The Constant Scrapper – Page 37 – If I'm not scrapbooking I'm thinking about scrapbooking!

Homegrown

May 30, 2015 By Janice Daquila-Pardo 4 Comments

I have these summer memories from my childhood of Mom getting breakfast set up for me and my brother (usually cereal, I think) and then throwing on her robe, getting herself a fresh shot of coffee and heading outside to make the rounds. She would walk slowly around the house to check on how all her flowers were doing. I remember the daisies, marigolds and mums most.

I can’t say why that’s always stayed with me. Perhaps because she did it so routinely that I could hardly forget it. Perhaps because I thought it was a weird thing to do first thing in the morning. Perhaps I was a little embarrassed that she was in her robe and people might see her (you know how easy it is to embarrass kids of a certain age). I don’t know! But I can say that it has become a fond memory for me.

Last summer when I went to visit my mom, I watched her watering her plants one day and it pulled up that summer morning memory. Time for a few photos…

Product/technique notes

I created this page using patterns from the We R Memory Keepers “Farmer’s Market” collection and this My Scraps and More May sketch.

Sweet is the memory of distant friends

May 29, 2015 By Janice Daquila-Pardo 4 Comments

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My brother and I had the wonderful experience of attending college at the same time and place. This meant that we shared many of the same friends while we were there. Rich was one of the earliest friendships we developed—he was a resident in the same freshman dorm as Phil, and I lived in the girls’ dorm right next door. He was fun and studious and up for adventure, just like us!

We became fast friends as freshmen. Then, in our senior year Rich started dating Lisa, who was fun, bubbly and smart to boot. When Rich and Lisa got married not long after we all graduated in 1989, Phil and I were there to witness and celebrate with them.

In the summer of 1994, while I was still in graduate school and Phil was living/working in Pittsburgh, we all gathered together for a day at my parents’ house to catch up. We had a lovely time, including this backyard barbecue. The next time I saw them was at my own wedding in 1997.

Since then we have stayed in touch (much more frequently now through the use of social media), and Rich and Lisa still mean so much to me. We knew each other back when we were all doing our best to figure out just who and what we wanted to be in the world, and those are the kinds of friendships that remain sweet in memory no matter how far the distance.

I took my title from this quote:

“Sweet is the memory of distant friends!
Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart.”
Washington Irving

Product/technique notes

I created this page using patterns from the Pebbles “Family Ties” collection and this ScrapMuch? May sketch.

Happy happy days

May 27, 2015 By Janice Daquila-Pardo 4 Comments

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In the summer of 1968 my mom packed up her two babies (both of us under 18 months) and got on a plane to California to be in her brother’s wedding. That’s me and Phil in the arms of L: Mom and Grandpa and R: Grandma and Grandpa.

CUTE!

Product/technique notes

I created this page using patterns and die cuts from Basic Grey’s “Vivienne” collection because it went so well with these vintage photos. I turned this Stuck?! Sketches May sketch on its side and followed it.

The reception

May 25, 2015 By Janice Daquila-Pardo 4 Comments

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My mom’s cousin, Tom, was married in September 1977, and these photos are from his wedding reception. I seem to remember that Phil and I were looking forward to being old enough to really participate in the celebratory atmosphere (because 9- and 10-year olds are such party animals). 😉

I love Phil’s 70s style and my long dress (which Mom sewed). And I particularly remember wanting to touch the ribbons on Aunt Mary Lou’s dress. It’s all quite groovy.

Product/technique notes

I followed this sketch from Stuck?! Sketches and used patterned papers from the Basic Grey “Curio” collection. I created the title on the Silhouette and hand stitched several times around the background circle.

Swing your partner round and round

May 22, 2015 By Janice Daquila-Pardo 1 Comment

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During the early 1970s my parents took square dancing lessons with their friends, Bob and Peg Young. Mom tells me that they had taken 18 of the weekly 26-lesson course when my father had his heart attack (yes, he was quite young), which meant that they had to miss the rest of the lessons. However, they both loved square dancing, so whenever the church held a dance they would go promenade, allemande and do-si-do with the best of them.

In this February 1973 photo, taken by one of us kids, Mom and Dad are gussied up and ready to head to a dance at our church. Mom made that dress specifically to wear to square dances.

Product/technique notes

All the patterns on this page are from the Chickaniddy Crafts “Date Night” collection. I was inspired by this sketch from Let’s Capture our Memories. Because of the “round and round” title that I wanted to use, I added a circle of patterned paper so I could shape the title around it.

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