Getting Ready...

I've been really busy this week working and getting ready for our road trip next week and I just haven't had much time to post. I am about to run out now and pick up some clothes since I currently own like 3 outfits and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need more to make it through a week long vacation. Before I go here is a sneak at the travel journals I put together. I will eventually post more pictures of what they look like (hopefully soon!):

Random Favorite Photo

Here is one from my trip to Maine a couple years ago which is when I first learned that I like taking photos... I took it on a 3 megapixel point and shoot camera. But it's still one of my faves:

Mom in Maine June 2006

Watch for a "real" post tomorrow

I think I may have convinced him...

I think I may have convinced Dustin to move to Raleigh and start having babies... here's the story...
Dustin and I were walking through NC State University campus taking pictures. We came up to the brick yard and there was a dad who had taken his two daughters there to ride bikes. I was like "aww look at that, that's cute" Dustin had the "aww" look on his face (ok I might have imagined that)

(the brickyard... see the bike?)

Anyways... so later we were walking down Hillsborough street trying to avoid the drunk guy asking for money and turned to Dustin and said, "We should move to Raleigh and then every Sunday you can take the kids up to NC State to ride bikes".....(pause).... "while I'm at Archivers**!"

Ok maybe I actually convinced him NOT to have kids.... hmm... in retrospect I should have left out the Archivers thing... and added something about engineering.... you can pretty much get Dustin to do anything if you can relate it to NC State or engineering... for example I should have said"

"Dustin, don't you want to move back to Raleigh, home of NC State, GO WOLFPACK (insert wolfpack hand gesture thing) then every Sunday you can take our little engineering babies up to NC State, GO WOLFPACK (insert wolfpack gesture) where you can teach them how to ride bikes in the brick yard and take them on a tour of all the NC State Campus engineering buildings and teach them all about this great school ... and engineering... GO WOLFPACK (insert wolfpack gesture)

yeah that would have worked better....

**FYI Archivers is a scrapbook store that I spent a little too much money at this past weekend.... just in case you didn't know what one was....

Vintage Travel

Here are a couple of things I made last week when Scarlett and I got together to scrap. The one on the left is an ATC and the one on the right is actually a 5x7. I think it would be kinda cool if was made into a cover to a mini book or travel journal (with a label on the front). I might turn it into that.

Random Favorite Photo

Flooded Apple Orchard

Brookings, South Dakota
March 2007

What I am working on this week

Creativity Challenge: These never go very well for me. But its good to try. I did use some of my paper scraps that I wanted to use a couple of weeks ago but then I just ended up adding more scraps to the pile too. For the next couple of weeks I am going to be working on this:
Yep… that’s the manual to my camera… I figure I’ve had the camera for 3 years it’s about time I learn how to use it! I will post my progress (if I make any!).

Projects I'm working on: I still want to start an etsy shop but that idea hasn’t gone any further. I also have came up with a couple class ideas and have to have proposals in by the end of the week to the store owner so I am still working on those. And my most urgent project is travel journals for our road trip. Yeah that’s right Mom and Danielle, I’m creating travel journal/mini books. And you are going to like them, and use them! Deal with it! Here are some of the supplies I plan on using. I’m going for a distressed/vintage travel theme…

Budget Update: Well I was definitely over budget BUT wasn’t doing too badly….that is until we went to Raleigh and I went to Archivers for the very first time (and second time... yeah I went twice!). I wouldn’t have done too badly except I found a lot of 7 gypsies stuff I needed to make travel journals. Oh well… there’s always next month….

Road Trip Update: Mom, Danielle and I have decided to stick with the VA/NC mountains idea and have even booked hotels!!! Go us!!

A cuteness update: Not to be outdone by all the cute kittens here are pictures of Cinnamon looking just as cute... but much much bigger...ok lets be honest... it looks like he ate the kittens...

I (heart) Raleigh

Dustin and I went to Raleigh this past weekend. It was our first time back in Raleigh and back on campus since graduation 4 years ago. It really really made us want to move back. Of course we took pictures. Here is a little bit of NC State (we were shocked because we couldn't remember it looking so good and having so many trees!!)

Kittens so cute they deserve their own post...

Went to Scarlett's house to scrap today - didn't get much done ( I did get one kinda cool atc done but I'll post that later). But I did get to take pictures of the cutest kittens EVER. I want one so bad....and if I didn't live in an apartment and already have two I would have taken one, or two, or three home....
And here's the one I want.... he's a little bit chubby, fluffy, and the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Jump Around, Jump Around, Jump Up and Get Down...

So as you can see I like to make Dustin jump so I can take pictures of it. Actually in all fairness he starts it. See little fake scenario below. Actually it sounds exactly like what happens EVERY time.

Scene: Somewhere out in nature. Melissa is taking pictures of a tree, leaf, or some random pile of dirt . Dustin out of nowhere runs by and randomly jumps off a tree stump or something.

Dustin: OWW! That hurt!
Melissa: Hey! I didn't get a photo of that go back and do it again!
Dustin: No it hurt
Melissa: But I want a photo. It probably won't hurt the second time (giant smile)
Dustin: no
Melissa: PLEASE!!!!
Dustin: Fine

And one of me. Not nearly as dramatic... Actually I probably jumped way WAY higher, but Dustin was taking the picture.... jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, (Can I help it if these photos make me think of House of Pain?)

This is what I'm doing at 1am....

Random Favorite Photo

To keep my post count up and because I love to take photos and then periodically go back and look at the thousands of photos I've taken over the years I am going to start posting a random favorite photo. And yes I do realize I think I am a way better photographer than I actually am. FYI I also like to believe that thousands of people read this blog when really its only like two. Anyways... here is the first photo in my new blog series:

1880 Town, South Dakota - June 2008

Blast from the Past...

Don't you miss summer? I know ... I know... summer didn't go anywhere.. I'm not talking about the season, I'm talking about the kid version of "summer". Where you had 3 months off to do nothing but sleep in late, hang out by the pool and spend all day with your friends. And don't you miss vacations... back when vacations were "free" (well at least you didn't have to worry about paying for them) and you didn't have to worry about coming up with an agenda, booking hotels, etc... you just went along for the ride...and it was fun. In honor of stress free summers and vacations here is a picture from the first time we went to Disney in the summer of 1994 (that's me in the front):

Still working...

My day off...

A Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade and a new layout. I should have been working on coming up with class ideas but I procrastinated and came up with this layout. And really I think it is better than the original idea I had (see last post). I think I am going to combine the two together to make a class. Which is kinda exciting. I still need to work on Slice class ideas though....

A work in progress...

I have been really inspired by this blog lately: http://retrospection.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Here is my take on her style. It's still a work in progress at this point but I need to stop and go to work:

Now I'm off to Starbucks to get a Venti Passion Tea Lemonade, then off to work!

What I am working on this week...

Creativity Challenge: This week I am going to try my hardest to use my paper scraps. The box I use to keep them in has gotten a little bit out of control so I wan to see if I can use some of them and see the pile go down. Here is a picture of that box as it is now. Hopefully by Sunday I can post a picture of a smaller pile:Projects I'm working on: I talked with the owner of the scrapbook store I work at and she said I can teach a class on my minibook, however I have to come up with 2 other classes to teach. I of course thought this would be easy to do. But it's really really not. S0 I'm trying to come up with a couple class ideas. I also have been wanting to start an etsy shop so I might be doing that soon too. We shall see....

Budget Update: Umm yeah... so if you were taking bets on whether or not I would stick to my budget you probably would have won some money... because.... I didn't stick to it. Last week I spent $26 which wasn't so bad but as of today, Tuesday, I have spent $35 this week. With 5 days to go.

Road Trip Update: Mom, Danielle and I decided to not go to Charleston and Savannah but instead roadtrip through the Virginia and North Carolina mountains... stay tuned because I'm sure we will change our mind soon.

A cuteness update: Lucy loves a clean craft table:

Dear Stickles:

I am slowly starting to love you. I only wish you were quick drying. I promise to try to use you more often.

Sincerely,
Melissa

4th of July

What happens when 4 cousins get the bright idea to spell out "July" with sparklers?? .... well... you don't get "July"

Heidi Grace Layout

So I think I learned my lesson. I should not be allowed to buy Heidi Grace products (which shouldn't be a problem since Fiskars is not making them anymore) They are cute but in general are not my style. I did however put together a layout using some of the embellishments I challenged myself to use and some new My Minds Eye papers.

Our Favorite Place Mini Book

So I spent all day scrapbooking and I finished the mini book I was making with the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Line. Take a Look: