The Joy of Friday Afternoons

Friday afternoons mean so much at our home.  It is the end of a school week.  It is an afternoon reserved for fun activities, or creative adventures. It is a beginning of a weekend!  At our home, weekends are full of fun, worship time at church and projects.  My Friday afternoon has been filled with a project.  I am working on a special album for my son, Nick.  This is the first  of this type of album I am making.  See, I am a chronological scrapper.  Yes, I know....I need help!  No, seriously, I have found amazing Photo Freedom.  Literally, I have found an amazing amount of freedom from Stacy Julian's Photo Freedom.  I am learning to scrap in a more meaningful way to me. Stacy has been an incredible source of inspiration to my scrapbooking.  You should really check out her website: Stacy Julian.

While Photo Freedom is definitely difficult to find right now, Stacy has other books that are equally inspiring.  One of the most affordable books I am looking at now is over at Ella Publishing.  And one of my new friends on Facebook shared this link today for a free Ella E-Book. (Thanks Katie!!!)

(credit: Ella Publishing)

So in my effort to scrapbook in a more authentic manner, I am working on this scrapbook, and telling my story of my amazing son, Nick.  I am sharing what I see and what I have felt in order to tell the story of Nick.

So here's where I need your help.  I need manly, masculine paper and supplies.  I am on the hunt....can you help?  Leave me a comment with your suggestions.  I'll write more on Monday with what products I find.

Have a wonderful weekend!

The Joy of Trying Something New

I love being creative.  I enjoy scrapbooking as one of my creative outlets.  The act of creating a book or project that chronicles our life together as a family just fills my cup!  I love documenting our journey as a family.  So in the interest of trying something new, I decided to become an Independent MemoryWorks Consultant!  Do not worry about this blog turning into a sales pitch! I just need to support my addiction, I mean hobby!  I have so many reasons why I chose this company, but I will share that on another day.  Today I just want to share with you the product that made me want to try this new venture.

The Simple Stories blog will give you all the details of Simple Stories Life Documented.  It is a simple kit that lets you document an entire year in your album so quickly and easily.  So here's the deal: I wanted this kit after reading about it on the blog.  But, I had to order through a MemoryWorks Independent Consultant.  I didn't know one or have one in my area.  After a great deal of research, I am now a MemoryWorks Independent Consultant!  I'll share more about this amazing company another day.  But if you want more information on getting discounts for your own scrapbooking supplies or starting your own business you can email me at justamom at tampabay dot rr dot com. (Gotta keep that spam outta my inbox!)

Right now, my only reason for becoming a MemoryWorks Independent Consultant was to get a discount on products I was already ordering for my hobby.  From Basic Grey to American Crafts cardstock, this company offers more than my local scrapbook store ever has in stock. 

I am so excited about this new product, that I want to share it with you! I am placing my first order next week and I am offering 10% off all Simple Stories kits ordered by March 22nd.  Of course you can order anything from the amazing new catalog as well. (The links are noted below.) And an added bonus, if you live in the Riverview area, I will give you free shipping on this order! 

I am so excited, can you tell?  You can view the catalog online at the links noted below.  The catalog is in sections to help you find exactly what you need!

Simple Stories

Collection Essentials 1

Collection Essentials 2

Basic Essentials

The Joy of Sharing Creativity!

In an effort to be more creative, I am going to share my creativity!  I am hosting a workshop for Lapbooks/Questbooks at my home on March 18th.  All homeschooling moms are invited to come and learn all about Lapbooks/Questbooks.  You will even get to make your very own Lapbook/Questbook!

You can email me to get the address and all the details.  This is a free workshop and all the supplies are included!  Can't wait to share this creativity with fellow homeschool moms!

I'll post more about Lapbooks/Questbooks soon!  If you want more informaiton now, visit ExcellentQuests.

The Joy of Making my House a Home

This week I am trying to be more creative.  Now I didn't create this item this week, but I did make a digi scrapbook page about it.  But rather than posting another digi layout I'll post the picture.

I used my digital cutter, a Quickutz Silhouette, to cut the large P out of brown vinyl and the rest from while vinyl laying them on the red wall.  This is high on a 10 foot wall above a large mirror in our formal dining room.  You can see it as you enter the front door of our home.  I think it shows how much a cherish our marriage and our home.  We have been blessed!

The Joy of Documenting a Journey

It is obvious that I enjoy scrapbooking. I follow scrapbooking blogs and find inspiration from many different types of scrapbooking.  One of my favorite scrapbook artists is Stacy Julian.  She is author of Photo Freedom.  Of course she can inspire a person on so many different levels, but for me it was the freedom from being an "event" scrapbooker.  Of course I will still scrapbook our birthdays and vacations and holidays, but no longer will I negate the every day.  I could not believe that my scrapbooks had failed to show one of the most life filling acitivities in our home: homeschooling. And you can see that we have homeschooled for many years!  I am trying this year to tell more of our/my story.  I find scrapbooking to be my outlet for telling this story.

 

Creative Joy

Here is my creative venture for today!  Two months from today, Nick, our oldest child will graduate from all his years of homeschooling.  I am so proud to know him.  He is such a wonderful young man with an unwavering faith.  It is a joy to be his mama!  Such a sweet gift from the Lord!

The Joy of Monday Musings

Mondays are like a reset button for me.  I can begin fresh with a  new week, new ideas and new goals.  Before I begin any of these "new" things I begin with my thoughts on my Bible Study.  Aside from my Bible reading I enjoy reading a good book.  Presently, I am reading Good to Great in God's Eyes: 10 Practices Great Christians Have in Common by Chip Ingram.  To tell you that I have been reading this for over a month and am just now getting to the second chapter is even a surprise for me!  Mr. Ingram writes in a manner that invites you to come along on a journey to see yourself in a new light. 

Ingram walks you through ten life changing practices.  The first chapter dealt with thinking good thoughts. It took me over a month of prayer and study just to digest all that was included in that chapter.  There were many life application ideas as well.  Today I began chapter two: Read Great Books.  While Ingram lists books that were life changing for him, you and I may come up with a completely different list.  As a homeschool mom, a wife and even being a woman may define or lead you to find books specific to you and your life. 

So this week I am building my book list of books I want to read.  I have a list on this blog of books I am currently reading.  Yet, I wanted to make a list of books to read.  And then set a GOAL to read so many books or a specific amount of time each and every week.  Chip Ingram asks an interesting question:  What things in my life can I replace with reading great books that strengthen my walk with the Lord? 

So are you a list maker or a goal setter?  Not everyone works well with lists.  Lists can be motivators or defeat your good intentions.  Set a goal for this week.  My goal is to be more creative this week!