Mojo Monday Challenge

I created the card below for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #229, and let me tell you . . . I got it in right under the wire (with literally less than ten seconds to spare). Even if I had not made it, I still love the card.  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my design . . .

 

I used cardstock and pattern paper that were part of a kit I had received.  It included Bazzill Cardstock and Basic Grey pattern paper.  I added some Unity Stamps and ribbon and came up with a really cute creation.   

Stay tuned . . . as a I used these supplies and stamp set to make another challenge card (assuming I make that deadline).  

Purr-fect Challenge

I love the collage photos that challenge blogs post.  A myriad of interlocking photos that come together to create a beautiful canvas to inspire.  I spend more time looking at them than I do creating, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  I find them comforting. 

The Jay Gee's Nook Challenge photo for their current challenge was so inviting.  I spent the last 18 days just gazing at the beautiful colors . . .

Yet it wasn't until tonight that I felt the urge to create a little something colorful. 

Blue Bazzill Basics - White Bazzill Smooth - The Twinery Twine - Market Street Stamps (Cool Cats and Pawprints on our Hearts - edge die cut from Stampin' Up - ink and markers - dimensional tape.

Purr-fect! 

Splash of Hot Pink

When I saw that The Play Date Cafe Challenge was "splash of color" and that the splash of color was hot pink with black and white . . . I had to play along.  Here is the inspiration . . .

And so I used a recently purchased stamp . . . which I absolutely love . . . to create the card below.  Hot pink was perfect for a marshmallow peep bunny.  And since the challenge was just splash of hot pink, I colored only one of the peeps and then gave it a nice "sugar" coating of Stickles (looks yummy enough to eat).  

And while I love the stamp, I also love that I used a white seam binding that I could stamp on.

Supplies include Bazzill Black and White Cardstock; edge die and emboss folder from Stampin' Up; Stamp and Seam Binding from Close to My Heart; Stazon Black Ink;

I see more peep cards in my future.  Love the peeps . . . to look at . . . but not so much to eat!  

Weekend Getaway

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Imagine a little weekend getaway cottage.  It seems foreign to me, the woman with two jobs, four dogs and two cats.  Let's face it, the dogs are the real anchor.  Cats can fend for themselves, and jobs can be left behind.

But if I had a little weekend cottage that I could run off to . . . it might look a little like the Saturday Collection from Little Yellow Bicycle.  

I had this little wooden birdhouse, and I painted it white.  And it sat for perhaps a year awaiting the perfect paper.  And then there it was . . . Saturdays.  I cut and pieced, almost like laying one board at a time.

 I was so careful to keep the designs in line and not lose the look of this great paper. 

 

Cut, trim, align, paste . . . repeat . . . 

 

One side at a time . . . 

Until it was time to move in.  

The only thing missing is the rocking chair on the porch.  

CAS-ual Fridays - All About Tom Hanks

I'm always up for a challenge involving a movie.  So when I saw CAS-ual Friday's challenge was a movie inspiration, I just had to jump on board with that one. 

I tried to go with one favorite, and before you know it I had conjured up a little set of four cards using similar stamps and the same product.  What was really shocking . . . three movies with one thing in common.  Tom Hanks! 

There is the "You've Got Mail" inspired (in two slightly different designs) . . .

Then there is Sleepless in Seattle.  "It rains nine months a year in Seattle."  

And then a little bit of Forrest Gump.  "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get." 

A little trimming . . . a little stamping . . . a little paper piecing . . . a little reminder of some of my favorite Tom Hanks movies. 

What's not to love?

Creative Blocks

I have seriously had a creative block lately.  Creative blocks for me usually stem from being way too busy at my 8 a.m. to whenever job (the term 9 to 5 job is ridiculously off base).  But there was this one project set before me that I was completely stoked about.  It was a challenge to figure out how to do it, where to find the product to do it . . . but I couldn't wait to figure it all out.

I think one of the reasons I was super stoked about this project goes back to my sewing years . . . many, many years ago . . . I made this cloth covered wreath.  It was a solid white wreath base with Velcro where you would attach different pieces.  Each month you remove the old and replace with the new.  There was a ruffle you would attach to the back with a braided hanger.  There were three or four decorative pieces that you attached to the front.  You would swap everything out and you'd have a whole new look each month for years to come.  My velcro pieces didn't hold up to well over the years, and that awesome wreath is probably in a box in the basement.  So sad.  I didn't realize I missed it until this project came along.  Here is a little sneak peak . . .

Creative blocks . . . a set of tags . . . and you swap them out whenever you want!

I am in love!  I cannot wait to create another set of tags. 

My creative block is solved by a set of creative blocks. 

We'll be offering this at workshops at my LSS, New England Scrapbook Co. in Canton, Connecticut.  So exciting!

Positive Realist Project - Take 6

Did I quit my Positive Realist Project?

No.

I have just been so incredibly busy that I've not been able to make any blog entries.  But I've continued my quest to put things in perspective.  My Smash Book is looking great as I continue to document "my best" and "my worst." Let's go with the bad news first . . .

My very worst "worsts" in the last few weeks were centered around death . . . attending a military funeral for a friend's father, learning of the death of a co-worker's infant granddaughter, and experiencing the one year anniversary of my brother's death.  Difficult?  Indeed.

Some of my other "worsts" . . a paycheck in the amount of $0.00, a bad hockey game, a half a jar of Mod Podge spilled down my carpeted stairs and work stress, work stress, work stress.

My answers to all my problems:  

• Work stress?  You have a job girl, so quit it. (EDIT . . . Don't quit the job; quit the whining!) 
• That single bad hockey game is not so bad, considering that the team has (as of tonight) lost their last nine (9) games.  Talk about putting things in perspective. 
• The Mod Podge on the stairs . . . it dries clear, and since the husband was the one who dropped it, the husband was the one who cleaned it up.  My stairs are not crunchy, so he did a good job. 
• $0.00 paycheck . . . not finding the bright side to that.  It is actually a bit of a funny story.  Employer goes to new payroll process, warns employee that with the transition, their first check of the year will be for only one week's pay instead of a half month's pay.  They offer a "supplemental pay" that you can opt to take (which of course just gets removed from all future checks for the year) and I turned it down.  A few weeks prior, an actual person contacts me . . . live . . . not a recording . . . not an e-mail . . . to warn me that my check could be less than 10% of my normal pay.  I still opt to not take the funds.  I get said check and am searching for the net pay.  Where is the net pay . . . net pay?  Oh, here it is . . . $0.00.  It begs the question.  Is ZERO really less than 10%?  Couldn't they have said, "You are going to get NOTHING!  A big fat ZERO! 

Now for some of my positives.

I did say that the anniversary of my brother's death was a negative, but it was also listed as my positive.  I was lucky enough to be able to spend the evening with family and friends celebrating his life.  My sister-in-law is the most incredibly awesome person in the world (I just love her!).  We visited a few of his favorite spots, and this beautiful tribute to the attacks on the World Trade Center was one of them.  

This sculpture was made by a Windsor, CT artist who makes sculptures from scrap metal.  He was inspired to make it to assist Windsor High School's Special Ed Class back in 2003 who were tasked with a project to improve community and school.  The artist sculpted the metal pieces and cut the outlines of the towers.  The Special Ed students drilled the individual holes which represent each person who died in the attacks.  My brother assisted the class with the drilling of the holes.  Is that not an awesome thing to see and hear about?  Note to self . . . need to take another trip down in daylight to take a photo, and perhaps an evening photo without the "holiday wreath."  

There were other positives, and many of them at work.  When I think there is too much stress, I am reminded of those I work with who make it worthwhile!  That one particular trainer who never stops thanking me for everything I do for him and makes the most awesome salsa which he brings with him from Texas.  Heaven in a jar!  The coordinator who, when hearing a rumor that I was leaving my job, but then finding out it was just a joke said, in a sigh of relief "In complete seriousness, if you left we would be screwed."

I blush . . . how awesome is that!  

And on the creative side of life, it has been tough to find time for creativity.  I have just been so busy on the 9 to 5 front.  But I do have a little class coming up at my LSS . . . working with sketches . . . 

What a great message:  Surround yourself with splendid things.

Indeed.

I have to say, a splendid thing for me right about now . . . or tomorrow . . . would be an awe$ome paycheck with $ome actual fund$!

Mojo Monday 222

I'm scrapping from my stash!  The Mojo Monday Sketch is noted below. 

I did a few interesting things with this sketch, the most interesting was a little twist I added to highlight a few words on my "word pattern paper."  After cutting my strip for the banner piece, I wanted to high the words "Make a Wish."  So I took some baker's twine and wrapped so the words would show.  It's definitely something I would try again, as it's a great use of the paper.

I also distressed the edges of all the elements except the card itself and the 4 x 5 1/4 background piece. 

For the stamping and the die cut tag I used a die and stamps from Clear and Simple. 



And here is the inside of the card. 

Orange is not just for Halloween!  So glad I could use up some scraps.

New Year's Resolution - NOT!

I tend to make a resolution or two every single year, and then I tend to lose sight of most of them.  So I thought this year about making a resolution not to make a resolution . . . but then I'd be breaking it right off the bat by having made a resolution at all. 

So I'm not making a resolution this year.  I'm not setting myself up for failure.  I am just going to try to be the best that I can be each and every day throughout the year.  And I must believe in myself.   

Whimsical Wednesday Challenge - Favorite Project

The Whimsical Wednesday Challenge this week was to upload a favorite project from 2011.  I have to admit that it was a tough choice.  I've done some super-cool things in 2011, so in reality this is only one of many favorites.

Below is a layout that I did using some old photos and telling the story of my sister, Tammy, who was severely mentally challenged from birth. 

These photos are from the sixties (dating myself here), and it is always difficult to scrap the old photos . . . especially those polaroids which are so thick and really should not be cut apart.  I'm so glad that I got these photos down in a layout.  You really just have to not stress about it and do it!

And I really think this layout is perfect!  Look at those gorgeous eyes and that beautiful grin. That's my baby sister (may she rest in peace).

Positive Realist Project - Take 5

Do you know what you realize when you write down your best and worst things.  You realize that your problems are very small in the scheme of things! 

Yes the holidays were difficult with the loss of my brother, but you do the best to move along and keep his memory strong.  That, indeed, was the best and perhaps the worst of Christmas Day. 

But now for the best of the week . . . it's a crafty thing . . . a little company that I love called Clear and Simple Stamps . . . I found them back in the summer of 2010 at the Stamp Expo in Massachusetts, and I bought some of their stamps.  What I love about them . . .

• Their stamps are Clear and Simple (just like the name says).
• When I order from them and my shipment arrives, it comes in a great box and is enveloped in tissue paper (their signature color!).
• Sometimes they include a complimentary copy of a magazine, and they put a post-it note on the page that has their advertisement!  
• And sometimes they send me a magnet or post-it pad with their logo.  
• They have an App for the iPhone that is awesome and keeps me inspired. 

It's that personal touch that I love!  And so on the 23rd I got a holiday card from them, and it included a free sentiment stamp set . . . not just one stamp . . . a stamp set!  And so for two years running, I've gotten an awesome stamp set for being a customer.  It just arrived in an adorable card.   

It's the personal touch that is just awesome! Their adorable card made it into my Smash Book.  It made me smile.  It was "my best" for the day.  

I Forgot I Was Crafty

Wait . . . I think I said I had not been crafty.  But wait . . . I was crafty.  I forgot.

I made these boxes and tags with my Stampin' Up stash and stamps.  (I love making boxes.)

There are five boxes (the picture shows six, but one failed inspection because it was too small to hold a gift card).  They are in graduating sizes and will be filled with gift cards and then filled with each other as well.  A box with in gift card, in a box with a gift card, in a box with a gift card, in a box with a gift card, in a box with a gift card! 

Hmmm . . . I spot some American Craft brads in there too!

And then with the leftover scraps and some additional cardstock, I made these little gift card/chapstick holders using more of my Stampin' Up stash. 

I forgot that I had been crafty one day!

Phew!

Back to those Christmas cards.

Positive Realist Project - Take 4

I may be a day late in posting, but I have a completed spread in my Smash Book!  Check it out:

Anyone who knows how I scrapbook knows that I'm all about clean lines.  It has been said that I am LINEAR in my scrapbooks.  My house could be all off-kilter, but my pages are linear. 

a (1) : of, relating to, resembling, or having a graph that is a line and especially a straight line : straight (2) : involving a single dimension b (1) : of the first degree with respect to one or more variables (2) : of, relating to, based on, or being linear equations, linear differential equations, linear functions, linear transformations, or linear algebra c (1) : characterized by an emphasis on line <linear art> (2) : composed of simply drawn lines with little attempt at pictorial representation <linear script>

Need I say more.  I'm linear.   So this whole Smash technique is very new to me.  I have to tell you - it is fun stuff! 

And what did this past week have in store . . .

There were a lot of little surprises.  I think the most exciting was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition and seeing my friend's work at Queen Vanna Creations featured on the show.  How awesome.  Click on her link if you want to see her work and hear about the shenanigans of when Hollywood calls!  And you can even watch on-line.  Note that her little reminder card that she gave to all of us is smashed into the book!  Super cute! 

I was not too crafty over the week . . . and I need to be because there is work to be done (including my Christmas cards which I started early but will finish late, as usual).

And I think I wrote a lot over the last week about having too much work.  I have a 9 to 5 job that is more like 7 to 6 and has nothing to do with craftiness at all!  I supposedly have two weeks off, and in the first two days of being off, I have worked about ten hours.  What is up with that!  It is definitely something I need to work on for the coming year, so stay tuned!  

I

Positive Realist Project - Take 3

Week 2 is in the books!  Well, it's in the Smash Book!

I am loving this Smash Book idea for day to day.  If there is something that you want to save, you literally just smash it in the book.  I am saving little things that would normally hang around my house.  Now they have a place.  This week I saved two things in the book . . .

1) A rubber wrist bracelet purchased for charity;
2) A printed Facebook post that just brightened my day;

I put them into a little envelope to save, and I included the date.  How super cool is that!

So let me mention my best of the best.  The Facebook post was the absolute best.  My daughter wanted some random ridiculous item that she saw.  I don't know if she would have bought it for herself.  But because I knew she wanted it, I ordered it on Ebay for her 26th birthday.  And this was the post that brightened my day . . .

That was on December 10th.  On December 12th "my best" was to pause and reflect 26 years earlier on my first child's arrival.  No sappiness . . . just amazing surprises for 26 years!

Another "best" was spending the day on Sunday, December 11th taking a class from the amazing Cheryl Mezzetti!  Love her classes . . . look at the little St. Nick book I made (needs some finishing touches):

My worsts were somewhat boring.  The usual.

But I will highlight a purchase I made . . . my weekly donation went to Love for Lokomotiv.  On Sept 7, 2011, 44 lives were lost in the worst tragedy in professional hockey history. A plane carrying crew members, hockey personnel, coaches and players of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team went down, breaking the hearts of their loved ones near and far. In a united effort to show support for the grieving families, hockey wives and girlfriends from around the world created a website and have been selling bracelets to support their friends.

And so another week is in the books.

If anyone is interested in joining me on the journey, feel free.  Or . . . just post your "best" and "worst" for the week in the comments.  

Happy Smashing! 

Unity - Let it Snow Challenge

I was sitting down ready to create something for Unity's December Challenge - Let it Snow - and I still had scraps on my table from the Mojo Monday Challenge.  I decided to use the same stamps and papers.  Let's face it, I'm a Girl Scout and felt the need to "use resources wisely."  Truth be told, I loved the combination of papers to create the jacket, scarf, hat, and mittens for my snowman.

So here is a second take at some of the same supplies and the same stamps.  I used Unity's November Kit of the Month - the snowman stamp.  For the sentiment I used the "We're all just a little flaky" stamp from the Jolly Good Fun set.  I again paper pieced the elements onto the cream image (I love this look!).  The design of the card itself is completely different from my "Mojo Monday" card.  I used a border punch embellished with jewels and I framed my main image with that red pattern paper. 

That snowman and is little jacket and scarf are just as stinking cute the second time as the first!

And indeed . . . we are all just a little flaky!

Mojo Monday 218

I absolutely love a good sketch, and this one doesn't disappoint.  I love anything that combines different shapes . . . pleasing to the eye! 

My first order of business was to turn this sketch on it's side, as I knew I was going to use a wider design for my main image.

I used two different Unity Stamps, the sentiment from the Jolly Good Fun set and the snowman stamp from the November Kit of the Month.  I stamped that snowman image on cream cardstock, onto a red pattern paper and then onto a striped pattern paper.  I then went to work cutting out the pieces of the pattern paper so I could paper piece the pattern paper pieces onto the cream image.  I used other pieces of the pattern paper for the elements of the sketch.

With the paper piecing finished up, I used my Copic Markers to color the bird, the bird house, the musical notes, the nose and to add shadows.  I then added some flower soft white for the hat and mitten cuffs.

I love that darn sweater and scarf!  It just makes me smile.

Positive Realist Project - Take 2

I have completed my first week of Positive Realist Project, and it has been awesome!  

I am horrible at writing a journal for many reasons:

1. I am a perfectionist and once a mistake is made, I typically lose interest or want to start from scratch, and 
2. I hate doing anything in my own handwriting because . . . . well, see #1 right above this.  If I make a mistake, I lose interest! So that has been my first real challenge . . . not to care about mistakes and to just keep going!  

Let me tell you . . . there are mistakes!  I have more typos when I do things in my handwriting than I do when I type.  How can that be? 


So before I talk about some cool and not-so-cool moments, here is is a look at my Smash Book.  It is coming along. 

I journaled "my best" and "my worst" for each day.   I incorporated some little items into the book.  I used the top of a receipt from New England Scrapbook Co. where I found a pink Smash Book pen for journaling . . . happy moment on Day 2.  Then on Day 6 I included a little black and white print of the cover of a holiday album my nephew Joe made to surprise his mom and lift her spirits for the holidays!  Super cool!  And then finally, the cardboard cozy from my latte today!  

My bests for the week . . . nothing huge, unless you count the "Joe to the World" music collection, which was a big surprise.  It brightened my evening tremendously the night I saw it, and it is brightening my evening this very moment as I type this.  I realized I could download the songs by making a donation which will go to Connecticut Cat Connection, which was my brother's favorite charity.  A win-win!  So I made a $30.00 donation for one song (erroneously hit the wrong pick), and then a $10.00 donation for the entire track.  I am loving it!  And the money will go to a great cause.  

Another highlight . . . an evening watching a new video I recently bought, "Becoming Chaz."  It was a great documentary about Chaz Bono's transformation from woman to man.  Odd that two of my bests also included Starbucks lattes, which is interesting, because I usually am lucky to make it there once every two or three weeks. 

Some of my worsts . . . getting caught in the rain while searching for my lost iPhone.  Bright sides:  1) I found the phone; 2) it was dark and the UPS man (who showed 10 minutes later) did not see me in my PJ's searching the car. 

Stressful times at work this week.  Really stressful times!  BUT, while at Starbucks, they had these cool bracelets and for a $5.00 donation, the proceeds would go to Create Jobs for USA.  So how do you turn your stress at work around . . . buy a bracelet and be thankful that you have a job. Now it is highly likely that had I not been journaling about my stress at work, I would not have made the connection on the bracelet and made the donation.  I bought two and put them with mugs/tea and will give them as grab bag gifts.  

My goal this holiday season is to make donations to organizations so this week was perfect.  I managed to make $50.00 in donations, and it was all connected to my project.     

And so I will carry on and check in next week. 

The Play Date Cafe #109

I have not had a "play date" at the cafe in about two months!  I've missed eight dates with my busy schedule.  

So it is time . . .

These were really tough colors for me.  Really tough.  But then I saw that my LSS, New England Scrapbook Co. had Crate Paper's Farmhouse collection which had this one really cute design that looked like a little quilt in several pink hues.  I started with a Bazzill Champagne cardstock card base, and cut a 4 1/8 x 5 3/8 of the pattern paper.  I distressed the edges with a distressing tool.    The die cut is from My Creative Time, as is the stitched border stamp.  The ice cream cone stamp and sentiment are from Unity Stamp (one of their monthly kits). 

Not an easy color combination for me, so it was quite a stretch. 

I always gauge my cards by how they look the next day after a good night's sleep.  Not to shabby at all!

Getting My Mojo On - Mojo Monday 217

With my Positive Realist Project underway, I decided it was time to look at participating in a challenge, as I have not done one in quite some time.  So I decided to get my Mojo on with the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  Note that I realized I wouldn't make the deadline, but I wanted to play along anyway (it's not about deadlines . . . it's about creating).  

No being in a round mood, I went for the square sketch.  There were two things I wanted to accomplish . . .

1) I wanted to try out a new technique . . . chevron stripes.  I had seen the technique featured a few places over the years.  Recently a few paper crafters on a board on Stamp Nation had been talking about it, so I had to give it a shot; and 
2) I wanted to do something masculine.

I was looking for masculine paper and stripes (for my chevron stripes)!  Imaginisce had a fabulous line called Bon Voyage that had been calling me.  I chose that one stripe paper (which had a stamp print on the bottom), three coordinating colors of cardstock and a package of the stickers to embellish.  Using the sketch above, here is my design:

Now . . . you might be saying that I missed an element of the sketch.  But the real element I wanted to showcase was my chevron stripes which make up that top panel.  It was created by cutting diagonal strips in two different directions, and then adhering those to a scrap of paper.  I love the look! 

And here is a view from another angle.  The paper has a glossy embossed coating, which really makes the design pop!  

I wanted to finish up the job by using the remaining paper and stickers to make up some additional masculine cards.  This first one has a pop up airplane on the inside (see second photo).

When closed, the airplane covers the sentiment . . . and then moves as you open/close the card.

And then two other designs, the second of which also has chevron stripes.  

So with three sheets of cardstock, one sheet of double-sided paper, and a package of dimensional stickers . . . job done!  I can't wait to try the technique using another striped paper, and I'm glad that I accomplished some masculine cards (which are not always easy for me to create). 

I will be checking in on Wednesday or Thursday with my progress on my PR Project!  Stay tuned.

The Positive Realist Project - Take #1

I have a little project involving a Smash Book:

I'm about to get really chatty here, because I have this idea about what makes us stronger.  It's a long story about why I'm here and why I want to do this, so stick with me if you can. 

I had a friend who was going through some troubles at home and at work.  She was really going through a difficult time.  She told me that it had been suggested to her that before she put her head on the pillow each night she should think of one good thing that happened to her that day.  Just one!  She would keep a notebook by her bed, and she would write something down each night.  I thought it was an interesting idea.  I've never tried it.  I don't know how that worked for her, but I tucked it away in the back of my head. 

The last three years for our family have been extremely difficult ones, starting with the loss of my mother-in-law.  She was a realist for sure, and in many respects a positive realist.  She would say, "What will be, will be."  She would always forge forward.  She was one of the most sensible, practical women I've ever met.  Unfortunately, these traits of hers did not completely pass down to her son.  He is a bit of a negative realist.  While he is definitely one to forge forward, he always looks for the loopholes first.  He also spends a great deal of time warning about loop holes before they become reality.  Since her passing, I feel like I gained a few of her traits in dealing with him.  I take one cup of my mother-in-law's reality, I mix it with my own reality, and I add a teaspoon of my sarcasm (okay, maybe more like a quarter cup).  I offer this up as a nice contrast to help him deal with most of his problems.  We forge ahead.    

The day that my husband returned to work after my mother-in-law's funeral, he was laid off from his job.  Talk about kicking a guy when he's down.  Apparently he missed the big lay off day while mourning his loss.  Things looked a little odd when he got to work that day.  There appeared to be some "cleaner, neater" desk areas.  It looked like several people had the day off.  And a few minutes after arriving, he was called in for a little meeting.  He returned to his desk and found an empty box in which he could pack his things.  How convenient and thoughtful, because what if you didn't bring a box that day?  Forge ahead! 

And the third crowning glory in that month of November 2008 was a legal matter regarding the handling of my mother-in-law's estate.  Let's just say that everything that could go wrong, went wrong.  My husband had carefully consulted attorneys before making a move on selling her house while she was in the nursing home.  This one single event has likely tripled his negative realism.  I recall him saying, "It is sad, but we would have been better off just abandoning her.  That is the message that I'm getting here."  Financially, he was 100% accurate.  It is truly sad that there are people who cheat the system as their parents age.  But the guy who tries to do the right thing and didn't make a single penny (and in fact lost money in attorney's fees) doesn't win his case over one small misunderstanding with an attorney.  I remind him that spiritually, we would have never walked away from her, as that would have been way more painful.  So we forge on.  

My husband found work, taking a lesser job, and we continued forging ahead as we battled our little legal matter.  The economy being what it is, he again faced layoff a year ago.  He has found yet another job.  We continue to forge on! 

I have three siblings.  In an 18 month period between 2009 and 2011, I lost two of them and nearly lost a third.  When I think about would could have happened, I could be the last one standing.  It breaks my heart. 

My younger sister was 48-years old, severely disabled and lived a simple life in a wheel chair with very little communication.    She did have some medical issues the last two years leading to her death, but it was unexpected and came at the same time that my brother and his wife were losing her father, who passed just one week later.  It was a tough couple of weeks.  My sister's loss left a hole in my heart. I forged on in a trance. 

Several months later, my oldest brother was in a downward spiral.  He appears to be a forge ahead kind of guy.  He does not have a wife and kids and does not surround himself with his family.  He had lost his sister and his job.  He was without health insurance and was facing some medical issues.  He lost his will and basically nearly took his own life by ignoring his health.  We discovered there was a problem as he was on death's doorstep.  After spending nearly two months in the hospital, he is back on his feet again.  That is slightly funny, because he lost part of his foot during the incident.  I can joke about that because I am a positive realist! 

But the one that really challenges me . . . that really ticks me off . . . that I fear I will have the biggest battle over . . . the loss of my brother less than a year ago.  Diagnosed with cancer on his 50th birthday, he never made it to his 51st.  We were close in that we lived just 20 minutes from each other, we raised our kids together, and we spent most holidays together.  He was not a talker.  The repeated phrase I miss so much,

"Hey Deb, what's going on?  [to which I responded "not much"]  Here's Laurie?"

That was like a thousand words.  It said it all!  I miss that so much.  And yes, I do want to talk to Laurie!  And I don't have to share her with you anymore, so "neener, neener, neener."  I can joke about that because I'm a positive realist! 

I believe I was making these types of jokes early on after his death.  I believe it is what makes me stronger.   I believe there is something about trying to always find the positive in any crappy situation.  I believe that if you don't make light of the dark situations, you will stay in the dark much longer. 

All that said, the realist in me still wants to shake those who upon asking, "How are you?" respond with "I couldn't be better."  Really?  If you were called in and given a promotion right now, you wouldn't be better?  If you won $100,000 in the lottery, you wouldn't be better?  I do understand that they say those things because they are positive people and it gets them through the day.  But really? 

Where am I going with all of this?  I have this idea . . . for the not so crafty or the crafty.  There will be some not so crafty things, and some crafty things.  You can pick and choose . 

Get yourself a journal if you want to play along.  (This is where my Smash Book comes in.)

You can start at any time . . . does not have to be today.  Does not have to be tomorrow.  It can be next week.  It doesn't matter.   I am starting today. 

We are going to be realists.  Positive realists!  As each and every day closes, we are going to write two things in our journal.  It will be an on-going list.  Simple!  We will write 1) the most positive thing that happened and 2) the most negative thing that happened.

Once a week I will pick some negatives from my list, and I will turn them into positives with a healthy dose of sarcasm! I will encourage you to do the same. 

And every so often, I will throw a craft twist in for those who want a crafty twist.  My plan is to have my journal, but to also have an album by the end of the year with some stories and photos. 

Are you with me?  Get yourself a Smash Book (click on the link to see how cool they are).  My favorite scrapbook store, New England Scrapbook Co. has them. 

 Forge ahead . . . let's be positive realists together!