You Make Sunshine

This page makes me smile!

Here Come the Sun by Jen Reed;
Fonts: Just One More Picture, Segoe Print Bold
***DSO Gallery Standout of the Week (chosen by Bunny)***
*** Scrap Girls layout of the week - feature in August 20th newsletter***

Sue

Confession of a Shutterbug

We all had a blast when we visited Gooseberry Falls in 2009! To capture the memory, I took almost 300 photos, which my family thought that was way too many. On the other hand, I ended up with some fun shots. Here are some of my favorites. Don't squint to read the journaling; it is typed below the layouts.

Wanted by Jen Reed and Kim B; template from Templates 09-12 by Jen Reed; actions by Atomic Cupcake; Fonts: Century Gothic Bold, Veteran Typewriter, Orlando, HAPPY DAZE

***DSO Gallery Standout of the Week (chosen by Joni)***

Journaling:
Yes, I admit it; I take too many pictures. On this day at Gooseberry falls, I took close to 300 photos. We'd go broke without a digital camera! David got a little exasperated with all the photos I took, especially this series of him. You can almost see him thinking (above), "Another one, Mom? REALLY?" The photos of the kids (above) and of Kristine and John (left) turned out well, but in the photo of Harry and me (far left), Harry had two little sticks in his mouth. Why??

One of things to do at Gooseberry Falls is climb the rocks. They're easy to climb and the falls are not very high. It's perfect for some unique photos! It was fun to see David and Steven sitting on either side of the falls. (L) However, everyone was looking down on me, even Harry! (bottom R) The kids were silly as they posed at the top of falls. They tried to make the letters Y-M-C-A, but it was hard to see from down below.

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This layout was definitely a labor of love. With so many photos from which to choose, it was hard to pick the best ones, edit them, and crop them so they looked good on the pages. I really like the way it turned out, so I think it was worth it.

I used one of Jen Reed's new templates, flipping it to make the second page. Click on the preview below to purchase them at her store.


Coming up next is a really bright, fun page of my honey hubby! See you soon!

Sue

Enjoy the Little Things

Big or small, I love my boys, but it's fun to remember them when they were little. This photo of them sitting on one chair makes me smile.

Here Comes the Sun by Jen Reed; Fonts: Calvin & Hobbs, Kristen ITC Semi-Expanded

I thought about scrapping the photo above for a long time, but didn't have the right kit. I knew I'd found a match when I saw the preview of "Here Comes the Sun", the latest kit by Jen Reed. The bright, cheerful colors remind me that spring is coming.

Jen's kit is at a reduced price through March 30th. Click on the preview below to check out this bit of sunshine at her store.


We received another ten inches of snow on Wednesday, but I know warmer days are ahead. I'll be back soon with a multi-photo layout of a sunny summer day.

Sue

A Family Tradition

A visit to the North Shore wouldn't seem complete without a trip to Gooseberry Falls. Ths boys just love climbing on the rocks above and below the Lower Falls, while I like hiking the trails and taking pictures. My sisters and I visited the falls with my parents, and now we've brought our kids there, too. It's now become a family tradition.

Golden Vanity by Jen Reed; March 2011 DSO Template Challenge template by Bunny Cates Designs; top right photo by Chuck Kochmann, posted on Wikipedia; Fonts: Veteran Typewriter, Copperplate Gothic Light, Journal;
I submitted this layout to the March DSO Template Challenge.

To: Grandpa and Grandma
From: Steven, Marie, John, Sarah, David & Ruth
We had fun climbing around Gooseberry Falls today. Our moms said you took them here when they were young. I guess it’s a family tradition.

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To make this layout, I used Golden Vanity by Jen Reed. This kit contains both gorgeous papers and unique elements. I've already used it for a couple other layouts: North Shore Memories and Wonder of Fall. It also goes great with vintage photos. Golden Vanity is discounted 20% through this weekend; click on the image below to visit Jen's store.


Sue

Photo Op Stop

Harry was very patient with me on the day we visited the Duluth Rose Garden last summer, but at the end he wanted to STOP the photo op!

Wanted by Jen Reed and KimB Designs; template from Templates 05-08 by Jen Reed (modified); rust action by Atomic Cupcake; Fonts: Top Secret Bold, Love Ya Like A Sister, Scriptina

Journaling:
While staying at Liz and Jim's cabin, Harry and I visited the Duluth Rose Garden. I found lots of sights to photograph, including this statue of Leif Erickson. Harry was very patient, waiting while I took pictures and posing when I asked. He sat on this rock while I took over 100 photos, trying to catch the perfect splash. We even spotted a bench made entirely out of old hockey sticks! Only in Minnesota ...

After nearly three hours at the Rose Garden, Harry was more than ready to go. I teased him by taking one last shot. He was not amused. Poor Harry! He had to put up with a lot. We headed back to the cabin, where I took picture after picture of the waves rolling in. The wind on my face, the sun at my back, the tang of the breeze, the crash of the waves and the beauty of the lake reminded me of the Lord, who created them all.

To make this layout, I turned one of Jen Reed's new Templates 05-08 into a two-page layout. I also used her collab kit with Kim B, "Wanted - Hugs and Kisses". Click here to visit her store.

Sue

First Christmas

Weren't my boys cute when they were little? Of course, I'm their mom, so I have to think that way!

Template 05-08 by Jen Reed; Le Jardin de Noël by Imagine by Fran; Princess Alpha by Digital Art by Steph; Fonts: Tahoma, Tahoma Bold

To make this page, I used one of Jen Reed's new templates. Click on the previews below to check them out at her store. You can also look at my last post for another layout using one of these templates.



See you soon with another two-pager!

Sue

Wildflowers and My First Freebie!

Today you get a freebie from ME!!! I’m so excited! I’ve never given away a freebie before. First, I’ll show you the layout that inspired it.

These are pictures of a gorgeous field of wildflowers Harry and I discovered as we were driving home from our vacation last summer. After passing miles and miles of forest, it was amazing to see this rainbow of colors in an area larger than five football fields!

Genuine by Jen Reed; template from Templates 05-08 by Jen Reed; Vivid Pop photo action by CoffeeShop; Fonts: Vivaldi Italic Condensed, Segoe Print

To make this layout, I used “Genuine”, a March Facebook freebie kit from Jen Reed. Jen really liked the ribbon-linked journaling tags you see on the page above, so she’s letting me offer them as a freebie! There are both shadowed and unshadowed versions included in the file.

Click here or on the preview below to download. I would love to receive a comment from you, too!

**Download link has expired**

Don't forget to pick up “Genuine”, too! It’s free during the month of March. Click on the kit preview below to learn how to download it from Jen’s Facebook page.


Jen's putting a new set of templates in her store tomorrow; I used one of them for the first page of this layout. I’ll be back soon with a cute Christmas layout using another of her new templates. See you then!

Sue

A Genuine Freebie!!

I totally forgot to mention another March freebie offered by Jen Reed. Yes, that's right, it's another genuine freebie!

What the kit's name, you ask? It's "Genuine", of course! I used it in my last post, "Easter Antics". Click here or on the image below to learn more about how you can grab this great kit!


Jen's offering some new goodies in her store on Friday, so I'll have more layouts for you soon!

Sue

Easter Antics

I think photo is really fun! This was taken of the six cousins just after the annual Easter egg hunt. Notice the baskets? They collected both regular and chocolate eggs, then posed sweetly for the camera.

Genuine by Jen Reed; CoffeeShop vivid photo action;
fonts: Segoe Print, Shark Random Funnyness

Sue

Brothers and Friends

On David's first day of kindergarten, naturally I took photos of him to capture the memorable occasion. Since I already had my camera out, it was easy to snap this cute photo of John and Steven sharing Harry's sweatshirt as we waited for the kindergarten bus on that chilly fall morning.

Serenity by Jen Reed, Fonts: Blue Highway, Boopee Bold, Adler
I submitted this layout to the March DSO ABC-album Challenge.

You can earn this lovely mini-kit FREE by completing Jen Reed's March blog template challenge. You also get a totally free template to download right away. Check out the freebie previews on my previous post or go right to Jen's blog site.

Sue

March DSO Member of the Month

Guess who is the March DSO Member of the Month? Me! I am honored. I try to write positive comments for other members, and they noticed.

Digi-Scrap Obsession (DSO) is a great forum. The members are very encouraging, and gallery layouts inspiring. The challenges are fun, plus there are lots of wonderful freebies as posting bonuses. Why not give it a try? Just click here to check it out.

Sue



P.S. One of my favorite designers, Joni Gray of Digi-scrap Freebies, just added the following comment: "You so deserve [being named Member of the Month], and not only for leaving your positive comments but also for your awesome layouts." {{Blushing}} Isn't she sweet? But you already knew about my fabulous work, right? LOL

Baseball and a Freebie Alert!

One warm summer evening during the Twins' first season at Target Field, we took my parents to a game. The view was gorgeous: lush green field in the foreground, Minneapolis skyline in the background. Even though Detroit Tigers beat the Twins 7-5, it was a delightful experience.

Serenity by Jen Reed; New Year’s Alpha 3 by Jen Reed; March 2011 Blog Challenge Template by Jen Reed; Vivid Pop 2 photo action by CoffeeShop; baseball and glove extracted by me from stock photo; Fonts: Verdana Bold, Times and Times again, Catriel

Do you like the template and kit I used for this page? They are both FREE during the month of March. Just hop on over to Jen Reed's blog and pick up her March blog challenge template. Then, make a page using that template, post a link on her blog and she will give you her mini-kit, Serenity as a prize. I love the combination of blues and green.

Just click here or on the images below to get started!


Sue

Snowscape

What is a snowstorm but another opportunity to take pictures? The top photo I took out our living room window as the snow was falling in huge fluffy flakes.

The day after the storm, everything was coated with a layer of crystalline white. Before the sun could melt all that loveliness, I hurried out with my camera to capture a few more memories.

Paper and snowflakes made by me using CU textures and stock photos; plastic action by Atomic Cupcake; Fonts: Honey Script Semi-Bold, Arial Bold;
I submitted this layout to the February Font Challenge.

Journaling:
Yesterday huge snowflakes fell from the sky, accumulating to a February record-breaking twelve-inch snowfall. Today the same view was transformed into a sparkling winter snowscape. Just think, we only need another two feet of snow to set the all-time record!
(February 22, 2011)

Sue

Superior Splendor

These are some of the spectacular sights from our hike along the shore of Lake Superior by Gooseberry Falls last summer. The color at the edge of the shore was amazing! I think there is a logical explanation for the orange color (iron in the rocks?), but the result is breath-taking. I snapped photo after photo trying to capture the incredible view.

Thank you, Lord, for all the beauty you create!

Outdoor Treasures by Dinphy; Fonts: Amienne Bold, Minya Nouvelle Bold Italic; I submitted this layout to the February DSO Frame-It Challenge.

Sue