Monday, March 26, 2007

HOF Madness

This past week was call week for 2007 Hall of Fame. Much to my disappointment, I did not win or receive Honorable Mention. Now that a few days have gone by, though, I'm really okay with that. I see it as a fun way to stretch my creativity & I plan to do it again next year. Anyhow... just for the fun of it, here are my entries:


Assignment A: Innovative Technique


For this assignment, we were supposed to come up with some sort of innovative technique & use it on a layout. At first, I really struggled with this, but I came up with the idea to use felt to create little accents for my layouts. I made the little heart "pillows" & also made my title out of felt.

Journaling reads: We're so lucky. You are a very easy baby & you have such a sweet personality. You sleep all night, nap well, operate well on a schedule & are all in all a rather easy to please baby. Everyone says that our next baby won’t be so easy - & maybe that’s true. But for now, we’re enjoying every moment with our sweet baby girl.

Assignment B: Use 3 4x6 photos on a two-page layout
Page 1:

Page 2:


Journaling reads: If I could only freeze time – keep you like this for just a little while longer. Maybe then I would get my fill of cuddling & playing with you… of having those chubby little arms around my neck… of hearing you chatter away in your own little language… of kissing those round cheeks – but I doubt it would change a thing. I’d still want to freeze time.

Assignment C: Journal Your Passion


Journaling reads: I have always enjoyed doing “crafty” type things. As a young girl, my grandma showed me how to make things with plastic canvas & yarn. My other grandma taught me how to crochet. Mom taught me how to use the sewing machine, how to cross-stitch & how to make all sorts of country crafts using wood, paint, moss, silk flowers, scraps of cloth, craft wire, raffia & a glue gun. As a pre-teen, I even had a subscription to a craft magazine & I absolutely loved using the ideas to make things with my hands. It would seem only natural, then, that I would want to give the things I made to others. I’ve always enjoyed making things for the people on my Christmas list. I remember one Christmas spending hours making “recipe books” for my mom, aunt & grandma. I dug out Grandma’s recipe books & found recipes that sounded good to me. Then, in my best handwriting, I copied them into plain, spiral notebooks. It never occurred to me that I was using recipes that Grandma already had in her recipe books! J But… I spent hours on that project. I don’t remember if I actually gave those recipe books away or not, but the joy of making gifts has not diminished over the years. Every year, as Christmas approaches, the first thing I do, is to think of handmade projects. If I need a really fast gift, or if I know of a specific bought item that someone want, I’ll buy itHowever, almost every Christmas, I end up giving at least some handmade gifts. I’ve given things like altered pocket calendars, plaques, note card sets & personalized photo frames. This year, I did something a little different. I made a lot of fancy Christmas cookies & finger foods & packaged them up in cute little packages. I used my scrapbook supplies to decorate the bags, adding bows & tags to them. Then, I put them all into gift baskets & added a tag. They turned out to be very cute – even if I do say so myself! I also decorated plates of cookies for the neighbors. Sometimes I feel that when people see my gifts & packages, they think that I have too much time on my hands. Let me tell you – that is so NOT the case! I have to make time for creating. For me, giving a handmade gift is like giving a piece of myself to the recipient. I often think about the recipient as I make their gift & I imagine their reaction & how they will use what I am creating for them. It brings me so much joy & pleasure to give a gift that I have spent time making. It’s not the praise & exclamations of “you’re so creative” that I often receive that gives me such gratification. It’s the joy & satisfaction in knowing that I am giving a gift that truly comes from my heart.

Assignment D: Crafty Combo

For this layout, we were supposed to combine scrapbooking with another type of craft that we enjoy doing. For this one, I crocheted a border around my photo.
Journaling reads: It’s just not Thanksgiving or Christmas without it… yummy! Always a tradition at our house.



Assignment F: Mini Album


Assignment H: Photo Extraordinaire


This assignment was supposed to use an extraordinary photo, taken by the contestant.

Journaling reads: Family. That’s us! One unit. Still learning to blend our habits & backgrounds & traditions.
Free Assignment #1


Journaling reads: Every sister has a fund of embarrassing stories… that she can & will pull out & use at the most inopportune moments. Trust me – I know! I’ve been the victim of this little trick on more than one occasion. I know that I was a mean, bossy big sister, but you don’t have to bring that up in front of other people. Let’s just let them think that we were always best friends & that we got along beautifully. Let’s not tell them that I used to wrestle you down & “spank” you for daring to disobey me when I was in charge. Let’s not tell them that you would get mad & sit on me & Brenda would have to come get you off of me. Ha, ha, ha! See, now I told a story on you!


Free Assignment #2




Journaling reads: One of my favorite things about growing up as an MK (missionary kid) was assembling goodie boxes for each of the national pastors & their families. Many of them lived off a very small salary & often had to pinch pennies throughout the year. I remember Mom making phone calls & getting different churches in the United States to sponsor a pastor’s family by putting together a box of Christmas gifts for them. It was so exciting when those boxes began to arrive at our house. This was when the fun began, because we had to open them & re-pack the items so that they could be taken into Mexico. The boxes usually contained at least one nice gift for each family member & a lot of smaller things such as candy, nuts, bath items, hair accessories, coloring books, games, etc. Even though the boxes of goodies were not for our family, it was gift in an of itself, to be a part of making Christmas special for the national pastors & their families!

Free Assignment #3


Journaling reads: Today was a rough day for both of us, Ryleigh. I don’t know if you were teething or what, but you were such a crank today. And today, of all days, I had planned to spend most of my time scrapbooking. You didn’t really want to play with your toys very much – just to hold onto my chair, pulling on me & whining for me to pick you up. Then, when I would pick you up, you would either squirm to get down again, or you’d try to grab the things off of my desk. You fussed & fussed. Whenever I tried to give you food, a bottle or juice, you would shake your head violently & push away whatever was being offered to you. I’ll admit to being more than a little frustrated. After you were finally in bed for the night, I was reminded of the fact that it’s normal for you to have days when you need me more than others. Instead of being frustrated & impatient with you, I should have stopped what I was doing to spend a little extra time with you, realizing that you won’t be my baby for long. I’m sorry, Sweetie. I’m still learning about being a Mommy & I’m praying for more grace & patience. Remember that I’ll always love you… even on days like today, when things don’t go as planned, when you require more of me than usual & when I’m so frustrated… I’ll still love you. Even then. (1/8/07)




Free Assignment #4


Journaling reads: you & I. alike in so many ways. we look a lot alike, but we also share similar personalities. we are not risk-takers. we thrive on routine. we demand our personal space. we are both first-borns. 1/9/07


In other news... Jeff is in Romania with a work team from our church. They are putting the roof onto the youth center at the orphanage where Sally Sebo & the Daryl Hausman family are working. Jeff has really been enjoying himself & actually preached during the evening service, yesterday. Ryleigh & I have been surviving without him - but we're anxiously awaiting his return on Thursday!


Back to ya...
Heather, good to hear from you! I've been meaning to email you to congratulate you on the new baby you are expecting, but I misplaced your email address. Anyhow... congratulations! Hopefully we can get out there to see you before too much more time passes. Love ya!

1 comment:

sankey family said...

Shari, you should have won!!! What are these people thinking? lol...your work is just amazing - I love it. So creative, so from the heart, so personal and yet professionally awesome, too. I feel like I know you a little bit better from reading this post.

I can sympathize with husbands being away. Mine's away in Oaxaca, preaching and visiting churches until Monday. Enjoy yours when he arrives tomorrow. Did you ever think they were any more handsome than that first moment they walked through the door after a long absence? ...smiles...

Take care - Melodie