Yeah, Write

A Take Twelve Family Adventure: January

I love the whole idea behind the Take Twelve photography challenge so much that I talked my sister and my two sisters-in-law into joining the fun! I sincerely wanted them (who have 10 young children among them) to reward themselves by carving some time out to focus on their memories. I know that I'm loving it so far!

Here's my 12 x 12, two-page scrapbook layout, featuring (once again) products from the For the Record line by Echo Park Paper Co. I followed a sketch found in the Take Twelve Guided Inspiration Kit, adapting the left page for horizontal instead of vertical photos) and used a journaling card from the kit, too.

 

My Sis-in-Law, Becky (Utah):

Since she's local, Becky was able to come over so we could work on our pages together. She doesn't have a useful photo-editing program on her home computer, so she used Picnik.com to create her collage on the left! Her three photos on the right are just 4 x 6 prints. And the little journaling card came from the Take Twelve Guided Inspiration Kit. She chose two different colors of cardstock for her background papers, tying them together with the same pattern across the bottom of both pages.

 My Sis-in-Law, Suzanne (Arizona):

Back when she just had two children (she now has four), Suzanne was a prolific little scrapbooker. And I can't count the number of times I've seen her kids looking through their albums. This project inspired her to dig out those supplies again and start playing. With a busy and hectic household, Suzanne set a time limit for creating her page and stuck to it. She printed her photos as 4 x 6 prints and then cut each down to size and played with the arrangement until she got the look she wanted. (I love how she also included some memoriablia too, in the form of coupons!)

Unrelated Side Note: Suzanne is a super coupon shopper. During my recent visit to Arizona, she filled the main part of the shopping cart (and used coupons), and I just filled the child seat in the front with my items (and didn't use coupons) and we spent the same amount of money! (Granted, I had to buy formula and diapers, but still!)

 

My Sister, Michele (California):

Michele is tied with Suzanne as far as number of children (four), but Michele's are younger. The youngest two are just 20 months apart. Clearly, she is also very pressed for time, so she chose to adapt the Take Twelve photo challenge to her clean & simple tastes and to her busy lifestyle. She's creating digital-collage pages, one per month, that she'll assemble into a 12 x 12 photo book at the end of the year! No cutting, gluing, or shopping for scrapbook supplies required. She completed this collage page in an hour using Google's free Picasa program, even though she had never used the program before in her life. 

A Few Fun Facts

Two of the three ladies were into scrapbooking at one point, but they truly haven't made a scrapbook page in 7 or more years. And the other has never really scrapbooked at all. 

Two of the three hate their cameras, and found themselves really wishing for a new one come January 12. But I say, photos taken with a less-than-perfect camera are still better than no photos taken at all! 

Three of the three were challenged by this new experience, having to dust off old skills and supplies.

Three of the three are SO glad they made the time to participate, and they look forward to evolving and adapting the project as the year goes on!

I found myself desperately wishing (yet AGAIN) that we all lived closer to one another. But I love how this project is keeping us connected, one day a month, from our three different states.

 

One great thing about photo challenges like this one is that they give you the inclination and motivation to stay involved in your hobby, which forces you to figure out what products, processes, and programs suit your tastes and lifestyle—and which don't. I can't wait to see how we all adapt and change throughout the year.

Anyone can take the opportunity to capture the magic in the every day, just one day per month, for 12 months. And then what you do with your photos after that is up to you! (But we do have some great ideas in our Take Twelve kit.)

If you're looking for more Take Twelve inspiration, check out the results from our Take Twelve photography challenge design team, on Ella's blog.

And remember, YOU CAN STILL PARTICIPATE if you'd like to, read all about how and why here.

Happy January!

Twelve Photos on the 12th

Yesterday, on January 12th, 2012, I took twelve photos of my everyday life, and I printed them for my forthcoming scrapbook page for January. Here they are, awaiting some paper, glue, and all that other scrapbooky stuff!

This is part of the Take Twelve photo challenge hosted over at Ella Publishing Co. this year, and it's been a blast so far!

It's easy to get so busy that I forget to take very many meaningful photos of my regular days, and this challenge is going to solve that problem for me this year.

I had planned to use our "nice" camera for this project, so I could practice my Nikon DSLR skills. (I get lucky shots now and then, like Jovie jumping mid-air as seen above, but I have lots to learn.)

But, alas, I found it to be so much more convenient to just use my camera phone for most of my pictures. In fact, I started using Instagram for the first time yesterday, which is a camera app for the iPhone, and it was surprisingly fun. (My first thought was, I don't need one more app to learn or one more social site to keep up with, but when the timing is right, it can be FUN to have one more app to learn and one more social site to play with.)

So here are a few pointers from me to you, in case you're even a little bit intrigued by Take Twelve:

1. You don't have to commit to ONE camera for the whole day of photos. I took three photos on my DSLR and nine on my camera phone. And I'm still going to turn them into a fun layout. You'll see.

2. Recruit some friends! I talked my sister, Michele, and my sisters-in-law, Suzanne and Becky, to join the challenge! (And a few of my cousins too.) And they're not even consistent scrapbookers, if they scrapbook at all. But the challenge is appealing to them because it's DOABLE and it fits into their very busy lives. And I'm going to share their pages with you here on my blog all year long, too. Just to prove that people of any skill level, or interest level for that matter, can do this.

3. YES you can still join the challenge, even though January 12th is already in the past. I blogged all about it over at The Daily Trumpet today, so go find out how you can still take 144 awesome photos of your everyday life this year—and get the support and encouragement you need to make 12 scrapbook pages with them.

4. Sign up for the Ella Publishing Co. email list, so you can get email reminders when it's time to take your next set of photos.

It's going to be FUN!

Last Week

Random ramblings from a week in the Lucas household.

A new episode of Books & Crafts was released.

Wendy and I headed to the studio to film another series of Books & Crafts episodes—a day which was preceded by several very late nights.

Keira and I spent two days in our pajamas, recovering from the heretofore mentioned events. It must be said that we didn't wear the same pajamas for two consecutive days—at least Keira didn't. Since my pajamas weren't smeared with peaches and didn't have cheese scrubbed into the zipper, I felt okay about continuing to wear them.

Despite my exhaustion, I stayed up until 2 a.m. (again) the night we filmed, reading The Glass Castle in one sitting. This true story of a staggeringly disfunctional family was told with candor and not an ounce of self-pity. It was mesmerizing. And when Keira woke me at the crack of dawn the next morning, I still thought it was worth it. I just convinced her to take an early nap with mama on the couch, and by 10 a.m., I was semi-functional.

I continued to work my way through the back seasons of My Name is Earl. I rarely watch anything live these days. It's just so much fun to discover a "new" show and watch it all the way through in a month or two, via Netflix.

I felt very inspired by the card-making fun at Ella Publishing Co. this week.

I felt sad, several times, about the passing of Steve Jobs. And then chuckled inappropriately at the coverage from The Onion (satirical online "news" site), which reported: 'The Last American Who Knew What the Bleep He Was Doing Dies," followed by a fake quote from President Obama: "This is a dark time for our country, because the reality is none of the 300 milion or so Americans who remain can actually get anything done or make things happen. Those days are over." Sad, but true. And sad. And true. ;)

I spent a delightful afternoon walking around Barnes & Noble with a new friend, discovered via my blog. I had mentioned her by name in a post I wrote last year, after hearing her speak about infertility at an adoption conference. Thinking she lived in another state and that she'd never come across my blog, I mentioned how inspiring I found her and how I secretly wished she were my neighbor. Then a few weeks ago, after she discovered the post, I received an email with the title, "Want to be BFFs?" It turns out we have lots in common: infertility, adoption, reading, writing, and a love of English scones. AND we live in neighboring cities. I love meeting new friends.

Travis and I took Keira on her first fall hike. She loved it for the first half and slept through the second half. I wish I could just fall asleep wherever I wanted and that people would tote me around while I snooze. I tell ya, being a baby is the best. (Except for the pooping your pants part.)

 

I worked on finalizing everything for the Primary Program for this Sunday, which is the end-of-the-year performance/review for all the children in my church congregation. They sing all the songs they've worked on this year and recap the things they've learned. The past 10 months of church have all been leading up to this moment, and all 45+ kids' parents and grandparents will likely be in attendance, but no pressure. No pressure at all. (There really isn't any pressure when I remember that when you combine kids and music, it's just going to be adorable, no matter what. And it's not about me and my skills as a leader; it's about them and what they've learned this year. There, I feel calmer already.)

Yep, I did lots of things this week, but I didn't blog. Until now.

The End.

The CUTEST End Ever.

Watch Me on Internet TV

MyCraftChannel.com launched yesterday, and my new show with Wendy Smedley, Books & Crafts, debuts today. Exciting!

Check us out as we talk about journaling in lists and share the List It! products from Ella Publishing Co. Oh, and we'll also tell you exactly how to solve all your communication problems with your teen (wink).

To celebrate, visit the Ella blog today, too, for a 10 percent coupon code off of any of our seven List It! products.

Also, in every week's episode, we share our book pick of the week. Here are this week's picks, conveniently linked up just for you.

  

Just One Week Away!

I can't wait! Wendy Smedley and I have been working hard to pull everything together for Boot Camp 2011, as have our amazing fellow "Drill Instructors," Nichol Magouirk, Maggie Holmes, and Lisa Dickinson.

After watching and editing everyone's videos and downloads, I honestly feel SO inspired and I want to start creating things RIGHT NOW. Truly awesome stuff, and I really can't wait to share it all with you!

I hope you'll join us for the TOP military-themed video-centric scrapbook event of ALL TIME. (Sure, it's also the ONLY military-themed video-centric scrapbook event, but that doesn't make my previous sentence any less true.)

Inspiration awaits.

Why So Quiet?

For the past several weeks, this blog had to take a backseat to, well, life in general.

Tragedy struck some close friends of ours when their 16-year-old daughter (a friend of Jeremy's) was killed in a car accident, along with her grandmother and step-grandfather. I've thought of little else for the last couple of weeks, and it has just seemed wrong (as it tends to do) that life was carrying on as normal for everyone else. But life has to carry on. That's the way of things. And it's good that it does, becuase it keeps our hands occupied while our hearts try to heal.

And in the meantime, Keira Jane figured out how to crawl, which means a whole new world for this first-time mama.

And Keira's boyfriend, Calvin, came into town (along with his mom) for the funeral. I was so grateful they stayed with us, since babies are the best distraction in the world, and I needed more than anything to talk about and process my grief with another close friend who knows and loves the family, too.

And I've had this nervous energy that won't go away and seems to require physical activity at all times. I've been cleaning my house non-stop, cooking for my family and others, tackling projects in my house left and right. (I'm not complaining about that part; I'm just going with it.)

Here's a mirror wall I started working on before Keira arrived, and which has taken a backseat until now. I made paper templates so I could figure out the arrangement I wanted, and I finished painting and decoupaging the frames. Now I just need to hang them. (Here's hoping that doesn't take another 10 months!)

And all the plans for Ella Publishing Co. that were put into place months ago had to march on, and really it's been good to keep busy.

First, I was a guest on Paperclipping Roundtable last week, and we covered a topic that was near and dear to my heart: personality types and how it affects your crafting! Another very welcome distraction, to discuss things I'm passionate about with people I love and respect. Some people loved the show, others didn't, but one thing's for certain—it drew out a lot of comments.

Second, we've had Digital Scrapbooking Month going on at Ella Publishing Co., which meant articles to edit and upload, a new eBook to edit and project-manage, and lots of stuff happening on the blog. You've got to check out the latest, by Liz Tamanaha, all about digital kits. It's got one of my favorite mini-albums I've seen in a long time.

 

And third, Wendy and I have been putting the pieces together for Ella's upcoming Boot Camp event (September 19-24). It's going to be so amazing. Click this link (or the banner below) to view the video Wendy and I finally managed to record yesterday, after weeks of trying to synch our schedules, complete with pink-camo hats and everything!

Well, that about brings us up to date. My new routine (now that the baby is mobile) is starting to take shape, and we're just adapting as each new milestone and event comes along.

And just like always, I'm experiencing great joys alongside great sadnesses, and the key is to try to keep it (and everything else) in balance. Some weeks, that's easier than others. But that's life.

FREE Today!

No, I don't mean "Free Today" as a sentence, as in "Free Tibet." No, Today is not in captivity, as far as I know, but today there is something FREE that I think you'll like.

It's this cute digital garland. Aren't the colors just scrumptious? And can't you imagine how cute it would be on a scrapbook page background or (gasp!) on a card? Click on it to see it all nice and large.

To get it, just visit The Daily Trumpet today and follow the link to the digital freebie. (There's also a giveaway too!) This product is by Pretty Little Studio, and it just takes moments to download for your very own.

It's all in celebration of Digital Scrapbooking Month at Ella Publishing Co.!

I personally only dabble in digi every now and then, although I do have some mad digital skills. Wondering why? I talk all about it in this blog post.

Have a happy Wednesday, free or not!

Guess What?

My creative partner in crime, Wendy, and I were invited to host our own show on the new and upcoming MyCraftChannel—an exciting new venture that features hosts from all corners of the blogosphere (scrapbooking, cooking, sewing, photography, mixed media, and more!).

The topic of our show combines two of our very favorite things in all the world: books and crafts. (We'll try to find a way to work in our other favorite things: cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies.)

Read the full announcement on the Ella website!

And visit the MyCraftChannel blog for your chance to win a $349 Cricut machine TODAY!

Happy day! Exclamation points shall be used in abundance!

(p.s. If you didn't get the Ella email today about this, I'm sharing with you now the secret coupon code that will allow you to save $2 off of any eBook purchase at ellapublishing.com through Wednesday only. And the code is...CRAFTYTV. Enjoy!)

Ah, Summer

The first few weeks are always so disorienting. Where did all the time go? Why can I only accomplish 1/3 of what I was accomplishing in the winter and the spring? I don't think I'm spending that much more time in the great outdoors. But I'm certainly no longer the winter shut-in that I was just a few months ago.



Life marches on way too quickly with the vegetable gardening (haven't gotten around to any flowers!), editing and writing, parenting the 8-month-old and the 17-year-old, keeping the house, walking the baby and the dog, being in charge of the primary children in my congregation, planning a class for Big Picture Classes, and trying to keep up with Ella Publishing Co. while finding time to scrapbook, craft, and create. Busy, busy, busy, but good.

And last week, I found time to be on The Paperclipping Roundtable (thanks to my in-laws watching the baby upstairs while I chatted with Noell, Nancy, and the gang from the basement). Another fun episode! Topic: how to tackle big, huge projects. Title: For Big Scrapbooking Projects (and Grocery Shopping) Check out the collective group album mentioned on the show, which my family made for my grandfather, in this past blog post. And there's also one for grandma!

Oh, and did you hear about Ella's latest product? List It! Holiday Edition. I think you'll LOVE it!

Here's a little layout I made using the List It! printable journaling lists! Super cute, easy, and fun. And then Jovie the Destructor promptly ate this layout, so I had to remake it. That's why you'll notice a slightly different version of the page showing up in this video, which you MUST watch if you'd like a glimpse of little Keira Jane waving at the end.

Crazy Good Times

You know how sometimes everything your life stacks up all at once, and you just go into "survival mode," moving from one task to the next as quickly as you can? Trying desperately not to let yourself get overwhelmed, because wonderful things are happening, and you don't want the details to get lost in a blur of busy-ness?

That's been my life lately. But for wonderful reasons.

Photo above by Elisha Snow. Bonnet and dress handmade by my mom. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

1. On Saturday, April 23, we scheduled Keira Jane's baby blessing (the LDS version of a christening) and temple sealing (the spiritual version of "finalizing her adoption," to follow the legal finalization from a couple of weeks ago).

2. Hence, my sister's family was in town from California.

3. And my brother's family was in town from Arizona.

4. And my grandparents were in town from Idaho.

5. We also scheduled extended family portraits (with the fabulous Elisha Snow), since all 23 of us were together for the first time in a long time. Two parents, six children, and 11.5 grandchildren.

In said family photo, I finally understood the concept of being more concerned with how one's children look (binkie out, blanket out of the way, boogers out of nose) than oneself.

6. I coordinated a family potluck luncheon after the blessing, with 40-50 people expected to attend. My mom's famous potato salad and homemade mustard. My mother-in-law's famous ham. My sister-in-law's famous orange cake. My sister's famous cheesecake pudding. Costco's famous rolls. And the green lime slush I was so fond of from childhood.

7. I tried to set aside as much time as possible from Thursday through today to spend time with family and friends. Meals, walks, drives, shopping excursions, Easter-egg hunts, and simply time spent together.

8. Keira got her first fever and her first ear infection the day before the family was set to arrive. She was not a happy girl, but she was sweet and calm and cuddly nonetheless. And she was in a wonderful mood all day Saturday, which was a huge blessing. She'd only been on her antibiotic for one day.

9. Naturally, it was Easter the following day. No eggs were boiled or dyed at my house, but Easter baskets did manage to get filled and set out the next morning. (16-year-old boys still do care about these things, as much as they might pretend to be too grown up.)

10. In my work life, I've been madly preparing for Ella Publishing Co.'s very first online event, Spring Training 2011, which launched yesterday. It's been a huge undertaking, but Wendy and I have been having a ball!

In hindsight, I might have scheduled things a little bit differently. But I can't complain. Saturday could not have been more perfect, and Easter Sunday was a lovely respite from the mania of the previous week.

And Spring Training is going along swimmingly. We're having a blast! And since I've certainly neglected the journaling and writing topic here on my blog recently (I can't resist talking and talking about my baby girl!), you can get your word-nerd fill in three extremely useful and meaningful journaling lessons from me. I have to say, these feature some of my best writing tips ever.

p.s. How could I have forgotten? I also ran a half marathon the Saturday before. I'll post about that later this week! Probably. Right now, I need a nap.