Mini Album Share on BenzillaScrapping

You can view the album here ...

Mini Album Share on BenzillaScrapping

You can see the T-34 Flight album here....

Mini Album share on BenzillaScrapping - Z 1 Year

You can see the album here!

Mini Album Share on BenzillaScrapping

Good Morning!  I don't always remember to cross-post, but I did upload a mini album share over on the other site.  Here's a link to it Good to be the Grampa Mini.  Hope all is well in your patch!

Mini Album - Ladies' Retreat

This was the first year that the 4 of us went on the Women’s Retreat through our Church.  It was such a great, powerful experience to spend the weekend with women of faith and see how we are all fragile, yet so very strong.  For Becky,  I just wanted something so very pretty & girly because I thought it just really reflected her personality – bubbly and happy.  Even in the midst of hardship, she was always so full of joy.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Project uploaded...

Ooops, goofed and uploaded this Kindgergarten project over on the company site instead of here, you can check it out....

south sea memories

thought i'd share a mini book a made for my grampa.  it is with his pictures and journaling from when he was in the SeaBee's during WWII.  he was stationed in new guinea during most of it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

flex term mini

ok as promised, here's the mini that i made for my flex term class (a million years ago, seriously!) i went to university of indianapolis (formerly indiana central university) and back then (don't know if they still do it) every may was a separate semester, called flex term.  you took 1 class, 4 hours every day of the week.  it was intense, but the classes were usually pretty fun.  i think you only had to have 3 to graduate, but being the over-achiever that i am, i think i took 4 (one voice tour, japanese language & culture, chinese culture & sociology - yup that's 4).

i was a theatre (go figure, i know that really surprises you!) and one of my professors, his daughter and a few of their friends wrote a musical called One Voice and so we took it on an east coast & Canada tour.  normally, as i said, this would happen in may, but we did it in august to give time for rehearsals & money making.  it was an amazing opportunity for me, we got to see niagra falls, nyc, washington dc, and 3 plays on broadway.  tons of fun.

so without further ado, here's how it went....

first, i have 2 of these little flip books.  my ex used to work for microsoft and these were sales/marketing aides. for some reason, i really, really liked them (they are very nice spiral bounds) and so i never pitched them, thinking i would find some use for them.  so i chose to use this one and alter it for my book....

the next few pictures are the making of it.. i had a lot of memorabilia (ie pamplets, maps, cutouts from bags, etc.  i don't throw much away from a trip, i just think the stuff is waaaaay too cool) so there are a few pockets made through out.

most of this is very simple, minimal embellies and hand-written journaling.  i used a collection of BlockZ, which you can find here to do it.  They are the perfect size to just jot down some thoughts.   you can find them here BenzillaScrapping BlockZ

The right page I actually cut in half first, for just a little bit of fun.

 

 

 

 

the right one here is also a halfsie

and then because there was more to the story that i wanted to share, but would not fit in the BlockZ, i did 2 pages here.  My printer (built-in mind you, how cool is that!?!) will do narrow rule, college rule, english grid & metric grid.  so i did wide rule, as my handwriting works out better that way.  yes, i have been on a really big use my own handwriting kick lately.  i always abhorred it, but i've noticed it's getting better, so go figure!

and lastly, the cover....

now, i couple of beefs i had with this (ie life lessons!)... the paper is HIGHLY glossy.  my glue did not like adhering the cardstock at all, even when the pages were "light".  so next time, either mod podge, or even better, a gel medium.  you need something with a lot of teeth.  other one, i sooo didn't use all the pages and so i had to cut the remainders out.  for whatever reason (probably because i don't use a craft knife much - most people try to keep those things from me as it always ends up bloody... for me!) this was a huge challenge.  don't know if it would be any easier if i did this prior to putting my stuff in...

so there it is, hope you enjoy!

weekend wrap-up

i was busy most of the weekend proofing digital pictures from both my dad & my own.  big suggestion here, sit down, think about it before you answer out.... learn your camera.  get to know it intimately.  know what shots it does well, which shots it does not and how to correct for it.  my dad used to be great shooting film, however, digital is different.  sorry, but the electronic sensor just behaves differently than film.  except for maybe in the really high end range.  even mine, and i *think* i have a good camera.  his were washed out, bad skin tone and just generally not that great.  soooo, after long hours doing post-production in photoshop, they are much better.  thank goodness for the digital darkroom.

now, don't go getting the wrong idea.  i in no way, shape or form think that i am a master at taking photos.  i have a lot to learn.  but like ansel adams, i can do some serious tweaking, but i have a lot to learn there too, and there are probably better/easier ways of doing it than what i do.  but i've learned from the school of hard knocks (aka fooling around to find out what it does).

was it worth that much time?  some of them, yes, as for instance, they were the only pics i had of Zack's 5th birthday.  others told a story that needed captured.  others, well, i was probably being picky.  but the point to all of this is, if he/i had taken 5/10 minutes beforehand to check the camera and see if the settings were ok, it would have saved me no less than 5 hours later.  no joke.  5 hours spent scrapping, or taking more pictures, or reading, or...whatever.

so play around with the white balance setting, play around with exposure and shutter speed settings.  it's ok to take a picture just for the sake of finding out what it does in the end.  really.  make it as intimate of a friend as your best friend.  i'm not saying you need to be a pro, or be able to judge what f-stop you need or any of that, but don't be afraid of your camera either.  don't be afraid to play with the settings.

and be sure to read the manual.  in reading mine, some settings revert back to default when powered off.  some are sticky.  helpful to know.  and also allow yourself the fact that you're going to forget.  it is like any other skill, practice makes perfect, but if we never use it, we'll never remember.  carry the manual (or at least the quick guide) in your case for reference.

for me, if i had just adjusted the exposure level down a stop or two for my pictures at the beach in the middle of the july afternoon, i would not be here now.  but now, some of them are blown out or just too bright.  i can take 100+ pictures a day.  but i very harshly & critically toss out too.  sometimes the work is not worth the rewards.  it is, however, a personal decision.

i'm also working on a surprise book for ben's christmas.  it's a mini of his first year.  they absolutely love looking at their big books, but i think there is something more intimate (yes, i know i've used that twice now!) about the smaller form factor.   their hands are smaller, this book is small too, 3 1/4 x 5" so it will be perfect for him.  i made him one for his church camp trip this summer and he really liked it.  next year he can go a full week.  he's totally ready.  not sure i am!  lol