Library of Memories Update

One of my goals for the summer was to fully implement the Library of Memories framework. I took a class from Stacy Julian this spring and LOVED every minute of it. I wasn't able to keep up with all of the assignments at the end thanks to the end of the school year. The system just makes sense for me and I wanted to get it all set up before school starts again.

I spent most of today working on getting all of my finished Layouts integrated into the system. For those of you who aren't scrapbookers, I basically wanted to get my finished pages organized into categories so I could find them when I wanted to and others could look at them in a logical way. I decided that I would leave any pages that I did on Creative Memories pages alone... for now. I don't want to have to figure out how to separate them just yet.

So I started by taking all of the layouts out of their current albums. As a side note, whatever adhesive I used in 2004 failed miserably! I spent a good hour repairing pages with loose elements. So sad! I am hoping that my current adhesive holds up much better! Here is what it looked like when I pulled them all onto my dining room table:
The end result is the photo at the top of the post. I need to create a few more tags and actually need to get another black and red album to get things organized as I would like them to be. In sorting the layouts, I really started to see the patterns in what I scrapbook and what I really want/need to scrapbook in the future. I gave up chronological scrapbooking a few years ago, but I was never deliberate about what pages I did create. It was just whatever was closest to me. Now with this system, I can find my photos and really create pages that I want to create. I can create with intention. It is almost as if my love of the art has been reborn with this system. So that may be a little melodramatic...

I also did some cleaning in my studio before starting all of this. The side where I actually create is a MESS right now, but the rest of the room is in much better shape.These are the shelves in my "reading corner" The albums here are the chronological storage binders where all of my unscrapped photos are. I still have a few more years worth that need to get into binders. Right now they are in the triage area:The basket holds all of my memorabilia that needs to be filed as well. It is all starting to fall into place!

Here is the TV and table I have in the room when I have other people over to crop. It was our kitchen table in our last house! I would like to paint it white eventually and maybe even put on a glass top. The fan is necessary to keep the room cool. I have an OLD window air conditioner that has served me well up here! The fan just gives it a little extra help!

Here is my little reading corner. I would like to create a slip cover for the chair this week. We'll see how adventurous I feel. Sewing is really not one of my talents. :-) I leave that to my mom and sister!


I will probably spend most of tomorrow trying to get the other side of my space cleaned up. I really want to scrapbook now that I have most everything organized. I just need to have a clean space to do it in!

A little productive...

I have been pretty lazy most of the summer. But considering the school year I had, I think I deserve it! :-) I am finally getting some things done. School will be here before I know it!

I think I have decided on a grad school program. Hopefully everything will fall into place. It starts right when school does, so I will be hitting the ground running for sure. I know that I am much better when I am busy anyway. My best year in college I had an overload of classes and worked 30 hours a week off campus. I am excited to be starting a grad program... something I should have done years ago.

I haven't been running at all, but I have been riding my bike. Chris is training for the marathon so I ride my bike as he runs. Last week we went 4 miles one day and yesterday we did 6 miles. We had planned to run/ride today but Chris ended up getting his eyes dialated at the eye doctor and couldn't see very well. He was wearing his sun glasses... I told him he was my own personal Stevie Wonder! He didn't think that was too funny.

I am making progress on getting all of my photos organized. I'd like to get my studio cleaned up so that we can have a girl's "playdate" here before school starts. We'll see how that goes. I know that if I just schedule something I am more likely to get things cleaned and ready to go. We'll see. One hurdle at a time.

I still haven't made any progress on making a Dr appt. I think once I get the grad school stuff taken care of, I will work on that. At least I am moving forward with my life somewhat. Time will tell. I need to make an appt with the counselor I have been talking about. I am hoping she will help me work through whatever is keeping me from moving forward with treatment.

Back to being productive!

Monday Update

Just thought I would post a little update as to what I have been up to. I haven't scrapped in a few days, but have spent most of the past two days here in my scraproom. I found two rubbermaid totes FULL of photos that I didn't realize I had. I have been getting them all organized into my LOM system. I am so excited to see that it really works for me! I still have a LONG way to go, but at least I had a starting point for all of these photos and such. Most of the photos are from at least 10 years ago, so it was fun looking at all of them. Big hair and all... LOL.

It all started because I have finally decided to start a master's program this fall. It is something I should have done a LONG time ago, but life just wasn't right at the time. I could have done a cohort group right in my building years ago, but I was sure I was going to get pregnant and would have to leave the program. Funny how life works out, huh? So now I am just going for it. I should have started the process back in June, but I wasn't ready I guess. Now I am trying to make a decision about which program to go with and then I have to get all of my paperwork together. All of the applications need to know your undergrad GPA. I know the ballpark, but I don't remember the exact number. I know that I have a copy of my final transcript around here somewhere, but I have not been able to find it. :-( What I did find was the boxes listed above! LOL. I think I may call my district office because I know they have one on file so I can go get a copy of it. Most of the programs also need a copy of my current teaching certificate which is also kept at the district office. So looks like I will be heading into school sometime this week!

We've been busy with friends and the swim team. We went to the water part at Six Flags on Tuesday... that was fun, but our day was short since Chris had to get to practice. We had a double graduation party on Saturday for siblings on our swim team. The daughter is off to North Carolina in the fall. We've known her since she was 8, so we felt really OLD at her graduation party! LOL. The conference swim meet was also this weekend for the summer season, and Chris' team won. He was really excited about that since they lost the winter one by just a few points. We went out and celebrated last night at a local pizza place. We stayed until the mosquitos got so bad on the deck that they were carrying the small children away!

We took Dad's convertible out to lunch and we went to a place about an hour from here. I didn't even think about putting on sunscreen... and I ended up with a nice burn that includes a tan line... where the seat belt was! It is rather funny to see! My dad has this great dark skin, so he didn't even think about getting burned. LOL. Live and learn. Now I just need to put on sunblock everywhere BUT where the seat belt was next time we are out.

It's rainy and gloomy here today. Chris did not have morning practice this morning thankfully. He has been getting up at 4:30 every day this summer. He is just so tired! He is home by 8:30 am but then has office work to do. He is back at the pool by 3:45 and then gets home around 10. He is just plain tired! He has a few weeks off in August, so that will be good for him. I am not used to sharing the house during the summer, though! I am used to having my own space and my own schedule. I am sure we will survive!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's birthday. We've always had a pretty good relationship, but we've had our moments as I am sure every dad and daughter does. I am proud to say he's my dad... even if he does make me crazy every once in a while!

Chris is at a meet and my mom is out of town so the two of us went out to lunch. We decided to drive out to Wheeling so we had lots of time to talk in the car. It was nice to hear about his life and all of the jobs he has held. He has done so much in his life. I am hoping I will remember enough of what we talked about to write it all down later. I was able to even ask some questions and gain some insight into his life and my own childhood. It was a really nice day!

Lazy Summer Days

Well I am finally on full summer break! Summer school is over and I don't really have any plans for the rest of the summer. I am LOVING it! :-) I get to see lots of Chris since he is home during the afternoons for his "office hours" for the swim team. I do feel like I am doing a great deal of cooking and cleaning, but I guess that is what happens when you are home for three meals a day!

I have enjoyed lots of time to read... something I love but rarely have time to do in the school year. I am a big fan of chick-lit books and have had several of them on my bookshelf for months just begging to read them. I belong to a great site called paperbackswap that allows you to swap paperback books free of charge. You simply list all of the books you have that you are willing to send out and others do the same. When something catches your eye or is on your wishlist, the other member is contacted and then they agree to send it to you. The only cost is the media mail rate for postage. So, I have had all of these books sitting on my shelf just calling to me.

The most recent one I read to two days from cover to cover: Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish. It is the story of women who are charged with the task of disseminating a beloved friend's ashes across the United States at places that were important to her. Along the way these five strangers become close friends and learn more about themselves and their own lives. It made me want to gather up all of my girlfriends and have a roadtrip for sure! The book also highlights the strength and quirkiness of women today. I am looking forward to reading other books by this author.

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We had a great 4th of July. I walked the 5k much to Chris' dismay, but my knee is still not 100% and I had not been training for it at all. I need to get back into a routine for sure. Here is the "before" picture of Chris and I:

Chris finished just over 22 minutes. He wanted to be closer to 20, but is happy with this time. He is training for the Chicago Marathon again, so he is not really training for this distance right now.

We all stayed and watched the parade as well. Antioch has one of the LONGEST 4th of July Parades ever. This year my mom and aunt were part of the parade as part of the Lakes Region Historical Society. This organization was really important to my grandfather so my mom and aunt have kept a strong involvement since he passed away. Here they are in the parade:After the parade we went over to our friends' house for a barbeque. The kids were waiting for Coach Chris to get there for a water fight. He did not disappoint:
We later played washers and had lots of great food and fun! We ended the night with a last minute mad dash to the fireworks in Antioch. It is set to music so it is nice to be at the park. We literally set up our chairs just as the first fireworks were going off! Here is a photo of the finale:All in all it was great day. We are blessed to have some wonderful friends in our life!