AJC #5 PAUSE

The word for the art journal caravan challenge this week is PAUSE.  These are my journal pages for this challenge.

GLAD IT'S OVER

This was the first time in the 18 years I have been practicing that I have found a seminar to be totally useless.  Lord it was awful!  On Saturday Jacquie and I were making roses (a la Tim Holtz) at the table during the seminar!! Yep, glue, scissors, everything!  It was Jacquie's idea and she punched tons of flowers the night before.  At first I was a little bit freaked by it but then I was so thankful she had thought of it!!

The best part about the entire weekend was the shopping (we hit Hobby Lobby and a really cute Scrapbook store in Orlando)!  We did some serious damage to our wallets but felt really good about it!

I have the ear infection from hell!  Haven't had one since I was a kid and it's just as awful as I remember it to be.  So... tomorrow it's off with the ear - or at least some antibiotics!

Getting ready for our retreat!! Woo HOO!!! Can't wait!  I love the idea of seeing "my girls"!!  Haven't seen them (except for Eileen) since last year.   Having Julie Nutting and Ingrid coming to teach workshops is just icing on the cake - but WOW what awesome icing!  There's a lot that goes into this retreat - so many things to do before then - but it's worth every single moment!

Just imagine 16 wonderful crazy ladies in a 5 day art overload!  It's so great! Can't wait!  This year we will have a few more ladies than last year and that will make the slumber party just a little more crowded but that much more fun!

Yep, 36 more sleeps!!!!  LOL!!

Day 1 almost over

You can look at this torture chamber yourselves. Goofy is still drooling (aha aha): the chipmunks are still chewing on cookies or something and my friend Jacquie was just rudely awoken by a screech from the microphone which I KNOW was in purpose!!










- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Just Picture It

Watching the State of the Union address the other night I couldn't help but get this tingly wave of fear thinking about what a coup it would be for terrorists to drop a bomb on that location.

Now I am sitting in this beautiful resort in Disney trying like hell to stay awake (thank the good Lord for my iPad) in a CLE seminar with... Get this... 1200 other marital and family law attorneys. Not only can you vividly imagine the excruciating boredom, but just imagine the potential for a bombing!!!

And just imagine once we are all blown away, the amount of argument and pompous pontificating at those pearly gates just to get IN!

Yep, I am bored out of my frickin mind and am running these images through my head using Disney characters as my pontificating colleagues. Can't help it. Not only is boredom causing me to hallucinate despite the 17 cups of coffee I have had, but the two fat boys sitting to my right who have already gone through two baskets of candy are the spitting image of the Chipmunks.

The dude behind me with the striped shirt and god-awful tie who apparently just graduated law school and is listening to this crap as if it is the bible being read by Jesus himself is the spitting image of Goofy. Same long face, same buck teeth - pretty impressive actually.

And let's not forget Balou up on the stage who is about ready to have an orgasm enlightening this audience on the "exciting" area of motions in limine and the "sublime gratification" (uggghhhhh,) of doing an "auspicious" job for your clients.

Now, look, I don't expect these things to be titillating but it would be much more exciting to watch the grass grow!!!!

Pity me my friends! I love being an attorney - after all these years I still feel passion for the law. But as I sit here.......

Feel my boredom, agitation and frustration in knowing that these characters are my colleagues. That I actually spent years and a truckload of money to join this group of pompous, pontificating, self-indulgent asses. Somebody shoot me! (twice please - to make sure I am dead!)


-Posted from Elena's iPad

Location:Disney Resort, Orlando, Florida

Bamboo Book

On Saturday I went to the Paper Niche (one of my very favorite stores of all time) in Ft. Lauderdale to take a class with my buddy Beatriz.  She is an amazing scrapbooker with a God-given talent that will leave you in AWE.  That woman can scrap 60 pages in a day!  Literally!!!  I have seen it done!

Anyway, we made a book bound with wood skewers which is really cool.

I am thinking of trying this same technique using Fabriano paper instead of cardstock for a nice little journal book.  I will let you know if it works!!!

ZETTI BIRDS

Anyone who knows me knows I love zetti.  Nancy from CrowAbout (sorry Nancy!! I can never remember your last name!) came up with this wonderful Zetti Bird Junction digital kit which I absolutely love!!  Not only is Nancy OBVIOUSLY wildly talented, she is an incredibly nice lady!

I also have her Zetti Re Vamp Digital Kit which is TOTALLY amazing and her Zetti Flutterby Fairies Digital Kit which is adorable!! These are all for sale at Deviant Scrap.  I have done alot of research on digital kits and this shop is the only one that I have seen carry zetti-type digital products.

Journal Page for Today

I went to the office to meet with a client and his mom today.  What an adventure this profession can be!

ARTISTIC EVOLUTION

Our latest journal journey will set sail on February 14th, 2011.  It will be an amazing project with "my girls", wonderful ladies that accompany me on all my crazy ideas!

The wonderful Eileen Bellomo blogged about this new journal project yesterday and there is no way I could describe it better than she did.  So please stop by Eileen's Blog and check out our new project!!!

Amanpulo

How absolutely magnificent is this resort in the Phillipines????    Yeah... I think I can spend a few months there.

SIMON FARINAS (3/9/2000 - 1/20/2011)

I lost one of my babies today.  I had to put Simon to sleep a little while ago and it just about broke my heart.

He had been sick with pulmonary hypertension for a while (see previous post ) but he had been okay.  You know?  Not great.  But okay.  Today I got home and he was so happy to see me.  I was surprised at how much energy he had.  I went to the store and took him with me.  

A few minutes after I got home he literally fell over.  He couldn't stand up and was dragging himself across the floor.  I tried so hard to make him okay... I gave him oxygen (which I have been giving him for over a year) but this time he would not let me put his face in the mask.  He always had.  But tonight he just wouldn't.

He kept kissing me and kissing me and that in and of itself was a shock because Simon NEVER kissed (licked) anyone!  He was too arrogant for that.  He kept looking at me and kissing my face, licking the tears off my cheeks.  I swear to God that little dog was saying goodbye to me.    He didn't want the oxygen... he just wanted to go.  He kissed me to let me know that he was okay with that.  That he wanted to go.

I called my vet and he met me at his office.  He agreed with me that it was time... I can't even tell you how I felt.  I just can't.

The vet suggested I leave Simon with him and leave and I started to.  But I came back inside and carried my little man.  The vet gave him the shot and I just kept holding him.  I kept telling him how sorry I was.. .that I HAVE to do this.  That I love him so much.  I know he understood me.  It was so fast.  Right before the last second he kissed me again and then just closed his eyes.

For those of you reading this and thinking he was just a dog... he was not.  He was my baby and I love him dearly.

I will miss you Simon.  I love you.

Keys 4 Art Retreat almost here!!

As it gets closer and closer i make lists, lists of my lists and addendums to those lists!!!

16 women all staying in my house in one huge slumber party. The fabulous Ingrid Dijkers will be teaching a two day workshop which has me totally psyched. Then a workshop with the wonderful Julie Nutting. Can't wait to spend a day creating her gorgeous glamor girls. Three days of artistic bliss!!!

Friday we have a workshop at the Paper Niche with my wonderful friend Bea. She has created a fabulous canvas journal with Donna Downing and Prima. After that workshop Bea will be teaching us some cool techniques for making tags.

Okay so are you tired yet?.... LOL! Saturday we have a few small projects we will be doing and Sunday everyone goes home with tons of extra baggage and totally exhausted!!!

and after that???? Well, start planning the 2012 retreat of course!!!


-Posted from Elena's iPad

SOMEONE STOP ME!!!

Not ONLY do I have Tim to thank for my economic chaos.... now Catherine (Character Construction) has jumped on the "you gotta have it" bandwagon!!!

If you are not familiar with Catherine Moore, she is a wonderfully creative woman who, on top of everything else, is so incredibly nice you want to sit down and have a cup of coffee with her!!!

She has created a new line of Character Construction stamps (if you have been living under a rock and are not familiar with her Marie Antoinette Character Construction stamps, they are absolutely fabulous stamps for putting together paper dolls).  The new line is.... ready for it????? MERMAIDS!!!  Can you believe it?!  Does this not REEK of conspiracy??????

Well HERE they are.  And if just seeing them doesn't convince you... go to my friend Laura Haviland's Blog  and take a look at the BEAUTIFUL paper dolls and tags that Laura makes with these stamps!

So this is the plan....  if I don't pay the mortgage (what the hell, everyone is missing a payment or two arent' they?)... and hide my credit card statement from my husband....  Yeah!  I think I can do this!!!  (Now WHERE is that xanax?????)

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE

buying new things... Here comes Tim with more die cuts!!!  UGGGHHH!!!  And what can you do!?  You HAVE to get them right????

I have every single one of his first release.... feeling sort of smug... (yep, gotta admit that) and here he comes and does it AGAIN!  There is not ONE of these new dies that I can say... oh I don't really like that one!!!  Jeez!!!  He makes it impossible for us to be "fiscally responsible"!!!  How in the WORLD can they expect us to pay our bills BEFORE pre-ordering these dies????

Okay, so HERE THEY ARE .....

New paper, new texture fades, new dies....  UNBELIEVABLE I TELL YOU@!@!  It's just wrong!

Yes, I know this is nothing more than an enabling post but there you have it... if I am going to be totally irresponsible I am taking some of you down with me!

I will now go take a pill and lay down.

YOU WERE A GIFT FROM GOD

Maddie was born on May 4th, 2010, four months after we lost my dad.  She was a gift from God. She is such a wonderful baby.  She never cries, always has this wonderful soulful smile.

This was her first New Year's Eve.  My husband had an awful time on New Year's Eve having lost his dad on November 6th, but Maddie was the one thing that made him smile that night.

HAPPY NEW YEAR BABY GIRL

ANGELS AMONG US

We are doing a journal in one of my groups VINTAGE ATCS UK.   For our last prompt she sent each of us a message from an angel.  This are my journal pages for that prompt.

TRAVELS OF MY HEART: JOURNAL PAGE 01/16/11

The movie Under the Tuscan Sun has become my fantasy.  The idea of just leaving... just going somewhere by myself and not coming back is like a dream that although I know I will never realize.... still makes me smile.

If you haven't seen the movie... go rent it ... NOW.  There is something really wrong with any woman who sees that movie and doesn't sigh.

ART JOURNAL CARAVAN CHALLENGE 3

The word for the Art Journal Caravan journal Challenge #3 is TRAVEL.  I really enjoy these challenges.

This is my take on the word:

SLEEPOVER AT NINA'S

I realize that I am somewhat biased, but I think my nieces are he most adorable things ever!  Melissa - my first niece - is in law school and a mom.  These three babies are my brother Julios kids.  (He waited a lot longer to have kids!).  Anyway, they are bright beautiful kids.  Talented and loving.  They are great big cousins to Kaitlynn and they absolutely adore Kristina.

These pictures were taken almost 3 years ago and I can not tell you how much these girls have changed.  It's going by so damned fast.

DISNEY 2008

Dear God

In thinking about my gratitude journal, I realize that there are always things to be grateful for as well as things for which I need guidance.  I have decided to address my fears, my gratitude and my concerns to the one person that is always there.

Kaitlynn and Chuchu

Kaitlynn and Chuchu (whose real name is Angelo) were born a few weeks apart.  Kristina is Chuchu's godmother and Chuchu's mom, Marilyn, is Kaitlynn's godmother.  Kristina and Marilyn have been friends since they were children; were in the same high school dance team; went to prom together; walked each other's weddings.....  you get the picture.

Anyway, Chuchu and Kaitlynn have been "buddies" literally since birth.  They are a funny duo.  Kaitlynn likes to boss Chuchu around and Chuchu had always let her!  Now that he is getting bigger he is fighting back and it is really something to behold!  You walk in on them and they could be playing nice and polite OR you can walk in on them and Kaitlynn has him in a headlock!

They have a love/hate relationship that is just too cute.

New Year's Eve

Cozy Mouse Layout

How cute is this!!!?   LOVE this!!

CHANGES TO LEES PAGE AND PAGE 2

I was looking through Lee's Marie Antoinette journal today and marveling at the GORGEOUS work that everyone has done so far.  These journals truly are a masterpiece.

Anyway, I digress....  LOL!!

In looking through the journal I saw that Lee had made a list at the front of her journal suggesting different "Maries" for everyone to do.  One of them was Dog Lover Marie... Well!  Can't let that one go!! So.... I made some changes to her first page and now have done the second page.  Once these are printed, I will add 3D elements to create a hybrid layout for her.  I really like this and I hope she does too!

I have five yorkies and an Afghan so this was fun for me!

Marie Antoinette Page for Lee

Lee Hynes lives in Australia and is one of the artists that participates in every single project I come up with!  She is an amazing artist and friend.  

I wanted to do something different for her Marie Journal.  I'm not really the "frilly" type so Marie is really a challenge for me.  I made this digital page for her journal.  When it is printed, I will add elements to the page to give it a 3D effect which I am hoping will be as great as I envision it and create a hybrid page for her.

Once I have it finished I will post the end result.

Hope you like it Lee!!!

Today's Journal Page

I love Alice in Wonderland.  Love it!  None of the digital kits can use the images of the characters because of copyright laws, blah blah blah.  I found the images on the internet and added elements from different kits.  I am happy with the way it came out. What do you think?

This was so much fun to put together!  

{I AM REPOSTING THIS LAYOUT AFTER MY BUDDY SARAH POINTED OUT SOME MISTAKES!!  THANK YOU SARAH!}

THRIVE

As I have already told you guys, I joined the Art Journal Caravan for 2011 (I also joined the 2010 and never did one single prompt!).   They give you a prompt a week for you to play with along with a digital kit to use for that prompt.

This week, the word is THRIVE.  You would think it would be an easy prompt but for some reason I had a difficult time with it!  What makes you "thrive"?  As a person, as an individual, as a mom, as a professional....  If you really look at the definition and think about it, it really isn't easy to define!  Anyway, this my journal entry on this word.

Gratitude Journal January 6 and 7

This is a really cute Steampunk Digital Kit I got from Scrapbookgraphics.  If you like digit elements that are different, drop by and take a look at what they have.  They have this awesome ongoing project Art Journal Caravan 2011 that I am participating it.  You get a prompt a week with a digit kit (she calls them parcels) that relates to the prompt.  You use the kit to make a page (or two, or three) based on that prompt. Tangie also gives you some really good tutorials.


If you like the funky colors and fun of Dia de Los Muertos, they have a great kit for that also!  And no, I do not get a cut!!!  LOL!!!  I just really like their products and their customer service is amazing.


Anyway, this Steampunk kit is from Scrapbookgraphics.  I have not done the prompt yet this week - will be doing it today - but I used it for my Gratitude Journal.