Chocolate Titles

Click the link here and make your own chocolate name for a tag or make a title for a scrapbook layout.



You can type in whatever you want and print it out as one line for a title.

Architectural Titles

Architectural photos that look like letters are a hot trend in home decorating. You can use this idea to create a one-of-a-kind scrapbook page title for your next layout.

The Right Words

Staying in touch with the important people in our lives is a rewarding and challenging task. Busy, busy, busy. Rush, rush, rush. It's too easy to lose track of the people you care about. Remember when you were a kid . . . you and your best friend tied two tin cans together with a rope, then stretched it tight? The right words are like that rope: They keep you connected to loved ones.

For many people, the thought of expressing feelings and emotions on paper is downright daunting. But it doesn't need to be! After all, the words themselves are not nearly as important as the thought behind them. Your thoughtfulness takes the most simple sentiments and turns them into gestures of kindness and gratitude, love and celebration, sympathy and support. Your thoughtfulness reaches out to the people you care about and reminds them that they are in your thoughts, your heart, and even your prayers.

It is my hope that the simple expressions in this new column at 365 Days of Memories will inspire you to create and keep connections with the people you care about.

Simple Card Sentiments

Friends
Friendship
Kindred spirits
You're one of a kind
What would I do without you?
Let's do lunch
Best friends forever
Partners in crime

Thinking of You
I miss you
How have you been?
Wish you were here
It's been too long
Thinking of you
In my thoughts
I can't get you out of my mind

Hello There
What's new with you?
A sunny hello
Warm wishes
Let's get together
Did you forget me?

Baby
Heaven sent
A little bit of heaven
Bundle of joy
Tiny fingers, tiny toes.
Miracle
Love at first sight

Birthday Boy/Girl
Blow out the candles
Let's eat cake
Happy cake and ice cream day
You're such a big boy/girl
Birthday bash
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Here's to turning (age)
Let's party
Birthday wishes
Prince/princess for a day
On your special day
Celebrate
Make a wish

Birthday Adult
Older, wiser, better looking
It's your day
My wish for you
May all your dreams come true
Just for you
You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake. ~~ Bob Hope ~~
Happiness, beauty, wisdom
Act your shoe size, not your age
Age is nothing but a number. ~~ Diesel Payne ~~
On your special day

Congratulations
Three cheers
Well done
Hats off to you
So proud of you
That's fabulous
You're amazing
Wow
Way to go
Take a bow

Just Because
Because you're you
Do i need a reason to write?
Just wanted to talk
Haven't heard from you lately
Health, happiness, and love

Sympathy
I'm so sorry
You're in my thoughts and prayers
I'm here for you
What can i do?
Deepest sympathy
Wishing you peace in this troubled time
So sorry for your loss

Thank You
Thanks
You're so thoughtful
I can't thank you enough
With heartfelt thanks
Merci
Thank you
You're so kind
Special thanks
Thanks a bunch

Family
Families are forever
Father knows best
When it comes to love, mom's the word
Sisters/brothers by chance. Friends by choice.
Home is where the heart is
All in the family

Love
Have I told you lately? I love you
With all my heart
I'm all yours
My heart belongs to you
Now, forever, always
Sweetheart
Truly, madly, deeply
I'll never stop loving you
Crazy in love, crazy for you

Wedding
To the happy couple
To a lifetime of happiness
Happily ever after
From this day forward
Love, honor, cherish
Two lives, one heart
Promise
With this ring

Generic
The best things in life aren't free. They're priceless.
The best things in life aren't things.
Treasure each day
Create joy

365 Pictures

Only two more weeks until the official launch of Creativity Portal's first-ever worldwide collaborative daily prompt project, 365 Pictures.

Artists, photographers, writers, and other creative people are generously sharing their personal pictures and thought-provoking prompts to inspire others with unique perspectives and manifested expressions of creativity. It's so beautiful! Stunning photos of nature and animals, snapshots of artwork, funny illustrations, mixed media imagery, and so much more are lined up in this exquisite prompt machine.

The launch date is March 15, 2009.

Tuesday Tip #6

To incorporate signatures into your scrapbook journaling, it is a good idea to have people sign on a separate piece of card stock. Make sure they sign with an archival pen. This form of art journaling can be used in a variety of ways. Mat the signature(s) like a photograph, as another way to embellish your page. This is a great way to scrapbook the cast of a school play or sports team.

What's Your Type?

Chances are you don't need a complete collection of markers, gel pens, journaling pens, and color pencils. Think about what you'd like to do with your writing tools, then purchase accordingly.

Journaling Pens

Check the tip size. Larger numbers (like .08) produce a thicker line while finer tips have smaller numbers (.01).

Black is a versatile color that no scrapbooker should be without. From there, add colors that you use often.

Most scrapbooking stores allow you to test a pen on a scratch pad to see if you like the way the ink flows and the pen feels. The more comfortable you are with the feel and flow, the more likely you are to write with it.

The best journaling pens are acid-free and fade-proof so your brilliant prose will stay readable for years to come.

Birthday Calculator

Birth date: 31 July 1967

Your date of conception was on or about 7 November 1966 which was a Monday. You were born on a Monday under the astrological sign Leo.

Your fortune cookie reads: The secret of getting ahead is getting started.

Your Life path number is seven. The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2439702.5. The golden number for 1967 is 11. The epact number for 1967 is 19. The year 1967 was not a leap year.

Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 2/9/1967 and ending 1/29/1968. You were born in the Chinese year of the Goat.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Salmon; your plant is Raspberry.

You were born in the Egyptian month of Paopy, the second month of the season of Poret (Emergence - Fertile soil).

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 23 Tammuz 5727.

The Mayan Calendar long count date of your birthday is 12.17.13.16.18 which is 12 baktun 17 katun 13 tun 16 uinal 18 kin.

The Hijra (Islamic Calendar) date of your birth is Monday, 23 Rabi'u'th-Thani 1387 (1387-4-23).

As of 1/15/2009 12:55:55 PM EST you are 41 years old. You are 498 months old. You are 2,163 weeks old. You are 15,144 days old. You are 363,468 hours old. You are 21,808,135 minutes old. You are 1,308,488,155 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday:
Eric Lively (1981), Dean Cain (1966), J.K. Rowling (1965), Jim Corr (1964), Wesley Snipes (1962), Bill Berry (1958), Barry Van Dyke (1951), Geraldine Chaplin (1944), Curt Gowdy (1919), and Milton Friedman (1912).

Top songs of 1967:
To Sir with Love by Lulu
Daydream Believe by Monkees
Windy by Association
Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbie Gentry
Somethin' Stupid by Nancy & Frank Sinatra
Groovin' by Young Rascals
The Letter by Box Tops
Light My Fire by Doors
Happy Together by Turtles
Hello Goodbye by Beatles

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 5.92720156555773 years old. You're still chasing cats!

Your lucky day is Sunday. Your lucky number is 1 & 4. Your ruling planet is the Sun. Your lucky dates are 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th.

In 1967 there were approximately 3.7 million births in the US. In 1967 the US population was approximately 179,323,175 people, 50.6 persons per square mile. In 1967 in the US there were approximately 1,800,000 marriages (9.3%) and 479,000 divorces (2.5%). In 1967 in the US there were approximately 1,712,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000). In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.

Your birthstone is Ruby.

Your birth tree is Cypress.

Personality traits: faithful, strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give, happy, content, optimistic, needs enough money and acknowledgment, hates loneliness, passionate lover.

The moon's phase on the day you were born was waning crescent.

Click here to discover all about your birth date.

All this information about your birth date is a fun way to add journaling to your pages.

Wordless Wednesday #7

This is a nine inch wooden letter that I altered with inks, flowers, fiber, and other embellishments.

Journaling from the Heart

This assignment was issued by me and shared with the Cherished Memories group as part of the Journaling from the Heart (monthly) challenge.

Challenge:
Find an excerpt of any of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches. Take the time to read it, ingest it, ponder over it. Then without thinking of proper grammar and semantics, write what his words mean to you today. Just let the pen flow. This may take only a few minutes but for others it may be a short story.


My journaling:

"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream." ~~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

For some reason I had always assumed that when God wanted our attention He would do something big that would rouse us from our sleep to bring us back to Him but I was wrong. God is always speaking. We are the ones who are hard of hearing. God is always patient, waiting for us to believe. We are the impatient ones, demanding to be convinced. We want something real, something we can touch and see to help us believe. The mountains, oceans, and skies aren't enough. Our babies who smile and laugh and reach for us aren't enough. We need more. And we have it, all around us, every day. If we would just take the time to listen and see we would walk toward God and believe.

What's Your Journaling Style?

Journaling is an important element on any scrapbook page, but there's no right or wrong way to tell your story. There is only YOUR way! You can tell your story any way you like. If you need a starting place, take this fun, little quiz from Elsie Flannigan.

1. You want to touch base with a friend. You:
A. Call.
B. Send a text message.
C. E-mail.
D. Instant message.

2.You're going out tonight. What do you wear?
A. Something trendy.
B. Something casual.
C. Something pretty.
D. Something comfy.

3. How many hours do you spend on the computer a day?
A. Less than one.
B. 1-2.
C. 3-4.
D. 5 or more.

4. You're sending a friend a birthday card. You:
A. Write 'Happy Birthday' and sign your name.
B. Write a personal note and sign your name.
C. Sign your name.
D. Slip the card into the envelope and send it off.

5. What's your favorite kind of test?
A. Short answer.
B. Multiple choice.
C. Essay.
D. I don't like any tests.

Tally up your scores and take a look at your results here.


If your quiz results were:

Mostly A's: Try writing down bits and pieces of conversations with friends, journal with favorite quotations, or do a back-and-forth journaling exercise with a friend, where you write one thing and she writes the next thing. Be on the lookout for journaling inspiration everywhere you go (think billboards, signs and magazine advertisements).

Mostly B's: Try journaling in lists or making up your own fun journaling code. Use stickers and scrapbooking embellishments. Write fill-in-the-blank journaling. Journal with just an assortment of randomly-selected words that describe a favorite photograph or something you love.

Mostly C's: Try journaling like you're telling a story to a friend. Or think about journaling as a creative writing exercise. Your journaling is probably already pretty interesting to read—keep challenging yourself to make it real and keep it as fun as possible!

Mostly D's: Try creating your own journaling shorthand. Use your favorite abbreviations as often as you'd like. Think about making a little guide to these sayings that you can put in the front of your album; for example your grandkids may not know that LOL means laughing out loud.


My answers: 1.) A 2.) B 3.) D 4.) B 5.) B

Journaling Prompts - General

• What books and magazines are you reading right now?
• What’s the last TV show you watched and why?
• If you could have a free plane ticket to go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
• What’s one important value in your life at this moment?
• Who was your second grade teacher and what did she/he teach you?
• Name a character in a movie, TV show or book that you admire.
• List five things about yourself that most people don’t know
• What’s your favorite color and what does it say about you?
• How do the people in your life show you they love you?
• Have you ever wanted to change your name? If so, to what and why?
• What do you think about technology like cells phones and the Internet?
• What was the last conversation you had?
• List three dreams for your future.
• Describe your best and worst personality traits.
• How did you meet your best friend or significant other?
• What do you do for fun?
• What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
• How did you spend your last $10.00?
• What’s your dream car?
• Have you ever had a dream come true and then wished it hadn’t?
• What’s the last song you listened to and why?
• How old were you when you got your drier’s license?
• How has your personality changed in the last 10 years?
• How many times have you moved in your life?
• Do you like to cook?
• Where do you shop?
• Do you ever feel bored and why?
• What’s your housework strategy?
• Have you ever owned a pet?
• What’s the last website you visited and why?
• How many times a day do you smile?
• Who are the most influential people in your life right now?
• If you could change anything about your life today, what would it be?
• Describe how your daily routine has changed from the time you were a teenager to your life as it is today?
• What’s your favorite sport to participate in or watch?
• Do you have a tattoo? Would you ever get one?
• What was on your last grocery list?
• Describe the contents of your purse at this moment.
• What’s your favorite scrapbook supply?
• What’s something you’ve always wanted to try on a scrapbook page but never have?
• Describe something unexpected that made you happy, worried or sad.
• How did you start scrapbooking?
• If you could be on one makeover show, which would you choose and why?
• Do you watch the network news? Why or why not?
• What newspaper headlines disturb you the most today?
• What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done?
• What’s something your parents taught you that you’ve never forgotten?
• If you could write your own fortune cookie fortune, what would it say?
• What song lyrics best describe your life at this very moment?
• What’s in your fridge right now?
• Describe an “average week” in your life.
• Who is someone in your life you would like to make a scrapbook page about?
• What – or who - inspires your creativity?
• Do you or your children have special attachments to a particular stuffed animal?
• Which teachers have influenced you most in your life?
• Describe your relationship with yourself.
• How do you feel about your office space or work area?
• What room in your home are you “closest” to and why?
• Have you developed important relationships through your spiritual beliefs?
• How do you generally act around strangers? Has your life been blessed by their kind actions over the years?
• Are you a major fan of a particular sports team? How do you show your support and enthusiasm for the players?
• Are you engrossed in a book series? How do you feel as you wait for the next volume to be published?
• When you feel stressed or saddened, do you play a particular type of music to help calm you down? Why do you think listening to that particular type of music affects you?
• Think about the contents of your purse. Are you attached to a particular brand of gum or do you always carry your cell phone? How have these items become something you “can’t live without?”
• Do you surround yourself in the splendor of nature when you need a moment to yourself? When did that relationship start? Or, is there another place where you always go when you need to regroup? Why is that spot meaningful?
• Describe your beloved pastimes (scrapbooking, cooking, reading, knitting, etc.).
• Write about a season, month, or holiday you look forward to all year.
• Describe the most-welcomed time of day or day of the week.
• Describe an accessory you wear every day.
• Describe your neighborhood, city or country.
• Make a list of the objects you can’t help but stockpile.
• Describe an item you cannot leave home without.
• Make a list of the foods &/or treats you can’t resist.
• Make a list of the movies you watch repeatedly.
• List the lyrics of a song you can’t stop singing.
• Describe a sight that always touches your soul.
• Describe a personal trait that makes you proud.
• Describe your career choice or path in life.
• Describe your most guilty indulgence.
• Make a list of oft-uttered expressions.
• Describe a way you love to relax.
• Describe a trinket you cherish.

Journaling Prompts - Love

• I knew you were the one for me when…
• When I am with you, I love the way you make me feel…
• You have helped me to become a better person because…
• When we are apart, the things I miss most about you are…
• I never dreamed I would fall in love with someone who…
• My favorite moments with you are when…
• You complement me in so many ways…
• The top 10 reasons I love you are…
• I admire most in you the ability to…
• My first impression of you was…
• I am grateful for the way you…
• I will never forget the time you…
• I love to hear you say…
• I love to tell you…

Journaling Prompts - Belief

• What qualities or characteristics to you admire in others? In yourself?
• What are your personal convictions? Do they provide a glimpse into your personality or soul?
• Do you have a personal mission statement? What is it?
• How did your parents live out their beliefs when you were growing up? Do you still follow those same beliefs or have they changed over time?
• Is there a belief you stand by, despite the fact that it flies in the face of reason?
• How do your beliefs affect your perceptions of people or places?
• Has there ever been a time when your beliefs were questioned?
• Are your values and beliefs based on your heritage or ancestry?
• How do you illustrate your religious faith?
• What drives you to create?

Journaling Your Life Challenges

Step 1: Develop a “Dreams” List

Get several letter-sized sheets of paper, and label one of the pages “Dreams.” On this page, list all of the wildest ideas you have ever had. This is the page for the really big dreams, the ones you have always talked about, but knew deep down, you’d never accomplish. These are the goals that will take years to reach. Your list might include ideas such as: climbing Washington state’s Mt. Rainier, hiking the Appalachian Trail, building your dream home from the ground up, or getting a doctorate in your favorite subject.

Go crazy with this list. Think of all the fun this world has to offer that you’d like to experience. Some people go all out and even cut pictures out of magazines to illustrate their dream, or decorate their list with yarn and glitter. Just make it yours. When you are done, put the list where you will see it often.


Step 2: Develop a “Desires” List

Now title the second sheet of paper “Desires.” This list consists of items that are achievable within a year or two, if you work hard. Dreams on this list might be: learning to snowboard, becoming debt free, writing a book, taking a big vacation, organizing a family reunion, or taking your business to another level.

Again, give your mind free rein and have fun decorating the list. These lists will probably take several days or more to complete since you will likely think of additional dreams and desires. Hang it next to the “Dreams” list when you are done.

Step 3: Develop a “Goals” List

Finally, you are to the “Goals” list. This is the list of all the little things you can get done in the next few months. Cleaning closets, landscaping your yard, starting piano lessons, taking the family to the zoo, exploring a nearby town, having a family movie night at home, organizing a pajama party, learning to roller blade, or taking a computer class are goals that might be on this list. This is the last list you will decorate, so go all out. Be sure to hang it with the other two lists.

Step 4: Take Action

Now you are ready to begin. Choose something from your “Goals” list, and in your Success Within notebook itemize all the steps you need to take to make that specific goal happen. For example, if one of your goals is to take a train trip, you’d need to check train schedules and costs, figure out how to pay for the trip (maybe your savings, or getting a second job, or selling an unneeded piece of furniture), decide where you’d like to go, choose the day(s) for the trip, have some idea of what you’d like to do when you reach your destination, and find a place to stay if you are taking an overnight trip. Remember to bring your camera!

As you accomplish each item on the list, cross it out or, if you like, put a little gold star by it. When you finally take your trip, add a big star next to where the trip is listed on your “Goals” list. Before too long, your “Goals” sheet will be full of stars, and your life will be full of great moments.

You’ll find that as you move through your goals, you’ll begin working on specific steps to make your desires happen. Remember to visualize your goals every day. Then, as your desires become realities, you’ll begin achieving some of your dreams. Before too long, you’ll be making new lists, because your original lists are full of gold stars, and you’ll have a whole new set of ideas to explore, and experiences to remember.