Matthew turns 3

Dragon Dreamery kit by Creative Victorian Designs

I noticed that I had not done a layout with just Matthew. So here we go... Still playing with the pics I found from our 2002 vacation. This is my youngest on his 3rd birthday. He had 3 parties that year...Since his birthday landed in mid vacation. He had one with Grandpa in Seattle, One with Grammy Starz in The Dalles OR, and one at home with local family.

Sisters

Template and Fairy Fantasia kit by Creative Victorian Designs
(Flower bouquet borrowed from Nuptial Serenity by CVD)

I just can't help myself... Was just wanting to create, and picked the template first. Then went on the hunt for the pics, and found Netta in her bonnet. The center pic was taken in 2002. I just love my sis...what can I say!!! ;)

Mother & Son

Nuptial Serenity kit By Creative Victorian Designs

Another challenge...this one is HodgePodge. The challenge was white space. I find myself waiting for stuff to happen on Netta's forum. I'm excited about the challenges and can't wait to get cracking on them. I've not used anyone elses kits for sometime now. Though I still download oodles n gobs of them.

Pictured is my best friend from California and her soldier son Brandon on his wedding day. See the pics of the two of them together brings tears to my eyes. Everyone was beautiful that day. Brandon and his wife are expecting a son in November...can't wait to play with him in scrap style ;))

Alfred Fisk Stout

Autumn Visions kit by Creative Victorian Designs

In response to the Heritage Challenge on http://www.creativevictorian.com I created this layout of my Great Great Grandfather. He fathered 15 children that we know of. And probably had more than one wife that we have yet to find. He was an LDS (Mormon) pioneer, as were many of my ancestors.
Alfred Fisk Stout
Birth: 9 MAR 1851
Kannesville,Pottawatomi,Iowa
Death: 20 NOV 1925
Hurricane,Washington Co.,Utah

Fantasy Falls

From Unicorn Purity I used floral 2, glitter doodle 3,
From Fairy Fantasia I used glowing and kneeling fairy's #6
From Dazzling Portent I used sticker swirl, butterfly,
From Dragon Vengence I used dragon 3 (recolored)
From Unicorn Secrets I used unicorns 1 and 2
From Nuptial Serenity I used the bouquet
All Creative Victorian Designs of course

Was bored to tears...so just messing around. So here's to hoping I remembered where everything came from ;))

Background photo is from our 2002 vacation Multnomah Falls, Oregon The dragon flyers are my boys ages 2-1/2 and 5 months. I re-used the butterfly from the last photog challenge. And extracted some bushes around our house (outside, not in...LOL)

I was vetoed on this one. I had the boys sitting on a unicorn...but then my youngest says, "I'd rather be on a dragon MOM." So, in all fairness, I figured that his fantasy should be considered...LOL

Remembrance

Kindred Succession kit by Creative Victorian Designs
"Floral 2" Bouquet from Unicorn Purity
"Frogs" from Frog-a-licious kit by Aquarius Designs

This layout is inspired by two challenges I have this week. One from my Pastor, to say "Thanks" the person who had the greatest influence on your relationship with the Lord from your past. The other by Creative Victorian "color challenge" using blues and greens.

Pictured are my children, my GodMa, and me. The pictures are from our family vacation to the northwest in 2002. Was the first time that we had all been together at the same time...ever.

It saddens me to say that my GodMa and I are no longer close. For reasons only known by our Father above, we are estranged. Our lives have moved in dramatically different directions. But that will never change the influence she had on me from age 6. I dawned her my GodMa, as she taught me the importance of faith, prayer and meditation, along with the truth held in the Bible and the respect and adherence to the Word one must have to live a blessed and enriched life.

She broke me of one of the greatest sins I committed as a youth, and that was using the Lords name in vain. Being raised in a non-religious family, I heard it all the time, and it just became a part of my speech. She worked on me for years...until it was finally wiped out of my speech pattern...now with greater understanding of what I was doing was wrong.
In recent years, she shared with me the significance of FROG (see FROG post from August http://theclassyantique.blogspot.com/2008/08/frog.html). It just so happens that frogs are my class theme in Sunday school, and the kids absolutely love it. As do many other members of my Church, who had not heard of the meaning. In fact, our classroom had been dubbed, "The Frog Room" as the children have brought in lots of frogs and we've decorated the walls with frogs. There are even a few grown-ups that have added to the frog collection...if it's "froggie" give it to Stacye ;))

So I want to thank my GodMa Flora for her contribution to who I am today. I will always treasure the memories of days gone by. I will always love what you represent to me. I an thankful for the influence you had on my life. I am a better person today because of it.

Family 2002

Sketch Template and Everlasting Affection kit by Creative Victorian Designs

I had an idea for the "sketch challenge" and was looking for the picture that I wanted to use...and found this photo in the treause box and had to use it instead. One of the rare (maybe only) photo of Netta and I together with Dad...and hubby's too.
We were on a vacation my family took in July 2002 visiting the northwest from crappy California. That would be the trip that prompted my want to move up here. Aside from being closer to family...the weather is nice and cool...not hot n muggy.

God Warrior

Dragon Vengence kit by Creative Victorian Designs

In response to a scraptlift Challenge...a huge THANKS to KayM for letting us lift her layout.

My miracle - Josh. I call him my "miracle baby" as there are 16 years (-6 weeks) between Michael and Joshua. I used to tell everyone "God turned me off (of making babies)." A year-and-a-half into sobriety, I was blessed with a child in my womb. I promised God and myself, that I would be the best mother I could be to this 2nd chance at motherhood. THANK YOU LORD for the blessing that is Joshua.
This photo was just sent to me by Joshua's teacher-from their week at Camp Orkila last week. She sent tons of awesome pics of the kids. I can't wait to develop Joshua's pics, and see what treasures he captured.

Speedy Search Succeeds

Aged Endearment kit by Creative Victorian Designs

The article in this layout is from when I found my father in 1982. I had called the newspaper simply to ask "what was the world record for finding someone?" I was excited that they wanted to interview my...but saddened when I picked up the paper and it was riddled with jumbled facts. So here I will share the whole TRUE story of how it all unfolded.

Before the stroy:
I was 18 years old in December of 1982, living in Modesto CA. I had a roommate and live-in boyfriend. My roommate like me was raised by her mother's family, and had never had contact with her father. We were talking one morning (Dec 7) about how we'd like to find our fathers, and find out where we came from. We called Social Secrity Administration (SSA), who directed us to write three letters; one to SSA explaining why you want to find said person, a letter with all information you know about the person you want to find (last known whereabouts/scars/alias/tattoo. etc...), and lastly a letter to the person you are trying to find. We called our mothers to gather additional information and began to write our letters. My boyfriend came home from work for lunch and asked "You know what area their families lived when your mothers and fathers were together, right?" "You know names of family members, right?" "Call information (free back then) in those areas and try to find family." And that's what we did.

The Article: (and amendments)

Speedy Search Succeds

Some people spend there lives looking for missing parents. Stacye Gridley, 18, of Modesto found her father in less than 48 hours. (No, it was less than 2 hours)

"If I see it in the paper, " she says, "I'll believe it."

Stacye was born in Martinez in 1964. Her father, Richard Gridley, and her mother Joyce Mendes of Turlock for eight years, separated months earlier. (I knew how much dad hated being called Richard...he is Rick...Grandpa was Richard)

Stacye, mother of 20-month-old Michael White and a self described "house-mouse," had asked her mother about her father at times, but started her hunt in earnest on Dec 8 with a call to Sacramento area information. (The search started on Dec 7, I called my mom that morning, I called information in Anderson CA)

She called all the Arnold Gridleys around and soon talked to a grandfather in Shingletown she'd never met. He said he thought his son was in Houston, Tex., and another call to information followed. (I was searching for Gridley-Arnold or Richard. Arnold was my uncle-Richard my grandfather. There was no listings for Arnold, only a Richard in Shingletown. And yes...it was my grandfather. My grandfather who had severe asthma, and was in the middle of a nasty attack when he answered the phone. And as selfish as it sounds...my only thought was "please don't die til you tell me where my dad is!" Grandpa said he hadn't seen dad is 12 years, but the last he heard he lived in Houston)

That led to a listing for Rick Gridley, who soon told her he manages seven piano stores, is a songwriter-singer and has children 2-1/2 and 1-1/2, one younger than his daughter's. (I don't know about you-but that confused the heck out of me. Dad told me the managed piano stores, he was a singer-songwriter, he played bass in a band, and that I had a little sister, Lonetta who was 2-1/2 and brother, Kelly who was 1-1/2. Kelly is two months younger than my son Michael)

"Oh my God, I thought I'd never get to talk to you," Stacye says he told her as her tears flowed. She and her fiance plan to visit in February.(First...when I called the # a lady answered, I asked, "Is this the residence of Richard E**** Gridley?" She replied, "Yes, it is." I then asked if he were home, and she said no. But that she expected him home early evening. I left my name (without saying "I'm his daughter") and telephone # and asked for him to call. However, I was very anxious, and I called back after the time she gave me. I asked if he knew my mom, he said "Yes." And I said, "I'm Her daughter...I'm your daughter" Dad responded with, "Oh my God, I thought I'd never get to talk to you." He also told me how he had come looking for me in 1970, and was turned away by my mother's family)

More excited than I had ever been, I called my mom and told her I had just talked to my father. It was around 8pm... I had called her around 11am to get the info, I talked to my grandfather around 12:30pm, and called and left the message for Dad before 1pm. I didn't get to talk to Dad til around 5pm California time.

During a call on Christmas Day, Dad said there was someone who wanted to say, "HI." He put my younger brother Scottie on the phone...that day I found out that I had four more brothers and sisters. I had gone from being an only child to the eldest of 7 in just a few short seconds.

Carl & Johnnie

Credit to Creative Victorian Designs for
*Template
*Refined Legacy Kit
*Floral Bouquet from Unicorn Purity

I love the new templates that Netta posted in the Boutique. So much fun to work with. I often considered using a template cheating...but this layout took as long if not longer to put together. Was easy to add embellishments to. So many templates are so busy, you don't want to add to or take away from.

Pictured are my Great-Aunt Johnnie and Uncle Carl. I have to guess that this picture is from the early 60's when color film first appeared on the market. I have fond memories of going to there house as a child. I had a special drawer in the kitchen with Cracker Jacks prizes, and all sorts of other goodies, that were saved for me by every one in the house. Every time I'd visit there was always something new in that drawer. And they always had dry salami in the frig...mmm mmm good. Funny the things you remember when you get to thinking about it.
Aunt Johnnie and my grandmother could have been twins, their likenesses were so similar. Uncle Carl had a Betty Boop tattoo on his forearm that he could make dance.

Sisters at Christmas

Christmas Beautiful kit by Creative Victorian Designs


I have done countless layouts of family and friends, but it seems someone was missing (not really I did one a while back...but it was tacky with a capital T). The absolute sweetest most talented little sister one could possibly have. And she's MINE

ps check out the Christmas Tree, fabulously decorated with handmade ornaments...

First Try Butterfly

My first try at the photography challenge. All photo's taken right outside...except for the butterfly. The butterfly was snapped at the Tropical Butterfly House in the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.

Campers for Jesus

Credit to Lorri's Scraps for the template.

Everything else is all photo's we took on our Church campout to Warm Beach WA last month. I made this LO last week, just having some fun...but thought...ok, I'll share :-) My only regret about the campout is that it doesn't last long enough. We always have such a good time, conversing with our neighbors from New Hope. Not to mention the breathtaking scenery as we attend Sunday service, truly God's country. Pastor David never fails to make me cry at the camp Service, so I'll share what he said.

He told us to imagine going home and finding nothing there. An empty space where everything you owned used to be. Now imagine Jesus standing there asking what would you rather have HIM or all your things?

Tree of Dreams

All kits created by Creative Victorian Designs


I used paper #7 (darkened), paper #5 (for blanket), unicorn, glitter doodles 2 & 3, and the maiden from Unicorn Purity
Glowing fairy #3 and kneeling fairy #3 from Fairy Fantasia
And regency girls #1 & 3 of the Regency Beauty collection.
The tree is extracted (and natural) from a pic I snapped while camping up at Warm Beach WA.

And last but not least are my featured sleepers; my hubby Jerry, his queen Tootsie (seriously) in the crook of his arm, and jazzy Jazzpurr in prayer position on Jerry's side.

A Collage & Altered Art Challenge, I didn't think my creative juices would ever get to flowing on this one. The challenge called for extracting a "sleeper" and creating a fantasy world (I think more my fantasy than his...lol). THANKS Netta for coming up with something to truly challenge the imagination. I can't tell you how many time I started and wiped it all out and started again. But am very happy with the final result ;))

Fisher Love 1943

Endurance Grace kit by Creative Victorian Designs



Reusing photo's...yes I am. Made this layout for the Heritage Challenge on Creative Victorian forum/gallery. And having some serious mixing thoughts about it. Though I picked the colors my grandmother had all over her house, I had a hard time using them in this layout.

Pictured are my maternal grandparents, young and happy in 1943. The following year they had their first born child who passed at 18 months old (9 days before the birth of their 2nd, my mom). I never met my grandfather, as I believe that the tragedy of loss was too much for their hearts to handle.

Nanny & Prissy

Kindered Succession kit by Creative Victorian Designs

Putting instruction from Netta to work, as she keeps telling me "NO SQUOOSHING!!!" I guess by doing so, I have been distorting pics and elements and papers... SO I'm practicing no squooshing ;)) I'm lucky to have a talented sis to offer constructive criticism. I'm open to learning...something new every day ;))

Pictured are my grandmother, who I called "Nanny" and her beloved chihuahua "Prissy." Nanny raised me for the first 10 years of my life. I have always loved this pic. Prissy was just a tiny pup-not that she grew much. She was a beloved family pet for 15+ years. Don't know if she was ever truly "Prissy" as she would run up on the biggest baddest dog in the neighborhood and chase them away. But isn't that true of most little dogs?

Never will either of them be forgotten.

Dad

Fall Breezes kit by Mrs Homer Lynn Creations

I liked Lynn's Design Challenge entry in the Creative Victorian forum so much I thought I'd put it to work.

This is one of those old pics that Netta gave me a few years ago of our father. I want to say dad was 3 yrs old or so, but hoping Netta will correct me and I'll the amend the post. At any rate he was a cute kid...and his gene's produced some even cuter kids...(present company included) :-)

I think I enjoy doing heritage layout's most of all cuz I get to play with old pics and try to create antique looking layout's.

Beautiful Girl

Template by Lorri's Scraps
http://lorrisscrapsandmore.blogspot.com/
Olivia and Sunshine and Moonbeams kits by Surhfer's Scraps
http://suhrfersscraps.blogspot.com/

When doing the sketch challenge on Creative Victorian, I discovered that there is such thing as templates. Learning something new everyday ;) Using a template almost feels like cheating...but they are fun to work with.
Meet Haily Marina. I have watched Haily's mother grow up in my hometown of Modesto. Alicia is my daughters age, and they were long time friends. Then Alicia's mom and I became very close (and one of the hardest people to leave behind). So again, myspace gets credit for its technology, so we can keep updated on the ones we love, and see pictures of babies we don't get to see in person. Alicia sent me a message telling me that there were new pics...and who wouldn't fall in love with these??? Haily is a "Beautiful Girl" and is a year and a half old. She looks just like her gorgeous Mom.