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Saturday, November 13, 2010

You've Come A Long Way, Baby!

Hello!  Welcome to another installment of....This is Wendy's life!  I'm your host, Wendy. 
Catchy, isn't it?

Anyway, I was given the assignment of working with Bella Blvd.'s line, "Lovey Dovey," for my design team duties, and immediately I thought of a picture I had of Erin that was just the right style and colors to use for this line.  Of course, I'd scrapped this picture way back when....you know...in the Stone Ages of 2006 when I first took this picture.  Want to see that LO?  I thought you'd never ask.  Here's an oldie...(not so sure about the "goodie" part.)
Back in my beginning stages, this was a pretty standard layout for me.  Flat border along the bottom, flat border along the side, a couple of matted pictures, and SHAZAAM!  A beautiful layout to treasure!  Of course, it would have been nice if I'd thought to put a DATE on the thing.  I'm GUESSING Erin is about 8 months old here. 

So now, 4 years + later, we have a retake on one of these pictures.  I still kept the design pretty simple, but this time we have some dimension, some sewing, some journaling(!) and some paper layering.

I love how the background paper this time just makes her picture pop off the page.  It's probably hard to tell, but I lifted up one of the "Loads of Love" strips and the pink elephant in the border.  (If you'd like a larger view so you can read the journaling, click on the picture.)

 I can't believe how quickly time has passed!  Just recently I've had three different people mention how Erin's lost her baby face...she's growing up.  Thinking about those comments and looking at a picture I took of her on our deck at the end of the summer, I came up with another layout I titled "Changes." 

Lately Erin's been dealing with some emotional growing pains (and exhaustion, I think).  For the past two weeks, we've had complete MELT DOWNS on Friday afternoon trying to get to dance class.  This week, I couldn't even get her into the building.  So, we came home last night, and I gave her a bath and dinner.  After that she laid down and sang and hummed to herself for an hour (literally!).  She was happy as a clam to be doing NOTHING.  Today we are taking a break at our house.  It's 1:23, and I'm not even out of my pajamas yet.  When I announced this morning that we weren't going to go anywhere today, Erin cheered!  The girls have been happily coloring and playing all day, with hardly even a disagreement. 
I think Erin's days of dance may be done for awhile.  She doesn't seem to want to go, although she did say she wished her lessons were on Tuesdays.  Could it be that by Friday she is just fried from long days at school? 
My point to all of these musings are that it can be very stressful sometimes to be the Mom and not know what to do.  Thank God we have Him to guide us...

2 comments:

Michelle said...

It is so fun to see some of your older pages!! :) So cute. I like the updated one as well. You are right. The pic just pops. It matches the pink lines in the paper perfectly! I love the last one as well!! I like the scalloped circle and how you snipped a piece and put it at the bottom. Your wonderful photo just stands out.

I can see being tired at the end of the week. Wonder if there is room in a different class if you could switch days?? If it fits in your schedule, of course. My kids are allowed one activity at a time. For Laura, during elem school, she chose girl scouts. Jr. high, it was dance. Britty, it was piano. Then her piano teacher moved away. So, for now, she isn't in any extra activities. I can't find a piano teacher close enough. I need to find something for Ben. He really would love it. But there really isn't much offered for a 3 yr old in the winter that doesn't cost a small fortune.

Hang in there.. you are probably right.. she is just too tired at the end of the week. I am glad they are having a fun, quiet day at home.

Aunt Joan said...

Love the pix of Erin, baby and now. Yes, your little girl is growing up, I had a mini breakdown when I was 8 years old, doing piano, and whatever else it was. Looking back, my suggestion is one thing they really love, wish I would have stayed on the piano and gave up something else, oh well! What a beautiful hobby you have Wendy and I so look forward to your blogs(writings,musings). So glad you had the wisdom to just have a home day, more kids really need that, especially when they get into school, well we all need it really, good for you! Love, Aunt Joan

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