Showing posts with label scrapbook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scrapbook. Show all posts

Monday, August 1, 2011

One Jumbled Week, Marley and Me Style

Slow times at the Salon. Got discouraged. Ate dinner with the new neighbors. Stayed home watching TV, unpacking and doing chores. Really like my neighbors upstairs. Did a photoshoot at Lake Hefner with Cooper of GreenGrass Photography. Had a blast doing said photoshoot. Tried booking photoshoots in Tulsa. Worried about how I'm going to pay my bills. Missed Nate. Went to the gym by myself. Found out some surprising information. Realized I was actually ok with that information. Watched too much Grey's Anatomy. Missed Nate some more. Got an apology swirl. Had a second swirl just because I could. Found out more truths. Scrapbooked with my best friend Sabrina. Ate more food than we actually scrapbooked. Was surprised to see Nate come home early. Was even more surprised to know where he went. Worried about money more. Got a photo from the shoot. Loved it. Worried about my parents and their money. Edited playlists. Went to the gym with Nate. Watched documentary on where our food comes from. Drank wine. Listened to old playlists. A lot. Made plans for the future. Played Words with Friends. Played with Eddie. Found out crazy ex-boyfriend still isn't done being crazy. Thought about it and don't give a damn. Made more playlists. Did bridal hair. Did bridal hair again. Loved it again. Talked about how I love my job. Unpacked boxes. Bought groceries. Ate said groceries. Waited on photos from shoot. Took Edward outside. Played with Edward. Ignored money problems and had good cheap fun at the lake with awesome people. Went tubeing at the lake. Woke up ridiculously sore two days later from tubing at the lake. Went to my second summer scrapbook retreat of Vicki's. Worked on Grandma's memorial album. Caught up with old friends. Had an amazing money day at the salon. Waited for more photos. Spoke with more photographers. Thought Edward was crazy for wanting to lay in the hot hot sun. Let him anyway. Missed Nate more. Did laundry. Almost survived another deployment. Worked on two lists of fifty. Watched Easy A. Thought it was pretty dumb but liked the end. Realized maybe I don't want a fairytale but want a cheese 80's ending. Listened to more playlists. Snuggled with little Eddie. Agreed to take new neighbor to the airport at 530 am. Got pictures from the lake. Posted said pictures. Felt really lucky. Played Words with Friends. Started a playlist for my 80's ending ;)

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Thoughts.

I always sit here trying to get the beginning just right. It's like everything else in my life, if you can just get me started, it's normally hard to get me to stop. It's that getting started that always trips me up or postpones the event from beginning. I woke up changed the wax melts in my Scentsy burners to lilacs and violets and hopped in the shower. I wasn't in the best mood this morning, afraid I'd waste a day just wondering what to do with my life instead of actually doing it, but once I got out of the shower and smelled the flowery aroma floating throughout my apartment I knew that today would be different. Today would be a wonderful start to my week and I could toss out any negativity that came about my life from last week.

Yesterday I went to a Creative Memories Premier Event. I'd gone to one last August, so when I got the email from Vicki about another one coming up I definitely wanted to go. You get to hear people's stories about why they became consultants for Creative Memories. While that might sound lame or boring, it's actually pretty cool because you get to hear a snippet of their life story, what motivates and challenges them. The even always includes tips from a photographer (sometimes several) about taking better pictures. I was reminded of some of the basics like zooming in and using natural light to produce more meaningful pictures. I also learned what ISO means and how it can help adjust lighting so that you don't have to use your flash. I'm pretty excited about refocusing me photography (the little that I do) on those three things to display my memories more beautifully.

The convention always gives you a goody bag for registering and coming to the event. Once I got home I curled up on my bed, dumped out my bad and set about organizing my new items and browsing through the newest catalog of supplies. One thing lead to another and all of a sudden I was on the floor digging through old photo boxes finding photos I'd completely forgotten about that haven't made it into an album yet.

Even since Grandma Molly passed away in January, I've been wanting to do something special with the pictures I have of her from Christmas. I know she doesn't look great in them, I know that's probably not the best image to remember her by, but they're very dear and close to my heart. Well last night going through all those photos (which are organized by date and event by the way!) I figured out what to do and started pulling out and labeling an entirely new pile of photos. This morning after my shower and with the scent of new spring in the air I set about writing a little note to go in all the envelopes I addressed last night:

I know I haven’t seen most of you since the funeral in January. As many or most of you know I lost my job just a week before Grandma passed away. I’ve done a lot of thinking, meditating and self-discovery during that time. I’ve also been trying to get a little more caught up on all of my scrapbooking. That included going to a convention with Alan’s mom just yesterday. As usual I got home from the event and felt the need to dig through my boxes of pictures that have yet to be scrapbooked. That’s when I got my next idea: a scrapbook of photos that highlight Grandma Molly. Now I’ve got quite a few, some have already popped up in other albums of mine, but I want this to be anything from family Christmases to birthdays, to just sitting around the house. Here’s where I need you all. If you have any pictures of her that you have copies of, if you don’t mind sending them to me either by mail or email (my email is porcelain3doll@gmail.com), I could really make this album more complete. If you only have originals and don’t mind me borrowing them, I can make a copy and return the original to you. Please just let me know if it’s a photo I can keep or something I need to return. The album I’ll be making is a 12x12, so every picture should be able to fit just fine. Please help me do something meaningful that will help us all remember her more vividly.

Love,
Ashley


I sent these out to my parents, my remaining grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins. Well, I guess I should say, I'll be sending them out tomorrow once I buy another book of stamps. It's a new project that will put a lot of meaningful memories into a book lots of us can enjoy instead of being stuffed and hidden in a box where they're easily forgotten. I didn't put any kind of deadline on them because I don't want to rush anyone and frankly I have plenty of projects I'm trying to finish up before I need to start another, but it's nice that I have a plan for some of the clutter that needs to be kept and not tossed. I hope I get more photos and responses, maybe even a couple of stories to put in the album from other family members. There are a lot of things I didn't do while she was still alive and I was in college. Instead of piling on regret, I'm going to take all of that energy and turn it into something beautiful. I think it'll be pretty great.

In the meantime I've been crocheting babies as my Grandma called them, meaning stuffed animals. I guess she called them that because I always had at least one with me when I traveled and always a mountain to put on my bed when I made it in the morning. I still have 5 trash sacks full stored away under my bed until I have a little girl of my own when I can cover ceiling kissed shelves with them for her to look at (and maybe one or two to play with as well). While I was informed that I cannot sell anything I make from a bought pattern (who knew?) I've still continued to make them because they're incredibly adorable and I've gotten some great ideas to create some of my own.













Plus they make great gifts whether they're original or not because they are handmade. I'll start making my scarves and hats again soon so that I can have a huge stock for the cold weather. Those I can actually put in my Etsy store, so it'll be exciting to share my artwork with the world. I've also almost finshed my first "nap blanket," which is my favorite size to lay on the couch with or curl up under with a book and cup of tea. I haven't decided if I'll keep it or give it away to a family member. I'm probably leaning towards the second since I can always make myself another one.

While exploring around the Etsy world I found Steampunk Rings and descovered a name for a genre of things that I've always loved.

While I absolutely adored a particular watch and a bizarre little ring from them, I discovered all sorts of other neat little things.




I just love these little dog treat jars. You can get them from WhiteWashSundries with any breed inscripted and it's first initial on the top of the jar too! I really want to get one for my little Edward.





Of course I'm a total bag girl *which is the younger more hip version of a bag lady* and adore all sorts of totes and purses. I found several that I really adore and love the fact that if and when I am finally able to purchase one or two I'm supporting someones love and dream of being creative and doing what you love for a living.