Sassafrasing.

One of my favorite booths at CHA this year was Sassafras. I must have gone back to visit like ten times. LOL. I loved the display. (Actually, their set-up was my very favorite and the most creative, in my opinion.) I loved the new lines. And I loved the staff and design team. They were just so much fun.

So I was SO excited when Studio Calico included some of the new lines in the past few kits. I let the Vintage Yummy just *stew* on my workspace for a bit... letting the inspiration sink in... let the creative ideas run wild in my head. Tee hee.

I made this dog treat container with some cardstock stickers (and Stickles!):

(The little dog is from K&Company. Thickers from American Crafts.)

I think the items I was looking forward to most from CHA were the die cut cards. LOVE. THOSE. I was STOKED when they came in a March add-on. Now I can't wait to get the other two sets. :D

I loved them so much that I really wanted them in my "new and improved" scrap space. Lucky for me, they were a *perfect* fit in my canvas bins that hold my punches. AND... (this is my favorite part), I didn't even have to give them labels because the shapes are perfect for what the bins are containing! (YAY!) Circles for circle punches. Squares for square punches. Flowers for floral (okay, I also have stars and hearts) punches! I smile every time I look at them.

And one of my new favorite things in my scrap space... My "I Heart Art" frame. This idea came to me as I sat in The Container Store 2008 Fiscal Year meeting. LOL. (I *was* listening too!) I came right home from the meeting to make this...

And this frame became the inspiration for my "new" room. I can't wait to post photos of my room. But this frame's colors and "vintage yummyness" go very well. :)

*sigh*

I love Sassafras.

Shopping.

I hate shopping. I think I've mentioned that quite a few times on my blog. However... I love having new stuff. LOL. I suppose it's a love-hate relationship then. ;)

So... during a recent trip to our storage unit (to remove my spring/summer clothes), I discovered that my husband accidentally gave 2/3 of my wardrobe to the thrift store. Last summer when I moved to Austin, I only brought a few things (before hubby arrived to meet me) to last me a month: just a few of my favorite tops, shorts, sweaters and pants. I hadn't lived in a hot climate though, so I didn't really have a wardrobe suited for Texas. I left the rest behind in Rhode Island... a few boxes to keep and one box to go to the thrift store. He ended up donating everything that was not hanging in my closet! Oops.

This meant that I had to set out to find myself some new clothes. Clothes that I would LOVE. Clothes that *fit* me (and I mean that in more than one sense of the word). Clothes that would last.

I hadn't planned on getting *any*thing at Anthropologie, but the first time I stepped foot in there, I just had to give in...

This beautiful, blue cardigan goes with nearly EVERYTHING in my wardrobe, and is the perfect weight for spring/summer. I've already worn it about 20 times (I wore it in the photo of my previous post). LOL. The photo just does not do it justice ...
This magnificent navy/white skirt...
I love that I can wear it with my slip-on mocs (cutest shoes ever!), flip-flops, lace-ups, or mary-janes. It's very light and flowy. And most skirts do NOT look good on my pale, chicken legs, but this makes me feel beautiful. :)

I'm always cold. Even the slightest breeze makes me chilly. I wanted a light sweater to cover up my shoulders on breezy days. AND I needed a cute piece that could add a bit to my constant "jeans and t-shirt" look. This sweater was perfect...
A few other favorites (in different colors) from J Crew, and my new outfitting was complete...








I have never loved my wardrobe so much. And I feel so pretty and confident. Eek. I hope I don't actually *like* to shop now...

p.s. I ordered a cross-body bag (for hiking) from Zappos last night at 7:30pm, and I received it TODAY at 11:30am! That was their FREE shipping option! I usually get their stuff the next day, but 14 hours?! That is AWESOME!

Cropping.

(Back: Aimee, Stephanie, Jacquie. Front: Liz, Kelly, Reyanna, Diane)

This photo makes me happy. :)

Kelly Goree flew to Texas to crop and teach some classes, and a few of us Studio Calico Gals were very excited to visit at Crop, Paper, Scissors in Waco. I had to work, so I wasn't able to go to the classes, but I was very fortunate to find someone to cover my shift, so I could crop! Got home at 2am, but at least I got to go! HA!

Very few of us actually got something accomplished. But we laughed... a lot. We had such a blast, and I can't wait to visit that scrap store again! The owner, Emmalie (and her mom too), was so sweet and wonderful, and the whole store is just beautiful! Seriously... the most beautiful scrap store I've ever seen. I just walked around and smiled. *sigh* Lovely.

I did happen to pick up a few things. A *bunch* of Jenni Bowlin embellishments. I'm altering a tray to hang on the wall, so I got those things for that little project. Can't wait to start on it!

So worked on my scrap space A BUNCH yesterday and today. It's not *completey* done, but it's getting there. And at least it's clean and dusted and organized. :-) I still need to label a bunch of stuff. Ugh. That's my least favorite part. LOL. Ah well.

My very favorite part was altering a bunch of stuff. My favorite thing I altered was a little doll chair I picked up at Goodwill for just a few dollars. I touched up the white paint and added some October Afternoon for the seat. The cute little bird was a Christmas gift from my best friend, Amy. Seriously, how cute is that?!

I'll post more pics of my projects soon!

Changing.

So... I'm not feeling "it" in my studio. It's very pretty and lovely and everything, but it's not giving me the inspiration that I need. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE that shabby-chic/romantic cottage/French country decor. I have it in my bedroom and bathroom. But for my scrap space?! Meh... not exactly what I need in there.

So I decided to sit down and *really* think what has given me inspiration in the past several months. What has REALLY made me want to stand up and scrap (I'm a standing scrapper) or sit down and alter something (ironically enough, most times I alter on the floor)?!

Well, of course... Studio Calico. But what in particular... I thought.

September's kit, Iconic and add-on, Audrey. And March's kit, Garment District. and add-on, Chiffon. Do those have muted colors?! No. Pastels? No. That cozy, calm feeling I love so much? Umm... notsomuch.

And then it hit me... I don't WANT to feel cozy and calm (like I do in my bedroom...) in my scrap space. I want to feel energized! I want to feel excited to create! I want to feel giddy! I NEED those awesome, bright colors with cute, vintagey things in order to feel that way. I'm such a bonehead...

So... I made the decision to change it up. Hubby politely reminded me that I don't need to go *too* crazy and buy ALL kinds of things... spending money that doesn't really *need* to be spent (ironically, *I'm* the one who handles the finances... LOL). But I'm practical about these things, Dear. And I'm out to show the scrap world that you can have the MOST adorable scrap space without going over $100. And if I can stay under that, that would be fab. :)

My first purchase was from Crop, Paper, Scissors in Waco, Texas. A small flea market and scrapbook store in one?! Umm... yes, please! I found this adorable little (tiny doll sized) clothes hanger. I need to alter it in some way, so I'll post it when I do. :-) Liz (fellow SC-er... met her at the crop) made this with her hanger, and this photo does NOT do it justice. She is super-talented!

Next... found a super-cute little antique/vintage shop (next door to the candy shop I love so much in Downtown Austin), Off the Wall. And I found the following adorable things (including the table cloth)... all for $30...

With these things (along with thoughts and pieces from Iconic and Garment District) and other things I just happen to have laying around the house, I'm setting out to create a studio that inspires.

Wish me luck!

p.s. Tomorrow, I'll talk more about the crop and share a picture of the SC reunion we had. Yay!

Keeping.

Sometimes I wish life came with instructions. Or perhaps... just guidelines. LOL.

I've been keeping something a secret. Actually, we both have. For about five weeks. That's a long time to keep a secret.

But I was talking (over a month ago) to a friend of mine, and she told me something her mom has been telling her for her whole life. She said to me, "There is no one way to make a relationship work. You simply find a way that works for you. You find a way; and it may be unconventional... but you make it work."

This hit me. Hit me like a ton of bricks. I went home and wrote about 15 pages in my journal. And the next day? My husband and I talked. And then... five weeks after leaving, he came home.

That was over a month ago.

As I start to tell people, more and more opinions come out. Some good. Some bad. But you know what? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter to him. It doesn't matter to us. We want to be married to each other, and we are making that work. Sure it takes a lot of work. Every relationship does. We know this. We've been together for over eight years.

And we have a LOT of fun together. We smile a lot. We laugh even more. We hug more times in one day than I bet most people hug in a month. We are relaxed. We are calm. We are happy.

I feel loved. I feel adored. I feel special. I feel cherished. And I haven't felt that... in a very long time.

Wasting.

Wasting time. This was *not* on my mile-long To-Do list today.

I find this incredibly ironic since my previous post was about organization. Tee hee. Organization I am good at. Time management, however, I am not.

In all honesty, I have been procrastinating quite a few things lately. My To-Do list... I kid you not... has THIRTY-ONE things on it. How many of those things did I get accomplished today?! One. :) The broken kitchen drawer that has been moved back and forth from the kitchen floor to the kitchen counter for two months? I *finally* put in a maintenance request for it.

And I even promised myself I would not even turn on my computer until I got a good chunk of my To-Do list taken care of. So I eat a bagel for breakfast, and I then I decide that I need some candy. I open my fridge (unfortunately because of Texas heat, I need to keep chocolate cold at all times), and I still have a partial box of Muddy Bears (leftover from the horrible movie, Watchmen, that I walked out of on Sunday). My heart jumps for joy at the thought of Muddy Bears without the accompanying waste of time and money spent on God-awful movies.

As I chew on the tasty morsels, I realize that these yummy-bears (tee hee) are one of my favorite treats, yet I don't get to have them that often. So... I decide to go online so that I may order them in bulk. Yay. :)

Unbeknownst to me, the wonderful gem that is Candy Blog awaited me. And now? I've spent the last 7+ hours reading the blog. *sigh*

I knew I liked candy. I knew I loved chocolate. I didn't, however, know that I love *reading* about it. Candy Blog started in April of 2005. This means that I have roughly four years of candy-loving blogging to cover. I've already started making lists: "Candy to Try," "Chocolate to Try," "Candy Websites to Visit."

So I suppose, *technically*, it wasn't an entire waste of a day. I did go for a very nice walk. Wonderfully warm and lovely. AND... I have a whole list of new candies to try and a new blog to follow.

If you like candy, you'll probably love this blog. A professional writer, talented photographer (see photo above), plus candy? Seriously, what more could you ask for?!

This blog has me craving Japanese hard candies, Snickers (which I have plenty of...), Reese's Eggs, and some Hershey's Eggs. AND I have a trip planned to a great candy store in Austin. Can't wait.

p.s. I never did continue to look for where I can find those Muddy Bears in bulk. LOL. However, I did find out that I can get chocolate-covered gummy bears from the candy store in Austin! YES!

What's your favorite candy?

Answering.

Wendy Smedley, friend/scrapbooker/author/organization extraordinaire, is teaching a Big Picture Scrapbooking class right now (based on her fabulous book, The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker - currently sold out at CK Media).

She asked a few of her students to come up with a few questions for me about my space... and my super-cool job at The Container Store. I was perfectly happy to oblige. Me talk about scrapbook organization AND my job?! YES, please! :-D

I hope you're ready... I'm very thorough and hyper-link-happy (with your mouse: right click and click "open in new tab/window" to go to links while staying here on this page... or Mac users: hover over link and Command-Click.). :-D

1. What are The Container Store's options for storing 12 x 12 papers? -Renee

Renee, I'm so glad you asked! The great thing about The Container Store... they know their audience. You can go to their website, and type in "scrapbooking," and get these results. LOVE that feature.

So... here's what they have to offer (and some other ideas I came up with) as far as paper storage:

Scrapbook Cart (and what's really great about this... you can buy those Paper Storage Cases *without* the cart if you'd like)

Archival Scrapbook Storage Box

Translucent File Tote

14-Pocket Portfolio

There's also this MDF Paper Sorter (shown in my own scrap space):
It is VERY well-constructed, and has SIX paper trays (plus the top to put things on). It's not available on the website anymore, but I *know* that it's still available in some stores (Austin, Texas is one of them). Unfortunately, stores can't ship, but if you have one near you, check it out! They may have some left! Retails for $39.99 right now (on sale).

We also have these *fabulous* elfa Cabinet-Sized Mesh Drawer Units. They come in three heights and three widths... PLUS three different-sized drawers (1-runner, 2-runner, and 3-runner... and you can mix and match if you'd like). These Cabinet-Sized ones only come in white (my dog, Ruby is making a cameo in this photo)...

And the "Medium-sized" ones (NOT the Narrow!) fit paper perfectly! The *inside* dimensions (most important) are 14x14 (I measured them myself!)... so they'll even accommodate that extra 1/2" (that most patterned papers have these days). These one-runner drawers (shown in the below photo) would be perfect to hold paper! (Though the Narrow-sized drawers have outside dimensions of 12 7/8" x 16 7/8", the inside dimensions are too small to hold 12x12 paper. They will hold 8.5x11 paper, however.)

You could order and build (very easy... literally, takes minutes!) a 10-runner (ten 1-runner drawers) for only $137 with the sale right now! You just need this frame kit in Medium, ten of the Medium 1-runner drawers, and you're set! (Of course the price will be a bit higher if you're having it shipped.)

If you don't want to buy the whole unit, you could just buy a few of the drawers and have them sitting on shelves. You could also get a deeper drawer to house completed layouts before they make it into albums.

However, we *also* have ones that are a bit larger (20 3/4" long - outside measurements), and those come in three heights, four widths (including Wide) and *two* colors: white and platinum. For both the regular and cabinet sized, you have the option to add a melamine top (shown in above photo) and/or wheels! (Also, don't forget back-stop pins if you don't want the drawers to open both directions or in & out stops if don't want to be able to pull the drawer all the way out.)

Elfa is The Container Store's best-selling product. It's VERY sturdy, has an awesome guarantee (great return policy if it doesn't hold up or serve the purpose it should), and is completely customizable! Plus, it's 30-50% off until May 10, 2009! Seriously... what more could you ask for in scrapbook storage?!

2. What Container Store products do you use in your own scrapbooking space? -chameleongryl

Wow, what a question! I think there are too many to name. LOL! Well, in addition to the MDF Paper Sorter, my favorites are...

-A whole slew of these Stockholm boxes in all different sizes (in white; though I'm *really* craving the orange and red right now... and I may have to give my scrap space a color makeover...). Our store also sells them in a deep plum color (which is GORGEOUS), graphite, and a green stripe. :)

-This Natural Desktop File. It's "raw," and I think that's what drew me to it (check out its matching friends on that page). Raw chipboard to most scrapbookers means altering. :) And I'm an altering fiend, so I love this! I spray painted mine with an antique white paint and decorated it with lace and buttons. :) It holds my alphas, and it really is the perfect alpha solution for me. I tried *many* storage options before I settled on this gem:


-This is kinda unconventional (considering these are intended for clothes and towels), but I keep my punches in these adorable small canvas bins. I have three of them (my punches are organized by category: squares, circles, shapes like flowers/hearts/etc). They are *under* my computer desk now because I was so sick of lugging a box of these off a shelf. Ugh. They're much too heavy to keep up high. LOL. LOVE this solution. Adorable? Check! Open? Check! The small one large enough to hold lots of punches? Check! Perfection.

-And last, but certainly not least (save the best for last, right?!) is my elfa shelving. :) I get a HUGE discount on elfa (50-60%... see, a great place to work!), so I went a little crazy. LOVE it though. And what's great about elfa is that I can add shelves as I "grow." Tee hee. Here are some photos of my space. It has changed a *tad* since I took these photos in December (moved the ribbon *under* my desk by my punches, moved the paper sorter to the left where the ribbon cabinet used to be, and placed another shelf where the paper sorter used to be). I'm often changing and rearranging to fit my current creative process. But it's pretty much the same. :)

3. What products are on your list of things to invest in?

From The Container Store? elfa! elfa! ELFA! I think this really is the most important for me. We say, "Happiness is an organized closet." Well, for us scrapbookers? Happiness is an organized scrap space! Am I right?!

(photo from www.containerstore.com)

The wonderful thing about elfa is that it is COMPLETELY customizable. The shelving options are almost unlimited... birch, walnut, bamboo (GORGEOUS in real life!), sycamore, driftwood (very cool and different), white solid (my personal fave), white ventilated, and platinum ventilated. You can create an entire room, just a couple walls, or just a *small* workspace.

Also, elfa can hold A LOT of weight. On average... 70 pounds per square foot. Seriously... the guys at my work HANG on the ventilated shelves! LOL. And if you ever have ANY problems with your elfa (or any products at The Container Store, for that matter), just bring it back... no matter how long it's been. We want you to be completely satisfied! How's that for service?!

And my favorite non-Container Store purchase is the Cropper Hopper Vertical Storage Holder. :) I have TWENTY of them. Not exaggerating. I didn't always buy the value packs though. Most of them, I bought the holder only.

Oh! I just thought of one more thing. Paper/project envelopes! I sort my paper by manufacturer, each manufacturer (or each kit or collection) has its own envelope, and they fit inside the Cropper Hoppers. This way I can keep all papers/scraps, die cuts, alphas (that coordinate) together in one place. Michaels sells a pack of 10 envelopes for $12.99 (these may be a different brand than Generations, and they have snaps instead of ties), and I use my 40%-off coupon (I feel like I'm stealing them at that price...)! I probably have over 50 of them. I've never counted. Now I'm scared to count. LOL.

4. Do you organize by color/theme/manufacturer?

Umm... all three. :) Most embellishments are by color. Metal, wood, journaling cards... are by *type* of embellishment (they all have their own drawers in the embellishment drawer center):
Christmas embellishments are separate (including snowflake punches).

Punches are by theme/shape. Alphabets are all together in that one container, but still in color order (so all whites together, blacks together, etc).

Cardstock is by color, ROY G BIV order. I don't separate Bazzill (the main company I use) from other manufacturers.

Patterned paper is by manufacturer. It used to be by color, but I have this creepy knack for memorizing paper lines (and an addiction to buying complete lines), so now I have them by manufacturer. Scary, really. ;-) If I happen to have *many* lines from one manufacturer (*ahem* Basic Grey *ahem*), then I sort those alphabetically by collection name.

And I have one Cropper Hopper for all Christmas papers. I have about seven different Christmas lines from different manufacturers (okay, several from Basic Grey), and it was WAY too confusing to have those separated the other way. LOVE it this way!

Studio Calico kits (another addiction) are kept separate from all the other paper. I do not sort out embellishments or papers into my stash. I have two Cropper Hoppers for those kits, and each kit has its own envelope to hold everything from that month's kit.

5. Are you a 'visible' or 'not-visible' storage person?

I'm not too keen on visual clutter, so I used to have my pens, adhesives, scissors (your basic staples) in drawers and closed containers, but it drove me bonkers. My staples are the only things that are visible because I use them on every layout. (Adhesives are also in a sterling silver plate. Trimmers are in a basket behind my workspace on another table.)
Everything else is in a non-visible box or container.

BUT... I do have labels on EVERYTHING. I used to not have things labeled, and I'd say, "I know what's in there!" But then it was like... 50 containers without labels. LOL. I realized I was wasting precious time not having them labeled. Even though I "knew" where things were, having a label gives my eye something to "catch," and I grab for it faster... don't second-guess myself. I spent one whole night labeling everything, and it was the best hour or two I spent. I even labeled some open baskets. Label, label, label!

7. Which of the hanging file accommodating plastic storage container options do you think is the best -- covered or uncovered, stacking? (Locally, there are about three versions on sale right now.) I'm thinking memorabilia/large photo storage. -Thanks! Kathleen

Kathleen, that's a toughie. I suppose it's personal preference. Since I'm more of the non-visible type of organizer, I'd probably go for one of the non-plastic Stockholm Desktop Files or Archival Safe Storage Box.

But if you wanted plastic, specifically, I'd go with the Translucent File Tote Box (X-large if you think you need twice the space). It accommodates both letter- and legal-sized folders, which is awesome if you think you may want to keep larger newspaper articles! And you can buy archival-safe file folders for those photos. :)

6. What is the one Container Store product (scrap or non) that you couldn't live without?

You're killin' me! I'd say elfa, but I'd sound like a broken record. LOL. So since that's a given, I'll say...

... the Semikolon Spiral Notebook. :D I'm HUGE into journaling, and I also love sketching layouts. It has three tabbed dividers. 60 pages of lines. 60 pages of grid. 60 pages of blank pages. How perfect is that for a scrapbooker?! Seriously! And totally alterable (I altered one for a friend... added some paper, ribbon, chipboard stickers and alphas... to the bottom 1/3 of the notebook).
And my favorite non-scrappy item? It's kinda silly, but...

... the Cup-A-Cake. :-) It was the VERY first item I ever bought there. It's a little container that holds a cupcake... without messing up the frosting. They don't sell them online, so you'd have to go to the store to get one (or email someone who lives near one... LOL). My camera battery is dead, but once it gets charged, I'll take a photo of it, and post it! Check back! :-)
________________________________

Well, Organizers... that's it. I know... long. Thorough. ;-) If you'd like to see ALL the photos of my space, go here to my December archives. Hope you enjoyed it! Please send me photos of your spaces! I'd LOVE to see! :)

And I'll leave you with this...
My "puppies" (they're almost six years old now), Ruby-Monday and Amber-Lamb love to go shopping with me. Here they are posing in front of Food Storage at The Container Store. Yes, we are a pet-friendly store.

Speaking of Food Storage, it's a great place to find "little" visible containers for your scrappy stuff. One of my favorite sections of the store. Another great department of the store, full of fun containers for everything scrappy, is Collections! Check it out!

Have fun organizing!

Winning.

Would you like to win this?

Look at all of that yummy stuff! Most of it is BRAND NEW from CHA! Well, if you *would* like to win (and I'm thinking you might...), run (don't walk) your little fingers over to Craft Critique to enter to win! Now. Quick! You only have until the night of March 11th, so hurry! Quick!

But keep calm. And carry on.

Confessing.

Dear Grapefruit,

I have a confession...

... sometimes, I forget about you. I pick up some Empire apples (and Honeycrisp... or Fuji if those two are not in season), bananas, kiwi every now and then, white flesh peaches, raspberries, strawberries and even some Clementines. 

I pass you up.

And then one day, out of nowhere, a coworker makes a comment about how Texas has the best Grapefruit in the world. Or I see "Grapefruit Juice" in a restaurant menu. Or you catch my eye in the grocery store. And well, Grapefruit, my heart melts at the mere thought of you.

Your juice, your yummy fruit, the way I revert back to a child-like state when I eat you with my hands instead of being all prim and grabbing my "Grapefruit Spoon."

So I take a bite, and I remember... that you are my very favorite. No fruit tastes better than you. All fruits pale in comparison to you. The bananas go brown. The peaches get wrinkly. The limes become hard as rocks. 

Because you, Grapefruit, are all I want. You're all I need.

I'm so sorry I neglect you sometimes when I know deep down that you are my very favorite. Could you please forgive me? I sure hope so. I just love you way too much to ever hurt your feelings.

Love always,

*reyanna*

p.s. Please, please do not tell Banana.

Motivating.

I haven't been able to scrap since *before* CHA. Sheesh. Sure, I've been a *bit* busy, but it was more like the fact that I couldn't get motivated in light of recent events. Nothing like a deadline for Craft Critique to nip that in the bud! 

So Studio Calico's February kit was all kinds of fun. I decided to make a necklace with Tim Holtz Fragments, and the new SC papers were SO perfect! They have this AWESOME  sheet of paper that has fortune cookie fortunes on one side, so I found a fun one "It is a sunny day" to have on one side of my necklace. How cool is that?

I really love how it turned out. And I was stoked to use SC papers to line the carpet and give my dress-form (from Creative Imaginations) a nice resting place. :D

Then I decided to use one of the adorable bingo pieces (from the K&Company die cut package) to adorn the back of another Fragment...

I need to make more cards. They really are so fun. :-)

And I've been wanting to scrap this photo of myself with my nieces... for... a LONG time. Almost two years... seriously. But I've never had the *right* papers. And then Method Playground totally inspired me to use five patterned papers (from different manufacturers), so I came up with this...

And really... all the credit for the patterned-paper-choosing must go to the wonderfully talented April and Scarlet over at Studio Calico. Seriously... this is *why* I'm a part of a kit club (*that* kit club). I can't scrap exclusively Basic Grey *forever* (though I wouldn't complain *too* much...), and I've never been very good at the whole "coordinating/matching" thing. Seriously, ask my sister. She picked out my clothes until I was 18 years old. :-p (SO not kidding here.)

In other news... I went hiking yesterday. I was supposed to be in a Meetup group, but traffic was SO crazy, and I was too late to catch them. And I was not going to settle for driving 45 minutes and then just go home... so I went hiking by myself. Still very nice and wonderful. Only got lost once, but I quickly found my way... just in time too because it got dark within minutes of making it to my car. Phew. :-p

Oh! And the other day at work, I was putting together a few boxes, and this mother with her two daughters walks toward me. And I overhear her saying, "Look, Girls! This girl gets to *play* at her job! She gets to put together boxes! How fun!" And she was being TOTALLY.SERIOUS. 

And you know what? She was SO right. I *was* having SO much fun. I love un-nesting our plastic boxes. LOL. It actually is so much fun for me. (Uh-huh... I know. I'm silly. Carry on.) I ended up having a conversation with her and telling her how much I'm in love with my job... how at the end of my shift, I just don't want to leave. LOL. I ended up giving her a recruitment card. She would be so fun to work with... she really "gets" it. 

Speaking of The Container Store, I totally need to highlight (here on my blog) my favorite products. And ironically, some of my favorite products seem very silly to me. And I can't imagine who would buy them... or why. But I just love that we carry them. LOL. A container that holds TWENTY FOUR lipsticks?! Seriously?! Ladies! Come on! Fess up. WHO out there has 24 lipsticks?! 

To be continued...

Altering.

I've been meaning to post this for a while, and the fabulous Wendy Smedley reminded me with her post today. (Wendy, could you please remind me to post pics of us too... LOL. Note to self: POST PICS FROM CHA!)

While in San Antonio one week, I decided to check Craigslist for any cool moving/yard/garage sales. I was JUST moving to Austin, and I really wanted to go crazy shabby chic in my house. So I went to CL, and I typed in "shabby chic," and this awesome moving sale came up! This woman had collected TONS of cool stuff, and I made out like a bandit! (Lots of stuff for my scrap space.)

Well, one neat thing I found was this awesome shabby chic white cupboard door ($2 maybe?). The second I saw it, I wanted it. And a few seconds after that, I knew what I wanted to do with it.

It did need a bit of a touch-up. An antique white spray paint did the trick here:


Here is a photo of the back. I didn't do anything to the back because... well, who sees that when it's hanging on the wall?!


Next I went to PhotoShop, and I created a new layer the size of the *inside* measurements of the cupboard door (where the photos would go). I changed them all to black and white and cropped if need be. Then I just placed them inside the layer and moved them all around until they "pretty much" fit. I added more photos if I needed them (of all my family). If they all fit in this space, I knew they'd fit on the cupboard door (even if I decided to change the arrangement later on).


Then I transfered all the photos to two new layers (8.5x11"), so I could print them out onto photo paper. Once they were printed, I cut them all up (I did end up moving some around). Some I needed to cut down, but I just arranged them until they worked. Then I ModPodged the heck out of it (on top and underneath the photos), added some awesome lace from Jo-Ann Fabrics, a silk flower from Michaels (drilled a hole into the cupboard and filled it with super glue), and VOILA!


Sits right next to my computer, right above my printer, so I can see it every day. It's one of my very favorite things in my scrap space, and I love that what I envisioned actually came out. :) SO easy too!

So go on, Kids! Go garage sale-ing and thrift store-ing for old cupboard doors! And you could totally add patterned paper and stuff too. I'll probably do another in the future. I think it would make a great housewarming gift. :)

Concealing.

There are many different types of bloggers. Some blog about their lives. Some do not. Some seem to stick to one theme like scrapbooking or doing handstands in cool or mundane places. Some blog about every good and bad thing that happens. Some blog only their struggles. Some blog only the happy times.

I generally fall into the latter category... with a mention here and there about a hard time. But I like to graze over it like a small thorn in a garden of roses. 

I suppose I don't do it intentionally. I like to focus on the good things... positive, optimistic, happy, lively things. I like to focus on good people and good times. And on occasion, I'll mention that I don't like cheesecake or (despite the fact that pregnant women are lovely) the thought of touching a pregnant woman's belly freaks me out more than anything I can think of off the top of my head. But you know... generally happy thoughts.

And then last night, though I was trying to avoid the topic of a certain recent event, someone mentioned it. I casually grazed over it and changed the subject. But then I received an email... an apology from an internet friend. She felt like she had hurt my feelings by unintentionally touching on the topic. Then she shared, "I didn't see an update on your blog recently... so I guess I am just blind or haven't been reading long enough." 

No, Lovely. You are correct. There is nothing on my blog of the sort. 

And that got me thinking. What is this blog I keep? A journal? A diary? Random thoughts? Journaling that will end up on a scrapbook layout one day? I suppose it's all of those things. But most importantly... to me... it's an escape. It's an escape of the life I really do lead. One where I cry every day, but then realize I've cried too much, so I should do my best to make it through a day without crying. A life where I watch an unending line of Friends episodes and eat fresh fruit, cheese and certain meats for the sole reason that it reminds me of my favorite grandfather.

I bake because it reminds me of my mom. I watch movies I've never seen. I color in my coloring book that has been up on a high shelf collecting dust. I chat on the phone with friends for hours and hours. I try my very best to keep my chin up and to focus on the things that really are wonderful in my life.

I have the best friends and family I could ever, EVER ask for. I am truly blessed with those God has placed in my life. And though I sit alone in my house day after day, I still want a life I love. I still want a life I enjoy... things I enjoy, people I enjoy. I always try to stay so strong. Put on a different face. It's so much better to make the best of things. 

But now I feel like I've come to a point where it's too late. It's too late to share what I'm going through. I'm that person who loves to smile. I'm that person who loves to make the best of things. I'm that person who wants to stay strong no matter what. I can't share... on my blog... that I'm *gasp* ... human!

I know, I know, thousands of people go through this every year. And I hate that it's become that. It's become a "yeah, that happens to lots of people. You'll get through it. You'll be fine." And I'm not fine. I feel like someone has died. I feel like a part of me has died. I've never felt so much pain, sadness, and loneliness ever in all my life. I feel like my whole world... everything I know and love is crashing and falling from underneath me. And I really do try to be strong.

But right now... I feel anything but strong. I am so... not myself. And more than anything, I just want to jump through cyberspace, wrap all my friends in my arms and say, "I love you, Ladies! You mean more to me than you could ever know. And right now, you are getting me through the hardest time I've ever, ever been through." And though I'm alone at home, I know in cyberspace, I'm not alone. So... thank you. :)

And thank you for letting be human today.

Surviving.

Phew. This has been a tough year so far.

When I'm having a tough time, I really love to look at older photos. And that brought me to my handstand photos, and that made me want to post to my Handstand blog. :) And that made me smile. :D

Hopefully, soon I'll post pics from CHA. I got to meet so many great people! That will be coming soon. :)

p.s. The Friends episode, The One with Ross's Wedding is awesome in so many ways. One of those reasons being the fact that Hugh Laurie  (House, MD) is the most, totally, awesome guest star ever. :)

Reminiscing Pagosa Springs.

I was reading a friend's profile page today on Facebook. She belongs to a Facebook group called, "I'm from a small town you've never heard of."

Since we're from the same town, I decided to click on the group to see what it had to say. It shares a "you know you're from a small town if..." list. As I read the list, I couldn't help but giggle at how many of those are, in fact, true to our small town.

When I was 14 (just as I was about to enter high school), my parents moved our family from Anaheim, California (population 300,000) to Pagosa Springs, Colorado (population 5,000). Now, Pagosa Springs has doubled in size (and went from having one stop-light to having... *gasp*... SIX)! It still, of course, has that "small town" feel, and I love that everywhere I go, I run into someone I know.

And back to that list on Facebook... it got me reminiscing, and here are a few things that were true about my town, and I love to giggle about.

1. I can name just about everyone I graduated with (there were 94 in my class).

2. I've been to a party 20 miles down a deserted dirt road.

3. Heck, I *lived* down a deserted dirt road, and it took me 25 minutes to get to school.

4. I don't think there is anywere in town that has a speed limit of over 40. It's mostly 25 mph.

5. I still love to go back and visit my high school to see my former teachers (the ones who haven't retired... I did graduate ten years ago) when I'm in town.

6. I thought people who lived in big cities dressed funny... and I then would wear those "trends" two years after I first saw them.

7. If I was looking for a friend or family member and couldn't get them on the phone (*nobody* I knew had a cell phone), I would actually drive around town looking to find their cars in parking lots of their favorite places. :)

8. EVERYONE in town has a phone number that begins with either "731" or "264." When asking a friend for a phone number, only the last four numbers are given. Which side of Pizza Hut (now some outdoor outfitting store) you lived (east or west) depends on the prefix of the number. I STILL say things like, "Okay, so they live on the EAST side of Pizza Hut... that means their number starts with '264'!" LOL.

9. When we first moved there, there was only one grocery store... City Market. After we lived there a year or two, they built another one on the opposite side of town... still (some 12 or so years later), locals affectionately refer to the stores as "The Old City Market" and "The New City Market" respectively.

*Photo, taken by my dad (I think...), is of Snow Wolf Lodge, the Christian Camp my family lived and worked for all four years I was in high school.

Browsing.

Isn't it funny how you're just browsing blogs, and those blogs lead you to other blogs? And sometimes those bring you to other blogs, and then down the road, you're thinking, "Gosh, how the heck did I happen upon this gem?!" LOL.

Well, I was just reading Caroline's blog (which I adore), and she posted about this adorable little blouse:

The Lunch Date Blouse

So I wanted to share.

And hopefully soon, I'll have some CHA photos and stuff, but right now, I really want to scrap! :)