stamping with Maggie

Good bye to September desk top

Time to say goodbye to my september desktop. This is my introduction into digital scrapbooking. Right now, I have almost mastered using a template and creating a desktop. I am still overwhelmed with the whole digital learning curve, to make a regular scrapbook page that I would like. I have made a couple but not liked them when printed, but I completely adore this whole desktop thing. Seeing My Grandaughter's ( Quinn)  adorable little face everytime I sit at my computer, is simply wonderful! And I know I will love October's, as well, but I am going to miss that little face! It's time to show off others now! sigh
Now - Shabby Miss Jenn is where I find the templates for the desktop, and they are free! They have wonderful tutorials too! I have read and watched them many times.

A Tree for all seasons - Fall

This is the card I did for the library, using a tree for all seasons. I was inspired by the card( see the file below) in a magazine ( Stamp It!) But I wanted to use what I had on hand. I've saved this idea since Fall 2005. I guess i am a little behind. I also used baroque motif swirley for swirls on the black and brown paper. For some of the students, this was their first try at embossing with a heat gun.

Download septcardgreentown.pdf

With them I am Home

These pictures of my family were taken In April while my son(joey) was home from school (BYU) for his ordination. It is the first family picture we have had since before Andy left for his mission in Brazil. The family is larger by an amazing daughter- in - law and 3 wonderful grandchildren. I knew I wanted to do something special with this picture so when I saw this......
I was inspired to create my frame. I love how it turned out, and I love the look of the decor elements on the outside of the frame which gives it dimension and interest. I used mellow moss colors with chocolate chip brown from Stampin' Up. The frame is 11x14 and the photo is 8x6.

Fibro and Exercise on Fridays

So the doctor said...
More than anything else I need to exercise on a regular basis. The idea seems ridiculous, when some days getting dressed sounds like the Boston marathon. On a good day, I can't imagine spending any of my precious minutes doing something so monotonous and boring as exercise. On a bad day, I struggle to move at all.
    In her book " The Fibromyalgia relief Book" Miryam Williamson says, "The fact that aerobic exercise is repetitive may hold the key to its effectiveness in lessening the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia. Low-Level, monotonous stimulation of the portion of the brain called the hypothalamus causes it to produce a brain chemical known as endorphins. Endorphins are the brain's own natural painkillers...A good workout can produce enough endorphins to last twenty-four hours or more."

A few, simple tips for exercising with fibro:

•  do small amounts first. Anything is better than nothing

• If using your legs is too fatiguing, use your arms. Use a small weight like a can of tomato paste and move up as tolerable.

•  visit a physical therapist who may help you with posture. Often we compensate in posture for our pain.

•  take a mild pain medication before starting

•  even 30- 60 second increases are increases you can be proud of making

• keep water nearby

• stop before you are too tired

• work on stretch, strengthen, and develop cardiovascular fitness

•  video tapes can be helpful

• At the most vigorous point of cardiovascular workout, you should still be able to carry on a conversation

Very simple page of my grandaughter Elisia age 2. I used black and white photos, so I wouldn't have to be careful about fixing the photo or color combos. I used Bali Breeze designer paper from Stampin' Up so that everything coordinated. P.S. Dancing would be fun exercise!

Exercise is critical for fibromyalgia patients.  It has an impact on the quality of sleep and helps to keep unaffected muscles strong to improve your quality of life.  Fibromyalgia Information Foundation has DVDs available on Aerobic Exercise, Stretching and Relaxation and Strength and Balance.   The DVDs have been developed and produced by researchers and staff at the Oregon Health and Science University and feature fibromyalgia patients.  

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So Shelli - Blog

So Shelli - Blog.    Did you know that Shelli Gardner ( founder/owner ) of Stampin' Up has started a blog! She is moving into the blogging world. It is a little personal glimpse into her world. I have to wonder how she did all this? I know demonstrators are instant fans, maybe you will enjoy a peak into a successful woman's life.

sweet snowman

fresh & fun. Beate created this card which showcases the Merry and Bright stamp set 

I love this blog

bibbis dillerier. I love every card she makes. They are beautiful, and it isn't even in English, but there is a universal language among card makers (smile)

family history tree

I found this while blurfing- isn't this a great idea to put on a wall in a child's room!

Does this happen to you?

From the following website=

My All: My Top Ten Time Wasters!.

I think the following issues have sucked up wayyyyyyyyyyy too much of my time in 2007. I resolve to not let that happen so much in 2008! Time Wasters: 1. Unclear goals: my goals have not being clear --and set --in a couple aspects of life. So I go in circles more than I need to. 2. Lack of Scheduling: my genealogy project goals are not scheduled so I am allowing long term interruptions. 3. A Drop and Go Mentallity: my drop and go tendancies in my craft workspace are a bother later on. Good thing I use clear storage! I will try to make my "Drop and go" tendancy into a "Drop into storage" tendancy! LOL 4. Biting off too Much: I have been attempting too much in too short a time. No, you cannot completely reorganize a jam-packed 1000 square foot space in 4 hours. Small steps, Kathy small steps. 5. Getting Sidetracked: this is especially true online-- I need to FOCUS not continually browse online. :) Ideas are NOT actions. 6. Lack of Delegation/lists: Ineffective communication or delegation to my family. They need to know what I want done and when. LISTS will help them--and me. 7. Knick Knack Syndrome: I don't like knick knacks (thanks Grandma Helen!) but I do love antiques and garage sales, so I constantly fight having a cluttered home, desk. I want to focus JUST on keeping heirloom items from my family and not random antiques. 8. Procrastination/lack of self-discipline. See # 5 This can also apply to dishes and laundry. LOL I love my family, I love my family ... :) 9. Not Understanding Technology: Yes for me this is a time waster. I wish I understood more so I wouldn't be so stumped when trying to reach certain goals! 10. Shopping for Bargains --especially storage containers and organizer storage. When I need something for my space, I want to get the best deal or recycle something to use for it. Usually this is a great way to go. But This sometimes means I spend more time LOOKING for the right storage bargain instead of doing the actual organizing or just scrapping. I can always avoid buying scrapbook supply stash --but rarely can say no to a great basket, bin or container! :) What is standing in your way? Do you have ten time wasters to share? Speak up! Let's tackle this together!! Rockester

Therapy

From a blog named

Stampin with Dani.

July 09, 2008 Scrapbooking has therapeutic advantages!! The Therapeutic Value of Scrapbooking By: Kathy Johnson, COTA I have been a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for 16 years and have worked with many different types of physical disabilities and clients with mental illness. When I started scrapbooking 8 years ago, I never realized what a therapeutic value it could have on my life. As the years have gone by I have also recognized the therapeutic values scrapbooking can have for those many different types of physical disabilities and those with mental illness. I have discovered that Scrapbooking has many qualities that can help restore an overall sense of well being, accomplishment, and self-worth, as well as help with physical deficits.

Taking photos of loved ones and creating a scrapbook not only showcases familiar photos, but can also display feelings and memorabilia. It is not only the actual “scrapbooking” of pictures, but the memories the pictures reveal, that can be of great value. I made a 25th Wedding Anniversary album for my parents and which included photos from their childhood as well as photos from the time since they were married. What I learned from rummaging through all these old photos was an invaluable lesson in family heritage. There were places they had been, and family members I did not know and events that were unknown to me until I sorted through these photos and interviewed my parents. The end result was a wonderful memento of their lives and a keepsake we could all cherish and share for generations to come.

Individuals with depression can find comfort in scrapbooking memories from the past. Using the scrapbooking task as a way to help individuals with mental illness stay on task, follow directions and reinforce the need to complete a project are all valuable Life Skills they will need to be productive individuals in the community. Many with mental illness have a sense of hopelessness and low self worth. Scrapbooking can provide these individuals with a great sense of accomplishment. The physical benefits of scrapbooking became evident to me while working with a young brain injured individual in Rehab. This person used the cropping tools to increase her fine motor skills, as well as the photos to help with memory recall of loved ones and others from her life. Cutting with scissors or a paper trimmer and handwriting journaling helps build good fine motor skills as does using shapes and stencils. Visual/perceptual skills are also utilized with the activity. Following directions of the therapist or using an idea book help with organizing thoughts and following verbal and written instruction. The organization skills needed to complete a scrapbooking page can assist a head injured individual with the skills needed in many aspects of their life, from Activities of Daily Living to work skills for returning to employment. The step by step tasks of building a scrapbook page allow the individual to process information and put the steps together to form a completed task. Then putting all the pages together to form a completed scrapbook reinforces the idea of task completion and the overall understanding of getting an end product from their labor of love.

Overall the craft of scrapbooking can be therapeutic to all of us in some way. The companies that create scrapbooking supplies and tools are often coming out with easier and less complex ways to create scrapbooks. Someone with limited hand motion or cognitive skills can learn to master this wonderful craft with minimal guidance. I highly recommend scrapbooking as a therapeutic tool for anyone and hope that if you know someone who would reap its benefits, you will pass your love of this art form on to them.

Kathy Johnson, COTA Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and Crop Camp Coordinator About the Author: Kathy is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and avid scrapbooker for the past 8 years. She lives in Kansas and works in a small hospital full time, and scrapbooks any time she gets the chance. See more about Kathy at www.cropcamp.com .