Memory Makers with Brooke Bartimioli

Congratulations Masters 2008!

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 02:45:39 GMT

Wow, a year flies by, doesn't it? Congrats to the new Masters! I can't wait to see the winning pages, and the pages to come!

Baby May is 12 days old today. I can't believe how much she's changed in a few short days. Everyone says to enjoy each stage as it comes, and I'm going to take this advice, because I can see her growing right before my eyes! She's beginning to smile, and makes the cutest animated faces. She's a very easy baby: rarely cries, sleeps through the night (waking briefly to eat, then falls asleep again quickly) and seems to be content pretty much all the time. Right now I'm working on my birth announcements- I hope they turn out ok- I didn't ever have a definite design worked out, just making them up as I go!

I think summer is over here in north Idaho. It feels very fall-like, which makes me very happy. Autumn is such an inspiring time for me; makes me feel artsy.

Well, time for an extra-foamy latte so I can get those announcements done!

May is here!

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:20:03 GMT

Our little girl, May Violet Bartimioli, was born on August 13th, weighing 7lbs. 15oz and 20 inches long. She's a very good, sweet baby. She has tons of black hair like her dad and has my long toes. What a little peanut!

In Case You're Wondering...

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:47:00 GMT

I am officially one day overdue. I don't so much mind not having the baby yesterday, since "August 6th" is difficult to say (comes out rather lispy and I'm very particular about such things). Today would be nice, since 7 is a great number and all, but I have little hope of that happening. I was quite sure I was going to be early, so in my mind, I'm WAY overdue. My doctor says if I don't have her by the 10th (my brother Matt's birthday in fact), that she'll schedule an induction, since my baby is already quite large (yikes). My mom will get into town tonight at 10, and my dad and brother will be here the 11th. I was hoping to have her before they all got here, so they could have more time with the baby, but things aren't pointing in that direction right now. Well, I know this is typical of pregnancy, so I guess I'll just hang around uncomfortably in my sweatpants trying not to be frustrated until something happens. Perhaps I'll console myself with a Krispy Kreme donut on the way to the airport to get my mom.

Not Yet...

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:30:55 GMT

I'm still waiting for this baby to get here, and I feel like she's decided to have her birthday in October. So, I decided to stop thinking about it [ya right], and take full advantage of having a giant belly by creating a little photo shoot with it. I created a little series called "Snacks on the Belly", which is, you guessed it- bird's- eye view photos of various treats lined up on my bare stomach. I used M&Ms, Skittles, pretzels, Tootsie Pop, an Oreo, Rolaids (basically a snack since I eat so many of them), and mixed nuts. Oh the joy I get looking at those pictures (sorry, I'm not about to display such an embarrassment, but I am going to make a little book out of them- today, if possible)!

Confession: I can't set an eyelet to save my life. Does anyone else have this problem? I thought about getting one of those eyelet-setting clamp things, but I couldn't figure it out, even after a demonstration at the store. On the last layout I did, I spent a good while trying to set one little eyelet, but to no avail. I asked my husband to help me (thought maybe it was a strength issue), but he ended up embedding the eyelet completely into my desk instead of the paper, so now there's a nice hole there. It was actually very funny. Not wanting to create further damage, I ended up using eyelet brads instead, which I love. I think I use that cute little eyelet hammer more for hanging pictures than for it's intended use. Oh well.

Well, I must away, and hopefully NEXT time I'll have baby pictures to post!

The Waiting Has Begun...

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:23:53 GMT

Let's just say I now have every reason and symptom to believe that I will definitely give birth to this baby before my due date (Aug. 6). Hey, I think Great Grandma will be right about her being a July baby! So now we're just waiting in our *clean* house for the moment to arrive. I don't really know what to do with myself, except to put my feet up and think about when she's going to get here. It's pretty much mild torture not knowing when it's all going to happen, but kinda thrilling at the same time. What she's going to look like is my main curiousity. Probably poofy jet-black hair like her dad, and from what I can see from the ultrasound, my cheekbones and lips. I'm guessing she'll have my freaky long toes (to Justin's dismay, since he thinks he has "the cutest feet ever"), but she'll be glad if she gets mine, because they are quite convenient to pick things up with.

This is probably the last time I'll post on this blog as a pregnant person (hopefully!). I've had a remarkably easy pregnancy, (despite those pesky first 3 months of nausea) but other than that it's been a breeze! I was sad to not get any weird cravings like pickles with ice cream. The only cravings I've had are 7UP (can't get enough...not Sprite or Sierra Mist- only 7UP), TCBY frozen yogurt (vanilla/choc swirl with Reese's, or chocolate with M&Ms). My worst cravings have been for things I just can't have: In-and-Out burger (primarily a southwest coast chain i think, and not one even close to Idaho), and Chevy's. I haven't found a Chevy's around here yet, which might have been a good thing. Man, their tortillas are amazing!

Here's that altered baby book I promised to show you. The photo is bad, since I don't feel like unpacking my camera from my hospital bag, so it's taken with my computer camera. This image is backwards, so it doesn't really say "YAM" on the front of the book, it says "MAY", although yams with marshmallows sound pretty good right now.

Happy Independence Day!

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:23:11 GMT

Sorry I've neglected my blog so much! Whew- we've been busy! Last week we got back from Redding, Ca, where I had a baby shower. It was a very nice shower, and everything I got was really neat and very much my style. I especially loved all the vintage and antique items such as clothing, doll cradles, books, etc. I made the baby a tin to hold people's predictions and little messages to her; I think it would make a great shower gift for someone. The drive there was a piece of cake, but I grew so much those 10 days that the way back was pretty uncomfortable (feet the size of loaves of bread). Thankfully we stopped in Portland, which is the halfway mark, and got to visit some friends and their babies (the kind of babies that make family life look really fun).

Justin just finished installing the last of our new bamboo flooring- what a difference! We are racing against the clock to get baseboard and doors put in before the baby gets here, and get our disaster-area of a house organized. I'm still due the first week of August, but i have a feeling I'll be a bit early (but I'm not going to count on it!). Everyone keeps asking me if I'm due any day now, so I guess that means I look like I'm going to pop. We have prenatal classes tonight, so that's exciting.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July- eat lots of corn on the cob and strawberries!

A Nice Visit

Sat, 19 May 2007 04:48:53 GMT

My parents came to visit last weekend for Mother's Day and my dad's birthday. They drove all the way from Redding, Ca, and got here in record timing- 14 hours (shouldn't take more than 12), and vowed that next time they would get plane tickets in a timely fashion. It was a very nice weekend; we didn't do a whole lot, which is the best kind of visiting in my opinion. My brother Aaron couldn't make it- he was busy recording his first album with his band, Athanasia in Sacramento (look out- they're up and coming! check them out on MySpace). We all went to the boardwalk on Coeur d'Alene Lake, made homemade ice cream, went for walks, and my dad and I ate a whole batch of cupcakes in two days (ok, Justin helped a little). For Mother's Day I made my mom a collage art piece on a cut-down hollow door panel, which she loved to tears. So, it was a very pleasant visit, especially after we've all been through lately. The peace of God remains and we continue to look forward to new things and goodness this year.

As my stomach's expanding, we're starting to feel the crunch time of how much remodeling we need to get done before the baby is born (when i say "we" i mean Justin). We just got our bamboo flooring, he just needs to install it, but that is the thing I look forward to the most. We live in a 6-year-old house that somehow has filthy 1970s carpeting; it's a great mystery to me. As for art projects, I've been really into making collage pieces on large panels, and am still working on Baby May's book (an altered book that looks more funky than baby-ish). I really want her book done in the next few weeks for my baby shower down in Redding. Today I altered a tin soap box to bring to the shower to have people write messages or predictions for the baby. I'll post it when it's completely finished. I look forward to a productive, beautiful spring weekend (even though there are thunderstorms in the forecast)!

This past month...

Wed, 02 May 2007 16:27:36 GMT

Here I am, updating my blog for the first time in well over a month. Many of you know about my brother Matt from my scrapbook pages and his fight with leukemia. Matt passed away March 28th at the age of 20. Justin and I went down to Redding, Ca to be with my family for a few weeks, which was very refreshing. God has given my family and me this amazing "peace that passes understanding", which is evident because I can't even describe how peaceful and happy I feel despite something so tragic. I know Matt is in heaven and he is not suffering anymore (in fact, quite the opposite!), and know I will see him soon, so I find it difficult to be sad.

I think there are still a few pages about Matt to be published in upcoming issues. Scrapbooking during this whole year of his illness has given me great strength and distraction. It has caused me to remember to never give up hope- no matter what! Never, ever! In fact, I actually entered the MM Masters contest right after Matt was diagnosed, which was a very spiritual moment for me in creating my entry page. It allowed me to rise above the situation and pour myself out into my art on a very different level. I owe winning this contest to Matt, for he inspired it. I celebrate his life: past, present, and future.

August 2006- dad, mom, brothers aaron and matt, me, husband justin

It's a Girl!

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:51:55 GMT

My husband and I just found out today that we are expecting a baby girl (much to our surprise...we just assumed it to be a boy, since we both come from families of boys). I'm 20 weeks along, and feeling pretty good (finally). We are very excited!

I still haven't wrapped my mind around the fact that I am actually having a girl. This will be a lot of fun, though. I've been complaining about how unfair it is that boy clothes just aren't as cute as girl's clothes, but now I think it's great! Luckily I haven't purchased anything gender-specific, and I haven't painted the nursury. I look forward to going very girly with pinks and chocolate brown, vintage and shabby-chic inspired, with a modern edge of course (or else it wouldn't fit in with the rest of my house). And then there's the baby book! That's very exciting- I must start immediately. Justin picked out the name May, which I also like (apparently popular in the 1870s, and anything to do with the 19th century, I love). so I think the first name is pretty much decided. The hard part is the middle name...nothing seems to fit just yet. We feel the need to give our children short names to balance our 10-letter, 5 syllable last name.

The weather has been beautiful lately- I am eager to get outdoors and plant flowers and a vegetable garden. We are still remodelling our house (wonderful, but chaotic); it will be great to not have to be inside breathing sheetrock dust at all hours. This is our first spring in Idaho, and I hear it's a lovely time of year in the northwest, and with a baby on the way, things are looking very pleasant indeed. Here's a picture of our baby...isn't she cute?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 03:28:13 GMT

Today is our 5th year engagement anniversary. Such holidays always sneak up on both of us, so we forgive each other for not thinking ahead with something really great planned. Yesterday I spent some time here and there on an accordian-style card for him, and finished it up today while he was at the store buying flowers for me. I made it a perfect size to keep inside a Valentine's box that Justin got me last year that held some truffles. Needless to say, I loved my flowers, and he loved his card. We're going to cook a nice dinner and chocolate souffles- the perfect Valentine's Day.

What a Mess!

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:05:11 GMT

So this is how I work...surrounded by chaos. Actually, this photo is only a small corner of the disaster area. Believe it or not, I usually know where everything is! I have these great plans for organization, and bought a bunch of canvas containers for all my stuff. I organized everything, but when it came time to create, out everything came, all over the floor. That's just my way of doing things I guess.

But, I must share this space with the guest room, so I need to think of a way to put everything in perfectly organized order. This room is a complete embarassment, especially for my husband, when he shows people our new house. In the next month I plan on focusing on this area. I've been catolog shopping for a desk, chair and shelving. I'd much rather work on the floor, but that won't be so comfortable when we install hardwood floors, plus, my floor workspace habit is much too messy. Thought I'd share this nightmare of a picture before I get it all nice and pretty. Scary, huh?

In the Footsteps of History and Tradition

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:00:07 GMT

The year is coming to a close, which makes me think of how to document 2006 before it's over. It's been a crazy year, so I'll probably do a project that reflects that (layers, layers, layers). Now's the time to start thinking of do-able New Year's Resolutions, and maybe find a good way to document those, too. I think that I will create a reminder to fulfill them throughout the year ("eat more vegetables" isn't exactly something I remember on a daily basis, which is why that resolution floated away from my thoughts last year- although i did gain an appreciation for corn on the cob).

For Christmas a friend got me a book called The Scrapbook in American Life. It's not a photo-based book on scrapbook trends, but a history of scrapbooks and their makers. I've only read a few pages, but so far it has fascinated me greatly, and inspired me to get out of my current scrapbooking slump.

Here's a review from the back of the book that really grabbed my at my heart as pertains to how connected I feel to this art form:

"'Scrapbooking' has become one of the growth industries of our time. Conventions, fancy scissors, and store-bought supplies attest to its popularity. But as The Scrapbook in American Life demonstrates, this is by no means a new phenomenon. Some men, a number of children, and lots of women made scrapbooks in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries for an almost infinite variety of reasons: the collector's itch, autobiography, learning, and the simpe joy of arranging things in a telling or pleasing manner. As this excellent book suggests, scrapbooks are all about aesthetics, too- about the technique of collage which makes every woman an artist." - Karal Ann Marling

Alright, I'm inspired. Gotta go tear some paper now. Happy 2007!

Paper and It's Many Uses

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 20:03:48 GMT

I don't know how I ever got by without scrapbook paper...I am obsessed with all the neat prints and patterns. And they're just not for scrapbooking. The last few days I've been covering boxes (medium and small) with paper to put Christmas gifts inside, embellishing them with constrasting strips of paper and brads, and of course, inking the edges for a vintage feeling. I love this time of year, because it allows me to make things in great quantities: gifts, ornaments, decorations, etc. It's like the creativity switch turns to high around the end of October. I must confess I haven't gotten around to nearly as much creating as I usually do, so this week I think I'm going to focus on it. I'm also working on making scrapbooks for my mom and my in-laws for Christmas. I'll be sure to post some images of those as soon as I'm finished. Wow, I have a lot to do! Better get to it! Plus, there's all those handmade cards to make... I once again am very impressed of the simple yet ingenious design and functionality of a bone-folder. Wonderful!

Here's to a fun and creative time of year!

My story...

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 09:49:21 GMT

It was 6:30 a.m. on September 6th when my phone rang. I dare not answer the phone when coming out of a deep sleep, as I have been known to inform the caller that “no, I’m not selling any hairdryers…” without even realizing it. The strange part of this is, I don’t even own a hairdryer. Luckily I was awake enough to not trust myself to answer the phone, and, who the heck is calling me at this hour? No one I know, because they are all aware of how much I love to sleep. At 7:30 the phone rings again. Dazed, I checked the id; it was the same unfamiliar number, so I went back to sleep. Again, at 9:30 the phone rang. I could have slept another 2-3 hours, but that starts to get embarrassing when one gets up around noon (especially because I was staying at friends’ house). So I guess I’ll answer the phone to tell them they have the wrong number. I was intensely groggy at this moment, so when the conversation was over, I did not trust my sleep-induced mind to leave the situation with clarity. All I remember are the words “Memory Makers” and I think I muttered something unintelligible. Of course the second I hung up the phone, I was quite confused, but told my friends and husband that I think I “got the call.” But as a few hours passed, I started to doubt. Yes, I was sure that Memory Makers called (thanks to referring to the magazine for a contact number, paired with the call-log on my cell phone), but maybe they called to tell me something else. The examples I came up with were complex and unrealistic, so I had to conclude that they did in fact call to inform me of Mastership. So naturally after I figured out what was going on, I became pretty excited. Shortly after all this, my husband, Justin, and I moved something like 1000 miles, so I grew nervous as to completing deadlines on time in a house that was in complete disarray, and no internet for weeks. But, things worked out, as they usually do, and I'm now ready for action.

Gosh, I don’t want to make this too long, so you’ll want to come back to my blog (maybe I’ll put it in a small font☺). From the January issue you can read the basics about me: age, inspirations, residence, etc. BTW- when the issue came out I was bummed about my photo…”why did I send THAT one in?” It was taken about 10 minutes after I woke up one day. I just now realized it is perfect for my introduction as I was informed I was a Master when I was barely awake. How's that for a perfect representation? Things like that make me happy.

In case you’re wondering, I don’t have any kids yet, but have two really great cats, Pepi and Luigi. Justin says we’re all a “little family,” but I’m too aware that they’re animals to declare such a thing, although we talk about them to strangers way too much. Just being my husband and me, I find I have to really stretch my imagination to come up with creative scrapbook pages, which is how the posted pages “Tomatoes” and “Balanced Breakfast" came to be.

I’ve found that in all forms of art, inspiration must be present to create something. Lately, my inspiration has been my brother, Matt, who has been battling leukemia. So, this year, you will probably see a lot of pages about Matt, as this is a huge deal in my life right now. Documenting his journey has been very theraputic, and I plan on eventually framing the pages and giving them to him when he’s kicked this thing.

Thanks for visiting! Let me say how honored I am to be chosen, and I look forward to an inspiring year with everyone! Come back soon, ok?

Contest Entries

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:38:38 GMT

this page is about my grandma, Betty Ann, whom I adore! She has created quite a legacy and a very large, fun family. For her 75th birthday, my cousin Britt and I gathered memories from the entire family (there were a lot!) and created a scrapbook as a gift. This is not a page from the actual album, but I loved the memory my brother Aaron wrote about grandma so much that I had to create a page to keep for myself. It exemplifies her perfectly.

Tomatoes

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Balanced Breakfast

- Justin and I go through the same thing every morning. He always asks me if I’m hungry, and he should know by now that I don’t eat breakfast, only an Americano with cream. But he always asks, because he loves breakfast. So, one of us always ends up making breakfast, but I refuse to eat it. Then he insists that I should eat, so I appease him by eating one sausage, or a lump of scrambled egg the size of a marble. One morning he thought my ‘meal’ was so hilariously pathetic-looking that he made me take a picture. I’m glad he reminds me to document silly things.