I finally made my first Auntie Pea handbag. :) Took awhile since it was my first one but I loved sewing again. It’s rather a relief to have time to do something like this after being so focused on the Ultimate Digi-Scrapper contest. For those of you who don’t know I didn’t make it through to the next round. I was definitely a little disappointed since I had been really appreciating the challenges of this contest (and lets face it – ‘playing along’ just doesn’t give you quite the same drive). I’m so happy for the final 7 and actually maybe a little bit more bummed for the designers that I SO thought should’ve been in that list that weren’t. It was just an amazing group of scrappers left in the top 40.

So for the next week I’ll be taking a little break from the digital scrapbooking and sewing a few handbags. So looking forward to using some of the fun fabric combos that I’ve collected for these. I’ve gotta take a look online and see if I can get some ‘Auntie Pea Bag’ fabric labels made up. :)

Hope everyone had a great memorial day!

Well, I finished my LO for the next round of the UDS contest with I think under 2 minutes to spare. I’ve been close to the last person posting every week but this time I was THE last person to post in the gallery. I found that I scrap best with music rather than tv in the background. Particularly Michelle Featherstone and some Imogen Heap (thanks to Lauren). It also worked much better working at a desk with my wacom next to the computer rather than on my lap. So I’ve gotta make work of finishing the curtains for my ‘creating room’ since at the moment I sorta feel like I’m sitting in a fish bowl in there. Otherwise it’s a perfect place for scrapping. Maybe a big comfy chair for when I DO wanna sit and relax while I scrap. Anyway, I scrapped photos of Braelynn that I’d taken at the park when I babysat her and Selah last Friday. The challenge was to scrap in a way that your own personal style shines through but there was also mention of being free to scrap ‘outside the box’ so-to-speak. I think the page ended up with my own style shining through (if I actually have a ‘style’) and for me the outside the box things would be the way a couple of the smaller photos are cropped. I love the close up one of Braelynn blowing at the dandelion. Never would’ve thought of doing that without the challenge to try something different. And then I did some freestyle journaling too which I rarely (if ever) do. It’s not eloquent or anything, just random thoughts about Braelynn at almost 2 years old. The 40 contestants who are still in the competition are amazing so to be picked out of this group would be a HUGE honor but I’m feeling good about the fact that I’ve got 4 LOs now that I’m pretty happy with and I think I’ve learned a lot about my own creative process. I know there have been some grumblings about this contest, the fairness of it, scrappers vs. designers, yada yada drama drama but I’m thrilled to be part of it and I’m pretty sure I’ll feel the same if I get cut tonight. :) If you wanna see my ‘freestyle’ page you can click here. :)

Gotta wake up Andrew & Celena to get ready for church. It’s a bit of a drive but I really like the church we’ve been going to. I LOVE the music. (surprise surprise) I don’t know what it is but the same message put to song seems so much more powerful to me. Guess I just tick that way. The people there are sooo nice too. Always make you feel welcome but not in an intimidating sort of way (if that makes any sense). Plus it’s sorta creative beautiful. Just a place I enjoy driving up to and walking in the front doors. Not that the building should be all that important but again, I think I just tick that way and it doesn’t hurt to find a church that you enjoy going to, being in, singing at and this one is just that for me. I found a little tour of the church on their website if you’d like to see just why it feels ‘creative’ to me. (I think you have to right-click and ‘save target as’ – at least that’s what I had to do.) :) There are a few things I’m not sure I love about the services but that’s a much longer post than I have time for if I wanna make it there this morning. :)

Happy Sunday everyone. :)

I can’t wait to buy any cd either of these two come out with. These are MY American Idols. I don’t care what the voting says. And personally, I think the voting is a crock. I didn’t successfully dial in even ONCE since the first week. Tried numerous times for different artists depending on that weeks’ performances and NEVER got anything but busy signals.

Tonights finale was completely anti-climactic to me. No emotion even though apparently EVERYONE was voting for Taylor right from the start. Personally I’ve never been a big fan. I mean I actually love his sound and it’s different but my guess is you could find someone like him in almost every town across the country singing in a local bar with his band. And I’d be surprised if we even hear any of his music in the mainstream after the first single he releases. Follow-up songs will be played on adult contemporary radio where, lets face it, the music producers just aren’t gonna pour tons of money into marketing to that crowd cuz they just aren’t the demographic that’s out there downloading tunes on itunes or running to Best Buy to get their favorite artists cd. Yep, my prediction is that once the idol tour is done and his first cd is released he’ll be doing a national tour of your small town casinos. Friday night Air Supply, Saturday Taylor Hicks. I mean does anyone really see this guy selling out arena’s on his own? So maybe it’s just me but tonight’s outcome was kindof a let down. He didn’t even seem choked up at all. I don’t need actual tears but you just won American Idol, something the other 11 semi-finalists would’ve been beside themselves to win and he totally seemed unphased.

It was a good show overall though. Slightly less cheesy than previous 2 hour season finales. Loved the duets. Chris’ performance with LIVE was amazing! Loved Paris’ duet – totally the kind of music she should be singing. Elliot’s was awesome although not the kind of music I think he’ll end up singing – still awesome performance. Mary J. Blige is just a legend. And speaking of legends, Meatloaf – WOW. And I don’t mean that in a good way. But WOW. That was painful. And I can appreciate Meatloaf but he can NOT sing anymore. I’m not sure WHY noone told him. Sad. And then Clay Aiken. Wowie Zowie! What was WITH that hair?! Crazy bad. I will give it to Taylor on the harmonica playing. Very impressive. I thought the guys performance together was far better than the girls. I’d say the guys in general really had this competition. It was fortunate for the girls that they deliberately kept it even with the way they eliminated one of each each week. And call me crazy but I’d buy Bucky’s first album if it was produced well. If Paris did an album of old standards like the Billie Holiday (at least I think that’s who it was) song at her first audition when they asked her to sing a little bit of another song. I would buy an album of her performing that type of stuff in a heartbeat.

So that’s my review of the show. I’ve not posted much about it ‘cuz I felt like I would get hate mail ‘cuz I wasn’t part of the ‘soul patrol’ but there ya have it. I wasn’t a huge Katharine fan either, mostly because I think she had a lot of poor song choices. With the right song her voice was flawless, other times, not so much. But she’s drop dead gorgeous. Like in a ‘way too perfect to even be real’ sort of way.

Kay, I’m re-watching it on tivo and seriously, that Clay Aiken thing – What the heck?! I’m not sure which was more hilarious, his hair or the look-alike guy who I’m pretty sure wet his pants when Clay started singing with him. Classic tv right there. :)

Gotta head off to work but for the digital scrapbookers out there I had to mention a GREAT new software that you’ve gotta check out. It’s for organizing your digi-supplies and it works alot like Photoshop Album BUT it displays PNG’s!!! Yay!! I spent alot of time setting up PS album quite some time ago but was sooo frustrated that I couldn’t view half my stuff in it. This one seems to work perfectly. :) AND every paper or element you drag from the program into you scrapping software is recorded in a supplies list for crediting when you’ve finished your LO. I can’t TELL you how much time I spend after each LO is finished going back to figure out just what it was that I used in it. This will save me SOOO much time. :) Here’s a screenshot from their website. The program is called Digital Scraproom. :)

Edited to add: I have played around with it a little. With having to be more efficient, if I’m going to be scrapping for hire, it was a no brainer for me. I can even categorize by commercial use policies which will be sooo handy. So far it seems to work great. PNG’s show up perfectly and the credits list will be a dream. :)

It’s a sad sad day. The beloved DJ Tony is leaving the Ellen show. I LOVED Tony. He played great music, he could dance, he had an english accent and taught us fun english phrases.

Well, he probably still does all these things

just not every day on the Ellen show. :(

Ellen is still my favorite day-time talk show host but it just won’t be the same without Tony Okungbowa.

Well, I made it to the next round in the Ultimate Digi-scapper contest. Down to 40 scrappers now and next week they choose the final 7 to compete for the #1 spot. The challenge for this week is: Free Style – get creative and funky – this is all about your personal style and whatever it is should shine through. No rules – just scrap from the heart. Any topic or theme is ok, so get creative!

Now, you’d think that would make things easier cuz we can do anything we want but I actually am somehow more intimidated by this one. It’s so wide open. No guidelines. So what picture to use? What IS my style?! I really haven’t ever settled on a specific style. PLUS there’s not one person in the top 40 who isn’t amazing. Every week these ladies have scrapped something incredible. Not to mention some of the amazing scrappers who didn’t make it through to this next round. That’s pressure right there. I don’t want them looking in the gallery and thinkin’ man I could’ve done so much better than THAT! Sorta like American Idol when a singer gets through for some bizarre reason but they know in their heart the person who got voted off was far more talented. If I figure out what to scrap I’ll post pics here. No earthly idea at the moment. Just happy to have made it to the next round for tonight. :)