Scrappy Hearts

Pause

As you may recall, "pause" is my word for 2012. I have been serious about taking time to pause, mindfully, throughout my days. Well, it seems that I am not the only one to be so inclined. As Mark and I sat in the airplane awaiting take-off, I caught a little glimpse of zen on the tarmac.Pause, taking the time to breathe and just be. Perhaps it is an idea that might just catch on.

Making the Time

It has been nearly a week since I arrived back in NJ. A week that has been filled with school work and yard work. Today, after a little indoor cleaning, I made the time to create. I am so glad I did!

We didn't get started until late in the afternoon, but we accomplished so much.Cindy worked on placing photos on layouts that she had already created and then moved onto working with papers and photos that she had grouped together.

Me, well I needed to complete my layout for Crop-a-Latte with the papers I was given in August. I am so pleased with the layout. I just need to add a few words but I will be ready to ship it out to Mark on Monday evening.The papers are from SEI and the photo is a black and white copy of Jason walking me down the aisle. I just love the photo. Not sure about the title, but I am leaning towards, "My First Love" or "My Best Beau." I will decide before I place it in the mail. Mark has graciously agreed to attend Crop-a-Latte for me this month since it is the last month. I didn't want to miss the page kit and goodies they have planned. Isn't he a sweetheart?

The next few layouts feature pictures from our most recent adventure. A trip out to the San Juan Islands. We both got some beautiful photos that day, my favorite is the self portrait I shot of our reflection in the ferry window. Mark saw what I was doing and ran up so that he could also be included in the shot.     I am thrilled with the way the layout turned out. Still need to include a bit of journaling and the date but many of my favorite stamps are in Washington and will not arrive until Mark gets here early next month. The paper is Close to My Heart and I just love the photos on the tags and the string that looks like rope. Very nautical. So happy that I found the cork letters because they add texture to the layout. 

The next layout is a picture of a Washington ferry with Mt. Baker in the background sporting the glow of the sunset in the west. Clearly the mountain was out on this day and we were so happy for the view.Still not sure about the title, but the majority of the work is done. Again, the paper is Close to My Heart and the tags, one is 7 Gypsies and the other is just a plain shipping tag. I generally buy them in bulk at the Office Depot. All of my photo enlargements are ordered from Scrapbook Pictures. I wouldn't order enlargements from anyplace else, they do a great job! And they are quick also!

The last layout featuring photos from our trip that day is a photo of the sunset. The layout is plain so as not to detract from the photo. I will include journaling, but at the moment I am not sure of the best way to handle that so I decided to wait.The cardstock is Bazzill, linen textured, both the black and the off white. The chipboard letters are from a donna downey mini-album kit that I ordered from QVC ages ago. So glad I am finally beginning to use some of my supplies that have been hanging around for years.

The last layout I worked on features another photo of Jason and I as he walked me down the garden path. This is one of my favorite shots from the wedding. I had ordered the enlargement a while ago but I believe the other photos for this layout are in Washington. Not sure about that, so I decided to call it a night. Tomorrow is another day. Perhaps I will locate the missing photos and if not, I have plenty of other projects to work on. 

I have decided that it is time to get my albums in order, logical order. Again, a project for another day!

One Little Word

I have tried to honor my little word this year, recognizing that I am most content when I schedule time for myself to create.

March’s goal was to take action. For me, taking action included signing up for a quilt class with a friend and maintaining the progress on my Project Life Album. Following through with both of those commitments was, at times, difficult. I persevered and am moving along at a good pace on both. 

Now, if everything else in the house could be moving along at a good pace, things would be idyllic!

 

Time to Create

Around here, the weeks fly by, fast and furious. As much as I try to limit my outside commitments, it always seems that I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off. This year, for whatever reason, it seems so much worse.

Wednesdays and Thursdays are the absolute worst in terms of my schedule. Wednesdays I work until 4 then there’s professional development until 6 and then a quilt class from 7 - 9. Thursday - work until 4 and then tutoring for just about 3 hours. By the time Thursday evening finds me at home - I am exhausted. But tonight I am inspired to continue on. Yes, my mystery quilt has been revealed. The blocks are gorgeous and now that I can see light at the end of the tunnel, I want to finish the quilt, NOW. 

Won’t it be great? My absolute favorite quilt block is the star and this star, in the corner, with the blue and light brown fabric, really pops. This quilt calls for three borders and depending on the colors I choose for the two inner borders, I think the quilt will really be striking.

Time to Create

My goal this weekend was to allow myself time to create. While I did very little else, I did manage to squeeze “time to create” into my schedule. Saturday I spent with my friend Robin working on a t-shirt quilt that we began in 2009. I am pleased to announce that the quilt top is done. Phew. It was a real challenge piecing together different size t-shirt pieces to make a cohesive whole. But that part is done. Now, we just need to add the borders and plan for the quilting. We will let the professionals handle that part!

I did spend a little time yesterday cutting pieces for a quilt that I hope to make for a friend but I cannot really say that I made any headway on my projects. I still have to finish piecing my t-shirt quilt together, but I am unsure of how to proceed. I will have to ponder that a little longer.

Tonight I started to work on my Miss Emma’s quilt, again, pretty pinks and yellows. This quilt, the Daisy Chain, really comes together quickly once the cutting of the pieces is complete. I am well on my way to having all of the individual blocks completed by Tuesday, fingers crossed!

It felt really good to take some time to sew, scrapbook and just relax. I am not good at that relaxing piece, but I am learning. It feels good!

Project Life, Week 1

Allowing at least a little time each day to create has worked for me, so far, this year. I believe that working on my Project Life helps me to feel as though I am a wee bit creative each day. I usually add the day’s photo and my journaling just before going to bed. I print the photo and walk down the hall to Mark’s office and work in there while he is writing. So far the whole set up is working out well.

I wanted to share a bit of the project with you, but you must forgive the pictures. I am still trying to figure out the best way to take pictures so that the information can be seen. The page protectors make that a bit difficult!

This is Week One. First the left hand page...

I started the week on Saturday since that was the first of the year. I like that the last day of my work week is the last day to be featured in a spread. Now, the right hand page...

I have so much going on that I have had to use multiple journaling cards in the smaller sections just to include our story for the year. I am happy that I figured out how to print my photos small and that I can use those smaller photos on journaling cards that fold over. The White Christmas photo, for example, includes the story of how we decided to get married. This is going to be a year of great change and exciting new opportunities. So glad I decided to document our stories by using Becky Higgins Project Life. Here’s to creating memories!

Create.

Create, my word for 2011, and one thing I want to focus on in the new year. I have so many creative hobbies that it is easy for me to become distracted and that compromises my ability to complete projects.

i was afraid that my need to create would be lost in my rush to prepare my house to sell. Now that we will not be putting the house on the market in April, I can afford to take a little time each day to create. Boy does that make me happy. One project that absolutely allows me to create just a little each day is Becky Higgin's Project Life. I am having so much fun doing selecting photos, printing them and doing just a little each day.

I finished week one - today. Pretty good for a procrastinator like me! Here's a peek!  

I need to find a better place to take these photos, but you get the idea. I love the immediacy of the project. 

Making time to quilt, in the midst of working on the house, is also a priority for me. I need to sew to keep myself sane. That probably explains a lot about the past year! So, I have created a list of projects that are simple, in process and can be done in little snippets of time. I have already started work on Emma's quilt, sewing that is. William's quilt is in the process of being cut and Diane's quilt is complete! I am loving that my machine is set up in the same room that Mark has his office and I can go in there at any time - sew a bit and leave without having to put away the machine or supplies. Em's quilt is going to be gorgeous:

I am working hard to maintain balance in my life and that is not easy for me. But, so far, so good!

A Woman's Prerogative

That's right. It is a woman's prerogative to change her mind and I have done precisely that. 

Each year I chose a word of the year. A word that I think will help to guide me and my actions. the word that called to me for 2011 was "change". We have big plans for this year. Moving, finding a new job, creating a life shared, all while launching a new business. I'd say that that represents a good deal of change for the current year. Regardless of what we are actually able to accomplish, change is inevitable. 

About two days ago, "change" wasn't feeling like the right word for what needs to happen in the coming year. I have spent the past few days pondering the idea of my word and I believe I have found the perfect word for 2011. 

"Create."

I don't want to just change my life, I want to create a new life for myself, for Mark and I. Not that there is anything wrong with my current life, there really isn't. But, having said that, I still have so many dreams that I want to achieve. In order to do so I will need the strength and fortitude necessary to persevere and create the life I've dreamed about. The ability to "create" becomes essential.

So, as I plunge, nose-dive, perhaps, belly-flop into the future, I do so with intent and focus. Look out world this is one project that will not become a UFO! (fingers crossed!) 

 

{grace}

It took me a while to decide but I have finally settled on my word for 2010. I spent a considerable amount of time thinking that I would need to spend another year with "simplify" because I just didn't do a great job with it. Although, truth be told, I did a much better job with "simplify" than I had done the year before with "thrive." So, I have convinced myself to move forward and I have selected "grace" as my word for 2010.

Why grace? Well, I chose "grace" primarily because I believe that all our interactions, be it with friends, family, acquaintances and partners would be greatly enhanced if we were more inclined to relate to each other with grace. For me, the ability to acknowledge that we are all human, all make mistakes, and all are doing our best to make it through each day is huge. That includes acknowledging the same for myself.

I think, bear with me for a moment, but I really believe that if I live my life with more grace I will be calmer, less reactionary and perhaps my life would be more joyful. I also think that living with "grace" will reduce the amount of drama in my life, which in turn would simplify my life. (See how nicely this is all working together?) 

My goal, in terms of living with grace, is to do my best to suspend assumptions, presumptions and the judgment of others. To try to understand, to the best of my ability, that I do not need to react to all situations defensively, or maybe even at all. I believe that I will also need to work very hard on following my 10 second rule - applying careful thought to the words I choose when dealing with a situation that may be causing me discomfort or pain. Living my life with grace will allow me to focus on what's most important in my life.

I have many beautiful photographs that I feel represent the serenity that grace brings to life but I decided to include a song instead. I love this particular version of this beautiful song and I include this song because it was my father's favorite hymn.

So, here's to 2010, a year of "grace."