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November 24th

November 23, 2011 By Janice Daquila-Pardo 1 Comment

Twisted Sketches has revealed its latest sketch, #129, and the twist is “ribbon.” Be sure to head over to the site to grab the sketch and see all the other design team members’ beautiful examples, then create something of your own and link it up! 🙂

Here is what I created using this great new sketch:

Being born on Thanksgiving means my birthday falls on the holiday every so often!

The whole point of my layout is to express how much I have always loved that my birthday falls on or near Thanksgiving Day. I was born on Thanksgiving, which means that every several years it cycles back around and lands on the holiday again (like this year). But the wonderful thing is that because of its proximity to the holiday, even when it isn’t on the day there’s always a fun, relaxed, family, thankful feeling in the air. I just love it! And it’s one of the things I’m always thankful for on Thanksgiving. 🙂

These photos are from two different years in my little life, but they both show the relationship between my birthday and Thanksgiving. The first photo is my 2nd birthday cake, flanked by seasonal Pilgrim and turkey candles. The second shot is from 1969 and shows me, flanked by two of my cousins, Dick and Tom (both turkeys in their own right!). Their family has come from Pennsylvania to spend Thanksgiving with us, and we’re all having dinner in our basement. They seem to have been quite gracious about sharing the little kids’ table with me. 🙂

Because the twist on the sketch this week was “ribbon,” I decided to create a little turkey with ribbon tail feathers. He seems pretty happy with himself!

This year, as I celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday, I will add my blog readers to my gratitude list. Happy Thanksgiving!

I really rocked this look

November 20, 2011 By Janice Daquila-Pardo Leave a Comment

Yeah, I was a fashion plate back in the day. Don’t be jealous of my pin curls and Winnie-the-Pooh blouse. We’re just not all meant to look this good. 😉

My layout below is based on the sketch provided for blog challenge #29 over at My Mind’s Eye. All the products, except the cardstock, are by My Mind’s Eye.

That's me in 1976, styling in my Winnie-the-Pooh blouse. 🙂

Let me encourage you to break out those photos that show your early sense of fashion and give them some scrapbook love. It was really fun to work on this page!

This is the My Mind's Eye sketch for blog challenge #29.

Eat, drink & be scary

October 28, 2011 By Janice Daquila-Pardo Leave a Comment

Blogtoberfest Day 28

Don’t miss out on my GIVEAWAY (closes 12:00 midnight EST on Sunday, October 30th)!

Today, in honor of Halloween, I decided to challenge myself by doing something that I find scary. I pulled out an art supply that I bought years ago but have never used! I’ve had a set of Perfect Pearls in my stash for quite a while, but because I’ve been a little intimidated by them they’ve remained in the drawer.

But today I stamped the skull on the card below with watermark ink and dusted on the Perfect Pearls according to the directions. And the results are beautiful (although it’s very hard to photograph the luster).

Now that I’ve tried them, I honestly don’t know why I thought they would be difficult to use. There was nothing to it! So, I challenge you to buck up and try something that you’ve thought was intimidating. Face your fears. 😉 {Cue wolf howling.}

I pulled out my old Perfect Pearls to make this card.

The farmer’s market experience

October 17, 2011 By Janice Daquila-Pardo Leave a Comment

Blogtoberfest Day 17

I created the layout below based on a sketch provided at the Pencil Lines blog because I wanted to spotlight these beautiful photos I took at our Austin Farmer’s Market this month.

It means a lot to us to support local farmers, especially in light of Texas' drought.

What is it about going to the farmer’s market on a Saturday morning?

We have to get up early on the weekend to get the best selection.
We have to drive several miles farther than the one-mile trip to our regular grocery store.
We have to pay for parking.
We have to be satisfied with whatever selection the farmers bring to town that day.
And we sometimes have to pay more for our purchases.

So, if it’s such a pain to go to the local farmer’s market, why do so many of us do it?

Perhaps because being out early on a Saturday morning feels like you’re really starting your weekend right—getting a jump on your to-do list (if, like me, you live by your lists, ~~even~~ especially on the weekends).
Or it’s that driving farther just to buy fresh produce makes it feel like an outing—a fun little jaunt you’re making with your partner or partners in crime, hot coffee in hand and hopes high for what you’ll find at the end of your drive.
I’ll admit that it’s more difficult to put a positive spin on having to pay for parking… but what if paying that fee makes you feel good about supporting your city’s economy?
And if you’re “stuck” with whatever the farmers bring, you’ll always be eating seasonally! By shopping at the local farmers market, what you get is fresh and ripe. This is a great way to increase your overall health because food that is picked before it has ripened suffers from decreased vitality.
You can find a variety of fresh, organic produce at more affordable prices than in a supermarket. Not to mention the fact that even if you’re spending a little more, you’re paying it to a fellow human being who lives and gives locally instead of to some massive agribusiness.
Shopping in the fresh morning air and talking to some of the people who grow these fruits and vegetables can really provide you with a deeper connection to and appreciation for your food and the nutrients you derive from them.
Last but not least, ripe and seasonal produce and flowers are gorgeous! They’re masterpieces. I’m sorry to say, but food just doesn’t look that good at SuperTarget.

So, if you’ve never been to one, or it’s been a long time since you last visited, I urge you to get thee to a farmer’s market. It’s such a satisfying experience!

Blogtoberfest Day 16

October 16, 2011 By Janice Daquila-Pardo Leave a Comment

National Feral Cat Day

Today is National Feral Cat Day! This annual event is coordinated by Alley Cat Allies as a way to raise awareness about feral cats, promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and recognize the millions of compassionate Americans who care for feral cats. Each year cat welfare groups and cat lovers across the country plan events to help educate people in their communities about feral cats and TNR. This year there are over 300 events planned in all 50 states.

Matt and I are involved in feral cat rescue efforts in our local area. We take great pride and pleasure in helping improve/save the lives of cats without homes. In fact, layouts of cats that you may have seen or will see on my blog are of those we have trapped and fostered.

Our favorite local cat rescue organization is Shadow Cats, a group “dedicated to improving the lives of community cats through humane advocacy.” The reason we like them so much is that they are dedicated to the care of the current resident population of ill, immune compromised, injured and senior cats. In other words, they take the cats who would not otherwise have any hope.

So, when Shadow Cats recently held an art market fundraiser, I decided to use my craft supplies and creativity to make a scrapbook album for them to auction. I made the album in all one color palette, using a subtle cat theme (mostly through my titles and a few images) and with spaces for only 4×6 photos (so there would be no cropping needed by the person who ends up with it).

I had a great time creating this project and hope that someone who has a beloved cat or cats will enjoy it forever. Have you ever used your crafting habit to help an organization in whose work you believe? I can highly recommend it. It made me feel warm and fuzzy—like a cat! 🙂