The Shabby Shoppe

   I have always been a lover of scrapbooking and creative crafty projects. From my childhood days of Christmas and craft boutiques with my mom, to doodling and creating cards in high school, to scrapbooking through my many years as an employee at the amazing Crackerjack Too! Scrapbook Co. in Redlands.

   After I became a teacher, I found myself pouring any available creativity I had into setting up my home and my classroom. I stopped scrapbooking all together, and whenever I tried to pick it back up again, it was like an athlete who hadn’t played in awhile-and went out for a quick pick me up game with buddies. I was out of practice, and by the time I had everything out, set-up, and had decided what project to tackle first…it was time to clean it all up and go back to work, or whatever other priorities took precedence at the time.

   I remember when digital scrapbooking first came about. I was a die-hard “old-school” scrapper, and I was determined that digital scrapbooking was unauthentic and one-dimensional and fake. Not “real” scrapbooking. There wasn't that creative, handmade feel to it.  To be honest, at the time, some of my judgments were partially true because there weren’t many available resources for Digi-Scrapping, and the ones that DID exist were in their infancy stage and just barely developing product.

   So, I postponed my creative hobby for a few more years, and decided that I would get back to it when “I had time”. Ya, like when I get to heaven. My sister continued to inspire me with her cute mini-books, and collage boards and various scrapbook crafts. But, I knew I was the Queen of unfinished projects, and I still had countless amounts of unused scrapbooking supplies from my years of “working in the biz”, and I just didn’t want to get in the middle of another unfinished project. So, I stuck to little projects. Did I finish any of those…nope.

Years passed, and in November of 2009, I was pregnant (very pregnant) with Ellie, and visiting my sis-in-law’s family for my niece’s birthday party. My sis-in-law’s sister (got that) was there visiting from Texas, and she had brought along her latest book of her oldest daughter’s 1^st year-created using a Digital Scrapbook kit and an online book binding company.

   I was mesmerized! I seriously couldn’t focus on anything else! Here I was at my precious niece’s birthday party, and I couldn’t stop looking at the book, and asking tons of questions, and trying to memorize every detail of every page. It was stunning! A masterpiece! She had basically created a hardback book that had pictures and journaling documenting all of the important events, stories, memories and joys of the 1^st year of her daughter’s life. It was so awesome!

   I was immediately hooked! She graciously copied some of the free kits that she downloaded off of her favorite site, the Shabby Shoppe, and burned them to a disk for me to try at home. You would have thought it was my MY birthday! I eagerly went home, popped the disk in, and then realized I had to have the software to use the kits. So, I downloaded a 30 trial of Photoshop Elements, and figured that would give me enough time to play around and determine if this was really something I would commit to and be interested in. The software would be an initial investment-but other than that, I had plenty of kits to keep me busy for awhile, and the only real cost would be ordering each book.

I had found the perfect thing to keep my mind occupied until Ellie was due to arrive about a month later.

   Needless to say, I LOVE IT! It’s wonderful to scrapbook digitally because it’s all self-contained in your computer! You just complete each page, save it, and then upload the finished product to the online printing company of your choice, and VOILA!

   So, here are a few examples of the pages I have worked on for Ellie’s 1^st book. I stared it before she was born, and then the reality of being a new mom set in, and I had to put it off for a few months. But, I’m almost finished, and am so excited to order the finished book.

I can’t take credit for these pages. I went onto the Shabby Shoppe's gallery, and basically mimicked pages that I thought were cute-as it can be a little overwhelming to create a layout completely from scratch at first. Plus, I had to get used to the Photoshop software too. 

Fondue of You

I don’t take the time very often to do fun girly things for myself much anymore.  I need to be better about that-but it seems there are always other things to do or spend money on.  So, I have started painting my nails at home every once in awhile because I love that newly polished look, plus, I feel more dolled up in my sweats! Ha!

So, I just tried my new favorite nail polish from O.P.I. called “I’m Fondue of You”.  It was one of my fabulous stocking stuffers for Christmas-thanks Mom!  Anyway, I love the color-but I especially love the quality of O.P.I. polishes!  I can’t believe how much wear and tear these nails have taken, and they still look great.  These pics are 1 week after I initially polished my nails! Anywhoo, it’s a fun splurge. 

    My next adventure will be trying a fun new Gunmetal color by Sally Hansen – recommended by my friend Jenn.  It’s fun to stop and do something for yourself every now and again.  Plus, Ellie loves mommy’s newly painted nails!  She keeps grabbing my fingers like they’re covered in chocolate. I can’t wait until she’ll sit still long enough for me to paint her little nails.  She is already SUCH a girl!  I love it! 

Cute Seasonal Pennant Banner

Last fall, I was inspired by one of my crafty neighbors who created a really cute pennant banner in various Halloween colored fabrics to hang above her porch entryway.  It was cute because she didn’t use super busy prints, she just stuck with a few colors that went with her decorating scheme at Halloween.  I remember loving the idea – but I was 7 months pregnant at the time, and was still getting ready for baby-so I snapped a few pics, and put it on my to-do list for later.

The following summer, I was remembering this little project, and was on summer break and in need of a fun and easy project to work on during Ellie’s naptime.  So, I used the inspiration and created a 4^th of July themed banner to hang outside on my porch.  It was actually pretty easy once I had the template.  I didn’t even sew it, and per the advice of my neighbor, used fusible adhesive to bind the fabric and extra wide bias tape together.  A little ironing, and viola – I had a really cute banner to hang outside of my house.  And for those of you who didn’t know – I am ridiculously obsessed with decorating for the holidays.  I always do either a tree or something around my dining room mirror for all of the main holidays.  Its a little nuts, but I grew up with a mom who always decorated for the main holidays – and it made the year so much fun!

Materials: 

-6 to 8 varieties of your favorite seasonally colored fabric – approx. a ½ yd. of each

(choose a variety of textures and prints for added interest)

-cardboard to make a template (my pennant was about 5” wide by 11-12 inches tall)

-extra wide bias tape (choose a color that works with your fabric)

-bond adhesive (on the roll) to be used with an iron

-pinking shears (to keep the fabric from fraying)

-any other trinkets/buttons, etc. you want to add

Rough Directions:

-make a template from the cardboard

-trace 2 pennants from the same fabric (to go back to back), and create enough to make a banner.  I made about 5 double-sided pennants per fabric choice.

-cut out the pennants and piece together, pretty side out

-glue the pennants together, so you end up with approx. 30 double sided pieces.

-iron bonding tape to one side of each pennant, and then iron to the inside of the bias tape.

-turn the entire banner over, apply bonding adhesive to the opposite side of each pennant.

-fold bias tape over and them iron the second side.

TIP:  I felt like even though this was easy-it was A LOT of gluing and ironing.  It might just be easier to sew the pennants together, and them sew each to the bias tape.  Whatever works for you!  My sewing machine was packed away so I opted for ironing.

New Project:  here is my fabric inspiration for my own Halloween banner...although, I'll have to get to that later. :)

Photo Collage Boards

A few months back, I start a blog where I talked about a project.  So, here's a recap from the original post, and pictures to match!
     I have been working on some different projects over the past few months, and I wanted to post some pictures of my progress. I have been working on a photo wall that was inspired by my Aunts' and my Grandmother. 
     When I was young, they started a photo wall of three simple bulletin boards that had a variety of pictures from all of the grandkids and their growth through the years. I remember being really excited to see what new pictures of each of us had been added to the wall each time we made a visit to my Grandma's. Such a simple but precious memory from my childhood. 
     So, I have decided to duplicate this project in my own home. I have three bulletin boards, and I covered two of them with fabric, and purchased a framed one for the center. I hung them with drapery tie backs and it adds a nice architectural element and really makes it like artwork on the wall. 
     I decided to use one board for pictures of Jon's life and family, one for pictures of my life and family, and the center one for pictures of our life together. It's turned out pretty cool, and is a great way to display all of those photos that you have and haven't room to display or scrapbook. Whenever family come over to visit, they enjoy seeing pictures of themselves and I am confident it's going to be a great conversation starter for many a family gathering!
      I still need to finish adding pictures to Jon's board.  I am in the process of scanning all of them first, just in case.  The center board will be a continual work in progress as it's of our immediate little Allen family.

  Adjustments - per my Aunt's advice, I think I'll replace the push pins with straight pins for a cleaner look. 

1-11-11

I wanted to take a quick moment to reflect on the blessings of late. 

Jon is just starting a research rotation until April 1^st, and this will provide him a much needed time of rest and will allow him to finish his research project for this year – a huge feat!

I have survived my first two days back at school. 

This is no big deal-except that I am having Ellie withdrawals, and getting back into the crazy pace of life has been challenging.

Ellie is crawling everywhere, and continues to be the most joyful and happy baby I know!  She is loving being more mobile, and is itching to walk and be even more independent.  She keeps us laughing daily with her baby gibberish and contagious giggles!  She’s also growing like a weed and has become very adventurous in her food preferences.  She pretty much wants to try anything Jon and I are eating- a pleasant change to a temporary season of pickiness.

I am in my 20^th week of pregnancy-the halfway point.  Whoo hoo!  We are so excited to have another baby girl on the way, and I have just started to really feel her kicking like crazy!  There is no greater feeling.  I am feeling pretty great overall, just tired.  But, I am glad to be busy.

Other than that, we’re just moving along, enjoying life and God’s many blessings as they come.

Oh, and spring break is only 41 school days away!  Not that I’m counting! :)

The Little Things in Life

Oftentimes, it’s the little things in life.  I ordered a CD from my childhood that I remember loving and wanted Ellie to have the same opportunity.  It’s no longer being reproduced (cause I’m that old apparently), but thankfully I found it online.  What did we do before the Internet… oh, that’s right - read, not spend as much time on the computer. J

So, I couldn’t wait to open it!  Jon thought it funny that I was so excited about “Ellie’s” CD.  Ignoring his sarcasm, I grabbed Ellie, and popped it in the computer.  Knowing that Ellie didn’t yet have the same attachment to the nostalgic songs, I had no expectations.  But, she LOVED it!  Of course, she’s a very musically inclined kid.  She loves music and dancing, and there is nothing sweeter than watching her shake her little tushy and shimmy her shoulders!  My mom says I used to do the same thing when I was a baby.  It’s so special to see our kids displaying their “mini-me” character traits.

I love that I was exposed to so much music - and wonderful music at that, as a child.  I have the fondest memories of my Dad popping in a soundtrack score from a classic movie like The Mission, Glory, or Avalon to name a few.  He would work at his computer while we kids did our homework.  I remember at the time thinking, (and saying, I’m sure) “Dad, this music is boring!” And yet, I grew to have such a great appreciation of movie scores and classical music.  I am so thankful that my Dad introduced me to this wonderful part of my life.  Jon and I are always talking about the movie scores we love-Braveheart, Pride and Prejudice, etc.

This was just one of many times I can recall being exposed to music by my parents.  We lived back in the days of “bring a book, or a card game to keep you busy” when we’d venture out on long family vacations in the car.  We never had a TV or portable DVD player to watch movies.  I’m sure my parents would have benefited from the lack of bickering and overall noise, and yet, there is something I feel lost in today’s culture BECAUSE of the fact that we have so many “quick fixes” available to make life more “comfortable”.  What so wrong with being uncomfortable once in while, anyway.  (No Lord, that’s not an invitation). J  I remember being frustrated that we couldn’t watch a movie, and yet-in those times, my siblings and I were forced to be creative, to think outside the box for entertainment.  We would have never listened to the endless Lord of the Rings/Hobbit series on audiotape, or arranged and sang “White Christmas” in 3 part harmony while driving through the bleak darkness of Oregon on our annual summer trip to Washington.  Or read the countless “choose your own ending” books.  Those were awesome!  Yes, these are the times I relish, and really miss as an adult.  But, there is hope.  Hope of passing on some of those seemingly boring, but wonderfully enriching experiences to my own kids.

Back to music – another memory I have of my Dad is from our long car rides that were so thrillingly orchestrated with my Dad’s selection of “on-the-road driving mixes”.  These mixes included the movie scores mentioned above, as well as an awesome selection of western instrumentals (Wyatt Earp, Dances with Wolves, and Themes from Silverado).  It’s funny, because the music really livened up the trip.  The desert hills of Utah and Nevada, and the rolling and “Treesy” (to quote my mother and Grandmother) mountains of Wyoming, Montana and Oregon - would have been FAR more boring and mundane without the sounds of “Big Valley” and “The Magnificent Seven”, or “How the West Was Won” blaring through our modest minivan speakers. J  I even find myself searching to reconnect with the music of my childhood as a way of remembering such wonderful times with my family growing up. This past summer, Ellie and I drove to Lake Tahoe for a family reunion with Jon’s family.  As I was driving through Mammoth, I realized, I needed that wonderful music that used to make these trips like my own movie adventure.  So, thanks to modern technology, while stopping for gas, I used my iphone to these same songs using itunes.  I felt so invigorated and loved driving the long journey with my musical co-pilot.  Ellie slept right through it…perfect. J

For these wonderful additions to my musical repertoire, I say, “Thanks Dad, Pappy, Skipper”!  Thanks for making us expand our musical taste and for introducing us to such a wonderful part of musical culture.

But, my father was not the only one who enriched my musical upbringing.  My mom was also instrumental.  She was the person who always encouraged us to listen to Christian radio.  Don’t get me wrong, I grew up loving (and to this day, still enjoy) Christian radio.  It is a necessary and important resource for providing safe listening for your kids.  But, like any teenager, I wanted to hear the “cool music” that my friends were listening to also.  But, Mom found a way to get us hooked on Christian music.  She introduced us to Christian Pop music, and about that time, the Christian music scene exploded, and artists like DC Talk, Carmen, Newsboys, Jars of Clay, Point of Grace and Michael W. Smith became very accessible.  Every summer, our local Christian radio station, KLRD (now AIR1) hosted a huge summer weekend concert series called "Superfest".  Thousands would convene on the lawns of the Glen Helen Park for the event.  It was really fun!  Sure, my secular music education is severely lacking, but I’m not too worried.  The “good” music; classic hits of every era, are cyclical it seems, and always become popular once again.  J

When I was a little girl, my Mom also encouraged us to learn our Bible verses and Biblical principles through music.  I can still hear a song from “Psalty” and “Charity Church Mouse” and remember the lyrics.  Can I get a shout out for “Music Machine” or “Bulldogs and Butterflies”?  Before the days of Veggie Tales, we listened to “G.T. and the Halo Express”. It’s amazing how music can really bring back a whole host of emotions and memories.  Music is a most definite tool that God has used throughout my life to teach me, encourage me, heal me, and convict me. 

A hug, a kiss, and a huge thanks to my Mom; for really pushing music with core values and character traits that I now hope to share with my children.

Let’s bring this tangent home!  The CD I just received is “Songs from the Beginner’s Bible – by Jodi Benson”.  She was the original voice of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”. As a child, that movie had just come out, and hearing Ariel sing about Jesus was all I wanted to listen to.  Granted, listening to this 1991 CD in 2011 was a little different that I remembered, but many of the lyrics came flooding back to me.  I was so excited to share my favorites with Ellie, such as the “Creation Story”, and the “Tower of Babel”.  Ellie was so interested! I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact that her mom was reliving her dreams of being a Disney movie character, and was acting out and singing every song to her.  Nope, no fear here of raising a dramatic daughter! J  But, she really did get excited.  Which just goes to show-you never realize how much your children are watching everything you do!  They are so impressionable, even at such a tender age.  I was so delighted to share a moment of “worship” with my little 1 year old, and was also reminded of how I need to watch my attitude and actions, so that I can do a better job of showing my little one Christ though her broken and redeemed Mommy.

Thank you Jesus, for the gift of music, and the blessing of forgiveness!

Halloween collage-2010

Okay, I can't stop making these Blog collages...so bare with me.  I'm just catching everyone up on the past 6 months that I haven't been blogging. :)

Halloween 2010

Ellie as a butterfly fairy...er, ya, something like that! :) She sure is cute though!!