Here We Go Again

I kept hoping that we wouldn't have to go! But it's starting to get scary. The interstates have been bumper to bumper since dawn and contraflow doesn't start until 4 AM tomorrow! I finally started packing my scrapbooks and photos. Yesterday was spent on laundry and packing clothes. Since our hotel reservations are not until Monday, we are going to have to sit and wait...nervously. (Maybe I can get some scrapping done!? While watching the weather channel! LOL!) We plan on leaving pre-dawn on Monday. Hopefully will be back after just a couple of nights. Crossing fingers!

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Tommy is insisting that we can't wait until Monday morning to leave, but our hotel reservations aren't until Monday night in Jackson, MS. So we are going to leave tomorrow and drive to Memphis where his area manager lives. He offered to house us. We will stay overnight, and then drive BACK DOWN to Jackson. We will probably be in the car all day tomorrow, get a few hours sleep and take off again. UGH!

But it is getting scary. Around mid afternoon, all the stores had closed. Groceries, drug stores, McDonald's, BLOCKBUSTER (just when I could have used a good movie/distraction! LOL!), etc. Gas stations were running out of gas.TV coverage has been non-stop and the mayors and parish presidents are scaring everyone. Guess that's exactly what they are trying to do...to get the people to leave. We boarded up the windows, took in the porch chairs, etc. There is mandatory evacuation in many of the parishes, including New Orleans and the part of Jefferson on the other side of the river. So far we only have voluntary evacuation. In other words, it's strongly suggested.

So we're going on another adventure...and hope it's a short one.

Ain't (Isn't) It A Shame?!

OK. I'm going to try this again. It IS a shame but I never take the time to post. Maybe that will change. So here's to new beginnings!

Petunia in Paradise recently blogged about 5 Words I Dislike. I have one to add to her list:

AIN'T.

A certain perfectly cultured little person of 8 uses it and insists that it's a word. "No it ain't!" I want to say, just for fun, but I don't. It's bad enough that I have a T-shirt from Stinky’s Fish Camp with the phrase on the back..."It is what it is and it ain't what it ain't." Yes, I have to explain that one each time I wear it. But it's a cute shirt. :)

Whole Foods

OK...so I hadn't been in ages! When I just had one child, and lived in the city near the store, it was easy and I shopped there often. But now, with five kids eating me out of house and home, it's whatever's closest or cheapest or sells in bulk...Winn Dixie, WalMart (if I'm doing other shopping there), or Sam's Club.

Today, I went back to Whole Foods. They built a nice big beautiful store in the burbs and dh and I are getting serious about our health/weight.

But I'm so intimidated by the place!!!!! I was mesmerized by all the bulk nuts, seeds, grains, beans, etc. There's stuff there that I've never heard of! LOL!

Scrapbook Favorites Book

From the LM Archives: 30 Days of Gifts 2007 - DAY 21: Scrapbook Favorites Book by Madeline Fox, LM Design Team
Since beginning to scrapbook several years ago, I’ve accumulated quite a few albums filled with bulky layouts. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t get to share these pages with my parents or extended family as often as I’d like. The weighty books are not easy to carry around, so they sit, gathering dust on a bookshelf. I thought it would be nice to share prints of my favorite pages in a more compact and easily portable manner by using a Maya Road 4" x 8" Chipboard Binder Album . The landscape orientation allows me to display either two layouts side by side or a two page spread on each page. The chipboard pages are thick, and the sturdy binder just begs to be decorated. I chose fun, colorful papers from KI Memories Pop Culture for the cover and embellished it with ribbon, a Magistical Memories Chipboard   nested star shape, Fancy Pants Fashion Sense heart pins, and American Crafts Thickers chipboard letters. A little sparkle was added to the title with Stickles glitter glue. Instructions: Paint edges of chipboard binder with paint to match or coordinate with the patterned papers for the front and back covers. Let dry. Cut patterned paper for front and back covers, 4 ½ inches x 8 ½ inches, and adhere. Cut 1 inch x 4 ½ inch strip from coordinating patterned paper and adhere near spine. Cut patterned paper for title, 2 inches x 6 inches. Mat on contrasting colored paper and trim. Cut a 3 x 7 symmetrical rectangle from lace cardstock. Adhere title block to this rectangle and attach to front of album. Stick heart pins under title block. Tie ribbon around front cover. Paint chipboard star and attach with beadchain to the ribbon. Cut various patterned papers, 4 inch x 8 inch, and adhere to chipboard pages. Mat prints of favorite scrapbook layouts and add to album pages. Apply stickles glitter glue to title chipboard letters on cover and set aside to dry.

Summer Reading

There was a message on our answer machine last week...something about Kevin winning a prize drawing from the summer reading program. We finally made it over there yesterday when I went to return some overdue books. Wow! I had imagined that he won a GC to Barnes and Nobles or something like that. Nope! He won an ipod courtesy of Cox Communications and Friends of the Library! ALSO, a little wallet filled with coupons for free Krispy Kreme donuts, free Frostys from Wendy's, free McD's fries, hamburgers, apple pies, ice cream cones, and more! Quite a lot of loot for one little boy! He was speechless...and so was I!

Classic Black and Whites

From the LM Newsletter

Classic Black and Whites By: Melissa Thigpen, Design Team Member
Simple, elegant and classic, black and white is a timeless combination that is showing up in collections from several manufacturers this year: Luxe Designs Classic Black, Antique Cream Narratives by Karen Russell, Doodlebug Black & White, Scrapworks Formal Affair, 7 Gypsies Napoli. The patterns run the gamut from delicate and feminine to worn and mellow to big and bold. With so many style choices, the possibilities of black and white go far beyond the traditional wedding pages. Using black and white on your pages may seem challenging. The rules of color do not apply. Like black and white photographs, designing with black and white elements means thinking more in terms of light and dark, contrast, pattern, texture and balance. Balance: Solid black and white both have a lot impact or weight in a design. Black and white patterned paper can have more or less weight according to the ratio of black to white in the pattern. Try combining different patterns ranging from mostly black or white to a 50/50 combination of the two to create balance on your page. Pattern: Because black and white papers are by definition without color, the patterns really take the center stage. Use patterns that reflect the elements or themes of your photographs. When combining patterns, try pairing up angular or linear patterns like stripes, diamonds or text with curving patterns for a great contrast. Texture: Black and white doesn’t mean boring. There are plenty of ways to add texture and dimension to your pages to give your designs more pop even without color. Try using chipboard, ribbon, buttons and brads, die cut elements and papers, silk or paper flowers. Add some sparkles with jewels from Doodlebug or KI Memories and Stickles glitter glue. Color: Color really pops against a black or white background. A black and white design is a great way to make your color photographs shine. Adding a bit of color to your design is another way to add drama to your page. Use a colored ribbon or flower that picks up an important element from your photos as Nancy did in her lovely wedding layout. Black & White Photos:  Sometimes a formal or interesting black and white photograph needs a timeless setting. A black and white page design can provide exactly that. Try matting your black and white photograph with either solid black or white to frame it and keep it from getting lost against any patterned paper you use on your page. So try your hand at going back to basic black and white and see what wonderful pages you can create.
Design Team Examples To view all layout ideas and products used, please be sure to visit the Design Team Gallery:http://gallery.lifetimemoments.com/showgallery.php?cat=9519Classic Black and Whites Or Click each image below to see a larger view! Tracy Cecilie Melissa Madeline Vickie \ Franny Nancy

Something Old, Something New

Design Team Examples

To view all layout ideas and products used, please be sure to visit the Design Team Gallery:Something Old, Something New

Or Click each image below to see a larger view!

Wendy
Miranda
Vickie
Margaret
Madeline
Tracy
Melissa