Stacked Stones Studio!

I love Kelli Darr Superstar ... Here is why: 1. She has a tender heart 2. She is an encourager. 3. She shares. 4. She makes me laugh 5. She looks great in pink...green...purple...and blue 6. She has the most expressive green eyes I have ever seen. 7. She loves Jesus. 8. She loves her husband. 9. She loves her kids... 10. She teaches me to use my Rebel camera better. 11. She is a linear scrapbooker 12. She knows when there is ONE embellishment too many on her page 13. She isn't afraid of color 14. She knows the value of chocolate 15. She is a good friend 16. She is a good listener 17. She is a good storyteller 18. She makes time for the important things in life 19. She not only knows my love language but is willing to speak it. 20. She lives her faith out in the open. 21. She is a woman that understands balance in life...but is willing to let the scales be tipped out of balance for something that is important. 22. She doesn't take herself or others too seriously. 23. She is a gi...

Oh yeah baby! That's right! Anastasia is ready to romp in the cold crisp air. So much so that she isn't staying all snug in her bed at night and early in the morning...she is FAKING having to go outside to potty. Can you believe that? A potty faker! That's what having a cute face like that around will getcha...a trip to the door where you are hit with a COLD blast of air to your face and up your nightie! And is she contrite? NOoooooooo! She just gets a "wiggly butt" and happy that it is cold and wet outside...runs around until she has sniffed every area of the yard then comes in and sits patiently on the rug while I grab "her" towel and give her a quick rub down....then patters back to bed like she had actually DONE something...and was ready to sleep. I take my chilled feet and body back to my snuggly bed -- and KNOW beyond a shadow of doubt that soon she will be at the side of the bed "faking" it again....but just on the off chance that...

I love this picture of Dalton….most of the pictures I took of him were a bit of a blur. You know that old saying, “a body in motion will stay in motion…a body at rest….blah blah blah.” He was definitely a body in motion.

A few more pictures from our photo shoot. Who knew that kids would be amused so much by a pot of apples. The funniest thing was that they took one bite out of each one and carefully replaced them in the pan...with the exception of Miss A...who ate hers all the way to the core. They were so very cute....lots and lots of scrapable moments. Can't wait. May have to use these for our fall mini album class coming up on Saturday....would be fun to remember this whole session with a little book.

It rhymes with Boudreaux! Royce and I went to the car auction today and I found a new friend...that I just had to bring home. It is perfect for scrapbooking crops...all the seats fold down...no more reaching in the back seat...just lift the hatch....load and we are off to ScrapIt! I didn't know I could be so giddy about a car...but I think he is cute! (Don't ask me how I know it is a boy...but he is..just like I knew my last car was a girl....Ali the Altima). Ok...enough craziness....just wanted to share. Love you guys...

Is it wrong to love a camera? I mean...not like you love people or God or anything...but just love the feel of it in your hand...like you can conquer the image world? I hope not -- because I am just so much lovin' my rebel. Had a totally fun day Sunday with Chelle and Dana and their five kiddos. We went to an old abandoned house and had just too much fun. The kids were great -- and incredibly patient and who knew that a pan full of apples could provide so much entertainment! I think we got some good pics...I won't make you look at all of them (I took over 300) -- but thought I would share a couple that I liked the results.... Hope you have a great day. And know I love you MORE than my Rebel....I just like it a whole whole LOT!

Guess what is coming to my house tomorrow? I am so excited. I must confess that many of my friends have been the source of great envy as I have seen them take breathtaking photographs with the Canon Rebel. Of course, I totally give them their due -- it might not be the camera at all. However, if I am to have any hope of taking delightful pictures...I need good tools. (This does begin to sound like a rationalization doesn't it). Ok...flat out -- I wanted it...I waited til I had the money to buy it and NOW ------it is mine. well -- at least in less than 24 hours it is. *sigh* Do you think I will be able to get any scrapbooking done at the ScrapIt! crop tomorrow night? I packed my things like I will...but I am guess my nose is going to be in the manual of my new XTi...unless I am conversing with my girlfriends. It is bound to be fun either way. All of you Rebel users...give me your best tip...I learn best by people telling me stuff -- so I have become your local friendly spon...

Ok...I think that my working on this layout has stirred my desire to go back to Italy. I loved everything about this trip...the weather...the country...the people -- the Mediteranian...I didn't even mind turning 40 while I was there! Royce took me there for my 40th birthday because he said, "they appreciate old things in Italy." Yeah right -- he's one to talk. We had a deal -- he only had to go walk through one ruin a day...and he could have as much pasta as he wanted...I don't think I would have a hard time convincing him to go back -- we had such a lovely time. I can't believe that was five years ago...MAN has time passed quickly. Speaking of old things...I took a picture of myself yesterday because I realised that I don't really have any pictures of me since I have lost weight -- and I wanted to use them in a project I am working on...so I got everything all set up -- cute outfit -- late day sunlight...pretty blurred fall foliage in the backgrou...

Ok...so Monday's are usually my favorite day of the week...because they seem fresh and full of potential. But for some reason -- I am SOOOOO happy it is Friday this week. I am looking forward to the weekend....ready to enjoy the crisp fall air that has shown up here in Nashville. YEAH! I always feel more productive and energized in cooler weather...so maybe that is it. Thought I would share a couple more layouts with you (for some reason the scrapbooking "muse" has been with me lately...I have actually been doing one or more layouts a night for a couple of weeks). The one above was very fun to work on...I got some of the Fancy Pants HUGE CHIPBOARD sheets...and I started to take the Big flower chipboard out of the package and realized that what was left would actually make a great "frame." So I went a whole different direction....and this lovely fancy pants shabby paper and a gold leaf pen just seemed to jump into my hands. Go figure. This one is of my nep...

This is a layout that Kelli did after Kelli Darr came to visit This is a layout I did to be a copy cat Clearly....I am not Kelli Crowe. Although I admire her a lot...a whole lot. She is so free (freestyle...get it?!?!) She is very creative She jumps on trampolines She is friends with Kelli Darr Super Star (that's a big one) She can doodle She owns a Bedazzler (can you say "jealous") She makes me laugh -- and I don't even know her She writes a blog with one word on each line. So...I decided to do an Ode to Kelli Crowe layout...featuring my friend Kelli Darr. Don't get me wrong. I am happy to be who God created me to be. I just think she is cool. And you can see that my style really isn't like hers...and that is ok...I still like her.

I have been busy...well -- one night I got busy! I had been thinking about how to use this picture of the pears...how funny that my little scrawny "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" pear tree that is in my front yard only grew two pears. There is a story behind this poor little pear tree...When I moved into my house, I went to buy two ORNAMENTAL pears to put on either side of my driveway....a stately greeting to visitors. Unfortunately, only ONE was ornamental --the other was a REAL pear tree...that has remained very scrawny and stunted. Not really a very stately entrance...beautiful rounded ornamental tree on the left...and its ugly step sister of a tree over across the driveway. It did produce these TWO pears this year though...so it has blessed me with beauty if not bounty! This other lay out is of my friend Ruthie...I just love her...and thought this picture needed to celebrate that...I think she is wonderful... In addition to getting lo's done last night I also got...

Sometimes you never know what your camera will capture when you snap a picture. I think that is part of what has me so enamoured with picture taking. Part is definitely to capture memories...but the other part has to do with the way a camera (particularly in black and white) can capture something that our eyes pass over in search of more detail. Every book I read about photography tells me to focus in on the part of the scene that I want to tell the story becauase the camera lens isn't capable of taking in all the details that my eye is -- and that the composition of the picture will be muddy if I try to get it all. I think that may be the coolest thing about working with a camera...it helps focus my attention on what is REALLY important. Like this face of my friend Ruthie. She has such a beautiful smile -- and eyes that sparkle when she giggles. I LOVE that about her -- but I am usually so busy taking in the WHOLE experience of being at ScrapIt! with my friends that I miss t...