..:: be the light ::..

Hi Fiends! I am up on The Cut Shoppe blog with a one file -- two projects post!  Today I am using the Be The Light cut file for two off the page projects. Here are my projects!

Here is the Be The Light file?

The word I chose as my "word" this year is Light!  When I saw this cut file I wanted to plaster it on everything!  I settled for two things (so far). I used vinyl to make myself a skin for my computer. I cut out the center of the lightbulb in yellow for extra pop!

I also made a t-shirt that I will wear proudly!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope I have inspired you to look at using cut files not just for paper projects -- but also to take it off the page! XO o.g.

:: hello february, hello one little word® ::

Doesn't Ali Edward's One Little Word® start in January?

Why, yes, yes, it does, why do you ask?

Well, the title of this blogpost....I'm confused.

Yep, it's already February and it took that long for my word to find me. If you've hung out at my blog at all you know that I have participated in One Little Word® for several years now.  I have never had a difficult time deciding on my word for the year.  Never.  In fact, most of the time it finds me before December. Yet, here I was, a few days before February was to begin, and I had not found a word. In fact, I was just about to settle on a word that I thought would "work", but I knew it just wasn't it.

Then, it popped in my head.

I'd seen the word a zillion times and many people have chosen this word as theirs for the year, but still it didn't click for me until this past weekend. Then BAM!

Hello February.  Hello Choose.  Hello One Little Word®.

More information on Ali's One Little Word® can be found here.

❃ have more firsts ❃

This background is created by me with papers, paints and stamps. The words are from Ali Edwards' kit club brushes.

My One Little Word this year is DO. I knew I really needed an action word this year. There are so many things that I need to accomplish! As I was searching for my word, I sat down with a pen and paper and made a list of things that I really wanted in my life, or to accomplish, and a list of things that I wanted to eliminate in my life. When I did this I had "DOs" and don'ts. Then it hit me…DO is the perfect word for this year.  That was in December.

Also in December I received my first Story Kit from Ali Edwards. The theme was "Firsts".  When I saw the stamp set, I knew that I really wanted to start a project. Instant inspiration to do. In fact, I almost changed my word to 'firsts'  when I saw it.  But I quickly realized that first is a great match with do. So, a project was born.

I have challenged myself to have more firsts this year.  This year, I will be intentional about creating opportunities to do something for the first time each month.  I anticipate that I will have firsts that are simple, easy, and risk free like going to a new restaurant for the first time.  But I am hopeful that I will also take some real risks, put myself out there, and create new experiences for myself, and maybe even a few new experiences with my family.

I've started my firsts and will be sharing them here soon and as the year progresses! So exciting!


If you want to know more about One Little Word, visit Ali Edwards site, here.  If you are interested in receiving her story kits and/or stamps, you can find that information here.

:: a SMASHing One Little Word ::

Don't you love opening a new can of coffee? Doesn't it smell just magnificent? That's how I feel about the new year!!! :-) I do love clean slates, fresh starts, new beginnings!

It's here! It's that time again.  I am participating in Ali Edward's One Little Word for my third year. I am excited and hopeful about this new beginning.   I love the beginning of the calendar year, almost as much as I love the beginning of a new school year (with it's freshly sharpened pencils and all)!

For those of you that have participated in OLW in the past, Ali is doing things a bit differently this year. Big Picture Classes is not hosting this class, Ali is hosting it from her website. She has also added an optional Facebook page, which is a new addition that I am welcoming with open arms! Unlike the message boards, I am on FB frequently and can get updates and stay connected to my classmates. Love that (did you know I'm a fairly social person?)!

I am thinking about making a few changes of my own in the way I document my word this year. I am also taking a class from the great Danielle Taylor (AKA Scrapper On The Street). Her class is called SMASHing 2014.  This class isn't pocket pages like PL, but it's a way to document the year -- and you can do whatever you want (so it could be pocket pages if you want!).  :-)  Dani provides prompts and videos for motivation during this year long class, as well as the opportunity to connect and share with others. I think I'm going to take this opportunity to SMASH my OLW this year! I purchased the 365 style SMASH book (it arrived today -- and it's empty, clean, new, just waiting for my word). There are about three, 2-page spreads for each month (basically). Pretty much exactly what I need --  magic. I figure there will be room to use Ali's monthly prompts to make my word visible -- with a little extra space to expand on those thoughts and use Dani's prompts for further connections to my life. I have always admired those that stray from Ali's (wonderful) examples and do things like art journal or something as they get to know their word and it's place in their life. Is it going to work for me?  I have no idea. But I'm just going to leap, fearlessly into this endeavor.



Meet my One Little Word 2014.  fearless.

Happy New Year!

(the necklace is from Origami Owl, and I took the photo with my NEW Canon EOS 70D -- thanks honey!)

:: OLW March Blog Hop ::

Hello! Welcome to the March 1st One Little Word Blog Hop! 

Did you come from Jackie's place?  You are in the right place! Thank you for viewing my part of the world for a bit! 
Feel free to look around -- but orange colored glasses are required! If you enjoy your stay, feel free to click the "follow button on the sidebar to the right!  I would love to have you visit my part of the blogosphere again!
A complete list of participating blogs are listed at the bottom of this post. 

Let's get to the photo:

Favorite Part ::  the process and the tree.
confession #1 :: I wouldn't have finished this project (by March) if it weren't for the blog hop!
confession #2 :: I didn't really finish it in February (as I type this it is nearly 1:00 AM on March 1.
confession #3 :: It's still wet!!

I used an 8.5x11 piece of chipboard (I think??) that came as packaging or something!  I keep things, I find things, I use things, I don't always know what they are.  :-)  I black gesso-ed (that's a word, right?) over the whole thing as my base, then while it was still wet I painted over it with teal -- this way some of the black is still visible. That was my base, then I just started adding stuff!

Over the last month I have been on the look out for items in magazines to use for this project. Then over the last week or so, I've been ripping them out. Although I would say I am a visual person, everything that spoke to me, that seemed to want to be used, happened to be words! Well, almost everything. I think that's part of why I put off this project a bit. I was certain it wasn't going to be all that interesting. Although, I'm still not sure it's interesting, the process was fun. My hands (and craft mat) got dirty and it was just overall enjoyable.

confession #4 ::  I love my craft mat

Since it was words and phrases that stood out to me, I decided to just go with it. I ended up ripping out a bunch of paragraphs (more words) that have no particular meaning, just to use as background.  Then I put all the meaningful stuff over it.  :-)

confession #5 :: The tree came in the mail today. (Well, technically yesterday, either way just hours ago)!

After I was finished gluing everything down with matte medium, I put a layer over the top to seal it all together.  Then, I added a little orange (everything is better with a little orange, no?). I used this cool roller that I got in my February Scrapbook Circle kit, painted it with orange, and applied!  Fun!

Still to come:: I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the other side of the page.  If you remember from my first post I decided I needed a title page, so I'm not exactly following what Ali is doing, so I need to fill the pockets on the left side of the page (not shown).  I think I will put some fun paper there, and maybe some quotes that I've collected that fit my word (present). Or, who knows, I might even just go for one big photo like I did for my title page!  Nothing is speaking to me at this time, so I'll just have to wait until I know!

Next stop, Paige's place!  Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. Today is also the first reveal over at Scrap Your Story Challenges (of which I just happen to be a member of the Design Team).  My post for that will go live at around 8 a.m. (CST).  Please come back and check it out!

Lee

Cheri

Lisa
Michelle
Julie
Kara
Margareta
Tricia
Karen
Nikki
Melanie
Angela
Kathryn
Jackie
Dona <----- That's me!
Paige
Ruth
Kathleen

Missus Wookie:

Naomi

:: OLW Blog Hop ::

Welcome to the first One Little Word blog hop of 2013! 

Did you come from Janet's place?  You are in the right place! Thank you for viewing my part of the world for a bit! 
Feel free to look around -- but orange colored glasses are required!
A complete list of participating blogs are listed at the bottom of this post. 

A little more than a week ago I shared my 2013 One Little Word, and how it found me, in this post.  My word is present, but it's really more like two words, be present.  This is my second year participating in Ali's class at Big Picture Classes and I am completely hooked.  Last year my life was...interrupted...and although my 2012 word, balance, stayed with me all year (and will always be a part of me), I didn't participate in the class with the prompts as much as I'd hoped. I am excited as I begin again (aren't new beginnings like magic?) and I am hopeful that I will continue to participate in the class and with this blog hop all year!  I hope you play along, too!

I started a flickr group to share photos related to our words.  Wanna join?  Here's a link.  You should totally join.  All the cool kids are doin' it (OK, right now it's just me, but I'm hoping for other cool kids). ;-)

OK.  Now...to the photos -- when I hop to all these blogs, I always want to see the photos!

I didn't really feel right just starting, so I decided that I needed a title page. I resized a photo (that I took with my iPhone) to 7.5 x 10.5, added a banner and Ali's title card in photoshop, and printed it on my home printer (I'm pretty much doing all my printing at home right now, just for the convenience of it!).  I learned that I LOVE big pictures. OK, I admit, I think I already knew that, but now I know it for realz. Then I cut it up, rounded the corners and voila!  I may add some flair or something to it, I haven't decided.  I might just call 'er done.

two page spread for the prompt (names blurred for privacy)

Wow.  This was a difficult prompt. I didn't put numbers or dates on mine because I feel like I'm going to do them all, all the time, I'm an over achiever like that, yo!  BUT, I do like the idea of having a focus each month.  This month I was mostly just trying to survive, and think about my word, and make a conscience effort to listen, to others as well as myself.  That's not going away, the listening thing.  I know that I'm more of a talker than a listener.  :-)  So this is one that I will need to always focus on! To be present, one must be a listener.

process photo

For the main prompt, I used blue and orange StazOn ink to stamp "be present" on the cards (on both white and a light kraft color).  Then I used a fine print, blue sharpie and wrote on each card. The writing is basically the action or intention, I'm not sure what to call it.  For me, these words are the ways I need to "be present", if that makes sense.

I filled the rest of the spots with fun papers from my stash. This month much of it is Amy Tangerine.  I added some alphas, washi, and some other fun.

I printed Ali's title card on vellum, as well as a sample that I got from Shelley Haganman at A Flair for Buttons.  She is doing some custom flair for me related to my word and I borrowed one of the .jpg examples that she sent (with permission), printed it on vellum and put it over some of the Amy Tangerine paper. Both pieces of vellum are stapled with the Tiny Attacher.  I am not sure I am finished.  I might put some of the flair that I get on that top left card, or I might replace it with a self portrait.  I haven't decided yet!

I put a little wood veneer camera on this card (Studio Calico paper), but it wasn't quite right.  Then I added a little brad in the middle and I love it (it might be my favorite card)!

blogpost insert front

Finally I printed out most of this blog post on that same light Kraft card stock (front and back) and added a 6x12 insert.

blogpost insert back

Pretty simple, but I'm happy with the result.

One last thing...I am using the same binder that I used last year.  To separate the years I added a divider.

I used some plain (thick) transparency, painted it and added stickers for the year.

Hope you enjoyed seeing my process.  Please continue hopping!  Next stop...Ruth's place!

Here is the complete list of bloggers participating today -- give 'em some love!

Lee

Cheri

Lisa

Lynn

Nikki

Kathryn

Missus Wookie:

Veronica

Eydie

Karen

Kelly

Melanie

Valerie

Marya

Nupur

Angela

Janet

Dona <----- That's me!

Ruth

Naomi

Pam

Kara

Clare

Margareta

Tricia

Jacqueline

:: goals and my olw ::

Most people post goals on their blogs at the beginning of the year, month, week.  Nope.  I'm posting in the middle of the week toward the end of the month, and twenty three days into the year; I'm fun like that, yo!

I decided that I cannot do a post about my word for this year, without also sharing some goals I set for myself.  I also couldn't share my goals without my one little word.  They are so connected.

If you are a friend, or happen to have followed my blog over the last year or so, you will know that 2012 was a rough year, a rough year that actually started October of 2011.  :-)  Our miscarriage, my oldest daughter's marriage dissolving, adjusting to her and nearly two-year-old Mikaela moving in (but I was glad they were with us), Mikaela's accident and death, and several other deaths in our family, to name the biggies.  Ugh.  I'm am glad that is over!  There were positives to last year too, and I have NOT forgotten them.  My mother, who lost a daughter to a car accident many years ago, said something quite wise to me during all of this, "There will always be a hole, but I don't have to live in it."  I am happy to say that she is completely right (as usual) and that I haven't been living in it, but I'm keenly aware that it's there!  :-)

What a powerful quote this has been for me!  I am happy to say that my oldest daughter is participating in Ali Edwards' One Little Word class with me.  I am so excited about that!  Her word is strength. What a wonderful word for anyone, and perfect for her.  I contemplated that word myself, but another one just kept coming at me.

Be Present. If I've learned anything over this past year or more I've learned that nothing is permanent, and that it is important to embrace the present...and be present for yourself and for those around you.  So present it is.  I need to remember to live in the present, not worry obsess about what the future brings  (at least not too much) because it 'empties today of it's strength'.  And today is so strong.  Completely connected to that, my word is also about being present for my family. Listening to my Soul Mate completely; noticing, appreciating and loving him as he deserves. Three year olds, work and life can make that seem impossible sometimes, but it's so important, and so possible.  Computers, blogs, and memory keeping also get in the way, if you let it.  My goal with this word is not to let it. And work, let's not forget work -- it can so easily engulf you me if allowed to, and I must not allow it.  Being present is about being present in both body and mind. So, my focus with this word is also related to choosing to be physically present at those things that are important to me, namely with family & friends.

I will continue to share my adventures with this word in future posts.  As I finish Ali's first prompt (which has been amazing to work through) I will also post pictures of my product, and more about my focus and experiences with this word. What a fun journey this word will bring me.

Goals.  In addition to Ali's class I am also participating in another self-paced class at Big Picture Classes.  This one is with my other mentor, Elise Blaha Cripe, called I Choose, and it's all about goal setting.  It seems so funny to call Elise (who is more than ten years younger than me), a "mentor", but I cannot think of a more perfect word to describe it.  I would love to be more like her when I grow up -- she starts and finishes things!  LOL. The class has helped me to look at goal setting a bit differently, and likely more manageable.  I'm looking forward to getting 'er done.  I think this has been a perfect match with OLW for me this year.  Many of my goals are silly and fun, and others are more serious and connected with keeping my word close to me.  My plan is to "share as I go" with this one.  I thought about following Elise's lead and sharing a list at the beginning of the month and then checking them off as I go, but I think I'm going to let these goals seep into my blog as we go, if that makes sense.

Seep. If you follow my instagram feed or flickr, you may have already caught a glimpse of one of my goals. Do you pin stuff on Pinterest and then never do anything about it?  One of my goals is to do something with all of these lovely pins; do a project, use a sketch, scraplift a layout, make a recipe, transform my house, etc.  At least one per month.  At least that's how I'm looking at it now. So, by the end of the year, I will have done at minimum twelve projects that I've pinned.  Not too lofty, but still progress compared to pretty much nothing.  ;-)  I have a feeling that I will end up surpassing this goal, and I may even beef the goal up more as the year progresses.  Either way, this is one that I hope to share here, and I'm calling it my Pinterest Challenge.  If you want to play along, I would love to hear about what you are doing, please share!  I have met this goal for January and will share soon.  There have already been sneaks, so it may not really be a secret.  ;-)

More information about One Little Word with Ali Edwards can be found here (and the class is still open).  More information about Elise Cripe's I Choose class is here (and it's a self-paced class, that is also open)!  Also there are links on my sidebar!

Peace, love and understanding to ya!
:-) o.g.

~ december daily one of two ~

Saying goodbye to 2012 is AWESOME!  I am ready to say hello to a new year and new projects.

I loved December Daily so much, that I'm going to attempt Project Life.  Wish me luck.  I've decided not to share all my DD pages here because I don't think anyone wants to see all of them!  So, I will post a few here, and all of them can eventually be found here on flickr for those that are interested (days 1-15 are there now, I still have a couple of journaling spaces to finish and then I will share the rest on flickr)!

I was thinking it might be easier to share my book and process in a video.  I have things that I want to share, but I just think it would be easier in a video!  I've been going back and forth for a week or two about if it's worth it to create a video that maybe no one will watch.  :-)

Moving on...

I am excited for OLW again!  I'll share more about my word, why I chose it, and my first layout in the next couple weeks.  I'm excited that my oldest daughter will also be participating this year!  It is going to be so much fun to do this with her!


We have been super busy around here -- PLAYING (mostly building things).  It has been wonderful to be able to experience Christmas with my three year old.  It was truly magical for her, and for that I am thankful.

I wish you all a wonderful 2013!

Coming soon ::  December Daily post #2 and Project Life post #1!  (I'm not sure if I will share every week, but I would love to share my process as I begin this project for the first time).

~ in progress ~

I have so many things in progress right now; it's the end of the school year, my graduate class is wrapping up, I've started a few new work projects, I'm continuing with my OLW, and it's spring!  But, the main thing I would like to share today is the progress I've made on the minibook that I am working on.  I am excited about it and learning so much while I do this for the first time!  As mentioned in my last post, I chose a 6x6 format, and I am really happy with that!  Good choice, o.g.! One of the things that I really like about reading other people's blogs is the photographs, so you get photos!  I also like it when people talk about mistakes that they've made along the way -- and how they fix them! So, I will also include some of those.  And finally, I am also going to share the stuff that I learned on this new adventure (I'm certain some of that will overlap with the mistakes)!

The short version:

1.  Made many mistakes, some of which I was able to cover up without much to do, others were a pain in the rear end!

2.  Learned how to stitch in the backy-forthy way, and adjust the tension and length of stitches on my sewing machine.
3.  Decided to use all orange thread with stitching throughout this book; fits with my color scheme, makes me not have to change the thread and bobbin thingy, and it helps that it's my favorite color.
5.  Used mostly Bo Bunny's paper so far -- later you'll see some other patterned papers.

6.  Loving this project.

7.  Doing what I want.

(Keep reading for details and photos - click on any photo to make it bigger)

First of all, I had a difficult time starting this entire mini book because I was trying to figure out how many pages to allow for each outing to the park.  I take way too many photos (and I really stink at making silly, often unimportant in the big scheme of things, decisions)!  I got stressed out enough about it that I even emailed Elise Blaha for advice (I did get many of my "mini" ideas from her BIG mini workshop).  Of course she said exactly what I thought she would say -- it's your book, do what you want!  So I did.

I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to make the cover awesome, so let's start on the inside:

I made the title page first, and then remade it later (one of my learning experiences). First, I printed out the text and punched the right side with this American Crafts Knockout punch.  Then I moved on to the next page because I wasn't sure what I wanted for my title -- but I knew I wanted something along the side! Later,  I settled on "B loves the park" as my title.  I wrote 'B loves' on washi tape (that I purchased at Target and cut in half) used pink (pink for B) alpha stickers (also from Target) for "the park''.   This worked out well because I did make mistakes on this page (described later) -- and fixed the mistakes before I settled on the title text (no wasting the alphas, Yay)!

I discovered if I put the first photo over on the far left of page one and stitched around it, it would be totally cool because it would go around the text on the other side (the title page) perfectly, including the title I eventually put along the side.  So I did that. Enter first oops!  When I stitched the photo onto the page, it looked great -- then I flipped it over.  The stitching on the other side didn't look good at all.  I was right about the placement, but the back side of the stitching itself looked horrible on my title page.  I knew that it was probably something to do with tension or something on my sewing machine, but I know nothing about using the darn thing (proof, and a kinda funny story about that here).  So I started over, new photo, new title page, etc. For the final product, I ended up sewing around the photo before I glued it down.   Then I sewed the title page (also before I glued down the photo on the other side)...so it looks like I might've known what I was doing, but, I didn't.  Before I could do any of that I had to go to my LSS and pick up more paper (because I also printed it wrong several times, used the punch on the wrong side, and other silly, over-forty-brain issues), so I did the right side of the two page spread first, then went back and fixed my boo boo. Don't even get me started on the journaling!  Let's just say, it took several takes.  I ended up using my handwriting, but I tried it many ways!

For page two (close up on the left) I wanted to highlight my daughter and my one true love -- specifically the way they were looking at each other.  So I used the arrows (I like that part).  I just cut them 'free hand' out of some patterned paper.  Also,  I ended up really wanting to put in three swinging photos, and only two really fit, so I hid one! I used my cricut to cut out the text "just love this" (Opposites Attract cartridge).  To protect the hidden photo a bit, I put it in plastic (found some packaging laying around, cut it to size and sewed around it). 

On we go (and yes we are still on the first visit to the park...but I'm doing what I want).

This is actually a two page spread with a little insert (another way to get in a few more photos of this first day of the park season).  The left side is just an instagram iPhone photo printed 6x6 with an added sticker from one of my scrapbook circle kits.  I used a filter on the photo to make it look older (the filter is called 1977 and its included right in instagram).  I liked this photo because my soul mate threw the ball to B, and I took the photo just in time to catch it in the air.  I think it looks like a red balloon.  The right side is just two more photos from the red slide (she loved it that day).  I sewed on a "play" flash card from October Afternoon (Sidewalks) and some small alpha stickers (from another scrapbook circle kit).

The insert is from after the park.  We went to the orange leaf (a chain, frozen yogurt shop that recently opened on our side of town).  The decor at the store is very modern, and quite rad, if I must say so!  The  ice cream is...eh.  But I loved all the orange and green (of course).  They have these cute little orange spoons -- I brought one home thinking I might put it in the book.  I tried, but it was just too bulky for my taste, so I took a photo of it, fussy cut around it and used that instead. The other photos are iPhone photos that my better half took.  I printed them to look like they could be from a photo booth.  I stuck the photo strip and the spoon photo in a piece of plastic that I cut from something (packaging I think?), sewed around it, punched it with myWe R Memory Keepers Crop-o-dile  II, and then inserted it between the two pages.

The very first photo I printed out for this mini book was this one:

And I knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted it for a two page spread.  Initially, I thought I would write all over it; do all of my journaling on this photo, but then I decided on just a quote.  Another uh-oh happened on this one.  When I stitched the "play" card onto the previous page, it looked horrible on this side.  So I covered it with a sticker and added the date!

Finally on to the second visit; a two page spread with a little something in the middle:

For the photos: I took my favorite photo from this day, made it 6x6 for a whole left page.  Next, the right side is just four photos from the day, made square in photoshop, then placed on the page in a grid.  Then I just machine stitched around it (and the backside looks normal - woot).  I think I might put some text in the middle, even if it's just a word, something similar to this.  But I haven't decided yet.  Any ideas?  I am completely serious when I say leave a suggestion in the comments, I'm currently stumped.

The something in the middle is the story! I cut a 12x12 overlay from Hambly Screen Prints into about 6x3 and then stitched it to my story (doubled sided story, printed using the printer).  THE STITCHING WAS NEW!  I didn't know how to stitch in that crooked, backy-forthy way (I'm sure those are the technical words for it).   While I was busy figuring it out, I also figured out how to fix the tension on my sewing machine!! WOOT!  (Lets just not mention that it was right in front of my face the whole time, and not difficult).  This means that I might actually be able to stitch something and use both sides of the stitch the way normal people do it!  Success!  (high five to me!)

I've been taking photos and writing down notes of the other park visits so far this year.  The hardest part is narrowing down the photos!  I think I'm six or seven visits behind.  I'm not sure if I will put every single one in the minibook.  That's what I set out to do, but I may need to back off on that a bit. It's April, and we've been at least eight or nine times!  If I can, I'd like to limit each visit to a two page spread...uhh..but I'm already eight pages in with only two visits documented, yikes!

Whew!  Congratulations to you if you made it through that long post!

~ OLW April 1st Blog Hop ~

Welcome my place!  It's One Little Word April Blog Hop time.  If you stopped here from  Janet's place, you have arrived at your destination (for now).  I hope you enjoy your visit!  There is a complete list of blog hop participants at the end of this post, please take a moment to spread your love!!  

I have no process items to share with you this month like I have in past months.  I'm sorry about that, and I expect to share later in the month.  Today I will just share my stories.  :-)

Ali asked is to connect with our word this month by doing or acting on our word.  I'm lucky, I've been acting since the beginning!  One thing that Ali asked us to do was set a goal to help us with our action.  I had a difficult time deciding (cuz I always have a difficult time deciding) on which goal to really document!  Visit my family more?  Create more?  Work more?  Play more?  How could I ever pick just one???  There are so many things to {balance}!  That's why I my word chose me!  So, I finally just picked one, about mid-month, that I thought would be easy to accomplish.  My goal was to jog more this month than last month!  I thought it would be an easy one because I only started back into jogging recently, and how could I not jog more this month than last?  But guess what?  I failed!  I will say, that I probably could've met my goal, but I also had a lot working against me this month, and many choices to make to maintain {balance}!

A couple of weeks ago, we got a phone call from My One True Love's father.  He didn't have good news.  C's mom had fallen down the stairs, hard, and was in the hospital.  What a whirlwind of a week!  I'm happy to report that after a week in the hospital, and one return visit, she is on the mend!  Get well soon, K!

Have I mentioned that I am feeling quite old lately?  I'm not really that old (41), but I'm feeling it!  Most recently, I believe that I have Planter's Fasciitis!!!  It is difficult to jog with that!  So that is my excuse.  I probably could've done it anyway, and I'm not going to let it keep me down, but I'm using it as my excuse, for now!  :-)  I have purchased some inserts for my shoes, and I'm going to buy new running shoes, specifically helpful for my issue (so I hear), and I will jog again soon!

A few other items have kept me from getting 'er done (the actual pages in my album), but mostly I know that I will complete it within the next week or so.  I'm not worried.  In fact, it's totally OK that I didn't meet my goal or complete the pages.  Why?  Well, because I'm doing the real work.  Those things had to go, temporarily, because the balances had to shift.  In the post that I introduced my word I mentioned that I don't believe {balance} means equal.  This past month I had to shift my focus often to feel sane, keep the main thing the main thing, and maintain a feeling of {balance} in my life.  That's the real work, right?

So, that's all I have for you this month.  I will post within the next couple of weeks with photographs of my OLW documentation.  Stop back if you get a chance!  

Next stop Amanda!

Margie   http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog/one-little-word

Monica   http://scrapinspired.com/

Jill    http://jillconyers.com/

Jenn     www.studiojenn.blogspot.com

Kara     http://iwannabemewhenigrowup.blogspot.com

Cheri    http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com

Catherine  http://myview-catherine.blogspot.com

Nikki    www.inkyart.com.au

Cindy    http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com/

Lisa     http://backtoallen.com/category/one-little-word/

Donna    http://holimess.blogspot.com/

Coley    www.coleybelle.blogspot.com

Naomi    http://poeticaperture.com

Stephanie http://playinghouseinmaryland.blogspot.com

Ruth     http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com

Eydie    www.whatwecreate.net

Janet    http://lifeinsideascrapbookroom.blogspot.com

Orange Gearle    http://orangegearle.blogspot.com  <----- this is me!

Amanda     http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com

Jen      www.jenritchie.com

Melissa S         http://blog.mshanhun.com

Kaylea    www.myscrappylife.com

Missus Wookie    http://www.mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.co.uk/

Cindy    http://seriousplay.typepad.com

Beth    www.thesingularlyordinary.blogspot.com 

Tere     http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/

Kelly    http://mindingmynest.com

Heidi    http://mommy.heidimdavis.com

~ instagram ~

This week is a week that is always quite out of balance; class late Tuesday, parent-teacher conferences late Wednesday and Thursday.  But my one little word continues to find me.

Taken while reading the "I Quit Sugar" eBook

Thank goodness for iPhones (and I'm LOVING instagram)!  I would've completely messed up my 365 project without it this week!

Next week, spring break!  We aren't going anywhere in particular, which means I get to be home!  My goals:
1.  Complete at least one layout (more would be deeee-lish)
2.  Get some photos printed and organized, ready for layouts
3.  Work on a few household organization projects
4.  Do a little work (but not too much)
5.  Work on my March prompt for OLW
6.  Last but most important, spend some time with B. and C.

Follow me on instagram, I'm orangegearle, dontcha know!

eBook can be found here

~ OLW March 1st Blog Hop ~

  

Welcome my place!  It's One Little Word March Blog Hop time.  If you stopped here from  Becky's place, you have arrived at your destination (for now).  I hope you enjoy your visit!  I have experienced many interactions with my word this month and I am excited to be able to share them with all interested parties! There is a full list of blog hop participants located at the bottom of this post.

{balance} Just seven little letters strung together, who knew they could hold so much power!?  

{the prompt} This month Ali asked us to pick up the camera, rummage through magazines, explore Pinterest, or do anything else that might help us find visual representations of our one little word.  I was excited for this opportunity to use more photos with this project, since it's a little hobby of mine.  But, WOW, I really had to think about how to represent my word visually!  I had some help along the way, though. My word kept popping up all over the place!

{invite} I went back to last month's prompts, specifically the "invitation" part of the prompt, to focus and think about what my word looks like.  I thought about what it was that I really wanted to invite into my life as a result of this one little word.  In order to achieve balance in my personal and professional life, and between my personal and professional life, I invite harmony, calm and stability into my life.  I want to be present, in the moment, and focused on what really matters. I invite creativity into my life in all of it's forms.  Then, I took steps, sometimes baby ones, toward that balance, harmony, creativity, and stability.

{steps} So what are the steps I have taken to connect with my word, and fully welcome those previously invited things into my life?  Professionally I have begun to refocus the way I am doing my job.  Since I began my position more than three years ago, I have yet to bring my vision to life.  I've been doing some reading and online learning, as well as focused conversations with the professionals around me, all of which have been steps in the right direction.  I'm headed there; the right place to make a difference in the lives of the children around me.

"I know exactly where I'm heading, 

This is just a little stop I made on the way."

~ from In my Way by Stacey Earle

I know exactly what I need in my life to achieve balance personally; my journey is to figure out the how.  So what little changes have I made so far?

{family} Being present and appreciating my soul mate, my daughters and my granddaughter, which requires "powering down" once in a while (still work to do here)! Visiting my mother, father, sister and brother more often (but not quite enough, yet).
{health} Started jogging again (yeah me!) and I'm reading this book (heard about from Elise Blaha's blog) -- trying to put some of it into practice (just keep swimming, just keep swimming...)
{creativity and fun} Reading for enjoyment, working with photographs, scrapbooking (not enough!), blogging (not enough!), going to live music (got to see TWO this month here, and here -- woot)!

{a little help from my friends} I can't end this post without mentioning this: all this focus on my word has contamintated those around me.  :-)  I am certain there are people in my life that are sick of hearing my word cross my lips!  But also, there are some in my life that help me, and encourage me to connect with my word.  One of many is my friend and co-worker, Kendra.  When she saw that I was jogging again, she sent me a quote...and then another...connecting to jogging and my word.  I so appreciate that!  Even made it on the page.

{the prompt in action}  So here we go....

Initially, I had decided that I would probably *not* do the full page photo included in the prompt, mostly because I didn't have a good way to print a photo in the 8.5x11 size.  Then I decided that was a silly reason and went out and bought a new printer! Apparently, I'm all about trying new things this month!  I also wrote on a photo for the first time.  I tried a technique similar to one that Elise Blaha uses frequently in her work, specifically I've seen it pop up in her project life.  I put the photo in photoshop and added some of the text, leaving out a few key words.  Then I channelled my inner Elise and Ali and wrote directly on the photo.  Fun!  This photo was taken the day that I started jogging again.  I knew I would eventually do it, I just needed to get to the right place to do it. So, I started, but snapped a quick photo of my feet first.  :-)

february's whispers of balance

spending time with my extended family :: jogging:: 

watching B. sleep :: appreciating the moment :: 

noticing :: laughing :: doing :: drinking wine :: 'powering 

down' to listen :: taking photographs :: reading :: 

going to shows :: snuggling B. :: enjoying 

Here's a close up...

I used to jog, quite regularly for several years. And now, quite regularly for several years, I have NOT been jogging. :-) Calling what I did on this day 'jogging' is being very nice to myself. :-) I walked, I jogged a bit, but either way I started. I always listen to music when I jog, and this day I listened to The Jayhawks. But I couldn't help but think of this line from Bob Dylan's (the greatest poet/song writer of all time) Thunder on the Mountain : "Today's the day, gonna grab my trombone and blow".  This day was the day I grabbed it (also the quote on the bottom of the photo). You'll notice two other elements on my page this month that have a connection to jogging. 

Top row:
:: Date stamped on grey, Hambley overlay, and my olw on a tag
:: I used two pockets for one photo.  This photo was taken just before my father had surgery.  Part of the balance that I need to find in my life is very related to spending as much time as possible with my parents.  I still might write something on this photo, I haven't decided!

Middle row: 

:: I've been trying to take a healthily lunch to work, based on my new learning from the book that I am reading.  

:: My sweet B.  

:: My word keeps popping up in the professional reading that I have been doing!  Hello, balance!

Bottom row: 

:: A photo taken at one of the two shows we went to this month.  

:: This is a screen shot from my iPhone of my first "jog" (using the Nike app).  

:: A quote that my friend Kendra found for me.  Quote reads, " If you run, you are a runner.  It doesn't matter how fast or how far.  It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years.  There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get.  You just run."  ~ John Bingham

This was fun and didn't take nearly as long (or require as much decision making) as last month!  I am really enjoying this project and look forward to what March might bring!

{about the class} One little word is a class offered over at Big Picture Classes.  Ali Edwards sends out an email once a month with a prompt to help you focus and experience your word.  There is also an online community that welcomes you with open arms!  One little word class is open all year! It's not to late to join the fun!  

Thank you for visiting my little blog!  Next up is  Katrina!  If you'd like to start from the beginning, here's  Margie's place.  Happy March!

Margie
Melissa S
Sharyn
Kimberlee
Jill
Cheri
Cindy
Jenn
Monica
Catherine
Naomi
Jamie
Coley
Melissa C
Donna
Monica B
Veronica
Heidi D
Lisa
Nikki
Devon
Amanda
Brooklyn
Kristina
Jen R
Kara
Eydie
Ruth
Missus W
Marilee
Cindy
Kaylea
Dawn G
Rebekah
Becky
orange gearle < You are here!
Katrina
Jo
Nicky
Beth
Kelly
Tere