A View of Lisa's World

I guess I didn't share these...

It seems like everything I tried to do today took 10 times longer than I needed it to!

The last couple of days have not been as productive as they need to be. I'm just not quite in the get it done zone, but I've got to get there, things are piling up at an alarming rate. So bad that I think it is going to cost us a fun morning that we had planned for tomorrow, I'll have to see how it looks by the light of day in the morning.

Anyway, one of the things that had been on my to-do list was to take some portraits of Todd. I did manage to get it done last week, finally, but I just got around to editing a little and have some to share.

I'm going to get to bed early tonight so that I can tackle all that I need to do tomorrow.

ps: hi-res versions are available for the Grandparents....just let me know.

OK....off to bed!

Playdate-1

OK…are you up for more Product Playground? I’ve been promising that I would share some content from the first Product Playground class, so here goes.

Now remember this class was first offered in 2006, so these layouts and examples were created before that. I feel like I'm really dusting off some oldies here. You’ll see lots of old classic products and techniques and some design ideas that I think I've evolved from, but hopefully there is still a little something that might inspire you.

Week 1 of the original Product Playground was about bookplates. Remember how popular bookplates were there for a while? Looking at these layouts reminds me how much I still like bookplates, and how I should probably break them out more often.

A little note: The class was structured around the letters P-L-A-Y and that will be the same format for PP2.

P- Patterned Paper Bonanza
Bookplates make great frames, not only for images and text but for patterned papers too. For this layout I created a gallery of framed coordinating patterned papers in assorted bookplates/label holders.

This layout was also my sketch for the week. I'll be sharing sketches in the new class too.

L-Line them up!
Bookplates make excellent borders, frames and even photo corners. Most bookplates come in coordinating packages with multiple sizes, many even come with coordinating fasteners. Keeping them empty and fastening a ribbon or trim to one or both sides can make a statement.

A- Accentuate your title!
Bookplates are great frames for letters. I had letter stickers that coordinated with my patterned papers. I searched through my bookplates finding the shapes that best fit the letters of my title.

Y is always "You can also" or "Yes you can" and in this week I used a couple of cards to show some other ideas. In the new class it will be 100% layouts.

With this card the bookplate is a window....and the sentiment is on the inside of the card.

 

I also simply altered a metal bookplate with paint and ink;.

So that is the classic Product Playground ONE...week one I think all but one of these projects still really hold up as favorites. The other one I can see some pretty serious design flaws, but I still love the story.

There are 5 more weeks of PP1, so if you are interested I'll share in the weeks to come.

at the ballgame....

this is where I spent my day today....

and it was pretty much fabulous!! My uncle's company has season tickets and seats that are seriously the best in the park. Seriously. 3 rows back from the dugout, they are enough to spoil a person for life! So today we were the lucky recipients of the tickets and Matt, Todd and I, grabbed Noni and headed out to the game.

I took TONS of photos...here are a few.

Todd spent the first several innings with his glove on because he was absolutely certain he was going to get a ball. There were actually many tossed up into our area by the players as they walked into the dugout each inning, but we didn't manage to get any of them.

The seats were so good, I had to try to get a couple of action shots of the players, just to play along like the "real" photographers that I could see with their zillions of dollars of equipment....there were some dang big lenses there folks. I was pretty stoked with my 18-200 lens and these seats though.

This photo is actually of Rich Aurelia's home-run swing. Pretty cool.

I also, of course, had to get this shot. #33 was Teet's number and she loved the Gi's. As a matter of fact, we managed to get to two games together the spring before she got sick, some of my happiest memories.

When Todd wasn't wearing his glove, he was wearing the foam finger. We had to get it first thing when we got to the park. He was so excited.

Because we were right by the home dugout we were able to get a great look at Lou Seal. Unfortunately, at the time when he..she? whatever...at the time Lou was nearest to us, Todd wasn't there.

This was because he was lining up outside of the park with Daddy, to run the bases. You see, the Giants have a thing on Sundays where the kids under 14 get to run the bases. He thought that was the coolest thing ever...and he was pretty much right!

While we waited for his turn, Mom and I decided to attempt a self portrait. Attempt being the key word.

We also had to take the required photos in front of Willie.

Over all it was a perfect day...other than one small detail. We really wanted to....

 

but it didn't quite work out that way today!

the big kid table....

as previously mentioned, the 4th celebration was perfect. Even though I hardly picked up my camera. I've decided that I am just not a good event photographer...I'm not totally sure why, but I just feel no desire to put the camera in front of my face. I didn't fully realize that until this morning when my mom was pointing out how bad it was that neither Moriah nor I took any photos at the party. The strangest part is that it barely even crossed my mind to take any photos, when usually everything I see I think is a photo op. Odd.

I did pick up the camera to get this one moment...actually, this was only because my mom specifically said...."Lisa, you should get your camera and take a picture of this." (thanks Mom).

You see, Todd got to run with the "big kids" at the party. There were a handful of older kids and Todd was allowed to run as part of the pack. This is the first time he had that kind of experience. The kind where every move he made wasn't monitored or somehow commented on by dear old mom. It was a strange experience for me to be honest. But it was good for all, and he had a ball.

a perfect 4th

well almost.....is was foggy and a little wet, but the fireworks were still a pretty good show. I'm totally tired, but couldn't miss a blog post. Plus I wanted to say what a great day it was. Seriously the BBQ was perfect. Great friends, happy kids....simply perfect. I enjoyed every minute....

long day...

preparing for tomorrow...it is going to be a fun one! Old Fashioned hometown parade, followed by a big BBQ at Geoff and Moriah's that she and I are hosting. Then we are hoping that the fog, that at the moment is pretty much touching the ground, will stay away tomorrow. We have had some years with colored fog and it is kind of a bummer.

Tonight we went out to dinner for Geoff's birthday, and it was low key and typical at our favorite family spot, but it made me really happy. It was just one of those moments of looking down the table and seeing my 7 favorite people in the world all laughing and chatting and I just felt really grateful.

Simple times...good times...with more on the way tomorrow!

The scoop (finally)

Ok....first a funny story from today, that I think may just indicate how crazy I am (as if you didn't know).

So one (of my many) bosses gave me a gift certificate for a day spa to reward me for a rough loan patch we had a while back. Today I finally went in and boy oh boy was it wonderful. So I got myself halfway naked and climbed into the little bed thing, and I put my iphone in my pocket. I know, this was supposed to be a time to unplug, and I did, but old habits die hard and in case of emergency I didn't want to have to get up all topless and face creamed to try to get my phone. Believe me, no one wants to see that. So I was laying there totally immersed in relaxation and all kinds of gooey good face stuff and my lady told me to relax that she'd be back, and left the room. As I was relaxing there, I started to think about how funny I must look....and then I thought what a great photo it would make. But I didn't stop there, because then I thought "oh yeah I have my phone in my pocket". This is where the craziness ensued, because I couldn't see it...and I couldn't figure out how the eyeball cover thing was on so that I could peek out of it. I tried doing it by touch, but hello, there are no actual buttons on the thing. I was squirming and I could feel my nice toasty blanket going all askew, and as previously mentioned, no one needs to see that. So I gave up the mission and took a little siesta. But dude, I must really be into this whole documenting my life thing to attempt such a thing, don't you think?

Now onto much more professional matters, and if you don't care about scrapbooking or my upcoming classes, you can click away now.

For everyone else. REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!!

Here is the dealio...and I'm just so excited. First of all, my two classes are going to run BACK TO BACK! That means that it is pretty much a 12 week class beginning on August 28.

The first class is Product Playground 2...registration is open as of today. This is 6 weeks each focusing on a different product category. This is ALL layouts...no altering anything, just plain ole fashioned scrapping our stories.  We will have a gallery, a message board, chats every week and tons of FUN!!

The second class is Product Playground 2: The albums. We will hang out for 6 more weeks and make a mini album every week. If you check out my blog often, you know that I LOVE mini-albums. Each week the album will be built out of products from the same 6 categories of products, each one will be totally different and totally FUN! Registration will be open in a week or so, and this class will also have the chats, message boards, gallery etc.

Now here is the coolest part, if you sign up for Product Playground 2, you will get a coupon for a discount on registration for the album class! Cool right?

Now if you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me. I've also added links on the right...and since my life will be consumed with deadlines for content from not until November, I may talk about this a few more times (fair warning...sorry)

The first??

First of all...thank you SO much for the well wishes and congratulations. Seriously. I mean, how cool is this blogging thing? I got my results last night and couldn't wait to share here with all of you that put up with my 43,560 square feet in an acre babbling.

Speaking of sharing...it is the first of the month, so that means Scrapsupply Newsletter time. This month I played with masking, which I sometimes forget to do, but really enjoy.

This layout was my favorite that I created this month....the mask was used to create the dots on my journaling block. The layout couldn't be any simpler, but I think this is my favorite because it is a story I've been wanting to tell...and for some reason just didn't get around to it until now.

The journaling reads: Todd spent the day with my dad and Geoff on the boat. I stopped by to take a few pics and he was running and climbing all over the place. I took a breath to speak, but before I could get a word out, my Dad jumped in and gave me some unsolicited, but needed, and as usual completely accurate advice. He said, "Lisa, he's fine...and don't you say a word otherwise. He's not afraid and he doesn't need to be. He knows the rules, he knows what he can and can't do out here and he's FINE. You've got to let him go, and learn and play and be a boy. If you can't be quiet about it, you've got to walk away and let him go, he's fine." Gulp, "ok Dad, you boys have fun!" April 2007

OK...back to work on my Big Picture class...I know I keep saying to stay tuned, but I really do think registration is opening in the next day or so. I will post more scoop here as soon as it does.

whew!

I passed my test. I can't really describe how good it feels to have that off of my mind. Seriously. Now, when I hit my deadlines for Amy...I'll really be sitting pretty!

Productive....

I have to say, as I sit here on Sunday night I'm feeling like it was a pretty darn productive weekend. I got 4 layouts done...and we cleaned the house from top to bottom...and I mean cleaned. Things have been going well since the break up but today was big deep cleaning day and we did a bang up job if I do say so.

Every room was done except for my scrap space, which is continually a disaster, and when I'm on deadline and creating a lot, the disaster takes on epic proportions. For a long time that room had been half work space and half scrap space. When I moved my work out to the front of our house, I didn't do anything new in the scrap room. We kept the old work space for the desktop computer (which Todd would play on since all of my work is laptop based now) and I went about my business. Eventually I still hope to move my whole scrap space so I haven't wanted to spend a lot of energy on it in its current location. So I've just been plugging along.

Well last night I was chatting with Miss Nora and we were discussing her possible studio move within her house etc. I was complaining that my table is just too dang small and all of my stuff falls on the floor. She commented on how great L and U shapes are. All of a sudden a light bulb went on. How the heck I didn't think of it before I have no idea. The desk that used to be my work desk, that has been housing the desktop that finally died a couple of weeks ago is a big L....and all of about 5 feet from my current too small everything fall on the floor desk.

Ummm....DUH!!

So today at about 4:30 pm I decided to tear into it and flip flop the room. It is about 90% done and I am totally inspired to get back to creating in there. It still isn't my beautiful dream space, but it is going to be oh so much more functional.