Every once in awhile, and more often than I lately have time for, I get the creative ITCH. The need, the craving to create something out of nothing. To take bits and pieces and fluff and lovlies and doodads and combine them in a pleasing way. This urge might manifest in a batch of yummy, pretty cupcakes or a little stitched blankie for my baby... It might be satisfied with a batch of new photos or a scrapbook page. The two projects I'm showing you today are directly inspired by two very creative gals who seem to make time for their creative itch more than I do. One, Jaime, is a good friend. The other, Ali Edwards, is a "scrapbooking guru" whose blog I stalk. Both blogs are fun and inspiring, so go check them out.

So today, I'm going to show you two little books. The first is inspired by Jaime's amazing hybrid books here and here. Okay, maybe "inspired" is the wrong word. How about "directly and completely copied"? *wink*
Take a look at her book:

I loved her owl book so much that I went over and got the scoop on how to make one of my own. I followed her directions to a T and voila! A lovely lil' owl book of my very own.

The digital scrapbooking kit I used is "Owl Love You Forever Boy" by MandaBean

The pages are mostly done digitally, on Photoshop. They are then printed onto photo paper.

The board book is the keyplate book by BasicGrey.
The Photoshop layouts are cut out and glued to the board book pages.

Additional scrapbook doodads, 3-D this time, are added. (Jaime used Prima flowers, sooo cute, but not very "manly", so I used "Love, Elsie" chipboard buttons)

The whole thing gets one more coat of glue and some matching ribbons from my vast and growing ribbon collection added to the ring...

And only a little while later (okay, I'm lying. MAN this took longer than Jaime made it sound. :) I slaved away on this little treasure!!! And don't look too close. There are plenty of little mistakes to remind me I'm human.) ...anyway, a bit later I have a fabulous brag book to show of some favorite Noah photos. Love it!
(Thanks, Jaime, for letting me completely steal your idea. Maybe next time I'll try to be original. Or not. You're too inspiring for me to quit the plagarism. *sigh*)

*

BOOK #2

...And this one is from Ali Edward's Weekend Creative Valentine's idea in early February, posted here. She gave a template ready to print and some excellent photo descriptions, and it seemed easy enough. So I whipped one together for my sweetie for his Valentine's card and added some little photos of our family. I wrote lots of sweet reasons he is awesome to finish the whole thing off. Cute!

...So there you go. Every so often there is time in my messy, loud, packed, stretched little life to make something out of nothing-- to fulfill that creative need. And these little books are tangible reminders that our life IS good and IS lovely, and that everything we have is everything we'll ever need. I need to remember to do this again. I need to remember that there will always be good stuff in the middle of the crazy stuff.

My life is pretty great. And I'm okay.

Gabbly Chat:

A brief note: You may have noticed the GabblyChat box to the right of my postings. This is a random, fun little widget that allows those who are currently viewing my blog to chat with each other. Fun. Weird. Random. Mostly, you'll be the sole viewer. Once in awhile, you might find another Emily's Little World blog stalker to hang with for a minute.

I may keep this widget... I may ditch it. For now, I'm terribly amused at the idea that I might get to chat with any one of you. I already have chatted with Stefanie, Cherron, Abby, and Polly... and it was delightful!

So.... long story short, I am gonna be online tonight of all nights. Friday night. I am editing photos and it is a lonely endeavor. If you decide you wanna "go gabbly" with me, just start typing in the box to your right and I'll type right back. I'll probably stay around from 8 pm to 10 pm central time.

And just for fun, I'll come back and report tomorrow if anyone took me up on my chat offer.

Ta!

This Minute:

I feel overwhelmed by my life... feel it spiraling out of my control...

So forgive my non-post. I have no new photos to share, and no inspiring stories. I'm just trying to keep my head above water... slowly doggie-paddling to the distant shore that is the end of the school year.

I'll try to wave along the way without drowning.

GLURB...LL...GGG...LUGGG.....LLLRRRGGG...LLL...

Announcing:

I'm officially announcing/debuting a little "portfolio blog" I've put together to display some of my paid photography. It's mostly for prospective clients, so they can get a good idea of what my capabilities are and feel better about hiring me.

It's funny, but I feel a bit sheepish/embarrassed to be announcing this to you guys, my friends. Like I'm PRETENDING to be some bigshot photographer or something. Well, I'm not. I'm just little ol' me... working to make a bit of extra money since I will soon be a full-time stay-at-home mom.

so since you guys are my amigos, please give me feedback. It is easy to navigate? Is it pleasing to the eye? Are the examples I've posted good enough? I will eventually get together a "real" website... one that will be even more user-friendly. But for now, in my "portfolio-building" stage, this will have to do.

Okay. I'm outta here. I just can't get over feeling like a ding-dong, self-promoting, silly wannabe girl. So I'll blush and leave.

Love y'all!

(oh yeah... the link!!! See??? I'm so silly!
Emily Southerland {Grassroots} Photography)

My First Earthquake

In lil' ol Missouri!
I had just gone to bed after feeding Noah at 4:30a.m., and was trying to drift back to sleep, when the dishes started rattling. Joe popped awake, alert and concerned. We both waited through it, heard some DVDs crash to the floor, and then it was over.
We both got up to check the house, and all was well except the DVDs... And we went back to bed discussing the weird event. After ruling out any other possibilities (including a band of Ninjas shaking the Lodge) we went to sleep amazed we had been in our first earthquake.
Here's this morning's short news about it:

Earthquake!

Crazy.

Jump For Joy, My Friends.

Wouldn't life be ideal if we could sit in our doorways and just jump and bounce and bob? And be completely content and happy to do so? Observing our little universes, grinning at the people in our lives, and just being blissfully happy?




Yep... Pretty great.

(Thanks for the overwhelming response to my handsome hubby tag... It was fun to do, fun to look back on our better-looking years, and fun to see how much you guys got a kick out of it, too!)

Husband Tag (Part Two of TAG DAY):

Dedicated to My Best Friend and Partner in Crime...

{engagement photo by Katie Benson 2004}

{dating in April 2004}

How long did you date?
we began dating February 4, 2004 and got married September 17, 2004. So...7 months.

{dating in Vegas, March 2004}

How old is he?
he is 28 years old. I am two years older.

{engaged in the Tetons, July 2004}

Who eats more?
We're both pretty equal, but I can out-sugar him by the slightest edge.

{engagement photo by Katie Benson, 2004}

Who said "I love you" first?
I did... and it was an accidental blurt-- which I suppose makes it pretty sincere.

{engaged in summer 2004}

Who is taller?
He is. I am 5'7", he is 6'0".
Who sings better?
I do. But he's pretty good himself!

{post-wedding photo by Mary S. 2004}

Who is smarter?
Ooh-- we argue this one ALL the time. I am POSITIVE I am, and he is POSITIVE he is. I think we finally decided we're smart in different areas from each other, which is why we feel so much more superior to each other at times. *wink*

{our wedding day photo by Katie Benson, 9-17-04}

Whose temper is worse?
Mine. because my temper is a fast, fiery flash (quick, big, but gone in moments), and his is a slow burn that has never actually TRULY flamed up in our life together so far. I'm betting it may never show up.

{our wedding day photo by Katie Benson, 9-17-04}

Who does the laundry?
I tend to do the washing/drying part and he tends to do the folding.
Who does the dishes?
I tend to do the loading, he tends to do the unloading.

{getting a Christmas tree- nov. 2004}

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
If you're standing at the foot of the bed (which would be a bit creepy, to be honest), Joe is on the right. I am on his right, and he is on stage left. I'm trying to confuse you. What a dumb question.
Who pays the bills?
I do. AND I spend the money.
Who mows the lawn?
The lawncare company the Freemasons pay.

{Our 2nd anniversary- Sept. 2006}

Who cooks dinner?
I make the "true meals" like white bean chicken chili and apricot chicken and pork chops, etc., but they are few and far between... He is the one to whip up the "easy meals" like frozen pizza, hamburger helper, mac n' cheese, etc. and he does it WAAAY more often than me.
Who drives when you are together?
He does. I entertain Noah.

{September 2006}Who is more stubborn?

I am. but he can give me a run for my money sometimes. But no, really it's all me. I'm a knuckleheaded, boneheaded, hardheaded fool. I admit it.

{November 2006- Thanksgiving}

Who kissed who first?
he smooched me. It was on Valentine's Day. and I passed him a note a couple of days before in a movie theater where a bunch of our friends were watching Lord of the Rings and the note told him I was open to the idea of smooching. So he took me up on it a few days later. Score!
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?
Me. because I'm the talker. He probably feels it first (I'm stubborn, remember??), but because I am all about communicating, I'll concede verbally first, just to get the dialogue going.

{May 2007}Whose parents do you see the most?

Currently, mine, who live 2 hours away, who we see about once a month. When we first got married, we saw his parents all the time because they live 20 minutes away. Sadly, they are in Korea for a job these days, and we NEVER get to see them. We miss them.

{At Bryce Canyon, Utah: July 2007}

Who proposed?
he did... by candlelight and picnic the night before I left for a month-long trip. He was sooo nervous... the memory still melts me.

Who is more sensitive?
Me. Oh yes, me. Sometimes TOO sensitive.

{preggy picture by Mary S. Nov. 2007}

Who has more friends?
I do... But he has more in the longevity/retention dept. His bessies are all from high school, whereas I only have one lovely from HS and the rest from college. (Which is quickly become a study in longevity itself, come to think of it...) Locally, I have WAY more friends. He is just so busy.

{new family photograph by Mary S. : November 2007}Who has more siblings?

I do. I have 5 sisters and one brother. He has two brothers and one sister.

Who wears the pants in the family?
Hmm... Honestly, it depends on the situation. I am definitely more bossy (which I HATE), but he is the strength of our family.

{new family photograph by Mary S. : November 2007}

Who are you tagging?

Steven & Tamara, Jodie, and Katie Benson{Love you, Joe!}

Tag.

Jaime tagged me. Twice. And in honor of the tagging, I'm posting photos of the "taggie blankets" I made Noah last month. Yay!
{aren't the colors fun? These were so easy, and Noah LOVES them!}

{"N" for Noah...}

Here's the first TAG (second one will be coming later)--

Four Jobs I've Held:
# High School English Teacher
# Waitress
# Teleservice Scheduling for Sears Repair
# Photographer

Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:
# Lord of the Rings-- all three
# Moulin Rouge
# Braveheart
# Pride and Prejudice- BBC

Four Places I've Lived:
# St. Louis, MO
# Provo, UT
# Columbia, MO
# Woodbridge, VA

Four TV shows I like:
# Scrubs
# The Office
# 30 Rock
# Deal or No Deal

Four People Who Email Me Regularly:
# Genny
# Melanie & Stefanie, my BBC friends
# Church people
# Spammers

Four Favorite Foods:
# Double Stuf Oreos
# Cupcakes
# Steak, medium-rare, with potatoes and asparagus
# Slushes

Four Places I'd Rather Be:
# A weekend in Columbia (Genny, family, Grinders)
# A week in Utah (you all know who you are! Sarah, you'd be there, too.)
# Chillin' in a fancy hotel room (sleep, room service, spa, etc.)
# Europe-- Italy, specifically!

Four People I'm Tagging:
# Sarah Lambson
# Kirsti Lambson
# Genevieve Not Lambson
# Tamara Lambson

*

{coming up: The Hubby Tag, from Jaime, like, two months ago, which I haven't gotten around to yet! But now I will!}

How Does Time Go So Fast??

I Spy a Winner!

Those who responded, here's how you ranked (out of eleven, if you count the double spaghetti search):

Jaime- 7/11
Rochelle- 9/11
Valerie- 9/11
Elise- 9ish, 10ish/11 (the bottle thing is a stretch, girl.)
Andrea- 10/11 (by a HAIR of a minute!)
Jewlia- 10/11
Allie- 10/11
Amelia- 10/11 (with a clever take
on the answering process- she numbered directly on a copy of my photo for a visual explanation!)

And the winner?

Melanie, with 11 out of 11-- AMAZING! And she was the very first to email me this morning. Here are her actual emailed answers:

1. a leprechaun-- Shillelagh sign

2. my apron collection-- next to the dishwasher. So cute! I want more aprons in my life. I need to make some. . .

3. cuttings from our flowering forsythia-- in the pellegrino bottle. I miss forsythia. .. I wonder if I could get it to grow in Utah

4. the lovely casserole dish from my mother-in-law-- ooh! Le Creuset! Lucky pants. . .

5. some patched pants-- on the cute little boy on the "big patch" sign

6. a cold remedy that really works-- Zicam. . . next to the cheese grater on the microwave

7. a place for dry spaghetti and a place for wet spaghetti-- the tall skinny container on the dishwasher for dry spaghetti and the silver colander on the wall for wet

8. a fragile plant in a strange container-- looks to me like there's a plant in either a yogurt or sour cream container next to the potted plants.

9. my koolaid jug-- I'm thinking this is next to the toaster oven. . . the tall skinny kind that fits in the fridge door

10. a vestige of my Macaroni Grill days-- I was going to guess the EAT sign, but then i thought, does anyone actually drink pellegrino? Maybe it's the pellegrino bottle. . . i'm going to stick with that, though I'm probably wrong. Doesn't help that I haven't been to Macaroni Grill forever. . .

So, Mel... What do ya want? You're already crafty, so sewing you something would be pointless... I could bake you a batch of cupcakes when I get to Utah... or mail you some fun scrapbook supplies in the next few days, if you do that sort of thing? We'll talk.

Everyone else-- thanks for playing! That was actually really random, unplanned, and fun. We should do it again sometime!!

"I Spy" Quickie Contest

My lil' game amuses me. And some of you have been amused too! So-- anyone who wants to email me their guesses (describing exactly where/what you think each item is) can go ahead and do so... And the person who guesses the most correct by tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. gets some kind of goodie from me (maybe something crafty or cutesie or scrapbook-y or something... or if you're local, a batch of cupcakes??). Why not try?
Email me at: lambsongirl at yahoo dot com.
When I announce the winner, I'll also post the solution pictures so all of you going nuts with that elusive item can sleep easier tomorrow night.

(if you're just hopping on, the "I Spy" is my previous post. See below.)

Kisses!

Let's Play "I Spy"

This evening, the light in my west-facing kitchen made me so happy that I had to take a picture to try to capture it. I think I almost have it right. And since I love my lil' attic kitchen, let's look around it a bit and play some "I Spy". Take a peek:

Tell me, can you spy:

1. a leprechaun
2. my apron collection
3. cuttings from our flowering forsythia
4. the lovely casserole dish from my mother-in-law
5. some patched pants
6. a cold remedy that really works
7. a place for dry spaghetti and a place for wet spaghetti
8. a fragile plant in a strange container
9. my koolaid jug
10. a vestige of my Macaroni Grill days

*

Go... Look all over my kitchen (all the less-than sparkling areas are well-hidden here!). And let me know what you find.
(And if you're ever in town, come on over and we'll make something yummy in this cozy, warm little kitchen. I love it.)

Mama Time

{don't you love his look/grimace of utter disgust?? Like, "WTH?? Who do you think you are??"}

{yeah... he's sucking on me nose. *SLURPPP*}

I need to keep reminding myself to get in FRONT of the camera with my little one... Because he'll want to see old pictures one day, and if Dad is the only one in the pictures with him, what conclusions might he draw? So every so often I hand the camera over to Joe and ask him to catch a few moments of my baby and me. And he gets better and better each time... So even though I'm a bit camera-shy, the whole process isn't that painless!

*

(Aaahh, who am I kidding?? I've NEVER been camera-shy! I pretty much LOVE having my picture taken, as long as I have the final say on whether or not it's good and should be saved or deleted. And you thought I was ALWAYS this cute? Nah... just selective photo-taking and a bit o' editing. I'm pretty average in real life. But being average never stopped me from enjoying hamming it up for the camera!!)

Oh, Rick...

For a good time....


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*happy April 1.*