Sending Hugs and Kisses

Okay, so I'm back in school!   I am relieved that I am not the oldest person in my classes, although I don't think of 31 as old on any scale.  I love, love, love my law classes... thank God because working in the legal field is what I'm planning to do as a career.  I really like my regional geography professor but the book is boring me to tears... it's the big blue-ish one that is 12" tall and 10" wide and boast super fab 10 point type.  My online art appreciation class is pretty cool so far, I love the subject, the book is darn good and all my time on Studio Calico has prepared me well for the online class format ;) My first week and half have contained a few learning experiences that I didn't expect... I had to parallel park for the first time EVER and I totally did it!  I knew the basics, read about it (yes I am a book junkie) and then attempted it with great success, the first day that is... the second day I was a little to...

Layout design is lifted from Lisa Dickinson again :) Papers by Studio Calico, Basic Grey and October Afternoon Embellishments by American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, and Chatterbox Mist is Coffee from Tattered Angels For months I have had the hardest time creating any layouts or designing my classes.  It's been like walking through wet cement just to come up with one page.  I've been struggling through my own personal issues and I have been writing again, which is a great thing, but I just couldn't scrap to save my life.  My dear friend Christyn promised me that my scrappy mojo would come back and it finally has!  I'm thrilled because I have a room full of paper, glue and photos that was just gathering dust.  I've been "lifting" layout designs from my super talented friends, and participating in scrappy challeges, doing so has helped jump start me back into the creative mode.  So if you're just not feelin' it don't give up hop...

Papers by Bazzill, Studio Calico and Basic Grey Embellishments from Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon, American Crafts and Maya Road Just dropping in with a layout today.  This is C and his cousin Taylor, she is wild, just like her Papa!  It's always special to get to spend time with her and this year it was even more fun because she was older and able to jump all over   play with Coley.  He was super patient and kind to her and it made my heart so happy to see them together.  This layout is another lift of the fab Lisa Dickinson ! Happy Friday!

Most products used are from Studio Calico kits. Font: Quickutz Emily Papers by My Mind's Eye, Cosmo Cricket and Collage Press Embellishments from Maya Road, Studio Calico, Kaiser Craft, Prima, & Sassafrass I made this  for both the Studio Calico Sketch Challenge and Janna Wilson's 52 Challenge .  I would recommend checking them both out because, of course, they are fantastic ways to get your mojo flowing! The title for this layout comes from a wonderful song of the same name by Natalie Grant.  The chorus says... "This is what it means to be held. How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life  And you survive. This is what it is to be loved.  And to know that the promise was   When everything fell we'd be held." It's such a beautiful picture of God's love for us as his children.  He holds us in His arms when we are weak and can't carry on. Whenever I glance at our nativity and I see Mary holding Jesus I think 'T...

This Christmas my sweet boy received an iPod shuffle and while I was loading it with him I started thinking about how, in life, we each create our own soundtrack.  I love that a song can come on and I am instantly transported to a time in my life when it was relevant to me.  I hear the soundtrack to Les Miserables and the song Castle on A Cloud takes me back to the times when I dreamed that things would change in my world and between my parents. I knew every word to that soundtrack at one time... wonder if I still do? When Alanis comes on in all her angst I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard her... driving down College Avenue in my little silver CRX, it was just before my senior year of high school.   Jagged Little Pill is still one of my favorite albums of all time.  You Learn played on repeat in my car and dorm room.  It's of course totally appropriate for my OLW 2010.  Her songs were catchy but I was attracted to her hon...

Ouch!  I paid my tuition bill and bought books this weekend and now it's time to pinch pennies for a couple weeks.  I'm trying to be wise with the grocery budget so maybe I can save a little in that department.  I decided to take an inventory of our pantry and refrigerators... one of which only contains frozen food and beer... then I planned my menu and shopping around what we already had. I'm a visual person so I hauled everything out of the pantry, half of the shelves are above my head so a chair was needed and I'm counting all that stepping up and down as my aerobics for the day, I placed everything on the counter and then sorted it into groups based on meals. Once it was all out I discovered that I must have been very concerned about a shortage of canned green beans and bbq sauce in the last six months, the pantry contained ten cans of said beans and five bottles of sauce... green bean casserole and bbq chicken will be on the me...

what you make it.  It's different things to different people... even those  involved in the same situation.  Reality is perception or lack of it.  Reality bites sometimes.  Life sucks and life is good... it's really just what you make it. Right now my life isn't roses and sunshine... that's the simple truth.  I struggle daily with overcoming the "roles" I've played for the past eleven years.  I agonize over little decisions and big decisions.  I laugh,  I cry and I sing all in the same minute.  Most days I feel okay and I know that whatever happens I will be okay.  Some days I just freak out. I've pulled myself up outta the gutter of depression so many times by putting on a happy face and pretending the sorrow doesn't exist... but guess what it does.  I've learned that if you ignore it the pain will come back to bite you in the ass ten times harder than if you just dealt with it in the first place....

I love Walgreens and I can still spend hours wandering it's aisles.  It's amazing to me that you can buy hair dye, cream of mushroom soup, ice cream and padded toilet seats all in the same place.  I avoid most of the previously mentioned items and instead spend forever in the beauty and seasonal aisles.  I went on Monday night for ear plugs (loud heater problems) and wound up spending forty-five minutes checking out all their bargains.  Here are my top Walgreens beauty buys for this week... Save yourself from dry hair and skin, miraculously.  Moisturize and nourish hair, hands and body with this super-enriched, emollient formula. Pumpkin seed oil, which is rich in fatty acids, combines with Olive oil and Wheat Germ extract to hydrate and protect dry hair and skin. Meanwhile, protein-rich Bee Pollen nourishes and rejuvenates, while emollient Beeswax holds in moisture This stuff is AMAZING, I've been using it on my super dry hands it's done wonders!...

I was really inspired by Cathy Z's post about all the things she has never done, been or been able to understand.  I thought I would give it a try. I think it's part of learning more about who I am, or am not, as the case may be... I've never been a patient person. I've never been a quiet person. I've never been good at letting go of control. I've never had the desire to sky dive or swim with sharks. I've never been an adrenaline junkie. I've never sung karaoke. I've never been to a karaoke bar. I've never lived alone for more than a few months. I've never owned a cat for more than a few months. I've never been to Europe. I have never gone on any extended trip alone. I never thought I would have children. I never thought I would be a good Mom. I've never been more glad to be wrong. I have never been more excited about life than I am right now. I've never put myself high up on my priority list before. I never thought I would go ba...

I am taking my blog back!  I started this blog as a way to document how I feel about life and what's going on with me at any given moment but somewhere along the way it became about what I did and not who I am.  I'm a creative girl and I love to share the things I make with everyone but this year ... 2010 ... is all about learning who I really am and what I want in life... with that in mind I am going to post more about what I feel and think and not just what I create.  Know what I mean?  I hope so. I thought I would start by sharing my word for 2010... Learn - –verb (used with object) 1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski. 2. to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain: to learn the truth. 3. to memorize: He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner. 4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire: She learned patience from ...