OLW # 71 SURROUND and my Guest spot for INSPIRATION ELEVATOR!

The tank has been empty.  Bone dry.  I finally just fell apart.  In a good way.  Deep breathes and some soul searching and some lists.  Not a TO DO list but a DO NOT DO list....more like, hey, do the exact opposite of everything you've been doing list.  Unless of course you want to be carted off in a straight jacket.  I just don't see that being very flattering.  Although the rest might be nice.

One of the things I have been doing a lot of despite my lack of time is creating.  Playing really.  I am having fun making stuff.  Not for any reason, just because.  I love that.  It has definitely helped.
When I do that I learn things.  I figure out what I like and what works.  I don't have to show anyone but it's there.  All that good stuff starts creeping into my other creating time.  I love that too.

So today is Word Up #71 brought to you by the lovely Jessi Lute.  Check it out at OLW.

Here's mine.

That's my beautiful step daughter Clare and one of my grand daughters Jordyn.  I am so lucky to have such a special relationship with Clare.  She is such a strong, smart and brave woman.  She is graduating from college this weekend at 29 years old.  I am so proud of her! 

Check out the blog and play along with the challenge.  It is really freeing creating with one word in mind.  I always find my OLW layouts are some of my favorites.  

Next is this months challenge for Inspiration Elevator. This is one of my favorite challenge blogs.  The team is filled with such amazing talent and interesting stories.  A perfect combination.

This month the challenge comes from Laura Whitaker.  Laura's challenge,

"As we welcome spring, scrap something to do with a new beginning. It could be a relationship, an opportunity or even the world's awakening after a long winter nap.  Don't forget to journal and explain why you have chosen your topic."

Here is what I have done with this challenge.

This came at a perfect time for me.  I just celebrated my 46th birthday.  Like I said earlier in my post, after a mini freak out I realized I need to do somethings for me.  It feels different even saying it.  I am a smart woman, I know myself pretty damn well.  I know what I need to do.  I felt like it was important to write it down.  The details only matter to me, but I know what I mean.  It's a new beginning for ME and my relationship with myself.  

Please visit the blog to see Laura's challenge and what the Design Team has done.  Thanks so much ladies for stretching my creativity and making me think!

Here's the list of Design Team blogs.  Enjoy.

Laura Whitaker

Michelle Hernandez

Jodi Wilton

Lisa Moen

Laurel Seabrook

Ann Jobes

Cathy Harper

Sue Sykes

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

Christa Uttley

And the Winner is.

Jeanette Nyström ( Jeany )

Congrats to you Jeany!  My son picked a random number 23.  Thanks to everyone for playing along and for all your nice comments about my bag.  

Jeany if you could email me your mailing address I can get your goodies mailed out to you.   

Cocoa Daisy Day of Inspiration Blog Hop

Hi! Welcome to my stop on the Cocoa Daisy Day of Inspiration Blog Hop! You should have come from Ashley Calder's magical blog. If you’re starting here, be sure to go to the Cocoa Daisy blog and check out the rest of the team’s bags!  We also have some fun scrapping and chatting going on today as well as a super fun BINGO game on Sunday 2pm EST.  Please stop by and say hello.

I had so much fun making this bag.  I will say though, that it took several layers of paint and color to get it right.  In fact, at one point I hated it and wanted to give up.  I tell you this as a reminder to not give up on a project if you don't like it at first.  Sometimes if you keep going, you will really like it.

I used acrylic paints for the background and some Maya Mist sprays which I heat set to make them permanent.  I then copied the Audrey Hepburn image onto t shirt transfer paper and ironed it onto some very sheer material I had.  I cut out the image and used gel medium to adhere it to my bag.  The words, BE FABULOUS I stamped with my Cocoa Daisy Alpha onto white tissue paper with Archiver's ink and used the gel medium to adhere to bag.  The gel medium makes the tissue paper disappear. This is a technique I learned from Claudine Hellmuth at CHA this winter.

I have a fun give away for this blog hop. Lots of goodies!  There is also a bundle of pretty papers for you to enjoy.  Please leave a comment here on my blog and LIKE our Cocoa Daisy page on FB if you haven't already.  I will pick a random winner on Monday May 6th at 8am EST.  I will announce the winner on May 7th (my birthday!!)

Next stop is Emily Pitts.  Have fun!

Here is a full list of the Design Team links.

1. 1.     Alissa Fast
   2.     Anna Bjorkland
   3.     Ashley Calder
   4.     Denise Morrison
   5.     Emily Pitts
   6.     Jaime Warren
   7.     Jody Ferlaak
   8.     Kim Stewart
   9.     Lisa Saunders
   10. Mandie Pierce
   11. Mandy Koeppen
   12. Mandy Kay Starner
   13. Sharmaine Kruijver
   14. Stephanie Wheeler
   
   

Cocoa Daisy Record Label and a Blog Hop for Saturday

Here at Cocoa Daisy.  It's going to be a fun day, I will also be giving away an inspiration bundle of stamps, paper and embellishments.  

Record Label is the new kit at Cocoa Daisy.  I bought the project Life kit this month and tried my hand at a page.  I love the small format!

Here is what I created.

Some days are harder than others and some are just silly.

Conner, Jameson and Liam at the beach. I think they were 4 and 3 years old here.  How can you be grumpy or feel bad when you look at this photo?  It's really impossible.  I adore how goofy they are.  So fun.

Somedays lately, these boys who are now teenagers, are not this fun and silly.  Somedays are harder than others.  We are muddling through and figuring things out.  I wish I had a crystal ball but I don't.
I just cross my fingers and say my prayers and hope they have been listening.

Word Up #70 FRESH

OLW has another challenge.  Ronda shares her words on taking a FRESH look at things, starting fresh.

It is winter again in Montana.  But just 2 short weeks ago it was lovely.  Spring was here.  My grand daughter came over one day after school and we cooked dinner and went for a walk in the park by the house.  It was warm and beautiful.

Aubrey is almost 11 and she gives me such a fresh perspective on things.  She is dramatic and silly.  Still innocent.

Here's my layout with a photo I took that day.

I usually would be much more liberal with the mess.  More paint, scribbles, etc.  But something about that lovely background paper and the word FRESH made me slow down and keep it more simple.  I really like how it turned out.

Still snowy and cold here today.  Hope the sun shines at least!

Cocoa Daisy April Forcast

Well, the weather in Missoula Montana is sunny and beautiful.
I can't believe how gorgeous the weather has been.  Blue skies and 65 degrees.  The sunshine makes everything seem better.  Amazing when you go most of the winter without out and then it finally shows up and you keep wondering, "why am I so happy."

Lots of new stuff going on at Cocoa Daisy.  Christine has teamed up with Simple Stories and our own Stephanie Wheeler, to bring to the kit some exclusive papers just for Cocoa Daisy.

Here are some of my layouts for this month.   This one is using mostly  the exclusive papers!
Conner is 16 and I think my major role in his life is just to let him know that no matter how crappy things may appear, he's going to be okay.

This one I created using the add-on Wellies.  

All that good stuff!  The Jillibean pea pod parts, the Elle Studio cards, the Theresa Collins photo corners, and the Basic Grey candy.  

Lastly I have another one using the Cocoa Daisy/Simple Stories papers, and that wonderful grey striped paper by Elle's Studio.

A six month subscription is 29.95 a month.  A bargain.  This is what you get in one month.

including the stamps! 

and for all you Project Life nuts out there, we have a new PL kit.  It looks so good I am almost ready to do something similar to PL.  I love the idea of the small format, just not the pace.  Here it is.

I love those little wood words.  

Hope spring has come to wherever you are!