no small thing

As I begin to get back into the swing of things from being down sick most of the month of February, I have been in a reflective mode as to what life has been lately. Um...like...totally out of my control. Yep. Pretty much. A real lesson in letting go. Going with the flow. Making my mind slow down and be still and take notice. This month has been so many things.

In this reflection a lot of people come to mind who were part of my care and helping and giving of their time and energy while I was down.

So a couple of things came out of this reflection...a layout. Typically this is a response to a memory I want to save.

A layout celebrating with a single photo my thoughts on this subject. I took the photo I had in my instagram feed of my sister's get well basket to me, and that was the focal point of my thoughts and this project.

This layout was inspired by a Keisha Campbell page and was a primer in getting back into a creative swing. When I am in a creative funk, I will look to other creatives for ideas. Sometimes, just looking at other peoples stories and their projects will start that inspiration in my mind and heart and then I can go from there.

This layout was also inspired by the new Dreamy collection from Heidi Swapp that will be shipping next month to stores and online places. It is this soft mix of hues and textures. Lots of 'love' inspired words and labels. The sentiment seemed to me to fit the theme of this page as it is really about the love that was shown to me and my family these past weeks.

Lastly, this page was inspired by Lisa Jo and her Five Minute Friday. Five Minute Friday is an invitation to write for 5 minutes on a subject that she chooses, and then link it up to her blog. Well...I have never been brave enough to do this, much less link to her blog. But this time I did. This time I went for the challenge, went with the flow of something new coming into my life and prompting a response...
and I would like to put myself out there and share those words, that are now part of this layout, with you::

Small
There is nothing done small in His name. Flowers given to share love. A gift basket extending "get well". A meal served to help a family in need. Children picked up and delivered to their destinations. Nothing. Small.
He told us that "as you do to the least of my brothers you have done it unto me".
Really.
A heart card from a child to a mom.
A visit received when one is too sick to get out.
The simple asking "is there anything I can do?"
The simple doing, when the question is not answered.
He never put a measure on it.
Save for "whatever".
Whatever we do to the least...it is as if we do it for Him.
I have been least. In many ways. I am recovering. But I will not forget the great things done when I was least.
Even the simplicity of the gift of rest.
Nothing is small to Him.
Nothing. Small.

This was a very meaningful exercise in many ways.
I invite you too to take time in the near future and document a real meaningful memory for you as well. I can assure you, you will not regret it. Take a photo that captures the essence of your heart. Then write. Write about it. Write freely and without judgement. Be a noticer of the things in your heart and then let it go out for others to know too.

till next time...

make art at chic tags

o.k...
i have been crazy sick for like, ever.
more of this month have i been down then not.
do you know how crazy that makes me?
pretty crazy.
while i am not quite at the 100% level this mom-of-a-very-busy-household would like to be, i am also not dying like i thought i was going to be doing a week ago today.

but that said...
i am thrilled today to be sharing my very first project for chic tags with you all today...

hope you will run over there and get the scoop and inspiration behind this layout. there is lots to be had.

and i hope this is the beginning of more wellness for me.
till next time..

project life ~ january 2014

Welcome to a new week...
Sharing our version of Project Life for January here today...
i have a different vision for this album this year...
and this is probably how it will look going forward.

An album with a year's worth of stories told in order is really really meaningful to this family. So I am choosing to keep that concept in mind. Pocket scrapbooking will still be a part of this album. As you can see here with Week1. Not a lot of photos were taken, which is part of something I will be focused better on. But that does not stop the story telling.

Looking in my album you will see this as Week2. A trad scrap layout. This is the way I really really love to tell our story, with a traditional layout. The little calendar card from One Little Bird will be a themed piece throughout the year keeping our dates cohesive.

And a lot of grid layouts will be telling our moment stories, like my nephew's 16th birthday as shown here. (note to self...take the trad scrap layouts OUT of the pocket protectors before taking photos). I love me a grid anyhow. A lot of story can be told simply in this matter. All the photos are arranged to fit on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of photo paper and printed at once. Then trimmed as one piece and added to the page.

And then back to another pocket page for Week4. Very straight forward. Not much embellishment, but some. Yet lots of journaling. and story telling.
telling our story...this is what i am really seeking, after all.

And I want to get back to telling our story. I want to keep it doable and simple. But I want to add my love of trad scrap layouts too. Hoping this year's book can be a steady telling with these concepts in mind.

How about you...
will you be telling your story this year the same way?
I would love to hear...
till next time.

#heidiswappsayiloveyou blog hop

Welcome friends...
it's that most wonderful time of the year again...
oops...sorry, wrong holiday...
but Valentines Day is a fun fun holiday full of a few of my favorite things like chocolate and flowers and cards and...did I mention chocolate?

 Today the Heidi Swapp Media team is celebrating a little early and hoping to share some inspiration with you.  We want you to make something. Anything. A card. A tag. Some cookies. You get the idea. And share your appreciation with someone you might not normally give to.

 I went with a classic standby...a card Valentine. Can't help myself with the new Color Magic Card sets? Are you kidding me? They are so much fun to play with and dress up and are a unique take on the traditional card.

 I kept mine very simple and soft. Using the Color Magic File Set, I took to coloring all the elements the same color using Blush and White Color Shine. More on that in a minute.

After everything was colored and let to dry, I took silver twine and layed it lazily on the card and held it in place with one of the hearts from the Color Magic Chipboard Stickers. I added a few more of the hearts as well. Some splatters of the Blush Color Shine and a few dots of Zazz Glitter Glue in Parfait and it was complete.

For the color of my card, I wanted really really soft, so here is what I did:

1. Used these items.

2. Sprayed Blush and White Color Shine on my craft mat, but I went a little heavier with the white.

3. Then the Color Shine was dabbed on the using a cosmetic sponge. And you can see how extra soft it is now on the Color Magic Element.

O.K. now...I have someone special in mind to share this Valentine with...it might sound corny...but it goes to the lady who does my hair. Cause she is practically a miracle worker. And I want her to know how much I appreciate her.

How about you? Who will you share a Valentine with? Send some love to someone and you could win some goodies from HeidiSwapp.com. Create something. And then show us on instagram who you shared it with. Be sure to use the hashtag #heidiswappsayiloveyou so we can follow along. More details on HeidiSwapp.com if you have not visited there yet.

Now...let's head on over and see how Jennifer Evans is sharing her love.
And then be sure to check out the rest of the team and what they are up to today.

Here are the list of girls participating today! If you haven't already started with Heidi Swapp's project make sure you do! She has some freebies to giveaway as well!

Heidi Swapp

Maggie Massey

Jamie Pate

Jennifer Evans

Lindsay Bateman

Kim Jeffress

hello february

time flies...
this is why i take pictures.
print them.
and document.

this little guy and his life are flying by too. i am finding the need to grasp at his dwindling toddler days and be better focused on his little stories. it is actually causing all kinds of introspection on my part as to how that should look, but that is a post for another time.

his grandparents gave him this red trike. and that boy can jam down the sidewalk with sheer delight. we had a gorgeous and warm day in the middle of january (do you remember when it use to be warm?), and it was great opportunity to get outside. to run. play. and of course ride.

This layout  uses a lot of Hello Today but it is also mixed with some old school No Limits. Hello Today can be very soft and girlie, so I loved the challenge to turn it up a bit and give it this little boy feel.

by attaching a little mini book to the front of the page, i added more than one photo. because, you can't have too many photos of that face. this was easily made by folding pattern papers that were cut 12x4 inches, folding them in half, and stapling in the middle. walah! a mini photo flap book thingy.

till next time.