Star+Flower

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Super Size Me

When I first started scrapbooking about seven years ago, I remember one of the hardest decisions was what size my pages should be. I picked up an 8.5" x 11" book because I thought it would be easier for a beginner like me and with the way I scrapped back then I filled up every single inch of my pages. I had no concept of white space.

As I continued to read and learn more about scrapbooking it seemed to me that the 12" x 12" size was the norm and, being the way I am, I wanted to conform. All of Aidan's pages until his third year was 12" x 12", but then I got tired. I felt that the pages were so big and so hard to fill. I remember feeling really frustrated about it so I turned to a different hobby and just kept my cherished memories of Aidan through my blog.

I finally got the urge to scrap again after Mia was born. Yes, it was a long hiatus! I remember picking up a Creating Keepsakes mag and thought, "Wow! Scrapbooking has really changed since 2001!" Now it was back to same ol' dilemma. What size? And then there was the added question of whether to go digital or not. I did try it for a while but I realized that I loved being able to handle all the papers and embellishments instead. Well, I chose to do 8.5" x 11" again and for the longest time I scrapped only that size with usually a single photo.

When I first got onto a design team I groaned at the thought of having to do 12" x 12" pages, but after last month I feel like I've had an epiphany! It took me almost seven years, but I can finally say that I'm OK with doing 12" x 12", multiple-photo layouts and that makes me really happy.

And, yes, I CAN do a layout without flowers too :)

Miss Moo sings a song

Olvera Street

This is a place that I've been wanting to see for months and now I can finally say I've been there and done that.

First we had lunch at Curry House in L.A. and it was our first time eating at this particular restaurant. I have to admit it's a little tough eating out with the kids. If it's not Cheez-its or Lunchables, it's guaranteed Aidan will not eat very much of whatever's in front of him. He had the Vegetable Spaghetti and he doused the whole bowl with parmesan cheese. Mia was just altogether difficult from the whole "mine" phase she's in right now to not listening. Anyway...

We took a few pictures outside of the restaurant and this one in front of the Kinokuniya bookstore was one of the better ones (along with the new banner pic). Seeing a Kinokuniya right next door was a cool find! I bought some small binder rings and a little notebook with cute kitties on it :)

Olvera Street was really close, right across from Union Station. It's such a wonderful, colorful little street with restaurants, shops, and stalls all along the middle. We walked up and down and into a few shops. The kiddos were really intrigued by the merchandise. When Mia saw all the Dia De Los Muertos skeletons she yelled, "Monsters!"

One of my favorite flowers is bouganvillea and I love seeing huge cascading ones like this. I like how there's snowflake lights hung on it too.

These banners are fun.

I almost talked myself into buying this little guitar for Mia but I bought her a dress instead. It's cute though. Love the color.

A shop entrance.

Weirdly fascinating marionettes.

It's a wishing well! Aidan is probably wishing for all the toys in the world.

Winter has finally kicked in and by the time we left it was really cold and windy. I felt sorry for Mia because her eyes were watering and her nose was running. We were going to go to Rose Hills to see their Festival of Trees but we decided to just go home since the kids were tired. Right before we left though we bought churros and nachos to eat on the way. Yummy. And after all this I'm craving menudo right now :)