Homegrown Hospitality

Re-Purpose: Scrapbooking

I know it is still 2012 but I am already organizing, preparing and staging myself to SCRAPBOOK in 2013. It is something I have always done, just set aside the past few years and it is time to get back to what I have always loved to do. 

Waaayyyy back when I scrapbooked, it was all about "themes." Now it is about documenting everyday life.  Things that would probably be insignificant to many but so important and/or memorable to those involved.

In my stash, I have 3 years, yes 3 years worth of Project Life Cards and while I love the way they look, I have decided to "personalize" and "re-purpose" mine to go with my pages.

Start with blank or lined cards (just use the reverse side of the printed cards!) :Write/doodle out your thoughts :add a shadow here and there, add some dots and lines...maybe a little color and call it done! Get ready to Re-Purpose your stash and scrapbook through 2013. yay!

One Little Word 2013

As 2012 comes to a close and 2013 gets ready to begin, it is that time of year when many  choose a "resolution."

Of course I want to eat less, exercise more and feel better but personally, for me and for many I know, I prefer to choose a word to focus on for the year rather than a resolution.  This year, my word is "Re-Purpose" for a few simple reasons. 

1. Spiritually - Saddleback has launched the new edition of "Purpose Driven Life" and starting in January, I am jumping in with both feet to work on what it is that I am here for..
Creatively - In 2013, I am using my stuff, my stash, whatever you want to call it.  Whether it be paper, paint, markers, cardboard, chipboard, tags, file folders, thread, canvas, beads, buttons or whatever it may be, I am bound and determined to use what I have, to create others things as I define so that I can continue to share, remind, inspire and encourage others creatively.
For information on how to order YOUR WORD, click here.

Christmas Tradtions

Last week, as I was finishing up my preparations for our family Christmas festivities and traditions and preparing, organizing and collecting my supplies to scrapbook in 2013, I had a constant sting of sadness for the families who have lost loved ones this past year, especially in the past few weeks and often thought about how difficult the holidays must be as families gather together to celebrate and enjoy their own traditions...and how important it really is to keep our memories documented. 

As I reflected on our memories of past Christmas's (via the computer, boo!) I was reminded of our Christmas Eve traditions ...

December 2005 December2006 December2007 December 2008 December 2009 December 2010
December 2011 (by the way, I do have another child but I suppose his tradition is to "watch")

and realized that I still had not bought a Gingerbread House kit for the kids and I to work on.

This year, I just was not sold on the idea.

I was not sure why, but I would go to buy a kit, pick up the box, and then set it down and that went on the entire week leading up to Christmas. Store after store after store, I'd repeat this process and go home empty handed...

and then, on Christmas Eve morning as we were getting ready to pack the car and hit the road, the light bulb went off...

or should I say, the light bulb clicked on.

I went out and gathered some cardboard, cut out 26 snowflakes, grabbed glitter, beads, glue, buttons, more glitter, and more beads, packed it in a box and decided that this year, and for years to come, our family tradition of creating something together would bless others... There is still time for you and your family to create for others and what a GREAT way to start a new tradition and kick of a new year together...Click here for information on where to send your snowflakes!

p.s...This year I thought I'd join in on the other traditions, more on that tomorrow...

Merry Christmas 2012

We are wrapping, baking, cleaning, preparing and packing up for Christmas and I want to wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas.

Clearer.

Your overwhelming response to the doodle has been amazing. People ALL OVER are sharing it and it has been requested by many of the residents of Newtown and other places to be sold with proceeds going to the victims families and scholarships so....I am having my new wonderful friend Diana work on preparing it for printing and just as soon as it is ready for distribution, I will let you know!

It is so bittersweet for me to create work like this and I appreciate your sincere compliments.  Simply put, it is God's gift and my hands.  The glory goes to HIM and the love, prayers and strength go to those families that are going through what I can only call a nightmare.

My heart continues to break for those moms, dads, sisters, brothers...friends, family,  neighbors..the community...and it is time, at least for me, to pull up my bootstraps and get ready to help.  I cant sink into the couch any deeper...

I WE must get up and do something.

  This morning (or rather, last night) was another one of those "can't sleep..gotta get up and do something" nights so I wrote out and sent a few emails to my fellow creative souls with a few thoughts and ideas and then started to color...and things became a little clearer...
History starts TODAY and remember this We are all better together....and together we will help make a change.

Prayers & A Doodle

Just like you, my heart is broken into 27 pieces, 26 for the lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary and 1 other piece for the mom who lost her life in her own home at the hands of her own son.

No words, just prayers and a doodle.

When you don't know what to do, do what you know how to do and then pray. This piece is being widely distributed and if you would like to download, print and share, please do in honor of Sandy Hook Elementary School, please send me an email at homegrown1(at)att(dot)net and I will send you the file.

12 in 13

Another thing coming in 2013 is more doodling. Doodling is one of my most favorite things to do and in 2013 my plan is to do more of it. I am in the midst of writing the third Doodle class, "Doodle 12 in 13" which is 12 verses, 12 new doodles and 12 journal prompts
My hope for this class is that you take time to do{odle}a little for yourself, at least once a month with what you have, wheverever you are. 

My plan for this class is to do it online, and if time and schedules permit, in a store near you. 

My purpose for this class is simple. JOY.  When you choose JOY, you feel good, and when you feel good, you do good, and when you do good, it reminds others of what JOY feels like. It really is simple.

More class information very soon...

Scrapbooking 2012 in 13

Third times a charm in my quest to scrapbook, because that is really how this whole creative life started...here is proof that once upon a time, I use to attend crops and at this table, this is where it all started.  Deena & I's table of big girl dreams...So, as I start to focus on the creative side of 2013, I plan to re-introduce..

wait for it...

scrap-booking.

whhhaatttt????

yep, and at least once a month I am going to gather my girls and hunker down in the garage-mah-hall and...

wait for it....

scrapbook.

In preparation for this, yesterday, while I should have been unpacking supplies from my weekend classes, I started to gather the past two years of Project Life supplies and at 4:07pm, after Amazon order was delivered for the third year...I started organizing and even...wait for it...

ordered photos for all of 2012.

What are you doing in 2013?

 

Whim-So-Doodle Whiplash

I am home from a whirlwind trip to Whim-so-Doodle in St. Petersburg FL where we created ornaments and art journals and made a HUGE creative mess together for hours My heart is overflowing with happy for the ladies who spent hours taking classes with me to Jill and her crew at Whim-So-Doodle for taking such good care of me and even happy about the Whim-So-Dodle Whiplash I came home with from constantly looking around the amazing store stuffed with scrapbook suppplies, art supplies, home deco from many of my most favorite people..and fabric. It is an amazing dreamy store where you can shop for hours and see different things every time you walk down an aisle Thank you to the ladies of Florida and Jill and Crew for a awesome weekend!  I hope to see you all again in the spring of 2013! (hint..hint)

oh, and I did come home with a few new things...

Fly...

I am packed and ready to hit the runway and fly to the sunny state of Florida...Whim-So-Doodle, here I come!
I must admit that the fear, anxiety, whatever you wanna call it, of leaving home is happily weakening as I work and strengthen my bravery wings. 
It mostly has to do with the fact that I have surrendered all, but also because I am fully aware that my talents are a gift to share. 

I have learned to say out loud that I am an artist and that I am not allowed to keep the talents and gifts for myself.  

My job is to :
and share, teach and remind you of what I have learned.

When I return from Florida, I am excited and ready to teach, create and prepare for 2013.  I have learned some really good and hard lessons this past year and will keep everything in consideration as I plan for new things. As I create and plan for 2013, whether it is here on my blog or in a store near you, I will continue to strengthen my wings:

Through Prayer...as I pray for INSPIRATION..

Through Reminders...to remind you that we are all in this thing called life TOGETHER...

Through Examples..of doing things like spreading JOY...

Through Connection...of our CREATIVE SOULS...

Through Art...that I CREATE & SHARE...

Through Love...for OTHERS because we are supposed to....

Through Support...for EACH OTHER beacuse we are better together.

I look forward to a creative new year with YOU!