mulling it over in my head for the past 24 hours - thinking about what went well, what didn't go according to my hopes and expectations. My thoughts are jumbled. Overall it was a success. We had 14 ladies participating this time and my living, dining and Japanese rooms were packed with a huge variety of handmade goods.

By opening time, we had a line of about 70 to 100 ladies outside my garden gate. They filed in slowly taking their time to look around. I stood by my table full of watch bands and necklaces trying to explain what they are. I had several display sample watches and even a little explanation card written in Japanese, but still the ladies seemed confused as to what they were looking at. So I stood there, trying to show. I felt like one of those product spokesmen you see on infomercials selling their wares. (It slices, it dices. You need this!)

Did I mention that the elementary school in my neighborhood is (numbers wise) the largest one is all of Tokyo? .... you may be wondering where this is going. That means there are a lot of other mothers just like me who are stay at home moms but whose kids don't need their constant attention. That gives us all plenty of time to make handmade goods if that is our cup of tea. And plenty of time to go to craft bazaars to buy these things as well.

Getting to the point now. There are two other craft bazaars in my immediate neighborhood this week - one today and another one tomorrow. So that means just within a 1 mile square area there are three craft bazaars in three days. Tis the season... We were the first one yesterday. I am thinking that we didn't sell as many of our things as we would have hoped because at least some of our guests were going to one or both of the other local bazaars this week and were holding on to their money. Okay, so I may be rationalizing, but indulge me.

As for me personally, I learned some valuable lessons, both good and bad, and had one very uber excellent experience.

Good - yesterday was the bazaar
Bad - we didn't sell as much as we hoped
Good - we sold a lot
Bad - we have a lot left over
Good - many of the left over items can still be sold or given as gifts to our friends and neighbors

Good - I sold 12 Scarlet Lime watches yesterday
Bad - I made 35 Scarlet Lime watches
Good - I have an incredible stock of beautiful Scarlet Lime watches. I will still sell them either at the spring bazaar or in a local consignment shop. Or maybe.... I'll keep one or two.

Good - I almost broke even - sales and expenses
Bad - I didn't make any profit
Good - I don't have debt because of unsold items
Bad - I won't be able to buy the Silhouette cutter I've had my eye on quite yet
Good - I can always buy it later

Good - I bought a few extremely cute items from my friends
Bad - There is nothing bad about this

And finally the Uber Excellent.
Good - One of the ladies who I do the bazaar with is good friends with Maiko Kosugi, a 2011 Prima Flower Girl. I am a huge admirer of Maiko's pages and projects. I briefly met her last April when she stopped by our spring bazaar to pick up a preserved flower arrangement she had ordered from my friend. At the time I was starstruck - truly.
Excellent - Maiko came to the bazaar again yesterday. For our second meeting I wasn't quite such a spaz.
Uber Excellent - Maiko brought along her project that she had made last week at a class she took from Irene Tan - another incredible and famous scrapper. She brought along her project just to show me! Little old me. How cool is that!

Overall it was a positive, learning experience for all of us. I think we had fun and now we can look forward to December, Christmas and New Years and all the joys of the holiday season.

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again.

Busy Bee

2011-11-27T21:41:00.000+09:00

No, not the templates made by Sasha of Busy Bee Designs. Although I love them too, but that's not what this one is about. This is just to say Hello and sorry for being absent. Been a busy bee.

Tuesday is our winter craft bazaar and I've been going a bit crazy making stuff, or just trying to get the stuff that I started weeks ago done. Think I finally managed most of it.

A very wonderful part of this weekend has been that my daughter owes me $10. I never let my kids pay me back in money, they always get the opportunity to work off their debt. Call it my little lessons in reality. So today, right when I needed help the most, my daughter was there for me and washed our living room, dining room and tatami room windows - inside and out. They needed it. Badly. And considering I have probably near to 100 ladies coming into those rooms on Tuesday for the bazaar the timing was perfect. While she was doing that, I was busy hanging a little garland, putting out my Nativity set and trying to clean up my crafting mess. Thank you my darlin' daughter. And not to be outdone, my dear son cooked dinner for us. Pancakes, eggs and ham. Love my babes!

Well, instead of rambling on any longer, I have some photos for you of what I've been up to these past several weeks. All the finishing details will have to be done tomorrow, or not at all. Wish me luck!

Waterfall Mini Albums

Just a few of the beaded ornaments I make. Nothing spectacular, but fun to make.

Door hangers. I had hoped to get more than just two done, but ran out of time and mojo.

Approximately 50 beaded watchbands and necklace dangles made using kits by Scarlet Lime. I'll be sure to take some pictures on the day of the bazaar to show them off more properly.

And very fortunately - because this was a huge time and effort saver. Since we didn't have a winter bazaar last year, I still have all of the tags I and cards I made last year for various CTs.

And last but not least, the only new CT thing I have to show for the past few weeks. I made this for a dear friend of mine, who has helped me out this past year in so many ways. Using Early Bird by Erica Zane, guest designer at TDC during Nov 2011.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

Two Too Cool

2011-11-05T13:25:00.001+09:00

Just a quick post because its Saturday and I'm home alone! Yipee! Quiet, peaceful alone time. I'm working on a big project and I can't wait to see how it comes out. Going to take some time though. I actually should be getting ready for the craft bazaar but....

First of my Two Too Cool stories. Have a look at this tutorial from the Hybrid Chick - Digi Nails! Is this not the coolest thing. One of these days I must give this a try!

Second Two Too Cool. A page I made for DSD weekend has been featured on Gallery Pretties on One Story Down! I'd never heard of the site before, but when I went to visit it I was thoroughly impressed with all the fun crafty information. You can bet that I added them to my daily blogroll.

made using All Spice by Mari Koegelenberg
misc elements from Emporium and Around the World by TDC Designers
alpha from Sugar Sands Beach by Etc. by Danyale

page template from Solos, Part 3 by Busy Bee Designs

Okay, I'm off to play, or take a nap. Whichever comes first.

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

DSD

2011-11-03T18:47:00.001+09:00

Six Halloween parties, one CT call welcome, one DSD challenge, one annual hip-hop dance performance, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Crazy couple of weeks around here - mostly happy-busy I think. Halloween is finished, big sigh of relief! Daughter's dance performance is finished, big sigh of relief! Creative Team call brings new challenge chicks (and other chicks as well) to The Digichick, big sigh of relief! The Digichick 2011 Digital Scrapbooking Day - FB Freebies Challenge and FB hop are live, big sigh of relief! Not that I was in charge of them all by any means, but I had to play my little part and its just nice to see the projects being successful.

Speaking of DSD, or Digital Scrapbooking Day... I'll bet my non-scrapping friends didn't even know there was such a thing... come on over to the Digichick for our DSD Challenge. You can actually complete the challenge with all-new, free supplies! You just need your computer and a suitable software program.

The main point of the challenge is to make your page using the FB freebies, and to journal about a secret to your scrapbooking success. Here is the page I came up with.

various TDC and Guest Designers FB Freebies

In other TDC news, a huge welcome to the new Creative Team members at The Digichick:

Amy (anrobe)
Becca (Becca236)
Emilie (stevens89)
Jenna (sweeet)
Jennifer (jennyf92)
Kate (cardinalskate)
Lena (Lena Gardner)
Melanie (melrio)
Michelle (mhreen08)
Ramona (Ramona the Pest)

And because we had so many fantastic applicants,
we'll be having lots of guests over the next couple months:

Jude (Judet) November
Trista (ScrappyT) December
Patricia (scrappyladystudios) December
Chel (Chel) December
jamie (inkspots) December
Heidi (scrappurple) January
Alisa (ayaandjudah) January
tropt (tropt) February
chloe (chloe) February

Many of these talented scrappers have joined the Challenge Chicks team, I'm so excited!

I do have one additional page to show, this one is made with yet another incredible design from the lovely and talented ladies who are ViVa Artistry.

Winter Solstice by ViVa Artistry

Fall Flavors - Cinnamon Spice by Busy Bee Designs

So now that November is upon us you would think I could constantly breathe these huge sighs of relief. Alas, now my frantic preparations for the winter craft bazaar begin. I've made several of the Scarlet Lime watches and necklaces, even a few other crafts as well. But this month will be a crafting and cleaning month for me. Crafting in order to sell the lovely goodies, and cleaning because 26 days from now about 100 women will all be crammed into my house. I hope they will focus their attention on the lovely hand-made crafts before them and not so much on my dirty nooks and crannies.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

Enzymes part 2

2011-10-29T18:10:00.000+09:00

Its been more than a week, but I just didn't feel like the enzymes were done brewing. For one thing, they didn't foam up like Tomoko-sensei told me they would. I was wondering if I did something wrong, asked her but she told me not to worry about it. So this evening I strained them.

Here is what they look like still in the bucket. See how the fruits and veggies have all shriveled up. Everyday when I stirred them I would give each handful and good squeeze to try and get the juices out.

First thing was to put all the contents in a mesh net and get the juices out.

Next thing is to add the Umi no Sei. Kerry told me that these are natural enzymes from the sea. You can drink it straight for your daily enzyme intake, but its very expensive. It also contains iodine and this is why its effective against radiation. Very important in Japan nowadays.

Finally, I put it all in bottles. From 3 kg of fruits and veggies mixed with 3.3 kg of sugar, I got nearly 4 liters of enzymes.

The leftover fruits and veggies are still full of healthy nutrients! Tomoko-sensei said they can be ground up in a food processor and added (about 1 tbs) to stews and curry, even put into a small mesh bag and put into a hot bath to make your skin all soft. (You know how the Japanese luv their baths.)

From now I'll have to keep all 4 liters and the leftover fruits and veggies in the fridge. Starting tomorrow the kids and I will be drinking a little each day. I hope we stay healthy this winter! These enzymes are supposed to help boost our immunity, so we'll see!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon.

Door Hangers part 2

2011-10-25T16:44:00.001+09:00

A few months ago some ladies came to my home for scrapping door hangers. When I asked my usual group of students if they would like to give it a try they were all for it. So today I had scrapping door hangers part 2. You'd think that making one of these would be a lot easier and faster than scrapping a full page, but that isn't necessarily the case. Maybe we were too chatty, but even these took the full 4 hour lesson.

It is common in Japan to have some kind of identification on the restroom door - even in a private home - so that guests can find it easily. I think the majority of my students plan to use these hangers as such.

Regardless of their use, I think they did a wonderful job today making these gorgeous hangers. It was a good time.

Thank you as always for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon!

Challenge Me This

2011-10-24T19:20:00.000+09:00

Chief Challenge Chick here. Not only do I get to be the team leader, but sometimes I even get to host a challenge or two as well! All challenges are open until the end of the month, so please feel free to join in any of them, or all of them! Participants earn points which add up then can get discount coupons to The Digichick shop!

My first challenge for this month is called the Beautiful Autumn Day challenge. The basics of the challenge are for participants to scrap a page remembering a wonderfully spent autumn day. My family and I spent such a day just last weekend. It was nearly perfect in every way!

I used the gorgeous Old Garden kit by Etc. by Danyale for my page. For the challenge, your page should be rich with color, texture and memory! Further challenge details can be found in the challenge thread linked above.

My second challenge is called Inspired by Design. Every once in awhile there comes along the perfect kit, one that is exactly what we were waiting for. As soon as I saw Chakra by ViVa Artistry, I knew it would be perfect for the page about balancing life's challenges and changes that I've been wanting to make for the past several months.

For this challenge, I would love to see what designs inspire you and why.

And just so you know, any of our challenges can be adapted for a greeting card or hybrid project! I hope you'll join with us for a challenge or two!

Thank you, as always, for stopping by my little corner of the web.

Digichick CT Call

2011-10-23T07:54:00.000+09:00

How would you like to have access to an entire digi store? We have some of the best designers in Digiland and now the Digichick is having a CT call! The requirements are more than fair and you use some of the most beautiful designs available. Here's the scoop!

The Digichick is having a call for new permanent Creative Team members! Our requirements are simple:

    Create at least 3 layouts, uploaded to 3 galleries and 1 social site of your choice.
    Be an active member of our forums and our gallery.
    Scrap along with our biweekly challenges.

Along with one supplemental task of your liking: either being a member of our Challenge, Chatty Chicks or Social Media team. Please let us know which team sounds the most interesting to you!

To apply, please send the following information to christine@thedigichick.com:

    Your Name
    Your Username
    Your Best Gallery
    Your Current CTs

Deadline is October 31st. We look forward to hearing from you!

秋の酵素づくり教室　開催日決定のお知らせ

2011-10-21T12:45:00.002+09:00

Enzyme workshop information 日本語

Real quick post here for my Japanese friends. Tomoko-sensei, who taught me how to make the enzymes in the post below, has a few open seats for her next couple of enzymes workshops. If you're interested, please follow this link to her blog ! It's worth every penny! (every yen). (*^_^*)v

She also teaches aromatherapy! She's such a naturally beautiful woman!

Enzymes

2011-10-20T10:05:00.000+09:00

I made enzymes... what???? I know. The first time my dear friend Kerry told me that she had "made" enzymes I had no idea what she was talking about. She explained a lot of it to me, but I am slow learner so I still didn't grasp what a big deal enzymes are until I did a little more research.

To start off with here is a layman's explanation of what enzymes are and what they do. "Enzymes are catalysts. Enzymes serve as the labor force to perform every single function required for our daily activities and are required to keep us alive. They are most important in supporting our body defenses and immune system to protect us from harmful forces and specific dangers to our health." I took these sentences directly from this site here, Soul Guidance - Enzymes. It has some wonderful, in-depth information so I highly recommend a visit to read their page.

Several weeks ago, Kerry came over bearing gifts. She had made far too many spring enzymes for her family to use and gave me three huge bottles. Two were made from plums and one from spring grasses. My children and I have been drinking them almost every day since then. I don't want to say its a cure-all or anything like that. We still catch colds, we still get tired. But for the most part, since I started drinking my daily dose of enzymes I have had more energy and I notice that I feel more clear-headed.

So yesterday, I went with her to Tomoko-sensei's house and we made fall enzymes. I can't find my list of all the ingredients, but I used three kilograms of raw fruits and vegetables and about three kilograms of sugar. (Yes, I know that's a lot of sugar! But it too acts as a catalyst for the fermentation.)

Apples, pears, pumpkin, ginger, mushrooms, 9 variety of beans and grains, passion fruit, several citrus fruit varieties, broccoli, carrots, pomegranates, sweet potatoes, red beets, radishes, persimmons, and I few exotic fruits I don't know the name of.

We first carefully weigh out the proportions of each fruit or vegetable as determined in advance by Tomoko-sensei. In a large 5-kg plastic bucket, we first place 1 kg of sugar. Then we start cutting. We slice and dice each variety, adding in the skins, seeds and all! After we have a good layer of fruits and veggie mix on top of the first kilo of sugar, we mix it up by hand (using the hand we do not cut with).

Oh, I just remembered something very interesting. It is absolutely best for each mother to make her own families enzymes because of the natural bacteria in her body. That is why we cut and mix everything by hand - in order to add our own bodies bacteria and natural defenses to the mix. Even though all participants use the exact same ingredients and measures, each batch of enzymes will taste differently because of the maker's natural bacteria being added. The Japanese even have a saying, "Fukuro no Aji," which means mother's taste. Every family can usually tell which dish their own mother made because of her individual style and because of her bacteria that gets added in the process. I know that sounds very strange in English... but it sounds beautiful in Japanese! This is just another way we mom's can protect our children.

Okay, back to the making process. We continue cutting, slicing and dicing, and mixing in more sugar until all our ingredients have been used up. After its all mixed up its already starting to get juicy and sticky. On top of all this, we add kelp powder. This also kick starts the fermentation process as well as adding a huge amount of healthy goodness. (Kelp is a natural radiation fighter and you know how important that is to Japan these days.)

Finally, on top of that we add the last kilo of sugar.

This will sit for 24 hours in a cool, dry area. After 24 hours, we stir the mixture by hand. From now, its also important that each person who will be drinking the enzymes also stir the mixture by hand. So every morning and evening for the next week, my kids and I will each be reaching our freshly clean and washed hands up to almost the elbow into this bucket full of sugar, fruits and veggies. This will add even more of our natural bacteria and immunity into the brew.

Tomoko-sensei told us that while we are cutting and making the enzymes, its important for us to be thinking happy thoughts. And while the enzymes are stewing and brewing, we need to place the bucket in the most used room of the house so they don't get lonely!

After one week, I will need to add the entire contents of the bucket into a net and strain the juices out. I will then add a liquid called Umi no Sei which is... well, I don't know really what it is, but its chocked full of nutrients. I'll then pour the juice into glass bottles for storage.

Each morning, my children and I each have about one tablespoon of the enzymes mixed into a glass of cool water, it tastes like sweet fruit juice. Once cold and flu season roll around, we'll probably have a glass in the evenings too.

And that's it. Pretty easy overall as long as you've got all the ingredients. Its certainly not cheap, but I hope in the long run we will all be healthier!

Here is a pict of my dear friend Kerry (on the left) and Tomoko-sensei.

And one of me with her too.

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come back again soon!

Chief Challenge Chick

2011-10-09T18:03:00.000+09:00

Not to brag or anything - because it was simply appointed because I volunteered to do it - but I will be taking over as the Challenges Team Leader for The Digichick. Woot! I have an awesome team already in place so now just to do my best not to rock the boat. Come on over and join in sometime if you're up for it. See anything you really like? let me know. Have any suggestions for a great challenge? let me know.

As this blog is for the most part about scrapping, and since I have a few pages to show, let's just get right to it, shall we?

First up are a few layouts that I made for the Artisan Notebook magazine. This one was for the weather challenge, requesting the Just Write team to "Scrap a layout that journals about a weather-related event in your life." I guess I could have written about how the only car accidents I've had have been caused by rain slippage, or how I used to brave driving through raging blizzards over Monument Pass south of Denver to visit my boyfriend. Instead, I decided to make a page about the times my dad and I have shared while listening to thunder. So many of my Japanese friends find it amazing that I would like to sit out on the patio while there is a storm about just to listen to the rolling thunder. I guess I learned to appreciate its beauty from my dad. Thanks dad! Actually, its not enough for me (especially since we don't get thunder here very often at all) so I also have a rain and thunder CD that I pop in the music player every once in a while.

We don't need words, we listen. And somehow our hearts connect in the far off echos and the shimmering drops surrounding us. We sit, we listen with our ears and our hearts. We share a bond in the peacefulness of the moment. Its long been our way to connect, sitting on the patio during the thunderstorms. Sometimes we'll talk, most times not. Even after the thunder ceases to boom, ceases to echo, we know we have been a part of a special moment between God, nature and we two. I love sharing thunder with you Dad.

Papers and most elements from Sign of the Times: Aquarius by ViVa Designs

This next layout was for the September issue, challenging us to make a layout using a scrapbooking or photography technique that we've always wanted to try. I've always thought I wanted to try to make a hybrid layout. I've made several hybrid mini albums, but never a real layout. For this, I first made the entire layout in my Photoshop, then printed out each individual element and paper separately. I slaved for hours to get it all cut out and realigned like the digital layout, added real glitter because the digital stuff just wasn't enough texture for me, then assembled it all and voila! Here is the final product.

papers and elements from Around the World by The Digichick Designers

On to other layouts. This first one, unbelievably is a layout from months ago that somehow never made it to my blog. It uses a bunch of designs by various Digichick designers in the same color pallet for a collaboration called the Chick Fix. But now that I go and look for the specific designs I used for this page I see that most of the designers I chose from have left the shop. Sorry about that. But at least you get to see my precious beautiful grand niece, years ago.

papers and elements from past designs from The Chick Fix by the Digichick Designers
page template is from Summer Flavors Orange Sherbet by Busy Bee Designs

I love to participate in The Color Room challenges, something about the challenge of making a page based on a color pallete alone is fun. For last week's color pallet #78, I made this page of my own precious little baby girl, also years ago. I've had this kit by Joyful Heart Designs on my wishlist for quite some time. I love her fun and funky paper patterns.

papers and most elements from Happy to Be Me by Joyful Heart Designs
page template from Solos Part 2 by Busy Bee Designs

Four down, one to go.

In other breaking news, the ladies of ViVa Artistry have finally persuaded me to join their own team. That sounds a bit arrogant and I don't mean it that way. I have been honored that they kept asking me over the last several months to join, but up until now I just didn't feel I had the power. They already sell their stunning designs at The Digichick so I've used their lovely creations many times before. But this is the first layout I made as a member of their CT. Again my daughter from years ago. I think I need to make more pages for my son...

papers and elements from The Cat's Meow by ViVa Artistry -

guest designers at ScrapMatters for the month of October

If you have kept with me this long, I thank you. More scrapping and crafting projects will follow. If you have time, come on over to the Digichick and join us for a few of our challenges. Would love to have you.

Happy October

2011-10-01T21:02:00.000+09:00

In all actuality, I really do not like October. Traditionally it has been a stressful month for me - the reason being that I do not like Halloween. I think I may have when I was a little girl, but somewhere along the line that changed.

I remember trick-or-treating around our neighborhood, I remember parties at church.

I remember dressing up as a punk rocker as a young teen. (Don't you just love those orange retro-70's curtains mixed with my bright punk pink?)

I think that may have been my last fond memory of Halloween.

After coming to Japan Halloween became a lot of work. As an foreigner in Japan teaching English to the native children it suddenly became my responsibility to entertain the young students, educate them in the American ways of Halloween. They in turn always fully expected that I should dress up like a witch, because that is what they imagine all foreign women to dress up as for Halloween. I have never once dressed up like a witch, before coming to Japan or afterwards.

Even after my own children were born I only remember a few Halloweens that I dressed them up in homemade costumes and took them to a party. The "joy" of the season always seemed to be dragged down from the pressure I felt of having to single-handedly make Halloween for my students. As a self-employed teacher I was the only one to plan, prepare and execute Halloween parties for up to 50 children each year. In recent years, because most of my students have grown old enough to be too embarrassed to want to dress up I can get away with more low-key parties with just a few games and trick-or-treating. My own kids are satisfied to go around to a few friends' houses and collect candies. But from this spring, I started teaching two classes of younger kids again, so I am feeling the pressure to preform once again. I love November 1st.

Speaking of October, my three-month scrapping hiatus is officially over. I thoroughly enjoyed my summer off of scrapping. I read nearly 25 books and just basically chilled out. I felt no pressure and it felt good.

I think I am ready to get back into scrapping. I've already made a few pages. When I saw the latest collaboration, Emporium, from the Digichick Designers I couldn't wait to use it. This is a page of my gorgeous niece, her wonderful hubby and their babes.

This last one is made with a kit I've had on my hard-drive for months. I love the bold and colorful patterns in this kit, called Freebird by Lauren Reid. I also used some papers and elements from Emporium.

So... there you have it. Happy October, Happy Scrapping. Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope you'll be back again soon.

Eyelash Perm

2011-09-12T15:33:00.001+09:00

Be forewarned: the following post has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with scrapping. But it is a little bit of modern Japanese life.

Eyelash Perm

Yes, its real. No, its not a joke. I've been getting my eyelashes permed on a regular basis for over three years now. A friend of mine heard about it, found a beauty course that taught it and offered certification and licensing for its graduates and started her own "business." Over the course of 5 years she has built up a clientele of hundreds, without having advertised even once. She gives eyelash perms to up to 15 people a day. What a business!

Most of the appointments she takes are small groups of ladies - five to six of my friends and I usually get together for our appointments. My friend takes all her supplies in a small suitcase all over town. My friends and I take turns getting together at each others homes. The first customer lies down, gets a basic eye wash to make sure there is no residual dirt or makeup.

Before

A rubbery form is then placed over the eye, the edge of which is slightly sticky. The eyelash perm specialist then carefully combs each eyelash and arranges it on the sticky part of the form. This will be the shape the eyelashes curl to. There are larger forms for a softer curl, or more narrow forms for a tighter curl. I have her use a slightly narrower form on me because I want a tighter curl.

She then places absorbent cotton pads under the eyes and applies the permanent solution. In general, the solution is similar to solutions used for perming hair, but of course they are much more gentle so as to not damage the eye. (My friend told me today that there are some fast-perm solutions that only take about 3 to 5 minutes, but they are very strong and can cause severe damage to eyes. She only uses the most gentle formula.) After the solution is applied to the eyelashes, the client lies there for 15 to 20 minutes while the perm is activated. (During this time my friend will have the next client lie down and begin the process all over again. My friend has gotten so good at this that she can actually have 4 to 5 clients all processing at the same time.)

During

After this initial 15 minutes, the second solution is applied to the eyelashes to deactivate the perm solution and condition the lashes. This solution is also allowed to sit on the eyelashes for an additional 15 minutes. After this process is complete, the rubber forms are removed, the client is given a careful and complete eyewash to remove all perm solution residue. Finally, a final conditioner is applied to the lashes - much like mascara. And voila! Beautiful, curled eyelashes.

The perm lasts differently for each person, just a a hair perm varies by person as well. Mine usually last for about 4 to 5 weeks. I have never once had any irritation or complication from the perm.

After with no eye makeup

After with my daily eye makeup

I was wondering, since so many of my American friends have never heard of eyelash perms, if this was a "Japanese" thing. I asked my friend today and she thinks that it originally gained popularity coming in from Korea over a decade ago. Its just now becoming more popular in Japan. Surprisingly, one of my Japanese friends told me today that she had gotten an eyelash perm in California over 10 years ago! And a friend of mine from France also tells me she is familiar with eyelash perms.

So there you have it. It sounds like there are such things as eyelash perms in America, you just have to look for them. They're not expensive and its sooooo convenient. I would just recommend finding a very reputable salon or beautician if you're thinking about having one done.

Before After

Ohisashiburi - Long time no see

2011-09-07T10:51:00.001+09:00

Blank. My mind is a blank. I've been meaning to sit down and write on my poor, neglected blog for weeks. And each time I think about what to write my mind comes up blank.

Blank. That has been a problem now for months. I can't seem to focus or even make decisions. I haven't been scrapping, in fact I'm now on the 3rd month of a 3-month self-imposed scrapping hiatus. I did scrap one page last week for the November Artisan Notebook, and I'll be making one more before this month is out for the December issue as well. Those pages seem to be the easiest, the best ones to make for me at this point. The guidelines are clear and I have plenty of time to think slooooowwwwwly about the page I want to make. As for just sitting down and making a page ... well, my creativity has been zapped. My mojo is suffering. Blank.

A few friends of and I were talking on facebook a few days ago about feeling the strain of being on creative teams sometimes. The designers need our pages to show off their designs, that's how CT members are "paid" - in free supplies. But what do we do when we are uninspired. When our mojo takes us in other directions away from scrapping.

I have been so blessed to be able to be a CT member for The Digichick. Nicole is the best boss anyone could ask for. So when I asked for a 3-month vacation, I knew she would willingly give it to me. Thank you Nicole! I'm hoping that by NOT scrapping, my mojo will build up in me to a boiling point and I'll just have to scrap come October! We'll see.

I spent a month at home in Colorado with my family this summer. I was almost completely unplugged for that whole month, and you know what? It felt great. I would check in a bit on my facebook page, read the blogs in my reader a few times a week. But for the most part I just hid out, escaped.

Escape. No better way that I can think of than to mentally transport myself to an entirely new world. So I spent hours this summer reading. I think I'm up to about 20 books since July. I bought myself a Kindle as well as some recycled paperbacks.

I'm currently deep into the magical, fantastical world of Harry Potter. I'm a bit late jumping on the trend, regardless, they are good books and movies no matter when you start them. Actually, I'm happy I started reading them at the end, that way there is no prolonged, unbearable wait until the next release. It was seeing the trailer for the final movie in the series that inspired me. And just so I wouldn't have to go and see the movie alone this summer, my wonderful sister went out and bought all the previous DVDs, watched them in record time and went with me to see the Deathly Hallows part 2. It does not disappoint.

So anyhoooooo... getting back to scrapping. I have not given it up, I couldn't! I'm just taking a little break. Even as much as I love it, I just need to take a breather. I'll be back soon, there just is no other creative hobby for me.

My hobby? Well that's an easy one. Scrapbooking. Oh, but I'm supposed to be writing about a hobby other than digital scrapbooking. How about paper scrapbooking?! I love to do that too! I never had a long-term hobby before scrapbooking. Before it I would take up something new but give it up almost as quickly. Oh, but that's still scrapbooking so can't really talk about it either. Hmmm... other than scrapbooking?? Is there anything else?

Well.... I get into reading sometimes. My family and friends would say I get obsessed. I can read the same book over and over again, but only with a good series. I love how reading takes me on adventures far from here. Let's me meet imaginary people I would never have the opportunity to in real life. Gives me a temporary escape from reality. Does reading count?

Oh, and I do make beaded Christmas ornaments too. My Grandma had some cute little beaded Christmas ornaments when I was a little girl and I always wanted to make some. I found some really incredible kits through the Cracker Box that are just divine! I've made several over the years, but each one takes 20 to 25 hours. So I don't make them often.

I like listening to music, does that count as a hobby? I like every kind of music (okay, not really bluegrass but just about everything else). I like pop music from all over the world, I love classical and jazz. Love hip hop (no pottymouth please), Christian and some country. But I'm a rocker at heart.

I like to dance, but I don't suppose that is a hobby since most of my dancing takes place in my living room. But I do go to a few dance exercise classes. I used to love to go dancing every weekend. Now my kids beg me not to embarass them by leaving the curtains open. So I mostly dance during the day while they are at school and I'm doing housework.

Oh, I almost forgot! I love yoga too. I started doing yoga and tai chi about 20 years ago. I haven't kept up with tai chi (one of these days I'll start up again) but I try to go to yoga at least once a week. Yoga keeps me balanced and stretched out.

I guess you could say I have several hobbies, but none of them really compare to the hobby that I spend hours on each week. The hobby that I love to do and love to teach to others, the hobby that I can do and make love-filled gifts for family and friends. The only hobby that has captivated me for years, and shows no signs of letting up.... Scrapbooking.

As seen in the July 2011 Artisan Notebook

Thank you so much for bearing with me, for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again.

My heart hurts

2011-07-03T10:51:00.001+09:00

Last night we got together with my husband's family for a long-overdue family dinner. We used to get together at his parents' home every so often, but recently my mother-in-law has been saying she is too tired and old to cook for all of us. She just wants to be together and not have to worry about cooking or dirty dishes. I can understand that.

I adore my mother-in-law. She is the farthest thing from a monster-in-law there is. Apparently she had reservations about her son marrying an American (only because of the high divorce rate that American marriages have). But she never said one word about it to me. In fact she only mentioned it in passing once to my husband. She has always, from the very first time I met her, been the kindest woman, poised and gracious, charming and carefully-spoken. She was the one to reach out to me in the early days of our marriage trying to make a bridge between us. You should have seen us two in those early days - she not speaking a word of English and me speaking very childish and broken Japanese. But the more we were together, even without words, we found that we share so many personality traits and preferences.

She has never once over-stepped her boundaries my butting into our family matters. She has offered loving advice when asked for and very few times when not asked for, but only ever in a soft, brief and loving manner. She is bright and cheerful, positive and caring. Like I said, I adore her.

When we met up at the restaurant she got out of the taxi and she was hobbling, using a cane. She has always been so healthy. Yes, she tells of her aches and pains from an aging body, but just as soon laughs them off and says growing older sucks. She's never had any visible physical pains or restrictions. So when I saw her my heart stopped. She told me that she overdid it carrying her groceries home up the hill to her house. By the time she had climbed the stairs to their 4th floor apartment her knee was killing her, hence the cane tonight. She is convinced it will get better and if it doesn't she will go to the doctor. But for tonight she was just happy to be together.

We had a lovely dinner, all of us together. But over the course of the night conversations revealed that my niece is going to be moving to Italy - near her older sister who is already there - to study university. That was sad because that means that my daughter and son will be the only two grandchildren here in Japan. My children will be missing both of their cousins. We also discussed how my husband's uncle's health has so sadly deteriorated and he is back in the hospital fighting for his life.

In the car on the way home, my daughter was staring out the window for a bit too long and would not look at me when I called her name. I reached over and felt tears on her cheek. When we got home she burst out in sobs that she had been holding in so bravely all night. She was heartbroken to see her beloved Baba (grandma) in this condition. Suddenly old, suddenly weakened. In that instant, I was reminded of my own Grandma and how much I missed her after it was too late to tell her so.

If I could go back, I would go back to you. To the night that you asked me to stay, that night that you asked me to stay just a little longer and brush your hair. To the last night I ever saw you.

I have lived with the regret that I didn't stay, that I never went back. I am so sorry Grandma. Please forgive me. You were always so vibrant and cheerful, until the end when you just couldn't take care of yourself anymore and you had to move into a nursing home. You were never a rich woman so your final home was not an elegant place. I visited you there once. I was about 22 years old and so preoccupied with my own life. I visited you in the nursing home and was overwhelmed by the smell, by the darkness, by the sadness of your new home. It wasn't your fault and you hated it too. For the first time ever I saw fear in your eyes. You thought you had been thrown away and forgotten.

I visited you one night. I don't remember much, only that it was a short visit. I remember that when I told you I had to leave you asked me to brush your hair. I did for about five minutes and then said again that I had to go, but that I would be back. I still remember the look in your eyes. The look begging me not to leave you there. The look that understood all too well that I wouldn't be back. Even if in my own mind I intended to go back, I just never did. I couldn't handle seeing you like that. So old. So broken. It wasn't you.

I am so sorry Grandma. I didn't go back to you. If I could go back in time now I would. I would go back every night and read to you and brush your hair. I would go back and stay with you as long as possible. You were always there for me and yet in the end I wasn't there for you.

I know that I will see you again. I know that you have already forgiven me. I know that you understand. I know that you are waiting for me too. Since I can't go back, I will just wait until I can go forward into the next life to see you again. Still...

If I could go back, I would go back to you.

-------------------

As seen in the June Artisan Notebook: Just Write challenge

most papers and elements from Spring Love and Spring Love Add-on by ViVa Artistry
frame, clock and sm white flower from Douceur by Laitha's Designs
envelope from Old Letters by ViVa Artistry
brush is extracted from a personal photo
font is Quilline Script

Standing there, holding my daughter, crying together. So many thoughts in my mind: aging parents, being away from loved-ones, the passing of time. How one day I will be the one old and weakened. Change.

"Things change. They always do, it's one of the things of nature. Most people are afraid of change, but if you look at it as something you can always count on, then it can be a comfort." (Bridges of Madison County)

I'm one of the people it frightens.

Makin' stuff

2011-06-21T21:36:00.000+09:00

Today was fun. I held my first paper crafting get-together, something other than scrapbooking. I guess its just a natural offshoot of scrapping since it was all the same supplies, but it felt different because no photos were involved. Several weeks ago one of my regular scrapbooking students asked me to "teach" her and a few of her friends how to make door hangers. I found a local online shop where I could buy blank door hangers so we had the perfect base to start with. I also found a few sample "layouts" in the online galleries so the ladies would have some idea of what to do. You would think that the canvas being so small and not involving any photos that it would only take a short time. But the class still took 3 hours. Of course we are drinking tea and chatting for a good portion of that time too. Anyway, here are the lovely door hangers that they made. (Sorry for the poor photo quality. These were taken with my Android.) This was a lot of fun, I'm thinking I may just need to try it myself someday....

Last week I showed you a photo of a non-scrapping project that I am making. Thank you to my friends who took a guess at it. Here is what those same items look like after week 2. I'm sure you can make out what most of them are now that they have some color. But what in the world am I going to do with them... I'll let you know next week!

Thank you as always for stopping by. Please come again!

Guessing game

2011-06-16T19:40:00.000+09:00

Take a look at my picture below and try to guess what in the world I am making. I'll give you a hint. It has nothing to do with scrapbooking. Each project takes three weeks to complete, what you see here is the result of week one. Week two lesson is next Monday. I'll try to remember to take another picture and show you.

Any guesses?

Something's coming...

2011-06-15T16:35:00.000+09:00

I still have not gotten over my enjoyment of making these cute little waterfall albums. Just having so much fun, and they are so satisfying to make. I'm actually enjoying the hybrid ones more because I can make the entire cover layout in my computer, print out and cut each piece individually and have it done in no time. Whereas if I'm just making one from all my paper scrap supplies I need to grab and piece here, grab a piece there, try to coordinate it all and get a nice looking cover layout. What can I say, I love digi. But recently I've been wanting to have the look and feel of a "real" project in my hands too. Plus these make great gifts for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, etc. LOVE these waterfall albums.

Here's my latest two. This first one I made from the latest collaboration of the Digichick Designers called Shutterbug. Here's the layout and how it looked completely digital.

And here's the finished project after I substituted some paper and crochet flowers with the hybrid papers.

Shutterbug by the Digichick Designers

The second album I made with the ultra cute and vintage Grandma's Dresser by Sahlin Studio. Again, I made the basic layout digitally, then just substituted a few "real" items instead of the digital elements. I really like how they turned out.

Here's what it looked like completely digital.

Here's how it turned out hybrid.

Keep your eyes open for this week's releases by The Digichick Designers. I can't say much, but here's a little teaser for you.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please come again!

What am I doing here

2011-06-13T13:46:00.000+09:00

Good question. Why are we put on this earth? Do we have a purpose or is life just a big mix of luck and fate? Without getting too philosophical, let me just say that I'm a firm believer in making the most out of whatever I'm given. If I get lemons, I'll try to make lemonade.

I guess you could call it a personal motto, but I've always like the expression, "Bloom where you are planted." I never thought I would be planted in Japan for this long. I miss my home and family so much that on most days if I think too much about it I just can't breathe. I want to go home to them in Colorado. I still have a dream but the years pass on and I wonder if it will ever come true.

Not to say that I don't like Japan. I know I am so blessed to be here, just exactly here in this place in Japan. My husband's family are all nearby and they are all pretty wonderful. I have precious friendships that have grown over the past 10 years of living in our neighborhood. It would be very hard to leave them all behind.

This may not be my first choice of where I want to be, but its a close second. I still dream of going home. I still dream of traveling the world and embarking on new adventures. I'm a pretty patient person - Heaven knows I've had to be since coming here. I'm still "fairly" young and I'd like to believe I still have time to do these things.

So while I am waiting, dreaming of these people and places, I've decided I'm just going to be the best Me wherever I am. I am going to continue to bloom.

This is a page I made that appeared in the April 2011 Artisan Notebook

I'm in my early forties. I'm only in my early forties. I'm already in my forties? How did that happen so quickly? I don't feel quite that -- dare I say it -- "old." I know it’s not old. Forties is the new thirties, right! Women are staying young, staying hot longer, right?! So to say that I'm in my forties shouldn't be such a big deal. I'm still young at heart and I'm still active and, for the most part, healthy.

Then why does it bother me so much? You see, the average life expectancy for a woman is around 80. So that would mean that my life is half over. Half over. How is that possible? High school was just a few years ago! I only graduated university a few years ago too, right? I've only been in Japan for 19 years! What???? That one is the most painful. In a few more years, I will have been in Japan for half of my life. Away from home and family for half of my life.

Sometimes I can't bear it. In my heart I am young, beautiful, wrinkle-free and the world is wide open, full of possibilities. It is still the spring of my life -- in my heart that is. In reality I am in my 40s, still somewhat lovely on some days, have quite a few more wrinkles than I like the world to see, and my future becomes more limited with each passing year. In reality, I am entering the autumn of my life.

There is still so much I want to do, so many new adventures I want to embark on. I still want to bloom in new ways that I haven't yet tried! I'm not ready to quietly fade and wilt just yet. I want to be one of those women who steps out boldly later in life and undertakes a complete transformation of their lives for the better.

When I look at life from this viewpoint I realize that although I may be entering autumn in my life, it is never too late. It will be spring in my heart as long as I say it will be. I have the power to course my life in new directions. I have the ability to bloom in autumn.

Thank you as always for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again.

Slow mojo

2011-06-08T09:50:00.000+09:00

I've often thought that I don't want my blog to be just a repeat of my galleries. How boring would that be. Without being too personal, I'd like to share a little of myself here. Something that my blog friends may not know about me. Keep it real as it were...

I've been absent from blogging lately. Not that I don't have anything to share, but some days are just not blogging days and I've had a lot of those recently. First and foremost I would say is because I've been busy. My "work" as an English teacher has been going very well these past few months. After 2 to 3 years of losing students due to graduations and busy schedules (ok I guess I should admit that MAYBE one or two who quit my classes just really didn't like learning English from me....), these past two months have brought many new students. One the one hand this is awesome for me. That's how I make my living in the real world. On the other hand, in order to get new students I have had to add an entire new day to my work week. I am now working 4 days a week. I have no idea how my friends who work full-time in office jobs find time for scrapping too. Work, cleaning, cooking, teaching, running children to their activities... by the end of the day I am exhausted and just want to veg out. My mojo has taken a major hit.

The second reason why I have been absent from blogging and scrapping is that I do have some bad emo days when I just feel lost to the world. Instead of writing it all out here, I'll just upload the double-page layout that I made in hopes of getting some art therapy. Things are getting better, slowly, but there are just times when I want to stay home and stay in bed.

The story can be read here.

Well, since I did enjoy making these other layouts as well I will share them here on my blog as well. If you want to read the journaling on them, just remember they can all be found in my galleries.

The story can be read here.

I do still love scrapping and there is no way I will give it up. My mojo is just slow right now. As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web here. Please come again soon.

Thank you TIC

2011-06-04T20:59:00.000+09:00

Thank you

I need to say a big and belated thank you to the people of the Tama City International Center. A few month ago a friend of mine, Kerry, introduced me to TIC through one of her own students and TIC invited me to come in late May and give a presentation on any topic that my little heart desired. Well, there are only 3 or 4 topics that I think I could talk about for an hour: the first and foremost topic being scrapbooking.

Thank you TIC members all for your gracious and warm welcome to me. I was so very happy to share my love of scrapbooking with you and was thrilled that even the gentlemen in the class seemed genuinely interested. Even I, while preparing for the presentation, learned a lot about the history of scrapbooking. I had a wonderful time sharing it with you.

I was so impressed with the members' level of English. I have to say, that this was the first time I have ever spoken about or taught scrapbooking in English! Up until now I've had to prepare all my thoughts and lessons in my broken Japanese. So this was a welcome change for me.

Thank you TIC for inviting me. I had such a nice time meeting you all!

Ma ma ma ma ma My Fiona (does anyone get that?)

2011-04-29T22:52:00.000+09:00

Catching up on a few layouts. I'd like to introduce you to Fiona. She has been my sanity saver these past several weeks. Not just mine, but my kids' too. Whenever I wonder if the shaking I'm feeling is actually the earth under my feet or just inside my head, I look to my Fiona. She's particularly sensitive and is a quake barometer in our home.

This is my Benjamin Ficus tree. We like to name a lot of things around our house and she - yes, its a girl - is named Fiona. Seven years ago when we first bought her we thought that would be a good name. We love our Fiona.
Fiona doesn't get as much care as she needs, but she still seems to thrive in our home. When we first got her one of my students who is a professional gardener told me that Ficus trees are moody and hard to grow. Thankfully, Fiona is not. I don't know much about houseplants, but I know enough to give them water and a little fertilizer. I trim her branches every once in awhile if I notice she is looking out of balance. Even with such minimal care she grows and adds beauty to our home.
My kids love to decorate her. At Christmas time she gets a little garland and some small ornaments. Throughout the rest of the year she gets bejeweled with anything from hanging monkeys to plastic beetles. She is like a pet, a member of our family.
She is long overdue for a trim. My student happened to notice just how unruly Fiona has become so she and I agreed that on her first lesson in March she would give Fiona a professional trim. She warned me that I might be shocked how deep she would cut back on her branches, but assured me that she would grow back even thicker and more lovely.
That professional trim never happened. It was Fiona that first told me of the earthquake happening. I didn't even feel the shaking yet, but noticed that she was shivering slightly so I knew what was happening. As I stood there watching her, she started shaking uncontrollably as the ground all around us was shifting violently.
In the days and weeks following the initial quake there were so many aftershocks that we became dizzy. Its quite common, I hear, and this happens to my children and I a lot. Each time we feel as if we were shaking our eyes immediately look to Fiona to see if she is shaking or not. Then we know if its just us or if its an actual earthquake.
My gardening student is due to come this Friday for her lesson and she will give Fiona that trim. I know she needs it and I want to give her the best care I possibly can. I am so thankful for this overgrown, unruly, beautiful Benjamin Ficus tree - lovingly named Fiona.

papers and elements from Terra by ViVa Artistry
page template from Fuss Free Artisana 2 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

This next one is a layout done a few months ago actually that appeared in the March 2011 edition of The Artisan Notebook. This is the phone that kept me in touch with the outside world after my computer was broken. This little device also has been such a wonderful blessing to me over the past few months.

Magenta, fuchsia, plum, purple, wine, bordeaux, violet. Call it what you will, I love this color. Its strong yet feminine. Its playful yet serious. I can't even remember how many things I've bought just because they were this color. My husband and I went to the electronics store the other day because he wanted a new cell phone. He showed me the latest smart phone model he was planning to buy - it only comes in two colors, black and bordeaux. I wasn't in the market for a new phone, but as soon as I saw this one I just had to have it. It looks nothing like a phone traditionally looks - it looks like a slim new compact camera. I've had some people look at me like I'm crazy because I'm holding my camera up to my ear and talking into it! Its such a great toy. Its a cell phone, mini-computer, camera, game console, schedule keeper, internet browser all in one. And the best part is it comes in my favorite color!

papers and most elements from All About Me by ViVa Artistry and Microferk Design
page template is from Fuss Free Set Eight by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
bright pink bow from Yes, its Spring by Janelle Mayanara
font is Jellyka, le Grand Saut

Its amazing how much we are blessed by some of the things in our lives. Both of these "objects" helped save my sanity and I am thankful for these little blessings.

A home bazaar

2011-04-27T12:55:00.001+09:00

Yesterday was the bazaar and let me just say it was a wonderful success. How many women can you fit into 480 square feet? (that's roughly the size of my dining, living and tatami room area where we held the bazaar). Good question, and the answer is quite a few. I could ramble on here, but a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll let he pictures talk for themselves instead.

a few of my waterfall albums

handmade lunch mats, bags and pencil cases

phone straps, necklaces, bead accessories etc.

beautiful display of beaded rings

more bags

some knit caps, coasters, booties, etc

more bags

mats, hair bands, coasters and bags

tissue cases, bags, bags and some really cute birds

preserved flower arrangements

more preserved flower arrangements

Ice Flower blocks

more bags and cases

more preserved flower arrangements

shoppers

more shoppers

and more shoppers

Thank you so much to all the ladies who came and bought our handicrafts.

And last, but not least, here is a picture of my friends and me. I want to thank them all too. I had so much fun getting together with them planning this (during our eyelash perms) and yesterday during the actual bazaar. We're planning on doing this all again in November, the Christmas version. Sounds like fun to me!

Laugh until you cry

2011-04-17T21:50:00.001+09:00

I have a new friend, her name is Beth and she has five kids. My very dear friend Kerry has five kids too and I can never imagine how I'd manage with five. Forget eight, two is enough for me.

But I digress. A few months ago another friend had linked up to a post on Beth's blog on her Facebook page. I just happened to notice it and clicked over to read what all the raucous was about. What I found would brighten many of my days. See my little list of Favorite blogs down there on the left. One of the links is for Five Kids is a Lot of Kids. That's Beth's blog. When you have time, I highly - HIGHLY - recommend paying her a visit. She is a hoot.

The other day Beth was asking her own readers what more they would like to read on her blog. I couldn't think of anything else - just more. More please, more! You made me laugh on some of my darkest days, Beth. Just keep it coming!

Anyhoo, in her survey I just happened to mention that I have a blog as well and she actually come over for a visit. Something in my posts about the recent quakes and events in Japan struck a cord in her heart and she asked if she could repost a little bit of what I wrote. She also then lavished praises on my little ole' scrap creations for which I adore her even more.

I don't mean to lead you over to her blog just so you can re-read what I wrote here. I would just love it if you went over to her blog and laughed so hard that tears are running down your face. Its definitely not your typical parenting blog. In my case that's good. I have volumes of books of expert advice and still I blow it royally on most days. What inspires me most is her humor and straight-forward ferocious love of her children. She makes me laugh, she makes me cry. Please, head over there and spend the next hour or so laughing.

Oh, and definitely don't forget to click on her international singing debut track from April 13th. I have a 12-year-old girl too and just the threat of singing this to her has nipped all car-sickness in the bud.

Hugs to you Beth. If you can laugh and love this much with five, then surely I can do it with two. Thank you for so much inspiration! Hugs!

Why we stayed

2011-04-11T11:46:00.001+09:00

(For the record, part 2)

There's a lot of talk around Tokyo these days about those who left in the panic of the first few days after the earthquake and those who decided to stay. The Japanese word for foreigner is "Gaijin" it literally means outside person. When the nuclear crisis first came to light there was a panic all around, both in the foreign community and amongst Japanese nationals as well. When faced with such great uncertainty that could very well be a life or death situation, many people decided to leave. Sadly, those in the foreign community who left Japan at that time have been dubbed as "Flyjin" or foreigners who fled. I'd like to note that it was not only foreigners who left. Many Japanese people arranged to stay with relatives in other areas of Japan as well.

Fear of the unknown, fear of just the possibilities and the worst case scenerio was enough for many people to pack up and leave. Some at extraordinary cost and sacrifice. Prices for tickets paid at the airline counters in Narita and Haneda airports were in some cases 10 times higher than usual. I heard of people paying $5000 for a single ticket in economy or $8000 in first class when that was all that was left for a one way ticket to the west coast of America. Usual prices for this time of year are less than $1000 for economy.

For the record, I don't blame any person who made the choice to leave. I seriously considered leaving as well. There were several days that I would wake up - after a relatively fitful and sleepless night - in a complete state of panic and want to leave. My husband was supportive of this decision, but wondered if it was really necessary. He was a great comfort and anchor to me in those horrible days. Even in those times of fear and doubt, when I thought of going home to America, there was never peace in the decision to leave. My children and I could have gone to my family in America (not for $8000 a piece though...) for the two weeks of spring break. It would have been a rushed and panicked visit and we would have been returning to Japan when the situation was still ongoing anyway. Without a doubt, my family and friends in the states absolutely wanted us to come home. We had offers for refuge from friends and family in other locations in Japan, New Zealand, Italy and China as well. We are so thankful for each and every offer we received. Thank you all!

Or we could stay, save our money and go home during summer holiday for a longer and more leisurely - definitely a more relaxed - visit instead. No matter how much my head wanted to get away and go home, in my heart there was no peace with that decision. The day finally came when I just told myself that we would stay. Until ordered out by the American Embassy we would stay. From that moment, there was peace in my heart. Over the next few days I thought a lot about this. Why? The only reason that fits, the only one that gives me this sense of peace, is that God wants me to be here.

A dear friend of mine and I were "talking" on FB when she so lovingly complimented my strength in the face of crisis. I didn't feel strong - I still don't. Here is what I replied, "A friend of mine and I were talking last night about what kind of witness would it be if we just left our Japanese friends and family. God calls us to represent Him in all places and situations. If I am to show that He is with us in the crises then I have to be here too. If ordered to leave we will, but for now I want to give His smile, His touch to the people around me. " It's absolutely not my strength that keeps me here.

Its not so easy to just pick up and leave your home, your job, your children's schools, your friends and family. All this when you don't honestly believe it is necessary. I don't blame anyone who left Tokyo or Japan during this time. I was there too, but just couldn't take that final step. I hope no one thinks less of those who left, or for that matter those who decided to stay.

While you were sleeping

2011-04-09T20:31:00.000+09:00

Actually, while I was computer-less and not tied to the news wondering if we should evacuate, I actually did some more paper scrapping. There is such a thing as too much information and after I got my fill, I turned off the TV and scrapped.

I mentioned that a few friends of mine and I will be hosting a bazaar later this month. I made quite a few more waterfall albums and I even made two real pages! They are quite generic but you just gotta love Basic Grey and Prima.

Whoever is the lucky buyer of my pages - wink wink - can put any photo on the page and can even change the photo from time to time. All they have to do is slip their photo into the postcard-sized clear photo pocket. I was able to find some frames that are about 3/4 inch deep at a local shop. The color was not so appealing so I sanded them down and repainted the frame. At least I hope someone will like these enough to buy. But if not I'll just keep them for myself.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please come back soon!

For the record

2011-04-08T23:33:00.003+09:00

I don’t keep a diary. I keep most of my memories instead on scrapbook pages. My blog is about my scrapbooking, so here is where I choose to record my small version of the events of March 11^th, 2011. I record this more for me than for others. Because I don’t want to forget. Not that I would. Its not something you forget, much like “Where were you when Kennedy was shot?” “Where were you when the space shuttle Columbia blew up?”

Four weeks ago today, at 2:46 p.m. I was home alone, brushing my hair and refreshing my makeup in the bathroom. My work starts from 3:30 on Fridays so I was getting ready for my students. My children get home from school around 3:00. I heard a noise, like a scratching on a window screen. My kids and I sometimes play little pranks on each other when the other is unsuspecting, so I thought my son had gotten home a bit early and was scratching at the window screens near the front door. I kept hearing the noise, expecting it to stop and for him to come in. But the noise just continued. I put down my brush and starting walking toward the front door. It was then, and not until then, that I noticed my Benjamin Ficus tree in the living room shivering. “Hmm, it must be an earthquake,” I thought. You see I’ve been here 19 years now so I have become a bit immune to the little shakes that go on sometimes. The shaking had stopped for just a bit, so I was about to go about my happy little way.

As I was standing there watching my tree, the real quake came. It might have been sudden, but in my memory it all happens in slow motion. My tree – lovingly named Fiona – started shaking in earnest. But it isn’t so much her shaking that I remember, I remember the sound of the walls around me, the ceiling above me. Creaking, groaning. My dining table just to my left shaking, the shaking growing more intense by the second. I was ready for it to stop. I kept waiting for it to stop, but it didn’t. At some point, I no longer felt safe standing there, but had no foresight to run outside. So I ducked under my dining room table. I was on my hands and knees, waiting, waiting for the sound – the horrible sound, the shaking – the endless shaking to stop. I was holding on to my dining room table legs to keep the table over me. It’s a very sturdy table, but it was wanting to make its way across the floor, as if it too were trying to run away. I’m not sure how much time had passed, but the next thing I remember was screaming out to God, “Oh dear God! Make it stop! Oh dear God, where are my babies. Oh please, please keep them safe!” The shaking, the creaking, the groaning continued. Tears streaming down my face. Where were my kids? Why was this taking so long to end? And then it did. The shaking of the earth had stopped, but my own body could not. Shaking, crying, praying. I ran out the front door. I needed to find my children.

As soon as I was outside, I was surrounded by other mothers in my building, holding their babies, searching for their children returning from school as well. “Oh wow, that was so scary! Are you okay??? Is your house okay?” That was all we could talk about. Just then I saw my boy. My boy! He came up the walkway, smiling just as he always does. “Cool! Did you feel that?” he said. “Yeah, I felt it,” I answered. “I was over there on the bridge. It felt like I was surfing the ocean at first. But then it really starting rolling like a wave and I got scared and ran off.”

Oh thank you God. Thank you for hearing my prayer. Thank you for keeping my boy safe. Thank you for sending your angels to hold that bridge up. Thank you!

Back in the house about 10 minutes later. My son and I had calmed down quite a bit. His positive and carefree attitude is contagious and I was feeling better. We had survived. We were safe and as far as I knew at the time the worst was over. Enter my daughter, a little bit late getting back from school. As soon as she walked in the door she started screaming and crying. “I was so scared mommy. I thought I was going to die. I thought I would never see you again.” Just those words opened up my own tear ducts again and all I could do was hold her and cry with her. She told me that she was still in her classroom when the quake struck. The kids have earthquake drills all the time so they know exactly what to do. Duck down, get under your desk. She and a friend were chatting at her desk. When the quake struck, the teacher screamed out, “Get under your desks!” Her friend ducked under my daughter’s desk. All my baby could do was put her head under her chair. She was scared – she told me she was scared that she would be crushed and all that would be left of her was her head. Oh that girl has such an imagination. I wish I could have been there with her. I would have gladly shielded her from anything. At least I could hold her now.

Thank you God. Thank you for hearing my prayer. Thank you that my baby girl is safe and back home with me. Thank you that her school walls were strong enough to hold up around her.

It was after all this that I finally thought about my husband downtown. Surely he was okay, but I needed to tell him that we were okay. Just a quick text message would do. But landlines, cell lines, all communication lines were jammed with millions of people thinking the same thing. I didn’t get in touch with anyone for hours.

I knew my family in America would be worried about me and I needed to let them know we were okay. It was finally at this point that I went to my bedroom and was going to sit down at my computer to email them. Where was my computer??? It’s a desktop, but it wasn’t on my desk. The quake had shaken it off and it was on the floor, crashed upside-down. I put it back on the desk and tried to start it up, but it would not even power up. Well, crud. Here was the sole casualty in our house – my computer. I needed to get in touch with my family – or they would be worried sick.

I was able to get on Facebook from my Android phone. My niece is on FB as well, and I wrote on her wall that she needed to tell Grandma and Grandpa (my mom and dad) that we were okay. She proved invaluable to me over the next few weeks. Without a computer I spent hours typing into my Android FB application, giving and getting updates. I have never been so thankful for a phone, so thankful for a social networking site in my entire life.

It is at the same time both comforting and eerily disturbing to see that the rest of world continues to function normally even when I cannot. Everything seemed to stop at once. And the things that did continue on around me I can barely remember. I could not communicate freely. I could not breathe without fear. But at least I could live. I could not feel the passing of days as they should be, only living from one fear or one relief to the next. My wall was covered with fearful and tearful messages. In reply I received so much love and support, without which I do believe I could have disappeared into a dark cave. But my friends and family kept me afloat, they kept me informed, they kept me warm with their virtual hugs. Some far away were even more frightened than I was and I found myself comforting them. In encouraging others I too found strength. I found my determination to stay and grow. There are still uncertain times, but - at least for now - my panic has subsided and I feel the passing of time again.

A boiling Spring sea
ate my land. The people grieve.
Still, blossoms will come.
(haiku by HeatherT)

all papers and elements from Douceur by Laitha Designs at The Digichick
font is DJB So much to Say

At times life is wicked and I just can't see the light
A silver lining sometimes isn't enough
To make some wrongs seem right
Whatever life brings
I've been through everything
And now I'm on my knees again

But I know I must go on
Although I hurt I must be strong
Because inside I know that many feel this way

Children don't stop dancing
Believe you can fly
Away...away

lyrics from Don't Stop Dancing by Creed

all papers and elements from Spring Love add-on by ViVa Artistry
page template from Spring Blooms 2 by Busy Bee Designs
font is DJB So Much to Say

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life." - unknown
papers and elements from Wishes, Hopes & Dreams by The Digichick Designers
page template from Easter Baskets by Busy Bee Designs

Thank you to my family and friends for hundreds of prayers breathed, not only for Japan in general but even specifically for myself and my family. Thank you to my family and friends for giving me updates from the foreign standpoint. Thank you to my family and friends for not thinking me completely crazy when I decided to stay. Thank you for keeping me sane. Thank you for your hugs and prayers. I love you.

Thank you for bearing with me as I write it all down.

Playing with paper

2011-03-06T16:19:00.000+09:00

I mentioned earlier that I've been paper scrapping since I can't sit in front of my computer doing my first love - digi scrapping. I also mentioned that a few of my friends and I are going to be selling our wares at a little home bazaar. Put those two together and here is what I've come up with so far. A few waterfall albums.

I certainly did not make all of these this weekend, I've been sloooowwwwwllllllyyyy making them over the past few months. But as the day of the bazaar approaches I thought I might like to finish up at least a few of them.

I saw a picture like this once in a magazine and wanted to try it. It makes me feel like I accomplished something. ;P

I'm still planning on making some "real" pages as well, but my mojo is done for the day I believe.

Thanks for looking!

Note to self, Valentines Day is over

2011-03-05T20:45:00.001+09:00

Time to update my blog. I haven't been sitting at the computer much lately. I haven't been sitting at all much lately. Back troubles are back and keeping me standing. I guess the timing is good because there is just so much to be done in real life.

I haven't given up on my creative spirit though. I signed up for She Art taught my Christy Tomlinson of Scarlet Lime. I haven't gotten all my supplies pulled together yet (excuses excuses) so I don't have my first canvas even started. But let me tell you she is incredibly inspiring. I can just see myself using digital supplies in the future, but I'll stick to my paper supplies for now.

A few friends and I are getting together and are going to hold another bazaar, this time in April. Up until now all of our bazaars have been in the winter so my main contribution was beaded ornaments. But who wants to buy ornaments in April, so I'm thinking I'll make some scrapbook pages that the purchaser can put their own photo into. I've spent an obscene amount on the latest Prima flowers and butterflies, but find myself just gawking at them and their gorgeousness. Too pretty to use, but I must.

So, put all of these factors together and it will equal a lot fewer hours for me in front of the computer scrapping. I do promise to show some of my "real" scrapbook pages - if I ever get any made. LOL

I have gotten just a few pages done over the past couple of weeks. So without further ado...

almost everything from Rural Chic by Studio Gypsy
page template is from Spring Blooms by Busy Bee Designs

all papers and elements from All About Me by The Digichick Designers
page template from Fuss Free Stuck in the Middle by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

all papers and elements from Snaps & Scraps by ViVa Artistry

vector image downloaded from the internet

papers and elements from Always & Forever by Mari Koegelenberg
Sassy Purse #4 by Kelleigh Ratzlaff

papers and elements from Vintage Rose by Jennifer Labre Designs
silver frame from Cherish by Jennifer Labre Designs
page template from Honey Pots part 5 by Busy Bee Designs

Thank you, as always, for stopping by. I hope you visit again soon.

Keeping warm

2011-02-11T15:18:00.000+09:00

Most homes in Japan do not have central heating. Some of the newer homes come with a hot water heating system under the living room floor to keep that room warm, but other rooms need a space heater or cooler. When buying or renting a new home, the number one consideration in the average Japanese person's mind is southern exposure. Because there is no central heat, in the winter people rely on the sun to heat up their homes. A living room anywhere but on the southern side of the home brings the value of the home way down. Since people are presumably in their living rooms most of their time spent at home, they want that room to be the warmest. Moving along that same thinking, the bedrooms end up on the north side of the home. No central heat and no sunshine to warm them up, bedrooms can be miserably cold in the winter.

We've had a pretty mild winter in Tokyo this year. Even so my bedroom is down-right cold at night. I sleep in my pjs, with two undershirts and a turtleneck, socks and leg warmers. I am one of those people who sleep on their side with their arm under the pillow so in order to keep my arm from freezing I wear another pair of leg warmers on my arms. If its a particularly cold night I've been known to wear mittens and a stocking cap to bed as well. Yes, I do have fleece sheets, a huge down comforter and quilt on top of that. Even so, every once in awhile I still feel cold.

Several years ago, after my mother retired from her job, my father invited our entire family to celebrate the occasion with a family vacation in Kauai. My husband couldn't get the time off from work - too bad for him - because we had a wonderful time. My son was only two at the time and wanted nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the ocean water. So my daughter and I would spend hours playing in the tide pools and the shallow surf just in front of our rented condo. It was such a wonderful, warm time. I hope to take my children there again one day. Actually, I want to go there today because this beach just looks so warm and sunny!

all papers and elements from Island Dreams by Sherwood Studios
page template from You Complete Me by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

This is a page I made for the January Artisan Notebook. Our assignment was to write a letter to our future generations. My husband was kind enough to not laugh when I asked him to take a picture of my hands while standing on a chair leaning over me. My journaling, if you're interested, can be read in my gallery.

papers and elements from Illuminated Journal and Old Letters by ViVa Artistry
stacked photo frame cluster by 4 Shades of Blue Design
dried leaf branch from Touch of Spice by Studio Gypsy

Studio Gypsy has a fun new grab bag along with a few other designers at Scrapbook Graphics. Its just SO cute that I needed to find a cute girly picture. This is my daughter several years ago. Seems like just yesterday.

everything here from Sugary, Sweet and Shabby

by Studio Flergs, Studio Rosey Posey, Studio Dawn Inskip and Studio Gypsy
page template is from You Complete Me by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

That same little girl has grown up all too quickly. She's a lovely young lady now, twelve years old.

all papers and elements from Vanilla Noir by Quirky Twerp

page template from Easy Breezy pt 18 by Busy Bee Designs

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you are keeping warm. Please come by again.

Love is in the Air

2011-02-02T16:03:00.000+09:00

Its February. I wonder how many of you are suffering due to the huge storm that is currently blanketing 1/3 of America in fluffy white snow. I am slightly envious because I really, deeply miss snow. Growing up in Denver I could count on it to snow each winter just for my fun and entertainment. HA After moving to Tokyo I could probably count on one hands the times I had enough snow to play in.

I'm horribly late posting this, but Busy Bee has a few FREE templates on her blog for MScraps Birthday Blog Hop. While you're there you might as well just go along for the ride and see what other goodies are along the hop.

I thought it being February my blog needed to get out of Christmas mode, so I've updated with a Valentines Day theme for the month. Using the same kit, Love Potion by Shabby Miss Jenn, I made a Lovely page of my two babes.

page template from Snowflake Clusters 6 by Busy Bee Designs

I hope you are staying warm and dry where ever you may be. Thank you so much for stopping by. Please come again.

Breakthrough? Breakdown?

2011-01-30T20:49:00.000+09:00

Its hard to say. I'm in a slump of sorts. I've long believed that the best thing to do in the winter is to follow the lead of many animals and hibernate. I think we all need a season of rest. I've not been feeling completely well lately and I think I just need more sleep. How many of you are nodding your head along with me? I am hopeful that with the approach of spring, longer days and warmer temperatures, my mojo will return to me soon.

Love is in the air - can you feel it? Quirky Twerp has been feeling the love lately and has some gorgeous Valentines Days designs. I made this first page of my sweet Grandma and her 2nd husband. I sadly never knew either of my Grandpa's on my father's side.

most elements and papers from Valentines Retrospect by Quirky Twerp
some elements from Vita Fortunata by Quirky Twerp
ledger paper from Noel by Mari Koegelenberg
worn album papers from Illuminated Journal by ViVa Artistry
page template Prefab tagbook square by Studio Dutchie (no longer available)

And aren't these just the most beautiful vintage tags? So fun for hybrid projects.

Vintage Valentine Tags by Quirky Twerp

One of my all-time favorite scrappers also designs templates, you may know her as gonewiththewind and she designs under the name of Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs. I've used her templates soooo many times in the past. Well, I just happened to ask around digi land for some templates for school portraits and she stepped right in and offered to design some! She is such a dear! This is just the first of many pages to come using school portraits.

papers and most elements from Lilac Mist by Jennifer Labre Designs
various elements from After the Rain by Jennifer Labre Designs
page template from Fuss Free Portraits Set 1 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

This last page is also a Fiddle-Dee-Dee template using Studio Gypsy's latest and greatest madness called "Do That Thing." I am so lucky to be able to scrap using these wonderful designs!

all papers and elements from Do That Thing by Studio Gypsy
page template from Fuss Free Contest Series 1 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you are staying warm and healthy. Please come again soon.

My two babes

2011-01-22T21:17:00.000+09:00

Time flies. Wasn't it just a few days ago that I was carrying around one or both of these little kids in my arms or pushing them in a stroller. Guess not, they grow up too quickly.

My daughter is turning 12 this month. In general we get along quite well and have lots of laughs. But every once in awhile we get on each other's nerves. I know this is part of the growing-up process, but that doesn't make it any easier.

I made this page for The Color Room challenge #41. Here is the original color pallet, followed by my page.

papers and elements from Spring Sonnet by Holly Designs

page template from Fuss Free Set 8 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

My son can come off as being a wild child. He's rough around the edges because he's always moving and noisy. But deep down he's a great kid.

This page is made using a very tough new collab between two of my favorite designers - ViVa Artistry and Studio Gypsy.

papers and elements from Industrial by ViVa Artistry and Studio Gypsy

page template from Honey Pots 5 by Busy Bee Designs

That's all for now, real life is still calling and I think that is a good thing. Thank you so much, every time, for stopping by and visiting my little corner of the web.

Feeling lucky

2011-01-16T12:07:00.000+09:00

I've been lucky lately. The layout - Sweet - that I made for The Color Room challenge #40 was chosen as a feature layout for the newsletter and homepage. I am SO honored because you would not believe the talent there. These ladies are serious scrappers and I am so thrilled to be chosen.

One more awesome thing was that I won the January edition of the Grow With Love - Letters series of templates by Zinnia's and Swallowtails and Crystal Livesay. Their templates are always so fresh and fun, but its their journaling prompts that they encourage you to write that are my favorites. I love to journal when I actually have something to say.

As for the latest releases, here are my pages for the week. This page is a collab between ViVa Artistry and Miki Ferkul called All About Me. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but ViVa is one of my all-time favorite designers. So artistic, so beautiful and always so easy to make a gorgeous page with.

All About Me by ViVa Artistry and Miki Ferkul

page template from Fuss Free Just Journal by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

The other page I was able to get done this week was with the latest Snowflake Clusters by Busy Bee Designs. Sasha (Ms. Busy Bee herself) is constantly on fire with such fun and playful templates.

Snowflake Clusters part 5 by Busy Bee Designs

One True Thing by Kelley Mikus

This last page was my take on the January "Play it Again" feature on The Daily Digi blog. Each month Katie the Scrapbook Lady sends a few chosen scrappers her photos and journaling along with a few simple guidelines then sees what we each come up with. This month her photos were all about snow. The Digichick Designers just happened to have the perfect new collab kit called Winterberries that I used for this page.

Winterberries by The Digichick Designers

I always enjoy the quiet times after the holiday rush. I like to think of myself as hibernating in these cold winter months. I hope you are all staying warm and healthy.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please come again.

Note to self - update blog. Note to self - update blog.

2011-01-11T12:01:00.001+09:00

My poor neglected blog. My kids just went back to school today, finally. It was a long, but wonderful winter break. I just didn't have much computer time. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Last week Quirky Twerp released the prettiest little girl kit. The florals are so sweet and delicate. I couldn't resist. This is a picture of my daughter from many years ago.

Sugar Blossom by Quirky Twerp

Snowflake Clusters part 3 by Busy Bee Designs

A very dear friend of mine went to visit her family in the states over the long holiday. I can't even begin to tell you how envious I am of her. She asked me to make some pages for her family and friends as gifts. For these first two pages I used a new set of quick pages made from one of my all-time favorite kits, So Grateful by Sugarplum Paperie and Sahlin Studio. The first page I altered a little to add the fifth photo.

So Grateful Quick Pages by Sugarplum Paperie and Sahlin Studio

She even got to celebrate a traditional American New Year's Eve at a real party. It looked like a lot of fun so I wanted to make her a fun page to give to her friends as a thank you gift. I found the perfect set, Gurrrl's Nite by Laura Banasiak. I love how playful this page turned out.

Gurrrl's Nite by Laura Banasiak and Creations by Rachael

Fuss Free Funky Paper Play by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

Next I have a few more Christmas pages to show. This first one is of my babes several years ago. This was my son's first Christmas and the last Christmas we spent in the states with my family. I really miss enjoying the holidays with them.

Cherish Mini by Studio Gypsy

Fuss Free Room to Breathe Set 2 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

This page is my Grown-Up Christmas List page as seen in the December 2010 edition of The Artisan Notebook.

Noel by Mari Koegelenberg

Fuss Free Photo Play by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

And finally, I have been having a blast making pages for The Color Room challenges. Okay, so I've only made two so far, but the community there is so warm and welcoming. And I love the freedom of making a page based on color requirements only. I also love the ease of making pages with just one kit most times, but I also want to spread my creative wings sometimes and mix and match. I'm sure I'll be back for more TCR challenges.

Just Chillin' by Jennifer Labre Designs

Snowflake Clusters part 4 by Busy Bee Designs

Tenderness by Kasia Designs

Easy Breezy part 15 by Busy Bee Designs

I hope you all enjoyed a peaceful and healthy winter break. I wish you every good thing in this new year. Thank you so very much for stopping by. Please come again.

Holiday Traditions - Past & Present

2010-12-26T10:43:00.000+09:00

Do you have any special traditions that you continue each year during the holidays? certain foods you make each Christmas Eve, a game or a movie that you and your family enjoy together on New Years day? I usually have a hard time getting in the holiday spirit each year because I just feel sad being away from home. But I find that once I begin to decorate my home for Christmas the holiday spirit comes to me.

We had so many wonderful Christmas traditions at our home when I was growing up. My mother loved to decorate the entire house. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful Christmas memories. Perhaps that's why I miss home more at Christmas time than any other time of the year.

My mother has a green hanging musical bell. Over the years its gotten quite worn but it still plays its Jingle Bells tune. This is the Christmas decoration at my parents' house that I remember the most.

I am the hostess of the final blog challenge of the year at The Digichick. Keeping in spirit with the holidays I am asking participants to scrap their favorite holiday traditions; one from the past and one from the present.

papers and elements from Celebrations by ViVa Artistry and Veronica Spriggs

page template from

Repeat After Me by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs @ her ScrapMatters shop

I know its a crazy busy time of year and not one that most people want to spend sitting in front of the computer scrapping. But if you are so inspired, I would love to invite you to come and join in the challenge.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T09:47:00.000+09:00

I wish you all a blessed, peaceful Merry Christmas.

Hubby's gift

2010-12-24T11:36:00.000+09:00

Its Christmas Eve and I've finally finished with gifts for this year. I decided to make hubby a Family Man Wallet Album from Shabby Princess because I needed something to put in his stocking. This is the 2nd time I've made this wallet album (the first time being for my own father on Father's Day) and I have to say that each time I am just so impressed with the unique hybrid ideas that Shabby Princess has. This wallet album is so fun! I hope he likes is. Something tells me he will....

I want to wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday season - be it Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa - will be filled with blessed peace.

One more gift

2010-12-21T17:15:00.000+09:00

Just a drive-by posting of this because some of my friends wanted to see the finished product. This is the Bloom Box album I made for my in-law's Christmas present. I had made a very similar one for my mother this past Mother's Day. I love it so much, I think I'll be making another one for myself!

Clementine Bloom Box Album

I absolutely adore Shabby Princess' hybrid crafts. They are so unique and make perfect gifts!!! If you still need to make a gift or two, I highly recommend stopping by her place asap!

Time Out

2010-12-20T21:22:00.000+09:00

I took an "unofficial" leave of absence last week from CT duties and just tried to get caught up with getting ready for Christmas and New Years. I got presents made and sent off to my American family, even got a baby mini album made for my best friend who's brother just had a new baby boy. I even got my Christmas and New Years cards designed, but not yet all sent...

I generally don't use quick pages, how about you? But I have an incredible love for the name badge albums over at Shabby Princess. Have you seen these?

Favorite Things badge album

Barefoot badge album

Gabby badge album

I made one a few years ago, then made two last week. One was for the baby mini album and one was a kind of year in review mini album - a Christmas gift for my parents. We don't have the exact size of name badges required, but the pages can be resized easily, then I mount them on cardstock. I hope my parents like it.

Shabby Princess has some cute -- extremely cute -- paper crafting projects like these tea cups.

Sugarplum cups and mugs

I really went crazy in her shop last week. I'm going to make this wallet album

Family Man wallet album

for my husband as a Christmas gift as well. In the past I've made several of her mint tin albums as well. Sometimes its just fun to have some scrapbooking projects that I can actually hold in my hands. (I don't print out very many of my pages. Not good, I know.)

After all of that, I only got one page made over the past two weeks. A pair of Christmas photos of my daughter from years gone by.

Snowflake Clusters pt 1 by Busy Bee Designs

I'm not sure when I'll be posting again. I HOPE its before the end of the year, but maybe not before Christmas.

I wish you each a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful, blessed holiday season. Thank you so much for being a part of my little blog here. I always love to hear from you when you stop by.

Christmas is coming

2010-12-10T14:52:00.000+09:00

Its Friday and that means I should be posting this week's latest pages. Mercifully, its been a somewhat slow week. The holidays are busy for both designers and CT members so I haven't minded the slower pace this past week. That being said, I still have not started my Christmas shopping. What in the world is wrong with me?!

A few weeks ago I posted an "In search of" thread at one of the larger digi sites. I really wanted some wintry frosted leaves. One of the replies I got was from TDC's very own Jennifer Labre telling me she would have some for me the next week. Well, she didn't disappoint, and she put them in a gorgeous purple and plum kit to boot! Purple is one of my all-time favorite colors and this kit does not disappoint! I absolutely love the variety of leaves, branches and flowers she has in here too. My daughter was very obliging one morning before school, she let me snap five pictures of her out in our tiny garden. Thankfully 4 out of them turned out pretty good.

Beautiful
all papers and elements from Winterberry by Jennifer Labre Designs
page template from Honey Pots 3 by Busy Bee Designs

I also got a very pleasant surprise from this little mini kit by Studio Gypsy. She calls it a mini, but there are still ample papers and elements to make some seriously gorgeous pages.

Believe

all papers and elements from Believe Mini by Studio Gypsy
page template from Fuss Free Funky Paper Play by Fiddle-dee-dee Designs

I made a few more hybrid Christmas tags, this time with Studio Gypsy's adorable vintage Christmas tags.

{DIY} Gift Tags by Studio Gypsy,

Maya Road chipboard frames, ribbon, buttons, string, cardstock, glitter, rub-ons

And finally, a layout I made a few weeks ago for the December 9th "Play it Again" feature on The DailyDigi blog.

everything here from Ho Ho Ho by Laura Banasiak and Micheline Martin

As always, thank you so much for stopping by. I sincerely hope you are having a blessed holiday season. Please come again.

'Tis the Season

2010-12-04T20:18:00.000+09:00

How in the world is it possible I haven't updated my blog in three weeks?! Where has the time gone? I'll just blame it on it being the holidays and a busy time of year in general. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Christmas preparations are upon us. I haven't started my Christmas shopping at all, but at least we finally got our annual family photo taken. I'm not entirely pleased with it, but short of wearing a wig there is nothing I can do about it. A few weeks ago I got a haircut, and while the length is quite a bit shorter than I am used to that is not the main problem. Its just such a different, slightly masculine cut. I do not like it. When I was in high school, my sister was in beauty school. I guess you could say she used us (my mother, my father and myself) as guinea pigs to hone her skills on. From that time I have been a firm believer in the advice - or perhaps consolation is a better term - she would sometimes offer afterward. "Oh well. It will grow out."

I guess I have a lot of catching up to do with my pages. I've been in a hybrid mood the past several weeks and have been busy making Christmas tags. I'd forgotten how much work hybrid can be. But at the same time I'm just having fun.

Ho Ho Ho Tags
papers and elements from Ho Ho Ho by Laura Banasiak and Micheline Martin
ribbons, popdots and Maya Road chipboard swirl

Vintage Tags

papers and elements from Vintage Tags and Christmas Retrospect papers by Quirky Twerp
ribbons bells and eyelets

Noel Christmas card

template from Fuss Free Christmas Greetings by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
papers and accent from Noel by Mari Koegelenberg
flowers made using Paper Roses template by The Cutting Files
chipboard swirl from Maya Road

A few Christmas layouts

{joy}
papers, elements and page templates from Holiday Harmony by Studio Gypsy and Studio True Blue

Merry Days
page template from Honey Pots 4 by Busy Bee Designs
papers from Merry Days 1 and 2 by Jen Wilson
sparkle alpha also by Jen Wilson
greens from Mini Christmas by JM Designs
rolled flowers from Little Bird Said by Kasia Designs
word art from Wonderful Magic by Vera Lim
white epoxy leafy vines from Harvest Sky by Nikki Beaudreau

Definitely Nice
papers and elements from Sweet & Crafty by Quirky Twerp
page template from Honey Pots 5 by Busy Bee Designs
alphas from Snow Much Fun by Mari Koegelenberg
watercolor stamped alpha is from Watercolor White by Laura Banasiak
glitter action on flowers is from Punk my boi glitter styles by Joyful Hearts Designs

And a few others

Fall Splendor
page template from Honey Pots 5 by Busy Bee Designs
papers and elements from Second Spring by Captivated Visions and Stolen Moments

Random Top 10
(as seen in the November 2010 Artisan Notebook)
most papers and elements from So Grateful by Sugarplum Paperie and Sahlin Studios
Family and Traditions wordstrips from Fall Snippets by Sahlin Studios
Home wordstrip from Words to Scrap By by Designs by Dani
page template is from Scraps to Go Vol 3: Top Tens by Jennifer Fox Designs

Believe
page template from Fuss Free Funky Photo Play by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
papers and elements from Earth & Sky by Veronica Spriggs (Guest Designer at TDC Dec 2010)

She Loved You Too part 10
page template, papers and elements all from Joyful Heart collaboration between Busy Bee Designs and Joyce Paul
alpha brushes by CD Muckosky

Thank you so much for spending some of your time with me. I hope you are enjoying the upcoming holiday season and all the busy, yet fun preparations.

A time for everything

2010-11-14T16:29:00.000+09:00

I used to try to update my blog every Friday. Every week I seem to be getting later and later, and here it is already Sunday. How is it that time gets away as if I have no control over it. Hmmm, I guess I don't.

I had a fantastic week. I finally got to see Eclipse. I've been waiting since June when the rest of the world was watching. It seemed unfair, but I managed to survive. I watched it three times in the theater - three times over the course of 7 days, each time with a different friend. And now my dear niece has told me she will send me the DVD for Christmas. How cool is that!

And somehow during all that I even managed to get some iDSD shopping done and several pages made. Like I said, a fantastic week.

I want to say thank you to my digi friends that visit me here for joining in the Gratitude Challenge I hosted last weekend. I'm always so touched when you join in so Thank you!!! And speaking of challenges, I'm hosting a Journaling Challenge on the Digichick blog this week. During November we are focusing our challenges on family. My challenge is asking you to write about something that one of your family members does that you wish they didn't. Come on over the TDC and play along. I would love to see your pages. You can find all the information you need on the blog, and there is also an additional thread in the challenges forum.

Here's my page. I chose to write about how my husband does not wait for me.

papers and elements from Vintage Rose by Jennifer Labre Designs

page template from Fuss Free: Room to Breathe Set 2 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

Here are the rest of my pages in no particular order.

papers and elements from A Little Organic by Joyful Hearts Designs

page template from Fuss Free: Contest Series 2 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

papers and elements from Forest Dreams by Design by Heather T

(as appeared in the October 2010 Artisan Notebook)

papers and elements from A Change of Heart and Gypsy Queen

bracket template from Simply Blocked Templates 12x12 all by Studio Gypsy

papers and elements from Gypsy Rose by Studio Gypsy and Studio Rosey Posey

page template from Honey Pots 3 by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from Fall Reverie by CatScrap Designers

page template from Honey Pots Freebie by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from Smooches by Nikki Beaudreau

page template from iDSD Freebie by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from Thankful Hearts by CatScrap Designers

page template from Honey Pots 1 by Busy Bee Designs

Whew! I think that's all for this week. Thank you so much for stopping by to see what I've been up to.

Gratitude Challenge: Difficult, but Good

2010-11-07T13:44:00.000+09:00

So, my Gratitude Challenge is up in the challenges forum at The Digichick. Its all about finding the good in the not so good.

We've all had difficult situations or people in our lives that make our life uncomfortable or even downright miserable. I've had plenty of those situations and people myself. But I find that if I take the time to think about it I can almost always find something good in the bad.

If you feel up for a challenge, why don't you come join me and find the good in the bad!

Season of Thankfulness by The Digichick Designers

Happy iDSD

2010-11-06T23:33:00.000+09:00

For any of my friends not into digital scrapbooking, you may not know that this weekend is International Digital Scrapbooking Day. It the digiscrapping community's biggest day of the year. Sales and challenges abound! I've done my shopping, how about you?

I'll be back tomorrow with news about a challenge I am hosting on Sunday (USA time) at the Digichick. There are some wonderfully fun and interesting challenges going on all this weekend at TDC. Please come play along with us!

In the mean time, I want to make sure you know that Busy Bee Designs is giving away two free templates on her blog this weekend. You definitely don't want to miss these! Her giveaway is part of the MScraps iDSD blog train this weekend. There are a LOT of great giveaways on this train!

Busy Bee Designs Blog

Here is a page I made with one of her iDSD templates and one of my newest purchases. This sweet little kit, called Smooches, has been on my wishlist at After 5 for months.

Slacker

2010-11-05T10:09:00.002+09:00

So I've been slacking these past few weeks. Actually, I've been getting quite a lot done, it just wasn't so much in the scrapbooking world. Halloween is finished and I can jump for joy. November is a calming month for me -- one I try to use to forget about the stress of Halloween and prepare for a peaceful Christmas.

I haven't celebrated Thanksgiving in years. Some of my American friends here do and they are always kind enough to invite us to join them each year. But for some reason we've had other things going on for the past several years. Its been 9 years since my last American Thanksgiving and Christmas. My son was born that summer so we took our annual trip home over the holidays instead. It was wonderful.

papers and elements from The Gathering by Studio Gypsy
page template is from Fuss Free Room to Breathe 2 by Fiddle-dee-dee Designs

So are you (my scrapbooking friends) all fired up for iDSD this weekend? I know there are sales and challenges all over the web. Please be sure to stop by the Digichick this weekend too. We've got some incredible new designs and challenges. I'll be hosting a challenge in the forums on Sunday, so come give me a visit!

Speaking of incredible new designs, you have to, just have to see this kit called Misfit by ViVa Artistry. Its been awhile since a kit has taken my breath away, but this one certainly does. I want it to be real, I want to make some of these punchy flowers and make this into a "real" layout.

papers and most elements from Misfit by ViVa Artistry
page template from Fuss Free Contest Series 1 by Fiddle-dee-dee Designs
black loopy trim by Amy Martin
worn overlay by Something Blue Studios

Its also been awhile that I had enough time to scrap with kits just because I want to. I've been going through my older kits by Studio Gypsy and rediscovering how much I adore her designs and why I begged her to let me be on her CT.

page template is from Honey Pots 2 by Busy Bee Designs
papers and elements from Evening Bloom, Junk Hound, Reclaimed Vol 4 Flowers, Keeper of Time, Kindred Spirits, Love My Man, Shrine of the Times 3, Subtle Shift, and Storybook Alpha - all by Studio Gypsy

And finally some other pages from the past couple weeks. I love kit scrapping, that's one of the reasons I absolutely enjoy being on my CTs. But I'm also recently rediscovering how much fun it is to pull different items from various kits together to make a page.

all papers and elements from Falling Hearts by Kitty Designs
page template from Easy Breezy pt 6 by Busy Bee Designs
alpha is Suzy Q by CD Muckosky

papers and elements from Bohemian Fall by Sherwood Studio
page template is from Honey Pots 1 by Busy Bee Designs
alpha is Get Punched by Nikki Beaudreau

most papers and elements from Enstasy by Danielle Engebretson
page template from Sweet Starts 3 and green leaves by Nikki Epperson
fonts used DJ Jumble, Pea Lisel Caps and Aquarelle
alphas Free Spirit by CD Muckosky, Motivation by Kristen Rice,

Wire alpha by 4 Shades of Blue, Sparkle by Jen Wilson

page template from Honey Pots 1 by Busy Bee Designs
papers and some elements from Happadelic by Joyful Heart Designs

Dotty Gel epoxy alpha by Mari Koegelenberg
transparent tape by Roben-Marie Smith
white flowers from After the Rain by Jennifer Labre
stitches by Anna Aspnes
word definition strips by Katie Pertiet
hanging flower/tag by Natalie Braxton

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please link me up to your pages too. Please come again.

Happy Anniversary

2010-10-15T09:32:00.000+09:00

Happy Anniversary to me. I have been a Creative Team member of The Digichick for one year this month. I can honestly say, without exception, that this has been the most wonderful scrapping experience of my life. I am so blessed to be on TDC's team. I have had the incredible opportunity to scrap with so many wonderful designers' beautiful creations. My scrapping has become faster and I hope better. I feel more confident in my pages and journaling. Along the line I was invited to join a few other designers' personal CTs as well. I thank each one of them for having faith in my pages. I have been honored to be published in various newspapers, magazines and blogs. And most importantly, I am having so much fun!

One of the things I am most pleased with about my gallery over the past year has to be the wider variety of pages I've made. The majority of my pages are by far still about my children and family. But I've dabbled in art journaling and all about me pages as well. Here's one about my first crush. Okay, so my first three crushes. Even now I look at these pictures and my heart makes a little leap.

papers and elements from Fangirl Scream by Simply.Scraps by Laura Banasiak
page template is from Easy Breezy pt 13 by Busy Bee Designs
font is TerriCherie

This week I ended up using Busy Bee templates for all my pages. Can you say addicted?! I know I need to branch out again into bigger photos. These templates are just too much fun!

papers and elements from Morning Dew by K Studio
wordart from Wordart 1 by K Studio
page template is from Easy Breezy 18 by Busy Bee Designs
font is Pea Jack and Jane

all papers and elements from Follow Me by Allison Pennington
page template from Easy Breezy 18 by Busy Bee Designs
font is Pea Jack and Jill

Behind the times

2010-10-09T13:59:00.000+09:00

I've recently started watching Ugly Betty. I know that program is probably ancient history for my American friends. But we get American things quite a bit later here in Japan. (Don't even get me started on how long I still have to wait for Eclipse!) Sometimes I feel like I am just so far out of the American loop.

I can't believe its Friday already. How does one week fly by so quickly. And its not like I even had a crazy busy week. October is usually my least favorite month of the year. I'm not a big fan of Halloween. When I was a little girl, we would go trick-or-treating with the neighbor girls and to a party or two. But even then it was never my favorite holiday. Since coming to Japan and teaching children's English classes, October has become a dreaded month. When most of my students were kindy and elementary school age, I would have to plan, prepare and host up to 5 Halloween parties in one week. I never had the energy left for my own children so they would come along to one of my class parties. Most of my students are too old for costume parties, but I still try to prepare games and activities, and of course sweets. I am usually on pure survival mode during the last week of October. My own kids don't dress up for Halloween either, although I suppose they would if we had a proper party to go to. Just don't ask me to host it! So I had to dig into my photo stash from several years back to find a Halloween picture to use for this week's new release.

papers and elements from Treats by Wendy Page Designs
alphas from Monsters in the Closet alpha pack
page template is from Easy Breezy pt 16 by Busy Bee Designs
font for journaling is MTF Sweetie
action on photo is Nearly Black and White by My 4 Hens Photography
worn overlay by Lynn Marie Favreau

This next page is for this Friday's hidden journaling challenge on The Digichick Blog. That was a true challenge! Paper scrappers have many ways to hide their journaling on a page, but how do you do it on a digital page. Make sure to check out the blog challenge. Some of my journaling is "hidden" on this page. Or should I say hiding in plain sight.

papers and elements from What I Am by Laura Banasiak Designs
page template is from Easy Breezy pt 17 by Busy Bee Designs
sparkles are from You and MeDude by Laura Banasiak Designs
font is DJB gimme space

Last but not least, here is an art journaling page I made for the September Artisan Notebook. This is my darling daughter several months ago. I'm happy to say her sense of style has already greatly improved.

Papers and most elements from Art Stomp by Roben-Marie Designs and Tangie Baxter
some elements from Altered Art Bits by Roben-Marie Designs
Pink glitter alpha is Tuesday Afternoon by Diane Rigdon
Curly alpha is Signature Doodly by Shabby Miss Jenn
Date stamps by Amber Clegg
Font used for journaling is DJB Jenna

Thank you so much for coming over to my little corner of the web. I hope you'll be back!

Playing favorites

2010-10-03T22:06:00.001+09:00

Do you have any one scrapbooking item that you use over and over again? Even before joining any CT I had soooo many kits that I only used once (or Gasp -- never!) before I was buying yet another new one. That's one great thing about Digital Scrapbooking. When you need something you can have it instantly. That's also one bad thing about digiscrapping. Its just SO easy to go shopping and forget what you've even bought. I am incredibly guilty about this.

Then came along CTs. Isn't being on a CT like a dream come true. You want me to scrap? You want me to make whatever pages I want to and you want to give me free supplies? Oh, Heaven. Now I'm even more guilty of one-time using. Each week there are so many wonderful new goodies that I just have to play with.There are a few kits that I have used twice, even three times. There are some I keep on my hard drive because I love them and want to use them again when I get the time and the right photos.

And then there are my favorite alphas that I find myself using again and again and again. I've always been a huge alpha fan, just never very good at using them. When I started as a CT at TDC, one of the first items that caught my eye were Dotty Gel Alphas by Mari Koegelenberg. Ohhhh, I LUV these alphas. And she has them in so many colors too. I love the depth and the roundness and the gloss on these cute little alphas.

They are just so happy and fun to use. I recently added the Red Dotty Gels to my growing collection in order to add the finishing touch to this layout. I love how it turned out! Its another page in my "She Loved You Too" series for my daughter. I'm just going to keep making these layouts until I run out of photos.

used page template from Easy Breezy pt 16 by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from A Perfect Day by Kaye Winiecki and Flergs

alpha brushes by the incredible C.D. Muckosky
wonderful Dotty Gel alpha in Red by Mari Koegelenberg

Because of my lazy streak last week and the fact that The Digichick was closed for annual maintenance for a few days, I have only two other pages to share today.

papers and elements from Flavors of Fall by Wild Dandelion Designs - guest designer at The Digichick October
page template from Ingrid's Templates - Set.12 by my friend, Ingrid Fasquelle
clear alpha from So Grateful collaboration between Sugarplum Paperie and Sahlin Studios

all papers and elements from Home of My Heart by Studio Gypsy
page template from Fuss Free Photo Play by Fiddle-dee-dee Designs
glitter style from Pale Glitters by ViVa Artistry

As always, thank you so much for stopping by. Please come again!

Feeling lazy

2010-09-25T15:11:00.000+09:00

When it was boiling hot I could blame it on the weather. But the last few days have been suddenly beautiful and cooler. Fall won't truly set in around Tokyo until mid-October or even later, but it sure feels like its on its way. So why is it that I'm feeling so lazy!?

I used to be - and still am to a great extent - a high-strung person. When I first came to Japan over 18 years ago, my first job was at a small language school in a rural prefecture about 2 hours west of Tokyo. I became good friends with one of my co-workers, Steve. One of our favorite things to do was to watch movies together on our day off and just chat. He's funny and interesting and believe it or not we are still good friends. He only lives a few stations down the line from me with his wife and little girl. But with the rigors of daily life we don't get to visit in person much.

We used to love watching When Harry met Sally. He is such a Harry and I am closer to be a Sally than I care to admit. We still call each other by these names of endearment. At one point in the movie Harry tells Sally that she is the most difficult kind of woman, "You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance. " Unfortunately, I have to say that I believe myself to fall into this category as well.

There is a fun new challenge on The Digichick's blog. "What have you mastered?" is the topic to be scrapped. Over the past year or so I have made the conscious decision to try and let go of the little things. I don't worry so much about things, instead I try to control them in order to get my desired outcome. All these years of that have made me tired. So I'm trying to relax a bit. I'm far from mastering it, but I am working hard on chilling out. Perhaps because I'm not running around with my hair on fire constantly, there is more time for feeling lazy.

Happy When Skies are Gray by Laura Banasiak and Jennifer Barrette

page template (altered) from Fuss Free Just Journal by Fiddle-dee-dee Designs

stapled alpha by Kristen Rice
metal alpha by Kristen Cronin-Barrow
word art/background wire glitter overlay by Natalie Designs
font for list is Pea Bhea
font for large words is Walkway

Funkalicious Fall by Jennifer Fox and Nikki Epperson

page template from Easy Breezy pt 10 by Busy Bee Designs

Autumn Mist by Studio Gypsy

template from Easy Breezy 15 by Busy Bee Designs

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please come again.

Growing Stronger

2010-09-18T15:11:00.001+09:00

I am terrified of caterpillars. I can specifically recall at least 7 traumatic events involving caterpillars as a child and on in to my teen years. Not the little furry caterpillars, but the big ole' honkin' green ones -- some with 6 red eyes, some with horns. All terrifying. My mother always grew tomatoes in our garden and they seemed to be mostly on those plants so I have come to call them tomato worms. I swore I would never grow tomatoes regardless of how much I love a fresh tomato right off the vine.

You may have seen in one or two of my layouts that my daughter decided to grow a garden in our back yard this year. Up until now the yard has been largely ignored as just an appendage to our home. Oh we tried to keep the grass green and the weeds down to a semi-minimum. But we never gave much love to its appearance. That all changed this year when we put in a short stepping stone pathway and my daughter worked for hours one weekend on her garden. The one promise we had was that she would not be raising tomatoes.

Caterpillars come regardless of tomatoes or not. There have been a few of the smaller variety that I could convince my son to take to school for his science classes. But the other day I was looking for green peppers and eggplant and came face to face to two caterpillars instead. I managed to get them both (and the entire branches they were on) into a trash bag and out to the dumpster.

Two days ago I was in the garden again and just happened to look down at the right time to see myself nearly step on a fat, bright green caterpillar. Very similar to what I would call a tomato worm if we had tomato plants in our garden. My breath stopped, my heart raced and my palms sweated. I used a small toy shovel to flick it out of our garden. For some reason that appeased me, but every time I step outside I am constantly on the lookout.

I am feeling pretty proud of myself about these encounters. I was able to face my demons and had the strength to rid my yard of three caterpillars. My sister has a wonderful expression that I hold tightly in my heart. "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger." I believe I just may be a bit stronger this week.

Oh, and yes, my back is feeling better too. Not 100%, but at least I am able to sit. Wonderfully enough, that means I have been able to scrap a few pages. I've been having fun with some stronger backgrounds. It feels good to be on the mend.

Papers and elements from Divine Debris by Studio Gypsy

page template from Easy Breezy pt 13 by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from Falling for Fall by Vera Lim
page template from Harvesting Memories by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from Patisserie by Sugarplum Paperie and Paisless Press Designs
page template by Traci Stroud

papers and elements from Perfectly Suited by Allison Pennington
page template from Easy Breezy pt 14 by Busy Bee Designs

As always, thank you so much for stopping by. Please come again!

When real life steps in

2010-09-06T09:14:00.000+09:00

So I'm a bit slow with this week's blog. I've been spending the last month, on and off, remodeling my son's room. Its been a huge undertaking having to find a new place to put all of my husband and my things that were in the room my son will be using. Basically a lot of decluttering and rearranging. But it really feels good to get rid of things - you know, the things that you hold on to for years and year just in case you might need it. But all the lifting and painting has taken its toll on my back and now I can barely sit for more than 10 minutes at a time. My computer is lonely, feeling neglected.

But I do have a few pages to share with you. First off, I want to tell you about the template challenge on The Digichick blog. September is back to school month so TDC's theme for the month is Learning Every Day. And with that theme, the first challenge of the month has been to scrap something that you learn just through every day life. I chose not to focus on any one particular skill, rather on just learning more about myself.

made with Berry Preppy by Wendy Page Designs

notebook, postit tabs and alpha are from other resources

Here is the page I made for the July Artisan Notebook. In case you can't read the journaling, here it is.

I find that, in my life, balance brings harmony. Neither extreme seems to serve me well.

Too little may be restful, but I grow restless. Too much may be exciting,

but I grow nervous. In all things balance is best.

I'll wrap this up with a little art gallery of what few pages I have managed this week. I hope you all are having a great week. Its still hot hot hot here. Tokyo doesn't really cool down until mid-October.

made with Happy When Skies Are Gray and Fuss Free Contest Series 2 template

using Box Society 3 papers and Fairy Blossoms by Studio Gypsy

using Rue by Paislee Press, Guest Designer at The Digichick during September

using Perfectly Ordinary by Sugarplum Paperie and Easy Breezy pt 13 by Busy Bee Designs

As always, thank you so much for stopping by.

Making a Scene

2010-08-27T22:55:00.002+09:00

First on the agenda, I just have to let you know about the August Out of the Egg challenge on the Digichick blog. Why? Well, because I'm the host and I want you to come play along. The challenge is to scrap a memory that you don't have photos of -- by recreating the scene. This is my page. It wasn't an easy page. How do you cut and paste photos from various times and events and make a congruent page? The memory I scrapped was about my kids' pet beetles escaping and all of us just being too shocked to even try to stop them. Looking back it was really funny. I will never, ever forget the incredible sound!

You can read more about the details of the challenge and my journaling on The Digichick blog post.

In other scrapping news, Busy Bee Designs has a Fall Freebie template in her shop at MScraps. I just had to use it -- I love the leaf cutouts. Go grab it and please show me your pages too.

Easy Breezy Fall Freebie by Busy Bee Designs
Persimmon Pucker by Studio Gypsy (sadly, not available at this time,

but I HOPE she'll bring it back to her new store.)

I think most of us are "celebrating" Back to School. For Americans that means a new school year, for Japanese that means the start of the 2nd semester. The Digichick is having a Back to School sale for Moms this week. It all reminded me of when my son had an interview with the principal of the kindergarten he was enrolling in. Funny story.

Busted Stuff by Dysfunctional Designs
Easy Breezy pt 2 by Busy Bee Designs

And continuing with my daughter's kitty album, I have another page to add. This was the photo that started it all, that inspired me to start the album.

Easy Breezy pt 12 by Busy Bee Designs

Prima by K Studio

As always, thank you so much for stopping by.

Coming home

2010-08-21T09:30:00.000+09:00

I took a week off and went to China again. I have mixed feelings about our trip to Hainan. The hotel we stayed out was so new that we were the first guests to stay in our room. There was a simply divine breakfast buffet every morning -- I'm sure that is my favorite way to start the day. The restaurants were wonderful and we spent so many happy hours in the incredible pool! I have to say this was the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in.

Because it was so new (literally it had just opened its doors the week before we arrived) there was still a lot of construction. Nothing loud and intrusive, but the beach was fairly unfinished. Out in the water there were still huge jagged rocks so it wasn't a very fun swimming area. Since I'm not an ocean swimmer anyway it didn't bother me so much, but the kids and hubby were disappointed.

Its a developing country and island and there is still construction and poverty all around. The country really needs to improve its trash disposal and recycling systems. The biggest downer for me was when we went "snorkeling" which ended up being scuba diving. It was a short dive, one on one with a licensed scuba guide. We re-use the air tanks until they are empty, but of course each diver is given a new mouthpiece. As we were getting into the ocean from the jetty, the guide would take off the previously used mouthpiece and just throw it into the ocean under the jetty. It was sad. There are similar cases of just tossing out the trash like that everywhere you look. The section of beach just in front of our hotel was clean, but when we took a walk down the coastline it was literally covered with every imaginable kind of trash - so thick we couldn't even walk in certain places! Its always good to come home.

Unfortunately, I've had to step down from a few of my CTs. I loved the designs and designers, but need to focus more time away from the computer right now. I hate to quit something, I have feeling like I'm letting these wonderful designers down. A friend of mine told me not to feel too badly about it though - I am opening the door for another scrapper out there to become the next CT member. I love that way of thinking!

I thought I would miss scrapbooking so much that I would jump right back in, but I didn't even turn on my computer for 24 hours after we got back. It was a weird feeling. Of course I couldn't stay away from scrapping long and was back into my happy little bubble after a few days. So without further ado, here are my pages from the past two weeks.

using Vita Fortunata by Quirky Twerp

page template by Studio Dutchie

using Evening Bloom by Studio Gypsy

page template from Ingrid's Templates set 5 by Ingrid Fasquelle

page template from Easy Breezy pt 11 by Busy Bee Designs

also used Teen Spirit by K Studio

page template from Easy Breezy pt 10 by Busy Bee Designs

also used Sweet Ladybugs and Love is in the Air by Boutique Cute Dolls

page template is from Inspired by Sasha by Darcy Baldwin (limited edition at SSD)

also used Walking on Sunshine by Tracie Stroud

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Drive by blogging

2010-08-06T21:52:00.000+09:00

Where did this week go? Seriously?! I took the month of August off from my job of teaching and let me just say if I'm not working I have a hard time keeping track of time passing. I can't believe its Friday. Very happy it is though, tomorrow my family and I are off on a little mini vacation.

So today's blog posting will be short and sweet and to the point.

First I want to make sure you know about the wonderful template challenge on The Digichick blog. Tracy has made a beautiful template for you to download for free. So why not try it out and come play along in the challenge with us. I flipped the template over on its side and still I love how the page turned out.

using You are my sunshine by Danielle Engebretsen

and free template by Tracy

This next page was a layout I made for the July edition of the Artisan Notebook. We were supposed to try our hand at Art Journaling with a theme of what we dreamed we would be and what we actually became. If you're in interested in reading the journaling, please click on over to one of my galleries.

most supplies from Altered Closet and Altered Girl Talk by ViVa Artistry

The rest of my pages this week are with some new releases around digiland.

using Cherish by Jennifer Labre Designs and

Grow with love Marriage template from Sarah Gleeson and Crystal Livesay

using Summer Love Mini Kit by Elise's Pieces Designs

using Freshen Up by Edeline Marta Designs

As always, thank you so much for stopping in on my little corner of the internet. I hope you'll visit again soon!

Cover Girl

2010-08-02T15:12:00.000+09:00

I consider myself an average scrapper. I have pages that I make that I personally absolutely love, and others that I don't care for. The ones I don't care for are usually ones that I've made where I have been limited by the supplies I was able to use. Sometimes as a CT member we have to use supplies from one kit and one kit only. I don't mind so much because I am basically a kit scrapper, but every once in awhile I venture out and mix kits and designers.

I know I've mentioned that I'm on the Just Write team for the Artisan Notebook. My monthly layout for each month's new challenge is usually the hardest layout I make each month. I am not limited by designer or kit. I just have to use designs from The Digichick because I am their representative for the column. Sometimes I do stay with only one kit, but most times I have at least mixed kits if not designers as well.

I just now downloaded the August edition of The Artisan Notebook. I saw the preview image on facebook, I saw it again on the AN download page and yet it wasn't until I opened up the magazine pdf on my screen that I really saw it. I saw my layout, on the cover. Talk about being floored and excited. I squealed and my daughter had to come rushing in to see what was the matter. When I told her that my layout had made cover of the magazine, I got another reward -- a big hug from my babe.

The challenge for August was "Less is More"or "More is More." We were to choose between minimalism or clustering on a page and to design a layout to support our choice. I like to make layouts using both styles so I didn't want to choose just one. Call it indecisiveness or call it the rebel in me, but I chose both. I chose to make a page with an overall simple and balanced design, but to fill the layout with hundreds of elements. Just how did I manage that, you ask? Yinyang.

In other news, I also have three layouts appearing in the August issue of Scrapbooking.com Magazine in the Creating with Kits feature. I was thrilled when the editor contacted me and asked to use not one, but three of my layouts. Yipee!

I also have a few other pages from this past week. Orange seems to be the color of choice recently. Maybe because it just feels so summery. I got a few more pages done for my daughter's kitty album as well.

using A Perfectly Ordinary Day by Sugarplum Paperie and Lauren Grier

page template from Gimme Clusters by Nikki Epperson

using Friends are Forever by Creations by Rachael

and Easy Breezy pt 9 by Busy Bee Designs

using Color Me Happy by Jennifer Labre Designs

and Easy Breezy pt 2 by Busy Bee Designs

using Easy Breezy pt 9 by Busy Bee Designs

and Flutterby by Creashens

using Repository 2 by Studio Gypsy

As always, thank you so much for stopping by.

Blooming in the heat

2010-07-25T08:12:00.000+09:00

My scrapbooking room doesn't have air conditioning -- in fact most of the rooms in my house don't since there is no such thing as central heat and a/c in most Japanese buildings. I don't mind, I have a nice little fan blowing on me. I keep hearing that so far this has been one of the hottest recent summers in Japan. Hmmm.... either my tolerance has increased or I'm numb. I prefer to think that I might just finally be getting used to the humidity here. It just doesn't feel that bad to me.

If I were home in Colorado I would be hot, but dry at least. But I am keeping positive here this summer instead. We've got a LOT of projects both big and small to do around the house so I am anxiously awaiting the end of July so I can get started. Right now we (and by that I mean me) are decluttering.

Speaking of decluttering, I'm wondering how long you keep your digital scrapbook supplies. I have so many kits that I just HAD to buy at the time, but have never used. I have tons of kits from CT assignments that I may or may not ever use again. And I have gigabytes of old kits both used and unused that I most like will never use again... but I have such a hard time deleting them from my hard drive. Alas, my hard drive is nearly full -- yes, my computer is old enough that the HD is "small" enough to become full.

So I have adopted a brutal attitude as of late to just get rid of it! Both in my home and on my computer. If I haven't used it over the past three years then I probably won't, right? Most things I won't miss, I'm sure. If I have to be here (meaning not at home in the states this summer) then I am going to make the most of my time and Bloom Where I am Planted.

Here are a few pages I got done this past week, in the nice cool breeze of my little floor fan.

using Wicked Cool by Jennifer Labre Designs

using Easy Breezy pt 9 by Busy Bee Desings

and Sunkissed Sunset by Jennifer Labre Designs

using You & Me Dude by Laura Banasiak Simply.Scraps

and Easy Breezy pt 8 by Busy Bee Designs

using Easy Breezy pt 8 by Busy Bee Designs

and Owlie Loves You by Kasia Designs

using Box Society 3 by Studio Gypsy

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Progress Report

2010-07-24T07:24:00.000+09:00

This week its my turn to host the challenge on The Digichick blog. In keeping with this month's theme of Hopes and Dreams, I decided to revisit the hopes and goals I set for myself this year back in January. I made this page regarding my Ten Hopes for 2010.

For this week's Out of the Egg Challenge I decided to give myself a progress report of how I'm keeping up with those goals. Hmmm..... not so sure I'm doing that great.

If you feel like renewing your motivation for those resolutions and goals you set for yourself, come join me in the challenge.

Dream Scrap - Scraplift Challenge

2010-07-19T20:46:00.001+09:00

There is a new scraplift challenge going on over on The Digichick blog. For this month's scraplift -- we get to scraplift whoever we want.

I am a huge fan of gonewiththewind. She has an incredible -- don't say I didn't warn you incredible -- gallery. I have dreamed many a time that I could be so original and creative. I love how she fills her pages with gorgeous photos and beautiful detail.

I suppose I cheated on this challenge and I'll tell you why. She also designs and sells templates under the name of Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs at The Digichick. Using her templates gave me such a head start on being able to make a page like her. So call it cheating, call it whatever you will. I'll call it a sure-fire way to get a gorgeous page.

Here is my page for the challenge. Why don't you stop on over and join us for the scraplift challenge.

I shouldn't be here

2010-07-16T09:16:00.002+09:00

Summer vacation is finally here -- yes, the kids have only now gotten out of school for the summer. Summer break is much shorter here in Japan, and because its between semesters (the school year begins in April) the kids are loaded up with homework as well. Every year just about this time my children and I are on our way home to Colorado to visit my family. We have been blessed for these past several years to be able to spend almost the entire break lounging around my parents home, visiting with family and old friends. But this year is different. This is the first time in my 18 years of being in Japan that I won't see my family in over a year. Its not an easy concept for me to grasp. My parents aren't getting any younger and precious time with my sister, niece and her babes is rare enough as it is. I'm not sure I'm going to survive the summer without them. I'm a bit homesick.

Studio Gypsy has a new line of goodies called Shrine of the Times. I'd never heard of a personal shrine before but once I learned more about it I understood what they are. According to Kay Marie Porterfield, a "Shrines serve as a way of deep journaling using images and symbols rather than words." I made this shrine to homesickness called Time Flies in about 20 minutes. I guess you could say I was inspired.

This next page is a photo of my friend's daughter in her beautiful kimono, celebrating 7 years old. The papers and elements are from Flowers of the Orient. What an appropriate name for this beautiful young lady as well.

Did I mention that I'm making an album for my daughter about her pet cat? Our relationship with this lovely little creature started out very wonderfully. But after we moved into our new complex, she was no longer allowed to roam freely outside. She went crazy being cooped up inside all the time and caused a lot of unpleasant problems for our family. Unfortunately, we had to give her away. Even though that was years ago, my daughter is just now feeling the loss again. She understands why Tori had to go, but that doesn't make the sadness disappear. The other night we were looking at some old photos and she saw one of Tori all dressed up in baby doll clothes. My daughter was amazed that Tori would "let" her do that. I explained to my daughter that Tori didn't just let it happen, that she loved every minute of it. This cat was so tolerant of my daughter's play rituals with her. Its almost like she felt a bit human and was intent on playing right along. I told my daughter, "Don't you know. She loved you too!" Well, that opened up the waterworks for my daughter and I decided then that she needed to know just how much Tori loved her too. So this is yet another page in the "She Loved You Too" series.

This last page is of my great-nephew, a few summers ago.

Ahh summer. I should be on a plane right now, heading home....

Without further ado

2010-07-09T18:04:00.000+09:00

Here is the page I was able to make with my newest template from my friend Ingrid. I told you how wonderful her templates are, well here is the proof. I love her templates because she gives plenty of space for bigger photos and lots of journaling. When I have all that space I am forced to really think about what message I want to convey and make it meaningful. I'll be using some of the other templates in the set I got, but for now I needed to show you this!

Several months ago I hosted a scraplift challenge on the Digichick blog. For the challenge I chose Sasha's gallery to lift. Since then, she has also begun to make her own line of templates as well under the name of Busy Bee Designs. I have long admired her style and now I am able to scrap a little more like her because of her templates. I love her templates because of the soft and delicate little details she scatters about and her unique journaling placement. If you want to try, she has two free templates in her shop! I think its so cool that there are so many different kinds of templates to play with. Its my kind of scrapping heaven.

Last but certainly not least are this week's releases by Studio Gypsy. Its always an adventure to see what her new releases are going to be -- will it be the altered art style or vintage fare? Either way, I love to try them all!

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I got RAK'd

2010-07-07T18:29:00.000+09:00

Ingrid Fasquelle is not only a wonderful scrapper, she has turned her hobby and her beautiful pages into templates. She sells her templates at Peppermint Creative and let me tell you -- they are wonderful! So easy to use, so easy to make beautiful pages with. I used one of her templates for my Wall of China layout shown on May 22nd post. If you're looking for some incredible templates, please give hers a try. This first layout also uses one of the templates from the same set. She was kind enough -- really super kind -- to present me with one of her latest template sets. I've got a layout using one coming out this Thursday. I'll be sure to post it here too.

This second layout is one I made for the June edition of The Artisan Notebook. We were supposed to make a layout inspired by nature. That was such a wide challenge for me. But I found my angle in a song from a Japanese anime program called Mushi King. The song's title is Ikite Koso, which translates very roughly into "Embrace Life." I've tried my best to translate the entire song as well. Its such a beauuutiful song. Here's a link to the original Japanese version as sung by Kiroro on YouTube.

The remaining layouts are either from new releases these past two weeks or just me having fun.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Scrapbooking for fun

2010-06-27T16:23:00.000+09:00

Why do we scrap? Here are some of the reasons I've come up with.
1. I want to preserve my memories in a fun way
2. I hope to have fun looking at my pages and be able to remember more details through the journaling than I would remember by just having the photos in an album
3. I enjoy it. Understatement -- I love it!

I started off scrapping only events - you know, birthdays, trips to the beach, track and field day, etc. Most of my pages were double pages with more than 10 photos. After a while I would find a single photo that I loved, not necessarily from an event, and just wanted to make a lovely page with it. On these pages I would journal about my thoughts and feelings about the photo. These are still my main two styles of scrapbooking.

Recently, I've discovered two additional reasons. Reason one: after becoming a member of a few shops' and designers' creative teams I've been scrapbooking for "work." The designers need a page to show off their kits, so I go looking through my archives of photos to find a suitable photo and make a page for them. Granted, I still make these pages for me, but it may have taken me a lot longer to scrap a certain photo had I not needed a photo to match a particular kit.

Reason two: scrapbooking just for fun. This is fairly new territory for me. To make these kind of pages I usually have to bribe my kids to pose for me. I know some scrappers use stock images for these kind of pages and that is wonderful for them. But for now, my kids are still willing to help out for the most part and I'd rather make pages that are more "meaningful" to me.

Here is a series of pages that I made, once again using Box Society goodies from Studio Gypsy. I got a little crazy here, but boy did I have fun! My daughter had fun posing for me in front of a green screen too. This certainly won't be my main style of scrapbooking. As long as my kids are around I'm sure I'll be scrapping their school events and activities as well as our family memories. But every once in awhile, I just want to play.

Crazy Dollhouse

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Love 2 Scrap in Japan

Spilling my heart

A New Year

Winding down

Spirit of Christmas

Sweets for You

Sweets for the Sweet

Ha Ha

The good, the bad, and the uber excellent

Busy Bee

Two Too Cool

DSD

Enzymes part 2

Door Hangers part 2

Challenge Me This

Digichick CT Call

秋の酵素づくり教室 開催日決定のお知らせ

Enzymes

Chief Challenge Chick

Happy October

Eyelash Perm

Ohisashiburi - Long time no see

My heart hurts

Makin' stuff

Guessing game

Something's coming...

What am I doing here

Slow mojo

Thank you TIC

Ma ma ma ma ma My Fiona (does anyone get that?)

A home bazaar

Laugh until you cry

Why we stayed

While you were sleeping

For the record

Playing with paper

Note to self, Valentines Day is over

Keeping warm

Love is in the Air

Breakthrough? Breakdown?

My two babes

Feeling lucky

Note to self - update blog. Note to self - update blog.

Holiday Traditions - Past & Present

Merry Christmas

Hubby's gift

One more gift

Time Out

Christmas is coming

'Tis the Season

A time for everything

Gratitude Challenge: Difficult, but Good

Happy iDSD

Slacker

Happy Anniversary

Behind the times

Playing favorites

Feeling lazy

Growing Stronger

When real life steps in

Making a Scene

Coming home

Drive by blogging

Cover Girl

Blooming in the heat

Progress Report

Dream Scrap - Scraplift Challenge

I shouldn't be here

Without further ado

I got RAK'd

Scrapbooking for fun

秋の酵素づくり教室　開催日決定のお知らせ