List Yourself #6-Finding Your Favs!

I'm not usually a hugely picky person. Usually when I am shopping, I am a total bargain hunter, BUT there are a few brands that I don't care how much they cost...they will always been in my house.

So today...let's take some inventory!! 

Here are my Top 10 Fav Brands!!

Campbell's-Cream of Anything from any other brand is GROSS!

Great Value Thick and Cream Mac & Cheese

Stacey's Pita Chips

Italia Rosa Fresh Salsa-We get the huge bottle at Sam's Club and Call it "good salsa"

Canvas Corp Mixed Media Glue-I use it on EVERYTHING. I don't have to hunt for a different adhesive for metal, fabric, paper, plastic...whatever!

Big Sexy Play N Spray Hairspray-Nothing else holds all my hair

Maybelline Falsies Mascara in Dramatic Black

Pepsi-Coke is gross and on the random occasion I drink soda, I want to ENJOY it!

International Delights Coffee Creamer-Staple in our house.

Heinz Ketchup-This is a hubby requirement...he cares...I don't. LOL

What about you? 

Take some time today and check out your fridge, makeup bag, medicine cabinet...where ever! 

Have fun with it!

P.S. Like the picture? It was made with the iPhone App "A Beautiful Mess." I absolutely LOVE the fun doodle and quirky fonts!!! Check it out!

Making NEW Memories

I miss my studio...have you ever had that? Life kind of gets in the way of being creative. I haven't been in my studio for 6 days and have another 2 before I will be back home! Every creative person feels my pain right now, right? :)

BUT...even though I'm not making "things"...I AM making memories.

I have taken my kids on their first "hike" through our local nature trail. We've had sleepovers and playdates.  I have taken my kids fishing (I hadn't been in probably 20 years!) I've road-tripped to grandma's, then to Aunt Sissy/Uncle Kracker's (A.k.A. My sister and her hubby) and to Nashville, TN to see...wait for it....THE Package Tour, featuring Boyz2Men, 98 Degrees and New Kids on the Block.

Yes...You read that right! Any '80s baby remembers NKOTB as their first "heartthrob" and even though it has been 27 years since their first album (yes...we are that old...their first album came out in 1986) they are still a BLAST to watch and scream at like a deranged 13 year old girl.

Here are  few of my favorite pics. I went with my big sis, Leslie (AkA Aunt Sissy) and we had AMAZING seats (iphone pics just don't do it justice.) The majority of the concert was done on the center island, which was only about 30-40 feet away from us. Alas....my poor sister was upset that Jordan didn't spend more time on our side.

Boyz II Men....dramatic pause...

Boyz II Men...Down on Bended Knee. Rose Petals fell from the sky!

My FAV!! They did some MOWTOWN PHILLY!!

98 Degrees...Yes...Nick Lachey is still hot. 

98 Degrees...white shirts under white lights don't photograph well with a cell phone,
but we were told we couldn't bring a big camera. :( They were still fun!

NKOTB...LOVE THIS! Their mic stands lit up and
the center of the middle  of the center island spun around.

NKOTB....How scary! They were probably 20-30 feet in the air, standing on little
metal stands. They were suppose to be strapped into a harness while they were singing, but Danny Wood didn't...shamey shamey!!

This was one of my favorite moments. They were all wearing Boston Red Sox jerseys and the "B" logo was
in the center of the stage. Representing "Boston Strong."

For my sis...Jordan stole the camera  and was doing a little filming.

On our way to the Bridgestone Arena we passed these steps and a I look up and go "OMG...it's the RYMAN AUDITORIUM!!!" Of course I had to get my pic in front of it!

There are plenty more to share, but maybe some other time.

{P.S....if you're still a fan all three groups have new albums out! Click on their names above the go to each group's site!)

There were only 2 things that could have made it better: (1) If all three groups would have sang together (NKOTB did when they toured with Backstreet Boys!!) (2) If Joey McIntyre would have reprised his role as Fiyero from Wicked the Musical. (search on YouTube and you can find a few videos of him sining "As Long As Your Mine!")

So...as much as I wish my hands were inky and painty and I had something amazing to share with you, I am OK with it. Because after all...if we didn't MAKE memories...we wouldn't have anything worthy of creating with.

Until next time my friends....enjoy your creative life...making memories every step of the way.

List Yourself #5-Finding Freedom

Just about everyday, I read the verse of the day on my iPhone app, YouVersion. 

Today it was this:

The being kind part...I've got that down (most if the time! Lol), but the "giving up bitterness and anger"...well...I'm still working on that.

I've been abandoned by people who were supposed to be genetically programmed to love me forever. 

I've had such a low view if myself that I was a doormat to anyone who would pay me a little attention and once I finally built myself up, then I was torn down for being prideful. 

I've had moments so dark that the little voice In my head kept telling me my kids..my husband...my family...the whole world would be better off without me. 

I searched and searched for answers and when the people who where suppose to be there to answer them were too wrapped up in their own lives to help me, I looked else where and was still lost. 

God has brought me through a lot if hurt, anger and bitterness and I am definitely a better friend, mom, wife and person that I was 1 year...5 years...10 years ago. BUT...there are always still those memories that when they pop into my head, they tend to linger and bring back a lot of feelings I've spent so much time cleaning out. 

So here is List #5: 

 

Now hear me out friends...this list is NOT about pretending hurtful things never happened or sweeping things under the rug. It's about coming face to face with those things that haunt you and steal the joy from your daily life.  We can never truly forget things in our lives and we wouldn't want to...it has made us the people we are today. To FORGET, in this instance, simply means to REMEMBER that it happened, but CHOOSE not to REMEMBER the negative EMOTION attached to that memory. 

Be honest with yourself. No one will see your list unless you choose to show it so lay it all out there. Dig deep...it maybe small offenses or it might be big hurts. 

This list might be painful...it's gonna hurt, but just like the birth of all three of my kids...there is new life on the other side of the pain. 

Until next time my friends...be strong...be honest...be you. 

Ps...I would love to hear how your lists are going...leave me a comment or shoot me an email at thecreativelifestudios@gmail.com. 

NEW Project and NEW List (#4)

In recent years I have had the amazing opportunity to work with an organization in Northwest AR named Saving Grace. The founder, Becky Shaffer, has embraced the motto "Repairing the Breach, Restoring the Streets" by offering transitional housing and life skills education for girls ages 17-25 who have aged out of a foster care/group home situation or have been "orphaned" due to a critical home situation that has left them homeless. 

As a former foster kid, Becky has taken what could have been a negative in her life and instead used it to do wonderful and life-changing things in the lives of countless of girls in the 4 years since Saving Grace was founded. She has got to be the most optimistic and cheerful person I have every met in my life and I absolutely love her to death.

When Becky approached me a couple months ago about helping with a project for their upcoming mentor's retreat, I of course JUMPED at the chance to do something I had never done before: paper crowns! It was something I had only seen done a couple of times during all my creative wonderings online, so I really had to almost start from scratch.

First....I did a little research and found a template for a traditional, vintage style crown and came up with this guy:

My favorite scripture is Ephesians 5:19 "Speak to one another in songs, hymns and spiritual songs; sing and make music in your heart unto the Lord." I tried to fit the whole verse, but I had to settle for just the second half because of the size of the crown. 

Next, I wanted to do something total "princess" and you can't go wrong with chevron.

Chevron Duck Cloth (modge podge to add some stiffness) on Canvas Corp Craft paper, with hand rolled flowers from Canvas Corp handmade paper. The words are the first 5 words in the Bible and are my constant humbling reminder that I can create...only because He first created.

Lastly, I couldn't do this project without making a MEGA-MS-UNIVERSE style crown!

This crown was made by cutting a piece of Canvas Corp Thickstock (12x12) on the diagonal and rounding the top slightly. I then modged podged some vintage dress patterns that I then lightly gessoed and inked it once it was dry. One large BIG cluster of flowers and silver butterflies add the big, over-the-top fun feel, while the simple LOVE chipboard letters (colored with Tattered Angels glaze in Oil Slick) and a quilted background with rhinestones finish it off.

And of course..you can't have crowns readily available and not have some one model them!

This is Kaitlyn, Becky's youngest daughter, who looks adorable rockin' these paper crowns. :)

I can't wait to the the amazing projects the SG mentor's come up with based on my designs!!

List Yourself #4-Music of the Heart

Many of you might not know that MUSIC is actually my FIRST love...way before I had ever heard of scrapbooking or any kind of papercrafting, I was (and still am) a singer. I started singing as a kid and eventually went to college for vocal performance and music ministry.

So....Let's List all the Songs you know by Heart...you know...those songs that when they come on the radio, you get to the end of the song before you realize you have sung the whole thing basically on auto-pilot.

Here's my top 10 list:

How Great Thou Art

Orphans of God by Avalon

Broken Road by Rascal Flatts

Just about anything by P!nk, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood

Anything by The Fresh Beat Band (the joys of having kids)

The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars

Shout to the Lord by Hillsong

Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera

At the Foot of the Cross by Kim Walker

Vintage New Kids on the Block

Can you tell I have the most random assortment of taste in music? LOL.

What about you? What do you rock out to in the shower or driving down the road?

Share it in the comments...I'm always up for new music!

Until next time friends....

NEW Team and NEW List (#3-A Girl Can Dream)

Yesterday I got some uh-MAZING news...DRUM ROLL....

I've been selected to join an amazing group of creative women as a guest designer for Susan K Weckesser! 

If you don't know who she is, she is an amazing mixed-media artist who also designers her own line of products for companies like Unity Stamp. 

Look...here's my name!!

Eeekkk!!! I'm so excited and up for the challenge!

Now...are you ready to list with me?

Since I am in such a happy mood, let's do a fun list today!

We all like pretty shiny things, but if you're anything like me...I'll talk myself out of just about anything. Call me frugal...thrifty...or just plain cheap. :)

So let's dream a little today:

Here's my list:

* The Audi Jason Statham drives in "The Transporter."

* A Silhoutte Cameo

* An interior decorator to make my house "Souther Living" worthy. 

* A trip to Paris, London, and Australia 

* A NEW IPhone Filled with new music (and a lot if storage!)

* Unlimited Concert tickets

* A personal hair and make-up person!!

* A ridiculously expensive pair of stilletos 

* Nothing but 7 for all Mankind Jeans

I'm cheap...I know it. :) So I most likely will never own most of this list, but a girl can dream can't she? Lol

Until next time my friends!

List Yourself #2- Daring to Dream Big

I'm sitting here outside the room where my youngest (who's 3) is fulfilling the first little dream her little heart has ever had...she is taking her first dance class. 

I know...I know...what can a 3 year old know about dreams? Maybe not much according to an adult, but what is so great about kids is that they aren't afraid to dream! So far no one has told them they CAN'T be a ballerina or a firefighter or a magician or a fighter pilot. Their dreams change with everyday and every new experience. 

So...for you dreamers or those of you who have lost the ability to dream, today's list is for you. 

Fear can be our biggest obstacle. Fear of failure ( my biggest.) Fear of others. Fear of success. Fear of injury. Fear of...you fill in the blank. What is holding you back from your BIG DREAMS? Maybe next to your list of dreams, make a list of your fears. Sometimes writing them down can help you face them or recognize fears you never knew you had. 

Here's my list for you of what dreams I would follow if I wasn't scared and what fear is keeping me from achieving it:

Skydiving-fear of dying (!)

Auditioning for The Voice-fear of failure 

Have More Female friends-fear of being vulnerable 

Have more close friends-fear of abandonment 

Being a household name is the papercrafting world-fear of trying and being told I'm not good enough. 

So what about you? What are your BIGGEST dreams you would dream if no one (including yourself) told you you couldn't do it?

While you'er making your list, keep this picture in your mind:

This little girl just fulfilled dream #1...it's never too early...and it's never too late. 

Until tomorrow my friends.....

NEW Layout and NEW Book!!!

Did you think I had fallen of the blogger-sphere? :) 

Summer has begun in our world and that means 3 kiddos that need to be entertained. Sound familiar? But! I will still find time for me..or I might go crazy over the next 10 weeks. 

Wanna know one way I'm gonna do that?

I was browsing Barnes and Nobles one day and came across this book:

I was intrigued...list making as a way of self-discovery? And I thought...."I L-O-V-E lists! But how can it help me discover anything? My lists are usually To-Do lists." (which usually only helps me discover how little time there is in a day!)

But as I opened the cover and started reading some of the topics, I realized there were a lot of things I didn't know about myself. Like..list the biggest turning points in your life...list all the activities you would do if you weren't so afraid...list your biggest dream and most recurring nightmare. 

Have you ever thought of these things? I haven't. 

And not all of them are super deep..some are ways to remember what you've forgotten ... Like " list everything you can remember from your parent living room growing up" or "list some important things you lost over the years."

And some...well...they're just fun: List the types of people you think should never get behind the wheel or List this regular everyday items you wish you never had to buy again.

Are you ready? Let's do this journey together....

Today's List: List the situations that always make you cry.

My list: 

Break-ups in movies

Death of a child

People achieving their dreams

Feeling out of control 

I'm excited to take this journey and hope your excited to take it with me!

And now....you didn't think I would leave you without a little creative inspiration did you?  

Today on the Scrapbook News and Review Blog, it's Color Inspiration! 

Can you be inspired by this:

I loved the unique color combo so I chose to focus on that for this Layout called "It's a small world" about the worldwide friends I've made through CHA.

You can't go wrong with Heidi Swapp and Pink Paislee, right?

Until next time my friends, let's continue on this creative life together...and discover all we can be. 

God Bless.