So Long, 2014!

The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow
       - Unknown


Wow...it's been a helluva long time since I posted here...how was your holiday season? Looking forward to 2015? I can honestly say that I am...I am completely over , under and done with 2014.
It's not that it was a bad year...but, it wasn't all sunshine and giggles, that's for sure.

So...where does one start??

Well..let's start with August 2013 and roll from there...
I was involved in an accident in August 2013 and it was...life altering and an attitude changer, that's for sure. I won't go into details about what happened, but, needless to say, I am not the same person I was when I woke up on August 15, 2013. The last 16 months, 16 days and two hours have been filled with numerous doctors/physical therapy/psychologist/vocational counselor appointments and during that time, I have also had neck surgery and suffered a couple (okay, possibly more than a couple) of breakdowns - also known as going through the Stages of Grief. Since Acceptance (the last stage of grief) hasn't shown itself yet, 2015 may or may not be a slight repeat of 2014...geez, I hope not.

So, when one such as myself is faced with some time on her hands, I tend to do a multitude of things:

1. Spend it watching Criminal Minds re-runs
2. Spend it doing on line window shopping (I will purchase everything on my many Wish Lists eventually)
3. Pin on Pinterest....constantly
4. Read...alot! (Since discovering Wattpad, I now have an incredible urge to write a romance novel that involves a heroine in need of an extreme makeover that is secretly in love with her billionaire boss)
5. Craft - per my shrink, I was told to continue to craft as my part of my therapy...my art journal has some pretty dark entries in it

I did other stuff, too, for sure...like, drive my men nuts with my breakdowns and outbursts and fits of creativity that made me tend to stay away from them for hours. But, much to my husbands frustration, none of my "episodes" included cleaning fits or baking rampages or cooking sprees like I was The Pioneer Woman (she rocks, by the way). It is what it is...

My downside to 2014 (yes, there's more besides the other stuff already mentioned) is that I found out that after I had the metal plate attached after losing a disc in my neck, I was not going to be the same person physically that I was before - no more boxing, kick boxing, cross fit training - anything that involves me using force and/or lifting more than 15 pounds. I can't lift my head up to look above me and trying to tuck my chin to my chest will make me nauseous. Oh, and, I have a phobia of crowds. Oh well, it is what it is...

But, there is a good side to it...I have found out that I suffer from Overly Organized Compulsive Disorder - OOCD. Yes, I made that up. Because of my disorder, I am the owner of at least 5 organizer/planners all for the upcoming year, have hung all of my clothes on hangars that are either black or silver and woke up this morning and organized my underwear drawer. I have post its all over the house of upcoming appointments (even though its already listed in 3 of my planners and my Iphone and my iPad...and, yes, my men also have a list of everything because I'm organized like that).

So, as I was contemplating some serious life choices over the last few days, I realized that while holding on to the ugliness of whats been in my life for the last 16 months, 16 days and 2 hours, 42 minutes made me comfortable (because its what I was used to), it sure as hell isn't healthy. But, it's a block to build on so that one can move forward. Hence, the quote at the top of the page.

I will be changing the look of this blog and for all 2 or 3 of you that read it, I hope you will continue to stop and take a look at whats here. I have some ideas of what I want to do here and I hope you like it. I have another blog where I do Stampin' Up! stuff only on that (inkonmystamps.blogspot.com), but, for this blog, I want to be more relaxed and just let it all out. Maybe I'll post a few excerpts from my romance on here...just kidding.

On that note...may you all enjoy a safe holiday and may your 2015 be filled with luck, love and happiness.

Happy New Year!

Chunky Mini Album

Happy Aloha Friday!!!

Considering Friday is almost over, kind of a moot point, isn't it? :)

I had this really grand notion of posting stuff on a regular basis, but, apparently, that fell through, didn't it???

So, tonight's post was something that I finished a while ago but never got around to posting as I was in an accident and haven't been able to get over the frustration and other issues that has arisen because of it. So, when I got out of bed this morning, I told myself, today is a new day and its going to be different...I'll let you know how that ends up working for me....

Anyway...like I said, I finished this a few weeks ago, before my accident, and, I was just so darn proud of myself, I wanted to share...I have been doing a massive hoard haul of all kind of stuff...mulberry paper flowers, lace, ribbons, trims, Filofaxes (guess who jumped on that boat? That's another post in the near future...)and...Prima goodies! Here's a few pics of an envelope album I made with the Romance Novel collection...notice I didn't use the word mini???

This is the side view....

And this is the front cover

The front and back covers are an idea I got from My Sisters Scrapper on youtube...I put double slider tags on the inside of both. I used modeling paste and gesso, a boatload of flowers, seam binding and some charms. Love, love, LOVE this paper collection and seriously had to stop and think if I wanted to use it or not...but, I bought it for something and why hoard? If you hoard, you'll end up with no space to get new stuff...

Then, I used my Bind it All to put it all together...overall, I'm really happy with it...had a blast making it, too!  Can't wait to start on the next one!

I hope you liked the pics...sorry it's such a short post but I can't seem to keep my eyes open...stay tuned for more pics...

Aloha and have a great 3 day weekend!!!

Nancy 

New digs!!

Happy Sunday!!! So, home renovations are still going...we have a kitchen that has no sink, our living room is a mess, the boys fish tanks are sitting on our dining room table...it's a mess:(

But, there is a bright spot in this whole crazy ordeal...

My workspace is the garage - it started out with a little table and grew it into a massive takeover

Obscene, isn't it? Yes...this is..was my workspace.

Once in awhile, my hubby surprises me with something either really off the wall (which is what he usually does) or, it's something so completely unexpected, he leaves me speechless.

Part of the whole renovation nightmare was new kitchen cabinets; so, one night while hubby and I were hanging out in the garage, he looks at my space and says, "You need cabinets."

"That would be lovely," I tell him.

"Why don't we put the old kitchen ones in here for you?"

"Yeah, right...like you would give up the garage for that."

"No, really...we paint the floor, put in the cabinets, and, bam! You have a workspace!"

Dead silence..."Seriously?"

"Yep!"

So, the journey began...

There they are!

My cabinet installers are 5 of the greatest guys I know...my brothers and my hubby ( that's him in the blue)

This is the engineering part of the plan...

This was an awesome moment...realizing that these guys were doing this in support of me and what I do...

And, the final layout...there were a few times during the install that I felt near tears because my brothers gave up a Saturday to do this for me...they are the best.

I spent my Sunday moving stuff in and, it was awesome...no, I'm not done yet...having cabinets is kind of hard to get used to...it's like being in a parking lot that has a lot of empty spaces...there's so many to choose from, you don't know where to park. Well, in my case, I have so much stuff, I don't know where to put it...would you believe I started to put my boxes on the floor in the corner and hubby's, like, what are you doing? Duh...

My body is sore from all of the packing, moving of stuff...and, then, the unpacking; I have been only getting 4-5 hours of sleep since renovations have started...two months ago...but, walking into the garage and seeing my new workspace makes me forget all that...what started as an idea from my love is a reality because of him and 4 really incredibly awesome brothers...

Have a great week...I know I will!

Nancy

C'est La Vie mini album

Happy Sunday! I just woke up from a two hour nap - I fell asleep at my craft table...with the way our house is right now, it's the only place I can actually feel comfortable...it's like a big comfy armchair to me:)

As I mentioned the other night, I have some pics of a mini album that I did - the inspiration came from the Prima YT channel...Frank Garcia and designer, Jodie Lee, had taped a class about making this 6x6 album that looked so super easy, I had to try it! 

Here are some of the supplies used:

I did a minimal amount of stamping, using the Established Elegance set and Feeling Sentimental from Stampin' Up! I also used some of the flatback rhinestones, pearls and paper doilies from Stampin' Up! and some flowers from Prima. I had made some purchases from a couple of stores off of Zibbets (Shabby Scraps and Shabby Beautiful) and got some of the most fabulous flowers from them and put them to use in this album.

       Chipboard was used for the pages - 6 pieces total cut at 6x6 - and, the hinge system is just Kraft cardstock cut at 3x6 and scored at 1 1/2" and adhered to the pages to make an accordion like album - super super easy! It also allows you to embellish it as much or as little as you want...love it! I also used Tim Holtz's Tattered Floral die to cut out some flowers using my scraps from the album to embellish the front, along with some brown tulle I picked up from a local fabric shop - it's not the first album I made, but, it was the easiest and since I was able to use only half of a 12x12 sheet of designer paper per every two pages, pretty darn economical it was, too!

I had purchased some Prima Paper, both from online and locally, and, am planning the next albums...Prima is like the Holy Grail of paper crafting to me....every time I open a paper pad to look at the designs, I swear I hear angels sing!

Thanks for letting me share with you and I hope you all have a great night!

Aloha!

Crazy life I lead....

It's been ages, hasn't it?? This isn't so much of a crafty post, more of a what's been going on post.

Things are pretty hectic right now...my oldest graduated from high school and we are currently in the what do I do with my life now? stage. 

My second son finished elementary school and we are now in the pre-teen stage...whatever that is...puberty and middle school - here we come!!!

And my youngest...well, as long as he has something to eat and his iPod, he's fine.

And, through all of this...hubby decides he wants to renovate the house...yep, the whole bloody house...he couldn't wait until after my sons graduation and his party to do it...he started it a week before his graduation - I was trying to cook for the party in a disaster zone...so not fun!!!

Yes, renovations are still going on...remember the movie The Money Pit?? And, the part where Tom Hanks just starts laughing hysterically?? Yep - that's me...

On a happier note, something to share with you

Here is my son and I on his big day...I'm so proud of him!

I've been working on some stuff...I found a new passion..mini albums!! And a whole bunch of other stuff that I've been working on...can't wait to show you everything!

Have a great night!

New year, new goals...

Happy New Year to one and all...may 2013 be an awesome year for you...
First things first...happy birthday, Mikey!!! Mikey is my awesome younger brother and he turns 41 today...rock on, brother:)!!!
I had to hope to post before Christmas, but, quite frankly, I was exhausted...wedding, craft fairs, holidays...I was a wreck. So, for once, I took my husband's advice and took a little time to just relax.
Yeah, that was good for a couple of days...then, I got tired of trying to relax and went back to my crazy schedule...good times...
Anyway...when I do craft fairs, I am usually concentrating on gift giving ideas and forget how much fun it is to just sit down and make cards. So, that's what I did today.

I finally got to play with this stamp that I got from SU! and I love it! Hello, Doily is the name of the stamp and it is pretty big, too...the card on the left is done in Pretty in Pink and Melon Mambo. I stamped the image in Early Espresso and used a clear embossing powder and then took a sponge dauber to it with Blushing Bride ink - I think that color is discontinued. I layered two paper daisies to the middle of  the image and added a pink pearl to it.
The card on the right was simpler...just stamped in black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder and added a large pearl to the middle and some smaller ones around the image. I stamped the quote on the pink card direct to the front and used the curly label punch for the other. I used the Petite Pairs stamp set for the wording.
I've got a couple of more cards to work on and, hopefully, I can get those posted by the end of the week.
Oh yeah...did I make any resolutions for the new year? Nope...I set goals...I have a better chance of accomplishing it...I hope...first one...get rid of the belly I gained from all of the holiday pigging out I did!
Goodnight, all!

Altered states...

After Monday's post, I had a crafter's block. What is that? It's like writer's block...I couldn't focus and I just couldn't find my groove. It took me three days to finish notepads that I could usually finish in one or two days. So, I went shopping. Not clothes or shoe shopping...I went to a scrapbooking store and walked around and just breathed and took it all in. Forty five minutes later, near broke but happy, I went to Home Depot next and  breathed it all in again. And, found my groove again. I picked up some wood for a project, metal shingles for magnet boards and oohed and ahhed over tool chests (not for my husband, but, for me).
So, tonight, I altered stuff - clipboards, specifically .

The top board has 2 pockets to slip notes in and the bottom is more like a message board - I adhered some cork to it and added some post it notes and a calendar.

These are two different projects - the black zebra print is a cookie sheet magnet board and the one on the right is a clipboard with a cork piece and some metal shingle that was cut in half  to use as a magnet board. I also glued some magnets to the back of some mini clips that I had from SU! and put that on the board too.

I also altered some DVD cases from SU! I decorated it with some DSP and embellished the front and on the inside included a notepad, pen and a monthly planner. The middle is actually a two pocket folder that I made for it.

Well, these are some of the items that I've got going on for my little craft sale on Saturday...got a few more pics coming up later today...have a great Friday!