Monthly Archives: January 2012

Life Improvements.

Final assignment for Journey to Happiness: What Matters Most (Big Picture Classes)…complete. I’m ready to continue on my journey to happiness, and to focus on what matters most! The final assignment is to prepare a journal to write down thoughts/actions/progress notes, etc. for the improvements and changes I intend to make in order to make my life happier and more fulfilling. Since the beginning of January, I have noticed that I really enjoy journaling more; writing down notes, words of wisdom I’ve heard, funny jokes, stories, thoughts and what-not. It has been making me feel better about issues, problems or quandaries I may have;  while bearing more weight with the positive thoughts and feelings in my head. This journal will be a valuable tool to keep me on my path to all things good and happy.

[Journal, orange patterned fabric ('FabRips'), and spray mist from Studio Calico.]

Lots of graphed pages for writing, doodling, and pasting photos and ephemera into. Studio Calico also makes these great vintage-looking book plates, too.

I’m still working on Project Life every day. I am so thankful that I finally decided to do this project; I really enjoy it, it’s not terribly time-consuming, and I notice how full and rich my life is…I would not be paying attention to the details as I do now, nor seeing the value of little moments otherwise overlooked. My life is good, and PL keeps me remembering that every day. Some random pages of this week and the last:

I’m not color-coordinated on every page; I don’t have fabulous and perfect-looking journal cards (ala Cathy Zielske); some days have just one photo and other days may have a whole page…but that’s perfectly okay with me. I have been good about taking at least one photo every day, and holding on to bits and pieces to stuff into a pocket for that given day. My pages are pretty random and eclectic, but sometimes that’s how my days are, too. Documenting my moments, experiences, days and weeks is what matters. Date the photos, talk about them a little, relate a story or two, get it on paper, get it into the album, remember.

Thanks for letting my share with you!

My journey to happiness.

This Big Picture class has been fun. Then again, all Big Picture Classes are fun! I have caught up with two more assignments, and I just feel like sharing them here.

I haven’t completely finished embellishing this mini album; but my husband liked it so much the way it is, he’s confiscated it to display in our living room (I’m too flattered to be mad ;-) . This was a great class to start the new year with, because I don’t know about you, but I’m all about starting fresh and new and making changes for the better. I want to make this a great year…and if I start doing this every year, then each future year will only get better and better, right? I’m optimistic. Thanks for coming by to visit! I’ll try to get some more Project Life photos posted in the near future.

The Good and the Bad.

I am finally working on my first class assignment for “Journey to Happiness: What Matters Most”….never mind that the rest of the class is on week three! Better late than never!

I’ve also been working diligently on my Project Life album. Only today have I gotten photos taken to show here. I don’t know that I want to show everything, but this is a general idea of how eclectic it is because I generally include most everything from my life in the photo pockets. I also love that I have a chance to do more journaling than normal.

My life. I enjoy this project; keeping the album on my desk (readily accessible) makes it easy to stay caught up. I’ve also noticed that I pay way more attention to the little things in my life because of this project. Even my mom has decided to do her own Project Life album! Thanks for stopping by!

Serenity.

This is a good word for me this year, and that’s why I chose this to be my One Little Word in Ali Edwards’ Big Picture Class. Serenity is the perfect word for me because it is exactly what I need. I have decided that now is the time to do something in order to achieve a better balance in my life. More happiness and peace, less stress and anxiety. More exercising, less eating. More saving, less spending. Throw out what I don’t need, hold on to what’s important. I believe I can make things work better in my life if I have more inner calm and quietude: the serenity to just do and be the best me I can.

January's assignment for One Little Word.

GOD, grant me the serenity

to accept the things
I cannot change,
Courage to change the

things I can, and the
wisdom to know the difference.
Living ONE DAY AT A TIME;

Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the
pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this

sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make

all things right if I
surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy

in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever in
the next. Amen
Reinhold Neibuhr-1926

 

Thanks for stopping by!

It takes a village….of seven gypsies.

Happy New Year!! To start off my year, I have several projects in mind. I have my 2012 One Little Word and Journey to Happiness: What Matters Most (both at Big Picture Classes); A Photo-A-Day (from Studio Calico) and Project Life. I also want to learn some more book-binding techniques (stitching), and I have been wanting to make a village like the one I saw on 7Gypsies’ blog. I am rather behind on most everything already, but I did manage to create my village this weekend. I love it. It is faaaaaar from perfect, or even good, but I still like it’s quaint charm, and it does wonders for one of our bookshelves.

I kindly thank my dear husband for his help in cutting the davey board to make the houses; that was not an easy task. I used left-over book boards (aka “davey board”) from when I made books earlier in the year, and I purchased most of the products from Blue Moon Scrapbooking, and this is what I used:

  • All papers from the Off The Wall collection by 7 Gypsies
  • 7 Gypsies Artist Printer’s Tray Display trim loops and hooks in antique silver
  • 7 Gypsies antique silver ring book knob
  • A 7 Gypsies antique silver key
  • 7 Gypsies scrapbook hardware, Gypsy
  • 7 Gypsies scrapbook hardware gears, Gems
  • 7 Gypsies scrapbook hardware gears, Industrial
  • 7 Gypsies display trim school rulers, Wood
  • 7 Gypsies metal page edges in antique silver, straight
  • 7 Gypsies metal page edges in antique brass, scallop (I had these already)
  • Maya Road chipboard windows
  • Tim Holtz distress ink, Walnut Stain
  • davey board (book board, but thick chipboard will also work)

I used Tacky Glue, and matte medium gel as adhesives, cardstock scraps and a really good industrial strength utility knife. I chose my own sizes and shapes, and  the instructions are here.

See you later for more updates on more projects!