Stacked Stones Studio!

Can you believe it? I have a wedding to plan.. .and the very first step in that is creating an altered notebook to keep all my notes, ideas and lists in! Of course...I am a scrapbooker afterall! *smile* I found it at Target in the dollar section....painted it and made the pocket dividers into something that would remind me to take joy in the moments of planning and not get too stressed. Thanks for sharing this time with me? Anyone have any ideas? I am thinking small and intimate...and unique -- when you are 45 yrs old I guess it is okay to break some of the rules and I intend to! Woo Hoo!

A couple of pictures from Santa Fe -- non-engagement related. Luminares... lights. "Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness..." What a wonderful song....what an incredible gift. As we walked along the streets of Santa Fe on Christmas Eve, they were lighted with these small paper bags holding candles. It was by their light that we were able to find our way in the darkness. Celebrating His birth...the instant that His light came into this world to show us the way...I was a bit overcome. And then there was spice. Santa Fe is full of it. Piece of advice -- always ask "Which is hotter/milder? Your red or green chile sauce?" Learned that one the hard way -- it changes in every location -- every day. I know this next year holds a lot of unknowns for me -- and probably you as well...but because each of you are in my life...all of it will be filled with the warm spice of friends and friendship. Thank you for sharing your life with me...you change t...

The key to not being demolished by the iceburg is to go with the natural flow....and that I basically what I did on our trip to Santa Fe and Abiqui. 1. First we went away to a b&b and talked and talked and talked about serious stuff. 2. Christmas morning...based on my answers to the questions over the past three days, Royce asked me to wear his High School or college ring as a token of our commitment to move forward with each other...going steady. May sound hocky at my age but I was eating it up! Even went so far as to tie YARNS of string about it to make it kind of fit my hand 3. Christmas night -- ouE for a lovely meal....great classical guitar music in the back grounds...just totally enjoyable...and suddenly -- Royce was down on one knee asking me to be his wife.....I didn't even have to think.....YEEEEEEEEEEEEEWS! Then the scrapbook that he had lovingly made (and while it is very lovely and filled with sentimental things I will treasure forever, he has clearly stated that ...

...that I could upload to this hotel computer...but I don't. But I couldn't resist sharing with you all that last night Royce asked me to be his wife...and I said YES....although it came out in about three syllables....ye-ee-es because I was sobbing. I am a happy ....and want to thank each of you who have been praying with me for God's will in our relationship. You have been a great source of support. I will post pictures when I get back to Nashville....and tell you the whole story -- because it is a doosey! I have learned even more today about the lengths to which he went to make this a special event for me -- and while I couldn't love him more -- I am so touched that he has been planning this for months...and waited to my favorite day of the whole year (Kelly Darr Superstar's birthday) and Christmas Day. Ok...friends...your job is not done. I have been a single gal for 45 years (ok...really 25 cause it would have been pretty ridiculous for me to have even ...

She is ohhhh so clever...she has not only a creative eye for scrapbooking...but also a creative eye for repurposing. She saw this spice rack at Target in the gift section and knew immediately that it would hold all those little brads, rhinestones, photo turns etc that you always want immediately accessible to you sitting on your scrapbooking table. Of course at the time it was filled with cumin, thyme (who couldn't use a little more thyme), red pepper, and other things that I have dozens of bottles of in my spice cabinet...so why would I even pause to look at a spice rack twice? I have more spices than this chick needs. Fortunately, Doris saw beyond the obvious and talked it up to her friend Renee...who also gets a big "shout out" because she got it for Doris as a gift....which meant that those of us that passed it by without a single thought would have the opportunity to see it. Once seen...I couldn't resist. I am now the proud owner...and the proud repurposer o...

I had fun with mica glitter this afternoon...and then playing around with my camera to try and figure out how to shoot the glittery stuff. As you can see I never did get the exact right exposure...although I ended up with some interesting results. I saw these houses at Jenni Bowlin's house -- she had the big one covered in her papers and covered with this precious mica glitter. I didn't really have the patience for measuring and cutting to cover the house...so I sprayed the inside blue and the outside white...sprayed some seriously strong (gorilla like) glue onto the surface and sprinkled mica glitter. Of course now I personally look like a 1940's Christmas ornament. I loved the finished product -- especially with the "pop lights" inside giving a bit of glow through the vellum windows. I added red doors and a couple of pipe cleaner wreaths and some bottle brush trees to set the scene. These will certainly become part of my regular Christmas decorations.

Can you say, "LOVE the ORNAMENT KIT!?!?!?!" Those are the words coming from my mouth after working with Jenni's ornament kit last night. I ended up using some Holly that I already had and added a couple of baubles -- but I am totally loving the results. I used Jenni's Date/Name stamp on the back so years from now I can remember where we were in these pics. I have decided to make more for my family with pictures I took during Thanksgiving. Fun project. Check it out.

and fun with my camera. Tonight was our company Christmas party -- and the ladies did all the decorating this afternoon. It was held at the Spring House at the Hermitage....really a lovely setting. I had fun playing with my camera too...thought I would share a few favorites. And the winner is......

now I know for some of you this just causes you to giggle. You somehow manage to have your world totally organized and could show Martha Stewart a thing or two about throwing a good party...but that just isn't me. Oh yeah...I use tools to keep be on track with things that I am responsible for...but give me a mixed up pile of paper, tools, bling, chipboard letters and some brads and ask me to organize it and I will run for the door with my camera in hand. It just isn't fun to me...I know the necessity of it -- but my brain can't seem to grasp the most effective efficient (and why would I spend one minute of my time organizing something that isn't going to be the best!?!?!?!?!?!?!?) way to get things done. I been reading about it. and thinking about it...and inch by inch....foot by foot....all these fun little paper goodies have taken over my home. BUT NO MORE -- NO MORE I SAY! I am the queen of my domain -- this will not conquer me...nay verily I say until thee! So... a...

Here is one of DT layouts I did for Scrap It! Have I mentioned how much I enjoy being in the store....hanging out at the store....cropping at the store....shopping and the store -- and most importantly -- Ann and Bill from the store? I do. While I was home for Thanksgiving -- I think I went through withdrawal. I couldn't wait to get back and here the door "ding" as I walked through it -- and see Annie behind the counter...although when I actually did walk through the door she was back at a table scrapbooking. It just felt like home. That is a good thing. At MY home it is "organization city." I realized that I have been working on projects for both work and scrapping with such a flurry of activity -- that nothing has been put back in its place...and while that was going on -- I also accumulated some stuff that doesn't actually HAVE A PLACE. Sooooo...I am rearranging, sorting, culling, and organizing it all so that I can enjoy the process once again o...

I have sucumbed to the lure of the digitial scrapbooking page. Notthat I want to abadoned my tried and true tactile version -- it is just that is allows me to expand my horizons a bit...and probaly the thing I like best is that I don't have the SCAN it in -- stitch it together beofre sharing it with you. But on the downside...I LOVE my stamps...paint....brads...tools....tearing papers and the ability to change every embellishment so much that this could only be a form of scrapbooking that I do occasionally. However, I love that I learned something new today. How about you? What's new in your brians?

There has been so much happenin in the past few weeks...and I just haven't been able to catch up. One wonderful surprise for me was that Royce arranged for me to attend a Youth Conference being held in Chatanooga, TN the weekend before Thanksgiving. While I attend LOTS of youth conferences...this one was different because Weston's band was leading worship. I got to be the official photographer...and it was a great learning experience in shooting in that kind of environment. His worship band... Five Smooth Stones had won a national worship leading contest...and were invited to lead worship at this conference. The band is 5 guys....ages 15-16 and for being as young as they are -- I think they are pretty terrific...of course, I am biased because Weston is the drummer. However, the response to them at the conference was awesome...so fortunately -- someone other than myself think they are good. Royce and I had T-shirts made up for them to sell (a total surprise to them) with th...

For my friends and family -- both here in Nashville and back in Dallas. I am blessed beyond measure to have you each in my life. {If you don't see your picture here -- it doesn't mean that you are not my friend...you are -- and I am also incredibly grateful for you -- I just don't have a picture of you on my actual computer}

November 22, 1963 was a sad day for America. Just as we remember where we were when the tragedy of 9/11 struck...and when the shuttle Columbia fell from the sky...those of us around the age of 45 and older also remember where we were when JFK was shot in Dallas. For me, I was with my new parents (I had just been adopted) in Iowa...and what I remember is seeing my mother staring at the TV screen and crying. This was something that she didn't normally do -- so even at my young age I knew something wasn't right. Royce thought it was really strange that I had grown up in Dallas and never gone down to the Sixth Floor Museum or to Dealy Plaze and the "grassy knoll." I think growing up in Dallas it was just such a tragic memory that Dallasites wanted to forget. However, I have always watched all the specials on TLC and Discovery or CNN about JFK's assasination -- and about the Warren Commission. We decided to take Weston down there today...and it was fun to see his brain...

I can't upload pictures tonight for some reason...bad blogger...bad! However, I can tell you that today was one of my favorite Thanksgivings -- EVER! Royce and Weston came to Dallas with me to spend it with my family for the first time...and we had so very much fun. It was so delightful to watch Weston in the "big brother/cousin" role with my niece and nephew -- who clearly adored him. Weston -- who has never met a stranger -- took Tyler along to the park after lunch to find a pick-up football game. I did sneak over with my telephoto lens and capture a few moments...but you know how teenagers are -- you have to pick your moments to embarrass them -- so I resisted getting close for really great pictures for the trade 0ff of letting them have some good guy bonding time. Which was the only hard part of it all...Lindsey (8 yrs old and a bit "smitten" with Weston) really didn't understand why she wasn't invited to go play football with the guys. Fortunat...

I loved this picture I snapped from the turn lane on a busy street in the early morning fog. I love that I am learning enough about my camera to be able to capture it. My title refers to that old saying, "Change is in the air." First of all...I figured out how to change my blog! Woo Hoo! That is a huge step for me. This time last year, I had no idea what a woman my age would have to say on a blog...so there is one big change. Secondly, I am making some changes in my career life as well. Not sure what all the answers are...but know that some changes are coming. As of November 1st, I began doing consulting -- and am working hard to make the house payment -- so we will see about what all that brings. But I have been doing some soul searching too...and reading a great book called Second Calling , by Dale Hanson Bourke. It is just wonderful...it addresses purpose and calling in the lives of those of us women that have hit the 40-ish mark. Men typically hit their "...

what'll you give me for this gal?

Ok...this was supposed to be a "winter/Christmas" layout...and in real life it is cute as a bug in a rug (ok...that probably doesn't sound cute at all -- but it is what my grandmother used to say)...but the scanner went all SPOOKY on me and this is what I got instead! YIKES. I will rescan later so you can see it for real... My little niece got a snow outfit and wore it everyday (even when it was hot) for a week waiting for the snow -- did I mention she lives in DALLAS, Texas...so there is NEVER snow in the forcast....bless her heart. But it went well with the Daisy D paper....and makes a great story. Ok..have to run -- but will get back to you with a better scan soon. Have a great day!

and fog...and frosty mornings...and although it doesn't begin with an "f," my Rebel camera. I have been having so much fun with it -- getting up early to capture the fog...staying up late to to capture spooky moonlit nights. I have been reading Bryan Peterson's book, Understanding Exposure . It is wonderful...and for the first time (although my pictures don't show it yet) I am seeing the relationship between ISO, aperture and fstop. Way cool. Now if it would just work its way from academic head knowledge to being applied to actual photography that would be even cooler! *smile* I know...I know -- "Rome wasn't built in a day," "Good things come to those who wait," "And everything of value takes time" ... but I want it right now...forget the delayed gratification thing...(can you tell I am doing everything short of stamping my foot?) Happy week to you all...and may all your images have perfect exposure!

No offense to you lefties out there...your hands are probably strong too...but I am referring to Jesus as He is described in Acts 7:55 and most particularly Psalms 118:13-17. My heart has been heavy for several of my friends that are facing big difficulties. I guess we all do now and then...but my heart and my mind have been turning to God's Word for these friends especially the past few days. I love what God promises us in Psalms... " I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous [read that two story ranch, mobile home or Colonial Mansion ] . The Lord's right hand [read that "Jesus "] has done mighty things! The Lord's right hand is lifted high; the Lord's right hand has done might things! I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. " What a mighty word of assurance I found...