About: The Cobbler's Son

"The cobbler's son goes unshod" yup and the cardmaker's boyfriend goes uncarded, ummm or something along those lines.  So, my dear dear boyfriend 'dre has been doing the cooking the last two nights in the hopes of getting to watch some episodes of "Fringe" together.  But with studying for a test last night and completing a gift for a very special customer tonight he ends up asleep before we can even watch half an episode.

This year for our anniversary I had some nice plans to make him a scrapbook and card that really let him know how I feel.  But then reality set in and I had to go away for training, and when I came back I had to move out my old place.  The move took longer than we planned...

Well, tonight this is what kept me from that cuddle session.  Sometimes I just need to create, and after being sick last week I had to get this out of my system, WHEW!  And it is for a very special friend, co-worker, and customer.  Just a little thank you for her being so loyal:

For Cheryl, she believes in me, Thank You!

My version of Santa's Drawers from www.splitcoaststampers.com

Well, that is all.  I am done, gonna wake him up and watch at least one episode of Fringe with my sweetie.  Later, I am off to card my 'dre.

Supplies used: Paper: Bazzill glazed Christmas,  Me & My BIG Ideas; ribbon, button, bling, eyelets, and holly leaves from my stash.  I took them out of the packaging so I forgot who they are from.

About: Forgiveness

So yeah, I've been soooo flip flopping sick this last week that I could not create!  GRRRR!!!  I hate when that happens, truly.  Forced to take a few days off from work, school, life, etc. for no other reason but to cough like you're hacking up a lung, chest burning, blah blah blah.

Well, I am back from my hiatus and the first cards I made are:

from me to mom

from the girls to grandma

These cards are for my mom, who because of family politics too lengthy to explain here ;) has been absent from my life for the last few months.  We will leave that there.

So, the reason I named this entry "About: Forgiveness" is because well if there were anything that I have not perfected is FORGIVENESS.  It is a flaw in me that prevents me from being totally whole.  I admire individuals that get hurt from an individual and turn around and embrace that same individual in their lives after a short period of time.  I just can't do that.  There is something inherent in me that makes it easier for me to just walk away and forget that person ever even existed in my world. 

It's kind of childish, I am sure it is.  But one of the things that I have mastered is the ability to realize when a relationship has reached its end, or has become toxic.  It may not be until years later when I find a photo tucked into a book, or run across that person at a social event, and now thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I get a friends request, that I think about the person.  And the funny thing is, I always think of the good things first.  But I am getting better.  I really am.  I promise, pinky promise, that I will grow up and learn about this FORGIVENESS thing. 

There is one saving grace, my two young women.  I have forgiven minor offenses, Bazzil Bling paper used to keep score of UNO games, giraffe figurines crashed, heehee minor offenses.  As they grow, I know I will be faced with more serious issues but I could never imagine walking away from these two ladies.  I thank the Higher Power for blessing me with a direct link to my more human side.

SUPPLIES USED:  Die Cuts With a View patterned card stock; ribbon & rhinestones from my stash; Stickles Ice; Me & My Big Ideas sentiment and flower.

About: Blooming Where You Are Planted

One of my favorite sayings is "Bloom where you are planted", I credit Mary Engelbreit because the first time I heard about that saying it was on one of her calendars.  

I ensure I surround myself (and my girls) with people I genuinely enjoy being around.  People that inspire, that act upon situations, that refuse to be victims, they stand for something, that are open minded, that like to laugh yet aren't afraid to cry, they take different directions when they need to BLOOM.  

When I moved back home to NYC, I left the most amazing circle of friends any woman could ever dream of having.  Phenomenal? Caring? Strong? Intelligent? Wise? hmmm all of the above.  These women helped me heal parts of me that I didn't know were broken.  I was content, the Higher Power had blessed me with knowing these women, and being graced with their presence for almost 5 years.  

  
Being blessed with good friends, I thought it could not possibly get better.  That was my view until I met the wonderful friends I met in NYC. I feel fortunate to know the people I know, I love them for all the different things they are, and most importantly for the common thread among all of them. From my BFF from HS Nicole, to my Army pals in Hawaii, to the grand PPPs at SIUE, to my co-worker gals at AHM, my Twinplets HunnyBear & Sara, my sassy scrapbook pals, now my co-workers at my current job, and of course my only sister mom Baby, you accept me for all I am, and in one way or another helped me BLOOM WHERE I WAS PLANTED.  So I thank you, I love you, and even if we hardly speak, please know I always think about you.

Today I received a call from one of the most spectacular angels that walks the earth. She has been an inspiration to me in so many ways that I could not possibly list them all on here.  I get so happy when I talk to her because she embodies everything that is inherently good in people, and it gives me hope that maybe my girls will be ok in this crazy world.  Sara, thank you for just being who you are.  Hugs.  

This is what my conversation with Sara inspired me to create:

Hope you like!  

Supplies: K&Co.: "bloom" sticker", DCWV Garden Party Stack: patterned cardstock, Sizzix: turquoise adhesive paper, Spellbinders: Labels 9 die, Recollections: brown cardstock, ribbon & bling from  my stash.

About: HallowIni Ini Ini BoBoBini

WAHOOOO!!!!!  Yes I love this month!  Not only Halloween but my birthday, peeps don't ever forget about your special day!  Celebrate it, why the heck not?!?!?!?  My Midwest gals, I will never forget the year you partied me out the whole week before the weekend and by the weekend I was falling asleep standing up.  MISS YOU my Pretty Pretty Princesses!!!  

I was going to sit out this year and celebrate my birthday in a big way next year but eh, everyone's already made plans to shake a tail feather with me sooooooo, yeah...maybe the Midwest could ummm spare a few gals to come over?

October is also the month I celebrate a friendship that is so dear to me, I can never fully explain it without getting overly emotional.  I once tried to make a Mother's Day card for this friend and ended up not finishing it because I just couldn't get it right enough.  A few months after that she was visiting and I found the pieces that were started for the card, I explained to her what had happened and she said "You should have just sent me the pieces, loca!"  

I mean this gal has been the one most stable things in this roller coaster life of mine.  You know in movies when there is that one person that helps the main character to make that comeback?  That is what Vanessa is to me, I can go on and on but being that she is such a private person, I will just end with this: V you are the sister me and Baby should have had.  You are my sister in my heart, thank you for being who you are, and always helping me remember who I am supposed to be.   

I love crafting Halloween too.  Cards, scrapbook pages, you name it!  I was iScrapping with Vanessa and finished these up.  So here are the tags I ended up making with the little flowers I made:

Close up of crackle medium on tag.

I made 8 altogether.  

I used plenty of goodies that have been in my stash for a while.  Hope you like!

Supplies: manilla folder;  Cuttlebug: tag die; EK Success: fun fibers; various beads, pins, and buttons from my stash; Making Memories: Vintage Findings garment pins; Stampin' Up: Tiny Tags stamp set (boo) and jewelry tag punch; Tim Holtz Sizzix: embossing folder Patchwork; Ranger: Distress Inks in tea dye, vintage photo, spiced marmalade, Crackle Accents; Tsukineko: Memento tuxedo black ink, Yasumoto: shimmer paint; Martha Stewart: halloween iron fence punch. 

This was my inspiration by Tim Holtz:

 

About: HallowIni Inspiration

Ok so 1 more day before October & HALLOWINI countdown.  Wahooooo.  I love helping my girls create new costumes every year and watching them run around with their friends.  October and Halloween also reminds me of how papercrafting connected me to a wonderful group of women in NYC.  

In 2007 I headed out to Girl Scouts with my girls with some supplies to make spider webs for some Halloween cards. I get there and wahoooo there is this lady organizing her SCRAPBOOK!!!! 

Waaaaaaaah!?!?!?!?!?!?  "Um excuse me, do you scrapbook?"  Lady looked at me like, "Duh", heeheee.  We introduced ourselves, Julie was her name, and the rest is history.  We talked the whole time GS was in session and we ended up making plans to bring in supplies to make paperbag scrapbooks the next week with the other GS moms.  Boy you would be surprised what people who "don't scrap" can make with a  little paper, scissors, and glue.  

Julie ended up being my fairy scrapmom. She invited me to crops all over the place, and introduced me to some wonderful ladies.  I met Rosie at a library crop, then I met Karishma when she hosted a crop and I met Salima there.  

Julie, Rosie and Salima proved to be some seriously inspiring chicas.  Julie gets everyone together, she just is the best at connecting people with a love for papercrafts.  Rosie is such a heart, always reliable.  You tell her you're looking for a zebra print heart shaped rubber stamp; not only will she find it, she will pick it up for you and drop it off.  Sal, well I call her the distress queen!  She can take a piece of cardstock and bruise and batter it into a thing of beauty.  She is beyond a friend, trustworthy and such a good cook too, mmmmm.  

October and Halloween just reminds me of the time I met all these ladies, and reminds me how inspired I always felt and still feel when we are all together.

Oh and then I met Christine R., Deeeeeeee, and the gals at Manhattan Meetup, hugs hugs hugs ladies.

Well, perusing my favorite blogs, I ran into this BEEYOUTEAFULL blog Geris Paper Wishes  .  She had a tutorial to make a seam binding flower.  I figured hmmmm this would make great card or tag candy.  This is what I came up with:  

Hug Snug seam binding, random buttons, Swarovski sew on crystal.

These are so fun to make, AND I get to use all those beads and findings I have.   

There was also this tutorial to make a rose out of seam binding.  This is what I came up with:

These lil guys were hard to photograph.  

  I made all of these in black because eventually they will end up on some Halloween tags.   I love these flowers and roses.  They are easy to make and so so sassy.  Sassy like my NYC Scrapbook Crew.  Hope you like.  Want a tag?  Let me know and I will send it out when I finish making them!  Hugs!!!

About: Inspiration

  Inspiration.  So many times I see something or meet someone that just makes me want to create, but unfortunately I never have time :(  Well, on this blog I will try to use my time (and my supplies) more often for creating cards/tags/ and ATCs.  My inspiration will be people I know, color combos I see in the city, pics I come across etc etc etc.

Last week, looking around on Facebook I came across this picture posted by a childhood buddy named Eddie Huey:

This is Eddie's personal pic (thanks for the permission to use it), but for more yummy goodness check out the website's gallery: http://macaroncafe.com/gallery

I just love this pic.  I love the soft colors mixed with the clear plastic. It inspired me to create this: 

and this is the inside:

Leave a note, let me know what you think!  If Eddie's pic inspired you, create something and post in the comments.   

Supplies used: patterned card stock: DCWV Nana's Nursery, Hug Snug seam binding, clothesline stamp: Inkadinkadoo (Baby Girl), green half pearls: Kaiser Craft, clear acetate: Staples 

Stampin' Up supplies used: scallop circle punch, chocolate chip dye ink, BABY stamp (Lovely Labels), solid cardstock, versamark watermark ink.

About: Life Is Just a Chair of Bowlies...

Ya so I have been thinking all week about what would my blog have to offer. Considering that there are some extremely talented blogs out there that inspire me to work on my own projects, I wonder "What will strangers, and friends get from visiting me?" Well that's the thing, I don't know.

I could say this is about me living in NYC and being busy, and my kids, and my boyfriend and my dog and my family and my pseudo families. Or I can say this is about scrapbooking which is my passion, or card making, or quilting that I love as well or collage or or or.

Well, this is what it is. So today I will talk about 2 of my favorite words. The first is CHINCHILLA. I do not know why I find this word so funny, but I do. I had the opportunity to actually hold a chinchilla and boy are they fuzzy. So cute. And fuzzy. No matter what mood I am in I crack up whenever I hear this word, I can barely think of this word without laughing. Call me strange, yah I get that a lot. But I love that word.

The other word is actually not a word but a nonsense silly word, in the vein of that long word from Mary Poppins. It is SNARFBLATT (from The Little Mermaid). This is anther word I love because if you know me , then you know when I use SNARFBLATT I am being silly, or mean, or whatever. But it really fills in the blank. Case in point: What is he thinking? Let me just SNARFBLATT? it means whatever you want it to mean at that moment, and most people get it.

Yah one of my favos!

I also love when famous phases get changed up a bit. One of my favorites is:

LIFE IS JUST A CHAIR OF BOWLIES.

It was altered by Mary Engelbreit

Well all done for now, hope you come back!

Beethovens 5th as salsa arr: Sverre Indris Joner

This is a lil bit like me.