Her Best Girl

On February 6th-less than six weeks ago-I received an email responding to a letter I wrote asking for information about the grandmother I never knew. I was so surprised to get a response from a woman I later learned is my father's baby sister. I was delighted to hear from her and we spent the next few weeks getting to know my father's long lost family. Unfortunately, we found them too late to meet my father's mother, but I have learned many things about her life. Among them, I was introduced to the woman who was her cousin and best friend all her life. Mrs. Essie Mae Larry is in her 90s. She no longer wears the latest fashions or covets new Chryslers as they roll off Detroit assembly lines, but she amazes me with her every word, and especially with her stories about how she and her three first cousins lived their lives to the fullest and lit up the streets from Macon, Georgia, to the Motor City. She also allowed me to copy this picture of her with my grandmother and her best girl, Bennie Lee in Bibb County circa 1941.

It's an 8 x 8 modification of a 12 x 12 page by Becky Fleck created with Basic Grey pattern paper and Bazzill cardstock.

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Dakota Avenue

Last week I was talking to my father about his childhood growing up in Lakeland, Florida, and he mentioned that he used to live on a street called Dakota. He wasn't sure if it was Dakota Street or Avenue so I pulled out the trusted laptop and let my fingers do the searching. After a few google seconds, I found an article about historic Lakeland and a specific traditionally African-American locale called "Black Bottom". Lakeland's Black Bottom stretched for six square miles from west to north Lakeland. Bordered by West 10th Street, Amos Avenue, West Crawford Street and Dakota Avenue (now known as MLK) Black Bottom was the center of Black Lakeland and my father's childhood home sat on the corner of its main street. Legend has that it was called Black Bottom because after electricity came to Polk County's largest city, the northwestern section of the city was still curiously dark. With only three streets lights across the six mile area, most streets fell dark with each day's setting sun and the residents tagged it "Black Bottom".

Both pages are 8 x 8 (my new favorite size) and created using BasicGrey's "Granola" papers and following a Becky Fleck 12 x 12 sketch.

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Life @ 33

My sister turned 33 today. I presented her with a scrapbook--surprise! And I created the first page for her. It's and 8 x 8 MiniMap based on a 12 x 12 sketch from Becky Fleck's PageMaps.

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Granola

My second attempt at Fleck's PageMap is for her MiniMap contest. Because it is for a magazine submission, I cannot post it on the blog. But I like the end result and I'll be sure to post about it when the contest is over.

In case you're wondering, I used Basic Grey's Granola patterned paper for the 8 x 8 sketches.

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Love, Bahama Style

Here's my first attempt at a Becky Fleck PageMap. It's for her Pixel Pushers and Paste Eaters' Contest. I think I'm considered a 'paste eater' in that context. It was lots of fun. I used pictures from the trip to the Bahamas last fall and Basic Grey's Ambrosia pattern paper. I hope to give it to my co-worker tomorrow. (Atferall, it is her family--lol).

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Basic Paper

There are loads of new scrapbook products that have been introduced since my first foray into scrapbooking seven years ago: brads, tags, bling and other embellishments litter the shelves on the local arts and crafts stores, but my favorite item has always been paper, paper, paper.

So imagine my delight in discovering the BASIC GREY line of products. Started in 2004, Basic Grey is a line of speciality scrapbook papers and coordinating accessories created by a former graphic artist. I love the color combinations and I can't wait to purchase my next collection. And because I'm late to this party, there are many color combinations that are new to me. I'm enjoying learning about the line and although my local store doesn't carry the BG line,I've found quite a few online retailers who stock the latest collections and accessories.

Oh, and Becky Fleck of PageMaps offers a group of sketches specifically made for use with BasicGrey papers.

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PageMaps

I found this great book while walking through JoAnn Fabrics a few weeks ago. It's PageMaps by Becky Fleck. I love the sketches and the samples provided. Mrs. Fleck is not only very talented and creative, but her work is also inspiring. I found page after page of her book filled with very versatile scrapbook sketches and small details that help to make each page unique. If you're new to scrapbooking or an expert with many years experience you can get great page ideas from every sketch in PageMaps.