Lynda's Den

      Digital layouts are way too much fun to do - grabbing photos from a fun event and then scrapbooking them right out of the gate...Digital allows you to add the fun things and if you don't like it, or it doesn't look good - change it!  This layout was done with this software   that I have done a review on and also has a free version that you can download and get familiar with before you purchase the software.  They also have free digital kits - all I have used to create the layouts that I have done!  In this layout - I used a picture of Del's daughter Megan and her daughter Kali, as well as her son Braxton.....I thank her for letting me play with these darling pictures - and hope she enjoys being plastered all over my blog for all of you to see!  She's a beautiful girl, with beautiful children.          So - your challenge for the day - if you do paper projects normally - do a digital layout! You have a link for ...

     Independence means different things to different people, depending on who you talk  to and what they have been through in life.  Talk to someone who has been through a  great deal, and they might tell you that independence means more to them than just  "freedom", and to someone who is here from another country will tell you how glad they are to be here where they have more opportunities in life.        Whatever your "take is" on Independence, your challenge is to do a layout about what it means to you - or what you do on Independence Day - is it spent with family or friends at a park or watching a parade?  Or do you spend it at your home having visitors come to you?  Whatever you do - document the day...how you feel about the day - is it just a  waste of time, or is it an excuse to BBQ and have people over?  Or, do you spend the time going camping instead?       Lynda Jeffs Memories...

      Independence Day is coming up - this is a cheap and easy card idea - using scraps of paper, your computer (or stamp) for the background, and a paper piecing pattern for  the top.        Starting with your card base, I created mine in red, with what was left over from  my words.  I then matted it in white, and blue, with the red on top again.  Create a  large heart, keeping the top part of the heart in blue, with strips of paper for stripes,  and a  star punch for the stars on the blue.  Very easy card to recreate...           So, in honor of Independence Day - this week I will be showing you a few project ideas for you to enjoy and recreate for your Independence Day festivities!  Make sure you check out my BBQ idea shown here for a fun BBQ page idea...  There will be a couple of album ideas, as well as more cards!  Enjoy your week -  Lynda Jeffs Memo...

     When you start your All About ME album, at first it will make you feel selfish - why on earth are you going to focus on YOU - when it is about your whole family that you scrapbook?  Well, it's because you don't want to get lost in the process - yes, you have kids...or you have a husband, a job, a life...you have reasons you did what you did, or things you did that stood out from some of the other stuff you did... those are the types of things you want to focus on...  Think of it this way - what would you have wanted to know about your grandmother - that you DON'T know but wish you could know?  That is what you want to focus on - the little things.         So - for this layout, I used a Coluzzle alphabet system to cut out the first layer of words, matting them on another color - then, adding a few simple eyelets to the title for visual interest.  I chose a simple stamp with a heart theme for the background of the paper in ...

     I didn't plan on my kids being 2 years apart, yet I did just that, had my kids two years and two weeks apart.  I wouldn't wish  that on anyone - let me tell you!  Yet now, they are so close it's  not even funny...which I am glad for!  Terra, when Casey was  born, would lay on his toys and not let him play with them...or she would steal his smaller pacifier in order to trade for her much larger ones, then hide them in the couch for use later on!  She was not always nice to him - especially the  first year of his life...  This layout was a reflection of that time period!   I used 3 pictures of times in their life where they are spending time together doing various things!  I used a simple star punch, a bit of ribbon - and the colors in a simple yellow and blue!  I wanted the layout to be fun, this was one of the first times I used the photo slides in a layout such as this - but it was fun all the same!...

Miss Catitude - left side        This is our cat Tygress - fat cat, Miss B...or "Miss C atitude"  as she's known here on this layout!  This was a very easy layout  to do - in a monochromatic pink theme.  Again I used a pack of paper from the Bazzill Basics paper line to use in all pinks!   Bazzill makes it easy to start with just the pack of paper...  I started with the background paper, choosing a darker color out  of the pack.  The lighter pink was used for the border - with a strip of very light pink along the side of that.  For the photos - the main photo on the left side of the layout spread was  matted twice, with a small journaling shape hanging  underneath to talk about Tygress, also matted twice like her photo was!   Miss Catitude - right side      For this layout, the only other color that was used for an accent was silver - which was wrapped around the letters and tag,...

dare to DREAM left side         A monochromatic layout, simply put, is different shades of one color  - such as the layout shown here "dare to DREAM".   Using one color to start out with is easy on someone who is new - to be able to create a wonderful layout using only shades of one color - in order to make it less confusing on you!!!  If you use the Bazzill Basics paper packs, they will usually come in shades that match together, to take the guess work out of the project you are working on.   dare to DREAM right side      With this layout, I selected two different photos - one of my husband, me, and my three kids at my parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary party.  This as a very bittersweet photo - dad was dead a few years later right after my birthday...  The bottom photo was of me when I got my ring from Del...  Del and I didn't plan on each other, and over the years - well...the love we have for each other...

     One of my favorite albums I have done so far is my All about ME album... not because I like to concentrate on scrapbooking ME, but I think it is important to document  your thoughts, feelings, what made you YOU instead!  Life is hard enough, especially  when you are going through a hard time!  I used scrapbooking as a therapy tool,  though didn't realize it until later on down the line.        You All About ME album is just that - all about you in layouts that are attractive  and nice to  look at.  They can be about your birth, childhood, things you did right  or wrong, or just about  anything you would want from them.  Each week, I will be  giving you a layout and a topic to talk about...if you catch up this week, feel free to  go to this link  to get even more topics to scrapbook...this will keep you busy for quite  a while!    For this layout - pick ...

Well, things just are not going away with the old PATERNITY AND EXTRINSIC FRAUD BS...SO THUS BRINGING IT THE MY WORK BLOG INSTEAD.  This situation turned for the worse about a month ago - again, me bringing to a FREAKING SCRAPBOOKING BLOG INSTEAD OF A JUDGE IN WHICH CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT SAID "TRUTH".   Now, I've been emailed from one of Del's kids about this situation - and us wanting to do things because of a PSYCHIC.  Now - in response to that, Del has been trying to get the truth out since 1994 - he met me in 2000...so how does that have anything to do with a psychic?  It's you twisting things to be what you want them to be, a simple DNA test from the State of Utah proving they are all his would certainly solve THAT issue - AND get one of us in jail now wouldn't it - so why on earth will you NOT give us the TRUTH - because you know full well one is Chad W's and the other is your husbands - and that house, the cars, the motor home, the things in you...

Dream....a very simple monochromatic layout!  The top picture was done when my youngest was just a little baby - and my daughter was about 2...and the bottom picture was done 2 years later!  They always were so peaceful when they were sleeping - and now look at them, Terra is driving and Casey just graduated high school!  This layout was done in monochromatic blues to make it easier.  I used a simple swirl as the accent, and hand written journaling to finish it off.  Though you can't see it - the blue was trimmed by 1" on top and bottom and then matted on white cardstock to make an interesting look.  Very simple layout to do!  So, your challenge for the day is to do a monochromatic layout or project!  Lynda Jeffs Memories in Tyme

       Ok - I am a dork...I've had glasses since I was in the second grade...thick ugly glasses.  I didn't realize until just a few years ago that I am almost legally blind unless I have my contacts or glasses on, until my eye doctor told me!  People who knew me at this time, wouldn't recognize me if they seen me walking down the street - I wear contacts now!   My Dorky Glasses left side      For this layout, I started with the paper...everything else evolved from here.  The paper I used was from a pack I received from my kids for Christmas one year!  I was so excited to get paper it wasn't funny...I still have quite a bit of it left even after this project!    The funny part about the layout - I had broke my glasses and haven't replaced them since...I just ended up with contacts instead so the glass part is actually the "glasses" in the layout!  The rims of the glasses were done by tracing the frame on the c...

Ok, so - in response to someone saying to their dad that "ha ha ha ha you took my comment out of context...."  Now - if someone says "whether u like it or not ur MIKES baby girl, NOT DELS" HOW CAN THIS BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT?  YOU WANT ME TO BRING THIS SITUATION TO MY BLOG BECAUSE YOU AND MOMMY DON'T LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON - WHAT IN THE HELL IS SHE SO AFRAID OF BY NOT ALLOWING DNA TESTING TO BE PERFORMED?  IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN DO ANYTHING - THEY ARE OVER THE AGE OF 18 - IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN GO BACK TO PEOPLE AND COLLECT MONEY - IT'S OVER AND FREAKING DONE WITH ALREADY - BUT DON'T YOU THINK PEOPLE DESERVE TO KNOW WHO IS LYING AND WHO IS NOT MISS HURRICANE?  I've already told people to get the truth and at the end of it all they will find someone who is lying - either me or YOU.   So, why don't you put up or shut up already and provide my husband with what you know is the truth - that he is the father of all 4 kids - and you are just a monk...

Happy Birthday left side       This layout was one of the funnest layouts I have done and wanted to share it with you!  The "birthday boy" is my youngest son, born on 12/26...he just graduated high school...so this is for HIM!  I had talked to Pebbles in my Pocket one day, and a few days later a package arrived, of tons of fun stickers for me to play with!  At the time I was living in Utah, and tried to get my "scrapbooking" endeavor out...to no avail!  When the package arrived, I knew just what to do with this set of birthday stickers! Supplies:   Cardstock - 2 sheets for the background                  2-3 sheets for the photos  Birthday related stickers Fine tip marker Happy Birthday right side Paper trimmer                                                 ...

     Here's another one of those type of posts that you can click the X button at the top if  you don't want to hear what I have to say.....  Yes, this is a scrapbooking blog - but occasionally I will speak about topics that people NEED to hear and be aware of..... Paternity FRAUD is one of those topics...and since our situation is not going away - it is now being talked about on my blog for people to read.       Now, for those of you who are asking "What is Paternity FRAUD"... this is where a  woman, who is in a relationship with a man, goes out and cheats on said person  and ends up pregnant.  Now, in the State of Utah (and guys, you really should look at the laws in  your own state - as each state varies on how they handle PATERNITY FRAUD) if a man happens to be  married to said "cheater" (wanted to say whore...however) then guess who the baby  daddy is....... THE MAN WHO IS MARRIED TO HER BECOMES THE FA...

     It's that time again.....time to look at the upcoming events  you have in your life for the next 6 weeks...  Whether you have birthday's, weddings, showers, or fun summertime events planned, grab your calendar and start to look at what you need to make, purchase, send off, or what have you!        Our economy really stinks right now, I've been living it for a  long time...and learned a few things along the journey until now.  Take time to look at what you have going on so you can get started on things early - instead of at the last minute...  Start to look at  the calendar for things you need to deal with until the end of July!  This way, you can start getting things you need to - put together, in order to get things completed on time.        My main problem in life - (I am so like my mom) - I procrastinate - and pretty soon, what I "wanted" to do - doesn't get done because I didn't spend...

My mom, me and my sister Debbie      The past - you can't do anything to change what was done a minute ago, a day ago,  or even 20 years ago...  But what do you do when you need to work through past issues -  in order to be able to be that person you are suppose to be?     My life has not been easy - from dealing with molestation, 2 failed marriages, domestic violence, and now stalking and Paternity FRAUD.  There is no text book on how  to deal with crappy issues in your life, it just is what it is.   You can try to handle things  to the best of your ability - but there comes a time when you probably should just walk away if things are not changing.  That is what Del and I had to do about 3.5 years ago - walk away because of issues.        Now - by walking away, does that mean you have given up?   NO - it just means you  are doing what you need to in order to stay SANE.  If all ...

       I spent the past weekend with my daughter (and my son too) - a bitter-sweet type of visit with her though...  One thing I didn't realize is the decisions I made in my life -  and how they affected her even now.  I don't want for her what I had...I want better for her.  I want her to be strong, independent, kind, happy...find a great man, and then have kids...  I don't want her to have 3 marriages, have to deal with someone treating her badly...by either hitting her, or making her feel like she is less than the other person...  I certainly don't want her to be lectured because she has done something wrong, or hit because she said something out of turn...  I don't want her to have the bathroom door ripped off the hinges while she is in the bathroom cowering.  I don't want her to have to explain behaviors...I don't want her to condone things that shouldn't be condoned...           What I didn'...

     My post today is NSBR (not scrapbook related)...so feel free to click the little X  button at the top if you'd like...but the topic might just help you, or someone you care about, so I hope you decide to read on.  With Fathers Day this week - I wanted to talk  to those of you who are estranged from your dads...in hopes that things can change for  you this year.  I'm not an expert, or a psychologist...all I am is a mom, daughter, sister,  and a wife..   Casey with his Step dad Del       Whether it is your sister, your mother, your father, your brother...or just a friend that you haven't spoke to  in a while, it is really stressful - not only on you, but on them as well when you are not talking to someone you  care about.  One party or another won't go to events, or won't be invited...it's a back and forth game...I'm perfect example of all the above....  Yet, w hen it comes right down to it...

All Star Dad left side      Fathers Day is this coming up weekend...around my house, it's just another day, though quite a few years ago, it was fun as heck to have 7 of the 8 kids with us celebrating one event or another.  My kids would usually be sent to California each summer to be with their dad...I would get a summertime with Del and usually Ryan, my oldest.  One particular year, we were able to see Del's kids for Fathers Day - this is the layout that followed from the pictures we were able to take that day.         With this layout, it all just came together starting with the papers  I selected to use.  Starting with the star paper, it had the two different shades of blue - so this is what I started with when picking out the rest of my colors.  I only wanted a little bit of an accent color, this is where the yellow came in.  When adding a bit of color, you can always punch small shapes to add to the layout in dif...