Learning New Things

While never-ending scrapbook project(s) are coming along. (You may remember that I embarked on a journey to get everything scrapped, which included about 3 years worth of pictures.) That project is coming along. 2007 is virtually completed, 2006 still has a long way to go, 2008 is kind of hit and miss, and 2009 is about half-way done. It seems like a lot still to be done, but it is progress.

Along they way, I purchased a ScrapRack when I was at the scrapbook convention. Well, I actually started my purchase. I say started because I have added to the contraption about 3-4 times since August. It's a very cool thing because almost every piece of scrapbook "stuff" is filed almost neatly in it. That project took a long time, but I am feeling a little more in control of my stuff (instead of it controlling me). I also found a bunch of stuff I had been looking for, had forgotten I had or just plain needed to get rid of.

So, since that is almost done, I have tackled another project that has been sitting in my inbox for weeks and weeks. Molly convinced me to sign up for a digital scrapbook class to learn how to use Photoshop. (I have had that for almost a year and cannot figure out how to use it.)

During my week off, I finally got started on it and wa-la. This is what I did in the first lesson. Pretty cool, huh? It's a 12x12 scrapbook page. I will probably never print it out, but I did learn quite a few things about Photoshop. The photography world should beware....here I come.

Scrapbooking Update

During our New Year's visit, I helped my sister crop some pages.  I was reminded of that this weekend.  It was cold and rainy so I spent a decent amount of time cropping myself.  

Cropping may be an exaggeration.  I put over 30 12x12 pages worth of New York trip pages together.  We went last December and had a great time.  (I have made James promise he will never allow us to take 250 pictures of any trip ever again.  Ever.  Never ever.)  Now, back to my exaggeration.  I was basically slapping pictures on blank pages.  No journaling or ornamentation.  Just pictures on pages.  I did have the foresight to get some pretty black, glittery paper.  I thought that would be a great way to tie all the pictures together without much effort.  I bought all the black glittery paper Hobby Lobby had.  Three trips later and all the red and white glittery paper there, all the pictures are "cropped." 

Another Confession - Already?

For any of you that have known me for any length of time you know that I'm an extrovert.  One definition of that is that you think and process data by speaking out loud.  So, today as we were packing up some Christmas decorations, I made the comment to my hubby, as he was casually passing through, that I was going to be caught up on all my scrapbooking by this time next year.  What?!  Who jumped into my body and said that?  I have never, ever been caught up with my scrapbooking.  Just look at this desk.  

I sat down tonight - determined to get through our Guatemala pictures from 2007.  (Yes, I know that was over a year ago.)  The stack was ginormous.  (I'm not really sure how to spell that, but James is in bed and I can't wake him to ask.  Of course, I could but he would tell on me so it's close enough.)  I was absolutely determined to get the pictures placed on the paper.  Not glued down, not journaled, not embellished.  Just placed.  After several hours, I'm through them all and I have 28 12x12 pages.  Before I let James get in the bed, I made him PROMISE to keep me from taking so many pictures next year.  Sigh....I still have the 2008 trip to go.

Confession

I have a confession to make.  I have been working quite diligently on catching up on my scrapbooking for 2007.  I have 2005 totally caught up, except three pages that need to be journaled and some random things I've found since I finished.  2006 is in total disarray and a few pages have been done for 2008.  This is probably about the best shape I've been in for scrapbooking in a while, but alas, cycling season is upon us.  

I take a lot of cycling pictures.  I take a lot of every sport, but with cycling there are so many races.  With each race, I can click off 200 photos no problem and that was before I got my new lens, which I am very much looking forward to using.  It won't take long to be in a major hole again.

Any way, this has been a big digression - this is about the confession.  I was working on some winter cycling pictures of the hubby and James from last December.  They are so cute all bundled up - the almost matching pair.  As I was looking at them, I realized the first race of the season is approximately 6 weeks away.  At first there was an "ugh," but then I realized I am actually looking forward to it all starting again.  Seeing the parents, watching the kids improve over the course of the race season and watching James work hard towards a goal.  In spite of the incredible amount of work, coordination and sheer inconvenience, it's kind of neat.  Shhh - don't tell anybody.  I would never want the word to get out.