You With Us

Keeping with my depressing themed layouts (well it was a sad reason we were all together, but I don't think that my layouts are depressing.  I was really really happy to have the support of my new hubby during all of the visitation/funeral stuff. It meant so much to me, and I wanted him to know.

I kind of fell in love with the Bella Blvd recent releases, if you can't tell. Those colors were really just speaking to me, and I've used almost every little piece on these two layouts. I also ordered some chipboard elements from Bella Blvd and was LOVING using those. The Bella Blvd goodies I got from Paper Issues, and I have to suggest if you are looking for something and she has it, their shipping is super quick! This is another one of those layouts where I'm saving a memory that is kind of bittersweet, it's not a particularly happy time, but it speaks to the theraputic part of scrapping for me. Do you ever scrap difficult subject matter? 

Close Family

My father died on May the first. I have a lot of stories to tell. And I've been telling them and I will keep telling them. I keep making more for myself and thinking of more... I placed my first order with Paper Issues right before I left town because my Daddy was in the hospital. When I came home, the stuff I had ordered was perfect for some of the photos I had when I came home from that trip.

I'm really happy that I am not afraid to journal on my layouts, I'm not worried about how imperfect my handwriting is, or if I misspell a word, or if my feelings are right there on the page. I loved working with these papers from Bella Blvd, they were exactly what I needed and I think I'm now addicted to those bows, I just got some more... some red ones... swoon! The photo on this page came from Persnickity Prints and I can't tell you how awesome they are!

Change is Good

I had a couple of days off last week, and sort of half of this week too. I'm starting a job at a new clinic, one that is opening brand new and I think it's a really good decision, but change is scary, so I wanted to work out my feelings on paper, I loved the colors of this kit and was glad I brought it with me. I learned while in grief therapy that it really does help and is actually recommended by professionals to get your thoughts and feelings out onto paper, the diecuts and sequins, those are pure joy for me to add, even as in my mind these sequins kind of make me think of teardrops. 

That's part of the beauty that this particular hobby can be whatever you make of it. All of these supplies came from the Punxsutawny kit from Clique Kits.

How to handle a sensitive subject part I

So in 2012 I posted here about a LO that I made which was full of some sensitive journalling and really I guess it was a more art journally type page, but whatever. Today I want to share this LO with you.

I will be the first to admit it's a bright, happy, springy, colorful thing to look at. (OMG I've been wanting to use those papers on something lovely for so long). The photo is of me and my now deceased DH from Easter 2000. The vellum to the left of the photo covers a LOT of journalling. Some really painful journalling about how that day seems in the photo and the reality that was my life for so long. I love so much about this LO. But most of all I love LOVE the way I felt after I wrote all of my feelings down. It was like breathing a sigh of relief. I worked a desk job for several years, and this photo sat in a cute but really cheap little frame that had plastic on it rather than glass. One day a glass of water spilled on my desk and damaged the photo. The plastic from the frame is STILL stuck to the photo, it will tear up the photo if I try to take it off, so if you think it looks weird, that's why. I wouldn't change a thing about it... I wouldn't put anything on here straighter. I think it's awesome just the way it is. I used my favorite products, a stamp, some trim that I misted, some stickers that I've been hoarding shamelessly... and design tips from Shimelle Laine (I'm kind of addicted to her videos right now).

Do you scrap the hard stuff? Do you keep a journal that's private to put your feelings in? I'm kind of combining my therapy blog with my scrapping. I think it's good for me, and hopefully one day if any of my good friends takes a look at this page, they can share their own feelings, or they may not stop and read it. I think either way it's a really good idea.

Surprise Happy Mail

Okay, it's been a while since I played with my camera. So I decided to practice with it some more. I like this photo of the LO better than my previous one. You can really tell it was a patterned paper before it got saturated with Licorice Metallic Maya Mist. The background paper is Blue Sky from the new Woodland Park Collection by October Afternoon. I purchased both of these product from my LSS and linked the products to their website. I couldn't find the Mist available online, but if it's available they can order it for you :). The heart stickers I got a couple of years ago from the 1.00 spot in Archivers and I'd never used them. I think they were the perfect accent. I used my copic liner to journal black ink over the black metallic mist. The journalling is very sentimental regarding my late spouse (God rest his soul) and my trip to the Dark Knight Rises with someone else.

Now for some cheerier new :)

I recently went and perused the 12 Tags of 2012 by Tim Holtz. I hadn't gone anywhere near Timmy's blog since my spouse passed. I had enjoyed his Christmas tags for the last several years but felt I just couldn't face them for 2011. And just this month I went to visit one of my scrappy girlfriends and she asked me if I had seen the August tag. I admitted to her that I hadn't seen the first tag for the year. She fussed at me a bit but said I had to see the August tag because it was " SO CHARITY." I went and looked and agreed it was me, then I waited a few days and carefully went through all the tags from the year. I was awed and inspired and so I sent him an email to thank him.

Little did I know he would respond. 

He also wanted to send me the tag.

It came Saturday.

It's wonderful, and he signed the back! 

Who knew Rock Stars could be so precious???? 

My heart is really touched by his kind words and the fact that he sent me this awesome little tag. 

Tim Rocks!

I've been really creative and inspired lately. I even made a project and a video. If you need help using your stash, you should play along. This video is posted as a response to Tonya over at Psychomoms on yt.