Monday, January 25, 2010

violet Bella at Before The Baby Wakes

Violet Bella's creator is the talented Laura. Laura has been creating her whole life but just recently she has been able to turn her passion into something more full time.
If you head over to Before The Baby Wakes, you can see an awesome feature on her. You can also get your comments in for a chance to win a 5X5 of anyone of her beautiful photograph prints. Awesome!!!

Monday, January 18, 2010

The Dainty Squid's Beautiful blog

Head on over to The Dainty Squid to check out this lady's awesome blog. She is just amazingly talented. I just love it over there; so much inspiration! Oh, and she just so happens to be doing a giveaway right now as well. How adorable is this cute owl pouch. The giveaway has three pouches...the owls, one with squirrels and hedgehogs, and an adorable cupcake one. I am already thinking up the great things I could use them for! Go now!


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Pretty pictures and a new week to open!

All the excitement has died down around here. Dkota left last Saturday to go back to Texas. 7 weeks, 6 days until he is home with me for good! I'm not excited or nothing!!! HAHA. We are planning to do the whole each drive half way thing for Valentine's Weekend. I can't wait. I always cry when we have to say goodbye. As you will see though, we had a lot of fun while he was here.
As for this week, you may have already read it, but I finally posted up my goals and whatnot for the year. I put in a few words for the year and an awesome color too! I think I should have a song. What do you think? I have everything else...I need a song for the year too! My books that I got are amazing. I am really liking them BOTH right now. The Happiness Project just took a minute to get into. I got a blank sketchbook to help me along. Yesterday I finally finished making the front oh, so pretty! I will post pictures.
Speaking of posting pictures, I am hating my cell phone right now. I got everything set up so that I could post from it, but now it doesn't work. So, the pictures I promised so long ago, may never actually make it to my blog. I'm sorry. Pleae orgive me!
This weekend, while I should have been doing other things, I crafted a bit. It's nearly 7 o'clock on Sunday night, and I have not yet finished organizing the craft room. My newest friend Daniella is coming down from Nashvill tomorrow to visit. I don't really know if she is going to go home. Kidding! Her main squeeze will be out of town for a few days so she is visiting me. We are going to have so much fun. She has never scrapbooked before but is really wanting to start. Fresh Meat! I can't wait to get her going with it. That is going to be awesome! Our plans for this week? Scrap crap Scrap!! Oh, and our puppies are in love! They will stay occupied while we are busy crafting!
So, I will leave you with some super un pictures. I was told about picnik.com through a blog and checked it out. I had entirely too much fun editing my pictures with it. Most of the ones below were editied using this site. I think you can probably tell which ones were not.
Leave me comments. I always love comments. I hope you beautiful ladies have an awesome week. Stay positive and stay full of energy. Have fun!

Dakota. Avitar. 3-D. IMAX. Amazing!
The newest edition to my ongoing camera collection. It used to be my grandfather's. He passed on shortly after I was born.
Puppy in a box. Puppy not pleased! I love my new cricut though!

The four of us went on a fancy date night!

I am only pretending to sleep. Kaye is yawning for real though!

Trolly in Memphis. Ye, they still have them there!

Pretty sunset.

I love love love hats!

A lady can never have too many bottles of perfume.

Loving this book so much!

Organizing my scraproom by using my cricut!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Oooops forgot the pictures!!

Here are the pictures of the things that make me happy today that I totally meant to put in the post below this one!

Life is a Verb and The Happiness Project

Last night I pulled under the carport and looked at my doorstep. There it was...my package I had been waiting for since Friday of last week. In bold letters, it said Amazon! I pulled the tape and peered inside. Books! I had been so anxious to get them. I pulled out the blue one... The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and dove into it's pages. I read. A bit dry to start off....hmmm....what about this other book? Life is a Verb by Patti Digh I began to read it. I am in love. Originally, I was most excited about the first book, but now I think I am more excited about the second book. It has pictures!!!!
I brought them to work today. I began reading "the verb book" and almost right away, it invited me to write in the margins. Why had I not thought of this before? As I continued to read, I wrote things down that came to mind.

Make Changes that you can keep
You are what you eat?
What does a butterfly symbolize?
Am I lost?
I don't want to forget Happiness only has meaning with contrasted with unhappiness
Quiddity - a beautiful word
When memories fade, are they still in our hearts so as to make us us?

I am finished with Chapter one now. (Please know that above are only some of the many notes I wrote. As you know, I am on a mission to make this year so great. I want to live intentionally, and I guess I need a little help to figure out how I can do that. I thought I would post up some pictures that make me happy today.....
Something that I would love to have


Nearly a year ago....what a pretty place


I could never have too many Cherry Blossoms in my life

How true is this?




And just because this is the cutest picture in the world to me today!
I appologize for having no idea where these images came from. I have them saved to my computer at work, without any labels to tell me. I don't take credit for any of them, but if you would like to take credit...please let me know, or please tell me if you know where they came from so I can give credit! Thanks!




Thursday, January 14, 2010

Inspiring

I happened upon a little blog today that I am now quite fond of. The blog is Violet Bella. I was reading along and reading along, and then, BAM! I found something that she had found that really really spoke to me. Here it is:

Written by Melody Beattie

Remember to be Happy

Sometimes we get so bogged down in dealing with feelings, issues, problems -- the realities and details of our lives -- we forget to be happy. Often happiness can be ours if we just remember to be happy.

Joy is a choice -- a deliberate, concious choice. That choice is available to us each day. Our joy isn't controlled by others or by outward circumstances. Joy comes from a deeper place, a place of security within ourselves. It's an attitude, not a transitory emotion.

Remember to be kind. Remember to be loving. Remember to feel all of your feelings and to take care of yourself. But most of all, remember to be happy.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A New Me

I appologize if the following paragraphs make absolutely no sense, if the statements seems silly, or if you just don't get me....

Back in December, I had an overwhelmingly positive outlook for Twenty Ten. I couldn’t place my finger on what exactly caused this new positive attitude though. There were a couple things that might have been part of it….I had finished my application for The Art Institute, Dakota was on his way out of the Army, and I had plans to move away from my depressing job in my depressing little town that I live in. I just knew everything was going to be wonderful. I think I had the expectation that the ball in New York would drop and all of a sudden everything would be perfect in my little world. I must admit, it sounds completely ridiculous and irresponsible to believe in miracles like that.
So what exactly does make for a good start to a brand new year full of possibilities? I hate to admit it, but certainly sitting back and expecting something to just happen is probably not the way to start off. With that said, I need to give myself a swift kick in the butt! That is exactly what I have done with my first two weeks of this new month, this new year, this new decade. Ok, so maybe not exactly….
I have done a couple things that give me a few tally points of goodness. I have considered the "One Little Word” idea, I have considered who and what I want to be, I have taken pictures every single day, and I have ordered a book from amazon.com. So all this thought is somewhat getting me somewhere, but it is only at the thought stage; not the action stage, and it is two weeks into the year already. Two weeks, in the grand scheme of things, is not a very long time, however, if you consider that my thoughts revolve around action and just getting up, going out, and doing….two weeks is a long time to do nothing!
I started out with a list of about 22 words. I slowly began to cross words off the list as I thought more and more about them. I don’t want a word that has any negative possibilities. I don’t want a word that describes new in a way of new life, or starting from scratch. I am a girl in this little world, and at one time I always smiled. At one time I was energetic and positive and nothing could get me down. I miss that girl. Slowly I lost her in the darkness. I need to find her again. I need to find that passion for life again. Four words remain on the list: Alive, Awaken, Emerge, and Open. So….who says I have to narrow it down to ONE LITTE WORD? Who says that I have to follow that current trend and conform to what everyone else is up to? Why can’t I have four words that inspire me to find that girl again?
In a previous post, I mentioned my new favorite color. I love turquoise. I really have no idea how it is possible that I never knew turquoise before in this life. Perhaps it is possible that I knew turquoise in a past life? Maybe in a past life I was a rabbit that looked up into the sky everyday because it was beautiful color, and I knew that someday I would be something bigger and better. Whoa!!! Where did that come from? Ignore that last bit! However though, I even thought about choosing a color instead of a word. What does turquoise mean to me? It means everything to me that those four words mean to me. It describes the sense of me that I aspire to find again. It stirs up inside me the ambition to awaken from my slumber, to emerge from my cocoon, to be open to new possibilities and to be alive!
This year is the one! It is the year I find myself again. I will be me, and not someone else. I will choose to do instead of just simply be. I will surround myself in turquoise. (You are probably imagining me painting my entire house turquoise right now!) I do mean figuratively….I do mean the mental state of turquoise! I will embark on new journeys of discovery….

Now that I have completely lost all of your attention, I have a few lists to share with you:

1. Color of my year
-Turquoise

2. Words for my Year
-Awaken
-Emerge
-Open
-Alive

3. Goals for my Year
-Simplify
-Begin (and stick with) school
-Keep a planner/calendar
-Paint a sunflower
-Buy and use to learn a sewing machine
-Take at least 1 picture per day and document them all in a cute little way
-Be much more romantic
-Get and ride a bicycle whenever logical
-Make a scarf I’ve had my eye on (which includes learning how to knit better)
-Finish my military scrapbook and continue with up to date important albums
-At least 4 mini-albums
-Grow my hair to the middle of my back
-blog more often
-Smile every single day
-Take time to breath


Okay, now I am accountable! I have it here in writing. I have it set in stone. These are my goals. Goals are attainable. Goals can be reached. Never give up on your goals! I just know that I will be so much happier now that I have them out in the open. I will see them and reach them. I will use these goals as the stepping stones to successfully live with my color and four words of my year. I will be a better person for achieving them!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Scrapz N Stuff: Blog Candy!!!!

Scrapz N Stuff: Blog Candy!!!!: "So, here's what I want you to do..."

Blog Candy!

There is some yummy blog candy going out to one lucky follower of Scrapznstuff. Click on the link to go check out all the details of how to get in the drawing!!!


Monday, January 04, 2010

Exciting new things to come

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I know that I have been absent a lot lately. Hmmm....I kind of have an excuse? For Christmas, I traveled to Michigan and left my computer behind. Two days later, I picked Dakota up from the airport. I have really been enjoying his company. I admit that maybe I have a little time and could have at least said hello, but I have been a little lazy too! Last weekend we were in Nashville. We spent some time with his very good friend, Adam (he likes to go by Shane though) and his fiancee Daniella. She is going to become a very good friend of mine I have the feeling. So, I have been checking in with the blogs that I follow and I came across this cute little survey on Molly Lou Gifts. I thought it would be fun to post it on mine....I changed the end of each sentence to relate to me!

I’ve come to realize that my job. . . is not what I want forever.

I’ve come to realize that when I’m driving. . . I have tremendous amounts of road rage

I’ve come to realize that I need. . .to be positive.

I’ve come to realize that I have lost. . .my art

I’ve come to realize that I hate it when. . . things don't go my way.

I’ve come to realize that if I’m drunk. . . I am quite honest.

I’ve come to realize that money… is just paper but what you do with it, can be wonderful

I’ve come to realize that certain people. . . will only bring me down

I’ve come to realize that I’ll always. . . love chocolate

I’ve come to realize that my sibling(s). . . are all very different from eachother, but aremostly all great.

I’ve come to realize that my mom… is amazing and very funny.

I’ve come to realize that my cell phone. . . is something I cannot live without

I’ve come to realize that when I woke up this morning. . . I still hated mornings!.

I’ve come to realize that last night before I went to sleep. . . I forgot to kiss my puppy

I’ve come to realize that right now I am thinking. . . I can make this year great.

I’ve come to realize that my dad. . . really should have made different choices.

I’ve come to realize that when I get on Facebook. . . I wish I had more messages

I’ve come to realize that today. . . is one day closer to a difference.

I’ve come to realize that tonight. . . will be nice to relax and rest so I can kick this cold in the butt before it turns me upside down

I’ve come to realize that tomorrow. . . will be very very very cold here.

I’ve come to realize that I really want to. . . appreciate the little details in life.

I’ve come to realize that the person mostly likely to repost this is. . . oh dear, I don't know.

I’ve come to realize that life. . . is way too short

.I’ve come to realize that this weekend. . . will be sad when Dakota leaves again
.
I’ve come to realize that my friends. . . Are awesome!

I’ve come to realize that this year. . . has amazing things in store for me.

I’ve come to realize that my man. . . loves me very much and wouldn't change me for the world

.I’ve come to realize that maybe I should. . . stop procrastinating and wake up to life.

I’ve come to realize that I love. . . scrapbooking!.

I’ve come to realize that I don’t understand. . . how some people can be born without common sense

.I’ve come to realize my past. . .is what has made me who I am

.I’ve come to realize that parties. . . can be fun but very stressful.

I’ve come to realize that I’m totally terrified. . . of failure.

I’ve come to realize that my life. . . is turning out well.

Please believe me that I do have a lto to share with you all very soon. Dakota will be saying goodbye again on Saturday. *tear* After he leaves, I have a scraproom to redo and organize. I have layouts after layouts to complete. I have my one little word for the year to post....or my 22 little words? I have goals to write down (makes me more accountable), and things to share about how wonderful this year is going to be. I will see you again really soon, friends!
Hugs!