Gone but not forgotten

I haven't posted in a while because I am adjusting to my new schedule. It is hard to find time to post or blog because since I am new I have to be on my best behavior and I can't do it at work :), . Since I am 100% not a morning person, by the time I get home I am ready for bed. So now I am in week two, and I am feeling a little better. I took the time out to scrap this weekend and I have a ton of projects I want to start. I have done some self discovery over the past few weeks like -
* I am buying the Cricut. I saw a demonstration on QVC and since I only have a few sizzlits and no other die cutting system, I think it is worth $250.
* I could win an award for the slowest scrapper in the world. The only consulation is that when an idea does come to me then it flows easily.
* I need two scrapping styles, one to get projects done and another to stretch my
creativity.
* I absolutely have to start taking pictures of myself, I have so few that the only BOM I could do is a BOM talking about the pictures I don't have of myself.
* I have reached a purchasing plateau, I went to AC Moore and only bought adhesives and cardstock. Definitely time to focus on creating.
So here is the layout I completed this weekend and I hope to get more done this week. Just in case, you don't hear from me until the weekend Have a great week!!!!!

Time Out

Since I am changing jobs, I decided to take this week off and I have been more busy than I anticipated. Mostly with Spring cleaning, redecorating, etc. I have been blog surfing and it seems like there is a lot of discussion around why we scrap. Things are definitely changing in the industry. I think part of the frustration or competitiveness comes from the fact that all of us are such talented ladies that we look at the HOFamers and in the magazines, knowing that our pages are deserving of the same kind of glory. I try hard not to get caught up in what will other people think (although we all love praise). But a positive comment from a fellow scrapper is meaningful because it comes from someone who understands the craft and the industry. So how do we stay focused? I once heard the Reverend T.D. Jakes say that we should treat each aspect of our lives like a business, including a mission statement. So my scrapbooking mission statement is "To document and preserve the memories of my life as the story is being told in a creative and artistic manner for all to follow and appreciate for many years to come, leaving an indication of who I am in the creation of each page for future generations of my family. "

I'm Walking on Sunshine

And don't it feel good? I am in such a positive place right now, and it feels so good. A few months ago, I received a chain letter email quoting the Reverend T.D. Jakes as saying "don't cry or worry about things that go away, stop chasing them. That means that part of your life is over". This has affected me in so many different ways, I go through life with very few stressors, it is just not worth it. So now my blessings have been pouring in. I picked up my degree from school Wooohooo! I got a new job, double Wooohoo! I had parent/teacher conferences and both of my daughters are doing very well in school, triple Wooohooo! And lastly, I have been scrapping. I know it seems like I do so many layouts of my oldest daughter, but she is such a "ham" that I have a ton of pictures of her. The picture in the layout of both of them is old but I remember that day well. I think it was the hottest day of the summer and Jada (my youngest) was not in the mood to have her pictures taken, so this smirk was the best we could do. I used several transparencies for this layout and I think it came out great. When I thought about them having Levi outfits on, I realized in years to come, they may not even remember that Levi was a brand name, so I really wanted to document a little about Levi's and incorporate it in the title, like a piece of history. Now if I can find my old Sergio Valente's I will really be digging up the past, unfortunately I doubt if they would still fit!