Everyday Life | Sir Scrapalot Designs

An Open Letter to Punxsutawney Phil

Posted by Aaron aka Sir Scrapalot on Feb 1, 2011 | View Comments

Dear Mr. Phil,

Once again, you are scheduled to emerge from your den tomorrow and predict the future of the winter season. I understand that this is a very momentous occasion each year, and that many people have an opinion on whether or not you will see your shadow. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a preference for the appearance of your shadow or not. However, this is a much more strongly worded letter.

Mr. Phil, I forbid you to see your shadow tomorrow. Winter is over, and I am over it, as well as all of the people I am in contact with. I am demanding that tomorrow you leave your burrow, DON’T see your shadow, and definitely DO NOT return to your burrow. This winter has made me want to return to my burrow on a daily basis, however I have not been able to do so. I think that you should be held to the same expectation.

In conclusion, if you are to see your shadow tomorrow, you will be facing corrective action.

Sincerely,
Aaron Morris

The Cruel Truth About New England Winters

Posted by Aaron aka Sir Scrapalot on Jan 25, 2011 | View Comments

I love living in New England. I can’t really imagine living anywhere else. Having lived here for 32 years now, you could say I’m used to New England winters. Snow, snow days, shoveling, rock salt are all part of a New Englander’s winter vocabulary. However, there’s a truth about New England winters you may not know. No matter how prepared we are, how “used to it” we feel, New England winters are a pain. I mean, this is ridiculous. In the last two weeks of school, we have had three snow days…one of which was for a blizzard. As of this moment, we have round about 2-3 feet of snow in my front yard. I took some pictures to help you understand how much snow there is.

This picture is of my street, and my neighbor’s driveway. Note how high his snowbanks are. Mine are higher. I am running out of places to put the snow.
snow1

This is my front walkway. We aren’t really using it right now because it’s like walking through the arctic, and for the always mischievous Keira, the temptation to play in the snow is too great.
snow2

This picture is the girls cleaning off the awning in front of my house. Notice how it’s about waist deep on them? Right, they aren’t standing on the ground. There’s at least another foot of snow below them.
snow3

So here’s the kicker….they are forecasting the potential of another blizzard on Wednesday…which will drop 1-3 more FEET of snow. I have no idea where I am going to put it…and really do NOT want another snow day.

I am officially DONE with this New England Winter.

*Special thanks to fellow New Englander My Four Hens for her awesome photo actions and cute frame.

What I’m Listening to Right Now

Posted by Aaron aka Sir Scrapalot on Jan 13, 2011 | View Comments

I often talk about how much I listen to music while I am scrapping and designing. I thought I’d take a minute today to share with you some of the songs that are making up my playlist these days.

Britney Spears – Hold it Against Me

I really can’t help it, I’m addicted to bubblegum pop. Britney has held a special place in my heart for literally years now, and this song is another rocking tune. It makes me want to car dance. Like right now.

Bruno Mars – Grenade

I have to say, I really love Bruno Mars’ voice. This song is a nice mix of a great beat, great vocals, and awesome lyrics. This is the one that I am always singing during class….all the time.

Flo Rida (feat. Akon) Who Dat Girl

Forget the fact that his name is really Florida. Forget the fact that clearly someone doesn’t know how to spell. One listen to this song and I challenge you not to be addicted. Flo Rida seems to be the king of the catchy hook, and this song is no exception.

Eliza Doolittle – Pack Up

Have you missed the soulful sounds of Amy Winehouse while she is..um…”getting better”? Eliza Doolittle is the answer…crazy good voice, and a great retro touch.

You can find all the songs on iTunes. Check them out if you are looking for something new to listen to!

The Secret To Being in More Than One Place at A Time

Posted by Aaron aka Sir Scrapalot on Jan 11, 2011 | View Comments

Yesterday, I talked about how planning was going to help me focus this year and get things done. Luckily, I have really put that into action because I have all kinds of new adventures for Sir Scrapalot in the coming year. I’m going to need to make sure I am planning and working well ahead of time just to keep up!! Check out some of the exciting things I’ll be taking part in this year.

Guest Designer at Log Your Memory – this is already in full swing, and I am so excited to be the January guest designer at LYM. I love what LYM is about, and have had so much fun exploring around. Plus, everyone’s so nice!! You can pick up my kit by participating in the LYM Challenges, and make sure to stop by the Guest Designer Chat this Thursday at 7pm Mountain (9pm Eastern). You never know what will happen!

Featured Designer at Me So Scrappy – I am so excited to be part of this site as it takes off!! Full of fun articles and great resources, Me So Scrappy is a happy place to keep up with the digi world. Be sure to watch for my Featured Designer post coming later in the week.

Teacher at Masterful Scrapbook Design – I am very excited to announce that I am one of the February Teachers at Masterful Scrapbook Design. If you haven’t checked out the site, you really should. For a small fee, each month you get classes that focus on one theme from a variety of teachers. Teachers that include Anna Aspnes, Jenni Bowlin, Debbie Hodge, and me! February’s theme is titles, and there are tons of great stuff planned. I hope you’ll check it out.

Monthly Guest Posts at Simple Scrapper – That’s right, I am going to be a monthly regular at Simple Scrapper now! Look for my posts about time management and keeping my head above water on the third Wednesday of every month.

The Paperclipping Digi Show - I had so much fun recording episodes of the PDS last summer with Steph and Izzy. Remember when I got to “meet” Katie Pertiet? Steph, Izzy and I are working hard to find a time to schedule me in for another episode…darn day job. Soon, though, soon.

Guest Appearance on Glee – ok, ok, that one is a joke…but srsly..I would love to. I don’t even have to sing. Are you listening Ryan Murphy? Email me…I’ve got ideas.

As always, you can find me at Funky Playground Designs, on Facebook, or on Twitter. You can subscribe to the blog to make sure you don’t miss out on anything, and you can sign up for the newsletter for special news and offers.

New Year’s Resolutions Are A Waste of Time

Posted by Aaron aka Sir Scrapalot on Jan 10, 2011 | View Comments

At least I think so. I stopped making them years ago. I started to realize that I would sit in the glow of the beginnings of a New Year, and make resolutions that would ensure the best possible me. The problem was, they weren’t always realistic. Sure, it would be great to workout every day, but it’s not realistic. Call me pessimisstic, tell me I’m lowering the bar – I don’t care. I was sick of making promises to myself that I knew I wouldn’t keep. Think about it, it’s about a week later, how many of you are still following all of your New Year’s Resolutions? My guess is not many. There had to be a better way.

I needed something more…more than a goal, more of a focus. If I had something has a focus to guide me through the year, I would be able to achieve more. It was a matter of seeing the forest through the trees. Ali Edwards talks about her One Little Word. One word to focus on and guide you through the year. There are many people who do this, so many that this year there’s even a class to accompany the project. Social Media Expert Chris Brogan talks about keeping three words to focus the year on. With the three words, they can interact with each other, and come together to form a well rounded focus to the year. I love the idea of both, but the three words better fits my lifestyle, given the variety of roles I have.

So my three words for this year: Plan, Grow, Live.

Plan – one thing I’ve learned about myself and how to manage my time is that planning is key. When I don’t have a plan, I tend to just float doing not much of anything, but when I plan, I get things done. Further, when I plan ahead and get things done, I am able to spend more time living and doing the fun things I want to do, instead of always trying to keep up.

Grow – As I look at where I am in my life, I know I’m at a point where it’s time to grow – both professionally and personally. This year there are some exciting new things going on for Sir Scrapalot (more on that tomorrow), plus, as a newly licensed school adminstrator, I will being looking for new ways to grow in my role as an educator. Personally, the last few weeks have shown me that it may be time to start a little personal growth as well. Nothing crazy, just a little growing to do.

Live – So often, I get so crazed with trying to get everything done, that I don’t take time to just sit back and live life. Having taken some time off around the holidays, it really showed me all the things that I am neglecting when I am constantly trying to get something done. I need to make time for everything – from getting work done to playing video games. I have two beautiful girls who are just dying to have fun with daddy. I will not deprive them of that – I need to make sure I am living.

So those three words are going to guide my year. Will every decision I make be based on them? Probably not, but at least I know in the back of my mind what I am trying to base my life on.

What are your approaches to the New Year?