{ Sunday }

{ Thursday }

This summer I started a 'journal' of sorts - just pasting and cutting and gluing thoughts together. Here is one of the pages, complete with a favorite quote form The Great Gatsby movie (starring Mia Farrow). It was inspired by the book I mentioned a few posts back, Journal Revolution.

One of the things that has really helped me is that I got a girlfriend to go along and try it with me. Then we periodically meet and share some thoughts and ideas. It's really helped me get over the stumbling block of 'working on it later'. I mean, hey! She's gonna wantta see something, you know? It's great to have an art friend!

I got this treat in the mail today. I had put my order in months ago, preparing for the release date. It does not disappoint! It's full of great ideas. And, oh, yeah - still in love with my circle punch! I even went back and got the next size bigger...

Haven't gotten this one yet?? Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore. I think it's one of the best ones yet!

This weekend Hubby and the kids are camping. I am going to miss them so much, but am determined to get some crafting and junking done! I'll be sure to share my finds! Have a great weekend ~

And the Winner is...

Karin at Creative Chaos! If you haven't checked out Karin's blog, you have to! It's too cute.

I am on summer break at long last, and this is how I plan to spend it. Well, this and crafting!

100 Posts..Celebrated with a Giveaway!

I can't believe it's been 100 posts and almost a year since I started my little blog. Time sure does fly! I am so thankful for everyone who stops by and reads every now and then, or sends an comment or an email. You all are so inspiring and creative!

I wanted to celebrate 100 posts with something special. As you know, who can think about sumemr reading without recalling Nancy Drew? Stop by and leave a comment between today, and Wednesday, June 11th, and you'll be entered in a random drawing to win this Nancy Drew journal!


I got to do a lot of junkin' this weekend - some of my favorite places that are a few counties away. (Thanks for driving, Honey!) Saw some yummy things, and brought some armloads of treasures home with me! Old photos and prayer cards, vintage dress patterns....ahh, where to begin!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend - -

Thursday

Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale
by Dan Albergotti

Measure the walls.

Count the ribs.

Notch the long days.

Look up for blue sky through the spout.

Make small fires with the broken hulls of fishing boats.

Practice smoke signals.

Call old friends, and listen for echoes of distant voices.

Organize your calendar.

Dream of the beach.

Look each way for the dim glow of light.

Work on your reports.

Review each of your life's ten million choices.

Endure moments of self-loathing.

Find the evidence of those before you. Destroy it.

Try to be very quiet, and listen for the sound of gears and moving water.

Listen for the sound of your heart.

Be thankful that you are here, swallowed with all hope,

where you can rest and wait.

Be nostalgic.

Think of all the things you did and could have done.

Remember treading water in the center of the still night sea, your toes pointing again and again down, down into the black depths.

I love this poem, for many reasons. Think of a place in your life where you are 'stuck in the belly of the whale' and listen for the sound of your heart.

Juli - Don't Peek!

I made this Nancy Drew journal for my friend, Juli. Jules, you'd better not be peeking!

I used a 7 Gypsies notebook.

There were about a gazillion pages ~ when you start all the cutting and pasting! But I love the way it turned out!

I can't believe it has been almost a year, and 100 posts, since I began my blog. I am celebrating with a fun give-away. Check back soon!

Sunday

I promised I'd be back in short order with an update on the fun things I had sworn that I would do this weekend. So far, I'm sticking with my promise to myself, and to you!

Friday afternoon was my first score; I found hydrangeas and roses, my favorite combination! So of course, I left with those by the armload. They look beautiful next to this old seashore photo I found while junkin' on Saturday, and some old starfish. Just enough to make me dream of summer....ahhhhhh.

I gave in and got a circle puncher, and boy am I glad I did! I've been punchin' like crazy! Not too sure what I'm doing with these yet, but I see some cards and tags in my future!

I wanted to make a hand-made gift for some friends at work who served on my committee this year. There are 9 of them, so it had to be do-able! I think these notepads turned out well.

I found some gorgeous old wedding certificates this weekend to add to my collection, and a whole book of nearly new old paperdolls. How cute are they? The colors are perfect.

Remember the old vintage book holder I told you I found a few weeks back? I'm still giddy over that one! I set it up in the dining room with an old Nancy Drew book. It makes me smile every time I walk by!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend, and taking some time for yourself ~~~

Thursday

No, I haven't forgotten about you, dear friend! Things have just been very, very busy, and I am too quick to make time for everything but my creative self! A girlfriend and I have been having fun browsing this book. We've given ourselves a homework assignment to complete by Monday. (Gulp!) I am determined to get some crafting/junkin' in this weekend - -for sure. School is out soon, and then...look out!

Whew! What a Day!

When I woke up this morning I was sure it would NOT be a creative day, but I surprised myself! I was wanting to make my Mom some notecards for Mother's Day using my new-found PhotoShop 'skills'. I was pretty happy with what I would up with, several hours later! This first one is a picture of her, the rest are of her mom and aunts, etc. I hope today found you with some creativity to spare!

Getting Better!

I am still having fun experimenting with Photoshop. I made this tonight, and printed it out in 4x6 for a really cute card. You may remember from a few posts back that I found her on this website. Poke around for a while! It's hit or miss, but lots of fun. Next I want to try using some of our own old family photos to make something for mom for Mother's Day. Hmmm...

Tomorrow I'm taking the kids out to my mom's. They are spending the night while my husband and I go to an annual black-tie fundraiser. I'm really looking forward to it, but am also looking forward to hopefully swinging by one of my favorite antique malls on the short trip out there. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a great find!

In the meantime I am remiss in not telling you about an ATC Swap ( a chain kind of thing) that I am way behind on! I found out a bout it from the talented Sarah. I am being a slow poke partly because I don't know who else to sign up; I need more people to add to the list! I'll fill you in next time. Maybe I can talk one or two of you into it! Have a great weekend - -

The Experiment Continues...

Okay...now I am really starting to get the hang of this! How fun!

Tech Saturday

I can not believe I actually 'made' this on PhotoShop! Okay, Okay, it's only three images, but still! Go out there and try it, if I can do it, you can do it, too!
I'm going back to the computer - - while the creativity floweth!

Happy Thursday

Today I took a much needed mental-health day, and puttered around some of my favorite haunts. I was so appreciating having some time to myself, that when I saw this plate, I knew I had to take it home with me!

Today was also a great day for finding some fab photos! I am really excited to try and experiment with these now that I am playing around with PhotoShop!

This vintage ticket to a church supper should also make for some fun scrapping. Now to figure out the scanner...!

Made this notebook that other night; it's going out to Renee in Ocean Grove, New Jersey - an Etsy friend!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend - -

Poetry in Motion

Valentine for Ernest Mann

You can't order a poem like you order a taco.

Walk up to the counter, say, "I'll take two"

and expect it to be handed back to you

on a shiny plate.

Still, I like your spirit.

Anyone who says, "Here's my address,

write me a poem," deserves something in reply.

So I'll tell you a secret instead:

poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes,

they are sleeping. They are the shadows

drifting across our ceilings the moment

before we wake up. What we have to do

is live in a way that lets us find them.

Once I knew a man who gave his wife

two skunks for a valentine.

He couldn't understand why she was crying.

"I thought they had such beautiful eyes."

And he was serious. He was a serious man

who lived in a serious way. Nothing was ugly

just because the world said so. He really

liked those skunks. So, he re-invented them

as valentines and they became beautiful.

At least, to him. And the poems that had been hiding

in the eyes of skunks for centuries

crawled out and curled up at his feet.

Maybe if we re-invent whatever our lives give us

we find poems. Check your garage, the odd sock

in your drawer, the person you almost like, but not quite.

And let me know.

--Naomi Shihab Nye--

Happy Sunday

You know how I love those vintage girls! Dress patterns and old magazines are my favorite place to get their sleek sophistication. I made this card today. This lovely lady has also inspired me with an ATC idea I just may try out, using an old French for Travelers book I found this weekend. The kids and I went to a huge, annual used book sale on Friday night. We had a blast. I found lots of old vintage books that were just itching for a project I had in mind...journals!

I tackled two this weekend - Nancy being my favorite. It was hard to pull her apart, I'll admit. But once I got started, I realized the countless projects I could do with her now loose pages. I also tackled this old spelling book, he was bigger and abit more fragile than the Nancy Drew.

Susanna

by Anne Porter

Nobody in the hospital

Could tell the age

Of the old woman who

Was called Susanna

I knew she spoke some English

And that she was an immigrant

Out of a little country

Trampled by armies

Because she had no visitors

I would stop by to see her

But she was always sleeping

All I could do

Was to get out her comb

And carefully untangle

The tangles in her hair

One day I was beside her

When she woke up

Opening small dark eyes

Of a surprising clearness

She looked at me and said

You want to know the truth?

I answered Yes

She said it's something that

My mother told me

There's not a single inch

Of our whole body

That the Lord does not love

She then went back to sleep.