Hope

So true.

For so long I have hoped.  I have hoped for a psoriasis treatment that will work for me, that will give me my life back.  I have severe psoriasis and it keeps me from doing a lot of things I used to enjoy, including dressing comfortably for the seasons.  I wear long sleeves and pants year-round, even through miserable, hot Georgia summers.  This week, I started a new treatment called Stelara, and it seems to be the most promising yet.  I'll know in a few weeks if it will work for me.

I had my first injection yesterday, and Brian snapped this photo.



That's just a little snippet of my skin.  Those spots you see?  There are many, many more.  They cover me, make me miserable and I'm tired of them.  So, please do your thing, Stelara!

Even through failed treatment after failed treatment, I will not despair.  I will choose hope.

A couple years ago, I created this bust for Scrap n' Art.  It still represents my struggle with this disease.  August is National Psoriasis Awareness Month, so I wanted to share it.  Creating art is very therapeutic for me.



This bust represents "My Two Psides," meaning my two identities or sides of living with psoriasis.  There is a clear side, with smooth, beautiful skin.  I haven't seen that side of myself in well over a decade.  The other side, or "pside," represents the ugly, inflamed skin.  Red, burning, itching, scaling, flaking, miserable.  The two wings represent freedom and imprisonment.  One wing is free, ready to fly.  The other is tethered, tied and confined.  Held down by this disease.  The key represents my search for a treatment that will work for me.

It represents hope.  And I cling to it.

That Is Home

Made some art today.  Had this frame from IKEA and decided to create something to hang by the front door.  I recently created a large canvas art piece for my last issue of Scrap n' Art (I resigned as of the June issue), but I can't share that just yet due to it being artwork for the current issue.  The canvas is also hanging by the door, and needed a "friend" to hang with it.

Here's a picture of the little piece I created today.  I just love the sentiment; it has personal meaning for Brian and me.



It was great to create something fun "just because," and not for a design team assignment.  I am planning on opening my Etsy shop in the coming months, and hope to sell similar handmade art pieces, canvases and other handmade items.  So let me know what you think!  Thanks for looking!  :D

Win A Year's Subscription To Scrap n' Art!

Do you want a chance to win a FREE 1-year subscription to Scrap n' Art? Well, Scrapscene is giving it away to one lucky person!! Head on over and enter to win! You have until Saturday, April 16th at midnight EST to enter! With Scrap n' Art, you'll have tons of scrapbooking, card making and paper crafting ideas and inspiration right at your fingertips, all year long! Check it out! Good luck and happy scrapping!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Thought I would share a fun Valentine-themed project today. It's a set of tags! I used some beautiful vintage images from PaperDreamsFactory, along with some fabric rosettes I made and some other odds and ends. Here they are together:



And separately:







Hope your day is filled with love!!

First Publication Of The New Year

ScrapStreet Magazine approached me to do a layout for their "Voice Through Journaling" feature for the January issue. The issue is out now, and I'm so excited to share it with you! You can see the feature and my layout ("Sweet Happy Girl") here.

Scrappy Work Of Late

Thought I'd do a quick post to share some work I've done lately.

An October Afternoon on December 1st

I was contacted earlier today by someone at October Afternoon, saying they wanted to feature my "Focus" layout on their blog today! They saw it over at 2 Peas. This is so exciting because OA is my favorite paper manufacturer! Yay!

You can check it out here!

A Christmas House on Thanksgiving Eve

If you're in the Christmas mood this Thanksgiving Eve, head on over to the Scrap n' Art Blog to check out a fun Christmas house I made using products from Retired...Let's Do Lunch!

Here's a sneak peek!

All Aboard!! Scrap n' Art World Cardmaking Day Blog Train!

Welcome to the Scrap n' Art World Cardmaking Day Blog Train! If you haven't been with us since the beginning of the train, make sure you go to Angela's Blog to board. Our train is headed on a fantastic holiday tour and you won't want to miss any of the ten stops. We start out at Halloween, head on over to Thanksgiving and end our journey at Christmas. Each blog along the way has a word that you will need to write down. At the end of the line, post the sentence you gathered from the various blogs and you will be entered to win an amazing prize package! The train ride will be open until midnight Sunday (US Central Time Zone) and the winner will be announced on the Scrap n' Art Blog on Monday, October 4.

Welcome to Christmas!

Here is the card I created:

A couple closeups:

Supply List: Cardstock: Paper Accents "Muslin Vanilla 12x12 (8069)," Core'dinations "Core Essentials Collection"; Adhesive: Beacon Adhesives "Adhesive Squares, Zip Dry," GlueArts "Glue Glider Pro: High Tac"; Paper: Graphic 45 "Christmas Past: Carol of The Bells, Christmas Wishes, Deck The Halls, Tags, Victorian Greetings," Karen Foster Design "Green Stars"; Embellishments: Nunn Design "Snowflakes"; Stickers: Jenni Bowlin Studio "Chalkboard Alpha: Red," Sassafras "Apple Glitter Alpha"; Paint: Ranger "Stickles: Candy Cane, Frosted Lace"; Ink: Ranger "Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Vintage Photo"; Pens: uni-ball Signo "White," Zig Writer "Chocolate"; Color Spray: Tattered Angels "Glimmer Mist: Creme de Chocolat"; Misc: Ribbon

And here's a little peek at the prize pack you could win!

Thank you so much for stopping by! My word for you is Scrap n' Art. Next stop is Amy Hadley's Blog. Have a great journey!

Well, Oh My Goodness!

What a super-exciting and pleasant surprise! I have two layouts featured on the Jillibean Soup Blog today!
I love Jillibean Soup products! Thanks, Jillibean Soup, for sharing my work!

Mr. Mojo Says Hi

I have had the scrappy mojo lately! Here's some more work I got done:

A layout about the azaleas we planted this past Spring--they bloomed so fast!



A layout about Trudy--she is such a little stalker! The white flag is there as a "We surrender!" flag, LOL!




And a layout about our niece, Alita. These pics were taken in our backyard this past May. She was laughing at faces Uncle Brian was making at her! :D



Have a great weekend!

It's A Bloggy Day!

I am so excited that I was approached by the folks at the Craft Gossip Blog asking if they could feature one of my layouts! Of course I said yes! Check it out here!!

Also, you can check out my paper picks from CHA today on the Scrap n' Art Blog!

Happy Wednesday! :D

New Layouts!

I'm on break from projects for Scrap n' Art, so I've been scrapping a little just for fun!

Here's what I got done:

This cardboard "sun" is a divider that came in a box of new plates we bought recently. I thought it looked like a sun, so a little white and yellow paint, along with some Glimmer Mist, made it come to life! This is Ginger, acting silly with her birthday ice cream. She says it's because she hadn't had ice cream in a while, but I think it's just because she's crazy.

I made the teal fabric rosette and the orange pipe cleaner flower. (The organza lollipop flower is from an Etsy shop called "Milky Supplies".)




This layout is of Sleepy, a couple months ago. She had to wear a sweater while a sore on her neck healed (because she wouldn't leave it alone). She really hates this sweater.

I made the pipe cleaner flower.




And last, Beatrice. Just being weird. Enough said. :D

Again, I made the fabric rosette and the accordion flower.



I have a blog post coming up on the Scrap n' Art blog tomorrow, with all my picks from CHA! So stay tuned for that, along with another awesome piece of news! :D

Exciting News!

I had heard this rumored a few months ago, but last night, I saw for myself. We went over to The Shoppes At River Crossing, and saw that there will be a Joann Fabrics and Crafts Store coming in July! All I can say is IT'S ABOUT TIME. We have a Michael's, which is fine, even though it's kinda in the ghetto. But I have heard Joann is more like Hobby Lobby, and I prefer that. I still don't know why Warner Robins got the Hobby Lobby. :( Anyway, so, yay! I will have a Joann within 10 minutes of my house! That's closer than Michael's, and that's really exciting!

Got these pics with my iPhone last night as we drove by.




I was so excited, I let out a little yelp of glee and then proceeded to make up and sing a song to the new Joann building to the tune of Dolly Parton's "Jolene":

"Joann, Joann, Joann, Joaaaaaaannnn,
I'm gonna buy some scrapbook stuff from you
Joann, Joann, Joann, Joaaaaaaaannnn,
And Brian wants to take a sewing class or two"

:D

They must have known I was coming and put out those protective orange cones.

They open Friday, July 16th! Yay!

Card On The Scrap n' Art Blog

Check out my post today on the Scrap n' Art Blog! I show the card I made for my parents' 45th Anniversary!

Layouts To Share

Here are some more layouts I got done!

This first one is of our niece, Alita, this past April. For the Cosmo Cricket Challenge on scrapbook.com.




This one is of my Daddy, a few months ago. He loves to try new kinds of barbecue sauce, and he made this happy face when Ginger gave him a bottle she bought for him. I love his face here; so funny! :D



And this last one is of Sleepy, being sleepy. LOL! This is for the Scrap Your Pet Challenge at scrapbook.com.



And yep, I've changed my blog background. Again. I think I really like this one, though. :D
Hope everyone has a great weekend! :D

Update, With Projects!

I've been kind of lazy about updating lately. Sorry!

Here are some projects I've been working on since my last update.
Click the images to view them larger if needed.

A card I did for the Scrap n' Art blog a few weeks ago:



A card I made for my father-in-law's birthday:



My all-day challenge for NSD at scrapbook.com:



Mother's Day Card for Mama:



Mother's Day Card for Brian's Mama:



A layout for the Week-Long Challenge for NSD on scrapbook.com:

The journaling reads:
I don't ever remember a time that my Mama did not make a homemade birthday cake for me. Her cakes were sought after all over the county--she is a very talented cake decorator. Even to this day, for every birthday, I have a beautiful, delicious handmade cake to look forward to. How Sweet It Is that she started and continues this tradition.



And last, a sweet layout about my parents, who will be married 45 years next month. They are what love looks like:



So, that's what I've been up to! Happy Memorial Day Weekend, everybody!

Fun With GCD Studios

Check out my project using GCD Studios' Homespun Chic and Ava Collections, today on the Scrap n' Art Blog!

Wanna Win Some Great Scrappy Prizes?

Come celebrate all weekend with Scrap n' Art! Leave a comment on the Scrap n' Art Blog for your chance to win one of FIVE prize packs!! Happy National Scrapbook Day!!

You Can Stand Under My Umbrella...

...ella...ella...ella :D

Check out my card on the Scrap n' Art Blog today!

Not too much to report, otherwise--I did just receive a huge, awesome box of supplies for the next issue, though! I've been busy already with projects for July/August. I am really excited about this issue!!

Also, Glee is back! All is so right with the world!