Love is the greatest refreshment in life....

~Pablo Picasso

There's nothing finer, more delicate, than the love you hold in your hands. Yet if your lucky it is bold and strong. Whether it is love for someone, a pet, a job, or a passion. We can not possess love we can only be grateful for it. We can relish in it and rejoice. Today I love my scrappy stuff. I am relishing in all the goodness of supplies.

(Bet you wondered where I was going with this?)

With this love, I am throwing it all out. That's right I love this hobby so much that I am letting go. I am cleaning house on the old stuff that holds me back. I look at this paper and think "Oh there has to be something I can do with it" even thought I still loved it, but I realize I will probably never use it. Paper is like fashion it is ever changing and it always regenerates itself. But seriously will I ever want to cut it again. No. Lesson learned don't buy with the hopes you'll use it or "find" the photo. Buy smart, buy with the knowledge that paper is all but cut before it gets in the door. If you buy use it and when your done pitch it.

I think I have decided that in some ways we are scrap hoarders and--- I for one, fear the TV show. I envision this scrap room with stacks and stacks of scrap stuff still in the bags untouched. Untouched because it is just to pretty, it smells to good, or we just don't have that "photo" for that paper. Oh come on, let go and cut that smelly, shiny piece of paper today and set yourself free.

Can you guess what I plan to do this weekend, yep I plan to find the floor and that desk I once had....I am sure I have spring fever, it is spring cleaning time. I plan to let go and I will NOT try to think of a use for any of it....just let it go....be free, to get some new goods. Yep a 110 sheets waiting in my shopping cart, it is already cut once it's in the door!!! Nothing saying I won't take a moment to feel the texture and smell the paper. (What did you really think, I would not want some new goods with all that room.hehe {:0 So what have you cleaned today? ~L

gotta love a good dog...

Got love love love your sweet smoochers......

another day....

So. I spent a couple of minutes in the studio and whaala!

It is a deep, dark brown card stock. I love this choice of background because often times the color will "pop" off the page and the aqua then is delicious. I embossed the white accents in the corners. By stamping a Studio Calico and Tim Holtz Stamp. One hint to offer is brush lightly the excess after you have tapped the embossing powder, this will offer you a crisp clean definition of the stamp. Best thing also is take your time when your embossing it will be well spent, in the finished product.

Other details include wonderful vintage goodies from the map page from a dictionary to a bit of a zipper to buttons.. Machine stitching is always one of my favorite finishing touches and a dab of ink or paint to the edges. One wish I have is that you could see this in person it is difficult to enjoy the dimensions of the layout from a crazy camera.

Journaling reads: "in our world we don't have to go far for peace and simple beauty it's in our backyard...ahhhh...."

Looking at the photos I realize I Need a new camera, this one is just not doing it anymore. So I am saving my pennies, but life keeps getting in the way. Some day the images will better I promise.

Exciting news for this layout I posted it in one of my galleries yesterday and within the hour creativeinspiration, a creative little site grabbed it and added to their inspiration of the day. Thank you Thank you!! That really made my scrappy day!

Ok my friends, scrap on.~L

Gifts....

"A true sign"...this sweet layout took only minutes to toss together. The background is a lovely, rich, deep charcoal. I love how it off sets this sweet pastel girlie layout. I have dugout the Zing and the heat gun to emboss accents for the delightful layers. I need to remember that felt MELTS...ooooops....

I love the dimensions of the layout and only wish that the camera could show you the 3D of this.

The journaling reads: "Your eyes are a true sign of God's love to me...God's gift to me"

So what makes a good gift? Is the size, the price, the quantity, or is it the thought...They say it's the thought that counts. Although I do truly agree the thought matters most, I have to say to me it's a wonderful gift one that is least expected. The surprises, the little ones, the simple ones, the ones filled with delightful moments to last a lifetime.

I have been given so many gifts in the last few weeks, to say "Thank you" doesn't seem enough. Good friends and strangers have offered support, gifts and prayers. I have to say that my family truly believe the unexpected support is what brought us to the other side of this surgery. I feel the Mr.C and Belle couldn't have do it without the help. The sentiments from people I haven't heard from for moons or ever were so very appreciated and sweet. The little things are what have mattered most.

So what I have to offer is "Thank you", and may God bless each of you for taking care of my family for me. One of God's greatest gifts. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, I had a couple of days, during this time, that I am certain I survived only on prayer. The prayer of many. This week I have follow up testing to see how things are improving and I am praying for all good news.

It is time to welcome spring in good health and lots of planting bits of goodness to add to this earth and that will take bending and stretching both of which, I have yet to do well.

Old man winter needs to say goodbye and give us a break. Unless, he plans to drop green grass he ought to be done. I say, "See ya, good bye winter, don't let the sunshine hit you on the way out...~L

oooohhhhoooohhh...

ok well today...I soooo have got to share.....

Although in the scheme of things this is small, I am pretty excited to celebrate!

I received an email from the CK blog that I was featured with this layout! That totally rocks!

I was pretty excited to wake up this morning and find this to be true. As my loving family continued to eat breakfast, with little to no emotion. "That's great honey" and "Cool Mom" slurp of cereal milk and what is that?

I ask you how could they not know! I am very excited and honored to have this layout featured. It is one of my all time favorite photos.

Thank you so much for sharing. I think the one thing to note is that I tend to fly under the radar in the scrap world, considering there is so much amazing talent out there. You know how that is, I'm a little fish in a big pond. I am swimming with joy today what a great way to start my day.

Now if I haven't bragged shamelessly enough I have to add that just before I went into surgery in Jan. Creating Keepsakes Magazine contacted me and requested a different sweet layout to be published in June/July issue. Soon to be on your bookshelves in the early summer, yeah that's really me. I am going to be published in one of the favorite scrapbook magazines. Although I have been published before something about this one is extra special. I think one reason is because they found me and asked. Second reason is because it is of my sweet Jorgie who we lost oh to soon...I can't wait for you to see...

There I feel better I got that off my bouncy self, I figure this was a good place, no one is reading anyway. It was one of the first things I said to my hubby this morning " I am sooooo excited but I have no one to tell" So now I have told my blog buddy I think I'll call him "Buddy" ( original I know, what can I say)

So I say this Buddy I rocked it today!!!!Wooottt!!...~L