The Great Photo Finish

Registration has been extended to July 5, 2009 for the Creative Photography Retreat in Dallas Texas. Click there for more details. There's a wide range of classes being offered at the event. I wish there was a day I wasn't teaching so I could sit in the classes of those fab-o photographers! (Perhaps they're reading this ... and they'll send me their handouts or something). Seriously. Do I joke?

The event is July 23 - 25, 2009. My new class details and supply list have been updated -- take a look see. Hope you're up to hanging out!

The focus of the class is to use quite a few Photoshop and Elements filters, tools, and more to expand the mood, depth and story of any photo. Sounds deep, right? Trust me, I was geeking out creating it. Even learned a few tricks playing around that I didn't know and haven't seen used quite often in the scrappin' community. So, I'm anxious to share!

The class is also designed so you can work with your own photos during class. Bring them from home or have fun with a few you took at the CPR event ... it's not about a slide show of what I photograph. It's really about you, your style, and your photography.

I also combined my efforts with my fellow designers at Little Dreamer's to create a Photographer's Product Pack. This pack includes a generous group of digital resource files which we'll use in class to further enhance your photos. Yeah, see I can't create a class with out some digital goodies! And photographers ... we love our goodies!

If you have a specific question that isn't answered in the registration information, feel free to "holla" at your girl.

So, here's to seeing you down in Big-ole Texas! P.S. I just love the fact that I'm returning back to the city I spent most of my twenties. How can I contain all this anticipation? Whoo!

Workaholic? Scrapaholic? Who's Doing the Judging?

Interested in credits?

I am insanely and intensely addicted to scrapbooking. Why, you ask?

• I have made it my prerogative to scrapbook events, moments, and ideas which I have found important. The fact that any one else finds it important is of no concern.
• I have continued and will continue to perch myself high above the tree tops to seek out and identify other scrappers who do not know that they are scrappers. And I convert them. Hence my newest convert, Chris, who just today dived into digital scrapbooking. Fisher of wo-men, so to speak?
• I believe it is my job to scrapbook. Period.
• I don't really want to do anything else. I do do else. But I don't really want to do do else.

Therefore, it is in an addiction. And I don't plan to attend any meetings about it.

Thank you, for your time.

Shh, It's Quiet.

Here I sit in our living room with television on a Top Chef Masters rerun. I like to keep the sound on mute to give my ears a break and my eyes a feast. The cat is knocked out beside me keeping my toes warm. The little one is curled up next to her Daddy. Both are sleeping soundly with occasional snore mixed in between. I am drinking their tranquility.

It was the complete opposite some hours ago. Hubby and I watched Transfomers 2 this morning. It was stellar, a genuine throwback to the series orgins. Hubs and I may be from different backgrounds but we are connected through our cartoons. And watching Transformers -- much like Voltron, GI Joe, Jem, Peanuts, The Simpsons shoot even My Little Pony -- is like an finding an old relic in the upstairs attic, dusting it off, and immersing yourself in an old familiar, but vastly different, world.

My only two "beefs" with the movie would be a. IT'S LOUD. It's louder than typing all caps on a web page. It over-stimulated the sense. The ears tried to use my ear lobes to close themselves up. It was ... intense.

The b. beef? Chick in high heels. Chick with strings for clothes. Chick who sit on motorcycle with buttock showing. I think it's cute when a grown woman with a little meat on 'dem bones struts her stuff. Shoot, I am hot stuff and not ashamed to show off femininity in all the right places. But when the chick is supposed to be a recent high school graduate at or around age 17 ... it darn near makes me gag. And I cringe when a young girl sees it ... and imitates it outside of the box office.

I digress. And I really sound like my Grandma. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and wish I could stage a mini-robot fight fest on my balcony.

So, I started the day full of anticipation, moved through excitability to agitation and a small peek of discontent to fulfillment, calm and finally stillness. I am happy to recognize the tranquility in this moment because of the exposure to its opposite.

p.s. I've been sending a "heads-up" to parents in my circles about the PG13 rating of Transfomers 2. In my opinion, this movie has significant language and some scenes made me blush. You know me! I DON'T blush. The PG13 is a good rating! Holla at me if you'd like my un-ladylike report -- momma to momma style.

Scrappable Collection :: 8

It's beautiful outside. Even at 7 am in the morning as I type this. And I don't want to scrap ... much. :D Maybe on a rainy free day. But this week is promising to be 80's - 90's everyday, late evening rain showers to cool us off, carnivals at the park, swimming, Father's Day. Whooh. And Lita's not even out of school yet. I'm getting a little spoiled by this weather.

Enter Scrappable Collection 8. I'll certainly be using them so I can get more time hanging out for the end of spring. They, and each single, are 20% off today only. Enjoy!

Here's some inspiration from my awesome Template Gurus! Click on their names to view them larger and with credits.

Kenna :: Template No. 36

Jenni :: Template No. 37

Maegan :: Template No. 37

Yam :: Template No. 38

Nettie :: Template No. 39

Kenna :: Template No. 40

Tracy :: Template No. 40

Happy Scrappin' Peeps!

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth

I didn't have "boy toys" when I was a kid. Wait a sec. That actually sounds kind of weird. Let's try again.

I didn't play with toys made for boys when I was a kid. It just wasn't something I was interested in. I was a Barbie, Cabbage Patch, My Little Pony type of gal. Eventually, I made my own paper dolls which I now know was the beginning of a major obsession with paper and crafts. But I digress.

I didn't do this ...

So it's weird for me to see it. It's cool though. I can dig that the girl digs dinosaurs and matchbox cars. Just needed to make a note of it. :D