Hello Bella

Long time no see…

One of my ‘not really a resolution‘ but hope/plan/strategy for the new year is to dig into the mountain of supplies and stamps and put them to use. I seem to go on ‘stamp’ binges.  I buy several in a short amount of time (like a month) and then go long periods without using and/or buying, then I use which leads to more buying – a vicious cycle I tell you.  So the goal is to use what I have without buying more.

So for today’s card, I dug deep into the stamp drawer and blindly pulled billboardabella –  challenge on…

Good thing I hadn’t put away my distress inks and blender tool from the  timmy tag extravaganza, they came in handy on this card.  I got carried away with my shading, grr, need to get back in the habit.

Keeping Watch

He never used to be a furniture dog – that was really nice – but at some point in the last six months or so, he has discovered that this a perfect place for him to keep an eye on the neighborhood.  I think he may be making mental notes of all of the squirrel activities so he can plan his attack for when we go outside.

Looking at the photo of this layout, I can’t help but think it’s a perfect reminder of why I’m not a quilter, I can’t sew a straight line to save my life.  I don’t think it looks as bad in person, but then again…

Right Now 1/23/11

*enjoying: new acrylic paint set and brushes

•thinking: about new women’s group I was invited to be part off – totally excited and a little nervous

•eating: well it was going to be a steak,  but silly me left it out to rest on the counter and walked away and Mr. T decided to help himself

•drinking: still water

•wearing: at this very second, yoga pants and a T, but thinking about tomorrow -thinking skirt and fun sweater

•listening to: Stoker Ace, Lovage – warning this is a seriously spicy song, darn iTunes and their links it’s track #15

•wanting: Tim Holtz big alterations case, it had no appeal until I saw it in person – so perfect for mixed media supplies I’ve been picking up lately

•weather: Warmish and windy

Favorite Pin of the Week:  If I win the lottery and marry a european prince so I can have a beautiful apartment on the upper east side I think this would be perfect

You are what you eat…

and I used to eat a lot

I’d eat when I was hungry

I’d eat when I was bored

I’d eat when I was lonely

I’d eat when I was sad

I’d eat when I was happy

I’d eat just because and then one day about a year and a half ago I woke up – thanks to a not so gentle prod from the doc and looking at pictures like this

This battle is one of Tolstoy-esque proportions, epic in nature, one I fight every day, but the tides are turning

 

 

And like the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran (ok I know that hasn’t begun yet, but you know it will) victory is not judged by single event or photo, but the small foothold we gain each day. One of the Creative Jumpstart prompts was to journal and then paint over it.  I found this so liberating to take the truly personal parts of this love-hate battle, get the out and move on. I realize that I still have some distorted views of myself.  I don’t see  that much difference between the first photo and this one taken when Sienna and I went to see Santa last month

 

this one might be better, if only for the smirk on my face

but the other number don’t lie

71 lbs gone

Body fat reduced by 16%

Bicep strength increased by 48%

from 1 push-up to 20

Tricep bench dips ugh – to oh yeah bring them

So while the battle with numbers on the scale rages on, I’m confident I can keep going because

Release

“The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought”

Love that quote, it’s so true – at least for me anyway – once the music gets going I am transported to a happier person.  Could it be because it’s so loud I can’t hear all the stupid stuff going on around me – maybe so – but is that so wrong.

Anyway, way back in November, Cocoa Daisy held the Fall Online Crop – these crops are way fun, full of challenges and zany antics – I don’t know how the keyboards of some of these ladies stand up to the pressure.  One of the challenges was to use labels on a page, now if you’re thinking wow took her a while to post that layout – fear not, I’m not holding out on you – it’s taken me this long to finish the darn thing.  You might think I was holding out for something special, nope just a complete breakdown in ability to complete anything art related.

So for the labels, I used these great CD labels that look like vintage vinyl records I found at the Container Store – don’t blame me if you go get these and end up with $100 of other organizational crap – willpower, it’s your friend, not mine obviously – but hopefully somebody’s.

Back to the layout…

Love this photo, if this is your first time here – this is not me – wish it was.  I think there was another challenge to use your handwriting.

Right Now 1/16/12…

•enjoying: a three day weekend

•thinking: it really sucks to have a leg injury just as I was primed to ramp up exercise regime

•eating: sweet potato nachos

•drinking: water, baby, lots and lots of water

•wearing: yoga pants and sweatshirt (don’t judge it’s a holiday)

•listening to: Somebody I Used to Know Gotye

•wanting: a set of fairy godmothers like sleeping beauty has to cook and clean my house, make me a kickin’ dress wouldn’t be bad either

•weather: Sunny, but if mercury and weather reports are to be believed snow is hiding just over the mountain range

Favorite Pin of the Week:

Creative Jumpstart

Are you following this series:  Creative Jumpstart ?  If not and you’re a paper crafting person you totally should be, each morning videos arrive in your inbox with tips and tricks and mountains of inspiration to get us all through the January blahs.  I get so inspired each day I find myself reaching for my art journal…really starting my art journal.

I’ve had this group of blank notebooks that I bought at the MOMA last time I was in New York(um, almost 2 years ago).  I thought they would be the perfect thing to do some ‘warm up work’.

Here’s a sampling of things I did last week:

Cover

Misting and Pen work: I broke out my Copic Markers for this one…

Speaking of Copic Markers…I kind of forgot how much they bleed on regular paper. I sort of love the soft subtle tones on the back side, so I decided to do a quick bit of journaling, before the front side is finished

Note to self

One of my favorite quotes…

I had some scraps lying around my desk and this sticker so I decided to make a quick framed piece for myself

Welcome Grady…

In early December, I welcomed nephew number 6 to the world.  A new baby in the family is a wonderful Christmas gift.

Here’s a quick layout celebrating the special day,  I’ve been inspired by all the enlarged banners floating on scrapbook pages around the web and decided to give it a shot myself.

 

Right Now…

I am…stealing this format from several scrap-lebrities in an effort to have some means of updating this poor little blog on a regular basis

•enjoying: Creative Jumpstart Series from Natalie and Friends

•thinking: I really need to take down the Christmas decorations

•eating: not much, on a first of the year detox regime, 2 meals of lean protein and veggies

•drinking: disgusting Divinci detoxifier

•wearing: Jeans and T-Shirt

•listening to: Broken by Bad Religion

•wanting: more time in the day

•weather: Sunny

Favorite Pin of the Week: