Things that I'm loving lots lately.

Live from Daryl's House This has just been my secret guilty pleasure. I am so glad that I came across this site. Not that I am wanting to be a stalker. At least not an illegal stalker, but man, I just want to hang out and listen. My ears are so happy every time I pick an episode to listen to. Definitely check out Mutlu and Chuck Prophet if you've not spent some listening time with these guys before. Mutlu worked with a favorite of mine... Amos Lee. Chuck Prophet...well, he had me at I Bow Down And Pray To Every Woman I See. Give him a listen. He's got some good political stuff. He's had his ups and downs personal wise, but he's cleaned up for the last ten years, and he makes my ears very very happy.

 That sure made me sound like a total fangirl,didn't it? Oh well. I prolly am. It's funny, but as I age I have definitely found that my musical taste is both diverse and loyal.

What else am I loving? Scraphappy. A fantastic group of supportive and creative people led by Lain Ehmann. It is the perfect mix of what I think that I need in a community of scrapbookers. It makes me happy to Scraphappy.

 I'm also loving on my doggie lately. The winter cold was rough on me. I still lost weight, but now that spring seems to be rearing it's gorgeous head, I am everso glad to be able to take Fenway the wonder dog out for walks. Our walk has now bumped up to about 2.5 miles. The nerve that runs down the back of my right thigh isn't my friend, but by the time it starts to speak up, Fenway has been slowing down enough for me to walk at a comfortable pace.


 I've taken a break over the last week with scrapping. I haven't really missed it all that much. I think that I'm still a bit 'cooked' from doing Layout a Day in February, but tomorrow I'll be spending my afternoon with some good friends, and after that much welcome respite from my usual day I usually come home and feel my creative mojo resurfacing.

 I've been working on more *.studio files. I usually work on them at night, because that's when my "I NEED THIS" kicks in. I should be posting more shortly. Take it easy. Enjoy your life a little more. Discover some new ear candy.

One month later

So, what did I do all of February?
I did LOAD213 with the fabulous Lain Ehman.

I met so many WONDERFUL women there!  I kid you not, if you haven't done a LOAD, DO IT!  It can be a little stressful at times, but that's ok.  I think that the next one that I do I'll force myself to do simple layouts, because it's really all about getting those stories down on paper.

 I'm not going to share ALL of my layouts here, but I am going to share a ton, so just sit back and prepare to scroll. I did make it  to 28/28 layouts, and I'm very proud of them! Oh... and before you get too fatigued, I've been working on some more Silhouette files, and they should be going up sooner than later!

Cutting files part two

Click Here

 3x4 cards. Click here.

4x6 cards click here

TONS of free Silhouette Cut files tonight

I've been playing around with my cameo some more and I have a lot more files to share. 

  I thought that I'd already shared some of these already, but I must have been dreaming, so this is an extra big upload tonight. 

  I'll be posting another set of files shortly.  Please leave a comment if you get the files, I'm curious if these are something that you all will use, or if I should just keep these to myself.

 Click here

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She makes me happy

I based this on a sketch by Shimelle,  I found it kind of hard to scrap the photos at an angle like this, but once I got going it started to work.  I used sequins, and my new curvy bracket edge punch and lots of Washi.  My favorite was the little cameras and the big camera that I colored with my Copic Markers.  They are from Mama Elephant and are the "We Click" set of stamps. Love them!

They call it Puppy Love

  I'm doing LOAD 213 with Lain Ehmann.  Today is day 1, and I had a lot of fun using my stash of washi tape.   I don't know whether or not to be pleased that I still had more pink/red/heart tape than what I used.  Perhaps I have a bit of a washi compulsion!

  I'm using up my stash, although the card stock wasn't necessarily old stash, the washi was definitely a use up type of thing.  The stitched hearts were an old Autumn Leaves set of rub-ons. That felt definitely good to use up.

  I also used nail polish on cardstock hearts that I punched out.  I also used sequins randomly on the page.

It's becoming about the journaling for me.

   I made this page within the last couple months, and I wanted to share it because lately I've been focusing on the "WHY" of the photo.  Why do I choose to scrapbook the photos that I do.

  I know that when I pass on, my children will take the time to look at these, and I want them to know the things that I value.  I have no desire right now to re-do those early Creative Memories scrapbooks with the photos trimmed to within an inch of their lives, but I may someday. It's becoming more important to me to get that information down. 

  This layout is important to me.  Not only does it have beautiful (iPhone!) pictures, but it's also got a little snapshot of a day.  Right now I'm on a workers comp leave from my work, so my days are quite a bit slower paced.  But, I want those who see these pages when I am gone to know that I enjoyed walking barefoot through grass, and to understand that I took the time to breathe in and enjoy the moments that I had. 

  It wasn't just about the photo, that it was about the *memories* associated with the photo.

  So, all this introspection brings me around to another topic.  That of love.  Valentines day is coming up shortly, I have a few Valentines to make and send off to the people that I love in my life.  I'm also working on a few more cut files.   Soon I will post them.

  Take a breath today and find a moment of peace to enjoy your life.  It feels so good!