Hi and Happy Wednesday! I'm itching to get in on Patty's 8.24 challenge, "My Wings Are Made of ..." I haven't had time to create a page yet, but I know what my wings are made of -- rubber! They represent flexibility, resiliency, durability and buoyancy ... traits that serve me well these days!

Speaking of wings, we just finished redecorating Mei-Lin's room in a butterfly motif. Joel painted the walls, and Mei-Lin and I "scrapbooked" them with beautiful butterfly stickers from WallWear (available at Home Depot). They were so easy to use ... Just peel and stick (and easily reposition a time or two or three to get just the right flight pattern!)

I like to think that these butterfly wings bring cotton-candy colored dreams to Mei-Lin when she goes to bed each night ... There's plenty of time for her to develop her own set of rubber wings for the future.

Best,
Beth

No, I don’t have long flowing hair; I’m still a bit of the team’s Chia pet. But look – I do have some hair! Being bald has been liberating and taught me a lot about inner beauty (who I am has far more to do with my mind, heart and soul than my hair and weight).

In the spirit of taking flight into a new chapter of life and all things fuzzy like my hair, here’s our latest challenge:

•Create a 1-page layout that is NOT 12x12 and NOT square
•The title of the layout is: My Wings Are Made of ________(fill in the blank)
•Include texture
•Have fun with typography

Post your pages in the forum before midnight September 4. We’ll announce the winner in our September 5 e-newsletter (go to our homepage to sign-up). The winner will receive a copy of We Dare You, the hot new book from Memory Makers Books.

We can’t wait to see your creations!

Peace and love,
 Patty

TOMORROW we'll share the names of our Class of 2008 Masters. This is such an exciting time for us here at the magazine, and we can't wait to introduce you to this talented group of scrappers!

Check out our Web site Wednesday 8/22 for an intro to our newest class of Masters. Then visit the forum and share your good wishes and thoughts with them and the whole Memory Makers community.

Peace and love,
 Patty

Luke's sister got married this past weekend. After the preparation, the ceremony, reception and photos (8 hours later), we were exhausted. After the wedding we just wanted to go somewhere and chill. I haven't lived in Cincinnati all that long, so I told him to take me wherever he wanted to go.

We ended up at Union Terminal, an old train station that is now the history museum. We walked around inside for a little bit, but I was more interested in the large fountain outside. The weather was beautiful and it was the perfect time at night for photos. Luke doesn't like to have his picture taken, but we don't get this dressed up very often and I wanted a photo of the two of us. He's getting used to the idea that the camera's always in my back pocket.

Although I was thankful for the peaceful time alone with Luke by the fountain, there wasn't anyone around to take our picture.  And it's times like these that I want to remember. So I took full advantage of the self-timer on my camera. With a little patience and a few tries, I got the photo I wanted.

Next time you don't have anyone around to take photos remember that you can still capture the moment with just the camera and you. A couple of tips:

1. Don't worry about cropping, you can do that later. Just capture the moment you are looking for.
2. To save time, visualize the composition before you take the picture. If you can, get rid of any unnecessary background elements or make sure there is nothing too distracting behind you if you are outdoors. Think about how you want to position yourself and others.

Have a great week,
Christy

It's one of those days where I just feel funky and out of sorts. Too much to do ... too much on my mind ... too much not going the way I planned ... just too much.

It's on days like this that I've learned to give myself a break and take a break. I head to one of my favorite craft/art blogs and bask in Alicia's lovely, lovely, LOVELY words, photos, handiwork and spirit. I always feel soothed and comforted after reading one of her blog entries. It's like curling up on the couch with a soft blanket on a rainy evening.

Where do you go when you're feeling the stresses of everyday life? Stop by there today and take a well-deserved respite.

Best,
Beth