Certified Paper Freak

this has got to change

this blog has been ignored for so long now.  it truly needs to be updated, but i'm going to be totally honest i don't remember how to do any of this. it's going to take some time, but i'm going to get with the program. i may even just start a whole new one. i'm not sure yet.  i'm actually looking forward to this. hello again, blog world and bloggy friends. hope to reconnect soon.

Summer Time Fun

it seems like it's been ions since i've scrapbooked. i know it's cliche, but if you haven't scrapbooked in a while and you are apprehensive, don't be. it's like riding a bike. pick up your scissors and glue and just do it. i got absorbed in it all. i had such a fun time! it was thrilling and relaxing. i'd even forgotten how much i love my camera. you've heard the saying, failing to plan is planning to fail. i don't like to fail, so the plan is to scrapbook or art journal at least once a week and post them here.

i decided i'm going to start with 8 1/2 x 11 pages and smaller for now. some of these pages are 7 1/2 x 12. i made the page protectors by using 12 x 12 page protectors and cutting them down to size. i used washi tape to seal up the end. i am going to put a stitch down the side with my sewing machine so it won't come undone. i saw Ali Edwards do this on her blog, but unfortunately her site wasn't available so i couldn't put a link up. sorry about that. if i decide later that i want to make some 12 x 12 pages,  i'll transfer these over to a 12 x 12 album. i think some of these pages are a bit too plain and i'm thinking of adding some stitches with my sewing machine. what do you think?

it's been hard for me and the mister this summer to have these boys living nearly 4 hours away. we are treasuring every minute we get to spend with them taking adventures and making memories. i am trying hard to remember to use my camera, but i get so caught up in the fun that i sometimes forget. 

capturing life...documenting life. so much fun!

i know the photos are terrible with all the flash. sorry about that, but i was too excited to make this post to wait for natural night. i'll be sure to work on that too. 

Art Workshop - Your Living Canvas

are you a storyteller? are you an artist? do you see all the pretty art on-line and wish you could do that too. well,  guess what? you can...with Christy Thomlinson and Art McCracken's on-line workshop, Your Living Canvas, the magic will happen. 

i have taken almost all of Christy's classes and it is mind boggling how easy she makes it to create art that is simple, yet detailed, sassy, and oh so pretty!

i couldn't say it better myself so here is an excerpt from her sign up page: 

ALSO each week you will not only be taught a fun new art technique that is not taught in any of my other workshops, BUT we will also take what we have learned from that week's exercise and put it into either an art journal, on canvas or another project. EACH week will have it's own separate art techniques and projects. SO LOTS AND LOTS Of art :)

don't miss out on all the fun! i hope to see more of my friends doing this. the class starts next week, so go on over and sign up now and let's have some fun getting messy!

 

 

 

my first love...Epiphanie Camera Bag giveaway

sometimes i get so carried away with my mixed media art that i forget that my photography was my first "art" love. me and my camera were never apart. i took her on walks. i took her with me in the car. i took her on family outings. she went everywhere with me. i still love my camera and i still take her everywhere with me. that's why i entered the "I entered the Epiphanie Camera Bags + Zenfolio Picture It photo contest! http://bit.ly/Ix1mXq."  maybe now she will go along with me in style! 

here is one of the first pictures that i took with my DSLR camera that i really liked. it had rained and my grandson, Harrison, wanted to go outside and play.

this was taken in April 2009. many more pictures and memories have been captured since then.

follow the links above and play along. good luck!

 

a little art and some container gardening

i took, or should say, i'm taking a class offered by Christy Tomlinson given by Junelle Hallstrom Jacobsen (you'll love her blog) and Christy herself. it was a three week class, but will be up for a whole year. if they offer this, or anything like it again and you are thinking of taking an on-line art class, this is the one! i'm loving it. i'm just taking my time and really getting all i can out of it.  and if you don't want to wait, Christy is also offering another class called Your Living Canvas that is open for enrollment now at a special price until April 15th. 

here are  two art journaling page i did for The Art of Wild Abandonment. this was my first time using only watercolors. it was so fun and a little easier than i thought it would be.

i also  found this cute idea on Pinterest and i wanted to share it with you. i hope you'll hope over to the  SomeDay Crafts blog and check it out. i love this idea and the banner and butterfly plant stakes are too adorable. herbs or small flowers will be so fun to grow in these. i think i'll grow both!

i hope everyone has a very happy and safe Easter!

 

 

 

 

 

i will

i will start blogging again. i will start blogging again. i will start blogging again. i will start blogging again. i will start blogging again. i will start blogging again i will start blogging again!

or i will close this account!

You Have Me

Happy Sunday!

i was on Facebook this morning and my friend, Tami Gullum, had posted this video by Michael Gungor. the lyrics are just what i needed to hear this morning. i love how God always knows. when my heart is sad like today, He always reminds me He is here and He is in charge.

i had never heard this group so i went on YouTube to see what else they had out. i LOvE their music. 
here is another video that i hope you'll enjoy.

i'm glad He put the Gullums in our lives and i am able to keep in touch with them. they are a blessing!

i hope you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon. 

Yawn

sleepless night.
:(

 

art journaling and an attitude of gratitude

happy November everyone!  i hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween.  October is always such a busy month for my us and it just flew by. i started a gratitude journal for November but i couldn't get my photos to load. i'll post it tomorrow.

i started another on-line art journaling class with Marit again. the class is called Mixed Emotions. if you've never been to her website you should do yourself a favor and take a peek. she is an awesome artist and teacher. i am having the time of my life with the class. and Michelle is tag teaming with her on this one. she is very creative too and i've already learned a ton from her.  here are the pages i've done so far.

the emotion was courage. i met a seamstress recently who is impressively talented. the only problem was that she did not have an ounce of self-confidence. when we left the shop i commented about it to my hubby and he just sort of laughed. he said that he noticed. he also said that lack of self-confidence in a man or a woman is such a turn off. it was a real eye opener for me. so my journaling today is about learning to have the courage to believe in my ideas, my art, and myself. i need to dig deep and find the courage to bring my ideas to life. i need the courage to just do it...go for it. as i find things that remind me, inspire me and encourage me i will put them inside the file folder.

the emotion was Loneliness. i got a good chuckle out of one of the quotes Marit gave us. if you are afaid of loneliness do not marry. -Anton Chekhov

i totally don't agree with this, but i couldn't get the darn song out of my head.
because of the nature of our business, Jake is gone away often and for good periods of time. when i don't go with him,i miss him like crazy. i'm never really lonely though ( we tallk on the phone and he does come home for short spurts). i use that time alone as "my time"...to go to movies he wouldn't want to see, scrap, and take short trips to see friends and family.

this lesson was on weaving papers together and the emotion was joy.i hadn't sewn in so long. it took me longer to thread the sewing machine than it did to make the journaling page. LOL.
my simple joys:
hot cocoa, beginning of each new season, color yellow riding in the rain, gardening, fresh flowers, long walks, traveling, long walks, color turquoise, frozen grapes, worship, family, faded jeans, desses with boots, kisses, phones with friends, fire in the fireplace, hats, hugs, celebrating birthdays...and so many more.

we get a new lesson today and i can't wait.
if any of you are a doing a gratitude journal for this month, i'd love to see your pages. send me a link.
peace and love

\

 

Today is a Happy Burgandi Day!

Happy Birthday Burgandi! my wish for you is to have the most fabulous year. i hope you know what a blessing you are to me and your Dad. you are such a fantastic Momma to Harrison. he is such the luckiest little guy.

here is a picture of you last year when we where celebrating your birthday in New England when you fell...almost into the ocean.  you are so beautiful, inside and out.


Happy Happy Burgandi's Day to you. we love you!!