So, I've been itchy, a bit, about my scrapbooking lately. Wanted to do something more out in public (besides posting to all the boards), so I submitted a few things. I was really excited about the pages I sent in for the baby book, but none were accepted, I think. (I'm not sure; I thought they'd be calling about acceptance, but I never got a call. Then I found out they were sending emails, and I've been pretty aggressive about my spam folder lately, so I might have deleted it. O'ell.)
But I was accepted to the creative team. (scroll to the bottom) I'm only a guest, which lasts two months, but it's still really exciting. It'll expose me to a new designer, a new group of critics and instructors, and it'll motivate me to do more scrapbooking, which is always a good thing. Course, it's at the beginning of the school year, which is tough, but I think I'll be able to handle it. One layout a week is totally possible, considering I'll be doing one layout every two days for most of September with my class.
Wish me luck keeping my head above water.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Headfirst
So, I decided to submit four layouts for a page call for a book about scrapbooking baby photos. I also applied to join a creative team for a digital scrapbooking designer. Am I crazy, or just bold?
Either way, we'll know on Friday - the deadlines for both opportunities are this Friday.
Either way, we'll know on Friday - the deadlines for both opportunities are this Friday.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Selfish
When we moved into the new place, we were wary of our neighbors.
As you may know, in the condo, our neighbors rocked. The people directly next door to us, a wonderful and funny lesbian couple, became exactly what you want neighbors to be: we had dinner at each other's houses when we weren't eating out together, we borrowed sugar or milk, we housesat/birdsat/babysat for each other, we recommended and lent or borrowed books from each other. And most importantly, we were enablers to each other's chocolate cravings. I knew when there was a knock on our door at 10:30pm, it was probably one of them asking if I had any cookies, brownies, ice cream, or candy; I did the same to them fairly frequently.
And those were just the neighbors next door. The woman below us was never around, so I rarely felt badly about my daughter jumping up and down all hours of the morning and evening. If it bothered her, she never complained. The people in the next building over, on the second floor like us, were also amazing. One condo is occupied by a single woman who is always traveling (which sucks), but when she's able to join us, she's funny, interesting, and tells a great story. The other one, next to her, houses a single mom and her son, both of whom are in my mothers' group (thanks to me). The mom is a total go-getter, and I can't imagine someone who seems more put-together: she doesn't have family here, she works more than 40 hours per week at her regular job, she's starting a business on the side, and she is a very loving mother. People think I have a lot of balls in the air, but I have my husband to lean on; she doesn't even have that much help.
Every so often, my next door neighbors, and the people on the second floor in the building across from us would get together: a potluck dinner, a party, a trip to the farmers' market, whatever. It was rarely planned more than 24 hours ahead of time, but it was always memorable. I think that's the one thing I miss most about being in this new place, and I know it's what Claire misses most.
So you can imagine that the bar was set pretty high for neighborly relationships when we moved. It looked promising, though, when one next door neighbor came over while we were unloading the moving van to introduce himself and offer help. (Joe turned it down, but you never see that kind of friendliness around here anymore.) Later, the man's wife came over and introduced herself. Even later, we learned that they have 4 kids, ages 11 and under, including a little girl who is less than a year older than Claire. The man and his wife are probably just a little older than us, which made things easier. The man is a minister in a local non-denominational church, and his wife is active in the community, too. Joe was wary about living next to a minister, but he's not like that at all: he's friendly, funny, and physically active - he takes his youth ministry group on camping and boating trips as well as weekly AirSoft battles.
The family invited us over for s'mores in their front yard (with one of those fireplace-like firepits) over Memorial Weekend, and we spent at least an hour sitting around talking with the kids and parents alike, and then Claire spent some time chasing the kids up and down our side of the block before going inside to watch a Disney movie with them. Turns out the family goes camping pretty regularly, which is cool, because we'd love to have another family to camp with (or at least motivate us to camp more on our own). And the mom does stamping, mostly cards (not scrapbooking, but still a crafty buddie right next door)! But then, I was finishing out my remaining weeks of pregnancy, and then adjusting to having another baby, and hosting all the visiting people, and we didn't get much of a chance to touch base with them.
Last week, when my MIL drove to the wrong VTA stop to pick up my husband, and didn't take her cell phone, the man next door was kind enough to drive to the VTA stop she was at with her cell phone, so we could get her to the right one to pick up Joe. Off and on, we've been bringing the garbage cans in for each other. They both said they were looking forward to helping me with the baby in any way they could the night we were eating s'mores. On Friday, the little girl brought over a baby doll for Claire (part of a two-pack Mom had bought at the store), and Claire and she rode bikes together for almost an hour on Saturday.
Do you see where this is all leading, based on the title?
Today, I wanted to go over and chat with the woman about her trip to a winery on Saturday, but I just didn't seem to have the time. I bumped into her this evening, on the way to pick up Joe, and she said that she and her husband will be moving to a nearby suburb... and the move will probably be done in a week and a half, just in time for school to start for the kids. They decided on Sunday night, and found a place yesterday that's available immediately.
Honestly, I was blown away.
And I feel very badly that the first thing I thought of was, "Bummer, they're moving away." I know I should have thought, "Wow! Good for them! Moving to a nicer part of the area with better school systems!"
I mentioned the news to Joe this evening and he had the same reaction: "Bummer, it seemed like we were just getting to know them" before "Wow, good for them!"
What I'm wondering now is if these few encounters with the family are enough to keep in touch with them, to develop our friendship with the parents, and Claire's friendship with the little girl. Would this have been mostly a friendship only encouraged by proximity? And, then, if not, how do you approach someone you're just getting to know (who will be busy meeting new neighbors and new parents of new kids at a new school), and say, "Hey, keep in touch." It's a little weird, don't you think?
So now I'm being very selfish. I don't want them to move!! Wah.
As you may know, in the condo, our neighbors rocked. The people directly next door to us, a wonderful and funny lesbian couple, became exactly what you want neighbors to be: we had dinner at each other's houses when we weren't eating out together, we borrowed sugar or milk, we housesat/birdsat/babysat for each other, we recommended and lent or borrowed books from each other. And most importantly, we were enablers to each other's chocolate cravings. I knew when there was a knock on our door at 10:30pm, it was probably one of them asking if I had any cookies, brownies, ice cream, or candy; I did the same to them fairly frequently.
And those were just the neighbors next door. The woman below us was never around, so I rarely felt badly about my daughter jumping up and down all hours of the morning and evening. If it bothered her, she never complained. The people in the next building over, on the second floor like us, were also amazing. One condo is occupied by a single woman who is always traveling (which sucks), but when she's able to join us, she's funny, interesting, and tells a great story. The other one, next to her, houses a single mom and her son, both of whom are in my mothers' group (thanks to me). The mom is a total go-getter, and I can't imagine someone who seems more put-together: she doesn't have family here, she works more than 40 hours per week at her regular job, she's starting a business on the side, and she is a very loving mother. People think I have a lot of balls in the air, but I have my husband to lean on; she doesn't even have that much help.
Every so often, my next door neighbors, and the people on the second floor in the building across from us would get together: a potluck dinner, a party, a trip to the farmers' market, whatever. It was rarely planned more than 24 hours ahead of time, but it was always memorable. I think that's the one thing I miss most about being in this new place, and I know it's what Claire misses most.
So you can imagine that the bar was set pretty high for neighborly relationships when we moved. It looked promising, though, when one next door neighbor came over while we were unloading the moving van to introduce himself and offer help. (Joe turned it down, but you never see that kind of friendliness around here anymore.) Later, the man's wife came over and introduced herself. Even later, we learned that they have 4 kids, ages 11 and under, including a little girl who is less than a year older than Claire. The man and his wife are probably just a little older than us, which made things easier. The man is a minister in a local non-denominational church, and his wife is active in the community, too. Joe was wary about living next to a minister, but he's not like that at all: he's friendly, funny, and physically active - he takes his youth ministry group on camping and boating trips as well as weekly AirSoft battles.
The family invited us over for s'mores in their front yard (with one of those fireplace-like firepits) over Memorial Weekend, and we spent at least an hour sitting around talking with the kids and parents alike, and then Claire spent some time chasing the kids up and down our side of the block before going inside to watch a Disney movie with them. Turns out the family goes camping pretty regularly, which is cool, because we'd love to have another family to camp with (or at least motivate us to camp more on our own). And the mom does stamping, mostly cards (not scrapbooking, but still a crafty buddie right next door)! But then, I was finishing out my remaining weeks of pregnancy, and then adjusting to having another baby, and hosting all the visiting people, and we didn't get much of a chance to touch base with them.
Last week, when my MIL drove to the wrong VTA stop to pick up my husband, and didn't take her cell phone, the man next door was kind enough to drive to the VTA stop she was at with her cell phone, so we could get her to the right one to pick up Joe. Off and on, we've been bringing the garbage cans in for each other. They both said they were looking forward to helping me with the baby in any way they could the night we were eating s'mores. On Friday, the little girl brought over a baby doll for Claire (part of a two-pack Mom had bought at the store), and Claire and she rode bikes together for almost an hour on Saturday.
Do you see where this is all leading, based on the title?
Today, I wanted to go over and chat with the woman about her trip to a winery on Saturday, but I just didn't seem to have the time. I bumped into her this evening, on the way to pick up Joe, and she said that she and her husband will be moving to a nearby suburb... and the move will probably be done in a week and a half, just in time for school to start for the kids. They decided on Sunday night, and found a place yesterday that's available immediately.
Honestly, I was blown away.
And I feel very badly that the first thing I thought of was, "Bummer, they're moving away." I know I should have thought, "Wow! Good for them! Moving to a nicer part of the area with better school systems!"
I mentioned the news to Joe this evening and he had the same reaction: "Bummer, it seemed like we were just getting to know them" before "Wow, good for them!"
What I'm wondering now is if these few encounters with the family are enough to keep in touch with them, to develop our friendship with the parents, and Claire's friendship with the little girl. Would this have been mostly a friendship only encouraged by proximity? And, then, if not, how do you approach someone you're just getting to know (who will be busy meeting new neighbors and new parents of new kids at a new school), and say, "Hey, keep in touch." It's a little weird, don't you think?
So now I'm being very selfish. I don't want them to move!! Wah.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Not-a-goal
I have always been interested in scrapbooking to remember things. I have a huge fear of Alzheimer's or dying too soon, and not being able to tell my kids what they were like, or who the people are in these pictures. My mom has a ton of photos in the attic that I just want to sit down with and ask about, but I have yet to do that, too. And I imagine she would love to do it.
I want to pass on these books to my kids, and then to their kids, and etc. If they turn out being helpful to my great grandkid when he has to do a report on his family, that would be cool.
But lately I've gotten the publishing bite. Being more immersed in the various scrapbooking communities online has allowed me to learn about more page calls, and then read what other people say about preparing for them, and then celebrate those that were published and commiserate with those who don't make it.
There's currently two page calls for pages that I either have done or have been thinking about doing (in my head) for weeks. I'm making these page calls me the kick in the butt to get the pages done sooner, which is good. But? Should I send them in and see what happens? How cool would that be, to see my pages in a magazine? And get paid for it? Or get a free copy of a book I would have bought even if I wasn't published in it?
But then I go back to my mantra: I scrapbook for me and my family. I scrapbook for me and my family.
Then I get confused. Can I scrapbook for me and my family AND send in submissions in response to page calls?
I want to pass on these books to my kids, and then to their kids, and etc. If they turn out being helpful to my great grandkid when he has to do a report on his family, that would be cool.
But lately I've gotten the publishing bite. Being more immersed in the various scrapbooking communities online has allowed me to learn about more page calls, and then read what other people say about preparing for them, and then celebrate those that were published and commiserate with those who don't make it.
There's currently two page calls for pages that I either have done or have been thinking about doing (in my head) for weeks. I'm making these page calls me the kick in the butt to get the pages done sooner, which is good. But? Should I send them in and see what happens? How cool would that be, to see my pages in a magazine? And get paid for it? Or get a free copy of a book I would have bought even if I wasn't published in it?
But then I go back to my mantra: I scrapbook for me and my family. I scrapbook for me and my family.
Then I get confused. Can I scrapbook for me and my family AND send in submissions in response to page calls?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
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