Month: February 2010

It’s been a happy Thursday. How could this tin not make me sigh with happiness??? They’re meant to be here, with me. When I first layed eyes on this at CHA I felt like I’d found something that had been missing in my life. Ok, that sounds overly dramatic, but they make my creative heart happy.

These are a different kind of stamp from Melody Ross + GCD. I’m going to be reviewing them soon and using them in lots of projects, but for now I’m just getting used to them and playing.

What I love the most though, is that when I removed them from the backing I found these sayings. Happy little creative notes.

I simply had to share. I hope you find something inspiring and uplifting today, and that you pass it along.

There’s excitement all around the Flaum house. I’m wrapping gifts up & getting ready for the “snow white colors” princess party on Saturday. The girl insists on RED for her princess party, but does not want it valentine or patriotic looking. So we’re doing red with white, blues, and yellows. AKA colors Snow White wears. It’s a challenge – but fun. I’m getting decorations up today because I figured – why not? Let’s enjoy festive streamers for a week!

I’m thrilled my challenge is a party and not to re-birth this sucker. She took her sweet time. I will never forget standing in the hospital when my water broke and having the nurse tell me to go away and come back later that night or even the next morning because I was nowhere near labor. I was dumbstruck. I got the water to break (woo hoo), so baby was coming, but I had to go home?

I cried. Man I was so over being 9months pregnant.

Jason yelled at nurse when we came back that night and told her he was not taking me home without a baby. That if they tried he’d run and leave and they’d be stuck with me till they got the baby out. Gotta love a man who will yell at a nurse on your behalf. The nurse checked me, whadda ya know I was already towards end of labor, and all went well in the end.

Anyhow, it’s been 5 amazing years and she gets to have anything she wants. No, really. I have a tinkerbell pinata in my garage, we’re going to the cowboy restaurant for dinner (aka Cattlemen’s steakhouse), and I’m meeting everything she can think of with a smile. It’s FUN to say yes & go with it. Gotta love good times.

PS- I’m also VERY excited because in just a few hours guess what? We’re GOING HYBRID!! That’s right, Big Picture class is starting. There’s still a few days left to register so hop on over & check it out! IF you’re already in class – well I will see you over there! I’m setting alarm for 430am so I can get right into it!!

http://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/gohybrid.php

 Can you stand another (hybrid) layout? I hope so! After all, I’m totally in my hybrid groove these days…

Here’s a little known fact that I’ve actually timed: It’s true if you’re just going for “layer & print” often times Word is faster & easier than Photoshop Elements. Shoot – I can be 1/2 done in the time it takes Elements to open! If you’ve never considered hybrid scrapbooking a lot of times Word is less intimidating to start with too. After all – we want to have fun, not scare anyone!

Just get in there & insert>picture>from file and put whatever you like. I’m using a Sande Krieger lovely from www.twopeasinabucket.com here.

Then I added a Jodie McNally paper (from www.oscraps.com) and sized & lightened.

Then I added in one of Sande’s tags but cut off the part with the cow. Don’t really want that part.

Before I print I added in another Sande Krieger treat – a photo frame (that I’m using on paper – totally ok).

If you’re thinking “geez May, could you explain a bit more? Talk about your process? Show me more how-to? Well I think you’ll know my answer – of course! I actually will be posting more hybrid pages with digi screen shots too here, but also I would strongly suggest you hop in Adventures in Scrapbooking: Go Hybrid. Class starts Thursday – and I am so nervous & excited all at the same time. Mostly excited. Can.not.wait!

http://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/gohybrid.php

We’re starting off with text/journaling type stuff. It’s going to be so.much.fun. In the meantime, here’s the page I ended up with:

That’s Core’dinations cardstock inked with Victorian Velvet & Pumice Stone distress inks. Journaling stamp from Cats Life Press, flower is Prima, and the ribbon (princess) a Michael’s bargain & American Crafts gathered ribbon.

This page is much simpler than my usual style, but I was happy with how it looked and didn’t see anywhere I felt like adding more do-dads. Sometimes that’s how I roll. Of course I was bummed most of that lovely purple paper got covered up, but sometimes that’s what happens.

I really haven’t journaled the fact that Elizabeth got h1n1 on our vacation, and then gave it to us all and we spent 2 solid weeks sick as can be. I actually do plan on doing that – this photo reminded me & the journaling hints at it. I think I’ll do it on a big journaling page “about the vacation”. Sick as she was getting – I still love the sleeping photo.

look at that stack of vacation photos, still sitting in the box from Costco since October…

Or this stack of photos from 2009 still waiting to be sorted into ‘scrap it’ and ‘store it’ on my desk. Shameful.

My sewing machine, unused this year so far. No fabric projects made, yet lots of fabric sits in the closet…

I have a point here and it’s not to point out any more shortcomings or chastise myself either. It’s this:

Love what you do with your free time and have fun.

If guilt and other negative feelings invade my personal time I’ve lost. Instead of wallowing in these things still on my ‘pending’ list. Instead of freaking out or turning on the TV because dealing with it all was too much I told guilt to go away. Thought about all the good things I’d done this last week and smiled. Then I made a hopeful list for this week, and approached it 1 thing at a time instead of overwhelming myself with the whole thing. I’ll have fun. Play. and ENJOY THE PROCESS every step.

Because at the end of the day it’s up to me to make the most of my time. I don’t want to be one of those “I don’t have time” or “I just can’t” negative girls. I want to be the happy girl. Yes, I choose happy.

I hope you join me in some happy creative time this week. Carve out 30minutes somewhere, and enjoy.