Visual DNA

I came across this great website that’s called Visual DNA…the choices you make dictate your profile. Fifteen photos will appear on the screen and you need to choose the one that appeals to you the most when completing the sentence. I think the website hit very close to my personality. I am thinking about using this information to do a scrapbook layout. Below are my results:

Mood: Sofisticat
You’re romantic in your outlook with a bit of a taste for the exotic. You love feeling the sea breeze in your hair, sun on your skin…You always take the first dip. When it comes to art, you tend to have a traditional approach. You are passionate about history and true classics. Truly great art stands the test of time. As for music, it’s the soundtrack to your world. An open road, your favorite tracks – just sit back, put your foot on the gas and enjoy.

Fun: Escape Artist
You love to be far away from your everyday life. There’s nothing like catching some rays and slowing down – you know how to take things nice and easy! For kicks, you like to switch off and immerse yourself in another world. You are thoughtful and imaginative, cultured and creative. You like to look at life from a different perspective. When it comes to holidays you like to explore, and immerse yourself in another culture. Always on the go, you take in as much as you can. You find it hard to switch off, as you like to be absorbing new information all the time. And what turns you off? People who seem to be smart, until they light up and you realize they are stupid enough to be heading for an early grave.

Habits: Back to Basics
You really care about your appearance. If you feel good on the outside, you’ll feel good on the inside, right? When it comes to drinking, you have a taste for the exotic. You’re always up for trying the local tipple when you’re on holiday – it’s all about fueling the fun! As for the home, you have an expressive personality. You like your surroundings to be simple and comfortable – with a really romantic feel.

Social: Nostalgic
You’re a bit of a nostalgic deep down. Nothing beats the good times that you and your friends have shared. You’re always up for a trip down memory lane. When you think of freedom – you think of living for the here and now. You’re open to new experiences and take any opportunity that crosses your path.

Quick Layout

I have been working on layouts with the new products for Parisian Studio's October kits, and I can't share those with you yet. But I dug through my stash and pulled out some items to use on this layout. I love the contrast between the older buildings on 6th street in Austin and the newer Frost Bank glass skyscraper.

It's beginning to feel like Fall

I love when it gets cool enough that we can have a fire and roast marshmallows. It's so great to have the cool breeze and the warmth of the fire against my skin. The weather here in Baton Rouge has been great this past week. And we have been taking advantage of it...we took a bike ride this morning, had a fire tonight and tomorrow we are going to go play tennis. Too soon we will be back up in the 90's so we have to enjoy it while we can.

Midweek Layout

I worked on some layouts this week. The first one is using one of my favorite photos from my childhood. I can't believe my mom let me wear this velvet dress while making cookies! All supplies are from this month's Parisian Studio kits.


This layout is of a photo I took at the Texas State Capital. I mixed the page elements from the July, August and September Parisian Studio kits.

Halloween Cards

Below are some cards I made for Halloween. I used scraps of Pink Paislee and October Afternoon pp, Bazzill cardstock, and studio g stamps, along with some ribbon.

More Sneak Peaks

Below are some more sneak peaks of Parisian Studio's October kits - Main: Fall Memories and Add-on: Home Sweet Home. The kits will go on sale October 1st.

What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

This is a question my mom use to ask me all the time. She was telling me to live life how I wanted to, do what I wanted no matter how scared I was, and just enjoy life, because what's the worse that can happen?

I guess that's why I took the leap and started Parisian Studio. I had thought about starting my own company for a long time, but I was scrared to take the risk, but the old question kept coming back, "what would you do if you knew you would not fail?" So I did it and only time will tell how successfull it will be :)

Life is too short...what would you do if you you knew you would not fail?

Midweek Layout

I wanted to create a layout about my "new" home (ok so I have been living here for four and a half years). One of the things I love about Baton Rouge is the weather in the mid-late fall through spring....it's great! So much better than cold, snowy days. So in the heat of the Southern summer I wanted to remind myself about how wonderful Louisiana will be in just a couple short weeks. And how much time I will be spending outside!

October Sneak Peak

I love fall! Even though I do not live in an area where the air gets crisp and the leaves turn colors, I still love fall.

Below is a sneak peak of Parisian Studio's October main kit “Fall Memories” and one of the add ons’ “Home Sweet Home”.

Weekend Layouts

I love the new October Afternoon pp included in the Parisian Studio's September kits! The colors and feel of these papers look great with these 1990 photos from Branson.


I had ran out of o's so I used a button in the title.

The photo on this layout is not the greatest, it's a scan of a damaged slide, but I wanted to record the memory.
Sometimes people ask you if actually use the $1 studio g stamps, well on this layout I used the 'vacation' stamp from series 17. I stamped in black ink and then colored in the letters with colored pencils.

Do you remember where you were seven years ago?

Have you scrapbooked September 11, 2001? I haven't yet, but today might be the perfect day.

I remember where I was and how I felt when I heard the news. I was at work (Sterling Education Services in Eau Claire, WI) and one of my co-worker's daughter called to tell her. After the inital call, my more family members called giving us different information. We were all searching the internet for any news we could get. During the first day, especially the first couple hours, the information that was broadcasted was full of uncertainty and speculation. I remember watching the tv during my lunch break and after work just taking in everything that I heard. It was a surreal experience, it felt like it was a movie...that it couldn’t be real life.

But what had happened was very real. The more I listened to the individual stories the sadder and more depressed I became. To think that someone would want to hurt that many innocent people is unimaginable.

One thing I think the terrorists did not count on when they attacked was how committed and patriotic Americans would become and how far we would go to ensure our freedom.

It’s been seven years and even though the USA has been through many changes, every year we stop on September 11th to remember those you are no longer with us.

My Backyard Mini Book

I have been wanting to do this book for a long time and finally got around to it today. When I first bought my house the backyard was all cement with three nasty sheds across them. So I came up with this plan to create a raised fenced in "courtyard". Last spring my dad and I built forms, poured cement, make steps and put up fence posts (he actually put up the fence pickets by himself). Then Kip and I laid a small patio and walkway and planted a bunch of plants. I love the result. My courtyard continues to fill in and evolve each season. I added in the tags that come on the plant, therefore I can refer back to them if needed. I also left blank pages in the back of the book so I can add more photos as I add additional plants or each spring to show the grow of my backyard. Below are some photos of my mini book.

EXTRA Long Weekend

So what started out as a 3 day holiday weekend has turned into an extra long weekend. Due to Hurricane Gustav, I had all of last week off. But while most businesses are opening back up tomorrow and everyone that I know is going back to work; I get another two days off. I don't know what I am going to do with more free days...who am I kidding yes I do. I can scrapbook my until my heart is content. Below are some layouts I did today....

Hurricane Gustav

Well this is the first time that I have been able to get on the computer since Hurricane Gustav hit on Monday. Baton Rouge got hit very hard from the hurricane, much harder than when Katrina hit.

I was one of the lucky ones to get electricity back in 10 hours, but I just got my internet/cable back today. So many areas of Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish will be without electricity for up to 3 weeks - I can't image no AC for that long. On Wednesday, 95% of Baton Rouge did not have electricity.

I only had a couple downed tree branches in my yard to clean up. Where others just in my neighborhood had trees through their house, roofs so far damaged that they are leaking, and fences destroyed. Not to mention trees are down everywhere including blocking streets.

Below are some photos of my neighborhood -

The old governor's mansion:

My parents home:
Tree across a street:
Downed Bee Hive: