Inspire Me Thursday

This last week's Inspire Me Thursday was a Monochromatic theme. My collage is about home, and my girls and the color green. All the things that make me happy. DH isn't on the collage, but I didn't know where to add him, unless he wanted to be a leaf on the tree. HA But just know that he makes me happy too.


Layered background of paints, transfer technique. Oil pastels (clouds and tree base). Multiple patterned papers, Basic Grey stickers, Prima Flowers, old food stamps, English Queen stamps, K&Co stickers, brads, sequins.

Six Minutes... (List Friday)

Mrs. Pom posted a new List Friday and I thought I would play along once again. She asks us to answer the questions:
-six minutes you'd like to relive
-six minutes you'd like to erase

-six minutes you'd like to relive
1 - The minute my doctor told me I was pregnant with DD Alex. I will always remember that minute. I had to sit down to take it all in.
2 - The minute I saw my DD Alex for the first time. Pinkest cheeks, adorable little mouth.
3 - The minute I told DH that after a 6 ½ year drought of babies, we were pregnant again (this time with Sophia.) He literally jumped on me to hug me (we were sitting on the couch on Christmas Eve.)
4 - The minute I saw my DD Sophia for the first time. She was so quiet, little and adorable. Who knew she would grow into a fireball?




5 – The minute we walked over the hill and down the wooden walk, seeing the beach in August 2005, after many many years of not seeing it. I should have never left it… It was both girls’ first time seeing the gorgeous ocean.
6 - A couple months ago we really cleaned the house spotless (someone must have been coming over. *eyeroll here*) I remember when it was all perfectly clean, and no one had messed anything up yet. That moment in time was fabulous. I'd love to relive this moment over, and over, and over...

-six minutes you'd like to erase
While I would always want to relive the good moments in my life, I prefer not to relive (or change) the not so good ones. They are what gave me the personality, character and (hopefully) moral fortitude that I have today.

I'm Addicted...

It's really sad, but they say you should face your addictions, tell someone, get help. Well, I'm telling you all and I'm handing the car keys to DH.

I'm addicted to Chipotles Burrito Bols and Quik-Trip's Rooster Booster Lite.

Stop laughing, this is a serious problem. (I see you sniggering behind your hand!) Ahhhh, there's nothing like a huge bowl of rice, black beans, spicy steak, 2 kinds sauce (mild/medium & corn), sour cream, cheese and lettuce! I'm in heaven!

It started out so simple. About twice a year when we needed to pick up/drop off someone at the airport an hour away, we would stop at the scrapbooking store up that way, since it was the only one I knew of around here. It just happened to have a Chipotle's next door, so it was a double treat to stop!

Then I found one about 17 mins away in a shopping area I didn't frequent much. But when I discovered it had Chipotles, I found reasons to go to THAT shopping area instead of closer ones. Just this week, I looked up haircutting places for my daughter NEAR that Chipotles, instead of just going here in town. *you can roll your eyes here*

Then my DH got me a GC to scrapbooking store he found, about 23 mins away. I decided I would go to their monthly scrapbooking crops for 'time to myself'. The first time I went, I was glancing around at the exit for the store, for a McDs to get dinner at. Guess what had a shining beacon magically 'glowing' around it, lighting it up like an oasis? Yep, you guessed it. A Chipotles. So now, when I go to crops, Chipotles is my first stop.

In the meantime, the Quik-Trip between here and church got Rooster Booster Lite (RBL). DD discovered it, since we were lo-carbing at the time. I fell in love and would baby-talk my DH almost everytime on the way home from church 'are you sure you don't need to stop at QT for something? Anything? We need gas, don't we?' Me, who hates to leave the house, would make occasional trips out to specifically go get RBL!

Well, this week, my goose was cooked. Charbroiled right there in the middle of Friday. Fried like a bug on the sidewalk in the desert. Down the street from my church (8 mins from my house), they opened a Chipotles. DD is excited it shares a building wtih Starbucks (which I've never had in my life). I've been to Chipotles Friday, Saturday and now today... It's really sad.

I need a 12 step program for this addiction. You all can quit laughing now, you KNOW you have a similar problem. I challenge you to post your addiction as a comment. Come on, chicken?!

(By the way, DH just left for church and I handed him money for a RBL. I'm pathetic!)

List Friday

1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...

List Friday (see Pom's website for details.) I think people sometimes believe 'if only I had this, or this would happen... THEN I would be happy for LIFE!' I don't really think it happens this way, but what do I know? I don't usually wait to be happy. I live in the moment. DH sometimes has those 'if only' thoughts and this week he has been tackling the mess in the garage, staring at the basement and asically realizing that the whole mess belongs to me! My lists are dedicated to him:

10 things I need to get rid of to make DH happy...
1 - Many boxes that have items & paperwork from when I used to sell children's toys... twice.
2 - Lots of Rubbermaids that hold children's clothes & maternity duds from my e-commerce store I got tired of.
3 - All the 'junque' and faux antiques from my booth business I had with MOM, many moons ago.
4 - Tons of bos filled w/items I wanted to sell on ebay for MOOLA!
5 - Gazillion boxes that hold my entire life's interest in books, including; mystery, romance (did I really used to read those? Yuck!), kids books, favorite books, college tetbooks, homeschool books, and books I bought to sell (again with the Ebay.)
6 - The entire contents of my youngest brother's apartment he had before he moved south to go to a differet collages. We're a free storage unit.
7 - Various items from when my other brother Daryl and his wife lived here for 9 months (8 years ago.)
8 - The entertainment center left here by Bro #3, who lived here for months (9 years ago).
9 - The cans of paint, varnish, odds and ends furniture left behind and 'gifted' to us by my parents when they moved out of town 2 1/2 years ago and couldn't take flammables in the moving truck.
10 - All the art supplies I hang onto, the craft items in the closet that I haven't touched in years, the boxes and closet of fabric for quilting I never do, all the outdated scrapping supplies that just sit in boxes but I can't seem to part with, because it just seems 'wrong to waste it'.

10 things I need to acquire to make DH happy...
1 - A HUGE dumpster would be his first request (or a Semi Truck and strong men to haul it all away)
2 - Information on our city's 'Clean Up' days when we can take tons of stuff to the dump for cheap.
3 - Bags, Boxes, Broom and Dustpan
4 - A babysitter for the children
5 - Beautiful balmy forecast so it's easier to take stuff outside or work on the garage without freezing your patootie off (like we did today in 38 degrees!)
6 - A promise that I will stop going back through a trash bag after he has tossed half my stuff without my looking through it.
7 - A promise that I won't let anyone store or LEAVE anything at our house again.
8 - Another promise that I will only have 1 interest that involves product, at a time.
9 - Lots of soda & snacks for the cleaning process
10 - A willing attitude to help him weed through my junk would be a nice gesture

Artist of a Clean Home

Will wonders never cease? My DD 1st grader usually balks at anything that resembles cleaning. Today she came into my room and said 'can I clean the living room? It's a mess' (with mostly her stuff, but who am I to quibble?) After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I said 'why of course! Do you need instructions?' 'NO mom! I can do it!' She went to the basement, got her small wagon and proceeded to clean the living room. Each item that didn't belong was painstakenly put in the wagon and pulled to it's proper location (even sissy's shoes were driven to her room down 2 stairs!) After she announced the room was done, she asked 'can I paint in there'? Well, who can refuse such an adorable face who just cleaned the living room single-handedly? 'Of course you can, just get some napkins in case of a mess'. She set up 2 chairs, one as her easel of course and painted up a storm! It was adorable. I had to grab my camera and get a shot or two when she wasn't looking...

Isn't she sweet? My little cleaning artist (in her choice of artists' attire of course!)

P.S. Adding a couple things I've made today. Catching up on swaps...

Hmmmm...

I don't know what I have to say today (hey, I'm a poet, and didn't know it!). I have so much going on, and little random thoughts. If you're bored, read on, I'll share:

• Been one of those days. We did get a lot of homeschooling done though, and DD 1st grader learned all about Missouri or 'Misery' as DH calls it. DD 8th Grader is in the agony of algebra and I'm making her read 'a classic' of Arabian Nights. She balks at reading 'classics' just for the fact that I call them 'classics' which must mean to her 'old' but when I MAKE her read it, she almost always comes back with 'it's interesting'. I TOLD YOU SO! DUH!
• Haven't had a moment to create, haven't finished last week's SPRING project for Monday Musing. I'm trying to get myself caught up on the things I've signed myself up for. Why do I sign myself up for so much? Swaps, circle journals, swaps, swaps, swaps? It's an endless cycle. I'm coming to the end of my list though, which is good. Then there will be more time for ME! Needless to say, I won't post another MM until this project is done. I did finish up pages for a Vintage Layout Swap. Hallelujah!
• In between grading math, giving a spelling test and going to the ladies room, I've been reading through 2 new books I just got at the library: 'Visual chronicles : the no-fear guide to creating art journals, creative manifestos, and altered books' and 'Artist's materials : all the materials you will ever need to make art'. They both have their merits. Visual is all about journals, and if you're not a journal-er, you can still make a journal. I found it interesting, simple at times, but great for the beginner. Of course, I'm still working my way through it, and its not like I really know what I'm doing when it comes to making an art journal, having never attempted one. The Artists is like a massive supplies/technique book. This paint does this and that paint does that. This paper is better for this, and that paper for another thing. Get it? Like an artists supplies 'bible'. Very cool.
• I was reading part of TatteredEdge's blog to my DH today, about her birthday and telling her DH, "Did you ever dream you would marry a woman who would ASK for tools for special occasions?" I had asked DH this and he wanted to know why I asked, hence the blog reading. Anyway, read it to him, and he was like 'would you use a soldering iron? I have one in the truck (work truck) I haven't used in 5 years. You want it?' My eyes glazed over and I clapped my hands. 'REALLY! I mean REALLY REALLY? Heck yeah I want it!' So he got it, and the soldering gun thingie and soldering metal. I'm fondling it like it's a new car and has that new car smell. After awhile, I start thinking. Now why did I want this thing? How am I going to use it? I've never had the need for one... it just makes me feel more thoroughly 'ARTISTIC' to own one... I'm a dork, I know. Anyone have any ideas on fabulous things to make with it? Share them with me!
• Random thought #435... I was out in the sleet and rain today to mail said Vintage Page Layouts at the post office. I had random thoughts there too. Running to the safety and comfort of my car, my long hair was getting soaked and yet was still whipping around in the wind. MEDUSA style. What was my first thought? --Wouldn't this make a great picture for my blog, in commenting on the wild wind?-- *eyeroll and slight chuckle here* Then my thoughts went off on a tangent, thinking about how you could invent a finger size camera, that would slip over the end of your finger, you know, like those blood pressure thingies they slip on your pointer finger in the hospital. Today I could have just held my finger out as far as I could and aim it at my head and VOILA'! A picture of me as Medusa. I mean wouldn't that be cool?

Enought random thoughts. My art muse is calling. I have tons of ATCs and other things to make to cross them off my list and get me one step closer to art time just for ME. Wish me luck and speed of the creativity. Cheerios!

Corned Beef & K-Ology

For those who know me, cooking is not my favorite thing. It's not even on my list of stuff I'll do if I'm the last woman on the planet (although I guess I better, if I want to BE on the planet. But I'm not cooking for the last man on the planet, that's for sure!) However, Friday being St. Patrick's Day and all, I decided to break tradition and actually cook. I crocked a Corned Beef chunk and a head of cabbage. It smelled delicious to me. My family was skeptical. I was proud of myself for cooking this wonderful meal. Last night I ran off to crop at a local scrapbooking store... My cowards of a family decided since the 'cat's away, the mice will play' and left my lovely meal there to simmer and they went and bought pizza, breadsticks and cookies. *eye roll here* And they wonder why I don't cook on a regular basis. Enuff said. NO, that isn't my dinner, it's a pic off the internet. Mine was floating around in juice and fat in the crock. No wonder they didn't want to touch it. Of course today, I made corned beef gravy and biscuits and they loved it. Maybe it's all about how you present it.

Bought the coolest paper last night and had to make an ATC with it. It's K&Co's 'K-Ology' line. Now, mind you, I hate purple. But this is the prettiest shades of pink, avocado and eggplant. I bought the whole line!
Doesn't he look sweet?! :) I also used one of my new stamps from Ma Vinci. I SO need more money so I can buy from her again!

Yesterday I finished up a set of vintage cards for a swap I'm running. She looked to me like she was reaching up to touch something, so I gave her a feather.





Had the best time with my new friends from the local scrapbooking store and forums. Christina and Dana T, thanks for a fun filled evening cropping and for putting up with my non-stop talking. I have a problem with that. Never takes me time to warm up to someone, I just automatically act like I've known people all my life. I consider that a blessing. *wink* I'm off to work on my 'SPRING' piece for this week's 'Monday Musings'.

More Sophia Masterpieces

It's weird. Last week, no blogging, this week I'm a mouth on fire. Go figure...

Just had to share, DD Sophia brought me 4 drawings today. They were so adorable and I was so proud. She is a 1st grader who is just catching the reading 'bug'. She has known some things for the last year, but anytime she hit a snag and couldn't read something she was trying, she would quit wanting to read. It's just been in the last couple months she tries to read everything, and now she is experimenting with spelling everything as well. Most the time she doesn't want you to help her spell it either. Notice a pattern? ha Ahhh, my independent soul of a child... My other DD was reading before kindergarten, different temperaments they have. I love watching a child 'get' something, you know? That is why I LOVE homeschooling. I get to see all the 'firsts'.

Anyway, I thought her pictures were worth a blog entry (first question she asked of course was 'are you going to scan them mommy?' A girl after my own heart.) Notice ladybug is said latebug (say the E as an E) and did you know dragonfly was spelled with a 'J'?

By the way, I was visiting one of my FAVORITE blogs today - Misty Eyed Art (Misty Mawn), and she mentioned a link to a reading site StarFall. My daughter has been hogging the computer all day, ever since. I'm so excited we found the site! Thanks Misty!

Blue Lips and a Second Skin...

What do blue lips, crimped hands and second skin have in common? COLLAGING of course!

A little background for those of you who feel lost... I ran this swap on Art By Moonlight, of collaged 8 1/2" by 11" cardstock. We will use them for ATC backgrounds. ANYWAY, silly me, ran the swap and told people I would cut them up for everyone, since I have a paper trimmmer just gathering dust. Fabulous backgrounds came rolling in, and the paper trimmer started to cringe. It backed up into the corner, shivering from all the thickness on the backgrounds. It finally went on strike and refused to help out. So last night I cut up all the backgrounds with scissors. My hands resemble a 90 year olds in their crimped manner. But HEY, it was fun and I have beautiful backgrounds to use now. It's fun to see everyone's unique style, papers used and layering techniques. When I collage I never have a plan in mind, I just pull out my trusty scraps drawer and start pulling out colors that 'call' to me.

Well back to making yummy things... Oh, what about the blue lips and second skin? That was during the collaging process of course. I use matte Gel Medium for sticking down all my collage items. After doing 4 sheets, my hands had this thick second skin on them. It was really quite cool to peel it off. I felt like I was on CSI or something. You could see all my fingerprints. Or like how Sydney on Alias steals someone's fingerprints and Marshall makes her a 'second skin' of fingerprints to use for some coded secret factory or something. I felt like Sydney! The blue lips were kind of scary though. I was collaging, minding my own business, popping food in my mouth once in awhile (leftover dinner). I went to the restroom and saw in the mirror I had blue lips. *shock*



I think I ate blue ink and probably a fair amount of gel medium. Can I die from that?

Self Portrait Tuesday, last as usual...

I'm always late with everything, what did you expect? lol Anyway, its a pic of me, and it works for 'Self Portrait Tuesday'.

I went to my nephew's birthday party this weekend. He is growing up so quickly, I'm starting to feel old. I swear I'm only 18 (I wish.) So, I emailed pics to mom in Georgia because she couldn't be with us. I emailed pics of my brothers, sister-in-laws, nieces/nephew, children and DH. Of course her first question is 'where is a picture of YOU?' Well I'm BEHIND the camera of course. *eyeroll here* But, just to make her happy I had DH take several pics of me. I tried to do it by myself, but nope. For some reason the angle of which I hold the camera out always accentuates my double chin, crows feet or grey hairs and we 'need' to hide those from people, right? ha In the words of Dolly Parton, 'Time Marches On, and Eventually It Marches Across Your Face.' So he took a pic and it worked okay. As good as I'm going to look at this stage in the game. I don't know what I'm worried about. My mother knows what I look like, as well as all my faults. She just wants to pretend she still lives closeby and is with us. That is why I took the picture, just for her...

487 and counting...

It's sad really. I have an addiction. No seriously. I need a 12 step program, maybe 25 steps. My friend Kristin can tell you first hand how 'crazed' I can be. I have a ribbon addiction, fetish, obsession. Call it what you will. This evening I've been bagging up the rest of the ribbons/ricrak, Lace, trims and fiber that have been waiting for my attention. I decided to brave the results and find out how much ribbon (including lace/fiber/ricrak) I REALLY have. I mean you really can't have too much ribbon can you?

• Black - 38
• Blue - 59
• Brown - 52
• Gold/Silver - 22
• Green - 60
• Orange - 31
• Pink - 77
• Purple - 18
• Red - 51
• White/Cream - 67
• Yellow - 12

This doesn't include the two 1 gallon bags of fiber I still have to sort or the small Rubbermaid tote of old trims, ricrak and seam bindings. Ohh, and the pic is just of the ribbons that are shorter than 15 inches which I keep in a jar (instead of in bags/on rings/hanging in the doorjam like the other ribbons are --->see over there?)

Can someone please save me from myself? Okay, back to organizing...

Voyage Home & Monday Musings #3

This week just got away from me. I never had much time to work on doing art, let alone my Monday Musings. I worked on some cards today for my secret sister and realized that one had a traveling theme, so I thought I would post it. At least I've created SOMETHING, and that is what counts, right? *wink* That was the purpose of posting a topic anyway.

(Big card based on one by Audrey Hernandez in Stamper's Stampler.)

Saying on card is: "Life's A Voyage That's Homeward Bound."
I guess I was right all along. All roads lead home...

MONDAY MUSINGS #3
We had the most beautiful weather this weekend. 78-80 degrees. For Missouri in mid-March, that is fabulous! Not that I'm an outdoors girl, but the kids certainly enjoy being out of the house and able to roam outside in the beautiful weather. I started thinking about planting flowers, raking leaves away from my budding Peonies and eventual Pears on my tree. We have these huge pots out back, can't remember what I bought them for in the first place, but last year we had some leftover pansies from a sunday school project and we threw them in there. That pot was the most gorgeous thing in our back yard. And as long as we deadheaded the old flowers, it bloomed again. I plan to fill it again this year.

I'm going to use SPRING as my creative jumpstart this week. I envision lots of flowers, we'll see though...

SPRING SAYINGS:

• If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. - Anne Bradstreet
• All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar. - Helen Hayes
• Is it so small a thing To have enjoy'd the sun, To have lived light in the spring, To have loved, to have thought, to have done... - Matthew Arnold
• Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;And give us not to think so far awayAs the uncertain harvest; keep us hereAll simply in the springing of the year. - Robert Frost
• Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" ~Robin Williams
• It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

In a Funk...

I really shouldn't be in a funk. I'm surrounded by wonderful art products and an art studio that is almost organized to the hilt. I even bought new staples, velvety and shimmery ribbons this week. I bought new papers, sparkly doo dads and a couple other things. I've received ephemera gifts from friends this week in the mail. You would think I would be DYING to create. Not so. I just feel Blehhh. Probably time to peruse a magazine or new altering book and see what inspires me.

I'm going to work on my TRAVEL item for 'Monday Musings'. Anyone going to join me? Off to look at new BLOGS for inspiration as well.

Monday Musings #2

This past week has been such a drain on the brain with everyone sick and no energy. I was thinking today that I need a vacation. I know I know. It’s not like I work outside the home. I’m home, but I homeschool, occasionally clean and various other things that need to be done. It can get cumbersome so that you want to run off, even for a day. I’ve never been out of the United States, unless you count a 2 hour jaunt to Tijuana to shop (over the California border.) I dream of traveling to places such as Spain, Italy and the south of France. I want to see parts of Asia, see animals in Africa and visit Australia and it’s Great Barrier Reef. I especially want to visit Fiji and Tahiti since they sound so isolated and relaxing. I want to do it all, but I don’t want to wait until I’m 70 and grouchy. Maybe someday.

Now the kids and I joke that ‘All Roads Lead to Walmart’, but I suspect after you’ve been on a good exhausting vacation, ‘All Roads Lead Home’. I just want to actually GO on the vacation first…

Where will your travels take you this week? Need a break like me? Where would you like to go? Any recent vacations that were particularly enjoyable you want to document? Do you have a different sort of journey in mind? Share it with me.

Travel Quotes To Get Your Creativity Traveling...

• The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. AugustineI travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. ~Robert Louis Stevenson
• I think that travel comes from some deep urge to see the world, like the urge that brings up a worm in an Irish bog to see the moon when it is full. ~Lord Dunsany
• A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
• Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. ~Anatole France
• Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~Seneca
• I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within. ~Lillian Smith
• Half the fun of the travel is the esthetic of lostness. ~Ray Bradbury
• I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them. ~Mark Twain

(Picture is of my family, Jekyll Island, Georgia 2005. Girls first glimpse of the ocean, ever.)

Good Witch Sherry...

I made a new friend online this month and we've been teasing each other. For some reason (can't remember the topic) but I said 'I'll get you my pretty!' (in classic bad witch style) and she said I can't because she is the good witch Glenda. I saw this vintage photo today and boy did she look a little sinister. So I made this ATC for my friend.

Hope you like it, Sherry!

I'm Working!

I've been catching up yesterday and today on projects and swaps I signed up for. I did 22 6x6 recipe pages for a swap (11 of each kind). They were for yummy Peach Basil Tea and Cranberry Sugar Scones.
I also finished up cards for some swaps I'm running (made 6 identical of each):












TODAY I experimented with some new new stamps and some oldie but goodie stamps. I like how these 'Dreamy Girls' came out.


Last thing to share, DD Sophia made me a portrait, of ME. What do you think? I'm fabulous, aren't I!

Blessed Collage

Monday, I challenged anyone who happened to stop by to participate in my 'Monday Musings' challenge of BLESSINGS. I just finished mine up. My family is the most important thing to me, and I feel blessed to have them. Art would be 2nd.... God has blessed me with so much. Who could ask for more?

New Musings tomorrow!

LATE Studio Friday & Organization Update

With everything going on, kids and me sick, trying to catch up on obligations, etc... I totally forgot I wanted to check out Studio Friday this week and participate for the first time. Okay, so I'm late. What's new? ha

This week's topic was inspiration. I knew exactly what inspires me. Having an organized room, a clean desk and being able to find stuff. This may sound like normal things to you, but I'm not always an organized person. No really! I can see your shocked expression. However, I was determined to get this studio (I'm calling my little 'scrap room' a studio now, this inspires me as well) finished by this week. Sickness waylaid me. I'm almost there though, I swear. Here are some pictures to show:

My organized box of colorful small flowers really kicks my creativity into gear. If I'm not careful I can use too many flowers on too many things. Is there such a thing as too many flowers?? My bright pens also make me want to do some fancy writing, if they're not all dried out from children using them.

My ink shelves. *shivers slightly* I'm an INK GIRL. I LOVE ink. I love alcohol inks, I love distress inks, stazon, Tim Holtz, I love them all! I also like being able to see what I have, so this shelf suits me perfectly!

My darling husband and daughters bought me shelves and brackets for mother's day last year. They were finally put up around November. I've been working on them ever since. They now hold organized cardstock, patterned paper (by company), drawers for patterned and cardstock scraps, a wooden thingie of paints I use often, purple thing holds buttons on one side, MM metal on the other. Another drawer thingie holds game pieces, bigger flowers and misc unusual things for collage. My accordion holds all my stickers I can't live without. My binders have my ATC collection.

Speaking of my ATC collection... some people say 'I just don't get ATCs'. I understand that. I didn't 'get' them 8 months ago either. But I love keeping them in the binders and I flip through them for inspiration. I might find a background I want to attempt, a color combo to try, a subject to use, etc... I love my ATCs.

I have lots of things in rubbermaid type containers. I can easily see what I need (these have extra paint, foam stamps, playing cards/dominoes to alter and various other things.) I love being able to see right into the container.

My magazines and books are great inspiration for when I am stumped for creative ideas. I reach for a recent issue of Somerset Studio, Cloth, Paper, Scissors or Stampers Sampler. Or maybe an altering book..

Probably the most inspiring thing to a collage artist like me, is being able to lay my hands on a particular piece of ephemera. I have worked hard to separate all my ephemera into drawers so if I'm wanting to do a piece with, say, Asian images, I just pull out that drawer, bring it to my desk and have fun! This was the most liberating thing I did while organizing. That and getting rid of tons of junk I will no longer use.

Organization 101 update: I still have things to get rid of/donate/trade/sell, in 2 boxes. I have many ribbons to bag and hang (I hang them on rings and sort by color) and I have lots of stamps to mount. Other than that, I am done. I am feeling so creative! This weekend I have finished 22 6x6 scrapbook pages for a recipe swap and 32 ATCs for various swaps. I have lots more to catch up on, but I'm feeling much more organized in my 'Inspiration Studio.'

Simple Cards

Let me tell you, medicine is a God send. I've been in bed most of the day, vegetating and sick. I took some cold/cough meds, took a nap, coughed up a lung and I felt better. Okay, not really better, but just enough to sit at my table and try to clear a space. I cleared about half and found a Stampin' Up brochure with lovely cards in it I just had to copy. I am late with sending cards to my Secret Sis from SplitCoastStampers, so I made 6 simple cards. I'm sending them out tomorrow if I can drag my sick patootie out the door. I hope she likes them. Images are either Art By Moonlight or Stampin' Up.

There's still time to attempt the 'Monday Musings' Challenge (see below.) I'm going to work on mine here soon. It's hard to feel REAL blessed when you feel like road kill.