Dream Big

Dream Big
That is what my coffee mug says.
It was a gift from Mason because he says "I dream big with scrapbooking".

Finished a couple layouts.
I should say finished one and called it quits on another.
It was a layout that I couldn't get right...but it tells the story and I am leaving it alone.
I love the pictures of me and Bai.
I hope one day she will realize how lucky she is to have such a goofball for a mom.
LOL!

This layout is another bad picture of a good layout.

Really it does look better in person.

CRAP....blogger is doing some kind of double spacing stuff that drives me crazy.

OH Well.

Back to the layout....questions Shawn and I answered. We both had fun with this layout.

A picture from Mother's Day of Mason playing with his army guys in the car on the way to take my mom to lunch.

This happens alot....every where in our home.

There will be a whole entire setting of figurines in some kind of action or another.

I am thankful to be aware of the fact that this will not last and there will come a time when I will miss this terribly.

So I take those pictures and I tell those stories and I smile at his unbridled imagination.

Guess I am going to go since this double spacing BS has probably caused a LONG post.

Talk to you later-tater.

Hugs.

m

Can you smell that?

It is the smell of fresh brewed coffee and sunshine!
Sigh....
I mean really, is there anything better than an afternoon to yourself, a fresh cup of coffee and a nice spring breeze blowing through your home filling it with hope.

Actually I must confess that I feel a bit guilty.
This is my second 'lazy' day in a row.
I know that I should be doing something more productive but a friend of mine says it is all about perception....and I perceive catching up on sb.com, my blog, and scrapbooking is productive. HA!
However, I still feel a smidge guilty.
Sigh....

Some scrappin stuff....
I am a starter.
Yep, I can start a layout like no other.
Matching photos to paper, telling the stories, all of the scrapbook elements...
EXCEPT
finishing them.
LOL!
It's true!
I have a stack of layouts that are really good....I just have to finish them!
It is like I have so many ideas and not enough time or I am afraid I will forget them.
BUT...my mission today is to FINISH some of those started layouts.
no sighing here - it is a mission.

Speaking of mission...
I have a big tub of old magazines. Creating Keepsake, Simple Scrapbook, Making Memories, and some others.
I am looking for someone who wants to be inspired.
Also have a big envelope of scraps.
Any takers?

Off to go play...create...and drink coffee.
Hugs and happies.
m

Best Mother's Day Ever!!!

I scrapped a bit.... I was in sheer happiness and felt totally loved!...
I have to share my used little jem of a old fashioned type writer. Totally didn't need this but it is super easy to put a little card or piece of paper and type something up for a scrapbook page. Much easier than logging onto the computer, typing something up, trying to line it up, testing the spacing...blah blah. I have the best children.....they made my Mother's Day totally rock out loud. They made me cry and give me hope that I am doing this so called 'mom' thing OK. And they are totally sweetness because they remembered that I don't like milk in my cereal and that is what I had for breakfast in bed....a hot cup of coffee and Special K without milk. How cool is that?????
Wanted to share my before picture of my studio. Actually I was going to clean and organize it and share that too however I didn't make it to the second photo.....I think I have ADD or something because I started cleaning and organized just enough stuff to be inspired and I started another layout. LMAO!!! My goal today is to FINISH some of those started layouts, and to clean my 'studio' (kind of getting congested with stuff).
Hoping you get things done that you want to get done and that you take time to remind yourself of three things that totally make you happy!
Hugs and loves.
m

Random Bits and Some Sharing

1. My Cubies have me mad right now. Let's not talk about it....

2. Sharing a piece of art that I 'played' with. I started with a canvas (el cheap-o from Hobby Lobby) and just went to town with different things. There are some jewels, some texture medium, some masking, stamps, scrapbook paper, buttons, paints, gel pen...just a bit of this and that. I will say that it turned out darker than I wanted it to but that is just how things like this go. And I am still working on "getting things wrong" or "messing up" or "ruining the thing". I have found with art that you just DO! Things work themselves out and if you totally hate it Gesso over the whole damned thing and do it over ;o) What do you think of it? First time using this long canvas so spacing was an issue for me. Now what to do with them? I have another one that I need to find a home for.
3. Still working through the "Love and Logic" parenting book. A REALLY REALLY great way to look at parenting. I think that some of the things in the book we already do however on a different scale. For example the book says that it is good to give your children options for them to decide yet make them ones that you can live with....OK, see I already do this. I say Do you want to take the dog for a walk or do you want to be restricted?? Ooops...yeah, this is what I need to work on, giving options that are real options for my children. Really. What child would decide to be grounded. "Love and Logic" encourages giving such options as..."will you please take Booda for a walk? If no I do it and "model" the behavior I want to see. And when they want to perhaps walk to a friends house I kindly remind them that the chose not to walk Booda and therefor cannot walk to a friends house. The theory is that they learn from the consequence. And this is totally what I am getting from the book in my own words....not what the book says. With everything I read, I take inspiration, bits and pieces and try to use them, learn from them or change depending on what feels good for the way we live.

4. This is what my scrap area looks like right now. Things that make me happy and works in progress. I think I need to clean up a bit for some room to actually work. See the Diet Vanilla Pepsi picture? That was a card made for my by a very talented girlie. It was a season friendship but her work still totally makes me smile every time I see it.
5. If anyone has read the book "The Secret" they know about the law of attraction. These stamps came from this law of attraction. Here is how: I was blog stalking at Staci Compher's blog (love the layering in her scrapbook pages) and she said she loved the new Pink Paiselee stamps. I thought they looked pretty cook on her layouts also and thought.....ohhhh would like me some of those too! So I googled them and couldn't find anything about them. Kind of let it go however any time I went to get a alphabet stamp I would think that I needed (OK wanted) that Pink Paiselee set. For the past three weeks I have been obsessing (a little too strong of a word but close enough) about the stamps and yesterday I ended up having an extra two hours of time before my next class so what is a girl to do but to go to the lss. AND guess what was right in the door????? These babies. Woot-hooo!!!!! The law of attraction at work...or maybe just just a coincidence but ya know?? I also just so happened to have a coupon for $15 and the stamps were $13......very nice for a girlie working on her budget!
6. A picture of Mason and I on a field trip. I am having issues with him growing his hair out but this boy totally fills me with just a happiness and joy. Looking at this picture I know what a blessing I have.

7. I am behind on my gratitude scrapbook. Need to go work on that.

Are you still with me?

Kind of a long blog huh?

Told ya I missed it.

LOL!

Later-taters.

Loves and hugs.

m

Checking in...

Just a quick little check in because the day is getting away from me.
Working on finals.
Working on the yard.
Working on some scrap projects...can't wait to share.
Catch you tomorrow.
Loves and hugs.
m

AND Shannon....you totally ROCK MY WORLD! Thanks for the love and yes - GO CUBS GO!

I Am Baaaacckkkk!

I can't do it.

LOL!!!


I miss the connections.


I miss just laying stuff out there.


I miss sharing.


I miss feeling like there is one or two or three people who are interested in my little world.

So.....here I am. Back in blog world.

I have missed you!!!!

This is what I have been doing.....

We took a mini vacation (three days) down to TN with my mom and stepdad. Loved it! We were needing a get away and plan to do it again in August. This time a bit longer, ;)While in TN we actually saw a bald eagle in her/his nest. This picture is a crop of a picture with a zoom lens...but let me tell you - it was MAGNIFICANT! Just to see this nest with branches not twigs and to see this bird perched on this nest was just an awesome moment.

I have been doing some scrappin. Here are a couple layouts. Sorry about the bad pitures, they really do look better in person...or at least I think so. Hehaha!

Going into finals this next week and then I have a three week break from school. Yippeee!

That's it for today. I have to go run and finish up dinner because I have GOT TO watch the Cubs wup the Cards butts! WOOHOOOO! GO CUBIES!

Hugs and happies.

m

Throwing In The Blogging Towel....

Well, I think I am going to do it.
I am throwing in the blogging towel.
It seems that I don't really make it to the computer to sit down and blog....
and since I use my blog as my journal I am finding that I haven't been journaling.
Last week I came across my old journal and it totally made me smile.
Looking back on the good and bad...those funny and sad stories of our lives is so incredible.
I seem to have lost some of those stories because while I can tuck a journal in my bag and journal anywhere... it is not that simple with a computer and a blog.
Any way, that is where I am at this point.
I will have to make more of a point to connect more.
I am lacking in the department of reaching out...something I will be working on.
Hope everyone has a fabulous week with lots of happies!
m