Calming my soul.

I may have mentioned that I am no artist, cannot even draw a decent stike figure.  However, creating heritage albums and journaling are very important to me.  I also like to look through magazines and on-line at the terrifically talented ladies that create beautiful layouts and mini-albums.  So, I am always looking for a balance between pretty pages and basic pages.  The more I work at pretty pages, the more stress I have. 

When I need a bit of reality I hunt up my book Life Artist by Ali Edwards.  The first quote of hers that I embraced, "embrace imperfection."   I am a very imperfect creator, this saying helped a lot.  This week my new mantra, "do not not make it harder than it really is."   I have made a truce with myself; use the material I have on hand, forget about all the wonderfully beautiful new stuff and mover forward. 

If any one reads my blog, I want to encourage you, what ever your talent, to not forget the story, the journaling, the heart of the layout.  Tell your stories so your descendants can look at your albums and know who they are, where they came from and what makes them ticks.  You cannot do that with photos alone.  Now, I will get back to scrapping.  I am working on my school photos, dating back sixty-five years. 

New organizing drawers

I recently bought two 10 drawer organizers on wheels....at Sam's, at a great price.  So, instead of sprapbooking, I have been organizing.  Today, I went through several years of greeting cards, dividing them by person(s) that gave them to my husband and I.  I am giving them back so they they can use them again.  Of course, I am keeping the unusual ones.  None are handmade which made it easy to give back.  Just think how much money it will save.  I will buy one large size envelope for one size fits all.  We have a circle of friends that have exchanged cards for over 20 years.  So, today, I relieved lots of memories.   The oldest couple in the group are 96+ and 93+.  The youngest couple are 65 and 66.  They are a fun loving group and will have a big laugh when I come bearing all these old cards.

About making cards.  I made about 1/2 dozen non-descript cards this week.  I tired to keep them easy for no one in the group is crafty and after sitting out for a while, will go in the trash.  I just have not spend the time to make beautiful and expensive cards that end in the trash.  Remember, it is the thought that counts.  They do not care how pretty it is, they only care we remember them.  So, if you want to give me a beautiful card, I will treasure and keep it.  But for others, I will zip out a card and tell them how much we love them.

Windy day in April

I am about to start a new phase in my scrapbooking, using mica mist.  I bought several bottles at my local scrapbooking store, but now, I learned you can make your own.  Need to buy  several Distress Ink re-inkers and will be on my way.  Have some mica that has never been opened. 

While I am journaling, Will confess....I do not care for "grung" pages.  I love to define and ink about items and pages, but taking a blending tool and changing a  color of a page is not for me.  Part of the problem is choosing the color of ink to use......and having to have sooooo many ink pads.  My supplies keep growing.  I have decided not to venture into grung.   Phew....that feels good.

Now for the Windy Day in April.  Yes, the winds are howling outside.  It is no fun to be out side.  The trees are leafing out and need watering but just no fun to be blown around.  Just more time to work on my 2 mini-albums I am making.

Now very committed to blogging lately. Very involved with "ALL ABOUT JOHN" album for his 85th Birthday bash in June. Very please with way it turned out.....thanks to Graphic 45's Proper Gentleman papers. Have to scan a few pages and post them.

Fun w/ John's Birthday Album

Having so much fun working on John's "Proper Gentleman" album celebrating his 85th birthday. Today, we did a page about a close friend that attended John's 3rd Birthday.

Merry Christmas.

Sweet Happy

I am so glad I made this photo of Happy in early Novemeber. She turned 14 years some time in early Spring. My husband rescued she and her sister from a bar ditch was puppies. She Blessed us with her gentle ways and loving personality. She had a beautiful spirit and was beautiful. She had a stroke on Sunday, 21 November and died the following Wednesday. We miss you.

bits and pieces.

I have been in Georgia attending Sweet Memories 2nd Birthday Party in Carrollton. Debby Schuh was their guest designer offering 3 classes. I first met Debby at ScrapbookNSuch in Wichita Falls, TX. Her albums are gorgeous; this is the third set of classes I've attended.

What I am doing today, is going through the "left-overs," you know, the remainder of the sticker sheets; the larger and sometimes complete sheets of paper, rub-ons, ribbon and other extra embellishments. Occasionally, I use something from one of these kits, but most often, they languish in a sack, and die. We have a shelter for battered women and children and I am going to call them to see if they want these bits and pieces. These items will be better put to use by these shattered persons, than by me. In fact, I will start a box for paper that I once loved but now want the matched sheets. It is amazing the changes I have seen since starting this journey in 2003.

So, I am hoping you too, will start a box and share your extra material with a shelter in your home town. I hope it will provide therapy and give encouragement for these women and children for the new direction they are taking. I wish them well.