Birthday Girl Paper Crown

I wanted to share a picture of the crown I made for Claires Birthday this year. I included it in teh birthday love over at http://artygirlzchallengeblog.blogspot.com/. I love the way it turned out and she actually wore it for the entire party so it must have been comfortable too. I beleive that I may need to make a crown for myself this year. Stay tuned that could be a funny picture.......

Triplet Baby Boys Gift

I was a busy girl yesterday trying to get together some handmade gifts for a friend of mine that is having triplets soon. Her shower is on Saturday and I won't be able to make it as I am going to Portland to visit my bestest friend in the whole world who I have not seen since we said good-bye in Paris, France last year. So here is a peek at what I have created so far. This first picture is a brag book for her to put some pictures in.
This is the card that will accompany the gifts. The inside says joy times three. Cute, no?And a frame to put a picture of her cutest triple boys ever. Man, will she ever be busy soon. I can not imagine?

MIxed Media Monday

Here is my contribution for www.mixedmediamonday.wordpress.com for this week. The theme was "something you like to do." So the first thing I thought of was how much I love to travel to Paris and this is what came out of it- A Paris garland. I have decided to keep it for myself and I hung it over my desk in front of the window. The pictures are not very good, but you get the idea.

I hand dyed the tags, added some great pink and brown patterned papers, got some glitter letters out, and some feathers too. Just too chic I must say. LOL

Musings On Money

If I win the lottery I will keep enough of it for my daughters and my niece to attend the college of their choice, for each of them to have some savings for a down payment for a house. I will pay our house off and add two more bedrooms and a bath upstairs. I will buy a used car that is in better shape than the one we own now. I will be sure all our debt is paid off and that we have money for retirement. I will buy a place in Italy as our vacation home. I will put enough in savings so that we can travel to Italy twice a year. I will be sure that we have great health insurance for our family and my niece. I may indulge in getting one more French Bulldog. I would also attend Jenny Craig and lose that weight I need to lose.

I really do not feel that we need much to be happy. In fact, we are pretty content right now with not much money at all. We live in a small 1000 sq. ft. cottage with two bedrooms. We drive old used cars, send our kids to public school, shop at TJ Maxx, yard sales and thrift stores. We do not own a LCD/HDTV with all the channels that are available through cable. We do not have a super duper stereo system or even a garage door opener let alone a garage. My kids do not own any of the fancy hand held computer games or have their own rooms. They do not wear designer clothes or have designer birthday parties with everyone in the class attending. We travel in the RV if we want to go on "vacation". Which, by the way, is now too expensive with the rising gas prices so we only use it once a year now. And I can truthfully admit that not only are we happy, but we are content.

What I am trying to say is that money does not buy you happiness. I drive around and see all these huge houses with two or four people living in them and I wonder why these couples think they need such a large house? I could see if they had 6-8 children but they don't. They are also driving huge cars that can fit 8 people but usually mom is in the car all by herself on the cell phone with who knows and not paying attention to the kids if they are in the car. Is all this just to impress other people? I am not impressed. I am perplexed.

I would love to win the lottery to help others. To help feed all those hungry children that live here in the good old USA. Don't people feel guilty living in those huge houses knowing that there are children starving every night when they go to bed? Don't they feel guilty buying that huge SUV knowing that it is killing our earth? Don't they feel guilty that they are too selfish to think of anyone but themselves and how much more they "need" before they feel good?

This is just something I do not understand. It truly perplexes me on a weekly basis that people believe that if they just had a bigger house, a more expensive car, bigger breasts, less wrinkles, bigger diamonds, more clothes/shoes and give less to others that they will be happier. I just do not understand it. Why are these people so selfish? I know that I would feel guilty if I had a lot of money and did not give it to people that truly need it.

This is me free writing about something that has been on my mind, bothering me today since I drove by some big houses on the way home from spending time with my mom. I hope that this has not offended anyone. I hope it makes you think about how you spend your money and your time and why you choose to spend it that way. No edits made......and it is scary to send it out there..........but here it goooooes......

Something To Learn, Something To Think About.....

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach teach children about sexual predators, you are irresponsible and eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate laywer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that hates America and advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.


OK, much clearer now.

Mixed Media Monday

I have been wanting to do the www.mixedmediamonday.wordpress.com challenges for quite some time and I was finally able to contribute to this weeks theme of famous people. My fav actress of all time since I was about 12 years old is Audrey Hepburn so it was a no brainer for me. First I found a picture that inspired me and then I decided to use a quote by her. I think it came together well. I may even add it to my Etsy shop.

Visual Personality Test

So my mom sent me this fun test. Thought you might like to try it out.

I Knew I Was In Trouble

"Dad's home!" My brother yells from the living room.

My 10 year old heart pounds a little faster thinking of the implications of my earlier actions. How can I get out of getting in trouble? I just know that Dad is going to get mad and ground me. Which means no friends, no phone, and no fun. I can not let this happen. I will do whatever it takes.

Then I hear him call,"Tina!"

I go outside to where his booming voice is coming from. The sliding glass doors to the patio like an entrance to a courtroom where my sentence is about to be handed down. He looks at me with his eyebrows frowning. With the sense that he can not believe what he is seeing was my doing. I am usually the "good girl", never getting into to trouble, and not one to take risks. What the heck happened today then?

Well, let me tell you how it all started- boredom. End of summer, almost ready to go back to school, boredom. My brother and I were looking for anything to do to pass the time while mom and dad were at work and we were home alone again with nothing to do but fight or get into trouble. This day we decided to get into trouble. Not with trouble being the goal, but that was the end result.

It started with my brother David, a typical eight year old boy, taking some rocks and throwing them on top of the roof of our house. Somehow, against my better judgement, I was roped into the fascination of how the rocks made a loud crack when they hit the roof. And then we upped the ante to see who could actually get the rock over the top of the house first.

With my very first attempt I chose a rather large, smooth rock that I felt would fly through the air and hit the driveway at the front of the house with the greatest of ease. I flung that rock with all my little girl strength, knowing that I would be the winner and be able to tease my brother for endless amounts of weeks that he is a weakling because I beat him at the contest.

As soon as the "perfect" rock left my hand I realized that the "perfect" throw was not going to be a winning throw. I remember thinking while watching the rock fly really low towards the house,"Why did I think this was okay?" And then, when the rock hit my parents bedroom window with a crash, my next thought was,"I am in so much trouble."

So now I am standing in front of my dad, crying out of fear and I come up with a question for him. A question that I hope will get me out of trouble. I say,"Dad, if I tell you the truth will I get in trouble?" Genius. He looks at me with quizzical eyes and I can tell he is trying to search for the right answer to my question. He finally replies,"If you tell me the truth you will not get in as much trouble as if you lie." Hm mm...? Not only was I going to have to tell him that I was the one to break the window, but I was going to learn a good life lesson in the process of getting in trouble.

This is why all these 28 years later, I remember this moment with great clarity. It was the moment that I knew I would not tell a lie, ever. I knew and understood and actually believed that I should get in trouble for my actions if my actions were detrimental to myself or others. I hope that I can teach this principle to my children and that it can make a lasting impression like the impression my dad made on me that day when he answered my question with the right answer.

Oh, and as far as the sentence served for my infraction that day, I do not remember if I received any or not. I think the feelings involved were enough for me to learn to think through my actions before I moved forward with them. To trust that intuitive voice I have inside that helps me make the right decision. I did not need to be grounded to take that lesson with me through the rest of my life.

Some Black and White Photography

I was playing around with my old Nikon N80 with black and white film a few months ago and these are some of the great shots I got. Definitely frame worthy for the family picture wall. These will also be sent to the grandmothers.

A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That

First, the girls started back to school. Here is a picture on the way out the door. Notice the purple house with pink trim? Not much longer until a new color will be painted on those shingles.

A few pictures of the hoola hoop craze that has been going on in our house. Nanny got them for the girls and they are practicing like maniacs. Notice the super cute skirts that are the perfect twirliness for any occasion.

Then we celebrated Claire's 8th birthday. I can't believe it myself. She is such a wonderful girl.
And my latest malady has been a terrible, no good, sucky cold that has been lingering for 10 days now. I am almost ready to go to the doctor, but not quite. So I have been laying around reading library books in bed. Here is my set up right now. Lots of design books, garden ideas, and digital photo how-to books.
My Mom and Paul both are concerned that I get sick quite a bit so I have added some new fun stuff to swallow twice daily for two weeks in order to cleanse the toxins out of my body. I believe I swallowed atleast 10 pills last night before bed! Whaaattt??? I know it sounds crazy, but it is worth a try. I have also added two tablespoons of probiotics to my diet after breakfast and dinner. My only worry is that I may now get some acid reflux from all of it, LOL. Sheesh............Oh wait, did I mention that I also take an anti-depressant and a multivitamin daily? I swear I am a walking pharmacy. What do you need? I can send you some................

Does Anybody Even Read This????

Sometimes I wonder if it is worth the time I put into writing this Blog? I wonder if I am doing it just for me or if it is to see how many people I can get to read it? Sort of like to see how popular I am- a little return to my high school days. LOL I believe that some day I will be glad for it. That I will be able to look at it like an online journal about my life. What I was doing, thinking, feeling during different years.

I think I may need to change my motivating reason for writing. Originally, I wanted a blog to sort of suppliment my Etsy store so my buyers or just curious lookers could learn a little bit about my tiny life here in Oregon. About me being a wife, mom, creative, vintage sort of woman. I now am shifting my focus to just journaling. Not looking on my sitemeter to see if anyone is reading my blog, but writing just for me. Journaling, and being honest with myself about not only what is going on around me and what I am doing, but what is happening inside too.

I also want to use this as a way to practice my writing, and to put my creativity down on paper. Not just my art work, but my word work also. I hope to explore more places within myself like I used to when I kept journals as a young woman. I learned and grew so much when I was consistent with my journaling.

So, if you are a regular reader. Which I don't think there are many. You may get an earful of the crazy talk that goes on in my head. Count this as your warning. You may want to take me off your favorites list? LOL Just kidding. I really needed to write this out and get refocused now that the girls are back in school and I am looking at more free time again. I am very hopeful that just writing this will get me grounded and ready to begin....... again!

Loving You- Mini Scrapbook Album

I cranked out this little minibook for a client to give to her honey for his birthday. It was really wonderful to get my hands into my supplies and create after such a long hiatus. It was also nice to know that my creative brain is filled up with all sorts of ideas for future creations. I feel so balanced after finishing this. I can't wait to start on the next project!

This is so wonky

I don't know how to get these more orderly? Drives me nuts every time I try to post pictures. UGH!!!

Campaign for Love and Forgiveness

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." Mother Teresa

http://www.loveandforgive.org/

I found this wonderful website when perusing the world wide web today. I thought it would be something that you may find interesting and uplifting today. I know I enjoyed my time there and I put it into my favorites to read more of it later.

Pass it on............