Something in my heart

My heart has been speaking to me. I wish it would shut up. I hate it when this happens because I usually end up diving into a new realm of my life. And this time my heart keeps saying "CHERRY ARTE! CHERRY ARTE!" Oh good grief . . .all right already! I'm gonna go for it! I'm officially throwing my hat into the ring at the 11th hour. As usual. Why is it that I don't feel like I have a snow ball's chance in getting this gig. Probably because I don't. I mean, when one of the questions is, "Where have you been published?" Uh . . . .do I answer that one? Or should I give them my sad, "GIVE ME A CHANCE!" I think I will give them the saga story because that's all I got baby! I've submitted only recently. In fact, I'm not even sure if the calls have gone out. I take that back, I once submitted to a BH sketch. It was DARN good. And if I hadn't used that stupid JOLEE'S BOUTIQUE puffy sticker on it, I would have probably gotten the pub because my LO totally rocked! but they have to know . . .I scrap for me. And that Puffy Sticker actually meant something to me. Not only did I buy it IONS ago in hopes I'd be able to use it one day, but my son's football # actually matched the number on the sticker. I didn't care that it wasn't the IN thing. If they would have read the journaling, they would have got it! But NNNNNOOOOO . . . my name wasn't recognized and I used a has been supply. So what. They didn't ask me to do anything specific, so I did what felt right. And here's another "feel right" LO. I think it's fun. I dreamed it up last night. I'd change a few things about it, but it's the 11th hour for the Cherry Arte DT and it's going. Good thing I only have to submit 4 LO's and they don't have to be Cherry Arte. I'm going to try to get some more things done seeing I won every paper line Cherry Arte has! I absolutely LOVE this paper. If it wasn't for the paper, I would never bother. But this paper SPEAKS to me. IT CRIES FOR ME TO USE IT EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT!!!!!! SO . . . .GO ME! Wish me luck guys!

HAIKU

poppyinklocontest406
Originally uploaded by deesouza.

This really stretched me out of my comfort zone. Main reason being that I typically like to write a novel on my scrapbook pages. But this was for a contest at Poppy Ink. The challenge was to journal using an original HAIKU. I haven't written a Haiku since college and before that, 3rd grade! It was fun. I messed up the original ledger paper that was sent with my Poppy Ink kit, so I went all over town looking for something that would work. I now own a MEGA HUGE PAD of financial journal pages. Funny thing . . . as I convert my grandmother to Quickbooks, I will now have a whole new love affair with her journal pages when I can get my hands on them. She has the most amazing writing, it will be fun to use them and cherish them within my scrapbook pages. When she's gone, I'll be able to have a piece of her with me all the time. OK, I'm like totally getting mushy here and tearing up so back to the regularly programed schedule of my FABULOUS LO! Oh, and there is an ant crawling across my computer screen right now. HUH?

Journaling Reads:

Curious bright KOI
Your mouths chasing his little hand
Like birds in spring time.

PRODUCTS USED:
PP - SEI & office supply ledger paper
CS - Bazzill
FLOWERS - Mermaid Tears
SEQUINS - vintage
CHIPBOARD - KI & Scenic Route
TAG - Avery
RIBBON - May Arts

DT work

I just love my DT. Everyone on it are totally easy to work with. You hear of so much drama . . . but not with this team. Everyone is super encouraging . . . and that is so nice. Anyway, I did a couple LO's with some of the product I was sent this month. THis is some Mustard Moon. I comepletely botched one LO so I had very little product left, so that meant I had to be creative . . . well, I came up with the paper vase. I kinda like it. Wich my flowers matched, but that's me . . .eclectic! I'llbe posting the instructions at ScrabookingSwede so you can get the instructions there. It was inspired by a project I saw of a girl named Celeste (don't know her last name). She is brilliant, I think.

I got this completely wild hair this morning and ordered a whole bunch of microscope slides. Whatever. I'm going to do something with them, not sure what yet. But something inspired me to look for a quote that inspires me about friendship and eyes. Maybe it was because I took a picture of a ton of eyes last night at a BELLY DANCING party! Kinda fun . . . anywho . . . I ran across this amazing quote that is totally inspiring me right now.

Online Friendship

Online friend I have never seen you before,
but I know you are really there.
I click you into reality, like magic in the air.
Your voice is like an angel, though I really do not hear.
Your hug as warm as any, of the loved ones I hold dear.
You are always there for comfort, or a word of cheer.
Though you are very far away, I always have you near.
You are a very special friend, like none I have ever known.
As long as you are in cyberspace, I will never be alone.

So . . .this something is going to happen with this quote and my art work . . . maybe in my SHE album.

My first photo shoot . . .

What do you think? One of the pics is a little fuzzy (AKA out of focus) but the other two are cool, I think. CC is welcome!

PLAY - First attempt

I guess I didn't fully listen to the description of the Scrap Etc. event before I signed up. I just signed up because for all I knew . . .Heidi Swapp and Elsie were going to be there and I KNEW I needed to hear both of them to help my creativity. By the time I heard Heidi the first day, I had already sat through 3 lectures. NOT what I had expected. Carrie, Cathy, and Heidi. Cathy's lecture was awesome. She talked about design principles and more meaningful journaling. But I wanted to PLAY. Heidi's was equally inspiring because she had a "present" sitting on the table for us. THIS is what I came for . . . the chance to work with Heidi products with Heidi in the room. So when she gave us the green light to open the package. . . I immediately busted on the goods and started to PLAY. I didn't listen to her instructions (oops) I just assumed she wanted us to PLAY! And I was so right. So here is my first attempt at PLAY. Yes, it is on a super sized playing card. You're gonna see more of these cards. This first one represents something POSITIVE about me. Something that gets me excited about PLAY. Being a mom. That is what I am good at. Being a wife . . .well . . . I improve each day. But to affirm that I'm good at both, I went ahead and documented it here. No rules . . .just playing.

Scraps Etc. projects . . .

Just a few to post. Not finished with all of them. Once I get them done, I'll post them up here. Let me know if you have any questions about them. The first photo is one of 4 inspiration techniques done with the Autumn Leaves girls. Man, I loved those projects. Got great ideas from them . . . I'll post more when I get pics on all of them. Three more idea tags to be exact. The second and third photos are of a project we did in Elsie's class - 100 ways to be inspired. Pull those babies out of the jar and instant inspiration overcomes the bod!!!The last photo is of all the rolodex cards I received from women I met. Sure wish I could've collected more . . . but I love the ones I got and I'm gonna cherish these friendships I'm making online . . . I can tell. You all were super sweet and although I didn't spend much time with all of you, I can tell you are special women!

A few pics ... not all

Yep . . . this would be Ms. Elsie herself! The usualy inspiration behind my doodles. And I look like a hag. NICE! Thanks to my new buddie Carra for providing me with htis pic since my stupid camera battery died. What kind of scrapbooker am I anyway?

Scraps Etc. Event

It was just amazing! Although my damn camera decided to take a crap . . . I'll post some pics when I get some from my new buddies . . . Man was this inspiring. I didn't have any idea what this event was about . . .I just knew I needed to be there. 2 out of the 4 speakers were inspirations for me so i wanted to hear them. And 3 out of the 4 absolutely rocked! Heidi and Cathy Z have got a true gift of speaking to people and inspiring them. These two women just got IT! And they GET IT! Elsie is jsut an absolute dolly and you can't help but love her. I just want to take her home and put her up on a little shelf and say, "Isn't she the cutest!" I totally dig her style. She has really given me the inpiration to break out and do whatever feels right. Whether it has trapped white space or not! LOL! Cathy Z gave me the green light to be more candid in my scrapbooks. But I'm not sure my kids will ever see a pic of Tim grabbing my breasts! LOL!!!!! She's so hilarious . . . you absolutely HAVE to hear her if you ever get the chance. And BTW, I'm renewing my sub to Simple Scrapbooks because of her. And then there's Heidi. FIRST CLASS is all I can say about her. EMILY is FIRST CLASS too. I just wanna be like them. I do. Actually no, I wanna be like me . . .but I can learn a lot about CLASS from them. The product we got from the HS line was just . . . OMG! i think I own almost everything HS makes now. . . .except the mint paint. I need that paint color!!!!!! LOL!!!! Well, I better get off this computer and pack before the WYNFREY HOTEL kicks me out the window. GET OUT YOU DORK! GET OUT! FYI: This post cost me $9.99. Money well spent.

As if she REALLY needs YOUR help . . .

This is what I envision my snobbish cat, Princess, saying about the current contest I entered her in. She's gonna be a "bottle cat". No pun intended. Please, vote for her gorgeous mug shot at . She'll be forever grateful to you!

cross 001

cross 001
Originally uploaded by deesouza.

I'm so glad to have this done. It's not because it was a "hard" project, but it is one I know is going to be displayed for many people to see for a very long time. Our church is undergoing a remodel and when they took the paneling off the wall, they salvaged it and cut it into crosses for people to decorate (in our world it's called altering). I'm not worried that it will be judged . . . I've accepted that fact. I'm just a very sentimental person and wanted it to toally reflect my family. So back to the judgement comment. Isn't it funny how I can stress about being judged by a cross I alter. It's really ironic because we judge Jesus every day. We judge his direction he has for our lives. We judge Christians by their commitment to their faith. We judge, we judge, we judge. And here I know this will be judged. I love the strength I've received from God to not worry about what others think about me and live the way people think I should live, but how I choose to live my life and follow God's plan. By the way . . . my artwork will be on display in the foyer of Tulare Community Church until they decide to remodel our church again. :)

letting go . . .

It's so hard for me to let go. I've got a PILE, I mean a PILE of junk in my living room I cleaned out of closets and cabinets. I should have "let go" of this junk AGES ago. But, I have a hard time of letting go. Another thing I'm struggling with is letting go of my son . . . letting him have more freedom. It's only 6 short years before he will be going off to college. Now, let me tell you . . . that will be a "letting go" session that may never heal! I already boo hoo just thinking about it! Talk about getting yourself worked up! I'll need to be on PROZAC if he ever gets married! Here is a LO I did this morning about letting go of my little guy. He truly is one of the best kids in the world. Ever.

bloggin SSSLLLLLOOOOOWWWW

Oh gosh . . . It would be so much easier for me to just call you on the phone if you wanna know what's going on in my life. I've been so laggin on this blog, but I definitely have time to read everyone else's blog life!

DH grandmother died on Monday night. It was a long time coming. She was over 90 and lived a great life. She was a 6th grade teacher for many years (she'd be appalled if she read my last post with all the spelling errors!)She did a ton of traveling and was very active in her community. She will be missed by all who loved her for her sharp wit and intelligent mind. I'm glad my children had the opportunity to get to know her.

I've actually finished a DT LO this week with supplies from last months kit. I've had these pictures for quite awhile . . . along with the other pile of pictures I've had stored up to be scrapped. I have enough pics to scrap for the rest of my life!!

I'm getting SO EXCITED about the Scraps Etc. event. I'm starting to think of 25 pics that INSPIRE me. Any ideas? Please post them on this blog. I could really use some help. I see lots of ads in magazines that inspire me, but I can't really figure out what Elsie is really after on this. Maybe it's up to my own interpretation. I dunno!

Today is going to be a FUN SCRAP day. I don't have anything on the schedule. Was gonna do a yard sale, but now it looks like I'm gonna have to push that baby WAY back in my schedule because it's supposed to rain. Yeah right . . . it's sunny as heck outside. Rain! I hate weather forecasts. So, the pile of crapola still sits in the living room . . .