THE COLOR RUN

THE COLOR RUN
i don't know when yet and i don't know how, but I AM doing this thing!!
consider it a life list item, bucket list item, whatever!!

I probably can't consider anything until the fall or winter, but it just looks like too much fun not do!
I have been promoting it to my whole family! :)
the only draw back is I (we) will have to drive at least 4 hrs to one or fly :(
until then, i will keep dreaming and saving my pennies for a chance to do this!!

the crazy thing is, i found out about this on Instagram!!
i was looking through my followers "news" and saw this type that said "THE COLOR RUN" on a
t-shirt. immediately my curiosity was piqued...just from the font on the t-shirt!! lol.
then, when i got to the site i was SUPER excited!!!
"It really was about running!" i thought to myself.
the whole premise of the race was exciting and then i thought, "I would have some really RAD pictures to frame and scrapbook after this race!" hee hee ;)
if you have read my blog for long, you'll remember i took on running in May 2010 to increase my fitness and try to help with my health until my health decided to run me into a proverbial brick wall.
hopefully my health woes are behind me and i am biting at the bit to get better and go on my first run...mid-summer probably.
if you've heard of this run, what do you think? have you done it? did you have a blast?
tell me!! :)
the swag bags are pretty sweet, too! ;)
have a great, colorful day friends!!
xo

little note made easy

graph paper post-it note, letter stickers, washi = easy love note to my hubby who has taken such great care of me!!

hello

howdy! :)
as some of you may know, i had surgery on May 1st.
i had planned on composing a post letting you know how well i was doing despite some
minor issues along the way. life got busy. i felt great.
then this weekend happened.

actually, it all started Thursday. started not feeling quite right. not bad, but not good either.
Friday around 10:30, something was wrong. i got really cold and weak after my shower and all i wanted to do was lay down...like all day, basically.
FEVER.
by the evening on Friday i felt like i had shaken whatever was going on so i was hopeful it was a small blip.
Saturday morning came...i felt OK, not great but we had soccer games to go to...no big deal.
i left early from the games. i was feeling bad again. only bad in a worse way. i had begun to feel some abdominal discomfort and pain and my fever had gotten up to 101...NOT good post-op.
as a former nurse, i knew this and the next thing i knew i had my daughter searching for my post-op papers for phone numbers, called my husband, and got ready to go...to the ER.
the ER on a Saturday night normally means total chaos. busy. waiting...this will take HOURS we thought :(
thankfully, the Lord was with me that evening because when we pulled up to the hospital and walked inside NO ONE was in the waiting room! yesss!
i quickly went from waiting room, to triage nurse, to a room, saw 2 nurses, got an IV and fluids, saw a PA, then the ER doc, labs drawn, cultures drawn, and a CT scan! whew!
finally my doctor came in (bless his heart) and there was indeed a post-op infection :(
i knew it. it was just a matter of confirmation.
so, i spent the next 18 hrs in the hospital over the weekend receiving IV fluids for mild dehydration and to help bring the fever down and IV antibiotics to combat a general peritonitis that had surfaced.
staying in the hospital was totally precautionary to be on the "safe side" just in case.
i did NOT want to jump through hoops again so i was very compliant in staying.
i could have been sent home, but i wasn't going to take the chance.

so, home again home again jiggity-jig i came yesterday around noon! ;)
thanking God for the knowledge that still remains in my head as a former nurse, the ER being nice to me :), the staff being on top of it all, my doctor being caring and diligent about my post-op care, and that i am feeling so much better today.

that being said, i NEED to take a little break.
i need to take care of me right now.
i admitted to myself, my husband and God that i was being selfish about my recovery before this weekend. all i could think about before was getting back to what I wanted to do...working out, doing my housework, going here and there...
before all of that stuff can happen i need to focus on recovery from my surgery. SURGERY people!!
now that i think back, i would slap myself!! :)
i think i was being obnoxious thinking i would and could just bounce back into life.
i was wrong.
the good thing is i can be creative without stressing myself out too much.
but just know that if i am not on Instagram or Twitter or here, it's because i just need to chill for a while.
thanks! :)
happy Monday, friends!!
xo

hello washi!

it's true...i am pretty addicted to the stuff!
so as the morning light was streaming in on my desk, i decided to do a little photoshoot! ;)

oh, what a glorious mess of goodness.
i really need to find a way to organize my stash in my very small space. i like to keep it out where i can see it and it is easy to access.
but in the meantime, i decided to make a washi rainbow.

asking me to name a favorite would be like asking me who my favorite child is!!

i thought i would show you my desk and "go to" items.

and just to keep it real 'round here...

it stays pretty messy on my desk because of a lack of storage and organization on my part and in the small space that i have to work.

do you love washi as much as i do? fess up!!
then sign up for the class at Studio Calico!! some of my favorite scrappers are contibutors!!
Allison, Tina, Lisa, Amy!!! :)

happy...Thursday? ;)
xo

never stop being ridiculous!

i realize i am not your "typical" scrapper.
i am imperfect. everything isn't lined up just right...
i scrap fast.
that's life to me.
i think my scrapbooking is a perfect reflection of who i am and
what life is to me.
it shows in this layout.

 

and life is a whole lot richer when you have someone you can be totally ridiculous with and laugh your butt off!!

never stop being ridiculous!! :) haha!!

happy Wednesday. 

xo

humbled to be chosen

she made me a Mom for the first time all those years ago...

my how the time flies...
then, came 2 more that have blessed my life immensely.

they are all different and fearfully and wonderfully made.
i am who i am because i was chosen to be their Mom.
i wouldn't have it any other way.

the best gift i got yesterday? was from her...

we were group hugging my Mom (Memaw) yesterday and she said,
"Happy Mother's Day, Memaw. Thank you for my Mommy."

she is 19, y'all!!! 
i was reminded right there in that moment what a privilege and gift it is to be their Mom.
their chosen Mom. blows my mind.
needless to say, my heart is full. full of love and full of gratitude for this life. :)

happy Monday!!
xo

FULL of it Friday!!!

 

 

that's all folks! :)
have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!
xo

hooray! for happy mail!

 ***just a note*** Blogger now has a lovely lightbox feature. Any image you would like to see up close or with a little more clarity, just click on an image and it will take you there!

yesterday i announced that my shop is live and open!! :)
today, i am going to show you a few things.
1) the set that i made
2) some changes i made
3) how i re-colored some elements in PS
4) how i integrated some elements in everyday scrapbooking

first...
this was the original design/set

as i was setting my shop up i realized that there were duplicate elements on the page. i initially did it
this way because i was thinking about printing at home and wanting to get as much on one page.
BUT people who might want to buy would like to have a page of different elements.

here are the 4x6 journaling cards...

second and third...
here are the changes i made, as well as how i re-colored some elements in PS with the paint bucket tool.

as you can see, i eliminated the duplicate elements and created new, coordinating ones in their place!!
also, if you don't know how to re-color in PS, there are TONS of how-to's out there to watch.
i wouldn't attempt to do a video b/c then you would have to listen to my man voice!! ;)

last, but not least...
a couple of layouts that i created using a couple of elements.
note that these are great for Project Life as well, but i have fallen off that train with the move, my surgery and all. i thought about mocking up a page for you, but that felt so fake.
so, if any of you buy them and use them, i would love for you to show me so i can link your pages up!! sound good? :)

ahh....beauty and attitude...

if you have teenagers in your house, you know what i am talking about. if you have girls, let me give you a big ole hug, sister!!! i have 3 girls and they are ALL different. my first was pretty easy going and laid back, but this one up here is all girl! Lord, help me!! now, that's not to say she can't be a sweetheart and doesn't love her Momma...she's just my button pusher child, ya know what i mean??!

in this layout i used the "hello" element. i decided to cut away the pattern so it would coordinate better with the layout. see how versatile you can be?! i've always sort of altered my elements like this.
a closer look...

hooray! for happy mail!! :D

for this layout i used the "oh, this is good!" card as a way to showcase my Instagram picture of some
happy mail i had received. this card was created as a 3x4 journaler, but leave it to me to use it in a different way altogether! and that makes it totally fun!!

i included lots of different fun bits, washi tape, a flair badge, wood veneers from Studio Calico and the packaging from my friend Nicole's happy mail. she's the bomb!! i used her quote stamp in the layout above^^^

that is it for today, friends!!
i hope to be back to write a more personal post sometime about how i am doing/recovering.
i move a little bit more gentle now and am pretty guarded, but all in all doing pretty great! :)

happy Thursday!!
xo

coming soon...

i make things here and there in Photoshop because i can...
i just enjoy the process.
i've had people say i should sell, but i've always said,"nah..., i do it for fun..."
yesterday i decided to take a leap!!
i've started setting up a shop for my first set of digital downloads.
here is a little preview of what i will offer.
it will be a set of "happy mail" journalers, tags, cards, in various sizes--perfect for Project Life or everyday scrappin'!

i will let you know when it goes LIVE!
i hope to show you how i would use them on a page as well in the next day or two.
in the meantime, i want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for the prayers, well wishes and positive vibes for my surgery/recovery! i count each one of you a blessing! :)
i had a large dose of laughter yesterday and i am sure that the healing is speeding up!! ;)