I completed this new layout yesterday using the kit by Jenny Binder in the Scrappers Guide July premier issue. There was also a tutorial on brightening up old photos. I was quite pleased with the way this turned out. I have to admit by looking at it that I am in desperate need of Crystal's book. I am such a graphic scrappper. It's as if I am following the rules of layout and drafting that I used in my work and having a tough time going outside the box.

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I just found out that I won a copy of Crystal's new book, "Cut Loose". I am very excited. I wanted the book and mentioned it to Crystal and then found out that there was a contest on line and someone could win a copy of the book. I have been saving for it. I have this little account for scrapping that I can use each month and learned about the book some time ago. Now I will spend my account on fun stuff to Cut Loose with. This is so great. I am also getting ready to take photos of my friend Robin and her husband. They are expecting in late August and it is their first baby. I am as Crystal says, a scrapbooker and not a photographer. But because of this hobby, I am always carrying a camera and taking photographs. I need pictures in order to scrap. This is a challenge as I don't have any small children in my life. The two I have are adults and don't live close. They also don't take as many photographs as Mom would like them to. That is a whole other story.  So now my friends think that I am a photographer. I am, of course, delighted to be taking these pictures and will tell you all about the experience once I finish. I am so glad that Crystal mentioned flickr. I looked there and got some great ideas for the photo shoot.

I received a new tripod for my birthday. It was the one gift that I really wanted and you should have seen Jon's face when I put it on my list. But he found it and I couldn't be more pleased as this photo from my blog gallery shows. It is a dream to use. Just screw the camera on to it. The little bubble legs are like the old (I am going to show my age here) pop-beads. They pop on and off to make them any combination of length you want. This is especially useful when you want to wrap it around something. I tend to shake at times and this helps me to get nice clear shots. Also I am able to set up self portraits. This was handy when I took a picture of the two of us to send to my mother. It is a bit bulky to stuff into my purse and so I tend to just throw it into my camera bag.

A lazy day thus far. I am attempting to get used to my new tri-focals and they are being tough for me. I am not so good at just looking out of one place in my glasses. I find that I am leaning in a lot as the mid level isn't clear unless I am back further than I usually am.

I did finish a few new pages for the class I am taking. Here they are. Hope you enjoy them. .....

The first was my birthday and it was such a fun day. We attended the monthly World Peace prayer meeting at the Ikeda Auditorium, our Buddhist gathering place and then at home we had cake (lemon-raspberry) and three of my friends made sushi for everyone. I was also able to pick up the disks with the .jpg's of my heritage album. They turned out to be great. Not sure how much to put in the gallery as there are over 70 pages. Will try to pick a few of them. I wanted a gorilla tripod for my camera and received one. I'm a happy camper now.