MAYA ANGELOU’S’
BEST POEM EVER

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE   ….
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE  …. .
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or d ate of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE   ……
a youth she’s content to leave behind….

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …  …
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age….

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE . ………..
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace
bra…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …. ..
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..  ….
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone
else in her family…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..  …  .
eight m atching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a
recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .  …. .
a feeling of control over her destiny…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..  ….. .
how to fall in love without losing herself.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW… ……..
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.  …..
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.  ….. ..
that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. ……..
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but it’s over…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW. ………..
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. …
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..  …..
whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW… ….
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…
or a charming inn in the woods….
when her soul needs soothing…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW… ….
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a m onth…and a year…

My layout for Dolly’s Dreaming 52-10 Challenge Prompt 2

All about a goal or idea you want to achieve this year.

Credits:

NatashaNaStDesigns Wings of Angel Kit

Does the sight of a blank canvas make you jitter with the hope of all things that could be put on it?  Or does it make you quiver in your boots full of fear at the thought of making the right choice of what to do?

I thought about this question, this very afternoon while priming two canvases and a pot to give them new life.  I have no problem deciding with lightening speed what I would put on those canvases if they were for someone else’s walls, but mine.. oh my goodness, sometimes I think I love too many different looks and it’s hard to pick just one to go with.  I love shabby, color, simple, busy, all kind’s of art!  Right now I lean towards white, natural wood, dark wood and very crisp and clean but still with a bit of shabby charm mixed in.  Who knows what they will turn out like… it’s a mystery today, even to me!!

Another fabulous challenge for our scrapping pleasure from Ann over at SBG I am so grateful to the ladies that manage the challenges, I sure love to do them!

This week the inspiration is vintage magazine covers.  I ended up with horsey issue starring Paw for the feature article!

The graphics used are from the uber talented Lorie Davison @ SBG

I stumbled onto Dolly’s site awhile ago and in keeping up with her blog on my google reader I saw that Dolly decided to host her own 52 in 10 challenges.  I thought it would be fun to follow along with her!

Today was the first day and this is my layout for Dolly’s prompt.

Credits:

Sleep Tight by Lotta Designs, window and clocks by Jen U, Alpha and Fragment by Studio Rosey Posey

For the Frameworthy Challlenge featuring the art of Frida Kahlo.

I chose one of Frida’s self portraits where she is surrounded by big leaves in the back. My impression of the painting was she was where she felt the most at home.

My inspiration was of course my daughter whom to me evokes mother nature at her finest and she feels very at home outside, at the sea and she adores flowers.

The digital challenges at scrapbookgraphics.com are so much fun!  Why not join in!  I just finished posting my go at the Frameworthy Challenge for this week.  My fish…

The challenge was to choose an inspiration fish ( first time I have been inspired by a fish, personally)  so I picked this one

I then proceeded to make a vector template of the fish and then paint and pretty it up!  The background for my fish is from Lorie Davison’s totally awesome kit “Don’t Eat Worms” available at SBG.  I also did the new scraplift challenge today.  So if you love a good challenge pop over to the forum and join in!

We spent a great part of last Saturday re-arranging our family room.  Last year I had purchased the two tables and painted and stained them for the purpose of having one big scrap table.  It felt like Hannah was still too little for the huge table last year but this year it seemed perfect!  It took alot of moving and sorting and sweat but we got it arranged and Hannah is already busy scrapping!

It is hard to believe how much furniture lives in this room, but it still feels pretty spacious and not too crowded.  Now we can leave our mess and supplies out without having to clean up the dining room table for supper all the time!  Hannah loves scrapping and has made some pretty cool collages of all the things she loves.  We went to the dollar store yesterday for some new supplies  She is also a great believer in making your own pictures if you don’t have what you need!

You can see my desk in the corner, I used to take up alot more room but thought I could give away some space

I thought it would be fun to share 5 Digital Scrapbook Designers, products that I love.  I have a huge stash and I am an avid scrapper, so the recommendations are just my personal preference of the kit’s that I have found to be useful, pretty or just plain great to have!  You may be familiar with some or be introduced for the first time!  My picks are in no particular order.

Digi Designer 1 – Irene Alexeeva – Scrap Orchard

Irene is one of my favorite designer’s.  I have an abundance of her products and use them over and over.  I think what I like best is the softness of the designs.  Even in the more intense hues there is always a soft “edge” to everything.  There are never too many elements and always just enough!  The last kit I purchased was Milkshake.  I just couldn’t pass it up

Digi Designer 2 – Shabby Princess – The Shabby Shoppe

Well you would have to be living under a virtual rock to not know about SP.  She is a long time designer with consistent, good value kit’s.  Shabby Princess gives away free kit’s that are stocked full of goodies and always top quality.  For me her designs are comfortable, easy and fun to scrap with.  My absolute favorite is the Gabby kit, it is sheer shabbiness!

Digi Designer 3 – Zoe Pearn – Sweet Shoppe

I love Zoe’s designs both in the paper scraps and digital versions.  Here use of color is right up my alley and I find her kit’s so quick and easy to scrap with.  Zoe’s blogwear is super popular.  I have even purchased a set myself.  I don’t have this kit called Persimmon yet, but it’s on my radar!!

Digi Designer 4 – Rina Kroes – Scrapbook Elements

I was lucky enough to be on Rina’s Creative Team for a time.  Rina’s kit’s are an absolute treasure trove of digi delights!  Rina pays attention to detail and the elements and papers in her kit’s really reflect that.  I love them for their traditional feel with a twist!  I have a really hard time picking a favorite but I think Sea Spirit might be it.  I used this kit so many times it may be worn out

Digi Designer 5 – Wendyzine – Scrapbook Graphics

Wendy’s actions and scripts are a digi scrappers bff  I have many of Wendy’s action and use them for both my personal use and in my own design business.  For personal use I recently made an adorable hybrid book for a gift and Wendy’s top quality templates made it a breeze!  I also love Wendy’s Shutterfly actions to make sure your pages will fit beautifully!  I was also a lucky duck and was on Wendy’s CT for a short time writing tutorials.

Wow I love fall.  I am not a person that does well in the heat, so this time of year I start to come alive again and feel like venturing outside more!  It also seems that fall can come in with quite a roar.  It is the time when farmers start to reap what they have sown in the spring and to me that is definitely true as well in life.

My daughter has started school that we registered for in the spring.  Lot’s of it is not what I expected but for sure some things are.  It seems such a pivotal moment in parenthood.  I am researching home schooling to see what the options are,  seems like such a big decision.

Also my digital scrap design business is starting to reap, I have had many opportunities come my way of late, I find myself needing to take a different approach now.  Years ago I read a book called The Breakthrough Experience and I learned that no experience is good or bad it just is.  If a situation feels “difficult” or out of sorts you need to list the benefits and find the positives in the situation to balance it and be at peace once more.  So I am doing that!!  Same goes for something you are overly positive about, sometimes a “reality check” is in order and seeing the drawbacks in that situation also helps to balance it.  I was feeling like there were starting to be more drawbacks to designing than positives and for my belief system this of course is out of balance.  I love how life takes every opportunity to help you grow as a person!

I will go one step further and give an example of The Breakthrough Formula at work at it’s basic.  You can go full tilt or use it quickly to get your perception back in order.

One of the drawbacks I have been experiencing is the pirating/illegal sharing of my scrap kits.  It started to deflate me and make me feel like there was nothing I could do about it, and so on.  So in order to not be out of balance about one experience I had to find the balance in the situation so in this case the benefits of pirating, **finding a benefit does not mean that you start to support or condone behavior, it just means that you can see the other side of a situation**  so some of the benefits that have come to me have been that I have made two friends that have helped me find illegal links without my even asking they took an interest, in a backwards way it has given me more exposure, and it has taught me that running a scrap store has more responsibilities than just designing a scrap kit.  So I don’t feel all victimized anymore, I don’t agree with it and take measures to stop it, but I also don’t let it ruin my experience either.

It’s nice to take a moment this fall and think about what kind of seeds you planted last spring and what you may be reaping from them right now!!

Well I had time to fiddle with my blog and pretty it up and give it a new look!  Don’t you feel like thousands upon thousands of people should come and flock to your blog the day you make it over?  Oooh and aahh and all that stuff?

Not sure why I went with over the top girlie but I did.. it’s and easy setup to change so I will swing to a fall look soon I reckon.  I used parts of a layout I did the other day for a challenge at Pickle Berry Pop.  Armina made a super fabulous template for the challenge and I used Carolyn Kite’s completely shabbalicious kit called What is Love.  The template and challenge is on until October 4th so hurry over and join in!

You can find a pretty set of Quick Pages made by moi with this kit as well!

My bebe started Ballet last week.  She just loves it.  She is very tall and ballet seems to suit her already.  I am putting the finishing touches on a dance/ballet digital scrap kit, turning out very pretty.  Here is a sneak peek with the layout I made and already printed out.  The layout is 24×12.

This is such an amazing, sweet story!

Long time no blog  well at least at this blog anyway.  Have been busy scrapping and adding goodies to my shop at Rosey Posey Studio and the blog over there.  Summer seems to be whooping to a quick close some how.  Maybe because I gal ready to head off to kindergarten I notice it more than I usually do or something.

So far my post doesn’t match the title I gave it.  I don’t fall into the category of my title but many people I know do.  This weekend I ended up lending “Our Cosmic Dance” by Moreah Ragusa to a neighbor.  Up until now I had thought of the book as more of an autobiography of a very unique woman, it hit me that really the book was a calling card for the whole Parent Alienation syndrome that some people go through with a divorce.  The kid’s are in the middle and the parents are on an extreme journey of tug of war, usually with one parent really losing out on the relationship with the child or children.  To be completely up front I do contract work for Moreah for the web, print design etc and have redesigned covers of her other books.  It really doesn’t sway my opinion of the book or author, I am an avid reader and would never recommend a book for any purpose other than the hope it would benefit someone or they would enjoy it!

So anyway it occurred to me this weekend to lend the book so the neighbor might not feel so alone in the pain she is going through.  She read and returned the book in 2 days, saying how blown away she was and that she was seriously thinking about changing her mind and how she views the entire issue.  So if you know anyone going through a divorce and having trouble with the other parent over the kid’s this book is an absolute must have for them.  So that is my public service announcement for the day!!  You can find the book here or visit Moreah’s website here.

As for digi scrapping I can’t wait for it to ramp up again!  All the CT teams I am on are pretty quiet these days.  Manu and Glam Fairy are on lovely holidays, Rina has been under the weather and had computer issues, so maybe they will all make a new kit at the same time and then wham!!!  Oh what fun that is though!

I did have a completely fun order for a custom brag book from a very fabulous designer that I had a great time making this weekend, will let you know when that is released!

I got my latest hybrid project finished, just in time for Oma’s 45th Wedding Anniversary.  We are off this weekend for a mini-party to celebrate with Oma and Grandpa.  I had been contemplating trying one of Wendy’s templates for awhile and thought the grandkids book would be a great present! The book turned out gorgeous I think!  It is quite long when fully opened up, but not hard to handle since is by no means huge or anything.  I definitely had to scout around the house for long enough cardboard for the last three letters!  I used alot of Irene Aleexeva’s kits, bit and pieces from Manu’s kits as well.

My handy dandy bind-it-all finished off the book and it works great!  That was a good purchase, I love making the little books.

These books are fun to make but be prepared for a bit of work if it is your first time.  First I lay out all the letters on a a sheet that I size for printing.  I made all mine 12×18 for printing.  Remember that you need to mirror the back of each letter, for the back of the page.  For design I chose to make all the pages facing each other match with kit’s and photo’s.  I made all the letters right on the 12x 18 canvas and clipped the background right to the letter templates for ease and organization, then it was just a matter of adding photos and embellishments!

Next of course is hours of cutting  and then more cutting cardboard and more cutting if you are like me and cut a few out wrong.  So after all the cutting is glueing and smooshing down edges!  I used a spray adhesive this time since some of the pages were so long I would have used up a whole glue stick!  I tried Elmer’s Spray Adhesive that is photo safe and it worked like a charm.  The edges are very secure and I think it will last a long time.  I tested the glue a week before to see if anything would bleed through etc.  whatever glue you use, I recommend doing some testing first!  Last of all I used my bind-it-all machine and voila… DONE!!