Good morning! I am so happy to be here with you today! Have you had a great summer? Mine flew by so quickly!! With football practices that ran all summer and gymnastics that goes year round, combined with erratic and unpredictable weather patterns, summer seemed to slip away, nearly before it began.
Needless to say, my scrapbookingtook a very back seat to my childrens' needs. It's part of why I love back-to-school--it means back-to-scrapbooking for me! Superhooray!!
One thing that I love to do each new school year is to quiz my kids. I grew up with one of those school scrapbooks that housed my school photo, my teacher, my height & weight, what I wanted to be when I grew up and a few other questions to answer for the year. When I look back at this falling apart book, I love to see my answers to things when I was small.
So last Sunday we lined up against the wall and got everyone's new heights. And then I sat everyone down to ask the usual suspects, favorite friends, foods, books, movies, songs. (I also try to do this on their birthdays and at the end of the year. I email myself the answers so that they don't get lost in a drawer before I can add them to a page. Years of bits of yellow legal pads are starting to get a bit crazy.)
This year, I am adding something new. Last week I was flipping through, and drooling over, the new Mini Boden catalogue. (Knowing I can't afford anything inside doesn't stop me from dog earring corners and picking out favorites.) Somewhere along the line I realized that the kids modeling the goods had their names and ages listed, along with random tidbits--funny little responses to odd little questions. Things like, cure for sadness, my favorite word. Just some silly questions that seemed to give you a little insight into their character.
Lightbulb! (said with my best Despicable Me imitation!!)
I grabbed a pen and flipped back and forth until I had a completed list of all their questions. Then I raced home and tortured, I mean, peppered my children with the questions. Nigel wasn't too hip to answer them, but I didn't let that stop me. I just waited and waited and told him he couldn't leave the house until he had answered them. (Would I have done that???!!) His layout didn't have room for a picture which suited him just fine.
8.5 x 8.5 | materialsAdobe Photoshop + digital papers (Color Combo 3, Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (Century Gothic, Cooper)
For Poppy's layout, I began with the exact same layout. Until I realized that there was no room for a photo. And that just won't do as I have about 64 539 of them. And this year we have a delightful snaggle tooth refusing to come out, making it even more impossible to not want to add a photo. It shouldn't have been that hard, but somehow it turned into one of those 3.5 hour exercises in frustration as I moved the pieces around trying to make them fit. (Please tell me this has happened to you, too. Truly, one of the times when finishing a page becomes a chore and not a delight.) In the end, I did it. And am so glad I stuck it out.
8.5 x 8.5 | materialsAdobe Photoshop + digital papers (Color Combo 3, Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (Century Gothic, Playground, Doodle Basic)
Oh the difference in the tone of the answers. (Though one of their answers was exactly the same. Can you spot it?) And goodness sakes did their personalities shine through. What a pleasant surprise!! I am so glad I took the time to ask these questions and record their answers. I hope they enjoy these pages years down the road.
It was already the wee morning hours, so I got to thinking, why not one more? Why not me? I could hardly ask you to make a page about yourselves without doing mine, too! There is no picture for me, as my snaggle teeth are not endearing!! Kidding. Really, I realized that it has been too long since my last just me shot, so I made my layout without one, and will use my new found knowledge as an excuse to get my hair done. :)
8.5 x 8.5 | materialsAdobe Photoshop + digital banner (Color Combo 3, Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (Century Gothic, Lobster 2, Pea Comfy Cozy)
So that's it! Ask a silly question (or 13) and you might be surprised how much of your children or you comes radiating through the silly or heartfelt answers. Don't forget you can make your own page. I bet in ten years you will be curious to know what your answers would have been today...
Before I go, two things. Studio Calico is launching its new kit this weekend. We would love for you to purchase it by clicking here! Then they will know we sent you!
And lastly, all the papers on my pages are from Crystal Wilkerson's newest line: ColorCombo #3. It's a good one. Just sayin'... (And nope, I am not a paid spokesperson, just a die hard fan!!)
