Happy Birthday America!


America was built on many unique values and ideas. I think that we as a nation have diverged from some of these ideals. But, I want to discuss us as individuals. We have all heard the phrase, It takes a village....... Sometimes I feel that we are too dependent on others for our sources of everything. We rely too heavily on others, be it family or friends for our happiness and for help in the steering of our life. We can and should be our own "villages". Our willingness to take over control of our own helm adds to our own self-sufficiency and self-determination. There is much joy in maintaining control over the direction our life's journey takes.

Being your own village does not mean embracing isolation. For a balanced life is built upon the dual foundations of the inner and outer villages. Being your own village is a celebration of your ability to capably steer the course of your life.

Make a good day!

Hybrid Scrapping

I never thought I would be a hybrid scrapper. I wanted to keep my digi scrapping and my paper scrapping separate. I don't know why. Well I took a few episodes at Jessicasprage.com and really like combining the two. Now, I think of my scrapping in three categories: paper, digi and hybrid.

Maybe someday I will be able to think of it as just one thing. But, I'm not ready to do that yet.
Here are the hybrid pages that I made with Jessica's help.




Then I found a tutorial at Jessica's so I could "stitch" them together to post on galleries. It was not too hard to do and it was a video lesson. Here is the link:
http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/blog/2007/6/9/photoshop-friday-22-scan-and-stitch.html

Here are the ones I stitched together for the posting:


So this is my hybrid experience. It is fun and I really like Jessica guiding me through the steps.

Make a nice day!

Livin' the Good Life

We’ve all heard countless studies, articles and TV interviews on happiness. But the other day I stumbled upon something that is just now being revealed to the media for the first time.* It's a 72 year old study that began all the way back in 1937 when 268 Harvard University sophomores were asked to participate in a study measuring “a formula-some mix of love, work, and adaptation-for a good life.” And while many of those who were college sophomores in 1937 are now dying or in their fading twilight, this study continues to be diligently maintained to this very day. (David Romanelli; yeahdave.com)

And never before has science been able to report such fascinating and thoroughly time-tested results on happiness. Following are 3 powerful lessons from this study as reported first in Atlantic magazine in June 2009.

1. Have a healthy outlet.
2. Don't take yourself too seriously.
3. Happiness must be shared.

I think this is powerful information and the study is 72 years old. That in itself is amazing. Speaking of happiness being shared. I did this layout of my son and grandsons from a photo taken this Father's Day.

Don't rock your boat

Different Ways of Navigating
We’re All in the Same Boat

We’re all in the same boat. We just have different paddles, and perhaps we find ourselves on different rivers. We all live in human bodies. These are the vehicles in which we move through our world. We are all made of flesh, blood, and bone, with brains, hearts, and lungs to power us. Our paddles—the tools we use to move through the world—vary, as do the bodies of water—the environments—in which we find ourselves.

Some of us use our high IQs to get where we want to go. Some of use our smiles, others use kindness, a gift with language, or athletic ability. Some of these qualities we were born with and others are skills we have learned. Considering this metaphor in light of your own life can be very enlightening. What tools are you using to get from point A to point B in your life? Chances are, you and the people you know have used many different tools in various combinations throughout your lives to get where you needed to go. Just as with oars or paddles, a balanced approach is best. If you rely too much on one thing, like beauty, to open doors, you fail to be well-rounded and you may eventually lose your equilibrium. And if you lose that one quality, you have no paddle at all. This is inspiration to develop multiple tools to navigate your world.

Some of us may be moving along paths that are like rushing rivers; others may be on a large, still lake. We have all felt, at one time or another, tossed about on a stormy ocean. Through all this, we are never really alone, even though it might seem that way. There is inspiration all around us in the form of other people making their way through the world, in the very same boat. Remember to look around you for role models, companionship, and encouragement.

A boy, a Grandma and a Camera

I made the above page for my class called type+writer. Jake took both of those pictures. He really is very good. Here is what the jounaling says:

This is the story of Jake, eldest grandson of Ann and Kurt Daly. Jake takes photographs, at least he took them when he was younger now he MAKES photographs. To quote Ansel Adams, “You don't TAKE photographs, you MAKE them” and make them he does. He got interested in photography at age three. He picked up his Grandma Daly's film camera one afternoon and said, “Grandma, I take pictures?”. Of course, grandma said, “Go ahead sweetie.” When the film was developed Jake had not taken a bad picture. Of the 5 he took all were in focus, the subject was centered and they were of interest. Jake has not looked back since then. His interest and ability and style have just kept improving. During the summer of 2007 Jake went to a dude ranch in Colorado with Grandma and Grandpa Daly. His mother had bought him a couple of the “throw-away” cameras. He used all that film up on the first day on the Durango train trip. Grandpa bought him three more cameras to use for the rest of the week at the ranch. Jake took some great pictures. Grandma made the mistake of saying to Jake one afternoon, “Jake I'm thinking of getting a new digital camera, the kind where you can change lenses and all and then I can give you this point and shoot digital”. He responded, “Grandma that will be great. When are you going to do it? Can I take pictures with your camera right now?”. Well the days went by and each day Jake would ask Grandma if she had gotten her new camera. That is a lot of pressure on a grandma! So one day Grandma called Jake from the camera store and asked if he wanted to come over and see the camera she was thinking of buying. He hung up without saying goodbye and his mother had him at the store in record breaking time. Jake and grandma tried out the new camera. Grandma bought it and the rest is history. Jake now makes fantastic pictures with the point and shoot camera and he uses Grandma's SLR Nikon D40 every change he gets! He entered two photographs in the county fair and won two ribbons, a second for his black and white (the first place in the black and white, also won best of show) so the competition was stiff in that category. He won a third place for his color photograph. This hobby has become a talent and Jake now MAKES amazing photographs. Did I tell you he is 10 years old and in the market for a high end camera?

I've been thinking a lot about journaling and how important it really is. Jessica and Liv have made me look at this aspect of scrapbooking and I am coming to the conclusion that it is a vital componet of the page. I will be taking a class soon from Jessica called, "Stories In Hand". I am looking forward to it.

Make a nice day!

This is hubby at the garden's of Sharlot Hall Musem. We go every year to the annual Folk Festival there. It is so lovely in early october.