Hi! I'm Marnie. You may not know me as I like to hide behind my camera. I take lots of pictures of these three,
but not many of me. I have my reasons. We'll talk about that later.
So let's become friends. Here are some things not about me...
I am not celebrating a regular (non-decade) birthday soon.
I am not in school, and have no tests for which to prepare.
I am not coming to you from my vacation home in Aruba, as I have not yet struck it rich.
I have not yet purchased the perfect bicycle.
I do not run marathons, half marathons, or even around the block.
I am not as tall as I thought I might be.
I do not prefer to read pedantic prose professing to be literature.
I am not currently a redhead nor a brunette.
I am not single, or widowed.
I am not male.
I am not fond of people who cannot tolerate light sarcasm.
I have not yet seen Fast & Furious, in spite of my fast & furious efforts to do so.
I have not dreamed of Brad Pitt, Vin Diesel, or Jason Statham for at least four nights.
I have not not had chocolate for as many days as I can remember.
I am not addicted to Dr Pepper.
I am not as fond of American Oreos as I am of Canadian Oreos.
I do not have an ability to restrain from eating an entire package of Golden Oreos in one sitting.
I do not add salt to any food that I cook or eat (unless you count butter--teehee!).
I did not kill Miss Scarlet in the kitchen with the lead pipe.
I did not read fewer than five books this month.
I have not mowed my lawn this year.
I am not too proud to belt out some heartfelt vocals on "You Oughta Know" with a Rockband microphone in hand.
I do not believe that anyone might possibly love Sarah McLachlan more than I.
I do not often miss Harry Potter movies on opening week.
I will not be ashamed to see New Moon opening night.
I did not kiss a boy for the first time at 13.
I did not fail to recognize the impact and importance of my library card.
I did not fail to create a layout about the importance of my library card.
I have not climbed Mount Everest.
I have not climbed my stairs fewer than fifty times in any given day.
I have not yet found the laundry fairy who comes at night and leaves your clothes clean, pressed, and put away.
I do not live in a big house.
I do not live with a grey mouse.
I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I am not opposed to a good Britney Spears song.
I do not miss So You Think You Can Dance. I am not capable of learning the choreography, despite my best efforts.
I do not see the importance of not watching tv.
I do not wear panty hose under my jeans.
I do not underestimate the power of spanx, kindness, and money.
I do not believe in doing anything halfway.
I do not think my house is clean if the beds are unmade.I do not believe a child can be loved too much.
I do not believe love and spoiling are the same.
I did not understand how much motherhood would deepen me.
I do not miss being a working mother. The same is not true of being a worker.
I am not sure how there are people out there who do not scrapbook.And lastly, I did not underestimate your ability to become distracted, so I will stop.
Once I typed out this big list, I thought to myself, "Self, that would make a great layout." But when I looked for a picture of just me, the most recent one I could find was from June. When I needed a headshot for my Write. Click. Scrapbook bio page. And I know I didn't like that one, as the one on my bio page is from January, again when I needed one for work.
Here are my list of excuses. Feel free to add your own.
Too lazy.
Camera adds 100 pounds.
Bad complexion day.
Bad hair day.
Bad hair month.
House is too cluttered for a nice background.
Bad lighting.
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.
On and on. But here is what I need to remind myself. (Feel free to answer your own excuses now...)
Too lazy. - Stop being lazy.
Camera adds 100 pounds. - Liar.
Bad complexion day. - So what? That's what Photoshop is for.
Bad hair day. - So what?
Bad hair month. - Double so what?
House is too cluttered for a nice background. - Go outside!
Bad lighting. - Bad excuse. Try tomorrow just before twilight.
Etc. - Your children don't care.
Etc. - Your children's children don't care.
Etc. - Your children's children's children want a photo of just you. Today!
He thought the sunset looked pretty cool tonight (thanks to a rockin' science teacher who has him following Jupiter, his eyes are locked upward these days!) so he panned out and included that awesome skyline. Which didn't make for a great shot either.
So then it was time for the 2 year old to have her turn. One quick shot of the neighbor's tree and we handed it over to my sweet cougar bait who quickly took 7 shots. Two were out of focus, one had me between Top Model poses, three were Top-Model-poses-gone-wrong, and one was just going to have be good enough.
So with one decent'ish photo in hand, and a list for journaling, I made this:
Have
you scrapbooked yourself lately? Why not? Are you not in your scrapbooks as you have nothing (important) to say? Phooey! Sit down, and make a list of all the things you aren't. Or if that takes too much grammar, make a list of all the things you are! Then slap that picture
and your list down on some of that awesome patterned paper you've been hoarding. Add
some trinkets that reflect your personality. Voila! Fini! No excuses are good enough today.
Scrap the excuses, then scrap your photo and list. And post it in the
Flickr account. I'll be watching for them... (and just might have a fun
reward for those who do...)
Whoa, got a little excited there. Truth is, I have been traveling round the country this year and asking how many of you have scrapbooked yourselves lately. I am stunned at how few of us tell our stories. I am guilty too, but I am trying to be better. So be better with me. Let's start today with a simple photo and list layout. And if you can't get a photo today, then how about a mini-album that doesn't need one? I gained a mad girl crush on Katrina and her week of W. The creative juices were oozing all over with ideas, but no time. So yesterday, I sat down and made me a little fact album. The who what where why and when of me. Circa right now. It was fun. And cheap and easy. (Which happens to also be my current favorite way of doing anything: fun cheap and easy! Minds wandering now... And returning now...)
In just two hours I made a little book that has all sorts of tidbits in it (and I didn't even have to pose for another round of photos!).
Let's not let another day pass without getting in and on a layout. (No, sitting on one does not count. Nor standing. You know what I mean...) Promise? I can't wait to see your amazing work!
Thank you for stopping! Now go take that photo! (Said with love!)