Tracy W. Burgos Designs & Photography

Group Shot

Friday I had the pleasure of shooting my largest group yet!  I shot the entire elementary school photo in the shape of the "Just Say No" symbol.  Thankfully I had the fun job.  I get to hit the shutter button and don't have to coral over 500 kids and teachers into a circle.  The not-so-fun part was being on an 18 foot ladder on the bed of a flat-bed truck.  The wind blowing did not help anyway but as always I had Kelly by my side to help out. 
  
 Please ignore the double chin...thank you! 

The most fun part of the photo was when they handed the megaphone to me.  Tyler was in the front row and the look on his face was priceless.  I could hear him thinking "Lord help me, who on earth is handing this woman a megaphone".  This is when you realize you are no longer cool to your 6th grader.  It did make me feel better when the twins and their friends said I was funny. 

Let me tell you it is some great effort to get over 500 people in a circle but our PTA volunteers rocked it! 

Here they come.....
  

And the final outcome....................
  

So much to catch up on......

Where do I begin?  How about I make this post about all my creative efforts of late.  It seems the push to CHA has already started so my creative calendar is full.  Have I mentioned how thankful I am to work with so many great companies?  Getting paid to do what I love so much is a dream come true.  I have decided that saying "I glue for a living" is something to be proud of! 

So this week I created this fun project for Helmar.  I had to create a winter project for the December newsletter and in San Diego winter is difficult to capture.  The palm trees look the same in winter as they do in summer only a bit greener.  As I started this project the new winter line from Scrappin Sports came to mind.  It was perfect!  I created this Altered wood box to hold Hot chocolate.  I think this will make a nice teacher's gift with a gift card inside.  Shhhh, don't tell anyone.....
  
  
  
 I used just about every Helmar Adhesive so feel free to email me with questions or comments. All I can say is each adhesive is awesome!

Scrappin Sports has such new awesome lines out so creativity is endless.  Here are my latest creations....
  
   

Now I have so much more to up-date on including my group photo of 550 people and a giveaway soon.  I have official sponsors now so stay tuned! 

School Photos

So our little angels got their school photos.  We are so proud of how they are all doing. 

 Tyler is big man on campus in 6th grade.  He has just realized that Mom is no longer cool. 

 Joey is in 1st Grade and specializes in mathmatics. My last Momma's Boy. 

 Micky is all about the social aspects of school.  She enjoys fashion, matching hair bands and socializing with friends.  School is her social outlet. 

Clean, Crisp Air

Today Kelly and I lugged ourselves out to the mountain for a nearly 6 mile hike.  We figured this would be a good way to kick start our healthy kick to the holidays.  The weather was perfect and of course the company was nice too.  Listening to Kelly complain is always a fun way to start your morning.  Actually, this longer hike was her suggestion so don't let her complaining fool you. 
     
      

The view from the top was breath-taking as always.  I always enjoy showing this view off to someone for the first time.  
  
   
 

And just so you all know I am on to Kelly now and how she positions herself in photos.  She always leans back so her head looks smaller and I look like a bobble head!  See if I ever include her in my self-portrait shoots again.  Thanks for the hike Kelly! 
 

Clear Scraps Projects

October was my first month working on the Clear Scraps Design Team and I was daunted by the task of coming up with some creative projects.  I managed to make a Halloween layout:
   
     

Then I compled this card with the Clear Scraps Acrylic Tag:
 

and last but not least.......An acrylic album of Tyler's Soccer Season:
 
  
    
 Make sure to check out my post on the Clear Scraps Blog! 

Halloween Adventures

We survived Halloween!  I think we walked 5 miles!  First we went downtown where the stores all hand out candy on Main Street.  I am not sure why but I just love this.  Our small town just seems to come together.  With tons of candy the fun was not over yet. We went to our friend's house for pizza and then more trick or treating!  Their subdivision gathers the kids and they ride in the back of trucks and on trailer with hay bales.  The kids (and adults) had a lot of fun!

So what do we do with three buckets of candy you ask?  Well, I tried to bribe it all away from them with a Wii game to which they tried to negotiate more.  Can you believe that?  I tried to convince them to donate it out of the goodness of their heart.  No go......with sugar glazed eyes they just stared at me.  So I am resorting to the old "Trash and Deceive" method.  Yes, Mom will go in there daily and take out one handful per day and throw it away.  To which will lead to accusations and fights.  Every day they will reach for that favorite piece of candy and it will be gone.  (Somehow they take mental inventory of every piece of candy they have yet they cannot remember to take their lunch to school).  Then they will look at their sibling and accuse them of taking it.  A fight will ensure and I will stand back and think.......should have taken the Wii deal!  Silly kids, they will never learn that Mom is one step ahead of them. 

Don't Forget to Submit!

If you already applied I send back a notification saying I got your application.  Thank you!

I am so excited to announce the Helmar USA Design Team Call!  Helmar Australia is coming to America!  Have you had dreams of adhesives turning up on your doorstep?  Than this team is for you!  Here are the official details.

Ng t

 

HELMAR USA DESIGN TEAM CALL

2008-2009

Helmar Australia, the leading manufacturer of adhesives in Australia is coming to America!  Have you had dreams at night that adhesives would land on your doorstep?  Well, that dream can come true....Helmar Australia wants YOU to become a member of our USA Design Team!

 

We are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated scrappers and paper crafters to serve a six-month term beginning December 1, 2008. (Continuation of the term will be determined by both parties at the end of six months.)

 

As a Design Team member, you will receive:

*Advance releases of products!

Adhesives!

*Endorsement fees for published layouts and projects!

*Payment for projects used for trade shows!

 

Design Team members are required to complete a minimum of three projects each month, to be uploaded to our website. Members are asked to submit their monthly Helmar projects for possible publication in crafting magazines and idea books. Members will also complete special projects as requested by Helmar to be used for trade shows, catalogs, promotional items, and various other venues.

 

Interested applicants should send the following in a single email:

1.       Name, address, daytime & evening phone numbers, and email address (US and Canadian applicants only, please)

2.       Short biography

3.       Links to any on-line galleries and/or blog

4.       List of other design teams in which you are currently or were previously a member

5.       A brief paragraph stating why you would like to be a member of our Design Team

6.       Three example projects (layouts or paper crafting items) no larger than 150k each – Make sure to list any special adhesive techniques used.

 

Please submit the above information to helmarusadt@helmarusa.com  by November 15th. No late entries will be accepted. The new Design Team members will be announced on our website on November 30th.

 

Fall has arrived (finally!)

Today the 90 degree heat finally let up and Fall arrived in San Diego!  I cannot tell you how happy I am to be done with summer weather into November!  They are even predicting some rain which means about 12 drops.

More Halloween preparations.  Dad returned from him little work trip to find us carving our pumpkin.  The kids picked out the best pattern of all for our pumpkin this year.  In honor of my love for skulls we decided to challenge ourselves and carve a pirate skull.  We all worked together....

     
    

And we did a great job (if I do say so myself)...
     
      
   
Tomorrow will be a full day of Halloween.  The kids have a costume parade and parties at school in the morning.  They have a half day and at 3 pm we will go trick or treating in our town.  Then in the evening we go to our good friend's house to eat pizza and go begging for yet more candy (that mom will end up tossing out in weeks to come). I just love Halloween.  Pete has the day off so he gets to be a part of all the fun.  By the end of tomorrow we will all be exhausted.  Have a great Halloween everyone!
                                                                    

Tooth Fairy Goes on Strike

Joey lost his second tooth...well, actually he did not lose it, Mom pulled it for him.  While Micky is practically tying her teeth to string and attaching them to doorways to loosen them up, Joey will not touch his lose teeth.  What kids does not like to wiggle those teeth out?  The dentist recommend I persuade him to get it out.  You could see the look of disdain in Micky's eyes when she tried to act happy for his loss.  She so wants her first tooth to fall out.  I mean, how embarrassing that everyone in your class has lost teeth!  Can you imagine what I will have to deal with when she has to buy a bra!  Ok, I am not ready to go there yet. 
    
So the tooth fairy came and left $2 in the tooth fairy pillow and I am not even sure Joey noticed!  He did not come running into my room and tell me about the money or the pixie dust that the tooth fairy left behind.  I just checked and the money is gone, pillow is tossed aside but nothing!  What kind of kid is this that cashes in but does not see the magic.  The tooth fairy gets no respect.  I am going to strike on her behalf.  She still holds out hope that Micky will see the magic.
 The magic is still there for me! 

The Pumpkin Patch is just not for Kids!

The kids have half days all week so I decided to do fun stuff with them each day.  Today it was the pumpkin patch.  Kelly and her son (Tyler's friend) joined us.  So with cameras in hand Kelly and I set out to spend time with the kids.  Ok, who am I kidding.  When Kelly and I have our cameras everything else is an after-thought!  We were photographing....

 the pumpkins,
 sunflowers, 
   scare crows,
 and even a praying mantis

................the kids were running amuck in the corn maze.  We waited far too long to visit the pumpkin patch so the pickings were scarce but it suited our needs to click those shutters.  Ok, so the kids were forced to pose too!
   
     
   
I LOVE this photo that Kelly took (She is amazing!) 

After that I took the kids and her son to Soup Plantation for dinner.  Call me crazy for adding one more kid to the bunch but it was fun.  Plus I needed something to bribe the kids to pose for pictures.