Good-Bye 30's

On May 25th, when I was 29, I don't recall analyzing the change that was going to occur. Yes, I was leaving my 20's and it was strange, but it was a bit more exciting. I was working from home (which I always loved), we had just bought our first home and we had no children. I was about a month away from getting my dog. Everything was still ahead of me. So, although no longer having a "2" in my age would be something to get used to, I felt good things were to come!

I sit here on May 25th, the last day in my 30's. The past decade included an amazing combination of adventure and joy as well as unbelievable sadness and loss. I have such mixed emotions. I know I should embrace this new chapter of my life with dignity and grace but there is a part of me that really wants to enter it kicking and screaming!! (Although I'm not sure this old lady has the strength for that). It's far more significant than I thought it would be and I just hope a week from now I wake up thinking, "eh, no big deal." In the meantime, in less than 24 hours what will be...will be. I will wake up like I always do. Get dressed like I always do. Help Emily get ready for school, just like I did today. Liam will have therapy (actually an evaluation is scheduled), I will clean and do laundry and attempt to do something creative for a moment or two. The world will keep on spinning and I'll spin right along with it. I just hope it doesn't spin too fast...spinning at my age can be quite nauseating. ;)

I was on a creative roll and real life got in the way again. I've spent the past week working on a quilt for Emily's teacher, gathering up the materials and printing photos on fabric. I even made a mock version for the woman who is doing the sewing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will come out well. I did my best so we'll see what happens!

I'm happy to say that I will have a very creative weekend, as Emily and I head out to a scrapbook convention! We can't wait to have a girly weekend together where we can scrap and she can swim! We'll take one class on Friday and we are meeting up with some good friends to take a class on Saturday. I'll post class photos when we get back!

Tonight I'll continue working on my birthday album...so much to do, so little time!

Shirt Pillow!

Creativity...day 7
I finally finished the third book for my Mom. Not the best, not the worst...I think she'll love it no matter what. :)

...day 8
I felt like concentrating on my birthday book today. I didn't get much done but it's a start. It's another Button Farm kit which means it will look great but take a long time to put together!

...day 9

Mother's Day. Today I did about 6 loads of laundry, cleaned Emily's room, then my room, then Liam's room. It was such a busy day in the house (so much to do) but I did promise Em I would make her a "shirt pillow." She has a really soft Hello Kitty peace shirt that she loves but it's too small. So, I just sewed the shirt together, stuffed it and voila...a new pillow!

...day 10

I did NOTHING creative today unless you count downloading photos from a school field trip! I went to the Museum of Natural History with Emily's class and came home EXHAUSTED. :( Wait! I also ordered some fabric for the class quilt we are making for her teacher. I know nothing about quilting so luckily I have some help. I did have to take photos of the kids, I'll have to print them on fabric, buy all of the supplies and figure out how to organize everything. I was also trying to come up with something a bit different since the quilts are done each year. I think I came up with something good and right up her teachers ally. Here is a tiny preview of the fabric...I went colorful since it will hang in her classroom. Shhh...don't tell, the theme is a secret!

Creativity...continued.

I'm finding it difficult to sleep. OK, I always find it difficult to sleep but these days my brain is filled with projects. Although I know there aren't enough hours in the day, just the thought of doing something creative makes me giddy!! I must calm down though, I have to finish some "time sensitive" projects that I'm working on. Then, I'm free to continue the five pending projects I have on my desk!

26 Days of Creativity...day 3
On Sunday I began working on a third mini album for Mother's Day. I spent the night trying to kick up an unexciting mini album I started in 2007! I love blue and chocolate brown together so that's sort of saving this album in my eyes. So far, it's not bad but I'll need a few more days to really make this an album worth looking at!

...day 4

I was side tracked today to work on a project with my Mom. We are making some really cute cards...OK, I'm making some cute cards but originally it was her idea. I promised to work on this but I was in "Mother's Day mode" so it got pushed to the side. Today I was full of card creativity!

...day 5

I'm back to the mini album and inking away! I'm concerned that I won't get this done on time...UGH! I still need to print and add the photos which is often very time consuming. I'll get there but there's only a few days to go...

...day 6

Today I'll hopefully finish the CKC album. Right now I'm making the second, identical album for myself. I'll print out two sets of photos and pop them in. "On deck" I have a great album from The Button Farm. The original concept was for this to be a "year in review" type of thing. Instead, I'm making it a "40" album for my upcoming birthday.

Soup Sunday

I love soup. I don't care if it's the dead of winter or the hottest day in the summer, I'll crank up the AC and sip some soup. I realized that for the past couple of months, I've been making soup on Sundays...today was no exception! Matzo ball soup once again but I decided to kick it up with some not-so-traditional veggies like string beans and broccoli. It's about 87 degrees today but you know what I'll be having for dinner! YUM!

26 days of creativity...day 2

Today I was working on a new book for Liam. My friend Marilyn put together an amazing scrapbook for her daughter that will help her learn the alphabet. They will choose a letter a day/week and focus on that letter with great paper and photos! For example, if I start with the letter "A," maybe I'll take a photo of Liam eating an "apple." That goes right on the "A" page! I love the idea because Liam LOVES pictures and has this strange obsession with the alphabet. I purchased a scrap line by K & Company called "Actopus to Zelephant" and it's ADORABLE! It comes with coordinating elements including stickers, chipboard pieces and some great flash cards. Today I loaded up my scrapbook with the paper I'll be using and began the title page.

Tonight I plan on working on the third (and final) book to give to my Mom for Mother's Day. This is from CKC 2007. It's a much smaller book. which is good because I didn't take too many photos that year! I have to admit, I didn't like many of my classes that summer but I chose this book because the theme was actually "scrapbooking." The colors are great and although it's a simple book, I know I can fancy it up a bit. I'll post more when I finish!

26 Days of 39

Today is the first day of May (despite the date above this post) and the countdown begins. I have only 26 days until I turn 40. Oy Vey. I remember when my Mom turned 40 and I'm sure my young, sixteen year old brain thought that was old. Well guess what kid? That "old lady" is YOU! Wow. I've seen so many of my friends, my old classmates, my husband turn 40, yet I was sort of in denial when it came to me. Although I look around and see that 40 is clearly fabulous...I still have that not so fresh feeling. :( It's sort of like day old bread. Still good, not as fresh as the day before but not as stale as it could be. ;) Yep, that's it, day old bread.

I need a way to embrace the next few weeks in a positive way and filter out all of my anxiety. For me, creativity always cures what ails me. So, for the next 26 days I will do something creative each day, whether large or small, to "celebrate" the end of my thirties and welcome my forties. I can't say that I'm happy, but perhaps it will give me a sense of calm. :)

NSD

Today is National Scrapbooking Day (it started in 1994) and I will be celebrating with Emily as I've done for the past five years. I finally finished the CKC scrapbooks for my Mom and I even managed to finish a few of the class layouts. I'll probably never get actual photos in those layouts but it's still an accomplishment! Emily worked on her Crayola Crayon Factory book. We decided a "file folder album" would be fun for this project. It's a great way to display small projects and isn't as bulky as a large album. We ended up using a lot of staples which didn't bother Emily. It gives it a hand made feeling. Each page has a clear (transparency) pocket and a piece of sticky ribbon to border the top (we got that at The Factory store).

By the way...I know I need to start taking better photos. For me it's always an issue of time, so I take a quick photo so I can post. I need a really well lit area in my home to take photos. Better photography is definitely on my "to do" list...

Life Happens.

I'm back! While I was away, I did a little spring cleaning and revamped my blog a bit. Now it's a bit more interesting and has more of a homey feeling. Of course posts would be nice right? Right. I never really liked the phrase "life happens." (although it doesn't bother me half as much as "get over it"...MAN that makes me cringe). It sort of sounds like a cop out..."eh, life happens, what can you do?" I guess I'm not that laid back. All of that said, when I was ready to blog again and I was thinking of why I haven't been here, so much swam through my head. I realized that I had many things residing on my plate...Theme Day at Em's school, Brownie meetings, the school newsletter, PTO, pick-ups, drop-offs, homework, Liam's therapy, tons of paperwork, laundry, taxes, bills to pay, clothes to switch, spring cleaning, daylight savings (I want my hour BACK), meals to make, and rooms to reorganize...just to name a few! Each day I wanted to blog. Each day I wanted to create something amazing. Each day I wanted to get lost in a project that would allow me a sense of "calm" (my word of the year) but...life happens. In most cases things (like those I mentioned) are more important than the things we really want to do (not that laundry isn't fun) and we end up going with whats practical. I think I have to learn to embrace life as it happens yet also find a way to carve out a tiny piece for myself each day. Yes, life happens but I reserve the right to alter it a bit. :)

A peek into the past couple of months...

Spain.

Our country for Theme Day was Spain. I spent the month of February working on projects to decorate our room as well as "souvenirs" for the kids. Thanks to my fabulous assistant, Ana, we got so much done! We made Spanish flag bookmarks (with faux leather), olive drink stirrers, metro cards, Euros, "El Corte Ingles "shopping bags", bull fighting pads with red pens and our hand made castanets. Each souvenirs had information on the back so the kids could learn a bit about the culture of the country.

Kindness.

One day, for no reason my friend Molly sent me a gift. She had been shopping in a craft store and saw some buttons that made her think of me...and she sent them. A random act of kindness that brought such a smile to my face! I LOVE these buttons and can't wait to use them in my scrappy projects. They are hanging right in front of me over my scrap desk. How grateful I am to have reconnected with such an amazing woman. Although we weren't very close as kids, she's one of the reasons evolving and becoming an adult is such a great thing. I'm glad I went to that darn reunion! ;) Thanks Molly! :)

Revolution.

I admit, I've been taken in by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution! I've been inspired to cook more and use more fresh ingredients. I'm rethinking the way I feed my kids and trying to eliminate many of the processed foods that find their way into my freezer. It hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be. Cooking is actually fun, it's the cleaning that I try to avoid!

WIP (Work In Progress).

Each year my Mom and I go to CKC (Creating Keepsakes Convention) and I choose one class project that I use for scrapping that years convention. I make one for me and one for my Mom. Well, no surprise, I'm a bit behind, so this year for Mother's Day I'm giving Mom three years worth of books! I just finished 2008, made from The Button Farm's "Random Musings" acrylic album. Next, is 2009 and I'm using The Button Farm's "Good Things" acrylic album. I still have to back track and pick something out for 2007!

Until next time...