Starting over.....

I can't believe that I'm doing this again...
  I'm going to start over on my blog.  New title and I'm going to try to show you how I craft.  I've posted pictures before and what I want to do is post videos.  I'm so inspired by Jennifer McGuire and Kristine Werner.  Now, I'm no pro.  Trust me on this :).  And, I'm absolutely sure I'll need some expert adivice from my husband to hook up my camera and teach me how to use it correctly.  I'm sure it's going to be time consuming because I thought it took me forever to learn how to take pictures properly with it and it's a D7000 Nikon.   I guess we'll see...I might even show you my mistakes so if you want to do the same thing, you'll learn from me LOL!
  Just remember, I'm not claiming to be an expert or Pro at this....just letting you all in on the humor of all my mistakes.....
  Until the games begin......

I Scrapbook....

  I decided to take the challenge.  Nicole Samuels from Studio Calico challenged readers to create a LO which describes in some way your reasons that you scrapbook.
  I used my PSE to make the paint splatters for the background and I used a brush on my photo by Ali Edwards that says "Capturing the moments of life".
  The "tag" under the photo pulls out and lists my reasons for scrapbooking.  I used pop dots to raise the photo up off the LO so the tag will slide in and out easily.

  Here is another photo with the "tag" pulled out so you can see the journaling.
  Sorry the photos are not up to par.  I didn't edit my pictures and I didn't stand over them like you're supposed to so they are at an angle.

  In other news:

  I found Studio Calico and Ali Edwards a few days after I googled Project Life.  That was in January.  I am loving PL.  Becky Higgins makes it so easy with using her kits.  I'm using the "Seafoam" kit.  Plus, I'm on the "wait-list" for the PL kit for Studio Calico.  I've only been on the list for 1 month and it seems like it's been forever lol.
  Well, that's all for now at least.
Hugs,
Carolyn

Gabriel's Pictures

  Hello All,
  Went to Ritter Park (Huntington WV), today to take pictures of my son Gabriel for his Graduation Announcements.
  Doesn't he look handsome?  I'm pleasantly surprised by the picture quality from my new Nikon D7000.  I've not had a really good camera in quite some time.
  Poor thing, he complained the whole time.  I had him do some clothes changes and took about 25 pictures.  They all turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
  I tried uploading the picture of his Announcement, but it won't let me.  The announcement was done on my Silhouette and the picture quality is not very good.  The best I could get was on "documentation paper".  I'm still not happy with it though.  I'll try some other ideas and see what I can come up with.

  Here is another one of Gabriel.  He really doesn't like to smile for his pictures and am lucky I got the one above with him smiling.  He would be very disappointed if he knew I was posting one with him smiling lol.
  Well, that is all for now.
Hugs,
Carolyn

New Blog Design!

Hello All,
  I've got a new blog header thanks to Jessica Sprague!  Let me tell you how this all came about:

  My regular PC was giving me fits!  Jamie, my hubby, kept fixing her for me until she went "kaput".  So, a few weeks ago he took me to Best Buy and bought me the newest MAC!  Wow, I'm in love with it lol.  I think she does everything but the laundry kwim?  Well, I went to install my printer, an HP Photosmart C6280 ( had it forever ), and it wouldn't install for me.  So I went thru the process of installing updates and drivers and finally got her to work....or so it seemed.  I couldn't get her to scan and the wireless stopped working.
  So, I researched and knew I wanted an Epson Stylus R2000.  I love the idea of being able to print on a 12x12 format!  Plus, I'd been stalking lots of blogs ( Ali Edwards for one ) and it seemed this is the printer EVERYONE was using!  So, off to Office Depot and Best Buy we went.  We searched both stores and only came up with one printer close to the one I wanted. The one we chose was the Epson WF-7510 and she actually does everything that I was looking for in a printer and, she was $200 cheaper.  The added bonus is that I can also print off of my iPhone and iPad!
  So, while we were waiting on the printer to come from the back, Jamie started looking at all the photo software... He knows I've been having issues taking pictures with my P&S camera during low light conditions.  The only pictures I can get to turn out is in the daylight hours and he knows that I've been doing Project Life for my son in his last year of school.  So, he buys me PhotoShop Elements 11.
  PhotoShop Elements 11 is more than I bargained for lol.  Gosh, there is so much to that software!  I thought I could just dig in and figure everything out for myself....wrong.  I googled online classes for this software and found Jessica.  She has free classes to get a beginner started and I am so glad that I found her!  I've learned so much and learned also what I was doing wrong for so long.....1 tip:  Never alter your original photos.  Always make a copy and do your editing to the copy.  When you are done editing, name your photo then add "edited" at the end so you know which photo is the one you made changes to.  Is that not an awesome tip?
  So, today I'm waiting on the UPS man to bring me another goody.  My husband, as a surprise, bought me a Nikon D7000 camera with accessories.  I'm so excited!  I know I'm going to have to practice a lot!  It is not going to be like my P&S for sure.
  Well, I tried to upload a few pictures but for some reason it is not letting me.  I guess I'll have to try to post some later.
Hugs,
Carolyn

I've rejoined Close To My Heart Scrapbooking Company!
  I'm so glad that I rejoined CTMH!  I've missed my friends!  And I've missed their products!
  I had a meeting with my upline Christine Adams today and had a wonderful time with her learning my OBA and what I can do with it.  So glad I met with her today!
  I know that I've not wrote or Blogged for a while and I hope to keep up with this and let you know what is going on with me.
  God Bless,
Carolyn

Tilda with Car

Hello all,
  I'm going to make this very short and sweet.  I used the color combo from last weeks Magnolia Down Under challenge.  I started on it and never got around to finishing her up till today.
  I'm going to enter her into the new Midweek Magnolia challenge.
 Hugs,
Carolyn

1985

Hello all,
  This is a layout featuring my Dad.  I miss him so much.  He passed away Labor Day 2006.  I thought I'd bring out this picture of him and I in San Diego, CA in 1985.  I was pregnant with my first baby and thought I'd wash our truck and Dad came out and started taking over the task.  Him and Mom came out for vacation and anything I'd do, he'd take over.
  I need to start labeling my Layouts and to start journaling too.
Hugs, 
Carolyn