Jaclyn Bernardo Designs

Spotlight on ... Background Stacks

2010-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every digi-scrapper worth her salt has "stacks and stacks" of gorgeous papers at her disposal. Now what to do with all of them? Jaclyn has solved the dilemma beautifully with one of my very favorite lines of products that she designs: Background Stacks.

With three different template sets, you're sure to find the perfect background for your photos.

And here are just a few of the fabulous layouts in Jaclyn's gallery at FPD that use these templates:
by Kari-RelocatedDixieGirl

By Sheana

By scribler

Beautiful layouts, ladies!

A New Release, a day late

2010-10-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon to everyone, Christine here to bring you a new amazing set of templates Boosters No. 3 Jac has blown me away once again with her amazing template designs, just so much fun to play with!!!

So you wanna see it? Ok, here ya go

and this would not be complete without some inspiration from the CT ladies now would it...

Sorry for the late post but make sure you grab these while they are on sale and you can find all of Jaclyn's products at her shop over at Funky Playground Designs.

Be sure and stop back soon to see what is coming next...Have a great weekend!!

Christine

Inspirational Creative Sites to visit

2010-10-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Kiki here with a few websites I think are worth visiting if you are looking for a boost in your digital scrapbooking mojo or need to think outside the box. First up is one of my fave inspirational sites, Poppytalk. Definitely a wide variety of project ideas, frugal tips and creativity galore!

Next up is a new one I've found. Inspiration Resource is a wealth of mojo boosting posts.

And last but not least, I always love to check out The Crafts Dept. for ideas for hybrid projects using Jaclyn's templates and kits!

Hope you enjoy these little gems and have a great weekend!

Hybrid Boosters are HERE!

2010-10-18T03:19:00.000-07:00

This week I am thrilled to debut my very first set of Hybrid templates! These were a request from my wonderful Creative Team and I'm just so thrilled with how they turned out!

These card templates are simple and easy to customize, flatten and print OR you can break the pieces apart, then print, cut and assemble! The possibilities are endless!

One of my hybrid girls was super quick in putting together some samples and I think they are fantastic...

For ONE DAY ONLY these templates are included in the MILK MONEY MONDAY SALE! Grab them NOW at 50% OFF!!!

Background Stacks: Splits

2010-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! Jackie (tettletop20) here with Jac's new release - Background Stacks: Splits. Don't forget - they are 30% off for a limited time - so go grab them now!

Here is some wonderful inspiration from the team:

by Sally

by Heather

by Glynis

by Laura

Do you want to win my new release?!?

2010-10-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about this week's new release... Background Stacks: Splits! These are so fun and versatile and I just love the gorgeous LO's my CT has been making with them!

If you would like a chance to win, please just leave a comment below, answering the following question...

What is your favorite number of photos to include in a layout?

Winner will be chosen at 9 AM EST on Friday October 8th!

October Freebie... SILLY STACKERS!

2010-10-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hi All... It's been a bit quiet around here these days, so I thought I would kick off the new month with a little FREEBIE...

Please enjoy this mini edition of my Paper Stackers Line... SILLY STACKERS...

I hope that you enjoy them and I would LOVE to see how you use them in your layouts... so link me up!!!

The Funky Club

2010-09-10T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hi all, it's Jackie (tettletop20) here with some news. There's something new at Funky Playground Designs and you don't want to miss out on this! It's called The Funky Club and it's a great way to receive sixteen mini-kits, one per week from September 1st to December 15, 2010 all for $10! Designers along with Jaclyn are, Sir Scrapalot, Girl Boy Girl Designs by Jen Balding, and Michelle Batton.

For more information about The Funky Club, visit here. Have a great day everyone!

Boosters v. 2 and a Grab Bag

2010-09-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

Heather here to bring you today's new release and a release from the 1st of the month.

Jac has a great new Boosters set out today! Check it out HERE! Remember they're 30% off for a limited time only!!!!!

and here is some great inspiration from her creative team:

by Christine

by Jackie
by me
by Laura
by Sally
and by Sara

Also Jac has a great little grab bag with Sir Scrapalot that was released earlier this week and you want to check out too. The Punky Preppy Grab Bag has 2 mini kits, 2 template packs & 2 full alphas. Check it out HERE!

and here's a little inspiration from the creative team!
by Glynis
by Sally

A new look...

2010-08-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

I've finally completed the blog re-design to match my brand new logo and store preview. I'm very happy with the new simplicity and the clean look that everything has... it's very me! I am also happy to have these things done because September is going to be a BIG exciting month around here and at Funky Playground... stay tuned, you don't want to miss it!

Staycation BLOG TRAIN

2010-07-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad you popped in to my stop on the FPD Staycation Blog Train! I hope that you enjoy all the fantastic freebies you'll be able to snag along the way!

My contribution... STAYCATION TEMPLATES!!!

(Click to download)

And now for your next stop...
AMANDA CARLSON DESIGNS

For a full list of all participants and blogs, please visit the FPD BLOG!

Sneak Peek

2010-07-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Heather here with a little sneak peek at the awesome new templates Jac has coming to the Funky Playground tomorrow. Be sure to snatch them up at the shop tomorrow!
and here is a layout I did with one of them for another little peek... they're really awesome and so much fun!

Peek-A-Boo! Product Spotlight

2010-07-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

One of Jaclyn's newer products is a fun set called 'Peek-A-Boo' Templates. They have openings that you can see through for added dimension and texture on your layouts. And as you can see from her CT's inspiration, they are versatile enough for you to make them absolutely your own!

by Laura

by Jackie

by kscwgirl

by Christine

by Glynis

Go pick up this set and spend some time playing with these fabulous templates. And don't forget to let us know if you do. Post a link in your comment and let us ooh and aah. Happy Scrapping!

New Release - Sticky Sweet

2010-07-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

This kit is perfect for summer! Sticky Sweet is a sugary sweet collab by Amanda Carlson and Jaclyn Bernardo. Just check out how cute it is!! Head over to over to Funky Playground Designs and check out all the other Playgrounds :)

Stick Sweet

And of course here's a little inspiration from the team:

By Glynis

By Heather

By Jackie

By Nikki

By Jackie

By Laura

By Melissa

I hope we have inspired you :)
Melissa

Sneak Peek

2010-07-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a little sneak peek of what's coming out of Friday :)

Its perfect for those summer days!

Melissa

2010-06-28T13:01:00.001-07:00

Good morning to you all, Christine here to bring you a lovely template made by the fabulous Jaclyn Bernardo. Jaclyn has some amazing goodies in her store over at Funky Playground Designs, you can see all of them here so hurry and go take a look!!!

I will not keep you any longer so you can go ahead and grab this beauty HERE and please link us to your layouts so we can leave you some love...you can post them in Jaclyn's gallery here,

Thanks so much for stopping by, we look forward to seeing what you do with this gorgeous template.

Christine

Sneak Peek

2010-06-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a little peek at some goodies coming this Friday from Jac... I'm seriously loving them!

Inspiration Time!

2010-06-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Jaclyn's designer gallery at FPD is filling up with lots of gorgeous layouts. If you need inspiration for your next project, just take a peek at some of these (click for full credits):

by Nikki

by Sally

by Kiki

by Christine

by Sheana

And if you still need MORE inspiration, make sure to browse all the lovely layouts in Jaclyn's gallery....you're sure to find something that will stir up your own creative juices. Happy scrapping!

New Releases!!

2010-06-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!! It's time to see what Jac has been cooking up behind the scenes this week! Don't you just love new release day? Jac put together a fantastic Kraft Collection this week. I don't know about you, but I can never have enough Kraft in my stash! Here's what's new:

Simply Krafty Alpha

Simply Krafty Crinkles

Simply Krafty Frames

Simply Krafty Papers

And naturally, it's available as one big fantastical bundle to save you some money!

Here's a little inspiration from the team:

By Laura

By Jackie

By Sally

By Heather

By Glynis

Don't forget, these new releases are 20% off Friday, June 18 through Sunday, June 20th!!

STACK ATTACK!!!

2010-06-11T04:14:00.000-07:00

I seem to be on a bit of a stacking "roll" these days, but I just love the versatility of paper stacks! Each time you use them, you can create a completely different look and feel. You can rotate, flip, and alter as needed to make a look that is completely your own!

This week I've got a new set of full page size BACKGROUND STACKS...

CT INSPIRATION...

Have a blast with my newest paper strip stackers... HORIZONTAL STACKERS!!!

CT INSPIRATION...

SAVE 20% OFF Friday, June 11th thru Sunday June 13th!!!

Happy Early NSD!!!

2010-04-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

I am kicking off my very first NSD as a designer with a big bang... 40% off my entire store!!! Sale runs from Wednesday April 28th to Sunday May 2nd!

And what would NSD be without some fun new releases?

This week I am debuting a fun new line of templates... Seeds and Seedlings!

Plant these SEEDS and watch them grow into beautiful scrapbook pages. Each template is a simple foundation that you can use and customize to your style and vision. These seeds contain layers for papers, photos, and title, which allows you to fully embellish and journal for a look that is all your own!

Seedlings are the next step after Seeds... right? These seedlings are the counterparts to my seed templates, as these templates have matured a bit more and are fully embellished! These templates are simple and easy to grow into gorgeous scrapbook layouts! Add your papers, photos and embellishments and watch them bloom!

Be sure to check out my blog for lots of CT inspiration:
www.mrsmommyceo.com

This week I also have a new installment in my Paper Stackers line... meet the MINI'S! These little stacks are perfect for white space layouts or multiple clusters!

New Releases: Cut-ups Paper Stackers and Templates!

2010-04-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

This week and I excited to release a new set of paper stackers... this time with the fun and edgy feel of choppy cut-up paper! These stackers are the perfect foundation for any layout and they can be rearranged in anyway you would like!

Also, for sale this week are matching templates, also with cut-up paper stack foundations!

My team had so much fun playing with these...

by Laura

by Kellie

by Jackie

Be sure to check out both new releases today, while they are are 20% off!!!

Re-design COMPLETE!

2010-04-06T09:08:00.001-07:00

No... I have not forgotten my blog, although I am sure that it seems that way. I've been working behind the scenes for a while to get things done for this redesign... and now it's finally COMPLETE!

There is much more that will be added... links, products, etc., but for the time being I am happy to have the theme-work done and a new blinkie for my CT and my fans!

Now hopefully I can get a move on posting and showing you all my new products and the amaizng LO's from my Creative Team!

Gearing up...

2010-03-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well... I've found a digi-home and I am beyond excited to be joining such an amazing group of designers! But I can't tell ya where I'm going yet... so you'll just have to keep your eyes open!

Or better yet, follow me on Facebook for all the latest details...
JACLYN BERNARDO DESIGNS on FACEBOOK

Searching for a digi-home...

2010-03-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

I have decided to take the leap into digi-designing and I'm finally ready to unveil the products that I've been laboring over for the passed few weeks! The decision to start designing is not one that I have made lightly, but as I have the opportunity to do something new after the closing of SBD, my first thought was to go with something that I truly love... scrapbooking.

So with a great deal of excitement and some serious nerves.... here is what I've been working on...

I have a thousand ideas that I want to run with... but these sets allowed me to find my style as a template designer and also to spark my creativity in the many other areas of digital designing that I would like to explore!

So now... I'm looking for a store to call home. The task is a bit daunting, as the talent in the digi-world is immense, but I truly hope that I can find just the right place to start my designing journey!

Hello March...

2010-03-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

Oh the grand plans that I had for today. I've been gearing up for this month for weeks now... March 1st was going to be the start of really getting on track... eating better, start exercising, scheduling a few projects that I'm working on... and yeah, I can hear God laughing at me as I now sit here with the stomach flu.

But I'm not deterred, just paused. I AM going to make some real changes... starting with really looking at my priorities and making better choices. Yes... choices is a most appropriate word for me this year. There are only so many excuses that I can give for why I am not doing the things I want to do or the things that I should do... it all comes down to the choices that I make every single day.

So stay tuned... I hope things will get more interesting around here!

Still working...

2010-02-12T07:01:00.000-08:00

Just in case anyone would be following the crazy adventures of my blog redesign... I'm getting there....

A little redesign...

2010-02-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

Just getting started... but I'm leaving the tough stuff until tomorrow! No one can focus on HTML and CSS at 11:45 PM! LOL!

No Photos...

2010-02-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

I have discovered that I have some tell-tale signs when I am feeling low. You would think it would be obvious, especially to me, when my depression is creeping back in on me... but it isn't.

One giveaway is that I stop taking photos. I lose all interest in my camera and even the getting it out for big events is too much effort. I realized I have fallen into this rut once again. I have gone 10 days without taking a photo... so much for P365 right? I'm not necessarily writing off the whole year, but I know that I have no desire to get back on track right now.

Scrapping is equally hard right now, which is really difficult to swallow because I was in such a good place with it a few weeks ago. But right now, I feel like my creativity is very low and it's such an effort to even choose a photo or kits to work with, let alone actually create a LO. My poor creative teams... LOL!

And probably my biggest warning sign of all... sleep. Right now I feel like I could sleep my days away, because when I'm awake life is just too real and I still don't have any answers.

I am praying so hard for guidance and direction, for just the peace and the calm that will allow me to move forward and start taking an active role in changing my situation. And God is just endlessly helpful, because I know that he knows exactly how I feel right now. This was part of my reading last night...

Psalm 42:11
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Closing Time...

2010-02-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

I'm forcing myself to come out of my self-imposed hibernation... not because I want to, but because I think that I need to in order to begin to move forward. It has been a really hard few days... and what I'm realizing is that as hard as the decisions that I had to make were, the consequences of those decisions are equally hard.

I made the choice to close Sweet Baby Designs last Friday. To be honest, I still can't quite believe it. I still feel like it is so much a part of my life and who I am, that it's just completely unreal to me that it's gone. I made the choice based solely on the hit we've taken by the economy... what started out as bad last year, got worse at Christmas and then just proceeded to hit a low that I did not even think was possible. So as much as I made a choice... I really didn't have any other options. The business just wasn't able to survive without taking a huge loss and that was something that I just wasn't ready for and couldn't afford.

So I've been holed up for the past few days, just trying to stop my head from spinning, trying to come up with some sort of direction and plan to move forward.

I have never felt more lost. I have never felt such incredible indecision in my life. But the one thing that I am holding on to is my faith. I've got hold of God with both hands right now because I honestly feel like he's all I have to keep me from completely falling apart. What I find so interesting is that I have NEVER felt more secure in my faith, I have never felt more hopeful of the plans that God has for me and the help that I know he's going to give me.

I honestly can't even explain it to myself, but while everything in my head is screaming at me to do something, jump into something else, run fast into anything that might help me and my family out of this pit... it's as if God is saying... WAIT! I can't tell you the number of times over the past 5 days that he has brought me to scripture that tells me to wait patiently on Him. And as much as my mind is spinning and thinking and working... I'm waiting. I'm so hopeful that He has a plan for me and I know that whatever it is, it's better for me than anything that I can come up with on my own.

So I'm waiting... and in the meantime I'm trying to find me, trying to find what MrsMommy looks like without the CEO.

Feeling Scrappy...

2010-01-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

I haven't mentioned scrapbooking much lately, which is a bit odd because I've never loved this hobby more. It's as if suddenly this month, all of my creative energy has centered itself properly and I'm able to love the process of creating more than ever.

I know that part of my new attitude is the amazing boost of being the Sweet Shoppe Designs Treat of the Month for January. To say that I'm flattered is an understatement, more that I feel completely blown-away and am STILL pinching myself to see if it's real. I feel completely unworthy of the honor, but it has at least given me a bit of confidence in my scrapping that I have always lacked. I tend to be very insecure in my own talents, and of course, I am my own worst critic.

For a long time I used to cruise the galleries and instead of admiring the talent of others, I used everything I saw to tear myself down. I would never be able to scrap the way that other people did, I didn't have the vision or the creativity, and the more I tried to be like everyone else, the more unhappy I became. Being chosen as the TOTM hs made me stop and start to appreciate ME and my talents for what they are. It's given me a little bit of perspective and allowed me to see that although my style and creations may not be like those of other scrappers, they can be good in their own right. I am also realizing more and more that it's MY OPINION that really matters... I scrap for me and no one else, and learning that lesson has been incredibly freeing.

I currently create for 4 amazing designers... Zoe Pearn, Shawna Clingerman, Tracey Howard and Meghan Mullens. It is such a blessing to work with each of them and I love them as much as people, as designers.

Some recent pages...

Psalm 25

2010-01-16T15:06:00.001-08:00

This week I continued reading in Luke, which I'm really enjoying. I'm not sure if this is the first time that I've read it straight through, but I do know that it's not the gospel that I'm typically drawn to. Normally I find myself in Matthew or John.

As stated in my previous post, it was a rough week and rough times always lead me to Psalms. Psalms and Proverbs are my favorite reading and I normally will include them at the end of my other reading whenever I full pulled to dig a little deeper.

Psalm 25 is one of my all-time favorite pieces of scripture. It so perfectly represents how I feel and the prayers that I daily have to the Lord. Knowing that someone as faithful as David felt the same way, felt just as flawed and defeated, fills me with such hope. This is a Psalm that I turn to over and over again when I am feeling down on myself, when I feel as though I am lost and searching for guidance and direction.

Psalm 25

A Psalm of David.

¹ To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
³ Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

⁴ Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

⁶ Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
⁹ The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

¹² Who is the man that fears the LORD?
Him shall He^a]">[a] teach in the way He^b]">[b] chooses.
¹³ He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
¹⁴ The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶ Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
¹⁸ Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
¹⁹ Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
²⁰ Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

Good Days... and not so good days

2010-01-14T17:57:00.001-08:00

I make no secret of the fact that I struggle with depression and anxiety issues. It's something that I've finally come to terms with over the course of the past 3-4 years and it's been a long road to get to where I am today. For a very long time I felt so guilty and so ashamed of feeling the way I did. No matter how normal or okay others would tell me it was, it just never sunk in.

For the past 8 months I have been very aggressively seeking to get the condition under control. Part of doing so is finally realizing and truly understanding that many of the issues that I deal with ARE chemical issues. This is a real condition and it's not one that I can just "get-over". To those who have never dealt with anxiety or depression I know that it is very hard to understand and I think this is why people like me feel so constantly judged for what they are dealing with.

I am currently doing better than I have been in a very long time. I am on a medication that I truly like, I feel like myself. I have many other things that I use to help me, not only medication, but for me, medication is the first step that allows anything else to penetrate.

Having had a good chunk of time that was good mentally, I was caught very off guard by a bad day yesterday. The stress and the pressure of life, work, and finances crashed down on me in a way that was completely debilitating. I at least knew the signs and could see the panic attack coming on... racing heart, nausea, muscles spasms, shaking and nervous tension. Thankfully having been down this road before I was able to calm down with sleep and then a nice long cry to my mom... LOL! The stress is not eliminated by any means, but I'm able to break through the cycle of worry enough to see that there is help for these situations. The more I talk things through with the people around me and the more they extend their love and support, the better I feel and the more eager I am to get back on the right track.

Today I feel as though I've been run over by a truck... my entire body hurts in ways that I had completely forgotten. My anxiety typically causes muscle aches and pains and when I fall into real panic, I believe these muscles are just set into overtime. My neck, my back and shoulders are all aching, as well as my head (but I'm sure that's from the crying). I'm reminded how exhausting this condition was to deal with when it was at it's worst, how badly I felt emotionally, mentally and physically... and more than anything I'm so grateful not to be there right now. Knowing what it's like to feel better... even just a little bit better gives me so much hope, because it means that I don't have to be that person again. I do not have to fall back into that depression again, there is help for me. I accept the bad days, even though they are hard and sometimes scary, because bad days keep me very aware of what good days feel like... and good days are AMAZING!

I know that I am far from healed, but I am no longer completely broken.

So... themes...

2010-01-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Yeah, they sort of flew out the window! LOL! I kept trying to stick with them and then each day I would get a better photo that didn't fit the theme! So as much as I like the idea, I'm just flying by the seat of my pants for the time being... which is crazy, considering I'm the most rigidly non-laidback person I know!

I got a great shot of my mother-in-law with two of the boys yesterday...

I'm so excited because I have very few pictures of them together! I'm hoping to have this one printed and framed for her too! We spent a wonderful afternoon with family yesterday... I find it so hilarious to see Logan around people. He is my first child that is actually a "people" person. He loves to be the center of attention and ham it up whenever he can! He'll sing and dance, chatter and play! It's such a switch from my older two boys who were glued to my side until they hit about 3 years old!

This morning Ron decided to dive into repainting the main hallway downstairs. The problem being that this hallway connects to the living room downstairs, the stairs, and that hallway upstairs. Yeah, so he's got a lot of work ahead of him! I'm so excited to have it done though, because my walls have been looking so dingy lately... that's what happens when three little boys constantly touch and draw on them right?

Logan never likes to be left out of any project, so he spent his morning painting as well...

And in case you are wondering about the odd green stains on his shirt... these are his paint clothes because last week he pulled a cup of dirty water (that a paint brush was rinsing in) down off the counter and it spilled all over him. Like I said, he doesn't like to be left out.

So now it's off to put the boys in bed and then start helping Ron with the trim paint... how do I end up with the worst job? LOL!

Day 8

2010-01-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

I am SO excited to have made it through the first week of P365... and trust me, it's really an accomplishment that I've yet to forget or procrastinate a day!

I am also overjoyed that I have been able to keep with one of my other New Year's goals... daily Bible reading and prayer. This was a huge priority for me coming into this year and I'm so glad to have gotten off to such a good start. Part of my problem in the past with making this a daily activity has been a lack of consistent time. I was previously trying to fit it in each day wherever I could, which normally meant coming to the end of the day, exhausted, and feeling so guilty for not reading. Ideally I would love to have time in the morning, before the house wakes up, as I find this is the BEST way to start the day... but with small children it's just not something that I can consistently accomplish.

This year I have decided on the one time of day that is practically set in stone in my house... bedtime. For the passed week I have put the boys to bed and then immediately sat down for 30 minutes of reading and prayer. Having this already mapped out each day has taken a lot of the pressure off and I find that I'm LOVING this time each evening.

I've decided that each Friday I will record a photo of the passage that touched me most through the week and also record what I've read. Not only do I look forward to the opportunity to scrap these photos and preserve my thoughts on the scripture, but this is also another motivator to keep me accountable for my reading each week.

I've chosen not to read in my Bible from beginning to end, as many people are prone to do when they take up this sort of New Year's Resolution. I am simply reading where I feel God is leading me... this week I started with Luke chapter 4 and read through to chapter 11.

My favorite passage this week...

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

⁹ “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ If a son asks for bread^[a] from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Except from BibleGateway.com

Work, work, work...

2010-01-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

And because this is where I've been spending the bulk of my time, I thought it only appropriate to have a photo of my office.

I only wish that I had good before photos to show how scary this room used to look. I began transforming it into an office a year ago, but at the time my youngest was just too little for me to ever get in there... so my work space was housed in the living room. Now that Logan is a bit older and able to play better in his room (next door) or with the stash in the back of the office, I'm able to really make the room what I want it to be.

I have my desk... and I LOVE my desk. It's big and open and there is just TONS of work space. Ahhh, I can't tell you how much I enjoy being back here, as opposed to cramped up in the living room. I also am thrilled to have a counter for craft projects and a comfy chair to snuggle up and read in. The back of the room holds huge shelves (covered by curtains) that house all the kids games, puzzles, and old journals and photos. It's great storage and I also love that it's tucked away and hidden so I don't have to see it much!

All that's left is a few more wall decorations and the curtains that I keep wanting to make... and I say that as if I have some sort of sewing ability, which is absolutely not true. I can use a sewing machine, thread a bobbin... and really that's about it. I'm not good with the actual construction part of things. I'm also quite intimidated by the fabric that I bought to use because it's striped, meaning you will KNOW if I don't get them straight! LOL!

Well, back to the grind...

Letting go of perfect...

2010-01-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

Since learning to use my prized DSLR Canon Rebel two years ago, I have become more and more focused on "perfect" photos. I prefer to shoot in manual, love natural light, and adore my 50mm portrait lens... and while all these things make for some great photos, they do not allow for any candid photos, nor photos in the evening or at night, and they sometimes can be out of context.

The more I try to scrap memories, the more I realize that I take a LOT of headshots and very few candid, real life photos. So as much as I can journal about whatever I want to go with a photo, the photos themselves aren't telling the stories.

My perfectionism has come glaringly to light as I've attempted to take real life photos each day because the reality is that real life is not perfect! There is almost no natural light in my house at this time of year, so I'm being forced to use the flash. I also have had to deal with messy backgrounds and less than great composition... but I'm finding that I love the stories in the photos that I'm taking each day. They may not be gorgeous to everyone else, but their imperfections are wonderful to me, because I see the life in each and everyone of them.

This is my current favorite...

A quick photo snapped by my husband of Logan and I before bed. I love this photo so much because this is what we do every night before bed... we sit snuggled up with all his stuffed animals and he watches a little Dora while I read. It's one of my favorite parts of the day and I'm so thrilled to have captured this moment!

The other thing that I'm trying to let go of is my desire to edit every photo to death. If I truly want to keep up with all 365 photos, then I know that the odds are I will not have the time to edit each and every one of them... and I'm going to be okay with that. I would rather complete the project and I have a year's worth of imperfect photos and stories to share, than to give up because my expectations of myself are too high!

Not quite the start I envisioned...

2010-01-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

Today was the real first day of the New Year... or at least that's what I was telling myself. The first day back to work after our Christmas hiatus, the kids back in school, and the house almost back to normal. I was feeling so motivated last week, thinking this was going to be just a fantastic day...

My 2 year old son had other plans. He decided to wake up at 11 pm and toss and turn, squirm and wiggle, chatter and whine... until 3 am. Me being the pushover that I am, I thought if I put him in bed with me he would go right back to sleep like he normally does, instead he decided that sleep was over-rated.

It did strike me as funny though, when he sat bolt upright in bed at 2 am and started screaming LOLLIPOP (pronounced La-pop). Of course I didn't cave on that one, much to his annoyance. He did continue to ask for another 10 minutes though, varying between yelling at me and gently whispering in my ear.

So now I sit here desperately trying to remember the million things I wanted to do today and all I really want to do is crawl back into bed and nurse my aching head and back... sleeping with a toddler is seriously bad for your health!

Oh... but I have been keeping up with my photos! YAY! I'm finding the hardest part is deciding WHAT to actual take a photo of. I can't properly envision one photo to sum up the WHOLE day, so I'm kicking around themes for each day, so I would have something to go on. I'm thinking...
Sunday: Fun Day (Family & Recreation)
Monday: Wesley
Tuesday: Nathan
Wednesday: Eveyday life/Around the house
Thursday: Logan
Friday: Deep Thoughts
Saturday: All about me

And here is photo #3 before I go...

Logan and Brooke playing on her iPhone!

Day 1

2010-01-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

Now don't get any funny ideas about me actually posting my photos EVERYDAY! LOL! However, I figured the first one was a bit special, so it deserved it's own post!

One of my biggest goals for this year is to devote daily time to Bible reading and prayer. Last year I began to do this sporadically and I was amazed at how helpful it was. I found it to be incredibly inspiring, but also very calming and centering. This year I want to make a concentrated effort to make this quiet time a priority each and everyday.

One Little Word for 2010

2010-01-01T03:30:00.000-08:00

Last year I was inspired by Ali Edwards to choose a word for the year. This is a concept that I really love and after choosing a word last year, I am amazed at how applicable it became to my life. I truly pray that year's word follows suit.

Last year I chose the word FAITH. 2009 was a very difficult, challenging, rewarding, and blessed year... and it really was all about growing my personal faith in God and establishing my love and trust in Him, building on our relationship and begin the long road to healing and completeness. One of the things that God taught me repeatedly last year is that HE IS IN CONTROL... and this is a lesson that my anxiety-ridden self desperately needed to learn. It has been a long road for me and I know that I have only scratched the surface, but the important part to me is that I feel like I'm at least headed in the right direction and God's in the driver seat now.

My word for 2010 came to me very easily when I realized that God was pressing something new on my heart. I found myself repeatedly asking... What REALLY matters? and more than that, do my actions reflect what REALLY matters to me? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that as much as God has taught me that He was in control, he was also teaching me that I needed to take responsibility for the things I was in control of... my own choices.

CHOICES

Choices, my word for 2010, truly encompasses the excitement and hope that I have for this new year. Realizing that in everything I do, I have a choice to make... and I can choose to take the easy way out, I can choose to be lazy, I can choose to make excuses, I can choose to watch life pass me by or....

I can CHOOSE to take care of myself, mind and body. I can CHOOSE to make God my number one priority. I can CHOOSE to give my children all the time and attention that they deserve. I can CHOOSE to have my actions reflect that things in my life that are truly important to me.

I am so excited!!!

Gearing up for 2010...

2009-12-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

I can't remember being this excited for the a new year to begin!

I'm not one that's prone to making mountains for New Year's Resolutions each year, but this year I do feel as though a fresh start is exactly what I need in to get moving in the right direction!

I've decided to take the plunge and try P365... Project 365, a photo a day for the entire year. I won't lie and say that the idea isn't daunting, and I'm sure that I'll fall off the wagon at times, but I just love the concept too much not to give it a try. I haven't decided yet if I am going to scrap the photos in weekly/monthly review pages yet. I think I would honestly be happy just to actually take the photos themselves.

I have been re-evaluating my scrapbooking a lot lately and as much as I love being more of an artistic scrapper, I find that I would really love to try to take a more memory-based approach. I'm hoping that P365 will help me to do this because it will force me to focus on the every-day life photos... not just the picture-perfect portraits that I tend to reach for. I've also got the 2010 Log Your Memory book as a gift for Christmas, so I'm very excited to jump into that!

This new year also marks the beginning of some very exciting changes at Sweet Baby Designs! In the very near future, we will be launching a full line of wedding related products... Sweet Engagements by Sweet Baby Designs. Of course as with any new adventure, this means a lot of work in the coming months. I'm eager to get started and also to establish a better working routine at home.

I have been working on organizing and re-decorating my office (formerly the family junk room) and I'm so excited with how it's been coming along! As soon as I have the curtains finished and a few more pictures hung, I'll be posting pictures!

Well, back to organizing....

Album Services

2009-02-12T06:10:00.000-08:00

10 Page 4x6 Brag Book
10 4x6 (300 dpi) pages designed with one kit. Album can be themed to designers liking. Pages provided in full size png format and web-size png/jpg format. Product can also be previewed in designer packaging if desired.

$35.00

8 Page 5x7 Brag Book
8 5x7 (300 dpi) pages designed with one kit. Album can be themed to designers liking. Pages provided in full size png format and web-size png/jpg format. Product can also be previewed in designer packaging if desired.

$30.00

Thank you for your order!

2009-02-12T05:57:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your order!

Please email all necessary kit/materials/links to jacbernardo@gmail.com. I will be in touch with you within 24 hours in order to discuss the specifics of your order and any special instructions or requests that you may have.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or a time deadline that must be met!

Quick Page Service

2009-02-12T05:45:00.000-08:00

QUICK PAGE SERVICES

5 Page Set
Fantastic & Fun... 5 12x12 (300 dpi) quick pages done with one kit. Pages are provided in full size png format and web size png or jpg format. Product preview in your packaging if desired!

$30.00

4 Page Set
Cute & Creative... 4 12x12 (300 dpi) quick pages done with one kit. Pages are provided in full size png format and web size png or jpg format. Product preview in your packaging if desired!

$23.00

3 Page Set
Sweet & Simple... 3 12x12 (300 dpi) quick pages done with one kit. Pages are provided in full size png format and web size png or jpg format. Product preview in your packaging if desired!

$18.00