Kiss! Big summer plans!!!

[SuzanneCWalker]

hey, guys!! are we into the crazy-days of summer (well, those of us in the northern hemisphere, anyway)? it has been more insane than usual around my house, anyway. softball, softball, end-of-schoolyear, concerts, performances, kids around nonstop... park, pool, library, friends' houses... trying to set goals, be productive, have fun with the kids, make great memories, be totally organized, and generally be perfect - which is simply insane. man, do i need to let go of THAT baggage! i , mean, really, does it mean that i'm not a good, worthwhile person if my kids don't learn to play piano this summer?

reel it in, suz!

so. i used to be so great at taking photos of the kids, almost daily, and recording the memories. i had a little web-page i called "our little corner of the internet," and i used dreamweaver to put basic little slideshows up, and i journaled with each of these album-things. i probably updated it weekly, if not more frequently! it occurred to me that this was really blogging - before it was hip! or even digital scrapping - again, before it was hip.

i came across a disc with some of this past stuff on it the other day, and it hit me - man, i have totally fallen off the journaling/recording/memory-keeping wagon! i want to climb back on!

and of course in the spirit of keeping it simple (ha), i've gone and made it really complicated. i want several things:

1. to journal regularly and record summer memories - not the big, giant events, but the moments.

2. to take more pictures of these little everyday moments.

3. to see the kids recording their OWN memories and moments.

soooooooooooooo! here's where we get to have fun with this! let's set aside 10 minutes each day (or even every-other-day), and journal with our kids. i'm also going to try to take a few pictures each day - you can sure join me if you want!! and then armed with these pictures and the journaling, i'm going to start summer-books for the kids! i'll work on some cute kits, but to start us off, i've made a cute font for journaling. your job for the next couple weeks will be to grab the font (if you want the freebie), and start compiling some journaling with your kids! grab a few pictures, too, and let's start summer books for our kids! or journal-scrapbooks for ourselves! imagine - when school begins in august, their teachers and friends will ask them what they did this summer, and BAM, they'll be able to SHOW it! wowzers, i am so fired-up just thinking about it!!!

i am percolating journaling "starters" for the kids to help them get writing, and will post them in another thread in a jiffy - i totally would love if you'd share your own ideas for tidbits the kids (and WE) can write about! we'll just keep a working list from which we can pick and choose topics for the kids!

for this week, your featured item is DSP Abby (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_22&products_id=10647) (named for the freaking adorable next-door-neighbor whom either charlie or sam will undoubtedly marry someday).

http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/bmz_cache/5/5a36369873434570629ad1ad5b1e9ac5.image.400x400.jpg

grab DSP Abby and use it - create your kids' album (or your album) cover page, and share it in our gallery. it doesn't have to be the title font for your album - can be just journaling or whatever. the sky is totally the limit! link it here and i'll send you a prize - something....... next week. :) and i'd love to try to do weekly stuff, but may end up needing to do bi-weekly, so let's keep it loose and casual and say that the deadline for this challenge will be june 14 by midnight, and we'll see how we're doing from there.

okay? four hundred questions? fire away! mwwwwwwwwah!

[Nicole Young]

Great idea Suz!!! This is the summer where my plan is to get through that BACK LOG of pics that i havent scrapped, but of course I dont want to miss whats going on this summer, so I will be sure to start journaling!!! (does every 3rd day count??? LOL) And what a brilliant idea to have the kids journal too!!! I think they need some quiet time right now! I am going to go force them to journal!!! ;)

[chanmansmom]

Awesome idea Suz!!!!!

[Heidi]

Awesome plan, Suz!! I'm sure gonna try to do this as I am guilty guilty for not journaling as much as I should. And how great to get the kids in on this. Raya does it at school all ready so it would be great to continue this through the summer!

[mommabyrd2003]

I pulled out my journal a couple of weeks ago and my last entry was from nearly a year ago. I NEED this challenge. It will also be a great challenge for my future first graders. I did take some ordinary moments pictures today, however I missed some opportunities that would have been perfect. I know better because I did take some really great classes this one even greater designer teaches. :-)

[domino44]

Great Idea, I really need to work on my journaling

[lg_schmisa]

I have been out of the scrapbooking loop for awhile and I realized that I need these challenges to keep me going strong. Plus I was just thinking today that I haven't taken hardly any pics this month!!! So I am going to pull out my journal and set my to do alarm to journal every couple of days! Thanks Suz for another great idea!!

[SuzanneCWalker]

Awesome plan, Suz!! I'm sure gonna try to do this as I am guilty guilty for not journaling as much as I should. And how great to get the kids in on this. Raya does it at school all ready so it would be great to continue this through the summer!

i tell ya, that was one of the inspirations - molly and maggie both journal every day at school, and going through their journals is PRICELESS!!!

so, i had another idea to make this a little easier. i opened email accounts for the girls (actually all the kids, so they were sure to have their names without a thousand 83972222 after them, kwim?), and with maggie, i have been emailing her daily with prompts to get her writing. i didn't really even tell her it was for a journal!

[wndyeliza]

Ya know, I just came across a container of questions that a friend gave me a long time ago. They are memory joggers. Questions to answer, one a day preferably, so at the end of the year, you have a journal of who you are and who you were.

Just may have to use that now.

[domino44]

Maybe you could share the questions with us??!!??!!??
PLEEEEEAAASSSEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[shazzt]

Love that font Suz!!

[wndyeliza]

I love it (the Abby font) too!

And yes, I can post some prompts! As long as Ms. Suzanne doesn't mind.

[Carla]

Here is one that I did using this TOTALLY AWESOME DSP ABBY FONT!!!!

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/3403/thumbs/Mister-Mom.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321069)
Mister Mom (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321069)

[Carla]

OK...Suz... Here is the cover for my DGD Summer Album!

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/6697/thumbs/all-summer-long.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321156&ppuser=38829)
All Summer Long (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321156&cat=500&ppuser=38829)

[Penny M]

Since I don't have any little one's at home, I used the font on my lastest layout about my grandkids.

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/6745/thumbs/Ethan6BDay.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321176)
Play Hard (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321176)

[Carla]

OK...Here is another that I created for my Grandson, Taylor.

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/6697/thumbs/backyard-adventures.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321228)
Backyard Adventures (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321228)

[scamptx]

Gonna have to join in on this one. I just got back from the crop in Des Moines (Fun!) and had doubled that with genealogy research in Austin, MN. I neeeeeeed to get this stuff down!

[Raphne]

Here's mine! Great font, Suz!
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/6697/thumbs/DayAtTheZooDSP.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321334)
The Elephant Ride (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321334)

[Penny M]

I used the font on another layout.

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/1348/thumbs/Hardy-Photo-Diary.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321190&ppuser=32292)
Old Hardy Town (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=321190&cat=500&ppuser=32292)

[SuzanneCWalker]

I love it (the Abby font) too!

And yes, I can post some prompts! As long as Ms. Suzanne doesn't mind.

oh, i would so totally LOVE it!!! ;) awesome!

[SuzanneCWalker]

OH good gravy! these are SO awesome! i've just finished up a new font, so those who've posted above here will get it in your inbox! :)

[SuzanneCWalker]

we will extend the deadline through the end of this week - so you have until midnight est on sunday, june 21 to finish and post your layout... :)

[Carla]

BAMM...straight into my windows font folder! I LOVE IT!

[wndyeliza]

we will extend the deadline through the end of this week - so you have until midnight est on sunday, june 21 to finish and post your layout... :)

Suzanne you are AWESOME! I was just thinking that I didn't get a LO done but I found the box of 365 questions and I was ready to post em...win some/lose some. And you extended the deadline!:yahoo:
When I opened up the box o' prompts, I found a 3.5" floppy in it that was holding a journal of sorts....oh, that tells how long I've had those questions.

do you want to create another thread to host the prompts?

[wndyeliza]

KISS this!The prompt for 6/16 is (drumroll please) Describe your favorite childhood hide out...where was it?what did you do there? Anyone else know about it?
I'm thinking that any children at home may not be so happy about giving up the goods on this question...:lol:

[diturpin]

we will extend the deadline through the end of this week - so you have until midnight est on sunday, june 21 to finish and post your layout... :)

So going to have to give this a try! Now, if I can get my almost-13 year old to journal it would be a major miracle.:D But maybe I can redouble my efforts to journal. And with such great fonts, who wouldn't want to journal?!!!

[wndyeliza]

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=322181

Woo-Hoo, I JUST made it! (wipes brow, takes deep breath)

[scamptx]

we will extend the deadline through the end of this week - so you have until midnight est on sunday, june 21 to finish and post your layout... :)

Yippeeee--here I'd thought I'd missed it!

[Carla]

KISS this!The prompt for 6/16 is (drumroll please) Describe your favorite childhood hide out...where was it?what did you do there? Anyone else know about it?
I'm thinking that any children at home may not be so happy about giving up the goods on this question...:lol:

I LOVE this prompt! My Grandchildren have a tree house out in the back and I KNOW that is where they go most of the time! I have even found my son (who is 30 years old) up in the tree house for some solitude! Gotta go find those pictures!

[scamptx]

Here's my layout with Abby, and it could be the first page in a memory book. The prompt about a favorite hiding place had me thinking, and although I can't say it was a hiding place, it was a place where I could escape!

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/6697/thumbs/Summer-Fields.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=322219)
Summer Fields (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=322219)

[tif_gerber]

Well, this font ROCKS!

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/6697/thumbs/Jacob_Ball.jpg "BALL" (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=322225)

Thanks!

[PQ FRAN]

In order to get my children to journal I would need a revolver, or at least a taser, to threaten them. I can see Andrew rolling his eyes now if I were to request such a thing. The 2 left at home are 15 and 17, so I am certain that they think they are too old for this. But I'm not! I will keep tabs on them and journal for them! LOL! GREAT idea Suz.

Andrew graduates next year (pardon me while I SOB) and I started when he was in the 9th grade keeping tabs and making pages......I am going to give him a bound book of those pages for graduation. This will be great to keep up that momentum.

[SuzanneCWalker]

KISS this!The prompt for 6/16 is (drumroll please) Describe your favorite childhood hide out...where was it?what did you do there? Anyone else know about it?
I'm thinking that any children at home may not be so happy about giving up the goods on this question...:lol:

omg! i love that!!! AWESOME!!!

[SuzanneCWalker]

I LOVE this prompt! My Grandchildren have a tree house out in the back and I KNOW that is where they go most of the time! I have even found my son (who is 30 years old) up in the tree house for some solitude! Gotta go find those pictures!

OH, THAT would be a GREAT scrapbook pagae!!!! Awesome!

[SuzanneCWalker]

In order to get my children to journal I would need a revolver, or at least a taser, to threaten them. I can see Andrew rolling his eyes now if I were to request such a thing. The 2 left at home are 15 and 17, so I am certain that they think they are too old for this. But I'm not! I will keep tabs on them and journal for them! LOL! GREAT idea Suz.

Andrew graduates next year (pardon me while I SOB) and I started when he was in the 9th grade keeping tabs and making pages......I am going to give him a bound book of those pages for graduation. This will be great to keep up that momentum.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww!!! that is SO AWESOME!!! And yes, yes, YES on the taser!!!

[SuzanneCWalker]

Okay!!!! Bonus has been sent to all above!! If i missed you, yell reaaaaaaallllllllllllyyyyyyyyyy loudly!

[jessjgh1]

Oh, I love the journaling with kids idea... I just found out about the challenge today though, when pqfran commented on a layout I made that fit.

I've also done a photo album with my son who was 4 1/2 at the time by typing what he had to say about the pictures. We all love looking at that album and I'm sure it will be a treasure.

Can't wait for more, although I doubt we'll be as consistent as every day for 10 minutes.

Jessica

[kaybutler@mweb.]

Fabulous idea Suz ..you ARE totally awesome and don't ever feel any other way about yourself !! Thanks for the cute font..I love that !!

[baflien]

Our schools are closing tomorrow, this could be a fun thing for the kids to do as it is COLD here in South Africa. We only have a 3 weeks holiday, but it could work!

[wndyeliza]

My "kids" or the grands...well they are soon to be 2 and 3 years of age. right now, its my responsibility to journal for them....and I don't mind at all. Now their mother...she's on her own...LOL!

[wndyeliza]

HEY SUZANNE!!

Lookie what I did!:wave:

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=322853

(I can be such a dork sometimes....:rofl:)

[Christine]

ok I know I am wayyyyy late on this, but can I play too, Suz? Huh? Huh? Can I? :hug: