To Brighten your Dark Days of Winter...

...I give you the absolutely amazing Barb Novak!!! Oh my goodness, when I saw her layouts this month I had to pinch myself. She did us proud she did...thank you so much Barb, for being a rooster girl this month and for your amazing story.

Photo by Homburg Photography
Hello! I'm Barb Novak, and I'm honored to be the February guest designer for Midnight Rooster. I'm a proud Midwestern girl. I live in northeastern Wisconsin with my husband of six years (Brad) and our dog (Memphis). By day I am a literacy coach at two suburban middle schools. By night I enjoy reading, photography, cooking, television, the Internet, and - you guessed it - scrapbooking. My first scrapbook (circa 1998) captured pictures, stories, and memorabilia from a trip to Europe. It's a real, um, work of art. . . think Crayola markers, deco scissors, and pictures cut into ovals. At that time, my scrapbook supplies were stolen from my mom. I scrapbooked every now and then in college and gathered enough supplies to fill a storage bin under my bed. Since then, I've graduated three more times, gotten married, bought a nice camera, played "Fun Auntie Barb" to lots of little kids, and traveled - all of which has been captured in pictures, paper, pen, ribbon, and buttons. My supplies now fill a whole room.

Tobi asked me to tell you my "story, but I don't think I really have one. Instead, I will tell you why I scrapbook. . . .

I scrapbook because it connects me to people.

It connects me to my past. One of my very favorite things my grandmother did was scrapbook. It wasn't scrapbooking then; it was just what she did. She has about a hundred albums filled with family pictures and mementos (including the receipt from the first time she grocery shopped as a married woman). Her scrapbooks connect me to my past.

Scrapbooking connects me to the present. I have met amazing women (Janelle, Tobi, Michelle, and Em included!) because I scrapbook - some have even become my very best real-life friends.

Scrapbooking connects me to the future. I love that I (and maybe my children, if I ever decide to stop being a chicken and have some) will be able to look back at my photos, journaling, and creations to understand who I was, what was important to me, and what I thought about.

Here is one of her delicious layouts:

Be sure to check her gallery for her other lovely, amazing and inspiring projects!

Also, the February kit is up and ready to go!!! Be sure to take a gander at that as well. And stay warm my friends, our kiddos have school delays due to the frigid temps here in flat 'ol Indiana! Have a great ending to your week!

Peace*Love*And Snuggies!
Tobi :)